《Veteran's journey: Out of time (A Pokemon story)》 Wormhole Cold... Distant roars and flashes of light received him as his consciousness returned. When his eyes opened, he observed the cold ground before his face. Water ran along his arms and pooled under him, drenching his black trench coat and his pink beard. He tried to look around him, but a nearby explosion disoriented him even more. ¡°Audino!¡± A flash of blue light sprang in front of him, snapping him back to reality. ¡°Lily!¡± He stood up, trying his best not to slip in the mud as he assessed the situation. Lily, his Audino, used Protect In front of him, deflecting an oncoming Flamethrower. Her necklace displaying her Audinite glinted as she turned towards him, eyes narrowed in concentration. Daniel nodded towards her as his fists clenched. His aura reserves were running low, so he had to conserve every shred he could. ¡°Moonblast!¡± He screamed, slightly straining his throat. ¡°Audi!¡± A sphere of pastel pink energy formed in front of Lily as the Protect dissipated. When it was the size of a basketball, the Audino shot it in front of her. A vulpine cry rang in front as a Zoroark fell to the ground. Daniel watched it for a couple of seconds before relaxing. ¡°R2, Status.¡± [UNDERSTOOD] A robotic voice rang inside his left ear before a screen appeared in front of him, projected by his glasses. ¡°Must have busted the right one.¡± He thought while reading.
NAME Daniel Joy
COMBAT POKEMON Audino ¡°Lily.¡± (Tired)
Lapras ¡°Gamera.¡± (Healthy)
Dragapult ¡°Casper.¡± (Fainted)
Braviary (H) ¡°Rodan.¡± (Healthy)
Volcarona ¡°Mothra.¡± (Fainted)
Liligant (H) ¡°Elizabeth.¡± (Fainted)
HELPER POKEMON Rotom (Glasses) ¡°R2.¡±
Porygon3 ¡°Donald.¡±
BOX [EXPAND]
ENERGY ?? Z Energy: 1 / 5 ??
?? Terastal energy: 1 / 2 ??
Dynamax energy: 2 / 2
¡°I need to recharge¡­¡± He grimaced after glancing at the energy levels. With a sigh, he flicked his hand, and the screen morphed into another one.
CONTACTS
Dad
Mom
Zachary Willows
Aidan McGowen
Troy Yates
Gracie Hensley
Rachel Charles
Dale Fletcher
Fraser Morris
(1/5)
With a nod, he tapped Aidan¡¯s name. [?? CONNECTION UNAVAILABLE ??] The alert flashed in front of the screen. He stared at it in disbelief before tapping Aidan¡¯s name again, only for it to reappear. With growing worry, he dismissed it and tapped Troy¡¯s name. [PLEASE WAIT¡­] He sighed in relief as the call went through. The forest his team entered just 30 minutes before in complete ruins. Discarded trees and craters littered the surrounding floor. A Thunderous rain overhead worsening visibility and transforming the walkable patches into quagmires. Only the occasional crack of thunder or distant flash of a Pokemon move briefly illuminated anything. Occasionally, he spotted fainted Pokemon. Most of them were dark and ghost types, likely belonging to the terrorist responsible for the code black. Surprisingly enough, he couldn¡¯t see any human around, conscious or otherwise. ¡°I need to count my blessings.¡± Lily used the small respite to check on the Pokemon, making sure none of them was beyond help. ¡°Daniel! Thank Arceus!¡± The voice drew his focus back to the screen. A dark-skinned woman stared back at him. She was dressed like him: a black trench coat, beret, and orange-tinted glasses. But he could see signs of battle: caked blood, dirt, and black streaks he assumed were make-up. Her face illuminated for a moment and nodded ¡°I lost you for a second!¡± ¡°Troy!¡± Daniel exclaimed, feeling his burden relieve ever so slightly. ¡°Thank Arceus, I thought something happened.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Troy¡¯s face contorted into a grimace. ¡°Anarchy has the orbs. I¡­¡± Her lips trembled. ¡°We couldn¡¯t stop him.¡± Daniel¡¯s veins filled with ice as his heart began to beat rapidly in his chest. That would mean¡­Stolen story; please report. ¡°What about Aidan?!¡± He screamed, briefly startling Lily from checking a passed out Alolan Muk. ¡°What-¡± ¡°He and the elites were fighting¡­they¡­¡± ¡°All of them?¡± He asked, his tone barely above a whisper. ¡°¡­Yeah¡­¡± Troy matched his voice, tears streaming down her eyes. ¡°And I don¡¯t think I can stop him, my team¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take care of this.¡± Daniel bit his lip, looking towards the distant clouds. As lightning flashed, he could barely make a figure floating in the sky, hidden beyond the clouds. ¡°I¡¯ll... I¡¯ll be back.¡± ¡°Take care, Daniel.¡± Troy clenched her eyes and left out a whimper before ending the connection. The darkness returned once more to the clearing. Daniel stood there for a moment, processing what had happened. Lily took his right hand, a small smile on her face. He let out a shaky breath and pet her, slowly feeling the tension eek away. ¡°Ready, Lily?¡± ¡°Au!¡± ¡°Rodan!¡± Daniel screamed, punching forward with his right fist. A Pokeball shot out of his sleeve, enlarged and opened. A red light signaled the entrance of an enormous Braviary. A crest of purple flames imitating eyes flamed on his forehead, uncaring of the rainfall. White and gray replacing the usually colorful plumage. The bird looked around for a couple of moments and settled his eyes on Daniel. [Master] A masculine voice rang inside his head. After staring at each other for a couple of seconds, the Pokemon gave his trainer a grave nod [I am ready]. ¡°R2, saddle.¡± His glasses briefly flashed in orange before a cube rolled from his sleeve to his open palm. He threw it in an arc towards the Braviary before it opened like a Pokeball, shooting a green light. A saddle appeared on Rodan¡¯s back and Daniel carefully boarded the bird followed by Lily. ¡°You know what to do.¡± [I must advise you, master, that the plan is significatively risky.] Rodan shook his head before flapping his wings, accelerating them towards the sky. [But I understand what must be done and I¡¯m ready to follow you.] ¡°Thank you...¡± He sighed, feeling the rain pepper his face and seeing the ground getting farther away. With a nod to steel his resolve, he screamed. ¡°Tailwind!¡± Rodan screeched, controlling the winds around them. An updraft surrounded them and diverted the rain in the process, letting them ascend even faster. The dark clouds approached, discharging lightning and illuminating their quarry. A figure floating beyond. Looking down for a moment, he could see that the war raging on the ruins of Old Opelucid. The league¡¯s forces battling ¡°Team Anarchy,¡± the new terrorists that wanted to ¡®usurp back free will¡¯ as their logan. Even so far away, he could still barely hear the muffled sounds of Z-moves being discharged. The figures of several Dynamaxed Pokemon duking it out, wreaking devastation on both forces. A mental tug brought his attention back to their mission. Above the clouds, among the clear skies and sporting an uncaring expression, was Joey Barlow. The madman self-proclaimed as ¡®Anarchy.¡¯ Barely 18 years old, loving family, and a promising future as a trainer ahead of him. One night 3 years before he seemingly went insane, spouting things about other worlds, death, and ¡®the shackles of government.¡¯ ¡°Typhoon!¡± Rodan¡¯s eyes flashed in purple light as he seized control of the roaring storm. The energy vibrated and shone in light blue as it spun. The clouds were quickly absorbed into the growing spiral, intensifying its power. With a cry and a flap of his wings, Rodan sent it forward. Boom! A deafening explosion followed, sending them back several meters before the bird could orient himself again. Before they could celebrate, Joey¡¯s figure emerged from the smoke. Several hexagonal shields from a ¡°Protect¡± fizzled out as the dust settled, revealing his undamaged body. Naked from waist up, proudly displaying the letter A tattooed on his chest. His loose jeans flapped along with the intense winds that followed the attack. Finally, a deep blue piece of ore, a pastel pink orb, and a mustard yellow crystal lazily orbited around him, joined together by a crimson red chain. ¡°Joey Barlow.¡± Daniel growled, looking directly at his piercing blue eyes. ¡°You¡¯re under arrest.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I am, officer.¡± The man shook his head with a smile. ¡°You lack the power to stop me. To stop my vision.¡± He slowly raised his hands, the orbs spinning faster around him. ¡°You can¡¯t take away my Freedom.¡± As he enunciated his last word, an intense red light erupted from the chains, almost blinding him. Rodan squawked as the wind turned against him, rocking him from side to side. Daniel¡¯s clothes rustled as his balance almost faltered, only able to remain seated thanks to Lily¡¯s grip and Rodan¡¯s telekinesis. ¡°R2! Mask!¡± He managed to scream. His glasses transformed into an orange mask with a Rotom¡¯s smirk over his mouth. The sounds muffled and his vision cleared. Joey¡¯s hand flashed, cycling between cyan, yellow and pink as the winds got stronger. Daniel could start making outlines of what used to be legends: Dialga and Palkia. Like a mirage, their images swam around them, basking them in pink and blue light. [?? LEGENDARY ENERGY DETECTED! ??] [ENERGY IDENTIFIED: DIALGA, LORD OF TIME.] [ENERGY IDENTIFIED: PALKIA, LORD OF SPACE.] An alert appeared in front of Daniel as his Porygon3 and Rotom analyzed the energy. Even if it was a bit pointless. There was no way to imitate the energy and sheer pressure of the lords of time and space. His chest got tighter as their forms arrived in front of Joey. ¡°Finally¡­Home¡­¡± Joey said, barely like a whisper. ¡°R2! Overclock!¡± Daniel screamed, preparing himself for the worst. [OVERCLOCKING] R2¡¯s mechanical voice intoned as his blood grew hotter. But Daniel¡¯s attention was squarely on Lily. Lily¡¯s Audinite and a bracer under Daniel¡¯s trench coat began to glow. The light of mega evolution took over the Audino as her form grew slightly. Her fur turned white and grew, imitating a doctor¡¯s coat in her body and small wings on her feet. Her ears and feelers elongated even more. A white, fluffy tuff of fur popping out of her chest signaled the end. With a low roar and grasping the last dregs of aura left in him, Daniel crossed his arms in front. His Z-bracer flashed with pink energy as he formed a heart with his palms and finished with a feminine pose. Light flared up from inside him as his aura flooded towards Lily, almost blacking him out in the process. ¡°Twinkle impact!¡± Daniel screamed, fighting back the darkness creeping up his vision. ¡°Audinooooo!¡± Lily shot towards Joey, pink stars trailing behind her. Just before making contact, all the Z energy concentrated on her outstretched arm. An ear-piercing explosion and a flash of light briefly overpowered Daniel¡¯s senses as the attack landed. [Master!] Rodan¡¯s voice echoed as Daniel felt his psychic energy preventing him from falling to his death. Daniel sent feelings of gratitude through their link and his eyes widened as his eyes returned to the fight. Lily was suspended in the air, her fist clashing with a smooth pink barrier. Joey smirking just behind it. He clapped his hands, and the Audino shoot back towards them. Rodan barely managed to catch the flying Audino as the mega evolution faded. Daniel¡¯s heart almost stopped when she didn¡¯t immediately move, but the gentle rise of her chest and swirls in her eyes relaxed him. ¡°Just Fainted.¡± He thought to himself with relief before he returned Lily to her Pokeball, then sucked back into his bracer. ¡°Well. Let¡¯s get this show on the road, then.¡± Joey¡¯s finger snapped as a marble of nothingness appeared right behind him. The darkness slowly expanded as the silhouettes of the legendary Pok¨¦mon grew clearer and clearer. Blue, pink and yellow lightning flashed around it before collapsing inwards and transforming into a portal. Daniel¡¯s breath grew heavy as exhaustion began to overpower him. His last option was using Gigantamax, but Gamera was not his best attacker. ¡°It has to be enough.¡± Another overclock would surely kill him, especially with a giant Pok¨¦mon involved. But seeing Joey¡¯s ecstatic expression as he floated towards the portal made him falter. ¡°Fuck¡­¡± He retracted his arm, preparing for the worst. ¡°Guess this is it.¡± Rodan¡¯s feelings came through their link. Feelings of comradery, friendship, pain, loneliness. Their travels, their joys, their sorrows. The grand victories in the competitive scene. The horrible losses that threatened everything. His heart felt warm and at peace with whatever happened next. His brother waited for him anyway. ¡°Game¡­ra¡­¡± his words died in his throat as the moon was covered in inky darkness. The stars disappeared and the wind stilled. The world seemed to pause for a moment as a pair of red eyes stared from beyond the void. A pair of wings, or what he imagined them to be, soared behind Joey. Panic flowed through the link as Rodan tried to find a way out, flapping his wings in place. ¡°No¡­No! Noooo!¡± Joey cried in pain as his skin began to crack in places like porcelain. His expression filled with terror and pain. ¡°My home! No! Stop!¡± [?? LEGENDARY ENERGY DETECTED! ??] [ENERGY IDENTIFIED: GIRATINA, LORD OF DISTORTION] Energy built up on what Daniel assumed was the beast¡¯s mouth. A deep purple sphere shot towards Joey before he could react, hitting him directly in the chest. A crack echoed as the red light evaporated. Before the man could fall, however, purple energy seized him in the air. The adamant crystal, lustrous globe, and griseous core disappeared as if they never existed. Dialga and Palkia¡¯s outline blurred again before disappearing. ¡°HEEEEEELP MEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeee.¡± Joey¡¯s screams slowly muffled as the inky form of Giratina covered him completely. The force of nature took a small glance at Daniel and Rodan before it vanished into the void beyond, just like it arrived. ¡°That¡¯s¡­too much adrenaline¡­¡± Daniel whispered, looking at the portal that was still opened. It showed a different, but similar world beyond. He could see vehicles, people going to work, the sounds he associated with big cities like Castelia or Opelucid. Yet, as far as he could tell, there were no Pok¨¦mon around. No Pidoves roosting on roofs, no Ratattas, Muks or Garbodors crawling on the sewers, no Snorlax halting traffic. Everything was¡­deeply wrong. However, the mirage didn¡¯t last long. The image melted back into inky darkness. [?? ULTRA WORMHOLE DETECTED ??] With a weary exhale, he plopped down on Rodan¡¯s plumage as they circled the fissure to another reality. Protocol dictated that he remained there, lest something¡­ otherworldly crawled through. ¡°R2, patch me with central.¡± The screen flashed orange before his father¡¯s image appeared. The structure of their faces was similar, except for the pure white hair and the lack of beard. His eyes were green like emeralds, and a large scar crossing his left cheek. He wore an orange Alolan shirt, which was caked in blood in several places. Daniel could spy the telltale signs of the ¡®cleaning crew¡¯ dealing with the aftermath of a great battle on the background. ¡°Daniel! Are you ok?!¡± Daniel grimaced as his dad¡¯s voice came a bit too loud on his only speaker. ¡°I¡¯m alright, dad.¡± He nodded. ¡°Giratina took care of the situation. ¡°Those are certainly words¡­¡± The old man muttered before shaking his head. ¡°We¡¯ll need a full on that. Godzilla and I dealt with the situation back here in orbit. We¡¯ll send the rangers and the paramedics to your location in a bit, try to gather the rest of the veterans¡­ And we¡¯ll talk about Aidan.¡± The man aged considerably after uttering those words. ¡°Underst-¡± Before he could respond, formulate words to console his father or explain about the portal to another world open just a couple of meters away, everything went white. Opelucid City ...ter! ¡°Huh?¡± [Master!] Daniel rapidly opened his eyes and saw Rodan¡¯s face right beside his. The Braviary looked worried and a bit frazzled, but otherwise ok. His attention drifted to the smooth asphalt underneath him and the lack of an artificial ceiling above. ¡°Where?¡± [Let me help you, master.] The world spun for a moment before he stood on his feet again. The sudden movement and general disorientation gave way to nausea and dizziness. After gathering his bearings for a couple of seconds, and calming down the nervous Pokemon, he looked around. The pair found themselves in the middle of an unfamiliar street. Scorching marks covered the buildings around him, the ground was torn by several explosions, and he could even spot some bloodstains on the sidewalks. He didn¡¯t recognize which town he was in immediately, but the street names and some signs appeared Unovan. ¡°Small mercies. At least I¡¯m still in the region.¡± He sighed and petted Rodan, scratching him under his beak. The bird cooed, sending feelings of contentment and relief. ¡°I guess being near that portal was not a good idea,¡± Daniel muttered. ¡°R2, try to contact Dad.¡± [?? CONNECTION UNAVAILABLE ??] ¡°Anyone from the team nearby?¡± [?? CONNECTION UNAVAILABLE ??] ¡°Arceus give me strength.¡± The roar of distant explosions accompanied by screams drew his attention. After jumping into Rodan¡¯s saddle, both shot towards the battle. With R2¡¯s help, he identified the attacking Pokemon, which were mostly Liepards, Watchogs, and the odd Krookodile. The trainers commanding them had a different outfit than the usual Anarchy one. Instead of baggy pants and black trench coats, their styles were sleek and more military-esque. Their berets gave them a Kalosian vibe instead of Unovan, which was a worrying conclusion. In the distance, slowly floating towards the city was a ship. It wasn¡¯t like the usual space shuttle, sleek and arrow-shaped, or even like those who tried to imitate Orbeetles, round and full of light. It was an actual flying frigate. With R2¡¯s zoom, he was able to make out sails, blue metal wings to the sides, and cannons peeking from the sides. [?? LEGENDARY ENERGY DETECTED! ??] [ENERGY IDENTIFIED: KYUREM, THE EMPTY LORD.] ¡°They revived Kyurem?!¡± Daniel¡¯s eyes widened in alarm, his heart racing at the implications. Without wasting a moment, he punched forward. ¡°Gamera! G-Max!¡± Gamera¡¯s Pokeball shot from Daniel¡¯s bracer, rapidly expanding until it got bigger than a beach ball. When it opened, a titanic Lapras descended. The starry night darkened as red clouds emerged like a halo from the gigantic Pokemon. 3 smaller red clouds orbited his shell. The giant¡¯s silver eyes shone as ice crystals orbited it, imitating musical notes. With his mere presence, the temperature dropped several degrees. The fighting stopped immediately as if someone pressed a pause button. Terrorists, civilians, and even the league¡¯s forces froze as they stared at the colossal figure. ¡°Any energy spikes?¡± He surveyed the city without taking the ship out of his periphery. Having a Dynamax battle would be disastrous, but he was out of options. He hoped the higher-ups would understand that. [NEGATIVE] [Negative, master.] R2 and Rodan answered one after the other. That gave him pause. ¡°Odd,¡± Daniel muttered as he stared at the ship. ¡°Rodan, prepare to go Dynamax just in case.¡± [Understood.] Rodan stopped going up after reaching Gamera¡¯s head. The giant Pokemon smiled and let out a happy warble before staring at the frigate again. By this point, the distance between the two was shy of 200 meters. The frigid air condensed in the bow as the silence stretched for several seconds. ¡°Megaphone.¡± [UNDERSTOOD.] A small circular grate appeared in front of his mouth as the mask morphed. When a small ding rang in his left ear, He cleared his voice. ¡°Attention!¡± He screamed, his voice projecting for hundreds of meters and startling the fighters below. ¡°Joey Barlow was defeated! By the authority of the World Pokemon League, you are under arrest! Power down your ship and prepare to be boarded! Any attempt to harness Kyurem¡¯s energy will be taken as an attack!¡± ¡°Laaaaaaapraaaas!¡± Gamera¡¯s roar thundered, shattering all windows around him. Even the ship was not spared. The bridge¡¯s glass and its portholes exploded, launching fragments in several directions as if an explosive had gone off. The Lapras looked shocked as the world around them turned into pandemonium.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Why is there no protection against Dynamax?!¡± Daniel¡¯s voice echoed again. R2 quickly deactivated the microphone before the rest could get out. ¡°Did they skimp on construction?! Where are the barriers?! The reinforced glass!¡± He massaged his temples as the people began running away from the shower of glass. Thankfully, some had the presence of mind to use protection and similar moves to prevent any death from a stray shard. Still, the whole situation couldn¡¯t get any worse. [?? ENERGY SPIKE! ??] ¡°This is just such an Arceus damned mess.¡± The bow opened, revealing a cannon pointed directly at Gamera. Kyurem¡¯s energy flowed through the thing, concentrating on what he believed would be a laser. With an annoyed huff, he pointed forward. ¡°Max guard!¡± Gamera had to rein in his instinct to roar as the dome of energy sprang in front of him. Both attacks met with a dull bang, lowering even more the temperature around them. Gentle snow drifted as the impact died down, revealing the pristine Lapras. ¡°Resonance!¡± The snow transitioned into a hail as chunks of ice rained from the sky. The biggest ones always fall on top of the ship, destroying the upper deck with ease. Sails froze, wings broke, and the metal groaned under the weight. Just as the attack started to die down, a much bigger chunk fell on top of the rear motors. As the frigate listed, an aurora enveloped the city. Greens, blues, and purples illuminated the night sky as Lapras basked in the afterglow. An explosion rocked Daniel as the ship¡¯s side exploded and broke into 3 pieces. ¡°Gamera!¡± Gamera closed his eyes in concentration. The aurora quickly shifted and protected the people down on the streets from the massive chunks of metal accelerating toward them. With some strain, he was able to redirect them towards empty spaces. After the last one touched the ground harmlessly, the transformation ended. The clouds parted and the stars returned. With a flick of his hand, Gamera¡¯s Pokeball appeared in Daniel¡¯s hand before he recalled the tired Lapras. ¡°Good job out there.¡± He whispered and loaded it inside his bracer. ¡°Are the jammers still in place, R2? I need to contact the league.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary.¡± A stern voice rang behind them. A man quickly joined Daniel in the sky mounting an angry Salamence. He wore a white buttoned shirt and beige pants with suspenders. His Hair was white as snow and a beard completely covered his mouth, emulating a reptile jaw. He crossed his arms, flexing his massive muscles in the process, as he stared Daniel down. ¡°Who are you?¡± Both said at the same time. Their brows furrowed as the tension slowly grew between them. Their Pokemon could feel it too, adjusting their stances as they prepared for air combat. [NO ID IN THE DATABASE] This time it was Donald¡¯s voice the one that rang. It had a more feminine tone to differentiate him and R2. [CLOSEST MATCH: EX-MAYOR DRAYDEN OF OLD OPELUCID CITY.] ¡°Ex-mayor Drayden?¡± Daniel could not help but ask aloud. ¡°Are you a cosplayer?¡± ¡°Cosplayer?¡± Drayden asked with a growl, clenching his hands. ¡°I AM Drayden, gym leader and mayor of Opelucid city.¡± The Salamence hissed as Drayden¡¯s presence grew. ¡°WHO. ARE. YOU?!¡± Suddenly, freezing pressure washed over them. Both men whipped their heads towards the ruins as a figure slowly rose from inside. Kyurem¡¯s battered body limped forward, freezing the ground around it. Its body was badly battered and bruised, but its aura still blazing. ¡°R2!¡± [LEGENDARY CONTAINMENT MEASURES ENGAGED.] His hand punched towards the legendary, shooting a silver Pokeball. When it made contact, the massive dragon disappeared inside it. With a flick of his hand, it reappeared inside his palm, gently rocking from side to side. ¡°Aerial ace!¡± Drayden shouted, likely running out of patience after his stunt. ¡°Shi- Protect!¡± A hexagonal shield sprang in front of them just before the angry reptile smashed into them. ¡°You¡¯re interfering with League¡¯s official business! Continue this and you¡¯ll be considered an accomplice!¡± ¡°Hah! Accomplice!¡± Drayden cracked his knuckles before grabbing onto his Salamence again. ¡°Dragon claw!¡± The massive reptile moved as the protect faded, igniting its claws with purple energy. ¡°Esper wing!¡± Rodan retreated as his wings glowed with psychic energy. Both attacks met with a dull explosion, shooting them back a couple of meters. He followed up with air slashes, But the Salamence weaved around them with ease before shooting towards them, dark energy gathering in its mouth. ¡°Close combat!¡± Both Pokemon made contact, one bathed in dark and the other in orange. A dull bang followed as both shot backward several meters. The fighters took a moment to right themselves, mindful of their riders, before staring down each other again. ¡°Tera!¡± Daniel screamed, touching his Pokemon with his bracer. Crystals quickly grew and encased them before harmlessly exploding. It revealed Gamera, glowing like a gem. A bow and a pink heart rested on top of his purple flames, small white wings on each side. The bird let out a screech before shooting towards the Salamence again. ¡°D-dragon claws!¡± Drayden was almost caught flat-footed but quickly recovered. However, the attack uselessly dissipated when it made contact. ¡°What?!¡± ¡°Dazzling gleam!¡± The glow intensified, almost blinding Drayden. A weightless sensation overcame him as his Salamence began plummeting towards the ground, unconscious. The gemlike appearance dissipated as Rodan grabbed both with his psychic energy. ¡°You¡¯re under arrest,¡± Daniel growled at the man. ¡°R2, no help with central?¡± [NEGATIVE] ¡°Where are those jammers.¡± He massaged his temples again. Rodan looked over at him with a worried expression. ¡°It¡¯s ok, let¡¯s wait for the league.¡± ¡°This is Gym Leader Drayden.¡± Drayden scowled back at him. ¡°Are you with Plasma?¡± ¡°Plasma?¡± Daniel blinked in confusion for a couple of seconds. ¡°Look, sir. Your cosplay is phenomenal. It is even fooling my Porygon3. But now is not the time for that. There was an attack on the league¡¯s headquarters, and I need to get to orbit quickly. Don¡¯t make this harder than it needs to be.¡± [Master, he seems to be speaking the truth.] ¡°Hmm?¡± [I am parsing his surface thoughts.] Rodan looked at Drayden with intense concentration. [He thinks this is Opelucid City and that he is Gym leader Drayden.] ¡°He¡¯s either delusional or¡­¡± ¡°Hands where I see them!¡± Several more flying Pokemon quickly surrounded them. All of them were mounted by people using a uniform eerily like his. Albeit they lacked his bracer, any kind of Rotom gear, or the World Pokemon League¡¯s logo. Instead, theirs had the Unovan league¡¯s logo. Daniel could spot Altarias, Flygons, Unovan Braviaries, And an incredibly angry Hydreigon. A girl, no older than eighteen, mounted this last one. Her skin was dark, and a big mane of black hair was tied by several ribbons and fancy hair clips. She was dressed in a puffy dress, with frills and a tiara. Several Pokeballs hanging on her side, most likely by an old-school sash. ¡°This is Champion Iris! Free Gym leader Drayden and come with us! You are under arrest!¡± [It seems like it is the second option, master.] Rodan dropped the telekinesis when another veteran riding a Braviary took him. The frown never left his face. [We were sent back in time.] Interrogation Iris was not having a good day or even an exceptional year. The resurgence of Team Plasma just days after she took the position of Champion took the wind out of her sails. She had been solving problems nonstop for months, going from one place to another, and desperately needed a break. Adding to that the pressure from the public and the league itself for the problem to disappear. She felt she finally understood Alder¡¯s allergy to being in an office. She looked around her office, trying to find her peace. It was small but full of mementos from her journeys. The bones from her times in the desert north of Castelia. A small, broken eggshell from the day she found her Axew. Photos of her with friends, the other leaders, the day she turned into Unova¡¯s Champion¡­ ¡°The subject is in custody.¡± A voice broke her off her musings. She turned to the door, seeing a woman¡¯s face partially inside. Her long, blond hair almost reached the floor. ¡°Champion.¡± She said as Iris waved the woman in. Her steps were measured and fluid like water. A pink veil covered her thin figure and white dress. Even if she lacked her usual hat, Caitlin¡¯s face was hard to forget. When she was in front of the desk, she curtsied, making her hair wave in the air. ¡°Hi, Caitlin.¡± Iris nodded at her. ¡°His Pokemon?¡± She reclined on her chair, remembering the state they found Drayden in. The aura that suffused the place they battled. It was hard to resist the urge to shudder. ¡°They¡¯re being examined by Professor Juniper and higher-ups from the Joy clan.¡± She intoned. ¡°They seem really interested.¡± ¡°Great. Politics.¡± She murmured to herself. Caitlin smiled wryly at her comment. Alder left out an important detail when he pitched the job to her: Politics. Apart from stopping Team Plasma, she now had to deal with those. The balancing game of benefits between all the factions in the government was almost the antithesis of the dragon doctrine. ¡®Too bad I can¡¯t punch them to assert dominance here¡­¡¯ The man was most likely a bastard from the Joy clan. He had their signature pink hair, an Audino, and introduced himself as Daniel Joy. The fact that he had an Audino gave it more weight since they were hard to find in the wild. But her main point of interest was the strange Pokemon the man carried. Caitlin handed her a document as if she was reading her mind. ¡®She probably is.¡¯ ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ New dragon species, different evolutionary pathways for two Unovan Pokemon, new evolution for Porygon¡­¡± Her eyebrows continued to rise higher and higher. The quick tests performed on the recovering Pokemon showed they were absolute monsters. The ghost dragon especially gave her pause. ¡®Speed and raw power are much higher than Hydra¡­¡¯ ¡°Who is this man?¡± Caitlin gently shrugged her shoulders. ¡°He should be waiting in the interrogation room. We¡¯ll ask questions when you are ready.¡± Iris nodded, putting down the papers. ¡°What about Kyurem?¡± Her eyes narrowed, remembering what Drayden told her about that strange silver Pokeball. ¡°That¡­¡± Caitlin hesitated. Her expression grew conflicted for a couple of seconds. ¡°Nobody has deactivated the Pokeball.¡± ¡®That¡¯s¡­worrying.¡¯ She narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms. ¡°Not even Amanita?¡± Caitlin gently shook her head passed her a tablet and pressed ¡®play¡¯ on a video. It showed Amanita and a team of scientists inside a lab connecting the silver Pokeball to several devices. Each one would try to override the trainer lock to release the legend back into nature, but nothing worked. Even after shocking, pressure, voice overrides, and even a transfer machine were used, nothing seemed to affect it. Iris felt another headache rearing its ugly muzzle. She sighed exasperated and stood from her desk. ¡°Let¡¯s see what¡¯s what with our mystery man.¡± She grabbed her tiara and rushed out of the office, leaving a chuckling Caitlin behind. -- ¡°Are the cuffs necessary?¡± Daniel shook his cuffs against the metal table to which he was tied. The guard looked ahead, completely ignoring his question. His eyes traced the featureless gray room he was in, complete with what he assumed was a one-way mirror. The League officials took all his gear. They handled his bracer and Kyurem¡¯s temporary Pokeball with special care. At least they let him continue using his uniform after triple-checking him for anything suspicious. Except for his beret, which was sadly taken away too. ¡°Heh, Dad used to tell us this used to be popular.¡± He said, looking to fill in the silence rather than start a conversation. ¡°I just hope they don¡¯t use the ¡®good cop, bad cop¡¯ approach he told us about.¡± Thinking about the family he left behind in the future gave him some pause. It still didn¡¯t feel real that he was hundreds of years in the past. Worries about people he knew not being born because of him plagued his mind. Those who saw him vanish into the night. Those that didn¡¯t make it through the night. He distracted his mind from that. It wasn''t the best place to be vulnerable. After adrenaline ran its course, things began to click in his mind. The giant ship, lack of Dynamax protections in place, that Drayden asked about team plasma¡­Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡°The attack¡­ Opelucid was supposed to be destroyed by plasma¡­¡± He muttered to himself. The guard twitched but otherwise remained still. Daniel tried to rub his face, but the cuffs prevented him. He settled for a sigh before reclining on the uncomfortable metal chair. Just before he could voice any more of his thoughts, the door was violently opened. That same girl who identified herself as Champion Iris stared at him with narrow eyes. ¡°Care to expand on that, mystery man?!¡± She entered, the full force of her draconian aura slamming into him. ¡°Because from MY perspective, it¡¯s very destroyed!¡± Daniel used his fairy aura to counteract hers by reflex. That made him realize two things. The first: his aura was much stronger, much denser than hers. The second¡­ ¡°You don¡¯t have protection against aura users?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Both looked at each other in stunned silence. ¡°We are off to a good start.¡± Caitlin¡¯s melodious voice rang from behind Iris. She nodded at the guard, who took it as his signal to leave. ¡°Greetings.¡± She walked to Iris¡¯ side and bowed towards him. ¡°Greetings.¡± He bowed back, ignoring the stupefied look on Iris¡¯ face. ¡°I didn¡¯t catch your name, miss¡­¡± ¡°Caitlin.¡± She curtsied. ¡°I¡¯m part of the Elite Four. Psychic specialist.¡± ¡°Pleasure to meet you, Elite Caitlin. My name is Daniel Joy.¡± ¡°Pleasure is mine, Mr. Joy.¡± ¡°Hold a moment!¡± Iris seemed to recover from her shock. She jumped onto the table and examined Daniel closely. ¡°You know about aura?¡± Now, Daniel felt he was between an Aegislash and a hard place. He could try to hide the future; try to prevent anyone he knew from being erased from existence. ¡®A bit late for that, I think.¡¯ He mused, thinking back on his explosive entrance. Iris tried her best to intimidate him with her draconic aura to no avail. ¡°I can tell you what I know, but I need access to one of my Pokemon.¡± He crossed his fingers. ¡°Porygon3, more exactly.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Iris''s tone grew sharper, her face coming a bit closer. ¡°What are you planning, mystery man?¡± ¡°I¡­need to confirm something.¡± After a stare-down, Iris backed off and got off the table. She huffed and crossed her arms, considering his question. ¡°Granted.¡± She nodded, frown still in place. ¡°But Hydra needs to be in the same room. I don¡¯t want any funny business.¡± ¡°I assume that is your Hydreigon? Yes, that is reasonable.¡± He shrugged. The girl nodded at Caitlin, who nodded back before exiting the room. The wait was awkward. Iris¡¯ eyes never left Daniel apart from having to blink. ¡°If that wasn¡¯t a reflex, I bet she wouldn¡¯t have blinked.¡± He smirked at his little observation. The woman didn¡¯t take that too kindly to that gesture. Her aura flared once more, only to uselessly clash against his. It was fascinating watching a, most likely, self-taught aura user. Thinking on that point, nobody he passed seemed particularly attuned to their aura apart from Caitlin. Hers fit the bill for psychic, if a bit weaker than what¡¯s normal. Blocking hers was trickier, but not that hard. ¡°Can¡¯t be too careful with mind reading.¡± Before he broke the ice with an inane question, Caitlin returned. She handed him a Pokeball and returned to her previous spot. Before he could release Donald, Iris beat him to the punch by silently releasing her massive Hydreigon. Scales shined under the overhead lamp and the room¡¯s atmosphere got suffocating. Their 6 eyes glinted in malicious light as they stared him down. ¡°Well, thank you.¡± He nodded at the woman, not that much affected by the change. ¡°Come out, Donald.¡± The ball expanded and opened. A small red and blue duck appeared, flapping its wings. Its appearance was much more animal-like than its predecessors, especially Porygon-Z. Yet, its shape was rounder, almost like a toy. It looked around in curiosity for a moment before settling its eyes on its trainer. ¡°Donald. Please pull the file on Opelucid City, Plasma incident.¡± [UNDERSTOOD, MASTER.] A mechanical voice rang from inside the duck, startling everyone present. Even the Hydreigon seemed unsure how to proceed. Its eyes flashed in blue before the voice came back. [OPELUCID CITY. 125 B.U. TEAM ¡°PLASMA¡± HARNESSED THE POWER FROM KYUREM, THE EMPTY LORD, TO POWER A SHIP. THE VESSEL WAS CALLED "PLASMA FRIGATE." ITS MAIN CANNON FROZE OPELUCID CITY WHEN GYM LEADER DRAYDEN REFUSED TO PART WITH THE DNA SPLICER. ESTIMATED CASUALTIES: 45735.] ¡°Thank Arceus¡­¡± Daniel slumped, feeling relief coursing through his body. If Daniel still had the original article... ''this is not my past.'' ¡°Thank Arceus for WHAT!¡± Iris slammed her hands on the table. ¡°WHAT DO YOU MEAN!¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s hard to explain.¡± Daniel looked away for a second, looking at how to best breach the topic. ¡°I¡¯m from the future.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± It looked like he just sucker-punched them out of nowhere. Both women stared at him in complete shock. With a flap of its wings, Donald took flight and landed on Daniel¡¯s head. ¡°Pory!¡± Caitlin tilted her head. ¡°Was¡­that a joke?¡± She said, trying to steer the conversation. ¡°We¡¯ll need psychic interrogation.¡± Daniel shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll believe me otherwise.¡± ¡°It¡¯s either that or a therapist.¡± Iris bit back, her face even more annoyed than before. She pinched the bridge of her nose for a second, muttering prayers under her breath. After a sigh, she looked him directly in the eyes and nodded. ¡°Alright. On my authority as Champion of the Unovan Pokemon League, I authorize psychic interrogation. Caitlin, as a current member of the Elite Four and expert in psychic Pokemon, will precede it. The suspect made a voluntary request for psychic interrogation without any form of mental stimulation.¡± Caitlin nodded and released a Gothitelle in the already cramped room. Daniel looked curious as the maid-like Pokemon bowed towards their master and drew their gaze towards him. As their eyes glowed cyan, the world disappeared around him. His life flashed before his eyes, just as Dad said it would in his stories. Granted, those happened in near-death experiences, but it was the only way to describe it. He could feel the alien mind of the Pokemon brushing against him, poking and prodding memories. Daniel left access to the less¡­private ones since those were not vital for his story. Daniel felt himself reliving them, too. Getting both Lily and Mothra as his starters. The first time his fairy aura flared up in fairy pink. His journey through the Kalos league. His first time inside the World League¡¯s main headquarters in orbit, blowing his teenage mind away. The brutal battles to reach the top of the Unovan league. The League¡¯s brushes against megalomaniacs every other month. His brother ascending to the ¡°throne¡± of Champion of Champions. The night he traveled back in time¡­ Before the melancholy could fully grasp him, he felt Gothitelle¡¯s mental link fade away. She sent him feelings of gratitude for his cooperation and shock at what she saw. No words, though. ¡®Mental links should be in their infancy, then.¡¯ Something so¡­Fundamental in the top battles of the World League being absent was curious. ¡°What¡­How?¡± Iris choked out. Her mind reeling from all the revelations she saw through the link. ¡°That is¡­a really good question, isn¡¯t it?¡± He laughed awkwardly, watching the pale women trying to regain composure. ¡®This is going to be a long day¡­¡¯ Joy Daniel gave them a rundown of the competitive scene in the future during the next hours. Aura being so prevalent it was a soft requirement for the Championships. Nobody under a certain level was able to last against the very best. The ¡®format¡¯ is divided into singles, duos, and the Origin games. The first 2 are self-explanatory and being champion in both is a requirement for an invitation to the World Series. The Origin games were a bit trickier. ¡°So, when the world united under the World League, the games were made as a commemoration. They compete in everything except battle prowess. Speed, strength, stamina, reflexes, even some sports. It turned out to be very lucrative and they kept them alive, always switching to another region every 4 years or so.¡± He debated with himself a lot about revealing the future major catastrophes, but he was sure that after saving Opelucid a lot of things would change anyway. He talked in length about the major teams that would rise in their lifetime. Also touched upon the Unification wars and the Great Incursions. Those were a can of worms he hoped he wouldn¡¯t need to live through. When their curiosity was satisfied, and their meeting safely backed up for future use, they let him leave. His living arrangements would be taken care of by the Joy clan, and he would receive a stipend until he got a real job. Since they were using Pokedollars instead of Pokecredits, he was unsure if it was a lot. Iris insisted it was enough for a team of 10 to live comfortably. He would take her word for it. Dawn was breaking outside. The air was fresh, carrying a mild scent of wilderness. Over the horizon, he could see the silhouettes of cities, along with several flying dots over what he assumed to be Opelucid city. With a small shake of his head, he went down the stairs. The pillars outside were reminiscent of early Kalosian and Sinnohan architecture, but he would not voice those comments, especially in this period. Who knew if the inter-regional discord was still rampant? ¡°Hello, Mr. Daniel?¡± A voice broke him from his musings. A young woman stood a couple of steps behind the hero¡¯s statue. Her attire betrayed her as a nurse Joy: puffy pink dress, white gown, ribbon around her waist, and a nurse cap atop her equally pink hair. An Audino trailed behind with an ever-present smile on their face. Both bowed at the same time. ¡°My name is Sarah Joy. Nice to meet you.¡± ¡°Likewise.¡± Daniel bowed back. He felt a nudge in his aura coming from Lily, asking to be let out. ¡°Eh¡­ My Audino would like to meet yours, is that ok?¡± The girl blinked a couple of times in surprise, but nodded with a smile, nonetheless. ¡°Sure!¡± With a quirk on his lips, he took her Pokeball and left her out. Lily was at least half a head taller, as well as bulkier than her Audino. Both looked at each other curiously and spoke between them. After some exchanges, Lily ended up pinching the other¡¯s cheek with a smile. ¡°Forgive me, Lily is a bit¡­¡± He chuckled as she began to pokespeak to the other Audino. ¡°Motherly with younger ones.¡± ¡°I can see that,¡± Sarah answered with a smile before composing herself with a soft cough. ¡°The Joy clan formerly invites you to reside in our compound in Lacunosa town.¡± ¡°Lacunosa¡­¡± He had some memories from his great-grandmother¡¯s hometown. She knew from her stories that it had a legend about a giant meteor and a terrifying monster. That¡¯s why it had a great wall. From the photos he saw at the Joy mansion, it was a beautiful city. At least before the Great Incursions destroyed it. ¡°Yes, I think that would be lovely.¡± ¡°Then please, follow me.¡± *** Riding the ¡°battle subway¡± was an experience. Over the years, they replaced the system with newer models, confining the previous ones to museums. Unova even connected the ¡®Super Express Line¡¯ to Orre. Their main draw was still the train battles, but he wanted his team to rest more, so they chose one of the ¡®civilian¡¯ carts. Their Audinos were chatting away like old friends, exchanging tips and tricks of their trades. Or at least, that seemed to be the case to Daniel. Sometimes Celia would look completely shocked at something Lily would do or tell her, making him chuckle a bit. He glanced at the only other passenger inside the train, who also watched their exchange with an amused smile. ¡°How¡¯s the circuit going?¡± He tried to break the ice a little.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. ¡°It¡¯s crowded.¡± She answered wryly. ¡°Especially with the conference in a couple of months.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± He nodded with understanding. ¡°Mom usually had to run from place to place by the end of the season. I imagine it¡¯s hectic.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± She looked at him with interest. ¡°Does your mother also work in a Pokemon center?¡± ¡°Well, yes. But it¡¯s a bit complicated,¡± he tried to leave it at that. Explaining the ¡®center¡¯ on the League satellite without sounding insane would be difficult. ¡°Oh, but Is she Unovan?¡± ¡°Born and raised, yes.¡± ¡°But I¡¯ve-¡± ¡°Complicated.¡± He lifted his palm to interrupt. ¡°¡­Okay.¡± She narrowed her eyes but didn¡¯t pursue that further. ¡°Is your Audino also¡­complicated?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He shrugged helplessly. ¡°Well, she was a gift from my grandmother. Been with me for almost 30 years now.¡± ¡°30?¡± Her expression filled with shock. ¡°I thought she was way younger than that. She looks very well-maintained. Her skin looks healthy, her fur is pristine¡­ Her tail is even fluffier than Celia¡¯s!¡± ¡°Lily is special. What can I say?¡± His smile grew while Lily preened at her compliments. The next 10 minutes were a bit warmer, as they discussed some tricks about taking care of Audinos, some mischief that Lily got into back in the day, and some horror stories about patients. She reminded him of Aunt Amanda a lot. Her mannerisms and tone of voice felt uncannily familiar, so much so he had to use aura to suppress a shudder when he made the connection. [Next station at Lacunosa Town.] After hearing the intercom, both raised from their seats and walked to the exit, Pokemon in tow. The air felt different from what he remembered, colder and dryer. He had visited New Lacunosa sometimes to visit family, but the feeling he got was completely different. Going upstairs he couldn¡¯t help but shiver a little. Sarah seemed prepared, already wearing a white knitted scarf. He had to fight his instinct to order R2 to make his suit adapt, but that would draw attention. On top of the stairs, he could finally lay eyes on the town properly. The photos didn¡¯t give justice to the ocean of white stone that greeted him. White covered the overhead walkways, houses, and even the streets. He could spot some blue breaking through it, but the gentle snow that was falling made it difficult. Over the Horizon, a white wall rose, separating Lacunosa from the ¡®Great Chasm.¡¯ Kyurem¡¯s first home. The silver Pokeball vibrated inside his bracer, but only just. The protective measures prevented the Legendary from freeing itself. ¡°Mr. Daniel?¡± Sarah asked, already several meters in front of him. He snapped out of his stupor and joined her quickly. The Joy compound was little more than a gated community. The houses inside shared the same style as those outside but with an added flair of pink. He spotted several Growlithes and a couple of Arcanine patrolling accompanied by their trainers. After double-checking that they were expected inside, they waved them in with a friendly smile and small bow. The inside was what he mostly expected, rows of almost identical houses. All of them were at least 3 stories high, with a carefully trimmed front garden, and painted in cream colors. People watched them curiously as they walked, but nobody spared them a second glance. Most of them had pink hair as well, so it wasn¡¯t hard to guess their ancestry. The Pokemon, on the other hand, were much more diverse. There was a clear majority of Audinos on and about, but there were also Chimecos, Jigglypuffs, Some Ariados, and even a Chikorita running behind a pink-haired boy. ¡°Feels like visiting grandma, just without my cousins trying to challenge me.¡± Daniel chuckled, feeling a sting in his chest as the memory came and went. ¡°And we arrived.¡± Sarah stopped in front of a townhouse just like the other ones. A pink 3-story house, curtains covering the windows, and a small mat on the front door with an Audino pattern. Lily kneeled in front of it to appreciate it and scratch it. Sarah chuckled at her antics and handed him a pair of keys. ¡°Thank you¡­ and sorry for the inconvenience.¡± Daniel accepted them with a wry smile. ¡°Do not concern yourself with that, we¡¯re all family here.¡± She answered with a smile and bowed. ¡°I¡¯ll be seeing you later then. Can¡¯t bear the thought of separating Celia from her new friend.¡± They glanced at the Audinos, who were also saying goodbyes with a hug. Celia sniffed a bit and ran behind her trainer. ¡°Yes, see you later.¡± He smiled and waved goodbye one last time before the girls left him. With a click, the front door opened. The house was rustic, just like his great-grandmother¡¯s. Although it was a bit disingenuous from him, with his ¡®futuristic sensibilities.¡¯ He took off his jacket and put it on a coat hanger by the entrance. Unbuttoned his suit and put his beret on top of the hanger. The decoration was a bit sparse. Just paintings of rolling hills, vases with pink motifs, and pastel colors on the couches. ¡°It¡¯s pretty big.¡± They designed it specifically for families with big Pokemon. Tall, marble ceilings on top. Tiles imitating wood on the floors It was quite beautiful¡­ but it also showed they were in a hurry to get everything ready. Still, the thought was what counted, like Auntie Lys used to say. ¡°It¡¯s just not home.¡± His strength drained as his body stopped being able to bear it. He collapsed to the floor, feeling everything catch up to him at once. His vision clouded as his mind processed everything that went wrong in the last 24 hours. Anarchy¡¯s attack, his brother and friends¡¯ deaths, being ripped out from his world and shoved into another. The thought that his actions might have prevented the future from happening¡­ ¡°Deploy.¡± He weakly called out. Feeling his team¡¯s concern through his aura. All 6 Pokemon quickly surrounded him, with Mothra in front of him. He wrapped his hands around his Volcarona and buried his face in her fur. The rest of his team, including R2 and Donald, snuggled him. He ignored any of the crashing noises that the bigger ones made after being released, or that the hallway was not the ideal place to crash out. It didn¡¯t matter. Muffled sobs followed as they all wept for their lost home and the family they lost. Home Rose Joy was feeling quite conflicted after the revelations that transpired in just one night. That one of their own had terrifyingly powerful Pokemon, which could grow to titanic sizes on demand. The baffling results of the blood test said that her Crystal was an ancestor of that powerful Audino by 10 generations. The man''s claims to be from some 300 years into the future were a bit hard to digest but would explain a lot. Just from the light testing after healing them she witnessed firsthand their sheer power. None of them were in the same league as any other Pokemon that came under her hands. Their muscles were packed with power, bodies brimming with energy, and eyes shone with intelligence. The only ones that could even compare were those under a champion, and even then, she didn¡¯t think that would be enough. From the information she was privy to thanks to their dear champion, he claimed to be just an Ace trainer. Yes, he briefly held the title of Unovan champion, but apparently, another trainer defeated him quite swiftly afterward. It was his brother Aidan who held the title the longest between the two before going even higher. ¡°Grandmother.¡± A voice interrupted her train of thought. ¡°Sarah, dear.¡± She answered in an even tone. ¡°I was waiting for you.¡± The young woman bowed as she entered her office. The wooden floor was polished like a mirror, reflecting the nervous girl followed by her Audino. Several paintings of members of the Joy clan hung on the walls, all of them with their companion Pokemon. Rose¡¯s desk was more utilitarian, forgoing any special flair apart from an Audino carved on the top. ¡°Take a seat.¡± She waved her hand to one chair while directing her full attention to her. ¡°So¡­tell me more about Mr. Daniel.¡± *** After some time, Daniel took a moment to breathe and calm down. The team took turns to peel off him, starting with Casper, who just feigned indifference to the whole affair. Her tremors and the way her scales pulsated with colors betrayed her, however. Her children were much more emotional, Jack and Wally wept while holding Daniel¡¯s hair. Gamera and Rodan were next, trying their best to peel off the oversized Volcarona from Daniel¡¯s body. Lily and Elizabeth soon joined when the task seemed impossible. After a minor scuffle and even more tears from the big moth, the team was once more in front of him. An involuntary chuckle escaped his lips. His tears had already dried up, and all that was left was emptiness. Or so he thought. Feeling the warm aura of his Pokemon mingle with his. Their eagerness, fears, happiness, love¡­ ¡°I don¡¯t know what I would have done without all of you.¡± He whispered. ¡°You are family too, after all.¡± All of them cried in acknowledgment, snuggling a bit closer. Even separated from his family by time and space, Aidan¡¯s death, and the strange place he found himself. He was not alone in this. Part of his family came with him, after all. ¡°Get up everyone. We need to take inventory.¡± The team nodded and began exploring their new home, some going upstairs while others went to the backyard. His two helper Pokemon made their presence known again, startling the young dragons still attached to him. ¡°Donald don¡¯t let anyone spy on us. R2, I need to check our supplies.¡± Donald quacked a ¡°gon!¡± And disappeared inside the internet router. R2 went inside his glasses and displayed another translucent screen in front of him.
SUPPLIES
HEALING ITEMS HYPERPOTION (15)
POKEBALLS ULTRA BALL (30)
BEAST BALL (30)
LEGEN BALL (4)
SURVIVAL KIT TENT (2)
SOLAR POWERED LANTERN (X)
CAMPFIRE KIT (1)
COOKING KIT (1)Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
HUMAN RATIONS (7)
POKEMON RATIONS (30)
FLARE GUN (1)
FLARE AMMUNITION (24)
ROPE (30 M)
KNIFE (1)
EMITTERS TERASTAL EMITTER (40%)
DYNAMAX EMITTER (51%)
DARK EMITTER (95%)
FAIRY EMITTER (2%)
GRAVITY EMITTER (89%)
WORK STATIONS 3D PRINTER (BASIC)
¡°That¡¯s not a lot¡­¡± He muttered while biting his thumb. ¡°And I need to plant those emitters too¡­¡± Before he could bring a ''piece of the future'' in his new present, he needed to have conversations with Iris and the current Joy clan head. He doubted there would be any problems with his printer spitting up some gadgets, like solar panels, holoprojectors, or even automata. But the emitters could have consequences for the environment. He still remembered the disasters caused by Terastal and Dynamax emitters early in their lifespan. History class briefly went over some of the worst ones, like the stampede of Titanic Tauros in 31 A.U. Or the great fire of Mesagoza in 41 A.U. His father would also complement the lessons with stories from the past. Especially in the ¡®age of heroes.¡¯ He fondly remembered those times he and Aidan would hear about evil teams. The grand battles between Legendaries that seemed commonplace. How children always seemed to be enough to stop these massive threats¡­ A sudden jolt startled him. He looked down to see Lily and Mothra hugging him. The pair managed to sneak up on him without realizing it. He wiped a small tear away and hugged them back. ¡°Thanks¡­¡± he whispered to them and straightened again. ¡°R2, Printer.¡± A red and white cube rolled from his bracer to his open palm. He lightly tossed it over a space in the living room and a green ray shot from it. The 3D printer was a meter and a half-tall cube. It was made of a special resin that imitated glass when hardened, so everything was see-through. Sadly, since it wasn¡¯t big enough to print full components, he would need to assemble everything by hand. ¡°R2, Donald, let¡¯s make the house smart.¡± [UNDERSTOOD] Both answered, flashing in front of him before shooting towards the printer. The edges lit up in orange before Rotom¡¯s trademark smirk was plastered in front of the printer. A couple of seconds later, he could see a new lock taking shape inside the glass. He left them at it before exploring his home, Lily and Mothra in tow. Flying inside would be too hard on her, so the Volcarona had to walk at the end of their entourage. There were three spacious rooms, one on the first floor and 2 on the second. All of them were furnished with pastel-colored furniture, a window with equally colorful curtains, and a smaller TV. An empty room that could work as a workshop. Two bathrooms, one of them big enough to house a Snorlax. And finally, an empty attic. It was surprisingly clean for an empty house. A cleaning automaton could take care of the place in no time, even If he had his Pokemon always outside. ¡°Voooool.¡± The moth shifted her weight from one side to the other while looking at the attic, tapping her claws on the ground. ¡°Want to live up there?¡± ¡°Volca!¡± She nodded enthusiastically. ¡°Leave enough space for Casper, alright?¡± Mothra quickly disappeared into the attic and started to throw her silk around to form a pseudo-cocoon. It was a habit that never really left her when she evolved. She always seemed content with closed spaces, especially the ones she made. With a small shrug, he went back to explore. His last stop was the kitchen. It was barebones to his standards, but that was to be expected. The fridge had meat, berries, cheese, and some moo-moo milk. The pantry had several loaves of bread and some crackers. Lily took a bottle of milk and held it up for him. He opened it for her, and she happily drank straight from it. Everything seemed fresh and ready to be cooked, but¡­ ¡°It¡¯s off¡­¡± The fruits and berries appeared smaller, the meat was not as vibrant, and the milk didn¡¯t have the same consistency. He doubted it was done maliciously, ¡°different farming techniques, perhaps.¡± Cooking for his team was second nature after so many years. Chopping up berries, mixing the right number of proteins, sprinkling spices to everyone¡¯s palate¡­ and adding extra sugar to compensate. He was happy to return to semi-normal activity. Lily helped him as much as she could, cleaning dishes and bringing everything to the table. Even if she snacked here and there when she thought Daniel was distracted. With everything ready, Daniel poked his head in the backyard. It was big enough for his team to laze around, but not large enough to train to their standards. Elizabeth moved with the grace of a dancer, uprooting any undergrowth with ease before burning it up. Rodan was roosting in the lone tree near the fence, eyes lit with psychic energy. Gamera was adapting the small pond with Braviary¡¯s help, making it large enough for him to take naps inside while fully submerged. Casper was nowhere to be found, but Jack and Wally¡¯s floating toward an empty space in the sky betrayed her position. ¡°Time to eat, everyone!¡± All the Pokemon suddenly stopped and looked at him with a certain ferocity. Even Casper appeared out of thin air near her children. ¡°Clean yourselves before entering! There''s no automa¡­ never mind.¡± His team rushed past him, bringing dirt, mud, and water inside. Their bowls formed a small semi-circle in front of the table since it was not made for them. Something he would eventually rectify. Mothra, R2, and Donald were already at it, so the rest joined. All of them devoured their meals, almost choking on certain cases. Considering all the time they were fighting, being interrogated, and healing in most cases, he didn¡¯t blame them. Growl. He agreed with them. ¡°There¡¯s enough food. Eat slower!¡± With a smile, he took his seat and began devouring his food. It wasn¡¯t the best, considering the ingredients and lack of cooking automata, but it was enough for now. Interlude: League Drayden still had a headache from his scuffle with Daniel. He scratched his eyes with a grunt and put on a pair of glasses. ¡°What was that aura? ¡­Felt completely opposed to mine.¡± He thought while his computer booted up. The document Iris passed him on the man was enlightening but did little to quell his annoyance. Being beaten in his city after such an attack wounded his pride more than his body. ¡°At least they didn¡¯t get the DNA splicer¡­ small mercies¡­¡± He murmured. He checked the time to make sure he was a bit early for the meeting and connected. Burgh was the only other person present on the call at the time. ¡°Drayden! Good to see you so early!¡± Burgh¡¯s volume made his headache flare up even more. ¡°Burgh.¡± He nodded towards the flamboyant man. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for what happened to your city. If something like that happened to Castelia, I wouldn¡¯t know what to do!¡± The man exclaimed in an over-the-top fashion. Drayden already regretted his punctuality. ¡°Burgh, I can hear you just fine.¡± Drayden frowned and reclined on his chair. ¡°Oh! My apologies! I don¡¯t want to be a bother!¡± The man nodded enthusiastically, but his volume remained the same. ¡°So, how was your kerfuffle with our time traveler?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll get to that soon.¡± Iris¡¯ voice came to save his dwindling patience. ¡°Hi, Gym Leader Burgh. Hi Drayden.¡± ¡°Champion Iris!¡± The man¡¯s voice grew louder, so much so that Drayden considered ¡®paying him a visit¡¯ when the waters cleared. ¡°I see that you are wearing my design! I¡¯m quite honored by the gesture!¡± ¡°Thanks, leader Burgh.¡± He could spot some redness forming on her cheeks. ¡°I have some plans for extra outfits, but we¡¯ll talk about that later.¡± One by one, the other Major Gym leaders joined the call. The veterans, Clay, Elesa, and Skyla, looked nonplussed by the sudden summons by Iris. The rookies¡­not so much. Cheren was sweating bullets, Roxie was chewing gum with a nervous expression, and Marlon fiddled with his goggles. The Elites were soon to follow. Shauntal and Caitlin were together, sitting beside each other in what he assumed was the latter¡¯s room. Grimsley, with his usual smirk. And Marshal, looking ready for a fight. The last ones to arrive were the leader of the Pokemon Rangers, a middle-aged man with salt-pepper hair and a well-kept beard. Rose Joy, matriarch of the Joy clan. And finally, Aurea Juniper, their resident Pokemon professor. ¡°Let¡¯s start this meeting by addressing the situation at hand.¡± Iris took control of the call with that phrase. ¡°Daniel Joy, the time traveler.¡± ¡°It¡¯s still quite bewildering to hear those words.¡± Burgh shook his head, his volume lowering a few decibels. ¡°I read the document, and know about the psychic interrogation, but¡­ It¡¯s a lot.¡± ¡°It¡¯s true?!¡± Roxie screamed into her microphone, making Drayden¡¯s headache worse. ¡°I thought you guys were¡­ hazing me or something!¡± ¡°Did you not watch the news? A gigantic Lapras would be too much for¡­ that.¡± Elesa¡¯s voice rang with a graceful and even tone. ¡°And please, lower your voice. One Burgh is already enough.¡± The girl¡¯s face turned red like a tomato before she whispered ¡°sorry.¡± ¡°Moving on,¡± Iris said, with some exasperation in her tone. ¡°What we need to discuss is what to do with the information he brought and his Pokedex.¡± ¡°What else is there to discuss?¡± Clay harrumphed. ¡°Use it, of course. I already have plans for Donphan, Magneton, and Sharkpedo. Can¡¯t believe Johto won over us on those.¡± ¡°I would loooove to play around with Volcaronas!¡± Burgh exclaimed with an eager expression. ¡°They have so much potential! Their ancestor alone would cement bug types as a threat! And don¡¯t even mention the Kalosian variant. Psychic-type?! Focused on their silk production?!¡± Then clapped with enthusiasm. ¡°What I would do to pick the brains of the ones that came with such a wonderful idea¡­¡± Drayden would be lying if he said he wasn¡¯t excited about the prospect of new dragons. Serperior, Quagsire¡­ Arceus, even Caterpies could evolve into mighty beasts¡­ ¡°It¡¯s not that simple, I¡¯m afraid.¡± Shauntal interrupted, reading a tablet in her hands. ¡°The list is very extensive, yes. But we need to keep in mind that it takes time for a variant to manifest. We also need to keep in mind convergent evolution. There¡¯s not going to be a straight line into some of these. And¡­ the reactions of other regions.¡± ¡°They would know something¡¯s up.¡± Drayden sighed. ¡°And they would ask questions.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Shauntal nodded. ¡°And our world League is not nearly as robust as it will be in 300 years. We are still in conversations with Kalos and Galar and still lack a response from Alola, Ransei, Fiore, and Almia. And we haven¡¯t heard of Holon, Aeos, Ferrum, The Puzzle continent-¡± ¡°I think they understand, Shauntal.¡± Grimsley interrupted with a small cough. The ghost specialist nodded while her cheeks grew rosier. ¡°It will put the world¡¯s eyes on us. And we¡¯re not ready for the Unification wars or, Arceus forbid, the Great Incursions,¡± Iris said gravely.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. With the increase in the overall power of regular trainers, there came greater security and risks. Bigger and more dangerous people tried to take the world for themselves. The Unification wars brought unity at the end of the conflict, but blood was spilled. Yet¡­ the resentment that festered afterward led to the Great Incursions. Entire regions ended in ruins. A lot of Pokemon species went completely extinct. From What Daniel told them, parts of the world remained untouched wilderness due to the drastic reduction in human life. New and powerful Pokemon sounds great on paper, but the flap of that tiny Butterfree could result in even bloodier wars. That was enough to quell the excitement of the people present. ¡°Where is Alder? I think his input would be valuable, dear champion¡± Rose chimed, breaking the silence. ¡°Leave it to Rose to jab at Iris after that,¡± Drayden thought in disgust at the woman. He didn¡¯t dare to voice his opinion, but his expression was enough to convey what he felt. If the woman noticed, she didn¡¯t show it in her face. ¡°Ex-champion Alder is not available.¡± Iris took it in stride, not letting it get to her. ¡°But he¡¯s appreciated of the situation.¡± ¡°I can try to contact my colleagues in other regions.¡± Aurea breached, trying to dissipate any foul air. ¡°If we fabricate something convincing enough about Hisui, we can collaborate with Sinnoh to explain some of the evolutions. Daniel¡¯s account states that they will discover them naturally in 4 years inside their cave systems. Iris nodded. ¡°Please, professor.¡± ¡°F-fellow leaders.¡± Cheren chimed in, voice breaking, likely because of stress. ¡°Sorry about interrupting but¡­ what about the giant Lapras? There are enough images online that l-look like¡­¡± He seemed to shuffle some papers, by the sounds that came from his microphone. ¡°Dynamaxing.¡± ¡°Ah yes. The Snorlax in the room.¡± Burgh coughed. Another awkward silence followed. The man seemed like a great person and even gave them a lot of actionable intel. But the price for that¡­ ¡°What about¡­ Saying it was just a movie?¡± Roxie¡¯s tone had a night and day difference. ¡°My pa is working on movies right now. Why don¡¯t we say someone created all of that for one? We need to say it was inspired by Galar and that might give us brownie points with them I don¡¯t know.¡± Her voice got lower and lower as she went on. ¡°It¡¯s going to be hard to reframe this fiasco as a movie. There¡¯s a lot of people that were injured, and the property destroyed too.¡± Grimsley crossed his arms and inclined his head. ¡°But I don¡¯t have any other idea, to be honest.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll call Braycen and get him on the project.¡± Clay tipped his hat. ¡°Might as well make some money out of it.¡± ¡°With that out of the way. What are we going to do with the man in question?¡± Drayden¡¯s headache worsened for a moment, remembering their bout. ¡°He¡¯ll stay with us,¡± Rose chimed in with a mirthless smile. ¡°We¡¯re his ancestors, after all.¡± ¡°You¡¯re just hogging the man.¡± Marshal punched his palm with a dangerous smile on his face. ¡°I want to fight him.¡± ¡°That¡­might not be a bad idea.¡± Caitlin supported him, surprising everyone who knew her. ¡°Come again?¡± Even Marshal himself was taken aback by her sudden cooperation. ¡°It would be a good way to gauge him.¡± She elaborated. ¡°Apart from lab results and the psychic interrogation, we don¡¯t have tangible information on him.¡± ¡°Yeeees.¡± Marshal¡¯s grin widened. ¡°I¡¯m going right-¡± ¡°Not right now, you brute,¡± Grimsley sighed. ¡°Our dear champion will take care of that. Won¡¯t you, Iris?¡± He asked, innocently looking directly at the camera. ¡°¡­Yes, I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± She seemed to deflate a bit more on her chair. ¡°I also want to see him in action.¡± The rest of the meeting was more boring in comparison, just exchanging information about the circuit. The upcoming Vertress conference and any hidden prospects. And finally, Plasma. Their whereabouts were still a mystery, but their defeat was sure to be a heavy blow. The rangers and Police departments were already finding and bagging stragglers, bringing a smile to Iris¡¯ face. *** Deep beneath the earth, inside a secret lab, a desperate man looked at gestation tanks. All housed a Pokemon that was more machine than living. Lifeless red eyes staring back. ¡°Genessect.¡± A nearby scientist explained with a crazed smile. ¡°That boy N didn¡¯t know anything about beauty. This¡­ Is the future!¡± ¡°We need them earlier than anticipated.¡± Ghetsis gripped his staff until his knuckles turned white. ¡°I don¡¯t know where they got giants, but I need to act now.¡± ¡°But sir¡­¡± ¡°NOW!¡± Ghetsis voice echoed through the lab, startling the scientists. The disaster of Opelucid City cost them too much. Losing the frigate, Colress, Loyal men, resources, and, most importantly, Kyurem. It was a heavy blow like their loss two years prior at the hands of teenagers. Just remembering their faces made his blood boil. Regardless, their plans were coming to fruition and one more push was all he needed to dominate Unova. An army of legendary Pokemon might be that equalizer. There was that tiny voice inside his head that recommended him to lie low. It was too heavy of a loss to be acting too quickly after that. He didn¡¯t even know what other secrets the league had. But he couldn¡¯t. Those who stood in his way would be crushed, and he would soon have control over the entire region. ¡°Prepare them for transport.¡± He swiped with his arm. ¡°In three days, The League falls.¡± *** ¡°Chairman! You need to look at this!¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Chairman Rose was having a pleasant afternoon, drinking coffee and sitting on his balcony in Lumiose City. Leon had successfully ascended as Champion of the League, silencing a lot of his detractors. His self-proclaimed title of ¡®world¡¯s best trainer¡¯ came off as arrogant and was sure to ruffle some feathers. But enough maneuvering would see them come on top. With enough work, the boy would shine like a gem and Galar would be on top of the rest of the world. Oleana, his secretary, vice-president, and confidant, walked up to him and showed him an image of a Gigantamaxed Lapras in the middle of a city. Breaking windows with their roar. ¡°I don¡¯t quite recognize the city and didn¡¯t see it on the news. Was that dealt with already by the League?¡± He hummed in surprise. ¡°Already paying dividends with his efficiency, that Leon.¡± ¡°No sir. This was in Unova.¡± ¡°Unova, you say?¡± He opened his eyes in surprise. ¡°Now that¡­ is unexpected.¡± ¡°We defeated Joey Barlow! By the authority of the World Pok¨¦mon League, you are under arrest! Power down your ship and prepare to be boarded! We will take any attempt to harness Kyurem¡¯s energy as an attack!¡± She clicked on a video for him, showing a middle-aged man dressed in the Unovan veteran uniform. His pink hair suggested that he was part of the Joys. Yet, it had been a while since someone from the Joy clan was talented enough to be in the Veteran division. He hummed as he watched Lapras protect itself with Max guard before firing a very impressive G-max Resonance. ¡°What has the Unovan League said about that?¡± ¡°That they were shooting a movie after being inspired by Dynamax.¡± Oleana narrowed her eyes. ¡°And that this is just an elaborate campaign to promote it.¡± ¡°This is worth investigating.¡± He nodded before taking a sip of his coffee. ¡°Contact Leon. He might need to make an international appearance sooner than expected.¡± ¡°Understood, sir.¡± His coffee turned a tad bitter after the news. He didn¡¯t like surprises, but this incident revealed a lot. If Unova found a way to replicate Dynamax energy without their bands, that could be worrying. ¡°A visit to the joy clan seems to be in order.¡± He chuckled. ¡°I think the leader of the Unovan branch is also called Rose.¡± Trainer He slept for the rest of the morning, finally crashing out after so many hours awake and stressed. When he woke up around noon, he felt out of breath and sweating. Thankfully, he didn¡¯t remember the nightmare he had, but from the way his chest ached he could suspect what it was about. After a quick shower, he changed into comfortable clothes: White shorts, a pink T-shirt, and sandals. Then, he replaced the locks, installed new routers, and cameras, and installed the dark emitter. The latter would passively disrupt any attempt of psychic intrusion upon his property. His only worry is that he didn¡¯t have any of his dark types with him, so charging it would be quite a hassle. He spent his afternoon sitting on the sofa planning a shopping trip. His 3D printer was good, but he needed a bigger one for his projects. Daniel still had to install solar panels, create VR headsets for his team, and build automata and their quark engines. The list went on and on. Even if, for some reason, he didn¡¯t want to, he was bound to run out of materials to feed his own. At some point, Mothra plopped down on top of him. Daniel ignored her at first, but after the third poke in the face from her wings, he sighed. ¡°Sometimes I forget you¡¯re almost as old as me.¡± He said in a faux annoyed tone. The moth clicked her mandibles at him and wiggled, trying to annoy him even more. ¡°Alright, you big baby.¡± With a smile, he started petting her mane. It felt relaxing to feel her soft ¡°fur¡± and the clicking noises she made were adorable. The rest of his team also took time to rest and recover, either with a nap, listening to music, or trying to cause mischief. ¡°I can see you, Jack. It¡¯s not worth it.¡± Daniel gave a side eye to the partially invisible young Dreepy getting dangerously near the coffee table. The Pokemon blew a raspberry at him and went back to his mother. He knew it was their draconian nature rearing its head, the need to assert dominance, so he didn¡¯t bother getting angry. ¡°He should be close to evolving¡­ I need to get Casper a new mate.¡± Part of Dragapult¡¯s strength was their offspring. The aid the young ones gave in battle was invaluable and required for some of her attacks. Having a flock of Drakloaks and Deepries Followed by a strong Dragapult was a requirement to compete with one. However, the problem of space and money to care for them held back most people. ¡°All comes back to money.¡± He rubbed his face on his Volcarona, making her let out a happy ¡°vol!¡±. He had some ideas on how to solve the problem, but he was unsure if they would bear fruit. Most of them involved the same dragon trainer he ¡®arrested¡¯ when he arrived. A knock on the door snapped him out. A glance at the clock said it was around 5 pm. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± He whispered to the giant moth, and she climbed down onto the sofa and followed him. The door on his side lit up with blue energy before displaying the outside, thanks to his new locks. Behind the entrance, he saw Sarah and Celia waiting. The Audino looked giddy, by the way she was tapping her feet on the ground. ¡°Yes?¡± Daniel opened the door, briefly startling the woman. ¡°Hello, Mr. Daniel.¡± She bowed down with a smile. ¡°The matriarch, my grandmother, would like to speak with you. When are you free?¡± Daniel expected that kind of visit sooner or later, so it didn¡¯t surprise him that much. ¡°Is right now, ok?¡± He shrugged. ¡°It would be perfect!¡± She nodded. ¡°Oh, give me five minutes, I need to change. Can you please wait inside?¡± With a soft ¡®sorry for intruding,¡¯ she followed him inside. Mothra bowed to her when they saw each other and the girl returned the gesture with an amused smile. Her Audino, clearly expecting her friend, panicked before doing the same as her trainer. Daniel grinned and silently called Lily with his aura. ¡°Please wait here on the sofa, Lily will be here in a bit.¡± ¡°Thank you for the hospitality.¡± The nurse nodded and sat on the sofa with her Pokemon. Mothra followed them with a curious expression. He quickly changed into his ¡°backup¡± Uniform. It was less sophisticated, and only meant for shows and being in public. There was less padding, less temperature control, the size didn¡¯t adjust perfectly¡­ But it would do. When he returned, he could see Mothra being petted by his guest. While the woman ruffled her fur, she made clicking noises. Lily was chatting away with Celia, gossiping like a pair of grandmas about their neighbors. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m ready. Hope she didn¡¯t bother you too much?¡± The moth let out an annoyed huff and looked away in disdain. He sighed, channeled his aura, and lifted the unruly Pokemon with his bare hands. ¡°Sorry for her, she¡¯s very¡­ needy.¡± Mothra expressed her dissatisfaction by biting him. ¡°And needing time out?¡± That quickly calmed her down, looking perfectly still and the picture of a well-behaved moth. ¡°It¡¯s no problem,¡± Sarah said, shaking her head. ¡°I deal with Pokemon daily. She was a¡­ joy to be around.¡± ¡°That was a good one.¡± He chuckled. ¡°If she bugs you, just tell me, ok?¡± She rolled her eyes good-naturedly and stood up from the sofa. ¡°Ready?¡± ¡°Yes, let¡¯s not delay any further.¡± He left the Volcarona on the ground and held his hand up. ¡°We¡¯re moving out.¡±Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. With a wave of his aura, his team received the signal to return. All of them, except for Lily, transformed into red streaks of light before disappearing inside his bracer. He would have preferred to leave a couple behind to safeguard, but he felt secure enough for the moment. ¡°Let¡¯s go, then¡± Daniel nodded at her. ¡°Y-yes!¡± She answered with a small voice crack, still surprised at his display. *** The walk towards the matriarch¡¯s mansion was filled with bad jokes and childhood stories. She would tell him about his troublesome cousins and Daniel would counter with his. After a back and forth it devolved into a semi-competition to see who had to suffer his family the most. ¡°I don¡¯t believe yours can top the time my cousin Kiran used his Smeargle to paint all my uniforms. Neon. Pink. I had to get them professionally clean!¡± Daniel said with exaggerated exasperation. ¡°At least yours didn¡¯t replace your perfume with a Trubbish scent.¡± She shook her head and shuddered. ¡°I smelled like that for days.¡± ¡°Oof. That¡¯s a tough one.¡± ¡°Tell me about it¡­¡± She sighed. ¡°At least they outgrew that, now they just want to battle Celia. Oh! We arrived!¡± The mansion was more like an administrative building. He could see people working at desks, carrying papers, or watching TV in the communal space. It displayed a battle between a boy called Nate and Drayden. ¡°Aura sphere!¡± ¡°Draco Meteor!¡± A Lucario swiftly evaded the onslaught unleashed by an Altaria. The lupine Pokemon held a sphere of energy that quickly grew as the attack barely phased it. Just as the fluffy dragon began to falter, the Lucario unleashed it, followed by an explosion. Tension grew as the dust obscured the battlefield. Seconds ticked as both trainers looked at each other with narrow eyes, preparing for their next move. However, Altaria¡¯s unconscious form became visible. ¡°That¡¯s 5 to 6 in favor of the challenger! Challenger Nate has won!¡± ¡°Woooo!¡± The boy jumped in joy as his Lucario basked in victory in the arena. ¡°Mr. Daniel.¡± Sarah¡¯s voice drew his attention again. ¡°Oh, sorry.¡± He quietly chuckled and adjusted his beret. ¡°It¡¯s just that the boy seemed familiar.¡± ¡°Not a problem! Please follow me.¡± The inside looked like a vintage office space. It lacked the verticality of modern construction but had a certain charm. Wooden floors thumped as he walked, some lights flickered as he passed them, portraits and paintings hung on the walls, most displaying Audinos or members of the Joy family. He could even recognize some of them from his great-grandmother¡¯s house. A smile blossomed as he reminisced about his childhood, playing in similar corridors, being reprimanded for knocking some portrait down¡­ ¡°We¡¯ve arrived.¡± ¡°I¡¯m getting awfully distracted lately.¡± He grimaced at himself as he looked beyond the door Sarah opened for him. A woman sat behind a desk. Her eyes had the same edge his great-grandmother and grandmother had. Her clothes were like a nurse, but there was less frill, less pompousness. ¡°She¡¯s examining me.¡± He was quite familiar with that gaze. Several opponents, officials, rivals, and even some family members directed it to him. Yet, there was less gravitas in hers. It felt like the difference between a regional gym leader and a world champion. He would never voice that opinion or let it show in his face. He knew better than to antagonize the people that were housing him. He took off his beret and bowed at the matriarch. ¡°Thank you for the hospitality, matriarch.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a problem, honey.¡± Her lips quirked into a smile, but her eyes narrowed even more. ¡°Is the house to your liking?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not too accustomed to being living in a house, to be honest.¡± He reclined in the chair. ¡°Our architecture is¡­ vertical.¡± ¡°A fascinating conversation topic, that one.¡± She tilted her head. ¡°But we can save that for another time.¡± The woman looked at the door and nodded. A clicking sound rang as the door closed. ¡°I hope Sarah didn¡¯t bother you?¡± ¡°On the contrary, I¡¯m worried that I was the bother.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. Sarah told me you¡¯ve been very lovely.¡± She nodded at him, crossing her hands on top of the table. ¡°How have you been adapting so far?¡± ¡°Pretty well, I¡¯d say.¡± He shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m still in the process but everything¡¯s looking great so far. I just need to get a job soon. I don¡¯t want to impose on your generosity for too long.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, dear.¡± She waved him off. ¡°That¡¯s no problem for us. Still, I think I can help you a little more.¡± ¡°¡­yes?¡± He answered, a bit unsure. ¡°We would like to hire you as a trainer for the Joy clan. An actual trainer, I¡¯m aware of your need for secrecy.¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­ listening.¡± He tilted his head with curiosity. ¡°It¡¯s nothing too hard. Just looking after young trainers, sparring, sharing some tips.¡± She twirled her index as she listed the examples. ¡°We¡¯ll remunerate for your services.¡± ¡°I thought I would need to do that job to maintain the house I¡¯m using.¡± ¡°That¡¯s our hospitality, Daniel.¡± She smiled once more. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much about a gift.¡± Daniel considered the offer. It wasn¡¯t anything that he didn¡¯t do at least a couple of times in the past on his journey to champion. Still, it would be quite a career change for him, but some quiet would do wonders for his anonymity and prevent the Cutiefly¡¯s wings from creating a hurricane. ¡®And I need money and space for my team. Lapras is going to feel cooped up. Casper needs a flock, and I need a lot of gems to make automata.¡¯ ¡°How¡­ much would you pay me for my services?¡± The older woman smirked and held two fingers up. ¡°2 million a month, stable rights for 24 Pokemon, and unlimited access to our private training arenas.¡± He whistled at that amount. He was still a bit green on the amounts, but after some calculations from R2, it would be almost the same as his old salary. His already generous old salary for being an ex-champion and The Champion¡¯s younger brother. After some moments of considering the pros and cons and asking for advice from his team members via aura, Daniel nodded. ¡°Pleasure doing business with you, Daniel.¡± Her smile seemed more genuine now, and a tad more dangerous. ¡°I¡¯ll be sending you a list of the aspirants. I¡¯ll leave them or not at your discretion. But do try to have a decent number, please.¡± His memories went back to the day he accepted his sponsorship with his grandmother. Both women wore similar expressions, and it appeared they both had hidden agendas. He could guess what it would be, but he hoped it wouldn¡¯t be anything nefarious. Fighting family got really messy, really quickly. ¡°With that out of the way. Can you tell me a bit about the future that awaits us? I¡¯m quite curious about our family.¡± ¡°The Joy clan is still predominant and politically strong.¡± The sudden shift in the conversation didn¡¯t faze him. ¡°Our ¡®grip¡¯ on healing Pokemon rearing loosened because of the wars, but our position as premier healers didn¡¯t fade.¡± ¡°I imagine it was because of necessity?¡± Her voice gained an edge. ¡°The Great Incursions were¡­ too much.¡± He nodded. ¡°Chansey, Wigglytuff, Comfey, Indeedee... We needed a lot of traditional healing Pokemon in the war effort. Not all of them as medics.¡± ¡°That¡¯s understandable¡­ We¡¯ll be more prepared this time.¡± ¡°I sincerely hope so.¡± *** The rest of their conversation was much more mundane. They exchanged childhood stories, videos about his past battles, and family photos. He could see her laughs were artificial, but some were more genuine. The unnerving similarity to the elderly woman he referred to as ¡®nana¡¯ was beginning to unsettle him, but he dismissed those emotions swiftly. The way home was quiet, the good kind of quiet. He rejected Sarah¡¯s offer to accompany him back. Instead, Lily walked beside him. She would wave at people and Pokemon they passed, sometimes directing her eyes to the stars in the sky. Now that he didn¡¯t have the artificial ceiling of New Opelucid on top of him, he could appreciate the great beyond extending without end. ¡°They look beautiful, right?¡± ¡°Au! Audino!¡± She nodded with a smile. ¡°Yeah.¡± He chuckled. ¡°Maybe we need a barbecue like we used to have with the old man in Alola one of these days.¡± Being a teacher was not completely new, but the switch still felt weird. Forced. Still, his team was with him, safe and sound. No matter what the world threw at them, they could power ahead. He could feel his team inside his bracer vibrating in agreement while Audino nodded with a serious expression. Dragons After a light dinner and a quick shower, Daniel did a last check on his new house to confirm everything was running smoothly. ¡®No signs of intrusion¡­ cameras are working fine¡­ the emitter is working like it should¡­¡¯ With a satisfied huff and a nod, he went to the master room on the first floor and collapsed on his new bed. The rest of his team took different spots inside the house. Lily shared a room with Elizabeth on the second floor, both on the same bed. Mothra slept in the attic with Casper, each in their corner. Gamera and Rodan both decided to sleep outside since the cold felt right at home with them. His first night was not great. Dreams and visions of the future plagued him. He saw the world collapsing around him as Ultra Beasts poured into the streets. Team Anarchy was marching with an army of Legendary and Mythical Pokemon. His brother blamed him for his death¡­ When the alarm rang at 7 AM, he didn¡¯t feel rested at all. ¡°Fuck¡­¡± Daniel whispered as he slowly made his way to the kitchen. His eyes were puffy and heavy with bags. Occasionally, he would scratch one of his multiple scars on his torso. While he prepared a Chesto berry Juice to help him wake up, he took a quick look outside. Gentle snow drizzled as Elizabeth danced, firing Axe kicks to the rhythm. Rodan watched over her from his tree, making sure she didn¡¯t injure herself or destroy anything. From his angle, he couldn¡¯t see Gamera, but he suspected the Lapras napped inside his pool. Opening the pantry revealed a mess of half-eaten pastries, berries, and broken glass. Amid everything floated a partially invisible Dreepy with his cheeks full. With an exasperated sigh, Daniel radiated his Fairy aura outward, canceling Jack¡¯s invisibility. ¡°Jack.¡± He said gravely, already feeling a headache coming. ¡°We spoke about making a mess in the past. Yeah?¡± The Dreepy swallowed and nodded nervously. ¡°Start cleaning and go back to your mother.¡± With another flare of his aura to accentuate his disappointment, Jack frantically nodded and zipped towards the half-eaten berries to clean everything up. The trick with dragons, especially with species as powerful as the Dragapult line, was establishing a chain of command. Having the right temperament and knowing when to punish them was vital to secure their loyalty. Push too hard and they¡¯ll rebel. Don¡¯t push enough and they¡¯ll rebel, too. It was a delicate balance he had to maintain since they were young and even more so after they aged. Casper made even more horrible messes when she was just a Dreepy. She also tried to attack him several times and didn¡¯t listen to him when she evolved the first time. He thanked Arceus he had a Fairy Aura, or it would have been almost impossible to manage her, even less a flock. He wondered if they missed their cousins and uncles back in the future. He hoped the separation didn¡¯t hit them as hard as it did to him. ¡°Eventually, it will. Best to get ahead of that.¡± He prepared a cup of coffee while overlooking the young Dreepy¡¯s work. The young dragon carefully held the fruit in his mouth, returning the intact ones to the fridge. ¡°Don¡¯t forget to clean the juice. It¡¯ll stain.¡± Jack looked at him with a betrayed expression. ¡°Go on.¡± With a defeated sigh, He used a low-powered water gun to clean the juice. It was shoddy work, but Daniel knew he tried his best. ¡°Back to your mother. Next time you do this, you¡¯ll clean without moves.¡± The dragon nodded and left defeated towards the attic, phasing through the ceiling. When he was out of sight, Daniel grabbed a towel and properly cleaned the water and berry juice. ¡°They¡¯ll need some playmates...¡± He left the mop down and grabbed a towel to clean the counter. ¡°R2, leave a message to Iris. Say I want to talk.¡± [ACKNOWLEDGED] This time, R2¡¯s voice came from tiny speakers hidden inside the house. Progress on modernizing their abode was going relatively well. However, they didn¡¯t have materials for advanced electronics, gems to make droids, or space to put machines. ¡°It¡¯s a matter of time.¡± [YOU HAVE (3) UNREAD MESSAGES FROM ¡°CHAMPION IRIS¡±.] ¡°That was quick.¡± The TV lit up and displayed the messages. [Hi Daniel.] [I should have time for a brief visit in about 30 minutes.] [Drayden wants to come with me. Is that ok?] ¡°Say that I¡¯ll be waiting for them.¡± [ACKNOWLEDGED] Her quick response surprised him a bit. He was prepared to wait several hours at least if he was honest. ¡°Won¡¯t look into the Zebstrika¡¯s mouth.¡± He shared breakfast with the rest of his team, minus Jack. The young dragon was sulking inside his mother¡¯s horn, but he didn¡¯t comment. If he relented and left the Dreepy to get away from the consequences, it would form some bad habits. Just as Daniel was putting the dishes away, he heard a knock at the door. He washed his hands and opened it. ¡°Mr. Mystery Man.¡± The young woman said with a bright smile. She wore a loose dress like the one she used when they met, except for all her accessories. Drayden followed closely behind, wearing his usual formal clothing, barely restraining his muscles. He wondered if the rumors that he wrestled with his Pokemon were true. Wouldn¡¯t be the first one to do that.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. ¡°Welcome, Champion Iris, Leader Drayden.¡± He bowed towards them and led them inside. *** Iris didn¡¯t know what to think after receiving Daniel¡¯s message. There were a lot of things that the time traveler would want to talk about. Another potential end to the world? New revelations that would destroy her worldview again? That he wanted to be the champion instead of letting her? ¡°Just accept. I¡¯ll be coming with you.¡± Luckily, Drayden helped to ground her. Both were in Drayden¡¯s office in Opelucid. Daniel did them a big favor by shooting down the frigate, but disposing of the thing was a nightmare. Salvaging anything useful was relatively quick since there was barely anything left. The hard part came after, getting rid of it. Several teams worked hard to cut it into pieces to take it away, but not too quickly since the crew that came with ex-leader Brycen needed to film. She thanked Arceus for Roxie¡¯s idea, even if she crumbled like a cookie after giving it. It was taking a lot of heat off the League, even if their coffers were suffering. ¡°Let¡¯s go then.¡± The journey to the Joy clan was silent and tense. She strongly suspected that Drayden didn¡¯t like Daniel that much, and it was understandable. The man beat him and had a strange aura to him from the supposed ¡®18th Type.¡¯ She had read notes about it from Professor Juniper and the man¡¯s Pokedex but still found it hard to swallow. A type that completely nullifies dragons. She felt a shiver down her spine just thinking about it. ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± Before she realized it, she had already dismounted from Hydra and was standing in front of the man¡¯s house. It looked ordinary from the outside, but something inside her gut twisted. She felt watched by a predator. Grrrr¡­ And Hydra felt it too. ¡°Return him from now, Iris.¡± Drayden drew her attention. ¡°We don¡¯t want trouble here.¡± She looked around, seeing curious gazes from other members of the Joy clan. With a sigh, she returned to her Hydreigon and rapped her knuckles on the door. *** The inside of the home was mostly normal. Mostly. She noticed that the locks looked like they were pulled from a movie. There was a strange glass box that looked like an expensive art project. The TV didn¡¯t look like anything she ever saw on the market¡­ Still, she expected more crazy stuff, like robot maids or holograms. The man himself seemed a bit more relaxed. He still had an edge, but he appeared less wound up and ready to strike. His Pokemon seemed relaxed at first sight, but close inspection betrayed their tension. All were ready to be called at a moment¡¯s notice. The creepy feeling of being watched intensified with each passing second. So much so that even Drayden looked like a bow ready to fire. ¡°So, I wanted to talk about a few things.¡± The man said, holding a tray with some Oran berry juice. ¡°But first. Juice?¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Both said, but Drayden didn¡¯t take a glass. Iris took a sip and was surprised at how sweet it was. ¡°The first is that the Dragapult line is made of social creatures.¡± The man waved his fingers, and the dragon suddenly appeared, hovering behind him. It was a majestic specimen. She could feel the power emanating from it. Eyes that pierced into her soul and judged her. A presence even heavier than a lot of dragons she ever encountered in the past. Her Pokeballs rocked back and forth as if trying to answer the challenge in front of them. However, just as suddenly as the aura came, it went away. The Dragapult let her trainer scratch her chin, letting out happy warbles. ¡°They tend to form flocks led by the eldest Dragapult, and since part of their strength comes from their young, it¡¯s necessary to have one for their full potential.¡± A pair of young dragons slipped from the Dragapult¡¯s horn, looking at the pair with curiosity. One of them tried to challenge her with their aura, but a look from their mother made them both go back to her horn. ¡°I have a proposition.¡± He nodded in gratitude at her. Likely for putting the small dragon in their place. ¡°I plan to rear a new flock, and I can part with some of the young. I don¡¯t want to use a Ditto and dilute their genes, so I thought of asking you, the best dragon trainer in the region. And Drayden as well, quite convenient that you came too, Leader Drayden.¡± Drayden had been silent since they arrived, content with just staring at the time traveler. He took a deep breath and examined the Dragapult with narrowed eyes. ¡°I¡¯m interested.¡± He broke up the silence. ¡°I can pair her with my Salamence.¡± ¡°Wonderful.¡± Daniel smiled and stretched out his hand. ¡°I can part with one egg from the first clutch. They usually have them in pairs when the flock is thinning.¡± Both men shook their hands and nodded their heads at each other. ¡°How big is a flock usually?¡± Iris asked with a tilt of her head. ¡°And I¡¯m also interested. I think my Haxorus or Hydra would be excellent partners!¡±. ¡°In the wild, they can get big. When I was in Galar I found one that had like 45 of them, maybe more.¡± Drayden tensed when he heard that but didn¡¯t otherwise react. ¡°For competitions, between 6 and 8 members would maintain them happy, and leave enough for reserves.¡± ¡°Reserves?¡± Iris downed her juice. ¡°Yeah, Dragapults use their young to empower their attacks. Sometimes, they get injured or¡­ worse, Arceus forbid.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t sound that good saying it aloud, but let me assure you, Galarians used them for centuries and there was no drama that I know of.¡± He thought about it for a moment. ¡°Well, there was some drama, but nothing major.¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± Iris didn¡¯t look convinced but decided to press on that. ¡°Anything else?¡± ¡°I need to plant my emitters to recharge my bracer.¡± He showed them the pitch-black bracer on his right arm. It flashed in orange light before a digital screen appeared on top. ¡°My Terastal and Dynamax energies are depleted. I can¡¯t go all out without them. The problem is those emitters affect their environment. If I use them, eventually there¡¯s going to be wild Dynamaxed or Terastalized Pokemon roaming around.¡± ¡°Is there any way to prevent that?¡± Drayden answered this time, a scowl deepening. ¡°Building dampeners, but I don¡¯t have the materials for the machines necessary to build them yet.¡± This gave her an idea. ¡°What if I give you those materials¡­ if you accept a duel with one of the Elite? Marshal, to be exact.¡± ¡°If you accept that I won¡¯t go fully all out, then yes. I don¡¯t see why not.¡± Daniel shrugged. ¡°Perfect!¡± Iris clapped with a cheerful expression. ¡°We¡¯ll contact you in a few days with a date, then.¡± ¡°Great.¡± Daniel¡¯s face went from a smile to a frown quickly after that. ¡°Finally, what should I do with Kyurem?¡± ¡°I mean¡­ He¡¯s your Pokemon now?¡± Iris asked, unsure. ¡°That was a containment Pokeball, not meant for captures.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Having a Legendary is strictly forbidden on my time. There are exceptions, of course, but I don¡¯t want to mess with the timeline more than I need to.¡± ¡°That complicates things.¡± Iris sighed, defeated, and slumped. ¡°We¡¯ll deliberate on that and get you an answer soon¡­¡± Her emphasis on deliberate painted an excellent picture: Politics didn¡¯t change in 300 years. ¡°My condolences.¡± He whispered to the girl, who quirked a smile. ¡°And that would be all for my concerns. Do you need me for anything?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s all on our end, too.¡± She shook her head, whipping her hair around. ¡°We¡¯ll be in touch.¡± Just as both were getting out, Drayden suddenly looked at Daniel directly in the eyes. Pride and defiance burned deep inside them. Draconid aura radiated from his body and his muscles tensed as he crossed his arms. ¡°I want a rematch.¡± ¡°Gladly. Tell me when and where.¡± Iris could see the sparks flashing in the air as both trainers stared at each other. She could object, throw her weight around, and prevent them from fighting unnecessarily. The man would eventually fight one of the Elite Four. That old saying ¡®When trainers¡¯ eyes meet, they¡¯ll have a Pokemon fight¡¯ briefly flashed in her mind. She wouldn¡¯t be able to stop them. And she would be lying if she said she wasn¡¯t excited to see them fight. Rivalry ¡°I thought it would be me who would be fighting him, Iris.¡± Once again, the elites and gym leaders were called into an emergency call. This time, only the major gyms and Elite Four were invited. They overlooked a private arena inside the League headquarters where Drayden and Daniel would face each other. Since they wanted as much secrecy as possible, Iris herself would be the referee for their match. ¡°Don¡¯t be a baby Marshall. You¡¯ll get your turn soon enough.¡± Grimsley added with a smirk. ¡°It¡¯s still a good way to gauge him against a gym leader. Veterans are usually at that level.¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Marshall crossed his arms, not commenting further. ¡°With that out of the way. Let¡¯s get this show on the road, shall we?¡± *** Daniel stood inside the League headquarters, this time not as a criminal, at least. The arena reminded him of the practice ones inside their region, just more¡­ rustic. ¡°Not up to your standards?¡± Drayden growled at him. ¡°Honestly.¡± He sighed and shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s quaint, just missing screens, better dampeners, and size.¡± ¡°Ha!¡± He chuckled at him and rolled up his sleeves. ¡°Gadgets don¡¯t make the trainer.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t agree more with you.¡± Daniel took off his jacket and, mirroring Drayden, rolled up his sleeves. Even from a distance, Drayden could see small scars crossing his upper arms. ¡°Trainers!¡± Iris¡¯ voice drew their attention. ¡°This is a 6 on 6 battle! Tournament rules! 3 switches maximum! 1 Pokemon per side!¡± ¡°Before we begin.¡± Drayden interrupted her, holding up his hand. ¡°I would like to¡­ ask a favor.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Bring out your dragon, the lady you want to introduce to my Salamence.¡± He grabbed a worn-down red Pokeball from his belt. ¡°He¡¯s eager to meet her.¡± ¡°Heh, you make me feel like I¡¯m giving my daughter¡¯s hand.¡± A glossy Ultra-ball shot to his waiting hand and expanded. ¡°Very well, then.¡± Iris cleared her throat. ¡°Trainers! Release in 3.¡± ¡°2.¡± ¡°1.¡± ¡°GO!¡± Both silently sent their Pokeballs sailing through the air to their respective side of the field. A great Salamence appeared on Drayden¡¯s side. Eyes glinting with pride and malice. Muscles packed with barely restrained fury. It recognized Daniel straight away and tensed even more, ready to pounce at a moment¡¯s notice. However¡­ A powerful aura blanketed the field, drowning it in a Haunted terrain. The lights overhead tried to shed any light, but the ghostly winds quickly snuffled them out. Both Iris and Drayden felt their skin crawl, feeling that same presence from before. Like chicks meeting the flock leader for the first time. Salamence looked left and right, trying to see their opponent inside the ghostly mist. Briefly glancing at his trainer for a solution. Until they saw a pair of purple flames suddenly light up around the dragon. Drayden didn¡¯t know what was coming, but he couldn¡¯t risk it. ¡°Protect!¡± The shimmering shield formed around his Salamence, protecting him from anything his opponent might use. ¡°Saaa!¡± Salamence cried in pain as the Dragapult reappeared, completely bypassing the shield as if it wasn¡¯t there. The phantom force was enough to send back the Salamence until it hit the barrier with a bang! Blaring alarms told the three of them that shields were barely holding on. Several Psychic Pokemon appeared beyond the barrier, including Caitlin¡¯s Gothitelle, and reinforced them. Salamence shook his head a couple of times and tried to locate the Dragapult again, to no avail. His scales cracked and leaked blood to the field below. Yet his pride left his eyes. Daniel¡¯s eyes glowed pink just before Casper appeared again meters away from the Salamence. Before he could react, a dragon rush sent him crashing for several meters. Draconic energy quickly gathered in her horn and both Dreepy shot towards Salamence prone form. A dull impact rang around the empty arena as they made contact. Salamence tried to retaliate with a flamethrower, but Thunder quickly descended on top of him. With a cry, the Dragon looked at Drayden one last time before blacking out. The silence was deafening, both inside and outside the arena. The Dragapult toyed with a gym leader¡¯s ace like it was nothing. Gym leader Drayden¡¯s, no less. A man who almost became Alder¡¯s replacement if not for his commitment to Opelucid. His eyes were wide open as he processed what he was seeing, finding it hard to believe. ¡°T-trainer Drayden! You have one minute to send a n-new Pokemon!¡± Iris tried her best to regain composure, but it was proving to be a challenge for her, too. Thankfully, this was what Drayden needed to snap out. He glared at the time traveler before returning his ace. ¡°You did good, Cesar. We¡¯ll talk about it.¡± He whispered to his Pokeball before selecting another one from his belt. A Hydreigon took the stage, roaring in fury. Even if it wasn¡¯t as big as Iris¡¯, it was a prime specimen of their species. The mist that seemed oppressive moments before quietly dissipated, revealing Casper¡¯s floating visage. ¡°Dark pulse!¡± Drayden made sure that he wouldn¡¯t be surprised this time. A dark ocean of energy erupted from Hydreigon, dissipating the ghastly mist as it passed. Yet just before it reached, Casper shot forward, enveloped in dark green energy. She powered through the energy wave and struck the three-headed dragon square in the chest, sending it back several meters. Red light enveloped her as she returned with a U-turn. Daniel quickly stored her Pokeball and threw another with his other hand. Letting Elizabeth take the stage. The small form of the Hisuian Liligant stood in contrast to the furious form of Hydreigon. Yet she was not afraid, looking at the dragon in challenge. With an orange flash, she shot forward, legs burning with an axe kick. ¡°Dragon rush!¡± Purple energy enveloped Hydreigon before shooting towards the Liligant. Both attacks collided, ending in a stalemate. The dragon transitioned into a fire fang, but Elizabeth spun out of the way, answering with a brick break followed by another axe kick directly at the main head. Hydreigon recoiled but dashed backward before the dancer could capitalize on that. Both Pokemon quietly sized up one another in the distance. The dragon silently used nasty plot as they circled each other. Liligant, on the other hand, twirled and shot her ¡°arms¡± up. The light quickly rose in intensity as sunny day took effect. ¡°Flamethrower!¡± Drayden wouldn¡¯t look into the Zebstrika¡¯s mouth. Hydreigon quickly gathered the fire energy in his mouths and fired a torrent of flame towards the Liligant. Thanks to her increased speed, She was barely able to dodge with minimal damage. ¡°Heatwave!¡± Flames erupted from Hydreigon¡¯s form as he roared. The temperature quickly rose to an uncomfortable degree, but thankfully, it didn¡¯t last for long. A shimmering protect disappeared before the tired Liligant. Drayden huffed and decided to end it in one go. ¡°Dracometeor!¡± The smaller Pokemon saw the energy gathering in her opponent and somersaulted. Using the boost provided by the sunlight, she zig-zagged through the battlefield, barely evading the raining meteors. Even then, some of them managed to graze her. ¡°Maybe that Dragapult was just an outlier.¡± Iris thought to herself, feeling some relief as another Flamethrower made the Lilligant back off. That relief quickly died off as green energy enveloped the Liligant. Her previous impressive speed nearly doubled as she shot forward to the Hydreigon. ¡°liiiil!¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. She cried as her grassy glide connected, hitting the dragon directly on the main head once more. Fire gathered to finish with another Heatwave, but Elizabeth beat him to the punch. Another axe kick connected with his mid-section, ending the fight. Daniel nodded with a smile, eyes flashing pink. The Pokemon did a small victory twirl and a cute pose before shooting back towards her side of the field. ¡°Hydreigon can no longer fight! 0¨C2 in favor of the challenger!¡± Iris felt better than before, but it still rattled her the sheer power of the Pokemon Daniel put forward. ¡°Leader Drayden!¡± ¡°I know!¡± Drayden interrupted, sending his next Pokemon up. An Altaria¡¯s fluffy form took to the skies, slowly circling the smaller Pokemon. The light quickly returned to its usual brightness, as cloud nine took effect. ¡°Switch!¡± Before anything could happen, Daniel shouted before putting away Elizabeth¡¯s Pokeball and throwing another one to the field. Altaria used that downtime to use dragon dance, enveloping herself in thunderous black and red energy. Lily¡¯s figure appeared in the field; a frown firmly planted on her face. Drayden wanted to doubt that his Audino would do much, but he couldn¡¯t let his pride cloud his judgment. Not right now. Not against him. ¡°Mega!¡± Daniel¡¯s bracer glowed with energy as his Aura soared. Pressure mounted as Lily released her own, matching and intertwining with his. Blinding light surrounded her form as her body changed. Ears grew and straightened up. A tuff of fur fluffed in her chest and tail. Her body was discolored to a pure white and her fur pattern mimicked a doctor¡¯s coat. Pink aura radiated like a dam exploding. It washed over both dragon trainers and Altaria up in the sky, giving them a sense of peace. Their earlier rage quickly being replaced by contentment, happiness, and tiredness¡­ ¡°No!¡± A small voice roared inside Drayden, waking him up from his stupor. His Draconic aura tried its best to resist the onslaught of fairy energy. Just as it began to overpower him again, it receded. ¡°Phew.¡± Daniel¡¯s voice drew his attention once more. ¡°Sorry for that. I forgot you guys don¡¯t have dampeners here yet.¡± His tone was apologetic while he bowed to them. The monster inside the battlefield copied its trainer¡¯s movements to a T. ¡°Shall we continue?¡± ¡°Hurricane!¡± Drayden screamed instead of an answer. He remembered his first run-in with the fairy type, and how ineffective his Draconic energy was. He had to be extremely careful- An energy cube quickly enveloped the field, slowing Altaria to a crawl. ¡°Trick room¡­¡± It was easy hating the move since most of his team was built for speed. But he dealt with that plenty of times before. The winds battered Audino back and forth since she didn¡¯t have enough time to evade it. It was best to shore up defenses and prepare for a long fight. ¡°Cotton guard!¡± Altaria¡¯s plumage puffed up without sacrificing her speed. This, at least, would give him some time for trick room to fade. Pink and silver energy gathered in front of Lily, imitating the moon. She threw it like a Pokeball directly at the slowed-down Altaria. ¡°Protect!¡± Thankfully, the shimmering blue shield appeared before the attack could land. Just as the shield dissipated, Altaria slammed into the ground with a crash. Drayden noticed the pitch-black energy that flashed across Audino¡¯s eyes. ¡°Must be gravity.¡± ¡°Ice beam!¡± As ice energy gathered inside Altaria¡¯s beak, Audino¡¯s eyes flashed black once more. This time, Altaria shot towards the sky, only stopping because of the barrier in place. She let out a confused squawk as she looked up(?) towards her trainer. ¡°Hypervoice!¡± Altaria let out a screech that he could hear from outside the barrier, even with a sound dampener in place. He could see that Audino was holding her ears painfully. He remembered that their species had particularly sensitive ears. But before he could capitalize on that. Another gravity switch slammed Altaria violently to the ground. If it wasn¡¯t thanks for cotton guard, that would have been enough. She reared for another round of hypervoice, but the moonblast was much quicker than her. ¡°I¡¯m retiring her.¡± She looked bruised and battered. Her energy felt weak. But Drayden wasn¡¯t discouraged. Even if she didn¡¯t manage to take it down, the next one will. After returning her, he switched to another Pokeball. ¡°Altaria got withdrawn and became unable to fight!¡± 0¨C3 in favor of the challenger!¡± Drayden¡¯s Super ball flew and revealed one of his old companions. A Haxorus stood proud in the field, not intimidated by the pink fairy Energy suffused the place, and trick room still in effect. He knew he wouldn¡¯t have the advantage, so he needed to end the fight when the opportunity presented itself. ¡°Swords dance!¡± Green swords briefly circled Haxorus as he roared, filling him with energy and sharpening his teeth. Lily saw that and clapped enthusiastically, celebrating such a powerful move. Haxorus agreed with a smug expression. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Encore!¡± Daniel said aloud with a smile, sealing Haxorus¡¯ fate. For the next 30 seconds, Lily battered Haxorus with Moonblast, Dazzling gleam, and liberal uses of Gravity. When the sheen of trick room finally dissipated, Haxorus was quietly sleeping on the floor. ¡°Haxorus can no longer fight!¡± Iris¡¯ tone dived, as this was her Haxorus¡¯ father. Hers was stronger now but still stung. ¡°0¨C4 in favor of the challenger!¡± Drayden grasped his next Pokemon, feeling as if it weighed a ton. It had been decades since someone got him against the ropes like that. It all started because of pride. The downfall of every dragon specialist. He needed to do something after losing like that in his city. Doubly so for an opponent with an aura so opposed to his. The time traveler stood stoically on the other side of the arena. His expression wasn¡¯t mocking or filled with pity. Beyond those pink orbs he called eyes, he could see fire burning. He saw a great beast using all its strength against an opponent far weaker than it. With a heavy sigh, he threw his next Pokemon in. Druddigon wasn¡¯t his best Pokemon, by far. But he was loyal and hardy, and his muscles rippled with strength. The blue and red dragon stood, challenging the smaller fairy with his gaze. And glare. He observed the Audino freezing up for a moment as if lightning had struck her. ¡°Got you.¡± ¡°Iron head!¡± Druddigon shambled forward, cracking the floor beneath him and gathering steel energy in his head. Audino tried to move out of the way, but the dragon hit her like a truck. She smashed into the barrier with a thunderous bang! And slid before hitting the floor. ¡°Follow up!¡± Druddigon began closing the distance as fast as it could. When Lily tried to recover, he stomped the ground and fired an earthquake. The move rocked her back and forth and destabilized her. ¡°Finish her!¡± ¡°Druuuuu!¡± The dragon roared, exploding with gray energy as it fired a Giga Impact point blank at Lily. An explosion covered the field and obscured their visibility. Daniel frowned and bit his lip in anticipation. Drayden felt some relief seeing his expression change, but he needed to be ready for a follow-up. Druddigon and Mega-Audino finally appeared, Druddigon¡¯s claw firmly planted in her cheek. Endure didn¡¯t let her fall. She then answered with a moonblast, managing to catch the dragon off guard. ¡°I¡¯m switching.¡± As the Druddigon retreated, Daniel called out. Lily¡¯s Mega-evolution ran its course. A dimmer ray of light appeared, and her usual, if battered, form replaced her. ¡°Your Audino doesn¡¯t look ready for another fight, challenger,¡± Iris said, narrowing her eyes at him. ¡°She has regenerator.¡± Iris groaned in frustration and waved her hand. ¡°Continue.¡± In a flash of red light, she disappeared once more inside her Pokeball, and another familiar face appeared. Casper hovered above the field, narrowing her eyes at the opposing dragon. He tried to roar in defiance, trying to use glare again. But the Dragapult¡¯s guttural growls let them know it didn¡¯t work. ¡°Don¡¯t be intimidated, Druddigon! Dragon claw!¡± Druddigon roared and shot forward, purple energy cloaking his claws. But Casper¡¯s rapidly disappearing form signaled yet another phantom force. The dragon desperately looked for signs of his opponent, but it was too late. ¡°Pult!¡± Druddigon smashed against the floor, creating another dust cloud. Dragapult retreated to her side of the field while it cleared up. When it did, the dragon laid down, swirls in his eyes. ¡°Druddigon can no longer fight! 0¨C5 In favor of the challenger!¡± Drayden grunted and palmed his last Pokeball. He knew that he wouldn¡¯t be victorious. When the Dragapult thrashed Cesar¡­ that sealed his fate. But he wouldn¡¯t go without a fight. And his Pokemon knew that. ¡°Flygon!¡± His last Pokemon appeared on the field. Flygon¡¯s insectoid wings let out a hum as the dragon hovered above the ruins. The ghostly mist returned in full as another haunted terrain came in effect, covering the field in darkness. But this time, Drayden was prepared. ¡°Defog!¡± Flygon roared, emitting a wave of pure energy and clearing the fog without problems. ¡°Draaaag!¡± Casper¡¯s form hit the other dragon in the mid-section like a train. The insectoid dragon hit the ground, creating a small crater. Just as she prepared for follow-up, Flygon disappeared with dig. Dragapult floated upwards, looking around the jagged battlefield and preparing for the ambush. But it didn¡¯t come like they expected. Flygon appeared in a faraway corner, smirking. Wind and sand battered the battlefield as a sandstorm enveloped them. With both Pokemon obscured, it was hard to tell what was happening. Drayden didn¡¯t let this affect him. "Rock tomb!¡± He could hear the rocks being lifted and sailing away through the sandstorm. It would help in the long run to bring the opponent¡¯s speed down. At least that way they could catch up. Yet again, before he could make use of the opening, Flygon¡¯s form shot from inside the sandstorm. Dragapult was close by, charging up energy in her horn. "Dragon tail!¡± It was desperate, but it would give them room to breathe a little more. Sadly, Casper fired away her dragon darts before he could land the attack. With a heavy sigh, he knew this was it. He palmed his last Pokeball and returned him. ¡°Leader Drayden returned Flygon without any Pok¨¦mon left in reserve!¡± Lily sighed, ¡°conceding the point to the challenger. 0¨C6 in favor of the Challenger.¡± *** ¡°Is it weird that I¡¯m glad he¡¯s on our side?¡± Roxy¡¯s voice cut through the gripping silence that took the video call. ¡°Didn¡¯t even use Z-moves, Dynamaxing, or Terastalizing and he treated Drayden like a toy.¡± After Salamence was eliminated with ruthless efficiency, nobody spoke. It was like watching a champion curbing a small-time Gym leader. The man was holding back a lot and still won without major problems. ¡°My condolences, Marshall.¡± Grimsley directed a smirk at his coworker. ¡°Marshall?¡± The man in question was trembling while looking at the screen. His eyes were bloodshot, and his smile was feral, just like an animal. ¡°I can¡¯t WAIT to FIGHT him.¡± His orange aura flared from his body like a river. His eyes drilled into Daniel as he shook hands with Drayden. ¡°Of course, you can¡¯t,¡± Grimsley said with a sigh. The rest of the leaders were stunned by the display. The man looked on the ropes at several points during the fight but still managed to pull through with a clean 0 ¨C 6. Most of the present would be hard-pressed to repeat the same feat against Drayden. ¡°I think it is a good thing we have a second champion.¡± Skyla intervened, trying her best to reassure the rest of the leaders. ¡°Helps us defend the region!¡± ¡°I quite agree with the sentiment, dear!¡± Burgh exclaimed, whipping his hair with a flick of his hand. ¡°It will bring problems eventually if we don¡¯t tread lightly.¡± Grimsley looked with interest at the man. ¡°But he¡¯s certainly an asset we shouldn¡¯t squander. A little birdie told me he¡¯s about to become a teacher in the joy clan, anyone interested?¡± ¡°I have a granddaughter who could use some sightseeing.¡± Clay nodded, gems glinting all around his outfit. ¡°She¡¯s about to start her circuit next year, extra education wouldn¡¯t be bad for her.¡± ¡°Excellent idea!¡± Grimsley nodded and clapped his hands. ¡°What if we all discuss this piece of information with our dear champion and make a plan?¡± So, the gym leaders ignored the conversation happening on the field as they began to make plans. If the man wanted to share his secrets, who were they to say no? Family planning While the Gym Leaders and Elites were discussing their next steps, Daniel shook hands with Drayden. Even with his strategies and aura, he had to work to get a clean victory. If the man had a stronger aura and a couple of ¡®battle gimmicks¡¯ it would have been much closer. ¡°Good fight,¡± Drayden said, animosity slowly replaced by respect. ¡°Yeah. You almost made a run for my money.¡± Daniel chuckled. ¡°Some aura training, a couple of battle evolutions and you¡¯re ready for the World circuit.¡± ¡°Was that why you never said your commands out loud? Aura?¡± Daniel nodded. ¡°High-level fights are always silent. There''s always the chance your Pokemon doesn¡¯t hear you or your opponent gets a read on your strategy.¡± ¡°But you were screaming your moves when you came here.¡± Iris narrowed her eyes at him. ¡°Do you know how many hours I was fighting before that? I got knocked out 3 times in the last hour before coming here. It was a miracle I still had anything in the tank.¡± ¡°Would you¡­¡± Iris¡¯ tone shifted slightly. He could see her fidgeting with her dress and looking at the battlefield. ¡°Teach you?¡± He lifted his eyebrow. ¡°I don¡¯t see why not. It¡¯s not hard, just takes time.¡± ¡°Perfect!¡± Iris bounced with too much energy for him, reminding him of her young age. ¡°By the way, how¡¯s everything going with the information?¡± ¡°It¡¯s complicated.¡± Iris deflated. ¡°Revealing just enough and not too much is exhausting. Alola still hasn¡¯t gone back to us. Kalos outright cut off communications¡­¡± ¡°A mess.¡± Drayden sighed. ¡°Sometimes I want to give back the chair to Alder.¡± She groaned, furiously rubbing her face. ¡°At least Paldea is on board with us. That fancy school they¡¯re building here is helping a lot.¡± ¡°How about we go for a change of pace?¡± Daniel suggested, feeling bad for Iris. ¡°What if our dragons get to know each other? Sure, they¡¯re tired but I think it¡¯s better to strike while the iron¡¯s hot.¡± He imagined she already had a lot on her plate with Plasma, and now she had to deal with him and the knowledge he shared with them. Even if he only briefly dealt with that level of politics, he understood how the teen felt. The young girl smiled weakly at him and nodded. ¡°I think your Dragapult left an¡­ impression on my team. Cesar wants to meet her again.¡± Drayden nodded. ¡°Well, I can tell that she¡¯s also quite eager to meet him too,¡± Daniel said with a wry smile, feeling Casper¡¯s Pokeball slightly shaking in his bracer. ¡°Should we get them looked over and head to your place?¡± ¡°Great!¡± Iris regained her energy quickly enough, making both men chuckle. That quickly died down when her Xtransceiver rang. ¡°Give me a moment.¡± She walked away and received the call while both men stood in silence over the field. Daniel tried to break the ice, but he couldn¡¯t find words to do so. He didn¡¯t want to ruin their tenuous peace with an annoying question or joke. ¡°Sorry guys, I need to do more champion stuff¡­¡± Iris walked back and said, defeated. ¡°Champion Leon just took office and wants to establish relations. And declared himself the strongest trainer in the world.¡± ¡°Like my dad used to say, the grind never stops.¡± Daniel chuckled and shrugged. ¡°Another day will be.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let it get in the way!¡± She shoved them both toward the exit. ¡°Go! I¡¯ll have my turn later!¡± Both men looked at each other, shrugged, and nodded at the young girl. After exchanging pleasantries with the other Leaders, Daniel trying his hardest not to look directly at Marshal, they left for the League¡¯s Pokemon center. It was much smaller than regular centers, yet it compensated for aesthetics. The furniture inside was comfortable. A giant flat-screen TV mounted on the wall. Soft music played over the intercom. There was even a snack bar with berries, bread, cheeses, and even some cuts of meat. ¡°It reminds me of home,¡± Daniel whispered as both gave their Pokemon to the nurse Joy manning the place. ¡°Atmosphere is the same.¡± He went to the snack bar and picked up a couple of berries. ¡°Even the berry selection didn¡¯t change.¡± He stealthily wiped his eyes and ate the small Oran berry. ¡°Taste is different, though.¡± ¡°¡­Why?¡± ¡°Genetic engineering, mostly.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Lost a lot of arable land over the years, so we needed food with extra calories.¡± ¡°How¡­¡± Drayden worked his jaw, looking for words. ¡°How was Opelucid¡­¡±Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Daniel looked over the place, and after making sure they were alone he sat back down. ¡°The rebels opened a portal directly on top of the Gym. You can imagine the rest. We still have training to deal with something similar, even if that happened over a century ago.¡± Drayden looked conflicted. The man knew it wasn¡¯t a fight he would partake in, or even his grandson. Still, knowing the city would be destroyed in the future was a heavy blow. Even after reading the reports, he still didn¡¯t fully believe it. ¡°Can we prevent it?¡± He asked after a lengthy silence. ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± Daniel shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s not simply ¡®kill the Leader of the revolution before he¡¯s born.¡¯ Tensions were too high after the unification, and not everyone was happy. If Zacharias didn¡¯t light the fuse, somebody else would have done it.¡± ¡°Arceus damn it.¡± The older man grunted. Minutes passed by in silence while the older man processed everything. In the meantime, Daniel let Mothra out. She had been sulking for not having her chance to shine. That sadness quickly morphed into ¡®anger¡¯ as she bit him and demanded to be pampered. With a soft sigh, he began stroking her fur and scratching her chin. That was enough for her to relax, her wings buzzing to the tune of the music. ¡°Voool?¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯re going first in the next fight.¡± ¡°Ca! Volca!¡± ¡°It won¡¯t happen again, silly girl.¡± He rubbed her just under the mandibles. ¡°Vooool~¡± She let out a cheerful noise and buzzed her wings. Daniel wondered if all members of her species were like that, or if he committed a mistake when she was younger. ¡®Looking back on it, I babied her for too long.¡¯ Volcaronas, especially the Kalosian ones, were late bloomers. In the end, he chalked it up to inexperience from his younger self. ¡°Is she young?¡± Drayden¡¯s voice drew his attention. The man was looking at them with a curious expression. ¡°She¡¯s¡­almost 31,¡± Daniel said with a wry smile. Drayden scoffed and shook his head. This time, however, there was no pride or venom in his expression. Just a trainer looking at an equal. ¡°She reminds me of some of my Altarias.¡± ¡°Oh yeah? Are they as needy as this silly thing?¡± Daniel said with a smile, scratching her abdomen. The Volcarona cooed and tapped her legs on the ground. ¡°Some of them, at least, were.¡± He nodded and looked upwards. ¡°They would pile up when I came by their enclosure.¡± ¡°Oh Arceus, I can hardly deal with one Mothra. Can¡¯t imagine a flock of Pokemon like her.¡± Both men laughed out loud while the Pokemon in question looked at them confused. They exchanged stories about their younger days with their teams. The challenges of dealing with baby Pokemon, especially dragons. Some stories about family and the League itself. The Nurse interrupted them, returning their teams. After getting their Pokeballs back, and with Mothra back in hers, both left. At least now, Daniel didn¡¯t feel on edge around the Gym Leader, so it was a comfortable silence. ¡°Now that I think about it. It¡¯s always like this with dragon trainers.¡± He chuckled while thinking about his friendships in the future. He always clashed with dragon trainers because of their opposing auras. After some fights, and some bonding time, they would die for you. Daniel didn¡¯t know if it was because of their aura or just coincidence, but it was funny to think about. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± Drayden eyed him from the side with some suspicion. ¡°Nothing important.¡± He dismissed. Since Drayden was told not to overdo it for a while, they took the train to Opelucid. As before, it was an empty cart. He used the time to show him some pictures of New Opelucid and the Dragon Gym. Some were personal, from his trips to the city itself, others from the database. ¡°Why is it so¡­¡± ¡°Vertical? To let ecosystems recover. Don¡¯t want to intrude in those while they sort themselves out.¡± The city was a stark difference from its ¡®modern¡¯ counterpart. Instead of a sprawling metropolis, a giant pyramidal structure stood. It had openings filled with plant life and roosting Pokemon. The ¡®houses¡¯ were just glorified apartments inside, spacious, but nothing like they had in the past. Thankfully, technology made the insides bigger than the outside, so people didn¡¯t feel as claustrophobic. The Gym was at the very top of the structure. Statues of golden legendary dragons surrounded the entrance, while the interior looked like an ancient marble temple. The walls and ceilings of the Gym were etched with paintings detailing important historical events surrounding the city. Images of its founding. The great heights of Old Opelucid. The attack by Team Plasma¡­ The destruction during the Great Incursions. What stood out to Drayden was that the current Gym Leader resembled his daughter a lot. ¡°Oh, yeah.¡± Daniel chimed in. ¡°The city is still under your family. There were some black Wooloo here and there, but overall, your descendants took great care of it.¡± Drayden silently looked at one photo. It had a painting with him on it and his Haxorus by his side. He defiantly looked at a giant ship approaching the city. The very next painting was Drayton. He could recognize his purple streak anywhere in the world. He looked much older and more mature. A metallic dragon stood beside him as he stood confidently. Seeing him carrying that pride and confidence in his stance¡­ warmed his heart. ¡®He¡¯ll be fine.¡¯ The man thought to himself. He feared Drayton wouldn¡¯t be able to carry on the legacy and become a great man. His laid-back attitude made him fear the worst. But at least this gave him some hope for the future. When the train arrived at Opelucid, they made their way to the Gym¡¯s ranch. It was a short 10-minute walk from the Gym¡¯s property. It was enormous, in Daniel¡¯s opinion. Rolling hills, a great ravine filled with caves, and a small river passing through the middle. He could spot some young Swablu flying and some Horsea by the water. Draconic aura rolled from hidden crevasses and caves as he got nearer. By the looks they were giving him, they weren¡¯t particularly happy about meeting him. Yet none of them attacked them as both men entered. ¡°It looks beautiful,¡± Daniel commented, grabbing Casper¡¯s Pokeball. ¡°There¡¯s enough space for a Dragapult flock. Just remember not to let it get out of hand. They¡¯re quite the menace.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± Drayden nodded and grabbed Cesar¡¯s Pokeball. ¡°Ready?¡± ¡°As I will ever be.¡± As both dragons hit the field, the atmosphere suddenly shifted. The air stilled and the chatter silenced. Casper eyed Cesar as she floated. Her young floating a couple of meters behind. Salamence narrowed his eyes at first. Yet he lowered his head, slowly closing his eyes. ¡°Draaa.¡± ¡°Mence.¡± Casper floated closer, examining Cesar meticulously. The male stood perfectly still while being looked over as if looking for approval. When she finished a couple of rounds, she nodded. ¡°Dragapult.¡± She flew towards the ravine, Salamence closely following behind. ¡°I think that was a success,¡± Daniel said, arms crossed. ¡°You¡¯ll be hearing from me in a couple of days to give you good news.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting for them.¡± Both stood on the field, arms crossed, looking towards the ravine. Distant roars and explosions rang for a couple of seconds before the stillness returned. Then a different kind of roar boomed out of the area. The trainers quietly let them go at it, leaving the premises with a pair of confused Dreepy. Both were looking unsure if they needed to help their mother. Aura While the trainers waited for their Pokemon to get to know each other, they had lunch. It was leaning a lot on meats and fish, much to Rodan¡¯s delight. Thankfully, there were enough nuts and berries for Elizabeth and Lily. Seeing them all happily eat their food warmed Daniel¡¯s heart even if they acted on edge. They spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing and doing light exercises. Rodan took on babysitting duty with Donald and R2, where they cared for the young dragons and raced against them. Lily was taking a nap, laying her head on Mothra¡¯s fur. The Volcarona didn¡¯t look thrilled about the arrangement, but some coaxing and treats were enough to convince her. Gamera took a dip in the river, napping away and ignoring the curious Horseas. However, he noticed Elizabeth sometimes missed her steps while dancing since she no longer had Theresa and Michael to sing for her. Rodan had a harder time keeping up with the young dragons than Shen Long, their father. Casper would sometimes move around in sleep as if looking for a familiar cold presence. ¡°I need to get them a therapist.¡± The man sighed and scratched his beard. ¡°Everything ok?¡± Drayden¡¯s voice broke him from his musings. ¡°Maybe I need one too.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± He shook his head and ate another piece of bacon. ¡°Just¡­ thinking about stuff.¡± ¡°I know that look.¡± His tone was softer and his posture more relaxed. ¡°I won¡¯t pry, but there are people you can speak to that can help you out. Aurea did a lot for me when I lost one of my first Pokemon.¡± He snorted. ¡°I think she¡¯ll help you too if you let her examine your team. She was over the moon when she wrote the report on them.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡± He answered absentmindedly and took another bite. More likely, he¡¯ll take the offer. Still, he needed to sit down and make the offer to his team. Privately. That¡¯s not something he wanted to do in front of another trainer. To distract himself from the unpleasant feelings, he convinced Drayden to train the aura. Elizabeth, being the only free one, helped him. They sat cross-legged further away from the main group facing each other. Within seconds, both entered a trance, sending and receiving their aura between each other. Due to their opposite nature, Fighting and Fairy, some popping sounds rang now and then. But after so many years, they tuned them out to deepen the connection. They had a harder time at the beginning when he was just 17 and out for his second circuit. Their mismatching auras would prevent them from fully forming a link for a long time. It took them a life-or-death encounter to be able to synchronize properly and sense each other¡¯s thoughts. His lips quirked to a smile when he remembered how relieved he was. A mental nudge snapped his concentration back. Elizabeth was looking at him directly with narrowed eyes. She sent him feelings of discipline and focus on their connection. Daniel chuckled and closed his eyes. ¡°Sorry for that, Lizzie.¡± She sent him the mental equivalent of a sigh and sent her energy to him. A mixture of greens and oranges, just like autumn. The outside world melted away as it touched him, immersing him in its sensation. It felt like calm, like a meadow inside a forest. The warmth of the sun on his skin and faraway birds chirping. Flowers in full bloom around him and feeling one with nature. Yet there was an undercurrent of conflict. Of trees competing for the best spot in the sun. Grasses choking each other out for nutrients. Animals and insects alike fighting for their survival. He accepted it all. Even when some aspects clashed with him, he didn¡¯t turn them away. Daniel found beauty in them all. Through their bond, he sent back acceptance, contentment, and a willingness to help her grow as tall and strong as a tree. His aura was a bright pink, cheerful and mischievous. Their auras mingled, feeding and enriching each other. Sun setting on the glade to give way to the moon. Night giving way to rest, recovery, and stories about the dangers of being alone in the dark. Roses hiding the thorns beneath them. Deception as a means of survival. Likewise, it lightly clashed against the other Pokemon¡¯s core beliefs, but she accepted them all.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. When he opened his eyes, he noticed Drayden was watching them like a Watchog. ¡°Is it that simple?¡± ¡°I told you it would be simple, just takes time.¡± She nodded and went to practice her dancing. Her trainer just smirked and addressed Drayden. ¡°It¡¯s simple, and not at the same time. You need to commune; both contribute to the energy.¡± He made circling gestures. ¡°It must be precise. Always the same amount on each side. And accept that not every one of your team members will have the same compatibility. Some will love things you don¡¯t, or you¡¯ll like things they don¡¯t. But that¡¯s ok, the most important thing is always trust.¡± ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± The man nodded. ¡°Over time, it gets easier and easier until you can do some tricks.¡± [Like this] Drayden flinched when he suddenly heard Daniel¡¯s voice inside his head. The time traveler laughed and slapped his knees. ¡°Never gets old!¡± ¡°So.¡± Drayden continued, not too bothered by the ¡®prank.¡¯ ¡°For how long you did do this until you could talk to them?¡± ¡°To do it correctly? 2 or 3 months for each of my 16 Pokemon.¡± He shrugged. ¡°To do it in battle. Pfff, that took years with some of them. You already have aura, so it shouldn¡¯t take that long.¡± Both watched their teams unwind from the fight in their little ways. Although they didn¡¯t seem to interact with one another. Except for Altaria, who was racing Rodan and the small ones. Before long, Casper and Salamence joined them. The latter looked even more exhausted than before. The Dragapult descended in front of Daniel with a grin. Yet, her aura was telling him another story. He kicked himself for not noticing it before. ¡°We¡¯re not replacing them, ok?¡± Daniel hugged her, sending feelings of love and acceptance through his aura. ¡°This is just a new chapter in our lives¡­ They¡¯ll always be in my heart, and I know they¡¯ll always be in yours.¡± The Dragapult let out a small cry and coiled her ghostly tail around him. His joints cried in protest, but he didn¡¯t fight her grasp. Her aura began to waver as he patted her back. Gone was the prideful dragon that humiliated Drayden. In her place, a grieving widow remained. Feelings of loneliness, darkness, and loss hit him like a hyperbeam as she fired her ghostly terrain. It amplified his dark emotions, gripping his heart and trying to tear it to pieces. He felt cold, alone, surrounded by those left behind. Fog enveloped him, and voices whispering around him. Some cursed him, some asked him to join, and others laughed at his misfortune. Daniel tried his best to cut through it with his aura. He sent feelings of reassurance and love as best as he could, only to get lost in the surrounding darkness. His spine popped as the force of her grip steadily increased. It was getting harder and harder to breathe as her embrace hardened. He gave up on sending positive emotions. As a last resort, Daniel sent what he truly felt. How the situation was affecting him and how the grief gnawed at him. Memories of his parents, his brother, and their home in the future. Thoughts about their first championship win surfaced, and eventual ascension as Unovan champions. It took her a moment, but Casper answered back with memories about their first major battle together, their inexperience, and their clashing personalities. Images of her first clutch resurfaced. How nervous she was and the reassurances of her lovable idiot. The warmth of seeing her children grow and become powerhouses. As minutes ticked away, Daniel and Casper¡¯s aura mingled. Moonlight shone through the fog. Voices melted away and the chill turned comfortable. ¡°It¡¯s ok, girl.¡± He whispered to her, petting her pristine scales. ¡°You¡¯re not alone.¡± The Dragapult relaxed, reigning in her aura back to herself. When sunlight shone again around him, he noted that his team was surrounding them. All with worried expressions and were affected by Casper¡¯s outburst. He sent them an ¡®everything¡¯s okay¡¯ through his aura and they relaxed. ¡°Now, Gamera, give her a shower, this lady smells weird.¡± Daniel lightly slapped her away. She looked back at him indignantly but still untangled herself without protesting. Gamera shot a low-powered Water gun at her with a smirk. Her children climbed back to her horn, ready to be shot towards the smug Lapras. ¡°Sorry for the¡­ That.¡± Daniel finally addressed Drayden, a wry smile on his face. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± He dismissed. ¡°I had to deal with that in the past. I understand.¡± He looked up, melancholy in his eyes. Daniel didn¡¯t want to pry; the man had shown him that courtesy and he would return the favor. After sharing some tips about meditation and aura sensing, Daniel left for his home. It was already late afternoon, but nobody was waiting for him. Instead of the train, he took to the skies on top of Rodan. Everything felt so alien to him. So different. The quality of the air, the gentle chill of the night, the light of skyscrapers in the distance¡­ [Are you feeling ok, master?] Rodan¡¯s voice rang inside his head. Feelings of worry came with it. ¡°Yes, just.¡± He fully laid down on the saddle, head touching his plumage. ¡°You know how it is.¡± [I do, master.] [YOU HAVE (2) UNREAD MESSAGES FROM: ROSE JOY.] R2¡¯s reminder buzzed in his left ear, reminding him he needed a replacement for his right one. R2 dutifully projected a screen in front of him. They were pleasantries and a list of names and children¡¯s photos. Confusion washed over him momentarily before he remembered his new job. ¡°R2, remind me when we get home. For now, let¡¯s just take the scenic route.¡± [Understood, master.] [UNDERSTOOD.] Still, there was no hurry to answer or to get back home. He would enjoy his well-earned rest. Dawn ¡°You abandoned us¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t deserve to be alive.¡± ¡°COME BACK!¡± ¡°TRAITOR!¡± Daniel found himself in the middle of a dark forest, running for his life. Familiar voices and faces passed by, each piercing his heart like a blade. Trees grew jagged and lacked foliage, just thorns that pierced his flesh. A bloody moon hung above, casting a cold light that didn¡¯t provide any comfort. Ragged breaths escaped him as he took unsteady steps. His clothes were torn to shreds. All his Pokeballs cracked and dulled. Still, he did his best to jump above roots and duck under branches. ¡°WHY DID YOU ABANDON US!¡± The voices were catching up. A flurry of steps behind him slowly approached, but he didn¡¯t dare to look behind. Wings fluttering and buzzing just outside of his visual field. ¡°WHY DID YOU COME HERE?!¡± Joey¡¯s partially melted face appeared just behind a tree. Thousands of hands extended and trapped Daniel. They soon enveloped his entire body, leaving only his eyes uncovered. The face melted into a skull marked by Giratina¡¯s visage. ¡°YOU DON¡¯T BELON???????????????G????????????? ???????????????H?????E???????R??????????E????????????!????????" [Master!] Daniel suddenly opened his eyes. He was lying on a strange bed, under an unfamiliar ceiling. His heart was beating fast, and his body was drenched in sweat. He desperately tried to look for the danger, whipping his head around. Aura circulated under his skin, ready to-. [It¡¯s ok, Master! There¡¯s no danger!] Rodan¡¯s voice came again, drawing his attention. The bird was outside, looking through the window. He looked concerned, and his aura confirmed that. As he regained his clarity, his breathing evened. His tight muscles relaxed, and his aura slowed down. ¡°I¡¯m inside my room. My team is okay. I am okay,¡± He recited his father¡¯s mantra, one he always used since they were children. ¡°Don¡¯t fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Let it pass through me and away. I¡¯ll remain.¡± A pounding headache assaulted him, almost making him collapse again. A gentle psychic grip from Rodan held him, letting him slowly lie down again. Lily burst into the room, followed by Mothra, Elizabeth, R2, and Donald. He could spot his bigger teammates having to wait outside. The Audino examined him, using her feelers to listen to his heart and check his temperature. Mothra climbed to the wall and fanned him with her wings, trying her hardest not to blow any scales his way. Elizabeth just fidgeted beside the bed, jumping from one foot to the other. His ¡°digital¡± Pokemon orbited around him, trying to assess if they needed to call emergency services. ¡°I¡¯m fine guys.¡± A burst of pain made him clench his teeth. ¡°Au!¡± Lily disagreed with him. With a pulse of energy, she used her heal pulse. As the psychic energy interacted with his, he could feel his pain and tiredness going away. With a small groan, his aches disappeared completely. ¡°Thanks, Lily.¡± He smiled and patted her head. ¡°Audino!¡± She smiled proudly. ¡°Vooool¡± Mothra climbed down from the wall and approached him from the other side, looking for attention too. ¡°Yes, you silly girl, you thank you too.¡± He rolled his eyes and scratched her behind her mandibles. ¡°Vol!¡± She let a happy cry, buzzing her wings and tapping on the floor. ¡°What time is it?¡± Donald glowed and projected a screen in mid-air, displaying the time. ¡°3 am¡­¡± He knew he wouldn¡¯t go back to sleep anytime soon, so he went to jog to clear his head. Elizabeth would go with him since she was the most enthusiastic about some physical exercise at this unlordly hour. His outfit was plain: a white sweater, black joggers, and white sneakers. The rest of his team went back to sleep, except for his ghosts. Casper would follow him while invisible and R2 would enter his glasses. As he put them on, the orange tint faded, and the frame ¡®disappeared¡¯ from his field of vision. ¡°R2, did you and Donald screen the list?¡± He asked while stretching with Elizabeth. [MASTER. CHAMPION IRIS SENT A SIMILAR LIST ALONG WITH A MESSAGE. SHOULD I FORWARD IT TO YOU?] ¡°Huh, information goes around fast.¡± He huffed in surprise and shook his head. ¡°Yeah, screen both lists and send it to me.¡± His vision flashed orange as the list appeared in front of him.
CANDIDATES
POTENTIAL NAME AGE POKEMON BADGES
POTENTIAL RISK [EXPAND] This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
NO POTENTIAL [EXPAND]
GOOD POTENTIAL Reece Simon 13 Sandile 0
Thomas Joy 13 Solosis 0
Amelie Smith 14 Cottonee Swadlon 1
Linda Joy 14 Duosion Pidove 1
Kiran Joy 15 Musharna Woobat Blitzle 2
EXCEPTIONAL POTENTIAL Valerie Schemmel 14 Drilbur Ferroseed Klink 0
Nate Wayland (¡î) 15 Emboar Lucario Arcanine Simisage Kabutops Gliscor 8
[NOTE: Nate Wayland MATCHES WITH ¡®AGE OF HEROES¡¯ DATABASE] He completely ignored the ¡®possible risk¡¯ category. Those were full of people who had infractions lodged against them by the law or had concerning comments about their psyche. The ¡®no potential¡¯ list was the longest and had trainers who were too old without any major accomplishments or gym badges. He paid more attention to the bottom lists, reading their Bios and comments about them. ¡°I knew that name was familiar.¡± He finished his stretch with a crack in his back. ¡°He¡¯s quite good¡­¡± Nate, the only one marked as ¡®exceptional,¡¯ was another case. While reading about him, both he and Elizabeth departed. There was nobody else outside, giving the compound an eerie feeling. The sky was clear, letting him see the waning moon. The chill was enough to make his breath visible, but it didn¡¯t bother him. ¡°So, he¡¯s the one that stopped Plasma a second time¡­¡± He thought to himself while reading his file from the alternate future. ¡°Fought Black Kyurem to a draw without losing any Pokemon and captured Ghetsis right after. Mew, what a little monster.¡± Fighting against Legendary class Pokemon was always an ordeal. To safely subdue Legendary class Pokemon, several teams would employ ¡®fusillade tactics,¡¯ which involve bombardment from G-max moves and Z-moves. ¡®Black Kyurem¡¯ wasn¡¯t at the top of the scale, but it was still a threat that required utmost caution. ¡°I think I can take it on, still-¡± A sudden yank startled him. Before he could protest, he noticed the lamppost he narrowly missed thanks to that. Elizabeth stood with a disappointed stance to the side, still holding him by the sweater. ¡°Thanks, girl.¡± He chuckled and petted her head. ¡°I¡¯m getting too distracted for my good.¡± ¡°Gaaant.¡± She sighed, shaking her head. ¡°R2, send messages that I want to see everyone from good and above. Make it for next week to have time to prepare.¡± [UNDERSTOOD] He tried not to get distracted the rest of the route. Still, he had to be saved two more times before they returned home. The first from a parked car and the second from a mailbox. Elizabeth confronted him with a disgruntled stare, and even Casper briefly appeared to give him a ¡®disappointed mom gaze¡¯ as well. He did his best to appease them, saying it would not happen again and bribing them with treats. With narrow eyes and full bellies, they didn¡¯t make a big fuss about it. It still made him consider moving up ¡®getting a therapist¡¯ a couple of spaces on his to-do list. ¡°R2, send a message to Professor Juniper that I want to meet her.¡± He remembered Drayden¡¯s recommendation, and she seemed the best considering his circumstances. ¡°Delay that until 8 am.¡± [UNDERSTOOD] He took a shower and went back to his room to sleep. Thankfully, there were no nightmares this time around. By 9 am, he was up and having breakfast with his team. Rose answered with subtle questions about the amount of ¡°approved¡± clan members. Daniel had to maneuver enough not to insult his ancestors¡¯ talents but still make his point. Separately, Iris profusely apologized for not giving him a heads-up but was more than happy their request was not outright ignored. After some coordination, he would see both groups by the middle of the week. ¡°That¡¯s about five days to prepare. It should be enough.¡± He still needed to think about what to teach them and how to do it. General tips and tricks were something they would eventually discover by themselves. Alternative evolutions and battle gimmicks were out of the table until he got the ¡®go ahead¡¯ from the League. Aura training depended a lot on their patience, and he didn¡¯t expect a lot from teenagers on that front. ¡°I¡¯ll have to play it by ear.¡± He absentmindedly finished his breakfast. ¡°And I¡¯ll eventually need to get new team members.¡± And that was a can of worms to open later. Things were still too raw. After grieving a bit more, he would consider it again. But as time passed and their reality sunk in, that was something he would need to do. If he wanted to operate without any restrictions, at least. ¡°That or becoming part of the international police. But I had enough of crime fighting for a while.¡± He looked down at his arms, seeing his scars crossing them. All painful reminders that his job was dangerous. All the times he got cut, burned, shocked, tossed around, almost lost limbs¡­ With a shaky breath, he pushed those memories away. It was enough to fight for a lifetime. Now that he had time to settle down and not think about the world ending, cutthroat competitive environments, and traveling the world every week, he could seriously think about his future. Maybe even have a family. Still, such a drastic change would affect not only him but also his team. Teaching now for money was one thing, doing it permanently was another. That would mean not training like he used to. It scared him by disappointing his team, his only family now. Rodan picked up on his feelings. The Braviary nudged his face, making him look up. [Master, you¡¯re losing focus again] ¡°I¡¯ve been doing that a lot, I know.¡± The man whispered, hugging the giant bird. [I have noticed that you seem excited about teaching. I approve of that] The bird rubbed his cheek with closed eyes. [And I think the rest of us do too. Maybe El Santo would have had a problem with that, but¡­ sorry, Master.] ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I miss them, too.¡± He sighed. ¡°But yes, it sounds like a good idea.¡± [YOU HAVE (1) UNREAD MESSAGE FROM: PROFESSOR AUREA JUNIPER] His eyebrows rose as he read it, feeling some conflicting feelings about its contents. ¡°Well, that was quick.¡± The professor seemed more eager than Drayden implied since she was about to arrive in less than an hour to visit him. She asked if she could bring her assistant, but he saw no reason to refuse on his part. ¡°Get the others to look presentable, Rodan. We have visitors.¡± Check up ¡°We¡¯re almost there!¡± ¡°Eep!¡± Professor Juniper¡¯s voice startled Bianca, bringing her back to reality. Both were flying above the clouds on top of a Braviary. The cold was enough to make her shiver if her nerves were not enough for it already. Careful use of Flying energy diverted snowflakes and drops away from them but did little bout the frigid temperatures. She fidgeted with her bag, playing with the straps and the buckle. ¡°Relax, this is just another job. We¡¯re just going to be much more secretive this time. Yes. You can do it¡­¡± She tried giving herself a pep talk as her fingers began to sting. She was so far up her head that she didn¡¯t notice their landing, their exchange with security, or even their arrival at Daniel Joy¡¯s Home. ¡°Are you coming inside? It¡¯s cold out there.¡± A voice snapped her back to the present. Her eyes widened as she noticed her surroundings and the person before them. The man looked as old as her father, yet he carried himself with enough confidence to share. He also had a presence that radiated wrongness, like he didn¡¯t belong. Like- ¡°Miss?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± She quickly nodded and followed him inside. Inside didn¡¯t look too different from a normal house. There were some odd gadgets here and there, but nothing that screamed ¡®I¡¯m from 300 years in the future.¡¯ The absolute unit of a Volcarona quickly drew her attention. She was lying on top of the couch, watching them with curiosity. ¡°At least 50 centimeters larger than normal specimens¡­ The fur is fluffy instead of tangled¡­ Mandibles have darker coloration¡­ spots on the wings resemble squares¡­¡± Bianca mumbled to herself while examining the Volcarona. She took a notepad and wrote down her observations. ¡°She does look like a Professor.¡± Daniel chuckled just behind her. Professor Juniper¡¯s chuckle was much more strained than his. ¡°Ah! Sorry!¡± She stood up and bowed a perfect 90 degrees. ¡°My name is Bianca! Professor Juniper¡¯s assistant! Thank you for this opportunity!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, girl.¡± The man waved her off. ¡°Thank you for answering so quickly, both of you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m still very sorry if we made you or your Pokemon uncomfortable, sir.¡± The Professor said with a bow. ¡°If-¡± ¡°It¡¯s ok. Really.¡± The man shrugged. ¡°If anything, it reassures me. Now I know she¡¯s passionate about her job.¡± The Volcarona stirred, climbing down the couch and walking towards her trainer. "Just so everyone is on the same page.¡± He smirked at her when she flinched. ¡°You can examine my Pokemon, do blood tests, energy readings, the works. In exchange¡­¡± The man paused and licked his lips. ¡°We¡¯ll talk, Professor. I need someone to help us.¡± He sighed heavily. Volcarona rubbed his leg and clicked her mandibles. Daniel smiled and petted her. ¡°Drayden recommended you and I¡¯ll trust his judgment. Also, it helps that you¡¯re the Regional Professor and know about my circumstances. Can¡¯t talk about it willy-nilly.¡± ¡°We accept.¡± The older woman nodded. ¡°My area of specialty lies entirely with Pokemon. Still, I¡¯ll do my best to lend my ear to someone who needs it.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± He nodded. ¡°Now, what are the plans?¡± ¡°Well, now that my enthusiastic assistant began with Volcarona,¡± she said with a smile. ¡°I¡¯ll be asking some questions about her, and she¡¯ll write down everything.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Bianca furiously nodded. As they sat down, an Audino walked over from the kitchen holding a tray with juice. She gave a glass to everyone with a smile and sat next to her trainer. ¡°Thanks,¡± Both women said. The Pokemon nodded and drank from her own glass. It was a bit too sweet for her taste, but still very good. ¡°Let¡¯s begin then.¡± Professor Juniper said with a cough. ¡°What diet do you follow with your Pokemon?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing special where I come from.¡± The man shook his head. ¡°Berries, dried insects, meats. Each one had extra supplements when they were younger, but not anymore.¡± ¡°What kind of supplements?¡± ¡°Mothra had calcium and zinc.¡± He petted the moth, who rolled over and made happy noises. ¡°It helped her to develop her fire and smooth her coat.¡± ¡°Excuse me.¡± Bianca interrupted. Daniel nodded at her. ¡°I noticed that her coat is not tangled. How¡­¡± ¡°Genetics, supplements, and grooming her. She was very needy as a Larvesta, and I spoiled her a lot.¡± He scratched her behind her mandibles. ¡°Still do, I suppose.¡± ¡°Can you please expand on her genetics?¡± The older woman asked with interest. ¡°A couple of decades before the unification, Volcaronas were exported to Kalos to produce silk. They wanted to compete with Galar and their Frosmoth textiles, so they settled with the ¡®alternative.¡¯ Over time, they got bigger and got better silk.¡± He looked upwards and his eyes flashed pink for a second. Bianca cleaned her glasses and scratched her eyes, thinking it was a trick of the light. ¡°Oh, sorry if I startled you.¡± The man said apologetically. ¡°I¡¯ll show you a sample.¡± Dragapult¡¯s immense form suddenly shimmered into view. Bianca¡¯s heart rate accelerated as she stared at the being in front of her. Glossy scales that reflected light. Long tail that gradually transitioned into an ethereal form. Piercing yellow eyes that stared into her soul, calculating, assessing danger, and snorting when it found none. It was carrying a dark trench coat in its pink claws. Daniel scratched the beast and mumbled thanks. The sound the Dragapult made almost made her jump out of her skin. Before her blood pressure got too high, the Pokemon gave them one last look and disappeared. ¡°Sorry for her theatrics,¡± Daniel said with a wry smile. ¡°She¡¯s difficult when she wants to be.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve dealt with dragons before.¡± Professor Juniper looked calm and collected, the opposite of her. ¡°I have a long way to go¡­¡± He handed them the coat, saying, ¡°It was made with Volcarona thread.¡± She recognized it as the one typically used by veterans, but the texture was night and day. ¡°It¡¯s so¡­soft.¡± She had to resist the urge to just bury her head in it. It felt like an expensive suit, only to be worn once or twice a year. The padding was soft as a Mareep, but solid like a boulder. ¡°Now imagine the expensive stuff. It¡¯s out of this world.¡± ¡°Impressive¡­¡± The Professor mumbled to herself. ¡°By the changes she¡¯s exhibiting, their species seems to be heading into an alternative evolutionary path. Am I right? The one that went extinct.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the idea, yes.¡± He nodded and snapped his fingers. ¡°Kalos succeeded like 150 years ago. But that branch got completely wiped out during the incursions. They¡¯ve been trying to recreate them ever since. Donald, show them.¡± The TV lit up, showing a photo of a Volcarona and a human. The Pokemon looked massive, at least twice the size of the base species. It had a fluffier coat, even covering part of their heads. Their mandibles were blood red, with two protrusions along their length. Finally, their wings were a purple and red gradient, spots replaced with pure white prisms. ¡°As you know, they had bug and psychic type. They needed psychic energy to help them fly because of their sheer bulk. Very docile, curious, and very intelligent. Clothes and dresses made of their silk and fur are worth millions.¡± ¡°Fascinating.¡± The Professor looked almost in a trance examining the photo on the screen. Bianca could see stars shining inside her eyes, as years of theories seemed to be proved in a single day. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°The ones that knew how to make them didn¡¯t survive the wars.¡± The man answered with a sigh. ¡°And Volcaronas themselves almost went extinct too. You can guess why, right?¡± ¡°Low birth rates and long larval stage¡­¡± She whispered, wincing as the man nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s¡­ continue.¡± The rest of their questions were much more mundane. Usual weight. Energy levels during active hours. Heat cycles. They also extracted some fur, blood, saliva, and some shavings from her mandibles. Bianca labeled each cup with her markers and stored everything inside her bag. Mothra didn¡¯t look that thrilled to continue getting poked around. When they finished, she bolted upstairs with a buzz. The next Pokemon on the list was one of the alternative evolutions. The petite Lilligant strode inside with graceful steps, settling in front of her trainer with a pose. ¡°We already read their information from your Pokedex. Thank you once more.¡± The man shrugged his shoulders. ¡°But still would like to examine her, if that¡¯s alright?¡± ¡°By all means.¡± The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Elizabeth¡¯s lilac eyes stared directly at the Professor but did nothing to prevent her touch. First, she gently examined the flower crowning her head, using gloves and a magnifying glass. ¡°Reduced size, most likely to safeguard it from cold weather.¡± With a pair of tweezers, she gingerly took a small sample of the petals. The Pokemon seemed indifferent, but her gaze was considerably sharper. ¡°No more than that, I promise.¡± Liligant huffed and silently nodded, letting them continue. ¡°The foliage around her head is also shorter. Leaves end at points instead of being round.¡± She carefully tested the edge, noting that it could cut at the right angle. ¡°They¡¯re hardened and sharpened.¡± The Professor carefully examined all her body, making small comments for Bianca to write down. She almost missed some of them because she kept getting distracted by the Pokemon itself. A body made for combat in cold weather. Faux muscles, tightly woven, provide elasticity, strength, and bursts of speed. However, they sacrificed the species'' ability to handle energy to achieve those effects. They also extracted the same samples, like Volcarona. Contrary to her, she was more amiable at being poked with needles. ¡°Just for the record, what supplements did you give her?¡± ¡°Carbos, proteins, some Hp ups. Her defenses are not that great, so I focused on not getting hit.¡± Elizabeth curtsied towards the women and went to the backyard to dance under the snow. Bianca almost shouted that it was cold outside but stopped herself in time. ¡°Au!¡± The Audino took center stage next. It looked like a regular Audino, but she noticed some minute differences. First, she was taller and slimmer than the ones typically found in Pokemon centers. Her muscles were much denser, packing more strength inside them. The cream-colored parts concealed small, white stars. ¡°Now this is interesting¡­¡± The Professor examined one of them under her magnifying glass, eyes furrowed in concentration. ¡°Is there a reason this pattern emerged?¡± ¡°It¡¯s from the 20th type. Professors back home call it ¡®Cosmic.¡¯¡± The man chuckled. ¡°They wanted to call it star type, but that would be too close to the Stellar tera type, so Cosmic stuck.¡± ¡°I read some of your notes about it, but there wasn¡¯t a lot.¡± ¡°It¡¯s still theoretical from what I remember. It¡¯s thanks to the World League headquarters in orbit that people discovered it. There¡¯s still no actual cosmic Pokemon, yet. But some species are evolving to it. Like Audino, Miniors, Cleffas, Elgiems, the list is extensive.¡± ¡°Amazing!¡± Bianca exclaimed. ¡°If we can get a satellite or a space station like that, we can discover it!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t recommend looking into that.¡± The man said with a grave voice. ¡°After the ¡®age of heroes¡¯ passes, things will only get worse until the unification wars. Doing something so drastic like that¡­ I don¡¯t want to imagine the consequences.¡± That took the wind out of her sails quickly. She remembered the briefing she got when they were being prepared for this mission. The wars that will come and their damage. With a small sigh, he whispered a sorry and adjusted her glasses. ¡°Nono. I am sorry.¡± The man gave them a wry smile. ¡°I can imagine how it feels to have so much valuable stuff just out of reach.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be better than that.¡± Juniper said with resolution, ¡°We¡¯ll make sure we are prepared.¡± ¡°I hope so.¡± *** The rest of Lily¡¯s examination was much more subdued after their exchange. It was fascinating to see potential ways of breeding Pokemon in the future. This proved how everything and every Pokemon reached the point they were in the present. How artificial and natural changes made them adapt and evolve. Still, the fact that someday everything would be used for mass destruction¡­ ¡°You¡¯ve been a great patient, too.¡± She said to the Audino, who just smiled at her. After Bianca labeled everything, she took a moment to think. Eventually, they would have to release everything, but the issue would be how to explain it. How to frame all her findings without sounding like a lunatic. ¡®I saw Pokemon from the future¡¯ was not an argument she would love to use in her thesis. ¡°Everything alright, Professor?¡± Bianca asked, tilting her head to the side. Aurea couldn¡¯t prevent a smile from blooming. She ruffled her assistant¡¯s hair, even though she protested with indignation. ¡°Yes, just thinking.¡± The next Pokemon was too big to be seen inside, so they went to the backyard. Surprisingly, there was not a single speck of snow on the ground. It was still cold, but it was as if they were completely evading this house. She assumed Daniel noticed, as he pointed out milky white rods planted on the corners of the walls. ¡°Those are for snowy weather. It won¡¯t do much on a snowstorm, but it¡¯s great for something like this.¡± She still felt goosebumps when she stared at the time traveler for too long. Something about him unnerved her to no end. Still, she wouldn¡¯t let that get in the way of her professionalism. According to the preliminary screening they performed, he appeared to be well-adjusted, loved by his Pokemon, well-educated, and didn¡¯t have any violent tendencies. The Lapras nicknamed ¡°Gamera¡± was the next. All her fears and insecurities melted away as she gently petted its shell. It had ridges and scratches, likely from the decades he had been in service. ¡°What a beautiful shell! Very well maintained and very sturdy.¡± Aurea said with a smile as the Pokemon preened with pride. ¡°Nudges have more width, less height¡­¡± She rapped her knuckles on his shell. ¡°Overall, it¡¯s much denser, too.¡± ¡°Stronger muscles and longer flippers¡­ color is some shades brighter¡­¡± She held one of the heavy flippers in her hands, tracing her fingers alongside it. The Pokemon squirmed a bit, like trying to repress laughter. ¡°Quite ticklish too.¡± She scratched some samples out of the shell, blood, and saliva. Bianca was extra careful with those, labeling them with red markers. ¡°It¡¯s not usual to examine Lapras, I¡­ thought they would go extinct in the future.¡± ¡°They almost went extinct around this time.¡± The man nodded. ¡°But people in Alola bred them and released them to the wild. They¡¯re everywhere.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± Bianca exclaimed, with a smile on her face. It was great news, indeed. The dwindling Lapras population was always a weight in the heart of the research community. Extinction has been always a delicate topic, even more so now with the revelation of future mass extinctions. With a smile, she pampered the gentle giant in front of her. ¡°Laaa¡± ¡°One of the good things Aether did, yeah.¡± The man shook his head. Before they could continue that train of thought, a massive Braviary descended beside Gamera. It sported white and gray wings, a flaming purple crest, and piercing blue eyes. [Hello, Professor Aurea Juniper, Assistant Bianca Stevens.] ¡°Very polite!¡± She was a bit startled at the sudden mind link that snapped between the two. Her Pokeballs rumbled in discontent, but she made no motions to release them. The clarity itself was out of this world. Psychic Pokemon usually had to transmit thoughts, feelings, and sensations to be understood, but this was actual speech. [I am thankful for your high praise, Professor.] ¡°May I examine you and ask you a couple of questions?¡± She gave the majestic bird a bow. [You may.] Rodan returned the gesture, lowering his head enough for her to reach it. Very cautiously, she extended her hand toward his flaming crest. Bianca stopped breathing as she made contact, but there was no heat. The purple flames distorted around her, but the eye forms were ever present. Watching. Assessing. She felt her heart being read like an open book, looking for anything that might be potentially dangerous. Any stain that could indicate danger to his trainer. When Aurea retracted her hand, the feeling passed quickly. Rodan gave her a subtle nod, as if prompting her to continue. ¡°Flames are a psychic construct; they don¡¯t possess any heat.¡± Her voice startled Bianca, so much so, that she almost dropped her pen. ¡°Feathers are larger, wingspan is longer¡­ Seems to have evolved more for endurance rather than speed¡­¡± [You may pluck my feathers, do not worry.] The bird sent a message dripping in amusement. She nodded and gingerly took one from his abdomen and one of his flying feathers. ¡°First time I could ask the Pokemon directly.¡± Bianca stored them inside a larger case for this occasion. The next ten minutes were a round of questions about his biology. His psychic roots, his eating and hygiene habits. She was thankful he didn¡¯t fluster or protest when she inquired about their attachments and reproduction cycles. [We are very loyal. Be that be to our partner or our trainer. Only the direst of circumstances can challenge that loyalty, and even then, it often wins.] His answers also revealed a lot about the future of society. How humans view Pokemon, how the sport changed and evolved with time. He even had anecdotes of their first years when he was just a Rufflet. [Master used to be quite a prankster. He would always try to scare his brother or surprise him. My favorite one was when Hermione and I convinced Master Aidan that he already had dessert, so Master Daniel shared the extra portion with us.] Rodan sent the mental equivalent of a chuckle. [Master Aidan was so distraught after learning what happened.] Daniel was smirking at the side, not denying the accusations or feeling embarrassed about them. Below all that, however, she could sense melancholy and sadness. It was subtle but didn¡¯t escape her senses. ¡°Something to tackle on later.¡± [Professor] Rodan addressed her directly. She noticed that nobody else could hear him except for her at this moment [I am leaving Master in your hands. He is grieving and needs a friend. I know you can do it.] She subtly nodded, and the bird smiled at her. With a gentle flap of his wings, he silently returned to his perch in the lone tree in the backyard. ¡°And now the last one,¡± Daniel said, eyes flashing pink for a moment. Dragapult¡¯s imposing figure shimmered into view between them. The dragon eyed her suspiciously, ready to strike at a moment¡¯s notice. Cold seeped into her very being, freezing her veins. A small part inside her brain was screaming at her to run out of there as fast as she could. Yet, it was not a foreign feeling. Previously, she had investigated ghosts and dragons. She had explored ancient places containing dangerous Pokemon. She had delved into the wilderness with nothing more than a backpack and her team. With a steady breath, her body relaxed. Her heart rate slowed until it returned to normal, and her joints unlocked. ¡°My, what an impressive girl.¡± She said with a genuine smile on her face. There was no malice in the dragon¡¯s eyes. No venom behind her growls. There was just an overwhelming sense of duty and love towards her trainer. The need to protect someone dear to yourself. With measured steps, she arrived in front of the ghostly figure. Yellow eyes stared directly at hers, unflinching. Slowly and carefully, Aurea reached with her hands and touched her arrow-shaped head. Casper twitched almost imperceptibly but didn¡¯t react. ¡°Seems to be a horn that fused with the skull. It is elongated and slimmed for air resistance.¡± She made mental notes for herself. Bianca was most likely passed out from the aura that Dragapult emitted. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like there is any hidden mechanism to launch Dreepy out of their horn,¡± she observed. Impressive.¡± Her finger tested the edge, noting that it was dull. Still, something like that hitting at high speeds might as well be a sword. She moved to look up closely, telegraphing all her movements. ¡°Glossy scales. They don¡¯t seem very sturdy, more built for speed.¡± The tips of her fingers slowly went numb the more she touched. ¡°That should be her cursed body in action.¡± There was not a lot of time until it began to affect her, so she took her samples. Daniel took that as his cue to approach and hold the dragon¡¯s claws. She seemed a bit nervous seeing the needle piercing her scales. The man¡¯s eyes were aflame in pink, radiating feelings of security. Aurea did her best to not let it affect her as she took scales, blood, saliva, and some ectoplasm from her tail. When there would be no more prodding, the Pokemon disappeared into thin air. She was probably near them, but the Professor wouldn¡¯t call her out like that. She stood with a smile and looked for her assistant, who was resting on top of Rodan. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have let her sleep on the floor. I like to think I¡¯m a better host than that.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, and sorry for any inconvenience.¡± She bowed at the man, but he just dismissed it. ¡°Like I said, it¡¯s ok. Don¡¯t have any more questions?¡± ¡°Just curiosity. May I ask why you named them like that? Are those future pop culture references?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a secret.¡± He shrugged and crossed his arms. ¡°My dad used to tell me and my brother stories when we were kids. Our favorite was about the giant Tyranitar, Godzilla, and his rivalry with the giant Hydreigon, Ghidorah. All those names he threw around ended up sticking, so we called our teams like that. There¡¯s only 2 or 3 names that I came up with on my own, But the majority of my Pokemon were like that.¡± ¡°And how many did you have?¡± ¡°18!¡± He answered with a smile. ¡°Most of them are Fairy types.¡± ¡°... That¡¯s a significant amount.¡± Only the truly rich or Gym leaders could take a privilege like that. ¡°You can¡¯t imagine how convenient having Automata to help you with menial things is. That and Aura training.¡± He looked up, thinking for a moment. ¡°There was a guy in my squadron that had 34 in total. He was a beast on the Origin games and Double battles in his heyday.¡± ¡°What if we go inside and share some stories? I would love to hear more of them.¡± ¡°Sure!¡± It was an unexpected point of entry for her impromptu ¡®therapy session,¡¯ but useful, nonetheless. She planned on honoring her word, helping the man who gave them so many warnings about the future. But she would be lying to herself if she said she wasn¡¯t curious about his time. ¡°Two Pidoves with one rock throw, as the youngsters say.¡± Peace Both adults entered the living room, followed by Lily and Mothra. With a quick burst of aura, he sent a message to Lily to prepare some tea and snacks. Meanwhile, Rodan brought the sleeping assistant to the guest room to recover independently. ¡°Au!¡± The Audino nodded with a smile and trotted to the kitchen to prepare them. They sat on the couches and the oversized moth curled beside her trainer. Out of reflex, he began stroking her fur, much to her delight. ¡°I have an older brother. His name is Aidan.¡± Daniel sighed, already feeling his chest tightening. ¡°I was never as good as him. He finished his circuit months before I did mine. He became champion first, too. In the end, he became the World Champion and I joined the ace trainers.¡± ¡°Sounds impressive.¡± Aurea nodded at him. ¡°Were you feeling jealous of him?¡± ¡°Jealous? Mew, no.¡± He vehemently shook his head. ¡°I got traumatized by the amount of paperwork and politics on the position. Can¡¯t imagine being a World champion.¡± Lily entered carrying a tray with cake slices and hot tea. Since they were accustomed to sweeter berries, extra sugar went on all their dishes. Those were extra calories they needed to burn, but nothing he didn¡¯t plan on, anyway. His joy was immense as the variety made up for the ¡°lack¡± of flavor. Many extinct berry species were available, like Salac berries, which they used to make the cake. And Watmel berries, their new favorite for juice and smoothies. A gentle tug on his arm drew his attention. Lily looked at him, concerned, and tilted her head. He laughed awkwardly and pinched her cheek. ¡°Sorry for that. I¡¯m rather¡­ scatterbrained lately.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I can imagine.¡± She looked nonplussed. ¡°You were telling me about your brother?¡± ¡°Oh, yeah.¡± He sipped his tea with a smile. ¡°We used to fight a lot. Physically. We had arguments almost every day over everything. Over my pranks, or who got the bigger slice of bread, over a single block of cheese¡­ If dad didn''t have white hair from birth, he would have gone gray by the time he was 30.¡± Daniel¡¯s eyes clouded as his aura slipped. He had avoided thinking about his brother since the time traveled for fear of losing control. His trembling hands confirmed his concerns. He unconsciously gripped the teacup, watching his reflection. ¡°If it¡¯s too painful we can stop here for now.¡± The Professor noticed his sudden change. She reached out with a concerned expression and gently grabbed his hands. ¡°We can continue another time if you prefer or do something else.¡± Daniel took a deep breath and circulated his aura, reigning in his emotions. He gently shook his head, and the woman nodded at him. ¡°The night I came here my brother died.¡± His breath hitched, but he continued. ¡°He and his Elites were fighting Anarchy¡¯s main force. I was on support duty that day, just... taking down any stragglers and protecting the civilians. That was supposed to be enough. It was in the past¡­¡± Lily silently sat beside her trainer and hugged him. ¡°I love them from the bottom of my heart, each and every one of them, but they are not my main combat team. They are my search and rescue team.¡± He absentmindedly petted Lily, who desperately clung to him. He was terrified of uttering those words, but his guilt gnawed him from the inside. What if he used his main 6? What if he asked for a full deployment of his 16 combat Pokemon instead of a standard cell? What- ¡°Daniel.¡± Aurea¡¯s voice startled him. He could feel the weight of a mountain behind her words. Unshakeable. Grounding. She squeezed his hand and looked him in the eye. ¡°Breathe.¡± Seconds passed as his emotions receded and his heart relaxed. With a heavy sigh, he slumped back on the sofa, Lily still clinging to him. ¡°Thanks for that.¡± He muttered. ¡°Not a problem.¡± The Professor smiled and shook her head. ¡°Anyone else in your family was a champion?¡± Daniel recognized an attempt to change the topic when he heard one. One so blatant as that one even more. He let out a tired chuckle and rubbed his face with his free hand. ¡°Our father.¡± He snorted. ¡°The old man is a monster. He became Alolan champion when he was 14, then World champion at 18. He stayed there for about 40 years before Aidan finally defeated him. It only took him 4 years to become World Champion because he had us.¡± The professor was about to speak but stopped herself with a curious expression, then she frowned. Daniel chuckled at her expression. ¡°You noticed? He got Aidan¡¯s mom pregnant at 15 and mine at 16. His teenage years were wild.¡± He told her the story of his father: Alex McGowan. An orphan that came from Alola with a burning Fairy aura and took the world by storm. The man was a genius at strategizing and team building. He managed to catch dangerous Pokemon from all around the world and used strategies never thought of. Managed to defeat several champions and took the crown for himself. And above everything else¡­ was a serial flirt. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. Aidan was born in Kalos while he ran their circuit. His mother was the daughter of a businessman who specialized in Volcarona silk. They were spearheading the resurrection of Kalosian Volcarona and, going by what Daniel overhead, were the closest ones to succeed. By the time they noticed that he got the girl pregnant, he was long gone already. Daniel, on the other hand, was Unovan. His mother was the third daughter of the Joy clan matriarch. They were not happy about one of their nurses eloping with a patient, especially one with his ¡®credentials.¡¯ So, Grandmother Joy forced them to marry. That brought him down to the ground and ended his escapades. That was enough for him to settle and raise his family. He was not privy to the family drama that involved his older brother. What he remembered from those times is meeting Aidan when he was 4 and living together from then on. ¡°He was a wonderful dad.¡± He finished his tea now that it was a bit colder. ¡°Told us a lot of stories, trained us as Aura users, gave us our starters¡­ Even if he was a bit of an idiot.¡± His smile grew a bit strained as his chest ached. ¡°He ended up mixing up our starters. Can you imagine how furious our moms were? Mothra was supposed to be Aidan¡¯s, and I was supposed to get Ghidorah, his Deino.¡± He sighed and reclined on the couch. Lily finally relaxed enough to separate from him but remained sitting beside him, paw still clinging to his shirt. ¡°But I was happy. And wouldn¡¯t give anything to change what happened.¡± The moth cooed at his words, snuggling up in his legs. ¡°Aidan was the best brother, always having my back when I fucked up. He gave me a job when I got defeated. Bastard even gave me my mega stones.¡± ¡°And I imagine there¡¯s no way for you to go back?¡± Aurea¡¯s tone was subdued, likely catching on to how he felt. ¡°There are. Of course, there are. But they¡¯re too risky.¡± He shook his head with a groan. ¡°What if I end up in another timeline? Or go alone? Or end up in the distortion world or a parallel universe? What if something happens to this universe? The risk is too much. Still, it feels like I¡¯m just running away. Not trying hard enough.¡± ¡°From what you¡¯ve been telling me, your brother wouldn¡¯t blame you for that,¡± Aurea said confidently, briefly bringing him out of the spiral. ¡°Much less your father. They loved you too much to do that.¡± ¡°Still¡­¡± He slumped on the couch, accidentally knocking Mothra off him. ¡°The moth silently protested and climbed beside him again. ¡°I¡¯m just¡­ I don¡¯t want to run away, but I don¡¯t want to risk what¡¯s left of my family.¡± ¡°There¡¯s not a correct answer to your problem.¡± She returned her empty cup to the tray. ¡°It¡¯s going to be very hard finding a way back home, and very dangerous. If you want that, nobody will blame you. But, if you decide to settle down, be with your team, and build something here, that¡¯s ok too. You¡¯re not running away; you¡¯re making a choice.¡± Lily held his hand with a sad smile on her face. He was strong; he knew that. His team could easily dispatch some of the best trainers of the present without that much issue like he did Drayden. Finding Jirachi, Celebi, or stealing Professor Turo¡¯s time machine would not be easy, but not impossible. Distortion. If he wanted to, he could even replicate Anarchy¡¯s plan. But could he risk putting his team in danger? He could butt heads with the league itself, causing chaos. He could confront Giratina again¡­ But Daniel didn¡¯t want to lose them. Several auras brushed against him while he contemplated. Even though they were not in the room, he could feel his family calling to him. His Pokemon convey their feelings. Even though they felt incomplete. That something had been ripped away from them. Even if there were no modern conveniences or intense battles out there. They still supported him. Even if they got permanently stuck 300 years in the past. ¡°Alright.¡± He whispered, then nodded a couple of times. ¡°I¡¯ll stay. I¡¯ll do my best to deal with it for my team.¡± The professor smiled in approval. ¡°Do it for yourself, too.¡± Lily looked at him with teary eyes, agreeing with the woman. He could only resist her gaze for a moment until he caved. ¡°You got me. I¡¯ll do it for them and myself. Happy?¡± ¡°Excellent!¡± She clapped her hands, his Pokemon celebrated too with happy cries. ¡°Now, let me collect my lovely assistant. I think it¡¯s time for us to go.¡± ¡°Aurea¡­ thank you.¡± He let out a genuine smile for the first time in a while. He retracted his aura and let it go. A weight he didn¡¯t know he was carrying lifted. His heart felt at peace for the first time in days. Instead of a mask of serenity, he felt truly relaxed. It hurt not having Aidan or the rest of the family by his side. Or the rest of his team. It would take a while to fade away, yet he felt ready to start healing. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. It was my part of the deal after all.¡± Her smile seemed brighter, likely catching on to his true feelings. ¡°Take care of yourself and call in case you need me. That cake was amazing.¡± ¡°Audino!¡± Lily stood up and bowed to the Professor, then jumped back to her trainer¡¯s lap. ¡°Thank you too. Wouldn¡¯t be here without you.¡± ¡°Vooool!¡± A furry meteorite crashed into him, blowing the air out of his lungs. ¡°Y-yes Mothra¡­ Lo-love you too.¡± He groaned as the oversized insect crooned in delight. Casper quietly appeared in front of him with an aloof expression. Daniel smirked and scratched her chin, making the dragon murmur in delight. ¡°Yes Casper, you¡¯re still my ace.¡± Weight suddenly crashed on his head as Elizabeth enveloped him. If he didn¡¯t have Mothra as a counterweight, he would have ended up on the floor. Still, he was not mad at her for that. ¡°You¡¯re my best dancer and my bruiser, Elizabeth. I didn¡¯t forget you.¡± Rodan and Gamera poked their heads from the backyard. The tightness of the corridors prevented them from entering. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t forget about you, Gamera. Not you too, Rodan. You can read my mind.¡± Rodan chuckled. [Sorry master. I did not want to feel left out.] ¡°You sure did, buddy.¡± Finally, R2 and Donald burst out of the TV, assaulting the remaining areas that Elizabeth had not covered. [MASTER, ARE WE ALSO PART OF THE ¡®FAMILY¡¯?] Donald said in a monotone voice. Still, he could feel the nervousness coming out of the digital duck. ¡°Of course you are. I¡¯ve been taking care of you both for almost 30 years. How are you not part of the family?¡± *** Aurea quietly left while Daniel was having his moment with his team. He had wounds to heal and scar, but she believed in his strength and resilience to overcome it all. Bianca followed behind silently, ignoring the touching moment in the living room. She used her hat to cover her face. If she got any redder, she would be considered a Leppa berry. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Bianca, you¡¯ll get used to it.¡± The professor said, amused. The girl seemed to go even redder than before. ¡°Dragons are usually the harder ones to study, thanks to their aura.¡± ¡°Please, Professor¡­ don¡¯t remind me¡­¡± She pulled her hat over her face even more, trying to cover her shame. ¡°Hilda is going to laugh at me¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s going to be a secret.¡± She released her Braviary. This one was bigger than normal specimens, but considerably smaller than ¡®Rodan.¡¯ ¡°Let¡¯s go already. We have a lot of work to do.¡± ¡°Understood¡­¡± With a powerful flap of his wings and a piercing cry, the Pokemon lifted them and flew away. Fragments of the distant future: Starters Daniel was happy with his Mothra. His mom had been teasing him about receiving a powerful dragon, like the great Ghidorah in his father¡¯s stories. He was a bit bummed that it wasn¡¯t his, but the queen of monsters was a great alternative. He held her Pokeball like a priceless treasure in his hands. Her Nest ball felt warm in his hands and would gently rock on his palms. With a nervous breath, he clicked the button to release her. Red lightning shot toward his bed before the oversized larva manifested. The furry thing stared at him with wide eyes, filled with curiosity and wonder. She then looked around his room. The walls filled with superhero posters, the still connected laptop on his desktop, the pile of dirty laundry on a corner¡­ Her eyes snapped onto the clothes, and she stilled. ¡°Hi! I¡¯m your new trainer!¡± Daniel was proud his voice didn¡¯t crack, the nerves were getting to him. The Larvesta glanced at him one last time before she was overcome by instinct. She launched with her tiny legs and landed on the clothes, burying herself in the piles of cloth and synthetics. ¡°Lar! Lar!¡± She exclaimed, feeling much better now that she was in the safety of a pseudo-cocoon. ¡°What- No! Not in the clothes! You¡¯re going to smell!¡± The boy panicked, already feeling the consequences of not dealing with the pile. Daniel tried his best to unearth the furry thing from his laundry, but she would squirm and trash until he had to let her go. She even used a string shot to seal her entrance and bind the clothes into a deformed ball. ¡°Mom¡¯s going to kill me¡­¡± The teen muttered, feeling defeated. ¡°Where¡¯s your Pokemon?¡± Aidan peeked from the door. He looked at both sides to make sure they were alone and whispered. ¡°Bitch.¡± ¡°Fuck you, Aidan.¡± Daniel gave his older brother the middle finger and tried to disentangle the sphere. ¡°Where¡¯s yours?¡± ¡°Oh, we¡¯re doing greeeeeat.¡± He said with a smug expression, fully entering the room. ¡°Ghidorah and I are going to rule the world, mark my words.¡± The boy was taller than him by two heads. Instead of taking after his mother, as Daniel did with his pink hair, small nose, and narrow jawline, he was like their dad. Aidan¡¯s face was more squared and was sprinkled with freckles. His long, white hair cascaded on top of his shoulders. ¡°Yeah? Then why the fuck are you not wearing the clothes you had this morning, eh?¡± Daniel answered with a smirk. ¡°He burned them down, right?¡± ¡°We bonded over our love for flames and destruction.¡± Aidan hesitated before answering. ¡°Mom¡¯s going to be mad at you, and you know dad is not going to do shit to protect you.¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Aidan growled. ¡°Make me, bitch.¡± The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. Before his older brother could react, Daniel tackled him into the wall and ran away from his room, clothing ball in hand. Aidan only took a moment to reorient himself before chasing after him. Their apartment inside the upper district was big enough to be considered a mansion. 4 stories high, dozens of spacious rooms, an enormous yard with outside access, and several automata that took care of it. The brothers weaved through the attendants, Pokemon, and their family members as they laughed. Sometimes they would jeer at each other, intensifying the chase for several seconds before falling back to their previous pace. His Larvesta cheered from the inside of her cocoon, peeking out of a small hole between the fabrics. Their race ended when a sudden pressure in their chests made them trip and fall. The sphere rolled a couple of meters before stopping at the feet of a woman. Her face was set to a frown, disturbing her otherwise porcelain features. Her pink hair neatly formed a set of loops, betraying her ancestry to any onlooker. ¡°Hi, mom¡­¡± Both teenagers said in a defeated tone. ¡°Children.¡± She whispered and shook her head. ¡°What did I say about running inside the apartment?¡± ¡°Only do that in the yard.¡± They both chorused. She gently flared her psychic aura, lifting the sphere from the ground with her power. With a flex of her will, it untangled itself and set free a very smelly Larvesta. She cradled her before the larva could panic, soothing her with scratches in the belly. ¡°What did I tell you about your clothes, Daniel?¡± She arched a brow at the younger one. ¡°That I should clean them regularly¡­¡± The older one smirked at his misfortune. ¡°What about you, Aidan? Where are the clothes that granny bought you on your birthday?¡± Aidan coughed, as it was now Daniel¡¯s turn to smirk. Their mother sighed heavily seeing their antics. ¡°You three are going to be the death of me someday¡­¡± With another flex of her power, she put both teenagers on their feet again. She gave the Larvesta Daniel, ruffling her fur one last time. ¡°You two are wondering why you received the Pokemon you did.¡± She stated. ¡°Your father made a mistake.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Both echoed their confusion. ¡°We can make the switch now before any of you seriously train your Pokemon.¡± She nodded at them. ¡°Well?¡± ¡°I mean¡­¡± ¡°Still¡­¡± Both showed apprehension at her request. On Aidan¡¯s part, the little dragon already burned several of his outfits and made a mess in his room. Still, he felt a connection to the little troublemaker. His heart felt complete with the little Deino. Even more, Aidan already promised to conquer the whole world with him. On Daniel¡¯s side, it was a similar enough story. Even if the little Larvesta wouldn¡¯t be as strong as his brother¡¯s eventual Hydreigon, he couldn¡¯t bear part with her. The frankly adorable noises she made when he scratched her were melting his heart. And despite their earlier scuffle, he felt ready to nurture her into an elite. Seeing their concerned expressions brought a smile to their mom¡¯s face. She shook her head one more time and ruffled their hair. ¡°I¡¯m glad that you already feel that way about your Pokemon.¡± She nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t take them away.¡± ¡°Thanks, Mom,¡± Aidan said with a resolute expression. ¡°Thanks, mommy¡­¡± Daniel whispered before hugging her. ¡°Now, both of you need to clean up your rooms.¡± She hugged both, even if the older one protested. ¡°I won¡¯t tolerate it anymore.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The brothers echoed, breaking out of the hug. ¡°Daniel, I need to talk to you.¡± She grabbed Daniel¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Aidan, I hope there¡¯s not a speck of dust or ash by tomorrow, understood?¡± ¡°Yes, mom!¡± Aidan nodded vehemently before running away. After his steps faded out in the distance, Megan joy stared at her son. Daniel could feel the weight of her aura on top of him. Even Mothra stilled, afraid of drawing her ire. ¡°Daniel.¡± She said after a moment. ¡°You know that Aidan is adopted.¡± ¡°¡­Yes¡­¡± He answered nervously. ¡°I know his mother will give him something similar, now that your idiot of a father switched up your starters.¡± She sighed heavily. Her eyes glowed light purple as a Pokeball materialized in front of her. ¡°This is grandma¡¯s gift. She wants you to carry your last name with pride and be your very best.¡± Daniel gingerly took the Pokeball as his mother grabbed the Larvesta. After pushing its button, another red light shot out before an Audino emerged. She was small, barely reaching his waist, and still had baby fat on her cheeks. The Pokemon stared back at him with a gentle smile. ¡°Audino!¡± Housekeeping When the pair left, Daniel took a moment to compose himself. He felt embarrassed for letting his emotions get the best of him, but getting everything out felt great. ¡°R2¡­¡± Rotom nodded gravely, his usual smirk gone. After quickly entering the TV, he projected his team''s information.
NAME Daniel Joy
COMBAT POKEMON Audino ¡°Lily.¡± (Healthy)
Lapras ¡°Gamera.¡± (Healthy)
Dragapult ¡°Casper.¡± (Healthy)
Braviary (H) ¡°Rodan.¡± (Healthy)
Volcarona ¡°Mothra.¡± (Healthy)
Liligant (H) ¡°Elizabeth.¡± (Healthy)
HELPER POKEMON Rotom (Glasses) ¡°R2.¡±
Porygon3 ¡°Donald.¡±
BOX [DISCONECTED] Incineroar "El Santo"
Primarina "Theresa"
Hatterene "Hermione"
Wildytuff (¡°Scream tail¡±) "Michael"
Gardellade (¡°Iron valiant¡±) "Arnold"
Misanimus (¡°Flutter mane¡±) "Sadako"
Mimikyu "Chuck"
Grimmsnarl "Goblin"
Ninetales (A) "Yuki"
Dracsire (Ransei Quagsire) "Shen Long"
ENERGY ?? Z Energy: 0 / 5 ??
?? Terastal energy: 0 / 2 ??
?? Dynamax energy: 1 / 2 ??
Even after making up his mind, he still hesitated. His breath caught up in his throat and his chest tightened. His mind swam as the weight of his decision rested on his shoulders. Quietly, Casper wrapped herself around him, trying to comfort him. She reminded him of their earlier conversation at Drayden¡¯s ravine, of the promises they silently agreed to. With a small sigh, Daniel gently scratched her head. ¡°Yeah¡­ we won¡¯t forget about them.¡± He nodded. ¡°R2, Donald, erase the connection to our old box.¡± [ARE YOU SURE, MASTER?] Their voices echoed, but he didn¡¯t back down. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Yes.¡± After watching the ¡°BOX¡± window disappear from the team, he went to the printer. It felt like taking out a sword that was piercing his heart. It was hurting, a lot, but he knew it was necessary to heal properly. ¡°It¡¯s time we make this our actual home¡­¡± He murmured, queuing several photos. The first was taken on his first day with Mothra and Lily. He was in front of their apartment with the Larvesta wrapped like a baby and the small Audino waving at the camera. Next was the one at the end of his first circuit. He was posing with a bronze medal in one hand and a disgruntled Drakloak in the other. Mothra looked with jealousy nearby, too big to be held the same way since she evolved. Lily stood with the same pose and an amused expression. Santo was flexing his new muscles as an Incineroar. Rodan stood behind everyone, cool as a mountain peak. Sadako, his other ghost at the time, floated near the young dragon, mocking her. Then some family photos. Some with his mother. Others with his brother were either posing to the camera or about to throw punches. The picture his dad took of the day he was born. Also, from the time father and sons were caught with their hands in the chocolate jar, mouths and cheeks covered in brown. The last one was from his championship win. He stood proud and strong along with his Pokemon while holding his trophy. Casper, his ace. El Santo, his bruiser. Arnold, their ¡®murder bot.¡¯ Sadako, his special attacker. Grimmsnarl, his wild card, and support. And Dracsire, his tank. He was well in his 30s by the time he could claw a win in both categories. His hair and beard were much longer at the time since he didn¡¯t pay that much attention to his image. Only his Pokemon were at the forefront. He didn¡¯t regret anything. If he had the opportunity to make his choices again, he wouldn¡¯t have changed a single thing. ¡®Maybe a thing or two. I¡¯m sure Lyla was hitting on me when we were teens.¡¯ With a chuckle, he hung all the photos along the halls, and the living room, and left the one with his brother, both already champions of their leagues, for his nightstand. The rest of the morning passed without trouble. He made simple bracers for his soon-to-be apprentices. They had simple dimensional storage exclusively for Pokeballs, slots for ¡®battle gimmicks,¡¯ and a small ¡®cannon¡¯ to shoot Pokeballs. Since he didn¡¯t have extra Rotoms trained to deal with the tech, he made everything function with voice commands. In the future, if everything went according to plan, they would be able to upgrade them to function with aura. Next, a loom. It didn¡¯t compare to a Loovanny by a long shot, but it would do until he could build one. So, while the rest of his team lazed around, Mothra was stuck on silk production duty. To test that it was working properly, he made a small handkerchief, tinted it pink, and the machine embroidered a small Audino and some berries. ¡°I bet this would be a killer gift at this time, something to consider next time I see the professor¡­¡± He mused while petting the grumpy moth. ¡°Remember when we got a roll of Frosmoth cloth when we moved out? You jealous little thing¡­ Shit, I haven¡¯t met the neighbors yet¡­¡± Despite everything, he didn¡¯t set aside time to properly acquaint himself with his new neighbors. He couldn¡¯t blame culture shock on that, since communities inside the superstructures were tightly knit. With a heavy sigh, he went to the kitchen to prepare welcoming gifts. ¡°I would horrify Grandma with my manners.¡± He thought with a smirk. ¡°Can already imagine her making us grovel for not properly introducing ourselves.¡± ¡°Elizabeth! Lily! We have some gifts to prepare!¡± *** Giselle Joy was having a quiet afternoon and was thankful for that. After Opelucid was attacked, it was all hands on deck for several days. She ran ragged with the number of injuries that the incident caused. Even her mother was pulled out of retirement to help the swamped workers. After three grueling days, some degree of normalcy returned. The gravely injured still received special care, but most of the Pokemon and trainers were discharged. She was having tea while watching TV, wearing her Snorlax onesie she used as pajamas. Lizzy, her Audino, slept beside her looking drained. There were some commotions here and there about her new neighbor, but she was too tired to care. Common courtesy demanded she introduce herself and hand heartwarming gifts, but she hoped the man could understand her situation. The sound of the doorbell caught her attention. She checked the time and noticed that it was a bit early for her pizza delivery. ¡°Coming!¡± She yelled, startling the Audino awake. ¡°Sorry Lizzie, go back to sleep.¡± She cooed at the Pokemon until she went back to sleep. After taking some money out of her purse, she opened the door, only to freeze at the sight. ¡°Hello!¡± Her new neighbor was at the door carrying a basket. Daniel, if she remembered his name, appeared older than her by at least 10 years. His clothes indicated he was part of the veteran division, but she didn¡¯t remember any family members making it there. The whole family would have known about it in a matter of minutes if that was the case. ¡°Sorry if I woke you up?¡± He said with a wry smile. Her face heated as blood rushed to her cheeks. She took a deep breath to prevent herself from panicking. It was already embarrassing not visiting him first, but her onesie being her first impression was the last straw. With practiced professionalism, she shoved everything into a dark corner and shook her head. ¡°Not at all, I was just resting.¡± She said with a strained smile. ¡°It¡¯s been hectic lately.¡± ¡°I can imagine. It¡¯s been like that on my end too.¡± He nodded and sighed. ¡°Still, no excuse for not introducing myself properly. I¡¯m Daniel, nice to meet you.¡± He extended his hand with a bright smile on his face. ¡°Giselle, likewise.¡± She gently shook his hand, returning a smile on her own. ¡°These are some gifts that I prepared, I hope you like them.¡± The man handed her the basket. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about returning the basket, it¡¯s part of the gift.¡± The basket itself was made of synthetic fiber but was woven so expertly that she thought it was natural. It was covered with a delicate pastel pink handkerchief. A small Audino doing a victory sign was embroidered on one of its corners, while the others had berries. The gift itself was a roll of the same cloth used to make the handkerchief, but pure white instead. Small confections resembling cakes still hot from the oven were also included. Finally, a small figurine depicting a Reuniclus sleeping with an Audino was included. Giselle froze up once again, admiring the sheer quality of the items presented. The basket itself would probably cost her at least a week of her paycheck, not to mention the very expensive roll of cloth. Just from measuring it by eye, it would be enough for at least 2 dresses, 3 if she was conservative. ¡°I¡­¡± She tried very hard to slip back into her mask, but the texture of the handkerchief against her fingers prevented her. The softness, the sheen, the lack of weight¡­ ¡°I can¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°I made it with the help of my Pokemon.¡± The man shook his head, hitting the nail on the head. ¡°So don¡¯t worry, it wasn¡¯t as expensive as you might think. So please, accept my token of friendship.¡± ¡°Y-yes¡­¡± She said with some difficulty. ¡°Sorry for not having anything ready on my own¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s ok.¡± Daniel shrugged. ¡°My grandmother taught me that it was good manners to bring heartwarming gifts to the neighbors.¡± She was sure it was supposed to be the other way around, but it was hard to reject his kindness. She thanked him with an embarrassed bow. ¡°I would invite you for tea but¡­¡± She briefly looked over her Onesie, making her ears burn up. Daniel chuckled and shook her head. ¡°My bad for intruding in your free time anyway. Hope you like the poffins! I made them myself.¡± And with that, the man left for another house. Giselle had the presence of mind to close the door before collapsing to the floor. She muffled her screams with her onesie. Never in her life, had she felt so¡­ humiliated by her carelessness. She was sure the man wouldn¡¯t forget her and her strange tastes. Lizzie came running and checked her over, making sure she wasn¡¯t hurt. ¡°Dino! Au! Au!¡± She exclaimed, fussing over her like she usually did to their patients. ¡°I¡¯m okay Lizzie.¡± She said weakly, gently cradling the basket in her arms. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ okay.¡± When the Audino finally relaxed, she took one of the puffs and bit it. ¡°Sweet¡­¡± It was a bit sweet for her taste but still delicious. Her Pokemon shared a different opinion, absolutely loving the confection. With only 2 bites, it disappeared inside her mouth. ¡°Alright.¡± She stood up, basket in hand. ¡°We need to prepare something back for Daniel. To repay this humiliation.¡± She said with mock anger. ¡°Au!¡± Her Audino exclaimed and nodded. ¡°But first, let¡¯s finish these poffins¡­¡± *** Their little tour was cut a bit short since not all their neighbors were at home. Some were still hard at work because of the disaster in Opelucid, something he was partially responsible for. For those, he made an extra roll of cloth, since he felt bad for causing all that trouble. Boundary Deep inside the last Plasma hideout, surrounded by scientists and an increasingly irate leader, Red Genesect stirred. Its mind recalled the last moments of its life fighting against the beast of the half-crown moon. Its claws twitched, feeling oddly stiff. Its vision, which was already not particularly good, worsened after waking up. The air smelled weird. The only thing it could compare to would be territory markings, but all those had a distinct scent that roughly told the strength of the one that did it. This¡­ felt detached, clean, and acrid at the same time. It wasn¡¯t noxious like a poisonous one or filled with wrongness like a fairy. The other four Genesect twitched alongside Red. Their minds were linked into Its own as they roused from sleep. All remembered falling to the beast, one by one, as the monster annihilated their tribe. [If we survived, maybe the rest did as well.] Their youngest proposed, raising some hope in their hearts. Their leader agreed with the sentiment, but the weirdness of the situation tempered its expectations. The weird figures around them were agitated, having arguments in a language they were only starting to grasp. ¡°¡­Att¡­! ¡­Uno¡­ ne!¡± The most ornate of the figures growled at the rest. Red assumed it was the leader. It had a different fur pattern and was clearly in command of the others. The Genesect army decided to play it by ear and watch before making any rash decisions. That stopped when the ornate figure pointed a red and white sphere at their youngest. With a flash of red light, it disappeared. The strange rock vibrated as silence permeated the room. As fury filled their cold hearts, they all similarly disappeared one by one. Red tried his best to resist the walls of his prison. The comfort it provided dulled its senses and darkness encroached in its mind. The Genesect tried to protest, it tried to rage against the unfair world that would give it a chance, only to rob it away soon after. With a muttered curse against the creator, all that was left was gentle blackness. *** ¡°3 am¡­¡± Daniel muttered in his bed. It had been another night plagued with nightmares. His body was starting to resent his new sleep schedule, creaking in protest as he stretched. With a soft sigh, he rolled to face his unexpected companion. Mothra had sneaked in, likely trying to comfort her trainer. He brushed her mane with his hand, feeling the soft fur passing through his fingers. The moth chittered her mandibles in her sleep, her aura flaring in happiness and security. Daniel chuckled, quietly sending back feelings of joy through his aura. Feeling much more relaxed and ready to try to sleep again, he closed his eyes¡­ just to shoot open once more when alarms began to blare. [EMERGENCY!] Donald, ever vigilant of the league¡¯s network, sent off the alarms. Daniel and his team quickly shed off any drowsiness and prepared for deployment. Without delay, he stood and went to his wardrobe. ¡°Report!¡± Daniel screamed as he donned his suit once again, feeling the familiar weight of his uniform on top of him. One by one his team would return to their respective Pokeball, with Lily as the last. [¡®Team Plasma¡¯ INITIATED A DIRECT ATTACK ON THE UNOVAN LEAGUE¡¯S HEADQUARTERS. 5 POKEMON DESCRIPTIONS MATCH WITH MYTHICAL POKEMON: GENESECT.] ¡°How could I forget about them¡­¡± Daniel admonished himself for not mentioning the small conclave of Genesect. It was a situation that resolved itself long past Plasma¡¯s demise thanks to a Mewtwo. He softly cursed himself before putting on his combat boots and his beret. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Prepare for teleport, Donald. We¡¯re going to the league. R2, send our deployment info.¡± R2 entered his glasses, bathing his vision in bright orange before the color faded. Donald flew out of the TV and landed on top of his shoulders. ¡°Gon!¡± Daniel double-checked his inventory, his team, his potions, and Kyurem¡¯s silver Pokeball before he nodded at the digital duck. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± In a flash of psychic energy, Daniel appeared in the thick of a warzone. Several trainers shouted orders over one another while the Pokemon fired moves left and right. He thanked Arceus for the lack of Z-move bombardments or a Gigantamax siege. Explosions would ring now and again followed by screams. Pokemon would fall from the sky as combatants fought for aerial supremacy. Gym leaders and the Elites were in their battles against Plasma executives, devastating everything around them. Daniel even spotted Drayden fighting hand-to-hand against Pokemon by himself. Flashes of light would erupt overhead as the Genesect battled against Champion Iris. Their bodies blurred before they launched like arrows toward her struggling dragons. With a resolute nod, he lifted his bracer and flared his aura. [Deploy!] All his Pokemon, sans his helpers, appeared around him in a protective circle. Several trainers took notice of him and tried to divert attacks his way. Several light screens and reflect shimmered in, negating the moves completely. A brief ghostly terrain sent the enemy trainers packing in fear. With a nod, he looked upwards as his surroundings returned to normal. [Casper, help Iris. The rest of you are on support duty! Lily and Rodan, retrieve the wounded. Mothra, cover them. Lily and Gamera, reinforce the gym leaders.] [Understood!] His team answered as one through their auras and took off. Casper zoomed forward with a dragon rush to intercept the Red Genesect. The Myth, however, noticed her attack. With a flare of metallic aura, it answered with Iron head, briefly achieving a stalemate. An explosion of energy separated them. ¡°Draaa¡­ pult!¡± The Dragapult and the Genesect blurred as they dashed across the battlefield, firing moves against one another at extreme speeds. Dull explosions followed as their attacks connected one after the other. Any trainer or Pokemon that was the way was quickly dispatched due to their sheer speed. Iris sighed in relief and seemed like she wanted to talk to him, but the other four Genesect and a very angry Hydreigon stopped her from doing so. Rodan and Lily tended to the wounded, recovering those that needed critical attention first with telekinesis and healing them with heal pulse. Mothra would flamethrower and psychic anything that tried to impede their efforts. Liberal use of rage powder, protect, and double team made any efforts to pin her down a slog. Gamera turned the tide for the younger gym leaders with surf, instantly resetting any particularly nasty fight. Elizabeth would follow soon after with a combo of axe kick and brick break to finish their foes. Even if the situation seemed under control¡­ he knew it was a losing battle. It would not surprise him if every remaining Plasma operative was present, elite or otherwise. The five Genesect complicated matters even more. His Dragapult matched the Red Genesect¡¯s speed as they raced through the skies, but she would tire first. And even if she won, there were 4 more waiting. ¡°¡­Shit.¡± Using Gigantamax would undermine any attempt at subterfuge they made and would involve uncomfortable questions from their neighbors. That¡¯s without counting the friendly fire that would follow from using G-max moves. A single resonance would wipe out both camps instantly. His only other option was a crazy idea that he wasn¡¯t sure would work. With one last glance at the battlefield, he ran for cover. He jumped over debris and ducked under any stray attack that flew his way. Trainers became sparse as he left the combat zone, encountering more logistical personnel along the way. Tents were erected in front of the League building where he saw people carrying the wounded, applying combat stimulants to Pokemon before sending them back. There was even a small one that served sandwiches. ¡°Hey! Daniel! Are your Pokemon hurt?!¡± A Joy nurse called out to him from one of the tents. It took him a moment to recognize Sarah and her Audino waving at him. He pivoted towards them with a smile. ¡°No, but I¡¯m about to do something reckless, I need somewhere to sit down.¡± She blinked owlishly at him but nodded. ¡°Yes!¡± She nodded again and pointed at the tent. ¡°Go to the back, there should be some space there.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Daniel gave her a small bow and rushed to the tent. The inside was lit by a Chandelure floating near the center of the tent. Wounded People and Pokemon rested on stretchers, crying out in pain. Doctors and nurses dashed from patient to patient to treat them, prioritizing the heavily wounded. Daniel spared them a glance but didn¡¯t interrupt them. He found an empty stretcher and sighed in relief before sitting down. With a heavy sigh and trembling hands, Daniel manually took the silver Pokeball out of his bracer. It felt cool to the touch and heavy like a brick. Even contained, Kyurem¡¯s aura radiated, condensing the surrounding air into a thin mist. With slow, deliberate moves, he pressed it against his forehead and channeled his aura. Darkness overcame him in a flash. Heat left his body at an alarming rate and his heart slowed down. Dimly, he could feel ice forming on his body, sealing his mouth shut. He barely heard someone calling for him before falling backward. Empty lord Daniel¡¯s consciousness drifted aimlessly after injecting his aura into the Legen ball. Even if he was familiar with containment procedures, it still unnerved him every time they trained on them. Even worse now that he was forced into it. A gentle tug dragged him forward, steadily increasing its intensity until he felt a cold grip around his soul. Cold assaulted him like a hammer. He felt his entire being freezing over as his consciousness returned. After desperately channeling his aura, he felt his body thawing enough to let him look around. The silver walls and floor were completely covered in jagged pieces of ice. Stalactites hung from the roof, glittering dangerously above him. In the center of all, Kyurem watched his every move. The empty Lord looked like he expected. Ice covered its wings and froze their mouth shut. There were traces of their scuffle a couple of days prior, but nothing major seemed to be broken or injured. Aura radiated in waves, trying to overpower him and freeze him in place. Daniel answered back by flaring his own. The energy clashed mid-air with a dull explosion. Even if the legend possessed a higher power than him, Daniel was fortunate that he was mostly immune to it due to his typing. ¡°Invader¡­¡± A guttural voice, like ice grinding against a rock, rang as Kyurem directed their full attention at him. ¡°Lord Kyurem,¡± Daniel answered respectfully, but not letting his aura go. ¡°I need your help.¡± ¡°You are not welcome in this world.¡± Kyurem¡¯s eyes flared, and the temperature dropped even more. ¡°Fate should follow its course without tampering. Only by bathing the world in blood will it truly have a chance to heal.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Daniel frowned, feeling his breath freeze as soon as it left his body. ¡°The wars, the invasions, your death¡­ the second coming of the Lightslayer¡­¡± ¡°An era of peace will follow the strife, and people will be united with their Pokemon.¡± The dragon growled, interrupting him. ¡°Your mere presence is a risk to that future.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t ask to come here!¡± Daniel screamed back. ¡°I have family waiting for me! But I don¡¯t want to risk my team, they¡¯re my everything.¡± He bit back a sob with another flare of his aura, masking his true emotions. ¡°You are a coward, then.¡± The dragon sneered. ¡°Yes,¡± Daniel admitted, eyes blazing in pink energy. ¡°Maybe a hypocrite too. I¡¯ll do all I can to prepare people for the future. I know the unification will come. The portals will open eventually. But people will be ready for it.¡± Daniel flared his aura one last time to punctuate his declaration, pushing back against the biting cold. The dragon stood still, assessing him with pupilless eyes. He felt the pressure increasing as the Pokemon took a step towards him, then another. Even with a lord in front of him, Daniel didn¡¯t back down. Though, internally his heart was about to burst. Nothing from this experience came close to the times he did it in training or against Ultra Beasts. He could only pray that he would be able to convince the legend to help. After what felt like an eternity with the dragon¡¯s face upon him, they huffed. ¡°Very well.¡± The massive Pokemon nodded at him. ¡°Lucian would have hated you, but Michael would have supported you.¡± With that last cryptic declaration, his mind went blank. *** Daniel awoke with a gasp, startling the horrified and overworked doctors around him. He took a couple of seconds for his mind to start working again. He was surrounded by 2 doctors, a Pignite, a pair of Audinos, and Sarah. His clothes felt wet, and his throat felt dry. He tried to say something but ended up having a coughing fit. After drinking some water passed by Sarah, he spoke. ¡°The battle¡­how long?¡± His voice sounded hoarse. His throat was still patchy, but the water helped. ¡°Daniel! What happened there?!¡± She asked with a concerned expression. ¡°One moment you¡¯re ok, then you collapse and get severe hypothermia-¡± ¡°The fight!¡± He reasserted forcefully. ¡°Still going on.¡± One of the doctors recovered enough to speak. ¡°You were unconscious for just under 2 minutes.¡± The doctors wanted to continue examining him to confirm he was ok, but Daniel shrugged them off. After leaving behind his jacket and putting the silver Pokeball back into his bracer, he prepared to go out to the field again. Especially now with R2¡¯s new notification. [KYUREM, THE EMPTY LORD, HAS BEEN TEMPORARILY ASSIGNED TO DANIEL JOY.] Having a lord under your belt was always a delicate topic and an extreme measure. Over the years, instances of people misusing the power of legendary and mythical Pokemon were numerous. Case in point, Ghetsis using 5 Genesect to attack the League. The solution was reprograming Pokeballs not to capture Ultra beasts or ¡®higher¡¯ Pokemon. Instead, containment Pokeballs were produced. Apart from capturing them much easier, one needed permission from the Pokemon to temporarily add them to their team. Even then, that option was only considered for world-ending emergencies and available for a small list of people. ¡°Daniel! Are you sure you feel ok? Why don¡¯t you rest?¡± Sarah called out after him, worry in her face. ¡°The champion will take care of it.¡± ¡°Sorry, cousin.¡± He shook his head with a wry smile. ¡°Duty calls.¡± After making promises not to overdo it, he exited the tent and sprinted back into the fray. The battlefield was largely unchanged, saved from fewer combatants overall. Most worrying of all, Iris had only 4 dragons left with her to contend with Ghetsis and his Genesect. The madman was gloating while commanding a bombardment over her exhausted team. A glance at his team''s information made him narrow his eyes even further.
NAME Daniel Joy
COMBAT POKEMON A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Audino ¡°Lily.¡± (Tired)
Lapras ¡°Gamera.¡± (Tired)
Dragapult ¡°Casper.¡± (Exhausted)
Braviary (H) ¡°Rodan.¡± (Tired)
Volcarona ¡°Mothra.¡± (Exhausted)
Liligant (H) ¡°Elizabeth.¡± (Exhausted)
HELPER POKEMON Rotom (Glasses) ¡°R2.¡±
Porygon3 ¡°Donald.¡±
TEMPORARY POKEMON Kyurem (Healthy)
ENERGY ?? Z Energy: 0 / 5 ??
?? Terastal energy: 0 / 2 ??
?? Dynamax energy: 1 / 2 ??
Casper managed to knock out the red Genesect, but she was in no shape to continue. She had to use the remaining energy she had to turn invisible and sneak attack when she could. The other members of his team had several wounds covering their bodies and almost no energy left. If the situation didn¡¯t change soon, he worried something serious might happen to them. ¡°Alright Kyurem¡­ Let¡¯s get this show on the road.¡± Daniel whispered, feeling a cold aura latch onto him. His body temperature plummeted once more, crystalizing the water droplets still on his clothes. Daniel did his best to ignore the crunching sounds he made with every move. He cocked back his arm and punched at an angle. ¡°KYUREM!¡± His voice boomed with a surge of Fairy aura, and the silver Pokeball shot forward, releasing its legendary occupant. As the dragon landed with a thunderous roar, its immense power cascaded outward, its aura spilling across the battlefield like a tidal wave. The ground trembled and ice spread rapidly, creeping across the earth at an alarming rate. Above, the clouds churned and darkened as snow began to fall, blanketing the scene in a chilling stillness. The Empty Lord had arrived, their presence undeniable, and the world seemed to pause in their wake. Silence hung over the battlefield, the cold seeping into every corner. Allies and enemies alike stared in awe at the legend before them. The first to react were Daniel¡¯s team, swiftly returning to their Pokeballs, followed closely by the Gym Leaders and Elite Four. All stood ready to capitalize on the moment. ¡°SURRENDER, TEAM PLASMA!¡± Iris¡¯ voice boomed with a flare of her aura, imitating Daniel¡¯s technique. ¡°NEVER!¡± Ghetsis answered back out of reflex. He extended his left hand towards Kyurem. ¡°ATTACK!¡± The other members of Team Plasma were much more reluctant to fight back after the display, even more so as the League capitalized on the opening. The Genesect acted as one unit, shooting a barrage of techno blasts directly at the dragon. ¡°Protect!¡± Their bond wasn¡¯t deep enough to form a proper mind link, but even their tenuous connection allowed Daniel to send impressions and simple commands. Kyurem seemed reluctant to follow his orders, but complied, nonetheless. A dome of energy sprung in front of the dragon before the lasers connected. Kyurem lumbered forward before jumping at the Genesect with surprising agility. However, they folded into their high-speed forms to evade. Still in the air, Daniel didn¡¯t let them capitalize. ¡°Freeze dry!¡± Kyurem¡¯s eyes shone before the air itself froze around one of the Genesect. The Pokemon was completely encased in ice. Before he could celebrate, it got free from its prison. The other three flanked and went on the offensive with metal claws. ¡°Blizzard!¡± The ground shuddered violently as Kyurem descended from the sky, its colossal form creating a crater that stretched several meters wide. A mighty roar echoed across the land, just before the legendary Ice Pok¨¦mon unleashed a devastating burst of cold energy. The frigid blast froze the very air as it surged upward, rapidly expanding in a wide arc toward the approaching Genesect. While the Steel-type Pokemon powered through it, their resilience wasn¡¯t enough to avoid the full brunt of the attack. One Genesect was caught off guard, its body encased in a thick shell of ice, and crashed to the ground, unable to move. The other two were considerably luckier, managing to connect their attacks. One of them followed with iron head, while the other charged a signal beam. Daniel cursed and ordered another Protect, feeling the strain the move was putting on the dragon. When the shield dissipated, Kyurem fired a dragon pulse to make some distance. With a flick of his wrist, he summoned Gamera as backup. Though the Lapras wasn¡¯t at his peak, he was still eager to join the fight. Without a word, Gamera silently nodded and surged forward, unleashing a highly pressurized hydropump aimed at the rear Genesect. The attack hit with a force that caught the insect completely off guard, sending it tumbling several meters through the air. It finally crashed into an allied Stoutland, knocking both Pokemon to the ground in a messy heap. Daniel quietly said sorry and sent more orders through his aura. As the remaining two Genesect readied another round of steel claws, Gamera swiftly intercepted with surf. The two insect Pok¨¦mon narrowly dodged, their speed allowing them to evade the brunt of the attack. However, their momentum was short-lived as Kyurem unleashed another blizzard, the freezing winds destabilizing their flight patterns and leaving them vulnerable. Seizing the opportunity, Gamera followed up with a Water Pulse, drenching the Genesect and leaving them confused and disoriented. Kyurem finished the job with another freeze dry, encasing the myths in blocks of ice. [MYTHICAL CONTAINMENT MEASURES ENGAGED.] Three silver Pokeballs shot towards the frozen Pokemon before they went into his bracer. He thought he needed to search for the other two, but Iris¡¯ voice booming across the battlefield satisfied his worries. ¡°GHETSIS HAS BEEN CAPTURED! SURRENDER NOW!¡± The young champion stood victorious, the madman in cuffs suspended by her Hydreigon¡¯s claws. With his capture, the battle was effectively over, though a few pockets of resistance remained. The Gym Leaders quickly moved to mop up any remaining threats, while teams of nurses rushed in, carefully carrying the wounded off the field. Kyurem stood by Daniel¡¯s side, quietly watching the Ace trainers and Veterans carry their comrades, mourn the losses, and deal with the Plasma operatives. Daniel felt the uncertainty hidden under the unshakeable draconic might the legend emanated. He huffed with a smirk and patted the dragon on their side. ¡°What are you thinking about, lord Kyurem?¡± The Pokemon ignored him for a moment, feeling some rage surge under their skin. But what came out was their equivalent of a sigh. ¡°Some of them were destined to die,¡± Kyurem said gravely. ¡°Some of them were not destined to die until much later. The future has changed.¡± ¡°Yeah, I figured.¡± Daniel chuckled. ¡°Let¡¯s just hope it¡¯s a better future.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Kyurem nodded and turned their face to ¡®look¡¯ at him. ¡°Well, are you ready to return to the wild?¡± ¡°The wild?¡± The legend cocked their head. ¡°I expected you to add me to your team. Am I not worthy of you, invader?¡± They narrowed their eyes and huffed a frigid breath in his face, freezing the sweat that permeated his forehead. Daniel blinked in confusion as his brain caught up to what was happening. So caught up in the fight itself that he forgot to talk about the¡­ provisional nature of their small contract. ¡°Well?¡± ¡®Arceus give me strength.¡¯ The Best When dawn broke and the fight died down, Daniel could finally rest. His Pokemon were completely exhausted, he was about to fall asleep at any moment, and Kyurem¡¯s cold aura was not helping. Since Containment balls were hard to open once they had a Pokemon inside, he had to let the dragon out the whole time. Sure, the stares of disbelief were funny, but being shadowed by the massive legend was tiring. The good news was that he could capture the other two Genesect for relocation. After a few rounds of healing, they¡¯ll be good to go. Since he had the historical accounts of their enclave, the league could send them there directly after a short period of rehabilitation. When he finally managed to sit down inside one of the ''hospital tents,'' he practically collapsed into a chair, groaning as his joints popped with each movement. Kyurem stood outside, ever watchful of their new ¡®partner.¡¯ Though they couldn¡¯t communicate directly yet, Daniel could read his aura well enough. The people inside, the nurses especially, were initially wary, but they soon shifted their focus back to tending to the patients. ¡°Daniel?¡± Iris¡¯ voice came from outside, tinted with uncertainty and trepidation. Daniel sighed, lamenting that he only got to enjoy comfort for no more than a few minutes. After cracking his spine with a groan, he went out. ¡°Yes, champion Iris?¡± He asked, adjusting his vest and tie. The girl stared directly into the legend''s eyes, transfixed. The dragon¡¯s aura loomed over her, overwhelming hers and suppressing it. Finally, with a deep breath, she tore her eyes away and shifted her focus to the time traveler. A wry smile tugged at her lips as she bowed at him. ¡°Thank you very much for your assistance. We would have lost a lot more people without your intervention.¡± She said in a professional tone and bowed again. ¡°But we didn¡¯t expect you to use Kyurem.¡± She said, uncertainty rearing back to the front. ¡°Didn¡¯t expect that either.¡± He shrugged and the dragon huffed. ¡°But it was either that or using my last Dynamax.¡± Iris huffed and shook her head. ¡°Good call.¡± She crossed her arms and tilted her head. ¡°Now, what are you going to do? Do you still want to free Kyurem?¡± ¡°I mean, I wanted that at the beginning, but he seems content staying with me for a while. I¡¯ll double-check with my team when everyone¡¯s less exhausted and give you a callback.¡± ¡°Great!¡± She nodded, her usual energy coming back to her voice. ¡°Also, we received a file from your number, but we can¡¯t open it.¡± Daniel took a couple of seconds to process that before his face heated up. ¡°That¡­ makes sense.¡± He groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, it was just telling you that I was coming, my team comp, supplies, all of that. Forgot you need a Porygon3 to read those.¡± Both chuckled at his small misfortune, more out of stress than anything else. ¡°So, Mr. Mystery Man, what¡¯s your plan now?¡± ¡°Go home, sleep 12 hours, and prepare for class.¡± He shrugged once more. ¡°I¡¯m still debating on what I should be preparing them for.¡± ¡°Oh? Scared of messing up?¡± she teased. Her smirk mirrored Aidan¡¯s so perfectly that it almost felt like he was standing there beside her. Daniel desperately channeled his aura to rein in any stray thoughts or emotions. He made a show of thinking to get his breathing under control. Kyurem eyed him with suspicion, narrowing their yellow eyes. ¡°Honestly, a little bit.¡± He shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I had to teach people, and they were already adults.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll do a good job!¡± She punched him on the shoulder with a bright smile. Even with the aura reinforcing his body, it still stung. ¡°Maybe they¡¯ll be the next Gym leaders or Elites!¡± ¡°That¡¯s the plan,¡± he said with a grin, rubbing his arm sheepishly. ¡°Oh, and before I forget, can I borrow a Pokeball? Mine don¡¯t work on Kyurem.¡± Iris raised an eyebrow, a bit surprised, but then shrugged casually. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ve got a few spares lying around¡­¡± Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. She rummaged through the pouches on her belt until she pulled out a regular red-and-white Pok¨¦ball. With a wry smile, she handed it over. Daniel gave her a grateful nod and took it from her. ¡°Thanks.¡± He looked over at Kyurem, who stood calmly nearby, watching with silent intensity. ¡°Alright, Kyurem.¡± His voice softened. ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡± *** Leon was feeling pretty good lately. After getting his sponsors stitched to his cape and touring the Gyms, he felt ready to tackle the job. Sure, his declaration as the strongest trainer was ¡®reckless¡¯ to some people, but he felt like he told the truth. Few could stand toe-to-toe with his Pokemon, much less his Charizard. His new office was lavish, perhaps more than he would have preferred. Still, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to change a thing, Chairman Rose had overseen the decoration, after all. Red and gold dominated the space, while carefully arranged portraits of his Pok¨¦mon lined the walls. The plush chair in the center, though overly indulgent, was too comfortable to even consider replacing. It was the kind of luxury that made settling for anything less feel impossible. If there was anything he didn¡¯t enjoy about the position was the amount of paperwork that passed through his desk. It would be terribly irresponsible to delegate the work to anyone, not even trusted allies. It would give a bad image to the public. ¡°Champion! You must see this!¡± He bit back a sigh at the sight of his secretary, his harbinger of work. Nothing good ever came when the man used that tone to relay the news. Not that he would say that out loud, it would break the poor man¡¯s heart! The man in question was middle-aged, bald, and had a bit of a pot belly. His work ethic was immaculate, so Leon didn¡¯t mind that the man ate a bit too many pastries on his breaks. ¡°Yes, John?¡± ¡°Look!¡± The man passed him a Rotom tablet with a video paused. It looked like news coverage of a great battle. The title read [Team Plasma Crushed: Pok¨¦mon League Stops Evil Plot in its Tracks!]. It took him a moment to recognize the Unovan broadcasting network and the lack of ¡®Team Plasma¡¯ in Galar. He pressed play and reclined in his chair. ¡°Team Plasma has been defeated! Thanks to the efforts of the Pokemon League, the evil team has been defeated once and for all!¡± The caster said animatedly. The footage then jumped to the battle itself. The footage was taken atop a helicopter far from the scene. Flashes of light and bursts of energy erupted below as the camera panned the battlefield. The cameraman zoomed in on champion Iris battling against 5 unknown Pokemon. She seemed to struggle until a Dragapult crashed into the Red one with a powerful dragon rush... ¡°A Dragapult?¡± Leon paused the video and stared blankly at the tablet, his fingers lingering on the screen. His mind blanked as he processed the image: A genuine Dragapult clashing with the insectoid Pokemon in the air. He blinked and looked at his secretary for an explanation. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± His secretary added. ¡°We triple checked the video¡¯s authenticity¡­ and that¡¯s a Dragapult. A big one at that.¡± ¡°Do we have any records of Dragapult eggs leaving the region?¡± The champion narrowed his eyes. ¡°Or any¡­ illegal acquisitions?¡± Every major power had specific Pokemon that represented their region, their ¡®pseudo-legends¡¯ and their ¡®starter trios.¡¯ Each was weak in their early stages and required a lot of work to properly train but were absolute powerhouses when they matured. As such, trading them was strictly regulated. He had to give an arm and a leg to get a Charizard egg all those years ago. Seeing a fully grown Dragapult in the hands of a trainer from another region was giving Leon a headache. He had expected some challenges when taking the mantle, but this felt like too much. ¡°We¡¯ve been discreetly asking ranches and breeders in Hammerlocke, but there are no unaccounted eggs¡­¡± The man looked for information on another Rotom tablet. ¡°There¡¯s not even transaction requests posted online.¡± Leon huffed and continued the video. The battle went on for a little more before it cut to another point. Kyurem, one of Unova¡¯s legends, appeared. He noticed that, while every trainer was gawking and distracted, the Dragapult returned to a pink-haired trainer wearing Unova¡¯s veteran uniform. The rest of the fight was short, Kyurem and a Lapras from said trainer dealt with the other Pokemon, and the champion captured the enemy leader. Leon leaned back on his chair with a sigh. ¡®Being the best is quite tiring¡­¡¯ ¡°We programmed a diplomatic visit to Unova, right?¡± He snapped his fingers, remembering that piece of info. ¡°Yes.¡± The man nodded. ¡°Their champion is very open to international relations and their side is excited for the visit. It was scheduled for¡­¡± The man double-checked his Rotom tablet. ¡°Next year, about a month before their circuit starts again.¡± ¡°Good¡­¡± He whispered. He replayed the fight once more, looking for the man in every shot. He noticed the cameraman didn¡¯t focus on him, and sometimes the camera would jump after just snippets of his face. Even then, Leon could feel he was a strong trainer. Very few people could command a dragon as hard to please as a Dragapult and a legend on top of that! ¡°Raihan would be excited to exchange pointers with another dragon trainer soon¡­¡± He muttered with a smile. ¡®Well, can¡¯t lie and say I am not excited too.¡¯ More than a political reason, he was excited to challenge new trainers. His fiery aura roiled under his skin just by imagining it. He took a moment to calm himself, slap his cheeks, and nod at his secretary. ¡°Call for a meeting with Chairman Rose, I need to discuss things with him.¡± ¡°Understood champion.¡± The man nodded. ¡°You should have time for that today after the grand opening of Turffield¡¯s stadium, or tomorrow after your scheduled tour of Wedgehurst¡¯s lab.¡± His excitement for future battles dimmed as reality came crashing once more. ¡®Being the best is hard¡­'' Interlude: Kyurem The rest of the morning passed in a blur for Kyurem. After reluctantly accepting the new Pokeball, which felt nowhere near as comforting as the silver one, the dragon and their new team finally arrived at Daniel¡¯s house. The man in question was an enigma to the old dragon. He smelled fairies before, even clashed with powerful ones, but no aura felt as¡­ otherworldly. The pink-haired man and his team had a distinctive smell. It wasn¡¯t good or bad, just different like staring at something that didn¡¯t belong to their world. Whatever it was, they had their eyes zeroed on him for the time being. Kyurem had to make sure that his actions would not put the future in jeopardy. ¡°Good work everyone.¡± Daniel tiredly said to his team before collapsing weakly on the sofa. ¡°Take the day off¡­¡± And silently drifted to sleep. Most of the others looked just as exhausted. The giant Volcarona, the ghost dragon, and the tiny Liligant especially so. Each dragged their tired bodies to their above to rest except for the moth, who crawled under the coffee table before falling into torpor. The Lapras and Braviary bowed at him with a quick ¡°lord Kyurem¡± and retired to the yard. Which left him, Daniel, and the Audino in the living room. ¡°Are you tired, lord Kyurem?¡± A low voice rang beside them. Kyurem shook their head and looked at the Audino. She bowed and nodded her head. ¡°Sorry for Master Daniel, he¡¯s¡­ a bit tired to make proper introductions.¡± She said wryly. ¡°I¡¯m Lily, nice to meet you.¡± ¡°Likewise.¡± Kyurem huffed and nodded at her, then tilted their head. ¡°Why do you call me lord? I heard him calling me lord Kyurem before.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± She exclaimed in surprise. ¡°Well¡­¡± she fidgeted, struggling to formulate an answer. The dragon huffed again, sending a blast of frigid wind toward her face. The Audino wrinkled her nose and let out a quiet sneeze. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± they muttered. ¡°I¡¯ll get my answers from him.¡± Kyurem felt curious about the man¡¯s origins. Things about him didn¡¯t quite add up, like his superior aura control, his unknown Pokemon, and even his Pokeballs were not quite the same as others. They still remembered that tidbit about ¡°My Pokeballs don¡¯t work on legendaries.¡± Quite a curious statement. Careful not to make too much noise, they went to the yard, leaving the nervous Audino behind. The scene compounded his curiosity even more. Even if there was snow falling from the sky, there was not a single snowflake on the ground. There was frost forming on the blades of grass and the tree where the Braviary rested, but it was because of the low temperature. Snow wasn¡¯t accumulating in his backyard, and only in his backyard. A quick look at other people¡¯s homes revealed blankets of snow several centimeters thick. ¡®Odd¡­¡¯ They also felt Dark and Fairy energy suffusing the place. It wasn¡¯t enough to be uncomfortable, but it was noticeable. It did suppress his draconic aura somewhat, but he felt he could overpower it with a flex of aura. In the end, Kyurem did nothing about it. The man trusted them with his house, he wasn¡¯t about to be a poor guest¡­ at least for now. Their attention drifted to the Lapras, quietly sleeping in a freezing pond. The temperature was low enough for it to freeze like everything else¡­ but his unconscious energy control was keeping it cool enough to be cold but not solidify. It was a novel way of using Ice energy, one that they would try later. A pair of eyes in the shadows followed their movements. Her aura was regal, and protective, with a hint of grief underneath. Kyurem followed the sensation until they noticed a blurry outline on the third floor of the house. A pair of yellow eyes stared back at them, full of distrust and eagerness to fight. Even if her aura felt like a candle in the wind, about the snuffed by the slowest of winds. ¡®Good attitude.¡¯ They nodded. ¡®Having a competent dragon like that shows he has some skill.¡¯ Kyurem curled up on the ground, lost in thought, forming a small nest out of crystalline ice. Even after acknowledging the man as their ¡®trainer¡¯ and taking note of the strange qualities he possessed, Kyurem doubted they¡¯d gain anything of real value during their time under him. Perhaps some insights, like the trick with Ice energy circulation, or easy snacks. Beyond that, the dragon expected little more than to watch fate unfold. In the meantime, they''d settle into this brief, unexpected vacation. ¡®If he wants to take advantage of me, he¡¯ll suffer the consequences, anyway.¡¯ *** ¡°Time for some food, everyone!¡± Daniel¡¯s voice roused Kyurem from their musings. The clouds above parted, and they noticed the sun had dipped past noon. After stretching and unfreezing their stiff jaw, the dragon made their way inside to join the rest of the Pokemon. The new addition cramped the already tight room, leaving little space to unwind. Nobody seemed bothered by the arrangement, except for the dragoness, who remained silently glaring at them. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Alright¡­ So.¡± Daniel¡¯s aura flickered with barely contained nervousness. If Kyurem¡¯s senses weren¡¯t as sharp as they were, it would have gone unnoticed entirely. ¡°Me and my team are from the future, that¡¯s how I know what¡¯s going to happen.¡± Kyurem had already suspected it, but the revelation still caught them off guard. From their brief interaction before the battle, the way he carried himself, the way he manipulated his aura, it wasn¡¯t normal. Sure, something like ¡®I¡¯m a prophet from another region¡¯ might have sounded more believable, but strangely, they didn¡¯t have trouble accepting his explanation. ¡°Yeah¡­ so that¡¯s why I wanted to do something, make a difference.¡± He stabbed his food with a fork. ¡°If I¡¯m not going to return to the future, at least I want to try to make a better one. Prepare people for the worst and steer them from the pitfalls that will come¡­¡± The Pokemon and the human stared into each other¡¯s eyes. Thoughts and ideas flickered across Kyurem¡¯s mind, but nothing solid took shape. Their role in the grand cycle was to observe and preserve the future, now that they were separated from their other halves. Unlike Reshiram, who had the conviction to see things as they were, or Zekrom, who could discern how things should be, Kyurem found themselves adrift in uncertainty. With an icy sigh, Kyurem sank into the flow of fate. Their mind briefly transcended the mortal coil, drifting through the vast expanse where the grand weave of space and time glittered above them. The inflections in the flow of fate sparkled like stalactites in a dark cave, some were small and fragile, barely noticeable, while others were massive, radiant with meaning, weight, and strength. Each thread, each shift, contributed to the ultimate fate of the world. A delicate yet unyielding tapestry of countless destinies intertwined. He saw grand victories against evil, and heroes rising to bring hope to humanity. He witnessed blood. Mankind at its worst, inflicting pain and suffering with relentless cruelty. There was love and small acts of kindness that sparked waves of change. But there was also hate and bitterness that festered and poisoned both people and Pok¨¦mon alike. Past everything, in the far future. Beyond the heroes of his era. Among the ashes after the ¡®Age of Strife¡¯ new hope blossomed. People united with their Pokemon, connected and forged bonds thanks to the tragedies. Friendship and harmony flourished despite those who wished to bring ruin. A world unified, with eyes set on the stars. The world where Daniel came from. Kyurem felt their mind recede into their body. Their aura stilled once more as their consciousness returned. Their pupilless eyes shone with conviction, but also uncertainty. The mighty dragon nodded at the otherworldly fairy. ¡°I understand.¡± Kyurem¡¯s voice rumbled along with a surge of aura. They knew Daniel was not able to understand their words quite yet, but their intentions were clear. ¡°I will see that I help you that world come true. If you were to be an obstacle for that, I will end you.¡± The surrounding Pokemon bristled at his declaration. Their easygoing attitude was replaced by barely hidden hostility. Even the gentle soul that was the Audino glared at them with a promise of violence. ¡°How dare you.¡± The other dragon¡¯s aura flooded the room in an instant, a wave of power that made the lights flicker and the wood creak under the sheer force. Kyurem could hear the wailing of the Ghost aura, as the majesty of her Dragon aura tried to overpower theirs. Kyurem readied themselves, ready to take back the reigns of sovereignty. However¡­ ¡°Stop.¡± Daniel¡¯s command was like a blade that dispersed the mist. All that animosity died down with a flare of his own Fairy aura. It wasn¡¯t as dense, heavy, or powerful as the pair of dragons. But the intent was enough to wrestle the mounting tension. The dragoness looked at her trainer and nodded. ¡°Guys, I don¡¯t know what they said exactly, but I understand what Kyurem wants.¡± Daniel nodded at the dragon. ¡°I know I¡¯m not qualified enough to be your true trainer. I don¡¯t even have Dragon aura. But I will do my best to guide you and let myself be guided by you.¡± His tone was even and his aura much more subdued. It was hard to tell if his composure was a mere act or his true feelings. It was never clear when dealing with fairies. Kyurem took measured steps until they were in front of the human. His Pokemon were on edge, waiting for any sign of violence to rain their own. Daniel, however, radiated calmness and acceptance. He gently put his hand on top of their forehead and gently channeled his aura. The legend had brief flashes of memory of something similar. When there was only one being, sure of what things were and how they should be. They remembered the fight that broke them into three pieces, leaving Kyurem an empty husk, devoid of purpose. The rage that consumed their heart and soul for centuries. The bitterness that festered after the fire burned out. The cold that remained after millennia alone, waiting for that moment of reunion. Fire and Electricity briefly flowed through their body, like phantom limbs trying to move. The ice around their pseudo wings cracked as their wings tried to beat like they used to. Cold erupted from their tail, like an engine without gas that tried to start. Despair took root again in their heart. Pain that threatened to consume their very being. ¡°Let¡¯s do our best together, ok?¡± Daniel¡¯s soft voice echoed among the darkness. ¡°You¡¯re not alone anymore.¡± The dragon could feel the pain in the human¡¯s aura. It wasn¡¯t the same as his, their magnitude incomparable between one another. Yet, they knew he understood, if barely. There was sacrifice, loneliness, loss, and hollowness flowing underneath his river of radiance. Kyurem wanted to embrace those emotions, but their prideful and majestic Dragon aura didn¡¯t let them. They knew the tricks of fairies all too well, how they could hide daggers behind smiles, and weave silver-tongued words that twisted the truth. Trusting a human, especially one touched by Fairy aura, was dangerous. Their heart hardened, a layer of frost sealing away any warmth as reason once again took control. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll be watching you.¡± Kyurem broke contact with a small huff and returned to their improvised nest in the yard, ignoring the stunned stares of the Pokemon. Trust was not easily gained, even more for one of his origin and disposition. The legend would watch the man closely and make sure their path was pure. If his intentions put the fate that was to come in jeopardy, Kyurem was ready to strike him down. Students The next days were a slow return to normalcy. Since sleeping for more than 6 hours was hard because of the nightmares, he started jogging around the community with Elizabeth. His ¡®secret Pokemon¡¯ were already public knowledge for anyone curious thanks to his involvement in the battle, so he didn¡¯t think much of it. From time to time, he would make small talk with his neighbors, all of whom worked in Pokemon centers in the region. This gave him the chance to give away the gift baskets he made. Most were confused and overwhelmed by the quality of the textiles, but the reception was good. Intense physical training was off the table for the foreseeable future, since his team was involved in so many fights consecutively. So, he was stuck with energy and aura training for the time being, meditating 30 minutes at a time with each of his team members. Even Kyurem joined after the third invitation to the sessions. Their aura was vast and cold like the Arctic, limitless and full of draconic majesty. Daniel¡¯s main worry remained the overall competitive level of his Pokemon since there were no opponents or facilities like he had in the future. His team did their best to assuage his fears. Times were not as dangerous as they would be after all. There was no existential threat every other month, only every year. With a sigh, he stood up from his table. He briefly glanced over his notes about possible training exercises and the fights he saw from the candidates on the Battlenet. He mostly agreed with Donald and R2''s assessment of the boys and girls. The younger ones did a remarkable job, even if they didn''t get far. What stopped them from fully going through the circuit seemed to be a mix of monetary issues and being too young for certain places or simply starting late in Thomas'' case. Nate was another story. He had exceptional reflexes, and innovative problem-solving abilities, and could easily adapt. He could even see some traces of aura from the way he carried himself. "If nothing happens, they should be ready to compete in the world tournament. Which¡­would snuff Gloria''s achievements¡­" Chairman Rose''s ''evil plot'' was so flimsy that Daniel''s mere presence could have already derailed it, preventing Eternatus from being summoned. That would leave the world tournament as Gloria''s only other achievement. Giving Nate enough training to stand toe to toe with future trainers would snuff that out as well. "Everything is so¡­complicated." With a groan, he sat back down to pour over his notes one last time. The boys were coming, after all. *** Nate didn''t know what to expect. League officials suddenly contacted him for a ''special training camp'' in Lacunosa town by a ''mysterious expert.'' They even had him sign a confidentiality agreement about the whole thing. Hugh not being invited surprised him a little, since he considered themselves on par with each other. At least his friend was not heartbroken because of it, instead putting all his energy into finding his sister''s Purrloin. Getting closer to the address he was given, he noticed the walled-off community. The Audino motifs, the occasional pink, the guards watching like Watchogs¡­ All pointed at it being the famous ''Joy compound.'' A small group of people stood waiting outside the gates. Three of them had pink hair, while the others had more varied hair colors. All of them, much like himself, wore thick clothes to fight the cold. "Hi! You all came to the training camp?" Nate asked, a friendly smile spreading across his face as he made his way over. "Yes!" A brown-haired girl shouted back, her voice full of energy. Her tanned skin, dotted with freckles, practically glowed in the sunlight, and despite the weather, a straw hat sat perched atop her head. "I¡¯m Amelie! Nice to meet you!" She waved enthusiastically, her excitement radiating off her in waves, while one of the pink-haired boys behind her let out an exaggerated sigh. "Nice to meet you, I''m Nate!" He tried to match her enthusiasm, but his attempt felt a little flat in comparison. "I¡¯m also excited for some training!" The same boy groaned under his breath, muttering something about ¡®another one,¡¯ clearly unimpressed. Amelie shot him a bright smile and gave him a big thumbs up, completely unbothered by his grumbling. "I''m Kiran," he said next. He flicked his unruly pink hair aside, revealing sharp eyes that gave him the air of someone who didn¡¯t care much for the crowd around him. His posture, hands shoved deep in his pockets, reminded Nate a lot of Hugh: brooding and almost detached, like he was ready to challenge anyone who stepped in his way. But while Hugh leaned toward reds and blacks, Kiran¡¯s clothing palette was much softer, full of pinks and pastels that made him seem a little more approachable, if only slightly. Nate couldn¡¯t help but smile. They¡¯d probably get along¡­ Or be rivals, most likely. "I-I''m Thomas..." A soft voice came from the back of the group. Nate turned to see the smallest of the pink-haired boys, his face mostly hidden behind a pastel blue scarf that covered his nose and mouth. Long, wavy hair covered the rest, save from his pink eyes. When their eyes met, Thomas shrunk a little behind the scarf. Nate gave him a friendly nod, but Thomas only lowered his gaze, clearly uncomfortable with the attention. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. "Reece." The tallest of the group spoke next, his voice deep and steady, carrying a quiet strength. He was built like a rock: thick and strong muscles but not overly defined like an athlete. His pale skin stood in stark contrast to his chocolate-brown hair, with a few blond streaks here and there. With a small bow of his head, Reece crossed his arms, closed his eyes, and seemed content to wait on the sidelines. "Linda!" The next to introduce herself chirped, her voice full of bubbly energy, though not quite as loud as Amelie¡¯s. Her wild red hair bounced with each step, and her bright, infectious smile didn¡¯t seem to leave her face for a second. She gave Nate a quick, playful wink and a wave, her enthusiasm practically bouncing off her. "Valerie." The last girl spoke quietly, but there was a cool confidence in her voice that made Nate¡¯s attention snap to her. She had curly, light brown hair that framed her face and brown eyes that seemed to see right through him. It wasn¡¯t harsh, though, more like she was quietly observing, sizing things up in her own, careful way. "She''s strong." His blood boiled just imagining fighting with an opponent like her. His hand itched as it got closer and closer to his Pokeballs. Valerie noticed, reaching for her own Pokeballs. Sparks flew as they stared at each other. "As the saying goes¡­When two trainers'' eyes meet¡­" Clap! A sudden clap dissipated the atmosphere. "Now is not the time for that, boys and girls." A sudden feeling of wrongness assaulted him. His legs and lips trembled as a man walked towards them. For a moment, he couldn''t see his face, just the vastness of the cosmos unfolding in front of him. The cold and unfeeling darkness of space stared at his very soul. His hand gripped Lucario''s Pokeball in a dead grip, fighting to get it out of his belt. Just as he was about to break under pressure, it suddenly vanished. He blinked in surprise as he took a deep breath. Looking around, everyone was perfectly fine and watching him with weird expressions. Except for her forehead being drenched in sweat, Valerie looked the same as before. Her pupils were just a small spot inside her eyes and her hands gripped one of her Ultraballs with the same strength as he did his. "Let''s go, we¡¯ll start our first lesson soon. We¡¯ll start with a small exam and see where we¡¯re at.¡± The man spoke again, taking the lead towards the compound. "We were never told about an exam," Kiran said in a surprised and defensive tone. "I just want to see what you all are capable of, don''t worry." The man said with a smile and began walking away. "Now, let''s go!" Nobody moved at first, stunned by the strange man. The surrounding guards didn''t seem to react to him. Some even looked away. Valerie took the lead, walking with confidence. Slowly, the rest of them began following him. ¡®I want to fight him.¡¯ Nate thought to himself with a smile, following the group beside Valerie. Both looked at each other and saw the glint in each other''s eyes. ¡®She seems eager too.¡¯ *** Daniel had to negotiate with Rose for a private training area, as he needed somewhere to get started. After a bit of back-and-forth, the matriarch agreed to lend him one of the larger spaces, extending him a bit of ¡®goodwill.¡¯ However, there was a catch: starting with his next teaching cycle, he¡¯d need to pay rent for the space or accept more Joy youngsters for some ¡®discounts.¡¯ The league had also pitched in to provide living arrangements for the youngsters who didn¡¯t live nearby, which was a huge relief for Daniel. He wasn¡¯t exactly eager to house so many teenagers in his cramped little home. This way, the kids wouldn¡¯t have to rent hotels or stay at the Pok¨¦mon Center, which was a bonus. Still, he knew he¡¯d eventually need a proper building for that as well. After checking in, they made their way into the private training area. The kids were immediately struck by the sheer size and scope of the place. It was divided into four distinct ¡®biomes¡¯: a lush grassland, a rocky terrain, a tundra, and a large pool with high waves. Each zone stretched about 30 meters in length, all properly illuminated to bring each environment to life. Linda and Amelie were practically bouncing with excitement, their eyes wide with wonder as they fought the urge to run from one zone to the next. Daniel chuckled, seeing their reaction. Something like this would be cutting edge in the present, but it didn¡¯t come close to what was available in the future: vast rooms, each with its climate, gravity controls, automata for sparring, VR headsets for reflexes and move training¡­ It made him feel a bit nostalgic. "Let''s start with a brief introduction. My name is Daniel Joy, I am 40 years old and have 12 years of competitive experience, 5 years as an ace trainer, and 8 as part of the veterans. I''m a specialist focused on singles and doubles, but I can do triples without issue. My achievements will remain secret for security reasons, but the champion endorses this venture, so you don''t have to worry about my qualifications. Any questions before we start?" "Yes!" Amelie answered energetically, waving her arm. "Are we going to fight you?" "Not yet." Daniel smiled at the enthusiastic girl. "You are all very far away from having an actual fight with me, but we''ll spar a few times. Any other questions?" "Am I going to have enough time to complete the circuit?" Nate asked curiously. "I want to participate in the conference." "Yes." Daniel nodded. "There¡¯s going to be an intensive one-month training course for you before the conference starts. That should leave about 3 days of rest before you would need to step on the ring. If transportation is an issue, I can take you there.¡± "Wonderful." He nodded with a smile. "Anything else?" He looked around, but nobody else said anything. "Great, let''s start with some interviews." With a flick of his hands and a burst of aura, Rodan''s Pokeball shot upwards before releasing the Braviary behind him. The kids stared in awe as he landed gracefully behind Daniel, its massive wings fluttering and crest roaring with purple fire. Rodan preened, basking in their attention and ruffling his feathers as the kids circled him, muttering expressions of surprise and admiration. [NO DATA FOUND. POSSIBLE VARIANT OF BRAVIARY.] A Pokedex on Reece''s hand intoned when he tried to scan Rodan, which produced a new round of surprises. "This is Rodan. He''ll be my partner for this exercise." The kids nodded at his explanation. "He''s an alternative evolution for Braviaries. We''ll talk more in-depth about that particular concept at another time." With a flex of Psychic energy, Rodan effortlessly lifted the children off the ground, arranging them into two groups of three: Reece, Thomas, and Amelie were placed together in one group, while Linda, Kiran, and Valerie formed the other. Nate, however, remained standing beside Daniel, a confused expression on his face as he glanced around. Daniel looked at him with a small, knowing smile and gently shook his head, as if to say, ¡®not quite yet.¡¯ "For now, my dear students,¡± Daniel said with an almost predatory grin towards the groups. ¡°Release your Pokemon.¡± Test Valerie had mixed feelings about her new teacher. On the one hand, her grandfather was eager for her to learn under the man; on the other, he was a complete unknown. There was no information about him on Battlenet, no team information, no badges, no photos. She even sneaked into her grandfather¡¯s League account, but there was nothing on him, just vague statements about his strength and warnings about approaching rashly. Seeing his strange Braviary intensified those feelings. A powerful flying type like no other. She almost felt like it could read her soul like a book. It intensified even more whenever she stared at the flames that erupted from its head. The sensation of vulnerability was disgusting like there were no secrets she could hide from it. Any doubts she had over the Pokemon¡¯s strength vanished when he began to ¡®test¡¯ the first group. He didn¡¯t say any move or strategy out loud, he just pointed out mistakes that her new peers made. Sometimes she would see a strange glint in his eyes, but that was a trick of the light. ¡®Right?¡¯ ¡°Thomas, more initiative!¡± The man called out before the Braviary sent the Solosis flying with a gust of wind. ¡°Haven¡¯t heard a single damaging move from you!¡± The pink-haired boy nodded on the verge of tears. His eyes fixated on his unconscious Solosis. ¡°Bite!¡± Reece called heavy expression on his face. The Sandile let out a roar before launching itself at the flying braviary. The Pokemon dodged without major problems and delivered a decisive wing attack. Sandile came crashing to the ground, skidding for several meters before stopping in front of its trainer, swirls spinning in its eyes. ¡°Good form! Need to work on timing!¡± ¡°Swadlon!¡± Amelie cried. Her earlier cheerfulness was replaced with a determined expression. The leafy insect sent a string shot, trying to limit the Braviary¡¯s movements. Just like before, it artfully dodged the attack and sent a blade of concentrated Flying energy towards the bug. Amelie cried in alarm before her Pokemon rolled unconscious on the ground. ¡°Good job there, we just need to work on your transition from attack to defense.¡± The boys and girl panted as they returned their Pokemon. Their test lasted no more than 5 minutes, but she imagined it felt like an eternity for them. She only ever saw Pokemon with that level of control in her father¡¯s ¡®elite challenges¡¯ against Ace trainers. It still didn¡¯t assuage her¡­ reservations, but she would give it an honest try. ¡°Alright class.¡± He whipped his hand towards the side and a green ray of light emanated from his hand. A minifridge appeared on the ground, stunning everyone into silence. ¡°There are some drinks and potions for your teams over there, feel free!¡± Nobody moved for a moment. Valerie was aware of several projects to store other items inside Pokeballs, but nothing close to this. The last she heard, the berries used to test the prototypes ended up as baby food. She took a small step forward, steeling her nerves. With each step, she gradually regained control of her senses. The fridge felt solid, no illusion or trick of the light. Inside, the cans of lemonade and soda were almost freezing. Valerie reached out cautiously, her fingers brushing against the cold metal, before carefully selecting a can of lemonade. With a quick, satisfying pop, she cracked it open. ¡°Tastes¡­ sweet?¡± It was a different formula she used to drink on a cold day. Much sweeter, less acidic, and much more¡­ bubbly? She was not enamored by the flavor, but it would be incredibly rude if she were to voice her complaints. Her peers approached and took a can of lemonade each. Some were pleasantly surprised, like Thomas and Nate. Kiran ended in a coughing fit. Valerie sighed and used Reece as a cover to prevent stray mucus or juice from hitting her. ¡°What-¡± Another cough, followed by a burp. ¡°This is not lemonade!¡± ¡°Takes a bit to appreciate it.¡± Daniel chuckled and shook his head. ¡°Come on, my boys! We need to finish this test!¡± While the first group healed their Pokemon with the provided potions, Valerie and her teammates made their way back to Daniel. Linda stretched like a gymnast, drawing full arcs in the air and bending far more than Valerie¡¯s limits. Kiran whispered to himself, but she wasn¡¯t interested in what the boy was saying. With a huff, she grabbed her Drilbur¡¯s Pokeball. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. ¡°Ready?¡± The older man asked. The teens nodded, throwing their Pokeballs. Three Pokeballs sailed through the air before revealing their occupants: a Pidove, a Musharna, and her Drilbur. Daniel tilted his head, staring at the Musharna. Seconds stretched in silence as tension filled the air. Kiran stood with an annoyed expression, but a closer look made her note his trembling lip and slightly quivering legs. ¡°What do you want?!¡± His voice cracked at the end, but he rolled with it. ¡°You take good care of that Musharna,¡± Daniel answered with a smile. ¡°She told me she loves your sing-¡± ¡°S-SHUT UP!¡± Kiran screamed in full panic mode. With a punch forward, he exclaimed. ¡°PSYBEAM!¡± ¡°muuu~¡± The floating Pokemon whispered. Its pink smoke glowed as it fired a beam of psychic energy to the Braviary. However, a shimmering protect defended it. Valerie used that as a cue to begin her strategy. ¡°Drill run!¡± ¡°Drill!¡± Her Drilbur cried, jumped into the air, and dove into the ground like a drill. The mole Pokemon accelerated and displaced earth as it moved toward their target. Linda nodded with a smile and pointed at the Braviary. ¡°Let¡¯s help our friends! Gust!¡± The smaller bird hooted, flapping its wings with frantic speed as it summoned a miniature tornado aimed at the larger Braviary. The gust rocked the bigger bird in midair, but its expression was almost smug as if it was nothing more than child''s play. Flying aura swirled around its wings, and with a powerful flap, it sent an even larger tornado hurtling back toward the Pidove. ¡°Nooooo! Try to ride it, Marcus! Ride it!¡± Linda called frantically as her Pokemon spun uncontrollably inside the violent winds. ¡°Hipnosis!¡± Kiran chose that exact moment to strike. Musharna¡¯s eyes flickered open, glowing with intense psychic energy. The Braviary¡¯s confident expression wavered, its eyelids growing heavier as the move lulled it to sleep. Its flight became sluggish and unsteady before dropping to the ground. Drilbur seized the opening, bursting out of the ground and pivoting into steel claws, scoring a perfect hit on the sleeping Pokemon¡¯s head. Sadly, it was enough for the bird to wake up with a startled cry. ¡°Don¡¯t let up!¡± Valerie commanded with an even tone. ¡°Go for it, Sunny!¡± Kiran screamed with an excited expression. ¡®Sunny¡­ that¡¯s a rather cute name.¡¯ Valerie thought, not letting her surprise show in her expression¡­ contrary to Linda who squealed: ¡°That¡¯s super adorbs!¡± Musharna shot another psybeam while Drilbur reared for another round of steel claws. A quick gaze at her teacher¡¯s face made her narrow her eyes. ¡®He¡¯s smiling¡­¡¯ Her skin prickled as she had a bad feeling about what was about to happen. She tried to scream at her Pokemon, but the bird suddenly erupted in radiant light, forcing everyone to close their eyes. When the bright spots finally left her eyes, Valerie inspected the damage. ¡®As expected¡­¡¯ All Pokemon were on the ground, completely unconscious. She sighed and returned the mole to its Pokeball. ¡°Sunny!¡± Kiran ran to his Musharna and kneeled beside it. His breathing got erratic as his eyes darted from one burned spot to the next. Its signature pink smoke was missing, and its eyes were half open. The boy muttered under his breath, looking just like his family member earlier: on the verge of tears. ¡°I¡­ may have overdone it a little bit at the end¡­¡± Daniel muttered, releasing an Audino beside him. ¡°Lily, the floor is yours.¡± ¡°Au!¡± The Audino nodded with a smile and channeled her normal type energy in front of her. With a burst of power, a heal pulse enveloped the tired and fainted Pokemon, giving them some energy back. When the Musharna stirred and went back to peaceful slumber, Kiran hugged it. ¡°naaa~¡± ¡°She¡¯s telling you not to worry.¡± Daniel kneeled beside the boy and patted his back. ¡°That¡¯s just the nature of the game. She¡¯ll get hurt sometimes but also get stronger because of it.¡± Kiran briefly stared back at the adult with venom in his eyes. Her skin prickled for a moment as rage began to overtake his features. Yet, before the boy could speak his mind, his Pokemon intervened. The Musharna nuzzled against his collar, enveloping him in her pink smoke. ¡°You¡¯re a good lad.¡± Daniel stood up with a smile. ¡°If you weren¡¯t, her dreams wouldn¡¯t be so peaceful. But she also wants to protect you, you know? I know you both will grow together.¡± Valerie internally scoffed at his small speech. Sure, she trusted her Pokemon to be strong and fight for her, but they all knew it was a transaction. Valerie provided training, food, and shelter in exchange for their battle prowess. The sappiness that every champion preached was not something she fully agreed with. She would never reach the point of mistreating them. She had a reputation to maintain as the granddaughter of Gym leader Clay, after all. And apart from that, she was a bit fond of them, enough to try her best as their trainer. Linda maintained her distance from her, babying her small Pidove. It cooed at her and ruffled its feathers whenever she applied any Potion. She chatted away about everything and nothing, likely to distract the small Pokemon from its injuries. ¡°Alright, class.¡± Daniel clapped, grabbing the attention of everyone once more. ¡°Thanks for participating, everyone. That helped me get a gauge on where everyone stands right now and tailor everything a little bit better.¡± He nodded with a smile. ¡°Now, everyone is really tired, so let¡¯s postpone our actual first lesson for tomorrow morning. Is anyone interested in some Bouffalant wings? My treat!¡± ¡°Yeeees!¡± Some of her peers answered with enthusiasm, while Valerie and Reece remained in stoic silence. Both looked at each other for a moment before shrugging. While everyone packed their things and chatted about their impromptu battle, the ¡®magical fridge¡¯ and their new teacher, Valerie noticed that the man was speaking with the one boy that didn¡¯t join them. He seemed a bit deflated at first for getting left out, but after some quick words from the older man, he perked up and nodded. With one last look at their new training facility, the group left to engorge themselves in fast food. ¡®I hope this isn¡¯t a waste of time¡­ worst comes to pass, I can use this against grandfather to get a Tympole¡­¡¯ Dreams ¡®Not bad for the first day.¡¯ Daniel mused while watching the teens dig into their food. They were inside a Bouffalant Wings restaurant near downtown, by the Pokemon Center. After leaving their Pokemon to be checked and properly treated, they ordered several servings of wings to feast on. Linda and Kiran looked a bit queasy at the smell of meat, so Daniel ordered a vegetarian burger each. Daniel remembered his father taking him to a place like this when he was a child. The aroma of the meat, the sounds of the sizzling oil, the texture of the seats¡­ A quick channel of Fairy aura was necessary to control his emotions. The actual flavor was nothing to write home about. ¡®If anything, they¡¯re below average¡­¡¯ But it felt familiar, like home. The kids had potential. Each had their flair that came with an early aura awakening. There were no fruits to show or even proper roots, but a seed was enough for now. He was a bit worried about Kiran at the beginning of his¡­ attitude, but his test revealed him to have a softer heart under his prickly personality. ¡°Thanks for the food!¡± Amelie was the first to devour her plate, betraying his expectations. He expected Reece or Nate to finish first, but the brown-haired girl beat them by a lot. Kiran quietly scoffed but didn¡¯t comment. As the kids finished their meals, Daniel took his chance to chat with them a bit. ¡°So, let¡¯s continue our introductions.¡± He nodded sagely. ¡°What are your dreams?¡± ¡°I want to explore Unova!¡± Amelie exclaimed with a toothy grin. ¡°There are so many places I want to visit! And food I want to try!¡± ¡°Lower your voice,¡± Kiran growled at her, still munching on his burger. The girl smirked at him in response. ¡°Or what? You¡¯ll sing me a lullaby?¡± ¡°WH-!¡± Kiran¡¯s face flushed before he had a coughing fit. After desperately drinking the rest of his soda, the boy angrily glared at her. Amelie smiled innocently and blinked several times. ¡°Now, children.¡± Daniel cleared his throat before anything could escalate. ¡°No fighting.¡± ¡°Chil-¡± Kiran looked stunned for a second before his glare returned. ¡°We¡¯re in public right now.¡± Daniel used his mouth to point at the rest of the patrons inside the restaurant. That seemed to do the trick, Kiran returned to his burger with a huff while Amelie smiled victoriously. He was all in for jabs at each other like that, but he felt the kids were not at a point where that kind of humor would be tolerated by the other. ¡°That wasn¡¯t nice of you, Amelie.¡± Daniel used some Fairy aura to project a ¡®reproachful teacher¡¯ impression. ¡°¡­Sorry.¡± The girl lowered her head and apologized with a guilty expression. Kiran mumbled something but did nothing else. ¡°Great! Now, who wants to continue?¡± Daniel let go of his aura and returned to a more cheerful persona. ¡°I want to be a hiker like my dad.¡± Reece nodded, finishing his last wing. ¡°I¡­ always wanted to see a volcano.¡± ¡°Sounds like a plan.¡± Daniel nodded with a smile. ¡°We should organize an expedition one of these days.¡± He could see the boy¡¯s eyes light up and his arms tense. It was subtle, but he was easy to read if he knew where to look. "I want to explore the world too!" Linda chimed in, eagerly sharing photos on her Xtransceiver. The screen flickered with images of planes soaring through the sky, towering mountain peaks, and even a few Pokemon she¡¯d encountered. "I want to travel to every region and be a famous photographer!" she said, her face lighting up with a wide, enthusiastic smile. ¡°Got a lot of wanderlust in our little class, eh?¡± Daniel chuckled and nodded at Linda. ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do about that.¡± ¡°Really?!¡± She perked up at this, forgetting her Xtransceiver and focusing fully on Daniel. ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± Valerie¡¯s voice cut through her enthusiasm like a knife. ¡°Grandfather told me Unova has rocky relationships with several regions. And it¡¯s very expensive for just one person to cross. Imagine eight.¡± Linda nodded and deflated back on her chair. Daniel sighed, opting not to correct her. It was a plausible concern, even if her delivery was as blunt as a hammer. He would need to talk with her later about that one-on-one. ¡°Well, what are your dreams, Valerie?¡± Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. ¡°I will surpass my grandfather.¡± She said with conviction, not an ounce of doubt of her goal. It reminded him a lot of Natalie, one of his colleagues from Gravelport. ¡®Huh, maybe she¡¯s one of her ancestors.¡¯ ¡°An ambitious goal to have in mind.¡± Daniel nodded. The girl nodded and returned to her wings. Now that he noticed, she was using cutlery to cut the meat off the bone before eating in small bites. ¡®More power to you, I guess.¡¯ He inwardly laughed and looked at the remaining boys. Kiran still looked miffed from his ¡®scuffle¡¯ with Amelia, but at least he stopped glaring at the girl. Thomas had his full focus on a small dot on the ground. Daniel imagined he was too nervous to talk, so he didn¡¯t pressure him. Nate glanced at them and shrugged. ¡°I want to become Champion,¡± he said, his voice steady and his smile filled with resolve. ¡°I want to protect the weak and ensure that no Pokemon is ever abused or taken advantage of.¡± ¡°A very noble cause.¡± Daniel nodded and ruffled the boy¡¯s hair. ¡°And a high peak.¡± He had read his file again before their class. The boy was destined to replace Iris after the first world tournament in three years. The mounting pressure of the position and the lack of representation in the top 4 got to her in the original timeline. At least publicly, nobody knew for sure what exactly happened to her. ''A mystery for another time.'' The theory seemed plausible. She was constantly running around putting out fires, maintaining her image, and making sure that nothing catastrophic happened to their region. He was impressed with her resilience, even more so after considering that she didn¡¯t have modern conveniences to help her. ¡°I¡­¡± A quiet voice pulled him from his thoughts. ¡°I want to be a doctor.¡± ¡°Doctor¡­¡± Daniel hummed, looking at Thomas shrinking back into himself. ¡°Are you considering a doctor? Or more towards search and rescue?¡± ¡°E-eh?¡± The boy looked up again with a stunned expression. ¡°Well, fully fledged doctors are off combat completely and work inside a Pokemon center, like our family members.¡± Daniel scratched his own head, pulling their attention to his pink hair. ¡°Or joining the rangers and protecting people and Pokemon on the field?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± His hands were shaking and his forehead was drenched in sweat. His breathing became a little erratic and his vision grew unfocused. ¡°I¡­¡± Daniel¡¯s training immediately kicked in. With a quiet flare of his aura, he reached out to the boy. He subtly prompted him to take deeper breaths, relax his hands, and blink. Drawing on his Fairy aura, he crafted subtle sensations, shifting through different smells and sounds until he found the perfect combination to calm the boy. A sensation of being inside a forest, surrounded by tall trees after a storm surrounded Thomas. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and pine. Raindrops lingered on the leaves, creating a soft, calming rhythm. The ground was cool and mossy underfoot. He could smell the earthy soil and sweet wildflowers. ¡°Better?¡± Daniel¡¯s voice brought the boy back to reality. Daniel moved the other teens to the side and was kneeling in front of the boy. His eyes glistened with pink energy as he stared back at him, serene like the scene he imagined. After a moment, he nodded. ¡°Great.¡± Daniel patted his head with a smile and returned to his seat. ¡°If you ever feel like that again, you can take a break. I won¡¯t judge you.¡± ¡°Thanks, Mr. Daniel¡­¡± Thomas whispered back, avoiding the other teen¡¯s stares. The rest of the meal was a bit dimmer. Daniel didn¡¯t expect his first class to be a complete rollercoaster of emotions, but there was nothing he could do about it. His files left a lot of information about their personalities, but nothing seemed too egregious. His main worries were Kiran and Valerie. Sure, the boy had a softer side, but he was a bit too belligerent for him. Valerie¡¯s problem was in a similar vein. She felt like a sheltered girl taking her first steps into the world, not used to people being hurt by her words. To top it all off, Daniel felt she had a fundamental disconnection between herself and her team. Her Drilbur was well-fed and trained. From what he saw in action, she was already able to command strategies instead of individual moves. However, he felt she would struggle with the spiritual side of their curriculum more than others. After finishing their meals and eating some ice cream for dessert, the group made their way to the hotel where the newcomers would stay for a month. It wasn¡¯t the prestigious, 5-star Radiance Resort, but it would be comfortable enough. Each room was big enough to be a small, single-family apartment in the future. By midday, the small group arrived at Musharna Dreamhaven Hotel, a sleek, modern building with a mostly white facade. A turned-off neon sign in pastel lavender and pink proudly adorned the front. Snow gently covered the roof and surrounding grounds, while inside, the decor shifted to earthy tones, forgoing the pinks and pastels he was accustomed to seeing in the Joy community. That left Daniel, Kiran, Thomas, and Linda for the trek back to the compound. Thomas appeared better after washing his face and profusely apologizing to the others. Linda, however, still seemed a bit down from Valerie¡¯s words. Daniel was relieved that Kiran appeared to be doing fine, though a little quieter than usual. Each member of their small group said their goodbyes one by one. Except for the brooding teenager. ¡°Kiran, I need to talk to you,¡± Daniel said before he could walk away. The boy silently glared at him but said nothing. ¡°Sorry for what I said during the exercise.¡± Daniel sighed, lowering his head. ¡°It wasn¡¯t my intention to put you in the spot like that.¡± Kiran huffed and crossed his arms. ¡°Yeah, apology accepted.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t happen again, I promise.¡± He lifted his hands in defeat. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ Sunny was bragging a lot about you.¡± ¡°Did Sunny¡­ really speak to you?¡± Kiran shifted uncomfortably on the spot, looking at the sidewalk. ¡°Yeah.¡± Daniel nodded with a smile. ¡°She told me that you take care of her a lot, about the songs, the stories-¡± ¡°S-stop!¡± Kiran shouted defensively, his cheeks burning a deep red. ¡°The point is, I won¡¯t do it again. But I¡¯m happy you have such a great bond with your Pokemon.¡± ¡°¡­Thanks.¡± He mumbled with a lot less venom than before. ¡°Before I forget, what is your dream?¡± Kiran sighed heavily and shifted from side to side where he stood. After deliberating a couple of seconds, he shrugged. ¡°I want to be a breeder.¡± Daniel was a bit shocked at his answer, but he was careful enough not to let it show on his face. He ruffled the boy¡¯s hair, much to his protests, and smiled at him. ¡°I know you¡¯ll be able to do that. Now, go get inside already. It won¡¯t do that one of my students gets sick before classes even start!¡± Kiran snorted and swatted his hand away. ¡°Only idiots get colds in Lacunosa.¡± After rolling his eyes, the boy walked away. First Lesson Early in the morning, Daniel and his students were jogging around the edge of the grassland area. Not all of them looked happy or completely awake, but everyone was running. except for Kiran, who sat in the center of the clearing wearing a facemask. Daniel had to circulate his aura to avoid showing his amusement when the boy appeared at their training center with a cold. At first, he wanted to send him back, but Kiran was too stubborn to listen. In the end, Daniel agreed to let him stay and watch the lesson, provided Lily monitored him the whole time. After 30 minutes of jogging, they did some stretches. Daniel¡¯s joints popped with each one, giving him some satisfaction. ¡°Alright, class! That¡¯s enough!¡± Most of them collapsed to the ground, exhausted. The only two who didn¡¯t fall were Nate and Reece, who just looked a bit winded. ¡°This is going to be our routine every morning before we begin classes. It¡¯s important to build up some resistance for your future.¡± ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t need it!¡± Valerie called between gasps. ¡°I¡¯ll have a¡­ Pok¨¦mon help me!¡± ¡°You won¡¯t always have a Pok¨¦mon available.¡± Daniel shook his head. ¡°What if you got lost in the wilderness? Or got attacked and your team got wiped out? Or if you get a flat tire? Expect the best but be prepared for the worst.¡± Valerie didn¡¯t look convinced, but her tiredness prevented her from wasting any more breath. Daniel gave everyone a small bottle of water and watched in amusement as they all greedily drank it. After five minutes, everyone was able to sit down properly and breathe normally. They formed a semicircle and watched him intently. Daniel took out a small projector from his bracer and placed it a couple of meters away from the center. With a mental command, it lit up and displayed a white screen in the air, imitating a whiteboard. ¡°Let¡¯s start from the basics and go up from here.¡± He nodded, ignoring his stunned students. ¡°Team composition.¡± Letters appeared on the whiteboard as if written by an invisible marker. ¡°But¡ªHow¡ªWhat¡ª?¡± Everyone called out in disbelief. ¡°This is secret technology we¡¯re testing in the league. That¡¯s why you all had to sign those NDAs before entering.¡± He ran with a small lie. He had already told the higher-ups his plans, and Iris was on board with his methods¡­ as long as they produced good results. ¡°We¡¯ll talk more about that later; for now, I need volunteers. How do you form a team?¡± The shock was still evident in their faces, but they took a moment to think about his question. ¡°Oh! Sharing a bond with your Pok¨¦mon!¡± Linda exclaimed, lifting her arm in the air. Daniel noticed that Valerie silently rolled her eyes, thinking nobody saw her. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s very important to have a bond with your Pok¨¦mon. Happy Pok¨¦mon are powerful Pok¨¦mon.¡± Daniel nodded with a smile. ¡°Any other ideas?¡± ¡°The strongest Pok¨¦mon you can find,¡± Valerie called with confidence. ¡°That¡¯s one way, yes.¡± Daniel nodded. ¡°But what do you mean by ¡®strongest,¡¯ Valerie?¡± ¡°The most powerful Pok¨¦mon are better.¡± The girl blinked in confusion and tilted her head. ¡°The strongest¡­ that¡¯s a nebulous concept.¡± The whiteboard shifted and divided into two sections. On the right side, there was an image of a Salamence, while a Rattata was on the left. Daniel tapped the photos and looked at his students. ¡°Which one here would win in a fight? A champion-level Salamence or a young Rattata?¡± ¡°The Salamence.¡± Valerie narrowed her eyes as if saying, ¡®Where are you going with this?¡¯ ¡°Not quite,¡± Daniel said with a mirthful smile. ¡°Let me show you an example.¡± The screens merged once more, and the display shifted into a frozen video. With a snap of his fingers, the video unpaused. *** Surrounded by transparent, crystal-like windows, the chamber offered a breathtaking view of Alola¡¯s sky and land, the vibrant scenery stretching out in all directions. At its center stood two circular platforms, the first connected to the second by a pure white flight of stairs. The second platform, elevated above the first, remained sparse, save for a throne-like seat that seemed to await its occupant. Two figures faced each other. One, a teenager, wore a smug expression, his wild white hair tousling around his face as he stood confidently in sandals, black cargo pants, and a white sleeveless shirt. The other figure, more composed and refined, mirrored the casual vibe but with a more deliberate style: an unbuttoned floral shirt, black shorts, and sandals. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°Trainers!¡± A voice called. ¡°Release in 3.¡± ¡°2.¡± ¡°1.¡± ¡°GO!¡± On the teenager¡¯s side, a purple Rattata stood tall with a sense of pride. Its small stature and long whiskers marked it as a young male. A red scarf flapped in the wind as it chittered defiantly, as if ready to challenge the world. Opposite, the man summoned a Salamence, its powerful roar shaking the air with an unmistakable challenge. The dragon¡¯s scales were etched with scars, each one telling a tale of countless battles fought. Its muscles rippled with strength, and a dangerous glint in its eyes revealed the battle-hardened soul of a warrior, honed through years of experience. The teen wasn¡¯t dissuaded by the show of force. A wild and mischievous pink ignited in his eyes as his smirk grew. The man scoffed and shook his head, his eyes similarly ignited in a majestic and overbearing purple. White energy flared in Salamence¡¯s mouth before shooting a hyperbeam in the little rat¡¯s direction. The arena trembled as the pillar of energy decimated everything in its path, carving a deep crater into the soil. The screen briefly went white, overwhelmed by the power. Seconds later, when it finally died down, the same rat was in the middle of a burning gorge in the ground. Its scarf was reduced to ashes before everyone¡¯s eyes as the small Rattata gasped for air. The Pok¨¦mon trembled, struggling to stay upright despite the numerous burns and bruises covering its body. Yet, it didn¡¯t kneel or fall. Its eyes shone with a defiant glint. The white-haired teen, instead of looking distraught or scared, laughed out loud like a cartoon villain. His odd behavior gave the man pause before he widened his eyes in realization. ¡°Endeavor!¡± ¡°RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!¡± The Pok¨¦mon shot like an arrow toward the still-recovering dragon. Before the Salamence could respond or counterattack, a claw glowing in gray Normal energy connected. In any normal encounter, such a small attack would be shrugged off without batting an eye. A mosquito would have been more bothersome to deal with. Before his trainer¡¯s horrified eyes, the Salamence¡¯s energy was sapped away into nothing. Strength left its body in droves, nearly knocking the dragon out in a single moment. The boy waited for this moment, another flash of pink in his eyes was followed by a quick attack from the purple rodent. As the dragon fell unconscious to the ground, the victorious Rattata cried to the heavens in victory. *** ¡°Strength is not everything.¡± Daniel snapped his fingers. The screen turned white and displayed Rattata and Salamence once more. ¡°True, it solves most problems, but you can¡¯t use a hammer to pass a thread through a needle.¡± Again, the students stood in perplexed silence, staring blankly at the whiteboard. ¡°Is that real?!¡± Kiran screamed before sneezing. ¡°Where¡ª¡± Followed by another sneeze. ¡°Where was that?!¡± ¡°That was in Alola,¡± Daniel smirked and nodded. ¡°That¡¯s Arthur McGowan, the one who came up with and named the FEAR Rattata. Does anyone have an idea of what happened?¡± It was a video of his father during his championship run in Alola. However, telling the truth would be complicated. The Alolan league was set to be founded in 2 years and won by Elio, not by a random teenager named Arthur. And he was a bit¡­ embarrassed by his father¡¯s attitude. Over the years, he had mellowed out and begun to act like a proper adult, but while growing up, Daniel sometimes felt like an older brother. ¡°That was Focus Sash¡­¡± Nate murmured. ¡°It broke after that Hyperbeam, then Endeavor¡­ and Quick Attack?¡± ¡°Got it in one.¡± Daniel nodded. ¡°You may be asking yourselves why I showed this to you.¡± The teens nodded. Daniel ignored how¡­ intense Valerie was glaring for some reason. ¡°Team building is not about finding the most powerful Pok¨¦mon and calling it a day. You need to consider a lot of factors. The most important one is: Do you want to specialize, be a generalist, or develop a gimmick?¡± Words appeared on the whiteboard while a black line divided it into three parts. ¡°A specialist dedicates themselves to one type of Pok¨¦mon. It is generally the way to go for those who don¡¯t have that much money or for newer trainers. Their Pok¨¦mon would require mostly the same care and can share a lot of moves. A water specialist only needs to buy 2 kg of kelp and not worry about food, for example. However, if you can¡¯t deal with your type¡¯s inherent weaknesses, you¡¯re toast. Using the water specialist example, if you¡¯re not equipped to deal with grass types, that¡¯s going to be a wall.¡± Under the specialist part of the board, the pros and cons were listed. ¡°Generalists have a harder time, since their team all requires different diets, workout plans, moves¡­ It can be costly if your Pok¨¦mon are exotic, like a Snorlax. The upside is the flexibility you have available. No single type would shut you down if you plan well enough.¡± Same as before, pros and cons were listed under generalist. ¡°Finally¡­ gimmicks.¡± Daniel sighed. ¡°Those require a lot of¡­ courage and a touch of madness to pull off. In the right conditions, you can absolutely dominate everything in your path. But if the right obstacle trips you, your entire strategy crumbles. FEAR Rattata can deal with anyone by surprise, but a single ¡®entry hazard,¡¯ weather effect, or damage deflection can shut it down completely. Be very careful if you want to develop a gimmicky team.¡± And finally, the same happened with the gimmick part, but the letters were red to show emphasis on the cons. ¡°I thought we wouldn¡¯t need to write anything down¡­¡± Amelie murmured, staring straight at the screen without blinking. Daniel blinked in surprise for a couple of seconds and chuckled. ¡°Yeah, bring your own writing instruments from now on. But don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll send the written lessons to your emails after class. Be sure to study!¡± Daniel ignored the complaints about ¡®homework¡¯ and ¡®too much text¡¯ and went on with his lesson. He recounted every type one more time, including general tips on how to care for Pok¨¦mon of those types. Each one was different and required studying to properly understand, but the general strokes were good enough until they decided what they wanted. After a small lunch break, he gave everyone the bracers he made. Everyone was amazed and fiddled with them curiously. Even Valerie couldn¡¯t resist the temptation of pushing and prodding the thing. There was another round of ¡®oohs¡¯ and ¡®aaahs¡¯ when Daniel deployed his full team, sans Kyurem. ¡®no need to give them a heart attack.¡¯ He instructed them to do the same. So, while he taught them how to properly operate and care for the bracers, the small gathering of Pok¨¦mon left for another corner of the training area to train. Daniel wanted the kids to be present when he taught them new moves, but for physical training (and mental training in the case of the psychics), his team was enough. Aftershock ¡°Alright, class!¡± After they all familiarized themselves with their new bracers, Daniel called the teens once more. ¡°Your Pokemon are still in their training, so we will have a free period. I¡¯ll send some documents you can read about your Pokemon and possible strategies you can work on. You can explore, watch your team train, or take a nap.¡± All of them nodded, some more enthusiastically than others. Their general attention was still on their shiny new bracers. Amelia and Kiran fiddled with theirs, trying everything on the touchpad to see what it did. Reece nodded at him and went to see the Pokemon, with Thomas nervously following soon after. Linda fiddled with her Xtransceiver, taking photos of her bracer and fiddling some more. Finally, Valerie huffed before sitting cross-legged to read the documents Daniel sent over. He could tell the girl was not convinced. It was natural; he was sure she had a lot of guidance from her father and grandfather. Their knowledge of Ground, Rock, and Steel Pokemon would be second to none in the whole Unova region, after all. Still, it paled in comparison to what was available in the future. The influence of their IVs and EVs, or their genes and applied training, was still in its early stages. Sure, people roughly knew that stronger Pokemon passed on better genes and moves to their descendants. They were also aware that training needed to be applied to specific areas to improve them. But it would take 80 years or so for the practice to turn into a science with hard numbers. Daniel let the girl be for now; he already had something in mind for her soon. He hoped it would smooth over some of her rough edges. He nodded and looked at Nate, who was fiddling with his bracer too. ¡°Let¡¯s go, we need to start your intensive training,¡± Daniel motioned with his head and began walking away. ¡°Yes!¡± Nate nodded enthusiastically and followed Daniel. Valerie followed them with her eyes until they disappeared. ¡°Alright, I know that you¡¯re far above what we were discussing in the morning,¡± Daniel said before sitting down. Nate smiled wryly and nodded before sitting down in front of him. They were currently on the edge of the grassland, near the ¡®desert¡¯ area. Faint Pokemon cries could be heard nearby, where his team drilled with the others. It wasn¡¯t anything specific for the time being; he wanted to get a good grip on their physical and spiritual limitations before designing routines for them. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I expected that.¡± His eyes flared pink for a split second. ¡°Still, we¡¯ll be sharing some good information you can use for the future. The road to the championship is a long one, and you need to consider a lot of things. Your future teammates first and foremost.¡± ¡°Understood!¡± Nate nodded with a serious expression, but Daniel could tell he also had doubts. ¡°Liii!¡± Elizabeth arrived at that moment, Lucario in tow. Daniel silently praised her with his aura, and she preened under the attention. After petting her head, the small Pokemon returned to the group. The lupine Pokemon looked at him with narrow eyes, calculating. Daniel smirked and returned his attention to Nate. ¡°We¡¯ll be practicing a move called Doppelganger. It was created in Kalos a long time ago by a Fighting specialist with a Lucario as his ace.¡± R2 displayed the screen on top of his bracer once more to show the teen the video. *** A Lucario stood in front of a standing punching bag in the middle of a white room. It bowed and took a fighting stance. ¡°Lu!¡± With a resounding cry, the Lucario multiplied into four identical figures, each moving in a different direction: one dashed to the left, one sprinted to the right, one leaped into the air, and the last surged forward. A wave of intense orange Fighting energy surged through them, each arriving at the post in perfect synchrony to unleash a series of devastating strikes. Their coordination was flawless. After each punch, kick, or backhand, they swiftly stepped back, guiding the bag into position for the next devastating move. But with each successive strike, their forms grew fainter, shimmering like mirages in the desert heat. With a final, earth-shaking uppercut, they sent the post soaring into the air, and their forms merged back into one. ¡°Cario!¡± The Lucario roared as it leaped toward the battered bag, its fist ablaze with orange flames. When the punch connected, four additional ethereal paws materialized in midair, each striking a different part of the bag with overwhelming power. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. As the Pokemon gracefully landed, the bag disintegrated, spilling its contents onto the white floor. *** ¡°What you saw were Doppelganger and its predecessor, Aftershock. The master behind it used the theory behind Double Team and applied Fighting energy to the mix.¡± Daniel softly smirked, seeing Nate and Lucario¡¯s star-struck eyes. He wasn¡¯t lying to the boy; the move was 132 years old by the time Daniel time-traveled. He remembered teaching it to his Gardellade when he was on his World circuit run. ¡®Those sleepless nights are a time to remember¡­¡¯ ¡°Let¡¯s start with Aftershock.¡± Daniel clapped his hands, breaking the ¡®spell¡¯ on the teen and Pokemon. ¡°Sit here, Lucario.¡± The Pokemon looked unsure for a moment, eyeing its trainer. Nate smiled and nodded, patting the grass in front of Daniel. With a small sigh and a resolute expression, Lucario sat down facing the Fairy trainer. Daniel closed his eyes, channeling his aura. Slowly and carefully, he extended it toward Lucario. The Pokemon flinched, seeing that, its eyes gleaming with cyan energy. [I don¡¯t want to hurt either of you. I merely wish to impart knowledge. May I?] Daniel sent the message with his aura, along with feelings of safety, wisdom, and friendliness. Lucario slowly relaxed, muting the glow in its eyes until they were a dull orange. With a nod, the Pokemon answered. [Very well.] Daniel wasn¡¯t surprised by the clarity of the answer. Lucario was a species connected deeper than most to aura. There was a reason the first practitioners usually had one in their roster. Even if they were not professionally trained, the tips they gave were often enough for a rudimentary use of aura. Of course, time passed, and the use of aura became more and more prevalent. At some point during the Unification Wars, it stopped being a mystical thing. It became just another strength that trainers needed to master to properly fight off their opponents. The need to quickly convey orders, prevent enemies from hearing their plans, the proliferation of Mega Stones and Z Crystals¡­ It was do or die. An unintended funny side effect was that every ¡®villainous team¡¯ that popped up in the future never mistreated their Pokemon. It was scientifically proven that happy Pokemon were stronger Pokemon. That, and not having a strong enough bond with their teams would put them at a disadvantage against League forces. Daniel stopped musing when he felt a mental nudge. Lucario was staring back at him, a mix of anticipation and puzzlement over his silence. With a soft chuckle, he began teaching the Pokemon. ¡°Aftershock is an easy concept. It¡¯s teaching your energy to have a mind of its own,¡± Daniel said. Speaking over pure aura training would be slower, but he had a pupil to teach. ¡°Yes, fully controlling it is possible and even efficient, but it¡¯s very mentally taxing. This is a workaround that leaves enough mental power to use the move in a fight. Copy me for now.¡± He concentrated his aura on his fist, producing a bright pink silhouette around it. Nate gave him an expression that said he wanted to ask a thousand questions, but Daniel was thankful the boy kept them for now. Lucario nodded and concentrated a cyan aura on top of his paw. ¡°Nono, we¡¯re not using pure aura for now. Try to use only Fighting aura.¡± ¡°Lu!¡± The light dimmed and shrank until only orange remained. With a nod, Daniel continued. ¡°Now, this is the tricky part. Concentrate and will your energy to separate from your paw. Don¡¯t control it, order it.¡± One of the benefits of Fairy aura was the ability to mask intent and emotions. It was easy to replicate several moves on a small scale just by willing his aura in different ways. However, it was only a mask. He would never have the durability of Steel, or the quickness of Electric, or the craftiness of Dark. He could already tell Lucario was having difficulties with the concept. The energy sat inert in its paws while the Pokemon furrowed its brows in concentration. It was natural¡ªthere were only a handful of moves that fully took advantage of that skill. ¡°Any questions for now, Nate?¡± He smiled and glanced at the teen. ¡°How are you doing that?!¡± The boy tried to refrain from shouting, but his surprise still bled into his words. ¡°Aura.¡± Daniel swirled the energy in his hands until it formed a tiny Vivillon. The pinkish ¡®creature¡¯ flapped its wings and flew around his hand before merging back into it. ¡°It¡¯s something that I¡¯m going to teach everyone in due time.¡± ¡°Awesome!¡± Nate¡¯s eyes illuminated even more. ¡°Yeah, pretty awesome.¡± Daniel smiled, letting the flow back into his body without noticing deep purple spots forming around the edges. ¡°Anything else?¡± His question was interrupted by Lucario managing to separate the energy from his paw. The sphere of raw Fighting energy bubbled and squirmed in the air while the Pokemon visibly struggled to maintain it. After a couple of seconds, it dissipated with a popping sound. ¡°Heh, we have a genius in our midst, eh?¡± He said with a fake posh accent and a smile, covering the shock he was feeling inside. ¡°Now, let¡¯s give it proper instructions!¡± For the rest of the afternoon, he taught the duo how to properly execute Aftershock. Lucario had a hard time at the start, only managing to produce small blobs of energy that loosely followed his strikes. By the end of the day, however, he could already summon a single paw. Accuracy left to be desired; the move wouldn¡¯t even shoot in the same direction on his worst attempts, but his growth rate was monstrous. Daniel was more than 100% sure there were better specimens in the future. They had much better genes, better training, and even better trainers. Yet, few of them came close to the speed Lucario was getting the hang of Aftershock. It terrified him a little if he was honest with himself. ¡®Guess the hero thing wasn¡¯t just a fancy title¡­¡¯ The rest of the class eventually gathered to watch as Lucario struggled with the move after his team finished their exercises. Following Casper''s report, all the Pokemon were properly exhausted and tested. Some minor details would need to be discussed later, but nothing alarming was found. Amelia would occasionally taunt Nate, which often led to bickering matches with Kiran. Thankfully, the other teenagers listened attentively each time he made corrections. The only one who worried him was Valerie and her¡­ intense gaze. It wasn¡¯t hostile or, Arceus forbid, romantic. But there was a lot to unpack from the emotions he was reading from the girl. ''Guess it''s time to grab the Bouffalant by the horns...'' Coffee Daniel stretched his joints after wrapping up their first day of training. The teens were in high spirits, their energy still buzzing from the excitement of the first class. Most of them looked eager for the next session, except for Kiran, who occasionally coughed like he might lose his lungs, and Valerie, who remained unusually quiet. As it came time to say goodbye, the clock still read 4 p.m. ¡°Good job everyone!¡± Daniel smiled at the boys and girls. ¡°I¡¯ll send the full curriculum of our classes by tonight and some reading material. I won¡¯t be doing exams or sending you homework, but I recommend you read them." ¡°Yes!¡± They answered with varying degrees of enthusiasm. ¡°See you all at the same time tomorrow.¡± He waved at them with a smile. One by one, each left the training facility and went either to the hotel or the compound. When it was Valerie¡¯s turn, Daniel put his hand on her shoulder. ¡°Valerie, please stay for a moment, we need to talk.¡± When everyone had finally left, Daniel gestured for Valerie to follow and began walking away. They moved in silence for a few minutes, each lost in their minds. Daniel carefully considered how best to approach the situation, while Valerie thought about the training. Suddenly, a familiar aroma, reminiscent of home, grabbed Daniel¡¯s attention, almost making him slip in his steps. It was coming from a small pastry shop called ''Patisserie Royale''. There were signs outside with names that sounded Kalosian, like macarons, ¨¦claires, pain au Chocolat, and even Poke puffs. ¡°Do you want to eat something?¡± Daniel asked, cooling down the surge of emotions he felt. ¡°Yes.¡± She nodded at him and both entered the shop. The inside was much warmer than the outside. It shared similar artistic choices to other businesses around: white backgrounds with pink decorations, but the warm scent of freshly baked goods lingered in the air. Behind the polished counters, an array of golden croissants, delicate macarons, and intricate tarts were displayed like little works of art. The quiet, soothing atmosphere wrapped around him, and for a moment, he could almost hear the distant hum of his time in Kalos. The cold mornings spent with a cup of coffee and Poke Puffs, Aunt Genevieve¡¯s pastries after a long day, and the memory of his first kiss with Jeanne. A wave of nostalgia hit him, but he quickly circulated his Fairy aura to its limits, keeping his strong emotions at bay. Looking around, he saw no other patron around, just a lady behind the register. She appeared to be around his age, her subtle wrinkles betraying a few years of experience. Metallic blond hair was tied in a neat ponytail, and freckles dotted her face, especially on her cheeks. Round glasses perched on her nose, reflecting a gleam from her deep blue eyes. Her uniform was a white chef''s coat with pink edges, a black apron, and a small pin of a Whimsicott wearing a berry crown. ¡°Welcome!¡± She exclaimed with a radiant smile and a thick Kalosian accent. ¡°I¡¯ll give you the menu in a moment sir!¡± He nodded back at her with a smile and made his way to a table near the back of the store. Valerie silently followed, settling into the seat across from him. They stared at each other for a moment, Daniel feeling a brief wave of uncertainty about how to break the silence. Before he could gather his thoughts, the worker arrived, placing the menu between them with a soft smile. As he glanced at the menu, another wave of nostalgia washed over him. It was comforting to know he''d be enjoying a piece of home in this timeline. His Pokeballs hummed faintly, the subtle vibrations signaling that his team was sharing his sentiment. ¡®Yeah, I¡¯ll buy some for you guys too.¡¯ He silently answered, using his aura to placate them. "A cup of coffee, no sugar. And 2 ¨¦clairs, please. One matcha and one dark chocolate.¡± "Sure thing! What will the miss have?" The woman nodded, quickly noting down his order. ¡°Same as him.¡± She nodded at her. ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a bit!¡± The older woman nodded and went back behind the counter. "So.¡± Daniel crossed his fingers and tilted his head. ¡°Anything you wanted to share?¡± ¡°I thought you wanted to speak to me?¡± Valerie arched her brow and tilted her head in the same direction. ¡°In a sense.¡± He nodded. ¡°I noticed you were not exactly¡­ thrilled about our arrangements for the training.¡± He stopped when he heard the soft clink of porcelain. The woman returned with their orders, setting down two cups of coffee and a small plate with two ¨¦clairs. Each pastry, about 10 centimeters long, was covered in a glistening glaze. Daniel took a moment to savor the bitterness of the coffee, letting it linger on his tongue before taking a bite of the ¨¦clair. The buttery, crunchy choux pastry gave way to the sweet, creamy filling, topped with a subtle bitterness from the matcha on top. The flavors blended so perfectly that it was almost enough to bring a tear to his eye. "Reminded me of my time in Kalos¡± He nodded at the woman with a smile. "Thank you, miss¡­¡± "My name is Anna. Nice to meet you!" She nodded enthusiastically. ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that Mister!¡± He glanced at his companion briefly and smirked in amusement. The girl had a surprised expression as she gently chewed on her chocolate ¨¦clair. When she noticed he was looking at her, she composed herself and bowed to Anna. ¡°They¡¯re very delicious.¡± ¡°Awww, thank you, little miss!¡± She bowed once more, a graceful motion, and took a step back. ¡°If you need anything else, just call! We have free coffee refills!¡± With that, she turned and returned to the counter, leaving the two of them in silence once more. ¡°Well¡­¡± Valerie ventured before taking a sip of her coffee. ¡°I¡¯m not convinced about you, Mr Joy.¡± The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Why would that be?¡± ¡°You¡¯re an unknown.¡± She narrowed her eyes once more. He subtly felt she gained a small edge to her, but not quite like Steel aura users¡­ for now. ¡°There¡¯s nothing on you on Battlenet, the League¡¯s database, or any paper trail of your existence. You just¡­ popped out of Arceus knows where. And the documents you passed have information that I never read anywhere else.¡± The girl briefly glanced around, finding some comfort in the cameras that were recording them. ¡°Well.¡± Daniel was stunned for a moment but recovered quickly. ¡°The League knows who I am. Clay recommended you for this course, didn¡¯t he?¡± He shrugged and took another sip of his coffee. ¡°I know.¡± She furrowed her brows and stared at her cup. ¡°And don¡¯t forget that I traveled to other regions.¡± He put his cup down, making a clinking noise. ¡°How else can you explain my Pokemon?¡± ¡°I know.¡± She softly groaned. ¡°But logic would be you¡¯d be under surveillance, or working directly for the league, not teaching classes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m aware.¡± Daniel conceded. ¡°But consider this. The league, and champion Iris, know as much as you do, yet they trusted me with children. Which means¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re already being watched.¡± ¡°Bingo.¡± He softly smirked and ate the rest of his matcha ¨¦clair. ¡°Your job is getting stronger and mine is helping you with that, let¡¯s stick to that for now.¡± The girl furrowed her brows again and stared back at him with an intense gaze. ¡°I¡¯ll be watching you. Teacher.¡± She huffed. ¡°Warms my heart to know my students pay attention in class.¡± He lifted his cup with a smirk. ¡°By the way. I¡¯m not too happy with your behavior so far, care to explain?¡± The girl narrowed her eyes again. ¡°I¡¯m not saying you should be like Linda or Amelia or that you need to be their best friend.¡± He waved his hand dismissively. ¡°You¡¯re your person, with your dreams and goals. Just¡­ please try to be a little more friendly to them. They¡¯re their people too, with their potential to be great. I know you wouldn¡¯t appreciate someone belittling your goal of surpassing Leader Clay, eh?¡± After a small stare down, the girl relented with a soft sigh. ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°Wonderful!¡± The rest of their small reunion passed in comfortable silence. Daniel was relieved to see the girl seemed more at ease now, no longer as tense as before. She quietly read on her Xtransceiver, absorbed in whatever she was following. After finishing his last ¨¦clair, Daniel slipped on his glasses, ready to catch up with the news. His device hummed softly as R2 dutifully entered, the screen flashing with bursts of orange and blue as the information loaded. ¡®Would you look at that¡­¡¯ *** Boldness or naivete? Shocking declarations from the Galarian League! The new Galarian Champion, Leon Auer, has shocked the world with his first acts after assuming the prestigious position. At a press conference in Wyndon, the young star declared: "I want to cultivate a strong international community! To gather people around the world who enjoy this great sport and deepen our connections between trainers and Pok¨¦mon! My responsibilities prevent me from touring the world, but I want to take that first step myself! Show that I''m serious! I''ll be visiting the grand region of Unova in the hopes of making that dream a reality!" The Unovan Pok¨¦mon League has confirmed that the two young Champions will meet, though they have yet to specify the exact date. However, sources suggest the meeting will take place during the opening of the Vertress conference! *** Aftermath of Plasma! Following the defeat of Team Plasma, Unova is still healing from the scars left by their actions. The recent attacks on Opelucid City and Victory Road could have led to disaster, were it not for the timely intervention of the Pok¨¦mon League. Sources from the League confirm that the flying boat used in the attack on Opelucid was not part of the planned production for the movie being filmed at the time. Thankfully, Pok¨¦star Studios stepped in, using their props to help mitigate the worst of the assault and protect the citizens. Ex-Leader Brycen, alongside Leaders Clay and Drayden, is working tirelessly to repair the damage caused by the attack. Together, they are focused on restoring peace and finally putting this grim chapter behind them. *** He almost choked on his coffee reading the last one. He was aware that the League dealt with the potential backlash with a¡­ creative solution, but seeing it work was another thing. He too had to thank Pokestar Studios for taking a bullet punch for him. When he lifted his gaze, he noticed Valerie was paying for both their orders with Anna. Daniel huffed good-naturedly, shook his head, and joined her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I paid for everything.¡± Valerie shook her head. ¡°Thank you, Valerie.¡± Daniel nodded at her and smirked. ¡°But don¡¯t think good grades can be bought with ¨¦clair.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be the very best with my efforts. No need for shortcuts.¡± She rolled her eyes and went to the door. ¡°See you tomorrow, teacher.¡± "Take care!" Daniel waved back at her as she disappeared into the snowy streets. When he turned back to the counter to order extra pastries for his team, he paused. Anna was looking at him nervously. "Do you¡­" Anna bit her lip. "Are you from Kalos?" "My family, yes. Why?" He tilted his head and crossed his arms. "Really?!" she exclaimed, stars shining inside her eyes. "I''m from Coumarine City!" "Well, nice to meet you, fellow Kalosian.¡± He said with a smile. ¡°My name is Daniel. I have some family in Lumiose and Santalune." ¡®Technically New Lumiose and New Santasol, but close enough.¡¯ They exchanged stories and chatted about beautiful sights in Kalos. Daniel had to ''sanitize'' his, omitting details and changing some names. R2 and Donald were invaluable in pulling information on the fly to keep up with her topics. Anna was an immigrant who had arrived in Unova at the age of 17, running away from home in search of something bigger, a dream of striking it big in another region. It had been a moderate success, thankfully. While her food and coffee were more expensive than the competition, their novelty and the "high class" feeling they offered helped her carve out a niche. She couldn''t quite compete with the established giants in Unova, but it was enough to keep her going and make her small business a quiet success. It was hard for her to learn Unovan by herself in the beginning. She had some skills because of the Galarian classes everyone had in their schools, but it wasn''t enough. Even during her stories, he noticed her switching back to Kalosian unconsciously. "Oh! Let me!" She suddenly disappeared behind the counter, leaving Daniel puzzled. When she returned, she carried Pain au Chocolats and a couple of ¨¦claires. "Sorry, I can''t-" "Non! This is a gift!" She said with a smile. "It''s been a while since I last spoke with someone from back home! There are some extras for your team, too. You¡¯re a trainer, yes?" "Yes¡­ Thanks for the gesture, but I can pay for them.¡± ¡°Non means no, Mr. Daniel!¡± She said with faux anger. ¡°Alright, Miss Anna.¡± He lifted his hands in defeat. ¡°You win this round.¡± A bite of the bread was enough to blast him back home. Warm, buttery, flaky, filled with the sweetness of chocolate. The image of his aunt making some for both him and Aidan every other week. The small fights broke between the two when one of them had ''the bigger one.'' Ruining their first batches when they started to learn. "Tastes like home," Daniel said, wiping a small tear that threatened to escape his eye. "Sounds a bit corny, but my compliments to the chef." "Thank you! I made them myself." Her smile illuminated even more after that. "I''ve been doing them since I was young!" ¡°And it shows.¡± After Anna packed the rest of the pastries for his team, Daniel left the store with a smile, already planning to come back in the future when he had more money to buy more treats. Anna, much like her pastries, was sweet and full of energy for a 41-year-old. More than that, it was refreshing to have friends who were unrelated to his mess. With a clear mind and lighter steps, he made his way home. It was time to prepare for his next lessons.