• The site has now migrated to Xenforo 2. If you see any issues with the forum operation, please post them in the feedback thread.
  • An addendum to Rule 3 regarding fan-translated works of things such as Web Novels has been made. Please see here for details.
  • RIP @Silver Swallow
  • Due to issues with external spam filters, QQ is currently unable to send any mail to Microsoft E-mail addresses. This includes any account at live.com, hotmail.com or msn.com. Signing up to the forum with one of these addresses will result in your verification E-mail never arriving. For best results, please use a different E-mail provider for your QQ address.
  • For prospective new members, a word of warning: don't use common names like Dennis, Simon, or Kenny if you decide to create an account. Spammers have used them all before you and gotten those names flagged in the anti-spam databases. Your account registration will be rejected because of it.
  • Since it has happened MULTIPLE times now, I want to be very clear about this. You do not get to abandon an account and create a new one. You do not get to pass an account to someone else and create a new one. If you do so anyway, you will be banned for creating sockpuppets.
  • Due to the actions of particularly persistent spammers and trolls, we will be banning disposable email addresses from today onward.
  • The rules regarding NSFW links have been updated. See here for details.

The Redwood Saga (Pokémon Fanfiction, Crossover)

Reader mode
Chapter 57: Rumble in the Jungle
  • Threadmarks
    • Chapter 57: Rumble in the Jungle​



    dhwn86t-0875beee-53aa-4ebe-b1a1-28461f792ac1.jpg

    A few parts of this chapter are going to be broken up into named sections, because we're dealing with so many Pokémon pretty much simultaneously in what is essentially a montage chapter, with a journey in the middle. Hopefully, this will help you all remember our protag's team a bit better by the time the tournament gets going. Alex's full roster for the tournament will be at the end of the chapter, on sites that support images. You can also find them on DA.


    Also, if you haven't noticed the 'side saga' I've been writing since like...July...go ahead and read that on     FFN or Royal Road.



    As always, Enjoy.    ​


    The Top Twenty​

    As their team spread out across the just over four miles they'd claimed as their training ground, the members of the A and B teams coalesced. Alex's top ten remained unchanged, with Terra, Hydrus, Blaze, Leo, Arthur, Shruikan, Cenomons, Gelauros, Ictus, and even Lux, who was floating among them with his hilt. The B team had, however, had some slight changes in roster. Eremus was now apparently one of the largest Flygon in the Mohave Desert, and he was helping the desert Pokémon adapt to the returning life in the land. Tao's wisdom helped them coexist with the species that were migrating to these newly habitable areas, and apparently, from what he'd told Alex, he was not the only formerly trained Pokémon out there. The League had, after evaluating them of course, released many of the Arcean crusader's Pokémon to the wild, and Eremus had become a kind of leader among them thanks to both his strength and kindness. Alex was genuinely proud of him.

    Replacing his dragon and ground type was, naturally, his Garchomp Kalagon, who was eager to reach the same level as everyone else. He had a growing lust for battle that rivaled Shruikan's, and when Blaze was too lazy or tired to indulge Shruikan's admittedly greater endurance, he had found a worthy sparring partner in Kalagon. The massive Garchomp had his head raised proudly among their group of twenty. His Lapras, Pruina, had also wished to do as Eremus had done, but for the Pokémon of the eastern Atlantican coast. She'd quickly ended up with a pod of her species, and Alex had expected no less. They were a matriarchal species, usually, and they gravitated on instinct towards the most powerful female they could find. She wanted to be more social than Eremus though, so she had started training her pod to carry Trainers, or regular citizens, across Unova's coast. In time, she wanted to have pods on every State that had a coastline. Replacing her was his Kingdra, Kral, who had grown rapidly into his new draconic form since evolving. He and James Pond often had shooting contests, which Kral won with regularity despite the Inteleon's accuracy. Kral had speed, and quite a bit more power, in addition to his ability, Sniper.

    The final change came from his Orbeetle, Sensus, who was now officially the Empire's best method of detecting threats. His training had gotten him to a high level, and apparently, his job also gave him Experience. Both Pruina and Sensus had agreed to battle, if the team needed them, in the World Tournament. Though Eremus had hid it, he was a bit salty about being replaced by a Garchomp, and had claimed he was too busy for silly human tournaments anyway. 'Maybe next time' had been his answer, and while the salt was a factor, Alex knew he wanted the desert to be more stable and in balance before he left it for long periods to train and compete. The replacement for Sensus, as a psychic type, was why they had gathered. Joining them alongside their respective clones of their Trainer were Espeo, Psi, his Kadabra, and Atlas, his shiny new Metang.

    "This is a waste of time." Shruikan started with an arrogant rumble. "Espeo is the eldest. You have had him longer. He deserves the spot. He deserved it more than even Sensus, the bug was only among us because he had to track down Avatar Jimen."

    "That's an opinion." Alex nodded. "But I always intended for Sensus to be our radar. And once he evolved, he practically shuddered with excitement when I suggested it. He had no qualms about leaving. He was always content to eventually be replaced. He knows he's a valued part of his 'colony'. Thus, here we are." Alex took a deep sigh, then. "For a team with a Trainer who is so well known as a psychic, our Psychic Type battle power is lacking. We've only ever really needed Arthur, but now Arthur is available, at best, half the time. Canis and Astrum have covered that deficit, but this spot needs to be filled by a powerhouse. And we have three, even if two of you still need to evolve. I would know your thoughts, Espeo."

    As usual, his naturally mild but now artificially modest Espeon was casually licking his paw and grooming himself throughout the discussion. "I'm flattered Shruikan, rrreally," He said with a purr, nodding with respect to the looming black Salamence, his forked tail shifted and swished behind him. "But I agree with Alex. We need overwhelming psychic power, and my species simply doesn't have that. Not without decades of training, and honestly, overwhelming power is not something I desire. Thus far I have been in the background, using my Sight and my skills as needed, when needed. To moderate disputes, feed the new members, instruct the new members, heal injuries, or even enhance a city's battlefield barrier when Terra decides to spawn a forest out of nowhere."

    Terra rumbled with a chuckle. "I did do that, didn't I." He smacked his lips, speaking slowly, as his brothers chuckled at his nonchalance. "No regrets."

    Alex nodded, as he chuckled with them. "I will use you as you wish to be used, Espeo. If you ever feel the urge to Battle, don't hesitate to tell me. You've been able to grow through your actions so far, but eventually, you Will reach a plateau that only punching upwards will get you across." His psychic cat prowled over to him, and purred against his legs, seemingly very satisfied with this arrangement. "Now then…that just leaves who officially replaces you. Psi. Atlas." The two newer members of the team snapped to attention, Psi with his spoon literally standing straight up again, and Atlas with his expressive eyes, focused on his Trainer. "I'll be training both of you, make no mistake. I intend to make you both some of the strongest Pokémon in the world as I promised, but this is more a matter of use and preference. When I have Arthur on hand, one of you will have to directly back him up, on the B Team, especially if the Muk ever hits the Fan Rotom. Like it almost did at the Fury Falls. When Arthur is not on hand, Canis will be in his spot, which means both of you will fill in on the B Team. Honestly, it's just a matter of who wants to Battle more and take on more responsibility. Psi, let's hear your thoughts first."

    The Kadabra gave a sagely nod. "As you have surmised, I have accepted your offer to become the strongest. Though initially skeptical thanks to how…chill…this team is, I can now properly foresee my potential, and it is nearly limitless under your guidance. With that said…my preference is for gaining knowledge. Battling cuts into this time. Your top twenty Pokémon also have many Special Attackers among them. Atlas is, I believe, more suited to Battling more often. He will learn better from Arthur's physical techniques than I will, and taking on responsibility seems to be something he is quite eager to do. I wish to take a more…intuitive role, on this team. I will keep apprised of the world's news, and the goings on of Human culture. Someone has to. All the dark ghost and the spark do is troll on Chatter and doom scroll through Reditto." Lux chuckled, and Nox feigned a look of indignance, until his species trademark smirk returned, along with a chuckle. He couldn't be mad when the psychic was correct.

    Alex nodded again. "Very well. You're on intelligence gathering, and once you evolve and train, you may browse the Pokénet as you wish. I'll be taking you with the other new members, with the clone that will be journeying with Isamu around the Rio circuit for a bit. There are a few methods of achieving your final form, but they all require you to be at a higher level." With that said, he turned to Atlas. "Are you willing to Battle that often? To officially join the B Team?"

    The platinum Metang gave a mighty metallic roar. "I will take on this duty…once I grow stronger and evolve."

    Alex chuckled. "You're still going to be training. You have Moves to master. All of you do. I'm taking you out with us too, Atlas. See if we can't find ourselves another shiny Beldum. Until we depart, work on the Moves that the TMs gave you. We'll need all of them in the Finals." With that, they set about training their resistance to the cold with Gelauros. This involved Alex taking those with double or quadruple weaknesses to ice, and sitting in his proximity, as he battled the natural heat and humidity of the Dark Continent with his own self-made Blizzard. Their task was to keep up their respective shields as long as they could and then resist the cold as long as they could, at which point they'd be recalled, one by one, until Gelauros needed a break, or they all succumbed to the frost. As he began shuddering from the intense cold, Alex kept his eyes closed, meditating and focusing hard as he managed his sixty or so clones of himself.

    Revan, his Charcadet, still needed his armor, and soon, the commission would be fulfilled. The blacksmith in question, a man called Antonio, had been thrilled to have the chance to have his work adorn an Emperor's Ceruledge, one who would undoubtedly grace the World Tournament's stage before long, and Alex had agreed to let him mark it with his brand, so long as it wasn't too obnoxiously visible. Champ and Kel, his newly evolved Machoke and Gurdurr, were also coming on the Rio road trip, as were Psi and Atlas. Fulguron had become an Electabuzz as he'd advanced with his training, and Alex knew the process for getting him to become an Electivire would require a city's power network. The rest of the travel roster included Gauss, his Charjabug, who'd evolved after eating enough of his Magnezone's electricity, Dracala, his Noibat, and Simon, his Drilbur. All needed basic experience to evolve to their final forms. Luckily, he knew everything he needed would be available in Rio. They had a stock of Trainer items to rival Castelia and Levincia.


    The Angry Chicken​

    Alex had his Infernape, Goku, and his Cinderace, Cinder, with him as he held a twitching fiery colored Luxury Ball in his oversized hand. They were near Sombra Verde, home of the seventh gym of Rio's circuit, the dark typed gym. The people of Sombra Verde were, to date, the only group of humans insane enough to willingly live in Selva Muerta itself, and their population suffered as a result of that choice. Every year, the local Pokémon of the jungle tested the humans, chipping away at their resolve until they left, and every year the humans stayed, mostly because their Gym Leader was able to protect the settlement from being wiped out, and had no qualms about taking in criminals, or former criminals. Whoever helped protect the town, got to stay, apparently. Alex didn't know the man's name, yet, but he did know he was a League recognized Dark Type Pokémon Master.

    The town was not their focus today, however. Since Alex had first caught his Torchic, who he'd nicknamed Garuda, he had very quickly evolved on his own into a Combusken, and ever since, only answered Alex's attempts to train him with fierce Pecks and Double Kicks. Alex could handle them of course, but the furious fire hen always preferred to attack, instead of listen. It was time for that to end. It had been years at this point, after all. Garuda had acclimated to tolerating the other Redwoods, because they fed him, and he ruled their roost of Torchic and other Combusken. Alex was the only one he actively attacked, but enough was finally enough. It was time for an ultimatum.

    He tossed the ball, and as always, the angry eyes of the fiery fighting chicken looked around, took in the environment, and then settled with anger on the tall frame of his Trainer. He also glanced at Cinder and Goku, and a smirk formed on Garuda's beak. "Finally attacking me, are you? I knew you were full of Muk. You're literally the worst Human!" As usual, the insult was followed by a fierce Peck, but Alex was done indulging his shenanigans.

    "Blaze Kick."

    Cinder launched into the attack before the burning bird could so much as blink, and then he let out a painful squawk as the flaming rabbit foot forced the air from his lungs and sent him rolling back into the dirt. For the first time, he looked at Alex's irritated but still passive face with fear, and Alex hated that he had to do this. But nothing else had worked. For years now. Some species really did only understand one language: the language of strength. It was long past time that Garuda understood who he was.

    "I'm done, Garuda. I've tried giving you space. Talking to you as I easily dodged your attacks. Letting you rule the roost, back home, in the hope that some females might calm you the Muk down, but alas, it's just made you more arrogant. Now, you understand. You resist Fire Moves, but that one nearly knocked you out. Cinder was holding back, too. If we wanted you unconscious, you would be."

    "You call me arrogant, you self-righteous ape!? I'll end you!" His Peck appeared again then, and Alex watched as it swirled, becoming a Drill Peck instead. He sighed again. Garuda still didn't get it. A life of leisure on the ranch had kept him from understanding just who his Trainer was, and despite his attempts to have the rest of the team explain, Garuda tended to attack them, as well, viciously insulting them until they left him and his females alone. Even Po had left the Combusken house dejected, and disappointed that he'd failed his Trainer's request. Po had been the last, and after half a day of trying, he'd come to Alex saying, "That guy…that guy hates you…" It was at that point that Alex knew more violent measures would have to be taken.

    "Mach Punch."

    This time, Goku blurred forward, and the results of his training showed, as with one of his weakest moves, he got under Garuda's guard, and hammered him with a quick, powerful jab that sent the Drill Peck into nonexistence, as once again, Garuda was sent spinning across the ground.

    "I said I was Done with your BS." Alex repeated, as he appeared over the nearly fainted Combusken, and glared at him. The weight of the Word kept the fierce fire hen from rising again, as his deep blue aura started burning around the human's body in a fiery outline. "I need you to hear me, Garuda. So shut the Muk up, for once, and listen. I'm going to become the World Champion. That's what my team and I are aiming for. I want you on that team. I've wanted you on it since the day I caught you. You're so full of potential, but your damned personality keeps you weak, isolated, alone on the ranch. Enough is enough, though. This farce ends today." He crossed his arms, and for once, finally, it seemed like Garuda was listening to him and at least recognizing his skill as a Trainer of Pokémon, if not a different kind of human. Being taken down with two moves would hurt anyone's pride, and Garuda had never seen a human glow like this. "You will either begin training with the others, so that I can make you one of the most powerful Blaziken in the world, or I will release you here, in a Region where your species thrives. Not this spot exactly, but close. You can spend your days as a Combusken, and never see me, or the ranch, again while I find a Torchic that doesn't despise me. Make your choice."

    Still weak, and on the edge of fainting, Garuda slowly stood up again. "You would…take me away from my Eggs? My wives!? And you expect me to bend to your threats!? You have…no idea…just who the Hell I am!" Flames rose around him in an impressive Flame Charge, considering he'd never been trained, and he charged at Alex again, as Goku and Cinder sighed and frowned in disappointment respectively. This time, Alex just raised a hand himself. The flames went out as they were forcibly guided away, and Garuda's eyes went wide as he psychically hung in the air, in awe. For the first time, he sensed his Trainer's aura properly, and he was speechless at its power. Deep down, he started to believe the human's words. A Trainer like this really could push him to the heights of the world.

    "Give me your answer." Alex demanded, holding him in the air still, without inflicting more pain. Weakened as he was, that would faint him, and Alex didn't want to heal him and just attack him again, as that would be actual abuse at that point.

    The Combusken looked down at the ground, then. "I have hated you…Human. Since the day you caught me…something about your eyes…just rubbed me the wrong way. The way you looked at me…kept me, in that ball, and on that ranch, like a possession. Despite my slavery, I made that ranch a home. A new one, to replace the one you took me from!" He tried attacking again, but this time, his flames didn't respond. He was truly stuck in the air, at Alex's mercy. He looked up again with tears forming in his eyes. "I know I can't win against you. I've always known you were strong…but this is…more than I could have imagined. I hate you. For taking me from my wives, for forcing me to fight, or lose my home. Again. To serve, or be left abandoned in a foreign country." He met Alex's eyes then. "I will fight, Human…but I will Never stop hating you."

    Alex sighed, and looked down, very tempted to just release him, or accept his words and his hate and let time sort it out. But no, he decided, Garuda had enough time already. All he lacked now was perspective. Thus, Alex gave it. "You misunderstand much, so I will help you remember your humble beginnings. Your former home, one I bet you barely even recall, was a forest. You lived in dirt and I found you in a rotted stump, full of bugs that were infesting your feathers. I saw the potential in you the moment our eyes met. So I caught you. I should have asked first, though. You are right. You're one of the only Pokémon I've caught that way, but I wasn't just going to give up on you before even trying. I figured, like most Pokémon, you'd come around to the idea of getting stronger, eventually." His expression and tone softened, as Goku put a hand on his shoulder, and nodded. This was the right way to do this. His little fire monkey had become rather wise, with age and training. Sometimes. When he wasn't occupied by eating an entire harvest worth of Nanab berries.

    Alex let the hurt show, in his big blue eyes. "But all you did was attack me. From the day I caught you, until this very day, all you have ever answered me with, is violence and hate. I gave you a life of comfort you would never have found in the White Forest. Some other Trainer would've caught you, or traded you, or released you somewhere you couldn't survive. I helped you thrive, I gave you access to our female egg layers and cemented your genetic lineage, and all I got from you as a result was more hate. More attacks. You wouldn't even speak to me, once I could understand you! I finally thought we could work things out when I learned that skill, but no. All it did was show me exactly what you'd been saying each time we met. Swears, hate, and promises of violence." Alex lowered him to the ground, and released his psychic hold. Cinder tensed, fully expecting the arrogant fire hen to attack again, but Goku was the picture of calm. "If we're going to work together, you need to forgive me for catching you. I've tried doing right by you, Garuda. The Least you owe me for the life you have and enjoy, is a chance to train you properly, especially if you want to keep enjoying said life. We're not ready to Battle together. Not yet. We'll start with talking. There's a lot to catch you up on. Can you at least agree not to attack me on sight?"

    Hearing Alex's perspective did make Garuda feel slightly guilty. Indeed, now that he thought about his former home, it had been a constant fight for food in that forest. His 'home' had been infested with small itchy bugs that the Redwood Lab had cleaned him of. He'd been kept healthy, happy, and well fed, but Alex was right. All he'd gotten for his attempts at bonding properly were battle-level moves towards his person, and he hadn't once retaliated, until now. Finally, Garuda spoke. "Yea. I…I'm realizing now how I've been acting. The mere sight of you made me…too angry to even listen. But we can talk, I guess. If you're not busy…"

    Alex just smiled at him. "I have time. Return, all of you. We'll chat back at the training camp." He recalled the three fire typed starters, and bamfed back to their base, satisfied that, finally, progress towards having a Blaziken, a naturally adamant one at that, who had the Speed Boost ability, had been made. He hoped that one day, he and Garuda would look back at the start of their relationship and be able to laugh.


    The Warrior, The Spy, and The Ninja​

    Maromnis crouched low amidst the wooden posts that were acting as his targets. He'd studied the ancient Japanese masters of the art of the sword since evolving into a Samurott, and Alex had encouraged this. Leo had even suggested several anime, and once Shippuden wrapped up, they were moving on to Dark Clover. The crouched Samurott from another era took a long breath, and then he struck with both Scalchops in a flash of movement that was starting to reach the speeds needed for the World Tournament.

    The logs were perfectly sliced in half. As they flew into the air from the force of the cut, a swarm of Water Shuriken, undoubtedly also inspired by their ninja anime binge, nailed each log with improving aim. Before the shuriken had even landed though, rapidly fired dual-handed Snipe Shots had impacted them with blinding speed. As Alex examined the combined attacks, he nodded, satisfied.

    "I was worried that using the candy would weaken you, but you've all grown into your new forms remarkably quick, and your Signature Moves at least are looking good." The three water type starters moved behind him in a line as he spoke, and James was the last to appear from his camouflage, and nod. "Maromnis." Alex addressed the Samurott first. "You'll want to work with Arthur, Arbor, and Revan, when he returns. Their various sword styles will help hone yours into something truly special. Work on your elemental attacks until then." The Samurott gave him a dutiful nod, and got to work with his clone of Alex, that was set to follow him around as he trained.

    "Kage." The black skinned Greninja nodded at the speaking clone of his Trainer with a sharp grunt. "Masterful work, both with the Shuriken, and running up that tree. You're a Special Attacker, so you'll want to work on Dark Pulse next. Try making it faster, and don't forget to condense it too." Kage nodded again, and he and his clone bamfed elsewhere to practice.

    "And James." Alex said, turning to his own charge. "Your aim has greatly improved. All we need now are your coverage Moves, and Moves that will help you move around quickly." Like the others, James nodded, but then he spoke, too.

    "After my first Trainer abandoned me, I never thought I'd get to this point. And I still have so far to climb." He sighed heavily.

    The clone assigned to him raised an eyebrow. "You haven't mentioned your first Trainer before. Would you mind talking about him?"

    James pondered quietly for a moment, and then nodded. "His name was…erm…he went by Miko. I know that much. He taught me a bunch of Moves, and immediately challenged the…Grass Gym Leader of…Galar, probably. It was a Double Battle. We got crushed. I'd had a few road Battles on our way there, and I had a basic grasp of Ice Beam, but those two Gym Leaders completely crushed us. I don't know who the other Gym Leader was. She was strong, though."

    Alex could guess what came next, but he let James continue. "It was all downhill from there. He kept trying to force me to evolve, and I just wasn't ready. I was scared, weak, and that woman he'd traveled with eventually suggested replacing me." James sighed, and a single tear appeared in his eyes. "Miko…agreed. Almost instantly. It…it broke my heart. He took her Scorbunny as his starter instead, and admittedly their color schemes did match, and it was the woman who traded me in to the Professor for another Sobble. It was…weird though. I couldn't see too well from inside my ball, but Sonia seemed…dazed when she did it. At first she'd said no to trading me in, and then that woman…Zabrina, that was her name, she did…something, and before I knew it she was given her pick of the other Sobble, and just left me there. Sonia eventually turned back to normal, but by then Zabrina was long gone with the new Sobble, and I had serious trust issues. I denied sixty seven other Trainers, until You showed up."

    Alex put a large hand on the Inteleon's thin shoulder. "It's not your fault, James. Everyone loses Battles, and sometimes Humans react poorly to it. Rest assured, I will not be trading you in, unless that's what you want."

    Bubble O7 shook his head. "I'm staying right here. I'll help Kage and Nox watch your back. I won't fail again, either. Let's go get stronger." And so, they did. The first thing Alex had him work on was his Ice Beam. If he could make it as accurate as Snipe Shot, they'd be in a good place, as his team's ice type coverage was, much like his fairy type coverage, somewhat lacking. He knew Astrum would be more than enough though, he just had to make sure his water types mastered their ice moves.

    Not too far away, Maromnis and his clone of their Trainer were discussing sword play with Lux. The Sword Rotom had ideas, and Alex was properly amused.

    "I've been thinking, Alex," Lux said eagerly, "I can change my hilt pretty much at will by this point. We could adjust our style when I do so."

    He flew into Alex's hand, and winked at his Trainer, as his hilt became thicker, more suited for two of even his stupidly large hands, with a familiar t-shaped crossguard that made his nerdy Trainer's eyes widen. Lux's eyes appeared again once he was done, and Alex ignited him, grinning wide. "Strong Style!" Lux shouted, his voice deeper, as the white and black blade was now easily as long as a greatsword, and a greatsword suited for someone who was six feet and five inches tall. Or one hundred and ninety-five centimeters. The blade was almost as tall as Alex was, and it felt heavier somehow. He had to adjust his footwork as he swung, but Lux guided his strikes, and Alex knew if they could shift to this style fast enough, it could be devastatingly powerful. "Speed Shift!" Alex shouted, and Lux picked up what he was putting down, as Maromnis watched in awe.

    Perhaps unsurprisingly, Lux's hilt became one more akin to a katana, specifically a nodachi (basically a greatsword but with a katana shape), again thanks to his wielder's size. His crossguard this time was a circle around the hilt and resembled a Taijitu symbol. His hilt also created a scabbard, which was black and shone with white energy while sheathed. It seemed to be powered by Lux. Alex assumed it would help with his draw speed, but the time it was taking to manifest was not combat friendly. Still, the white centered and black edged plasma katana blade checked his box for cool factor, and again, after a few swings he realized he and Lux could strike a lot faster in this form. It was a little awkward to sheathe at first, but since he was still a plasma sword, Alex just turned him off, reconnected him to the sheathe, and then ignited the blade again, for a blindingly quick strike that katana wielders were famous for. The Aerial Ace technique had been developed by one such swordsman, and it was that same series of sword strokes Alex and Lux used now. They had work to do, training that would have to be done with his prime body, but the result would be much more effective self defense against opponents with, for example, connecting dual scythes.

    Not to be outdone, Maromnis looked at his own shell swords. Typically, they were referred to as 'seamitars', but he found he disliked the triangular shape they had. No sword he'd seen had such a poorly designed hilt, too. He used Razor Shell as Alex and Lux slashed their way through the Dragon Style's sword strikes, Maromnis willed the water energy to take a new shape. He made a proper grip as Alex and Lux noticed what he was up to, a ridged one that fit perfectly with his fingers, and wouldn't slide in his hand. The 'seamitar' was now more like a 'seatana' in terms of shape, and as the watery blade curved, Maromnis guided his control of the typed energy to rework his forearm sheathes as well. The whitish tan bone-like material that acted as his scabbard seemed to change easily, especially once he tried putting his new seatanas away.

    He crouched low then, and performed a rapid Razor Shell in the air, blinking in surprise when the x-shaped water energy went so fast, it flew off of his seatanas. "Masterfully done, Maromnis." Alex said, as Lux whooped in the air. "It's like a…Water Typed Psycho Cut. Keep practicing, until Arthur tells you sword-users to gather."

    For his part, Kage watched his friends as they continued to practice, but once again, mastery of Dark Pulse eluded him. He wanted to, like his father, learn it without a TM, which was pretty much the only move Alex had let him not learn like that. Because he was a dark type, he'd get it eventually, and doing it naturally promised a more solid control over dark typed energy, which was something his team actually lacked. Many could use dark moves sure, but actual Dark Type Pokémon were few in number. Nox spoke for them, since Ictus preferred not to, and even with Shadow, his Umbreon, and Noir, who would soon become dark typed with his presumed evolution to a Muertan Meowscarada, there were few. Tyranus would also become dark eventually, but Alex knew the little Larvitar was, at the moment, the most underleveled of his team. He didn't truly know if he'd be a Tyranitar by the end of their training. Pupitar took time and high quality soil to evolve, but luckily for them, Selva Muerta was naturally quite fertile.

    "I will deal with Dark Energy later." Kage declared to his clone of his Trainer. "For now…I wish to resume our hunt for new brothers, in this forest of powerful Pokémon."

    Alex was quiet for a bit, but Kage waited patiently, rightly assuming he was mentally figuring out where members of his team were currently training. Many were training hard against the jungle's denizens, and finding a partner near one of those battles would be difficult, probably. Finally, he said, "I'll bamf us near the Rain Sage, and we'll search around there." Within ten minutes, his prime body had recalled Kage and Noir, before Teleporting to his anchor near the Sage's doorstep. He had no intention of bothering the large, friendly creature with the potent odor, but he did separate a clone with Kage as his prime body and went off to the northeast with Noir, where they had been told they could find his method of evolution. With them on their way, the clone of Alex and Kage ventured the opposite direction and headed into the jungle.

    The going was slow, especially since the grass types lurking in the trees Kage insisted on traveling through loved trying to attack a water type that they saw as a free meal. Luckily for Kage, he had mastered Aerial Ace, and from that, with Blaze's help, had learned a bootleg version of Air Slash. He was no flying type, but he did have fantastic control over type energy as a special attacker, and a ninja. Naturally, he had turned his Air Slash into more of an Air Shuriken with repetition, but the damage dealt was the same, and it drove off most grass types looking to eat him. It took most of the day, but eventually, Kage stopped in his tracks as he sensed a surge in grass typed energy that could only have come from a natural ability. An ability belonging to a species that Alex sought.

    Slowly, they made their way towards this source of grass energy, Kage in the trees, and his oversized Trainer on the ground. If he'd tried jumping through the foliage like his ninja frog, he would've sounded like an Emboar on the rampage, and even on the ground, his stupidly large shoes crunched through the underbrush of the rainforest very obviously. Then, finally, Alex saw their target, and he pulled a Luxury Ball from within his bag, which oddly enough stayed connected across all its copies.

    Their target was a young Grookey, likely a few weeks old at most, judging by how fresh his whacking stick was. It still had small leaf sprouts, and a weak, thin top but as he whacked things, it would likely take on the usual blunt and vaguely drum stick shape. He was sitting cross legged, the bottoms of his tiny feet pressed together, with his long but fresh stick laying across his lap. He had a cute smile on his monkey face, and his equally cute eyes opened wide as Alex came closer, hands in his pockets. Gren waited quietly, in the trees. "Hello there."

    The tiny grass monkey sniffed the air around the human and looked him over. Alex looked around, the picture of casualness. "Are your parents around, little guy? Or are you on your own already?" While most Rillaboom stuck together, it wasn't unheard of for male Grookey to be pushed into the wilds on their own at a young age. Their groups typically were composed either of a male and his harem, or a few males, who jived together with their drums and used their strength to keep their groups safe. Galar's Rillaboom were much, much kinder than those in the Jungle of Death. Still though, banishing a Pokémon this young was…just wrong.

    The Grookey blinked slowly, as he found he could process the human's words. Pokéspeech was still new to him, and he'd never heard Common either, but he understood every word coming from the human's mouth, which was refreshing. "My…own. My father…angry. Did not like…my…" The Grookey struggled to convey his next word and gestured to the blossoming foliage around him. Then, Alex understood.

    "Your Ability. Grassy Surge. You empower the terrain around you with Grass Type Energy when you Battle. Or in your case…naturally." He felt a chill down his spine, as he realized how powerful the Grassy Terrain was, so soon after he'd been born. The healing effect was actually reaching him, too. It was strong enough to make a presumably powerful Rillaboom nervous enough to boot out a baby from his family group. If he could but train it…his grass types would be even more unstoppable. "You're so young, though. Did your mom really leave you out here alone?"

    The Grookey smiled wide at him, though he couldn't hide the sadness in his big eyes. "Not alone. Have Eterna!"

    Alex raised an eyebrow, and he sensed Gren tense up. Unlike his other dark types, Gren could still listen to and use their team's mental network thanks to his species psychic abilities. It also helped that his father had been Champion ranked and had long since awakened his own psychic abilities.

    Then, Alex saw what Gren was already tracking. Melting out of the gloom of the jungle behind the ideal Grookey, was a massive Annihilape. As it solidified on this plane, Alex didn't sense rage from it, hot or cold. In fact, its mind, such as it was, seemed…balanced, to him. Angry, yes, but a mix of burning fury and cold anger that resulted, oddly enough, in a state of relative calm, by all appearances. Alex could tell though, it was always angry and had been for a very long time. This was clearly an ancient ghost type. The tingle in his spine grew. He wasn't arrogant enough to hope, but if he could convince them both to join their team…

    "GreeEEeetings…Human." The dead rage monkey screeched. "You speEEak like a Harmonia…how?"

    "Well…" Alex began, not surprised that a ghost this old knew of the ancient bloodline. He then elaborated on how he'd taken on the mantle that had belonged to every Tamer of the Original Dragon, "...and after I opened my mind to the Universe and donned the Harmonia's crown, I could understand Pokémon as easily as I understand Humans."

    The Annihilape let out a hacking, shrieking sound then, and a glob of dark ectoplasm shot from its dead nostrils. "Nyaaagh…much better." The ancient ape shrieked, quieter. "What do you want with my friend… 'Tamer of the First Dragon?'" The dead ape said with intense sarcasm. Annihilape did not seem to believe his claim, but then, Alex couldn't blame them. To a Pokémon, it was like he was claiming to be a partner to one like unto a God, from their perspective. A natural power. An entity so strong, it was ordered by Arceus to defend an entire continent. He might as well have claimed he'd tamed and partnered with a hurricane.

    "I'm building a team of Pokémon. The strongest in the world. I intend to make them World Champions…and a Grookey like your friend here would be…a very powerful ally. As would you, old one."

    The Annihilape laughed, which sounded like a mocking noise somewhere between a screech and a huff. It was grating on the ears, and actually managed to irritate Alex, though he didn't let it show. "A bold claim, Human. Almost as bold as your first. Tell me…what will you do with such power?"

    Alex nodded and could tell now what the dead ape thought of humanity in general, and honestly, it wasn't off base. Humans had a garbage track record of handling phenomenal power responsibly. "I do not seek to conquer or make war. I despise war as a concept. I want my team to be so large, so indisputably powerful that no one, Human or Pokémon, dares to mess with their strength. To be so strong, they don't even try starting a war, or at least, stop once one of my partners arrives to mediate. The long term, ideal goal is to stop all wars completely. Across the entire planet, and for once, have it enter a state of true peace." Though the Imperium was in a truce with Eous, there were still many regions in Old Africa that quietly, and sometimes not so quietly, had people who opposed the Imperator's rule. Once those conflicts were settled in the Imperium's usual manner, through blood and conquest, Alex expected a renewed assault on Eous. He hoped he'd bought a few years of peace before that, however.

    The Annihilape was quiet for a long time, and eventually, its Grookey friend started getting bored, losing focus, tiny finger up his nose as he looked around at the trees. From what Alex could tell, the foliage seemed to be speaking to the young ape. Finally, the ancient ghost spoke. "I too…Dream of a peaceful Earth. After existing for so long…I deeply desire peace. If this is your goal…I will lend my power to it. Only you Humans can advance me to a higher level of Strength, now, I know this…I would have you, when the time arrives, put me in charge of maintaining Selva Muerta. Do this, and you will have my strength, and my little friend too, if he wishes to grow strong."

    Alex smirked. "It won't just be you handling the Jungle of Death." He stated flatly, "But I can help you turn this into a…somewhat peaceful jungle. Maybe we can curb all the death and killing but keep the raucous nature of competition that has made you all so powerful."

    The dead ape exhaled a cloud of frost from its decayed snout. "I desire thissss…" It hissed. "I Will bring peace…to my jungle. And then…we will rename it." And by doing so, the ancient Annihilape believed it would also, finally, achieve some measure of peace as well.

    "And I'll help!" The Grookey declared, with a mighty thwack of his stick. "Make me strong too, Human! Then I can surpass my father and lead all the Rillaboom!" His words weren't that articulate, but Alex grokked his meaning from his tone, and the fire in his young eyes. He may have been young, but he did understand what 'strongest Pokémon on the planet' meant. He was, Alex could tell, rather smart.

    The Annihilape had a name that was more like a title, when translated, but it was what all the local Pokémon called him, as they walked towards the team's training grounds. Eternape. The Grookey also had a name. His mother had called him Kurchak, and Alex didn't have an objection to him keeping the moniker if he liked it. Eternape joined his fighting types, and very quickly, Arthur had found someone worth sparring with again. Kurchak was Teleported to the clone with Isamu and the others who still needed experience or items to evolve, and the training continued.


    The Dark Stone​

    Alex's prime body was walking alongside Noir, his Floragato, as they headed away from the psychic anchor he had by the Rain Sage. Professor Cashapona claimed that Roca Sombramusgo, as the locals called it, was to the northeast, and Alex followed Noir for this. He could sense the evil stone, but its darkness made actually heading towards it quite difficult, as if it didn't want to be found.

    Noir was undeterred though, not even stopping to pick up the fallen berries they passed on the ground. Alex tried grabbing those they came close to, but as his hand only met shadow after the third attempt, he realized they were illusions meant to guide lesser minds away from, presumably, the stone that they sought. Each time the darkness tried guiding him away from his destination.

    It took a solid two hours of traversing the jungle in the overpowering afternoon humidity and heat before they finally came within sight of the stone, and Alex had to stop. "Any further, and the clones will vanish." Alex said to Noir, breaking the silence between them. "Just touch the stone, and come straight back to me, Noir. We can test out your new powers, but we need to stay together. I have a bad feeling about this part of the jungle."

    "Evolve and come back to your side." Noir affirmed. "I can do that." As he walked off, Alex frowned, as the clever cat had not said that he would. Alex stayed quiet though, choosing to trust in his partner.

    As Noir approached the stone, which was covered in dark green moss and various glowing fungi that seemed to reach towards him the closer he got, he realized that every part within reach was covered in the fungi, and his instinct was telling him to avoid touching the strange multicolored but pinkish limned flora.

    "I wouldn't touch that, if I were you."

    Noir leapt back from the evil rock at the sound of the sly, feminine tone, and looked upwards. There, atop a tree branch that he wasn't sure had been hanging over the large stone before, was a seemingly disembodied smile, wide and sharp and full of fangs. Before Noir could respond, the rest of the Meowscarada appeared around the mad smile. He was immediately smitten by her beauty. Lithe and strong, her dark green leaf mask fit perfectly with her head and ears, and her striped, green coat was well groomed, for a wild Pokémon. She had a small leafy mane of deep green leaves around her neck, and small pink and green flowers seemed to both orbit her person and grow naturally in her fur at all times.

    "Why shouldn't I touch it? I want to evolve." He told the vision of beauty before him.

    She just grinned wider. "Those plants, you see them? They were once like you. Floragato. Seeking to be strong. Embracing madness, or attempting to, at the whim of a Human. Had they evolved naturally, they would have lived. Turn back, handsome." She said with a purr, "I would hate to see you become just another fungus, among us."

    Noir's sharp eyes narrowed. "I came here at my own whim, and I seek this form because I dislike the other. It's…it's not what I'm supposed to be. I can feel it."

    The beautiful Muertan Meowscarada leaned her head towards him, with interest. "Oh? Perhaps you Are worthy. Well far be it from me to stop you…just understand, touching that stone will turn you Mad."

    Noir tilted his head. "Mad?"

    She chuffed at him and rolled onto her back. Noir gulped, as his eyes were drawn by instinct to her lithe body. He understood how Alex felt now, with Jess, and 'not having the words' to accurately describe her beauty. Noir wished the redhead were here, she would be a fine tamer for a fine feline like her. "Regular Meowscarada use their Darkness for tricks, illusions, and act as magicians. We of Selva Muerta embrace it completely…and doing so turns us a bit Mad."

    Noir's brow furrowed. "I don't understand."

    The flirtatious feline purred in thought. "You know how Humans smile when they're happy, and grimace when they kill?" Noir nodded, recalling how Alex and the others had looked, in their memories of the war. "Well, I used to be the same way. But now I smile when I kill, and grimace when my prey escapessss…" She finished with a sharp hiss. "Therefore…I am Mad. We're all Mad, here. The Jungle's darkness infects every inch of this land."

    Noir was quiet for a long moment, the only sound he could hear, the swishing of her perfect, fluffy tail. "I'm touching it anyway." He declared, and the Meowscarada seemed pleased by his confidence in his choice. First, he made a makeshift warning sign from leaves, vines, and a branch. Then, he urinated on it, not to mark territory like some lesser canine, but to warn any Floragato who came after him that touching the fungus was dangerous.

    "How kind." The Meowscarada purred, smirking at the futility of his efforts. Efforts she had once made herself.

    Noir ignored her and launched a vine towards the branch she laid upon. Her ears fell back, and with a blur of movement, she occupied another branch, guiding it towards him with her power. "I see Madness has made you skittish." He teased from her old branch.

    She nonchalantly licked a green striped paw, only one eye on him as she retorted, "One does not so brazenly approach a Lady."

    Noir ignored her again, which seemed to work for her, judging by the scent his nose was instinctively drawn to, wafting stronger through the air. It was enough to make his head spin, but he stayed focused. If he was going to take a female like her, he intended to do it when he evolved.

    He looked down at the stone and nodded. Sure enough, there were four gaps in the fungi, large enough for his paws. He still didn't trust it though. While not his best move, he launched an empowered Magical Leaf from his palm at the glowing fungi, ripping them to shreds and ensuring he had room to land thanks to how much power he expended at once.

    "So callous towards the corpses of our kind." The female remarked, watching him with both eyes now.

    He smirked confidently at her. "I can't afford to turn into fungus. Seeing beauty like yours has…inspired me to live. And grow." He looked down again as she smirked slightly at him. "By any means necessary."

    With the landing cleared, Noir leapt down fearlessly onto the rock and landed on all fours. Almost immediately, he began to glow bright white. In the distance, Alex muttered with some worry in his tone, "Mukking finally…" He could feel the inherent darkness of this place warping his sight, and he didn't like it. He wanted to evolve Noir and get the Muk out of here. It was not a place for psychics. Or humans.

    Alex watched the light of Noir's evolution with Leo's shared sight, and while there was natural dark typed energy everywhere, it did not try to smother or suffuse that bright white light. In fact, it seemed to recoil from it. As the light faded, a spinning pink and green flower bud came hurtling towards him, but he didn't move to avoid it, as he saw it wouldn't hit him. It was strange, he noted, that he had predicted the trajectory just by looking at the move and seeing its arc. He wondered if that might not be the result of fusing a Metang and a Kadabra to his mental network.

    He glanced at the impact crater the Seed Bomb had left, and read runes in common, or rather, Noir's attempt at them, and what letters looked like to his eyes. They were more rounded and curved, like Unown letters, but Alex still managed to read them; 'See you back at camp. Later.' followed by a paw print that Alex recognized as Noir's, if a bit larger and shaggier. He had inspected his grass cat's paws often, after the first few times he cut his own vine, which was, according to the Pokénet, not supposed to happen with Floragato, so he recognized the lines on the paw, and once again, his eyes were sharper and easily picking up on the details.

    dinzlvj-c6fb7ded-6a33-4167-93ef-902f581d1415.jpg

    In the distance, Alex heard something crashing through the jungle, as well as the cries of several Pokémon being hit by moves, a brief silence, followed by a lot of yowling. From two different Pokémon. Smirking, Alex figured Noir's situation out, more or less, and it seemed his mate was testing him. Or maybe an all-out ambush was just how the locals responded to seeing such a bright flash in such a dark place. Either way, Alex left him to it. He was high enough level to survive, and this was supposed to be the ideal environment for his species. He could make it a few hundred miles southward, probably.

    As Noir felt Alex bamf away, he knew in his heart that he'd be returning to the team. As entrancing as this female was, his human had trusted him, newly evolved and on his own, and left him the choice to return later, or not. Local Pokémon of various types came at him, as he chased after the faint form of the female Meowscarada, leaping through the trees just ahead of him. They barely slowed him down. His Aerial Ace and new ability made him overwhelmingly strong. Said ability essentially turned Seed Bomb into a stronger version of Flower Trick, or perhaps the original version. The result, was multiple pink and green flowers, orbiting him almost constantly, as they just seemed to naturally regrow while he was in a battle. They struck hard and fast, and while Noir marveled at their power, he also felt somehow weaker, defense wise, in this new form. He wondered if he might not now be what his brothers called a 'glass cannon', which was apparently a fast attacker with poor defenses. There were a few on the team, but that just meant he had to dodge, as they did, and listen to Alex when he called for one.

    Alex wasn't here now, though, so Noir was forced to fight strategically, brutally, and quickly enough to keep up with his quarry. He managed to do so, though the effort had tired him, he was still conscious and capable. It was a great workout. They finally stopped in a dense part of the jungle that any larger or less lithe creature would have difficulty moving through. Within that tangle of vines, Noir was led to a stand of trees all unnaturally curved in towards each other, to create a safe, and enclosed area to sleep, or drag young, virile males into.

    For three days, Noir had his virility tested thoroughly, but he emerged stronger for it, more confident, after leaving the female satisfied and slumped in her leafy bed. He left her with the nonchalant attitude of a male feline and prowled easily through Selva Muerta without so much as a backward glance.

    He tested his new abilities on the locals that, he found, were just a bit too vicious to their fellow Pokémon. His unsettling grin, and ability to camouflage in such grassy terrain unsettled most of his targets. When surrounded by foliage, he could shift his naturally somewhat striped coat to match his surroundings, and blend perfectly. His Flower Bombs, as he called them, also seemed capable of bending the light around his fur, and he used them to hide his eyes as he spied on the jungle's inhabitants.

    Disappointingly, all he found was almost mindless, instinct driven Pokémon who only seemed to care about two things: reproduction, and their next meal. Berries did grow plentifully; the only problem was that anyone trying to eat one usually had it nabbed by an unseen adversary too small to reach the berry trees. Chasing after the thief also, usually, found the berry enjoyer drawing the attention of a more predatory and morally grey species, like Liepard.

    There also seemed to be a general consensus among the locals, that the stronger one's prey was, the more nutritious the meal it made, and the stronger the predator would become in turn. Noir found that to be nonsense, but he did have to begrudgingly admit that there were some frighteningly powerful Pokémon in this jungle, several of whom seemed to almost see through his camouflage. A wild Meowscarada might have struck at them on instinct and tried running, but Noir knew better. They couldn't break him if they couldn't find him.

    The only one that came genuinely close was a Muertan Arbok, and a massive example of that species. Noir knew it had to be around ninety or higher, in human terms of measuring a Pokémon's power. His instincts guided him away from the massive poison dark type, and towards the pillar of frost that he assumed was Gelauros, testing the endurance of those weak to ice moves. He grimaced, as he knew he was among that number, and would be joining them on his return.

    He took his time over that remaining day and a half trek, though his pace increased, when he felt Gel's frost suddenly stop.

    The Archon​


    Three Days After Noir Evolved… - Selva Muerta​

    Fire. Death. A trail of bodies was all that Archon left in his wake with each thunderous step forward that he took. The titanic bridge dragon was barely even noticing the feeble and forced attacks used by their enemies. They were the kind of humans who had been alive before Pokémon started appearing, and very quickly, had figured out how to forcefully turn these new 'magic animals' into sentient weapons. William Draciel (Dra-see-el) looked upon what he had wrought, and silently wept, for while his enemies were indeed the absolute worst of the remaining Old Earth governments, they were still his people, living in his Empire.

    Will was not the only one with tears. Looking up, he saw the Original Dragon, and that sight, is what jolted Alexander Redwood into a sudden state of lucidity within his dream. Tao looked…more primal. Rugged. Less refined, like he currently was. It was like he was a prototype of what he would go on to become. He also had some sort of an icy chin beard going on, that didn't really work well with his features. Alex didn't have long to take in the changes between past and present, however, as Tao then did something that he did recognize. His tail rose into the air, and with the shifting nature of ice energy, fused the designs of both a thermonuclear reactor and an electromagnetic generator. The resulting machine propelled him across the sky as he roared, "Enough! I shall be the one to take this burden! And end this madness once and for all!"

    The man, one of Tao's previous Tamers, Will, apparently, gasped as he watched in horror. "No… please, no…" The despairing man fell to his knees, and the tears came freely, now. He was clad in a black Haori, with gold trim and accents, a gold and black Taijitu swirl on his back, not all that different from what Alex wore. Indeed, his pants were the same as Alex's, black and white and from Tao's realm, there was no question. He had skin as pale as Alex's, black hair streaked with grays tied up into what Alex recognized as a classic Unovan ponytail hairstyle worn by their ancient warriors. As the man stood, a golden aura pulsed around his body, and Alex knew immediately who he was looking at. His predecessor. The First. He could be no other. That meant that this…was likely the moment that Tao had forcibly put down the last violent remnants of the oligarchical governmental structure and entity that had once called itself America.

    They seemed to be standing atop an ancient stone fort of some kind, but then, Alex realized it was actually the Dragonspiral Tower. He spied Tao's nature garden on a lower tier, while this, the top, was home to a series of white pillars long broken and a space large enough for Tao to land. Alex nodded to himself. Meeting the Original Dragon had once been a lot more ceremonial, especially compared to the ease and casual nature of the modern method. He definitely preferred modernity, but looking around, he could see how that primal beast of a dragon, descending from the sky to treat with humanity, had a certain…epicness to it.

    As Alex followed Will up to the edge of the tower, a bright flash of light erupted before them, on the horizon. Alex tried to get his bearings, and figure out what direction that was, but the stars were different, and the land was unrecognizable, and unhelpfully obscured by tons of…pinkish mist? He blinked, but yes, from up here it definitely had a pink coloration to it as it wafted through the forest below. Strange. But probably normal, for this era. He looked back at the light, and his eyes widened as he recognized the mushroom cloud forming in the wake of a nuclear detonation. No army had a chance of surviving that.

    "I don't know who you are…" The first Dragon Emperor said, "But I can tell you are not from my era. The future, then?" He looked directly at Alex then, whose eyes widened. He was channeling the Light, with familiar ease, and apparently that gave him the ability to see Alex through whatever strange dream sorcery was happening in his head and projecting him into the past. Alex nodded, finding that, probably because he was physically deeply asleep, he couldn't talk or respond. All that came out was a weak gasp. He couldn't psychically project his words, either.

    "Well then…to you, strange man from the future…look upon my folly and despair. This is…the death of a great experiment. The final nail in a coffin that's been being nailed shut for a while now…the last vestiges of the old world were just blown away, reduced to atoms. By the Dragon himself…" He wiped his eyes. "I don't know how you are here, or if you can truly understand what it is you are witnessing. The most peaceful being I know…just sacrificed his morals so that my team would not fall to blood-madness." He gestured below, and sure enough, Alex made out the Alpha sized forms of ten Pokémon, most of which were dragons, fighting against an army of other Pokémon being controlled by devices that Alex knew had, in ancient times, been used to subjugate Pokémon with brutal jolts of typed energy they were weak to. In his time, all such devices had been irreparably smashed, and all hints of their schematics erased by the Unovan government.

    "My friends would eventually win, but…the Dragon has decided to end things himself before more innocent Pokémon are killed. He is…he is getting involved personally, and as usual…involving a Legend in our problems comes with a steep death toll for Humanity." Will took a deep breath as he sighed. "Learn from our mistakes, future man. And if you can…" His eyes noticed Alex's leg garb and widened in recognition before they moved back to the ghostly intruder's, "Do not let the Original Dragon lose himself in war. Take me at my word…he is better suited as a General than a soldier."

    With that, his aura flared, his black hair became golden and unbound, like Connor's transformation, and he shot into the air like a golden meteor. As Alex watched him go, he awoke to a pair of floating, golden eyes. His first immediate clue that what he'd seen was not a trick or illusion. "Alex…at last. Your Pokémon informed me that you would not wake. I sensed a foreign power in your mind as you slept. Are you well? You seem…pale."

    It took Alex a second to separate himself from what he'd sensed as the first Dragon Emperor, and he nodded at Tao's question. "I…saw the First. My predecessor. What was his name…William Draciel. Whatever wanted me to see him…it didn't feel hostile. I was deeper in the dream than usual, though. And…he saw me. Somehow, the first Dragon Emperor acknowledged my presence."

    Tao was silent for a long time, as his eyes blazed with gold. "I see. You are correct. It is no enemy that did this. Let me know if it happens again."

    With that almost infuriating lack of information or context, Tao vanished, and Alex sighed heavily. He groaned to his feet within his camping tent and exited with an army of clones behind him. They set to making breakfast for their expanding team, and Alex bamfed one of them back home, to Unova.


    New Tork City - Capital Province, Unova​

    Alex appeared atop the Dragonspiral Tower, which was home to Tao's garden this time, in this age. He looked around at his surroundings, trying to divine where the dragon had gone nuclear, but it was useless. Ages had passed between his vision and now, and too much was now different. Icirrus City especially so. Even in the past it had been somewhat small, but these days, the center of the Scale's order needed more to sustain them, and the city had risen in response to that need. Taking over the small bit of route between the tower and the town, Icirrus City could now claim to have battle facilities and items on par with Castelia, with architecture honoring the Dragon that rivaled Opelucid. Some residents didn't like the radical change, and Tao had arranged to have another part of the surrounding area developed in a manner that worked with nature, instead of dominating it. The younger generation, of course, had no problem with their home becoming more like, and connected to, Castelia and the other boroughs.

    "First things first…Deino." As Alex looked up where they were typically found, Connor appeared from around one of the hedges, the blonde Seeress from Valaskjalf on his arm. "Speaking of our Dragon Emperor…taking a break, are we?"

    "Something like that…" Alex said with a smirk. "Y'know, I don't think I've ever actually properly met your friend here." He gestured to the blonde on his arm, who chuckled.

    Connor's eyes widened as he realized his longtime rival was correct. "Ahh, right. This is Heidr (Hay-dur). Daughter of Lokra. She, uhh, actually just agreed to be my wife, as it turns out."

    Alex nodded, as both he and Jess had expected that eventually. Then, Connor's words were processed, and Alex frantically made the clone have the appropriate facial expression as he said, "Congratulations! I'm glad we'll have familial ties to Valaskjalf. It'll give Jess, Folokraan, and any of our daughters a chance to visit."

    Heidr just chuckled, "You and your kin are welcome any time, Dovahkiin. But you know this."

    "I do." He answered, and before the following silence turned awkward, said, "I should be on my way. I'll leave you two be. You should tell your sister too, Connor."

    "I will once she answers her phone." He grumbled, "Let her know, if you see her."

    Alex shrugged, "You'll probably see her before I do. It's the cost of having the World Festival and the World Tournament at the same time, I suppose. Everyone is occupied with training." With that, he flew into the air, and a few moments later, he saw Connor flying his fiancé into the air with his own powers. Remembering his predecessor's transformation, Alex made a note to try it at some point. Will's had been like…a combination of both the aspects that Connor and Alex had reached the Light with, an aura shield on par with Alex's, and the strange hair-color changing boost that Connor had achieved with physicality and fighting energy. Almost immediately, Alex wondered if it might not take a balance of both psychic and fighting energy, which would make a lot of sense, given how those types interacted. In a way, they were both opposites, and yet the same. Different, but connected. Body and mind. Yin and Yang. That, and the fact that they could both lead to Light abilities cemented the 'equation', as N would call it, for him.

    Alex left it for something his main body could practice and focused on his task for this clone; find a worthy Deino, and train him to be on par with the rest of his dragons. As he flew away, he received a psychic ping. He should've known better than to think he could just fly off in his now iconic robe without getting bogged down. "What is it, Joey?" He answered the man's relatively simple mind, which even now was aglow with thoughts of his Raticate.

    "Alex! Long time, my man. There's uhh, there's a bunch of people from Germania who claim they need to see you. Immediately. Nobody knew where you'd gone off to train though, so they've just been waiting here at the Tower…for a while now…and we're kind of tired of dealing with them."

    "Right…sounds like the Drachenfels. I'll be right there." He arced back to the tower's lower level, following Joey's psychic aura as he did so. Naturally, as soon as he entered the tower's main level, the conversing trainees paused, many staring in disbelief. Alex just gave them a smirk and a nod, letting his robe flare as he walked just fast enough to make it do so. He arrived in the common area to see Hassel, alongside two other Dragon Tamers, sporting the regal red and gold of the Imperium. Their golden capes had a stylized depiction of Castle Drachenfel on their front and back. The clenched fist of their Imperator clutching a lightning bolt was proudly on display on their chests, as was their apparent disdain at the simple yet comfortable surroundings of the tower.

    Their hair was blonde, and their eyes were brownish gold, but Alex could faintly see the familial resemblance to Hassel, who was in the same clothes he'd worn during their battle. "Ahh, Champion Redwood. I'm glad your people finally got a hold of you."

    "Hassel Drachenfel." Alex said, with a nod of respect. "You are welcome in our Tower, of course. Is there something I can do for you and your clan?"

    "Three things!" The aged man shouted unnecessarily loud, but it did serve to draw any eyes that hadn't moved to them already with Alex's arrival. "First…accept my humble apologies. It has come to my attention that I- We have been fed falsehoods and fables about you, and your nature. You, young man, are a fine example of everything a Draconid should aspire to be, and the more I learn of your saga, the more impressed I become."

    "A saga, eh?" Alex said, stroking his beard slightly, as he smirked. "I kind of like that, actually. Like an old Norstad epic..."

    "Indeed! For epic can be the only word appropriate when describing something as life changing as ending world hunger. By every measure and metric of our people, you are worthy…and thus, the care of Archon now falls to you. The rightful successor to the First Dragon Emperor. This is my second request; I humbly ask that you accept the Ace of your predecessor into your team." He bowed low then and offered Alex the ball. It was ancient in design, and yet just modern enough to incorporate recall technology in the form of a laser beam. This missing link between Apricorn balls and modern Pokéballs had only one drawback that the Trainers who'd used them had simply embraced. The inhabitants could, quite easily, come forth from and return to the ball at will, and even completely refuse to leave it. Modern balls could be left as well, but it was apparently harder to do, and they always ejected the occupant when their Trainer needed them to.

    Alex slowly took it, and his eyes widened, as it reacted to being in his palm. Bright whitish gold flashed, and the surrounding Padawans stared in awe at the massive Archaludon that manifested before them. Looking around in disbelief at the relic from the past made real again in modernity, Archon was silent for only a moment as he realized he was not hallucinating, before he suddenly roared so loud all present had to cover their ears.

    Alex felt Tao's reaction, and sure enough, an answering roar came in response. It may have sounded angry or full of fury, but Alex could tell these were simply cries of excitement. Archon couldn't believe the tower was intact. Tao couldn't believe his ancient friend had finally come home. The tower shuddered, as Tao made his way down.

    "I will join your team in time. I must speak with the Original Dragon first." Archon rumbled. Alex noticed powerful dragons rarely asked for anything, preferring to imply the request with their words.

    "Of course, Archon. Tao can send you to us when you're ready. Feel free to roam Unova as you please, just uhh…watch where you step. You're quite a bit bigger than when last you walked here. The sentient dragon bridge nodded and began stomping away. Naturally, quite a few students followed to watch that reunion, leaving Alex and Hassel in relative solitude to continue speaking.

    "And the third thing?" Alex asked, with a smirk.

    His ears twitched as he heard a strange sound, heavy almost metallic clomping boots, coming towards them. "Ahh, here comes my third request now." Alex turned at Hassel's words and beheld a gigantic human being. Alex was no decent judge of male attractiveness, but this man could only be described as beautiful. Short blonde hair framed his aesthetically perfect face, and atop his head were golden laurels, shaped like a U, that curved around his skull. Mounted onto his armor's energy backpack so that it framed his head, was a metallic golden sun.

    His armor had too much detail and golden trimmed heraldry for Alex to properly focus on. It was Ultramarine blue, bulky, and had no discernible weak spots. Even the kneepads, which each sported a white U on them framed by green laurels, completely covered the joint. The more he looked the more he marveled at how perfectly each piece must have to fit together to stay mobile and completely armored. Each shoulder pauldron was massive and ornately detailed around the white U that marked him as an Ultramarine. The closer the giant clomped, the heavier Alex realized that armor had to be, and he felt a familiar chill run up his spine as they locked blue eyes on blue eyes and evaluated each other. Once again, Alex found himself looking upwards at one of the Imperator's sons, though where Horus had been pent up rage and an obvious sense of superiority, this man, Roboute Guilliman (Row-boo-tay Gill-E-man), for it could be no other, radiated his superiority with his very aura. It was as obvious as his unnatural height.

    Hassel spoke first, as the giant stopped a respectable distance from them, "Alexander Redwood, Victory Champion, and Dragon Emperor, I give you Prime Archon Roboute Guilliman, Strategist Supreme of the Imperium of Man, thirteenth son of the Imperator, and lord of the mighty Ultramarines, the largest Legion of Astartes in the Imperium. He has come to participate in the World Tournament." Alex blinked, as that was new information to him. Professor Aristole had claimed all twenty Legions were around the same size, with one or two exceptions that had come out smaller thanks to genetic defects, but he had also warned his information could be outdated. That meant that this giant golden man before him was in command of a force that, when fully utilized, could not be matched by anyone on the planet. The current comparison in terms of strength between the Empire's Scales, and other Trainers in their military, and the average Thunder Warrior, was thirty Trainers to a single Astartes. A loneAstartes. Against the average squad of twelve, it would take five hundred Trainers, with ten partners each. And even then, things would be dire. By every metric, their analysts determined the only way to oppose these genetically engineered killing machines was with numbers, and as many moves as possible. And those tactics would not work on their Librarians, or a Prime Archon.

    Alex had no doubt the being before him would take down thousands, if not millions, before he started feeling fatigue. From boredom. Mentally, he informed Tao that the Brain Trust's request to create less bulky power armor was approved and would have whatever materials they required for mass production. The only sliver of a chance his Empire had against a Legion of Astartes lay in numbers, but better armor could drastically close the gap. He'd been holding off, because of the peace, but seeing just how far ahead the Imperium was made his instincts flare in a mix of panic and warning. This was a being who, if he was inclined to, could probably pulp even his durable body with a single swing of one of his massive, bulky armored arms. With teams in the eighties and nineties in terms of level, and armor that could hold up to a Prime Archon, their odds were much better.

    Finally, after a few moments, his clone said, "Hello there," and started acting normally once again. He had no doubt Guilliman had already, or was in the process of, figuring out he was a psychic clone. It'd be hard to tell now that it had his full attention. "I spoke with the League, and we agreed to acknowledge you as your Imperium's envoy, and to allow you to roam our territory and participate in the Tournament. The rules are available from any Rotom Drone, and to register, you'll want to go to a Pokémon Center… Although…"

    Guilliman raised a golden eyebrow at his pause. "Forgive me if this is considered rude, Prime Archon…but the ahh, armored regalia, might intimidate people too much. You'll need to interface with regular Trainers to progress in the Tournament."

    Guilliman nodded slowly. "I understand." A flash of blinding blue light illuminated the entire floor of the tower with his power. When it faded, the giant man appeared to be clad in a more casual outfit, more akin to a dress, a toga, Alex believed they were called on Olympius. Blue, white, and gold high-quality robes now adorned his goldish tan skinned titanic frame, and golden bands bearing the Ultramarine's badge were on his wrists. "I trust I will be safe, while I compete. Even so, I advise you not to try attacking me. Even without our armor, a Prime Archon will not fall easily."

    Alex gave him an understanding nod. "I'll assign one of our Scale's teams to unobtrusively keep an eye on your well-being, just in case someone tries something. I'm sure you'll have no trouble finding a strong opponent, or at least someone willing to test a son of the Imperator. Just remember, we do not kill our opponents. Ever."

    Guilliman nodded sagely. "I have read your rules of Battle and find them satisfactory. My team is also willing to comply." Guilliman placed a hand over his heart then and bowed slightly. "I hope this is the first step to true peace between the Imperium and the rest of the world, Dragon Emperor."

    Alex bowed in return. "If there is a path to such a future Prime Archon, we shall find it in friendly competition. I wish you luck. We may even meet in the final rounds, if you Battle strong enough foes. The stronger they are, the more points they're worth. Feel free to stay in the Tower while you are here." With that concluded, Hassle and his Imperium entourage left with Guilliman, and Alex bamfed to Opelucid City before anything else could bog him down. The fact that he now owned one of the first Dragon Emperor's Pokémon still hadn't quite hit him yet, and he genuinely wondered how people would react to a son of a tyrant participating in the World Tournament. Of all the Imperator's sons, he was glad Guilliman had been the one chosen. Alex recalled him having by far one of the best temperaments of the Imperator's sons, rivaled only by his white winged brother, Sanguinius.

    He should have known better than to think he'd make it through a city like Opelucid unimpeded. Fans, he didn't mind, and by this point, thanks to a message from Lux on his Chatter account apparently, they just shouted out the code phrase for an autograph and seemed to understand he was too busy for a face to face with every single person. Maybe once he mastered his clone trick and understood the cost it took more thoroughly, that would be possible, but for now, his fans were reduced to shouting, "I'm preserving the Emperor's Groove!"

    Thankfully, he and Lux were not the only ones who found that amusing. He sent a short-lived clone with his pen their way, and headed for Victory Road, only to find yet another figure blocking his path. This one, he happily engaged with, as his opinion of the man had improved, from what Geralt had mentioned of his efforts.

    "Director Colress!" He shouted as he approached, and the scientist clad in his ever-advancing gray full body tech suit nodded at him as he looked up from the screen on his arm.

    "Alex Redwood. Just the man I was looking for." They closed the distance and shook hands. "I have news for you. We finally sorted through Dengeki's Stargate data. It's…not good. Ninety percent of the Human colonies that spread out across the Milky Way in the past are now deceased, as far as he can tell. The few still intact have essentially reverted to cavemen, the last time he was able to see them."

    Alex smirked. "Sounds like they need some uplifting."

    Colress nodded. "I am of the same mind. We've already started to make contact, but some of them are very violent…"

    Alex's smirk widened. "Why Director, it sounds like you need some aid for that endeavor. I'd love to help out."

    Colress gave him a knowing look. "You just want to visit another planet. Trainer to your core, you are. We haven't found any…unknown Pokémon, and the few we have seen seem…isolationist. Like they want to be left alone. They also seem to know what the Stargates are, and Dengeki seems to let them through as needed. We hypothesize that quite a few of our local species from Earth, entirely wild and very much on their own initiative, have already gone through the gates, and perhaps have been doing so for quite some time."

    "That is…deeply fascinating, Director. When I have things in hand here, I think I'd like to traverse the Stargates for a time. I'd like to hear why these Pokémon left, and what they've been doing since, in their own words. I think my team would like that too. Some of them, anyway. I wonder if clones would hold up through Stargates…"

    Colress blinked at him. "Did…you say 'clones'?" Alex nodded, and Colress's smile became wider. "I thought that was just a conspiracy…you really can psychically clone yourself!?"

    Alex nodded again. "My highest amount at once is a few hundred, but I couldn't do much more than have them answer questions. So far there doesn't seem to be a limit on distance that they can travel, provided I utilize the ley lines correctly, and I have to individually control all of them, so it's not actual cloning, just one mind controlling multiple Psychic Energy bodies."

    Colress just stared at him. "You do understand no Human mind could do that, right? The amount of sensory input from that many sources across that far a distance would drive a Human being to madness."

    Alex just shrugged. "We're entering a new era, Director. The limits of the Human mind are not set in stone. Not so long ago, the idea of training sixty Pokémon at once was thought to be impossible, if not impractical. Now, for me, it's very much possible. Heck, I could and intend to train more, sixty is just the start. And I'm not the only Champion with psychic potential to expand their roster."

    "Speaking of ridiculously large rosters…I hear you're planning on finding a Deino. If you're interested, I have a particularly powerful but ornery specimen in stasis up in Lantea City. We studied him all we could, but he's been deemed too dangerous to release into the wild. If he evolves as he is now…he could level the Capital province. He's not fond of Humans in general…but he doesn't deserve to stay in stasis forever. I figured if anyone could help him, and want to help him, it would be a Trainer of your caliber. I've seen some of your new catches, despite your secrecy. Not one of them is unimpressive. And that Ceruledge…" He shuddered from how cool it had been to his inner nerd, to see a Mandalorian helm combined with the fiery dark knight that was Ceruledge, or, in this case apparently, Revan. "His swords were even purple and red."

    Alex smirked, as he'd very much pegged Colress as a nerd. A nerd of culture, no less, for while the Pokémon Wars Saga was a proper epic, doing everything the originals had, but essentially with Pokémon, all three of those trilogies were seen as more of a continuation of the much, much older Star Wars. But the real fans were the ones who dove into Old Earth's pop culture, where one could find classic titles like Knights of the Old Republic, or Skyrim. Colress was very obviously such a nerd, if he understood what a Mandalorian was. "Do you want a bamf back up there?" Alex asked. "This clone's purpose is to catch a Deino after all." Colress spent a solid two minutes then, examining his body then, in a scientific manner, before his curiosity was satisfied.

    "Yes, I could use a ride." Colress finally said, offering a gloved hand, which was also a part of his tech suit. With that, the two men bamfed to Luna.


    Monster Zero​


    Lantea City Containment Lab - Luna​

    Alex stared at the sleeping Deino before him with a look of uncertainty. Being a Unovan, technically, he had of course considered raising a Hydreigon at some point. The only problem was their species' temperament. Even with Champion Nate's now somewhat outdated guide to raising one, the food cost alone would have crippled his journey. They had large appetites correlated to their size, and a seriously bad attitude that only got worse with each evolution, another hindrance to his journey, and that had been enough to disqualify them from his Ace slot.

    And yet, now, here he was. They had the young, but rather impressively large dark type, who had to be close to evolution, kept in what seemed like a permanent sleep. His 'cage' was similar to the one Horus had been in, a square on the floor with energy barriers that only became visible when approached.

    Growing up had only cemented his negative perception of the line. Hydreigon wasn't exactly what one could call a great flier, either. They had phenomenal power, when their heads weren't fighting, and were very dangerous over short distances, but he'd wanted a globe-spanning species with unmatched aerial prowess and devastating power, and Shruikan had become exactly that. Now, after his Garchomp, Shruikan wanted a Hydreigon to spar with as well. That had been his only request, if they were going to be adding so many faces. More than a few fans had also wondered why he'd gone for Garchomp over Hydreigon, and that was mostly because Garchomp could handle Mega Evolution without constantly rampaging.

    As far as he knew, only Nate was crazy enough to try mega evolving his Hydreigon, and subduing the subsequent rampage had taken his main team, all but one of whom had fainted. Thus, the National Dex now had a big red warning about Mega Evolution on the Deino line's entries.

    Alex read the moniker that Pegasus had given their charge, Monster Zero, and then noted the strange patterns of fate and fortune that swirled about the Deino. Finally, he said, "Director." Which got the attention of the man beside him. Those sharp, intelligent eyes tinged with sadness now, shifted back to his. "You wouldn't happen to know what happened to the first Dragon Emperor's Hydreigon, would you?"

    Colress chuckled humorlessly and looked back at the Deino with a soft sigh. "Sadly yes, I do. With his master dead, he was about as furious as you'd expect, but the Humans of that time were not so easily disobeyed…the subsequent Emperors turned him into a breeder, the only problem, was that every time some self-important elitist snob tried training one, it eventually evolved and became a calamity. Most of the calamities we have record of were caused by these hatchlings. This one was sent up here, by the Unovan Government, back when the last chained Hydreigon of his line finally, mercifully, passed away. He's been asleep ever since…but I have a feeling his rage has only been growing."

    Alex felt Shruikan angrily reacting to the story, and Alex agreed with him. But this was not the old Dragon Empire. They would be better. They had to be. "This is Fate if I've ever seen it. There can be only one Trainer for him, and this time, he'll be trained properly."

    "It is folly."

    Both Alex and Colress leapt, as they'd locked the door behind them. Even a Deino could be rather destructive. They turned to see the source of the irritated baritone, a pair of blazing, golden eyes floating in the air.

    "I will tell you what I told William, when he began this tragedy. Lesser Hydreigon may be Tamed, but those who bear this Darkness, are something else entirely. They cannot help their evil. It is their nature. Like a curse. This little one's ancestor bore it as well, as did his predecessors. Before even my time in Unova, since their species first evolved, this lineage has lasted, and every single one has become a natural disaster. They don't even need to reproduce, an Egg of their species line will simply appear one day with that telltale aura, and once again, the cycle of tragedy and death repeats. Leave him in stasis. It is the kinder fate for him, than the one that awaits."

    Alex stared at the ground as Tao spoke. For context on his current thoughts, he had, naturally, at one point just set a clone to watching anime while the others trained. Mostly because he didn't like not knowing a story, but also because he was properly hooked by this point. His clone had made it to Boruto, the slightly less popular but still fairly decent 'Dad Era' of Naruto as a character. Alex looked at the Deino again, destruction incarnate apparently, going back eons. He was seeing some parallels and then asked himself what kind of leader he wanted to be. What kind of leader he was, so far.

    "Wake him up. At the very least, I need to speak with him. He deserves to know what's going on."

    Colress's eyes widened. "You're…going to tell him!? That…might just actually work…"

    Tao's eyes flared again, and his voice rose. "Did you not hear me? The last Harmonias thought as you do. They could speak with their Deino, so surely it would not rampage. I warned them. Begged them not to raise one, but sure enough, their Deino grew up, and once a Hydreigon, lost all control. He then proceeded to spend centuries chained and imprisoned, living a life of torturously slow decay… They don't talk, they kill, they don't train, they plot their Trainer's death while pretending to put in an effort. Hear me, Alexander Redwood I will Not put down another! Leave him be!"

    Alex winced, as he understood, suddenly, why Tao was so adamant. His idiot predecessors had, probably hundreds of times, come to him begging to put down a Hydreigon he had likely fruitlessly warned them not to train, as he was doing now, and with the humans unable to stop the rampage it caused, that duty fell to Tao. "I understand why this is such a sore point for you Tao, but he deserves a chance to live his life. At the very Mukking least, he deserves to know why he's being kept in stasis. And even if he does rampage…" Alex's eyes burned gold, as he channeled the Light into his clone, and met the dragon's eyes evenly, "I will stop him. With my own hands, I will end my failure…but I have to at least try. He deserves that much. Every living thing does."

    Tao was silent for a long time as his student finished with a lesson he'd been taught by Tao himself, his eyes no less fiery. Finally, he said, "Do as you will." And vanished.

    "This…may actually not be so great of an idea, Alex…" Colress said in a hesitant tone, "The Original Dragon would know…"

    "I made my decision, Director. Wake him up, please."

    Colress sighed, but bowed to manners, and began the awakening process. Three balls bamfed up to the clone, as very quickly, the weight of the young dragon's malice filled the room. He woke up with an angry snarl that didn't inspire confidence in Alex. "Deeeeaaaaath…" was what it translated to.

    "Not today." Alex answered with a smirk. The Deino's head turned toward him, and slowly, the malice started to fade. "Hello there." Alex began, "I am Alex Redwood. I train Pokémon like you, to become the most powerful example of their species that they can be."

    The large Deino wandered towards him, then tilted his head. "You…you speak like us…I understand your words…you…want to make me strong?" He shuddered, as the visions, memories, or whatever they were, of a murderous rampage caused by his own heads filled his mind again. "I…don't want strength…I…I would be bad."

    Alex's eyes widened. "Do…you know already? Do you know what happens when Zweilous with power like yours become Hydreigon?"

    At the word 'Hydreigon' the little dragon shuddered in fear. "I see…I see the dead…Humans…Pokémon… please… don't make me strong again…please…"

    In a calm baritone, Alex began explaining the young dragon's situation to him, but the more he spoke, the more he frowned. When he finally paused, the dragon said, "I knew I was evil. I can feel it, lurking inside. Put me back to sleep, Human…I don't want to hurt anyone else ever again."

    Alex exhaled a heavy sigh. "You don't want to live, either? To enjoy good food and good friends? You'd give up all that life is just to what, sleep forever?"

    "If it means I stop killing young ones, then yes!" The Deino roared at him. "I can't…take these…images…I can't do it again…please don't make me."

    "I would never force you." Alex stated plainly, "But you deserve the chance to choose. To experience the good of this life you have."

    "I have!" He roared again, "Over and over I have enjoyed my lives, felt good things, eaten good food, made good friends…and I always end up killing them! This is what I see, when I sleep, the faces of my dead friends…but eventually, like last time, they'll stop, and I can just…rest."

    "I'm not talking about who you've been. I'm talking about who you are Now. You can always choose differently than your previous incarnations did. You have not done anything wrong just by existing."

    "You are wrong…" The Deino looked down sadly, "I can't choose differently…I was cursed…a long time ago. I was evil…purely evil…and punished for it by a powerful Fairy. And I deserve it. I always choose death. I always give in to rage. I've made my choice. Just put me back to sleep."

    Alex nodded to himself as the Deino laid down and turned his back to the human. "Alright." Before Colress could even blink, the white and black clad Emperor, with an irritated gleam in his eye, hurled a Luxury Ball at the Deino's back, and he honked in surprise, as his essence was pulled into the pocket dimension. Moments later, it dinged green.

    "So much for deserving the chance to choose." Colress said, as Alex picked up his catch.

    Alex ignored the man and set the Pokéball to stasis mode. This meant time itself was now frozen within the pocket dimension, though Deino could still move around and eat, he would gain no Experience. And he would do so in luxury. While initially furious as the dragon realized what he was in from his past lives, he had to admit, this time his Trainer had a most satisfactory space for him. From above, he heard Alex's voice.

    "You will remain in stasis, and you will be comfortable, while I do some proper investigating into lifting your curse. It may take some time, so enjoy yourself. If you have to stay like this there's no reason you shouldn't be happy, at least."

    Alex bamfed the ball to his main body then and looked at Colress. "A curse like this is bad news. Whatever put it on him, is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of Humans who lived in my Empire. They're the ancestors of my current subjects. Whoever cursed him, they're certainly no friend to the Empire, or Humanity, and probably won't like that it has reformed. So, I'm going to take him, find out what cursed him, try to reason with it, and maybe save an as yet innocent life. Do you have a problem with that, Director?"

    Colress just smirked. "Not at all. But what if, after all that, let's say you free the Deino, or believe you do, and he decides he wants to be wild?"

    Alex chuckled. "He won't. When I do train him, it'll be done properly. And once he Battles my other dragons…I have a feeling he'll want to stay. But if he doesn't, I can have him watched. Make sure he's not poached or falling into dark habits."

    "Well at least you have that much sense." Colress sighed. "I may regret letting you catch him, but on your head be the consequences. Consider him your Pokémon now, the responsibility for him is yours." Alex thanked him and vanished in a cloud of pink sparkles as the clone poofed. Colress sighed heavily. "These Redwoods…are something else."


    Elite Four Common Area - Victory Plateau, Unova Region​

    A hush fell over the lavishly decorated common room, as Alex Redwood appeared, and looked around. Sure enough, Will and Shauntal were sitting together at one of the tables. The two had fallen into, the way Alex had heard it, quite an epic romance, and these days Will had his mask off more often and his smile was genuine. Alex headed towards them, with purpose, and Will inclined his head as he arrived at the table. "Champion. It's been a while. I don't believe we have any worthy Challengers yet, once the school year ends, we tend to get a few."

    "I'm actually here for your other half." Alex said with a smirk, before meeting Shauntal's bespectacled gaze. "When you have time, Shauntal, I'd like for you to research the first Dragon Emperor's Hydreigon, and any mention of a curse upon him, or just a curse upon Hydreigon as a species in general. What Fairy Type caused it, why, and any information on how to break such a thing would be greatly appreciated."

    Shauntal blinked slowly. "But why ask me?"

    Alex chuckled. "Nobody in Unova is better at getting to the truth of our legends. And I believe you owe me one." He said with a meaningful look at Will. He couldn't claim credit for the relationship, but he had sent the solitary psychic her way, like an arrow from a bow.

    "We shall both research this for you, Champion." Will interjected smoothly. "When we have time."

    "Of course." Alex responded with a smile more authentic than Will's, "I'm counting on you two. Sorry to interrupt. Have a good day." With that, he bamfed away again, and the two Elite Four members chuckled. Alex Redwood didn't ask much of his Elite Four in a Champion's capacity, something they very much enjoyed, and having Rosa, Hilbert, and Hilda around to either stand in for them, or him, was also very appreciated. When he did ask for something though, it was usually of vital importance, and the Original Dragon had made it clear to each of the Four, privately, that his requests were to be taken seriously.

    So, while he hadn't given them a time limit, there was still a sense of urgency. If it had been immediately dire, he would've been sterner, and so Will and Shauntal continued to enjoy themselves, and it would be some time until they started digging into the source of the Deino's curse.


    Trial of the Vinewarden​

    Alex had Eternape and Coryn with him, inside their balls, as he stomped through an area near the Amazon River itself. Eternape, even from his ball, could manifest what seemed to be a Night Shade capable of speech, or at least speaking to him, while his body rested in luxury. Apparently, to properly confirm he was worthy on more than just how impressive his team was, and his word, Eternape wanted to test him, and he had chosen his ghostly owl archer, Coryn, to accomplish this test. Apparently, the ghostly owl archer had impressed him. Every so often, the ghostly ape appeared to guide him. Eventually, Alex came to a clearing free of vegetation, which was odd to find this close to the river, and this deep in the jungle. In the center of the clearing stood a strange, bright green tree.

    It was strange because it was not home to Pokémon. Even the mightiest predators avoided it, Alex saw, as a pair of Liepard skirted it in the jungle across the clearing from him. If they'd noticed him, they hadn't moved to attack, yet. The tree creaked ominously, and both Eternape and Coryn popped free from their balls. "Your tessssst…" Eternape gestured at the tree and hissed, as he sometimes did when speaking.

    With that utterance, the tree began to move, in its entirety, all at once. Coryn seemed deeply unnerved, but Alex, Pokénerd that he was, knew immediately what Eternape had led them to. He had no idea why a shiny Tangela this strong hadn't evolved yet, maybe it had simply never bothered learning a rock move in a jungle of violent grass and water types, but it didn't seem to need evolution to be massive. As it returned from absorbing nutrients from the fertile jungle to the form Alex was more familiar with, he found it barely resembled the Tangela he knew. There were brief white flashes of eye within the tangle, and the same could be said of their usual red shoes, but in this instance, the vines dominated all. It was like a sentient pile of lime green seaweed, and once it was in its usual shape, it attacked.

    Alex psychically stopped the vines coming at him, while Coryn took to the air, making use of the clearing that the Tangela's Ingrain had created. The Tangela seemed unbothered by their tactics, more than capable of fighting both at once. Vines limned with darkness came for Alex, who flared his draconic aura shield, and simply ripped them off. Five more times, the Tangela attacked him, before it realized the strange but powerful human was simply ignoring it and not countering. Eventually, it focused on the actual threat, for Coryn very much did counterattack, slamming into the Tangela with flying energy surrounding his body, easily out speeding its vines.

    Tangela was famed for adapting however, and this one was no exception. When its vines failed to make contact, it leaned back and shot a burning seed into the air. Alex recognized this move too, as the Indigo League's Leader Erika had a Tangela with the same ability as this one. Chlorophyll. "It's Sunny Day! Get high, and Solar Beam!" Alex ordered, pointing for Coryn. The Decidueye nodded dutifully and soared higher with several powerful flaps of his impressive wingspan. The seed exploded into a second sun, and the Tangela shuddered with what seemed to be joy, to Alex's senses. Coryn's Solar Beam lanced forward from his beak, only to be met by the Tangela, who formed a vine cannon where his face should've normally been and answered the Solar Beam with his own. The explosion of colliding solar powered grass energy rippled through the clearing, and the jungle beyond, but none of the lurking inhabitants decided to interfere in this clash of grass types.

    "Coryn! Purifying Spirit Shackle! But watch the vines, they'll be faster!" Irritated eyes peeked at Alex as he gave more orders, and once again, Knock Off tried to hit him, only to end in yet more psychically detached vines. Though, in this climate, it seemed they didn't need a day to regrow, just a few seconds.

    Sure enough, the Power Whips came faster, but Coryn had learned how to fly from Alex's best fliers, and he gracefully barrel rolled into a rising arc that forced the vines to follow him through the Sunny Day. The Tangela hissed, as the manifested fire move was still fire, and hurt, and in that moment of recoil, Alex shouted, "Now!"

    With practiced ease, Coryn launched five Spirit Shackle feather arrows at once, through the Sunny Day, which purified the ghost energy, and pinned what seemed to be important vines to the Tangela, as the move knocked it prone. It let out a painful gurgle, and Alex winced. Thankfully, Coryn did not play with his foes. He was atop the tangled mass in a flash, pinning him with Acrobatics on his claws, his wings alight with Dual Wingbeat, if it tried snaring him. "I yield." It gurgled, still in pain.

    "Alright Coryn, let the flames die out." Alex said, and the grassy owl extinguished them with a sweeping wing, as he then hopped away from the Tangela, and in front of his Trainer's clone. He spread his long legs then, wings open wide and pointed downward, head raised, and shrieked at the sentient vine mass, daring him to attack again.

    "It is over." Eternape said, as he appeared from his ball with a flash of light. The Tangela gurgled in surprise. It was weird, hearing it speak, as it did seem to use some words, but its vines seemed to punctuate them, or perhaps, among Tangela, they were capable of more simple methods of communicating, like a vine-based sign language. Vine language. "Well fought, Coryn." Eternape said with a pat on his wing, and with that, he stood from his defensive posture, but his eyes never left the Tangela. Their team had run into quite a few so far, and they were vicious in Selva Muerta. Constricting and Mega Draining was a great way to grow strong here, and Alex assumed that tree form from earlier had done that very thing on instinct, without needing Tangela to move. The fact that Coryn had so soundly defeated him very much impressed Alex.

    "Indeed." He said, joining Eternape. "You have learned well from each of your teachers. Master your Moves, and you'll be more than ready for the Tournament." Coryn's eyes burned with fire as he simply nodded knowingly at his Trainer, and then they shifted back to the Tangela, who had now approached them.

    "Eternape." He gurgled the word with respect. More followed, and Alex slowly deciphered their meaning. "You travel with a Human now? I see why. I could not touch him. But he is not like the others."

    Eternape nodded slowly. "He is stronger. Come with us. You will be stronger too. A Tangrowth. He speaks like us too."

    The Tangela gurgled excitedly. "You understand me, Human?" Alex nodded, smirking as that elicited a gleeful run in a circle from the Tangela, and a brief flash of happy eyes within the now slightly lessened mop of vines. "You make me grow!? Stronger? Long have I sought this!" He burbled happily.

    Alex nodded. "If you wish to evolve, my new friend, I will help you do so. But there's more to being on my team than just that…you see…" And once again, Alex elaborated on the team's long-term goals. The Tangela listened patiently, but Alex noted his tendrils sneaking over to Eternape, who brushed them off, and Coryn, who eyed them warily, until he recognized the Tangela was just saying hello. Coryn shook his vine with a wing, an action the Tangela vigorously returned, while he gurgled at Alex once he finished.

    "The strongest…I am already the strongest around here. I used to lose a lot…but then I drained more, and it became…easy." He said in an almost disappointed burble. "Too easy. Will our fights be like that one!?" His mood shifted again, rapidly, to excited wiggling and hopefulness.

    Alex just chuckled. "Of course they will. In fact, once you train a bit, you'll find our Battles to be something completely different from what you've had to do to survive here. Which brings up a good point, actually. We don't kill our opponents in Human Battles."

    The Tangela tilted in confusion, and Alex marveled as its vines seemed to, briefly, form literal question marks. "Kill?"

    Alex blinked. "End their life. Drain them until they don't move anymore. We don't do that, we leave them breathing, and healthy, just unconscious."

    The Tangela shuddered at him. "But they'll attack when they wake up…better to…kill. Return them to the soil. Makes the forest strong."

    Alex shook his head. "No, there will be no returning to the soil unless they're trying to do the same to us. Understand? I can feed you berries, and lots of sunlight. You won't need to kill, and your opponents won't attack. Once they faint, they'll stop or be returned to their Pokéball. All you need to do to win is knock them unconscious one time. Understand?"

    The Tangela was quiet for a moment, and his vines shifted as he processed this strange human idea of not killing one's enemies. "I…understand. I will not…kill until you say so." Alex got the feeling he did not, in fact, understand, but he was just leaving it to the human to tell him when to kill and when not to. Alex hoped that meant he wouldn't try killing each time he won, but he believed the shiny green vine creature understood that he would be deeply distressed if Tangela killed someone. That would have to be good enough.

    "Welcome to the team, Chloros."


    The Iron Reaper​

    Arthur walked calmly into the Jungle of Death, as the rest of the team continued to train. Being what he was, he had, like his Trainer, made use of Double Team, but with psychic energy. Multi Clones, or whatever Alex was calling the move. They were useful, more durable, and didn't seem to count as a physical or special move. Arthur couldn't make many yet, but those he had were all occupied with training, and even he found splitting his focus to be a lot on his senses. He didn't understand yet how Alex managed it all, but his brother just kept growing more adept with his clones.

    Arthur was alone, though. Alex was the least worried for him and his safety, as he had already braved worse than Selva Muerta, and lived. The psychic knight was not cocky, but confident that he could handle anything the jungle could throw at him, so long as he didn't go looking for trouble. Naturally, trouble was exactly what he was looking for. Romulus had faced a powerful Scizor not too long ago and had been hurt pretty bad. Nothing a Full Restore didn't fix, but still, there were some things that Arthur could not abide. The Lycanroc had come back battered from the battle. Whatever he'd faced was clearly higher level, and had a type advantage that it had used to almost lethal effect. Romulus was too good of a boy to not be avenged, so Arthur went on a walkabout through the area Romulus had been honing his Accelerock in.

    Sure enough, after about twenty minutes, Arthur heard the telltale flap of a Scizor's wings. Scyther were, naturally, quite common in Selva Muerta, but only a few that had been to the southern curve of the continent had ever managed to find a Metal Coat and become a Scizor. This one was naturally large, and very far north of their usual range. Arthur stopped, eyes narrowed, as the Scizor slid in front of him with its impressive speed. "You! Have you fought a Lycanroc recently?"

    The Scizor's eyes narrowed. "I knew it was a Human slave…it was weak. Lucky, it escaped…you are just as weak. Seeking me out…means death." The Scizor's claws clamped shut, and he shot forward, gliding just above the ground, as Arthur's eyes widened. Unlike most Scizor, this one was actually using its wings, which seemed rather well defined, no doubt from constant use. In a climate like this, they probably had to beat constantly to prevent overheating. The result was that they made up for Scizor's slow steel typed speed. The Bullet Punch met the base Sacred Sword with ease, and the brute struck with the second claw, which was also easily blocked.

    "You're not even worth Mega Evolving for." Arthur stated factually. "You have claws. They're more than clubs. Use them." He disentangled their arms then, and roundhouse kicked the steel bug to the face. The move was so fluid and unexpected, the Scizor's eyes went wide as the sturdy foot of the Gallade sent him flying, a sensation he had not experienced since before evolving.

    With a metallic snarl, the Scizor flared his wings to stop his momentum, and did as suggested. His claws opened, revealing a sharper, heightened Metal Claw, which had a higher attack power than normal thanks to this Scizor being a technician. The claws came for Arthur, but he simply held out one arm defensively and coated it with Excalibur this time. The Scizor's eyes widened again as he felt the power of the Light, while Arthur used his other arm to stifle a yawn. "I can't believe Romulus had trouble with you. You must have ambushed him."

    The Scizor refocused on the Gallade, and the anger returned. "The patient hunter gets the prey…ambushes bring victory."

    "Coward!" Arthur shouted physically and psychically, which disoriented the steel bug type. Excalibur flared with the Light's heat, and the Metal Claws lost their grip, having not so much as scratched Arthur's now burning, golden arm. Once more he spun fluidly through the air, this time striking with his burning arm in the Pokémon's chest. A shockwave from the force of the hit visibly boomed through the air, as Arthur held nothing back, and sent his opponent rocketing through three sizable tree trunks.

    Arthur stepped past them, tapping their ruined trunks with an arm glowing with Leaf Blade as he did so. The grass energy infused each trunk, and the damage was repaired slowly. Soon the holes Scizor had made were gone entirely, though new bark would have to grow, the trees would survive. The bashed bug stared at Arthur's mastery in awe. "Not…weak…" He managed to say through the immense pain. He wanted to weep from the pain, but he held it in, refusing to show weakness to this warrior.

    "This is why you face opponents head on. That's how you grow stronger. Even when you lose, you can learn something. Cowardly tactics have no place in a real Battle."

    "You…Human slaves and your…Battling. Humans are…a source for metal…nothing more."

    "Weak, and a fool." Arthur retorted calmly. "Your species can attain great power, but you usually need a Human to bring it out safely. By spurning them, you guarantee your weakness. I am only this strong, because my Human is a great Trainer. He studied hard to learn how to make his partners the best they can be, and you see the result."

    Arthur quietly hoped he wouldn't take the bait, but he also knew Alex would be irritated if he just let a Scizor that needed a little polishing to be World Tournament material just lie here, uninvited. "I…want that…strength…"

    Arthur sighed and then shared Life Dew with the steel warrior. He perked up quickly but made no move to attack. Arthur could tell the metallic bug was in awe of him. "Why?"

    The Scizor looked down, and then back at Arthur. "All I have brought here…is death. It has…dulled me. The fight to survive has…become dull. I cut through the grass ones. I beat down the dark ones. Few challenge me. All the way, from south to north, nothing but weakness…until you." He acknowledged. "I…wish to be the strongest."

    Arthur's brow furrowed. "What will you do with such power?"

    The Scizor put a claw to his chest and bowed deeply. "Whatever you wish. You have the Alpha's power. You are worthy enough to follow."

    Arthur slowly tapped each of the battered Scizor's shoulders with Sacred Sword. "Raise your head…Reaper."

    The Scizor, named for his deeds, did so, and blinked, as he found a pair of crossed Sacred Swords at his neck. He looked at Arthur, who spoke calmly. "Hear me. If you ever harm Romulus, or any of our brothers like that again, I will finish this attack, and your neck will not be able to take it. No matter how strong you become. Do you understand?"

    The Scizor nodded ever so slightly, and Arthur lowered his blades. "Then come, let us introduce you to your brothers."
     
  • Threadmarks
    • Pé na Estrada Real, Part 1
  • Threadmarks
    • Pé na Estrada Real, Part 1
    ​


    This marks the beginning of the aforementioned journey, around Rio's circuit. It is still technically the same chapter, too. The rest will be coming soon. Merry Xmas.​


    Barra Center - Rio City​

    "So, Alex," Isamu began, unsure of whether he was in the presence of one of the Dragon Emperor's psychic clones, "Do you know anything about Rio's circuit? Or are we going in blind?"

    Alex was utterly still for a moment, then pulled out a paper map, and an old scent of must filled the air around their table. They were enjoying some Dragon Burgers in Rio's largest mall, which was called the Barra Center, evidently named after the location it resided in. Rio had many sub neighborhoods that were more like cities unto themselves. "The Estrada Real is an ancient road…or Route, I suppose, that extends through the entire Region. It connects all but the traditionally sixth and seventh Gyms and only has one somewhat dangerous part of it. The majority of the Route is very urban, which means plenty of Trainers and city-loving Pokémon. We'll be following a relatively straight offshoot of the Estrada Real to the first Gym…which seems to be Grass Typed. Lucky you."

    Isamu grinned at Dynamight. The little Torchic was already starting on eating his vitamins. "Hear that? We'll get our first Badge here easily." The Torchic eyed Isamu with tolerance, and a bit of disdain, mostly because Isamu was, without his Cores, a mediocre Trainer at best. He knew his type matchups, had memorized the Dex entries of his team members, and of course, had been trained by the Mind Sage, but as a Trainer, he had little to show for his journey so far. He'd only beaten the bug gym in Paldea, and had lost hard in Artazon and then Cascaraffa. His Riolu was strong, but status moves and Kofu's Crabominable had been able to surpass him, even at the second badge level. With only Kanchi, the difficulty curve in Paldea's gyms had been too much, and neither Brassius nor Kofu had let him use his other members after they spent ten turns loafing, sleeping, or just straight up attacking Isamu when he tried commanding them.

    "Once I have all the evolution items I need, we'll head out. I do need to evolve Fulguron here, though. He'll need Rio's power grid to use the Electirizer, and I have to get Revan's armor tomorrow." Alex said after a pause.

    Isamu blinked. "And uhh…Fulguron is your…?"

    Alex smirked. "Electivire. Or he will be soon enough." Alex frowned, then. "Balls. Apparently, there's a limit on Link Cables per Trainer. Even for Champions. A moment, Isamu. Castelia won't have such irritations." Alex went unnaturally still then, as he focused on Teleporting his shopping clone to New Tork City.

    Isamu just nodded, staying quiet as he watched Dynamight and Kanchi eat. He didn't know how Alex kept track of so many Pokémon, especially when they all had nicknames, but he did so with seemingly little effort. Then again, a mind that could apparently simultaneously track and answer five hundred questions at once would be more than capable of remembering sixty partners. Especially with how close their team seemed to be.

    A few minutes later, a number of items were Teleported onto their table, and Isamu watched with rabid curiosity. His eyes went wide as he saw the array of riches before him. Alex came back to this clone then, and it started acting like a human again, breathing, blinking, and speaking. "First, the Electirizer. We'll need to visit the city's Gym, but it shouldn't be a problem to plug Fulguron in. Next, three Link Cables for Champ, Kel, and Psi. Psi still has growing to do, but the others should be ready…"

    He called out his Machoke and Gurdurr then, and the pair nodded at each other, before looking at Alex expectantly. "Conkeldurr are, classically, paired with a Boldore for their evolution. The trade in genetics gives them the materials for their massive concrete slabs and turns a sentient boulder into a Humanoid shaped rock crystal entity with the intelligence to match."

    Isamu snapped his fingers. "That's why they're both used in Unovan construction. It's convenient and they pair well."

    Alex nodded. "So, we link the cable to a Gigalith Crystal, and then to Kel…" Alex did so, and despite being a solid mineral, the silvery end of the long, winding black Link Cable pierced it easily. It also pierced Kel just as easily, and the Gurdurr winced, but endured the strange sensation. Then, his eyes widened, and he started to glow. Alex watched, proud he could aid his new friend in living his best life, and as he finally became a Conkeldurr, he roared, gathering the attention of people nearby, which then started murmurs, as they realized who had evolved the Gurdurr in the first place. "You know what you have to do, Kel. The Meal Power is already active. See you in a few hours. Champ will be right behind you. And don't forget to take a break in the Falls when you need one. There's no rush."

    Kel nodded and rumbled an affirmative, before he was recalled, and his ball was Teleported to the clone training up those who needed attack power near Paldea's Fury Falls. He had another clone doing the same thing for those who need special attack power, on Casseroya Lake. Then, he continued, as Isamu was writing notes furiously now. "Machamp is, classically, paired with Golem. Samuel Oak theorized that the rock-hard skin Machamp possesses is achieved through trading with a Rock Type. It's this sturdiness that allows it to use greater power than a Machoke, and not split apart. And without the power-restraining belt, it gained another pair of arms, yet stayed contained within its form, leading to four brutally powerful limbs that are as hard as stone."

    Isamu knew most of that already, being a Japan native, but he nodded anyway. He told the Dragon Emperor of a folktale they had in Johto, of a Machoke and a Graveler having a contest. The Graveler only needed to roll down the mountain to the bottom to win, and the Machoke had to use his superhuman power to stop him. Eventually, they collided so hard that they had both evolved. "Some versions have them being friends and walking off into the sunset together, but uhh…the oldest versions of the story have the Machamp then brutally beating the Golem into pieces, with Type advantage. Machamp hasn't always had the…best reputation in Japan. Elite Four Bruno changed a lot of minds, with his.

    Alex nodded, listening along with Champ, as he plugged the Link Cable into the Machoke's power-restraint belt with a large brown rock shard presumably from a shed Golem shell on the other end. He was glad the modern methods of reaching these forms were less brutal than they'd once been. Champ also grew in size, his body swelling and hardening as the power belt broke off and faded away. The Machamp roared as his new stronger body manifested. His four powerful arms struck empty air, and his large tan lips were pulled up in a dark smirk as he felt how strong he was now. By this point the crowd around them was paying full attention. People whooped and cheered as Champ attained his ideal self, and Alex let him wave and flex at the crowd, before finally saying, "Kel is getting ahead of you. You may want to hurry." The stone-gray mass of muscle, wearing only what resembled skintight black gym shorts, with no belt, around his nether regions regarded his Trainer, and then nodded. He was strong now, finally, but they could, and would, get stronger.

    "Is that all the evolutions today?" Isamu asked, glancing around.

    Alex shook his head, not caring who saw. In fact, he wanted people to know he was adding to his roster. At a certain point, even the best strategists would realize trying to prepare for anyone he threw out was a lost cause, at which point he expected they'd focus on making their own best team, and thus the job of preparing fell to Alex. It would likely be easier though, as most Trainers in the upper ranks of the World Tournament only had one team of ten, and maybe two or three others. People like Ash, Nate, himself, Red, and a few others were the only ones to expand their roster beyond ten and still maintain a mean average of power that kept them in the top rankings of the tournament. "We have one more. Gauss."

    His large Charjabug appeared, and made an unintelligible gurgle at him, that Alex could only divine sounded happy. The words, if there were any, sounded like gibberish. "I have your Thunder Stone, my friend. Are you ready to become a Vikavolt?"

    The electric bug shuddered in joy, and droned an affirmative, and Alex pressed the stone to his body. A moment later, he too joined the rest of the team in their final form, and despite being comparatively low level, he would grow into it rapidly, once he trained his special attack power and his speed. After being given quite a few useful moves via TMs, that his new body could actually use, he was Teleported to Casseroya Lake, with the other special attackers.

    Alex stood and stretched his arms, then. "That just leaves Fulguron." Isamu nodded, finishing his note taking. It was one thing to read about these rare evolutions, it was another to see them in person. There was also a bit of Japanese pride, as it was Samuel Oak's aides who had created the first Link Cables, though, famously, the first few prototypes had disappeared in strange emanations of energy that had forced them to recreate the cables from scratch. Where, or when, the Link Cables had been yeeted through time was a complete mystery.

    The part of the Megalopolis they were currently in was simply called Rio, and the Gym Leader of this area so close to the Royal Palace was both the eighth and strongest of Rio's Pokémon League. He was also a renowned Dragon Type Master, and had apparently trained Nate when he was younger, and still in his teens. As Alex and Isamu arrived in the gym, which was built into the massive arena he'd spectated before, Leader Drago came to meet them himself.

    "So, you see…" Alex was saying, "I need a source connected to the energy grid to evolve him, if that's alright. I was tempted to try plugging the Electirizer into a Zap Plate or a shard of one, but…this seems safer. That energy is literally infinite, who knows what it could do to my Electabuzz."

    The receptionist nodded, a bit flushed and starstruck, but happy to assist the man who'd convinced Mamboa and Sombrador to come home. "That shouldn't be a problem, Dragon Emperor. So long as we can borrow a Zap Shard to compensate, I'm sure Leader Drago will-"

    Her words cut off, and Alex's eyes widened as he sensed the Gym Leader before he spoke. Isamu turned, sensing the same quality of aura, and gasped. "Dragon Emperor!" His voice echoed loudly through the front area of the gym lobby. "Evolving another Pokémon, are we? You're making this a habit! Hahaha!"

    Alex turned and regarded the Dragon Master. With Elite Four Drake now passed and former World Champion Lance now all but retired by age and infirmity, Leader Drago was considered the current strongest dragon type Pokémon expert in the world, who was still actively battling, anyway. His skin was as bronze as Iara's, and his hair was black, at the roots, but had been dyed to be the bluish purple associated with dragon types. His square jaw was covered in a coarse but well-maintained beard, also dyed. His hair was buzzed on the sides, with a flaring tuft of blurple locks taking up the center of his head. A pair of draconic looking tattoos peaked out from under his short sleeves, and a necklace with strange, golden draconic looking icons was around his burly neck. His clothes were a pair of black leather gloves, form fitting and black clothes with gold accents, and a large leather belt around his waist where his balls and other useful items sat. Alex spied a blade hilt among them, and like every other Dragon Master he'd seen, Drago was wearing a heroic looking gold trimmed black cape. His brown eyes were fierce and awakened the urge to battle within his chest as the two men's gazes met.

    "Leader Drago." Alex said, meeting the man's gaze, as they were pretty much the same height, "At a certain point, evolving one's partners does become rather easy. But never trivial. Each of those who ascended today longed to do so, and my Electabuzz is no exception. They want to be the Best, and I intend to help them get there."

    Drago was silent for a long moment, then a smirk cracked his serious expression. Both Isamu, and Nyah, the receptionist, seemed worried, but Alex knew the man was in a good mood. "Ha!" He boomed. "You really are as chill as the tales say! I like it! Come, let me see this evolution as well! I've never actually seen an Electivire in the flesh. Down here we typically have Heliolisk…and their evolution." He grinned, and Alex smirked, with a nod. Like most reptile Pokémon, the few Heliolisk that managed to evolve became true dragon types, and Alex had no doubt a renowned Dragon Master had one such monster on his team.

    Drago led Alex and Isamu, and Fulguron as well once Drago asked to see him, down into the bowels of the stadium, which looked like most basements in the Pokémon world. Gray. Mostly used for storage. The occasional spin pad puzzle that led to a rare item, which Drago claimed to have created, and stocked, himself. Alex was tempted to try it, but Fulguron patiently asked him not to. At least until he evolved. The puzzle itself went up and over several aerial walkways, and there had to be, at a glance, at least a thousand spin pads, but in the center of that chaos, were five pairs of Wise Glasses, and five Muscle Bands, just sitting there. Isamu was also tempted to try, but he saw how Alex eyed the prize, and decided to let him claim it. He'd already given Dynamight one of his Lucky Eggs, so Isamu didn't need a held item yet, and by the time he did, he guessed he'd have come across at least one Muscle Band. The sheer volume of items one could get from Paldea's countryside was one of the many reasons he'd enrolled in Naranuva Academy.

    After opening a door leading to a rather massive Tesla Generator, a brainchild of the Azoth Kingdom's Nikola, made real by the disgusting amount of wealth Bill possessed. To Bill's credit though, such generators were quite common all over the civilized world, with the Imperium being the exception, supposedly. This was, more or less, the concept behind their creation; a device capable of drawing on natural powerful electromagnetic fields and turning them into usable power for humans and Pokémon alike. Fulguron's fur stood straight up as he entered the generator room and eyed the marvel of mankind up close. Clever as he was, he had no idea how the humans had created a device that had a field of energy like this, and he was not alone in that. Gauss was thrumming in his ball, as he'd chosen to hone his stats the artificial way, with punching bags, and feats of strength within the pocket dimension that was his Pokéball.

    Alex pulled out the Electirizer, and the device hummed to life as it sensed the ambient electrical energy in the area. This too, was a brainchild of Nikola, though full credit for the final product had to be given to Leader Volkner, of Sunyshore City. A recognized specialist of the electric type, and lowkey prodigy inventor, with a little more drive, he probably could have rivaled Nikola. As it stood, he preferred to spend his long days facing Trainers of varying badge levels with a bowl of Leaf at the end of them and had only created the Electirizer to evolve his Electabuzz, after they'd encountered a wild Electivire in the Johto region. Of course, that was before the Arceans had sacked his city. War tended to change people quite dramatically.

    "Alright Fulguron." Alex said calmly, "You know what to do." Alex hooked up one of the cords ending in a prong to the Electirizer, and then his electric ape moved towards the now sparking device, as it rapidly charged with power. Five Electabuzz finger sized blue panels opened on the yellow cube, and without hesitation, Fulguron placed his digits on them. His eyes widened, and the gathered humans took several steps back, as arcs of electricity flared wildly, then condensed around Fulguron, seemingly at his discretion. Alex was just impressed, as even for an electric type, that was a lot of energy to be containing and controlling at once. But that was who Fulguron was. He had the inner strength and willpower that gave him rather good control of his abilities, and thanks mostly to Leo and Temere influencing the impressionable Elekid, he had learned to be very creative with them.

    White light, Infinity Energy in its most natural form, surged through Fulguron's yellow and black striped body, and the already impressively tall Electabuzz, who was pushing six feet in height, now surged even higher. Not quite to an Alpha's height, yet, but certainly larger than any other freshly evolved Electivire the trio of humans was likely to see. The Electirizer fell from his massive hand, blackened and useless, its singular purpose accomplished, and Fulguron roared loud enough to shake the air. It sounded like a revving engine, if that engine was on a jet plane.

    Arcs of blue plasma rolled over the room, but with a single motion of his hand, Fulguron summoned them to his palm, and stared in wonder at the sheer mastery he now felt, in his species penultimate form. He clenched his massive ape fist and turned to regard the man who had made him into, from some perspectives, a monster. He stared at Alex a long time, silently, even as he asked if Fulguron was alright. Then, finally, he spoke. "Sloane…wanted me to betray you." He said in his new, rumbling baritone, and Alex's eyes widened. "He wanted me to use you to become…as powerful as I am now, and then return to him, to make him a Champion. Like this, we could capture a good team, train them up, and be serious contenders…"

    Alex crossed his arms and began psychically translating for Isamu and Drago. "And? Are you going to go back? Is that what you desire, now that you have power?"

    His answer was immediate, and monotone. "No. He is weak. Of the Humans I have met journeying with you, you remain the strongest. Except maybe for him." He rumbled, nodding at Drago, whose smirk widened into a grin as he got the translation. "I will not betray my brothers. I simply decided this was something you should know." And indeed, had Fulguron simply not mentioned this, he probably could have never brought it up again. The chances of them meeting Sloane again were slim at best now that his face was known to Alex's mom. Though she'd never admit it, she'd befriended one of the Miltank, and the two had not so secretly started battling the other herd members, to make them stronger. Or so they claimed. If Sloane or his goons came around again, they'd be meeting the business end of said Miltank, and Alex had exactly zero desire to seek them out.

    Alex nodded slowly, and then placed a large, but compared to an Electivire quite tiny, hand on his fur. Fulguron shifted, as it was still very much supercharged, but it seemed Alex wasn't letting his current run through more than his hand, which had already proven it could channel electricity. It hurt, but Alex needed Fulguron to hear him. "I won't forget this. You made a good choice, Fulguron. You stuck to basic morality when you didn't have to. I'm proud to be your Trainer." A dark smirk came over his features. "I'm going to be using you more, from now on. You're going to become even more of a beast."

    Fulguron's expression mirrored his, which was much more terrifying on his new wide sasquatch features. "Finally…I look forward to it." They shared a nod of understanding of his new capabilities and Fulguron returned to the comfort of his ball with a flash of bluish white.

    Alex turned to the other two men, then. "Leader Drago. Thank you, for this."

    Drago was still grinning. "Thank you for translating. Hearing a Pokémon actually talk…is something. I can understand my team, but not others. Never that well." He inclined his head in what seemed like a nod of respect. "I've learned much."

    It was Alex's turn to smirk now, as he said, "I'll be challenging Rio's Gyms along with my friend here." He nodded at Isamu. "I look forward to our match." Drago let out another thunderous laugh as they left the generator room and ascended back to the first level of the stadium as he repeated the sentiment. He sent them on their way practically salivating at the thought of having a match with Alex, new team or otherwise, and Alex had said he was open to using his dragons, at least. Drago had nodded at the mention of Kalagon, everyone loved a Garchomp and he had one of his own, like most who claimed mastery of the dragon type, but it was the black Salamence that had the Dragon Master's interest, particularly his electric moves. Alex could tell Shruikan also wanted to test this 'final form' of Heliolisk as well, now that he'd heard some of the hype about it.

    Eventually, they made it to the outskirts of the megalopolis that was Rio, and the location of the grass typed gym. There was a proper gate leading into the Jungle of Death, one Alex had used before, but right before it was a previously unnoticed gym, which blended in well with the foliage around it. It sat quite literally on the edge of the massive city, straddling the border between the natural and the man-made. Alex and Isamu opted to camp that night, as they had quite a large group, or at least, Alex did.

    Isamu's 'main' team mostly stayed in the comfort of their balls, stewing in anger. They came out to eat, those who needed to, and with how skittish the teen was around them, Alex had a feeling they used their powers to subjugate Isamu, when unfamiliar eyes were not around. Said eyes belonged to both him and Po, who was acting as this 'team's' ace, in case the Muk hit the Fan Rotom, as it tended to on such journeys, eventually. With his Machamp, Conkeldurr, Electivire, and Vikavolt still with his clones in Paldea, grinding away to increase their stats, his Alakazam, Metang, Noivern, and Drilbur had opted to train in their balls, and to stay on his person. The pair of psychics was largely ignoring the awkward mole, and his Noibat, Dracala, wanted nothing to do with him either.

    Thus, Simon gravitated towards his Trainer, and discovered doing so would get him all the scritches. Isamu's Torchic was getting a similar treatment along with Zyx, the seemingly lead Zygarde Core who spoke for the others while they rested or did as they pleased within their spherical pocket dimensions. It was then that Alex noticed the balls containing the Cores were glowing. "Isamu. Is that a built-in solar generator in your Pokéballs? I have one for my Grass Types, but I know a Pokéball expert."

    As main Alex bamfed Terra's currently empty ball to this clone to show Isamu, his eyes widened. "I think you and I have the same source. This craftsmanship is…identical. You know Professor Armeniaca?" Alex nodded, and after a few more questions confirming that Alex had been there, Isamu's voice lowered. "Did…did you see the Mewtwo?"

    Alex winced, remembering said Mewtwo. "Aye. I trained with him, in fact. He was not a gentle mentor…but his understanding of cells, their structure, and how to repair them quickly was on par with Nurse Joy's."

    Isamu just stared at him, eyes wide. "You…actually managed to train under his Pressure? I couldn't even stand!"

    Alex nodded and then gave the inquisitive teen a hint about how he'd gotten so…durable. This led to a recounting of his escapades in Norstad, a tale which none of the Pokémon with him had heard yet. Once the four assigned to this clone returned from their training, he recounted the tale and had them gripped. Fighting sky bandits. Meeting the imprisoned Fairy King. Traversing the only known nest of Articuno. Training in the Way of the Hyper Voice, under his Rayquaza, and of course, the final battles with both Alduin and Pravus. By the end, he had his younger and much more impressionable teammates spellbound, and he could sense the newfound respect they had for the A Team.

    Dracala spoke first. "I have…heard tales of the World Eater. Legends. Stories. And you really faced him down? Twice?"

    Alex nodded, glancing at Isamu, and then said quietly, "Yes. When he was flesh and bone, it took all of us to take him down. When he was revived by the Successor to the Tamer of Arceus with Shadow Energy…your brother Astrum sent him to his rest. Hopefully forever."

    The Pokémon, Dynamight included, began chattering amongst themselves. Even Psi, his reclusive Kadabra, had been interested in this tale. Po claimed it was old news though, and soon had them spellbound by another story, one involving himself, the Dragon Scroll, and an ancient Carracosta with powerful Kung Fu. Alex smirked as he sensed Isamu shift closer to where he was sitting cross legged on the somewhat maintained grass they'd set up camp on. Far enough from the city to not be crowded by buildings, but close enough to not be in danger of Selva Muerta's inhabitants. Po had still promised to guard them as they slept, regardless, and since he and Alex only needed four hours, this was easily split up.

    "Dra- er, Alex, did you…did you mention the Successor to the Tamer of Arceus!?" He quietly hissed, not wanting to distract their Pokémon from what he assumed was another story.

    Alex nodded, his voice equally low. "Aye. He has been revived, thanks to the witch Morgana." Recognition flashed across Isamu's face, when he heard the name, confirming Alex's suspicions that the young Trainer knew more than he let on. "I'm training up my team partly to combat him, when I track him down. He is the man who began the Dark Times…I expect his team will be quite strong, and I have it on good authority that he's rapidly adapting to our modern age, and technology. With his Hoopa he could easily steal as many Pokéballs as he wants and expand his roster well beyond ten Pokémon. I don't expect him to be able to handle more than sixty, this early after reviving. Having variety for the World Tournament is a useful bonus of these efforts. Our newer members are helping my A Team advance too. Teaching can be as instructive as being a student."

    Isamu looked quite nervous, despite Alex's calm tone. "Could…could he attack at any moment?"

    Alex shrugged. "I doubt he will. This…Lord Proditor, as he apparently names himself, has a flare for the dramatic. And a Hoopa. He can be wherever he wants, instantly, but I know our paths will cross eventually. It's the destiny of those who wield the Light and the Shadow. When we do finally meet, we will all be ready."

    They went into their nightly routine then, with the late-night anime binges, and the early morning rewatch for those who actually slept long enough to properly rest. Breakfast was a different kind of 'sandwich', if one defined a sandwich as bread containing other edible ingredients. Alex had rolled the rather thin potato tortilla, a local staple, around things he knew how to cook, namely, eggs and bacon, broken into crispy chunks of deliciousness, surrounding a pair of what his brain termed hot dogs, but what the locals called Chorizo. Apparently, it was nothing like the tubular meat served in Unova. A few of his teammates eyed his creation longingly, mostly Champ, Revan, Garuda, Fulguron, and of course, Po. Being Emperor and an official Champion had perks, like more than enough currency to keep his food stores well-stocked from his clone in Paldea, and all who wanted one, got a burrito. Very much on purpose, their meal would give them extra experience for fire types, and Isamu noted that down, as apparently, that was how Florian and Juliana prepared for a big match as well.

    "Before we head to the Gym, you and Dynamight should have a Battle with Garuda and I." Alex said, as his clone psychically split in two. "I need to go with Revan to get his armor, but we should be back before the Battle ends." Isamu nodded, and Alex let the other clone handle battling with Garuda, who after hearing several more stories over breakfast, was eager to be a part of this team, even if he still regarded his Trainer with a bit of salt, and indifference. It was an improvement over the hatred he'd been building.

    With a psychic bamf, he appeared outside the Ribeiro Forja, and just like his last visit, the Magmar outside called out to the Magmortar and Trainer within. The smith himself appeared then, fresh from working, and grinned as he saw his latest lucrative customer. "Ahh, Alex, you're here for the armor, yes? I finished it late last night. I think it came out well. Come, and bring Revan, I want to see his reaction to it." Alex nodded and brought the freshly fed Charcadet out. He gave the blacksmith a cheerful wave, and greeted the Magmortar as well, as Antonio showed Alex the armor.

    "Thanks to Naranuva Academy's historical texts on the Malicious and Auspicious Armor sets, I was able to make an offshoot of Malicious Armor with Sinistea Shards and that Ralts Dust you provided." He removed the tarp covering the armor then, and Alex grinned. The Malicious Armor, or the breastplate at least, was much the same as the ancient kind found in Paldea. This set also had a helmet though, one directly inspired by Mandalorian culture, and as Revan came over to look at it, his eyes went wide. Antonio stepped back, as did Alex, as the young Charcadet donned the helmet after gazing at the visor for a moment. The armor and helmet glowed in sync, shooting into Revan's growing form as the light of evolution filled the forge.

    When it faded, Alex gazed at the new Ceruledge with an open mouth, as Antonio wheeled out a somewhat soot-covered tall mirror for the Ceruledge to admire his new armor. His level remained the same, but his potential had just dramatically increased. Two burning blurple eyes formed in the T-visor as Revan opened his eyes, and with a very familiar hum, his sword hands burned to life. They were still longswords, with the only real difference being the burning crossguard by Revan's 'wrists'. Much like Lux in Power Form, they flared out straight and were ideal for stopping the momentum of other blades they locked with.

    "How does it feel?" Alex asked, as Revan started moving, slowly testing how his newly armored body reacted. There were other slight differences to the usual Malicious Armor, but he was still very obviously a Ceruledge. This most notable difference, aside from the helmet and thinner, more plasma-like longswords, were the 'boots'. Instead of rising to Revan's thighs in an almost obnoxious waste of space and material, they now jutted more from the back, though Alex couldn't really determine why.

    Antonio chimed in, seeing where his eyes were wandering. "As he grows, certain parts of his armor will…become available. They run on his flames, so until he can handle powering them, they'll be inert, but once he's fully trained, I guarantee you will be pleased with how fast he is. This speed does however come at the cost of some defenses."

    Alex nodded, as did Revan. Revan turned to him, then. "I need to begin training. Recall me and get the appropriate tools ready." Alex did so, giving him rather durable physical attack power boosting punching bags that would serve to sharpen his swords as effectively as taking down a bunch of Bisharp would. Fury Fall's Bisharp were quite high level though, so training in his ball was his only option, for now.

    Alex thanked Antonio again, paid the man for his custom commission, and then bamfed back to their camp just in time to see his team watching the battle between Garuda and Dynamight come to an end. Dynamight had learned to master several of his new moves, Detect, Flame Charge, and Aerial Ace, and despite looking ready to evolve, he hadn't yet, for whatever reason. For his part, Garuda had largely ignored Alex, which had led to the fighting hen being brutally hammered with Aerial Ace while Dynamight dodged his return attacks, most special ones like ember, with Flame Charge. "Garuda! Stop goofing off and use Aerial Ace!" The Combusken glared at Alex, finally acknowledging he was there, and did as asked.

    "Detect!" Isamu countered. He knew he was significantly underleveled for this battle, as he had been in most of his battles so far, but he also knew that Garuda was, for some reason, very poorly trained. He seemed to enjoy mocking Alex, ignoring his orders and loafing around, while getting hit, but irritation did not appear on the clone. He just kept giving it orders, and eventually, Garuda would listen, enough to land a finishing move. But if he and Dynamight could just hit first…

    Dynamight deftly dodged the flying typed strike from Garuda's powerful claws, and Isamu called their counter. "Use your own Aerial Ace!" Dynamight's beak lit up with super effective flying energy, and he lunged for the attack.

    "Dodge! Quick Attack!" Garuda's glaring eyes glanced at his Trainer again, but once more, he listened, as he himself did not want to be hit by that. The tiny chick was young, but determined, and had been battling low level grass types long before breakfast had been served. Garuda kind of admired his tenacity, as he kept wildly stabbing his glowing beak at Garuda, who used his superior speed enhanced by Quick Attack to dodge.

    Then, he saw an opening, or thought he did, as Dynamight reared his tiny head back. "No, don't!" Alex shouted, but Garuda ignored him, as a Flame Charge surged around his body. Dynamight brought his beak down then, and the flying energy caused the fire attack to violently flare up in an explosion that, when it cleared, revealed the much larger, and fainted, Combusken.

    With a mighty chirp, Dynamight surged with bright light, and became a Combusken as well, with the attitude to match. He sneered at the older male as he regained consciousness, but Alex recalled Garuda before they could start a rivalry that would only hinder Garuda's progress. He glared at Dynamight. "Save that, for the Gym. Garuda is no longer your opponent. You won." With that, the clones of the tall human merged back together, stifling any sassy reply Dynamight had for him. Instead, he just grabbed another helping of breakfast and began to eat.

    Once he'd had his victory meal, the two packed up camp and made for the gym. Alex went first, and Isamu was still too shy to stop him, but he also had a reason for going first. Isamu desperately needed a win, and another badge, or soon Dynamight would lose interest in listening to him as Kanchi had, once he'd trained past a certain level. Alex and Revan would clear out anything too tough for the rookie Trainer to handle, just this once. There was also a steel gym in Rio's circuit, and Isamu would be going first, at that one.

    Leader Silvia had green hair that was loosely braided to one side with small charms of leaves and beads woven in. She wore an earthy green, sleeveless tunic with vine embroidery, paired with rugged brown pants and sturdy boots. Her eyes were green and shaped like a Meowscarada's, with a smirk crossing her lovely features as she saw the pair of men enter her gym. As Alex got a better look at her, he also noted she had plenty of survival gear. "Well now…" She looked him over like Noir looked at bird Pokémon. "You must be the visiting Dragon Emperor…and friend." She looked briefly at Isamu with a total lack of interest as she realized he was a bit too young, and then focused that charisma back on Alex, who tried not to sweat. He never did very well with women who knew they were attractive, and didn't hide it, but he stone faced his way through, as always.

    ditkeyu-a9fb4a92-8ea8-4a10-a8ee-4aacba0f4302.jpg

    "Leader Silvia. I'm here to challenge you, and my Padawan will face you next. He's here for his first Badge of the Rio League's circuit, but I'm hoping you can give me and my partners a bit more of a challenge…" He felt his spine tingle as he realized he put a bit more innuendo than he meant to into his tone, purely on instinct, and his mind focused harder on this clone in particular. He had found, sometimes, when he made several speak at once, that his inner monologue or thoughts could unintentionally shine through. Silvia rolled her shoulders like a pleased cat. "Oh, I'm sure we can have some fun, Alex, was it? That's what you tell everyone to call you, right?"

    He nodded, and her smirk widened. He had to admit, he did not mind how his name sounded in her mouth, but he blinked his head clear, and then glanced around at the plants around them. It had taken a moment, distracted as he was by his physical needs and the side effects of Jess not being around. There was grass typed energy being manipulated, flowing into certain plants more than others, plants giving off just faintly visible traces of aroma, so potent it was actually visible to human eyes. He coughed, and the air around him swirled, forcing the seductive miasma away from him. He didn't judge Silvia for trying to get him in the mood, he was flattered if he was being honest, and relationships on the Dark Continent tended to be a lot more open than those up north, but he was already satisfied on that front. Finally, seemingly realizing he was somehow resisting her plants, she said, "Follow me to the field, then. The boy can watch from the stands." She flipped her braid in his direction as she walked by and his eyes were almost magnetically drawn to places he knew he should avoid looking. Yet he was forced to look her way as she side-eyed him and said, "I hope you can give me a good Battle. It's been so long since I had more than…fresh meat." Her eyes fell on Isamu again, looked back at Alex, and then disappeared around a corner that led to the gym's battlefield.

    Alex slapped both cheeks with his stupidly large hands, and focused his mind. Hopefully the battlefield didn't have such a potent effect on him. As he took his place, she called out, "Battles for a Badge are usually three on three, or, as many Pokémon as you have against the same number of mine. I bet you have three for me though, right?" She smirked at him again, but the charm from earlier had faded.

    Alex nodded. "I'll only need two, but you can use three if you have partners itching for a workout." The meal had been for fire types, and so Revan and Garuda would be the ones to participate. "A moment, Leader Silvia." He said, as he released his Combusken close to him. Seeing his pick, she audibly sighed, but at least it was a foreign Combusken. Thanks to Champion Nelinha, they were absurdly popular, and Silvia was frankly tired of beating them, only to then lose to them when they came back evolved thanks to their lower than average level required to reach their middle evolution.

    "Alright Garuda, I need you to hear me." Alex said, speaking low to him. The Combusken frowned, but nodded. "The only way we win this, is if you listen to me. It was funny in that spar after breakfast, but we're in a Gym now. Time to get serious. Think you can do that?"

    The Combusken huffed. "It wasn't my Moves that made us lose that Battle."

    Alex groaned. "Spare me. You know you were ignoring me, on purpose, but it ends now. If you do that here, you will lose. Humiliatingly. And it will hurt, too. Grass Types can get quite nasty. Do you understand?"

    Garuda grumbled, but nodded. Then, sensing a question forming, Alex let him speak. "What…if I see a good opportunity for a Move?"

    "Just run it by me first, in our heads, alright? Sometimes, like in that last Battle, it will have unexpected consequences if you use your own initiative. Some day, you'll have the instincts to do that, but in League Battles, we need to call out our Moves, most of the time, when we use them. The only real exception to that is when Pokémon are going too fast to properly hear them. If you Flame Charge enough, you can do whatever you want."

    Garuda clenched a taloned fist. "I can do that." The gleam in his eye bespoke fire, and Alex nodded, hoping the fire chicken would listen, this time. He mostly wanted to avoid being embarrassed by Silvia, especially after talking as big as he had.

    "The match will be a three on three, and you may substitute and heal as you wish. There are no limits on Moves or Power Ups. Begin!" Silvia shouted, throwing her pick. An Ivysaur appeared, and Alex could tell she was well tended. Probably close to evolving.

    "Alright Garuda!" Alex shouted, tossing his ball. "Let's win this." Silvia sighed again, and her Ivysaur seemed unimpressed by Garuda. "Flame Charge!" As Garuda burst into flames, the Ivysaur yawned, and Silvia yawned with her.

    "You know what to do, Ivysaur."

    The grass dinosaur nodded, and fired several seeds in a line before Garuda. As he charged in, the ground beneath him exploded with powerful ground energy, and Garuda was caught by the attack. Or seemed to be. When the earth settled, it revealed a Rock Tomb shielding him. And he broke out of it with a Double Kick. The Flame Charge burst back to life, and the Ivysaur's eyes widened, as she realized what Garuda had done, just as he leapt from the dust cloud and slammed into her.

    Ivysaur tried to Vine Whip in response, but Garuda only got faster, in addition to Flame Charge, and Silvia's eyes widened in surprise. "Maybe you're more interesting than I thought…only the Champion has a naturally Speed Boosting Blaziken. They're pretty rare down here, since our Torchic get so fat."

    "Always glad to surpass expectations! Garuda! Flame Charge again, and watch for another Earth Power!" His Combusken's flames surged again, and finally, Alex felt in sync with him. Garuda nodded at him as he Flame Charged around Ivysaur.

    Silvia wasn't idle though. "Leaf Storm!" She shouted, then followed it with, "You know what comes next!"

    Garuda Flame Charged through the obscuring Leaf Storm, only to find no one within. Then, a surging purple spray of Toxic hammered Garuda's face, and he coughed up the vile liquid as he was badly poisoned. He looked back at Alex's worried expression, but gave him a weak thumbs up.

    "Time to finish this! Garuda! Fiery Ace!"

    The poisoned fire chicken nodded, and zoomed into yet another Flame Charge. "Ivysaur! Counter Whip!" The grassy dinosaur nodded in response to her Trainer's words, and as Garuda, now fully boosted in terms of speed, nimbly dodged the Power Whip, before trading flames for flying energy, and masterfully striking the Ivysaur hard enough to make her faint.

    He zipped back to Alex's side and let out a victorious crow, before falling to one knee from the severe poison. Alex gave him a Full Restore, and murmured before recalling him. "That was excellent Garuda. I knew you had great Battle instincts. They bumped fists, and Alex recalled his Combusken, as he brought out a change to Silvia's monotonous opponents.

    At the same time Revan appeared in a fiery flash of flame, Silvia's pick was a Weepinbell. She whistled, smirking as she saw Revan's armor. "That…is a very cool helmet. It looks familiar, too…is it a reference or something?"

    Alex nodded. "A nerdy one. But one the Blacksmith understood. Revan!" He shouted at the end of his sentence, and his Ceruledge's red and purple flame swords burned to full length, "Flame Charge and keep dodging!" An ominous humm of acknowledgement came from Revan's iconic helm, and with a flash of speed, he was moving around Weepinbell much as Garuda had.

    Sludge Wave, Razor Leaf, and Vine Whip all missed, as Revan masterfully created a fiery tornado with his ever increasing speed and Flame Charge. Then, when it was strong enough, he sent it hurtling at the Weepinbell, who fainted easily. Revan looked back at Alex, and slowly nodded. Alex smirked, and nodded back.

    "He's a bit high level for this Gym…" Sylvia remarked, "Let's see if my last pick can't give him a challenge. Curupira!" She shouted, sending out a rather strong looking Shiftry.

    Revan seemed unimpressed, and once more his different shaded swords burned to life. "Once more my friend, Flame Charge!" Alex ordered, and again, Revan leaned his armored form into a run as fire erupted around him. Soon, the burning blur had surrounded the Shiftry, too. Silvia looked confident, though. By the time he mentally went through Shiftry's stats and ability, it was too late. Revan launched the burning cyclone at the strong Shiftry, but he simply raised his leaf-fan arms, and flew on the spinning heat. It did seem to hurt, but his mastery of the air kept him from catching flame.

    "Now Curupira! Black Petal Blizzard!"

    A leafy tornado shot from each fan, and then went into the cyclone of flame behind the fierce floating tengu. The fire turned black with dark energy, as the grass move shifted to evil. Seeing what was coming, and being fast enough for it, Revan was already Flame Charging again. The spiraling dark leaves followed him around the field, and he briefly caught Isamu, eyes wide beside Dynamight, as they saw Revan turn into a burning comet. He blinked, as he felt his armor react to all the flame and speed boosts.

    An as yet unseen compartment built into the calves of the possessed, and typically hollow ghost armor opened, and Revan went even faster, almost too fast, as he tapped into a power his body simply was not yet strong enough to control. Isamu recognized it, and yet, Revan didn't give up. He turned as much as he could, with great strain, and this time, the entire field became a fire tornado, one firmly under Revan's control of the flame. As Cinder had told him, being a physical attacker didn't mean one's element listened any less to their efforts to control it. They just worked differently.

    Something like a Lava Plume was still hard to control, as he manifested fire energy blobs into being to shoot them. When he used his own dark flames however, or flames created by them catching on things like clothing or grass, he could very much control their trajectory, at least. To that end, he forced his leg engines to cease, ground to a hard stop on the basic battling field, and then raised a sword at his opponent. The towering fire cyclone moved to converge on the Shiftry, leaving only a scorched and very much unconscious Pokémon in their wake.

    With a satisfied smirk, Silvia recalled her partner, and started walking towards Alex. "That was…certainly something. Your Ceruledge is newly evolved, but he already has such good control…and that speed…" She whistled. "He might end up rivaling your Gallade, Dragon Emperor."

    Revan looked slightly scorched, as some of the black leaves had managed to hit him, but not nearly enough of them to matter. "I like her." Revan stated, with what Alex could tell was a smirk beneath his awesome helmet. He bonked his floating ball's recall button then, and took his ease.

    Silvia looked at him expectantly, and Alex said, "He thanks you for the compliment, Leader Silvia. I hope you can give Isamu a similar match."

    Silvia gave him a look. "It's his first badge, Victory Champion. You know how it's going to go." The boredom had returned to her eyes, replacing the awe she'd briefly felt at seeing Revan's cyclone. Apparently, her eyes hadn't been sharp enough to notice his booster rocket legs, but Alex had not missed that, or how awesome it was. It was too tiring to use as anything other than a finishing move right now, but if his Ceruledge could master that hardware…he briefly wondered what else Antonio had kitted the burning ghost out with.

    Isamu's battle was, unfortunately for Silvia, exactly what she expected. She threw a warm up Trainer at him after seeing his Combusken, and by the time he reached her, the fighting chicken was raring to go. It went exactly as one might expect. Flame Charge and Aerial Ace cleaned up her lowest tier Pokémon, and Isamu only needed Detect once to dodge one of her counter attacks. Silvia gave him a fake smile along with his badge, and with their Rainforest Badges in hand, and a complementary but mandatory jungle survival guide from Silvia, the two men were off again, to the next town.

    On their way out of the gym, they discussed their route. "It seems like there's a series of footpaths and suburbs in the straightest route from here, to the Water Gym that circumvents going back into Rio's main center and probably getting mobbed or distracted again." Isamu said, giving his Master a knowing smirk. "And…there's a few Pokémon I want on the way that all happen to live pretty close to each other, as luck would have it."

    Alex gave him a look, and tapped the giant black portion of the map. "And this, perilously close to your shortcut, is the haunted ruins of the abandoned city. Full of deadly Ghost Types. I promised your mom I'd keep you safe, Isamu. Walking head first into danger would be breaking that promise." Said promise had been drawn from him easily when she'd caught him in the background of one of Isamu's calls.

    Her shift in focus had been a good distraction from calling his own mother, who would undoubtedly pester him about where Jess was and make insinuations because they weren't spending every waking moment together. Her motives for grandchildren were so awkwardly obvious and cringeworthy that he kept putting off calling home. He also didn't want his father, who had now retired apparently, to get drawn in as well. Butting his nose in on his mom's call was almost guaranteed, especially if it meant he could keep cussing Alex out for what he saw as imminent financial doom and societal collapse without currency as a 'stabilizing force'.

    Alex had already made his argument though, and he hated repeating himself. Stability built on the back of what was essentially slave labor, and a thinly veiled caste system was not stability at all, and was doomed to collapse, once the people on the bottom started getting angry about being stepped and 'trickled' on, and stood up, knocking the entire system into chaos, and if past was prologue, lots of murder.

    Isamu visibly struggled to form an argument, and Alex hid his smirk, not wanting to needlessly taunt his Padawan without reason. "But…I wanted a…hrmmm." It was clear he didn't want to upset his mother, but he also had his heart set on probably a ghost type.

    "Tell you what." Alex said, having mercy on the struggling teen, "Get your second Badge, and I'll take you into the edges of the ghost area, so we can find…whoever it is you're looking to add."

    Isamu agreed to that, even if it added a day to their journey that would be spent doubling back. The path he took them on was very old, not well maintained, and seemed to have been taken over by several backyards whose owners had definitely arbitrarily decided to expand their fenced in space for a larger yard, leaving precious little room to walk between the livable suburbs of Rio, and the visibly darkened and corrupted ruins that made up the western edge of the megalopolis, and served as a rather useful barrier between humanity and the denizens of the Jungle of Death.

    Eventually, that space widened, and on their way, the sharp-eyed rookie was constantly looking for a rather common urban species of electric type. They stopped suddenly, when a Pichu darted across their path in panic, but Isamu reacted with impressive speed, and a pair of Zygarde Cores working in tandem on his legs. He eventually cornered and caught the frightened baby Pokémon, and then let him out in an enclosed alleyway, with Alex, who helped calm the terrified electric mouse, and explain what was going on. Isamu named him Judenho, and while he seemed rather young, Alex noted that the female Pikachu eyeing them after the catch eventually stopped trailing them. It hurt his heart, but the Pichu and Isamu were becoming fast friends, mostly thanks to the Luxury Ball he'd been caught in, and Alex didn't want to ruin their mood with a tearful goodbye. Pikachu also tended to have massive litters, so the parental bonds weren't exactly rock solid, among their kind. They tended to move in packs, and every member of the pack contributed to their safety and wellbeing. Those who couldn't, were often just abandoned or left behind on purpose. It seemed his mom was leaving his care to them.

    Alex did tease him for copying Ash, but that led Isamu to a counterpoint. "You said you're going to train every species, right? That means a Pichu, eventually, no?"

    "It does." Alex answered as he focused on walking the rather steep part of the trail they were taking, navigating carefully with his stupidly large feet on the old, weathered stone steps built for a people who were much, much smaller in stature. "But I have my sixty, for now anyway. As they grow and decide what they want to do with their lives, I'll find replacements for them. I don't intend on getting a Pichu for a long time." Quietly, he was lowkey hoping that Ash's Pikachu would one day reproduce, if he hadn't already. The next time he had a chance to speak with the World Champion electric mouse, he'd try bringing up the subject tactfully.

    "What could be cooler than me!?" Judenho shouted, as he jumped from Isamu to Alex. "I have da best colors!"

    "You do." Alex admitted, without looking up, "But you lose them once you evolve. And…" He levitated his Pokédex up before Judenho's face. Shiny Luxray was depicted, an action shot of Leo, as it turned out. "This guy is my strongest Electric Type already. I don't need a Raichu at the moment." Alex had submitted a few such 'reference photos', and he'd been told they were well shot and of high quality apparently. Judenho's eyes went wide. "Cooooool! Aww man, he's not yellow either, that's gold! I'm so jealous!" He jumped back on Isamu's messy green hair and then started to nap.

    The closer they got to the Iaria District of Rio, the more water they found. Isamu used one of his new generation gadgets to track down a Poliwag with a modest nature, and he gave the little princess a King's Rock, which endeared her to her new Trainer quite quickly, as she seemed to adore gifts. Isamu called her Sawa, and was clearly smitten by her cuteness, which the King's Rock accentuated. It did suit her well, and a Politoed was actually a very good choice, given the rest of his team. They had lunch, which was basically just Alex experimenting with ingredients at this point, as he slowly learned what ingredients resonated best with certain types. Cream Cheese on both halves of the bread, several slices of actual cheese, salt, pepper, some Avocado, some basil, and a dash of one of the weird white mystical Paldean herbs came together surprisingly well, as everyone who partook enjoyed the absurdly cheesy flavor.

    Just after noon, they arrived at Iaria's gym, a water gym, and the main reason Isamu had wanted to risk a suburban route so close to the devastated areas of the city for a Pichu. Despite having TMs freshly taught, Alex wondered if Judenho was up to facing what appeared to be four warm up Trainers, and then the Gym Leader herself, in a very basic gym setup. She was dressed in white and blue, with a familiar looking stone around her neck, also tinged likely by her own aura to be a light blue. Her outfit seemed more suitable for a business work environment than a Pokémon Gym.

    ditkfa3-f500f3fb-05cf-49c7-9a65-531cf7938047.jpg

    The gym itself also seemed more…structurally sound than most of the ones Alex had visited. The architectural perfection caught his eyes as he realized he could look at, and understand, how it was all being, rather masterfully held together. For what had to be ages, by this point. While Alex marveled at the architecture, Isamu barreled ahead with his Pichu. He'd faced down quite a few Chatot, and Alex was fine with letting them train, as he had taken the time to focus more on the rest of his clones, until Isamu was confident enough to move on to the gym.

    It was around this time that Kurchak, the Grookey one of his other clones had found, was bamfed over as well. He was very young, though. Alex had him hold a Lucky Egg and basically act as designated shouldermon while Gauss and Fulguron warmed up.

    Judenho was using mostly physical attacks, and his Thunder Punch was benefiting from the lack of control he had with his electricity. He was also just quick enough to avoid the painful water type counter attacks that came his way. The Pichu was a blur and switched fairly well between his physical and ranged attacks. Those, and Trailblaze, kept the rather speedy young mouse from getting hit more than twice, at least until he got to Leader Marina.

    She brought out a Seel, Lombre, and a water and dark type Buizel with a vicious glint in his eye. Seel fell easily to Thunderbolt and Thunder Punch, which was becoming his one two combo. Lombre was trickier, but Judenho and Isamu used Trailblaze to speed up again as the Lombre wasted power on Water Pulses. Eventually, he too fell to Electroweb, and Thunder Punch.

    The Buizel was a different story. From the moment he saw the Pichu, he looked down on him and mocked him with a single word: "Weak." He responded to his Trainer's call for an Aqua Jet and before Judenho could blink, the aggressive Buizel shifted to a vicious Bite attack. He snarled, irritated, as Static took effect, and he violently tossed Judenho away. The young Pichu rolled several times, and landed hard, without rising again.

    Marina crossed her arms and gave Isamu a somewhat severe look. "You'll need more than a baby Pokémon to beat my Buizel. I hope you have someone stronger than That." She gestured at the Pichu, who was indeed quite unconscious. Isamu ran over to him immediately as he realized his partner's state and fed him a Max Revive. With an explosive jump up to his tiny feet, electricity surged around Judenho, and he snarled at the Buizel, calling him out for another round.

    "You'd just lose again, you're already out." The Buizel sneered with contempt. "Dumb and weak. As expected of a pathetic rookie." Before Judenho could attack, Isamu recalled him.

    "I have plenty of Pokémon." He stated plainly to the Gym Leader. "And I know a bully when I see one. I'd expect better from a Gym Pokémon, Leader Marina."

    "Tch." Was her response. "The jungle…is merciless. You must be able to survive Buizel's kind. As you are now, you'll inspire the Muertan Floatzel to tear apart you, and anyone you travel with. They despise weakness." Her Buizel barked an affirmative.

    "Kanchi!" Isamu shouted in response. The Riolu appeared in a bright flash, took one look at the Buizel, and smirked darkly. Isamu met Marina's eyes with that same confidence. "Don't call us weak. We're about to go Beyond our limits! Vacuum Wave!"

    "Aqua Jet, and dodge." Marina countered. Her Buizel shot away from the vacuum formed by fighting energy, only to be hit by another, from Kanchi's other paw, as he tried to attack.

    "Trailblaze!" Isamu ordered, "Then Drain Punch!" The teen seemed worked up after what happened to his Pichu, and Kanchi shared those emotions. Grass energy helped him skate across the standard League battling field, where he slammed into the Buizel, and followed that with a brutal punch to it's jaw that left it crumpled, and panting.

    "Bite!" Marina shouted, but the darkness that manifested was actually a Crunch, and though Kanchi could have dodged it, he grimaced as he let the fangs of evil energy sink into his arm. He didn't flinch though, and neither did Isamu.

    "Low Sweep!" Kanchi was a blur as he spun and sent the Buizel onto his back with his fighting energy infused tail, hard enough for the Buizel to bounce up slightly from the ground after the impact, at which point Isamu called the final move, right as the angry Riolu used it. "Brick Break!"

    Air whooshed from the Buizel's lungs as the powerful fighting move hit his stomach with super effectiveness, and made his eyes go Poli-patterned. Cool as an ice type, Kanchi sneered with derision at the Buizel, and then walked towards Isamu, who had a big grin on his face. "That was awesome, Kanchi!" He held out a closed fist for a companionable bump, and the Riolu nonchalantly booped the fist with his own.

    Alex was up next, and after the entirety of the gym got a fresh heal from their unmanned Pokémon healing machine, he had Kurchak and Gauss mow through the warmup Trainers with ease. Seeing his Vikavolt's level and recognizing his status as a Champion and not a rookie, Leader Marina brought out Sharpedo, Dewgong, and a shiny Feraligator against him. The Sharpedo was the toughest, but after taking a hard Crunch, Gauss managed to faint him. The Dewgong was easier, but the two Pokémon ended the round in a draw, resulting from Aurora Beam and Thunderbolt.

    Marina waited for his pick for the last round of his gym match, and a wide smile broke her stern expression as he brought out Fulguron. The massive, shaggy, electric sasquatch roared upon appearing, and electricity sparked over his stiff muscles as he warmed them up. "I was hoping you'd bring out someone worth my time! Go! Ali!"

    As Alex recognized what was likely Marina's starter with her unique coloring and purple crest, he called out to Fulguron. "She's taking you seriously, my friend. You may end up losing this if we're careless. Fulguron looked back at him and tilted his head. Whatever he rumbled, made Alex smirk. "I mean…we could certainly try…" The smirk widened, and Fulguron seemed hyped. "Let's see what we're dealing with, first! Thunderbolt!"

    Electricity zing zapped between the enormous Electivire's head horns before it shot out like a bolt of real lightning towards the Feraligator. "Dig." Marina ordered in response. The light blue feral alligator sank into the ground with a flurry of claws. This only pissed Fulguron off, and he raised a fist, then brought it downward.

    The Thunderbolt curved in response to it's source, surging into the hole, where it resulted in a pained snarl. The Electivire smirked at the haughty human across from him, and he felt satisfaction as her eye twitched. Fulguron disliked when humans tried being deceptive, and this female was not as composed as she looked. "Earthquake." Came Alex's reply, and Fulguron's smirk widened into a downright sinister grin.

    "Go deep, Ali!" Marina shouted, and as Fulguron raised his mighty arms encased in ground energy, it was his turn for an eye twitch.

    Angrily, he poured more power into the move, and with a mighty shout, the entire battlefield was shattered to pieces, perfectly within the confines of the lines, of course. Marina looked stunned, but Alex was just impressed. "Fulguron…you-" Alex stopped, as his Electivire glanced back at him and just gave him a confident thumbs up, as he appreciated the awe more than the praise.

    "Looks like we don't need to, for this Battle." The Electivire rumbled confidently.

    Alex nodded. "I leave it to you, my friend. You know what to do. Rain Dance!"

    What made Fulguron so powerful, aside from the rather impressive attack power and his nature, was his ability to focus, and learn. That focus naturally applied to each of his moves, and like several of his brothers, the more various kinds of energy he learned to manipulate, the better his control grew. It also helped that Hydrus was a pretty good teacher. Fulguron began pounding the field with rhythmic thumps of his massive fists, and a bead of sweat appeared on the Gym Leader's brow. The energy barriers around the Trainer boxes became visible in the rain, and Fulguron let out a dark chuckle, a sound not entirely unlike a revving motor.

    Alex, for his part, was curious as to what Marina would do. The only thing more dangerous than Thunder in rain was an experienced water Trainer who knew what was coming. Feraligator also had a reputation for a reason. "Make sure you have enough." He said quietly to the electric sasquatch before him.

    "I have all I need." Fulguron answered, his tails swishing as, across their mental network, Temere began playing a familiar song. Naturally, Fulguron had greatly enjoyed it since he was an Elekid.

    Alex nodded, speaking right the first verse of Temere's song. "Thun-der!" He called the move, and only the move, which was the Trainer equivalent of giving their partner free rein. Despite his focus, Alex found his foot tapping to his Toxtricity's masterful playing.

    Electricity surged around Fulguron, who raised his arms straight, as his two wiry tails rose into the air, and with ease, drew what they needed from the clouds above. "Bulldoze!" Marina shouted, and Alex frowned, as the shiny Feraligator didn't charge but rather ran in a circle, charging the move's power, which formed a cloak of energy around the user. She used it defensively, as the first Thunder tore through the field with a deafening boom. Ali was untouched, but almost half her shield was blown away from the sheer power of the move. Marina didn't hesitate, and called another, "Now Stomping Tantrum!"

    Alex's frown grew, but Fulguron had things in hand. His second fist struck with another Thunder as he formed a literal thunderbolt in his fist and sent it hurtling towards Ali with another sound-breaking boom. This one completely reduced every boulder coming towards him to nothing but dust. Suddenly defenseless, Ali's eyes widened in realization as the third and final Thunder, this time from between his bulbous horns, boomed towards her. Thunder boomed for the third time through the gym, this time hammering the Feraligator with a brutal crit. "Masterful!" Alex shouted, and Fulguron's tails swished happily, causing lines of electricity to form between them.

    "Indeed." Marina said, as she recalled her Feraligator. "I should have brought out my strongest, it seems. Electivire's power was not exaggerated." She began walking across the field towards him, while Isamu started making his way down from the stands. Fulguron fist bumped his Trainer, requested a victory burrito as a reward, and then returned to his ball.

    Alex took his newest badge, and then after thanking Marina, they were on the road once again. The route between Iaria and Salvador, the fiery home of Rio's third gym, was short but full of Trainers. Isamu took on most of them, but Alex did some level grinding as well with his Noibat, and Drilbur. Dracala did great, mostly because flying types were hard to hit as a rule and had an advantage over the very common grass types that local Rio Trainers had. Simon, for his part, had a harder time, for the same reason.

    Despite his grass and water type weaknesses, he managed to get three wins out of ten, but he still seemed depressed about that ratio. After the seventh loss, Simon woke up again in Alex's arms and sighed. "I don't think I'm cut out for this…I know you and Kamina want me to tap into 'the me that you both believe in' or whatever, but I'm just not good at this."

    "You're better than you think." Alex said with a light chuckle. "Just relax. You're always so stiff with worry out there, it makes your Moves unreliable."

    Simon just sighed again and buried himself in a light layer of dirt. "I'm just not good at Battling."

    Alex sighed heavily. He was quiet for a solid minute as he processed and chose his words carefully. Finally, he said, "What Kamina means, by believing in the you that he does…isn't that complicated."

    The Drilbur poked his head up from the dirt, listening intently. "Kamina probably sees a bit of his younger self, in you. The Simon that he knows you can be, is an Excadrill even stronger than he is. He went out of his way to find a Trainer arguably more skilled than even his own, to help you reach that potential."

    The Drilbur looked down then, with a heavy sigh. "I just wish I knew why…why me? I'm so weak…"

    Alex laughed then, loud and genuine. Simon gave him a look. "So he can Battle you, Simon." Alex said like it was that obvious to everyone. "He probably wants to face you properly, to see how high you can go. If you manage to beat him…I don't know what will happen exactly, but it's usually a good thing."

    "He wants to Battle…me?" Simon thought that over, then shook his head. "I wouldn't be any challenge to him, that can't be it."

    "As you are now, no, you wouldn't be. But the Simon he knows you can be? That's the Simon he wants you to believe in."

    The Drilbur slowly rose from his dirt. "I think I get it now…" The gleam in his eyes that'd flared up after his wins returned. "Alright!" He whacked his face with his comically large claws. Then he turned to his human. "Make me stronger! No more losing! I'm going to be a rival worthy of Kamina!"

    Alex nodded sagely, as he saw Isamu and Judenho score another win. "Alright bud. That means Battling strategically. Ground Types are strong against Fire, Steel, Rock, and Electric Types. All those Types have Gyms on this circuit, so you'll be getting some action soon. Rest for now, and remember, it's not about winning or losing. Just have fun and think of Battling like a sport. Get some rest."

    Isamu and Alex headed north then, only to find their path blocked by a massive crowd lining each side of Salvador City's main thoroughfare. The crowd was dressed primarily in reds, oranges, and almost obnoxious yellows. Fire seemed to be the theme, and the good mood of what could only be Rio's rather famous Carnival was infectious. As they looked around in vain for the gym, or a path to the Pokémon Center, a bright spotlight suddenly lit up their contrasting outfits, as white and black and Isamu's primarily green attire stood out quite obviously in the flamboyant crimson sea.

    A charismatic man who seemed to be dressed like a Moltres shouted at them, from atop what looked like an equally flamboyant parade float coming down the thoroughfare. He was handsome, bronze skinned and had a microphone in his hand. "Salvadoooor City! Let's give our Challengers a proper welcome!" The crowd erupted with cheers and whoops, drowning out the catchy samba beat that seemed to be eternally playing in the background. The fiery man continued, "My name is Leader Thiago, of the Salvador Gym! You two have caused quite a stir, you know, hitting three Gyms in a single day on our Estrada Real!" Again, the crowd cheered, and Isamu looked down, overwhelmed by the attention. Alex, for his part, looked neutrally whelmed, and had his usual smirk on. "With two victories apiece, you come now to me, for your hat trick! The only question that remains is…who will be going first!?"

    ditkfij-3e192e48-2746-4811-abb7-8356ec69fc23.jpg

    Alex and Isamu shared a look, but they'd already discussed how to settle this. The ancient art of Roshambo. The two faced each other, and with the majority of Salvador watching, they shook a single fist at each other, once, twice, three times, and there was laughter as they saw Isamu's scissors crushed by the Dragon Emperor's mighty rock.

    Alex went first, stepping up onto the float, which seemed to be a stylistic interpretation of Rio's former draconic snake Guardians, who were recolored red, but with traces of blue and green upon the scales. About five Trainers stood between Alex and Thiago, who was perched on the top platform of the lead float, a battlefield artfully situated between the two snarling heads of Mamboa and Yacuma. Their heads at least, were accurate to real life colors.

    Alex called out his Drilbur, and gave him an Elixir and a health potion. "This is it, Simon. The next three Gyms are perfect for you, and by the time we reach Thiago, you'll likely be an Excadrill." The Drilbur's eyes widened, and Alex chuckled. "Yes, really. You've been training hard for this my friend. Are you ready to go Beyond your limits?"

    Simon clashed his claws together, and his eyes were on fire. "My Drill Run will pierce through all of them! Let's do this!"

    And in short, they did. With familiar ease, Alex had Simon Drill Run through whatever their opponents could throw at them. The last Trainer, though, had something far, far above Simon's level. His Turtonator seemed to be his starter Pokémon, and he'd trained it fairly well. It also happened to be 'shiny' which in this species case meant his colors were brown and sulfuric yellow, instead of red. "Alright, Dragon Douche! This is where your mockery of our League Circuit ends! You're not getting past me with that pathetic little mole!" His Turtonator roared in agreement and smirked down at Simon as he Taunted the mole. "I've seen stronger Rattata." He rumbled.

    Alex glanced at Thiago, who seemed stunned, but only shrugged in response to his unasked question. It wasn't like Alex had nothing that could take on the Turtonator. He was also allowed six Pokémon, while this Gym Trainer only seemed to have four, including his Turtonator. Irritated, Alex held up a single finger, and a Barrier surrounded the pair of challengers. "He's severely higher level, Simon. And a Dragon Type. Do you want to back out? I can use Fulguron-"

    The tiny mole held up a claw. His eyes were burning with defiance and anger at the effective Taunt. "Back down!? Just who the Hell do you think I am!?"

    "A young Drilbur high off a winning streak." Alex said calmly. "I don't want you to get hurt, Simon. I'm not saying you can't win…I'm just saying it's going to be painful. Turtonator can be pretty brutal."

    Simon chuckled then, and as he spoke, Alex started to understand what Kamina had already known. "I used to hate getting hurt while Battling. But every day, my big Bro would hit me with Rock Slide when I poked my head up to eat. It always hurt. A lot. Until one day, it didn't. I used my Mud Slap to block them, and it helped. Then I learned Crush Claw, and eventually Kamina stopped trying to pelt me. He taught me how to Drill Run, and he trained me to use it until I could overpower his Rock Slide. That's the Move that'll slay this dragon!"

    Alex stood and nodded. "So long as you understand. His armor is weakest in that gaping chest hole he has. Aim true, and your Drill Run might break through. Also, under no circumstance should you attack the shell. It explodes on contact."

    "Avoid the shell, aim for the obvious weak point. Easy." The Drilbur waddled forward and slammed his claws together, undaunted by the obvious power of the dragon before him. The dragon smirked confidently, and shifted to all fours, as he started inhaling.

    "Watch the Dragon Pulse." Alex said, grimacing as the lack of ground and dirt was a poor field for a ground type. The opposing Trainer called the move, and Alex shouted, "Iron Defense!" Simon raised his claws just in time for the intense dragon energy to slam into his claws, nearly knocking him over, but the stubborn mole held fast and managed to knock the beam away.

    Capitalizing on his partner's strength, or luck, Alex said, "Alright, Drill Run! Stack up some damage!"

    Almost immediately a cloud of dust and dirt swirled around the parade float like a Sandstorm and coalesced around Simon into a spinning drill shaped sand tornado. "Shell Trap!" The Trainer shouted confidently, and his Turtonator's shell spikes began glowing ominously with intense firepower.

    Drill Run would not be deterred though, and Simon truly was a master with the move. Like Kamina, he could spin a few feet off the ground, though once again the terrain didn't help him. It was a cramped battlefield, and the clever, if poorly trained, Turtonator was able to spin and fire off Dragon Pulses. He missed all three shots he was given, and Simon struck him hard after each miss, right on his head. With his gathered speed, Simon spun past his opponent's hardened skull with another brutal thwacking noise.

    As Simon slid to a stop, the tone of the battle changed, and Alex grimaced at his opponent as the Turtonator let out a snarl that promised death. "You've trained that Turtonator, right?"

    The man just shrugged, cockily. "You know dragons, don'tcha? Barely in control at the best of times!" He laughed, sounding a bit unhinged, as the blurple energy radiating from his dragon turtle shifted to a dark red. The Turtonator leaped and landed on Simon with his still active Shell Trap. The intense explosion propelled the draconic turtle into the air, where he turned and aimed at Simon, "Outrage!" His Trainer ordered, and the sparking crimson energy coalesced and was fired as a beam at Simon. At Alex's order, he spun into another Drill Run, as the beam of draconic power carved through the parade float, and the one behind it, causing those on top of them to bail out as they caught fire and exploded into shards of wood and burning cloth."

    "It's now or never, Simon! You know where to aim! Drill Run!" Alex ordered, even as the float they were on began to collapse and catch fire as well.

    "End this farce!" The Trainer shouted at his barely coherent dragon, "Giga Impact!"

    Intense orange aura surrounded the brown and gold Turtonator, as he let gravity guide him to Simon's rising Drill Run. The moves collided for a moment, and for a moment they were locked in a tense contest of power, before the collision made them explode. As the dust cleared, the Trainer whooped. "See!? I said I'd beat him! The Dragon Emperor is over hyped! Well done Turtonator!"

    Alex just kept staring into the dust cloud and then smirked. "You think that overgrown turtle could beat my Simon? Just who the Hell do you think he is!?" Light flared from under the Turtonator, bright and blinding. As soon as it faded, the evidently fainted Turtonator was tossed off of the now fully evolved Excadrill, who let out a mighty roar with his exertion, and victory.

    Leader Thiago carefully approached them soon after, with what Alex had read was the Fuego Badge in his palm. He smiled confidently at Alex and Simon. "It's a bit unorthodox, but I like to reward effort, in my Gym. Critically hitting a Turtonator that high level in his weak spot…took some serious skill. And luck. Well done…Simon, was it? You and your Trainer have definitely earned this. Also…" He gestured at the destroyed floats from Turtonator's Outrage as the one they were standing on creaked ominously. "This will take some time to rebuild. Tell your Padawan I am sorry, but our grand showdown must take place tomorrow, in the Gym."

    The steely mole was given the badge, and with a big grin, he passed it awkwardly but carefully to Alex with his new, unwieldy, and razor-sharp claws. Alex took the badge, and then booped Simon's nose with his fist, the closest he could get to a fist bump now. "Well struck, bud. Just like Fulguron, you can have whatever you want to eat. You've certainly earned it."

    The freshly evolved steel mole had a unique request, namely, some of the high-quality soil that Tyranus gorged himself on regularly as he strove to become a Pupitar, which was blended with Protein, of course, wrapped up in something that the locals of Salvador City called a 'spicy tortilla'. With evolution also came a new move, and one that Simon was eager to master: Horn Drill. Apparently, Kamina had a method to keep it from missing, and Simon was eager for a guaranteed OHKO in his arsenal. Since evolving, much of his hesitation was simply gone, but he was still far more reserved than Kamina.

    Isamu took the extra time before his battle to train up Sawa some more, and by the time they returned to the camp in the midst of their nightly anime binge, the little Poliwag was a Poliwhirl, proudly wearing her King's Rock like a queen. Isamu approached Alex and all but begged for a Rare Candy, as the mighty Dragon Emperor, a true gamer at his core, had been going out of his way to collect the items they walked past the entire trip. Alex used the opportunity to finally get some backstory on his mysterious apprentice.

    "Some answers, in exchange for a Politoed, seems like a fair trade to me." Alex replied to Isamu and Sawa, holding the sparkly blue 'confection' up tantalizingly. "I like to think we're close enough now, as allies, for some information to be unveiled."

    Isamu looked around nervously, but Alex preempted his refusal by raising a Reflect Screen of his own around them, further empowered by a Barrier outside of that. "What you share will be kept confidential, of course." Alex added.

    Isamu sighed heavily, and then called out the majority of his team, namely his new catches, and all five Zygarde Cores. "Hey guys. You're going to want to hear this too." Dynamight, Judenho, and Sawa all nodded in unison. The lead Core crawled out from under Isamu's tangled green mop of hair, and in perfect unison, the Cores bowed in Alex's direction. Then, the leader on Isamu's shoulder spoke.

    "We greet you, Tamer of the Original Dragon. I am called Zyx, and I speak for these Cores. Your exploits have not gone unnoticed by us. Forgive us for not speaking sooner…we had to be sure that you are like the first Dragon Emperor…and not his successors. But it is clear now, by feeding all of Humanity and Pokémon through your people's mastery of what you know as Infinity Energy, that you are indeed a worthy successor."

    Alex glanced among the multicolored Zygarde Cores and saw that only the red one seemed irritated by his presence. Zyx seemed to guess his intention and let him speak. "Greetings to you, Defender of the World. If any of your Cores have any problems with me hearing your secrets, feel free to voice them."

    As one, the Cores turned to the red one, which sighed, and addressed Alex with his cyclopian stare. "You claim to have Tamed the Dragon. I dislike so-called Tamers. The way they treat their partners…irks me."

    Alex chuckled casually. "I share your dislike. Many who aspire to tame Legends do so with ill intentions. Tao, however, is my friend, even if we sometimes disagree on certain issues, our bond remains strong and true. I could ask him to confirm my words, if you wish."

    The red Core was quiet for a solid thirty seconds before it said, "Do not bother the Dragon with trifles." It turned to Zyx then. "I withdraw my reservations. Tell him what you wish."

    Zyx nudged Isamu's cheek from his shoulder perch. "Go ahead, Ninth."

    Isamu took a deep breath and began. "Our situations are…not that different, Alex. Like you…I was deemed incapable of being a Trainer. And all I ever wanted was to go on a Journey. I uhh…met someone, another Legend Tamer, who was looking for a Successor, and he chose me. And that's when I inherited Zyx, and five Pokémon from previous World Wardens. That's the title of the one who Tames Zygarde. I'm the Ninth."

    Alex raised an eyebrow. "And the League was…okay with that?"

    Isamu chuckled awkwardly. "Well, like yours, my Doctor was…less than trustworthy. Nothing evil though, just the usual medical insurance fraud, and such. He misdiagnosed me so that my parents had to buy an absurd number of drugs and medicine to 'treat' me. Those medications aren't for someone who, aside from some mild ADHD, is essentially 'normal'." He said with literal air quotes. "So, for years I appeared to be sick. Zyx healed me, and my mentor managed to prove to my parents that they were being scammed. We actually got quite a lot of money from that Doctor, after they settled things in court. He no longer practices, and the League gave me a Trainer Card once they saw how knowledgeable I am about Pokémon." Isamu was perfectly calm, but there was an intensity in his eyes when he mentioned the former doctor that Alex understood all too well.

    Alex nodded as he listened intently. "I'm glad justice was served. Maybe not by the flames of Ho Oh, but legal methods are just as valid. So, what exactly is the purpose of a World Warden?"

    The Cores, in perfect synchronicity, looked back at Isamu, who picked his words carefully. "A World Warden, uh, wards the world against danger. Threats to the land, existential crises, stuff like that. Most of what we deal with is caused by Humans. With the power that comes from combining Infinity Energy and Humans, Zygarde can empower a chosen Human to bring an end to threats that would normally be beyond even it's one hundred percent Form." Isamu took another deep breath and then bowed low and formally in the Japanese style towards Alex, which made the other eyebrow rise to Spockian heights. "I- er, We, would like your assistance in these matters, these threats to the ecosystem, and dealing with them."

    Alex blinked. "What threat could overpower something as strong as Zygarde?"

    Isamu fidgeted, glanced at the Cores, who continued staring at him, and then looked back at Alex. "You remember the person that shadowy dragon, uh, Alduin, took over?" Alex nodded. "Well, he had…let's call it an ability…he had the ability to create more of his mass…and turn anything he touched to dust."

    Alex's eyebrows crashed together from their lofty heights. "That sounds…a lot like Xerneas and Yveltal. Creation, destruction."

    Isamu nodded. "His name was Tomura. His father…once posed a threat to Japan's ecosystem. Zygarde, and my predecessor, stopped him, at great cost. So, Tomura was returned to his mother…the woman you know as the Witch Queen of Albion. Morgana. She's been active for a long time…and Tomura was experimented on while she worked with Team Flare. When they fell apart, she vanished back into the shadows, but Tomura was already…corrupted. You're old enough to remember the Kalos incident with Zygarde, right?"

    Alex nodded. "Lysander somehow twisted the Legendary's energy into some kind of corrupting force, and that corruption spread throughout Kalos. Ash Ketchum and the Gym Leaders stopped him, but his Greninja spent the next several decades ruthlessly hunting down any trace of the taint with his Aura powers."

    Isamu nodded as well. "My mentor said that Tomura was similarly corrupted, the first and only, hopefully, Human test subject…that survived. He was very much evil, but…nobody deserves a fate like that."

    Alex frowned, slightly. "Better to end both threats at once. With the powers he had and who controlled him, I'm betting he killed quite a lot of people, Isamu. You would've, should have stopped him either way."

    Isamu frowned as well, "You could just take someone's life that easily?"

    "Can, have, and would again." Alex answered coldly, as he stared the teen down. "That's what being a Scale of Balance means, Isamu. We don't let threats fester. We don't let mass murderers walk away. I ended Caleb Pravus. I ended Alduin. And if I'd known what Tomura was, I would've ended him, too."

    Isamu's frown deepened. "Then what about the Imperium?"

    Alex's frown lessened into a depressed chuckle. "The Imperium is the world's Superpower. The de facto strongest entity on the entire planet. I have no illusions about that. The problem is that the Imperator has, not once in thousands of years, ever been deposed, or even attempted to be removed. Not by his sons, not by his people, not by his slaves. They have some sort of no doubt horrifying method of utterly crushing their enemies into soulless and willing slaves. To avoid that fate…we have to coexist with them. The alternative, war, means death and subjugation for all the free Regions on the planet. Japan included. Much of the Imperium's murdering comes from the Imperator's overzealous sons, and the wars they start. The Imperator himself has only personally gotten involved a handful of times, and only when his territory was directly threatened. Every single time he takes the field, the Imperium wins. His presence guarantees their victory. I've spoken with him, too. He's…a very rational being, with very good advisors. As long as we can keep things rational, civilized, and hold an open dialogue between our nations, the world won't collapse into blood and fire. Again. And I prefer that."

    Isamu glared at him. "So mass murderers are fine, as long as they have bigger guns."

    "The only being on the planet that the Imperium's mass murderers listen to, is their father. We coexist with their father, and we avoid getting slaughtered by the Great Wolf, or the Lord of the Red Sands. I don't like it either, Isamu, but this is who we have to coexist with. Poking the hive of genetically enhanced murderers is only going to end badly for everyone outside of the Imperium. While negotiating and speaking keeps the good people of Eous from being rounded up to die on their border. It keeps them from targeting Japan. It keeps the peace on Europa's borders."

    Isamu shook his head. "You're sounding hypocritical, Alex. I'm as impressed as anyone else that you got them to stop the war on Eous's borders but do you think that's going to stop the slavery? The lobotomies? You were in Koria too, you saw their Servitors."

    "And that fate is what awaits you, me, and our families, the family of every Scale, if we decide to start a war with them over things they've been doing for thousands of years with, for the record, little to no pushback from the rest of the world. Unova imposing sanctions doesn't really work if Italia and Indius keep trading with them. Right now, the only way to change the Imperium is by negotiating and pushing back on their darker impulses. In a war, right now, we would be obliterated. I'm taking steps to correct that imbalance of power, but until I can match the Imperator both personally and militarily, negotiation and appeasement are our tactics."

    Isamu sighed heavily. "That still doesn't justify killing Tomura."

    Alex shook his head. "Tomura wasn't a thousands of years old psychic at the head of a genetically enhanced empire of super soldiers. He was the kind of threat that we Can stop. And we did. With enough Legendary Tamers and good enough gear, we might be able to take the Imperium someday, but right now getting along is our best chance for survival. We need time, and politics buys us that time. Making nice by taking out threats like Alduin, and Tomura, and the Successor, buys us that time. I imagine the Imperator doesn't want him to return."

    Isamu continued staring his master down. "You know, you haven't been forthcoming about him, either."

    Alex nodded in casual agreement. "I haven't. But now that we're sharing…"

    Alex elaborated on his efforts to find the Successor's tomb, and what led him to encountering Alduin again, and by the end of that explanation, both he and the Cores agreed to help Alex track and end him. They also viewed the Imperium as the most pressing threat to the ecosystem, and if things continued to worsen, would eventually step in to stop them one day, or die trying. On that day, Alex promised to help them, so long as they could back up their justification with evidence. None of the Cores opposed that condition.

    With that agreement firmly solidified, Isamu joined the anime binge, while Alex focused on piloting his clones, and formulating plans. That was two Legends now, in as many days, that had asked for his aid in a permanent fashion. He had a sneaking suspicion that they wouldn't be the last, either. As dangerous as the Imperium's mining efforts were in the long term, currently, it seemed Zygarde was most concerned with the planet's alignment in their solar system, and the long-term effects that being locked in synchronized orbit would have on the ecosystem. Unfortunately, the Enterprise still wasn't complete yet. Running a starship on Infinite Energy sounded easy, but making sure the parts responsible for containing that awesome power didn't erode or shift in the turbulence from exiting the atmosphere, or flying through whatever they encountered in space, would take time. The shields were done though, and they had apparently been easily adapted to the Empire's powered armor as well.

    Sawa decided to eat her candy with breakfast and spent most of the early morning hours getting used to the power in her legs. Thiago brought out a Slugma, and a Magmar first against her, and despite knowing electric moves, the Magmar was easily brought down by Sawa's combination of high jumps and Water Pulses from midair. The trouble came mostly from Thiago's Oricorio, who danced past the Water Pulses with ease and a flourish. Sawa wasn't skilled enough yet to stay indefinitely in the air, and thus she had to eventually come down.

    Sawa did so, by creating a Rain Dance, and hitting the crimson bird with a surge of Muddy Water. Trailblaze helped, but the water still managed to hit. Judenho came out next, and the eager Pichu started getting frustrated as the crimson dancer dodging his Thunderbolts with ease. They kept the Oricorio at bay though, and Isamu noticed they were getting more accurate.

    "Focus, Judenho! You've got this!" He gave the electric mouse a thumbs up, and the Pichu looked back at him, took a deep breath, faced his opponent, and raised his tiny arms to the rain clouds. "Wait! Thunder is too mu-" But the Pichu had already summoned the power. It struck his target with devastating power, but it also hit Judenho.

    Isamu started towards his partner, but stopped short as the baby mouse began glowing bright white. With a confident "Pikaa!" Another Thunderbolt finished off the Oricorio, who'd been given a Potion. Thiago sighed and then shrugged. "To the Victor, the Gym Badge! Congratulations on your new Pikachu!" Judenho's ears twitched at his species name, and Thiago tossed him the Fuego Badge. The speedy Pikachu caught the badge easily, and brought it back to Isamu, all smiles.

    Alex joined them, with Judenho now taking his spot on Isamu's shoulder, outside the gym. As promised, they backtracked to the area Isamu wanted to visit. After going deeper into the ruins than Alex liked, with Po and Kanchi guarding them, Isamu looked in three ghost-infested tiered parking lots, and eventually, found the Varoom he was looking for. He named the ghostly automobile Hayaisha, and with him properly joining the team with Alex translating, master and padawan departed for Porto Nova.
     
  • Threadmarks
    • Pé na Estrada Real, Part 2
  • Threadmarks
    • Pé na Estrada Real, Part 2​

    The route to the northern districts of Rio, and the nation of Guyana, was the longest part of the Estrada Real, and after a strong sendoff with spicy breakfast burritos from Salvador City and Thiago, the pair were on their way to the northernmost port of Rio, one named for their greatest trading partner, Porto Nova, a port founded, built up, and created for Unovans, on the Dark Continent. It was a memento of a darker time from Unova's expansionist era, but one that, in the modern era, had only ever been the vital trade link between Rio and the States. Goods both regions needed and willingly traded for all flowed through Porto Nova. Naturally, this made it a hotbed for corruption, crime, and other dark dealings. Pokémon poaching, illegal trades of Pokémon who'd likely been stolen and then re-captured in a ball not tied to their original Trainer, and of course, illegal drugs. Not the fun ones, but the ones that made users hopelessly addicted by warping their brains.

    Some parts of the old Earth remained alive and well across the centuries and Porto Nova had become infamous for exactly that, as it was also the record holder for highest number of gun related deaths every year, across the world. This was mostly due to the port's encouragement for everyone to own one. This too was a remnant of Unova, and the rest of the States, which had long since adopted strict control over firearms and TMs that had the power to kill people, primarily in the form of checking their Trainer Card or IDs for incidents with the law. As in the past, Porto Nova claimed heavily arming the population was an unalienable right, and the number of accidental deaths and shootings in places like schools or religious centers was completely ignored, in favor of profit for the weapon manufacturers in the port. Aside from their docks, Porto Nova also had ore processing facilities and were capable of sending the processed precious metals out from their mining efforts on the uninhabited western side of the continent quite quickly. While they sold their guns and metals to undoubtedly shady people, they did also sell, by majority, to the States and Rio as well. These facilities basically guaranteed that anyone in the port who wanted a firearm could easily acquire one.

    Both Alex and Isamu wanted to get their badge and get out of this particular city, but agreed to investigate if the universe drew them into a situation they couldn't ignore. Alex also had little fear of bullets, for while they were fast, psychic powers were faster. Almost unfairly so.

    The port was laid out pretty simply, with the main road into the city leading straight to the Pokémon Center, and the gym building directly beside it. A PokéMart was behind the buildings, and the three were surrounded by proper roads, capable of supporting eighteen wheeler sized traffic. A quick glance at the other buildings near the League related ones made Alex's eyes narrow, as they were almost too nondescript. They didn't even have doors, and a quick psychic scan showed no living minds inside.

    Alex guided them to the Pokémon Center first, and once their teams, those who had battled on the long road north, were being seen, Alex and Isamu got some Dragon Burgers, and to all outward appearances, simply relaxed. "You notice anything off here, Isamu?" Alex asked quietly as a Barrier subtly warped the air around them.

    Isamu nodded. "The people…are all watching us. They're not three Badge Trainers either. Since we entered the city, we've been tailed by a pair with ten Pokémon each." Alex nodded for him to continue, as those two had been so obvious about their tail, he hadn't bothered treating them as a threat. They were probably acting as a message, or they were just incompetent. "There's no people in or around the PokéMart, or on the streets. Not even wild Pokémon are around."

    Alex nodded again. "Well done observing the physical evidence, but you should use your psychic prowess as well. The buildings. They have no entrances, and nobody is inside them. I'm going to try to sense where everyone is. Pretend to keep talking to me."

    Isamu, naturally, kept talking anyway, but Alex had become quite good at multitasking lately, so it wasn't too distracting. "Are you sure you want to? I'm fine with not poking the Beedrill hive…"

    Alex breathed slowly, munching his burger as his mind expanded through the city. "Normally I would be too…but there's a Lot of effort that went into making this front believable…and it seems extra steps have been taken on top of that now that we're here. I want to know what the scurrying Rattata are so afraid of the big bad Dragon Emperor finding out about. I guarantee it's nothing good."

    Isamu sighed. "Alright…but let's at least get our Badges first…" He trailed off and glanced at their Nurse Joy, who seemed to be 'subtly' keeping an eye on them. "Do you think she's also on their payroll…?"

    Alex directed his psychic probe to glance at her thoughts, and though she was nervous, she wasn't doing anything to their teams. In fact, their presence was inspiring a nervous kind of hope in her. "Time for some practice, Isamu. Use your Barrier and your charm to get Nurse Joy to confide in you. Casually. Once you finish your burger."

    Isamu tested his Barrier beside him, making sure the emerald green of his aura stayed invisible, and then did as instructed. Suppressing his nerves and faking confidence as Alex apparently did to deal with his own natural awkwardness, Isamu approached the counter. Behind the counter, Nurse Joy stood with a polite but weary smile. She was the spitting image of every other Nurse Joy he'd encountered in his journey, but the faint shadows under her eyes and the slightly forced edge to her kindness betrayed the stress of working in a city like Porto Nova. An Audino stood at her side, looking as fake-happy as her Trainer, going by her eyes.

    Isamu hesitated for a moment, then leaned forward slightly, lowering his voice to match the hushed undertone of the room and activated his Barrier. "Excuse me, Nurse Joy, but… could I ask you something? It's, um, not exactly about my Pokémon."

    Joy's smile faltered just a touch, and her gaze darted toward the pair of Trainers lounging in the corner of the Center pretending not to watch them. After a brief pause, she nodded and gestured for him to follow her to a quieter area behind the counter and near the PC storage terminals.

    Once they were out of earshot, she turned to him, her expression more serious now. "You're not the first Trainer to come through here with questions like that. But you are the first to bring a Champion with you. What do you need to know? I'll help however I can."

    Isamu glanced around to make sure they weren't being watched. "It's about this city. Porto Nova feels… different. There's…not much going on here, at least on the surface, and I have a feeling it's because the powers that be are doing something unspeakable out of sight. And then there's the Gym Leader, Enzo Gambino. I've heard rumors about him, but I don't know how much of it is true. You work here, so I thought maybe you'd know more."

    Nurse Joy sighed, crossing her arms as she leaned against the counter. "You're not wrong to feel uneasy. Porto Nova isn't like most places you've visited in Rio. It's a vital port city, a major hub for trade between the Dragon Empire and Rio, but with that comes… a darker side. Enzo Gambino isn't just the Gym Leader here—he's the one pulling the strings behind the scenes."

    Isamu's eyes widened as she spoke. "So, the rumors are true?"

    "More than you might think," she said, lowering her voice even further. "Gambino runs this city like a crime Boss from Italia. The Gym is just a front for his real operation. He's involved in illegal Pokémon trafficking, capturing rare and endangered species to sell on the black market. And then there are the illegal drugs as well, he uses the port to smuggle them in and out of the city, hidden among legitimate cargo. No one dares to challenge him, not even the authorities. Most of them are either too scared or already on his payroll."

    Isamu raised an eyebrow at her. "What about the League? Don't they know about this?"

    Nurse Joy's lips pressed into a thin line. "They know. But Gambino is smart. He keeps just enough of his activities hidden to avoid direct League action. Plus, he has powerful connections. Even if they tried to shut him down, he'd find a way to slip through the cracks."

    "What about the Gym Battles?" Isamu asked. "Does he even take those seriously, or is it just a cover?"

    "He takes them seriously enough," Joy admitted. "It's part of his image. If he didn't maintain the Gym, the League would have more reason to question what he's really doing. But don't think for a second that he plays fair. His Pokémon are trained to be ruthless, and there's a good chance some of them were obtained illegally. If you plan on challenging him, be careful."

    Izuku nodded, his mind racing. "Is there anything else I should know? Anything that could help me understand what's really going on here?"

    Nurse Joy hesitated, glancing toward the doors as if expecting someone to burst in at any moment. "There's a warehouse district near the docks. A lot of Gambino's operations run through there, especially at night. But be careful, Mr. Midorinoki. Porto Nova isn't the kind of place where you can poke around without consequences. People who ask too many questions tend to disappear."

    Audino let out a soft, worried chirp, and Joy gave the Pokémon a reassuring pat before turning back to Isamu. "I don't know what you're planning, but if you're going to stay in Porto Nova, keep your head down and your Pokémon ready. This city doesn't forgive mistakes."

    Isamu swallowed hard, tucking his Pokémon back onto his belt as the nurse retrieved them, and Alex's. "Thank you, Nurse Joy. I'll be careful. And… I'll do whatever I can to help. We both will. Tell the locals to keep their heads down for the next few hours. Negotiations might turn…aggressive."

    The nurse's eyes widened, but she nodded in understanding, taking her place again, as Isamu returned to Alex, and handed him his balls. The Barriers merged, and their presence became about as obvious as the two Trainers now just openly staring at them from across the mostly empty Pokémon Center.

    "You were right. The Gym Leader is running everything. Did you find out where everyone is?"

    Alex nodded. "Most of the civilians seem to be in their houses, and there's a few underground and at the docks, but… something is off with the houses. The people are too scared…and there's a lot of latent hostility in some of their minds."

    Isamu's eyes widened. "Do you think he's holding the people hostage? Probably at gunpoint, knowing Porto Nova. He wouldn't be dumb enough to threaten all of them in front of us, right?"

    As if on cue, the doors of the Pokémon Center burst open, and the few straggler Trainers that hadn't left the lobby, now scurried away with Nurse Joy as Leader Gambino strode up to their table. Alex lowered the Barrier, and smirked at the man. He was dressed like a mobster, in a fine suit with an Italia brand logo that was black with golden pinstripes, and had a golden vest and black silk shirt under that. Gold watch on his wrist, evil in his eyes, he wasn't even pretending to be legitimate as a 'businessman'. Alex sensed the man felt disgustingly confident that his measures would stop the Dragon Emperor from getting involved, but of course, said measures were the reason Alex had noticed anything off in the first place. Gambino would've been better off not changing things with his arrival.

    gym_leader_enzo_gambino_by_pokefan1337_ditkfsk-pre.jpg

    "Alexander Redwood, and Isamu Midorinoki. I'd heard you were comin' up to my humble city. How are ya findin' my port?" Leader Gambino asked in his authentic New Tork accent, clearly not expecting anything more than small talk. He seemed to think the state of his city was well in hand. He had a pair of black suit wearing goons behind him that further reinforced the mob boss stereotype he was living.

    "Empty." Alex replied calmly, but the word still made Enzo flinch. "I'll be honest, I expected the largest port between my Empire and Rio to be a lot…busier. Where is everyone, Leader Gambino?"

    A smile made of pure sleaze appeared on the not entirely unappealing features of Enzo Gambino as his hands casually sank into his pockets, undoubtedly to grip a miniaturized Pokéball. "You're da one that's psychic, o' Mighty Dragon Empra'. You tell me."

    Alex stood up slowly, and his height made the comparatively small man frown, his large eyebrows crashing together as Alex glared down at him. The Unovan's stare was intense, and his eyes had a very faint, almost imperceptible glow to them as he said, "For your sake, they had better be unharmed. My Padawan and I are here to challenge you, and leave, Gym Leader Gambino." Behind him, Isamu stood up as well, shouldering his bag.

    The obvious mobster grinned at them. "An' so long as that's what ya do, nobody here will have a problem. C'mon. Lemme show you the Gym." Being literally right next door, it was a short walk to what was obviously just a spare warehouse that someone had shoved a Pokémon battlefield inside. So far, on this circuit, Thiago had clearly put in the most effort to his battlefield, but then, early gyms were typically less complicated for a reason. There was a difference between simple, and a lack of effort, though. Sylvia's setup had been essentially a greenhouse, with a great view of the jungle, and Marina's relied on the masterful architecture of whoever had built Iaria.

    The warehouse did, however, actually have one other feature to it, namely in the back, with what little space had been left, it seemed Enzo had set up…a small gambling corner, or that's what it looked like, as Alex peered into the gloom. Seeing where he was looking, Enzo gave him a nonchalant shrug. "We sometimes sell off the Electric Types we catch around here, to Trainers who want to get in on the action. We don' have any today, though. Sorry boys." By the time words stopped oozing out of his mouth hole, the Gym Leader was in his own box. Alex went first, and Isamu knew his role. He would be the psychic anchor that Alex would bamf a clone to, while Enzo was battling, and distracted. This was, of course, only if Isamu deemed that he needed Alex's help.

    As Enzo called out a rather fierce looking Luxray, Alex brought out Simon, and Isamu navigated his way from the stands, to the bathroom. He did actually use it, and found one of Enzo's guards staring him down as he returned to the battlefield. By that point, Simon was having mild trouble with Fire Fang, and Luxray's other various moves, but against a Champion who also owned one, he was intimately aware of their line's strengths, and weaknesses, and made full use of them.

    Isamu wandered past his bleacher seats, and on the set of identical seats across from him, the Gym Leader's lackeys watched him as he took in the gambling area. There were no Pokémon to be won, but the machines still worked just fine, and after spending more money than he wanted, Isamu finally felt the bodyguards focus more on the battle, as Simon shifted from a Drill Run into a point blank Horn Drill, and scored a OHKO on the Luxray and his burning fangs. With everyone sufficiently distracted, Isamu left Dynamight at the machine, wearing his green hoodie, as Isamu went to look around more thoroughly with Kanchi.

    Being a Japan native, and a shameless fan of Red, Isamu looked first for a switch behind one of the obnoxiously capitalistic posters that had been plastered over the warehouse's back wall, but alas, Enzo Gambino was not that obvious about his secret bases. Kanchi, thankfully, had more luck from experience, and aura tracking. The switch was, quite logically, actually behind the coin counter, where exchanges and prizes were presumably given out, so that only employees could press it. It took them precious time, but Kanchi managed to find the button eventually. Thankfully, Alex and Simon were now stalling against Enzo's Toxtricity, despite their quadruple advantage boosted by a same type attack bonus. It wasn't unheard of for challengers to use the middle of three Pokémon to boost their stats for what was typically a Gym Leader's ace, but it was not how Alex usually battled.

    The stalling paid off though, as the aforementioned button and the staircase it revealed, also behind the counters, led them down into a dark room devoid of humans, but not of Pokémon. Zyx began glowing like a Pip-Boy in a test Vault as Isamu slowly walked through the horrific basement. Cages were stacked upon cages, and all of them had Pokémon within, poorly fed Pokémon, who glared with mistrust or even hatred at the latest human in their midst. Not only were they malnourished, but nobody had been in to take care of their excrement for quite a long time, and the stench was overpowering. Seeing the squalor they were in, Isamu wanted to try Teleporting them, but knew better than to attempt it on his own, for Pokémon this unstable. He could hurt them, or worse, set them loose by only teleporting parts of their cages.

    In short order, Alex had bamfed the entirety of the room, with his Kadabra's help, to their camping spot just south of the port. Psi kept an eye on them, slowly coaxing them to freedom one by one, while Alex shifted focus to the battle specifically. In the space of seconds, Alex told Simon what they'd discovered, and the metal mole's demeanor changed then, the confident smile gone, his eyes narrowed. The Toxtricity had tried some custom electric move that was like a combination of Discharge and Echoing Voice, in that it kept growing stronger, and doing absolutely nothing to the ground type.

    With a single, ferocious Earthquake, Simon brought the electric poisonous lizard down, and Enzo's eyes widened. He brought out his next pick, which appeared as an Elektross, but Alex's eyes quickly saw what the Gym Leader had actually brought out, and what his ace seemed to be. "Brick Break." He ordered calmly.

    Simon glanced back at his Trainer, but launched into the Brick Break anyway. Enzo countered with a weak Flamethrower, but Simon was too quick. He spun himself past the flames, and then brought his fighting energy limned claws across the Eelektross with a brutal chop. The illusion on it broke, revealing a Zoroark, but as it tried to counter with more flames, Simon brought the other claw around, on its face, and sent it flying.

    The referee called the faint, and then handed Alex the Gym Badge, which he quietly pocketed. Enzo just sighed, and recalled his ace. "As expected of a Champion's Pokémon. I lasted longer than I thought I would, though." A healing machine rose from the ground by his box, and he healed his team.

    Alex and Isamu high fived as they traded places. "I'm going to head back to our campsite. I'll meet you there, Isamu." The teen nodded, but seemed focused on the upcoming battle. One of Enzo's goons, upon hearing that, got up to follow Alex.

    "I can feel you guys shaking." Isamu said quietly, as he brought out the red Core's ball in his hand. "We have enough Cells for this, if you want to exact some vengeance." The ball opened in response, and the red Core glared at Enzo.

    "Wait, that's a…" The Gym Leader said, but anything else was cut off as the Core summoned Zygarde Cells from Isamu's bag, and assumed his ten percent form in a brilliant convergence of green light.

    "We want in too, Brother!" The other Cores said psychically through their team's mental link. Much like Alex, Isamu had created one of his own. Enzo's bead of nervous sweat grew as more multicolored lights converged on Zygarde, bringing it to its fifty percent form. The draconic black and green snake roared loud enough to shake the warehouse. What followed was a spectacle of pain. A beatdown of Legendary proportions, and as it continued to shake the surrounding city, Alex glanced at his unwanted follower, as they both looked back at the gym following the powerful roar.

    "You should probably check that out." Alex suggested.

    "No. I need to make sure you get out of our city. Safely." The unshaven, burly man grinned at him, revealing three golden teeth.

    Alex sighed, and flexed the hand that Aevum had marked with his hatching. "You don't want to follow me. You want to go back to the Gym, and check out that Battle with a Legendary."

    The man's eyes went unfocused, as he said, "I'm gonna check out that Battle…there's a Legendary Pokémon in it after all…" and then headed back toward the gym. Alex didn't particularly like the 'mind trick', as Pokémon Wars fans would call it, but he made an exception for slavers. Once alone in the center-front part of the city, he took another psychic look at things, and this time, used the eyes of every willing Pokémon in the residential houses to see what was actually going on within.

    Thankfully, they recognized his mind as a friendly one, and a rather concerned Reuniclus showed him three houses at once with its powers. All three had a goon with a gun inside with the families that, presumably, lived in said houses. Most seemed casual, which made some sense as the goons were probably members of their community, but too many of the well-dressed thugs seemed to be itching to pull their trigger, and judging by their surface thoughts, had done so before. That was enough, for Alex.

    A psychic pulse went through the entire port, or at least the homes that had thugs within them, about fifty in total. Some of the firearms, naturally, went off. Those that did, had the bullet psychically stop and lose all momentum, becoming harmless, while others were simply stopped within the gun's barrel, which made the firearms backfire hard in the hands of the thugs that had unwisely pulled their triggers upon seeing the barrel of their weapon glow, and psychically bend upwards, or in a direction where they wouldn't hit anyone or ricochet.

    In the quiet that followed, several doors to the residential housing banged open with a cacophony of similar sounds from around the city, and Alex bamfed Lux over to his palm. "Speed Style." He murmured, and the Sword Rotom grinned, as he changed forms. Alex sheathed him then, and prepared to draw. Naturally, the goons eventually noticed him standing quite obviously in the main thoroughfare, and within about two minutes after their firearms were destroyed, they had the Dragon Emperor surrounded, and looked disgustingly confident with their big, dumb grins.

    "Hello there." Alex started, one hand resting casually on Lux's katana hilt, while the other stayed hidden beneath his dragon leather cloak. "Do you gentlemen need something? I was just about to leave your fine city."

    A stereotype of a man with a practically gleaming overly gelled pompadour spoke up first. "You're naht goin' anywhere, guy. Not 'til yous explain why all're heaters are busted."

    Alex blinked at the man, and his use of far, far too much hair gel. "Uhh…if your heaters aren't working, that sounds like a…building maintenance problem. I certainly have nothing to do with that." At this point, most of the goons were laughing, at Alex's monotone, lack of comprehension, and how angry their pompadoured friend was becoming.

    "The guns, ya dumb Mudbray! The guns that just got psychically bent and broken! We know who did it, there ain't no other psychics aroun' that could pull it off, we'd know!" The man brandished a black metal baseball bat at him then, which had presumably been stashed under his jacket somewhere. It extended to full length with a flick of his wrist, and Alex smirked at him.

    "Oh look, Lux, it extends. Probably not super structurally sound, though. Not that it matters, against plasma." He unsheathed Lux with a flourish, and held the black and white energy katana before him in the very basic stance he'd only recently started to attempt to copy, mostly through MewTube videos.

    "You'll only get one warning." He said, as the other goons drew their own melee weapons. "I will disarm all of you, and those of you with metal knuckles might lose a hand. Think carefully about which hand you want to live without, because this guy…" Lux flared with light as he mega evolved, the symbol of Infinity Energy floating above his hilt, as the Mega Sword Rotom's eyes took in the number of enemies, and prepared accordingly with a sinister grin, "cauterizes what he cuts. For you geniuses among us, that means the Doctors can't reattach it once it's gone. Last chance to make a good decision."

    Naturally, as soon as Alex uttered those words, his main body, in the process of freezing to death, started to shut down. This manifested as the clone going perfectly still, and Lux's eyes glanced worriedly at him.

    A few of the goons shared looks, at least until pompadour yelled, and charged with his bat. Alex admired the guts it took, but those guts faded as, with a unified slash, Alex and Lux left a molten hilt in his hand, and then fell back into their ready stance. Alex was still thawing, but he focused most of his brain power on this clone, and his own body, while the rest essentially shut down.

    Several more goons tried to rush in at once, and Alex used Agility, or his best attempt at it, a trick he'd been attempting to make combat ready for a while now. In a blue blur, he shifted past them, taking out all of their weapons in seemingly a single move. The rest of the goons seemed less eager to try him, after that.

    The goons he'd disarmed also got knock out hits for their trouble, as Agility essentially allowed him to strike each of them twice, with how it altered his perception and only one had regained consciousness so far. At that moment, another massive roar echoed from the gym, followed by an earth shaking boom that Alex seemed unfazed by, but which knocked down every goon around him. With a sigh, he sheathed Lux, and Isamu walked out of the gym moments later. Enzo Gambino was right behind him, and looked pale. That look only worsened as he saw fifty of his best men, on the ground, in a circle around Alex.

    "It's time to leave, Isamu." Alex said calmly, breaking the silence, and the green haired teen scurried over to his side, close enough for a Teleport. Alex fixed Enzo with a hard glare, then. "And you…the League will be in contact soon, about the contents of your basement. Well. Former contents, anyway. That, and taking your citizens hostage in their own homes."

    Before Enzo could utter a weak refusal of his obvious crimes, the two men vanished in a flash of blue. Back at the camp, Psi had freed and healed the captive Pokémon, and many had opted to run away into the wild rather than have anything else to do with humans. Others, were understandably traumatized, and Psi did what he could to help their minds recover.

    Almost immediately, Alex found several Pokémon articulate enough and angry enough to participate in bringing Enzo and his people to justice. Their testimony, translated by Alex, along with the photos and video evidence they'd gathered, would be enough to end the man, he was fairly sure. Or at the very least remove him from the position of Gym Leader.

    In short order, police from one of the region's smaller towns arrived at the camp to get the official statement from the Pokémon themselves, with Alex's translation. This too was recorded, and Alex was legally sworn in on a book of Rio's laws to not tamper with or otherwise interfere with what the Pokémon told the police. While Alex helped the investigation as best he could, Isamu found his heartstrings being tugged by a particularly battered Dratini who he ended up catching, in a Luxury Ball, and loosely naming after one of his friends from back home. Shodoroki made a habit of wrapping around his Trainer's neck, and Zyx also comforted the young dragon. It seemed Isamu's actions regarding the little one managed to win over most of the Cores.

    Alex enlisted his Pidgeot, Aero, for a ride in one of Rio's cabs, which were largely expected to be pulled by the power of one's own Pokémon. The Pidgeot had a harder time lugging them across the entire length of Rio's territory than he'd expected to, and when he returned to camp it was while wearing Blaze's old training weights.

    Their next challenge was with Leader Aceron, the steel, rock, and ground type specialist who, allegedly, had founded the many quarries and mineral digs that his company owned and operated exclusively for the government of Rio. Naturally, hauling anything anywhere on Rio meant either long trips at sea through potentially hostile nations, like Atlantica in the south and Texico City in the north, or crossing the Jungle of Death. Modern convoys had become quite good at fending off, and not harming, the locals of Selva Muerta, but it wasn't uncommon to lose at least one life per convoy. Naturally, Alex had an idea of how he could help, and train his Scales at the same time. This was, essentially, the entire reason he'd embarked on this trek in the first place. If he could earn Aceron's goodwill by having the Padawans travel with these convoys, he could keep an eye on anything shady Rio, or their local businesses, were up to. He also hoped to get some of those precious metals Rio liked to hoard and then sell for truly exorbitant prices, as they were very much necessary for the armor designs the Brain Trust was coming up with, and Percy had already declined to help again.

    Aero only brought them within about a day's walk of Sao Paulo, the home of the steel gym on this circuit, and the usual choice for a second or third badge. Alex was going in the order Nelinha had, but with some deviations. They hadn't surfed back down the coast for example, and missed probably quite a lot of road battling. Thus Alex had Aero give them time to prepare for their fifth badge battle, which was usually where new Trainers hit a wall. Four Pokémon offered the chance for more strategy, and they were usually either middle evolutions or fully evolved. Aceron famously had teams for all skill levels, just not the time to battle all of them. Typically, he only came out for sixth or eighth badge challenges, but Alex had a feeling he'd oblige at least one of them with a proper test.

    His plan was simple, since Simon was now essentially the same level as all the other new faces he'd gotten in the Terarium. Dracala and Garuda, his Noibat and his Combusken, would be doing most of the road battling, so they could catch up with the others, and be ready for the Hyper Training they'd be doing back up north, by their sixth badge. The Dark Continent also has a spot like Paldea's, where one could quickly increase their attack and special attack prowess. Isamu had a similar plan, as Dynamight was built for this gym, and the two Combusken on the verge of evolution had taken to sparring often with each other.

    The day passed quickly, at least from Alex's perspective, and as with every end of the day, he checked the World Tournament rankings. He was still in the top thirty two, but he blinked as he noticed a new entry into the top ten. Roboute Guilliman had not been idle, and Chatter was not happy about it. Seeing what he was scrolling through after Dracala, Dynamight, and Garuda had just finished a pretty intense road battle against a pair of very eager grass Trainers, Isamu said, "I didn't take you for one to doomscroll through X."

    "Chatter." Alex gently corrected. "I don't care what Elmo Musk wants to call it, it's always going to be Chatter. Look, even the URL still says Chatter." Isamu found that as amusing as Alex did. "I'm just uhh…monitoring the aftermath of one of my less popular decisions. Thankfully, it seems to have only pissed off the usual Garbage people, and not everyone else."

    Isamu nodded slowly. "I heard about Guilliman joining. I guess the Imperator has worse sons. He's pretty good at Battling our way, too. Think you could take him?"

    Alex shrugged. "His Salamence is a monster, and the rest of his team is pretty well trained too… I don't know. The sons of the Imperator are renowned for their power, and it seems Guilliman has successfully adapted his skills for our rule set. I hope I do get to face him, but I also don't want the Imperium to know how I Battle."

    "Oh, I've been taking notes on that." Isamu said, seamlessly segueing as he pulled out a well worn green notebook, and flipped several pages in. "You Battle with overwhelming power, just straight up overwhelming your opponent most of the time, unless they can handle it, and it's those times, when things are…heheh…balanced, that you shift to a more…clever style. Not all that different from what Ash does, honestly. Like against Archon, back at the Academy! You didn't even hesitate, despite his Ability, you just kept raising his defenses and landing super effective hits anyway, and you still managed to win! Most Trainers wouldn't have even tried that, let alone gotten it to work out. You're like a power combo of Ash and Leon. Always entertaining to watch."

    Alex let the pause grow as Isamu finally slowed his roll. Then, he burst out laughing. "I think you missed your calling as a commentator, Isamu. I've peeked at your notes there before. It's impressive how much detail you manage to pick up just by sight alone." The Dragon Emperor pondered then, or at least made a show of doing so by stroking his curly black beard. "So how do I improve?"

    Isamu chuckled but there was nervousness in it. "Uhh- well, I mean, you're a Champion already and ranked much, much higher than I am. I don't think I'm qualified-"

    He stopped, as Alex held up a hand, and then placed it companionably on his shoulder. "Isamu, you have a skill there," he nodded at the notebook, "and I want to benefit from it. Your attention to detail on things like this is one of the many reasons I had for taking you on as my Padawan right after I finished elevating my last one." Isamu nodded, as they had already talked about Ladybug, and Night Cat to some extent. "So tell me, how do I get better? How do I prepare more solidly for the likes of legends like Leon and Ash. I know I come off with 'chill vibes' or whatever you kids say these days, but I do recognize the mountains before me that I need to climb."

    Isamu went quiet for about a minute then, eyes closed, thinking intensely before suddenly they shot open, practically glowing green as he started talking fast, but not so fast that Alex couldn't understand him. "You need to use more status boosting Moves like they do and you also have to enhance your team's control of Type Energy so that they can keep up with the likes of their Charizard or other members with giant useful Move pools. Honestly you're already almost on their level at least in my opinion but for all I and anyone else knows your team already has mastered Type Energy and has an ace up their sleeve that we don't know about." Isamu finally stopped then, and inhaled, then stared with big, inquisitive green eyes directly at Alex "Do you? Cause I've- there are rumors, rumors of armor forms or power ups that your team and the teams of high ranking Scales have been seen wearing. An ace like that up your sleeve will change the entire outcome. Wildcard variables raise your chances considerably, but it also means you may lose the title in four years, once people master your method.

    Alex shrugged nonchalantly. "I can't confirm or deny the existence of armor. Some secrets are perhaps best left unknown to the public. There are Some tricks, I don't want people with currency and drive to be able to use and abuse. And for all I know, Ash and Leon have already figured it out. There's a reason they're at the top every time we have this competition."

    Isamu was quiet for a long time before he said, "What if the Imperium already knows? About your Battle style, and this armor trick you won't talk about?"

    Alex sighed heavily. "Then no amount of upgrades and tactics will be enough to overpower them, and the world will embrace the Imperator's design."

    On that cheery note, they had dinner and began the anime binge. They were caught up with Dark Clover, as apparently new episodes were being restored from the Old Net still, and sometimes old voice lines had to be redone. They'd gotten one hundred and seventy episodes in. The process took a while. Thus, they finally properly began Full Steel Alchemist. They'd had to, according to Leo and some written notes from Percy on the 'proper order of viewing', watch about eight episodes of the protagonists as kids, before the 'canon version' Full Steel Alchemist: Brotherhood actually began. Then, they'd watched the first two of that series, which was where Alex had initially jumped in on Leo's suggestion to start joining them in watching these shows, along with many new brothers at once, and the switch to Naruto and then Dark Clover had been decided on. Now, finally, they could begin the series properly, according to Percy's record. On the third episode. From the introduction of a fully trained and certified Edward Elric, acting as a condescending atheist to a stereotypical religious cult leader who was abusing his power, to the end of the episode, where Ed brilliantly demonstrated said leader's corruption to all of his people at once, it was actually worth the effort and catching up Alex had done. And honestly, compared to trying to watch the Clone Wars series in order from Old Earth's Cartoon Network, this was nothing.

    By the time they left the next morning, they'd had to pause before a, as Leo called it, 'really sad arc' of Full Steel Alchemist. Despite that, his team seemed properly hooked in the Elric brother's adventures, and Alex was no exception.

    Sao Paulo was almost indistinguishable from the rest of Rio's megalopolis, but that was mostly thanks to the fact that AceCorp, the company overseeing the quarries, was also responsible for the reconstruction of the majority of the inhabited areas of Rio. Alex also planned to use Purging the lingering Shadow corruption from the sorcerers who'd originally sacked Rio as a negotiating tool as well.

    Isamu went first, mostly so that Leader Aceron had time to be informed that they were here. Dynamight, like most who chose a Torchic, had little trouble with the warm up Trainers, and after the final warm up opponent, an Aggron that he'd aggressively Double Kicked into unconsciousness, Dynamight evolved. Aceron's fifth badge stand-in was no challenge. Dynamight's Blaze Kick quickly became his favorite move, and for those partners who were Sturdy, the Blaziken's Double Kick did work.

    Dynamight himself was hilarious, with his constant shouting preceding attacks. He was clearly riding the high from evolving, and every Trainer in the gym seemed to expect that. It seemed a lot of Torchic Trainers came here to evolve their Combusken, and Alex was no exception. At the end of the match, it was Leader Aceron himself who came out to hand Isamu his badge. It was at that point that Alex appeared seemingly from nowhere, and approached the gym.

    The 'gym' in this instance was an abandoned quarry, open to the air, with bleachers perched on the numerous square outcrops that surrounded the battlefield on the lowest level. He strode past the Gym Trainer guarding the entrance, who seemed a bit star struck by Alex, and let his Voice carry, as he called out Aceron. "Leader Aceron!" The man turned, and Alex got his first good look at him. He carried a well used modern pickaxe, but unlike Byron, had no cape to speak of. In fact he seemed dressed more as a business executive than a miner. He was tall, muscular, dark brown skinned, with his not unappealing face covered by a standard amount of stubble. Some parts of the miner peaked through the quality gray suit though, like a compact tool belt, his well worn and steel toed boots, and a heavy pair of gloves that he donned as he saw Alex, and seemed to smirk.

    gym_leader_aceron_by_pokefan1337_ditkg38-pre.jpg

    Alex dramatically pointed at him, one dragonbone encased hand appearing from under his black leathery cloak as he did so. "I challenge you! Four Pokémon against four Pokémon, no substitutions, and World Tournament rules!"

    Aceron bellowed back, once his gloves were on, as he lifted his pickaxe. "I accept!" He gestured to his Trainers. "Reset the field for the Dragon Emperor, and bring out the reserve Trainers. If he wants to reach me, he'll have to get past all of us!"

    Alex smirked and said nothing more, waiting patiently, as his opponents healed their teams, and took their places around the quarry. The battlefield below was covered unnecessarily by a metallic shield with AceCorp's logo emblazoned on it. Each warm up Trainer stood by a switch, and the familiar echoing hum of a Drone Rotom filled the air. "I hope you don't mind!" Aceron shouted from his Leader perch, "but these Battles will count towards our World Tournament records."

    Alex simply nodded, though he soon realized that meant his fifth badge was going to be more like a fight for his eighth. Thankfully, the first Trainer he faced agreed to match Garuda's level, so he could also have the opportunity to evolve. Each Gym Trainer had six Pokémon, and Alex rotated between Garuda and Revan for most of them. Needless to say, like every other gym he'd ever challenged, the Trainers were friendly, overconfident, but nowhere near approaching an actual challenge.

    For those who didn't acquiesce to his level matching request, he brought out his Machamp and Conkeldurr. His Excadrill, Metang, and even his Electivire also got a good workout, and Leader Aceron seemed pleased at how Alex's team breezed through his battlers. Not one of them needed more than three moves to claim a victory, and he switched frequently, which his Pokémon seemed to love. They paused by the final lever, as he'd seen Nelinha do, and he healed his team, giving them a sandwich break before they continued. He created a sandwich for fighting types, which would boost the experience they gained, and then pulled the final lever.

    The metallic triangular plates that had covered the field and folded back with each lever pull, like some kind of inverted pizza, folded away by the time he reached the Trainer box on his side of the field. Aceron took the other, and repeated the rules they'd agreed on. Once again, the Drone Rotom began recording. Aceron sent out a Steelix, while Alex opened with Champ, and the eager Machamp cracked his stone gray knuckles as he stared down the steel snake.

    "You'll use your own judgment for this one, Champ." Alex said, knowing how eager he was to try battling solo. "Use Fighting Moves, and you'll be fine." Champ grinned, and launched forward. Every muscle he had was tensed and bulging as he sped towards his target, his burly arms crossed defensively in front of him.

    Aceron started simply, but effectively. "Earthquake." His Steelix responded immediately, bringing his massive head and body down on the earth, shattering it in an impressive demonstration of Earthquake. Unfortunately for Steelix, his team was so used to the move that most of them had a counter to it. Champ's thicc thighs bulged, as he sprang into the air, over the damaging shockwave, coming down hard and then charging forward again, heedless of the shattered terrain. Steelix kept up the pressure, but Champ only needed two of his arms to break the stone and earth that came for him, while the third covered his clenched Focus Punch his fourth arm was charging up.

    It was, quite simply, a masterful display of parkour and martial arts, culminating in a mighty punch that made everyone watching wince for Steelix. His titanic body shuddered from the shockwave of the punch, but Champ wasn't done. A brutal double Cross Chop, one from each pair of arms, followed the punch, and the Drone Rotom called the round as Steelix went unconscious. Champ halted the Karate Chop he was going to finish with, as he realized, with some disappointment, that his foe was already down. "Masterful, Champ." Alex said, giving him a thumbs up. "We're going to have to find you a bigger challenge. I'll need that power in the final rounds. Rest, now." Champ grumbled about not even warming up, but he returned to his ball all the same. Alex then bamfed him back to their camp, as he was simply too strong for the rest of Rio's circuit, but the likes of Arthur and Eternape would give him a proper workout.

    Next up was Kel, and the Conkeldurr seemed as pent up as his Machamp friend. Aceron sent out an Escavalier, who greeted Kel with a nod of his crested head, before raising his lances in his direction. For his part, Kel let go of his concrete slabs for a moment, bowed in the Unovan style, and then gripped them again, with a confident smirk. "The only thing that'll even slow that thing is fire, Kel. It resists almost every Type, and it's fast. Watch yourself." Kel gave him a thumbs up, and by the time he looked back, Escavalier was already charging across the field. It didn't run or hop, but rather floated just above the ground with the power of what Alex assumed was some form of electromagnetism. Whatever force allowed it to evolve, also allowed it to fly faster than any equine Pokémon.

    The Aerial Ace his Trainer called for swirled around both lances, while Kel's Fire Punch translated to limning his concrete pillars in flames, and crouching as the speedy bug knight approached him. What happened next did so too fast for regular humans to follow, but Alex enjoyed every second. Kel let go of one slab, still empowered by fire, and let the Aerial Ace strike his muscled arm, which he'd flexed and curled up against his body. The move landed, yet it did not pierce Kel's strangely thick skin, or even seem to really affect him as much as the move should have. Escavlier only had time to widen his eyes at the impressive physical defenses the fighting clown had, before a flaming pillar of concrete smashed into it with yet another wince-inducing blow. He was sent rolling across the field, and landed in a scorched metallic heap some yards away.

    To Escavalier's credit, he wasn't taken down in one hit, and he got up quickly. An X-Scissor empowered by his Swarm ability lit up, only to find Kel right there as he turned. Having abandoned the first now once more normal concrete pillar, Kel had leapt towards his target with the other still empowered with fire energy, and the explosion of flame and bug energy colliding obscured the result, though both Alex and Aceron could guess who would emerge victorious. Sure enough, a moment later, Kel blew the cloud away by masterfully spinning his concrete pillar. He twirled it with an effortless flourish, and roared as he slammed it onto the ground hard enough to rumble the earth, flexing his free arm, the one Escavalier had struck, as he claimed his victory and then took a rest. Alex sent him back to camp as well, as he and Champ had both already done their Hyper Training. Now, they just had to master their moves and learn the secrets of wielding different kinds of energy, and they'd be valuable partners in the World Tournament's finals.

    Aceron grimaced, as he recalled his partner. "Looks like I'm going too easy on you, Dragon Emperor. We'll have to step up our game. Come, Aggron!" With a smooth throw that was simple, but effective, the mighty stone and steel monster took the field with a roar. Alex smirked, as he could tell this one was probably an inherited Pokémon. It had shed its metallic plates many times, had long, vicious horns, and many gouges in its steel hide. Yet the elderly steel beast was in no way infirm in his advanced age. Indeed, like most steel types, age just made him stronger.

    Alex smirked, as he brought out his Combusken. "This is honestly about how well all the other Gym Leaders I've faced have done against me, Leader Aceron. Don't be too worried, comparatively, you're quite good. And you can just call me Alex." He was technically doing better than Skyla had, anyway. He also looked confident as he saw Garuda.

    "Well Alex…" He said as his Aggron smashed his fists together impatiently. "That Combusken may have some trouble against my Aggron here. Are you sure you want to go with him?"

    Hearing the Leader's words, and tone, made Garuda go still. He'd demonstrated his skills on this man's Gym Trainers, and yet still he was being disrespected. The air shimmered with increasing heat and Garuda's form started to glow brilliant white, after that comment. Alex's smirk widened, while Aceron started frowning, slightly. "Absolutely." Alex answered confidently. "Garuda here is a cut above the other Blaziken you've faced!" Garuda shrieked in agreement, as his form solidified, and the air on the field became hotter as the fiery fighting chicken's flames surged with his emotions. "You know the plan, Garuda! You may have evolved, but he's still at a higher level than you. Flame Charge!"

    Aceron countered quickly. "Don't let it speed up. Water Pulse!"

    Alex's smirk lessened, as it seemed Aceron fully intended to take advantage of the World Tournament's rules, and Aggron's frankly ridiculous move pool. Having done the same with Cenomons, Alex couldn't complain, but he also knew what was in store for Garuda. "Focus on Dodging! Flame Charge!" Somehow, Garuda dodged that first Water Pulse, and then the subsequent ones with ease.

    Seeing that, Aceron smirked again. "Ahh, I see. Speed Boost. Just like Nelinha's. Alright then. Aggron! Stone Edge, then use Surf!" Without preamble, the Aggron smashed the field, and massive pillars of stone rose around the entire space, making it all but impossible to run straight enough long enough to speed up more. Garuda dodged the attack, but it was never meant to hit him. At four stages of increased speed, few things could come close to hitting him. Then, Aggron raised his arms, and from seemingly nowhere, a massive wave of water surged onto the field.

    "Use the pillars!" Alex shouted. Stay above them, and Flame Charge once more!" Garuda once more dodged masterfully, and then ran up one of the stone pillars, his sharp foot talons and powerful legs made the climb easy, and hopping from pillar to pillar, Garuda stayed wreathed in flames, as his speed reached its peak. The next move he had to master was Agility, as that, with Speed Boost, would make him capable of reaching this speed in only two turns.

    "Aggron!" The titanic steel type looked back at his Trainer, eyes widening slightly. "Let's go all out!" Aceron lifted a gloved hand, and under the suit's sleeve, Alex saw a Mega Bracelet, a well-worn one made of steel, quite old and detailed, that reacted to its wearer's aura with a steely glow. Aggron's Aggronite floated forth from somewhere safe within its body, as they could actually store many things, like food, within certain places on their bodies, and it too began to glow. Mega Aggron roared as it finished evolving, and Aceron shouted again, "Don't give up on Surf! Drown it!"

    The steel titan raised its arms, and water surged towards the burning dot that was Garuda. Yet, once again, he dodged, this time going low again around the surging water. Mega Aggron made it follow him, but Garuda kept dodging with his blinding speed, keeping just ahead of the surging wave of super effectiveness. Eventually, the move lost steam, right as Garuda landed by Alex's box, and looked at him expectantly. Alex arched an eyebrow. "Are you sure? You just became a Blaziken. And this is becoming a habit. I keep telling you guys, it's dangerous to Mega Evolve so quickly."

    "Yes, I'm sure! It worked out for Kalagon!" Garuda shrieked, and then took his fighting stance. It was fresh, sloppy, and entirely based on guesswork, but it would have to do, at least for now. Alex sighed, but then nodded. "Alright. It's your only chance of cracking that armor, anyway. You're going to have to burn hot enough to evaporate the water. Bounce, and Blaze Kick."

    Garuda nodded, and then raised up his Flame Plate shard, which started reacting to Alex's Key Stone. With a blinding flash of light, followed by the symbol of Infinity Energy, Garuda took his Mega Form. Flames streamed freely from his wrists as his heroic figure faced his massive foe, undaunted. He was quiet for a long moment, and then muttered to his Trainer. "How far we've come, eh?"

    Alex nodded, confidently smirking. "I've always believed in you, Garuda. In how strong you are. You've got this. Go!"

    Smiling slightly at the heartfelt enthusiasm from a human he'd thought he would forever despise, Garuda Bounced into the air before the Mega Aggron could react. Aceron ordered him to form a shield with the water, but Alex could tell Garuda was burning too hot for it to matter. Like a meteor from on high, Garuda came down with fire encasing his entire form. He sank into the Surf shield with a large splash, but the sound of water evaporating filled the air. Then, came the metallic sound of Garuda's flaming foot hammering the impressive defense of the Mega Aggron.

    He was hurt, but not down. Alex shouted, "Go all in! Close Combat!"

    This turned out to be a smart choice, as the Mega Aggron simply couldn't keep up with the six tier speed of Mega Blaziken. Garuda was a violent blur as he brutally beat the Aggron with his powerful limbs, though thanks to its ability, the damage was reduced. "Don't let up!" Alex ordered, but Aceron was ready with a counter.

    "Knock it away. Earthquake!" Aceron ordered, but Garuda would not be denied. He leapt above the Mega Aggron, coming down hard with a Blaze Kick, and following it with more Close Combat. The earth buckled ineffectively beneath him as he kept hammering his opponent in mid air, but Mega Aggron's ability kept him conscious. Another Surf attack rose up around Garuda, swallowing up the Mega Blaziken completely.

    "Flare Blitz!" Alex ordered, and Garuda appeared again within the surging wave, a brilliant burning orange beacon, before he shot out of the vaporized water attack and hammered Mega Aggron as hard as he could. Garuda flipped back to Alex after the attack landed, and he and the Mega Aggron stared the other down, with both panting rather hard. Then, the Aggron winced, and it's Mega Form broke, as it collapsed to the ground. The Drone Rotom called the faint, and Garuda fell to a knee, letting his own Mega Form fade as well. He acted strong, but that Surf had very nearly fainted him. If Aggron had more special attack power as a species, he would've fainted with Flare Blitz.

    "Rest now Garuda. Well done." Alex said, as Aceron did the same with his Aggron. Alex levitated Revan's ball by his head, as Aceron threw first.

    "It's time to end this! With my starter! Dhengo!" Alex smirked, as Revan was well suited to face a Gholdengo. Still, it was an equally fast special attacker that, usually, hit harder than a Ceruledge could. In addition to the leg thrusters, Alex's Pokédex had confirmed that Revan's armor had adjusted his stats, adding more overall, and sacrificing special attack power for better defense, and health. That was one of several reasons Alex had sought out a master smith for the armor. Now he'd be able to see if it was worth the price Antonio had charged for it.

    His ghost knight took the field in a kneeling position, his eyes burning to life within the T shaped visor, his purple and crimson flames awakened as he stood, and stared down the surfing golden ghost, who'd already elongated a coin to use as a ghostly surfboard. "It's a fast Special Attacker." Alex started. "Reflect Screen, and then use Flame Charge. Warm up your legs. You'll need them."

    Revan's burning orbs turned towards Alex as he crossed his purple and crimson swords before him, manifesting the layered protection of Reflect Screen. "Bitter Blade…" He said in his deep, metallic tone, "I understand it."

    Alex's smirk widened. "Excellent. You'll need that too. Here it comes!"

    The eye flames shifted towards the Gholdengo, who came in with a Shadow Ball it hammered towards Revan with its board. Revan's flames surged around him, as he dodged with Flame Charge, and then gracefully cut through the following Shadow Balls with Night Slash, the dark energy completely canceled out their explosions, and after Flame Charging again, Revan was becoming too fast to hit.

    Dhengo formulated a Nasty Plot as Revan zoomed around the field, and used the stone pillars from the last round as cover from Dhengo's ranged attacks. Finally, Alex shouted, "Phantom Force!" And Revan vanished completely, as he prepared to strike his opponent.

    Aceron smirked, as Revan reappeared, but Alex didn't have time to warn Revan. He struck with the Phantom Force, and then followed with Bitter Blade, as his crimson sword sank into the golden ghost, melting his coins. "Recover!" Aceron shouted, and with a dark grin, Dhengo reformed his coins, trapping the fiery blade. "Now Power Gem!" Stuck, for the moment, and unable to dodge, the shimmering crystals of rock typed energy fired at Revan, hammering the weak points in his armor.

    "Get out of there!" Alex shouted, "Fire Spin!"

    Revan didn't need to be told twice. His flames surged, melting the metal again, and he spun, briefly becoming a fiery cyclone, before he stopped a few feet away. The air shimmered as the two ghosts glared at each other. "Flame Charge, and Bitter Blade!"

    "Reflect, and use Sandstorm!" Aceron countered, smirking as the field became obscured by sand. Alex had no doubt Dhengo was forming another Nasty Plot, and his suspicions were confirmed, as he heard Aceron order him to Make It Rain.

    "Revan! Burn through it! Heat Wave! Then finish this!" Dhengo may have Recovered, but he could still win if they hit hard enough. A weak surge of heat flashed through the field, melting the coins from Dhengo's attack, as well as some of the Sandstorm. Revan used that heat to Flame Charge once again, and Alex saw the dual striking Bitter Blades slash Dhengo in a brutal fiery crosscut. Dhengo's power became Revan's, and the field only grew hotter, as his Ceruledge was finally warmed up. The most telling sign of this being his eyes, and how the flames that were his eyes glowed intensely bright with white heat once he was warmed up enough.

    Dhengo fired more powerful Shadow Balls now, but Revan was moving so fast at this point that they might as well have been stationary. His Bitter Blades struck again, only to cut through a Substitute. Dhengo then hammered him with a Thunder Wave, and surfed away. Nowhere near done yet, Revan activated his leg thrusters, quickly catching Dhengo, much to his surprise and before he could use Hex. Again, his Bitter Blades recovered his lost strength from his opponent, and Revan backflipped away from Dhengo, letting him crash into the field as he landed gracefully, and readied another Flame Charge.

    Seeing that using Recover would be pointless and just end up healing Revan, Aceron went for the win instead as Dhengo stood up again. "Use everything you have! Power Gem!"

    "Brick Break." Alex said calmly. "Then finish it with Bitter Blades."

    Dhengo raised his hands, and over a hundred shining Power Gems began firing at Revan, who rocketed into the field of prismatic rock energy, smashing through some with Brick Break, but not nearly enough. He took heavy damage, but not before reaching Dhengo, whereupon his Bitter Blades sealed his victory, sinking deep and draining the sentient coin hoard until it was unconscious. He let out a ringing victorious yell, flames surging as he stood over his opponent. Alex joined Revan on the field, as Aceron descended and recalled his starter. "That is one heck of a Ceruledge you have there. I believe I know which smith you got to make his armor, too. This might just be his best work."

    Alex nodded proudly at Revan. "The armor had to be worthy of the spirit within it, and Revan deserved the best I could get for him. He had a little trouble with the boosters in his legs at first, but I think he's gotten the hang of them." Revan stood a little straighter, his burning eyes a little brighter, from the praise. Alex gratefully took the Steel Badge, and then said, "If you have a moment Leader Aceron, I have a proposal you might find interesting."

    "AceCorp only does business with the ruler of Rio. Last I checked, that's not you." Aceron said, "but, you Are a great friend to our nation. I know of the role you played in returning Zigma to our flagging empire. I'll at least hear you out."

    "Technically," Alex started, "we'd both be working for Rio in this instance. You see, we had a similar darkness to the Shadow infesting your old city ruins, in a place called Vega. Tainted by Shadow, full of ghosts, but I managed to Purge the corruption, although the city itself is going to remain the property of the ghosts who probably called it home, in life. My offer is this: I'll be traveling to the northern gate into Selva Muerta for our next Badge. On my way north, for the price of a few shipments of precious materials, I could cleanse the Shadow in the largest stretch of your ruins, and at least attempt to relocate the ghosts, to Vega City. This would leave things for AceCorp relatively easy to rebuild, compared to your current situation. Once I'm done, I have another proposal for you, one more long term, and again, beneficial to both me personally and Rio."

    Aceron stroked his gray beard for a solid thirty seconds as he pondered. "I don't see a conflict of interest. I know the Queen desires her city intact once again. Alright, Dragon Emperor. Inform me when the job is done, and I'll give you the location of any lingering Shadows that we need to deal with." He offered a well-muscled forearm, and Alex clasped it. "Once you're done…we can see about your request."

    "It's a deal. My Rotom will send you a written copy in a few minutes, for posterity, but I should have the task completed in a few days, at which point I'll let you know how my relocation efforts went. On that note, what do you do with the ghosts from the rebuilt parts of the city?"

    Aceron frowned. "Unfortunately, they're usually too angry and volatile to train, so they're put into stasis. It's a problem we don't have a solution for."

    "Well, in exchange for more of the aforementioned materials, I would be willing to take them. My Scales will benefit from powerful Ghost Types, and the rest can probably be released into the jungle, or Vega City, after I talk with them, of course."

    Aceron smirked at Alex. "Honestly any of them that you can rehabilitate would be a big help. We're running out of space for them, and some try to break free regularly. It's a huge drain on our power."

    Alex nodded again. "Right. Well, first things first. I'll start cleansing the Shadow, I expect it will take about three days. I'll be in touch."

    With that, Alex and Isamu departed, once again trekking north to the strange city of Clara Vista, the site of Rio's northern gate into the Jungle of Death.
     
  • Threadmarks
    • Pé na Estrada Real, Part 3
  • Threadmarks
    • Pé na Estrada Real, Part 3​

    image


    The route north to Clara Vista being quite long, and Alex's efforts to Purge the old city, slowed their travels down. Despite being weak to ghosts, Alex used his Kadabra and Metang, and Shadow Ball/Claw respectively, to cut through the primarily lower-level ghosts lingering about in the closest parts of the infused ruins, mostly Lampent and Haunter trying their luck for a meal. Isamu had Dynamight and Kanchi protecting him, and the Blaziken and Riolu were further backed up by Po, who often just let them battle whatever tried jumping at them. He only intervened two times that first day, and that was against a rather strong Dusknoir, and a downright bloodthirsty Gengar who wasn't used to getting rolled by a single attack.

    Eventually, Po called in Nox to help him defend Alex, and Nox, inherently lazy being that he was, jumped at the chance to stop training. Alex kept him busy, though. Any member of his species line they encountered, he had Nox face down. Usually to the wild Haunter and Gengar's amusement. Every single one laughed, once they saw what Nox was, and that seemed to irritate him enough that he didn't mind driving them off or sending them to reform in the Spirit World. Alex managed to Purge three sites that first day, and they actually camped at one. An old, abandoned posh hotel, that had many of the luxury items still intact. There was even running water, and with their electric types, they managed to get a TV functional. They took the penthouse suite, a bit structurally unsound, but mostly untouched, so long as one didn't mind dust, and that was where they had their anime binge that night. The next day, Alex and Isamu chuckled, as the local news, during their breakfast, reported sightings of activity in their skyscraper, which was apparently unusual in the Shadow filled zones.

    About twenty minutes into the report, Leader Aceron appeared with an announcement, standing in front of a podium, before a crowd of people. "Fair people of Rio! Do not be alarmed. Yesterday, after his victory at my Gym, Alexander Redwood and his latest Padawan promised to purge the lingering Shadow in our old city. I'm guessing they took over one of the old hotel suites while they rested. Rest assured that Queen Iaria knows of the kind Dragon Emperor's efforts in further cleansing and restoring our Rio. It's also why the images seen were…" he squinted at his notes, and then pinched his brow as he said, "Evidently from the restored Old Earth anime, Full Steel Alchemist: Brotherhood." He faced the camera again directly. "There are no cults in the abandoned city, I'm told that some parts of that anime simply get a bit…dark. Again, there is no reason for panic or concern. AceCorp will be moving in a few days to make good on the Emperor's cleaning efforts, and soon we may just have our city restored to its former brilliance. I will keep everyone apprised of our efforts. Thank you."


    Alex laughed for a full minute. "Oh man…his face was priceless, when he read the anime name."

    Isamu was also chuckling. "You're not concerned that now all of Rio knows what you watch?"

    Alex waved him off. "Not at all. That report will probably lead to people investigating the anime themselves. They won't be disappointed." Isamu had to agree, as he was enjoying it too.

    Nox floated up from his shadow then, and said, "There's a lot of direct messages from Chatter about the proper viewing order…" He grimaced. "You might want to make a post about it."

    And so, once his growing Chatter following knew the 'proper' order of how one viewed this Old Earth cultural classic, the pair resumed their trek, though unfortunately, Purging a city of Shadow was not as exciting as it sounded. Alex's team made any danger minimal, and most of their time was spent walking through hauntingly quiet ruins of people that were no longer alive, a fact they were reminded of by every ancient skeleton or long decayed home. It was actually quite a somber experience, and after the appropriately labeled 'sad arc' they'd gotten through the night before, involving a mad doctor, his daughter, and his pet dog, it put the pair of Trainers in a somber mood. It didn't help that the pupper had shared Alex's name, too. The whole thing had gotten him right in the feels.

    The monotony was broken up by certain things though, things that progressed their readiness towards a World Tournament worthy party. Dracala evolved into a rather impressive Noivern, and was sent to Casseroya Lake to hone his special attacks, before Alex planned to use him in Clara Vista's gym. Isamu's Varoom evolved as well, as did Kurchak, who had taken to joyfully bashing down Gastly with his Knock Off attack infused into his drum stick, until doing so got him enough experience to evolve. The teenaged ape's personality shift was immediate, and disruptive, and Alex low key ground some Exp. Candy into his food so that this 'I'm a loud teenager, deal with it' phase would end as soon as possible. Over the next few days, Alex had him use Knock Off and Fling as often as he could, and sure enough, after thrashing that same violent Gengar who seemed to be trailing them now, Kurchak achieved his final form. Maturity tempered his desire to create an Uproar all the time, and Alex sent him briefly to Temere for his attack power training. The poisonous rocker all but demanded to oversee the drummer's training.

    Only one other interesting event occurred, as often happens when one digs through the forgotten trash of a bygone city, Alex and Isamu eventually, through a series of locked doors, managed to find a platinum colored Beldum in a stasis capsule, that was deadlocked shut and powered by the earliest version of what was being called 'Infinity Tech', which was technology that could utilize the infinite power of that energy, and not immediately collapse, explode, or burn out.

    The Beldum's mind was also asleep, but it had been Atlas who had even sensed them in the first place, while he'd been honing his Shadow Claw on the local ghosts. Evidently, the only way to open the capsule was by taking it to the Stone family, of the Devon Corporation, in Japan. Alex promised Atlas they'd take a detour there, and the Metang eagerly helped Purge the rest of the city after that. Alex understood his hurry, but he'd have time to send a clone after they finished gathering Rio's gym badges.


    Psi was also in a rush, but the Kadabra simply wanted to return to searching Bulbapedia for answers on whatever interested him. The base forces that comprised reality had, naturally, snared his focus and he had been relentlessly studying Infinity Energy and the Types of it, for days now. In between launching Shadow Balls at the occasional Haunter. Their journey eventually culminated in a rather large source of Shadow, this one, Alex determined, belonged to a Pokémon, most likely. Judging by the higher level of those around them, which Po was taking care of, it promised to be strong. Alex brought out Atlas as well, and had him use Reflect Screen, and then Iron Defense for good measure. He would be on Barrier duty for this fight.

    The infusion of Shadow they approached was the largest yet, and Alex summoned Lux again. This one was in a shabbier part of the city. When it was 'intact' it seemed to have been a haven of the poor and lower levels of society, which meant little else but shells of their 'homes' still stood. Much of the area was a barren field of ash, sharp, jagged, and long rusted corrugated metal, and the occasional stone structure of what might have been a more solid building, once. It was, naturally, into the lower level of one of these stone structures, that they found a door, which collapsed into dust when they touched it, leading to a hole in the earth from which a powerful wave of Shadow energy was radiating.

    It might have once been a basement, or some sort of no doubt illicit storage facility, but in the modern era, all that remained were the solidly built concrete foundations. Even the floor was mostly dirt and dust. The dust swirled up in a tornado of malice and ghostly energy as Isamu brought out Dynamight. The air rose rapidly in temperature, as between ghost hunting and sparring with his rival Garuda, the young Blaziken had rapidly grown into his final form. Flames burned around him in a valiant attempt at an aura shield, but the fiery chicken was too frustrated by their refusal to obey him to properly focus them into a shield. His temper had only grown worse with evolving, and this was apparently common with freshly evolved Blaziken near other males of their species.


    "Your Moves can only be normally effective, and that's only if they'd be super effective normally. Shadow Moves will always hit you like they are super effective. Build your speed and then hammer it with Knock Off."

    The Blaziken acknowledged his Trainer with a caw, before crouching and leaping towards the freshly formed Zoroark. This one was the rare but not unheard of normal and ghost typing. It was however obscure enough for Alex to need to point Lux at it, and as he scanned the Dex entry, its burning, Shadow filled hair tentacles, presumably made of some kind of ectoplasm, smashed into the burning fists, and feet, of Dynamight, who held them off, but was also kept from getting close to the Shadow infused ghost.

    The fury of the ghost fox focused on the young Blaziken, which left him open to a blindside from a Legend. Po was a blur of violence, and though the Shadow Zoroark saw him approach, and attacked, Po masterfully blocked the ghostly hair tendrils with one hand, while the other fist delivered his Foul Play straight to its midsection. The ghost fox's eyes bulged, and it went hurtling into one of the concrete walls with a thunderous boom. Dynamight watched in awe, his own attacks paused as Po took over and wasn't nearly done yet.

    In another blur, the stocky Urshifu was above the crumpled Zoroark, and despite the wave of Bitter Malice the wounded fox launched at him, Po struck it with a Dragon Fist encased in powerful energy as he fainted the ghost. He stepped to the side then, eyes never leaving his opponent, as Alex hurled a Luxury Ball, and a moment later, it dinged shut. He psychically pulled it to his hand, and simultaneously tossed his hungry kung fu bear a meat bun. Dynamight cautiously approached, and began chatting with Po, while Isamu gave Alex a look, prompting him to say, "I can release him once he's Purged. This kind of Zoroark is tricky to cleanse, though. I'd rather get help from a Ghost Type user. I believe they're weak to the Light Type, and I don't want to injure this one more." He shrank the ball, put it in stasis, and shoved it into his bag.


    He dispersed the Shadow with a powerful wave of Light and then contacted Leader Aceron. The man visibly grimaced as he saw Alex's face. "Redwood. Finally finished your anime binge and fulfilled your promise?"

    Alex gave him a look. "We traveled as far as any reasonable people would, per day. What we did in our downtime at night, did not slow down our progress. The ruins are Purged, but the Ghost Types are...scattered. Disoriented, by living amongst so much Shadow Energy for so long. They aren't organized, not even in smaller groups, but you'll have to catch them to relocate them." Alex's knowledge of ghosts was, as a psychic, limited, but he knew enough to know that kind of behavior wasn't normal for them. They'd been absent, reactive, and violent. "They did seem to regain some focus after my Purges. Hopefully in time, and with the increase in Humans, they'll either acquiesce to being trained or depart for the jungle."

    Aceron nodded, repeatedly as he took in the information. "And you're sure there's just Ghost Types?"

    Alex shrugged. "I took the most direct route and only encountered a few properly Shadow Infused Pokémon. I just caught by far the strongest I encountered out here. Which brings me to my next proposition."

    Aceron nodded again. "You mentioned having something else in mind for our new partnership. Go ahead, let me hear it."

    "AceCorp travels all over the continent, mining things, growing food, etcetera, yes?" Aceron nodded and Alex continued. "I imagine you guys get attacked quite often, now that I know exactly how violent the wildlife really is out there."

    Aceron sighed heavily. "You have no idea. Every single convoy is a death sentence for at least one of my people. Crossings without loss are seen as a miracle, and the food deliveries especially are relentlessly attacked."


    Alex nodded with a grim expression. "Iara told me some time ago she was considering just giving up on growing food in the west. This brings me to my proposal. Don't stop growing the food, just give it to the local Pokémon in Selva Muerta. Let them learn that attacking Humans does not give food. To expedite this process, and keep it safer for all involved, I'd like to send some of my Scales to accompany your caravans as guards. No matter how much food you have, you will be attacked at some point, but my Scales are excellent Trainers, and Selva Muerta will sharpen them, as it has sharpened me, and my team. Your caravans get to stay alive, my Scales get some proper life-threatening training, and the Dragon Empire is more than willing to give you guys whatever Berries we have in excess, which last I checked, is most species of them. As our farms move away from costly crops, we will have more to share."

    Aceron stroked his beard stubble and then nodded. "I'll have to confirm with the Queen...but I like this proposal. We should also speak of opening a training facility for your Scales in Rio. There's quite a lot of aspiring Trainers here that wish to join or at least see if they're worthy of wielding a plasma sword."

    "If the Queen is amenable, I would be more than happy to train Rio's psychics, and other gifted individuals. Being so close to Selva Muerta, they would likely quickly become some of our strongest." Alex answered. They gave their pleasantries, and then ended the call, satisfied with the results. With that done, Alex and Isamu continued on their journey.


    Clara Vista was a standard small town, with architecture that seemed more at home in the States than the rest of Rio. It was actually outside the northern gate into Selva Muerta, cordoned off from the megalopolis by a large white curtain wall that had, naturally, been absolutely covered in graffiti, on the side that faced the rest of Rio. They'd seen it on their way to Porto Nova, albeit from a distance, but it had not been very flattering towards Leader Serafina. Now, on the opposite side, they found the wall to still be mostly white, that is, until Isamu wandered closer to inspect it, and a cold chill went up his spine, as he realized it was a list. A massive list of names, in about a size twelve font, that went along the entire wall. He had no doubt, these could only be the names of those who had died in the aftermath of Rio's war with Atlantica, and the subsequent sacking by the Shadow sorcerers from the west. The very event that had turned most of the mega city into a Shadow filled nightmare and had cost Rio its Guardian.

    Despite the spooky vibe that radiated from around the wall, the city itself was like any other human city. Aside from people commonly having a ghost Pokémon with them, it was a standard representation of modern humanity, going about their lives. Alex and Isamu went to the Pokémon Center first, where Alex had to affirm that the Shadow Zoroark was a fresh catch, and one he was bringing to Leader Serafina.


    The creature was quite malnourished, at least physically, and Nurse Joy insisted on accompanying them to the gym, once Alex had mentioned the Gym Leader. The Clara Vista Gym was certainly unique in its design. It reminded him of one of those shrines in Japan with the unnecessarily long stairway that led up to a courtyard surrounded by buildings that each had different architectural styles. Some were influenced by the States, like the rest of the town, but the others were either too simple to have a style or had one Alex simply hadn't seen before. Either way, the architecture made him pause again, as his eyes took in the intricacy of how it all fit together.

    A Gym Trainer he could only describe as creepy greeted them, not in a hooded robe, but one with a long round collar that covered her face's bottom half. She had dyed white hair, and her robe was adorned with glyphs that Alex didn't recognize. The woman's reddish-purple eyes glanced at Nurse Joy, and then the challengers. "You must have a Pokémon from within the Blight. Come. Lady Serafina can help."

    They were brought into the lower levels of the gym shrine, where the architecture became simple concrete, covered in indecipherable glyphs whose meaning eluded even Alex's eyes. The hallways didn't twist or disappear, but they did pass rooms full of Gym Trainers who were sitting in creepy circles, cross legged. Alex could sense they were meditating, but Nurse Joy seemed unnerved.

    "They're only meditating." Alex rumbled. "Nothing suspicious. Some Indius psychics have found that arranging meditation groups can sometimes amplify their psychic abilities."


    Leader Serafina's office also seemed to double as a meditation chamber for one. She was as inherently creepy as her subordinate, with pale white skin that lacked the warmth of true life, white hair tinged with purple, adorned with two compacted Pokéballs, and reddish-purple eyes that held a quiet fire, and a confident, but small smirk on her unnaturally young face. She was dressed in a similar outfit as her Trainers, long black robes with frilly lace on the edges, with deep purple accents and a white center. Strange symbols marked the majority of the garment. She stood, but didn't rise very high in height, coming to a fun sized four feet, by Alex's guess.


    image


    She moved towards them slowly, and stopped before Alex, looking up at him with a creepy stare. "You have a Shadow Infused ghost with you. But it is not your partner." She raised a tiny pale hand and gestured at the meditation circle on the floor. "Release it there, and I will attempt to cleanse it." The runes around the circle started to glow, and Alex stared at the Gym Leader for a long moment as she also began to glow, with both psychic and ghost energy in equal amounts, before doing as she asked. The white hair, reddish eyes, and undeathly pale skin had raised some flags for him, but her intentions were genuine, and the Zoroark needed help.

    The still mostly beaten-up ghost fox appeared where Alex aimed, and Shadow empowered ghost energy surged towards every human in the room. Or it tried to, anyway, stopping short at the circle. The tiny ghost and psychic typed Gym Leader, who seemed to embody those types literally according to Alex's eyes, started to sweat, as the powerful Zoroark released more of its Bitter Malice.


    Finally, after about thirty seconds, she said, "I could use some-" Her words cut off, as Alex's aura burned to life like a lighthouse beacon beside her. Serafina winced, but then focused, as the potent mix of dragon and psychic energy surged into her floor and kept the Zoroark contained. Serafina stepped forward then, subtly keeping her face out of sight from every human present as she did so. Her eyes turned black, and the words she intoned came out in reverse. Pinpoint holes to another dimension, four in total, appeared on now revealed rather shiny and smoothly polished parts of the floor that had previously gone unnoticed around the main circle. The Shadow was drawn from the normal typed ghost inch by inch down its body, in what seemed like an excruciating process, down into what Alex assumed was the Reverse World.

    When it was done, the runes faded, leaving only the containment circle intact and glowing, and Serafina fell to her tiny knees, panting as hard as the Zoroark. She tilted her head, as the two locked eyes. Something transpired between them. Then, seemingly recovered, she stood and leered up at Alex once more. "This one…I want him as my partner. I will Trade for him."

    Alex shook his head. "That's alright, actually, I have all the Ghost Types I need at the moment…"

    Serafina tilted her tiny, creepy head. "Ah. So, you have…been training harder than expected. I see. In that instance, I will use my Future Sight and see if I have a partner who will be of aid." Before Alex could object, the tiny Gym Leader's eyes rolled back in her head, and an aura of ghost energy started flaring around her form, not unlike a psychic's aura shield.


    After a moment, the small woman's smirk widened. "Of course, it would be him…very well." She closed her eyes then, and moments later, an ancient style Apricorn Pokéball zipped into her hand from outside the room. She offered it to Alex, and he handed her the Luxury Ball that was bound to Zoroark. They confirmed the trade with their phones, and Serafina spoke, as she recalled the Zoroark. "Don't let him out here, alright? There's not enough space."

    Eyes widening, as only one ghost type would have enough physicality and size for such a problem, Alex pocketed his new partner, and Serafina's eyes fell on Isamu then, who'd been quietly observing from the background. "This one will go first. Three on Three shall do, if I am to face both of you and not tire out my friends."

    Isamu led with his Revavroom, but Serafina's Mismagius was well equipped with fire spells and psychic powers. She made short work of Hayaisha, leaving Isamu down by one. Mismagius had also not been hit by the freshly evolved ghost car, who was still getting used to his body. Isamu's counter to Mismagius was Blaziken, and Dynamight tore through her spells and her ghostly form with masterful Shadow Claws that had been boosted with bursts of flame from his feet, propelling him through the air and speeding him up. It was a custom move he'd learned from having to keep up with Garuda, who now understood the basics of Agility.


    Serafina's second was a Chandelure, and while Dynamight had the firepower to match her, the ghostly décor brought him down with her, consuming his vitality and seeming to find it delicious. Now evenly matched, Serafina threw her last pick first. She wouldn't normally have used this one on Isamu, at his skill level, but she wanted the remaining three Pokémon she owned, the only ones she owned, to be ready for Alex, and his challenge.

    A Xatu appeared from her side of the field, and it waddled forward a few awkward steps, and cawed, as it side-eyed Isamu, with its left eye. Serafina's creepy voice echoed over the battlefield. "The right eye sees the future. The left eye sees the past. What do you see, Xat?"

    The clever bird then did something that Isamu did not expect. It verbalized its thoughts in Common, through its psychic power. The psychic flyer's aura was massive, permeating the gym, but nowhere near as oppressive as the Mind Sage's aura. Isamu stood tall, unfazed, as the bird spoke. "Small. Sad. Fate. Determination. Growth. …Might." The bird nodded in respect, seeing the most recent events, like Dynamight in Sao Paulo, and his Zygarde in Porto Nova.

    Serafina grinned, as Isamu made his choice. An orange, brown, and yellow Luxury Ball enlarged in his hand. "And the future?"


    The bird waddled awkwardly, and then rapidly turned its head. This eye was markedly different, in that it seemed to have natural pinkish sparkles amidst the typical black circle that was a Xatu's eye. "Training. Brotherhood. Competence. Conflict. Victory. …Hero."

    Isamu blinked, as he called out Judenho. His newly evolved Raichu was living his best life, and he smirked darkly at the flying type before him, as his electric glow brightened in the gloom of Serafina's gym. The aesthetic was the same ancient, weathered stone, they'd simply gone underground to a standard sized League battlefield. The only thing notable about anything in this place were the nearly invisible runes carved along the battlefield's line, and every single stone brick of the walls around them. Because of how sturdy it was, the people of Clara Vista had nicknamed the gym, specifically the battlefield itself, Ultima Cancha. The last battlefield, since it would outlast all other structures around it, no matter what happened to their society, or the Earth in general.

    As the silence stretched on for an awkward amount of time, as neither Xatu nor Serafina made a move, Isamu finally spoke, "Alright then. Rain Dance." Judenho started doing a hilarious jig as he appealed to the heavens to bring water, and a guaranteed hit for Thunder. Sure enough, the calls were answered, and the already gloomy battlefield became covered in clouds that quickly descended and filled the entire field. This happened, as the Xatu's eyes glowed with a powerful bright blue psychic aura and then faded completely.


    "There's a good chance it hasn't moved, Judenho! Keep it that way! Thunder Wave!" Isamu ordered, and his partner responded immediately, his sharp ears catching the telltale bird grunts of a waddling Xatu. They had trouble flying naturally, thanks to the way their sight worked, and waddling was just safer for all involved, unless absolutely necessary. There were of course, more commonly, Xatu that leaned more into their flying powers, than their psychic ones, who had no trouble shifting their unique vision to all but simultaneously focusing on the near future and recent past. Serafina's was the opposite and had clearly focused entirely on honing its psychic power. They could still transport their Trainers, they just usually did so via Teleport.

    As the Thunder Wave hit, something strange happened. It seemed to bounce off of Xat, and back onto Judenho, who then started to glow brighter in the fog, as his Lightning Rod boosted his firepower. His smirk was now a wide grin. Without prompting, the eager Raichu hammered his opponent with Thunder Wave after Thunder Wave, willingly catching the rebound six times. With its right eye facing Judenho, the Xatu simply ran around in circles, as it saw what was coming, though the franticness made Isamu wince. He could, clearly, sense that the poor bird was terrified of the pain a six-stage boosted Thunderbolt from a Raichu would cause.

    "Judenho!" Isamu called out, and his Raichu was practically drenched in sparks by this point. Hearing his Trainer, he readied Thunder eagerly, and the mist around them crackled. "Judenho!" Isamu shouted again, and upon not hearing the move, he turned to look, blinking back to focusing. "Only use enough power for a faint. Don't get carried away. And don't make it needlessly hurt, either. You know where to aim."


    The Raichu let out a disappointed huff, and let the energy die down some. As he did this, Xat also stopped panic-waddling, and then, Serafina recalled him. With a snap of her fingers, the damp fog disappeared from the battlefield as she said, "I forfeit. I don't want my poor boy getting zapped by such a strong Raichu."

    Judenho, quite angry from the stress of holding so much power, was determined to discharge it, and did so with Discharge, filling the entire field with Electric Terrain. He sighed again, and returned to his ball, disappointed. Serafina giggled, as she handed Isamu the Spirit Badge. "Tell him I'm sorry, would you? I know how excited he was to zap something." She leaned in conspiratorially then, "Leader Duarte, your next challenge, has a Honchkrow that thinks it's hot Muk, but it's a real babaca. Have him Thunderbolt that one. He's earned it." Isamu nodded, and said that he would, and then, Alex was up.

    The tone changed, as he took his place, and confidently brought out Revan. Serafina sent out a Claydol in response, one that sparkled with familiarity to Alex, at this point. Its golden eyes burned to life, and an earthy brownish golden aura surrounded it, as it took in Revan and Alex.

    From the start, things did not go well. It was the kind of battle that, despite his best efforts, Alex was struggling in.


    Claydol's mastery of Earth Power, combined with violent Psychic slams into the ground, where it used yet another Earth Power, quickly took Revan down before he could so much as Flame Charge. He managed to get in exactly one hit thanks to Phantom Force, but Claydol exacted a harsh toll for it, fainting him with an explosion of Earthy Power. Next up was his Kadabra, Psi, who fared just as poorly.

    Despite being psychic types, it was a duel of Shadow Balls, one that Psi simply couldn't keep up with. For every single Shadow Ball the spoon wielding psychic conjured, Claydol had three to answer it, and did so immediately, not holding back as it fired the Shadow Balls from its arm cannons. Almost as depressingly easy as Revan, Psi went unconscious as well. Unlike Isamu, his match was a four on four, but thankfully, Psi had at least managed to overwhelm the floating clay doll's psychic defenses, to score more hits.

    "Atlas!" Alex called, and his platinum Metang answered with a metallic roar. "We're down two, and she's down one. Even the odds for me, bud! Shadow Claw!" Atlas charged in with the speed of a Metang, roughly sixty miles per hour, but once again type advantage and Earth Power managed to slow them, enough for Claydol to pelt the steely psychic with Shadow Balls. To his credit, Atlas fired his own Shadow Balls and cut through the excess with Shadow Claw, enough to land another hit. Claydol continued to hammer it with ghostly balls of pain, but Atlas refused to let go, and the pair of Pokémon crashed in a fainted heap, together.


    Properly backed into a corner, and not wanting to repeat this gym battle, Alex brought out his training team's ace. He hadn't intended to use Po for gym battles, but Serafina, through luck and ridiculously well-timed crits, had pushed him to this point. "It's down to you, Po. We lose here, and we lose our win streak. Not to mention we have to come back tomorrow."

    Po smirked back at Alex. "No worries. I've got this."

    "Interesting. It seems you are capable of taking me seriously." Serafina said quietly. Her next pick was a Gothitelle, but it was over in an instant, thanks to Po's speed, and a Wicked Blow. "Irritating. Serafina said, recalling her partner." I had thought only Single Strike Urshifu could use that annoying Move."

    "Po's ability is Dragon Fist. This allows him to master both styles, and turn them Dragon Type, as necessary." Alex responded calmly.

    Serafina grimaced. "So he knows Surging Strikes too. Great." She seemed nervous, but shook her head, and threw her next pick. An Annihilape. He put up a better fight than Gothitelle, managing at least to match blows with Po, but the Surging Dragon Fist ended it with three weaker but still guaranteed critical hits in a row. Properly irritated, Serafina brought out a Dark Ball. "That's it! I need to win this one, dammit! Come! I need your power!"


    Alex's eyes narrowed, as the Pokéball she threw, did not open. And yet, the top split from the bottom anyway, and the darkness that poured forth had enough physicality and mass to force them apart even further. This all happened quickly, but having seen Dark Balls in action before they went out of style, replaced by the customizable and more fairly priced Luxury Balls, he knew the ball simply hadn't activated. She'd drawn it forth on her own, and as the Darkrai manifested before them, both Alex and Po had the final piece of their accusatory puzzle.

    "Darkrai, huh. That confirms it. You're one of the sorcerers from the west. The ones that sacked Rio and worshiped the Shadow." Po breathed slowly, and his fists, as well as the fighting aura shield around him started to shine with the Light. His method of reaching divinity involved inner peace, being so emotionally balanced between harmony and focus that he could channel the power of the Alpha's realm. It was also worth noting that he had used this power, as they traveled, making berry trees grow, healing minor wounds, and sometimes ones not so minor, that had required Alex's help, along with his knowledge of human anatomy. Po's power always left those it affected somewhat dazed or even in awe, which amused him greatly. The exception to that, was when he channeled that awesome power into his Fists of Justice, which he readied as he took his Dragon Stance, and stared down the Darkrai.

    Serafina's voice gained a ghostly reverb, and the sigils around the battlefield began to glow an ominous purple. "So you know my origins…it's been a long time since one of my Challengers figured that out…"

    Po winced, as both the Darkrai and his bonded human's powerful fused presence surged through the field, and yet…he did not strike. Nor did Alex order him to. They shared a look, and nodded in agreement, on the same page. There was no Shadow between them, darkness yes, and Serafina's own perhaps too large affinity for ghost energy, but that was all. And if she was a Shadow sorcerer, one who must have turned, if she'd attained Gym Leader status, it meant she was ancient, and probably more dead than alive at this point, hence the ghost energy. All that to say, they were not radiating the usual malice and murderous intent, and thus, with a soft sigh, Po powered down the Fists of Justice.

    Alex arched an eyebrow, as the dark, ghostly pair shared a look. They had revealed their fusion, and their auras bled together like one being with Darkrai surrounding and protecting their ghostly center that was Serafina, but neither attacked first. Indeed, Alex got the impression that, despite her bluster, Serafina disliked battling. "You're…not wielding Shadow." He said, awkwardly.


    Serafina gave an exasperated sigh. "Of course I'm not! I'm a Gym Leader. My Pokémon regularly see Nurse Joy," she said, gesturing to the nurse, who was still present, on the sidelines. "If I used the Shadow, I would be caught immediately. Iara does not tolerate it within her demesne."

    Nurse Joy also spoke up then. "I know you have an, erm…reputation for Purging darkness with the Light, Dragon Emperor. I just wanted to make sure you didn't Purge our beloved Gym Leader on a miscommunication. And, that Zoroark needed help. It's all better now, though." She smiled, and flashed a victory sign at him, which also helped kill the tension.

    "Well then…" He rumbled, "By my count…we're both down three, and our fourths are already out. They're both Legendary, so things remain equal, more or less. Let's finish this Battle! I want a Badge from a Shadow wielder." The idea of such a thing amused him, and the fact that she was embracing the creepy little girl stereotype on top of that just made it a memento worth fighting for.


    "Close Combat." Alex started, smirking as he spoke. Po was a blur, but Darkrai was classed as Legendary for a reason. It was the prime example of a fast special attacker, and because of its power, its defenses were quite good too. Thus, the counter was instant.

    "Sucker Punch." Came Serafina's obnoxious voice.

    Despite being struck first, Po snarled through the hit, surprising the Darkrai, and briefly overwhelming it with a brutal series of hard-hitting kicks and punches in return. But it was not enough. The Dark Void attack hit point blank, encompassing the entire field as it expanded, but before it could, Alex countered, "Flash!"

    Also technically a Light move, albeit one more practical than damaging, it cut through the Dark Void, burning it from the field, even as Po's eyes drifted closed. Alex swore. He could flex through paralysis, lick away a burn with his bear saliva, and shatter ice, again also by flexing, but confusion and sleep, especially mind based moves, were very effective on Po, if they managed to land.


    He fell forward with a heavy thump, his stocky muscled form rising and falling with a loud snore. Serafina acted before Alex could stop facepalming. "Dream Eater!" The being of darkness she'd bonded to her very essence reached towards Po with a glowing psychic claw, but before it could make contact, Po suddenly shot to his feet, still asleep, and began wiggling in place, as though he was climbing something.

    The Darkrai paused, tilted its head, and then continued. With eagerness in his tone, Po reached for the Dream Eater, rumbling, "Coooookiiiieeee…"

    "Po!" Alex shouted, making the bear's ears twitch, "That's not a cookie! Evil! Evil cookie!"

    Pink dream mist started to flow from Po, but he suddenly leapt back from the attack, unevenly raising his fists. "Stay back, you doughy abomination! You're no cookie!" Irritated, the Darkrai's claws surged towards Po, but the sleeping Kung Fu bear dodged with another leap. "Confectionary criminal!" He shouted, before somewhat gracefully shifting away from another attempt to claw his dreams. "Kneaded knave!"


    It was Alex's laughter that finally brought Po back to consciousness, and upon seeing this, the Darkrai abandoned Dream Eater for Psychic. While his dreams had caused him some damage, in a Darkrai's presence, said damage had not healed the dark entity. "Man, that was one sketchy cookie." He rumbled, taking a proper stance.

    "A very suspicious sugar circle." Alex said, still chuckling. "End this, Po. Close Combat and Brick Break!"

    "Hold nothing back, Darkrai. Psychic!"

    The two Legends launched their attacks, but Po was ready. A pulse of dark type energy disrupted his opponent's Psychic, and he broke through the wave of power with Kung Fu fury. The following beating brutally knocked the Darkrai around, and Serafina held her face in panic. "Get out of there!"


    Darkrai tried to retreat into a shadow, but Po literally grabbed him with fingers encased in fighting energy and pulled him back out. He slammed the dark entity into the ground, and then finally finished it with a Brick Break. The ancient entity tried to rise, but Po's fists hit like a truck at the start of an isekai, and unconsciousness claimed the dark being. It seeped back into Serafina's shadow, and she clutched her hair, before suddenly dropping her arms, letting them hang limp.

    "It seems you've beaten me…how unfortunate…for you. You've been training hard indeed, to take my Darkrai down so effectively." She padded over with her tiny feet and handed him the Spirit Badge. Unlike the other gyms in her circuit, the generic type symbol had been changed instead to an ominous skull that seemed to have a purple sheen to it. "With your Badge…I'll pass along some wisdom, too. You should see your would-be wife. Sooner, than later, if you can."

    Suddenly more concerned, the somewhat amusing end to the battle gave way to silent concern. "Why…" he tried, "Have you seen something?"

    She grinned wide at his reaction. "Just…speak with your other half, Dragon Emperor."


    With that, he turned and left the gym, a frown on his face. They made their way back to the Pokémon Center, only for Alex to call Jess three times, and still have no response. This either meant she was busy training, or with something else, or in mortal peril. Her Delphox hadn't reached out to him, so he checked mortal peril off the list. While he waited for a call back, he decided to meet his latest partner. He went outside to let him out, and sure enough, a Golurk manifested from the ancient ball in a kneeling position. "Hello there." Alex said, as the massive ghostly mech stood to its full intimidating height of ten feet or roughly three meters.

    The ghostly automaton creaked a greeting, as it leaned over and scanned him with a barely perceptible ray of ghost energy. "Grrrrreetings, new Tamer." Its voice translated, genderless and very much robotic to Alex's ears. "Harmonia gene detected. Our...my...designation is...Vector Prime. I look...for-ward to wor-king with yooouuu..." His words trailed off at the end, as he held out a massive iron fist for what Alex assumed was a fist bump. He hesitantly booped it, and the iron giant stood back up to full height, as it started to glitch. Its head spun in a full circle. "Har-ar-ar-ar Harmonia Gene detected. Harmo-" It suddenly went quiet then, for a full thirty seconds. Alex let the ancient machine intelligence process this information. "Harmonia Gene detected. Communication level: comprehension. Error. Genetic sequence is not of Royal Family." The Golurk turned to Alex then. "Explanation requested."

    "Look, Vector, was it? I don't really have time right now to-"

    "Vector Prime." The Golurk corrected loudly. "Harmonia gene detected. Explanation demanded." It said, more forcefully. It seemed, for whatever reason, it was getting hung up on him being able to speak with Pokémon and not being a Harmonia.


    And so, Alex recounted his trials in Unova and confirmed that he was the current Tamer of the Original Dragon. This made Vector Prime spin its torso and raise its arms in what Alex eventually realized was an expression of joy, or rather, a programmed joyous response to news of the Original Dragon being reconfigured into a single form. When Alex finished, Vector Prime said, "Designation updated: Emperor Alexander Redwood, Tamer of the Original Dragon. This unit will now Comply."

    "Alright..." Alex said, somewhat following its processing. "In that case...state your primary purpose."

    Vector Prime let out a series of low whistles, and steam. "Irrelevant. Previous parameters are now non-factors. This unit serves the Dragon Emperor."

    "I understand." Alex said, patting his cold, but still very much physical leg. "But I'd still like to know. State your previous primary purpose."

    Vector Prime tooted an acquiescence, and then said, "This unit's purpose was to monitor the Time Vortex for the previous Dragon Emperor Harmonia. Emperor Harmonia is now deceased. Current purpose: Unknown."

    Alex nodded in understanding. "Time Vortex huh? Interesting...I guess...continue to keep an eye on that. Your secondary purpose is combat. Do you know what a Pokémon Batte is?"

    The Golurk nodded. "Confirmation. This unit is capable of compliance with all official Victory League rules. Request modern update, records may be outdated."

    Alex showed him how to use the Pokénet then, and had Lux and Nox further instruct him from within his ball, which Alex swapped out for a modern one. He still kept the old style one though, in case he ever needed it. Or wanted to try his hand at making one himself.


    Once they were done in Clara Vista and had waited long enough for a return call from Jess, Alex and Isamu began heading in a straight line to the dark typed gym of Sombra Verde, owned and operated by a man called Duarte, it was apparently the most unconventional gym on the circuit.

    Despite the bubbling frustration Alex had from not being able to contact Jess, as most of his clones were within the cellular black hole that was the jungle, he and Isamu continued on. Alex was impatient though, so he hopped on his Noivern while Isamu mounted up on Shodoroki, who had since become a Dragonair. It was still his first time flying with a human, so their initial pace was slow. Height didn't help with Alex's connection problem, so soon after they took off, they started speeding towards Sombra Verde. Once he was able to compensate for Isamu, the Dragonair naturally adapted to flying within minutes.

    They actually overshot the city, hidden by foliage from above as it was, and one of Duarte's people came to guide them in on foot. Almost immediately, Alex and Isamu noticed that the 'city' was more akin to a war camp, and the buildings seemed to be essentially tents. There was, amusingly, a Pokéball painted onto one of them, thus, that was their first stop. Even on the edge of Selva Muerta, flying in the skies meant Crobat, especially at night or dusk, Noivern, and various other hungry flying types. Judenho had dealt with all of them and had a blast doing so. Isamu had also, finally, started emulating Alex by picking up items on the ground, and through doing so had acquired a Zap Plate shard, which the thunder mouse was now holding.


    They healed their teams, had their respective sandwiches, and continued their discussion about Taijitu Moves. "Basically, you activate the Plate shard, while Judenho forms the other half of whatever energy you're using. Then, you have him draw them together in an equal amount. You'll know when they're equal, the energy will form a familiar pattern, and at that point, you just have to aim."

    Isamu's eyes moved back and forth as he stared at the table, processed, and chewed his sandwich. "The focus on Type mastery…on using not just a few extra Moves, but all of them…" A sound stopping Barrier formed around them, as his Padawan made the connection. "You're doing this with as many Types as you can, aren't you? Once Pokémon learn a Move well enough, they can draw on that power effortlessly. You could combine them all!"

    Alex smirked, just impressed. "What you're describing is Stellar Bomb, and that's…just theoretical still, as far as I know, for every Pokémon not named Terapagos. Mew or Mewtwo could probably do it. And it's only feasible with other Pokémon in a Double or Triple Battle, not to mention, quite draining on both Trainer and Pokémon."

    Isamu smirked back at him. "You've definitely tried it."

    Alex sighed deeply, checked his Barrier's integrity, and then leaned forward. "I've discovered that weaving more than two Types together is something Pokémon at or above what we Humans call level one hundred can do. With absurd ease. If they practice enough. It also helps them use the entirety of those Move pools more effectively. This is what most of my new catches are striving to reach, as we speak, and it seems to be working. I like our odds against Ash, or Leon. Aside from them and Red, I feel confident against the other usual World Tournament Trainers."


    With their lunch finished, the two looked around for a gym of some kind, but everyone they asked about it either sighed, or just laughed at them, and said nothing. There weren't many people around this camp, and everyone around was very clearly doing something, usually, related to reinforcing the well-crafted wooden barricades, and anti-flying type defenses for the 'city'.

    Asking for Duarte led them to the largest tent, where they were brought to a man with serious eyes, clad in all black. His clothes were leather, but suited for the jungle, and a pair of knife hilts sat on his back. Tying his entire look together was, naturally, his hat. Undoubtedly from East Texico, where the pale toned man was from, apparently, it too was black. Duarte looked between them as he turned around from what looked like a map of the area, and his eyes went dead. "Let me guess. You want a Gym Badge."


    image


    Alex slowly raised an eyebrow. "Is that a problem?"

    The man sighed. "No. Fine. Whatever. I can do a two v. two, no substitutions, for both of you. I don't have time for anything else. Let's go."


    Before they could even ask what was going on, Duarte led them out of the tented area, to a small clearing amidst the trees of Selva Muerta. They were properly in the jungle by this point, but this spot was technically closer to the ruins of Rio, and thus would have less Pokémon, probably.

    Once more, Isamu went first and brought out his Riolu. Nodding in understanding, Duarte picked a partner that would, potentially, push the pup to evolve. He seemed high enough in level, and close to his Trainer, so all that was really needed was a legitimate challenge.

    "Mayhem." Duarte said, and from his belt, a flash of black and light brown, a golden sand colored Tyranitar with a pink armored crest on its stomach manifested in front of the Gym Leader. Seeing its opponent was Kanchi, the gold-colored male roared at him, hard enough to send his much, much weaker form sliding back several feet. It was the physical manifestation of the difference in power between a 'baby' Pokémon, and one regarded as a pseudo-Legend.

    Even Isamu looked shaken, but then, a Tyranitar was exactly what he expected of a seventh badge fight reduced to a two on two. "Y-Your only chance is speed. Agility! And Dodge!" Kanchi nodded and started running. The impatient pupper had actually mastered the move, running up and down large swathes of the Estrada Real while Alex and Isamu had battled Trainers, wild Pokémon, or got distracted by running to grab an item.


    Duarte, for his part, seemed content to do absolutely nothing. He had his hands in his leather jacket's pockets, watching the Riolu run around his golden tyrant with a bored expression. In a bored tone, he finally gave an order, and to his credit, his clearly impatient Tyranitar did not strike before that.

    "Stone Edge." The Tyranitar stomped the earth, and even at six tiers now of enhanced speed, the move rose from the earth in front of him and hammered Kanchi, brutally ending any momentum he'd gotten as he was sent rolling across the grass. "You took too long raising your stats." Duarte muttered, fulfilling his obligation to teach Trainers who came to him by the barest minimum. "You could've struck, with quadruple effectiveness, and still built speed later. Now you won't get the chance. Hyper Beam."

    Kanchi struggled to his feet, panting hard, but nowhere near done yet. Isamu's eyes widened, as Mayhem formed the Hyper Beam with speed and ease in his toothy maw. As Kanchi had mastered raising his speed, it seemed this tyrant lizard had mastered blowing things away with one of the most powerful moves a Pokémon could use. Knowing outrunning the area of effect was a pipedream, Isamu prepared to take the hit instead. "Bulk Up as much as you can and then use Rest!"


    At six raised tiers of speed, Kanchi managed to bulk up his tiny body twice, before the Hyper Beam hit. He stayed just conscious enough to use Rest and returned to full health through the move's psychic power. Then, while sleeping, he stood up from where he'd taken the hit and raised both paws, and smacked his cheeks, waking himself up with minor Force Palms. Mayhem's sharp eyes narrowed in anger, but Duarte smirked. "So, you do have some tricks. Good. Mayhem! Ready another one!" And despite being exhausted from already using a Hyper Beam, the Tyranitar charged another anyway, albeit slightly slower. Even as Kanchi could power through sleeping, Mayhem apparently could overcome its exhaustion. At least once. That probably got harder to do with repetition.

    "Copycat!" Isamu ordered, "Then get Protect up as fast as you can!"

    Aura radiated off the Riolu as his move copied the awesome power of Hyper Beam, and he fired back. It struck Mayhem full force and yet, through the dust from the explosion, that ominous orange sphere continued to grow, unfazed. Tired though he was from even copying the draining move, Kanchi managed to raise the beginnings of Protect thanks to Agility, but Mayhem's power blew it away and scored a hit. Once more, he was hurt but still standing.


    Isamu didn't wait. "Kanchi! Time to finish this! Low Kick!" Sensing what his Trainer had in mind, the speedy aura hound dashed towards Mayhem, who was readying, naturally, yet another Hyper Beam. The fighting energy encased paw of the Riolu's leg spun into the stocky Tyranitar's legs, and yet despite the size difference, Mayhem fell onto his stomach as the tiny fighting type stole his balance. Isamu followed up while he was prone. "Reversal!"

    Kanchi's aura turned more intense; the deep almost reddish orange that fighting energy appeared as visually. He leapt, somersaulted in the air several times, and then came down between the Tyranitar's back spines, as he was smol enough to hit between them. Mayhem's eyes bulged, and he fainted as the damage from Low Sweep and the empowered Reversal, with a quad weakness to fighting moves, brought him down. As Kanchi leapt off his opponent, Isamu was there, smiling genuinely, with a fist bump. They bumped fists, and sensing his Trainer's emotions, the Riolu began to glow.

    Isamu and his Lucario shared a nod, and then Kanchi returned to his ball, as Isamu readied Judenho. "I want your Honchkrow, Leader Duarte."

    Duarte gave him a strange look, then shrugged. Sure enough, the massive black boss bird appeared with a confident gleam in his eye, as he took in Isamu. The green haired teen sent out his Raichu then, and the Honchkrow's smirk shifted to a frown. Judenho grinned darkly at the Honchkrow, as his electric aura flared to life around him. The Honchkrow let out a low honking caw, and around them, in the trees, Murkrow started appearing.


    Duarte went first. "You know what to do, Honcho. Haze." The giant black bird raised his wings, and with a single flap, turned the battlefield into a haze-covered murk. "Heat Wave." Duarte followed.

    "Discharge!" Isamu countered, testing whose special attack was stronger. The electric and fiery energies collided in equal terms of power, and Isamu followed up with, "Thunderbolt!" Judenho launched it at what looked like Honcho's form, but it was just a trick of the Haze, now made heavier by the move collision.

    "Psychic." Duarte ordered the counter, and somehow, the dark typed bird sent a wave of powerful psychic energy at Judenho, flinging him into the air, and then hammering him into the ground.

    "Grab it! Quick Attack!" Isamu countered. Despite rising slightly slower, Judenho got to all fours, and then ran, rapidly striking Honcho, and then grabbing his body. "Thunderbolt!" Isamu called, and the Raichu summoned all the power he could. One hundred thousand volts surged through the Honchkrow, and yet, it did not die, but rather fainted, giving Isamu his seventh badge.


    Isamu and Judenho moved to the side of the field, to watch Alex, as he took his place. Though he looked irritated, Duarte promptly brought out his next Pokémon, which appeared as nothing but a floating sharp-toothed grin. Recognizing a Muertan Meowscarada, as Noir had since become one, Alex brought out Gauss. The Vikavolt tended to spend his days sucking sap from trees, or electricity from power poles they passed, in between being used on any Trainer with a flying type that Alex had run into. This clone's team composition meant that only Fulguron and Gauss were really equipped to handle them.

    "It's like Noir." Alex said quietly. "Bug Buzz. Don't let it get close." Gauss buzzed an affirmative, and the electric yellow sparks along his body shifted to green. As the sinister smirk advanced towards him with fire manifesting around the fangs, Gauss let out an ungodly shriek manifesting and expanding as a wave of potent bug energy. The smirk shifted to a frown, and the lithe striped, green fur of the Meowscarada became visible as he rolled on the ground, holding his ears with his paws. The ever-present floating pink flowers also became visible, and Gauss followed his attack with a rapidly formed Thunderbolt, aimed not at the Meowscarada, but his flowers. The surging plasma arced purposefully through each of them, reducing them to ash.

    With a grimace, Duarte countered. "Shadow Clones. Get in there with Fire Fang."

    Alex responded with his own counter. "Bug Buzz."


    Though there were more of the Meowscarada this time, they were visible, and the powerful wave of screeching bug energy overwhelmed the dark feline enough to cause a faint. Alex tossed Gauss his berry of choice, since he didn't really care for any human food he'd tried, and Alex recalled him to his personal pocket plane to enjoy those noms. Next, he brought out another of his bug types that needed a workout. Blaze had actually recruited him, and after learning Ancient Power alongside Blaze, Velocibra had become a large percentage of their bug typed power.

    His Yanmega took the field, and immediately, he started flying in a triangle pattern as his Speed Boost got to work. Even Eric had been shocked by how absurdly fast the Yanmega could beat his wings without them sustaining some kind of strain or damage. It also made his moves quite powerful. Frowning, and wishing now he'd saved Mayhem for this, Duarte brought out his Krookodile. "Alright, Chomper. Rock Moves. Crush the bug."

    The crafty sand crocodile nodded and sank into the ground like it was water. "Stay high, Velocibra. Break any rocks that come near you and watch the shrapnel. Krookodile are crafty." His Yanmega was high above the battlefield in under a second, content to further build his speed, as Chomper took his time trying to get an angle. Suddenly, the crimson crocodile jumped up from the ground it submerged in, and with his landing launched a multitude of rocks at the Yanmega with Rock Slide.


    Already boosted by four stages, Velocibra's wings sped up suddenly and rapidly, and the resulting Sonicboom shattered every rock into a fine powder, surprising the Krookodile. Then, came the Bug Buzz. Everything Gauss knew of the move came from Velocibra, and the speed with which he attacked actually launched, by Alex's guess, three Bug Buzzes in a row. The powerful move rolled across Chomper, who then fell onto his back, fainted and clutching his ear holes.

    Alex hid his disappointment as he congratulated his partner and then recalled him. He wasn't impressed with the lack of experience this far into the circuit. No warmup Trainers, and only two of the Leader's Pokémon, neither of which appeared to be his ace. The Meowscarada might have been, but a quad bug weakness was crippling against a special attacker like Gauss. He was supposed to face Drago next, and yet Duarte seemed to have made this a habit. While they'd battled, Alex had asked around, having spotted a break area on their way to the 'gym battlefield'. Apparently, Duarte rarely went more than three on three, because he wanted them fresh for the nightly raids from Selva Muerta's Pokémon.

    Duarte recalled his partner with a sigh, and casually walked over, handing him a badge that looked more like a kid had made it, than an official League emblem, but Alex could tell effort had been made on it. There were giant trees, and the darkness flaring from between them made the whole thing appropriately edgy and ominous. Fitting, for the Sombra Badge. Alex spoke, as he pocketed the badge. "You guys have it pretty rough out here, huh?"

    Duarte glanced up at him, his expression having been hidden under his hat until now. "Oh boy, is it my turn for some Imperial charity? Don't bother. The kind of buildings you make just crumble down onto my people and kill more of them. Tents are superior."


    Alex blinked, as the man guessed his intentions. "You need some kind of defensive structure, or they won't stop. I've been in their minds; predatory Pokémon will see a setup like this as weak enough to test. You need to make the attack not worth the effort, and even if they hate you, they'll try their luck on easier targets." Duarte raised an eyebrow, and Alex nodded. "Most predators, but felines especially, are actually typically rather lazy. An easy meal, and time for a nap, is always preferable to battling and being hurt. Usually. There are exceptions to that, especially among Fighting Types."

    Duarte nodded with his reasoning. "That aligns with what I've seen. Hmm. If only we had a Tangela…or another prolific Grass Type. Tangela vines automatically attack anything that damages them, and as long as you keep them moist, they don't shrivel. Not hard to do, in a rainforest."

    Isamu had come over as well by this point and he and Alex shared a look. Alex smirked back at Duarte. "How do you feel about lime green?"


    In short order, Alex had Chloros on hand and called out. Duarte looked up at the massive shiny Tangrowth, and it greeted him with a simple wave of an arm tendril and an unblinking stare. Isamu brought out Kuromuchi, and immediately, the two shiny Tangrowth stared each other down. Despite technically having eight badges, Kuromuchi ignored Isamu, far more focused on Chloros. The two seemed to be having a staring contest, as their vines linked, and they communicated. The neon green vines started glowing with grass energy, shining brighter until it became blinding, and Alex felt his Tangrowth tapping into the infinite power of the Meadow Plate shard he'd been given to hold.

    When the light faded, Kuromuchi exploded in a cacophony of fresh, new vines, and the older ones, Alex now saw by comparison were much more brittle and almost shriveled, were willfully cut away. Isamu spoke then. "Kuromuchi hasn't really been able to stretch his vines for some time now. Being back in this climate helped, but he did eventually tell me it was just an age issue. But it seems…the shard of the Plate has rejuvenated him…" he looked up at Alex. "Pokémon like this could live forever while holding something like that…"

    Alex nodded. "And so long as he does not abuse his power, the Plate shard will be his to wield. But I trust Chloros, he's good people." A wad of neon vines rose up around their Trainer then, and Alex chuckled as they tickled him mercilessly. In short order, they had given Sombra Verde the makings of a legitimate town, instead of a bunch of tents. Fifty-foot-tall stone walls surrounded them, topped with Murkrow sentries. Outside, on the ground, Duarte had his Meowscarada looking for trouble, or ground attacks. Alex had also had Simon reinforce the walls beneath the earth, specifically so they could handle an Earthquake attack, using human methods and technology, and replicating them with bending, and various types of ground and stone. Sombra Verde happened to be atop a large amount of granite, so that was what Alex used. That night, for the first time in years, the locals of Selva Muerta didn't test the defenses of the unwanted human settlement. Not in meaningful numbers, at least.


    Alex heard their cries and snarls towards the humans, and understood them, but they mostly boiled down to blind hatred over how much space the humans were taking up. Alex advised Duarte and his people against expanding outward, and recommended going either up, or down, when they needed to. When the sun rose the next day, they departed, with Alex getting Duarte to promise to take his next challengers a bit more seriously.

    As they came in through Rio's southern jungle entrance, near the grass gym, they walked into what seemed like a crowd of people lining both sides of the route into Rio's center, waiting for them specifically. Apparently, people had seen the walls and sturdiness Sombra Verde now benefitted from, and thus rightly assumed Alex and Isamu would be heading for Drago next. The city was alight with eagerness. Cheers of good luck came their way, as well as quite a lot of homemade food, the closer they came to the gym stadium, which judging by the roars from within, was already packed.

    As they came within sight of the entrance, there was a loud whoop and a sudden and increased cheer from within the stadium. The unmistakable baritone of Leader Drago filled their ears. "Laaaadies and gentlemeeeen! Our Challengers have finally arrived!" They looked up, and saw Drago, atop his Salamence, shouting down at them. "Now the only question is…who goes first!?"


    The cheers were deafening, and then, the crowd started to chant something, something Alex made a show of pausing and listening to, smirking wide as he heard the words coalesce from thousands of voices: "Ro Sham Bo! Ro Sham Bo!" He laughed, and turned to Isamu, who had already readied his fist. Once again, in front of all of Rio this time, probably, the Drone Rotom caught them engaging in some rock paper scissors. This time, it was the Dragon Emperor's mighty rock that was covered by paper, and thus, Isamu went first.

    "Looks like it's the Padawan's turn first!" Drago shouted eagerly. "In the interest of fairness, I'll kindly ask the Dragon Emperor to wait in the locker rooms below, while the Battle is ongoing! No peeking, now!"

    Alex looked disappointed. "I want to watch it though!" He shouted up at Drago, who heard him.

    "You can watch the replay! Our Battle is going to be for World Tournament standing, and I want it as fair as possible when I face your best Dragon Types! The people of Rio's heart crave an all-out high level Dragon Type showdown! And we shall give it to them! But first, young Isamu must prove himself worthy of eight Badges! Please proceed to the field!"


    Grumbling and salty, Alex went to the locker rooms and sat quietly as he listened to the no doubt awesome spectacle above. He'd tried sneaking a clone through, but security was checking everyone's face, and the box he'd sat in with Iara last time was shuttered closed. Even the TV in the locker room was missing its power cord into the wall socket, and Alex's saltiness increased, as he decided he'd be wiping the floor with Drago. Nothing too crazy, but an appropriate reality check on the difference between a Gym Leader and a Champion. He started bamfing over his dragon types, as he had a feeling Drago would pitch a fit if he used anything else. Revan, Atlas, Fulguron, Gauss, Garuda, Simon, and Kurchak were all just as salty, as they'd been looking forward to facing some dragons. Psi, as usual, did not care, and had about twenty Bulbapedia pages open within his ball. "It's alright guys." Alex muttered, as he sent them to his main body. "We'll get you a proper eighth Gym Battle. I have to rework the Victory League's lineup anyway."

    It was an issue he'd been putting off over Festivus, and the weeks that followed. Both Cheren and the Striaton triplets were retired. Skyla was demanding freedom from Gym Leader duties but still wanted to keep the perks of being Gym Leader, and Elesa had also announced her retirement. Things were, she claimed, just not the same without Burgh, and it was time for a new light to shine in Nimbasa. That meant his Victory League was down by six Gym Leaders, as Marlon had decided to stay in Fornia, and Nate wanted his free time back as well. Roxie remained at her post, and Clay intended on passing his mantle to his daughter. That left every other slot open and their status as the hardest League in the world was very much in jeopardy, but he had a plan to keep them sharp.

    Nate had been the latest to withdraw his willingness to oversee Opelucid, though at least he and Elesa had replacements in mind. Skyla hadn't responded to him about who would take over her gym, and Lenora had also declined to take up the role again, meaning they now completely lacked a starting Gym Leader. The tattered state of the Victory League was going to be one of his first projects upon his return, as he needed a lineup before the summer started bringing new Trainers. Already, there were gripes on the Pokénet about incompetence from the Champion. There were also rumors that Will and Shauntal wanted to retire and start a family, but he had begged them to hold off, at least for this year, and they'd agreed to stay on, understanding how it would look if two of the Elite Four left as well. This had happened before in the Victory League, and not since Alder was Champion had things really changed. It was halfway into planning, finally, who would take such iconic spots in what was, arguably, his League, that he heard the victory announcement for Isamu, and the call for him to ascend to the battlefield.


    Alex had his seven dragons on him, including Archon, who had finally made his way to their camp, just in time for this match. He and Shruikan would likely end up doing the most work, as Drago's team was no joke. The other six he had with him, who floated into a semicircle behind his head, were Shruikan, Kalagon, Blaze, Arbor, and his newly competition ready Kingdra, Kral. Dracala took the last spot, though Alex doubted Drago would use anyone at his level if this was for World Tournament standing.

    Alex put on his armor for the first time since the war ended, in its entirety. The roar of the crowd and the feel of his full raiment made him pause for a second, as the snow and blood filled images he'd witnessed from under the helmet flashed past his eyes. He shook his head free of them and focused on the present. Drago was still dressed in black and gold, flying on his Salamence, and judging by the look on the ground bound referee's face, it seemed like he'd stolen the man's mic. "Oho! The Dragon Emperor dons his armor, just for us!" There were just as many jeers as there were whoops, following the Dragon Master's statement. "I'm glad you're taking us seriously." He said, grinning down at Alex, and his levitating Pokéballs.


    image


    Alex shouted back up at Drago, and yet the entire stadium heard him. "I'm using all seven of my Dragon Types. Only one isn't quite ready for ranked World Tournament Battles."

    Drago caught on to what he was saying. "Six on Six then! Substitutions from the Challenger only, and freedom to use all Moves and power ups as we see fit!" The crowd roared, as Drago and his Salamence descended back to the field. "You know my first pick! Summon yours, and we shall begin!"


    Alex thought his choice over carefully, as this battle now mattered, thanks to Drago. His several ranked battles on the Estrada Real had helped him keep his status in the top thirty-two, and he'd been sitting at twenty consistently, while other Trainers continued to battle and raise their points. Defeating a Dragon Type Master, and a Gym Leader ranked as the eighth in his region, would probably catapult him back up to tenth in the world, or even the single digits. Masters over a single type were exceedingly rare, especially in the modern era when any Trainer worth their ID knew type coverage was essential. Finally making his choice, Kral, his Kingdra, came forth from his ball, and though Shruikan and Blaze were salty, Alex prioritized his newer team members over a species both of them had fought plenty of times. They were just eager for a battle that counted, and he was sure he'd need them later for Drago's team.

    The Salamence eyed the Kingdra, and growled a statement of respect towards him. Kral returned it with a trumpeting roar, demanding a worthy battle from the strong Salamence, and with that, the Drone Rotom began the match. Drago went first, mega evolving his partner as he shouted, "Get in there Sala! Dragon Claw!" The crowd roared as they bore witness to a Mega Salamence, hiding what Alex said to Kral, but the attentive Kingdra listened carefully.

    "Bring the rain and snow. Keep it back with Ice Beam and use Agility when you can." Kral nodded, and psychic power surrounded his form as the Salamence closed the distance. With Agility, Kral dodged, and a series of rather accurate Ice Beams forced the aerial dragon to loop away from them, though one of the three did hit the dragon's flank.


    Again, Kral sped up, and again, Drago ordered the same move, and again, Kral dodged it with ease. This time the Ice Beams formed a frozen prison several feet thick around the Salamence, blocking off sound and sight, as the Snowscape mixed with the Rain Dance Kral had summoned. Alex had, while training his Kingdra, taken a page from arguably the strongest Kingdra known to the Trainer world, who just so happened to belong to Sikandar Jiyoshi. The Great Wall of Indius had no issues against dragon types, and Kral was lowkey Alex's answer to Raajapani, assuming he met Sikandar in the finals.

    Finally, furiously, the Mega Salamence Brick Breaked its way free of the ice, only to emerge into a raging snowstorm. "Blizzard!" Alex shouted again, and as the Mega Salamence emerged, it was quickly shoved back into the ice dome, which became absolutely buried as Kral directed snow, wind, and ice to fill it and trap the Salamence within. A quadruple weakness to the cold made this tactic all the more effective, but Drago's Salamence burned free regardless with a mighty Fire Blast. To its credit, it did manage to drive off the Blizzard, but as it focused on doing so, the speed boosted Kingdra shifted into its blind spot and sniped it with a pinpoint Ice Beam, ending the round.

    Drago grimaced, as he recalled his partner. "You Battle like the Indius Champion."

    Alex smirked at him. "I Battle to win, and Sikandar is quite good at winning. I'm glad to be compared to the Strongest in Eous."


    The crowd cheered at his words, and surprisingly, there were quite a few loud shouts of Sikandar's name as well. It seemed the Indius Champion had a following on the Dark Continent. Drago brought out his own Kingdra next, and Alex had Kral fire off a Draco Meteor as it took the field. With Dragon Dance it spun past most of the meteors, though a few area of effects were unavoidable. As the Kingdra prepared to fire back, its eyes widened along with Drago's, as they realized Alex had made a switch, resetting Kral's depleted special attack power, and summoning the perfect counter to a Kingdra.

    Archon's massive form rose slowly from the sleeping position he'd been in, and he roared at the Kingdra, his Voice shaking the air as he woke up. Alex's was almost comically small compared to it, as he shouted, "Dragon Pulse!" The stadium shook as the titanic dragon bridge fell to all fours, and the crowd cheered as they saw the sky darken in response to how much dragon energy the ancient Archaludon was summoning.

    The draconic energy manifested the vaguely draconic head and wings of a dragon as it boomed towards the Kingdra, and despite firing an Ice Beam, the sheer amount of dragon energy overpowered it, and struck home. Despite being critically struck, the Kingdra held on, but Archon didn't even blink at the Ice Beam it launched and finished the sea dragon with another massive Dragon Pulse. "That Archaludon…" Drago said, as he recalled his Kingdra.

    Alex nodded at the unasked question. "Behold Archon, Ace of the first Dragon Emperor! He has agreed to join my team. This is actually our first Battle together." Drago just sighed and nodded, bringing out a well-trained Flygon. Its wings buzzed to life as it faced down Archon and narrowed its eyes. "It'll be too fast for Dragon Pulse. Just keep the Rain Dance going." Archon nodded, and with a roar, the rain increased to uncomfortable levels. The ground typed dragon was visibly irritated.


    Alex switched again then, back to Kral, who began adding snow to the intense rainstorm as he appeared. Drago smirked, as Alex ordered an Ice Beam. "Flamethrower!" The fire and ice attacks canceled out, and Drago followed with, "Alluring Voice, go!" The Flygon tried to whip up a sandstorm, but the air was already dominated by the wet and cold. Powerful waves of fairy energy hammered Kral, who struck in turn with Ice Beam.

    Both dragons were panting hard after that, and their Trainers repeated the moves called once again. Ice Beam from the sniper struck home, but so too did the fairy typed sound waves that Flygon shot at Kral. Both dragons went down, fainted, but Alex retained the lead. Next, came a dragon Alex had long sought but never found the secret to acquiring. Hydrapple was a grass dragon, a literal wyrm in an apple, but there were actually seven dragons in there, and the 'apple' that constituted its bottom half was no apple at all, but rather congealed and hardened (and quite delicious) syrup that Hydrapple naturally produced. Despite its sinister serpentine appearance, it was actually quite friendly and would often share its sugary syrup for those lucky enough to know how to acquire both a Dipplin and then make it evolve.

    Alex threw Kalagon out, and his violent shark dragon started to drool as he scented the opposing dragon's syrup. "Kal!" Alex called, and the Garchomp snapped back to attention. "Watch the Syrup Bomb, it'll make you slow. You can eat some after the battle, right now, focus. If it hits you, you will be a sitting Ducklett." Kalagon growled an affirmative, and Alex pointed, holding up a Draco Plate shard that resonated with his Garchomp's Draco Plate, and empowered his dragon moves further, one time. "Mega Dragon Claw!"


    Kalagon shot forward with the speed of a fighter jet, closing on the much slower dragon as he attained his Mega Form, and somersaulted his massive draconic scythe arms through the air. They struck home not on Hydrapple, but the candy-coated shell they were all hiding in. It started to split but was quickly sealed by a spray of syrup from one of the wyrms within. "Watch the counter!" Alex warned, and Kalagon started spinning into a Dragon Dance.

    Sure enough, Syrup Bombs started falling across the field, and though the ravenous Mega Garchomp wanted to bite one, he held off. "Sandstorm!" Alex ordered, as he looped around their side of the field. A sudden explosion of sand overpowered the fading rain and snow, and Kalagon's moves grew even stronger. "Poison Jab and Aerial Ace!" He shouted, trusting the shark dragon to use them as needed. In a display of aerial agility that the crowd had to watch through heat vision on the stadium's screen, Kalagon masterfully sliced through the Syrup Bombs with Aerial Ace. His scythes had such fine precision, that the syrup didn't even linger on his blades to slow him down.

    They sank easily into the freshly made syrup, spreading dark purple poison with Poison Jab. At that point, the round devolved into a melee, and there was only one dragon that excelled in such combat on the field currently. Somewhat sticky, Kalagon emerged from the fading sandstorm victorious, but damaged, and Alex recalled him, as Drago did the same. The Dragon Master had lost his bravado with each defeat. Being down four to Alex's one did not sit well with his ego. He brought out a Naganadel next, and seeing its level, Alex only had one real choice. Also, Shruikan was likely to burst out, if he wasn't picked soon.


    Alex summoned his sparking black Salamence to the field, and Drago's grin returned. "Now that's who I wanted to see! Your Ace!"

    Shruikan raised his head proudly, taking in the cheers that followed Drago's statement. Alex responded by raising his Key Stone, and Shruikan nodded, ascending to his Mega Form, and setting the crowd off again. A Mega black Salamence was a new sight for them. "Alright Shruikan! Plasma Bomb!"

    Drago grinned darkly. "Keep pace with it." And despite sitting at a terrifying seven hundred points of power for its stats, the Naganadel kept pace with the Mega Salamence, with ease. "Dragon Pulse!"

    The two dragons fired their projectiles and peeled off from each other. Shruikan Dragon Danced away from the arcing beam of blurple energy, but his Plasma Bomb was locked onto the biochemistry of the poisonous dragon. It slammed home hard, but the Ultra Beast was nowhere near done. "Alright Shruikan, Earthquake!" His Salamence smashed into the ground immediately, and the crowd roared as the electric dragon proved he could Earthquake as hard as the rest of his team, with ease. "Now get in close with Psychic Fangs!"


    Despite its attempt to dodge, the wave of rising ground caught the Naganadel, and then, in a blur of pain, Shruikan was there, his psychic energy limbs fangs sank into the Ultra Beast. "Leech Life!" Drago ordered, and the Naganadel shifted, piercing Shruikan with its stinger.

    Before it could start absorbing, Alex shouted, "Fire Blast! Get away from it, and Plasma Bomb!" A massive five-pronged blast of flame suddenly overpowered the bug move and burned the Ultra Beast's stinger as it forced it away and then exploded in flame. Naganadel roared free from the attack's smoke cloud, Dragon Pulse ready to fire, but Shruikan had already launched his Plasma Bombs. Not taking any chances, Alex added, "Dragon Claw! Make sure it's down!"

    Shruikan nodded and flew rapidly into the dust cloud of the exploded Plasma Bombs, found his target clinging to consciousness, and then ended the round with his claws. A thunderous crack boomed through the stadium, and the dust cloud instantly dispersed, as Shruikan stood victorious, and roared. The crowd roared with him, and his tail swished eagerly at so much praise. Alex was just glad to see him enjoying himself. His partner didn't smile nearly enough these days, and Alex knew why. He was smiling now though, and that grin grew wider on his sparking, toothy maw as he saw his next, and final, opponent as Drago shouted, "Come, Helion!"


    The evolution of Heliolisk was exceedingly rare, in that only Dragon Tamers from the Dark Continent had ever managed to figure out how to evolve one. Doing so, and bringing out Heliodon's full potential, was what had made the League qualify Drago as a Dragon Type Master. It was big, built like a Druddigon, but far less rough. Its leathery skin was primarily yellow, though its head and belly were mostly black. Four black spikes and three yellow spikes flared from either side of its head and a crest of spikes ran from its shoulders to its tail, but Alex saw no sign of the trademark frill of its prior evolution. At least, not until it stood up to its full height, and stared down Shruikan. A strange arrow-like shape burned to life over its tail, and with a roar, a burning halo of radiance appeared behind its head. White in the center, and ringed with orange, it glowed like the Sun, but the energy it gave off was electric, not fire. Though he'd studied Heliodon, there was much he did not know about it, like that its frill was composed of energy and not always visible.


    image


    Shruikan sparked with electricity in response, as he came around, and landed before Alex. The battlefield began sparking with the potent mix of electrical powerhouses that would normally never have encountered each other if not for humans.

    "Plasma Bomb!"

    "Solar Burn!"

    The two electric dragon types fired off their signature moves, and the concentrated burning beam of plasma shot towards the condensed, spherical ball, also of plasma, where the attacks collided. This only served to properly electrify the terrain, as they canceled out.


    Alex grimaced and then shouted at Shruikan. "Time to use it! Storm Voice!" Shruikan looked thrilled at his Trainer's words. They'd determined using Hyper Voice to combine three attacks was a bit too strong for regular battles. But the Heliodon could take it, Alex was sure. "Dovah! Qo! Gol!" Shruikan chose his three elements, in this case, dragon, electric, and ground, and weaved them together with dragon energy into a swirling multi typed ball of pain. Helion looked back at Drago, whose mouth was open. Then, he reacted, "Reflect Screen, and Dig!"

    The Sediidah exploded on the field as the Heliodon hastily formed a psychic shield, and then dove into the earth, its energy frill once more vanished. Alex didn't know exactly what that meant but given that he'd bet money the frill was a part of or reacted to the electric dragon's ability, whatever it was, he preferred forcing them to keep it hidden. He smirked, as he heard Drago call for Dig, and the counter was immediate, and brutal.

    "Earthquake."

    Shruikan was a speed boosted blur, and this time, his Earthquake was also boosted thanks to Dragon Dance raising his speed and his attack power. The field shattered, and the yellow form of the Heliodon appeared amidst the raging sea of earth. "Finish it!" Alex ordered, "Dragon Claw!"


    Drago wasn't done yet, though. "Helion! Sunny Day!"

    Shruikan struck the electric dragon as he fired the burning orb of fire energy into the sky above the stadium. Shruikan roared in victory, but the referee didn't call the match. He buzzed the ref and growled, trying to get him to pay attention, but his eyes were focused on the sun dragon. Alex grimaced, as he made an assumption.

    They were going to have to eat the sun.

    "Shruikan!" His name got the dragon's attention, as Helion started glowing a bright, intense orange and yellow. "Use Psychic Fangs and swallow the Sunny Day!"

    Shruikan gave him a look, and started moving, but mentally he said, "I'm not fireproof on the inside. You know this."

    Alex sighed. "Psychic Fangs will create a bubble around it. You need to control that energy and make it yours. The Sun is just a star. And what are stars made of, brother?"

    Shruikan smirked at him from the air, as he shot towards the Sunny Day.

    "Plasma."


    As Shruikan opened his psychic encased toothy maw to literally swallow the Sunny Day, he winced from the heat but then turned it to his purposes. Alex called the move as fiery plasma became condensed, focused, and enhanced within Shruikan's maw.

    "Plasma Bomb!"

    With the light from Sunny Day literally eaten, which seemed to stun the crowd, and Drago, the Heliodon stopped glowing, and slumped, but slowly raised its head towards Shruikan. This time, the Plasma Bomb was burning red, and it practically roared as it detonated with enough force to shake the stadium, and the surrounding city. Alex slowly stroked his beard, watching with interest at the difference in power, and Shruikan sighed, as he had a feeling he'd be doing his sun-eating trick again. It wasn't that bad, though. Aside from a few painful but small mouth burns, he was fine to keep battling.

    Helion however, was not. That final, brutal explosion had sent him into unconsciousness, and Drago recalled him, as he began walking across the field. Alex, meanwhile, examined Shruikan's 'minor burns' which were actually pretty severe. Nothing a Max Potion didn't fix, but they needed a better way to contain the heat of Sunny Day. Maybe Fire Fang, or dragon energy.


    The crowd started chanting as they realized the match was over, and Shruikan eagerly raised his wings. "Go on." Alex said, "Bask in the glory." He chuckled as Shruikan, still boosted from Dragon Dance, shot into the air with a victorious roar. The crowd was chanting 'Sol Comedor' over and over, and though he wasn't super familiar with what was left of Rio's languages aside from Common, he knew enough to know what Sol meant, and guessed they'd dubbed him the Sun Eater. Shruikan was definitely enjoying the newest of his titles.

    Drago handed him the Dracon Badge, which was shaped like a Heliodon, but colored the blurple of dragon types. "That…is one impressive Salamence you've trained there." Drago said, offering his muscled arm for a handshake.

    Alex took it, gripping it Norstad style, and nodded. "His temper can flare sometimes, but yes…he certainly is something." Their manly arm clasp ended, as the sound of the World Tournament rankings updated, and Drago winced, as he saw how far he'd fallen. Alex, meanwhile, had a wide smirk. "I have to thank you Drago. Your Battle got me back up to number nine."


    Alex and Isamu thanked the Dragon Master again and then returned to the locker room below to use the healing machine there. "What will you do now?" Isamu asked sensing rightly that Alex was about to finally dissipate this clone.

    "I have some things to deal with back in Unova. You'll be alright in Paldea?"

    Isamu nodded. "Aria wants us to take our Champion Assessment together, and I need seven more Badges to do that." He sighed, heavily. While he enjoyed Gym matches, they did, he had noticed, tend to get somewhat repetitive eight times in a row. The same was true even for Gym Leaders, but the system worked and had been in place for centuries. It was unlikely to change much.

    Alex shrugged. "Naranuva may allow you to get credit from your Battles here. Gambino and Duarte may not end up being enough to count, given what happened with them, but the others should be fine. If there's an issue, just have the Paldea League contact me. I'll corroborate your competence." Alex held out a hand, then. "Good luck, Isamu. Once you work with the rest of your team some more, you're going to be more than worthy of Champion rank."

    "Does…does this mean I'm a proper Scale now, too?" The green haired teen asked.

    Alex shook his head. "Not quite yet, Padawan. But I think we can at least see about getting you a plasma sword. Finish your travels in Paldea, and when next we meet, we'll pay the Chargestone caves a visit." With their goodbyes said, Isamu left the locker room, and Alex bamfed his partners to his main body. The clone body he'd used for a few weeks now, by far the longest he'd kept intact, finally dissipated, leaving the tiled locker room emblazoned with Rio's colors eerily empty.
     
  • Threadmarks
    • I really am loving the amount of new chapters these days.
     
    Chapter 58: Rumble in the Jungle, Part 2
  • Threadmarks
    • Chapter 58: Rumble in the Jungle, Part 2​




    A/N: Same deal for this part of the chapter, more stories, taking place somewhat concurrently with the shenanigans on the Estrada Real. This is the final part of the bits I've been cooking for some time now, but don't worry, more will come in probably the usual amount of time between chapters.



    Enjoy.    ​




    A Tale of Types and Triumphs​




    Several weeks passed, and the Dragon Emperor's team trained hard, either in their balls or against the dangers of Selva Muerta. Astrum had chosen his ball, when he kept falling to violent poison attacks from pretty much every inhabitant of the Forest of Death that wanted to taste a golden Togekiss, and eventually, he just Teleported to Jess and her team, since they were in an altogether nicer place. So far, the training with Gelauros had gone well for Alex, Terra, Kalagon, and everyone else with an ice weakness. The entropic cold was not so painfully shocking anymore, and while things like Ice Beam would probably still do the same damage, they wouldn't stun anymore. While most of their training had hard limits at endangering their lives recklessly, there was, as usual, one exception.

    Alex's currently not-possessed R-Phone case started beeping, as even without a Rotom, it could still tell time and set alarms, along with all the other basic functions of a smartphone. This particular alarm was for the temperature, and it had been going off for quite some time before Alex's prime consciousness actually noticed. He'd been so engrossed in journeying with Isamu and training the teammates actually traversing the jungle that he hadn't realized how far Gelauros had gone.

    He tried moving a limb, only to find himself completely frozen, which was, medically, very not good for his continued survival. His first thought though, was his teammates enduring the frost with him. Sure enough, Terra's body had gone into hibernation, as had most of the others with ice weaknesses. He kept from panicking, but the worry was obvious as he reached for Blaze and suddenly found his mind sluggish. For whatever reason, it seemed noticing his peril had increased its effect on him all at once, and his team reacted as his desperation started rising.

    He felt his clones ceasing to function and move and urged his Charizard to hurry. The sight Blaze came upon appeared to be an icy hill. The surrounding area was so cold, even Gel's body had eventually shut down and focused only on expelling his frosty power into the air, as he'd been doing for days now. Blaze tried to get his ice typed contemporary to notice him, but his roars failed. A Flamethrower managed to get a response at least, namely an ice beam that had become more energy than ice. Blaze dodged it easily and mocked his sleepy little brother.


    That got Gelauros to wake up though, and the Blizzard finally stopped as his blue eyes slowly widened, then shot open in realization and horror. He didn't move, terrified that he'd frozen his brothers as he had his mother, when he was young. He knew from traumatic experience that moving too much might break and irreparably damage their bodies. Immediately, Blaze used Heat Wave, which helped. The fact that each of them had been maintaining barriers against Gel's cold was probably what had saved their lives, though as things stood, they were pushing the edge of safe training.

    Alex kept mentally downplaying their situation, even as Heat Wave, despite its power, did not completely thaw them. They were visible now, no longer buried in snow, and the natural power of the Sun itself was being used for Sunny Day, rather than the fiery orb that appeared in indoor battles. When outdoors, and during the daylight, the move could become much stronger, as it acted more like a fire-typed magnifying glass of an already existing and nearly infinite heat source. Blaze could take it further though, he had learned. Like the Articuno of Norstad, he had learned to incorporate the Light into his flames, and though it was his first attempt with Heat Wave, he focused his considerable power to make it into a newer, more advanced, and potentially more damaging move. Sun Wave.

    Alex felt the minds of his teammates waking, and he urged them not to move, psychically holding them in place, as they tried to do so on instinct. Like a pair of hot pockets in a microwave, they needed to be 'cooked' long enough to not have an uncooked frozen bit in their middle. Then, he needed to use Heal Pulse. For a tense five minutes, Blaze continued to burn like the Sun, and when Alex felt their insides were all sufficiently warm and gooey again, a wave of Light infused psychic energy, as he took a page from his Charizard, pulsed through his team. One by one, he made sure their bodies, and cells, were functioning properly from their unintentional cryo-stasis, and then released the psychic hold on them. Within ten minutes, he'd gotten his clones functioning again, which was good, considering what he and Isamu were dealing with up on the northernmost coast of the megalopolis that was Rio, in Porto Nova. He'd had to cut his focus down to one, but now the Mind Plate's energy was flowing once again.


    For the first time in days, his actual body stopped floating and landed by his team. Those who'd been frozen seemed more worried about him, than the fact that they'd almost become an unintentional creepy ice sculpture display. "I'm sorry, guys…I was careless." He checked his phone then and nodded. "Seems like your power was starting to mess with the weather anyways, Gel. I think we're about as used to the cold as we can be. Go and gather the others…I need to cut down on the clones for a while, and I think it's about time for a…convocation on how the various Types of energy work." All but Terra left his side, and he patted the massive earth tortoise. "I'm sorry…I could've lost you guys, with my carelessness. Or permanently injured you. The scans say you're fine, but…" He sighed, heavily. "It was too close. I need to be better."

    Terra nudged him with his hard head. "Things like this will happen, at our level. We have grown stronger. We can resist the freeze better than before. Your methods worked…even though we became perhaps…overconfident in the face of our brother's power. We survived." Alex smirked at the pride Terra felt in Gel's strength, even despite almost dying to it. He felt an apple, fresh from his starter's tree, fall toward his behatted head as it moved through the air, and he psychically caught it, pulling it to his hand. He munched quietly, but his mind had not shifted.

    Terra was making him feel better, but he'd still failed his team. Kalagon especially, having this kind of potential damage to a growing body…he decided they would all be getting rest, for at least two days. He was done with the apple, having devoured it, by the time the team had gathered. He nodded at them, impressed by how much stronger everyone was looking, and he felt noticeably better as he reduced the number of clones. From their eyes, most of them seemed to be either worried for him, and their brothers, or annoyed that their training was stopping. Khan in particular was practically panting fire from his toothy maw, but his claws had cooled down, at least.


    "Now that most of you are here," Alex began, as his clone with Isamu bamfed over Po, Champ, Fulguron, and Gauss, "I wanted to get a rough estimate of how many teammates we have of each Type. This will determine who we add next, to finally fill out our roster to sixty non-Legendary Battlers." Gelauros stood alone, and with a wide area of space around him, as he naturally cooled the air in his vicinity.

    Alex started counting then, and for his dual types, which was most of his team, he counted them twice. Overall, they had a very good spread if one wanted coverage, and when he considered the move pools of each partner, they were more than covered. "What I'm seeing so far…is a lack of Ice. Which is needed, and also rather common, in competitions. The only question that leaves…is who?"

    Lux, now in his phone again, floated in front of him. Alex read the words, and smirked. "So. Chonkley has a new son, and Rick Astley wants a good Trainer for him. Interesting. Walrein is Water and Ice, and he could cover for Pruina. I like it. Now we'd need just one more, which would bring us to a solid four." He glanced around, but nobody offered any species. It was Terra, who spoke first. "Use your clones in Paldea. The fighters are done at Fury Falls. Send that one to the Ice Mountain. You'll find a partner there if you descend the peak."


    Alex nodded in agreement, as his starter was correct. Sneasel, Cetoddle, Cubchu, Swinub, there were plenty of valid candidates he could run into. Quietly, and hidden from his team, Alex had the clone in question use his R Phone case to look up what Glaseado's residents had for shiny variations, and one in particular caught his eye immediately. The clone fed his party a sandwich with a Klawf stick, and some of the salty mystical herbs Florian had told him to grab, if he saw them. Apparently, they were more common than ever, and it was actually very helpful for local Rangers and local Paldean Trainers if those herbs on the road or in the wilds were gathered before some overly territorial Pokémon got them. Team Star had actually been the ones handling those Pokémon that did find those herbs, and become Titan sized as a result. Beating them shrank them down to Alpha size. Most were caught and distributed to a team member afterwards. That was probably why ninety nine percent of Naranuva Academy's students were also in Team Star. Everyone wanted Alpha sized Pokémon.

    "Aside from Ice…Fairy also sticks out. As powerful, and special, as Astrum is, we can't leave it all solely to him, and the Fairy Type is also quite useful in competitions. The only problem is…" He had Lux enlarge, so the gathered Pokémon could see the list of known fairy types. Very quickly, they understood. "None of them really match…our…" He stopped, on the Galarian Form of Weezing, and his team began to chuckle. "Vibe." Alex finished, smirking wide. "Right, so I'll bamf to Galar, and try to find a Weezing, or a strong Koffing with the right personality. That'll raise our Poison power, too, and he'll only have to be wary of Steel Types. We do need more Poison, though…hmm. I'll talk to Tony, when we next see him. He and Maria have plenty of Nidoran Eggs." Just then, his phone beeped, with a call. It was Eric, probably with bad news. He looked at Terra. "Start teaching them about the Grass Type, and how best to wield it. Saur and Arbor too." The Torterra, Venusaur, and Sceptile set about their task, and very quickly, Arbor became the more popular explainer, mostly because the two oldest starters tended to ramble, about the nature of growing things, like dew on the budding leaf, or wind on an open hill. They also tended to speak very slowly, by comparison. Eventually, Saur and Terra just ended up speaking to each other, while Arbor confidently handled explaining the nature of the Grass Type to the others.

    For his part, Alex answered his phone with a smirk. "Brother. What's wrong now?"


    Eric looked haggard, as if he hadn't slept. Rolling out the Rotom Replicators and dealing with the aftermath of that, was becoming a full-time job. Thankfully, it was a job Tao had already created a government organization specifically to handle, but they were still being implemented, and there were still instances and problems to deal with. Mostly, it was either some thug attacking a Replicator, and being hurt by powerful electric and ghost moves, or a cultural issue. Not every culture viewed burgers as 'suitable food' but Alex reasoned, correctly, that if say, Indius, had solved world hunger they'd all be having rather simple curry, or some other local dish he was unaware of. But, it was the Dragon Empire that had solved the problem, and thus, the world got burgers.

    It was, in every way, a ClusterMuk. But the world was fed, and the people finally had an option to avoid starvation. For free. Food prices had initially skyrocketed, but as more people got home Replicators, they fell quickly, leaving much egg on the face of food companies. While expensive to produce with a Rotom, many people already had one in their phone and teaching them how to run a Replicator was quite easy, as the intelligent little sparks caught on fast, and had a blast doing so. Indeed, Rotom had almost become considered holy in some places, usually remote places that had never had a surplus of anything, let alone food.

    "Well," Eric started, "Aside from a dangerous drop in your biorhythm, which seems to have normalized, the weather. Your Aurorus has managed to create a massive thunderstorm over the rainforest, and the forecast is predicting Rio will be hit by a rather intense tropical storm as a result. I take it since you finally answered, he's stopped, so you may want to deal with that."

    Alex simply nodded. "Shruikan can handle it. He's been playing in the storms forming around Gel for weeks now." Despite his own ice weakness, the proud dragon claimed that attacks didn't make him so much as flinch anymore. He talked big, but his control over type energy backed up his words. Now, that control would save Rio from storm damage. Alex mentally explained to him how storms formed and worked, and within maybe thirty minutes, the black dragon was driving the ones over the jungle out over the megacity to the east, and then out to sea with temperature-controlled air currents of his own making.

    The rest of the team had since moved on to how water moves worked. It was actually James Pond who was explaining, given his eloquence, accent, and intelligence. "Water, is the foundation of life. It exists in most living things, which is why many Pokémon can use Water Moves. The trick to controlling Water is controlling its flow. Once you figure out how to do that, you can make your attacks faster, or more condensed as needed." Someone asked about ice, and Bubble O7 replied, "Turning Water to Ice is actually a matter of controlling heat, which brings us nicely into Fire…"

    Alex closed his eyes, focusing on his Paldean clone on Glaseado Peak as the team discussed the nature of flame with Blaze. His Charizard knew what he was talking about, and they didn't really need his insight, for this part of their training.




    Paldea's Highest Peak - Paldea Region​




    Alex Redwood took in a deep lungful of frozen air at the highest peak in Europa, outside the Mediterra Mountains of course. He was alone at the top of Paldea, and as he exhaled, the snow under his stupidly large feet formed into a passable pair of sharp ice skis. He leaned forward then, and let gravity do the rest. Very quickly, much quicker than the last time he'd gone skiing at the age of twelve, he approached a dangerous top speed. He raised his hands and sliced the air with his airbending, propelling himself even faster, as he sailed out over a river carving into the mountain.

    He had no fear though, since this was a clone body. In fact, the rush of adrenaline was practically addictive. As he hurtled down the mountain at a pace that would probably kill anyone else, he went soaring off a perfect incline and waved at the Pokémon watching him sail through the air below, who murmured quietly to each other, though none of them made an effort to stop his seemingly suicidal descent. He tasted salt in the air, briefly, before gravity started pulling him back towards the snow. He gestured with a hand then as he landed hard but felt nothing, seeing a glint in the snow, and pulled an Ice Stone into his palm.

    He smirked, as he psychically killed his momentum, and started skiing at a leisurely pace looping side to side, the proper way, as he made his way towards a massive herd of Cetoddle and Cetitan lounging around the frigid beach on Glaseado's northern base. It seemed the onset of spring was when their species gathered in massive numbers, or perhaps it was his meal's power at work. Whatever the reason, as he skidded to a hard stop on his ice skis and pocketed the stone, he gave a friendly wave to the few Cetoddle who noticed him.

    Adorable as they were, he didn't try catching them, as white and pink was not really his style. He was after something specific. The toddling cetaceans found it very funny that he could speak Pokémon, and a crowd of them was gathering around, the more they asked for tickles, or a berry. He did note the nearby Cetitan, but the gentle giants, while very much watching him, soon were able to realize he was no threat. Just another Trainer, probably looking for one of their black skinned family members. After speaking with some of the older Cetoddle, Alex learned that the herd, and species in general, apparently didn't care for the darker toned members of their line. Black Titans, they called them, which funnily enough only made Alex more eager to train one.


    He hiked back and forth down the coast, from the beach up to the salt sprayed snowy cliffs, and sure enough, with time and patience, he found what he was looking for, long after the Cetoddle stopped finding him interesting. His feet were sore, his leg clothing, despite being special, was very much soaked, and he was starting to shiver, as his cold, wet state was feeding back to his prime body, but he hadn't given up, and his persistence was rewarded. His target was massive for a Cetoddle, at the very least bigger than usual, which meant he promised to live up to the moniker his species had given him. He was staring determinedly out at the ocean's horizon from the edge of an icy cliff and looked like he'd been in a battle recently.

    "Hello there." Two large, adorable eyes ringed in a bright orange that contrasted his dark grayish skin looked over the human, and blinked, as he realized he could understand the human perfectly. "Looks like you've had a Battle recently, my friend." Alex knew he was looking at the loser of that contest.

    The Cetoddle nodded, sadly, as the consequences of his loss set in. "It was…Big Chief's son. He does that a lot…fight me…usually he has his friends help…but this time was…different. We Battled for a female, and I…even alone, I lost to him."


    Alex nodded, sagely. "It's because he's gotten more Experience, from winning those other Battles. While you haven't had…any wins, I'm guessing." The Cetoddle nodded. Alex just smirked at him. "Well. I can help you, if you like. I happen to be pretty good at training Pokémon, or so my fellow Humans tell me. We have two paths before us, assuming you're up for it." The Cetoddle thought for a moment, and then agreed, as he realized the human knew what he was talking about. Even Pokémon understood that to become stronger, one had to win. Losses gave a different kind of experience, unfortunately, one that did not spur their growth.

    "I can take you, in a Pokéball, to the south, and have you fight some Grass Types. There's quite a few Tropius herds around, and with a little effort, you could grow strong against them quickly. They're also quite a friendly species, as I hear it. Very close to the people of Medali, who make good culinary use of their fruits." The Cetoddle's eyes widened with recognition, and Alex guessed his nest was near the city, as his species appeared around that side of Glaseado as well. "Our other option is to leave Paldea entirely. Travel with me, and my team, and come back as a Cetitan they won't be able to match. It'll take longer, but I can guarantee you'll win, if we choose that path."

    The Cetoddle thought it over for a minute, and then said, "I want to stay here. I never thought of fighting the Tropius. And if I can find the right rock…I'll be a Cetitan!"


    Alex's smirk grew, and he pulled the freezing stone, that was not helping his chilled state, from his pocket. "A stone like this, perhaps?" The Cetoddle's eyes grew wide, and he nodded excitedly. Alex held up a Luxury Ball then, already colored black and orange. "Hop inside this, my new friend, and I shall take us to Medali quite quickly."

    The Cetoddle tilted his head, and Alex realized he was pretty young. The female in question must've been his first. "That…metal Apricorn will take us to Medali?"

    Alex shook his head. "Not quite. This is…what Humans call a Pokéball. It's essentially a whole other world, just for you, that I can carry around in my pocket, or elsewhere. It's designed to keep Pokémon safe and comfortable, while they travel with their Trainer. Walking everywhere would get tiring." The Cetoddle nodded, clearly fascinated with the ball.

    "And…this one is mine?"

    Alex nodded. "It can be. Choosing to come with me is a big responsibility. It will change your life forever. In a good way, I hope."

    Suddenly leery, the dark cetacean leaned away from the object slightly. "But…what if I don't want it to change…"


    Alex chuckled and held the ball out fully. "If you don't like it, or my team, I can always release you right back here."

    That seemed to calm him, and the Cetoddle began to think, which Alex encouraged. He was young, but his species was quite smart, like Wailmer. Finally, he said, "You have…other Pokémon?"

    Alex nodded. "Quite a few, actually. It's not like your herd, either. Every single one is a different species."

    The Cetoddle's eyes widened in the cutest way again, even his sigh of exclamation was heart melting. "Every one!? How many do you have?"

    Alex tilted his head. "Around sixty. Which is a lot, for most Humans, but uh, I plan on getting a lot more, over time."

    "How many more?" The Cetoddle asked, eyes still wide.

    "All of them." Alex said, chuckling and smirking.

    "...All of what?" The Cetoddle asked again, his blubber now furrowing slightly between his giant eyes.

    "All of the known Pokémon species. Not all at once, of course, but that is the goal."


    The Cetoddle let out what seemed like a held breath, as he laughed. "Silly Human! You can't catch all of us! You'd die before you did!" He kept laughing for a good thirty seconds, and Alex let him.

    "It's been done before. There have been new species discovered since, but yea, there's already a pretty famous Trainer who caught them all, already. Excluding Legends, of course."

    The Cetoddle looked surprised but then laughed heartily again. "Of course! No Human could catch a Legendary One!"

    "Actually…" Alex said, further blowing his new young friend's mind, as he confirmed that he did in fact claim partnership to quite a few Legendary Pokémon by this point. Four was four more than most humans ever even had contact with. After that, he gladly booped the ball, confirmed that he liked it after being inside for a few minutes, and just like that, they were on to Medali's outskirts.


    There were Trainers about as Alex hopped out of the Flying Taxi, mostly younger academy students, who seemed to immediately recognize him. Ignoring them, he tossed his newest partner into the air, and he popped free with an adorable cry, and that signature sparkle. He toddled excitedly from foot to tiny stubby foot, and then Alex pressed an Ice Stone to his body. He grew in size three times before his shining body stopped, and he embodied his species name, as the titanic cetacean let out a loud howl.

    The other Trainers took note of them now, cautiously staring their way, and the Cetitan, now dubbed Orcinus (or - see - nus) waved a flipper at them. That made them smile, as they waved back. Alex had him start watching TMs then, which thankfully still worked on his phone case without needing a Rotom.

    Once Alex had loaded in the moves Orcinus would need, he left the comically large jet-black titan watching the much smaller screen with intense focus. Alex heard a cough behind him, the kind to get his attention, and turned, giving the group of students his iconic smirk. "Hello there!"

    The group giggled and chuckled, and one whispered, "He said the thing!"

    "How can I help you guys?" Alex continued, resisting a laugh of his own.


    "I have a Turtwig!" One of the youngsters shouted. He had plain features, brown hair and eyes, and his clothes matched his starter. The others laughed, and Alex got the feeling they weren't traveling with Turtwig kid, they'd just happened to meet him out here. He had awkward loner vibes, and Alex sympathized. With a toss, the aforementioned Turtwig came out of his standard Pokéball, and the kid gestured at Alex with his thumb as he stage whispered, "It's the Dragon Emperor!"

    The tiny turtle's eyes widened, and he looked up at the towering human, as Alex examined him with a sharp eye. He frowned, slightly, and the two looked worried. "You uhh…you do water him, right? Their backs need to be kept moist. Or their growth will be stunted." The two looked panicked, and Alex cringed, as he realized how this must seem from an obvious Rookie's perspective, to have a Champion question his competence, in front of his peers. The smirk shifted to a smile, not large, but confident. "It's alright guys, it's easy to correct. Grass Types are very resilient. Uhh…here." One long arm reached behind his back, to his backpack, or a copy of it anyway. It was still bottomless, but the items within were not duplicated. Every clone had access, and could add to their stores, but they also drew from them.

    "This is Protein. Give him some of this with his food, water his back regularly, and he'll be just fine." Alex handed the young Trainer the vitamins, and his eyes widened at the quality. The Scales did not skimp on their vitamins and had the same access as the State's military forces to lower prices or slight discounts, depending on the area.

    "I was going to ask you for tips on raising him! You really are Psychic!" The boy seemed easily impressed, which amused his peers, and Alex.


    "Ahh, well, I didn't read your mind. I just saw his back was a bit dry. Before I was ever Psychic, I was a Turtwig Trainer. Just like you. Take care of him, and you'll go far." The youngsters started to ask more questions, but then, the lumbering titan that was Orcinus stomped up behind him. He didn't quite shake the ground just yet, low level as he was, but he did have height, and an almost menacing natural stare. At least until his eyes turned happy, and he greeted them, then nudged his Trainer. "Sorry guys, I'll answer all your questions next time. We need to train for the World Tournament."

    One of the others, a girl with blonde hair and brown eyes that almost seemed red in the right light, inhaled with obvious excitement. "Are you really going to try to take on Ash Ketchum!? I'd heard you were training so many more Pokémon!"

    Alex humored her, as he tightened his gloves, and noticed a shoelace was loose. He'd also noticed one of her friends, a nerdier or tech savvy sort, start recording without so much as asking, but that was what Alex expected of the R Phone generation at this point. "Y'know, I've met Ash. He's a genuinely good guy. And strong. He lives up to the hype. I saw his Charizard take on a Shadow Pokémon, a Legend no less, and win faster than I could." He omitted the fact that Charizard against Virizion was a terrible matchup for Virizion, and that she'd basically been berserk and barely able to aim her moves, just like her counterparts. He stood up and stretched, saying, "If I get to Ash, it will become a Battle of luck. He has lost before. If I can gain a solid lead early on and hold it, I might outlast his team. But only if we keep training!" He chuckled. "Come, Orcinus! Let's ask the locals to spar." His Cetitan let out a mighty roar, and stomped after his Trainer, who was letting his black and white robe with the symbol of the Dragon Empire on its back flare epically as he walked. Naturally, the video of a world leader going off to train yet another new catch caught fire quickly on the Pokénet.


    In about half a day, Orcinus had gained enough power to face his rival, by his own estimate. As the sun set, they tracked down his rival back where Alex had first found his species gathered. Orcinus' rival, now a Cetitan as well, was doing what seemed like a mating dance with a female Cetoddle. This enraged Orcinus, and he slid on his belly into his rival, letting out a challenging roar as he did so.

    The Big Chief's son, as Orcinus called him, rolled back onto his feet, roared back. The two titanic cetaceans started circling each other then, as their vocalizing strove to overpower the other with sound, specifically, an Echoing Voice. Orcinus had started his first though, so it quickly rose over his rival, at which point the white Cetitan spun into the species unofficial signature move, Ice Spinner. Orcinus eyed his opponent, remembering how he'd lost a head-to-head Ice Spinner clash before. Instead of meeting the powerful ice attack, he used his new knowledge of type advantage, and the large pool of moves Alex had given him.

    He leaned back on his powerful tail as the icy Beyblade came closer. A steely gray shine covered Orcinus' black body, and the following Heavy Slam sent the Big Chief's offspring flying. He tried to rise, but collapsed, fainted in a single blow. The disparity in their strength was now reversed, and even larger. Orcinus let out a victorious roar, and the members of his species who'd been watching the mating display, and then the battle, roared with him, but Alex, who was watching closely, frowned.


    The crowd, such as it was, was not with him. They acknowledged his victory, but did not cheer him or look happy about it. And as Orcinus stomped towards his 'prize', the female in question, she slid past him, to his fainted rival, and helped him to his feet. Orcinus watched with disbelief, then anger, and then sadness, as he realized she'd apparently made her choice. The defeated Cetitan lowered himself humbly, before Orcinus. "You are stronger. If you lead, we will follow."

    Orcinus' large brow furrowed. He didn't want leadership. What he did want, no longer seemed to be considering him as a mate. "Forget it." Orcinus answered, with an angry rumble. "I want no part of this herd." He turned then and stomped over to Alex. The human frowned further as Orcinus said, "Recall me."

    "Are you su-"

    "RECALL ME!" Orcinus thundered, and Alex did so, sighing as his heartbroken friend disappeared in a flash of light.

    Alex fished out a large Sitrus Berry then and approached the wounded Cetitan. "May your line be fruitful." He said, offering the berry before vanishing in a puff of psychic sparkles, simultaneously Teleporting Orcinus back to his main body. By this point in the day, the team was almost done discussing typing, with the final explanation being dragon energy. None of his other dragons quite had the gall or daring to take that role from Shruikan, which amused Alex quite a bit. Alex intended to let Orcinus out again, as he knew from personal experience not to let him stew in solitude over his rejection. What his new friend needed now, was some positive masculinity.




    The Metal Megamind​




    Alex had never been to Rustboro City, but he did find it a bit odd. It didn't really look like a Japanese city, and his growing appreciation for architecture had him guessing most of these buildings were styled similarly to those in Europa, for whatever reason.

    The flustered receptionist was levelheaded now, as she acknowledged his presence again. "Mr. Stone is ready for you, sir. Please make your way upstairs."

    He thanked her, and started walking with purpose, causing murmurs among the people working on the floor between the reception desk and Steven Stone's office. It wasn't every day a world leader walked into one's place of work, let alone the man responsible in part for their free lunch. A large painted portrait of the first, and late, President Stone was on this level, looking older, but confident as he held a stone Alex was unfamiliar with. It was black and sparkling on the outside, but almost like a geode, and the exposed part was gold, and had a rainbow sheen over the star pattern within the remarkable stone. He also admired the skill of the painter, as the subtle changes to his vision were letting him see the masterful strokes that had created this painted memorial to a man of perhaps grayer morals that had, regardless, revolutionized modern technology. Devon had coined the term for Infinity Tech, and they'd also been the first to try to harness it, albeit with abhorrent methods that were realistically always doomed to failure.

    To Steven Stone's creditable morals though, when the Hoenn Champion and the Tamer of the Sea had come to him, a mentor figure of sorts to both of them, he'd made the horrific details of the Sea Mauville's power sources public and had apologized for the actions of his company. He'd also, rather boldly, vowed to continue developing the technology with humane methods, because it was worth it for humanity, and their future.


    "Eye catching, isn't it?" A confident male voice came. Alex looked up to see the world-renowned handsome visage of Steven Stone. He'd added a well-kept short beard to his appearance, but his hairstyle hadn't changed in decades. Alex nodded, and Steven continued, "I'm sure you noticed the stone he's holding. We call it a Sync Stone. It's actually a much stronger version of lesser Sync Stones we found in the same area. Would you like to see it? It's in my office."



    dixbwxp-cdbbda89-d75e-4da6-9803-d10eace8c23f.jpg



    Alex nodded. "I was just on my way up. I'd love to see it."

    The workers shared a knowing look as the two men ascended. The President had tried, with all of Japan's Champions, to get them to hold his father's treasured 'Ultimate Sync Stone' but none had been able to make it sparkle. Not one to let opportunity slip by, when the Dragon Emperor came calling with a mysterious package from the ruins of Rio that apparently belonged to the Stone family, he had another opportunity to present it to a powerful Trainer. The late President Stone had believed his find to be divine, as the energy it once gave off was the same as that measured from Arceus.


    In short order, Steven Stone had brought Alex into a vault absolutely overflowing with precious stones. Diamonds, rubies, gold, and more dazzled his eyes, but only for a moment. The crown jewel of this collection, one radiating a familiar if muted power, sat on a white and gold pillow at the back of the vault.

    He felt the famous Trainer turned CEO watching him, as he approached it. The case folded away as he approached. "May I?" He asked, and Steven nodded. Alex carefully lifted the stone…but nothing happened. He turned it over, admiring the naturally formed beauty. "I'd love to know where your father even found something like this…"

    Steven was quiet for a beat, and Alex heard the disappointment in his voice as he said, "A small, isolated Region in the southern islands of Japan. The Ferrum Region, I believe. The seabed around the Region's main city was teeming with them." Another pause, then, "I admit, I was hoping it would react to you…"


    Alex blinked and reached his senses out to the stone. "Oh. Uhh. If it's okay, Mr. Stone, I'd like to try something." He raised a neat eyebrow, and Alex elaborated. "It feels dormant, like a Plate shard out of power. I think…yea, I think some Draco Plate Energy would awaken it again." He muttered softly then, mostly to himself, "that formula has promise."

    Steven Stone was quiet for a moment. They had, naturally, tried tapping it against an awakened Plate shard. He'd never considered that the type of Infinity Energy would matter. And one of the few people with access to a Draco Plate was before him. "Of course, Dragon Emperor. Go ahead. You'll forgive me if I uh, back up a skosh…"

    Alex nodded and then held up the Ultimate Sync Stone. His right Salamence-headed gauntlet manifested around his arm then, and radiated blurple aura. He poked the stone, and once more Alex's intuition proved accurate. He blinked, as he sensed something else awaken. He heard Arceus in his head and nodded at his request of him.


    "Umm. Mr. Stone, I believe…your father may have left a message of sorts for you. Just grasp the stone and…yea." He did hear its contents, but he decided to forget the words, pushing them from his mind, as they weren't for him. Steven took the stone, and gasped. His eyes rolled back in his head, and Alex briefly hoped the man was okay.

    A moment later, the man's eyes were normal again, and leaking tears. He wiped them away quickly, flushing red. "I'm sorry, Dragon Emperor. I wasn't expecting…I don't normally…cry like this in front of people."

    Alex companionably patted his sharp suit's shoulder. "Just Alex, is fine." In a gentle tone he added, "There's no judgement here, Steven. I once got a similar message and had the same reaction. There's no shame in crying."

    Steven nodded. "I always forget how forward thinking you Unovans are. Thank you, for this. Apparently…Arceus desires me to wield this stone. He also told my father where to find more. Including one for you, o' Slayer of Shadow." He chuckled lightly, composed himself with a small cough, and said, "Now then…you came here for an entirely unrelated reason, didn't you."


    "I did." Alex answered, sensing the CEO wanted to move on. "Atlas, if you'll join me?"

    Steven gasped, as he saw the shiny Metang manifest beside Alex, and then smirked. "Ohh, that takes me back. Right, Metagross?" Another flash of light from Steven's waist brought out the living legend, and the massive platinum Metagross rumbled a greeting to Alex, before his eyes widened, as he saw Atlas.

    Their Trainers watched with interest as the two started conversing rapidly. It was faster than Alex could properly hear though, and in binary, which he did not even remotely understand. He was more impressed at the terrifying speed with which the two could converse. Steven's Metagross started the conversation. "01001001 00100000 01100111 01110010 01100101 01100101 01110100 00100000 01111001 01101111 01110101 00101100 00100000 01100001 01110011 00100000 01110100 01101000 01100101 00100000 01110011 01110101 01101110 00100000 01100111 01110010 01100101 01100101 01110100 01110011 00100000 01110100 01101000 01100101 00100000 01101101 01101111 01110010 01101110 01101001 01101110 01100111 00101110."

    To which Atlas responded, "01000001 01101110 01100100 00100000 01001001 00100000 01100111 01110010 01100101 01100101 01110100 00100000 01111001 01101111 01110101 00101100 00100000 01100001 01110011 00100000 01110100 01101000 01100101 00100000 01110011 01110100 01100001 01110010 01110011 00100000 01100111 01110010 01100101 01100101 01110100 00100000 01110100 01101000 01100101 00100000 01101110 01101001 01100111 01101000 01110100 00101110."

    Steven smiled at Alex. "It must be fascinating, being able to hear them speak."

    Alex smirked at him as the two spoke even faster, and in longer bursts after what seemed like a greeting of some sort. "It's…Binary, to me, honestly. Anyways. We found something, in an abandoned hotel in Rio's ruins. Something that uhm, has your family's name and seal on it." He pulled out and enlarged the stasis capsule then, and Steven's eyes went wide.

    "Holy Muk…this is…" He stared up at Alex. "You went into the Hotel Esqueleto? Willingly? And lived?" He gave Alex a once over, as if the man was properly taking a look at him for the first time. For Steven's part, he had never seen someone so strong be so…chill. And yet he recognized the strength, now that he looked. The fire in the eyes, the confidence in the casual stance. He wasn't all that different from Rikuya.


    Steven pressed his family ring, once his father's, into the sealed container's bottom. "My father said his grandfather was also supposed to have gotten a shiny Beldum for a Pokémon partner. It's a bit of a tradition in our family, but my great-grandfather never got his Beldum. He died when Rio was sacked, and we assumed his possessions were lost. I don't think anyone even knew he'd acquired one. We're lucky Beldum are so resilient. Any other typing and being in stasis this long might have killed them. The tech wasn't very good back then."

    Just then, the Metagross and Metang nudged their Trainers. Atlas spoke directly to Alex's mind. "I have conversed with the elder. We should speak to the Beldum first. It will be…confused. And potentially violent." Suddenly, with a blink and a bamf, they were on the roof, and Atlas shielded the humans, as Metagross gently awakened the sleeping platinum Pokémon. With an enraged metallic cry, it roared to life, and aimed at the first thing it saw, which was Alex. Atlas's Reflect Screen was no joke though, and a significant number of levels separated the Beldum and Metang.

    The Metagross took up its vision then, psychically forcing the mind within to calm, and speak with him. Atlas soon joined in, and soon, the three were chatting with bursts of binary so fast, Alex couldn't even hear the numbers anymore. "So, Atlas." Alex finally said after a solid five minutes, "Are they interested in joining us?" He glanced at Steven. "Assuming that's okay."

    Steven shrugged, with a small smile. "The laws of the road are clear. Finders keepers. Unless what you find is a wallet, or something personal."

    Alex gave him a look. "I'd say a shiny Beldum destined for the Stone family has a bit more value than a wallet." Steven just shrugged again, dropping the issue.


    Atlas acknowledged his request, and patiently, after another entire five minutes he said, "Agreement has been reached. We shall become a Metagross." With that, the three shiny examples of the Beldum line began harmonizing their voices, and Alex fished out the Rare Candies he'd been saving for this specific moment. Steven just watched, his eyes mostly on his Metagross. Sure enough, a few minutes later, a shiny Beldum came hurtling towards them eagerly, propelled by its psychic power. Atlas and Beldum greeted it and began communicating. After exactly sixty seconds, they turned as one to Alex, who was scanning the Beldum with his 'dex, and making sure they hadn't just accidentally summoned a shiny Beldum that someone was already training.

    Alas, the Beldum was wild, and eager to form a Metagross. Apparently, it had spent its life sad, outcast among its group, as it had no other shiny Beldum to merge with. It also seemed to like the idea of being powerful. And it seemed eager to try anime, if Alex heard it correctly. It'd fit right in. Thus, Alex tossed the stasis Beldum the first Rare Candy, and both it and the wild Beldum became a Metang. Atlas ate the next one, and as his golden claws, brimming with Infinity Energy, met with the claws of his counterpart, the two Metang became a single being, with a mind that could match an Alakazam.

    The freshly evolved Metagross roared loud enough to echo across all of Rustboro, and Steven examined Atlas with an expert's eye. "You took excellent care of your Metang. Their composition is quite strong." Atlas thanked Steven, and Steven smirked, running a hand along the smooth top of the metallic megamind. Each powerful spiked foot tapped the ground, as Steven gave each brain scritches.


    Alex hopped atop Atlas with psychic aid and smirked at Steven. "Only the finest Protein for my boys. Now then, if you'll excuse me Mr. Stone…we need to be returning to our World Tournament training."

    Steven nodded. "Of course, Alex. I wish you luck…in fact…seeing your bond, and Atlas' evolution…it makes me yearn to try my own hand at the World Tournament, again." He let out a wistful sigh. His team was pretty long into retirement by this point, and the World Tournament was well under way already.

    "I don't know if you'd win." Alex stated plainly, "We have some serious contenders this year. But I do know that Ash and all your fans would enjoy seeing you and Metagross in a Battle again. And I count myself among that number as well. I watched your matches all the time as a kid, though I eventually went with a Gallade for my main Psychic Type."

    Steven glanced at his Metagross, who gave a cry of encouragement, and he smiled. "I may have to consider it, now. Metagross seems quite eager." He looked back at Alex. "I'll let you know if I find more of those stones. I have a feeling…they have great power within. I'll need your help to figure out how to draw it out."

    "You have it." Alex said, with a nod. "Until next time, Hero of Hoenn."

    As Atlas bamfed away, Steven looked back to his Metagross. "Haven't gone by that title in quite some time…we haven't needed to."

    "Meta."

    "Do you really want to compete again? Get the others back in shape?" Steven asked. "Whoa!" He shouted suddenly, as his suit jacket flared, and all six of his partners came out at once. In unison, they shouted at him, and had big grins on their faces, as if they'd been waiting for their Trainer to find his spark again for quite some time. He chuckled. "Alright guys…but first, we find those Ultimate Sync Stones. If we're going to get a rank in this Tournament worthy of our skill, we'll need that power." His team roared in agreement, and in short order, he was flying atop his silvery Metagross over Rustboro City for the first time in a long while, headed southwards, towards the Ferrum Region.




    The Final Faces​




    Alex and Kalagon were soaring above the western mountains of the Dark Continent, testing his speed and power against the local Noivern, except after several days of doing so, the local Noivern had learned to avoid them out of fear. Kalagon was becoming a proper terror since growing into his final form, that also meant he had an attitude to match. Very few inhabitants of Selva Muerta had actually managed to challenge him so far, and he was growing more bored by the day. Like Shruikan, he was begging for Alex to take them to Norstad or Unova for the final days of their training.

    "What arrre we even looking for, anyway…" Kalagon snarled in irritation. His Trainer's large frame was harder to fly with than he'd ever willingly admit, and he wanted to battle something. They'd been at it for some time now after a sweet and salty basil sandwich break, then, suddenly, Alex pointed. "There! That giant black dot, Kalagon." The Garchomp dove, and his eyes narrowed. "Rrreally? Camerupt?"

    "Absolutely!" Alex shouted into the wind with a smirk. "He's practically tournament ready, large, and…" The Camerupt in question suddenly turned towards them as they approached, and the Numel around him fled in panic. "Oh…Muk. Kalagon. Dragon Dance and dodge!"


    Once he felt his Trainer grip tight to his burly neck and shoulders, Kalagon flared with blurple energy and barrel rolled effortlessly through the rain of erupting rocks launched at them from below. Kalagon landed with an Earthquake, which the angry looking Camerupt effortlessly stopped from affecting his person. The two Pokémon stared each other down, as Alex hopped off and got out of move range.

    Flames erupted around them, as the Eruption attack landed, and the Camerupt formed them into a circular flame wall, entrapping the two outsiders. Kalagon was wholly unbothered by the flames and faced down his opponent with a pent up roar. The Camerupt roared back, and the two started moving towards each other. Alex let Kalagon take this one solo, and the dragon barely acknowledged him, but immediately launched into a move. They weren't in an official battle, so nobody needed to call them out, and taking turns based on speed wasn't a thing. It was just two powerful Pokémon who needed some exercise, ready to beat the Muk out of each other.

    Kalagon launched first, a deadly, snarling, blurple blur. Unfortunately for him the black Camerupt had spent a lifetime going second. A Protect stopped the Dragon Claw, and with a simple raise of his head, a powerful Stone Edge sent Kalagon hurtling away with an angry snarl of surprise. An orb of orange energy formed in the volcano camel's mouth, condensed, and then began sparking with raw, familiar power.


    The Hyper Beam lanced out at Kalagon, but his Garchomp was already gone, into the earth, as the ground exploded in a line, but missed the subterranean dragon. Normally using dig against a famed Earthquake user like a ground type at this level was a bad thing, but Kalagon had time, thanks to Hyper Beam's toll. The Camerupt eyed the nonchalant human with his arms crossed, as the Hyper Beam exploding near him didn't so much as bother him, nor did the wall of burning rocks. Seeing he wasn't going to give commands, the Camerupt ignored him completely. Before the black furred Camerupt could capitalize on his opponent being underground, Kalagon struck twice, thanks to its exhaustion.

    He came up under its jaw with Dig, and then used Dragon Hammer, which he had managed to master thanks to Dragon Tail, and Shruikan's instruction. The heavy flame camel wasn't sent flying by the powerful tail strike but rather kept his feet as he was forcibly slid through the ground. Now recovered, but damaged, he decided to try to end Kalagon. Fiery Infinity Energy flared up from the ground beneath him, and his form shone bright, solidifying as Mega Camerupt before them. The intelligent camel watched them expectantly.

    Alex smirked and nodded at the black furred volcano camel. "Kalagon!" His Garchomp eyed him and then nodded in agreement. That Stone Edge had hit harder than he'd ever admit, but a crit was a crit. He was close to losing, unless he matched the Camerupt. The next moves would decide their match. With a flash of blurple light from his Trainer, Kalagon ascended to his own Mega Form, and let out a roar that shook the air and rang throughout the Dark Continent's western mountain chain.


    The Mega Camerupt looked at the pair, mostly Alex, with newfound respect. He roared in response to Kalagon, and fired off a powerful Earthquake. Alex's Garchomp sneered at it, until it rose out of the earth, like Terra's could. As somewhat of an Earthquake expert by this point, Alex's smirk widened. This Camerupt was legit, and his power was just under Terra and Hydrus. It seemed they'd found a naturally talented Earthquake user.

    The team had been brainstorming a way to 'evolve' Earthquake, the way Blaze had with Sun Wave. Not with the Light, but as essentially the same move and power expenditure, with much bigger results. Lux had even downloaded a Richter Scale app to help measure their prowess. He and Arthur had really stepped up and into their roles as teachers, while simultaneously honing their own skills as well.

    Kalagon sliced through his opponent's wave of earth in a flash of unnatural speed. In the space of half a second, the Mega Garchomp was on him. The Camerupt let out a roar of pain as the dragon's claws, limned with water, sliced into him. The Liquidation stunned him, and Kalagon masterfully followed that strike with a rising spin into a Stone Edge to the jaw that actually managed to knock his heavy opponent onto his side.


    With a heavy groan, the Camerupt lost his Mega Form. Kalagon roared his victory, and the nearby Numel herd started wondering aloud if his win meant Kalagon was going to eat them now. He stared at them for a long moment as he heard that, but eventually let his own Mega Form fade too. By that point, the Camerupt was slowly making his way to his feet again.

    In short order, Alex had recruited him with his usual tactics, and dubbed him Eruptus, which was the name he preferred most. With yet another defense heavy Earthquake user, Alex and Kalagon returned to the camp to continue training. He contacted Tony then, and his Nidoking did, in fact, have a special Nidoran for him, one who sought power, and battle, unlike most of his other offspring. Once Alex brought him out, and saw that ultramarine blue color, he tried to think of the most historically favorable Ultramarine from the Imperium's less murderous eras of history, and dubbed him Calgar, after a famous Legion Commander of the Ultramarines who had advocated against the Imperium's reliance on slaves. Marneus Calgar had owned many, and yet he'd made them into ideal specimens of Man, many had even been uplifted to Astartes, and being kept as his slave was seen as a position of honor. He was also less controversial outside the Imperium, and was generally seen as a positive force. That is, of course, until he died, under mysterious circumstances, which people outside the Imperium also always brought up when recounting Marneus Calgar's achievements. Tony arrived with his offspring, intending to train him personally alongside the other ground types.

    As Alex watched his team hard at work, mastering their moves, both offensive and defensive, he eyed his Deino currently in stasis. They couldn't speak telepathically thanks to the power of his dark typing, but the young dragon could hear and see around him, if he so wished. Alex levitated him up by his head, for a better view. "This is what our team looks like. This is how we train. Most of my friends have nicknames, and I have one for you, if you want."

    The ball twitched in his psychic grip, and Alex let it fall back to his hand. "I'm sure you've had nicknames before, but since we'll be moving on from those past lives, I figured a new name is appropriate. A name fitting for the power you'll one day wield. Two shakes for yes, three for no. How do you feel about Ghidora?" The ball shook twice, and then Alex sensed the occupant fall asleep. "Alright then. Ghidora it is." He pocketed the ball, and then sent a clone to Galar.




    Motostoke City - Galar Region​




    Alex had little trouble finding Rick Astley, as his hit song Never Gonna Give You Up, and Release You was still number one on Galar's music charts. This meant that he had quite a fan base at this point, and the crowd's murmurs only increased as Alex appeared. The two men shook hands, before Alex said, "I hope Chonkley is alright with this. I'll make sure his son becomes properly strong in no time."

    Rick chuckled. "Actually, he was quite happy when he heard you wanted to train Chonkers. That's what we've been calling him, but he doesn't seem to care for that name."

    "Well, I'll help him figure out what he wants his nickname to be. Shall we head to them?" Rick nodded, and then led Alex out into the Wild Area, which was where most of the crowd of normal folks stopped following them. On the eastern shores of Lake Axewell, the mighty Walrein known as Chonkley, Rick's starter, was teaching his young son how to use something called an 'Aorfquake'. It was essentially just a combination of Surf and Earthquake, but the results were impressive for one who was not ground typed.


    In short order, Alex gave him his usual greeting, and after a brief discussion, the young Spheal abandoned the nickname Chonkers, for Boreas, much to Chonkley's disappointment. Alex bid them farewell, and then he and the young Spheal went for a walk around the area. "So what is we looking for?" Boreas asked, as he rolled along to keep pace with Alex's long stride.

    "A Weezing. Once we have him…we'll head back and you can all meet the team." Alex paused then, as a familiar, dank smell wafted through the air. Before they could follow it though, a wild Butterfree attacked them, and to Alex's ears, it seemed quite angry for some reason. "Boreas. Ice Beam." Having already watched several TMs, the young Spheal had also been taught a bunch by Rick and his father. He seemed to be quite good at learning new moves, and had promise as a special attacker with impressive chonkiness.

    A perfectly aimed beam of ice smashed into the Butterfree, freezing it solid, and then fainting it as it smashed into the ground, and the ice broke apart. "Quick. With me!" Alex said, as he left the Butterfree, and ran after the dank scent. The scent turned out to be a Stunky, but the foul odor had also attracted a Galarian Weezing, who fed on the foul smelling air and released a delightful lemony scent as a result. There was hard evidence that the Galarian government had once genetically modified their Weezing population, but given that the more common form of Weezing had been so common and so strong during Galar's industrial revolution, something had needed to be done. To this day nobody knew exactly what their scientists had done, but the end result was a rather polite and dapper looking pollution eater dedicated to keeping the air clean and nature pristine.


    "Hello there." Alex said, as he and Boreas casually rolled up on the stink-munching Weezing.

    The Weezing inhaled the foul scent like one slurped a noodle, and expelled a stream of pink, sparkling mist afterwards from his larger steam vent. He looked at the pair, then. "Hrmmhmm! Hello indeed! A fine day, to you gentlemen!" He started inhaling again, then realized it wasn't the Spheal who'd spoken. "Hold on a tic…"

    Once again, Alex explained to the dapper smog eating monster how he'd come to be able to speak like a Pokémon. This was Boreas' first time hearing the explanation too, as Rick and his father had simply rolled with it like it was perfectly normal. "I say!" The Weezing vociferated with a wheeze, "What an astounding tale! I never thought when I woke this morning that I'd be meeting an Emperor!"

    "I have more." Alex said, with a smirk. "If you'd like to hear them, you could come with me. I'm making a team of powerful Pokémon, dedicated to keeping the peace on Earth. The entire Earth, eventually."

    "Well," The Weezing began, tilting his head to look up at the sky above them. "I cannot say I am overly fond of Battling, as you Humans call it, but Peace…I can think of no nobler task, than guarding Galar, nay, the World, from the horror and misery of war." He nodded then, at Alex. "If this be your goal, you shall have my assistance, my Lord."


    Alex waved a hand. "No need to be so formal. Alex will do fine. Do you have a name, sir?"

    "You are the rightful monarch of your nation, my Lord Alex, therefore I will address you properly! Let it not be said that Winston C. Smogsworth is lacking manners!" The dapper Weezing bellowed, drawing looks from several nearby rookie Trainers.

    "Do you prefer Winston, or Smogsworth?" Alex asked, with a smirk. He knew better than to fight against manners of this caliber.

    "Smogsworth is how the locals know me, I see no reason to change that. I am at your service, my liege."


    In short order, Alex had Smogsworth and Boreas in their balls, briefly, before he and the other clones with new catches gathered back at their base camp. Thanks to the efforts of Terra and the other grass types, the damage Gel's ice had done to the surrounding plant life was already vanishing astonishingly quickly. Once everyone was gathered, he finally released most of his clones with a tired sigh. He was going to sleep well, soon and probably for eight hours.

    "Boys," Alex said calmly, as he released the newest, and final catches on their team before the older members, "this is our team. Team, say hi." An incomprehensible noise erupted from almost fifty mouths as they all spoke at once. Orcinus and the others slowly returned the greeting. The newbies seemed surprised by how strong they all looked. His newest partners looked back at Alex, who said, "They're discussing the usage of Types. You've missed most of it, but your brother Lux here recorded it all, for you, and for those who weren't Paying attention. You know who you are. You'll all be having a review session later, over the parts I saw you spacing out for." Several of the gathered horde of species groaned, and it was mostly from the felines of the team. "No groans. You need to know this stuff. There are as many Battle styles as there are Trainers, and every single one we face is going to have tricks that we need to be able to understand, and counter, before they do too much damage." The felines still looked displeased, but the others begrudgingly nodded.

    Then, as if planned, Shruikan suddenly shot down from the sky like a black blur, shaking the earth as he landed. Steam rose from his scales as the remnants of the rain he'd been flying through and controlling evaporated away. With a flare of his wings, those gathered briefly felt the power of his aura and he began his lesson, the final lesson on typed energy. Most of the new faces, like Eternape, Orcinus, and Chloros had not yet properly laid eyes on the only one of the top ten that could claim to be able to beat Arthur, who had become the bar by which the rest measured themselves very quickly, a role he was all too eager to keep. Shruikan had mostly battled him properly to prove a point. He and the psychic swordfighter actually got along pretty well, and Shruikan would always prefer to battle Blaze, especially when their eternal rematches did not favor him. He began speaking as he paced before the group.


    "Dragon Energy… is power."

    Astrum visibly rolled his eyes and moved to perch on Alex's shoulder. Shruikan glared at him, until the golden flying fairy shrank from his fierce gaze. "It is the oldest Type, and the first that the Alpha Pokémon wielded, when he created everything. Using it, if you have the ability to, is not difficult. The difficulty is controlling that awesome power. Without control, a Dragon is little more than a rampaging beast. But with control? We are…mostly, unmatched. Resistant to the elemental Types and weak only to Ice, ourselves, and…Fairies…Dragon Energy naturally dominates the other Types, and can be used to block attacks from them, or weaken them. Blaze, if you would."

    The lying Charizard raised his head, narrowed his eyes, and always willing to take a free shot at his rival, he inhaled deeply, and the others blinked, as a full power Fire Blast that had to have used most of his available power for the move roared towards Shruikan, who had a familiar smirk on his face. He let his aura shield flare hard enough to remain visible. Doing that usually meant the one being shielded was wasting more power than necessary, and Shruikan was naturally quite good at determining how much power he used. The blurple and yellow streaked aura shone brighter, and then turned a dark red, while the lightning went from yellow to bluish white. The Fire Blast slammed into him with a mighty burning roar, and Espeo raised a Barrier to keep the team safe. With a thunderous crack, the smoke from the explosion vanished outward from the focal point that was Shruikan, practically burning now with the power he'd usually use for Outrage. The team stared at him in awe. There wasn't even a scorch mark. Blaze spat embers, irritated. There was a reason he didn't bother with elemental moves against Shruikan. He was just showing off but also making a point.

    "Dragon Energy can also be pushed to a higher forrrrm…it requires rage, and anger, and perfect focus, to not go wildly out of contrrrrol." He stared Terra down then in particular, and the grass tortoise's eyes widened as Shruikan kept that crimson energy burning, without tiring, or losing control, for a solid thirty seconds. This was what mastery of Outrage provided, and Terra quietly and simply nodded his armored head in recognition that Shruikan had won whatever disagreement they'd had between them. Shruikan let the aura fade then and spoke with finality. "Remember your resistances, as well as your weaknesses, and you will find Dragon to be a Type worth shielding with in most instances." The intense eyes shifted to the subtly staring ninja frog who flinched as he met the dragon's sharp gaze. "You may even find that using Dragon Energy to control other Types can help you with mastering a Move that's particularly difficult for you. As with the others…I am available for questions." He sat then, looking quite regal and proud of himself.


    "Actually, my friend," Alex said as he came up beside the large black dragon, "There is one more Type we must discuss. And one point I must correct you on. Light, is the oldest Type, and has existed before even Arceus. There are many kinds of Light, but by all accounts the Light was the first Type that appeared and exploded when Arceus first hatched into our Universe. It's why his…dimension, or home pocket plane, the Realm of Light, is so large, compared to our own."

    Shruikan seemed irritated. "More of your…Human knowledge, is this?"

    Alex nodded. "It's amazing what technology can read from the energy emanations in distant Space. After Light came the rest, with Dragon first among them, but it also caused the most chaos. At some point, presumably Arceus, formed the existing Types into a…pattern of coexistence that allowed for order and life to be brought forth, instead of pure elemental chaos. This is what our scientists have divined from the pattern and age of the emanations we can observe."

    Shruikan snorted, forgoing chin scritches to lie on his forepaws, eyes closed. "Bloody Human Science…" He muttered, as Alex continued.

    "I can't really claim to be an authority on the Light. Those of you who have experienced it, and wielded it, understand its…uniqueness. And it is rare. As far as I know, the original Arceus is the only truly Light Type Pokémon we know of. Except maybe Ultra Necrozma. I use it, because I've opened my bodily energy to the Universe, and at this point, I don't need to fully immerse myself to draw upon the power of Arceus's realm. Others, like Arthur, are born with it, in the form of Excalibur. He didn't just get Excalibur though, he had to learn to form his arms into swords, master Sacred Sword as a Move, and take it to a level high enough for it to become something greater. He trained constantly to reach that level. It's the same thing Blaze did with Sun Wave." Alex pondered for a moment then, as he thought out his next words carefully. "I don't expect you all to be able to use it, and it's not a mark against you if you can't. Everyone here has different strengths and weaknesses. We don't know the criteria the Light requires to answer us, but we do know that it has appeared by honing our Fighting Typed and Psychic Typed aspects. If you train hard enough in those areas, you should also be able to tap into the power of the Light."


    "But what about the Shadow?" Came a question, that made some of the war veterans shift uneasily at the mere memory of what it had done to the Crusader's Pokémon. Seeing hordes of Shadow Infused Pokémon had deeply upset quite a few of Alex's veteran team members. Khan, the asker, rose then, and stepped forward. "Surely, if Balance exists, Light must have existed alongside Shadow. So why do we not use it, as well?"

    Anger was the first response, and a pulse of Aura from Alex stopped his top ten from attacking Khan. Every one of them was blazing with a shield of aura shining around them and readying an attack. "Stop! He's just a kid, guys. He doesn't know. He didn't experience it. Yet." Khan, who looked very much like a freaked-out cat with all the hostile glares coming his way, looked up at his Trainer for help, as Alex walked towards him, and gently patted his head. Slowly, everyone calmed down, though the frowns were universal now. "Because you're young, and because you haven't faced the Shadow yet, I'll forgive that suggestion, Khan. It's not a crime to have questions, your brothers are just…justifiably against the Shadow, in all its forms."

    Khan shrank but rose again as Alex gently scratched behind his ears, eliciting a purr from the dark fire tiger. "But…we should discuss it. Pretending it doesn't exist won't help any of you when you face it. Know thy enemy."

    Alex thought over his words, and his available knowledge for a solid thirty seconds before he began. "Shadow…is malice. Hatred. Rage, most of all. It's the unholy amalgamation of the negative emotions sentient beings possess. Darkness, the Dark Type, is what first existed along with the Light. The Shadow is something else entirely, but it has historically corrupted those with darkness within them more easily. For those who wield the Dark, that should be for obvious reasons. The scientists of Cipher managed to create this foul power in a more tangible and nearly permanent form by combining Dark Energy, Ghost Energy, and Poison Energy in the confines of a lab, in the Orre Region. Now, as I understand it, natural Shadow does also exist, but the kind we have dealt with most has been a byproduct of Cipher's research. It forces a Pokémon's body into a heightened state of aggression, twisting their very soul into a bitter shell of what they could be. There is no rest, for those infected with Shadow. It's like…a forced Mega Evolution, but a constant one, that never ends. There have been instances of individual Pokémon adapting to the Shadow or physically being changed by it beyond the usual aggression, but said Pokémon are not good examples to be like. Humans can be evil, but so too can Pokémon. You guys have as much capacity for evil as Humans do, you're just naturally drawn towards the Light and the good, because that's what ultimately is responsible for creating you. Mew's power comes from the Alpha. There were markers in its DNA for the capacity for the Light, but we didn't understand what they were until the Light Type was properly discovered."


    A new, feminine voice from above the gathered lads drew their attention as a whole. From the setting sun of the freshly cleared sky, came a Mewtwo, the same that Alex had awoken under the Desert Resort's ruins, in the lair of what was being dubbed 'Team Rainbow Plasma' whose rise had been so short lived it never actually got out from under the ground. "Does that mean that I would have the capacity to wield the Light as well?" She asked, landing softly before Alex, her tail swishing somewhat nervously, as more eyes, entirely male eyes, than she was used to dealing with stared at her all at once.

    Alex got over his initial shock and replied, "I believe it does. With training, I have no doubt that you could wield the same power that Red's Mewtwo has. But I thought you were with the other two… Does this mean you're…?"

    The genetically altered psychic Legend smirked at him in a manner that was rather familiar. She'd copied him well. "It does. I've made my decision, and I will find this Successor eventually, if I stick by your side. I find you worthy, Dragon Emperor."

    Her smirk widened. "Train me."


    dixbr2c-d4eefb71-8088-403e-81a1-ca819b3958f4.jpg

    Almost forgot. A current protag roster, for those who can't remember the entire team. Which I assume is everyone (me included, sixty is a lot fam)
    ​
    dixc01r-31171f86-1519-4c6a-956d-08a2fbf5d51f.jpg
     
    Last edited:
  • Threadmarks
    • Chapter 59: The Weight of Bonds New
  • Threadmarks
    • Chapter 59: The Weight of Bonds
    ​
    This part of this section is, chronologically, around when Alex and Isamu set out on the Estrada Real.
    Enjoy.    ​

    The forest of Colville - Fornia Region


    image



    Jessica Gladstone had, much like her fiancé, established a forest-based training camp, this one near the ruins of Colville. Apparently, the people of the Tribes who'd once lived here had either died, or were staying in their unofficial city in New Vega. Many of the Tribe's people had congregated there after the war, and given how many of their people had died there, nobody had suggested they leave. In the absence of humanity, nature reclaimed everything quite quickly thanks to Alex and Tao's shenanigans, and her team had made their shelter essentially from scratch. She'd just finished appointing Fornia's newest Gym Leaders, and setting them up in their Gyms, which meant it was now time for her team to train. Unlike Alex and the boys, the girls were split. Roughly half wanted to battle, while the other half were dead set on the World Festival. The majority were eager to try both.


    That didn't make things easy, though. They were also split on what to train for first, and had been arguing about it for half an hour at least. Finally, Jess made a decision, and as she spoke, the gigantic crimson form of the roosting Ho Oh she had Tamed raised her head from her perch on a rather sturdy branch of a rejuvenated tree, to watch the human. Her Articuno was beside the Legendary phoenix, also watching, but with a far different expression in her young eyes. Jess was practically her mother, and the young Legend adored and admired her. Jess was making strides as a leader, without male distractions around. "Girls, most of you can Battle already. We need to work on Contest combos.Those aren't the kind of thing we can BS our way through. The judges will see right through that. We need to be practiced, and perfect. Several of you, are probably going to quit immediately." She smirked, as she saw that rile up a few, naturally, the quitters she was expecting. They knew who they were. "But perfection is something we have to achieve, if we want to win. Besides, we're already in the top thirty two. Unless that changes, we don't really need to Battle."


    The contest-hopefuls cheered, while her battlers, namely her Empoleon, Heracross, and Nidoqueen, quietly sulked. Those eager for contests of beauty and battle were her Serperior, Delphox, Ampharos, Shieldon, Drakloak, Lopunny, and her newly acquired Glaceon, Geli, who'd actually been one of the Eevee that Alex had caught. Apparently she'd hit a wall only a Trainer could get her past, and after telling Alex, he sent her to Jess. She was a bit of a spoiled girl, the kind that was adorable and knew it, but she was also kind, like the rest of her family. Her latest catches, Eiwa, who had since become a gorgeous Ninetales, Rouge, who now wore high quality and quite expensive Auspicious Armor as an Armarouge, Liva, who had also evolved, though only once, Mirkke, who had become a Low Key Toxtricity, Carmilla, her newly caught and evolved Gliscor, and Silvi, her Sylveon were all more neutral about the whole debate, not really yet understanding the difference between a performance and a battle. Her Charzard, Altaria, Articuno, and Florges were all quite eager to start. As the most vociferous for entering the World Festival, they'd formed their own clique within the team.





    As they split off into what they thought the best performing groups would be, namely those with complementary move pools and personalities, Jess decided something else. They needed a few more partners, to be properly prepared for both global contests of skill. There were some pretty glaring type deficiencies in her party, and those types would be needed in both battle and performances. "Delphi." Her Delphox, ever at her back and side simultaneously, stepped forward with a knowing smirk. "Have them begin practicing making their Moves…y'know, sparkle. I'm going to recruit some more talent."


    The Delphox amusedly twirled her redwood staff. "Finally going to use your status for your benefit? It's about time. Especially since all that currency is just going to lose its value in time." Her tail brushed her Trainer's face as she walked past. "Grab someone interesting, won't you?"


    Jess nodded, made sure she had her psychic anchor set, and then Teleported away to the Pokémon Center in Castelia, right at home in the heart of New Tork City. She actually appeared in a hallway, outside a room she and Alex had stayed in for a time, shocking a pair of female Trainers as she appeared. Seeing their reaction, she gave them a small smile. "Sorry, girls. It'd probably be more surprising if I appeared without a sound though."





    They had the body language of good friends, but the slim figured blonde of the pair was clearly crushing on the pretty brunette who, upon examining her frilly outfit and quality shoes, Jess surmised was going to perform in a contest soon. The brunette looked at her with awe, while the blonde saw her as a rival, and gave her a fake smile. "It's alright, Fornia Champion. We were just getting ready for a performance."


    Jess nodded, taking the hint. To the brunette she said, "Well, I wish you luck. Perhaps we'll meet in the World Festival." The girl, who like her friend seemed to be in her late teens or early twenties, just nodded, unable to make words.


    Jess left them, wincing inwardly as she heard the brunette whisper, "Ohmygosh! She's so pretty! And that hair! I wonder if I could make mine do that…" Jess twirled a rainbow sheened lock as she remembered how Alex had been enamored with it too. Sure enough, it was gaining her attention, as he'd predicted.





    She found a free PC, but didn't find the function she was looking for, namely, the Global Trade Network. She intended on trading money for the Pokémon she was after, and since she also wanted a shiny variant or three, that was actually the normal and preferred trade for them, given how rare they were. Her first pick was a Dratini, the only pink Dratini available, as it turned out. She charged the blood pressure raising amount with her father's black credit card, and retrieved the ball a moment later. Sure enough, a little pink cutie popped out, but she frowned inwardly, as she realized that it was male.


    He seemed to sense her disappointment, but she couldn't resist that cute, pink face, and he trilled happily as she gave him scritches. "I don't think I'll end up being your Trainer little one, but for now, you can come with me. Let's see who else we can get." The Dratini nuzzled her, and she felt her heartstrings tugged. He was certainly a cutie, but with his adamant nature and craving for battle and strength that she recognized all too well, he'd be a better fit for Alex's team.


    Her next pick was a Frillish, of which there were a lot more choices, and for a price that was actually reasonable, probably because they were more common than a Dratini. When Jess released her as well, she greeted both her and the Dratini in a dignified manner, and seemed to agree to being trained. Once more Jess sighed inwardly, realizing just how dependent she'd become on Alex's powers. Her final pick was a bit more difficult.





    In her head, she listed the types she didn't have, and found herself lacking a rock type, which could also use ground moves. She scrolled through the available options and raised an eyebrow at one in particular that was quite cheap, but exactly what she was looking for. Aside from a supposedly useless nature, she was perfect. "Alright my new friends, I believe we have our next candidate. From Champion Juliana no less. Hmm." She made her purchase, and retrieved the Ultra Ball the machine transported to her. She let out the cyan colored Glimmet, who just seemed happy to be out of her ball. Then, she saw Jess's hair, and started excitedly chirping as she flew around the human's head.


    Jess looked at her trio of cuties, and smiled. "I'm your new Trainer girls and boy. I hope we can be good friends. Who wants to go meet your new sisters?" The three uniquely colored Pokémon let out a combined cheer. She let them stay out as they left the Pokémon Center, but seeing three shiny Pokémon all at once made the nearby Trainers stare at her, and then murmur to each other.


    As they left the Center, they heard a commotion down the street. What looked like a small locally formed tournament was drawing a crowd by the piers. Jess and her trio quietly wandered over, and watched from behind even the sidelines. She blinked, as she recognized one of the participants. Former Arcean Champion Brad Pineus had his Charizard, one of Chari's own sons, out against a Trainer with a rather strong looking Swampert.





    Looking at the board, she winced, as Brad was up by three, but then, she noticed. His opponent had used a Torterra, Gallade, and a Luxray already. It made her chuckle, as she guessed Brad's opponent had tried copying a certain Unovan Champion, which was likely the reason he'd wanted this battle in the first place. Apparently the rivalry they'd had while training with the Swamp Sage had become public knowledge.


    "Sunny Day." Brad said, with confidence.


    The plain looking opposing Trainer barreled ahead with a strong attack. "Rock Slide! Make it too wide to dodge!" Jess just shook her head, as she knew what came next. Charizard's move pool was legit, and while Swampert had the type advantage, the time he took to widen his already wide attack would seal his fate. She looked curiously at her new partners, as they watched. Her as yet unnamed Frillish watched with mild interest, but was otherwise seemingly ambivalent. Her Glimmet was zooming happily between staring at her hair, and watching the battle. But the young hot pink Dratini had his eyes wide, and was shivering with excitement around her neck.




    She gave the little dragon scritches under his chin. "Watch the Charizard." She murmured quietly, and the little one obeyed.


    As the Swampert fired off his Rock Slide, the Charizard had finished his Sunny Day, and was already building power to handle the rock move. "Solar Beam!" Brad said, sure of victory, and his opponent's eyes widened as he realized that was, in fact, a move Charizard could learn. It was also quadruple effective.


    The burning beam of grass energy shot through the Rock Slide, and then passed back over, to hit the Swampert. It tried to shield with Sand Tomb, but sand didn't really make a good shield against the amount of power Solar Beam had. Brad didn't take any chances. "Make sure it's down! Dragon Pulse!" The Charizard didn't waste time, inhaling deeply as he launched a blurple beam of power into the dust cloud, which blew it away, and then created another cloud simultaneously. Jess smirked as the young dragon around her neck shuddered at the sight of the beam, not with fear, but excitement. She'd gotten better at sensing emotion since Gwen joined her and the Dratini was radiating excitement and anticipation.


    As the dust cleared, Brad glimpsed the trademark crimson rainbow that was Jess' head, but then she and her three shiny new Pokémon vanished in a flash of scarlet energy.





    Several Weeks Later…​




    As the days began flying by, Jess and her team progressed rapidly. Those who were already high level had little trouble using less power for their moves, trading it for speed or versatility. Her three new partners all shared similar level requirements for evolution, and hit them relatively quickly. Knowing how Alex would feed and train the Dratini, she had her three most battle hungry partners train him, and the others. He seemed quite happy, and had grown like a weed in terms of length and power, until he became a truly beautiful Dragonair.


    He was powerful, but not so powerful that his training partners were above him, which helped curb his arrogance. Jess had, upon his evolution, told him about his eventual Trainer, and while he said, with Delphi playing translator, that he'd always care for her, he was very eager to get stronger, and no longer be hot pink in color. It was a shame, as his beauty was obvious every time he flew, but the Dragonair unfortunately had zero interest in contests. He found wasting power on displays of beauty to be tedious, at least until another of her new additions, an Eevee she'd evolved into a Sylveon, set him straight on the nature of beauty.


    It had been their practicing that had drawn the little Pokémon to their camp in the first place. Since she joined, the local fauna had also become more friendly with them, and tended to stop by to chat or watch their efforts. Her final addition was one of Alex's, another Eeveelution called Geli. The Glaceon had also shared what she knew of her Trainer with the pink dragon, though she saw him more like a landlord who didn't charge rent.





    Around the time Alex and Isamu beat the Clara Vista Gym, Jess deemed her team ready for a World Festival qualification contest. After the hundreds of thousands of applications following the announcement of the festival, they had changed the structure, for this first time only. It was too popular to just cancel and doing so would likely dissuade those who wanted to perform from joining the next World Festival.


    Thus, all one had to do to enter the final rounds was demonstrate enough skill and finesse with a single five minute display that had to be original in concept. No ribbons required. One could copy moves or other Coordinator's tricks with move combinations, but the performance itself needed to be original, and Jess was finally satisfied with how everyone was doing. There was also technically no limit to how many of her partners could be in said display, so she'd made a performance that incorporated all of them, even, begrudgingly, her gorgeous male Dragonair.


    Fornia didn't have a participating Contest Hall, but Unova did, even though it was new. As she was getting ready, she noticed Alex had actually called her. Twice. Which meant he needed to talk to her, but it wasn't anything life threatening. Having seen enough of their mother's soap operas to know how talking to her love interest before a big event would likely go, she held off on returning it for the moment, choosing instead to focus. Alex would understand, and he was too chill to be mad at her. In fact, as she finished her makeup, she tried to recall a single time he had been mad at her, but couldn't recall one. That thought made her stomach flutter and calmed her nerves. She sensed her Delphox smirking at her from within her ball.





    She was in a small, very basic prep room designed for a single occupant, where she'd changed into her current dress. It was primarily crimson, though a more fiery shade than her hair, that gradually shifted to a blend of red, yellow, and orange as one went lower. Her own role in this chaos was minor, and she was dressed accordingly. As she finally saw the light on the wall flash green, signaling it was her turn, she calmed herself with one of Tao's breathing techniques, and made her way onto the stage. Other Coordinators, who had either already gone or had arrived mostly ready to perform were waiting backstage, and she ignored their eyes as she focused entirely on what she was about to do.


    Jess smirked as she heard the announcer. "Laaadies and gentlemen! Our next performance will be by…wait, is this real? It's right? Oookay then! Ladies and gentlemen! I give you…your future Empress! Jessica Redwood!"


    A few people exchanged looks, as that wasn't technically her name yet, but their sovereign's surname had gotten their attention on her, like she wanted. Their eyes were back on the stage as a Pokéball with a Seal or three on its Ball Capsule made the materializing form appear within a tornado of sparkling flames. Delphi appeared, in a specially tailored dress of her own that sparkled like the one Jess was in, but had the reverse color scheme. They had the same smirk, and bowed in perfect sync. Then, they started firebending. The judges murmured to each other as they saw Jess was producing her own flames, while Delphi masterfully wielded them into a giant, burning Yin Yang symbol above the stage.


    Through that, with a burst of fairy energy to prevent burning, came Melodi, her Altaria. Her Dazzling Gleam shone like a pink sun with a rainbow corona and her pink Dragonair flew above and over the rainbow, his appearance brief but memorable as he spiraled and sparkled through the air, and just as the Dazzling Gleam started to fade, both her Altaria and Folokraan used Substitute, and switched places in a flash of smoke. The crowd gasped at the sight of an Articuno, and the lingering light made the always present ice crystals around her sparkle.





    In the shadow of the blinding, sparkling light, Delphi launched a Sunny Day from her staff, while the rest of her team, released from their balls with seals that had produced temporary but obscuring smoke, used Ice Beam on the master of the ice type flying above them. With ease, Folokraan guided and bent the Ice Beams into a reverse of the first Yin Yang pattern, this time in ice.


    image


    The Legendary bird guided her creation to the left side of the stage with a graceful twirl through the air more akin to the Galarian form of the Legend, while Jess and Delphi reformed the fiery Yin Yang on the right side. The rest of her team started flooding the space between with as many moves that created things as they could. Rock Slide, Leaf Storm, Electro Ball, Bubblebeam, even a Blizzard. There was a move of every single type, and the eagle eyed judges noted they'd appeared not only in the classic order of typing, but none of the moves were colliding and causing the usual explosions of smoke and dust from doing so.


    Jess nodded at her Articuno, as she had her recently evolved Armarouge launch the fiery Yin Yang. Delphi demonstrated her psychic prowess as she levitated into the air, and surrounded each typed move in a psychic bubble. A Dark Pulse in sphere form and a similarly formed ball of bug energy shot up beside her, rising in perfect sync in what appeared to be an offering of power, to the sky.





    Jess watched quietly, hoping Ho Oh would actually indulge her this time. For a long moment, Delphi hung in the air, straining to keep herself and so many moves suspended in the air at once. Then, Jess exhaled, as she heard a powerful, familiar cry. The gathering of typed energy was masterfully broken down and converted into pure energy, which was then absorbed by the gigantic rainbow phoenix descending from on high.


    The judges gasped now, properly as surprised as the audience was, and Jess mouthed a silent 'thank you' to the Guardian of the continent's western coast, and the entirety of Japan. The rainbow phoenix had a small smirk, and winked at her Tamer, before examining the latest gathering of humans before her. What she saw, melted her heart a little more. Elderly people, bearing the pain of living longer than the human body was ever meant to. Young children, staring in complete, adorable awe at a Legend in the flesh, practically close enough to touch. Then there were those in between the extremes. Trainers and their Pokémon, couples holding hands, and among all of them, for the first time in an age, she sensed no evil thoughts. No unspoken desires to bind her. Just humble gratitude that they'd been able to see such a reclusive Legend before their very eyes.


    The Taijitu symbols of fire and ice collided above her, and she gave the humans a gift. With a single wing flap, a pulse of Light spread through them, and the fiery crystals of ice that she purposefully fused together, despite their opposing natures. Her Light began repairing their bodies, curing their ills, and blessing the rest of their days. Jess let them bask a bit longer, and then snapped her fingers twice, before she projected as loudly as she could. Hearing her, her Pokémon quickly lined up beside her. "For your consideration." She bowed, and her team did as well. She let out a breath as the cheers started, at which point her team morphed into a group hug.





    The judges gave them a moment, as the audience stood, mostly cheering Ho Oh, but as the Legend departed back into the sky, the focus became Jess and her team. The head judge eventually made a polite but loud cough, and a moment later a slightly disheveled Jess pulled free from the hug fest. Delphi fixed her outfit with a casual twirl of her staff, and the man began.


    "Future Empress." He inclined his head. "We were initially inclined to grade you harshly, but…I admit even my practiced gaze spotted few errors of note. You all clearly worked hard on this performance, and I would say it has paid off. Your Type control was impressive, not one of all those wide area Moves collided, and surprising us with not one, but two Legendary Birds was quite memorable. I know my score." He held up a card with a ten on it, and glanced at the two other judges.


    The second judge, a simple featured example of humanity with a dopey smile also gave her a ten. "You have a talent for this, that much is clear after this, and the performance that dethroned the Kalos Queen. I look forward to seeing your future performances." Jess smiled at him, but then the third judge, the only woman, held up a nine point five.


    "Your Dark and Bug Energy were a bit uncontrolled, and were clearly newer Moves…but otherwise I must agree. That display, and the fact that you succeeded in using your whole team, was quite impressive. Good luck at the World Festival."





    Jess thanked the judges, and then the crowd one more time, before recalling her team, and leaving. She was stopped behind the stage by a dolled up blonde, clearly what one might classify as a rich Trainer. She was quite obviously relying on her admittedly impressive cleavage, puffed up purposefully by her black and gold Kalosian dress, to draw the crowd's attention to her. "You! Gladstone!" She blocked Jess' way, and put her hands on her hips. "Two Legends!? How the Muk am I supposed to follow that!? How are any of us??" She gestured to the other Coordinators getting ready, and more than a few eyes narrowed at her.


    Jess nodded quietly, but stayed composed and smiling. "A fair concern. I would set the tone from the start, maybe some thematic music, or a suitably flashy Move as you begi-"


    The blonde cut her off. "So I have to change my entire routine because of you!? Ridiculous! Absolutely ridiculous! I refuse."





    Jess just sighed, and shrugged. "Then lose." As she brushed past the woman, she said, "The World Festival is going to have enough bared cleavage with, or without you." She smirked slightly as that got some quiet laughs and knowing smirks from the other Coordinators. Jess could tell this piece of work had probably been a menace to them while they prepared. She knew her type, though as her eyes burned with scarlet red psychic aura, stopping the ditz's knife aimed at her back, she was actually surprised. She hadn't expected her to try something so overtly violent and against the rules.


    By this point, the entire backstage area was focused on them. Jess's hair flared as she whirled on the blonde woman. With a snap of her fingers, her pitiful little knife's blade fell to the floor, snapped cleanly off. "I've been in War. I'm technically a General of this Empire, and you seriously thought you'd get anywhere near me with that?" She let her power go, freeing the woman, who slumped to her knees.


    "I didn't think you'd…Mukking abomination…those 'abilities' you freaks have are unnatural!"





    Jess just rolled her eyes at the Arcean rhetoric, more than ready to leave, when one of the other Coordinators apparently had had enough. Jess blinked as she recognized the brunette from the day she'd abused her privilege to acquire special Pokémon. Her hair had a rainbow braid in it, and was styled like Jess's this time, which made her smirk, as did her words.


    "The only thing that's unnatural here, are your implants. Just leave, and maybe we won't report you for attempting to stab a Hero of the Empire."


    The blonde woman struggled to her feet, with indignant rage, and Jess subtly stepped back as she noticed the blonde had grabbed her broken knife. Her ire was on the brunette, though. "I don't need judgement from a flat che-"


    "That's the girl, officer! She just tried to stab the Empress!"


    Jess, the loudmouth, and the younger brunette glanced over at the voice, and saw another Coordinator beside a Mienshao, the one responsible for security backstage, nodding beside a UPD officer who seemed exasperated. Apparently, his Mienshao, sensing how powerful Jess was, determined that it didn't need to jump in to save her from a potential stabbing. He apologized for his Pokémon's inaction, and then led the loudly protesting bourgeoisie brat away in handcuffs, after taking their statements.





    This left Jess alone with the brunette. Finally, she said, "Thank you, for standing up to her. I don't believe I caught your name."


    The girl flushed red. "Ohh, you don't need to know my name, Empress, it's not impor-"


    She was interrupted, as the stage announcer said, "Ladies and gentleman, thanks to a last minute withdrawal, our next performance will be from…Alyssa Carter!"


    Jess chuckled at her. "Alyssa, then. You, can just call me Jess. It's fine. I have a reward for you, and your sense of right and wrong." She held up a sparkling pink crystal. "How would you like to have the same rainbow shine to your hair as me? It will affect everything but your braid."


    She ran her fingers down her braid, and Jess could tell she was remembering the fun she'd had dying it, with her Good Friend. "Could…you make it accentuate the braid? I want everyone to see how well it came out." Jess nodded, and when she was done, Alyssa was grinning ear to ear once she got in front of a mirror.





    "Alyssa Carter…to the stage please! Last call for Alyssa Carter!"


    The young woman eeped, thanked Jess again, and then ran off. Jess wished her luck, and stuck around to watch her performance. Her team was well balanced, well groomed, and clearly practiced hard for their Trainer. Jess made a mental note to keep an eye on her, and was impressed with her skills. She'd captured the audience immediately, as suggested, and the result seemed to work on the crowd.


    Finally finished, Jess bamfed to the top of the PNN building with her anchor there. It wasn't one she'd made on purpose, but being surrounded and outnumbered by hostile Arceans had burned it into her memory. With a satisfied exhale after an exhaustive performance, she felt more confident in her team's ability to compete at the World Festival. "Now then…let's see what all the fuss is about with the boys…" She activated her phone's video chat, and finally called Alex back.





    Subterra - Somewhere Below Wyogon​




    Caleb Callen had never enjoyed his life so much. Despite being named for his Prophet, he had never excelled at anything in particular, had no special skills, and was exceedingly average. Even his looks, a thin body and brown hair and eyes, were exceedingly plain. Average school grades guaranteed an average menial job in the Arcean empire. Even his Pokémon, the one he'd been able to afford to feed, a Psyduck, was abnormally average in weight, height, power, and color. The collapse of the Church had guaranteed an average job in the underground colony that clung to the Arcean's fading ideals, but then, their newest leader, Lord Proditor, had elevated him, claiming he had psychic powers. Even since then, Octavius Thorne had begun to train him, and despite not being initially impressive psychically either, they had discovered an untapped reservoir of potential after he'd finally unlocked his latent powers. This sometimes happened, as even the best methods of detecting psychic power had limits. He was, as Master Thorne called him, an 'unexpected bounty in a meager yield'.


    With that bounty, had come promised status. Proditor had, like Pravus before him, secluded himself in the weeks since taking over, obsessed with some 'great work' he was creating. Caleb had only seen him one time since, and he had been…different. His eyes, a fusion of crimson purple, his mouth, filled with razor sharp teeth that spread far too wide for any natural human, pale skin that looked like a corpse's, but that aura…was unmistakable. He was exactly what Caleb had always been told psychics were: an abomination, and yet, Caleb found he didn't care. His clothes were nicer, his family no longer had to work the 'mines' they'd dug into the Stoney Mountains since they went into hiding, and despite the undertones of prejudice, people listened when he spoke. Life was good, for once. And thank was all thanks to the 'monstrosity' that was Proditor. If he'd found his abilities before, he would've quietly disappeared, like every other psychic in the western States, taken to the brutal, and often fatal, training that created the Hands of the Prophet.


    His new Lord had requested that he specifically abuse his newfound privilege, to weed out the seditious bigots among them. He'd taken great pleasure in doing so, first going after the losers who'd bullied him as a child, and then later those who had been superiors and coworkers in his adult life who had been horrible to him. Pleased by this initial influx, it had eventually faded as people learned to hold their tongues around him, and that was when his Lord had urged him to find more. Thus, Caleb had made it his quiet mission to root out those among them who still had sexual predilections towards children, and there were a depressingly high number of those, especially in the education centers of their underground city. Unlike most Arceans that Caleb Pravus had elevated, Callen prided himself on strong morals, and made a point of not abusing his authority to acquire sex. There had naturally been several women who'd made advances, but after digging into their motives, he found them impure. Women who wanted a piece of his status, but couldn't stand him, and those who'd been sent to him by Master Thorne to 'make more psychics' had been dismissed, once he confirmed their lack of interest.





    All he wanted was a genuine relationship, if Arceus saw fit to guide him to one. Upon hearing that, Master Thorne had told him that Arceus very likely would no longer have anything to do with them, and him, after pledging themselves to Lord Proditor, but Caleb Callen kept his faith, as well. His training had seen his Psyduck finally evolve into a Golduck, though it had a tendency to do whatever it wanted in battle, as he also lacked badges, and their friendship, like everything else, had also been average at best. Caleb got the sense that Golduck still resented him for infusing him with Shadow, even though that dark power had since been cleansed by the Dragon Empire, but he still got his partner good food, cleaned him regularly, and even had a pool built for him to swim in, at his family's new compound. He'd intended to share it with everyone else at the compound as well, but his unruly psychic duck had gotten quite territorial about sharing it.


    As a compromise, Caleb made him share only when they left home, and went about tracking down those with the aforementioned predilections. This activity was something the psychic duck seemed to do gladly, when he asked, and together with their psychic power they'd managed to track, entrap, and ship off no less than ten pedophiles to Lord Proditor. Needless to say, despite not appearing again, the Lord was apparently quite pleased with his efforts. In order to keep him pleased, with a steady supply of deviants, they often had to go scouting around Subterra, and even the regions above. It was impossible to completely ignore the above world, and he disliked going there. Over time he had also found, depressingly, far more of his targets underground, among the Arcean remnants, than he would have liked. As much as he despised the Original Dragon, his Scales had been impressively ruthless when it came to imprisoning pedophiles, and on that single issue, he agreed with their actions completely.


    Today, however, his task was different. Master Thorne had tasked him with a job suited to his 'remarkable plainness', which was to make contact with Sophia Sanctis, former Champion of the State of Montaho, and one of the only remaining Arcean leaders to not pledge herself to Subterra. Caleb's job was to either bring her on side, or convince her to visit so that Lord Proditor could handle her personally. If she refused…well, he hoped she did not. Things would be much worse for her if she did.





    He'd blended perfectly into Montaho's relatively sparse population, and even choked down an admittedly scrumptious Dragon Burger to sell the illusion to any Scales tailing him that he was exactly as ordinary as he appeared. Once he arrived at his destination, he glanced around the massive cathedral in the center of the State's capital city of Nemesula, and frowned.


    Caleb Pravus had made a habit of showing off the most opulent and openly extravagant buildings owned by the Arcean Church, so much so that the Arceans had been required to watch exceptionally boring videos touring them, with loud, trumpet based music that was so cheesy it belonged on a plate of nachos. Now, after losing the war, the busts of the Prophet's face had been demolished, usually on video by the invading easterners, which this far north had belonged to Norstad's mighty contribution to their counterattack after the Blitz. The idea of the snow savage's leader and his legendary hammer smashing apart the face of the man he'd been named for made Caleb's blood boil.


    The ornamentation had been stripped from all their most opulent churches, and melted down by the Dragon Empire, before being added to their gold reserves. Now all that remained was a giant symbol synonymous with Arceus that had clearly been painted to be gold, and not very well. Sophia Sanctis herself had also once been beautiful, adorned with fine jewelry and a custom Power Stave. Now, she'd been reduced to plain white robes with black accents, and yet was still quite beautiful despite the lack of ostentatious ornamentation.


    His walk in had gotten him looks, and Sophia herself came to greet him as he approached the altar and gave it the very overtly Arcean salute they'd used to venerate the Prophet of Arceus. He knew the gesture had caught the eyes of the Scales of Balance stationed at the cathedral, but he didn't care.


    image




    "You must be Caleb." The former Champion said, greeting him with a quiet, serene voice that would not reach the Scales watching them. "I will tell you what I told Thorne, and all of the others. I'm not interested in whatever evil you've allowed to control Subterra. Montaho is once more a part of the Dragon's Path, and we're following the true will of Arceus, not the minions of Shadow using his name."


    Caleb blinked, as he had a sudden uncharacteristic urge to strike the woman for her traitorous, heretical blasphemy, but unlike the zealots before him, he controlled himself. "If you would simply visit, you would see that we are not defeated. Our Lord Proditor will return us to the Glory we deserve. Surely being reduced to rags is degrading to such a respected priestess of the Alpha's will?"


    Sophia firmly shook her blonde head. "All Arceus has ever desired of Humanity, is a true bond with his creations. Built on trust, friendship, and the power that brings. Not Shadow. He was kind and merciful enough to show me the truth of his desires, and I will not betray them. Leave in peace, Caleb Callen. And do not return."





    Caleb nodded solemnly. "I understand. Unfortunately…I have orders if you choose not to visit."


    The woman let out a tired sigh. "Don't try anything. You seem like a decent man, more decent than most of those in Subterra. Don't throw your life away for them."


    Caleb shook his head. "My life is not at risk." He raised what looked like a gun of some kind at her, and pulled the trigger. Then, his psychic senses warned him to pull his arm back, and he did so, as a humming blue blade of focused plasma flashed past him. It was too late though, the Scales had been much faster, striking as soon as he raised the weapon. His dismembered hand still pulled the trigger though, firing the gaping black energy portal that was supposedly connected to somewhere in Subterra right behind the altar.


    The pair of Scales scowled at the portal, their helmets appearing on their heads as they sensed the Shadow. With a blank expression, Caleb tried levitating Sophia into the Shadow portal, but to his surprise, she stopped him with her own psychic powers. "Was every Mukking Hand…actually a Psyker!?" He snarled as their auras clashed and sparked.


    Sophia grimaced at him. "Yes…Pravus was a hypocrite! That's the doctrine you're following! One based on lies and hypocrisy!"





    "And yet…the Power he held Made his lies into Truth and his Ideals your own! His only flaw…was that he was Weak!"


    The dueling psychics looked up in surprise, as a voice of pure evil emanated from the dark hole. Then, came two shadowy hands that warped into tentacles as they wrapped around Sophia and Caleb. Two more tentacles thwipped towards the Scales, but their burning blue plasma blades cut through them. The tentacles recoiled, briefly, and then swept low, at their legs. The younger one tripped, and ended up wrapped up in a tentacle as well. The older Scale, more experienced and well prepared for trouble, brought out another plasma sword, and with two psychically twirling blades, they kept the Shadow at bay effectively. Then, the three wrapped humans began being pulled towards the shrinking portal. The more experienced Scale threw a Pokéball, and shouted at the Reuniclus that appeared.


    "I've found a major source! Contact the Emperor! It's a hostage situation! Do not fail me, Uni!" The Scale charged then, at the portal, and a swarm of new tentacles attacked them. Like a spinning plasma Beyblade, they cut masterfully through the tentacles, and those around their Padawan. They tossed a blade to the younger Scale, while psychically retrieving their fallen one, and leaping through the shrinking portal after Sophia and the Arcean cultist who'd possessed the portal gun.





    They put up an exceptional fight, as they appeared in the chamber that Proditor had left his dark passenger within. Back to back, they gave their all, but inevitably, the Shadowmind had them surrounded, and a new fresh horror lumbered forward to face them. It stood on two legs, with a freshly made carapace of black chitin encasing its two-legged form. The central eye on the head of the burly abomination was shaped like an ominously glowing red ring target. Three more, also seemingly functional, eyes were in the center of its chest, and on both chitin encased arms. Each thick arm sported three massive talons, while from its back, multitudes of chitinous tendrils cracked and shifted. Two of them began glowing with an ominous purple light, while the main and largest pair of tendrils launched towards the Scales with unerring accuracy.


    image


    The sheer power the creature possessed made them falter, as the chitinous plated tendrils met their plasma swords and smoked, but did not fall to the cutting power of their focused beam emitters. Not immediately, anyway. It was starting to turn red, but it was already too late. With their blades occupied, the pair of glowing arms stretched and pierced both Scales, filling their bodies with dark Shadow energy. Then, the creature began to absorb their flesh, muscles, and bones. Not one single scrap of matter would be wasted.


    "Wait!" Caleb cried out, unable to fully process the situation. The whole fight had ended in about five seconds after the Scales appeared.


    The grinning, toothy maw of his Lord Proditor turned towards him, as did one of the monstrosity's eyes. "What is it, little Caleb? Finally reconsidering obeying me?"


    Other sounds chittered in the dark chamber, which he now realized, was unnaturally obscured by the Shadow. "N-no…I mean…that is…that is terrifying, b-but no, I r-remain loyal, my Lord. It's just…"





    Proditor, who had Sophia Sanctis by the neck with one of his own Shadow tentacles, tilted his head at the young man. Caleb continued. "Y-you said we needed Psykers, my Lord…s-surely two Scales would make for powerful allies…"


    Proditor looked back at the Scales, and gestured. The Perfect Tank Form dropped them off of its sharp chitinous tendrils, and their blood began to leak onto the floor. "They will join us…or Die…"


    The two Scales shared a look, before the more competent one, with two plasma swords, spat on the ground, and snarled, "We will never join you…the Emperor will Purge you all once he finds out where we've gone…you lost…as soon as you brought us here…"


    Dark, rolling laughter echoed through the chamber, as Proditor's mouth expanded unnaturally wide to emit the awful sound. "HAHAHAHAHA!" Though it literally hurt to hear, the mirth was genuine. Proditor snapped a finger, or maybe a tentacle, Caleb couldn't tell, but suddenly, the Shadows obscuring the room vanished, revealing a teeming, ungodly horde of perfected Flood Forms. There were several more quadruple-eyed tanks, multiple four legged monstrosities bristling with sharp spines that seemed to somehow be dripping Shadow, and leading them all, was one form in particular that hurt to look at. Not because it was more hideous, in fact by comparison it was probably the most aesthetically sound of the entire horde of abominations.


    It was Caleb's very mind that hurt as he stared at the beast. One massive eye surrounded by five smaller ones, chitinous claws like a Tank Form, and just as many tendrils. Purple runes in a language not yet uttered in this dimension covered its body, and the beast shrieked as it felt others looking upon it and its palms and several tentacles began to pulse with intense psychic power, making all but Proditor squirm in agony, as he just kept laughing, when suddenly, he stopped, and grinned like a Muertan Meowscarada, his horrible psychic baritone cutting through the keening. "My dear discarded Scale of the Dragon…I am counting on your little Emperor coming after you…I cannot wait to make him into my servant as well…such a powerful psychic…his material must be…high quality. Think of what we will Create…" He gestured at Caleb then, and bamfed the man back to his home, with a final psychic message that rang in his all too mortal skull. "Continue gathering meat for me, little Caleb…and this fate shall not befall your loved ones."


    image
    ​


    This was, of course, a lie, but Caleb Callen answered affirmatively, and the Shadowmind cackled again, as the Perfect Tank Form resumed reducing the dying Scales to their base matter. He focused his grin on Sophia. "As for You…I've something…special in mind…"





    Genoa City Gym - Italia Region



    image




    Cassius Proditor stared at the fainted form of the Hippowdon belonging to the Italia Region's fourth Gym Leader, as his violent Budew began to glow with power. That infinitely bright light made him wince, his expression neutral and somewhat ominous. A smile did crack his now slightly older child visage, as his earlier one was so young, adults had constantly asked where his parents were, and it had become too annoying. As Rosator finished becoming a Roselia, he cheered, jumping, spinning, a stark contrast to his calm Trainer, who he spun in front of, stopping with a flourish. "Yes, you did very well, Rosator. Congratulations. We'll have to get you a Shiny Stone soon."


    Rosator shuddered in anticipation of how powerful and poisonous he would soon be, and returned to his ball with several berries. The Gym Leader, Dara, looked at the child as his partner evolved. Being the typical fourth choice for the Italia Circuit, she'd seen hundreds of Trainers react to an evolution, and this one had by far the most tame reaction, for a tweenager. It was odd. Odd enough to stick out from the monotony of low level battles, but not enough for her to pry. In Italia, it was always better to not ask questions. The buff ground type specialist walked over to him, as they met in the middle of her cavernous battlefield. "Not bad, kid. You've earned the Terra Badge, and this Earthquake TM as well. Be careful with it, it's a very powerful Move."


    image


    Proditor gave the woman a smile. "Thank you, Leader Dara. I'll be sure to practice it somewhere first before we use it in a Battle." He took his prizes, and then left, leaving the Gym Leader frowning slightly, before she shrugged, and went about her daily routine. With his fourth badge, Proditor now only had to cross through the region's capital, Aurelia, one more time before heading to the significantly harder gyms in the southern part of the region. First, back to Florencia, to face the fighting specialist who lived in the nearby mountains, then southward through the capital, to Mt. Etna, home to Leader Etna, named for the volcano she had tamed and trained in, and then he would head east, to face Leader Arvid of the psychic gym in Bari, and Leader Liora, who resided somewhere in the Mercadante Forest.





    The forest stretched all around Bari, and it was where Proditor intended to genuinely begin his recruiting efforts, as he had realized early on in his journey that Aurelia was home to weaklings. Those with actual potential, would be wandering the forest in search of Leader Liora, the fairy Gym Leader, but instead, they would find him. If they had psychic potential, he would use his charms to bring them into his fold, and if they didn't, they would never see him at all. Once he had enough, he'd poach who he could from Arvid's gym, and leave the region before anyone noticed the sudden lack of seventh badge holders vanishing. He took a deep breath of the fresh Italia air as he started walking southward through Genoa City, and he had to admit…he had missed this.


    For the first time in literal eons, he was as close to being free of the Shadow as he had ever been. Not since he first contacted the Shadowmind and learned the truth of this universe's creation had he been so unbound. Only Mordred, his traitorous Malamar, Malum, his Hydreigon, Toraigon, and his Guzzlord, Rapax, were still even infused with Shadow at this point, and hidden safely within his bag, waiting in much more comfortable balls for when he needed them. He'd finally upgraded his entire belt's containment spheres, and he had to admit, his team seemed to be enjoying themselves. Shellraiser especially, had been having a Wailord of a time surfing Italia's many waterways, and surfing on his back had been nostalgic for both of them. He didn't know when, probably after he learned to psychically fly, but they'd simply stopped surfing around one day, in their distant past. Shellraiser had focused on living up to his name, and Proditor had focused on empowering his cult while not being taken out by Light wielders.


    Rapax, Toraigon, Malum, Sparda, Shahir, and Immanis were all that remained of his original team of ten. Mordred and Grendel, Morgana's Grimmsnarl, were welcome additions, but he'd added a few new faces as well, in addition to Balmut the second, and Rosator. Aquilus, a shiny Shellder, had become a valuable defensive tank for their fresh team, as Shellraiser was very much a special attacker more than a defensive fighter. There was also Vesper, a shiny Gligar he'd stumbled upon, and decided to catch on a whim. Now a Gliscor, he'd proven quite malicious, and powerful, and fit well with his team. He'd made a trade for Settarok, a Hydrapple with a 'bad attitude' as his previous owner had called it. He was simply embracing his draconic nature, and once Proditor encouraged that, the seven headed grass dragon had obeyed him with gusto. There was also Voltus, who'd joined them as a tiny little Tynamo, and was very much the baby brother of the party. He was an Elektross now, and had become properly powerful, though he still had a ways to go to be truly competitive. He was also by far the kindest of their new little team, and Proditor almost felt guilty about how the Shadow would warp, and change him.


    image



    There was only one other from the old team that was still alive, who Proditor hadn't reclaimed yet. Carbonis, a Coalossal, had been among the three starter Pokémon he'd once been given, alongside his Snowver and his Omanyte. Unfortunately, Nautilus had long since passed away, perhaps even fossilized, but Proditor had no way to track which Helix Fossil might be his. Unlike his Abomasnow, Optimus, Nautilus and Carbonis had never been infused with Shadow, but rather had, quite early on in his journey, separated from him to aid the ancient world by bringing the rains and shedding coal for the recovering human societies of the age.


    As far as he knew, Carbonis was still producing coal for Eous, as he'd been doing for millennia by this point, and Proditor doubted he had any loyalty left to him. Once they were on the route south of Genoa, Proditor summoned Sparda, his Ceruledge reborn. True to his name, he had yet to lose a battle. "I'll be using you against the Fighting Type Leader." Proditor said bluntly, and the Ceruledge nodded in understanding. "Vesper." His Gliscor appeared with a shiny flash, and the light blue flying ground type grinned at him with his fanged, toothy maw. "If Sparda falls, or becomes too injured, you'll take over." The two Pokémon shared a look, and then nodded. "We're in the latter half of the circuit now, so things will become tougher. There's no shame in switching out. Rely on each other, and we'll be fine. Now, back to training."


    The two chirped an affirmative, and returned to their balls. Proditor felt them shifting and twitching as they got to work, and marveled again at how far Pokéball tech had come. It had taken a long time for him to accept, but modern capture technology was, in every way, superior to what the ancient humans of his time had used. They had never even explored the idea of having Pokémon train within their crystal spheres, they had simply been for stasis, usually used if said Pokémon was injured. It was as he was ruminating on the many advancements of the modern age, that fate saw fit to interrupt his journey again, with a time honored tradition that every Trainer on the road, especially around the start of their circuit, ended up going through eventually.


    A rival battle.


    image




    "Hey! Kid!" Being the only 'kid' around on the route from Genoa to Florencia, Proditor turned and looked to behold the child who'd impeded the start of his journey with his indecision. He was dressed like a rich Trainer, though he was still wearing black. His hair also had less gel in it, though there was still far too much, and his bangs were actually styled in a sweeping parting that looked like a pair of wings. He actually looked objectively better without it covering his face. His young eyes narrowed in confusion as he noticed Proditor was several years older than he remembered. "Uhh…wow. Geeze dude, you look so much older."


    Proditor smirked at him with a look that suggested he knew more than the child. "Yea. I uhh, had a growth spurt." Just then, following behind the boy came a slightly older girl, who was naturally taller than both of them. But in worse physical shape. "So, you ditched your bodyguards, and got yourself a girlfriend?"


    The two youngsters shared an awkward glance, flushed, denied what was as obvious as the Sun in the sky, and then the boy, whose name Proditor still hadn't caught, said, "Whatever!" Which judging by his friend's face, had been the wrong thing to say as her tiny fists balled up in indignant anger. He continued, oblivious to the trope he was living. "My Magmar and I have gotten stronger!" The Magmar popped free of his ball and let out a Flamethrower into the air.


    Proditor frowned, as he knew his freshly evolved rose would quite easily burn in such flames. "We wanna rematch! Unless you're too Kalosian to accept!"


    Proditor just stared at him in confusion. "Did…did you…just use a place of origin as an insult?"





    The two kids shared a look, and then the girl stage whispered behind her hand, "Nico, this guy has peak Sippi energy, no cap. Is he really your rival?"


    Proditor just blinked again. They were using State names as insults now, too. That, was what broke him. He started laughing, as did the rest of his team, for a solid minute. It was genuine mirth, the kind he hadn't felt in literal eons. "Ohhh…merciful Arceus…the youthful slang never disappoints." Even the Magmar had chuckled at his Trainer's words. "Let's…let's just Battle. Before your generational terminology gives me a hernia." He tossed Rosator's ball in his hand, and enlarged it.


    The girl was around the boy's age, had nice clothes that were slightly less quality, but still suitable for a Trainer's journey, and had rich brown hair. Her big blue eyes were narrowed in suspicion. "This kid talks like a Relic Hunter, are you sure-"


    Proditor interrupted her. "Y'know, fam, I still haven't gotten your name."


    "Oh gosh…why does it sound so cringe, when He says it?" The girl whispered again. The boy snickered, and then needlessly ran his fingers through his gelled bangs, which judging by how gross and slimy his fingers got, was a mistake. "I never got Your name, either! And you're not my fam! You're my Rival!"





    "Hear that, Rosator?" Proditor said as his partner appeared. "Do you think these two qualify as our Rivals?" The two kids stared and frowned at the dark sparkles that accompanied the Roselia's appearance. The sentient black and purple bouquet wielding rose plant eyed the two, and then chuckled into a bouquet, shaking his head.


    "Hold on, when did he turn shiny!?" The boy shouted.


    Proditor smirked, having way too much fun as he continued to gaslight the child. "He was always shiny. It's just hard to tell with Budew, sometimes. He's freshly evolved so he's probably not going to win this. Not against a Magmar. But I'm guessing you don't want to let Shellraiser handle this?" Rosator flared with a pulse of grass power, and his poisonous spores filled the air. "Very well. Set the field, then! Grassy Terrain!" Rosator's power pulsed through the road, but Proditor knew they were at a severe disadvantage, probably. With both fire and psychic moves at his disposal, Magmar would likely very easily bring Rosator down. But not without being severely poisoned for his efforts.


    "Flamethrower, Magmar! Burn this stupid rose to ash!" A dark grin came over the fiery creature's features as he inhaled, and flames spewed forth from his weird duck lips. Proditor frowned.





    "...Don't bother dodging. Dazzling Gleam." Proditor countered. Rosator smirked, and then shone with powerful fairy energy, a brilliant and focused example of a move, compared to the Magmar's haphazard Flamethrower. The flames eventually petered out, and Proditor said, "Sludge Bomb." The black bouquet raised to aim at the Magmar, and the sphere of poison was halfway through the air by the time the boy finally realized his attack had done nothing.


    "Muk! Uhh…dodge, Magmar! Flamethrower again!" The attempt at dodging was as awkward as his Trainer's commands, and the lumbering magma clown was hammered with focused sludge that sent him sliding back across the grass. A dark look came over the Magmar that had nothing to do with his emotions. "What!? Poison? Uhhh…" His Trainer was unfocused as he set his backpack down, and started rummaging through it. The Magmar fired off another Flamethrower, somehow even more haphazard and unfocused than the first. Rosator blocked it with another Dazzling Gleam, as the boy retrieved a berry, and shouted, "Here, Magmar! Quick, eat this!"


    He tossed it to the fire type, who being in battle mode, almost instantly burnt it to ash. He chewed on it anyway, seemingly preferring it charred. By the time the Magmar turned back around from eating the berry, and his Trainer focused on his opponent again, Rosator was ready. Proditor's estimation of his 'rival' had dropped severely. "Finish it. Solar Beam."


    "Ha! Grass Moves are weak against us!" The boy said confidently, as his Magmar tanked the beam. And yet, both of them started to sweat, as the focused beam of solar power continued driving the Magmar back, and left him damaged, panting, and smoking. He stomped back to his position then, and roared, but Proditor knew it was nothing but bravado. Rosator figured it out as well.





    Since 'light breeze' wasn't a move, Proditor said, "Poison Sting." At which point Rosator fired off a single purple needle at the fire type. He didn't have time to dodge, nor could he have done so, and the needle sank into his fiery body as it deposited its poison.


    The boy laughed confidently. "That won't be enough! Another Flamethrower should end-" He paused, as his Magmar fell over, fainted and unconscious. "Wh-WHAT!? Magmar!" He ran over to his unconscious partner, and fed him a Revive, which helped him sit up, with a groan. The boy glared at Proditor then. "Cheater! How'd you do it? Magmar is too strong to go down that easily!"


    Proditor snorted, and Rosator mimicked him, raising his head haughtily, in superiority. "Your Magmar is poorly trained. Not one of your Flamethrowers even touched Rosator with how unfocused and weak they were. Sludge Bomb is a powerful Move, and you took too long getting out your berry to heal the poison. You also decided to tank a Solar Beam instead of burning off its power with a Fire Move, at which point all we needed to win was a weak little Poison Sting. Not even multiple, either, literally just one. Well done, Rosator. I apologize for underestimating you." His Roselia bowed gracefully, and returned to his ball. Proditor just sighed. He didn't blame the child, he was clearly new at training as a concept. His Magmar had potential, but his Trainer had no idea how to bring out that potential. Probably because he was, at most, a mere decade old. Proditor wasn't quite arrogant enough to mock the boy, for he'd been just as incompetent. Most ten year old Trainers were, though thankfully most of their mistakes with their Pokémon could be made up for or fixed with Trainer items.





    Proditor quietly tensed as the boy recalled his Magmar, and walked over to him. Then, he held out a hand with a fistful of Pokédollars. "Here. For winning. And for the last time you won, too. I'm Nico, by the way…"


    Proditor briefly contemplated refusing the prize money, but then took it anyway. Refusing it was always more effort than it was worth. Handing Trainers money when one lost was, apparently, just the thing modern Trainers did. "Cassius." He answered, before forcing a smile. "But since we're Rivals…you can call me Cass."


    The boy looked down for a moment but he had more to say. His little girlfriend walked up beside him. "I'm not…good at this, Cass. And you clearly are. I…I was hoping we could travel together. You, Sera, and I. We want to be better Trainers, for our Pokémon, but…books are so boring…"


    Proditor chuckled. "You need to be able to read them, if you want to improve. The more reading you do, the easier it gets. The key is being comfortable while you read. Having an interesting subject also helps." He was quiet for a moment, then said, "How many Badges do you two have? Did you beat Leader Dara yet?"





    The two nodded. "Sera won easily." Nico said, "But I…was lucky. Leader Dara's Pokémon goofed around too much and we managed to make it faint. She almost didn't give me a Badge, at least until she saw my last name."


    "Which is…?" Proditor said, invitingly.


    The child paused, and grimaced. "Uhhh…Greco. I'm Nico Greco." He winced, as if expecting a harsh reaction, or a beating, but Proditor just tilted his head. Aside from the Rossi familia, better known as Team Rocket, there were the Gambino and Mancadreigo families running things as well. Proditor had assumed Nico belonged to one of the families, but he must have been in a family loyal to one. Getting information on them was extremely irritating, as nobody willingly disclosed such things to children.


    "I'm glad to meet you properly, Nico. You have potential to be a great Trainer, you just…need a little help to get there. We all do though, when we just start out." Proditor said, hoping he sounded encouraging.


    The irritating girl spoke up then, suspicion obvious on her face. "You're barely over our age, though. You should be at our level…but you're clearly not. Weirdo. I'll be watching you…" She stuck her tongue out at him, and Proditor resisted the urge to strangle the child with Shadow for her insolence. She was just being a spoiled, rich, brat, and that wasn't entirely her fault.





    The days flew by quickly after that, mostly, Proditor had to admit, because they were actually fun. He couldn't openly take out his high leveled partners as much anymore, not without altering his appearance to that of an adult, but he found teaching the two youngsters to be a refreshing change of pace from drowning in the rage and power the Shadow brought. They ate meals seasoned with the mystical herbs, they battled Trainers on the road to Florencia, and camped under the stars, sharing their dreams. Proditor found himself enjoying it, but in his heart, he knew how it would end. How it always ended. In blood, and tears.


    It started when Proditor wiped the floor with the fighting Gym Leader, a martial arts master called Lucia, with Nico and Sera watching from the stands. Sparda was masterful, and after gaining three levels, Proditor switched in Vesper, and his Gliscor made short work of the rest of her team. After that, the two children were more quiet around him, whispering, thinking he couldn't hear them. But he could. They knew he was not what he seemed, for though they were kids, they were kids who'd been given an education and warned that the world, and its people, were not always what they appeared to be. The resentment, mostly from Sera, only grew, when Lucia wiped the floor with them. Twice. They stuck around Florencia for a while, but apparently Proditor was being 'salty' about not being able to move on.


    Finally, one night, it came to a head. "You should just go, Cass." Nico started. "It's clear you're so much better than us. Just move on and leave us in the dust."


    He was quiet for a long time, and his Pokémon, Rosator, Aquilus, Vesper, Voltus, his Elektross, and Sparda all watched him, quietly nomming dinner as he chose his words carefully. "I may be many things, even a bit salty about Lucia clearly going harder on you two than she went on me," The two children flinched, grasping that yes, he had heard them, "but we agreed to travel together, and I agreed to help you become stronger."





    "Well it's not working bruh." Sera said in her irritating voice, "Just take your W and bounce already."


    "We're just…slowing you down, Cass." Nico added. "Maybe this is our skill issue…as far as we can go…maybe we should go home."


    Proditor's tone turned malicious, as he saw the young girl grin. He'd heard her phone conversations too. "You'd like that, wouldn't you, Sera. The Moncadreigo would reward you quite handsomely for finally convincing their young scion to return." He turned his head, purple eyes catching the firelight, and the kiddo's shocked expressions. "That's right, I know who his family is. It took a while for someone to share that the Mancadreigo were once the Greco family, but now I know. What did they offer you? Thirty thousand, right?"


    Nico was on his feet in a flash, fists balled up. "She wouldn't do that! She's my girl, bro! My ride-or-die! Where's the receipts?"


    Proditor manipulated his shadows and with a psychic pull, acquired the girl's phone. "Receipts? Ahh, evidence. Let's check her call history, shall we? You tell me if you recognize this voice, Nico." He showed them the call log, and Sera's eyes were wide in disbelief, her words lost as she tried to understand how her precious phone had ended up in the hands of their resident creeper so easily. Proditor pushed the last number that wasn't labeled as a contact, and hit the speaker button. By the time Sera realized she could've ordered the Rotom inside to stop the call, the dialed number picked up.


    "Hello, miss Sera. It's not time for our weekly report yet, has something happened?" A pause. "Miss Sera?"





    Proditor watched, as the young boy's world cracked before him. His knuckles turned white, and started shaking. "Just hang up, Sergio! I'M NOT GOING MUKKING HOME! EVER!"


    "I see." The voice said, "We'll retrieve you by force then, young Master, now our confidant has been found out. Leader Lucia wasn't going to let you past her anyway."


    Proditor ended the call, and smirked, tossing the phone back to its owner. "Bribing a Gym Leader…that's…diabolical."


    Nico whirled on Sera. "I trusted you! I caught feelings for you! And you just…finessed me for some money!?"


    "You need to go home, Nico. You know what your Father is like…he didn't give me or my family a choice. You know what he'd do if any of us defied him." She kept her eyes hidden under her bangs as she spoke.


    "Was…any of it real? Or were you just playing me to get your payout?" Nico asked, despite knowing the answer.





    Proditor finally spoke up. "She reported on everything we did, Nico. Weekly. It took me some time to notice, but eventually I figured it out." The two children looked at him then, Sera with unabashed dislike, and Nico with confusion. "I think it's time you left, Sera. I'll protect and watch over young Nico from now on. I'll make him strong. He has potential that his family would just waste on things like crime or brainwashing. I will teach him how to make his power his own."


    Nico blinked dumbly. "W-what? Power?"


    Sera's eyes widened. "I knew you were after him for his gift! Absolute Creeper!" She gave him a dark smirk, then. "Raichu! Volt Tackle this weirdo over the cliff." Said cliff, near their camp site, gave them a rather iconic view of Florencia below them.


    "Balmut." Proditor said, rising, as the brat's electric rat charged up. With a flash, the massive Hippowdon appeared, and roared at the Raichu hard enough to make its electricity just disappear from the force of it. Such was their disparity in level. "Crunch the rat, and throw it over the cliff." A Pokémon could survive such a fall, especially a fully evolved one. Chaos erupted, as Balmut moved through the earth, tossing Nico aside, and doing as he had been ordered. Proditor angled the Raichu's fall to land in a bush, as Balmut had given it more height than was needed, or safe.





    "My Raichu!" Sera squealed, terrified.


    "Is safe." Proditor said calmly. "He's fainted, but landed in a bush. He'll be fine. Go and retrieve him, and then go home Sera. You are not welcome in this camp any longer."


    "That's…not your decision! I-"


    "Just leave Sera…" Nico said, eyes watering up, as he glared at her. "He's right. Just leave, and go home. You're done here."


    "But Nico, I…" She started, looking genuinely hurt.


    Nico wasn't having it, though. "I said GET THE MUK OUT! You lied to me…the whole time. Just…" He deflated, too fond of her to hate her, at that moment. "Just get Raichu and go home…"





    Quietly sobbing, the young girl packed up her things, and ran off hurriedly to get her Pokémon. Nico whirled on Proditor then. "And you! I'm not traveling with you if you don't start being honest! Who the Muk are you!?"


    Glancing around, Proditor sensed they were being watched. Leader Lucia had a Lucario, and he had no doubt the criminals she was beholden to would like that information as well. "Not here. We're being watched." He psychically recalled his team, and sensed their watchers moving. Not having time to warn the child, Proditor swallowed them both in Shadow, and they were gone. The Lucario followed them, but it wasn't fast enough to keep up, and once they got distance, Proditor Teleported them away, to a place not far from the Snowver grove he'd visited before.


    Nico staggered, and hurled up his dinner, as they reappeared. "What the actual Muk…" He groaned.


    "My apologies." Proditor started, and the child stared at him with wide, fearful eyes. "For that…rushed exit, and for deceiving you, Nico Mancadreigo. I had to be sure of who you were, and the power sleeping inside of you, before I revealed what Sera was, and who I am."





    Shadows enveloped his tiny body, and it grew taller, more muscular, and objectively hotter, as he resumed his preferred size and shape. He was in his robes again, with the mantle of a Shadow Wielder in the form of long metal spaulders stretching horizontally from his shoulders. "I am Cassius Proditor. The Successor to the Holder of Arceus. Eons ago, I walked this world, and chose my own destiny. For doing so, the minions of the Light decided to kill me. Recently, I was brought back to this world…and now, I seek those with potential like mine, so that we might reshape this modern world how we please."


    Nico's eyes went wide. "Y-you…you're Mukking with me…that's…that's just a fairy's tale…"


    "I assure you…I'm quite real. There was once a man who managed to Tame the Alpha Pokémon, and I was to succeed him. That…didn't work out, obviously."


    "You…that means you began the Dark Times!" Nico said, still in disbelief. "That…means you're Evil! A Shadow user! Literally the Biggest Baddest Evil Guy in…forever!"


    Proditor chuckled. "Wielding the Shadow is no different from wielding the Light, young Nico. One must embrace both, to understand the truth of this Universe. To gain real power. I now offer that chance to you. Within you is the potential to become a powerful psychic. It's why your family wants you close to them. It's why they were so against you going on a Journey, despite getting a Pokémon. Join me, and I will show you the true meaning of Power. I will make you strong enough to usurp your father, and choose your own path."





    Nico shook his head. "You're…just lying again! Like everyone else! You just want to use me…"


    "I have never lied to you." Proditor stated, "I may have omitted some truths, altered my appearance, but I have always been me, and all I have ever told you, is the truth. You deserve that much, at least, surrounded as you are by a world of crime and lies. This is your chance, Nico. I can teach you everything I know. Join me."


    "Why…why would you just share that? There's always a catch…people don't just hand out their secrets." He answered cautiously, but Proditor knew he had him.


    "You…remind me of myself, when I was your age. Young, a gifted Trainer with a bright future, and psychic potential unrivaled. Honestly…all I want, is to see what you do with the gifts I give you. All I ask in return…is loyalty. Become my Apprentice, learn my ways, and never betray me. Do these three things, and I will make you into one of the most powerful Trainers in the world. As feared, and respected as your Father. Perhaps, even more so."


    The boy thought it over for a minute, and then nodded. "You're right…you're the only one who hasn't lied to my face…alright. I accept." He looked up at the man with big, hurt eyes. "Train me to be like you." Proditor grinned at the child, and then they disappeared in a flash of purple light.





    The Ferrum Region - Islands South of Japan​




    Alex Redwood was sitting cross-legged atop his Metagross, as Atlas brought them to the Ferrum Region at impressive speeds . It had barely been a week before Steven Stone asked him to join him in the Ferrum Region, in an attempt to unlock the power of these Ultimate Sync Stones. He and the boys had cleaned up their camp in Selva Muerta, and were planning on using Tao's realm to perfect their special moves next. Everyone was finally maxed out with ideal stat spreads, and currently, most of the team was at the Palace of Ideals, mastering moves they were having trouble with, from the Scales who resided there.


    Alex heard Atlas rumble as he sensed his kin, and Steven waved them down as they approached. He was standing on a rocky outcrop overlooking a crowded beach. Below, there were beachgoers, food stands, and of course, Pokémon everywhere. He'd watched Ferrum battles before, and while their tech certainly made them interesting to watch, they did, with excessive watching, become a bit…repetitive. Atlas greeted Steven's Metagross with a burst of binary, which was returned in kind, in what Alex was fairly sure was the exact same greeting they'd given each other last time. If a bit faster.


    "Dragon Emperor." Steven said, bowing slightly. "Thank you for indulging me so quickly."


    Alex smirked. "I'm as eager to see these stones in action as you are. I trust you and Metagross have practiced with it since last time?"


    Steven nodded. "It's not at all different from using a Plate, but it does require more build up, and tends to be paired with a powerful Move. I also found one for you." He tossed Alex a similar stone then, but immediately, Alex could tell it was different. As if the core energy it resonated with was different from Steven's.





    Though the potency of dragon energy had awakened Steven's Sync Stone, that one had felt more like steel typing. What Alex held now was, undoubtedly, dragon typed. Alex smirked, as his eyes hinted at what needed to happen. "I think…much as I would enjoy testing our Metagross against each other…we should use our Legendary Pokémon instead. Give the people of Ferrum a show worthy of these stones."


    Steven gave him a sly smirk. "Interesting. How did you know I'd Tamed one?"


    Alex's smirk widened in response to the fire in the CEO's eyes. "I was the one who freed him of Shadow." With a flash of silver, Cobalion appeared beside Steven, and inclined his horned head in Alex's direction. Alex returned the nod of respect. "It's good to see you again, Cobalion. I hope you'll indulge me for a Battle."


    "I would be honored, Dragon Emperor." The Sword of Justice answered. "But we should use the arena below. It will…contain my power, and keep your pick from damaging the landscape."


    Steven nodded in agreement. "A wise decision, Cobalion."





    In short order, the people of Ferrum were rushing to Thalia Beach, for a battle between the CEO of Devon, and the Dragon Emperor, using a newly discovered kind of Sync Stone. That kind of thing drew a crowd, but the vibes were good, and even here in a more remote region of the world, people and Pokémon were existing in harmony, and shared a love of battle. Lux took over officiating, since this would be a battle of Legends.


    "This Battle will follow standard World Tournament rules, and will not be a typical Ferrum Battle!" Lux announced, to some disappointment from the crowd. "However, both participants will be using a new kind of Sync Stone! Therefore, if I give the warning for everyone to back up and take cover, do so immediately, and in an orderly fashion!" The gathered onlookers shared looks, and then backed up anyways. Ferrum's shields had yet to fail, but these two were renowned Champions, and the rumors had spread already that they'd be using Legendary Pokémon. Almost everyone in the crowd had their phone raised to record this epic clash.


    Lux shot a spray of black and white sparks from Alex's Pokédex and shouted, "Begin!"





    "Alright Aevum!" Alex said, raising the palm he'd marked. The mark started glowing, an effect they'd discovered it had whenever they battled together. "Dragon Dance!" Aevum shot forward first, his streamlined form slicing through the air as sparking blurple energy crackled around him. Then, he started to spin.


    Cobalion stood his ground, his steel hooves digging into the sand as he watched Aevum approach. "X-Scissor!" Steven ordered with his trademark flair. The instant the spinning Latios got into range, Cobalion's eyes gleamed. With a sudden burst of speed, the Sword of Justice sidestepped the incoming dragon and retaliated with his lime green energy slash. Aevum smirked at the Legendary Sacred Sword user as he spiraled past, and up into the sky, for his counter.


    Alex's eyes narrowed. "Aura Sphere!"





    Aevum banked hard and formed a swirling, and then condensed ball of fighting energy with ease. He fired it at the Cobalion, and then spun into another Dragon Dance, as Alex called it. Cobalion didn't falter, lowering his horns and charging straight through the attack, his horns glowing with the light of Aerial Ace. The perfect flying typed slash cut through the sphere of aura, only for the two halves to then, at the direction of Aevum, swerve suddenly and slam into Cobalion anyway. The collision sent shockwaves rippling through the battlefield. Sand exploded into the air as Cobalion skidded to a halt, sparks dancing across his metallic frame.


    Steven smirked. "Clever. But that won't be enough. Cobalion, Quick Attack, and then use Iron Head!"


    Cobalion's body shone white with light, as he started speeding toward Aevum. Then, he leapt, and in a flash was right in front of Aevum, but Alex had been waiting for them to get close. "Luster Purge!" A psychic sphere of powerful energy expanded, shining impossibly bright, as the crowd cheered. Cobalion was sent hurtling back towards the ground, but the Sword of Justice got his footing right, and landed, skidding to a stop. He gave Aevum a slow nod of respect.





    Then, as the two Legends prepared to continue, their attack buildup faltered, as something happened that no one expected. Both Steven and Alex's Ultimate Sync Stones began shining with steel gray and draconic blurple light respectively. That, wasn't what had everyone speechless though. Above the arena, looking majestic, and oddly pleased, was the unmistakable white form of the Alpha Pokémon. His Light pulsed through the area, enhancing the good vibes, and causing his Pokémon to cheer after the brief silence. Even the lounging wild ones reveled in the Alpha's power.


    Steven Stone. The red eye shifted to Alex, then. Alexander Redwood. The Alpha Pokémon reared up in the sky, shining with power, as the respective stones glowed even brighter. Show me thy bonds!


    Alex's smirk widened, and he locked eyes with Aevum, who mirrored his Trainer. He was a carefree sort, and tended to go a bit overboard with his antics and his attacks, but he was also a wise mentor, his youthful energy belied the aeons of experience he'd lived through. Of all the ancient Pokémon that Alex had come to know, Aevum by far had the best attitude. Friendly and calm, at least until he ended up in a battle. Then, he raged like a wildfire. The two draconic psychics nodded in unison, and Alex raised his Sync Stone.


    Steven, for his part, had been having the same moment with Cobalion. They'd been sharpening their skills over the past week, traveling around Hoenn, and rolling everyone they came across in battle, including Champion Rikuya. He too raised his Sync Stone, at which point, their lights expanded over both Trainers.





    As it faded, the crowd of onlookers gasped. Steven Stone was now a white clad golden trimmed almost demi-god like figure, shining bright as the symbol of Arceus, in the steel gray color associated with steel types, appeared behind him. In contrast, Alex had not changed much. The Yin Yang symbol was still there on his back, though it was now black and gold, and the lower part of his robe now had gold flames along the lower edge, and his sleeves. His hat had also become black and gold, and behind his back, a draconic blurple symbol of Arceus shone, humming with power.


    Their power extended to their partners, as they began glowing too. Alex was confident, steadfast as the Light of the Alpha flowed into Aevum. Steven, by contrast, looked somewhere between focused and constipated, but the powerful Light reached Cobalion as well, despite the newness of their bond, they were actually almost equal to Alex and Aevum in terms of how long they'd been partners.


    "Aevum! Draco Purge!"


    "Cobalion! Sacred Steel!"





    Aevum soared into the sky, summoning a maelstrom of draconic power as he effortlessly shifted to his Mega Form, and enhanced the Luster Purge with dragon typed energy. Cobalion roared and lunged forward, his hooves shattering the earth beneath him as he blitzed toward Aevum, his horns forming his Sacred Sword, which now shone with steel energy instead of fighting.


    The Latios rocketed forward, his entire form pulsing with energy as he unleashed his powerful move. With a deafening explosion of light from the empowered and colliding moves, the battlefield was engulfed in pure energy. The Ferrum field's barrier activated, and to the relief of all gathered, held fast against the intense energy being released. Cobalion appeared first from the dust cloud, sliding across the field, as his sword faded. He let out a final, defiant cry before finally collapsing onto his knees, his head lowered in submission to the clear winner.


    Aevum psychically removed the dust obscuring him with a pulse of psychic power, and then let his form drop. Alex also let the power go, closing his eyes as he did, and when he opened them again, his clothes had returned to normal. He smirked, glad to have yet another card up his sleeve for the World Tournament. Aevum helped Cobalion to his feet, and levitated a Max Potion from Alex's bag for him, as their Trainers met in the middle of the field, and shook hands.





    Steven spoke first. "That power was…intense. I almost couldn't control it…but you didn't seem to break a sweat."


    Alex smirked, letting the man's hand go. "I've been handling the Light for a while now. That was your first time, Steven. Don't worry, you did Excellently for your first attempt. By the time we see you in the World Tournament, I'm sure you'll have it mastered." His smirk widened then, his eyes on fire. "But, so will I."


    Steven chuckled, a bit unnerved by the ferocity in his expression. "I have no doubt you will. Ash had better watch himself…if I was a betting man, I'd put you as one of the three most likely to win."


    Alex chuckled. "I'm honored. It's just a privilege to be able to face so many legendary Trainers at once. I can't wait."


    Steven nodded with finality then. "Don't let me keep you, Dragon Emperor. Train hard. If you want to surpass our World Champion, you'll need to be the Best. Until we meet again."


    The two Champions left the field then, signed some autographs, interfaced with some fans, and then departed on their respective shiny Metagross. Alex was eager to hone his new power, his own 'special move' as it were, and there was no better place to do that, than Draconis Mons, with the rest of his team.
     
  • New
  • Threadmarks
    • Thanks for the chapter also thank you for the pokemon list in the last chapter.
     
    Reader mode
    You must log in or register to reply here.

    Users who are viewing this thread

    Total: 3 (members: 0, guests: 3)
    Back
    Top