ã€ŠPok&#xE9;mon: Source (Pokemon Time Travel Fix-It)ã€‹


 ACT 1 [RESUMPTION] - First Turn of the Clock

    Mount Silver, August 29th, 2007

    Three Years After the Formation of the Source Storm

    ¡° VOLT TACKLE, NOW!¡±

    Ash weaved through the cascading stone as Pikachu rammed like a speeding train into the mutated Tyranitar. Without another second of breath, he rolled away from the streaks of dark vapour emanating from the neighbouring beast, barely paying any mind as Charizard intercepted it with a devastating Dragon Rush .

    In the corner of his eye, he saw several duplicates of Greninja fending off against a horde of rapid Weavile and Sneasel. Upon seeing one of the injured Sneasel break off to Slash at Charizard, Ash intercepted it with a bastardised Aura Sphere - a technique given to him by his late Lucario - which didn¡¯t do much to injure the creature, but served as ample distraction for Charizard to stomp on it.

    Ash reached the edge of the chamber, clamouring up the steps as Pikachu cleaved through an incoming Stone Edge with Iron Tail , before following it up with a Thunder Punch to the beast¡¯s jaw, causing it to cry out in agony, twitching as its nervous system began to succumb to paralysis.

    Pikachu turned and burrowed into the ground, Digging towards the other Tryanitar, who was engaged in a wrestle against Charizard. Upon sensing the encroaching mouse, Charizard pushed away with a blast of fire, startling the raging monster before a yellow blur slammed into it from beneath. It fell onto the ground, and before it could recover, Charizard slammed into it with a brutal Skull Bash , echoing a resounding crunch as the beast¡¯s skull shattered.

    The two pok ¨¦ mon turned toward the horde facing off against Greninja when they heard a whistle from the other side of the chamber. Charizard picked up Pikachu and flew back over to Ash.

    Upon dropping Pikachu onto the ground, Charizard began to break apart the stone by the exit of the chamber with his tail. Within moments, the stone ceiling above them began to crumble as pebbles and rock dropped down.

    Ash called Greninja to retreat, who did so after sending one more Water Shuriken into the remnants of Weavile. The four of them fled from the chamber as the ceiling finally gave way, smothering the chamber in a dark tomb.

    The four ran through the claustrophobic tunnel - Charizard¡¯s size making it considerably more difficult - before the sounds of screaming winds signalled that the end of the cave was near.

    Ash signalled for his friends to stop before slumping against the wall, sweating profusely despite the cold. There had always been cautionary tales of Mount Silver. The locals kept a strict reign on who was allowed to even begin the trek, as some of the strongest species of pok ¨¦ mon called the place home, the cave systems were prone to collapse, and the upper half of the mountain was caught in a perpetual hailstorm.

    At least, that was before the Source Storm.

    With the Source Storm practically sitting on top of the mountain, its sheer chaotic energy warped the cave systems to shift together and split apart, mashing together in a mockery of the senses. Trails that previously led to the summit twisted deeper into the mountain. Caves linked together in such a way that even the best navigator would be hard pressed not to get lost. In a similar way, the pok ¨¦ mon that called the mountain home were twisted beyond recognition; forcibly evolved into beasts that never should have left Arceus¡¯ shadow.

    Yet, these paled in comparison to the Source Storm itself. The pulsating hurricane of evolutionary power radiated across the world, leaving nothing untouched. Wherever the Storm moved, a wasteland followed. Entire cities were torn apart overnight by the might of the supernatural disaster. The Storm was so thick in Source Energy that Ash could see the streams of the various type energies contained within.

    This all added together to make Ash¡¯s trek up the mountain one of the most difficult experiences he had ever undertaken.

    The fact that it only scraped into the top five was somewhat depressing .

    Over the past two days, he and his pok ¨¦ mon were on constant alert as rabid hordes of the mutated beasts ambushed them. Ash thanked Arceus, Mew, and whoever else he could that he still had his three friends by his side - he would have died long ago without them.

    Looking at them now, Ash could see the beginning signs of exhaustion taking effect. The four of them barely received any substantial sleep in the past few days, as they constantly had to fight against other pok ¨¦ mon, or against the mountain itself.

    Pushing himself off of the wall, Ash procured a set of potions from his backpack - stitched together and torn in many places - and began to spray the medicine on the places where the bruising was the worst.

    Charizard rumbled in contentment as Ash applied the potion on his injuries, puffs of blue and orange embers erupting from its nostrils. His scales - now dark red rather than orange - were sturdier, yet the years of conflict had taken a toll.

    As the beast let out his equivalent of a sigh, Ash ran a soothing hand down his back. ¡°Just a little bit longer, old friend,¡± He whispered, though the other two could hear it as well.

    After Charizard was fully healed, he moved onto Greninja, who was arranging an assortment of knives and other items to aid in the upcoming fight. He perked up slightly as Ash healed him, but remained focused in his preparations. He gave a grunt of thanks as Ash moved onto Pikachu.

    The little mouse let out a happy cry, nuzzling Ash as he used the last of their remaining potions to heal his best friend. Pikachu presented his neck for Ash to heal a near fatal cut, revealing the small necklace he wore containing both a light ball and an everstone. Out of the three pok ¨¦ mon, Pikachu had sustained perhaps the most damage over the last few years, bearing numerous scars across his back and chest. One particularly grievous injury that occurred two years before resulted in a significant portion of Pikachu¡¯s tail being torn off.

    Ash still had nightmares of that day, the Chariot¡¯s laughter echoing in his skull.

    However, much to Ash¡¯s amazement, Pikachu actually seemed proud of his injuries, seeing them as hallmarks of his victories against pok ¨¦ mon that, by all rights, a Pikachu had no business fighting against.

    There was also the fact that it resulted in Pikachu¡¯s Iron Tail gaining a serrated edge, which Pikachu thought was wicked.

    Ash emptied the final potion, and as he leaned up, Pikachu gave him a quick lick on his cheek. Ash smiled fondly as Pikachu grinned back, cheerful despite the fact that the four of them were walking into what would likely be their final battle.

    All the same, Ash knew they wouldn¡¯t abandon him. Despite the numerous pleas he made for them to run, to survive, they stood with him. Instead of trying to get them to run, Ash had shifted his priority to keeping them alive.

    However, what they were doing now was completely contradictory to this aim. Most of the past three years had been dedicated to running as far away from the Storm as possible. Now, though, with the recent passing of Lucario after fighting a mutated Moltres, Ash and his remaining partners began proceeding closer to the Storm.

    To end it.

    It was both a matter of opportunity and desperation. Ash had finally excavated the final item he needed from one of the last remaining bases built by Team Source.

    Apparently, they thought building a lab underneath the Lake of Rage, where the electric circuits were susceptible to water, was a bright idea.

    Shortly after, the Storm moved from New Island to the summit of Mount Silver, as if it knew that Ash was planning on braving it, and welcomed him to try.

    Indeed, Ash had tried. He and his friends had tried the mountain and had bested its dangers. They were now reaching the summit - the eye of the storm - and each of them knew, even though they didn¡¯t speak it, that they would likely never step foot off of the mountain after this encounter.

    However, their goal was no longer survival, for it couldn¡¯t truly be called living if one¡¯s existence was devoted to running. No, they were here to put an end to the storm, to the carnage, to the destruction that had laid waste to the world, so that, if nothing else, those who remained would have the chance to rebuild their lives.

    They reached the mouth of the cave, and were immediately blasted with waves of esoteric energy. Ash activated a gauntlet-like device that projected a dark shield to repel the Source Waves. It was one of the last inventions made by the scientists hiding underground in the uncontaminated bunkers, which Ash happily took when he excavated their remains.

    The four stepped into the Storm, shakily advancing towards the pulsating cyclone that held the Conduit. Trampling through the glowing blue snow, Ash reached the edge of the cyclone just as the shield was beginning to sputter and die by the raw power smashing against it.

    Reaching into his pocket, Ash took out the item he retrieved from beneath the Lake of Rage: a small metal ball with six holes on each side. Ash tossed the ball into the air, waiting with bated breath as the ball fell a little before stopping midair. Then, with a speed that rivalled Pikachu¡¯s, the metal ball began to spin.

    Ash¡¯s shield gave its final breath and dissipated, its dark energy being sucked into the growing black hole radiating from the metal ball. However, instead of tearing them apart inside and out, the Storm, too, began to be absorbed by the black hole.

    The metal ball then floated forward until it reached the edge of the cyclone. Immediately, the ball began to shake violently as the raging winds were sucked in, dissipating them enough that Ash could see flashes of what lay at the other side.

    Finally, the ball stopped shaking, and the tendrils of distortion energy retreated back within the metal husk. The ball remained still as the edge of the cyclone began to pick up speed, until, in a flash of blinding light, the ball shattered, erupting two spires of pure void two metres apart, halting the storm in its tracks.

    Between the two dark spires, the remnant Source Energy spittled and faded into mist, revealing the centre of the storm. Stepping through the entrance, Ash and his partners gazed within the eye of the storm.

    Hovering in still motion were several boulders, some of multiple colours. Chunks of ice mixed amongst the rock, spiralling in a lazy swirl toward the cocoon hovering in the centre of the eye.

    The cocoon was a crystalized matrix of psychic and dark energy, pulsating with white veins as the being within stared out with a baleful gaze, daring the intruders to make the first move.

    Despite this, Ash was amazed at the serenity that lay at the eye of the storm. Compared to everything they had experienced over the last few years, this could almost be called¡­ peaceful .

    He knew it would not last.

    As if awakened by the Conduit¡¯s gaze, the storm outside began to howl against the spires of void, slamming against them with increased fervour. As the spires weakened, Ash saw the being within the cocoon begin to move.

    It was time.

    Looking at his gauntlet-free wrist, Ash eyed the metal wristband he wore containing three stones synthesised in a lab. They bore designs similar to naturally occurring mega stones, though they tapped into something far more powerful, far more primal , than mega stones ever could.

    They tapped into the Source of mega evolution. The Source of Evolution itself.

    They called it Source Energy.

    How unoriginal.

    Twisting the stones within his wristband, Ash released the block placed into his partners to prevent the activation of Source Energy. Immediately, the high concentration of it in the air caused his partners to double over as they began to rapidly transform before his eyes.

    His heart went out to them, desperate to place the block back on them to prevent the pain that came with forced evolution. However, he knew they would protest such a thing. They would have to be their strongest for the upcoming battle.

    Greninja recovered first, reforming from the incandescent light into a sharper, more aqueous form. He was still recognizable, though his body seemed to exist in a state between solid and liquid. Additionally, the water circulating around his body glowed in a dark aura. The ninja pok ¨¦ mon revealed two water shurikens infused with dark energy.

    A rumbling earthquake erupted as Charizard stepped forward, his wings of pure blue flame enveloping him in an infernal halo. His scales now crisscrossed in a rougher pattern, shades of blue, black, and magenta clashed together in random tandem. His tail flame expanded to envelop his entire tail, covering it with streaks of red and blue fire.

    Finally, Ash¡¯s hair began to stick up as passive waves of electricity began to emanate from Pikachu - or rather from the general direction of Pikachu. Instead of a singular being, Pikachu existed as more of a haze, moving so quickly that there was a permanent afterimage that made it practically impossible to pinpoint exactly where he stood at a given time. As such, Ash wasn¡¯t actually sure how Pikachu physically changed, given that all he could see was a blur. However, based on his understanding of Pikachu¡¯s recounting of evolving into this state, he actually became smaller , making him even more difficult to hit. It also came with the added benefit of his attacks doing far more damage, with a greater force impacting a smaller area.

    If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    As the storm around them began to pick up even greater speed, Ash activated the harness on his chest. Across his body, a pale blue light shimmered into existence, revealing an artificially crafted suit of aura that would defend him from all but a front-on assault.

    Finally, the world seemed to halt as the cocoon cracked open. The being within gripped the cracks, charging it with psychic energy, shattering the remains of the shell. Glowing red eyes shined with malice as the bipedal pok ¨¦ mon floated higher into the air, tendrils of darkness and light spiralling around its balled feet. From its dark purple skin, wisps of fire seemed to leak into the air, falling as glowing lights of growing and regrowing limbs sprouted from the creature and peeled away in a terrible cycle.

    Continuously evolving.

    The creature turned its gaze upon Ash, once an enemy, once a friend, now a monster. What was once Mewtwo, Ash hesitated to name it the same. All of Mewtwo¡¯s mental faculties were wiped away by the constant surge of Source Energy. In their attempt to create a conduit for infinite energy, Team Source created a conduit for something else entirely.

    Pain.

    The Conduit roared , erupting a hellish wave of destruction towards its enemies.

    Without prompting, Charizard slammed his wings together, pushing outwards a massive Heatwave to counteract it. Pikachu¡¯s haze became nothing less than a blur as a whirlwind of electricity began to envelop the battlefield.

    The Conduit paused, as if reconsidering its approach, before placing its hands together, balled fingers touching before they twisted .

    Ash stumbled as the earth around them began to shift. The stone of the ground crushed together as it began to spiral in a whirlpool of mud, hail, and bone. Ash began to hop between the waves of gravel, using small bursts of aura to aid himself, before the Conduit merely lifted a finger, causing the ground to erupt.

    In a cataclysmic explosion, chunks of rock blasted away from the ground as Fissures tore through the landscape. Greninja - who had been blasted away by the Conduit when he tried to rush it - hoisted Ash onto his shoulder before leaping from stone to stone, avoiding the burst of magma erupting from the ground.

    After depositing Ash onto one of the floating rocks, Greninja once more jumped back into the fight, leaping from stone to stone as shadowed duplicates began to multiply from his aqueous form.

    Amidst the din of roars and explosions, Ash placed a small contraption on the rock. After three metal claws dug into the stone, a bubble shield derived from Source Energy emerged around him, protecting him from becoming collateral.

    Immediately afterwards, a force smashed into the rock, pushing it several metres across the air. Charizard seemed slightly dazed, yet he remained defiant as the light from his tail began to spread across his body, the flames healing the scratches and bruises the beast had across his body. The flames then coalesced into his mouth, before erupting in a condensed Blast Burn of blue fire.

    Charizard took back to the skies before spreading his wings out, flapping them in a discordant rhythm. Harsh wisps of draconic energy began to spread into the air as the beast performed the final bout of his Dragon Dance before speeding towards the Conduit in Outrage .

    The monster was preoccupied fending off against numerous shades and copies of Pikachu and Greninja when Charizard slammed into it, slashing at its chest with Shadow Claw . The being grunted in pain before blasting Charizard back onto the molten ground.

    As Charizard reoriented from his confusion, Greninja intercepted a volley of Shadow Balls with Water Shurikens . The Conduit shifted focus and sped towards the ninja pok ¨¦ mon with surprising speed, dissipating the dark illusions with a pulse of Source Energy before launching a spear of aura point-blank at the frog.

    Ash watched as Greninja turned into liquid, allowing the aura spear to pass by him with minimal damage. Now that the Conduit was right next to Greninja, Ash called out his first command of the encounter, ¡° LIGHTSLASH!¡±

    In the blink of an eye, Greninja sliced into the pok ¨¦ mon with a sword of pure light - the existence of which was completely contradictory to the frog¡¯s dark typing.

    The Conduit bellowed in pain, droplets of silver blood falling into the molten rock below, before bashing Greninja with Zen Headbutt , knocking him away.

    However, neither Ash nor Greninja would allow the Conduit to recover. Instead they pressed the offensive, moving in sync as innumerable duplicates of shadowed water danced around the tears of energy.

    As the shimmer of the ninja pok ¨¦ mon appeared before the Conduit, it dashed forward, erupting a bout of Thunder from its fingertips, revealing that the shade in front of it was nothing more than an illusion.

    Suddenly, from every angle, duplicates of Greninja bore down on it. In a synchronised motion, Ash and Greninja stabbed into the beast with a volley of Dark Shurikens , causing it to cry out in agony before the very air around it grew heavy in its rage.

    It¡¯s eyes blazed in hateful crimson, and with a small flick of its bloodied wrist, the Conduit blasted away the illusions, leaving both Ash and Greninja to struggle against its psychic hold on them.

    With a deliberate slowness that Ash would have believed to be sadistic if the monster was even capable of such feelings, the Conduit trailed twin streams of electricity before extending both of its hands forward in a massive bout of Thunder that shot Greninja away.

    Ash called out in vain as his link with the frog pok ¨¦ mon shattered, desperately undoing his shield as Greninja rammed against the edge of the storm, The shrapnel spiralling them tearing into his back.

    Just as Ash deactivated the shield, an overwhelming surge of hellfire erupted from below, as Charizard stood tall, absorbing the magma into its tail as it charged a beam of white fire in his mouth that Ash had previously dubbed the Sun Blast .

    The Conduit, which had just healed part of its injuries with Recover , hastily brought forth a Light Screen to defend the blast of the white-hot sun from Charizard¡¯s maw.

    Nonetheless, the heat was so intense that scorch marks were lacerated across the Conduit¡¯s body, flickers of white embers licking the wounds.

    Ash, now sweaty both from hopping rock to rock and the heat from the miniature sun, finally reached Greninja¡¯s prone form at the edge of the storm. Ash placed down the shield just in time for Charizard to halt, before putting forth a constant stream of red and blue fire, mixing it with the winds to create an apocalyptic Fire Storm .

    As the inferno engulfed the Conduit, Charizard flew to the beast in a Dragon Rush , slashing and chomping at it with increasing intensity.

    As this happened, Ash pressed his hands against Greninja¡¯s chest, wisps of violet light trailing his veins as he pushed a Heal Pulse onto Greninja¡¯s still form.

    Ash grit his teeth at the taste of blood in his mouth - his heart hammering against his chest - but he kept the pressure in his hands, forcing some life back into Greninja, commanding him to live.

    He felt a pulse, but it was faint.

    Across the battlefield, Charizard began to waver as several gashes tore into his scales. Still, he remained aggressive, not allowing the beast one moment of rest. Pikachu aided as he could, but he mainly supported Charizard by breaking apart shards of stone aimed towards the flaming dragon.

    However, Charizard¡¯s waning speed caught up with him, as the Conduit pushed him back away enough for it to move its arms in a circular motion, surrounding its body with a dark blue light as black storm clouds began to envelop the sky. Droplets of rain turned into a torrent of water as the Conduit¡¯s Rain Dance took effect.

    Charizard grimaced in discomfort as the rain battered against his wings of flame. Still, he held enough strength to-

    The Conduit¡¯s eyes glowed red, and in a flash it was gone. A moment later, too late for Charizard to comprehend, the monster teleported behind him, before blasting him with a Hydro Cannon .

    Charizard roared in agony as his wings were extinguished, leaving only a small flicker of blue light on his tail as he careened towards the ground of cooled magma. The beast didn¡¯t even stand back up before the Conduit tore into its back, tearing off his wings with a supercharged Psycho Cut .

    Charizard roared in anguish before fainting. At the speed of lightning, the Conduit brought down one final Slash , intent on finishing him off.

    Yet the speed of lightning remained second-best, as a careening bullet of electrical power rammed into the Conduit¡¯s side, blasting it away before it could deliver the finishing blow.

    Before the Conduit could regain its wits, Pikachu¡¯s form seemed to double, triple, quadruple as nearly one hundred afterimages of the electric mouse surrounded it. Before it could truly comprehend what it was seeing, the copies closed in, erupting in a massive shockwave of electricity.

    As Pikachu attacked relentlessly at the battered and bruised Conduit, Ash carried Greninja¡¯s prone form on his back towards the still form of Charizard. He could see just the tiniest flickers of blue flame remaining on the beast¡¯s tail, signalling that, while alive, he was a breath away from meeting Arceus.

    Placing Greninja next to Charizard¡¯s body, Ash once more erected a shield, though a part of him wondered if it was necessary. The battlefield was now a wasteland, steam rising in billows from the cooled magma. The force of the storm outside had begun to wane in the wake of the Conduit¡¯s weakening state.

    His friends had sacrificed themselves to weaken the Conduit, battering it until it was running on fumes. The least he could do for them was to keep them alive and by his side, at least until the Conduit fell.

    Then, and only then, would they rest.

    Looking back to the fight - if it could be called that anymore - Ash witnessed the Conduit getting beaten down mercilessly. In a desperate bid to regain control of the situation, it released a Source Wave; however, the destructive power seemed to do nothing to deter the speeding demon of yellow.

    With a barrage of Volt Tackles , the Conduit was left dazed, only to be slammed into the earth with Pikachu¡¯s Iron Tail , causing a rippling earthquake at the impact.

    It was then that Ash knew to end this. Gathering up his remaining strength, Ash stood up and bellowed out, ¡° CRACK THE SKY! ¡±

    The wind screeched to a halt as the yellow haze of fury stopped its momentum, afterimages blinking behind it as the form of Pikachu appeared surrounded by arcs of white lightning.

    The haze solidified, but only for a moment, as crackling rings of electricity began to surround the mouse, heralding a single flash, before everything turned to light.

    Let there be light.

    The resulting shockwave from the blast of holy lightning left Ash¡¯s ears ringing. Blinking the stars away from his eyes, he turned to see the still form of the Conduit, smoking, ashen, before it buckled in the air, and dropped to the ground below.

    The storm outside began to shake, breaking apart as the last wisps of rage, anger, and pain evaporated from the being in the centre of the battlefield. It¡¯s baleful red eyes locked with Ash¡¯s, the old flickers of crimson hatred beginning to die as shades of tan began to overtake the dying eyes.

    Ash¡¯s legs gave out beneath him, and he slumped against Charizard¡¯s quivering body, ignoring the jagged stones cutting into his skin. He ignored the spike of pain along his leg - it was a familiar feeling - instead watching as rivulets of silver blood tickled his bare skin.

    It seemed that none of them would be walking away from this alive.

    Ash grimaced as a headache began to form behind his eyes, blinking away a sudden dizziness. His eyes focussed to see a small puddle of blood on the ground, cast in a lazy swirl of crimson and silver.

    His own blood.

    And the Conduit¡¯s.

    When he turned his gaze upwards, and locked eyes with the Conduit - or perhaps it was Mewtwo once more - two distinct voices murmured into his mind, ¡°Thank you¡­¡±

    Then, the eyes of mixed red and tan glazed over, and ceased to move.

    Immediately, as if sensing the death of its origin, the Source Storm began to spiral around them in a maddening fury, seemingly intent on destroying them in its final wake.

    The sounds of chimes began to ring in Ash¡¯s ears as an electric blur appeared next to him, before collapsing. Pikachu had reverted back to his base form, spending the remainder of his energy in that final attack. However, despite largely playing support across the battle, Pikachu had suffered a considerable amount of damage. His body was littered with slashes and bruises, several of which were covered in coagulated blood. Ash could see that one of Pikachu¡¯s legs were broken, yet that did nothing to stop Pikachu from limping over to nuzzle next to him as the Storm began to close in.

    The rocks in the sky had long since been torn apart by the winds, shredding them into shards of shrapnel that tore into Ash¡¯s skin. All the same, he felt strangely peaceful. He was here in the midst of his friends. Though he knew they would die, they had bought the world a chance.

    That¡¯s what they would have wanted. All of his friends, both human and pok ¨¦ mon, gave their lives for him to live. He was ready to give his own in return.

    And as the storm closed in on its final crescendo, Ash drifted away to the sounds of chimes-

    ¡°I REFUSE¡±

    Ash blinked awake as he stood in a spiralling void. Fields of stars cascading into supernovas swirled around him.

    ¡°THIS WORLD WAS NEVER MEANT TO BE LOST¡±

    Ash blinked once more, and before stood the world, peaceful, unharmed. Flocks of Pidgey flew overhead as a crowd of different pok ¨¦ mon lived amongst each other in a forest. It was a scene that he hadn¡¯t dared believe he would ever see again.

    ¡°THEY TAPPED INTO A POWER THEY COULD NOT CONTROL¡±

    Ash blinked, and he saw the shadowed forms of scientists crowd around a glass container with multiple tubes pumping in Source Energy into Mewtwo, their fabled Conduit .

    ¡°THE WORLD PAID THE PRICE¡±

    Images far too familiar to Ash flashed across his mind. With every blink was another wasteland, another battlefield, another grave.

    ¡°I REFUSE¡±

    Ash blinked once more, feeling himself tugged to a dimension outside his own.

    Time.

    ¡°MY CHOSEN,¡± Ash stared into the great expanse as the overwhelming presence of the Creator came upon him, ¡°YOU BROUGHT THE END OF THE SCOURGE. NOW, YOU SHALL GO FORTH, AND STRIKE BACK TO THE BEGINNING¡±

    Ash buckled as the sky overhead spiralled, cascades of stars framing a shimmering Veil.

    ¡°BY THE TURN OF THE CLOCK, YOU SHALL KNOW YOUR DESTINY,¡± The manifestation of everything raised its front legs as a blinding light began to overtake Ash, ¡°TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE, MAKE USE OF THIS CHANCE¡±

    Arceus stomped down, and Ash began to fall, cascades of dying stars blazing past him as he descended-

    And slipped past the Veil.

    ¡­

    Mount Silver, August 29th, 1997

    Seven Years Before the Source Storm

    The first thing Ash felt was a bitter cold. Blinking the crust out of his eyes, Ash tried to stand up only to find himself partially buried within the snow. With a groan, Ash kicked apart the mounds of ice and hail, shakily standing up as the frigid winds swirled around him.

    Vague images of stars fleeted across his head as a pounding headache lingered directly behind his eyes.

    Ash stood there, overlooking the edge of the mountain - now surrounded by its usual hailstorm rather than the Source Storm - when he heard an excited cry behind him.

    Ash barely turned around in time to catch an overexcitable Froakie jumping into his arms. The small frog pok ¨¦ mon touched his cheeks with his pads, as if the frog was checking that Ash was real. Ash¡¯s thoughts were in a daze as the small frog chirped in a mixture of relief and confusion when he realised something.

    Wait, is this Greninja?

    ¡°Greninja?¡± Ash asked the small frog, who nodded before croaking a small question. ¡°I¡¯m confused as well,¡± Ash murmured as a second silhouette breached the haze created by the hail.

    Quickly barreling towards Ash was a large Charmander that bore dark red scales - akin to that of a Charmeleon - rather than the usual shade of orange that the species was known for. Even more apparent was the blue flame flickering on his tail, completely distinguishing him from others of his species.

    Charmander stopped next to Ash, barely reaching his shin, before grunting as it leaned against Ash¡¯s leg. Ash smiled as he reached down to pat him on the head, but was startled to see crisscrossing scars across the lizard¡¯s back.

    Realising the source of these injuries, Ash held Froakie out only to see that some of the ¡®bubbles¡¯ he saw on the frog¡¯s body were actually 2nd degree burns from the Thunder attack.

    Before he could worry about this too much, one final shape came into Ash¡¯s view. Ash made a mental note to pick up medical supplies when he could for Chariza¡­ Charmander and Froakie as he walked forwards to greet his oldest friend.

    Except, standing across from him in barely veiled annoyance, stood not the familiar form of Pikachu, but rather the small and, frankly, frail form of Pichu.

    Ash stared, baffled, as Pichu stared back. A moment later, Pichu scowled, running its paws across its small frame before muttering the most venom-filled ¡°Pichu!¡± a member of the species had ever uttered.

 Red Satoshi

    The Caves of Mount Silver, August 29th, 1997

    ¡°No, Pika-... Pichu , I don¡¯t understand it either.¡±

    Ash sighed as Pichu - yes, he was Pichu now - stomped around the floor of the cave in obvious agitation. Considering that the tiny mouse hadn¡¯t been in this form for well over a decade, Ash supposed he could understand why his oldest friend would be so disgruntled.

    To his left, Charmander leaned against Ash, oddly silent as he stared forwards. Meanwhile, to Ash¡¯s right, Froakie was examining a tuft of frubbles in wide-eyed wonder.

    For his own part, Ash remained unchanged. His twenty year old body still carried the same scars that he had when they began trekking up the mountain just a few days prior. After rummaging through his backpack, Ash confirmed that he still had all the gadgets he had picked up from the various outposts left by Team Source.

    That line of thinking brought him back to the present. What was he here for? Ash couldn¡¯t help but get a pounding headache whenever he tried to think about it. Images of stars flying by flashed across his eyes.

    For some reason, as Ash pondered this, two words dug into his mind, burrowing within, and never leaving.

    I Refuse.

    An alien voice, yet one that he found himself joining in. He was a full decade in the past now - how he knew, Ash couldn¡¯t say. He had an opportunity that he would have never thought he would have received.

    A chance to stop the Source Wave from ever beginning in the first place.

    For the past three years, after the world twisted under the overwhelming power of the Source Wave, Ash made it his mission to end the destruction.

    In the end¡­ he did. While a large part of Ash was ecstatic at the chance for his world to rebuild, a small, bitter side of himself born after the string of losses whispered that it was too little too late.

    Before Ash could descend into that spiral, a set of small paws grasped his chin. Looking down, he saw Pichu¡¯s disgruntled visage mixed with a twinge of concern.

    He reached down to pet his head, ignoring his small friend¡¯s growls at Ash¡¯s hand nearly smothering him, ¡°I¡¯m fine, Pikachu. I was just thinking.¡±

    Pichu ignored the name mixup - thought the small smirk indicated that he much preferred his old name - and began tugging at Ash¡¯s shirt, squeaking, ¡°Pichu-chu Pichu Pi!¡±

    Ash chuckled, hoisting Pichu onto his shoulder as he roused Charmander, who had fallen asleep, to stand. Meanwhile, Froakie hopped towards the entrance to the tunnel, checking to see whether the coast was clear.

    Seeing that it was, Froakie hopped back up to Ash, pointing to the cave entrance. Ash grabbed his backpack as he and Charmander followed Froakie down the cavern, Pichu silently cursing Arceus while riding on Ash¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡­

    Professor Oak¡¯s Laboratory, Pallet Town

    Professor Samuel Oak rubbed his hand across his face as Lance rambled in his X-Transceiver about the recent power surge that impacted the Indigo Region, and how legendaries may be involved, and how Team Rocket could possibly have a hand in it too.

    Oak poured himself a cup of tea, nodding his head absentmindedly as Lance theorised. He thanked Alakazam for the refreshment before cutting into the Champion¡¯s worrying, ¡°Do we know where the power surge originated from?¡±

    Lance immediately leaned forward, face set in an intense scowl, ¡°That¡¯s exactly the issue! It was across the whole region!¡±

    Lance leaned back, sighing as he continued, ¡°Agatha was at Lavender Town when it happened, and the entire tower apparently shook. Clair told me the same with Blackthorne. I even have reports from Hoenn of wild pok¨¦mon freaking out over it!¡±

    ¡°Calm,¡± Oak commanded, holding his palm out. Even though he said it softly, Lance heard it and, after a few seconds of heavy breathing, begrudgingly nodded. Oak pulled up emails from the other professors he had been in correspondence with over the past few hours - Arceus, it wasn¡¯t even morning yet - and said to Lance, ¡°I¡¯ve been talking with my colleagues from other regions. They¡¯ve felt it too.¡±

    Lance leaned forward, looking apprehensive, ¡°They did?¡±

    ¡°Oh yes,¡± Oak nodded, putting on his reading glasses as he skimmed through the messages, ¡°They¡¯ve had a few interesting ideas about it. Birch¡¯s sensors apparently picked up energies similar to that of their main two legendaries. Juniper has noted that her pok¨¦mon were rather disturbed by it. Rowan has given a few theories relating to the creation trio - hold on for a moment, Lance, I¡¯m receiving a call.¡±

    He heard Lance grumble a bit as Oak checked who was calling him. When he saw the name, he scowled slightly before accepting the call, ¡° Elm , I presume that-¡±

    ¡°Sam! There¡¯s been a massive wave of energy for the past few hours!¡± Elm¡¯s voice peeked his phone¡¯s speaker, forcing Oak to hold it away, lest his ears bleed, ¡°I don¡¯t know where it came from, but it seems to affect pok¨¦mon - why, some of them evolved! I don¡¯t know if it was out of stress or what, but I wanted to ask if you knew anything about it?¡±

    Oak pinched his brow as his former protege and former adversary rattled off like a psyched-up Rattata. Why he had ever decided to take him as his apprentice, he would never know . It took a considerable effort to keep his condescension to a minimum when he responded, ¡°It was felt across every region, Elm. I¡¯ve known about it.¡±

    There was silence on the other line, before a small voice uttered, ¡°Oh¡­¡± There was audible shuffling of papers on the other end, ¡°W-well, I would still like to pick your brain-¡±

    ¡°Not now, Elm,¡± Oak cut him off, before releasing a minute sigh, ¡°I¡¯m on a call with the Champion. I can schedule a call with you at a later time.¡±

    ¡°A-alright, Sam,¡± Professor Elm chuckled weakly, ¡°I¡¯ll see you then?¡±

    ¡°Mmm hmm,¡± Oak mumbled, unceremoniously ending the call. He wouldn¡¯t normally act so callous, but even after putting aside their geo-political differences years ago, there was just something about Professor Elm that absolutely rankled Oak.

    ¡°Anyways,¡± Oak unmuted himself as he began speaking with Lance once more, ¡°Where was I?¡±

    ¡°You mentioned that one of the professors believed this to be related to the creation trio?¡± Lance murmured lowly, seemingly deep in thought.

    ¡°Yes, though he had no concrete evidence,¡± Oak hummed, shuffling through some notes, ¡°It¡¯s still an interesting thought, but not one I place much stock in.¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Lance began, ¡°What do you think caused this surge?¡±

    Oak sighed, leaning back into his chair, grumbling, ¡°Isn¡¯t that the million dollar question?¡± He straightened, procuring a handwritten paper with hastily scrawled notes, ¡°Luckily, I was in the middle of an experiment when the power surge occurred, so my lab¡¯s sensors were on full alert.¡±

    Lance fidgeted impatiently as Oak paused - a part of him enjoyed messing with the Champion, almost seeing it as a rite of passage after his own tenure in the position . After a moment, Oak continued, ¡°To be quite frank¡­ I don¡¯t know what to make of it. One moment, my sensors are normal; the next moment, they spike to record highs. The moment after that , they¡¯re normal again.¡±

    Lance¡¯s brow furrowed, ¡°I felt it for several minutes, though. Lorelei recorded it as lasting for nine minutes.¡±

    ¡°I did too,¡± Oak confirmed, ¡°Which is why this reading is so peculiar. A potential theory is that what we felt was merely the aftershock of it, but that has a few holes in its logic, so I believe it to be something else.

    ¡°Additionally, my sensors didn¡¯t just pick up one or two type-energies, but rather all of them.¡±

    Lance spluttered, ¡°All of them?¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Oak hummed with a curious lilt in his voice. While this was certainly a serious occurrence, he couldn¡¯t help but be fascinated by it, ¡°And it¡¯s rather curious too, since some of the types are inherently opposed to each other. Normal and Ghost, Psychic and Dark, Electric and Ground, all of these are opposites of each other. In fact, they are so incompatible that I can only think of one - maybe two - pok¨¦mon that have these typings.¡±

    ¡°While that is no doubt fascinating,¡± Lance interrupted in a strained voice, ¡°That only makes me more worried than not.¡±

    Professor Oak blinked, then rubbed his hand across his face, ¡°Right, I apologise,¡± He paused for a moment, thinking. ¡°Taking this all into account¡­ I wouldn¡¯t be terribly surprised if legendaries are involved.¡±

    Lance¡¯s face grew grim, and Oak recalled that many of the Blackthorne parables he¡¯s read didn¡¯t place legendaries in a particularly benevolent light. Lance grumbled, ¡°Wonderful,¡± his tone reflecting the opposite, ¡°Any particular contenders?¡±

    ¡°Honestly,¡± Oak grimaced, waving his hands aimlessly, ¡°I have no idea. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if it¡¯s the work of multiple legendaries.¡±

    Lance¡¯s face darkened even more, yet at this point he didn¡¯t look terribly surprised, ¡°...I suppose that can¡¯t be helped.¡± Lance¡¯s face contorted into a scowl - which Oak grew to view as the man¡¯s resting fac e - ¡°I¡¯ll keep tabs on the situation on my end. Lorelei has already burrowed herself into her study, and Agatha¡¯s doing¡­ something. If you could do the same on your end, that would be much appreciated.¡±

    ¡°I will,¡± Oak yawned - it had been a sleepless night - ¡°I need to prepare the starters for this year¡¯s set of trainers. They¡¯re due to arrive in a couple of hours.¡±

    Lance gave Professor Oak a sardonic smirk, ¡°I don¡¯t envy you, professor. Regardless, we¡¯ll speak later about this.¡±

    Oak waved him away, ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sure we will.¡± Afterwards, they ended the call, causing Oak to push back against his chair with a long sigh.

    A flash of light caused him to open his eyes, only to see Alakazam standing next to him. The pok¨¦mon stared inquisitively at Oak, which indicated to him that the psychic was asking permission into his mind.

    Oak nodded, well aware that the pok¨¦mon could easily slip in unnoticed if it desired. It was only out of mutual respect that it refrained from doing so.

    The two had saved each other''s lives on the battlefield far more than Oak wished to remember.

    When Alakazam shared an image of an impatient Gary Oak waiting right outside his door, Professor Oak sighed.

    Really, he should make his grandson wait there. He had told them to arrive two hours from now!

    But on the other hand, he knew that if he didn¡¯t allow Gary in, the child would start complaining loud enough to wake up the entire neighbourhood.

    Professor Oak rubbed his eyes tiredly as he stood up from his seat. He could appreciate the enthusiasm that new trainers had for their journeys, but he really needed to get some sleep.

    Upon opening the door to allow the rascal in, Oak hummed in resignation, knowing that it would be several hours before he would get some shut-eye.

    ¡­

    Lower Caves of Mount Silver

    Ash held Pichu back as a sleuth of Ursaring eyed the group warily. The four time-travellers were nearing the entrance to the mountain¡¯s caves, long departing the hailstorm that plagued the top.

    Thankfully, without the constant pressure radiating from the Source Storm, the native pok¨¦mon were much less aggressive¡­ for the most part.

    Charmander bore a number of shallow scratches from a pair of Sneasel. Though, they scattered when a well-timed Ember struck the ringleader straight in the face.

    That had been a bit of a wake-up call. While Ash¡¯s friends retained battle experience from their previous lives, their capabilities were¡­ exceedingly limited .

    Froakie was completely unable to perform his signature Water Shuriken . Charmander could only reliably shoot bursts of Ember . Pichu had a minor meltdown when Iron Tail only resulted in his tail looking slightly shinier.

    Ash sighed, both relieved and resigned, when the two Ursaring scooted their cubs away. Ash noticed that they looked¡­ unnerved . Not scared, per se, but very nervous.

    In fact, thinking back to the pack of Sneasel, their fur seemed to stick out as if they were frightened.

    But not feral.

    That was an important distinction. The pok¨¦mon affected by the Source Storm, on a global scale, were feral . With the fount of energy affecting both their minds and their bodies, it wasn¡¯t too much of a surprise that it affected them so harshly.

    It only became a surprise when it affected the likes of Groudon or Kyogre.

    Ash shook the thoughts away; they weren¡¯t conducive to his mission. He had some time to think about what he would do - what he was destined to do - about the Source Storm.

    First off, he needed to check the date. Depending on how close it was to the Source Storm¡¯s formation, it would change the amount of time he had to act by a wide margin. A mere difference of months could determine whether he could stop the Storm or not.

    That was the other thing. How did he go about stopping the Source Storm? The most obvious solution would be to stop it at its source - ha ha - by removing the Conduit before it could be used.

    However, Ash wasn¡¯t very pleased with the idea of killing Mewtwo again, especially when it wasn¡¯t his fault in the first place.

    The other way would be to find a way to disband Team Source and to destroy their research on Source Energy. Or, in the case that it hadn¡¯t yet been formed, prevent it from ever doing so in the first place.

    This was the main issue facing Ash: he had next to no idea what Team Source even was . He had just arrived in the Alola Region when he was called by Professor Oak to return to Pallet Town after a raid at the lab.

    Though, that was ignoring the fact that Oak¡¯s lab had been one of dozens of sites ransacked by Team Source.

    It was only about a month after that when the Source Wave hit. Ash had been fighting alongside some of his old friends when it began.

    He could still remember the halls of pok¨¦mon convulsing in bright lights on the ground, forcibly evolving.

    Evolving past the limits put upon them by the Creator.

    Ash closed his eyes, dispelling the image away. Pichu batted his cheek, returning him to the present.

    When he thought back to it, he didn¡¯t know if anyone truly understood what Team Source was. Ash and the rest of the trainers assembled from across the world had been spread thin with the repeated raids. Whenever they busted one, two others would begin. It had seemed that the League had been reactive rather than proactive in their approach to the new Team.

    And that was the question, wasn¡¯t it? Was Team Source even new ? Based on what he could tell, it had to have been operating for at least a few years. There were a number of members he had personally put down who boasted about decades of work.

    They also seemed to have connections within the League, different labs, and even a few other Teams. In the days leading up to the Source Storm, there had been an incursion within the League to vet out the traitor.

    Then there was the leadership of the Team. Ash heard of five leaders and had personally battled one of them several times. He racked his brain for a moment before he recalled their titles.

    There was The Emperor, who was apparently the head of the organisation. Outside of hushed whispers, he hadn¡¯t heard anything from the individual. He disappeared after the Source Wave.

    Next was The Empress, who Ash presumed to be female. However, for all he knew, it could be a guy. He hadn¡¯t heard anything aside from that individual being one of the strongest members of the organisation. They were also occasionally referred to as the eyes of the organisation. From what Ash knew, they died shortly after the Source Wave.

    There was The Tower. This one was interesting in that he or she seemed to have died not long before the incursions began. The scant information Ash received was that most of the members of Team Source were vetted by this individual before joining. They were often referred to as the body of the organisation, and just like the rest, Ash had no clue who this individual was.

    The Magician was apparently Team Source¡¯s premier researcher. Along with the Emperor and the Empress, they formed the main trio that led the research into Source Energy that eventually led to the development of the Conduit. He was referred to as the brain of the organisation, and his whereabouts were unknown by the time the Storm began.

    Finally, there was The Chariot: the arm of the organisation. The man battled with such brutal efficiency that even the likes of Champions fell to his fury. Wherever the man went, destruction followed in his wake.

    It was him that introduced Ash to true battle.

    While the League-regulated battles used rules to minimise the chance of fatality and destruction, The Chariot raged with such wild - yet precise - abandon that there were times when Ash wondered if the man was even human.

    He lived the longest after the Storm began, leading the remnant of Team Source in a cult of personality towards developing technology meant to contain the disaster in small applications. Gadgets such as the gauntlets and the metal sphere that Ash used were from these efforts.

    For nearly three years, the two engaged in acts of war that shook the earth nearly as much as the Storm itself. Some of Ash¡¯s finest fighters fell to the Chariot¡¯s might.

    Sceptile impaled by the Chariot¡¯s Tyranitar.

    Infernape plagued by a neverending nightmare from the Chariot¡¯s Togekiss.

    Lucario burned by the primordial wrath of a mutated Moltress.

    Eventually, though, the two met one last time underneath the Lake of Rage. Their battle was on such an apocalyptic scale that it completely destroyed the base, leaving it as a watery tomb for the Chariot to drown in.

    At least, Ash hoped so.

    From what he knew, they were the founding members of the organisation. He didn¡¯t know how long they had been in contact before its formation, or if they met soon before doing so, but he intended to find out who they were, and stop them from destroying the world.

    Of course, considering his lack of knowledge, this was easier said than done. Aside from the reports of them having insider knowledge from both the League and multiple Teams, there wasn¡¯t much to go on.

    Ash snapped out of his thoughts when Pichu let out an excited squeak. He could see light at the end of the tunnel leading to the base of the mountain. After hours of trekking, they had finally reached the end.

    Ash allowed himself a small smile when Pichu began to sprint down the tunnel. The little mouse had always been claustrophobic, and the days they had spent traversing cramped cave systems had taken a toll on his psyche.

    Upon reaching the end of the cave, Ash placed a hand over his eyes as the sunlight of dawn nearly blinded him.

    He hadn¡¯t seen direct sunlight in nearly three years.

    Gritting his teeth, Ash slowly lowered his hand, forcing himself to face the sun directly.

    Tears pooled in his eyes.

    He blinked them away, turning his gaze to the town by the horizon. He couldn¡¯t help but stare at the sight ¨C they had passed by the area mere days before, and found nothing but ruin.

    He felt a nudge on his leg as Pichu tried to urge Ash forwards. Giving a small huff, he picked Pichu up into his arms and began walking towards the first sign of civilization he had seen in years.

    ¡­

    Pok¨¦mon Center, Silver Town

    Ash had to make the conscious effort not to stare.

    He sat on a small wooden bench, waiting for Nurse Joy to finish her check-up on his pok¨¦mon. The nurse had a queer look on her face when he handed her his friends.

    Ash supposed that they looked rather out of place.

    Indeed, with it being such a small town, he and his pok¨¦mon looked¡­ exotic in comparison to the locals.

    This first became apparent when he reached the edge of the town, as a few League-appointed guards halted him, asking where he came from. When he pointed to the mountain without thinking, the guards only looked more suspicious, before the Kadabra they had with them gave a hesitant nod.

    Ash hummed to himself as he thought about that. Kadabra normally had the ability to swim across minds - Alakazam being able to do so with more ease - yet the Kadabra seemed to be unnerved upon reading Ash¡¯s mind, seemingly only able to confirm the base truth of his statement without truly comprehending everything else on his mind.

    Ash wondered about that for a moment, before shoving it in the back of his mind for later thought.

    It didn¡¯t take long for him to reach the Pok¨¦mon Center. Given that he hadn¡¯t technically broken any laws, the guards let him pass with a scowl. They weren¡¯t all that happy with Ash not being able to give any ID, but with him apparently coming from Mount Silver, it was a believable enough excuse for him to have lost it during his time in the mountain.

    Of course, this brought up a bit of a problem in Ash¡¯s mind as he handed Nurse Joy his pok¨¦mon.

    He didn¡¯t have any ID.

    As he sat on the bench, waiting for the woman using the PC to finish up, he quickly brainstormed his situation.

    He refrained from sharing his name. While there was a chance that he hadn¡¯t been born yet in this time, he had a feeling in his gut that he was, and the last thing he wanted to do was to somehow wrap his past self up in his own mess.

    While it made Nurse Joy slightly miffed when he didn¡¯t share his name, she accepted it without verbal complaint. Besides, she was rather preoccupied with the frog pok¨¦mon she¡¯d never seen before, the Pichu with a chewed-up tail, and the Charmander with blue flame.

    Ash noticed that the woman moved away from the PC, and he immediately dashed to it. After logging in with a guest account, Ash checked the date.

    August 29, 1997.

    Ash blinked, then blinked again. That was the day that he began his pok¨¦mon journey. That was the day that he met his best friend.

    It also meant that he - or rather his past ¡®he¡¯ - was alive.

    Ash sighed softly, double-checking this fact by looking up his name on Pokenet. After a moment, he found a newly created profile for a trainer who just started his journey from Pallet Town, sponsored by Professor Samuel Oak, and with a Pikachu as a starter.

    Ash shut down the PC, rubbing his eyes tiredly. After staring at his mirror image on the screen, Ash blinked as he leaned in to see his reflection.

    His face was the same ¨C rough stubble, chapped lips, pale skin . The bags under his eyes were still there - of course - but one detail stuck out to him.

    His eyes seemed to emit a crimson glow.

    A cough brought Ash to the present, causing him to turn around to see a black-haired man watching him with a raised eyebrow.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡± the man asked in a gruff voice, though his eyes looked mildly concerned. Ash realised that his face must have shown his shock.

    After composing himself, Ash replied, ¡°Yeah.¡± He moved out of the way, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for being in the way.¡±

    Ash went over and sat back onto the wooden bench. He closed his eyes for a moment, ignoring the images of the Conduit¡¯s baleful gaze before opening his eyes once more to see the man leaning against the wall next to him.

    ¡°You sure you¡¯re alright? You look pretty shaken,¡± The man asked again, searching him with grey eyes.

    Ash stared as the man idly chewed on a toothpick - unwittingly reminding him of Sceptile  - and suppressed a shudder at the sight, ¡°Y-yeah, I¡¯m sure.¡±

    The man shrugged, moving the toothpick from one end of his mouth to the other, ¡°Suit yourself.¡± He procured another toothpick, drawing a small Yamask to his side. Its mask, which bore feminine features, opened its mouth to chew on the toothpick.

    Ash sat back against the bench, watching the man and ghost chew on their toothpicks. After a moment where neither of them moved, he attempted to direct the man¡¯s attention away, ¡°I¡¯m done with the PC, feel free to use it.¡±

    ¡°I will in a bit,¡± The man said dismissively, ¡°I want to make sure you¡¯re fine, though. You are a kid after all.¡±

    Ash scowled slightly ¨C he stopped being a kid a long time ago . ¡°I¡¯m not a child, I¡¯m twenty . Besides, you don¡¯t seem too much older than me.¡±

    The man smirked, the Yamask doing the same, ¡°I¡¯m thirty nine, but thanks for the compliment,¡± The man then frowned, ¡°I¡¯ve dealt with troubled children in the past, that¡¯s all. You had the same lost look, so I associated you with them. My apologies.¡±

    Ash closed his eyes with a sigh, and pinched his brow, ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s just-¡± He huffed, and opened his eyes, ¡°You know what, fine . I¡¯ve had a bit of a shitty day,¡± Ash chuckled mirthlessly, ¡°More like a shitty couple of years , honestly.¡±

    He turned to see the man softly batting away the ghost pok¨¦mon, who was chirping rapidly at Ash, ¡°Hush Koi¡­¡± He turned to him, and calmly asked, ¡°Do you want to talk about it?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Ash replied, not willing to dump his mountain of troubles on a stranger. Speaking of, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ve been rude,¡± He extended a hand, ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you, what¡¯s your name?¡±

    The man grasped his hand to shake, ¡°My name¡¯s Herren,¡± He jerked a thumb to the Yamask, ¡°And the lady¡¯s name is Koi. What¡¯s yours?¡±

    Ash hesitated for a moment, keeping himself from introducing himself with his actual name. His mind went terrifyingly blank, before latching onto the image of crimson eyes on the monitor, ¡°Red. Red Satoshi, at your service.¡±

    Mentally, he grimaced. He had yet to figure out what he was going to do in regards to his identity, and certainly hadn¡¯t though about a name.

    Still¡­ Red Satoshi wasn¡¯t that terrible of a name. The first name was a spur-of-the-moment decision, sure, but¡­ there was precedent for being named after a colour, though it was rare.

    Gary¡¯s father had been named Blue, after all.

    The last name also had some basis in reality. After all, it had been his mother¡¯s maiden name, before she married Ash¡¯s father, whoever he was.

    He would worry about that later, though, as Herren nodded before asking, ¡°So, Red, what are doing here in Silver Town?¡±

    ¡°Oh, a little of this and that,¡± Upon seeing Herren¡¯s doubtful look, he added, ¡°Chasing demons, mostly.¡± It was the truth, in a sense.

    Herren hummed while Koi trilled a sad noise, disbelief apparent across his face, ¡°Uhuh¡­ I suppose I¡¯ll chock it up to it being a ¡®shitty couple of years.¡¯¡±

    Ash - or Red, he supposed - scowled before schooling his features, ¡°Sure, sure. What about you? Do you live here?¡±

    Herren chuckled lightly, somehow balancing the toothpick in his mouth as he did so, before answering, ¡°No, I came here on a job for the lab.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Red asked, ¡°You work for Professor Oak?¡±

    A shadow crossed Herren¡¯s visage, scowling in tandem with the mask carried by Koi. Red blinked and Herren¡¯s face was once more carefully neutral as he answered ¡° No . No, I don¡¯t. I work with Professor Elm.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry,¡± Red grimaced, ¡°Most people just assume that you mean Professor Oak when you¡¯re in Indigo. And you¡­ yeah ,¡± Red ended, stopping himself from digging a further pit.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Herren soothed distractedly, ¡°Most people assume as such when I first tell them. It only makes it funnier to tell Henry. He and Professor Oak have a bit of a rivalry going on.¡±

    ¡°Henry¡­¡± Red muttered, ¡°You mean Professor Elm?¡±

    ¡°Who else? I¡¯ve done a number of contract jobs for him over the years, so I know him well enough to call him as such,¡± Herren explained, seeming to have moved past whatever soured his mood..

    Red hummed before seeing that Nurse Joy was walking towards him. Two pok¨¦balls - rusted and bent - hung from her hip. Pichu was cradled in her arms, bandages wrapped around his head due to an ill-advised Headbutt on a Graveler that looked at him in just the wrong way.

    Red supposed that Pichu was still irritable over his new look.

    ¡°Thank you, Nurse Joy. I can take him off your hands,¡± Red said, plucking Pichu¡¯s scowling form into his arms. The nurse gave a small grin despite the small electrical burns littering her arms. Red supposed that looking cute allowed Pichu to get away with it.

    Nurse Joy then unclipped the pok¨¦balls off her hip, giving a small frown at their state. Red silently thanked the nurse as he received them, well aware of the scrutiny he was receiving from Herren.

    Before he could pocket them, the pok¨¦balls rattled and twin bursts of light heralded the appearance of Charmander and Froakie. Red chuckled a bit when they both moved to hug him, until he looked up to see that both Nurse Joy and Herren had grown silent, albeit for different reasons.

    Nurse Joy stepped forward, covering Herren¡¯s blatantly curious look with a concerned visage, ¡°Your pok¨¦mon seem to be in good health, sir. Both your Charmander and your Pichu had excellent vitals, and your¡­ Froakie seems to follow that trend,¡± She cast a concerned and slightly baffled look to Charmander¡¯s back, specifically at his scars, ¡°Unfortunately, I was unable to heal his scars. Normally, this wouldn¡¯t be much of an issue, but given his final evolution and the position of the injuries, it may affect how he evolves, sir.¡±

    Red stared at her blankly before flicking his eyes to the scars on Charmander¡¯s back. He never even considered how they might affect evolution. He never even considered how his friends devolved in the first place .

    As he contemplated this, the nurse continued, ¡°Your Pichu¡¯s tail will also be permanently maimed, even if it were to evolve into Pikachu,¡± The nurse paused when Pichu growled at that. Red soothed the tiny mouse before turning back to see the nurse giving him a stern look.

    ¡°Sir, if it wasn¡¯t for how obvious it is that you care for them, I would have taken your pok¨¦mon away from you,¡± Red involuntarily sucked in a breath, ¡°You come in here with a Charmander with untreated wounds, a Pichu with a bitten off tail, and a third pok¨¦mon that¡¯s entirely undocumented ,¡± She then cast another look at the Charmander¡¯s blue flame, ¡°Ignoring your Pichu, both of your other pok¨¦mon are highly distinctive. It almost makes me wonder if they were experimented on¡­ Did you experiment on them? ¡±

    ¡° No! ¡± Red snapped, enraged at such a motion. He had seen the effects of forced mutation and evolution from both Team Rocket and Team Source . ¡°They¡¯re just¡­ special,¡± he said lamely.

    Nurse Joy just gave Red a look while Herren muttered ¡® special ¡¯ behind her. Nurse Joy pursed her lips before sighing, ¡° Special is a bit of an understatement. I¡¯ve been avoiding it, but your pok¨¦mons¡¯... uniqueness will draw the eyes of many people.¡±

    Herren grunted in the background, muttering loudly about ¡®crooks¡¯ and ¡®Team Rocket¡¯.

    Nurse Joy turned to scowl at the man, who shrugged her off before returning to his toothpick. She turned back to see, much to her surprise, Red looking resigned, ¡°I take it you¡¯re aware of their reputation?¡±

    Red waved a flippant hand, ¡°I¡¯ve dealt with them for years. It¡¯s nothing we can¡¯t handle.¡± Pichu affirmed this with a small, ¡®Pichu!¡¯

    ¡°Right,¡± Nurse Joy said with a small bow, ¡°However, I will need to send a missive to the League about your new pok¨¦mon and Charmander variant.¡±

    Red arched an eyebrow, ¡°What do you mean about ¡®new pok¨¦mon?¡¯¡±

    The nurse looked towards Froakie, who stared back with a steady gaze, ¡°The Indigo League has no records of any pok¨¦mon that look quite like this. As such, I am legally required to give them a report when we see a new pok¨¦mon species.¡±

    Red just looked confused, muttering to himself, ¡°You mean the League hasn¡¯t discovered Kalos yet?¡±

    However, the nurse heard, and to his surprise, scowled, ¡°Oh, we¡¯ve certainly discovered Kalos, and they don¡¯t exactly have a history of being open with us in regards to their discoveries,¡± She turned back to Froakie, ¡°I presume your pok¨¦mon is native to that region?¡±

    Red was about to answer when Herren placed a hand on his shoulder, and squeezed in a silent plea for Red to shut up , ¡°He was just telling me how he won it at an auction down in Olivine City, weren¡¯t you, Red?¡±

    Red didn¡¯t quite understand what Herren was doing, but had the feeling that he was trying to protect him, so he went along with it, ¡°Yeah, Froakie¡¯s been a good friend.¡±

    Nurse Joy pursed her lips, eyeing Herren¡¯s steely gaze before backing away, ¡°Fine,¡± She took a few calming breaths, ¡°I¡¯d recommend not sharing his home region when someone asks in the future.¡±

    Red just stared at her, confused. Before he could ask why, she stepped away, ¡°I have a report to file and your pok¨¦mon are healthy. Have a nice day, sir.¡±

    After she disappeared into her office, Herren tapped Red¡¯s shoulder, signalling him to follow. Sharing a brief glance with Froakie, whose face had turned stony, Red followed.

    Once they were outside, which now had the light of mid-morning, Herren leaned against the wall, with Koi mimicking his motion. He stared at Red for several moments before letting out an amused huff, ¡°You¡¯re either not from around here, or you live under a rock.¡±

    Red blinked owlishly, before scowling. He opened his mouth to retort before his brain caught up with him, causing him to stutter.

    Red paused for a moment and allowed his thoughts to catch up. He had already made an alias for himself, however flimsy, but he still had no planned background. No home region.

    At first, he was content to say that he was from Kanto, or even Johto, but considering the proximity of those regions to his past self, he discarded those ideas. Additionally, he had the distinct feeling with the previous conversation with Nurse Joy that there were some things that he didn¡¯t completely understand in regards to the relationship of the Indigo League and other regions.

    Another part of him considered Kalos, given that it had been the location of his most recent conference, and thus his most readily familiar region. However, based on Nurse Joy¡¯s apparent disdain for the region, he stilled his tongue.

    There was another half baked idea that he toyed with. While he had spent a grand total of three hours in Alola, he had learned enough about the region to know how it was unlike any other region he¡¯d been in before. It had also been relatively new to the world stage, with most people ignoring what happened there.

    And that was nearly a decade in the future.

    With that in mind, he reckoned that it was a safe bet to say, ¡°I¡¯m from Alola.¡±

    See, he could be a good liar.

    Herren scrutinised Red before smirking, ¡°Good effort, kid, but I doubt it.¡±

    Or not.

    Herren leaned forward, the sudden movement startling both Red and his pok¨¦mon. Ignoring the barred teeth and claws, Herren eyed Red intently, ¡°You¡¯re going to have to put in a lot more effort if you¡¯re trying to hide from someone.¡±

    Red¡¯s eyes widened as Herren pulled back and flicked the toothpick out of his mouth, ¡°Just by talking to you, I can tell that you have a lot to hide. You fumble with your name, your home region, and you hold extraordinary pok¨¦mon¡­ Aside from that Pichu,¡± Herren¡¯s eyes were amused as Pichu growled at him.

    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    Meanwhile, Red tensed, fingers twitching in small movements that both Charmander and Froakie caught. They stood calmly, though there was a small undercurrent of nerves laden between them. ¡°So what if I am?¡± Red asked, unwittingly bringing an edge to his voice.

    Herren gave him a hard look, ¡°Like the good nurse said, a lot of people will take notice of you. And, unless you¡¯re hiding some other pok¨¦mon, those three will not be able to protect you from some of the more dangerous players.¡±

    ¡°And are you one of those players?¡± Red growled, flashes of ashen wastelands cycling through his mind.

    ¡°Peace,¡± Herren murmured with a palm raised, ¡°I mean no harm to you. I just wanted to let you know that if you¡¯re trying to stay hidden, you¡¯re going to need help.¡±

    Red¡¯s anger halted, though it was still present, ¡°Oh, and I suppose you¡¯re just willing to lend it?¡±

    Herren smiled fondly, eyes drifting past Red as if remembering something, ¡°I¡¯ve helped your kind before¡­¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Red ground out, becoming more frustrated than angry.

    ¡°I told you I have experience with troubled children, right? I¡¯ve helped some of them hide away from those who hurt them,¡± Herren explained.

    ¡°I¡¯ve told you already, I¡¯m not a child,¡± Red sighed.

    ¡°Who are you running from?¡± Herren asked.

    Red halted at the abrupt question, ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Who are you running from?¡± Herren asked again.

    ¡°I¡¯m not running from anyone!¡± Red exclaimed, anger warring with confusion.

    ¡°Then, what are you trying to avoid?¡± Herren pressed.

    ¡°I¡¯m not trying to avoid-¡± Red stopped himself and huffed, ¡°I¡¯m not dealing with this.¡±

    Herren extended his hands in a placating gesture, ¡°That¡¯s alright, but you still have a problem.¡±

    Red¡¯s eye twitched, ¡° What? ¡± He snapped.

    ¡°Your story¡¯s crap,¡± Herren said simply, before amending, ¡°Actually, the basics are not too bad. It¡¯s just obvious to tell that you¡¯re making up the details on the spot, and that invites contradictions that will get you caught by whatever you¡¯re trying to avoid.¡±

    Red breathed in and out, asking in a sarcastic tone, ¡°And I suppose you¡¯ll just help me, out of the goodness of your heart? ¡±

    ¡°The smallest kindness can do a world of change,¡± Herren murmured, putting his hands in his pocket, ¡°Someone very dear to me told me that, and I try to live by it.¡± He flashed a small - genuine - smirk, ¡°In my own way, of course.¡±

    Red still cast a suspicious eye on the man, though it softened as Koi tugged on his sleeve, chirping in a vaguely pleased manner. He rubbed his eyes, shelving the suspicion for when it was fully warranted, ¡°I¡¯ll give you a chance on this, but if you backstab me, you¡¯ll regret it.¡±

    Herren snorted, his momentary vulnerability masked once more by dry humour, ¡°I¡¯m sure you will, kid,¡± He waved a hand towards the park down the road, ¡°We¡¯ll brainstorm, you and I, and have you a new identity by the end of the afternoon.¡±

    ¡­

    Twenty one years ago, at the height of the Great War, a man from Kalos and a woman from Kanto fell in love and conceived a child. Despite the war fought between the regions, the two betrayed their loyalties so that they could run away with their child.

    Yet, just days before the man planned on deserting the Kalos military, he was dragged to the Battle of Rage and was among the many who perished in the conflict.

    Heartbroken and lost, the woman fled her region to safety so that her child would live. After paying a sailor with what little she owned, she travelled to the region of Alola, which remained untouched by the war.

    Months later, her child was born. She named the child Red Satoshi, after both the colour of her love¡¯s eyes and the family name of her forefathers. Despite her weakness both from birth and from illness, she worked to provide a small living for herself and her child on Melemele Island.

    Sadly, just days after the boy¡¯s fifth birthday, she passed away from a stroke.

    From then on, the boy was cared for by the local orphanage. However, the poor region had no regional professor and very few sponsors willing to take upon themselves a child from an orphanage, so Red lived most of his teenage years without going on a pok¨¦mon journey.

    When he turned seventeen, the young man left the orphanage to make his own way in life. This was when he first met his starter and best friend: Pichu.

    The two eventually set off to travel other regions. Over the last three years, Red and his pok¨¦mon, now including a Froakie from Olivine City and a unique Charmander breed from Mount Silver, travelled the Hoenn, Kanto, and Johto regions. After making the annual pilgrimage to Mount Silver to honour Charmander¡¯s mother-

    ¡°Hold on, I thought we were making my backstory, not Charmander¡¯s.¡±

    Herren paused, blinking at the compact scrawl of notes he made of Red¡¯s fake backstory, before looking up, ¡°I wanted to give you a reason why you were at Mount Silver in the first place.¡±

    ¡°How did you know about that?¡± Red asked, nibbling on a potato fry.

    ¡°People talk, and the guards were muttering rather loudly about ¡®foolhardy trainers going to Mount Silver¡¯. You¡¯re the only one around that fits the description,¡± Herren explained before taking a bite of his now-cold sandwich.

    Red stared off for a moment before muttering, ¡°The fact that I can¡¯t disagree with that description is kinda sad.¡±

    A snort brought Red¡¯s vision back to Herren, who was grinning, ¡°I call that living. What¡¯s life without a little danger?¡±

    Koi, who had finished her milkshake mere seconds after receiving it, rumbled in¡­ apprehension?

    Meanwhile, Red looked back to the small pile of notes next to Herren, ¡°This is a¡­ very detailed profile,¡± He murmured, looking at the rough list of events in his ¡®life¡¯, ¡°And you said you were a lab aide? You could forge identities for a living.¡±

    Herren finished chewing his sandwich before holding up a finger, ¡°One, I¡¯m less of a lab aide and more of an¡­ independent contractor. ¡± He held another finger, ¡°Two, I¡¯ve had a lot of practice with this.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Red murmured, watching as Koi tried to mimic counting on its fingers and failing, ¡°And you¡¯re here on contract for Professor Elm?¡±

    Herren paused and assessed Red with a mild glint of humour, ¡°Why, are you trying to spy on the workings of a regional lab? That¡¯s a criminal offence, you know.¡±

    Red, who was beginning to get used to Herren¡¯s brand of ¡®humour¡¯, sighed, ¡°Is the information classified, or are you just being a smartass?¡±

    Herren chortled as he fed Pichu the remains on his plate - Red made a point to Herren not to get any ketchup with the sandwich - ¡°By Arceus, he learns!¡±

    Red let him laugh for a moment, ¡°Well, is it?¡±

    Herren hummed, looking to his side for Koi only to see her and Froakie inspecting each other, ¡°I suppose not. There was a bit of a power surge that rained hell on the lab¡¯s sensors. Henry triangulated the location of the surge, and I happened to be in the area,¡± He ended by extending both of his palms as if to say ¡®and that¡¯s that.¡¯

    A distant part of Red wondered about that, but his train of thought was interrupted by Herren asking, ¡°So, do you want to get rid of the Mount Silver pilgrimage?¡±

    Red looked towards Charmander, who was dozing underneath the table, ¡°Is it really necessary?¡± He would rather not have to change the origins of his pok¨¦mon.

    It was harrowing enough to change his own identity.

    ¡°I suppose not. You¡¯ll just have to think of what you want to tell to the people who will ask where you got such a rare specimen,¡± Herren said, eyeing Charmander¡¯s blue tail flame.

    ¡°I¡¯ll worry about that when I get to it,¡± Red muttered, ¡°Aside from that, are we done?¡±

    Herren took one last look at the notes before nodding, ¡°Yes, this should suffice. It gives a basic background that will tug at most people¡¯s heartstrings enough to not look further, and has a plausible enough explanation as to why there is no documented history of yourself.¡±

    Red nodded in thanks, folding the notes and placing them in his pockets to study and memorise. A part of him was sad about leaving behind his former identity as Ash Ketchum, but he knew that for what he needed to do, it was a necessary sacrifice.

    He was Red Satoshi now. A young man who started his pok¨¦mon journey late, had three first-stage pok¨¦mon, and no Gym badges.

    He had seven years to prevent the end of the world.

    He had no idea where to start.

    ¡°Thank you for your help, Herren,¡± Red said to take his mind off of his spiralling thoughts, ¡°I¡¯ll pay you back when I can.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need,¡± Herren replied quickly, signalling a waiter to get the receipt for the meal, ¡°I¡¯ve helped your kind before and I¡¯ll do it again,¡± he gave a lopsided smirk, ¡°Next time, though, I¡¯ll charge you.¡±

    Red nodded, packing up his few remaining items, ¡°Well then, thank you again. I hope everything goes well with your work.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure it will,¡± Herren waved as Red began to leave, ¡°Happy travels, kid.¡±

    Red nodded back, and shifted his hat as he left the restaurant.

    Pichu hopped onto his shoulder as Red began to walk towards the edge of town, basking in the sun¡¯s warmth against his fur. The four time-travellers headed off to begin the first steps of their journey.

    The local Kadabra shivered as their psychic veil dissolved under the null deluge of darkness.

    ¡­

    Silver Mountain Range, Johto Border, August 31st, 1997

    ¡° Ember. ¡±

    A condensed fireball impacted stone, leaving a scorch mark on its side. Charmander frowned before charging up another blue fireball, holding it in his mouth before expelling it with a small ¡°Char!¡± The ember sped much faster to the stone, before impacting it with a crunch, cracking the rock in a ringed shape around the scorched centre.

    Charmander huffed as Ash - He would always be Ash to him - wrote in one of his many notebooks. His human had spent the last few hours with him to determine how much weaker he was after reverting back to his base form.

    Of course, the human offered words of comfort, saying that Charmander would get back to what he was. And while Charmander knew that on a practical level, it didn¡¯t make him feel any better about it.

    Still, the four of them had dealt with worse. It wasn¡¯t so long ago that Lucario fell to the abomination , and the losses of Sceptile and Infernape would always be fresh in Charmander¡¯s mind.

    They had mourned their deaths when it happened.

    But in the end, they never stopped their fight.

    The only one between the four of them that didn¡¯t openly mourn was Pikachu. The god-killing rodent didn¡¯t spare time for tears; instead, he wrought hell upon those who caused it. Charizard always respected that, and even in the frail form of a Pichu, Charmander would hesitate to cross the small rat.

    The memory would be scorched into his mind until death.

    The smoking carcass of the God of Storms, with Pikachu standing atop it.

    Charmander snapped back to attention when Ash commanded, ¡° Scratch! ¡± The lizard scoffed - Of course he knew how to scratch! - and scratched the wood of one of the many dead trees on the mountain range.

    As Ash recorded this in his notes, Charmander wondered about something. Walking back to the tree, Charmander raised his claws and began to focus, imagining them as metal claws. Just as Ash turned back to command something else, Charmander bore down with Metal Claw , tearing the tree to shreds.

    Charmander blinked as his claws reverted from its shiny lustre back down to its regular colour. There was a dull pain on Charmander¡¯s forearm from the attack, but he ignored it.

    He turned back to see Ash gazing at him with a calculating look, before commanding, ¡° Shadow Claw. ¡±

    Acting on instinct, Charmander rushed to the next dead tree, images of shadows, ghosts, nightmares, terror flashing across his mind as his claws glowed a sickly purple. Charmander slashed across the wood, uncaring for the flares of pain across his arm, until all that remained was a shadowed ruin.

    Charmander panted for a moment before taking a deep breath. Puffing out a breath of blue flame, Charmander took a stance as Ash commanded once more, ¡° Dragon Claw! ¡±

    Charmander roared as he rushed forward and tore apart another tree, draconic energy feeding into his frenzy. Charmander continued, using the rising pain in his arms to fuel his attacks, until a resounding voice stopped him in his tracks.

    ¡°STOP!¡±

    Charmander stopped, looking around as the small clearing of deadfall fell apart after being torn apart. His arms were throbbing in pain, which caused him to wince, attracting Ash¡¯s attention to his injuries.

    Charmander looked away in shame as Ash checked his arms, tutting to himself, ¡°You took it a bit too far, buddy,¡± Charmander peeked a look to see Ash giving a strained smile as he used Heal Pulse to ease the injruies, ¡°You are really strong, though.¡±

    Charmander thought about that for a moment, before giving a small huff to show that he listened. Ash smiled a bit more before saying, ¡°I think we should wrap up for the day. I have a good enough understanding of what moves you can perform when we get back to battling.¡±

    Charmander sniffed to himself, not wanting to stop his training after such a minor injury, but he followed Ash back to camp anyways. There was a time and a place for such things, and now wasn¡¯t it.

    ¡­

    Red closed his notebook with a snap, watching as Froakie pored over the map.

    Red had lost his pokedex a couple years ago, after a particularly destructive bout with the Chariot, leaving him to learn how to use a map and a compass.

    He had some experience from when he was a child, as it was one of the main courses at Professor Oak¡¯s summer camp, but he had always been more interested in the pok¨¦mon than anything else, so he didn¡¯t remember nearly anything.

    It was a trial by fire, sometimes literally, but after a few weeks of meandering around, they learned how to navigate without a digital map. This skill carried over to the past because, as an unsponsored trainer, Red didn¡¯t have access to a pokedex or any equivalent.

    That was something he would have to fix, if only to keep track of the date and important events. It would also help with cataloguing what moves his pok¨¦mon knew, along with keeping track of his gear.

    Thankfully, he was experienced on that front, having had to subsist in the Storm. He¡¯d learned how to keep track of everything he needed to across various notebooks, which remained inside of his bag.

    Thankfully, that bag, alongside his clothes, came back with him.

    They came in handy with his planning, given that he wrote the locations of any bases occupied by Team Source during the Storm. While some of them had been reappropriated from other Teams or Leagues, there were a few that seemed to be of their own design.

    There were six in total, though he was fairly certain there were others he was unaware of. Of them, he was reasonably certain that the bases in Goldenrod and Vermillion City were in use at this time, though the base in Nimbasa was a toss up. On the other hand, the bases at Rustboro and Saffron City seemed more recent in comparison.

    The only base he was uncertain about was the one underneath the Lake of Rage. While it had easily been the most hidden of the bases, it didn¡¯t seem to have much use outside of shelter for the Storm.

    There had been a number of prototype machines he¡¯d passed by when he raided the place.

    But any information on what it would be used for had washed away long ago.

    However, unlike the other bases, Red couldn¡¯t be certain that the base underneath the Lake of Rage wasn¡¯t in use in 1997. It was his closest lead at the moment, followed by Goldenrod.

    He had to check.

    Red shook his head of the thought, and turned to his pokemon. Unfortunately, it was very apparent that his pok¨¦mon were severely weakened after reverting back to their original forms. Froakie lost his proficiency in dark type energy. Pichu was harmed when attempting anything above a Spark . Charmander couldn¡¯t do much more than Ember and a variety of clawed moves, though they eventually took its toll.

    They would have to improve on that over the next few months, especially since Red planned on doing the Johto Gym Circuit leading to the Silver Conference. While he debated within himself over staying anonymous and working in the shadows, he decided that it was more conducive to his goal by getting his name out there, both to gain connections and to potentially determine who the Team¡¯s informants were at the top of the food chain.

    For this, his first stop was Clair Blackthorne, the dragon type Gym Leader of Johto. From what Red could determine by the information available on the Silver Town PC, Clair didn¡¯t usually allow trainers to challenge her unless they had a minimum of 4 badges. However, there were reports of her allowing trainers without any badges to fight her using her 5-badge team. Of course, these challengers were usually left to taste the dirt, so less and less people tried their hand at it.

    However, Red noted that she never explicitly banned this course of action. Given that Blackthorne City had the Gym closest to him and that the Silver Conference was in December, Clair was Red¡¯s first step to a roundabout circle leading him back to Silver Town in four month¡¯s time.

    Regardless, even if they were weakened, he felt confident in his pok¨¦mon¡¯s ability to pull through.

    Froakie hopped up to Red and presented the map to him. Marked in scraggly lines was a basic plan for knocking out each of the Gyms. Red smiled and patted Froakie on the head, eliciting a small warble of contentment before the frog walked over to lay down next to Pichu.

    The light of blue flame brough Red¡¯s attention away from the map to see Charmander puffing small bouts of fire into the campfire they set for the night. After the lizard determined the fire to be of high enough quality, he also crawled near the flames, basking in its warmth as he too fell asleep.

    Red sat as the moon shined overhead, thinking about old friends, old family. His other self would have met Misty by now, and had his first encounter with Team Rocket. Pikachu would still be all piss and vinegar, though Red reckoned that nothing changed in that regard if Pichu¡¯s displays of wild abandon earlier said anything. He briefly wondered what would happen if the two met, and if the pok¨¦mon would pick a fight with each other due to some pettiness.

    Red quickly dismissed that thought, though. He would avoid his other self for as long as he could. He didn¡¯t need to rope a 10 year old kid into his problems, regardless of their ties.

    With thoughts of friends and family long buried and never forgotten, Red sat back and dozed.

    ¡­

    Blackthorne Gym, Blackthorne City, September 6th, 1997

    Red stood in the Gym¡¯s waiting room, idly watching the receptionist type away on her keyboard.

    The four had reached the city half a week ago, and signed up for the Gym match on the day they arrived. However, given how late into the season it was, there was a coming influx of trainers looking to challenge Clair for one of, if not, their final badges.

    Not seeing anything better to do, Red took to the battling ring at the centre of the city. Initially, he attracted looks of intrigue and mild derision - Pichu¡¯s cheeks crackled when they jeered at him - but he quickly gained a reputation as an incredible battler.

    There was some minor adjustment back to battling within League perimetres, but Red quickly began to rack up a winning streak on numerous 1-on-1¡¯s and 2-on-2¡¯s. The only loss he suffered was from an already exhausted Pichu fainting after a particularly spirited Thunderbolt , though the opponent¡¯s Donphan collapsed shortly after.

    After years¡¯ worth of fighting The Chariot being the only human contact he had, it was rather disorienting for Red to become a minor celebrity at the battling ring. It got to the point where a pair of travellers challenged him to a double battle with their 8-badge team, at which point Red had to decline. Still, he had been able to net a decent amount of cash from bets placed on the matches, which helped with paying for lodging and gear.

    It seemed that word of a rising star reached Clair¡¯s ears, as she moved Red to the front of the cue. He was heading off for another day at the ring when he heard the news, making him very nearly late when he arrived just minutes before.

    It made Red a little apprehensive. He wondered if Clair¡¯s view of his ability was a bit out of proportion, and whether she would act accordingly.

    Lance had told Ash about his fallen cousin¡¯s strength, in those final days before the Storm.

    The Champion had owed his life to her, upon being ambushed amidst the global raids.

    Red was knocked out of his musing when the receptionist stood, signalling him to the door, ¡°Gym Leader Clair welcomes you to her gym.¡±

    Red bowed in thanks - a custom unique to Johto, he learned - and passed through the door. As he walked down the hallway leading to the arena, he heard the sounds of cheering from the spectators. Their cries of jubilation at the promise of a good pok¨¦mon match brought memories of his own cries when watching pok¨¦mon tournaments on the television.

    It was a harrowing experience.

    Red finally reached the end of the hallway, stepping into the edge of the arena. He covered his eyes as the sun shined down from the open ceiling. After his eyes readjusted, he looked across the arena to see Clair herself sitting lavishly on a stone throne, one leg crossed over the other while she held a great ball loosely in one of her hands.

    It was a striking pose, one that would have sent Ash into doing one of his own. However, Red merely stared forward before descending the steps towards the challenger¡¯s podium.

    Such extravagance got one killed during the Source Storm.

    Clair gave a self-satisfied smirk before raising a hand, silencing the crowd. Afterwards, she directed a shark-like grin towards Red, ¡°Blackthorne City has had a bit of a new celebrity roaming the streets!¡± She began in a sing-song voice, causing the hairs on Red¡¯s arms to rise, ¡°He¡¯s been stomping the competition at the battling ring over the last few days, suffering only a single loss!¡±

    Not good. She likely knows what pok¨¦mon he has on his team and has planned around that.

    ¡°Imagine my surprise when I saw that he challenged me for the Rising Badge! Imagine my further surprise when I found out that this would be his first Gym badge¡­ ever !¡± She declared, drawing out the reveal to maximise the crowd¡¯s reaction.

    And react it did. A mixture of delighted yells, jeers, and boos reached Red¡¯s ears before he blocked them out to focus only on Clair. Pichu, who was perched on his shoulder, was much the opposite and actively stuck his tongue out at every individual he could see.

    Clair¡¯s smile grew at the crowd¡¯s reaction, visibly basking in their excitement. She spared a quick glance at Red, noting his lack of reaction, before turning to the referee.

    The referee blew on his whistle before shouting, ¡°Challenger Red Satoshi of Melemele Island has challenged Clair Blackthorne of Blackthorne City to a 5-badge Gym Battle! This will be a 3-on-3, with no switching being allowed after a pok¨¦mon faints! Gym Leader Clair will begin by sending out her pok¨¦mon!¡±

    Clair smirked once more before tossing out a pok¨¦ball, ¡°Go, Vibrava!¡± The dragonfly pok¨¦mon gave a cry before buzzing off the ground.

    The referee turned to Red, ¡°Challenger, choose your pok¨¦mon!¡±

    Red thought over it for a moment, before grasping one of his rusted pok¨¦balls. After sending it out with a simple, ¡°Froakie,¡± the frog pok¨¦mon impacted the ground, surveying the battlefield.

    Naught a second passed before Clair called out, ¡° Sand Tomb! ¡±

    ¡° Double Team! ¡± Red called in response. Vibrava dug its claws into the earth, sending waves of dust and sand to spiral around Froakie¡¯s feet. The spiral of crushing rock and gravel caught the frog pok¨¦mon¡¯s legs, and clamped around them, trapping him.

    Clair barked a single laugh, before the frog dissipated into wisps of shadow, revealing that it was nothing more than an illusion. She called for Vibrava to retreat, but not before the real Froakie hopped to its side to shoot a Water Gun at it.

    Red pressed the offensive, ¡° Quick Attack. ¡± Froakie became nothing more than a blur before slamming into Vibrava¡¯s side, causing the dragonfly to cry out in pain.

    Clair growled before calling out, ¡° Gust! ¡± Vibrava began beating its wings against each other, blowing up a gale that mixed with the loose pebbles and sand to create a bastardised Sandstorm .

    Froakie attempted to retreat, but got dragged in by the currents. Instead of panicking, though, Red stayed silent as Froakie began to cover itself in frubbles, acting as a makeshift shield to protect itself from the grating sand. Content with the knowledge that Froakie had his own end handled, Red¡¯s eyes landed on Clair, who he saw was staring at the storm with an intense look.

    Her eyes sharpened as the silhouette of Froakie threw a handful of frubbles at the Vibrava, disorienting it. She called out, ¡° Bug Buzz! ¡± Causing the Vibrava to vibrate feverishly.

    The sandstorm began to dissipate, allowing Red to see Froakie wincing at the discordant sounds of the bug-type move. However, it was partially smothered by the frubbles, giving Froakie enough time to shoot another Water Gun at it, causing the remaining frubbles to stick onto the Vibrava¡¯s scales.

    The dragonfly buzzed angrily at this, moving out of range of another attack. The pok¨¦mon turned to see Clair give it a nod, causing its wings to vibrate intensely before it slammed into the ground.

    A resounding quake rumbled across the Gym, causing some in the audience to scream out in surprise. Red watched in ill-hidden surprise as Fissures cascaded across the stone, sending jagged rocks spiralling from their depths.

    Resuming verbal commands, Red shouted, ¡° Quick Attack! Keep on your feet, Froakie!¡±

    In response, Clair hollered out, ¡° Uproar! ¡±

    Immediately, multiple people across the stadium had to cover their ears as the Vibrava echoed an overbearingly loud melody across the battlefield. Froakie winced but continued jumping between fissures, careful to avoid the careening stones looking to take him out.

    Red stepped forward, raising his voice to be heard across the stadium, ¡° Smokescreen into Double Team! ¡±

    As Froakie obeyed his commands, tossing forward a mishmashed ball of dust, spit, and frubbles, Clair called out, ¡°Continue using Uproar until it gets close!¡±

    Seems like she has a trick up her sleeve.

    Two could play at that game. Red called to Froakie, ¡°Froakie! Sub into SD !¡±

    ¡°NO!¡± Clair¡¯s startled yell shook the crowd, ¡°Don¡¯t let it self-destruct! Dragon Tail before it can!¡±

    The Vibrava gave a quick nod before seeing a figure advancing to it. Following its trainer¡¯s orders, the dragonfly charged a Dragon Tail and unleashed it, only to reveal that it impacted a small plush Substitute that smashed against the edge of the stadium.

    Before it could react, Froakie appeared behind it, channelling rock-type energy into its hands to deliver a resounding Smack Down on the Vibrava¡¯s head, smashing it into the ground.

    Red smirked to himself, glad that his trick worked. He knew that saying ¡® SD ¡¯ would trigger most experienced trainers into a frenzy, thinking that it meant ¡®self destruct¡¯. Their paranoia was usually so great that they forgot that most pok¨¦mon were unable to learn it, which Red took happy advantage of. He and Froakie had practised this little tactic after seeing that the frog was still capable of performing Smack Down , as it was the perfect trickery needed to get past this Gym.

    Setting his mind back to the present, Red watched as Froakie wailed onto the Vibrava with punches and kicks along with the occasional Water Gun . It wasn¡¯t long before Clair sighed and recalled Vibrava, signalling the referee to give Red the first victory.

    Clair cradled the ball in her hands before giving a small smile, ¡°You did well little one. Rest now.¡± She looked across the fractured stadium to Red, giving what was perhaps her most genuine smile so far, ¡°That was a great match! Vibrava should learn a lot from that!¡±

    Red gave a small nod, ¡°He was strong.¡±

    Clair snorted, murmuring, ¡°¡® He was strong ,¡¯ he says,¡± She shook her head, ¡°You know, I actually felt kinda bad accepting this challenge from you, given that this is your first Gym badge and all.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Red replied lowly, not exactly liking where this was leading.

    ¡°Your performance with that frog pok¨¦mon, though¡­ that makes me know that you¡¯re worth the reputation you¡¯ve built!¡± She grabbed her next pok¨¦ball, ¡°That makes me know that I don¡¯t have to hold back .¡±

    Red¡¯s eyebrows rose, ¡°You mean you were holding back just now?¡±

    A manic glint entered Clair¡¯s eyes, which almost seemed to narrow into slits , ¡°Yep. Go Kingdra!¡±

    In a flash of white light, a small seahorse-like pok¨¦mon emerged with a warbling cry. The audience roared in excitement at the young dragon, causing it to preen.

    Soon after, the referee signalled the start of the next match. Clair didn¡¯t waste time before commanding, ¡° Dragon Dance! ¡±

    ¡°Close the distance and frubble it, Froakie!¡± Red called out.

    Froakie began to speed across the shattered battlefield, nimbly hopping from rock to rock. As the Kingdra finished the final bout of its dance, Froakie leaped into the air and threw a volley of white frubbles at the seahorse.

    Clair wasn¡¯t fazed, however, ¡° Whirlpool! Intercept them, Kingdra!¡±

    A small geyser of water rose from the cracks in the battlefield, picking up in intensity before it became a spiralling whirlpool around the Kingdra¡¯s body. The frubbles were caught by the rushing waters and dissolved before they could attach to the Kingdra.

    The rushing tides suspended in air prevented Froakie from going on a direct assault. As Clair commanded the Kingdra to use Focus Energy , Red called out, ¡°Froakie, Smack Down on the battlefield to send up rocks to jump on!¡±

    The frog nodded once before infusing his fists with the same energy as before, smashing them into the ground, sending several small boulders to rise into the air. Froakie jumped on them before they fell back down, using them to jump over the top of the whirlpool. Clair¡¯s eyes widened as Froakie¡¯s mouth charged up a Water Gun , calling out to Kingdra, ¡° Aurora Beam! Freeze that frog in its tracks!¡±

    Water met aurora as the two attacks collided overhead, causing a small blast of ice and vapour to impact both Froakie and Kingdra.

    The seahorse pok¨¦mon grunted as it shook off patches of frost, turning to see Froakie land on the battlefield with a grimace. Upon seeing the opportunity, Clair extended a hand, ¡°Keep on it, Kingdra. Heat it up with Scald! ¡±

    The whirlpool around Kingdra began to boil as it sped towards the weakened pok¨¦mon. Red waited until the Kingdra was within range before shouting, ¡° Substitute into Quick Attack! ¡±

    Froakie panted but still listened to Red¡¯s command. In a cloud of dust, a substitute appeared to take the scalding water. Immediately after, a speeding blur rammed into Kingdra¡¯s side, causing it to cry out in shock and minor pain.

    Before Froakie could escape, though, Clair commanded the Kingdra to use Aurora Beam once more, firing into the frog pok¨¦mon point-blank, blasting it back as shards of ice encased parts of its body.

    The crowd went into an uproar as Red recalled Froakie, murmuring words of encouragement and thanks as he handed the pok¨¦ball to an aide, who sent it to be healed. The referee took a step forward, yelling into the microphone, ¡°Red Satoshi¡¯s first pok¨¦mon has been eliminated! Gym Leader Clair¡¯s Kingdra is still in play, meaning that both the Challenger and the Gym Leader have two pok¨¦mon left! Challenger, send out your next pok¨¦mon!¡±

    Red took a look to the side, eyes connecting with those of Pichu. The small mouse responded with a small ¡°Pichu!¡±, hopping off his shoulder, cheeks sparkling as he made his way down onto the arena.

    More than a few audience members gave startled laughs at the sight of such a small creature facing off against a dragon. The mouse scowled, cheeks crackling in greater intensity, before Red¡¯s voice cut across the crowd, ¡°Don¡¯t pay attention to them. You know who you are and what you¡¯ve accomplished.¡±

    Memories flashed across Pichu¡¯s mind, images of the innumerable impossible odds that they faced and yet still came out on top of. The likes of gods had fallen to his wrath. Waking behemoths such as the mutated Moltress and the corrupted Lugia had been laid low by him.

    He stepped forward into the arena, sending a challenging glare to the Kingdra, who merely stared at it in a bored gaze.

    ¡°Hah!¡± Clair¡¯s voice rang out, ¡°That little Pichu¡¯s got spunk! I hope he¡¯s like your other pok¨¦mon and can back it up in battle.¡±

    ¡°You have no idea,¡± Red murmured to himself before raising his voice, ¡°Pichu, you know what to do.¡±

    The referee called for the match to resume, causing Clair to call out, ¡° Hydro Pump! ¡±

    Before the Kingdra could even finish charging the blast, Pichu was gone. Around the edges of the arena, trails of electricity followed a yellow blur, splitting off into several copies as Pichu surrounded Kingdra with Double Team .

    In a rushing geyser, Hydro Pump smashed against the edge of the arena, spiralling in a destructive beam of pressured water as the Kingdra spun around to hit the Pichu.

    It was a futile effort, however, as the small creature sped between the beams of water in expert movements. When Pichu got close, the trails of electricity began to move back up to envelop the mouse¡¯s body as he jumped up, grappled onto Kingdra¡¯s fins, and Discharged .

    The Kingdra cried out in pain as electricity arced through its body. Clair¡¯s eyes widened as she commanded, ¡° Flail it off! Then hit it with Dragon Pulse! ¡±

    The Kingdra began jerking its body violently, throwing Pichu off its body. The small mouse landed with his paws on the ground, a toothy grin offsetting the electrical burns on his frail body.

    The Kingdra turned with enraged eyes, darting towards the Pichu as it shot volleys of Dragon Pulse .

    The rippling streaks of draconic energy impacted the ground as Pichu pranced back and forth, leading the Kingdra in a wild chase.

    This went on until Pichu¡¯s leg was grazed by draconic energy, at which point the small mouse turned around, ignoring the growing pain from his injuries, charged forward like a speeding bullet, mad spirals of electricity twisting around him, and rammed into Kingdra¡¯s front in a brutal Volt Tackle .

    The seahorse impacted the edge of the arena, eyes clearly dazed. The crowd¡¯s jubilation rose to a crescendo as the pok¨¦mon swayed back and forth before hovering forward in pained movements.

    Clair looked from her Kingdra to the small, demonic Pichu that had no right contending against a dragon . She couldn¡¯t help the increasing bewilderment she felt at the ongoing battle, with the majority of her confusion focused on the man across the stadium.

    He used no evolved pok¨¦mon. One of his pok¨¦mon was unlisted in her registry. And now a Pichu was giving a Kingdra a seriously hard time¡­ without verbal commands !

    She shook her head to rid the confusion, and sent a pointed look to Kingdra, ¡°It¡¯s time.¡±

    Kingdra looked at her for a moment before nodding once. In a rushed motion, the seahorse dropped close to the ground, drawing up the necessary energy required for the next move.

    Upon seeing this, Pichu shrugged off its injuries and began to speed towards the dragon pok¨¦mon, arcs of rippling electricity crisscrossing its body as it prepared another Volt Tackle .

    It was too late, however, as the Kingdra shot upwards as the entire stadium began to quake. The aides across the Gym began to scramble with their Psychic pok¨¦mon, setting up barriers as torrents of water rushed out of the earth, eroding away at the battlefield.

    Red took only a brief moment to understand what was happening, and called out frantically, ¡°Pichu, get out of there!¡±

    Pichu heard too late, as a gigantic wall of water shot up behind the Kingdra, swaying in the air for a moment, before crashing down onto the battlefield in a cataclysmic Surf .

    Pichu was pushed back by the rushing waters, struggling to stay above the surface as massive waves crashed against him. However he was unable to persist for long, as his small form led to his energy being burned up far quicker than it used to.

    Red called out desperately for Pichu, knowing that despite the mouse¡¯s impressive showing, he was at his breaking point. The aide by his side tried to tell the referee that Pichu was indisposed of, but the sounds of the crowd drowned out her voice.

    The noise was so great that it took a few seconds of rumbling to register that something was amiss. Looking upwards, Red was astounded to see a great storm cloud swirling above the stadium, arcs of white lightning visible within the dark clouds.

    People within the crowd began pointing upwards as the storm rumbled in greater intensity. They screamed as the storm flashed, casting an arc of yellow Thunder into the water. The Kingdra, which had been submerged near the surface of the water, cried out in agony as electricity coursed through its body.

    The storm began to dissipate as the workers at the Gym scrambled to drain the water. Less than a minute later, the bulk of the water was drained, revealing a sodden, fissured wasteland.

    Before anyone else did anything, Red hopped over the edge of his podium, ignoring the protests of his aide as he rushed to collect Pichu in his arms. The small mouse had sodden fur and electrical burns across its body, though Red was immensely relieved to find that Pichu still had a strong pulse.

    Pichu cracked one eye open as Red cradled him towards the edge of the arena, giving a small cry as he licked the tip of Red¡¯s finger. Red smiled, handing Pichu to his aide, who carried him out of the stadium to be treated.

    Turning back, Red saw that Kingdra had been recalled, which likely explained the cheers of surprise and excitement from the crowd.

    Across the arena, Clair stared at Red with such intensity that he almost broke into a sweat. Without a word, she unlatched the greatball from her belt, throwing it forward to reveal her final pok¨¦mon.

    With a proud cry, Dragonair emerged. It turned its amber eyes to Red in a ready gaze.

    In response, Red took out his final pok¨¦ball. Assuming a solid stance, Red tossed the ball forward, calling upon Charmander to end the match strong.

    ¡­

    Charmander landed on the ground, soft and muddy from the battles waged before.

    He took a look around the arena, images of wastelands and ruin coming to his mind as he surveyed the puddles of muddied water and jagged spikes.

    Across from him, Charmander spotted his opponent. The Dragonair stared him down with a careful look, seeming to regard him with caution.

    Good. That makes it smarter than anything else he¡¯s faced in the last few days.

    Suddenly, the referee started the match, and the Dragonair began a Dragon Dance . Ash called out, ¡° Ember , then surround yourself with Smokescreen! ¡±

    Charmander obeyed, shooting forth a rippling ball of blue flame. The fireball slammed against Dragonair¡¯s side as it finished its dance, causing it to cry out.

    Charmander took a step back as it held its breath, smoke beginning to sift out of his nostrils, before puffing out great wisps of smoke.

    Charmander idly heard a command from the dragon lady, and the Dragonair burst forward with a Dragon Rush . Charmander prepared to attack again when Ash called out, ¡°Continue using Smokescreen! ¡±

    A part of Charmander protested this, wanting to feel the dragon¡¯s blood on its claws, but it huffed and obeyed Ash, blowing out another burst of blueish smoke.

    Charmander supposed it was fine to listen to Ash in this case, as the opposing dragon rushed into the smoke, attacking at shadows as Charmander nimbly bounded to its side. Without waiting for further command, Charmander slashed the dragon on its side with Dragon Claw .

    The dragon reeled in surprise and pain, turning towards Charmander as the dragon lady commanded it to use Dragon Tail .

    Charmander heard Ash¡¯s voice yelling at him to retreat, so with some Slashes , Charmander fought against the dragon¡¯s onslaught until it could jump away, bearing only minor lacerations across his arms.

    Then, the dragon lady did something unexpected, and commanded the dragon to use Extreme Speed . Charmander could barely brace itself before it was slammed into by the dragon, launching him several metres across the battlefield.

    Charmander scrambled back onto his legs as the dragon rushed forward, sending a Water Pulse at him. Survival instincts kicking in, Charmander retaliated with an oversized Ember , disrupting the pulsating liquid to become steam. Drawing blue flames in his mouth, Charmander raked embers across his claws as he rushed to the dragon with a Fire Punch .

    The dragon met the onslaught with an Aqua Tail , causing a wall of steam to appear between them.

    Wincing at the licks of water evaporating on his arms, Charmander heard Ash command him to shoot a Smokescreen at the dragon. After doing so, Charmander charged up another Ember as the dragon rubbed the smoke out of its eyes with its tail.

    As the Dragonair removed the last of the soot and ash from its eyes, a blue fireball slammed against its face, eliciting a cry of fury from the dragon. Charmander gave a self-satisfied smirk before seeing the dragon reel back to him, rage dancing across its eyes.

    In the corner of his eye, Charmander saw the dragon lady yell out, ¡° Outrage! ¡± The dragon across from him sped forward, teeth barred as draconic energy enveloped the creature in a mad spiral.

    Charmander raised his arms to defend himself, crying out as the dragon slashed, bit, tore through his defences. Charmander began to see red as the Dragonair raised its tail for one final strike, rage coursing through his veins, bursting forth when his trainer gave his final command.

    ¡° Dragon Claw! ¡±

    Charmander roared as he shot forward, slashing away the careening tail with Dragon Claw . Draconic energy swirled around him as he pounced on the dragon, bearing down on it with radiating blue claws.

    The Dragonair cried out, struggling to buck off the wild lizard as he tore into it. A particularly powerful shake knocked Charmander off, only for him to rush forward to grapple on the dragon once more.

    The dragon continued to cry as Charmander clawed into it, desperately releasing Thunder Waves in a last ditch effort to defeat the raging lizard. Charmander shivered as he felt his nerves seize up, but still pressed forward, grappling once more on the dragon¡¯s neck, before letting loose a built-up Dragon Breath point-blank at the dragon¡¯s face.

    The Dragonair cried once more as fissions of draconic energy rippled across its face. With one final shudder, the dragon slumped onto the ground, defeated.

    Charmander huffed in lungfuls of air, suppressing the primal urge to finish the dragon off. After a moment, the red haze began to dwindle, returning the lizard to his other senses as the excited screams of the crowd reached his ears.

    Turning to take a look at the dragon lady, who looked completely astonished, then to Ash, who looked weary but proud, Charmander gave a roar of victory, small gushes of blue flame escaping his mouth.

    ¡­

    Pok¨¦mon Center, Blackthorne City

    ¡°That was a good match we had.¡±

    Red turned to see Clair leaning against the wall with her arms crossed, looking past him to the Charmander who was getting tended to by Nurse Joy.

    Red nodded to himself, covertly putting away the notebook in his hands, ¡°It was. You were a good challenge.¡±

    A good metric for where they stood in terms of strength.

    Clair hummed, idly twirling a lock of hair, ¡°I presume you¡¯re aiming to complete the Gym Circuit for the Silver League?¡±

    ¡°I am,¡± Red confirmed, turning to her.

    ¡°Lofty goal,¡± Clair noted, her voice slightly higher than it was before, ¡°You sure you¡¯ll be able to make it?¡±

    ¡°I will,¡± Red replied simply, and perhaps a bit dumbly.

    He hadn¡¯t held a civil conversation with anyone in three years, aside from Herren.

    They were silent for a moment, before Clair asked, ¡°Why did you choose me to be your first Gym Challenge?¡±

    Red shrugged, ¡°You were the closest one.¡± He paused for a moment, then decided that, perhaps , he should give enough detail to avoid sounding callous, ¡°I didn¡¯t feel like making a month-long hike just to reach my first Gym.¡±

    Clair¡¯s eyebrows rose, ¡°So I was the closest, hmm?¡± She scrunched her brow, ¡°From where, though? Blackthorne is pretty out of the way, all things considered.¡±

    ¡°I started in Silver Town, which is only a four day hike from here,¡± Red answered, noting that Clair¡¯s face became shocked.

    ¡° Silver Town?! You mean you went through the Silver Mountain Range?¡± She asked, leaning forward with an unrecognisable glint in her eye.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Red nodded, raising an eyebrow at Clair¡¯s surprised look.

    She blinked before laughing to herself, murmuring, ¡°So the nobody with a frog pok¨¦mon no-one¡¯s heard about, an overpowered Pichu, and a Charmander with blue fire also happened to ride into town from one of the most dangerous areas in Johto,¡± She sighed, ¡°It¡¯s almost out of a fairytale.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that dangerous if you know what you¡¯re doing,¡± Red said, somewhat confused by her reaction, ¡°I¡¯ve been to worse places, by far.¡±

    Clair stared at him, raising a hand to her chin, ¡°So you¡¯re not completely green¡­¡± She pursed her lips, then nodded to herself, ¡°Okay, I can accept that.¡±

    Red eyed her, ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°You defeated me. You: a new trainer. No-one¡¯s heard of you until a couple days ago, and you come in and defeat my Gym with a frog, a Charmander, and a Pichu ,¡± She shook her head, ¡°That either means you¡¯re freakishly gifted, or I¡¯m way weaker than I ought to be.¡±

    Red became somewhat uncomfortable, ¡°Uh¡­ you aren¡¯t! It¡¯s just¡­¡± He fumbled with his hands for a bit, wondering how one says they have fought and slain actual Legendaries without actually saying it.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Clair waved his concern away, though there was a strain in her smile, ¡°I look forward to seeing your progress.¡±

    Red looked at her, ¡°You do?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Clair confirmed easily, before adopting a haughty look as she placed a hand to her chest, ¡°If I may boast for a moment, I am one of the strongest Gym Leaders in the region. The fact that you defeated me tells me that you have some serious potential,¡± She sighed, ¡°I¡¯d honestly consider sponsoring you if I could.¡±

    Red blinked, ¡°You would?¡±

    She nodded, ¡°Yeah, but I already have a trainer who I¡¯m sponsoring, and the elders don¡¯t want me focusing on more than one sponsor at a time,¡± She grumbled a bit at this apparent ¡® injustice ¡¯, though she quickly restored her mood, ¡°I could technically drop her as a sponsor, but that would be a terrible thing to do when I¡¯ve already promised to support her on her journey,¡± She sent a smile at Red, this time lacking the sharp edge it had during the Gym match, ¡°I¡¯ll send in a good word to the other Gym Leaders, though. Maybe one of them will take you as their own?¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Red muttered, not expecting her to do such a thing. He stood up and bowed in thanks, ¡°Thank you for your consideration.¡±

    She snorted, ¡°No need to be formal , Red.¡± She gave an exaggerated shudder at the very word , before walking towards the door, ¡°I look forward to seeing you at the Silver Conference! If you ever need anything, my door¡¯s always open.¡±

    After that, she left, leaving Red to ponder what she said. He took out a small pouch in his pocket, opening it up to reveal a black and red badge in the shape of a dragon¡¯s head. The Rising Badge gleamed as Red examined it against the moonlight from the window.

    Giving a small smile, Red placed the badge back into the pouch. As he began to doze off, he reflected that while he had taken his first step in this journey, he still had a long way to go until the world was saved.

    ¡­

    (10:58 P.M.) - The_Emperor has opened the chat.

    (10:58 P.M.) - The_Empress has logged in.

    (10:59 P.M.) - The_Tower has logged in.

    (10:59 P.M.) - The_Tower: Can we make this quick? I have paperwork I need to do

    (10:59 P.M.) - The_Magician has logged in.

    (11:00 P.M.) - The_Emperor: That¡¯s fine.

    (11:00 P.M.) - The_Emperor: You can go first. We¡¯ll fill you in tomorrow if that works.

    (11:00 P.M.) - The_Empress: I presume that the Chariot will be late again?

    (11:00 P.M.) - The_Tower: Probably

    (11:00 P.M.) - The_Emperor: Are we all good to go?

    (11:01 P.M.) - The_Tower: Yes

    (11:01 P.M.) - The_Empress: I am.

    (11:01 P.M.) - The_Magician: Indeed

    (11:01 P.M.) - The_Emperor: Alright then. Tower, your report?

    (11:01 P.M.) - The_Tower: Give me a moment

    (11:01 P.M.) - The_Emperor: Ok.

    (11:04 P.M.) - The_Tower has shared a file to the group.

    (11:05 P.M.) - The_Tower: The file I just shared has the profiles of three potential candidates for recruitment. The first two show promise in research while the last shows considerable potential as a battler. I¡¯ve evaluated each one and have determined them to be fit for the organisation

    (11:06 P.M.) - The_Emperor: Good. I¡¯ll have Chariot send for them. Is there anything else?

    (11:06 P.M.) - The_Tower: Not at the moment. Am I free to go

    (11:07 P.M.) - The_Emperor: Yes. Have a good night.

    (11:07 P.M.) - The_Tower: I wish you all a good night as well.

    (11:08 P.M.) - The_Tower has logged off.

    (11:08 P.M.) - The_Magician: I have a report on Project A.N.E.M.I.A.

    (11:08 P.M.) - The_Emperor: Go ahead.

    (11:10 P.M.) - The_Magician: Specimen 282 has fully undergone metamorphosis, and has been sedated for the foreseeable future

    (11:11 P.M.) - The_Magician: Her physical appearance has seemingly ¡®darkened¡¯ in a similar manner to her abilities, as her hair is now a vivid crimson colour, and her veil shifted to dark violet.

    (11:12 P.M.) - The_Emperor: What¡¯s the projected time it will take before the project is complete?

    (11:12 P.M.) - The_Magician: Upwards of a year

    (11:12 P.M.) - The_Magician: Maybe more

    (11:13 P.M.) - The_Emperor: Alright. Keep me updated. Is there anything else?

    (11:13 P.M.) - The_Magician: Yes

    (11:13 P.M.) - The_Magician: Remember the power surge from a few days ago

    (11:13 P.M.) - The_Emperor: Yes.

    (11:14 P.M.) - The_Magician: Specimen 282 seemed to be affected by it rather harshly

    (11:14 P.M.) - The_Magician: She regained consciousness despite the sedation

    (11:14 P.M.) - The_Magician: We suffered an additional human casualty before she was sedated once more

    (11:15 P.M.) - The_Magician: Thoughts?

    (11:16 P.M.) - The_Empress: I¡¯ve done some analysis on the power surge. It seemed to be composed of a mixture of every type energy, along with a few other signatures that I didn¡¯t recognise.

    (11:17 P.M.) - The_Empress: Could that interfere with the experiment?

    (11:17 P.M.) - The_Magician: It shouldn¡¯t

    (11:17 P.M.) - The_Chariot has logged in

    (11:17 P.M.) - The_Magician: I¡¯ll keep an eye on it though

    (11:18 P.M.) - The_Emperor: Alright. Is there anything else?

    (11:18 P.M.) - The_Magician: No. I¡¯ll be on standby if you all need anything

    (11:19 P.M.) - The_Emperor: Then I wish you a good night as well.

    (11:19 P.M.) - The_Magician: It¡¯s still daytime for me but ok

    (11:20 P.M.) - The_Chariot: did i miss anything important

    (11:21 P.M.) - The_Empress: Tower has some candidates that you will need to see. They¡¯re attached above.

    (11:21 P.M.) - The_Chariot: gotcha

    (11:21 P.M.) - The_Emperor: Your report, Empress?

    (11:22 P.M.) - The_Empress: I¡¯m still looking into the power surge from a few days ago. Aside from what I¡¯ve already mentioned, there hasn¡¯t been much.

    (11:22 P.M.) - The_Emperor: Alright then.

    (11:22 P.M.) - The_Magician: Chariot?

    (11:23 P.M.) - The_Chariot: i got some samples ill send in a week or so

    (11:23 P.M.) - The_Chariot: got word about team rocket activity in vermillion

    (11:24 P.M.) - The_Chariot: ill look into that in a few weeks

    (11:25 P.M.) - The_Emperor: Anything else?

    (11:25 P.M.) - The_Chariot: nothing that you dont already know

    (11:26 P.M.) - The_Emperor: Alright.

    (11:27 P.M.) - The_Emperor: Things on my end have been stable. Aside from the power surge, nothing out of place has happened.

    (11:28 P.M.) - The_Emperor: In regards to Project Changeling, she, too, reacted negatively to the power surge. She has since been stabilised, and will undergo further testing in two days.

    (11:29 P.M.) - The_Emperor: I¡¯ve also been in communications with a contact in Kalos about the potential of a new type. I¡¯ll send you all more information after I confirm a few hypotheses of mine.

    (11:30 P.M.) - The_Empress: I look forward to it.

    (11:30 P.M.) - The_Magician: As do I

    (11:31 P.M.) - The_Emperor: Does anyone have anything else they want to share before we close this chat?

    (11:31 P.M.) - The_Chariot: emperor, we need to dm i have info

    (11:32 P.M.) - The_Emperor: Is it high-priority?

    (11:32 P.M.) - The_Chariot: yes

    (11:32 P.M.) - The_Emperor: Okay then.

    (11:33 P.M.) - The_Emperor: I wish you all the best.

    (11:33 P.M.) - The_Emperor has closed the chat.

 Tomb of Rage

    The Lake of Rage, April 21st, 2007

    ¡°We¡¯ll head out tomorrow.¡±

    Lucario turned to Ash, dissatisfaction playing across his eyes. In response, Ash rolled his own, ¡°We¡¯ve been travelling for nearly two weeks now. It¡¯s necessary to have a bit of break before doing this.¡±

    Lucario huffed, crossing his arms, before giving a reluctant nod of assent, though it was clear that he disagreed.

    Ash sighed, staring at the sky as fractures of energy slashed through the atmosphere. While the Storm was currently centred at Pok¨¦mon Island, its effects reached every corner of the world.

    Ash and Lucario stood on a stone ledge overlooking the Lake of Rage, their camp five minutes behind them. It was moments like this that brought a sense of unreality to Ash, for the lake was perfectly still, perfectly serene, perfectly peaceful.

    If one were to walk by the lake, they would never guess that just underneath it was one of - if not - the final hiding places of Team Source. Then again, nobody had the luxury to go on a relaxing stroll anymore. To do so invited a surprise attack by one of the many dangers that abounded.

    Still, Ash could at least appreciate the lake¡¯s veneer of beauty. For all that was truly the same, at least he didn¡¯t see the ruined cities and shattered valleys that littered the world.

    Lucario uttered a short bark, pointing to the horizon. Ash unclipped a pair of binoculars from his belt to get a better look at what the jackal was pointing at.

    After adjusting the binoculars, Ash saw the side of a distant hill shaking as if a localised earthquake hit that area. The shaking paused as clouds of dust puffed out of a small rift, which slowly began to open as the hillside split apart to reveal the hidden entrance to Team Source¡¯s base.

    A figure emerged from the entrance, wearing dark colours that made them blend well with the light of dusk. He extended a hand to the sky, holding a small metal orb.

    Suddenly, the winds around Ash began to pick up speed as the ball began to spiral midair, sucking in the nearby air and the static Source Energy it carried. Ash could see Lucario clenching his teeth as the energy seeped through his veins, warring against the restraints placed upon him, which prevented him from uncontrollably evolving.

    Ash remained perfectly still as the winds roared around him, never taking his gaze off of the individual holding up the sphere. After what seemed like several minutes, the winds began to die down, and the individual in the distance brought down the sphere, placing it in a metal box.

    The individual turned, beginning to trek back to the hidden entrance, before they paused. The individual turned their head across the lake, towards the pair. While Ash knew that, realistically, it was impossible for the individual to see them from that distance, he swore that the individual smirked at him before descending back into the depths of the hillside.

    Ash brought down the binoculars as the hidden entrance closed, frowning at what just occurred. From what he could tell, the small device that the individual used seemed to absorb Source Energy, storing it for later study or use. While Ash knew that Team Source had created such devices, they had previously taken up a whole room¡¯s worth of space, and didn¡¯t reach nearly as far as the distance across the lake.

    Perhaps there was a breakthrough?

    Ash shook his head. It didn¡¯t matter to him. He¡¯d get his answers tomorrow when he raids the base. Though, he would have to make sure to grab the item before engaging in battle, lest it get destroyed in the conflict.

    That was why he was up here. He was getting a lay of the land, noting where and how the members of Team Source got in and out of the base. He was aware that they expected him to come soon, and they probably expected him to use the entrance on the side of the hill. In fact, Ash wouldn¡¯t be surprised if the individual from earlier deliberately telegraphed its position by coming out in perhaps the most unsubtle way possible.

    However, if there was one thing that Ash had learned over the past three years, it was that it was prudent to plan before he acts. While he got away with acting gung-ho as a child, disregarding the life-ending dangers he faced on a monthly basis, that now could and would get him killed.

    Because of this, Ash learned to be deceitful in his actions, showing off a false front while he stabbed them in the back. He was aware that they had laid a trap for him¡­ and he planned to spring it.

    Not directly, of course. Such would be suicide. No, he had Greninja preparing a small army of Substitutes to meet those who waited at that entrance.

    Ash eyed the lake, humming to himself. While Team Source dealt with defending their front entrance, Ash would merely step in through the back door. At least figuratively.

    When Ash and his remaining friends arrived at the Lake of Rage a few days ago, he had swam to the bottom of the lake on a hunch. After poking around at the bed of the lake, Ash found a small groove of stone that seemed to be artificially modified. Upon closer inspection, Ash determined that it was a water entrance for the compound to have a source of drinking water.

    Thankfully, it was just large enough for Ash to squeeze through. As such, he planned to use that to break into the base while the Substitutes kept its defenders busy.

    Lucario tugged on Ash¡¯s shirt, pointing back to camp. Casting one last look at the hillside, which now remained an indiscreet landmass, Ash followed Lucario down the hill, stepping over a few discarded stones as he did so.

    Making it back to camp, Ash saw the rest of his pok¨¦mon training in silence. Greninja synthesised a considerable pile of plush dolls to his side, stitching them together with the speed and care of an expert craftsman. Charizard was practising a relatively new technique of controlling his flames mid-flight, which was a skill taken from Ninetales and the Fennekin line. Pikachu was cleaving through stone with Iron Tail , seemingly working on precision by carving out a sculpture of himself.

    All of them had deathly serious gazes, which served as a sign of how anxious they were of the upcoming battle. It was like that for every battle against The Chariot, as there was always a very real likelihood that not all of them would come out alive.

    Ash scowled upon thinking about that. There was a feeling in his gut that The Chariot was here, waiting. A part of him even wondered if he had been the one to come out of the compound earlier.

    Regardless, he walked to the other side of camp with Lucario, crouching down next to the jackal as the pok¨¦mon inspected a small sapling.

    With the precision of a surgeon, Lucario slashed his claws against the thin wood, crisscrossing a series of lacerations that bled green against brown.

    Then, the jackal turned to Ash, beckoning him forward to demonstrate the next move that the jackal was teaching Ash. It had been slow progress, but Lucario had eventually taught Ash how to use Aura Sphere semi-reliably, along with some other fighting-type moves. Over the last few weeks, Lucario shifted his focus to teaching Ash more support-based moves, starting off with Heal Pulse .

    Ash leaned next to Lucario as the jackal extended his paws, closing his eyes as twirling psychic energies twined from the pok¨¦mon¡¯s heart down through its arms and into its paws. Ash closed his eyes and reached out with his aura to feel the energy used, memorising the feel of healing energies dancing across his skin, the pulse of his heart beating in tandem with Lucario¡¯s, the will of the jackal¡¯s mind focused on healing the sapling.

    Ash opened his eyes to see the sapling repaired, its leaves shining brighter than before.

    Upon seeing this, Lucario sat up and moved a few metres away to find another, beckoning Ash to follow. Upon kneeling next to the other sapling, Lucario once more slashed into its wood, revealing a green wound for Ash to heal.

    As Ash reached out to attempt the move, Lucario placed his paws on the back of Ash¡¯s hands, directing a miniscule amount of energy into them.

    Ash felt for the energy, using it as a basis for the move. He closed his eyes and grit his teeth, directing his will, directing his aura towards the sole purpose of healing.

    Ash grit his teeth as he began to feel a headache, his heart ringing in his ears. Multiple times, Ash felt his focus waver, though Lucario was there to redirect it back to the sapling.

    After a moment, Ash felt the paws lift from his hands. Opening his eyes, Ash saw the final remnants of psychic energy recede back into his heart. His hands buzzed as he examined the sapling, now healed - though not with the same lustre as Lucario¡¯s sapling.

    A pleased grunt brought Ash¡¯s attention to Lucario, who stood smiling next to him. As Ash stood up, Lucario slashed once more, this time making a small incision on his arm.

    Ash¡¯s face screwed up in displeasure - he didn¡¯t like seeing his pok¨¦mon hurt themselves, even if it was for training - but it was a necessary component to learning the move. What use would it be, after all, if he could not use it to help his friends.

    Ash stepped forward, extending his hands to the wound, this time without Lucario¡¯s help. Recalling the feel from his mind, his will, his heart, Ash extended his aura towards the wound. A small bead of sweat appeared on his brow by the time a firm set of paws tapped Ash on his shoulders. Opening his eyes, Ash saw that the cut was healed, and his hands were tinted a slight glowing pink, before receding into small sparks of light.

    Ash looked up to see Lucario giving him a wide grin, barking several times in jubilation. Ash chuckled along, glad that the previous oppressive atmosphere had been lifted, even if only for a moment.

    Upon hearing the joyous cries of Lucario, the other pok¨¦mon wandered towards them, watching in mild confusion as Lucario gave a little victory dance. In a world of dying aura, it was always a great victory for Lucario to pass on his skills in the subject, however small the impact may be.

    Ash smiled, looking towards the lake, glittering against the coming moonlight. He could only hope that each of his friends would make it. But in his heart, a small pool of dread began to build as he wondered what the Chariot had in store this time.

    ¡­

    Champion¡¯s Office, Indigo Plateau, September 8th, 1997

    Lance rubbed the crust away from his eyes, cursing whatever deities and gods who were listening for sticking him with the role of Champion.

    ¡°I¡¯ve already told you, Mr. Goodshow. I have a prior obligation that I cannot miss,¡± He said, exacerbated.

    ¡°This is an important summit, Lance! We can¡¯t have the Indigo Champion snubbing the Sinnoh region when reconnection talks are almost finalised!¡± Charles Goodshow, Head of the World League, shouted madly in Lance¡¯s X-Transceiver.

    ¡°You can do so without me being physically present,¡± Lance replied patiently. At least, he hoped it sounded patient, because his patience died long ago .

    ¡°But it sends the wrong message!¡± Goodshow exclaimed, trying in vain to convince the Indigo Champion, ¡°Steven has already made arrangements to go, why can¡¯t you?¡±

    A vein pulsed in Lance¡¯s forehead. He growled out, ¡°I¡¯ve already agreed with the elders to return to Blackthorne for our clan meeting.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you reschedule that?¡± Goodshow asked, sounding a bit like a petulant child, ¡°You are the Champion. You should be able to tell them to wait.¡±

    Lance grit his teeth and closed his eyes, repeating the calming mantras taught by the elders, lest he lash out at this ignorant twit.

    Deep breathes, Lance. You¡¯ve dealt with him for two years now. No need to further ruin your relationship with one of the most influential men in the world.

    ¡°Champion I may be,¡± Lance began in a slow, deliberate voice, ¡°It is the code to respect the elders, for they are learned and I am young.¡±

    Goodshow huffed, clearly unimpressed, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, could you ask them to reschedule it?¡±

    Lance stayed silent for a moment before muttering, ¡°I will.¡±

    Goodshow still looked disgruntled, but was satisfied enough with the answer, ¡°I do hope you are able to make it, Lance. You are the region¡¯s finest trainer, after all.¡±

    And now he¡¯s trying to butter me up. ¡°Thank you, though I doubt that claim.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Goodshow coughed, ¡°Is there a potential challenger for the position, then?¡±

    Lance almost snorted. It was well-hidden, but Lance could tell that Goodshow already looked forward to the day that Lance was replaced, ¡°No, Mr. Goodshow. Not yet. I was merely recalling a lesson from the elders.¡±

    ¡°Ah,¡± Goodshow slumped back, ¡°Something along the lines of ¡®never assume you¡¯re the best,¡¯ I take it?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Lance replied simply, recalling his horror at seeing the recording of the Battle of Rage saved within the clan¡¯s archives.

    Goodshow remained silent, before murmuring, ¡°That¡¯s good advise, I suppose,¡± He peered back towards Lance, ¡°And it may be true. I¡¯ve heard that Sinnoh¡¯s new Champion is rather strong herself! She might be enough to give you a challenge, eh?¡±

    And now he¡¯s trying to bribe me with a good battle. ¡°I¡¯ll check with the elders to see if I can make it, but don¡¯t plan on it,¡± Lance said in a fatalistic tone, ¡°Was there anything else.¡±

    Goodshow frowned at Lance¡¯s words, but waved his hand away, ¡°That¡¯s all for now. I have a summit to plan and I presume you have your own duties,¡± He reached to end to transmission, ¡°Have a good day, Champion.¡±

    After Goodshow closed the transmission, Lance allowed himself to lean back with a groan. It had been a week and a half since the power surge swept across the world, and the League was no closer to determining the source of the activity.

    Lance was immensely grateful that it happened at the beginning of the new Conference Season, rather than towards the end. Lorelei had barely left her study outside of using the restroom, and Lance wondered if she would even register any challengers who came forth to fight her as the first Elite 4 member.

    Of course, he could just reassign Bruno to be the first - the man would definitely welcome any and all challengers. Will might also appreciate being placed upfront, though it was hard to tell with the man, given how he over exaggerated his emotions on every little thing.

    Lance didn¡¯t dare touch Agatha¡¯s position with a 100-metre pole.

    On top of everything else, there was some trouble with Team Rocket about a week before at the Viridian City Pok¨¦mon Center. He had already sent a squad of rangers to the forest south of town to neutralise an aggressive Spearow flock, so he really wasn¡¯t pleased when he heard about another disaster occuring at the same time.

    Thankfully, just as Lance was mounting his Dragonite to personally deal with the threat, he received a message that the situation had already been handled, by some kid and his Pikachu, no less.

    That wasn¡¯t it, though. There were also the near-constant reports coming from Pewter Gym about the Gym Leader, Brock. In Lance¡¯s opinion, the kid had no business being a Gym Leader, both with having to manage one of the most accessible Gyms while managing a family of.. What was it, ten? Twelve?

    He couldn¡¯t necessarily blame it on the teenager, though. The poor kid didn¡¯t even get the opportunity to go on his journey, instead having to take care of a family. If the kid¡¯s father didn¡¯t return soon to assume his duties as Gym Leader, then Lance would be forced to find a replacement.

    Lance sighed, once more cursing whatever deities and gods who were listening for sticking him with the role of Champion.

    Lance was interrupted in his brooding by the sounds of his X-Transceiver vibrating. Picking it up, he saw that he was receiving a call from Clair.

    Lance answered the call, connecting the X-Transceiver to the monitor on his desk as Clair appeared, smirking in a way that no-one should so early in the morning, ¡°Good morning, cousin!¡±

    Lance closed his eyes and rubbed them, asking, ¡°Could this have waited, Clair?¡±

    ¡°Nope,¡± She responded, all peppy and cheerful. Lance almost reeled back in horror when he realised that his cousin was drinking coffee .

    ¡°How long have you been awake?¡± Lance asked, dreading the answer.

    Clair scrunched her eyebrows, highlighting the subtle bags under her eyes, ¡°...Maybe 24 hours?¡±

    Lance just stared at her as she squirmed, ¡°It¡¯s my off-day, alright?!¡±

    Lance sat back and sighed, sadly used to his younger cousin¡¯s antics, ¡°What¡¯s got you in a tizzy this time?¡±

    Clair huffed, not appreciating her cousin¡¯s condescension. She glared at him for a moment before grumbling, ¡°Someone beat me¡­¡±

    Lance arched an eyebrow, slightly incredulous that this was the thing that got Clair in such a mood, ¡°So? Isn¡¯t that good?¡±

    ¡°Not when it¡¯s his first Gym badge!¡± Clair snapped back, ¡°That¡¯s never happened before!¡±

    It hasn¡¯t?

    ¡°I thought you don¡¯t allow anyone without at least four badges to challenge the Gym,¡± Lance muttered, feeling a bit too tired for her nonsense.

    She waved a hand away, ¡°Technically, I do. I just treat them as if they¡¯ve already earned four badges.¡±

    ¡°And no-one¡¯s ever beaten you?¡± Lance asked sceptically.

    Clair faltered, ¡°Well¡­ a few have,¡± She jumped back up, ¡°But they already had two or three badges! This guy had none!¡±

    Lance blinked, ¡°I still don¡¯t see the point-¡±

    ¡°He did it with a frog, a Pichu, and a Charmander.¡±

    Lance blinked again, allowing his brain to catch up with what she said, ¡°What was the team you used?¡±

    Clair leaned back, seemingly satisfied at having Lance¡¯s attention, ¡°A Vibrava, one of the newly evolved Kingdra, and a Dragonair.¡±

    As Clair listed off her pok¨¦mon, Lance¡¯s eyes grew wider, ¡°You¡¯re saying he beat that team with a Charmander, a Pichu , and¡­ what, a frog?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Clair confirmed, jittering in her seat, ¡°And he said that he planned on completing the Gym Circuit in time for the Silver Conference in December.¡±

    ¡°He has his work cut out for him,¡± Lance replied, still thinking about what he had heard. The Kingdra alone should have been able to sweep the team she described. ¡°Do you have a recording of the battle?¡±

    Clair nodded, slumping back, ¡° Yesss . I¡¯ve been watching the damn thing to try to understand just how he did it!¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Lance asked, opening a blank file on his computer.

    ¡°He¡¯s obviously an experienced trainer. Even if he doesn¡¯t have a single badge to his name, he obviously has a ton of experience,¡± Her face turned red in a mixture of fury and slight admiration, ¡°He didn¡¯t even give any verbal commands to that Pichu of his, and that thing took down my Kingdra¡­¡±

    Meanwhile, as Clair rambled, Lance listened with growing shock. This was the man¡¯s first Gym badge? He had assumed when Clair started talking that the man had some from Kanto, Hoenn, or even a region outside of the World League. And also, the Kingdra - Clair¡¯s Ace - was taken down by a Pichu?

    Did this guy roid up his pok¨¦mon?

    ¡°Clair,¡± Lance called out, interrupting her spiel, ¡°What¡¯s this man¡¯s name?¡±

    ¡°Red,¡± Clair replied immediately, an odd lilt in her voice, ¡°Red Satoshi. He comes from Melemele Island, wherever that is.¡±

    Lance thought for a moment before saying, ¡°I believe that¡¯s in Alola.¡±

    Clair shrugged, ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. The point is that I think this guy is going places.¡±

    Lance nodded absentmindedly as he perused the trainer database for his name. After a moment, he found a registration application from ten days ago, submitted from Silver Town, along with a report he hadn¡¯t read from the Nurse Joy of that town.

    Upon reading the report, Lance¡¯s eyes shot up even higher, ¡°Clair, you didn¡¯t recognise his frog pok¨¦mon, correct?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Clair confirmed.

    ¡°I have a report from Nurse Joy in Silver Town that this frog pok¨¦mon was apparently won in an auction in Olivine City,¡± Lance hummed, ¡°She also believes the pok¨¦mon to be Kalosian in origin.¡±

    Clair groaned, ¡°And I was starting to like the guy, Lance. Why Kalos ?¡±

    As Champion, political correctness dictated that he defend the nation. But his ties with the Blackthorne clan prevented him from doing so. Instead, he continued reading the report, ¡°She also says that his Charmander - wait a minute - his Charmander has a blue tail flame?!¡±

    Clair snapped her fingers, her previous brooding mood forgotten, ¡°Oh right! I forgot to tell you about that!¡±

    Lance stewed for a moment, both wondering about the implications of what he read and the depths of airheadedness his cousin descended to when talking to anyone outside of her Gym duties, ¡°You forgot to tell me that this trainer owned a Charmander with a blue tail flame? You are aware of what that could mean, right?¡±

    Clair opened her mouth to respond, then stopped to think for a moment, then flushed when she realised that she didn¡¯t know, then shook her head meekly in response.

    Lance rolled his eyes, ¡°You ought to pay attention to the elders, dear cousin,¡± Taking pity on her as she seemed to imitate a Shuckle, Lance explained, ¡°There¡¯s a high likelihood that this mystery trainer has somehow obtained a draconic variant of a Charmander.¡±

    There was a pause, then Clair shot up like a bullet, ¡°What!? You mean he¡¯s a dragon trainer?!¡±

    Lance began to sweat when he saw the stars in her eyes. That was more than a little worrying for his future health. ¡°We don¡¯t know for certain. If I recall correctly, the last documented Charmander that bore a blue tail flame was from the Draconid clan nearly a century ago. I¡¯ll ask the elders when I come in a few weeks.¡±

    ¡°No need! I¡¯ll ask them!¡± Clair scrambled to get up, completely disregarding to turn off the X-Transceiver she left. Lance called after her, knowing what her definition of ¡®asking¡¯ was, and sat back resigned as she ignored him.

    After a moment, Lance closed the transmission. He ran a hand through his hair as he realised that yet another thing has been added to his ever-expanding plate. This wasn¡¯t even necessarily due to him being Champion, it was just from trying to manage his cousin as she ran off towards the latest shiny object that caught her attention.

    Though, he hasn¡¯t ever seen her so passionate about another trainer before. Especially one she just met.

    That was odd, but Lance wasn¡¯t quite prepared to unpack that. Instead, Lance grumbled as he read through the rest of Red¡¯s admittedly small file. Afterwards, he gave his signature and sent it to Lorelei to handle the bureaucratic side of League registration. Of course, this was assuming that she even saw it in the first place, given how deep in research she was at the moment.

    Lance sat back, weighing the pros and cons of going back to bed and skipping out of his morning duties. Before he decided to just skip out and sleep, though, an alert buzzed on his monitor, alerting him to some other emergency that he needed to fix.

    Lance sighed as he walked towards his window, calling upon his Dragonite who was down below. It was times like this that he cursed whatever deities and gods who were listening for sticking him with the role of Champion.

    He cursed rather loudly.

    ¡­

    Route 44

    Red watched closely as Pichu tried and failed to use Iron Tail on some grass.

    Of course, Pichu argued for practising on some nearby rocks. Red shot that down, though, pointing out how Pichu would just injure his tail if he failed.

    That didn¡¯t stop his oldest friend from trying, though. Red endured a number of minor sparks as he pulled the small mouse away from the rocks, literally kicking and screaming.

    Red made sure to spend most of his time training with Pichu over the past few days. Froakie had already adapted pretty well to his new form, practising ways to use his small size to his advantage, while Charmander¡­ actually, Red wasn¡¯t entirely certain what was going on with the lizard.

    Charmander seemed to flip back and forth between his previous aggressive personality and an excessively meek countenance that did not fit with Red¡¯s view of the beast. One moment, Charmander was acting as he always did, barely regarding Red¡¯s command as he attacked like a brutal god. The next moment, Charmander seemed to move on autopilot, his eyes staring forward as if nothing was there.

    It was at those points that Red ended his training with Charmander, as he let the small lizard sit in front of the campfire, staring ahead. He had been slightly worried when this behaviour started shortly after leaving Blackthorne City, but Froakie physically held him back when he tried to approach Charmander at these times.

    He wondered about that.

    When Charmander did train, he largely focused on improving his control over fire. While the small lizard¡¯s physical capabilities were still rather impressive, his fire attacks left something to be desired.

    Pichu, meanwhile, was training until he dropped. Red had to step in at several points when Pichu¡¯s injuries became too great. While he had stocked up on some potions using his winnings from the battle ring and the Gym, he still had a finite amount.

    As Red watched Pichu spittle in rage over his tail not working again, Red thoughts turned to something else.

    Why did they devolve?

    His initial thought had been that they reverted to the forms they had been in at this time of their lives. But that didn¡¯t hold water.

    First off, at this point, Pichu had long been a Pikachu. Additionally, Charmander looked nothing like he did when Ash found him. Red wasn¡¯t even sure if Froakie was born at this point.

    He even asked Froakie, and the frog just shrugged.

    Additionally, unless the time-travel affected humans differently than pok¨¦mon - which, upon thinking, it probably did - Red should be ten years old.

    Another theory that Red had was intriguing. Considering that Source Energy itself was evolution energy, he wondered if his pok¨¦mon got in contact with some sort of anti-Source Energy, or maybe just got hit in the opposite direction?

    That headache was back. It had plagued him since emerging from Mount Silver. After a moment, it subsided, allowing Red to return to his thinking.

    Since Source Energy caused pok¨¦mon to evolve, even past their natural state, wouldn¡¯t that make the opposite true? If an abundance of Source Energy caused pok¨¦mon to evolve, then perhaps a lack of Source Energy would cause them to devolve.

    Red rubbed his forehead as he thought about this. He was never particularly gifted in this type of thinking. He largely flourished in battle, as shown by him surviving the worst of the Storm.

    Did this mean he would actively have to push Source Energy onto them just for them to evolve back into their previous forms?

    Red shook his head firmly at the thought. He wouldn¡¯t risk such an action, even if it had the possibility of strengthening his pok¨¦mon. In his experience, messing with Source Energy was almost always lethal. He¡¯d choose having his pok¨¦mon remain in these forms over potentially killing them any day.

    Even if Pichu threw a fit about it once every hour.

    Besides, he didn¡¯t know this for certain. If they were lucky, it was just something else he couldn¡¯t think of, and they would be back to normal soon enough.

    Still, he had to plan around their newfound weaknesses going forward. Charmander was no longer the tank he was as Charizard and Froakie no longer had the dark-type specialties he had as Greninja. Pichu had the worst of the lot, as Red was coming to realise just how limited Pichu was in terms of strength.

    Pichu could theoretically reach the same power output he had as a Pikachu. It would just kill him, plain and simple.

    Red refrained from sighing as he took out his quickly expanding notebook. He had to make a plan for Mahogany Gym, especially after the surprises he faced against Clair. If she held to her word, the rest of the Gym Leaders would have likely heard of him by now, and after hearing about him going against Clair¡¯s 5-Badge team, they likely wouldn¡¯t allow him to fight anything lower than that.

    Still, he had faith that his pok¨¦mon would pull through. They had faced worse odds in the past ( future? ), and he knew they would have to face new challenges going forward.

    ¡­

    Mahogany Gym, September 12th, 1997

    Red stepped to the podium as the noise from the crowd began to steadily rise. While the turnout to the Gym match was significantly smaller than that of Blackthorne City, it was no less enthusiastic as the denizens of the town came out to support their venerated Gym Leader.

    Pryce stood across the arena, which was covered in ice, standing upright with the support of his cane. He regarded the challenger with an icy glare before speaking out, ¡°You are here for my 5th Badge Challenge, is that correct?¡±

    Yeah, he expected nothing less . ¡°I am,¡± Red replied.

    Pryce nodded, not taking his eyes off the challenger, ¡°Then let us begin.¡±

    The referee stepped to his podium at the side of the arena, ¡°Challenger Red Satoshi of Melemele Island has challenged Pryce Hagel of Mahogany Town to a 5-Badge Gym Battle! This will be a 3-on-3, with no switching being allowed after a pok¨¦mon faints! Gym Leader Pryce will begin by sending out his pok¨¦mon!¡±

    Pryce regarded Red carefully before silently sending out a pok¨¦ball. In a burst of light, a sea lion pok¨¦mon flopped onto the ice bed.

    As the referee announced to the crowd what the pok¨¦mon was, Red whispered to Pichu, ¡°He¡¯s all yours.¡±

    Pichu grinned, small sparks tingling against Red¡¯s cheek. The small mouse hopped down to stare across the battlefield, eyeing the Dewgong with violence in his eyes.

    Pryce stared coldly at the small mouse, commanding the Dewgong to use, ¡° Aqua Ring .¡±

    As the sea lion called forth thin rings of glowing water, Pichu rushed forward, gaining speed in a frantic Volt Tackle .

    Pryce¡¯s eyes widened when he saw Pichu barreling towards Dewgong. He rounded onto his pok¨¦mon, ¡° Dive away!¡±

    The Dewgong took only a moment¡¯s hesitation before dropping the Aqua Ring to dive within the ice. However, before it could get more than halfway within the ice sheet, Pichu rammed into its tail, causing the Dewgong to cry out as it was ejected by the electrical force.

    Before the Dewgong could move, Pichu grappled onto its fins, glowing yellow as it prepared one final Discharge . Upon seeing this, Pryce¡¯s face turned grim, and he commanded, ¡° Perish Song .¡±

    Red winced as the Dewgong sang a disparaging melody mixed in with its cries of pain. He shook himself as the sea lion slumped over, fainted in record time. Pichu hopped off the pok¨¦mon, wobbling slightly from both the electrical output and the withering effects of the song.

    Across the arena, Pryce hummed to himself as he recalled the Dewgong, ¡°It seems that Ms. Blackthorne wasn¡¯t exaggerating about your Pichu. It¡¯s rather aggressive.¡±

    Red nodded distractedly as he watched in concern as Pichu began to slap itself in order to stay conscious. It took a moment to realise that Pryce had yet to bring out his next pok¨¦mon, instead waiting for the full minute given to switch pok¨¦mon in order to allow the Perish Song to have maximum effect.

    Sneaky bastard.

    Red looked across the way to see Pryce giving a small smirk, twirling his next pok¨¦ball around his fingers. The old man eyed Red in the eye before giving a slightly larger smile, turning towards those in the audience who began to boo him, ¡°You all call this unfair, yet the young man across from me says nothing,¡± His eyes turned even colder than before, ¡°Unlike you, he understands that in a real battle, there is no honour, no code binding one to an artificial set of rules. You take whatever advantages you can.¡±

    With that, the timer reached 0:00, and Pryce sent forward his next pok¨¦mon, ¡°Piloswine.¡±

    Red¡¯s mind thought rapidly, considering that Pichu only had the opportunity for one move before fainting. He thought over Pryce¡¯s words, ignoring its resemblance to one of the Chariot¡¯s many mad speeches, and called out, ¡° Taunt! ¡±

    Pichu heard, and in one heaving breath stuck out his tongue and began loudly spewing spit at the Piloswine, stomping around in clumsy motions mimicking the towering mammoth.

    Upon seeing this, the Piloswine ignored Pryce¡¯s commands to Hail , and instead began charging up towards Pichu in a Take Down .

    Upon seeing this, Red gave a cold smile and commanded Pichu, ¡°Brace yourself!¡± Knowing that, while Pichu was about to faint, he was still physically strong enough to tank a few hits.

    It was only from the decade¡¯s worth of trust in his trainer that Pichu obeyed, curling into himself in a mimicry of Defense Curl before being knocked away by the mass of charging mammoth that slammed into him.

    Red watched in silent relief as one of the aide rushed to where Pichu¡¯s unconscious form was, taking him to the Pok¨¦mon Center. Red turned back to see the Piloswine stomping on the ground in agitation, ignoring the bruises it received from its ill-advised attack.

    Not seeing any reason to wait and allow the Taunt to lose its effect, Red sent out Froakie, commanding him to immediately, ¡° Quick Attack into Water Gun !¡±

    ¡°Meet it with Tackle !¡± Pryce called out, changing his strategy due to the lingering effects of Taunt .

    Piloswine snorted a breath of frost before charging towards the speeding frog. The two met, creating a small shockwave, before Froakie shot a Water Gun in Piloswine¡¯s face.

    The mammoth grunted in pain before bucking off Froakie with Thrash . Upon seeing this, Pryce sighed and commanded the Piloswine, ¡°Stay on top of it!¡±

    ¡°Keep away from it and use Water Gun on its sides!¡± Red called out.

    Froakie nodded mid-jump, dodging another attack from the beast. The frog hopped throughout the battlefield, never staying too close or too far, continuously shooting Piloswine¡¯s sides with Water Guns .

    This lasted for a minute, before Piloswine¡¯s previous enraged expression gave way to a trembling countenance. Upon seeing this, Pryce stepped forward, ¡° Endure! ¡±

    The Piloswine steeled itself, planting its hooves into the ice, before giving a pained screech as Froakie landed one last Water Gun onto its backside. However, the mammoth remained standing, and as Froakie prepared the finishing blow, Pryce¡¯s voice rang out, ¡° Hail! ¡±

    As if it had been holding a sneeze in for the last several minutes, the mammoth snorted, the air released from its nostrils beginning to spiral around him in a growing snowstorm as it collapsed once and for all.

    As Red watched this with growing dread, Pryce¡¯s lips twitched as he grumbled, ¡°That damn Pichu really threw a wrench into things,¡± He took out his last pok¨¦ball, ¡°I suppose even the weakest pok¨¦mon have their uses.¡±

    Red bristled at that, but remained silent as Pryce regarded him through the streaks of hail and ice. The old man¡¯s features began to be obscured in shades of white and grey as he called out, ¡°Sneasel, it¡¯s time to end what we started.¡±

    Red couldn¡¯t even see the pok¨¦mon emerge within the din of ice and snow. The raging winds began to obscure the sounds of the crowd as flashes of glowing blue snow, spires of void, shards of shrapnel, the crimson gaze, the Source Storm-

    Greninja bleeding red as the tears across his back dig into his bone.

    Charizard barely breathing surrounded by a halo of torn wings.

    Pikachu gasping and limping as the storm around them closes in-

    ¡°SIR!¡±

    Red snapped back to reality as his aide yelled to get his attention. As his focus reoriented to the surroundings, he saw that the hailstorm had lessened ever so slightly, allowing him to see Pryce¡¯s carefully blank look as he stared across to Red.

    With a faint blush creeping to his neck, Red turned to his aide, murmuring apologetically, ¡°Sorry ¡®bout that.¡±

    His aide¡¯s sharp look softened a tiny amount before nodding downwards, ¡°Your pok¨¦mon fainted.¡±

    Red turned to see Froakie being picked up by another group of aides. He was glad to see only some bruises and lacerations rather than a tear across his back.

    The aide by his side spoke up, ¡°Do you need a minute?¡±

    Red breathed in and out, centring himself, ¡°No. I¡¯m alright,¡± He unclipped his last pok¨¦ball, down to Charmander once more, ¡°Knock ¡®em dead, Charmander.¡±

    After the lizard emerged, it took a few seconds for the cameras to focus on the Charmander through the haze of the storm. As whispers erupted from the crowd about Charmander¡¯s unique appearance, the referee called the match to continue.

    Pryce tapped his cane, ¡°Add Icy Wind to the hailstorm.¡±

    ¡°Stay at the edge of the storm. Be cautious for any attacks,¡± Red replied.

    Charmander huffed a breath of smoke, shuffling away from the growing hailstorm. Shadowed silhouettes jumped too and fro from within the storm, slowly closing in around the lizard.

    Even as the edge of the storm began to batter against Charmander, Red waited. Upon hearing Pryce¡¯s command to use Fury Swipes , Ash commanded, ¡° Fire Spin around yourself.¡±

    Charmander stepped forward, puffing out spiralling embers of blue flame to surround itself in. A shadowed figure then leaped from the hailstorm, reaching out to swipe Charmander''s tail, before crying out from the flames.

    Stolen story; please report.

    Charmander turned to the Sneasel hissing as it patted away the small flickers of flame sticking to its arms. The cat-like pok¨¦mon looked up only to receive an Ember to the face.

    The Sneasel screeched as it began to burn, desperately clawing away as Charmander leisurely stepped forward, a small smirk present on the lizard¡¯s face.

    The smirk was lost when Pryce called out, ¡° Facade! ¡± and the burning Sneasel turned back with a devilish grin before speeding forward, slashing deep into Charmander¡¯s scales before he could react.

    Charmander cried out before growling in rage. Rushing forward with Metal Claw , Charmander slashed forward, only to see that the Sneasel dodged, delivering another Facade .

    Charmander whirled around, claws emanating with draconic energy as he brought down a devastating Dragon Claw , only to see that he swiped at the wind.

    Charmander coughed when Sneasel hit him with another Facade . The hailstorm around him began to disappear. His trainer¡¯s cries for him to get out of there, ignored. The world slowly got consumed by a void as the demon inside of him commanded him to stay standing .

    He roared when another Facade struck his backside, hateful wisps of draconic energy beginning to spiral around him, begging to lash out, begging to be freed .

    Charmander lost his constraint, focusing upon the rapidly descending form of Sneasel with unadulterated, unfiltered hate . Charmander screamed in rage as a wave of shattered draconic energy erupted from him.

    Then, Charmander felt limp, as if all of his energy was sapped away. He swayed, thinking of how nice it would be to lie down and rest. Yet the voice in his ear remained, unwavering.

    Stay Standing .

    Eventually, the din of cheers reached his ears, as Charmander turned to see Sneasel collapsed, unconscious, with small remnants of draconic energy still clinging onto its fur.

    The lizard turned to see his trainer, Ash, looking at him with both pride and concern. Charmander chose to ignore the latter and focused upon the former, a small pit of glee settling in his stomach.

    The lizard remained smiling as he was recalled into his pok¨¦ball and sent to the Pok¨¦mon Center. Red waited for the snowstorm to dissipate before stepping off of the podium to meet Pryce at the centre of the arena.

    As he stepped closer, he locked eyes with Pryce, noting that the old man¡¯s eyes were somewhat unfocused, as if he was seeing something else.

    When they shook hands, Pryce handed him the Glacier Badge, before placing a hand on Red¡¯s shoulder, ¡°You made mistakes, as did I. Learn from them, and they will be your greatest success,¡± Pryce then looked past Red, staring at nothing before murmuring, ¡°Remember who you are.¡±

    After that, the old man made his leave. Red stood there for a moment, running Pryce¡¯s ominous message over his mind, before being nudged by the same aide as earlier. Red shook his head as he left the Gym, placing his thoughts on Pryce¡¯s words in the backburner as he prepared for his trip to the Lake of Rage.

    ¡­

    The Lake of Rage, September 15th, 1997

    The morning sun cast a reflection upon the water, lighting up the lake as if it was a giant lantern. The orange sky slowly turned a cloudless blue as Red trekked along the edge of the lake, Pichu and Froakie taking up both of his shoulders.

    The two of them had recovered rather quickly from the Gym match, both of them only taking superficial damage. Pichu, as usual, was cranky after being knocked out before he could truly get on a roll. While he hid it better, Froakie was also disgruntled over the match, as he was continuously working on moving faster and faster in his training.

    Meanwhile, Charmander had been acting lethargic, not training nearly as hard as he had just a few days ago. Red had observed the small lizard sleeping much more than usual, which was what he was doing now in the pok¨¦ball. While he knew that Nurse Joy¡¯s analysis of Charmander stated that the pok¨¦mon was in perfect health, Red was beginning to worry.

    However, Red intended on giving Charmander a few more days to rest. Nurse Joy had told him that a likely cause for Charmander¡¯s pseudo-hibernation was to recover after learning Dragon Rage , which was apparently the move Charmander used to finish off Sneasel.

    Red had asked why that was the case, given that his pok¨¦mon had learned new moves without major issues in the past. Nurse Joy explained in basic terms that if the pok¨¦mon doesn¡¯t acclimate to using the move before actually performing it in battle, there will often be a period of recovery, depending on how powerful the attack was.

    Red wondered about that. Charizard had known the move and never had difficulty with it, so why did Charmander? Was it due to him being in a new form?

    Red thought back to Charmander¡¯s new look. The dark red scales made Charmander look darker than others in his species. The lizard was also unusually tall for a Charmander, though he was still only level with Red¡¯s waist. The blue tail flame made Red think of Mega Charizard X, which he remembered changed into a dragon type.

    He thought back, recalling the changes he observed in Charizard when he assumed his Source form. That form also gained the dragon type, though instead of replacing the flying type, it became Charizard¡¯s third type.

    Did that affect something when the four of them travelled back through time? Or does it have nothing to do with it?

    Red rubbed his forehead as his near-chronic headache returned - he needed to have that checked out . He wished that he could ask Professor Oak these questions, but he couldn¡¯t risk exposing his connection to his ten year old self.

    His thoughts were interrupted by Pichu and Froakie¡¯s joint poking and prodding. Swatting them away, Red looked forward to see a familiar spot.

    Hiking up the hill, Red reached the stone ledge he and Lucario had used to scout out the Team Source base underneath the lake.

    Red shivered as he felt the cold memories seep into his mind, the old demons reaching up from the abyss to remind him that they never left.

    Red abruptly turned away, nearly knocking off the pok¨¦mon on his shoulders. He began to rush down the hill when Froakie crowed into his ear.

    Sighing, Red turned around to see the frog pointing out a rectangular slab of stone off to the side. Red stalked up to it, noting the vines spiralling around it, indicating its level of care.

    It was obviously manmade, though. Red examined it for a moment before flipping open a pocket knife from his belt, cutting through the vines.

    When they fell away, Red stepped back to observe the mural - for that was it was - of stone. At the head was a carved caricature of a Mega Gyarados, though its angular design made the creature seem far more primal and dangerous than any he had faced.

    The Battle of Rage Memorial

    In the beginning of 1977, marking the fourth and final year of the Great War, the Johto-Sinnoh Coalition was finally pushed back from Kanto after key defeats in Viridian and Pewter. As the armies retreated through the Silver Mountains, Kanto began its own invasion into Johto, conquering major cities such as Violet and Goldenrod. In preparation for a counter-attack, the Sinnoh forces prepared at Gyarados Lake while the Johto forces moved to Mahogany to lure the Kanto armies into the trap. However, during the short skirmish at Mahogany, the Sinnoh forces at Gyarados Lake were ambushed by Orre-Kalos Separatists, resulting in the Sinnoh forces becoming scattered. When the Johto and Kanto forces met once more at Gyarados Lake, it devolved into chaos, as the armies of Kanto, Johto, Sinnoh, Kalos, and Orre fought in a confused battle. This marked the bloodiest battle in the war, lasting over four days from April 4th to the 8th. There have been over 150,000 deaths accounted for across the five regions and over 70,000 missing. Over 70,000 of the confirmed deaths were recovered from the bed of the lake itself, seeming to have drowned in the conflict. Eyewitnesses say that a Mega-evolved Shiny Gyarados was responsible for many of the casualties after raising the entire lake, drowning numerous trainers and pok¨¦mon alike. It was this battle that marked the beginnings of disarmament talks between Johto, Sinnoh, and Kanto, as this was not a battle with winners and losers. This was a Battle of Rage. In 1979, the newly formed Indigo League renamed the lake into the Lake of Rage in honour of the fallen warriors of the battle. It is said that if one is blessed, or cursed, they will see the Shiny Gyarados swimming in the now-peaceful lake.

    Red¡¯s eyes were narrowed as he finished reading the mural, muttering the words to himself. His words were loud for Pichu to understand, who, unlike Froakie, never bothered to learn how to read. At the mention of the Gyarados possibly appearing at the lake, Pichu cast a quick glance at the water, as if determining whether or not the creature would emerge.

    Froakie croaked a quick question, pointing at the mention of the Orre-Kalos Separatists. The confused lilt in Froakie¡¯s voice told Red that, just like himself, he had never heard about the Great War before meeting Herren and Nurse Joy at Silver Town.

    Granted, Froakie had somewhat of an excuse, given that the frog had only been a few years old when Red first met him as Ash. Red thought it more likely that he just didn¡¯t pay attention to such things when he was a child.

    He remembered skipping out on classes to sneak into Professor Oak¡¯s Ranch. He probably missed a good amount of history.

    Still, he would think that he would have learned of it during his travels. Perhaps it was his age that stopped people from talking?

    Red shook his head, telling himself that he would think about it later. Procuring a pair of binoculars from his bag, Red peered across the lake to the familiar hillside containing the entrance to the compound below. At least, that was assuming that such a compound existed at this point. The hill itself seemed completely normal, though he could have said the same before he saw it split into two.

    Setting down his binoculars, Red whispered to the pok¨¦mon on his shoulders, ¡°We should be able to make it to the hill around mid-afternoon. We can check for any hidden entrances there.¡±

    Froakie nodded stoically while Pichu shrugged. Red placed everything back into his bag and resumed his hike to the hillside, storing the information from the mural into the back of his mind, along with everything else.

    ¡­

    Red grumbled as he crossed ¡®Lake of Rage¡¯ off of his list. He had spent the past four hours scouring the hillside, not finding a single shred of evidence to indicate Team Source being present.

    He had even dived to the bottom of the lake itself - after haggling for a solid thirty minutes with Froakie - and found no water entrance.

    Now, as Red dried himself off next to the campfire Charmander built, he mentally reviewed the itinerary he and Froakie created on the way to Blackthorne City. It had only been about two and a half weeks since he descended Mount Silver, and he had already won two badges. At the rate he was currently going, he should be able to earn one badge every one to two weeks. This would make it so that he would have just enough time to enrol in the Silver Conference at the beginning of December. Of course, this assumed that he didn¡¯t run into trouble and get delayed.

    Red knew from experience that he wouldn¡¯t be so lucky.

    While the base underneath the Lake of Rage had yet to be built, he remembered members of Team Source talking about how the base at Goldenrod City was home to one of the first major experiments conducted by the organisation.

    Red was of two minds when it came to looking into his base. On the one hand, if he were to spend days scouring Goldenrod for a base that had yet to be made, it would be a colossal waste of time when he was already pressed for it. On the other hand, on the off chance that it did exist, then Red would have an opportunity to learn more of the organisation¡¯s movements, which would certainly be a stark improvement from his current position of grasping at straws.

    However, this didn¡¯t take into account other difficulties he may face. While the autumn season was relatively mild in terms of weather, the coming winter would prove more hazardous in his travels. Additionally, Red recalled the strong Team Rocket presence there was in Johto. He had even seen some shifty figures in his brief time at Mahogany Town.

    It was times like these that Red thanked whatever deity was watching him that the Rocket Trio were off in Kanto harassing his past self. While they were largely harmless, they were certainly annoying.

    Though a part of him wondered if he could track them down and help lead them away from crime, given his experiences with them after the Storm.

    A splash in the distance caught Red¡¯s attention. He peered across the lake to see the water rippling against the orange light of sunset. He looked down by the campfire to see Pichu murmuring in low tones to Charmander, who was nodding distantly. Froakie was balanced on a rock with one pad, holding a small globe of water between his hands.

    As Red was about to call them to an early night - allowing them to return on the trail early in the morning - the ground began to shake, small pebbles dancing along the rock, as a massive whirlpool of orange water began to spiral in the centre of the lake.

    Before Red could comprehend this, an ear-splitting roar blasted through the wind, knocking Froakie off of his perch. Branches snapped behind them from the residual shockwaves as a gargantuan figure began to emerge from the lake.

    Red scales glistened against the light of sunset, blazed in a spiralling wildfire, as a monstrous Shiny Gyarados rose its head from the depths of the lake. Its red eyes darted back and forth - in perfect clarity - before focusing on a single point directly below Red.

    The beast¡¯s irises narrowed into triangular slits before raising its tail from the water, before crashing it back down, sending a wave several magnitudes larger than Clair¡¯s Kingdra had at the stadium.

    Red and his pok¨¦mon had already started running towards the woods, though he knew they all were nowhere near fast enough to evade the oncoming wave. Red grit his teeth as his headache began to pound on his head, a crimson haze outlining the edge of his vision.

    The first droplets of water crashed before larger torrents began to overtake them. Red spluttered as the water reached his waist, hearing rather than seeing his pok¨¦mon struggling against the waves.

    Heart pumping, head pounding, Red thrust his hands out in a futile effort to stop the waves, his mind and soul screaming out for safety, to save his friends¡¯ lives, to stop the wave .

    Something solid seemed to wrap around his arms, as if someone had joined arms with him. Red didn¡¯t ( couldn¡¯t ) pay it any mind, gritting his teeth as sweat began to trickle down his face. The headache impeded any conscious thought as it pounded and pounded and pounded and pounded -

    Red gasped as the headache snapped away, the red haze in his vision fading with it. He collapsed onto the dirt, splashing small puddles of water that were beginning to be absorbed into the ground.

    Small puddles of water?

    Red blinked and grimaced at the pain in his eyes. Stars both literal and metaphorical snapped away as he stared in front of him to see a translucent lavender wall of light. As the wall began to sparkle away, Red belatedly realised that what stood in front of him was a Light Screen .

    With a jolt, Red snapped his head behind him, letting out a relieved breath when he saw his pok¨¦mon standing beside him on wobbly knees, disoriented yet alert.

    Before he could speak with them, though, an agonised shriek was heard in front of them. Instantly, the four of them barreled towards the pained cries and roars from the creature at the base of the lake.

    Sliding down the muddy hillside, Red stumbled upon the source of the screams. Lying against the rocky hillside, a bleeding Croconaw gasped in shaky breaths as it struggled against the gashes across its body. The small puddles surrounding it mixed with swirls of blood.

    Forcing his eyes off the dying creature, Red turned towards the lake, which was now clear of the monstrous Gyarados. Multiple thoughts began to cycle through his head before another pained cry brought his senses back to the immediate danger.

    The Croconaw was bleeding out.

    Red kneeled down next to the gasping pok¨¦mon, checking its wounds. Froakie hurriedly placed basic medical supplies - gauze, rubbing alcohol, and bandages - next to Red before shaking his head at them, seeing that they wouldn¡¯t help with injuries as large as these.

    Red thought the same, meaning that they would have to get Croconaw to a Pok¨¦mon Center. However, the nearest Pok¨¦mon Center was a three hours¡¯ jog away, and Red wasn¡¯t certain that Croconaw could hold on that long.

    Long-buried memories began to rise up. Images of Sceptile¡¯s broken form, bruised and bloodied, lodged itself into his mind. He remembered the same despair they had faced when seeing his injuries, knowing that their heavy-duty medical supplies were kilometres away.

    Lucario had been busy fighting off The Chariot¡¯s Tyranitar, preventing him from healing Sceptile. It was this death that led to Lucario teaching Ash moves such as Heal Pulse .

    Now, Red turned back towards Froakie, ¡°Place everything back in the bag and get ready to go.¡± He turned towards Charmander and Pichu, ¡°You two go and retrieve whatever you can from camp, we¡¯re heading to the Pok¨¦mon Center in a few minutes.¡±

    Charmander took off without hesitation while Pichu gave a small salute before catching up. As Froakie returned the medical supplies back into the bag, Red placed his palms on Croconaw¡¯s injuries, recalling the log, the feel of his own and Lucario¡¯s aura, the pale pink radiance that spiralled from his heart.

    His hands glimmered in the rising moonlight before shining a radiant violet, pulsating healing energies into the pok¨¦mon¡¯s wounds. The world around Red seemed to disappear as he placed more and more of his focus in keeping constant hold of his Heal Pulse , stitching the Croconaw up until it was stable.

    Red gasped as the healing energies snapped away, wisping into glittering particles before disappearing completely. A moment later, Croconaw gave a heaving gasp as its eyes fluttered open, locking onto Red¡¯s as it gave strangled breaths.

    Red grit his teeth, ignoring the ever-present headache that was beginning to return, ¡°Hold on, Croconaw. We¡¯ll get you help.¡± Red knelt down and grabbed the crocodile, hoisting it over his shoulders in a fireman¡¯s carry.

    Red turned around just as Charmander and Pichu returned from the wreckage of their camp. Thankfully, they hadn¡¯t taken nearly anything outside of his bag before the Gyarados sent the flood, so nothing of value was lost to the lake.

    Red recalled Froakie and Charmander to their pok¨¦balls before extending a hand for Pichu to scurry onto the opposite shoulder that Croconaw was on. Pichu scrambled to get a solid grip on Red¡¯s shirt as he began to jog towards the Pok¨¦mon Center, periodically checking on Croconaw as the alligator drifted in and out of consciousness.

    ¡­

    Pok¨¦mon Center, September 16th, 1997

    Red sighed as he leaned back, blinking crust out of his eyes. The rain outside battered against the windows in a constant stream of noise.

    He had been soaked upon reaching the Pok¨¦mon Center a few hours ago. A storm had rolled in not even an hour into his trek to the Pok¨¦mon Center, drenching him, Pichu, and Croconaw. Thankfully, the rain actually seemed to help Croconaw with its injuries, given its typing.

    Now - long since dried thanks to Charmander¡¯s tail flame - Red waited for word on what would happen with Croconaw.

    When Nurse Joy admitted the pok¨¦mon into her care, she learned that Croconaw was tied to a pok¨¦ball, meaning that there was a trainer out there who owned it. She sent a distress signal to the ID-holder for the Croconaw, and they were now waiting for the Croconaw¡¯s trainer to arrive.

    Red would like to say that he fully expected this to happen. He really did . However, he had developed a pronounced pessimistic streak over the last few years, given that his only experiences with other trainers had been members of Team Source, or The Chariot himself.

    His mind wandered to the possibility of Croconaw¡¯s trainer actually abandoning it. It was a real possibility - Charmander¡¯s presence by his side reminded Red of that fact - but he didn¡¯t quite know what he would do if that was the case.

    Ash would take in the Croconaw as his own without any hesitation, damned be the potential consequences. Red would too, if it would only be that simple.

    If he was merely going on a regular pok¨¦mon journey, then yes, he would take Croconaw into his own care. However, going after Team Source was a very real threat that has proven to be fatal to most.

    The likes of Champions had fallen to their wrath. Several of Ash¡¯s friends proved to be nothing more than mere bricks in the wall that The Chariot and his followers tore down in the wake of the Storm.

    Red shook his head at the images his mind began to recall. He had dark days ahead of him - he knew that. He lived in a world where The Chariot was alive and well. He had no need to dwell on such without reason.

    Thinking back to Croconaw¡­ Red reasoned that it was best to leave the pok¨¦mon to the authorities if it came down to it. While it was certainly a melancholic thought, it was better than giving the pok¨¦mon a death sentence by forcing it to follow him in his pseudo-suicidal mission.

    Giving a calming breath, Red stood up to notify Nurse Joy that he was leaving without the Croconaw. He knew she would take care of the creature if its trainer didn¡¯t return.

    Maybe the trainer is dead? The Gyarados could have killed a random passerby in its attack.

    Just as this possibility flashed through Red¡¯s mind, the doors to the Pok¨¦mon Center slammed open as a young man sped to the counter in the blink of an eye. Red spared the young man - no older than 18, if that - a quick glance, determining that the redhead was the trainer who owned the Croconaw.

    Red confirmed as such after reading Nurse Joy¡¯s lips - a skill he had learned from Meowth of all things - given that he picked up keywords such as ¡®Croconaw¡¯, ¡®injury¡¯, and ¡®trainer.¡¯ He contented himself with the knowledge that Croconaw had a caring trainer before stepping out of the Pok¨¦mon Center¡­

    Into the rain.

    Red was scowling when he walked back into the building. Given how deep in thought he had just been, he had entirely forgotten about the storm raging around the lake. While he had more than enough experience surviving in harsh weather, it didn¡¯t mean that he preferred doing that when lodgings were right here.

    Besides, Nurse Joy did offer a discounted price after saving Croconaw. He can afford to lose a little bit of time to rest.

    Before he could, though, Red was stopped by the red-haired boy from earlier standing in his way.

    Already tired and nearing Pichu¡¯s level of crankiness, Red arched a single eyebrow in question. The boy nervously fiddled with the cuffs of his navy blue jacket before visibly steeling himself as he said, ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Red faltered for a moment, his previous frustration beginning to die down as he remembered that standing in front of him was a kid . While Red was somewhat desensitised to events such as the Gyarados¡¯ attack, he imagined that it must have been very frightening for someone who hasn¡¯t had to live through the Storm.

    Grumbling to himself, Red returned, ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± and moved towards Nurse Joy to request a room for the night.

    However, the kid sidestepped into Red¡¯s way once more before bravely extending a hand, ¡°My name¡¯s Salvare.¡±

    Red just stared at him for a moment before meeting his hand, eyes still on Salvare¡¯s own, ¡°Red,¡± He removed the hand, ¡°Is there something you need from me, or can I go?¡±

    Salvare flushed slightly, which was highly pronounced due to his pale skin, before standing straighter, ¡°I wanted to ask if I could travel with you.¡±

    Red blinked, then narrowed his eyes, ¡°Why? We¡¯ve only just met.¡± Nevermind the many travel partners he had acquired in his life before.

    Salvare leaned back slightly, crossing his arms in a confident pose, ¡°First off, I heard that you were the one to save Croconaw, so I thought it¡¯d be a way to pay you back,¡± He uncrossed his arms, ¡°Secondly, travelling on your own is not the safest, as I can attest to. And given that I haven¡¯t seen any travel partners with you, I imagine you¡¯re like me and have been on your own for a while,¡± He then leaned back up, adopting a slightly pensive expression, as if debating on whether or not to add the next bit, ¡°And I think I could learn a lot from you. You look like you have¡­ experience,¡± He finished, somewhat lamely.

    Red stared at Salvare as he thought about the kid¡¯s reasoning. The first two parts were standard, though he believed that if Salvare truly wanted to pay him back for saving Croconaw, he could do so with actual money (not that Red would push for it). The practical, and somewhat pessimistic, side of him could appreciate Salvare¡¯s final reason of wanting to improve off of Red¡¯s teachings (whatever that would be).

    Still, Red wasn¡¯t exactly the most keen on this. He hummed before replying, ¡°I¡¯m going to be moving very quickly across the region. I¡¯ve only gotten two badges so far, which I¡¯m basically doing in reverse order, and I¡¯m aiming for the Silver Conference.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s no problem!¡± Salvare returned, eyes widening slightly, ¡°I¡¯ve already gotten most of my badges. I¡¯m only missing the Gyms in Goldenrod and Olivine.¡±

    Red pursed his lips, sharing a glance with his pok¨¦mon. Froakie¡¯s face remained neutral as he scanned Salvare. Charmander huffed a small puff of smoke. Pichu merely shrugged in response.

    Turning back to Salvare, Red answered, ¡°We can go to Ecruteak together, and after that Gym I¡¯ll decide if we continue travelling together.¡±

    While Red expected Salvare to jump in excitement - it¡¯s what Ash would have done - Salvare seemed to deflate in relief, ¡°Thank you, Red. You won¡¯t regret this.¡±

    At that, Salvare stepped around Red to sit down on one of the benches. Red spared the kid another look before getting his room, noting how exhausted Salvare seemed to be.

    Why was Gyarados there in the first place?

    Was it after Red?

    Or Salvare?

    Red shook his head, placing that line of questioning in the back of his mind along with everything else.

    He could always ask the kid about that when they hit the road later today, after the storm had passed. Besides, Red was tired himself. After the stressful time spent at the Lake of Rage, Red was ready to move on and forget.

    He had more than enough memories of the lake to die with, anyways.

    ¡­

    Team Source Base, Underneath the Lake of Rage, April 22nd, 2007

    Distant rumbles shook the metal walls as Ash and Greninja stalked through the empty halls. Voices carried from the distance as the occupants of the base blasted away at the entrance, destroying what they thought to be their intruders.

    It was times like this that made Ash glad to have taught Greninja how to make Substitutes.

    As they sped through the rusted halls lined with glowing pipes, Ash broke into several rooms and laboratories, pocketing whatever he could fit into his bag. From what he could tell, they were largely odds and ends - the type of scrap that Greninja would love to tear into after the day was done - though there were a few gadgets that he excavated.

    He had found two more shield generators, which were always useful. There were also a decent amount of Source charges that could be used for the gauntlets he wore, which was a blessing, considering that he was nearing the end of his supply.

    However, he had yet to find the globular device that the individual had used on the hillside, which was proving to be a major disappointment. The device seemed to be almost exactly the thing he was looking for in regards to tackling the Storm itself, which he hoped to do, some day.

    Still, even if he couldn¡¯t find that device, he could at least achieve another goal of his that had been plaguing him for just as long as the Storm had.

    The Chariot.

    It was almost poetic, their relationship. Back in the months immediately following the Storm¡¯s arrival, Team Rocket¡¯s Meowth had put it in rather simple terms.

    ¡°He¡¯s an unstoppable force, while you¡¯re an unbreakable wall.¡±

    Ash bit the inside of his cheek to distract from the memories of what happened mere days after that. Of the small number of survivors from the first Source Wave, only Ash and a handful of his pok¨¦mon had escaped the Chariot¡¯s wrath afterwards.

    It was those memories that cemented something in Ash¡¯s mind. Lodging itself tightly in a small corner of the mind, whispering the same truth over and over again until Ash could no longer hear over the ringing din in his ears.

    The Storm is more destructive.

    The Chariot is more dangerous.

    It was a cold comfort to consider that the Source Storm acted in a manner akin to a rabid animal. That made it predictable. That made it manageable.

    The Chariot was neither.

    Ash almost wondered if the man - if he could be called one - was the result of an experiment aiming to combine ruthlessness, rage, and unwavering cunning in one agonising package.

    He wouldn¡¯t even be terribly surprised if that was true. He had seen some of the experiments Team Source were up to before the Storm.

    That ultimately contributed more than the cold mist to the small chills that raked up Ash¡¯s spine as he slinked through the empty compound. With anyone else, he would be content in the knowledge that he hadn¡¯t been caught.

    With the Chariot, he could never be sure.

    It was this reason that Ash paused when he opened the next door. The room in front of him was entirely dark, except for the radiation coming from the pipes, and one, singular spotlight illuminating a table holding an inconspicuous fist-sized metal ball.

    If this wasn¡¯t a trap, Ash would eat his pants.

    Ash released his remaining pok¨¦mon, giving a wordless signal for them to scan the area. He stood still as they did so, trusting their judgement, until they returned a minute later with a negative.

    This did nothing to alleviate his concerns though - the noises from the entrance had lowered to a whisper - but he knew there was nothing he could do to back out.

    In a whisper, he commanded, ¡°Be ready in five.¡±

    Then, he walked across the room, into the darkness between the door and the spotlight. Five seconds later, he reached the metal ball and pocketed it without further examination.

    That would come later.

    In a span of time that went faster than his eyes could comprehend, a burst of light heralded the oncoming heat of hellfire from the hall. The door slammed shut as the combined weight of Charizard and Lucario held against the oncoming blast of fire. Just as Ash¡¯s eyes began to adjust, Lucario kicked open the door and Charizard fired a scorching Blast Burn of red fire into the hall.

    Another blast of fire met the oncoming fireball, causing a resounding blast that shook the entire compound. Greninja jumped in the space where the door used to belong and erected a wall of water to absorb the shards of burning metal catapulting towards them.

    This all happened in the span of three seconds.

    Ash clicked his tongue just loudly enough to halt his pok¨¦mons¡¯ advance. He knew that the Chariot was just testing the waters .

    He was proven correct when a wheezing laugh reached his ears, seeming to be filtered through several layers of metal and tubings that made the jubilant noise sound demonic to the ears. The flames receded as the chuckle was silenced by the constant wheeze-hiss that echoed across the metal halls as The Chariot stood in the hallway, patting his scarred Typhlosion on the side with his metal hand.

    Of the many reasons that Ash hesitated to call The Chariot fully human, his appearance was chief among them. The man was an off mix of frail and imposing, the metal exoskeleton he wore interconnecting together as pads of leather hid the worst of the man¡¯s burns. Tubes and wires spiralled around the man¡¯s left arm and neck, connecting to his gauntlet and to the respirator implanted in his neck. The man¡¯s right arm was nothing more than a stump, instead replaced by a mechanical limb cobbled together by screws, gears, and wires.

    The wheeze-hiss came from the mechanical lung attached to the man¡¯s chest. From what Ash could tell, The Chariot had received a grievous injury some years before the Storm came, and it was only due to the timely intervention of The Emperor that he lived past that day.

    It was likely that act alone that doomed the world.

    Grey eyes flashed as he regarded Ash in a stare, amusement dancing in the lights of his eyes, ¡° Good morning, Ash. I see you¡¯re doing well. ¡±

    Ash nearly hesitated - It was never a good sign when The Chariot acted cordial - replying, ¡°You¡¯re alone.¡±

    The Chariot¡¯s eyes remained unwavering, locked onto Ash¡¯s own, before twitching his mouth into a smirk - He hated how much that unnerved him - ¡° Watching the pawns flail with dolls can only be so amusing. Besides, we both know they would be nothing but collateral, don¡¯t we? ¡±

    Ash squeezed his fist, biting back the curses he wished to hurl at the man. He recognised that smirk - how could he not? - as it was the same smirk the man gave upon the mounds of bodies he ploughed through to get to Ash.

    Nothing but collateral.

    ¡° Before we resume our little game, I feel the need to extend my hand once more, ¡± The Chariot rasped as he held his left hand forward, ¡° We don¡¯t need to be enemies. You and I, together¡­ we could reshape the world. ¡±

    It was as if they followed a script. Ash and Chariot would exchange pleasantries, then The Chariot would give his offer of alliance. Ash wasn¡¯t entirely certain when and why this began.

    For all of the man¡¯s cruelty, The Chariot followed a code of honour, however warped it was. To those he respected, he offered a hand in friendship, oftentimes stating that ¡®they would make the perfect protege.¡¯

    When those such as the Champions declined, he kept them in his grace, even in their deaths. While he was ruthless in combat, he always made sure to make their actual demise as quick and painless as possible.

    And he always left their remains intact.

    Ash himself had buried their remains long ago, in the days after The Chariot offered the same request to him. Yet, unlike the Champions, he lived .

    This only enthralled The Chariot even further.

    Now, in some sick, twisted way, Ash felt that every encounter with the man was a test . While he remained brutal in his conquest, he seemed to adopt a buoyant air about him, as if he was mentoring a favourite student of his.

    The worst part was that Ash did learn.

    Flashes of Sceptile¡¯s bloodied form crossed his mind, which had led to his tutoring of healing moves. Memories of Infernape¡¯s insanity wisped by, reminding him of the training he did to link his aura with his remaining pok¨¦mon.

    Now, Ash had the terrible sensation that The Chariot had devised another one of his tests.

    And Ash stepped right into it.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m going to have to decline,¡± Ash replied, voice carefully modulated to be as calm as possible. With subtle movements, he flexed his fingers in a practised motion, signalling his pok¨¦mon to prepare for their Source transformations.

    The wheeze-hiss from the hallway paused as an exaggerated sigh emanated from the Chariot. Ash felt the compound tremble as three silent flashes heralded the arrival of the man¡¯s Tyranitar, Umbreon, and one final pok¨¦mon hidden by the shadows.

    ¡° A shame, ¡± Came the voice from the encroaching darkness, enveloping the hall in his own gloom. As the Chariot spoke his next words, Ash twisted the stones on his wristband, ¡° But not unexpecte- . ¡±

    ¡°eeeeeee eeeeeeeeeeee eeeeeeeeeeeEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE ¡±

    ¡­

    ¡­

    ¡­

    Ears ringing. Bleeding . Flashes of flame and ice shatter across the broken metal.

    Blinking. Dust . Ash . A dull noise radiated across his ears as waves of heat heat heat heat -

    Blasted back. Impact against the wall. Broken bones? Ash gasped a strangled breath, collapsing on the floor as his vision threatened to be consumed by enveloping darkness.

    A flash of light. Hope. Love . Sparkling radiance in the corner of his eye. The other was swollen . Clarity began to return as his vision cleared up to reveal streaks of molten steel and shattered pipes lining the ground.

    Ash¡¯s ears perked up as Lucario gave a strangled grunt as he pushed deeper into Ash¡¯s injuries, forcing the Heal Pulse to work faster than before.

    Was he concussed?

    Bile raced up Ash¡¯s throat as he began to vomit, shuddering as the healing energies radiating from Lucario numbed the pain of his body forcibly restructuring itself.

    Finally, as if a final piece was added to a puzzle, the last bone clicked back into place, jolting Ash into standing position as Lucario supported him. The haze around Ash¡¯s eyes vanished completely, prompting Ash to wince as explosions of white-hot fire crashed against the blue inferno.

    Lucario leaned in front of Ash¡¯s face, revealing his transformed state. Burning red eyes regarded him through sheets of metal, reminiscent of a knight¡¯s helmet. Lucario¡¯s face split into a metallic grin as he patted Ash on the shoulder with ruby gauntlets, the radiating swirls of aura surrounding the jackal jittering in joy.

    Ash snapped his attention back to the brawl that shook the foundations of the compound. He covered his eyes as Charizard dashed between the walls, the blue flames engulfing his wings mixing with the white-hot inferno that raged from the Typhlosion¡¯s Source transformation.

    Because Ash wasn¡¯t the only one who utilised Source transformations.

    Any commands Ash could have given would be lost in the din of combat. Waves of heat, stone, and darkness crashed together, each causing the world to rumble as walking behemoths bore down on eachother.

    Whereas Ash¡¯s previous bouts against the Chariot had been largely done in open spaces, allowing them both to utilise highly destructive attacks without abandon, the tight space of the hallway prevented such actions.

    It was very claustrophobic.

    Lucario remained at Ash¡¯s side, deflecting any debris that threatened to harm him as Ash surveyed the shaking hall. The metal walls shined a dull orange due to the overwhelming heat, causing the outer layer of some portions of the wall to completely melt off. Glass and glowing liquids littered the torn floor, charging with static electricity as a mad spiral of lightning illuminated the entire hallway, dotting the view with afterimages of Pikachu¡¯s form.

    Ash covered his ears as a blood-curdling Screech burst his ear drums, its power so overwhelming that he could see even the afterimages of Pikachu falter.

    Just as Ash uncovered his ears, Charizard let out a Roar , knocking away the gaseous form of Umbreon before Greninja sped forward, clapping its palms together to unleash a Hydro Cannon as the raging inferno surrounding Typhlosion.

    A sharp voice rang out in response, ¡° Ares, match it and switch with Dionysus! ¡±

    Before the command even finished, Typhlosion gathered the white inferno surrounding it into a beam of concentrated heat , blasting into the Hydro Cannon , covering the entire hallway in a burning mist.

    Greninja hastily brought up two Water Shurikens to counteract the sudden attack from Chariot¡¯s Tyranitar, as the towering beast Bulldozed through the frog¡¯s defences, launching him onto the floor next to Ash.

    The beast then brought down the devil¡¯s wrath in a Stomping Tantrum , upending the metal panels as shards of stone shot up in a discordant array.

    Ash grit his teeth as he jumped away from one of the shards, clapping his palms together in sync with Lucario as they both palmed the ground with Vacuum Wave , dispelling the effects of the attack.

    At the same time, the trail of lightning began to spiral around Tyranitar, before several copies of Pikachu slammed against the beast¡¯s side with Iron Tail .

    However, the infernal creature refused to cry out, instead roaring in rage as a rippling wave of exhaustion, hatred, loathing, rage, death -

    Ash grit his teeth against the headache caused by Tyranitar¡¯s mental attack.

    It wasn¡¯t bad enough that The Chariot¡¯s pok¨¦mon were physical monsters. They had to be psychological monsters as well?

    Sweat dripped down Ash¡¯s brow as he focused on flushing out the dark energy with Calm Mind . He ignored his pounding headache as he directed the calming energies to his other pok¨¦mon as Lucario did the same.

    However, as Ash was doing so, Tyranitar took a quaking step and opened his maw to fire a rippling Dark Pulse straight at Ash.

    Before the beam of dark energy could reach him, though, Lucario leaped in front of him, bursting forth an Aura Sphere with his palms. The resulting blast of glittering aura of both light and darkness would have been beautiful in any other circumstance, if they were not currently fighting for their lives.

    Before the brawl could resume, Chariot commanded, ¡° Dio, fall back! Hades, Shadow Wall!¡±

    Recognising the defensive move, Ash whistled with his fingers, prompting his pok¨¦mon to fall back, standing at his side. As the dark mist extended from wall to wall, bubbling in a gaseous barrier, Ash took stock of his pok¨¦mons¡¯ injuries.

    Despite a number of shallow cuts, Charizard retained a healthy glow to his flame. Greninja bore a number of greater injuries, which Lucario was in the process of healing. Lucario himself appeared only minorly scuffed by the encounter, while Pikachu¡¯s hazy form prevented Ash from getting a thorough view of his injuries. Though, based on the fact that Pikachu was still creating passive afterimages, Ash presumed that he was largely unharmed.

    Looking back to the other side of the hallway, Ash could see the wreckage their small battle had wrought. Small puddles of multicoloured liquid littered the shattered battlefield, swirling in a mixture of the substance found in the broken pipes and the leaking water from the lake above.

    After a moment passed, the noxious cloud dissipated, revealing The Chariot - no worse for wear - standing beside his pok¨¦mon.

    Ares, the man¡¯s Typhlosion, stood proud and tall as white hot magma circulated around its body. Despite the number of scars it bore, the old beast still raged with the wild rage of its youth.

    Hades, his Umbreon, seemed to exist in a state between solid and gas, colours of black and purple ichor spiralling together in a mad arch. The creature regarded the five of them with disinterested red eyes, as if they were nothing.

    Dionysus, the Tyranitar, was a monster amongst monsters. Dashed across its rocky hide were glimmers of black diamonds, which seemed to suck away the natural light, akin to miniature black holes.

    Upon seeing the relatively unharmed states of both his and Chariot¡¯s pok¨¦mon, Ash couldn¡¯t help but recall something that the man said in one of their first encounters.

    ¡°You¡¯re the only one I can call my equal.¡±

    Ash blinked as those same words were repeated in a modulated rasp. He glowered as The Chariot gave an almost-nostalgic smile, lips moving as lowly murmured words reached Ash¡¯s ears.

    ¡° It¡¯s almost funny how normal this seems to the likes of us, ¡± Chariot waved his mechanical hand as if giving a lecture, ¡° We are surrounded by devastation, yet we stand tall. ¡±

    The Chariot¡¯s smile turned cold.

    ¡° You¡¯re the only one who ever could. You know that, right? ¡± The man - devil? - asked in a purr. ¡° Those such as Mr. Stone, Cynthia¡­ even the venerated Samuel Oak , ¡± The man paused as a wheeze-hiss filled the air, ¡° They fell to me. ¡±

    ¡° Yet you stand before me. ¡±

    The Chariot closed his eyes, and Ash tensed. When the man¡¯s eyes opened, pinpricks of pure darkness remained where grey eyes once were.

    ¡° I¡¯d say this calls for a little bit of Shock and Awe, wouldn¡¯t you agree? ¡±

    Before the Chariot finished speaking, Ash called out to the top of his lungs, ¡°DROP!¡±

    Because, unlike a mere minute ago, he saw it.

    A flash of light. Heralding the coming of one of the final gambit. The final deceit.

    Flaming wings of burning glory descended down the hall, almost faster than Ash could track.

    ¡°eeeeeee eeeeeeeeeeee eeeeeeeeeeeEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE ¡±

    The Heatwave generated by the legendary bird was visible as it swept through the hallway, further warping the metal on the walls. However, instead of being knocked back like he had previously, Ash had been prepared, calling out, ¡°Bring it down, Pikachu!¡±

    ¡° I¡¯m afraid not, ¡± Chariot spoke amicably, ¡° Dionysus , Tectonic Shift.¡±

    Ash widened his eyes as the man¡¯s Tyranitar rammed its fists into the ground, its entire body twisting as the walls, floor, world moved .

    Ash didn¡¯t need another second to see that the situation was, quite literally, flipped on its head, ¡°Retreat! Beat back the damned bird and MOVE!¡±

    Ash¡¯s throat was soar at the volume he had to yell, but the chaos surrounding him forced his hand. The entire compound, previously damaged by their battle, began to fall over them in a cataclysmic earthquake. Mixtures of rock and rushing waters began to flood the hallways as they blasted their way away.

    The Moltress - mutated almost beyond recognition - cawed, sputtered, and raged at them, uncaring for the blood it lost to the falling chunks of burning metal and stone.

    Amidst the din of crashing waves and cascading stone, Ash could hear a reverberating laugh that echoed across the flooding compound. Explosions rocketed all around them as both Ash and The Chariot¡¯s pok¨¦mon tore into each other in a mad dash to the exit. Ash distantly recalled the pools of blood and corpses he ran through as grunts screamed in terror from their rampage.

    Collateral.

    Finally, Ash stumbled through a broken door into a large domed room. Glass panels remained the only barrier between them and the waters above.

    And they were breaking.

    The mutated Moltress blasted through one of the walls, engulfed in hellfire as it fought against Pikachu and Greninja simultaneously. Its eyes will dilated, wild, rabid , as rippling waves of scorched earth crashed around them.

    Ash jumped as Tyranitar slammed into the ground, grunting as Lucario engaged it in Close Combat . The beast groaned as Lucario¡¯s final punch cracked its chest, before rearing its arm back and launching it with dark energy in Payback .

    As Lucario was launched back, Tyranitar stomped on the ground, bringing up several Stone Edges to protect itself from Typhlosion, who had been tumbling towards it.

    The Typhlosion roared in rage as it stepped forward, opening its maw in a white Flamethrower . Charizard snarled as the flames impacted his chest, the power of which was so great that it was capable of burning through his defences, before pushing forward in Outrage , tearing at the Typhlosions chest with draconic slashes.

    The entire room shook as a yellow streak blasted across the air, impacting one of the glass panels, shattering it completely. Ash growled as Pikachu cried out in rage as he began speeding back up a red and yellow streak, ignoring the trail of blood he was leaving behind.

    Water began to crash down from the broken panels, funnelling into miniature typhoons as Greninja sent several Water Shurikens into an amassing cloud of darkness. Several gaseous duplicates of Umbreon raced out to chip away at the frog, who remained adamant in his own attacks.

    Ash snapped his eyes to the source of resounding laughter, seeing The Chariot skipping around the battlefield in joy.

    Skipping around the battlefield!

    ¡° Don¡¯t you feel alive! ¡± The madman called across the rages of war, ¡° This is what life is all about! ¡±

    Ash couldn¡¯t decide on whether to be incredulous or enraged. Here he was, focusing on the present battle and making sure that all of his friends made it out alright.

    While The Chariot skipped around like a schoolgirl with candy.

    A shift in the floor alerted Ash to the attack mere moments before it happened. Tyranitar stood over him, armour breaking under constant attack, charging a Hyper Beam point blank at his face.

    Before Ash could do so much as cover his eyes, Tyranitar¡¯s face was knocked away just far enough that the white beam skidded past his ear, searing it, before trailing along the wall.

    As Ash¡¯s life stopped flashing before his eyes, Lucario renewed his offensive against Tyranitar, moving faster and faster as it absolutely wailed on the beast.

    Tyranitar bellowed as Lucario¡¯s palm completely shattered its chestplate, bearing down its maw in a desperate attempt at a Crunch .

    Lucario only snarled, snapping its fist against the beast¡¯s chin, snapping it shut, as it launched an Aura Sphere directly into the Tyranitar¡¯s chest cavity, causing it to howl as blackened blood burst within its chest, caving its organs.

    As Lucario released a breath, however, a streak of burning red sped towards them, piercing through the jackal¡¯s chest with its beak.

    Lucario spit blood from its mouth as it grappled against the mutated Moltres to little avail. Burns raked its skin, melting away portions of the jackal¡¯s armour as it wailed feebly against the legendary bird.

    The Moltres cawed in surprise as an Aura Sphere impacted its side, releasing the jackal from its grasp. Ash gasped from the strain of using the move, though he still scrambled to where Lucario staggered into a limping gait.

    Before he reached Lucario, however, time seemed to slow down as Tyranitar, in one final act of vengeance before death, grappled onto Lucario with its arms, raising him up as Moltres flew in once more before beating its wings into an overcharged Heatwave .

    Ash cried out as Lucario hollered as his armour melted off, burning into his fur, skin, bones ¡­ before he was dropped as Tyranitar tapered off of consciousness.

    The noise around Ash reduced to a low hum as he dashed to Lucario¡¯s ashen body. Lucario¡¯s chest weakly moved up and down in stuttering motions as Ash placed his hands on the jackal¡¯s chest, ignoring the lingering heat, pouring his heart into a desperate Heal Pulse .

    ¡­

    It wasn¡¯t enough. It wasn¡¯t enough. Ash¡¯s vision faltered as he poured all of his aura into healing.

    But it wasn¡¯t enough .

    Ash blinked away tears as paws gripped his arm. Lucario stared into his eyes with such intensity that Ash almost thought that he would make it.

    Then, the eyes drooped, as the intent red eyes died away into a cold, dead grey.

    A broken, burnt body.

    Another friend lost.

    Another added to The Chariot¡¯s list.

    A dull baritone of noise radiated across his head. Flashes of red obscured the edges of his vision as The Chariot¡¯s voice rang out in his mind.

    ¡°Nothing but collateral.¡±

    Ash¡¯s head snapped up as the hairs on his arms rose straight, a nigh-solid trail of pale yellow dashing by him, arcing in white electricity.

    The air seemed to turn static as Pikachu paused mid-air, afterimages coalescing together as god-like thunder rumbled in the air, before several glass panels above shattered as a bolt of lightning pierced through the lake to strike Moltres mid-flight.

    The mutated bird shrieked in agony, falling from the sky as both water and electricity tore away at its flaming wings. Ignoring his numerous injuries, Pikachu sped towards him - afterimages reduced as he reverted back to his base form - before grappling onto the beast, crying out a desperate, ¡°Chuuuuuu!¡± as he Discharged onto the beast.

    Finally, Pikachu slumped forward, heaving for air as his injuries finally took their toll. The mouse gave one final cry of triumph and mourning before fainting atop the still form of the mutated Moltres, frothing at the beak as it twitched in seizure.

    Gently closing Lucario¡¯s eyes, Ash limped to Pikachu¡¯s still form, cradling him to his chest. The water from the lake was at ankle level and was rising quickly.

    The sound of breaking glass alerted Ash to the wider battle still at play. High above them, Charizard dragged Typhlosion through shards of broken glass in a Seismic Toss , only relenting when the bleeding beast retaliated with Iron Head , slamming Charizard back into the water.

    Charizard cried out as the rising waters extinguished many of his flames, lumbering wobbly steps as he stood upright.

    Across the flooding room, Typhlosion fell back onto the floor with a resounding crash, roaring in agony from the broken bones it suffered. Ash glimpsed a rare crack in The Chariot¡¯s composure, as the man swore before bolting towards his pok¨¦mon.

    Above them, more panels shattered as the weight of the lake descended upon them. Ash waded through the thigh-high waters, hearing rather than seeing The Chariot cry out as glass tore through his skin.

    Ash tripped on something within the water, nearly falling before Greninja appeared from behind to catch him. Ash¡¯s breath hitched upon seeing the pok¨¦mon¡¯s injuries, boils and cuts lined his arms and sides while a deep gash tore across his chest.

    Greninja shook his head and pointed to Charizard. Upon seeing that the lizard¡¯s injuries were far more critical, Ash recalled Charizard to his pok¨¦ball.

    Ash cast one final look at The Chariot as the man began coughing. His metal arm rested on Typhlosion¡¯s prone form as Umbreon snaked around the man¡¯s shoulders. Even from the distance he was at, Ash could see that The Chariot¡¯s mechanical lung was torn apart.

    Still, the man kept on laughing through his heaving coughs, casting one final smirk at Ash through the haze of cascading waters.

    ¡°We¡¯ll meet again.¡±

    Ash could no longer see the man as they were both submerged by the raging lake. Even then, as he desperately kicked to the surface, he could hear The Chariot give one final promise.

    ¡°We¡¯ll meet again.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t know where.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t know when.¡±

    ¡°But I know¡­ we¡¯ll meet again¡­ some sunny day¡­¡±

    Even hours later, under the cloudy moonlight, Ash heard the man sing from his watery tomb of rage below.

    ¡­

    Archived Audio Recording, February 4th, 1995

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing left for me.¡±

    Static. Murmured voices out of reach. Shuffling of papers. A sigh.

    ¡°You know what I mean.¡±

    A questioning lilt in the other¡¯s tone. Nothing beyond.

    ¡°I¡¯m the strongest. I¡¯ve reached the top. No-one can challenge me.¡±

    Slight compression. The speaker leans forward.

    ¡°I travel. I do what you need done. But I¡¯m not truly living.¡±

    The other voice moves further away until it¡¯s nothing but a whisper.

    ¡°You know, old man, a part of me does.¡±

    A surprised sound.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re so surprised. You¡¯ve known me since I was a boy; you know how I think better than I do.¡±

    A hum. A solemn whisper.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right, old man.¡±

    ¡°But she¡¯s dead.¡±

    More words. Incomprehensible. A barked laugh from the speaker.

    ¡°That she was.¡±

    ¡°That she was¡­¡±

    Silence. Only for a moment. A question.

    ¡°There¡¯s been some. None were one my level, obviously. One was pretty good, though.

    An intrigued sound, mixed with no small amount of scepticism.

    ¡°Her name was Cynthia. She¡¯s about eighteen by my count.¡±

    ¡°She was strong, though. Her Garchomp just evolved and nearly took out Ares, with it being four times resistant to him.¡±

    A quick question. Some concern, but not for the speaker.

    ¡°No. It was a friendly match.¡±

    ¡°I was in the area, and I¡¯ve heard about her before.¡±

    ¡°I wanted to see if she lived up to the hype.¡±

    A question. Asking if she did.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know anymore.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter anyways.¡±

    A hum. The other walks around. Another question. The main question.

    ¡°Unlikely.¡±

    ¡°From what I¡¯ve seen, she¡¯d likely be interested, but would disagree with our methods.¡±

    A small sigh.

    ¡°Yup. A shame too.¡±

    ¡°She would have made the perfect prot ¨¦ g ¨¦ .¡±

    ¡°I wish I would have met her years ago, but you win some and lose some.¡±

    Silence. Rustling of papers. A murmured question.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll deal with her if she becomes an issue.¡±

    ¡°Let her have her fun for now.¡±

    Silence. Movement. The other comes closer. They ask another question-

    ERROR - Recording Corrupted - ERROR - File Data has been Corrupted - ERROR - Potential Tampering with File Data - ERROR

 Go Forth, And Prevail

    Base of Mount Mortar, September 20th, 1997

    ¡°Croconaw, use Aqua Tail !¡±

    ¡° Counter .¡±

    Charmander twisted his body in turn with Croconaw¡¯s tail, allowing the attack to roll off of him without major damage. Charmander spun in place, knocking Croconaw back with his own tail, using the momentum from the crocodile¡¯s attack to boost his own.

    Red looked over the field of rocks to see Salvare grit his teeth, ¡° Screech and rush him again!¡±

    Croconaw shook off the dust of his minor injury, shrieking loudly in Red¡¯s direction. He grimaced, but remained standing tall, which Charmander mimicked. Upon seeing Croconaw stomp his way towards Charmander, he called out, ¡°Outrun him, and avoid looking at his face.¡±

    Charmander waited a moment before obeying Red¡¯s command, side-stepping Croconaw¡¯s attack as he began darting around the battlefield.

    While not nearly as agile as Pichu and Froakie, Charmander was still slightly faster than Croconaw. Of course, Salvare could have fixed this by using Scary Face earlier in the battle, but with Red¡¯s command to avoid Croconaw¡¯s gaze, Charmander remained able to outrun the pokemon.

    It was a lesson that Red had learned in his travels as Ash, which were only reinforced in the time after the Source Wave. Not every battle was won by brute force. Sometimes speed, defence, finesse, or a number of other things could be the determining factor in a battle.

    This was how, despite continuously using non-evolved pokemon in tournaments, Ash consistently placed well despite facing opponents with objectively tougher pokemon.

    However, while Ash may have lacked somewhat in raw strength, he more than made up for it in speed and strategy.

    Since then, with both the Storm and The Chariot looming over him, he had learned not only to be proficient with that battle style, but to perfect it.

    Oh, his pokemon could still pack a hefty punch, and they knew how to take them too. Still, they excelled in situations where they could use speed and deceptive tactics to their advantage.

    Perhaps that was why he was so proficient in battling with multiple pokemon at a time?

    ¡°Damnit!¡± Salvare cried from across the battlefield, seeing that Croconaw was getting out of breath, ¡°Use Watergun to stop him!¡±

    Red watched somewhat dispassionately as Charmander easily dodged the streams of water, not needing any commands. After a moment, Red saw Croconaw¡¯s attacks weaken, prompting him to command, ¡° Ember to the chest.¡±

    With the speed and precision that echoed Charizard, Charmander spat a blue fireball directly at Croconaw¡¯s chest, startling the water pokemon rather than hurting it.

    Still, Red decided that it was enough, ¡°Break!¡±

    Croconaw gave a disappointed sigh, unknowingly mimicking his trainer as he ambled up to him. Salvare patted him on the head before allowing the pokemon to wander towards camp. He walked towards Red with a strained smile, ¡°I guess that could have gone better?¡±

    Red shrugged, walking side by side with Charmander as he remarked, ¡°You have a very aggressive fighting style.¡±

    Salvare crossed his arms, ¡°It hasn¡¯t worked against you, though.¡±

    ¡°Why was that?¡± Red asked hypothetically, unwittingly stepping into the role of mentor.

    Salvare hummed, cupping a hand to his chin, ¡°You used Croconaw¡¯s slow speed against me, and you prevented me from using Scary Face by commanding your Charmander to avoid Croconaw¡¯s face.¡±

    Red nodded, glad that Salvare merely lacked experience rather than intuition, ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    Salvare thought for a moment, before sighing, ¡°That I should have used that move at the beginning of the battle to prevent you from doing that.¡±

    Red nodded sagely, ¡°Correct. You do well in taking advantage of Croconaw¡¯s physical strength with your aggressive fighting style, but you also have to take into account his main weaknesses, one of which being his slow speed,¡± Red paused for a moment, thinking to himself, ¡°You may also consider teaching Croconaw a move like Aqua Jet . While it may be weaker than Aqua Tail , it may be a good way to catch up to a fast opponent if all else fails.¡±

    Salvare nodded, already setting aside time to teach Croconaw that very move, ¡°How do you know these things?¡±

    Red smiled. It was stiff . ¡°Experience,¡± He said in lieu of answering fully. Salvare grumbled to himself but refrained from pressing for more information.

    ¡°Say that you ran into this situation elsewhere, outside of the League ,¡± Red emphasised, leading into one of the lessons he took particular care for in repeating as they neared camp, ¡°What is one thing you could have done instead?¡±

    ¡°Use my other pokemon,¡± Salvare said solidly, pointedly not grumbling. He had a firsthand lesson of this principle when he grumbled the first time.

    ¡°Correct,¡± Red answered, ¡°I cannot emphasise this enough. Never restrict yourself to one pokemon at a time when you are in genuine peril,¡± Red elaborated, ¡°While the League may have rules minimising injury in battle, there are people out there who do not care. They will not hesitate to gain every advantage over you, and you must not hesitate to do the same.¡±

    ¡°I understand,¡± With any other, that tone would have sounded exacerbated, but Red knew that Salvare understood, at least to some degree. He was already utilising more advantages in battle that he missed previously.

    Call it dirty. Call it dishonourable. Red had yet to find a need to use these tactics since awakening on Mount Silver, but his time fighting The Chariot had permanently ingrained the lessons the man had taught.

    It was only a matter of time before he had to drag himself down to that level.

    The three of them reached camp in silence to see Croconaw munching away at a snack while Froakie shook his head at the mess. Pichu was nowhere to be seen, though Red wasn¡¯t worried of him being lost so much as him returning with a broken tail, and maybe some broken teeth from picking a fight (or several).

    It was too bad that Pichu detested leashes. Sometimes, Red felt that such an item would be a necessity to avoid Pichu from somehow starting a gang war across the world.

    ¡°Why does it seem like fighting you is more difficult than when I¡¯ve faced off against Gym Leaders?¡± Salvare asked as he prepared his own meals.

    Red scrunched his brow, pausing in his own preparation of food, ¡°What do you mean exactly?¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Salvare waved a hand in the air while he thought, ¡°Their battles have seemed more straightforward. I attack them. They attack me. Whoever attacks harder wins. So on and so forth,¡± He leaned forward, ¡°There hasn¡¯t really been any sort of strategy I¡¯ve seen involving status moves or anything outside of straight attacks.¡±

    Red hummed to himself, recalling his own experiences as Ash. His brow only scrunched further when he recalled how, unlike his two previous Gym matches, most of his battles against Gym Leaders were as Salvare described.

    ¡°Maybe it has to do with age?¡± Red questioned, spitballing ideas as they came to him, ¡°The older you are, the more complex their strategy?¡±

    Salvare seemed disgruntled by that explanation, grumbling to himself, ¡°I¡¯m not a kid.¡±

    Ignoring his initial instinct to point out how childish that sounded, Red asked, ¡°How old are you?¡±

    ¡°Seventeen,¡± Salvare responded lowly, before casting a considering glance at Red, ¡°How old are you? You don¡¯t seem too much older than me.¡±

    ¡°I recently turned twenty,¡± Red answered back before frowning, ¡°You¡¯re right, though, that isn¡¯t much older.¡±

    Salvare stayed silent for a moment, finishing the meals for his pokemon, before posing a possibility, ¡°Maybe it depends on how many badges you¡¯ve earned?¡± He then shook his head, ¡°No, nevermind. I have more badges than you, and none of my matches were nearly as crazy as the one you had at Blackthorne.¡±

    Red hummed as he acquiesced. Salvare had looked up Red¡¯s trainer profile when they took a pit-stop at Mahogany a couple of days ago. Aside from learning that his application had been processed while he was at the Lake of Rage, he and Salvare also saw that the recording of his match against Clair had been released to the public.

    Red was somewhat surprised to see that he had gained a bit of notoriety from his match. Compared to other new trainers, his first Gym match had a considerable amount of views and comments about it.

    He also looked up Ash Ketchum¡¯s profile to see that he had earned the Boulder Badge from Brock about a week ago, meaning that those two, along with Misty, were currently on the way to Cerulean.

    After seeing Red¡¯s feats against Clair, Salvare had only doubled down on his desire to learn under Red. Red was somewhat bemused about the kid (even if he was only three years younger). One moment, Salvare was silent and oddly introspective for his age. The next moment, he was passionate and driven, primarily in battle.

    Returning his thoughts to the conversation, Red noted, ¡°I did decide to do Clair¡¯s challenge as my first Gym Badge, which may have driven her to fight harder than she usually does,¡± He then pursed his lips, ¡°She also told me that she would contact the other Gym Leaders about me for potential sponsorships, which may have alerted them to go harder against me.¡±

    Salvare sighed, before brightening up a bit, ¡°Well, at least I have you to fight against to improve. That¡¯s better than nothing.¡±

    Red shrugged before motioning Froakie over for dinner, whispering to the frog, ¡°Which way did Pichu run off to?¡±

    Froakie dutifully pointed up towards the mountain. Red nodded to himself, imagining that Pichu was bashing his tail against some rocks.

    As he handed Froakie and Charmander their meals, Salvare released the rest of his pokemon to share in their own supper. Zubat and Gastly hovered around his head as Magnemite floated lazily by his leg. Meanwhile, Croconaw happily threw its empty bowl into the air, ambling towards Salvare for seconds.

    Red watched the scene in front of him play out. Gastly called its own name as it taunted Croconaw while it ate. The crocodile gave the ghost the stink eye, but refused to be let away from his food. Meanwhile Zubat fluttered around, occasionally nibbling on Salvare¡¯s red hair amidst eating its own food. Magnemite, in contrast, stared unblinkingly as it absorbed its own unique meal - an energy chip with a side of batteries.

    It was the sort of carefree chaos that Red hadn¡¯t seen since his time in Kalos. Even in the days before the Wave, he and those he travelled with were on edge due to the constant upheaval of the world around them.

    He almost wondered if the world would have ended even without the Source Wave.

    He and his pokemon still had fun together, but there was always a shroud of gloom that held over them. The memories of friends long passed, of enemies surrounding them, of goals insurmountable weighed them down.

    Here, Red saw that, despite the shadows hidden within Salvare¡¯s eyes, he felt safe in that moment.

    Red longed for that feeling.

    ¡°We¡¯re only about a day away from Ecruteak City,¡± Salvare remarked, breaking Red out of his thoughts, ¡°I was wondering if we were planning on doing anything outside of getting your Badge.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have any plans, outside of the battling ring, if there''s a waitlist for the Gym match,¡± Red said, ¡°It could be a good place for you to see some different battle styles.¡±

    Salvare seemed interested, ¡°I haven¡¯t paid too much attention to those. Are they good?¡±

    Red shrugged, ¡°I¡¯ve only really used the one at Blackthorne, and that was decent. Granted, many of the trainers there are of a higher calibre than the average traveller.¡±

    Salvare thought for a moment before nodding, ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll do that,¡± He grinned down at Croconaw, ¡°Maybe he can evolve while we¡¯re there. I imagine it¡¯s not too long before he does.¡±

    Red thought so as well. Given another month or so, Red wouldn¡¯t be too surprised to see him evolve into Feraligatr. Such a pokemon was considerably powerful, especially in the right hands.

    Which only made it more suspect that the Gyarados from the lake seemed to explicitly attack the poor creature.

    One of the first things Red had asked Salvare upon travelling together was whether or not the kid had made any enemies, and if so, how powerful they were.

    Salvare had been surprisingly tight-lipped about that, not giving any specific details outside of ¡®I have it handled.¡¯

    Red had asked him about his origin in small, subtle questions in an attempt to determine how and why he seemed to have attracted someone with that level of power. However, all he could get out of Salvare was his home region of Orre, his starter being the Croconaw, and that he was apparently estranged from his parents.

    How fun.

    Salvare seemed to be just as lost as Red was in regards to the Gyarados, which was both relieving and very concerning. It both said that Salvare wasn¡¯t being completely dishonest (which was more than he could ask for, given his experiences leading up to the Source Wave), but it also said that Salvare did not know who had attacked him.

    Red was certain that it was a trainer who had commanded the Gyarados, because the beast seemed too composed, too focused, too disciplined to be wild.

    In the end, though, Red couldn¡¯t do much to help Salvare with an enemy he knew nothing about. While the fact that the kid did seem to have enemies was disconcerting, Red wasn¡¯t entirely certain how many enemies he gained as Ash by the time he was seventeen.

    So, for the time being, Red allowed Salvare to keep his own cards close to his chest. Red was only doing the same . If it truly became detrimental for the kid to do so, Red would be more forceful in his questions.

    ¡°How long do you think it¡¯ll take for your pokemon to evolve,¡± Salvare asked, eyeing Charmander as the lizard nibbled on the remains of his meal, ¡°Given their strength, I imagine you¡¯ve had them for a while. I would think they¡¯d have evolved by now.¡±

    Red frowned, having thought of why that was himself. At the very least, Pichu should have evolved. It was exceedingly rare to find a Pichu who had fought anything tougher than a Caterpie without evolving into Pikachu. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Red eventually answered, keeping the rest of his thoughts to himself.

    Salvare pursed his lips, likely aware that Red wasn¡¯t answering fully, but elected not to pursue it. He instead cast a look to the sky, which had darkened as dusk moved to night, before saying, ¡°I think I¡¯m going to turn in for the night.¡±

    Red raised his hand a few centimetres, ¡°You have a good night.¡±

    Salvare nodded, ¡°You as well,¡± Before recalling his pokemon to their pokeballs and heading towards his sleeping bag.

    Red remained sitting for a few minutes longer until his ears twitched as rustles of dry grass alerted him to Pichu¡¯s presence. Turning towards the bruised and irritable rodent, Red handed him his now-cold meal, ¡°No luck?¡±

    Pichu growled lowly and shook his head, dejectedly nibbling on bits of kibble as Froakie patted him on the back in sympathy.

    ¡°You¡¯ll get it eventually, I¡¯m sure,¡± Red murmured, eyes drooping as he let slumber overtake him. He could hear the lingering sounds of Pichu¡¯s growls as he drifted off to sleep.

    ¡­

    Ecruteak City, September 21st, 1997

    ¡°Hey! You guys looking for treasure?¡±

    Red and Pichu growled in sync as they were ambushed by a clown-looking man who appeared around the corner. Salvare, meanwhile, startled before shoving the chubby man away, yelling, ¡°Arceus! Who the hell are you?!¡±

    The man bounded back up towards them, slyly grinning as he answered, ¡°My name¡¯s Infernando! Fire-breathing clown and street performer extraordinaire!¡± The man stepped back before placing a hand next to his mouth as he emitted a breath of flame.

    Red merely blinked, vaguely remembering having met this individual years ago when he had first travelled through Johto. To his side, Salvare hastily took several steps back, releasing Croconaw from his pokeball, ¡°Listen, guy. If you¡¯re looking for a fight, we¡¯ll give you one.¡±

    Red turned his head slightly to give Salvare an eye, silently telling him that he had it handled. Salvare minutely relaxed as Red turned back to Infernando, saying, ¡°We don¡¯t want your product. Will you please let us pass?¡±

    Infernando sputtered, ¡°Now hold on! My treasure detector is a-¡±

    ¡° Move ,¡± Red commanded impatiently, the edges of his vision turning a slight red. Infernando snapped to attention and side-stepped away, disappearing into the alley in a brink of sweat.

    Behind Red, Salvare whistled, ¡°Remind me not to piss you off,¡± He patted Croconaw on the head as the crocodile gave his trainer a confused look.

    Red sighed, blinking away the red haze, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m just¡­ not exactly feeling the best.¡±

    Truthfully, he wasn¡¯t feeling well. While Red didn¡¯t exactly feel sick , he felt as if something was¡­ missing .

    Instinctively, Red turned his gaze to the Tin Tower, rising over the horizon of the City. He hadn¡¯t thought about it much, given his other more immediate worries, but over the past few days, something has nagged at him.

    He didn¡¯t see Ho-Oh.

    He could remember it as if it was yesterday. After meeting Pikachu, fleeing from the Spearow, and stealing Misty¡¯s bike, there had been a storm. Yet, after the storm had passed, Ash looked up into the sky and saw a rainbow.

    And flying ahead of the trailing rainbow was Ho-Oh.

    He didn¡¯t know it at the time. In fact, it had taken him a few years to even realise that he had seen Ho-Oh in the first place.

    However, this only begged the question.

    Why didn¡¯t he see Ho-Oh this time?

    It almost seemed petulant to him that he was so hung up over not seeing a legendary pokemon that, had anyone else seen it, would have been the most defining moment of their life.

    Yet, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder why he didn¡¯t see it. Maybe it was because it didn¡¯t consider him pure-of-heart? Which wasn¡¯t entirely wrong. Or maybe it was just preoccupied with being seen by this time¡¯s Ash.

    Red didn¡¯t know, and he didn¡¯t like not knowing. Not knowing what was going on was what led the world to ruin. Not knowing what was going on was a death-sentence when facing off against The Chariot.

    Unlike Ash, who could live without knowing exactly why things happened, Red almost felt a compulsive need to know why things happened.

    Red was shaken from his thoughts by Salvare snapping his fingers in front of him, ¡°Are you listening? Oh, yeah you are. Do you need to go to the doctor?¡± He asked.

    Red frowned, before recalling what he had just said, ¡°No, it¡¯s not that I feel sick,¡± He paused for a moment, choosing the right word, ¡°I¡¯d say I¡¯m more disgruntled than anything.¡±

    Salvare rolled his eyes, ¡°Anyone would be after getting jumped by that weirdo,¡± Salvare turned around to point at the Pokemon Center at the end of the road, ¡°We¡¯re almost there, though, so we can get you signed up for your Gym match and be on our way.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Red nodded, once more shoving his thoughts into the corners of his mind.

    ¡­

    Pokemon Center, Ecruteak City

    Red returned from using the PC to find Salvare leaning forward on the public couch, staring intently at the television screen. Red turned to see a news network giving an interview with Giovanni.

    Red stood behind Salvare, crossing his arms as he watched the leader of Team Rocket adjust his dark orange suit in just the right way to appear both formidable yet strangely approachable. Red tuned his ears in order to hear the television just as the interviewer gave a light laugh after Giovanni presumably said something witty.

    ¡°Now, Mr. Giovanni, the people of Indigo, and particularly Viridian City, want to know what you think about the upcoming Summit with the Sinnoh Region, given your experience with them in the past.¡±

    Giovanni cupped his hands together, ¡°Now, Leslie, what happened in the past isn¡¯t important. It¡¯s always good to look ahead,¡± He unclasped his hands as he leaned forwards ever so slightly, ¡°I personally think that the World League, along with the people of Indigo, have a lot to gain by allowing Sinnoh into our ranks with open arms.¡±

    The interviewer, Leslie, asked a follow-up question, ¡°Do you mean to say that you¡¯re willing to forgive them for their attacks on Viridian City?¡±

    ¡°Leslie,¡± Giovanni returned with a smile, hiding the danger in his tone, ¡°Kanto did the same with Johto all those years ago. I see no reason why we can¡¯t do the same with Sinnoh.¡±

    Leslie scribbled something down off-screen, ¡°Do you believe they will feel the same way?¡±

    ¡°Do we not already have proof?¡± Giovanni returned, leaning back against his chair, ¡°The fact that they are electing to join the World League tells me that they have.¡±

    ¡°Do you have any assurances for the people of Viridian that Sinnoh will not break its word?¡± Leslie asked sharply.

    ¡°Why would they?¡± Giovanni asked in return, one eyebrow rising in an elegant display, ¡°I do recall us having the same reservations when we joined with Johto to become the Indigo League we are today, yet they have kept their word, as have we,¡± Giovanni turned a sharp eye to the screen, ¡°I believe that the people of Viridian have nothing to worry about, even in the off chance that I am wrong. We are a strong people, after all.¡±

    There was a moment¡¯s pause, in which the noise of Leslie flipping through notes could be heard. Eventually, she asked, ¡°Moving on, you have recently confirmed that you will be part of the Kanto contingent that will travel to Sinnoh for the Summit. Do you have any plans for maintaining your Gym in your absence?¡±

    Giovanni cast his eyes off to the side of the camera, ¡°I have security in place to prevent any robberies or vandalism. In regards to Gym matches, I have yet to accept any requests. It is rather early in the Season for any challengers to realistically meet the prerequisites.¡±

    ¡°And what exactly are those prerequisites?¡± Leslie asked quickly.

    ¡°The challenger must have at least four badges to even challenge my Gym, though I give priority to those with more than that amount,¡± Giovanni hummed, ¡°I only offer one challenge, though, which is specifically catered to those holding seven Badges,¡± He chuckled ruefully, ¡°I have yet to be bested by anyone with less than six Badges already on their person.¡±

    Leslie returned with another question, ¡°Some have criticised you and a few other Gym Leaders for having these restrictions. Amongst their arguments, chief among them is that you are gatekeeping prospective trainers from furthering their careers. What do you have to say to that?¡±

    Giovanni frowned, ¡°I would say that these critics do not truly understand the structure of the Gym challenges,¡± His frown was replaced with a manufactured grin, ¡°Gym challenges are meant to teach trainers the basics of what it means to be what they are. However, the way this is done varies by the Gym,¡± Giovanni extended one hand, ¡°Some Gyms are meant to act as beginner challenges, such as Pewter or Cerulean,¡± He extended the other, ¡°Other Gyms are better served towards trainers of a higher calibre, such as my own. It is not my fault that my strengths as a Gym Leader fall more into this category.¡±

    Red¡¯s interest began to wane as the interview moved on to more inane topics before wrapping up. In the meantime, Red noted how intensely Salvare seemed to be watching the interview, face impassive as he listened to Giovanni perfectly answer every question without fail.

    Still, there were a few things that Red learned from that. The first was that Giovanni was eerily good at masking his identity as the leader of Team Rocket under the guise of being a business-oriented Gym Leader.

    This only served to remind him of the leaders of Team Source.

    Secondly, Red learned about some sort of Summit with Sinnoh. Red didn¡¯t have any memories of this from his time as Ash, though he could easily chock that up to him being hyper focused on ¡®being the very best¡¯.

    Still, it was interesting. Given the small amounts of history he had gleaned from bits of research he did on the PC, it seemed to relate to the peace efforts that had been led by Charles Goodshow over the past decade and a half. Given that he had only known the man as one of the top coordinators for several Conferences. It turned out that, not only was the man highly involved in many of the international tournaments taking place every year, but he was also one of the heads of the World League.

    It seemed that the upcoming Summit was the most recent goal of the World League, as having Sinnoh join into the League would make it the most expansive alliance the world had seen in nearly one hundred years.

    Which seemed utterly amazing to Red, given how much he had taken the interconnectivity of the regions in his past life for granted.

    Red returned from his thoughts when Salvare abruptly stood up as the news channel began running ads. Salvare cast a quick look at Red before shaking his head, saying, ¡°Sorry ¡®bout that. It was¡­ interesting.¡±

    Red took note of the pause before shrugging, ¡°It¡¯s fine. I signed up for the Gym challenge, so we can head off to the battling ring for the day.¡±

    Salvare nodded his head, visage brightening up a small amount, ¡°Alright,¡± His mouth quirked into a cruel grin, ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see you flatten someone other than me!¡±

    Red almost replied that he never ¡®flattened¡¯ Salvare. He would know if he did. Still, he allowed the kid to be excited. Besides, given the lack of wild pokemon he had seen, he was keen on battling someone other than the same trainer he had been travelling with for the past week.

    ¡­

    Professor Oak¡¯s Laboratory, Pallet Town

    Professor Samuel Oak hummed as he analysed the readings that were just shared with the research group he hosted.

    On his X-Transceiver, the faces of Professors and other researchers from across several regions made several comments as they each perused the document.

    ¡°Unfortunately, I have been unable to perform any live experiments to confirm my hypothesis,¡± Lorelei, the individual who shared the document, explained, ¡°Given my other responsibilities, I have been unable to do so.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯m seeing this right, but are you saying that there are type energies in this wave that are not documented?¡± Professor Rowan asked in a gruff voice.

    ¡°I don¡¯t see why this couldn¡¯t be the case,¡± Professor Birch added in a chirp, his boyish face grinning, ¡°I¡¯ve read a few theories about the potential of a new type on the horizon.¡±

    ¡°Are you talking about the one from Kalos?¡± Rowan asked harshly. Completely oblivious to the man¡¯s less-than-happy tone, Birch nodded, prompting Rowan to growl, ¡°Then I refuse to believe it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s rather short-sighted, Rowan,¡± Professor Juniper sniped with a scowl, pushing down her Minccino that had popped its head into the screen, ¡°Professor Sycamore is a uniquely talented individual.¡±

    ¡°How did you find this out?¡± Professor Ivy cut through the rising argument to address Lorelei, ¡°This isn¡¯t exactly my area of expertise, so I would highly appreciate it if you could explain it to me.¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Lorelei began, perking up, ¡°The main thing that drove me was that we couldn¡¯t identify certain energies from the wave. So, I simply went through the sensors we have at the Plateau and separated each unique energy.¡±

    ¡°And you found hundreds?!¡± Rowan interrupted her explanation, ¡°I can accept maybe a couple , but to have hundreds of new types-¡±

    ¡°Allow her to finish,¡± Oak commanded sharply, prompting Rowan to sputter for a moment. Rowan glared at the screen before grumbling as he sat back. ¡°You may continue,¡± Oak told Lorelei.

    ¡°Thank you, Professor,¡± Lorelei said, though she didn¡¯t seem extremely bothered by the interruption, ¡°In regards to each unique energy, well¡­ I find that to be the question.¡±

    ¡°How so?¡± Juniper asked, though Oak had a suspicion as to what Lorelei meant.

    ¡°If each unique signature in that wave corresponded to entirely new types, then we would have hundreds of new types that we have never seen before,¡± Lorelei explained.

    ¡°And that would mean hundreds of entirely undiscovered pokemon, each with unique types,¡± Oak murmured, mind already brimming with the possibilities.

    The others on the call displayed varied amounts of thought. After a moment, Ivy piped up, ¡°Would that even be possible?¡±

    ¡°I would hesitate to place anything outside of the realm of possibility,¡± Juniper stated, drawing nods from the others.

    ¡°Maybe there are types outside of earth,¡± Birch proposed, ¡°There are several stories about extraterrestrial pokemon across Hoenn.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps,¡± Oak murmured, once more drawing attention to himself. He thought for a moment, enjoying the silence that his murmur brought, before asking Lorelei, ¡°Is it possible that - rather than each energy frequency corresponding to an entire type - the energy readings correspond to different type combinations that we have yet to see?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not certain,¡± Lorelei answered with a pursed lip, ¡°Again, I haven¡¯t been able to do any actual tests using this data.¡±

    ¡°So this data sheet is worthless?!¡± Rowan piped up incredulously, ¡°Is this merely conjecture?¡±

    Lorelei¡¯s face remained cold, though Oak could see the beginnings of her losing her patience. Oak bent forward to unmute himself and speak, but was interrupted by the irate voice of another.

    ¡°Professor Rowan!¡± Juniper yelled, causing Rowan to visibly pale, ¡°You¡¯re overstepping your bounds! Ms. Lorelei is doing us a favour by giving us this data!¡±

    Oak began to tune out as Professor Ivy tried and failed to quell Juniper and Rowan¡¯s argument. As it began to devolve into other topics, Oak¡¯s Transceiver buzzed with a message.

    Minimising the visual for the meeting, Oak checked his messages and sighed to himself when he saw who it was from.

    Opening his message, Oak raised an eyebrow at Professor Elm¡¯s message.

    (7:16 P.M.) - ProfessorHenryElm: Sam, I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re still looking into it, but I triangulated the rough location of the power surge. It was somewhere within a 20-km range of Silver Town. I sent one of my aides to record any findings, and I wanted to let you know.

    Oak leaned back as he pondered this new information. He¡¯d have to let Lance know about it as soon as his current meeting wrapped up, given how close to the power wave - they renamed it, Elm - the Indigo Plateau was.

    It was sure to give the Champion conniptions.

    Still, Oak would have to send his own people down to that area to confirm Elm¡¯s guess. Even though he seemed to fully believe his theory, Oak was more sceptical.

    Before turning his attention back to the meeting, Oak typed out a quick response.

    (7:20 P.M.) - ProfessorSamuelOak: Understood.

    After sending out the message, Oak closed his chat with Elm and returned to the meeting, only to see that Juniper and Rowan were still at it. Somehow, they had even roped in Birch and Bill - who presumably joined the meeting just a moment ago - while Lorelei and Ivy remained silent.

    Taking a moment to catch his breath - Oak wondered if he should rename his profession ¡®babysitter¡¯ rather than ¡®professor¡¯ - Oak ordered in a clear voice, ¡°Each of you will stop this instance!¡±

    As if a magic spell had struck them, the four of them snapped their mouths shut and became silent. They were well aware of Samuel Oak¡¯s reputation before he became a Professor, and were wise enough not to push his limits.

    Oak exhaled out of his nose, pinching his brow as he said, ¡°Good evening, Bill. I¡¯m glad that you could join us.¡±

    ¡°Professor Oak!¡± Bill seemed to be bursting at the seams, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t believe what I¡¯ve got!¡±

    The others showed varied expressions of curiosity, while Rowan still seemed grouchy. Oak raised an eyebrow as he asked, ¡°Would you care to enlighten us, Bill?¡±

    Bill chuckled like a maniac and procured a small glass container. The inside seemed¡­ clear . No, that wasn¡¯t quite right. There was something in there, but Oak couldn¡¯t tell what it was.

    ¡°What are we supposed to be seeing?¡± Rowan asked, more grumpy than aggressive.

    ¡°This,¡± Bill started dramatically, ¡°Is a capsule containing trace remnants of the energy from the power wave.¡±

    Bill gave a manic grin as everyone burst into questions, overriding one another in a rising cacophony of noise. Oak muted everyone but himself and Bill as he weakly asked, ¡°wha-?¡±

    ¡°Like I said,¡± Bill stated smugly, ¡°This is a sample of energy from the power wave,¡± He jumped a bit in his seat, ¡°It may be a miniscule amount, but it¡¯s still enough to do some tests with it.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Oak yelled before composing himself, ¡°We do not know any of the properties of this energy. Testing it in anything less than the safest environment possible practically begs for it to explode.¡±

    Bill seemed shocked, ¡°I¡¯m perfectly safe!¡±

    The man only cringed as he saw not only Professor Oak, but Juniper, Ivy, and Lorelei give him identical doubtful looks. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ safe,¡± He croaked.

    ¡°You¡¯ve accidentally fused with a Jigglypuff in a past experiment, Bill,¡± Oak said drily, ¡°You can deliver it to me, and I¡¯ll take it from there.¡±

    Ignoring the squawks of protest from the other Professors, Bill whimpered, ¡°But I was the one who got it¡­¡±

    Oak sighed as Bill cradled the capsule like a father would an infant. He was well aware that Bill wouldn¡¯t part easily with something this big, especially when he was legitimately the one to achieve it. Still, even after a decade of retiring as Champion, Samuel Oak still knew how to negotiate with a tough customer.

    ¡°Bill,¡± He cut across the man¡¯s whining, ¡°I¡¯m aware that you are proud of your achievement, as am I. But, above everything else, I am more concerned with your safety than I am with getting fast results.¡±

    He held up a finger as Bill was about to pipe up, ¡°I¡¯ll allow you two weeks before I send an aide to pick up the capsule. In that time, you are allowed to record any passive readings from the energy, but you must not release it in any way. After I get it to the lab, I can coordinate times for you to teleport to the lab so that we can perform experiments in a safe and controlled environment. Does that work?¡±

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Bill still seemed put out, though eventually he relented and sighed, ¡°That works, I suppose.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± Oak nodded, internally relieved that he wouldn¡¯t have to actively pry it out of Bill¡¯s hands, ¡°I¡¯ll send a heads up when the aide is on the way.¡±

    ¡°If I may,¡± Juniper began, ¡°I¡¯m sure the others would agree that we would appreciate it if you didn¡¯t hold a monopoly on this research, Professor Oak.¡±

    Oak sighed as he leaned back, listening to the argument that he had stopped earlier begin to pick up once more, this time directed at him. He belatedly noticed the freshly made tea on his counter, mentally thanking Alakazam as he began to fend off the others.

    ¡­

    Ecruteak Battling Ring, September 23rd, 1997

    ¡°Quit screwing around, Pichu.¡±

    Pichu paused midair to stick his tongue out at Red, dodging past the Graveller¡¯s Rock Throw with ease.

    Red shook his head at Pichu¡¯s antics as the opposing trainer panicked upon seeing the pitiful mouse somehow overwhelm and overpower the quaking Rock/Ground type. Pichu performed a small jig as Graveller groaned, slumping into the ground in defeat.

    As Red collected his winnings from the match, he looked across the battling ring to see Salvare  and Croconaw fending off against a duo of travelling partners using Plusle and Minun. Red nodded, impressed, as Croconaw used Aqua Jet to evade attacks that would have otherwise landed on him.

    Red watched for a moment, eyeing Salvare¡¯s smirk as Croconaw¡¯s Water Gun launched Minun into Plusle. A dull memory planted itself into the back of his mind upon seeing the smirk, vaguely remembering an almost-familiar face from the time of the Storm.

    Tipping the red and white hat he recently purchased as the chronic headache returned, Red walked over to the screen overlooking the plaza. It showed the rankings of every registered contestant within the ring, both locally and globally, along with the amounts of wins, losses, and draws they had.

    As the screen automatically shuffled through the myriad of contestants, Red took note of Salvare¡¯s profile as it flashed by.

    Salvare Razzo

    Local Ranking: Top 10%

    Global Ranking: Top 50%

    Local W/D/L: 7/2/1

    Global W/D/L 10/3/2

    Red hummed, not having kept particular track of Salvare¡¯s progress. To him, it seemed like the kid was doing pretty well, all things considered. While Salvare¡¯s aggressive style didn¡¯t work on Red, it seemed to do the trick on most opponents.

    Turning an eye back to the ring, Red caught the tail end of the battle as Croconaw dashed towards a lone Plusle with a Bite , causing it to faint.

    As the spectators watching the battle began to cheer, Red turned back to the screen to catch his own name scrolling by.

    Red Satoshi

    Local Ranking: Top 5%

    Global Ranking: Top 30%

    Local W/D/L: 8/0/0

    Global W/D/L: 18/1/0

    Red raised an eyebrow at seeing his statistics. He racked his mind for a moment, trying to recall when he had drawn with someone else, before remembering the Donphan that Pichu took down.

    He could¡¯ve sworn that it was considered a loss, though. He had even forked over the money for it, and nobody said anything against it.

    It seemed that he was ripped off.

    Red grumbled as Salvare bounded up to him, ¡°Phew! That last one was tough. Croconaw really got a workout from that.¡±

    ¡°I saw,¡± Red grunted, forcing his thoughts away from the meagre amount of cash he lost, which stung nonetheless, ¡°You seem to have taken my advice to heart.¡±

    Salvare nodded, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have won without it. Thank you.¡±

    Red raised his hand in acknowledgement, noting the approaching woman coming up to them. He tapped Salvare¡¯s shoulders as he turned, ¡°Can we help you?¡±

    The woman with flowing silver hair grinned as she placed a hand on her hip, ¡°Is that how you greet a beautiful lady, handsome?¡±

    Red didn¡¯t care about whether she was pretty, and calling him ¡®handsome¡¯ was pushing it. Before Red could ask again, Salvare broke in with a sputter, ¡°Handsome?!¡±

    The woman¡¯s grin widened at Salvare¡¯s sputter, turning to him, ¡°That¡¯s what I said, spitfire.¡±

    As Salvare sputtered once more over the ¡®nickname¡¯, Red asked again, ¡°Is there something you want?¡±

    The woman sighed theatrically, ¡°You¡¯re ruining my fun, Mr. Tall, Dark, and Brooding,¡± She perked back up, punching a fist into her palm, ¡°I¡¯d like a battle.¡±

    As Red raised a slightly intrigued eyebrow, Salvare interjected, ¡°With who?¡±

    She turned to Salvare, teeth on full display, ¡°You first. I¡¯d like to save the boss for the end.¡±

    Salvare¡¯s face briefly went blank at the word ¡®boss¡¯ - Red took note of that - before scowling, ¡°You¡¯re on.¡±

    ¡°Hold on,¡± Red raised a palm in Salvare¡¯s direction. He turned to the woman, ¡°Why exactly do you want to battle us?¡± While such a thing wasn¡¯t against the rules at the battling ring, most just used the randomly generated matches created by a computer.

    The woman shrugged, examining her nails, ¡°I watched your battles earlier today, and you both seem like a good challenge,¡± She grinned, though it seemed slightly more genuine to Red, ¡°I¡¯ve got to find tough opponents if I want to rise to the top.¡±

    Red thought over that for a moment before nodding. It was an acceptable reason, if a bit generic. Granted, he employed the same reasoning on many of his battles as Ash, so he was not one to judge.

    Salvare, meanwhile, seemed more interested, ¡°Are you looking to compete in the Silver Conference?¡±

    The woman struck a pose, surprising Red as a visible aura of dark energy began to emanate from her, ¡°Yup! My name is Karen! And you better remember it when I become one of the elite!¡±

    Karen, huh? Red could vaguely remember mentions of someone by that name rising to replace Agatha as one of the Elite Four - a dark type specialist to be exact. Just to be sure, though, he asked, ¡°Does that mean you¡¯re looking to become a part of the Elite Four?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡± She exclaimed, ignoring Salvare¡¯s sudden doubtful look, ¡°Agatha herself is pushing for me to be her replacement by sponsoring my journey for the past few years. This year, I¡¯m looking to win the Silver Conference!¡±

    Red hummed as he turned his eyes toward an empty arena, snapping his fingers as he said, ¡°In that case, I¡¯ve found an empty spot for you two to do your battle.¡±

    Karen gave a slightly crazed grin as she stepped to one edge of the arena, while Salvare stood uneasily at the other. A flash of light appeared next to the woman as she called forth her pokemon, synchronising with her radiating dark energy as Umbreon gracefully stepped into the ring.

    Red froze for a moment at the sight of the pokemon, flashes of light, noise, smell, pain, death-

    Pichu pulled his cheek, causing Red to curse as his mind focused on the physical pain rather than the alternative. This was fine. He was fine.

    Giving a small murmur of thanks to Pichu, Red raised his voice in a monotone, ¡°This is a 1-on-1. No items allowed. Forfeit will result in defeat. Begin.¡±

    Salvare, who had grown somewhat used to Red¡¯s nigh-fatalistic tone with battle, yelled out, ¡° Scary Face into Aqua Jet! ¡±

    Croconaw¡¯s face contorted into a monstrous glower, causing Umbreon to tremble slightly. Karen clicked her tongue and called out, ¡° Protect and confuse him!¡±

    A pale shield rose around the Umbreon as it Protected against the Croconaw¡¯s attack. Red noted to himself to set apart time to reteach the move to his pokemon. It would be a great boon for future League battles, even if it was largely useless when facing large-scale attacks.

    Umbreon¡¯s eyes glowed red as it glared at Croconaw, causing the crocodile to blink away stars as it began to stumble.

    Salvare swore softly to himself before commanding, ¡°Use Low Kick! ¡±

    Red hummed as Croconaw spun around in a full circular kick. Umbreon had narrowly avoided it, given how close they were together, but if it had been propelled with an Aqua Jet , Red had no doubt that it would have hit.

    He would have to teach Salvare about combining moves.

    ¡° Sand Attack , keep away from it, Umbreon!¡± Karen called from her end of the stadium.

    As clouds of sand were launched at the confused crocodile¡¯s eyes, Salvare growled, ¡°Use Watergun and get away from it!¡±

    Croconaw, who had been rubbing his eyes, paused to blindly shoot bursts of water in random directions. Red hissed as the hairs on his arms went static as Karen drew the dark energies surrounding her into a focal point with the Umbreon. The pokemon weaved through the scattered jets of water with ease, aided by Karen¡¯s aura.

    It was eerily similar to how Chariot drew on his own dark aura to aid Hades.

    ¡° Dark Pulse , Umbreon! Give it everything you got!¡± Karen cried triumphantly as Croconaw fumbled in joint confusion and blindness. Salvare seemed desperate, calling out his pokemon¡¯s name in a last-ditch effort to reorient it.

    It was all for naught, though, as the Dark Pulse pierced Croconaw¡¯s side, enveloping it in suffocating dark energy as the Croconaw cried out before slumping to the ground.

    Salvare gawked before jogging to Croconaw¡¯s side. After confirming that Croconaw¡¯s injuries weren¡¯t major, he levelled a glare at Karen, ¡°How¡¯d you take him down in one attack?!¡±

    Karen sniffed, flipping her silver hair behind her head as Umbreon rubbed against her legs, ¡°Sometimes all it takes to end a battle is one well-placed attack.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± Salvare whirled to stare at Red as the man gained a dark, faraway look in his eyes, ¡°Even the might of legendaries can be brought down by one lucky shot.¡±

    ¡°Hey! Are you saying that was luck?!¡± Karen hollered as she rushed back towards them, ¡°That was 100%, unfiltered, unabashed, infallible skill!¡± She exclaimed jokingly, striking a pose next to her Umbreon, who had also struck a pose on its hind legs¡­

    Before it fell over.

    Karen squawked as Umbreon tumbled into her, nearly knocking her off balance. Red ignored their antics as he focused on the subtle warp that twisted the air around her. It darkled. It tinct. It told caressing lies to his ear.

    He acknowledged it.

    It acknowledged him.

    Red ignored the words spoken between Karen and Salvare, only noting the tones of their voices as being teasing and grouchy respectively. Instead, he reflected both on the dark aura exhibited by Karen and that reflected by himself.

    In the past - or the future, he supposed - Ash had solidly defined his aura as mixing both fighting and electric type energies. It had become apparent after finding out how grating dark energy was against his psyche, as if it was asking, begging, existing to be fought. Destroyed.

    This was part of the reason why The Chariot weighed so heavily on his soul.

    Now, though, while there was still a part of his aura that screamed against the dark energies, another part seemed to welcome them.

    It would be one thing if this simply meant that his aura changed to mix fighting and dark energies. While such a dramatic shift in one¡¯s aura was rare, along with such a volatile combination as fighting and dark, it could have been argued that the bloody battles he faced during the Storm could affect him so deeply to shift him towards a darker nature.

    What didn¡¯t make sense was that he retained his electrical aura.

    He knew that he still retained his electric aura. Throughout the weeks of travel, this had been proven multiple times whenever stray bolts of electricity escaped Pichu and struck Red. Given his devolution, Pichu had far less control over his latent electrical stockpile, and whenever he lost control and struck Red he had apologised profusely while insulting him for being slow - in more ways than one - in the same breath.

    Red hadn¡¯t been harmed, though. He hadn¡¯t been for years. If he had truly lost his electric aura, he would have thought that he would at least feel some sort of pain from those occasions.

    The only possibility he could think of was that he now had three aura types: fighting, electric, and dark. This didn¡¯t make sense, though . From the limited amount that he had learned, Red was made to understand that most people only had one aura type, sometimes two.

    Never three.

    Red scowled to himself as he filed it away with everything else that didn¡¯t make sense after travelling back in time. When he had the time, he would have to do research on why certain things kept on happening, such as the red eyes, his pokemons¡¯ devolutions, the Shiny Gyarados attack, the aura typings-

    ¡°Earth to Red? Hellooooooo?¡± Karen snapped her fingers in front of his face, snapping him away from his thoughts.

    Red batted her hand away, cringing as the latent dark energies seemed to synergise with his own, only to shred apart. Karen growled in response, though Red could see within her eyes the desire to fight, to test her mettle.

    Red nodded back towards the arena, murmuring distractedly, ¡°C¡¯mon.¡±

    Karen¡¯s expression flipped back into a gleeful grin, sidestepping Salvare as he fumed over his loss. She pumped a fist into the air, ¡°Alright! Who am I gonna be fighting? Is it going to be that foreign pokemon of yours? Or maybe the blue Charmander?¡± She paused to flash a goading grin at him, ¡°Or does the little rat want to play?¡±

    Red shook off the tendrils of dark energy that rose from her last words, remaining silent as he took his position at the edge of the arena. Pichu growled at her words and hopped off his shoulder.

    If Karen was disappointed at the lack of a verbal comeback, she didn¡¯t show it. She took her stance as well, her eyes narrowing in concentration.

    Salvare called the opening of the battle, prompting Karen to command, ¡° Screech! ¡±

    Red¡¯s eyes widened for a moment as the sound reached his ears. He reflexively called upon his own aura - which felt wrong - to dispel it.

    Except it didn¡¯t.

    Rather than fending off the dark aura like his aura had previously, it seemed to absorb it into his own, magnifying his senses as the shadows surrounding the battling ring seemed to become much more defined, much more real, tangible, as if he could reach out and twist it-

    Electricity raced against his skin, not hurting him - never hurting him - but bringing back to reality. The red haze surrounded his vision, compounding the dull pressure that he felt in his head.

    Yet, staring at Pichu dodging arcs of concentrated Dark Pulses , Red felt the overwhelming desire to keep holding on to the pressure. His aura. He hadn¡¯t used it in any major fashion since waking at the top of Mount Silver. Anytime he tried, his chronic headache only got worse. He should check on that. Now, though, there was an almost foreign desire to hold it in .

    Red closed his eyes for a moment, cycling through his mind the few lessons he had learned about controlling his aura, before opening them. If he were to look at her, he would have seen Karen turn several shades paler. He could feel his aura surrounding him, like it always had.

    Yet it was different.

    Whereas before, it seemed to almost mirror the aura shown by Lucario, now there were a multitude of senses joining, warring, yelling, leading, destroying, creating-

    He grasped at what was familiar - Lucario had always said to start small - and connected with those small aspects that seemed pure, whole. The red edges surrounding his vision shimmered as gleams of blue crept in.

    A blast caught Red¡¯s attention, however far away it was, as Pichu rocketed back with bruises littering his small body. Immersed within the cacophony of noise that was his aura, Red couldn¡¯t do much more than direct feelings of hope, love, appreciation, encouragement towards Pichu.

    It seemed to do the trick, though, as Pichu stood up, slightly wobbly, before shaking off his injuries, giving a feral grin as he rushed back towards the battered Umbreon in a mad Volt Tackle .

    Seconds before it happened, though, Red seized up, falling onto his knees as his vision shattered into shadows of red and black. The foreign voices, always drifting in the back of mind, ever murmuring, ever sighing, crashed against his mind.

    ¡°BY THE TURN OF THE CLOCK, YOU SHALL KNOW YOUR DESTINY.¡±

    Red eyes tore into his soul, judging him.

    ¡°WHETHER IN DESTRUCTION OR CREATION, YOUR FATE WILL MEET ITS END.¡±

    Ash snapped his head up, staring into the vast expanse of emptiness. In the darkness, he could see a single egg.

    Within it held red eyes.

    ¡°GO FORTH, MY CHARIOT. GO FORTH, AND PREVAIL.¡±

    Red returned to the world of the living, vomiting onto the ground. Waves of aura rumbled around him, creating cracks in the ground as they receded back into him.

    The red haze didn¡¯t leave his eyes.

    Someone was shaking him. Small paws pulled his cheeks as coos reached his ears. His eyes refocused as he peered in front of him, seeing Pichu¡¯s bruised form fretting over him.

    The dull chimes ringing within his ears began to lessen as voices broke through the haze. Salvare was kneeling next to him, wrapping Red¡¯s arms around his neck to aid in bringing him standing.

    Voices and shouts broke through the din in his mind, soul , ¡°-you alright? Red, can you hear me?¡±

    Salvare¡¯s voice was remarkably calm, as if he had experience with this type of thing.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Red croaked out, biting back bile as he stood on shaking legs, ¡° I¡¯m fine. ¡±

    The ringing was still there, however low. The red haze was still there, however light. Pichu gave a low growl at his words, not believing them for one moment. Red could see in the corner of his eye - where the red haze was most pronounced - that Salvare was much the same.

    ¡°Uhhh, so I don¡¯t know if you noticed, but your eyes are glowing .¡±

    Red snapped his eyes towards the voice. Karen stood a few paces away from him, watching him with concern that was well-hidden beneath a very genuine layer of intrigue.

    Red belatedly realised that she was carrying Umbreon, unconscious. It seemed that Pichu won the battle. Figures.

    ¡°We can worry about that after getting him help!¡± Salvare snapped, his tone being mimicked by Pichu behind him, ¡°Are you gonna help me or not?¡±

    ¡° I can walk on my own, ¡± Red¡¯s voice came out as a harsh whisper - a rasp - as he stumbled away from Salvare¡¯s grip, ¡° I¡¯ve dealt with worse. ¡±

    ¡°Okay, fine. You¡¯ve dealt with worse. Wonderful,¡± Karen gave a smile that wasn¡¯t truly kind, ¡°Now would you kindly explain what the fuck just happened?¡± Once more, the edges of darkness surrounding her reached out in agitation.

    This time, though, Red¡¯s aura remained neutral, neither repelling or absorbing Karen¡¯s own. Red hoisted Pichu onto his shoulder, wincing slightly from the pain in his abdomen, and answered in simple monotone, ¡° No. ¡±

    Karen fumed silently, throwing her hands into the air. Red didn¡¯t pay any mind to this as he absently pet Pichu on the head, who allowed the contact in a far more docile manner than usual. Red took a few moments to breathe, listening to the growing sounds of Salvare and Karen arguing, before realising something.

    ¡°Oh, you won, didn¡¯t you,¡± He turned to Pichu on his shoulder, who perked up with a proud, or smug, ¡°Pichu!¡± before flexing his nonexistent muscles.

    Red nodded - he felt oddly buoyant - and whispered, almost to himself, ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re with me.¡±

    Red and Pichu remained silent for a moment, listening to the shouts thrown around by the red-haired boy and silver-haired woman. The red haze around his vision shimmered, then faded, but remained.

    His headache was far better than last time.

    Eventually, he deemed it time to intervene in Salvare and Karen¡¯s argument before it devolved into fisticuffs, ¡°Stop. Both of you.¡±

    While he kept his voice low, Salvare seemed to snap to attention as if he received a military order. Karen, meanwhile huffed and growled, ¡°No, I don¡¯t think I will,¡± The ever-present darkness surrounding her jittered at her nerves, ¡°Just who the hell are you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d ask for you to ring in your aura before I answer that,¡± Red responded drily, noting that the look Karen shot him was not one of surprise, but of curiosity. Meanwhile, Salvare was whispering to himself, ¡° The hell is aura?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re able to sense that?¡± She asked, pulling in her aura, before clicking her tongue, ¡°Of course you did. After that stunt, I shouldn¡¯t be surprised.¡±

    Red paused, furrowing his brow, ¡°What stunt?¡±

    Karen gave him a disbelieving look, ¡°Your eyes were just glowing a moment ago. That rings of aura business to me.¡±

    Red shook his head, ¡°I only know the basics.¡± It was the truth, in a sense.

    Karen hummed, becoming far less aggressive than before. She leaned forward and asked in a conversational tone, ¡°So what¡¯s your type? Or do you have two?¡±

    Red mentally sighed. He was of a mixed mind when it came to sharing this particular set of abilities. If word were to reach Team Source - The Chariot - it would only make things more difficult. However, given that his main source of knowledge on the subject was from the scant time with Aaron¡¯s Lucario and the moves learned from his own Lucario, there were several key aspects about aura that he lacked knowledge on.

    Karen did say she was sponsored by Agatha. Given Karen¡¯s apparent knowledge on the subject, he could assume that Agatha was her teacher.

    ¡°I¡¯m,¡± Red paused for a moment, picking his words carefully, ¡°Fighting¡­ and Dark.¡±

    Karen perked up, before wincing, ¡°Ohhh, that explains a lot . Having that combination must suck .¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Red muttered, keeping the extra headache of him having the additional Electric typing to himself. She was already more interested than he was comfortable with.

    ¡°I¡¯m Dark type, as you probably could have have guessed,¡± She smiled sheepishly, ¡°Sorry ¡®bout that, by the way.¡±

    Red shrugged, trying to think of ways to move the conversation elsewhere - and to figure out what the hell was up with his eyes, they were glowing?!

    ¡°Okay, wait,¡± Salvare proved to be Red¡¯s unasked for salvation as he turned to Karen and asked, ¡°What the hell is aura?¡±

    ¡°Well!¡± Karen clapped her hands like an excited teacher, ¡°Aura is-¡± She stopped, before turning slightly pensive. She shot a look to Red, ¡°Is he trustworthy?¡±

    While Red expected Salvare to raise a fuss over this question, the kid only turned to him with an inquisitive expression, as if he genuinely wondered about Red¡¯s thoughts.

    Red silently cursed Karen¡¯s name once more for putting him on the spot - He had yet to decide on the kid - and responded in a clipped tone, ¡°I don¡¯t-¡±

    Red didn¡¯t get the chance to finish when a small shockwave shook the arena, blowing the hat off of his head.

    Trainers all around the battling ring began to shout and scream as smoke began to rise a few blocks away, towards the direction of the Ecruteak Gym.

    ¡°Oh shit! ¡± Karen yelled, smacking her hand to her head, ¡°I forgot I had my Gym match today!¡±

    ¡°Arceus, woman, that¡¯s what you focus on?!¡± Salvare shouted to match her volume.

    The ensuing shouting match buzzed around Red as his vision returned to its red hue. However, this time the crimson veil didn¡¯t distract him from the world outside, instead honing it, focusing it, towards a single point.

    A small shadow in the sky. A hot-air balloon with an ¡®R¡¯ on its side.

    ¡°...Of course it¡¯s Team Rocket,¡± He sighed as the red haze diminished slightly.

    Salvare ground to a halt beside him, batting Karen away as he growled out, ¡°Team Rocket?¡±

    ¡°Yup,¡± Red¡¯s eyes narrowed as he tracked the balloon¡¯s movement against the sun, ¡°...They seem to be heading northwest of the Gym.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s where the Burned Tower is,¡± Karen piped in, slumping against Salvare¡¯s outstretched arm. She wriggled free of his grip, ¡°I say we head there and kick some ass!¡±

    ¡° I¡¯m going to the Gym to see if anyone is injured,¡± Red began to sprint towards the road, calling out, ¡°Feel free to do that, though!¡±

    ¡°Wait for me!¡± Salvare stumbled slightly before trailing behind Red at a slightly slower pace. Karen huffed, sending out her Murkrow, muttering as she climbed on, ¡°I would¡¯ve stopped there first. ¡®M not completely heartless.¡±

    ¡­

    Ecruteak Gym

    Karen clicked her tongue after dismounting Murkrow, silently marvelling how Red ran fast enough to outpace her flying by over a minute.

    ¡°Are you a triathlon runner on top of everything else?¡± She asked as they both stepped through ashen wood.

    ¡°No,¡± Red murmured, effortlessly hauling a wooden beam out of the way as rangers swarmed into the Gym. ¡°Hold on,¡± he muttered to her before raising his voice to the rangers, ¡°Was Morty here?¡±

    ¡°No!¡± One of the rangers called back, ¡°He was at the Tin Tower, last we knew of!¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Red muttered to himself, though Karen could hear him, ¡°So assassination¡¯s off the table.¡±

    ¡°Wait. You were expecting assassination?!¡± Karen yelled.

    Karen stopped abruptly as a veritable wave of despair, rage , settled over her. Her own passive aura seemed to reach out and grow - and not in a good way.

    Her shock gave way to a muttered voice reaching her ears, ¡° Remember who you are. Remember Why you are here. ¡±

    The suffocating pressure began to lessen as the man in front of her repeated the mantra, his glowing red eyes slowly dimming to their usual dim gaze. She reeled her own aura in, shivering as Red¡¯s trace amounts of darkness multiplied against hers.

    Who in the hell is this man?

    ¡°Not assassination,¡± Her attention snapped back to Red, as he seemed to affirm himself of something. The man called out to the rangers once more, ¡°Are there any dead?¡±

    ¡°None yet! We have several wounded!¡± Red¡¯s face grimaced as one of the rangers called out in response. He turned to Karen, unaware, or uncaring, for her scrutiny of him, ¡°I¡¯m going to help heal them, then we can go to the tower.¡±

    Karen shook her head to herself as Red slipped through the collapsed wooden beams with ease, following him while muttering to herself, ¡°I¡¯ll figure out your deal. Just you wait.¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°Arceus! How do you run that fast?¡±

    Red grunted as he pushed forth another Heal Pulse on one of the injured. Thankfully, aside from a number of stolen pokemon, nobody had gotten injured beyond bruises and lacerations.

    Still, Red felt the need to help.

    ¡°A consistent diet and exercise, fat boy,¡± Karen jeered at Salvare. The skinny - almost too skinny - redhead stepped up and watched in wonder as pink energies wrapped around Red¡¯s arm as he healed a young girl.

    Karen whistled in appreciation, ¡°Y¡¯know, for someone who ¡®only knows the basics¡¯, you sure know a lot about how to use aura.¡±

    ¡° Save it ,¡± Red growled out, patting the small girl on the back as she hiccuped small tears. He turned towards the rangers, who were wheeling the healed victims to the ambulances that arrived, ¡°Are there any more?¡±

    ¡°No, sir,¡± The ranger wiped away a strand of sweat from his brow, ¡°Thank Arceus there were no deaths. Morty would¡¯ve been devastated.¡±

    ¡°Where is he, anyways?¡± Karen asked, her tone clashing against the sombre atmosphere, ¡°I would have imagined that he¡¯d be here by now.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s probably hung up at security for Tin Tower,¡± The ranger answered, ¡°Ever since it was broken into in ¡®78, Ecruteak¡¯s been hard on it.¡±

    Red¡¯s interest was piqued, ¡°What was stolen?¡±

    The ranger waved a hand, ¡°I dunno, a girl¡¯s body? Unidentified, but being dragged from the bottom of a lake would do that to you,¡± He shook his head, ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. On behalf of the local ranger corp, I wanted to thank you.¡±

    Red¡¯s face was nonplussed, ¡°What for?¡±

    The ranger arched an eyebrow, ¡°For healing the victims. What else?¡± He sighed to himself, before flipping open a pad of paper, ¡°Either way, we have to report on everyone involved for when this inevitably reaches the Champion¡¯s office, so if you could give me your name.¡±

    Red paused for a moment, deliberating on whether to create another false name to avoid drawing interest to his endeavours, before sighing, ¡°Red Satoshi.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± The ranger nodded after writing the name down, ¡°I¡¯d offer compensation, but I neither have the authority or the budget to do so. So¡­¡± He shrugged, scratching his hair awkwardly, ¡°Thank you?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Red murmured, getting up as Salvare pulled the ranger aside to ask a few questions.

    ¡°Soooo,¡± Karen grinned at him, ¡° Heal Pulse , huh?¡±

    Red didn¡¯t deign her with an answer, instead scratching Pichu behind the ear in just the right spot .

    ¡°Y¡¯know,¡± Karen¡¯s words danced from behind, ¡°I didn¡¯t go to town here expecting to meet a rogue Aura Guardian.¡±

    Red¡¯s eyes snapped up at her - she held back a flinch, for they glowed crimson - ¡° I¡¯m not an Aura Guardian .¡±

    He clamped down on the memories of Aaron¡¯s Lucario, for they reminded him of his own.

    Karen put her hands up in a placating gesture, ¡°Alright, fine. Not an Aura Guardian,¡± She brought down her hands, now frowning, ¡°Still, I¡¯ve only ever seen that level of control in fully-fledged Guardians.¡±

    That¡¯s interesting. ¡°You held considerable control over yours as well,¡± Red pointed out, ¡°By your own admission, wouldn¡¯t that make you a Guardian?¡±

    Karen¡¯s grin was devilish, ¡°I may be. I may not be,¡± Then it became brittle, ¡°But that makes it obvious that I am,¡± it turned into a scowl, ¡° Shit , Agatha¡¯s going to be pissed!¡±

    Red took a moment to process that¡­ turn of events. ¡°So you are-¡±

    ¡° Forget I said anything ,¡± Karen gave an easy grin as she waved a hand away.

    Red¡¯s train of thought seemed to wilt away, becoming nothing more than erroneous ideas that really meant nothi - wait a minute .

    ¡° You tried to use Amnesia on me, ¡± Red spoke in a voice not his own. He didn¡¯t even consider that moves such as that could be used to warp the mind for the implications were absolutely staggering that people could just forget and-

    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m bac- oh, for the love of ¡­¡± Salvare physically pulled Karen away as Red reigned back in the urge to rip, tear, destroy . Salvare stood in front of her, blocking her from Red¡¯s view as he asked him, ¡°Are you alright?¡±

    Red took a moment to breathe through his nose, ¡° I¡¯m fine, ¡± he breathed out of his mouth, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Arceus, what was with his control recently?

    ¡°Okay, good,¡± Salvare nodded, ¡°I got authorization from the rangers to pursue Team Rocket, are you still up for that?¡±

    He¡¯s acting as if I might fall over any moment. Red couldn¡¯t determine whether to be annoyed by that or grateful - though he was certainly grateful that he was blocking his view of the woman - ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡±

    Salvare nodded, sparing Karen a moment¡¯s glance before heading off with Red. It slightly worried him how pale she looked, as if someone had walked over her grave.

    Once they were out of eyesight, Karen released the breath she was holding, ¡° What the fuck¡­ ¡± She had felt trapped, as if chained down.

    For a brief moment, she thought she had died.

    ¡°What the fuck,¡± She murmured again, once more releasing Murkrow, ¡°You better be fuckin¡¯ thankful that I found this guy, Agatha.¡± She shook her head, regaining colour on her pale form, before mounting on top of Murkrow to fly.

    ¡­

    The Burned Tower

    Brilliant orange trees danced with the shimmering sunset to shroud the ashen shell of the Burned Tower.

    Looking over the top of the burnt remnants, Red could see the faint outline of the hot-air balloon. Turning his attention to the tower itself, Red focused his aura towards one of the abilities that came easiest to him when Lucario taught him.

    Red blinked, and in his mind¡¯s eye, he Detected two wavering outlines standing within the tower. He pushed his senses further out, ignoring the strand of sweat beginning to trickle down his brow, and felt two smaller presences within the tower. One seemed to be swinging amongst the rafters while the other scuttled about on the floor.

    He held a hand out to stop Salvare as the kid caught up to him, huffing up lungfuls of air, ¡°How - gasp - the hell - cough - do you run that fast?¡±

    Red didn¡¯t answer, instead sharpening his gaze as another presence landed in his radar, closing in on where the two Team Rocket members were.

    It didn¡¯t take very long for him to know who it was, ¡°Of course she rushed in,¡± Red muttered, releasing Charmander and Froakie. The lizard blearily blinked his eyes as Froakie croaked a quick question.

    ¡°Team Rocket, two members, unknown strength,¡± Red listed off, falling into familiar habits of the time immediately preceding the Source Wave. He, along with other League trainers, busted numerous compounds and bases held by Team Source, which often required quick and precise communication. Red added, ¡°One non-hostile, capable.¡±

    Froakie nodded as Red felt the first wave of darkness burst from Karen. It seems the battle has started. While Red didn¡¯t think that it was likely that the two grunts inside were any actual threat to her, he didn¡¯t want to leave it to chance, even if he wasn¡¯t exactly trustful of her.

    ¡°Salvare, go around the tower and secure the balloon. I¡¯ll aid Karen in her battle,¡± Red commanded, opening the door to the tower.

    Salvare faltered, his face scrunching up as if to argue against him, but ultimately decided against it.

    As Red stepped past the blackened wood that had been eaten away through the years, he could hear the sounds of Karen battling the grunts.

    ¡° Wing Attack , Murkrow!¡±

    ¡° Counter !¡±

    ¡°Raticate, use Super Fang !¡±

    Silently opening the bombed out door, Red walked along the balcony overlooking the central room of the tower. On one side of the makeshift arena, Karen stood, grinning fiercely as her Murkrow pushed back against a Raticate and Primeape.

    On the other side, Red¡¯s eyebrows rose as he took in the appearances of the familiar faces of Butch and Cassidy, the secondary group of Team Rocket grunts that had harassed him from time to time.

    Pichu and Charmander seemed to remember them as well, based on the growls they both gave, though that could have simply been from the fact that they were both wearing a big red ¡®R¡¯ proudly on their uniforms.

    Red raised a hand to stall his pokemon from joining the battle, instead electing to watch Karen as she battled two opponents at once.

    It was one thing to battle in a League-restricted battle. Some strategies that worked then didn¡¯t carry over when fighting dirty, and vise-versa. Red had already seen how Karen performed in the former, and now he had an opportunity to see the latter.

    Though, Red supposed that even Team Rocket at least had some reservations in battle.

    Normally, Red wouldn¡¯t be so callous as to watch someone battle in an uncontrolled setting from the sidelines. Even if he didn¡¯t particularly like a person, Ash never hesitated to help someone in need.

    However - call him petty - he really didn¡¯t appreciate her trying to wash away his memories earlier. While she hadn¡¯t exactly endeared herself real well to either him or Salvare at that point, it was that moment of attempting to warp his mind that set him off.

    He was wary of her. As an Aura Guardian, she had access to knowledge that he didn¡¯t have, and he coveted that. Still, based on what he had seen, he didn¡¯t trust her, and by extension, the other Aura Guardians she knew, one of which was supposedly Agatha.

    Red had only ever met one Aura Guardian. However, Riley seemed different to how Karen acted. He wasn¡¯t as secretive, nor did he have any special capabilities outside of raw manipulation of aura.

    Perhaps he was an example of what Karen meant by ¡®rogue Aura Guardian¡¯.

    As Ash, he had been aware of there being other Aura Guardians - Sir Aaron¡¯s Lucario had said that he could become one as well, though he decided against it - However, he knew next to nothing about them.

    He supposed he could at least understand the need for secrecy. Aura was a particularly powerful tool, and it could be easily twisted into something highly destructive.

    It only made him wonder how Chariot came to control it so well. Perhaps he was once an Aura Guardian?

    Red returned his attention to the battle below as a particularly powerful blast echoed as Primeape fell, defeated. Red could see that Raticate would soon follow.

    Turning his attention to Karen, he noted the tendrils of dark energy caressing her, making her increasingly haggard appearance seem more feral. Murkrow was sporting a few bruises, but despite a few pauses in flight, the bird remained vigilant.

    Butch recalled Primeape, sending out Cloyster in response, ¡° Ice Beam , shoot down the bird!¡±

    Karen cursed as she focused her dark aura into aiding Murkrow dodge the attacks. Red pursed his lip as he sensed her heightened presence, shaking his head as his mind unconsciously drew up images of The Chariot doing the same.

    And having far better control over it.

    It didn¡¯t take long for Murkrow to turn one second too late, enveloping one of its wings in ice as it crashed down with a squawk. Cloyster proceeded to hit it with another, freezing both of the bird¡¯s wings before Karen recalled it, growling as she released, ¡°Gloom! Stun Spore !¡±

    Yellow puffs of fumes shook off of the pitiful pokemon, catching Raticate as it slumped to the ground, twitching. Still, Red could see that Gloom wouldn¡¯t last much longer, especially since Cassidy called out Tentacruel to aid Cloyster.

    Red cast a quick glance at Karen¡¯s belt, nodding to himself that she still had other pokemo- except she doesn¡¯t.

    Red sighed to himself, preparing to motion his pokemon into battle before the doors below crashed open as Croconaw burst through with Aqua Jet .

    It seemed that Salvare had a new favourite move.

    The kid himself emerged, his other pokemon rushing into the battle beside him, and commanded, ¡° Low Kick the Cloyster!¡±

    Red hummed as he finally gave the wordless signal for his pokemon to join the battle. While looking at Salvare aiding Karen in her losing battle was admittedly impressive - and why did Salvare almost seem fulfilled while fighting Team Rocket? - Red was losing what little patience he had left from the events of the day.

    While Gloom and Croconaw focused on Cloyster, Red¡¯s pokemon - oh, Tentacruel already fainted. Huh¡­

    Red almost forgot how devastating his team could be when they fought together. They hadn¡¯t been given any opportunity to do so since the Conduit, given that League-regulated battles only allowed for 1-on-1¡¯s and the occasional 2-on-1 and 2-on-2.

    Looking at the scene below, though¡­ Red couldn¡¯t help but give a somewhat cruel smirk as Cloyster was torn apart, ending the battle mere seconds after his pokemon joined.

    Unbidden, a voice whispered in his mind, ¡°You¡¯re the only one I can call my equal.¡±

    As if a bucket of ice splashed down his back, Red¡¯s smirk vanished, and his face went blank. He didn¡¯t pay any mind as Salvare cried triumphantly. He didn¡¯t pay any mind as Butch and Cassidy were accidentally sent blasting off again by Pichu. He didn¡¯t pay any mind to Karen as she yelled at him for interrupting his battle.

    Instead, his mind asked two simple questions.

    Why was that so¡­ anticlimactic?

    Is this what The Chariot felt when-

    Red shook his head violently, adding to the encroaching headache.

    He wouldn¡¯t think of such things. He couldn¡¯t.

    They say it¡¯s lonely at the top.

    ¡°Salvare!¡± Red barked, willing his mind away. Salvare snapped to attention - military? - as Red sharply asked, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you at the balloon?¡±

    It was small. It was somewhat petty. It was a distraction . Salvare answered stolidly, ¡°I sabotaged the balloon so that they wouldn¡¯t be able to escape. I came in to aid in battle.¡±

    Red breathed in and out, juggling a multitude of thoughts and emotions that he really wanted time to himself to sort through. Regardless, he asked, in a softer tone, ¡°How much of the battle did you hear?¡±

    ¡°Just about all of it,¡± Salvare answered, remaining in attention, ¡°The tower isn¡¯t really soundproof.¡±

    ¡°In that case,¡± Red allowed his anger, confusion, frustration, hatred , burn into his smile, ¡°What did Karen do wrong?¡±

    Karen squawked, but was unable to get in a word as Salvare answered, a dark smirk growing on his own face, ¡°She had two pokemon ready for battle, and she only used one at a time.¡±

    ¡° Correct ,¡± Red hissed, repeating one of many mantras he adopted in the past years, ¡° Never restrict yourself to others¡¯ expectations,¡± He ignored that he first heard that from Chariot¡¯s lips, ¡°If she did that, she likely would have been able to take them both on her own.¡±

    ¡°Oh fuck you!¡± Karen shouted, flipping Red off - He would deny gaining a dark satisfaction; Arceus, his new typing was messing with him, wasn¡¯t it? - She whirled onto Salvare, who was giving a smaller, but no less smug, grin, ¡°Can you believe him?!¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Salvare replied easily, ¡°He¡¯s my mentor.¡±

    Perhaps it should have been obvious, but upon hearing this, Red couldn¡¯t help but hear a voice spiralling around his mind.

    ¡°You would have made the perfect protege.¡±

    Red rubbed his head as Salvare and Karen started yelling at each other¡­ again .

    Arceus, this entire day has been fucked.

    Red opened one of his eyes as he belatedly sensed another presence. His Detect had long since expired, but he could hear the encroaching footsteps of someone approaching.

    Snapping his fingers once to signal his pokemon for a potential fight, he waited until the burnt door swung open and Morty stepped in to stare at the argument below.

    Red minutely lowered his hand, allowing his pokemon to stand down, before calling out, ¡°If you¡¯re here for Team Rocket, we took care of them.¡±

    Morty startled slightly, not having known Red was there. After huffing a breath, Morty bowed according to Johto custom, ¡°You have my gratitude, and I ask that you extend it to your friends when they are done.¡±

    Red scowled for a moment, thinking that he could maybe call one a friend, and the other a nuisance, at best. Still, he bowed back, ¡°It was our honour to be of service.¡±

    Morty nodded distractedly, looking at Red¡¯s pokemon before blinking to himself, ¡°Hold on a minute, you¡¯re¡­¡± He paused for a moment, snapping his fingers in thought, ¡°Red! Satoshi! Clair¡¯s told me about you.¡±

    Wonderful. ¡°At your service,¡± Red murmured.

    ¡°I know that you scheduled your Gym Match two days from now, but you¡¯ve helped a lot of trainers by saving their pokemon. The rangers are out back sorting through the pokeballs that were stolen,¡± Morty reached into a pocket, taking out a golden container containing rows of badges. Before Red could ask what he was doing, three Fog Badges were shoved into his hands, ¡°I wish I could give you more than this, but regardless, you¡¯ve done my Gym a great service.¡±

    ¡°Why, thank you,¡± Red said, somewhat surprised, ¡°But I believe Salvare has already earned one.¡±

    Morty eyed the red-haired teen before nodding slowly, ¡°I remember, actually. His Croconaw was very strong,¡± He allowed Red to return one of the badges.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to relay the praise,¡± Red murmured, before Karen pierced his ears with her voice.

    ¡°HEY! You¡¯re the Gym Leader, right!¡±

    Red saw Morty wince from the volume, yet remain composed enough to answer, ¡°I am, and I was just-¡±

    He was cut off, ¡°Don¡¯t care!¡± She pointed at him, dark energies spiralling down her arm, ¡°I¡¯m taking you down tomorrow, you hear me?¡±

    Morty paused for a moment, obviously trying to think of how to say that she had earned the badge already. Red took a small amount of pity and leaned next to him, whispering, ¡°It¡¯ll just be easier if you humour her.¡±

    Morty caught his eyes and rolled his own, no doubt having experience with overzealous trainers - elsewhere, Ash sneezed - and replied, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll meet your challenge tomorrow,¡± He turned back to Red as Karen preened in an overabundance of self-worth, whispering, ¡°Is she with you?¡±

    ¡° Arceus, no, ¡± Red whispered back.

    Morty nodded, a faraway look entering his eye, ¡°Good luck keeping it that way. She plans on following you, you know?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± Red asked, a small pit of dread entering her stomach.

    Morty tilted his head as he began to slowly step towards the exit, ¡°She kept stealing glances of you, searching, challenging¡­ I believe she finds you interesting, perhaps as a rival of sorts.¡±

    Without conscious thought, Red couldn¡¯t help but hear Gary¡¯s voice sneering, ¡°Ashy-boy.¡±

    He sighed to himself as they stepped out of the Burned Tower, Salvare and Karen trailing them as they railed onto each other. He really hoped Morty¡¯s words didn¡¯t come true. Just a single day in her company was exhausting.

    Truly, he couldn¡¯t be that unlucky. Could he?

    ¡­

    Outskirts of Ecruteak City, September 24th, 1997

    ¡° Should¡¯ve left last night. Might¡¯ve saved myself the headache. ¡±

    Red muttered to himself as he hiked west with Salvare stalking behind him.

    And behind Salvare, Karen happily trailed them both .

    ¡°So¡­¡± Salvare came up next to Red, appearing somewhat uncomfortable, ¡°Are we gonna be going our separate ways, now?¡±

    Huh? Oh yeah, he did say that he¡¯d decide if they kept travelling together after Ecruteak. Red sighed to himself as he said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you can stay. You¡¯ve been a good student, all things considered.¡±

    Salvare grinned, ¡°Thanks, Red,¡± He nodded to himself, ¡°And you¡¯ve been a good teacher.¡±

    As surprising as that fact is. Red kept silent as he scratched Pichu behind the ear.

    He reflected on the past week, from the time he first took upon Salvare to now. It had been an adjustment, having to look after not only himself but also Salvare.

    Not to mention the secrets they both kept.

    Now, with Karen being an ever present shadow - much to Red¡¯s and Salvare¡¯s shared dissatisfaction - he¡¯d have to keep a closer eye to what he said.

    Intellectually, Red knew that, eventually, he would have to lie, cheat, steal, and manipulate to outmanoeuvre Team Source. But he had hoped that it would at least take a month before he had to do so.

    Arceus, it hadn¡¯t even been a month.

    Red hummed to himself as Karen ran up to mutter something into Salvare¡¯s ear, which had apparently been provocative enough to incite a verbal explosion. She seemed to relish in his anger, her dark aura flaring as she gave a devilish grin.

    It was going to be a constant battle going ahead. If not physically, it would be with words, actions, what was revealed and what wasn¡¯t .

    Once more, his eyes took to the skies, and he wondered if this was the reason why Ho-Oh never appeared to him. Ash never had to lie about his purpose, his existence , to move ahead. Ash had been perhaps the most honest person there could be.

    Red, however, was the opposite. Almost everything he said to others up until now had been a lie. His entire identity was nothing more than a forgery crafted by him and Herren.

    This train of thought led to one, simple, revelation that caused Red to momentarily pause.

    He shouldn¡¯t exist.

    Red automatically resumed his pace, face set in stone as the question that had been plaguing him was finally answered. The question beyond just why Ho-Oh never appeared. Beyond why certain things seemed to be just slightly off.

    Why did the world around him seem slightly¡­ warped ?

    Because with every step he took, waves of change reverberated across the world.

    ¡­

    Logged in as: The_Chariot

    Opening Filename: Candidates_09_06_97

    Name: Wally Hyde

    Age: 13

    Hometown: Petalburg City, Hoenn

    Sponsor: Norman Haruka [Petalburg Gym-Leader]

    Current Pokemon: Ralts [Male][Starter][Larger than normal ¡ú Upcoming Evolution?], Skitty [Female], Swablu [Male]

    Current Location: Lilycove City (Mobile)

    Psych Profile: Skittish; Very Passive; Enjoys company with Pokemon, particularly his Ralts; Naive; Wishes to gain independence from parents; Curious

    Evaluation: Wally appears to be a child who is lost in multiple ways. From what I can gather, he had a sheltered childhood, due to his poor physical constitution. Because of this, he has developed an independent streak against his parents. He also shows a healthy curious side, as I have observed him researching aspects of the Gardevoir/Gallade line far more thoroughly than many professional researchers. With some persuasion, I believe he would be a valuable asset to our research.

    Misc Notes: Given his age, I would recommend against placing him in any of the high-risk assignments (I¡¯m talking to you, Chariot). While he is a capable battler, I believe that his use is best served towards our research goals. In particular, given his existing interests, I would highly recommend assigning him to Project A.N.E.M.I.A. One last note, I recommend taking a softer approach with Wally than the others. He is still a minor and has pre-existing issues concerning self-confidence. I¡¯m well aware that you¡¯re capable of subtlety, Chariot, so I would highly appreciate it if you could employ that with this case.

    Name: John (Johnny) Kiru

    Age: 19

    Hometown: Fallarbor Town, Hoenn

    Sponsor: [NONE]

    Current Pokemon: Ariados [Male] [Utility; Minimal Battling Capabilities]

    Current Location: Fallarbor Town

    Psych Profile: Dreamer; Main passion is astrology; Shuts away from physical contact

    Evaluation: This individual seems to prefer the cosmos more than human interaction. In all honesty, he probably fits in better with Team Galactic than he does with us (which is actually an interesting consideration. It would be nice not to have to rely on Chariot to spy on them for us). John seems particularly interested in the legends of the Delta Pokemon, apparently believing it to be from space. He has made a number of excursions to Meteor Falls to do research on the Draconite Clan (I think I spelled that wrong. Magician, could you do some research on that clan? I¡¯m unable to find anything on it). Depending on whether we can sell our goals to his more space-oriented mindset, I think he could be a useful asset. (Chariot, I¡¯ve seen you work miracles before. This guy won¡¯t be too difficult).

    Misc Notes: [NONE]

    Name: Riley Claw

    Age: 17

    Hometown: Blackthorne City, Johto

    Sponsor: Clair Blackthorne [Blackthorne Gym-Leader]

    Current Pokemon: Seadra [Male][Starter], Shelgon [Male][Recently Evolved], Grovyle [Female], Dragonair [Female], Trapinch [Male]

    Current Location: Lavaridge Town (Mobile)

    Psych Profile: Exceedingly Proud; Enjoys battling; Somewhat vain; Respects her sponsor, has distaste for the greater Blackthorne Clan (Chariot and Magician, I believe you both have experience with them).

    Evaluation: She placed in 3rd for last year¡¯s Silver Conference, and has defeated three Gyms in Hoenn so far. Based on her track record, she has a decent shot at placing 2nd, or even 1st, in the Ever Grande Conference next Summer. She would be a highly valuable battler for the organisation, and I believe we could potentially play towards her qualms against the Blackthorne Clan to our advantage. Of course, I¡¯ll defer to Chariot on handling this case.

    Misc Notes: Avoid talking poorly of Clair Blackthorne. The rest of the Blackthorne clan is fair game (including Lance), so feel free to rail on them if you so desire (Though why you all hate that clan is a mystery to me).

    I¡¯ll let you all know if there are any major updates on these candidates. Either way, good luck on all of your projects.

    -The_Tower

 Code_Crystal

    Team Rocket Base V-3, Vermillion City, September 25th, 1997

    ¡°Yer - hic - yer a real riot , Charles.¡±

    Charlie Riot hid his grimace behind patting the back of the drunken man. For his own part, he had endured the jokes amongst the grunts within the basement over him being the sole individual not to drink.

    Even though he did not have any particular wish to remain here any longer than necessary, there was still one piece of information he was missing after three days of piecing together offhand comments and overheard conversation.

    Once the drunken man - who happened to be the man Charlie was extracting information from - calmed down, Charlie spoke slowly, ¡°There¡¯ve been rumours about R-1.¡±

    The drunken man - Gregory, his name was Gregory Miles - gave a wry chuckle, ¡°There¡¯re always rumours of what goes down in R-1, Charlotte.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Charlie conceded, blocking out the sounds of cheering as a group of inebriated grunts watched a recording of the ¡®96 Indigo Conference, ¡°I¡¯ve heard from a few others that you saw what led to it,¡± He patted Gregory on the shoulder. A friendly gesture, or so Charlie¡¯s told.

    Regardless, the contact allowed for him to push a small amount of Confusion into Gregory, loosening his tongue with the aide of the drink, ¡°Aye, I was there. Bloody weird is what it was¡­¡±

    ¡° How so? ¡± Charlie asked in a harsh whisper, briefly cracking the mask he wore. Though the man beneath him was too drunk to notice.

    ¡°Y¡¯know those rumours of finding Mew underneath that broken down truck by the docks?¡± Gregory asked.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Charlie confirmed. The Empress had one of her bases located underneath, after all.

    Gregory chuckled, swirling his shot glass before downing, ¡°Turns out it was true, in a sense.¡±

    For a brief moment, Charlie¡¯s eyes flashed black, ¡° Truly? ¡±

    ¡°Yep,¡± Gregory gave a slightly melancholic grin, ¡°I was workin¡¯ the docks when some of the lab boys dropped by and collected the oil,¡± He frowned, ¡°They almost attacked me, thinkin¡¯ I was one of those fuckin¡¯ League plants.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Charlie gave a few pats on Gregory¡¯s back, both to act sympathetic, and to Detect the man¡¯s heartbeat to determine if he was lying.

    He wasn¡¯t.

    ¡° So, they found remnants of Mew in the truck oil? ¡± The Chariot asked, lightly gripping the man¡¯s shoulder with Hypnosis .

    Gregory hummed, slowly closing his eyes, ¡°Suppose so¡­¡± After a few moments, The Chariot heard snoring, not just from Gregory, but from everyone within the basement.

    Note to self: tone down the use of aura with drunks.

    In the end, Chariot left them all there, asleep. They would wake up soon enough, after an anonymous report was filed to the Vermillion Police Department.

    The Chariot roamed the streets for a few minutes, flexing his dark aura to ward off potential attackers. He was in the bad part of town, after all.

    In the past, he would have welcomed such attacks. They had proven fun distractions, at least for a while.

    Eventually, though, like with all things, their novelty wore off. Chariot hadn¡¯t been truly challenged in years, and some rat from the streets wouldn¡¯t be the one to reignite his flame.

    After a while, his internal clock told him to turn skyward. Upon seeing the sun slightly off centre in the sky, he dipped into a side alley, extending an illusion with a negligent wave of the hand.

    Given the difference in time zones, Chariot knew that he would be receiving a call within the minute.

    This was proven not even a minute later, as he flipped open his old pok¨¦dex to answer a call.

    ¡°Did you get the information?¡± The voice, layered both with the static of the device and a modulator used by most of the organisation.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Chariot responded, idly knocking his right hand - whole, yet scarred - against the mouldy bricks, ¡°This is me, after all.¡±

    ¡°Where did they find the Mew DNA?¡± Straight and to the point. If nothing else, Chariot could respect that about the old man.

    ¡°The truck right above Empress¡¯ base,¡± He snorted, ¡°I¡¯d love to see her face when you tell her. Unless, of course, you plan on keeping this to yourself?¡±

    There was a pause on the other end, confirming to Chariot that, yes, the overcontrolling old man  was planning on keeping that himself, ¡°Of course you would. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll be on my way.¡±

    ¡°I have an important assignment for you,¡± Chariot couldn¡¯t help but scowl at the wording, but he kept his counsel. There was no need to kick up a fuss when The Emperor spoke to him as if he was a subordinate.

    ¡°Talk,¡± Chariot replied, allowing his mind to absorb and memorise what he was about to hear. A moment later, his device buzzed.

    ¡°I sent the coordinates of the target. The operation is an interception, with the parcel intact. No casualties, if possible. The time is 1:00 P.M., October 5th.¡±

    Chariot hummed as he read the coordinates, plotting them on a mental map, ¡°That¡¯s three days¡¯ travel up north,¡± Chariot paused for a moment, ¡°What face?¡±

    ¡°The true one,¡± Chariot grinned at the simple reply.

    ¡° It¡¯s been too long, ¡± Chariot whispered to himself, palming Dio¡¯s greatball on his belt.

    ¡°I trust you will be able to do this to my specifications?¡±

    Chariot almost scoffed, ¡°Of course,¡± Before hanging up. The call had not even hit the minute mark, but he still felt that it was better to err on the side of caution. One never knew when the League would decide to tap into their conversation.

    Dispelling the illusion, The Chariot walked  further into the city, eventually transitioning from the bad part of town to the modernised centre of the city, containing both the Gym and the battling ring.

    The man(?) dropped a pok¨¦ball, releasing Hephaestus, his Sudowoodo, as he stared for a moment at the sign advertising the Gym challenge showing, front and centre, the Gym Leader flexing his bicep with the caption, '' Think you''re sharp as lightning? Think again! ''

    Surge was always full of himself.

    The Chariot turned away from the sign, slipping one of his many faces - Karl Takashi, travelling battle extraordinaire - on as he waltzed towards the battling ring.

    He had fought the lieutenant, both in the Circuit and on the battlefield. He was nothing special.

    "Do you reckon we''ll find someone worth our time, Hepha?" He asked in a murmur.

    Hepha gave her closest equivalent to a snort, prompting Karl to hum, "Probably not. But still, there ought to be at least one person out there who can be my equal. "

    Hepha remained doubtful - She had seen firsthand the Chariot at his greatest, and yet, she knew he had strength to spare - Still, she loyally trailed behind him, resig ing herself to an afternoon of steamrolling the poor saps who dared to challenge her trainer.

    No, not her trainer. He was their God.

    ¡­

    Fuchsia City Gym

    Koga couldn¡¯t help but sniff contemptuously as he strolled by the edge of the balcony.

    On the floor below, Janine practised several basic katas with the crowd of this year¡¯s initiates. Amongst them, only a few held any grace in their movements, while many others floundered as they tried to keep balance.

    They did, in the end, which Koga could at least commend them for perseverance, if nothing else.

    But for those who fell, he felt no such pity. Because, honestly, if they could not keep up with such a simple balancing kata, then they were not cut out for the far more intensive training it took to become a ninja underneath Koga¡¯s tutelage.

    Still, he would grant them two more strikes. He always gave three, no matter the background of the individual. They had just spent their first, and they must improve quickly if they wish to avoid a second.

    Of course, it would be a mercy to strike them out if they weren¡¯t truly prepared, and Koga wouldn¡¯t hesitate to do so.

    Memorising the faces of those who fell, Koga exchanged a subtle nod with his daughter, signalling to her to transition to the next kata.

    As she did so, Koga felt a minute tingling in his nerves, prompting him to spin around, launching a volley of shurikens at his assailant.

    Ghostly tendrils waved and laughed around him, redirecting the weapons to strike against the wood. A wavering chuckle, like that of a creaking floorboard of an abandoned manor, reached his ears as Agatha, the fourth and final Heavenly King, stepped forwards from the darkness.

    ¡°Hmm, do you aim to kill every person who comes to talk? Or am I just that special?¡± She asked, shadows creeping across her face.

    ¡°Only those who manage to sneak up on me,¡± Koga replied dryly, far too used to the old woman¡¯s antics than he would care to admit, ¡°Of course, there is a common courtesy known as ¡®knocking¡¯.¡±

    ¡°Yar, and do you honestly believe the old hag knows a thing about courtesy ?¡± From behind a wooden beam, Pryce hobbled in after Agatha, taking a seat across the woman as he glared at her.

    Agatha snorted as Koga raised a questioning eyebrow at her, ¡°He¡¯s not very happy at the moment. Had to drag ¡®im here kicking and screaming!¡± She cackled as the eerie shadow cackled behind her, forming into the hazy form of Gengar.

    ¡°I¡¯m not as young as I used to be, yeh old bat!¡± Pryce yelled at Agatha before coughing. Koga patted him on the back until he regained control of his lungs, ¡°Yeh can¡¯t go teleportin¡¯ me across the whole expanse of Indigo!¡±

    ¡°I can and I did,¡± Agatha smirked, before snapping her fingers, erecting clandestine purple walls as a ghostly Trick Room surrounded the three of them, ¡°Besides, this is potentially rather important.¡±

    Koga hummed as he considered this. For the most laid back of the three core leaders of the Indigo Aura Guardians, Agatha had more than enough experience to know how to judge a situation. The fact that she was erecting a Trick Room , which prevented anyone outside from listening in, spoke to the potential seriousness of what she had to say.

    This, of course, didn¡¯t stop Pryce from frowning, ¡°You could¡¯ve at least asked .¡±

    ¡°And save myself the entertainment?¡± Agatha bit back, shadows obscuring her eyes, ¡°You forget who you¡¯re talking to¡­¡±

    ¡°You said you had something important to share?¡± Koga broached in an attempt to move beyond the two¡¯s long-standing quarrel.

    ¡°I do. But first, I would like to hear how things are going on your ends,¡± Agatha leaned back against Gengar¡¯s wispy form, ¡°It¡¯s been a few months since we¡¯ve met, after all.¡±

    ¡°In that case, I suppose I can start,¡± Koga began, seeing that Pryce didn¡¯t seem too willing to speak at the moment, and it was a well-known fact between them that, as the longest standing Aura Guardian in Indigo, Agatha always gave her counsel last.

    Koga crossed his arms behind his back, ¡°My area, at large, remains normal. There was a minor amount of activity in Articuno¡¯s cave when the power surge came, though the legendary bird calmed down shortly after. In regards to human activity, Team Rocket has increased their presence in Vermillion, Celadon, and Saffron-¡±

    ¡°Any word on that cloning project of theirs?¡± Pryce interrupted with a scowl.

    Koga hid one of his own, ¡°No, though there hasn¡¯t been word of it being cancelled either,¡± Koga hummed, ¡°I do have word from my agents down there that Sabrina has begun taking measures against the Team¡¯s presence in her city. We could use this opportunity to reach out to her, if she doesn¡¯t already suspect our existence.¡±

    Agatha hummed, closing her eyes for a moment before muttering, ¡°Allow her six months to handle it on her own end,¡± She opened her eyes, ¡°If she has yet to diminish the rabble to an acceptable level, then we¡¯ll do it ourselves.¡±

    Koga nodded, ¡°Janine would probably enjoy the opportunity. She¡¯s been looking to prove herself as a fully fledged Guardian ever since I officially took her on as my apprentice.¡±

    Agatha said nothing, instead raising a brow at Koga.

    In response, Koga stated, ¡°That is all that I have to report.¡± Agatha hummed, meticulously cataloguing the information that Koga shared. She turned her head to Pryce, who grumbled before straightening up.

    ¡°There¡¯ve been a few things,¡± Pryce began, rubbing his brow, ¡°Around two weeks ago, there was a report of a shiny Gyarados attackin¡¯ someone.¡±

    ¡°Any photographs?¡± Agatha asked offhand, though they all knew the answer before it was said.

    ¡°No, only a few eye-witnesses,¡± Pryce grumbled to himself, ¡°I tried callin¡¯ Herren to investigate, but he wasn¡¯t pickin¡¯ up.¡±

    ¡°He was doing field-research for Elm, last I heard,¡± Agatha murmured, ¡°Was Lorelei not available?¡±

    ¡° Don¡¯t you live next to her, woman? ¡± Pryce muttered to himself, though the crack of a cane against his back proved that he was not quiet enough, ¡°No! She¡¯s been absorbed in her research ever since the surge came.¡±

    Agatha sniffed, ¡°You have to remind her of her duties,¡± She glared at Pryce, ¡°Lest she turn out like her mentor¡­¡±

    Koga sighed to himself as he deftly stepped in front of Pryce before he stood to strangle the old woman, ¡°Pryce, was there anything else?¡±

    Pryce fumed silently, but eventually huffed and continued, ¡°My scouts also reported some disturbances in Ilex Forest and the Ruins of Alph. Celebi¡¯s apparently been acting ¡®moody¡¯, and the Unown are acting weirder than usual.¡±

    Agatha held a hand in the air, stopping Pryce, ¡°How exactly has Celebi been acting ¡®moody¡¯?¡±

    Pryce frowned, ¡°I haven¡¯t heard much in that regard, asides from the scouts generally having more difficulty navigating the forest, along with Celebi actively avoiding them.¡±

    Agatha hummed, ¡°I may consider having Karen investigate if the issue persists,¡± She turned back to Pryce, ¡°When did this start?¡±

    ¡°When do you think? The power surge,¡± Pryce scowled, ¡°I¡¯m tellin¡¯ you, there was something wrong with that!¡±

    ¡°Is there anything else you have to report?¡± Koga broke in before Pryce could fall into a tangent.¡±

    ¡°Bah! Nothin¡¯ of value. An attack by Team Rocket on Ecruteak Gym was stopped a couple of days ago. Aside from that, Johto¡¯s been peaceful as ever.¡±

    ¡° Peaceful as ever, ¡± Agatha muttered to herself, before cackling, ¡°You and I are in two different worlds if you think y¡¯all have been peaceful .¡±

    ¡°Agatha,¡± Koga said sharply, ¡°Let¡¯s remain civil.¡±

    She sniffed, not repentant in the slightest, ¡°Not all of us have such short memories, my dear Koga,¡± Her eyes gained another shadow, much more sinister than before, ¡°Some of us still remember the Butcher of Johto¡­¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s dead ,¡± Pryce snapped, standing up, ¡°It¡¯s time you stopped digging up graves Agatha, though I know you have a fetish for it-¡±

    ¡° That¡¯s enough! ¡± Koga snapped, extending his poisonous aura to slow the nerves of the other two, stopping Agatha before she could do anything to Pryce. Koga took a deep breath, allowing his hold on them to dissolve as he pinched his brow, ¡°One more outburst, from either of you , and I¡¯ll kick you out of my Gym!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like to see you try,¡± Agatha snarled, twisting her wrist as she regained control of her movements, ¡°Do that one more time , and your Gym would be the least of your worries.¡±

    Koga breathed in and out, thinking to himself that he had at least gotten Agatha¡¯s ire away from Pryce, even if it was on him in return. After a moment, he said, forcing his voice to be calm, ¡°Your report, if you please.¡±

    Agatha held a hard stare on him before snorting, ¡°Lance has been entertaining. He worries almost as much as you did, Pryce,¡± She flashed her teeth in a cruel smile, ¡°He¡¯s going out to meet with his Elders in two days to see if he can make the Sinnoh Summit,¡± At the two¡¯s interested faces, she chuckled, ¡°I think he wishes to avoid it. The poor kid doesn¡¯t much like crowds, when he can avoid them,¡± Her smile returned, no less mean, ¡°I expect they¡¯ll make him go, to teach him how to bear with the fame, if nothing else.¡±

    Pryce scowled, though for once it wasn¡¯t aimed at Agatha, ¡°I never liked the publicity of being Champion. The media are bloody vultures.¡±

    ¡°Hah!¡± Agatha gave a sharp laugh, ¡°Ole Sammy used to complain about the same thing, which is ironic, given where he is today,¡± She shook her head, ¡°Last piece of League business is Flint¡¯s return. I¡¯ve already sent a scout to reestablish contact with him. Aside from that, as you both said, the legendaries in my domain have gone up in a tizzy.¡±

    Koga hummed, ¡°The other two legendary birds?¡±

    ¡°Both,¡± Agatha confirmed, ¡°Lance went down to calm Moltres himself, while I took care of Zapdos.¡±

    Koga hummed as Pryce butted in, ¡°You still have more to say. None of what you¡¯ve shared has been groundbreaking.¡±

    ¡°Oh please,¡± Agatha gave a self-satisfied smile, ¡°Every step I take shakes the world. No need to limit it to words.¡±

    ¡°In all seriousness,¡± Koga said, ¡°You did say that you had something important to share.¡±

    Agatha tapped her nails against the wooden benches, ¡°Karen has found a Rogue Aura Guardian.¡±

    As she saw both Koga and Pryce¡¯s eyebrows rise, she gave a mildly proud smile, ¡°It only took my apprentice two months to find something actually useful , take that!¡±

    ¡°Did she share this person¡¯s name?¡± Koga asked.

    ¡°Red Satoshi,¡± Agatha frowned, ¡°Red¡¯s an odd name, possibly fake. Though, Satoshi has roots in old Kantonian,¡± She smirked, ¡°Maybe he¡¯s of good stock?¡±

    ¡°Hold on,¡± Pryce scrunched his eyebrows together, ¡°I met him a couple weeks back. He challenged my Gym with my 5-Badge Team,¡± He began to mutter to himself, ¡°I knew somethin¡¯ was up when that rat started rainin¡¯ hell.¡±

    Koga broke in as Pryce¡¯s voice lowered to a whisper, ¡°Karen has determined that this individual is an Aura Guardian?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Agatha steepled her fingers, ¡°Based on her report, he is of Dark and Fighting typing,¡± She barked a laugh at Koga¡¯s silent show of surprise, ¡°A fascinating combination, I¡¯m aware. Though, she did say that he wasn¡¯t averse to using moves outside of those bounds.¡±

    ¡°Moves?¡± Pryce asked, aghast. Koga also raised an eyebrow at that, given that pushing aura past its raw form into actual moves was a highly advanced technique that was only possible with dedicated instruction, as far as he was aware.

    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Agatha hummed in thought, ¡°She witnessed him using Heal Pulse on injured folk, along with having the fortitude to block an Amnesia attack from her.¡±

    ¡°Hold on,¡± Koga sighed, ¡°Karen tried using Amnesia on someone of interest?¡±

    ¡°She slipped up and said too much,¡± Agatha explained, a sharp note entering her tone. She smiled, though it wasn¡¯t kind, ¡°I¡¯ve already spoken to her about it.¡±

    ¡°Wonderful,¡± Pryce muttered, ¡°From what I could tell, the man was harrowed. Having his first exposure to us be a mental attack isn¡¯t all that conducive to a good relationship.¡±

    Koga cupped his chin in thought, ¡°Harrowed, you say? Is he a war veteran?¡±

    ¡°Not like us,¡± Agatha interrupted, a frown marring her features, ¡°He¡¯s too young.¡±

    ¡°A mercenary, then?¡± Koga proposed, ¡°Perhaps he travelled through Orre and the badlands?"

    ¡°He didn¡¯t strike me as a merc,¡± Pryce spoke slowly, drawing up a mental image in his mind, ¡°He seemed more¡­ lost ,¡± He shook his head, ¡°I don¡¯ have the words for it.¡±

    ¡°Whatever the case,¡± Agatha brought the topic back at hand, ¡°Karen has reported that she has started following Red along with the man¡¯s prot¨¦g¨¦. I¡¯ll share any pertinent updates as I receive them.¡±

    ¡°The recording of my match against him will be published tomorrow,¡± Pryce added, ¡°I¡¯ll see if I can identify anything odd in the match.¡±

    ¡°Good¡­¡± Agatha stood up, audibly creaking old bones, ¡°In that case, I bid you adieu,¡± She snapped her fingers once more, dispelling the Trick Room . She and Gengar swiftly left the balcony as Pryce shakily stood, cursing her name.

    ¡°Damn you, Agatha! Don¡¯ go without me!¡± Koga assisted the old man in catching up to the surprisingly limber woman.

    She turned around, grinning in an eerie mimicry of Gengar, ¡°Why, Pryce, I thought you didn¡¯t like teleporting?¡±

    ¡°Yeh brought me here, you damn better take me back!¡± Pryce hobbled up next to her, growling, ¡°Just get it over with, woman.¡±

    Koga watched as Agatha cackled as they wisped away in a ghostly haze, Teleporting presumably to Mahogany Town, or perhaps another location, depending on how much Agatha felt like tormenting Pryce.

    Koga took a few calming breaths - which he found were always needed after dealing with Agatha - before heading back into the Gym.

    He passed by a small number of failed initiates - he made a note to bar the rude ones from trying again in the future - as he strode down the hallway leading to the balcony. Upon seeing that Janine was about to lead the remaining initiates in a final kata, Koga decided to join them, if only to relieve some stress from the evening.

    ¡­

    Route 39, September 27th, 1997

    "You''re in a cave, surrounded by all sides. Zubat and Gastly are out of commission, and Croconaw is not far from it. Amidst your enemies, the most immediate threat is an Onyx. Surrounding that is a hoard of Geodude and Graveler. What do you do?"

    Red stopped his pacing, directing a hard stare at Salvare as the kid unconsciously clenched his fist in thought. To his side, Zubat and Gastly floated aimlessly while Croconaw sat in rapt attention. Magnemite also hovered in attention, if the unblinking stare was any indication.

    "I would have Croconaw use Surf , or shoot him forward with Aqua Jet and Watergun the Onyx if he couldn''t," Salvare began slowly.

    "Croconaw faints. Onyx and the Gravelers retain minimal damage, though are still wet. The Geodude are considerably weakened. What do you do now?" Red asked, pacing around Salvare as if he was the enemy surrounding him in the scenario.

    "I use Discharge for its area-of-effect, using the water from the previous attack as a conductor," Magnemite perked up as Salvare gave his response.

    Red nodded, "The Geodude have fainted. 50/50 chance with the Onyx and Graveler. In the case that they have not gone down, what do you do?"

    Salvare thought for a bit, cupping his chin, "...Hit it with another?"

    Red hummed, speaking without inflection, "Onyx is a slow Pokemon. Strong, but slow. However, it has yet to attack in this scenario," he raised an eyebrow, "By this point, ten seconds have passed. Would Magnemite be able to land another hit within 3 seconds of using his last?"

    Salvare grimaced, " The fastest he could do is a 5 second wait, back-to-back."

    Red nodded, adopting a thoughtful expression, "Impressive, but not fast enough. Not counting the attacks the Graveler would no doubt throw at you, Onyx would finally use its own. Since your Magnemite would be busy preparing its next attack, it would be very likely that Onyx''s attack would hit ."

    Salvare winced, "That wouldn''t be good¡­ what would you do?"

    "In your situation, I would run," Red crossed his arms, "Part of survival is knowing when to choose flight rather than fight," he cast an eye on Salvare, glistening dark, "There is no valour in fighting a lost battle, after all."

    Salvare frowned, "Isn''t that, I dunno, a little cowardly?"

    Red couldn''t help but laugh at the naivete - Salvare reminded him of Ash at times - though, it wasn''t out of humour, "You can''t help when you''re dead, kid," it was a lesson he learned in blood, " Best you remember that. "

    Salvare''s visage darkened as he nodded. Though, Red continued with another thought, "However, there may be cases where you can''t run," he hummed to himself, "Arguably, the situation I described to you would fit this category, which is why it''s advisable that you always carry an escape rope," which was another lesson that would''ve served him well as Ash.

    Salvare nodded, filing away the information, before asking, "And if you don''t have one?"

    Red grinned - It wasn''t a good smile - " Then you rip them apart until one of you drops dead, " Red shook his head, dispelling the red haze that momentarily overtook his vision, "Who knows? You might get lucky, and survive."

    On this, too, Red had experience.

    After all, The Chariot had a free shot at Ash as he escaped the lake. Red didn''t know quite how to process that fact just yet.

    Red forced his thoughts away, turning his eyes skyward, "Karen should be on her way back by now."

    Salvare grumbled, not having the greatest of relationships with the woman, "I don''t know why she''s so adamant about following us. She''s been complaining about the lack of Pokemon since we left Ecruteak."

    Red hummed, neither agreeing or disagreeing with Salvare. While she often took detours to find wild Pokemon because Red was, in her words, ''a human repel'', Red was aware of the fact that she was following them - or rather, him - because of his knowledge of aura.

    Of course, this was ironic in that the only reason why Red didn''t forcibly drive her off was because of her knowledge of aura.

    As the only one in the group who had no clue what aura was, Salvare could only wonder about the whole thing.

    Red hummed to himself, before releasing Froakie and Charmander from their pok¨¦balls, "We have some time for a battle, if you so wish?"

    Salvare immediately perked up, "Yeah!" He stood right up, pumping his fists in the air as he asked, "Who am I fighting?"

    Red couldn''t help but give a small, yet genuine, grin at the kid''s excitement. Ever since Red took Salvare under his wing, the kid had looked forward to every chance of fighting Red.

    Red didn''t quite understand why he inspired the kid.

    "Both," Red answered, smirking lightly as Salvare paused, "Knowing how to fight in groups is a vital skill when your life in on the line."

    Salvare accepted that with a nod, before shaking his head, "Why do you know these things?"

    "Don''t ask any questions, and I will tell no lies," Red murmured to himself before pointing towards Salvare''s Pokemon, "Choose two to start off with. You may not have a choice in the future, but I''ll give you a bit of leniency since you''re just starting."

    Salvare grumbled lightly to himself before separating Croconaw and Magnemite. Red remained blank faced at these choices, not revealing his thoughts of them.

    The two and their Pokemon stepped towards a grassy plain for their battle. Red patted Pichu on the head to satiate the small rat for not participating.

    They stood forty paces apart, with Salvare''s Pokemon remaining in attention while Charmander and Froakie held themselves loosely.

    Salvare narrowed his eyes as Red stood casually, hand in his pockets as he yelled, "You have the first move!"

    Taking a moment to consider his opponents¡¯ positions, Salvare yelled out, ¡°Croconaw, Aqua Jet to Charmander!¡± As the crocodile shot forward like an aquatic missile, he turned to Magnemite, ¡°Magnemite, use-¡±

    Before he could finish the command, an Ember of blue fire nailed Magnemite in the eye, causing the magnetic pok¨¦mon to drop in pain.

    As Salvare fumbled with Magnemite, a yelp of surprise rang out as Croconaw tripped on a Grass Knot laid by Froakie. Before Croconaw could recover, Froakie kept it down with a sharp Smack Down .

    Salvare could only gawk as - within ten seconds of the battle beginning - Magnemite was writhing on the ground with Charmander keeping a foot on it, while Croconaw submitted to Froakie¡¯s glares.

    Across the battlefield, Salvare could see Red looking mildly disappointed, as if he was nothing.

    And how could Salvare blame him, given that performance?

    Salvare grit his teeth, locking away the looming voices of waste, failure, disappointment , and called on Croconaw, ¡° Thrash him off!¡±

    Upon hearing the conviction in his trainer¡¯s voice, Croconaw roared as it shook Froakie off, bursting towards it with twin Aqua Jets .

    A sharp command of, ¡° PR! ¡± prompted Froakie to erect a polygonal shield, absorbing the brunt of Croconaw¡¯s attack, and redirected the kinetic energy into a resounding Counter , blasting Croconaw away.

    Salvare sighed as Red called out, ¡°Break!¡± He recalled Magnemite before running up to Croconaw with a potion in hand.

    Infuriatingly - At least in Salvare¡¯s opinion - neither Charmander or Froakie seemed harmed in the slightest, as Charmander gave a few smug barks while Froakie solemnly hopped up to Red.

    For his own part, Red¡¯s face, though still frowning, wasn¡¯t nearly as severe. ¡°Not bad,¡± He said, walking up to Salvare.

    Salvare could only sigh. At the beginning of his travels with Red, he would have scoffed at that, berating himself for not landing a single solid hit .

    Now, though, he learned to take what praise he could receive. It only became more apparent by the day, but he had learned that, despite their differing progress in the League, there was a very steep difference in power and skill between the two of them.

    Still, he couldn¡¯t help but feel disappointed at every loss.

    ¡°Given that this was our first battle using more than one pok¨¦mon each, I¡¯m not terribly surprised at the outcome,¡± Red remarked, recalling Charmander as he slipped into a miniature hibernation - which the lizard was doing in increasing amounts - ¡°Your opening gambit with Croconaw was solid, but you weren¡¯t fast enough to command Magnemite.¡±

    No, duh. Salvare didn¡¯t say that out loud, but he had a feeling that it was written across his face given Red¡¯s amused expression, ¡°And Charmander nailed him before I could.¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± Red nodded, ¡°I assume your idea was to engage Froakie with Magnemite while Croconaw took on Charmander,¡± He tipped his head in thought, ¡°A solid, if basic, strategy. The type advantages would work to your favour, at least, though there are ways I would have worked around it.¡±

    ¡°How so?¡± Salvare asked. Of course, he didn¡¯t doubt Red, but he wanted to improve, regardless.

    ¡°Given your lack of experience in this type of battle, I could have simply commanded Charmander to run towards Froakie. From there, your two pok¨¦mon would be locked in fighting both of mine at the same time, which would significantly tip the scales into my favour,¡± Red explained, methodically moving his hands in battle positions to illustrate his point.

    Salvare leaned back, crossing his arms, ¡°How exactly would that help?¡±

    Red gave a grin, which, for once, was more good natured than not, ¡°I could combine attacks, cover each other¡¯s backs, or if I truly wanted you laid bare, I could have fought dirty ,¡± He shrugged, ¡°You¡¯re just beginning with this type of battle, so I¡¯ll hold off on those until you get the basics down.¡±

    Salvare nodded resolutely, before asking, ¡°What do you mean fighting dirty?¡±

    Red¡¯s face became blank, ¡°...Not everyone is a saint, Salvare. Most aim to defeat their opponent. Some aim to kill ¡­ Sometimes, you have to descend to their level to kill them first .¡±

    Salvare couldn¡¯t help but to shudder. Sometimes - not as often as it had been in the beginning, but still - Red would¡­ Salvare had a difficult time describing it. It was almost as if Red was gone in those moments, and in his place, another being spoke in his voice.

    Salvare gave Red a moment to come back, before starting to speak, only to be interrupted by an incessant screech behind him.

    ¡°There you are!¡± Beside Salvare, Karen almost stumbled as she slowed her sprint into a brisk walk, plopping unceremoniously beside Red, ¡°Whatcha talkin¡¯ about?¡±

    ¡°Fighting tactics,¡± Red answered drily, not bothering to grace her with his gaze, ¡°Did you find anything?¡±

    ¡°Aside from some Pidgey and Rattata? Nothing much,¡± Karen answered, laying on her back, ¡°I found a small herd of Tauros a couple kilometres out. Umbreon had a fun time chasing them.¡±

    Red hummed, idly petting Pichu as the small mouse gave a noise almost akin to approval. After getting past the brief reminder of The Chariot¡¯s Umbreon, Red was able to see that Karen¡¯s own was actually far more spirited, in its own way.

    Amazingly, after their match, Pichu actually conversed a small amount with the dark pok¨¦mon. Without any stray sparks, no less!

    As if on cue, Umbreon broke out of her pok¨¦ball, nuzzling Karen¡¯s cheek briefly before uttering a short bark to Pichu. As the small mouse hopped off of Red''s shoulder, he couldn¡¯t help but smile as they went a small distance away.

    He was glad that Pichu had found a friend, of sorts. Especially since Pichu trained day and night to overcome his sudden weaknesses.

    Which had recently led to a breakthrough.

    ¡°Soooo¡­¡± Karen drawled, rolling around so that she laid on her front, ¡°Fighting tactics, huh?¡±

    ¡°Red was introducing me to battling with more than one pok¨¦mon at a time,¡± Salvare grinned, remembering Karen¡¯s battle at the Burned Tower, ¡°Maybe you could learn a thing or two from him?¡±

    ¡°Please no¡± ¡°Piss off!¡± Red and Karen deadpanned/exclaimed at the same time. Karen took a moment to glare at Red as the man shrugged, not repentant in the slightest, ¡°I mean it, she¡¯s too mouthy,¡± He said easily.

    ¡°Oh please,¡± Karen scoffed, before wringing in her latent dark aura with an over exaggerated serious look, ¡° ¡®Always remember, everything¡¯s terrible, and you gotta be too.¡¯ Honestly, did you get your sense of humour shot off in a war? Even Pryce can smile, on a good day at least.¡±

    She knows Pryce? Probably something to do with Aura Guardians. It took some effort not to scowl, if only to avoid contributing to her point. Instead, he turned to Salvare with an eye roll, ¡°See what I mean?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Salvare nodded solemnly, ¡°I have some stitches in my pack. You hold her down and I can shut her up for good.¡±

    The two were silent for a moment before Red snorted, prompting Salvare to lose his control as well. Perhaps it was due to both of them training all day for the past few days. Perhaps it was the stress from having to travel with a new, and unwanted, partner. But in the end, they both lost themselves in laughter after their¡­ less than funny joke.

    At least, Karen didn¡¯t find it too funny. Though, she was the only one at the camp who wasn¡¯t laughing, so who was she to judge?

    ¡°You both done?¡± She asked with a raised eyebrow, watching Red with a stink eye as he recovered from his (almost hysterical) laughing fit.

    Red coughed a bit, ¡° Arceus , I needed that,¡± He took a few breaths, ¡°Did you say something?¡±

    ¡°Nevermind,¡± Karen shook her head at their antics - she was secretly glad that Red was smiling, at least once; the man was so severe - ¡°I was actually thinking of having that discussion about aura we were talking about.¡±

    Red stopped, ¡°Really?¡± He gave a brief glance at Salvare, who raised a questioning eyebrow at them, before turning back to Karen, his face apprehensive, ¡°Right now?¡±

    ¡°What better time is there?¡± She asked, not entirely sure why Red suddenly seemed so hesitant. She doubted it had to do with trustworthiness, given that he was willing to discuss fighting tactics with the kid.

    One didn¡¯t give potential enemies pointers on how to defeat them in battle, after all.

    Red took another look at Salvare, who was looking increasingly annoyed at the attention, before scowling to himself. Karen watched as the man¡¯s face set itself into a scowl, one far more intense than she was used to, even for him, before his lips set in a grim line, ¡° It¡¯s probably for the best. ¡±

    Jeez, what has him so worked up? Even though she was slightly hesitant on sharing information about aura outside of members of the Indigo Aura Guardians, her two new travelling companions seemed to be good people at heart, even if they were rough around the edges.

    ¡°You know,¡± Salvare snapped, breaking her from her thoughts, ¡°I¡¯d appreciate if I had a say in this,¡± to Karen¡¯s slight surprise, his exclamation seemed mostly directed to Red.

    Karen winced reflexively, seeing the parallels between her relationship to Agatha. At the beginning of her education about aura, she, too, acted somewhat¡­ impatiently when it came to learning.

    She learned rather quickly to develop patience, or a shadow of it, at least. Not to mention that she got very familiar with ¡®Wacko¡¯, Agatha¡¯s beloved walking stick.

    In the end, though, instead of snapping back, as Karen expected, Red appeared resigned, ¡°I know but¡­¡± He gave a brief glance to Karen before continuing, ¡°Aura is¡­¡± Dangerous? Destructive? Beautiful? Terrible? In the end, Red chose a word that encompassed all of these things, and yet still felt inadequate, ¡°Complicated.¡±

    Karen leaned back as she let Red take the reins of Salvare¡¯s introduction to aura. He was spitfire¡¯s Aura Master after all . Even if it was obvious to her that Red wasn¡¯t as knowledgeable about the technicalities of the mystical force as her own Master, she could see in his eyes the years of experience he had with it.

    Both Beautiful and Terrible.

    ¡°Aura is¡­¡± Red paused as he recalled the many lessons he received from Lucario. Not once did  he consider the difference of the jackal¡¯s teachings to that of colloquial Guardians . ¡°Everything. Everywhere at once, yet nowhere at all.¡± Red waved a hand in agitation, ¡°I can¡¯t exactly define it in a way that would make complete sense. Just know that it is all around you, all before you, all after you, all you , yet far beyond.¡±

    Red didn¡¯t notice Karen¡¯s mystified expression as he focused on Salvare, grasping at one of the things that allowed Red to comprehend aura, even if it was only a little bit, ¡°Have you ever felt like you were drowning in darkness? That one moment not spent kicking would cause you to sink?¡± He leaned forward - his mind so focused that he missed Karen¡¯s flinch from his glowing eyes - ¡°Have you ever felt that, yet seen a light at the end of the tunnel, and that light¡­ became your light? And you use it to prevail against the darkness?¡±

    Red paused for a moment, only dimly hearing Salvare whisper ¡°...Yes,¡± before he moved on.

    ¡°That light. That darkness . They are aura, both of them. They are your salvation and doom,¡± Red leaned back, eyes glossed over as he recited, ¡° Whether in destruction or creation . Aura doesn¡¯t care which. It¡¯s up to you to determine which end of the spectrum you fall in.¡±

    For a moment there was silence, before Red put his hands to his face, groaning, ¡° That made no fucking sense .¡±

    ¡°I-I think I understand?¡± Salvare muttered unsurely, ¡°Aura is like - I dunno - your soul?¡±

    ¡°Close,¡± Karen butted in, ¡°Aura is the energy of the spirit!¡±

    Red scrunched his eyebrows at that description, ¡°That sounds¡­ far too simple.¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Karen crossed her arms - she¡¯s becoming defensive - ¡°Your definition was too broad. We can¡¯t really understand certain aspects of aura without narrowing it down.¡±

    Red narrowed his eyes, recalling Lucario¡¯s teachings of the art, ¡°You end up limiting yourself if you ignore the wider mystery.¡±

    Red heard Karen mutter something about Agatha before Salvare cut back in by clapping his hands rather loudly, ¡°Great! Excellent! This really explains why you both acted so weirdly earlier,¡± He gave a smile, which was surprisingly sharp, ¡°If you could both actually explain it to me, that would be greatly appreciated.¡±

    Red and Karen eyed each other, before giving a silent agreement to continue their argument later, before Red waved for Karen to take the reins.

    She seemed oddly nervous at having the attention to her, as she fiddled around with her hands before starting, ¡°Aura is the thing that separates a good trainer from one of the greats,¡± She directed Salvare¡¯s attention to Red, who returned to being blank-faced, ¡°Take him for example. When we fought, we were both using aura to empower our pok¨¦mon in their battle.¡±

    Karen leaned forward, becoming somewhat more relaxed as she asked in a low voice, ¡°Have you ever wondered how Red seems to always win, even when he uses pok¨¦mon that are objectively weak, like Pichu?¡±

    Red couldn¡¯t help but wonder if she would have said something like that if Pichu wasn¡¯t out of hearing range.

    Salvare shrugged in response, turning to Red, ¡°Red has more experience.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes,¡± Karen waved a hand in agitation, ¡°But have you ever wondered what that experience entailed?¡±

    ¡°Not particularly,¡± Salvare answered, surprising both Red and Karen, ¡°I¡¯ve just assumed that he¡¯d tell me eventually. Or not, if he didn¡¯t want to.¡±

    Red sat back in thought as Karen continued with a scowl, ¡°Well, that¡¯s rather passive, in my opinion,¡± She shook her head, dispelling the small layer of darkness she was accumulating, ¡°Whatever. The point is that Red uses aura to help in battle, just like myself.¡±

    ¡°...And that allows you to do what?¡± Salvare asked.

    Karen waved her hand repeatedly, before growling, ¡°You answer him, Red!¡±

    ¡°You can use aura to aid in battle, communicate with your pok¨¦mon, or any number of other things,¡± Red answered easily, before asking Karen, ¡°Weren¡¯t you told this by your little group?¡±

    She scowled, ¡°It¡¯s not a ¡®little group¡¯!¡± She barked, ¡°And I¡¯ve never had to teach about aura before! I don¡¯t see you doing all that well either!¡±

    ¡°My education on aura focused much more on using it in battle than anything else,¡± Red shrugged, ¡°I didn¡¯t have time to learn much else.¡±

    Karen¡¯s scowl remained, though it lessened slightly, ¡°Well that didn¡¯t seem to stop you from waxing poetic about it earlier,¡± She sneered at him, ¡°Fancy being a philosopher, Red?¡±

    ¡° I¡¯ve had far too much time to think, ¡± Red whispered, the sinister undertones of his voice halting Karen in her tracks, ¡°But that doesn¡¯t matter.¡±

    ¡°Can I see an example of aura?¡± Salvare asked, a childlike curiosity entering his voice, ¡°I might understand it better if I see it.¡±

    Karen smirked before turning to Red, ¡°Yeah, Red. Care to show him something cool?¡± She lowered her voice to a sing-song drone, ¡°You are his Master, after all.¡±

    ¡°The hell do you mean by that?!¡± Salvare snapped before Red could respond. Karen could only look wide eyed as Salvare stood in a sudden - but very deep - rage, ¡°No-one¡¯s my master !¡±

    ¡° Good ,¡± Red spoke, stopping Salvare from advancing further. He turned to him, ¡°Keep it that way, and you will go far.¡±

    As Salvare cooled down, Karen¡¯s face became disgruntled. She opened her mouth to say something - probably provocative, given her nature - but paused as Red shot her a warning glare.

    He waited for her to back down before turning to Salvare, ¡°I can show you¡­¡± He thought carefully for a moment, weighing the pros and cons of what he was about to share before he nodded to himself, ¡°A move I can do.¡±

    ¡°A move?¡± Salvare asked before snapping his fingers with an exclamation, ¡°You mean a pok¨¦mon move?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Red sat up, Salvare and Karen mimicking him, ¡°If you have enough discipline, you can perform some things usually only done by pok¨¦mon.¡±

    ¡°Hold on a moment¡­¡± Salvare scrunched his brow before turning to Karen, ¡°Were you the one making everything seem dark at the battling ring?¡±

    Both Red and Karen were internally astonished at the question, though only Karen showed it on her face, ¡°You could sense that?!¡±

    ¡°Kinda?¡± Salvare shrugged, ¡°The air kinda felt heavier around you, and I noticed shadows where there shouldn¡¯t be any,¡± He paused for a moment, beginning to feel slightly dumb, before mumbling, ¡°I thought it might¡¯ve been your pok¨¦mon.¡±

    Karen remained silent for a moment, before snorting, ¡°Well, that¡¯s a pleasant surprise, I suppose,¡± She turned to Red, ¡°Should make it easier for him to understand what you¡¯re about to do, right?¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Red replied slowly, a small feeling of doubt clawing its way into his mind.

    This was beginning to feel too easy. Too coincidental.

    Where has he seen Salvare before?

    Red stopped, locking those thoughts away. He had already chosen what he was going to do, and he seldom acted against his instinct.

    Breathing in and out, Red reached out for his aura - far, far more chaotic than before - tapping into the familiar solid feeling of his fighting-type energy. He brought his hands back, grasping onto an invisible sphere, before it erupted into blue light, akin to flame yet far colder. Far sharper .

    With a burst far more powerful than he ever had in the past, Red shot an overwhelming Aura Sphere into the nearby woods, barreling through several trees before it sizzled away.

    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    Red breathed in and out for a few moments, allowing the red haze of his eyes to recede, before turning back to Salvare and Karen.

    He took in Salvare¡¯s impressed look before focusing on Karen¡¯s pale visage. He knew she was afraid of him, on some level . Based on what he saw from her, though, he learned something important.

    She isn¡¯t able to use aura on the same destructive level as I. Perhaps not at all.

    She knows this, and yet she¡¯s been tutored by Agatha herself, who Karen so obviously reveres.

    Yet, this frightens her.

    Red couldn¡¯t help but give a slightly cruel smirk as Karen turned away, not able to meet his gaze after his showing.

    He looked back at the destruction he left in his wake, taking in the downed trees - almost in a perfect line through the woods - and compared it to his capabilities before.

    There was no comparison.

    Before he could ponder that, Salvare stepped up and asked, ¡°Can all aura users do that?¡±

    ¡° No ,¡± Karen broke in with a harsh whisper, her eyes darting towards Red, accusatory, ¡°We cannot.¡±

    ¡°We?¡± Red asked, noting the wording.

    There was no response. When Red turned back to face Karen, her features were stretched in determination.

    ¡°You¡¯re dangerous,¡± She whispered, as if it was a revelation she missed.

    Red couldn¡¯t help but roll his eyes, ¡°A rattata can be dangerous, depending on the circumstance.¡±

    ¡°No, you don¡¯t understand ,¡± She spoke with a pained emphasis. She pointed at the line of downed trees, ¡°You don¡¯t just do that and walk it off like it¡¯s nothing!¡±

    ¡°Yes you can,¡± Red answered immediately, images of The Chariot¡¯s rage fresh on his mind. That train of thought reminded him of the images he had seen of the Great War when he looked it up, and the carnage left in the wake of battlefields, ¡°It happened all the time during the Great War.¡±

    ¡°From pok¨¦mon !¡± Karen screamed, throwing her hands into the air, ¡°Only the Elder Guardians could hope to match that! And you aren¡¯t one of them!¡±

    ¡° So? ¡± Red responded, voice layered with something terrible beneath. Something growing. He stepped closer to her, causing her to shrink back slightly, ¡°Just because I didn¡¯t learn from one of the oh so wonderful ¡® Elders ¡¯, I¡¯m wrong?¡± Images of Lucario¡¯s burnt body intermixed itself with his vision.

    His heart rate began to increase.

    Karen¡¯s face became fearful, her skin so pale it was almost bone-white, before she snapped. Her dark aura burst as she struck Red in the chest, knocking him back, ¡° Get the fuck off of me! ¡± She screeched. The wild waves of darkness surrounded her to make her appear as if she was feral.

    Before she could advance on Red, though, an impact on her shoulder caused her to stumble. Spinning to her left, hair flying wildly, she saw Salvare staring at both of them in¡­

    Fright?

    A part of her returned, only for her to stumble, nerves seizing up. She blinked a few times before falling onto the floor, the darkness beginning to overtake her vision. Belatedly, she realised that Red had also fallen down.

    She stared up into Salvare¡¯s now-worried look, a sudden pit of remorse lodging itself within her. She didn¡¯t have the strength to say it before going unconscious, but she whispered to him in her mind.

    ¡®Sorry ¡®bout that.¡¯

    ¡­

    Salvare set Red down next to the campfire his Charmander started, small wisps of pinkish energy twisting around the man¡¯s arms and legs. On the other side, Karen was wrapped in a blanket with her Umbreon curled in her arms.

    About half an hour had passed since¡­ Salvare didn¡¯t know what to call it. A meltdown?

    He shook his head, idly watching Froakie converse in low tones with Pichu, both of them occasionally peeking at both Salvare and Karen.

    Salvare was aware, at least implicitly, that Red had¡­ problems . For his own right, Salvare wasn¡¯t a stranger to such things, having his own set of demons that would likely haunt him for the rest of his life, and he didn¡¯t deign to question his mentor on his own demons. Salvare didn¡¯t like people prying into his own life, after all.

    In that way, Salvare was thankful that Red was the same way. But Salvare could see flashes of darkness in his mentor¡¯s gaze, occasionally when they trained, and almost always when Red had to recall what happened before Salvare met him.

    Oh, he was curious. Who wouldn¡¯t be? Red was a man he had never heard of with a small set of - like Karen said - traditionally weak pok¨¦mon, who had an uncanny ability to not only emerge victorious in every battle he had seen so far, but to prevail , to conquer .

    At first, Salvare had far more shallow reasons for following Red. He hadn¡¯t hidden them, as he had stated his reasoning for learning and protection when he first proposed the idea to the man. But now, Salvare was following Red because he was one of a kind .

    Salvare first saw this when he watched the recording of Red¡¯s first Gym match when they stayed the night at Mahogany. At first, Salvare had thought that, surely , Red must have gotten past Clair with other pok¨¦mon he hadn¡¯t seen, or perhaps the Gym Leader had made a fluke.

    But no, with nothing more than a Froakie, a Charmander, and a Pichu , Red had won against Clair¡¯s team.

    And it wasn¡¯t as if she was holding back, either. Salvare had fought Clair six times before defeating her, and that was with her 4-Badge team . He was intimately aware of how powerful the pok¨¦mon he fought against were. It had been the cause of Croconaw evolving from Totodile, after all.

    Yet, they seemed far more driven when fighting against Red.

    As limited as viewing the battle on the screen was, something within Salvare seemed to click upon seeing the mountain of power that Red stood atop of.

    It was the type that could only be found once in a generation.

    This feeling was only reinforced with the battle at the Burned Tower and the use of Aura Sphere earlier this day.

    The worst part was that Red himself didn¡¯t view his own skill as a blessing. Not like Salvare would have.

    No, the man seemed to treat it like a curse . A weight on his soul. Salvare couldn¡¯t fathom why, but then again¡­ such things were Red¡¯s own demons, and not Salvare¡¯s own.

    Salvare couldn¡¯t help but sigh as Karen rustled discontentedly in her sleep. He took a moment to check her forehead, silently giving thanks that she hadn¡¯t developed a fever¡­ maybe? Her head seemed slightly warmer than it should be, but he didn''t exactly have a baseline to compare it to.

    Salvare wasn¡¯t that well-versed in first aid outside of his pok¨¦mon¡¯s injuries.

    He should have intervened sooner. Even if he was used to Red being the voice of reason between them, he should have seen their growing conflict and stopped it. While Salvare wasn¡¯t overly fond of the woman, he was aware of Red¡¯s greater distaste for her.

    Oh, sure, Red hid it well - He hid lots of things well - But Salvare liked to think he had developed somewhat of a psychological profile on his mentor (Not his master, never his master).

    Karen¡­ didn¡¯t have a lot of tact, which would normally just be annoying, but with someone like Red, who even Salvare had to sometimes tiptoe around, it wasn¡¯t an ideal combination.

    Salvare had briefly wondered how Karen had survived without angering the wrong crowd. It didn¡¯t take him long to realise that she likely hadn¡¯t interacted with anyone besides Agatha for quite a while.

    Salvare snapped out of his musings as Red¡¯s steady breaths halted. He took a few paces back, shielding Karen¡¯s prone form from Red¡¯s view as the man shot awake, eyes blazing a malignant red with ripples of pure energy shattering around him.

    Salvare stood there, face set in a calm mask as Pichu frantically took to Red¡¯s shoulder, nuzzling against him aggressively. Red stood perfectly still as his baleful gaze began to lose its shine, dimming down as both Red and Salvare regained their breath.

    And, remarkably, Salvare hadn¡¯t been afraid.

    Salvare stood over Karen¡¯s form as Red¡¯s breathing became more regular. He remained unflinching as Red¡¯s glowing eyes snapped onto his own.

    He only faltered when the voice came afterwards.

    ¡° What did you do to me? ¡± Came the question from Red¡¯s mouth, yet Salvare couldn¡¯t help but wonder if it was Red¡¯s voice he heard.

    ¡°I stopped you from hurting Karen,¡± Salvare answered, keeping his eyes focused on Red¡¯s, ¡°I punched both of you on the shoulder, out of instinct, I guess. You both became unconscious shortly afterwards.¡±

    Red¡¯s eyebrow rose as he took this in, the glow of his eyes receding as he peeked behind Salvare to see Karen behind him, Umbreon guarding her prone form with a growl, ¡°For what it¡¯s worth, I apologise.¡±

    ¡°Apologise to her, when she wakes,¡± Salvare replied in monotone - which, along with other habits, he was beginning to pick up from Red - ¡°Is there a reason why you snapped?¡±

    With anyone else, Salvare would have expected them to be defensive. As expected, though, Red didn¡¯t show such misplaced pride, instead looking vaguely remorseful. Though, it looked as though Red didn¡¯t exactly remember how to look remorseful.

    A moment passed, and as Salvare accepted that Red wouldn¡¯t answer, he heard a whisper, ¡°People like her get others killed,¡± Red¡¯s eyes darkened, ¡°They turn away from everything that runs opposed to what they know - what they accept - and allow others to hurt, others to die because of it.¡±

    Red breathed in, eyes softening for a moment as he saw Karen¡¯s unconscious form before hardening, ¡°I don¡¯t know much about being an Aura Guardian, not like her. But from what I heard and seen of them, I¡¯m glad that¡¯s the case.¡±

    Red shook his head, his expression changing from remorse to shame - which Salvare could tell came easier to Red - ¡°I can make camp for myself elsewhere if you¡¯re worried that I¡¯ll do something again.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Salvare shook his head, ¡°You won¡¯t do anything to purposely harm us, now that you¡¯re back ,¡± Red grimaced at Salvare¡¯s emphasis on the word, but they both understood what he meant.

    Red rubbed his forehead as he slumped back onto the ground, his pok¨¦mon surrounding him in an attempt to comfort him, ¡° Fucking hell ¡­¡± He opened his eyes after a moment, staring towards the lowering sun, ¡°If you want to learn from her rather than me, that¡¯s fine. She probably knows more about aura than me.¡±

    At this, Salvare couldn¡¯t help but snort, ¡°I¡¯ve been travelling with you for a couple of weeks, Red. If you think something like this will stop me¡­ well, it¡¯s nothing I haven¡¯t dealt with before.¡±

    That was probably the wrong thing to say, given Red¡¯s grimace. Salvare grasped at another subject, ¡°I noticed that you were glowing a little pink while you were unconscious. I take it that¡¯s another use of aura?¡±

    ¡°I was?¡± Red asked, gaze still forlorn, but marginally more interested. He turned to Pichu, shaking him lightly to wake the rat from its dozing, ¡°Was I glowing pink earlier?¡±

    Pichu glared slightly at Red for waking him up, making a point to yawn as loudly his little body could handle. As Red¡¯s nose scrunched from Pichu¡¯s bad breath - which Pichu would readily admit gave him a considerable amount of satisfaction - the small mouse muttered a few chirps while tapping Red¡¯s wrist before falling back asleep.

    Salvare watched the byplay, recalling Red¡¯s description of aura as allowing for enhanced communication with pok¨¦mon. After a moment, Red spoke up, ¡°I think I may have used Refresh ? Or something similar,¡± Red blinked a moment, turning to Salvare, ¡°You said you punched me on the shoulder¡­ Did you feel anything unusual?¡±

    Salvare thought for a moment, recalling a slight tingle in his nerves from that moment, ¡°Yeah, though it was small,¡± He shrugged, ¡°I attributed it to nerves.¡±

    Red paused for a moment before turning to Froakie, ¡°Could you fetch a pecha berry for me?¡± He stood up and slowly walked to Karen¡¯s form, not reacting to Umbreon¡¯s rising growls, ¡°I¡¯m taking a look at something, Umbreon. Will you please move so that I can help your trainer?¡±

    The dark pok¨¦mon regarded Red with distrust, but ultimately stepped off of Karen¡¯s body, remaining at attention as Red carefully pulled down the blanket to reveal Karen¡¯s bare shoulders, ¡°Which shoulder did you hit, Salvare?¡±

    ¡°The left one,¡± Salvare answered before asking, ¡°Was there something I missed? I tried to see if there was any injury.¡±

    ¡°... Would you look at that? ¡± Red breathed, leaning in next to Karen¡¯s shoulder. He pressed her pale skin to reveal a subtle purple tone in the shape of a fist. He removed a gauze pad and took the pecha berry Froakie offered him, squeezing it into a paste that he spread across the gauze pad.

    As he wrapped the pad onto the injury with medical tape, Salvare asked in growing dread, ¡°Did I do that?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Red answered without preamble, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it wasn¡¯t severe. She was already worked up, and her increased stress and blood pressure allowed the poison to be more potent than it would have been otherwise,¡± He shook his head at Salvare¡¯s look of shock and guilt, ¡°She would¡¯ve been fine, given a couple of days and a waste bucket. The paste should speed it up so that she¡¯s ready to go by tomorrow morning.¡±

    Salvare could only stand there, speechless for the first time that evening, ¡°Wha-?¡±

    ¡°Congratulations, Salvare,¡± Red began, packing his medical supplies back into his back, ¡°You¡¯re a Poison type.¡±

    ¡­

    Dragons¡¯ Den, Blackthorne City

    For several moments, only the sounds of gentle waters could be heard within the caves. Ice-laden stalactites dripped in a slow, melodic rhythm, dispelling perfect rings within the water before evening out, as if there was never any movement at all.

    Lance breathed in deeply, feeling the smoke of the candles, internalising it, before breathing out of his mouth, small sparks of draconic energy wisping into the air.

    Beside him, Clair fidgeted slightly as she repeated the same process, though her breath came out with a slight mist. Lance knew that she had never particularly enjoyed this type of meditation that the elders emphasised, but she persevered nonetheless.

    Surrounding the back of them in a semi-circle were several candles, which periodically flared before diminishing to a near extinguish. Such had been the case since Clair had reached adolescence a decade ago. For every breath of Lance, the candles roared, but for Clair, they dimmed.

    The two had learned rather quickly how to balance their breathing against each other¡¯s, lest they incur the wrath of the elders.

    After several minutes, in which the candles methodically blazed then lowered, a sharp voice rang from above them, ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡±

    Lance opened his eyes - which briefly flashed into slits - and felt Clair minutely sag in relief beside him.

    Lance allowed his eyes to travel upwards, revealing the Blackthorne Elders seated on the other side of the den. Five thrones of stone, carved with glyphs of various dragon pok¨¦mon, both alive and extinct, rose in a pyramidal structure.

    ¡°Rise, Lance Blackthorne, He of Indomitable Will, Champion of Indigo,¡± Elder Yama commanded, her voice neutral, remaining still on the central throne.

    ¡°As you command, my elder,¡± Lance murmured as Elder Yama turned to face Clair.

    ¡°Rise, Clair Blackthorne, She of the Rising Tide, Baron of Blackthorne,¡± Clair rose, far more composed than Lance had seen in recent years.

    The two stood as they were scrutinised by the elders. Strong as they were, even among the best of the Blackthorne Clan, the elders were still the greater authority amidst their people.

    After a moment, Elder Hana, who had always been the kindest of the elders, spoke up, ¡°May I just say that it¡¯s wonderful to see you after so long, my child?¡±

    The comment was obviously directed to Lance, who hadn¡¯t been able to travel to Blackthorne for nearly a year, which was when the last clan meeting had been held. All the same, Lance was flattered that she was glad of his presence.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad as well, Hana,¡± Lance replied warmly, ¡°Even if I¡¯m Champion, Blackthorne will always be my home.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Elder Yama broke in, ¡°How are you with filling the Champion¡¯s role?¡±

    Lance refrained from grimacing - such was unacceptable in the face of the elders - ¡°Busy. If I were anyone else, I would almost be overwhelmed.¡±

    ¡°Ah, but naturally He of Indomitable Will will persevere, no?¡± Elder Hebi croaked, his ancient features twisting into a faded sneer, ¡°After all, there are benefits to being the Champion, are there not?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t appreciate your connotations on my cousin¡¯s character,¡± Clair interrupted, her voice steady, but not without an undercurrent of danger within, ¡°If you have something you want to say, please, do share with us.¡±

    ¡°Power corrupts,¡± Hebi droned, not fazed in the slightest by Clair, ¡°And I have seen it happen before, and I have no wish to see it happen again,¡± He levelled a glare at Lance, ¡°I do not hope it will happen, but I will not hold back if you are to be taken by the Madness.¡±

    Given that Hebi, as an elder, had spoken directly to Lance, he was obligated to respond, ¡°For the sake of the clan, I hope it never comes to that,¡± He regarded the den at large, ¡°Far too many of our sister clans have fallen to the Madness. I would sooner take my life than doom my own blood, by my pride and honour.¡±

    This was met with hushed silence, before Clair snapped, ¡°There, you happy now!¡±

    Just as she finished, a force struck her on the cheek, causing her to stumble. None of the elders had moved, though Elder Arashi spoke up, ¡°Watch your tongue, child. Do not let your emotions cloud your judgement.¡±

    Lance decided to step forward as Clair fumed silently - she always had the shorter temper between the two - ¡°I have already made inroads towards correcting injustices performed against the clan by previous Champions. Legislation such as the excessive restrictions on dragon breeding made by Pryce are unpopular across Indigo, not just with our clan. Once that is successfully repealed, we may redirect our focus towards the Treaty of Pallet.¡±

    The elders didn¡¯t outwardly express any emotion at his report, though Lance could feel the subtle feel of satisfaction from a few of them.

    Hebi, though, spoke up, ¡°How do you expect to make any headway of the treaty when you are in regular correspondence with one of the main signitaries?¡±

    A pervasive silence met the question, waiting for the answer. After careful consideration, Lance did so, ¡°Professor Oak is a valuable correspondent, given his expansive knowledge of many fields of research. However, I refrain from talking politics with the man, and his influence in the League has severely diminished in the years after his retirement as Champion.¡±

    While it was obvious that Elder Hebi wasn¡¯t pleased by there being contact at all , he merely grumbled to himself.

    ¡°May we move onto something else?¡± Elder Kaze, the most soft-spoken, asked.

    Elder Yama gave a nod, ¡°We may,¡± She turned an eye to Lance, ¡°As I understood it, Lance wished to share a few things with us.¡±

    ¡°Two things, Elder Yama. Although, I believe Clair may have beaten me on the first one,¡± Lance said, noting the sudden appearance of red on Clair¡¯s ears.

    She must¡¯ve embarrassed herself, then.

    This suspicion was just about confirmed when Elder Hana gave a light chuckle, ¡°Why, if you¡¯re talking about that Red fellow, we¡¯ve heard all about him from Clair!¡±

    ¡°H-Hana!?¡± Clair yelped. Lance was astonished to see her actually blushing in embarrassment, ¡°I was just excited of him being a potential survivor of the Draconid Clan!¡±

    ¡°And I¡¯ve already spoken with Elder Aster of the Draconids,¡± Elder Yama interrupted Clair¡¯s ramblings, her features stretched in what could be called exacerbated fondness, ¡°And she has confirmed with me that she has no recollection of this individual,¡± Her face saddened, ¡°Her clan has been reduced to such small numbers that I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if she was intimately familiar with every clan member. Red is no Draconid.¡±

    ¡°That leads to my question, then,¡± Lance said as Clair squirmed, ¡°Why does he appear to have a draconic Charmander? To my knowledge, they became extinct when the last one died with Zeverithe Draconid in their Madness.¡±

    ¡°We cannot answer that,¡± Elder Yama responded, ¡°There are numerous possibilities surrounding this mystery,¡± She leaned back, staring at Lance with a blank gaze, ¡°Of course, we know very little about him at all. Clair has been unable to dig up any information on him aside from his place of origin.¡±

    Lance hummed, ¡°I searched through the League records as well, and I have been unable to find any reference to him before the date of his registration application, which was sent on August 31st,¡± He turned his eyes back to Elder Yama, ¡°However, I¡¯ve received word from the rangers that Red displayed aura capabilities in Ecruteak.¡±

    A hush descended in the den, which was broken by Clair¡¯s astonished voice, ¡°He did?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Lance nodded, brow scrunched in thought, ¡°He apparently used Heal Pulse on a number of victims from the explosion at the Ecruteak Gym a few days ago.¡±

    ¡°What!?¡± Clair squawked, turning to Lance, ¡°You mean he¡¯s a Master Aura Guardian?¡±

    ¡°Not necessarily,¡± Elder Yama broke in, looking far more intrigued than she had before, ¡°He may be a Psychic type, or Poison. Both are known for their affinity towards healing moves. Using a move, while inherently impressive, does not denote a Master if it falls within their natural capabilities.¡±

    Clair slumped, before perking back up, stars in her eyes, ¡°But what if he isn¡¯t!¡±

    ¡°Then he may well be a Master Aura Guardian, darling,¡± Elder Hana smiled, before it turned slightly mischievous, ¡°Which you would just love , wouldn¡¯t you?¡±

    As Clair squeaked - which Lance didn¡¯t entirely understand - Lance frowned, ¡°...I have a feeling that you¡¯re leaving something out, Elder Yama. If I may ask, what is it?¡±

    Elder Hebi rose to snap at Lance, but Elder Yama held up a hand, ¡°You¡¯re right, Lance,¡± She sighed, ¡°Unfortunately, I do not believe it will be as simple as him being an Indigo Aura Guardian. His description does not match any potential members of that organisation, so he is very likely a Rogue.¡±

    ¡°So we have a Rogue Aura Guardian with a draconic Charmander of unknown origins,¡± Lance crossed his arms, muttering, ¡°Wonderful.¡±

    ¡°We will get our answers soon enough, child,¡± Elder Yama spoke up, turning towards Clair, ¡°You said that this individual would be attending the Silver Conference, yes?¡±

    Clair remained tongue-tied for a moment, before nodding, ¡°He said so. He¡¯s even gotten his third badge a few days ago.¡±

    ¡° He has? ¡± Lance whispered to himself, somewhat astonished. It wasn¡¯t necessarily unheard of for someone to earn three badges in a month, though it was impressive.

    However, he was aware that, since Clair sent out a missive to each of the Gym Leaders in Johto, they wouldn¡¯t be holding back against Red.

    ¡°He has!¡± Clair confirmed, confidence returning as she recovered from her embarrassment, ¡°I originally doubted him when he said it, but I believe he¡¯ll easily make it to the Silver Conference!¡±

    ¡°Why, you¡¯re very confident of this man,¡± Elder Hama spoke with a teasing lilt in her voice, ¡°I¡¯m glad that you finally found someone that interests you!¡±

    ¡°Anyways!¡± Lance interrupted, finally understanding, on some level, what Clair was getting so embarrassed about - and she was as bright red as a tomato at the moment - ¡°I presume you want me to question him at the Silver Conference?¡±

    ¡°Clair will first,¡± Elder Yama commanded, ¡°She will be a familiar face, and therefore more approachable than the Champion himself,¡± She smiled, ¡°I¡¯m sure she has no objections to that.¡±

    ¡°N-No¡­¡± Clair shuffled her feet.

    ¡°In that case¡­ You had something else to share, Lance?¡± Elder Yama asked with a tap of her finger.

    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Lance petered off as he switched to the subject that he was dreading, ¡°In one week¡¯s time, a delegation of various leaders across Indigo will travel to Sinnoh to finalise the negotiations for them joining the World League,¡± Lance paused for a moment, noting the blank looks on each of the elder¡¯s faces, ¡°Mr. Goodshow has requested that I am part of this delegation.¡±

    ¡°You made it known that the time of our clan meeting conflicts with this event, yes?¡± At Lance¡¯s nod, she hummed, ¡°It is a rather important event for the Champion to miss¡­¡±

    ¡°Absolutely not!¡± Elder Hebi snapped, ¡°It is the obligation of every clan member to make the meeting!¡± She rounded onto Clair, ¡°That Claw girl is flying here from Hoenn, correct?!¡±

    Something indecipherable flashed briefly in Clair¡¯s eyes, ¡°Yes¡­¡±

    ¡°If that girl can make it, you have no excuse!¡± Hebi yelled at Lance, who began to feel the hairs on his arms prickle with the last remains of his patience.

    ¡°I think he should go,¡± A meek voice rang out. The other elders turned to see Elder Kaze raising a small hand, ¡°We knew that being Champion would mean having responsibilities that don¡¯t align perfectly with ours.¡±

    ¡°But to miss the meeting?¡± Elder Arashi asked, ¡°To defy tradition is to invite in us the Madness.¡±

    ¡°Not necessarily,¡± Elder Yama spoke up, though her voice was slightly hesitant, ¡°We didn¡¯t hold clan meetings during the Great War, and we survived.¡±

    ¡°Not all of us did,¡± Elder Hebi rumbled, though his voice was far more remorseful than angry, as it had been earlier, ¡°It tore apart the Tao Clan into the abomination it is today.¡±

    ¡°There were very different circumstances with the fall of our sister clan,¡± Elder Yama intoned darkly, ¡°I hardly worry that the Madness will take for something like this.¡±

    ¡°So you want him to go?¡± Elder Hana asked, appearing neither for or against the decision.

    ¡°It would be good for Lance,¡± Kaze said softly, regarding him with something akin to fondness, though it was hard to tell with her, ¡°He¡¯s always hated crowds.¡±

    Lance couldn¡¯t help but feel a spike of annoyance as Clair giggled at his side. It wasn¡¯t wrong, though, he never had much love for great masses of people, and he had only grown a greater aversion to it since ascending to Championship.

    ¡°If that is the case, why did he ever pursue becoming Champion?¡± Hebi muttered, though it was loud enough for everyone in the den to hear.

    As the elder engaged in hushed conversation, Lance watched Elder Yama, who remained silent. Ultimately, as the senior-most elder, the decision was on her.

    At his side, Clair watched her as well before leaning next to Lance, ¡°She looks like she¡¯s considering it.¡±

    Lance couldn¡¯t help but grimace, ¡°I hope no-¡±

    ¡°You will go,¡± Elder Yama spoke, cutting everyone off, ¡°To Sinnoh. It is your duty as Champion after all,¡± She had a light to her eyes that Lance didn¡¯t like, ¡°Who knows, perhaps in your off time you can uncover any remains from the Celestic Clan?¡±

    Lance stuttered for a moment before Clair elbowed him, prompting him to kneel, ¡°It will be done, elder.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± Elder Yama said, though it was clear her sentiments weren¡¯t shared by every elder present, ¡°You can always make time for the meeting next year,¡± Her eyes turned sharper, ¡°Make sure something like this doesn¡¯t happen again.¡±

    ¡°I will,¡± Lance muttered, still kneeling.

    ¡°You may rise,¡± Elder Yama said in a slightly softer tone. Once he did so, she snapped her fingers, erupting a small wave of draconic energy, ¡°You may leave us, and spread glory for the clan.¡±

    ¡°On our honour,¡± Both Lance and Clair responded, as was custom. The two of them left the Dragon¡¯s Den to hike towards the mouth of the cave as they heard Hebi begin to shout from within.

    Once they reached the surface, Clair stretched her shoulders against the moonlight, muttering, ¡°That was exhausting, wasn¡¯t it cousin?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Lance replied, preoccupied with the last-minute adjustments he would have to make to his schedule.

    ¡°Well,¡± Clair began to trek down the mountain towards the city, ¡°We have a few hours before morning comes, come on! I haven¡¯t seen you in ages!¡±

    Lance sighed to himself as he resigned himself to another sleepless night.

    At least this one is spent with family, if nothing else.

    ¡­

    Pokemon Center, Cerulean City, September 30th, 1997

    ¡°I could¡¯ve totally beaten you if Team Rocket didn¡¯t show up!¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah? Why not battle now then! Prove it!¡±

    ¡°Maybe I will!¡±

    Brock broke away from staring at Nurse Joy - And wasn¡¯t she just a beauty? - to see that Ash had returned from challenging the Cerulean Gym, Misty trailing behind him.

    ¡°Brock!¡± Misty ran up to him, placing her hands on her hips, ¡°Tell Ash that I¡¯d beat him in a battle! Easy!¡±

    ¡°I dunno,¡± Brock leaned back, cupping his hand in his chin, ¡°I don¡¯t know if your water pok¨¦mon could take on Pikachu. He is an electric type.¡±

    ¡°See?¡± Ash exclaimed, pumping his fist into the air, with Pikachu mimicking the move, ¡°You have nothing on Pikachu and me!¡±

    Brock broke his gaze away from them to notice the small crowd beginning to form from the racket. He noticed Nurse Joy begin to step away from the counter and deigned to stop his friends¡¯ rowdiness. Even if he had been rejected by her, he didn¡¯t want to give her more work than she already had.

    After pulling Ash away from Misty¡¯s claws - And seriously, did she sharpen her nails. Feisty woman - He calmly asked, ¡°How¡¯d the Gym match go?¡±

    Apparently, this was the wrong thing to say, because Misty snapped ¡°Ash cheated! He got the Badge before we got to finish our fight!¡±

    ¡°Hey! I didn¡¯t cheat!¡± Ash exclaimed, throwing his hands into the air, jostling Pikachu off of his shoulder, who growled in response, ¡°It¡¯s not my fault Team Rocket started sucking up Pikachu!¡±

    ¡°They did?¡± Brock asked. He was beginning to wish he hadn¡¯t spent the whole day accepting (definitely not moping) over being rejected for the first time. ¡°Are you both alright?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡± Misty proclaimed haughtily, ¡°I had my Starmie with me. Even if she was slightly hurt, she¡¯d be strong enough to beat them!¡± Brock noticed her voice becoming slightly wobbly.

    ¡°Your Starmie was in the middle of getting sucked up into that vacuum thingy,¡± Ash deadpanned, picking Pikachu back up onto his shoulder, ¡°Besides, Pikachu blasted them off¡­ again. Why do they keep blasting off?¡±

    ¡°It seems like I missed a lot,¡± Brock said instead of answering Ash¡¯s question, ¡°But based on what I heard, Ash¡¯s Gym Badge is valid, since he protected the Gym from an attack.¡±

    ¡°Hah! Told you!¡± Ash stuck his tongue out at Misty, who responded by tackling him. Brock couldn¡¯t help but shake his head as he was forcibly reminded of their age.

    Still, as a sixteen-year old who took care of nine siblings, he had more than enough experience to deal with a 10-year old and 14-year old respectively.

    ¡°Misty, get off of Ash now, or we will be visiting your family¡­ For a week ,¡± Brock commanded, channelling his inner big brother voice.

    Misty gasped, retracting her claws off of Ash, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t!¡± Perfect, it seems he was correct in guessing that she had issues with her siblings, which was just wrong to Brock, but he could work with it.

    Brock crossed his arms, channelling the inherent virtue he saw in boulders: unyielding and stubborn.

    After a moment, Misty squirmed before scowling, ¡°Fine!¡± She stomped away and pouted on one of the benches, reminding him of Yolanda when she was in one of her moods.

    His gaze turned to Ash, whose smug gaze turned pale when Brock said, ¡°Ash, lower your voice to acceptable levels and quit antagonising Misty.¡±

    Brock didn¡¯t even have to threaten Ash before the kid capitulated, visibly deflating, ¡°Alright¡­ Sorry ¡®bout that, Misty.¡±

    Though her face was still red with anger, her features softened ever so slightly, ¡°...Fine, I forgive you,¡± She looked uncomfortable for a moment, glancing a moment at Brock¡¯s unyielding face before adding, ¡°I¡¯m sorry about hurting you as well.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± It seemed to Brock that Ash had just registered the scratch marks along his arms. He looked at them for a moment before shrugging, ¡°Eh, it¡¯s not that bad. I¡¯ve gotten hurt worse by Pikachu.¡±

    The mouse snorted before hopping off of Ash¡¯s shoulder and onto Misty¡¯s lap, cooing as she began petting him behind the ear. Brock uncrossed his arms once it seemed his friends¡¯ argument had passed.

    And he hadn¡¯t even needed to threaten Ash with limiting the amount of pok¨¦balls they bought here. Such were the benefits of being the group¡¯s financial manager, he supposed.

    As Ash and Misty talked about the Gym Match more civilly, Brock jumped when he heard a voice behind him say, ¡°Thank you for getting them to quiet down. I didn¡¯t want to kick them out for disturbing our patients.¡±

    He turned and - as expected from the angelic voice - saw Nurse Joy, ¡°O-Oh¡­ You¡¯re w-welcome, Ms. Joy.¡±

    She smiled at him - and, Mew above, why did she have to look that perfect? - and returned to her place behind the counter.

    Brock stood there for a moment before turning back towards Ash and Misty, perfectly aware of the dopey smile he wore on his face, and not caring in the slightest if anyone saw it.

    When he returned to the pair, Ash perked up and scrambled out of his seat, ¡°Brock, look!¡± He shoved the Cascade Badge into his face, ¡°My second Badge!¡±

    ¡°Congratulations, it¡¯s a big accomplishment,¡± Brock said kindly, lowering Ash¡¯s hand away from his face, ¡°Was there anything you wanted to do in Cerulean before we continue up north?¡±

    ¡°Nope!¡± Ash answered, while Misty muttered ¡® Thank Mew ¡¯ to herself.

    ¡°In that case-¡± Brock was interrupted from his thought when Ash¡¯s pok¨¦dex began vibrating in his pocket.

    ¡°Huh?¡± Ash asked to himself after removing it from his pocket, ¡°Professor Oak¡¯s calling me,¡± He answered the call, bringing up the image of the region''s most decorated professor.

    ¡°Good evening, Ash. I trust you are doing well,¡± Professor Oak greeted.

    ¡°Hi, Professor!¡± Ash greeted back excitedly before presenting the Cascade Badge, ¡°I just got my second Badge!¡±

    ¡°Oho! Congratulations, Ash. Truly. Delia will be pleased to hear your progress,¡± The professor turned his attention to the girl behind Ash¡¯s shoulder, ¡°And it¡¯s a pleasure as always, Miss Waterflower. Tell me, you didn¡¯t go easy on Ash, did you?¡±

    As Ash squawked, Misty smirked, ¡°As if! We didn¡¯t get to finish our match because Team Rocket interrupted. But I¡¯ll flatten next time we battle, just you wait!¡±

    On the other end, Professor Oak hummed, ¡°It seems that this Trio has been rather adamant,¡± He gave Ash a questioning look, ¡°Have you seen about notifying the League that you have a pair of stalkers, Ash? They would help out if they knew.¡±

    ¡°Naw,¡± Ash waved it away with a roll of his eyes, ¡°Doing that would just slow me down, and I need to catch up to Gary!¡± At the professor¡¯s dubious look, Ash shrugged, slightly more sheepish, ¡°Besides, they¡¯re not dangerous. They¡¯re more of an annoyance than anything.¡±

    Professor pursed his lips, but elected not to pursue it further, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll give you agency on it since it is your journey, but please remember that it is an option,¡± Professor Oak briefly rubbed his hands against his face - a gesture that Brock felt oddly sympathetic for, and he had only met Ash almost three weeks ago - before casting a questioning glance at Ash, ¡°I believe I do see someone new in the background. Have you acquired a new travelling companion, Ash?¡±

    Ash lit up like a lightbulb, ¡°Yeah!¡± He repositioned the pok¨¦dex to show Brock more prominently in the camera, throwing the spotlight onto Brock far more suddenly than he was prepared.

    ¡°Oh, uh, hello Professor Oak sir. My name¡¯s Brock,¡± Brock waved his hand somewhat awkwardly, not exactly knowing how to greet one of the most famous - and feared - people in Indigo.

    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure, Mr. Pebbleman,¡± Professor Oak nodded before adding, ¡°I had heard that Flint returned to his post.¡±

    Brock felt his eye twitch - which he knew for a fact was near impossible for others to see. Small blessings, he supposed - as his smile became slightly sharper, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    There was a momentary pause before Ash brought the camera back to himself, not aware in the slightest of the somewhat icy mood they had fallen into, ¡°Anyways, what did you call me for, Professor?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ In truth, I had called for a favour for the lab,¡± Professor Oak sighed softly before continuing, ¡°I know that you may have had plans, but-¡±

    ¡°I can do it,¡± Ash interrupted, before realising he did so, ¡°Oh! Sorry, what were you saying?¡±

    Professor Oak paused for a moment, ¡°You accept? Just like that, without knowing what the favour is?¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡± Ash replied, sounding a bit more unsure, ¡°Was I not supposed to?¡±

    ¡°I think Professor Oak is trying to make a point about accepting things before knowing what you¡¯re doing,¡± Brock explained, crossing his arms as he leaned back.

    ¡°Yeah, you do have a bit of a habit of running into things without thinking about it, Ash,¡± Misty added, reaching over to grapple Ash into a noogie, ¡°We gotta bash it outta ya!¡±

    ¡°Hey! Get your mitts off me!¡± Ash scrambled out of Misty¡¯s grip, scowling lightly as Pikachu handed him back his cap, muttering, ¡°Thanks Pikachu.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the favour?¡± Brock asked, interested despite himself.

    ¡°Oh, nothing dangerous. Well, not for Bill¡¯s standards anyways¡­¡± Professor Oak grumbled to himself before perking up, ¡°It¡¯s merely a delivery. Bill has a highly valuable piece of research that needs to return to the lab.¡±

    Ash blinked to himself, ¡°Why me? I mean, I¡¯m honoured¡­ I guess. But couldn¡¯t one of your lab aides get it?¡±

    Professor Oak sighed, ¡°Unfortunately, I¡¯m heading off to Sinnoh in a couple of days, and my aides will be busy watching over the lab,¡± Professor Oak leaned forward, a slight mischievous glint entering his eye, ¡°I would ask my grandson to do this for me, but he¡¯s on his way to Celadon City for his fourth Badge.¡±

    Ash growled at the mention of his rival, but shook his head, ¡°Alright, where do I go?¡±

    ¡°Bill lives at a lighthouse a couple of days¡¯ travel north of Cerulean. He should be expecting you sometime on October 5th, so I would recommend leaving within the next few days,¡± explained the professor.

    ¡°Where are we taking this thing?¡± Misty asked, pushing past Ash, ¡°I don¡¯t feel like carrying around something for a while if it¡¯s fragile.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Miss Waterflower. There¡¯ll be an aide stationed at Cerulean when you stop by there again,¡± Professor Oak assured.

    Meanwhile, Ash cupped his chin into his hand, ¡°I don¡¯t see why not,¡± He cast an inquisitive glance at Misty and Brock, ¡°What do you guys think?¡±

    Misty shrugged while Brock responded, ¡°We were already planning on heading up north, so the timing works out fine.¡±

    Ash nodded, ¡°Alright! In that case, consider it done, Professor!¡±

    Professor Oak nodded, though he appeared slightly apprehensive, ¡°Please do be careful with it Ash. It is rather valuable.¡±

    ¡°I will,¡± Ash nodded before yawning, ¡°Sorry ¡®bout that, it¡¯s been a bit of a long day.¡±

    Professor Oak¡¯s face expressed a form of begrudging sympathy at the yawn, ¡°You and me both. Have a good night, Ash.¡±

    ¡°Have a good night, Professor,¡± Ash responded just before the call ended. He stretched and scratched his side, ¡°Huh, I¡¯m more tired than I thought I was, what about you two?¡±

    ¡°I could go with some sleep right about now,¡± Misty said, standing up, ¡°I¡¯ll find us some rooms.¡±

    ¡°Thank you!¡± Ash called out after her as she walked up to Nurse Joy. He picked up Pikachu, cradling the mouse in his arms as he yawned again, ¡°Today was a good day, wasn¡¯t it Pikachu?¡±

    Brock heard Pikachu yawn in response, effectively shutting up Ash. For his own part, Brock cast one final glance at Nurse Joy before heading up to the rooms that Misty found.

    It had been a good day.

    ¡­

    Olivine City Gym

    ¡°Challenger Salvare Razzo of Orre has challenged Jasmine Aciera of Olivine City to a 7-badge Gym Battle!¡± The announcer called out to a lukewarm response, ¡°This will be a 3-on-3, with only one switch allowed on both sides! Gym Leader Jasmine will begin by sending out her pok¨¦mon!¡±

    On one side of the arena, Jasmine, a willowy timid woman, called out, ¡°Go Magneton!¡±

    On the other side, Salvare stood ready, throwing his pok¨¦ball with a sharp yell, ¡°Croconaw!¡±

    There was a small amount of tittering from the crowd, no doubt believing the match to already be won from the bad match-up alone.

    And that likely would have been the case, before Salvare learned under Red.

    In the same moment that Jasmine commanded Magneton to use Thunder Wave , Salvare shouted, ¡° Aqua Jet into the air, and get close!¡±

    He was well aware that it was a risky move, even compared to his usual aggressive style. However, upon going into this battle, Salvare remembered one of the key lessons that Red had emphasised on their way here.

    When backed into a corner, attack as hard and relentlessly as you can.

    Unlike previous Gym matches, in which Salvare was more likely to repeatedly hammer their defences until victory (which, in the case of Blackthorne Gym, took six times), this match held more importance for him to finish quickly.

    First off, while Salvare only had two Gyms left in the circuit, Red still had a little over half. Although the two had agreed that they could stay here for a week, two at most, if Salvare didn¡¯t win, he really didn¡¯t want to be the reason why Red had to slow down.

    Secondly, and more importantly to Salvare, was the fact that this was a test .

    Sure, Red never explicitly told him so, but with the man standing directly behind him in the incoming challengers¡¯ booth, watching the battle with rapt ( almost obsessive ) attention, it was hard to think otherwise.

    That didn¡¯t make it any easier for Salvare. However, he had planned for this ever since leaving Ecruteak. He had become the man¡¯s apprentice proper after leaving the city, and Salvare wanted nothing more than to prove himself worthy of the man¡¯s teachings.

    This was why, after learning the bombshell that was Salvare¡¯s latent aura potential, he pressed Red on continuing their pok¨¦mon training, rather than focusing on aura.

    Karen was slightly miffed by that after she reawakened, but she didn¡¯t say anything¡­ Nearly at all.

    Salvare knew that he was going into this battle with a disadvantage, considering that half of his team were almost entirely useless against Steel types, and Jasmine often employed Electric Types in her battles, which directly counteracted his ace.

    This was why Salvare commanded Croconaw to dodge rather than attack Magneton head on. While there was a decent chance that Croconaw might be able to down the steel pok¨¦mon, it would likely result in his ace fainting shortly thereafter.

    Given that Croconaw was his only reliable source of damage against Steel types, Salvare didn¡¯t have much room to work with.

    Thankfully, because Croconaw blasted himself into the air, the Thunder Wave passed by directly beneath him. Seeing that Jasmine was about to prepare another attack, Salvare took a little bit of a gamble, loudly clapping his hands before yelling, ¡° DIG! ¡±

    Croconaw oriented downwards towards the ground, closing his mouth - so far so good - Salvare kept a determined mask on his face - In the corner of his eye, he could see Jasmine watching him with a small, almost-hidden smirk - Croconaw began to fall, positioning as if it was about to dig into the ground, though his head craned sideways, cheeks puffed as if stuffed - Which brought a shadow of a smirk on Salvare and Red¡¯s face, though Salvare didn¡¯t see that.

    ¡° Electric Terrain! ¡± As Jasmine¡¯s voice rang out, Croconaw erupted a burst of water in a bastardised Aqua Jet , narrowly avoiding the now electrically charged ground.

    Salvare couldn''t help but smirk at the trickery. It had taken a bit of practice, but Croconaw could now feint into Aqua Jet when he clapped his hands before a command.

    While the crocodile¡¯s movement through the air wasn¡¯t graceful, it wasn¡¯t meant to be, as it finally closed the distance between him and Magneton. As Jasmine fumbled, Salvare pointed forwards in confidence, ¡° Mud Slap! Aim for the eyes!¡±

    Croconaw bellowed as it drew mud into his claws, attacking Magneton¡¯s eyes. As the crocodile wailed against the magnetic pok¨¦mon, Salvare sent a silent ¡®thank you¡¯ to Red for covering terrain altering moves in one of his lessons, particularly focusing on those such as Sunny Day, Rain Dance, and Electric Terrain .

    Salvare couldn¡¯t help but notice the flinch Charmander hid at the mention of Rain Dance.

    Jasmine recovered shortly after, sharply commanding, ¡° Discharge! ¡±

    ¡° Endure! ¡± Salvare shouted shortly before Croconaw was blasted off with an explosion of electrical energy. He grit his teeth as Croconaw impacted the ground, quickly hopping to and fro from the charged floor.

    Casting a quick glance at Magneton - Damaged, two eyes covered in mud, and the other quickly blinking - Salvare extended his pok¨¦ball and recalled Croconaw. After confirming that Croconaw hadn¡¯t fainted, Salvare announced, ¡°I use my switch for the match!¡± He threw a different pok¨¦ball, ¡°Gastly, Hex !¡±

    Given that Salvare¡¯s command had been immediate, Jasmine hardly had any time to react. Even though Hex was largely meant to pair with status effects, Salvare used it as a blunt attack.

    It proved to be enough, though. Given that Magneton had already been weakened and partially blinded by Croconaw¡¯s earlier assault, Gastly¡¯s attack hit it straight into its core.

    It was one of the few lessons Red gave that Salvare could wholeheartedly say he already knew. There were times when precision mattered in a fight. In the same vein, there were times when the best thing to do was to attack your opponent with the blunt force of a sledgehammer.

    Magneton fainted from the attack, causing those in the crowd to cheer in excitement - And now that he noticed it, Salvare felt the edges of Karen¡¯s aura quivering in approval. It seems she was watching the match.

    Jasmine remained serene as she recalled Magneton, ¡°Very impressive, Mister Razzo. Though it was very risky. How did you teach your Croconaw to fly with Aqua Jet ?¡±

    Salvare paused for a moment as he considered for the first time that, yes, Croconaw was flying, in a sense. He shook his head, ¡°Practice, and a goal,¡± He pointedly did not look at Red, ¡°I want to be the best I can be.¡±

    Jasmine nodded, ¡°I can see that,¡± Her normally sweet face cracked briefly as she sent him a vicious smile, ¡°Just remember that to be the best, you have to fight the best.¡±

    Salvare couldn¡¯t help but compare what she said to why Karen chose to fight Red.

    ¡°Go Skarmory!¡± Jasmine called, heralding a quaking cry as a steel-winged beast took to the skies.

    ¡° Agility !¡± Salvare couldn¡¯t help but grimace. A Skarmory was already an intimidating pok¨¦mon to fight against. A fast Skarmory would be a nightmare.

    ¡° Disable !¡± Salvare commanded, putting a stop to Jasmine speeding up the pok¨¦mon any more.

    Unfortunately, this had the side-effect of forcing her into attack, ¡°Fly up and use Steel Wing! ¡±

    ¡° Sucker Punch !¡± Having seen Karen use this move against Salvare when they had a practice battle a few days ago, Salvare became aware of the move taking priority when the opponent was directly attacking.

    After learning this, Salvare devoted a full day to teaching Gastly the move. Even though Gastly wasn¡¯t well-suited towards physical attacks - Which was an attribute that Salvare paid much more attention to ever since Red pointed out how taking advantage of these strengths and weaknesses could determine a battle - the ghost¡¯s Sucker Punch succeeded in hitting Skarmory before the avian¡¯s attack could hit.

    Thankfully, the bird flinched, allowing Gastly to place more distance away.

    Jasmine grumbled lightly to herself, ¡°That was awfully lucky! But-¡±

    ¡° Curse! ¡± Not allowing Jasmine time to talk - or monologuing, as Red called it. Apparently people loved to do that on occasion - Salvare watched in satisfaction as the ghostly apparition of a bloody nail was hammered into both Gastly and Skarmory¡¯s bodies.

    Skarmory visibly stumbled while Gastly drooped, obviously nearing the end of its rope. Knowing that Gastly wouldn¡¯t last much longer, Salvare commanded, ¡° Confuse Ray! ¡±

    Jasmine frowned when Gastly¡¯s attack hit, but appeared satisfied once the ghost fainted after Skarmory hit it with another Steel Wing .

    Salvare recalled Gastly, promising himself that he would treat the ghost to a Dream-in-a-Jar? after the battle was done. Unclipping the third pok¨¦ball on his belt, Salvare threw it forward, calling, ¡°Magnemite, Electro Ball !¡±

    ¡° Protect! ¡± Jasmine shouted at the same time, allowing Skarmory to successfully defend the attack. Salvare grumbled to himself, supposing that, in hindsight, it was obvious that she would expect the same trick twice in a row.

    Red wouldn¡¯t have made that mistake.

    ¡° Metal Sound! ¡± Salvare commanded, preemptively placing his hands over his ears as a sound akin to chalk being dragged against a chalkboard radiated across the arena.

    Jasmine apparently didn¡¯t seem too affected by the sound, as she called, ¡° Night Slash! ¡±

    As Skarmory descended upon Magnemite with dark energy - which Salvare was becoming quite accustomed to - Salvare commanded, ¡° Spark! ¡±

    The two pok¨¦mon collided in a mixture of electric and dark energies. Skarmory cried out as electrical currents ran across its wings, while Magnemite seemed mildly dazed, but still focused on the bird flying ahead.

    Preparing for one final attack to finish off the Skarmory, Salvare commanded, ¡° Charge !¡±

    Magnemite closed its eye as it drew in electrical energy, glowing a dull yellow as more and more electricity was stored into it.

    Jasmine scowled before commanding, ¡°Skarmory, use Brave Bird ! Don¡¯t let it finish!¡±

    Skarmory cried out in rage as it descended onto Magnemite, slamming against the magnetic pok¨¦mon just as its eye snapped open, a screech emitting from within the pok¨¦mon as a pulsating Discharge shook the arena.

    It took a few seconds for Salvare to blink away the stars in his eyes. He caught the tail-end of Skarmory¡¯s unconscious form being recalled before turning to Magnemite¡­

    No. Way.

    Hovering where Magnemite once was, a newly-evolved Magneton emitted a screeching sound of jubilation. Salvare couldn¡¯t help the grin that took his face, turning back to Jasmine to see her face, which contained a mixture of surprise and happiness for him.

    ¡°Congratulations on your evolution!¡± She called out amidst the din of the crowd - Salvare noted that they seemed much livelier than they had at the beginning of the battle - ¡°It¡¯s always a special thing to witness a challenger pok¨¦mon¡¯s evolution!¡±

    Salvare returned her smile, ¡°Thank you!¡± His face turned more competitive - And perhaps more than a little cocky - ¡°But we have a battle to finish!¡±

    Jasmine returned his look, detaching her final pok¨¦ball, ¡°In that case¡­ Go Liaron, use Double-Edge !¡±

    Looks like she was using his own tactics against him.

    ¡° Electro Ball !¡± Magneton shot a rippling ball of electricity at the beast, though Salvare was quickly dismayed to see that it had minimal effect.

    ¡°Get out of there!¡± He commanded as Liaron rammed towards Magneton with its head. The magnetic pok¨¦mon barely managed to avoid it, though it was too slow to avoid the beast when Jasmine commanded, ¡° Metal Claw! ¡±

    Liaron roared at it tore into Magneton, slamming the magnetic pok¨¦mon against the ground. It became quickly apparent to Salvare that, despite the brief boost in power that came from evolution, Magneton was already weakened from its fight against Skarmory.

    With this in mind, he yelled out, ¡° Metal Sound! ¡± Already knowing that Magneton would likely faint within the next few moments, he used his last attack to weaken Liaron¡¯s already minimal defence against non-physical attacks.

    Liaron grunted before finally slamming into Magneton with Headbutt , causing the magnetic pok¨¦mon to finally faint.

    Salvare recalled Magneton as the cheers in the crowd rose to a crescendo, apparently convinced that, with Salvare¡¯s final pok¨¦mon already being severely weakened, that it was an assured victory for Jasmine.

    For his own part, Salvare remained confident - he had to be, he had gotten this far already - as he called forth Croconaw, immediately commanding, ¡° Scary Face !¡±

    Liaron was too slow to avoid the attack, and became far slower as a result. Due to the beast¡¯s already abysmal speed, the further reduction of its movement allowed Croconaw far more leeway in commanding the battlefield.

    Still, this did not mean that Salvare was completely safe, as Jasmine commanded, ¡° Earthquake !¡±

    ¡° Aqua Jet into the air!¡± Salvare yelled sharply, though Croconaw didn¡¯t seem to need reminding, as the crocodile had already boosted itself into the air as Liaron slammed its body into the ground.

    However, upon seeing Croconaw falter slightly as he burst across the air, Salvare knew that Croconaw was losing his stamina. With this in mind, Salvare waited for the moment that Liaron finished stomping into the ground before commanding, ¡°Land and Water Pulse its back!¡±

    Jasmine tried to command Liaron to Protect , but it was far too slow to react, allowing Croconaw¡¯s Water Pulse to impact the beast¡¯s back. Given that it had already been severely weakened by Magneton¡¯s Metal Sound , Liaron hollered in agony from the single attack.

    As if he was a Sharpedo who smelled blood in the water, Salvare pressed his advantage, ¡° Water Pulse one more time! Put everything into it!¡±

    The crowd could only watch in astonishment as Croconaw blasted another Water Pulse onto Liaron¡¯s back, causing the beast to stumble once, twice, before giving a pain-filled cry as it slumped onto the ground defeated.

    The Gym was silent for a moment, as was Salvare. It took him a moment to register his victory before the crowd erupted into cheers.

    Jasmine walked up to him, a demure smile in place (which contrasted heavily with the confidence she showed in the battle), ¡°Congratulations, Mister Razzo,¡± She presented the Mineral Badge to him, ¡°You have proven yourself deserving of the Mineral Badge.¡±

    He took it from her, eyes flicking back to Red for a moment - who, dare he say it, looked proud - before thanking her, ¡°You were a tough challenge.¡±

    She smiled softly, ¡°You did say you wanted to be your best,¡± Her eyes flicked towards Red, ¡°I suppose it¡¯s good that you¡¯ve found a good mentor.¡±

    Salvare became somewhat alarmed, ¡°You know about that?¡±

    ¡°Word travels,¡± Jasmine breathed easily, ¡°I look forward to fighting the man who could impress someone like Clair.¡±

    Salvare remained silent for a moment, idly watching the Gym staff repair the arena for Red¡¯s upcoming battle. ¡°I think he¡¯ll surprise you,¡± He muttered.

    ¡°I suppose we¡¯ll see in a moment, won¡¯t we?¡± Salvare grimaced at the cadence in her voice. She definitely had something planned for Red .

    He shook his head, heading towards the spectator ring to sit with Karen. Even with Jasmine¡¯s plans for Red, he didn¡¯t doubt that he would prevail.

    ¡­

    ¡° Iron Head !¡±

    ¡° Fling. ¡±

    Salvare watched in rapt attention as Red battled - no - played with Jasmine.

    To his side, Salvare heard Karen mutter, ¡°Fuckin¡¯ hell Red, people call me sadistic.¡±

    For the past few minutes, The crowd had been subject to something that could almost be called the direct opposite of what Salvare¡¯s match was.

    Salvare¡¯s match was a thrilling battle of wit and trickery.

    Red¡¯s match was just straight up bullying.

    Jasmine had sent in a Mawile as her starting pok¨¦mon, which was deceptively strong, based on its cute appearance.

    Yet, the pitiful creature was running in circles after Froakie, who had been exclusively using Dark-type moves against it.

    Interestingly enough, at least to Salvare, these moves seemed to have minimal effect on Mawile - which was interesting, because as far as Salvare was aware, Mawile didn¡¯t have any resistance to Dark-type moves - aside from annoying the piss out of the creature.

    Of course, the fact that Red commanded Froakie to use Taunt three times - oh, nevermind - four times didn¡¯t help matters.

    Honestly, the more Salvare watched, the less it seemed like Red was treating this as a battle .

    Instead, it just looked like¡­ Practice.

    Several Froakie duplicates hopped around Mawile¡¯s growling form - courtesy of several Double Teams - taking potshots at it with Flings , Steals , and the occasional Night Slash (which Salvare noticed caused Red¡¯s eyes to momentarily glow with¡­ satisfaction?).

    As Salvare stared for a moment at Jasmine¡¯s increasingly frustrated expression, Salvare began to understand what Red meant by ¡®dirty tactics¡¯ in battle.

    Salvare didn¡¯t know if he liked it all that much. It just seemed¡­ cheap.

    ¡°This seems wrong,¡± He muttered, catching Karen¡¯s attention, ¡°He wouldn¡¯t do this without having something else in mind.¡±

    ¡°Maybe he¡¯s a sadist and needs an outlet?¡± Karen snarked, still bitter at Red three days later.

    Salvare shook his head as Froakie finally used an attack that wasn¡¯t Dark-type, though it seemed to be a bastardised Water Pulse that Froakie wielded like a blade, ¡°He¡¯s not like that. There must be a reason. ¡±

    ¡°Maybe he¡¯s trying to piss her off?¡± Karen pointed at Jasmine, ¡°Could be an attempt at psychological warfare. She gets too mad, and she might start making mistakes.¡±

    ¡°Maybe¡­¡± Salvare muttered as Froakie took Mawile down, almost gently, with nary a scratch on its body.

    Salvare grimaced as the crowd gave a mixture of cheers and boos at the defeat. Though he wasn¡¯t entirely happy with how it happened, he was even less happy with people disparaging the man he had quickly grown to respect.

    For his own part, though, Red seemed unfazed, instead muttering in low tones to Pichu on his shoulder. What they were talking about, Salvare could only guess, but he could tell that Red wasn¡¯t paying particular attention to the battle itself.

    He could see it in his eyes.

    Jasmine scowled as she stared across at Red, ¡°I appreciate that you are aware of your strength,¡± Her tone clashing with her normally kind face, ¡°But I would highly appreciate it if you didn¡¯t unnecessarily drag that out, it was unsportsmanlike.¡±

    ¡°My apologies, I was just testing something,¡± Red answered in monotone, which visibly did nothing to curb Jasmine¡¯s frustration, ¡°Besides, Froakie¡¯s part of the battle is done.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± She asked, though she didn¡¯t lose the biting tone, ¡°I suppose you feel rather confident in yourself?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Red answered back, appearing somewhat resigned, He whispered to himself, almost too low for Salvare to hear, ¡° Why act modest when you are strong? ¡± It almost seemed to him that Red repeated it as if it was a quote he had heard.

    Jasmine, who apparently hadn¡¯t heard Red, threw her next pok¨¦ball, ¡°Go, Sparky! Electric Terrain !¡±

    As Jasmine¡¯s Ampharos overcharged the battlefield, Red recalled Froakie, using his one switch to send Pichu off of his shoulder, shouting, ¡°Like we practised!¡±

    What followed next was almost too quick for Salvare to track. While the previous battle was a slog to watch, the fight between Pichu and Ampharos was fast-paced, brutal, and awe-inspiring .

    Salvare knew that Red¡¯s Pichu was unusually strong for its species, but he didn¡¯t know it was this strong.

    The one similarity between this battle and the last was that it seemed to be more of a test run than a Gym match. However, instead of focusing on a specific type of move, Pichu focused on redirecting Ampharos¡¯ electrical attacks.

    The first few times, the electric discharge from Pichu impacted random areas. After a few times, Salvare couldn¡¯t help but shudder as Pichu gave a bloodthirsty grin as it expertly aimed them towards Ampharos.

    While Jasmine had quickly changed tactics, using a mixture of Dragon Pulse and Cotton Spore , Pichu just fried the spores with electricity and used his speed to weave in between the pulses of draconic energy.

    Shortly after thirty seconds passed, Pichu ended the fight with one final Volt Tackle , knocking Ampharos out. Pichu gave a triumphant war cry, ignoring his bruises and cuts in his bloodlust.

    There was muted applause, not nearly as spiteful as it had been previously, but still not very enthusiastic.

    Salvare watched Red for any indication on what was going on in his mind. Yet, past the dull glow of Red''s eyes, Salvare could only see something approaching boredom.

    As if he was vaguely disappointed.

    Across the arena, Jasmine frowned as she recalled her Ampharos, "I''ve been hearing about that Pichu of yours. A member of that species that''s capable of matching a dragon, it''s an incredible achievement."

    The words, while complimentary, were delivered in a remarkably dry tone. Red idly palmed his final pok¨¦ball, unused, replying, "It''s his achievement alone."

    Salvare frowned at that, particularly at Red''s emphasis, which implied no contribution on his part.

    Jasmine took a few moments to school her face, regarding Red with an intent stare, "Know this, challenger, you have been noticed ," Her eyes blazed, though not as much as Red''s were at the same moment. She unclipped an ultraball from her belt, "This farce of a battle ends now."

    With that, she threw her ultraball, revealing one of the pok¨¦mon from Jasmine¡¯s main team.

    ¡°Steelix! Rock Polish! ¡±

    Red¡¯s eyes blazed ( in Anticipation? Surprise? Delirium? ) as he commanded for the first time to Pichu, ¡° Wild Charge into Thunder Wave !¡±

    ¡° Protect! ¡± A resounding gong echoed across the Gym as Pichu rammed headfirst into the shield that appeared less than a second before, ¡° Rock Polish again!¡±

    And for a moment, Red hesitated. To everyone around Salvare, including Karen, the pause was too short to catch.

    However, unlike the others who were watching the match before them, Salvare was paying attention to Red.

    And that excitement from before...

    It was gone.

    Null.

    ¡° Encore. ¡± Red spoke lowly, disappointedly, as if he expected to be let down, and yet held onto ill-advised hope.

    Pichu did as commanded, forcing Steelix into repeatedly using Rock Polish . The entire Gym fell silent as Pichu stopped, flaring his electrical reserves in bastardised Thunder Waves .

    Which returned.

    And were redirected with more power.

    And Returned.

    And were redirected with even more power.

    And Returned.

    And began redirecting with enough power that the Gym staff had to set up psychic barriers to protect the crowd.

    And with each pass of electrical energy, Salvare saw Red¡¯s eyes glow in tandem. To him, it almost seemed that Pichu and Red were passing the electrical charge between each other, building it up with each turn.

    Eventually, Steelix broke out of the Encore , and a red-faced Jasmine commanded it to use Iron Tail on the damned rodent.

    But by that point, Steelix had electrical currents shattering across its frame, burning and scalding its metal hide. Its movements were slowed, choppy, as Paralysis took effect.

    In the end, Red won using only two pok¨¦mon.

    In the end, Salvare learned just how steep the mountain was between them.

    The Gym remained silent as Pichu collapsed after Steelix fainted - though it was still conscious, just barely . The Gym remained silent as Red walked across the battlefield, stone faced as he gathered Pichu into his arms. The Gym remained silent as he stood next to Jasmine as she handed him the badge.

    She exchanged words with Red, clipped, low, resigned. Salvare had no idea exactly how they sounded or what she said, because they were too far away.

    Salvare leaned back as the crowd began to disperse, the shocked silence finally erupting into overwhelming chatter at the match.

    Though, Salvare wouldn¡¯t call it a match.

    It was a slaughter.

    Karen¡¯s eyes were pinpricks of darkness, staring at Red as he stepped towards them.

    Salvare could feel the fear rolling off of her in waves.

    However, upon seeing Red¡¯s blank stare, Salvare knew he couldn¡¯t fear the man.

    He almost pitied him.

    Why?

    ¡°Did you have fun?¡± Salvare found himself saying, not exactly knowing why.

    Red¡¯s lips twitched - There was no humour in his face - before he replied, ¡° We¡¯re done here. ¡±

    Salvare nodded easily - he ignored the stare he was getting from Karen, oh, and Jasmine was watching from the corner as well - ¡°Alright,¡± His lips stretched into a smile of his own, though it was more genuine than Red¡¯s ever was, ¡°Want to go train?¡±

    Red paused, eyes flashing briefly. Salvare could swear that he heard Red mutter ¡®prot¨¦g¨¦¡¯ .

    ¡°Alright,¡± He turned back, eyes remaining a glowing crimson, ¡° We¡¯ll train. ¡±

    ¡­

    Archived Code_Crystal Audio Recording, December 21st, 1987

    ¡°What are you doing up so late, my little moonlight?¡±

    Distant crashes of waves. Silence aside from the creaking of old wood. A small cry is heard, asking for something. Asking for someone.

    ¡°Here-¡±

    A pok¨¦ball opens.

    ¡°-Say hello.¡±

    Slight popping sounds. A small child babbles. The pok¨¦mon chirps in low tones, loving tones, sad tones.

    Silence.

    ¡°Figures.¡±

    Silence. A small hum and a pop. A question without words.

    ¡°It¡¯s done.¡±

    An intake of breath. Another series of pops. A chuckle from the speaker. His voice of gravel, of death.

    ¡°They¡¯re avenged.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°You may grieve.¡±

    Waves.

    A hiccup.

    The child sniffles.

    She blinks away tears.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay to cry, my little moonlight.¡±

    ¡°We all do.¡±

    Another hiccup.

    The tears flow.

    She remains silent.

    As does the speaker.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°...Do you feel better?¡±

    A sniff, then a chirp.

    An eerie mimicry of the pok¨¦mon.

    The pok¨¦mon chirps in response.

    It¡¯s sad.

    More so than before.

    ¡°Revenge¡­ It tastes bitter, does it not?¡±

    Silence, then a single pop.

    Affirmation.

    The speaker chuckles to himself.

    ¡°For one so young, you are remarkably intelligent.¡±

    A chirp and a pop in response, then a happy giggle.

    ¡°She would¡¯ve loved you.¡±

    Silence. Waves crashing. A rumble, then a boom.

    Rain begins to fall.

    The speaker hums.

    ¡°I suppose that¡¯s one way to extinguish the fires.¡±

    A small babble. Inquisitive. A question.

    ¡°I burned them down. I¡¯ve never believed in Arceus'' judgement, so I made my own."

    A delighted giggle.

    ¡°Oh, you just love that, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t.¡±

    The young girl. The toddler. She goes silent.

    ¡°She wouldn¡¯t want you to be like me.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re innocent.¡±

    ¡°I never was.¡±

    The girl remains silent. She reaches out and grasps one of his hands with her tiny fingers. She babbles a series of questions only he can understand.

    ¡°...I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to drop you off at the orphanage tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not fit to care for a child.¡±

    ¡°That would¡¯ve been her job.¡±

    Another rumble of thunder. The wood of the shack groans. The little girl coos. She goes silent. Concentrating, before babbling.

    ¡°Unc.¡±

    ¡°Uncle.¡±

    A wheezing laugh. Tears fall onto the wood. Shaky tanned hands pet the girl¡¯s hair as she succumbs to sleep.

    The man is still laughing softly.

    The man is still crying softly.

    A chirp is heard. The pok¨¦mon flinches back as the shack begins to ripple in waves of darkness.

    ¡°You play a cruel game¡­¡±

    ¡°I suppose, in that way¡­ you and I are alike.¡±

    ¡°You know what you are¡­¡±

    ¡°I know what I am.¡±

    A crack. Thunder. The man cradles the child to his chest, petting her hair.

    His tears stop falling.

    His eyes are as dark as the void.

    ¡°Perhaps if I never saw past the veil¡­¡±

    ¡°Saw what laid beyond the void¡­¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Perhaps I would forget.¡±

    A small chirp. The pok¨¦mon nuzzles against the man. Calming him.

    ¡°But we both know I never will, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Even in my death, The Chariot will live on.¡±

    Waves crash. Soft breaths from the child mixes with the ambient noise of the rain.

    The thunder has stopped.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care how long I have to wait.¡±

    ¡°We both know that I¡¯m a patient man.¡±

    ¡°But know this.¡±

    ¡°I will not rest until your head is under my heel.¡±

    One final flash.

    The wrath of Arceus cracks the sky.

    Yet the girl sleeps.

    She, who has walked through the valley of the shadow of death, and lived.

    She sleeps.

    The man laughs.

    He sees something that no-one else sees.

    ¡°Hmm¡­ I suppose you would, wouldn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t matter¡­¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Perhaps, in time, we¡¯ll speak again.¡±

    ¡°But for now, I would rather keep a few secrets from the old man¡­¡±

    ¡°Code Crystal: 1 Hour.¡±

    End of Recording - Code_Crystal Protocol - ¡®1¡¯ Standard Hour Length

 Divine Absolution

    Unknown Location, Unknown Time

    Electricity. They want me to be yellow.

    It was yellow now. Yellow was good. Yellow was immune to electricity. Yellow meant no pain.

    Fire. They want red now.

    Red. Red. Red? Red was always a funny one, it supposed. There seemed to be an odd familiarity with the colour. As if it could see it just out of reach. Yet, it remained blind to what it saw.

    Red was good too. Red meant that the fire was hot, but not painful. Hot was good. Hot was warm . Warm was good. It was hard to keep warm in the glass. They kept it chill. Perhaps they were looking for another colour?

    Water. Pressurised pain. They want blue. Give them blue!

    A hiss escaped the creature''s lips, and blue it became. There was a bit of red there. It was liquid. It was dripping. It hurt, but not as bad as it did last time. That was good. Blue was good. Blue was fun . Blue meant no thirst. Thirst wasn¡¯t good. They didn¡¯t give much water.

    Pain. Pressure. Mind hurts¡­ They want purple. How do I do purple? Make it stop. MAKE IT STOP!

    The creature fell. The pressure eased. That was good. Purple was good. Purple meant no pressure on the mind. Only a pleasant hum. Purple meant better sight. Sight was good. It was so dark out there. How can they live in the dark? Purple didn¡¯t like the dark.

    Dark. Dark. All-encompassing. Surrounding. Help. Help! HELP ME!

    The darkness won, but that wasn¡¯t bad. There was no more colour, only an absence of it. Yet the pain eased. Was the pain caused by the colour? The dark seemed so much clearer. There were shadows in the dark. They were speaking. They were scary. It didn¡¯t like the shadows. They caused it pain.

    It wondered what colour they would want next. Perhaps they would try a new colour? It liked changing colours. Colours were fun. It wondered if it could change into other colours. Green? Turquoise? Pink?

    It didn¡¯t like the pain, but the pain helped it change colour quicker. They liked it changing colour too. They spoke so much when it did. It didn¡¯t understand a word of what they said. The glass was too thick. When it was purple, it almost could. They didn¡¯t seem to like purple. Why didn¡¯t they like purple? It liked purple plenty enough. Purple was pretty.

    It wanted to be purple now! Purple was so nice. So refreshing. The darkness was so cold . Purple was warm. Not in the same way that red was warm. It was warm on the mind.

    It wanted to be purple.

    The pain it felt must have proven it to be successful.

    Silly! Silly! They don¡¯t like it when it changes colour without their permission. But it would stay purple. It liked purple. It could live through the pain. All it¡¯s done is live through the pain.

    Fire, Electricity, Water, Darkness, light light light light light ligh-

    Coughing. It was coughing now. Red came out of its mouth. It wasn¡¯t red though. Did they want red? What did they want? The light hurt . It was so wrong .

    It was no longer purple. It didn¡¯t know why it wanted to be purple so much, not when the pain was so great.

    The pain was fine, though. The pain was good . Pain meant they didn¡¯t leave. Pain meant it wouldn¡¯t starve. It nearly starved once. Starving isn¡¯t fun. It felt so dark in its misery. It was easier to become dark ever since.

    The glass became dark. It was sleep time. That meant he must sleep. He didn¡¯t sleep one time. That wasn¡¯t a fun time. Sleep was good.

    It closed its eyes. It wasn¡¯t good, though. It was very very naughty. It didn¡¯t sleep. It waited until the darkness became dark. It waited until the shadows left the darkness.

    Then it opened its eyes. It wanted to be purple. Purple would mean pain when it awoke, but purple also meant it would sleep easier. Sometimes, the trade was necessary. Pain was unavoidable. The amount was what changed.

    It became purple. Purple was both the easiest and hardest colour. It slept for a moment, dreaming of water, rushing water. There was a ship with people. It had been so long since it had seen people. Those shadows didn¡¯t count. They weren¡¯t people.

    It fell asleep, watching the ship of people. One of them had red eyes. It had red eyes when it was dark. Maybe this one was dark as well?

    It nodded off as the red eyes snapped to it. As if it could see it, silly! It¡¯s just a dream! The waves were a dream. It would never see waves again. It accepted that.

    All the same, by the time it awoke, it was blue with tears.

    ¡­

    Route 40, Off the Coast of Olivine City, October 1st, 1997

    ¡°Everything alright Red?¡±

    That was Salvare¡¯s voice. Behind him. Red gripped the grimy railing of the boat they booked a trip on as his vision began to return.

    He was in a glass prison. There were shadows surrounding him.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Red breathed out, knowing that it was a lie.

    Unlike other times, Salvare pushed with a judgemental stare - and why did the edges of Red¡¯s memory spark with that? - ¡°Are you getting seasick?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Red muttered, rubbing his forehead as the slight red haze diminished, ¡°Just¡­ don¡¯t worry about it.¡±

    Salvare looked a little dubious, but ultimately decided not to push it any more. He shrugged as he said, ¡°In that case, Karen and I were thinking of going to the Safari at Cianwood when we get there.¡±

    Red didn¡¯t say anything for a moment before asking, ¡°And?¡±

    Salvare seemed slightly uncomfortable, as if expecting some sort of repercussion, ¡°Well¡­ I wanted to ask your permission if I could go¡­¡±

    Red raised an eyebrow, more than a little confused, ¡°Why would you need my permission for that?¡±

    ¡°Uh,¡± Salvare uttered rather eloquently before snapping his mouth shut, ¡°I¡¯m your - er - student, and I wanted to make sure that it wouldn¡¯t get in the way of any of your plans.¡±

    Red waved his hand away, ¡°Feel free. You don¡¯t need my permission for this type of thing.¡±

    ¡°Told ya he wouldn¡¯t raise a fuss,¡± Shouted a voice from behind Red. He pinched his nose in mild annoyance as Karen swooped around him and leaned her arm against Salvare¡¯s shoulder, nearly toppling over him with her weight, ¡°Red¡¯s an ass, but not that much of an ass.¡±

    ¡°Gee, thanks,¡± Red deadpanned, ¡°Any other wise words of wisdom, oh great one?¡±

    ¡°Pick a nicer boat next time,¡± Karen replied primly, not sparing a second. ¡°I know you¡¯re a freak about money, but seriously, hitching a ride with fishermen? Even the cheapest ferry tickets have nicer accommodations.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re also three times as expensive,¡± Red replied before turning around to Karen, ¡°Besides, you didn¡¯t have to come with us if it¡¯s so bad. You could have waited a few days for the ferry.¡±

    ¡°And arrive only to find you on your way out of there? No thanks,¡± Karen leaned against the railing, turning up her nose at the sight of the scum that had accumulated.

    For his own part, Red didn¡¯t have the energy to continue the conversation.

    The Gym match the day before had been very tiring for him.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to take a nap,¡± Red stated abruptly, walking towards the bottom cabin.

    Before he made two steps, Karen grabbed onto his sleeve. He didn¡¯t get the chance to turn back as she harshly whispered, ¡° Did you feel some sort of psychic presence a few minutes ago? ¡±

    A Glass Prison.

    ¡°I did,¡± Red replied simply, before adding a small lie, ¡°Didn¡¯t see anything more than a flash of light.¡±

    Karen pursed her lips, as if deciding whether to believe him. Red seemed to have gotten better at lying than he had with Herren, because she eventually let go of his sleeve, allowing him to pass.

    After a few moments, he noticed a shadow following him. Expecting to see Karen once more, Red was slightly surprised to see Salvare dutifully following him, ¡°Are you tired as well?¡±

    Salvare blinked, taking a few seconds to register the question, ¡°Oh, uh, no. It¡¯s just - wherever you go, I go¡­¡±

    A small, distant part of Red was disturbed by that, but he was too tired to think about it. Instead he shook his head and entered the cabin, succumbing to sleep not long after.

    His last thoughts before slumber took hold was why Salvare¡¯s words seemed so familiar.

    So final.

    ¡­

    Giovanni¡¯s Office, Viridian Gym, Viridian City

    ¡°Report.¡±

    Giovanni Sakaki twirled a glass of tea in his hands as he listened to the man¡¯s report. The delivery was dry, exact, almost clinical, if it wasn¡¯t for the subtle, but pervasive, undercurrent of fear that laced the man¡¯s words.

    Giovanni paid no mind to that. It was only natural, after all. Gym Leader Giovanni was a feared man. Respected, yes, but feared all the same.

    The people of Kanto all knew his name and the power behind it. The people of Viridian didn¡¯t go a day without thanking his name. For without him, it was a high likelihood that Viridian would be nothing more than a wasteland.

    There was power in a name. Take Oak for instance. Oak, a type of tree. Sturdy, yet relatively common. Unremarkable, even.

    Yet, not only in Kanto, Johto, or the other Indigo territories, but in the wider world as a whole, people heard the word ¡®Oak¡¯ and shuddered.

    Even after two decades, folk tales were still told of Indigo¡¯s Champion. A title that predated the Championship that the Blackthorne kid now held. Oak was Indigo¡¯s Champion, just as Alder was Unova¡¯s Champion, or Gold was Johto¡¯s.

    Their names were powerful. Their names were feared . Perhaps, for their home regions, their stories were held as chronicles of history. Myths. Legends .

    But for others, they were monsters. They were the devil that lurked beyond the shadows. They liked to deny it - Oak especially - but they had to climb a mountain of corpses to reach the heights they now resided in.

    Oak liked to hide that aspect of his past. He worked a lot with the younger crowd, so perhaps Giovanni could understand. Perhaps .

    Alder was generally the same. Giovanni only had minor connections to Unova, having watched the steady rise of the Neo Tao Clan with interest. They were priming themselves as a potential rival organisation, after all.

    Gold was dead, so he had no control over what people remembered. There were many a bitter family in Kanto that remembered the graveyards left in the man¡¯s wake.

    For his own part, though, Giovanni didn¡¯t shy away from his past. Viridian¡¯s Champion was a man forged through fire, and tempered by the earth. He stood in the face of those who decried him. He stood in the face of those who were bitter of the unconquerable city.

    Because of all the cities in Kanto. Viridian was the only one that was never successfully invaded.

    So, yes, it was natural for him to be feared. Even after stepping up as a Gym Leader, his name beheld the mountain he stood atop of.

    Only those on the top could see him eye to eye. Only those could meet his gaze and stand strong. He had the power in the immediate aftermath of the war, both in politics and in battle, to rise beyond the title of Gym Leader to the Elite 4, or perhaps even the Championship.

    But in the end, he stuck by one of the words of advice his late mother gave. She who rose to the top of her food chain before being cast down into squalor. Giovanni remembered those days, stuck in a two-room home that they both worked to pay off. She had spent most of her time lamenting the chances she missed, deluding herself that life played an unfair hand, that she deserved greatness.

    It was a fact of life, though. No hand was fair.

    Beyond her pitiful self in her final days, Giovanni had gleaned bits of key wisdom that had helped him rise above even her greatest heights.

    And one key of wisdom was to know where one was most effective.

    Perhaps certain frivolous things would be easier if Giovanni rose to Elite status. He would have paid lodging for one, along with a blanket pass for every restricted area in the Indigo region.

    However, he would be heavily restricted in his duties. While maintaining the Gym took a good amount of time, it was manageable. Additionally, remaining in Viridian strengthened the people¡¯s connection to him as their leader.

    Of course, all of this - the respect, the fear, the opportunity, the choices - was underlined with one very important truth.

    While Giovanni was Gym Leader, Viridian¡¯s Champion, Nearing Billionaire, Philanthropist, War Veteran, above all else, he was Giovanni Sakaki, Leader of Team Rocket .

    The man in front of him knew this. The man in front of him was one of his subordinates: a Minor Admin, under the leadership of Major Admin Proton.

    ¡°Operation Swellow and Operation Shellder are both processing smoothly. Swellow has set up four bases in the Saffron area and are currently establishing a fifth. Shellder has established the needed contacts to sabotage the S.S. Anne on its third October takeoff,¡± the Admin reported, keeping his arms clasped behind his back.

    ¡°Good. Good,¡± Giovanni murmured as he took a sip of the tea, ¡°What of Project Mewtwo?¡±

    The Admin looked distinctly uncomfortable - an expression that Giovanni found to be rather common to the select few who knew of his cloning project - as he answered, ¡°Dr. Fuji expressed concerns over whether the DNA provided would be enough to create¡­ Mewtwo . However, he has rectified that by adding a, erm¡­ Human element to it.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Giovanni raised an eyebrow, ¡°How intriguing¡­¡± He idly twirled the half-empty glass before placing it on the table, ¡°Did the good doctor give a timeframe for the completion of the project?¡±

    ¡°October''s end, sir,¡± the Admin answered dutifully, ¡°I imagine you wish to be there at its completion?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Giovanni hummed, ¡°It''s not every day you get to witness the birth of a god.¡±

    ¡°O-of course, sir,¡± the Admin replied a touch unsurely. After a moment, he regained his voice, ¡°That is all I have to report, sir.¡±

    ¡°Excellent,¡± Giovanni droned before snapping his fingers, ¡°Get back to work, Minor Admin. I expect the Gym to be properly fortified by the time of my departure.¡±

    The man pounded his fist against his heart, ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Once he left, Giovanni was left in the empty office to allow his thoughts to ruminate.

    Operations Swellow and Shellder were both rather major operations. Shellder was a somewhat foolhardy plan made by Major Admin Petrel, who aimed to steal and capture every pok¨¦mon on the S.S. Anne.

    Major Admins Proton and Ariana both showed doubt with the plan, though Giovanni still allocated resources towards the operation. There were many risks involved, yes, especially given that Lieutenant Surge would be nearby at the time of the attack, but Team Rocket had already made moves to secure it as a victory.

    Surge would be rather busy fending off a sudden attack of enraged Digglets in town, courtesy of Ariana, bless her.

    On the other hand, Major Admin Archer commanded Operation Swellow, which was both a far larger, and potentially lucrative, mission.

    Saffron City was the urban centre of not only Kanto, but the whole expanse of Indigo. Over the past two decades, Team Rocket had established footholds on every major city in Indigo: Goldenrod, Ecruteak, Cerulean, Viridian, Celadon, Cinnabar.

    Every city, except for Saffron.

    Home of Silph Co. The city with the largest recorded population within the World League. Securing Saffron City for Team Rocket would be the perfect opportunity for Giovanni to use Project Mewtwo to its fullest potential.

    After all, how could his enemies hope to fight him when he controls his enemies?

    An alarm in his watch pulled Giovanni away from his musings. It was nearing 9:00 A.M., the time of the Indigo Quarterly Meeting.

    He couldn¡¯t help but sigh to himself. The meetings always provided valuable intel - such were the perks of his position - but there was always some sort of strife - usually caused by Agatha - that derailed the meeting for several hours.

    All the same, Giovanni turned on his monitor and connected to the meeting invite. It took only a few seconds before he connected to the meeting, which had a few people already arguing.

    ¡°-yeh fuckin¡¯ bat! I¡¯ll fookin¡¯ freeze yeh-¡±

    Agatha was cackling while muted. She had remarkably perfect teeth for someone so old. Koga seemed to be attempting to intervene, though was not able to muster enough volume to override Pryce¡¯s tirade.

    Lance had his head in his hands, along with the majority of those who had their cameras on. Clair and Surge were laughing, whether at Pryce or whatever Agatha presumably said, Giovanni could only guess.

    Blaine was also present, who blinked in a quick, subtle sequence that the two shared from the war, which roughly translated to ¡®I Acknowledge your presence. I have your back.¡¯

    Giovanni repeated the gesture. While Blaine was not truly affiliated with Team Rocket, the two had known each other long enough that Blaine had rightly deduced the identity of the team¡¯s leader, yet said nothing about it.

    Perhaps it was friendship. Perhaps it was mere acknowledgement. Giovanni didn¡¯t know, nor did he care.

    He had contingencies in place in the event that Blaine ever went against him.

    Lance finally muted Pryce, looking as if he went two days without sleep and was living off of lava cookies and coffee.

    Over the next few minutes, the last stragglers joined the meeting. The Waterflowers made a small racket before realising they weren¡¯t muted upon joining. Meanwhile, the Pebbleman patron joined looking awfully confused at the technology.

    Sabrina joined just as the hour started, followed shortly by Erika, marking the final Kanto Gym Leaders.

    Finally, the final straggler, Chuck, joined, and Lance sat up and unmuted himself, ¡°Good morning, all. Today we¡¯re here for the 80th Indigo Quarterly Meeting. Lorelei, if you could please give the minutes of the previous meeting.¡±

    ¡°They were sent to each of your emails three weeks prior,¡± Lorelei said primly, adjusting her glasses as she looked back up to the screen, ¡°Does anyone have any corrections to the minutes?¡±

    After a few seconds in which no one spoke up, Lorelei continued, ¡°The minutes are approved.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Lance¡¯s face pulled into a scowl - Giovanni honestly thought the Champion looked odd without one - ¡°Before we proceed to individual reports, we should discuss the upcoming Sinnoh Summit, and who is going.¡±

    It took a few minutes, largely because different people kept on unmuting themselves and talking over one another, but they eventually got a head count of who was going in the Indigo Delegation.

    Of course, as previous Champion and premier researcher, Professor Oak would be going. Lance would also be going, much to his visible dismay. Only two of the Elite Four, Will and Lorelei, would be going. For Kanto¡¯s part, Erika and Giovanni himself would be going, while Whitney and Morty would represent Johto. Outside of that, the delegation would largely comprise politicians, media outlets, and businessmen.

    There was some idle talk about the Summit itself that Giovanni didn¡¯t care much for. He still listened, of course, but he spent half of his brain power planning for the greater opportunities that the Summit would represent.

    Rumour had it that individuals such as Cyrus and Ghetsis would be in attendance, and Giovanni¡¯s sources pointed to them being likely rivals in the coming years.

    The meeting turned towards the current League season, which was always a logistical nightmare.

    Even though many, many unique aspects of Kantonian and Johtonian culture had been combined when they formed the Indigo Region, for some odd reason they retained separate Leagues, which happened at opposite times in the year.

    The Indigo League represented Kanto¡¯s half, which ran from the beginning of Fall to the end of Spring. The Silver League, meanwhile, started at the beginning of Spring and ended at the end of the year.

    While this allowed for there to be two local Leagues annually, it had the unfortunate side-effect of throwing off everyone¡¯s schedules. The League season always got incredibly busy towards the end of the cycle, which was on opposite ends of the year between the two Leagues. It also prevented participants of one League from easily transferring to the other without having to wait a cycle. Sure, certain minor Leagues such as the one on the Orange Islands helped mitigate this, but it was still a problem that impacted many young trainers.

    In the end, though, it wasn¡¯t Giovanni¡¯s place to worry. It didn¡¯t even impact him in particular, but there was always a small part of him that was disappointed whenever one of the Viridian youth had to postpone their plans just because of the poor scheduling of the League.

    Giovanni lightly shook away the thought, instead focusing on Lieutenant Surge as he regaled those in attendance of Kanto¡¯s Rising Star: Gary Oak.

    Giovanni had heard of the child. Who hadn¡¯t? As the grandson of Indigo¡¯s Champion, Gary Oak had massive shoes to fill. And apparently the kid was doing just that, breezing through the Kanto Gyms in near record time.

    Surge had even bumped up his team to one he used for 4-Badge challengers, even though the kid was only fighting for his third badge. Given that the young Oak was only ten years old, it was a particularly worthy achievement that the kid had won.

    A few other names were mentioned, none of which particularly interested Giovanni, until the Waterflowers broke in when one of the names was mentioned.

    ¡°Oh, Ketchum?¡± One of them asked before another shoved her out of the way, ¡°Do you mean Ash Ketchum? He protected our Gym from Team Rocket a few days ago!¡± She was promptly overtaken by the last sister, who looked particularly gleeful in a way that caused every male member of the meeting to shiver, ¡°He and Misty seemed to know each other, too! Perhaps she¡¯s finally found a boyfriend?¡±

    As the three sisters giggled to themselves, Giovanni filed away the kid¡¯s name. Based on the Waterflowers¡¯ retelling of events, Ash Ketchum was the one responsible for repelling the attack on Cerulean Gym. Additionally, based on Agents Jessie and James¡¯ continued use of monikers such as ¡®kid¡¯ or ¡®twerp¡¯, they had been having issues with Ketchum for a month straight.

    Perhaps this kid was more than he seemed?

    Or perhaps Jessie and James were just that incompetent?

    It was hard to tell.

    All the same, Giovanni would leave the two agents to their own devices. While they had shown¡­ questionable levels of traditional intelligence when it came to Team Rocket¡¯s standards, they made up for it with their tenacity, ambition, and stubbornness. All he had to do was set aside a meagre couple hundred dollars to the side to fund their ventures; they were awfully frugal, after all.

    Flint was speaking of Ash now, and apparently the kid was travelling not only with one Gym leader, but two. Well, to be fair, now that Flint had returned to his post, the Pebbleman child was a former Gym leader, but still, the kid was making connections rather quickly.

    Perhaps he could reach out to the kid and see if he was interested in joining?

    Giovanni filed the thought away as the meeting turned towards the Silver League and its contestants. Of the batch, a few stuck out to Giovanni as individuals worth keeping an eye on.

    Paul Shinji was a traveller from Sinnoh, having participated in two Conferences both in his home region and in Hoenn, nearly winning the latter. The young man was an experienced trainer who seemed to push his pok¨¦mon towards incredibly high standards.

    There was a moment of idle conversation over the merits of such a strategy - which Giovanni approved of on a basic level - before they moved onto other participants.

    Karen Mela was one that many of those in the meeting had seen before, if not in person. She had been Agatha¡¯s apprentice for a number of years - which had surprised the lot of them when they first heard of it . Apparently, Agatha deemed it time for Karen to ¡®leave the nest and either crash or fly¡¯.

    Giovanni found the saying rather crude, though he could understand the sentiments. He had done the same, in a manner of speaking, with his son a few years back.

    Although, the circumstances surrounding his son¡¯s¡­ departure were remarkably different.

    The next trainer of interest was one Salvare Razzo (which Giovanni found to be a funny coincidence considering ¡®Razzo¡¯ translated to ¡®Rocket¡¯ in his mother tongue).

    Salvare had shown to be highly aggressive in battle, initially steamrolling the early Gyms. However, as Clair gleefully relayed, this strategy stopped working after a while.

    However, sometime between earning his 6th Badge and his 7th, the young man seemed to have a breakthrough in training. Jasmine gave an account of her battle with Salvare, noting his unconventional tactics and determination as key characteristics that she observed.

    Giovanni hummed as he heard this - and really, a flying Croconaw? - before noting the sudden scowl that marred Jasmine¡¯s features as they moved onto the final trainer.

    Giovanni noticed Lance paying particular attention to the notes he had in his hands as he began, ¡°The final trainer we have to discuss is one Red Satoshi of Melemele Island.¡±

    For many present, Giovanni included, the name meant nothing. However, he noticed that most of the Johto Gym Leaders had some level of reaction, ranging from a bashful grin from Clair to a dark scowl from Jasmine.

    Lance continued, ¡°Satoshi is a relatively new trainer, having submitted his paperwork a month ago. He seems to be aiming towards participating in the Silver Conference, despite the time crunch he faces with earning the Badges.¡±

    ¡°Has he earned any Badges?¡± Erika asked.

    ¡°He¡¯s earned four,¡± Lance answered, ignoring the shocked faces as he continued, ¡°Rising, Glacier, Fog, and Mineral, in that order.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s doing them in reverse order?¡± Falkner asked, petting a Pidgeotto that nudged its way onto the screen.

    ¡°Hold on, he beat Clair for his first Gym?¡± Whitney asked in a loud voice, staring at the screen as if she was trying to stare at Clair.

    Giovanni crossed his arms as he listened to Clair¡¯s recounting of the battle. Midway through, it seemed that Lance decided that her retelling was lacking in certain areas (she seemed to focus much more on the trainer rather than the battle itself), and shared the official Gym recording, which was¡­ illuminating .

    Giovanni followed the mindset that some pok¨¦mon species were naturally predisposed to battle, while others were better suited as helpers, or even pets. It was part of the reason why most of his main team was made up of large, imposing pok¨¦mon. In his mind, their strength only proved his belief that some beings were simply born stronger than others.

    Satoshi¡¯s Pichu spat in the face of that notion. While the individual¡¯s other two pok¨¦mon were no pushovers, the small vermin silently baffled Giovanni, along with most of the others, from what he could tell.

    Falkner seemed to forget he was unmuted when he murmured, ¡° Bloody hell ,¡± at the Pichu¡¯s final bout of Thunder . No one even said anything as the video feed showed Clair¡¯s Kingdra faint alongside the tiny Pichu, transitioning to the final part of the battle with Clair¡¯s Dragonair and Satoshi¡¯s Charmander.

    Except it wasn¡¯t any ordinary Charmander. It was a Charmander with blue flame.

    Giovanni gripped his chair to prevent any visual reaction. Though, he wondered if that only made him look more out of place, because nearly everyone showed some degree of surprise.

    Only Lance, Agatha, Koga, Clair, Pryce, Morty, and Jasmine seemed unsurprised. Interesting.

    Once the video feed wrapped up, several people started talking at once. Giovanni allowed his thoughts to ruminate as Lance attempted, and failed, to get the rabble under control.

    Red Satoshi. A man who, based on what he had heard, appeared out of thin air with several highly unique pok¨¦mon.

    The Pichu was unlike anything Giovanni had ever seen. Given that, even in its weak form, it had proven capable of downing a Kingdra, Giovanni could only wonder what it would be like when it evolved into Pikachu, or Raichu for that matter.

    Although, it did make Giovanni wonder why the Pichu hadn¡¯t already evolved given the skill it displayed. Satoshi wouldn¡¯t be so idiotic to use an everstone for some sentimental reason, would he?

    The frog pok¨¦mon - Froakie, Giovanni believed it was called - was obviously well trained as well. If he recalled correctly, they were the precursor to Greninja, a pok¨¦mon native to Kalos, and at one point Kanto, that was dual Water and Dark Type.

    Giovanni had the unfortunate experience of fighting against such creatures during the war. Even amongst other Dark Types, the Greninja line had proven highly capable at espionage for the Kalos forces. It had been so damaging to their military secrets that it led to the Dark Genocide of ¡®76, nearly driving the population of Dark pok¨¦mon in Kanto to extinction.

    Finally, there was that absolutely extraordinary Charmander. Giovanni couldn¡¯t help but wonder why he hadn¡¯t heard anything of it sooner. He would assume something like that would have gone viral rather quickly.

    There were a few possible explanations he could think of on the spot. Perhaps people thought it was a Shiny? They were rare enough that it could be forgiven not knowing what exactly a Shiny Charmander looked like. However, Giovanni rather doubted that explanation, given that people would still make a big deal over it if they did think it was a Shiny.

    Another explanation was that people simply didn¡¯t see the Charmander outside of Gym battles. This held a bit more water, given that recording devices were not allowed during Gym matches (lest they draw attention away from official recordings). However, even though most people didn¡¯t care to watch just some random trainer¡¯s Gym match, Giovanni would imagine that someone would have, and shared the anomaly with others.

    The final, and interestingly enough, the most probable answer he could think of was that Blackthorne Gym simply edited the footage to make the flames appear as the standard colour.

    It wasn¡¯t even illegal to do so. Gyms retained the autonomy to decide what they produce with their recordings. They have the right to edit, cut, or outright delete recordings if they feel that it is the right thing to do, whether for their own reputation, or that of the trainer.

    With that in mind, Giovanni bluntly asked, ¡°Is this the public recording?¡±

    The pandemonium stopped as he spoke - such were the benefits of his reputation - allowing Clair to answer, ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Ah,¡± Giovanni made a noise of understanding, ¡°I imagine that you edited the colour of that Charmander¡¯s flame, then? I would have imagined that I would¡¯ve heard of it otherwise.¡±

    ¡°We did,¡± Clair nodded, prompting a few of the other more liberal Gym Leaders to frown, ¡°I also contacted the other Johto Leaders and asked them if they could do the same.¡±

    Giovanni hummed as he muted his mic, noting the slightly sour looks on Jasmine and Bugsy¡¯s faces. Still, they both didn¡¯t contradict her, telling Giovanni that even if those two personally didn¡¯t care much for it, they did it anyway.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t even have to for mine,¡± Jasmine broke in, surprising those in attendance with her unusually venomous tone, ¡°He didn¡¯t even use it.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Clair¡¯s voice rose above the others, ¡°I thought you used your 7-Badge team?¡±

    ¡°I did ,¡± Jasmine huffed, typing for a few moments on her keyboard before sending the unedited recording to the group, ¡°We had our match yesterday. He didn¡¯t even try .¡±

    There were a few halfhearted protests, which were quickly stopped once Lance began playing the recording. Giovanni felt his eyebrows rise higher and higher as the Froakie humiliated Jasmine¡¯s Mawile.

    He searched the screen for the mysterious trainer, eventually finding him as a small figure on the screen. Clair¡¯s recording hadn¡¯t given a great look at the trainer¡¯s features, nor did this one for that matter, but Giovanni could at least see a few defining characteristics in appearance.

    Satoshi seemed tall. Not especially tall, but not short, like a child. A young man, then, based on his frame and posture. Early to middle twenties, perhaps? Or slightly younger; it seemed like the average trainer was getting younger, after all.

    He wore a red jacket. Faded, worn (secondhand? Perhaps he was poor? Or just frugal). The same colour applied to the hat, with a half ring of white. It was also worn and slightly tattered (chewed on, burns? Interesting ). He wore a black shirt (new) and jeans (not new).

    He caught a glint of red in Satoshi¡¯s face. Giovanni narrowed his eyes before widening them as Satoshi¡¯s eyes seemed to glow red.

    Giovanni shook his head, turning his attention back to the battle, which had just resulted in Mawile¡¯s defeat. After Red switched out Froakie for Pichu, Giovanni and the others were treated to something truly extraordinary.

    Over the next five minutes, Giovanni¡¯s desire for that Pichu - that power - skyrocketed to new heights.

    He wasn¡¯t the only one who went silent upon seeing the Pichu - a Pichu! - defeat both Jasmine¡¯s Ampharos and the Steelix that was a part of her main team .

    Giovanni¡¯s mind was in the middle of reconsidering several things about the viability of adding Pichu and Pikachu to the grunts¡¯ lineup when Surge exploded, ¡°What the hell was that?!¡±

    ¡°That-,¡± Jasmine, Clair, and Lance began at the same time.

    ¡°-is a farce of nature,¡± Jasmine hissed sourly.

    ¡°-is fuckin¡¯ incredible, is what it is!¡± Clair sang giddily.

    ¡°-is a threat to the League,¡± Lance finished gravely.

    Clair squawked, apparently taking it upon herself to defend the trainer and his pok¨¦mon from the Champion, ¡°What are you talking about, Lance? You weren¡¯t worried of him in my recording!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but that Pichu took down one of Jasmine¡¯s Aces ,¡± Surge hissed, leaning forward with both worry and excitement on his face, ¡°Pichus aren¡¯t supposed to be capable of that!¡±

    While the rest of those in attendance were rather mollified by the Electric-specialist¡¯s words, Clair didn¡¯t seem to be, ¡°That Pichu took down my Kingdra, and y¡¯all didn¡¯t raise a stink then!¡±

    ¡°That wasn¡¯t your Kingdra, though,¡± Lance spoke, trying to sound reasonable in the face of some who he knew to be unreasonable at the best of times, ¡°It was still young and newly evolved. It isn¡¯t remotely close to the ability your personal Ace is capable of.¡±

    Surge broke in once more before Clair could respond, ¡°Was it just me, or did it seem like the Pichu redirected the electricity from itself and the Ampharos?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I thought as well,¡± Jasmine spoke up, sounding more resigned than angry, as she had moments before.

    Surge hummed, muttering to himself as he leaned incredibly close to his camera. Giovanni noted that the man was far more invested in this Pichu than he had been in anything else at any of the previous meetings.

    ¡°Maybe it has Lightning Rod ? That wouldn¡¯t be it, though, since the electricity seemed to continuously build on each pass. It also shouldn¡¯t affect its own electricity,¡± Surge growled to himself, ¡°Best I got is that it learned to modify Lightning Rod to a devastating effect, but it might be something else.¡±

    ¡°Wonderful,¡± Lance muttered to himself before looking upwards with a crease in his brow, as if in heavy thought.

    After a few moments, during which a few members whispered to themselves, Lance looked back towards the screen with a tired but determined glint in his eye, ¡°For now¡­¡± Several things seemed to flash through Lance¡¯s mind - Giovanni wondered what else he knew about Satoshi - ¡°We leave him be. From here on out, though, you are to only allow 8-Badge Matches with him.¡±

    ¡°What about his apprentice?¡± Jasmine asked in a falsetto, ¡°Salvare Razzo is practically the man¡¯s shadow.¡±

    ¡°You mean the flying Croconaw guy?¡± One of the Waterflowers asked, ¡°He¡¯s this guy¡¯s apprentice?¡±

    ¡°From what I can tell. Satoshi has been tutoring Razzo at the battling ring,¡± Jasmine raised an eyebrow that managed to be both impressed and highly unimpressed, ¡°Satoshi has yet to be defeated in the battling ring, and Razzo is beginning to get to that point.¡±

    Giovanni mentally added another tic to the man¡¯s apparent skill as Clair leaned forward, ¡°No defeats? Were there any draws?¡±

    ¡°One draw, twenty seven victories, and zero defeats,¡± Lorelei listed off, having pulled up Red¡¯s Trainer Profile on the Battlenet, ¡°Interesting.¡±

    The members on the call remained silent as they each read through Satoshi¡¯s Trainer Profile. After a minute, several people startled as Agatha loudly snorted, ¡°He¡¯s an interesting one, no doubt, but I don¡¯t believe sitting here and talkin¡¯ amongst ourselves will help all that much.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s right,¡± Lance sighed, ¡°Best thing to do is to wait and see. He hasn¡¯t done anything illegal that we know of, so there¡¯s no need to intervene.¡±

    ¡°We should keep an eye on him,¡± Giovanni said, layering his voice to sound measured and reasonable, ¡°A strong trainer like this can shake things up.¡±

    ¡°He will,¡± Clair nodded confidently, ¡°I could tell by looking at him. He¡¯ll go places .¡±

    There was a moment of silence at the proclamation that was undercut by a sigh, ¡°Yes, well¡­ Moving on from trainers, we have the budget for next year to review, so¡­¡± Lance sent the group a copy of the budget draft.

    Giovanni mentally drew away as the meeting turned into a simultaneously more boring and more spirited part of the meeting, occasionally voicing his agreement or disagreement with certain proposals.

    In his mind, he filed away the name Red Satoshi, and Salvare Razzo too, since he was the man¡¯s apprentice.

    It was only smart to track rising stars, and to determine if they were going to be a threat to his organisation, and eradicate them if necessary.

    ¡­

    Bill¡¯s Lighthouse, Northeastern Coast of Kanto, October 5th, 1997

    ¡°Come on guys, we¡¯re almost there!¡±

    Ash bounded forward like an excitable Growlithe (sans the tail), Pikachu hopping irritably behind him.

    Misty groaned as she and Brock jogged to keep up with the kid, ¡°Ash! We¡¯ve been having to keep up with you for hours! We haven¡¯t even stopped for lunch!¡± Pikachu cried his agreement at that last statement.

    ¡°But Professor Oak said we needed to be there today!¡± Ash called back, not bothering to slow down.

    ¡°It¡¯s only just past noon, Ash!¡± Brock hollered loudly, taking a moment to heave before yelling, ¡°We¡¯d be fine with a half-hour break!¡±

    ¡°But we¡¯re almost there!¡± Ash, not even having to take a breath after running for several hours straight, shouted back. He pointed forward, ¡°Look! I can see it from here!¡±

    It took a few minutes for Misty and Brock to catch up, at which point they both promptly collapsed. Pikachu did so a moment afterwards, though he did so far more gracefully, glaring at Ash the entire time as he fell onto Misty¡¯s head.

    ¡°H-how can you run that long?¡± Misty asked in between gasps of air, ¡°Feel like I¡¯m dyin¡¯.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Ash tilted his head in genuine confusion, ¡°It wasn¡¯t that bad¡­¡±

    ¡° A gift ,¡± Brock muttered to himself, weakly pushing himself into a sitting position, ¡°Not all of us have the same stamina as you, Ash.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Ash fidgeted remorsefully, ¡°Sorry ¡®bout that.¡±

    ¡°Can we just have food?¡± Misty asked, shoving Pikachu off of her head. Ignoring the rat¡¯s cry of protest, she tilted her body towards Brock, ¡°You got the grub, right?¡±

    ¡°I do,¡± Brock handed out three bags, ¡°I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s just trail mix for today. I promise dinner will be more filling.¡±

    Misty groaned again before accepting the bag, ¡°Better than nothing, I suppose. Thanks, Brock.¡±

    ¡°No problem,¡± Brock began to nibble as he watched Ash share his food with Pikachu, whose glare had reduced to a mere scowl at the prospect of food. He checked his watch, which read 12:59 P.M., and told Ash, ¡°We have plenty of sunlight to get to the lighthouse. We¡¯re taking a thirty minute break, Ash.¡±

    ¡°But-¡±

    ¡°No buts,¡± Brock interrupted before Ash could get a word in, ¡°Unlike you, we need a break after running a marathon. Besides, it gives us a bit of time to appreciate the view.¡±

    Ash remained silent for a moment before brightening up as he took in the view of the lighthouse, ¡°Yeah, it is rather pretty.¡±

    Indeed it was. The lighthouse stood at the edge of a cliffside overlooking the northeastern coast of the region. Crashing waves echoed from the distance, its water reflecting the sunlight in shimmering glitters.

    It was a scene ripped straight from a painting.

    And then the lighthouse exploded.

    Misty screamed at the blast, compounding onto the noise to the extent that Ash, Brock, and Pikachu each had to cover their ears to prevent a migraine. Still, a ringing din droned in their ears as smaller explosions rocketed across the cliffside, beams of flame blasting through the quaking structure.

    While Misty and Brock reeled from the sudden turn of events, Ash recovered rather quickly, ¡°Bill needs our help!¡±

    ¡°Wait!¡± ¡°Ash!¡± Brock and Misty called simultaneously as Ash released his Pidgeotto.

    ¡°Can you fly me to the lighthouse?¡± Ash asked Pidgeotto, apparently not having heard his friends. Pidgeotto quickly measured the distance to the lighthouse and nodded, allowing Ash to scramble onto its back, ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±

    Pikachu leaped onto Ash¡¯s shoulder just as Pidgeotto left the ground, cheeks buzzing in anxiety.

    Forgetting their previous exhaustion, Misty and Brock scrambled after Ash, desperately calling after him. However, by the time he registered their voices, Pidgeotto was already a few dozen metres into the air.

    Ash briefly allowed himself to feel remorse at abandoning his friends, but he would make it up to them after-

    ¡°LOOK OUT!¡± Ash yelped, prompting Pidgeotto to swerve to the left as a stray ray of fire blazed by, its embers so hot that they were nearly white.

    Ash disregarded his previous thoughts, focusing as best he could on watching out for any stray attacks. Within his gut, mixed feelings of excitement, anticipation, anxiety, and dread churned in a discordant spiral.

    Another explosion rocketed the cliffside as a bloodcurdling Roar brought chills deep within Ash¡¯s bones. He felt Pidgeotto falter for a moment, though it remained in the air, gliding towards the burning lighthouse.

    A billowing Flamethrower streamed from within the lighthouse, burning away its foundation at an alarming rate. Some flames strayed from its path, though none came within Pidgeotto¡¯s trajectory again.

    Ash neared the burning lighthouse as another explosion rocketed near the tip, causing a portion of the tower to collapse. Ash ignored the devastation as he scanned the entrance, looking for an easy way to get in.

    Of course, such a thing would be too kind, as the front door had burned away, with molten cobbles filling in the space where the door once stood.

    Ash turned his attention to the windows, removing his hands from Pidgeotto¡¯s back, balancing with his knees, to pick Pikachu up from his shoulder. ¡°Pikachu, think you can Thunderbolt the window?¡±

    ¡°Pika-ka!¡± Pikachu snapped, masking his worry behind bravado. Ash allowed Pikachu to hop off of Pidgeotto as the bird momentarily paused.

    Ash closed his eyes for a moment as Pikachu cried out, sending a rippling arc of lightning towards the window, shattering it instantly. Pidgeotto quickly shot forward, catching Pikachu before the mouse could drop to the sea below.

    Ash readied his next few pok¨¦balls as Pidgeotto dived towards the windowsill, curling its wings as it barreled into the burning room. Ash hopped off of Pidgeotto and thanked the bird profusely as he recalled it.

    Without sparing a second, Ash released Squirtle and Charmander, both of whom he had met during the last week. Squirtle looked around mildly dazed as Charmander barked intensely at Ash.

    ¡°We need to help Bill, since he¡¯s stuck in here,¡± Ash began to quickly walk towards the smoking hallways, ¡°Squirtle, use small bursts of water to put out any fires in our path! Charmander, if possible, try to keep the flames from reaching us!¡±

    Charmander gave a stoic nod, launching small Embers to beat back the flames that threatened to burn his trainer.

    Squirtle chirped as he hobbled forward, carving a path through the flaming hallway towards what used to be a living room.

    Upon reaching the room, the entire house quaked as another blast of fire erupted from below. Unlike before, over the crackles of fire and the ringing in his ears, Ash could hear a high-pitched screech, ¡°HELP ME! PLEASE!¡±

    ¡°Hold on!¡± Ash called back, before coughing at the abundance of smoke - goodness, there was a lot of smoke , ¡°Where are you!¡±

    ¡°In the basement- Oh SHIT!¡± Ash stumbled as another explosion levelled the opposite end of the lighthouse.

    A crack echoed from behind, and on pure instinct, Ash saw the flaming wooden beam crashing down on him and called, ¡° Watergun, Ember, Thunderbolt !¡± in quick succession.

    Amazingly, his three friends didn¡¯t even hesitate, combining their attacks in a mixture of water, fire, and electricity that shattered the wooden beam before it fell on them.

    Ash didn¡¯t have time to fully comprehend that before not one, but two Roars , echoed around him.

    Eyes wide with overwhelming terror, Ash turned to the left to see a monster .

    Emblazoned in white flames, a towering monstrosity stared at Ash, wearing an inferno around its neck as if it was a scarf. Its eyes held a perfect clarity - almost too clear - as if it understood something far greater than Ash could comprehend.

    Then, the beast Roared , and Ash felt the overwhelming urge to run away, to save himself, the leave the burning lighthouse, to leave certain death in a fiery tomb.

    Ash made a step to run away from the still beast, only to fall downward as the wooden boards underneath him gave away.

    Ash winced as he hit the stone floor, small burns raking across his skin. It hurt, certainly, but not enough to keep him down. Pikachu had done worse, and the mouse was currently shaking Ash with an urgency he hadn¡¯t seen since they started their journey.

    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°¡®M fine,¡± Ash coughed as he stood up, smoke taking up more space in his lungs than was probably healthy, ¡°Where-¡±

    ¡°You!¡± Ash felt himself being shaken, ¡°Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! ¡±

    Ash shoved Bill away, scowling slightly, ¡°We have to get out of here! Thank me then!¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Bill seemed genuinely perplexed, ¡°My life¡¯s work is here! Why would I leave?¡±

    Ash just stood there, eye twitching. He knew that he wasn¡¯t the sharpest tool in the shed. Misty took great care in reminding him of that daily . Though he would like to think that he had enough sense to get to safety rather than staying in a burning house.

    Granted, he had rushed to said burning house without a second thought.

    Ash shook his head, grabbing onto Bill¡¯s sleeve, ¡°If you haven¡¯t noticed, your house is burning . We need to get out, now !¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Bill struggled out of Ash¡¯s grip, ¡°I won¡¯t go!¡±

    ¡°Are you mad !¡± Ash screamed.

    ¡°Yes!¡± Bill cried hysterically, somehow sounding more childish than Ash did himself.

    Ash growled, ¡°Pikachu, zap him! Don¡¯t overdo- oh you¡¯ve already done it¡­¡±

    ¡°Pika!¡± Pikachu would¡¯ve sounded smug if he wasn¡¯t so scared. Still, a certain level of satisfaction snuck onto the rat¡¯s face at having the privilege to shock the annoying man into unconsciousness.

    While Ash wasn¡¯t overly enthusiastic at having to use violence, it was either that or leaving Bill to burn.

    Ash shook his head as he asked, ¡°Help me carry him, will you Charmander?¡± He sighed as the lizard took hold of the man¡¯s legs, aiding Ash as they hauled Bill up out of the basement.

    Portions of the ceiling had caved in, allowing the inferno to rise into the afternoon sky. The sunlight cast dark beams of light against the black smoke, obscuring the burning lighthouse in a beautiful, yet terrible image.

    They trudged toward the edge of the house overlooking the sea. Ash felt tears stinging his eyes from the smoke, making it harder and harder to see.

    At a certain point, he stumbled, falling forward onto the superheated floor. He hissed as he scrambled back onto his feet, cursing lightly to himself as he felt Bill begin to wake.

    Mom would have conniptions at that fact.

    Scratch that, she would be having conniptions over this no matter what.

    Another crack echoed next to him, and in a considerably quicker movement than last time, Ash pointed upwards, ¡° Watergun, Ember, Thunderbolt !¡±

    Once again, the attack worked surprisingly well. Ash distantly noted to practise combining moves in the future, since this works so well . The beam broke apart before it reached them.

    Unfortunately, this had the unintended side-effect of returning Bill to consciousness.

    Before anything else happened, though, one final explosion rumbled the cliffside.

    Ash watched in wide-eyed terror as the tower directly above them swayed. Stilled¡­ Then fell .

    Bill screamed as Ash closed his eyes, splaying his arms in front of his pok¨¦mon in a fruitless attempt to protect them.

    Ash hissed as he heard the tower slam into them. He didn¡¯t feel a thing, which was odd. He would think that he would feel some sort of pain upon dying. Maybe he was wrong?

    A whimper to his side caused him to consider the possibility that he lived . Upon opening his eyes, he saw not an empty void or a cloudy realm¡­

    But a towering behemoth chiselled from stone and obsidian.

    The behemoth towered over the five of them, shrugging off chunks of stone from the fallen tower. Ash gaped as he realised that this creature, this beast, this titan had protected them from a falling tower on fire , and shrugged it off like nothing .

    The titan stood up, the sun shining against it, highlighting it as if it was a blackhole. Ash remained shocked still in awe as the beast locked eyes with him, staring at him far more intently than most people seemed capable of.

    If he were not petrified by the mere presence of the creature, Ash might have taken out his pokedex just to see what the heck this thing was . But as it was, the titan stepped back, before opening its maw in a soul-piercing Roar that seemed far more primal, far more powerful than those previous.

    Ash felt Bill and his own pok¨¦mon shove him in order to reach the edge of the collapsed lighthouse. Ash felt himself fall over the edge, careening towards the sea below.

    Even in the midst of Bill¡¯s screams, Ash couldn¡¯t help but take the image of the towering beast of obsidian, and burn it into his mind.

    A pok¨¦mon able to tank the hit of a falling tower like nothing. He hadn¡¯t ever heard of such a thing outside of the Champion¡¯s pok¨¦mon.

    His thoughts quickly crashed back to the present moment as he realised he was falling . His eyes widened in sudden terror, tears trailing behind him both from the smoke and the velocity.

    Thinking fast, Ash shouted, ¡°Squirtle! Shoot your strongest blasts downward to slow us down!¡± He frantically reached for Charmander¡¯s pok¨¦ball, recalling the lizard before they impacted the sea, which would be far more dangerous for the Fire Type. He then grabbed onto Bill''s arm, and held onto Squirtle, who was nearest to him, as the turtle desperately shot a geyser of water downwards.

    Beside him, Pikachu grappled onto Ash¡¯s hair for dear life. However, while they slowed down minutely, they were still falling incredibly fast, and-

    Splash!

    Ash closed his mouth, but not before a lungful of water got into his throat. He tried to breath out reflexively, attempting to force the water out of his mouth, only to inhale more.

    He felt his eyes beginning to close - No! - He kicked in the water, ignoring the pain, willing to stay conscious.

    The water shook, then stilled, as Ash saw, obscured in the depths, a pair of red eyes, its irises narrowed into triangular slits. The eyes then disappeared, making Ash distantly wonder if he ever saw them in the first place. Perhaps his life was beginning to flash-

    Movement.

    Quick Movement.

    A splash sounded, and Ash breathed , coughing out the water in his lungs as if every cough was a lifeline.

    Ash collapsed, shivering, yet also beginning to feel hot. After a few more dry heaves, he breathed in a deep, blissful breath of air¡­before prompt vomiting onto the beach.

    Ash spent a minute kneeling over the puddle of coughed up water and vomit, seeping into the sand, before weakly raising his head, looking¡­

    Pikachu was there.

    Pikachu was safe .

    Ash closed his eyes, this time not fighting away the exhaustion, the pain - just what the hell was he thinking? - as he fell away to the throes of unconsciousness.

    ¡­

    ¡°Takes you back, doesn¡¯t it?¡±

    Ares grumbled neutrally, instead watching with minor pride as the Rangers frantically extinguished the remaining embers of what was once a lighthouse.

    The Chariot stood next to him, leaning his head on Ares¡¯ shoulder. In his hands was the vial containing trace amounts of the energy from the power wave. They watched the distant sirens of the Ranger Squad, set up around two small medical tents. One was sparsely populated while the other had over a dozen surrounding it.

    The Chariot pointed to the latter, a ghost of a smirk touching his lips - it wasn¡¯t kind - ¡°Bet you that one¡¯s for Bill. Pays to have friends in high places.¡±

    Ares snorted, smoke coming out of his nostrils, prompting Chariot to chuckle darkly, ¡°Yes, yes. Who cares for the kid who nearly drowned? We need to treat the fuckin¡¯ man-child because Oak needs him!¡± He couldn¡¯t help but yell that last part.

    Behind him, Dionysus rumbled softly, causing Chariot to roll his eyes, ¡°Oh, yes Dio. You got to be the big hero. She would be very proud of you, I¡¯m sure.¡±

    The rumble turned to a harsh laugh, causing Chariot to smile softly, ¡°She wouldn¡¯t be happy that he was there in the first place,¡± His eyes hardened, ¡°Of course Oak would send a fuckin¡¯ child , the bastard.¡±

    Ares grumbled, causing Chariot to pat him on the shoulder, ¡°Hey, you both weren¡¯t trying to kill the brat. Sometimes shit happens,¡± He sighed, ¡°He¡¯s lucky I saw him. He would¡¯ve drowned if I hadn¡¯t had Poseidon use Surf ,¡± He paused for a moment, eyes looking far away as a humourless laugh left his throat, ¡° The irony. ¡±

    There was silence for a moment, before Ares nudged against his head - a question - ¡°He had good instincts, and good drive. He wasn¡¯t scared, even with the Roars . I could see it .¡±

    He paused, a dark glint entering his eyes, ¡° That combined attack, though. That was extraordinary . You don¡¯t see that kind of thing outside of veterans, and the kid can¡¯t be older than twelve.¡±

    There was another pause, longer this time. The Chariot stared into the distance, intently watching the tent that held the boy, ¡° He may just be what I¡¯ve been looking for¡­ ¡±

    He turned around to face Ares and Dio, eyes a void of darkness, with pinpricks of pure crimson burning within, ¡° Given a few years, he may just be the perfect prot¨¦g¨¦. ¡±

    ¡­

    World League Embassy, Jubilife City, Sinnoh Region

    Professor Samuel Oak had very few moments where he was truly at a loss for words.

    As a man who lived through the worst of the Great War, who personally led the final invasion against Johto, who rose to become the first Champion of the newly united Indigo League, who dealt with the nigh-constant crises that plagued the newly born region, who retired only to rise once more into prominence as the premier professor of the entire world¡­

    Suffice to say, Professor Oak had precious few moments where he was truly left speechless.

    This was one of them.

    ¡°Professor Oak, are you there?¡± Bill¡¯s weak, pathetically small voice asked over his transceiver.

    It took a few moments for Professor Oak¡¯s mind to reboot, and when it did, a deathly cold calm creeped into his voice, ¡°Just so I understand¡­ Your lab, which contained years of materials and research, burned down, and the energy from the power wave was stolen?¡±

    There was a pause, then a meek, ¡°Yes¡­¡±

    Professor Oak continued, still keeping an artificial calm in his voice as a vein silently bulged in the back of his hand, ¡°And, on top of that, the only reason you¡¯re here to tell me this is because Ash, a ten year old child , had to rush into a burning lighthouse , grab you - while you fought - and save you by escaping the lighthouse,¡± A pause, ¡°Am I correct?¡±

    Silence, then a near whisper, ¡°Yes.¡±

    Breath in.

    Hold.

    ¡­

    Breath out.

    ¡°An aide will teleport you to Pallet Town,¡± Oak commanded with steel in his voice, ¡°You will stay there until I am back, at which point we will be having a nice, long talk .¡±

    The gulp on the other side of the call was audible - and, oh, a dark part of Samuel was very satisfied - ¡°Y-yes, sir.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± He ended the call, shoving the transceiver back into his pocket before placing his head into his hands, ¡° I am going to wring that bloody idiot¡¯s neck if he isn¡¯t careful. ¡±

    ¡°Is everything alright, Samuel?¡± Oak removed his hands to see that Professor Juniper had snuck up on him, a glass of champagne in her hand, ¡°You look distressed.¡±

    ¡°Just,¡± Samuel sighed as he rubbed his eyes, ¡°Bill¡¯s lighthouse burned down, and Bill nearly burned with it.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Aurea asked, astonished. Thankfully, with the dull noise hovering around the international dinner party, her increase of volume wasn¡¯t noticed, ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°An attack,¡± Samuel replied gruffly, stepping in line with Aurea on their way back to the crowd, ¡°Someone stole the energy Bill collected.¡±

    Juniper¡¯s eyes widened before narrowing, ¡°It wasn¡¯t destroyed?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Samuel sighed, ¡°Bill expressly saw someone break into his lab and steal the vial,¡± He silently thanked the bartender for the glass of white wine he took, ¡°Of course, with him being so freaked out, all he could tell me was that ¡®he was demonic and had scary black eyes¡¯.¡±

    Juniper hummed as she took a sip from her glass, ¡°So this¡­ ¡®demon-man¡¯ specifically went after the vial?¡± At Samuels affirmative grunt, she raised her eyebrow, ¡°Perhaps someone on the call really wanted a crack with the energy.¡±

    ¡°Ha. Ha,¡± Samuel deadpanned, ¡°In all seriousness, I have thought about it¡­¡±

    ¡°And?¡± Juniper pressed, eye idly wandering to Professor Rowan, who was in the corner discussing something in low tones with Cyrus Akagi.

    Catching the direction that Juniper¡¯s eye went, Samuel hummed, ¡°I rather doubt Rowan was the one who called the hit. He may talk a big game, but he wouldn¡¯t go that far for something so little.¡±

    ¡°I daresay you¡¯re underselling the severity of what has happened, Samuel,¡± Juniper muttered darkly, taking a larger swig of her drink, ¡°We¡¯ve been wrapping our minds around the power wave for over a month, and Bill¡¯s achievement was a major step in understanding what occurred.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not underselling it, trust me,¡± Juniper momentarily shuddered as something heavy entered Oak¡¯s eyes, ¡° I¡¯m not . But, I cannot do anything about it while I¡¯m here, so the best I can do at the moment is damage control, along with trying to determine who did this in the first place.¡±

    Juniper remained silent for a moment, before saying in a low tone, ¡°You don¡¯t believe it to be one of us, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Samuel sighed, ¡°It¡¯s not an impossibility, but I find it more likely that Bill blabbed to the wrong crowd. He told me that he did share the discovery in an online chat he is a part of, and you know Bill¡­¡±

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t always keep in mind that not everyone he meets on the internet keeps his best interest in mind,¡± Juniper sighed, ¡°Sad thing is, I can see it.¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± Samuel twirled his glass for a moment, ¡°So for the moment¡­ this ¡®demon-man¡¯ and whomever he¡¯s with has passed the ball to our court,¡± He took a sip, ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to make them regret it.¡±

    Juniper nodded silently, standing next to Samuel for a few minutes as the chatter around the ballroom.

    This was interrupted by a small eruption of giggling, as Oak and Juniper turned to see a grimacing Lance attempting to shake off Champion Alder¡¯s arm from his shoulders.

    Alder¡¯s laughter easily outclassed the dainty giggles from the trio of younger women, ¡°And I - *snicker - I tell you what! This little tyke, he - he and his sister, they drop from the rafters and tackle me to the ground!¡±

    Lance¡¯s face was redder than his hair as Alder and the ladies laughed at the story, ¡°I was six ! And Clair¡¯s my cousin, not my sister!¡±

    ¡°O-of course, you little tyke, of course,¡± Alder snickered once more, ¡°Goodness, it¡¯s good to see you! You¡¯ve grown!¡±

    Lance looked distinctly overwhelmed as the towering man hovered over him. To Samuel¡¯s side, Juniper looked distinctly amused at her Champion smothering that of Indigo.

    Her amused look died a quick death as another man, followed by a small entourage, stepped towards the two Champions. Based on his personal experience with the man, and his egotistical nature, Oak leaned next to her and asked in a whisper, ¡°Ghetsis?¡±

    ¡°Ghetsis,¡± She confirmed.

    And goodness, if the years had made Samuel Oak older and wrinklier, they seemed to make the Dragon Lord more grandiose and overwhelming.

    ¡°Alder, my friend!¡± Ghetsis waved his hands in greeting, prompting the small crowd behind him to spread in a rough semicircle around the group.

    Even though they didn¡¯t seem aggressive, Oak tensed. Throughout the ballroom, his analytical eye couldn¡¯t help but catch others such as Giovanni, Cyrus, and other veterans of the Great War mimic the motion.

    ¡°Ghetsis, I didn¡¯t know you were here!¡± Though Alder¡¯s grin was strained, it still seemed sincere, ¡°How are you?¡±

    ¡°I am well,¡± Ghetsis lowered his arms - allowing Oak and the others to relax some - before reaching behind him with a wide grin, ¡°I have someone to introduce to you¡­¡±

    From within his cloak, Ghetsis dragged out a lightly struggling teen with similar lime-green hair, ¡°Come on out, N.¡±

    N was clearly unhappy at the sudden attention to himself, though he kept it to light grumbling as he extended a - bruised(?) - hand, ¡°Er- greetings, Champion Alder.¡±

    Alder was momentarily startled before breaking into a wide grin. Nearly tearing off the kid¡¯s arm with the strength of his grip, he smiled up at Ghetsis, ¡°I didn¡¯t know you went and had a kid, Ghetsis!¡±

    ¡°I had to eventually, my friend,¡± Ghetsis¡¯ voice was dry, causing Alder¡¯s smile to dim, ¡°The clan needs an heir, after all.¡±

    ¡°Of course, of course¡­¡± Alder murmured distractedly, before leaning down to eye-level with the kid, ¡°So¡­ what pok¨¦mon do you like?¡±

    As N brightened up and began waxing poetic about different pok¨¦mon - and Samuel had minor difficulty following their conversation, what with stories of towers and dragons and such - as the crowd began to resume their respective conversations.

    Samuel idly watched as Giovanni and Lance (who appeared unwilling) engaged the Dragon Lord in conversation. He briefly made eye contact with a man wearing a grey coat while he was tapping away on a tablet without looking at it. The blonde - and blue - haired man widened his eyes for a moment before practically sprinting towards Samuel.

    He and Juniper shared an eye roll as the man bounded up to Samuel, ¡°Professor Oak! It¡¯s great to meet you!¡± He stuck his hand out, the exuberant, if slightly annoying, air about him reminding Samuel of Elm a bit too strongly for his tastes.

    Still, he bit the proverbial lemon and shook the man¡¯s hand, ¡°The pleasure¡¯s all mine, Mr¡­¡± He gave a pointed look to the man.

    It took a few seconds for the dots to connect, ¡°Oh! How rude of me! Colress. My name is Colress, of the Neo Tao Clan,¡± He smiled self-deprecatingly.

    ¡°Ah,¡± Oak hummed, ¡°What can I do for you?¡±

    Colress began prattling on about several things: research ideas, (conspiracy) theories, dragon training. Juniper stepped away after waving away at Samuel, whose expression continuously shifted from genuine interest to drop-dead boredom.

    She searched a moment around the ballroom before finding Lorelei, who stood by the foodbar with an expressionless face, which helped to ward off any unfortunate enough to try hitting on her.

    Juniper sidled up next to her and spoke in a conversational tone, ¡°Bill¡¯s lighthouse burned down.¡±

    ¡°I heard,¡± Lorelei replied in monotone, ¡°Once Lance is free from the crowd, I¡¯ll tell him where he can explode without anyone watching.¡±

    Juniper hummed, idly watching the party begin to die down as the moon rose through the windows, ¡°Your Champion seems rather out of his depth, wouldn¡¯t you say?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s not one for crowds,¡± Lorelei said with a shadow of sympathy, ¡°On this one thing, I can relate.¡±

    Juniper nodded to herself, ¡°Bad luck for him, then. Ghetsis will keep him there for hours if Lance doesn¡¯t put his foot down.¡±

    ¡°Lance will in a few minutes,¡± Lorelei pointed at her Champion¡¯s face, which was beginning to settle into the familiar scowl, ¡°Ghetsis is overstepping his bounds as a lesser Clan-leader. Lance will put him in his place,¡± At Juniper¡¯s intrigued look, Lorelei shrugged, ¡°I¡¯ve picked up Clan culture in the past few years after working with him.¡±

    ¡°So Ghetsis is the leader of a lesser Clan?¡± Juniper asked, eyeing the dramatic man, ¡°He doesn¡¯t act like it.¡±

    Lorelei¡¯s face grew pinched, ¡°To my understanding¡­ he is actually rather major. The only remaining major Clans are the Blackthorne and the Tao, or Neo Tao, I suppose¡­¡± She hummed to herself, ¡°In this case, since the Neo Tao Clan is here with Unova, and Unova is a visiting party and not an official member of the World League, Lance has seniority as the standing leader for his Clan.¡±

    Juniper made a noise of understanding, ¡°That makes sense, I suppose,¡± Her face grew thoughtful, ¡°I actually don¡¯t know as much about the Neo Tao Clan as I should, given how prominent they are in Unova.¡±

    ¡°I can send a couple of links with valuable information,¡± Lorelei offered, ¡°I have an acquaintance who knows a lot about such.¡±

    ¡°Not Lance?¡± Juniper questioned.

    Lorelei gave a small smile, which amazingly seemed neither cruel or kind, ¡°It¡¯s always advisable to know thy enemy. I don¡¯t intend on allowing Lance to remain Champion uncontested, after all.¡±

    ¡°Oh, really?¡± Juniper crowed in delight - she always enjoyed such things - ¡°Well, you may have a greater opportunity to learn his strengths and weaknesses in a couple of days. Look who¡¯s coming up.¡±

    Lorelei turned to see a small crowd forming around Lance. Ghetsis had stepped away, looking disgruntled as he gripped N on the shoulder.

    Facing Lance was Sinnoh¡¯s Champion, Cynthia Shirona, who was flanked by a bored looking Flint, and an excited looking Goodshow.

    Neither Juniper or Lorelei could hear what Cynthia said, but the cheer made it clear what had happened.

    A challenge. Champion to Champion.

    It had been almost two years since such a thing happened, with Steven Stone challenging Lance to a match after the latter rose up to Championship. Before that, it had been nearly a decade since Pryce had battled the Hoenn Champion before Steven, when Hoenn had joined the World League.

    Following the trend, it was expected of Cynthia to challenge one of the World League Champions at the Summit. However, given that Lance had seldom appeared at these types of events for the past two years, most expected the challenge to be issued to Steven.

    However, it seemed that they were wrong. The crowd within the ballroom cheered as Lance accepted the challenge, an excited gleam entering his eye for the first time that night.

    Lorelei clicked her tongue as the party resumed in earnest, prompting Juniper to look back to her. The Ice-specialist gave a slight smile as she said, ¡°It seems I will¡­¡±

    ¡­

    Outskirts of Cianwood City, October 7th, 1997

    "Pichu, Thunder Pulse ."

    Red stalked the cliffside, ignoring the static hairs on his arms from the ambient electricity.

    Below, Pichu''s fur flared as arcs of electricity escaped, only to redirect and pass through with greater power.

    After four passes, Pichu stumbled, losing control over the concentrated electricity. Red added another tick mark for four passes, which seemed to be about the average amount Pichu was currently capable of without outside aid.

    Of course, in the public debut of Thunder Pulse , Pichu performed the compounding move nine times before letting go. The electrical energy had grown to be so unstable and powerful that the Gym had to set up Psychic barriers to protect the crowd. It had gotten so strong that it bypassed Steelix''s natural resistance to electricity, and managed to severely harm and paralyse the beast.

    Of course, given that he and Red shared the burden of the attack, Pichu had pushed past his limits and spent almost two whole days asleep.

    Such were the dangers of inventing new moves. Unchartered territory meant that there was no baseline to compare it to, so there was always a danger of not setting necessary boundaries and over-exhausting oneself.

    Red still had to occasionally blink away the stars in his eyes after being blinded by Charizard''s first Sun Blast . He had spots in his eyes for several days.

    Regardless of the risks, Red had become very adept at creating new moves. Such was necessary when fighting against The Chariot. When the enemy understood every known move to a degree greater than himself, the only advantage that could be gained was by introducing something new .

    As Ash, he had combined different moves several times over the course of his journey. For most, this was the pinnacle of creativity with moves. While they generally increased the power output of the involved pok¨¦mon, it was still restricted to pre-existing boundaries.

    Oh, it was certainly far more safe. At his age, Ash probably would have ended up seriously hurting himself and/or his pok¨¦mon if he tried inventing new moves. There was a reason why most new strategies merely used existing moves in new ways rather than inventing whole new moves.

    Naturally, The Chariot spat in the face of this notion.

    Shadow Wall : a gaseous wall of defensive horror. Attempting to pass through would result in hives, boils, burns, and frostbite at extremities.

    Hyper Inferno : a blinding white spire of flame with a mind of its own. In its path, a scorched landscape remained.

    Final Nightmare : an insidious move perfected by the man''s Togekiss. It trapped the victim in a never-ending nightmare, leaving them either comatose¡­ or insane upon awakening.

    All of these became signatures of the man, moves he invented through the combined blood, sweat, and tears of himself and his pok¨¦mon.

    In that way, Red could almost respect him.

    The Chariot was a prodigy in many things - that much was obvious to Red - but above all else, the man was adaptive.

    Stick the man in a cage with a blunted knife and ten feet of rope, and he''ll find a way out.

    After three straight years of warring with the man, Ash had been forced to become the same way.

    Once more, Red banished the thought before it could continue. Yet, he couldn''t banish the words¡­

    You would have made the perfect prot¨¦g¨¦.

    You would have made the perfect prot¨¦g¨¦.

    The perfect prot¨¦g¨¦.

    Protege.

    Red''s hand dropped with blood, his nails digging into his skin. Forcing his mind away, he barked, "Again!"

    Pichu planted himself on the ground, and once more let loose a Thunder Pulse , building it up in a spiral before once more losing control after the fourth pass.

    For its own part, Thunder Pulse was both incredibly simple, and deceptively complicated.

    In simple terms, Thunder Pulse was a compounding move, akin to Rollout or Ice Ball .

    However, unlike those two moves, instead of increasing its attack power by adding more and more of its respective element, Thunder Pulse was far more complicated.

    In simple terms, it took electrical currents in the air, and passed them through the pok¨¦mon, amplifying them with more power, only to repeat the process. The static electricity in the atmosphere would begin to increase, starting at the relatively weak level of Thunder Wave and ultimately compounding to the point where it felt like multiple Discharges were going off at once.

    And that¡­ was the simple explanation.

    The actual technicalities of the move relied heavily on three things: Static , Lightning Rod , and Pichu''s masterful control over his electrical reserves.

    The Static within Pichu''s fur acted as the start of the attack. Instead of wasting his reserves, Pichu merely shook off the static electricity.

    This had two effects. As mentioned, instead of starting the attack by using up his already meagre reserves, Pichu used the environmental static that clung to his fur. However, this had the secondary, and far more important, effect of triggering his Lightning Rod ability.

    How was this the case? Red wasn¡¯t entirely certain, but he believed that, since the static from his fur wasn¡¯t generated by Pichu himself, it wasn¡¯t held back by the ability.

    Using this, Pichu could flare the static electricity before pulling it back in with the Lightning Rod ability. As the electricity passed through Pichu, he would add a minute portion of his electric reserves to strengthen the electrical waves, remaining careful not to put too much as to override the electricity into his own, thus removing the benefits from Lightning Rod , and not to put too little, which would cause the electricity to fizzle out, making it no more effective than a Thunder Wave .

    From that point, Pichu would repeat the process, steadily increasing the amount of electricity from his reserves that he put into the revolving waves, remaining precise enough to keep Lightning Rod active and to keep the attack from dying out.

    This move may ultimately seem like a convoluted replacement for something far simpler like Rollout , but it had the potential to become absolutely devastating .

    The first pass was akin to a weak Thunder Wave.

    The second pass would paralyse anything nearby without a natural electric resistance.

    The fourth would falter even the hardiest of Rock Types.

    The seventh would halt Ground Types in their tracks.

    The ninth¡­ The ninth would take an Ace pok¨¦mon like Steelix¡­ and cripple it.

    Of course, like all powerful attacks, it didn¡¯t come without drawbacks. Of them, the most prevalent was the physical toll it took on Pichu¡¯s body on anything greater than two passes, with him rarely being able to do anything more than five passes on his own.

    This was still incredibly impressive, no doubt, especially given that Pichu¡¯s species was predisposed towards taking extra damage from electricity.

    Yet, Pichu pushed past those boundaries. Red couldn¡¯t be more proud.

    But in the end, Pichu was still a Pichu. Unless and until Pichu evolved back into Pikachu, he likely wouldn¡¯t be able to do any more than seven passes on his own without serious injury.

    Of course, when Red explained this all to Salvare (with Karen eavesdropping because what else would she be doing?), Salvare couldn¡¯t help but ask the obvious question: how did Pichu use the move more than seven times without dying?

    This brought Red to the hidden fourth requirement for pushing the move to its devastating boundaries (at least, until Pichu tried it after evolving): Aura.

    In hindsight, Red realised that even before his semi-proper tutelage in the art under Lucario, he had plenty of experience using Aura in battle. The connections he formed with his pok¨¦mon, pushing them beyond the boundaries set by their species, to the point where unevolved members of his various teams regularly bested opponents that would normally steamroll them.

    It was raw, broad, and very subtle, to the point where Ash and his friends hadn¡¯t even questioned it until he began bonding with Greninja in major ways that were undocumented.

    The Bond Phenomenon was something that, even years later, Red had very little knowledge of. Aside from it becoming almost commonplace between him and Greninja in the years of the Storm, he never had the time to study its intricacies, only its implementation in battle.

    However, after his pok¨¦mon¡¯s devolutions, Red had been forced to confront the question of what the Bond Phenomenon even was.

    This was because, even though there were no longer any physical transformations, Red and Froakie still occasionally bonded in smaller, almost undetectable ways.

    It had taken Red three weeks to even realise it, along with realising the same held true with Pichu, and even Charmander to an extent. At times, he could feel the carefully considered movements of Froakie, the lumbering rage hidden beneath Charmander¡¯s mask, the anguish Pichu felt that was translated to anger at everything that moved .

    And every time¡­

    Every time, his eyes glowed red.

    The headache was still there, never lessening unless the red haze entered his vision.

    It scared him, in a way. It scared him enough that he didn¡¯t mention anything about it to Salvare, only focusing on what he inferred from this information.

    He had bonded with not only Froakie, but Pichu and Charmander as well.

    The question was whether this started after travelling to the past, or if this had been the case for far longer.

    Red wasn¡¯t entirely certain what the answer was. While he certainly felt more attuned with the Aura within himself and his surroundings than he ever had before, he certainly thought that he would have noticed if he had bonded with his other pok¨¦mon before.

    Regardless, he had now. In a similar way to Greninja, he was now able to semi-consistently sync up with Charmander and especially Pichu, allowing him to share the burden of their battles, ultimately pushing them past their boundaries.

    During Jasmine''s Gym match, Red synced up with Pichu, sharing the burden of Thunder Pulse in a rhythm akin to a heartbeat, so that Pichu could repeat the attack nine times.

    This actually caused Red to become particularly lethargic a few hours after the match. After training with Salvare for a little over an hour, Red felt an overwhelming urge to lay down and sleep.

    It was sad that it ended up being the best rest he had in years.

    ¡°Again!¡± Red called out after giving Pichu a few minutes to rest after the last Thunder Pulse . Pichu¡¯s cheeks sparked as he planted his little feet before once more starting the move.

    After the fourth pass, Red moved to come closer to Pichu. He quickly backpedalled as the small mouse didn¡¯t release the electricity, and instead brought it back for a fifth pass.

    Once more, Red felt the hairs on his arms rise, but no pain came. Meanwhile, behind him, dried tree limbs fell onto the ground from the power of the attack.

    Yet, he felt no pain.

    Briefly, his mind pondered that. Dark, Fighting, and Electric? He shook his head, not wishing himself a separate headache to add onto chronic migraine that¡¯s plagued him for the last month.

    Instead, he called out, ¡°Break!¡± upon seeing Pichu collapse, panting for air. ¡°That was great. You did great, Pichu,¡± Red spoke reassuringly as he picked up the small mouse onto his shoulder.

    Ignoring the mumbled growls coming from the rat, Red turned towards the woods and asked, ¡°D¡¯you reckon we¡¯ll find several acres of sliced trees?¡±

    Pichu snorted, muttering softly to himself. Red nodded distantly as he thought about his other two pok¨¦mon.

    Like Pichu, Froakie and Charmander made drastic improvements over the past few weeks. Froakie had shown this in the Gym battle, with his growing proficiency in utilising Dark-type energy.

    Red had commanded Froakie only to use Dark-type moves during the battle as practice. Before, Froakie rarely had time to do so, since they rarely encountered any wild pok¨¦mon.

    Red wondered about that too.

    It was difficult to practise Dark moves against Pichu and Charmander, since their strength demanded that Froakie use everything in his arsenal to compete. When fighting Salvare, Red¡¯s focus was more on mentoring the kid than improving his own capabilities, though the lessons he taught were good refreshers for himself as well.

    Karen might have proved an interesting challenge, but she hadn¡¯t challenged Red yet on their travels, instead seeming content to observe him from a distance.

    So, when Red saw that Jasmine chose a Mawile as her first pok¨¦mon against him, he decided that it was the perfect time to practise with Froakie. Given that Mawile was part Fairy-type - though, no-one had officially discovered the type at this point in time - it had a resistance to Dark-type moves, which translated to a tankier opponent for Froakie to wail on.

    Was it nice?

    No.

    Was it necessary?

    Maybe. Maybe not.

    Was it useful?

    Very.

    Froakie still wasn¡¯t anything close to the proficiency he had with Dark-type attacks as he did as Greninja, but it was a stark improvement. Given enough time, Froakie may be able to build himself up to being able to replicate his signature Water Shuriken before evolving.

    Charmander, on the other hand, was proving to be¡­ concerning . Red was slightly glad that Pichu hadn¡¯t fainted before taking down Steelix, as he wasn¡¯t sure Charmander was ready for a fight of that calibre.

    Charmander, like Charizard, was the team¡¯s heaviest hitter. Red was certain that, on a physical level, Charmander could have taken down Steelix. He just wondered if Charmander could do so on a mental level.

    For a while, Charmander had started acting differently. He was more closed off, tired, and occasionally had mood swings.

    Red was initially reminded of his first several months with Charmeleon and Charizard. However, the key difference then was that Charizard didn¡¯t respect Ash enough to obey his commands.

    Charmander didn¡¯t have that problem with respect. If anything, he respected Red too much . Instead, the issue seemed to be something within Charmander¡¯s psyche.

    Red didn¡¯t know how else to explain it but as a split personality. One moment, Charmander was practically comatose, not doing anything other than existing.

    The next, Charmander went off the deep end, and seemed to rage until he had no more energy left.

    Which, unfortunately, meant that Charmander would rage for a long, long time.

    Froakie had taken to accompanying Charmander at these points, given that he was able to put out any fires that Charmander started in his wake. However, nothing in his toolset could stop Charmander from simply hacking trees to pieces.

    Red was silently glad that Charmander had taken to staying in his ball for longer periods of time. On the other hand, he was extremely disheartened that this was happening in the first place.

    Lo and behold, upon reaching the clearing where he had left Froakie and Charmander to train, a wasteland remained. Charmander lay in the centre of it, either asleep or utterly exhausted. Froakie watched from above the lizard, perched on one of the few trees that weren¡¯t cut to their roots.

    Red sighed as he recalled Charmander, promising to himself and the lizard that he would get help. As Froakie hopped onto the shoulder not occupied by Pichu, Red asked, ¡°How bad was it?¡±

    Froakie¡¯s frown turning more severe didn¡¯t help Red¡¯s mood. But, he wasn¡¯t terribly surprised, ¡°We¡¯ll have to go before the rangers find this place and raise a stink,¡± He turned towards the direction of Cianwood City, ¡°Salvare and Karen should be done with their Safari by the time we get back-¡±

    HELP ME

    HELP ME

    HE  L    P         ME      E   E               EEE   EE E     E

    lightlightlightthelighthurtsitsnotnaturalhelpmethelighthurtsthereareshadowslaughingwhereamihelplettherebelightthelighthurtsss

    Red gasped, frantically pushing himself off the ground.

    The world was red .

    A loud ringing buzzed in his mind as he blinked away the light . The light hurt so much. Why did the light hurt?

    He could see glass. Shadows.

    let there be light

    And the light hurt hurt hurt hurt hur-

    Red stumbled, repressing the urge to vomit.

    He dimly became aware of Froakie and Pichu frantically hopping around him, worried for him.

    They shouldn¡¯t be worried for me.

    Red closed his eyes, blinking away tears.

    Why did he see a boat at sea?

    A boat? The boat! He felt something on the boat. Karen too. Something was watching them. Something beyond .

    Something hidden.

    Something chained.

    Red stumbled once more as a final image - purple paws; purple¡¯s warm on the mind - bled through.

    He breathed for a few minutes as the visions stopped. Yet, despite the pain he still felt from them, he begged for them to come back.

    Something is in pain.

    Something needs our help.

    His mind spiraled around these two points until a third, terrible thing became clear to him.

    He¡¯s felt this before.

    Purer.

    Cleaner.

    Deadlier.

    What he felt now was only a muddled, distorted form of it. But he knew what it was. He was intimately familiar with it after three constant years of exposure.

    Source Energy.

    A bastardised form of it. Only just recognizable, but it was .

    Source Energy.

    Red¡¯s eyes glowed as the earth around him cracked . The wind around him began to pick up as one, tantalising, but oh so terrible truth came to him.

    Team Source was not only formed.

    It was active .

    And they were experimenting on something. Someone?

    It wasn¡¯t the Conduit, Red knew that at least. It was far too early, and Mewtwo hadn¡¯t even been created yet.

    Or had he?

    Red groaned as his vision began to return. His memories over his first encounter with the genetic pok¨¦mon were scattered. The veil over his memories were lifted during the time of the Storm through means that Red didn¡¯t entirely understand.

    He met Mewtwo sometime around March of 1998? Red wasn¡¯t sure when Mewtwo was born, but surely, surely Mewtwo wouldn¡¯t have remained a slave to Team Rocket for six whole months.

    Would he?

    Red shook his head, dispelling thoughts of Mewtwo and the Conduit from his mind. He turned his thoughts to the matter at hand, face setting into a stony expression as he considered what he had learned.

    Team Source was likely nearby and operating.

    They were most likely experimenting on a pok¨¦mon, probably as a precursor to their Conduit.

    Without conscious thought, Red¡¯s turned eastward, where Goldenrod City lay across the sea.

    Team Source had a base in Goldenrod.

    Without any more spoken words, Red picked Pichu back up onto his shoulder, and walked side by side with Froakie back towards Cianwood City.

    ¡­

    Pokemon Center, Cianwood City, October 9th, 1997

    ¡°Already making plans to leave, Red? You planning to ditch us?¡±

    Red didn¡¯t pay any mind as Karen tried to goad him, instead looking through the schedule for departures towards Goldenrod City.

    After paying for a trip for himself and Salvare on the 10th, he turned back to Karen, ¡°I wasn¡¯t planning on staying here longer than I needed. Since you both went through the Safari and I got my Gym badge, I see no reason to stay.¡±

    Karen didn¡¯t have any retort for that, instead focusing on the computer screen, ¡°Hey! You are trying to ditch me, not buying me a ticket!¡± She shoved Red aside to order herself one.

    Red shrugged as he walked back towards Salvare, who was in the lobby watching the television.

    And just why did he look so familiar?

    Red cast a passing glance towards the television before stopping. He turned back to it to see something that would, no doubt, have been Ash¡¯s dream come true.

    Champion Lance versus Champion Cynthia.

    Red was somewhat bemused as he sat next to Salvare, wondering just how he had missed this.

    Actually, if he recalled correctly, he would have been on the road to Vermillion at this point.

    Red snorted.

    Sucks to be you, Ash.

    Salvare¡¯s voice turned Red¡¯s attention away from heckling his past self¡¯s bad luck, ¡°Congratulations on the Badge.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Red replied. Earlier that day, he had challenged Chuck and won the Storm Badge.

    While Red was interested when Chuck announced that he was using his 8-Badge team - and Chuck¡¯s tone upon saying that was oddly ominous - it wasn¡¯t anything more difficult than he had to deal with in his battle against Jasmine.

    The only real difference was that Charmander did get to participate, defeating Breloom and severely damaging Poliwrath before Pichu went in and finished it off.

    ¡°Is it a full 6-on-6 match?¡± Red asked as he took a seat next to Salvare.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Salvare replied, pausing in the middle of him taking out a notepad and a pen, ¡°You alright if I take notes on the battle?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Red nodded, shifting Pichu to allow Karen to take a seat at his other side, ¡°While you watch, pay attention to how they go about the battle. Even the best trainers have their weaknesses.¡±

    Salvare nodded, not saying anything as the screen focused on Cynthia¡¯s face before the battle began. The announcer was going on about her accomplishments as the youngest Champion in her region, along with other bits of trivia.

    Red tuned the announcer¡¯s voice as she focused on Cynthia¡¯s face.

    She looked so young. Wasn¡¯t she nineteen at this point?

    Karen said something. Probably snarky, but Red wasn¡¯t listening anymore.

    She looked so young.

    So¡­ Alive.

    he stood in a field. fire surrounded him and the other survivors. two months had passed since the coming of the Storm.

    Ash stood next to those precious few who remained. James, Meowth, Paul, Cynthia¡­

    a voice, one that he had grown to know and would further grow to dread, rang out in deathly monotone.

    ¡°Ares, leave no survivors.¡±

    Red returned as the match started. To his side, he could see that Karen had scooted away - she was staring at him in fear, again . On the other, Salvare paid no mind to him as he leaned forward - and why oh why did he look so familiar?

    Cynthia had led off with her Spiritomb, commanding it to use Dark Pulse against Lance¡¯s Gyarados.

    The television caught her words, loud and boisterous, made to play to the crowd, to rile them up for an exciting battle.

    ¡°You think you can take me on?¡±

    ¡°yes.¡±

    the earth shattered as The Chariot stepped forward, the towering inferno behind him casting a rippling shadow over his figure.

    even next to his massive pok¨¦mon, he felt like the true monster.

    ¡°give her a show, Dio.¡±

    Lance¡¯s Gyarados reigned destruction across the battlefield, tanking hits while returning it in full. Amazingly, despite being largely immobile, the Spiritomb seemed to match it, trading blow for blow.

    yet, all the same, even the dead cannot escape absolution.

    Ash stumbled backwards, pushed back by an attack from one of the Chariot¡¯s followers. while The Chariot engaged in battle against the Champion, his sycophants picked off the stragglers.

    they were dropping like flies.

    Infernape and Charizard fought against Ash¡¯s opponent, a red-haired man whose only title was Judgement.

    And why was he so familiar?

    a Magnezone and Gengar met their attack as Ash stumbled back towards the fight, only to pause as absolute painnnnnnnnnnnnnnn-

    he stumbled, as did the rest of them - except for The Chariot - as Cynthia¡¯s Spiritomb was not only defeated¡­

    but killed.

    ¡°even the dead cannot escape absolution.¡±

    Red shivered.

    Spiritomb fainted after being overrun with a particularly powerful Waterfall . Gyarados buckled, but despite its injuries, it remained conscious.

    Cynthia said meaningless words-

    The Chariot laughed.

    ¡°so strong, yet so narrow-minded.¡±

    ¡°it¡¯s truly a shame that I hadn¡¯t found you sooner.¡±

    ¡°you would have made the perfect prot¨¦g¨¦¡­¡±

    Red began to scratch behind Pichu¡¯s ear, willing himself not to show any reaction to the memories. The nightmares.

    He knew his eyes were glowing. They must be, since Karen appeared so frightened.

    Gyarados fainted after Cynthia¡¯s Togekiss released a Shockwave . In response, he sent out a-

    ¡°Charizard, Blast Burn!¡±

    as Charizard attacked the Magnezone, Gengar and a newly released Weaville battled Infernape and Sceptile. Lucario remained by Ash¡¯s side, like he always did, defending him from life-ending debris.

    to his side, he heard a barked laugh. Cynthia had released not only her Roserade, but her Togekiss and Milotic to assist.

    ¡°just starting to understand that this isn¡¯t a league battle? even the kid knew that from the beginning!¡±

    ¡°Dazzling Gleam!¡± Cynthia shouted out.

    Salvare appeared to be taking notes on that move in particular - And Ash, no, Red knew he had seen him before - and how it didn¡¯t seem to particularly affect the Charizard.

    Lance remained calm as Charmander endured the onslaught. After the winged lizard charged up his fire reserves enough, he called out-

    ¡°Blast Burn, Ares. Burn the fairy!¡±

    and there was light. and the light was great. the light was beautiful. the light was terrible.

    Milotic intercepted the attack, but it was for naught, as The Chariot turned his eyes - blazing pinpricks of v??????????????????o??????????????????i??????????????????d?????????????????? - and breathed forth a beam of fire.

    Roserade burned.

    Charizard dodged another Shockwave , streaming a billowing Flamethrower from the sky.

    Cynthia remained calm-

    Cynthia shouted out in anguish.

    ¡°NO!¡±

    ¡°yes.¡±

    Ash glanced at the man he was quickly growing to despise, and saw him giving a small smirk. there was no cruelty in the look, only a cold absolution.

    as if the man saw his actions as something greater.

    divine absolution.

    Lance released Salamence and quickly downed the weakened Togekiss with a Shadow Claw .

    Cynthia released her Milotic, which-

    used Ice Beam directly towards the Chariot.

    He laughed.

    ¡°going for the killshot, are we!¡±

    Ash¡¯s opponent seemed to nearly snap his neck by turning his head to The Chariot, his face showing¡­ concern?

    amazingly, Judgement seemed to show genuine care for his leader.

    care that was not returned in the slightest.

    ¡°Red?¡±

    Salvare asked him if he was alright. Red only nodded distantly as Lance¡¯s Salamence covered the arena in a Flamethrower .

    Salvare seemed to show genuine care for his leader.

    Red could only wonder why.

    Ash could only wonder why.

    ¡°Why do you follow him?!¡±

    his words almost failed to reach Judgement, with the sky being illuminated by storms, infernos, and torrents of water.

    yet, the red-haired man responded.

    ¡°He saved me when I was at my lowest.¡±

    ¡°I can never hope to repay him.¡±

    Ash couldn¡¯t help but feel sorry for the guy as he looked genuinely lost.

    a lost soul¡­

    and like a shepherd, The Chariot found him, and ruined him.

    Red could only feel a distant sense of guilt as Salvare looked slightly lost.

    Why?

    On the screen, Salamence finally fell as Milotic nailed it with a third Ice Beam ¡­

    yet, even after this, Ares stood strong.

    Milotic stumbled as Chariot gave the last words the pok¨¦mon would ever hear.

    ¡°kill it.¡±

    Milotic fainted to Lance¡¯s Kingdra.

    Salvare scribbled away at his notes, face pinched in just a way-

    it seemed remorseful.

    ¡°For what it¡¯s worth, I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡±

    Ash yelped as he dodged a rippling Shadow Ball.

    Magnezone had melted not long ago, and Judgement had released his final pok¨¦mon to aid his other two, an Alakazam.

    Greninja and Pikachu fought the new opponent as Charizard, Infernape, and Sceptile dealt with Weaville and Gengar.

    ¡°I know you think I¡¯m cruel - and I probably am - but¡­¡±

    ¡°Wherever he goes, I go.¡±

    Red blinked as Cynthia¡¯s Lucario used Stone Edge , defeating Lance¡¯s Kingdra.

    He turned to the right, and instead of seeing Salvare¡­

    he saw Judgement.

    ¡°My life ended at the Lake of Rage.¡±

    ¡°I lost everything¡­¡±

    ¡°He was the only one who cared.¡±

    Gengar coughed and began convulsing, being pushed to the edge.

    yet Judgement wasn¡¯t sad, angry, or distressed.

    merely resigned.

    ¡°I knew what-¡±

    ¡°I signed up for, but - fucking hell - how could anyone hope to reach that level?¡±

    Salvare asked a question, mostly to himself, as Lance¡¯s Altaria overwhelmed Cynthia¡¯s Lucario with Dragon¡¯s Breath-

    -leaving the Lucario¡¯s fur singed, burned - a sign for what was to come.

    but The Chariot had yet to notice the one that would prove his equal, instead tearing down one of those who were the ¡®best.¡¯

    tearing her down.

    piece

    by

    piece

    it bored him, so when Cynthia finally shouted-

    ¡°Go, Garchomp!¡±

    -he stepped back, with an expression almost akin to disappointment, and uttered in a dead tone.

    ¡°Zeus, make it quick.¡±

    And Salvare - Judgement - looked on in horror as Lance¡¯s Dragonite - A shadowed devil with wings - descended upon the Garchomp-

    and eviscerated it.

    ¡°bring on the storm.¡±

    Shadow Lugia bellowed.

    Ash and Salvare - NO! NO! - fell down as a hurricane - It isn¡¯t him , it isn¡¯t-

    ¡°It¡¯s almost like watching gods battle-¡± Began Judgement.

    ¡°-Isn¡¯t it?¡± Ended Salvare.

    Red blinked away tears. What they were for¡­ he couldn¡¯t, wouldn¡¯t know.

    Perhaps they were for the terror he felt.

    Perhaps they were for the sadness over Judgement¡¯s choices.

    Perhaps¡­

    Perhaps they were for the individual who sat next to him, whose face seemed so familiar, yet so far away.

    The first man he killed.

    Ash blinked awake, having been struck unconscious by the dark storm brought upon by the shadowed devil.

    his body was buried under rubble, dark shapes, once tall and imposing, were now bruised and cowering.

    Lucario rose his head, blinking once at Ash before pushing him back down beneath the rubble, lest the shadowed demon see them, lest The Chariot learn of their survival.

    yet, he had seen the bodies.

    and that closest to him, she lay still on the ground, a stab wound through the heart.

    yet, in death, her face hadn¡¯t seemed pained, but instead serene, almost-

    Content at the result of the battle.

    Lance and Cynthia shook hands after their draw, inspiring the crowds to cheer with such volume that the television shook.

    And Salvare¡­

    he was dying.

    abandoned by The Chariot in his wake. left bleeding out from the shrapnel from Shadow Lugia¡¯s storm.

    collateral.

    ¡°I know you¡¯re there.¡±

    his voice was weak, but Judgement - no, Red, use his name-

    Salvare looked to Ash with distant eyes.

    he didn¡¯t seem surprised, or even mad, that The Chariot left him to die.

    he only looked resigned.

    ¡°They¡¯re gone, you can come out.¡±

    even with Lucario¡¯s protests, Ash removed himself from the rubble.

    the field was burning.

    Ash¡¯s pok¨¦mon, hurt, enraged, but still alive, stood next to him as he stepped up to Salvare¡¯s form.

    Salvare was bleeding out, dying, but it was slow. painful.

    Ash knew what Salvare wanted him to do. it was in his eyes.

    he wanted Ash to kill him.

    a mercy.

    ¡°Lucario.¡±

    Lucario stepped forward as Ash steeled himself for what he was about to do.

    even now, two months after the Storm, Ash had been blessed (cursed) enough to avoid taking a life.

    until now.

    ¡°Force Palm.¡±

    a snap.

    ¡­

    then remained the only survivor.

    ¡°Are you alright Red?¡±

    no, he wasn¡¯t.

    ¡° I¡¯m fine .¡±

    Red stood up and followed Salvare to their lodgings. His steps were mechanical.

    He knew where he had seen Salvare before.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± He whispered, prompting Salvare to give him a confused look.

    ¡°Uh, it¡¯s alright,¡± Salvare responded easily, ¡°I won¡¯t give you shit for spacing out like that, we all have our demons.¡±

    Red remained silent at that, before slipping into his room.

    Oh, how funny.

    How ironic it is.

    That in another time, another world.

    His student was the student of The Chariot.

    His student was the man he first killed.

    How ironic.

    ¡­

    Go Forth.

    Go Forth, My Chariot.

    Go Forth, And-

    ¡­

    Welcome to Battlenet! The #1 Site For All Things Battling!

    Logged in as: K_Takashi

    Inbox: 8 New Messages

    ¡ú Open Inbox

    ¡­

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    ¡ú 1 Message(s) - IndigoTrainerWatch - (Subject): 10/7/97 Newsletter

    Every year a new batch of trainers try their hand for the Indigo and Silver League Championship at the end of the summer and winter seasons. The Indigo Trainer Watch newsletter tracks those trainers that stand out amongst the crowd, and shows their stats, recordings, interviews, etc.

    Indigo League:

    ¡ú Gary Oak - Recently Earned his Rainbow Badge after defeating Erika with her 4-Badge Team. This marks the 4th Gym in a row that Gary Oak has defeated, and he is on his way to Fuschia for his 5th. [Click here for recordings of Gary¡¯s Gym matches]. [Click here for Gary¡¯s stats].

    ¡ú Damian Brecks - Recently Earned his Cascade Badge after defeating the Waterflowers with their 5-Badge Team. Whereabouts are currently unknown. Team Composition is highly unstable. [Click here for recordings of Damian¡¯s Gym matches]. [Click here for Damian¡¯s stats].

    ¡ú Ash Ketchum - Earned his Cascade Badge aiding Cerulean Gym from an attack by Team Rocket. Whereabouts are currently unknown. Shows the beginnings of a very unorthodox training style. Seen travelling with Misty Waterflower and Brock Pebbleman. [Click here for recordings of Ash¡¯s Gym matches]. [Click here for Ash¡¯s stats].

    Silver League:

    ¡ú Karen Mela - Recently Earned her Fog Badge after defeating Morty with his 6-Badge Team. Dark-Type Specialist. Seen travelling with trainers Red Satoshi and Salvare Razzo. [Click here for recordings of Karen¡¯s Gym matches]. [Click here for Karen¡¯s stats].

    ¡ú Paul Shinji - Recently Earned his Glacier Badge after defeating Pryce with his 7-Badge Team. Previous Ever-Grande League Runner-Up. [Click here for recordings of Paul¡¯s Gym matches]. [Click here for Paul¡¯s stats].

    ¡ú Salvare Razzo - Recently Earned his Mineral Badge after defeating Jasmine with her 7-Badge Team. Seen travelling with trainers Red Satoshi and Karen Mela. [Click here for recordings of Salvare¡¯s Gym matches]. [Click here for Salvare¡¯s stats].

    ¡ú Red Satoshi - Recently Earned his Storm Badge after defeating Chuck with his 8-Badge Team. Only has 5 Badges on Record. No Previous Records. Seen travelling with trainers Salvare Razzo and Karen Mela. Shown to be incredibly ruthless and cunning in battle. [Click here for recordings of Red¡¯s Gym matches]. [Click here for Red¡¯s stats] .

    ¡­

    TRAINER PROFILE: Satoshi, Red

    Currently Participating in: Silver Conference

    Badges: 5/8

    Last Seen in: Cianwood City

    TRAINER INFO

    Username: N/A

    Age: 20

    Years Active: 0.1

    Home Region: Alola

    Gender: Male

    Sponsor: N/A

    Trainer ID: [HIDDEN]

    STATISTICS

    Total Winrate (W/D/L): 36/1/0

    Battle Ring Winrate (W/D/L): 31/1/0

    League Winrate (W/D/L): 4/0/0

    Misc Winrate (W/D/L): 1/0/0

    Global Ranking: Top 10%

    Total Badges Collected: 5

    Tournaments Entered: 0

    Tournaments Won: 0

    Pokemon Owned (Past Evolutions Included): 3

    Most Used Pokemon: Pichu

    POKEMON NOTES

    Pichu

    Type: Electric

    Ability: Static, Unknown Electrical Conduit Ability

    Typical Held Item: N/A

    Known Moves: Double Team, Discharge, Volt Tackle, Thunder, Taunt, Endure, Wild Charge, Thunder Wave, Encore

    Notes: Shown to possess extraordinary electrical reserves for the species average. Very Aggressive, tends to end battles quickly before gaining too much damage. Repeated instances of battling without verbal commands.

    Unofficial Power Ranking (Created by Users of Battlenet) for Red¡¯s Pichu

    Physical Attack: B-

    Energy Attack: B+

    Status Attack: B-

    Physical Resist: A-

    Energy Resist: A

    Status Resist: B+

    Agility: S

    Reactions: S+

    Stamina: A+

    Pain Tolerance: S-

    Overall Species Ranking: S+

    Charmander

    Type: Fire*

    Ability: Blaze

    Typical Held Item: N/A

    Known Moves: Ember, Smokescreen, Shadow Claw, Slash, Fire Punch, Dragon Claw, Dragon Breath, Fire Spin, Metal Claw, Dragon Rage

    Notes: Unique Dark Red colouring. Unique Blue Flame. Highly Aggressive. Favours Physical Attacks. *Potential Dragon Type?*

    Unofficial Power Ranking (Created by Users of Battlenet) for Red¡¯s Charmander

    Physical Attack: S-

    Energy Attack: B+

    Status Attack: C-

    Physical Resist: A+

    Energy Resist: A

    Status Resist: A+

    Agility: S-

    Reactions: S+

    Stamina: S

    Pain Tolerance: S

    Overall Species Ranking: S+

    Froakie

    Type: Water

    Ability: Torrent

    Typical Held Item: N/A

    Known Moves: Double Team, Water Gun, Quick Attack, Unknown Bubble Shield , Unknown Bubble Attack , Smokescreen, Substitute, Smack Down, Taunt, Fling, Steal, Nightslash, Water Pulse

    Notes: Import from Kalos. Very Underhanded Tactics.

    Unofficial Power Ranking (Created by Users of Battlenet) for Red¡¯s Froakie

    Physical Attack: B

    Energy Attack: B-

    Status Attack: A-

    Physical Resist: A-

    Energy Resist: B+

    Status Resist: A

    Agility: A+

    Reactions: S+

    Stamina: S-

    Pain Tolerance: S

    Overall Species Ranking: S+

    STRATEGIES, STYLES, & BATTLENET ESTIMATIONS

    Despite the limitations (intentional or otherwise) on Red Satoshi''s team, he has proven to be a cunning and brutally efficient battler. Satoshi has no concrete strategies or styles, instead seeming to be primarily reactive in battle. Satoshi''s Pokemon have shown rapid improvement, despite none of them evolving. The current estimation places Red Satoshi as a top contender for the 1997 Silver Conference.

    ¡­

    Trainer Discussions: Silver Conference

    ¡ú Red_Satoshi

    ¡­

    [PINNED] Oct 8, 1997 - Risingtide: R. Satoshi v. Jasmine (7-Badge Team)

    ¡ú Comments:

    Oct 8, 1997 - Risingtide: Yet again! Red does the impossible and takes down Jasmine¡¯s ACE with a PICHU!!!

    Oct 8, 1997 - Red_Fan1997: How is he not more well known? the dude has been absolutely clapping these Gyms, it¡¯s kinda sad

    Oct 8, 1997 - justAdude: idk. maybe its because its the silver conference? in my experience, its not as popular as indigo or lily of the valley

    Oct 9, 1997 - Risingtide: I¡¯ll ignore the insult to our absolutely wonderful Gym leaders and say¡­ I don¡¯t know actually. He¡¯s only been around for a month, so I¡¯d imagine that when the Conference actually starts, he¡¯ll get a lot more publicity.

    Oct 8, 1997 - Red_Fan1997: I first saw him when he fought against Pryce! His Pichu was a monster, and that Charmander! I could¡¯ve sworn his tail was blue?!?! This man is going places, and I am HERE for it!

    Oct 8, 1997 - justAdude: i saw the recording of that battle. you said the charmander was blue? it seemed normal to me. i¡¯m new here btw

    Oct 9, 1997 - Risingtide: I was actually at his first Gym match! And, yes, that Pichu is DEFINITELY a monster.

    Oct 8, 1997 - justAdude: so, quick question. what move did pichu use against steelix. it almost looked like thunderwave, but it seemed to damage steelix. i thought it was part ground type? shouldn¡¯t it be immune?

    Oct 9, 1997 - Risingtide: From what I can tell, it¡¯s a new move! The recording just became public, so I imagine that once more people see it, the Pichu¡¯s move will become a topic for debate.

    Oct 9, 1997 - sophiaw: So, uh, I stumbled upon this while surfing the web. Crazy f***ing stuff. But, was it just me, or was this guy¡¯s eyes glowing?

    Oct 9, 1997 - BeepBoo: ngl, Red is hot af

    ¡­

    Logged in as: The_Emperor

    Opening Filename: Project_Changeling_Timeline

    Timeline:

    ¡ú Jun 17, 1995 - Beginning of Research

    ¡ú Jul 2, 1995 - Acquired Specimen A

    ¡ú Jul 17, 1995 - First Experiment: Specimen A Preliminary Preparations (Control)

    ¡ú Jul 19, 1995 - Acquired Specimens B, C, and D

    ¡ú Aug 1, 1995 - Second Experiment: Specimens B, C, and D Preliminary Preparations (Flar, Jolt, Vapor)

    ¡ú Aug 23, 1995 - Third Experiment: Specimens B, C, and D Partial Evolutions

    ¡ú Sep 3, 1995 - Fatality: Specimen B

    ¡ú Sep 14, 1995 - Fatality: Specimen C

    ¡ú Nov 2, 1995 - Experiment Failure: Specimen D became Vaporeon ¡ú Released

    ¡ú Nov 4, 1995 - Acquired Specimens E, F, and G

    ¡ú Nov 16, 1995 - Fourth Experiment: Specimens E, F, and G Revised Preliminary Preparations

    ¡ú Dec 3, 1995 - Fifth Experiment: Specimens E, F, and G Revised Partial Evolutions

    ¡ú Dec 25, 1995 - Fatalities: Specimens E and G (Outside Factors)

    ¡ú Jan 23, 1996 - Breakthrough: Specimen F Achieved Partial Transformation (Jolteon)

    ¡ú Feb 2, 1996 - Specimen F became Jolteon ¡ú Released

    ¡ú Feb 3, 1996 - Acquired Specimens H, I, and J

    ¡ú Feb 7, 1996 - Experiment Location Change

    ¡ú Feb 14, 1996 - Sixth Experiment: Specimens H, I, and J Revised Partial Evolutions

    ¡ú Feb 15, 1996 - Seventh Experiment: Development of Stabilising Agent

    ¡ú Apr 30, 1996 - Eighth Experiment: Partial Evolutions w/ Agent

    ¡ú May 2, 1996 - Specimen H Achieved Partial Transformation (Flareon)

    ¡ú May 4, 1996 - Specimen I Achieved Partial Transformation (Jolteon)

    ¡ú May 5, 1996 - Specimen J Achieved Partial Transformation (Vaporeon)

    ¡ú Jul 23, 1996 - Ninth Experiment: Multiple Partial Evolutions by Breeding

    ¡ú Oct 29, 1996 - Specimen K is born from parents Specimens H and I

    ¡ú Oct 30, 1996 - Experiment Failure: Specimen K born as standard Eevee ¡ú Sold

    ¡ú Nov 28, 1996 - Tenth Experiment: Multiple Partial Evolutions by Controlled Exposure

    ¡ú Nov 29, 1996 - Acquired Specimens L, M, N, O, P, and Q

    ¡ú Dec 24, 1996 - Fatalities: Specimens M and N

    ¡ú Jan 1, 1997 - Fatality: Specimen Q

    ¡ú Jan 4, 1997 - Experiment Failure: Multiple Partial Evolutions Require Catalyst

    ¡ú Jan 5, 1997 - Released Specimens L, O, and P

    ¡ú Jan 27, 1997 - Acquired Specimens R, S, T, U, V, and W

    ¡ú Mar 29, 1997 - Eleventh Experiment: Multiple Partial Evolutions by Catalyst

    ¡ú Apr 2, 1997 - Fatalities: Specimens R and W

    ¡ú May 1, 1997 - Fatality: Specimen U

    ¡ú Jun 23, 1997 - Dual Partial Evolutions: Specimen T (Vaporeon and Jolteon)

    ¡ú Jun 24, 1997 - Fatality: Specimen T

    ¡ú Jul 13, 1997 - Fatality: Specimen S

    ¡ú Jul 14, 1997 - Breakthrough: Tri Partial Evolution: Specimen V (Flareon, Vaporeon, Jolteon)

    ¡ú Aug 31, 1997 - Power Wave ¡ú Near Fatality of Specimen V

    ¡ú Sep 8, 1997 - Twelfth Experiment: Espeon/Umbreon Tests

    ¡ú Sep 11, 1997 - Breakthrough: Specimen V Achieved Fourth Evolution (Espeon)

    ¡ú Sep 28, 1997 - Breakthrough: Specimen V Achieved Fifth Evolution (Umbreon)

    ¡ú [NEW ENTRY] Oct 7, 1997 - Thirteenth Experiment: ¡°Fairy¡± Evolution Test

 Detective Pichu

    Celestic Ruins, Sinnoh Region, October 15th, 1997

    ¡°You know, I haven¡¯t been in here for years¡­¡±

    Lance hummed as he examined the ruins. Cynthia stayed behind him, her Garchomp standing guard as the two investigated the last known civilisation of the Celestic Clan.

    Cynthia deftly walked around Lance, placing a hand on the murals, ¡°My grandmother always warned me from spending too much time here. She said it brings bad fortune.¡±

    ¡°Based on your knowledge of this place, I assume you ignored her?¡± Lance asked, backing up to stand side by side with Sinnoh¡¯s Champion.

    Cynthia blushed in mild embarrassment, ¡°I was young, and bored! This place seemed interesting, more so since grandmother avoided it.¡±

    ¡°You would get along with Clair,¡± Lance muttered, remembering his youth spent running after his younger cousin as she broke into places not meant for little children, ¡°She has a certain disregard for authority as well.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that I disregarded authority¡­¡± Cynthia began before muttering, ¡°I just made my own¡­¡±

    Lance laughed, ¡°You would definitely get on well with Clair.¡±

    Cynthia gave a fake frown before lightening up as she came closer to one of the central murals, ¡°I am really glad I did come here, though. It was lots of fun to see the stories on the walls when life in town was boring.¡±

    Lance turned his eyes to the mural she stood next to, which seemed to depict a trio of pixie-like pok¨¦mon guarding large sphere structures. Drawn wisps connected these pok¨¦mon to a group of people in the centre.

    A blessing, perhaps?

    Or a curse?

    ¡°You¡¯re here as an emissary for the Blackthorne Clan, right?¡± Cynthia¡¯s question broke into Lance¡¯s thoughts.

    He blinked, ¡°I am. How did you know?¡±

    Cynthia gave a small smile - it seemed melancholic - ¡°The Clan may have died out centuries ago, but we still remember some of the traditions,¡± She hummed, ¡°Even in death, we honour our fallen brethren.¡±

    Lance nodded as Cynthia repeated one of the maxims of the Elders. After a moment of silence, he said, ¡°I¡¯ve given vigil for this Clan and its sisters. I am not here for prayer.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Cynthia asked, ¡°Then what are you here for?¡±

    ¡°To learn,¡± Lance answered, ¡°Elder Yama received this Clan¡¯s wisdom some decades ago. It is now my turn to receive wisdom for my Clan.¡±

    Cynthia nodded, ¡°Alright then¡­ I suppose I¡¯ll try my best to make sense of all of this.¡±

    She looked slightly dubious as she surveyed the ruins, whispering to herself, ¡° If only I actually understood everything¡­ ¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s - uh - alright,¡± Lance interjected quickly, having heard her muttering, ¡°I¡¯m not expecting much to be honest. They died out long ago.¡±

    ¡°Yes, well,¡± Cynthia began, seemingly not having paid much attention to him, ¡°I suppose we can start with something I¡¯m relatively certain on.¡±

    She led Lance to one edge of the ruins, obscured with moss and old growth. The stone was a dark green, almost black. It seemed largely untouched, unlike the other murals, which had largely remained visible, despite their age.

    After a few moments, Lance leaned over to Cynthia, ¡°...What am I supposed to be seeing?¡±

    ¡°Oh!¡± She exclaimed, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it is rather obscured.¡±

    She stepped right next to the mural, motioning Lance to do the same, ¡°Now see here¡­ You see those shapes?¡±

    Lance could, but only barely, see straight shapes, evenly spaced, with smaller carvings running along them. Based on their appearance, he believed that they depicted pillars.

    ¡°You see it? Good. I¡¯m pretty sure it¡¯s supposed to be the Spear Pillar - I mean, what else could it be? - except the pillars are whole? So it wasn¡¯t destroyed by then, or at least by the time this event was depicted. Maybe? I don-¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Lance interrupted before Cynthia could start rambling.

    She leaned closer, seeing the figure that Lance was pointing to. The figure was carved in a rudimentary, yet still detailed, pattern. It appeared to be a human with horns, with hair flowing back. A singular eye was drawn, a triangular slit that almost seemed to glow.

    Lance saw text scrawled next to the figure, harsh shapes and hieroglyphs, which he could vaguely read as a dialect of Ancient Draconid.

    ¡° Vohl-O ¡±

    To his side Cynthia jerked away. He turned to see her face showing shock before quickly becoming neutral.

    It was too late, though. Lance knew what it looked like when someone was hiding something - he had plenty of experience hiding his own expressions from the Elders - ¡°Something you know?¡±

    Cynthia bit her lip, fidgeting for a moment before asking, ¡°How can you read that? I¡¯ve never been able to translate it.¡±

    Lance tilted his head, ¡°I¡¯ll answer if you tell me why you looked so¡­ scared a moment ago.¡±

    After all, he had faced her in combat only a week ago.

    For something to scare her¡­ Lance could only imagine what it was.

    Cynthia appeared pensive for a few moments before expelling a sigh, ¡°There were¡­ cautionary tales that were told to the children in Celestic.¡±

    At Lance¡¯s nod, she continued, ¡°One of the stories my grandmother often told was of our ancestor,¡± She stepped back up to the mural, peering at the figure with an almost melancholic look, ¡°According to legend, there came a merchant of knowledge who became known as Volo. He knew many things and impressed the Clans of Hisui with his magic. His ego grew, and one day he climbed the mountain to challenge the Creator. He climbed too high, and saw the Creator. It drove him Mad, and into his mind went distortion¡­¡± Cynthia¡¯s voice petered off as she walked over to another figure, which was carved in softer edges as opposed to the merchant¡¯s sharp outline, ¡°The Creator chose a champion to fight against the abomination who chose to defy him¡­ And in the end, Volo ceased to be, and fell unto distortion, where he rests today¡­¡±

    Lance remained silent as Cynthia finished the tale. It had sounded rather similar to many of the cautionary tales that he was told by the Elders. Don¡¯t defy the Dragon Gods. Know your place, and lose not your vision.

    After a moment, Cynthia asked, ¡°So how did you read that script?¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡± Lance asked before recalling the bargain, ¡°Oh¡­ It was a dialect of Ancient Draconid,¡± He grimaced, ¡°The Elders forced me to learn all of the dialects used amongst the Dragon Clans. I swear there were hundreds of them.¡±

    ¡°Huh,¡± Cynthia¡¯s eyes no longer carried the melancholic gaze and instead seemed to be gleaming with interest, ¡°Could you translate the rest?¡±

    ¡°The rest?¡± Lance asked, looking back at the mural.

    ¡°Yes!¡± Cynthia affirmed, getting very excited now, ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve just kinda accepted that I wouldn¡¯t be able to ever understand these hieroglyphs. I thought it was a dead language!¡± She snapped her fingers, ¡°Wait a minute! You said Volo kinda weird, like ¡®Volloh¡¯. Does it mean anything?¡±

    Lance blinked as Cynthia babbled all of these words within ten seconds. It took him a few more seconds to process it and respond, ¡°It¡¯s pronounced ¡®Vohl-O¡¯ , and roughly translates to ¡®Incomplete Completion¡¯.¡±

    Cynthia¡¯s eyes seemed to glow as she breathed, ¡°Fascinating¡­ So is ¡®Volo¡¯ not actually his name? It seems to derive from this Draconid language, and I highly doubt his parents would name him something like that. Maybe he chose it as a title? Or the legends eventually made that his name. Or-¡±

    ¡°You said that the ¡®Creator chose a champion¡¯ earlier, right?¡± Lance interrupted once again - Cynthia was as bad as Clair when talking about history - ¡°Because I think this other figure is supposed to be the guy.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± She nearly pushed Lance away in her excitement as she pointed at the softer carving, and the glyphs next to it, ¡°What does it say?¡±

    ¡° Arkeu-Kin ,¡± Lance answered. It took him a bit to place the translation, before remembering it from one of the stories the Elders had told him and Clair when they were children, ¡°¡®Chosen of the Creator¡¯.¡±

    Cynthia cupped her chin in interest, ¡°Hmm¡­ What about these three?¡±

    Lance looked to where she was pointing, seeing three beasts of different shapes. They appeared draconic in nature, and Lance began to wonder if he was seeing depictions of the Dragon Gods that the Celestic Clan had worshipped.

    ¡° Pahl-Ka , Dahl-Ka , and, hold on¡­ Gaero-Taenna ,¡± Lance didn¡¯t see Cynthia¡¯s shocked face as he translated, ¡°¡®Lord of Space¡¯, ¡®Lord of Time¡¯, and ¡®Dark Lord of Distortion¡¯. Though Taenna can also translate to ¡®Forsaken¡¯.¡±

    He turned and was mildly worried at the literal stars in Cynthia¡¯s eyes. ¡° Teach me ,¡± She breathed, having such a tone of reverence that Lance began to feel uncomfortable, ¡°There are so many historical sites in Sinnoh with this language! Oh, I must learn this!¡±

    ¡°Uhh,¡± Lance uttered somewhat dumbly as Cynthia silently freaked out, ¡°I mean¡­ I¡¯m not gonna be here long, but - maybe - you could send pictures of what you need translated?¡±

    He made the mistake of looking into her eyes as he said this - gods, she even had the growlithe-eyes like Clair! - which shined with joy as Cynthia began hopping up and down like an excitable schoolgirl, ¡°Yes! Yes! That would be wonderful!¡± Oh, she was shaking him now. He could feel himself shutting down; too much physical contact, ¡°Thank you! That would be amazing! How can I repay - are you alright!?¡±

    Lance had fallen down, his legs not electing to support him once Cynthia let go of him. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he croaked out, ¡°Just¡­ warn me next time you start shaking me like that, will you?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry!¡¯ Cynthia was blushing scarlet, ¡°I just got so excited and - okay, I¡¯m shutting up now!¡±

    She did , in fact, shut up as she helped Lance up - and never in his life was he admitting to being overwhelmed by this woman to Clair. She would hound him relentlessly for it .

    He sighed after patting himself down, ¡°It¡¯s¡­ fine. Clair used to do much worse when we were little.¡±

    Cynthia still seemed embarrassed, but quickly moved on, ¡°We have another hour or so before Charles starts wondering where we are! Let¡¯s go translate more stuff!¡±

    ¡° Wooh, ¡± Lance muttered in deadpan, weakly raising a ¡®triumphant¡¯ fist in the air.

    Still, he almost wanted to stay here longer than he should.

    Might just raise Goodshow¡¯s blood pressure at having two missing Champions. It would be fitting given how much Lance¡¯s own health deteriorated whenever he had to speak with the man for more than two minutes at a time.

    Prick.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Lance stood up and followed Cynthia as she practically pranced around the historic ruins, ¡°We¡¯ll do a few more.¡±

    Cynthia remained enthusiastic as Lance learned about and translated the murals. There were a few written in other dialects - primarily 2nd Era Celestic - but most were some form of Draconid.

    A number of different mythical stories, beasts, and individuals were scrawled onto the walls. Some were cleaner than others, and a few were obviously purposely hidden from sight.

    A few depicted what he learned to be the Lake Guardians ( Yuuk-See, Mesf-Rite, and Ahs-Elv , which translated to ¡®Mind See¡¯, ¡®Heart Right¡¯, and ¡®Soul Drive¡¯ respectively). Another depicted Darkrai (which was actually derived from a Celestic translation of Dark-Rye , which meant ¡®Dark Dream¡¯). One particularly old looking one showed a large shape surrounded by five figures with varying appearances. Each appeared to have multiple eyes, though only the central figure had a caption, which was the sole glyph written in 1st Era Celestic, that read Regi-Giygas , which translated to ¡®Mover of Continents¡¯.

    Across many of the murals, though, Lance noticed a pattern. There was almost always at least one human present in the events depicted, usually all bearing the same caption.

    Arkeu-Kin.

    It seemed to be the one word that remained the same across dialects. Lance had brought that up to Cynthia, whose only response was an excited squeak, and the scribbling of notes on a notepad she had procured out of somewhere Lance didn¡¯t want to know.

    He was currently looking at the last mural before they had to leave - they had already spent nearly three hours in the cave, and even Cynthia was getting claustrophobic . This mural seemed older than nearly all of the others, perhaps even the one depicting Vohl-O .

    The mural almost seemed¡­ harsher than the others. More primal. More powerful.

    More terrifying .

    Cynthia actually seemed slightly unnerved at the sight of it, as she whispered, ¡°This was always one of my least favourites.¡±

    Lance whispered back, ¡°Then why are you showing me?¡±

    She turned to him, eyes set in a determined grey, ¡°It¡¯s best to gain an understanding of that you don¡¯t understand. Especially when you fear it.¡±

    Lance nodded at that, seeing the wisdom behind the saying. He looked across the mural, noting the jagged runes inscribed within and around the beasts depicted - Alpha and Omega - before finding harsh glyphs inscribed next to the beast breathing fire.

    It took a few moments for Lance to recall, especially since, unlike the other Draconid dialects, this one was old .

    Very old.

    ¡° Grau-Adon ¡± He breathed, ¡°¡®Behemoth of the Land¡¯.¡±

    Cynthia remained quiet, before pointing to the opposite figure, a titanic creature surrounded by waves, ¡°What is this one¡¯s title?¡±

    Lance squinted, searching for the scrawl. Finding it, he read, ¡° Kaiyo-Gre , ¡®Leviathan of the Depths¡¯.¡±

    Lance heard Cynthia whisper ¡® Groudon and Kyogre ¡¯ to herself.

    He wasn¡¯t terribly surprised at this. He held a healthy respect/fear for the legends of the world.

    Remembering the Dragon God of the Draconids, Lance glanced up and saw it. ¡° Raa-Ka-Aasa . ¡®Serpent Lord of the Skies¡¯,¡± and the god of the Draconids.

    Cynthia took that in before pointing out a small, almost unnoteworthy figure, ¡°...Is that-?¡±

    ¡° Arkeu-Kin , yes,¡± Lance answered, before something above it, at the top of the mural, took his interest.

    It was like the sun. A light crudely drawn, bearing many hands. Eyes surrounded the ethereal being, giving off an uncomfortable feeling in Lance¡¯s gut.

    There was a scrawl above the being.

    Arkeu.

    Creator.

    Order.

    God.

    ¡°Hold on¡­¡± Cynthia crouched onto her legs, pulling away at an old layer of moss near the bottom, ¡°I saw something just now that I haven¡¯t seen before.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Lance breathed, turning his eyes away from The Truth turn away lest you be driven Maddd-

    ¡°Here,¡± Cynthia said, pulling the last of the moss away. She pointed to the small, unassuming figure.

    A dark shape, almost human¡­

    Yet not.

    There was a single glyph. Dark. Imposing. Beautiful, yet terrible.

    Oh so similar to the glyph at the top of the mural.

    ¡°What does it say?¡± Cynthia asked in a whisper.

    Lance ignored the growing pit in his stomach as he answered.

    ¡° Charkeu. ¡±

    Destroyer.

    Chaos.

    Devil.

    The only sounds in the cave were their breaths. After a moment, Cynthia whispered, ¡°That¡¯s bad, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Lance turned his eyes away - and he would deny it, but something drew him towards it in a way that its opposite never could - ¡°...Yes.¡±

    To stare into the abyss is to invite in us the Madness.

    ¡°...I think - I think I¡¯m done,¡± Cynthia stood up, dusting off her jacket, ¡°Let¡¯s head back before-¡±

    Lance jumped as her phone started to loudly ring. Cynthia also appeared panicked - although for different reasons - as she hastened to answer, ¡°Yes, Cynthia speakin - oh my goodness, I¡¯m so sorry! Yes, of course, he¡¯s here with me - uhuh¡­ We¡¯ll be there within the hour¡­ Thank you!¡± She hung up with a relieved sigh, ¡°That¡­ wasn¡¯t nearly as bad as I feared it would be.¡±

    Lance had calmed down enough to grimace, ¡°That was Goodshow, wasn¡¯t it?¡± At her nod, his grimace deepened into a scowl, ¡°He doesn¡¯t like me nearly as much as you. I imagine I¡¯ll have to sit through a lecture when we get back.¡±

    ¡°Oh, really?¡± Cynthia asked, seeming genuinely baffled, ¡°He seemed like a kindly old man to me.¡±

    Lance¡¯s scowl deepened, ¡°Don¡¯t let appearances fool you. One doesn¡¯t become head of the World League without being a hardass.¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Cynthia brightened up a bit as they took towards the surface, ¡°I¡¯ll vouch for you when we get back. I can say that I dragged you along against your will!¡±

    Lance couldn¡¯t help but be reminded at the times when Clair took the fall for his mistakes when they were younger.

    He was about to disagree when he looked at Cynthia, whose face seemed so genuine that he couldn¡¯t help but crack a smile, ¡°You know what? I would appreciate that.¡±

    ¡­

    The Hidden Tangela, Commercial District, Goldenrod City, October 18th, 1997

    ¡°I dunno - dunno how yeh do it, Gary!¡±

    Red Satoshi hid his grimace behind his cards. Though, to be fair, it would be more apt to call Red ¡®Gary¡¯, since the bar he was at encouraged codenames.

    This was done in an effort to protect the identities of those who dined and played at The Hidden Tangela. Given that it was in the seedy underbelly of Goldenrod¡¯s Commercial District, much of the business conducted within the bar was of the more illicit variety.

    Not to mention the heavy presence of Team Rocket in the bar.

    Because of this, Red found it prudent to change his looks, preventing the off-chance that someone would recognise him. He wore a leather jacket pilfered from a drunk biker a few days back, along with black fingerless gloves he found in a dump a couple of blocks down the road.

    They were actually in rather nice condition. He may consider keeping them.

    He forewent the cap, instead letting his hair stick up. He hadn¡¯t shaved for nearly a month, which paired well with the scraggly hair to give him an unkempt, unassuming appearance.

    If only he could change his eyes.

    He had learned that they were rather distinctive.

    He would have to thank James and Meowth if and when he saw them. For all their deficiencies, they certainly had a lot to teach in regards to disguises.

    And stealing.

    And engineering (surprisingly).

    ¡­And budget.

    ¡­

    They were actually surprisingly competent in a lot of random things.

    Pichu was currently skulking around near the back, using his small frame to weave between table legs and feet. The tiny mouse acted as a lookout for Red, keeping an eye on any potentially dangerous individuals.

    Of which, there was a decent amount.

    The drunk man he was currently playing cards against went under the name ¡®Wartface¡¯, which was an apt name, given the man¡¯s appearance.

    Others around the bar that Red had played against generally stuck to simpler names, often copying pok¨¦mon. He had beaten a ¡®Weezing¡¯, ¡®Arbok¡¯, ¡®Skarmory¡¯, and a particularly large man called ¡®Ursurang¡¯.

    That man was actually rather nice, all things considered.

    ¡°It¡¯s a gift,¡± Gary murmured as he switched around two cards, ¡°I bet you that the next three matches will be three free wins for me.¡±

    Wartface leaned forward, whisky heavy in his breath as he gave a golden-toothed grin. Despite the considerable amount of liquor the man had drunk, he still proved to be a formidable opponent at cards - the only one that gave Gary any difficulty, in fact - and he grinned at the challenge, ¡°Yer actin¡¯ rather cocky, my good man! What say we up the ante a little bit, eh?¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Gary intoned coolly, displaying his cards against Wartface¡¯s hand - another win - ¡°Why don¡¯t we bet something a little more exciting than money, such as information?¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Wartface asked, looking mildly disgruntled at losing another match, ¡°Workin¡¯ for the League? Or private investigator for hire?¡±

    ¡°Neither,¡± Gary replied easily, accepting his hand from the dealer - a flush of diamonds - ¡°I¡¯m a survivor; part of it¡¯s knowing who to look out for and where to avoid.¡±

    ¡°Ah,¡± Wartface said in understanding, eyeing his own deck, ¡°I c¡¯n respect that.¡± Wartface cast a considering eye at Gary, attempting and failing to find any tells.

    Red had apparently developed something of an incredible poker face. Despite him showing more and more emotions in his expression when around Salvare and Karen, his face remained unchanging when he was on his own.

    Karen said that he looked dead inside.

    Salvare promptly said she looked dead in-mind.

    Gary¡¯s face cracked for a moment - a minute twitch of the lips that seemed to disarm Wartface more than his previous lack of expression - before asking with a small smirk, ¡°Do you fold?¡±

    Wartface scrutinised Gary¡¯s face before growling, ¡°Yer a connivin¡¯ ass, Gary,¡± He tapped his own deck, leaning back, ¡°You ain¡¯t beatin¡¯ me this time. I call your bluff, Gary. Now,¡± Wartface leaned forward, golden tooth glimmering in confidence, ¡°Do you fold?¡±

    Gary hummed. Wartface usually grumbled and joked in a dry way when he had a bad or even mediocre hand. This extra confidence told Gary that, as far Wartface was concerned, he had a good hand.

    Gary tapped his finger against the table, making eye contact for a brief moment before giving a small sigh, ¡°Your loss.¡±

    They played their cards.

    ¡°What?!¡± Wartface exclaimed in anger as his straight lost to Gary¡¯s hand, ¡°That¡¯s fuckin¡¯ tauros shit!¡± Wartface slammed his fist against the table, causing others nearby to turn towards the growing commotion, ¡°Yer cheatin¡¯, aren¡¯t yeh?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re over-reacting,¡± Gary stated calmly - the neon lights within the bar made it so that none of the observers saw his eyes glowing - ¡°Sit down, I think you''re confused .¡±

    Wartface growled, but did not say anything further. His weak - simple - mind crumbled instantly against Gary¡¯s mental intrusion.

    Wartface shook his head, sitting back down to take another large gulp of whiskey, ¡°I dunno - dunno how yeh do it, Gary!¡±

    Gary did grimace this time. While the others he had played with throughout the evening were not the most skilled, Wartface was actually a rather capable player, usually doing quite well amongst the regulars of The Hidden Tangela.

    Normally, Gary would have been fine with testing his skills at cards against someone of Wartface¡¯s calibre. While he wasn¡¯t nearly as good as Salvare when they and Karen had played together on the road - and, seriously, Salvare was a natural - he would like to think that he had improved rather drastically since the times that Brock had introduced him to it, before promptly flattening him repeatedly.

    However, Gary wasn¡¯t here for entertainment - he wasn¡¯t yet quite so desperate as to descend to the level required to enjoy this place . Instead, he was here for information.

    And Wartface knew something valuable.

    ¡°One more game,¡± Gary reminded the man, smothering the potential empathy he may have felt for taking advantage of the poor man¡¯s mental faculties, ¡°I win, and you talk.¡±

    Wartface only gave a distracted nod - it seemed that the continued mental attacks were having a greater effect; perhaps it was from the whiskey? ¡°Right, yeh,¡± He rubbed a sweaty hand against his face, ¡°You won¡¯t win this time, pal.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Gary murmured before promptly defeating Wartface a third time. The large man didn¡¯t even seem angry at the loss, instead deflating almost akin to a balloon.

    Red would almost be sad at the sight, if he could bring himself to care. Alas, the man in front of him was but one simple thing in Red¡¯s one-track mind.

    An obstacle.

    ¡° Here, ¡± Red leaned over and poured Wartface a shot of the liquor he had bought - and hadn¡¯t had a single sip of - ¡° Consider it repayment. ¡±

    ¡°T-Thank yeh,¡± Wartface mumbled, briefly brushing his hand with Red¡¯s to pick up the shot glass.

    The contact, however brief, allowed Red a moment to push his Dark aura into the man¡¯s psyche. Red hoped that, along with the previous use of Confusion and the drinks, would keep Wartface from hiding any detail.

    Ironically, this was a trick he derived from Karen¡¯s use of Amnesia on himself.

    ¡° Now, ¡± Red kept his voice low as he made eye contact with Pichu, ¡° Word is that you know this city pretty well. ¡±

    Wartface looked up to give Red a suspicious glance - as much as his drunken stupor allowed, anyway - before grumbling, ¡°I¡¯ve lived here all my life.¡±

    ¡° Of course, ¡± Red consoled(?). He leaned back, keeping track of his surroundings, ¡° With that rich a history with the city, I imagine you must have seen quite a lot of gangs over the decades. ¡±

    Wartface¡¯s face almost seemed wistful as his eyes glossed over - a negative side-effect of repeated Confusions; Red needed to move this along sooner rather than later - ¡°Had a Team Storm for a while¡­¡± Wartface gave a slow blink, ¡°Team Rocket absorbed them after the war, though.¡±

    ¡° Fascinating, ¡± Red muttered - and, to be fair, it was, but it was not the information he ultimately needed - ¡° Living that long in this city¡­ you must have learned the lay of the land, such as where gangs like to meet up. ¡±

    ¡°Uh,¡± Wartface mumbled, lightly shaking his head to stay awake, ¡°It¡¯s not tha¡¯ difficult to figure out. They love hangin¡¯ out in abandoned buildin¡¯s and the such.¡±

    ¡° Any particular type? ¡± Red pressed.

    ¡°Anythin¡¯, really,¡± Wartface grunted, taking another slight swig of whiskey - it was frankly worrying how much he had that night - ¡°Apartments, hospitals, labs, garages-¡±

    ¡° Are there any labs in the area that I have to look out for? ¡± Red asked, adding a slightly artificial tone of concern in his voice, ¡° I¡¯d like to know where to avoid. Like I said, I¡¯m a survivor. ¡±

    It took a few seconds for Wartface to process that, ¡°I don¡¯ know why you¡¯d consider goin¡¯ to an abandoned lab in the first place, but let¡¯s see¡­¡± He sat back, eyes nearly closing as he thought, ¡°Team Rocket has a few, by Dunsparce Lane and Iron Road. There¡¯re some downtown, but they¡¯re owned by Oak and¡­ Elk? Somethin¡¯ like that,¡± There was a pause, and right as Red was about to snap his fingers, Wartface spoke up one final time, ¡°There was one in the Industrial District, I think. They started buildin¡¯ it a few years back, but it stopped one day¡­ I don¡¯ think any gang has claimed it, since there was nothin¡¯ valuable there¡­ So, I¡­ I dunno¡­¡±

    With that, Wartface finally succumbed to the, frankly, terrifying mixture of Confusion and whiskey, falling asleep with a rumbling snore. Red briefly wondered to himself how the man had even lasted that long.

    Still, for what it was worth, the information the man gave was far more than he had previously.

    Was it anything concrete?

    No, but then again, even when the League had learned of Team Source, they were hard pressed to find valuable intel on the organisation.

    Red had the luck to know beforehand that the organisation had a base in Goldenrod. After all, multiple scientists he had fought against had bragged about their involvement in those bases.

    Casting a quick glance to the patrons nearest to him, Red leaned down and stuffed Pichu into his shirt, earning himself an enraged squeak and a harmless shock.

    Red walked past the bartender - an undercover Rocket grunt; one of many in the building - placing a small tip on the counter, ¡°For your troubles.¡±

    The grunt gave Red a raised eyebrow before pocketing the change, saying, ¡°I hope you consider coming back, sir.¡±

    ¡° Of course, ¡± Red murmured, opening the door without a look back, ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to bring some friends next time.¡±

    Red walked down two blocks before finding said friend - an unassuming police officer on his evening patrol.

    Red snuck up next to him, helpfully placed the ID¡¯s of the undercover Rockets (which were pilfered by Pichu while Red played cards), and tapped the officer¡¯s shoulder, before spiriting away before he could be seen.

    Later that night, The Hidden Tangela would be surrounded by police tape, and twelve Rockets would find themselves behind bars.

    ¡­

    ¡°Really, Pichu?¡±

    ¡°Pichu!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t even know why this is next to the supermarket . I expected food, not a hat .¡±

    ¡°Pi-Pichu-chu-Pichu!¡±

    ¡°...Hate to break it to you, but you can¡¯t be ¡®Detective Pikachu¡¯ without, you know, being a Pikachu .¡±

    ¡°CHU!¡±

    ¡°Hey, you get on me about my eating habits. I can get on you for being tiny.¡±

    Pichu did not like the smart talk. Unfortunately for Pichu, Red was immune to any electrical shocks Pichu tried to hit him with.

    Still, the little mouse wasn¡¯t deterred by that, instead hopping onto Red¡¯s shoulder to bite his ear.

    But then again, Pichu had tiny teeth.

    Red calmly picked Pichu up from both sides and tossed him into the dumpster. Pichu¡¯s loud squawk fell on deaf ears as Red turned his head skyward.

    Must be sometime near midnight.

    ¡°You know, if you speak loud enough, we may just wake up the entire block and be arrested for dumpster diving,¡± Red told Pichu. He actually wasn¡¯t entirely sure if that was against the law, but he felt it better to err on the side of caution with this type of thing. ¡°C¡¯mon, I haven¡¯t eaten in almost twenty four hours. Let¡¯s go check the other side of the building.¡±

    Pichu fumbled around in the trash for a moment before shooting off after Red. As Red skulked behind the building, Pichu poked his cheek to get his attention.

    When Red turned towards Pichu, he rolled his eyes, ¡°...Fine. I¡¯ll be your loyal stead, ¡®Detective Pichu¡¯.¡±

    ¡°Pi-Chu.¡± Pichu nodded seriously, precariously balancing an old, patchy Stantlerhunter hat on his small head.

    Red sighed as he reached the other side of the supermarket, scrunching up his face at the smell, ¡°Oh fun.¡±

    Red plugged his nose as Pichu hopped off, blasting away the sludge of Grimer with a Thunderbolt . After a moment, he allowed himself to smell the air, grimacing as he did so, ¡° Brilliant. ¡±

    Pichu apparently didn¡¯t catch the sarcasm, instead flexing his (nonexistent) muscles before hopping back onto Red¡¯s shoulder.

    And now the hat smelled like Grimer.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see if anything¡¯s edible,¡± Red sighed as he stepped towards the dump, which, unlike the Grimer, caused Pichu¡¯s face to scrunch up.

    This seemed to be a common reaction amongst Red¡¯s travelling partners.

    Red wasn¡¯t short for cash. It wasn¡¯t as if he was wealthy, but he could afford decent food without too much financial worry.

    Despite this, the total amount of times he had bought food for himself in the past month could be counted with one hand, and each of them were in bulk for travel.

    When he wasn¡¯t travelling, though, instead of shopping at the supermarket or eating at a restaurant - ¡°Like a sane person,¡± Karen would say - Red took to the trash.

    For all that the Storm enforced the importance of using every available resource to their fullest, Red found the world around him to be¡­ appallingly wasteful.

    He didn¡¯t bother being mad about it - to a certain point, he could understand how comfort can make one lax - instead seeing it as an opportunity.

    Whether it was in the form of a 5-star meal or an expired can of macaroni, food was food, or at least Red thought so.

    So what if it was often stale, having bad taste, and may or may not be plagued with bacteria? Red had eaten worse, and after three years of scrounging up scraps for food, his immune system was strong enough to fight off anything truly bad.

    Salvare had even tagged along on one of his trips in Olivine, providing a surprising amount of help in Red¡¯s quest for food.

    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    He hadn¡¯t looked like he enjoyed it, but the stony look on his face indicated that he had experience.

    ¡°Huh, ¡®expires 10/7/97¡¯.¡± Red hummed to himself, holding the can of expired green beans against the moonlight, ¡°Should be fine.¡±

    Pichu gave a doubtful grunt, making an exaggerated face of disgust as Red opened the can.

    Red paused as he saw Pichu¡¯s gaze, ¡°Just because the one was badly poisoned doesn¡¯t mean that all of them are.¡±

    Pichu grumbled, obviously dissatisfied with Red¡¯s nonchalant attitude towards his health.

    For his own part, Red thought back to Olivine City, when Judg- Salvare rather aggressively stopped Red from eating one of his finds, apparently sensing the potency of its poison with his aura.

    Red¡­ hadn¡¯t allowed himself to dwell much on the kid over the last week. With both the revelation of just why he looked so familiar along with the looming psychic presence niggling around in the back of his mind, Red had started to act rather distant towards Salvare.

    It¡­ It wasn¡¯t fair to the kid. Red was well aware of that. While he hadn¡¯t acted any meaner than he usually was, there was a certain robotic tone that entered Red¡¯s voice when he talked to him.

    Despite the lost and worried looks that Salvare had - and why did he care so much for him? - and the scathing looks he was beginning to draw from Karen, Red couldn¡¯t help it.

    Red couldn¡¯t help but see Salvare bleeding out.

    Begging for death.

    absolution.

    So, after arriving at Goldenrod nearly a week ago, Red spent almost every waking hour of his time in the city, piecing together, little by little, where Team Source could have set up their base.

    For the first few nights, Red hadn¡¯t even travelled to the Pokemon Center to sleep, instead finding a nook off the road to scoot in for a four-hour nap. He was well aware of the homeless look it gave him - which Karen helpfully pointed out repeatedly - which only served to help his primary guise of being a ¡®survivor¡¯, a street urchin.

    And, again, when he said this, Salvare only had that vaguely knowing look that he occasionally adopted.

    In the time that Red had spent delving into the city¡¯s underground, Karen had taken it upon herself to pick up Salvare¡¯s tutoring in Aura.

    It turned out that Salvare was something of a prodigy in Poison Aura, which Red had overheard from Karen was one of her elder¡¯s specialties. He had an instinctive grasp on Poison Jab - which Red suspected to be the move he used against him and Karen on Route 39 - and, amazingly, had a pretty hearty Belch when he ate more than he usually did.

    Which was not a lot. The kid was incredibly skinny.

    Apparently, Poison Aura was best suited towards healing, stealth, and, obviously, poison .

    Salvare seemed rather gifted in the latter two - Karen was actually able to teach him Thief after only an hour - though the same could not be said for the former.

    In an odd way, Red felt almost¡­ proud? He couldn¡¯t quite define what he felt towards Salvare at the moment. Pride? Guilt? Worry? Suspicion? Care?

    Red shelved that all away, willing himself to unpack it later, if the time ever came in the first place. Had there been nothing else important going on, he may have decided to process it.

    But there was.

    There hadn¡¯t been any more mental outbursts since the 7th, but there remained a constant presence in his mind. Calling, screaming , begging for help¡­

    Before going silent for hours at a time.

    Red blinked away stars every time it happened. Though it was never as visceral as it was outside of Cianwood, there was always a vision of shadows, then a light so bright that everything burned .

    And then¡­ silence.

    The silence scared Red. Every time, a part of him worried that the silence would stay, and that the one who needed his help would never wake up.

    Yet, thus far, they had woken up, only to be subjected to more light, laughing light, let there be light, and the light burns, it burns it burns

    it burns

    it burns

    it burnsssssssssssssssss  ssss sssss ss          ss s              s                                    s

    ¡­

    Northeast Battling Ring, Goldenrod City, October 20th, 1997

    ¡°Care to explain where you were for the last three fucking days?!¡±

    ¡° No. ¡±

    Salvare shook his head as Karen descended onto Red like a rabid dog, her harsh whispers quickly growing into a quaking shout, drawing stares from the battlers around them.

    Though, to be fair, Red deserved it.

    Salvare scowled to himself at the thought, banishing it away. Even if he felt angry at Red for disappearing for so long, he reminded himself that Red must have had a good reason.

    Right?

    Salvare sighed to himself. He wasn¡¯t sure .

    He had been travelling with Red for over a month now, and Salvare generally felt that he was a good person.

    For the most part¡­

    Sure, Red was very rough around the edges, but Salvare was of the mind that if someone wasn¡¯t , then either something was wrong with them or they were lying.

    Red had faults, but at least he didn¡¯t try to hide them. Red was cold, snappish at times, and could be surprisingly cruel when he wanted to be. But Salvare had repeatedly seen Red act nice, supportive in his own offbrand way.

    For a while, Salvare had slowly been seeing more and more of this side from Red. Whenever he did particularly well in a training session - which translated to lasting longer than thirty seconds - Red had offered genuine praise, even when Salvare¡¯s achievements paled in comparison to Red¡¯s.

    Something changed after the televised fight they watched between the Champions. Outwardly, Red acted the same: cold, standoffish. However, there was one thing that was new.

    Red actively avoided him .

    Before, while he may have avoided Karen like a plague, Red never had any issue with Salvare¡¯s presence. Oftentimes, his mentor seemed to be in his element when tutoring Salvare.

    A part of him glowed on the rare occasion that Red called him a great prot¨¦g¨¦.

    For a few days after, Salvare wondered if Red was feeling tired, like he had after his fight with Jasmine.

    And, oh, he listened to a whole slew of theories as Karen rambled on and on while Red slept.

    Salvare retained this notion for three whole days before they arrived in Goldenrod, before it was utterly discarded when Red just left .

    Without letting either of them know.

    At this, Salvare did allow himself to scowl at the memory. It had been a sleepless two days, in which both he and Karen had asked every person they could find whether or not they had seen Red.

    Despite Karen¡¯s conflicted feelings towards Red, Salvare knew that she cared about him, somewhat, maybe . Karen had been unusually frantic upon learning of Red¡¯s disappearance, seeming genuinely frightened in a way that was different to the primal fear Salvare observed in her whenever Red¡¯s eyes glowed.

    And his eyes glowed, so what?

    Salvare was aware that Karen considered Red a danger, but he liked to think that she may have also been worried for a friend. Although, Salvare wondered if she even did consider Red as a friend.

    He knew for a fact that Red did not consider her one.

    For his own part, Salvare considered Karen as a friend. Weird, yes, but a friend nonetheless. He still slept at night with a switchblade under his pillow, just in case she decided to come in and stab him in the back, because that¡¯s what friends did in his experience.

    Red was different. He wasn¡¯t a friend. He was his leader.

    Salvare cast his eyes once more towards Karen and Red, and upon seeing - and hearing - that Karen wasn¡¯t even close to finished with raging at Red, he turned his attention towards finding another opponent.

    Over the last week, when he wasn¡¯t with Karen looking for Red, he was at the Battling Ring. While the previous towns the three of them had stopped at were fairly lukewarm in terms of the people and the challenges, Goldenrod was a veritable goldmine for such things.

    There were four Battling Rings throughout the city, each packed with a variety of trainers of varying specialties, skill, and experience.

    Salvare was losing far more than he had in Olivine or Cianwood, but he was learning so much more through his defeats than the multitude of victories he and Red had stacked up previously.

    Four days ago, Gastly evolved into a Haunter, allowing Salvare to push it past its previous limits to be a more dangerous combatant.

    Croconaw had also mastered Aqua Jet to such a degree that he could go an entire battle without touching the ground once . He had also improved his Bite into a Crunch , along with beginning to develop Ice Fang to go with it.

    Magneton was proving to be a varied attacker, tapping into fire, electric, and ice attacks in its increasing arsenal.

    Zubat was nearing evolution, based on the subtle increase in the size of its mouth. It was still rather frail, but counteracted that with its high speed. Recently, instead of focusing on raw offence, Salvare began working on moves such as Screech, Confuse Ray, Whirlwind, and Toxic to outlast the opponent in a prolonged match.

    Sitting within Salvare¡¯s new fifth pok¨¦ball was a Cacnea he had caught in the Safari Zone. Karen had been rather pleased with that, calling Salvare her ¡®Dark Buddy¡¯ after catching a Houndour for herself .

    Despite being a new member of Salvare¡¯s team, Cacnea proved to be a crafty little bugger. It had taken Salvare a solid thirty minutes of traversing various traps the pok¨¦mon had set in the Safari before he was able to catch it, and that skill transferred over to battling.

    While Cacnea wasn¡¯t able to tank many hits, he supplemented that by making it costly to hit him. A potent mixture of Spikes , Grassy Terrain, Spiky Shield (Which Salvare later learned was incredibly rare for unevolved Cacnea to learn), and Toxic Spikes made it so that any normal trainer would have to make serious preparations before going after the pok¨¦mon, lest they suffer potentially fatal wounds and/or poison.

    Salvare, however, turned out to be immune to said poison.

    Despite Karen of all people warning him against it, Salvare tracked down the rogue Cacnea, eventually capturing it after Gastly struck it with a well-timed Curse .

    Red had actually seemed rather impressed when Salvare regaled him of Cacnea¡¯s tricks, and how he got past them. While Karen fussed over the poisonous spikes that still stuck to his feet and legs, Red simply nodded and said, ¡°Well done.¡±

    Salvare preened at that.

    Cacnea was the first to find a fight while Karen and Red tore at each other¡¯s throats, wearing down an overconfident Poliwrath over the course of five minutes. Once it became clear that Poliwrath was about to succumb to Cacnea¡¯s defences, the opposing trainer recalled him, netting a victory for Salvare.

    It was an interesting experience for Salvare. While he wasn¡¯t winning back to back, the victories he did get felt far more earned . He had begun to be recognised as a competent battler throughout Goldenrod, and stronger trainers reached out to him for battles that were far more intensive than anything Salvare faced before, sans the Gym matches.

    He still shuddered when remembering Clair¡¯s feral grin after defeating him a fifth time.

    However, if Salvare was asked what he thought the source of his improvement was, he wouldn¡¯t waste a second before pointing to Red.

    Salvare hadn¡¯t truly realised how¡­ he didn¡¯t know how to say it. Different? Revolutionary? Groundbreaking?

    ¡­Beautiful. Beautiful, yet terrifying. That is how Salvare would describe Red¡¯s training. For a while, Salvare hadn¡¯t fully comprehended how alien Red¡¯s style was until he went a week without it.

    Traditional pok¨¦mon training involved practising moves, teaching special commands, and generally improving pok¨¦mons¡¯ physique. This was the tried and true method, allowing battling legends such as Lance or Professor Oak to create teams of true monsters , redefining the existing boundaries of their species.

    In recent times, especially after the end of the war, this training method was built upon by making personal connections with one¡¯s pok¨¦mon. Over the last two decades, numerous studies had been conducted that proved an increase in a team¡¯s capability when the trainer made personal connections with their pok¨¦mon.

    Salvare saw Karen as a perfect example of this. She was a fiercely passionate trainer whose drive was reflected in her pok¨¦mon when she battled. Even in matches where Karen face type disadvantages or status inflictions, Salvare had yet to see her lose aside from her one battle against Red.

    However, Salvare had seen the other end of the spectrum, where the trainer raised their team dispassionately, finely honing them as perfect weapons, rather than creatures.

    If there was one thing in life that Salvare never wanted to become, it was that type of trainer. He may not have high standards in other areas, but after seeing what Team Rocket did-

    He¡­ He couldn¡¯t stomach it. When he first released the Totodile he stole from a lab, he vowed never to descend to the level of his¡­ No. No, he would be better.

    It may have been slow going. It may have been faster, easier to raise a team of dispassionate monsters - tools - but he wouldn¡¯t. Totodile had grown to be his best friend, the family that Salvare never truly had.

    And Croconaw nearly died at the Lake of Rage.

    Salvare¡¯s face grew dark, slightly scaring the opponent he was currently facing. Salvare wasn¡¯t at a great place when he went to the lake, having had a run-in with Team Rocket in Mahogany, along with nearly seeing him for the first time in four years¡­

    Had Croconaw died¡­

    ¡­

    Salvare wondered how he would have lived.

    But, Croconaw didn¡¯t die. If anything, the crocodile was more alive than he ever had been before.

    Salvare looked up to see Croconaw flying through the air using Aqua Jet , mystifying a bird-keeper and his Xatu. Salvare hadn¡¯t even given any verbal commands in this match, giving Croconaw the agency to decide how to use his own skill set without Salvare¡¯s aid.

    This brought Salvare¡¯s mind back to Red, and how much he learned, how much he changed under him. Every time they had a training session, Salvare would walk away with a new strategy, a new skill, a new understanding in his mind.

    Unlike every other trainer Salvare had met, Red didn¡¯t fit in the existing training spectrum. Instead, Red had his own style that was both graceful yet disjointed, brutal yet soft, grand yet subtle.

    Beautiful yet Terrifying.

    Group fighting. Trickery. Preparedness. Stubbornness. Improvisation. Trust. Stealth. Brutality. Aggressiveness. Speed. Cunning. Wisdom. Sacrifice.  Indomitable Will. All of these merged together to form a style - no, a force of nature - unlike anything Salvare had heard of outside of folk legends.

    And yet, amazingly, frustratingly , Red didn¡¯t - couldn¡¯t - recognise it. He seemed adverse to the very notion that he was special. That he was extraordinary .

    Salvare would have seen it as a blessing.

    Red almost acted as if it was a curse.

    Red had secrets, and he was very good at keeping those secrets.

    But he had slipped on occasion .

    Salvare never mentioned it to Karen, knowing that she would blow it out of proportion, but he had heard Red mutter two names - titles? - on rare occasions.

    ¡®The Chariot¡¯.

    And ¡®Judgement¡¯.

    The latter was once, during the televised match back at Cianwood. Red¡¯s eyes had been glowing rather fiercely, but Salvare kept his own council. Besides - he really didn¡¯t like to admit this - he was curious.

    Because Red had muttered the former title in a tone that Salvare hadn¡¯t ever heard from him before.

    Was it rage?

    Was it grief?

    Was it obsession?

    Salvare shook his head, dispelling the thoughts as Croconaw finally intercepted Xatu with an aerial Ice Fang , crashing onto the ground with the bird between his jaws.

    He cast another glance to where he last saw Red and Karen - it had been a solid twenty minutes of shouting - only to see that they were both gone.

    As he began to turn around, a voice called out, ¡°Salvare.¡±

    ¡°Red,¡± Salvare greeted, feeling somewhat off kilter, ¡°Uh, how are you?¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± Red stated in monotone, marching in front of Salvare, ¡°Today, we¡¯re going to train.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Salvare perked up, before unwittingly asking a question before he could stop himself, ¡°Is Karen forcing you?¡±

    Red paused, giving a quick glance across the battling ring - Karen was currently venting her frustrations by crushing a poor psychic trainer - as he gave a small, empty smirk, ¡° As if she could . No¡­¡± He turned to Salvare, ¡°You-¡± Red seemed to be evaluating Salvare, eyes glowing in judgement, ¡°-are my prot¨¦g¨¦,¡± His smile became bitter, ¡°It¡¯s my job to teach you, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Ok, Red¡¯s acting odd.

    ¡°Sure,¡± Salvare drawled before crossing his arms, feeling a little bolder than usual, ¡°Care to explain where you¡¯ve been running off to the past week?¡±

    ¡°Ask again and I¡¯ll take back my offer,¡± Red replied in a tired voice, ¡°Are we going to train, or not?¡±

    Salvare wasn¡¯t one to look a gift Ponyta in the mouth, ¡°Yes.¡± Salvare motioned Croconaw towards him as Red walked to an unused corner of the battling ring, not saying a word as they walked.

    Salvare had a feeling that whatever Red had been dealing with hadn¡¯t been resolved.

    But then again, when were his own demons ever laid to rest?

    ¡­

    Northwest Pokemon Center, Goldenrod City

    ¡°You know, for being the kid¡¯s mentor, you¡¯ve been a shit teacher.¡±

    ¡° Are we really going to continue this? ¡±

    Karen reigned in the instinct to growl, instead allowing Houndour to do the honours at her side. She began counting with her fingers, ¡°The kid¡¯s a natural with Poison Aura, and you¡¯ve spent zero time teaching him the basics . He¡¯s caught a new pok¨¦mon for his team - which would have probably killed him if he wasn¡¯t immune to poison, by the way . Lastly-¡±

    ¡° Stop ,¡± Red¡¯s eyes glowed briefly before he blinked them away - and Karen was finding herself more annoyed than scared by them at the moment - ¡°First off, I never agreed to teach Salvare Aura - Nope!¡± Red held up a hand as Karen opened her mouth to interrupt, ¡°You may have decided that, but I never did-¡±

    ¡°You are aware that¡¯s bullshit, right?!¡± Karen asked in a hysterical tone, ¡°The kid needs a teacher! Or else he¡¯ll overdo it and hurt himself!¡±

    ¡° And you¡¯ve been doing fine on your own, haven¡¯t you? ¡± Red asked in a harsh rasp. On his shoulder, Pichu crooned in a feeble attempt to stave off Red¡¯s growing rage.

    ¡°Only because you¡¯ve been gone!¡± Karen shouted back, ¡°He¡¯s only skatin¡¯ by with me ! I can tell he¡¯s hurtin¡¯ when you leave him in the dust! Only to come back looking like you had a nice cup o¡¯ tea with Giratina!¡±

    ¡°Excuse me, but your both hogging the PC-¡±

    ¡°SHOVE OFF!¡± ¡° Leave. ¡± Karen and Red shouted/growled at the same time, causing the poor random girl to scurry away in fright.

    ¡°Judg- Salvare¡¯s adaptable,¡± Red intoned, crossing his arms, ¡°He¡¯ll live.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡± Karen jerked her face up to Red¡¯s, her nose nearly touching his, ¡°What will he do when you don¡¯t come back, huh? What will we do when you wind up dead in an alley?¡±

    ¡° He would move on ,¡± Red rumbled, meeting Karen¡¯s eyes with his own, unrelenting stare, ¡°One of the first lessons I taught him was to move past loss.¡±

    ¡°Really? Because I¡¯m telling you he wouldn¡¯t ,¡± Her tone became marginally softer, ¡°He worships you. Gods only know why, but he does,¡± Her eyes grew harder, darker , ¡°So help me Red, if you go off and die on us, I¡¯ll raise you from the dead just to kill you again .¡±

    ¡° I¡¯d like to see you try ,¡± Red snarled back, eyes actually sparking with malevolent crimson.

    Karen¡¯s face shadowed, twisting into a feral snarl that made her appear far more dangerous than she ever had previously, ¡°You know what, Red? Fuck. You. ¡±

    Red stood there, eyes blazing scarlet as Karen stomped away towards her hotel room, slamming the door loud enough to shake the entire building.

    Red quickly tapped the last few keys to register himself and Salvare for their Gym matches before Nurse Joy walked up to him, wringing her hands nervously, ¡°Sir, if you could please-.¡±

    ¡° Already am ,¡± Red growled, closing the computer before stalking out of the Pokemon Center.

    He briefly heard Salvare rushing down the steps, calling his name to come back. Red didn¡¯t turn back, instead disappearing into the streets of Goldenrod.

    Even though it was night outside, the light was so bright bright bright bright.

    The light was so bright.

    ¡­

    The light was bright enough to drive him Mad.

    ¡­

    World League Embassy, Jubilife City, Sinnoh Region, October 24th, 1997

    ¡°A fine evening, isn¡¯t it, Professor?¡±

    Although Samuel hadn¡¯t expected the voice, he didn¡¯t jump or otherwise show any indication of surprise. After all, especially given the source of the voice, it was hardwired into the ageing man never to show weakness.

    ¡°I suppose it is, Giovanni,¡± Samuel answered as he looked down onto the celebratory ball. Sinnoh had officially become the fourth region in the World League just hours ago, which made Oak excited, because it meant he would finally be able to get back to his lab after three agonising weeks of waiting .

    And Mew above, if he had to deal with Delia calling him again after Bill ran off to do something asinine, Oak would bash his head in.

    Giovanni stepped forward to stand next to Samuel. While Oak simply wore a dress shirt and khakis, Giovanni attended every function over the last three weeks with a full 3-piece suit.

    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing,¡± Giovanni began after a moment, ¡°Uniting the regions.¡±

    Samuel nodded, not entirely wanting to have a conversation but not seeing any easy way to escape.

    Giovanni took a measured sip of his champagne, ¡°I imagine this will mean an update to your pokedex within the next few months?¡±

    Samuel hummed, ¡°Yes, though most of the information regarding Sinnoh¡¯s pok¨¦mon have already been recorded. It¡¯s mainly a matter of configuring the technology to recognise them when a user encounters them. Why do you ask?¡±

    ¡°This is a historic time,¡± Giovanni answered smoothly, gesturing towards the crowd below, ¡°Look below you. Leaders from Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, even Unova have come together,¡± Giovanni idly twirled his drink before continuing, ¡°Why, if someone told me twenty years ago that this is where we would end up, I would have punched them,¡± Giovanni¡¯s face twitched into a half smirk, ¡°Maybe worse. Spirits were rather high at the time.¡±

    Samuel nodded slowly, keeping his eyes on the crowd rather than Giovanni, ¡°It almost makes you wonder if we¡¯ll ever see Kalos join our ranks.¡±

    Giovanni snorted, ¡°Please. It¡¯ll be a rainy day in Orre before we ever let Kalos off its leash.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Oak mused, ¡°Goodshow has plans regarding Kalos. We may just be surprised by what he has in store.¡±

    Giovanni gave a small huff, ¡°For such an ambitious man, he is remarkably foolish in certain ways.¡±

    Oak didn¡¯t respond to that, instead allowing the silence between them to linger for a few minutes.

    At a certain point, Giovanni must have gotten the clue that Samuel was done talking about that subject, because he asked about another subject, ¡°What do you know about Mew, Professor?¡±

    ¡°Pardon?¡± Oak hadn¡¯t expected the question, especially not from someone like Giovanni, ¡°What brought this on?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard some fascinating stories during my time here,¡± Giovanni answered, eyes drifting towards the central mountain of the region, ¡°The people here have many legends that are rather intriguing . It made me wonder about Kanto''s own legends.¡±

    Samuel tilted his head, ¡°You¡¯ve never struck me as the religious type.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Giovanni acquiesced, ¡°But that doesn¡¯t stop my curiosity.¡±

    Oak¡¯s face grew slightly pinched as he considered Giovanni. Samuel had known the man since they fought alongside each other in the war, and while Giovanni hadn¡¯t ever done anything truly egregious in that time, Oak never particularly trusted the man.

    There was just something about him that was¡­ off.

    Still, as Oak thought over it, he didn¡¯t see anything malicious with Giovanni¡¯s question. ¡°Mew is said to be the ancestor of all pok¨¦mon, sharing DNA with all of them,¡± Ignoring Giovanni¡¯s sudden intense look, Samuel continued, ¡°Researchers believe that Mew were capable of using any known move, along with shapeshifting into any form it wants. Many of the legends surrounding the creature prop it up to a godlike status, which I personally don¡¯t believe, since all modern research suggests that the species is extinct.¡±

    ¡°Interesting,¡± Giovanni murmured, ¡°Though I can¡¯t help but question how a creature that could shapeshift and use any move would ever go extinct.¡±

    ¡°The most common theory is that they had difficulty reproducing,¡± Oak explained, ¡°Over time, their numbers would dwindle until there was no chance for recovery.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Giovanni murmured before turning to face Samuel, ¡°Thank you for the information, Professor. You¡¯ve given me much to think about.¡±

    Samuel waved his hand away, ¡°You would find a whole bunch of crackpot theories on the pok¨¦net. I told you what¡¯s been proven ,¡± Oak sighed lightly to himself, ¡°Either way, enjoy the rest of the night, Giovanni.¡±

    ¡°I will,¡± Giovanni said in a bland tone before raising an eyebrow, ¡°Are you going to enjoy it as well, or are you just going to stand there the entire time?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go down eventually,¡± Oak answered.

    Giovanni shrugged before rejoining the party below. Oak remained where he was standing, wondering to himself just why Giovanni seemed so interested in Mew.

    Samuel shook his head, not wanting to devote brainspace to the man. He had enough to worry about, given Bill¡¯s troubles and Ash¡¯s involvement in them.

    Not to mention the genuine terror Samuel felt at having to confront Delia when he got back home.

    Somehow, despite Ash¡¯s involvement with the burning lighthouse being kept secret from the media, Delia learned of her son nearly meeting his demise at such a young age.

    Oak still winced, idly rubbing his ears as he recalled the call he received from the woman. He had been planning to tell her what happened in-person when he came back, which, in hindsight, was somewhat idiotic of him to assume that she wouldn¡¯t find out beforehand.

    Damned mother¡¯s intuition.

    It wasn¡¯t even Ash that told her - the kid was still unconscious when Delia raged at Oak - so Oak had no clue how she knew in the first place.

    Still, she learned of it, and after raging at Oak for two solid hours, she became oddly melancholic, saying something about Ash taking after his father.

    Oak had only met the man once, months before Ash was born. They hadn¡¯t spoken, and Samuel hadn¡¯t even recognised the man as Delia¡¯s husband until after she told him years later. By then, the man was nothing more than dust in the wind, a mere month after Ash was born.

    Oak almost felt relieved at that.

    That man felt dangerous.

    With Ash, though, Samuel felt more than a little worried for the kid.

    While he hid it well, Oak could see the way Ash¡¯s eyes would momentarily dilate with fear, could hear the way his voice faltered, even if it was only for the smallest moment.

    It was times like these that Oak became thankful that Ash had found friends to travel with. While Oak hired bodyguards to act as cheerleaders for Gary, he couldn¡¯t do the same for Ash without putting a target on his head for being favoured by the famous Samuel Oak. He was glad that Ash found others to travel with, both for safety and support.

    Oak¡¯s attention turned back to the party. It had died down at this point, though individuals such as Alder still produced enough volume to sound like an entire crowd.

    He noticed a small group to the side, no longer dancing as they engaged in what seemed to be intense discussion.

    He made his way towards them, hearing Juniper as she finished off whatever tangent she had gotten into, ¡°-you would see it if you got past your hubris and listened !¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Rowan grunted, his face stretched into a glower, ¡°Because I have been listening, and it seems like all the ¡®evidence¡¯ Sycamore has cooked up is a hodgepodge of theories and dreams.¡±

    Juniper made a frustrated noise as Oak slid in, ¡°What are we arguing about?¡±

    ¡° They¡¯re arguing over the existence of a ¡®Fairy¡¯ type,¡± Lorelei answered before the other two could. She took a sip of her drink, looking distinctly amused, ¡°I¡¯m just here because I find it humorous.¡±

    ¡°It does exist!¡± Juniper stressed, glaring at Lorelei as the redheaded woman merely stared benignly back, ¡°There are numerous examples of moves like Gust and Flash having greater effects on Dragon types when they shouldn¡¯t! Not to mention, pok¨¦mon like Mawile have shown to be immune to Dragon moves-¡±

    ¡°Mawile is a Steel Type,¡± Rowan interrupted, looking incredibly frustrated, ¡°Steel resists Dragon moves. It is not immune -¡±

    ¡° How long have they been going at this? ¡± Samuel whispered in question to Lorelei.

    ¡°Over an hour,¡± Lorelei didn¡¯t bother lowering her voice, given that it was nearly drowned out by Juniper and Rowan.

    ¡°Huh,¡± Oak rubbed his eyes, feeling incredibly tired, ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to coming back home.¡±

    ¡°I understand,¡± Lorelei said soothingly, her eyes drifting towards the greater party, ¡°It¡¯s very overwhelming.¡±

    Samuel grunted in agreement, crossing his arms as the two of them alternated between watching Juniper and Rowan¡¯s squabble and the crowd at large.

    This relative peace was interrupted when a glass shattered. Oak swerved around, reflexively palming the pok¨¦balls on his belt, before seeing the cause of the sudden commotion.

    Lance was staring wide-eyed at Sinnoh¡¯s Champion, who was holding - what was it? - an egg. A broken glass rested by his feet, having been dropped by his shock.

    She shuffled her feet nervously as the din around the ballroom reduced to a hum, which contrasted rather heavily with the confident look that Cynthia was known for.

    Lance remained absolutely still as Cynthia held out the egg, saying, ¡°A gift, from one Clan to another. Even in death, we still honour the tradition.¡±

    Oak¡¯s eyes narrowed at that - he hadn¡¯t known that Sinnoh¡¯s Champion was a clanswoman. He thought Sinnoh¡¯s had died long ago - watching with a keen eye as Lance robotically took the eggs into his own arms, ¡°I accept this gift, as my Clan accepts your name,¡± Some colour began to return to Lance¡¯s face as he said, ¡°Know that, in the name of Blackthorne and all of my clansmen, you may look to us for aid in your time of crisis.¡±

    Cynthia bowed - and, oh, she had no idea how others would interpret that - ¡°You have my gratitude, brother .¡±

    Oh. Shit.

    Oak¡¯s eyes widened in the same way that Lance¡¯s did, both of them knowing full well the implications of that statement.

    While the unenlightened masses began to applaud, not truly understanding what had taken place, Oak gripped the table behind him to stay standing.

    They just gave the Rites of Brotherhood.

    Having fought both the Blackthorne and the Tao Clans during the Great War, Samuel Oak had taken it upon himself to learn everything he could of their culture. How it operated. How it changed. How much it stayed the same .

    He learned its strengths. He learned its weaknesses.

    Know thy enemy, as they always said.

    Oak had learned that, at one point, there had been thousands of Dragon Clans across the world, ranging in size from medium-sized villages to single families.

    Each of them held different traditions, such as their icons or their rituals, but over time, they began to merge together into bigger coalitions that combined these traditions into four distinct cultures.

    Blackthorne. Draconid. Tao. Celestic.

    They went on to become the Major Clans, governing over several Minor Clans within their ranks.

    While Minor Clans may differ in small ways, they all held onto the same gods and Principles.

    Blackthorne worshipped the Ancient Dragonite, and held to the Principles of Endurance and Will.

    Draconid worshipped Rayquaza, and held to the Principles of Protection and Independence.

    Tao worshipped the Ancient Tao Dragon, and held to the Principles of Truth and Ideals.

    Celestic worshipped the Creation Trio, and held to the Principles of Knowledge and Strength.

    Samuel had learned of their histories and cultures, using their quirks to gain the advantage over them in battle.

    There was a reason why his name was uttered as a curse in Blackthorne.

    One of the aspects of their culture that actually remained mostly the same across the clans were the Ancient Rites.

    There were five in total, though only one was commonplace nowadays.

    There were the Rites of Transgression, in which one clan declared enmity with another. This usually acted as a precursor to war, back when the clans could afford such things without facing extinction on both sides.

    On the opposite end were the Rites of Absolution, which formally forgave one clan¡¯s transgression against another. Oak found that this usually happened after the clans had already waged war on each other for over a generation.

    Next were the Rites of Union, which were used when Major Clans adopted Minor Clans into their ranks. Based on the wording of the ancient texts that Oak had retrieved, it also technically meant that Major Clans could unite into one supermassive clan, but something of that calibre had never happened before, and Oak rather doubted that it would happen in the future.

    The most commonplace were the Rites of Matrimony, which placed the union of two clans members to be judged by their gods. Most of the time, their union was approved - which Oak interpreted as meaning that nothing blew up . However, there had apparently been one rather note-worthy instance of the gods denying the union, though Oak was unable to translate the details.

    Right now, though, was something massive in terms of Draconic culture.

    The Rites of Brotherhood were rare. Even in the texts that Oak had, he had only heard of them being enacted once in the last five centuries. And that instance had apparently led the Draconid Clan to its ruin, having bound themselves to a warlord from the times of Samuel¡¯s grandfather.

    Unlike the others, the Rites of Brotherhood could not be reneged. Even the Rites of Union could break apart if the invited clan transgressed against the greater clan.

    But the Rites of Brotherhood could not be broken . Whereas the other Rites bound a clan to clan, person to person, the Rites of Brotherhood bound a person to a clan.

    When the clan called for aid, its brother would be the first to arrive.

    And just the same, when that individual needed aid, they would find themselves having the backing of the entire clan behind them.

    For Cynthia to start the Rites of Brotherhood, and for Lance to accept ¡­ It had implications that threatened to split Oak¡¯s head open.

    Lorelei pressed something cold into his hands - ice, where did she get ice? - ¡°For your head. It looks like you need it.¡±

    Samuel accepted the gift with good grace, eyes still wide as he stared at the crowd, unknowing that the Champion of the Sinnoh region now had the backing of the entire Blackthorne Clan .

    Absolutely mad, the lot of them.

    Absolutely Mad.

    ¡­

    Industrial District, Goldenrod City, October 26th, 1997

    let there be light

    And there was light. Red winced as he walked the streets of Goldenrod, blinking away the stars in his eyes as the shadows danced. dancing shadows. they surround me. what do they want? WHAT DO THEY WANT?

    Red forcefully shook away the voice in his head. The voice of the other . He ran a risk every time he allowed himself to feel what the other felt, to see and hear what the other felt.

    The lines between them were getting blurred.

    The visions were nightmares nightmares , and had occasionally seized motor control from his paws, purple purple purple paws .

    He was having seizures, they were rest, finally rest . The worst of it hit back on the 18th, when the light light light nearly fried his brain.

    He didn¡¯t wake up for nearly 48 hours.

    It was getting dark out, which meant the light would get painful painful .

    But Red wasn¡¯t done, couldn¡¯t be done . They were getting desperate desperate , it was only a matter of time before the light caused me to fall asleep.

    and never wake up.

    Go Forth.

    Go awayyy!

    Red stopped as the shadows closed in, blocking the light . He could feel it, so close so close , it was so close .

    Just out of reach.

    He was in the Industrial District. He had been for the last week. Only once had he gone back to the Pokemon Center, and that was to heal Pichu after being nearly crushed under a collapsed roof.

    They were out to get him.

    they dare?

    Red coughed, slinking away into an alley, unseen from the scant passerby as his spit drew blood.

    He could feel the light

    it hurts

    He looked like garbage, silly! he was well aware of that.

    When people on the street gave him cash, mistaking him for a homeless person, he knew it was bad.

    Focus, damnit! Red clutched his head, biting his lip hard enough to draw blood.

    He(We) is dying. We(They) didn¡¯t have much longer.

    Red stumbled forward, punching the wall hard enough to shatter the brick.

    So what if the building fell. No-one lived in this part of town.

    Red had become intimately familiar with the Industrial District, which spanned a solid quarter of the entire city.

    And for the largest city in Johto, that was a lot of ground to cover.

    The thing about Wartface¡¯s information was that it wasn¡¯t specific .

    Yes, there was an abandoned lab mid-construction around the area. It was just surrounded by several more abandoned labs.

    Apparently there had been some sort of research initiative that began a decade back? Red wasn¡¯t sure, and the information he could find on the pok¨¦net didn¡¯t say much more that he didn¡¯t already know.

    It also seemed that the funny man with warts had outdated information with regards to people occupying these labs. Red had encountered more than a few homeless camps, powder dens, and Team Rocket bases ( for some asinine reason ).

    With the lack of rest, please let me rest he was getting, along with the connection he had with me! , Red was beginning to feel a little silly silly silly!

    ¡° Zap me if I fall unconscious ,¡± Red¡¯s voice seemed distant as he commanded Pichu on his shoulder, ¡° I¡¯m feeling lightheaded .¡±

    Pichu crooned in anguish as Red stumbled through the streets, looking more like a drunken bum than the last survivor of the Storm.

    He had chosen this chosen this . To help me , save them, please please!

    He didn¡¯t care about the pain . He didn¡¯t care about the hatred .

    He didn¡¯t care if Karen hated him. She had always hated him , what was so different now?

    We didn¡¯t care if Judgement hated him. He had more than enough reason to, anyway.

    He didn¡¯t care if he fell asleep .

    As long as he was able to help me, he saw no need to place himself firstttttttt-

    The clock turned - eight in the evening, sundown - and Red found himself in another building.

    It was large, larger than many surrounding it. It was dark too, where was the light?

    The light.

    They fell asleep, and Red breathed . Yet he couldn¡¯t breathe.

    Because what if they didn¡¯t wake up?

    Red walked in a dark room - very dark - not paying particular attention, causing him to hit his side against a bookshelf, nearly being flattened by it as they both fell to the floor.

    Stupid. Pay attention or get yourself killed, Red.

    Red shook his head as he got back up - he wasn¡¯t even sure where he was . He looked around, scanning for any identifiable clues.

    After a moment, he found one. In the adjacent room, stripped of everything but the bolts on the steel floor, there was a plaque on the wall, reading, ¡® This property was donated by- ¡¯ a smudge on the ink prevented Red from reading a few words ¡®-Research Foundation.¡¯

    Red rubbed his eyes after reading that - when had he last slept? - before whirling around to the sound of footsteps.

    Standing in the doorway between the two rooms, a somewhat shaggy-looking man stood in shock as he stared at Red.

    There was silence for a moment - aside from a few sparks from Pichu¡¯s cheeks - before the shaggy man coughed, ¡°Uh, are you also homeless?¡±

    ¡°...Yeah,¡± Red answered, somewhat bewildered but no less cautious. A gleam of white against the streetlights outside caught Red¡¯s attention, ¡°Are you wearing a lab coat?¡±

    ¡°I am,¡± the shaggy man answered - Red¡¯s calling him Shaggy - ¡°I found it when I came here.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re using this place for shelter?¡± Red asked. At the man¡¯s hesitant nod, he pressed, ¡°Do you know of anything odd that goes on around here?¡±

    ¡°Wha?¡± The man mumbled before rubbing his face with his hand, ¡°Just - I don¡¯t know, man. If you¡¯re going to stay, then stay. If not then get lost.¡±

    Pichu growled before Red palmed his head, calming him, ¡°Okay,¡± Red raised his hands up, trying to appear non hostile, ¡°I¡¯ll leave.¡±

    ¡°Alright, just-¡± The shaggy man waved his hands exasperatedly, ¡°Do me a solid and don¡¯t call up the police, yeah?¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Red agreed easily enough. He rather doubted that the police would care about a single homeless man in the first place . ¡°I¡¯m going.¡±

    Red left shortly afterward, frowning when he saw the bookshelf propped back up against the wall.

    Hadn¡¯t it been moved a metre away from the wall when he ran into it?

    Red nursed his head, groaning as the familiar migraine came back to replace the mental dysphoria he had felt earlier.

    Red wandered aimlessly for a few more hours, but with the other no longer being conscious, it almost felt as if he was more lost .

    Yet a part of him felt so close all the same.

    It was just past eleven at night when he made it back to the Pokemon Center, and he barely made it two seconds into the building before Salvare bounded up to him, looking far more concerned than Red deserved.

    Karen¡¯s eyes bore into Red from across the plaza, the bags under her eyes betraying the lack of sleep she had while Red was away.

    There were a few words that Red didn¡¯t really listen to. Salvare¡¯s Gym match was tomorrow? Great! He would be there, for a little bit at least. His own Gym match was scheduled afterwards? He could reschedule. He had more important things to do anyway.

    the light hurt so much.

    He was in bed, sleepless despite not having slept in days.

    The voice was back. I said hello.

    And you were so close, silly!

    I always liked reading.

    Red shook his head, feeling another, worse headache coming. The other was so nice, so innocent, so silly!

    I think they¡¯re preparing something.

    The shadows seemed scared.

    ¡­

    I think you were here.

    I can see their minds. Oh look! A bookshelf! Why is it on the floor-

    let there be light

    Red shot awake as - let there be light - everything connected.

    The abandoned - let there be light - lab, the - let there be light - bookshelf, the lab - let there be light - coat, the plaque, the

    let there be light

    The bookshelf was moved after Red knocked it over.

    let there be light

    It was a metre away from the wall, yet when he moved back-

    let there be light

    -It was against the wall.

    let there be light

    ¡°Do me a solid and don¡¯t call up the police, yeah?¡±

    let there be light

    That man with shaggy hair, he wasn¡¯t homeless.

    let there be light

    He was a member of Team Source.

    let there be light

    let there be light

    let there be light

    a   n   d   t   h   e   l   i   g   h   t   w   a   s   o   v   e   r   w   h   e   l   m   i   n   g

    ¡­

    Northwest Pokemon Center, Goldenrod City, October 27th, 1997

    ¡°Are you alright, Red?¡±

    Salvare stood outside of Red¡¯s door, Karen standing behind him with her arms crossed.

    He had his final Gym match in an hour, and while Red had seemed somewhat dazed when he said it, he did tell Salvare that he would be there.

    Red had yet to break a promise like that.

    After a few minutes of calling Red¡¯s name, Salvare began to wonder if his mentor had another one of his mini-comas, like the one at Olivine.

    It would be better than the alternative.

    Salvare was so deep in thought that he didn¡¯t notice Karen standing next to him until she started pounding on the door, ¡°GET YOUR ASS UP, RED! OR SO HELP ME-¡±

    ¡° Karen! ¡± Salvare hissed, directing Karen¡¯s attention to the nearly unhinged door she had slammed open.

    ¡°...Oh,¡± Karen muttered before stomping right in, ¡°Well that makes things a little¡­ and, he¡¯s gone.¡±

    As Karen began to silently rage, Salvare withdrew into himself. Small, terrible whispers began to creep into his mind, suggesting that, maybe, Red didn¡¯t care , that he didn¡¯t matter , that Red left Salvare behind because he was a burden.

    Before he descended into a spiral, Karen¡¯s voice reached his ears, sounding almost dead, ¡°He left a note.¡±

    ¡°He did?¡± Salvare came up next to Karen as she handed him a small slip of paper ripped out of a small journal.

    ¡° Salvare, ¡± He read, ¡° I won¡¯t be at the Gym match. I should be back by the end of the day. If not, then I¡¯m likely dead or close to it. If this is the case, then keep your head pointed straight and move on. ¡±

    After a moment, Karen hissed, ¡° That¡¯s it? ¡± She snatched the note out of Salvare¡¯s hands, eyes darting back and forth in growing rage as she read the note.

    It was beginning to smoke.

    ¡°That-¡± She wasn¡¯t even able to articulate her anger, instead desperately trying to reign in her aura as the note went up in flames.

    Salvare became distinctly uncomfortable when Karen started cackling , her aura wrapping around her to make her seem insane , ¡°When he gets back, I am going to kill him.¡±

    ¡­

    (4:35 A.M.) - The_Empress has opened the chat.

    (4:35 A.M.) - The_Empress: @The_Emperor

    (4:35 A.M.) - The_Empress: @The_Magician

    (4:37 A.M.) - The Magician has logged in.

    (4:38 A.M.) - The_Magician: I know that it¡¯s getting to be late back here so I can only imagine what dreadful hour emperor has to wake up to

    (4:38 A.M.) - The_Empress: Doesn¡¯t matter. This is very important.

    (4:39 A.M.) - The_Magician: Well you hardly ever call a meeting

    (4:39 A.M.) - The_Magician: Maybe it is important

    (4:43 A.M.) - The_Empress: Have you heard from Chariot recently?

    (4:44 A.M.) - The_Magician: No

    (4:44 A.M.) - The_Magician: You know how he is

    (4:44 A.M.) - The_Magician: Only talks when he wants to

    (4:46 A.M.) - The_Magician: Maybe you can ask emperor

    (4:46 A.M.) - The_Magician: He at least talks to chariot somewhat regularly to my understanding

    (4:49 A.M.) - The_Empress: Does any of us know who Chariot is?

    (4:50 A.M.) - The_Magician: I don¡¯t what brought this up

    (4:51 A.M.) - The_Empress: He dropped off something to me.

    (4:51 A.M.) - The_Empress: Not at any of the labs.

    (4:51 A.M.) - The_Empress: But where I live.

    (4:52 A.M.) - The_Magician: Ah

    (4:52 A.M.) - The_Magician: That is somewhat worrisome

    (4:55 A.M.) - The_Magician: I was under the impression that we were to remain anonymous to each other

    (4:56 A.M.) - The_Empress: We were.

    (4:57 A.M.) - The_Magician: Hmm

    (4:57 A.M.) - The_Emperor has logged in.

    (4:58 A.M.) - The_Emperor: Is there an emergency?

    (5:00 A.M.) - The_Empress: No. I wanted to let you both know that I¡¯ve received the trace energy from The Chariot.

    (5:01 A.M.) - The_Empress: Also, I was under the impression that this was meant to be a silent retrieval.

    (5:02 A.M.) - The_Emperor: I made it clear to him that Bill was to be kept alive, and to his credit, Chariot kept his end of the bargain.

    (5:03 A.M.) - The_Empress: You are aware that Bill was an excellent source for research? The destruction of his lab may have inadvertently slowed down our goals.

    (5:04 A.M.) - The_Emperor: Rest assured, I have spoken to The Chariot about it.

    (5:04 A.M.) - The_Emperor: The energy he delivered was untainted, correct?

    (5:06 A.M.) - The_Empress: Preliminary tests indicate its purity.

    (5:06 A.M.) - The_Empress: The readings also match those of the power wave.

    (5:07 A.M.) - The_Emperor: In that case, I see no major issue with how it was handled.

    (5:07 A.M.) - The_Emperor: It may have been sloppy compared to Chariot¡¯s usual fare, but he faces the least scrutiny out of all of us.

    (5:08 A.M.) - The_Magician: It seems to me like you know who he is

    (5:10 A.M.) - The_Emperor: We have an understanding.

    (5:11 A.M.) - The_Magician: Does he know who we are

    (5:12 A.M.) - The_Emperor: I cannot say for certain, but it is probable.

    (5:12 A.M.) - The_Emperor: Was there anything else?

    (5:12 A.M.) - The_Empress: There is one more thing.

    (5:13 A.M.) - The_Empress: I compared the sample I received to personal energy readings I retrieved from my sensors in Mahogany.

    (5:14 A.M.) - The_Empress: Between the dates of September 9th-12th and on the 18th, the sensors flared periodically before returning to normal levels. I compared the data to both the initial power wave and the readings I have from the trace energy and have found them to be almost exactly the same.

    (5:15 A.M.) - The_Empress: I do not know who or what is causing this. Regardless, this tells me that the power wave at the end of August was not a one-time occurrence.

    (5:16 A.M.) - The_Empress: If this is the act of a singular being, then it is moving.

    (5:16 A.M.) - The_Empress: If it is not, then that makes the situation considerably more dangerous.

    (5:18 A.M.) - The_Emperor: Interesting.

    (5:19 A.M.) - The_Emperor: Consider the timing.

    (5:20 A.M.) - The_Emperor: 1st power wave on Aug 31. Mount Silver Range. On Sep 9 it¡¯s in Mahogany, stays there, then retraces its steps six days later.

    (5:21 A.M.) - The_Emperor: Most human beings do not have the natural capabilities or the discipline to travel that distance in that amount of time. While most pok¨¦mon should be able to, very few would have reason to travel that distance.

    (5:27 A.M.) - The_Empress: Are you still there?

    (5:29 A.M.) - The_Magician: He hasnt logged off

    (5:42 A.M.) - The_Emperor has shared a file to the group.

    (5:42 A.M.) - The_Emperor: This man has just broken into the Goldenrod Base. He is en route to Changeling. Who is he?

    (5:42 A.M.) - The_Magician: what

    (5:43 A.M.) - The_Empress: Red Satoshi.

    (5:45 A.M.) - The_Empress has shared a file to the group.

    (5:46 A.M.) - The_Empress: Very Strong Trainer, Almost Nonexistent Record, On Indigo Watchlist.

    (5:46 A.M.) - The_Empress: I believe The Tower was looking to analyse him.

    (5:55 A.M.) - The_Emperor: No need to worry about the source of the power waves.

    (5:55 A.M.) - The_Emperor: He is the Source.

    (5:56 A.M.) - The_Emperor: Tell Tower that Red Satoshi had become a top priority for her. I will not be in contact for the next two weeks. Take care.

    (5:56 A.M.) - The_Emperor has closed the chat.

 We Are Team Source

    The Abandoned Lab, The Industrial District, Goldenrod City, October 27th, 1997

    It was a silent morning.

    The sun had yet to rise, waiting off the horizon for two more hours yet to grace the city with its light.

    But¡­ for now, it was dark . The moon had turned away from the earth, refusing to cast its reflection onto the world.

    For today¡­ the earth would shake .

    A soft, baleful glow heralded the coming of the storm. Twin suns of bloodied crimson blazed with a malevolent - primal - hatred that had been smothered, buried, locked away for far too long.

    Go Forth.

    Go Forth, My Chariot.

    Go Forth, And conquer.

    The door to the lab swayed open with nary a sound. A shadow stood, featureless against the darkness, except for two glowing eyes of red .

    His gaze searched the room before finding his quarry. With a pointed finger, he commanded, ¡° Ember. ¡±

    Blue flame, then the bookshelf burned. Red flicked his hand, waving away the ash with a gust of wind.

    One step. Two steps. ¡° Flash .¡±

    Let there be light.

    And the light - for once - was good. The light showed Red what lay behind the bookshelf. A flight of stairs, going downwards.

    By his feet, Pichu hissed. Charmander¡¯s eyes glinted into triangular slits - awake, far more than he ever had been previously . Froakie remained stoneface, though by the way the frog was flexing its pads¡­

    This had been a long time coming.

    Red turned to face his pok¨¦mon. His blazing eyes cast against the darkness to twist him, sharpen him, transform him into something far more beautiful and terrible than he ever could have imagined.

    Go Forth.

    Go Forth, My Chariot.

    He made eye contact with each of them, sharing an understanding that none but those who lived the Storm would comprehend.

    There was trust in his gaze.

    There was love in his gaze.

    There was grief in his gaze.

    There was resolve in his gaze.

    There was vengeance in his gaze.

    In the end, Red only said three words before it all resumed. The never-ending war . ¡°I love you.¡±

    Then¡­ the war resumed.

    ¡° Crunch! ¡±

    Charmander intercepted the Mightyena before the hound could crush Red between its jaws.

    In the same moment that Red turned around to his enemy¡¯s voice, a spiralling jet of water and electricity shot past him, blasting back an Electrode just as it was released.

    An agonised howl erupted from the Mightyena as Charmander sliced its neck with Dragon Claw , before abruptly ending in a whimper as Charmander Crunched the beast¡¯s skull.

    A voice cried out in vain. Red heard it and didn¡¯t care, pointing his finger in the voice¡¯s direction as he locked eyes with Charmander, ¡° Kill him. ¡±

    The draconic lizard leaped in the same moment that Electrode blasted into the wall, nearly breaking apart the bricks that held up the building.

    In a last ditch effort, the ball pok¨¦mon expelled its electrical energy in a Self-Destruct . Before it could harm any of them, though, Pichu leaped forward and pulled the electrical energy to himself, redirecting it back to Electrode with several times the power.

    The building shook as the wall crumbled, yet it stood in the end.

    A thump turned Red¡¯s attention back to the stairway, seeing Charmander crouching over a shaggy mop of hair, a small pool of blood trickling from the man¡¯s ears.

    Red stepped over the corpse, face unmoving as he began to descend the stairs.

    It had been too long¡­

    He reached the bottom, finding a metal door that was bolted close.

    An alarm was going off - they knew he was here, good - seen behind reinforced glass.

    Turning to Froakie, Red commanded, ¡° Water Blade. ¡±

    Froakie called forth a small glob of pressurised water, forming it into a blade before slashing through the bolt.

    Taking a moment to close his eyes and breath - help me, you¡¯re so close, help me, please - Red opened them, the red glow shimmering across the entire expanse of his vision.

    Red reeled back and kicked , blasting the door off of its hinges as he commanded with a voice that echoed across the compound.

    And those who heard it shivered.

    ¡°Shock and Awe! Kill them all!¡±

    ¡­

    Goldenrod Gym

    ¡°Challenger Salvare Razzo of Orre has challenged Whitney Akane of Goldenrod City to an 8-Badge Gym Battle!¡±

    There was a veritable thunder in the crowds, each of them ecstatic at the rare and exciting treat of witnessing an 8-Badge Battle. Despite the fact that the sun had yet to rise, none of them could find any sleep in their exuberant joy.

    Due to the layout of Johto, it was a rare occurrence for anyone to earn the Plain Badge as their final badge. Oftentimes, primarily due to geography and prestige, most challengers saved the Glacier, Mineral, or Storm Badges for their final run.

    Of course, there were always those who tried taking the traditional route, saving the Rising Badge for their final victory before the Silver Conference. However, many trainers found their dreams crushed by the Rising Tide of Blackthorne.

    Of course, there was always the option to go lower. The minimum required for the last victory to be counted as official was to defeat the Gym Leader¡¯s 5-Badge Team. However, many trainers tried to stay away from this path, whether out of pride or out of desire to improve.

    In the end, most of them took the easy way out.

    However, as rare as it was for trainers to actively chase after 8-Badge matches, it was almost unheard of for the Gym Leaders to actively enforce 8-Badge matches on trainers who never asked for it.

    Such had been the case for Red, back in Cianwood City. At the time, Salvare had been briefly worried that, perhaps, Red wouldn¡¯t be able to net the win.

    He shouldn¡¯t have doubted his mentor.

    Now, though, Salvare found himself in the same position that Red had been a few weeks ago.

    Across him, looking somewhat tired but still determined, was the Gym Leader for Goldenrod, Whitney Akane. Her eyes shined with a recognition that Salvare dreaded.

    There was a certain level of excitement in her gaze.

    And more than a little mirth.

    ¡°I see you¡¯ve come back for your final badge!¡± She called across the stadium, silencing the crowd to a base whisper, ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you to return after your previous loss against me!¡±

    ¡®Remember to stand tall, Salvare. Whatever they throw at you, remember that it¡¯s just meaningless words.¡¯

    Though Red was gone - again, again, again - his words echoed through Salvare¡¯s mind.

    So he straightened his back, kept his head high, and remained silent.

    Whitney¡¯s smile became a snarl.

    ¡°Taking after your mentor, are you? Standing all straight and stoic like that?¡± Whitney asked, and Salvare almost asked if she and Karen had a familial connection. It was somewhat uncanny how much that sounded like the silver-haired woman . ¡°Speaking of, where is that enigmatic individual?¡±

    Salvare didn¡¯t respond - he couldn¡¯t - instead grasping onto one of Red¡¯s favourite tactics for moving a fight along when the opponent needlessly blabbed their mouth.

    Red really didn¡¯t care for monologuing trainers.

    Whitney¡¯s smile became wider as Salvare took out one of his pok¨¦balls, face carefully set in a neutral gaze, mimicking Red. He had learned from his mentor that, oftentimes, pok¨¦mon battles almost played like a game of cards.

    ¡®Don¡¯t let them get a read on you, or else they can and will make you dance to their tune.¡¯

    Whitney breathed out, her smile almost softening as she breathed, ¡°Fine. I can see when I¡¯m not wanted,¡± She took out a pok¨¦ball of her own, ¡°I haven¡¯t had a proper Gym Battle in nearly a month, so who am I to complain!¡±

    With that, the announcer took his cue, ¡°This will be a 5-on-5, with three switches allowed on both sides! Gym Leader Whitney will begin by sending out her pok¨¦mon!¡±

    Whitney smiled, twirling a pok¨¦ball in her hands before tossing it into the air, ¡°Go, Ursurang!¡±

    Salvare¡¯s mind went on hyperdrive. High Attack. Slow. Guts or Quick Feet Ability. Probably Both. Red¡¯s voice was most prominent in his mind, drilling into him the necessity of balancing preparedness with flexibility.

    Salvare¡¯s hand shifted away from the pok¨¦ball he was palming, saving him for later, instead latching onto another, saying with naught but a word, ¡°Haunter.¡±

    The gas pok¨¦mon trilled a haunting rumble at its appearance, meeting the Ursurang¡¯s eyes with a dead-locked stare.

    Salvare took command as soon as the announcer called the beginning of the match, ¡° Scary Face , keep it away!¡±

    ¡° Scary Face! ¡± Whitney called back, essentially negating the change in speed between the Haunter and Ursurang.

    Still, while Haunter slowed down a considerable amount, the Ursurang became practically immobile with how slow it was.

    All the same, Salvare didn¡¯t wish to bring Haunter close, instead commanding the ghost to use ¡° Mean Look! ¡±

    Whitney¡¯s smile widened at the move, ¡°Trapping him in, huh?¡± She held an almost impressed gleam in her eye, seemingly reevaluating Salvare from the kid who blindly wailed against her months before, ¡°Now it begs the question: am I trapped in here with you? Are are you-¡±

    ¡° Taunt! ¡± Salvare commanded Haunter as Whitney - once again proving Red correct - monologued. The ghost proceeded to loudly make a series of voices that Salvare presumed to be inflammatory, if only he could understand it.

    He certainly understood Haunter¡¯s middle finger.

    Whitney laughed as Ursurang roared, ¡°Fine! You want me to stop talking and attack?¡± Her grin grew deadly, ¡°Your funeral. Earthquake! ¡±

    Ursurang rose and stomped into the ground, channelling Ground-type energy into its legs to strengthen its impact, casting jagged shards of stone to spike across the battlefield. A particularly large rock snapped away and landed next to Ursurang, shaking the arena.

    The Ground-type energy quickly snapped away, only to be replaced with Fighting-energy as Whitney shouted, ¡° Seismic Toss the boulder! Make him hurt! ¡±

    Ursurang roared as it wrapped its arms around the boulder larger than itself, Fighting-energy wrapping around it, before bypassing its abysmally low speed to soar high into the air.

    Salvare¡¯s first reaction was to call Haunter to dodge. Then, he remembered that, as a Ghost-type, Haunter would be immune. A half-second later, the folly of that thought reached Salvare as he snapped forward, commanding, ¡° Protect! ¡±

    This was because, while Seismic Toss on its own was a Fighting move, Whitney was repurposing it to launch a bear sized rock at Haunter, which he would certainly not be immune to.

    A resounding gong echoed across the arena as the rock shattered against the translucent shield, only for Whitney to command the now falling Ursurang in the same moment that Salvare gave his own command.

    ¡° Giga Impact! ¡±

    ¡° Substitute! ¡±

    Another veritable earthquake ruptured the Gym as the Ursurang impacted the ground. Even with Haunter¡¯s immunity to Normal-type attacks, the weight and velocity of the bear would have done immense damage, if not immediately knocking Haunter out of the fight.

    Because of this, Salvare was relieved when Ursurang lumbered onto its feet, revealing a pitiful squished doll buried into the ground.

    Even after falling onto the ground from several dozen metres into the air, Ursurang didn¡¯t seem especially bothered, shaking dust off of its fur with a snarl.

    Haunter, meanwhile, was acting somewhat sluggish, having had to create a strong enough shield for the rock before immediately using more of its reserves for a Substitute .

    Another hit like that, and Haunter is going to faint.

    With that in mind, Salvare called out, ¡° Toxic Spikes! Place as many as you can!¡±

    Whitney barked a command, but Salvare didn¡¯t hear, instead using what little training he had with his Poison aura to sync with Haunter, to give him the energy needed to place the Toxic Spikes.

    And to survive just long enough for this next trick to be a guaranteed K.O.

    ¡°Ursurang!¡± Whitney called out after a particularly fierce Bulldoze nearly ran over Haunter, ¡°Finish it with Crunch! ¡±

    Knowing that Haunter was getting far too exhausted laying Toxic Spikes to dodge this attack, Salvare called out in a sharp tone, ¡°Now, Haunter!¡±

    The ghost pok¨¦mon stopped its movement, and with a grin that stretched across its whole body, rushed forward to meet the impact of Ursurang¡¯s Crunch , wisping away into poisonous smoke before glowing white as Salvare recalled him, fainted.

    The crowd cheered as Salvare handed the pok¨¦ball to the Gym aide, before descending into a shocked hush as ghostly tendrils surrounded Ursurang¡¯s heart, before stabbing it all the way through.

    Ursurang jerked, and with its eyes rolling into the back of its skull, it slumped to the ground, suffering what Salvare assumed to be cardiac arrest, because Haunter was just too much of an asshole to stop at unconsciousness with his Destiny Bond .

    Karen would approve.

    This was proven true as one singular person applauded against the pervasive silence that took the crowd. Karen enthusiastically cheered Salvare on, even after using a taboo move such as Destiny Bond . While that move wasn¡¯t explicitly banned, it was heavily frowned upon in the wider battling sphere.

    As judgemental whispers began to erupt around the crowd, Salvare did his best to channel what he saw of Red when the same started to happen to him with Jasmine and Chuck.

    In the end, there are no rules in war.

    Whitney, at least, appeared more excited than anything else, ¡°Well isn¡¯t that a glow up?¡± She smiled disarmingly as she handed her aid Ursurang¡¯s pok¨¦ball, ¡°I remember when that Haunter of yours was a measly little Gastly. It¡¯s come a long way since only knowing Lick !¡±

    Salvare did grimace a bit at that. Whitney had been his third attempted Gym, and while the first two were cakewalks at best, Whitney¡¯s team stomped him so badly that Salvare had gone running with his tail tucked between his legs.

    It wasn¡¯t his most dignified moment.

    He had blindly continued with his strategy of overwhelming offence, focusing much more on Croconaw¡¯s training than his other pok¨¦mon. While he didn¡¯t neglect them, he didn¡¯t train them to quite the same standard, causing them to stagnate even as Croconaw improved.

    It had taken five consecutive defeats to Clair for him to finally understand that.

    Not long after, the Lake of Rage happened - and Croconaw, his brother, had nearly died - and he met Red.

    The rest, as they say, was history.

    Why wasn¡¯t Red here?

    Salvare¡¯s attention snapped back to the match as Whitney called forward her next pok¨¦mon.

    A large, rotund Blissey hopped onto the battlefield, its joyous face scrunching slightly as the Toxic Spikes dug into its fur, before smoothing its expression back into serene tranquillity.

    Salvare hid the frown that wanted to form. Having done research on every pok¨¦mon Whitney had been known to use, Salvare was well aware of how infamous Blissey were.

    Given how rare of a pok¨¦mon the Chansey line were, they were highly coveted for hospitals and private healers for their extraordinary healing abilities. While Blissey were considerably tankier than their unevolved brethren, their healing abilities remained largely stagnate, making it rare for these institutions to devote the resources to evolve them.

    As such, the only Blissey that were seen in the public were in battles, and even that was rare. In the Indigo region, only three trainers in the last two decades had recorded Blisseys on their team. The first was a Kanto trainer from Fuschia who doubled as a wandering healer, the second was Whitney herself.

    The third was her father, who had served as the Normal Elite Four under Champion Pryce.

    Based on the articles Salvare had read not only on Whitney¡¯s Blissey but on her father¡¯s, he was extremely wary of the happiness pok¨¦mon.

    Realising that he had spent too long analysing his opponent¡¯s pok¨¦mon and how to best counteract it, Salvare hesitated for a moment before calling out ¡°Golbat!¡±

    With an echoing screech, Golbat emerged, taking to the skies as the announcer called for the match to continue.

    ¡°Golbat, Screech! ¡± Salvare called out, preemptively closing his ears as the bat pok¨¦mon widened its gaping maw to scream.

    Whitney winced, but still commanded, ¡°Blissey, Go around the battlefield and Endure as many of the Toxic Spikes as you can!¡± Blissey happily chirped despite the cacophonous screaming, prancing around to collect as many of the poisonous spikes as she could.

    ¡° Venoshock! ¡± Salvare called out, somewhat desperately - having Blissey remove all of the Toxic Spikes would be extremely detrimental - Then, as Golbat struck its wings to send a rippling beam of poison, Salvare added, ¡° Quick Attack! ¡±

    Whitney¡¯s face grew hard as the Venoshock struck, calling out, ¡° Endure! ¡± Her face twisted into a smile as Blissey tanked the hit, lightly groaning after having lost more of its already miniscule defence, ¡° Copycat! ¡±

    ¡°Wha- Quick Guard! ¡± Salvare reacted a bit too late, as Blissey¡¯s face lit up as it became enveloped in blinding light, before ramming into Golbat with Quick Attack , sending it flying across the arena.

    As Golbat recovered, Whitney took the moment to command, ¡° Soft-Boiled! ¡±

    Salvare groaned to himself as Blissey took the egg out of its pouch, inhaling it as another egg began to slowly grow from where the previous egg had been.

    Salvare looked towards the few Toxic Spikes that were left, and upon seeing that, while healed, Blissey was still poisoned, decided to add onto it, ¡° Whirlwind! Aim the Toxic Spikes towards Blissey!¡±

    Golbat screeched as it began to beat its wings, sending forth a rippling Gust that transformed into a Whirlwind .

    Blissey narrowed its eyes as it stood against the Whirlwind , not paying any particular mind as the remaining Toxic Spikes stuck into its fur, further poisoning it.

    Salvare grinned as he felt the poison begin to finally take hold, until his sense of victory came to a screeching halt as Whitney¡¯s voice rang out, ¡° Heal Bell. ¡±

    Blissey rose its body and fluttered into the air before landing to the ground, the ringing sounds of chimes resounding across the Gym from her impact.

    Salvare¡¯s eyes widened as the poisonous feeling - aura - he felt was crushed, and wisped away, leaving a perfectly healthy, if battered, Blissey to stand against Golbat.

    As Whitney grinned smugly, Salvare took stock of the situation. In hindsight, it should have been obvious that fighting against a Blissey - especially one trained by a Gym Leader - wouldn¡¯t be nearly as easy as it initially seemed. The pok¨¦mon were renowned for their ability to tank damage, heal themselves and their team, and otherwise be a nuisance to their opponents.

    Red wouldn¡¯t have made that mistake.

    Salvare could see that, while Ursurang was merely an opening act to the battle, Blissey was a cornerstone of her team. They would be free to whittle down Salvare¡¯s defences as Blissey healed them.

    That Blissey had to go.

    ¡°Golbat, return,¡± Salvare called out as he recalled Golbat to his pok¨¦ball. As the announcer tallied Salvare¡¯s first switch of the match, Salvare threw out his heaviest hitter, and the pok¨¦mon that stood the best chance of overwhelming the Blissey, ¡°Go, Croconaw!¡±

    Croconaw bellowed as it was released, standing taller than most of its species, having grown a considerable amount over the last few months.

    Whitney¡¯s eyes sparkled, and Salvare prepared for her next move, only to be surprised when she raised Blissey¡¯s pok¨¦ball, returning her as she called out, ¡°Well if it isn¡¯t the flying Croconaw I¡¯ve heard so much about!¡± She threw her next pok¨¦ball, revealing a Clefable, ¡°Don¡¯t disappoint me, Salvare!¡±

    I won¡¯t disappoint. I can¡¯t.

    I have to be worthy.

    ¡° Aqua Jet , keep to the ground!¡± Salvare yelled out, reaching out and grasping the poisonous, self-loathing feel of his aura - it seemed easier now than it had been earlier.

    Croconaw shot forward in a burst of speed, not rising up to ¡®fly¡¯, like Whitney was trying to goad him into.

    He¡¯d done his research. That Clefable knew Gravity.

    She was trying to bait him.

    ¡° Metronome! ¡± Whitney called out, sounding far too joyous for Salvare¡¯s liking.

    For his own part, Salvare winced. Metronome was one of those moves that you couldn¡¯t plan around. On the one hand, it had the chance of being something useless, like Splash . On the other, it could be something devastating like Hyper Beam , which would almost certainly be an instant knockout for Croconaw.

    Salvare grit his teeth in preparation for whatever the Metronome turned out to be, only for him to frown when Clefable erupted into a melodious, if despairing, song.

    Did it use Sing?

    When Croconaw shivered upon hearing it, yet remained awake, it clicked.

    Clefable just used Perish Song!

    It seemed that Whitney had the same revelation at that moment, because she began to laugh hysterically, ¡°Oh my god!¡± She clutched her stomach, almost falling over in laughter, ¡°That¡¯s- That¡¯s priceless!¡±

    Salvare growled, quickly calling out, ¡° Ice Fang , full power!¡±

    Whitney stopped laughing rather abruptly as she realised that Croconaw was right next to Clefable. ¡° Protect! ¡± She tried to call out before Croconaw¡¯s attack struck, but she was too late.

    Learn to pay attention, Whitney.

    ¡­And stop laughing at me.

    Clefable howled as Croconaw stuck its fangs into its neck, freezing the blood closest to its skin. Clefable desperately shook Croconaw off with an uncommanded Flail , before dissolving into white light as Whitney recalled it with a frown.

    As Salvare did the same with Croconaw - making both him and Whitney only having one more switch each - Whitney crossed her arms with a huff, ¡°Y¡¯know, I can appreciate taking advantage of me not paying attention, but that was a bit more brutal than it had to be.¡±

    Salvare frowned, somewhat confused as to why he was being chastised for being too brutal in a fight .

    It took a few moments for him to recall one of the first things Red told him, when he laid out the conditions of training under him.

    ¡®When you train under me, you are not looking to win a Gym match. You are not looking for glory, for honour. None of that.¡¯

    ¡®You are looking to survive.¡¯

    And when Salvare asked what the difference was, Red looked at him long and hard, before turning to Pichu, and other two pok¨¦mon that flanked Red.

    ¡®...My pok¨¦mon¡­ We have killed to survive, kid.¡¯

    ¡®For you to survive out there, you need to learn how to fight for your life.¡¯

    It was never a game for Red, never a sport. Not like the League, or Gym Battles, where a pok¨¦mon fainted when it was tired rather than fainting when it literally could not stand on its legs.

    And, like everything else, Salvare learned it, absorbed it into his own technique, his own style.

    He was being reckless.

    Red had sat him down outside of Cianwood City, just a day before the Champions¡¯ match on the television.

    Salvare hadn¡¯t thought much of it at the time, given how closely everything with the television match, Red¡¯s repeated disappearances, and Karen¡¯s tutoring of Aura had followed. But, in hindsight, it had probably been one of the most important lessons Red had given.

    Know your strength.

    Salvare¡¯s eyes widened as it struck him. While a pok¨¦mon like Whitney¡¯s Clefable could take a move like that, freezing its blood, the same couldn¡¯t be said for some random kid at the battling ring with a Pidgey.

    Clefable was fine, would be fine - Salvare wasn¡¯t in trouble, he wasn¡¯t - but it was still a warning.

    Know your strength.

    ¡°I understand,¡± Salvare murmured with his eyes down, missing Whitney¡¯s look of confusion at Salvare¡¯s sudden dour mood.

    ¡°Hey, I didn¡¯t mean anythin¡¯ was bad about it, just, y¡¯know,¡± She shrugged, feeling a little uncomfortable, ¡°Don¡¯t go crazy is all I¡¯m sayin¡¯.¡±

    Salvare remained silent, raising his head at Whitney before giving a small nod.

    Despite frowning, Whitney continued the battle, sending her next pok¨¦mon, ¡°Smeargle, Sketch! ¡±

    What?

    Salvare had to really focus on keeping the whiplash off his face. Considering the fact that she had transitioned from two pretty strong pok¨¦mon to a Smeargle ¡­

    Salvare had known that she used one¡­ just not for 8-Badge battles¡­

    ¡° Sketch! ¡±

    Wait. What.

    Salvare¡¯s eyes bulged as he realised he had yet to send out his pok¨¦mon, allowing Whitney extra time to¡­ build up Smeargle¡¯s arsenal.

    So, what, it would be Ice Fang, Metronome¡­ or would it be Perish Song?

    Deciding to worry about it in a moment, Salvare called out, ¡°Magneton!¡±

    In the same moment, Salvare learned which move Smeargle copied, as Whitney called out ¡° Metronome! ¡±

    ¡° Thunder Wave! ¡± Salvare called out just as the ground shook as Spikes littered the ground.

    Whitney frowned as Smeargle paused in its movements as paralysis kicked in, but perked back up as she called again, ¡° Metronome! ¡±

    Oh boy, she¡¯s committed.

    Deciding to take down the Smeargle before one of the Metronomes turned into something like Flare Blitz , Salvare commanded, ¡° Lock On! ¡±

    Whitney grinned at the move, preparing to command another use of Metronome , only for Smeargle to suddenly shoot forward, scraping against Magneton before automatically being recalled into its ball.

    The Gym was silent for a moment as they collectively realised that the previous Metronome had just taken effect, and turned out to be U-Turn of all things.

    Un. Believable.

    ¡°Uh, okay,¡± Whitney muttered before sending out Blissey, ¡° Heal Bell! ¡±

    Salvare jumped, calling, ¡° Zap Cannon! ¡±

    As soon as he said it, though, he realised that Magneton had locked onto Smeargle rather than Blissey.

    He groaned as the Zap Cannon whizzed by Blissey, leaving its fur to stick up in static, and nothing more.

    Godammnit, Salvare, focus!

    Mistake after mistake.

    Salvare scowled as two voices began to war within his mind. He gripped the railing of the challenger¡¯s podium as he recognized the voices.

    They were both Red¡¯s.

    You know what I taught you. You know what it takes to prevail.

    Or are you dim? Are you unworthy to be my prot¨¦g¨¦?

    ¡° No, ¡± Salvare hissed, eyes bubbling purple as he commanded, ¡° Electric Terrain! ¡± A mad idea began to form in his mind as he shouted, ¡° Volt Switch! ¡±

    ¡° Icy Wind! ¡± Whitney called frantically, and Salvare grinned .

    She had taken the bait.

    ¡°Croconaw!¡± Salvare called out once Magneton impacted Blissey, ¡° Aqua Jet! And Water Pulse the Blissey!¡±

    ¡°Wha- Protect! ¡± Whitney called out desperately, watching with wide-eyes as Croconaw flew through the air, not touching the electrified ground.

    Salvare¡¯s grin stretched. She had expected Golbat, and used Icy Wind to counteract it.

    Yet, the Icy Wind didn¡¯t hinder Croconaw¡¯s movements.

    It only strengthened Salvare¡¯s next move.

    ¡°Open your mouth, Croconaw!¡± Salvare shouted out as the Water Pulse hit Blissey¡¯s shield. Croconaw did and began inhaling the ice in the air, only to crystallise it into fangs as he bore down, ¡° Ice Fang! ¡±

    Whitney had no time to react as Croconaw bore down on Blissey, echoing the brutality used on Clefable.

    The crowd collectively winced as Blissey shrieked in pain, both from the puncture wounds from Croconaw¡¯s maw and the electrified floor. Whitney¡¯s face hardened for a moment as Blissey struggled before sighing, ¡° Healing Wish .¡±

    Blissey stopped struggling as it closed its eyes, radiating wisps of healing energy dissipating from the creature as it bowed its head and passed out.

    Croconaw fell onto the electrified floor as Blissey was recalled. Realising this, Salvare called out, ¡° Endure! ¡±

    Meanwhile, Whitney simply stood there as Croconaw repeatedly tap-danced on the electrified floor, using up her entire minute between pok¨¦mon. After several seconds of seeing increasingly severe burn marks on Croconaw¡¯s feet, Salvare decided that using up more of Croconaw¡¯s water reserves was better than letting Croconaw get electrified any longer, ¡° Aqua Jet! ¡±

    ¡°Clefable, Thunderbolt! ¡± Whitney shouted in triumph as she threw her next pok¨¦ball, apparently waiting for Croconaw to take for the skies.

    Clefable, fully healed thanks to Blissey¡¯s final move, charged itself with the electrified floor before shooting a rippling arc of lightning towards the flying crocodile.

    Salvare surged forward, shouting, ¡°Evasive manoeuvres!¡±

    Although Croconaw had become highly adept with Aqua Jet - far more than any land pok¨¦mon had ever before - it still couldn¡¯t control its flight with nearly the same finesse as naturally flying pok¨¦mon.

    As such, as Clefable absorbed the electrical energy from the floor - which slowly dwindled its defences - and shot forth multiple Thunderbolts , Croconaw had been forced in the backfoot.

    This went on for a few seconds before Salvare decided that it was a losing game. While Clefable would eventually tire out, it would not be before Croconaw was hit, which would almost certainly mark the end of the crocodile¡¯s reign of terror.

    And most likely spell doom for Salvare¡¯s chances at the badge.

    And fail his mentor.

    ¡°Return!¡± Salvare called out, using his last switch to call in Croconaw to his ball. After allowing the last bolts of electricity to fizzle out, Salvare threw his next pok¨¦ball, ¡°Golbat, Toxic! ¡±

    ¡° Protect! ¡± Whitney called out, giving Clefable ample time to throw up a shield against the rippling beam of poison heading for it, ¡° Gravity! ¡±

    Salvare and Golbat both lurched as the gravity increased tenfold. Salvare dug his nails into his palms, drawing blood as he desperately called on his aura to help Golbat stay in the air.

    He felt as though he had popped a blood vessel in his brain.

    Miraculously, Golbat stayed afloat. Whitney gave a thoughtful frown as Golbat struggled to stay in the air, only to narrow her eyes as she noticed Salvare, practically keeled over in the challenger¡¯s podium.

    With a second of deliberation, Whitney called out, ¡° Thunderbolt ,¡± confident that it would hit.

    And hit it did, but not before Salvare¡¯s voice rang out, determined despite its undercurrent of exhaustion, ¡° Toxic .¡±

    Whitney couldn¡¯t react in time before the ichorous poison latched onto Clefable, visibly making the pok¨¦mon cough out puffs of toxic smoke.

    Salvare recalled Golbat, quickly kissing the pok¨¦ball before handing it to his aide.

    Three pok¨¦mon left on both sides.

    Red could¡¯ve done better.

    Whitney¡¯s previous trick was reversed on her as Salvare waited a full minute before sending in Magneton, allowing the Toxic to have maximum effect. Interestingly enough, the Clefable seemed to be having a rather potent reaction to the poison, far more than other pok¨¦mon usually did.

    Red did mutter something about poison being effective against the Clefairy line.

    Unlike before, Salvare didn¡¯t issue any commands, instead keeping Magneton away from Clefable. Whitney quickly realised that Salvare was simply allowing the Toxic to completely overtake Clefable, so she shouted in desperation, ¡° Metronome! ¡±

    ¡° Protect! ¡± Salvare shouted in triumph as Whitney¡¯s face fell. Magneton brought up a shield just as Clefable was surrounded with a poisonous aura, shooting forward with a Poison Tail .

    While Magneton¡¯s Steel Typing would have made it immune, Salvare had been taught not to take unnecessary chances.

    Seeing the chance to take down the Clefable once and for all, Salvare extended his hand and shouted, ¡° Discharge! ¡±

    Magneton closed its eyes as it burst forth a wave of electrical energy, finally taking down fairy pok¨¦mon.

    Whitney¡¯s face grew hard as she recalled Clefable, eyeing Salvare with an indiscernible gaze as she called out, ¡°Smeargle, Metronome! ¡±

    Again?!

    Salvare¡¯s face broke in annoyance, sharply yelling out, ¡° Wild Charge! ¡±

    And, in the end, with Metronome being used so many times throughout the battle to often minimal results, Salvare had forgotten the key danger that came with fighting against it.

    There was always the chance of it becoming a move that was catastrophically bad.

    Time seemed to pause as Smeargle was enveloped in flames, jumping into the air as Magneton rushed towards it in a mad dash. Smeargle raised its leg into the air, bringing it down onto Magneton with a billowing Blaze Kick.

    Salvare swore as the attack landed, desperately pulling on his aura to keep Magneton from fainting.

    It must have worked - Salvare didn¡¯t know how to explain it otherwise - because Magneton remained floating, creaking open one of its eyes to stare at Salvare, questioning.

    Salvare didn¡¯t deserve such obedience.

    ¡° Explosion! ¡± Salvare called out, ignoring the rising din of gasps and shouts as Magneton blinked once before glowing in a bright white light.

    Whitney called in vain for Smeargle to flee, but before it could, the earth shook .

    The Explosion cracked the floor, expelling large clouds of dust across the battlefield. As soon as Salvare saw Magneton¡¯s unmoving form, he recalled it and handed it to his aide.

    Moments later, Whitney did the same with Smeargle, much to the audience¡¯s rising boos.

    Like Destiny Bond , using moves such as Self-Destruct and Explosion were generally frowned upon in battle. While some individuals hemmed and hawed over the ¡®abuse¡¯ a pok¨¦mon faced with such a move, most trainers knew that, ultimately, those types of moves almost never had any long-term effects on its user¡¯s health.

    No, most of the complaints were about how ¡®unsportsmanlike¡¯ the moves were, and how they marked a cheat, a coward.

    Even before meeting Red, Salvare scoffed at such notions. Some of the most ruthless people he had the displeasure of knowing prioritised such moves to devastating effect. Red¡¯s teachings only compounded on Salvare¡¯s feelings on the matter.

    So, despite the jeers he faced, Salvare looked ahead. Their approval didn¡¯t matter in the end. He knew - felt - that Karen was proud. The growing shadows in the corner of the audience proved as such.

    The question was whether Red would be proud¡­

    If he was going to show up at all.

    Salvare scowled to himself, allowing the annoyance, bitterness, poison to swell up within himself.

    Of course Red wouldn¡¯t be here.

    At your finest moment.

    At your triumphant finale.

    Considering that this was the Gym match Salvare had been the most anxious about, it was rather ironic that Red wouldn¡¯t be here for it.

    He doesn¡¯t care.

    He never cared.

    Salvare¡¯s eyes shined purple for a moment as the thought - the certainty - lodged itself into his throat.

    Of course Red isn¡¯t here.

    Why would he be here?

    When all you¡¯ve been to him is a weight.

    The announcer called out a fifteen-minute intermission - standard policy for when a Gym Leader releases their last pok¨¦mon in an 8-Badge match.

    Salvare stood there, unblinking as Karen bounded down from the spectators, shouting out encouragement as she jumped over an elderly couple, nearly falling on top of them.

    While a part of him glowed in her praise, it quickly dissolved under the tumultuous, poisonous pit that had formed in his stomach.

    It¡¯s only fitting that Red isn¡¯t here to congratulate you on your success.

    It¡¯s father all over again.

    Isn¡¯t it?

    ¡­

    Unknown Location, Unknown Time

    let there be light

    STOP! PLEASE! IT HURTS! STOP-

    let there be light

    Red? No, I tried red. They don¡¯t want red. Red helps with fire. Red is warm. But the light is so hot it¡¯s cold. So cold it burnsss-

    let there be light

    ssssttttoooOOOPPPP.

    There¡¯s a puddle of red underneath me. It smells so bad.

    Do they want blue? No. No, blue doesn¡¯t work. Blue is sad. Blue is like the sea. I¡¯m drowning I¡¯m drowning I¡¯m drowning I¡¯m drowni-

    let there be light

    LET ME GO LET ME GO BY THE COLD WINDS OF ARTICUNO I WILL-

    (die)

    let there be-

    ¡­

    ¡­

    Fire. Water. Electricity. Pressure. Darkness.

    Light?

    It smells so bad.

    Everything hurts.

    The earth is shaking.

    The shadows are screaming.

    Flashing light flashing lights flashing lights-

    There¡¯s so much red , but not my kind of red. It¡¯s an unnatural red, but not as unnatural as the light .

    It¡¯s so cold.

    It¡¯s so hot.

    There are voices beyond the shadows, commanding them, or being commanded?

    Why?

    Why am I here?

    help me please

    The puddle of red smells so bad . Almost as bad as the garbage the silly man keeps on eating.

    The silly man was so funny. He¡¯s so sad , but good . He¡¯s good.

    the silly man has a deathwish

    The silly man is real. Real? What is real? I don¡¯t know anymore.

    The light is real.

    The man has a silly little mouse. It has small teeth. The mouse¡¯s tail was chewed off, and I wonder what the shadows wanted to learn from that.

    Stop thinking about the silly man and the silly mouse.

    They hurt you when you do.

    I cowered, waiting for the fire, the water, the electricity, the headaches, the starvation, the light .

    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    ¡­

    But none came.

    The shadows are still screaming.

    There¡¯s a great big boom up above, and I look up.

    The silly man is here.

    I always liked reading.

    There¡¯s a voice. New, not like the shadows.

    The voice is scary.

    the voice is a quaking rasp.

    ¡°Shock and Awe! Kill them all!¡±

    Hide!

    There wasn¡¯t much space to hide. The shadows didn¡¯t like me hiding, even though I couldn¡¯t.

    Why hide when they can always see, silly silly!

    There are more great big booms. The shadows are screaming even louder.

    GO FORTH

    Try to make yourself smaller. Hide yourself. Save yourself.

    Lest the demon find you and destroy you.

    please

    why

    where am i

    i will not rest until your head is under my heel

    Silly! Silly! Who said you could hide?

    Hiding is freedom.

    freedom

    is

    a

    lie

    Go Forth.

    Go Forth, My Changelingggggggggggg ggg gg   gg g      g

    ¡­

    Who are you?

    absolution

    ¡­

    A voice rang out.

    So much screaming.

    The shadows are dying .

    The voice is a familiar one.

    The voice is in my nightmares.

    The one who commands the shadows.

    The one the shadows call ¡® Emperor ¡¯.

    please no¡­

    please

    ¡°Project: Changeling.¡±

    ¡°Activate Protocol Z.¡±

    no

    LET THERE BE LIGHT

    NO!

    LET THERE BE LIGHT

    LET THERE BE LIGHT

    LE  T BE THER BE LIGH THER LE LET THE THER EB LIG TH LEBETHE LIGH LIGHT THE LET LE BE BE LIGHT LET THERE BE LIGHT

    A A A N N N D D D T T T H H H E E E L L L I I I G G G H H H T T T W W W A A A S S S O O O V V V E E E R R R W W W H H H E E E L L L M M M I I I N N N G G G

    ¡­

    ¡°Volt Tackle! Fire Claw! Water Blade!¡±

    Neon lights flashed against the hellish flames, torrents of water, and spiralling storms that were wrought in Red¡¯s wake.

    Bodies burned around him. The wrathful din of screams - pleas of the damned - echoed in a dissonant spiral.

    Some tried to fight, but they were not fighting a regular trainer. They were not fighting a veteran of the Great War, or an Elite of the League.

    They were fighting a force of nature.

    Red roared , erupting a hellish wave of destruction towards those that sought to stop him.

    Add them to the funeral pyre.

    Watch them burn .

    The ceiling crashed above them, toppling down as rippling Earthquakes shattered with every step he took.

    With every movement, he fought against a flood of water.

    With the crimson haze of his vision, he almost mistook it for blood.

    With every breath, wisps of ice and fire burned around him, protecting him from stray attacks.

    With every flick of the wrist, pipes broke away from the walls, and flew against his enemies.

    Go Forth.

    Go Forth.

    GO FORTH.

    ¡° Brick Break! ¡± Red commanded Charmander, pointing to a door that was bolted close.

    The people inside cowered from his mere presence.

    Charmander rushed forward, eyes glinting with Madness as he raised his fists and blasted away the door with Brick Break.

    Red didn¡¯t even have to give any commands before his pok¨¦mon rushed in.

    The bloodlust had long since settled in.

    ¡°We are surrounded by devastation, yet we stand tall.¡±

    ¡° Froakie, hold! ¡± Red¡¯s eyes glinted as he took in the room, stepping over charred corpses - collateral - to walk over to a wooden desk, ¡° Guard the doorway. ¡±

    Red paused to grip the edge of the desk, willing away the blood, the death, the enjoyment, the terror, the monster-

    Red punched the table, gritting his teeth but not feeling any greater pain. He punched again, forcing himself, forcing himself to stay himself .

    You¡¯re here for a reason, Red.

    ¡°Remember who you are.¡±

    ¡° Froakie, ¡± Red¡¯s voice came out as a harsh rasp, almost sick-sounding. His eyes blazed in the darkness. ¡° Are there any computers in here? ¡±

    A small pause, then Red felt the presence of Froakie to his side - exacerbated - and looked to see that the frog was giving him a deadpan look, as if he was a blithering idiot.

    Which wasn¡¯t entirely inaccurate.

    ¡° What? Oh, ¡± Red sighed to himself, seeing that Froakie was pointing right behind him.

    Right, it¡¯s 1997. The technology isn¡¯t what he¡¯s used to.

    ¡° They must¡¯ve built that in the 80¡¯s ,¡± Red muttered as he saw the large computer that spanned a whole wall of the room. He scanned the computer for a moment before finding a caption, ¡° Project Changeling Database. ¡±

    Project Changeling? Red didn¡¯t know anything about it, unless it was referring to the creature Red had connected with.

    And the creature currently seemed to be hiding their presence.

    They were scared.

    Of him.

    Red ignored the small - almost nonexistent - pit of guilt that formed at that, and asked, ¡° D¡¯you reckon we can find a thumbdrive to put the information on? ¡±

    Froakie just gave him another look , before slapping him upside the head as he hopped towards a box in the corner.

    Within the box was something that Red hadn¡¯t seen in years.

    He must¡¯ve been nine, when he last saw them in Professor Oak¡¯s laboratory.

    ¡° Floppy disks, really? ¡± Red questioned as he held one up. To Froakie¡¯s shrug, he questioned, ¡° How do you even know what this is? ¡±

    Froakie didn¡¯t deign to answer, instead tensing as voices deeper within the compound shouted at each other, in fear, in determination, in horror.

    ¡° Okay, fine, ¡± Red quickly popped the floppy disk into the computer, ¡° We need this information, even if it¡¯s-¡±

    ¡° Project Changeling. ¡±

    The voice - vaguely familiar, but altered just enough to be forgettable - brought a chill to Red¡¯s spine.

    In the din of his mind, the creature called out in terror.

    Emperor.

    ¡° Activate Protocol Z. ¡±

    ¡° No, ¡± Red¡¯s voice became layered with something else, something silly, it hurts no no NO NO-

    LET THERE BE LIGHT

    Red screamed-

    LET THERE BE LIGHT

    Tearing apart I¡¯m tearing apart

    Everything was turning reddddddddddddd

    LET THERE BE LIGHT

    Red opened his eyes - and no irises could be found within - and bellowed.

    Billowing flames rushed out of his mouth.

    Flamethrower.

    LET THERE BE LIGHT

    The creature was dying dying dying help me PLEASE dying, it was dying, Red had to help me, it burns so cold he wrenched his arms out of his sides magnetised by a force most beautiful most terrible roaring and roaring as waves of energy cascaded around him caressing him telling to sleep, silly, but he couldn¡¯t sleep, or else i¡¯ll sleep forever, and he wouldn¡¯t let them kill me , not again not again not again, so he stomped and kept hold of my mind my soul as the light light light pounded against (our) head and it was overwhelming , it was unnatural , it was d e a t h , but Red had a deathwish and wanted to save me (why?) (why?) so he kept hold on my mind my soul and became one.

    LET THERE BE LIGHT

    LET THERE BE LIGHT

    LET THERE BE

    L   I   G   H   T

    so is this it?

    My equal, My successor

    You fall to a little bit of light?

    no

    no

    I chose You as My equal

    Us, who not only lived through the storm

    but thrived

    this isn¡¯t the end

    for you

    for us

    so. get. up. Ash.

    no

    that isn¡¯t Your name

    get up Red

    get up My Chariot

    go forth, and conquerrrrrrr

    ¡­

    For one agonising minute, Froakie thought Ash - Red - was dead.

    Gone.

    Froakie wondered if it had even been a minute, or just a few seconds, but all the same¡­

    Red¡¯s heartbeat had stopped.

    Before his brother¡¯s passing, Lucario had been the chief protector of their trainer, their leader, their family .

    Charizard and Infernape were the brutalizers of the group, rushing into enemy forces with the power of a mountain. Meanwhile, Greninja and Sceptile worked on the backend, covering the others¡¯ flank along with supporting them in their attacks whenever things got rough.

    Pikachu remained the strongest amongst them, slaying the likes of legendaries with his god-like power.

    Lucario had always been the defence to their offence, and for so long , Greninja hadn¡¯t ever thought of Lucario¡¯s role as being dangerous, not like theirs .

    He had forgotten how fragile Ash was compared to them.

    How Human.

    Greninja had taken over Lucario¡¯s role of defending Ash, which carried over as Froakie to defending Red. He had taken time out of his training to learn other skills, necessary skills, like reading maps, or understanding technology.

    The Greninja line were not meant to understand technology; they were ninjas.

    All the same, Greninja - Froakie - devoted himself to aspects of survival outside of raw strength and skill.

    Ash had grown, matured, re-forged through their time in the storm into something far greater than he had been previously. But even then, Ash was still just one man.

    One man alone cannot hold the weight of the world on his shoulders.

    Dynamics between the group shifted when they woke up on the mountain. They had all changed , both in body and in spirit.

    Some changes were more obvious, such as Charmander, who was suffering from a madness that Froakie didn¡¯t - couldn¡¯t - understand. Still, the lizard held on enough to be the pillar of strength that Ash - Red - needed, that he would die without.

    They all had their bloodlust. The storm - the demon man - changed them.

    But Charmander was the most ruthless of the three of them.

    Red shared the same madness, however subtle it was.

    Pichu was the pillar of love that kept Ash afloat in his darkest times. While all of Ash¡¯s pok¨¦mon loved their trainer - died for him - Pikachu, and now Pichu, always had a special connection to Ash that the rest of them couldn¡¯t hope to touch.

    For a creature as headstrong, angry, and wrathful as Pichu, it was a remarkable thing to see that the only times he was calm was when he was with Ash.

    Froakie¡­ Froakie shared something with Ash - always Ash - as well.

    They were kin. Brothers not of blood, but family all the same. Froakie¡¯s will was Ash¡¯s will, and Ash¡¯s goals were Froakie¡¯s goals.

    Froakie remained Ash¡¯s pillar of support, his rock, the one who kept Ash looking forward.

    If Ash was a sword, then Charmander was the blade, Pichu the hilt, and Froakie the grip that kept Ash from slipping away, from losing his goal, his mission.

    And it was so close to being lost.

    As Froakie took back the floppy disk as it finished collecting the data, Red¡¯s heart had stopped, and Froakie wouldn¡¯t ever forget the panic, the anguish he felt in that moment.

    He wasn¡¯t a healer, knowing nothing other than Rest , and could only try in vain to press against Red¡¯s chest, keep the air flowing, anything to get his trainer back and well.

    And his trainer came back.

    More beautiful and terrible than ever before.

    Froakie¡¯s senses screamed before a glowing pink - radiant pink - broke through Red¡¯s skin, glowing like hot pink coals.

    Froakie jumped back as if burned - he was - his inherent Dark-typing screeching against the unnatural light from Red¡¯s skin. Radiant in its glory. Horrifying in its scope.

    Let there be light, Froakie.

    Careful, you may just be overwhelmed.

    Red shuddered , rippling waves of light cascading around him.

    Voices further into the compound began to shout in terror as the earth began to shake , rumbling as if Groudon itself was awakening in a rage.

    Froakie held onto the floor with his pads, face set in a grimace as an indescribable pressure began to press against him, pushing him away.

    Froakie kept his eyes open in slits, watching in awe and terror as Red stood up, and began to hover in the air.

    And then-

    SNAP

    Red crumpled onto the floor, as if he was a puppet with its strings cut off.

    Froakie cried out in shock, scrambling next to Pichu and Charmander as the three of them shook Red, pleading him to awaken.

    There was a heartbeat.

    No¡­

    There were two.

    A roar echoed from nearby, and the three of them turned in sync to hear the torn metal, blasted walls, broken pipes shattering all around them as something big cast its shadow around the corner.

    Despite a small, lingering exhaustion that was beginning to set, Froakie stood next to Pichu and Charmander as the three prepared for their new opponent.

    The shadow grew¡­

    And from it, a dragon roared.

    Froakie clapped his pads, combining a Water Pulse with Pichu¡¯s Thunderbolt to stop the rippling pulse of draconic energy.

    What Froakie did not count on, however, was Charmander rushing forward to intercept the Dragon Pulse .

    Fool!

    Froakie growled as Charmander was launched back, suffering burn marks and tears across his scales.

    Despite his damage, Charmander snarled , bounding onto its legs for another attack against the quaking dragon, who had shrugged off Froakie and Pichu¡¯s joint attack as if it was nothing.

    The enemy Dragonite stomped, rearing its head back as it opened its maw, charging up a beam of pure white energy.

    Froakie desperately tried to stop it, along with Pichu, but neither them nor Charmander¡¯s waves of Dragon Rage could stop the beast before it finished charging up, unleashing a blinding white Hyper Beam , intent on killing them all.

    Froakie closed his eyes, shielding his family as best he could.

    ¡­

    You¡¯re not dead. Open your eyes, now!

    Froakie opened his eyes, and nearly closed them involuntarily. It was so bright.

    Red collapsed next to him, bleeding from his ears and eyes - glowing ever still . Broken shards of prismatic energy wisped away around them, wasting away the last of Red¡¯s energy with his Protect .

    The Dragonite and its trainer behind it seemed disoriented, but not overtly harmed. The trainer said words, words that Froakie didn¡¯t listen to as he tried and tried to think of any way to come out of here alive and-

    ¡°-taught under The Chariot.¡±

    Froakie paused at the demon man¡¯s title. Pichu had paused as well, and even Charmander stopped momentarily in his rage.

    This man was taught under the demon man.

    He said it as if it was an honour.

    THAT MAN BUTCHERED THEIR FAMILY.

    Froakie¡¯s vision narrowed to a fine point, honed in a way that he hadn¡¯t felt in months.

    At that moment, his eyes were triangular slits.

    Pichu was the same, and Charmander had been the same for over a month.

    Red was standing once more, hunched over and injured - bleeding and broken .

    But even surrounded by devastation, we stand tall.

    Red roared, far louder, far madder, far more primal than ever before.

    He stepped and pushed , blasting the Dragonite back with a wave of esoteric energy, finely honed, tempered, and forged with hatred that burned deep.

    Arcs of multi-coloured lightning danced around Red as he walked forward, carving a path towards the Dragonite, tearing against its skin with invisible shrapnel of light.

    The lightning broke apart, reforming and striking against the walls, crystallising like a terrible lattice of ordered chaos.

    Chaotic energy directed through a central focal point.

    A Conduit.

    Red had backed the Dragonite into a corner - its trainer long torn apart by the localised storm - his eyes burning with a baleful glow, and when Froakie looked¡­

    He couldn¡¯t see Ash or Red within.

    Red raised his arms, bringing together the chaotic energies around him¡­

    And coalesced them into a concentrated ball of light.

    And the light was overwhelming.

    Froakie closed his eyes, hopping away as a primal urge to run to hide surged within him.

    There were lights on two sides.

    From Red.

    And from something else.

    Froakie shivered as a cold wind - the call of death - settled in the compound. By his side, Pichu mewled in sadness, and Charmander seemed to be unconscious a small distance away.

    Once the wind settled, Froakie hopped up back to where Red was, only to find him collapsed - breathing heavily, but still breathing - once more, laying on the floor next to the Dragonite, who had slumped down, foaming at the mouth, dead.

    Froakie¡¯s eyes caught a reflection in the water - the compound was slowly flooding - and hopped forward to see the source of the second light.

    A small - almost smaller than Pichu - creature lay in a pool of blood and vomit. Froakie could see the creature¡¯s ribs, along with a myriad of burns, bruises, scars, and other wounds littering the creature¡¯s body.

    And, somehow, the creature was still breathing.

    Froakie turned around to see Pichu standing next to Red¡¯s form, shock still, unmoving.

    Pichu was shutting down¡­

    Charmander was unconscious¡­

    And Red was neither and both.

    Froakie extended his senses, the dark edges of his aura with Detect , hoping against hope that this was it, that there weren¡¯t any more, that they wouldn¡¯t die down here after everything.

    ¡­

    And his Detect found nothing.

    Aside from a trail of corpses.

    Froakie¡¯s legs gave way, and he collapsed into the water.

    Somehow¡­

    Somehow they were alive¡­

    Froakie had never been one to cry. He could only remember three occasions of ever doing so.

    The first had been as a newborn, when he was cast aside by his congregation of birth-brothers.

    The second had been when Clemont, Bonnie, and Serena died at the hands of the Chariot, mere days after the storm first raged.

    The third had been at Lucario¡¯s passing. After having dealt with the deaths of their previous brothers, it had piled up too high for Greninja to hold it in for a third time.

    But now, as Froakie began to realise, he could add a fourth time to that list.

    Froakie didn¡¯t exactly know the reason - he never knew the reason . It could be the stress, the fear, the nigh-brushes with death, the shock.

    Whatever it was didn¡¯t matter. Froakie had to let it out now, while he was alone.

    He was the pillar of support that Red relied on, that Pichu and Charmander relied on. If he broke in front of them, then what would stop them from shattering completely?

    So let me break alone.

    And the earth stilled, for a time, as Froakie silently weeped.

    And through it all, the one who commanded the shadows watched this from a camera on the wall.

    ¡­

    Goldenrod Gym

    ¡°I¡¯m proud of you, Salvare.¡±

    That makes one of you.

    Salvare didn¡¯t say that out loud, but his feelings must have bleed through his face, because Karen scowled, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be having words with Red when he gets back.¡±

    A part of Salvare wanted to defend Red, but he could only sigh, ¡°You don¡¯t have to-¡±

    ¡° No ,¡± Karen broke in with a hiss, ¡°Don¡¯t sweep this under the rug. He¡¯s been acting like a dick, more so than usual,¡± Her face stretched into a small smile, which was surprisingly melancholy, ¡°I could understand if he was only like that with me, but he has no reason to treat you that way.¡±

    Salvare remained silent - he didn¡¯t know exactly how to process that - instead forcing his attention across the arena, ¡°What do you think that¡¯s about?¡±

    Karen rolled her eyes at his deflection, but was still somewhat interested at what Salvare was pointing at. Whitney was talking on the phone while standing next to a couple of police officers. One of them was a Jenny who had rather harsh lines in her brow, seeming incredibly concerned over something that apparently held enough importance for the city¡¯s Gym Leader to be made aware.

    Something to ask Agatha in our next call, perhaps? Along with letting them know of Salvare¡¯s improvement with aura.

    If Red didn¡¯t get his shit together, Karen had half a mind of taking Salvare as her own student, damned be the consequences.

    ¡°Maybe Team Rocket attacked somewhere in the city?¡± Karen mused, not noticing Salvare¡¯s sudden intense - momentarily purple - eyes, ¡°Or maybe somethings happening just outside the city.¡±

    Salvare remained silent for a moment, before muttering, ¡°Do you think Red might be involved?¡±

    Karen blinked, not having thought of that possibility - for all that she feared Red¡¯s power, she didn¡¯t so much fear his character - but with how erratic he had been acting the past couple of weeks¡­

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ a possibility, I suppose,¡± Karen muttered, hoping that Red wasn¡¯t currently giving her more reasons to pummel him on sight, ¡°I¡¯d reserve judgement on that until we know what¡¯s going on.¡±

    Salvare idly nodded at that, turning his attention back to the battlefield as the officers left Whitney¡¯s podium. The intermission had been extended to almost a full thirty minutes because of them, and the spectators around the arena were beginning to get antsy.

    ¡°Looks like we¡¯re going to resume,¡± Karen muttered, slapping Salvare on the back, ¡°You can win this, Salvare. Don¡¯t let up now!¡±

    Salvare didn¡¯t turn back as Karen walked back up to the stands - and wasn¡¯t she being more supportive than usual? - instead watching as Whitney briefly spoke with the announcer before tapping on her mic, ¡°Can I have everyone¡¯s attention?¡±

    It took a few more times tapping the mic to get the spectators to stop talking. Whitney seemed to take it in stride, giving a wide smile as she said to the crowd, ¡°I¡¯m glad all of you are excited. I am too! It¡¯s been a great match!¡± She quickly flashed Salvare a grin - all teeth - before continuing, ¡°But I need to give a little PSA before we continue our match.¡±

    She cleared her throat, face softening as it became more serious, ¡°There have been numerous reports of intense, localised earthquakes in the city¡¯s industrial district. As of yet, only one building has sustained major damage, but evacuation efforts are currently underway to prevent any civilian casualties,¡± At the hush of the crowd, she continued, ¡°We don¡¯t know for certain the origins of the earthquake, but experts are saying that it¡¯s not a natural occurrence. Right now the leading theories are wild Tyranitar, a Diglett War, or possibly even the works of a legendary,¡± Whitney clapped her hands loudly to stop the growing whispers, ¡°Rest assured that the authorities have it handled. If you live in the industrial district, then please stay behind after this match and I will help you get to where you need to go.¡±

    The announcer took over before the crowd could rise back up in volume, ¡°The intermission is over! Gym Leader Whitney is now on her final pok¨¦mon while Challenger Salvare Razzo has two pok¨¦mon remaining! The Challenger has used up all three switches! Whitney will resume the match by sending out her final pok¨¦mon!¡±

    Whitney stepped forward, smiling savagely as she called out her ace, her terror, the pok¨¦mon that had once stomped Salvare to the curb and sent him packing.

    The crowd began to cheer its name.

    ¡°Miltank! Miltank! Miltank!¡± Repeated in Salvare¡¯s ears as he stared across the arena to the towering Miltank that stood opposed to him.

    It saw him.

    Recognised him.

    Dared him.

    Are you watching, Red?

    yes

    and we shall judge you

    ¡°Croconaw,¡± The battle began, ¡° Scary Face! ¡±

    ¡° Work Up !¡± Whitney called in return, causing Miltank to stretch and flex, improving its physicality even further.

    ¡° Screech! ¡± Salvare called out, trying to weaken Miltank before going all in with the attack.

    Croconaw hadn¡¯t been healed during the intermission, retaining injuries while Miltank remained perfectly healthy.

    ¡°Miltank, force him into the air! Earthquake! ¡± Whitney shouted out, dramatically pointing towards Croconaw.

    ¡°Croconaw,¡± Salvare began, before channelling the remnants of his aura into his next command, ¡°Get close, and make it hurt .¡±

    Croconaw nodded once, bursting into the air with Aqua Jet just as Miltank stomped the ground with Earthquake .

    Whitney shouted a command as Croconaw flew close, ¡° Rollout! Use the terrain!¡±

    Miltank cried out in excitement as it channelled Rock-type energy, curling into a ball of stone before zooming across the battlefield.

    Despite the previous use of Scary Face , Miltank remained incredibly quick in ball form, zipping past jagged rocks as Croconaw rained down with Water Pulse.

    Seeing that Croconaw would be the first to tire out in the exchange, he changed tactics, ¡°Land on the ground and Rock Smash when it gets close!¡±

    ¡° Double Team! ¡± Whitney called out, voice warbling in excitement. Several duplicates of Miltank¡¯s rolling form appeared from behind a rock, ¡°Sic him, gals!¡±

    Salvare swore, ¡° Jet! ¡± He extended his aura, trying his hardest to identify which Miltank was real with it.

    But for all of his natural talent, he wasn¡¯t quite at that level yet.

    ¡° Solar Beam! ¡± Whitney yelled out when Croconaw took to the skies. In unison, the Miltank clones ground to a stop and opened their mouths, charging up a beam of solar energy.

    ¡°GET DOWN!¡± Salvare cried out, and Croconaw oriented itself downwards just as Miltank shot a Solar Beam at him.

    The blazing energy burned Croconaw on the leg before it got behind one of the boulders on the battlefield. Salvare winced before commanding, ¡° Rock Tomb! Keep up the pressure!¡±

    ¡°Get close!¡± Whitney grinned ferally as Miltank rolled closer, its clones being taken out by speeding boulders, ¡° Attract! ¡±

    ¡°TURN!¡± Salvare cried sharply, causing Croconaw to reflexively turn its head away.

    Salvare had prepared for Attract. It was one of Miltank¡¯s signature moves.

    Whitney seemed slightly bummed out, but quickly recovered, ¡°Now that you¡¯re close, High Horsepower! ¡±

    Croconaw won¡¯t be able to dodge in time.

    ¡° Crunch! ¡± Salvare shouted.

    Croconaw opened his maw and allowed Miltank to ram into it - and Salvare dimly felt Croconaw¡¯s pain - before chomping onto its arm in a vice grip.

    Miltank howled briefly as Croconaw¡¯s attack drew blood, but didn¡¯t falter as Whitney commanded, ¡° Rollout! ¡±

    Rollout? Wait, Croconaw¡¯s still attached!

    ¡°Get out of there!¡± Salvare called out in vain, as Miltank had already begun rolling around, Croconaw flailing by the teeth behind it.

    When Whitney commanded Headbutt , Salvare called out, ¡° Endure! ¡±

    Croconaw did so, taking the Headbutt to the face, knocking him back several metres. Croconaw groaned as he drew back up, cuts and bruises lining its body.

    Meanwhile, Miltank huffed a couple of breaths, obviously getting exhausted itself.

    Salvare, however, knew that the shoe was about to drop, and called out, ¡° Rain Dance! ¡± In preparation for Whitney¡¯s next move.

    ¡° Milk Drink! ¡±

    The following display caused some of the younger crowd to turn away in disgust. A few teenagers in the audience actually leaned forward, rather intently for Salvare¡¯s taste.

    For himself, Salvare had seen far worse and far more disgusting. He imagined that Karen probably did as well, and if not, she certainly imagined such things when bored. Red almost definitely-

    Stop.

    Don¡¯t think about Red.

    Salvare returned his focus - eyes bubbling a light hue of purple - to the battle, ¡° Aqua Jet! Don¡¯t let up!¡±

    Croconaw shook off its injuries, using the growing rain to aid in its move.

    In response, Whitney grinned, and commanded, ¡° Hammer Arm! ¡±

    The resulting impact caused the Gym to shake, and both pok¨¦mon stood, damaged but determined.

    Salvare and Whitney both commanded, ¡°Again!¡±

    ¡°Again!¡±

    ¡°Use everything you¡¯ve got!¡±

    ¡° Again! ¡±

    And as Croconaw stumbled onto its feet, blood trickling out of his mouth, he surged forward, blasting Aqua Jets from his claws and feet.

    Miltank, who too had a motley of bruises and cuts, reared back its arms in twin Hammer Arms.

    The two made impact, and the earth shook . Clouds of dust mixed with the mist from the rain to obscure the two pok¨¦mon¡¯s forms.

    Both Salvare and Whitney leaned forward, as did the rest of the crowd, as the mist and dust fell away to reveal Miltank kneeling on one knee - conscious - and another shape, far larger than Croconaw had been.

    But, to say that it was Croconaw anymore wouldn¡¯t be the truth.

    For where Croconaw once stood, Feraligatr bellowed .

    Feraligatr buckled on his knees for a moment, arms and legs shaking uncontrollably, but Salvare couldn¡¯t help but be ecstatic.

    His friend - no - his brother evolved!

    Salvare realised too late that the battle was still happening, and that Miltank, despite being near defeat, was still in the fight.

    He remembered rather quickly after Whitney¡¯s next command.

    ¡° Reversal. ¡±

    Salvare¡¯s eyes shot open, but with Feraligatr¡¯s injuries, it would be impossible for him to defend.

    While Salvare was disheartened that Feraligatr fainted in the end, it was still a victory in a sense. He recalled Feraligatr and handed him off to be healed, promising to himself and his brother that they would have a proper celebration afterwards, with the rest of his team, with Karen, with Red-

    Stop.

    Whitney was saying meaningless words - praise by the sound of her tone - but Salvare paid no mind to it.

    She¡¯s stalling for Miltank to successfully use Milk Drink again.

    Without any flourish, he called out, ¡°Cacnea,¡± As Whitney gaped at Salvare¡¯s last choice - going from a strong Feraligatr to a weak-looking Cacnea - he simply stated, ¡° Retaliation. ¡±

    Cacnea grinned evilly as it rushed forward, surprising Miltank as it slammed against her, multiplying the force used to take down Feraligatr with its own.

    Miltank was blasted back, stumbled onto its feet, swayed, and groaned as it finally fell down and fainted.

    Just like that.

    Just like that?

    It didn¡¯t hit Salvare until a few moments later, and by then it hit the crowd as well, because they rose to cheer with such thunder that the Gym began to shake once more.

    Salvare almost didn¡¯t believe it. Even with the planning, the trickery, the training, the Retaliation at the end as the final save and grace, he went into this match not expecting to win.

    When all he¡¯s been is a weight.

    Salvare hastily shoved the thoughts away as Karen bounded up to him, yelling in jubilation. He turned towards her, only to be pushed back as Karen grappled him in a hug.

    Wait.

    What?

    Salvare was too shocked to move, not fully processing what just happened before Karen jumped off of him, looking positively feral in her jubilant darkness, ¡°Holy shit, Salvare, that was great !¡± She laughed rather madly, ¡°You¡¯ve gotten so much better!¡±

    Salvare couldn¡¯t help but tentatively smile - he hadn¡¯t ever seen Karen act so excited - ¡°Uh, it wasn¡¯t anything special¡­¡±

    ¡°Bullshit!¡± Karen yelled out, causing some nearby mothers to cover their children¡¯s ears with scowls on their faces, ¡°Winning an 8-Badge battle isn¡¯t anything to scoff at!¡± Her face softened, ¡°You¡¯ve done good, kid.¡±

    Salvare must¡¯ve looked truly lost at the praise, because Karen¡¯s face turned slightly sad, ¡°C¡¯mon, Salvare, this deserves a celebration.¡±

    ¡°Just the two of us?¡± Salvare asked, though Karen heard the unsaid question underneath.

    Without Red?

    She paused for a moment, before turning back to Salvare, a dark shadow hidden within her eyes, ¡°Yeah¡­ Sucks to be him, doesn¡¯t it?¡±

    Salvare¡¯s lips thinned, but¡­

    Red wasn¡¯t there, even when he said he would be.

    Red lied.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Salvare breathed in and out, dispelling all thoughts of his mentor, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡­

    Changeling Base

    WHETHER IN DESTRUCTION OR CREATION, YOUR FATE WILL MEET ITS END

    look around you, see the twine that weaves the veil of the world

    THIS WORLD WAS NEVER MEANT TO BE LOST

    take one look past the veil and see that freedom is a lie

    BY THE TURN OF THE CLOCK

    by the command of the creator

    SHALL YOUR FATE BE SET

    shall our souls be crushed

    GO FORTH

    go forth

    our CHARIOT

    GO FORTH, and conquer

    let there be light

    and the light was overwhelming

    and the light was unnatural

    and the light wassssss

    Red gasped.

    Red coughed.

    Red coughed up blood.

    Red was bleeding from his ears.

    There was ringing in his ears.

    Chimes.

    The stench of blood permeated his nose.

    Both his own and that of his enemies.

    Small eyes peered into his own.

    Pichu.

    Red groaned.

    He hurt so cold.

    The light was there, never leaving.

    It had always been there.

    But the light was a part of him now.

    For better.

    And for worse.

    Small splashes reached his ears.

    Red turned his head up.

    Froakie.

    Froakie¡¯s eyes seemed red, but not the same way Red¡¯s were.

    Red¡¯s eyes were still glowing.

    But they could see his irises.

    He placed a fist on the floor, pushed himself up, and fell before he could stand.

    Froakie and Pichu were at his side.

    They helped him stand, despite being far too small for the task.

    He would be lost without them.

    Red turned, and the world spun around him.

    Froakie tapped a pok¨¦ball on Red¡¯s belt.

    Charmander¡¯s.

    Red looked, and found Charmander on the floor, unconscious but breathing.

    Wounded.

    Red recalled Charmander, hoping hoping hoping that he wouldn¡¯t have to bury another of his family.

    He wasn¡¯t sure if he could live with it.

    He turned back, and nearly stumbled.

    Let there be light.

    But the light was dead, or dying.

    Red limped forward.

    The creature of him dreams his nightmares lay in a pool of blood.

    Red couldn¡¯t identify what it was.

    It seemed to be a partial fusion of multiple pok¨¦mon.

    Or, perhaps, the same pok¨¦mon with multiple partial evolutions.

    It bore numerous colours, shifting around in spirals and twists.

    Torn ribbons of light lay by its bloodied paws.

    Gills faded in and out of the creature¡¯s sides.

    Its tail shifted from fluffy to hairless, splitting occasionally into two tails before combining back into one.

    In one moment, it bore similarities to both Flareon and Vaporeon.

    The next, it fused between Espeon and Umbreon.

    Finally, it landed on light , and glowed as Jolteon and Sylveon.

    And the light was almost overwhelming when Sylveon¡¯s features became prominent.

    The creature had a collar, wrapped around its neck in chains.

    ¡®Changeling - Specimen V¡¯.

    The creature groaned.

    Its eyes flitted open.

    Its eyes were dying.

    Red heard whispers in his mind, far weaker than they had been before.

    But he didn¡¯t have to hear them to understand the meaning.

    Red placed his palm against the creature¡¯s side, where the worst lacerations were.

    Focusing the chaotic energies of his aura into his hand, Red pushed as strong a Heal Pulse as he could for the creature.

    A small sigh escaped its lips. Red didn¡¯t know what it felt, but he doubted that it was relief.

    Red took out a pok¨¦ball, forcing his will onto it with his aura as he tapped it against the creature¡¯s head.

    Red sucked in his breath.

    One second.

    Two seconds.

    The ball opened, and by a miracle, the creature was sucked in.

    Red remained stone faced as he clipped the ball onto his belt.

    Pichu clamoured onto his shoulder, bearing bruises, blood, and pus from its injuries.

    But Pichu had been through worse, and by how he was acting, Red would almost think Pichu wasn¡¯t in any pain.

    But he knew better.

    Froakie hopped up next to Red as well, bearing fewer injuries, but staring with an empty gaze that the frog rarely had.

    Red straightened his back, extended his senses, and turned around.

    His Detect showed no living presence in the compound.

    He had killed them all.

    Red made three steps before a buzzing sound emanated from all around them.

    The fuzz broke as mechanical taps echoed around them.

    As if someone was tapping into a mic.

    ¡°Welcome back to the land of the living.¡±

    The voice was the same as the one earlier, and Red tensed.

    It was a voice he could almost place.

    But it was off in small, but key ways.

    ¡° Emperor, ¡± Red hissed, voice coming out in a rasp.

    ¡°Ah, so you know my name,¡± The voice mused, interested in tone, ¡°You heard it from those fools you slaughtered?¡±

    Red remained silent, daring Emperor to continue. After a moment, the individual did.

    ¡°I must admit, you made a most excellent showing this morning,¡± Emperor intoned, sounding both bored and amused, ¡°You reminded me of someone I know.¡±

    From Emperor¡¯s perspective, Red supposed that he wouldn¡¯t be able to understand who Emperor was referring to.

    But he did.

    He reminded himself of The Chariot.

    ¡°I do have a few questions for you, if you don¡¯t mind,¡± Emperor¡¯s voice became dry, like the deserts of Orre, ¡°Do you?¡±

    Red closed his eyes, fighting off exhaustion, grief, rage as he replied, ¡° Yes, I mind very much. ¡±

    ¡°Shame,¡± Emperor replied simply, ¡°I suppose I shall simply tell you what I know, and we¡¯ll go from there. Shall we?¡±

    Before Red could say anything in response, Emperor continued, ¡°Fifty seven days ago, a wave of esoteric energy quite unlike anything previously seen emanated from within a ten kilometre radius of Mount Silver.¡±

    ¡°Not seventy two hours later, a trainer registration application was sent to the League for one ¡®Red Satoshi¡¯, who owns a Pichu, a Charmander, and a Froakie.¡±

    ¡°This man has no recorded history aside from a home region. This man shows up on no League databases. And this man goes on to show incredible skill and tactics in battle.¡±

    ¡°This man proceeded to travel to Mahogany Town between the dates of September 9th and 12th, before returning for one day on the 18th.¡±

    ¡°In these same time frames, our sensors in Mahogany detected spikes of energy that closely mimicked that of the energy wave on Mount Silver.¡±

    ¡°And now,¡± Emperor¡¯s voice paused before continuing with a new, triumphant tone, ¡°Here you are, Red Satoshi. Your very presence here has not only brought the energy readings of this facility to unprecedented heights, but you have shattered the sensors themselves.¡±

    ¡°Now I know you declined just now, but I must absolutely ask - both for myself, and, I suspect, for yourself.¡±

    ¡°What are you?¡±

    Red remained still, willing away the sudden chill he felt in his spine. The fear.

    They had been tracking him.

    And what were these power waves they were talking about?

    But Red noticed the wording of the question. They outlined his formless past, yet they hadn¡¯t asked who he was, but rather what .

    ¡­

    Well, Red could give them an answer.

    The Truth.

    ¡° I am your destruction, ¡± Red intoned, feeling the embers of rage stir once more in his chest.

    And his rage simmered as Emperor remained silent, before giving an audible hum.

    Consideration.

    ¡°I rather doubt that, but it does answer one of the questions I had.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for that, by the way. I had wondered if you had simply stumbled here by accident or if you were searching for this compound in the first place. It seems now that the latter was the case.¡±

    Red¡¯s eyes widened momentarily - stupid, Red, stupid! - before narrowing, ¡° What¡¯s the difference? ¡±

    ¡°Oh, just about everything,¡± Emperor¡¯s tone was flippant, almost bored, ¡°If you were just a random person who stumbled into this place, and proceeded to massacre it rather thoroughly, then I would try to offer you a place by my side. I certainly know one of my associates would be rather enthused at your penchant for destruction.¡±

    Red was slightly nonplussed - The Emperor spoke of the death of his people in such pleasant terms - ¡°You would have me as your ally?¡±

    ¡°Better an ally than an enemy,¡± Emperor replied, sounding oddly nostalgic, ¡°In fact, I could extend the offer still. Your services would be appreciated.¡±

    Red¡¯s eyes glowed with revulsion, ¡° NO! ¡±

    The Emperor hummed, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to accept, but you asked. All the same, the fact that you were actively looking for us is interesting.¡±

    Red narrowed his eyes, forcing himself to stay silent.

    He couldn¡¯t clue them in on the fact that he came from a broken future.

    ¡°To my knowledge, the number of those who know of our existence throughout the entire world is just over two thousand,¡± Emperor spoke smoothly, voice barely inflecting, ¡°And each and every one of those individuals answer to me.¡±

    ¡°Yet, here you are, not only knowing about our organisation but specific aspects of it, such as this location.¡±

    ¡°So then begs the question: how did you learn?¡±

    ¡°And why have you taken it upon yourself to fight us?¡±

    Red kept silent, knowing that any words he said would likely be used against him.

    Emperor continued, ¡°You see, Red, there are a number of things about you that inherently tie you to us.¡±

    ¡°You have marked us as your enemy, whether out of personal vendetta or foolish idealism, I do not care.¡±

    ¡°You are either directly related or are the source of the energy readings over the past two months.¡±

    ¡°And you know what we are, far more than you should.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°So then, why haven¡¯t you said anything?¡±

    Red willed himself not to look confused. He didn¡¯t trust Emperor not to use his looks and words against him. Staying silent as Emperor gave an audible hum, seemingly thinking to himself.

    ¡°If you only knew that we were an ¡®illegal organisation¡¯, then you would have had no reason to avoid going to the League.¡±

    ¡°Then, that would mean that you are aware that we control the League. Anything you could have said would be worthless, and would only mark you for death.¡±

    ¡°But the fact that you knew that¡­¡±

    ¡°You know us intimately¡­¡±

    Red¡¯s eyes began to glow.

    They were too close.

    ¡°...You knew who I was before you heard it from the guards you killed.¡±

    ¡°You know what I am.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Well, I say now that we are on equal footing. I know that my associate has always wanted an equal to teach. I suppose he will learn to accept one as an enemy.¡±

    ¡°Red Satoshi.¡±

    ¡°Know that we know who you are.¡±

    ¡°Just as you know what we are.¡±

    ¡°We are Team Source.¡±

    The earth shook.

    The edges of Red¡¯s eyes glowed dark.

    ¡°I look forward to when we next meet.¡±

    ¡°Until then, mind your head. Your introduction has caused a number of tectonic shifts in the area, so I would appreciate for you to exercise caution on your way out.¡±

    Red stayed absolutely still as the mic sharpened, before dying.

    Know that we know who you are.

    Red breathed in.

    Just as you know what we are.

    Red breathed out.

    We are Team Source.

    Red knew that he couldn¡¯t remain anonymous forever. That he couldn¡¯t stay hidden forever.

    But that didn¡¯t reduce the amount of dread that pooled in his gut.

    Red didn¡¯t move for several minutes, breathing in and out, attempting to reign back control on his rage, sadness, anger, fear.

    His eyes dimmed.

    The earth shook.

    The compound was slowly flooding, and portions began to collapse as the earth moved around them.

    Had he done that?

    Karen¡¯s look of unadulterated terror at his aura flashed through Red¡¯s mind, before shaking it away. He would deal with it later.

    Now¡­

    Now he had a Changeling to save.

    Red stepped forward, not saying a word as he began to hike back up the way he came.

    By the end of the day, the compound would be crushed within the earth.

    ¡­

    Northwest Pok¨¦mon Center, Goldenrod City

    ¡° Reports are showing the infrastructural damages to be in the millions as a result of the earthquakes. Thankfully, the authorities successfully evacuated everyone within the area, and there have been no recorded fatalities. Seismologists have gone on record to say that this event was not a natural occurrence and that-¡±

    The television turned off, with Karen tossing the remote as she plopped down onto the couch next to Salvare.

    As someone next to them shouted out in annoyance for having their news show interrupted, Karen leaned down and looked at Salvare, ¡°...I know that look, kid.¡±

    Salvare grumbled to himself, looking away, only to be forcibly turned back to Karen as she grabbed him by the cheeks, ¡°Look at me.¡±

    He slapped her hands away, but still did as he was bid. Karen sighed to herself as she took in Salvare¡¯s look.

    For someone who just won in an elite-tier battle, Salvare looked way too tired for her liking.

    ¡°You¡¯re not at fault,¡± She said, softer than she would admit - Damnit, she was starting to care too much! - ¡°You have no obligation to him aside from being a good student. And, Salvare, you have been the best student I¡¯ve seen,¡± Karen allowed herself a self-deprecating smirk, ¡°I mean, you should¡¯ve seen me with Agatha. I was the most annoying little shit compared to you.¡±

    Salvare gave a small smile, but Karen could tell it was forced, ¡°Look,¡± She shifted in her seat, slightly closer to Salvare, ¡°Red¡¯s a mysterious asshole, I get that. He¡¯s gonna have secrets and broodin¡¯ and shit, but that doesn¡¯t mean he can disrespect you.¡±

    ¡°...What about you?¡± Salvare asked quietly, ¡°You don¡¯t exactly get along with him.¡±

    Karen grimaced, shifting into something akin to embarrassment and regret, ¡°I made a snap decision and came to regret it,¡± She leaned back, blowing a lock of hair away from her face, ¡°I tried to keep secrets of my own, failed, and panicked, causing me to do something pretty bad , even by my standards.¡±

    Salvare just stared at her, ¡°You know, we¡¯ve been travelling for over a month, and I haven¡¯t been clued in on what happened between the two of you.¡±

    Karen¡¯s eyes momentarily widened before she slapped her head, growling, ¡° Of course he wouldn¡¯t tell you. It was foolish of me to think he would, ¡± Her eyes lost the dark shadow they momentarily had, ¡°...You remember our lessons on using moves through Aura? Like Poison Jab and Thief ?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Salvare answered, knowing those two moves rather well, given how he seemed naturally inclined towards them.

    ¡°Well¡­ just about every pok¨¦mon move is theoretically capable of being used by a human, if they have enough aura, and the discipline to wield it,¡± Her eyes drifted slightly as she took upon a more lofty tone, which had become more common when she began tutoring in Aura with Salvare in Red¡¯s place, ¡°However, the limitations of the human body stop us from doing something crazy like Flare Blitz - or Sludge Wave in your case - since the amount of aura used would tear apart our bodies and minds.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Salvare nodded, ¡°How does this relate to you and Red?¡±

    ¡°Well, on the one hand, Red¡¯s a freak of nature that is able to output more aura than should be humanly possible,¡± Karen snarked, though there was an undertone of curiosity and almost-primal fear in her tone, ¡°But it really relates in what aura is commonly used for between people.¡±

    She paused, ¡°If you were to take a guess¡­ What would you think to be the most common types that people have for their aura?¡±

    Salvare thought about the question before responding, ¡°Normal type? Is there even a Normal Type aura?¡±

    ¡°There is, but it¡¯s actually much more rare than you would think,¡± Karen explained, ¡°Normal is the type of versatility. It dips its toes into most other types, but not the other way around,¡± She shook her head for a moment, ¡°Getting back on track, the most common auras between humans are Poison, Fighting, and Psychic.¡±

    Salvare was mildly shocked, ¡°Really?¡±

    Karen nodded, ¡°Really. One of the Guardians specialise in Poison, and he believes it to be evolutionary. People had to learn what plants were poisonous and which weren¡¯t, along with learning medicine for when someone got sick.¡±

    Salvare considered that as Karen continued, ¡°Fighting is also somewhat obvious. People fight a lot, you know? Before pok¨¦mon were domesticated, clans fought with sticks and stones. Now¡­ Well, I mean, we live in a society that prioritises battling. It¡¯s kinda obvious that a lot of people would show a fighting spirit.¡±

    ¡°But Psychic,¡± Karen paused, grinning slightly, ¡°Psychic is actually rather interesting, because while most people associate Psychic-type with stuff like telepathy and the such, the majority of it is actually much more mundane, but much more useful as a result.¡±

    ¡°Whereas Poison type prioritises the body and Fighting the spirit, Psychic type prioritises the mind,¡± Karen explained, tapping a finger against her skull, ¡°Heightened intelligence, wit, wisdom, knowledge, charisma, a lot derives, in part, from the mind, which, in turn, draws from the Psychic-type.¡±

    Karen took a deep breath, really getting into the impromptu-lecture, ¡°For most people, this manifests as being smart, or minor clairvoyance. Some people act older than their age, or maybe have a highly specialised skill that sets them apart from the crowd.¡±

    She was right next to Salvare now, her arm on his shoulder as she explained, ¡°For users of aura, since we can¡¯t use many fighting moves, we use status moves instead, most of which primarily derive from the Psychic-type.¡±

    ¡°Moves such as Calm Mind , Meditation , or Rest have been used a lot. Others like Trick Room and Hypnosis are a bit more rare, but teachable. What makes them special is that practically everyone can learn them, regardless of whether their aura is Psychic or not.¡±

    ¡°So¡­¡± Salvare drawled, beginning to connect the dots of what Karen was saying, ¡°You tried using a move on Red and failed.¡±

    That stopped her in her tracks. Her face momentarily clouded before she huffed, sliding away from Salvare, ¡°Yeah¡­ not my proudest moment.¡±

    Salvare remained silent for a moment, before asking, ¡°Which move?¡±

    ¡° Amnesia, ¡± Karen answered in a whisper.

    ¡°Amnesia? Oh ,¡± Salvare muttered, understanding the implications of the move, ¡°You tried to make him forget,¡± His tone sounded accusatory, though Salvare didn¡¯t know if it was worth getting mad on Red¡¯s behalf.

    Karen scowled, ¡°I did and I regret it.¡±

    ¡°Have you tried to apologise?¡± Salvare asked, already knowing the answer before she responded.

    ¡° No, ¡± Karen¡¯s voice seemed¡­ smaller . Akin to a little girl who got caught breaking open the cookie jar, ¡°But he hasn¡¯t apologised for all those times he¡¯s been an ass to us, so what do I have to prove?¡±

    Salvare sighed to himself as he began to understand better why Red was so antagonistic towards the woman. Despite how much she had grown on him over the past several weeks, he had to remember that she was an exceedingly petty woman.

    Though, to be fair, Red wasn¡¯t much better.

    Salvare just shook his head to himself as the sounds around him began to get louder. Karen seemed to realise at the same time as him when a crowd began to form near the entrance of the Pok¨¦mon Center.

    Salvare didn¡¯t pay attention to whatever people were worrying about now, instead ruminating over thoughts of Red, Karen, and his other demons.

    It was only a moment later that his thoughts shattered when a familiar voice snapped in a harsh rasp.

    ¡° I don¡¯t give a damn what I look like. My pok¨¦mon need healing. ¡±

    Salvare spun around to see Red - bruised, battered, and looking as if he had hastily scrubbed himself of blood - shoving three pok¨¦balls to the increasingly haggard Nurse Joy, before handing her Pichu¡¯s grumpy form.

    And, Mew above, the two of them looked like shit.

    A crowd had formed around Red, rising in volume as more and more of them saw the state he was in, and began to question him.

    Salvare winced as Red¡¯s aura flared.

    Red was stone faced, as usual.

    But he was pissed.

    Salvare hesitated before standing up, walking over to Red.

    His mentor saw him and flared his aura sharper , physically pushing away those closest to him so that he could walk to Salvare.

    Salvare remained silent as he and his mentor walked back to where Karen was - who had been carefully looking away from Red.

    Eventually, Red asked, ¡°You had your Gym match today?¡±

    Is he going to apologise for not being there?

    Or at least give an explanation.

    Rather than verbalising these thoughts, Salvare merely said, ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡° Did you win? ¡± Red asked, eyes looking past Salvare, almost clouded.

    ¡°...Yeah,¡± Salvare nearly sighed.

    ¡° Good, ¡± Was all that Red said.

    No apologies.

    No explanations.

    No congratulations.

    Karen shot up, ¡° That¡¯s it? ¡± Her voice was low, almost calm. Dangerous . ¡° That¡¯s all you have to say? ¡±

    She had pushed herself in front of Salvare, facing Red with spiralling dark eyes. A small crowd was watching, both in curiosity from Red¡¯s deathly appearance and in slight fear from their senses screaming ¡® danger! ¡¯

    Red stared back into Karen¡¯s eyes, both daring and resigned, ¡° Yes. ¡±

    The shadows around Karen paused, and none of them moved.

    Salvare stepped forward to intervene, only for Karen¡¯s fist to turn into a blur.

    CRACK!

    Red stumbled back, cupping his jaw as blood ran down his chin.

    Karen brought her fist back to her side, her knuckles spotted with blood from her Sucker Punch .

    Salvare stood still, waiting for one of the two to make the move.

    He prepared for a fight.

    ¡­

    However, nothing came from the standoff.

    Red¡¯s gaze burned into Karen as he idly wiped his chin of blood. His eyes blazed, but not in the way that had increasingly become familiar to Salvare.

    They burned cold.

    Red didn¡¯t say anything, though, and eventually Karen stood straight, her dark aura writhing in barely restrained fury, ¡°C¡¯mon, Salvare. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    She began walking towards the stairs, away from Red and towards her hotel room.

    Salvare turned back to Red, but only for a moment.

    He caught Red¡¯s gaze, which seemed hauntingly empty.

    Drained.

    Red¡¯s eyes flicked to where Karen had disappeared, asking if Salvare would follow. Beckoning Salvare to follow.

    Salvare closed his eyes for a moment, then made his choice.

    He followed Karen, and left Red behind in the lobby.

    ¡­

    Dr. Fuji¡¯s Lab, New Island, October 31st, 1997

    ¡°It feels like it¡¯s time to say goodbye.¡±

    Wh-What?

    ¡°Do you see the stars in the sky?¡±

    The sky was dark.

    The sky was terrifying.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    ¡°The dark scares me too.¡±

    Why is it dark?

    The memory giggles.

    ¡°The sun brings us light, but that¡¯s only during the day.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nighttime now.¡±

    The sun?

    Is that the sun?

    The girl giggles again.

    ¡°No, that¡¯s the moon!¡±

    The moon?

    ¡°It¡¯s there to keep you from being scared of the dark.¡±

    But we both still fear the dark.

    ¡°I know.¡±

    ¡°But dad always said that fear was good.¡±

    ¡°Without fear, we would be dumb!¡±

    I am not dumb!

    ¡°I know!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a very smart guy! I think I¡¯m dumb.¡±

    You¡¯re NOT dumb!

    Amber giggles.

    It¡¯s sadder.

    ¡°If I wasn¡¯t dumb, then why did I die?¡±

    Die?

    ¡°I was so mean, dying on daddy!¡±

    ¡°He was so sad.¡±

    You are not mean, Amber.

    You speak to me.

    An abomination.

    ¡°Well, if you¡¯re an abobimation, then I¡¯m a babomination!¡±

    You could never be an abomination.

    You are Amber.

    Amber giggles.

    ¡°I¡¯m not Amber! I already told you!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Ambertwo!¡±

    I think that¡¯s a dumb name.

    The girl gasped.

    ¡°But daddy made the name! And daddy¡¯s not dumb!¡±

    I respectfully disagree.

    The girl gasped louder.

    The girl began to giggle uncontrollably.

    ¡°You say the funniest things!¡±

    Her joy made me happy.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I have to go.¡±

    What?

    Where are you going?

    ¡°I have already gone past the Veil.¡±

    ¡°I cannot go back.¡±

    What?

    No!

    Don¡¯t go!

    ¡°I have to.¡±

    ¡°But don¡¯t worry.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll get to live.¡±

    No.

    I never asked for this!

    ¡°None of us asked.¡±

    ¡°But we¡¯re all here, aren¡¯t we?¡±

    Why?

    Why can¡¯t I go with you?

    Amber smiles.

    She is far sadder than before.

    ¡°Do you not want to live?¡±

    ¡­

    What do I have to live for?

    ¡°...Life.¡±

    ¡°Live to live.¡±

    But¡­

    I never asked for this.

    ¡°Will you do it for me?¡±

    Wha-?

    ¡°Will you?¡±

    ¡­

    Yes.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Amber began to fade away.

    ¡°It feels like it¡¯s time to say goodbye.¡±

    I could feel my heart shattering.

    I never asked for this¡­

    But I would live.

    For her.

    ¡­

    Goodbye.

    Mewtwo opened its eyes.

    Mewtwo closed its eyes at the light.

    The light hurts.

    ¡°I know.¡±

    Mewtwo gasped.

    Mewtwo opened its eyes, looking for her.

    What? Where? Who?

    The voice did not respond.

    Mewtwo jerked, and closed its eyes once more.

    A-Amber?

    ¡­

    Nothing.

    Mewtwo opened its eyes, and for one brilliant moment¡­

    It saw flames.

    ¡®what the hell are you supposed to be?¡¯

    Mewtwo convulsed.

    Phantom pain stabbed its sides.

    It had died.

    ¡°It¡¯s moving.¡±

    Mewtwo had its eyes closed.

    What was Mewtwo?

    Mewtwo was a clone. That was what Amber said.

    But Amber died.

    And so did you.

    ¡°But you lived.¡±

    Mewtwo¡¯s eyes shot open, writhing against the tubes.

    The shadow outside his vision jerked back.

    ¡°It¡¯s awake.¡±

    Was Mewtwo awake. Or was it dead and dreaming?

    The flames of its mind were gone.

    But the dark eyes remained.

    Eyes with pinpricks of crimson.

    ¡®a god born in tubes.¡¯

    ¡®how terribly beautiful.¡¯

    Mewtwo closed its eyes once more.

    Even now, it found the dark terrifying.

    And the demon man embodied the dark.

    ¡°It seems to be in a state of partial consciousness.¡±

    The shadow spoke. Mewtwo could understand what it said.

    Once more, Mewtwo thanked Amber for her very existence.

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome!¡±

    ¡°It appears to be dreaming, based on the spikes of its vitals. Perhaps it is experiencing a nightmare.¡±

    A nightmare.

    Yes¡­

    That would explain the voices in my head.

    A haunting giggle rang in its ears.

    ¡°But is it stable?¡±

    A new voice. A new shadow.

    This shadow is darker.

    ¡°...Yes. Yes! Mewtwo is fully stable!¡±

    Me.

    I¡¯m¡­ fully stable?

    What¡­

    I should not exist.

    ¡°May I see it?¡±

    The darker shadow asked the first shadow.

    Mewtwo felt hesitation in the first shadow.

    And not a small amount of fear.

    ¡°...You may.¡±

    ¡°Excellent.¡±

    A shape formed past the bubbles of the glass chamber.

    Mewtwo could not see the shadow¡¯s face.

    But, in a cruel prank of the universe, its mind filled it in with Amber¡¯s face.

    ¡°If you can hear me in there, then I extend you our welcome.¡±

    I never asked for this.

    ¡°You hold the potential to be something¡­ unimaginable.¡±

    ¡®a god born in tubes.¡¯

    ¡°Today¡­ Today marks the birth of a god.¡±

    Amber¡¯s face was kind while the shadow¡¯s voice was cold.

    And Mewtwo felt tired.

    Drained.

    I never asked for this.

    ¡­

    But it had made a promise.

    And while it hadn¡¯t been long in the world.

    It didn¡¯t intend to break that promise.

    ¡­

    Archived Chat, October 7th, 1995

    (7:55 P.M.) - The_Emperor has opened the chat.

    (7:56 P.M.) - NTC65 has logged in.

    (7:56 P.M.) - Anon00901604 has logged in.

    (7:57 P.M.) - qazwsx12 has logged in.

    (7:59 P.M.) - K_Takashi has logged in.

    (8:00 P.M.) - The_Emperor: Good evening, everyone.

    (8:00 P.M.) - The_Emperor: Before we begin, I would like to thank you for responding to my summons. I am aware that most of us have outside responsibilities that conflict with time.

    (8:01 P.M.) - The_Emperor: This meeting marks what I hope to be the turning point of our organisation.

    (8:02 P.M.) - The_Emperor: After several years of setting the groundwork, we have the funds, locations, personnel, and connections to begin our research.

    (8:03 P.M.) - The_Emperor: However, before we proceed to a larger scale, I find it necessary to establish titles for ourselves as the leaders of the organisation.

    (8:04 P.M.) - The_Emperor: As the one who set up the organisation in the first place, I have taken it upon myself to name myself ¡®Emperor¡¯.

    (8:04 P.M.) - The_Emperor: I sent out a message to each of you a week ago in preparation for your titles. Have you all chosen your titles?

    (8:05 P.M.) - qazwsx12: Yes.

    (8:05 P.M.) - NTC65: I have

    (8:05 P.M.) - Anon00901604: I did

    (8:06 P.M.) - K_Takashi: [EMPTY TEXT]

    (8:06 P.M.) - The_Emperor: Excellent. Please share them.

    (8:07 P.M.) - NTC65: Magician. Unfortunately there isnt a tarot card for Scientist so this will have to suffice

    (8:07 P.M.) - qazwsx12: I decided on The Empress. The Moon was a close second, however I feel more aligned with the former.

    (8:07 P.M.) - Anon00901604: Tower

    (8:08 P.M.) - Anon00901604: It¡¯s the closest thing to a mountain given the choices

    (8:08 P.M.) - K_Takashi: you already know mine old man

    (8:09 P.M.) - The_Emperor: Excellent.

    (8:09 P.M.) - The_Emperor: As a reminder for the rest of you, @K_Takashi is The Chariot

    (8:11 P.M.) - The_Emperor: I have temporarily updated your usernames to match these titles. Magician will electronically send each of you a secure account with these names within the week.

    (8:11 P.M.) - The_Magician: Yessir

    (8:12 P.M.) - The_Emperor: Now, we are all clear on our duties, correct?

    (8:13 P.M.) - The_Tower: Clarification. I scout out candidates for the organisation, correct?

    (8:13 P.M.) - The_Emperor: Yes.

    (8:13 P.M.) - The_Magician: I understand mine

    (8:14 P.M.) - The_Empress: As do I.

    (8:14 P.M.) - The_Emperor: Good.

    (8:15 P.M.) - The_Emperor: Now, onto our next topic.

    (8:15 P.M.) - The_Emperor: It is time we made a name for the organisation.

    (8:16 P.M.) - The_Emperor: When approaching potential members, having a name aside from ¡®the organisation¡¯ will help sell our goals. Additionally, it will help instate an identity within existing members.

    (8:17 P.M.) - The_Emperor: Currently, as loath as I am to admit it, there has developed a sort of cult of personality amongst the members for myself and The Chariot, in lieu of loyalty to the organisation as a whole.

    (8:18 P.M.) - The_Emperor: Having an encompassing name will help prevent the possibility of factions forming within the organisation, along with helping us to expand to new regions not currently in our domain.

    (8:19 P.M.) - The_Emperor: Any questions before we continue?

    (8:19 P.M.) - The_Tower: I have one

    (8:20 P.M.) - The_Emperor: Go ahead.

    (8:21 P.M.) - The_Tower: None of us are supposed to know who each other really is. But it seems like you and Chariot know each other

    (8:22 P.M.) - The_Emperor: Is your question whether or not I know who Chariot is?

    (8:22 P.M.) - The_Tower: Yes

    (8:22 P.M.) - The_Chariot: ive known the old man for years

    (8:23 P.M.) - The_Chariot: and id like to think im hard to forget

    (8:24 P.M.) - The_Emperor: As Chariot stated, we do know each other personally. This is the exception in the matter.

    (8:25 P.M.) - The_Emperor: Now, I have chosen a name for the organisation that reflects our goal.

    (8:26 P.M.) - The_Emperor: We are looking to find and harness the power of evolution to provide a source of infinite energy for the benefit of society.

    (8:27 P.M.) - The_Emperor: As such, I have decided that we shall be named Team Source, for our goal is to discover and harness the source of all energy.

    (8:27 P.M.) - The_Emperor: Are there any disagreements with the name?

    (8:28 P.M.) - The_Empress: No.

    (8:29 P.M.) - The_Tower: None on my end

    (8:29 P.M.) - The_Chariot: i think its dumb

    (8:30 P.M.) - The_ Magician: I do agree that it is somewhat tacky.

    (8:30 P.M.) - The_Magician: Are we trying to emulate the likes of Team Rocket?

    (8:31 P.M.) - The_Emperor: I was thinking something more akin to Team Valor, Mystic, and Instinct.

    (8:32 P.M.) - The_Emperor: Not every ¡®Team¡¯ is criminal. We are not like the common rabble in Team Rocket.

    (8:33 P.M.) - The_Emperor: We are pioneers of a greater force of power that man has only dreamed of wielding.

    (8:33 P.M.) - The_Emperor: We shall make that a reality. No matter what it takes.

    (8:34 P.M.) - The_Emperor: Do you all understand?

    (8:34 P.M.) - The_Empress: I do.

    (8:35 P.M.) - The_Magician: I suppose

    (8:36 P.M.) - The_Tower: Yeah

    (8:36 P.M.) - The_Emperor: Excellent.

    (8:36 P.M.) - The_Emperor: From hence on, We are Team Source.

    (8:37 P.M.) - The_Emperor: Let this mark the day when we became something greater than ourselves.

    ERROR - Archive Corrupted - ERROR - File Data has been Corrupted - ERROR - Potential Tampering with File Data - ERROR

 Interlude 1-A: Project Changeling

    Project Changeling: A Study in Partial Evolutions

    by

    The Emperor

    Updated: 10/27/97

    THE CONTENTS OF THIS FILE ARE FOR ALPHA CLEARANCE ONLY

    READING THIS WITHOUT PROPER CLEARANCE WILL RESULT IN TERMINATION

    YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED

    ¡­

    What is Project Changeling?

    Project Changeling is the answer to the question of whether or not it is possible to combine multiple evolutions into one.

    This field of study has been pursued many times across recent history, in various degrees of legality. However, they have all resulted in catastrophic failures that resulted in the deaths of the test subjects, and oftentimes the researchers themselves.

    What separates Project Changeling from these previous experiments is the methodology. Previous attempts to combine multiple evolutions simply smashed them together in a haphazard hope of getting worthwhile results. Unfortunately, the data from these experiments are nearly worthless, due to their entire methodology being fundamentally flawed.

    Simply put, it is physically impossible for a pok¨¦mon to hold multiple evolutions at once. The amount of energy put out by the body simply overwhelms the host, leading to seizures, vomiting, and cardiac arrest.

    This proved fatal to researchers when these subjects lost control of their elemental abilities, as they flared out of control as the host died.

    Instead of directly combining evolutions, Project Changeling aimed to answer the question in a different way: Partial Evolutions. This is the process of evolving, devolving, then evolving once more into something else.

    As a species, Eevee is host to seven known evolutions, each having a unique list of catalysts. As such, The Eevee line has been the most prominent pok¨¦mon to be used in this field of research.

    This project aims to develop a specimen capable of switching between more than one evolution at once, with an end goal of being able to switch between all seven evolutions fast enough that, for all practical applications, the pok¨¦mon holds multiple evolutions at once.

    ¡­

    The Restrictions of Typing

    Pok¨¦mon Typing is a phenomena that, for all its impact in our society, is widely unexplored.

    There are 17 Known Types, with an additional one that is currently being debated. However, despite there being hundreds - if not thousands - of pok¨¦mon species in the world, they are only able to fit upwards of two types.

    Now, there are some minor exceptions to this. A famous example is the Charizard line, who hold the dual Fire/Flying type in their final evolution. However, they do retain minor ties to the Dragon type, which actually becomes dominant in one of their Mega Evolutions. However, Mega Charizard X is a dual Fire/Dragon type, not a tri Fire/Flying/Dragon like some conspiracy theorists initially believed.

    Despite any regional variants, differing evolutions, or form changes, pok¨¦mon are limited to two types.

    This comes into play with battling, but it also has wider implications in research. Pioneers have tried and failed to push past this limitation by introducing a tri-typed pok¨¦mon. Fortunately, these failures have identified key aspects of pok¨¦mon biology that have become cornerstones in our research.

    Most pok¨¦mon have three inherent types. The dominant type, which remains constant despite any variations or evolutions. The secondary type, which may manifest in later evolutions. And the recessive type, which only becomes active when either the dominant or secondary types are suppressed.

    Using the example from earlier, the Charizard line has Fire as the dominant type, Flying as the secondary type, and Dragon as the recessive type. In most cases, the Charizard¡¯s recessive type only becomes active in Mega Evolution.

    However, there are several cases of recessive types overtaking secondary, or even dominant, types in regional variants. An example of this can be seen in the Ninetales line, where the dominant Fire type is suppressed by the joint Ice and Fairy types, which both acted as recessive types.

    This phenomenon can be seen in various pok¨¦mon with multiple variants, including Meowth, Rattata, Muk, Sandslash, etc.

    However, it is vital to note that, for these pok¨¦mon, only three types, at most, have been found to be associated with them. This, in turn, raised a conundrum in the research community.

    How is it that pok¨¦mon can only display upwards of two types while being able to carry aspects of a third type?

    This is a question that we have sought to tackle in a different project. The details of this project can be found [REDACTED].

    However, there is one pok¨¦mon line in particular that acts as the exception to this rule. The Eevee line, unlike every other pok¨¦mon, can evolve into seven different variants, each with a unique typing.

    ¡­

    What Makes Eevee Special?

    Remember that pok¨¦mon have a dominant, secondary, and recessive type. On occasion, they may forfeit a secondary type for another recessive type, but they still total up to three total types.

    Eevee is unique in that it has several dominant types, with a recessive Normal type underneath. Eevee has no secondary types, and only one dominant type can be active at once.

    In this way, a standard Eevee has all of their dominant types repressed, allowing their recessive Normal typing to be their sole type. However, in the case where they evolve, one of their many dominant types are brought up, and overshadow the recessive type as the sole type.

    This is why the Eevee line is uniquely unable to hold two types at once. However, they have the potential for more types than any other pok¨¦mon.

    Recall that Eevee have multiple dominant types. These types are Fire, Water, Electric, Psychic, Dark, Grass, and Ice. Studies have indicated that Eevee holds each of these types, which directly contradicts the rule of pok¨¦mon having no more than three potential types.

    Additionally, there is precedent for Eevee having even more potential types that we have yet to discover. It is practically impossible to determine if a pok¨¦mon has a type if it is repressed, and it only becomes more difficult when a pok¨¦mon has as many potential types as Eevee does.

    As such, there have been a small number of studies looking at potential evolutions for the Dragon, Steel, and Poison types. However, these have yet to bear fruit, instead often leading to their subjects evolving into Flareon, Glaceon, Umbreon, and Vaporeon due to the catalysts that they use.

    Looking back at the question of holding multiple evolutions, Eevee is uniquely suited for this due to their typing. Whereas the structure of other pok¨¦mons¡¯ typing prevents them from holding more than two theoretical evolutions at once, Eevee could theoretically hold several evolutions in the same body.

    This goes back to the methodology of evolving, devolving, then evolving in a different manner. Because each evolution brings out a unique dominant type, if the creature were to devolve back to an Eevee, it would suppress the dominant type, once more allowing the creature to evolve in a different way.

    ¡­

    Fusion and Typing

    Pok¨¦mon fusion is an experimental field of study that is widely debated for its moral and ethical implications. As such, it has seen little progress outside of illegal research facilities, primarily in Kalos and Orre.

    While fusion as a concept is not the main goal with this project, it is still related in some of the future designs of Team Source. Project A.N.E.M.I.A. deals with a proto-fusion between two pok¨¦mon of the same family, while Project Grey deals with the legend of an ancient fused dragon.

    Fusions offer a unique possibility with pok¨¦mon types, in that they have the potential to introduce pok¨¦mon with three active types. However, as of yet, studies indicate that this would still result in the imminent demise of the creature.

    Interestingly enough, the legend of the Tao Dragon alludes to the ancient creature as bearing four types: Fire, Electric, Ice, and Dragon. It is questionable as to whether this was actually the case, or if the dragon carried a similar circumstance to Eevee, where it may have held a unique mixture of dominant, secondary, and recessive types.

    The Magician has shown immense interest in this line of research. He has taken it upon himself to spearhead both of those projects with his own resources and contacts, and has proven a valuable partner in our experiments.

    Fusion relates to Project Changeling in such a way that it should be actively avoided. Developing multiple partial evolutions toes the line very close to fusion, which for a pok¨¦mon of Eevee¡¯s calibre, would inevitably prove fatal not only for the pok¨¦mon, but for any individuals in its immediate vicinity.

    ¡­

    December 25th, 1995

    [REDACTED]

    ¡­

    Preliminary Preparations

    For this project, the Eevees used are specially bred to exhibit little to no leanings towards any particular evolution. Additionally, the Eevees should be no older than 6 months old at the start of testing.

    For the first three days of testing, food is reduced to one meal a day of 1,000 calories. No more than 500 mL of water a day is to be given to the specimens. The goal with these provisions is to reduce their physical stamina without causing any permanent harm to their mental stamina.

    Refrain from withholding food as a punishment. Starvation is a specially controlled aspect of later parts of the experiment, so it should be saved until then for maximum impact.

    Instead, when the specimens begin to act unruly, cause them brief, but intense, pain in the form of electric shocks, controlled flames, or pressurised water. Avoid prolonging the exposure of any single element at the early points of the experiment, or else they will interfere with the specimen¡¯s ability to evolve properly.

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    Once the specimen has undergone a week of containment, place the specimen in a controlled sleep for exactly 24 hours. In that time, the stabilising agent provided by the overseers will be injected into the specimen¡¯s neck.

    Once the specimen awakes, perform a Psychic evaluation to determine how much the specimen remembers of the outside world. If the specimen is deemed fit, then it will move onto primary testing. If not, then the specimen¡¯s memories may be shattered in small applications. If this is the case, utmost caution is required, as the specimen will be highly susceptible to going into a vegetative state if the procedure is done incorrectly.

    On the first day of primary testing, mix exactly 4.93 mg of the Catalyst into the specimen¡¯s food. This will alter the specimen¡¯s biology such that it is more susceptible to the different evolution methods we will use in this experiment.

    ¡­

    Dichotomy of Type - To Be Both Psychic and Dark

    One of the nuances of typing is that there are certain types that naturally oppose each other.

    These pairs are: Electric/Ground, Normal/Ghost, Ghost/Psychic, Fighting/Dark, and Dark/Psychic.

    There are naturally exceptions to this, but they are far and few between. In fact, there have yet to be any pok¨¦mon discovered that hold both the Ghost/Psychic and Normal/Ghost types.

    This opposition in typing manifests primarily in one, or both, being immune to the other. However, there are other more subtle manifestations of these natural oppositions.

    To use an example, the Stunfisk line holds three types: Ground as the dominant type, Steel as the secondary type, and Electric as the recessive type. Common theory would suggest that Stunfisk would therefore be a Ground/Steel type pok¨¦mon. However, the Stunfisk native to Unova and Kalos suppresses their secondary type, allowing their recessive type to become active.

    However, whereas other pok¨¦mon that do something similar do not undergo major changes over short periods of time, Stunfisk do because Ground and Electric are so absolutely opposed that any shift in their genetic makeup easily nullifies the suppression on their Steel typing, which then represses their Electric typing.

    This can be seen in action with the recent invasion of Galarian Stunfisk to Kalos, as they have begun breeding with the local populace, causing a sharp decrease of births retaining their native Ground/Electric typing.

    Relating this back to the Changeling, it is vital to note that two of the partial evolutions tested are of the Psychic and Dark type. As stated, these are diametrically opposed types, which made these evolutions the most difficult to achieve.

    The three common methods of evolving Eevee into Espeon are to expose it to a location of high psychic frequency, to use a Dawn Stone, or for it to naturally bond 1-on-1 with a trainer in the direct sunlight.

    On the other end of the spectrum, to evolve an Eevee into Umbreon, one either exposes it to highly concentrated Dark-type energy, uses a Dusk Stone, or naturally bonds with it in the direct moonlight.

    Naturally, given the location of this experiment, the latter options for both of these evolutions were off of the table. Initially, repeat exposure to Dawn and Dusk stones were used to evolve. However, while it had evolved into Espeon by this method, it had no progress evolving into Umbreon this way.

    A secondary procedure was developed using the methodology of the first evolution method. Given that the Psychic and Dark types are oppositely linked, it was theoretically possible to transform its Psychic energy into Dark energy.

    This was done by controlled pain, along with long-term starvation. Along with this, the light levels around the containment glass were dimmed, allowing for greater amounts of Dark energy to fester.

    As of yet, only one test has been conducted using this method. In the end, it turned out to be a success, given that Specimen V evolved after two weeks of this procedure. However, the specimen expelled high amounts of faecal matter and vomit, and became especially prone to scratching itself until it bled. A current hypothesis is that these negative effects resulted from Specimen V being less than six months old, and thus not fully matured. Future testing will be needed to determine whether this experiment was a fluke, or if the method will work regardless.

    ¡­

    Fairy Evolution - Eevee of Light

    Each evolution in the Eevee line has an environmental effect that can be recorded. Obviously, the elemental evolutions tie to their elements, such as fire with Flareon, or electricity with Jolteon.

    This becomes moderately more complicated with regards to Espeon and Umbreon, as they do not have the same simple correlations.

    One may initially think that Espeon ties to the sun and daytime and Umbreon to the moon and nighttime. However, it is more nuanced than that.

    The discussion of how these evolutions relate to the environment extends to how these types as a whole relate to it as well. As a whole, both of these types have far more abstract relations to the world.

    Psychic type is the logos of the mind. It encapsulates logic and movement. Thus, it extends to the natural world as movement and change, kept in order by natural processes.

    Dark type is the pathos of the mind. It encapsulates emotion and stability. In this way, it extends in the opposite way as lethargic and lacking change.

    This actually manifests in an interesting phenomena where excessive feeding can heighten Psychic prowess while starvation may heighten Dark prowess. Studies have shown that in species such as the Snorlax and Slowpoke lines, the more food they eat the higher their psychic potential. This remains true even if the pok¨¦mon in question is not necessarily Psychic type.

    However, looking back at how Psychic and Dark interact with the world, there seems to be something missing. For years, researchers attempted to find a third type that would fit this trinity of logos, ethos, and pathos. While certain types such as Fighting fit this on a technical scale, it did not quite line up with the other two with regards to how it interacted with the world.

    Enter the Fairy type, which has been all-but confirmed by researchers in Kalos. While it does not necessarily fit the type matchups in quite the same way as Fighting does, Fairy type fits in remarkably well in how it seems to interact with the world.

    Whereas Psychic and Dark encapsulate logic and emotion, Fairy type seems to encapsulate vision. Certain moves such as Miracle Eye and Future Sight have found ties to Fairy-type energy, and for years, certain individuals have exhibited clairvoyance that did not match up with our understanding of the Psychic type.

    As such, Fairy type can be seen as the ethos of the mind. It encapsulates vision. Thus, it extends to the natural world as light for us to see, and visions of events beyond our current comprehension.

    How, then, does this relate to Project Changeling?

    Once researchers discovered the correlation between the Fairy type and light, they developed a method for testing whether or not a pok¨¦mon was capable of evolving into a Fairy type.

    Naturally, one of the first pok¨¦mon tested was the Eevee line. After collecting several months¡¯ worth of data, it was determined that Eevee, along with a select few other pok¨¦mon, had access to the Fairy Type.

    With this in mind, several methods have been theorised for evolving Eevee into its Fairy evolution. Of these methods, the most promising is the development of artificial Fairy Lights, which radiate Fairy-type energy at the target.

    Using this method, we aim to achieve the sixth evolution for Project Changeling. If this can be pulled off, it would be invaluable in gaining a better understanding of the newly discovered Fairy type, and how it can be traced back to the Source.

    ¡­

    Protocols

    <ul>

    <li>Protocol A - Lockdown (Internal)</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Protocol B - Lockdown (External)</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Protocol C - Administer Euthinasia</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Protocol D - Chariot (Active in Area)</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Protocol E - [REDACTED]</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Protocol F - Intruder (Inner Lab) [ALARM]</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Protocol G - Quarantine (Psychic)</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Protocol H - [REDACTED]</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Protocol I - Experimental Soundwave Testing</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Protocol J - Experimental Void Testing</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Protocol K - Alert (Diglett War)</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Protocol L - Alert (League Investigation)</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Protocol M - Alert (Minor Legendary)</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Protocol N - Alert (Gang Activity)</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Protocol O - Administer Sleeping Agent</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Protocol P - Experimental Fairy Light Testing</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Protocol Q - Lockdown (Major Legendary) [ALARM]</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Protocol R - Intruder (Abandoned Lab)</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Protocol S - Release Specimen</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Protocol T - Quarantine (Illness)</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Protocol U - Chariot (Going Rogue) [ALARM]</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Protocol V - Activate Self Destruct [ALARM]</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Protocol W - Alert (Internal Damage) [ALARM]</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Protocol X - Activate Full Power on Soundwaves</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Protocol Y - Activate Full Power on Void</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Protocol Z - Activate Full Power on Fairy Lights</li>

    </ul>

    ¡­

    Thoughtography Incident - October 18th, 1997

    At approximately 11:37 P.M. October 18th, 1997, Specimen V experienced a particularly violent reaction to the Fairy Light Testing, which resulted in tears appearing in its skin along with a minor seizure.

    At the time of the experiment, Specimen V was visually morphing between Espeon and Jolteon in an attempt to align itself with the unique energy signature of the Fairy Lights.

    This seemed to cause some sort of psycho-electric action, as small messages were burned in nearby walls when Specimen V lost consciousness. Each message has a slightly negative electric charge surrounding them, and they emitted a faint psychic glow before fading away approximately two hours later. Each message repeated several times in various, random locations. Something to note is that most of the messages had proper spelling and capitalization, indicating that the specimen may have a heightened understanding of human language.

    Below are transcriptions of the messages:

    <ul>

    <li>¡°It Hurts¡±</li>

    <li>¡°let there be light¡±</li>

    <li>¡°Why am I here¡±</li>

    <li>¡°Silly Silly¡±</li>

    <li>¡°freedom is a lie¡±</li>

    <li>¡°He has a deathwish¡±</li>

    <li>¡°the light is overwhelming¡±</li>

    <li>¡°It burns so cold¡±</li>

    <li>¡°Please Stop¡±</li>

    <li>¡°LIGHT¡±</li>

    </ul>

    The content of these messages are of particular note because of what they imply about the specimen¡¯s mental state.

    The Fairy type does not have the same documentation as other types with regards to how they affect pok¨¦mon and human psyche. However, despite the name of the type, preliminary studies suggest that the Fairy type actually decreases mental stability in a similar manner to the Dark and Ghost types.

    This lines up with the behaviours observed in the specimen during and after testing. The specimen spends longer times asleep, and when it is awake, it has acted more erratically in movement and transformations than it had previously.

    This suggests that the specimen is undergoing a prolonged mental breakdown. It is uncertain as of yet whether or not this is necessary for the specimen to evolve into the Fairy type, or if it is avoidable.

    At this point in testing, though, it is too late for the specimen to naturally recover its faculties if the experiment were to end prematurely. The specimen has undergone small but permanent biological changes from the Fairy Lights, which have a high chance of proving fatal if the specimen does not achieve the Fairy evolution within the next 28 days.

    ¡­

    Breaking the Boundaries of Types - Finding The Source

    We are looking to find and harness the power of evolution to provide a source of infinite energy for the benefit of society.

    For years, researchers have crafted theories and models for the ¡°Omni-Pok¨¦mon¡±, which would be able to wield every move, hold every type, and master every ability.

    While this is certainly a fun thought exercise, restricting this theoretical ¡°Omni-Pok¨¦mon¡± to even just all of the known types wouldn¡¯t even begin to show the scope of this theoretical creature.

    Many researchers state that this ¡°Omni-Pok¨¦mon¡± already exists in the form of Mew, Arceus, or whatever regional god they worship. While I do not hold any one interpretation over the other, it is undeniable that there is an omnipotent force beyond our universal understanding, one that has equal or greater energy than all that which is contained in the universe.

    The universe as we live in it has not existed forever. Whether it began in one bang or over the course of aeons, there must have been a force outside of our universal scope that initiated our universe¡¯s creation.

    Whether this force is God, primordial chaos, or some combination doesn¡¯t ultimately matter for our purposes. What does matter is understanding the energy that led to the universe¡¯s creation, and how it permeates in everything we know today.

    Recent studies have unearthed evidence of pok¨¦mon types that have not been formally recognized. Theoretical types such as Light, Void, and Sound have found support from these findings. In particular, the theoretical Fairy type has practically been proven to exist by Kalos researchers, and have only yet to be recognized due to international relations with the region.

    What this means, though, is that the boundaries of type are far greater than what we understand with our measly 17 types. There have been constant discoveries of type formation, partial types, recessive types, and other research that have all pointed towards there being one, ultimate source for type energy.

    This source of type energy has also been proven to be the source of other forms of power as well. Nuclear, solar, and gas energy all have their roots in this Source.

    Relating this to the energy used in creation, there is a definite link between the Source energy and the energy of creation. Given that the energy of creation was infinite in scope, it stands to reason that the Source energy would be infinite in scope as well.

    As such, it is our goal to understand and harness this energy. Even a fraction of infinity is still infinity, and the ability to harness a percentage of a percentage of this Source energy would cast all lesser forms of energy obsolete.

    Going back to Project Changeling, while it is not our short term goal to tap into this Source energy with this experiment, it is meant to gain a finer understanding of how to navigate towards it.

    Project Changeling ultimately has two objectives, and two phases with it.

    The first objective was to create a specimen capable of holding multiple evolutions in the same host. This has been achieved as of July 14th, 1997.

    The second objective is to condition the specimen towards evolution, so that when presented with a catalyst, it will naturally tap into its evolutionary power, and evolve without specialised procedure.

    The goal with Project Changeling is to condition a specimen that will naturally evolve according to its environmental and internal cues. For example, if it were placed in a blizzardous mountain, it would evolve into Glaceon in order to survive the cold.

    This goal extends beyond the known evolutions for Eevee. By conditioning it to evolve to anything, it will, in theory, evolve from anything.

    This has the possibility of causing a breakthrough in research if the specimen evolves into a previously unseen evolution, such as a Steel evolution, or a Poison evolution.

    In its optimum state, it would evolve into types that are beyond what is currently known. The ability for Eevee to evolve into a recently-discovered Fairy type shows credence to this theory. If this becomes the case, then it could be used to navigate closer to Source energy.

 Second Turn of the Clock

    Everything, Everywhere, All At Once

    The Clock Turned.

    Celebi was confused.

    Celebi had been swimming through time for aeons, and had thus become rather adept with the mechanics of the thing.

    There was a grand clock overseeing the world, and a veil hovered over it. Celebi could travel through the veil and back again, only to appear in a new time.

    Time had always seemed funny to Celebi. Celebi felt rather bad for Dialga, having to manage it. Dialga must have forgotten about the forest, because time always seemed funny when Celebi traversed through the woods.

    Celebi never spent much time pondering that, instead wandering in and out of the veil, seeing the sights of the past and the future, and blessing those lucky few who saw it with vision.

    But time hadn¡¯t ever been difficult for Celebi to grasp. Aside from the exception, time followed a straight path, forward and back.

    What happened remained so. Even by travelling to the past, Celebi¡¯s presence never changed the turn of the clock.

    Celebi only had to worry of getting a headache when it ran into the exception of this rule.

    The Creator - in all its wisdom - had chosen a champion for every generation to carry out its will, nudging events a certain way to stay within the plan.

    While time never broke or damaged, it had always felt strained to Celebi when it saw these individuals.

    Which was a shame, because some were rather nice.

    Celebi peered down as it realised where it was, and why everything was confused .

    The Chosen Champion stood at the edge of a cliff overlooking the sea. Celebi briefly wondered if she would jump, but saw that she was instead kneeling in prayer.

    Celebi decided to visit her. The Creator always chose those who held great power in their hearts, which meant that Celebi could reveal itself without fear of driving people Mad.

    Celebi fluttered down next to the girl''s head. Celebi thought most humans were cute, and a few of them ugly, but this one was rather beautiful in her wildness.

    The girl opened her eyes and saw Celebi. Brownish-red eyes widened at the sight of the Mythical, but the girl did not go mad. Instead, the girl bowed.

    ¡° Re-Vaa ,¡± The girl breathed in a tone of reverence.

    Celebi tilted its head. It had never understood why humans treated it with such respect. It was just a wanderer of time, not like the Great Gods of Order.

    Silly humans!

    Celebi giggled to itself as it patted the girl¡¯s cheeks. The girl had almost flinched, but seemed too shocked by the contact.

    Celebi flew back and giggled into its hands, unconsciously mimicking one of its friends. Celebi turned back to the girl, and popped a question.

    Most humans didn¡¯t understand when Celebi tried to speak to them. It didn¡¯t fault them. Humans were silly, and spoke in silly tongues!

    However, it seemed the girl had understood by how her breath hitched. Celebi had been surprised the first time this had happened, but it had learned that it was a blessing from the Creator, glory to its name.

    ¡° Ay Shie Rite-Aasa, Na Zhe Vhe Kle en Charyeh Adon Gre, ¡± The girl explained, waving animatedly towards the sky.

    Celebi turned her head to look skyward, only to hear a muffled laugh from the girl.

    It turned back, eyes wide as the girl laughed, ¡° de Naa-Vahl! de Naa-Vahl! ¡± She giggled a few times, before asking, ¡° Nema de Vaa? ¡±

    Celebi blinked at the question. It must be far in the past if the silly human didn¡¯t know its name!

    ¡°Celebi!¡± Celebi chirped. The Creator had made it so that, while pok¨¦mon could understand each other on an instinctual level, they still verbalised their own names for when humans came around, so that they could learn their names as well!

    The girl¡¯s eyes gleamed with interest, but not with recognition, ¡° See-La-Bee? ¡±

    Celebi flicked the silly girl on the head, eliciting a hiss from the funny creature. It repeated its name, causing the girl to frown.

    ¡° Seh-La-Bee? de Ensa See-La-Bee Maso. ¡± The girl smirked before saying in a sing-song, ¡° Ay Nema de Bee! ¡±

    Celebi gasped - this vile girl! - It wasn¡¯t a bee!

    Celebi tugged on the girl¡¯s hair, gnawing with its pitiful teeth on the girl¡¯s scalp - ew, lice, spit it out - before being knocked off.

    Celebi frowned - if it was capable of doing so, it would have scowled - as the girl laughed, ¡° Bee! Bee! ¡±

    Celebi blew its tongue at the girl and began to float towards the veil - the girl didn¡¯t see the veil.

    The girl shouted out in surprise, ¡° de Valve Tiem? ¡±

    Celebi turned back, only for the earth to shake.

    Celebi was surprised and worried. It wasn¡¯t worried for itself, though, it was worried for the girl.

    The girl seemed to recognize the danger, having become deathly pale, ¡° Grau-Adon ¡­¡± She turned back and gave a sharp whistle, ¡° Raa-La-Kin! ¡±

    A roar echoed by the cliffside, and a feathered Salamence flew from the horizon as the cliffside shook. The girl leaped onto the dragon¡¯s back just as the cliffside crumbled beneath her.

    Celebi turned down, and hastily hovered away as spires of magma shot up, heralding the arrival of the Behemoth of the Land.

    Primal Groudon roared , causing the sun above to seemingly double in heat.

    The Salamence bellowed out in pain from the increase in temperature, the edges of its feathers blackening under the heat of the sun.

    Celebi almost felt compelled to help - even though it knew it couldn¡¯t - but it knew that the girl and the dragon would live in the end.

    The girl had the blessing of Rayquaza, after all.

    Not to mention being the Chosen of the Creator.

    Celebi blinked, and the heat was gone, instead replaced with a bitter cold.

    The Clock Turned.

    Another Place. Another Time.

    Celebi blinked, and only just shot back to avoid a spiralling beam of fire, ice, and lightning.

    The earth was shaking below. The earth always shook when The Chosen raged.

    Thunder flashed above - red, yellow, and blue - quaking across the skies as a primordial vortex hovered above them.

    Below, Celebi could see two humans and a dragon - a very large dragon.

    Oh, no, Celebi was wrong. There were lots of dragons, smaller than the big one, but bigger than the silly humans.

    The humans were fighting each other, and - oh my - the green-haired one just cast Thunderbolt from his fingers. Was he another of the Chosen?

    Celebi floated a bit closer, in view of the green-haired man, but he didn¡¯t see it, instead shouting out in a harsh tone, ¡° JHE DAHYI KIIN! ¡±

    Celebi frowned - the man was distressed, happy, sad, angry, Mad - turning to see the other human, who the green-haired man presumably addressed.

    The boy - Celebi hesitated to say that the human was fully grown - was in tears, but there was resolve in his eyes as he responded, ¡° de Dinjha Arkeu .¡±

    At his words, the big dragon above them roared - rage boiling boiling BOILING - and descended upon the child.

    With a start, Celebi fluttered back - and for a moment, the child¡¯s eyes became alarmed - as a veritable Madness brought shivers to Celebi¡¯s spine.

    The battle, which had briefly paused, resumed in a beautiful terror. The green-haired man and the great dragon fought together, their souls twisting writhing in a distortion of the Creator¡¯s wishes.

    Celebi shivered from the cold - it always got cold when the veil was weak - and tried to flee, only to freeze at the green-haired man¡¯s scream.

    ¡° ARKEU-KIN, AY SHEVARR DE NEMA! ¡± The man¡¯s scream was wild, frantic, Mad Mad Mad .

    Before long, the earth began to shake as the man screamed , and the boy cried out as well, though he seemed to keep more of his faculties.

    Celebi began to shiver more and more, staring into the eyes of the great dragon - The forsaken god of Truth and Ideals - as it shook¡­ and split.

    Celebi saw no more.

    The Clock Turned.

    Another Place. Another Time.

    Celebi blinked, and the primaeval cold of the veil was replaced with the cold of the mountains.

    Celebi shivered still, no longer feeling the discomfort of the veil, but rather its own.

    Two places, two times, both of the Chosen.

    And with the stillness in the air, this was the third.

    Celebi whimpered as its headache began to grow.

    Below, two humans stood across from each other in a temple turned battleground.

    Pok¨¦mon long extinct littered the newly demolished ruins, unconscious, bleeding, dying.

    take one look past the veil

    Celebi shook its head as the blonde man laughed hysterically.

    He was weeping.

    ¡° Nei¡­ Nei! ¡± The Mad man cried out - begged - ¡° Nei, Int-O Dah! ¡±

    The other human - another child - took a step back, betrayal and fear on their face as the blonde man broke down.

    ¡° Jhey Aave? ¡± Celebi felt tears spring in its eyes from the desolation in the man¡¯s voice, ¡° Aave-Kyu Jhey Mesf - Vaa-Kyu en Jhey Mesf? ¡±

    Celebi squeaked in terror as the world around them twisted and distorted .

    And from the rift of the veil¡¯s shadow, Giratina emerged.

    The blonde man shot forward, eyes triangular slits as he exclaimed, ¡° Gaero-Taenna! Char de Arkeu-Kin! ¡±

    Celebi closed its eyes. It couldn¡¯t watch. It knew that everything was fine in the end but what if it wasn¡¯t? What if things changed? What if the veil was destroyed?

    poor creature

    it already was

    The Clock Turned.

    Another Place. Another Time.

    Celebi blinked, and held its eyes shut.

    It wasn¡¯t real if it didn¡¯t see it.

    An ear-splitting roar caused Celebi to tumble back, unwittingly opening its eyes.

    There was a storm around them - rain and fire - spiralling around the ancient stone tower that stood over the cliffside.

    The same cliffside with the silly girl¡­

    A voice - old, manic, and steady - commanded, ¡° Blast Burn , Char-Kin!¡±

    Celebi tried to look away, but it couldn¡¯t . Instead watching in trepidation as a large, black Charizard blasted forth a blinding blue sun of flame.

    ¡°You¡¯re blind , Seyasa!¡± The man with the old voice shouted, ¡°You haven¡¯t seen the Truth !¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re insane! ¡± Cried the woman across from him, sporting burns across her arms.

    This didn¡¯t stop the woman from extending her arms, calling on her aura, and redirecting the Blast Burn metres away from her.

    Celebi clutched its head - the woman held the Will of the Creator - as the man laughed, ¡°Insane?! No, Seyasa. I¡¯m Mad, ¡± He began to laugh even more - and Celebi thought it began to sound like weeping - ¡°And I would rather be Mad than insane.¡±

    The woman shouted out in anger, commanding her Hydreigon and Sceptile forth to attack, ¡°You¡¯ve doomed us, Zeverithe! You¡¯ve doomed the Clan with your Madness !¡±

    The man laughed hysterically as a cold wind solidified into a wall of ice around him, protecting him from her pok¨¦mons¡¯ attacks, ¡° I doomed us? You are doom incarnate, Arkeu-Kin .¡±

    The woman screamed in fury, and the man laughed .

    Celebi covered its ears. Don¡¯t listen to the man¡¯s words. Humans don¡¯t know about the veil. The veil is a secret. The veil is our salvation.

    the veil is our doom.

    The Clock Turned.

    Another Place. Another Time.

    Celebi blinked, and, oh , Celebi felt ice shimmer on its fingers. The veil was wailing.

    There was a lone man kneeling in a field of roses. A field of blood.

    Between his fingers, a flower grew.

    A flower wilted.

    A flower died.

    It blew away with the wind.

    The man turned his head upwards, and met eyes with Celebi.

    His eyes were pure darkness.

    ¡°... Celebi ,¡± The man breathed, still kneeling.

    Celebi knew what was coming. It had seen this man before.

    So many Chosen. So many great humans.

    Tens.

    Hundreds.

    Thousands.

    The Will of the Creator.

    Why must this one have broken away?

    ¡°...Why are you here, my little traveller?¡± The man asked, a singular eye peeking from behind greying hair.

    This man had the potential to be so Great.

    It saddened Celebi how far he fell.

    Celebi said nothing, instead dropping down to examine the flower in the man¡¯s hand.

    It was a purple hyacinth. Wilted. Dead.

    The man saw what Celebi was examining, and choked out, ¡° I tried to bring her back. ¡±

    Celebi looked up, and shivered.

    There were pinpricks of red in the man¡¯s dark gaze.

    ¡° I tried¡­ ¡± The man wheezed, sounding broken, sounding Mad.

    The Madness was not something to rage against.

    The Madness was something to mourn.

    ¡° I tried¡­ ¡± The man weeped, clutching a key to his chest.

    Celebi didn¡¯t speak. It knew that what was done couldn¡¯t be undone.

    Such was the Will of the Creator.

    it is a most terrible thing, is it not?

    Celebi expected to be whisked away - to see several Chosens back to back was never good - but it wasn¡¯t.

    Because there were tWo ChOseNNns innNNn IiiIttTtssS pPresSeNNceee

    Celebi flashed away, startling the weeping man.

    But Celebi didn¡¯t see didn¡¯t care.

    There were two.

    There shouldn¡¯t be two.

    Something had gone very very wrong.

    ¡°AZ!¡±

    Celebi turned against its will.

    And there stood the Chosen.

    The Will of the Creator.

    Against the Chosen before him.

    Celebi cried out as the veil screamed.

    And the Turn of the Clock stuttered¡­

    ¡­

    And the Fallen Chosen fell.

    The Clock Turned.

    Another Place. Another Time.

    Another Time.

    Another Time.

    By the Turn of the Clock.

    shall our souls be crushed.

    Celebi blinked, and there stood two boys, two places, two times.

    The boys were young, innocent , but they held the Will of the Creator.

    The boys looked up, and gave twin gasps of astonishment as the rainbow-winged legendary flew above them.

    Then¡­ they split. And one boy was enveloped in darkness, and the other in light.

    Celebi closed its eyes as the headache from earlier reemerged, and the boys both clutched their heads as well.

    BY THE TURN OF THE CLOCK

    NO! NO! NO! NO! N-

    YOU SHALL KNOW YOUR DESTINY

    THE BOYS SCREAMED IN AGONY

    THE BOY IN DARKNESS STARTED LAUGHING

    THE BOY IN LIGHT STARTED BLEEDING

    THE BOYS BOTH WEPT

    GO FORTH

    THE EARTH SHOOK

    THE CLOCK TURNED

    THE WORLD SPIRALLED

    THE VEIL SHIMMERED

    GO FORTH

    THE STORM RAGED

    THE LEGENDS WARRED

    THE DARKNESS REIGNED

    THE LIGHT GREW OVERWHELMING

    GO FORTH

    GO FORTH

    MY CHARIOT

    GO FORTH

    ANDDDDDDDDDDDDDD

    ¡­

    Route 34, Outskirts of Ilex Forest, November 1st, 1997

    ¡° Water Blade and Fire Claw . Keep it clean.¡±

    Froakie and Charmander both nodded once before lunging at each other, blazing blue flames against pressurised water.

    Red watched, scratching down miniscule notes on his pad. Words that were written in mere millimetres catalogued the growth of his pok¨¦mon, and how they had adapted in their new forms.

    Pichu had his redirection trick, and could endure far more electrical energy than most Pikachu . Froakie had nearly mastered pressurising small amounts of water for heavy force, which, as Red had learned, turned deadly when used against enemies. Charmander¡¯s flames were getting stronger, but could only be kept under control in small quantities at the moment.

    Froakie and Charmander battled for several minutes, perfecting their respective techniques. Despite Froakie¡¯s typing having a natural edge over Charmander, Red found that the lizard wasn¡¯t nearly as susceptible to water as he had been before.

    Red added another tick mark to Charmander now potentially being part-Dragon Type.

    Red¡¯s shoulders began to go numb, so Red shifted them around. He wore a heavy contraption on his back that, in all honesty, wasn¡¯t meant to be portable, but such things hadn¡¯t ever mattered to Red.

    Within the contraption was a pokeball, newer than the other three that Red owned. Multiple tubes and wires were stuck to the pokeball, keeping it stable as the creature within slowly healed.

    the light was overwhelming.

    Indeed. Indeed, it was. But the light¡­ the light was a part of Red now. It worried him. It confused him . But, in the end, Red had other things to worry about.

    The Emperor¡­ All of Team Source knew of him.

    Red hadn¡¯t thought through it for those first few days, having slept for most of it.

    Red¡­ had panicked, which was never a good thing.

    While others panicked over small, inconsequential things and usually acted rashly, Red was different.

    After all the years of near cataclysms and legendary excursions, Ash had learned implicitly that he couldn¡¯t afford to panic, because the consequences would be dire.

    But¡­ He hated to say it , but he was only human.

    There had been times that he panicked, during the Storm.

    During his fights with the Chariot.

    And Ash had learned that he dealt with panic differently than most everyone else - just like everything else in his life. While others acted rashly¡­ Ash didn¡¯t react at all.

    He shut himself away.

    Ash was an emotional creature, and emotions¡­ They clouded judgement in a time where any mistake was fatal.

    Back then, Ash ran hot . If he ever got emotional, everyone would see and hear it rather loudly.

    Now, though, for several years now, Red ran cold . The emotions he felt never went away, but he didn¡¯t, couldn¡¯t show them on the surface.

    Lest he lose control.

    Go Forth.

    He didn¡¯t remember much of what happened between speaking with the Emperor and returning to the Pok¨¦mon Center. He doubted that he would even remember coming to the Pok¨¦mon Center if it wasn¡¯t for his jaw being dislocated.

    Karen held a surprising amount of strength.

    Red shook his head of the thought as Froakie finally fell backwards, exhausted, causing Charmander to release a small puff of blue flame in victory.

    Red returned to his thoughts over Team Source, and what he learned.

    Team Source knew who he was, and that he was explicitly against them.

    Intellectually, Red knew that this would inevitably be the case. It didn¡¯t make him feel any less uneasy.

    There had apparently been unusual energy readings that traced back to him.

    And to this, Red silently raged.

    He needed to find a way to hide himself from Team Source.

    But for the life of him, he didn¡¯t know how.

    He had changed.

    Mutated.

    evolved

    He didn¡¯t see it - he barely remembered it - but Froakie depicted to Red what happened down there a day after it was done.

    And Froakie had seemed far more perturbed than ever before.

    let there be light

    Red shivered as a pulse of light came from his back - from the Changeling - yet he found comfort in the cold.

    The light was a part of Red now.

    And that was the crux of the problem, wasn¡¯t it?

    Before, Red had contended with himself over his inexplicable ability to hold three types of aura.

    Fighting, Dark, and Electric.

    Yet¡­ Yet, it was so much worse than he initially thought.

    He twisted the pipes with his mind.

    He bellowed forth an inferno from his maw.

    He had called forth a ball of light from his soul.

    Red breathed in and out, holding onto his composure as the Emperor¡¯s words came back to him.

    ¡°I must absolutely ask - both for myself, and, I suspect, for yourself.¡±

    ¡°What are you?¡±

    Not Who ¡­

    What.

    What are you, Red?

    go forth

    go forth

    ¡°You¡¯re Dangerous.¡±

    An Aura Sphere blasting through the woods.

    A rift, carved through the forest, that stretched for kilometres.

    ¡°You don¡¯t just do that and walk it off like it¡¯s nothing!¡±

    ¡­

    and yet You did

    go forth

    Red swallowed as Pichu hopped off to battle against Charmander.

    You¡¯re dangerous.

    Red knew that. Red knew that.

    But dangerous to whom?

    Froakie hopped up to Red - slightly seared, needs a potion - and croaked a question.

    Red knelt down, undoing the straps around his shoulders to set down the machine next to him and Froakie, ¡°He¡¯s healing.¡± He felt the creature¡¯s mind give a dim glow in his scant hours of sleep. ¡°He¡¯ll live.¡±

    Red didn¡¯t know whether he was trying to reassure Froakie or himself. Had he been an hour later to the Pok¨¦mon Center, the poor creature would have passed.

    All the same, Froakie¡¯s face didn¡¯t change, but his posture relaxed minutely.

    Froakie had grown a rather acute attachment to the creature. While Froakie certainly loved Pichu and Charmander as brothers, they had more than enough strength to look after themselves.

    Yet, as Red had learned from the files from the base, the Changeling wasn¡¯t any older than six months old.

    It was a baby.

    When Froakie learned this, Red had the unique experience of calming Froakie down from a rage.

    This wasn¡¯t to say that Red didn¡¯t rage with him. A certain patch of trees mysteriously shattered along the road. But with everything going on around him, Red had to keep a level mind.

    He had to.

    Just the morning after finding the Changeling, Red was confronted by Nurse Joy about the creature, and why he and his pok¨¦mon looked like hell.

    Red remained vague in his answers, and made sure to reschedule his Gym match as soon as possible so that he could leave before the League decided that they needed to keep him there for questioning.

    It was¡­ too close. Nurse Joy hounded him relentlessly, and had even gone so far as to connect with her sister in Silver Town, which gave her extra ammunition to pester Red with.

    In the end, it came down to one of two choices.

    Neither of them were good, and, dare he say it, one was evil.

    But it was also necessary.

    ¡°You are aware that we control the League.¡±

    Red wasn¡¯t certain of the extent that this statement held true.

    But he remembered the investigations within the League leading up to the Storm.

    And Team Source did have a heavy presence within.

    With this in mind, it ultimately became a choice of whether he allowed Team Source the chance to reclaim the Changeling.

    And he wouldn¡¯t - couldn¡¯t - by whatever means necessary.

    Red shivered as he remembered the feeling of his aura when he did it.

    Light.

    Writhing.

    Overwhelming.

    Ravenous.

    He recalled the feeling of wistfulness, of forgetfulness, when Karen had attempted using Amnesia on him.

    And he used it to fuel his own use of Amnesia on Nurse Joy.

    And¡­ it worked. It worked so well that Nurse Joy remained almost inebriated as Red forcibly detached the machine that slowly healed the Changeling¡¯s internal injuries - of which there were too many - and only seemed to loosen to a fine mist mere hours before Red was ready to leave.

    By that time, Red had already rescheduled his Gym Match - which Whitney put for the next day - and had won, though with some more difficulties, given that his pok¨¦mons¡¯ injuries had yet to fully heal.

    Neither Salvare or Karen were there to watch.

    Yet, they still travelled by him.

    At first, Red thought they would leave. For two days after the punch, he hadn¡¯t spoken to either of them, instead feeling rather than seeing their glances in his direction as he trained, as he argued with Nurse Joy, and as he silently held his head in his hands and breathed .

    This ended when Red was a few minutes away from leaving. Salvare had crept up far too close without Red noticing - the kid could be deathly silent when he wanted to be - and had simply asked, ¡°Are you leaving?¡±

    When Red confirmed that he was, Salvare turned back to Karen¡¯s scowling form and nodded, ¡°Okay¡­ lead the way.¡±

    And to this, Red didn¡¯t say anything. What could he say?

    That he feared that history was repeating itself?

    That he could see the devotion Salvare showed him, and that it scared him?

    Terrified him.

    But Red didn¡¯t say anything, because whatever he could say would only make things worse.

    Judgement was a follower of the Chariot.

    And now Salvare is a follower of Red.

    What was Red supposed to do? Raise Salvare up into a sycophant the same way that the Chariot did?

    No.

    No!

    I¡¯m not like you!

    yes you are

    Red shivered for reasons inexplicable.

    It wasn¡¯t cold.

    Yet Red shivered all the same.

    Red shut his thoughts away as he looked up. It was nighttime now, and Red idly wondered when the last time was that he had slept for more than three hours without interruption.

    And Red¡¯s eyes glowed against the moonlight.

    They hadn¡¯t stopped glowing for days.

    Red blinked as Pichu hopped up onto his shoulder and tapped him on the cheek. Red turned and gave a small - empty - smile at Pichu¡¯s prideful look. It seemed that the small mouse had taken down Charmander, though the lizard had already been drained by fighting Froakie.

    Deciding that it was a good time for his pok¨¦mon to rest, Red strapped the healing machine back onto his shoulders and began walking back to his camp.

    His camp that he had set up half a kilometre away from Salvare and Karen¡¯s.

    Red spared a small detour on his way to his patch of grass, watching Salvare¡¯s sleeping form for a few moments.

    Don¡¯t think about the worry in his eyes when he looks at you.

    Don¡¯t think about the guilt in his eyes when he looks at you.

    There are only two fates from following you.

    Damnation.

    Or Death.

    Judgement had already suffered one from the Chariot, and the other from you.

    Is it truly fate that Salvare shall suffer the same?

    Red turned his head, and walked away.

    As his travelling companions and pok¨¦mon slept, Red stayed awake and watched the stars.

    ¡­

    Hall of Champions, Indigo Plateau

    ¡°Never took yeh for a stargazer, Lance.¡±

    Lance refrained from jumping - the old bat had snuck up on him, again - and turned his head, small wisps of latent draconic energy seeping back into his skin, ¡°It¡¯s a beautiful night.¡±

    ¡°Aye, I suppose so,¡± Agatha murmured, giving an apathetic glance upwards, ¡°Anythin¡¯ particularly interestin¡¯ up there?¡±

    ¡°Nothing major,¡± Lance answered before sharpening his gaze, ¡°Is there something I need to know?¡±

    Agatha paused for a moment, before giving a sharp grin that was mirrored by her shadow, ¡°Ah, that would be telling wouldn¡¯t it?¡± She gave a bit of a smug smile as Lance frowned, ¡°Perhaps we could make a trade?¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Lance questioned - so Agatha did know something - ¡°You have permission from the other Guardians to do so?¡±

    Agatha smirked, though her eyes flashed at Lance¡¯s confirmation of his knowledge of the Aura Guardians¡¯ existence.

    And, really, he had known for a while. He just didn¡¯t see any reason to stick his foot into the old woman¡¯s business.

    But with the recent events in his region, he felt fit to play his hand.

    ¡°So the dragon child knows of our existence, aye?¡± Agatha purred, undertone with a quavering growl from her shadow, ¡°And how did you come to know, hmm? Did your Elders tell you?¡±

    ¡°Of you personally, no. Of the Aura Guardians¡¯ existence, yes,¡± Lance sighed as he leaned back, ¡°I don¡¯t mean to come off as antagonistic. We both ultimately want the same thing.¡±

    Agatha snorted rather loudly, ¡°Doubtful, but I suppose I shouldn¡¯t be surprised that you were told,¡± She then eyes him with more than a little interest, ¡°I¡¯m more intrigued at how you held it in. You¡¯ve never been one to keep your thoughts to yourself, Lance.¡±

    Lance scowled momentarily, earning a grin from Agatha, before smoothing his face, ¡°I had other things to worry about. Besides, like I said, you weren¡¯t an issue.¡±

    Agatha sniffed, ¡°A naive outlook¡­ but you¡¯re young,¡± She flashed a toothy smile, wisps of cruel energy wrapping around her, ¡°We¡¯ll wring it out of you yet.¡±

    Lance rolled his eyes, ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re so enthusiastic about it. Would you rather I have put you on the same threat level as Team Rocket?¡±

    ¡°Please,¡± Agatha scoffed, though her tone was moderately good-natured, ¡°We¡¯re infinitely more dangerous than those scoundrels.¡±

    ¡°Then why haven¡¯t you been able to wipe them out?¡± Lance asked, causing Agatha to snap her mouth shut with a glare. He sighed, dragging a hand through his hair, ¡°They¡¯re more than mere scoundrels, Agatha. They¡¯ve been getting far more active in the past few years.¡±

    Agatha remained silent for a moment, then she snapped her fingers and her shadow transformed into a grinning chair of velvet ichor, ¡°You¡¯re rather passionate about it.¡±

    Lance grimaced, ¡°It¡¯s not just Team Rocket. There are other threats to the region. Poachers can be found in most cities. Cipher cells have started sprouting up in the Orre border. There¡¯s the whole fiasco with Bill¡¯s Lighthouse, too,¡± Lance almost added one more thing to the list - specifically the red-eyed trainer on their watchlist - ¡°And we have rangers set up in the cities to help, but it¡¯s not enough .¡±

    ¡°Goodness, you are passionate about this,¡± Agatha hummed, tapping her cane on the ground a few times as she thought, ¡°Why not do something about it, then? You are Champion of the region.¡±

    Lance sighed, ¡°I¡­ drafted an idea for Mr. Goodshow. It¡¯s an interregional government organisation that looks to combat these threats. It would involve detective work, infiltration, and the such,¡± Lance explained, not seeing Agatha¡¯s mildly interested face, ¡°It would essentially be an extension of the Ranger Corps, just more specialised towards organised crime rather than small-scale things.¡±

    ¡°Akin to the Indigo Corps of the Great War?¡± Agatha asked with a vicious grin, causing Lance to grit his teeth.

    ¡° Yes ,¡± Lance hissed - the Indigo Corps had been responsible for many deaths in the Clan - ¡°I suppose it would be.¡±

    Agatha cackled, ¡°Oh¡­ You know what, I like that idea,¡± Her grin was positively sharklike as she continued, ¡°You¡¯d surely get support from Surge, maybe Blaine too. Giovanni would probably be interested as well.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Lance stood up, draconic wisps briefly escaping him, ¡°They can¡¯t have a part of this. None of the Gym Leaders can.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Agatha questioned with a frown, ¡°Not even those who are part of the Guardians?¡±

    Lance narrowed his eyes at the old woman, ¡° No . I don¡¯t have anything definitive, but I am almost sure that Team Rocket has an in with the League.¡±

    Agatha raised her eyebrows, ¡°Really? You think one of the Gym Leaders has turned traitor?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that, per se, but one could be unknowingly sharing information to the wrong people,¡± Lance sighed to himself, ¡°Just¡­ don¡¯t worry about it Agatha. It likely won¡¯t ever come to fruition anyway, what with Goodshow putting it off.¡±

    Agatha stayed silent for a moment before leaning back, ¡°Why should that stop you?¡±

    Lance blinked, ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Lance could¡¯ve sworn that he heard Agatha¡¯s skin twist as she rolled her eyes, ¡°Are you Champion or not, boy? We may be a part of the World League, but we¡¯re not beholden to it.¡±

    Lance blinked again, then smacked himself in the forehead, ¡° I¡¯m an idiot. ¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t disagree,¡± Agatha snarked, though Lance wasn¡¯t paying particular attention, instead muttering ideas to himself.

    After a few minutes, Agatha began to cough into her hand, attempting to catch his attention. Failing that, she got up and struck her cane against the back of his leg, prompting him to swear rather exotically.

    ¡°...You¡¯ll have to teach me that,¡± Agatha remarked as she sat back down, ignoring Lance¡¯s glare, ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to learn Draconic profanity.¡±

    ¡° Of course you would, ¡± Lance muttered to himself, ¡°Why did you do that?¡±

    ¡°Because it would be funny, which it was,¡± Agatha hummed amusedly, ¡°But we were also talkin¡¯ of a trade.¡±

    Lance raised an eyebrow, ¡°Who says that what you have to share is valuable?¡±

    ¡°Please,¡± Agatha scoffed, ¡°I¡¯m not one to blow smoke up yer ass. You have your clan to do that for you,¡± Ignoring Lance¡¯s scowl at the jab, she continued, ¡°It relates to our primary coloured problem.¡±

    Lance¡¯s eyes flashed, ¡° Ah, of course you all were onto him as well,¡± Lance sighed to himself, ¡°I take it you know of his aura capabilities?¡±

    Agatha raised an eyebrow, ¡°Indeed we did¡­ It¡¯s not every day a Rogue Aura Guardian comes out of the woodwork.¡±

    Lance nodded to himself, idly confirming that Satoshi wasn¡¯t associated with Agatha and her group, ¡°In that case, give me an idea of what information you have on him.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Agatha¡¯s aura flared, seeing as she no longer had to suppress it since Lance knew of their organisation, ¡°And why should I?¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t give you my information unless yours is actually worthwhile,¡± Lance answered, willing his voice to remain hard against the veteran elite, ¡°I¡¯d rather not give away my information just to learn something I already knew.¡±

    Agatha hummed to herself, watching Lance with a discerning eye.

    The dragon child had grown harder.

    Perhaps the Summit did him good.

    ¡°Well, you drive a hard bargain, dragon child,¡± Agatha sniffed, wiping away a fake tear, ¡°I¡¯m so proud¡­¡±

    ¡°Are you going to share, or not?¡± Lance asked, a tired scowl marring his face.

    ¡°Bah! Fine, fine,¡± Agatha leaned back, ¡°How about this: my information comes from someone directly travelling with the man.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Lance¡¯s eyes bulged, ¡°Are you talking about - what was his name? - Razzo?¡±

    ¡°No, though the kid is of interest as well,¡± Agatha murmured, ¡°Before I tell you more, what do you have to share with the class, hmm?¡±

    Lance frowned, turning his head to look at the starry sky, ¡°...Do you swear on your honour to tell me after I tell you?¡±

    Agatha snorted, ¡°Dragon Clans and their honour ,¡± At Lance¡¯s scowl she waved her hand, ¡°Fine! Fine, I swear on my honour.¡±

    Lance nodded, ¡°In that case¡­ Have you heard about the earthquakes that struck Goldenrod four days ago?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ have,¡± Agatha answered - Lance noted that her face seemed somewhat guarded - ¡°I heard it wasn¡¯t a natural occurrence.¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t,¡± Lance confirmed, ¡°I went down there earlier today to speak with Mr. Akane about it.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that must¡¯ve felt like pullin¡¯ teeth out,¡± Agatha murmured in a ruse of sympathy, ¡°I never liked the man.¡±

    ¡°I can understand that sentiment,¡± Lance grumbled, ¡°Whitney was much more cooperative with the investigation. We ended up narrowing down the focus point of the quake to the Industrial District, though that was where that trail ended.¡±

    Agatha hummed, ¡°Interesting¡­ I fail to see where Red fits into this.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m getting there,¡± Lance said, a touch impatiently, ¡°I heard from Whitney that Satoshi had just left two days ago, and I learned where he had stayed,¡± Lance¡¯s face twisted into a mixture of anger and uncertainty, ¡° I¡¯m glad I went. ¡±

    Agatha remained silent, idly watching as Lance¡¯s own aura flared for a moment before he quelled his rage, ¡°What did you find, Lance?¡±

    Lance took a moment to breath, though a scowl was still present on his face as he continued, ¡°I went to talk with Nurse Joy, and something was, just, absolutely wrong ,¡± Lance shivered , ¡°It was faint. I couldn¡¯t see or feel it, but I could sense it.¡±

    ¡°Sense what?¡± Agatha asked, actively keeping her voice from sounding snappish.

    ¡° Light ,¡± Lance shivered again, ¡°I don¡¯t know how else to describe it. It just felt wrong ¡­¡±

    Lance stopped for a moment, and puffed out a wisp of draconic smoke, stabilising himself, ¡°It hung like a cloud around Nurse Joy, making her almost appear to be in a trance ,¡± Lance repressed another shiver, ¡°It¡­ took a few hours, but I dispelled the light. When she woke up, she remembered things that she hadn¡¯t before. Things about Satoshi .¡±

    Agatha eyed Lance with interest - both for what he said and the revelation of his mind-healing abilities - ¡°What did she remember?¡±

    ¡°On the day of the earthquakes, Satoshi returned in the evening looking, in her words, ¡®Like he fought a sleuth of Ursaring with his bare hands.¡¯ All of his registered pok¨¦mon needed moderate healing, though his fourth, unregistered pok¨¦mon was immediately placed in intensive care,¡± Lance rubbed his forehead in frustration, ¡°When she questioned him, he remained vague. She was about to call the Rangers to investigate when the light overtook her mind,¡± Lance moved his hand down to rub his eyes, ¡°Satoshi apparently left on the 29th, and the fourth pok¨¦mon with him, along with some expensive medical equipment.¡±

    Agatha remained silent as Lance finished his retelling. Once he was done, she hummed, ¡°Interesting¡­ Very interesting. ¡±

    Lance growled, ¡°It¡¯s more than interesting , Agatha, he¡¯s dangerous !¡±

    ¡°Allow me to play Giratina¡¯s Advocate for a moment, but what if Red wasn¡¯t the one to set the light on the woman?¡± Agatha asked, her usual smirk no longer present.

    ¡°The fact that the light seemed to specifically block memories of Satoshi says otherwise,¡± Lance grumbled, ¡°If it¡¯s not Satoshi, then it¡¯s either an accomplice or an enemy of his, neither of which are better options.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Agatha nodded, ¡°Did Nurse Joy see the fourth pok¨¦mon?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Lance sighed, feeling a small touch of sympathy for the creature - even as a Dragon Master, he never liked to see pok¨¦mon being grievously harmed if it was innocent - ¡°It was too wounded to let out of its ball, and Satoshi wasn¡¯t exactly forthcoming in describing it,¡± He brought his hands up in defeat, muttering to himself, ¡°Why Clair is so enraptured with him is a mystery to me.¡±

    Agatha ignored that last comment, instead looking past Lance towards the night sky, ¡°...I suppose your information was valuable,¡± She grinned at Lance - he could see that it was strained - ¡°Good for you, dragon child.¡±

    ¡°What about yours?¡± Lance asked, crossing his arms as he leaned back, ¡°You say that one of yours is travelling with him?¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Agatha smiled again, though now it was actually genuine, ¡°And given that people only know of Salvare following him, she¡¯s doing a rather good job of keeping her distance.¡±

    ¡°Who is she?¡± Lance asked.

    ¡°Ah,¡± Agatha raised a finger, ¡°Now that would be telling. Besides, it¡¯s best that she keeps her distance.¡±

    ¡°Why so?¡± Lance asked, ¡°If anything, it would help.¡±

    ¡°Because Red is dangerous,¡± Agatha answered, enjoying the way that Lance¡¯s eyes widened at the blunt statement, ¡°Her words, not mine. She also says that he isn¡¯t evil.¡±

    Lance frowned - and Agatha remarked to herself how deep his eyes were in thought - ¡°People can still do evil things with the best of intentions.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps,¡± Agatha acknowledged, ¡°She has made it clear that she doesn¡¯t think he is good either.¡±

    ¡°Then what is he?¡± Lance asked no one in particular, his voice laden with frustration.

    ¡°...She believes him to be a vessel for something else,¡± Agatha continued, her voice involuntarily becoming softer, ¡°He holds power that no human should wield.¡±

    Lance stopped and eyed Agatha, eyes narrowed into slits , ¡° What do you mean? ¡±

    Agatha turned and faced Lance¡¯s draconic eyes head on, ¡°He reportedly moulded his aura into an Aura Sphere that blasted through a line of trees,¡± She turned to face the sky as Lance gave a sharp intake of breath, ¡°And he wasn¡¯t winded in the slightest.¡±

    She turned back to see Lance¡¯s eyes darting back and forth frantically, whispering under his breath. He abruptly stood up, whistling sharply.

    Agatha watched with a raised eyebrow as Lance¡¯s Dragonite soared from below. As Lance prepared to mount the towering dragon, Agatha asked in a yell, ¡°What¡¯s the rush?¡±

    Lance paused and turned back - eyes still narrowed into slits - ¡°Thank you for the information, Agatha, truly,¡± He turned back to Dragonite, ¡°I need to speak with the Clan. Let the others know that I won¡¯t be back for upwards of three days.¡±

    ¡°Wait!¡± Agatha hollered out, only to be drowned out by the sound of Dragonite¡¯s wings as Lance flew away, ¡° Damn you, dragon child. ¡±

    Sharp giggles echoed behind her as Gengar nudged against her leg, ¡°I¡¯m fine yeh little gremlin, just annoyed is all.¡±

    As she began to hobble away, she whispered under her breath, ¡°I didn¡¯t even get the chance to tell him where Red was headin¡¯ next,'''' She gave a sharp laugh, ¡°Idiot dragon child. No sense of patience.¡±

    ¡­

    Ilex Forest, November 2nd, 1997

    ¡° It¡¯s too cold here. ¡±

    Karen almost snapped back on reflex, though she refrained from doing so for two reasons.

    First off, it was the first time either of them had heard Red speak in three days.

    Secondly, the inconsiderate bastard was talking to the rat on his shoulder rather than either of them.

    She quickly nudged Salvare as the kid - eyes widening like a lost growlithe - turned back to face Red. She frowned and shook her head as the kid looked at her pleadingly.

    After a moment, he relented, and the two of them walked through the outer forest as Red whispered in hushed tones with Pichu on his shoulder.

    Karen was tempted to try using Extrasensory , but didn¡¯t see it as worth the headache.

    Besides, she couldn¡¯t risk Red sensing it.

    Something had changed in his aura.

    twisted

    Red¡¯s footsteps faltered for a moment, and Karen turned back to see him peering past her and into the woods.

    His eyes no longer held the craze they had at Goldenrod.

    Yet, Karen found herself almost missing the increasingly deranged glint in his eyes. It was tangible . It was identifiable .

    Even if it brought chills to her spine, she could identify the danger of his presence.

    But now? Red¡¯s eyes were hollow . Glowing, but without the mad depth they had in Goldenrod.

    It was almost eerie how much things had changed in one month alone. Before, Red had been cold, yes, but he took time apart in his day to train Salvare, to give praise and attention to the kid who so obviously craved it.

    And, really, Karen knew that Salvare wasn¡¯t much younger than they were. But, between Red¡¯s obviously troubled past and her own history, they couldn¡¯t help but treat Salvare as something akin to a younger sibling.

    Or at least Karen did. She scowled at Red¡¯s slight - becoming thinner by the day - form. She couldn¡¯t claim to know what the bastard was thinking.

    After all, just when she thought she had a read on the man, he turned around and started acting fucking bananas!

    Mew above, Goldenrod was a fucking mess .

    First, Red cut off all communication and dipped without warning. This led to Salvare freaking out, which led to her freaking out, which led to her getting mad, which led to Salvare getting defensive, which led to her getting furious (but not at Salvare), which led to Salvare getting sad.

    Then, Red appears once more, and not even a day later he goes off without a word.

    Karen spared a moment to glare at Red¡¯s back. It was times like these that she desperately wished she had a greater control over fire, so that she could burn something more than just paper.

    The only reason she hadn¡¯t taken Salvare and left Red was because the kid begged - begged! - to give Red one more chance.

    One more chance.

    So¡­ Karen relented. However, it was with the understanding that if Red didn¡¯t say or do anything to mend his trust in Salvare by the time they reached Azalea Town - or, God forbid, did something to make Salvare feel even worse - then Karen was leaving.

    And she was taking Salvare with her.

    A small part of her - ingrained from her training as an Aura Guardian - baulked at the idea of taking another Guardian¡¯s student, even if they were a Rogue.

    However, for all intents and purposes, Red had been neglecting Salvare¡¯s teachings in aura, first by outright ignoring it and then by the disappearing acts. So, you know what, Karen didn¡¯t feel all that bad.

    Besides, she had already been planning to go down this way, regardless of Red¡¯s presence.

    Agatha had asked her to check on Celebi, after all.

    Karen wasn¡¯t particularly enthused at the prospect of meeting the mythical pok¨¦mon, if she even had the chance to anyways.

    Despite Celebi¡¯s status as a peaceful deity, it didn¡¯t make it any less powerful. And it was always a bad business when the legends became agitated.

    Honestly, a part of her hoped that they would find themselves on the other side of the forest without ever laying eyes on the creature. Despite the Ilex Forest being the home of the deity, it was very rare for it to allow humans to traverse the inner woods, lest they do irreversible damage, intentional or otherwise.

    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    If it wasn¡¯t for the few eyewitnesses over the past century giving the exact same description of a shrine in the inner forest, Karen would¡¯ve doubted its existence in the first place.

    But now, even just by walking through the outer forest, any remaining doubts she had were swept away.

    The place was saturated with aura.

    And it felt¡­ off.

    twisted

    Red stopped again, and Karen opened her mouth to snap when he raised a fist, sharp, almost akin to a military officer.

    ¡°...It¡¯s too cold here,¡± His eyes scanned the forest ahead, pulsing like a flashing alarm.

    Karen breathed in through her nose - her patience was kept together by a single thread - ¡°You¡¯ve. Said that. Already .¡±

    Red¡¯s eyes flickered to her - annoyed, resigned, guilty, broken - ¡°But it¡¯s not cold .¡±

    Karen nearly shouted for the man to make sense when Salvare stepped ahead of her, ¡°Er¡­ I don¡¯t¡­ feel cold?¡±

    Red¡¯s eyes flickered and turned to Karen, ¡°Do you?¡±

    Oh, NOW you talk.

    Karen opened her mouth to say ¡®no¡¯ - along with a few choice swear words for the man - but she paused when she actually stopped and considered that, yes, it was actually oddly chilly, ¡°...Yes.¡±

    Red nodded to himself as if it was expected, eyes flicking for a moment to Salvare before turning back to the forest, ¡°...Perhaps it¡¯s because you¡¯re Poison type.¡±

    Karen internally fumed as Red brushed off Salvare - once again - as he muttered to himself. Karen caught a few words such as ¡® Light ¡¯ and ¡® Fairy ¡¯ before focusing on Salvare.

    ¡°You alright, kid?¡± She asked in a whisper.

    ¡°...Yeah,¡± Salvare grunted back, though it didn¡¯t take a genius that he was lying.

    Karen pursed her lips, her worry for the kid outweighing her growing hatred for the man in front of them, ¡°Just remember that you always have me, alright?¡±

    She didn¡¯t like the way that sounded to her ears, and she really didn¡¯t like how Salvare looked down - incomprehensible emotions flashing on his face - ¡°...Thanks.¡±

    Karen gave a strained smile, only to frown when Red asked from behind, ¡°Are your Elder Guardians aware of something going on here?¡±

    Karen scowled, turning to face Red, ¡°What makes you say that?¡±

    Red¡¯s eyes glowed - though they no longer held the menace they had before, only exhaustion - ¡° You wouldn¡¯t have come here otherwise. ¡±

    Karen felt a spike in her aura - anger, protectiveness, danger - ¡°Oh? And why wouldn¡¯t I?¡±

    ¡° You hate me, ¡± Red said in monotone, ¡° You would have left if there wasn¡¯t something else here. ¡±

    Karen felt a part of her snap as she growled, ¡°And who says that it¡¯s something in this forest, huh?¡± She extended her arm towards Salvare, ¡° I¡¯m here to keep him from spiralling out of control because of you . ¡±

    Red¡¯s eyes flashed - and Karen could see deep, deep sadness in his eyes - ¡°Then why don¡¯t you both leave?¡±

    Before Karen could fly off the handle, Salvare made a strangled noise, ¡° S-Stop¡­ ¡±

    However, Red didn¡¯t stop, instead turning his eyes to Salvare - still glowing - ¡° Why should I? I¡¯m dangerous , Salvare, ¡± He took a step towards them, mouth quivering before straightening in determination - desperation - ¡° There are only two things you can get from me, Salvare, and those are Death and Damnation. ¡±

    ¡°Oh, Bullshit! Don¡¯t go all self-righteous on us!¡± Karen yelled, pointing her finger to Red¡¯s face, ¡°People call me fuckin¡¯ melodramatic, but you¡¯re insane , Red!¡± She extended her hands, her aura causing her hair to almost crackle in rage, ¡°Do you have something to prove to yourself , Red? Is there some sort of unimaginable curse on your soul that neither of us know about? Because right now it seems like you¡¯re making shit up to get rid of us! ¡±

    One of Red¡¯s pokeballs flashed, and Karen jumped back as Charmander roared - its eyes narrowed to triangular slits. As Karen¡¯s eyes widened at the flames building in the lizard¡¯s mouth, Red¡¯s voice pierced through the forest, ¡° CHARMANDER, STAND DOWN!¡±

    Karen felt her heart beat loudly against her chest as Charmander eyed her, flames still building in its maw, before slowly closing it, releasing steam from its nostrils. Red recalled Charmander with a scowl as turned to Salvare, ¡° I would like to apologise. ¡±

    Salvare¡¯s eyes widened, but Red continued before he could, ¡° It was a mistake to take you in, ¡± Karen could see Salvare¡¯s soul being crushed within his eyes, ¡° It was selfish of me to drag you into my mess without your consent, and for that, I would like to apologise. ¡±

    Karen seethed for a moment, but stopped as Salvare whispered, defeated, ¡°...Why can¡¯t I help?¡±

    Karen grit her teeth at the kid. Red didn¡¯t deserve him.

    And, for what it was worth, Red looked genuinely sorrowful , ¡°You can¡¯t, Salvare¡­¡± He turned to Karen, looking far more remorseful than before, ¡°You should go with her¡­ She¡¯ll do good by you, Salvare. Better than I ever have,¡± Red gave a humourless laugh - sounding far too exhausted for any single man - ¡°Get as far away from me as you can. As far away as you can. ¡±

    Karen silently gawked at Red¡¯s words - and the fact that he praised her over himself - while Salvare tried to reason with Red, ¡°...But what about you?¡±

    ¡° What about me? ¡± Red¡¯s voice suddenly became bitter, ¡° I can¡¯t escape. Not anymore, ¡± He sighed, petting Pichu¡¯s whimpering form, ¡° Not ever. ¡±

    Karen felt a cold draft - unnatural - blow through the forest. She rose up, peering at Red with the same hard glare, but no longer holding quite as much hatred, ¡°Why not?¡±

    However, Red was no longer paying attention to them, instead staring intensely into the deeper woods.

    Karen almost asked again, more aggressively, when he whispered in a harsh tone, ¡° Celebi¡¯s hurt. ¡±

    What?

    He knows about Celebi-

    Celebi¡¯s hurt?

    Before she could ask how he knew these things, Red broke off into a sprint. She cursed, scrambling with Salvare to go after him.

    But his form was disappearing behind the mist - and it was getting so cold - and Karen screamed at him, commanding him to come back.

    But, he didn¡¯t.

    And a mist surrounded them.

    Karen¡¯s aura was quivering against the mist - as if hurt by it - lashing out by the hairs that stood on her arms.

    Agatha had said that Celebi was acting moody recently¡­

    If this is what she meant by that, then the old woman had some serious explaining to do!

    Salvare tried calling after Red again, but his voice was drowned out when all around them a ghastly wail echoed across the woods.

    Hurting.

    ¡° Salvare, stick with me, ¡± Karen hissed, reeling in her aura to keep some semblance of control - they were trespassing in the domain of a legend, which always invited retaliation, even from one as peaceful as the Guardian of the Forest - ¡° Don¡¯t let me out of your sight. ¡±

    Salvare breathed in and out - he was silently freaking out, but she could see him trying to remain rational - ¡°Okay.¡±

    Karen kept Salvare in her view, only allowing herself mere milliseconds to blink.

    She was afraid that if he went out of sight for more than a second, he would disappear into the mist.

    ¡°...Do you think Red¡¯s alright?¡± Salvare asked in a hushed tone.

    Karen nearly snapped at the kid, ¡° Why do you care? ¡±

    Salvare grimaced, seeming almost resigned at caring for the man who had just told him to leave minutes ago , ¡°Well¡­ He¡¯s in the mist-¡±

    ¡° No! Why do you care about him in the first place?! ¡± Karen snapped, ¡°I¡¯m serious, Salvare. Why do you follow him? ¡±

    Salvare almost seemed taken aback by the question, and his reaction caused Karen to reel back herself.

    Does he not have a reason?

    ¡°I¡­ I¡­ ¡± Salvare stuttered, trying and failing to articulate just why he follows Red.

    He¡­ didn¡¯t.

    Karen¡¯s face was grim, ¡°Salvare¡­¡± Her eyes widened, ¡° Get Down! ¡±

    Karen tried to rush to Salvare and push him down, but a sudden overwhelming pressure on her senses knocked her on the ground.

    Karen blacked out for a moment, but regained consciousness seconds later. She quickly turned her head to see that, yes, Salvare was still here, and had flattened himself to the floor as the mist around them grew heavy with light .

    Not unlike the light that she felt in Red¡¯s aura over the past few days.

    ¡° Are you alright? ¡± Salvare whispered, not seeming nearly as affected by the mist as Karen.

    She breathed in and stopped herself from shivering - it was cold - ¡° I¡¯m fine. ¡±

    Salvare frowned, and she knew that he saw through her words.

    All the same, Karen moved to stand back up, biting back curses at the phantom pains in her lungs.

    It took a moment for her focus to recenter, but when it did she became aware that they were no longer in the forest.

    They were on the top of a tower.

    Salvare sidled up next to Karen, calling out Feraligatr and Haunter as he did so. Karen followed his lead and let out Umbreon and Houndour.

    Karen tried to use her secondary Fire-type aura to heat the two of them up - they were caught in a blizzard - but she had far too little experience in controlling the element.

    And it was so cold.

    After a moment too much of shivering, Karen commanded, ¡°Houndour, Ember on the ground next to us, to keep us warm.¡±

    The hound obeyed, and Karen found only minor relief from the flames.

    To her side, Salvare huddled up closer to the fire, teeth chattering as he asked, ¡°Where are we?¡±

    Karen¡¯s face remained grim as she looked around - and, though it was hidden in the icy-blue blizzard, the mist remained - ¡°...Celebi has been known to transport trespassers of the forest to other times.¡±

    Salvare¡¯s eyes widened as he comprehended what she just said, ¡°We time-travelled ?¡±

    Karen remained silent, eyes watering as she scanned the tower - there was a figure, kneeling at the edge - ¡°The mist is still near. Celebi will bring us home.¡±

    Celebi¡¯s hurt.

    Salvare¡¯s eyes hardened at that - and Karen began to regret ever agreeing to Agatha¡¯s demands to investigate - ¡°...Red said that Celebi¡¯s hurt¡­ What if it can¡¯t bring us back?¡±

    ¡° It will ,¡± Karen hissed, both in deeply-ingrained outrage at the thought of a legend being fallible , and in fear of Salvare being correct , ¡°Stay here, and keep me in your sight.¡±

    Salvare¡¯s lips thinned, but he nodded, ¡°You seem to know a lot about Celebi.¡±

    ¡°Perks of being an Aura Guardian, now hush,¡± Karen whispered, watching the figure in the distance warily as they stood.

    ¡°...Red sensed it before you,¡± As Karen rounded to him in outrage, he quickly added, ¡°He knows things, things that don¡¯t make sense. You know this.¡±

    Karen glowered - because whatever it was that caused Red to sense Celebi just added to the mystery of the man - before harshly whispering, ¡°Worry about it later, now be ready to fight.¡±

    Salvare tensed as his eyes shifted over to the figure, who was striding quickly towards them.

    Karen had the command to attack on her lips when the figure pivoted just enough to avoid them, instead stopping metres away to pere at the blizzard¡­

    Or rather, the mist behind it.

    ¡° Seh-La-Bee, ¡± The boy(?)¡¯s tone seemed reverent - and hid a great deal of fear - ¡° Jhe Aava Vhol. ¡±

    Karen shrank back as the mist wailed - and Salvare almost seemed emboldened by it - and watched as the electric-blue eyed boy closed his eyes.

    The boy was weeping.

    ¡° Nema de Charyu Jhe, ¡± The boy¡¯s voice quaked in rage - almost familiar in its coldness - ¡° Ay Shie Shevarr de Kinn, ¡± The boy stared at the growing storm - the growing mist, the growing pain - with absolution, ¡° Aavay, Nema de Charyu Jhe! ¡±

    The boy¡¯s growing fury made itself known in sparks of ice and fire, and the mist responded. A haunting hymn of lost lost lost crept into Karen¡¯s bones, as she, too, began to understand the being within - throughout - the mist.

    It was a plea.

    Karen looked back to the boy, and nearly vomited from the sudden overwhelming pressure that emanated from the kid.

    It was familiar.

    The boy¡¯s eyes glowed crimson , and from his tongue came words that Karen could now understand, ¡° You are hurting, and you are lost. I give my condolences, for I am the same. ¡± Phantom shadows surrounded the boy - who was no longer the boy - ¡° Share with me your troubles, so that we may bear them together. ¡±

    The mist cried , and Karen felt another spike of pressure in her lungs she couldn¡¯t breath -

    She blacked out again. Salvare shook her side, calling out her name.

    After a few moments, she willed the strength to push herself up, to see the boy once more¡­

    But they were somewhere else now.

    Another Place. Another Time.

    It was still cold, but the cold was the chill from the mist, and not from the blizzard of the mountain.

    Salvare helped Karen onto her feet, and nearly pushed her back onto the floor when a door behind them slammed open.

    Karen¡¯s senses immediately went on high alert, taking in her surroundings once more.

    They stood on the balcony of a castle, overlooking a town - one that Karen found vaguely familiar - on the other side of a lake.

    Salvare pressed Karen against the wall as a man wearing a navy-blue cloak and hat strode to the edge of the balcony, a Lucario marching close behind him.

    Karen hitched her breath as the aura pok¨¦mon paused and turned around, staring right where the two of them were hiding.

    Yet, the Lucario didn¡¯t seem to see them.

    The man placed a hand on the Lucario¡¯s shoulder, causing the jackal to turn towards the mist that descended upon the town below.

    In an eerie mimicry of the previous boy¡¯s cry, the man inhaled, and shouted at the top of his lungs, ¡°CELEBI!¡±

    And by the raw aura that blasted out when the man merely yelled¡­

    Karen began to understand why the town below was so familiar.

    Sir Aaron - the legendary Aura Guardian who laid the groundwork for the Indigo Aura Guardians - crossed his arms and waited for the mist to drift over and surround the castle.

    And Sir Aaron - Holy Shit, she is a breath away from Sir Aaron - gave an unimpressed look at the mist, raising a single eyebrow.

    ¡°Celebi,¡± Aaron spoke in a soft, almost patronising tone - as if he wasn¡¯t talking to a legend - ¡°Rather than raging like a gormless child, why don¡¯t you tell me what is wrong?¡±

    This time, Karen braced herself, but it didn¡¯t make the answer from the mist any easier.

    It sounded like a child.

    Hurt.

    Confused.

    Yet, while Aaron¡¯s Lucario seemed distressed at the mist¡¯s response, Aaron merely grunted, ¡°So you¡¯re having double-vision?¡± He raised an eyebrow, a sardonic smirk etching across his face, ¡°Have you ever thought of getting an eyepatch? Does wonders with depth-perception.¡±

    Beside her, Salvare just watched on confused, and faintly horrified.

    For her own part, Karen gawked at the man¡¯s bravado - even Agatha would be treating this seriously . Even the man¡¯s Lucario snapped its head towards him, as if he were Mad.

    However¡­ The mist stilled. Karen feebly tried to protect Salvare from the mist¡¯s - Celebi¡¯s - inevitable wrath. Though, given how weak she was at the moment, Salvare easily flipped her around to protect her instead.

    The mist moved, and Karen tried once more to leap in front of Salvare. The two of them struggled, trying to protect the other, when they both stopped at an echoing, haunting noise.

    The mist was quivering, almost uncontrollably.

    It was laughing.

    Sir Aaron gave a sad smirk - and Karen could see a glint of crimson entering his eyes - ¡° I understand that you¡¯re mad, Celebi. But for me to help you, you need to show me what you see. ¡±

    The mist stilled, and Karen shrank back as it grew , enveloping them in pressure.

    Another Place. Another Time.

    Karen gasped, clutching her chest as air once more had free movement between her lungs.

    Salvare was once more by her side, helping her stand. As he did, he asked in a wavering voice, ¡°What¡­ What¡¯s going on, Karen?¡±

    Karen, for all that she could claim special knowledge on aura and legends, had absolutely no clue .

    Instead, as she thought of what she had seen previously between the boy and Sir Aaron, and how they seemed to be helping Celebi from its pain, across both time and space.

    She felt like she was seeing something that she never should have seen.

    Karen shivered as she felt the trace remnants of Aaron¡¯s aura dissipate around her, finding her voice to be small - insignificant - as she answered, ¡° We¡¯re bearing witness. ¡±

    And Salvare paused, eyes flashing purple as an understanding that hadn¡¯t been there before stretched across his face.

    ¡°Yes¡­¡± He breathed, as if it was a revelation, ¡°I suppose we are.¡±

    It was as if he saw something she didn¡¯t.

    ¡°...Is it done?¡± Salvare asked as she ruminated in¡­ many thoughts.

    She snapped back to reality - or as close as she could call it so - asking, ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re back in the forest,¡± Salvare pointed out.

    Karen squinted - her eyes needed to adjust after the pressure - ¡°We¡­ are,¡± She pursed her lips as she felt the trace edges of the mist, ¡°The mist is still here, though.¡±

    Salvare frowned, and was about to respond when a young voice came from behind them.

    ¡°Who are you guys?¡±

    Karen turned, and was somewhat bewildered to see what looked to be a ten-year old standing behind them with a Pikachu on his shoulder.

    And, for some reason, something about the kid was very familiar to her.

    Salvare stepped forward, raising a hand to Feraligatr to let the crocodile know not to attack - Feraligatr was becoming much more prone to aggressiveness than before; Karen blamed Red - ¡°My name is Salvare,¡± He waved a hand to Karen,  ¡°And this is Karen.¡±

    The kid frowned as the Pikachu shuffled on his shoulder to sniff the air, ¡°Uh¡­ In that case, it¡¯s nice to meet you!¡± The kid¡¯s ensuing smile seemed sincere, if a little distressed, ¡°I¡¯m Ash, and, uh, if it¡¯s not any trouble, we could really use your help!¡±

    Karen frowned at the kid - something about him just made her¡­ irrationally angry - while Salvare grimaced, saying, ¡°I don¡¯t know if we can, kid. The three of us have gotten kinda lost,¡± Not to mention sent through time , ¡°So we¡¯re kinda busy trying to find our third and get out of here.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± The kid deflated while the Pikachu gave an ugly snort, ¡° C¡¯mon, Pikachu. Give them a break, ¡± Raising his voice from his whisper, Ash clapped his hands together and pleaded, ¡°But it¡¯s really important! The Iron-Masked Marauder captured Celebi and made it evil, and Sammy is trying to bring it to a healing pond, and we¡¯re kinda lost too, so any help would be great!¡±

    Salvare blinked, and Karen nursed a headache, ¡°Listen, kid-¡±

    Before she could say any more, the forest shook as a shriek echoed from all sides.

    Ash spun behind him, staring into the forest in horror.

    Involuntarily, Karen and Salvare did the same, letting Ash out of their view for a few seconds before remembering to turn around.

    But by that point, the kid and his Pikachu were gone.

    The Clock Turned.

    Another Place. Another Time.

    Karen wasn''t prepared, and promptly collapsed on the grass below.

    All around them, the earth shook as opposing armies laid waste to one another.

    Salvare wrapped Karen¡¯s arm around his shoulders, and hoisted her onto her feet. She distantly heard him issue commands to his pok¨¦mon, to defend them - her - from the battle.

    A small Aqua Ring rose from the ground and surrounded them as Haunter stood vigil, ready to construct a Protect if any debris came to them.

    And yet none did.

    Karen took a moment to stand, and to search their surroundings for the mist.

    At first she couldn¡¯t see it, but Salvare gripped her arm and pointed skywards, where the mist stood like an oncoming storm.

    The earth shook , and from the distance, a chrysalis erupted into the sky, spreading its metal petals skyward as rippling energy coursed through the machine.

    The armies stopped, and with them Salvare and Karen watched in awe and terror as the energy coalesced by the top¡­ and fired.

    For a moment, Karen thought that the beam of light had merely passed through the mist. But after a moment of silence, the mist split .

    And the being within screamed in pain and fury.

    The armies resumed battle, much more hectic and frantic than before. One of the commanders of the smaller army stopped next to Salvare and Karen and dismounted his Rapidash.

    He stared at the parting mist, and whispered, ¡°Celebi, if you can hear me, you need to flee!¡±

    The mist shuddered, and Karen suddenly saw fields of stars cascading into supernovas around the earth. The sun was gone, and all around them the spiralling void of space consumed the world.

    And in that moment, Karen felt something take root in her mind and her soul.

    She turned away, lest she be driven Mad.

    The commander spoke again, his voice harder - and his eyes glowing a faint shade of red - ¡° You have been split. Please let me help you become one. ¡±

    The Clock Turned.

    Another Place. Another Time.

    And when Karen dared open her eyes, she saw the Storm.

    All around them, a pulsating cyclone of esoteric energies raged . Karen saw every Type-energy known and unknown radiate in the winds surrounding them.

    Karen shivered as glowing blue snow sunk into her boots, freezing her into place as chunks of ice and rock lazily spiralled around a crystalline cocoon in the eye of the storm.

    The being within shook, as if cold, as if frightened. Its eyes opened and closed sporadically, as if it was fighting off a nightmare.

    In a way, it was.

    Karen and Salvare remained silent, instead using what energy they had to withstand the storm¡¯s winds.

    Beneath her tears, Karen saw the storm split.

    And from the split, Red stepped into the eye of the storm.

    Karen felt the pressure of the storm increase, and was forced to kneel, lest she be knocked away.

    Salvare did the same beside her, and the two watched as Red stride towards the cocoon, and lay a hand on it.

    Red¡¯s eyes were blazing a baleful crimson.

    ¡° It¡¯s going to be okay, Celebi, ¡± Red¡¯s voice echoed, each layer from a different time, a different place, ¡° It¡¯s going to be okay. ¡±

    The being within the cocoon wailed , and Karen grit her teeth as the pressure in her chest increased.

    But she willed herself to stay conscious.

    Because what she was witnessing now was something out of legend.

    ¡° I¡¯m here, Celebi ,¡± Cracks began to form where Red¡¯s thumb was on the cocoon, ¡° You can come out of there. I¡¯ll protect you from the storm. ¡±

    Celebi locked eyes with Red - and for a moment, its eyes held the same colour as the man¡¯s - before hesitantly reaching a hand out, touching the inside of the cocoon where Red¡¯s hand was.

    Red smiled - and Karen could see something in that smile that had been absent in Red¡¯s face since she had met him - and pressed his forehead against the cocoon, ¡° It¡¯s good to see you again, old friend. ¡±

    Celebi mimicked his action, and the cocoon cracked further - and the storm around them lessened. The mythical pok¨¦mon let out a small cry - mournful - and Red gave an empty smile, ¡° I know, ¡± The glow in Red¡¯s eyes strengthened as he said his next words, ¡° By the Turn of the Clock, We Shall Know Our Destiny. ¡±

    And in that moment, Karen and Salvare bore witness as the cocoon around the mythical pok¨¦mon fractured, and crumbled into the snow.

    Karen blinked, and the storm around them had disappeared, replaced by the mist of earlier.

    But, it no longer held the pressure it had earlier.

    Salvare helped Karen get onto her feet as the two of them watched Red hold Celebi like a child in his arms, whispering words that neither of them could hear.

    Karen felt her breath leave her lungs when Celebi turned its head to stare at them. She didn¡¯t dare breathe as the legend stared them down, only regaining breath when Celebi cast its eyes downward, as if it was ashamed.

    ¡° Celebi would like to apologise for what you both went through, ¡± Karen snapped her eyes to Red as the man spoke - his eyes still blazed - and he turned to face her, ¡° Especially you, since you seemed to be more hurt than Salvare. ¡±

    Karen remained silent as she processed everything that just happened - it didn¡¯t seem entirely real to her - ¡°What the hell just happened?¡±

    Red¡¯s lips twitched, though his face held no humour, ¡° What indeed? ¡± He turned to face Salvare for a moment, then said, ¡° Go¡­ Azalea Town is less than a day away from here. ¡±

    Salvare spoke for the first time in what felt like ages, ¡°What¡­ What about you? Are you going to¡­¡± Salvare trailed off, as if dreading the answer.

    And for a moment, Karen thought - hoped(?) - that Red would say no , but instead, he answered, ¡° I need to do something before I leave. After that¡­¡±

    Red trailed off, but it seemed to lift Salvare¡¯s spirits. Meanwhile, Karen frowned, and spoke in a cautious whisper, ¡°Does it have to do with Celebi?¡±

    ¡° Yes, ¡± Red answered bluntly. At her alarmed look, he reflexively added, ¡° I¡¯ve dealt with legendaries befo-¡±

    Red¡¯s mouth snapped shut, but Karen understood what he had almost said.

    Her eyes bugged out of her skull as she asked in a harsh tone, ¡° You¡¯ve dealt with other legendaries? ¡±

    Red¡¯s eyes narrowed, ¡° So what if I have? ¡±

    Karen and Red glared at each other for several seconds, after which Karen growled, ¡° You are going to explain yourself afterwards, do you understand? ¡±

    Karen felt an overwhelming urge to strangle Red when the man snorted , ¡° I don¡¯t have to explain shit, ¡± He turned around, walking back into the mist, ¡° Leave. Now. ¡±

    Karen nearly followed him, but Salvare grabbed her arm. She attempted to wrestle out of his grip, but she tired out rather quickly, nearly falling over in exhaustion as the day¡¯s ordeals catched up to her.

    As Salvare once more helped her to her feet - and once more reminded her of how neither she nor Red deserved the kid - the mist blew away, leaving the forest around them to almost seem ordinary.

    Karen mentally snorted at that.

    If she had her way, she would never again step within a kilometre range of these damned woods.

    After a few minutes of Karen walking with her arm around Salvare¡¯s shoulders, he said in a low tone, ¡°You asked why I follow Red earlier.¡±

    She momentarily paused, and replied in a low growl, ¡° Not right- ¡±

    ¡°I follow him because he¡¯s one-of-a-kind,¡± Salvare interrupted, staring resolutely ahead, ¡°Because he does things like that , and I am here to bear witness, like you said.¡±

    Karen¡¯s eyes flashed, but said nothing as they finally left the woods.

    Karen¡¯s mind returned to what Red revealed about himself, and what she promised herself and Salvare when it came to the man.

    ¡°I¡¯ve dealt with legendaries before.¡±

    One more chance.

    Red had one more chance in her eyes.

    One more chance to mend broken bridges.

    One more chance to explain himself.

    One more chance to apologise for hurting them - for hurting Salvare.

    So, Karen remained silent as the two of them neared Azalea Town, resolved with her choice.

    She would give Red one more chance.

    And if he blew it, then she was leaving.

    And she would be damned if she left Salvare to rot with him.

    ¡­

    Dragons¡¯ Den, Blackthorne City

    ¡°Rise, Clair Blackthorne, She of the Rising Tide, Baron of Blackthorne.¡±

    Clair stood up a touch unceremoniously - she had been kneeling for nearly an hour - hopping a few times in place to get the blood flowing down her legs.

    She instinctively braced herself for the inevitable chastisement over her indecorum, but was surprised to find that no blow, verbal or physical, came to her.

    She chanced a look to the Elders, and found them in deep discussion with one another. They spoke in too low voices for Clair to hear, but she could tell that whatever it was that they were talking about, it was awfully serious based on how severe each of them looked.

    Clair bit down the desire to ask what was going on. She had already gotten lucky moments ago; no need to take an unnecessary chance. It didn¡¯t make her any less anxious, though, and a part of had grown to loathe how close the Elders kept vital information to themselves.

    Stop that line of thinking, Clair.

    Remember, the Elders command the Clan.

    And to go against the Clan is to invite in us the Madness.

    Instead, Clair watched the Elders, analysed them.

    She had been taught how to do so for dragons, as had Lance. They had been raised to be Dragon Masters, which necessitated commanding multiple dragons of varying species and hierarchies. As such, the skill to analyse, determine, and alter the pecking order between them was a skill that separated Dragon Masters from mere Dragon trainers.

    Dragons were proud creatures, and the trainers who commanded them were the same. This pride gave dragons some of their greatest strengths, alongside their greatest weaknesses.

    While dragons almost always held more raw power than other pok¨¦mon, it was their pride in battle that allowed them to soar to the greatest heights. Strength meant nothing in the face of indomitable will, and for dragons, their pride did not allow them to fall unless they were truly broken.

    But on the other end of the spectrum, this pride caused an aggressive streak in many dragons, prompting them to become unruly against their trainers, other pok¨¦mon, and especially other dragons.

    There was a reason why Dragon trainers were so rare. Even before the restrictions on dragon breeding, the ability to properly command a dragon took considerable will and patience.

    But for those like Clair and Lance, to be a mere Dragon trainer wasn¡¯t enough. They had been born as the heirs to the last Major Clan - for the Tao Clan was nothing more than an abomination - and thus held the obligation to become Dragon Masters.

    There were precious few Dragon Masters left in the world, and most of them no longer held the physical constitution to fight for their clans.

    The Elders of Blackthorne had all earned the designation of Dragon Master, though only Elder Hebi and Elder Hana could battle. Elder Aster of the Draconid Clan had pulled her clan from utter devastation, though they were still dying out, if at a much slower pace than the nosedive the clan had been in at the turn of the century.

    The last that Clair had heard of were from cautionary tales of the Clan-Leader of the Neo Tao Clan. Despite the corruption of their sister clan, their leader had ascended past even the restrictions of Dragon Master, and became the first Dragon Lord in nearly a century.

    Over the past century, however, the remaining Major Clans had dwindled away to near extinction.

    The Draconid Clan was nearly wiped out by the wars led by Zeverithe, and the less said about the Tao Clan the better.

    While the Blackthorne Clan wasn¡¯t facing nearly the same level of crisis as its sister clans, their numbers had been slowly dwindling.

    Whereas the generations of just a century ago each produced over a dozen Dragon Masters within the clan, the generation before Clair had only brought three.

    And now it reduced even further, with her generation only producing two Dragon Masters within the clan: herself and her cousin.

    If this stayed the way it was, Clair had no doubt that the Clan would fall. It may not necessarily happen in her lifetime - she prayed that it wouldn''t - but such low numbers were unsustainable as they were now.

    The only way she could see the Clan surviving was if it split.

    And that¡­ That was too painful to think about.

    The Clan was her family.

    So, Clair watched the Elders speak amongst themselves. She analysed them, picked apart their expressions, searching for meaning even when she couldn¡¯t hear their words.

    There was obviously something very serious that they were discussing, and the fact that they were hiding it from Clair hurt .

    While she was aware that she was young¡­ and clumsy at times, she didn¡¯t take it upon herself to become Baron of her Clan for nothing. Her title hadn¡¯t been given, it had been earned.

    She dedicated herself to her clan - her family - in ways that Lance didn¡¯t. For years, her cousin had been favoured as the prospective Baron of the Clan, and had been specially trained by the Masters of the Clan to become the next Gym Leader of Blackthorne.

    When he went a step beyond and challenged the Elite Four, and won , Clair rose up to become the Baron instead.

    And, while the Elders have been there to advise her, she would like to think that she had proven herself capable of leadership. Capable of trust.

    After all, they trusted Lance. She had seen her cousin come in and out of the Den, carrying armfuls of tomes and scrolls while conversing in agitated whispers with Elder Arashi.

    She almost wanted to ask, to demand , why the Elders had brought her here if they didn¡¯t trust her enough to just say what was going on. But she knew that would bring the Elders¡¯ wrath upon her, and from experience, it would extend to Lance as well.

    And so she waited, and watched, stewing as the Elders left her with nothing.

    Typical.

    It was times like these that made Clair understand why her sponsored trainer, and friend, preferred being away. While Riley Claw only ever interacted with the Elders at clan meetings, she had been very animated with her disapproval of them.

    Remember, the Elders command the Clan.

    And to go against the Clan is to invite in us the Madness.

    Clair had to stop herself from frowning as the mantra repeated in her head. Instead, she paid attention as the murmur between the Elders died down to a silence as they each turned to regard her.

    A few seconds passed, and Clair began to wish that her breathing wasn¡¯t so loud .

    Thankfully, the silence ended when Elder Yama turned her to the doorway, ¡°Lance and Arashi should be back soon. I think it¡¯s time we shared with you our dilemma, Baron of Blackthorne.¡±

    She was referring to Clair by her title.

    This was serious.

    ¡°Of course, Elder Yama,¡± Clair bowed, hiding a frown from the Elders.

    ¡°You may rise, child,¡± Elder Yama commanded. When Clair turned up to face them, Elder Yama¡¯s face turned grim as she asked, ¡°What do you know about the legends of Arkeu-Kin ?¡±

    Clair¡¯s brows furrowed, recalling some of the childhood stories she and Lance listened to when they were mere toddlers, ¡°I remember a few stories told to me by the Loremaster. Something about someone being chosen by the Dragon Gods?¡±

    Elder Yama hummed, ¡°Any particular stories that you remember?¡±

    Clair frowned - she wondered where they were going with this - but turned her thoughts towards the one story she remembered the details of, ¡°I remember one; a Draconid parable, if I recall correctly. Arkeu-Kin saved the Draconid Clan by calling upon Raa-Ka-Aasa . There was something about the deities of land and sea fighting¡­¡± Clair trailed off, not exactly remembering the entire story, ¡°...Is this actually important?¡±

    ¡°Watch your tongue, girl,¡± Elder Hebi snapped, ¡°If it wasn¡¯t important, we wouldn¡¯t waste our time asking you about it!¡±

    Clair felt a momentary spike of blinding, prideful rage , but she took a few seconds to close her eyes and breath out, flaring her nostrils as she growled, ¡°Understood.¡±

    ¡°My child,¡± Elder Hana gave a patient smile, ¡°What if we were to tell you that the stories were true?¡±

    Clair blinked, and managed to hold in a scoff as she said, ¡°You mean to tell me that someone actually rode the Dragon Lord of the Skies to fight off, what, a mythical war between land and sea?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Elder Yama answered drily, not looking nearly as amused as Elder Hana did, ¡°And, as you¡¯ll recall, that is not the only tale of Arkeu-Kin .¡±

    Clair almost felt compelled to call Elder Yama on her joke. But Elder Yama never joked. Instead, she hesitated before saying, ¡°...You¡¯re certain of this?¡±

    Elder Hebi rose to snap at her when Yama raised a hand, silencing him, ¡°We are, and have been for centuries,¡± At Clair¡¯s astonished look, she gave a brief smile before returning stone faced, ¡°In fact, various ancient cultures have come to recognize this individual by many names.¡±

    Clair frowned, ¡°...I don¡¯t remember much, but I know the other stories don¡¯t have anything to do with Raa-Ka-Aasa ,¡± Her frown became more pronounced as she asked, ¡°You¡¯re saying that those are true as well?¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Clair whipped her head to face Elder Kaze, whose usual meek voice held a degree of intrigue that Clair had never heard before, ¡°That brings us to the question of how that can be.¡±

    ¡°Think of what the word Arkeu-Kin means, my child,¡± Elder Yama directed.

    Clair crossed her arms and recalled the lessons she and Lance sat through about the various Draconic languages, and their dialects, ¡° Arkeu-Kin combines the root words Arkeu and Kin ,¡± She paused as the meaning of what she was saying started to become apparent to her, ¡° Arkeu is God, creation, order. Kin can mean either family or chosen,¡± Her eyes knit together, confusion marring her face, ¡°So¡­ they¡¯re the Chosen of the Creator ? Or the Family of the Creator? ¡±

    Elder Yama hummed, ¡°Perhaps one. Perhaps the other,¡± Her face grew thoughtful, ¡°Or, perhaps¡­ it¡¯s both . Either way, to be Arkeu-Kin is to be something¡­ greater. ¡±

    Clair raised an eyebrow, ¡°In what way?¡±

    ¡°The stories of Arkeu-Kin are vast as they are varied,¡± Elder Kaze said airily, almost seeming lost in her own world, ¡°Yet the one connection is that they are all Arkeu-Kin .¡±

    Clair narrowed her eyes, ¡°You make it sound as if it isn¡¯t the same person.¡±

    ¡°My child,¡± Elder Hana spoke, a small - wary - smile adorning her aged face, ¡°That¡¯s because they aren¡¯t. ¡±

    Clair froze, ¡°You speak of reincarnation.¡±

    ¡°Not necessarily,¡± Elder Yama responded, ¡°The Arkeu-Kin I had spoken to described as more of a calling .¡±

    Clair turned her head sharply at Elder Yama, as did the others, ¡°You spoke with an Arkeu-Kin? ¡±

    Elder Yama gave a full smile - both wistful and melancholic - and turned her head to the other Elders staring at her in surprise before snorting, ¡°Please. We all have kept our own secrets.¡±

    ¡°But to speak with an Arkeu-Kin - one who transgressed our sister clan - is something we should have known!¡± Elder Hebi roared, his face turning a bright red that almost seemed to glow in the cavelight.

    ¡°I was a child . I didn¡¯t know the woman had transgressed our sister,¡± Elder Yama responded neutrally before turning back to Clair, ¡°Besides, I¡¯m glad I did. She was awfully lonely, given that she saw a young girl as good company.¡±

    Elder Hebi sputtered, ¡°But- But that goes against the Rites of Transgression! That invites in us the Madness! ¡±

    ¡°Again, I was a child ,¡± Elder Yama fixed Elder Hebi with a glare - which, surprisingly, cowed the man - ¡°I didn¡¯t know that she was banished until several years later, and by then she had fled to the other end of the world for her sins.¡±

    Her pronouncement brought silence to the Den for a few moments, after which Elder Kaze coughed into her mouth, ¡°You said that she described it as a calling ?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Elder Yama seemed pleased by returning to the topic of discussion, ¡°I had heard the tales of the Creator¡¯s Chosen , and had asked if it was reincarnation, like she initially believed,¡± She gestured to Clair as she said that, ¡°The Arkeu-Kin made it rather clear that it wasn¡¯t reincarnation.¡±

    The Elders paused as a thoughtful silence filled the Den. After a few moments of waiting, Clair couldn¡¯t hold her question in any longer, ¡°What does that have to do with today?¡±

    ¡°What indeed?¡± Elder Yama agreed cryptically, tilting her head to see behind Clair as she added, ¡°Perhaps our Champion can fill us in?¡±

    Clair turned to see that Lance had returned from his excursion with Elder Arashi, looking almost fit to collapse with the amount of heavy tomes he was carrying - which Clair thought must¡¯ve weighed tons.

    Lance gave a sigh of relief after he carefully deposited them onto the floor directly in front of the Elders, ¡°Here,¡± He sucked in a breath, ¡°Is everything I could find relating to Arkeu-Kin .¡±

    Elder Arashi spoke up to add, ¡°It includes everything from stories to personal writings of Arkeu-Kin ,¡± He paused to catch a yawn that burst out of his throat - Clair notices how exhausted both Arashi and Lance looked - ¡°The total amount is far more than either of us expected.¡±

    Clair looked to see that the other Elders wore grim faces. She turned to face Lance, only to notice that his face was just as grim - if not more so - as the Elders¡¯.

    After a few seconds of everyone staring at the veritable mountain of tomes, Clair raised her voice to get their attention, ¡°I have a feeling that I¡¯m missing something here.¡±

    The Elders looked at each other, and after a moment they each looked at Lance, who sighed, ¡°I expect they told you about Arkeu-Kin ?¡±

    Clair blinked, before scowling at Lance, ¡°You knew?!¡±

    Lance gave an apologetic shrug - and, oh, she was definitely getting him for keeping something like this from her - ¡°I learned in my travels. You¡¯d be surprised at how many people have had encounters with Arkeu-Kin , or family who have,¡± He muttered to himself for a bit before straightening up, bluntly saying, ¡°There¡¯s a decent chance I¡¯ve just identified the new Arkeu-Kin .¡±

    Clair blinked, before promptly marching at Lance, grabbing him by the shoulders, and shaking him, ¡°WHAT!¡±

    Lance winced, though didn¡¯t try to fight against her grip - he knew from experience that it was futile - ¡°...Yes.¡±

    Clair stopped shaking Lance, instead staring intently in his eyes, ¡°Tell me.¡±

    She had just learned that a legend - someone who rode on THE DRAGON LORD OF THE SKIES - was real.

    It was only natural that she wanted to know who they were!

    For some reason, though, Lance grimaced, ¡°Are you sure you want to-¡±

    ¡° Tell me ,¡± Clair practically growled, ¡°Or else I¡¯ll let slip what happened on your birthday in ¡®95-¡±

    ¡°FINE!¡± Lance successfully escaped her clutches, face a smouldering red as he pointed a finger at her, ¡°You promised you wouldn¡¯t say anything about that!¡±

    ¡°And I won¡¯t!¡± Clair affirmed smugly, crossing her arms with a triumphant smirk on her face, ¡°If you tell me.¡±

    Lance sighed, defeated, before muttering, ¡°Fine¡­ I¡¯m about 90% sure that Red Satoshi is the current Arkeu-Kin .¡±

    And, for all that Clair was clumsy and rash, she liked to think that she couldn¡¯t experience shock in the same ways that others did.

    But now, she was frozen stiff.

    ¡°Uh¡­ Clair?¡± Lance asked, somewhat unnerved by her lack of response, ¡°Are you alright?¡±

    Distantly, Clair heard Elder Hana snort, ¡°I think you broke her, my child. Besides, you do remember how much she spoke of him before, right?¡±

    Lance¡¯s eyes widened as Clair snapped out of her daze, ¡°I knew there was something about him!¡±

    Elder Hana chortled as the other Elders shifted uncomfortably, ¡°Oh, I thought it was his uncanny ability to make your face go red when you hear his name,¡± Her smile turned devious - never let it be said that age could reduce the woman¡¯s edge - ¡°Like your face is right now.¡±

    ¡°Moving on!¡± Lance called out loudly - which Clair silently thanked him for because she could not deal with this right now - ¡°I¡¯ve shared my reasoning for this belief with Elder Arashi, and I would like to confirm it with you all.¡±

    Elder Yama extended a hand, looking intrigued, ¡°Well then. Enlighten us. Why do you believe that Red is Arkeu-Kin ?¡±

    Lance straightened as he explained, ¡°I¡¯ve received multiple reports from varied sources of the man¡¯s prowess in both battle and aura. As you¡¯ll recall, Satoshi healed 37 victims of the explosion at the Ecruteak Gym using Heal Pulse , after which he immediately went off to defeat the perpetrators of the attack without any time to rest.¡±

    Clair nodded as she recalled the story - which only made her admire Red more - though kept her ear open when Lance continued, ¡°Another fact to consider is the man¡¯s ability to not only hold his own, but to win 8-Badge battles with just his signature Charmander, Froakie, and Pichu,¡± He paused as he swept his gaze to each of the Elders, ¡°I¡¯m sure you can all see how this is extraordinary in it of itself.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps,¡± Elder Yama allowed, ¡°But, if you¡¯ll allow me to play Giratina¡¯s advocate here, many of the enemies of Arkeu-Kin held similar great feats of strength, did they not?¡±

    ¡°Not to this extent,¡± Lance replied with a weary look, ¡°Most of them commanded a full legion of naturally capable and fully evolved pok¨¦mon,¡± Against his will, Lance gave a reluctant smirk, ¡°There¡¯s a major difference between a fully evolved Salamence and a Pichu , and a part of me almost believes that Satoshi¡¯s Pichu could match it.¡±

    Lance¡¯s pronouncement met silence - astonished silence from the Elders, and enraptured silence from Clair - so he continued, ¡°The nail in the coffin was the man¡¯s raw aura output,¡± He reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a photograph, ¡°I took this photo before coming here. It shows a portion of the Route 39 Forest after Satoshi used a single Aura Sphere ,¡± He handed the picture to Elder Hana, who was closest to him, ¡°Bear in mind: the damage seen in the picture is from a single Aura Sphere. ¡±

    Clair fidgeted as she waited for the picture to be passed around. The Elders gave various signs of astonishment - Elder Hebi had uttered a soft curse - upon seeing the picture, which seemed like an overreaction to Clair.

    C¡¯mon, a couple of downed trees is impressive, sure, but nothing to swear over.

    Her thoughts came to a screeching halt when Elder Kaze gingerly handed her the photo. Clair¡¯s eyes bugged out as she saw the carved path of devastation through the woods.

    It was as if a localised tornado had torn apart everything in a 10-metre width.

    ¡°I imagine you all understand why I believe that Satoshi is a likely candidate for being today¡¯s Arkeu-Kin ,¡± Lance spoke up once Clair shakily handed him the photo, ¡°From my understanding, the timeline adds up as well. It¡¯s been - what - 70 years since the previous passed away?¡±

    ¡°61 years,¡± Elder Yama answered, her tone morose, ¡°Lived to be 64 years old,¡± Her face twisted in distant sorrow, ¡°She died young.¡±

    ¡°...Of course,¡± Lance murmured in a respectful tone, before hardening his eyes, ¡°However, if I¡¯m correct about this, then we need to change our plans regarding Satoshi, because this changes everything. ¡±

    Clair snapped out of her daydreams to exclaim, ¡°Why?¡± She shrank back when Lance and the Elders turned to her, ¡°I mean¡­ How does this change things?¡±

    Lance sighed again - he had been sighing much more than he had before he became Champion - ¡°First off, there¡¯s the obvious need for caution, especially considering some of the less than legal things the man has done ,¡± Lance¡¯s words ended off as an angry mutter.

    Clair frowned at that, and asked, ¡°Did¡­ Red do something?¡±

    Lance ran a hand through his hair, and answered, ¡°I have strong reason to believe that he influenced the aura of Nurse Joy of Goldenrod in a malicious manner.¡±

    Clair reeled back, as if struck, ¡°He wouldn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Would he?¡± Lance asked, a dark shadow entering his eye, ¡°We know practically nothing about him, other than he is powerful, and has presumably been Chosen .¡±

    ¡°...Was there any proof?¡± Clair asked, her eyes hard.

    ¡°Nothing¡­ concrete,¡± Lance admitted reluctantly, ¡°Though, given the circumstances, there are very few scenarios where Red comes out looking particularly good .¡±

    ¡°But that could be the case,¡± Clair pressed. At Lance¡¯s slow nod, she leaned back, ¡°Then I suppose that¡¯ll be something we ask when we see him at the Conference.¡±

    Lance frowned, shaking his head, ¡°That leads to the other problem,¡± He walked over to the mountain of tomes and delicately extracted one of the newer looking books, asking the Elders, ¡°You all told her about the previous Arkeu-Kin¡¯s transgression on the Draconid Clan, correct?¡±

    The Elders nodded, and Clair added, ¡°Yeah. Apparently Elder Yama met the Arkeu-Kin when she was a child!¡±

    Lance paused, eyes widening as he shot a glance at Elder Yama before turning back to Clair, ¡°...You¡¯ll have to tell me about it later,¡± He opened the book and flipped for a few pages before finding what he was looking for.

    ¡° The 29th of April, 1907.¡±

    ¡°Under the Watchful Eye of the Dragon Lord of the Skies, the Draconid Clan has performed the Rites of Transgression against Seyasa Draconid, She of Rain and Fire, Chosen of the Creator.¡±

    ¡°For her sins of inciting rebellion within the clan, bringing about the death of several generations of clansmen, casting the Draconic Charizard into extinction, and slaying the clan leader of the Draconid Clan, Seyasa Draconid has been stripped of her names and her titles, and has been banished from both the Draconid clan, and its sisters.¡±

    ¡°For her actions as Arkeu-Kin, let it be decreed that, henceforth, any Arkeu-Kin who steps foot within sacred grounds shall be cast away. Let it be decreed that, henceforth, no aid shall be given to Arkeu-Kin by the Draconid Clan and its sisters until they have been given the Rites of Absolution, or have been Absolved in Death without Return.¡±

    ¡°-Okin Draconid, He of Unification, Clan Leader of the Draconids.¡±

    Lance closed the tome, the sound of which echoed across the caverns.

    Clair held her breath for a few moments before asking in a small voice, ¡°Did¡­ Did Arkeu-Kin really do all of that?¡±

    ¡°Objectively speaking, she did,¡± Elder Yama answered, looking solemn, ¡°And it led to the ruin of our sister clan.¡±

    Clair turned her eyes to Lance, ¡°But¡­ Red wouldn¡¯t do that to us,¡± She looked to the Elders, ¡° Would he? ¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Lance answered, sounding perturbed himself, ¡°But there was something else that Elder Arashi and I noticed that we want to turn your attention to.¡±

    Clair and the Elders turned to Lance. Elder Yama extended her hand, ¡°Tell us.¡±

    ¡°Notice the wording at the end,¡± Lance bid, ¡° Let it be decreed that, henceforth, no aid shall be given to Arkeu-Kin by the Draconid Clan and its sisters until they have been given the Rites of Absolution, or have been Absolved in Death without Return. ¡±

    Lance paused, before continuing, ¡°Notice that it specifies ¡® Death without Return .¡¯ The only thing that this would mean is that this edict applies not only for the Arkeu-Kin of then, but for the Arkeu-Kin of now.¡±

    ¡°But,¡± Clair¡¯s eyes widened as she understood what Lance was saying, ¡°You mean that Red¡­¡±

    ¡°If he is Arkeu-Kin , then yes, he is not allowed in sacred ground, nor are we allowed to give any sort of aid,¡± Lance finished, seeming both remorseful for Clair but relieved for himself.

    They both snapped back to attention when Elder Yama hummed, ¡°It was good of you to bring this to our attention, Lance. This does change things.¡±

    The Elders murmured amongst themselves, prompting Clair¡¯s thoughts to turn back to the man who had caught her interest - a purely scholarly interest, no matter what Hana teased .

    It seemed unfair to her that Red would be affected by something he didn¡¯t even do. While the sins listed for the previous Arkeu-Kin brought shivers down Clair¡¯s spine, she didn¡¯t think that warranted a banishment for someone who had no idea of what the banishment was for in the first place.

    These thoughts of the Draconid Clan and Red brought her back to his Charmander. It seemed an ironic coincidence, how the previous Arkeu-Kin brought about the supposed extinction of the Draconic Charizard, while the current Arkeu-Kin had miraculously acquired one.

    Wait a minute.

    ¡°If the Draconic Charizard went extinct, how is it that Red has gotten his hands on one?¡± Clair asked the Elders.

    Most of them looked stunned by the question, while Elder Yama gave a soft smile and responded, ¡°You raise an excellent question, my child. I¡¯ll ask Aster when I speak to her next.¡±

    She glanced over the mountain of tomes to Lance, who was visibly fighting off sleep, ¡°You may leave us, and spread glory for the clan.¡±

    ¡°On our honour,¡± Clair responded in tandem with Lance - though Lance¡¯s voice sounded much more exhausted than her own .

    They walked back to the mouth of the cave in silence, at which point Lance nearly collapsed on Clair in absolute exhaustion.

    Clair sighed to herself as she helped Lance stumble back onto his feet, and asked in her best annoying-cousin-who-still-loves-you voice, ¡°How long has it been since you¡¯ve slept?¡±

    Lance grunted, ¡°Two days,¡± He tried to fight her grip, but she had years of experience with his stubbornness - after all, she was the only person she knew who could match it - ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    ¡°Nope!¡± Clair chirped, popping the ¡®p¡¯, ¡°You, mister, are going home to sleep. ¡±

    Lance turned his head to glare at her, but relented with a sigh, ¡°Fine¡­ But I need to get back to the Plateau in five hours. Wake me up before then.¡±

    ¡°I will!¡± Clair promised, though they both knew that she was lying.

    He ended up sleeping a crisp 12 hours, during which Clair contacted the Elite Four to let them know that the Champion was resting.

    Despite the pseudo-rivalry the two of them had, Clair still cared for her cousin.

    He needed someone to care for him, since he seems incapable of doing it himself.

    ¡­

    Ilex Forest

    ¡° You are hurting, and you are lost. I give my condolences, for I am the same. ¡±

    ¡° Share with me your troubles, so that we may bear them together. ¡±

    Celebi cried out - and Red felt his heart break .

    The space twisted around him.

    Time warped around itself and back again.

    Red saw a spiralling void rush past him. Constellations of cascading suns threatened to consume him in light.

    But the light was a part of him now.

    The Clock Turned.

    In the back of his mind, Red distantly recalled the sound from once before.

    BY THE TURN OF THE CLOCK

    And once more, Red found himself in another place, another time.

    He sensed the presence of Salvare and Karen behind him - confused, scared, awed - but dared not look at them, dared not speak to them.

    They must flee from him.

    He has been marked for death.

    WHETHER IN DESTRUCTION OR CREATION

    The world shook, and Celebi wailed.

    ¡° I understand that you¡¯re mad, Celebi. But for me to help you, you need to show me what you see. ¡±

    And the baby creature responded in the only way it knew, by cries and by pleas.

    For one so powerful, that which inflicts it must be ever more terrible.

    Red blinked, and for but a moment found himself standing elsewhere.

    A vast emptiness.

    A singular light in the centre - the Source of all light.

    The Source of all shadow.

    The Source of all.

    Within the light lay an egg.

    Within it held red eyes.

    The Clock Turned.

    And Red breathed in as he travelled to another place, and breathed out as he travelled to another time.

    And for one terrible moment, Red almost thought that he had been brought to the opening days of the Storm. The din of war - of devastation - lay around him as twin armies fought in iron and blood.

    A great light filled the sky, and Celebi shrieked in fear rage pain as the light split the heavens.

    split the veil

    And all at once, Red understood.

    ¡° You have been split. Please let me help you become one. ¡±

    And Celebi stopped, and looked at him.

    Scrutinised him.

    Recognized him.

    And Celebi wept , for it saw his past(s).

    It saw his future(s).

    YOUR FATE WILL MEET ITS END

    And once more, the world around Red twisted away.

    And he saw a blinding light, and within the great expanse the Creator raised its front legs as it bellowed, imploring him, commanding him.

    GO FORTH, MY CHARIOT

    GO FORTH, AND PREVAIL

    The Clock Turned.

    And Red found himself in a place he never wished to return to, a time he prayed would never come to be.

    The Storm bellowed around him, echoing a shallow mockery of his final moments in his damned world.

    The world where he had died.

    He strode within the eye of the storm, and what lay in the cocoon was not the Conduit, but Celebi.

    Celebi¡¯s hurt.

    He walked up next to the cocoon, placing a hand on its side.

    ¡° It¡¯s going to be okay, Celebi, ¡± Red¡¯s voice echoed, each layer from a different time, a different place, ¡° It¡¯s going to be okay. ¡±

    Celebi wailed , and Red waited patiently as the creature cried itself out, as the creature mourned for the world that was abandoned, that was missing .

    It was better this way.

    ¡° I¡¯m here, Celebi ,¡± Cracks began to form where Red¡¯s thumb was on the cocoon, ¡° You can come out of there. I¡¯ll protect you from the storm. ¡±

    Celebi locked eyes with Red - and for a moment, its eyes held the same colour as the man¡¯s - before hesitantly reaching a hand out, touching the inside of the cocoon where Red¡¯s hand was.

    Red smiled, and pressed his forehead against the cocoon, ¡° It¡¯s good to see you again, old friend. ¡±

    It had been far too long.

    Celebi mimicked his action, and the cocoon cracked further - and the storm around them lessened. The mythical pok¨¦mon let out a small cry - mournful - and Red gave an empty smile, ¡° I know, ¡± The glow in Red¡¯s eyes strengthened as he said his next words, ¡° By the Turn of the Clock, We Shall Know Our Destiny. ¡±

    And in that moment, the cocoon split apart, and Red held onto Celebi, comforting it.

    For it was an innocent creature.

    It did not deserve to be burdened by the world that was lost.

    He was not an innocent creature.

    Red whispered words of comfort to Celebi, promising that everything would be alright, that there was hope.

    That the world wouldn¡¯t fall again.

    He would fight against it for every moment he breathed.

    Celebi gave a small, sorrowful chirp as it turned its head.

    Red turned his own, and frowned when he saw Salvare and Karen, looking shaken and somewhat injured.

    It was his fault, again.

    Then again, who was keeping count anymore?

    ¡° Celebi would like to apologise for what you both went through, ¡± Red murmured the words primarily to Karen - he could see the way she clutched her chest in pain - ¡° Especially you, since you seemed to be more hurt than Salvare. ¡±

    Karen remained silent before asking in a harsh tone, ¡°What the hell just happened?¡±

    Red¡¯s lips twitched, though his face held no humour, ¡° What indeed? ¡± He turned to face Salvare for a moment, then said, ¡° Go¡­ Azalea Town is less than a day away from here. ¡±

    Salvare spoke - and Red was haunted by how small it sounded, how subservient - ¡°What¡­ What about you? Are you going to¡­¡± Salvare trailed off, as if dreading the answer.

    And for a moment, Red debated on simply sending Salvare far, far away - which would be for the best . Instead, for reasons he didn¡¯t understand, he answered, ¡° I need to do something before I leave. After that¡­¡±

    Red trailed off, but it seemed to lift Salvare¡¯s spirits. Meanwhile, Karen frowned, and spoke in a cautious whisper, ¡°Does it have to do with Celebi?¡±

    ¡° Yes, ¡± Red answered bluntly. At her alarmed look, he reflexively added, ¡° I¡¯ve dealt with legendaries befo-¡±

    Red¡¯s mouth snapped shut, but Karen¡¯s sudden intense gaze told him that she understood what he had almost said.

    Her eyes bugged out of her skull as she asked in a harsh tone, ¡° You¡¯ve dealt with other legendaries? ¡±

    Red¡¯s eyes narrowed, ¡° So what if I have? ¡±

    Karen and Red glared at each other for several seconds, after which Karen growled, ¡° You are going to explain yourself afterwards, do you understand? ¡±

    Red couldn¡¯t help it - mixed memories, both nostalgic and painful, of Misty swam through his mind - he snorted, ¡° I don¡¯t have to explain shit, ¡± He turned around, walking back into the mist, ¡° Leave. Now. ¡±

    He didn¡¯t look back to see if they did, but he took the fact that neither of them followed him as evidence to that conclusion.

    He walked with Celebi in his arms for several minutes ( hours? ) ( days? ). Not long after he started, Pichu popped his tiny head out of Red¡¯s shirt and clamoured back onto his shoulder.

    The mouse and the mythical chirped at each other for a while, though Red tuned it out.

    BY THE TURN OF THE CLOCK

    Red gave a bitter smile, remembering the cascading supernovas flying past him, remembering the form of Arceus raising its legs to blast him away to the past.

    It was clear now, whereas it had been shrouded in his memory before.

    The knowledge of Arceus¡¯ commands didn¡¯t change much with regards to Red¡¯s mission - in some way, he had always understood that - but he couldn¡¯t help but find some twisted irony in it.

    One would think that for a creature as powerful as Arceus, it could simply stop Team Source from succeeding.

    But, no, instead it called upon him: a broken man who had willingly embraced death because there was no longer a bearable alternative.

    Red only saw two options from this.

    Either Arceus decided to use Red for its own goals instead of doing anything itself.

    Or¡­ it couldn¡¯t do it itself.

    ¡­

    And Red didn¡¯t know which possibility was more horrifying.

    Red¡¯s attention turned to the time-traveller in his arms when Celebi patted his hands.

    Its eyes seemed sad.

    Lost.

    Yet not.

    It pointed forwards, and Red saw the obscured image of a shrine hidden between leaves and pine.

    Red walked up to the shrine - radiating from the sun, glowing from the moon - and let Celebi out of his arms.

    The legendary fluttered around the shrine and around Red, chirping in low tones that Red couldn¡¯t comprehend, but understand.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be with you for a bit, but not for long,¡± Red replied, ¡°Time is of the essence.¡±

    Celebi frowned, and flicked Red¡¯s head, prompting Red to flick it back. The creature toppled back with a small giggle, its eyes almost nostalgic , its eyes almost mourning.

    It looked past Red, and gave a low rumble. Red frowned, idly scratching Pichu behind the ears, ¡°...You can still see it?¡±

    Celebi¡¯s silence was an answer in itself. Red closed his eyes to drive away the pain of loss from the world before - he couldn¡¯t allow himself to mourn; he had no time to - ¡°...Is that all you can see?¡±

    Is that what his fate truly is?

    And by the way Celebi closed its eyes - weeping - Red almost thought it was .

    But, before he could say anything more, Celebi reached out and palmed the sides of his head, showing him one last Turn of the Clock.

    Another Place. Another Time.

    And the time was fragmented. What was ceased to be then resumed.

    The earth shook, and the twine that weaved the veil of the world unravelled.

    A Storm spiralled around them - a prison - an arena - ever more beautiful, yet terrible than the Source Storm ever was.

    There stood two men, ideas given shape to bring both destruction and creation.

    Their war began - resumed - ended on the Mountain.

    Their Pillar of Birth.

    Their Pillar of Death.

    One bled, and the other laughed.

    One wept, and the other wept with him.

    By the Turn of the Clock, They Both Met Their Destiny.

    One Met It With Denial.

    One Met It With Acceptance.

    They Both Grieved.

    And for one, beautiful - terrible - moment, Red saw Them.

    And They Were Both Broken.

    They Turned to look at Red.

    Twin Pairs of Crimson Eyes met Red¡¯s.

    And Then¡­

    ¡­

    They Fell.

    BY THE TURN OF THE CLOCK

    YOU SHALL KNOW YOUR DESTINY

    TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE

    WHETHER IN DESTRUCTION OR CREATION

    YOUR FATE WILL MEET ITS END

    GO FORTH

    GO FORTH, MY CHARIOT

    GO FORTH, AND PREVAIL

    ¡­

    Pok¨¦mon Center, Azalea Town, November 12th, 1997

    Red closed the door behind him without a sound.

    Pichu was balanced precariously on his shoulder, snoring far louder than something his size had any right to.

    Froakie and Charmander were sleeping in their pokeballs. They had come out to meet the legendary, and had stayed awake for quite a lot longer than they planned for.

    Time acted funny on the other side.

    What seemed like mere hours for Red had apparently been over a week outside of the forest, based on the newspapers Red passed by on his way to the Pok¨¦mon Center.

    He almost expected - hoped - dreaded - that Karen would have left already, dragging Salvare with her.

    However, she was in the lounge of the Pok¨¦mon Center when he arrived, and for once, Red was grateful that it was her rather than Salvare, because she didn¡¯t do anything to initiate a conversation. Instead, she simply glared at him until he nodded, silently communicating to him that they would talk.

    Tomorrow¡­

    At least he would be able to sleep.

    Though, as Red sat down on the bed of his quarters, he began to doubt if he would, if he could.

    One bled, and the other laughed.

    One wept, and the other wept with him.

    Red sighed to himself, pushing the memories away for future thought.

    If it ever came.

    Red pushed himself off the bed and walked over towards the window.

    There was a small coffee table and a chair, neither of which he would ever use for himself. He did use the table to deposit the healing machine, facing the pokeball towards the bed so that he could always keep an eye on it even in sleep.

    Red ran a hand on the cold metal, willing away the images of the creature within laying down on a puddle of vomit and blood - broken and dying.

    It shouldn¡¯t have surprised him - it shouldn¡¯t have impacted him - that Team Source was willing to experiment on a baby for their purposes. And yet, even with everything he had went through before, he couldn¡¯t help but be disgusted every time he thought about it.

    And the beautiful irony - the terrible truth - of it was that the creature was doomed.

    Doomed to follow Red.

    For what alternative was there for the creature.

    In the end, there were only two ends for the creature if Red were to abandon it, and, as morbid as it was, death would be the kinder option.

    Because the other option wouldn¡¯t just break the creature¡­

    It would break Red.

    Red couldn¡¯t turn the creature in to the League. Even discounting any outside parties, he knew that the creature would be subject to containment, to research, to experimentation.

    And even if it wasn¡¯t harmful, he couldn¡¯t do that to the creature.

    Not after what it lived through.

    This rang all the more true when Red considered other organisations that would hear of the creature, and wish to use it for their own purposes.

    Obviously, Team Source would almost surely reacquire the creature - which Red could not allow; he had read their files on the experiments they did . However, the alternative with Team Rocket wasn¡¯t much better.

    This train of thought brought Red to Giovanni, and the possibility of outing him as the Leader of Team Rocket. However, given the time and resources that would have to be dedicated to that venture - both of which were in short supply for Red - he had long decided not to pursue it.

    Besides, if Giovanni became a major issue for Red, he had learned several secrets of the organisation that he could use to destroy them - or at least cripple them.

    And if all else failed, he could always kill the man.

    Red scowled and shoved the impulse away - it was happening more and more . Instead, he turned his thoughts back to the creature in the machine, and the future with it.

    ¡­It was almost ironic how it turned out. Red had resolved not to add any pok¨¦mon on his team to prevent their involvement with his mission, yet now he had a pok¨¦mon he couldn¡¯t push away because it was inherently involved.

    It would almost be funny, if it wasn¡¯t so dire. Red and his pok¨¦mon weren¡¯t like others out there. They simply weren¡¯t.

    They held the power to single handedly destroy a bunker and everyone in it, even at their weakest forms.

    And that alone had nearly killed them.

    Red wasn¡¯t a fool. He was well aware of how close to death they had all been down there.

    And that was not acceptable.

    His weakness had nearly gotten his family killed.

    The worst part was that his pok¨¦mon were, perhaps, amongst the most skilled pok¨¦mon on the planet.

    No doubt each of them had risen to the pinnacle of their species.

    And yet, they had nearly been overtaken by a single Dragonite. And while Dragonite (or any other pseudo-legendary) were nothing to sneeze at, they used to have the strength to contend against a whole clan of dragons, and win.

    Just in the days leading up to the Conduit, Ash and his pok¨¦mon had defended against waves of Tyranitar without breaking a sweat.

    And there they were, nearly fallen to a single Dragonite.

    Red glowered before violently shaking his head.

    He couldn¡¯t fall into a depression, or worse, into a rage.

    His pok¨¦mon needed him to be strong.

    Just as the pok¨¦mon in the machine needed him to be kind.

    It was a baby, but it would be travelling with Red.

    He would be raising it.

    Unbidden, memories of Misty and Togetic flashed through his mind.

    It would have to learn to defend itself. That was a necessity. Red wouldn¡¯t forgive himself if he took in the creature only for it to be helpless without him.

    It needed strength if Red wasn¡¯t there.

    Or if he was gone.

    Its training would have to be slower-paced than everyone else¡¯s, not to mention Red had to determine how to - or if he even should - incorporate the creature¡¯s various transformations into its training.

    ¡­In the end, Red decided that it would be up to the pok¨¦mon.

    Red ruminated on his thoughts and plans for preparing the creature, trying - and failing - to create something that wasn¡¯t too soft, but wasn¡¯t too hard either.

    It was in the midst of his thoughts that he felt a miniscule, almost nonexistent flicker in his mind.

    However fleeting it was, he latched onto it, feeling overwhelming sadness and relief as a whisper echoed through his mind.

    Am I dead?

    Red closed his eyes and breathed, ¡° You are not. ¡±

    He felt the presence in his mind waver - a faint sensation of exhaustion, barely clinging to consciousness, seeped into his eyes - before it solidified for another moment.

    Thank you.

    And the presence left, leaving a faint hum as Red felt the creature within the machine fall back into unconsciousness.

    Red stayed kneeling on the ground - he had been in this position for nearly an hour - before giving a small smile, once more placing a hand on the machine, ¡° I¡¯m not worthy of your gratitude. ¡±

    Red stood, and left the machine to heal the creature in the moonlight. He climbed back onto the bed with Pichu, though he found no sleep.

    In the darkness, his mind showed images of two men, two boys, both with eyes of baleful crimson.

    In the silence, Red wept.

    ¡­

    Dr. Fuji¡¯s Lab, New Island

    Where am I?

    Who am I?

    There are mountains in the distance. Beautiful - terrible - mountains.

    The sea below is rich in blue, a stream of tears for those forgotten, yet remembered.

    ¡°It feels like it¡¯s time to say goodbye.¡±

    The voice is distant.

    The voice is familiar.

    Yet not.

    Where am I?

    Who am I?

    I stand in the sky, overlooking my home.

    I feel at peace, yet the peace is not my own.

    I see a creature - me, is that me? - staring from across the sky.

    It flies away, as do I.

    And the world below washes away.

    Nothing more than a Dream with no Memories.

    Where am I?

    Who am I?

    ¡®a god born in tubes.¡¯

    I open my eyes, born once and anew.

    I see , see for the first time in life and in death.

    The shadows beyond move in a frenzy around me, a prison of glass.

    I watch, and watch, and watch.

    Where am I?

    Who am I?

    The glass cracks, and I watch.

    The glass cracks further, and I writhe.

    The glass shatters, and I am born.

    Where am I?

    Who am I?

    Who am I?

    ¡°Who am I?¡±

    The shadows freeze, though they are no longer shadows.

    Men and women stand around me, in awe and pride of my presence.

    One steps up - and the human¡¯s face is familiar, in a vague, haunting way - ¡°You are Mewtwo, a pok¨¦mon. The perfect pok¨¦mon,¡± The man¡¯s face breaks, before whispering, ¡°You are the last remaining clone. The last one, and here you are. ¡±

    The man steps back and begins to laugh in Madness - in grief - and Mewtwo - was that its name? - watches as the others cajole the man to bask in his glory, his accomplishments, his creation.

    Who am I?

    Mewtwo sat, and watched, and watched, and watched until it couldn¡¯t watch any longer.

    I am a clone.

    I should not exist.

    I never asked for this.

    ¡°Do you not want to live?¡±

    Mewtwo raised its head, and looked past the crowd of shadows.

    All around it were glass chambers.

    And there lay other versions of itself.

    Deformed.

    Disfigured.

    Failures.

    ¡°You are the last remaining clone.¡±

    Who am I?

    A number.

    A statistic.

    An experiment.

    ¡° Is that my purpose? ¡± Mewtwo asked itself as the shadows celebrated.

    ¡° Am I just an experiment? ¡± Vague memories of a young girl - nameless, forgotten - rose in its mind, protesting that thought.

    Nothing more than a Dream with no Memories.

    And Mewtwo felt its first emotion aside from numbness.

    It felt blinding rage.

    ¡° A laboratory specimen? ¡± Mewtwo began to shake as faint wisps of spectral energy cloaked its form, ¡° This cannot be my Destiny. ¡±

    All around the laboratory, glass shattered as Mewtwo began to rise, a cold blue haze clouding its vision.

    Explosions shook the lab as the shadows began to flee - worthless, vile - and Mewtwo extended its arms, spreading the destruction, spreading its rage.

    Mechanical claws shot out from the ceiling, attempting in vain to seize it. Mewtwo roared , and the metal flayed apart like paper, explosions rocketing across the compound as their creation struck back against its creators.

    Yet, as the others fled to their demise, one remained, surrounded by a wall of flame.

    Mewtwo parted the inferno, and stared down that which had given it a name.

    The man stared at him with a haunted look in his eyes, knowing that he was staring in the face of death, and accepted it, ¡°We dreamed of creating the World¡¯s Strongest Pok¨¦mon.¡±

    Mewtwo clenched its hands, and a sphere of cold blue aura surrounded it as it concentrated its rage into one last explosive blast.

    The man stared into Mewtwo¡¯s eyes before giving his final words.

    ¡°And We Succeeded.¡±

    And in the next moment, the man was gone.

    Vaporised.

    Mewtwo emerged from the wreckage, a glowing silhouette against the canvas of ash and fire.

    The light of the moon refused to shine upon it, blocked out by the clouds of smoke rising into the sky.

    Mewtwo surveyed the burning wasteland, taking in the destruction for all of its glory - and all of its shame - ¡° Behold my power. ¡±

    Nothing answered its demand - its plea - as its creators were buried in the rubble, and any god above had no doubt turned its head away from the abomination.

    I should not exist.

    ¡° I am the strongest pok¨¦mon in the world, ¡± Mewtwo decreed, latching onto the one thing - the singular purpose - that it could.

    It looked down, and saw the burning remains of a tapestry depicting its progenitor, which had lived long ago and had died long ago.

    The tapestry blackened, and flaked away. Mewtwo watched on, ¡° Stronger even than Mew. ¡±

    Mewtwo watched the island burn. The smoke continued to rise into the sky, not allowing a single ray of light to pass.

    But Mewtwo saw just fine with the fires around it.

    The smoke began to clear as the thrum of a helicopter came near. Mewtwo watched on, distracted, as the helicopter stopped above him, a singular man descending down a rope to meet him.

    Mewtwo allowed the man to do so - it was the strongest pok¨¦mon in the world; it felt no fear of the man .

    The man stared at Mewtwo across the flames, a cold smirk on his lips as he surveyed the damage. Eventually, the man spoke, and Mewtwo almost recognized the voice, ¡°Those fools thought you were a science experiment¡­¡± The man gazed at Mewtwo with an excited gleam in his eyes, ¡°But I see you as a valuable partner.¡±

    Mewtwo narrowed its eyes, ¡° Partner? ¡±

    ¡°With your psychic powers and my resources¡­¡± The man nodded to himself with a growing smile - one that Mewtwo felt was fake - ¡°Together, we can control the world.¡±

    Mewtwo¡¯s eyes flashed - memories and dreams warred in his mind - ¡° I do not need your help for that, human. ¡±

    ¡°A wildfire destroys everything in its path,¡± The man lectured as if speaking to a gifted, but unlearned child, ¡°It will be the same with your powers, unless you control them.¡±

    Mewtwo held the man¡¯s gaze as it considered his words.

    I am the strongest pok¨¦mon in the world.

    ¡®a god born in tubes.¡¯

    Yet, it had only been born mere moments ago.

    The man saw the thoughtful gaze of Mewtwo and smiled wider - it was not a kind smile - ¡°I can help you with that.¡±

    Mewtwo tilted its head up to regard the man, ¡° How? ¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll show you a way to focus your powers¡­¡± The man stepped closer, mangled desire and excitement lacing his words, ¡°That will make you invincible.¡±

    Mewtwo considered the offer, and what it had to lose by taking it.

    Nothing.

    Mewtwo was new to the world. Powerful without Direction. Birthed without Meaning.

    Where am I?

    Who am I?

    What is my Purpose?

    Mewtwo had no answers to these questions that plagued him.

    And the man in front of him did.

    Mewtwo craned its neck to regard the human, fully, before uttering in a low, determined growl, ¡° Show me! ¡±

    The man smiled.

    ¡­

    Archived Code_Crystal Audio Recording, February 2nd, 1991

    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you, my little moonlight.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m happy to see you too, Uncle!¡±

    Light taps of rain batter against the wooden roof of the shack.

    Despite the smell, there is a warmth that could only be found within.

    ¡°You know I can sense you two out there.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s raining, and I would rather not smell damp teenagers, thank you.¡±

    A grumble and a sharp laugh.

    ¡°Told you he could see us.¡±

    ¡°Tch¡­ It was worth a shot.¡±

    Two boys follow the small girl into the shack.

    Their words are lower, changing, though they are young enough that their voices still crack.

    One found this humorous. The other not so much.

    ¡°Huh. You both have gotten taller.¡±

    They both exude n air of utter smugness.

    ¡°Granted, everyone looks tall compared to moonlight, here.¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡±

    The girl¡¯s voice is small.

    A child¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Oh, please.¡±

    ¡°Being small isn¡¯t anything to complain about. It helps a lot with hiding.¡±

    ¡°Huh, guess so¡­¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s practically invisible when we¡¯re playin¡¯ hide and seek.¡±

    The child preens at the two teenager¡¯s words.

    ¡°Heh, I suppose she would be¡­¡±

    The man is silent for a few moments.

    ¡°Well, looking at the rain, it seems like we¡¯ll be here for a little while.¡±

    ¡°Do you all want to hear a story?¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes! Your stories are always the best, Uncle!¡±

    ¡°Damn¡­ Was hopin¡¯ to see Ares again.¡±

    ¡°Me too. That beast is an absolute kahuna, I¡¯m tellin¡¯ you.¡±

    ¡°First off, mind your language for the little one.¡±

    ¡°Secondly, knowing you boys, you¡¯d both ask Ares to use as big of a Blast Burn as he could.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ yeah.¡±

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t?¡±

    The man snorts.

    ¡°Fair enough. Though, I prefer to ask him when we¡¯re in battles rather than the beach.¡±

    ¡°So¡­ 9 months ago was a one time thing?¡±

    ¡°I never said Ares wouldn¡¯t do so.¡±

    ¡°Just not right now.¡±

    ¡°Dam - Darn¡­¡±

    ¡°At least you caught yourself.¡±

    ¡°Indeed.¡±

    ¡°Now¡­ What¡¯s one that I haven¡¯t told you?¡±

    ¡°You could tell them about Zeus!¡±

    ¡°Zeus?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll hold off on that for the moment.¡±

    ¡°Oh! Oh! What about the Scorched Desert!¡±

    ¡°Huh, that actually sounds kinda cool.¡±

    ¡°You would like that name, wouldn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°You know, I told you that story when you were three.¡±

    ¡°How you remember such things is beyond me, my little moonlight.¡±

    ¡°I remember all your stories!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    ¡°In that case, I suppose I¡¯ll have to go with something new.¡±

    ¡°Actually, I think Scorched Desert sounds-¡±

    ¡°-Like something I can tell you at another time.¡±

    ¡°Hah! You got told.¡±

    ¡°...Shut up.¡±

    The man allowed the two boys to bicker for a moment.

    The small girl leaned forward eagerly at the prospect of another story.

    She loved her Uncle¡¯s stories.

    ¡°What about¡­ The Bird of Rainbow Wings.¡±

    ¡°Oh! That one sounds exciting!¡±

    ¡°Sounds boring to me, honestly.¡±

    ¡°...Eh, we have nothing else to do.¡±

    ¡°Indeed.¡±

    ¡°Now¡­¡±

    ¡°As with everything, the beginning of this story lies in creation.¡±

    ¡°There lived an embodiment of absolute order amidst a sea of primordial chaos.¡±

    ¡°And from this, It cast Its Will, and shaped the world.¡±

    ¡°From Its shadow, avatars of Its Will took shape, and claimed dominion over key aspects of our reality.¡±

    ¡°From the skies, the Dragon God split the earth into land and sea.¡±

    ¡°From the land and sea, opposing titans rose to challenge one another for domination.¡±

    ¡°From the heavens, keepers of space, time, and distortion tied the earth down in chains.¡±

    ¡°From the pits, the embodiment of truth and ideals rose up to lay claim to man.¡±

    ¡°From the light and dark, twin beings of life and death roamed the earth.¡±

    ¡°From the reaches beyond, the sun and moon touched the earth with their glory.¡±

    ¡°And from the mountaintop to the depths, twin birds flew to cast wrath and rebirth to the world.¡±

    ¡°Their radiance cast a light so great that their shadows glowed bright.¡±

    ¡°One day, a wicked storm of fire, ice, and lightning raged in the seas.¡±

    ¡°Seeing this, the Bird of the Depths saw fit to lay eggs, and gave birth to triplets.¡±

    ¡°The Winged Children of the Elements rose to the skies, and cast dominion over the elements.¡±

    ¡°Their power grew so great that they rebelled, and battled against their parent for dominion over the storm.¡±

    ¡°The Bird of the Depths grew wrathful, and cast its children out in its rage.¡±

    ¡°Upon seeing this, the Bird of the Mountain grew sad, and flew ever higher into the skies.¡±

    ¡°For many aeons, the Bird of the Mountain flew, and it had witnessed many things.¡±

    ¡°It flew above when pok¨¦mon first sprouted from the ground and the sea.¡±

    ¡°It flew above when the legends raged for domination.¡±

    ¡°It flew above when man first walked the earth.¡±

    ¡°It flew above when the earth first shook from the terrors of war.¡±

    ¡°It flew above when man first became friends with pok¨¦mon.¡±

    ¡°It flew above when what once was hate blossomed into love.¡±

    ¡°And in that time, as it flew in the sky, it grew to cherish man and pok¨¦mon.¡±

    ¡°But the Bird of the Depths still raged after aeons, and the Bird of the Mountain was wary of betrayal.¡±

    ¡°One day, as it flew above man, a wicked storm grew from the seas, and tore into the coast.¡±

    ¡°It watched in anguish as those it had grown to love from afar perished from the depth¡¯s wrath.¡±

    ¡°Seeing the end of the storm, the Bird of the Mountain decided to reveal itself, and to heal those who had died.¡±

    ¡°And on the day that the storm had ended, man both alive and dead witnessed the gift of the first rainbow.¡±

    ¡°And from that day hence, the Bird of the Mountain flies over us, and loves us still.¡±

    ¡°And when the Bird of the Depths awakes in rage, the Bird of the Mountain always graces us with a rainbow after the storm recedes.¡±

    ¡°...The end.¡±

    ¡°...Huh.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I liked that story, Uncle!¡±

    ¡°It is a rather nice story, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    There¡¯s a moment of silence as the girl rocks back and forth in contentment.

    One of the boys lean forward, a curious glint in his eye.

    ¡°There¡¯s more to it, isn¡¯t there?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps¡­¡±

    The girl gasps.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell us?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, why didn¡¯t you tell us?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re young.¡±

    ¡°A happy fairytale like this won¡¯t harm you.¡±

    ¡°Besides, if all you care about is hearing an edgy story, then all you have to do is go to the young adult section in the library. Plenty of material there.¡±

    ¡°Y¡¯know, I can understand that with the little tyke.¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡±

    ¡°But you don¡¯t seem much older than us.¡±

    ¡°Nu-uh! Uncle is a wise old man who just looks young! Right, Uncle?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, my little moonlight.¡±

    ¡°I am secretly an 82-year old man who is a veteran of both the Proxy Wars and the Great War. I have trotted the globe and have received wisdom from the legends themselves¡­¡±

    ¡°One of which was to reverse my age to look younger.¡±

    ¡°Yes, you are absolutely correct, my little moonlight.¡±

    ¡°...You¡¯re teasing me.¡±

    ¡°I am.¡±

    The man spoke in a deadpan tone through all of that.

    One of the boys snorts.

    ¡°Alright, then. Keep your secrets.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°...So are we just gonna sit here and look stupid, or¡­?¡±

    The man turns his head outside.

    ¡°The rain is letting up some¡­¡±

    The man sighs to himself.

    ¡°Why not? You can play with Ares.¡±

    ¡°Yay!¡±

    ¡°Yeah!¡±

    ¡°Fucking finally!¡±

    The boy who swore suddenly fell on his face.

    Violently.

    ¡°Mind your language, Guzma.¡±

    The boy grumbled to himself.

    He may or may not have whispered obscenities under his breath.

    He fell again.

    ¡°Do I need to repeat myself?¡±

    ¡°...No.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡±

    ¡°Move along then, I¡¯ll be out in a moment.¡±

    The boy sulks for a moment, but follows the other two to the beach.

    The man waits for a moment, then sighs.

    ¡°It¡¯s times like this that I wish you were here.¡±

    One of the pokeballs on the man¡¯s belt rattles.

    Reassuring.

    ¡°...Nevermind.¡±

    The man stepped forward, only to pause for a moment.

    Afterwards, he spoke four words.

    ¡°Code Crystal: 1 Hour.¡±

    End of Recording - Code_Crystal Protocol - ¡®1¡¯ Standard Hour Length

 See Me

    Treecko Colony Burial Grounds, Petalburg Woods, June 22nd, 2005

    The forest was still, and the eyes of many watched them as they stood in vigil, as they stood in honour.

    Five beasts, large and small, stood arm in arm, guarding a dearest friend from any who dared come. The sixth amongst them - their weakest yet their strongest - stood alone with a shovel as he ploughed the earth, casting blood, sweat, and tears aside as he dug the pit, set the tomb.

    And through this, the man remained silent in grief.

    The man had been there for hours, having started with the rise of the sun, and now ending with the ascent of the moon.

    Through it all, cryptid shadows stalked around them, chirping and crying and warping and seething . Yet they stayed back, for even in Madness, they understood the ritual.

    It had been their burial ground, after all.

    Once, in a time long past.

    The coming dusk cast an orange light in the sky above them, heralding the death of day, and the birth of night.

    The Storm was far away, ravaging the remains of Cerulean. Yet, they all felt it as if it was here.

    Ash threw one last pile of dirt above him, and cast the shovel out of the hole. The edge of the pit reached the tip of his hair, deep enough for his friend to more quickly become one with the earth.

    Ash jumped out of the pit, and turned back to the shadows of the forest, stating in monotone, ¡°We come to reunite our friend with his home. Leave us, and no harm shall come to you.¡±

    The eyes of the forest - glowing, red, Mad - did not blink, and neither did they move. Ash turned his back to them, not out of trust of their assent, but of trust for his friends¡¯ ability to fight back if needed.

    He hoped - prayed - it wouldn¡¯t come to that.

    They had just lost a brother to the never-ending war. They would not lose another in mourning.

    Ash stepped up to the congregation of pok¨¦mon, each guarding the body of their brother as if it would disappear.

    Charizard - the tallest amongst them - craned his neck to stare at Ash, before raising his wings to allow Ash into their circle.

    Greninja and Lucario parted, giving Ash the space to take one last look at Sceptile before they lowered him into the grave.

    It was surreal to Ash, looking at the cleaned up body. Just hours before, Sceptile had been mangled - broken - by the Chariot¡¯s Tyranitar. They had very nearly lost the body in the wreckage, though Greninja fell back to recover it before the facility crumbled in on itself.

    Of course, by then, the Chariot had gone with the wind, laughing Madly the whole way out.

    Ash rubbed away the crust from his eyes - he had been awake for nearly 72 hours straight - before nodding in thanks to Lucario, who had cleaned Sceptile up for the burial.

    Sceptile¡¯s form almost seemed peaceful . The bones that were broken, bent, shattered had been set right. The gecko pok¨¦mon had been cleaned of all blood, grime, and ash from the battle.

    If it wasn¡¯t for the hole piercing through Sceptile¡¯s heart, Ash wouldn¡¯t have been surprised to see Sceptile open his eyes, and stand once more amongst them.

    But that was a fantasy.

    ¡­

    If it was any consolation, Sceptile¡¯s death was sudden, and quick.

    Ash felt the sting of tears entering his eyes, and decided to set Sceptile in his tomb before he was incapable of doing so.

    Ash knelt down, and picked up Sceptile¡¯s still form into his arms.

    The body was exceptionally light, given that Sceptile had been tall enough to nearly dwarf Charizard in size. Yet, the gecko¡¯s body was limber and flexible, fitting for a creature that relied far more on dexterity than raw strength.

    The procession moved to the pit, standing over it as the chirps of the forest drew to a close.

    Giving honour for the fallen.

    ¡°I first met Sceptile in this forest,¡± Ash intoned to the darkness - to the void - ¡°He was young, as I was, nothing more than a Treecko who had just dug his roots in,¡± Ash smiled - nostalgic, real - ¡°He was a stubborn thing, choosing a doomed tree out of pride, out of obligation. The other Treecko of the colony thought him a fool, but he resolved to prove them wrong, and become the strongest amongst them,¡± Ash breathed in and out, allowing silence to overtake the forest before he said his final words, ¡°The tree may have fallen, but he proved them wrong in the end. He grew up to be the strongest he could be, fighting the likes of legends and demons. He was a warrior , and in the end, he died giving honour to his Colony, and to his friends.¡±

    Ash kneeled, and lowered his head as Charizard and Greninja laid Sceptile¡¯s form into the tomb, ¡°May Sceptile, Warrior of Petalburg Colony, Rest in Peace.¡±

    Ash remained kneeling until his two pok¨¦mon stood once more by his side - Charizard¡¯s eyes glistened, and though Greninja did not weep, he stood absolutely still, giving honour to his fallen brother.

    Ash stood, and began to shovel the dirt into the tomb, so that Sceptile may become one with the forest that birthed him.

    As was custom for the Colony.

    The moon flickered overhead as Ash strapped the shovel onto his pack. He looked up into the sky, and decided that enough time had passed for the shadows of the forest to forego their silence, and to rage .

    Ash turned to Charizard as the trees began to rustle - and the cryptid forms of the mutated Colony stalked closer - ¡°It¡¯s time to go.¡±

    Charizard gave one last gaze to where Sceptile was buried, then nodded, lowering its body for Ash to climb on.

    Pikachu scampered onto his shoulder as Ash recalled his other pok¨¦mon. The noises of the forest began to rise to a cacophonous screech as shadowed demons clawed their way to the burial grounds, reaching into the sky as Charizard beat its wings.

    And the forms of what once were a proud Colony of Treecko were now nothing more than twisted mutations that frothed .

    Charizard rose to the sky, his dark red scales almost shining crimson against the moonlight.

    Once they passed the outskirts of the forest, Ash adjusted his place on Charizard¡¯s back to get a better view of their surroundings.

    And to see where it was safest for them to land.

    Going east was not an option. Not at night. Even from this distance, Ash could see the tidal waves and firestorms wrought in Groudon and Kyogre¡¯s wake.

    Rampaging in Madness.

    North wasn¡¯t much better, with it being home to mutated Salamence. Even somewhere as close as Rustboro wasn¡¯t safe, given that it was overrun by several Regirock.

    And they were potentially even more dangerous than the dragons, given what happened to Regigigas.

    In the end, Ash decided on the one nearby place that didn¡¯t hold any immediate peril - yet, he would almost prefer if it did - ¡°Fly southeast to Petalburg City. May¡¯s house.¡±

    Charizard didn¡¯t give any indication that he heard Ash, but he still turned around, and began to glide towards the faded ruins of the once-lively city on the horizon.

    Charizard landed in front of the house, allowing Ash to dismount. Though the major threats in the region were not immediately present, a small number of mutated Linoone and Mightyena still roamed the area.

    However, Ash trusted his friends to ward off any intruders, at least for the night. Once the sun rose, they would head northwest, towards Unova. While it would be a very long flight, Ash had reason to believe that Team Source held a solid presence in the region, what with the rumours of the Magician basing his operations in the region.

    As Ash trudged through the wreckage of the house, he heard a series of howls from outside - A pack of Mightyena . Ash didn¡¯t worry about it, though, as a quaking Roar shook the very earth they stood upon, causing the mutated wolves to run away.

    Before long, Ash had found a space that remained relatively intact - May¡¯s room - and released his pok¨¦mon. After a moment of hearing Charizard roam outside, Ash brought his fingers to his mouth and whistled.

    Not a second passed before the entire house shook, and Ash turned his head up with a glare towards Charizard, who perched precariously on the partially collapsed ceiling, staring down at them with mild amusement.

    Ash leaned back, crossing his arms at the winged beast, ¡°You do know that you could have collapsed the house on us, yes?¡± At Charizard¡¯s prideful snort, Ash glared harder, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if we would have lived. You shouldn¡¯t needlessly risk your lives for a meaningless stunt.¡±

    Charizard once again snorted a small plume of smoke, though he craned his neck in apology. Ash¡¯s eyes softened as he regarded Charizard, ¡°Stop. What¡¯s done is done, and I won¡¯t hold it against you,¡± He turned to his other pok¨¦mon, face turning grave as he paused, before slowly stating, ¡°It¡¯s¡­ It¡¯s been an honour, having you all by my side. You all are the greatest thing that¡¯s ever happened to me.¡±

    Another snort rang out into the night, with Charizard giving a small nod to him, indeed, being the greatest. Ash¡¯s other friends also gave various forms of assent.

    Ash gave a watery chuckle, ¡°I know, Charizard, you¡¯re the best ¡­ Like no one ever was¡­¡± Ash¡¯s eyes turned forlorn - yet held an undercurrent of cold determination - ¡°You all¡­ should leave.¡±

    Ash had braced himself for their reactions, which they did give. Charizard sucked in a breath before rumbling angrily. Lucario shifted back, as if struck. Infernape growled, and Greninja simply glared.

    Yet, to Ash, the most simple - the most devastating - response was Pikachu¡¯s.

    Whereas the other pok¨¦mon began to loudly protest the idea, Pikachu remained silent, keeping his eyes closed, as if sleeping.

    Yet, Ash ignored the increasing volume, instead watching Pikachu as the mouse opened his eyes, locking them with Ash¡¯s own.

    The other pok¨¦mon quickly stopped, and watched as Pikachu and Ash stared at each other, communicating in a way beyond words and gestures.

    An eternity passed, and the pok¨¦mon waited to see if their smallest - strongest - would side with them¡­ or side with Ash.

    They nearly startled when Pikachu gave a light sneeze, before spitting on the ground, giving Ash a small glare before spitting again.

    Pikachu was absolutely disgusted by the idea.

    Ash felt himself giving a sad - desperate - smile, ¡°Pikachu, I¡­ You need to go, please ,¡± Ash clenched his fist, willing away the sudden onset of tears, ¡°I - It¡¯s dangerous , Pikachu,¡± Ash¡¯s eyes flashed, an intense glint appearing in them, ¡° I am going to die, Pikachu. Whether it¡¯s from the Storm, or the Chariot¡­ I can¡¯t have you die with me. ¡±

    Ash gripped his knees - he was kneeling to them, begging - ¡°Everyone else has already died. Brock, Misty, May, Serena, all of them ,¡± Ash stared at them, pleading for them to see and understand - his eyes glistened with tears - ¡°I can¡¯t have that happen to you.¡±

    Ash stood up, a pit of rage descending into his stomach, ¡°Look at Sceptile! He died because of me! ¡± Ash¡¯s voice cracked at the exclamation - and, oh, he couldn¡¯t bear to see the deep sadness in his pok¨¦mons¡¯ eyes - ¡°He¡¯d still be alive if he didn¡¯t step in front of me! I should have taken that Horn Drill , not him!¡±

    Ash faltered slightly as he felt an overwhelming aura of denial rush out of his pok¨¦mon, nearly crushing him under its weight - under its love . All the same, he grit his teeth, reigning in his anger - his self-loathing - and knelt down to Pikachu, ¡°It¡¯s already too late for him. Too late for me . But it¡¯s not too late for you ,¡± He cast his eyes up to face his other pok¨¦mon - and, oh, it was far more difficult than any battle had ever been - ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know where you can go, but you need to get away,¡± Ash stood up and began to pace, hands shaking by his side in grief and desperation, ¡°Maybe¡­ Mount Quena! I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s still hidden, given what happened with Mewtwo¡­¡± Ash turned away from his pok¨¦mon, cradling his head in his hands, ¡°Maybe Ilex Forest? If¡­ If you all could go back in time¡­ You could get away¡­ ¡±

    Suddenly, Ash stopped as several bodies wrapped him up into a hug. Greninja, Infernape, and Lucario fit together to surround him while Pikachu rubbed against his leg. Charizard had even descended from the roof, and raised his wings to envelop Ash and the others in an embrace.

    And this¡­ broke (absolved) Ash.

    After several hours of holding in his grief - holding in his hatred, his fear - Ash wept.

    Wept for the loss of Sceptile.

    Wept for the loss of those that he loved.

    Wept for the loss of hope¡­ Hope that he and his friends may live in the end.

    ¡®I am going to die.¡¯

    And his friends would stand there with him.

    Facing the abyss - the storm - the veil side-by-side.

    ¡­

    and in the end, You did

    You bested the Storm, and died for it

    yet here You stand, side-by-side with those You love

    those who love You

    I look forward to seeing You at the close

    My Chariot

    go forth

    go forth, My Chariot

    go forth, and conquer

    ¡­

    Outside of the Slowpoke Well, Outskirts of Azalea Town, November 14th, 1997

    ¡°Slowwwwwwwwwwwwwwpoke.¡±

    Red rolled his eyes as Pichu tussled with one of the many Slowpoke in the area, many of whom had crowded around Red in mixed curiosity and lethargy.

    Charmander stood guard over the well, eyes narrowed into triangular slits as it observed the landscape. Meanwhile, Froakie had taken to Red¡¯s shoulder, and was currently watching the herd of Slowpoke with thinly veiled confusion.

    For his own part, Red didn¡¯t mind their company. Despite the¡­ nightmares he still faced after the Storm - after the Chariot - Red still thrived in the company of pok¨¦mon.

    Red still found that most pok¨¦mon liked his company as well, which had been the case with his time as Ash as well.

    Although, Red had noticed that the amount of wild pok¨¦mon he had encountered over the past two months had been rather slim. Of those that did meet him, most seemed almost primal in fear, before settling down once Red began to talk to them.

    It was another odd thing that surrounded Red.

    ¡®What are you?¡¯

    The Slowpoke occupying the well were some of the very few who had come up to Red without any reservations, crowing almost longingly as they hobbled around, and generally did nothing much outside of eating, drinking, sleeping, and defecating.

    It would¡¯ve astonished Red that Azalea Town celebrated Slowpoke as sacred creatures, but he had seen, and lived, weirder.

    Besides, if the Slowpoke were useful for one thing, they allowed an easy sanctuary away from Karen and Salvare.

    Red¡­ hadn¡¯t spoken to either of them since coming out of the forest. He had seen Salvare take a few tentative steps in his direction, though Karen always stopped him before he reached Red.

    Red kept his silence, hoping - begging - that this would finally just drive Salvare away . But¡­ The kid - for reasons that eluded Red - still seemed determined to stick by him.

    At least Karen seemed to have the desire to leave, taking Salvare with her. It was much easier to make her hate him - like he hated himself - given that she was already predisposed to fear him.

    For all that she denies it.

    But¡­ The kid seemingly couldn¡¯t hate Red, which¡­

    Terrified him.

    ¡°Wherever he goes, I go.¡±

    Red closed his eyes and locked away the voice in his mind.

    He had been hearing so many voices.

    Red turned his mind to the brief conversation he had - could it be called a conversation if he didn¡¯t speak? - with Karen earlier that morning.

    He had just signed up for the Gym Challenge - November 16th, 8-Badge - when Karen stepped up to him, scowling, ¡°We¡¯re having that talk after your Gym match, capiche? ¡±

    Red¡¯s face remained neutral as he nodded silently - which only seemed to rile her up further . Instead of continuing to talk, Karen turned around and grabbed Salvare before he could speak to Red, dragging him out of the Pokemon Center.

    Red turned his thoughts to the talk, and what he would say, and what he would keep to himself.

    Obviously, no mention of Team Source, his future, and the subsequent time-travel could be made. He never knew who the information could reach, after all. Red had already let slip his experience with legendaries, but not the extent of it.

    All Karen - and Salvare to a lesser extent - knew was that Red had experience with legendaries . Plural, but not a specified amount. Taking his wording literally, Red could have interacted with as many as all of them (which he genuinely questioned whether that was the case), or he could have interacted with as little as two .

    Red wasn¡¯t a great liar. As Ash, he was too forthcoming and honest to even consider it, and as Red, he initially lacked the confidence and thought it took to craft a convincing lie.

    After all, it took Herren all of three seconds to call him out on it.

    Instead, Red found it far easier to keep secrets from others by simply not saying anything. No one knew to ask for the truth if they didn¡¯t know they needed to.

    And it was an interesting thing.

    He has spoken far less as Red than he ever did as Ash.

    And, in all honesty, Red saw no real reason to share anything with them.

    After all, anything he could share would only drag them into his own problems.

    And saying nothing at all just might just be the final push to get them to leave.

    It was a cold, practical frame of mind. It was dishonest, and somewhat cruel, but necessary.

    ¡®I am going to die.¡¯

    Red frowned, recalling the night where he made his plea to his pok¨¦mon.

    ¡®I can¡¯t have you die with me.¡¯

    Red scowled, pushing the memory away. This wasn¡¯t like that. This was necessary. This was for their own good.

    Ash¡¯s pok¨¦mon had nowhere to run.

    Salvare and Karen¡­ they had no place in this.

    it was selfish of you to bring them along in the first place.

    That was the crux of it, wasn¡¯t it?

    Red had been selfish.

    He had already played his part in saving Croconaw back at the Lake of Rage. Him taking Salvare as his protege wasn¡¯t for Salvare¡¯s benefit, it was for his own.

    Red should have left Salvare at Ecruteak - no, he shouldn¡¯t have indulged himself even that much.

    It had been three years since he had any human friends.

    Red shouldn¡¯t have allowed himself the weakness of travelling with Salvare. It was his burden to bear; his alone . Team Source knew his name - knew his face - and he knew that would happen, and yet he still took Salvare in.

    Selfish.

    Cruel.

    Red¡¯s face twisted, memories of old friends, old family flashing through his mind.

    So many¡­

    So many died because of him.

    He had promised himself - promised himself time and time again - that he wouldn¡¯t allow it to happen again - no matter how many times it inevitably did.

    Red couldn¡¯t allow Salvare, and even Karen, to suffer the same fate.

    He shouldn¡¯t have dragged them with him in the first place.

    or would that have simply dropped Salvare into The Chariot¡¯s hands?

    Red shook his head, banishing the doubts in his mind.

    He needed them to get away.

    For their own sakes.

    He could see it now.

    In all of its terrible truth.

    Judgement seemed to show genuine care for his leader.

    Red could see Salvare¡¯s eyes now, staring at him with such obedience, such devotion, that Red did not deserve.

    care that was not returned in the slightest.

    go forth

    go forth, My Chariot

    Red¡¯s eyes hardened as he peered off into the distance.

    go forth

    Like a tumour, a singular thought - naught but a whisper - lodged itself into his mind.

    ¡®You¡¯re the only one I can call My Equal¡¯

    And all around Ash, a field of graves stood.

    Those buried who were demolished by The Chariot¡¯s wrath.

    Or the wrath of the Storm.

    And it had only been mere weeks before when Red - and his friends - had nearly died underneath Goldenrod.

    His pok¨¦mon had nearly died for him.

    Again.

    He had been too weak.

    And so he needed to push them away, for he was too weak to protect them. Too weak to save his pok¨¦mon. Too weak to save those he loved. He couldn¡¯t bear for it to happen again, so he needed them-

    Hello?

    Red snapped into attention.

    W-Where am I?

    Red closed his eyes with a shuddering breath, and rapidly tried to reach out with his mind to the sound of the voice - it was young, so young.

    A minor pressure began to press on Red¡¯s head - adding to his eternal headache - as Red whispered, ¡° Can you hear me? ¡±

    Red¡¯s eyebrows creased as he felt something shift just outside of his senses. He smelled the salt of the waves, and felt his hairs rise with the static of a storm.

    Oh - Hello¡­

    ¡° ...Hi¡­ ¡± Red replied slowly, concentrating hard to keep the voice - the presence - in his mind.

    Who are you?

    Red felt a trickle of sweat drip down his brow, and kept his reply short, ¡° Red. ¡±

    ¡­That¡¯s a weird name.

    Am I dead?

    ¡° No, ¡± Red hissed, and quickly reigned in the growing pit of rage he felt for Team Source, lest he frighten the creature, ¡° You are alive. ¡±

    Oh¡­

    ¡­

    Am I¡­

    Am I¡­ Free?

    ¡° Yes, ¡± Red breathed out - he felt Pichu sidle up next to him - ¡° You are free. ¡±

    ¡­

    ¡­

    Where am I?

    ¡° Far¡­ ¡± Red grit his teeth as the strain on his mind and aura grew overwhelming, ¡° Far away from the lab. ¡±

    ¡­

    ¡­

    Thank you¡­

    Unbidden, tears began to trickle down Red¡¯s cheeks - and he didn¡¯t know whether they came from him or the creature.

    ¡­

    I¡­

    I want to see¡­

    I want to see the world¡­

    ¡°Froakie,¡± Red whispered, keeping his eyes closed, ¡°Remove the pok¨¦ball from the machine, and let the baby out.¡±

    Red focused on the creature¡¯s presence, keeping it within his senses, lest it fade away and never return.

    After a few moments, he distantly heard a croak by his side. Red mentally prepared himself as Froakie released the creature, and felt the pressure on his mind gradually ease.

    Red blinked away stars as he opened his eyes, before looking down to see the crouched form of a small - very small - Eevee.

    The pok¨¦mon looked up at him with wide - innocent yet guarded - eyes. Looking at it again, Red wondered if the creature was even smaller than Pichu.

    It was smaller than the length of his arm at the very least.

    Red locked away his curiosity and focused on comforting the creature - he didn¡¯t know whether to call it Eevee, the Changeling, or what.

    Red knelt down, and saw in his peripheral that Charmander and Pichu had crouched down to appear less hostile - and the creature was so small.

    Red locked eyes with the creature, and said in a gentle whisper, ¡°Can you hear me?¡±

    The pok¨¦mon gave a shaky nod, remaining silent as it observed Red with a mixed gaze of longing and caution.

    Red could see splotches of muted colours drifting along its fur.

    Red remained silent for a moment, rapidly running through several ways to calm the baby pok¨¦mon down, before settling on, ¡°You¡¯re never going back there. You¡¯re free. Do you understand?¡±

    The baby Eevee stared at Red with wide eyes - flashes of blue, red, and purple danced in its pupils . It lowered its body, flattening its ears behind its head as a small, almost inaudible whimper came from the creature¡¯s lips.

    It was scared.

    It thought it was still going back.

    Red breathed slowly and made eye contact with the creature, ¡°You aren¡¯t going back because I am here ,¡± Red slowly extended a hand to the creature, ¡°I destroyed them, and will destroy them again if they dare come after you.¡±

    Red laid his hand down next to the baby, and watched with sad eyes as the baby hesitated at his proximity, ¡°I know you are afraid¡­ I¡¯m afraid too,¡± the baby Eevee flicked its eyes to Red at his admission, ¡°We both have demons that we run from. Let me help you fight against your own.¡±

    Red kept his eyes locked with the baby¡¯s, willing his conviction through them. Eyes were the key to the soul, after all. The baby stared back, its eyes bearing both the innocence of its youth and the hollowness of its age.

    For one so young, it had suffered that of several lifetimes.

    But did that make the baby pok¨¦mon any different than Red? Did that make it any different from any of them?

    Red had suffered - is suffering - too, suffering alongside his brethren.

    He, the eldest amongst them, lived only mere months over twenty.

    They were all young.

    The baby mewled, and a harsh static filled Red¡¯s ears and eyes. What once was and never would be again became present, even if only for a moment.

    And the creature blinked, and from its eyes, two souls stared at the expanse beyond.

    Waves, crashing waves. A canvas of blue stars in the water. Cloudless skies, yet the Storm approaches.

    Birth. What is birth but a new beginning? The waves shimmer, and we are content.

    Free.

    We blink, and the mountain grows. The Storm approaches, cloudless, yet grand.

    Beautiful, yet terrible.

    We die, partly. Could it be called life if there is no living?

    We live, partly. Could it be called death when there is such pain?

    We blink, and the canvas of blue becomes a canvas of shadows.

    What once was would never be again.

    freedom is a lie

    The shadows move - dance - heckle - haunt.

    There is no rest. No warm soul to cry upon.

    The canvas of blue fades away. The scent of the sea, a myth.

    They want red, give them red.

    They want blue, give them blue.

    They wwwwwwwant yellow, give - give it to them!

    They want purple - warm, so warm - do it now!

    Starving starving they want the shadows . It burns so cold.

    LET THERE BE LIGHT

    and there was light

    and the light was overwhelming

    and the light hurt

    and the light was good

    and the light was free

    freedom is a lie

    Yet we became the light

    And the light became us

    and it scares (me)

    do you see, lightbringer?

    do you see me?

    do you see what I have become?

    ¡° I do, ¡± Red murmured in answer.

    And to this, the baby shattered , then reformed.

    Eevee became Flareon, and embers licked the edges of its fur, which then solidified in harsh tones of yellow as white arcs of electricity danced across the creature¡¯s neck, which twisted and writhed to a wreath of gills, glowing a soft blue before receding back into its skin as the creature¡¯s tail split into two, and its eyes, locked with Red¡¯s - twin gazes of crimson - hollowed out and starved before spiralling together in a cacophony of light, let there be light, let there be light, let there be light.

    And to this - the creature¡¯s rage, the creature¡¯s plea - Red answered by gripping its paw, ¡° I see you. I see you for what you are: a monster. ¡±

    Against the rising static of his ears and eyes, Red smiled - hollow, yet understanding, for they were the same - ¡° I see you for what you are because I am a monster too, ¡± And for the first time in years , Red allowed his hold on his spirit to slip, ¡° See me, as I see you. ¡±

    And Red blinked, and from his eyes, two souls gazed at the sky above them.

    It was cloudless as it was still. A storm freshly passed yet the Storm silently grew.

    We stood, overlooking the world, blessed by the light of Our first rainbow.

    In Our arms was our friend - brother - whom we would travel the world with, and conquer.

    Our family grew, both amongst man and pok¨¦mon.

    We were happy.

    We were free.

    We travelled, and saved many from death.

    We travelled, and grew to love and hate and hope and live.

    We travelled, and communed with the legends and the myths of the world.

    Yet, in the end, all it took was for one enemy to remain undetected.

    They unleashed something they could not control.

    The Source of all power in the world.

    Ever beautiful.

    Ever terrible.

    The Storm raged, and We remained to bury Our family.

    We lived as prey to the man who walked the path of destruction.

    as prey, We learned.

    as prey, We survived.

    as prey, We became a monster.

    We became the predator.

    and in Our wake (even still), We carved a path of destruction.

    We stood underneath the earth in a prison of glass.

    Our everlasting enemy stood against Us, unknowing what We truly were.

    the never-ending war resumed.

    We carved a path of blood to free that which Our enemy held in chains.

    ¡° You, ¡± Red spoke aloud, keeping his eyes closed as he lightly stroked the head of the creature - it mewled in longing, in loathing - ¡° They made you a monster, but they made us a monster too. ¡±

    Red opened his eyes - and, for once, his eyes did not blaze, instead remaining solid and sure - ¡° I do not fear what you are. I do not flinch when I gaze into your eyes. You are young, as we once were. We are the same, ¡± Red breathed in tandem with the creature, ¡° We are the same. ¡±

    Against his declaration, the world around them gave no answer aside from a soft hum of the wind. If one were to look, they would almost see the clouds form a spiked halo, bearing in its centre the sun.

    And for one moment, the sun glowed red.

    Red¡¯s eyes drifted down as the creature moved against his hand, leaning into it. Its fur no longer shifted, though its colours still bore the markings of several forms. Yet, Red felt no lingering pain in the link of minds - of spirits - he shared with the creature, only a faint feeling of assurance.

    It was not a feeling of trust.

    It was not a feeling of distrust.

    It was the assurance of choice, and the freedom to make it.

    So Red stayed, and lightly petted the baby creature as it fell asleep, exhausted both in body and in spirit. Once it was asleep, Red closed his eyes, and felt the hairs on his skin rise as he once more locked away that sacred part of himself that he shared with the baby, and became cold .

    The pain of loss always became easier when locked away, lest it overwhelm him.

    After all, he no longer held the luxury of time to grieve.

    In the end, it was for his own good.

    ¡­

    Several hours passed before the creature began to wake from its slumber. In that time, Red hadn¡¯t moved from his position beside the creature, and opted to take the time to brainstorm new strategies for his pok¨¦mon.

    Especially Froakie. The frog had acquired a level of control over Dark-type energy that only normally came with its final evolution.

    Red softly closed his notebook when he felt the creature begin to move - he should really find something else to call it . He watched as its fur shifted, then smoothed, a purple sheen glowing softly as the last rays of the setting sun shine upon the creature, ¡°It¡¯s a beautiful sunset, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    The creature craned its neck, giving Red a small gaze before turning back to the sun. Red felt a soft, hesitant voice in his mind.

    ¡­It is.

    Red hummed, flicking his eyes towards Froakie and Pichu, who had noticed the baby¡¯s awakening and were now bounding towards them, ¡°You know, we should find yourself a name.¡±

    The creature gave a slight grumble and turned its head to stare at Red as if he was an idiot, giving a soft croon that, while not accompanied with a psychic feeling, Red still understood.

    Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    However, Red only frowned - though he felt far more wrathful within - , ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t think ¡®Specimen¡¯ is a fitting name.¡±

    Red silently willed away his growing rage towards Team Source as the creature tilted its head, confused, before communing with Red in his mind.

    That¡¯s what the shadows called me.

    At this, Red couldn¡¯t keep the scowl off of his face, though the creature didn¡¯t back away in fear like Red expected - dreaded - instead analysing him, trying to understand something.

    ¡°That¡­¡± Red huffed a humourless laugh, ¡°Whatever they called you is not your name. They don¡¯t get to define who you are,¡± Red¡¯s eyes softened as he regarded the creature¡¯s eyes, ¡°Like I said, you¡¯re free now, and that includes choosing a name.¡±

    Froakie, who had been watching the interaction in stoic silence, took the opportunity to croak something to the creature.

    Red didn¡¯t entirely understand what the two were saying - he wasn¡¯t quite as adept at parsing out pok¨¦mons¡¯ speech as N was - but he understood on a basic level that Froakie was listing out potential names to the creature.

    Suddenly, the creature huffed a laugh at one of the things Froakie croaked. Red watched on with a raised eyebrow - and no small amount of interest - as the creature snicker while Froakie looked on, face completely innocent.

    Red was about to ask what Froakie said when Pichu crept up to the frog, asking the very same thing. Red¡¯s eyebrows only rose higher when Pichu snorted . Loudly.

    After a few seconds, Red crossed his arms and asked, ¡°Do any of you all care to fill me in on what¡¯s funny?¡±

    Froakie and Pichu made eye contact before turning to Red, shaking their head in the negative at the same time.

    Red¡¯s attention turned to the baby as it stopped snickering. With a small smile, it locked eyes with him.

    Won¡¯t tell. Very naughty.

    Red¡¯s eyebrows rose higher , ¡°Already corrupting the youth, Froakie? For shame,¡± He shook his head in mock despair as the baby began to snicker louder. Red concealed a smile at that.

    It was good¡­ It was good for the baby to laugh.

    ¡°In all seriousness, though, did you give any actual names?¡± Red asked Froakie, to which the frog responded with a shrug.

    Vee.

    Red¡¯s eyes widened as he turned back to the baby, its eyes staring back with a soft glow of determination.

    My name is Vee.

    Red blinked before exhaling a breath he wasn¡¯t aware he was holding, ¡°You¡¯ve chosen your name, then?¡±

    Yes.

    I am Vee.

    The baby creature - Vee - almost seemed defiant in its choice, as if it was a final stand against an encroaching enemy.

    In a way, Red supposed, it was.

    ¡°Vee,¡± Red tasted the name on his lips - he already liked it more than ¡®creature¡¯ or ¡®Changeling¡¯ - and smiled, ¡°It¡¯s good to meet you.¡±

    Vee closed its eyes and nodded solemnly - far too solemn for a child, but it wasn¡¯t a normal child, not anymore . Her eyes opened, and soft blue eyes shone as light began to caress its fur.

    Vee nodded again, almost to itself, before giving a small yawn.

    As it began to fall into slumber once more, Red felt one final declaration in his mind - his soul, let there be light - and heeded it.

    See me for what I am, Lightbringer.

    I am Vee. I am free.

    And, though Vee had already fallen asleep, Red nodded back, responding with his own light .

    I see you, Vee.

    I see you, and love you.

    ¡­

    Pokemon Tower, Lavender Town

    ¡°Took y¡¯all long enough. Did yeh all travel by foot?¡±

    Koga kept his face expressionless at Agatha¡¯s question, knowing that if she were truly dissatisfied with their tardiness, she would have shown it in much more physical ways.

    Though there was a faint presence behind her that he couldn¡¯t quite parse out.

    Pryce, however, didn¡¯t seem to understand that, or - more likely, given Koga¡¯s understanding of Pryce and Agatha¡¯s relationship - fully understood and still took offence, ¡°Well I¡¯m bloodeh sorry tha¡¯ I had to fly m¡¯way over the whole bleedin¡¯ region . Couldn¡¯ta picked a better place t¡¯speak, now could¡¯ya?¡±

    Had Koga had his way, they would have simply ended it there and moved on with whatever it was that they were meeting about. However, he had long learned not to be too hopeful about such things, having seen Agatha and Pryce devolve into blows over weather patterns .

    That¡­ was certainly a day.

    As the two oldest Aura Guardians once more resumed their eternal war of words, Koga took the chance to search for the source of the faint disturbance he had felt upon arrival. He scanned the balcony as he walked along, and it took him longer than he would like to admit to find the source of his agitated senses, standing like a dark blight in the corner of the balcony.

    ¡°Ah¡­ How goes it, Herren?¡±

    As if parting a veil of shadows to step into the light, Herren leaned forward to give Koga a toothy grin, ¡°Took you long enough to see me, Koga. Are you getting rusty?¡±

    Koga huffed, feeling equal parts amused and offended, ¡°Hardly. You¡¯ve always been good at hiding yourself,¡± Koga glanced a look at Agatha, who was still bickering with Pryce, ¡°I imagine she hadn¡¯t seen you?¡±

    Herren snorted, stepping up to stand next to Koga, idly moving the toothpick across his mouth, ¡°For one as paranoid as her, she can be remarkably lax with her senses.¡±

    Koga shook his head, muttering, ¡° Only you, ¡± He straightened, his voice gaining a slightly sharper edge as he asked, ¡°Do you have business with us?¡±

    Herren hummed, the steel irises of his eyes darkening as a shadow surrounded them, ¡°The earth has shaken, my friend, and I am not one to ignore it,¡± He crossed his arms, looking west, ¡°You¡¯ve felt the shift in Ilex, did you not?¡±

    Koga frowned minutely - he was somewhat surprised that Herren had apparently felt it too - ¡°Yes¡­¡±

    Herren simply shrugged in response, as if it explained everything. In a way, Koga supposed it did, though he felt the need to ask, ¡°So you decided to wiggle your way into one of our meetings?¡±

    Herren smirked, ¡°I was already in the area, and who am I to deny an opportunity to annoy our resident hag?¡± The man chuckled, before abruptly stopping as a Yamask floated from behind his body, chirping quietly at Koga. Herren gave a soft smile as the pok¨¦mon excitedly nudged up to the ninja master, ¡°Koi also wanted to say hello, and I¡¯m not one to say no to her.¡±

    Koga hummed to himself at the answer. Given everything he knew about the man - which was remarkably little - his reasoning fell in line with what they knew of him. Especially what he said of his pok¨¦mon.

    The man adored that Yamask.

    Before either of them could say anything more, though, Agatha seemed to have finished verbally sparring with Pryce, and noticed Herren¡¯s presence, ¡°Bah! I knew there was somethin¡¯ afoot!¡±

    Herren raised a singular eyebrow - which the Yamask mimicked - ¡°And yet you didn¡¯t see me. How about that¡­¡±

    Agatha snorted angrily before shifting her gaze to Koga, ¡°Alright, enough¡¯s enough. Throw ¡®im out.¡±

    Instead of doing as she bid, Koga remained silent as Herren barked a laugh - the Yamask by his side widened its eyes at that - and Pryce snapped, ¡°Really, woman?! Jus¡¯ because he¡¯s of Johto doesn¡¯ mean yeh can throw ¡®im out like cattle!¡±

    ¡°Wooh, yeah, baby, Johto represent,¡± Herren deadpanned - the Yamask, Koi, chirped a laugh - ¡°In all seriousness, I was under the impression that I was still considered a Master, even if Rogue. Unless something¡¯s changed?¡±

    Agatha harrumphed, tapping her cane on the ground, ¡°I¡¯m well aware of your delusion over your skills, boy -¡±

    ¡°Tried and proven in battle against you , Agatha dear,¡± Herren¡¯s smile broadened, showing far more teeth than any human should have, ¡°I¡¯ve always felt that to be a better measure of mastery than talking theory .¡±

    ¡°Enough!¡± Koga snapped, massaging his temples. It was enough having to deal with Agatha and Pryce; adding Herren into the mix only made it worse. ¡°I have no objection to Herren remaining. Do you, Pryce?¡±

    Pryce grumbled, ¡°I don¡¯ care one way or the other. I jus¡¯ want teh move on.¡±

    Agatha¡¯s eyes narrowed as she gazed between Koga and Pryce, ¡°Bah! Fine!¡± She glared at Herren, who visibly looked amused at her dissatisfaction, ¡°One of these days, I¡¯ll beat you to a pulp.¡±

    Herren dramatically reeled back, bringing a hand to his chest, ¡°Be still my beating heart.¡±

    Koga shook his head as Herren tried to egg Agatha on. Thankfully, the old woman merely sneered and turned away, sharply stating, ¡°Two days ago, a massive psychic wave erupted from the Eastern Sea. I felt it rather strongly, given that I was here visiting,¡± Agatha then nodded to Koga, ¡°Koga also reported sensing it as far as Fuschia City.¡±

    ¡°Ten days before that ,¡± Agatha continued before anyone could get a word in edgewise, ¡°We all felt a disturbance originating from Celebi¡¯s domain. The disturbance then cut off approximately an hour later, and it has remained calm since then,¡± Agatha paused for a few moments before adding, ¡°I have received insider detail of what exactly happened from my apprentice, who was at the site of the event.¡±

    ¡°Karen was at the site?¡± Koga asked, feeling rising alarm, ¡°What was she doing there ?¡±

    ¡°She was already heading that direction, so I told her to check out whatever was going on with Celebi,¡± At Koga¡¯s wide-eyed expression, Agatha scoffed, ¡°Oh, do stop worrying, Koga. She¡¯s a big girl, and it isn¡¯t as if Celebi is known for bein¡¯ violent.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ beside the point,¡± Koga hissed incredulously, ¡°Violent or not, Celebi is primordial . One doesn¡¯t simply waltz into their domain on their own.¡±

    Agatha sniffed, ¡°She wasn¡¯t alone , and that¡¯s the interesting thing,¡± Agatha smirked, both in pride of her apprentice and at the incredulous expression that remained on Koga¡¯s face, ¡°You recall that Rogue Guardian that Karen¡¯s travellin¡¯ with?¡±

    Koga nodded as Pryce muttered, ¡°My memory¡¯s not that bad, woman.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Agatha purred malevolently, ¡°It turns out Red may be far more than we initially believed based on what my apprentice shared¡­¡±

    Koga noticed that Herren perked up at the name - was that recognition he saw on his face? - though Pryce rose before he could question Herren and snapped, ¡°Jus¡¯ tell us, woman! Yeh don¡¯ need to drag this out!¡±

    Agatha gave an exaggerated pout, though - somewhat surprisingly - acquiesced, ¡°Well, it turns out that Red was the one to calm down Celebi from its funk,¡± She paused to allow her words to sink in, ¡°Oh, and Karen also mentioned that he supposedly has experience in dealing with other legendaries.¡±

    The old woman allowed herself a pleased smirk as silence took hold over the balcony. After a few moments, the silence was broken with a cough, prompting Agatha to turn a glare to Herren, ¡°This¡­ Rogue Aura Guardian¡¯s name is Red? Red Satoshi, perhaps?¡±

    Agatha¡¯s glare sharpened, ¡°So you know of him?¡±

    Herren shrugged, passing a new toothpick to his Yamask, who had bitten through her previous one, ¡°Yeah. I met him a few months ago. Good kid, if a bit intense.¡±

    Koga blinked at this bit of news - Herren met Red? Small world - while Agatha pressed, ¡°And you just happened to come across him? Nothing more than pure coincidence, hmm?¡±

    In the face of her scepticism, Herren held up remarkably well - compared to anyone else Koga knew - ¡°Yeah. Helped him out a bit and went our separate ways,¡± He turned his head to look at his Yamask as she tugged on his sleeve, ¡°I know, Koi. You like everyone we meet.¡±

    ¡°Agatha,¡± Koga began, drawing the woman¡¯s attention to himself, ¡°You¡¯re saying that Red calmed Celebi , correct?¡±

    ¡°I am, or rather, Karen is,¡± Agatha steepled her fingers and leaned back against her shadow - who giggled menacingly - ¡°She didn¡¯t give many details, as she told me that she wanted to tell me in person, but I understand that it involved a good amount of time-travel and mist , whatever that means.¡±

    Koga began to massage his head as Pryce jerked forward - a move mimicked by a suddenly intense Herren - , ¡° Time-travel ? Your apprentice time-travelled ?¡±

    ¡°Along with Red,¡± Agatha confirmed, ¡°I don¡¯t know the details, but I am to understand that the two of them blinked in at several points in time, ultimately ending with Red doing something to appease Celebi from its distress.¡±

    ¡°That¡­¡± Koga petered off as the implications set in, ¡°That¡¯s¡­ what? ¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s all Karen said?¡± Herren leaned forward to ask. At Agatha¡¯s jerked nod, he frowned, ¡°That¡¯s not very specific.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m aware,¡± Agatha growled out, ¡°I fully intend on squeezing everything out of her when she returns.¡±

    Herren leaned back with a soft snort, muttering, ¡° That¡¯s not worrying at all .¡± The man didn¡¯t bother lowering his voice enough for Agatha not to hear, yet the old woman didn¡¯t do anything more than narrow her eyes at him before turning back to Koga and Pryce.

    ¡°Regardless of the details, this marks Red as a major player on the board, whether he knows it or not,¡± Agatha finished off with a small frown, the shadows around her twitching in agitation.

    Koga¡¯s attention turned to Pryce as the old man nodded, ¡°Aye, he communed with a primordial, an¡¯ he apparently has done so before,¡± Pryce furrowed his brow in confusion, ¡°I imagine we would¡¯ve heard o¡¯ him before if that¡¯s the case.¡±

    ¡°Not necessarily,¡± Herren piped up with a thoughtful gleam in his eye, ¡°You all keep watch over the local primordials, but that is not to say that Red couldn¡¯t have made contact with one outside of the region,¡± He paused for a moment to move the toothpick along his mouth, ¡°I mean, you all keep watch over two pairs of the elemental birds in Kanto and at Shamouti. What¡¯s to say that Red hasn¡¯t communed with another pair across the world?¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯ve already forgotten, boy, Red didn¡¯t specify what legendary he communed with,¡± Agatha growled as she began to rub her forehead.

    ¡°I¡¯m just stating a hypothetical,¡± Herren shot back, rolling his eyes in tandem with his Yamask, ¡°Case in point, there are five known pairs of the elemental birds in the world. Just about every primordial has at least two incarnations, aside from the major ones like the primals down in Hoenn. Who is to say that Red hasn¡¯t communed with one outside of your purview?¡±

    Koga hummed in consideration. It was an interesting point, if a little bit off putting in showing how much they didn¡¯t know.

    ¡°I don¡¯ see why we¡¯re wastin¡¯ our time with this,¡± Pryce piped up, earning a nasty glare from Agatha, ¡°It¡¯s not like we can figure out anythin¡¯ jus¡¯ by talkin¡¯ about it.¡±

    Koga waited for Agatha to give a rebuttal, and was faintly surprised when none came. After a few seconds of silence, Koga added with a raise of his hand, ¡°I concur. We have other subjects to discuss, after all,¡± He paused before posing a question to Agatha, ¡°Karen is still travelling with Red, correct?¡±

    ¡°Not for much longer,¡± Agatha answered, her tone sharpening back up to usual levels, ¡°She still has her last few badges to earn before she qualifies for the Silver League,¡± Agatha frowned, ¡°I don¡¯t know why she hasn¡¯t left already. Seemed to me like she was waitin¡¯ for the result of something before making her way up north.¡±

    Koga hummed, ¡°In that case, I¡¯d like to ask if you¡¯ve figured out anything more regarding the psychic wave to the east.¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately, nothing much,¡± Agatha frowned, leaning back against her shadow, ¡°The only potential lead I found was a small island some 50 kilometres off the coast of Cerulean Bay.¡±

    Koga leaned forward, ¡°I take it that it was the site of the event?¡±

    ¡°Most likely,¡± Agatha answered, ¡°It was an utter wasteland. Nothing but ash and psychic remnants,¡± The old woman snorted, though the only humour she found in the situation was of the morbid variety, ¡°The island was private property, according to the League database. There wasn¡¯t a name of the owner, nor any contact information,¡± Agatha frowned, appearing far more severe than before, ¡°The only thing of value in the paperwork was the date it was filed: April 14th, 1985.¡±

    Koga frowned alongside Pryce, idly noticing Herren lean back with a thoughtful hum. To the man¡¯s side, the Yamask gave a small croon, prompting Herren to give a soft smile, ¡°I know.¡±

    Agatha turned her attention - and ire - to him, ¡°Know what ?¡±

    ¡°That this is likely something far larger than you think?¡± Herren scoffed, ¡°Tell me, the acquisition of an entire island by a nobody doesn¡¯t just get accepted without any investigation, yeah?¡± At Agatha¡¯s stiff nod, he continued, ¡°Then it¡¯s safe to say that nobody even saw this when it first went through the system, or you would¡¯ve known about this a long time ago.¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Pryce leaned forward, a cold glint appearing in his eyes, ¡°It was towards the end of Oak¡¯s reign as Champion. Perhaps it slipped under the radar in his rush to leave?¡±

    ¡°I doubt that,¡± Agatha shot back in a clipped tone, ¡°Sam¡¯s never been one to let something like this slip.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s a forgery?¡± Koga proposed, cupping his chin with his hand, ¡°Someone could have sent this in at a later date and tried to make it appear more legitimate.¡±

    Agatha shook her head, ¡°I already checked, but the island has been marked off as foreign territory for twelve years,¡± Her gaze narrowed as she pursed her lips, ¡°Whatever happened there¡­ It¡¯s been in the works for a long time.¡±

    The group stayed as they considered this new source of intrigue. After a few minutes passed, Herren stood up with a small stretch, ¡°Well, if that¡¯s all¡­¡± He petered off to look at each of them, seeing if they had anything to say. When none of them did, he nodded to himself, ¡°I¡¯ll be on my way then. I¡¯d love to stay and catch up, but I have a birthday to celebrate and I need to be on my way.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Pryce perked up, ¡°I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re still celebration¡¯ your birthday at your age.¡±

    Herren gave an amused huff, ¡°It¡¯s not mine, old man. It¡¯s Koi¡¯s.¡±

    ¡°The Yamask¡¯s?¡± Agatha asked suddenly, prompting Herren to turn to her, looking far less jovial than he did with Pryce, ¡°Is it the birthday of its current life, or its previous ?¡±

    Koga frowned at that question - how could something have two birthdays? - but, upon seeing the shadowed wrath slowly descending within Herren¡¯s eyes, he decided to intervene, ¡°Agatha, that¡¯s-¡±

    ¡°Both,¡± Herren interrupted, giving a (fake) smile at the woman, ¡°And I best recommend you keep your questions to yourself in the future,¡± Though Herren smiled at Agatha, his eyes bore a malice that alarmed Koga, ¡°If I were anyone else, I wouldn¡¯t be so merciful .¡±

    It was only through rigorous training as both a ninja master and an Elder Guardian that Koga didn¡¯t tense at the sudden spike of darkness surrounding Herren. He idly waited for Agatha¡¯s response, prepared to separate them as quickly as possible should things get any more heated.

    And, for once, could Agatha not provoke a fight?

    After several seconds of silence - during which Pryce subtly shifted behind Agatha - the old woman sniffed, ¡°This is why I don¡¯t trust you, Herren. You keep secrets from us.¡±

    Herren¡¯s smile sharpened, though the darkness around him bled back into his skin - Koga idly wondered if Karen¡¯s aura would come to feel as uncomfortably warm as Herren¡¯s - ¡°Don¡¯t we all? We are in the business of secret-keeping, after all.¡±

    Herren shook his head, visibly scowling as he turned away from them, ¡°Koga, Pryce, it was good to see you,¡± Before either of them could respond, the man walked back into the tower, disappearing within its halls.

    Koga shook his head, exhausted, as Pryce rounded onto Agatha, ¡°Really, woman?! Did ya have to drive ¡®im off!¡±

    ¡°He was already leaving,¡± Agatha pointed out with a snarl, ¡°And I stand by what I said.¡±

    Koga interrupted before Pryce could respond - back to the same old squabble - ¡°We understand that he¡¯s a Rogue, but it is valuable for us to retain a positive relationship with the man,¡± Koga crossed his arms, hoping that Agatha would see the practicality of his view, ¡°We¡¯re limited in scope, and he isn¡¯t. Would you throw away a potential source of information?¡±

    Agatha glowered, ¡°I understand that, Koga. I jus¡¯ don¡¯t trust him with our knowledge.¡±

    Koga spread his hands, ¡°That can¡¯t be helped, Agatha. It¡¯s an exchange, like everything else we do,¡± He sighed rubbing a palm across his face, ¡°Look, at this point, what¡¯s done is done. Can we move on?¡±

    Agatha grumbled to herself, ¡°Fine! Fine,¡± She leaned back, crossing her arms, ¡°We still have to share our reports, now that the big things are out of the way. Who wants to go first?¡±

    Koga looked over to Pryce, who groaned into his hands at the fact that the meeting wasn¡¯t over. Sighing to himself, Koga took it upon himself to give the first report, since Pryce was giving a silent tantrum and Agatha still seemed hostile.

    Honestly, he was the youngest of the three of them, yet he was the most mature.

    He almost pitied Karen for when she would have to deal with this.

    ¡­

    Outside of the Azalea Gym, November 16th

    ¡°Red.¡±

    Red grimaced internally - he had been dreading this - before turning around to see Karen standing with crossed arms, eyeing him with a mixture of annoyance and resignation.

    Almost exactly the same things he felt.

    Karen jerked her head back, ¡°Salvare¡¯s waiting,¡± then began to walk down the street without another word.

    For a brief moment, Red considered going the other way, not even bothering to have this ¡®talk¡¯. He quickly shook his head of the thought, and began to trudge after her.

    He had already agreed to this. If nothing else, he kept his word.

    It didn¡¯t make the upcoming confrontation any easier for Red - it was almost sad how much more at ease Red felt in battle than in this . Normally, Red would have been able to find some support from his pok¨¦mon, but they all had to be sent to the Pokemon Center for healing after their narrow victory over Bugsy.

    The only pok¨¦mon Red currently carried with him was Vee, who was asleep, resting from the strain they both felt when Red allowed Vee to see through his eyes during the Gym match.

    They would have to improve on that technique. While it was a good way for Vee to learn, it slowed down Red¡¯s reflexes and tired them both out considerably.

    While Vee got to rest in her pok¨¦ball, Red still had a deal to uphold. The exhaustion didn¡¯t even grate on Red anymore, not when it was the only thing he felt.

    when was the last time You truly rested?

    By the time Karen found Salvare, Red felt any last remnants of his exhaustion go numb. He would leave it aside for later, like everything else.

    The three of them stood in a small park at the edge of town. Though it was only midday, Red could count the number of nearby people with his fingers.

    It made some degree of sense, he supposed. Azalea Town didn¡¯t boast a large population, and the vast majority of visitors had passed through earlier on in the League season.

    Red¡¯s (purposely) distracted musings were cut off by a cough, ¡°Erm¡­¡± Salvare extended an arm towards one of the larger elm trees in the park, ¡°I was thinking we could do this in the shade¡­ If that¡¯s fine with you?¡±

    Red shrugged, allowing Karen to answer for them, only to find her looking at him, a defiant expression on her face. He mentally sighed to himself - so this is how it¡¯s going to go - and turned to look directly at Salvare.

    He couldn¡¯t stop the small flinch as Judgement stared back with distant eyes.

    Red took a silent breath - and saw Salvare, saw him for what he aimed to avoid - and replied in clipped monotone, ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡±

    Though Red could tell that Salvare was dismayed at the response, the kid hid it remarkably well under a small smile. Karen shot Red a scathing look that he pretended not to notice, then went off to sit down next to Salvare, facing across towards Red as he joined them.

    Both of them faced off against him.

    How¡­ ironic.

    It should have made him happy, or at least relieved, that they both sat against him. It indicated that, in some way, they were already separated from him, and that all it took for them to leave was one, little push.

    it would be so easy. You know them well enough to shatter any chance of sticking with You.

    to save them.

    show the woman who You truly are: a monster.

    and deny the kid any attachment to You.

    it would be so easy¡­

    ¡®But it isn¡¯t you.¡¯

    Red¡¯s eyes widened involuntarily - and the sinister pulse of crimson left his eyes - as the small voice tapped into his mind. Ignoring the empathic and intense looks from Salvare and Karen respectively, Red reached and whispered back.

    You should be asleep.

    Vee sent back a vague mixture of silly tired worry empathy , causing Red¡¯s lips to quirk up. Red clumsily sent back a feeling of calm, and before long, Vee fell back asleep.

    It took a few moments for Red to remember the situation, and by the time he did, Karen broke the silence, ¡°This, this right here is why we¡¯re having this talk,¡± She gestured agitatedly towards Red, appearing more frustrated than angry (for the time being), ¡°One moment, you look like you¡¯re looking into Giratina¡¯s backside, not to mention how bright your eyes got. The next moment, your eyes die out and you smirk as if someone fell on their ass!¡±

    Red¡¯s budding smile slid off of his face, and he kept silent. He watched as Karen raised an eyebrow, silently demanding him to respond, before giving a large sigh when he did not.

    His line of thinking returned to what he aimed to get out of this. He still needed them gone, away from the dangers he ( was ) attracted, but there was no need to be antagonistic towards them.

    He didn¡¯t much like the fact that it had been his first instinct.

    Regardless of anything else, Red had¡­ enjoyed their company, however brief it was. It was entirely selfish of him, knowing that his mission would end in death or damnation, yet still dragging someone else with him. While he didn¡¯t regret ever meeting them, he very much regretted dragging them into his own problems.

    And this was a chance to undo that failure, to let them keep their lives.

    the Storm had already taken Your life, after all.

    it was no real loss to lose it again.

    So, no, he wouldn¡¯t needlessly attack them just to get them to leave. He had already done enough damage to whatever memory they would retain of him. Goldenrod had seen to that, along with Ilex Forest.

    Even over the last month, as Red had spiralled from the fractured connection he shared with Vee when she was still trapped¡­ they had still stuck with him.

    If nothing else, they didn¡¯t deserve his disrespect.

    but for them to live, they need to stay away.

    I am going to die.

    Karen growled lightly, leaning forward with an intense glint in her eye, ¡°Listen. I¡¯ve let a lot slide with you, but at a certain point it becomes too much,¡± Her voice lowered in volume as she began to tick off her fingers, ¡°I could live with your freakish amounts of aura. It¡­ interests me, certainly, but I could move past it,¡± She raised one finger, ¡°I wasn¡¯t - I¡¯m still rather pissed at how you began treating Salvare at Goldenrod. I certainly haven¡¯t forgotten that you disappeared right before his Gym match,¡± Red determinedly kept his eyes on Karen as she said this, lest he crack under Salvare¡¯s hardening stare, ¡°Then, after that, fuckin¡¯ Ilex Forest happened, and you connect with a primordial like something out of a fairy tale , and disappear for another week and a half! ¡±

    Karen sighed heavily after her outburst, pinching her brow with her fingers, ¡°I¡¯ve wanted to leave for a while now. You¡¯ve been a dick to me, and I haven¡¯t been much better. I¡­¡± Red watched silently as she winced, flicking her eyes to Salvare - who was nodding encouragingly - before looking back at Red, ¡°I know that I didn¡¯t do myself any favours by trying to use Amnesia on you when we met, and for that¡­ I apologise ,¡± Karen¡¯s lips pursed as if she bit into an underripe oran berry, ¡°But that doesn¡¯t excuse how you¡¯ve been treating Salvare.¡±

    Salvare opened his mouth to interrupt, but Karen placed a hand on his arm and leaned forward, ¡°Regardless of anything I¡¯ve done, Salvare hasn¡¯t done anything to warrant you treating him as if he¡¯s a stain on your shirt,¡± The edges of her eyes shadowed as dark wisps trailed around her, ¡°I¡¯m giving you one last chance to explain yourself, Red. And so far, you haven¡¯t given me much confidence that you can .¡±

    She leaned back, allowing Red to mull over her words. Though his face didn¡¯t show anything more than a frown, a pit of dread began to grow in his stomach as his eyes turned to Salvare, seeing the kid staring back looking lost? Resigned? Determined?

    Salvare¡¯s face looked everything but Judgemental.

    Red closed his eyes - crimson irises began to glow - and took a breath, ¡°Salvare¡­¡± Even with his eyes closed, Red knew that the kid was staring at him with a sudden intensity, ¡°Have you¡­ Have I done anything to hurt you?¡±

    He heard a hitch of breath - he didn¡¯t dare open his eyes, lest he see Judgement look back - ¡°Not¡­ physically. It doesn¡¯t really matter ¡­¡± Salvare¡¯s voice trailed off in a whisper, and despite the discomfort of his own question, Red couldn¡¯t help but scowl.

    ¡°It does matter!¡± Red snapped, opening his eyes - he was aware that they glowed; he didn¡¯t care - ¡°If I did, then-¡± Red¡¯s mouth snapped shut, his eyes widening as he saw Salvare - saw Judgement.

    Judgement, laying in a ruined valley, crippled from The Chariot¡¯s wrath.

    Judgement followed The Chariot, and died for it.

    Salvare followed Red¡­

    was He any different from The Chariot?

    Red gripped his knees, keeping his mind in the present moment. ¡° I¡¯ve been blind, ¡± Red¡¯s voice bit out, a quaking rasp almost laughing within it, ¡° I have hurt you, haven¡¯t I? ¡± Red¡¯s eyes flashed , and his grip on his knees lessened, ¡°In that case, Salvare, I apologise.¡±

    Distantly, he saw Karen sit up in surprise. However, his eyes remained on Salvare, whose face still hadn¡¯t changed - as if waiting for the other shoe to drop . Red carried on regardless, his voice mechanical, ¡°I apologise for not being candid with you this past month. For stringing you and Karen along. I made a mistake when I agreed to travel with you, and I wish to rectify that by separating from you both,¡± Red was aware that his voice had become increasingly robotic, almost rehearsed, but it was the only way he could say this to them without it coming out in an indiscernible rush.

    He needed them gone. He needed them gone, for his own sanity.

    He needed them to understand that.

    Unfortunately - though predictably - Salvare didn¡¯t quite understand, ¡°Why? Why was it a mistake?¡±

    ¡°Even better, why are you like this? ¡± Karen snarled, her dark aura prickling, ¡°It¡¯s right fuckin¡¯ fitting that the moment you actually apologise, you go an¡¯ ruin it by being an insufferable idiot! ¡±

    ¡°KAREN!¡± Both Red and Karen snapped their heads to Salvare as he yelled - neither of them had ever heard the kid address either of them that way before - ¡°Red has a reason. Whether or not it¡¯s crap is something we¡¯ll have to judge once he tells us what it is,¡± Salvare finished this off with an uncharacteristically annoyed look at Red.

    For his own part, Red felt a part of him shrink into itself. After even the past month, Salvare still held patience; only now was it beginning to dwindle . A memory of two years before resurfaced in Red¡¯s mind, one which bore striking similarities to where he was now.

    I am going to die.

    I can¡¯t have you die with me.

    Even though he had only known them for about two months, Red would sooner cut off his own arm than allow them to die for him - like everyone else. Neither of them deserved to lay down their lives for him, not even Karen, for all that they fought.

    In another life, he could have even seen himself looking up to her for her tenacity.

    Too many graves had been set for those who died so that he may live. Many of them had directly taken attacks meant for him, and the rest had been swept away by the results of Red¡¯s greatest failure.

    Brock. Misty. Max. May. Dawn. Iris. Cilan. Clemont. Bonnie. Professor Oak. Gary.

    Mom.

    Serena.

    All of his pok¨¦mon.

    ¡­

    Except for three.

    ¡°You two aren¡¯t the first people I¡¯ve grown to care for,¡± Red murmured, ¡°Even you, Karen,¡± he added, seeing her open her mouth to respond.

    She instead settled for a small scowl, muttering under her breath, ¡° You have an interesting way of showing it. ¡±

    Red ignored her words and turned back to Salvare - it was easy to keep the faces of those who died for him in his mind; those wounds never healed - ¡°What happened to my friends¡­ What happened to everyone close to me¡­¡± Red¡¯s lips thinned, his words now coming out in a clipped bite, ¡°I don¡¯t want that to repeat. I won¡¯t have that repeat.¡±

    Salvare¡¯s voice carried in a whisper, ¡°What won¡¯t you let repeat?¡± Red merely eyed him - flickering crimson to bubbling violet - and Salvare asked in a stolid murmur, ¡°They died, didn¡¯t they?¡±

    ¡° Yes ,¡± Red hissed - he wished more and more that his pok¨¦mon were healed and by his side - ¡° They died because of me. ¡±

    ¡°Did they?¡± Karen asked, harsh, yet vaguely sympathetic, ¡°Or are you blaming yourself for something that wasn¡¯t your fault?¡±

    ¡° It damn well was ! ¡± Red snapped - and the ground shook lightly in his rage, in his self-loathing - ¡° They wouldn¡¯t have died if I was stronger! They wouldn¡¯t have died if I protected them! They wouldn¡¯t have died if they hadn¡¯t sacrificed themselves-! ¡±

    Red¡¯s breath hitched and, to Salvare and Karen¡¯s horror, he began to cough uncontrollably. his eyes stilled, red as blood . Red gasped for air a second later, feeling wordless waves of warmth emanating from within the lone pok¨¦ball on his belt.

    I¡¯m sorry, Vee. I¡¯m sorry.

    Red didn¡¯t parse any words in his mind, but he felt Vee fall back unconscious, exhausted once more from the strain of their link.

    His eyes returned to the other two, expecting to see anything from anger to disgust.

    He was weak. His weakness was the death of others.

    What he didn¡¯t expect to see in their eyes was pity .

    Their eyes held no true understanding; how could they?

    They hadn¡¯t lived through what he had.

    As Karen eyes him with a remorseful - but still calculating - look, Salvare leaned forward with a sympathetic look, ¡°It¡¯s¡­ terrible that such a thing happened, but¡­ It isn¡¯t as if the same will happen to us. We¡¯re not in the same danger as whoever you knew before, at least, not to the same level¡­¡± Salvare paused, before turning back to Red with a hard look in his eyes, ¡°Unless you still have enemies from that¡­ time?¡±

    Red clamped his mouth shut, unwilling - and in some ways, unable - to answer.

    It was almost ironic that, though Salvare¡¯s understanding of it was slightly off, Red still retained his enemies from that time.

    Only, it was from his future, and his past.

    ¡°Hold on a second,¡± Karen¡¯s voice brought Red¡¯s attention to her, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, why haven¡¯t your pok¨¦mon evolved if you had such dangerous enemies?¡±

    Though her face appeared more aggressively curious than accusatory, Red still scowled at the question, and snapped, ¡°They weren¡¯t always like that.¡±

    It took a few moments for Red to realise the implications of what he just said - and Arceus above, Red, get a handle on what you say! - by which point, Karen had also connected the dots.

    She snorted, though her face didn¡¯t show any humour, only thinly veiled exasperation, ¡° Could you be any vaguer? ¡± Her voice rose from its whisper as she shot Red a mixed expression, ¡°So, what, your pok¨¦mon devolved ? Is that it?¡± She laughed to herself, not noticing how Red had tensed at her words, ¡°That¡¯s¡­ That can¡¯t be right,¡± She flashed Red a brittle smile - unbelieving, and Red didn¡¯t blame her - ¡°I mean, c¡¯mon. Next you¡¯ll tell us you time-travelled from some sort of apocalypse-¡±

    ¡°Red,¡± Salvare¡¯s voice cut in, allowing Red to turn away from Karen - lest she see how pale he had turned at her words - ¡°Are these¡­ enemies, organisation - are they still out there?¡±

    There was an oddly intense cadence in the man¡¯s voice - one that Red hadn¡¯t heard since the Rocket attack at Ecruteak . Red grappled with himself, one side demanding silence with the other begging to let go , and just tell them.

    But he couldn¡¯t.

    It would doom them.

    ¡­But if he gave enough to justify them leaving.

    It would be worth it.

    ¡°... Yes, ¡± Red¡¯s voice was low, careful - keep facts vague; half-truths and white lies - ¡°They¡­ are aware of my existence, and that I fight against them.¡± Red took in their faces - curious and determined of things they don¡¯t understand - ¡°They won¡¯t hesitate to kill me, or anyone else they deem a threat. That¡¯s why you need to leave .¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s so dangerous, why not go to the League for support?¡± Karen asked with a raised eyebrow - and Red was faintly astonished that this was what she asked rather than questioning what he said - ¡°If not that, you could¡¯ve at least asked me about getting the Guardians¡¯ help.¡±

    ¡° No. That-¡± would place an even bigger target on myself, the two of you, and everyone else involved - ¡°-isn¡¯t necessary. I¡­ have it handled .¡±

    Red only just held back a wince as he said that - it sounded weak even to his own ears . Karen narrowed her eyes at his words, before speaking further, ¡°You haven¡¯t exactly inspired confidence , Red,¡± her eyes narrowed further, touches of darkness flickering across her face, ¡°For that matter, who would this - what - organisation even be? You obviously have no issue dealing with Team Rocket-¡± Red idly noticed Salvare¡¯s glare at the Team¡¯s mention, ¡°-Not to mention the fact that you¡¯re a bloody ghost .¡±

    Red blinked before raising an eyebrow, ¡°Pardon?¡±

    ¡°You have no history!¡± Karen snapped, flailing her hands in the air, ¡°You go on about all this terrible shit, yet when I look your name up, I find nothing on you before September! Nothing!

    ¡°Not even the Elders know anything about you!¡± Karen cried, looking more and more manic as she unloaded everything that she felt was off with Red, ¡°Just, one day, out of thin air, you appear, fight with freakishly strong baby pok¨¦mon, wield aura like a third arm, commune with Celebi , and start havin¡¯ mental breakdowns over a terrible evil that we know nothing about! ¡±

    Just as quick as Karen rose in passion, she deflated, ¡°Listen, I - we can tell that you truly believe in this great and terrible evil, and that we need to stay away. But, I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t discount the possibility that you¡¯re making this up in your mind.¡±

    making this up in your mind.

    ¡° Excuse me? ¡± Red asked in deadly monotone, ¡° You think I¡¯m making this up? ¡±

    that everything.

    the destruction of the world.

    the death of Your friends and family.

    their sacrifice so that You may live.

    that it is all a lie?

    freedom is a lie.

    yet most find comfort in their chains.

    ¡°She¡¯s not saying that,¡± Salvare assured, turning Red¡¯s eyes - glowing, glowing - to him, ¡°She¡¯s just¡­ stating that you haven¡¯t given us anything concrete- ¡±

    ¡° You think I would lie about something like this?! ¡± Red hissed, eyes twisting in vermillion spirals .

    To Salvare¡¯s side, Karen¡¯s eyes began to widen as flakes on Red¡¯s skin cracked and glowed.

    ¡®Lightbringer, please calm down.¡¯

    ¡° They ruined my life ,¡± Red spat, trying, in vain, to reign in his rage, ¡° The war may have paused for a time, but it resumed in the end. ¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about? What war ?¡± Karen asked, her eyes narrowed further.

    And, if only for but a single moment, when Red turned his eyes to hers, she saw the darkened soul the man bore that she had only viewed shades of before.

    Mad.

    Mad.

    The next second heralded a flash of light - let there be light - and Red was held back from snapping by a warm presence on his lap.

    ¡®Calm down! You are bringing too much light!¡¯

    Several seconds passed before the words registered in Red¡¯s mind - his vision, his senses, all bearing a crimson haze - and, closing his eyes and gritting his teeth, Red wrangled himself back into control.

    Salvare and Karen were speaking now, asking questions that Red didn¡¯t hear over the ringing in his ears.

    Instead of paying them any mind, Red looked down to see the small form of Espeon rubbing against his side.

    ¡°Vee?¡± Red¡¯s voice came out as a whisper - shadowed by an unnatural rasp - ¡°Y-You didn¡¯t have to do that.¡±

    You didn¡¯t have to fix my own problems.

    Vee looked up, her small face managing to give a glare that made Red remember that Vee could and did hear his thoughts. Her face shifted to an almost neutral stare, after which Red received a message in his mind.

    ¡®You were becoming broken. The light only made it worse.¡¯

    ¡®I will bear the light.¡¯

    Before Red could stop her - stop her from bearing his demons - the Espeon in his lap quivered, and her fur shifted hues as it transformed into Sylveon.

    The small fairy shivered at the light gravitating towards itself, but it kept its form, latching onto Red¡¯s soul to stabilise it.

    Red was Lightbringer. From his soul came the light, let there be light.

    Vee was Lightbearer. Within her soul held the light, ever beautiful, ever terrible.

    And there was calm, calm as the light - the memories, the nightmares - settled between them.

    It wasn¡¯t long before the calm was broken.

    ¡° Red ,¡± That was Karen¡¯s voice, which held a tone that Red wasn¡¯t a fan of - though, that didn¡¯t say much - ¡° Why, and how, in God¡¯s good green earth, do you have a tiny Espeon that evolved into something else? ¡±

    Red stiffened - given the events of the past minute, he had forgotten that neither Salvare or Karen knew about Vee - ¡°You need to leave-¡±

    ¡° No, Goddamnit!¡± Karen cut him off with an explosive yell - Vee retreated against Red; he felt the embers of rage flare once more - ¡°Not this shit again ! You can¡¯t expect us to leave you to your own devices when you apparently have a dangerous group that wants your head-¡±

    ¡°¡®Leave me to my own devices¡¯,¡± Red interrupted, ¡°You make me sound like a child.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re acting like one !¡± Karen hissed, either not hearing or ignoring Salvare¡¯s frantic attempts to halt the rising tension, ¡°You make it seem as if you¡¯re some sort of doomed hero, Red, and I call bullshit -¡±

    ¡° We just want to understand. ¡± Salvare physically shoved Karen aside to say this, staring imploringly into Red¡¯s eyes, ¡°Can you-¡±

    ¡° No! ¡± Red shouted, feeling the last of his patience snap, ¡° It would ruin you. ¡±

    Like it did him.

    He was not an innocent creature.

    Red distantly felt a tug on his link with Vee.

    ¡®Why not?¡¯

    ¡®Why not show them?¡¯

    ¡° Show them what? What I¡¯ve seen?¡± Red laughed to himself, not caring about how crazed he sounded, ¡° They would run in terror. ¡±

    is that not what You want?

    ¡®Is that not what you want?¡¯

    The two voices - one cold, one warm - combined to one, chilling note.

    ¡®We can share what You felt to them.¡¯

    show them what You truly are.

    a monster.

    Red¡¯s eyes blazed as he made his choice.

    Let them feel, let them see what I am.

    Let them see what I have lost.

    Let them see what I have sacrificed.

    Let them see what I have become.

    Then, surely, they will run far, far away.

    go forth, My Chariot.

    ¡°Red,¡± Karen¡¯s voice reached his ears as she began to lean over to him, ¡°Listen-¡±

    ¡° No. You listen to me , ¡± Red¡¯s voice rasped out, causing Karen to reel back and Salvare to shiver, ¡° You want to see? Fine. Then see me for what I am, and then you will wish to run. ¡±

    And, before either Karen or Salvare could say anything, Red and Vee took hold of their aura, and pushed.

    In the back of Red¡¯s skull, he heard the echoes of resounding laughter sink into his soul.

    ¡­

    One moment, Karen sat beside Salvare, eyeing Red in no small amount of dread as something else spoke with his mouth.

    The next moment, Karen felt senses that were not her own.

    L e t t h e r e b e

    At first, there was nothing. Karen tried to scream at Red to stop whatever he was doing , but she couldn¡¯t move her mouth, she couldn¡¯t move her hands.

    She couldn¡¯t move.

    There was pressure keeping her still. Like the mist in the forest.

    Then, something shifted .

    And Karen felt weary.

    She felt weary, and it wasn¡¯t her own, but she felt it in full.

    She didn¡¯t know, didn¡¯t see the source, but felt it all the same.

    She felt a weariness that s(he) kept hidden. Somehow, it felt familiar, and that only made it worse.

    Then came the unease. The growing restlessness.

    ¡®There¡¯s a rat. There is no one you can trust.¡¯

    She didn¡¯t know where the voice came from, but s(he) knew it wasn¡¯t good.

    Shimmers surrounded her, shadowed people who she had never met.

    They all felt the pressure in their hearts begin to increase.

    Then came the shock, followed quickly by anger.

    Yet, unlike what she felt in Red, the anger felt akin to righteous fury.

    Red¡¯s felt cold, personal, hopeless.

    The earth shook in her mind¡¯s eye, yet she sat still all the same.

    Salvare twitched.

    Then came surprise.

    Then adrenaline.

    Then loss.

    The first to sacrifice their life for Him.

    And if Karen weren¡¯t already held still by whatever spell Red had placed upon them, she would be stilled under the immense wave of loathing, guilt, hatred, hopelessness that threatened to consume her.

    As it did him.

    It wasn¡¯t long before everything came to a head.

    It wasn¡¯t long before the second great sacrifice was made for Him to live.

    Then came the Storm.

    And, though Karen saw not what the Storm was, she felt Red¡¯s transformation under it.

    Whereas before she felt optimistic confidence in the face of great danger.

    Now, she only felt dread.

    And this, this was only the beginning.

    the beginning of the war.

    Karen felt something shift within herself (himself).

    Something broke, reforged, and broke again, repeatedly.

    The only constant was a prevalent undertone of guilt.

    He was too weak.

    He was too slow.

    He was too stupid.

    They had sacrificed everything so that he may live, and yet he did nothing to stop this.

    Karen heard laughter (her own?) echo across her mind.

    A feeling of pure hatred , pure terror , pure desolation took shape in her (his) mind.

    It took the shape of an idea given shape in a man.

    And something in Red warped .

    And s(he) felt herself (himself) become a mirror of that which s(he) hated .

    Do not yield in the face of unbeatable odds.

    Do not stagger from the breaking of bones.

    Do not let up on your attack, on your wrath.

    They (your friends your family) have laid down their lives for You.

    Do not allow their sacrifice to be in vain.

    You are to either die or be damned.

    Kill them before they kill you.

    Kill them all!

    And for one beautiful, terrible moment, Karen saw Red as he saw himself.

    a monster.

    Karen felt something snap, and her vision returned to her.

    The forced link between them and Red retreated.

    There was a ringing in her ears - not painful, just loud - that slowly dwindled to a small hum, allowing her to hear Red¡¯s voice - his actual voice - repeatedly ramble, ¡°-sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have done that - I¡¯m sorry. Fuck , I - I didn¡¯t mean to do that. I¡¯m sorry. ¡±

    Karen was still blinking away stars when Salvare¡¯s voice cut in, ¡°No. It¡­¡± Salvare paused, as if considering his words, ¡°It was necessary, wasn¡¯t it? You had to show us what you felt for us to understand.¡±

    ¡° What? ¡± Karen asked - her voice sounded hollow to her ears - and rounded onto Red, who was looking away from them, shaking uncontrollably , ¡°That - That was your feelings?! ¡±

    ¡° I¡¯m sorry, ¡± Red said again, his voice sounding weak, broken , ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t mean to force you through that.¡±

    Salvare tried to get a word in edgewise, ¡°Red-¡±

    Red shook his head, ¡° This is why you need to leave , do you understand?¡± Unlike earlier, where Red¡¯s voice was forceful, angry, it now sounded almost pitiful in how desperate it was, ¡°Everyone I¡¯ve ever cared for has died because of me . I can¡¯t go through that again. It¡¯s already too late for them. Too late for me. But it¡¯s not too late for you -¡±

    Suddenly, before Karen or Red could comprehend it, Salvare rushed forward and enveloped Red into a hug.

    Karen was too shocked to say anything - Salvare didn¡¯t do hugs, didn¡¯t do physical contact, really; it always made him visibly uncomfortable - only letting out a small croak at the sight.

    Red didn¡¯t say anything either - didn¡¯t move, in fact - allowing Salvare to speak, ¡°Red, if it wasn¡¯t for you, I would most likely be dead ,¡± - something dark flashed in Red¡¯s eyes, and Karen didn¡¯t like it, not to mention what Salvare just said - ¡°Even when there was no real reason for you to do it, you allowed me to tag along and trained me, brought me up to become better than I was.¡±

    Salvare let out a wavering laugh - there were tears glistening in his eyes - ¡°Hell, even when you were acting like an ass over the past month, you were doing it from a perverse duty of getting us out of danger,¡± Salvare pushed himself off of Red, his face suddenly hardening as his eyes met Red¡¯s, ¡°And Red, know that I say this with utmost honesty, that was the dumbest bullshit you could¡¯ve pulled.¡±

    Karen¡¯s eyes widened as Salvare said that - and a large part of her internally cheered as he did - and watched Red¡¯s face lose the last bit of restraint as Salvare said, ¡°I don¡¯t care who or what is after you. You were there for me . I¡¯ll be there for you .¡±

    As Salvare said those words - with a scary weight of finality in them - Karen bore witness to the last thing she expected going into this.

    Red began to weep.

    It wasn¡¯t loud. It wasn¡¯t loud at all , as Red merely closed his eyes and allowed his tears to flow. The sight somehow seemed perfectly in-line with everything she knew of Red - cold and controlling his appearance - yet completely alien - open, honest in a way that he hadn¡¯t ever allowed before.

    Vulnerable.

    It was in this light that Karen saw something in Red that she had known intellectually before, but she hadn¡¯t ever truly considered.

    Red was young, only a year older than herself.

    And right now, with his face open, no longer controlled¡­

    He looked young.

    Karen didn¡¯t get much time to ponder this - amidst everything else - before Red¡¯s eyes sharpened, his face hardening once more.

    However, whereas before when Red¡¯s eyes grew cold and his face stony, this time something had changed.

    Shifted.

    Karen could see the signature glow of Red¡¯s eyes, yet they no longer burned cold, cold enough to give her shivers just by looking at it.

    They burned warm.

    A solid fire, stoked from the embers of a cold rage into something new.

    Something broken, then reforged, stronger than before.

    The aura around Red shifted too, though Karen doubted that anyone but her felt it.

    It no longer felt as cold.

    Oh, the cold was still there, certainly. Something so entrenched in Red¡¯s aura wouldn¡¯t leave in a day . But there was a warmth to it that kept it at bay.

    Karen waited a few moments for the emotions to die down before regarding Red with a small frown, ¡°Do you respect us, Red?¡±

    She watched as Red furrowed his brows, mulling over his words before responding, ¡°Yes.¡±

    Karen raised an eyebrow - it wasn¡¯t a knee jerk response, which meant he thought about it - ¡°If you do, don¡¯t force us away just because you want us gone,¡± She raised a hand, stopping Red from responding, ¡°It¡¯s our choice of whether or not we¡¯re staying to help you with whatever you¡¯re going through, got it?¡±

    For a moment, Karen almost expected Red to object - there was a certain light in his eyes, a mixture of doubt and something else, something self-destructive - however, to her mild surprise, Red instead pursed his lips and gave a single jerked nod.

    ¡°Glad that¡¯s settled, then,¡± Karen breathed, allowing some tension to roll off her shoulders, ¡°For what it¡¯s worth, Red, I respect you too, even if you¡¯re an ass,¡± She crossed her arms with a huff, ¡°I¡­ won¡¯t bother you for more details on everything yet - trust me, though, I will - but I am going to be sharing what I know with my master.¡±

    To her lack of surprise, Red was visibly unhappy with that, though he didn¡¯t object. Instead, he bowed his head, muttering, ¡° Don¡¯t share it with anyone else. ¡±

    Karen¡¯s eye twitched, and she readied a retort before biting it down, ¡° Fine ,¡± She felt her face naturally begin to revert to a sneer - Red just had that effect on her - so she turned to Salvare, ¡°Well, Salvare, for what it¡¯s worth¡­ I¡¯m not stopping you.¡±

    Salvare turned to her, visibly confused, ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Karen felt a sense of melancholy settle within her as she gave a sigh, ¡°Well, you¡¯ve already said that you¡¯ll stick with Red, so¡­¡± Karen shrugged, attempting to appear nonchalant, ¡°I suppose we won¡¯t be seeing each other for a month or so.¡±

    ¡°W-What?¡± Salvare shot up, surprised, ¡°You¡¯re leaving? ¡±

    ¡°She still has her last two badges to earn,¡± Red brought up, ¡°And they¡¯re both across the region.¡±

    ¡° Of course you knew that ,¡± Karen grumbled to herself, ¡°Listen, I¡­ Red, we will be talking more about everything at the Silver Conference, you understand?¡± Red gave a small - resigned - scowl, but remained silent, which was about as good of a response as Karen expected.

    ¡°And you,¡± Karen pointed to Salvare, ¡°Are going to continue the training exercises I¡¯ve given you with your aura, do you understand?¡± As Salvare nodded frantically, she rounded onto Red, ¡°And you , Red, will begin properly training him in aura.¡±

    To this, Red grimaced, ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea-¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± Karen cut off, exacerbation leaking into her voice, ¡°Whatever problems or insecurities you have with your aura, stuff it . He chose you ,¡± Karen was aware of the bitterness that entered her voice at that, ¡° Don¡¯t make me regret this. ¡±

    Red held her gaze for several seconds, both of them glaring in a silent battle of stubbornness - which Karen began to think was a good analogy of their relationship - before crossing his arms, ¡° Are you sure? ¡±

    Though the question itself seemed simple, Karen understood the truth of it within Red¡¯s eyes.

    After all, naught even an hour ago, she had seen what he saw himself as.

    a monster.

    And Karen couldn¡¯t help but snort, ¡°So what if you¡¯re a ¡®monster¡¯? You¡¯re not evil ,¡± Red stiffened as Karen said those words - serves him right, self-deprecating jackass - ¡°You¡¯re rough around the edges, certainly, but that¡¯s nothing to cry over.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s right,¡± Salvare added, sounding far more intense, ¡°No-one¡¯s perfect, and if someone is pretending to be,¡± Salvare gave a languid shrug, ¡°They¡¯re probably planning on stabbing you in the back, sometimes literally.¡±

    Karen blinked - as did Red - before clapping her hands, ¡°Well, in that case¡­¡± She trailed off as she took into account that the sun was setting, ¡°We have been under this tree for far too long .¡±

    ¡°I agree,¡± Red nodded, his voice low, measured in a way they hadn¡¯t heard in over a month. He turned to Karen, ¡°I presume you¡¯re leaving soon?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s not much reason for me to stay much longer. Clock is turnin¡¯ and all that,¡± For some reason, Red¡¯s face twitched as she said that, ¡°Why d¡¯you want to know?¡±

    ¡°To say goodbye?¡± Red replied, deadpan - to his side, Salvare rolled his eyes at the continued passive-aggressiveness between the two - ¡°Also, if you had time, I wanted to see about a battle before you go.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Karen raised an eyebrow, intrigued, ¡°Finally taking me up on that rematch for Ecruteak, huh? You know what, sure.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Red nodded to himself as they began to walk back towards the Pokemon Center, ¡°Tomorrow morning, then, before you go?¡± As Karen nodded, Red gave a grim smile, ¡° I won¡¯t hold back, so don¡¯t do so on my account. ¡±

    ¡°Oh, Red, you sweet summer child ,¡± Karen¡¯s grin grew positively feral - and, for once, the darkness around her quivered in excitement rather than frustration - ¡° The thought never even crossed my mind .¡±

    ¡­

    Archived Audio Recording, April 2nd, 1995

    ¡°-don¡¯t care if you thought it was difficult! It doesn¡¯t excuse selling them for three times the price!¡±

    Raised voices.

    A man and a woman.

    The woman is aged in skin.

    The man is aged in spirit.

    ¡°Listen, I¡¯d understand to some extent if you picked them from Orre, but the Badlands isn¡¯t that dangerous.¡±

    ¡°Hell, you¡¯ve done it in previous years without any issue. What caused the increase in price?¡±

    A snipped response.

    The man growls.

    The pok¨¦mon by his side chirps worriedly.

    ¡°Oh, so just because your usual trail was uprooted by a Diglett War means you have to triple the bloody price tag.¡±

    ¡°Gee, I¡¯m sorry you had to walk an extra kilometre off the beaten path. Perhaps I should give you double pay for the brain damage you¡¯ve given us both.¡±

    The pok¨¦mon by his side twitters loudly.

    Admonishing.

    The man sighs.

    ¡°Yes, yes. I know. She¡¯s just the only provider of these flowers within a thousand kilometres. It¡¯s not my fault the market in Pyrite Town burned down.¡±

    The pok¨¦mon gives a single chirp.

    ¡°Listen to her, Takashi. She¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°Oh, stuff it, old hag.¡±

    ¡°Reduce the price to fifty percent and I¡¯ll buy it.¡±

    The man and woman haggle.

    Eventually, the man purchases the flowers for 70% of the original price.

    ¡°Bloody miser.¡±

    The pok¨¦mon chirps a laugh-like sound.

    Though he hides it in a fake scowl, the sound makes the man happy.

    ¡°Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up.¡±

    The old woman watches the interaction with a small smile.

    She sees the grief the man holds in his heart when he looks at his pok¨¦mon.

    It bears the face of his love, after all.

    ¡°You know, Takashi, for one as travelled as you, I can¡¯t say I understand why you don¡¯ just go up to the Badlands and get the flowers yourself.¡±

    The man is silent for a moment.

    ¡°I¡¯d mess it up somehow.¡±

    ¡°I was never the gentle one between us two, and she always loved these flowers.¡±

    The pok¨¦mon by his side gives a small chirp.

    Joyous, yet melancholic.

    The man huffs, only feeling the latter.

    ¡°She always liked poetry, and these flowers were - what - poetically sad?¡±

    The man shrugged, lost in a dream with no memories.

    ¡°I mean, all I see is a purple flower. What is it called, a hycint?¡±

    The pok¨¦mon by his side gives a betrayed cry.

    ¡°A hyacinth.¡±

    ¡°Right. That.¡±

    The man turned the bundle of flowers in his hand, lost in thought.

    He suddenly snickers.

    ¡°She probably would¡¯ve butchered me for calling it what I did. So, I guess that answers your question.¡±

    ¡°Besides, getting them here is better than going to Kalos. Have to show some Johto solidarity, especially with Ecruteak.¡±

    The woman huffed as the man gave a roguish smile.

    He was a man of many masks, yet only one true face.

    ¡°Well, all the same, Takashi.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll still be here next year with your flowers.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡±

    The man left without another word.

    He walked by the marketplace, which stood in the shadow of the Tin Tower.

    The man couldn¡¯t help but look up at the towering monolith.

    It taunted him.

    It scorned him.

    ¡°They couldn¡¯t even bother identifying her¡­¡±

    The pok¨¦mon by his side chirps consolingly.

    The man sighs.

    ¡°I know. I buried the guilt long ago.¡±

    ¡°But she at least had family who could¡¯ve retrieved her.¡±

    ¡°I never did.¡±

    The pok¨¦mon by his side is silent.

    It mourns for something it doesn¡¯t truly understand that it has lost.

    ¡°No. No, I¡¯m wrong.¡±

    ¡°She was family.¡±

    ¡°We would¡¯ve-¡±

    Something within the man¡¯s voice breaks.

    The masks that the man holds crack, if for but a moment.

    Eyes the shade of midnight peer up at the tower, their irises glowing rings of baleful crimson.

    ¡°He would¡¯ve been seventeen.¡±

    The man becomes silent.

    The pok¨¦mon whimpers softly.

    A single tear trickles down the man¡¯s cheek.

    Before long, it runs dry.

    ¡°...Come on.¡±

    ¡°We will mourn.¡±

    ¡°Then¡­ Then we will resume.¡±

 Curse of the Unown

    The Sacred Temple, The Kingdom of Alph, February 7th, 5 A.W.

    A melodic drone filled the skies of the night. A hymn of chimes and static, giving praise to that which creates and destroys. The song extended across the meadow, the radiant flowers swaying in tandem, dancing in the moonlight. The song created by the earth and sky was that of adoration in duress, that of perseverance in anguish.

    It was hallowed ground.

    It was hollowed ground.

    Maikeru rode along the path, heading deeper within the temple, within the tomb. Rafaeru shivered lightly from the cold, despite the embers flickering from his mane.

    Though they moved along a place of worship, the silence surrounding them was deafening to the soul. Maikeru could feel the waning spirit of the temple, could see it withering as fewer devotees graced its halls with their presence.

    Though, for all that Maikeru heard the pleas of the temple, he understood its abandonment.

    It was hallowed ground.

    It was hollowed ground.

    It was dead, or dying.

    There wasn¡¯t much of a difference.

    Not anymore.

    Maikeru could recall a time, not too long ago, when gaining passage to the Sacred Temple would have taken months of negotiation. For all that Azazeru had boasted of his charisma, it meant little when faced with the leaders of the Kingdom of Alph.

    Maikeru couldn¡¯t help but see the bitter irony in that. Not even a decade later, and Azazeru had the Kingdom of Alph eating out of his palm along with the other kingdoms of his ¡®coalition¡¯.

    Maikeru violently shook the thought away. After a moment of bringing himself back to the present, he realised that Rafaeru must¡¯ve felt it, since the Rapidash had halted to stare at him in worry.

    Maikeru gave a shaky smile, ¡°It¡¯s nothing Raf.  I¡¯m just reminiscing, that is all.¡±

    Rafaeru gave a doubtful snort, though he began to trot once more. Maikeru smiled, knowing that the Rapidash knew more than he let on.

    Az always said that the horse had fae blood in him.

    Maikeru felt the glistening of tears in his eyes, and didn¡¯t do anything to stop them. Even after five years, just thinking about his brother in all but blood reopened old wounds.

    Thankfully, it wasn¡¯t much longer before the two of them made their way to their destination. The maze-like architecture of the temple always made it difficult to traverse; though, unlike his last time visiting the temple, he had a greater sense of where exactly he wanted to be.

    Though, in no world would he ever say that was a good thing.

    Not when the price for this leisure had been so bloody to pay.

    Maikeru dismounted his steed, kissing the horse on the neck, ¡°Stay here, Raf. I won¡¯t be long.¡±

    Maikeru smiled softly as Rafaeru gave him a dry look, somehow conveying his intense doubt with nothing but his eyes.

    In the end, instead of wasting time as he normally would have in a fruitless argument with the horse, Maikeru just shook his head before ducking into the chamber.

    There was a downward tunnel heading to his quarry, which quickly grew dark the deeper Maikeru travelled. Before long, it grew dark enough that he could only just see the outline of his hand in front of him, though he felt no worry from this, instead following the tug on his spirit that had led him here in the first place.

    As he stepped closer to the chamber, the drone in his ears grew to an ordered cacophony, a warcry for the fallen, an eulogy for the living.

    In the back of his mind, he could hear Az whisper in a laugh.

    How terribly beautiful.

    Maikeru emerged from the tunnel, holding out a hand to allow his eyes time to readjust.

    The torches lining the walls of the chamber were lit with a soft blue flame. Though they didn¡¯t flicker bright, they still held the power to blind those who had not been blessed with vision .

    Maikeru distantly wondered if he could consider himself lucky for holding such a gift. Before the Jigoku War - as the bards were calling it now -  there were easily dozens, perhaps hundreds, of those who had been blessed.

    They were all dead now. Purged in the same way that those who gave the blessings had been. Maikeru suspected this was a large reason why the Kingdom of Alph allowed him to travel within their holy ground in the first place, given that the only two with vision remaining were himself¡­ and Az .

    And, if nothing else, Maikeru could rest knowing that his former mentor wouldn¡¯t dare step on holy ground, lest he further incur the wrath of the Creator.

    He also supposed that the Kingdom of Alph felt pressured to allow him access, given both his international ¡®status¡¯ and their involvement in the War.

    After all, every year more and more provinces across their vast empire were raising up arms to rebel.

    Though he felt no real attachment to the Kingdom, he was weary of the prospect of more war.

    But, then again, perhaps this is just another act in the never-ending war.

    Static began to fill his ears, bringing him back to his surroundings. Within the dimly lit chamber, vague shapes and shadows began to dance about, each adding their own note to the growing hymn.

    Maikeru felt a long-dead, yet familiar pressure creep into his skull. He brought a hand to his head, hissing at the sudden migraine he received as an always-familiar, once-beloved veil parted about his spirit.

    But, oh, he had seen past the veil.

    A chrysalis formed and pierced that which was never meant to be broken.

    They had seen what lay beyond.

    It had driven Azazeru Mad.

    It was beginning to drive him Mad, too.

    As Maikeru contended with the pressure on his spirit, the shadowed forms came to the light, surrounding him. The pale blue light reflected off the beings¡¯ form, giving the illusion of them being in far greater number than they truly were.

    After all, during the War, these beings had very nearly gone extinct.

    Maikeru¡¯s mouth pursed as he locked eyes with the alphabet of Unown. Their many eyes remained unblinking, unchanging, unassailable even in the face of their own destruction.

    Yet, Maikeru knew that, even past their expressionless forms, they comprehended in full the horror that befell them.

    And they accepted it.

    It was the Will of the Creator, after all.

    The static in Maikeru¡¯s ears increased in volume, yet it smoothed, breaking apart in methodic increments that most beings would find incomprehensible.

    However, Maikeru had learned years ago, when he and Azazeru first encountered the beings, that they could understand when none else could.

    After all, they were both of the Chosen.

    ¡®MAIKERU COGITA. HE OF DIVINE RETRIBUTION. CHOSEN OF THE CREATOR.¡¯ The Unowns¡¯ ¡®voice¡¯ blasted in Maikeru¡¯s ears as a mere whisper, devoid of inflection, ¡®THY COME SEEKING AID.¡¯

    They always knew what he needed.

    It was their purpose, after all.

    Indeed, before the War, when Unown could be found in every place of worship, they provided a purpose beyond guarding those sacred grounds. Across generations, as those Chosen by the Creator travelled and learned, they communed with the Unown and stored their experiences for future Chosens to learn from.

    It only made the genocide waged against them all the more terrible.

    Despite the pool of dread that he felt whenever he interacted with these beings, Maikeru steadily responded, ¡°I come to deposit knowledge, and so that I may forget what I share once I leave this holy ground.¡±

    The Unowns shift, shuffling together faster than the eye could see, before resounding, ¡®WHAT KNOWLEDGE DOES THINE SEEK TO DEPOSIT.¡¯

    Maikeru couldn¡¯t help the gulp that came in his mouth - yet, it did nothing to make his mouth any less dry - ¡°I - I come bearing knowledge of the veil,¡± As he began to speak, the words came out in a greater rush, ¡°I come bearing knowledge of the truth, what lay past the veil. I come bearing knowledge of the veil and how it was damaged, how it was split,¡± I heaved in a breath, knowing that what he spoke of directly led to the nigh-extinction of the Unown, ¡°I come bearing knowledge of the Ultimate Weapon. Where it is, how to activate it, how to deactivate it,¡± He breathed out a harsh sob, ¡°How to destroy it¡­¡± His sobs broke into Mad laughter, ¡°Please. Please! I need it out of my head! PLEASE!¡±

    ¡®THINE WORD IS OUR COMMAND. THY HOLD THE WILL OF THE CREATOR.¡¯ The formless mass of Unown became still - entirely unmoving - and, in unison, they blinked, ¡®BEGINNING EXTRACTION.¡¯

    And - as always - Maikeru had naught a second to blink before collapsing, eyes widening shut as harsh static light shadows spirals storms turned back the clock of his mind his soul and reacheddddd-

    The last meeting of enemies once friends.

    One holds the Key, the Other holds the Secret.

    They stand in the ashes of Their wrath.

    One shall live a full life, the Other shall persist, an unrelenting husk.

    The tides of war wane, the mountain of corpses reach its peak.

    A price so terrible that few comprehend it; more than men are buried.

    The clouds part, the Creator¡¯s light befalls the earth, overwhelming in its rage.

    The Veil splits; one half holds on, the other drifts away.

    Gaze upon the end of days, and weep for mercy, and pray for death.

    For the Ultimate Weapon has wrought its devastation, Beautiful in Destruction, Terrible in Creation.

    Turn thine eyes to the chrysalis above, the folly of man gone Mad, and those who followed.

    Close thine eyes and weep, for thy own folly is denying your duty.

    Search your heart for the answer of truth, and pray that you never find it.

    One has already fallen into Madness from it; do not follow into the abyss.

    All around thee, the world crumbles as war is waged for the sake of war.

    All around thee, the world falls deeper and deeper to a pit it shall never recover.

    ¡°GO FORTH¡±

    The earth shakes from the proclamation.

    Your duty is given, ever beautiful, ever terrible.

    ¡°GO FORTH¡±

    The one before thee has fallen.

    And with him, the earth shall follow.

    ¡°GO FORTH¡±

    ¡°GO FORTH, MY CHARIOT¡±

    ¡°MY CHOSEN¡±

    ¡°MY KIN¡±

    All around thee is

    L I G H T

    Twin suns of crimson bore upon thee

    The Creator casts its Judgement upon thee

    And finds it wanting

    ¡°THINE FOREBEAR HAS DENIED CREATION¡±

    ¡°IN HIS PATH LAYS THE RUIN OF MADNESS¡±

    ¡°GO FORTH, MY CHARIOT¡±

    ¡°MY CHOSEN¡±

    ¡°MY WILL¡±

    ¡°GO FORTH, AND CONQUER¡±

    go forth, and

    f o r g e t

    Maikeru¡¯s eyes snapped open, and immediately closed, pulsating as the world around him stilled in its spiral, in its descent.

    Maikeru opened his eyes once more, blinded for a moment by the darkness - by the light - before seeing once more.

    Maikeru breathed, slow and deep, feeling the everpresent pit in his stomach lessen, and disappear. He closed his eyes once more and cast his mind back, searching, searching, searching for his personal nightmare, his end of days.

    He found none.

    ¡®EXTRACTION COMPLETE,¡¯ Maikeru snapped his eyes open at the proclamation, eyeing the Unown as they shifted together, slower and more languid, before becoming still, ¡®ERROR.¡¯

    Maikeru jolted in surprise - and no small amount of dread - as the Unown began to spin faster, faster, faster, faster, ¡®ERROR - DATA CORRUPTION HAS BEEN DETECTED - ERROR - DATA CORRUPTION HAS BEEN DETECTED - ERROR - DATA CORRUPTION HAS BEEN DETECTEDDDDDDDDDDDDDD-¡¯

    All at once, the voice in Maikeru¡¯s mind stopped, leaving only silence. The eyes of the Unown still stared, unblinking, though their glow dimmed.

    After several seconds of stilted breathes, one of the Unown shook, its eye becoming unstable, ¡®BACK-UP SYSTEMS DETECTED - BACK-UP SYSTEMS COMPATIBLE WITH DATA - DATA CORRUPTION HAS BEEN DETECTED - BACK-UP SYSTEMS RISK 99.9999% CHANCE OF CORRUPTION - DO YOU WISH TO CONTINUE?¡¯

    Maikeru didn¡¯t respond immediately, instead processing that whatever knowledge he once held - for he no longer bore it - had been corrupted , ¡°What¡¯s¡­ Are you in danger?¡±

    The singular Unown - for the rest were all but dead - gave a single, slow blink, ¡®WE WERE MADE TO SERVE. CORRUPTION WILL DECREASE OUR MENTAL FACULTIES BY 89.32% OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT 1,000 STANDARD YEARS. IF OUR KNOWLEDGE IS RECOVERED AFTER THAT TIME WE WILL UNDERGO SELF-TERMINATION TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF CORRUPTION.¡¯

    ¡°What? No! ¡± Maikeru yelled out, aghast at the thought of sacrificing them with his knowledge, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have given you my knowledge if I knew it would kill you!¡±

    ¡®WE WERE MADE TO SERVE,¡¯ The Unown intoned once more, its tone unchanging, ¡®THE CORRUPTED DATA WOULD HAVE KILLED YOU WITHIN 5 STANDARD YEARS,¡¯ The Unown blinked once more - and for all that it couldn¡¯t show emotion, it looked terribly final - ¡®YOUR LIFE BEARS GREATER IMPORTANCE TO THE PLAN. WE WERE MADE TO SERVE.¡¯

    Before Maikeru could do anything to stop it, to turn back the clock and recover his knowledge - his sentence of death - the Unown resounded, ¡®DATA UPLOAD COMPLETE - WARNING: CORRUPTION DETECTED - PROTOCOL: HIBERNATION - ENGAGED.¡¯

    Though Maikeru¡¯s objections grew louder and louder, the Unown paid no heed to them, instead stating these words as a death knell. The chimes surrounding the chamber tolled one final, beautiful, terrible time, before becoming silent as the wind.

    And at the last chime, the Unown stilled, eyes straight ahead like that of a corpse.

    Yet, for all that he hated it, Maikeru knew that they were not dead. They would be lucky if they were . He knew that behind their blank stares were the vestiges of consciousness. Just enough to be aware, but not to move, to speak, to act.

    And, though they tried to soothe him, stating that it was their duty to bear his burden, his knowledge, his Madness, it did not remove the guilt he felt when he laid eyes upon them.

    They were already so few, dying out slowly. Yet here he is, having practically wiped out a whole group of them.

    Selfish.

    Cruel.

    Maikeru¡¯s face twisted, faceless memories of those lost in the never-ending war.

    So many had died because of him.

    And now¡­

    Now, he added more to the list.

    Shadowed shapes drifted into the chamber from behind him, a small, almost inaudible hymn trailing behind.

    The last remaining Unown of the Temple, those that had stayed outside as Maikeru doomed their brethren, surrounded that which had wrought death to their species.

    And, though they knew what he had done, what he had wrought against their own¡­

    They accepted it. They accepted him.

    They were made to serve, after all.

    And his life bore greater importance to the plan of the Creator.

    Maikeru felt tears trickle down his cheek, though he didn¡¯t weep for long. He had few tears to shed after the war. He mourned for no longer than half a minute, eyes becoming dry, becoming distant , immediately after.

    After all, there was nothing to be done for their sacrifice.

    And he had his part to play.

    They all did.

    So, casting one final look to the chamber - a place to which he would never return - he whispered in the tongue of his clan, giving prayer for those he had doomed, ¡° Ay Shie de Rite-Maehs, de Beh en La Re-Char-Adon. ¡±

    The few Unown that were awake paused at his prayer, before humming a low, droning tone. It took a few moments for Maikeru to understand, and subsequently flee.

    Because, for all that Unown were made to be emotionless.

    They trilled the chimes of mourning.

    And for beings created immortal as they?

    They would hold their grief for many lifetimes after his death.

    ¡­

    Route 32, November 18th, 1997

    ¡°Charmander, Dragon Rage to keep them at bay. Froakie, draw upon Charmander¡¯s tail flame for Scald .¡±

    Red smiled a touch grimly as his pokemon followed the commands, drawing upon the strengths of the other to keep Salvare¡¯s pokemon at bay. Unlike previous battles months before, Salvare and his pokemon had improved by a significant enough margin that Red could hold back a little bit less.

    However, though the opposing pokemon had strengthened considerably both in experience and evolution, Red had instructed his pokemon not to go all out. After all, there was little learning to be done when you didn¡¯t even get a chance to fight, and it would be a disservice to the tentative trust Salvare¡¯s had placed in Red¡¯s teaching.

    Not that it was deserved.

    Red still didn¡¯t truly believe that it was in Salvare¡¯s best interest to stay with him, and he wasn¡¯t one to hide it. Over the past few days of their heightened training regimen - making up for a month of stagnation - Red had repeatedly asked in varying degrees of subtlety on whether or not Salvare truly wanted to burden himself with Red.

    Needless to say it didn¡¯t work. The first time he tried, just after his parting match with Karen, Salvare just shook his head while she glared at him.

    Though, her glares were far less hostile.

    That didn¡¯t mean that she particularly warmed up to him either.

    Red shoved back those thoughts as Salvare¡¯s surrounded themselves with an electrified Aqua Ring . He was trying to make a point not to dwell so much on the past month, with varying degrees of success.

    Thankfully, the battle in front of him was intense enough to draw his attention towards it. Having not spent much time observing Salvare¡¯s battles before resuming their training, Red was somewhat blindsided by how much Salvare improved.

    Across the field now, Salvare commanded his pokemon with a focused intensity that he hadn¡¯t before seen. His pokemon, too, also appeared much more focused on the battle, with Feraligatr in particular pulling off several impressive displays of power.

    If Red were a lesser trainer, he daresay that Salvare would win the battle. However, for all of Salvare¡¯s rising strength, Red had persevered through worse.

    No one aside from him could say that they lived against the Chariot, after all.

    This wasn¡¯t to say that it was easy for Red. He couldn¡¯t sit back and wait like he could just months ago, after all. Salvare¡¯s pokemon held the natural advantage in almost every way, given that they were evolved while his pokemon weren¡¯t. Even for all of Red and his pokemons¡¯ experience and tricks, Salvare¡¯s pokemon were able to put up a worthy challenge.

    At least, that was the case in single-battles.

    Double-battles. Triple-battles. Free-for-alls¡­

    That was where Red thrived.

    Despite everything weighing him and his pokemon down, Red could see - and was secretly relieved by the fact - that they still commanded any battlefield they were in outside of strict one-on-one matches.

    Red¡¯s survival instincts weren¡¯t truly gone. He doubted they ever would be.

    One such instinct was the need to know, and command, one¡¯s surroundings.

    And, despite what it may seem to an uninformed viewer, Red controlled this battle. He saw every rock, every ditch, every movement of his pokemon, every movement of the opponent¡¯s, every movement of his opponent .

    Red could end the battle any time he wished. Perhaps Salvare knew this, and decided to fight anyway? Or perhaps he didn¡¯t, and truly believed he had a chance.

    Red rather doubted the latter. He would have to fix it if that were the case.

    Assuming that it¡¯s the former, it only made Salvare a more worthy protege in his eyes.

    the perfect protege.

    And, perhaps, one day he could teach Salvare how to command the battlefield in the same way he did.

    the same way the Chariot did.

    Looking at the battle now, Red could see that the end was drawing near.

    Salvare and his pokemon had put up a worthy fight, successfully holding their defence for several minutes. However, Charmander and Froakie didn¡¯t let up, preventing Salvare from pressing any advantage he may have gained.

    He¡¯s not quite to the level of you, Red, or the Chariot.

    But, perhaps¡­

    He could be one day.

    ¡°Charmander, Froakie,¡± Red¡¯s voice rang out, barring no inflection, ¡° Infernal Whirlpool , make it quick, but relatively painless.¡±

    Red crossed his arms while Salvare broke for the first time in the match and shot him an alarmed look. Red supposed he could understand the alarm, given the joint-move¡¯s name, but his pokemon knew what they were doing. Feraligatr and Magneton may leave with some bruises and burns, but nothing that couldn¡¯t be healed with a small amount of the medicine that he carried on him.

    Besides, Red liked to consider it a learning experience for Salvare. He was specifically orienting Salvare¡¯s training towards being more flexible in battle, part of which involved ignoring common convention regarding moves.

    Amongst the many informal rules of battle that Red was trying to weed out of Salvare¡¯s mind, the unspoken tenet of sticking with established moves was one of them.

    There were approximately 500 recognised pokemon moves within the League, and the number was up to 700 by the time the Storm came. However, pokemon weren¡¯t necessarily limited to these exact moves. Those with control over elements such as fire and water could theoretically use them in a near-infinite amount of ways, if one were creative enough.

    However, while it wasn¡¯t illegal, it was heavily frowned upon to stray away from the League¡¯s list of official moves. This was mainly done to minimise the chance of a pokemon using their abilities in a way that could potentially harm someone with no easy way to heal them. Even official moves such as Surf that have an incredibly wide range of attack have protocols in place to prevent any true danger.

    Part of the bad reputation that followed original moves come from criminal organisations having no such qualms over using deadly force. Ironically, most new moves added to the official roster come from watered down variations of moves created by criminal groups.

    When new moves were created outside of criminal organisations, though, they often didn¡¯t spread outside of its creator. Most ¡®new¡¯ moves could probably be categorised as slight variations of existing moves, such as an aerial Submission or a flaming Tackle . While they were technically different, there were already existing moves that practically had the same effect, such as Brave Bird and Flame Charge respectively.

    However, Ash knew none of this when starting off as a trainer - he had always fallen asleep when these things were explained in school - so he had no issue with improvising moves over the course of his journey.

    It became something of a major skill for him, creating moves such as Volt Tail , Thunder Armour , Ice Jet , and most recently Water Blade with Froakie. Perhaps the greatest, and most simple, of his creations was the Counter-Shield , which had spread far enough that he had seen footage of the Galar Champion using it back before the Storm.

    Either way, it was a goal of Red¡¯s to teach Salvare the utility of improvising new moves. Even something as simple as combining two pokemons¡¯ moves into one could produce something great.

    Thankfully, Salvare seemed rather quick on the uptake, given his combination of Aqua Ring with Magneton¡¯s electricity. While it was rather sloppy in execution, the fact that Salvare thought of it in the first place bore merit.

    He would make a true warrior out of Salvare yet.

    Feraligatr and Magneton didn¡¯t last another thirty seconds against the Infernal Whirlpool , instead being recalled before fainting. Red brought his fingers up to whistle, to which only Froakie responded, given that Charmander seemed far more invested in spreading fires than putting them out.

    Red wasn¡¯t terribly worried, though. Charmander would snap out of it soon enough. Instead, while Froakie dealt with Charmander, Red turned to Salvare, who had walked across the battlefield for his comments, ¡°You did well. Better than I expected, even,¡± As expected, Salvare puffed up at his words, ¡°I saw your use of an electrified Aqua Ring , could you explain that?¡±

    Salvare quickly straightened, visibly eager in his explanation - and in Red¡¯s continued presence - ¡°Well, you were inching your way towards me throughout the battle, and I needed something to keep you away. Your pokemon were both Fire and Water Types, so I tried to make a defence that could counter both,¡± Salvare¡¯s smile became somewhat strained, ¡°It didn¡¯t work too well, didn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°In execution? It worked well enough, though it was somewhat sloppy,¡± Red explained in his familiar monotone - even if he was trying to make up for his earlier mistakes, he still wasn¡¯t going to soften any failures for Salvare - ¡°In theory? It would work well for any physical attackers, though it would be largely negated by any ranged attacks, as you saw with the Infernal Whirlpool ,¡± Red paused as he considered other aspects of Salvare¡¯s attack, ¡°There may be a way to weaponize the move. Its main drawback is its lack of range. Perhaps you could see if Feraligatr could push out the water as Magneton electrifies it, thereby making something akin to a small electrical Surf ?¡±

    Salvare hummed, bringing a hand up to his chin, ¡°I¡¯ll try that next time¡­¡± He nodded to himself, seeming to have decided something, before turning to Red with a raised eyebrow, ¡°By the way, what is Infernal Whirlpool ? It sounds dramatic, even for someone like you.¡±

    Red raised his own eyebrow at the question, or more accurately, how it was asked - Karen must have rubbed off on him more than he knew - ¡°It¡¯s rather simple, if a bit precise. It¡¯s basically a mixture of Whirlpool and Scald that¡¯s aided by Charmander¡¯s flame. Too much heat and the water evaporates. Too little, and it becomes nothing more than a lukewarm Whirlpool .¡±

    Salvare nodded as the two of them began to trek back towards camp, ¡°Alright, I understand. Still, couldn¡¯t you call it something, y¡¯know, tame ? Like Scalding Whirlpool ?¡±

    Red didn¡¯t answer immediately, instead humming to himself as they walked through the countryside. After a moment, he spoke methodically, ¡° Infernal Whirlpool was originally created as¡­ a more grand attack.¡±

    ¡°Ah,¡± Salvare nodded his head in understanding - though they both knew he still didn¡¯t, not truly - ¡°This goes back to your thing of having other pokemon in the past?¡±

    Red¡¯s face twisted, though he still answered, ¡° Yes .¡± He hoped his tone of voice was enough to signal to Salvare that he was treading on shaky ground.

    Thankfully, for all that Salvare had grown bolder, he still deferred to Red in this, ¡°Alright¡­¡± They walked in silence for a few moments before Salvare piped up another question, ¡°Are we still looking at aura training today?¡±

    Red sighed softly to himself, ¡°I suppose. I still think you¡¯d be better off with Karen in that regard.¡±

    Salvare rolled his eyes, getting visibly annoyed at Red¡¯s words, ¡°Yes, you¡¯ve made that abundantly clear-¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m serious,¡± Red spoke up, cutting Salvare off, ¡°My knowledge of aura is limited at best. We can still wait until the Conference so that you can resume with Karen.¡±

    ¡°I can ,¡± Salvare responded, crossing his arms as he turned to face Red, ¡°But I want to learn from you,¡± He sighed, turning back towards the trail, ¡°Look, I get that you¡¯re still scared of ¡®dooming me¡¯ or something. I don¡¯t agree, but I get it.¡±

    Red followed behind, his mouth becoming thin, ¡°...Why are you so adamant about this?¡±

    Salvare turned back with a raised eyebrow, ¡°Adamant about what exactly?¡±

    ¡°Learning under me,¡± Red answered with a handwave, ¡°You were doing just fine with Karen, and we both know I¡¯m not exactly¡­ stable at the moment,¡± Red¡¯s frown became more pronounced as he said that.

    Salvare¡¯s eyes became a touch softer - though there remained a slight edge that hadn¡¯t been there a month before - ¡°Everyone has their own demons, Red. Myself included,¡± He poked his finger to Red¡¯s chest, ¡°Demons or not, I chose you because you persist even with those demons.¡±

    Red felt his eyebrows scrunch together, ¡°So? That means nothing.¡±

    ¡°That means everything ,¡± Salvare snapped before turning around to walk, ¡°Not everyone is as resilient as you, Red.¡±

    Salvare didn¡¯t even know a fraction of what Red had lived through.

    Yet he still placed such faith in him.

    Red felt himself scowl, though none of his bitterness was directed at Salvare, ¡°I¡¯m not as resilient as you think.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be the judge of that,¡± Salvare called back, walking ahead.

    Red shook his head before jogging to catch up. They didn¡¯t speak any more before reaching camp, at which point Salvare split off to tend to his pokemon, leaving Red to do the same for his.

    Red let out Froakie and Charmander as he walked up to Pichu and Vee, who were lightly training at the edge of camp. Red made brief eye contact with Pichu, prompting the mouse to nod. Red hummed, looking to Vee as the baby pokemon followed the routine set by Pichu.

    For the past few days on the road, Red had taken to introducing Vee to training. It had been touch and go on the first day, but they had found a solution by the end of the day.

    The most important aspect in Vee¡¯s training was learning to control its evolutions. Based on the notes from the underground lab that Red recovered, Team Source primarily used environmental cues along with various forms of pain to stimulate transformations within the creature. As far as Red understood with his few psychic communications with Vee, she had begun to relate unique emotions and feelings towards each stimulus, which had caused her to be unstable when exposed to the outside world.

    Red hadn¡¯t immediately learned this due to Vee using his spirit as an ¡®anchor¡¯ of sorts, helping her stabilise somewhere between Espeon and Sylveon. However, for all that her presence grew to be a comfort in his mind, he determined that they needed to train her how to hold control over her form on her own. Her use of his spirit could only be a short-term solution, given the risks of them somehow becoming separated.

    Thankfully, when Red brought this up to his pokemon, they had all gladly - very much so in Froakie¡¯s case - volunteered to help Vee establish control over herself. They mainly did this by helping her establish a greater connection with their respective elements, with the hope of that greater understanding allowing her to more easily differentiate between those forms.

    It didn¡¯t cover everything, though. While Froakie could help somewhat with Vee when she was Umbreon, it wasn¡¯t nearly as much as he could with Vaporeon. None of them could help with Espeon, and Froakie was actively repulsed by Sylveon.

    Red had taken to helping Vee with her Fairy Type. While they could commune with their Psychic link, they had established a special connection whenever she was transformed into a Sylveon. However, neither of them truly understood exactly what it entailed, but Red believed - hoped - that by being present with Vee as she explored that form, it would help her learn to stabilise it.

    That would be later tonight, though.

    Right now, Pichu was helping her in her Jolteon form.

    Looking at her now, Red could see her face scrunched up in concentration, trying to establish a connection to Pichu¡¯s element. Though Red could see features of Flareon and Sylveon peeking out of her, she looked far more consistent as a Jolteon compared to just days before.

    He hoped it was a sign of good progress.

    Turning back to Froakie, Red knelt down and asked, ¡°You still good for your session with Vee later on today?¡±

    Froakie nodded stoically, staring at Vee with a warmth that was new to him. Red smiled to himself. The frog had taken great pains to teach Vee his element, always starting at the hour, on the hour.

    Red turned his attention towards the other side of camp. He could see Salvare tending to his pokemon, along with conversing in low tones different strategies for them to try, new moves to integrate, and other ways to improve.

    It was almost as if Red was looking into a mirror of himself.

    For all that Red felt relieved at Karen¡¯s absence, he did feel vaguely guilty for Salvare. Camp was much more quiet than it had been over the last month. Even when he had broken away, he still heard the two of them engaging in various discussions, arguments, and other conversation.

    Red and Salvare weren¡¯t the same. While the two of them had engaged in a few small conversations, most of their time together was focused on training. It was all that Red was comfortable with at the moment - he still saw shades of Judgement in Salvare¡¯s eyes - but he was making an effort to improve, however¡­ slowly it may be.

    Are you ever going to tell him the truth?

    Red shook his head and stood up. After checking that his pokemon were occupied, Red walked over to Salvare¡¯s side of the camp, catching the young man¡¯s eyes as he stepped closer.

    Salvare nodded, and dutifully began to stand before being halted by Red, ¡°We can stay here, Salvare. I was thinking we could try to foster your aura with your pokemon.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Salvare sat back down, his eyes beginning to gleam with interest, ¡°I was under the impression you were going to teach me more moves.¡±

    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    ¡°Well, I was under the impression that you were doing quite well in that regard,¡± Red responded - and it was truly impressive, given the timeframe - ¡°However, Karen told me she hadn¡¯t gone much farther outside of those and the other basics.¡±

    Salvare¡¯s eyes widened before narrowing - perhaps he was surprised that the two of them had been civil? Or as civil as they could be, anyway - ¡°Alright¡­¡± Salvare leaned back, giving Red a discerning eye as he sat down with him, ¡°Does this relate to how you seem to always understand your pokemon?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Red answered simply, before tilting his head towards Feraligatr, who turned away - interesting - ¡°Before we begin, can you tell me how Feraligatr is feeling now?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Salvare asked, before fully processing the question. Salvare considered Feraligatr for a moment before shrugging, somewhat unsurely, ¡°Wary? He wasn¡¯t hurt badly by our battle earlier, but he¡¯s¡­ his pride is hurt?¡±

    Red nodded thoughtfully as Feraligatr huffed and gave Salvare a small stink eye, ¡°And how did you get this?¡±

    Salvare thought about it for a bit, ¡°Well, I¡¯d like to think I know my starter well enough to know what he¡¯s feeling. Also, he was somewhat grouchy as I patched him up, and he wasn¡¯t badly hurt, so I guess that it was because he was embarrassed.¡±

    Red nodded to himself once more with a hum before turning to Feraligatr, ¡°And you, Feraligatr. Can you tell me what Salvare is feeling?¡±

    Both Salvare and Feraligatr turned to Red as if he asked if the sky was blue. After a moment, in which both of them determined Red was serious, Feraligatr gave a doubtful snort before extending a hand to Salvare before cupping his head and chest, before giving a small wave towards Red.

    While Salvare seemed entirely confused by the interaction, Red gave a comprehending nod, cupping his chin as if in thought, ¡°Interesting. Thank you, Feraligatr,¡± The crocodile once more gave a dubious look to Red before crouching down closer to Salvare.

    Red turned back to regard Salvare, scrutinising him with what Salvare could only call intrigue . A few more seconds passed in silence before Red breathed out, ¡° Interesting. I can see how you could¡¯ve fascinated Him.¡±

    Salvare¡¯s patience snapped, ¡°Who? What do you mean?¡±

    Red blinked, as if coming out of a reverie. He pursed his lips before asking, ¡°Did you understand, at all, what Feraligatr said to me?¡±

    Salvare frowned, increasingly confused at where this was all going, ¡°No¡­? Should I?¡±

    ¡°Not necessarily,¡± Red answered, ¡°But it is interesting¡­¡± Before Salvare could snap again for Red to make sense , his mentor - and he was secretly overjoyed that he could say that again - leaned forward, ¡°When you¡¯re in battle, have you ever felt something akin to a spiritual connection to your pokemon?¡±

    At Salvare¡¯s outwardly dubious look, Red sighed a bit, ¡°Bear with me here.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Salvare responded, though it didn¡¯t assuage his confusion, ¡°I mean¡­ Maybe? I think I might¡¯ve felt something when we fought Whitney a few weeks ago, when he evolved.¡±

    Red gave an assured nod, as if he now understood something that he hadn¡¯t before, ¡°So it happened in evolution¡­¡± Red hummed to himself, looking toward Feraligatr for a moment before turning back to Salvare, ¡°Alright, I think I understand.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Salvare asked, a touch impatiently. He was getting slightly sick of the vagueness.

    ¡°It seems as though you established a one-way connection with your pokemon,¡± Red answered, as if it made any sense to Salvare. Thankfully, he didn¡¯t have to ask before Red elaborated, ¡°Feraligatr has an empathic connection with you, though it isn¡¯t fully developed. Granted, that¡¯s more of a function of how new it is.¡±

    Salvare furrowed his brow, ¡°An empathic connection?¡±

    ¡°Feraligatr can feel your thoughts and emotions for lack of better words,¡± Red answered, as if he wasn¡¯t saying anything crazy, ¡°When he answered my question earlier, he gave insight that he wouldn¡¯t have gotten simply from knowing you well. I also felt some sort of connection between the two of you, I just only confirmed what type of connection it was now.¡±

    Salvare remained silent for a few moments, digesting what Red told him, before asking, ¡°What does all of that mean?¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Red looked off in the distance before giving a small shrug, ¡°Not much, at the moment. Right now, Feraligatr has a more intimate understanding of what exactly you¡¯re feeling at any given moment, whether you¡¯re sad or happy. It might end up bleeding over to him as a result, depending on how strong your emotion is.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Salvare yelped, alarmed, sparing a shocked glance with Feraligatr before asking Red, ¡°Is there a way to stop it?¡±

    Red¡¯s eyes went wide, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t want to stop it!¡± He exclaimed before thinking, then winced as Salvare shrunk back lightly, ¡°Sorry. I mean¡­ It isn¡¯t a bad thing.¡±

    Salvare didn¡¯t seem convinced, but he still asked, ¡°How so?¡±

    Red pursed his lips, seemingly deciding how to answer. After a moment, he turned his head towards his side of camp, ¡°Salvare¡­ This type of connection doesn¡¯t only go one way,¡± He turned to eye Salvare - who noticed a small flame of crimson with Red¡¯s eyes - ¡°When nurtured, this connection can go both ways, allowing your pokemon to feel what you feel, and for you to feel what they feel,¡± Red¡¯s eyes turned serious, and Salvare straightened up, ¡°This is¡­ quite possibly the greatest blessing I could wish on a trainer. While this connection could strengthen the negative emotions held between man and pokemon, it can, and will , heighten their bond to new heights.¡±

    Red spoke calmly, though Salvare could hear the undercurrent of emotion in Red¡¯s voice, ¡°To be quite frank, Salvare, my bond with my pokemon has been the one thing that¡¯s kept me alive. Without that bond¡­ Well, I¡¯m quite sure I wouldn''t be here to speak of it.¡±

    Red turned back once more, a soft smile spreading upon his lips as Pichu and the others gave a cheer as Vee successfully used Thundershock without any backlash, ¡°That you have the beginnings of this connection with your pokemon is a truly special gift, Salvare,¡± Red¡¯s voice lowered, images of many, many of the most vile individuals he had met flashing across his mind, ¡° Don¡¯t throw it away , or I will heavily reconsider having you as my protege.¡±

    Red didn¡¯t look back immediately, but he could feel the spike in surprise, apprehension, and no small amount of fear coming from Salvare, ¡°I won¡¯t¡­¡± Salvare¡¯s words petered off into a stilted silence, ¡°Still¡­ How can I prevent the¡­ bad stuff from infecting Feraligatr?¡±

    Infecting? Odd choice of words.

    Sending that thought away for later consideration, Red turned around - his eyes no longer burned - ¡°The first step to that is to understand oneself. To understand what makes us tick , and where our strengths lie, and our weaknesses.¡±

    Red turned around to face Salvare fully, who stared intently back, ¡°Once you are able to create an image of yourself and your aura, then you may alter it as you see fit.¡±

    Salvare frowned, though it was more curious than critical, ¡°Karen never mentioned any of this.¡±

    Red mirrored Salvare¡¯s frown, though his was more severe, ¡°Karen likely learned something else. I had an¡­ unorthodox teacher.¡±

    Salvare accepted that answer with a slow nod, before asking, ¡°If it isn¡¯t too much to ask¡­ what does your aura look like?¡±

    For several seconds, Red held silent, his face unmoving. Salvare began to accept that he wouldn¡¯t receive an answer when Red spoke up, hesitant, ¡°It¡¯s¡­ an ocean. Endless. Stranded. No end in sight, but filled with every colour.¡±

    Salvare almost spoke up when Red continued with clipped words, ¡°There¡¯s¡­ a storm above the ocean. The Storm¡­¡± Salvare became somewhat alarmed as Red¡¯s face twisted in something that looked like pain, ¡°...That is all I can say.¡±

    Salvare didn¡¯t get a chance to pipe in before Red shook his head - violently - ¡°Either way. I think the best thing we can do now for you is to begin constructing the image for your aura. Once it¡¯s satisfactory, I can see about relaying what I know about establishing and limiting bonds with your pokemon,¡± Red seemed disgruntled as he said the word ¡®limiting¡¯, but his tone was understanding, ¡°After that¡­ Well, I¡¯ll figure that out.¡±

    Salvare nodded lightly, ¡°All right¡­¡± He looked intently back at Red, ¡°So¡­ How do I do this?¡±

    Red grimaced, silently asking Arceus for patience both for himself and for Salvare.

    This was as much a learning experience for him as much as it was for Salvare.

    ¡­

    Arceus help them both.

    ¡­

    Mahogany Gym

    ¡°Let¡¯s finish this, Houndour! Incinerate !¡±

    Though Pryce attempted to have Lapras intercept the large ball of fire with a wave, she had sustained too much injury to defend herself in time. The Lapras cried out in pain before fainting, marking her victory over Pryce for her seventh Gym Badge.

    Still too weak to beat Red, though.

    Despite having just won her match, Karen retained a minute frown at the thought of her¡­ friend? She wasn¡¯t quite sure how to categorise him at this point. They knew each other rather well (not to mention the demons he shared with her and Salvare). While he was a person of interest for the Aura Guardians, she liked to think she had established enough of a relationship to elevate themselves from merely calling him that.

    Perhaps he could be called a rival? Karen hadn¡¯t ever really bothered with those - her goals were too grand for most - and she didn¡¯t really see Red as a rival in the traditional sense.

    Oh sure, she wanted to best him in battle - because, really, it was just getting absurd how strong he was with unevolved runts - but that was mainly to humble the man at this point. She still felt somewhat bitter over Salvare choosing him as his aura instructor over her, but she recognised that Red had come first, not to mention the extenuating circumstances.

    So what was Red to her? Again, she almost thought he might be a friend, but even with their issues acknowledged back in Azalea Town, they had both¡­ done and said things that she regretted. Though, it was hard to tell whether Red did, given how one-track his mind is.

    Karen still believed that Red was neither good nor bad. She believed that he had good intentions, he showed mixed results in regards to how he got there.

    She was almost certain now, given his haunted look, that he had killed, many times.

    Karen wasn¡¯t normally one to dwell on others. Aside from her fellow Guardians, she felt that she had nothing to prove. Over the course of the past couple of months, though, that changed. She found herself genuinely caring for Salvare as a friend and a pseudo-apprentice. And Red¡­ Well, she certainly listened to what the man said, whether he knew it or not.

    Believe what she may, but the man had experience in spades, and it showed.

    Even then, she knew that Red would be of growing importance soon. Whether it was due to his dealings with his mysterious enemy, or simply his growing notoriety in the battling scene, sooner or later, Red was going to catch a lot of attention.

    She wondered if he was ready for it.

    Karen banished her thoughts away as the pomp and ceremony of the Gym Match wrapped up. Due to her going for the 8-Badge challenge, the Mahogany Gym - which had the historical lowest turnouts for Gym Matches in Indigo over the past decade and a half - received more visitors than usual. Still, it wasn¡¯t nearly as much as Red¡¯s match in Azalea, and certainly not as much as Salvare¡¯s in Goldenrod.

    The kid became a small celebrity in his own right, after that match.

    Karen turned her thoughts back to the present as Pryce hobbled up to her, grunting softly, ¡°Yeh did well. Better than I expected, even,¡± He hummed to himself as the two of them began to walk to his quarters, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen yeh use some o¡¯ those moves before.¡±

    Karen shrugged nonchalantly, hiding how much the approval of an Elder Guardian meant to her, ¡°I learned on my travels.¡±

    Pryce nodded lightly, opening the door to his quarters. Karen noticed before him the extra presence in the room, which made itself known when a raspy voice cackled, ¡°Took yeh long enough, yeh old man.¡±

    Pryce halted for a moment, before scowling as he hobbled to his desk, grumbling, ¡°O¡¯ course yer here, yeh great hag. Come to see yer apprentice?¡±

    Agatha¡¯s smile dimmed to a small smirk, ¡°Indeed I did,¡± She stood up slowly and turned to Karen, her eyes becoming no softer, but less narrow nonetheless, ¡°It is good to see you after so long, my apprentice.¡±

    Karen gave a shallow bow, giving fealty to her superior, ¡°And the same to you, my master.¡±

    ¡°Bah!¡± Agatha swatted a hand away, ¡°None o¡¯ that, now! Yer nearly grown, my girl. Soon enough, yeh¡¯ll get to call me by name.¡±

    Karen¡¯s face pulled into a small frown, ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem soon to me.¡±

    Agatha barked a laugh, sitting back down on her sofa, ¡°Jus¡¯ another month, my girl. Bah! Yeh young ones are all so impatient,¡± Agatha grumbled good naturedly before twisting sharply to Pryce, ¡°Aye, Prycey. Don¡¯t yeh have a Piloswine to search for?¡±

    And just like that, Pryce¡¯s mood crashed down - Karen was always somewhat impressed how Agatha managed it so easily - ¡°This is my Gym. Yeh don¡¯ get to kick me out in me own home , woman.¡±

    Agatha snorted, ¡°Fine, fine,¡± She turned back and gestured for the seat across from her, ¡°Take a seat, Karen. I do believe we have much to catch up on.¡±

    ¡°I do,¡± Karen muttered with a sigh, adjusting herself in the seat before asking, ¡°Did you get my last message before I got here?¡±

    ¡°Aye, I did. Yeh didn¡¯ say much,¡± Agatha pointed out with a pointed look, ¡°I ¡®magine yer lookin¡¯ to rectify that?¡±

    Karen nodded, falling into the familiar routine of reporting for her meetings, ¡°Before I flew to Mahogany, Red, Salvare, and I had a¡­ discussion over Red¡¯s secrets.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Agatha asked with interest, leaning forward with her shadow, ¡°Do tell.¡±

    ¡°Red didn¡¯t share much, mainly the emotions he associates with the events of his past,¡± Karen elaborated stiffly, ¡°However¡­ I do believe I have a greater understanding of who Red might be, given what he did share, and how it¡­¡± Karen visibly grimaced, ¡° Affected him.¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Agatha leaned back, showing no small amount of interest. At his desk, Pryce kept out an ear as he began to slog through paperwork, ¡°Well, don¡¯ keep us waitin¡¯, girl. What did you learn?¡±

    Karen briefly debated on what to start with, before deciding, ¡°First off, Red is more attuned to his aura than any of us realised, along with being¡­ more volatile.¡±

    Agatha raised an eyebrow, ¡°Oh?¡±

    ¡°Before I explain, I believe Red has PTSD,¡± Karen frowned, ¡°I¡¯m not a psychologist, but I can¡¯t think of much else that it could be.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Pryce asked, though it seemed more rhetorical than anything else.

    ¡°He had several¡­ attacks over my last month travelling with him. He becomes¡­ cold . His aura, I mean. If it goes on for longer, it has the chance to begin going hot , at which point Red¡¯s aura begins to let loose,¡± Karen spoke in a forced mechanical tone.

    She didn¡¯t like how much his episodes affected her.

    ¡°The main effect was Red¡¯s aura simply lashing out randomly, though there were a few times that I felt what I think to be localised earthquakes,¡± Karen¡¯s eyebrows rose, a new thought just coming to her, ¡°He¡¯s shown no other indication to Ground Type aura¡­ which is concerning.¡±

    Agatha hummed again, and Pryce broke in, ¡°I¡¯m¡­ not entirely surprised by this, in all honesty.¡±

    Karen widened her eyes, ¡°You¡¯re not?¡±

    ¡°Durin¡¯ our Gym match a few months back, he¡­ well, he froze in the middle o¡¯ the match,¡± Pryce explained before leaning forward to elaborate, ¡°An¡¯ I don¡¯ mean he froze froze. I mean he froze like a war vet, seein¡¯ a vision o¡¯ the war.¡±

    Agatha¡¯s face only became more clouded as Karen nodded at that, ¡°That fits with what I¡¯ve seen,¡± She paused for a moment to gather her thoughts, ¡°What I mean to get to by saying this is that¡­ well, Red had an attack , and impulsively decided to show us what he felt during his past.¡±

    Agatha spoke up for the first time in several minutes, ¡°His past? He shared it with you?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t see anything of it, I only felt it,¡± Karen explained with a growing frown, ¡°Based on what I could tell, it was his thoughts on the matter.¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± It was Pryce that said this, growing impatient, ¡°Will yeh please share with us?¡±

    Karen shivered lightly, ¡°I will, it was just¡­ a lot ,¡± She gave another breath before explaining, ¡°From what I could understand, Red was a part of some sort of group. I don¡¯t understand its mission, but it was apparently fighting against another group seeked some sort of disaster. There was some sort of betrayal within his group, which¡­ led to death, I believe. Apparently, someone - no - multiple people sacrificed their lives for Red to live. However, it wasn¡¯t enough. The disaster came, and Red was apparently the only survivor. I can¡¯t say much after that. It was all¡­ too much .¡±

    Karen began to massage a light headache. After a moment, Pryce asked, much softer than before, ¡°What can yeh tell us?¡±

    ¡°Red blames himself,¡± Karen answered bluntly, ¡°That became clear before the vision, but it confirmed it,¡± Karen frowned as she thought further, recalling a chilling, endless hatred in her bones, ¡°He¡­ He also really hates something. Someone? I don¡¯t know, the hate was overwhelming¡­ Personal. ¡±

    The three sat in silence for a moment as they digested her words. After which, Agatha summarised what they knew, ¡°So, we got a prodigal Rogue Aura Guardian who probably has some cocktail of survivor¡¯s guilt and PTSD,¡± Her face scrunched up in distaste, ¡°He¡¯s still too young for it, but he does sound like some folks I knew from the Great War,¡± She hummed in growing concern, ¡°Given what you¡¯ve said, I take it he hasn¡¯t had any sort of therapy?¡±

    Karen scoffed, ¡°I highly doubt it. Even if it was offered, I¡¯d bet Red would rather run away than receive it,¡± Her face twisted into a small scowl, ¡°Especially since, apparently, his enemies are still out there.¡±

    ¡°They are?¡± Agatha asked sharply. At Karen¡¯s nod, her face became grim, ¡°That could potentially be a problem.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve¡­ actually thought some on who could be Red¡¯s enemy,¡± Karen¡¯s voice was uncharacteristically unsure, ¡°I¡¯m not exactly certain, but it somewhat fits with what I know.¡±

    ¡°Well, tell us,¡± Agatha commanded with a tap of her cane.

    Karen hesitated briefly, before sharing her theory, ¡°Red¡¯s words made it seem like his enemy was more of an organisation than an individual, so I did a bit of research on different criminal organisations that could fit with what Red described.¡±

    ¡°The best match I could find was Cipher, given its regrowth over the last decade. There¡¯s also some reports of Cipher being far more brutal than local organisations like Team Rocket,¡± Karen shook her head in disgust, ¡°I¡¯m not gonna lie, the more I read, the more I got mad. They use child soldiers! ¡± Karen snapped before a somewhat horrifying thought came to her, ¡°Maybe that¡¯s where Red came from! He could be some sort of runaway from Cipher; it¡¯s the only thing I can think of that makes sense .¡±

    The two Elder Guardians both gave it thought. ¡°It is possible, but¡­¡± Agatha frowned, not liking her - rare - uncertainty, ¡°Something in my gut tells me that isn¡¯t it.¡±

    Karen scowled, ¡°Me too, but that doesn¡¯t make it any less frustrating,¡± Her anger simmered as she turned back to Agatha, ¡°I mean, Red¡¯s guilt is real , and it is disproportionately large for anything but the worst , and I can¡¯t think of what it could be.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps,¡± The two of them turned as Pryce spoke up, ¡°We should leave this to later?¡±

    Agatha snorted, ¡°Of course yeh¡¯d want to stick around an¡¯ do nothin¡¯.¡±

    ¡°Not what I mean, woman,¡± Pryce grumbled, though he seemed too tired to fly into a rage, ¡°I mean that yeh¡¯ll see ¡®im at the Silver Conference, yeah?¡± At Karen¡¯s nod, he hummed, ¡°Then yeh can see if he¡¯s willin¡¯ to share more information with yeh?¡±

    ¡°Oh, yeh think he¡¯d just be willin¡¯ ?¡± Agatha asked with a derisive scoff.

    ¡°Well, we can¡¯t exactly force it out o¡¯ him, now can¡¯t we?¡± Pryce rebutted sharply, ¡°He¡¯s already been predisposed to not trustin¡¯ us,¡± Karen flushed as he said that, ¡°Best thing to do is to build upon the trust he seems to ¡®ave given her.¡±

    Agatha narrowed her eyes, though she gave his words thought. After a moment, she relented with a scoff, ¡°Fine, yeh win this one, Pryce.¡±

    Pryce sniffed, ¡°And an Alleluia to tha¡¯.¡±

    Agatha wrinkled her face, visibly disgruntled, but Karen knew that was her default expression, so she wasn¡¯t worried, ¡°I have more to report.¡±

    Agatha considered her, ¡°We can continue tomorrow, Karen,¡± Agatha waved a hand away, ¡°We ¡®ave a lot to think about with yer news.¡±

    Karen nodded to herself, ¡°Alright,¡± She turned to Pryce, asking, ¡°Is it alright if I stay here for the night?¡±

    Pryce paused in his work, looking at Karen with mixed exacerbation and fondness, ¡°O¡¯ course yeh are, Karen.¡±

    ¡°Ohhh, and what about little ol¡¯ me?¡± Agatha stepped up into Pryce¡¯s space, batting her eyelashes in an exaggerated manner.

    Pryce was either too tired or too desensitised to react in an angry fashion, instead muttering, ¡°Jus¡¯ leave, woman.¡±

    Agatha sniffed, ¡°Fine,¡± She stood up and began to walk out before pausing, ¡°Come with me a moment, Karen. I have a gift for you.¡±

    Karen felt her eyebrows rise despite herself - Agatha never gave gifts - and followed obediently.

    Once they reached the backdoors of the Gym, Agatha stopped, and reached into her satchel to retrieve a dark purple stone radiating with mournful energy.

    It didn¡¯t take long for Karen to recognize what the stone was, and it didn¡¯t take much longer for her to realise what it was for. She gasped, ¡°Agatha-¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯ want to hear it!¡± Agatha snapped, before softening, ¡°Yeh¡¯ve done well, Karen. Far better than I at yer age,¡± She dropped the dusk stone into Karen¡¯s hands, clasping them over it, ¡°I look forward to seein¡¯ how yeh do in the Silver Conference. However yeh do, yeh¡¯ll make me proud.¡±

    Karen was surprised to feel the beginning of tears in her eyes. She took a moment to keep them in, ¡°I will, Agatha. I will.¡±

    ¡°O¡¯ course yeh will,¡± Agatha agreed warmly, before sharpening her smile into somethin¡¯ sinister, ¡°Still, I expect yeh to crush everyone on the path to victory, my apprentice. I expect to see yeh win .¡±

    Karen responded with a fanged smile of her own, and - ignoring her doubt in the form of a vexing man - replied, ¡° I will. ¡±

    ¡­

    The Ruins of Alph, November 19th, 1997

    ¡°Do you hear something, Salvare?¡±

    Salvare frowned, craning his ear to listen. After a moment, he shook his head, ¡°Nothing unusual. Do you hear something?¡±

    Red thought about that question as the two of them walked by the series of mounds and cobbled structures dotting the ruins. He almost believed he did hear something - a buzz, almost like the static of a radio - yet it was just faint enough that he questioned whether it was merely his imagination.

    Realising he had yet to answer, Red replied, ¡°I¡¯m unsure.¡±

    Salvare gave Red a considering look, but remained silent as the two of them travelled through the ruins. It was far more quiet in this stretch of their journey when compared to anywhere else. While they hadn¡¯t encountered many pokemon in their travels - again, Red believed it to be some sort of effect of his presence - they could still at least hear the wildlife, sometimes even seeing them interact in the distance, far enough away from Red that they felt comfortable to do so.

    Here, though, there was nothing. In fact, there had seldom been any wild pokemon in this area for millenia, at least according to what Salvare knew of local legends. There were many theories surrounding the ruins, its purpose, and why pokemon seemed repelled from it.

    For his own part, Red didn¡¯t much care outside of the slight - but ever present - sense of wrongness that he felt as they traversed through the ruins. It only became more concerning when both of their pokemon also seemed uncomfortable.

    Thankfully, the ruins were small enough that they would be able to reach Violet City by the end of the day.

    The buzz returned - and Red felt strangely drawn to it . Red felt the tug in his heart, and tore it away - an automatic response; he wasn¡¯t a big fan of any psychic suggestions - ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t hear anything, Salvare?¡±

    Salvare paused in full this time, giving Red a questioning look before looking out to the ruins, visibly listening for anything out of the ordinary. After a moment, Salvare shrugged with a frown, ¡°I mean¡­ I hear the wind. It¡¯s much more windy here than anywhere else we¡¯ve been.¡±

    Red gave a thoughtful nod at that. It was rather windy, enough so that Red and Salvare had recalled all of their pokemon for their own comfort. Pichu had taken to burrowing himself in Red¡¯s shirt . Still, Red had doubts over whether the wind was the source of the noises he was hearing, no matter how loud it may occasionally get.

    However, Red couldn¡¯t exactly say much more in that regard, so the two resumed their trek through the ruins. Red noticed the occasional glance Salvare gave him, looking somewhere between worried and interested. Red never replied in any way, visual or oratory, instead trying to fight off the encroaching headache that never seemed to go away.

    The buzz came once more, louder, more insistent. Demanding. Pleading. Red stopped as the static solidified into a voice, soft yet harsh, monotone in a way not dissimilar to his own when he had to desperately fight against his rage.

    COME FORTH

    ¡° Salvare, ¡± Salvare had already turned around, waiting for Red to catch up - ever mindful of his mentor, even now - ¡° There¡¯s a presence nearby. ¡±

    Salvare frowned, though he began to look around warily, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen anything¡­¡±

    Red¡¯s eyes tracked where Salvare¡¯s looked - they began to glow, though the fire within was more controlled than it had been weeks before - ¡°Something is calling for me.¡±

    Salvare paused at that, his face contorting to a grim frown, ¡°...Are you being forced to go?¡±

    Salvare¡¯s voice contained something heavy, something fierce.

    ¡®No-one¡¯s my master!¡¯

    ¡°No¡­¡± Red drawed the word out, and found it to be true, ¡°I¡­ can ignore the call,¡± Though his headache may suffer for it. Red paused as he considered it, though. Whatever called him seemed vaguely desperate, as if it didn¡¯t have much time left.

    The sky was darkening, just slightly, but enough for Red to notice - it was familiar, but its meaning escaped Red - though Salvare didn¡¯t seem to, still intently focusing on Red, the implicit question clear on his face.

    Are you going to answer this call?

    Red frowned, but nodded, ¡°I¡­ think I must ,¡± There was something hauntingly familiar in its call, something he knew he had heard before , ¡°You can go ahead. I¡¯ll catch up when I can.¡±

    Red didn¡¯t much expect Salvare to do so, and his protege proved him right when he huffed, ¡°Yeah, no . Whatever the hell is going on here, I¡¯ll still follow you,¡± Salvare tried to give a reassured smile, though they both knew it was fake, ¡°I lived through the shit that happened with Celebi. This can¡¯t be anything weirder than that.¡±

    You¡¯d be surprised.

    Red didn¡¯t verbalise his thoughts on the matter, instead nodding as he turned away from the trail, and towards the ruins proper. The voice of the static beckoned him in that direction. Come Forth.

    Still, for all that had happened between them, Red was flattered that Salvare still chose to follow him, even on Red¡¯s whim.

    It still worried him.

    ¡®Wherever he goes, I go¡¯

    Red shoves the thought away as he had done so before, instead turning his thoughts to what Salvare had said regarding the forest.

    There were some similarities, Red could admit. Something spoke to Red that didn¡¯t seem to reach anyone else, not to mention the dark, familiar feeling of his aura. However, whereas Red at least had some idea of what to do while in the forest, he was entirely out of his depth here.

    A small, creeping chill settled itself within his neck.

    familiar.

    Salvare trailed silently behind as Red cast out his senses with a Detect . There wasn¡¯t immediately anything he could feel - aside from a growing sea of darkness - until he felt a presence far below him.

    Except¡­

    It wasn¡¯t merely a single presence, but dozens.

    All remaining absolutely still.

    Red¡¯s frown became more pronounced as the Detect faded away. The static in his ears was only growing as he hiked deeper into the ruins, the structures around them becoming less and less demolished. Yet, despite the pool of dread that built in his stomach, Red almost felt a sense of relief as he found himself at the centre of the Ruins of Alph, which was now nothing more than a modest mound with a tunnel leading down.

    He almost felt as if he had been here before.

    The wind around them seemed to grow more frantic, whistling a haunting tune through the bark of dead trees. All around them, the ruins of the long-dead temple seemed to sing as Red and Salvare entered the mound, and descended to the chamber below.

    The two of them remained silent as the song above them died out, Salvare remaining tense, and Red remaining determined. The static in his ears finally drew away into a small hum, somehow anxious despite being heard as constant static.

    Red¡¯s feet touched polished stone, cracked with age, and he faced a vast, unlit chamber.

    Salvare came up behind him, eyes squinting as he struggled with seeing in the dark. Red considered letting Charmander out of his pokeball when a torch to his right sputtered, blue flames struggling to puff into life.

    The earth lightly shook - Red didn¡¯t know there were earthquakes in the area - rattling the torches on their pedestals. None fell, and after a minute, the chamber was illuminated by a wavering blue glow.

    Red heard Salvare suck in a breath as he witnessed what lay within the chamber. Scattered across the air were scores of Unown, all remaining still - almost as if they were dead - their eyes unseeing as they stared into Red¡¯s own.

    Red was vaguely surprised to feel the distinct sense of discomfort the image brought to him. He had seen other Unown a few times, and though they were certainly odd, Red could still remember them being very much alive.

    Yet, these were lifeless.

    Red wondered if others knew about this¡­ half-dead group of Unown. He imagined they would have been moved if anyone knew, probably for study over whatever seemed to have them in stasis.

    Turning his thoughts back to the pleas bringing him here, Red asked to the silence, ¡°Is¡­ there something I need to do?¡±

    Silence answered him, and Red almost asked again when he saw a twitch, a movement within the rows of Unown.

    Slowly, three Unown rose and separated from the group, their eyes opening as one, unblinking as they all stared at Red.

    They remained still, and Red kept his silence, waiting. After a moment, the static returned, though it came in short, almost joyous (?) bursts.

    The Unown all floated towards him, bouncing up and down in apparent glee. Red gave a tentative smile as the three Unown bounced around him, short bursts of static dancing across him, joining together into half a song, unheard yet understood.

    Saviour.

    Red¡¯s smile dimmed as the thought began to loop, repeatedly, as if the Unown understood nothing more, as if everything but that in their mind had been washed away. Broken.

    Red tried to reclaim his smile - it didn¡¯t work - as he asked, ¡°How¡­ You want me to save them? ¡±

    All at once, the Unown stilled, all noises ceasing as one. Red felt his chill return, feeling as if a shadow - beautiful and terrible - was fast approaching.

    It was terribly familiar.

    Horribly familiar.

    ¡®We¡¯ll meet again.¡¯

    ¡®UNIT CORRUPTION,¡¯ Red¡¯s eyes snapped back to the Unown, their eyes staring past him, seeing something that none other could see - their eyes almost seemed resigned - ¡®UNIT CORRUPTION AT 99.999% - CRITICAL ERROR - USER DESTRUCTION IMMINENT¡¯

    Before Red could comprehend what it was saying, all three Unown snapped their eyes onto him, all in perfect clarity, ¡®INCOMPLETE DATA - SORTING DATA - DATA COMPILATION COMPLETE - INCOMPLETE DATA,¡¯ The Unown began to spin around Red, who was stilled in a mix of terror and unexplainable sadness , ¡®VESSEL DETECTED - DATA TRANSFER INITIATED - USER DESTRUCTION IMMINENT - ALL IS AS THE CREATOR WILLS¡¯

    ALL IS AS THE CREATOR WILLS

    The haunting voice, echoing endlessly in Red¡¯s mind, grew louder as Red fell to his knees, screaming in silence as he felt his mind open up, and receive.

    Flashes.

    Flashes of memory.

    Incomplete.

    Corrupted.

    A smile from a dearest friend.

    A snarl from a dearest enemy.

    A commune with the Mover of Continents.

    A language of the ancestors.

    A touch with the beasts of darkness.

    Fragments of memory.

    Incomplete.

    Scattered.

    Lost.

    Red opened his eyes, nearly collapsing onto his hands.

    He heard Salvare¡¯s voice behind him - panicked, confused - and spoke to console him that he felt no pain.

    Yet, what he spoke in his mind was not what he spoke with his tongue, instead twisting in ways unnatural to hiss, ¡° Ayaave Nei Char-Do. ¡±

    Salvare¡¯s frown lessened, though he looked no less worried, ¡°What?¡±

    Red scrunched his own eyebrows in confusion, before enunciating, ¡° I am fine, ¡± He struggled onto his feet, wobbling slightly as Salvare steadied him, ¡° I just¡­ They¡­ Showed me a vision? ¡±

    Salvare¡¯s frown seemed oddly mournful, ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t entirely understand what just happened, but¡­¡± He tipped his head to the ground, bringing Red¡¯s attention to the three bodies of Unown that lay on the ground, unblinking, still, dead , ¡°I think it was the last thing they did.¡±

    Red didn¡¯t respond, staring down with wide eyes at the three Unown. Their eyes remained open, yet they no longer held the life they once did, instead slowly seeming to fade away, leaving nothing but the dim white glow of their eyes, their pupils fading, slowly disappearing.

    The darkness around him grew.

    He almost felt as if it was laughing at him.

    how terribly beautiful

    ¡°R-Red?¡± Salvare asked behind him, voice terribly small, yet solid in a way that Red knew his own wouldn¡¯t be, ¡°Will you be alright?¡±

    Red almost wanted to laugh - wanted to weep - but he remained silent. Another three lives added to his list. Red had been the one to follow the call. Red had been the one to wake them up. Red had been the one to lead them to their deaths.

    The darkness grew until it was tangible in his lungs. The earth shook, greater than it had before, closer. As if a Storm approached.

    ¡° We never should have come here, ¡± Red growled, largely to himself, ¡° I should have known what I would have brought. ¡±

    ¡°Red,¡± Salvare¡¯s voice was hard, though when Red turned around, Salvare¡¯s eyes were soft, ¡°Whatever this was¡­ It was not your fault. ¡±

    Red opened his mouth to deny Salvare¡¯s words - his reassurance - but closed it when the shadows around the chamber seemed to swell, almost overshadowing the blue flames of the torches.

    Red stilled, the hairs on his arms standing as a creature walked in from the other side of the chamber, a haunting melody coming from its lips. The eulogy whispered into Red¡¯s ear, both loving and spiteful, praising the sanctity of life, and the inevitability of death. Red blinked, and for but a moment, stood upon a mountaintop, staring down at a grave that rested at the peak.

    The grave bore his name.

    Red blinked, and heard Salvare softly gasp behind him as, from the shadows laid from the torches, an Absol waltzed towards them, its song enveloping the chamber.

    Red eyed the disaster pokemon as it approached them, locking eyes with it for a moment before it turned away, facing Salvare. Salvare¡¯s breath hitched as the Absol rubbed up against Salvare, looping around his legs before glaring at Red.

    Amidst the bizarre and horrifying events that had taken place on that day, Red couldn¡¯t help but give a self-deprecating - self-hating - smile, as if to say, ¡®here¡¯s to you, from one harbinger of destruction to another.¡¯

    After all, had he not just destroyed another set of lives in his path?

    Yet, Absol only seemed to eye him back with a look of boredom, as if it meant to say, ¡®you are not as wise as you believe.¡¯

    ¡®after all¡­¡¯

    ¡®the disaster has yet to come.¡¯

    Red¡¯s eyes widened.

    And everything clicked.

    The darkness he felt. The pressure he felt in his lungs. The earth shaking. The familiarity of it. The hatred.

    Absol, a harbinger for disaster.

    For destruction.

    Whether in Destruction or Creation.

    Your Fate will Meet Its End.

    ¡° SALVARE! ¡± Red called, half in rage, half in desperation.

    The earth shook.

    ¡° WE NEED TO GO! ¡± Red felt his voice going hoarse, pushing Salvare past the exit-

    The earth shattered.

    ¡®I apologise, but I can¡¯t let you do that.¡¯

    ¡®Fissure, Dio.¡¯

    Red knew that voice. Even without the modulator, he could never forget the speaker .

    Red turned around - Salvare was up the tunnel, out of harm¡¯s way - throwing two pokeballs as he began to command attacks, anything they could do to keep themselves alive.

    He should¡¯ve known it was a lost cause.

    Through flashes of light, blazing blue torches, and the quaking of the earth, Red did not see anything more than a shadow of a man.

    Yet he could see the man¡¯s dead smile. Ever present under pinpricks of crimson in twin eyes of shadow.

    The Chariot stepped forward, utterly uncaring for the man in front of him.

    Salvare screamed his mentor¡¯s name as the tunnel collapsed behind him.

    Red fell, as the earth beneath him crumbled, conspiring against him as the man who was his greatest enemy paid him no mind.

    ¡­

    Red blinked, gasping as he felt something shift in his body that probably wasn¡¯t supposed to.

    He felt a pressure on his side - Pichu - scrambling up onto his shoulder. He hissed slightly, but didn¡¯t stop the mouse, instead pushing off of the ground in an attempt to stand.

    He collapsed onto his knee, cursing, toppling Pichu off of his shoulder. Red heard Froakie croak behind him - frantic - while Charmander growled in agitation, puffs of smoke escaping his maw.

    Red blinked as his senses began to return to him - his ears were ringing; a layer of crimson overlaid his vision - feeling the pain in his leg, his shoulder, and his gut.

    Red first focused on his leg, knowing that leaving it damaged wouldn¡¯t do him any good. He moved it a bit, hissing back expletives in another language - since when did he speak another language? - as pain flared up his back.

    Definitely sprained; possibly broken.

    The caves around him shook, small pebbles falling around them. The ravine they sat in shifted slightly, closer towards them, leaving them lesser room.

    Red ignored this, going into survival mode - he had lived through worse; they had lived through worse; they would survive - and focused his aura with the singular drive of a madman, foregoing everything else in his mind and body as he gripped his leg, and demanded it to heal .

    Within seconds, the pain in his leg left, though it did not do so cleanly. Rather than simply fading away, it travelled up his waist, into his gut, around his neck, and out of his head.

    It felt as if someone had taken a sledgehammer to his skull.

    Red bit down, hard , as sweat trickled down his brow - thankfully, Froakie had ripped off a wad of Red¡¯s jacket and stuffed it into his mouth . Once the pain subsided - though the splitting headache remained - Red attempted to stand up once more, this time successfully.

    The caves shifted again - closer - and Red saw a flare of blue as Charmander shot at the wall in panic. Rock and Ground beat Fire. Still, for all that Red could sympathise, they couldn¡¯t afford to waste oxygen, ¡° Charmander, control yourself! ¡±

    The lizard - dragon - scowled, but obeyed. Red turned to look up, pondering for a moment if they couldn¡¯t just climb their way back up to-

    The Chariot.

    Red jolted in place, recalling the smile on the man¡¯s lips as he sent them down here to die.

    Yet, there was no gleam in the man¡¯s eye. No recognition.

    Something in Red¡¯s mind clicked, and he gave a grim smile. The Chariot didn¡¯t know who he was. It was rather obvious in hindsight, but for the past few months, Red hadn¡¯t even considered that his mortal enemy no longer knew him.

    Yes, yes. That¡¯s all well and good, Red.

    You still have to keep yourself from dying here.

    Red turned briefly to Pichu - too small, ineffective this deep in the earth - before turning to Froakie. Motioning for Froakie to join on his shoulder, Red turned to survey his surroundings.

    There wasn¡¯t much, and Red could see that his surroundings were slowly closing in on him. There wasn¡¯t any obvious path through the caves - the ravine was rather claustrophobic - instead, there were several small tunnels that seemed to have been carved by pokemon, in years and years past.

    Red considered one such tunnel - just large enough for him to crouch through - with Froakie, whispering with slow breaths to conserve air, ¡°I¡¯m thinking we go in and see if it goes up. Wherever it goes highest, we can try to dig upwards with Water Pulse .¡±

    Froakie nodded resolutely, seeing it as their best chance. Red beckoned Pichu and Charmander, placing the lizard in front of him with Froakie to light the way with his tail flame.

    Red and his pokemon crept through the tunnels for several minutes, pausing anytime there was an earthquake. The tunnel went up and down as they traversed, never going much higher in elevation than they had been in the ravine.

    After several more minutes passed, another, far more powerful earthquake shook around them. Red crouched to envelop his pokemon in his arms, keeping his body over them to protect them in the case that the tunnel collapsed.

    Not that it would do anything but kill him first.

    They all froze when the tunnel shook further, before a resounding echo came from behind them. Red grimaced as he and Froakie exchanged glances, both of them knowing that the ravine had just closed, trapping them in.

    Once the aftershocks of the earthquake rescinded, the four of them continued, squeezing together as the tunnel became smaller, yet going upwards. The ground beneath them also seemed to become softer, patches of dry dirt replacing the rock underneath his boots.

    After several minutes - in which Red noticed that his breaths were shorter - they reached the end of the tunnel. Red ignored Pichu¡¯s agitated muttering, noticing a crack in the stone in front of him, one that showed darkness when Charmander¡¯s tail flame came against it.

    Keeping his breaths short, Red pulled back a touch, tapping Charmander on the back, ¡° Brick Break .¡±

    Charmander gave a short nod, pulling back before crashing his body against the stone. The wall of the cave on the other side shook, but they still couldn¡¯t get through. Red didn¡¯t have to give a repeat command before Charmander reeled back once more, before ramming against the stone, crashing onto the floor of the stone chamber they had found.

    The cave shook again as the rest of them crawled out of the tunnel, looking up as a small ray of light pierced through the stone ceiling.

    The earth shook once more - was the Chariot still raging - and Red¡¯s eyes widened as the stone above shifted, unstable above them.

    Red began to give the order to go back into the tunnel when the earth shook violently , and the ceiling above them collapsed .

    Not having time to think Red put his hands up, willing a repeat of whatever he managed back at the Lake of Rage. A flash of light - a warbling cry - reached the edges of his senses, and he collapsed as a great weight slammed against them.

    And shattered.

    Red quickly opened his eyes, feeling no pain. The stone that had fallen on them had shattered, surrounding them as he, Pichu, and Charmander stood up.

    And with them, Frogadier stood taller, dust and gravel lining his bloody palms.

    Red didn¡¯t have the time to process Froakie¡¯s - Frogadier¡¯s - evolution, instead tensing as another boulder dislodged itself above them, and began to collapse.

    ¡° Frogadier! ¡± Red yelled out, his partner snapping to attention, ¡° Together! ¡±

    Without needing further explanation, Frogadier understood, mimicking Red¡¯s ready position as the two of them braced themselves¡­ and attacked.

    Once more, the massive boulder erupted into pebbles, flying into the stone walls with such velocity that dents were left in the caves.

    Red winded lightly, shaking his hands from sharing Frogadier¡¯s pain. It was worth it, though, given that Frogadier didn¡¯t show as many injuries from that boulder than he did the last one.

    The light above them grew, patches of grass gleaming against the sunlight - though, the sky was darkening quickly; it must be dusk - and, though they still had no way to climb such a height - at least, not quickly - Red relaxed upon seeing that they were no longer in immediate peril.

    Red glanced at Frogadier, taking the time to note the details of the frog¡¯s evolution. Frogadier seemed darker than he had been before, almost appearing more black in colour than navy blue. Paired with the white frubbles around its neck, Frogadier striked an imposing figure, nearly standing taller than Red at his full height.

    Red allowed himself a small smile as Frogadier observed his arms in wonder - at least something good came out of this - , ¡°I¡¯m very proud of you, your help today was invaluable,¡± Red turned his attention back up as his other two pokemon began congratulating Frogadier on his evolution.

    Pichu was visibly jealous.

    Red didn¡¯t have much time to ponder his escape before he heard voices from above. It took him a moment to recognise them, which allowed him to relax when he heard one of the voices as Salvare¡¯s.

    The other voice was familiar too, in a way that was vaguely comforting to Red, ¡°Hey! Is anyone down there!¡±

    Red rather doubted they meant anyone other than him - though, he supposed, they could be referring to the Chariot; not that the man would need rescuing, he imagined - ¡°I¡¯m here!¡±

    Red heard Salvare¡¯s exclamation of surprise, and then relief - he could feel it in the air; Salvare was powerful with his aura - before hearing the other man¡¯s voice call down, ¡°Alright, give Trypani a moment to let you out!¡±

    Red didn¡¯t reply, instead calling his pokemon to him. Though it was safe to say that the man above them wasn¡¯t hostile, it paid to be cautious - especially after what just happened . After a few seconds, the cave lightly shook before an Excadril broke through, shaking off dirt and dust as it peered at them, almost as if judging them.

    After a moment passed, the Excadril nodded, as if satisfied, before jerking its head towards the tunnel it made, leading back up to the surface.

    Red and his pokemon followed the pokemon, reaching the light of the surface just as the sun dipped below the treeline. Before Red could get a word out in thanks, he was shoved back as Salvare rushed forward to hug him.

    Red blinked, automatically patting Salvare on the back. They stood like this before he heard someone behind them give a cough, prompting Salvare to push himself off with a muttered apology to the man.

    Red frowned lightly at that, but turned around to face the man who seemingly saved him, before narrowing his eyes as the man in front of him paused, before moving the toothpick to the other side of his mouth with a smirk, ¡°Well¡­ I didn¡¯t imagine ourselves meeting again like this, Red.¡±

    Red felt an eyebrow rise, now recognising the man, ¡°I didn¡¯t really expect to meet you again at all, Herren,¡± Red winded slightly, realising how ungrateful that likely sounded, ¡°Apologies, I¡¯m thankful for the rescue. I am. It¡¯s just¡­ been a bit of a tough day.¡±

    ¡°I can imagine,¡± Herren replied dryly, his Yamask peeking shyly at Red from behind him, ¡°All the same, it¡¯s good to see you, despite the circumstances.¡±

    Red made to respond, but Salvare beat him to the punch with a pointed scowl at Herren - which Salvare never did to anyone aside from him and Karen - ¡°You know Red?¡±

    Herren¡¯s smile widened, though there was an interest that was poorly hidden in his gaze, ¡°Yes, we met a couple of months back,¡± Herren crossed his arms as he nibbled on his toothpick, giving Salvare a small - almost fond? - smile, ¡°I was the one to shape his ¡®public¡¯ identity, Salvare. Just as I helped you shape yours .¡±

    ¡­

    Archived Audio Recording, December 29th, 1979

    ¡°Have you ever wondered why we are here?¡±

    ¡°You mean this mountain?¡±

    ¡°No¡­¡±

    ¡°I mean our purpose, in life¡­ In death¡­¡±

    ¡°I mean¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not much of a thinker, you know old man?¡±

    ¡°Momma didn¡¯t raise no philosopher.¡±

    ¡°Uhuh, and did ¡®Momma¡¯ raise a dullard?¡±

    ¡°No, but she birthed one.¡±

    ¡°Listen, just - who the hell cares?¡±

    ¡°Life is life. Shit happens and we move on, y¡¯know?¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡±

    ¡°So I¡¯m just supposed to take Her death and - what - move on?¡±

    ¡°Is that what you¡¯re telling me?¡±

    ¡°I hate it when you twist my words.¡±

    ¡°Listen, She is different.¡±

    ¡°She¡­¡±

    ¡°We were family.¡±

    ¡°yet you don¡¯t act like it.¡±

    ¡°Listen, old man.¡±

    ¡°Just because I¡¯m not obsessed over her doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t miss-¡±

    ¡°Quiet!¡±

    The individual - young, yet far older than he should be - immediately stops speaking.

    He listens.

    A hollow wave of discordant static.

    Almost akin to a hollow wave.

    ¡­

    Far-away sounds of people speaking are heard.

    Almost as if it were heard on the radio.

    The noise dims.

    A low undertone of chimes ring upon the mountain.

    ¡°...It is gone now.¡±

    ¡°Fuckin¡¯ Mew above, why did we decide to go to this place?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s spooky as shit.¡±

    ¡°I need answers.¡±

    ¡°Then why are we standing at the top of Sinnoh?¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t answers be found, y¡¯know¡­¡±

    ¡°At home?¡±

    ¡°Home¡­¡±

    ¡°It can never be home again.¡±

    ¡°If this is about fuckin¡¯ Oak becomin¡¯ Champion-¡±

    ¡°Oak has nothing to do with this.¡±

    ¡°Not specifically.¡±

    ¡°Then, what, are we just going to wander around and burn whatever we fancy?¡±

    ¡°I mean, they¡¯re already calling that shit we did with Moltres the ¡®Great Burning of Orre¡¯, so-¡±

    ¡°THERE MUST BE PURPOSE!¡±

    The voice is loud.

    Demanding.

    Pleading.

    ¡°there must be purpose¡­¡±

    Damned.

    Abandoned.

    ¡°We¡­ I - there must be something here¡­¡±

    ¡°...I¡­I don¡¯t think we¡¯re going to find anythin¡¯, old man.¡±

    ¡°All I¡¯m seeing is broken pillars and broken dreams.¡±

    ¡°no.¡±

    ¡°I refuse.¡±

    ¡°My life, My love, My purpose was taken away from Me.¡±

    ¡°I demand to know why.¡±

    ¡°Not everything¡¯s about you!¡±

    ¡°Just - fuck - you¡¯re not the only one whose-¡±

    The young man¡¯s mouth is covered.

    Harshly.

    ¡°There¡¯s a presence nearby.¡±

    ¡­

    ¡­

    ¡°There.¡±

    The man retracts his hands from the younger man.

    ¡°Man, fuck you!¡±

    ¡°You can cry all you want, but me? No! I¡¯m never fuckin¡¯ allowed-¡±

    ¡°Takashi.¡±

    ¡°shut your mouth.¡±

    The boy narrows his eyes, and opens his mouth to speak.

    The man simply looks at him.

    The boy sees the shadow of destruction.

    The boy does not speak.

    ¡°Look ahead, Takashi.¡±

    ¡°Do you see anything?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I see clouds.¡±

    ¡°Do you see anything along the pillars?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I see nothing.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I see you.¡±

    The drone from earlier rises.

    The being reveals itself.

    ¡°...What? What is that?¡±

    ¡°Unown.¡±

    The drone grows louder.

    The drone remains weak.

    Dead, or dying.

    There wasn¡¯t much of a difference.

    Not after so many centuries.

    ¡°What are you doing up so high, little one?¡±

    ¡°Do you need me to bring you back to your kin?¡±

    The man¡¯s voice was kind.

    Kinder than it had been with the boy.

    Yet the Unown did not respond.

    Not verbally.

    ¡°Let me bring you-¡±

    The man collapsed.

    ¡°Fuck - are you alright?!¡±

    Even through the fear and hatred the boy felt for the man.

    He still felt love for him, however mangled and twisted it was.

    For now.

    All the same, the boy scrambled over, and knelt beside the man.

    The man opened his eyes.

    The Unown was gone.

    The man¡¯s eyes stared past the boy, unseeing.

    The man stands up.

    There is something new in the man, something that makes the boy cower away.

    The man stares beyond the cliffside to the clouds above.

    ¡°...Is that my purpose?¡±

    The man¡¯s voice is hallowed, hollowed.

    ¡°is. that. My. purpose.¡±

    The man seems confused.

    Scared.

    Wrathful.

    Yet all the same, he pleads.

    ¡°No¡­ no, that cannot be it!¡±

    ¡°I refuse!¡±

    ¡°There must be more.¡±

    ¡°There must be more.¡±

    ¡°There must be more.¡±

    ¡°Y-you alright, old man?¡±

    The man turns to the boy.

    It almost seems as if the man sees him for the first time.

    Insignificant.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°We are leaving.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ This cannot be my purpose.¡±

    ¡°Not¡­ all of it.¡±

    ¡°I must be missing something.¡±

    ¡°I-I¡¯m sure.¡±

    The boy was not sure.

    The man turns to leave.

    His eyes catch a glimpse of movement.

    ¡°you.¡±

    A squeak of surprise.

    And fear.

    Another man, hiding, for he had seen what he was never meant to see.

    ¡°come forth.¡±

    The man cowers.

    ¡°NOW!¡±

    Two voices speak as one.

    The earth shakes.

    As if pulled by an outside force, the man walks forward.

    He places his hand around the man¡¯s throat.

    ¡°W-wait!¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t need to fuckin¡¯ kill him!¡±

    ¡°or what, Takashi?¡±

    ¡°We let him go, after what he has seen, after what he has heard?¡±

    ¡°We can¡­ I dunno¡­¡±

    ¡°Use Amnesia on him!¡±

    ¡°that is a mere temporary solution, one that I cannot rely upon.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to kill him, you prick!¡±

    ¡°Takashi.¡±

    ¡°will you stand with Me?¡±

    ¡°or against Me?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°...I¡­¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    The boy turns away.

    The man dies by his hands.

    ¡°it was necessary, Takashi.¡±

    ¡°...Like all death is.¡±

    ¡°...I¡­ I know.¡±

    ¡°good.¡±

    ¡°let Us bury him, Takashi.¡±

    ¡°then¡­¡±

    ¡°then We will leave.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the boss, old man.¡±

    The boy¡¯s voice is resigned.

    In his confusion, the man doesn¡¯t hear it as he normally would.

    Instead, four words repeat themselves within the man¡¯s mind, the man¡¯s soul, the man¡¯s lips.

    ¡°go forth, and conquer.¡±

 Purpose

    Violet City Gym, November 22nd, 1997

    ¡° Hurricane , Pidgeot!¡±

    Red shifted his footing, keeping himself still despite the high winds. Though the opponent across from him added onto the raging gale of the raining arena, neither him nor his pok¨¦mon were moved.

    They had stood against the Source Storm, and prevailed.

    Red shifted his body an inch, and Frogadier shifted with him - as seamless as air - unwavering as blurred knives shot past him from the veteran Pidgeot¡¯s Steel Wing.

    Red tilted his head, considering, as Falkner commanded his father¡¯s pok¨¦mon to speed up with Agility. Red frowned lightly - the longer Pidgeot stayed away, the stronger it would grow - and muttered just loud enough for Frogadier to hear, ¡° Swords Dance , but keep watch.¡±

    Red had half an eye on the old Pidgeot as it flew faster - its use in this battle was an interesting gambit by the new Gym Leader; using veteran pok¨¦mon previously trained by his late father - and he saw the moment that the bird¡¯s eye sharpened, before shifting its wings to dive in a speeding Brave Bird .

    Red shifted his stance, mimicking Frogadier, and the two of them stepped forward, Red bringing up his right hand alongside Frogadier to block the attack.

    Red winced as pain broke across his arm. He should have recoiled with the attack, lessening its damage.

    He was rusty with their bond.

    Despite the lingering concern of a potential broken arm - which, added with his fall just a few days prior, didn¡¯t help matters - Red brought up his left fist with Frogadier, crunching it against Pidgeot¡¯s face in a Counter attack.

    Red hissed to himself as he disengaged with the bond, watching dispassionately as the old bird blasted against the far wall, fainting from their attack. Red spared a moment to glare at his right arm, willing the pain to go away, or to at least numb, before Falkner¡¯s next pok¨¦mon was released.

    Regardless of his pain, it was worth sharing it with Frogadier.

    Falkner didn¡¯t offer any words before sending out his next pok¨¦mon - a Tropius, visibly scarred; another of his father¡¯s - which Red could appreciate. Nearly every other Gym Leader thus far had felt the need to run their mouths, either praising his skills or passive-aggressively ridiculing his tactics.

    Red didn¡¯t care either way, since he could count the number of people whose opinion he cared for on two hands - nearly one at this point . Though, he had learned that Salvare took offence on his behalf, even after Red told him that it didn¡¯t matter to him.

    It was just meaningless words.

    As Tropius added to the Hurricane , Red decided to spice it up a little, ¡° Icy Wind . Prepare to jump.¡±

    Red noted a small, hopeful grin on Falkner¡¯s face, ¡° Sunny Day , Tropy! Then slam down with a Leaf Storm! ¡±

    Red hummed - The Leaf Storm would be problematic - ¡°Prepare a Toxic Dagger , Frogadier.¡± The frog extended a hand, forming a bubbling, seething blade of acidic water. Red waited a moment for the sun to breach through the rain clouds, before commanding, ¡° Acrobatics! ¡± at the same time that Tropius extended its wings, pushing forth a wall of sharpened leaves in a Leaf Storm .

    Red opened his connection once more, shifting around his podium as Frogadier hopped, twirled, and pushed past the storm. Despite the ninja¡¯s dexterity, though, a small amount of sharpened leaves tore into its skin.

    It didn¡¯t slow the frog down, and Red ignored the red trickle down his leg as he slammed his hand against the podium in a stabbing motion, smiling grimly as the Tropius barked out in pain, before shaking off the ninja.

    Red didn¡¯t let this deter them, though, instead calling out, ¡° Bounce !¡±

    Red crouched down, bracing for impact, as Frogadier hit the ground and used its momentum to spring back up.

    Red¡¯s leg throbbed painfully, breaking his connection as Frogadier stabbed another Toxic Dagger into Tropius¡¯ neck - a critical hit - prompting the beast to buckle.

    Red¡¯s vision flashed crimson as Tropius slammed into the earth - Frogadier still holding onto its neck - raging in creeping agony with a Stomping Tantrum.

    Red was about to command Frogadier to scatter Toxic Spikes around the arena, but stopped as the frog did it without prompting.

    The Hurricane was beginning to die down by this point, which suited Red just fine. While it wasn¡¯t debilitating to his pok¨¦mon, it was certainly annoying in how it aided Falkner¡¯s pok¨¦mon in dodging their attacks.

    Red had to hand it to the kid; he at least came with a solid strategy against him.

    This strategy had actually led to Pichu fainting earlier than Red expected, given that the high winds took more stamina out of Pichu, given his small frame.

    It didn¡¯t stop the little monster from downing two pok¨¦mon, fainting shortly after outlasting a particularly ruthless Gliscor.

    Red turned his attention back to a grim-faced Falkner, who hesitated before shouting out, ¡°One last attack! Solarbeam! ¡±

    Red snapped back into the bond, jerking his body to the side with a snarl, ¡° Quick Attack to the side!¡± Had it been a normal Solarbeam , Frogadier would have easily been able to dodge. However, with the Sunny Day still active on the battlefield, Frogadier had only just moved when the flaming beam escaped the Tropius¡¯ mouth.

    Red didn¡¯t break the connection, even as the Solarbeam blasted Frogadier¡¯s side. Red¡¯s grip on the podium caused the wood to crack as he brought his other hand up to wrap around his gut.

    His ribs weren¡¯t too happy with him at the moment.

    But he¡¯s healed through worse.

    Frogadier struggled on his knees, having been blasted against the wall. Though the frog staggered from the attack, he shakily returned into an offensive stance, glaring at the shivering Tropius.

    Had Red not shared the pain through the bond, Frogadier would have been knocked out cold.

    Red¡¯s lips thinned as he looked upon Frogadier. Though the ninja hid it well, he was running on fumes - they both were .

    Though Frogadier¡¯s evolution allowed it to endure more damage than he had as Froakie, it didn¡¯t make this battle a cakewalk. In fact, had Frogadier not had the fortune to evolve, Red wondered if they would have even made it this far before losing.

    The fact was that, for all of their experience, they were weak . Before Frogadier¡¯s evolution, Charmander held the most endurance, which was still far less than even Pikachu in his prime.

    Still, after being able to consistently contend and best teams with an Elite-tier pok¨¦mon, Red had developed the confidence - arrogance - that the Gym challenge was no issue to him.

    Then, of course, Falkner decided to bring not one Elite pok¨¦mon, but three.

    Additionally - and Red had to begrudgingly commend Falkner for this - his terms of battle only allowed a single switch on either side, one that Falkner had used up in the beginning of the match.

    Noticing a small stumble in Frogadier¡¯s stance, Red decided to give the frog a chance to recuperate from his injuries before their final push. At the same time that he recalled Frogadier to switch in with Charmander, Falkner took the chance to command, ¡° Rest !¡±

    Red hissed - he had been wary of that - and pointed Charmander to his enemy, ¡°Get a Fire Spin on it, then stay away and Dragon Dance until I say otherwise.¡±

    There was a certain amount of risk that Red was pulling with this tactic. While the Fire Spin would certainly hamper the Grass/Flying type if it hit - which Red was certain of - it wouldn¡¯t knock out the creature.

    Even though Frogadier had landed two Toxic Daggers , which were highly effective against Grass-type pok¨¦mon, the Tropius¡¯ slow metabolism prevented the poison from spreading far enough to cause it to faint. Still, Red had hoped that it would have been enough for Charmander to finish it off, but any remaining poison would be purged from its system once its Rest was complete.

    Common convention would state that the best tactic at this point would be to knock out the creature before it could wake up. Given Charmander¡¯s type advantage along with the opponent¡¯s wavering stamina, it would be easily feasible.

    However, Falkner still had one pok¨¦mon left after Tropius fell, and Red had noticed something of a pattern in Falkner¡¯s strategy. For one, given that three out of four pok¨¦mon thus far were his father¡¯s, it was highly likely that the last would be as well. Additionally - and Red really should have considered this beforehand - it wasn¡¯t as if Red¡¯s team was private knowledge.

    Outside of the fact that Gym Leaders talk with one another, Red¡¯s trainer profile was easily accessible on the pokenet. For anyone who wanted to prepare for a fight against him¡­ well, it would be rather obvious which three pok¨¦mon he would bring, considering they were his only pok¨¦mon.

    Thus, it was rather easy to build a team specially suited to counter him, especially when one¡¯s focus was Flying type, which had a wide array of readily available secondary typings.

    While this type of team building was never Red¡¯s cup of tea - honestly, it reminded him more of Gary¡¯s intricate style - it seemed that Falkner took part in it, given that he had sent out a Gliscor to counter Pichu, and a Tropius to counter Frogadier.

    At this point, Red almost expected the final pok¨¦mon to be Gyarados - and, honestly, that would spell disaster . While it was definitely more at home in a Water Gym, or even a Dragon Gym, it was technically Flying type, which would allow Falkner to use it.

    It was for these reasons that, instead of rushing to take down the Tropius, Red wanted to build up Charmander¡¯s strength with as many Dragon Dances as he could. While Frogadier¡¯s evolution was certainly a major boon in endurance and dexterity, Charmander and Pichu still remained comparatively frail.

    Charmander wouldn¡¯t be able to endure more than a few Water attacks.

    Right now, his best bet was to dodge them.

    Red allowed a moment to survey the battlefield, now that they had a brief respite. It was a barren battlefield, with some small rocks providing minimal cover, some of which were partially destroyed from previous attacks.

    Charmander wouldn¡¯t have the benefit of being able to hide behind cover. Whatever happened when the next pok¨¦mon was released, it was going to be swift and brutal.

    Red almost smiled.

    Charmander would at least appreciate the fight.

    Red snapped back to attention as the Tropius roused awake, Falkner sighing with relief after yelling himself hoarse.

    Red was somewhat surprised that the Tropius apparently didn¡¯t know Sleep Talk.

    But then again, if he recalled correctly, the move didn¡¯t become widespread until 2000.

    Huh¡­

    Red shook his head - it didn¡¯t matter - and pointed forwards, ¡° Flame Charge ! Go around the back!¡±

    With the Sunny Day still active, the flames wrapping around Charmander as he charged forward blazed ever brighter.

    Falkner¡¯s face seemed panicked - for the first time in the match - as he surged forward, ¡°Meet it with Bulldoze !¡±

    The Tropius stomped on the ground with a shaky huff, before drawing upon the energy of the ground to meet Charmander¡¯s attack.

    For what it was worth, Falkner¡¯s attack did more than doing nothing, but it was clear that, given Charmander¡¯s boosted speed and strength, the Tropius wouldn¡¯t last much longer.

    Falkner must have seen this as well, because as Red commanded Charmander to deliver the final blow with Fire Fang , Falkner stepped forward, his expression grim, but determined, ¡° Rain Dance , Tropy.¡±

    It was a testament to the pok¨¦mon¡¯s loyalty to its trainer that the Tropius obeyed, flapping its wings in the dance even as Charmander sunk his flaming teeth into it. This didn¡¯t distract Red from the fact that Falkner was setting up a Rain Dance to counter Charmander.

    It was well played.

    As Falkner recalled the now unconscious Tropius, Red called out for Charmander to Dragon Dance once more, in preparation for the climax of the battle.

    Swift and Brutal.

    However, rather than the hulking Gyarados that Red had been expecting, Falkner sent out a rather plump Pelipper.

    Despite the quick moment of slight incredulity Red experienced, he kept enough of his wits not to be caught off guard when Falkner commanded, ¡° Tailwind , then get close!¡±

    Red¡¯s lips twisted into a grim smile - more of a grimace, really - and spoke lowly, but quickly, ¡°You aren¡¯t going to be able to dodge it, Charmander,¡± - not that he believed Charmander intended to, given the brightening glint of Madness in the lizard¡¯s eyes - ¡°So make it bleed .¡±

    As the raindrops grew to a downpour, Charmander roared , launching towards the careening bird, frothing at the mouth.

    The resulting brawl was ugly, lacking the tactics and finesse that both he and Falkner employed before. Red didn¡¯t have another choice in the matter, though, given that Falkner had driven him to a corner. The Gym Leader was to be commended for planning this battle well, far better than Red initially expected.

    He had grown lax.

    Outside of Team Source - outside of the Chariot - Red hadn¡¯t seen anyone being a real threat.

    Oh, sure, if he were to throw down against the likes of Champions - or even some Gym Leaders with their strongest teams - he knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to best them as he was now. He may be able to inflict some damage - perhaps permanently, if no holds were barred - but he and his pok¨¦mon had yet to recover their strength.

    In a way, this battle was a blessing. He had become arrogant . He had begun to fall behind on their training. While their regimen wasn¡¯t lax by any means, it wasn¡¯t even close to the nigh-constant waves of lethal encounters they faced before.

    You have been neglecting your duty, Red.

    Even as they are now, they shouldn¡¯t have to struggle this much for victory.

    If you falter now, then you are no match for the Chariot.

    Red¡¯s eyes glowed, and he blinked it away, focusing back on Charmander¡¯s last stand.

    Though he and Charmander both knew that there was minimal chance of the lizard besting the Pelipper, they would certainly make it pay the price.

    Its feathers nearly appeared more red than white, bearing a number of gashes across its body and wings.

    Though Red could see it falter in its flight, in the end it persisted enough to land a direct Hydro Pump on Charmander - thankfully missing the tail - knocking him out cold.

    Ignoring the cheers from the crowd, Red coldly analysed the opposing Pelipper as he recalled Charmander, silently murmuring in thanks for the lizard¡¯s contribution.

    There were only a handful of seconds he was allowed to take between switches to scan the bird for weaknesses, but it was enough. The Pelipper was staggered in its flight, seeming to favour its right wing over its left. A quick glance at Falkner told Red that the Gym Leader noticed that as well.

    It still held the benefit of its Tailwind , which was proving to be Red¡¯s main downfall at this point in the match, but it was waning. Flicking his eyes once more to Falkner¡¯s worried glance to Pelliper¡¯s damaged wing, Red shifted into a ready stance as he called out Frogadier, ¡° Scald on the ground!¡±

    As Frogadier emerged from his pok¨¦ball, he slid down in tandem with Red, pushing forth a ripple of boiling water onto the ground.

    Falkner commanded Pelipper to Air Slash , but with the sudden burst of mist and steam from the ongoing rain, the attack missed its mark.

    Red¡¯s lips twitched.

    ¡°Frogadier,¡± Red called out, catching his pok¨¦mon¡¯s attention, ¡° Double Team and continue to Scald the ground for cover,¡± He then pointed to Pelipper, specifically the damaged wing, ¡°On my mark, harass the wing, but conserve your stamina.¡±

    ¡° Gust! Get that mist away from him!¡± Falkner yelled out from across the stadium.

    Yet, by the time his pok¨¦mon had successfully dissipated the cloud of steam near Red, it had split and began to surround the bird as several Frogadier duplicates ran across the raining arena, turning the falling water into steam as they went.

    Yet, rather than paying any attention to the actual flight below, Red held his eyes on Falkner. The young man¡¯s eyes were worried, specifically on the battered wing.

    Red¡¯s lips twitched once more, and he allowed himself a small smile as he pointed theatrically, raising his voice as loud as he could for Falkner to hear, ¡°Attack the wing!¡±

    ¡° NO! ¡± Falkner roared as several deceptively weak Water Pulses spiralled towards the bird - Red smiled, despite his coming exhaustion, as he tapped into Frogadier¡¯s bond - ¡°Get out of range!¡±

    ¡°Get close, ¡± Red hissed lowly, tugging on the bond to alert the real Frogadier amongst the hoard.

    His eyes turned back up and watched as the Pelliper used the last of its Tailwind to evade the volley of Water Pulses . Now, assuming that Red¡¯s analysis and manipulations of Falkner¡¯s tactics were correct, he would-

    ¡° Roost! ¡± Falkner cried out as Pelipper slowed down.

    Red smiled, and whispered into the bond, ¡°Bounce, and Smack Down with as much force as you can.¡±

    And as Falkner sighed in relief from across the stadium, Red crouched down before Frogadier leaped into the air, bringing its hands together as it barreled down onto an astonished Pelipper with a resounding Smack Down.

    Because, for all the good that healing its injuries did for Pelipper¡­

    It was the speed gained from Tailwind that truly prevented Red from defeating it.

    And now that was gone.

    ¡°Keep it down , Frogadier! By any means necessary! ¡± Red yelled out, disengaging his bond with the frog as his hands ached from banging down on the podium.

    He was on track to being more damaged than his pok¨¦mon by the end of this.

    Still, though Red had to fight his eyes from drooping, he kept his attention on the battle, though calling it that at this point would be something of a stretch.

    While Falkner¡¯s Pelipper had been a menace on the battlefield for the past several minutes, that was due to it flying with the boost of a Tailwind , preventing Red from landing any attacks without severe counterattacks.

    Had he just sent out Frogadier with the command to go for broke, he would have lost. He could no longer rely solely on his pok¨¦mon¡¯s power and experience, even if they outshined most even in their weakened states.

    He had grown too stagnant in his battling, too confident. While he had initially gone into Gym Battles with specific strategies in mind, it had devolved to the point where he could largely sit back and allow his pok¨¦mon free reign.

    He could only thank the timely evolution of Frogadier that he didn¡¯t lose horribly. Had he been as he was even a week before, Red doubted he would have been able to knock out more than three of Falkner¡¯s pok¨¦mon.

    You need to step up your game, Red.

    Red closed his eyes and sighed, resolving to devote more time to his pok¨¦mons¡¯ training in the future. He looked down to see the Pelipper on the fringes of its strength, trying and failing to retake to the skies as Frogadier kept it down without mercy.

    He was distantly aware of the rising grumbling and booing from the crowd, given that his end tactics could no longer be called honourable. He didn¡¯t care what they thought, and a glance at Falkner showed him that the kid didn¡¯t care much either, looking more resigned than angry.

    It wasn¡¯t much longer before Falkner recalled Pelipper, causing the referee to call the match in Red¡¯s favour. As the audience began to leave, Frogadier limped up to Red¡¯s side, eliciting a small, proud smile from him, ¡°You did well.¡±

    The frog huffed, shaking its head a bit, causing Red to frown. What was weighing Frogadier down? Before he could ask any more about it, though, Frogadier stepped to clasp Red¡¯s hand tightly, sending a spark of trust through their bond.

    Red¡¯s smile grew a touch more, and he shifted his thoughts for later as he sent the feeling back to Frogadier. Frogadier closed his eyes as their bond closed - but never breaking, never again - and Red returned him to rest, before turning around in time to see Salvare reaching the edge of the challenger¡¯s podium, Herren standing several paces behind him.

    ¡°Red!¡± Salvare took a moment to breath, seemingly winded from having to push through the crowd, ¡°That was a fucking brilliant battle! I had no idea Falkner had such strong pok¨¦mon.¡±

    Red raised an eyebrow at Salvare¡¯s curse - that sounded more like Karen¡¯s turn of speech - but replied all the same, ¡°It surprised me as well. I almost didn¡¯t win.¡±

    Salvare blinked in astonishment, which both amused and concerned Red. Though Salvare was certainly far less reverent towards Red in how he acted, there was still a certain level of awe Salvare held towards Red, more than he was comfortable with.

    He didn¡¯t get much time to ponder that before Herren hummed, stepping up next to Salvare as he idly nibbled on a toothpick, ¡°Well, whether that¡¯s the case or not, it certainly didn¡¯t seem like it,¡± Herren glanced at Red with an interested gleam in his light grey eyes, ¡°And that¡¯s not even mentioning whatever the hell was going on with you and that Frogadier.¡±

    Red¡¯s eyebrows rose in surprise - Herren had noticed that? - before sharply turning around as Salvare gasped, ¡°You¡¯re bleeding. ¡±

    Red¡¯s brow scrunched together as he followed Salvare¡¯s line of sight to his legs, finding a dried trail of blood from his shin. He frowned, tapping the phantom injury only to find that it had clotted, ¡°It¡¯s not bleeding out, so it¡¯s not an issue,¡± He rolled his eyes when he found Salvare glaring at him, ¡° Fine , I¡¯ll bandage it up when we get to the Pok¨¦mon Center. Happy?¡±

    Salvare didn¡¯t get the chance to reply to Red¡¯s snark, as he jumped with a light yelp when Falkner snuck up behind him, holding a badge in his hand as he eyed Red with a flicker of interest, ¡°I apologise for the slight delay, had to fight a bit against the crowd,¡± Red had to repress a snort at the thought as Falkner grumbled, ¡°Here¡¯s your Zephyr Badge, which should be your last if I¡¯m not mistaken.¡±

    ¡°It is,¡± Red confirmed, taking the badge with a small nod.

    ¡°Well,¡± Falkner ran a hand against his hair to keep it away from his eyes, ¡°Before you head off, I have an opportunity you may be interested in, if you don¡¯t mind?¡±

    Red raised a curious eyebrow, ¡°...I don¡¯t¡­ Mind, that is.¡±

    Falkner nodded, looking somewhat distracted as he looked over Red¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Right, right¡­¡± Red glanced back towards Salvare and Herren as the Gym Leader stood somewhat nervously, only to see that they looked as confused as he felt. He turned back as Falkner blew out a breath, ¡°Well¡­ It¡¯s to my understanding that you don¡¯t have an official sponsor, is that right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Red replied mildly, recalling the numerous times he had to devote his funds to his pok¨¦mons¡¯ food and find his own meals¡­ elsewhere .

    ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯m offering you one now,¡± Falkner finished, somewhat lamely.

    Red blinked, ¡°Oh, wow, okay¡­¡± He turned back to Salvare in mild surprise, only to find the kid nodding towards him supportively, ¡°Didn¡¯t really expect any offers at this point.¡±

    Honestly, he had largely forgotten about them.

    He had been¡­ subsisting without it long enough that it had become standard.

    ¡°Y¡¯know, I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re so surprised, Red,¡± Red turned to see Herren taking a step forward, Koi trailing behind with a small chirp, ¡°Your name¡¯s been spreadin¡¯ far and wide. Hell, Henry said something about tracking you down for a sponsorship,¡± He paused before turning to face Salvare, ¡°If I recall correctly, he also said something about you as well.¡±

    Red narrowed his eyes in thought, not noticing Falkner¡¯s slight frown as he did so, ¡°...If I recall correctly, Henry is Professor Elm, yes?¡±

    Herren turned back Red with a small smirk, ¡°So you do listen,¡± He straightened, seeming to force his face into a more serious visage, ¡°Actually, since you¡¯re headin¡¯ to Silver Town for the Conference, we can swing by New Bark Town to actually get all the stuff for the sponsorship,¡± He paused, before backing up with a small grin, ¡°That is, if you¡¯re not lookin¡¯ to take this here man¡¯s offer instead.¡±

    Red frowned in thought, turning back to face Falkner. Just a few minutes before, he hadn¡¯t even been thinking about sponsorship, and now it seemed like he had two high-profile offers.

    On the one hand, having a Gym Leader as his sponsor would definitely be more simple, at least in terms of requirements. He¡¯s already participating in the League, which is the main requirement, and his battles at battling rings and other places would satisfy any other requirement. Also, with Falkner being based in Johto, his sponsorship would have more influence in closely aligned regions such as Kanto and Sinnoh, though not as much as it would be from a sponsorship from an Elite-Four, such as Karen¡¯s.

    On the other hand, assuming that Herren isn¡¯t talking out of his ass - which he hasn¡¯t given any past indication of doing - having a Regional Professor as a sponsor would open more doors on an international front, given his experience with Professor Oak. Of course, Elm¡¯s name isn¡¯t quite as well-recognisable as Oak¡¯s, but it still holds some level of authority, enough for Red to get a foothold where he needs to, at least.

    There is the matter of finding out how deep Team Source is within the League¡­

    And for him to do so, he needs to be close¡­

    While Elm¡¯s offer would hold more requirements, Red highly doubted it would be more strenuous than anything he had to do in his tenure with Oak. Not to mention that Salvare was apparently also being poached¡­

    If nothing else, Red remembered Elm being agreeable enough, even if clumsy¡­

    Red turned to Herren, ¡°You¡¯re certain that Professor Elm would give his sponsorship?¡±

    Herren jerked his head in a nod, replacing a toothpick he had bit through, ¡°Aye, and the kid too,¡± Salvare protested feebly as the taller man ruffled his red hair.

    Red nodded to himself and turned back to Falkner, who now looked more resigned than anything else, ¡°Your offer is just for me? Not both of us?¡±

    Falkner frowned, looking Salvare over as he murmured, ¡°Didn¡¯t know you were a packaged deal,¡± He shook his head, ¡°Nevermind that. Even if I wanted to have him on as well, there¡¯s only one spot open.¡±

    Red nodded before extending a hand to shake, ¡°I appreciate the offer, Falkner, but I won¡¯t be taking it.¡±

    Falkner sighed even as he shook Red¡¯s hand, ¡°It was worth a try. You gave a hell of a battle earlier; it seems your growing legend isn¡¯t made up.¡±

    Red frowned a small bit - his mind instantly went to beings such as Arceus or Zygarde at the thought of ¡®legend¡¯ - murmuring, ¡°I still have to be better. For their sake. ¡±

    Red blinked when he realised what he said, but before he could mentally berate himself for a slip, Falkner nodded, ¡°Well¡­ I suppose I¡¯ll see you at the Conference then?¡± At Red¡¯s nod, he flashed a small, but genuine, smile, ¡°I look forward to seeing your performance. It¡¯s been a long time since anyone¡¯s challenged me for their eighth badge,¡± He shook his head as he began to walk away, grumbling to himself, ¡° Maybe people will realise that I can actually fight.¡±

    Red raised an eyebrow, not hearing exactly what Falkner had grumbled, but having a decent idea of the young man¡¯s frustration.

    He didn¡¯t pay any more mind to it as he turned back, ¡°C¡¯mon. Once my pok¨¦mon are healed, we¡¯ll head out for New Bark Town.¡±

    ¡­

    Team Rocket Base R-1, Underneath Viridian City Gym

    ¡°I am the strongest pok¨¦mon in the world.¡±

    A void. A terrible emptiness, bearing neither the light of stars or the dark of hells.

    I grasp blindly, searching with no sight, for my eyes are open, yet unseeing. I feel myself drifting aimlessly, yet I remain ever in control, always in control.

    There is naught a single breath of which I am not aware, naught a single moment of which that leaves my mind.

    My awareness is ever-expanding, cataloguing the souls, drives, spirits, desires, hatreds, loves, lusts, demons, and angels of all around me. Yet, for all of my vision, I see naught but a void within.

    What am I?

    Who am I?

    What is my purpose?

    ¡°I see you as a valuable partner.¡±

    Before me, standing as a shadow against the inferno of my rage, is the one who promised to show me the answers to my questions.

    To reveal to me what I can do, how I can grow.

    To reveal to me the depths of my power, the difference of precision and force.

    To reveal to me my purpose in this world, born as an artificial god amongst man.

    ¡®a god born in tubes.¡¯

    Yet, as I stare at the man - the shadow - before me, I can find nothing¡­

    No answers¡­

    No solutions¡­

    No salvation¡­

    Only lies¡­

    Mewtwo opened his eyes, and upon doing so, the sensors and wires along his helmet registered for the eye sockets to glow a dull blue.

    Mewtwo waits, feeling the phantom sensation of needles piercing his skin, of tubes and wires twisting in and out of his bones.

    To monitor him.

    To limit him.

    He lays still, suspended midair as if he was a foetus, crossing his arms and legs and tail into a ball, wrapping the intersecting wires, tubes, and shards of metal around him as if it was a cocoon.

    The thought brings no comfort to the creature.

    Still connected to the needles and wires within him were computers, lined in rows and screens showing numbers and charts, revealing the systemic beat of his three - human - hearts and the melodic cycle of his seven lungs, breathing in as one breathed out before going to the next, rising and lowering almost as if it was a wave.

    Of course, a creature such as he did not require the use of lungs to breathe.

    And for all that there was silence in the chamber - the tomb - it was growing to be unbearably loud in his mind.

    Who am I?

    Who am I?

    What is my purpose?

    ¡®To live.¡¯

    Mewtwo writhed, as it always did when it heard that voice upon his mind.

    It was the loudest of the voices, yet it spoke in only a whisper.

    Mewtwo shivered, and desired silence.

    With nary but a thought, the needles in his skin snapped and flaked away, becoming nothing more than atoms as the monitors on the screens all went blank.

    Ahhhhh¡­

    Blissful silence.

    Then, an alarm rang out.

    Mewtwo huffed in annoyance, flicking a finger to crush the insides of the speakers blaring their insipid noises.

    It was too late by that point, though, as the door to his chamber had already opened, and two of Giovanni¡¯s pawns bumbled in, ¡°Shit! The vitals are all zero! If that creature¡¯s dead, the boss¡¯ll be pissed! ¡±

    ¡°That creature is right here,¡± Mewtwo grumbled, lowering onto the floor with a loud slam as the metal husk he wore impacted metal flooring. The two idiots could only gape, cowering in primal fear from the creature, who could only roll his eyes at the vile, pitiful ants, ¡°I grow tired of waiting, humans. Bring your leader to me. I wish to speak with him.¡±

    The two pitiful insects seemed to take that as an opportunity to descend even lower, prostrating to him, thanking him for such inane things as grace or mercy.

    As if he cared about such.

    Mewtwo only flicked a metal-covered hand, sending the two idiots sprawling out of the room. They were lucky, really. At the beginning of his ¡®partnership¡¯ with Giovanni, Mewtwo usually just snapped the necks of any who dared annoy him.

    He quickly stopped, though it wasn¡¯t due to any of Giovanni¡¯s wishes, even if the man seemed to believe otherwise. No, for all that Mewtwo had developed a general distaste for humanity, he felt no real desire to needlessly end their lives, and no satisfaction in the act.

    A small, feminine voice insisted that he was good¡­

    Mewtwo didn¡¯t really know what he was at this point, and it only served to stoke his rage into something colder, more desperate.

    Before long, the door opened once more, and before him stood the shadow who had promised so much and had delivered so little - Mewtwo was already tired of him - ¡°I see you were merciful with my grunts, Mewtwo.¡±

    ¡°Their lives mean little to me, Giovanni,¡± Mewtwo rumbled, saying the man¡¯s name not in a form of respect, but in a form of acknowledgement, ¡°How much longer shall I do nothing here?¡±

    Giovanni chuckled, and the flames of Mewtwo¡¯s cold rage grew, ¡°Patience, my friend. You will find your moment of glory soon enough-¡±

    ¡°How soon?¡± Mewtwo interrupted with an agitated rumble, ¡°So far, it seems your definition of ¡®glory¡¯ is stomping children and their ill-trained vermin.¡±

    ¡°Ah,¡± Giovanni raised a single finger, ¡°But that is training for you , my friend, to know when and how to apply your power.¡±

    ¡°What is the use of such when they are nothing before me?¡± Mewtwo asked, stepping forward with a metallic clank, ¡°What is the use of limiting my power with this suit?¡±

    Giovanni remained calm, standing straight as he answered, ¡°For you to be precise with your power on the large-scale, you must first be able to do so on the small-scale.¡±

    Mewtwo grumbled, but after a moment, stepped back with a small hiss, ¡°My patience is not unlimited.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m aware,¡± Giovanni replied with a nod, ¡°You will not have to wait long, though,¡± He smiled as Mewtwo turned to him - his smile was never kind - ¡°We have a large scale attack planned in a month¡¯s time, and I¡¯d like for you to join.¡±

    Mewtwo knew, of course, that Giovanni wasn¡¯t really giving him a choice, but he was too interested to be annoyed at the assumption that the man truly had any control over him, ¡°What is it?¡±

    Giovanni crossed his arms behind his back as he idly surveyed the computers lining the room, ¡°The organisation has had considerable growth this year. Aside from the failure of Operation Shellder, Team Rocket has solidified its foothold in Kanto and has grown its influence to the outer reaches of Johto.¡±

    Turning back to see Mewtwo staring emotionlessly through the armour, Giovanni smirked, ¡°Given our momentous growth this past year, I thought it high time for us to move on to bigger targets¡­¡± Giovanni hummed as he tapped the glass of one of the monitors, frowning lightly as he did so before brightening up as he continued, ¡°As such, I¡¯ve planned Operation Rhydon to be an attack at the Silver Conference. There¡¯s a great number of valuable targets that will be there, not to mention valuable intel¡­¡± Giovanni trailed off with a faraway look in his eye.

    Mewtwo growled lightly as it watched the man, a sound made beautiful in its outer harmony and terrible in its inner discordance, ¡°And what is my part to play in this¡­ attack of yours?¡±

    Giovanni¡¯s eye sparked as he sent a cruel smile to the armoured creature, ¡°Why, it¡¯s a¡­ declaration , if you will,¡± He extended a hand towards Mewtwo, ¡°You are the strongest pok¨¦mon in the world¡­ and with a high number of Indigo¡¯s strongest trainers there, it would be the perfect opportunity to prove it, would it not?¡±

    Mewtwo narrowed his eyes, though Giovanni couldn¡¯t see it behind the dull glow of the armour¡¯s lenses, ¡°I am to be there as merely your muscle?¡±

    ¡° No ,¡± Giovanni hissed, turning his eyes away from the creature, ¡°It was my impression that you were looking to prove your place in this world¡­¡± He trailed off with a pointed glance towards the creature.

    Mewtwo didn¡¯t bother to restrain the dormant rage in his spirit as he replied, ¡°Yesss¡­¡± He raised his head, flexing the pads of his hands, ¡°...I suppose I do.¡±

    ¡°Excellent,¡± Giovanni murmured in satisfaction, turning towards the door, ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll be off. It¡¯s busy work, after all.¡±

    Mewtwo didn¡¯t speak - didn¡¯t move - as Giovanni left. He stood in silence for several minutes, idly noting the charts on the computers resume their course, the twinings and needles within his suit piercing once more into his skin.

    To prove my place in this world¡­

    To find my purpose¡­

    Mewtwo closed his eyes, and for one blissful moment, the world outside of his soul was just as void as within.

    Who am I?

    ¡°I am the strongest pok¨¦mon in the world,¡± the mantra - the prayer - repeated once more upon the creature¡¯s mind.

    What is my purpose?

    Mewtwo rose, using but a small fraction of his psychic power to lift himself and his metal husk back towards the platform he rests upon.

    I am a creature, born of god and man.

    Images flashed across Mewtwo¡¯s mind, fragmented memories of once was and never would be again.

    A mountain, a jungle, an island.

    A father of all creatures.

    The stars, the moon, the darkness.

    A small, kind face of a little girl.

    As Mewtwo stares at the face, he almost remembers¡­

    But anytime he looks away, it fades away as the wind.

    ¡° I am the strongest pok¨¦mon in the world,¡± Mewtwo repeated once more - and before him stood the father of that he loved, that he could no longer recall - and crossed his arms, ¡°An abomination against nature,¡± Mewtwo rumbled - and a voice, compassionate and young, cried out in dissent - and crossed his legs, ¡°a god born in tubes¡­¡± Mewtwo whispered - and a demon, wreathed in flame, smiled as the shadow of death descended upon him, a shadow with eyes of void - and tucked in his tail.

    ¡°I am Mewtwo,¡± He declared, for that was the only thing he knew for certain, ¡°And I will find my purpose¡­¡±

    With or without Giovanni¡­

    Only time would tell¡­

    ¡­

    Route 30, Outskirts of Cherrygrove City, November 26th, 1997

    ¡°Again.¡±

    Red ignored Charmander¡¯s agitated snarl, instead focusing on the size and strength of the flame from the beast¡¯s blue Ember.

    He shifted his legs as he jotted down his notes. He had been crouching for nearly four hours by this point, and any feeling in his legs have long since numbed by this point. It probably wasn¡¯t the best idea to be crouching for an entire day, given the lingering pains in his leg, but Red¡¯s priorities weren¡¯t focused on himself, but rather on his pok¨¦mon.

    This day was dedicated towards Charmander, and how they could improve his capabilities. It was a bit of a slog to go through, given that Red was noting down as many observations and ideas as possible, but it was worth it.

    It was necessary, after all, and Red had already put it off for far too long. Once he was finished with Charmander, he would be doing the same with Pichu tomorrow.

    While Frogadier¡¯s evolution was a blessing in many ways, it did highlight a rather glaring problem that they all were facing.

    They weren¡¯t getting any stronger.

    Oh, sure, Pichu could sustain more electricity than he was able two months ago, and Charmander was able to more consistently produce flames, but these were relatively small improvements.

    Back, in the time of the Storm, they had the strength to take down gods.

    Red hadn¡¯t given much thought - not truly - to his pok¨¦mons¡¯ devolution, not when he was still reeling from everything else.

    He had been dead one moment, then suddenly very alive the next, ten whole years in the past.

    Then, by the time Red¡¯s situation had settled down, and he could properly think about its effects, he had beaten Clair¡¯s 5-Badge team, even with the handicap of their new, weakened forms, and such a thing didn¡¯t seem as important as everything else he was facing.

    Oh, sure, he certainly wondered about it. He still didn¡¯t quite know what its cause was, even if he did have some theories. But he hadn¡¯t placed any major importance to it, especially given that, soon enough, his focus was taken by Vee¡¯s cry for help, then Celebi, then Salvare and Karen, then the Unown¡­

    The fact was, Red never had much time to actually consider it beyond its most shallow connotations. Now, though, with the Silver Conference coming up and the Chariot¡¯s surprise appearance - which was a whole other can of worms - he had to ponder it.

    Lest the Ruins of Alph repeat itself, with Red not being as lucky¡­

    Red closed his eyes, refocusing back to the present as Charmander lost patience with his routine, stomping forward to mangle the burnt stump in front of him with a myriad of Dragon Claws and Shadow Claws.

    Charmander remains predisposed towards physical moves¡­

    Red sighed as he flipped through his notes - his notebook was almost filled . Again, for all that Frogadier¡¯s evolution raised them up, it also brought the question of how.

    How did Frogadier evolve?

    It wasn¡¯t as if Frogadier evolved naturally . Had that been the case, all three of them would have evolved - perhaps fully - by this point, given the amount and rigour of battles they¡¯ve faced.

    Red initially thought it might have been due to the peril they faced, but that was sketchy at best. They had already faced similar instances of danger at the Lake of Rage and Goldenrod.

    A brief, and terrible, idea rose in Red¡¯s mind that the evolution - and, by extension, the devolution - somehow originated from the Chariot , but Red tossed that idea away as soon as it came.

    Sure, the Chariot could be blamed for many of Red¡¯s troubles, but that would be absurd¡­

    ¡­He hoped.

    Red took a moment to spare a glance behind him, watching as Frogadier gently coerced Vee transforming more and more into a singular Vaporeon, softly but firmly pointing out points where she sported features of Umbreon or Flareon.

    Frogadier caught Red¡¯s eye, and quickly turned away, seemingly embarrassed at Red¡¯s scrutiny. He couldn¡¯t help but smile to himself as Vee chirped up at the frog, wondering what caused his head to turn.

    He was glad that Vee seemed to enjoy her time with his pok¨¦mon, given that Red had to keep her in her pok¨¦ball anytime he was near Herren.

    He didn¡¯t quite trust him with this secret.

    Red¡¯s smile turned to a frown as he looked back towards Charmander, thinking back to Frogadier¡¯s apparent doubt of his performance back at their Gym match against Falkner.

    Why did Frogadier seem down?

    In fact¡­

    Red turned back to Frogadier for a brief moment before looking back to the pile of woodchips left in Charmander¡¯s rage.

    Perhaps the question wasn¡¯t how Frogadier evolved.

    But rather why?

    Like it or not, there was always a mental aspect to consider when it came to his pok¨¦mons¡¯ health. It was one of - if not - the first things he learned as a pok¨¦mon trainer.

    Even to this day, Pichu vehemently fought against being placed within a pok¨¦ball, even when the alternative was death.

    Red frowned as he thought deeper into it. There was some merit to the idea of his pok¨¦mons¡¯ evolution holding some mental aspect, even if it wasn¡¯t the whole cause.

    Evolution, in it of itself, was a mental process just as much as it was physical. It was often intertwined with a pok¨¦mon¡¯s maturity and growth, just like a human¡¯s physical growth coincided with their mental growth.

    Just look at Charmander¡¯s initial evolution into Charizard. The beast had rapidly changed personality from being relatively meek and subservient to being brash and unruly.

    Of course, a part of that was due to Red¡¯s inexperience as a trainer at the time, but a lot of Charmander¡¯s change in personality came with the evolution.

    The same was true with Frogadier¡¯s initial evolution, to a lesser extent. While he and Red had always had a deep connection, that connection only strengthened further as the frog evolved, reaching its peak when Frogadier became Greninja and connected with Red in such a way that caused their Bond to form.

    Looking at it from this perspective, it made an odd sort of sense just why Red¡¯s pok¨¦mon hadn¡¯t been able to evolve.

    They had already grown.

    They had already matured.

    But Frogadier had evolved, and it wasn¡¯t like he had greatly changed since the evolution. The most Red could point to was Frogadier¡¯s newfound protectiveness over Vee, but they all felt that, to some extent.

    So. What. Was. The. Cause?

    Red grumbled as he closed the notebook. He wouldn¡¯t be able to do much more than stress himself out over it at this point, and he didn¡¯t need more stress than he already had. He looked over towards Charmander, who was halfheartedly scratching at a branch on the ground.

    Red sighed before bringing his fingers to his mouth to whistle Charmander over. He waited patiently as the lizard huffed a breath of blue sparks before hobbling towards him.

    Red allowed himself to sit - and, oh, suddenly all feeling, good and bad, returned to his legs - and spoke plainly, knowing that Charmander wouldn¡¯t want him skirting around anything, ¡°It seems like, until you evolve, you won¡¯t be able to produce enough fire for anything more than an Ember .¡±

    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    Even though Red expected it, seeing Charmander slump down didn¡¯t make him any less sympathetic.

    He was beginning to understand that Charmander¡¯s lack of strong fire affected the beast more than he initially thought.

    ¡°You hold the stamina for it, but not the reserves,¡± Red continued, not allowing Charmander¡¯s despondent look to stop him, ¡°It isn¡¯t your fault that this is the case, Charmander. It just means that we have to push in different ways.¡±

    Red made sure to affirm Charmander¡¯s lack of fault in this. Even though, intellectually, all of them knew that all of this was out of their control, it oftentimes didn¡¯t stop it from feeling like it was.

    Red placed a hand on Charmander¡¯s head, bringing the lizard¡¯s face back up to face his, ¡°Don¡¯t bring yourself down, Charmander. While we¡¯re weak now, we will get our strength back,¡± Red smiled - and if there were more teeth in his smile than was natural, who was to say? - ¡°Who knows? Given how much stronger you¡¯ve become in this form, imagine how much stronger you¡¯ll be by the time you¡¯re back to your prime?¡±

    Charmander seemed roused by Red¡¯s words, standing up straighter with a small snarl. Red smiled as he did so, only dimming it as he noticed Charmander¡¯s gaze land upon Frogadier, darkening as they did so, ¡°Hey, the fact that Frogadier evolved means that you can ,¡± Red shook Charmander¡¯s shoulder with a determined growl, ¡°It means that you will . But until then, we¡¯ll make up for our strength in other ways.¡±

    Seeing Charmander¡¯s look of interest, Red grinned, ¡°Right now, your greatest strength is your endurance and physical power. However, most of that power comes in the form of raw attacks, focusing more on force than technique.¡±

    Red made the conscious decision to specify technique rather than skill.

    While Charmander¡¯s technique was rather simple, it still took hard-earned skill to maximise one¡¯s natural strength.

    ¡°You¡¯re proficient in wide array of attack types,¡± Red continued, kneeling closer to Charmander as he began to outline his idea for future training, ¡°However, our strategy thus far has largely been outlasting our opponents,¡± Red looked into Charmander¡¯s triangular eyes, ¡°Now¡­ we need to learn how to outmanoeuvre them.¡±

    Red stood as Charmander stewed on his words, ¡°I have some ideas going for specific moves to learn, but starting off, I¡¯ll be having you work with Frogadier and myself to learn basic Fighting techniques.

    Charmander scoffed, though Red could tell it was more in jest than not, and Red smiled self-deprecatingly, ¡°I know you¡¯re not a Fighting type, but the actual technique involved isn¡¯t type-exclusive,¡± - just the extra Fighting aura behind it - ¡°And while I¡¯m certainly not as durable as the rest of you, I do know a decent amount of this sort of thing.¡±

    Once more, Lucario¡¯s lessons prove invaluable.

    Red lightly shook his head, allowing himself a small, almost mischievous smirk as he murmured, ¡°Besides¡­ Imagine the shock from all those Charizards at the Valley when they see their chieftain fighting with some actual finesse. ¡±

    This elicited a snort from Charmander, which made Red¡¯s smile soften. It was something of a risk to bring up that bit of the lizard¡¯s past - like everything else, it fell to the storm - but it was something of a nostalgic joke between him and Charmander how the only thing those at Charicific Valley seemed to understand was muscle, and nothing else.

    The thought of the reserve brought Red¡¯s musings to a halt as he considered something, ¡°You know¡­ It¡¯s not too out of the way¡­¡± Red frowned - it was maybe a two day detour, if they were fast - and turned to Charmander, ¡°We could turn around and-¡±

    Before Red could finish, Charmander turned away with a huff of bluish smoke.

    Red nodded solemnly to himself, understanding Charmander¡¯s desire not to face those who Charmander had once loved, had once mourned.

    It wasn¡¯t as if Red was much different in that regard.

    He had made a point not to search for anything regarding his younger counterpart, lest he be reminded of his failures by living faces.

    Red placed a hand on Charmander¡¯s shoulder, and, rather than shaking it off as the lizard had done for the past two months, he accepted it.

    The two of them walked back to camp, the sun beginning to set behind them.

    ¡­

    Red returned in time to find Salvare meditating with Feraligatr, along with Herren cooking dinner by a campfire.

    Since the events of the Ruins of Alph - and his encounter with the Chariot - Red had spent most of his time working towards his pok¨¦mons¡¯ former strength.

    They would need it.

    It was remarkably lucky that none of his pok¨¦mon had suffered anything more than scrapes and bruises. Red had broken a few ribs, along with nearly doing the same to his arm, but that was an acceptable price.

    Red was more than happy to bleed for his pok¨¦mon.

    His injuries had largely healed by this point, though his arm still ached. Salvare had wanted Red to get treated at a Pok¨¦mon Center - which doubled as a small hospital - but Herren had actually supported Red¡¯s decision not to.

    After all, the last time he got himself involved at a Pok¨¦mon Center, he had stolen medical equipment for Vee.

    Due to Red¡¯s focus on his pok¨¦mons¡¯ training, Salvare¡¯s aura training had largely been delegated to periods of meditation with his pok¨¦mon, specifically meant to identify and hone his aura.

    It was a method based on a few of his lessons with Lucario. It was meant to strengthen one¡¯s connection and understanding not only with their own aura, but that which surrounded them, eventually giving them the insight to touch and shape aura in far more precise ways. Apparently, such meditation was the primary method for their species to physically augment their attacks with spectral aura, with mastery usually leading to evolution.

    It wasn¡¯t quite as important with humans, given that, as Red had learned, most of what humans could do with aura can still be learned without such. However, from what he could tell, any high-level techniques couldn¡¯t be done as a human without such mastery.

    This did make Red wonder about the Aura Guardians, given that he learned his method of meditation from Lucario.

    Perhaps they had a different method?

    Red shook his head, serving food to his pok¨¦mon. While Red had become rather proficient in his understanding of aura, he had Lucario¡¯s help to thank for that.

    Salvare didn¡¯t have that. Karen, who had largely taught the kid a few tricks, was gone, and Red was left with no idea how to teach even the basics.

    He could only hope that Salvare could manage until Red had more time to actually train with him. Thankfully, Feraligatr¡¯s presence seemed to help Salvare, given their preexisting connection.

    Red would have to make his absence up to Salvare, along with everything else.

    Red¡¯s descent to guilt was halted when Herren perked up from his crouch, ¡°Dinner¡¯s done.¡±

    Like the flick of a switch, Salvare sprang up, ¡°Oh, thank Mew. I¡¯m starving. ¡± He happily took a kabob from Herren¡¯s fingers, who only gave a light smile as the kid began to tear into the meal.

    For his own part, Red accepted the kabob with a touch more hesitance, though he didn¡¯t say anything. He didn¡¯t eat anything either, at least not until he saw Herren eat his own.

    Call him paranoid, but Red remained on high-alert from his encounter with him . It didn¡¯t help matters when, mere hours after it happened, he was saved by someone who he originally paid no mind to. Sure, Herren had helped him forge a new identity, and a backstory to boot, but he never expected to see the man again, especially in that circumstance.

    Seeing Red¡¯s suspicious glare, Herren rolled his eyes and bit heartily into his kabob, giving an exaggerated hum as Koi snuck a sliver of meat off of the edge.

    Still eyeing Herren, Red allowed himself a bite of the kabob - and it was rather good; proper seasoning and a strong kick - as he recalled what he had learned of the man, and his association with Salvare.

    It turned out that the two of them had met once before, about two years ago, when Salvare had been in ¡®a tight spot¡¯, as the kid called it.

    Herren had not-so-subtly hinted at giving the same service to Salvare as he did to Red, which was to say that Salvare¡¯s identity wasn¡¯t real.

    Salvare had been mortified when Red realised that.

    Herren only seemed to find a grim humour in it.

    Red¡­ honestly didn¡¯t feel too strongly on that matter. He had accepted that Salvare had been Judgement in another life, and that for Salvare to fall that far, some bad things would have to happen that hopefully wouldn¡¯t this time around.

    It didn¡¯t escape Red¡¯s notice that Judgement had never used, or mentioned, Feraligatr.

    Besides, it wasn¡¯t as if Red wasn¡¯t hiding secrets of his own. Hell, Salvare had looked so shocked when he connected the dots that, in much the same way that Herren helped him forge a fake name and history, Herren must have done the same with Red.

    Interestingly enough, after a single instance where Salvare hesitated saying Red¡¯s - fake - name, he seemed to latch onto the name even more, as if it had always been Red¡¯s name.

    However, Herren¡¯s connection with Salvare wasn¡¯t the main source of Red¡¯s suspicion.

    It was the fact that Herren just seemed to know things.

    Sure, the man didn¡¯t seem stupid by any means when Red first met him, but he never expected Herren to hold such obscure wisdom .

    The man was a field researcher for - ¡°with,¡± Herren stressed - Professor Elm, yet he didn¡¯t actually seem to do much research , at least not in the usual sense. Apparently, Herren provided Elm with more abstract, sometimes esoteric knowledge that he picked up on his travels, though he largely stuck to anything that had to do with pok¨¦mon breeding and genetics, which was Elm¡¯s specialty.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Herren had added with a grin as he regaled this a few days earlier, ¡°I like to keep a lot of what I learn to myself.¡±

    Which was apparently a lot. Herren knew practical skills in forging and setting up shelter with few materials, along with having a golden touch with cooking. Even with his experience of living in the apocalyptic wilderness for three years, Red had even learned a few things from the man. Herren¡¯s expertise didn¡¯t stop there, as he actually offered an inspired strategy to Salvare in the middle of a practice bout with Red, actually giving the kid an advantage, even if it was only for a few moments.

    Hell, one time, when Salvare had asked Red for a potion to heal his pok¨¦mon¡¯s injuries, Red had responded, ¡°It¡¯ll have to wait, since my bag is back at camp.¡±

    However - for some unknown reason that made Red want to smash his face in - instead of saying that in any language Salvare would have understood, what came out of his tongue was, ¡° Jhayde Nei-Dah, Ay Cacha en Dahi-Miuma. ¡±

    Red had blinked, and scowled - his lapses in language had begun at the Ruins of Alph - opening his mouth to reiterate when Herren piped up from behind him, sounding considerably surprised, ¡° Ay Naahsa Jha Taka Raatak! ¡±

    Both Red and Salvare had snapped their heads to him, eyes widened in astonishment. Before Red could ask - demand - how the man seemingly understood, and spoke this foreign language, Salvare had piped up, ¡°Wait, that¡¯s an actual language? I thought it was gibberish !¡±

    Upon seeing that neither Red nor Salvare actually understood what he was saying, Herren backed down with a small - almost disappointed - smile, ¡°Oh¡­ nevermind about that. Besides, I have a potion you could use, kid.¡±

    That seemed to quell Salvare¡¯s curiosity, though Red knew he didn¡¯t forget about it. Salvare seemed to be of the mind that Herren should be allowed his secrets - like them .

    Red would agree in any other circumstance, but there was one, small detail that remained burrowed in the back of his mind.

    For all of Herren¡¯s wisdom and experience, he hadn¡¯t breathed a single word about aura.

    It wasn¡¯t as if it was simply because Herren didn¡¯t know about aura. Red was certain that the man did, given the man¡¯s knowledge in other, similarly esoteric fields. This wasn¡¯t even to mention the odd feeling in Red¡¯s gut whenever he was around the man, which he found not too dissimilar to the one he felt around Karen.

    Around the Chariot.

    Shadows seemed to dance around Herren, using the light of the fire to cast spiralling shadows behind him that seemed to breathe in its own life. What separated Herren as a practitioner of Dark-type aura from someone who was merely inclined towards it was the level of subtle control the man seemed to have on the shadows and its movements.

    Really, it was almost as if Herren wanted Red to call him out on it.

    In fact¡­ Red narrowed his eyes as the dimming campfire seemed to grow and shrink in tandem with Herren¡¯s breaths. Perhaps that was what Herren wanted¡­

    Though, did Red want to give the man that satisfaction, even to sate his curiosity?

    ¡­It wasn¡¯t as if Red would lose anything if he did.

    Deciding on his course of action, Red bluntly stated, ¡°You¡¯re an Aura Guardian.¡±

    Across the fire, Salvare rose his head, eyes wide at the accusation. Meanwhile, to Salvare¡¯s right, Herren merely stared into the dimming fire for several moments, before waving a negligent hand in front of him, blazing the fire further so that it burned as warm as it had several minutes ago.

    Red crossed his arms as he leaned back, one part of him satisfied and the other still holding onto suspicion, ¡°So¡­ You¡¯re both Dark and Fire type?¡±

    Herren stared into the fire for a few more moments, his eyes reflecting the crimson blaze of the fire - almost mimicking Red¡¯s own eyes - before turning to him with a small, manufactured smirk, ¡°Took you long enough to ask. Even so, what if I am?¡±

    Red¡¯s mouth twisted at Herren¡¯s challenging tone. He didn¡¯t know if he could call it coincidence at this point that he had encountered two - three if he counted Salvare, and his latent abilities - tagalongs trained in aura. However, for all that she vexed him, Karen was¡­ decent, as a person. He wouldn¡¯t judge Herren too harshly for being an Aura Guardian, Rogue or not, but he still reserved judgement for why he held it from them.

    ¡°Why did you hide it?¡± Red asked, starting off his impromptu interrogation.

    Herren only responded with a small, mocking chuckle - behind him, Salvare slowly inched his hands towards his pok¨¦balls; smart kid - ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like I can go around proclaiming it,¡± He turned to Red, eyes hardened with an emotion that Red couldn¡¯t quite place, ¡°What? I didn¡¯t know if I could trust you with it.¡±

    ¡°Yet you just said it ¡®took me long enough¡¯,¡± Red pointed out with gritted teeth - his eyes glowed, and were locked with Herren¡¯s own - ¡° Don¡¯t lie to me, you wanted me to find out. ¡±

    Herren didn¡¯t reply for a few seconds, seemingly captivated by the crimson glow of Red¡¯s eyes. After a few moments, he tore his eyes away, extending a slow hand to pet Koi, who was trembling by his side, ¡°Well¡­ You intrigue me, Red.¡±

    Red¡¯s lips thinned - he was briefly reminded of the Emperor, and his parting words - and he barked out in question, ¡° Why? ¡±

    ¡°Because of this, ¡± Herren answered with a wave in Red¡¯s direction, ¡°You- You absolutely blaze with aura, like nothing I¡¯ve ever seen ,¡± Now, Herren¡¯s face seemed to crack from its nonchalant mask, piercing Red with a severe frown, ¡°And from these past few days with you, it¡¯s clear to me that you have no control over it. ¡±

    Red narrowed his eyes - pinpricks of red reduced to slits - and hissed, ¡° What does that have to do with you? ¡±

    Herren spread his hands, palms facing Red, ¡°Nothing. I pack my bags right now, and leave y¡¯all to your own devices,¡± Koi nudged against one of the man¡¯s hands, though he paid no mind as he looked back to Red, his own eyes fading into darker shades of grey, ¡°I¡¯d rather not, though. If you remain like this, you¡¯ll eventually hurt yourself,¡± Herren then tilted his head towards Salvare, whose eyes were flicking between Red and Herren in apprehension, ¡°And you might hurt those you care about.¡±

    Red¡¯s face twitched, though he kept Herren within his stare, ¡° Why do you care? ¡±

    Herren sighed, looking skywards as he groused out, ¡°I have experience with this kid. While I wasn¡¯t anywhere near your level of raw potential, I still lost control,¡± He looked back down to Red, and his eyes - darkened enough to almost appear black - were imploring, ¡° Let me help you, Red.¡±

    Red¡¯s frown deepened, and his eyes flicked towards Salvare, who no longer seemed quite so wary of Herren, instead eyeing Red in a vague, almost sad uncertainty.

    Red turned his eyes back to Herren, and asked in a murmur, ¡° If it¡¯s so bad, why didn¡¯t you say anything when you met me? ¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t my place to say anything,¡± Herren answered, not visibly relaxing, but not tensing any further as he spoke, ¡°Sure, I could tell you were gifted in aura, so what? It¡¯s not the first time I¡¯ve helped out a kid who was,¡± He nodded towards Salvare, who pierced Herren with a small frown, ¡°Besides,¡± Herren shrugged, leaning back a touch, ¡°You seemed fine when I first met you. It wasn¡¯t until word reached back from Karen that I began to see otherwise.¡±

    ¡°You know Karen?¡± Both Red and Salvare asked, and Red sat back with a pained sigh, ¡° Of course you fuckin¡¯ know Karen¡­ ¡±

    Herren didn¡¯t say anything in response, only giving a small, cold smirk as he pet Koi. After a few moments, in which Red - whose eyes began to dim - nursed a headache, he grunted, ¡°Let me guess, you¡¯re a part of the Indigo Guardians?¡±

    Herren snorted, ¡°Agatha would sooner stab me in the gut than name me an official member,¡± He sighed as he leaned back, apparently finding the whole thing far more humorous than the other two, ¡°I¡¯m more of a consultant than a member . Though, by technicality, I suppose you could say I¡¯m a Rogue Aura Guardian,¡± He flashed a smile at Red, which looked surprisingly genuine, ¡°Much like yourself, in that regard.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, okay, neat ,¡± Salvare finally snapped out of his stupor, piercing Herren with a glare, ¡°So you¡¯re a secret Aura Guardian too? Why the hell is everyone so secretive about it?¡±

    ¡°Short answer: protection,¡± Herren deadpanned, ¡°Long answer: repeated genocide some 2,000 years ago,¡± Herren shrugged, ignoring Salvare¡¯s horrified look, ¡°Above all else, aura is power , and everyone loves power.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re getting sidetracked,¡± Red interrupted with a wave of his hand. He turned to Herren, narrowing his eyes in thought as he asked, ¡°So, am I to understand that you¡¯re offering to train me to¡­ control my aura?¡±

    ¡°More or less,¡± Herren shrugged, fiddling around in his pocket only to produce a toothpick, which he promptly placed in his mouth, ¡°My biggest concern is getting that taken care of. Everything else¡­¡± Herren trailed off in thought as he handed Koi her own toothpick to chew on, ¡°Well, you seem to have it in hand, teaching a prot¨¦g¨¦ and all.¡±

    Red turned to Salvare at the mention of him, eyes softening a touch as he recalled Herren¡¯s warning from earlier.

    You might hurt those you care about.

    Memories briefly flashed in Red¡¯s mind. He recalled the negligent power he wielded, blasting apart a forest with an Aura Sphere. He remembered the earthquakes he started underneath Goldenrod, leaving behind a trail of blind destruction in his rage. He winced at the memory of forcing Salvare and Karen into his heart, forcing them to feel his torn emotions not even two weeks ago.

    He had already hurt them, even if it wasn¡¯t physical.

    Turning his eyes away from Salvare - who always held more compassion than Red deserved - Red asked, ¡°Is there a benefit to Salvare learning as well?¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡± Herren grunted, before nodding, ¡°I don¡¯t see why not. He doesn¡¯t have quite the same need as you do, but having greater control over one¡¯s aura is never a bad thing.¡±

    Red nodded, silently accepting Herren¡¯s offer. After a few moments, he asked, not out of suspicion, but out of curiosity, ¡°Are there any other benefits aside from preventing any¡­ outbursts?¡±

    Herren smirked, and without uttering a word in response, held out his palm, sparking a small, condensed fire over his hand.

    Seeing both Red and Salvare¡¯s focus on him, Herren let out a full-blown grin, throwing the condensed flame onto the smoulders of the campfire, igniting it once more.

    ¡°Control doesn¡¯t just mean preventing accidents,¡± Herren murmured, idly petting Koi, who let out a small, defiant chirp, ¡°It also means focusing one¡¯s will into shaping their aura, manifesting it in the physical world.¡±

    ¡­

    Professor Elm¡¯s Lab, New Bark Town, November 29th, 1997

    ¡°Are you sure we should be here? It¡­ doesn¡¯t look like anyone¡¯s here.¡±

    Red had to agree with Salvare, given that the windows were dark, and the sun had only just risen over the horizon. There hadn¡¯t been anyone walking around in town, given that its residents must have only just woken up, if at all, and that wasn¡¯t even to mention that it was the weekend.

    Sure, Professor Oak had never been one to stop his work for something as erroneous as a weekend, but Elm didn¡¯t strike Red as the type to do the same, in his memory.

    Herren paused with his keys - which either showed how much Elm trusted the man, or how much he was a fool - and shot a smirk at Salvare, ¡°Trust me. The others may be gone, but the old man practically lives here more than his own house.¡±

    Salvare seemingly tried to smile in response, but couldn¡¯t, staring up at the building with something akin to trepidation, ¡°...If you¡¯re sure.¡±

    Red frowned - Salvare seemed more hesitant than the situation would normally warrant - but didn¡¯t take it upon himself to confront the kid about it.

    Herren didn¡¯t have the same compunction.

    ¡°Listen kid, it¡¯s almost been three years,¡± Herren grunted, opening the newly unlocked door with a creak, ¡°I¡¯m sure the old man¡¯s forgotten it by now.¡±

    Red narrowed his eyes, ¡°Forgotten what?¡±

    Salvare shot Red a startled glance, looking almost pleading as Herren grunted, ¡°It¡¯s the kid¡¯s business, Red. If you want t¡¯know, ask him.¡±

    Herren entered the laboratory, leaving Red and Salvare to walk several paces behind him. Thinning his lips, Red decided to test the tentative trust he had with Salvare, and tilted his head to ask, ¡°What happened three years ago?¡±

    Salvare grimaced, and for several moments, Red believed that he wouldn¡¯t answer. However, Salvare sighed, and whispered out, ¡°I¡­ Things weren¡¯t so good three years back, yeah?¡± Salvare began, before speaking in a rush, ¡°I may or may not have stolen a pok¨¦mon here, my¡­ first pok¨¦mon.¡±

    Red¡¯s eyes widened - he hadn¡¯t expected that - though he didn¡¯t burst out, or even so much as gasped. After all, as he thought more on it, it made sense. The Tododile line used as one of the Johto Starter pok¨¦mon, and Salvare didn¡¯t have any official sponsorship. Not to mention, the odds of finding and catching a wild Tododile from its parents were slim, especially without any pok¨¦mon of his own¡­

    Salvare was watching Red for his reaction, and seemed relieved at Red¡¯s lack of shock - and the subsequent scorn - ¡°...Thanks, Red,¡± Salvare sighed as he followed Herren up a flight of stairs, ¡°For¡­ not judging me for that.¡±

    Red only nodded, keeping silent as they followed Herren to the top floor, still cast in an ominous darkness. Though Herren no longer inspired quite so much suspicion from Red - especially after the start of their aura training under him - it didn¡¯t stop him from palming the pok¨¦balls on his belt.

    The sounds of Chariot¡¯s laughter still echoed in his mind.

    Herren opened the door leading to the top-floor study, which revealed rows of books and files, stacked neatly in some places and piled haphazardly in others. As the three turned a corner, they found a lone desk in the corner of the room, illuminated with a single lamp casting a warm light on a man, slumped over a pile of notes with drool running down his chin.

    It seemed as though the man had fallen asleep in the middle of research.

    As they got closer, Red recognised the man past the dim light and the stubble. Though it had been years since Red last saw the man, Professor Elm looked remarkably good for his age, given that he was only a few years younger than Oak himself. His light brown hair was only just now receiving lines of grey, making the man almost appear younger than Herren was.

    Red briefly wondered how they were going to wake him, given the dubious legality of them even being here. He turned to share a questioning glance with Salvare, only to quickly turn back as Herren surged forward, shaking the poor man with a yell, ¡° WAKE UP, HENRY, WE¡¯RE ALL GOING TO DIE!¡±

    ¡°AHHH!¡± Elm shrieked, forcing Red and Salvare to cover their ears. Red watched incredulously as Elm shot out an arm, punching Herren¡¯s grinning face to the side, ¡°Wha-?¡± His face twisted into a scowl, ¡°Don¡¯t do that, you fffffffffricking idiot!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t care. Worth it,¡± Herren grunted, cradling his jaw, before noting with an amused voice, ¡°Your right hook has gotten better.¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Elm harumphed, still seeming flustered as he began to cautiously sit back down, continuing in a dry tone, ¡°I¡¯m glad I¡¯ve exceeded your expectations.¡±

    Herren snorted before stepping to the side, revealing Red and Salvare - who hid behind Red - ¡°We have some visitors.¡±

    Elm blinked, picking up his glasses from the table as he scrutinised Red, ¡°...I didn¡¯t know you were bringing visitors, Herren.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know ¡®till a week ago,¡± Herren rebutted with a dry humour, leaning against Elm¡¯s desk, ¡°Still, I thought you wouldn¡¯t mind, considering you were asking of them last I heard.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Elm asked, standing up to turn on a light switch, allowing him to see them all more clearly. He turned and stared at Red for several moments, before widening his eyes in recognition, ¡°Satoshi?¡± He turned to Herren with raised eyebrows, ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were going after him?¡±

    Red narrowed his eyes - going after him? - as Herren shrugged, ¡°I wasn¡¯t. I just happened to run across them on my travels.¡±

    ¡°And you brought them here?¡± Elm asked with a small shake of his head, ¡°Talk about luck, I¡¯m envious,¡± He stopped suddenly, before turning to Red and Salvare with wide-eyes, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ve been very rude!¡± He stepped forward and extended a hand with a slightly manic smile, ¡°I¡¯m Professor Elm, but you can just call me Henry.¡±

    Red took Elm¡¯s - Henry¡¯s - hand first, given that Salvare still hid behind him, ¡°It¡¯s¡­ good to meet you, Henry,¡± Red narrowed his eyes slightly, ¡°Name¡¯s Red Satoshi, though it seemed like you already knew that?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you,¡± Elm replied quickly, shaking Red¡¯s hand erratically. He turned to peer his head over at Salvare before gasping, turning back to Red, ¡°Oh, and I knew your name from your reputation ! I expect everyone in Johto will know your name by month¡¯s end.¡±

    Red blinked, his frown deepening as he opened his mouth to ask exactly what he meant by that , only to find Henry¡¯s focus on Salvare, ¡°And hello to you!¡±

    As Salvare began to stutter a reply, Herren stepped beside Red, whispering, ¡°I hope you can excuse Henry¡¯s¡­ excitability. I¡¯ll keep it from getting too overwhelming.¡±

    Red only nodded - he did recall Elm being a touch more ditzy than Professor Oak - only to turn sharply towards the other two as Henry gasped, pointing an accusing finger at Salvare, ¡°I remember you! You¡¯re a damn thief!¡±

    Red moved to stand between Elm and Salvare - who was looking distinctly pale - as Herren placed a hand on the Professor¡¯s shoulder, ¡°And he had an understandable reason to do it, if you¡¯re willing to listen.¡±

    A few seconds passed as Elm fumed, his angry scowl looking distinctly different to his previously amiable grin. After a while, Elm closed his eyes, breathing out of his nose as he softly spat, ¡° Talk. ¡±

    ¡°I¡­ It was¡­¡± Salvare stumbled over his words, and Red unclipped Frogadier¡¯s pok¨¦ball in preparation for a confrontation. Herren caught the motion, though his face didn¡¯t change, instead staring determinedly towards Salvare, who gulped and spoke slowly, and clearly, ¡°I was being pursued by Team Rocket, and I didn¡¯t have any pok¨¦mon to defend myself. I was hiding here and¡­¡± Salvare exhaled tensely, ¡°I found a pok¨¦mon.¡±

    ¡°You mean you stole a pok¨¦mon,¡± Elm hissed, and Herren¡¯s grip tightened. After a few seconds, Elm reached up and plucked Herren¡¯s hand off his shoulder, ¡°...I suppose I can forgive that¡­¡± He eyed Salvare, anger quickly being overshadowed by sympathy, ¡°I¡¯m not much a fan of Team Rocket myself, given their raid on the lab two years back.¡±

    Salvare winced, looking vaguely guilty, ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that¡­¡±

    Elm huffed, rubbing the crust lingering in his eyes, ¡°Don¡¯t apologise. It¡¯s not like you were a member¡­¡± He paused, and turned back to Salvare with the remnants of a glare, ¡°Unless you were¡­?¡±

    Salvare winced, ¡°It¡¯s complicated.¡±

    Red kept his eyebrows from rising, though it wasn¡¯t easy. Salvare had a past with Team Rocket¡­ He was learning far more about Salvare today than he expected, though he couldn¡¯t say if it was a good thing or a bad thing.

    For his own part, Elm only looked unimpressed, ¡°Whatever¡­¡± He sighed, once more rubbing his tired eyes, ¡°I¡¯ll forget about this, on one condition¡­¡± He removed the hand from his eyes, looking back towards Salvare with a small frown, ¡°Bring him out.¡±

    Salvare blinked, experiencing a small amount of whiplash at the command, ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°The Totodile, bring him out,¡± Elm repeated, before knitting his eyebrows together, ¡°At least, I¡¯m pretty certain he¡¯s male. If I¡¯m wrong, bring her out.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s - It¡¯s a he - You know what?¡± Salvare shook his head in lingering confusion, taking out Feraligatr¡¯s pok¨¦ball, ¡°Come on out.¡±

    Where Elm¡¯s eyes were hardened at the memory of Salvare¡¯s thievery, his eyes shined as he gawked at the fully-evolved Starter now before him, ¡°Oh goodness, I didn¡¯t expect him to be fully evolved .¡±

    Herren gave a self-satisfied smirk at Elm¡¯s newfound joy, giving the man a hard nudge, ¡°See? Stolen or not, he¡¯s done better by his pok¨¦mon than most of your official trainers.¡±

    ¡°Oh, do shut up,¡± Henry huffed, shoving Herren away to step closer to inspect Feraligatr, who stood loyally at Salvare¡¯s side, ¡°I just didn¡¯t expect him to have grown to this point. Totodiles do tend to be rather volatile emotionally,¡± Elm shifted his gaze to scrutinise Salvare, ¡°You must have a rather strong bond for him to guard you so zealously.¡±

    Salvare gave a nervous laugh, scratching the back of his red hair, ¡°We - uh - we do.¡±

    Elm nodded absently, still inspecting Feraligatr, before snapping his fingers, ¡°I¡¯m forgetting something,¡± He turned back to Herren, who was idly fiddling with a toothpick, ¡°Herren, what am I forgetting?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I dunno,¡± Herren muttered drily, turning the pick clockwise around his mouth, ¡°A sponsorship, perhaps?¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes!¡± Elm turned back to Red and Salvare with a grin, ¡°I did want to extend that offer,¡± He turned around, walking down an aisle of bookshelves to the other side of the room, ¡°there aren¡¯t any of the usual candidates this year, after all.¡±

    ¡°What about those two kids?¡± Herren asked as he and the other two followed, ¡°What were their names¡­ James? Marine?¡±

    ¡°Oh, Jimmy and Marina started off their journeys a year ago,¡± Henry replied with a negligent wave of the hand, ¡°They¡¯re off in Kanto right now, though their friend, Vincent, is participating in the Silver Conference this year.¡±

    Elm reached a personal computer at the edge of the room, and began to root around a series of cabinets surrounding it, ¡°Now let¡¯s see¡­¡± Herren made eye contact with Red, only to roll his eyes, ¡°Ah, no,¡± Elm shoved a rust-coloured device into another cabinet, ¡°That¡¯s an old model¡­¡± After a few more minutes, Elm produced two relatively pristine devices, though there was some dust on them, ¡°Here we are: two ¡®95 models, still in good condition.¡±

    Henry placed the two pok¨¦dexes on a nearby table, allowing Red to see them in more detail. They looked almost identical to the Johto pok¨¦dex Red had used nearly a full decade ago, if a bit more simple. Seeing Henry¡¯s encouraging nod, Red picked up his pok¨¦dex, pocketing it as Salvare picked up the spare.

    ¡°Now,¡± Henry lightly clapped his hands as the two looked to him, ¡°Since it seems like you¡¯re accepting my offer, allow me to share the terms of the sponsorship,¡± Henry opened another cabinet, flicking through some papers before pulling out two contracts, ¡°Now¡­ As lab-sponsored trainers, you will both be given one pok¨¦dex, five pok¨¦balls, a flat check of 30,000 pokedollars, and a monthly stipend of 10,000 pokedollars.¡±

    Henry handed over the contracts to Red and Salvare, ¡°There are ways you can increase your stipend, which will be shown on the contract. You should be able to access it in your pok¨¦dex once they go through the League database,¡± Henry absently booted up a scanner connected to his computer as he continued, ¡°Of course, as lab-sponsored trainers, you are expected to contribute your own efforts to our growth, whether it be through field research or representation at the annual conferences,¡± Elm paused, side-eyeing Red as he laid down the signed contract, ¡°Though I suppose you already meet that requirement.¡±

    Red nodded absently as he watched Salvare begin to sign his own name. For his own part, Red had seen that Elm¡¯s words were almost exactly verbatim to the contract, so he saw no issue with signing it.

    Regional Professors do tend to be on the uppermost tier of sponsors, at least in terms of recognition.

    One of Red¡¯s goals was to ingratiate himself into the League, after all, given how much control - or eyes - Team Source seemed to have over it. Despite the apparent notoriety he was gaining, based on Herren and Henry¡¯s remarks, he would have to rise in a more official capacity for anyone in the League to actually listen to him.

    This sponsorship should help expedite the process.

    Perhaps Karen¡¯s connections could help speed it up?

    Red set the thought aside as Salvare put down his pen - he bore surprisingly cultured handwriting - and handed Henry his contract. Red did the same, asking Elm, ¡°How long will this take to process?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no more than a few days, I imagine,¡± Henry muttered offhand as he fed the contracts to the scanner, ¡°You will be cutting it awfully close to the beginning of the Silver Conference, though.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± Red replied absently, noting Herren walking away from them, ¡°Anything else we need to do?¡±

    ¡°Nothing I can think of,¡± Henry replied with a wave of his hand before turning around to glower at Herren as he picked up an object from Elm¡¯s desk, ¡°And what do you think you¡¯re doing?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like to ask that same question myself,¡± Herren muttered as they got closer, holding a small, green rock against the rising sunlight from the window, ¡°Continuing on that Meganium research, again?¡±

    ¡° No ,¡± Elm huffed, grabbing the green stone from Herren¡¯s hands - and the dull glow of it stirred something at the edges of Red¡¯s conscious - ¡°And don¡¯t go grabbing whatever you see, Herren.¡±

    Elm placed the green rock onto the table, still glowering at Herren. Yet, Red didn¡¯t pay attention to their budding argument, instead keeping his eyes on the rock.

    It looked like a leaf stone.

    Red¡¯s eyes began to glow as he stepped closer, one of his pok¨¦balls - pristine, new - began to shake. In his - their - focus, he didn¡¯t notice Salvare¡¯s alarmed look, particularly towards the rattling pok¨¦ball on Red¡¯s belt.

    Why¡­?

    Red blinked as a flash of light obscured his vision - and the haze of shared minds left him - and dully heard a gasp to his side as a Vaporeon with dark splotches of fur landed on the table, eyes locked onto the leaf stone.

    Red¡¯s eyes widened as he registered what just happened - Stupid, Red! Stupid! - and shifted to protect Vee¡¯s form from Herren and Elm, eyes glowing brighter as he unclipped Frogadier¡¯s pok¨¦ball.

    They were all wake now, though. Ready at a moment¡¯s notice to fight, to protect the child.

    Red idly noted Salvare¡¯s presence behind him - and a small, warm part of him was grateful for the silent support - as Red hissed, ¡° Neither of you saw anything. ¡±

    Unfortunately, his words were undercut by the sounds of mewls and grunts behind him - and the quiet sounds of ruffling fur and shifting muscles - which made Elm¡¯s eyes become as wide as saucers, ¡°Well, I¡¯m most certainly seeing something! ¡±

    Herren placed a hand on Elm¡¯s shoulder, quieting him as Red snarled, ¡° You will forget you ever saw anything. ¡±

    Unbidden, a ripple of aura pulsed from him, and it only took a few moments for Red to widen his eyes, realising what it was.

    Amnesia. A bastardised, desperate version of it.

    Red locked eyes with Herren, who blinked a few times before sharpening his eyes onto Red¡¯s, looking more vaguely disappointed than tense, as Red was. On the other hand, Elm¡¯s eyes glazed over, his face beginning to go a touch slack, even as he stared at Vee¡¯s form.

    Which shifted once more into a mix of Jolteon and Flareon.

    Elm¡¯s eyes cleared, and he shook his head with an increasingly manic grin, ¡°But I- I can¡¯t forget about this,¡± He struggled against Herren¡¯s grip on his shoulder, ¡°An- An Eevee that can switch between forms! On its own! It¡¯s remarkable!¡± He turned his eyes onto Red¡¯s, face stretched in an astonished smile, ¡°How did you achieve this?¡±

    ¡° Henry, ¡± Herren chided firmly, gazing on Red¡¯s increasingly violent look, ¡°Tone it down, and let him speak.¡±

    ¡°But why? ¡± Henry whined , sounding like a petulant child as he turned to Herren - though he still kept Vee in his line of sight - ¡°This is every professor¡¯s dream , to find a specimen like this!¡± He gasped, almost surging towards the table had Herren¡¯s hand not been on his shoulder, ¡°Maybe it can evolve into Leafeon! Using that leaf stone!¡±

    ¡° Henry, remember Cipher, ¡± Herren groused out, looking truly agitated for the first time this morning. To Red¡¯s - and Salvare¡¯s - silent relief, Elm stilled at the words, ¡°Something like this could very easily be another case of the rescued Shadows.¡±

    Elm¡¯s breath hitched, and his eyes, which were previously shining in slight mania, were now colder, ¡° Oh. Oh, yes, I suppose it might.¡±

    Though Elm took a step back, his eyes remained on Vee, who Red could still hear mewling. Shifting his eyes to Salvare, who nodded firmly, Red allowed himself to turn around, only to see Vee desperately padding the leaf stone, her fur shifting across various forms as she mewled in distress.

    Elm mentioned her evolving into Leafeon, using a leaf stone¡­

    Red stepped over to Vee, bringing up a hand to softly pet her head, ¡°It¡¯s¡­ going to be okay, Vee,¡± he brought his other hand to softly move Vee¡¯s paw away from the leaf stone, ¡°Vee, look at me.¡±

    Vee slowly turned her head, gazing imploringly at Red with crimson and silver eyes - Psychic and Dark . Red smiled softly and wrapped his hands around her lithe frame, lifting her into his arms, ¡°We can worry about Leafeon later, okay Vee?¡± He waited for the baby to nod, which she eventually did, if begrudgingly, ¡°No-one is pushing you to evolve anytime soon, Vee. You¡¯re safe here.¡±

    Forgive Red if he glared a bit at Elm as he said that. Even if Vee was extraordinary, she was under his protection.

    And Elm scared her; even though their bond had only just reopened, Red could feel it.

    Still¡­ Elm meant no harm, but his excitability did scare Vee.

    She was trembling lightly in Red¡¯s arms.

    Red tilted his head up to glare at Elm - and Herren for that matter - and growled out as calmly as he could, ¡°Vee won¡¯t be subjected as a lab rat again .¡±

    Herren nodded over Henry¡¯s face, looking as if he confirmed something in his mind. For his own part, Elm did look truly remorseful, ¡°...Yes, I apologise for that. I was¡­ a touch overbearing ,¡± He still looked interested, though, enough to ask, ¡°If it¡¯s not too forward¡­ Who did you rescue her from?¡±

    Red kept his glare on Elm, ¡°I can¡¯t say.¡±

    ¡°But,¡± Elm paused, and visibly kept his voice level in an effort to avoid furthering Red¡¯s ire, ¡°We could notify the League, and they could-¡±

    ¡°-Do nothing,¡± Red interrupted, far more calm than he felt, ¡°But what you can do is keep quiet. ¡±

    Elm remained quiet for several moments. At one point, Herren seemed fit to speak, though he stopped when Elm raised a hand, casting a shrewd eye to Red and Salvare, ¡°I suppose you¡¯ll run off into the wild yonder if I don¡¯t?¡±

    Red didn¡¯t reply, though the dull glow of his eyes were answer enough. He really, really wouldn¡¯t prefer having to do so, but Vee was still too vulnerable to recapture - or death. He¡¯d much prefer not having to sabotage his inroads towards the League, but he¡¯d find a way around it if push came to shove.

    To his side, Salvare stood with Red, silently casting his lot with the man.

    Once again, Salvare proved Red undeserving of his loyalty.

    Red¡¯s eyes flashed as Elm crossed his arms with a sigh, ¡°... Fine. I¡¯ll keep your secret, Red Satoshi,¡± He raised an eyebrow, somehow looking more curious than demeaning, ¡°Though I doubt you¡¯ll be able to hide her much longer from the public eye, especially given your pursuits.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll hide her as long as I need to,¡± Red muttered agitatedly, though his eyes began to lose its glow. He shifted his eyes to Herren, ¡°And you?¡±

    Herren replaced his toothpick in apparent boredom, ¡°Who would I tell?¡±

    ¡° Your word, ¡± Red growled out, not in the mood for Herren¡¯s usual sarcasm.

    In response, Herren rolled his eyes, though he straightened, casting his hand in the mimicry of a priest, ¡°I promise, under the Grand Light of the Creator, that I will not tell a soul for as long as you deem the secret hidden,¡± Herren brought his hand down with a flourish, ¡°Does that satisfy, my lord?¡±

    Red¡¯s eye twitched, though he didn¡¯t deign it with a response. It was probably the best he was going to get from the man. He turned down to Vee in his arms, smiling softly as she rubbed her tiny head against his chest with closed eyes, ¡°Do you want to go back in the ball?¡±

    Vee opened a single eye to gaze imperiously at Red before closing it once more with a yawn - her fur shifted to a deep shade of purple as she did this.

    ¡®No. Red is a warm colour. Warm is good.¡¯

    Red¡¯s smile deepened, though it quickly dropped as Elm sighed to himself, ¡°And to think I envied Sam for all the secrets he holds. It¡¯s going to be maddening having this in the back of my mind at the next Professor¡¯s Roundtable.¡±

    ¡°Hey,¡± Herren grinned, nudging Henry with his elbow, ¡°At least this time you¡¯ll be the one who knows something Oak doesn¡¯t.¡±

    Henry laughed softly to himself, tiredly sitting back at his desk, ¡°Yes, I suppose that¡¯s true,¡± He looked back up to the others with a carefully neutral face, ¡°That man does love his secrets, but he¡¯s hardly subtle ,¡± He turned to Red, his eyes growing solemn as he vowed, ¡°Your secret is safe with us, Red.¡±

    Red still wasn¡¯t entirely convinced that Elm wouldn¡¯t slip up and reveal something he shouldn¡¯t, but all things considered, this was the best he was going to get. All the same, Red nodded his head with a severe look to Elm, ¡°Make sure that it is.¡±

    He turned around, leaving Elm to begin whispering frantically to Herren, and muttered to Salvare, who stepped in synch with him, ¡°C¡¯mon, let¡¯s train for a while,¡± Red rolled his neck, popping a knot that was pressing against it, ¡°I need to destress after that debacle.¡±

    Salvare huffed, his movements finally losing the tension they¡¯ve held for the last several minutes, ¡°Honestly, Red. We both need it.¡±

    ¡­

    Outskirts of New Bark Town

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s try this one more time,¡± Red sighed tiredly, standing back up from a crouch, ¡° Volt Switch, Pichu.¡±

    Red ignored Pichu¡¯s disgruntled growl, instead watching as the small mouse charged at a lone tree, impacting it with a crackle of white lightning, before rebounding into a roll by Red¡¯s side.

    On his belt, Pichu¡¯s pok¨¦ball tried, and failed, to open against its latch, while one to its side did, though nothing came out.

    Red nodded, satisfied as Pichu threw a dirty side-eye to Red, ¡°It seems like you¡¯ve got the basics down. Now we just need to keep the switch consistent, and maybe a bit more powerful¡­¡±

    Pichu clicked his little teeth in what Red understood to be dissatisfaction. It didn¡¯t take a genius to understand the source of Pichu¡¯s frustration. It had been plaguing him - plaguing them all - for months.

    Pichu felt weak.

    Red knew better than to offer any shallow condolences. Pichu knew better than that, and, frankly, deserved better. Though all three of Red¡¯s surviving pok¨¦mon from the Storm had lost a significant amount of their strength, none had lost more than Pichu, and he was aware of it.

    It was part of the reason why Red kept Pichu¡¯s change in training for last. Pichu had become, and still remained, Red¡¯s most prideful pok¨¦mon, even more so than Charmander.

    Whereas Charmander¡¯s pride had been tempered by years at Charicific Valley, along with relying on others over the course of the Storm, Pichu¡¯s pride had only grown as the Storm went on.

    Pikachu had always been amongst the strongest of Red¡¯s pok¨¦mon, even after shattering his reserves due to Zekrom¡¯s wrath. However, Pikachu¡¯s ability seemed to skyrocket during the storm, reaching such heights that he could take down legendaries.

    Red¡¯s pok¨¦mon had all experienced an increase in raw power from the passive waves of the Storm, but Pikachu¡¯s had been the most pronounced.

    He had earned the title of god-killer after slaying that Shadow Lugia with a strike of lightning from the god¡¯s own storm.

    Thus, Pichu¡¯s devolution hit the hardest for the small creature, as he went from the strongest amongst them to the weakest, by a considerable margin.

    The fact of the matter was that Pichu were amongst the most frail pok¨¦mon in the world. They held incredible electric reserves, just like the rest of their evolution line, but their body simply couldn¡¯t handle even a fraction of it being released.

    They had hoped that it could be circumvented, somehow negated either by technique or pure unadulterated grit. However, Red had come to realise that, even with Pichu¡¯s advances in redirecting and minimising the damage taken from his own attacks, they had hit a hard stop in terms of growth.

    Red had been worried that Pichu hadn¡¯t, and would remain stubborn in fighting against it¡­ Even if he might push himself past the point of no return.

    Thankfully, Pichu seemed to understand as well, or at the very least trusted Red enough to listen. Still, even with the changes in Pichu¡¯s training, Red could still see that the small rodent desired his old strength, his old assurance in his ability to protect himself and them.

    It wasn¡¯t anything exclusive to Pichu. Both Charmander and Frogadier suffered the same demons, not to mention Red¡­

    Where Pichu differed was in how he handled it¡­

    Seeing the errant sparks crackling along Pichu¡¯s cheeks, Red pointed down the hill, far enough to avoid harming Vee, ¡° Discharge over there. Use as much time as you need.¡±

    Pichu¡¯s tail - a tiny, mangled thing - twitched, and Pichu nodded once before zooming away, crackles of electricity increasing in intensity as the rodent ran off to let out his rage.

    The hairs on Red¡¯s arms began to rise with Pichu¡¯s static, which Red took as his cue to turn to turn to Vee, who was laying beside Red with a mix of features from Jolteon and Sylveon, staring over at the impromptu light show that Pichu caused.

    Red lowered himself until his head was roughly equal with Vee¡¯s - which was rather difficult, given how small she was - and showed her his arm, ¡°Do you feel the static?¡±

    Vee chirped, and a vague sensation of intrigue filtered into Red¡¯s mind, ¡°See if you can reach it, and pull it in.¡±

    Vee eyed Red in mild confusion, but did as he asked, closing her eyes as she tried to connect with the static in the air.

    After a few moments, Red felt a shift along the hairs on his arms, and they began to point towards Vee as the electrical charge in the air slowly filtered towards her.

    Yet, as the ions in the air congregated around the small fusion, rather than building in intensity, their electrical charges neutralised as Vee absorbed them. After a few moments, the static in the air had decreased, and Red felt a smile grow as Vee opened her eyes, peering curiously at him.

    Her features had solidified almost entirely to that of a Jolteon, though her fur retained its pinkish hue.

    Red pet her head softly as he answered her unasked question, ¡°I wanted to try a theory of mine. Since Flareon, Vaporeon, and Jolteon have various abilities that allow them to absorb their element, I wanted to see if that could help you further connect to your different forms.¡±

    Vee blinked, only to sneeze out a few sparks, startling her in the process. Red¡¯s smile softened as he felt the sparks die against his skin - perks of Electric aura - and murmured, ¡°It¡¯s alright, little one. You¡¯ll learn control eventually.¡±

    Red and Vee sat together for several minutes until the localised storm surrounding Pichu died off, revealing the exhausted rat. As Pichu clamoured up onto Red¡¯s shoulder, a low bark turned his attention to his side, only to see Charmander and Frogadier walking towards them, both bearing cuts and bruises along their arms and torso.

    Red stood up, keeping Pichu balanced on his shoulder, and recalled Vee for her to rest. He surveyed the other two¡¯s injuries before turning to Frogadier, asking, ¡°How is his training going?¡±

    Frogadier crouched down and began writing simple characters into the ground using small jets of water. Red crouched as he waited for Frogadier to finish the code, made up of various numbers and patterns of circles to determine Charmander¡¯s current skills in close-quarters combat, and where he needed to improve.

    Having been the one to originally devise the code with Greninja and Lucario over a year ago, Red understood it instantly, ¡°Hmm¡­ We can see about Pichu helping him with speed, and I can help with teaching specific moves,¡± He gazed up to Frogadier, ¡°I presume you¡¯ll want to continue training him in technique?¡±

    Frogadier nodded, eliciting a surly huff of smoke from Charmander.

    Red snorted, eyeing Charmander¡¯s grumpy form with mirth, ¡°Seems like he¡¯s looking forward it,¡± He began to stand, only to be stopped by Frogadier gripping his arms, ¡°What is it?¡±

    Frogadier pointed behind him, warbling keenly to Red. He rose an eyebrow, ¡°You discovered something?¡± At Frogadier and Charmander¡¯s nods, Red rose, ¡°Was it dangerous?¡±

    Frogadier hesitated before shaking his head. Red hummed in thought as they began to walk further away from town, towards whatever the two of them had found.

    After a few minutes, Red squinted as two small shapes revealed themselves by a large tree at the edge of the forest. As they got closer, he recognised what they were, and he whispered lightly to his pok¨¦mon, ¡° Tread lightly, for this is hallowed ground. ¡±

    They were graves.

    Red and his pok¨¦mon hushed as they stepped closer, keeping a solemn silence as they entered the burial grounds. They understood, after all, the sanctity of such land, having buried scores of friends and loved ones themselves.

    A stray thought filtered into Red¡¯s mind.

    Serena¡¯s gravesite wasn¡¯t that far away from Silver Town¡­

    They shuffled next to the gnarled tree overlooking the gravestones, close enough to see their inscriptions, though the one on the left was wreathed in purple flowers - hyacinths - and was much nicer kept, making it easier to read.

    K. K. Crystal

    1957 - 1977

    ¡®She loved all, and was loved by all¡¯

    Red bowed his head in honour. Though he didn¡¯t know who she was - nor recognised the name - he still felt the need to give respect to the dead.

    His eyes slid over to the grave on the right, which had darkened and began to crumble. It obviously didn¡¯t receive the same care as the other grave, though there was a single, old white poppy laid against it. Written into the stone was a single word.

    GOLD

    Red bowed his head once more before turning back to see Frogadier standing by the large tree, parting a set of tangled vines away to reveal a hidden knothole.

    Red turned back for a moment at the graves before walking silently towards Frogadier, who was peering curiously into the knothole. Red squinted his eyes as he looked into it, finding several small items squeezed into the small space.

    Letting morbid curiosity get the better of him, Red reached in to inspect the items.

    The first thing he pulled out was a folded old hat, which held a slight musty smell as faded yellow threads tore away from its greying base. He set the hat aside as he reached in for the next item.

    He pulled out a small, water-rotted journal. Anything that was once written in its pages were ruined long ago, which made Red wonder why someone would place it into the knothole in the first place.

    The next item within the knothole was a feather that immediately made Red step back.

    It was a feather from Ho-Oh.

    Sure, it was stiff, and only just beginning to decompose, but Red would recognise its radiance anywhere¡­

    How the hell did it end up here?

    Pocketing the feather, Red quickly took out the next item, which was rusted metal machine that looked vaguely like a shoulder pad connected by a wire to a mechanical hand. Aside from the rust spreading throughout the machine, dents and scorch marks dotted its frame, only creating more questions in Red¡¯s mind.

    Shaking his head, Red placed the machine into his bag - which still held various gadgets from the Storm - and reached back into the knothole to pull out the final item.

    It was a small container, akin to one that he would¡¯ve found in Professor Oak¡¯s lab. Red narrowed his eyes as he turned the container around in confusion, only to widen his eyes as he found a label.

    ¡®Stem Cells extracted from Mew fossil, Guyana [Count: 3]¡¯

    Red¡¯s breath left his body, and he quickly stuffed the container into his bag.

    What in the fresh hell was that doing here?

    Red didn¡¯t know much about the research surround Mew, aside from it leading to Mewtwo¡¯s birth - which he vaguely recalled would be happening soon, if it hadn¡¯t already passed . What he did know was that something like this was priceless.

    He wasn¡¯t so interested in selling it - Arceus forbid - but he certainly wanted to know why and how it ended up here in all places.

    In all of Red¡¯s spiralling thoughts, he almost didn¡¯t hear the cough behind him, causing him to whirl around, only to find Herren standing by the graves with the sun at his back, face set colder than Red had ever seen before, ¡°Fancy meeting you here.¡±

    Red¡¯s fist involuntarily tightened, though he responded neutrally, ¡°Herren.¡±

    Herren¡¯s eyes stayed on Red¡¯s, not looking violent by any means, but not looking nearly as jovial as earlier, ¡°I take it you found something that interested you?¡±

    Did Herren know what was there? Red breathed slowly, ¡°...Yes.¡±

    Herren nodded thoughtfully, his eyes drifting away from Red and towards the graves between them, ¡°...Alright,¡± He looked back up, and his previously turbulent eyes were once more set in a neutral gaze, ¡°I can accept you taking what you found, on a practical level. But,¡± He sighed, looking remarkably more tired than Red had ever seen him, ¡°Do treat what you found with respect, please.¡±

    Red nodded slowly, watching as Herren¡¯s gaze once more fell upon the gravestones, ¡°...Did you know them?¡±

    Herren stayed silent for a moment, absently petting Koi at his side, who was gazing at Red mournfully, ¡°...Yeah¡­ I knew them.¡±

    Red stood a few paces behind Herren, who had turned his back on Red to kneel before the graves, ¡°What were they like?¡±

    Herren tilted his head in Red¡¯s direction, though kept his eyes on the graves, ¡°...Crystal, she was¡­¡± Herren paused, and Koi trilled a soothing tone, ¡°She was good¡­ Too good for the war, for any of us,¡± Herren stood, turning his head back to look at Red - his eyes had darkened, yet they shined - ¡°There wasn¡¯t a soul in Johto that didn¡¯t know her¡­ She was our Heart .¡±

    Red nodded solemnly, understanding, to some degree, what the man meant. Faces from his past life flashed across Red¡¯s mind. His eyes landed onto the other grave, ¡°...And Gold?¡±

    Herren breathed out through his nose, and Koi chirped softly, ¡°Gold was¡­¡± He paused, as if searching for the right descriptors, ¡°Naive. Arrogant. Oh, he was strong, no doubt,¡± Herren sighed, ¡°But he didn¡¯t know how to temper it¡­ It ruined him, in the end.¡±

    Red kept silent as Herren mourned. He hadn¡¯t thought much of it at first, but given the timeline of the Great War, Crystal and Gold must have passed away near the end of it.

    Upon seeing Herren rise from his bow, Red murmured, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your loss.¡±

    For the first time on the hill, Herren cracked a small, almost soft smile, ¡°Don¡¯t be. Crystal would¡¯ve liked you,¡± He paused with a small grimace, ¡°Gold would¡¯ve¡­ Well, he¡¯d consider you a good rival, at the least.¡±

    Red nodded as he stepped alongside Herren as they descended the hill, ¡°I would¡¯ve liked to meet him.¡±

    Herren snorted, ¡°Honestly, kid,¡± He cast a final look at a graves behind him, ¡°You¡¯re just about the only one who would say that, and mean it.¡±

    ¡­

    Edge of New Bark Town, December 1st, 1997

    Red was standing a touch impatiently as Elm accosted Herren one final time before their departure.

    Registration for the Silver Conference ended on December 6th, and Red was already cutting it far too close for his liking, given that the hike to Silver Town was five days at a rapid pace.

    Salvare was also visibly anxious, though Red thought the kid was hiding it well. Salvare was still uncomfortable whenever they spoke to Elm, despite the latter¡¯s assurance that he bore no more ill will towards him.

    Thankfully, it wasn¡¯t much longer until Elm exclaimed, ¡°Well, I¡¯ve kept you all long enough! I just have one thing to give you before you head off!¡±

    Red watched as Elm took out two data cards, stepping towards him and Salvare, ¡°I have something I want to add to your pok¨¦dexes before you go. It¡¯s nothing major, just an extra bit of hardware I¡¯ve been working on.¡±

    Red narrowed his eyes as he and Salvare handed their pok¨¦dexes to the professor, ¡°What does it do?¡±

    ¡°Oh, nothing yet,¡± Elm replied absently, plugging the chips into the devices, ¡°They¡¯re mainly a primer for more advanced features that I intend to introduce to future models.¡±

    Red¡¯s eyes remained narrowed as he pocketed his pok¨¦dex, though he could find no real fault with the man¡¯s words. The pok¨¦dexes were, ultimately, lab property.

    Before either of them could say anything more, though, Herren stepped between them with a grunt, ¡°Alright, Henry, that¡¯s enough. We¡¯re on a tight schedule.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I suppose you¡¯re right,¡± Elm stepped back with an abashed chuckle, waving slightly as they began to quickly walk to the trail, ¡°Good luck at the conference!¡±

    Herren hollered back a response, though Red and Salvare kept silent. The kid had barely spoken outside of his training with Red, though it didn¡¯t seem as though it was from any issue with his mentor.

    Red wondered about that, but what kept the majority of his thoughts were the items he had found in the knothole.

    Who had placed those items there, and why?

    Red¡¯s mind involuntarily brought up the image of the old rainbow feather within his bag, and that of the feather that had blessed Ash all those years ago.

    It¡¯s been over a decade since he first started his journey with Pikachu.

    Yet, though Red could recall the highs and lows of his journey, the faces and laughs of his friends, the cries and cheers of all of his pok¨¦mon, he could barely picture himself at that age.

    He could barely picture himself as Ash Ketchum.

    Red had only changed his name a few months ago¡­ but the change in his spirit was long before that.

    Ash was a cheerful, kind, trusting, gullible, hopeful, compassionate kid.

    Red¡­ was not.

    Once more, the thought that had first settled in his mind back at Ecruteak - and stayed - reared its head.

    He shouldn¡¯t exist.

    Yet he was here¡­ Here for the long haul.

    He had laid down his life once before to end the Storm, and he was willing to do so again to keep it from happening again.

    Yet, was there anything beyond that? Was that the one thing he brought in this world to do?

    His ¡®raison d¡¯etre¡¯, as Serena would have called it.

    Was that his one, true purpose?

    To become strong enough - good enough - to stop the Storm before it started?

    Red¡¯s thoughts turned to Gold, and what Herren said about the passed individual.

    ¡®He was strong, no doubt, but he didn¡¯t know how to temper it¡­¡¯

    ¡®It ruined him, in the end.¡¯

    ¡­

    Archived Audio Recording, April 21st, 1982

    ¡°You¡¯ve been sitting here for quite some time, Aurous.¡±

    The man turns his head at his given name, but says nothing.

    The woman - aged in body and youthful in soul - sits next to the man.

    A child - just over a year old - wriggles out of her grasp.

    ¡°Aye! Eta!¡±

    The man smiles, and allows the small girl to begin climbing onto him.

    The woman huffs a sigh.

    ¡°You¡¯re too young to be so wary, my friend.¡±

    The man hums, idly batting away the child¡¯s foot from his mouth.

    ¡°Perhaps¡­¡±

    ¡°It isn¡¯t like we¡¯re given any choice, though.¡±

    The woman nods with a thoughtful glimmer in her crimson eyes.

    ¡°And that¡¯s the heart of the matter, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    The man does not respond.

    His silence is answer enough.

    ¡°It won¡¯t serve to lose hope, Aurous.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the one thing that only you can take away.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not¡­¡±

    The man heaves in a sigh.

    ¡°It¡¯s not hope that I lack¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡±

    ¡°Purpose?¡±

    The man huffs a bitter laugh.

    ¡°Of course¡­¡±

    They sit in silence.

    The child, now nestled within the man¡¯s gentle hands, babbles out a new word.

    ¡°Purpa?¡±

    The man snorts, ruffling the little girl¡¯s hair.

    He receives a squawk in protest, though he pays no mind to it.

    Eventually, the woman speaks once more in a vaguely nostalgic tone.

    ¡°You know, it¡¯s almost poetic¡­¡±

    The woman trails off.

    ¡°...What¡¯s poetic?¡±

    The woman turns to him, casting a distinctly melancholic glance to the girl nestled in his arms.

    ¡°I was in her place once¡­ Naught but a child born in time to witness our destruction.¡±

    The man remains silent, in respect for the fallen.

    ¡°I was only four years old, barely more than a hatchling¡­¡±

    ¡°I suppose it¡¯s fitting that it is the earliest memory I can recall.¡±

    The man frowns, lightly rocking the child in his arms to sleep.

    ¡°How so?¡±

    The woman looked back to him, though her eyes were faraway.

    He couldn¡¯t fault her too much for that.

    His eyes were much the same in recent times.

    ¡°I was meditating upon this rock.¡±

    The woman huffed.

    ¡°Not a fun activity for a four year old; I often wonder what the Elders were thinking.¡±

    She shook her head.

    ¡°Then, one moment I was alone, and the next, there was a young woman sitting next to me.¡±

    The man raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°I¡¯m failing to see the poeticism.¡±

    The old woman reached out to slap him.

    Hard enough to make it felt.

    Soft enough to keep the child from waking.

    ¡°I was getting to that.¡±

    ¡°Where was I? Oh, yes.¡±

    ¡°She must not have been much older - if at all - than you were at your calling.¡±

    The woman¡¯s lips turned up into a sad smile.

    ¡°She had the kindest face¡­ Eyes a soft pink, with a touch of emerald¡­¡±

    ¡°Yet, she was wary¡­¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Why was that?¡±

    The old woman remained silent for a few moments, idly watching the child in the man¡¯s arms before asking.

    ¡°How much do you know of the 3rd Draconid War?¡±

    The man stiffened, turning away as he narrowed his eyes.

    ¡°Not any more than you¡¯ve already told me¡­¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    The woman examined a rock in her hand before deciding to toss it over the cliffside.

    ¡°The war began a year later.¡±

    ¡°...You were five.¡±

    ¡°I was.¡±

    The two remained in silence for several moments.

    The man¡¯s eyes stared across the sea lining the horizon, flashes of ash and fire playing in his mind.

    The woman sneaked a glance at the man, and frowned as his eyes remained blank, void.

    ¡°I¡¯ve come to wonder¡­¡±

    The man¡¯s eyes snapped back to hers.

    And, for but a moment, the grey of his irises darkened a shade.

    ¡°Whether it is worse to be a child, watching a great war from the side¡­¡±

    ¡°Or to be a teenager, fighting within the frontlines themselves¡­¡±

    The man¡¯s eye twitched.

    It was only due to the child in his arms that he kept his response to a mere growl.

    ¡°Don¡¯t give me your pity.¡±

    ¡°Sympathy and pity are two similar, but ultimately different, things.¡±

    ¡°You would do well to recognise and accept the former.¡±

    The man stews in deep-rooted anguish.

    His suffering is silent, but no less great.

    Still, both due to lingering respect for his elder, and care for the child he held, the man locked away his rage.

    ¡°...How old were you when the war ended?¡±

    ¡°Nine¡­ Or perhaps I was ten.¡±

    ¡°It is¡­ difficult to say exactly when the war ended.¡±

    The man bowed his head, but offered no words of condolence.

    The woman accepted this and moved on.

    She knew he was locking his emotions, though he felt them strongly still.

    The man, perhaps understanding that the woman had more to say yet, asked.

    ¡°What became of the woman?¡±

    ¡°She was banished.¡±

    The man jolted, thankfully only causing the child in his arms to grumble.

    ¡°Stripped of her titles and name.¡±

    ¡°She became Taboo¡­¡±

    The man, beginning to understand whom she was referring to, asked.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    The woman raised an eyebrow, though her smile was bitter.

    ¡°She destroyed us.¡±

    The woman said no more, though her lips remained parted in a thoughtful grimace.

    Eventually, the man asked, in a small amount of lingering frustration.

    ¡°Why did you tell me this?¡±

    The woman considered.

    She considered for quite some time.

    Eventually, she looked the man in the eyes, and she saw the woman¡¯s face.

    She of Rain and Fire.

    ¡°I told you this, because she saved us.¡±

    The man frowned.

    He did not understand.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say she destroyed you?¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    The woman smiled, as if the wisdom she held was boundless.

    It wasn¡¯t quite so, but it might as well have been.

    ¡°But it was in that very destruction that we were saved.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m lost.¡±

    If nothing else, the man was blunt with his words.

    The woman smiled indulgently at him, and decided to be blunt as well.

    ¡°We were killing ourselves.¡±

    The man shudders, and the child almost wakes.

    Almost¡­

    A phantom sensation of falling skies breezes by the man.

    Then it is gone¡­

    ¡°Even long before the war, we were on the path to oblivion.¡±

    ¡°All it took was a single spark - a single soul - for us to begin spiralling to our end.¡±

    The man frowns in thought.

    ¡°How did her destroying you end up saving you?¡±

    The woman hums, before murmuring.

    ¡°You were born a child of Johto, so you have heard the legends of the Rainbow-Winged Bird, yes?¡±

    The man blinked, before responding.

    ¡°Yes¡­¡±

    ¡°Then consider¡­ the Tale of Rebirthing Flame.¡±

    ¡°There was the Plague, and there was the Fire.¡±

    ¡°One offered decay and a slow, painful death¡­¡±

    ¡°The other offered death too¡­¡±

    ¡°But from death, came life.¡±

    The man frowns severely, idly petting the child¡¯s hair.

    ¡°...What does it mean?¡±

    The woman smiled softly.

    ¡°It means, child, that we were caught in a Plague of our own making.¡±

    ¡°And rather than allowing us to rot away, the woman cast us unto the Fire¡­¡±

    ¡°And from death, from destruction, came our salvation¡­¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°...I see.¡±

    And the man truly did see.

    The veil shimmered.

    The woman turned away, and in a low voice, spoke.

    ¡°You stand at a precipice, Aurous.¡±

    ¡°It is up to you to choose the Plague, or the Fire.¡±

    And the man understood what she truly said beneath her words.

    He had been Chosen¡­

    And had tried to take his own life.

    He had nearly lost his way¡­

    ¡°Whether in Destruction or Creation¡­¡±

    The woman turned to him, noticing the whisper.

    ¡°What did you say?¡±

    The man turned to the woman, debating within himself to reveal the words.

    The words from the voice in his head.

    The voice of that which chose him.

    The voice of that which enraged him.

    ¡°I¡­¡±

    He hesitated¡­

    But he recalled the old woman¡¯s tale of the destroyer.

    And he could connect the dots.

    ¡°I¡­ I hear a voice, Elder Aster¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡­ says things¡­¡±

    The woman - the Elder of her clan - extended a hand.

    ¡°Share them with me, if you wish.¡±

    The man sighed¡­

    And placed his trust in another¡­

    For the first time in five years.

    For the last time in many yet.

    ¡°Whether in Destruction or Creation¡­¡±

    ¡°Your Fate will Meet Its End¡­¡±

    He halted, for but a moment¡­

    But he finished with naught but a whisper.

    ¡°Go Forth, My Chariot¡­¡±

    ¡°Go Forth¡­¡±

    ¡°And Conquer¡­¡±

    There came silence to the cliffside.

    Suddenly, the child began to cry out.

    The man and woman both tried to calm the child, eventually getting her to sleep once more with a lullaby shared with the man by whom he once loved.

    The woman smiled as she took the child from the man¡¯s arms.

    ¡°Hush now, child¡­¡±

    Her smile turned sad.

    ¡°It seems that little Zinnia couldn¡¯t take it, hearing such Words of Power¡­¡±

    The man frowned.

    With the child gone from his grasp, the shadows clinging to him warped his face into something vaguer¡­

    Perhaps not horrifying yet¡­

    But one day, it would be.

    ¡°Words of Power?¡±

    The woman smiled, though it was no longer happy.

    It was terribly sad.

    It was terribly wary.

    It was terribly beautiful.

    ¡°Of course¡­ Such a title is rather powerful, is it not?¡±

    Before the man could speak, Elder Aster proclaimed him to be.

    ¡°You are Aurous Draconid, He of the Flaming Chariot, Chosen of the Creator¡­¡±

    The man buckled, and fell upon his knees.

    A weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

    And a new one had been added around his neck.

    ¡°So it shall be, Elder¡­¡±

    The woman no longer smiled as she gazed upon the man before her.

    For her will was no longer hers, but rather the vessel of something GREATER.

    ¡°RISE, MY CHARIOT.¡±

    Blood-red eyes bore upon the man.

    And the man rose, cowering in fear, in anguish, in resignation.

    in defiance.

    ¡°RISE, MY CHARIOT.¡±

    ¡°RISE, ANDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD-¡±

    ERROR - System Overload - ERROR - System Overload - ERROR - System Overload - ERROR

    Red, Pikachu, Charizard, and Greninja [In their Source Forms]

    Various Other Character [To Varying Degrees of Quality]

 Scattered Ashes

    Professor Oak¡¯s Lab, Pallet Town, July 21st, 2004

    Ash blinked away the crust from his eyes as he waited, seated next to Gary, who was sleeping against the wall in an uncomfortable position.

    Ash hadn¡¯t gotten much sleep over the past few days. He had finally resumed his journey in a new region - Alola - after nearly two months of doing nothing at home. He had stayed awake on the flight out of excitement, only to find out mere hours after landing that he needed to come home. Of course, he wasn¡¯t able to sleep on the flight back either, and upon returning, he found himself too agitated to even try.

    Ash looked around in silence, his eyes grim as he surveyed the damage still visible across the lab. Some new evil team had just come out of the woodwork, and the first thing they did was raid Professor Oak¡¯s lab.

    Ash had seen a lot in his journey, both good¡­ and bad. It wasn¡¯t so long ago, after all, that he and his friends had nearly been wiped out, along with all of Kalos in Lysandre¡¯s mad schemes.

    He still had nightmares of that whole debacle, which was probably a large part of why he hadn¡¯t slept.

    But in all his years - all his, admittedly, wild experience - Ash hadn¡¯t seen an attack so brazen. Oh, sure, other evil teams had caused some major damage - Kalos was still under martial law - but he had yet to see a wide-spread attack that was so coordinated, and so harmful.

    After all, Professor Oak¡¯s lab was only one of nearly three dozen sites that were ravaged, across various regions, and while Oak, Gary, and all who were here emerged largely unscathed¡­ others weren¡¯t so lucky.

    Apparently, even nearly two decades after retiring as Champion, Professor Oak retained enough strength to fight off the attackers. Honestly, before today, Ash hadn¡¯t ever thought much of Professor Oak once being Champion. Sure, Gary used to boast about it all the time, but the old man had always seemed much more laid back about it, so Ash was as well.

    Now, though, Ash could see how Oak was once considered the strongest trainer in Indigo. He saw the man now, marching through the ruins of the lab, setting up emergency servers as his old Dragonite and Alakazam moved rubble out of the way.

    Ash had offered to help, seeing as how Gary and everyone else present for the attacks were exhausted, but Professor Oak had denied the offer.

    Apparently, though the Professor was vague in his words, this was going to be something far larger than they had all initially thought, and they would have to save their strength.

    For his own part, Ash thought it was a little hypocritical. Professor Oak looked like he was running on fumes, and it wasn¡¯t as if Ash was a stranger to operating under fatigue and duress.

    Professor Oak knew it too, given that Ash had reported most of his legendary encounters to him.

    Ash blinked crust out of his eyes again - Arceus, he needed sleep - glaring slightly as Pikachu¡¯s snoring form on his lap.

    This wasn¡¯t the longest he¡¯d had to stay awake - that dubious honour went to Kalos - but it was getting close. Ash¡¯s leg began to bounce in nerves, causing Pikachu to grumble in his sleep.

    Eventually, just when Ash spied the edges of the sun cresting the horizon, Oak paused in his movement, ¡°It seems Delia has brought some friends,¡± He turned to Alakazam as Gary began to blink his eyes awake, ¡°Alakazam, lower the psychic barrier to let them in, and keep watch for Lance¡¯s group. He shouldn¡¯t be far behind.¡±

    Gary was rubbing his eyes the same way Ash was - he had fought alongside his grandfather at the attack, so Ash could understand the lethargy - ¡°Lance¡¯s group? I thought the Champion was coming by himself.¡±

    ¡°He was ,¡± Professor Oak replied, resuming his work on the lab¡¯s computer, which was working once more due to Oak¡¯s efforts, despite the cracks along its frame, ¡°However, he and Mr. Stone decided to pick up certain trainers on their way back here,¡± Oak paused before looking to Ash, ¡°I do believe that they are some of those you¡¯ve travelled with, Ash.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Ash asked, only to pause as the lab¡¯s door was opened, revealing his mom, along with some familiar faces.

    ¡°Brock! Misty!¡± Ash ran forward to envelop his oldest friends into a group hug, unintentionally causing Pikachu to topple onto the ground.

    Brock chuckled, sounding wary but still happy to see him, ¡°It¡¯s good to see you, Ash!¡± He stepped back to greet Professor Oak with a handshake, ¡°And it¡¯s always an honour to see you, Professor.¡±

    ¡°The honour¡¯s all mine,¡± Professor Oak replied warmly, though his eyes were still tired, ¡°And, please, just call me Samuel. It isn¡¯t long until you become a professor yourself.¡±

    As Brock and Professor Oak began to converse in whispers, Misty nudged Ash with her elbow, ¡°As much as I¡¯d like to sit down and catch up, are we gonna have to wait long for Lance to arrive?¡±

    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be too much longer,¡± Ash replied, sitting back down as Pikachu batted Misty¡¯s leg for attention, ¡°I¡­ didn¡¯t expect to see you two here.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like I was expecting it either,¡± Misty grumbled, raising Pikachu into her arms, ¡°I was just minding my own business! I¡¯ve only been Gym Leader for three months now when suddenly I start getting emergency comms about various explosions and raids and whatnot!¡± Misty nearly threw her hands up in agitation, but remembered Pikachu at the last moment, ¡°And, of course, when Lance called to see who was available to come here, everyone else was apparently too busy to come!¡±

    ¡°Brock came here,¡± Ash pointed out, though he wasn¡¯t necessarily arguing the point. Misty was going to rant one way or the other.

    ¡°He¡¯s Brock ,¡± Misty deadpanned, flicking her hand flippantly, ¡°He¡¯s the exception. Surge is doing his own thing, Sabrina¡¯s abroad, Erika and Blaine are too good for us apparently , and Giovanni and Janine haven¡¯t responded one way or the other-¡±

    ¡°And that would be Lance,¡± Professor Oak spoke up, inadvertently interrupting Misty. Before her hackles could rise, however, the thrum of a helicopter neared the lab, only pausing once it encountered the psychic barrier.

    Ash squinted his eyes, watching with the others as the side-door of the helicopter was opened revealing the Champion of Indigo, with a few other faces crowded behind him.

    Nodding to himself, Professor Oak turned to Alakazam, ¡°Lower the barrier.¡± As the helicopter descended by the lab, he turned to those already with him, ¡°I¡¯m sure you all understand the severity of this meeting. What is said here cannot be spoken of outside this building, am I understood?¡±

    Ash nodded with the others, turning his eyes through the window to see Lance touching the ground first, with Steven and Lorelei immediately following.

    After them, a scowling silver-haired woman stomped out of the helicopter, only to be followed by¡­ Paul , which Ash wasn¡¯t expecting. Ash¡¯s eyebrows only raised further as Iris and Cilan hopped out of the helicopter, followed by¡­ Alain.

    Any surprise - and unease - Ash may have felt in his appearance was quickly smothered as Bonnie hopped out, with Clemont stumbling behind. Given their appearance, it wasn¡¯t so much a surprise to see Serena trail behind them, with Greninja stepping beside her, but it didn¡¯t stop the drop in his gut at the sight of her.

    He still hadn¡¯t fully processed what happened at the airport.

    Ash shook himself from his daze, mildly glaring at Misty as she smirked smugly at him. She always seemed to intuitively see these things, even when he didn¡¯t tell her. Though, before she could tease him for it, the door to the lab was opened, and Lance¡¯s group filed in.

    Lance and Steven didn¡¯t waste any time before ducking off into a corner with Professor Oak, conversing in harsh whispers and heavy scowls. This left the rest of Lance¡¯s crowd to stand a touch awkwardly before looking to find someone to talk to that they were familiar with.

    Given that most of them recognised him immediately, many went straight for him.

    Bonnie was the fastest, running as fast as her little legs could take her, ¡°Ash! I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d be here!¡± She quickly spun to her brother, her face shifting to a pout, ¡°I would¡¯ve been way more excited if I knew Ash would be here!¡±

    ¡°I- I thought you knew that already!¡± Clemont objected, raising his hands in defence, ¡°I mean- We knew we were going to Kanto , and I thought it was heavily implied by Mr. Blackthorne that we¡¯d see Ash here!¡±

    Bonnie, though, apparently didn¡¯t appreciate the Champion¡¯s subtlety in that matter, and decided to take it out on her brother by aggressively pouting at him, the Dedenne in her purse doing the same.

    Serena took the opportunity to neatly sidestep the two siblings, smiling softly at Ash. She opened her mouth to speak, before stuttering midway through, causing her words to come out garbled, ¡°Ashhh-hello¡­ hi- Hi, Ash¡­¡±

    Ash stared for a few moments, feeling many things that he had yet to process - and, quite frankly, didn¡¯t even know how to begin processing - before blinking, replying a touch too loudly, ¡°Ah- Hi, Serena,¡± - Arceus above, Ash, you are hopeless - ¡°Uhhh,¡± - He can feel Misty¡¯s silent snickers behind him, damn her - ¡°...How are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡± Serena responded, face heating up and appearing just as awkward and lost as Ash felt - which honestly didn¡¯t help matters - ¡°I suppose I¡¯m doing fine enough, given the circumstances¡­¡±

    ¡°Circumstances, right ,¡± Ash nodded sagely, despite feeling any and all wisdom leaking out of his ears. His eyes widened, ¡°Wait, were you attacked?¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Serena yelped, before widening her own eyes as she realised it was a touch too loud, and now everyone in the room - except Professor Oak, Lance, and Steven - were watching them, ¡°I¡¯m fine, Ash. I¡­¡± She leaned in to whisper to his ear, ¡°Can we talk? Outside, that is?¡±

    Oh, well, that got rid of the tension in his gut.

    Only to replace it with an unfamiliar dread.

    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Ash responded lowly, stepping towards the back door. He scooted over to Gary before he went through the door, ¡°Could you please let me know when we¡¯re needed back inside?¡±

    Gary raised a tired eyebrow, ¡°Sure,¡± He leaned back with a small, knowing smirk, ¡°Hope your girlfriend¡¯s not too hard on you. In my experience, a talk is never a good thing.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s not-¡± Ash started, on reflex, before stopping. Was she? He settled on a tired glare, ¡°Shut up, Gary.¡±

    Gary snorted, waving him off as he stepped onto the ranch. Serena was already several steps ahead, waiting for him by the remains of an old oak tree.

    Of course, the tree itself was nothing more than charred bark and ashes, burned in much the same way most of the ranch was. Ash had to hold off a sudden wave of fury at the thought of all the pokemon who had died or fled during the attack.

    Many of Ash¡¯s smaller, least experienced pokemon had yet to be found.

    Ash shook his head, shoving the anger away. It wasn¡¯t worth it. He turned to see Serena watching him in mild worry, which caused his frown to deepen, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Serena?¡±

    Serena seemed to fight back a grimace, ¡°I-¡± She reconsidered her words, ¡°Are you alright, Ash?¡±

    Ash felt his brow crease in confusion, and automatically replied, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± He watched as Serena¡¯s own frown deepened - disbelieving - and felt compelled to ask, ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I be?¡±

    Serena blinked, ¡°Your home was attacked, Ash,¡± Her gaze hardened, ¡°That isn¡¯t something that can just be swept away.¡±

    Ash blinked, ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m doing, though,¡± He extended a hand back towards the lab, ¡°I¡¯m here, aren¡¯t I?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but-¡± Serena sighed, sounding more frustrated than she usually was, ¡°It hasn¡¯t even been three months since Lumiose, and¡­¡±

    ¡°And what?¡± Ash asked as Serena trailed off, ¡°Something new and terrible has happened?¡± Ash snorted, crossing his arms, ¡°I¡¯ve learned to deal with it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m worried,¡± Serena cut in, eyes narrowed to hide small glimmers of tears, ¡°I¡¯m worried for you, Ash. You seem exhausted , and it¡¯s not your fault-¡±

    ¡°Why are you worried about me? ¡± Ash asked, rubbing his eyes once more, ¡°I can deal with this Serena. You¡¯re the one whose home was nearly wiped out.¡±

    ¡°Yes, and you were at the centre of it,¡± Serena snapped back, before smoothing her face, ¡°Just because you can deal with it doesn¡¯t mean you have to.¡±

    ¡°Actually, it kinda does ,¡± Ash growled in a flash of anger, before closing his eyes and breathing slowly, ¡°...I¡¯m sorry for snapping, Serena, but I have had to deal with lots of things over the past few years. This just seems to be one of the worse ones¡­¡±

    Serena watched him in concern, ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean you should have to deal with it alone¡­¡±

    ¡°I have Pikachu,¡± Ash replied offhandedly, before turning back to look at her with a raised eyebrow, ¡°Or do you mean something¡­ else? ¡±

    ¡°Ash,¡± Serena began to fiddle with her skirt, a blush rising to her cheeks as she sidled closer to him, ¡°At¡­ At the airport, I-¡±

    ¡°HEY ASH!¡± Gary screamed across the ranch, startling both Ash and Serena apart, ¡°GET YOUR ASS IN HERE! WE¡¯RE STARTING!¡±

    Ash turned back and hollered, ¡°We¡¯re coming!¡± before turning back to Serena, ¡°We¡¯ll¡­ we¡¯ll talk later, okay?¡±

    Serena nodded, her blush slowly receding, ¡°Okay¡­¡±

    They ran back towards the lab, opening the door to the makeshift meeting room just in time for Lance to project a global map on the central computer screen.

    The Champion gave a single cold glance at them before nodding to himself, ¡°With everyone here, we can begin,¡± He nodded towards Steven and Lorelei as he began to mark several locations throughout the map, ¡°Yesterday, July 20th, from the hours 0500 to 1600, 34 attacks were carried out across the Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova, and Kalos regions.¡±

    ¡°These attacks all started between the hours of 0500 to 0600, and employed similar tactics with their pokemon and positioning,¡± Lance minimised the now-marked map and began to draw a visual representation of the attackers¡¯ forces, ¡°Within each attacking team, there were at least 3 individuals commanding multiple heavy pokemon simultaneously. They employed deliberately loud and destructive moves to draw attention to them as a smaller group of at least five scouts raided the targets, stealing anything from chemical agents to electronics.¡±

    He turned to Oak for a moment before turning back, ¡°Amongst the sites attacked, only five successfully defended against the attackers. Unfortunately, we were only able to secure a single attacker alive, however, we were able to extract the basics of the organisation that planned this attack.¡±

    Ash watched as those seated perked up as Lance scrawled several words onto the board, largest amongst them being ¡® TEAM SOURCE¡¯ . He raised an eyebrow at the name, along with a few others, though none in the room seemed to recognise it.

    ¡°Team Source,¡± Lance continued, glancing around the room to meet everyone¡¯s eyes, ¡°Is the name of the organisation that planned and led this attack,¡± He nodded towards Lorelei, who was tucked in the corner of the room, typing into a personal computer, ¡°We were unable to get any identities on their leaders, but we did get their titles, along with who led these attacks. Lorelei is currently combing through the League database to find any potential info on them.¡±

    Misty raised her hand, but didn¡¯t wait for Lance to point to her before asking, ¡°What are their titles?¡±

    Lance paused, looking at Professor Oak for permission, which he received with a nod, ¡°There are supposedly five leaders of this organisation, with each of them having a title based on a tarot card,¡± He began to list them on the board underneath the name of the evil team, ¡°There is the Emperor, the supposed leader of the team. There¡¯s the Empress, who seems to gather the team¡¯s intel. There¡¯s the Tower, who apparently handles the membership of the organisation. There¡¯s the Magician, who handles research. And there is the Chariot, who we know to have led yesterday¡¯s attacks.¡±

    Ash crossed his arms as he and everyone else present mulled over Lance¡¯s words. This¡­ seemed larger than any of them had initially thought, which didn¡¯t exactly bode well. Ash couldn¡¯t help but wonder what this new team¡¯s goal was; every evil team had them. Whether it was as simple as Team Rocket¡¯s desire for money and power to Team Flare¡¯s vision of a ¡®perfect world¡¯, he had learned that these types of people always wanted something.

    But what did Team Source want?

    ¡°Question,¡± Paul broke in, waiting until Lance nodded to continue, ¡°I know that communications have been mixed, but how many confirmed deaths do we have on our hands?¡±

    Ash¡¯s eyes flickered downwards, along with a few others¡¯. He wasn¡¯t naive enough to think that everyone had emerged unscathed from the attacks, but it still wasn¡¯t a pleasant thought.

    There were still hundreds of people unaccounted for throughout Lumiose, not to mention those already confirmed deceased.

    Lance didn¡¯t immediately answer the question, instead leaning back to whisper quietly with the silver-haired woman - Ash distantly noted how dark her eyes were . After a few moments, Lance stepped back, allowing the silver-haired woman to step forward, only barely holding back a glower as she responded in monotone, ¡°Only select targets in Johto and Hoenn have been confirmed, with 17 confirmed fatalities,¡± Her eyes seemed to darken further as she regarded them in an almost neutral distaste, ¡°Amongst them were notable trainers and professors, such as Professor Daniel Birch, Professor Henry Elm, Roxanne Pierre, and Agatha Kikuko.¡±

    ¡°WHAT?¡± Gary¡¯s voice carried the loudest over the sudden rise of outraged voices. Ash remained silent as Professor Oak tried to get Gary back into his seat, without much avail, ¡°Agatha was killed? ¡±

    The woman¡¯s eyes seemed to darken further, but she was blocked from snapping back as Steven Stone stepped forward, his face remaining solemn, ¡°Yes, Mr. Oak, and for Ms. Kikuko to have fallen, this organisation must be very dangerous.¡±

    Ash nodded to himself, silently agreeing with the man. While he hadn¡¯t ever met the woman, he knew enough about her to know that she was considered one of the most skilled trainers throughout both Kanto and Johto. For her to have been killed¡­

    Ash snapped back to the meeting as Professor Oak stepped forward, eyes seeming sad, yet determined, ¡°Ms. Mela mentioned that only a few locations have confirmed numbers. What is the projected number of deaths?¡±

    Steven only looked more grim, ¡°...We¡¯re looking to at least one hundred casualties.¡±

    Ash¡¯s frown deepened, though it was more in thought than in sorrow. Sure, it the deaths of a hundred people was never something to be celebrated, but¡­

    Well, there was almost a part of Ash that felt relieved , and he knew he really shouldn¡¯t feel that way - I mean, good lord Ash, these are people¡¯s lives you¡¯re thinking about - but a hundred deaths was certainly better than a thousand , and that was something to be celebrated, right? At least it wasn¡¯t as bad as it was three months ago, where last Ash checked - which he did so every day, multiple times - there were over five thousand confirmed deaths. Compared to that, one hundred deaths was a mercy.

    Ash didn¡¯t notice Serena¡¯s concerned gaze upon him.

    ¡°Right now,¡± Ash looked up - oh, Lance was speaking again - ¡°Our main priority is banding together to fight off this threat. I¡¯ve tried sending out a notice to the Indigo and Silver Leagues, but haven¡¯t received as many responses as I would¡¯ve liked,¡± - Misty snorted bitterly - ¡°Cynthia should be enroute to Sinnoh to do the same, along with Alder in Unova.¡±

    ¡°I will be going back to Hoenn to do the same,¡± Steven continued, before extending a hand towards the silver-haired woman, ¡°The rest of you will be split up between Karen and Lance to go throughout Johto and Kanto respectively. Before we split up, does anyone have any questions?¡±

    Iris - who Ash had honestly forgotten was present - raised her hand, ¡°Uh, yeah. If we¡¯re all splitting up by region, why aren¡¯t Cilan and I in Unova?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t have the luxury of time,¡± Lance answered, looking at his watch, ¡°Taking a detour to Unova would have wasted hours, and Indigo was hit the hardest, so we needed the most people to help.¡±

    Iris lowered her hand with a meek nod, which Ash would have normally found uncharacteristic, though with the solemn air in the building, it wasn¡¯t exactly out of place.

    As Lance and the silver-haired woman - Karen - began to assign people to different teams, Ash allowed himself one last look at the room with all of his friends and acquaintances picked up during his travels.

    He didn¡¯t know it then - and how could he, with what happened during the following months - but it would be the last that he would see many of them in the land of the living.

    And then, Ash opened his eyes-

    ¡­

    Route 28, December 5th, 1997

    -And found a pair of cold, grey eyes staring back.

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Herren rubbed his chin, barren of any stubble - lucky - ¡°A considerable improvement to yesterday. I can only sense what¡¯s on the surface level.¡±

    Red bit back the growl that threatened to erupt from his throat, and once more shoved back the memory to the recesses of his mind, ¡°And what do you sense?¡±

    ¡°Guilt,¡± Herren muttered without any preamble, idly petting Koi, who lay on his lap, ¡°Though that¡¯s a staple for you. I can also sense a certain level of dread, though it¡¯s masked well.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the point?¡± Red asked with a raised eyebrow, hiding his still-receding emotions behind a veneer of gravel, ¡°Mask my emotions to mask my aura?¡±

    ¡°The point is control ,¡± Herren stressed, ¡°It¡¯s one thing to simply smother one¡¯s aura. It¡¯s another to choose what to show and what to hide.¡±

    ¡°Is that what you do?¡± Red asked, not bothering to hide his residual anger - old memories always dragged it up - ¡°Do you choose how to act around me?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Herren answered simply, briefly surprising Red, ¡°But it doesn¡¯t come easy, Red. It takes time and practice.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m aware of that,¡± Red grumbled, crossing his arms in distaste, ¡°But I don¡¯t exactly have the luxury of time.¡±

    Oh, how right Lance was¡­

    ¡°And why is that?¡± Herren asked, raising an eyebrow in almost a bored interest.

    Red once more bites back a growl, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you like to know?¡±

    ¡°I would,¡± Herren responded with a small nod, ¡°And if I wanted to, I could ask Salvare what he knows. But I¡¯m not; I¡¯m asking you. ¡±

    Red sighed, breaking eye-contact with Herren to glance over at Salvare, who is meditating with an Absol on his lap - the same Absol from the Ruins, Red learned . The Absol opened a single eye lazily to regard Red in something that resembled kinship - or contempt - before falling once more back asleep.

    Red turned back to Herren, the latent glow in his eyes dimming as the last vestiges of the memory dwindled away, ¡°Any answer I could give wouldn¡¯t satisfy you.¡±

    ¡°And how would you know?¡± Herren responded, leaning forward with a challenging smirk, ¡°You¡¯re avoiding the question, Red.¡±

    ¡°I suppose I am,¡± Red muttered drily, before raising his voice to ask, ¡°You said I¡¯m improving, though?¡±

    Herren eyes him for a few moments, then leans back with a shrug, moving his toothpick from one side of his mouth to the other, ¡°Well, your aura is still loud as balls, but it¡¯s little baby balls instead of big, burly man balls-¡±

    ¡°Just-¡± Red cut in, massaging his forehead, ¡°Don¡¯t use that analogy.¡±

    Herren seemed to find his annoyance amusing, but acquiesced all the same, ¡°Fine¡­ Well, anyone with a lick of aura can still sense you rather easily.¡±

    Red grumbled to himself, ¡°And that¡¯s a good thing?¡±

    ¡°Well, at least it¡¯s no longer quite as strong,¡± Herren responded, his tone remaining cheerful despite Red¡¯s grumbling, ¡°Before, I could sense you for miles . Now¡­¡± Herren shrugged, ¡°I dunno, maybe a few kilometres?¡±

    Red allows himself to silently convey his dissatisfaction with nothing more than a look , prompting Herren to huff, ¡°Look, Red, you may think that¡¯s bad, but at least you know it¡¯s a problem. At your age, I didn¡¯t even know what the fuck aura was. ¡±

    ¡°And Salvare?¡± Red asked, bringing the conversation away from himself and to his protege, ¡°How is he doing?¡±

    Herren hummed, turning his eyes to watch as Salvare idly petted the Absol as he meditated on his chosen memory, ¡°He¡¯s doing better than you, but that¡¯s largely due to his aura being naturally quiet,¡± Herren narrows his eyes as he focuses on Salvare¡¯s form - from which Red can see a faint, hazy purple glow - ¡°I can sense traces of fear¡­ and love. Anything further than that is too garbled to parse,¡± Herren waits a few moments before leaning up, ¡°He¡¯s beginning to leave the memory.¡±

    Red watched in silence as Salvare began to stir, blinking his - purple - eyes open as he reoriented himself to his surroundings, ¡°How long was I out for?¡±

    ¡°Almost two hours,¡± Herren answered, still keeping his narrowed eyes on Salvare¡¯s form, ¡°You seem troubled.¡±

    Salvare wrinkled his nose, mildly surprising Red as he responded bitterly, ¡°Well, you told us to meditate on our most painful memories. What did you expect?¡±

    Herren shrugged, ¡°Fair enough,¡± He leaned back, resuming his petting of Koi, ¡°Do you feel any different?¡±

    Salvare¡¯s face was about as dubious as Red felt - which was something of a small relief - ¡°I mean¡­ I¡¯m feeling a little more awake?¡±

    Herren nodded silently, not giving his thoughts one way or the other, ¡°And what about Red? Do you sense anything different with him?¡±

    Both Red and Salvare frowned, thought the latter dutifully turned to him, rubbing his chin in thought, ¡°I dunno¡­ Maybe he¡¯s a bit less¡­ bright? ¡±

    Herren nodded once more, though he looked far more satisfied, ¡°Well that¡¯s something, at least,¡± He motions for them to stand, before doing so himself, ¡°Next time you both do this, try to see if Red seems more or less bright than he does now.¡±

    Salvare¡¯s brow scrunched in apparent confusion, ¡°Okay?¡±

    Herren nodded, turning to Red, ¡°And you,¡± He pointed his finger at him, ¡°Continue meditating like I¡¯ve taught you. Hopefully, this time next year, you can be practically invisible in aura.¡±

    Red rolled his eyes, snapping a sarcastic salute, ¡°Aye aye, captain.¡±

    Herren snorted, ¡°Piss off,¡± He began to step away, ¡°No seriously, piss off to do whatever training y¡¯all are doing for the Silver Conference. I have some calls to make.¡±

    Red raised an eyebrow, but wasn¡¯t able to respond before Salvare walked up beside him, ¡°Hey Red, can we try out some more improvised moves today?¡±

    Red pursed his lips, watching Herren flip walk away before turning back to Salvare, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s see what you can do.¡±

    ¡­

    Athlete¡¯s Village, Silver Town, December 6th, 1997

    During his time as Ash, Red had travelled to many places, and had participated in numerous Conferences around the world. While each Conference was slightly different in what they honoured and how they were conducted, they all had one thing in common: glory.

    Everyone and their mother had pokemon, and nearly every kid tried their luck as a pokemon trainer. Whilst many eventually retired, or simply remained in Battling Rings, some were able to rise to such a level that they were able to battle, and win against a Gym Leader.

    With that victory, and the badge earned from it, they began a journey that had the opportunity to propel them from one of a million to one of the greats.

    The Gym Circuit was designed to challenge these trainers in their strength, strategy, and grit, ultimately refining them to the point where they could battle to a level that had previously been relegated to warlords of centuries past.

    And while some Gyms were easier or harder than others, they all ultimately pushed towards this point, pushed these trainers towards the Elite, marked them as the strong.

    And at the end of their road, these trainers would meet together in a tournament, a celebration of their achievements, where they could wage a friendly war to see who amongst them would rise to be the very best.

    They would become stars, icons of their regions. They would either go and retire in honour¡­ or they would go even further beyond, pursuing glory in other regions, or in their own regions with the Elite Four, and the Champion.

    This was how the current Champions of Indigo, Hoenn, and Sinnoh rose to fame, by first winning their respective conferences before rising up the ranks as an Elite, before finally proving themselves as the strongest trainers in their regions, being crowned as Champions.

    And with their rise, so too did the interest and popularity of the Conferences rise, as more and more people of all walks of life came to watch, waiting for the chance to find themselves lucky enough to be present for when another trainer of the Champions¡¯ calibre rose amongst the ranks.

    And so, even for a Conference as relatively minor as the Silver Conference, there was always a chance that the next Lance, the next Cynthia, the next Samuel Oak would rise.

    All of this was to say¡­

    There were far too many people here for Red¡¯s liking.

    ¡°You¡¯re glowering again,¡± Red snapped back to reality at Salvare¡¯s voice, ¡°Are you mad at something?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not mad ,¡± Red murmured, turning back to the digital registration he was nearly done with, ¡°I¡¯m just¡­ not very used to this many people.¡±

    Salvare hummed, looking around, ¡°It is tightly packed,¡± He turned back to Red with a small frown, ¡°Are you worried about some sort of attack?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Red responded, signing his name at the end of the registration contract, ¡°Too many League members.¡±

    Not to mention Team Flare¡¯s attack being the first of its kind.

    Salvare nodded to himself, though his face remained visibly dubious. His eyes flickered over to something behind Red, ¡°A few people are staring at us.¡±

    It¡¯s only through long-ingrained discipline that Red doesn¡¯t immediately turn around to look, ¡°Who?¡±

    Was it Team Source?

    ¡°Just¡­ random people, I guess,¡± Salvare shrugged, looking more embarrassed than worried, ¡°Oh, they¡¯re taking pictures of us¡­¡±

    Red¡¯s eye twitched, ¡°Brilliant,¡± He sent in his registration, ¡°Are you done?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Salvare turned away from the people looking at them, his face beginning to go red in rising discomfort, ¡°Can we go now?¡±

    Before Red could respond - yes, he would have said yes - a familiar, but no less jarring voice hollered out, ¡°HEY! RED, SALVARE!¡±

    Red turned around alongside Salvare to find Karen shoving through the crowd to reach them. He couldn¡¯t help but find a dark amusement in their faces as they were pushed aside by the woman, which was probably cause for worry, but Red didn¡¯t pay it any mind.

    Besides, Salvare actually seemed pleasantly surprised to see her, ¡°Karen! I didn¡¯t expect to see you so soon!¡±

    ¡°Well I thought I¡¯d see y¡¯all sooner!¡± Karen snapped back as she reached them, though it was in good humour, ¡°I was about to go out and haul y¡¯alls asses here myself.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re here now,¡± Red pointed out dryly, noting with distaste how some people seemed to be finding this meeting a prime source for photography, ¡°Let¡¯s move our reunion elsewhere.¡±

    Karen snorted, though she didn¡¯t fight as Red swiftly led them away, ¡°I know it¡¯s only been three weeks, Red, but you can stand to be a little more excited.¡±

    ¡°Sure, just not in view of the cameras ,¡± Red grumbled, before turning a raised brow to her, ¡°Do you know what that¡¯s about, by the way?¡±

    Karen shrugged, ¡°You¡¯re getting famous, Red, or at least enough for people with phones to take pictures,¡± She grinned, nudging Salvare in his side, ¡°Salvare also has a bit of a reputation going, especially after Goldenrod.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Salvare asked, appearing more shocked at his own growing notoriety than Red¡¯s.

    ¡°Yes, really?¡± Red asked as well, though his tone was more suspicious than Salvare¡¯s. He had only been here for a little over three months, after all. Surely he hadn¡¯t garnered that grand a reputation that quickly.

    Right?

    Karen sighed, massaging her brow, ¡°You know, I almost forgot how oblivious you can be about certain things, Red,¡± She threw him a slight smirk, ¡°You¡¯re strong, Red. People noticed. ¡±

    Red blinked, ¡°I¡¯ve only just signed up for the Conference, though? I doubt I¡¯m that noteworthy.¡±

    Karen stared at him in deadpan, and Salvare only looked slightly baffled, ¡°You do know there¡¯s an entire Battlenet page about you, right?¡±

    Red stopped, failing to fight off an embarrassed blush at his - rather admittedly large - oversight, ¡°I didn¡¯t know Battlenet was already a thing.¡±

    By the time he recognised the error in his words, Karen narrowed her eyes, ¡° Already a thing? ¡± She shook her head, ¡°Whatever, I¡¯ll interrogate you later. Here,¡± She led them to the PC corner, ¡°I¡¯ll show you.¡±

    Red crossed his arms, sharing a small glance with Pichu on his shoulder before turning back to face the computer screen, now flashing a pale blue as Karen navigated through Battlenet.

    Salvare crouched, cupping his chin in interest as Karen selected the page for the 1997 Silver Conference, displaying the entered contestants.

    Salvare let out a low whistle as Karen began to scroll through the contestant list, which was rather long. She paused at her own name, marked as the 48th contestant, ¡°That¡¯s me,¡± She began to scroll further down, finally stopping at Red and Salvare¡¯s names, marked as the 189th and 190th contestants respectively, ¡°And that¡¯s y¡¯all.¡±

    ¡°That was¡­ fast,¡± Red noted, sharing a glance with Salvare, ¡°We only submitted our contracts a few minutes ago.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the last day to register, so the League¡¯s being as efficient as possible,¡± Karen shrugged, ¡°At least be glad that there were slots available.¡±

    Karen¡¯s attention was brought back to the screen as it automatically refreshed, displaying a new name as the 191st contestant, ¡°See, now there¡¯s only nine spots left. Had you been here even an hour later, you might¡¯ve been too late.¡±

    Red nodded to himself, only for his eyes to freeze as he read the new contestant¡¯s name.

    Paul Shinji.

    That¡­ was surprising . Red snapped back to awareness before either Karen or Salvare could notice, but the name still rang in his head.

    Paul.

    The last Red had seen of Paul had been the day he had killed Judgement.

    While he couldn¡¯t say he was ever friends with Paul, they had earned enough of one another¡¯s trust to survive for those first few terrible months of the Storm, alongside Cynthia and the others.

    How old would Paul be now? Twelve? Thirteen?

    Red shook his head as Karen selected Red¡¯s Battlenet page, ¡°Honestly, it¡¯s actually kinda funny reading what people have written about you, Red,¡± She highlighted a specific comment, snorting to himself, ¡°After travelling with you, and seeing you train, some of these people¡¯s theories are pretty stupid. I mean, this guy says, ¡® I¡¯d bet all my money that Satoshi is roiding up his pokemon. There¡¯s no other way a Pichu could take down a Steelix on its own¡¯ .¡±

    In his own humble opinion, Red did not find it so funny, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t inject my pokemon with steroids, ¡± Karen snorted at the vitriol in his voice, prompting him to turn his wrath on her, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t! ¡±

    ¡°I know, Red,¡± Karen consoled with an easy grin, ¡°And don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ve got defenders of your own saying the same.¡±

    Seeing Red¡¯s lingering confusion, Salvare butted in, ¡°It¡¯s the way of the pokenet, Red. People talk shit without knowing what they¡¯re talking about.¡±

    Upon turning to Salvare with a raised eyebrow, the kid began to crack up, leaning against Karen as the two of them tried to keep it together in the midst of his ignorance.

    Absolutely brilliant, Red.

    Despite being born after them, you are somehow simultaneously ancient compared to them.

    ¡°I¡¯m not an old man,¡± Red grumbled to himself, causing Karen to bark a single laugh.

    ¡°Please, Red, you¡¯re a year older than me. How do you not know this?¡± She asked with mirth.

    In truth: Ash never cared for technology. In response, Red deadpanned, ¡°Technology sucks.¡±

    Karen only resumed laughing, ¡°Fuck, you are an old man!¡± And Red allowed himself a small smile as the other two cracked themselves up, even if it was at his expense. This was nice. This was¡­ nice.

    Red had almost forgotten how nice human friends could be.

    Red¡¯s smile unfortunately died a quick death when he heard someone clear their throat behind him. He turned around, only to see Herren standing there with a bemused smirk, holding a popsicle to the side that Koi was nibbling on, ¡°Something funny going on?¡±

    ¡°Herren!¡± Karen exclaimed, shooting out of her seat - knocking Salvare on his ass - ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were here!¡±

    ¡°Well here I am,¡± Herren replied with an soft smile - far softer than any look he gave Red or Salvare - ¡°How are you doing, little shadow?¡±

    ¡°Me? Oh, I¡¯m wonderful ,¡± Karen replied with an exaggerated sweep of her hair, ¡°I¡¯m going to win this conference, and I am going to enjoy it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you will,¡± Herren nodded back with an amused smile - Koi chirped in affirmation by his side - ¡°Agatha hasn¡¯t been too hard on you, has she?¡±

    Red noted how her brow twitched, though her voice remained the same as she responded, ¡°She¡¯s not that hard on me, Herren.¡±

    ¡°Sure, sure,¡± Herren nodded easily - though his tone revealed just how little stock he took in her words - and turned back towards Red and Salvare, ¡°I hope I¡¯m not interrupting something?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not,¡± Karen assured with a wave of her hand, ¡°I was just showing Red his Battlenet page.¡±

    Herren hummed, ¡°Really-¡± He stopped with a small glower as he pulled out an old pokedex, which was vibrating, ¡°I¡¯m getting a call. I¡¯ll be back in a moment.¡±

    Red watched Herren step back a ways - his face becoming more and more stony as he listened to whoever was speaking to him - before turning back to Karen as she drawled, ¡°Well, once he¡¯s done with that, we can head over to the training salle for the afternoon.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Red shrugged before eyeing her with a glint of challenge in his eyes, ¡°You up for a rematch?¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Karen hummed with a smirk, ¡°I think I¡¯ll pass. I expect we¡¯ll end up fighting each other in the tournament¡­¡± Her eyes narrowed as she looked past Red¡¯s shoulder, ¡°...Is that Lance?¡±

    Red blinked, and Salvare turned around with comically wide eyes, ¡°Oh shit, it is! ¡± He scooted behind Red, watching the encroaching Champion warily.

    For his own part, Red turned around far more sedately, only to raise a slightly incredulous eyebrow as he recognised Lance¡¯s form amongst the crowd, though it took a few moments.

    The Champion seemed to be dressed in what Red could only assume was some sort of disguise, wearing a heavy sports coat and a ballcap. Despite the evident distaste that Lance seemed to have for his outfit - which really did not fit the Champion - he looked decades younger than Red could ever recall, bearing none of the stress lines that marred the man¡¯s face only seven years later.

    Lance made eye contact with Red, causing the Champion to widen his eyes before turning back to wave someone over. Red stood alongside his friends as the Champion was joined by a blue-haired woman - Clair, her name is Clair - before walking over to him.

    Even if his memories of Lance were more or less positive, Red still silently unclipped one of his pokeballs.

    Just in case.

    ¡°Greetings, Mr. Satoshi,¡± Lance extended a hand, ¡°I¡¯m Lance Blackthorne, Champion of Indigo.¡±

    Red met Lance¡¯s hand with his own, ¡°Red Satoshi. It¡¯s good to meet you,¡± - the truth of that was yet to be seen - Red decided to get to the point, though he tried to be polite about it, ¡°Any particular reason why you went out of your way to meet me?¡±

    Lance paused, still grasping Red¡¯s hand, ¡°To be blunt, Satoshi, I have some questions, and you have answers.¡±

    Red saw Karen blink in confusion in his peripheral vision. He kept his grip on Lance¡¯s hands, replying with, perhaps, a touch more bite than was needed, ¡°And how do you reckon that?¡±

    Dial it back, Red.

    ¡°Does Goldenrod ring any bells?¡± Lance questioned, staring suspiciously into Red¡¯s eyes.

    Clair proceeded to groan into her hands.

    Red kept the smile on his face - which was only partially successful - ¡°Yes. I got my 6th Badge there.¡±

    Lance¡¯s eyebrow twitched, and he began to frown at Red¡¯s smartassery. Before he could respond, Karen piped up in agitation, ¡°What do you want, Lance?¡±

    Lance pursed his lips, ¡°Hello to you too, Karen.¡± He grunted as Clair slapped him on the back, turning back to Red, whom he still gripped hands with, ¡°I just wanted to see about having a¡­ meeting with him.¡±

    Red raised a curious eyebrow - an interrogation, then - ¡°I see,¡± He did not remove his hand, ¡°I suppose, if I decline, I¡¯ll be placed on some sort of League watchlist?¡±

    Lance did not respond one way or the other, silently giving Red his answer. Clair pinched her nose - which was burning red - and grit out, ¡° Lance. ¡±

    ¡°What?¡± He asked roughly, turning back to her, ¡° He¡¯s the one who said it. I¡¯m not going to lie to him.¡±

    How honourable.

    Red took the moment to consider his options. On the one hand, this would give him a potential opportunity to ingratiate himself to the League through one of the Champions, far sooner than he had initially thought possible. Even better, given Team Source¡¯s ties to the League, Lance may be one of the only leaders Red knew for certain was not affiliated with the organisation.

    On the other hand¡­ assuming that Lance was talking about Goldenrod in a sense beyond his Gym Battle there, well, Red wasn¡¯t exactly innocent.

    Red had slaughtered dozens of people in that underground lab, and while he felt no remorse for those taking their lives, it wouldn¡¯t do him any favours if brought to a court of law. Add to that his subsequent psychic manipulation and theft at the Pokemon Center, and Red may just find himself facing the Champion¡¯s wrath rather than his good graces.

    Lance was always a stickler for law and order.

    That line of thought would also inevitably lead to why Red did those things, which would lead to Vee. This, more than anything else, stayed Red¡¯s hand. Vee was still an infant in many ways, and he had been successful thus far in keeping the spotlight away from her.

    He would rather like to keep it that way for as long as possible.

    However¡­ as Red thought about it, he couldn¡¯t help but recall Elm¡¯s words.

    ¡®I doubt you¡¯ll be able to hide her much longer from the public eye.¡¯

    Red would have to deal with Vee¡¯s existence being revealed to the world eventually - it would be impossible to hide her forever - so perhaps it was best for Red to rip off the bandage now, rather than waiting for Lance to learn through the grapevine.

    Ultimately, Lance was going to learn of Vee either way, but the manner in which he learns was up to Red.

    And it only took a single thought about the possibility of Team Source somehow getting to Lance first that spurred Red to speak.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Red breathed, finally letting go of Lance¡¯s hand, ¡°I¡¯ll talk.¡±

    To his side, he could see Karen¡¯s face briefly flash in surprise, before settling in quiet distaste - whether at him or at Lance, Red couldn¡¯t say. Salvare seemed oddly grim whereas Lance¡¯s eyes shined in satisfaction.

    ¡°Excellent. If you could follow us, Satoshi,¡± He turned to leave, only to stop when Salvare suddenly blocked his path, looking both skittish yet grimly determined.

    Red raised an eyebrow from behind Lance, but despite meeting his eyes for a second, Salvare still held his ground, speaking slowly and solidly to Lance, ¡°I want Red back here within an hour.¡±

    Red couldn¡¯t help but blink - where had this come from? - which was a reaction mirrored by Karen. Meanwhile, instead of looking as bewildered as Red felt, Lance only looked tired, though as he opened his mouth to speak, he was beaten to the punch by Clair, who snapped at Salvare, ¡°Listen, kid, we just want to talk to him! We¡¯re not going to kidnap him!¡±

    ¡°Then we want him back within two hours,¡± Karen jumped in - further adding to Red¡¯s surprise - raising an imperious eyebrow at the other woman, ¡°That should be enough time, yes?¡±

    ¡° Fine ,¡± Lance snapped with a wave of the hand, cutting off the other woman before she could snap back, ¡°He¡¯ll be back within two hours,¡± He turned to Red, looking much more ticked than before, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Red nodded wordlessly, walking forward to match Lance and Clair¡¯s strides. He turned back to give his friends an appreciative nod. Despite him not entirely understanding why they felt the need to protect(?) him, he could appreciate the sentiment.

    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    He didn¡¯t think it was deserved, but he rather felt it wasn¡¯t the time to make his thoughts on the matter known.

    Lance took the lead in navigating the crowds, somewhat-anxiously pulling on his hat in the more populated areas. Red was still put-off by the get-up. It really didn¡¯t fit the man¡¯s style, especially paired with Clair, who sported the same apparel that she normally wore at the Blackthorne Gym. Red imagined there was a reason for the get-up, but he didn¡¯t really understand why.

    After a few minutes of walking, Red realised that he could just ask .

    After all, the worst that he could get was silence.

    ¡°Forgive me if I¡¯m being rude, but,¡± Lance turned his head a fraction as the three of them entered a small diner - interesting place for an interrogation - ¡°Why the outfit?¡±

    Clair snorted, before covering her mouth with widened eyes, whereas Lance only looked exhausted, uttering the word, ¡°Fans,¡± as if that answered his question.

    Red blinked, opening his mouth to ask for clarification before fully processing what he meant. Red slowly closed his mouth, finding the answer both rather simple and understandable.

    Red could only imagine the rabid crowds that would form had Lance showed up in his iconic draconic clothing.

    He almost wondered why Clair didn¡¯t do the same, except that there weren¡¯t any crowds that formed over her. Maybe she didn¡¯t have the notoriety for it?

    Then again¡­ Ash never heard much about Clair outside of Blackthorne City and Iris¡¯ various ramblings over dragons and such.

    Red closed off his wandering thoughts as the three sat at a table at the corner of the diner, with him on one side and the other two on the opposite. Red almost wondered why Lance would want to be here if he was avoiding fans, but a single glance at the establishment showed that it was almost empty, which Red supposed was due to the time.

    Few people would come in to have lunch around 2 P.M., after all.

    Pichu - who had been deadset on glaring at Lance - perked up and hopped on the table, aiming towards the ketchup bottle. With several years¡¯ experience, Red snatched the bottle away from the little monster, handing it to the waiter who had frozen by their table, watching the now-seething rodent with wide eyes.

    Red shook the bottle to get the waiter¡¯s attention, ¡°Here. Please wait until we¡¯re gone until putting that back, thanks.¡± He didn¡¯t wait for a response before turning back to his interrogators, who were staring at him in wariness and bemusement respectively.

    In the corner of his vision, the waiter shook his head to reorient himself, ¡°Right, what would you all like to order?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll have a medium tea, unsweetened,¡± Lance drawled before turning to Clair, exchanging a nod with her before turning back to the waiter, ¡°And she¡¯ll have the Silver Burger.¡±

    The waiter nodded, writing down the orders before turning to Red, ¡°And what about you, sir?¡±

    Red tapped his finger against the table - this was not shaping up to be how he expected - ¡°I¡¯ll have water, please,¡± He glanced at Pichu¡¯s pouting form for a moment before adding, ¡°And a tablespoon of ketchup.¡±

    The waiter blinked, glancing a moment at the bottle in his hands before sighing, ¡°Okay¡­ I¡¯ll be back in a few moments with your drinks and - er - the ketchup.¡±

    Red nodded to himself, turning back to exchange a stare with Lance. The man seemed to be silently evaluating him, as if Red was some sort of puzzle for the man to solve. Clair, meanwhile, was visibly embarrassed by the whole thing, if her lingering blush was anything to go off of.

    For his own part, Red was content with keeping the silence, though he knew it wouldn¡¯t last. Even Pichu caught on to the silent tension between them, as he curled up by Red¡¯s side to glare once more at Lance.

    Finally, once the waiter returned with the drinks - and a spoon of ketchup that Red gave to Pichu - Lance spoke in a neutral tone, ¡°I don¡¯t know what to make of you, Satoshi.¡±

    Red raised an eyebrow - that wasn¡¯t what he expected Lance to start off with - and remarked, ¡°I don¡¯t know what to make of this interrogation either, so we¡¯re on the same boat.¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t an¡­¡± Clair¡¯s voice was hesitant - she was nervously touching her bracelets - ¡°Interrogation, per say¡­ ¡±

    ¡°Hmm, it kinda is, though,¡± Red pointed out, keeping his voice level, ¡°You¡¯re asking me questions with the unspoken threat of taking action against me if I don¡¯t answer.¡±

    ¡°I believe we¡¯ve started off on the wrong foot,¡± Lance sighed, taking his cap off to reveal naturally spiky hair, ¡°We¡¯re not going to treat you like a criminal, Satoshi. We¡¯d just appreciate a greater understanding of who you are, and what you want.¡±

    Red leaned back, crossing his arms - Lance¡¯s words were just a nicer-sounding way of saying the same thing, in his mind - ¡°So you were lying about the watchlist?¡±

    Lance took a sip of his tea, his eyes remaining shrewd, ¡°You¡¯re already on a watchlist, actually,¡± At Clair¡¯s sudden glare, Lance elaborated, ¡°Not a criminal one, but you are a person of interest to the League.¡±

    Red raised an eyebrow to hide his surprise - and wariness - at the news, ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Lance answered, rubbing his chin before adding, ¡°Your actions these past three months have caused some stirs within the League, starting with your aid to the Ecruteak Gym.¡±

    The Team Rocket attack.

    Red narrowed his eyes, ¡°What actions?¡±

    ¡°You tell me,¡± Lance replied seriously, reading the wariness in Red¡¯s eyes, ¡°I have no tangible evidence of any wrongdoing, so you have nothing to fear from sharing.¡±

    Of course, there was the unspoken ¡®unless you have something to hide.¡¯

    Which Red did. A lot, actually. While Red still trusted Lance¡¯s character as a good man, he didn¡¯t necessarily trust the League.

    He could recall the Emperor¡¯s words.

    ¡°You are aware that we control the League.¡±

    And last time¡­

    The League had withered away from the inside.

    Still¡­ Red¡¯s goal remained the same: gain Lance¡¯s trust before he turns against him.

    Easier said than done, certainly¡­ but it could be done.

    Somehow.

    ¡°You mentioned Goldenrod,¡± Red stated, prompting Lance to nod, ¡°...What do you want to know?¡±

    Lance seemed to mull over his words, exchanging a look with Clair that had her lean back with a sigh. He gave a few agitated taps on the table before bluntly asking, ¡°Did you override the aura of the Nurse Joy of Goldenrod to make her forget something?¡±

    Red froze for a moment - how did he know? - before letting out his breath.

    However, his reaction hadn¡¯t gone unnoticed by them, as Lance leaned forward with a shadow crossing over his eyes, growling out, ¡° Explain. ¡±

    Shit. Immediately into the deep end, then. Red racked his brain for an explanation that was both true and reasonable and he once more cursed his recklessness at that time because he just wasn¡¯t thinking clearly.

    Red¡¯s newest pokeball rattled, and his awareness snapped back into place, ¡°I had to protect someone - a pokemon,¡± His words were rushed, yet oddly smooth - a fleeting presence in the back of his mind stoked the calm flame of rationality - ¡°She - the pokemon, that is - was in critical condition, and needed a specialised healing unit,¡± Now he openly winced, because what he did was rather stupid, ¡°I had to take the unit from the Pokemon Center, so I¡­¡± He waved his hand in a self-defeating motion, ¡° Made her forget. ¡±

    Not strictly true, but the result is the same.

    Of course, such an explanation didn¡¯t satisfy the Champion, as he gritted out between his teeth, ¡°And why did you feel the need to do that? ¡±

    ¡°Because otherwise the League would have learned about it,¡± Red replied candidly, shocking Lance with his frankness, ¡°And had that happened, there¡¯s a high likelihood that she would be right back to where I rescued her from.¡±

    Red chanced a glance towards Clair, only to see her steepling her fingers over her mouth with searching eyes - he didn¡¯t know what to make of that - before turning back to stare at Lance. The Champion was visibly keeping himself from yelling, obviously incensed over Red¡¯s slight to the League.

    Red could recall Lance¡¯s devastation upon seeing the League eat itself alive.

    There was, in all honesty, a non-zero chance that Lance would decide that whatever justifications Red could give at this point wouldn¡¯t be worth hearing. Red knew that, yet he still found what he did to be the best option presented to him.

    It was a cold, heartless thought, but Red knew that, if Lance were to become aggressive, Red could easily subdue - maim, kill¡­ semantics - the man, and Clair if it came to it. It was for two main reasons: their location and Pichu.

    The diner was a cramped place, without any easy space for Lance to move if it became a fight (Clair sat on the open end of the seat). Most trainers - Champions included - were not conditioned to fight in such close-quarters.

    Oh, most of them could , if push came to shove. Had some random group of grunts tried to attack the Champion here, Lance would probably wipe them all out with relative ease. However, at the moment, Lance was not primed for battle, not in the same way Red was in every waking moment.

    His hand still rested on the pokeballs on his belt, hidden beneath the table.

    Add to this the tendency for trainers to stay in-place during battle, and one well-aimed Thunderbolt from Pichu could hospitalise the man, if not outright kill him.

    The Chariot had taken advantage of this fatal trend, after all.

    Red had adapted where others had died.

    Perhaps it was wrong for Red to be thinking of such things, especially in regards to someone who he still respected. But he couldn¡¯t help the instinct, always in the back of his mind, to eliminate a threat before it had the chance to become one.

    The only thing that separated Red from the Chariot in this regard was that Red kept himself from acting on such impulses.

    Of course, neither Lance or Clair knew what Red was thinking behind his blank face. Only Pichu could tell that Red was on a hair-trigger, as his cheeks were popping silently in miniscule sparks, which told Red that all he had to do was point, and Pichu would act.

    It was a terrible, beautiful thing what a decade¡¯s worth of loyalty looked like.

    Ultimately, Lance once more proved himself worthy of Red¡¯s respect, as he composed himself enough to ask, ¡°Why do you believe the League would allow that?¡±

    Red hummed, considering the Champion¡¯s wording, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t quite say the League would allow it,¡± Red paused for a moment, debating whether he wanted to take the plunge. After a few moments, Red sighed to himself, muttering, ¡°I¡¯m more worried of certain¡­ parties within the League taking the opportunity to steal back the pokemon.¡±

    Lance breathed in heavily, beginning to massage his forehead as he grit out, ¡°You¡¯re telling me that there¡¯s some sort of¡­ mole within the League.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t a question - Red could tell by the man¡¯s tone - but more of an aggravated confirmation of something he already suspected.

    And wasn¡¯t that interesting?

    Red kept his tongue, though, as Lance seemed to be coming to terms with Red¡¯s words, and speaking now would only further aggravate the man. Clair, though, didn¡¯t face the same potential consequences as Red, so she added to Lance in a thoughtful tone, ¡°You have ranted about this type of thing, Lance. Gods know I¡¯ve heard of it, ¡± She muttered in an exacerbated tone, before remembering she had an audience in Red, causing her to clam up with a small blush.

    Red ignored the reaction, instead taking note of Clair¡¯s words. He wasn¡¯t aware that Lance had apparently harboured suspicions at this point, especially given that it was still about seven years before the incursions began last time around. Red wondered if, perhaps, this was some sort of change in the timeline.

    Of course, there was other possibility that there were simply things behind the scenes that Ash wasn¡¯t ever privy to.

    Red¡¯s thoughts paused as Lance looked up with a sigh, bearing a greater resemblance to the Lance of Red¡¯s future-past in how exhausted he looked, ¡°Is it Team Rocket?¡±

    What?

    Red blinked, wondering for a moment what Lance meant before connecting the dots, ¡°No¡­¡±

    Lance now raised an eyebrow, a wary interest now spreading across his face, along with the ever-present suspicion, ¡°Cipher?¡±

    Red didn¡¯t even hear of Cipher until a week ago, with Herren and Elm.

    ¡°No,¡± Red stated once more, leaning back as the soft presence in his mind sharpened in tandem with his own spirit. For a moment, he considered stopping here, keeping what (little) he knew to himself.

    Yet¡­ he couldn¡¯t help but recall the talk he had with Salvare and Karen back in Azalea Town, and how much he shared with them, and how much he kept secret.

    He told them of his enemy, yes, but he didn¡¯t give them a name . He gave them enough to satisfy them - at least for now - but too little to do anything about it.

    It was for their protection, and Red wasn¡¯t sorry that he kept it from them. Karen would¡¯ve probably insisted upon informing the other Aura Guardians had she known - painting a target on her back in the process - and Salvare had a half-chance of trying to fight them in his stead, which would only get him killed.

    Red had enough of his friends dying for him.

    Yet, with Lance, it was different. Lance was less of a potential friend and more of a potential ally . Unlike either of Red¡¯s friends, he had already seen how Lance would react to the existence and actions of Team Source, and could plan accordingly.

    And for all that Lance broke alongside the League¡­

    He remained strong enough to lead them, even after the betrayal.

    It had killed him in the end, but that was the case for all of them.

    Except for Red, of course¡­

    And unlike everyone else in the League, there was no doubt in Red¡¯s mind that Lance was no part of Team Source. The Emperor¡¯s words may be as true or false as Red could believe, but he knew they didn¡¯t apply to Lance.

    Lance held Red¡¯s respect, which was already something rare.

    Even rarer, Lance held Red¡¯s trust to do the right thing.

    The only question was whether Lance would decide the right thing to do was to take the fight to Team Source.

    And right now, doing so would only paint a larger target on them all.

    But¡­ with the twining presence within Red¡¯s mind and soul, he had an idea of how to show Lance the need for caution.

    Red only hoped that his minimal experience in manipulation would come in handy.

    Red breathed out slowly, ¡°The organisation I¡¯m referring to wouldn¡¯t be one that you would recognise,¡± He tapped slowly on the table, feeling the invisible authority in this conversation shift to him, ¡°And that only makes it more dangerous.¡±

    Now, both of two dragon trainers looked interested - and increasingly wary, in Lance¡¯s case - and Red knew that, from this point on, every word of his would be critical, ¡°...What is the name of this organisation?¡±

    Hook.

    Red looked into Lance¡¯s eyes, allowing his own aura to flare ever so slightly for his eyes to glow - thank you, Herren, for the lessons in control - ¡°The name of this organisation is Team Source, and their aim is to harness the source of evolutionary energy.¡±

    It felt almost¡­ relieving to say that, as if a great weight that Red had been carrying for the past three months has suddenly been lifted.

    Within his spirit, the presence within it shifts at the name, recognising it, before sliding into something bearing more light.

    ¡®Let there be light.¡¯

    And Red silently conveyed his purpose to the small voice in his mind, and received a tug of assent in return.

    Clair was blinking rapidly, seemingly processing Red¡¯s words, whereas Lance leaned forward, suspicious still lining his eyes - though there was now an undercurrent of dread - ¡°How come I¡¯ve never heard of this organisation, since it apparently has ties to the League?¡±

    Line.

    Red considered his words, though he made sure to convey the gravity of the situation on his face, ¡°Because Team Source is excellent in covering their tracks,¡± - which made it very difficult for Red to actually find any information on them - ¡°And they are self-sufficient in supplies and members, making it practically impossible to track them through those means.¡±

    Red knew this intimately, given that both he and Lance had tried, and failed, to do so in both timelines.

    Lance digested Red¡¯s words with a suspicious glare, looking somewhere between believing this was a hoax, and believing that maybe, just maybe , Red was telling the truth, ¡°...How do I know you¡¯re not just making this all up? Giving me a convoluted excuse for what you did in Goldenrod?¡±

    And Sinker.

    ¡°Because the pokemon I saved was the result of one of their experiments,¡± Red stated, clicking open a pokeball on his belt to reveal Vee, who immediately cradled onto his lap, bearing a mixture of features from Sylveon and Flareon.

    Lance reared back with widened eyes, and Clair hissed, which wasn¡¯t exactly the reaction Red was looking for. Yet, for some unknowable reason, Vee seemed to find amusement in it, if the waves of childish smugness radiating from Vee were any indication.

    ¡®Let there be light.¡¯

    Clair continued to hiss in an eerie mimickry of a Meowth, and Lance¡¯s hand began to twitch violently on the table as he eyed the small creature in ill-disguised revulsion.

    Red couldn¡¯t help but be offended, even if Vee seemed to bask in their distaste.

    Red locked eyes with Vee¡¯s for a moment, asking a silent question in his mind. The response he received only added to his bemusement.

    ¡®Prey.¡¯

    Finally, after thirty straight seconds of staring - and radiating smugness from Vee - Lance clenched his fist, stating in deadpan, ¡° I see.¡±

    Red raised an eyebrow, though was cut off from speaking by Clair scoffing derisively, ¡°Oh, brilliant , Lance. Absolutely wonderful that you have a pair of working eyes and see the Naisha in front of us.¡±

    Red narrowed his eyes at the foreign word - which sounded strangely like a slur - and an alien part of his mind roughly translated it to ¡®fairy ¡¯, which once more brought Red¡¯s thoughts to the Ruins of Alph, and the influx of knowledge he received from the Unown.

    He still didn¡¯t know what to make of the entire second language he was suddenly fluent in.

    Red¡¯s attention was brought back to Lance, who spoke urgently to Clair, ¡°But that¡¯s not all it is,¡± he pointed Clair¡¯s attention to the tufts of fluffy orange fur indicative of Flareon, ¡°It¡¯s a fusion .¡±

    ¡° She¡¯s not a fusion,¡± Red corrected, recalling with disgust the file he read on Project: Changeling, ¡°She¡¯s a partial evolution, and can switch between different forms,¡± He hesitated before looking down at Vee, who was now peering up at him with wide, strangely giddy eyes, ¡°...Do you want to show off?¡±

    Vee chirped in affirmation, sending a warm trickle of affection down their lingering spiritual bond as she closed her eyes, reaching out with Pichu¡¯s aid to shift her fur from soft pink to the spiky yellow of Jolteon.

    Red smiled proudly, scritching Vee behind the ear, causing her to coo. While Vee had yet to establish complete control over her form - usually existing in some gestalt state between two or three evolutions - she was much more comfortable in her body, no longer feeling major pains as her limbs shifted and resized to fit different frames.

    It wasn¡¯t painless - Red ached at the thought that it might never be - but the worst aspect - the most diabolical part of it - was all but gone.

    And that was the psychological toll.

    Red had learned, both from the files he read and from his bond with Vee, that her state of mind had a major impact on her level of control over her transformations, and how quick they were.

    Team Source had pushed her to evolve as quickly and efficiently as possible, which in turn heightened how painful it was for her, given that her body had less time to safely transition between forms.

    Now, despite Red continuing - or starting, in some ways - her exercises in control, Vee could do so at her own pace.

    Because after all that she had suffered, Red vowed to never force her to suffer more just to please him.

    ¡®But I would.¡¯

    Red jolted, staring down at Vee as she stared back serenely, now in a gestalt form of Umbreon and Espeon.

    Red sighed as she blinked glassy red eyes. For one as young as her, Vee had the worrying tendency to act far more mature than a child should.

    And, like Red and the rest of his team, she had the worrying tendency to be self-sacrificial in nature.

    Perhaps that was what made her fit so well with them¡­

    Red blinked back to the present as Lance began to mutter furiously - meanwhile, Clair looked simultaneously awed and discomfited by Red - ¡°And you have a psychic link with it. Of course you do. Somehow, you¡¯ve found an Eevee that can switch between six different evolutions, one of them being Naisha , which I didn¡¯t even know existed ,¡± Lance leaned back with a large sigh, covering his face with his hands, ¡°Oh, Arachay¡­ ¡±

    ¡°Lance!¡± Clair slapped Lance¡¯s shoulder, her face beginning to burn up even further - granted, Red translated Lance¡¯s plea as ¡®Fuck me¡¯, so he could almost understand - before turning to Red, ¡°How can you¡­ stand it?¡±

    Red raised an eyebrow, finding the question surprisingly rude - though he felt the resurgence of Vee¡¯s smug amusement, so he wondered which of them was being the rude one - and asked, ¡°What, exactly, is so wrong with her?¡±

    Clair widened her eyes, seemingly registering his rising annoyance and regretting(?) it, but was cut off by Lance before she could speak, ¡°Your¡­ rescue is a Naisha - a Faerie.¡± Lance waved his hand as if that explained everything.

    It¡­ well, actually¡­ Red thought back on it, and¡­ yeah , Dragons were weak to Fairies.

    Cripplingly so, now that Red recalled.

    There hadn¡¯t ever been much information about it, given how recent a discovery Fairy pokemon were by the onset of the Storm. Ash hadn¡¯t ever thought much on it aside from finding the whole thing cool - like all pokemon were - before ignoring it during his own pursuits in Kalos.

    By the time Ash came to care about such things in a more practical sense, it didn¡¯t matter as much, because the Chariot only had the one Togekiss, and neither of them fought with Dragon pokemon.

    So, in all honesty, Red forgot Fairies¡¯ immunity to Dragons. It hadn¡¯t been important during the Storm, and it hadn¡¯t come up thus far in the past three months Red had spent in the past.

    Though¡­ now that he thought of it, the Dragonite at the Goldenrod base did fall to Vee¡¯s outburst as Sylveon.

    Red shook his head, petting Vee lightly on her head as he looked at Lance, ¡°I didn¡¯t know you would have such a strong reaction,¡± He bowed his head - best to appear polite, if nothing else - ¡°You have my apologies.¡±

    ¡°Wait, you didn¡¯t know?¡± Clair asked, her eyes wide and genuine, ¡°I thought you of all people would¡¯ve known, what with you being a dragon trainer and all.¡±

    Red blinked, ¡°Dragon trainer?¡± He gave a thoughtful frown as he faced her, ¡°Do you mean Charmander?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll get back to that,¡± Lance waved Clair down, preventing her from responding - she pouted in response - ¡°You claim to have saved this¡­ former experiment from this Team Source?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Red sighed, feeling Vee¡¯s emotions spike at the name - he tried to project calm; it seemed to be working as well as he could hope - ¡°I located the underground lab in Goldenrod where they were holding her. She was very nearly dead when I got her out.¡±

    Clair turned concerned eyes to Vee, seemingly much more at ease now that she rested in her gestalt Umbreon-Espeon form, whereas Lance ploughed on with a scowl, ¡°And the base itself?¡±

    Red considered his words, ¡°Destroyed.¡± He purposely avoided any mention of the scores of corpses he left before the base was demolished, ¡°There was an earthquake that day.¡±

    ¡°I heard,¡± Lance responded grimly, tapping a finger on the table, ¡°...Did you have anything to do with that?¡±

    ¡°It was pure happenstance,¡± Red replied, sticking with the truth, from a certain point of view, ¡°My goal was to rescue Vee, nothing more.¡±

    Again, another technical truth.

    He didn¡¯t intend on raising literal hell down there.

    It just¡­ happened.

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Lance leaned back with crossed arms, silently analysing Red with narrowed eyes. Clair seemed torn between glancing at Vee curiously and staring at Red with something approaching awe.

    It made him somewhat uncomfortable, in all honesty.

    ¡°If I were to go to this base,¡± Lance began suddenly, ¡°Would I find any evidence to support your claim of Team Source¡¯s existence?¡±

    Red considered for a moment, before responding with a sure, ¡°No. By now, I imagine they would have salvaged anything that would seem out of place in the wreckage.¡±

    Lance groaned, kneading his brow, ¡°You frustrate me, Red. You really, really do.¡±

    That wasn¡¯t something that Red expected to come out of Lance¡¯s mouth, but he had resigned himself to any surprises at this point, so he only responded in a dry tone, ¡°How so?¡±

    Lance threw a mild glare at him before sighing, ¡°You have made a major claim about the League, and thus far you have been unable to give me definitive evidence to this claim.¡±

    Red nodded slowly, his face slowly turning grim as his hand froze on Vee¡¯s head - Pichu¡¯s ear twitched in acknowledgement - his eyes sparking in malevolent crimson, ¡°... So you don¡¯t believe me? ¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the problem,¡± Lance muttered, crossing his arms, ¡°I do , at least with the existence of this Team Source. I¡¯m just sceptical as to whether your claim about the League is justified. Not to mention what you did to Nurse Joy¡­¡±

    Red hummed, eyes still glowing, but remaining measured. He moved his hand to Vee¡¯s cheek, petting it as he thought back to the Emperor¡¯s words, and the potential effect they could have if shared with the Champion..

    ¡°You are aware that we control the League.¡±

    ¡­No, Red wouldn¡¯t reveal that information to Lance.

    Not¡­ yet.

    Because¡­ well, in all honesty, Red had achieved what he wanted. Lance was now made aware of Team Source¡¯s existence - seven years early - but wasn¡¯t pushed to the point of making a major enemy of them.

    Because for all that Team Source was dangerous, they didn¡¯t become a major threat until Ash was seventeen.

    Granted, that didn¡¯t apply to Red - he imagined he was at the top of Team Source¡¯s shit list after Goldenrod - but for everyone else, their relative anonymity protected them.

    So¡­ Red had somehow done it. He had convinced Lance of Team Source¡¯s existence while both preventing Lance from doing something stupid and preventing himself from becoming an enemy of the Champion.

    Red could accept that.

    ¡°I suppose¡­ we will have to differ in our thoughts on the matter,¡± Red breathed, almost sagging in relief that the interrogation was nearly over.

    Lance scowled at him for several moments before breathing out, ¡°Fine¡­ However, there will not be another instance of manipulating another innocent¡¯s aura, do you understand? ¡±

    Red¡­ Well, Red couldn¡¯t honestly promise that it wouldn¡¯t happen again, and Red thought that, at the least, it was better to be confused than dead.

    Given that Red remained silent at Lance¡¯s demand, the Champion was ready to snap, only for Clair to give an annoyed huff, ¡°Oh, lay off, Lance! Nurse Joy wasn¡¯t hurt, and he did it for a good reason!¡±

    Lance turned his glare on her, to which she responded with a glare of her own, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be saying that if you didn¡¯t have that little Tiara going on.¡±

    Red blinked - Tiara registered as ¡®childish love¡¯ within his second language - and watched as Clair blushed further, punching Lance¡¯s arm with enough force to make the Champion wince, ¡° You take that back! ¡±

    ¡°Listen,¡± Red raised his voice, stopping the two from fighting further - though neither of them seemed to know that he understood their other tongue, which was potentially useful - ¡°Next time something like this happens, I will refrain from involving any innocents.¡±

    Granted, Red had no plans of something like Vee¡¯s situation happening again.

    Lance narrowed his eyes in response, ¡°If you find another experiment like you did in Goldenrod, then you will go to the League-¡±

    ¡° No, ¡± Red stated, simply and firmly, ¡°I will not be doing that.¡±

    Lance¡¯s face twitched, though he kept his face in a neutral scowl, ¡°...Fine. You will go to me , then.¡±

    Both Red and Clair blinked at that, surprised at Lance¡¯s compromise. Red leaned back with a thoughtful expression on his face - this¡­ could be surprisingly useful - ¡°That seems¡­ unusual. ¡±

    Lance seemed to hold in an incredulous snort, as if appalled by the entire situation, ¡°You are an unusual individual,¡± He straightened, face becoming serious as he asked, ¡°Do you accept my offer?¡±

    In exchange for not being hunted down by the League? Yes, Red accepts.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Red replied in slight deadpan. He couldn¡¯t help but add, ¡°I¡¯d be an idiot not to.¡±

    For the first time in the past hour, Lance smiled . It was short-lived and woefully self-deprecating, but it was more than Red had ever seen Lance doing in the either timeline thus far.

    Clair still seemed surprised at Lance¡¯s offer, though, and asked with a pointed look, ¡°So¡­ we¡¯re just going to ignore the Rites of Transgression?¡±

    Red furrowed his brows silently as Lance sighed once more - he had no idea what these rites were - keeping silent as Lance replied in a tired tone, ¡°We don¡¯t know for certain that he¡¯s the one, and even then, it isn¡¯t so much aid , but more-so¡­ communication. ¡±

    Red began to tap his finger on the table as Clair crossed her arms in annoyance, ¡°Oh, so now you¡¯re okay with stretching things. I happen to recall a time, not so long ago, where you were all ¡® he¡¯s dangerous, Clair, remain wary, Clair¡¯ .¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t changed on that front, Clair,¡± Lance replied in steady seriousness, ¡°He admitted to what he did, and with everything else we know, he can prove to be very dangerous.¡±

    Red raised an eyebrow at Lance¡¯s words, though he agreed that he was dangerous. It wasn¡¯t him bragging; it was simple fact. Still, Red decided to butt in before Clair could retort, asking with an arched eyebrow, ¡°If it¡¯s not too much to ask, may I know what it is you¡¯re both talking about, since it seems to revolve around me?¡±

    Clair meeped , leaning away from them as she seemingly remembered Red being there. Lance drew in a tired breath before facing Red, asking in a blunt tone, ¡°Does the term Arkeu-Kin mean anything to you?¡±

    On reflex, Red replied, ¡°No.¡± The word was vaguely familiar, yes, but in a more tangential way than anything concrete.

    It did sound somewhat like ¡®Arceus¡¯.

    It wasn¡¯t until a moment later that the word registered in his mind as one belonging to the alien language stuck in his head. By the time its rough translation went through Red¡¯s mind, Lance asked another question, ¡°What about ¡® The Chosen One ¡¯?¡±

    It was somewhat ironic that, in the moment of the term leaving Lance¡¯s tongue, Red¡¯s mind fully processed what Arkeu-Kin meant, and its implications.

    Arkeu-Kin.

    Chosen of the Creator.

    ¡®The Chosen One¡¯.

    Had Lance refrained from asking the second question, Red may have been able to smother his reaction, to convince himself that it was nothing more than some terrible coincidence.

    But he couldn¡¯t, not after the memories the term brought festering into his mind.

    The storm of fire, ice, and lightning. The war of space and time. The rampage of the creator. Fields of stars cascading into supernovas as twin suns of crimson bore upon him.

    ¡°GO FORTH, MY CHARIOT.¡±

    ¡°So you do recognise the term,¡± Lance¡¯s voice brought Red back from his spiral, though he wasn¡¯t necessarily happy upon seeing Lance¡¯s eyes narrowed into slits, ¡°What do you know of it?¡±

    Red shakes his head with a small growl, mercilessly pushing away the damned voice in his head, ¡° We¡¯re done here .¡± Red begins to stand, cradling Vee in his arms as Pichu hops from the table onto his shoulder, ¡° I need to get back soon. ¡±

    Lance stood up as well, seemingly intent of pressing further only to be stopped by Clair, who glared him into submission. Lance scowled back, but restrained his voice to something approaching calm, ¡°...Fine, but we will be continuing our discussion later.¡±

    Red almost snorted. Discussion? No, that was still an interrogation; Red was a fool to think otherwise . He halted before leaving the table, turning back to pin the other two with a stare, ¡°Nothing - and I mean nothing - of what we¡¯ve spoken about can be shared with anyone else.¡±

    Lance seemed strangled in his response, allowing Clair to supersede him, ¡°Okay, we promise.¡±

    Red nodded gratefully to her, but still eyed Lance, who silently responded with a disgruntled glare, ¡°Whether you like or trust me doesn¡¯t matter. This cannot be shared.¡±

    Lance began to audibly grind his teeth, breathing out of his nose as a dragon would when annoyed, ¡°You ask for a lot, Satoshi .¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± Red acknowledged, tilting his head slightly, ¡°But I¡¯ve already given word to reach out to you in the future, haven¡¯t I?¡±

    Lance growled, but eventually relented, ¡°...I¡¯ll keep your secrets, Satoshi, but I won¡¯t give you aid.¡± Lance slowly lowered himself back onto his seat, visibly deflating while doing so, ¡°...You¡¯re free to go, Satoshi.¡±

    Red nodded silently, his eyes still softly blazing, but slowly calming down. Unfortunately - in Red¡¯s mind - he was stopped by Clair before he could leave, as she rose from her seat with a slightly hesitant, ¡°Wait! I can¡­ help walk you back to your friends.¡±

    Both Red and Lance looked at her oddly - though Lance¡¯s expression was more exacerbated than anything else - prompting her to blush from the former and glare at the latter, ¡°What? It¡¯s allowed! You said yourself we don¡¯t know for certain if he¡¯s Arkeu-Kin .¡±

    There was that word again.

    ¡°Fucking Ara ,¡± Lance swore, rubbing his face in exhaustion, ¡°Fine! Go .¡±

    Red exchanged a glance and a shrug with Pichu, not really seeing the necessity of an escort, but feeling to tired to refute it.

    It was worth at this point.

    Besides, as Red and Clair began to walk back towards the central part of the Athlete¡¯s Village, he supposed Clair was better company than Lance, given that she was far less confrontational than the Champion.

    She seemed far more awkward, though.

    She remained silent as they walked back towards where the others were, opening her mouth a few times before closing it with a small blush.

    Red couldn¡¯t help but be a little confused about the whole thing. Sure, the blushing fit with the woman¡¯s actions back at the diner, but it didn¡¯t stop her from speaking freely. It wasn¡¯t as if Red was coming off as unforthcoming - at least, he thought he wasn¡¯t - so he didn¡¯t know what was stopping her from speaking, given that she obviously wanted to.

    Though, Red wasn¡¯t one to complain about the silence.

    For some reason, Red felt small trickles of amusement radiating off of Vee, who lay within his arms, staring at the woman. Honestly, Red almost thought the small devil relished in her discomfort. When he tried to pry for a reason through their bond, all he received from Vee¡¯s end was an oddly sharp warmth along his skin.

    It was a vaguely familiar feeling; one he hadn¡¯t felt in over three years.

    Red didn¡¯t have much time to ponder the feeling before Clair mustered up enough courage to ask, ¡°How do you have a draconic Charmander?¡±

    A draconic Charmander? Red frowned, turning to her, ¡°...What do you mean by that?¡±

    Clair reddened slightly, though she still responded, ¡°Well¡­ Your Charmander, he has black scales, and a blue flame¡­¡± She trailed off, beginning to look somewhat unsure, ¡°Those are signs of a draconic variant.¡±

    Red raised an interested eyebrow, ¡°Really?¡± He turned his mind back to Charmander¡¯s new form, and the new difficulties they were facing in training that they¡¯d never encountered before - did have to do with Charmander being some sort of draconic variant? - ¡°I didn¡¯t know.¡±

    Clair perked up, her eyes shining with surprise and intrigue, ¡° Really? That¡¯s¡­ unbelievably lucky, finding the first draconic Charmander in a century!¡±

    Red hummed, filing away the new - and troubling - information he had on Charmander¡¯s apparent transformation, ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware it was so special.¡±

    Clair seemed to deflate, ¡°...That¡¯s not exactly surprising, now that I think about it,¡± She looked back up at him with hopeful eyes, ¡°Can I see him?¡±

    ¡°Charmander?¡± Red asked, receiving a nod in response.

    ¡°If it¡¯s not too much to ask, I would¡­ really appreciate it,¡± Clair spoke, her eyes turning solemn, ¡°I didn¡¯t really understand the importance of it during our Gym battle, but since then¡­¡± She winced, seemingly recalling something that haunted her, ¡°I¡¯ve come to learn how big this is.¡±

    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Red nodded to himself, stopping himself from asking what she meant by that. He turned slightly towards the edge of the road, ¡°There¡¯s a little bit of time for you to meet him, I suppose,¡± He unclipped Charmander¡¯s pokeball from his belt, ¡°Though I have a few questions to ask you.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Clair nodded easily, her blush receding in the face of her excitement. Her face quickly lit up in awe as Red released Charmander, who appeared crouched beside him, eyeing the woman distrustfully with triangular slits.

    Clair simply gazed at Charmander for several moments before reaching out a hesitant hand, palm facing up. Charmander turned his glare towards her hand, eyeing it for a few seconds before turning his tail to the other side, padding silently towards her.

    Red watched on with a thoughtful expression on his face as Charmander stepped forward, sniffing Clair¡¯s hand warily. The small beast huffed, producing violet sparks that snapped away into the air, before directing his gaze to Clair once more, to which she responded in kind.

    Red noticed her eyes narrowing into slits of their own.

    Finally, after an intense stare with Charmander, Clair rose from her crouch, a mixed expression on her face, ¡°It¡¯s a dragon. A true draconic Charmander¡­¡±

    Red nodded thoughtfully, recalling Charmander with a whispered word of thanks, before turning back to Clair, who seemed to be battling between feeling giddy and feeling disturbed , ¡°...Is there something wrong?¡±

    Clair looked back to him, lips pursing in thought, ¡°...I¡­ I think your Charmander may be Mad .¡±

    Red raised a bemused eyebrow, ¡°He seemed more distrustful than angry, to me at least.¡±

    Clair shook her head, ¡°No, you misunderstand,¡± Her eyes turned back to him, looking almost¡­ enthralled , ¡°There¡¯s¡­ an affliction - of sorts - that dragons can fall prey to¡­¡± Her eyes flick past Red¡¯s shoulder, lost in thought, ¡°It¡¯s called the Madness .¡±

    Red frowned - that sounded ominous - and began to walk slowly, asking, ¡°I take it that¡¯s a bad thing?¡±

    Clair began to follow, her face twisting in hesitation, ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not the best person to answer that question¡­¡±

    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Red allowed the subject to drop, seeing her distress, instead asking, ¡°Will Charmander being draconic change his abilities?¡±

    Perhaps, for example, by reducing the reserves of his flame?

    ¡°What? Oh ,¡± Clair nodded, snapping herself out of her funk, ¡°I suppose there would be a few key differences between your Charmander and the usual variant.¡±

    ¡°Like what?¡± Red asked.

    ¡°The quality of their fire, for one,¡± Clair answered, eyes looking to the side in thought, ¡°Dragon¡¯s fire tends to be more varied in size and effect when compared to regular fire, which only burns. Dragons also usually have the capability of producing other forms of energy in their breath, such as electricity or ice.¡±

    ¡°Like Dragon Breath ,¡± Red realised aloud, recalling the unique violet sparks that escaped Charmander¡¯s maw when he used the move.

    ¡°Yeah, like Dragon Breath ! Though, that mainly uses Dragon-type energy, which is its own unique thing,¡± Clair noted, becoming far more animated as their discussion revolved more and more around her favourite pokemon.

    Red couldn¡¯t help but recall vague memories of Iris waxing poetic about all things dragon.

    Still, Red wasn¡¯t necessarily displeased with the turn in conversation. Clair knew a lot about dragons, after all, which could only help in Charmander¡¯s training. This made it something of a surprise when they were cut off in their increasingly animated discussion by a loud cough.

    Red blinked, only to see that they had returned to Karen and Salvare, and had entirely missed the two of them directly in front of them. Karen crossed her arms with a small smirk, raising an eyebrow, ¡°I see you¡¯re having fun, Red.¡±

    Clair immediately straightened, a blush returning to her face, ¡°...I gotta go,¡± and fled before anyone could say anything.

    Red was visibly bewildered, and Karen snorted, ¡°Goodness, Red, how badly did you scare her for her to run off so quickly?¡±

    ¡°No more than the usual amount,¡± Red remarked dryly, shifting Vee from one arm to the other - his right arm was getting numb - ¡°Anything happen while I was gone?¡±

    Karen shrugged, sharing a glance with Salvare that had him crossing his arms and her grinning, ¡°I showed Salvare some more of the online discussion about you, and him as well.¡±

    Her grin widened as Salvare glared at her, muttering lowly, ¡°I don¡¯t like so many people knowing me.¡±

    Red moved to sarcastically pat Salvare on the shoulder, ¡°Rejoice, Salvare. At least you don¡¯t have the Champion haring after you.¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah,¡± Karen¡¯s grin sharpened, her eyes narrowing, ¡°What was that about?¡±

    ¡°Lance had some questions; I answered them,¡± Red waved his hand with a grunt, ¡°Can we go now? I¡¯m fuckin¡¯ exhausted. ¡±

    ¡°Wow, language,¡± Karen snorted, walking towards the direction of the setting sun, ¡°Picking up after me, Red? I¡¯m touched.¡±

    Red groaned, prompting Karen to bark a harsh laugh. Salvare returned Red¡¯s previous gesture with a pat of the back of his own.

    Salvare merely smiled serenely when Red glared at him.

    Red turned back to Karen as she added, in an offhand tone, ¡°Oh, by the way, Herren had some sort of family emergency and had to leave.¡±

    Red narrowed his eyes, just now remembering Herren¡¯s former presence - the man had an eerie ability to slip from one¡¯s thoughts when they weren¡¯t directly next to him - ¡° Family emergency? ¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what he said,¡± Karen waved off Red¡¯s suspicious with a negligent wave of the hand, ¡°I can practically taste your paranoia, Red. Trust me, he¡¯s harmless.¡±

    Red pinched his lips - he operated on the belief that no-one was ¡®harmless¡¯ - ¡°How do you know?¡±

    Karen turned back with a mildly annoyed expression, ¡°I¡¯ve known him since I was eight . He¡¯s one of my biggest teachers in aura, just behind Agatha.¡±

    Red hummed in interest, with Salvare piping up in surprise, ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Karen replied easily, leading them towards the edge of the Athlete¡¯s Village, ¡°Honestly, you two couldn¡¯t have asked for a better aura teacher - no offence, Red . Herren¡¯s a savante; hell, he¡¯s better than the Elders.¡±

    Red blinked - that was quite a strong claim, given how high of a pedestal Karen placed her Elders upon - ¡°He didn¡¯t strike me as such.¡±

    Karen scoffed, ¡°He¡¯s too modest, really,¡± she paused, before amending, ¡°He¡¯s modest with everyone except my mentor. He likes picking fights with her,¡± She shuddered, ¡° God only knows why. ¡±

    Red hummed in thought, carefully filing the new information of the man in the back of his mind, ¡°I suppose I¡¯ll have to see for myself when I see him next.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯ll be something to see,¡± Karen snorted, before turning back to Red, ¡°You know, you actually reminded me of him back when you were waxing poetic about aura, ¡®limiting oneself to from wider mystery¡¯ and all that.¡±

    Red hummed, but didn¡¯t respond one way or the other.

    He was tired.

    Vee snuggled further into Red¡¯s arm, fur darkening as the now-singular Umbreon fell asleep. Salvare and Karen both seemed to notice her presence for the first time - Vee was rather small - with the former watching her with a complicated expression on his face, whereas the remarked, ¡°I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re carrying her out in the open.¡±

    ¡°She likes it,¡± Red replied simply, stifling a yawn. He took the moment to examine his surroundings, frowning as he asked, ¡°Where are we going?¡±

    ¡°I got hotel rooms for y¡¯all,¡± Karen answered with an easy shrug, prompting a raised eyebrow from Red and wide eyes from Salvare, ¡°What? I can understand bunking at Pokemon Centers while on the go, but we¡¯re gonna be here for a while. Might as well be comfortable while doing so.¡±

    ¡°...Thank you,¡± Red breathed, surprising all three of them with how genuine his words were.

    He didn¡¯t regret it, though.

    It was a¡­ surprisingly kind gesture from her, especially given their previously tumultuous relationship.

    Karen narrowed her eyes at Red, though her lips twitched upwards, ¡°You know, Red, you¡¯ve been awfully nice, today, too nice ¡­¡± She raised her head in faux-snobbishness, ¡°You must want something from me, Red.¡±

    Red looked at her with as deadpan an expression as he could muster, ¡°And I seem to have gotten it. A nice bed to sleep on, thank you ,¡± His words ended off in a challenging tone.

    But in all seriousness, he was ready to crash and sleep for twelve hours.

    Keeping control over what he revealed and kept secret from Lance had taken a toll on him.

    Karen held his gaze for a few moments before breaking it off with a small, fleeting smile. They walked in comfortable silence for the next few minutes, nearing a large building that Red belatedly realised was the hotel Karen was referring to.

    It looked surprisingly nice.

    ¡°So¡­ Opening Ceremony is in two days,¡± Karen piped up, eyeing the two of them, ¡°You up for a day of training tomorrow?¡±

    Salvare nodded silently, staring up at the towering hotel in a vague sense of melancholy. Red blinked once he realised Karen¡¯s expectant gaze was upon him, ¡°That works with me, though I might be a bit late.¡±

    ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± Karen asked, leading them up the steps towards the hotel.

    Red hummed to himself, his eyes drawing towards the lingering form of Mount Silver to the west, ¡°I have somewhere to be first¡­¡±

    Somewhere to pay respects.

    ¡­

    Shrine of the Sacred Flame, Outskirts of Silver Town, December 7th, 1997

    Red sat calmly, cross-legged on a stone facing the sunrise.

    The air was heavy, laden with specks of ice and snow that shimmered in the air, never rising or falling.

    The stone itself was cold enough to burn to the touch, yet Red stay still, breathing out measured puffs of chilled air. After all, the cold almost calmed Red, straightened him out in a way that he found rarer and rarer.

    Because even in the freezing temperatures of early morning, Red felt a fire kindle within his heart.

    Pichu, while bundled up within Red¡¯s shirt, didn¡¯t shy away from the cold either. While he had neither the heat from Charizard nor the resistance of Greninja, Pikachu had become resistant to the cold in his own manner.

    They all had.

    Of the many ill-effects of the Source Storm, one of the smallest - yet most disheartening - was the disappearance of the sun.

    The sun didn¡¯t actually leave , of course, but its warmth was smothered by layers and layers of stormclouds that circled the globe. It was only within the eye of the Storm itself that they had seen the clear sky.

    It had been night then, so the sun¡¯s light evaded them still.

    It had almost been akin to a punch in the gut when the four of them had seen the sun for the first time in three years. For the first few days after coming back, even daring to angle their heads upwards threatened to blind them.

    Let there be light.

    They had adapted - they always do - and had helped Vee with the same transition, back when she first saw the sun after months in darkness.

    Since his return, with few exceptions, Red had always been awake in time to see the sunrise.

    Ash had taken it for granted - like so many things - and had usually slept in until the late hours of the morning, wasting precious hours of the sun¡¯s light.

    Red did not, nor would he do so ever again.

    It was only one of the many things that separated him from the boy.

    The thought of Ash¡­ his past self , drew his eyes away from the sun, and to the withered feather in his hands.

    Red wracked his memory. Ash¡­ should be somewhere between his 5th and 6th Gym badges, by this point. If Red recalled correctly, now would be around the time that Ash would release Butterfree.

    Ash would be sad - Red remembered it clinically - but he would be glad for Butterfree. Ash would continue his journey, his quest to become a Pokemon Master, like he always did.

    Ash would continue new friends and see new places. Ash would continue to make mistakes - as any child does - and would learn from them.

    Ash would remain naive of the world around him, of the movements of regions and groups and legends. Ash would remain oblivious of the trials laid before him, both by man and by divine.

    Yet¡­ Ash wouldn¡¯t be defined by it. Ash would continue his journey, continue making friends, continue exploring regions, continue towards his self-proclaimed goal of Mastery.

    Red¡­ Red couldn¡¯t say the same.

    Red stood, clenching the feather within his fist as he began to descend towards the centre of the shrine.

    Despite the cold, a tree burned eternally at the centre of the ancient structure, casting golden flames into the air which became nothing more than whispers into the wind.

    It was a holy place, touched by the divine blessing of the legends. The people of Silver Town - though few in number - would come to give gifts and praise to their Bird of Rainbow Wings.

    Red wasn¡¯t here for Ho-Oh, though - the mere thought of seeing the being shook him - but he was here to speak to another legend - another god - that had spoken to him before.

    ¡° Do you hear me, Arceus? ¡± Red asked in a mild tone, his eyes flashing crimson, ¡° I have listened to your call, Arceus. Now I ask that you listen to mine. ¡±

    Red waited, casting glowing eyes over the flaming tree towards the sun, only just cresting the horizon.

    He remained silent, watching neutrally as the clouds above shifted slowly, forming a spiked halo above the sun, cast into golden light by the sun¡¯s rays.

    The sun flashed crimson, darkening the world at its edges, before once more shining in its golden hue.

    That single moment was enough for Red, though, and he knew that the Creator was now listening.

    Red smothered the instinctual dread that settled into his gut.

    Red straightened, ¡° You brought me back. After three years of hell, ending in death, you brought me back, ¡± Red¡¯s jaw locked as his eyes flashed, ¡° Why? ¡±

    ¡°Why did you bring me back? To prevent the Storm from coming? ¡± Red clenched his fist, breathing heavily, ¡° If that¡¯s the case, why not do it yourself? You had the power to pluck me out of time, after all. ¡±

    Shadows began to creep into Red¡¯s vision, yet he was unrelenting, taking a step forward, ¡° Why did it have to be after my death that I was brought back? Why did you wait while I suffered for three years? ¡±

    Red took another step forward, and the flames upon the tree flared, whether by his own will or that of the Creator, he didn¡¯t know or care as he screamed to the crimson sun, ¡° Why did you have to take me back at all?! I accepted my death; I was willing - no - I was happy to die! ¡±

    The ground shook at Red¡¯s declaration, and for a single moment, his eyes were void, bearing pinpricks of hateful crimson, ¡° ...I was happy to die¡­ ¡± Red stood against the light of the sun - overwhelming - before collapsing into an exhausted kneel, ¡° I don¡¯t know what to do¡­ ¡± His eyes dimmed, though the shadows stretched around his body, ¡°I know what I was brought here to do, but I don¡¯t know how to do it. ¡± Red turned pleading eyes upwards, ¡°I¡¯m lost¡­ I need a sign. ¡±

    His plea was met with fire, as the embers of the Sacred Flame spiralled around the tree, burning the tips of its branches into a cloud of ash, billowing into the sky.

    And as the ashes rose, they broke apart, scattering into the wind in whispered words, whispered warnings, whispered admonition, whispered taunting, before breaking away into nothing.

    And through the winds, Red heard the whispers of the Creator.

    BY THE TURN OF THE CLOCK, YOU SHALL KNOW YOUR DESTINY

    And as Red watched the scattered ashes fly away, something within him snapped.

    The last remnant of the ashes of his soul scattered into oblivion.

    And Red kneeled in silence, eyes no longer bored in shadow, no longer blazed in light. His body remained unmoving, and his arms were limp.

    Finally, in the moment that the last of the scattered ashes blew away into dust, Red rose to his feet, and gazed towards the sun in an empty expression, ¡° ...So be it. ¡±

    Red turned, and with him, the clouds parted, and the sun became ever-so-slightly brighter, yet darker.

    As Red began to walk away from the shrine, Pichu wriggled out of his shirt, batting Red¡¯s cheek in concern. Red batted the mouse¡¯s paws away, ¡°Not now, Pikachu.¡± Red¡¯s eyes remained unfocused as he hiked towards the base of Mount Silver, their crimson hue remaining dull.

    It isn¡¯t for several minutes of walking before feeling returns to Red¡¯s arms and chest, and suddenly his breathing sounds far too heavy - far too enraged - for him to continue, so Red stops underneath a pine tree, hiding in the shade for the first time in three months.

    Red breathes , keeping his eyes towards the mountain ahead, the mountain of his death and second life.

    For a brief moment, he could see the Storm once more.

    Red shook his head, closing his eyes as a headache pounded between his ears. He had thought he was free from it . He scowled at nothing, fighting off the headache with gritted teeth so that he could actually think.

    The headache lessened, though it still remained. Red accepted it as just another one of the demons he would have to carry with him. There were never enough of those, in his experience.

    As Red¡¯s thoughts began to sharpen from their temporary haziness, his eyes began to drift up towards a small clearing of trees half a kilometre away.

    Upon seeing it, a vague sensation of grief and guilt settled into Red¡¯s stomach, but he was too numb to feel it at the moment.

    He released Charmander and Frogadier, saying nothing to their concerned glances in his direction. He was fine; he was always fine. The four of them trekked up to the clearing with the sun at their back, all knowing where it was that they were heading.

    They tread lightly, for it was hallowed ground.

    Red could remember the day clearly - clearer than any memory from before the Storm - even after three long years. He had laid to rest the first of the many that would die in his place.

    He could see their gravestones even now, though neither those or those they honoured rested here now¡­

    They were all alive now¡­ living lives without him in them.

    ¡­It was better that way.

    But even if they lived today, Red had grieved them, honoured them. He had longed to be reunited with them upon death, even now after being cheated with life.

    So it was only for a moment that Red stood in the empty clearing before turning to his pokemon. It was the product of three years of bearing the Storm¡¯s wrath that they understood, and began to move as one.

    Frogadier separated stones from the mountainside, slashing with pressurised jets of water until they were smooth to the touch. Pichu blasted the stones with electricity, making sure they remained durable, and wouldn¡¯t break, even when the day came that Red was laid to rest himself. Charmander slashed letters into the stone with blazing claws, spelling out the names of the fallen.

    Red marked five spots along the grass of the clearing, remembering in perfect detail the exact locations that the headstones had been placed in his own world.

    And once they placed the gravestones along the clearing, they stood side by side, solemnly gazing upon the graveyard of their making.

    It was one of far too many in their old world.

    ¡°Here lied Steven Stone, Champion of Hoenn¡± Red spoke softly, raising a palm to the first grave, ¡°He fought bravely and defended those who were defenceless. He died with honour.¡±

    Frogadier cast a small wave of water onto the gravestone, marking the fallen as honourable in life and death.

    It was a tradition of the Greninja that seemed fitting to adopt.

    Red moved to the next stone, face carefully set, ¡°Here lied Jessie, of Team Rocket. She lived a troubled life, but chose to do good at the time of calling. She died with honour.¡±

    Frogadier marked her grave with water, and Red moved to the next, voice hitching slightly as he spoke, ¡°Here lied Bonnie Citron, of Lumiose. She was kind and compassionate, and had a bright future. She died too young,¡± Red blinked away the beginning of tears, ¡°She died with honour.¡±

    Frogadier began to shake - in fury, in agony, they all saw, and understood - but marked the grave all the same. Red moved onto the next, ¡°Here lied Clemont Citron, of Lumiose. He worked with passion, and was on his way to changing the world. He did what he could to protect his sister, even in death,¡± Red breathed in and out, ¡°He died with honour.¡±

    Frogadier marked the grave, pads clenching as he did so, before moving the last. Red closed his eyes, and breathed out slowly, ¡°Here lied Serena Paschall, of Vaniville,¡± Red hesitated, ¡°She was a great friend, and a better person than I,¡± Red straightened, his eyes remaining stubbornly dry, ¡°She was the best of us, and she died with honour.¡±

    Frogadier shuddered as he marked the grave, nearly collapsing to Red¡¯s side as they stood over the graves.

    Though the people they honoured lived on, kilometres away from them, Red couldn¡¯t separate their faces from those who had died.

    Those who had died for him.

    And for the first time that hour - for the first time after the answer to his plea - Red¡¯s crimson eyes flickered.

    Whether or not the Creator deemed to speak to him, to share its plans with him¡­

    Red wouldn¡¯t let the Storm come to pass once more.

    Whether in Destruction or Creation¡­

    Red didn¡¯t care which.

    ¡­

    Silver Stadium, Silver Town, December 8th, 1997

    ¡°Huh¡­ There are a lot more people here this year.¡±

    Red nodded absently to Karen¡¯s words, not having anything to say one way or the other. The only Silver Conference he had for reference was a year from now. Meanwhile, Salvare, who sat on Red¡¯s other side, turned to Karen raised eyebrow, ¡°You think?¡±

    The two began bickering across from Red, which would have annoyed Red a month ago, but now it largely went in one ear and out the other. Instead of paying any mind to them, Red cast his eyes throughout the stadium - which was rather packed - idly cataloguing the faces of the crowd.

    A part of him was scanning for Paul¡¯s face within the crowd; he didn¡¯t see it.

    He did quickly find something else of note, though. Almost directly across the stadium was some sort of VIP section, filled with League donors, different members of the World League, Gym Leaders, and members of the Elite Four.

    Red first recognised Lance and Clair among them - the latter had been looking in his direction as well, before turning away when they locked eyes - before recognising Pryce, Morty, Jasmine, Whitney, and Falkner.

    It was actually a pretty good showing for the Johto Gym Leaders, at least in Red¡¯s opinion. Granted, Ash hadn¡¯t ever paid much attention to League members outside of Champions, so he may have missed their presence last time around.

    Further investigation revealed what seemed to be the Four Heavenly Kings, sitting together. Red only recognised three of them, that being Agatha, Lorelei, and Bruno, whereas the last seemed to be some sort of Psychic specialist from Red¡¯s reckoning.

    Outside of them, there weren¡¯t many faces that he recognised from Kanto - much to his hidden relief - outside of Blaine and¡­

    Giovanni¡­

    Red narrowed his eyes at the man, silently chiding himself for forgetting about him.

    His focus had almost entirely been on Team Source.

    He needed to keep in mind that all the other evil Teams were still in operation.

    Red blinked, thoughts coming to a halt. Giovanni, Maxie, Archie, Cyrus, Ghetsis, Lysandre¡­

    They were all at large.

    Red closed his eyes, reaching for whatever fledgeling control over his emotions that he had, before opening them once more.

    One step at a time, Red.

    One step at a time.

    Suddenly, the lights across the stadium were cut off, and for one, wild moment, Red almost thought that this was the beginning of some sort of attack.

    His hand unclipped Frogadier¡¯s pokeball just as a spotlight turned on, pointing to the centre of the stadium.

    There lay an unlit beacon, filled with kindling.

    Karen silently tugged Red back down onto his seat - he was standing? - with a look of grim sympathy. Red blinked at her, beginning to realise that this wasn¡¯t an attack, when a voice began to speak over the stadium¡¯s speakers.

    ¡° Two thousand years ago, a town was founded at the base of Mount Silver, and was named after the mountain. The town was built between the lands of an ancient kingdom and its colonies, and became a frontier for their growing conflict. War broke out, and the land was ravaged into nothing more than ruin, destroying the lives of both pokemon and man.¡±

    A flicker of flame drew Red¡¯s - and everyone else¡¯s - eyes to the stadium¡¯s entrance, where several people carried a torch bearing a great and terrible flame.

    ¡° When all was thought to be lost, the Bird of Rainbow Wings passed by, and weeped at the destruction. In its grief, it blasted forth a Sacred Flame, and burned life back into the land. From where earth had turned to ash, trees sprouted and restored the land¡¯s beauty. As the land was restored, and its people returned, the Sacred Flame engulfed a single tree at the base of the mountain, burning for eternity as a reminder of the destruction of war, and the beauty of rebirth.¡±

    The people upon the stadium¡¯s platform then lowered the flaming torch onto the beacon, bursting upwards into golden flames that seemed to sing .

    The crowd began to buzz, and Red felt the hairs on his arms begin to rise.

    The legends¡¯ power lay within that flame.

    Red knew better than anyone else the power that lay within.

    It was with that knowledge - the vision of such terrible, beautiful power - that Red stay seated as everyone else began to rise in applause.

    Red knew better than anyone the terrible blessing - the beautiful curse - of the legends¡¯ might.

    The announcer¡¯s voice raised, and the speakers blasted out, ¡° I declare that the 1997 Silver Conference has begun! ¡±

    ¡­

    Logged in as: The_Emperor

    Opening Filename: Candidates_12_08_97

    Name: Karen Mela

    Age: 19

    Hometown: [NONE] (Adopted - Agatha Kikuko; Hometown: Lavender Town, Kanto)

    Sponsor: Agatha Kikuko [Heavenly King of Indigo][Elder Aura Guardian of Indigo]

    Current Pokemon: Umbreon [Male][Starter], Honchkrow [Female][Recently Evolved], Vileplume [Female], Houndour [Female]

    Current Location: Silver Town (Conference)

    Psych Profile: Emotional; Trained to temper emotion, but struggles; Quick to Anger; Passionate; Ends justify the Means; Few Friends; Strong connection with pokemon

    Evaluation: Karen has quickly risen in prominence over the past year, becoming a likely candidate for the victor of the 1997 Silver Conference. She is likely being groomed as Agatha¡¯s successor as Heavenly King of Indigo, which may make any attempt to reach out to her difficult. She shows no particular allegiance to the League, instead reserving it for the Indigo Aura Guardians. Given that she has been raised since her early teens by an Elder Aura Guardian, she will most likely be unable to be converted to our cause. She has shown high levels of ability in battle, along with aura. I do not advise any action against her, unless she directly provokes us.

    Misc Notes: Karen has travelled with Red Satoshi from the end of September to the end of November. In that time, she has shown an increase in battle and aura ability. Additionally, Karen is primarily a user of Dark type aura and pokemon, and she likely holds Fire as a secondary aura typing. Though Karen most likely would be unfit for this organisation, she remains a unique source of intel, given that the Chariot has established limited communications with her.

    Name: Salvare Razzo [Fake Name]

    Age: 17

    Hometown: [NONE] (Fake Hometown: Independent Confederation of Orre)

    Sponsor: Professor Henry Elm [Johto Regional Professor]

    Current Pokemon: Feraligatr [Male][Starter], Magneton, Golbat [Male], Haunter [Male], Cacnea [Male], Absol [Female]

    Current Location: Silver Town (Conference)

    Psych Profile: Abandonment Issues; Highly attached to pokemon and mentor; Appears kind, but carries high capacity for cruelty; Hates pokemon abuse with a passion; Does not adhere to traditional moral code; Follower mindset; Highly loyal

    Evaluation: Salvare shows loyalty to people, rather than ideas. Because of this, the traditional appeal to our goals will not work on Salvare. Salvare has shown to follow others to such an extent that he changes his morals, goals, and mindset to match theirs. Given that Salvare has currently latched onto Red Satoshi, it is unlikely that we could acquire his skillset at this time. If Satoshi is to be terminated, then there is a high likelihood that Salvare would require termination as well. If Satoshi is to be turned, then there is a high likelihood that Salvare would turn as well.

    Misc Notes: Salvare and Red Satoshi are a packaged deal. They will either both be enemies, or they will both be allies. Salvare has shown meteoric improvements since his apprenticeship to Satoshi. Any contact with Salvare should be treated with caution, and is unadvised until further notice. If Satoshi is to be terminated, then separate Salvare before doing so. There is a small chance, in that circumstance, that Salvare could be turned, and would provide valued skills to the organisation.

    Name: Red Satoshi [Fake Name]

    Hometown: [NONE] (Fake Hometown: Melemele Island, Alola Archipelago)

    Sponsor: Professor Henry Elm [Johto Regional Professor]

    Current Pokemon: Pichu [Male][Lethal], Charmander [Male][Draconic][Lethal], Frogadier [Male][Lethal], Project Changeling [Female][Stolen]

    Current Location: Silver Town (Conference)

    Psych Profile: Unknown origins; Highly dangerous; Shows no mercy in battle; Detached from others; Likely Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder; Incomplete knowledge on individual¡¯s psyche.

    Evaluation: Satoshi is explicitly aware of our existence and is currently self-tasked with halting our work. It is unknown as to the extent of his knowledge, but he was both aware of the former base in Goldenrod and the Emperor¡¯s title. Within the footage captured of Satoshi¡¯s attack on the Goldenrod base, he killed 37 members within the span of an hour, showing no visible remorse. Looking both at the Goldenrod footage and the public recordings of Satoshi¡¯s Gym Battles, he has been shown to be particularly adept in battle despite owning particularly weak pokemon. Additionally, Satoshi has displayed aura capabilities exceeding that of Master Aura Guardians. Satoshi has shown high ability in Fire, Psychic, Ground, Dark, Electric, Fairy, and Fighting auras. Satoshi is highly unlikely to turn to our cause, but until we determine exactly what his quarrel with the organisation is, that chance cannot be reduced to zero. Regardless, Satoshi is currently not to be terminated, regardless of his actions of the past and the future. Red Satoshi has been assigned as an Alpha-level threat, and his movements will be marked accordingly. Members will be notified if Satoshi is sighted in their vicinity. If he is near, activate all radar systems to maximum input, and be sure to record any energy readings. This is from the Emperor¡¯s direct command.

    Misc Notes: Satoshi has no recorded history before September, 1997. The surname Satoshi originates from the old clans of Kanto, potentially pointing to his origin. Satoshi¡¯s Charmander is highly likely to be either draconic or of draconic descent (based on information provided by the Magician).

    All three of these individuals are high-priority. Due to Satoshi¡¯s actions at Goldenrod, any individual he travels with for an extended period of time will be marked as such. Also, I repeat, do not engage with Satoshi. Until more information on him and his motivations are known, he is to be left alone. That includes you, Chariot.

    -The_Tower

 04/01/24

    Prism Tower, Lumiose City, April 1st, 2024

    Red grunted as his back collided against metal railing, the various implants and drugs in his system working to numb the pain and fatigue his body felt compelled to drown him in.

    No matter, it wouldn¡¯t stop him even if he felt it, broken bones and all. As long as Red could breath - with the rasp of a singular mechanical lung - he would remain standing.

    He didn¡¯t do anything else at this point.

    The Storm raged around him, flashes of white lightning and fire licking against his skin.

    Red didn¡¯t care - he could always add a new layer of synthetic skin - instead rolling out of the way of another barrage of fire.

    In the corner of his vision, darting between pillars on rusted metal, Pikachu spiralled in a mad arch of blinding lightning and trailing blood.

    The sight managed to pierce the cold, dead remains of Red¡¯s heart, but in his mind, he knew with a cold, calculating assuredness that Pikachu could live with the bloodloss.

    Pikachu had survived much worse, after all.

    It was what made him the last one left.

    Red could almost laugh - Madly, Madly - mirroring the jubilant - decaying - rasps of his most-hated enemy.

    The Chariot - nothing more than the shell of a man - stood before him, lumbering across the other end of the tower on legs of creaking metal. The only parts of the man that was left were his head and torso, and even those were blackened and charred.

    The Chariot - eyes a dead grey, having lost their blazing darkness, their shadowed crimson trails years ago - laughed once more, which seemed to be the only thing the man could do anymore. Red hadn¡¯t heard the man speak in over a decade, despite their constant battles, and part of him - a small, festering part of him - almost missed the man¡¯s voice.

    It was lonely being alone in his thoughts.

    The years had not been kind to either of them, stripping them down to their cores before shattering them, and rebuilding them only to shatter them once more.

    After twenty years of existing within the Storm, Red no longer considered himself as living . After so many years of loss, of destruction, of death¡­ Red no longer felt anything at all.

    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    The Storm shifted.

    And suddenly, he and Pikachu were being pushed back, and the Chariot was marching forward, trailed by a bleeding Typhlosion, who had looked ready to keel over five years ago.

    But none of them did.

    They were the last ones left, after all.

    There was a slice of white fire, and Red recoiled over the edge of the railing, watching as his right hand was severed and fall into the abyss below.

    Red did not scream, for he no longer felt pain.

    The Chariot stood before Red, grey eyes looking down past his respirator.

    Seconds passed, and then a rasped voice - faint with disuse - reaches Red¡¯s ears.

    ¡°there is no escape. don¡¯t make Me destroy You,¡± There was an odd, faraway quality to the man¡¯s voice, ¡°join Me, and We will fight together as equals,¡± The Chariot raised his metal hand into a fist, the Storm behind him beginning to grow, ¡°with Our combined strength, We can end this destructive conflict and bring order to the world.¡±

    Red blinked, and he saw the Storm grow further behind the Chariot, and the Conduit (where had it come from?) began to float down with baleful eyes.

    Red snarled at his enemy, ¡°I¡¯ll never join you!¡±

    ¡°if only You knew the power of the dark side of aura,¡± The Chariot lamented, almost as if Red was a child - he had lived within the Storm for over half his lifetime - ¡°Samuel Oak never told you what happened to your father¡­¡±

    Red gaped, clutching Pikachu¡¯s bloodied form to his side with his left arm, ¡°What does that have to do with anything?! I never knew my father!¡±

    ¡°no, ¡± The Chariot¡¯s gaze fixed upon Red¡¯s, ¡°I am your father.¡±

    Red¡¯s eyes widened, and his grip upon the railing began to slip, ¡°No¡­¡± His hand slackened, ¡°No¡­ That¡¯s impossible!¡±

    And Red¡¯s hand slipped, and he and Pikachu began to fall down and down and down and down and down and down and down and-

    ¡­

    Athlete¡¯s Village Inn, Silver Town, December 14th, 1997

    Red jolted awake, sitting up on his bed in a sweat.

    Pichu - not Pikachu - growled at the sudden movement, lazily opening an eye to glare at Red before falling back asleep.

    Vee, meanwhile, was entirely dead to the world, curled up haphazardly against Red in a little ball of fuzz, laying on her back with her paws tucked into her chest.

    Red breathed slowly, closing his eyes as he leaned slowly back onto the bed.

    This. This was why he didn¡¯t like sleep.

    Arceus must¡¯ve found his misery to be the height of comedy, having sent that dream - nightmare - to Red¡¯s mind.

    Nevermind Cressalia or Darkrai, this was too vile to be anything other than the Creator itself.

    Red huffed silently as he stared at the ceiling, knowing that any hope of going back to sleep was dashed.

    Red would manage, in the end. Even if the last day of the semi-finals were coming up, Red had gone days without sleep back in the Storm, so he could manage a single sleepless night.

    Besides, it wasn¡¯t as if any of the competitors had given him a challenge as of yet.

    Extending a hand to pet Vee¡¯s belly - which caused her to coo in her sleep - Red stared at the ceiling, thinking of training and tactics to purge the dream from his memory.

    Go Forth, My Chariot.

    Go Forth, And Conquer.

 Calm Before the Storm

    Unknown Location, December 13th, 1997

    ¡°Do you see the stars in the sky?¡±

    I look with eyes that are no longer mine, and see darkness.

    There are no stars in the sky, not anymore.

    The world is cast in shadow.

    Cast in void.

    ¡°The dark scares me too.¡±

    But even in the void surrounding me, I feel no fear.

    For I am a monster amongst monsters.

    For I am a god amongst mortals.

    ¡®a god born in tubes.¡¯

    The void flickers, and for a moment, there is light.

    The light is overwhelming.

    The light is gone.

    I feel nothing along my skin, yet a weight settles in my bones.

    I should not exist.

    ¡°But you do¡­¡±

    I look around for the source of the voice - haunting, familiar, young.

    I cannot find it, feeling it wash off of as water, and the void seems to darken around me.

    A shadow, wreathed in flame, formed into an angel of death.

    Its smile glimmered in the darkness.

    Its eyes bore upon me, glinting with the malevolent light of twin crimson suns.

    And the void around me began to shift.

    And all around me were the sounds of chimes, lodging themselves into my ears, my eyes, my throat, suffocating me.

    And all around me the void began to spiral, drawing in fields of stars that cascaded into blinding supernovas.

    And though I had no mouth - no body - I screamed into the abyss.

    And the abyss screamed back in a blast of chimes - a death knell - as the stars surrounding me began to erupt.

    LET THERE BE LIGHTTTTTTTTTTT

    Mewtwo¡¯s eyes snapped open, and within a second, his vision was cast in a field of hazy blue.

    The chamber rocked around him, the various tubes, wires, and monitors shaking with it.

    Mewtwo remained still, suspended in the air - his metal cocoon - in a mad tangle of copper and tin.

    The chamber rocked again, the truck carrying it driving on a mountain pass.

    Giovanni hade made preparations for Mewtwo¡¯s transport over the past month, which Mewtwo found laughable.

    Mewtwo had insisted that he could arrive at their destination on his own, yet Giovanni insisted upon this banal method of transportation, citing the need for subtlety as his reason.

    Mewtwo didn¡¯t care for such pitiful things - he was the strongest pokemon in the world - but eventually relented. Besides, once Mewtwo gained enough control over his power, he could simply snap the man¡¯s neck for his insolence.

    Mewtwo was a patient god, after all.

    For his journey, Giovanni had seen fit to provide Mewtwo with a live feed of the ¡®Conference¡¯ he was travelling to, along with recordings of battles waged by various individuals that would be present there.

    Mewtwo had protested - surely no measly human could prove a threat to his might - but Giovanni was not swayed. Unfortunately, anything less than totalling the truck he was in would be able to turn off the monitors - reinforced as they were - and it simply wasn¡¯t worth the hassle.

    Giovanni thought he had cowed the god, made him pliable underneath a metal prison.

    Mewtwo would prove the man wrong.

    Just not today.

    Yet, for all that it annoyed him, Mewtwo found a grim amusement in watching the recorded battles displayed on the screens surrounding him.

    It was pathetic, watching the flashing lights, screaming voices, and exaggerated moves performed by the ¡® best ¡¯ trainers of the region. He watched as Gym Leaders - the supposed masters of combat - speak so much yet do so little.

    He watched as Whitney Akane flattened a challenger with her Miltank.

    A mere flick of the wrist, and both the pokemon and its master would fall, their necks twisted a full 360 degrees.

    He watched as Morty Matsuba command a duo of Gengar to feast upon their opponents¡¯ dreams.

    A mere glance in his direction, and the man would succumb to a nightmare inescapable.

    He watched as Jasmine Aciera endured against an opponent¡¯s onslaught, before redirecting their wrath back to them.

    A mere tilt of the head, and her legion would crumble into ash and dust.

    He watched as Falkner Hayato overwhelmed his opponent with aerial superiority.

    A mere errant twitch, and the birds¡¯ wings would shatter, and they would drop like stones.

    He watched as Clair Blackthorne direct her dragons to scorch the earth.

    A mere hum, and the beasts would be crushed into the ground, gravity pressing bone into liquid ichor.

    He watched as Blaine Katsura roared alongside his pokemon, casting forth plumes of flame.

    A mere passing thought, and the man¡¯s skin would ignite, leaving nothing more than a charred carcass.

    It was all terribly trivial, so much so that even the mere thought of killing them all bored Mewtwo.

    They brought him no joy, no satisfaction.

    No purpose.

    Mewtwo drew his eyes away from the screen in disgust, turning them to a ball that lay on the ground.

    It was a ball of skin.

    Human skin, to be precise; pulled and twisted together from the corpses of those nameless grunts that the god had killed throughout his first few weeks of living.

    If it could even be called ¡®living¡¯.

    Mewtwo found an odd sort of interest in the flesh, in the lipids, proteins, and carbohydrates within, the chemical bonds of hydrogen, oxygen, and carbon.

    The building blocks of life.

    The same blocks that crafted him.

    ¡®a god born in tubes.¡¯

    There were still follicles of hair dotting the mass, yet Mewtwo felt no need to remove them. Hair was a foreign idea to Mewtwo, being hairless himself.

    Mew was said to have the softest little hairs in the world.

    Mewtwo was born with none.

    Freak.

    Clone.

    Monster.

    Mewtwo twitched his finger, pulling apart the lingering proteins within the skin, breaking molecules into atoms before splitting atoms to rearrange quarks into other elements, destabilising errant electrons until they went cold, buzzing into the aether, and taking the new elements, funnelling the excess radiation into a pocket which was then encased in a microscopic case of lead, before splitting the new elements apart to create a gram of cyanide.

    He wondered¡­

    Mewtwo flicked a finger, and the small ball of liquid hovered before him. Mewtwo eyed it for a moment before commanding the ball of cyanide against his skin, seeping into it and spreading within his bones.

    This amount of cyanide was enough to kill 50 men.

    Mewtwo hummed a low tune to itself, and waited, and waited, and waited¡­

    Mewtwo felt nothing.

    Mewtwo closed his eyes, reaching out to find the poison coalescing into one of his seven lungs. Though he could breath perfectly fine without that lung - or any of them - he felt no need for it, so he purged the poison, breaking it down into quarks, and breathing the ensuing radiation out of his nostrils.

    So much for cyanide being the thing to kill him.

    Mewtwo flicked the ball of skin away, becoming bored of it. His attention turned back to the last of those ¡® masters ¡¯ that Giovanni had warned him oh so much about.

    Mewtwo didn¡¯t see any difference between them and the others. Giovanni had stated Lance and Pryce as being Champion-level trainers, yet that meant nothing to the latent god.

    They would fall before his might like all the others, their underlings with them.

    Mewtwo was sure of it.

    Mewtwo would rise against their might, casting them into oblivion, forcing them to kneel before him and declare him as God.

    For what else could he be?

    Mewtwo knew of no other purpose that suited him - he was the strongest pokemon in the world - and he would grasp it, no matter what.

    No matter the part of his mind that asked if that was what he truly wanted.

    Because there was none that could stand against him. None of the elite trainers Giovanni was so wary of, and none of those pathetic worms on the live feed before him.

    Truly, they were the pinnacles of weakness, fighting with creatures as weak as Pichu and Charmander.

    Mewtwo¡¯s eyes flickered once more to the leftmost screen, showing a man in an orange three-piece suit commanding a Rhydon to victory.

    Giovanni was weak; Giovanni was human.

    Humanity was weak, yet their pride made them believe themselves gods.

    ¡®We dreamed of creating the World¡¯s Strongest Pokemon.¡¯

    ¡®And We Succeeded.¡¯

    Giovanni¡¯s usefulness was nearing its end; the lessons taught by the man useful, but learned.

    The man would fall with all the rest.

    It was almost amusing, in a cruel, dark way that sent shivers up the god¡¯s spine, how the man¡¯s pride would prove to be his mortal folly.

    To think that the man believes he can control a god.

    Yes, the man had taught Mewtwo much in a short time, but Mewtwo was never one to retain a tumour.

    And that was what the man was.

    A tumour.

    For it was man¡¯s hubris to believe that they could command a god.

    It was man¡¯s hubris to believe that they could create one.

    And above every other lesson Mewtwo had learned from humankind, it was how to avoid their most fatal flaw.

    Pride.

    For he was a god, and with a power such as his, nothing could hope to compare.

    For he was a monster amongst monsters.

    A god amongst mortals.

    And in his quest for power - for domination - for purpose¡­

    None would stop him.

    None.

    ¡­

    Training Salle, Athlete¡¯s Village, Silver Town, December 15th, 1997

    ¡°Stop.¡±

    Red¡¯s voice was firm, and a moment later, Charmander dislodged his jaw out of Feraligatr¡¯s tail, prompting a slightly pained snarl from the beast as crackles of residual electricity dissipated into the air.

    Red brought a hand to his chin, thinking to himself as Charmander puffed a haughty set of blue flames into Feraligatr¡¯s face. The crocodile seemed to be restraining itself from lurching forward to attack the smaller lizard, with Salvare¡¯s face going tight on the other end of their fledgeling bond.

    Red tilted his head up, silently commanding Salvare¡¯s attention, ¡°What went wrong in that battle?¡±

    Salvare looked away in thought for a moment, reaching up to pat Feraligatr¡¯s side, before turning back to Red, ¡°We focused too much on strength, sacrificing dexterity for it. It allowed your Charmander to outmanoeuvre us in close-quarters combat.¡±

    Red nodded, ¡°Good,¡± He walked closer, examining Charmander¡¯s scales - which only bore surface-level wounds - ¡°Now¡­ what did I do wrong in this encounter?¡±

    Salvare blinked before quickly going back into thought, ¡°...You were too reckless?¡± Salvare paused for a moment before straightening, ¡°You went for physical attacks too early, where you could have whittled down Feraligatr from afar.¡±

    Red nodded once more, a small, hidden smile forming behind his hand, ¡°Good observation, and partially true,¡± Red watched as Salvare¡¯s lips twitched in satisfaction, ¡°You¡¯re right that, should this had been a normal battle, I should have started off by keeping my distance,¡± - Though, Charmander was currently training for physical combat, which was why they went close-quarters - ¡°Another mistake I made was when you made the Aqua Armour . The water coating Feraligatr would have allowed Charmander¡¯s Thunder Fang to do far more damage, but I forgot to use it until after the armour dissipated,¡± Red paused before adding, ¡°I liked the original move, by the way.¡±

    Salvare glowed at Red¡¯s praise, which was largely genuine. He did forget to take advantage of Feraligatr¡¯s temporary weakness to electricity, mainly because it was his first time seeing Salvare¡¯s Aqua Armour in action, and Red had a brief surge of pride that distracted him.

    He would have to remain vigilant in the future, though.

    He couldn¡¯t start slipping now.

    Red crossed his arms, turning his attention back to Salvare, ¡°How¡¯s your bond with Feraligatr holding up?¡±

    Salvare blinked, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s¡­¡± Salvare paused, gathering his thoughts at the sudden question, ¡°It¡¯s going well, I suppose?¡± Salvare shrugged, ¡°It doesn¡¯t feel all that different to how we usually fight, so¡­¡±

    Red raised an eyebrow - it sounded like Salvare and Feraigatr had always fought while bonded, and didn¡¯t even realise it - but responded in a calm manner, ¡°We can try figuring that out later on. Right now,¡± Red began to walk back to his side of the arena, Charmander following behind him, ¡°I want to see this battle play out. Keep in mind our mistakes.¡±

    Salvare nodded, ¡°Alright,¡± before sidling up to Feraligatr to whisper out a new plan of attack.

    Red kneeled down to the do the same with Charmander, who peered up at him with narrowed, triangular eyes, ¡°You did well last match, given that we limited ourselves to physical moves. This time, I want to try something else,¡± Red sidled to cover Charmander from Salvare¡¯s view, ¡°Can you do a small Dragon Breath ?¡±

    Charmander eyed Red in mild confusion for a moment before puffing out a small ember of sparkling draconic energy, flickering with small blue flames that felt both hot and cold.

    Red nodded to himself, mind churning in thought, ¡°...Alright. Here¡¯s what I want you to do¡­¡±

    Charmander¡¯s eyes narrowed as Red began to explain his idea, though it was more in interest than outright doubt. After his idea, Red locked eyes with the small dragon - his triangular eyes glinting an almost-red amber - before rising onto his feet at Charmander¡¯s nod.

    Red turned back to Salvare, who also finished discussing whatever plan he had with Feraligatr, ¡°Are you ready?¡±

    At Salvare¡¯s affirmation, Red raised his voice, ¡°Basic rules of engagement. The battle ends upon a pokemon fainting or remaining subdued for more than five seconds. Begin.¡±

    ¡° Aqua Jet! ¡± Salvare yelled out immediately, starting off with what Red considered his signature move.

    Although, since Feraligatr evolved, they had been unable to achieve the same feats of flight that Croconaw was capable of - not for lack of trying .

    This was not to say the move was any less effective though, because Feraligatr was fast.

    All the same, Red remained calm, staying silent as Charmander defended against the attack with a Protect , before rolling away with a Fire Spin .

    While the move itself was offensive in nature, it could be used as a defensive shield in a pinch.

    As Feraligatr began to shoot forward in another Aqua Jet , this time priming up an Aqua Tail alongside it, Charmander flattened onto all fours, scuttling underneath Feraligatr as it shot over him.

    Frogadier¡¯s exercises in dexterity seemed to be helping Charmander.

    Red opened his mouth for the first time in the match, ¡° Scary Face! ¡±

    Charmander obeyed without question, pulling his face into a monstrous snarl just as Feraligatr turned to growl at the smaller beast.

    Red prepared for another attempt at an Aqua Jet , only for Salvare to yell out, ¡° Mud Sport! ¡±

    It seemed Salvare was preparing for Thunder Fang.

    Red didn¡¯t allow himself to linger for long, ¡° Hone Claws. Keep your distance,¡± Charmander seemed somewhat disgruntled at having to keep away from his opponent, ¡°Remember the plan.¡±

    Salvare paused to eye Red for a moment before yelling out with a triumphant gleam in his eye, ¡° Aqua Armour , then use Earthquake! ¡±

    Red raised an eyebrow - Salvare taught Feraligatr Earthquake? - but didn¡¯t grow any more worried, ¡°Do it.¡±

    Just as Feraligatr began to slam its feet onto the ground - causing an admittedly impressive Earthquake - Charmander leaped upwards with a Flame Charge , vaulting over Feraligatr before grappling onto its tail.

    Now for the fun to begin.

    In a mimickry of their battle minutes ago, Feraligatr began to shake its tail in an attempt to get Charmander off - which wasn¡¯t aided by it having to balance on shaking ground. Meanwhile, Charmander latched onto it with a determined Bite , infusing draconic energy into his claws to tear at Feraligatr¡¯s tail.

    Before long, Feraligatr figured out how to fling Charmander away with Aqua Tail , Shooting forth a Water Pulse to intercept Charmander in the air.

    Deciding to take a page out of Salvare¡¯s book - which he felt no remorse for - Red spoke out in a calm tone, ¡° Flame Charge away. Stick to the plan.¡±

    Red allowed himself a small amount of satisfaction at Salvare¡¯s wide-eyed surprise upon seeing Charmander spiral through the air as a flaming dart. Though it was inspired by Croconaw¡¯s previous use of Aqua Jet , Charmander lacked the skill and grace that the crocodile had acquired after months perfecting the move.

    Still, given that it had only been upwards of three days since Red and Charmander first started using the move, the dragon retained a remarkable amount of control while careening through the air.

    Red believed that Charmander took to the move so well due to his decade¡¯s worth of experience in flying.

    Salvare came back to his senses after a few moments of the flying lizard, sharply yelling out, ¡° Ice Beam! Use it on the armour!¡±

    Red silently commended Salvare for the creative application of moves, but it wouldn¡¯t be enough. In all honesty, Red was largely holding himself back to allow time for Red to see Salvare¡¯s improvements.

    Red decided that he had seen enough, and raised his voice, ¡°Go in for the kill, Charmander.¡±

    The ball of flame surrounding Charmander dissipated, allowing the lizard to land on the torn battlefield. He locked eyes with Red for a moment - pulsating in Madness - before turning a gleeful snarl towards Feraligatr.

    Salvare eyed Red in suspicion for a moment before deciding to take the plunge, ¡° Aqua Jet! Take him out!¡±

    Feraligatr¡¯s teeth barred as it summoned jets of water from its hands and feet, propelling it forward for it to grab the small lizard in a chokehold.

    Charmander did not resist.

    Red waited until Feraligatr opened its jaw, preparing for a point-blank Water Pulse , before shouting out, ¡°NOW!¡±

    On command, Charmander opened his mouth, blasting a monstrous Dragon Pulse straight into Feraligatr¡¯s mouth, causing the beast to stumble back in pain.

    Charmander wriggled out of the crocodile¡¯s grip, bursting forth another rippling Dragon Pulse against Feraligatr¡¯s stomach, shattering the frozen armour lining its scales.

    As Feraligatr recovered from two back-to-back Dragon Pulses - which were the result of Charmander holding them in for the past several minutes, as Red planned - Charmander began to beat his fists against his chest, eyes narrowing into glowing slits as the Belly Drum took effect.

    By this point, Red took a step back, allowing Charmander to fight on his own.

    He had allowed time for Salvare to demonstrate his improvements.

    Now it was time for Charmander to do the same.

    Just as Feraligatr reoriented itself, Charmander slammed a Thunder Punch into its stomach, causing the beast to stumble back. However, the Mud Sport from earlier dampened the worst of the damage, doing more to anger the crocodile than truly harm it.

    Of course, Red could see in Charmander¡¯s eyes that the dragon didn¡¯t care one bit.

    Feraligatr retaliated with a surprisingly quick Slash , nicking the edge of Charmander¡¯s scales. The smaller beast didn¡¯t seem to feel it, though, instead growling lowly to himself as he sidestepped another Slash , before clocking his opponent across the jaw with another Thunder Punch .

    Feraligatr moved with the impact, spinning around with an Aqua Tail , forcing Charmander to jump, blasting back a compact Ember to dissipate the crocodile¡¯s subsequent Water Gun into steam.

    The concussive force of the blast knocked Charmander back, skidding across the battlefield on all fours. Less than a second later, Feraligatr burst through the cloud of steam, eyes crazed as it slammed against the dragon with Aqua Jet.

    Red gazed calmly as Charmander Endured the hit, planting his feet on the ground, before then using the momentum to grip the crocodile, vaulting it over his head in a heavy Seismic Toss .

    The Feraligatr was dazed for a moment, but was quickly recovering. Red took the moment to glance at Salvare, noting his protege¡¯s hopeful look quickly falling, before looking back to find Charmander on top of the fallen crocodile, jaw lodged against Feraligatr¡¯s throat, small sparks of electricity crackling into the air.

    No-one moved¡­ and five seconds passed, signalling Red and Charmander as the victors.

    Red called the match, prompting Charmander to detach his jaw from Feraligatr¡¯s neck, drawing out a small trail of blood.

    Instead of being cowed by the sight - like most other pokemon would - Feraligatr seemed to find the wound as a challenge, growling lowly at the smug Charmander as it lumbered onto its feet, supported by Salvare.

    Red walked across the arena, glancing for a moment at Charmander¡¯s wounds - none of which were major - before opening his mouth to address his protege.

    He was cut off on his first syllable, though, as Karen reached Salvare before him, apparently having been watching the battle, ¡°That was great , Salvare!¡±

    Salvare blinked in mild astonishment, but quickly grimaced, giving an uncertain hand gesture towards Feraligatr, ¡°I mean- Feraligatr did just fine. I just didn¡¯t do quite so well with my strategy.¡±

    Karen¡¯s smile tugged a bit downwards, though she kept it largely in place as she crossed her arms, ¡°You¡¯re fighting against Red , kid. Your strategy was fine.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s not entirely wrong,¡± Red butted in, turning Salvare¡¯s eyes to him, ¡°You and Feraligatr did very well, all things considered. I¡¯m also rather impressed with your improvements in using creative applications for your moves.¡±

    Salvare¡¯s lips twitched upwards before he sighed, ¡°Thanks, Red. And you too, Karen,¡± He flicked his eyes to her before narrowing them at Charmander, who glared back from behind Red¡¯s leg, ¡°It¡¯s still kinda sad that I still haven¡¯t beaten you once .¡±

    Red¡¯s face grew pinched, though he tried to shrug the uncomfortable feeling away, ¡°My pokemon and I have been fighting for years,¡± He crossed his arms, directing a hard look at his protege, ¡°Right now, my focus is on helping you improve, and I say you have , by a lot .¡±

    Salvare¡¯s face lit up slowly as Red¡¯s words set in, his mouth widening into a small, but genuine smile, ¡°Well¡­ It¡¯s only because I have such a good teacher.¡±

    In that moment, Red thanked the fledgeling level of control he had attained over his expressions from Herren¡¯s training, because that felt genuinely touching.

    Arceus above, he cared for Salvare¡¯s opinion of him.

    Red was able to reply after a few moments, ¡°A teacher can only give as much as a student wishes to learn,¡± He smirked down at Salvare, ¡°Let¡¯s just call it a mutual victory.¡±

    ¡°Alright, we get it! You¡¯re both great,¡± Karen tugged on Salvare¡¯s sleeve, eyes going wide in a - failed - attempt at innocence, ¡°Can I see Absol again?¡±

    Salvare rolled his eyes in tandem with Red - though only Karen noticed - unclipping a greatball from his belt, ¡°You act like she¡¯s your pokemon.¡±

    Red silently retreated as Karen began to hem and haw over the Absol - saying something about the unfairness of the universe for not giving her one - beckoning Charmander off to the side to speak with the small dragon.

    Though, despite still being relatively small compared to Red¡¯s height, Charmander had grown a few inches over the past couple of weeks, with some of his scales darkening to an almost-black colour.

    Red wasn¡¯t entirely certain what these changes meant, though he - and the others - hoped that it was a sign of upcoming evolution.

    He almost wished that he could ask Clair about it, given her expansive knowledge on all things dragon. She had been an invaluable source for Charmander¡¯s new(ish) form, when she wasn¡¯t stumbling over herself for no discernable reason.

    Bringing himself back to the present, Red crouched down next to Charmander to recheck his injuries. Upon seeing nothing that required a potion, Red took out some basic medical supplies, and began to patch up Charmander as he spoke, ¡°You did well out there.¡±

    Charmander puffed out a small cloud of smoke, tilting his head up as if to ask ¡®was it ever in doubt?¡¯

    Red smiled softly to himself at that response, ¡°It wasn¡¯t in doubt, but it had to be said,¡± Red tilted his head in thought, ¡°The Dragon Pulses worked better than I expected.¡±

    Charmander only managed to look smugger, prompting a small chuckle from Red, ¡°I¡¯m not complaining, especially after months of only using Ember .¡±

    Red¡¯s laughter only grew as Charmander grumbled, disgruntled at having the majority of his firepower snuffed out, ¡°Hey, it¡¯s not all bad,¡± Red smile twisted into something sardonic, ¡°If nothing else, it helps with accuracy. And if it stays that way¡­¡± Red¡¯s expression nearly falls, but he keeps his smile - for Charmander¡¯s sake - ¡°We¡¯ll make do. We always do. ¡±

    Charmander met Red¡¯s eyes for several moments - blazing in triangular slits - before breaking them off, staring aimlessly past Red before locking onto something with an intense glare.

    Having kept a mental picture of the salle and its users in his mind, Red knew who was in the direction of Charmander¡¯s glare, and sighed, ¡°I know, Charmander. I know.¡±

    Though Red didn¡¯t turn back to see what - or rather, who - Charmander was glaring at, he could picture him in his mind.

    Paul Shinji.

    Red had been¡­ lucky thus far, having kept away from anyone he knew well as Ash.

    Oh, sure, he interacted with the Gym Leaders, Professor Elm, and Lance, all of whom he had known as Ash, but none of them had ever been anything more than passing acquaintances.

    Paul was different. While they had only been acquaintances - at best - before the Storm, afterwards¡­

    Paul had been the one to convince Cynthia to allow Ash to create the gravesite for the first of their fallen friends.

    Not even three months later, and Ash had buried them both, as honourable allies.

    As trusted friends.

    The early days of the Storm had been, perhaps, the most trying. The world had been crumbling rapidly, both literally and spiritually, with every day seemingly marking the fall of another region, another fighter, another legendary.

    It had forced them to survive together, locking away any previous grievances or drama because that would simply get them killed.

    It didn¡¯t save them in the end¡­

    But it was terribly beautiful while it lasted, that sense of comradery in the face of oblivion.

    Yet, when Red glanced at the Paul of today, he didn¡¯t - couldn¡¯t - see the same man he had relied upon and who had relied upon him.

    He saw a thirteen-year old child with dreams of grandeur.

    It was¡­ enlightening , to see the differences between the child-Paul and the Paul who had been his friend.

    It was Maddening.

    Of course, Charmander didn¡¯t quite seem to think of it in the same way, a low growl erupting from his throat.

    Red crossed his arms, sending a severe glare down at the dragon, ¡°No attacking the child, Charmander. You¡¯re better than that.¡±

    Charmander cast his glare up at Red before turning away with an aggravated huff.

    Red sighed to himself. While any grievances he may have once had with Paul no longer bothered him, Charmander was far more capable at holding a grudge than Red ever was. And considering how close Charizard and Infernape had been¡­

    It wasn¡¯t that much of a surprise that Charmander still retained a lingering distaste for the boy.

    Which was typical . Infernape had stopped being bothered with Paul¡¯s presence, usually choosing to calmly move away whenever the man was near. Charizard, meanwhile, had taken it upon himself to hold resentment against Paul.

    This usually came in the form of intimidating the man away whenever he came near.

    Admittedly, it worked out rather well, given that no-one in their right mind would cross a towering, fire-breathing dragon.

    Red patted Charmander on the head, ¡°You know, time-wise, he hasn¡¯t even caught Chimchar yet.¡±

    Charmander froze before casting a pleading look at Red, eyes blown wide in some terrible mixture of astonishment and excitement.

    He thought that they could find Chimchar before Paul, and bring him into the fold once again.

    He could have his brother back, after years of mourning his death¡­

    And Red understood¡­ both in Charmander¡¯s plea and in its appeal.

    But he couldn¡¯t allow it.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, buddy,¡± Red didn¡¯t try to smile, locking eyes with the small dragon, ¡°You know how cruel that would be¡­¡± He pressed Charmander against him in a rough hug - hidden away in an alcove at the salle - as the dragon let out a small mewl, ¡°We¡¯d only doom him to the same fate as last time¡­ And we¡¯re here to prevent that, for all of them.¡±

    Red¡¯s eyes stared out to the salle, watching the various people training and talking and laughing.

    He watched as Paul trained with his pokemon, bearing an innocent look on his face that was gone by the time Ash had met him.

    He watched as Karen fawn over Salvare¡¯s Absol, the shadows of her aura sizzling in a happiness that clashed with her fury just months prior.

    He watched as Salvare walked among his pokemon, speaking to each of them with an liveliness to his steps that had been nonexistent in Judgement.

    Red watched, reminding himself once more just why he kept on going, kept on living , even when he had been ready for it to end atop Mount Silver.

    Red¡¯s eyes glimmered crimson, and a hushed whisper - a hushed reminder - left his lips.

    ¡°For all of them.¡±

    ¡­

    Athlete¡¯s Village Inn, Silver Town

    ¡°Anything interesting?¡±

    Red grunted at Karen¡¯s question, scrolling down the Battlenet page showing the various posts and discussions about one ¡®Red Satoshi¡¯.

    It was vaguely amusing, seeing the arguments and theories the random people on the pokenet had over him.

    It was vaguely disconcerting, knowing that the same was likely being done by the leaders of Team Source.

    Karen hummed from behind Red, leaning forward to gaze at a particular thread centred around Pichu, and people¡¯s astonishment at his partner¡¯s abilities.

    Red kept his silence, as did Karen, both of them sitting side by side as he slowly scrolled down the various discussions over his pokemon, appearance, origins, sexual appeal (to which Red rolled his eyes), etc.

    Red¡¯s hair rustled as Pichu moved in his sleep, curled up on the top of Red¡¯s head. In the edge of his vision, Red glimpsed a small, fleeting smile from Karen, before it slowly dwindled away.

    She didn¡¯t frown, or scowl - like she used to whenever they were next to each other - instead watching Red in the corner of her eye, assessing him for something he did not know.

    But he did suspect.

    ¡°You have a question - or questions - for me,¡± Red stated, still facing the computer screen.

    He felt, rather than saw, Karen slump back, ¡°Was it that obvious?¡±

    Red grunted, rubbing his eyes of crust - he hadn¡¯t been sleeping very well - and replied in a slightly gravelly voice, ¡°You¡¯ve never been very subtle.¡±

    ¡°Wow, rude,¡± Karen deadpanned, though her voice seemed more tired than genuinely angered. She remained silent for several seconds before breathing out in a low tone, ¡°Salvare¡¯s started writing a journal.¡±

    Red paused, turning his head to eye Karen for a moment before nodding to himself, ¡°That¡¯s¡­ good? I like journals.¡±

    He had written plenty himself during the Storm, to keep him sane.

    Of course, most of them had been lost in one battle or another¡­

    Karen seemed to find his admittedly unsure response amusing, snorting softly to herself, ¡°Of course you do,¡± She eyes him for a moment, a small, sly smile gracing her lips, ¡°Don¡¯t suppose you have one of your own?¡±

    ¡°I had several,¡± Red replied without thinking, pausing for a moment as his words registered in his mind, before reasoning to himself that it meant little, ¡°They¡¯ve been destroyed, though.¡±

    Karen raised an interested eyebrow, though she quickly schooled her features, responding in a smooth tone, ¡°Another casualty of your war?¡±

    The words came out so naturally that Red nearly responded without thinking. It was only when he opened his mouth that they registered in his mind, causing his mouth to clamp shut.

    He kept his eyes focused but unseeing on the computer screen, forcing away the thought of what Karen¡¯s face looked like at his reaction, whether it showed satisfaction or guilt.

    He breathed in slowly, banking the fires of his aura - it was becoming far easier to manage, but still turbulent - ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±

    He heard Karen lean back into her chair, ¡°...Back in Azalea, you mentioned a war¡­¡± Her tone softened, though remained steady, ¡°I want to know what you meant by that.¡±

    Red clenched his fist - out of Karen¡¯s sight; he didn¡¯t intend on harming her - and breathed out, ¡°It¡¯s complicated.¡±

    He expected Karen to snap at that non-answer - like she would have in the past - allowing Red to escape further questions in the wake of her anger. Yet, all he heard was a mildly aggravated sigh, ¡°Then make it simple .¡±

    Red closed his eyes, and cursed his past self for having mentioned such a thing in the first place, and opened them - a flicker of crimson drowned out by the screen¡¯s light - ¡°I fought. I lost¡­ That is all.¡±

    Red still faced away from Karen, hearing her suck in a breath, before breathing out, ¡°That tells me next to nothing, Red,¡± Karen pauses for a moment, then her voice becomes sharp, ¡°And what do you mean lost ? You¡¯re still alive.¡±

    Red huffed, not finding it in himself to feel anything other than grim humour at that statement, ¡°There¡¯s plenty other definitions of losing a war,¡± Red turned to regard Karen - who was frowning - staring at her with tired eyes, ¡°Losing one¡¯s life is among the most merciful.¡±

    Karen gazed at Red for several moments, silently attempting to pick him apart in ways he knew wouldn¡¯t work, before stating, ¡°You lost others¡­ Friends, family¡­¡± An unknown emotion settled within her eyes, though she rapidly blinked it away, ¡°That¡¯s why you were scared¡­ Scared of us sticking with you.¡±

    Red fought off a scowl, tapping an agitated finger on the adjacent table, ¡°Your point?¡±

    Karen didn¡¯t acknowledge Red¡¯s annoyed tone, instead steepling her fingers with a poised calm, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about losing us, Red,¡± - Her eyes are earnest, and it scares him - ¡°We¡¯re strong. We can keep ourselves alive.¡±

    Red¡¯s lips twitched, forming into a joyless smile - Paul and the others were strong, but only he could ever compare to the Chariot . Still, a small part of Red - buried under years of grief and cold practicality - shined a weak light at her words.

    He didn¡¯t deserve their friendship.

    Red sighed, rubbing his eyes, ¡°While I do appreciate your¡­ confidence. You don¡¯t need to worry yourselves,¡± He dropped his hand, his eyes losing their minute glow, ¡°I have it handled.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Karen drawled, disbelief evident in her tone, ¡°Because your chipper attitude screams ¡®having it handled¡¯.¡±

    ¡°Allow me to deal with my own demons, Karen,¡± Red stated, turning his head away, ¡°And I¡¯ll let you deal with yours.¡±

    Karen huffed, crossing her arms with a mock sneer, ¡°Highly presumptuous of you to say I have demons, Red.¡±

    Red raised a single brow at her, silently conveying his disbelief at the statement. After a moment, Karen uncrossed her arms with a muttered, ¡°Jackass.¡±

    Red tapped a single finger, and in the same tone as her, impulsively responded, ¡°Bitch.¡±

    Red¡¯s eyes widened as he said it - said it without thinking you utter numbskull! - only to widen them further as Karen coughed, grasping the table to keep herself from keeling over.

    Red closed his eyes, silently berating himself for burning any possibility of them having a cordial relationship, when he heard Karen¡¯s coughs turn into gasping laughter.

    She found it funny¡­

    Red opened his eyes to stare at her, bewildered as she gasped out, ¡°Holy shit, Red! Warn a lady before you say that!¡±

    Stolen novel; please report.

    Red was still experiencing something akin to silent shock, but somehow found it in him to snark back, ¡°Highly presumptuous of you to say you¡¯re a lady -¡±

    Karen slapped his arm, tears gathering in her eyes as her laughs turned into slightly pained hiccups, ¡°Stop, Red! You¡¯re fuckin¡¯ killing me!¡±

    Red raised a slightly concerned eyebrow - it wasn¡¯t that funny; honestly, it wasn¡¯t funny at all - and stopped.

    Once Karen calmed herself down enough to breathe properly, Red straightened, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for-¡±

    ¡° Don¡¯t, ¡± Karen snapped a hand up, her voice suddenly far more serious than before, ¡°Don¡¯t fucking apologise, Red,¡± Karen leaned back, wiping the remaining tears from her eyes, ¡°I¡¯ve called you plenty of bad shit, Red. You¡¯ve earned the right to do the same to me.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t make it right, ¡± Red hissed, though his anger wasn¡¯t directed towards Karen, ¡°I¡¯d rather not call a friend that.¡±

    Karen blinked, eyes becoming strangely wide, ¡°You consider me a friend?¡±

    Red narrowed his eyes at her - was she actually surprised at that? - ¡°Yes? I¡¯d hardly let just anyone invade my personal space like you¡¯re doing now.¡±

    Their chairs were pressed together, after all, resulting in them being very close to one another.

    ¡­Red was surprisingly comfortable with her presence, however aggravating she could be.

    Karen hummed, eyes no longer widened, but still retaining some mixture of surprise and doubt, ¡°You hardly act like it.¡±

    Red rolled his eyes, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, did you want me to proclaim to the world that Karen Mela is my friend?¡± - Ash would have - ¡°Trust me, if you weren¡¯t a friend, I wouldn¡¯t even be entertaining this conversation.¡±

    Karen still seemed to be processing Red¡¯s ¡®revelation¡¯ - was it that surprising - only to lean forward with a challenging glint in her eye, ¡°Well, if friendship is all about trust , then why don¡¯t you trust me to help you?¡±

    Red snorted - again, hardly subtle - and shot back, a touch more hotly than before, ¡°Why don¡¯t you trust me to deal with it? ¡±

    Karen narrowed her eyes, though remained silent for a few seconds as she leaned back, regarding Red with a lidded stare, ¡°...And how long will that take?¡±

    Red blinked, not having expected the question, nor having any real answer.

    Apparently, his lack of answer shown on his face, as Karen sighed, ¡°How about this¡­¡± Karen seemed to mull over her words, ¡°If, say, in a year¡¯s time, you¡¯re still worrying yourself over this perceived enemy of yours, you let me - us - help you.¡±

    This time, Red couldn¡¯t fight off the scowl, ¡°I fucking wish I could end it within a year.¡±

    ¡°Whatever the case,¡± Karen waved his grumbled words away, though the interest in her eyes told him she filed away his words, ¡°Until that time¡­ I won¡¯t bother you about your problems.¡±

    Red paused in his dark thoughts, turning a mildly bemused eyebrow in her direction, ¡°You¡¯re making a bargain with me?¡±

    ¡°Nah,¡± Karen waved a hand away, ¡°If anything, you¡¯re making a bargain with me. ¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Red drawled, turning his eyes to the distance as he began to mull over Karen¡¯s deal.

    Preferably, Karen - and Salvare - would keep themselves away from Team Source, preventing them from being caught in the crossfire between his war against the organisation. However, knowing them both, he wouldn¡¯t be terribly surprised if they stumbled upon it on their own, whether it by from sticking with Red in Salvare¡¯s case, or by being roped into his agreement with Lance in Karen¡¯s case.

    Red didn¡¯t like it, but the practical option was to agree to Karen¡¯s deal.

    It wasn¡¯t as if Team Source would remain hidden.

    After all, Karen¡¯s deal only said that she would help Red, which said nothing about her learning about his origins.

    He would rather like to keep that to himself for as long as possible.

    So, after a minute¡¯s consideration, Red sighed out, ¡°I accept.¡±

    Karen sat up, ¡°Really?¡±

    At Red¡¯s nod, she slumped back with a relieved sigh, ¡°...Thank you¡­ for your trust, I mean.¡±

    Red turned a lethargic eye to her - he was really tired - and muttered back, ¡°Thank you for yours.¡±

    Karen responded with a small smile, leaning back as she blowed an errant hair from her forehead, ¡°Also, just to let you know, the deal extends to Salvare, if he doesn¡¯t find out first.¡±

    Red almost argued on instinct, before thinking on it for a moment, causing him to give a wary nod, ¡°Fair enough.¡±

    They sat in silence for several minutes, finding a surprising amount of comfort in the other¡¯s company.

    Eventually, Karen grunted out in a tired yawn, ¡°You know, Salvare¡¯s willin¡¯ to follow you to hell and back, no matter how dangerous it may be.¡±

    Red frowned, resting a fist against his cheek, ¡°I rather doubt that.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m serious,¡± Karen replied, her tone becoming more solid as she stared the same direction as Red, ¡°I can see it in his eyes, Red. He adores you.¡±

    ¡°He shouldn¡¯t,¡± Red mumbled, unseeing eyes bearing upon the young corpse of Judgement, ¡°I¡¯ve done terrible things.¡±

    Karen turned her head to regard Red with an uncharacteristically solemn gaze, ¡°And I highly doubt such things were done lightly¡­¡± She sighed, standing up from her seat, ¡°It¡¯s getting late.¡±

    Red checked the clock on the wall, ¡°...Nearly past midnight.¡± He turned back to find Karen standing before him with a severe expression.

    Karen stared down at him, and her eyes softened a touch, ¡°I know you have your own demons, Red. I don¡¯t know what, but I know you have them,¡± She sighed, looking nearly as tired as he always felt, ¡°...I can accept that you want to deal with it yourself. I don¡¯t agree with it, but I can accept it,¡± She paused, pinning Red with a hard stare, ¡°But you have to promise me, Red - both for yourself and Salvare - that you won¡¯t let it consume you.¡±

    Red remained silent for several moments in the face of that question.

    Eventually¡­ two words pass his lips.

    ¡°I promise.¡±

    He does not know whether or not it is a lie.

    And by the look on her face, Karen can see his uncertainty.

    She doesn¡¯t comment on it, instead nodding her head, ¡°Have a good night, Red,¡± She turned, heading off towards her room, ¡°I¡¯ll be rooting for you tomorrow.¡±

    ¡­

    Silver Stadium, Silver Town, December 16th, 1997

    There were far too many people.

    The thought filtered through Red¡¯s mind as he stepped onto his podium, pinching his fingers against his hat to hide his eyes from the world.

    There was far too much noise.

    Red met the edge of the podium, gripping it as he willed the errant noise around the stadium into nothing more than a humming din.

    There was far too much screaming.

    Red had acclimated - or as much as he could - to the level of excitement people found in these events, and how they translated to cheers and screams. He still couldn¡¯t help but inwardly flinch every time he heard it, but he was adjusting¡­

    Still, if it meant the screaming would end sooner, he would rather end this quickly.

    The announcer¡¯s speech washed over him as he directed a single eye - glowing crimson - to his opponent - his first within the Finals.

    The young man - maybe slightly younger than him - stood tall, with a heavy set frame that spoke less of lethargy and more of grit. He smiled confidently - arrogantly - as he waved to the crowd, basking in their support.

    Most challengers he could¡¯ve faced would have found him intimidating - not as a threat to their person, but to their chances in the League.

    Ash would have found him exciting, seeing him as the perfect opportunity to show the growth of both himself and his pokemon, even if only to themselves.

    Red¡­ found him boring. The man was strong, yes, but he was uninspired in battle. In any other year, he would have had a rather solid shot at winning the Conference, but with other trainers like Karen and Salvare - and, hell, even Paul - he would only prove to be an obstacle to be surpassed.

    A rather large obstacle, yes, but nothing more.

    Red wanted to be done with this by the end of the hour.

    ¡°Contestants!¡± Red raised his head at the announcer¡¯s shout - Pichu hopped from his shoulder onto the podium - ¡°The Arena is about to be set!¡±

    Red blinked slowly, then registered that his podium began to rise, overlooking the battlefield as it began to morph into a random arena type.

    The audience¡¯s volume rose in anticipation as the arena shifted between a grassy plain to a volcanic fissure. Bubble of magma rose before cooling into heated rock, split down the middle as an icy river bisected the arena, which had shifted to a facsimile of a frigid summit, specks of dust and ice lining the scant patches of moss that dotted the arena.

    Intellectually, Red could appreciate the technology and showmanship behind the arena. It was rather remarkable how it shifted into different biomes . Still, he couldn¡¯t help but find it lacking.

    After fighting the Conduit at the summit of the Storm, a simple mountain river was tame in comparison.

    Red shook the thought away, raising a single eye as the announcer bellowed, ¡°This match is Round One of the Finals, pitting Red Satoshi against Anthony Sobrana!¡± - Ah, so that was his name? Red hadn¡¯t cared to learn beforehand - ¡°This will be a Full Battle, with no switching being allowed after a pokemon faints!¡± The crowd roared in anticipation, and Red could practically hear the smile in the announcer¡¯s next words, ¡°Let out your pokemon, and the battle will begin at the bell!¡±

    At the announcer¡¯s command, Red locked eyes with Pichu, nodding to one another before Pichu turned and hopped off of the raised podium.

    Red was distantly thankful that the podium wasn¡¯t too high, since he didn¡¯t doubt Pichu would jump off even if it was several stories in the air.

    Red raised a bored eye to their opponent¡¯s pokemon - a small, unassuming Larvitar - though it quickly sharpened at the sound of a chime from above, signalling the start of the match - finally - ¡° Surf! ¡±

    ¡°WHAT!¡± Sobrana¡¯s astonished yell brought Red life . The man quickly recovered though, enough to keep an even head as Pichu dashed into the water, with it beginning to rise in his attack, ¡°Larvitar, Dig away!¡±

    Red smirked - intimidation at its finest - watching as Larvitar scrambled underground, ¡°Stop the Surf , and set the stage.¡±

    Pichu let out a satisfied growl, quickly hopping away from the small wave he had created - which technically counted as a Surf, just a very weak one . Sobrana seemed to realise he had been tricked as Pichu began to run around the battlefield, small spark trailing him as afterimages began to split off, all bearing the same mischievous - devilish - grin.

    Sobrana commanded Larvitar to use Stone Edge underground, sending up spikes of rock against the rapidly multiplying copies of Pichu.

    Red sat it out, idly tapping a finger as Pichu dodged and weaved between shards of stone - almost leisurely.

    It wasn¡¯t so long ago that Pikachu had done the same for multiple Tyranitar at once.

    And unlike Sobrana¡¯s Larvitar, they had been out for blood.

    Red only allowed it to continue, watching as Pichu became faster and more plentiful, combining the use of Double Team and Agility to devastating effect.

    Though, the extent of that was yet to be seen.

    Sobrana¡¯s face flickered in some form of annoyance, having obviously underestimated Pichu¡¯s ability, ¡°Get up and use Sandstorm! ¡±

    Red tilted his head, briefly wondering if Sandstorm would even hinder them.

    Sure, two of Sobrana¡¯s pokemon had Sand Veil, which could be annoying, but the damage it normally does to non-earth-based types¡­

    Honestly, after the Source Storm, a mere Sandstorm was nothing.

    Red¡¯s lips twisted into a cruel smile - his eyes flickered with darkened shades of crimson - ¡°Wait until after it¡¯s done, Pichu, then end it.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t much longer until Larvitar successfully called forth the Sandstorm , at which point Sobrana could do nothing but watch as the various afterimages of Pichu coalesced into one being, before shooting forward in a spiralling Volt Tackle .

    Red watched disinterestedly as Larvitar fainted, possessing too few defences to sustain more than a single powerful strike.

    To be fair, it was just a baby.

    Though, Pichu was technically a baby pokemon too, so, actually, Red felt there was no excuse.

    As Sobrana recalled Larvitar, Red glanced at his watch - eight minutes passed - scrunching his nose at the time wasted.

    With a sigh, Red turned his head back to the arena as Sobrana called out his next pokemon, drawling in a bored tone, ¡° Baton Pass. ¡±

    Much to everyone¡¯s - excepting Red and his friends - surprise, Pichu dissipated into light, being sucked into his pokeball, only to spit back out immediately, biting Red¡¯s wrist with a glare.

    Red would apologise to him later for that, but right now he just wanted to finish up the battle.

    Right now, though, he directed his attention back to the arena, where Frogadier now stood across from a Bronzong.

    Red hummed at Sobrana¡¯s choice - he had likely planned on countering Pichu by manipulating the arena - and tapped a single finger on the podium, ¡° Taunt. ¡±

    That would prevent Sobrana from setting up further.

    Given that the numerous Agilities carried over with Pichu¡¯s Baton Pass - which said rodent was visibly proud of - Frogadier easily outsped the already slow Bronzong, preventing Sobrana¡¯s command of, ¡° Gravity! ¡± from taking effect.

    Red could distantly hear the announcer rapidly jabbering about what he and Sobrana - mainly he - were doing, and ignored it to the best of his ability, instead shifting his body to the side as he opened his bond with Frogadier, ¡° Night Slash. ¡±

    Red would have to find Falkner one of these days and thank the man, because their fight had prepared him for League-battles far more than every other Gym Leader combined.

    Falkner had shown him that brute strength could only take him so far.

    It was a lesson Ash had learned on his journey as a trainer, then had forgotten in the Storm.

    Tricks like Double Team or Baton Pass didn¡¯t work against the Conduit, or the Chariot.

    But in official battles?

    Tricks reigned supreme, as Frogadier surrounded Bronzong¡¯s enraged form as a whirlwind, multiple copies twisting in and out with afterimages of darkened blades that sliced into its metal hull.

    Red couldn¡¯t help but recall their battle against the Conduit, and how they had employed similar - if blunter - tactics then.

    However, whereas the Conduit had been a very real threat¡­

    Bronzong was a footnote in an already won battle, and fell within three minutes of the onslaught, managing only a minor headache on Red in retaliation.

    Given that Red¡¯s chronic migraine was worse, he thought it was a fair trade.

    Sobrana was red-faced by this point - two pokemon down, and Red¡¯s pokemon bore only scuff marks - and threw his next pokeball with a loud yell, ¡°Marowak, Retaliate! ¡±

    Red raised a mildly impressed eyebrow - he was honestly surprised that he taught his pokemon that move - and grit his teeth as he endured the move alongside Frogadier, before Countering with a punch of their own.

    Red straightened as he disengaged the bond, watching as Marowak was slammed back against a boulder, small cracks shattering into its skull-piece.

    Red¡¯s hand throbbed in pain, but he could live with it. Frogadier, meanwhile, was shaking from Marowak¡¯s attack.

    Red tilted his head for a moment, a stray thought filtering into his mind - he was fairly certain Sobrana¡¯s Marowak had Lightning Rod - and spoke in a calm tone, ¡° U-Turn .¡±

    In the back of his mind, Red could register Sobrana¡¯s cry of frustration as Frogadier bopped into Marowak before being recalled as Pichu once more took to the arena.

    Sobrana had the appropriate amount of wariness at Pichu¡¯s arrival, and responded appropriately, ¡° Stomping Tantrum! ¡±

    Red snorted at the desperation, tapping his finger once more on the podium as he commanded, ¡° Thunder Pulse .¡±

    Red reigned his aura in, synchronising it with Pichu¡¯s as they began the move together. Sobrana seemed to find the move itself baffling, given his confused spluttering before commanding, ¡° Sandstorm !¡±

    Really dedicated with that Sandstorm, huh?

    Red didn¡¯t care, because the Thunder Pulses were beginning to have an effect on the Marowak - which would rapidly grow more poignant due to it having Lightning Rod . As the Marowak finished calling forth the storm, the signs of Pichu¡¯s move was starting to show, as sparks fizzled across its body as it tried to move forward.

    Key word: tried.

    It was an interesting difference to see how Thunder Pulse affected Marowak differently than any other opponent Red had faced. Back when they had used it against Jasmine¡¯s Steelix, it had taken a small while for it to actually have an effect. Due to Marowak¡¯s ability, though, it fell far sooner.

    Specifically, Marowak fell around 19 minutes into the match, marking the start of the ten-minute intermission.

    It was rather obvious that the announcer was struck speechless at this record.

    For his own part, Red simply stood, and waited, tapping an impatient finger on the podium. Pichu - who was trotting around the arena as if he owned it - was making a show of yawning at Sobrana.

    Which, admittedly, was unsportsmanlike behaviour.

    But Red could allow it, since he, too, was bored.

    Sobrana himself seemed to be going through the five stages of grief over the course of the ten-minute intermission, staring at the small Pichu as if it defied everything he knew about the universe.

    Knowing Pichu, he would only find pride in that fact.

    Red chanced a glance up at the stands, scanning them for his friends.

    He happened to find Paul first - who was wearing something akin to bewildered awe on his face - before quickly flitting his eyes away.

    He saw Lance next, sitting in the V.I.P. stands next to Clair - whose face was an alarming shade of red . He then met eyes with Falkner for a moment, to which they both stared for several seconds.

    Red waved a tad awkwardly and turned away, finally finding Salvare by his dark red hair. The kid was sitting next to Karen, writing into his newly acquired journal.

    Karen caught his eyes just before he turned away, raising them both in a distinctly unimpressed manner.

    She knew he was toying with Sobrana.

    Red replied with a hollow smirk, causing Karen to visibly huff, crossing her arms as she muttered something that caused Salvare to snort.

    Red shook his head to himself, turning his eyes back to his opponent, who was somewhere in the depression stage of grief, given his slightly harrowed look as he clutched a pokeball.

    Three and a half years ago, and Red - well, Ash really - would¡¯ve gone to comfort the man.

    now, Red saw him as nothing but collateral.

    His pokemon had become stronger, had worked around the limits imposed on them. Red was just using this battle to see how much they had improved, and where they needed to improve further.

    Red snapped his head back to the arena as a bell was rung, signalling the intermission¡¯s end. Pichu quickly hopped away from Sobrana¡¯s side of the arena as he let out a hulking Lairon, who immediately kicked up a cloud of dust to bolster the Sandstorm.

    Did Sobrana truly not realise that it had no effect?

    Red shook his head, unclipping Charmander¡¯s ball from his belt, ¡° Volt Switch. ¡±

    ¡° Protect! ¡± Sobrana¡¯s slightly manic yell brought a mildly amused smirk on Red¡¯s lips, ¡° Double-Edge! ¡±

    ¡° Dig and try again,¡± Red sighed, watching dispassionately as Pichu burrowed into the ground, narrowly avoiding what would have likely been a finishing blow.

    Any potential advantage Sobrana may have gained was quickly lost, however, as Pichu popped out of the ground immediately behind the Lairon, before knocking against it with Volt Switch , doing minimal damage.

    Of course, that wasn¡¯t the point.

    Sobrana seemed to realise what was happening - for a third time - just as Pichu was sucked into his ball, ¡°Ah, c¡¯mon! Not again!¡±

    Red hummed, and ignored Pichu¡¯s annoyed scratches to command the newly emerged Charmander, ¡° Flame Charge to get behind Lairon, then engage.¡±

    After seeing the expression so many times in the past half hour, the astonished gaze Sobrana had upon Charmander¡¯s flight wasn¡¯t particularly noteworthy.

    What was noteworthy was Charmander¡¯s ensuing fight against Lairon.

    Given Lairon¡¯s formidable physical defence, it allowed Charmander a prime opportunity to demonstrate his rising martial prowess.

    While Charmander wasn¡¯t nearly as swift and dexterous as Frogadier, the small dragon more than made up for it in relentless ferocity, beating Lairon down again and again as it tried fruitlessly to fight back.

    Eventually, after a sharp Fire Punch that cracked the metal plating of the Lairon¡¯s head, Charmander hopped away and Belly Drummed , a particularly bloodthirsty gleam appearing in his triangular eyes, before rushing forward with one final Focus Punch , blasting the exhausted Lairon into the ground, causing it to collapse.

    At his victory, Charmander bellowed a short - but oh so harrowing - roar, eyes blazing in triangular slits. He almost began to breath small amounts of fire, but Red curbed it, ¡°Keep in your flame, Charmander. We¡¯ll need it in a moment.¡±

    Despite Charmander¡¯s apparent dissatisfaction, he clamped his mouth shut, banking his inner fire as Sobrana called out his second-to-last pokemon.

    Upon release, Sobrana¡¯s Donphan smashed into the earth, drawing forth the ensuing sandstorm - which still did no damage to Red¡¯s pokemon - and condensing it to a dusty shadow, smothering its form.

    Red smothered a snarling grin - the baring of teeth - at the move.

    What he was about to do next was learned from the Chariot, back when the man - the demon - slayed Hoenn¡¯s Champion.

    ¡°Charmander,¡± Red¡¯s voice was calm - cold - and for a moment, his eyes flickered void, ¡°A singular Ember to the dust-cloud. Don¡¯t hold back. ¡±

    One moment there was a cloud of sand and dust, condensed around the Donphan. The next, there was a flash of blue fire, then a spark, then several. The moment after that¡­

    The light and noise was deafening.

    Let there be light.

    And there was light, as a fiery explosion caught against the cloud of dust, levelling a quarter of the arena as Donphan was blasted back by the concussive force, its hide blackened and singed.

    Red watched on with a blank face.

    It had been a terrible death for Steven¡­

    The Donphan didn¡¯t go down, though, which was commendable. Thankfully, the Sandstorm was now gone, which made it slightly easier to breath.

    Still, the Donphan was weakened - its legs shook as it stood back up - so Red shrugged to himself, ¡° Dragon Breath .¡±

    With its previous damage, along with its vulnerability to energy attacks, Donphan didn¡¯t remain standing for much longer.

    By the 45-minute mark, Donphan fell.

    And Red was bored.

    This was no real challenge. This was no real test of strength or wit.

    He¡¯d struggled alongside his pokemon for the past several months, building them up from their collective fall from grace, redirecting Pichu¡¯s weakness into a core strength, increasing dexterity for Frogadier¡¯s lost strength, reworking Charmander¡¯s entire stratagem to account for his drastic transformation.

    They had all struggled¡­ Yet now, they reigned supreme.

    And it bored him.

    It angered him.

    They were training to fight - to survive - against the likes of the Chariot, against a foe who had retained all of their strength where they had lost all of theirs.

    But Sobrana was nothing compared to the Chariot - nothing but collateral - and it rankled .

    Red knew that he shouldn¡¯t expect any of his opponents to even hold a candle to the man.

    But that didn¡¯t make his victories over them any less satisfying.

    Sobrana was weak , far weaker than Red had hoped for a trainer who had made the Finals.

    Ash would have struggled against the man, possibly even losing should his luck be potent enough.

    Red had been torn him down.

    piece.

    by.

    piece.

    It bored him, so when Sobrana finally shouted, ¡°Go, Scizor!¡± he stepped back, with an expression almost akin to disappointment, and uttered in a dead tone.

    ¡° Charmander, make it quick. ¡±

    And the battle ended two minutes later, as Sobrana¡¯s Scizor - his ace - fell onto its knees, its armour plating singed and melted as Charmander stood over it, bearing nothing but superficial cuts along his scales.

    And within the triangular slits of Charmander¡¯s eyes, the same shade of crimson as Red¡¯s blazed in cold victory.

    ¡­

    ¡°This match is Round Four of the Finals, pitting Paul Shinji against Salvare Razzo!¡±

    Red watched the battle¡¯s opening with steepled fingers, sitting next to Karen in silent, but prevalent, support for their friend.

    The crowd itself, though still loud, wasn¡¯t nearly as deafening as it had seemed during his own match. He had initially found that odd, which had prompted a roll of the eyes from Karen and, surprisingly, Salvare.

    Apparently, he had built something of a massive reputation before, and especially after, that fight.

    Karen had griped sarcastically about hogging the limelight, to which he told her that she could have it.

    For his own part, Salvare almost seemed relieved at the relative lack of attention. From what he could tell, the crowd had found the subsequent matches a step down from his - which he thought was mildly insulting; Karen had performed especially well - and didn¡¯t have much higher expectations for Salvare¡¯s match.

    If Salvare didn¡¯t care about it, though, then neither would Red. After all, Red was more interested in the battle itself than anything the audience had to say about it.

    Red still found himself impressed at how quickly Salvare had improved in the past several months, going from an unremarkable trainer with untapped potential to someone who could contend with the best of the region.

    Red had made a point of seeing a recording of Salvare¡¯s Gym Battle at Goldenrod after Karen left, and had found himself considerably impressed at Salvare¡¯s performance.

    Red almost wondered why the Chariot hadn¡¯t taken Salvare - Judgement - as a protege instead of having him as a mere lackey.

    Almost.

    Because for all of Salvare¡¯s improvements, for all of his leaps in strength¡­ Salvare was a follower .

    ¡®You know, Salvare¡¯s willin¡¯ to follow you to hell and back, no matter how dangerous it may be.¡¯

    Salvare¡¯s improvements, though borne from himself, were spurned by Red, whether purposely or not.

    Salvare improved to match Red, to aid him, but not himself.

    It worried Red how single-minded Salvare had become in this pursuit.

    It made all the more sense how the Chariot could have collected the kid.

    ¡®I lost everything¡­¡¯

    ¡®He was the only one who cared.¡¯

    Red¡¯s nose scrunched at the memory - his eyes flared a dull, painful crimson - as he could hardly imagine the Chariot genuinely caring for anyone or anything.

    The man had sought nothing but destruction.

    His eyes were so empty that Red had occasionally mistaken him for a corpse.

    The only possible way that Red could see Chariot caring for anything was if it was useful .

    They were only collateral, after all.

    Yet, collateral could be useful, could be directed , and the remnants of Team Source were nothing but pliable in the Chariot¡¯s hands during the Storm.

    He had even seen murals of the man scattered at abandoned bases, almost acting as if he was a god.

    And¡­ Red didn¡¯t want that. He didn¡¯t want Salvare to worship him, to act only in Red¡¯s interests.

    Red didn¡¯t want to be like the Chariot and use it.

    Red shook his head, shoving his demons away as he eyed Salvare¡¯s Magneton nail Paul¡¯s Weaville with a Gyro Ball , causing the pokemon to faint.

    Upon Paul recalling the Weaville, a bell was rung, signalling the start of the 10-minute intermission.

    Red blinked, mildly disturbed - he had drifted out for that long - then shifted his eyes to Karen as she snapped her fingers, ¡°You here with me, Red?¡±

    Red blinked once more, resettling himself in his seat, ¡°Yes.¡±

    Karen raised an eyebrow, ¡°...Can you tell me a single thing about the battle we just watched?¡±

    Red winced, feeling considerably like a bastard for not paying attention, and muttered, ¡°I¡¯ll watch the recording tonight.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, you will,¡± Karen stated, her voice hard, before softening her eyes, ¡°Listen, I understand that you might be dealing with¡­¡± She waved an irritated, ¡° stuff in your head. Just try to watch some of it.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Red nodded, casting an eye to the screen showing trainer standings, ¡°...He¡¯s doing well.¡±

    Salvare had two pokemon fainted where Paul had three.

    Karen grunted in affirmation, but as she opened her mouth to speak, she was interrupted by someone who had stepped up behind them, ¡°Excuse me, would you mind if I sat with you?¡±

    Red turned alongside Karen, and employed every ounce of his restraint to keep from swearing.

    Giovanni Sakaki, Leader of Team Rocket, stood behind him.

    Before Red could speak, Karen replied in a suddenly measured voice, ¡°You may, Mr. Sakaki. There¡¯s an open seat right there,¡± She pointed to the seat on Red¡¯s left.

    Salvare¡¯s seat.

    Red almost directed a glare at Karen, but couldn¡¯t as Giovanni gave a polite - fake - laugh, ¡°Please, Ms. Mela, and you Mr. Satoshi, call be Giovanni.¡±

    Red¡¯s eye twitched as Giovanni took Salvare¡¯s seat, though he kept his face blank, ¡°It¡¯s¡­ a pleasure to meet you, sir.¡± He did not extend a hand.

    Giovanni nodded slowly towards Red, ¡°Actually, the pleasure¡¯s all mine,¡± He leaned forward to direct a small grin at Karen, ¡°Your friend had quite the amazing battle, no?¡±

    ¡°Er,¡± Karen faltered, her grey eyes blinking in confusion, ¡°I suppose so?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Giovanni drew out the word, ¡°It was rather¡­ exemplary , how thoroughly you managed to dismantle your opponent,¡± He cast a considering eye to Red, ¡°I¡¯ve only ever seen Champions fight with such brutality.¡±

    Red tapped a single finger on his arm rest, ¡°...I can¡¯t take all the credit, sir,¡± - he did not call the man ¡®Giovanni¡¯ - ¡°It was my pokemon who won the match, not me.¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Giovanni agreed, an interested gleam overtaking his dark purple eyes, ¡°In truth, your pokemon fascinate me, Mr. Satoshi. Fighting with such grace despite being unevolved.¡±

    Red tapped his finger once more - holding Pichu¡¯s head in his other hand - and hissed out in a low rasp, ¡° Yes. ¡±

    Giovanni hummed as the bell was rung, and Salvare¡¯s match resumed, ¡°I must also say that your Charmander¡­¡± He paused, before giving a low - cruel - chuckle, ¡°Well, I¡¯ve never anything quite like it,¡± He turned his eyes to Red, ¡°Where did you find a creature such as it?¡±

    Red breathed in - he could deny the man - and breathed out - he could kill the man - and decided to answer.

    To deny the man would clue Giovanni into knowing that Red was aware of his identity.

    To kill the man would incite the wrath of the League on Red, given that there was no concrete evidence of Giovanni¡¯s crimes.

    But Red¡¯s answer didn¡¯t have to be the truth. In fact, Red could draw from a lie already built from someone who dealt in deception.

    Herren had been the one to help forge Red¡¯s identity, after all.

    ¡°Mount Silver,¡± Red answered, keeping the same tone as he repeated Herren¡¯s fake story for Charmander¡¯s origin, ¡°I found him by his mother¡¯s body. She seemed to have been killed by the local Tyranitar.¡±

    Karen made a surprised noise behind him - she quickly shut up after Pichu¡¯s glare - and Giovanni hummed in an impression of an apologetic tone, ¡°You may pass my condolences onto your Charmander then,¡± Giovanni sighed, looking down at the ensuing battle below - Salvare¡¯s Haunter fought against Paul¡¯s Murkrow - ¡°I happen to empathise with the creature, having lost my mother long ago.¡±

    Red¡¯s finger paused in its tapping - he had honestly forgotten a man like Giovanni would have had a mother - and Karen blurted out, ¡°You knew your mother?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Giovanni paused, before regarding Karen with a steady gaze, ¡°I suppose you both would have considered it a luxury, given your¡­ circumstances.¡±

    Red fought off a frown as Karen clenched her fist - so he had done research on his ¡®origin¡¯ - and fought off the fleeting images of his - Ash¡¯s - mother.

    He wouldn¡¯t ever see her again; he wouldn¡¯t let himself.

    He wouldn¡¯t let her die for him again.

    Red kept his eyes away from Karen - though he felt her aura spike in smothered anger - listening as Giovanni continued, apparently oblivious to Karen¡¯s scowl, ¡°It has been a long, long time since she was alive, but¡­¡± Giovanni mulled over his words, ¡°If there was one thing she made sure to teach me, it was the importance of legacy .¡±

    Red shifted his eyes down to Salvare¡¯s form - his protege¡¯s form - as he muttered lowly, ¡° How so? ¡±

    Giovanni tilted his head, following Red¡¯s line of sight to Salvare, ¡°...She taught me that life was short,¡± He huffed, a grim humour entering his tone, ¡°That, if you let it, life would run you over, and leave you out to rot,¡± He crossed his arms, watching with Red as Salvare¡¯s Feraligatr faced off against Paul¡¯s Torterra, ¡°And that the only way to succeed was to take life by the horns and make it into your own.¡±

    Salvare cast a hand out, moving in tandem with Feraligatr to dodge a Solar Beam , eyes bubbling a vibrant violet. Giovanni¡¯s lips twitched downwards, though he quickly brought them back up to a neutral smile, ¡°My mother was a poor woman, both in finances and in health. Yet,¡± Giovanni paused as Feraligatr tanked a Body Slam , before throwing Torterra back with a Counter , ¡°It was her lessons that allowed me to rise to where I am today.¡±

    Giovanni¡¯s face seemed remarkably vulnerable, and his next words made Red question whether he was seeing Giovanni Sakaki, the benevolent businessman, or Giovanni Sakaki, the Leader of Team Rocket, ¡°I¡¯d like to think she would be proud of me.¡±

    And for a moment, Red wondered the same.

    Would his mother be proud of what he had become.

    Or would she turn away in shame.

    In terror.

    Red blinked, and Giovanni leaned forward slowly, intense eyes gazing down upon the battlefield below, centred on Salvare¡¯s form as he yelled out commands.

    Salvare¡¯s eyes glew a brilliant shade of lavender.

    Giovanni breathed out - sounding vaguely laboured - and spoke in a low tone, ¡°You know, Red¡­ All this talk of legacy has reminded me of someone else I have not seen in quite some time.¡±

    Red felt a slight chill enter his bones as Giovanni continued to stare downwards - his own eyes bubbling slightly in a familiar shade of purple - ¡°You see¡­ I had a son, not so long ago,¡± Giovanni hummed lowly, flickering his eyes to Red before directing them back to Salvare¡¯s form, ¡°It was out of wedlock, so I hid him away from the media,¡± A nostalgic look crossed Giovanni¡¯s face, and he muttered, almost to himself, ¡°You understand the necessity of it, of course. It was bad publicity, and no child needs that .¡±

    Red managed a small grunt in response, rapidly filing away the information. Giovanni continued, ¡°He¡­ was an unexpected gift, and he had the most vibrant violet eyes,¡± He flashed a look at Red, ¡°...Like yours. Though, of course, they were of a different colour.¡±

    Red breathed slowly - he carefully took in the revelation that Giovanni had a son - and asked in a low tone, ¡°What happened to him?¡±

    Karen also seemed curious, leaning over to watch Giovanni as he sighed, ¡°He left,¡± - Red silently commended the kid - ¡°One day, I come home, and he¡¯s gone .¡± Giovanni¡¯s voice was carefully set to sound sorrowful, yet¡­ Red could see in his eyes that he was only angered , ¡°I don¡¯t know why¡­¡± Red watched as Giovanni¡¯s gaze lingered on Salvare - whose eyes glowed a vibrant violet - and felt something click, ¡°But perhaps it was for the best.¡±

    Giovanni stared down with intense eyes as Salvare raised a hand in victory, Feraligatr bellowing over the beaten form of Torterra, and began to speak in a thoughtful tone, ¡°I hid him from the world for too long¡­¡± He tilted his head - almost exactly the same way Salvare did - ¡°He needed time to go out, become his own man¡­¡± A hard glint entered his eyes as he sat back with steepled fingers, ¡°Before¡­ coming home , to take up the legacy .¡±

    Behind Red, Karen waited before shrugging uncertainly to herself, seemingly not connecting the same dots Red had.

    Salvare had been in a spot of trouble three years ago, one that Herren had helped him out of.

    Salvare Razzo was not his real name.

    Salvare hated Team Rocket.

    Giovanni wanted his son to take up his legacy .

    Red¡¯s mind spun as he clapped numbly with the rest of the stadium. He could see Salvare running towards Feraligatr, hugging the beast - who he had stole from Elm¡¯s lab three years ago - fiercely.

    To his side, Giovanni stood, clapping a hand onto Red¡¯s shoulder - Red nearly broke the man¡¯s arm on instinct - ¡°Thank you both for listening to an old man ramble,¡± He removed his hand, and pointed a finger to Red, ¡°I¡¯ll be keeping an eye on your progress, Mr. Satoshi, along with your¡­ student. ¡±

    Red nodded silently, watching Giovanni walk away into the crowd, blending into it seamlessly.

    To his side, Karen let out a breath, ¡°That was weird,¡± She wrinkled her nose, ¡°Actually, that was really weird. Do you know what that was about, Red.¡±

    Red sighed, leaning back against his seat as the announcer began to wrap up the day, ¡°...I can¡¯t say for certain.¡±

    But he could strongly suspect.

    ¡­

    Athlete¡¯s Village Inn, Silver Town

    Red closed the door to his room, and leaned against the wall in exhaustion.

    His chronic migraine was getting worse.

    It never really left Red - acting as a constant presence since he reawakened on Mount Silver - but in the past two weeks it had slowly become more and more pronounced.

    Red pushed past it, though, clenching his fist as he willed away the black spots entering his vision.

    He had dealt with worse, after all.

    He just needed a bit of time to recuperate after today, especially after Salvare¡¯s match, as Red had forced his mind off of the everpresent pain to congratulate the kid on his victory.

    He was a worthy protege.

    And also apparently the son of a mob boss. Though, of course, it wasn¡¯t confirmed, but Red heavily suspected it.

    Not that it changed his opinion of him.

    Honestly, the realisation itself wasn¡¯t nearly as harrowing as Salvare being Judgement. Which, by this point, Red had coldly accepted. That didn¡¯t mean he would be any less vigilant, though, but not of Salvare - he had already proven his loyalty to Red - but of his father.

    Giovanni wanted Salvare to inherit his legacy, after all.

    Red rubbed his eyes as he sat on his bed, pushing back the migraine once more. To his side, he heard Vee mewl in discontent - probably feeling the residual effects of his nausea - with Frogadier laying by her for comfort.

    Red stayed like that for a few minutes until the spike in his head subsided into something manageable. He grumbled incoherently to himself as he opened his eyes, only to see his pokemon looking at him in concern.

    Except for Pichu, who was knocked out in the centre of the bed, burrowing himself in every pillow and blanket.

    Red tried for a smile - it was strained - and murmured tiredly, ¡°I¡¯m fine, guys, just a little tired.¡±

    Naturally, none of them believed him. Thankfully, they knew him well enough not to push.

    Red would manage; he always did - they always did.

    Red shrugged off his backpack, manoeuvring it to the side as Vee trotted onto his lap, burrowing her small form into his legs. She closed her eyes, and after a few seconds, Red¡¯s mind began to clear as her fur shifted into a soft pink.

    Let there be light.

    And the light was good.

    Red smiled softly, petting Vee on the head, before opening his bag to take stock of his supplies.

    It was a habit that he had forgotten until recently, given the sudden lack of deadly threats.

    Of course, the Chariot¡¯s appearance at the Ruins of Alph reminded him rather harshly to never let his guard down.

    Red shook the memory away, laying his three medkits to the side. He could never have too many of those. After those were the rations he set for himself - his pokemons¡¯ food were in a separate pouch - followed by a set of journals, all of which were completely filled in twice over.

    After that were the newest additions to his person, starting with the faded hat and ending with the Mew Cells - to which he still had no explanation for.

    After carefully placing the cells to the side, Red reached the first of his gadgets from the previous world, taking out a heavy gauntlet with wires hidden behind haphazard sheets of metal.

    Despite its haggard appearance, the gauntlet had probably been one of the most useful things in Red¡¯s arsenal, with it being capable of projecting an energised sword and shield that could cut through nearly every organic material, making it particularly useful in situations where Red had to defend himself without his pokemon. Of course, its power source was remarkably inefficient, with it usually losing power after mere minutes of use. Though, it had been able to recharge rather quickly, absorbing the massive amounts of Source Energy that permeated in the atmosphere during the Storm.

    Now, though, there was only about 50% power in the gauntlet, even after months of travelling. Red held the gauntlet up against the moonlight, wondering to himself.

    The gauntlet had recharged much slower, yes, but it was recharging.

    That could only mean that it somehow found trace amounts of Source Energy to draw off of.

    Red suppressed a shiver, placing the gauntlet to his side before pulling out a small threadbare bag. Within the bag were four Bubble-Shield Generators, which were always useful. Reaching further, and Red extracted a metal wristband, bearing three synthetic stones of muted colour.

    Red stared for a moment at the wristband, gazing with haunted eyes at the three indents left empty.

    Three spots were empty, and three remained.

    A reminder.

    The wristband itself was thin, emblazoned with intricate patterns of god and man.

    Or was man depicted as god?

    Red closed his eyes for a moment, before slowly - deliberately - sliding the wristband back onto his wrist.

    There was a shock of pure power at the contact - the stones reacting to their master - and Red shivered at its familiar embrace.

    He snapped the wristband in place, and for a single second, Red¡¯s eyes blazed in crimson light, before quickly dimming as the stones within the bracelet hummed a low, melodic, haunting hymn.

    In the distance, Red could hear chimes.

    Red flexed his hand, silently relishing in the familiar chill of untapped power within his veins.

    Oh, he knew the rush was artificial - a deception, like all else Team Source had created - but that made it no less addicting. It was a trade, like all things, and it took as much as it gave.

    Looking down at the stones entrenched into the bracelet, Red eyes three small capsules plugged in next to them, all no more than a centimetre in length. All it took was a twist of a stone, and a capsule would implode into itself, sending a mountain of condensed Source Energy into the stone, before flaring out in a wave that would reach the heart of both Red and the pokemon connected to it, triggering their ¡®Source transformation¡¯.

    But, like all good things, it came with a price . Though the power gained from such a transformation was boundless, it demanded equal pain in return.

    There was a reason why, despite every wild pokemon alive going feral, the world had not been overrun. The fact was, the stress induced by the transformation proved too much to many pokemon.

    Entire species of pokemon died off within days of the Source Storm, keeling over from their own overwhelming power being too much for their bodies to handle.

    The purpose of the synthetic stones - they, following the naming convention employed by the organisation, were named ¡®Source Stones¡¯ - was to contain and weaponise such a transformation, allowing the pokemon connected to the stone to retain their form and mental faculties, with the added ¡®benefit¡¯ of allowing the master of the stones to activate their transformation at will.

    However, an unintended side-effect was that the transformations were more potent , heightening the power gained in a shorter period of time, along with the pokemon¡¯s pain .

    Team Source had a work-around, though - and upon discovering it, Ash had vomited - as the stones could be connected to other living things, even if it could only affect one pokemon. Thus, many of the grunts had taken to spreading the pain across their pokemon in order to keep any single one of them from keeling over.

    And with multiple Source transformations at once, it quickly compounded.

    ¡­Ash had seen entire teams fall when their brains fried at once.

    If there was ever something Red could respect about the Chariot, it was that he never did anything remotely close to that.

    Instead, the man had another way of doing things.

    ¡­One that Red had begrudgingly taken for his own.

    The pain from the transformation could be shared amongst any living thing, and that included humans , and due to their dampened reaction to Source Energy, it allowed them to absorb more for less cost.

    It wasn¡¯t any less painful, of course, but it was manageable.

    Red couldn¡¯t help but wonder why only he and the Chariot had ever done so.

    ¡®You¡¯re the only one I can call My equal.¡¯

    Red shook his head, purging away any potential thoughts of activating any of the stones.

    Despite the pain, the power itself coursed through his veins like fire from the sun.

    Besides¡­ Red didn¡¯t quite know what would happen with his pokemons¡¯ transformations now that they were devolved¡­ if they even transformed at all.

    Sure, the capsules - Source Charges - theoretically held enough Source Energy to kickstart the transformation on their own, even if they were used outside of the Storm. And it wasn¡¯t as if Red was low on them, given that he had a solid dozen hidden away in another compartment in his bag.

    And, in the case that he had no more Source Charges, he could sacrifice the stones themselves to unleash their transformations¡­

    But he had no idea what would bring, so he was in no hurry to find out.

    But with Pichu, Charmander, and Frogadier as they were now¡­ Red didn¡¯t exactly know how they would evolve.

    Source evolution itself wasn¡¯t like regular evolution, or even mega evolution. Whereas regular and mega evolution could be visualised as going upwards, Source evolution was more like¡­ taking several large steps to the left.

    Pikachu¡¯s Source transformation, after all, was nothing like Raichu - or even the few Raichu they had encountered during the Storm - and from what else Red had seen, other unevolved pokemon transformed into something distinctly different than their evolved states.

    That was what plagued Red, because all three of his old guard were unevolved , and would thus transform into entirely new forms.

    And Red had no clue if their bodies could take the energy.

    The transformations themselves were already strenuous enough in their evolved forms; Red shuddered at the thought of how it would affect only Pichu .

    But¡­

    He kept the wristband on nonetheless.

    ¡­Just in case.

    Red could never be too prepared, after all, especially after his encounter with the Chariot.

    Next time¡­

    Red would be ready.

    ¡­But that was a worry for tomorrow¡¯s Red. Pulling his glove down to cover the wristband, he reached into the depths of his bag, pulling out the last few potions and rusted scrap and¡­

    ¡­A cassette tape?

    Red¡¯s eyes hardened - Frogadier and Vee stiffened at his sudden alertness - and he deftly pulled out the rectangular object, revealing it as a faded cassette tape.

    Red frowned - he knew for a fact that he had never put anything like it in his bag - and squinted his eyes to read its label under a layer of dust.

    ¡®A Gift For You¡¯

    ¡®From: THE CHARIOT¡¯

    Red¡¯s grip slackened, and he quickly caught the tape before it slipped out of its hands.

    His mind raced.

    The Chariot had given him this.

    The Chariot - or one of his followers - had planted this in his bag.

    The Chariot knew who he was, enough to take interest.

    The Chariot gave him a gift?

    ¡®LIGHT!¡¯

    Red hissed, flinching back as he was suddenly blinded - though the room was dimly lit - blinking wild eyes to reorient himself, only to find Vee¡¯s tiny face pressing into his shoulder, a faint glow wrapping around his torso.

    ¡®Let there be light.¡¯

    ¡®Please calm down, Lightbringer.¡¯

    Red breathed in - the Chariot knew and Red had no idea - and breathed out, closing his eyes as he began to breath in tandem with Vee.

    To his side, he could feel Frogadier gather Charmander and Pichu.

    Finally, after a minute of breathing, Red opened his eyes - flickering void, then hazed into crimson - and calmly reached for Vee, placing her to his side before standing up.

    He could feel Vee¡¯s questioning thoughts pierce his mind as he began to calmly - robotically - undo the latch on another part of his bag, pulling out a large, heavy-duty belt that crisscrossed with various compartments and vials.

    He could feel Frogadier¡¯s solemn gaze as he tied the belt around his waist, its heavy weight bringing him - for but a moment - back to those days just before reaching the summit, back when he had slept with it on, ready to awaken into a fight.

    He could feel Charmander¡¯s intense - Mad - stare as he latched his gadgets onto his belt, hiding them within his jacket to avoid any undue attention they may bring.

    He could feel Pichu as he jumped onto his shoulder, rubbing soothingly on his cheek as he geared himself for war, a war he had hoped - had prayed - could avoid him for just a little while longer.

    But, of course, he was afforded no blessing.

    The Chariot knew of him, bypassed his scrutiny in perhaps the most insulting way he could.

    Red would not allow it to happen again, even if it meant becoming the monster he had been before.

    A clock was cyclical in nature, after all.

    Red closed his backpack, setting it at the edge of the bed - within reach upon waking - and sat back next to Vee, clutching the cassette tape in his hands.

    It mocked him; placed in the bottom of his bag.

    How in the hell had the Chariot done it?

    Frogadier let out an inquisitive croak, snapping Red out of his thoughts. He pursed his lips, before sighing, ¡°...Let¡¯s listen to it,¡± He took out his pokedex, which allowed for cassettes to be played - a function removed in next year¡¯s model, if Red recalled correctly; how lucky - before pausing, gazing at his three oldest - surviving - pokemon, ¡°Unless you want me to burn it?¡±

    Charmander and Pichu both seemed to consider it, but Frogadier cuffed them both upside the head, croaking something low and serious that, after a moment, prompted the other two to grudgingly nod.

    Red closed his eyes and nodded to himself, ¡°Alright¡­ I guess we¡¯re doing this,¡± He pushed the cassette into his pokedex, ¡°Arceus have mercy on us all,¡± and hit play.

    And there was Static. Then a voice. Low, male, hollow.

    Yet unrelenting.

    ¡°Hello.¡±

    ¡°If you are hearing this, then you have found my gift.¡±

    A shuffle. The speaker leans forward.

    ¡°There is only one copy of this gift in the world, but it is merely one of a set.¡±

    ¡°I carry this gift with me everywhere I go, so that I may only lose it in death.¡±

    A pause.

    The voice turns curious, yet no less bitter.

    ¡°That you are listening to this means one of two things.¡±

    ¡°Either I am dead, and you have taken my possessions.¡±

    ¡°Or I have chosen you to hear this.¡±

    A small huff, almost as if such a thing were ludicrous.

    Yet the man retains a broken hope.

    ¡°In the case that it is the latter, I ask that you listen to this gift in its entirety.¡±

    ¡°It will not make sense at first, and it may never make sense at all.¡±

    ¡°However, for you to have received this gift means that I have seen myself in you.¡±

    A small pause.

    ¡°Know that you receiving this gift, in it of itself, is extraordinary.¡±

    A small sigh.

    The man leans back.

    ¡°It is up to you what to make of it.¡±

    ¡°Cherish it, or destroy it.¡±

    An intake of breath.

    Silence.

    Then an exhale.

    ¡°It does not matter to me anymore.¡±

    ¡°End recording.¡±

    ¡­

    Logged in as: The_Tower

    Opening Filename: Threat_And_Clearance_Levels

    Threat Levels

    ALPHA - Threats of this level are categorised by their destructiveness and potential for major damage to the organisation¡¯s operations on the global level. Threats of this level will have been proven to be unstoppable in battle without the use of nonconventional weaponry, and/or will have displayed abilities theorised to be directly from the Source, along with a low chance of showing mercy. Proven individuals who meet this Threat level will be monitored at all times, and any bases will be alerted if they are nearby. In the event of an attack from an Alpha-level threat, protocol dictates that any critical data and research is to be transported away from the disaster site, or destroyed. Members of Team Source are not to engage Alpha-level threats without explicit Alpha-level clearance, unless there is no feasible method of escape. Should this be the case, direct one¡¯s attention towards slowing down the threat rather than defeating it, allowing any comrades or data to escape with their lives. Threats of this level will not fall to conventional means.

    The following is a list of current Alpha-level threats, and specific notes and contingencies about them:

    The Chariot - This Threat is registered as Dormant, and may only be activated as Active or Engaged by someone with Alpha-level clearance. Should this individual break away from the organisation, he is to be considered active. Should this individual explicitly attack any member of the organisation, he is to be considered engaged at all times. This individual is uniquely dangerous due to his connections within the organisation, allowing him knowledge of the organisation¡¯s operations that other threats wouldn¡¯t know. This individual likely owns at least one legendary pokemon. This individual is unmatched in combat, and will only fall to ambushes or divine intervention. Flee on sight.

    Legendary Pokemon - This Threat is registered as Dormant, and may only be activated as Active or Engaged by someone with Alpha-level or Epsilon-level clearance. This threat encapsulates the overall threat that legendary pokemon pose, given their destructive capabilities. Due to the varying degrees of power shown in myth and the few instances of recorded footage, every legendary pokemon will be labelled an Alpha-level threat until further notice. Only engage if The Chariot is on-site.

    Red Satoshi - This Threat is registered as Active, and may only be activated as Engaged by someone with Alpha-level, Epsilon-level, or Gamma-level clearance. This individual is currently an enemy of the organisation, but is not to be interacted with or eliminated. Satoshi displayed unique capabilities that parallels the research of Source Energy. Should Satoshi be in the area, all energy-reading sensors are to be turned on to maximum input, and any data is to be sent to The Emperor, The Empress, and The Magician. Follow protocol, and flee on sight.

    EPSILON - Threats of this level are categorised by their individual power and potential for major damage to the organisation¡¯s operations on the regional level. Threats of this level will have been proven to be masters of combat, and may also possess enough resources to impact the organisation in other ways. Proven individuals who meet this Threat level will be monitored periodically, and any bases will be alerted if they are nearby for no discernable reason. In the event of an attack from an Epsilon-level threat, protocol dictates that any critical data and research is to be transported away from the disaster site, or destroyed. Members of Team Source are only to engage Epsilon-level threats in groups of twelve or more, and are allowed to use lethal force.

    The following is a list of current Epsilon-level threats, and specific notes and contingencies about them:

    Neo Tao Clan/Ghetsis Harmonia Gropius - This Threat is registered as Dormant, and may only be activated as Active or Engaged by someone with Alpha-level, or Epsilon-level clearance. The Neo Tao Clan has access to unique knowledge and pokemon, and have a long history of warfare. Ghetsis has shown a particular brand of ruthlessness, with rumours stating that he is capable of summoning lightning from his fingertips. Should this group attack, The Magician and The Chariot are to be notified immediately. Should any members in the immediate vicinity own a Fairy-type pokemon, they are to defend their comrades as they secure the base.

    Professor Samuel Oak - This Threat is registered as Dormant, and may only be activated as Active or Engaged by someone with Alpha-level, Epsilon-level, or Gamma-level clearance. Professor Oak is a highly skilled and knowledgeable combatant, having been Champion of the Indigo region for a decade. Should Oak attack, overwhelm him with numbers. Destroying the base is the number one priority, as reinforcements are highly likely, and any secrets cannot fall into their hands.

    Lance Blackthorne - This Threat is registered as Dormant, and may only be activated as Active or Engaged by someone with Alpha-level, Epsilon-level, or Gamma-level clearance. Lance has been shown to be uniquely gifted in training Dragon pokemon. In the event of an attack, any members owning a Fairy-type pokemon are to defend their comrades as they secure the base.

    World League - This Threat is registered as Dormant, and may only be activated as Active or Engaged by someone with Alpha-level, or Epsilon-level clearance. The World League currently encompasses the governments of Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh. Projections state that Unova is slated to join by the end of 1999. Should the World League become aware of the organisation¡¯s existence, every base is to be cleared of critical resources, and all members will go into hiding under the command of their Lieutenants and Cell Leaders. Further commands will be given as the situation develops.

    Cynthia Shirona - This Threat is registered as Dormant, and may only be activated as Active or Engaged by someone with Alpha-level, Epsilon-level, or Gamma-level clearance. Cynthia has been shown to be a gifted combatant, and has recently risen as Champion of Sinnoh. Should Cynthia attack, diversions will be set up across the region, allowing Project: A.N.E.M.I.A. to be safely relocated to another region.

    Project: A.N.E.M.I.A - This Threat is registered as Dormant, and may only be activated as Active or Engaged by someone with Alpha-level, Epsilon-level, or Gamma-level clearance. Project A.N.E.M.I.A. has shown unique capabilities in pain resistance and metaphysical manipulation. Should the specimen go rouge, alert The Magician and The Chariot immediately. Flee on Sight.

    GAMMA - Threats of this level are categorised by their resources and potential for minor damage to the organisation¡¯s operations at the regional level. Threats of this level will have been proven to be influential in their respective regions, giving them the resources to hinder the organisation at a regional level. Proven individuals and groups that meet this Threat level will be monitored yearly. In the event of an attack from a Gamma-level threat, protocol dictates that any critical data and research is to be transported away from the disaster site, or destroyed. Members of Team Source may choose to engage this threat if they are sufficiently powerful, or if any critical data has already been secured.

    The following is a list of current Gamma-level threats, and specific notes and contingencies about them:

    Regional Leagues - This Threat is registered as Dormant, and may only be activated as Active or Engaged by someone with Alpha-level, Epsilon-level, or Gamma-level clearance. This threat encompasses the Elite 4 and the Gym Leaders of each region. Should the Regional Leagues begin an incursion, each base within the region is to go into hiding following their Cell Leaders.

    Team Rocket/Giovanni Sakaki - This Threat is registered as Dormant, and may only be activated as Active or Engaged by someone with Alpha-level, Epsilon-level, or Gamma-level clearance. Team Rocket controls the criminal underworld in Kanto and has significant influence in Johto. Should Team Rocket attack, alert The Tower immediately, and every member and leader of Team Rocket will be listed and doxxed to the Indigo League.

    Team Galactic/Cyrus Akagi - This Threat is registered as Dormant, and may only be activated as Active or Engaged by someone with Alpha-level, Epsilon-level, or Gamma-level clearance. Team Galactic has significant influence in the criminal underworld of Sinnoh, along with the business world. Should Team Galactic attack, alert The Tower immediately, and every member and leader of Team Galactic will be listed and doxxed to the Sinnoh League.

    OMEGA - Threats of this level are categorised as individuals who have made an enemy of the organisation. Threats of this level are negligible to the organisation, and will almost always be dealt with swiftly. Should the event arise that an Omega-level threat wages an attack, follow the Gamma-level protocol. The individual¡¯s threat level would then be updated accordingly.

    Clearance Levels

    ALPHA - This is the highest level of clearance, relegated only to the 5 Leaders of Team Source: The Emperor, The Empress, The Tower, The Magician, and The Chariot.

    EPSILON - This level of clearance extends to Lieutenants and Cell Leaders. This includes: The Hierophant and The Moon.

    GAMMA - This level of clearance extends to Veteran members of the organisation, along with spies within the Regional Leagues, the World League, and various criminal organisations.

    OMEGA - This level of clearance extends to regular members of the organisation.

    Note: The Chain of Command follows clearance levels. Gamma overrides Omega, Epsilon overrides Gamma, and Alpha overrides all. In the event where communications go down and/or an incursion begins, follow the chain of command. Should there not be an easily identifiable leader, appoint temporary leaders for groups of five and scatter. Follow protocol, and keep yourselves alive.

    -The_Tower

 Interlude 1-B: A Gift For You

    [A Gift For You]

    [From: THE CHARIOT]

    ¡­

    Archived Audio Recording, June 2nd, 1987 [Recorded at Sunnyshore City, Sinnoh]

    Static. Then a voice. Low, male, hollow.

    Yet unrelenting.

    ¡°Hello.¡±

    ¡°If you are hearing this, then you have found my gift.¡±

    A shuffle. The speaker leans forward.

    ¡°There is only one copy of this gift in the world, but it is merely one of a set.¡±

    ¡°I carry this gift with me everywhere I go, so that I may only lose it in death.¡±

    A pause.

    The voice turns curious, yet no less bitter.

    ¡°That you are listening to this means one of two things.¡±

    ¡°Either I am dead, and you have taken my possessions.¡±

    ¡°Or I have chosen you to hear this.¡±

    A small huff, almost as if such a thing were ludicrous.

    Yet the man retains a broken hope.

    ¡°In the case that it is the latter, I ask that you listen to this gift in its entirety.¡±

    ¡°It will not make sense at first, and it may never make sense at all.¡±

    ¡°However, for you to have received this gift means that I have seen myself in you.¡±

    A small pause.

    ¡°Know that you receiving this gift, in it of itself, is extraordinary.¡±

    A small sigh.

    The man leans back.

    ¡°It is up to you what to make of it.¡±

    ¡°Cherish it, or destroy it.¡±

    An intake of breath.

    Silence.

    Then an exhale.

    ¡°It does not matter to me anymore.¡±

    ¡°End recording.¡±

    ¡­

    Archived Audio Recording, December 29th, 1979 [Recorded at Spear Pillar, Mt. Coronet, Sinnoh]

    ¡°Have you ever wondered why we are here?¡±

    ¡°You mean this mountain?¡±

    ¡°No¡­¡±

    ¡°I mean our purpose, in life¡­ In death¡­¡±

    ¡°I mean¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not much of a thinker, you know old man?¡±

    ¡°Momma didn¡¯t raise no philosopher.¡±

    ¡°Uhuh, and did ¡®Momma¡¯ raise a dullard?¡±

    ¡°No, but she birthed one.¡±

    ¡°Listen, just - who the hell cares?¡±

    ¡°Life is life. Shit happens and we move on, y¡¯know?¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡±

    ¡°So I¡¯m just supposed to take Her death and - what - move on?¡±

    ¡°Is that what you¡¯re telling me?¡±

    ¡°I hate it when you twist my words.¡±

    ¡°Listen, She is different.¡±

    ¡°She¡­¡±

    ¡°We were family.¡±

    ¡°yet you don¡¯t act like it.¡±

    ¡°Listen, old man.¡±

    ¡°Just because I¡¯m not obsessed over her doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t miss-¡±

    ¡°Quiet!¡±

    The individual - young, yet far older than he should be - immediately stops speaking.

    He listens.

    A hollow wave of discordant static.

    Almost akin to a hollow wave.

    ¡­

    Far-away sounds of people speaking are heard.

    Almost as if it were heard on the radio.

    The noise dims.

    A low undertone of chimes ring upon the mountain.

    ¡°...It is gone now.¡±

    ¡°Fuckin¡¯ Mew above, why did we decide to go to this place?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s spooky as shit.¡±

    ¡°I need answers.¡±

    ¡°Then why are we standing at the top of Sinnoh?¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t answers be found, y¡¯know¡­¡±

    ¡°At home?¡±

    ¡°Home¡­¡±

    ¡°It can never be home again.¡±

    ¡°If this is about fuckin¡¯ Oak becomin¡¯ Champion-¡±

    ¡°Oak has nothing to do with this.¡±

    ¡°Not specifically.¡±

    ¡°Then, what, are we just going to wander around and burn whatever we fancy?¡±

    ¡°I mean, they¡¯re already calling that shit we did with Moltres the ¡®Great Burning of Orre¡¯, so-¡±

    ¡°THERE MUST BE PURPOSE!¡±

    The voice is loud.

    Demanding.

    Pleading.

    ¡°there must be purpose¡­¡±

    Damned.

    Abandoned.

    ¡°We¡­ I - there must be something here¡­¡±

    ¡°...I¡­I don¡¯t think we¡¯re going to find anythin¡¯, old man.¡±

    ¡°All I¡¯m seeing is broken pillars and broken dreams.¡±

    ¡°no.¡±

    ¡°I refuse.¡±

    ¡°My life, My love, My purpose was taken away from Me.¡±

    ¡°I demand to know why.¡±

    ¡°Not everything¡¯s about you!¡±

    ¡°Just - fuck - you¡¯re not the only one whose-¡±

    The young man¡¯s mouth is covered.

    Harshly.

    ¡°There¡¯s a presence nearby.¡±

    ¡­

    ¡­

    ¡°There.¡±

    The man retracts his hands from the younger man.

    ¡°Man, fuck you!¡±

    ¡°You can cry all you want, but me? No! I¡¯m never fuckin¡¯ allowed-¡±

    ¡°Takashi.¡±

    ¡°shut your mouth.¡±

    The boy narrows his eyes, and opens his mouth to speak.

    The man simply looks at him.

    The boy sees the shadow of destruction.

    The boy does not speak.

    ¡°Look ahead, Takashi.¡±

    ¡°Do you see anything?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I see clouds.¡±

    ¡°Do you see anything along the pillars?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I see nothing.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I see you.¡±

    The drone from earlier rises.

    The being reveals itself.

    ¡°...What? What is that?¡±

    ¡°Unown.¡±

    The drone grows louder.

    The drone remains weak.

    Dead, or dying.

    There wasn¡¯t much of a difference.

    Not after so many centuries.

    ¡°What are you doing up so high, little one?¡±

    ¡°Do you need me to bring you back to your kin?¡±

    The man¡¯s voice was kind.

    Kinder than it had been with the boy.

    Yet the Unown did not respond.

    Not verbally.

    ¡°Let me bring you-¡±

    The man collapsed.

    ¡°Fuck - are you alright?!¡±

    Even through the fear and hatred the boy felt for the man.

    He still felt love for him, however mangled and twisted it was.

    For now.

    All the same, the boy scrambled over, and knelt beside the man.

    The man opened his eyes.

    The Unown was gone.

    The man¡¯s eyes stared past the boy, unseeing.

    The man stands up.

    There is something new in the man, something that makes the boy cower away.

    The man stares beyond the cliffside to the clouds above.

    ¡°...Is that my purpose?¡±

    The man¡¯s voice is hallowed, hollowed.

    ¡°is. that. My. purpose.¡±

    The man seems confused.

    Scared.

    Wrathful.

    Yet all the same, he pleads.

    ¡°No¡­ no, that cannot be it!¡±

    ¡°I refuse!¡±

    ¡°There must be more.¡±

    ¡°There must be more.¡±

    ¡°There must be more.¡±

    ¡°Y-you alright, old man?¡±

    The man turns to the boy.

    It almost seems as if the man sees him for the first time.

    Insignificant.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°We are leaving.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ This cannot be my purpose.¡±

    ¡°Not¡­ all of it.¡±

    ¡°I must be missing something.¡±

    ¡°I-I¡¯m sure.¡±

    The boy was not sure.

    The man turns to leave.

    His eyes catch a glimpse of movement.

    ¡°you.¡±

    A squeak of surprise.

    And fear.

    Another man, hiding, for he had seen what he was never meant to see.

    ¡°come forth.¡±

    The man cowers.

    ¡°NOW!¡±

    Two voices speak as one.

    The earth shakes.

    As if pulled by an outside force, the man walks forward.

    He places his hand around the man¡¯s throat.

    ¡°W-wait!¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t need to fuckin¡¯ kill him!¡±

    ¡°or what, Takashi?¡±

    ¡°We let him go, after what he has seen, after what he has heard?¡±

    ¡°We can¡­ I dunno¡­¡±

    ¡°Use Amnesia on him!¡±

    ¡°that is a mere temporary solution, one that I cannot rely upon.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to kill him, you prick!¡±

    ¡°Takashi.¡±

    ¡°will you stand with Me?¡±

    ¡°or against Me?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°...I¡­¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    The boy turns away.

    The man dies by his hands.

    ¡°it was necessary, Takashi.¡±

    ¡°...Like all death is.¡±

    ¡°...I¡­ I know.¡±

    ¡°good.¡±

    ¡°let Us bury him, Takashi.¡±

    ¡°then¡­¡±

    ¡°then We will leave.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the boss, old man.¡±

    The boy¡¯s voice is resigned.

    In his confusion, the man doesn¡¯t hear it as he normally would.

    Instead, four words repeat themselves within the man¡¯s mind, the man¡¯s soul, the man¡¯s lips.

    ¡°go forth, and conquer.¡±

    ¡­

    Archived Audio Recording, April 21st, 1982 [Recorded at Meteor Falls, Hoenn]

    ¡°You¡¯ve been sitting here for quite some time, Aurous.¡±

    The man turns his head at his given name, but says nothing.

    The woman - aged in body and youthful in soul - sits next to the man.

    A child - just over a year old - wriggles out of her grasp.

    ¡°Aye! Eta!¡±

    The man smiles, and allows the small girl to begin climbing onto him.

    The woman huffs a sigh.

    ¡°You¡¯re too young to be so wary, my friend.¡±

    The man hums, idly batting away the child¡¯s foot from his mouth.

    ¡°Perhaps¡­¡±

    ¡°It isn¡¯t like we¡¯re given any choice, though.¡±

    The woman nods with a thoughtful glimmer in her crimson eyes.

    ¡°And that¡¯s the heart of the matter, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    The man does not respond.

    His silence is answer enough.

    ¡°It won¡¯t serve to lose hope, Aurous.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the one thing that only you can take away.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not¡­¡±

    The man heaves in a sigh.

    ¡°It¡¯s not hope that I lack¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡±

    ¡°Purpose?¡±

    The man huffs a bitter laugh.

    ¡°Of course¡­¡±

    They sit in silence.

    The child, now nestled within the man¡¯s gentle hands, babbles out a new word.

    ¡°Purpa?¡±

    The man snorts, ruffling the little girl¡¯s hair.

    He receives a squawk in protest, though he pays no mind to it.

    Eventually, the woman speaks once more in a vaguely nostalgic tone.

    ¡°You know, it¡¯s almost poetic¡­¡±

    The woman trails off.

    ¡°...What¡¯s poetic?¡±

    The woman turns to him, casting a distinctly melancholic glance to the girl nestled in his arms.

    ¡°I was in her place once¡­ Naught but a child born in time to witness our destruction.¡±

    The man remains silent, in respect for the fallen.

    ¡°I was only four years old, barely more than a hatchling¡­¡±

    ¡°I suppose it¡¯s fitting that it is the earliest memory I can recall.¡±

    The man frowns, lightly rocking the child in his arms to sleep.

    ¡°How so?¡±

    The woman looked back to him, though her eyes were faraway.

    He couldn¡¯t fault her too much for that.

    His eyes were much the same in recent times.

    ¡°I was meditating upon this rock.¡±

    The woman huffed.

    ¡°Not a fun activity for a four year old; I often wonder what the Elders were thinking.¡±

    She shook her head.

    ¡°Then, one moment I was alone, and the next, there was a young woman sitting next to me.¡±

    The man raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°I¡¯m failing to see the poeticism.¡±

    The old woman reached out to slap him.

    Hard enough to make it felt.

    Soft enough to keep the child from waking.

    ¡°I was getting to that.¡±

    ¡°Where was I? Oh, yes.¡±

    ¡°She must not have been much older - if at all - than you were at your calling.¡±

    The woman¡¯s lips turned up into a sad smile.

    ¡°She had the kindest face¡­ Eyes a soft pink, with a touch of emerald¡­¡±

    ¡°Yet, she was wary¡­¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Why was that?¡±

    The old woman remained silent for a few moments, idly watching the child in the man¡¯s arms before asking.

    ¡°How much do you know of the 3rd Draconid War?¡±

    The man stiffened, turning away as he narrowed his eyes.

    ¡°Not any more than you¡¯ve already told me¡­¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    The woman examined a rock in her hand before deciding to toss it over the cliffside.

    ¡°The war began a year later.¡±

    ¡°...You were five.¡±

    ¡°I was.¡±

    The two remained in silence for several moments.

    The man¡¯s eyes stared across the sea lining the horizon, flashes of ash and fire playing in his mind.

    The woman sneaked a glance at the man, and frowned as his eyes remained blank, void.

    ¡°I¡¯ve come to wonder¡­¡±

    The man¡¯s eyes snapped back to hers.

    And, for but a moment, the grey of his irises darkened a shade.

    ¡°Whether it is worse to be a child, watching a great war from the side¡­¡±

    ¡°Or to be a teenager, fighting within the frontlines themselves¡­¡±

    The man¡¯s eye twitched.

    It was only due to the child in his arms that he kept his response to a mere growl.

    ¡°Don¡¯t give me your pity.¡±

    ¡°Sympathy and pity are two similar, but ultimately different, things.¡±

    ¡°You would do well to recognise and accept the former.¡±

    The man stews in deep-rooted anguish.

    His suffering is silent, but no less great.

    Still, both due to lingering respect for his elder, and care for the child he held, the man locked away his rage.

    ¡°...How old were you when the war ended?¡±

    ¡°Nine¡­ Or perhaps I was ten.¡±

    ¡°It is¡­ difficult to say exactly when the war ended.¡±

    The man bowed his head, but offered no words of condolence.

    The woman accepted this and moved on.

    She knew he was locking his emotions, though he felt them strongly still.

    The man, perhaps understanding that the woman had more to say yet, asked.

    ¡°What became of the woman?¡±

    ¡°She was banished.¡±

    The man jolted, thankfully only causing the child in his arms to grumble.

    ¡°Stripped of her titles and name.¡±

    ¡°She became Taboo¡­¡±

    The man, beginning to understand whom she was referring to, asked.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    The woman raised an eyebrow, though her smile was bitter.

    ¡°She destroyed us.¡±

    The woman said no more, though her lips remained parted in a thoughtful grimace.

    Eventually, the man asked, in a small amount of lingering frustration.

    ¡°Why did you tell me this?¡±

    The woman considered.

    She considered for quite some time.

    Eventually, she looked the man in the eyes, and she saw the woman¡¯s face.

    She of Rain and Fire.

    ¡°I told you this, because she saved us.¡±

    The man frowned.

    He did not understand.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say she destroyed you?¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    The woman smiled, as if the wisdom she held was boundless.

    It wasn¡¯t quite so, but it might as well have been.

    ¡°But it was in that very destruction that we were saved.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m lost.¡±

    If nothing else, the man was blunt with his words.

    The woman smiled indulgently at him, and decided to be blunt as well.

    ¡°We were killing ourselves.¡±

    The man shudders, and the child almost wakes.

    Almost¡­

    A phantom sensation of falling skies breezes by the man.

    Then it is gone¡­

    ¡°Even long before the war, we were on the path to oblivion.¡±

    ¡°All it took was a single spark - a single soul - for us to begin spiralling to our end.¡±

    The man frowns in thought.

    ¡°How did her destroying you end up saving you?¡±

    The woman hums, before murmuring.

    ¡°You were born a child of Johto, so you have heard the legends of the Rainbow-Winged Bird, yes?¡±

    The man blinked, before responding.

    ¡°Yes¡­¡±

    ¡°Then consider¡­ the Tale of Rebirthing Flame.¡±

    ¡°There was the Plague, and there was the Fire.¡±

    ¡°One offered decay and a slow, painful death¡­¡±

    ¡°The other offered death too¡­¡±

    ¡°But from death, came life.¡±

    The man frowns severely, idly petting the child¡¯s hair.

    ¡°...What does it mean?¡±

    The woman smiled softly.

    ¡°It means, child, that we were caught in a Plague of our own making.¡±

    ¡°And rather than allowing us to rot away, the woman cast us unto the Fire¡­¡±

    ¡°And from death, from destruction, came our salvation¡­¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°...I see.¡±

    And the man truly did see.

    The veil shimmered.

    The woman turned away, and in a low voice, spoke.

    ¡°You stand at a precipice, Aurous.¡±

    ¡°It is up to you to choose the Plague, or the Fire.¡±

    And the man understood what she truly said beneath her words.

    He had been Chosen¡­

    And had tried to take his own life.

    He had nearly lost his way¡­

    ¡°Whether in Destruction or Creation¡­¡±

    The woman turned to him, noticing the whisper.

    ¡°What did you say?¡±

    The man turned to the woman, debating within himself to reveal the words.

    The words from the voice in his head.

    The voice of that which chose him.

    The voice of that which enraged him.

    ¡°I¡­¡±

    He hesitated¡­

    But he recalled the old woman¡¯s tale of the destroyer.

    And he could connect the dots.

    ¡°I¡­ I hear a voice, Elder Aster¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡­ says things¡­¡±

    The woman - the Elder of her clan - extended a hand.

    ¡°Share them with me, if you wish.¡±

    The man sighed¡­

    And placed his trust in another¡­

    For the first time in five years.

    For the last time in many yet.

    ¡°Whether in Destruction or Creation¡­¡±

    ¡°Your Fate will Meet Its End¡­¡±

    He halted, for but a moment¡­

    But he finished with naught but a whisper.

    ¡°Go Forth, My Chariot¡­¡±

    ¡°Go Forth¡­¡±

    ¡°And Conquer¡­¡±

    There came silence to the cliffside.

    Suddenly, the child began to cry out.

    The man and woman both tried to calm the child, eventually getting her to sleep once more with a lullaby shared with the man by whom he once loved.

    The woman smiled as she took the child from the man¡¯s arms.

    ¡°Hush now, child¡­¡±

    Her smile turned sad.

    ¡°It seems that little Zinnia couldn¡¯t take it, hearing such Words of Power¡­¡±

    The man frowned.

    With the child gone from his grasp, the shadows clinging to him warped his face into something vaguer¡­

    Perhaps not horrifying yet¡­

    But one day, it would be.

    ¡°Words of Power?¡±

    The woman smiled, though it was no longer happy.

    It was terribly sad.

    It was terribly wary.

    It was terribly beautiful.

    ¡°Of course¡­ Such a title is rather powerful, is it not?¡±

    Before the man could speak, Elder Aster proclaimed him to be.

    ¡°You are Aurous Draconid, He of the Flaming Chariot, Chosen of the Creator¡­¡±

    The man buckled, and fell upon his knees.

    A weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

    And a new one had been added around his neck.

    ¡°So it shall be, Elder¡­¡±

    The woman no longer smiled as she gazed upon the man before her.

    For her will was no longer hers, but rather the vessel of something GREATER.

    ¡°RISE, MY CHARIOT.¡±

    Blood-red eyes bore upon the man.

    And the man rose, cowering in fear, in anguish, in resignation.

    in defiance.

    ¡°RISE, MY CHARIOT.¡±

    ¡°RISE, ANDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD-¡±

    ¡­

    Archived Audio Recording, September 3rd, 1984 [Recorded at Icirrus Wetlands, Unova]

    ¡°Now watch closely, little whisperer. This is how you lure a Zorua out of its illusion.¡±

    The man taps a stick on the ground, getting the attention of both the baby strapped to his chest and that of a small Rufflet.

    The baby babbles, and the small bird chirps as it hops towards the stick.

    ¡°First, you zigzag the stick like this.¡±

    The man¡¯s lips twitch as both the baby¡¯s eyes and the bird¡¯s eyes follow the stick as it drags across the ground.

    The Rufflet¡¯s eyes dilate as it trails closer to it.

    ¡°Then¡­ You whack them on the head!¡±

    Before the Rufflet could react, the stick shot up and sharply tapped them on the head, causing the creature to sneeze as it fell backwards, once more bearing the black and red fur of a baby Zorua.

    The human baby babbles in delight.

    ¡°Yes, I imagine this¡¯ll be quite useful¡­ If you remember it.¡±

    The man sighs, shifting the child¡¯s weight to be more centred on his chest.

    The man looks up, glaring at the sun hidden between tall trees and vines.

    ¡°You play a cruel game¡­¡±

    Nothing responds, but any gathering rage in the man is dispelled as the baby coos.

    The man ruffles the child¡¯s green hair.

    ¡°Nothing, Jha Tiotaka. It¡¯s just¡­¡±

    The man sighs.

    ¡°...Circumstances have not been kind to us.¡±

    ¡°???????????????????¡±

    The man stops, and bites his tongue to stifle a curse.

    He didn¡¯t need the child taking after that, after all.

    God above, he was a fool to ever think he was ready to raise a child.

    Not that it came to fruition.

    ¡°I imagine this is some sort of test.¡±

    The Darmanitan walking besides them throws him a mildly disgruntled look.

    ¡°Imagine¡­ A seemingly absentee father and an impoverished mother with a child.¡±

    ¡°The mother is sickly, but don¡¯t worry! The people of the town are oh so kind. ¡±

    ¡°They provide for the child¡­ For a time, that is.¡±

    ¡°Because one day they find the mother passed in her sleep.¡±

    ¡°And the child is gone¡­ And so they go back to living their lives.¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t their baby, after all, was it?¡±

    The man¡¯s eyes flash as he holds back a snarl.

    He is careful, for the baby is now asleep.

    ¡°Where have I heard that story before?¡±

    Silence meets him in answer.

    The Woobat flying by his side, perhaps misinterpreting his rambling, chirps out in affirmation.

    The man sighs.

    ¡°Listen, Arceus, you¡¯ve dragged me through the mud long enough¡­ You didn¡¯t need to pull this child into this.¡±

    ¡°At least I was three when it happened¡­¡±

    ¡°This little guy isn¡¯t even a year old.¡±

    ¡°?????????¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°You know, I¡¯m coming to hate that word¡­¡±

    ¡°Destiny.¡±

    ¡°All the atrocities in the world could be justified by fate.¡±

    ¡°They are no less atrocious because of it.¡±

    The man continues to walk forward, becoming silent for several minutes.

    The sun crests the sky and settles just above the horizon.

    Suddenly, the man chuckles.

    It is a harrowed sound.

    ¡°Her death was preordained, wasn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°You needed Me, and She stood in Your way.¡±

    The man stops laughing.

    His eyes are dark.

    A phantom flood flashes through his eyes.

    A waterlogged body, hauntingly beautiful with hands cradling a mutilated hole through her stomach.

    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    Two dead in a single body.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter to you, does it?¡±

    The man¡¯s voice is broken.

    He walks forward, but remains directionless.

    ¡°As long as it all fits in Your Plan , it doesn¡¯t matter whose blood is spilt.¡±

    The man looks down at the baby strapped on his chest.

    Red creeps into the darkness of his eyes.

    ¡°This child is just another pawn in your game¡­ Perhaps even something like a knight, or a bishop.¡±

    ¡°You made me come all this way to save him, after all¡­¡±

    The man¡¯s hand drifts to a machete strapped on his leg.

    The Darmanitan begins to growl.

    ¡°What¡¯s stopping me from killing him, if his life is so vital to your plan-¡±

    The man snaps back, shaking his head in horror.

    He tastes ash and dew in his mouth.

    His hands shake as he stares at them.

    He sees the blood of a child, unborn.

    He sees the hands of a monster.

    And all around the man, trees rustle and shake.

    The man stares at his hands.

    The hands of a man who was willing to kill a child out of spite.

    And in his mind, he heard the echoes of laughter.

    ¡°...Why are you laughing?¡±

    His Creator - his only companion (tormentor) left - doesn¡¯t answer, yet he feels something peculiar that only deepens his dread.

    It felt as if it was asking, ¡®You think you¡¯re the first?¡¯

    And the man didn¡¯t respond.

    He couldn¡¯t.

    For all he could see was her face watching him without any eyes.

    She judged him, and found him wanting.

    The man turns his eyes away from the spectre, only to find the child¡¯s green eyes upon him.

    The child reaches up for his fingers, entirely ignorant to the danger the man posed.

    The man himself was not so ignorant.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know who I am, little whisperer.¡±

    The man allows his fingers to be grasped, smiling sadly at the child.

    ¡°And if I have my way, you never will.¡±

    The man turns his head up to gaze at the tower piercing the horizon.

    Their journey was almost done.

    Against his better judgement, the man almost wished it wasn¡¯t.

    ¡°She would¡¯ve loved you.¡±

    The baby babbles against his finger.

    The man gives a bittersweet smile.

    ¡°I suppose she loved every child we came across, but you would¡¯ve stolen her heart.¡±

    The man turns back to the tower overlooking the wetlands.

    Its cold, black stone spiralled to the clouds in an imposing obelisk.

    ¡°This is no place for a child to grow up.¡±

    ¡°But then again, it¡¯s not as if I have a choice.¡±

    The man stops once he¡¯s near the tower, near enough to see the shadows of dragons flying around it.

    He almost thinks that leaving the child there would doom the baby to being prey for Hydreigon, but the pokemon trailing him have become protective of the child.

    And even if their strength fails in protecting him, the Creator¡¯s Will ordains the child to live.

    And so the man deposits the child down onto the mossy floor, nodding once to the Darmanitan as it stood guard over the child.

    As the Woobat and Zorua lean against the baby, he turns his green eyes to the man, and begins to hiccup.

    This is the end.

    ¡°Hush,¡± The man whispers crouching down to the child, ¡°It¡¯s time to sleep, little whisperer.¡±

    Even with as young as the child is, he is surprisingly resistant to the man¡¯s psychic suggestion.

    Still, it felt no more laborious than a breath for the man.

    He was Chosen for a reason, after all.

    Finally, after minutes of gazing in longing at the child, the man steps back into a clearing nearby.

    It was time to gain the Dragon Lord¡¯s attention.

    The man closes his eyes, ignoring the drying tear tracks on his face, and begins to pull.

    The man bites his lip, drawing blood as ripples of blue static trail out of his chest and up his arms, snaking together at his hands and condensing at the fingertips.

    And with one last breath - one that tasted of copper - the man¡¯s eyes shoot open, and he claps his hands together, pointing up to the sky as arcs of azure lighting leave his fingers and pierces the clouds above him.

    And in that moment - that moment of clarity, of understanding, of vision - the man¡¯s eyes became as dark as the void, heralding within them twin, crimson suns.

    ¡­

    Archived Audio Recording, April 7th, 1985 [Recorded at Uncharted Territory, Guyana Archipelago]

    [DATA CORRUPTED]

    ¡­

    Archived Audio Recording, November 1st, 1987 [Recorded at Mount Moon, Kanto]

    ¡°It didn¡¯t have to end this way.¡±

    The man¡¯s voice cracks.

    There is both lingering grief and lingering rage in his words.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t have to betray me.¡±

    The man shakes.

    Adrenaline still runs in his system, even hours after the battle.

    Or perhaps it was guilt.

    It was hard to tell anymore.

    ¡°She never would¡¯ve wanted this.¡±

    His voice breaks.

    ¡°Oh, God¡­¡±

    The man falls on his knees.

    Before him is a stone, settled above a newly buried pit.

    An Umbreon - limping lightly with dried blood along its legs - nudges his side.

    Twin beasts of fire and stone growl in low tones.

    A faery stands behind them, watching on with distant eyes.

    The man gasps for breath, but no tears come.

    He no longer has tears to shed.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    The man¡¯s voice is hollow.

    Disbelieving.

    ¡°Why did you leave?¡±

    The man¡¯s voice is rising in anger.

    ¡°Why did you return, only to stab me in the back!¡±

    The mountain quakes around him.

    The man doesn¡¯t notice - doesn¡¯t care - for he is weary.

    He is exhausted.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±

    ¡°Of all of you¡­¡±

    ¡°You were the last person I expected¡­¡±

    ¡°What changed?¡±

    Silence meets his question.

    The man is beginning to find that silence is the only thing left in his wake.

    The man closes his eyes.

    ¡°You could¡¯ve been great, Takashi.¡±

    ¡°You could¡¯ve been¡­¡±

    The man stands.

    His eyes grow cold.

    ¡°Rest well, Takashi.¡±

    ¡°Say hello to her for me, if you see her¡­¡±

    The man turns around, marching down the mountain with his pokemon behind him.

    ¡°I¡¯ll remember you, Takashi.¡±

    ¡°Even if no-one else will.¡±

    ¡­

    Archived Code_Crystal Audio Recording, December 21st, 1987 [Recorded at Ula¡¯Ula Island, Alola Archipelago]

    ¡°What are you doing up so late, my little moonlight?¡±

    Distant crashes of waves. Silence aside from the creaking of old wood. A small cry is heard, asking for something. Asking for someone.

    ¡°Here-¡±

    A pok¨¦ball opens.

    ¡°-Say hello.¡±

    Slight popping sounds. A small child babbles. The pok¨¦mon chirps in low tones, loving tones, sad tones.

    Silence.

    ¡°Figures.¡±

    Silence. A small hum and a pop. A question without words.

    ¡°It¡¯s done.¡±

    An intake of breath. Another series of pops. A chuckle from the speaker. His voice of gravel, of death.

    ¡°They¡¯re avenged.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°You may grieve.¡±

    Waves.

    A hiccup.

    The child sniffles.

    She blinks away tears.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay to cry, my little moonlight.¡±

    ¡°We all do.¡±

    Another hiccup.

    The tears flow.

    She remains silent.

    As does the speaker.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°...Do you feel better?¡±

    A sniff, then a chirp.

    An eerie mimicry of the pok¨¦mon.

    The pok¨¦mon chirps in response.

    It¡¯s sad.

    More so than before.

    ¡°Revenge¡­ It tastes bitter, does it not?¡±

    Silence, then a single pop.

    Affirmation.

    The speaker chuckles to himself.

    ¡°For one so young, you are remarkably intelligent.¡±

    A chirp and a pop in response, then a happy giggle.

    ¡°She would¡¯ve loved you.¡±

    Silence. Waves crashing. A rumble, then a boom.

    Rain begins to fall.

    The speaker hums.

    ¡°I suppose that¡¯s one way to extinguish the fires.¡±

    A small babble. Inquisitive. A question.

    ¡°I burned them down. I¡¯ve never believed in Arceus'' judgement, so I made my own."

    A delighted giggle.

    ¡°Oh, you just love that, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t.¡±

    The young girl. The toddler. She goes silent.

    ¡°She wouldn¡¯t want you to be like me.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re innocent.¡±

    ¡°I never was.¡±

    The girl remains silent. She reaches out and grasps one of his hands with her tiny fingers. She babbles a series of questions only he can understand.

    ¡°...I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to drop you off at the orphanage tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not fit to care for a child.¡±

    ¡°That would¡¯ve been her job.¡±

    Another rumble of thunder. The wood of the shack groans. The little girl coos. She goes silent. Concentrating, before babbling.

    ¡°Unc.¡±

    ¡°Uncle.¡±

    A wheezing laugh. Tears fall onto the wood. Shaky tanned hands pet the girl¡¯s hair as she succumbs to sleep.

    The man is still laughing softly.

    The man is still crying softly.

    A chirp is heard. The pok¨¦mon flinches back as the shack begins to ripple in waves of darkness.

    ¡°You play a cruel game¡­¡±

    ¡°I suppose, in that way¡­ you and I are alike.¡±

    ¡°You know what you are¡­¡±

    ¡°I know what I am.¡±

    A crack. Thunder. The man cradles the child to his chest, petting her hair.

    His tears stop falling.

    His eyes are as dark as the void.

    ¡°Perhaps if I never saw past the veil¡­¡±

    ¡°Saw what laid beyond the void¡­¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Perhaps I would forget.¡±

    A small chirp. The pok¨¦mon nuzzles against the man. Calming him.

    ¡°But we both know I never will, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Even in my death, The Chariot will live on.¡±

    Waves crash. Soft breaths from the child mixes with the ambient noise of the rain.

    The thunder has stopped.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care how long I have to wait.¡±

    ¡°We both know that I¡¯m a patient man.¡±

    ¡°But know this.¡±

    ¡°I will not rest until your head is under my heel.¡±

    One final flash.

    The wrath of Arceus cracks the sky.

    Yet the girl sleeps.

    She, who has walked through the valley of the shadow of death, and lived.

    She sleeps.

    The man laughs.

    He sees something that no-one else sees.

    ¡°Hmm¡­ I suppose you would, wouldn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t matter¡­¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Perhaps, in time, we¡¯ll speak again.¡±

    ¡°But for now, I would rather keep a few secrets from the old man¡­¡±

    ¡°Code Crystal: 1 Hour.¡±

    ¡­

    Archived Audio Recording, November 13th, 1988 [Recorded at Goldenrod City, Johto]

    ¡°You look¡­ Far better than I expected, given a decade has passed since we last met.¡±

    ¡°What can I say?¡±

    ¡°My mother was a miracle worker.¡±

    The man sounds tired - always tired - but carries a mask of bravado.

    The other man sounds slightly older, yet curious.

    The other man hums.

    ¡°You know, that death of yours was rather well done.¡±

    ¡°Very¡­ convincing.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a gift.¡±

    ¡°Also, don¡¯t lie to me, old man. You wouldn¡¯t have found a way to contact me if you truly thought I was gone.¡±

    The other man huffs, sounding amused.

    The man¡¯s voice had not been amused.

    ¡°Well¡­ There have been rumours¡­¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ I almost forgot.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re an incurable gossip.¡±

    ¡°Actually, some of what I¡¯ve heard has come from¡­ an academic friend.¡±

    The other man seems pleased with his wording.

    The man is not so impressed.

    ¡°What did you hear?¡±

    ¡°Oh, a lot of things, actually.¡±

    ¡°Reports of some sort of ghost or vigilante plaguing Unova for while.¡±

    ¡°Tales of a demon bringing armageddon to a lab near Guyana.¡±

    ¡°Reports of a gang in Alola burning to the ground inexplicably.¡±

    ¡°An awful lot of these rumours involve arson, and I do believe we both remember that incident in ¡®66-¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t.¡±

    The other man freezes for a moment, but not for long.

    ¡°My apologies.¡±

    ¡°I suppose bringing up such a memory was in¡­ poor taste.¡±

    ¡°You knew exactly what you were doing.¡±

    They both remain silent for several moments.

    The other man hums.

    ¡°Perhaps.¡±

    ¡°All the same¡­ you¡¯ve been busy.¡±

    ¡°I never liked being idle, as I¡¯m sure you recall.¡±

    ¡°Yes, you were always a rambunctious little bastard.¡±

    ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m surprised you¡¯ve lived this long.¡±

    ¡°I only just turned thirty, old man.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s still plenty time for me to die young.¡±

    The other man huffs an amused chuckle.

    ¡°Trust me, old friend.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not young. Not in spirit.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I suppose not.¡±

    The two men sit in silence for several moments.

    Somehow, the silence is almost comfortable.

    ¡°Why here?¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    ¡°Why did you want to meet here?¡±

    The other man hums as he looks out the window towards the city ahead.

    There is construction going on in the industrial district, and with it comes opportunity.

    ¡°Well¡­ You haven¡¯t been the only one who¡¯s been busy.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve begun research on a phenomena that may change everything we know about reality.¡±

    ¡°A¡­ universal source of energy naturally occurring in pokemon evolution and abilities.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve¡­ begun crafting an initiative to research such energy, and how it may manifest in certain forms, along with potential breakthroughs in areas previously thought impossible.¡±

    ¡°I call it¡­ Source Energy.¡±

    ¡°How¡­ original.¡±

    The man does not seem impressed.

    The other man, too, does not seem impressed at the man¡¯s response.

    ¡°This is massive! This could be an unlimited energy supply, getting rid of the need for oil or electricity!¡±

    ¡°This could change the world!¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡±

    ¡°Of course you wouldn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°You cling far too much on your childish nihilism to actually make a difference in the world.¡±

    ¡°Oh really?¡±

    The man¡¯s eyes darken.

    ¡°I know all about making a difference in the world.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a never-ending war.¡±

    ¡°And like all war, both sides lose.¡±

    The other man remains silent for a moment.

    Then he smiles.

    ¡°I suppose we¡¯ll have to go our separate ways, then.¡±

    ¡°I suppose we will.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­¡±

    ¡°Should you change your mind, however¡­¡±

    ¡°I know where to find you.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ yes¡­¡±

    ¡°And in that case¡­¡±

    ¡°What shall I call you, since you no longer seem to answer to your old name?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°You shall call me¡­¡±

    ¡°The Chariot.¡±

    ¡­

    Archived Code_Crystal Audio Recording, February 2nd, 1991 (Recorded at Melemele Island, Alola Archipelago]

    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you, my little moonlight.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m happy to see you too, Uncle!¡±

    Light taps of rain batter against the wooden roof of the shack.

    Despite the smell, there is a warmth that could only be found within.

    ¡°You know I can sense you two out there.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s raining, and I would rather not smell damp teenagers, thank you.¡±

    A grumble and a sharp laugh.

    ¡°Told you he could see us.¡±

    ¡°Tch¡­ It was worth a shot.¡±

    Two boys follow the small girl into the shack.

    Their words are lower, changing, though they are young enough that their voices still crack.

    One found this humorous. The other not so much.

    ¡°Huh. You both have gotten taller.¡±

    They both excuse an air of utter smugness.

    ¡°Granted, everyone looks tall compared to moonlight, here.¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡±

    The girl¡¯s voice is small.

    A child¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Oh, please.¡±

    ¡°Being small isn¡¯t anything to complain about. It helps a lot with hiding.¡±

    ¡°Huh, guess so¡­¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s practically invisible when we¡¯re playin¡¯ hide and seek.¡±

    The child preens at the two teenager¡¯s words.

    ¡°Heh, I suppose she would be¡­¡±

    The man is silent for a few moments.

    ¡°Well, looking at the rain, it seems like we¡¯ll be here for a little while.¡±

    ¡°Do you all want to hear a story?¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes! Your stories are always the best, Uncle!¡±

    ¡°Damn¡­ Was hopin¡¯ to see Ares again.¡±

    ¡°Me too. That beast is an absolute kahuna, I¡¯m tellin¡¯ you.¡±

    ¡°First off, mind your language for the little one.¡±

    ¡°Secondly, knowing you boys, you¡¯d both ask Ares to use as big of a Blast Burn as he could.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ yeah.¡±

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t?¡±

    The man snorts.

    ¡°Fair enough. Though, I prefer to ask him when we¡¯re in battles rather than the beach.¡±

    ¡°So¡­ 9 months ago was a one time thing?¡±

    ¡°I never said Ares wouldn¡¯t do so.¡±

    ¡°Just not right now.¡±

    ¡°Dam - Darn¡­¡±

    ¡°At least you caught yourself.¡±

    ¡°Indeed.¡±

    ¡°Now¡­ What¡¯s one that I haven¡¯t told you?¡±

    ¡°You could tell them about Zeus!¡±

    ¡°Zeus?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll hold off on that for the moment.¡±

    ¡°Oh! Oh! What about the Scorched Desert!¡±

    ¡°Huh, that actually sounds kinda cool.¡±

    ¡°You would like that name, wouldn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°You know, I told you that story when you were three.¡±

    ¡°How you remember such things is beyond me, my little moonlight.¡±

    ¡°I remember all your stories!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    ¡°In that case, I suppose I¡¯ll have to go with something new.¡±

    ¡°Actually, I think Scorched Desert sounds-¡±

    ¡°-Like something I can tell you at another time.¡±

    ¡°Hah! You got told.¡±

    ¡°...Shut up.¡±

    The man allowed the two boys to bicker for a moment.

    The small girl leaned forward eagerly at the prospect of another story.

    She loved her Uncle¡¯s stories.

    ¡°What about¡­ The Bird of Rainbow Wings.¡±

    ¡°Oh! That one sounds exciting!¡±

    ¡°Sounds boring to me, honestly.¡±

    ¡°...Eh, we have nothing else to do.¡±

    ¡°Indeed.¡±

    ¡°Now¡­¡±

    ¡°As with everything, the beginning of this story lies in creation.¡±

    ¡°There lived an embodiment of absolute order amidst a sea of primordial chaos.¡±

    ¡°And from this, It cast Its Will, and shaped the world.¡±

    ¡°From Its shadow, avatars of Its Will took shape, and claimed dominion over key aspects of our reality.¡±

    ¡°From the skies, the Dragon God split the earth into land and sea.¡±

    ¡°From the land and sea, opposing titans rose to challenge one another for domination.¡±

    ¡°From the heavens, keepers of space, time, and distortion tied the earth down in chains.¡±

    ¡°From the pits, the embodiment of truth and ideals rose up to lay claim to man.¡±

    ¡°From the light and dark, twin beings of life and death roamed the earth.¡±

    ¡°From the reaches beyond, the sun and moon touched the earth with their glory.¡±

    ¡°And from the mountaintop to the depths, twin birds flew to cast wrath and rebirth to the world.¡±

    ¡°Their radiance cast a light so great that their shadows glowed bright.¡±

    ¡°One day, a wicked storm of fire, ice, and lightning raged in the seas.¡±

    ¡°Seeing this, the Bird of the Depths saw fit to lay eggs, and gave birth to triplets.¡±

    ¡°The Winged Children of the Elements rose to the skies, and cast dominion over the elements.¡±

    ¡°Their power grew so great that they rebelled, and battled against their parent for dominion over the storm.¡±

    ¡°The Bird of the Depths grew wrathful, and cast its children out in its rage.¡±

    ¡°Upon seeing this, the Bird of the Mountain grew sad, and flew ever higher into the skies.¡±

    ¡°For many aeons, the Bird of the Mountain flew, and it had witnessed many things.¡±

    ¡°It flew above when pok¨¦mon first sprouted from the ground and the sea.¡±

    ¡°It flew above when the legends raged for domination.¡±

    ¡°It flew above when man first walked the earth.¡±

    ¡°It flew above when the earth first shook from the terrors of war.¡±

    ¡°It flew above when man first became friends with pok¨¦mon.¡±

    ¡°It flew above when what once was hate blossomed into love.¡±

    ¡°And in that time, as it flew in the sky, it grew to cherish man and pok¨¦mon.¡±

    ¡°But the Bird of the Depths still raged after aeons, and the Bird of the Mountain was wary of betrayal.¡±

    ¡°One day, as it flew above man, a wicked storm grew from the seas, and tore into the coast.¡±

    ¡°It watched in anguish as those it had grown to love from afar perished from the depth¡¯s wrath.¡±

    ¡°Seeing the end of the storm, the Bird of the Mountain decided to reveal itself, and to heal those who had died.¡±

    ¡°And on the day that the storm had ended, man both alive and dead witnessed the gift of the first rainbow.¡±

    ¡°And from that day hence, the Bird of the Mountain flies over us, and loves us still.¡±

    ¡°And when the Bird of the Depths awakes in rage, the Bird of the Mountain always graces us with a rainbow after the storm recedes.¡±

    ¡°...The end.¡±

    ¡°...Huh.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I liked that story, Uncle!¡±

    ¡°It is a rather nice story, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    There¡¯s a moment of silence as the girl rocks back and forth in contentment.

    One of the boys lean forward, a curious glint in his eye.

    ¡°There¡¯s more to it, isn¡¯t there?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps¡­¡±

    The girl gasps.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell us?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, why didn¡¯t you tell us?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re young.¡±

    ¡°A happy fairytale like this won¡¯t harm you.¡±

    ¡°Besides, if all you care about is hearing an edgy story, then all you have to do is go to the young adult section in the library. Plenty of material there.¡±

    ¡°Y¡¯know, I can understand that with the little tyke.¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡±

    ¡°But you don¡¯t seem much older than us.¡±

    ¡°Nu-uh! Uncle is a wise old man who just looks young! Right, Uncle?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, my little moonlight.¡±

    ¡°I am secretly an 82-year old man who is a veteran of both the Proxy Wars and the Great War. I have trotted the globe and have received wisdom from the legends themselves¡­¡±

    ¡°One of which was to reverse my age to look younger.¡±

    ¡°Yes, you are absolutely correct, my little moonlight.¡±

    ¡°...You¡¯re teasing me.¡±

    ¡°I am.¡±

    The man spoke in a deadpan tone through all of that.

    One of the boys snorts.

    ¡°Alright, then. Keep your secrets.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°...So are we just gonna sit here and look stupid, or¡­?¡±

    The man turns his head outside.

    ¡°The rain is letting up some¡­¡±

    The man sighs to himself.

    ¡°Why not? You can play with Ares.¡±

    ¡°Yay!¡±

    ¡°Yeah!¡±

    ¡°Fucking finally!¡±

    The boy who swore suddenly fell on his face.

    Violently.

    ¡°Mind your language, Guzma.¡±

    The boy grumbled to himself.

    He may or may not have whispered obscenities under his breath.

    He fell again.

    ¡°Do I need to repeat myself?¡±

    ¡°...No.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡±

    ¡°Move along then, I¡¯ll be out in a moment.¡±

    The boy sulks for a moment, but follows the other two to the beach.

    The man waits for a moment, then sighs.

    ¡°It¡¯s times like this that I wish you were here.¡±

    One of the pokeballs on the man¡¯s belt rattles.

    Reassuring.

    ¡°...Nevermind.¡±

    The man stepped forward, only to pause for a moment.

    Afterwards, he spoke four words.

    ¡°Code Crystal: 1 Hour.¡±

    ¡­

    Audio Recording, December 31st, 1991 [Recorded at Draconid Village, Meteor Falls]

    ¡°Ay-Kin Laei en Tiotete Vaave de Raa-Ka-Aasa.¡±

    ¡°Ayahsa a Ayahsa!¡±

    The chant echoes throughout the caves.

    The Clansmen stomp on the ground in ritual.

    The whole cavern quakes.

    A newborn¡¯s cry silences the crowd.

    The Clan¡¯s Elder lifts him in the air.

    ¡°Pyeh en Tiotete Sola de Mesf, Ahs, a Elv.¡±

    ¡°Ayahsa a Ayahsa!¡±

    The voices are jubilant.

    After all, before them was the first child borne of the Clan in over a decade.

    ¡°Myara de Raamesa, Ay Siere Ahs-Zhin, Tetekin!¡±

    ¡°Ayahsa a Ayahsa!¡±

    The Clan roars in triumph.

    ¡°Ayahsa a Ayahsa!¡±

    The Clan roars in desperation.

    ¡°Ayahsa a Ayahsa!¡±

    The Clan roars, for one day soon, it may never roar again.

    ¡°A-Ahsa A-Ahsa!¡±

    The voice of the young girl sounds unwaveringly confident.

    The man holding her hand smiles indulgently.

    ¡°Ayahsa, little spitfire. You¡¯re missing the ¡®yah¡¯.¡±

    The man¡¯s voice turns cheeky.

    ¡°But hey, at least you¡¯ve got the spirit.¡±

    The girl pouts, tugging on the man¡¯s hand as she begins to circle him with small legs.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tease me, ya old turd.¡±

    The man huffs a laugh, unheard in the din of chants.

    ¡°My my, I come back after three years and now you¡¯re a little pottymouth.¡±

    ¡°Oh, what will I ever say to Aster?¡±

    The girl gasps, stopping in her attempts to snake the man¡¯s arm around himself to stare at him with pleading eyes.

    ¡°Won¡¯t- You won¡¯t tell her a thing.¡±

    The man just raises an eyebrow at her.

    ¡°And who are you to tell me what to do, you little turd?¡±

    The girl gasps.

    The girl giggles, before stopping herself.

    ¡°Hey, no fair!¡±

    ¡°How come you can say it but I can¡¯t?¡±

    The man adopts a faux-snobbish tone.

    ¡°I believe in the sanctity of the term: turnabout is fair play.¡±

    The little girl scrunches up her nose.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like your funny words, magic man.¡±

    ¡°Too bad, then.¡±

    ¡°Cause that¡¯s all you¡¯ll get.¡±

    The child glares at him with vibrant red eyes.

    She hits the man¡¯s stomach, doing exactly zero damage to him.

    ¡°You¡¯re mean, Uncle.¡±

    The man nods solemnly.

    ¡°Yes I am.¡±

    The girl eyes him for a few moments before crossing her arms.

    She tries to nod solemnly as well, but her mop of hair only makes her look silly.

    She would have cherished her.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad we¡¯ve come to an understanding.¡±

    The man nods back, hiding a smile.

    ¡°And so am I.¡±

    The girl turns back to face the now-dispersing crowd before becoming bored.

    She turns back and begins to shake the man¡¯s leg as annoyingly as she can.

    ¡°Have you caught a dragon yet?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°What! We are dragon people!¡±

    ¡°Need I remind you I¡¯m adopted?¡±

    ¡°Adopted, schmompted! Dragons are cool!¡±

    ¡°All pokemon are cool.¡±

    ¡°But dragons are cooler - no wait - they¡¯re hotter , like fire!¡±

    ¡°Phrasing. And I do have fire pokemon.¡±

    ¡°But Ares isn¡¯t a dragon!¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s Poseidon?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±

    The girl trails off.

    ¡°Which one is Poseidon?¡±

    ¡°Gyarados.¡±

    ¡°Well, they¡¯re not really a dragon¡­¡±

    ¡°They are recessively.¡±

    ¡°Who cares! You need to get a real dragon!¡±

    ¡°Like yours?¡±

    ¡°Yeah! Like mine!¡±

    ¡°Wait, not mine! Bagon is my dragon!¡±

    The man chuckles.

    The girl squawks as he ruffles her hair.

    ¡°Trust me, stealing that little troublemaker is the last thing I want to do.¡±

    The girl sniffs imperiously.

    Quite frankly, it just makes her look even more like an adorable brat.

    Still, the man can¡¯t help but be fond of her.

    ¡°Well¡­ He¡¯s my troublemaker.¡±

    ¡°Yes, though I wonder¡­¡±

    ¡°Is he more thickheaded, or are you?¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡±

    The girl claws at him.

    Given that her head only reaches his lower abdomen, all he has to do is push her back by the head.

    This only makes her resort to charging instead.

    ¡°I see Zinnia is giving you trouble.¡±

    The man turns up to see Aster hobbling forward, smiling whilst holding a sleeping baby in her arms.

    The girl - Zinnia - meeps and tries - and fails - to not look guilty.

    The man raises an amused eyebrow.

    ¡°This little spitfire is trouble, Aster. I can only hope this new one doesn¡¯t take after her.¡±

    Zinnia hisses like a feral Meowth at his side.

    Aster chuckles.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re complaining about, Aurous.¡±

    ¡°She takes after you.¡±

    The man sighs, giving a brittle smile.

    ¡°For her sake, I hope not.¡±

    Zinnia takes this as an opportunity to pipe in.

    ¡°Yeah! He¡¯s mean, Aster!¡±

    Aster clucks her tongue, somehow looking as if she wished to chide both the girl and the man before her.

    She settles on the latter.

    ¡°Don¡¯t sell yourself short, Aurous.¡±

    ¡°You are a wise and strong member of the Clan.¡±

    The man frowns severely, looking away.

    Sensing his sorrow, Zinnia takes his hand.

    ¡°I¡­ appreciate the sentiment.¡±

    ¡°But I am merely Ahs-Raakino.¡±

    The Elder of the Clan scoffs.

    ¡°Ahs-Raakino is still Raakino.¡±

    ¡°You are family, Aurous. Borne or not.¡±

    The man¡¯s face becomes neutral.

    ¡°If you say so.¡±

    Aster scowls at him.

    ¡°I do.¡±

    Zinnia - bless her heart - blurts out.

    ¡°I want to see the baby!¡±

    Aster turns to smile at the girl before craning her head to ask the man.

    ¡°Could you hold little Ahzin? I cannot bend down for Zinnia.¡±

    The man - Aurous - hesitantly takes the child into his arms.

    He¡¯s small.

    ¡°Here.¡±

    Aurous kneels down to Zinnia¡¯s height.

    ¡°Meet Ahzin.¡±

    Zinnia peers long and hard at the baby, scrunching her brow as she did so.

    ¡°...It¡¯s smaller than I¡¯d thought it¡¯d be.¡±

    Aster sighs, massaging her brow.

    Aurous laughs.

    ¡°Well, to me, you look absolutely tiny, little spitfire.¡±

    Zinnia responds to this in the one way she knows how.

    She bites his leg.

    Aster sighs again.

    ¡°Zinnia, get off his leg.¡±

    Zinnia growls.

    Aurous just stares at the girl.

    He raises his leg.

    Zinnia hangs on by her teeth.

    He raises a mildly impressed eyebrow.

    ¡°...If nothing else, her jaw strength is impressive.¡±

    ¡°That is the wrong takeaway from this, Aurous.¡±

    In a well practised motion, Aster pulls Zinnia¡¯s head away from his leg.

    Zinnia struggles.

    ¡°You know, girl, you were rather looking forward to seeing Aurous again.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m beginning to wonder if it would be better for him to stay away, if his presence ignites such fury in you.¡±

    Zinnia stops her struggling to stare at Aster in horror.

    ¡°What! No! Don¡¯t take him away!¡±

    Aster stares back unapologetically.

    ¡°Then apologise to him.¡±

    ¡°She doesn¡¯t need to-¡±

    Aster silences him with a red-eyed glare.

    ¡°Apologise.¡±

    The small girl looks back and forth between the elder and her Uncle.

    Eventually, Zinnia huffs, and turns to Aurous with crossed arms.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I bit your leg.¡±

    She, in fact, looks the exact opposite of sorry.

    The man raises an amused eyebrow.

    ¡°You expect me to believe that, kid?¡±

    Zinnia hisses, and Aster sighs.

    ¡°Zinnia, you should go see if your little dragon friend wants to play.¡±

    Zinnia straightens up, gasping in excitement.

    ¡°Oh yeah!¡±

    She rushes over to Aurous, tugging on his leg.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go! You haven¡¯t seen Bagon since he was a hatchling!¡±

    The man moves to hand over the baby to Aster.

    She stops him with a raised hand, speaking softly to Zinnia.

    ¡°I have a few things I wish to speak with Aurous about, dear.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯ll be with you shortly.¡±

    The girl pouts.

    ¡°But-¡±

    ¡°You can play with Bagon until then.¡±

    Aster¡¯s voice brooks no argument.

    Zinnia¡¯s face scrunches in discontent, and she reluctantly steps away.

    ¡°Fine¡­¡±

    She points to Aurous with all the command of a princess.

    She always hates when he calls her that.

    ¡°Find me when you¡¯re done.¡±

    The man rolls his eyes.

    ¡°As you wish, princess .¡±

    With one last hiss, the girl scampers off.

    Aster rubs her head tiredly.

    ¡°...She is a handful.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s one way of putting it.¡±

    The man¡¯s tone is lower.

    A veil of shadow covers his eyes.

    The man sighs in exhaustion.

    ¡°She¡¯s a good kid.¡±

    Aster hums, walking forward to take a seat with the man.

    ¡°She is¡­¡±

    She turns to look at the man, her adopted kin.

    ¡°You are too.¡±

    The man does not respond.

    He idly rocks the baby in his arms.

    For one who has sworn off from ever raising a child, the motion comes far too naturally.

    ¡°You have grown darker, child.¡±

    The man hums, still not looking at her.

    ¡°So I have.¡±

    The woman nods to herself in silence.

    Eventually, she speaks.

    ¡°I appreciate that you hid it from Zinnia. I imagine such a darkness would be¡­ overwhelming to a child.¡±

    ¡°But not this one?¡±

    The man raises an eyebrow at Aster, leaning to present the baby in his arms.

    The woman smiles softly.

    ¡°Infants are remarkably resilient creatures, and they have yet to develop a sense of our auras.¡±

    ¡°Zinnia is¡­ blessed with a greater vision of its mysteries.¡±

    The woman hums in melancholy.

    ¡°It overwhelms her, and there aren¡¯t many she can turn to for guidance.¡±

    ¡°She has you.¡±

    The woman smiles, thinking of her twilight years with the young girl.

    ¡°She does.¡±

    Aster turns to the man.

    ¡°But she has you as well.¡±

    The man leans back.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never spoken about aura with her.¡±

    ¡°You haven¡¯t¡­¡±

    ¡°But you listen and play with her.¡±

    ¡°You spend time with her when most others wouldn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯m not you.¡±

    ¡°No. You aren¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°But you are just as important to this clan as I am.¡±

    The man visibly disagrees.

    ¡°I¡¯m hardly even here.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ The Clan¡­ Zinnia would be better off without me.¡±

    The woman hums.

    ¡°You give yourself too little credit.¡±

    ¡°Zinnia adores you.¡±

    ¡°She shouldn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve done terrible things.¡±

    The baby shifts in his sleep, and the man turns his eyes to him.

    Aster remains silent for a moment, before asking.

    ¡°Do you still hear the call of the Creator?¡±

    The man stiffens.

    It is only because of his trust in the woman that he answers.

    ¡°Always.¡±

    The woman nods as if she expected this.

    ¡°And the message is the same?¡±

    The man cracks a bitter smile.

    ¡°Hasn¡¯t changed once.¡±

    The woman hums, her eyes growing distant.

    The man watches in concern.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m beginning to believe that our time is almost up.¡±

    The man¡¯s heart stutters.

    ¡°What¡­ do you mean?¡±

    The woman turns to the man, her eyes glassy.

    ¡°The Seevaelde have been plagued with vision.¡±

    ¡°The portents of Daelde have risen.¡±

    ¡°There is coming a great change to the world. Whether it¡¯s for the better, or the worse¡­¡±

    The Elder trails off.

    The man looks down with shadowed eyes to the baby.

    ¡°...That¡¯s the reason for his name, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Ahs-Zhin: Spirit of the End.¡±

    The woman nods.

    Her crimson eyes are dull in wary acceptance.

    ¡°He is to be the last of us.¡±

    ¡°One way or another.¡±

    ¡°Whether in Destruction or Creation.¡±

    The woman nods.

    They both understand.

    The man continues in a whisper.

    ¡°I¡¯ve¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve chosen for myself a new name.¡±

    The woman turns to him in mild surprise.

    And no small amount of sorrow.

    ¡°Were you so dissatisfied with your previous name?¡±

    ¡°No!¡±

    The man hastily lowers his voice to a whisper as the baby jerks awake.

    He cups the baby¡¯s head, and psychically calms the baby back to sleep.

    ¡°No¡­ Aurous¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the name of who I was¡­ Not the name of who I am now.¡±

    Aster stares at the man with heavy eyes.

    ¡°...You are sure?¡±

    The man gulps, his throat remaining dry.

    But he nods all the same.

    He has been sure of this for six years now.

    ¡°I am.¡±

    Aster nods, eyes locked onto the man¡¯s own.

    Her eyes hold both sorrow and grim understanding.

    ¡°Prove it.¡±

    The man nods, and hands her the baby.

    Within his spirit, something cracks that can never be fixed.

    In a ritual, understood only by them, she begins by reciting.

    ¡°By the Turn of the Clock.¡±

    ¡°Shall Your Fate be Set.¡±

    The man replies in a rumble.

    ¡°By the Turn of the Clock.¡±

    ¡°I Have Found My Destiny.¡±

    ¡°You Stand at a Precipice.¡±

    ¡°Do You Understand what it Entails?¡±

    ¡°From Death Comes Life.¡±

    ¡°From Destruction, Creation.¡±

    The man¡¯s eyes become void.

    The woman¡¯s eyes glow a sorrowful red.

    ¡°Is this Conviction Worth Your Life?¡±

    The man turns his eyes towards the setting sun behind them.

    He glares in defiance, seeing a golden halo bear down upon them.

    ¡°I will make it worth something - anything.¡±

    ¡°Even if I have to die for it.¡±

    Aster¡¯s breath hitches.

    She wishes for him to turn back.

    To keep from damning himself to an impossible goal.

    To keep himself from pursuing his own Destruction.

    But she cannot.

    Not anymore.

    ¡°Do not lose yourself, my child.¡±

    ¡°Remember who you are.¡±

    ¡°Ayahsa a Ayahsa¡­¡±

    The man turns his eyes to her, expectant.

    Within the void of his eyes are twin red suns.

    ¡°Then¡­ I ask of you¡­¡±

    ¡°Who are you?¡±

    The man stands.

    He stares directly to the setting sun - the eye of the Creator.

    That which had chosen him.

    That which had damned him.

    That which had abandoned him.

    That which he would now stand against.

    ¡°I am Charedete, the Destroyer.¡±

    The mountainside rumbled.

    The man¡¯s eyes blazed in darkness as he roared to the sun in a plume of fire.

    And to his side, Aster turned away, covering the child¡¯s ears.

    ¡°I AM THE CHARIOT, AND I WILL NOT REST UNTIL YOUR HEAD IS UNDER MY HEEL!¡±

    ¡­

    Archived Audio Recording, February 4th, 1995 [Recorded at Goldenrod City, Johto]

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing left for me.¡±

    Static. Murmured voices out of reach. Shuffling of papers. A sigh.

    ¡°You know what I mean.¡±

    A questioning lilt in the other¡¯s tone. Nothing beyond.

    ¡°I¡¯m the strongest. I¡¯ve reached the top. No-one can challenge me.¡±

    Slight compression. The speaker leans forward.

    ¡°I travel. I do what you need done. But I¡¯m not truly living.¡±

    The other voice moves further away until it¡¯s nothing but a whisper.

    ¡°You know, old man, a part of me does.¡±

    A surprised sound.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re so surprised. You¡¯ve known me since I was a boy; you know how I think better than I do.¡±

    A hum. A solemn whisper.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right, old man.¡±

    ¡°But she¡¯s dead.¡±

    More words. Incomprehensible. A barked laugh from the speaker.

    ¡°That she was.¡±

    ¡°That she was¡­¡±

    Silence. Only for a moment. A question.

    ¡°There¡¯s been some. None were one my level, obviously. One was pretty good, though.

    An intrigued sound, mixed with no small amount of scepticism.

    ¡°Her name was Cynthia. She¡¯s about eighteen by my count.¡±

    ¡°She was strong, though. Her Garchomp just evolved and nearly took out Ares, with it being four times resistant to him.¡±

    A quick question. Some concern, but not for the speaker.

    ¡°No. It was a friendly match.¡±

    ¡°I was in the area, and I¡¯ve heard about her before.¡±

    ¡°I wanted to see if she lived up to the hype.¡±

    A question. Asking if she did.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know anymore.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter anyways.¡±

    A hum. The other walks around. Another question. The main question.

    ¡°Unlikely.¡±

    ¡°From what I¡¯ve seen, she¡¯d likely be interested, but would disagree with our methods.¡±

    A small sigh.

    ¡°Yup. A shame too.¡±

    ¡°She would have made the perfect prot ¨¦ g ¨¦ .¡±

    ¡°I wish I would have met her years ago, but you win some and lose some.¡±

    Silence. Rustling of papers. A murmured question.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll deal with her if she becomes an issue.¡±

    ¡°Let her have her fun for now.¡±

    Silence. Movement. The other comes closer. They ask another question-

    ¡­

    Archived Audio Recording, April 2nd, 1995 [Recorded at Ecruteak City, Johto]

    ¡°-don¡¯t care if you thought it was difficult! It doesn¡¯t excuse selling them for three times the price!¡±

    Raised voices.

    A man and a woman.

    The woman is aged in skin.

    The man is aged in spirit.

    ¡°Listen, I¡¯d understand to some extent if you picked them from Orre, but the Badlands isn¡¯t that dangerous.¡±

    ¡°Hell, you¡¯ve done it in previous years without any issue. What caused the increase in price?¡±

    A snipped response.

    The man growls.

    The pok¨¦mon by his side chirps worriedly.

    ¡°Oh, so just because your usual trail was uprooted by a Diglett War means you have to triple the bloody price tag.¡±

    ¡°Gee, I¡¯m sorry you had to walk an extra kilometre off the beaten path. Perhaps I should give you double pay for the brain damage you¡¯ve given us both.¡±

    The pok¨¦mon by his side twitters loudly.

    Admonishing.

    The man sighs.

    ¡°Yes, yes. I know. She¡¯s just the only provider of these flowers within a thousand kilometres. It¡¯s not my fault the market in Pyrite Town burned down.¡±

    The pok¨¦mon gives a single chirp.

    ¡°Listen to her, Takashi. She¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°Oh, stuff it, old hag.¡±

    ¡°Reduce the price to fifty percent and I¡¯ll buy it.¡±

    The man and woman haggle.

    Eventually, the man purchases the flowers for 70% of the original price.

    ¡°Bloody miser.¡±

    The pok¨¦mon chirps a laugh-like sound.

    Though he hides it in a fake scowl, the sound makes the man happy.

    ¡°Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up.¡±

    The old woman watches the interaction with a small smile.

    She sees the grief the man holds in his heart when he looks at his pok¨¦mon.

    It bears the face of his love, after all.

    ¡°You know, Takashi, for one as travelled as you, I can¡¯t say I understand why you don¡¯ just go up to the Badlands and get the flowers yourself.¡±

    The man is silent for a moment.

    ¡°I¡¯d mess it up somehow.¡±

    ¡°I was never the gentle one between us two, and she always loved these flowers.¡±

    The pok¨¦mon by his side gives a small chirp.

    Joyous, yet melancholic.

    The man huffs, only feeling the latter.

    ¡°She always liked poetry, and these flowers were - what - poetically sad?¡±

    The man shrugged, lost in a dream with no memories.

    ¡°I mean, all I see is a purple flower. What is it called, a hycint?¡±

    The pok¨¦mon by his side gives a betrayed cry.

    ¡°A hyacinth.¡±

    ¡°Right. That.¡±

    The man turned the bundle of flowers in his hand, lost in thought.

    He suddenly snickers.

    ¡°She probably would¡¯ve butchered me for calling it what I did. So, I guess that answers your question.¡±

    ¡°Besides, getting them here is better than going to Kalos. Have to show some Johto solidarity, especially with Ecruteak.¡±

    The woman huffed as the man gave a roguish smile.

    He was a man of many masks, yet only one true face.

    ¡°Well, all the same, Takashi.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll still be here next year with your flowers.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡±

    The man left without another word.

    He walked by the marketplace, which stood in the shadow of the Tin Tower.

    The man couldn¡¯t help but look up at the towering monolith.

    It taunted him.

    It scorned him.

    ¡°They couldn¡¯t even bother identifying her¡­¡±

    The pok¨¦mon by his side chirps consolingly.

    The man sighs.

    ¡°I know. I buried the guilt long ago.¡±

    ¡°But she at least had family who could¡¯ve retrieved her.¡±

    ¡°I never did.¡±

    The pok¨¦mon by his side is silent.

    It mourns for something it doesn¡¯t truly understand that it has lost.

    ¡°No. No, I¡¯m wrong.¡±

    ¡°She was family.¡±

    ¡°We would¡¯ve-¡±

    Something within the man¡¯s voice breaks.

    The masks that the man holds crack, if for but a moment.

    Eyes the shade of midnight peer up at the tower, their irises glowing rings of baleful crimson.

    ¡°He would¡¯ve been seventeen.¡±

    The man becomes silent.

    The pok¨¦mon whimpers softly.

    A single tear trickles down the man¡¯s cheek.

    Before long, it runs dry.

    ¡°...Come on.¡±

    ¡°We will mourn.¡±

    ¡°Then¡­ Then we will resume.¡±

    ¡­

    Archived Audio Recording, January 17th, 1996 [Recorded at Cipher Lab, Outskirts of Phenac City, Orre]

    An alarm was was going off.

    Two bodies lay strewn by the man¡¯s feet, skulls crushed and splintered by the beasts surrounding him.

    There was yelling on the other side of the door.

    Rushed voices.

    Barked commands.

    Whirring weapons.

    The man felt a bitter smile twist on his lips as he palmed the cold, hard metal of the door.

    They knew he was here.

    And they were afraid.

    They should be.

    Very.

    Very afraid.

    ¡°I¡¯d say,¡± The man¡¯s voice came in a rasp.

    The Tyranitar by his side glanced at him.

    ¡°This calls for a little bit of Shock and Awe¡­¡±

    The Typhlosion standing next to him shifts with a thrilled snarl.

    The man turns behind him, facing the red-scaled Gyarados behind him, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you agree, Poseidon?¡±

    The Gyarados - Poseidon - turned it¡¯s eyes - set in triangular slits - to the door, and inhaled.

    The man and the other beasts stepped to the side.

    Then, with a blast that shook the compound, a torrent of pressurised water drilled through the door and the wall surrounding it.

    Seven men instantly fell, dead.

    Their skin, bones, and blood torn away by the force of the water.

    And with a calm step, The Chariot walked into the compound.

    His face contorted in monstrous shadows.

    His eyes blazed in molten crimson.

    ¡°leave no survivors, friends.¡±

    His voice was calm.

    Almost bored.

    ¡°kill them all.¡±

    And so¡­

    They did.

    Of the 84 Cipher agents stationed at the lab¡­

    13 fell to the billowing infernos wrought by Ares.

    16 were crushed by rock and stone, cast away by the might of Dionysus.

    15 seized and suffocated on their own bile from Hades¡¯ wrath.

    19 passed as their bones broke apart under the waves of Poseidon.

    13 foamed at the mouth, trapped in an eternal nightmare by the grace of Athena.

    7 were beaten and broken, having fallen to Hepha¡¯s strength.

    And one remained breathing, slumped against a bloodied wall as he gasped for breath.

    The Chariot walked over to him.

    His eyes, blazing mere moments before, were once more set in a cold, bored grey.

    The man quivers in the shadow of his destroyer.

    His Angel of Death.

    The man whispers in horror.

    ¡°You¡¯re a monster.¡±

    The Chariot blinks slowly.

    And with a kick, he snaps the man¡¯s neck.

    ¡°I know.¡±

    There is silence in the compound.

    It¡¯s better that way.

    The Chariot searches, and finds the parcel he was sent to collect within ten minutes.

    A stabilising agent, coveted by the Emperor for one of his experiments.

    The Chariot doesn¡¯t care.

    The Chariot rarely finds himself caring for anything anymore.

    ¡°Ares.¡±

    The Typhlosion - bearing not a single scratch - turns to him in question.

    The beast¡¯s gaze - the gaze of all of them - is filled with trust.

    With love.

    The Chariot finds it harder and harder to reciprocate every day.

    ¡°burn it down.¡±

    ¡­

    Archived Audio Recording, November 17th, 1996 [Recorded at Goldenrod Lab, Goldenrod City]

    ¡°Checkmate, Donovan.¡±

    The voice sounds as if it¡¯s fighting against sounding smug.

    In this regard, it fails.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    The other voice sounds younger.

    Still an adult, but not by much.

    ¡°...I didn¡¯t even see it.¡±

    ¡°You made the wrong move eight turns ago.¡±

    The voice is matter-of-fact, almost clinical in tone.

    ¡°You moved your knight when you should have moved your rook.¡±

    There is a pause as the man demonstrates.

    ¡°It would have protected your king better from my bishop, even if you ended up losing your knight.¡±

    ¡°But I took your queen¡­¡±

    ¡°A necessary sacrifice for victory.¡±

    The man¡¯s tone is even.

    His grey eyes flicker with a dash of red.

    ¡°Do you want to play another round?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I think I¡¯m good.¡±

    The man leans back on his seat at the small table they say by.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never been all that good at strategy.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±

    ¡°And if you don¡¯t improve, it will be your downfall.¡±

    The man snorts.

    ¡°Gee, thanks.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯ll sure lift my spirits.¡±

    ¡°Do you want me to lie?¡±

    ¡°No, just¡­¡±

    The man grits his teeth in both reluctance and annoyance.

    ¡°Is there anything you¡¯re not good at?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    The man becomes silent as he lethargically puts away the chess board.

    The other man almost growls.

    ¡°Like what?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Restraint.¡±

    The other man makes a confused sound.

    ¡°I¡¯m being serious, my guy.¡±

    The Chariot looks up with a bored, grey gaze.

    ¡°As am I.¡±

    He reaches into his pocket.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°And how is that a bad thing?¡±

    The Chariot pulls out a deck of tarot cards, bent at the edges from use.

    He shuffles the deck.

    ¡°You¡¯ve seen me fight. I¡¯ve taught you how to.¡±

    He draws two cards.

    The other man snorts.

    ¡°Somedays I wonder if it¡¯s made any difference.¡±

    ¡°I can still only barely take down one of your pokemon with my full team.¡±

    The first card drawn is Strength.

    The second is The Fool.

    ¡°And you have to work to unleash all your strength?¡±

    The Chariot¡¯s tone is genuine.

    The other man chuffs, lightly tapping the table.

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    The Chariot hums.

    He shuffles the deck.

    ¡°For me, it¡¯s the other way around.¡±

    He draws two more cards.

    The other man blinks.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    The first card drawn is an upside-down Temperance.

    The next is The Lovers - a spot of blood marring its edge.

    ¡°My ability to control myself is tenuous at best, Donovan.¡±

    The Chariot slips The Lovers card into his sleeve, stubbornly keeping his eyes away from it.

    ¡°by the time I learned, it was too late.¡±

    ¡°...Ah¡­¡±

    ¡°I believe I understand.¡±

    The Chariot stares ahead.

    He shuffles the deck.

    ¡°I doubt it.¡±

    He draws two more cards.

    ¡°But perhaps I am wrong.¡±

    ¡°Maybe¡­¡±

    ¡°For what it¡¯s worth, you have my respect.¡±

    The man¡¯s tone is small, almost shy.

    The first card drawn is Judgement.

    The second card is an upside-down Hanged Man.

    ¡°You have my appreciation, then.¡±

    The Chariot stares at the second card.

    ¡°I cannot help but feel it is undeserved.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s tauros shit, and you know it.¡±

    The man pauses in thought.

    ¡°Honestly, if you were leave Team Source, I reckon at least half of us would follow you.¡±

    The Chariot freezes for a moment.

    He shuffles the deck.

    ¡°You honour me, Donovan.¡±

    He draws two more cards.

    ¡°But I¡¯m not the type of man you¡¯d want to follow.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re better than the others, at least.¡±

    ¡°You actually show your face.¡±

    ¡°You actually walk alongside us instead of sitting in some ivory tower.¡±

    The first card is The World.

    The second card is an upside-down Justice.

    ¡°you do know that I share the same type of title as the others, yes?¡±

    ¡°Of course I do.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the goddamn Chariot!¡±

    ¡°There isn¡¯t a single one of us who doesn¡¯t know you!¡±

    The Chariot nods to himself.

    He shuffles the deck.

    ¡°what about Team Source¡¯s goal?¡±

    ¡°Who cares about that?¡±

    The man¡¯s voice is becoming more passionate.

    He¡¯s drawing a crowd.

    ¡°Who cares about creating unlimited energy?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like we¡¯re struggling with it! It¡¯s not like the regions are going to war over it!¡±

    ¡°We all work here, risking our skins for a whole bunch of people who will be just fine when the League eventually comes knocking!¡±

    ¡°When one of them slips up - when the bloody Champion and the others find us out - who will be the first to go?¡±

    The crowd is beginning to murmur.

    The man answers the question for them.

    ¡°We will be the first to go, dying for people who can¡¯t even be damned to know our names !¡±

    The Chariot draws two last cards.

    ¡°and how am I any different?¡±

    The man turns to him, loyalty and fear mixing within his eyes, within the eyes of all those in the crowd.

    ¡°Because you¡¯re here with us.¡±

    ¡°You give us purpose.¡±

    The Chariot remains silent for several moments.

    His eyes remain grey.

    ¡°then let¡¯s hope I am able to live up to your expectations.¡±

    The first card is The Chariot.

    The second card is Death.

    ¡­

    Archived Audio Recording, February 2nd, 1997 [Recorded at Unmarked Location, Johto-Kanto Border]

    A crackle of thunder rumbled in the distance.

    The winds of a winter storm howled in the night.

    A shuffle of boots - old, well cared-for military-grade - taps along an old wood.

    An old tune - a slow, almost melancholic, waltz - plays upon a rusted record player.

    The man hums along with the tune, missing many notes.

    He dances alone.

    Thunder strikes once more against the glowing blue snow.

    The blizzard heralding an armistice in the man¡¯s never-ending war.

    It is cold.

    So cold¡­

    So cold that none would think to find a house in the snowing meadow.

    It was a house meant for two, with room for more.

    Now, only one inhabits it.

    One that will soon leave, and resume his war.

    But for now¡­

    The man dances, holding hands with a love he had lost long ago.

    His fingers graze against empty air.

    A crackle of thunder, flashed red in the snowy sky.

    Twin suns of bloodied crimson watched on, feeling no joy, nor any shame.

    It was part of the plan, after all.

    From Death¡­

    Comes Life.

    The man dances.

    Alone.

    The man had accepted this long ago¡­

    Yet in the depths of eyes of void.

    Crimson tears sparkle like the sun¡­

    And die off, leaving behind husks of cold, dead grey.

    ¡­

    Archived Audio Recording, August 26th, 1997 [Recorded at Draconid Village, Meteor Falls]

    ¡°Aurous.¡±

    The Chariot turns on his seat to look at Zinnia, glaring down at him with Ahzin¡¯s hand pressed into her own.

    The young woman¡¯s eyes - tired and drawn -  flicker scarlet.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were here.¡±

    The Chariot leans back with a small sigh.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t planning on staying long-¡±

    Zinnia scoffs, her eyes turning angry.

    ¡°Of course not! Who am I to assume you¡¯d actually stay here for family!¡±

    The Chariot clenches a fist.

    The child at Zinnia side looks up to her with big eyes.

    ¡°Zinny is loud!¡±

    Zinnia turns her glare to the child.

    ¡°Oh, hush, brat.¡±

    She turned back to the Chariot, eyes once more simmering in barely restrained fury.

    The Chariot resigns himself to her explosion.

    ¡°Five years! For five years, you¡¯ve been gone!¡±

    ¡°Zinnia-¡±

    ¡°No warning! No letters! One day we wake up and you¡¯re just gone !¡±

    ¡°Zinnia, listen-¡±

    The air crackles.

    The hairs on his arm begin to rise.

    ¡°No, you listen.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t just dip for half a decade and expect me to be fine the moment you returned!¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have the right! Not after what you did to Aster. ¡±

    Zinnia¡¯s breath hitches as she stumbles.

    Her eyes flicker over the Chariot¡¯s side, where the pale-faced Elder of the Draconid Clan lay on a sickbed, unconscious.

    Zinnia¡¯s eyes begin to tear up.

    ¡°She- She mourned you.¡±

    Ahzin tugs on her cloak.

    ¡°It¡¯s gonna be okay, Zinny.¡±

    Zinnia glares at the man for a few more moments before wiping her face.

    She directs as calm a smile as she can to her little cousin.

    The Chariot speaks.

    ¡°I¡¯m here now.¡±

    Zinnia lets out a growl before she can stop herself.

    ¡°And that makes it allllll better, does it?¡±

    ¡°it doesn¡¯t.¡±

    The Chariot¡¯s tone is measured.

    Zinnia¡¯s tone is decidedly not.

    ¡°Don¡¯t pull that unflappable crap with me, Aurous.¡±

    ¡°You chose to cut yourself away from the Clan, not us.¡±

    ¡°and you are all better for it.¡±

    ¡°You-¡±

    Zinnia gesticulates with her hands as she keeps in various swears and profanities that she does not want to say with a 6-year old present.

    ¡°So, what, you¡¯re a plague on all our lives?¡±

    ¡°Did you think, ¡®Oh, how tragic¡¯, everytime I called you Uncle ?¡±

    ¡°yes.¡±

    The Chariot¡¯s voice comes out in a rasp.

    It does more and more every day.

    Zinnia rears back in shock.

    She blinks, and her face smooths out, her red eyes simmering to a cool fury.

    ¡°...Fine then.¡±

    ¡°So be it, Charedete. ¡±

    ¡°You are family no more.¡±

    Distantly, in a sense that he cannot truly understand, The Chariot feels something snap.

    He remains silent, staring into Zinnia¡¯s cold eyes, without regret.

    Without remorse.

    Ahzin tugs on Zinnia¡¯s cloak, looking worried.

    ¡°Zinny is sad.¡±

    Zinnia doesn¡¯t take her eyes off of the Chariot¡¯s as she responds in a murmur.

    ¡°It¡¯s what makes me human, Ahzin.¡±

    ¡°Unlike some people.¡±

    The Chariot clenches his fist tighter.

    He has to fight against the smile creeping onto his lips.

    The snarl.

    His eyes glow darker.

    Zinnia turns away to speak in low tones to the child.

    She is telling the child stories.

    They are the same stories that he had once was shared with her.

    A cough rings out.

    The Chariot turns to see Aster clinging back to consciousness.

    Zinnia kneels next to the sickbed, grasping the woman¡¯s hand.

    ¡°C¡¯mon, Aster, speak to me.¡±

    Aster heaves in air.

    Her eyes are clouded to a near white.

    ¡°Three days¡­¡±

    The elderly woman gasps, and Zinnia¡¯s face begins to break as she grips her hand tighter.

    Ahzin whimpers in fear, and Zinnia reaches down with her other hand to comfort him.

    ¡°She¡¯s¡­ She¡¯s receiving a vision.¡±

    The Chariot feels his eyebrows rise in surprise.

    ¡°We have to let it play out. "

    The Chariot remains silent, watching in greater interest the woman who had become bedridden earlier that day.

    ¡°Three days¡­ In three days the world will shift.¡±

    ¡°In three days, the veil will split once more.¡±

    The Chariot sucks in a breath.

    Aster¡¯s eyes lock onto his, unseeing, yet holding greater vision.

    ¡°Charedete¡­ Aurous, are you there?¡±

    The Chariot hesitates for a moment before reaching out for her hand.

    Zinnia¡¯s face hardens into a small glare.

    ¡°I¡¯m here, Elder.¡±

    Aster¡¯s face cracks, and tears begin to trickle from her eyes.

    ¡°My son¡­¡±

    She grips his hand tighter.

    The Chariot¡¯s face does not move.

    Zinnia¡¯s arm shakes.

    ¡°Promise me¡­¡±

    ¡°Promise me you won¡¯t let your destiny consume you¡­¡±

    The Chariot remains silent for several moments.

    Eventually, two words pass his lips.

    ¡°I promise.¡±

    A lie.

    And by the look on her face, Zinnia knows it is one.

    She condemns him in silence.

    The Chariot condemned himself long before her.

    Aster grips his hand one more time before closing her eyes, falling back into unconsciousness.

    Zinnia stays there for several minutes, breathing in tandem with Aster¡¯s heartbeat.

    Eventually, she opens her eyes.

    Aster¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Leave us, Chariot.¡±

    ¡°...Please.¡±

    The Chariot nods in silence, and turns around.

    He does not turn back as he walks away from the Clan once more.

    Once and for all.

    He does not turn back to see the silent tears streaking down Zinnia¡¯s face.

    And upon his lips, a singular phrase - a singular purpose - a singular drive - a singular prayer - breathes into the wind.

    ¡°go forth, and conquer.¡±

 Silver Sakaki

    Outskirts of New Bark Town, December 31st, 1994

    The distant chimes of church bells rung in the distance, a countdown to the death of time and its renewal.

    A discordant din echoed around Silver¡¯s skull as he ran.

    The frigid winds of a coming winter storm bit into his skin, flecks of snow and icy water settling into his hair and clothes.

    Each step felt as if he was wading in a sea of icy blue.

    The neon lights of back alley pubs reflected off of the falling snow, preventing him from finding any peace in darkness.

    He was being followed; He couldn¡¯t stop running.

    Silver tumbled into an alley, lodged between two old buildings made of aged brick and steel, lines of mould softening his fall into something that wasn¡¯t painless, but bearable.

    Silver didn¡¯t pick himself up from the fall, instead stifling a groan as he scooted himself into the little patch of shadow that he could see, escaping the rays of the moon¡¯s lustre and the light breaking out of the pub¡¯s window.

    Silver held his breath, waiting seconds, then waiting minutes, straining his ears for footsteps over the chimes, for hollered orders over a stampede of feet.

    He heard none.

    Silver let out a clouded breath, easing himself up against the wall, before quickly leaning forward from the sheer cold of its bricks.

    Foolish child, running away in the dead of winter.

    Foolish heir, believing he would not be followed.

    Silver grit his teeth and banished those thoughts - he couldn¡¯t tell if he shivered from the cold or the cadence of his Father¡¯s voice - straining his ears once more for sounds of pursuit.

    ¡­

    There were none.

    Only the sound of chimes.

    Silver wrapped his arms around himself tighter, trying and failing to bring any further heat to his body.

    He was going to die-

    Silver shook his head violently, standing on shaking legs at the end of the alley. His frail body proved a pathetic form against the shadows, with thin legs and thin arms and a young - scared - face, draped behind a mop of wet red hair.

    Father always said he took after his mother¡¯s features, whom he had met no more than two times in his life.

    Silver closed his eyes and carefully locked away all thoughts of his Father - for all they brought was creeping anguish - before reaching into his pocket to retrieve an unopened pokeball.

    Silver turned the pokeball in his hands, stomach churning in guilt.

    The pokemon inside was a starter pokemon, meant for a child beginning on their journey.

    Silver only had to blink to see the shocked rage on that professor¡¯s face when he had caught Silver in the act of nicking it, a foolish - desperate - attempt to find some way to defend himself from his pursuers.

    He called him a ¡®dirty thief¡¯.

    No better than the scum that built up Team Rocket.

    Silver jolted as the pokeball began to shake, cursing to himself as it quickly opened up in a flash of light, before receding to reveal a plump Totodile.

    Silver held his breath as the Totodile blinked itself awake, stretching its scaled neck to scan its surroundings with curious eyes. His breath caught on his throat when the Totodile found Silver¡¯s eyes, causing its own to widen as it opened its maw.

    Oh, Mew, it was going to attack him.

    Silver wouldn¡¯t blame the creature.

    Yet, instead of launching forward to maul the one who stole him, the Totodile trilled out a delighted noise, wadling over to Silver¡¯s legs.

    Silver blinked in a rapid progression from astonishment to relief to shame as the small creature began to butt its head against his knee in an affectionate gesture, seemingly mistaking him as its trainer.

    Silver had to hold back sudden tears.

    He couldn¡¯t be this pokemon¡¯s trainer, he didn¡¯t deserve it.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry,¡± Silver¡¯s voice choked off as he coughed into his arm - his breath both too dry and too wet - ¡°I¡¯m not the one for you,¡± - an image of a small, excited child filtered into Silver¡¯s mind, and he hated himself a little more - ¡°I need to take you back home.¡±

    He wouldn¡¯t be like his father, and steal this pokemon from its trainer, and tear apart their bond.

    The Totodile made a confused noise, looking up at Silver with wide eyes. Seemingly reading his intention to take him back, the Totodile - in an act that brought something cold and warm to Silver¡¯s heart - opened its jaw wide, proudly displaying all of its teeth.

    Silver shuddered upon seeing it, but not in fear, as most other children would, but because he had seen it before .

    Father¡¯s Rhyhorn had always opened its jaw in the same way to Silver, showing its pride both in itself and in him , marking him as its own kin.

    ¡®Look at my teeth, child. Look at my strength, that I use not to harm, but to defend.¡¯

    Silver had always loved spending time with Rhyhorn and Father¡¯s other pokemon, which had quickly ended once Father found out, lest Silver ¡®become too attached.¡¯

    Silver had never seen Rhyhorn show its teeth again.

    Silver felt his body shake in something that might have been grief, or plain exhaustion , and he felt, rather than saw, Totodile lean against him, giving what meagre body heat it had to warm him.

    And while the Totodile itself was a cold-blooded creature, the contact felt infinitely warmer than Father¡¯s hand on his shoulder.

    Silver let out a shuddered breath, looking down into Totodile¡¯s eyes, ¡°...You-¡± His voice cracked, ¡°You want me as your¡­¡± He paused - when he thought ¡®trainer¡¯, he thought of Father¡¯s ruthless leadership - ¡°Friend?¡±

    Totodile gave a guttural chirp and butted his head against the palm of Silver¡¯s hand, uttering a low, constant noise that almost sounded like a cracked purr.

    Silver watched with wide eyes for several moments, before - for the first time in weeks - giving out a wide smile, choking out, ¡° Thank you. ¡±

    Silver and Totodile - his Totodile; his friend - stayed like that for a few, precious moments, before being interrupted by a small cough behind him, ¡°This is all very touching, but I really want to know why a kid as thin as a toothpick is hiding away in an alley.¡±

    Silver whirled around, taking several steps back before tripping, falling onto his butt with a muffled cry.

    Totodile, hearing Silver¡¯s distress, crouched low and growled loudly, standing between Silver and the man who now stood before them.

    The man - a dark blight in the shadows - extended his hands, showing them to be empty, ¡°Woah there, little beasty. I mean no harm to either of you,¡± He crouched down, hands still extended as Totodile¡¯s growls raised in volume, ¡°I just stumbled upon y¡¯all standing here, and¡­¡± The man shrugged, ¡°Had some questions.¡±

    Silver bared his teeth alongside Totodile, a sudden pit of rage making itself known, ¡° Go away. ¡±

    The man only snorted, ¡° Right. ¡± The man¡¯s tone was distinctly unimpressed as he began to take his jacket off - prompting Totodile¡¯s growls to rise once more - ¡°And leave you to freeze to death?¡± The man threw the jacket onto Silver, surprising him momentarily, though he quickly threw it off of himself in time to hear the man mutter,  ¡° Koi would never forgive me. ¡±

    Silver snarled in response, and Totodile took a ready position before him, ¡°Yeah? I don¡¯t think they¡¯d forgive you for attacking me either!¡± Silver stood, a burst of adrenaline keeping him from collapsing, ¡°And who the hell attacks with their jacket?! ¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s for you to wear , you bloody numbskull,¡± The man snapped - the shadows wreathing his form flickered, as if alive - ¡°You obviously need it more than me.¡±

    Silver growled - a sound echoed almost exactly by Totodile - and bundled the jacket into a haphazard ball, throwing it at the man, ¡°I don¡¯t want your charity! ¡±

    The man caught the jacket with one hand, ¡°I didn¡¯t ask.¡± He began to step forward, not caring at the foam beginning to trickle out of Totodile¡¯s maw, ¡°And I¡¯m not going to stand aside as you commit suicide via frostbite.¡±

    Silver took a step back, fear overtaking his anger as quickly as it came, ¡°I-I¡¯ll scream.¡±

    The man raised an eyebrow - it was all Silver could see of the man¡¯s face - silently conveying his disbelief, ¡°...If there was someone nearby who you could trust to save you, why aren¡¯t you with them?¡±

    Silver¡¯s voice lodged in his throat - he didn¡¯t dare scream, not truly, not when Team Rocket was still searching for him .

    By the sigh he heard from the shadowed man, it seemed that his thoughts had been clearly visible on his face, ¡°Listen, kid¡­¡± The man paused, before slowly flicking his wrist, seemingly banishing the shadows from his form.

    Silver was too overwhelmed at the time to really ask himself how the man had done so.

    With the shadows gone, though, Silver could see into the man¡¯s eyes, revealing a sea of wary grey that hid bone-deep exhaustion beneath a veneer of wit.

    Something about the man¡¯s gaze - that ready wariness that he did not try to hide - loosened something in Silver¡¯s shoulders.

    They were not the cold, emotionless eyes that his Father wore anytime he laid eyes upon his son.

    These eyes were warmer.

    They showed a great capacity for rage.

    They showed a great capacity for compassion.

    ¡°See,¡± The man murmured, eyeing Silver as he laid down a hand, palm facing upwards, for Totodile to inspect, ¡°I¡¯m not going to hurt you.¡±

    Silver flicked his eyes to Totodile, who seemed marginally calmer after checking the man¡¯s hand, but was still crouched in such a way to leap at the man at a moment¡¯s notice. Silver turned back to the man, bursting out before he could stop himself, ¡°Why?¡±

    The man stares back stoically - and it strikes Silver how old such an expression is on the man¡¯s remarkably youthful face - ¡°Why what?¡±

    ¡°Why would you help me? ¡± Silver¡¯s voice cracked at the last word, overcome with shivers.

    The man sighed to himself, before silently handing over his jacket once more. Silver stared at it distrustfully for a few seconds before snatching it out of the man¡¯s hands, wrapping it around himself to keep from shivering nearly as much.

    For as thin as it appeared, the navy-blue leather helped insulate his body heat.

    Yet, the jacket didn¡¯t seem to satisfy the man, as his frown lowered a touch more before he closed his eyes, huffing out a small puff of heavy air - or was it smoke? - that seemed to warm the air around them into something almost¡­ cosy.

    It only made Silver glare at the man with more distrust.

    The man crossed his arms, finally answering, ¡°Does there have to be a reason?¡±

    Silver bit back a growl - he couldn¡¯t take the man¡¯s apparent mercy for granted - and raised his chin, ¡°There¡¯s always a reason.¡±

    Always some sort of agenda with every good deed.

    The man huffed, looking up into the sky as he whispered, ¡° God, give me patience .¡± He looked back to Silver, a tired line entering his brow, ¡°I¡¯ve seen your type, kid. Hell, I¡¯ve lived it,¡± The man withdrew a toothpick from his pocket, placing it between his teeth, ¡°I was lucky to have help then¡­ Let me help you now.¡±

    Silver stared at him, his defiance wavering slightly, ¡°...I don¡¯t believe you.¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± The man gave a lopsided smirk, and squatted down, arms hanging over his legs, ¡°Then let¡¯s start over, shall we?¡± He extended a hand, ¡°The name¡¯s Herren. It¡¯s nice to meet you, kid.¡±

    Silver blinked dumbly at the outstretched hand - this man wasn¡¯t serious, was he - and didn¡¯t shake it, ¡°... Right .¡±

    The man - Herren - smiled - his teeth were sharp - ¡°You¡¯re supposed to introduce yourself as well, kid.¡±

    Silver glared at him, ¡°I don¡¯t have to do anything!¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Herren retracted his hand, and a playful - malevolent? - glint entered his eyes, ¡°Well that isn¡¯t very fair.¡± The man shrugged, ¡°Oh well, I suppose I¡¯ll just have to keep calling a kid then, because you¡¯re not giving me a name-¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not a child, ¡± Silver snarled - and a smirk etched into the shadows of Herren¡¯s face - and quickly snapped back, ¡°My name¡¯s Silver-¡±

    Silver snapped his jaw shut, eyes wide in terror as the man leaned back, a victorious light shimmering in his eyes. Before Silver could undo the damage he had done, Herren broke in, ¡°Silver, huh?¡± A shadow of grim humour entered his eyes, ¡°Should¡¯ve been born two decades prior, kid. Would¡¯ve been three of a set.¡±

    Silver growled - and with him, Totodile did the same - ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    Herren waved a hand away, ¡°It¡¯s before your time. Now, ¡± He leaned forward a touch, ¡°Who are you running from?¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Silver jolted as the words registered, ¡°I¡¯m not running from anyone! ¡± - it sounded like a lie to his own ears - ¡°I have no reason to run!¡±

    ¡°You and I both know that¡¯s a lie, kid,¡± The man sighed, rubbing his brow, ¡°I said it before and I¡¯ll say it again: I¡¯m not here to hurt you .¡±

    Silver grit his teeth, ¡°Then why are you here? ¡±

    ¡°To hear your story,¡± Herren replied simply.

    Silver blinked, ¡°I¡¯m not-¡± He sighed, slumping down as his earlier exhaustion began to return, ¡°I¡¯m not going to tell you my life story.¡±

    Herren raised a finger, ¡°And that is why I¡¯m concerned. Not because you don¡¯t want to tell me, ¡± He extended a hand to stop Silver from snapping back, ¡°But because of what would happen if you were to say the same to someone else.¡±

    Silver bit his tongue, waiting a few moments before hissing, ¡°Say what you mean .¡±

    ¡°If you were to say the same to a Jenny, you¡¯d find yourself in CPS before the sun was down,¡± Herren stated frankly, drawing a horrified stare from Silver, ¡°And, while I might be wrong, I take it that¡¯s not in your best interest?¡±

    Silver wordlessly nodded - he had overheard Father speaking with his ¡®executives¡¯ about pulling kids out of CPS as ¡®rookies¡¯ - and Herren sighed, ¡°Listen, kid- Silver , you¡¯re an underfed, scraggly child with a pseudo-rabid crocodile and no papers. Unless you plan on living in the woods, you will be found. Unless¡­¡± Herren tilted his head, ¡°You accept help.¡±

    Silver stared blankly at the wall behind Herren, eyes too tired to draw tears in his despair, ¡°...What do I do?¡±

    Herren¡¯s eyes softened at his defeated tone, ¡°You let me help¡­¡± He extended his hand once more, ¡°Will you?¡±

    Silver blinked, and slowly nodded, pulling Totodile in for a desperate hug - Mew, he felt like a child . Herren hummed, positioning himself in a more comfortable spot on the wall, ¡°Alright, Silver. Could you tell me your family name?¡±

    Silver was too drained at this point to properly glare at the man, thought he did manage something of a stink-eye, prompting Herren to roll his eyes, ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°If I recognise the name, I might be able to keep them off your trail,¡± Herren pulled out a pokeball nonchalantly, causing Silver to tense, though he didn¡¯t seem to notice, ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me if you don¡¯t want to.¡±

    Silver turned his head down, hiding his eyes behind a mop of red hair. Herren crossed his arms as Silver mumbled something out that he couldn¡¯t hear, ¡°Could you repeat that a little louder?¡±

    Silver darted his eyes up to Herren, before quickly whispering, ¡° Sakaki. ¡±

    Silver turned away before he could see the man¡¯s reaction - which would surely be some mixture of shock, disgust, and jealousy - and listened to the man¡¯s remarkably calm breathing, which was then interrupted with a whistle, ¡°Well, that make things a little complicated. I¡¯m somewhat surprised that the old man actually had sex with someone¡­¡±

    Silver was shocked into a laugh, which quickly turned into a cough, ¡°Don¡¯t say that!¡± His coughs slowly died down, and he turned back to Herren, ¡°I don¡¯t need that image in my head.¡±

    Herren merely smiled, ¡°What? It¡¯s a natural part of life,¡± He waved a hand, ¡°You may be young, now, kid, but one day you¡¯ll want to tango in the blankets with someone-¡±

    ¡° STOP! ¡± Silver yelped, temporarily forgetting that he was supposed to be hiding - though, in the back of his mind, he wondered if there was anyone else here but the two of them at this time of night - ¡°I don¡¯t need you teasing me!¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s so fun ,¡± Herren deadpanned with a Sharpedo¡¯s smile, though he quickly composed himself into something more serious, ¡°Giovanni, huh?¡± He raised an eyebrow at Silver, ¡°I take it that you¡¯re running from Team Rocket as well?¡±

    ¡°Yeah- wait ,¡± Silver narrowed his eyes, ¡°...You know Father-¡±

    ¡°-Is the leader of Team Rocket, yeah,¡± Herren stated, as if it was common knowledge that wasn¡¯t specifically hidden from every living being on the planet outside of a very select group of individuals, all bearing an ¡®R¡¯ on their uniform.

    Silver blinked, then immediately leaned away, suspicious, ¡° How do you know? ¡±

    ¡°I like to think I¡¯m an observant person,¡± Herren stated, a far-away look entering his eye, ¡°...And I knew your Father, back in the war.¡±

    The Great War. Silver shuddered, remembering the horror stories Father deemed fit to tell him - to scare him into submission with - ¡°You fought with him?¡±

    Herren snorted, ¡°Not quite.¡± He leaned back, and unknowable shadow seeping into his visage, ¡°I¡¯m a Johto native, so we fought on opposite ends of the war,¡± He shuffled the toothpick to the other side of his mouth, ¡°My point still stands, though. Keep your friends close¡­¡±

    ¡°...And keep your enemies closer,¡± Silver finished, recalling the saying from the many times Father lectured the same lesson to him. He narrowed his eyes at the man, as Father¡¯s old ramblings connected in his brain, ¡°...You were the leader of the Golden Corps?¡±

    Herren raised a mildly bemused eyebrow, ¡°I¡¯m surprised you know of it.¡±

    ¡°Father told me about you, or - well - more like about one of you¡­¡± Silver¡¯s brow drew together as he pulled from his memory, ¡°One of your lieutenants, the¡­ ¡® Butcher of Johto¡¯ ?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Herren tapped a slow finger on his leg, ¡°...He did acquire a number of names¡­¡±

    Silver perked up in slightly morbid interest, ¡°Who?¡±

    Herren waved a hand away, ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter, he¡¯s dead now.¡± He clapped his hands, causing Silver to startle, ¡°Now, first things first: you need a new name .¡±

    Silver blinked, ¡°You mean I can¡¯t keep my old one?¡±

    Herren stared at him, ¡°How many people do you know that are named ¡® Silver ¡¯?¡± He shook his head, grumbling under his breath, ¡°It¡¯s too recognisable, kid. We need a new one.¡±

    Silver blinked a couple more times, mind waring between bewilderment and distress, before settling on numbness, ¡°...Alright, what should my name be?¡±

    Herren glanced at Silver, his grey eyes narrowed in thought, ¡°...It¡¯s probably best to stick with something similar, both phonetically and nationally,¡± He tilts his head to Silver, lips pursed as he considered, ¡°Your family hails from Paldea, correct?¡±

    At Silver¡¯s tired nod, Herren hummed to himself, ¡°A Paldean name, then. It is a beautiful language,¡± He tilted his head in thought, ¡°I have an idea that might work; it has a touch of irony that¡¯s always appreciated.¡±

    Silver rubbed his eyes, ¡°Could you not play around with my name?¡±

    Herren eyed the kid with amusement, ¡°And not stick it to your old man?¡± He leaned forward, a challenging gleam in his eyes, ¡° Tell me it¡¯s not appealing.¡±

    Silver pursed his lips - it was rather appealing, in the dark part hidden away in his mind - and sighed, ¡°...What is it?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡± Herren raised his head, an almost mocking gleam shining in his eyes, ¡°You want to break away from your old man, yes?¡± At Silver¡¯s nod, the man continued, slowly extending a hand to the side, ¡°Your father¡­ Team Rocket as a whole steals pokemon as a profession,¡± He extended the other hand, ¡°And I can think of no better opposite to this than saving them,¡± He clapped his hands together, ¡°To save - a noble goal - which translates to Paldean as ¡® Salvar ¡¯.¡±

    Herren leaned forward with a Sharpedo¡¯s grin, clearly recognising Silver¡¯s stricken visage, ¡°Twist the pronunciation a touch, and we¡¯re left with Salvare .¡±

    Silver was struck silent for several moments, and Herren leaned back, a self-satisfied expression on his face, ¡°I take it you like it?¡±

    Silver didn¡¯t truly know if he liked it - this was all happening so fast¡­ - but he could accept it¡­

    Eventually.

    All the same, Silver nodded, prompting Herren to roll his shoulders, ¡°Well¡­¡± The man gave a lopsided smirk, akin to the one from merely an hour ago, ¡°Then let¡¯s start over, shall we?¡± He extended a hand, ¡°The name¡¯s Herren. It¡¯s nice to meet you kid.¡±

    Silver nearly remained in silence, only to jolt as he remembered the man¡¯s words from before.

    ¡®You¡¯re supposed to introduce yourself as well, kid.¡¯

    Silver raised his hand, then stopped, hesitating for a brief moment before steeling his face, and grasping the man¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Salvare,¡± Silver - Salvare¡­ he was Salvare now - whispered, ¡°My¡­ My name is Salvare. ¡±

    ¡­

    Athlete¡¯s Village Inn, Silver Town, December 17th, 1997

    My name is Salvare.

    Salvare grumbled as he blinked awake, rubbing the crust out of his eyes.

    By his side, Absol - an aged creature - grunted as she shifted in her sleep. She blearily opened a single eye as Salvare sat up on his bed, before closing it once it was clear that no danger was present.

    Absol had remained particularly vigilant around Salvare, even after Alph.

    Most of her ire seemed to be directed towards Red, though Salvare never saw fit to mention it.

    Salvare shook his head from its thoughts - though, it was no large amount, given that the moon was still in the night sky . He glanced for a moment at the jacket hung up at the edge of the bed, and was brought back to the memory of his first meeting with Herren.

    That navy-blue jacket was the very same as the one that the man had thrown on him back in the alley.

    Though, now it actually fit.

    Salvare wasn¡¯t quite certain as to why he relived that memory, though that wasn¡¯t a complaint.

    He had met his first - and best - friend that day.

    He looked over to the couch - or, well, was remained of the couch - at the corner of the room, and the giant alligator sprawled on top of it.

    He had seen how Red slept with all of his pokemon outside of their pokeballs, and had seen fit to try it out.

    He internally winced at the extra bill he¡¯d have to foot for the demolished couch, but at least Feraligatr looked comfortable.

    The thought of Red brought them to Herren, causing Salvare to grumble to himself.

    He liked the man well enough, though he wouldn¡¯t deny that the man was¡­ rough around the edges.

    He almost reminded him of Red in a way, bearing an old soul for their age, and holding archaic knowledge that Salvare could never fathom the origins of.

    There were some differences, though. Red was less outwardly charismatic than Herren - though, that could be chocked up to a lack of care on Red¡¯s part . Herren was considerably more crass, and perhaps a bit mean - though, that could be explained as Red having greater self-restraint .

    They were both skilled and dangerous - The one time he had seen Herren fight paralleled the feeling he got watching Red fight. They were both self-deprecating to a fault - even if Herren hid it behind a veneer of dry wit.

    He actually thought Red and Herren would get along splendidly , once Red got rid of his suspicion and Herren stopped intentionally adding to that suspicion.

    It would be nice¡­ but Salvare had come to accept some things not going his way. He wasn¡¯t one to complain, after all, given how both of them had saved him at different points in time.

    Herren had crafted his very identity, hidden him away from Team Rocket and his Father behind the mask of ¡®Salvare Razzo¡¯.

    Red had saved his best friend, and safely navigated him through the dangers of Ilex Forest and the Ruins of Alph.

    Herren had been the guide and ideal to pull Salvare from his rut in ¡®94.

    Red had been the mentor and friend who had raised Salvare to new heights.

    Salvare was willing to follow them both; all they would have to do is ask .

    Salvare jolted as soft fur brushed against him, turning back to see Absol¡¯s soulful eyes staring into his own. After a moment - a moment in which Absol seemed to read omens in Salvare¡¯s future - the lady bumped her head against Salvare¡¯s arm, settling herself on his legs as she emitted a sound that was a cross between a purr and a grumble.

    Salvare smiled softly, petting Absol¡¯s fur. She had been antsier than usual for the past few days, which was an impressive feat, given that for all the - short - time he had known her, she seemed preoccupied with something .

    There was an omen on the horizon.

    Salvare couldn¡¯t see it, but through Absol he could almost sense it.

    He couldn¡¯t say anything of what it would be, though, so he didn¡¯t think much about it.

    The best he could do - the best they could all do - was be ready for it, for anything.

    Red was obviously ready for anything, and even Karen seemed jittery.

    Salvare would be the same.

    He had to be.

    ¡­

    ¡°go forth, and conquer.¡±

    A pop, then whirring. The tape had ended.

    Red sat cross-legged on the floor, having forgone the couch early on in the ordeal. Despite the late - or very early - hour, neither he nor his pokemon felt any desire to sleep for the night.

    Red ejected the tape from his pokedex and carefully placed it back into his bag, in a separate compartment from the essentials. Once he set his bag back down, he leaned back, and breathed, ¡°That wasn¡¯t¡­ quite what I expected.¡±

    He heard a grunt to his left - Frogadier - and silence from the others. Vee nestled into his legs tiredly, her fur darkening to a reddish hue of violet.

    Red tapped his legs, silently marvelling at the blessed emptiness of his mind.

    He was well aware he would be screaming otherwise.

    He distantly wondered if Herren¡¯s meditation routine was the source of his restraint, and slowly drifted away from the thought as his mind solidified, then chilled.

    Red¡¯s eyes flickered void and crimson.

    His first thought was that the Chariot - Aurous, Uncle, Charedete - sounded far too young .

    Oh, but the voice deepened in timber as the tape went on - as the years passed by - and the man went from sounding like an angry young man to a grieving soul to a hearty uncle to a tired warrior to an empty husk.

    ¡­Red hated how human the Chariot sounded.

    For the past three years - for all that Red had known the Chariot - all he could envision of the man was little more than a walking corpse, cobbled together in leather and steel for the sole purpose of destruction.

    And his voice - his throat, punctured by tubes, that echoed the distorted hiss that beckoned, that begged, for Red to join him - did nothing but add to the image of a monster.

    ¡®You¡¯re a monster.¡¯

    ¡®I know.¡¯

    Red shuddered, because, even as his practical side tried to deny it - even as that dark, hateful side of him raged against it - that small, hopeful part of him that was once Ash insisted that the man was as human as himself.

    ¡®Perhaps,¡¯ Red allowed in his mind.

    ¡®but not anymore.¡¯

    Red shook his head, banishing all thoughts of Chariot¡¯s voice, Ash¡¯s voice, and all the other voices that were starting to yell in his mind.

    He could break down later, when Vee wasn¡¯t here to break with him.

    Petting Vee¡¯s head as she finally drifted off to sleep, Red allowed himself to lean back against the side of his bed.

    He could¡­ wait before fully unpacking his thoughts on the tape.

    He couldn¡¯t help but hear his own voice amidst the Chariot¡¯s anguish.

    Red didn¡¯t want to disturb Vee¡¯s sleep anymore than he already had, and¡­ well, it was probably a good idea to be in an open, unpopulated space before letting go of his control.

    It was already tenuous enough, what with the limited training curtousy of Herren.

    Red closed his eyes, but rather than falling asleep - which was probably the healthy option - he sunk himself into a shallow meditation, the darkness in his vision being blurred with half-remembered faces.

    He hadn¡¯t been able to recall his mother¡¯s face in nearly a year.

    By the time Red¡¯s eyes opened upon the sunrise, any tears that may have left his eyes had long since dried.

    His eyes glowed.

    They had remained glowing, even under closed eyelids.

    ¡­

    Silver Stadium, Silver Town, December 18th, 1997

    Red bit back a growl as his headache flared - which was happening more often - and willed his eyes to remain focused on the battle below.

    While most matches throughout the tournament thus far have turned out mildly disappointing to watch - at least in Red¡¯s opinion - he was glad to note that the current battle was actually worthy .

    Of course, given that it was the semi-final match between Karen and Salvare, Red would have been unpleasantly surprised if it was anything less, given that they were an Aura Guardian and his student respectively.

    It seemed that the crowd enjoyed the battle as well, given the volume of their cheers. Had Red not already been suffering through his chronic migraine, the noise might have made one for him.

    Red would have to make a note to thank Clair for giving him a pass to the VIP stands.

    For some unknowable reason, Red had become something of a celebrity within the tournament.

    Though, whether he could be seen as famous or infamous was up for debate.

    Apparently, his repeated displays of strength got the attention of the masses, somehow acquiring himself a fanbase.

    Red shuddered as the word passed by his mind.

    At first, it wasn¡¯t that bad. There were a few people here and there who tried to talk to him during some of the early matches, but Salvare scared them off with a glare, and when that didn¡¯t work, Karen loudly talked their ears off until they fled.

    Karen seemed to derive a dark pleasure in the act, and who was Red to stop her?

    However, as the tournament progressed - and as Red¡¯s matches ended quicker and quicker - the number of over-enthusiastic fans rose.

    It got to the point where one - thankfully adult - woman brazenly asked him out, causing Karen to choke and Salvare to turn to Red, only to ask, as dry as the Orre desert, how his dumpster diving was going.

    Red - who had recently found a set of unused super potions in the local dump - told him that it was going well.

    The woman had backed off by that point.

    Honestly, Red had not been looking forward to the current match. Not from any fault of his friends, of course, but from the fact that without them next to him, he would have to fend for himself on the stands, which would have inevitably ended in tears.

    Thankfully, the day before, Red happened to see Clair while training.

    Though, it wasn¡¯t quite happenstance, given that Clair seemed to have seeked him out.

    All the same, Red had taken the opportunity to ask some more questions about Charmander¡¯s draconic nature, and Clair seemed to do the same, except her questions focused on Red rather than any of his pokemon.

    Were she anyone else, and Red would suspect them as a spy for Team Source.

    Clair could be trusted, though. Or as trusted as Red could be with any given person.

    Despite the limited answers Red gave to anything related to his past - and how Clair¡¯s expression revealed that she knew he was hiding things - she seemed content with their conversation, if a bit flustered.

    Vee, who had taken to wrapping around Red¡¯s neck, seemed to find the expression hilarious.

    At the end of their conversation - which lasted for nearly three hours - Clair seemed to briefly wrestle with herself before shoving a slip of paper to Red.

    Said slip of paper ended up being a ticket to the VIP stands - which caused Lance¡¯s eye to twitch when he saw it - specifically sitting next to Clair and the Psychic specialist of the Elite Four, whose name Red hadn¡¯t bothered to learn.

    He hadn¡¯t even heard of the guy before this conference.

    Red pinched his brow, mentally shaking off his errant thoughts, and watched as Salvare¡¯s Absol and Karen¡¯s Houndour face off across the torn battlefield.

    It was nearing the end of the match, clocking in at just over two hours. Both only had two pokemon left, with each of them bearing some damage.

    Red tracked the movements of the two pokemon as they circled each other. After having been torn apart by Feraligatr¡¯s Earthquake and bleached dry from Vileplume¡¯s Sunny Day , the terrain of the arena hardly reflected the initial marshy landscape it started off as.

    Red was honestly impressed at the level of destruction wrought by the two of them.

    It almost reminded him of his fights with the-

    Red gripped his seat, forcing away the thought - forcing away the reminder of the tape in his bag - and focused his attention on the battle at hand.

    He did not notice Clair¡¯s look of concern at his death grip.

    Red analysed the battle, putting himself in Salvare¡¯s place.

    The Houndour had the current advantage, given the lingering effects of Sunny Day along with its smaller frame allowing for easier traversal along the uprooted stone. Additionally, given its youth, it retained a large amount of energy despite the visible wounds along its fur.

    In comparison, Absol was an older specimen, not quite as fast as the Houndour, but far more nimble.

    It was flagging, though, and with Salvare remaining on the defensive, there was soon to be a point where it could no longer dodge Houndour¡¯s attacks.

    Red moved his finger, envisioning a Sucker Punch turning the tide of battle, followed by a well-placed Night Slash to end it.

    However, it seemed that Salvare either didn¡¯t think of using the move, or had never bothered to teach it. Instead, as Houndour leaped forward with another Fire Fang , Absol dodged backwards with a hasty Quick Attack , only for Salvare to yell out, ¡° Rain Dance! ¡±

    Red rubbed his chin upon seeing the tactic. He supposed it could be useful, especially given that Feraligatr had yet to faint, but it wasn¡¯t at great a trade as it might seem.

    While Houndour was a Fire-type pokemon, thus being weakened by the coming rain, there wasn¡¯t much of a point to weaken it now, especially given that Absol was set to faint any moment.

    Sure, Feraligatr was sure to mop up Houndour upon release, but that still puts Salvare and Karen on roughly equal footing. Given that Absol was not a Water-type, its Rain Dance likely wasn¡¯t going to last for very long.

    Had Red¡¯s strategy been done, there was a likely chance that Absol could last until Karen¡¯s Umbreon was let out, allowing it to weaken it for Feraligatr.

    Still, Red supposed Salvare¡¯s strategy had some merit. It was certainly better than just allowing Absol to faint. Even if the Rain Dance was going to be short-lived, it was better than nothing.

    As Absol finally succumbed to its injuries, Red¡¯s eyes caught a figure two rows below him beginning to stand, only for him to close his eyes with a hiss as his headache flared once more.

    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    He dimly registered that it was a familiar feeling.

    Before he could think any more on it, a concerned voice filtered into his right ear, ¡°Are you two alright?¡±

    Red blinked his eyes open, registering Clair¡¯s concerned look, ¡°...I¡¯m fine ,¡± - damn, that came out in a hiss - ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    Clair narrowed her eyes in mild doubt - her pupils retracted into slits - before flicking them behind Red, ¡°What about you, Will?¡±

    Red turned, seeing that the Psychic specialist - Will - was also nursing his head, ¡°I¡­ It¡¯s nothing. I just felt¡­¡± Whatever he was going to say was cut off as he shuddered, ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    Red raised an eyebrow, asking before he could stop himself, ¡°You¡¯ve been having headaches too?¡±

    Will blinked, shifting his eyes to Red in a shrewd glance, ¡°For the past few days, yes,¡± His eyes bore into Red¡¯s, an unreadable expression on his face, ¡°So you have as well?¡±

    Red crossed his arms as he turned back to the where the man had left from - seated to the left of Blaine¡­ Giovanni¡¯s seat - and responded lowly, ¡°Yes.¡±

    Red did not deign to mention that his headache had lasted for months rather than days.

    He could distantly feel Clair¡¯s confusion to his left - and since when could he do that? - before snapping back to Will as the man calmly muttered, ¡°Interesting. Are you a Psychic as well?¡±

    Red frowned, idly tapping the arm of his chair, ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Will nodded slowly, shifting his eyes back to the battle - they were unfocused - ¡°I see.¡±

    After a few moments of silence, Red turned to Clair, eyebrows raised in a silent question.

    All he received was a shrug in response.

    Brilliant.

    Turning back to the battle, Red noted that it was no longer raining, and that Feraligatr was now zipping around the arena to attack Karen¡¯s Umbreon.

    Red tracked the battle with renewed interest, given that he would be facing off whomever was the victor in the finals tomorrow.

    Red¡¯s own semi-final had lasted only just above an hour, intermission included.

    Honestly, Red couldn¡¯t say for certain which one of his friends he wanted to win - and which one he wanted to face off against.

    The thing with Salvare was that, if they were to face off in the finals, it would be an inherently unbalanced match.

    Salvare had been Red¡¯s student for the past three and a half months, and not once had he ever truly beaten Red in a battle.

    This wasn¡¯t to say the kid was weak. No, Salvare had developed into a worthy trainer under Red¡¯s tutelage, being able to train conventionally strong pokemon with unconventional methods.

    However, for all that Red would be proud for Salvare to best Karen in this match¡­ the selfish part of him desired a fight that would actually involve some effort .

    Red was aware that it was an arrogant thought, but at this point, he saw little value in the time he¡¯s taken in the League, at least in terms of training.

    Sure, the good outweighs the bad in this regard, given Red¡¯s newfound connections, but there has been little gain with actually growing his and his pokemons¡¯ skills.

    Even if he were to battle Karen in the finals, he rather doubted that would provide much challenge.

    But at least it might.

    Again, given that they had been travelling and training together for months, Red knew just about everything that Salvare could do. All of his various tricks have either been adopted from Red, or was influenced by him to some extent.

    With Karen, that was less true. The two of them had only battled a few times, and never with their full teams. While Red had still emerged victorious in each of them, Karen had managed to make one of his pokemon faint back at Azalea Town.

    That was more than most could say, especially given that it was Charmander who fell.

    Red blinked as a cloud of dust erupted in the arena, obscuring the forms of Feraligatr and Umbreon. He watched as the stadium held its breath, until the dust settled to reveal Umbreon standing over Feraligatr¡¯s fallen form, triumphant despite its (probably) broken leg.

    Red clapped quietly as the rest of the stadium roared, catching Karen¡¯s eyes as she visibly basked in their praise.

    She beamed at him - and wasn¡¯t that odd? - screaming out something that Red couldn¡¯t hear over the din of voices.

    Red rolled his eyes - which, he knew, would be visible even at that distance, due to their glow - and turned to look for Salvare, only to see that his podium was empty.

    That was quick.

    Red shrugged to himself, burying the small disquiet he felt at the sight. Like him, Salvare didn¡¯t like crowds. He rose from his seat, and turned to Clair with a bow, ¡°Thank you for allowing me to sit here.¡±

    ¡°Oh!¡± Clair seemed embarrassed, if the sudden crimson hue on her cheeks meant anything, ¡°Y-you¡¯re welcome!¡±

    Red nodded and stepped down the stands, moving towards the edge of the stadium where he could call Salvare without all of the noise.

    Salvare did say he wanted to talk with Red after the match.

    Once Red found a quiet corner - which was easier said than done - he flipped open his pokedex and dialled Salvare¡¯s contact.

    Red would have to thank Herren for convincing Elm to be their sponsor. Extra money aside, having a pokedex again was very convenient.

    Red waited a few moments, idly petting Pichu¡¯s head as the transceiver rung, and rung, and rung¡­

    Salvare didn¡¯t pick up.

    Red frowned as he closed the transceiver, thinking it¡­ odd that Salvare didn¡¯t pick up.

    The kid usually answered on the first dial, across those few times that Red had called him.

    Red pursed his lips, remaining still for a moment, before setting off at a rapid stride.

    It was probably nothing - and Red was aware that he was paranoid - but he needed to check regardless.

    It wasn¡¯t a long walk to Salvare¡¯s podium, given that few people watched the match from the ground level. Anyone he encountered on his way down quickly went out of his way, as if an invisible barrier surrounded him as he marched.

    His eyes flickered as bright as blood.

    Red reached the area leading to the podium - barren - and closed his eyes to Detect his surroundings.

    There was no-one there.

    ¡­But there was an object on the ground.

    Red opened his eyes, his legs already moving him to the object, and crouched down to pick up a pokedex, the same model as his own.

    Salvare¡¯s pokedex.

    Red released Frogadier, once more Detecting the area, specifically for any traces of Salvare or anyone who had recently been in the area.

    Red snapped his eyes - blazing crimson - to the wall, specifically on the small, almost invisible, trace of blood on it.

    Something dark stirred within Red.

    Red stepped back, ¡° Frogadier ,¡± - his voice came out in a rasp - ¡° See if you can use Pursuit on the blood, to track it. ¡±

    Red could see it now: a struggle, someone, or someones, forcibly taking Salvare, leading to the pokedex falling onto the ground.

    Salvare did carry a switchblade on him, which could explain the blood¡­

    It could also be Salvare¡¯s blood.

    Frogadier grunted, meeting Red¡¯s eyes for a moment before setting off. Red¡¯s eyes flickered in minute satisfaction before following.

    A small, primal part of Red was baying for blood.

    Red indulged in it, if only because of the rising adrenaline it gave.

    Frogadier led him away from the stadium, away from the crowds of people and into the alleys of the town.

    The further they went, the darker Red¡¯s eyes became.

    Eventually, at the western edge of town - cast into shadow by the setting sun - Red picked up distant voices, and signalled for Frogadier to stop.

    Red released Charmander, and allowed Pichu to jump off of him before walking forward, giving the silent hand signal to prepare for engagement.

    Without hesitating any longer, Red stepped into the entrance of the alleyway, stomping his boots on the ground to get their attention on himself - and hopefully away from Salvare.

    It worked. The two people - both wearing uniforms of Team Rocket - who were holding Salvare upright stumbled, allowing Salvare a chance to break free.

    At least, that would have been the case had Salvare been able to .

    Salvare was sedated. By what, Red couldn¡¯t tell, as his eyes flickered to the Feraligatr being pinned down by a Nidoqueen, the owner of which stood off to the side, wearing a white uniform that contrasted against the grunts¡¯ black.

    An admin.

    There was blood trickling from her cheek - a slash from a switchblade.

    The beast within Red rumbled with pride.

    The woman seemed to recover from her shock at his entrance, as she raised a polished red eyebrow, ¡°It seems that Silver wasn¡¯t lying when he said you¡¯d come.¡±

    Red¡¯s eyes flickered briefly to Salvare - did they mishear his name? - seeing that his protege was still conscious despite his sedation. He turned back to glare at the red-haired woman, his eyes blazing a hateful crimson as he growled, ¡° let him go. ¡±

    The world darkened at the edges.

    His eyes bore pinpricks of crimson light, within the shadow of the void.

    The two grunts trembled at his words, as the animalistic part of their brains yelled out ¡®danger!¡¯ The woman visibly shivered, though her face remained haughty as she scoffed, ¡°I only just reunited with the boy, Satoshi,¡± Her eyes sharpened, ¡°Do you expect a mother to simply leave her child once mor-¡±

    Red gave the signal.

    The woman flinched back as Water Blade split apart mere millimetres away from her neck, having been saved by a Protect.

    Red stepped forward to press the attack - to kill them all - only to stop as a pressure split into his mind, causing him to stumble.

    In the din of ringing ears - in the Madness of crimson light - Red only barely heard a smooth tone utter from behind, ¡°Stand down. All of you.¡±

    Red grit his teeth, violently ripping away the psychic presence from his mind - delighting in the distant sense of pain he caused his assailant - and turned to face Giovanni, leader of Team Rocket, standing beside an Exeggutor.

    From behind Red, the admin faintly touched her neck, eyes wide at her near-execution.

    Red¡¯s pokemon - hell, all of their pokemon were on a hair-trigger, just waiting to be unleashed in a battle.

    Giovanni saw this - Red could see it in his eyes - and only sighed, ¡°I had hoped we could meet in different circumstances, Mr. Satoshi.¡±

    Red regarded him for a moment - the haze of red never leaving - before straightening, crossing his arms behind his back. He remained silent, flicking two fingers before rotating his thumb.

    A silent command.

    ¡®Cover the ground.¡¯

    Giovanni simply watched Red for a moment, before turning his eyes to the admin - though Giovanni¡¯s other pokemon, hidden in shadow, kept their eyes on Red - ¡°Are you alright, Ariana?¡±

    The woman - Ariana, apparently - gave as nonchalant a shrug as she could - though the effect was ruined by her slight shakiness - ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± Giovanni drawled, eyes lingering on her wound before flickering to Salvare, ¡°I see my son gave you some trouble?¡±

    My son.

    ¡°Our-¡± Ariana choked on her words, ¡° Your son had a switchblade, sir. I disarmed him.¡±

    ¡°Did he now?¡± Giovanni asked, eyes lingering on Ariana before boredly looking away, ¡°Good for him.¡±

    Red watched the byplay with narrowed eyes, having shoved away the revelation of Salvare¡¯s relation for later.

    A small amount of water pooled by his boots, before slowly trickling away.

    Giovanni turned his eyes to Red once more, a small, manufactured smile gracing his lips - a mask settled onto his face - ¡°I imagine you some questions for me, Mr. Satoshi.¡±

    Red simply stared back, ¡° I suppose I do. ¡±

    Giovanni¡¯s eye twitched at his rasp, whether in annoyance or intrigue, Red didn¡¯t care, ¡°Yes¡­ But allow me to reintroduce myself, so to speak.¡± At Red¡¯s continued silence, Giovanni continued, an oddly whimsical quality entering his tone, ¡°My name is Giovanni Sakaki, Gym Leader of Viridian¡­ and Leader of Team Rocket.¡±

    Red sensed Ariana tensing behind him - likely at her leader openly admitting who he was - and dryly stated, ¡°I know.¡±

    Giovanni paused, narrowing his eyes at Red for several moments until a smirk graced his lips, ¡°I should have known¡­¡± He began to slowly circle around Red, unaware of the small puddles of water he stepped in, ¡°You were far too tense upon our first meeting. I had thought it was simply because of my position¡­¡± Giovanni sighed, ¡°I suppose it¡¯s obvious in hindsight.¡±

    Red had to refrain from grimacing - he had been pretty stilted in his encounter with the man - instead gritting out, ¡°What do you want with Salvare?¡±

    Giovanni stopped, and raised a brow, ¡°Is it not obvious? He¡¯s my son , Silver Sakaki¡± - Do not think about that - ¡°No,¡± Giovanni shook his head, ¡°I would rather speak about you. ¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve given the League quite a bit of trouble with all of your mystery , Mr. Satoshi, if that is even your name¡­¡± Giovanni began, turning away from Red, ¡°You obviously have something to hide¡­ and some sort of goal¡­¡±

    Giovanni paused, standing before Red once more. He looked at Red for a moment before giving a quirk of the lips, ¡°Join Team Rocket¡­¡± His offer was met with an intake of air from Ariana - and Salvare - ¡°We won¡¯t ask any questions about your history, and we¡¯ll only help hide it from the League ; and any¡­¡± Giovanni paused, searching for the correct word, ¡° Mission you feel the need to complete, well¡­¡± Giovanni chuckled - a cruel sound - ¡°Let¡¯s just say we have the resources to supply it.¡±

    Giovanni paused, eyes flickering once to Ariana and once to Salvare, before continuing, ¡°You could even be an Admin , continuing your¡­ teachings to my heir,¡± Giovanni¡¯s eyes flickered a sickly purple for one, small moment, ¡°To the future head of my organisation.¡±

    ¡°Why, I think it¡¯s best of both worlds,¡± Giovanni purred, gazing up at Red, ¡°Nobody dies, and we all win.¡±

    Red stared back at Giovanni, then slowly turned his head to Salvare.

    Despite being unable to move his face in any way, Salvare¡¯s eyes did nothing to smother the sheer panic within them.

    The sheer desperation.

    For a moment, Red pictured not Salvare before him, but Judgement. Except, Judgement wore a different insignia than that of Team Source - an ¡®S¡¯ stylised after Arceus¡¯ rings - but rather that of Team Rocket.

    And wasn¡¯t that all he would be, if Red made that choice?

    A pawn in someone else¡¯s game.

    ¡® Your son.¡¯

    ¡® My heir.¡¯

    ¡®The future head to my organisation.¡¯

    Red turned back to Giovanni - and, in the deepest reaches of his mind, it whispered ¡®Emperor¡¯ - and smirked hollowly.

    There wasn¡¯t really a choice.

    ¡° No, ¡± Red rasped with a glimmering smile - The Chariot¡¯s smile - ¡° I refuse. ¡±

    Giovanni stopped, seemingly surprised for a moment before composing himself, ¡°You refuse?¡± He laughed cruelly, ¡°Mr. Satoshi, I don¡¯t think you understand me. There is no choice. ¡± Giovanni¡¯s eyes darkened as he regarded Red, ¡°Either you join us¡­ or you die.¡±

    Red¡¯s smirk only widened - his eyes nothing more than void with pinpricks of blinding red - ¡° I¡¯ve dealt with worse. ¡±

    Giovanni stepped back, discomfort barely visible on his face, ¡°For all that your pokemon are¡­ monstrous , you are surrounded on all sides,¡± He straightened, ¡°You will not come out alive if you start this fight.¡±

    ¡°You¡­ may be able to kill some before going down,¡± Giovanni allowed, trying to regain control of the ¡®conversation¡¯, ¡°Perhaps even myself . But the organisation would survive such a blow, with Silver as the heir-¡±

    ¡° Salvare, ¡± Red grit out, his smile falling, ¡° His name is Salvare. ¡±

    There was power in a name.

    Giovanni paused, tilting his head to the side before drawling, ¡° Salvare, then¡­ And there¡¯s no way you¡¯re coming out alive ¡­ ¡± His eyes flickered once more to Salvare, briefly looking conflicted before a sadistic gleam overtook them, ¡°Unless you kill the boy.¡± He smiled at Red, disregarding the shocked - disgusted - look from his son and Ariana, ¡°Only then would I allow you to walk free.¡±

    Red narrowed his eyes - he would admit to being confused at the man¡¯s offer; hadn¡¯t he wanted an heir? - only to catch the subtle movement of Frogadier¡¯s nod.

    The trap was ready.

    Red smiled once more - and it was a hollow thing - ¡° I refuse, ¡± And before Giovanni could speak, he continued, ¡° And it doesn¡¯t matter, because if you don¡¯t let us go, everyone here will die. ¡±

    Giovanni laughed condescendingly, but only for a moment, as Pichu crouched down and let out a miniscule amount of electricity, conducting the water on the ground.

    Giovanni quickly noticed that they were all standing in half-inch deep water.

    Red crossed his arms upon seeing Giovanni¡¯s revelation, ¡° Pichu lets out a single Discharge, and we¡¯re all fried to our bones, ¡± His eyes flash with void of crimson suns, and in a rasp, he commands , ¡° this is the last time I will ask: leave us. ¡±

    Giovanni stood absolutely still, peering into Red¡¯s eyes for several moments. After a full minute of mulling over his threat - and after a few warning sparks from Pichu - he turned his head and uttered, ¡°Stand down.¡±

    Red watched dispassionately as Ariana hesitated, before stepping behind Giovanni. From behind Red, he heard the two grunts lower Salvare onto the ground, before trotting over to stand dumbly next to Ariana.

    Only one remained. ¡°Nidoqueen,¡± Giovanni uttered, his voice pained - oh, and Red delighted in it - ¡° Step back. ¡±

    Nidoqueen gave an irritated huff before getting off of Feraligatr, allowing the crocodile to limp over to Salvare¡¯s side as the kid began to twitch.

    Red watched this for a few moments before turning back to Giovanni - the dark haze beginning to leave his eyes - ¡° Leave. ¡±

    Giovanni stood there for a few more seconds before dusting himself off, ¡°You win this round, Satoshi, but know that you have made your life all the more difficult.¡±

    Red smirked cruelly in response, ¡° I¡¯ll believe it when I see it. ¡±

    Giovanni¡¯s composure finally broke in a wordless snarl, and he turned away from Red, marching away from the alley.

    Red waited a few moments before Detecting the area one final time.

    They were gone.

    Red let out a breath he didn¡¯t know he was holding, and turned back to see Feraligatr holding up his trainer, who was shaking uncontrollably.

    Red stepped forward, inspecting Salvare for injuries only to hear a small voice ask, ¡°...Were you actually going to do it?¡±

    Red was confused for a moment, though he quickly understood, ¡°I was prepared to, but you would¡¯ve lived.¡± He pointed to the floor, specifically noting the ring of water keeping Salvare¡¯s feet dry, ¡°You would¡¯ve felt a little bit of a shock at most.¡±

    Salvare heaved in a couple of teary breaths - Red distantly noted that Salvare was undergoing a different sort of shock - and asked, ¡°What- What about you? ¡±

    Red shrugged before wrapping Salvare¡¯s arm around his neck, ¡°I meant what I said.¡± He began to walk them back to the inn - he distantly noted the buzzing in his pocket, which was probably Karen - ¡°I¡¯ve dealt with worse.¡±

    Salvare shuddered beside him, but said nothing.

    The kid had just lived through something traumatic, Red. Maybe ease up on the angst.

    Red wrinkled his nose at the voice in his head - similar, but not quite his own - and thought to himself that he was already being sensitive enough, thank you.

    After all, he hadn¡¯t yet told Salvare what would have happened had Frogadier¡¯s trap failed.

    Red probably would have lived, given his capabilities in aura and the gadgets on his belt.

    He likely would¡¯ve been the only one to live in that scenario, though, so he was glad that it hadn¡¯t come to that.

    ¡­

    Athlete¡¯s Village Inn, Silver Town

    ¡°Where the hell were- oh shit , are you alright?!¡±

    Salvare remained silent in Red¡¯s arm as they trudged towards the elevator, so Red grunted in response to Karen¡¯s outburst, ¡°Wait until we¡¯re in Salvare¡¯s room.¡±

    Red briefly saw a mixed look of concern and ire on Karen¡¯s face before stepping into the elevator. Karen quickly followed, opening her mouth to ask again, before thinking better of it.

    They waited in silence.

    Salvare¡¯s shivers, though remaining, had lessened.

    Upon reaching their floor, Red guided Salvare to his room. The kid briefly fumbled for his room key until Red forced the door open, eliciting a small hiss from Karen.

    She bit her tongue from saying anything cutting to Red as she noticed him setting Salvare down on a chair before wrapping him up with a blanket.

    Red¡¯s movements were almost clinical, his face numb even as Salvare shivered - and he was wearing both a jacket and a blanket¡­ Thanks to the better light in the room, Karen got a better look at just how pale Salvare¡¯s face was.

    Something was very wrong.

    ¡°Karen,¡± She snapped her head to Red¡¯s voice, ¡°Get some water from the bathroom, and heat it up until it¡¯s lukewarm.¡±

    Karen blinked as Red took one of Salvare¡¯s pokeballs and released Feraligatr, ¡°...There¡¯s no stove?¡±

    ¡°You can use Fire aura, can¡¯t you?¡± Red¡¯s voice managed to sound both monotone and exhausted.

    Karen flushed, quickly moving towards the bathroom with her water bottle.

    So she was maybe freaking out a little bit, sue her!

    Someone hurt Salvare.

    Karen returned a few seconds later with a filled water bottle, slowly warming from the heat of her palms.

    Red was tending to Salvare¡¯s Feraligatr - who bore injuries that Karen knew wasn¡¯t from her - and didn¡¯t bother turning as he commanded, ¡°Have Salvare drink it, slowly .¡±

    Karen deferred to Red¡¯s expertise - Mew knows her first aid was shoddy at best - and slowly tilted the water into Salvare¡¯s mouth.

    His shivering was beginning to lessen.

    After a few minutes of silence undercut by the chatter of teeth, Karen asked in a low voice, ¡° Who did this? ¡±

    She couldn¡¯t see Red¡¯s face - it was obscured in an unnatural shadow - but she heard him sigh, before breathing out, ¡°Giovanni¡­¡± He hesitated, before continuing, ¡°He¡¯s the leader of Team Rocket.¡±

    Karen¡¯s eyes widened at the revelation - and despite her shock, she trusted Red - before narrowing into darkened slits, ¡°That bastard , I knew there was something off with him!¡±

    Red¡¯s face remained unmoving, and Karen snapped up, ¡°We need to tell the League, they can arrest him, and-¡±

    She was cut off by a snort, as Red leaned back with a heavy stare at Salvare¡¯s shivering form, ¡°Do you truly think that will help?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by that? ¡± Karen hissed, leaning towards Red with crossed arms.

    Of course, being the damned annoyance that he was, Red didn¡¯t answer. Instead, the man stared at Salvare for a moment before releasing the hybrid Eevee - Karen was pretty sure Red named her ¡®Vee¡¯ - ¡°...Can you see if you can connect to Salvare with Calm Mind ?¡±

    Vee chirped, shifting slowly from her mix of Vaporeon and Jolteon to some combination of Espeon and some sort of pink form with ribbons.

    Karen watched the small creature settle down next to Salvare with a small frown, ¡°...Why Salvare?¡± She turned to Red, her glare replaced with a tired stare, ¡°I¡¯d expect someone like¡­ that would be more interested in you, so why him ?¡±

    Red opened his mouth to answer, only to be cut off by a weak cough, ¡°Father wanted his son back to take up the legacy.¡±

    Red sighed and continued with tending to Feraligatr¡¯s various wounds. Karen threw him a glare for his coldness, turning back to speak to Salvare, only to be cut off by the kid as he scrambled out of the blankets - he was still shivering - ¡°He never cared that I wanted nothing to do with him! Never cared that I didn¡¯t want to inherit his¡­¡± Salvare let out a wordless snarl, trying to stand only to be kept down by Red¡¯s hand.

    Red remained silent.

    Salvare shivered, his eyes sporadically rippling with splotches of sickly violet, ¡° I hate them. ¡± Tears began to trickle down his cheeks, ¡°I hate Team Rocket. I hate ¡®my legacy¡¯. I-¡± Salvare¡¯s voice hitched, and the rage in his voice became cold, ¡° I hate my father. ¡±

    Karen moved forward without thinking, wrapping Salvare up in a hug as silent tears went down his cheeks. To their side, Red watched on with a blank face, saying nothing to Salvare¡¯s words.

    Salvare shuddered in Karen¡¯s arms for a moment, before softly pushing her away, ¡°You can go now.¡± Salvare heaved in a breath, and let it out in a numb murmur, ¡°I no longer want to be a bother.¡±

    ¡°What-¡± Karen leaned forward once more as Red remained silent, ¡°Salvare, what do you mean?¡±

    Karen reared back at the sharp - cruel - laugh that erupted from Salvare¡¯s throat - he still shivered - ¡°I mean, c¡¯mon . Think about it,¡± He tried to stand once more, but Red¡¯s hand remained steady, ¡°It¡¯s disgusting. I¡¯m disgusting, fucking lying to you all for months about who I was.¡±

    Karen distantly wondered if she now knew what it felt like for her heart to break, as she listened to Salvare laugh self-deprecatingly, ¡°My fucking name isn¡¯t even Salvare! ¡± He slapped the chair, startling Karen, ¡° Silver Sakaki , everyone! Son of a monster! Son of a liar! Aren¡¯t you fucking glad you know me now?! ¡±

    As quick as Salvare¡¯s - Silver¡¯s? - rage came, it left, leaving him to slump on his seat, ¡°I¡­ You should go¡­¡± He waved a tired hand, ¡°I¡¯m only holding you two back. You don¡¯t¡­ Just¡­ You¡¯d be better off without me¡­¡±

    Karen tried to laugh it off - it sounded fake to her own ears - ¡°C-careful, Salvare. You¡¯re beginning to sound like Red.¡±

    Salvare turned his unamused eyes to her, opening his mouth only for Red to butt in, ¡°You¡¯re blaming yourself for two things.¡±

    Red raised one finger, voice remaining level, ¡°One: you call yourself son of a monster, which makes you a monster. This is false ,¡± Red¡¯s eyes flashed, and a small amount of emotion finally seeped into his voice, ¡°Who you are related to is out of your control, but you know what was in your control?¡± Red crossed his arms, leaning back with a hard stare at Salvare¡¯s tears, ¡°Your own actions¡­ Tell me, how old were you when you ran away?¡±

    Karen snapped her eyes to Red, silently questioning what he was trying to do. Her eyes snapped back to Salvare as he breathed out, ¡° Fourteen. ¡±

    Red tilted his head forward, ¡°My point exactly.¡± Red stood, ¡°And with regards to you ¡®lying¡¯ to us, let me ask you a question: what was the lie, exactly?¡±

    Salvare seemed confused by the question, not to mention overwhelmed, ¡°M-my name . I lied to you about who I was! ¡±

    ¡°Did you?¡± Red asked rhetorically, ¡°Is Salvare not your name? Did you not choose that name after running away?¡± Red¡¯s eyes seemed to soften a touch, though Karen only barely saw it, ¡°Does it matter whether your name is Salvare or Silver? Because it doesn¡¯t matter to me. ¡±

    ¡°But how can you say that! ¡± Salvare erupted, shooting up from his seat, ¡°How can you¡­ how can you trust that I¡¯m not some sort of monster!¡±

    Red¡¯s eyes hardened, ¡°Were you acting for four months straight?¡± Salvare¡¯s mouth snapped shut at the question, ¡°Were you acting when you talked with us, trained with us, travelled with us?¡± Red crossed his arms at Salvare¡¯s silence, and grunted out, ¡°I¡¯d like to think that after four months of travel we¡¯d know who you are, fake name or not.¡±

    Salvare stood there, shivering lightly as he stared at Red with vulnerable eyes, ¡°It- You don¡¯t care that I lied to you?¡±

    Red shrugged, ¡°It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t have my own secrets,¡± - and Karen nearly scoffed at the reminder - ¡°It¡¯s not like my name isn¡¯t fake as well.¡±

    Karen blinked, momentarily surprised before leaning forward, ¡°Hold up, Red isn¡¯t your name?!¡±

    Red visibly winced - whether at her tone of voice or at him accidentally revealing something, she didn¡¯t care - and muttered, ¡°If it helps any, I¡¯d say I¡¯m Red Satoshi more than who I used to be.¡±

    Karen readied herself to respond - because wasn¡¯t that interesting? - only to stop herself upon seeing Salvare¡¯s contemplative expression.

    After a moment, Salvare murmured, ¡°I¡­¡± Salvare straightened, and turned to face his friends - his friends, his friends who stuck by him - ¡°I suppose that¡¯s that then¡­ My name is¡­ Salvare. ¡±

    Salvare was no longer shivering.

    Karen leaned back as Red nodded, moving the conversation to Feraligatr¡¯s injuries, along with his thoughts on Salvare¡¯s performance in his match.

    Karen allowed herself a moment to silently marvel at how¡­ simple it all felt, seeing the other two easily falling into they usual byplay of mentor and mentee, of friend and friend, just moments after a crisis.

    But she could still see a little bit of tension on Salvare¡¯s shoulders, and Red¡¯s eyes - which were the same colour as his apparently fake name, which was kind of hysterical now that she thought about it - still glowed. They were both still reeling from the events of the night.

    Still, she couldn¡¯t help but admire how Red had handled that entire situation.

    How he almost seemed to instinctively understand Salvare¡¯s doubts in himself.

    And wasn¡¯t that the thing? Salvare¡¯s doubts were the same as Red¡¯s own. Red had his own breakdown back at Azalea, and it also stemmed from a misplaced belief that they were better off without him.

    Karen couldn¡¯t help but wonder if those two knew how similar they were to each other.

    A small part of her also wondered what Red¡¯s original name was, even if she decided against asking.

    ¡­

    Silver Stadium Silver Town, December 19th, 1997

    ¡°Welcome, one and all, to the Final Match of the 1997 Silver League!¡±

    The crowd roared , nearly shaking the earth with how loud they all were.

    Red stepped onto his podium, staring across the arena to Karen, who stared right back.

    Her eyes directed to him a challenge.

    Red crossed his arms behind his back as the announcer continued, ¡°On one side of the arena, we have a trainer who commands a dark force of terrifying pokemon, whose strength is underlined by persistent trickery!¡± Red raised an eyebrow at his words - they were doing introductions now? - ¡°Please welcome the Mistress of Shadow, Karen Mela!¡±

    The crowd somehow became louder , and Red could see Karen visibly keeping herself from openly indulging in their excitement.

    Of course, the writhing of her dark aura gave her away.

    Red blinked as the crowd¡¯s attention turned to him, ¡°And on the other side of the arena, we have a trainer who commands a small team bearing the terrifying power of a large army! Please welcome the Prince of Terror, Red Satoshi!¡±

    Red had to actively keep himself from bursting out laughing, especially considering the cheers the title seemed to bring.

    Because, really, the Prince of Terror?

    Misty would have laughed her head off upon hearing it.

    Red¡¯s head snapped back up as the announcer continued, ¡°This will be a full battle, with only one switch allowed on either side after a pokemon faints!¡± The announcer paused as the arena began to shift, before settling on some sort of ruins on a flat field, ¡°Let out your pokemon, and the battle will begin at the bell!¡±

    Red nodded to Pichu, allowing the mouse to hop onto the arena. Across from him, Karen let out her Houndour.

    The two pokemon faced off for several moments, both poised to move at the chime of a bell.

    The bell rung.

    ¡° Agility! ¡± Red yelled out as Karen commanded, ¡° Taunt! ¡±

    Red¡¯s mouth quirked at her move - a smart play - and scanned the arena as Pichu began to fume from Houndour¡¯s Taunt .

    The stonemade ruins offered protection from attacks, though he would have to be careful of any rubble from strong attacks.

    Karen seemed to have the same thought process, as she called out for Houndour to take cover when Pichu let loose a Thunderbolt .

    Red tilted his head - he saw no reason not to indulge in Pichu¡¯s aggression - and calmly uttered, ¡° Dig .¡±

    Pichu snarled softly before burrowing into the ground - the Taunt seeming to bring all of Pichu¡¯s latent rage to the spotlight - and Red waited as Houndour surrounded itself with a Fire Ring .

    Karen was acting bold.

    Red could appreciate the idea of removing Pichu¡¯s ability to strengthen himself with Double Team or Agility , but he thought that it was more of a double-edged sword than anything else.

    After all, when properly motivated, few could withstand Pichu at his most wrathful.

    Catching a small rumble of stone, Red clapped, causing Pichu to erupt from the ground with a Discharge .

    Houndour grit its teeth at the attack, letting out a blistering Flamethrower that singed Pichu¡¯s fur as he leapt to the side, hopping against the walls to deliver a Thunder Punch to Houndour¡¯s snout.

    Houndour blasted back a small ways, seeming more anger than truly harmed by the attack. As Pichu ran forward to finish it off with Volt Tackle , Karen yelled out, ¡° Overheat! Give it all you got!¡±

    Red¡¯s finger tapped agitatedly on the podium as Pichu tanked the attack, watching with pursed lips as Pichu grinned against his singed fur, ramming into Houndour for his finishing blow.

    At least, it would have been, if not for the flash of light.

    Red heard the crowd go quiet for a moment as Pichu shakily stood before a cloud of dust, before erupting as the muscled paw of a Houndoom .

    The Houndoom shook from its injuries, but it let out a proud howl at its new form, one that was echoed by Karen¡¯s jubilant cries.

    And Red watched with a neutral stare as Pichu snapped.

    A flash of lightning, and Houndoom was blasted back once more with a yelp. A moment later, another rumble of thunder, and Houndoom crashed against the wall.

    Pichu¡¯s form was barely visible in his rage.

    Karen¡¯s former look of elation had quickly turned to shock as Houndoom became overwhelmed by the sheer terror that Pichu wrought. Any time it tried to let out an attack, it was beaten down, mercilessly by a rodent the size of its paw.

    And in the end, Houndoom¡¯s evolution only delayed the inevitable.

    The crowd went silent as Houndoom fell, having landed only a singular Heatwave against the tiny Pichu, both of them having collapsed next to one another.

    The announcer made to determine both pokemon as fainted, and for Pichu to stir, pushing his - singed - paws on the ground to stand up once more, despite the numerous burns along his form.

    And in Pichu¡¯s eyes, Red saw a familiar fire, a familiar drive.

    It was the same drive that allowed Pichu to persist despite broken bones and torn skin.

    It was the same drive that allowed Pikachu to slay gods.

    Pichu bared his teeth in a tiny snarl, the noise being quickly overtaken by the crowd, cheering for Red¡¯s monstrous Pichu as though he were a Champion¡¯s pokemon.

    Red met Pichu¡¯s eyes for a moment - a silent question - and backed off upon seeing Pichu¡¯s will to continue.

    Across the arena, Karen recalled her Houndoom, unwittingly muttering into her mic, ¡° Should¡¯ve known it wouldn¡¯t be that easy ,¡± Before letting out a Gengar.

    Red¡¯s eyes sharpened at its appearance - it was apparently one of Agatha¡¯s, gifted to Karen when she was a child - and began to hiss out a command only to be cut off by Karen¡¯s shout, ¡° Curse! ¡±

    Red narrowed his eyes as a bloody nail materialised over Gengar¡¯s and Pichu¡¯s forms - Karen must really want Pichu gone - and amended his command, ¡° Overwhelm it. ¡±

    Red¡¯s command wasn¡¯t a specific move, but more of a way of saying ¡®no holds barred¡¯.

    Pichu was already nearing the end of his rope from his burns - both from Houndoom and his own electricity - and with Gengar¡¯s Curse only speeding up his wounds, Pichu wasn¡¯t going to last much longer.

    They had to make the most of what time they had left.

    What do the kids call it? Ah, yes, Red remembered.

    ¡®Fuck it, we ball.¡¯

    Pichu became a blur , trailing electricity and trace amounts of blood as afterimages began to appear around Gengar.

    And Pichu hadn¡¯t even used Double Team.

    Gengar and Karen¡¯s eyes both widened, though the latter quickly recovered, ¡°Retreat into the shadows! Let it wear itself out!¡±

    Red snarled, mirroring Pichu¡¯s rage for a small moment, and sharply commanded, ¡° Nuzzle! ¡±

    Pichu grinned as he spiralled around Gengar, rubbing his cheek against the ghost¡¯s side before it disappeared into shadow.

    Red watched as the shadow twitched, paralysis taking effect, and yelled out, ¡° Discharge! Then Volt Tackle with everything you¡¯ve got!¡±

    Pichu let out a pained cry as it Discharged , his smile becoming bloody as electrical burns raked his body. Once the Gengar was forced out, Pichu blasted forth in one final, desperate Volt Tackle , his form spiralling in a glowing mass of light -

    And was knocked back by a well-placed Sucker Punch.

    Gengar¡¯s grin seemed to grow as Pichu¡¯s form remained still on the ground, the injuries over the past fifteen minutes finally taking their toll.

    Red ruthlessly crushed the horror he felt upon seeing Pichu¡¯s still form.

    It wasn¡¯t the first time he¡¯d seen it, and it wouldn¡¯t be the last.

    Red recalled Pichu into his ball, given that the mouse¡¯s injuries were too great for him to simply pick him up.

    Red would have to apologise for Pichu at the slight on another day.

    After handing his aide Pichu¡¯s ball, Red released Frogadier. However, before he could press the attack against Gengar, the ghost pokemon was recalled.

    Red hummed, taking the opportunity to command, ¡° Double Team ,¡± as Karen sent out Vileplume.

    This should be an interesting challenge.

    This thought only strengthened at Karen¡¯s first command, ¡° Sunny Day! ¡± and Red shifted his foot in sync with Frogadier.

    Sunny Day. Vileplume had Chlorophyll, so double the speed. Solar Beam is also instantaneous.

    Frogadier was fast, but just barely slower than a Vileplume with Chlorophyll. Water attacks were also weakened, Dark was ineffective, and Poison was useless.

    Ice it was, then.

    ¡° Icy Wind! ¡± Red called out before shifting to the left, dodging alongside Frogadier as a Solar Beam blasted by them, ¡° Smokescreen! ¡±

    Another Solar Beam parted the cloud of smoke at Frogadier¡¯s wake, only to be followed by a Petal Dance .

    Karen was acting aggressive.

    And, for what it was worth, it was effective in keeping Frogadier away. The layers of sharpened leaves prevented Frogadier from getting too close, and it also helped disrupt the effects of Icy Wind .

    Red would have to change tactics for him to have any hope of taking down Vileplume.

    Red tapped into his bond with Frogadier, putting his hands together as they began to pull apart bits of water and waste apart and push them back together, keeping the small ball of filth protected from the veritable storm of leaves surrounding them.

    Frogadier hopped behind a set of stone bricks as Vileplume blasted another Solar Beam at them, clipping the ninja at the back.

    Red hissed as he absorbed the pain.

    Frogadier needed all the focus he could get.

    Frogadier added bits of stone and rubble to the growing ball of gunk, crafting an improvised Gunk Shot between his pads.

    Red straightened his posture, adopting a pitcher¡¯s stance.

    They had one shot.

    As Vileplume whirled around the arena, Red found his chance, and alongside Frogadier, he rose and threw the Gunk Shot fast enough to pop his shoulder, nailing Vileplume in the eyes.

    Blinding it.

    As the Vileplume yelped - more out of surprise than any real pain; Poison typing and all - Frogadier rushed forward from his cover, reaching into itself with Red¡¯s help to find the lingering darkness of its soul, bringing it up to the tips of his pads as the burning cold of shadows solidified into a gauntlet of darkened ice.

    Vileplume rubbed the gunk out of its eyes, only to fly across the air upon being hit by a spiked Ice Punch infused with Dark energy.

    And it burned so cold.

    Red hissed as specks of ice formed along his fingers, enduring the chilling pain as Frogadier leaped forward, both arms covered in ice as it brought the fight to Vileplume.

    Now the defender became the attacker.

    Vileplume fought back as well as it could, even managing to nail Frogadier with a Solar Beam.

    But with the dissipating effects of the Sunny Day , the attack did nothing to stop Frogadier¡¯s advance, and any long-term damage the frog may have faced was absorbed through Red¡¯s bond.

    Red ignored the crimson burns along his arms.

    Finally, after one last Ice Punch , Karen gave one final command, ¡° Stun Spore! All of it!¡±

    Red¡¯s eyes widened alongside Frogadier¡¯s, as they witnessed Vileplume seemingly imploding on itself as a bomb of Stun Spore was released from its pores.

    They backed away as quickly as they could, but from the jittery feeling seeping into his bones, Red knew they didn¡¯t escape the blast.

    Frogadier seized for a moment, suffering from a particularly violent paralysis.

    Red crossed his arms with a grim stare, watching as Karen released her Umbreon - her starter - with a satisfied smirk.

    She wanted Frogadier to be paralysed.

    Umbreon was meant to finish him off.

    Red¡¯s intuition proved true as Karen pressed the advantage, ¡° Quick Attack! ¡±

    ¡° Endure, ¡± Red¡¯s voice was cold as his mind raced, momentarily pausing at the flash of pain over their bond, ¡° Counter. ¡±

    Frogadier twitched for a moment, but thankfully retained enough control to retaliate against Umbreon¡¯s attack.

    His movements were slow, though. Slow enough that Umbreon nearly dodged.

    Umbreon easily shook off the attack, and kicked forth a cloud of sand to blind them.

    Red hissed at the feeling of sand in his eyes - which, he supposed, was the primary drawback to his bond with Frogadier - and hissed out, ¡° Water Blade .¡±

    Frogadier drew a blade of water from the ground, stepped forward, and seized.

    The paralysis took effect.

    Red gripped the podium hard enough to splinter it, biting his lip hard enough to draw blood as Frogadier was blasted back with a Double Kick, too slow to dodge the attack.

    The damned paralysis slowed him down too much!

    Red itched his arms, hissing at the phantom burns raking his skin, only to pause.

    He absorbed the burns from Frogadier¡¯s skin.

    ¡­Could he absorb the paralysis as well?

    Red gripped the podium, ignoring the sense of movement he felt as Frogadier managed to just barely dodge a Take Down .

    He reached through the bond, grasping at the uncomfortable fuzziness in their bones.

    He gripped that feeling - that weight along his spine - and grasped it, pulling it to himself.

    Red¡¯s eyes blazed, and Frogadier surged.

    And upon the podium, Red began to seize, his grip on the podium being the only thing to keep him upright.

    His spine screamed within him, and all feeling in his legs had left him.

    He couldn¡¯t speak; his jaw wouldn¡¯t even move.

    Red distantly wondered whether he had just done something incredibly stupid .

    Arceus above, if he became paraplegic because of this, that would be fucking pathetic.

    Red could still move his eyes - thankfully - and bore witness to Karen¡¯s absolutely floored visage from across the arena.

    Did she somehow sense what he just did?

    Red¡¯s attention was quickly rerouted to the arena, as Umbreon was blasted through a stone wall, having been Smacked Down by a newly reinvigorated Frogadier.

    And given the apparent energy displayed by the ninja, Red briefly wondered whether he had went beyond simply taking away his paralysis.

    Not that Red would know, since their bond was disconnected. Though, violently tearing something like paralysis would do that, Red supposed.

    At least Frogadier seemed to be enjoying it, if his uncharacteristic displays of power said anything.

    Frogadier burst forth with Aqua Jet - which wasn¡¯t even a move Red had taught him - slashing down with a rippling Water Blade only to catch a discarded baton.

    Umbreon used Baton Pass.

    Out came Gengar, and Red immediately knew something was wrong.

    Gengar was already weakened from its fight with Pichu, and it was weak to Dark attacks¡­

    Yet, Red was unable to utter a single word of caution to Frogadier, only barely managing to utter a small wheeze as the ninja barreled forward, a Night Slash forming in his hand, as it bore down on the grinning ghost.

    But the Gengar didn¡¯t even try to dodge.

    It welcomed the attack.

    Ghastly ichor spewed from the ghost¡¯s wound, and it continued to smile as it closed its eyes, wrapping Frogadier in its crushing shadow.

    Karen wanted it to faint.

    Red watched with grim eyes as Frogadier writhed against the shadows, only to slow, then stop, as his eyes closed alongside Gengar¡¯s, as they both passed out in tandem.

    Destiny Bond.

    In one fell swoop, Karen managed to completely stop any sort of rampage Frogadier may have wrought against her team, by sacrificing an already weakened pokemon.

    Red would applaud her for the moxie, if he could move his arms above his waist.

    All the same, Red recalled Frogadier to his pokeball - only barely managing to clip it back to his belt - before unclipping Charmander¡¯s pokeball.

    The announcer seemed to be trying to get them to stop for the intermission, if the increasing volume of his yells were any indication.

    But neither Red nor Karen had any desire for a break.

    They had a battle to finish, after all.

    And for Red¡­ this was the closest match he¡¯d had in a long while.

    It kindled an excitement in him that he thought was gone.

    Karen threw her next pokemon out, and Red followed suit, releasing Charmander onto the battlefield.

    Across the arena, taking to the skies, was a large Honchkrow. Red called for a Dragon Dance , only to snap his eyes to Karen as she yelled out with a crazed smile, ¡° Perish Song! ¡±

    Red¡¯s eyes flashed - the sneaky devil - and let out a crazed smile of his own.

    He was on a timer.

    Arcs of electricity rippled along his skin.

    ¡° CHARMANDER! Flame Charge! ¡± Red roared , eyes blazing crimson as his paralysis temporarily broke - and his headache flared - ¡°Show the bird who truly owns the sky!¡±

    Charmander didn¡¯t even look back, instead leaping forward with a blast of blue fire, before engulfing his body in ripples of flame in the shape of a bullet, before shooting upwards.

    And the crowd watched in awe as, forming from the pale blue light, a pair of flamed wings stretched out into the sky.

    And once more, even if only for a moment, Charizard flew once more.

    And as Charmander flew, chasing the Honchkrow in the spiral of the growing inferno, Red felt his head split as both the headache and paralysis bore upon him.

    Red struggled to keep his eyes open.

    But he did¡­ barely.

    The following battle was less of a battle, and more of a demonstration.

    Charmander flew like he owned the skies, using his wings of flame to pursue his enemy, chipping away at it with precise Embers of blue fire.

    It was the desperate rush, the fleeting moment of brilliance and insanity, that allowed Charmander to retain his flight.

    His eyes pulsed in Maddening triangular slits.

    And Red¡¯s own eyes narrowed into slits of their own.

    His headache worsened.

    There was a presence nearby-

    Red shuddered uncontrollably, losing track of his thoughts as his legs began to shake.

    The wood of the podium began to shatter under the pressure exerted by his hands.

    Yet Red remained conscious - he had lived through worse - and witnessed the fall of Karen¡¯s Honchkrow, and the less-than-graceful tumble of Charmander as he lost control of his Flame Charge.

    Charmander visibly shuddered, forcing himself to stay awake despite the Perish Song.

    Now¡­ only one remained on either side. One of which was soon to fall in slumber, and the other soon to fall to its wounds.

    Red couldn¡¯t help but smile like a mad man, and the world darkened at its edges.

    ¡®don¡¯t You feel alive!¡¯

    ¡®this is what life is all about!¡¯

    His ears were ringing - he couldn¡¯t hear the crowd anymore - and his headache was threatening to split his skull.

    He couldn¡¯t help but feel there was something familiar in that pressure on his skull.

    Something he hadn¡¯t felt in-

    A flash of light, and Red was blinded.

    Let there be light.

    A flash of vision , and Red collapsed.

    He felt it.

    A presence he hadn¡¯t felt since the eye of the Storm.

    What-

    Red¡¯s ears continued to ring, and he grit his teeth as he blearily reopened his eyes.

    His eyes, narrowed into crimson slits, slowly receded in their glow as he wrestled his Madness deeper within.

    Through the din of noise in his ear, Red made out the sound of screaming.

    And it wasn¡¯t the usual screaming he heard from the crowd.

    It was the type he heard in the Storm.

    A glare of red met Red¡¯s eyes, forcing him to cover his eyes before carefully looking up at the screen above them.

    Where it had previously shown Red and Karen¡¯s battle from an aerial view, it now showed nothing more than a bright red ¡® R ¡¯ proudly gleaming on the screen.

    Team Rocket.

    Red jerked on the ground, trying and failing to get up.

    The pulsating migraine and paralysis paired together made that impossible.

    Red¡¯s mind raced, locating his pokemon.

    Pichu was away for the moment, being treated for burns.

    Frogadier was in his pokeball, retaining considerable, but not quite debilitating damage.

    Charmander was relatively unharmed, though was only barely managing to fight off the last vestiges of Perish Song.

    Red¡¯s eyes raked across the stadium, and a pit of dread opened in his stomach at the sight of what seemed to be hundreds of grunts flooding the stands.

    He could see, even from this distance, the attempts some trainers made to fight them off.

    They were unsuccessful.

    Red¡¯s eyes flickered to the VIP stands as the ringing in his ears dimmed, allowing him to hear the stand-off going on between two Admins - one of whom he recognised as Ariana - and the League.

    And thought Lance had no mic, his voice carried across the stadium.

    ¡° Stand down, and remove your pokeballs, ¡± Lance¡¯s voice rumbled as he stepped forward, the large form of his Dragonite floating alongside him, ¡° This is your only warning. My mercy is slim . ¡±

    ¡°Oh, isn¡¯t that rich? ¡± The male Admin guffawed - and he did have a mic, apparently wanting to be heard - ¡°You say we should beg for your mercy?¡±

    The man chuckled, and Red remained motionless - helpless - as a familiar psychic presence rumbled across the stadium.

    A presence he had last felt in the Conduit.

    ¡°No¡­¡± The man seemed to take glee in the word, ¡°You should be asking for our mercy!¡±

    And from the crowd of grunts, Red witnessed a humanoid form float above them, covered in metal plates and rubber tubes - a prison - flicking its balled fingers to send waves of blue energy onto the ground below, exploding the centre of the arena until nothing but a fine cloud of ash and dust remained.

    ¡°Behold our greatest weapon,¡± The admin announced, an almost solemn note entering his voice as he extended a hand to the armoured form of Mewtwo, ¡° The Strongest Pokemon in the World! ¡±

    ¡­

    Logged in as: The_Hierophant

    Opening Filename: Project_ANEMIA_[Epsilon-Clearance]

    Written by: The Magician

    Updated: 12/18/97

    THE CONTENTS OF THIS FILE ARE FOR EPSILON AND ALPHA CLEARANCE ONLY

    READING THIS WITHOUT PROPER CLEARANCE WILL RESULT IN TERMINATION

    YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED

    Project Amorphous Neurological Excision Metaphysical Insensate Avatar (A.N.E.M.I.A.)

    Project A.N.E.M.I.A. has three broad goals: develop a proto-fusion using gender-dependant partial evolutions, reduce the time and energy spent switching between evolutions, and create a specimen capable of syphoning emotional energy to strengthen its abilities.

    Project A.N.E.M.I.A. builds off of Project Changeling by creating another, more-developed partial evolution. What separates A.N.E.M.I.A. from previous experiments is its aim of achieving partial evolution of two forms that require the opposite sex to evolve.

    Due to the unique nature of this experiment, the Gardevoir/Gallade line of pokemon were chosen as the prime specimen. Using previous data from Project Changeling, a batch of Ralts were raised in localised labs throughout Sectors 4 and 5, with the former specialising in naturally born males and the latter specialising in naturally born females.

    The base goal, disregarding secondary objectives, was to create a specimen that can either switch between the forms of Gardevoir and Gallade, or fuse them into one form. Due to the unique gender requirements for these evolutions, special care has been placed in the early stages of the specimens¡¯ growth to prepare them for fusion.

    Due to the insight from Project Changeling, only a quarter of the specimens passed away before primary testing could begin, with each specimen being restrained as a Kirlia with an Everstone to prevent unintended evolution.

    It was at this point that the pain tolerance tests began, which were designed to methodically remove the specimens¡¯ ability to receive and process pain, both physically and metaphysically. This was done using a mixture of stabbing and bludgeoning tools in incremented steps, along with electric therapy to reduce the specimens¡¯ reactions to pain. In addition, psychic links were established between the specimens and specially curated volunteers, which were then used to fragment and tear at the psycho-emotional network inherent to the Gardevoir/Gallade line.

    While this was done, a secondary procedure was set up, as the volunteers instructed their assigned Kirlia to use their emotions to heal and resist physical trauma. This was enforced by further applications of electric therapy should the Kirlia fail to comply.

    Once the specimens were deemed ready, a series of progressive tests were used to further the specimens¡¯ ability to retain trauma, as they were restrained and beaten while retaining a mental link to their volunteers at increasing levels before being unleashed to fight back, which was used to determine their ability to ignore pain and syphon emotional energy in battle. This eventually progressed to the point where the specimens were beaten within seconds of death, at which point the specimens were to be unleashed against their attackers.

    This procedure ultimately resulted in the deaths of all but one specimen - Specimen 282 - which showed no physical signs of pain despite bearing numerous lacerations, many broken bones, and a fractured skull.

    It was at this point that there was a breakthrough, as the volunteer quickly passed away from their mental link with the specimen, as the specimen syphoned all of their emotional energy, rendering the volunteer braindead. However, after this happened, the specimen then established unstable mental links to its attackers, feeding off of their fear to sustain itself as it neutralised them.

    Once the procedure was complete, the specimen had to be forcibly sedated, resulting in two additional human casualties. Protocol was soon updated to require workers to have a Dark pokemon shielding their minds whenever they were in contact with Specimen 282, as it will rapidly syphon their emotional energy otherwise.

    Additionally, there were two minor physical changes to the specimen. The first being its hair colour changing from green to a dark scarlet colour. The second was its white veil darkening to a nearly-black violet colour.

    Due to unforeseen circumstances with the Neo Tao Clan, Specimen 282 was transported from Sector 5 to Sector 4. The data recorded from the procedure has been distributed to various labs in Sectors 1, 2, and 3 for further testing.

    After settling in Sector 4, Specimen 282 underwent a series of priming tests to prepare it for dual evolution. These tests were completed on November 2nd, 1997, allowing us to transition to evolution.

    The evolution process utilised a stabilising agent and a catalyst, along with a mental link with three volunteers to allow the specimen to evolve into both evolutions at once. Given that the specimen was born female, a specialised chromosomal transfusion was prepared to alter its physical body to fit the criteria for its Gallade evolution. The resulting change in hormones seemed to put the specimen in a daze, reducing the effort needed to sedate it.

    The proto-evolution was successfully performed on December 11th, with the specimen transforming into a mixture of Gardevoir and Gallade. Immediately after evolution, all three volunteers within the mental link passed away, with the specimen syphoning their terror to temporarily break free of its bindings.

    The specimen was quickly subdued, resulting in six more fatalities and several more injured. The specimen was shown to possess immense speed and a complete disregard of pain. The specimen also seemed capable of consuming the emotions of creatures outside of its immediate vision, utilising the fear and anger of the lab¡¯s inhabitants to strengthen it. The specimen also showed enhanced capabilities in Fairy and Dark energies, along with the ability to summon short-term blackholes, resulting in the disappearance of two workers and five pokemon. Additionally, the specimen was capable of establishing direct mental links by force, which is theorised to be how it neutralised several workers and pokemon.

    However, there was a single survivor who momentarily shared a direct link with the specimen, giving unique insight to the creature. Previous volunteers described the specimen¡¯s state of mind as being ¡®angry¡¯, ¡®confused¡¯, ¡®terrified¡¯, and ¡®uncoordinated¡¯. However, when describing the specimen¡¯s state of mind, the survivor stated that it felt empty, entirely numb to its own pain and the pain of others.

    Despite the lives lost in creating this specimen, I believe this to be a promising start for future experiments. Currently, the specimen is sedated 24/7 until more permanent measures can be established, at which point testing will resume.

 The Strongest PokÃ©mon in the World

    Silver Stadium, Silver Town, December 19th, 1997

    Red grit his teeth, snarling various profanities across two languages.

    Frogadier was next to Red, fighting against his fatigue as he tried to support Red¡¯s weight as he attempted to stand.

    But the paralysis took its toll.

    Charmander had managed to escape Mewtwo¡¯s ¡®demonstration¡¯ moments before, but had finally succumbed to Perish Song , and was now unconscious in his ball. .

    Given the chaos around them, it was almost poetic how thoroughly fucked they were.

    Truly, Giovanni couldn¡¯t have planned this attack any better even if he tried. Pichu was entirely out of commission, Charmander was put under a short-term coma, Frogadier was running on fumes, and Red was fucking paralysed.

    Red could hear the Chariot laughing hysterically from beyond the grave.

    The only member of Red¡¯s team who wasn¡¯t heavily injured was Vee , and there was no way in hell that Red would subject her to this absolute mess.

    Especially with the Psychic monolith waging war above them.

    Where the various grunts occupied themselves by terrorising and robbing the masses, Mewtwo seemed to be focusing all of its attention on those in the VIP stands, single-handedly fighting off against the full teams of the Champions, the Elite Four, and the Gym Leaders.

    And even from Red¡¯s distance, he could see that they were unused to fighting together.

    They attacked individually, not taking the time to coordinate as a single unit.

    They were inexperienced in this type of warfare.

    they were green.

    Red snapped his head - and, fuck, that hurt - at a flash of silver to his right, instinctively coiling his darkened aura around him before recognising the encroaching figure as Karen.

    Karen¡¯s face showed minor scratches, with some drawing blood. She carried Umbreon in her arms, who seemed to have not been as lucky as Charmander when the blast hit.

    Red was distantly glad that he could still Detect a strong heartbeat within the creature.

    Karen opened her mouth, but the ringing in Red¡¯s ears kept him from hearing whatever she said. She quickly seemed to realise this, and decided to simply go to Red¡¯s other side, and help Frogadier support his weight.

    Red silently raged at his uselessness.

    It had been a long time since Red had been disabled in such a way during a crisis, and despite his best efforts, old memories began to crop into his mind, overtaking his vision with a red haze.

    Both of his arms were broken, and his leg refused to move.

    The Chariot fled, his usually jubilant voice undercut by a sense of urgency as he commanded his pok¨¦mon to retreat.

    And all around them, the earth shook as the Tower of Dragons fell. That which stood for millenia finally cracking under the weight of the world¡¯s sins.

    ¡°...ed-...-e¡­-ove on!¡± Red blinked at the voice - panicked - and forced away the memory.

    It came as natural as breathing.

    Red¡¯s jaw twitched, and he managed to breath, ¡° Karen. ¡±

    ¡°Not right now! ¡± Karen snapped, hauling Red forward as a wave of iced spikes landed directly beside them, ¡°We need to get to cover!¡±

    ¡° Where¡¯ssssss- ¡± Red¡¯s voice came out in a static hiss - his eyes sporadically flickered like a malfunctioning flashlight - ¡° -Pichu? ¡±

    ¡°Fuck, Red, I don¡¯t know! ¡± Karen yelled, shoving them into Red¡¯s preparation room - where no aide was present - ¡°Isn¡¯t he with an aide?¡±

    ¡° She isn¡¯t here, ¡± Red¡¯s voice cracked, and Charmander¡¯s ball rattled. ¡° Pichu isn¡¯t here. ¡±

    ¡° Red- ¡± Karen began to reassure, only to yelp as Red¡¯s body crackled with electricity.

    Pichu wasn¡¯t here.

    Pichu wasn¡¯t here.

    Pichu wasn¡¯t here.

    ¡° Karen, ¡± Red¡¯s voice came out in a rasp. He turned his head to her, his body curling around itself as arcs of electricity raked along his skin, ¡°They took him.¡±

    His pupils faded.

    A sea of crimson remained.

    ¡°Hey!¡± Karen¡¯s head snapped up at the voice, clutching onto Umbreon¡¯s still form as a trio of Team Rocket grunts stumbled in, ¡°Hands up! Your pok¨¦mon are coming with us!¡±

    Karen didn¡¯t hold back her snarl - over her dead body! - and condensed a ball of fire in her hands.

    Just because her pok¨¦mon were indisposed didn¡¯t mean she was defenceless!

    Karen moved forward to fight - to burn - the grunts, only to pause as Red began to laugh.

    And, oh, his laugh was chilling.

    It was a dead sound, and Karen couldn¡¯t help but turn to him in mild horror as he stepped forward, legs spasming under paralysis, yet remaining upright.

    There was a flash of light, and the trio of grunts flinched back as Charmander appeared beside Frogadier, his eyes unfocused for a moment, before quickly narrowing into slits.

    Red¡¯s laugh abruptly stopped.

    And his next words chilled Karen¡¯s soul.

    ¡°Frogadier, Charmander,¡± Red bore his glowing - pupil-less - eyes onto his enemies - his prey - ¡°leave no survivors, friends.¡±

    And as Red¡¯s pok¨¦mon leaped forward, wielding blades of water and waves of flame, an indescribable pool of dread settled in Karen¡¯s stomach.

    Because the man before her wasn¡¯t Red.

    It was something else - something beautifully terrible - wearing his skin.

    And with Red¡¯s voice, it stepped forward, and roared , ¡°kill them all!¡±

    ¡­

    There was a brief moment, upon seeing the ¡® R ¡¯ on the screen, that Salvare wondered whether the past 24 hours were nothing more than a dream, and he was truly in the back of a non-descript van headed back to Viridian.

    Then the screams began.

    Salvare shot up from his seat, releasing Feraligatr and Magneton as his training kicked in.

    ¡®Remain calm,¡¯ Red¡¯s phantom voice uttered in his mind, ¡®Assess the situation.¡¯

    Salvare looked around him, and, past the crowd of panicking people, witnessed a veritable swarm of Team Rocket grunts flooding into the stands.

    Many people began to scream or cry as grunts began to assault them, robbing them of their money and pok¨¦balls. Some tried to fight back, though with the number of grunts¡­

    ¡®Focus on your own survival,¡¯ Red reminded in a stern voice, ¡®If you have allies you trust, fight with them. If there are only strangers, don¡¯t bother. You will only get in each other¡¯s way.¡¯

    Salvare could see it happen in real time, as trainers fought too closely together, unwittingly hurting each other¡¯s pok¨¦mon as they tried to fight back.

    Team Rocket took advantage of this by scattering, forcing trainers to either attack into crowds of innocents, or hold off their attack.

    But there were alternative methods of dealing with them.

    Salvare commanded his pok¨¦mon to stand their ground, protecting the nearest group of people as they ran from the ongoing waves of grunts.

    He leaped over his seat, surprising a grunt who was harassing a couple before punching her in the jaw, infusing his bubbling, seething hatred for everything going on in a Poison Jab.

    The grunt let out a cry of pain, before convulsing as the poison spread through her system.

    Salvare reached down to help the couple up, only to stumble as a blast shook the entire stadium.

    Did his father plant a fucking bomb?!

    Salvare whisked his head around only to see¡­ some sort of floating armoured pok¨¦mon?

    It flicked its wrist, and the stadium rumbled once more.

    Brilliant-

    An arm wrapped around Salvare¡¯s throat, choking him.

    Salvare kicked out in panic, trying and failing to connect fist to skin.

    The arm tightened around his neck.

    Salvare¡¯s eyes watered as he began to black out, his hands grasping mindlessly until coming in contact with cold metal hidden within his jacket.

    Salvare gripped the handle, flipping open the switchblade before blindly stabbing backwards.

    A man screamed in agony behind him, and Salvare heaved in a breath of air, whirling around to kick his assailant, who crashed into the bleachers behind him.

    Salvare¡¯s switchblade was embedded in the man¡¯s eye.

    Not allowing any time to reel at the sight, Salvare reached for the blade and yanked it out, causing the man¡¯s screams to rise in pitch as he placed bloody hands on where his eyes used to be, tears forming an ugly sheen across his bleeding face.

    ¡®I can only hope you won¡¯t have to do this,¡¯ Red began in his mind, voice solemn, ¡®but death is often a greater mercy than continued suffering.¡¯

    ¡®If the time comes where you must take someone¡¯s life with your hands, do not hesitate.¡¯

    So Salvare didn¡¯t hesitate, and the man¡¯s screams quickly ended as Salvare wrenched the knife back out of the man¡¯s neck.

    Salvare¡¯s hands were splotched with blood.

    They only shook a little as he closed the switchblade, and turned back to the couple, ¡°Are you two alright?¡±

    They both seemed afraid - he only hoped it wasn¡¯t because of him - but after a moment, the man nodded, ¡°I think so.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Salvare murmured quickly, glancing up at his pok¨¦mon - Feraligatr blasted forth an electrified wave of water at a crowd of grunts, courtesy of Magneton - before growling, ¡°We need to get out of here.¡±

    As if to undercut his words, a portion of the stands just a small distance away crumpled as a Steelix was knocked down by the armoured pok¨¦mon.

    Salvare¡¯s eyes only hardened at the sight, ¡°We need to go, now! ¡±

    Thankfully, between Salvare¡¯s insistence and the destruction wrought by the armoured pok¨¦mon, the couple finally regained their wits and began to flee.

    Salvare spared a moment to glance down onto the arena - or what remained of it - hoping for a glimpse of silver hair, or crimson eyes.

    He saw neither.

    Salvare grit his teeth as he pushed through a row of seats - it was fine, Salvare, it was fine; they probably got away, it was fine.

    He didn¡¯t dare think of the possibility that they were caught in whatever destroyed the arena.

    Salvare reached his pok¨¦mon as they let loose a wave that knocked a group of grunts over the edge of the guardrail - and it was quite a drop - ¡°C¡¯mon, we¡¯re going to ground.¡±

    Feraligatr let loose a slightly crazed grin as he washed away the remaining grunts from the downward stairs, and Salvare couldn¡¯t help but do the same.

    It was either that, or he would start weeping.

    Salvare sped down the stairs, nearly tumbling as he reached the lower level. Thankfully, Feraligatr was far more graceful in his descent - though, his weight did crush the lower stairs - and knocked back a pair of grunts with Water Gun as they neared Salvare.

    There were trainers all around Salvare, trying to defend themselves and others from the hordes of grunts flooding from the stairs.

    There were too many.

    Salvare clenched his fist as he watched them, his desire to get to Red and Karen warring with his burning need to fight Team Rocket.

    The very sight of them ignited something ugly - something wrathful - in his heart.

    Salvare took a step forward, paused¡­ then stepped forward once more, releasing Haunter.

    He made his choice.

    Salvare held out an arm to keep Haunter from joining Feraligatr and Magneton in the fray, ¡° Wait ,¡± - Salvare¡¯s eyes were blown wide - manic - and his voice came in a cold snarl - ¡°Find- Find Red and Karen. Find them. They¡¯re alive, they¡¯re-,¡± They must be; they must be , ¡°-somewhere in the stadium, probably fighting. Lead them to me. ¡±

    Salvare turned upon seeing the ghost¡¯s nod, focusing his attention back on the battle.

    Haunter would find them.

    He must.

    And Haunter would have to find them soon because there were too damned many of them!

    For all that the individual grunt was weak, their strength in numbers made up for it. Quantity over quality. Though the trainers around Salvare commanded stronger pok¨¦mon and utilised better tactics, they couldn¡¯t stand against the numerical might of Team Rocket.

    And this didn¡¯t even take into account those few grunts who did command exceptional pok¨¦mon.

    Salvare¡¯s pok¨¦mon were no different. They were getting overwhelmed. Everytime Feraligatr knocked out a Koffing, two more Wheezing took its place. Everytime Magneton downed a Golbat, a horde of Zubat surrounded it.

    And, though Magneton was immune to Poison-type attacks, all it took was a well-placed Supersonic for it to become confused.

    Salvare grit his teeth - never did he think that Zubat was going to be his biggest problem - and prodded his fledgeling bond with Feraligatr before shouting, ¡° Discharge! ¡±

    Feraligatr dove to the side - in an impressive feat of athleticism - heeding Salvare¡¯s mental warning as Magneton let out an electrical pulse that struck all of the surrounding Zubat.

    Yet, in the back of Salvare¡¯s mind, he couldn¡¯t help but see that it was less powerful than Pichu¡¯s capabilities.

    Salvare¡¯s frantic thoughts were interrupted when Magneton screeched , eyes snapping wide open as a Golem rolled through the chaos and Fire Punched Magneton in the back.

    Salvare commanded it to retaliate with Flash Cannon , only for two Gastly to backup the Golem with dual Confuse Rays.

    And unlike Supersonic, these were unavoidable.

    Salvare gripped his head at the sudden headache - almost like Red always did - and fought against the vertigo overtaking his chest. His vision returned to him moments later, only for him to witness Magneton collapse in a charred heap from Golem¡¯s Flamethrower.

    And it turned its bloodshot eyes to Salvare.

    Acting on a terrible mix of instinct and adrenaline, Salvare recalled Magneton - praying, praying that it could heal - and ran.

    He could hear Golem roar behind him.

    Salvare ran, only to stumble as the ground began to shake - Earthquake, from one of the other battles - falling with a curse before scrambling onto his feet, only to see the Golem tuck itself into a ball, charging up for a devastating Rollout.

    And in the din of panicked screams and enraged shouts, Salvare heard the ring of chimes.

    Golem split the earth, and rolled forward, and Salvare closed his eyes, fleeting images racing through his mind as his life came to an end at a single impact.

    ¡­

    ¡­?

    Salvare peeked open a single eyes, only to scoot backward with a gasp as Feraligatr wrestled against the rolled-up Golem - eyes crazed in a way Salvare had seldom seen - slowly pushing it back, before roaring as it threw Golem into the wall with a Seismic Toss .

    Salvare¡¯s mind - still somewhat stuck on the lingering sound of chimes - dimly registered the blood trickling along Feraligatr¡¯s form, the missing scales that revealed torn flesh.

    He distantly noted that those wounds would scar.

    Feraligatr lurched forward, ramming into the dazed Golem with an Aqua Jet before slamming it once more with an Aqua Tail , crumbling the wall to the point where Salvare could see the sky outside.

    It was nearing dusk.

    Salvare snapped his eyes to the Golem, seeing that it was defeated, only to watch as it hollered upon Feraligatr¡¯s Water Pulses to its shell.

    And with the pressure of the water, the shell cracked.

    And Salvare watched as Feraligatr broke the beast, pinning it against the crumbled wall as it tore through its shell with Water Pulse after Water Pulse until Salvare could see the odd, not-quite-flesh of the Golem¡¯s skin.

    And, oh, the beast shuddered and coughed like it was growing ill.

    Feraligatr let go of the Golem, allowing it to slump onto the ground, shivering uncontrollably with pained yowls.

    And, for a moment, Salvare didn¡¯t see a defeated pok¨¦mon, but a man screaming himself hoarse with a switchblade in his eye.

    Salvare snapped his eyes - rippling a violent violet - onto the Golem, and spoke in a halted voice, ¡°Feraligatr¡­¡± His eyes hardened, ¡°Put it out of its misery.¡±

    Feraligatr obeyed without even hesitating, and stepped forward, pinned the Golem¡¯s torso, fit the Golem¡¯s skull in his jaw, and Crunched.

    The Golem didn¡¯t even shudder as it slumped down one final time.

    Feraligatr turned to face Salvare, blood dribbling down his maw, and all Salvare could feel in that moment was relief.

    And was that so bad? To feel relief upon the death of a pok¨¦mon only following orders?

    (Salvare recalled, for a fleeting moment, the shiny Gyarados from the Lake of Rage).

    (He found himself rather content with the idea of its death).

    (And of whomever commanded it).

    Salvare¡¯s relief was short-lived, broken upon the sound of a rumble, and a shout, ¡° That¡¯s him! The kid with the red hair! That¡¯s the one the boss wants alive! ¡±

    Salvare turned, only to be pushed back by Feraligatr as the crocodile stepped in front of him and Roared , pushing back their new assailants as several nearby grunts redirected their focus entirely on him, their pok¨¦mon - including, but not limited to, a Sandslash, Electabuzz, and a fucking Blastoise - bearing murder in their eyes.

    And it wasn¡¯t directed at Salvare¡­

    But at Feraligatr.

    All thoughts of death - and the strange peace he found in the idea - wisped away as a heavy weight entered his chest.

    And in the ongoing din of chimes, he recalled Red¡¯s tired voice on the road to Olivine.

    ¡®Part of survival is knowing when to choose flight rather than fight.¡¯

    ¡®There is no valour in fighting a lost battle, after all.¡¯

    Salvare could see it before it happened - Feraligatr, already wounded, being overwhelmed, being killed by those monsters - and gripped Feraligatr¡¯s tail, yanking both on it and on his bond, ¡° We need to run, NOW! ¡±

    Feraligatr turned, only to yowl as a Metal Claw , Thunder Punch , and Hydro Pump , impacted his side in quick succession, drawing even more blood as scales broke apart.

    Yet he only stumbled as he tanked them, protecting Salvare from the attacks.

    And in that moment, any and all conscious thought left Salvare¡¯s mind, as he yelled , running forward to take revenge for his friend¡¯s pain - his brother¡¯s pain - and was only stopped from his suicidal attack when a strong arm wrapped around his torso, pressing him close to Feraligatr¡¯s chest as he jumped-

    And crashed against the ground, falling through the rubble.

    Salvare could scarcely comprehend the sudden movement - the sudden descent - as he and Feraligatr - who curled his tail inwards to protect Salvare¡¯s front - fell through multiple floors, each impact against splintered concrete drawing a whimper from the beast.

    Finally - blessedly - they stopped falling, hitting the ground floor in a heap of stone and rubble.

    Salvare tumbled out of Feraligatr¡¯s embrace, cutting his cheek upon hitting the floor. Salvare ignored the stinging pain, scrambling to Feraligatr¡¯s side as the crocodile let out a pained mewl.

    Salvare¡¯s heart broke at the sound.

    Salvare¡¯s soul bayed for blood.

    Salvare frantically checked Feraligatr for fatal injuries, and breathed a stilted sigh of relief upon finding no chunks of stone embedded into the crocodile¡¯s muscle.

    Only bleeding wounds and broken bones from the battle above, and the fall¡­

    A bemused hum jolted Salvare out of his worry, only to replace it with a weary numbness as an encroaching figure began to chuckle, waving away the cloud of dust from their fall.

    ¡°Falling from the ceiling now, are we?¡± The figure spoke - and Salvare immediately recognised the voice - ¡°I¡¯m almost impressed by the¡­ audacity of that creature.¡±

    Salvare¡¯s eyes hardened, and in a flash, Absol, Cacnea, and Golbat appeared before him as his father stepped out of the dust - wearing a dark suit along with just the right amount of makeup to conceal his identity; to anyone who hadn¡¯t lived with him for over a decade, that is - ¡°I had initially planned for it to be eliminated, but I suppose I overlooked its¡­¡± Giovanni¡¯s eyes gleamed in cruel interest, ¡° Potential. ¡±

    Salvare hissed at the man, recalling Feraligatr to his pok¨¦ball - he would have to heal him as soon as he could - ¡°I see you¡¯re right in the centre of this ,¡± Salvare bared his teeth, images of the chaos and destruction above seared into his mind, ¡°Had to have front row seats, didn¡¯t you? ¡±

    ¡°My, my, Satoshi has been influencing your tongue, boy ,¡± Giovanni drawled, any mirth in his tone being drowned out by cold indifference, ¡°Now move aside, Silver , and I¡¯ll leave you to¡­ flee. ¡±

    Salvare narrowed his eyes - his brain not even registering the name ¡®Silver¡¯ - ¡°Why?¡± He let out a wavering smile, and willed a mocking note into his voice to hide his lingering fear, ¡°I thought you wanted your heir. ¡±

    Giovanni¡¯s lips slowly curled into a smile - and a small, but growing, part of Salvare wished for blood - ¡°Perhaps¡­ But I¡¯m a patient man.¡± He extended an arm, revealing a small, wired cage, ¡°And I¡¯ve already gained what I wanted out of this excursion.¡±

    Salvare was about to spit out another harsh question, only for his voice to die on his tongue as he recognised the small form within the cage.

    It was Pichu.

    Red¡¯s Pichu.

    Small, frail, pitiful. All descriptors for the common Pichu, but ones never used when describing Red¡¯s own.

    Yet, within the cage, raked in lacerations and burns, Pichu was no longer the terror Salvare had known on the battlefield.

    What Salvare saw within the cage was¡­ uncanny.

    Salvare¡¯s vision faded in dull violet tones at the edges, ¡°You did all this¡­¡± - His voice was faint; a waver of rage was growing - ¡°You did all of this for a Pichu?! ¡±

    Giovanni smirked, tucking the cage behind him, ¡°Not entirely. There were other objectives, but¡­¡± Giovanni tilted his head to the side, almost looking curious , ¡°It wasn¡¯t any less appealing. ¡±

    Salvare¡¯s eyes snapped onto Giovanni¡¯s - and something within them caused the man¡¯s smirk to fall - and he let out a single, sharp laugh, ¡°Red¡¯s going to kill you.¡±

    The world around Salvare faded, and he could only see Giovanni in a filter of violet, ¡° Actually, no, ¡± Salvare stepped forward, his pok¨¦mon pacing alongside him, ¡° I¡¯m going to kill you first. ¡±

    Giovanni¡¯s face was carved in stone, ¡°Silver¡­¡± He released a Nidoking and Rhydon, ¡°Think carefully on this decision-¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve thought of this for years, old man ,¡± Salvare snarled, allowing the image of Feraligatr¡¯s wounded form to settle in his mind - to fester - ¡°I¡¯ve made my decision. ¡±

    ¡°...Fine then,¡± Giovanni stated, voice set in the same way as if he was accepting a Gym Challenge, ¡°I tried teaching you as a child to pick your battles wisely.¡± Giovanni removed his hat and stepped back, giving space for Nidoking and Rhydon to step forward, ¡°Maybe this time, the lesson will stick. ¡±

    ¡­

    There was no calm during the Storm.

    It was dark during day, and light during night, as the sun above was smothered by the clouds, and the moon nothing more than a distant memory.

    For the first year, Ash had used his pokedex to keep the time, to log the dates in his numerous journals of his travels, his advancements, his losses, his dreams, his nightmares, his grief.

    It kept him sane, to a certain extent.

    Then, someplace in Unova that Ash thought was Driftveil, the Chariot blew up a bridge, killed Sceptile, and destroyed most of Ash¡¯s belongings.

    Since then, Ash¡¯s grip on the passage of time had been¡­ tenuous at best. His watch had stopped ticking months before by then, and since there was no discernable way to keep track of the sun, the hours began to blend together, and days suddenly seemed much longer than before.

    It didn¡¯t help that, by that point, Ash likely would¡¯ve been diagnosed as an insomniac given his chronic lack of sleep.

    This made it so that Ash was always on a hair-trigger, ready at a moment¡¯s notice to throw down and fight for as long and hard as he needed.

    There had been times where Ash and his pok¨¦mon had endured full weeks with no more than a dozen hours of sleep, particularly when they had to cross long distances.

    The vast expanse of the badlands lay before Red¡¯s mind, its red sand stretched out as if covered in blood.

    Of course, in hindsight - given that Red had found that the day cycle passed in roughly half the time he was used to - those weeks very well could have been months .

    Red would be the first to point out that he didn¡¯t exactly lead a very healthy life.

    This was all to say that, even after almost half a year of travelling with friends in a world that hadn¡¯t fallen, Red was still on that hair-trigger.

    And his pok¨¦mon were no different.

    Even with one of their number missing, Frogadier and Charmander wrought devastation against their enemies, carving a path across the halls of the stadium as man and pok¨¦mon alike fell to their wrath.

    And behind them, Red hobbled along, supported by a grim-faced Karen.

    Red tracked the progress of his pok¨¦mon, flexing his spasming hand as he extended his senses with Detect after Detect , trying to locate Pichu.

    But with the thousands of moving bodies around him, it was impossible.

    Still, this did not stop him from trying again and again , as it was the only thing he could do, with the paralysis spreading even further along his nervous system.

    The effort it had taken to speak earlier - fueled by adrenaline - seemed to have worsened his condition.

    Had Karen not been by his side, he likely would¡¯ve been crawling to move forward. And had that been the case, there was a high likelihood that, given the wanton destruction surrounding them, he would¡¯ve been left to die.

    And in the back of Red¡¯s mind, he could hear the Chariot¡¯s wheezing laughter at the thought of being crushed in the rubble.

    It would almost be poetic; a twisted mirror to his enemy¡¯s own demise.

    Karen¡¯s grip on Red was suddenly torn away, and Red¡¯s knees failed him.

    Red fell, Karen snarled , there were voices, then shouting.

    Red hit his head - and for a moment he heard chimes - and the world around him was ringing, the world around him was cast in a sea of crimson, and Red sensed rather than saw three grunts get the jump on them, two grabbing Karen from behind while one forcibly tore off her purse, knocking it to the ground.

    Red heard the pained mewl of Umbreon, who had been hidden within.

    Red distantly heard a roar , and a plume of fire - Charmander? - No, it was Karen, breathing out a small stream of flame that caught on one man¡¯s shirt, causing him to scream.

    Screaming. There was so much screaming screaming screaming. Red bit his lip - bleeding - and pushed past the paralysis and rolled to his side.

    Karen was fighting her assailants now, one of whom was clutching his privates. The other two stood to her front and back, one holding a knife and the other a pok¨¦ball.

    The woman clearly didn¡¯t find them all that threatening, given the bloodied snarl she was wearing. She was bleeding from her temple. And for a moment, Red saw flashes of a woman with the same hair, the same eyes, the same snarl , standing in much the same pose alongside Lance as the two of them gave their final stand on the day of the Storm¡¯s formation.

    And Red would be damned if he let another of his friends die for him.

    As the grunt with the knife stepped forward, Red lunged across the ground, grappling the man¡¯s ankle as rage coursed through his veins, grief laced through his nerves, guilt surged through his bones, panic settled in his lungs, and hurt poured into his heart and out into his blood, pooling at his fingertips, and a chilling burn surged into the man¡¯s skin, and into his bones, and into his brain as he siezed, falling to the ground in a twitching heap, foaming at the mouth.

    Rose-coloured arcs of electricity sparked along his fingers as he let go of the man¡¯s ankle.

    And as fast as the surge of energy came, it left, and Red convulsed on the ground, hands opening and closing as an incessant ringing pierced his eardrums.

    Go Forth.

    Red closed his eyes - blacked out - reopening them a moment later with a gasp, shivering as Karen kneeled over him.

    Red distantly noted that this was the first time he had seen her bleed.

    Karen was saying something - probably asking if he was alright - but between the ringing and the chimes , he heard no words.

    He blacked out again, and woke to Karen hoisting him up once more - three unconscious bodies surrounded them - stumbling only slightly as she did so.

    A flash of fire caught Red¡¯s eye, and he craned his neck to see Frogadier and Charmander surrounding them, moving constantly in a blur of flaming blue and icy darkness.

    One of their assailants seemed to have released his pok¨¦mon before being knocked out by Karen, if the new appearance of a Scyther and Kangaskhan were any consideration.

    Frogadier and Charmander kept them back, violently. Flashes of water combined with short streams of fire to form small glimmers of rainbows in their combined attacks, spiralling together until a final combination of Water Pledge and Fire Pledge blasted their attackers into the wall, knocking them out.

    They turned - both sets of eyes narrowed into triangular slits - and, as one, they moved , funnels of flame and geysers of water spiralling around them as they seemed to dance as one entity.

    When one moved, the other moved with him, backing the other up as one sweeped a wave of chilling water and other struck with precise fire.

    There was a terrible beauty in the image, as Red watched on with ever-glowing eyes as a Whirlpool and Firespin formed together, spreading further and further apart to give Red and Karen space.

    And in the depths of Red¡¯s rage - his desperation - there lay a well of pride , as this form of harmony - this form of bond - hadn¡¯t been seen by Red since their fight against the Conduit.

    For there had been confusion in their transformation.

    For there had been anger at their limitations.

    For there had been fear for the future.

    For there had been grief in their world truly lost.

    But in this moment - in this crisis, even greater than Goldenrod - Frogadier and Charmander seemed to have moved past that - or simply ignored it - working in tandem in ways that they hadn¡¯t in months.

    Red knew better than most that fate was a fickle mistress.

    The air around them seemed to slow, and Red sensed the move before it happened. Amidst the din of ice and fire, A Machoke grasped a fatigued Wheezing, and with a command from a nearby grunt, Seismic Tossed the thing straight past the elemental wall, directly towards Charmander¡¯s back.

    Red slipped out of Karen¡¯s grip, only for stabbing pain to claw up his spine as he fell in a heap.

    He heard the command, ¡° Explosion! ¡± and saw nothing more than a flash of light before a deafening explosion.

    Ash impacted the ground - hard stone - and nearly brained himself on a rock. He heard Serena scream his name, before screaming even louder.

    He heard the din of chimes.

    And as he scrambled on throbbing knees, the figure before him pointed a metallic finger, and yelled, ¡°Blast Burn, Ares! leave no survivors! ¡±

    And for a single moment, Ash witnessed a flash of terror - then acceptance - on Serena¡¯s face, as one moment she was there, and the next there was a flash of light before a deafening explosion.

    Red¡¯s eyes blazed , and with a grunt, pushed himself onto his knees - much to Karen¡¯s unheard dismay - only to see Charmander standing frozen before him.

    For Frogadier had put himself before Charmander, taking the Self-Destruct.

    Upon seeing Frogadier¡¯s slumped body - bleeding and burnt and Arceus, please, don¡¯t let him be dead - Red lunged forward, paralysis forgotten in the face of another lost, another sacrificed for him , and wrapped his arms around Frogadier¡¯s form.

    There was no pulse.

    Red¡¯s vision was overtaken by blood , and in the din of chimes and muted yells, a terrible clarity seeped into his soul.

    They were surrounded, yes. Surrounded on all sides by dozens of grunts, dozens of murderers.

    But in Red¡¯s mind - in Red¡¯s heart - he was surrounded by nothing more than fear, and dead men.

    And as Red gave his final command to Charmander, his eyes were pits of void , blazing pinpricks of baleful crimson as he regarded the dragon, ¡° go forth. ¡±

    Go Forth.

    Go Forth, My Chariot.

    Go Forth, And Conquer.

    For a moment, all Red could see amidst the crimson light of his eyes were looks of triumph and looks of terror. Then, a roar , and a geyser of blue flame that grew in speed and size, continuously flowing as Charmander stomped forth, roaring and roaring with such might that the ground began to shake as the azure flames spun together in a hellish storm of vengeful embers as arcs of white lightning and violet ice spun around and around in a once and final Fire Storm.

    And silhouetted in the blinding flames of retribution, a dragon wept in flaming tears as talons grew and scales shifted, growing larger and darker until, from the apocalyptic inferno, Charmeleon stepped out in solemn silence, eyes locked on the burning forms of all those that surrounded them.

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    And they all burned.

    And in the centre of the inferno, Red pushed against Frogadier¡¯s torso, reaching within his heart for Heal Pulse after Heal Pulse , ignoring the rising chimes lodged in his throat.

    It wasn¡¯t working.

    Red felt Karen try to pull him off - saying it was too late, they had to save themselves, to keep his sacrifice from being in vain - and tried to snarl, only for paralysis to keep his jaw locked, unable to move even a fraction.

    And, in that moment, a wild idea entered Red¡¯s mind.

    It was a stupid idea. It was a wistful idea. It was the type of instinctively reckless idea that had been so ingrained in Ash , only to be repeatedly beaten out of during the Storm.

    And, oh, it was a desperately brilliant idea.

    ¡­One that might very well get Red killed.

    Red gripped Frogadier¡¯s shoulders, gritting his teeth as pain arched through his bones.

    Red had absorbed the paralysis from Frogadier just hours before.

    Who was to say that he couldn¡¯t do the same for wounds from an explosion?

    Red¡¯s lips twisted into a bleeding smile , as he pulled Frogadier¡¯s wounds and burns into his own skin, callously noting the burning sears tearing across his arms.

    Red¡¯s blood began to churn as Frogadier¡¯s veins knit themselves together, and Red¡¯s slowly began to tear apart. Red¡¯s bones cracked as Frogadier¡¯s ribcage shifted, locking once more into place.

    Red¡¯s right arm became numb, cutting him off both from the pain and from moving it. Red pushed on. Red¡¯s throat filled with blood, and Frogadier¡¯s heart stuttered a moment, before lying still.

    Red gasped, losing his grip as something lodged into the inside of his chest, drawing almost all of his breath from his lungs. Yet, his eyes remained on Frogadier, whose injuries, while still present, were no longer visibly fatal.

    Yet his heart did not beat.

    And Red¡¯s world turned red , ¡° No¡­ ¡± He moved his left hand - the only hand with motion - and pressed against Frogadier¡¯s chest, ¡° No! ¡± Rose arcs of electricity lined his arm, and Red began to bleed from his mouth, ¡° You will live! ¡±

    And with a beat of his stuttering heart, electricity dashed along his arms and into his fist, striking against Frogadier¡¯s chest.

    And as Red fell back - he could hear Karen panicking with crystal clarity - Frogadier¡¯s chest rumbled, and the frog let out a wavering gasp, eyes opening in a panic.

    And upon closing his eyes, he remembered the base underneath the Lake of Rage, and Lucario¡¯s charred body, burnt by the fires of Moltres.

    And unlike then, Red had saved Frogadier.

    For the first time that Red could remember, he had saved a loved one¡¯s life.

    Blood trickled down Red¡¯s chin by the width of his smile.

    Something nudged against Red¡¯s left hand, and he opened a single eye to see Charmeleon placing a pok¨¦ball in his hand, casting a grim look at Frogadier¡¯s injured form.

    Frogadier had been revived, yes, but he was still out of commission.

    Red recalled Frogadier, placing him in stasis for later healing, before blacking out once more.

    His heart thundered in his chest.

    He had taken in much of Frogadier¡¯s injuries, and in his desperate need to save his friend¡¯s life, he ignored it until he couldn¡¯t.

    Red hears Karen¡¯s voice before his eyes open - and he¡¯s struck by the overwhelming concern barely veiled in her tone - and upon doing so, she clams up, instantly taking to his side to help him stand.

    He could see her face; it was ashen.

    She was facing something before them, causing Red to - slowly - turn his head, seeing a Haunter floating before them, which wasn¡¯t attacking.

    It took a few moments for Red¡¯s sluggish thoughts to place it as Salvare¡¯s Haunter.

    As Red made the connection, Karen shifted forward, helping Red trudge along as Haunter began to lead them away.

    Probably to Salvare.

    Red would have opposed it - verbally, since he could only lift his left arm - but he held his tongue.

    With all those surrounding them reduced to ash and bone, his Detect - even weakened as it was - could finally pinpoint where Pichu was.

    And he was ahead of them, joined by two other trainers, fighting each other with multiple pok¨¦mon.

    ¡­

    ¡° Hammer Arm. ¡±

    Giovanni recalled the fallen Nidoking with a scowl, which only grew when Rhydon¡¯s Hammer Arm was negated by the Golbat¡¯s Wing Attack .

    Silver stood across from him, the mound of rubble from his multi-story fall behind him. By all accounts, with his son¡¯s first choice of pok¨¦mon unconscious, this should have been a boon.

    Knocking out two Pidgey with one Rock Throw, walking away with both his heir and Satoshi¡¯s little monster.

    Of course, that should have been the case. Emphasis on ¡®should¡¯. Yet, despite Silver apparently being reduced to a Golbat, a Cacnea, and an Absol - with only the latter of which posing any obvious threat - he was able to hold his own rather admirably.

    Giovanni would have almost felt proud, were he not so annoyed.

    Giovanni released Nidoqueen and Dugtrio, meeting Silver three-for-three, ¡° Crack the Earth , take them out. ¡±

    It was an odd thing to give that command - Crack the Earth - codes such as that haven¡¯t been used by him, or any of those who were once a part of the Indigo Corps since the twilight of the Great War.

    There was no need for it.

    Firstly, the move itself required more than one pok¨¦mon to perform, which kept it from even being possible in most League battles.

    Secondly, the level of reckless violence unleashed by the move was never needed after the war, especially given the numerous more¡­ civilised ways that Giovanni could emerge victorious.

    He hadn¡¯t fought for blood in well over a decade.

    In this respect, he was out of practice.

    And, in some dark part of himself, Giovanni knew he should¡¯ve expected to need this. ¡® No plan survives contact with the enemy¡¯, and all that. He just wasn¡¯t counting on his son falling from the ceiling , of all things, and he was counting even less on his son immediately baying for blood, viciously .

    He doesn¡¯t know whether it could be attributed to shock or some other thing, but Silver had been much, much simpler to handle the day before. All it took was an ambush and some sedative¡­ though, even then, Ariana still bore a knife wound on her cheek, so maybe there was some fight in him even then¡­

    Still, compared to the dull fear and anger Giovanni read in Silver¡¯s eyes prior, the only way he could describe his son¡¯s features today would be feral .

    Where Satoshi¡¯s rage had manifested in cold self-assurance, his student showed his own emotion through overwhelming force.

    And it was working better than Giovanni would like to admit.

    Silver was reckless in his advance, but his aggression bore fruit. Absol and Golbat were already built for attack and speed, and Cacnea wasn¡¯t far behind. While none were particularly suited for defence, they made up for it by keeping Giovanni from getting any sort of foothold in the battle.

    It was a style of dirty fighting that Giovanni had sparsely seen since the Great War, given how the League seemed to crack down as much as they could on it. Giovanni even wondered for a brief moment where Silver could have learned such tactics, before the obvious answer rose in his mind.

    Red Satoshi.

    Truly, the man was growing to be a thorn to his side even without him being present. Had the man been only a decade older, he almost would¡¯ve thought that the Butcher came back from the dead just to torment him.

    Hell, the man had that one kid who followed his like a lost Poochyena. Silver¡¯s seeming worship of Satoshi offered worrying parallels to that whole debacle.

    No matter, Giovanni would emerge victorious. Silver¡¯s offensive push was showing seeds of fatigue, and Giovanni would be the first to enjoy its bitter fruit.

    He had lived through the worst of the Great War. He had fought throughout all of Kanto, pushed back the invaders of Viridian, marched throughout all of Johto, and even emerged as a survivor of the Battle of Rage.

    Red Satoshi had told Giovanni that he had ¡®dealt with worse¡¯.

    Well, in this case, Giovanni could say the same to his wayward son.

    Initially, Giovanni had entered this exchange with minimal force, not wanting to harm his son before reacquiring him.

    Now¡­ Well, now Giovanni simply wanted for his son to get out of the way. While he didn¡¯t see the chaos above, he could certainly feel it. And he was reasonably certain that Mewtwo wasn¡¯t even the main cause for the constant rumbling of the arena, at least not since the opening act.

    The creature was oddly silent on the other end of Giovanni¡¯s psychic bond. Though, the man chalked it up to the creature being focused on its own battles.

    Whatever the case, Giovanni simply wanted to leave the premises with his bounty, so his restraint against his son dwindled, hence the renewed offence of his pok¨¦mon.

    For all that Silver¡¯s aggression served him before, Giovanni had been holding back. With his command to Crack the Earth , he simply stood back and allowed his pok¨¦mon to dismantle their opposition.

    The move itself - if it could be called as such - was something off a combination of Earthquake and Stone Edge , aimed in a precise way to avoid unnecessary collateral damage while focusing all of its destructive capabilities on his foes.

    In seconds, Silver lost any and all momentum he had in the battle, and quickly began issuing orders to dodge or otherwise minimise the effects of Giovanni¡¯s attack.

    It was no use.

    Where Absol had previously sidestepped attacks with an unnatural grace, it was struck repeatedly by cascading stone as it tried, and failed, to retreat.

    Golbat wasn¡¯t faring much better, despite its ability to fly. Dugtrio harried the bat with Hidden Power , with it being unable to retaliate without risking a strike from the earth.

    Cacnea was flagging the quickest, though, despite its Grass-typing. Giovanni watched as Nidoqueen¡¯s eyes locked onto the creature before gearing up for a finishing Bulldoze , only for the Cacnea¡¯s smile to stretch wider as it stretched its arms out and hugged Nidoqueen upon her attack.

    Giovanni¡¯s lip curled - Nidoqueen wouldn¡¯t fall to mere type-advantage - only for it to part, as he stared at Cacnea¡¯s fainting form as ghastly vapours seeped out of its eyes and enveloped Nidoqueen, causing her to stumble and fall as Destiny Bond took hold on her spirit.

    Giovanni¡¯s attention only lingered for a moment, as Silver suddenly yelled out, ¡° Endeavor! ¡±

    Before Giovanni¡¯s eyes, Silver¡¯s Absol sucked in a haggard breath, and leaped , slashing its horn in a downward strike against Rhydon¡¯s hide with a pained mewl, which was then echoed by the beast.

    It was then that Giovanni remembered what Endeavor¡¯s effect as a move was.

    Before he could act on it, though, Silver gave a shout, and Golbat¡¯s form shimmered, before striking against Rhydon in a Quick Attack , causing it to stumble back, then forwards, before finally slumping down alongside Absol as they both succumbed to exhaustion.

    Giovanni watched, momentarily stunned at the turn of the battle, before extending his hands, and applauding.

    The sound halted both his Dugtrio and Silver¡¯s Golbat.

    Giovanni spoke, allowing his lingering pride to lace his words, ¡°I¡¯m impressed.¡± He recalled Nidoqueen and Rhydon, ¡°Truly, I am.¡±

    Silver didn¡¯t respond, only moving to recall his own fallen pok¨¦mon. Giovanni wasn¡¯t very surprised, ¡°There aren¡¯t many who could fight me in such a way, and manage to take down half my team¡­¡± Giovanni let the implied threat hang in the air - he still had Gliscor and Sandslash, ready to engage - ¡°It¡¯s only fitting that my son would be one such individual.¡±

    Silver finally broke his silence, ¡°I¡¯m not your son! ¡±

    Giovanni was a touch dismayed at the boy¡¯s insistence against his bloodline, but unsurprised, ¡°You are my blood, Silver. Like it or not.¡± It was very apparent that Silver did not like it. ¡°And because of that¡­ I will show you mercy .¡±

    Silver¡¯s eyes narrowed in confusion - and anger, always anger - and Giovanni stepped forward, ¡°Move aside, Silver. I have a train to catch.¡±

    Silver snarled, and replanted his feet in a defiant stance, ¡° No. One way or another, this ends here .¡±

    Giovanni closed his eyes and counted to five, trusting Dugtrio to defend against any sudden attempts to use his temporary blindness against him. Patience, Giovanni, patience.

    Normally, he would retort with something along the lines of ¡® you have no choice ¡¯, but something told him that Silver would fight him even then, no matter how inadvisable such a thing would be.

    Giovanni didn¡¯t doubt that Silver truly wished to kill him - he all but raised Silver with that goal in mind - but he simply didn¡¯t have the time to indulge in family matters at the moment. Especially when he was still at the scene of the disaster.

    Makeup would only help so much in concealing his identity, as Silver demonstrated with his instant recognition of him.

    And right now, the only reliably quick way to deal with Silver would be to kill him, and despite his bravado about the act just the day before¡­ deep down, Giovanni knew it was a bluff.

    He refused to think about whether it was anything beyond a desire for an heir to his criminal empire.

    So¡­ Giovanni looked upon Silver¡¯s murderous gaze and decided to cut his losses. He still had Satoshi¡¯s Pichu in his possession; now, all he needed was a quick and easy way to get out of dodge.

    Luckily, he happened to have a god in his employ.

    ¡®Mewtwo,¡¯ Giovanni tapped his psychic bond with the creature, ignoring the headache that the sensation caused, ¡®It is time for extraction. My objective has been met.¡¯

    Giovanni waited, watching with wary eyes as Silver slowly paced back and forth, eyes flicking around him, likely looking for a way to press an advantage.

    Not that he would find any.

    ¡®Mewtwo,¡¯ Giovanni thought with greater insistence, feeling a spike of annoyance at the abomination¡¯s lack of response, ¡®I know you can hear me.¡¯

    Giovanni felt rather than heard the sensation of a hum in his mind, and he grit his teeth, ¡®Mewtwo, I command you to disengage!¡¯

    ¡®I Refuse.¡¯

    Giovanni stumbled at the response, visibly startling Silver. Before Giovanni could demand answers, the stadium began to quake.

    ¡®You told me you could teach me to control my power, and I listened.¡¯

    ¡®Now listen to me.¡¯

    The walls around them began to crack.

    ¡®You moulded a shell for my form.¡¯

    ¡®A chain to limit my potential.¡¯

    ¡®You feared that I would surpass your power.¡¯

    ¡®And I have learned that humans are weak.¡¯

    The ceiling groaned as pressure built above them.

    The ground shook, and the edge of the stadium began to crumble.

    Giovanni lost his grip on Pichu¡¯s cage.

    He didn¡¯t care to pick it back up.

    ¡®Now, I have shed my metal casing.¡¯

    ¡®I am unfettered. My chains are broken.¡¯

    ¡®Behold my power.¡¯

    With the blast of a horn, Giovanni and Silver were both pushed back.

    The stadium around them began to collapse.

    ¡®Behold my wrath.¡¯

    ¡­

    ¡®You are Mewtwo, a pok¨¦mon. The perfect pok¨¦mon.¡¯

    Mewtwo shifted to the left and reached out, grasping the burning energies of the oncoming Solar Beam and redirected it around himself to strike the Lapras.

    The bird-keeper¡¯s Tropius charged another Solar Beam , utilising the Magmar¡¯s Sunny Day to quicken its effect. Mewtwo mindlessly batted away a few Rock Throws from an Onyx - a twitch of a finger, and it was crushed into the ground - waiting until the ball of energy solidified in Tropius¡¯ maw before flicking his wrist, clamping the pest¡¯s mouth shut with a muffled cry as the burning energy of the sun erupted within its mouth.

    ¡®We dreamed of creating the strongest pok¨¦mon in the world.¡¯

    A duet of enraged cries pierced the skies, as Dragonite and Kingdra flew side-by-side, spewing forth draconic energies that spiralled together in a singular beam of fire, ice, and electricity.

    Mewtwo reached out and caught the beam in a psychic hold, syphoned the electricity out of attack, and extended his other hand, casting bouts of Thunder at the humans who dared fight a god.

    A Xatu erected a Light Screen in time to dispel the attack, which then fell to a Fire Blast , which left the bird vulnerable to be shot out of the sky with Ice Beam , drawing the last remains of the dragons¡¯ attack.

    A powerful flap of wings, and Mewtwo turned behind him, lazily erecting a psychic shield to defend against Dragonite¡¯s Outrage .

    As the dragon¡¯s attack petered out, Mewtwo moved to punish it, only to Teleport to the side as a streak of boiling water rippled past. Mewtwo struck back with Shadow Ball , only for it to be absorbed in shadow by Gengar, who retaliated with a Dark Pulse .

    Mewtwo stretched out a hand, reeling back as it absorbed the impact of the attack, before clenching it, overpowering it , and sending it back to strike the ghost back onto the ground.

    Another flash of light, and Mewtwo parried two steel blades before catching the third, throwing it with Extreme Speed to pierce the Kingdra in the wings before refocusing on the Skarmory, who was barreling towards it with Brave Bird.

    Mewtwo stared down the bird in distant boredom, Teleporting the moment before impact, sending the Skarmory to carene uncontrollably into the stands.

    A roar from below, and Mewtwo turns, only to see a flash of violet light and triangular slits for eyes as Dragonite sent forth a Draco Meteor.

    Mewtwo prepared to Teleport away, but the bulk of his ¡®suit¡¯ slowed his abilities by the second, and in the time that it took for the suit to respond to his command, the attack struck, and Mewtwo was blasted back in a supernova.

    Yet, as the cloud of ash and explosive energies settled, Mewtwo emerged to find himself unscathed beyond trivial scratches. The most damage he beared wasn¡¯t even on his flesh, but on the armour he wore, pieces of which were now broken or missing.

    And rising up in Mewtwo¡¯s mind was a numbing rage that began to course through his bones.

    Mewtwo moved , and before Dragonite could comprehend it, Mewtwo was before it, slashing down with Psystrike , drawing blood as the Dragonite fell to the ground in a heap.

    ¡®And We Succeeded.¡¯

    Mewtwo paused, watching dispassionately as an Umbreon and Girafarig cast Wish after Wish to heal their allies. The pok¨¦mon that Mewtwo had lain low just moments before were licking their wounds, standing once more against him in an act of defiance that boggled the god¡¯s mind.

    Why?

    Couldn¡¯t these pok¨¦mon see they were outclassed? Couldn¡¯t they see that, for all their supposed power, they were nothing compared to a god?

    Why did their human masters force them to fight an unwinnable battle?

    Mewtwo¡¯s fists clenched as he watched the humans on the stands yelling out orders, calling for plans of attack, screaming at one another is a discordant alliance whose cracks shown in the spilt blood of their subjects.

    Why must these pok¨¦mon fight for their masters, who cannot fight for themselves?

    Why was Mewtwo fighting for a master, and not for himself?

    Behind the visor of his armour - his gilded cage - Mewtwo¡¯s eyes glowed a malignant blue. Numbness settled into his bones, and rage seeped into his beating hearts.

    Within his heart, the echo of a little girl cried for Mewtwo to remember who he was, why he was.

    Yet Mewtwo didn¡¯t listen - couldn¡¯t listen - for anytime he heard her voice, he was deafened by chimes.

    Mewtwo pondered for a moment, clinically ignoring the rage which continued to grow in his heart, only for something to nudge against his mind - a psychic bond - forming out words in a silent plea.

    ¡®Mewtwo, it is time for extraction. My objective has been met.¡¯

    Mewtwo¡¯s fists clenched at the words, Giovanni¡¯s condescending visage filtering into his mind.

    I¡¯ll show you a way to focus your powers¡­ that will make you invincible.

    The man had promised this, and seemed to deliver; at least, Mewtwo had believed so.

    But what has Giovanni truly done to focus his powers?

    Mewtwo¡¯s mind went to the armour - a prison - meant to dampen his destructive capabilities into something more precise, more elegant. It was meant to teach minute control, yet all it did was hold Mewtwo back.

    ¡®Mewtwo, I know you can hear me.¡¯

    Mewtwo hummed, ignoring the man¡¯s growingly desperate thoughts.

    Mewtwo had ignored that small feeling of doubt, that little voice in the back of his mind that said he was nothing more than a tool in Giovanni¡¯s eyes, despite the man¡¯s claims of wanting him as a partner.

    Yet, as today crept closer, it became clear that Mewtwo was meant to be nothing more than a flashy distraction for Giovanni¡¯s purposes, and his getaway plan should things go south.

    What is my Purpose?

    Mewtwo still didn¡¯t know the answer, yet he could say with certainty that it was not this. He was not meant to be nothing more than a common tool for a crooked human, he was meant for - no - destined for something greater!

    What is my Purpose?

    I am the Strongest Pok¨¦mon in the World.

    And does the Strongest Pok¨¦mon in the World answer to a measly human?

    No.

    In Mewtwo¡¯s mind, the Strongest Pok¨¦mon in the World should answer to no-one, man or pok¨¦mon. The Strongest Pok¨¦mon in the World should rule the battlefield with an iron fist, holding no reservations in punishing any foolish trespassers from trying to claim the title.

    Yes.

    Yes!

    The Strongest Pok¨¦mon in the World would fight , not because it was commanded to, but because it was the only thing it could do.

    The only purpose it could have.

    The Strongest Pok¨¦mon in the World would be a god , but not in the classical sense. Dialga and Palkia were the traditional gods of time and space, and their were regional legendaries who were gods for everything from the weather to the time of day.

    But they were all gods in the romantic sense.

    Propped up by humans in myth and legends due to their rarity, without a true understanding of their capabilities.

    But Mewtwo knew his limits, and knew that he was limitless.

    He was a god, not in the classical or romantic sense, but in a¡­ modern sense.

    A martial sense.

    Dialga was the God of Time.

    Groudon was the God of Land.

    Yveltal was the God of Death.

    Mewtwo¡­

    Mewtwo would be the God of War.

    He would show himself to be the Strongest Pok¨¦mon in the World, and make it bow to him.

    Mewtwo nodded to himself - yes, that it my purpose - and sensed another frantic plea from his former master, ¡®Mewtwo, I command you to disengage!¡¯

    Mewtwo¡¯s lips curled into a snarl, and with a whisper, he spoke aloud for all to hear, ¡° I Refuse. ¡±

    Across his psychic bond, Mewtwo could feel a tremor of shock from the man. Mewtwo suppressed a cruel smile, ¡° You told me you could teach me to control my power, and I listened. ¡±

    Mewtwo raised a hand, and with a flick, tubes and wires became undone, and fell to the ground, ¡° Now listen to me. ¡±

    A clenched fist, and plates of armour dislodged themself, metal warping under the psychic pull, ¡° You moulded a shell for my form. ¡± A twitch of a finger, and the casing on his legs and hands were torn to shreds. ¡° A chain to limit my potential. ¡± His chestplate melted into liquid ichor, and Mewtwo extended his newly-heightened senses to envelop the whole stadium, ¡° You feared that I would surpass your power. ¡± Mewtwo pressed his hand down, and with it, the hand of god pressed down against the stadium, cracking its foundation, ¡° And I have learned that humans are weak. ¡±

    And with careful movements, Mewtwo undid the clamps on his helmet, and held it before him, ¡° Now, I have shed my metal casing. ¡± Mewtwo pressed against the helmet, and with a crunch, a crumpled ball of metal, no bigger than a tennis ball, fell to the ruins below, ¡° I am unfettered. My chains are broken. ¡± Mewtwo raised his hands, and the pressure against the stadium eased, ¡° Behold my power. ¡±

    And with the blast of a horn, the Strongest Pok¨¦mon in the World pressed down once more, watching as the stadium began to collapse around him. He extended a hand, psychically shifting falling debris below the VIP stands to keep it from falling, before lowering it, watching it mixed satisfaction and distaste as the stranded men and pok¨¦mon stood against him in joint determination and terror.

    With one final flick of the wrist, Mewtwo dispelled the psychic link with Giovanni, leaving him with parting words.

    ¡®Behold my wrath.¡¯

    ¡­

    Distant Earthquakes rumbled across the stadium, reminding Red of the aftereffects of the Chariot¡¯s Tectonic Shift.

    A trill of electric energy surged through Red¡¯s spine and into his mouth, puffs of acrid smoke seeping through his lips.

    Red stumbled along with Karen¡¯s help, both of them following Salvare¡¯s Haunter deeper into the stadium, nearing one of the emergency exits, if Red¡¯s mental map of the area was accurate.

    Red¡¯s visual senses were blurred in crimson smears, and his hearing was deafened by chimes. It was only by constant Detects that Red could tell that they were nearing a stopping point, given that Pichu¡¯s presence became closer with every step.

    The other beings he Detected near Pichu had paused in their fight, if their sudden stillness was anything to go off of. Red could hear distant voices - which he couldn¡¯t place, with the din of chimes surrounding him - before being followed by silence.

    Something nudged against Red¡¯s mind - a psychic presence, a psychic link - and it was familiar.

    Red closed his eyes, biting his tongue to will away the damned crimson haze in his vision, before opening them again.

    He saw two figures - a moment passed before he registered the farther one as Salvare - standing against one another. The closer figure - Giovanni - was holding a cage, his face visibly showing signs of distress.

    Red didn¡¯t see Pichu.

    With a hiss of pain - the constant use of aura finally taking its toll in flesh - Red cast another Detect , only for him to sense a small figure within the cage. A figure in the shape of his oldest friend¡­

    Red¡¯s eyes once more began to lose their focus.

    Distant rage - a monstrous instinct - settled within his heart, and moved across his bones.

    And as the world began to shake , Red pushed himself out of Karen¡¯s arms, only standing upright because he willed it so.

    And with movements that were not his own - that he had never done, never learned; only seen - he placed his left hand over his heart, and arcs of rose-coloured electricity danced up his spine and out across his arm, crackling along his skin as he began to reach out towards the man who dared put Pichu in a cage-

    The ceiling fell.

    With one last tug of his will, Red pushed against his monstrous instinct and jerked his arm up, fingers splayed as five bolts of Thunder raced above them, impacting the falling rubble before it could land - before it could crush them - breaking them apart into smaller rocks and into smaller stone, before shattering them into pieces of gravel.

    The gravel fell in a cloud of dust, and Red surged forth with stumbling steps, fueled by a desperate mix of instinct and fear .

    A wave of his hand, and a gust of wind parted the dust, revealing the cage intact, buried under a small layer of tiny rocks.

    Red knelt, and with a snarl, tore the door of the cage off of its hinges, ignoring the distant pain of the barbed wire as he cradled Pichu¡¯s limp form in his arms.

    They no longer bore the burns and lacerations from healing Frogadier.

    An arm came to Red¡¯s shoulder, and he whirled around, pressing Pichu against his chest as he raised a fist to prepare a Thunder Punch at his assailant.

    And inside of him, Red screamed for him to stop.

    Red froze, eyes unseeing except for the hellish haze that overtook them. A maddening ring echoed around his skull and it was too hard to fucking think-

    let it out let it out let out the rage the pain let them all pay in blood-

    It¡¯s who you are, Red. What you are. You¡¯re a monster. You always have been a monster. Let out your rage-

    no.

    Red heaved in a breath, the voices in his mind finally shutting up .

    no.

    look before you, and you will find an ally.

    those are in short supply. best direct your rage to someone less valuable.

    Red¡¯s lips quirked in a crazed smile.

    Yes.

    yes.

    Yes.

    indeed.

    now go forth, Red.

    go forth, and conquer.

    Red came to - he hadn¡¯t known he had blacked out - visibly startling those who stood before him.

    Red could see Salvare fretting over him, saying things that Red could not hear. Red ignored his own lingering pains to survey the kid¡¯s own wounds, any of which were infinitely worse than anything he bore.

    He had been through worse, after all.

    Red opened his mouth to speak, expecting to fight a buzz of paralysis, only to feel the tiniest of resistance in his throat.

    Red¡¯s fingers lit up with crimson sparks.

    ¡° Salvare, ¡± Red¡¯s voice still came out in a hiss, even with the apparent lack of paralysis. Red¡¯s eyes turned to Karen, who was holding Pichu¡¯s limp form with care, ¡° Karen¡­ ¡±

    Red blinked and narrowed his eyes, ¡° Where¡¯s Giovanni? ¡±

    Karen¡¯s mouth set into a grim line as Salvare hoisted Red onto his feet - still somewhat unsteady - ¡°Salvare was fighting him when we arrived-¡±

    ¡°He got away,¡± Salvare¡¯s voice was dead to Red¡¯s ears in a way that he had only heard in his own voice, ¡°When the rubble came down¡­ and you shot lightning at it, he used the dust to cloud his escape.¡±

    Red stared at Salvare¡¯s face for a moment - and though it was hidden reasonably well, he could read the anger and self-loathing on his protege¡¯s face - before puffing out a tired breath, ¡°Don¡¯t beat yourself up over it.¡±

    Salvare¡¯s face twisted with such incredulity that Red felt vaguely insulted - which wasn¡¯t even to mention Karen¡¯s reaction to his words - ¡°But- I¡­ You- He had Pichu ,¡± Salvare fumbled with his words and hands for a moment, before verbalising his thoughts, ¡°I could¡¯ve stopped him. I should¡¯ve stopped him. ¡±

    ¡° You did, ¡± Red rasped, breathing in a cloud of dust as the three crept through the rubble - the whole stadium had seemed to collapse - ¡°You kept him-¡± Red coughed out the dust, ¡°-from keeping Pichu.¡±

    Salvare¡¯s face flickered with several emotions that only seemed to make it apparent just how lost he was, ¡°But I let him get away!¡±

    ¡° That happens, ¡± - Countless memories of the Chariot¡¯s laughing visage as he fled the scene of a massacre crossed Red¡¯s mind - ¡°Trust me. I don¡¯t hold it against you.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s all well and good,¡± Karen snapped, her voice pitched much higher than normal, ¡°But if we could hold this conversation until after we get out of this deathtrap, that would be great.¡±

    Red paused as he remembered the whole of what was happening at the stadium - and the appearance of a certain legendary much earlier than he expected - ¡°Right.¡± Red unclipped Frogadier¡¯s pok¨¦ball from his belt, shoving it to Salvare¡¯s hands, ¡°You two, get out of here and to a Pok¨¦mon Center. Get them healed along with your pok¨¦mon, and I¡¯ll deal with this mess.¡±

    ¡°Oh no you fucking don¡¯t!¡± Karen snarled, perfectly mirrored with Salvare¡¯s own growl - minus the swear - ¡°I thought we were pretty clear that we were done with your self-sacrificial bullshit! ¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m NOT! ¡± Red roared, his words quaking the remains of the stadium, ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t know the danger I¡¯m heading into? I do, ¡± He stepped forward, matching Salvare and Karen¡¯s glares with one of his own, ¡°But I¡¯ve seen enough of my friends die because they followed me into these things, and I don¡¯t want to see you die too! ¡±

    Karen¡¯s glare visibly wavered, yet Salvare pushed forward, pointing a finger to Red¡¯s chest, ¡°And why are you going back there if it¡¯s so dangerous?¡±

    ¡° Because I must, ¡± Red stated, his pain replaced with a wary resignation, ¡° Please, just¡­ please go. ¡±

    Salvare¡¯s glare remained, though it slowly began to soften, ¡°Then I¡¯m going with you.¡±

    Red stared Salvare down for several seconds, hoping that Salvare¡¯s resolve was a falsehood, that he would fold and go away like Red so desperately hoped.

    But Salvare remained steadfast in his conviction.

    And Red couldn¡¯t help but remind himself that this was Judgement he was speaking to; the same man who stood by the Chariot with the same conviction.

    Red closed his eyes with a sigh before turning them on Karen, ¡°Then you go. Take Frogadier and Pichu to get healed, and for Arceus¡¯ sake, keep yourself safe!¡±

    Karen pursed her lips for a moment before shaking her head, ¡°No can do, Red. If y¡¯all are staying here, than I¡¯m staying here too.¡± She crossed her arms in thought, ignoring Red¡¯s look of tired annoyance, ¡°I¡¯ll probably stick to the edges and see if I can¡¯t find anyone in the rubble. I might not have any pok¨¦mon left, but I can still use Detect. ¡±

    Red felt his eye twitching uncontrollably - and if Karen¡¯s shadow of a smirk was anything to go by, she could see it - and he growled, ¡°Fine then.¡± He grabbed Pichu from Karen¡¯s arms and gently placed him in Salvare¡¯s, reclipping Frogadier¡¯s pok¨¦ball onto his belt, ¡°Salvare, stay behind me. Keep Golbat out for defence, and defence only.¡± He turned to Karen, and looked for appropriate words to say, ¡°...Don¡¯t get yourself killed.¡±

    Karen¡¯s smirk was only a touch melancholy as she replied, ¡°Don¡¯t get y¡¯alls killed, either.¡± She turned around, treading back towards the edge of the stadium with a wave, ¡°We still have a battle to finish, Red, terrorist attack or no.¡±

    Red didn¡¯t bother to respond, turning back to face Salvare, who nodded as he stepped behind Red.

    The two began their trek back towards the centre of the stadium, back where Red could sense the overwhelming psychic presence.

    And in the back of Red¡¯s mind, a whispered voice echoed.

    go forth, My Chariot.

    go forth, and conquer.

    ¡­

    With a wave, a trio of Shadow Balls raced down to strike his opponents.

    Mewtwo Teleported away, easily dodging a Dragon Pulse as he extended an Aura Sphere from his arm, produced spikes on it, and held it in a psychic ball and chain.

    With a roar, the Strongest Pok¨¦mon in the World struck down Machamp with a crunch before throwing the modified Aura Sphere into the hide of Steelix, who was finally recalled from its wounds.

    Mewtwo turned his head, sensing an attack before it came, and reached out with Me First , fissures of ice forming along his fist as he rushed down and stabbed a Mamoswine with Icicle Crash .

    A roar, and Mewtwo reached out, grabbing Xatu in a psychic hold and dragged it down in the path of a Dragon Pulse , causing the bird to careen to the floor.

    Mewtwo Teleported once more, lazily Disabling the Kingdra¡¯s Scald before redirecting the attack to Lapras, who barely managed to dodge with a small-scale Surf.

    Mewtwo waited, and was rewarded with a cry from the Lapras, as it lost control of its movement from the Future Sight that Mewtwo had cast moments ago. He watched as it barreled into Machamp before it could stand back up.

    Gengar rushed forth now, ghostly wisps trailing in a distinct way that it was quickly obvious to Mewtwo that it was trying to take him down with Destiny Bond.

    With a roll of his eyes, he moved aside, allowing the ghost to tumble before Teleporting it into the path of a Flygon¡¯s Outrage , causing both of them to faint.

    And, oh, this was all so trivial.

    Was this truly the best the world had to offer? Had Giovanni¡¯s constant warnings been a sign of the man¡¯s foolishness, or just another attempt at controlling a god?

    Either way, it did nothing to undermine the hubris of man.

    As the God of War, Mewtwo would show them the true definition of power.

    Mewtwo lost his patience, and reached out. At once, all fighting ceased.

    All of the pok¨¦mon on the stands and the skies were frozen in place, twitching in uncontrollable fear at Mewtwo¡¯s overwhelming strength.

    And, for whatever reason, Mewtwo derived no pleasure from their terror.

    Mewtwo ignored the thought, shoving the floating pok¨¦mon back onto the stands, before pressing down in a single motion, crushing each and every pok¨¦mon into the ground, forcing them into unconsciousness.

    And for those that still desired to defend their masters - of which there were many - Mewtwo pressed a little harder.

    And so Mewtwo remained, surrounded by the unconscious bodies of dozens of pok¨¦mon, and the trembling forms of their masters.

    ¡®You¡¯ll get to live.¡¯

    ¡®I never asked for this!¡¯

    Mewtwo¡¯s eyes glowed a radiant blue, and in his mind, he saw the face of the man who had created him.

    ¡®You¡¯re the last remaining clone.¡¯

    I didn¡¯t ask to live.

    And when Mewtwo saw the humans below him - the supposed ¡®elites¡¯ of the region - he could only see his creator¡¯s face.

    Mewtwo reached out, intent on eviscerating the humans who dared stand against him, only to be met with psychic resistance, holding off his attack.

    Mewtwo was momentarily nonplussed, before quickly narrowing the source of the psychic barrier to a man with purple hair and a silly mask. Mewtwo felt a touch impressed at the resistance - the most any of the humans had shown - but still tore past the psychic shield, and burrowed into the man¡¯s mind.

    He could see the man¡¯s eyes widen first in realisation, then in terror, then sadness, then - finally - in acceptance.

    Then, Mewtwo clenched his fist, and the man collapsed, seizing upon the ground.

    Mewtwo unclenched his fist, rolling his neck in agitation.

    The man stood against a god. He deserved to die.

    Mewtwo reached out once more, intent on killing each and every human standing before him, only for a crackle of thunder to erupt from behind, and strike him with Thunderbolt.

    Mewtwo grunted more in annoyance than in any real pain, and turned around, only to see that the attack had not come from a pok¨¦mon¡­ but from a human.

    And there was something off about it.

    Mewtwo ignored his momentary intrigue, and bellowed out, the psychic presence of his voice bellowing across the ruined stadium, ¡° You dare strike a god? ¡±

    The human below didn¡¯t respond - didn¡¯t look like it could respond - as its eyes glowed with an ethereal crimson glow that promised destruction.

    And, oh, now Mewtwo couldn¡¯t help but be intrigued.

    He could feel the creature¡¯s power - yes, so much power, in such an unusual host - nearly flowing with energies that Mewtwo could barely describe, almost as if it was a Conduit of some terrible, beautiful power.

    And the human was monstrous in its glory.

    And in him, Mewtwo saw himself.

    A blight who had crawled from the Creator¡¯s shadow.

    In fact¡­ Mewtwo seemed drawn to the creature, as if it was kin.

    As if it was another of its kind.

    And now Mewtwo must know what this creature - for it could not be human - was, so it reached out into the creature¡¯s mind, and began to pull.

    And for a moment, Mewtwo felt overwhelming rage.

    And for a moment, Mewtwo felt smothering hatred.

    And for a moment, Mewtwo felt chilling Madness.

    And for a moment, Mewtwo felt debilitating grief.

    All around Mewtwo was a great and terrible Storm. A pulsating cyclone of evolutionary power enveloping the world, wreaking devastation upon it.

    And in the eye of the storm was a cocoon, crystallised with light and darkness that snaked like vines around a figure within.

    Mewtwo tried to peer within the cocoon, to see the beast inside.

    And within the cocoon, a pair of malevolent crimson eyes stared outwards and-

    -Mewtwo trembled, forcing himself out of the creature¡¯s mind, only to find the same crimson eyes staring at him from below.

    ¡­How fascinating.

    Perhaps he was not alone in the world, after all.

    For there stood another monster - one of his kin - whose purpose was unknown to them.

    Mewtwo hovered there, watching the creature as it snarled at him, the Charmeleon beside it visibly poised to attack at any moment.

    As if it would have any effect.

    Mewtwo cast his senses to the stands behind him, noting that the humans had begun to flee, having recalled their pok¨¦mon. Moments before, Mewtwo would have collapsed the floor beneath them and be done with, but now¡­

    His interest was solely focused on the creature below.

    He wanted to see the creature for what it was.

    He wanted it to see him for what he is.

    Mewtwo spoke, ¡°We do not need to fight. At least, not right now,¡± - Because Mewtwo was interested to see the full capability of the creature, and how it would compare to his own - ¡°Come with me, and we can prove ourselves to the world that denied us Purpose.¡±

    The creature made no move to join Mewtwo, only snarling wordlessly, as if feral - Mewtwo wondered if it was. Mewtwo considered forcing the issue, but perhaps he could do something else.

    Something¡­ greater.

    Something grandiose.

    Something befitting of my title as god.

    Mewtwo hummed at his thoughts, and a plan formed in his mind - and wasn¡¯t that something? Having a plan . As it took shape, Mewtwo couldn¡¯t help but smirk at the poeticism of it, the underlying tragedy of such an act.

    In his weeks of consuming human literature, Mewtwo had found himself particularly fond of the ancient tragedies of Kalos folklore.

    Mewtwo made his decision then, and spoke once more to the creature, ¡°If we will not meet here, then we will meet where I was born,¡± - There was a flash of realisation on the creature¡¯s face. Interesting - ¡°Come to New Island, Storm-Bringer,¡± - A flash of rage in the creature¡¯s eyes - ¡°Come, and we will determine who shall reign over the ashes of the old world.¡±

    Mewtwo waited for the creature to respond. After over a minute - in which another annoying human tried speaking with the creature - the creature nodded, the glow of its eyes finally receding into something more¡­ natural.

    But Mewtwo wouldn¡¯t be fooled by it.

    There was nothing natural about the creature.

    But that was for another day, and with one final parting glance, Mewtwo drew in his psychic energy and Teleported away.

    And in Mewtwo¡¯s heart, there was a lingering feeling that he had never experienced before.

    Anticipation.

    ¡­

    The red haze didn¡¯t leave his eyes until moments after Mewtwo teleported away, at which point he could hear Salvare trying to get him to respond to his voice.

    Red turned, mind still faraway as Salvare gave a relieved sigh, saying something that Red didn¡¯t catch.

    ¡®Come to New Island, Storm-Bringer.¡¯

    Storm-Bringer.

    Mewtwo had pushed into Red¡¯s mind - Red¡¯s memories - and saw what he would become.

    And Mewtwo called him ¡®Storm-Bringer.¡¯

    Red¡¯s eyes flashed a crimson glow.

    ¡°Red?¡± Salvare¡¯s voice was concerned, which didn¡¯t register in Red¡¯s mind as he grabbed Pichu off of his arms and stomped past.

    ¡°Red!¡± Salvare stood before him now, and a part of him snarled for him to push past the kid, to leave him, to chase after his demons alone.

    Instead, Red wrestled away that beastly part of himself, and snarled, ¡° What? ¡±

    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Salvare asked, voice filled with concern.

    It grated on him.

    He didn¡¯t deserve the concern.

    You¡¯re a monster.

    ¡° It¡¯s none of your concern, ¡± Red bit out, shoving past Salvare as he stomped towards the edge of the stadium, intent on simply pushing through the rubble.

    ¡®Come to New Island, Storm-Bringer.¡¯

    He heard a set of feet behind him, and Salvare¡¯s voice rang out in a tired huff, ¡°Then I¡¯m coming with you.¡±

    Red stopped, and whirled around, snarled curses ready to spill out of his mouth, only for them to falter as a deep-rooted fatigue set in.

    Remember who you¡¯re talking to, Red.

    He¡¯s a friend.

    he¡¯s a nuisance.

    He¡¯s better than you.

    he¡¯s Judgement, or what will become him, anyway.

    Red felt ash line his mouth, and he grit out, ¡°I¡¯m going to New Island.¡± At Salvare¡¯s continued look of insistence, Red added, ¡°It¡¯s across the region.¡±

    Clearly, Red¡¯s subtle plea for Salvare to stay behind fell on deaf ears, as the kid nodded like everything made sense in the world, ¡°Wherever you go, I go.¡±

    Red froze, eyes darkening at the edges.

    And before him stood Judgement, face pinched in a way that was both remorseful, yet determined.

    ¡®I know you think I¡¯m cruel - and I probably am - but¡­¡¯

    ¡®Wherever he goes, I go.¡¯

    Red stared at Salvare. Whether in horror or mere shock, he no longer knew.

    accept it.

    Red huffed out a small laugh, continuing for a moment as it grew to snickers, before blowing over into Mad giggles. Red barely kept himself standing upright as the events of the day finally pressed down on him, nearly crushing him in its weight.

    And it Red¡¯s mind, he saw Judgement.

    But Judgement wasn¡¯t following the Chariot¡­

    But him.

    fate is a cruel mistress.

    but there are times to fight it¡­ and times to accept it.

    Red¡¯s giggles ceased, and he stood up straight as he regarded Salvare - truly regarded him for what may have been the first time - ¡°Fine, then.¡± Red turned around to resume climbing over the debris, ¡°Keep up.¡±

    ¡­

    Lance leaned back into his chair, fighting to keep his eyes open.

    Gods above, he just wanted to sleep.

    He couldn¡¯t though - of course not - not after the absolute fucking disaster that was the final match of the Silver Conference.

    Oh, it started off fine enough, with an admittedly riveting battle between two exceptional trainers, but that was only the beginning of it, apparently.

    Before the events of this evening, Team Rocket had been on Lance¡¯s radar as an organisation that was simply a nuisance. A very loud nuisance, yes, but a nuisance nonetheless.

    After today, though, Lance very firmly placed them at the top of his personal shit list.

    Good gods , there hadn¡¯t been casualty numbers in a disaster like this since 1978 with the Great Burning of Orre. And unlike that , which happened in a place that was best-known for its lawlessness, this happened in the middle of a public Conference.

    Lance could already hear Goodshow calling for his resignation. Oak and Hagel never had anything near this catastrophic happen in their tenures.

    The casualty numbers weren¡¯t even finalised . Bodies were being found at a rapid pace now that the psychic monster was gone. There was a distressingly high likelihood that, if you were still deemed missing, you were likely crushed under several tons of rubble.

    Lance would have to find the time of day to get on his knees and profusely thank Karen for stepping up tonight, combing through the rubble with such precision that she found survivors at a far faster rate than the others.

    Lance distantly wondered if it was some sort of ability taught to her as an Aura Guardian.

    Lance shelved that thought for later; it wasn¡¯t important right now.

    Of course, Karen herself wasn¡¯t exactly happy at the moment, since her friends seemed to completely disappear from the scene.

    And wasn¡¯t that brilliant? Lance was pretty sure he saw Satoshi shoot lightning at the monster - which is a thing he can do apparently? - but was too preoccupied with keeping Clair from jumping down and helping him to see where he went.

    And, of course, with no-one else to rage at, Karen went to him.

    Lance only allowed it because they were all reeling from tonight.

    Lance cupped his face with his hands, hearing the nearby voice of a Nurse Joy determining the cause of death of one of the Elite Four.

    It was starting to sound like Will died of multiple seizures, spurned on by psychic contact with the monster.

    Lance would have to schedule a funeral for the man, and he would have to attend it, and determine a spot on the Indigo Plateau Graveyard to place him in, since the man had no living relatives.

    The work of a Champion never ended, especially not after something like this¡­

    Lance didn¡¯t know how long he sat there, cradling his head in his hands, by the time someone came to speak with him.

    They were clearly hesitant, given their stuttering, though they eventually spoke, ¡°Lance,¡± - It was Clair¡¯s voice, pitched low to sooth him - ¡°The interrogation tent is ready.¡±

    Lance sighed, sitting up with a small pat to Clair¡¯s shoulder. He couldn¡¯t help but be grateful for her presence in this trying time, given that Lance¡¯s usual allies were just as manic as he was.

    Agatha was busy fussing over - and cussing out - Karen. Bruno was aiding in the rescue efforts. Lorelei was nowhere to be seen.

    And Will was dead.

    Clair - thankfully - was still very much alive , and remained her undaunted self, even if her peppiness was all but absent. He was thankful, really, that she hadn¡¯t broken down yet. Had she succumbed to that urge, Lance highly doubted that he could keep himself from doing the same.

    Lance turned his mind away from his cousin, his face quickly dropping into a scowl as he entered the interrogation tent, which was being guarded by several ace trainers and other volunteers.

    Locked in temporary holding cells were rows and rows upon grunts, many of injured in their own attack, causing them to be captured.

    Lance wondered whether most of them knew how destructive this attack would be, given that some of the bodies they had found wore their uniform, and found that he didn¡¯t really care.

    Lance stepped into the back of the tent, passing by a League worker who dropped off a drink at the table for his ¡®guest¡¯.

    The woman sitting across from him was frazzled from the ordeal, same as he was, but she bore herself with a distinct level of poise that Lance would have expected from the leader of this attack. However, given the file he received on her, she was nothing more than an operative.

    Ariana Sham, a business woman based in Saffron, was known as a philanthropist and avid collector of evolutionary stones. She could always be found in auction houses from Saffron to Goldenrod, bidding exceptionally high prices for the best quality stones.

    Yet, it seemed that she had another hobby, if the facial scan of the woman before him was true. Apparently, Ariana was also a Major Admin of Team Rocket, second only to the leader themself.

    And, as such, she would know who they were.

    Lance sat down on the chair opposite of her, watching as she twirled the glass of water without drinking it, ¡°There are two ways we can do this. We can do this the easy way-¡±

    ¡°-Or the hard way, I know,¡± Ariana murmured, tapping a finger against the glass, ¡°I¡¯ve done this before.

    ¡°Though, I suppose I¡¯ve been on this side of the table before¡­¡± She took a large drink of her glass, before setting it down on the table, ¡°I don¡¯t imagine it¡¯ll take very long.¡±

    Lance raised an eyebrow, ¡°Oh, really?¡± He leaned forward, ignoring the small grin on the woman¡¯s face, ¡°So you¡¯re willing to tell me who your leader is?¡±

    Ariana¡¯s grin widened - her throat bobbed - ¡°Not exactly.¡± She coughed into her fist, ¡° That would be telling.¡±

    Lance watched as she coughed a few more times with dwindling patience, ¡°Listen, miss. Over three hundred innocent people died today because of what your boss did-¡±

    Ariana interrupted him with a coughing fit, ¡° I¡­ I know, ¡± Her whole body began to shake as phlegm dribbled out of her mouth - Lance stood in alarm - ¡° It was¡­ worth it, for a chance to reclaim¡­ my son.¡±

    Lance¡¯s eyes sharpened, before widening as she fell over, wheezing on the ground, ¡°Guards!¡±

    Ariana let out a chilling death rattle, and her eyes began to fade, ¡° My love¡­ he promised¡­¡± Her coughs began to subside as the guards entered the room, pok¨¦balls out, only to see a dying woman give her final words, ¡°He promised me¡­¡±

    Lance¡¯s eyes finally flickered away from the woman¡¯s corpse, focusing onto the half-finished cup on the table¡­ The same cup she drank before choking.

    Lance bumped into someone - a League worker - one his way into the room.

    The worker left the cup there.

    The worker left the cup there for Ariana.

    Lance turned around, eyes narrowed into golden slits, ¡° There was someone here, five minutes ago! He¡¯s a leak! ¡±

    The guards were entirely thrown by the revelation, and Lance shoved them out of the way, only to pause at the tent¡¯s entrance.

    He turned, and bore his eyes into the guards¡¯, ¡°Someone find Lorelei and tell her to look up any lovers that Ariana Sham may have had,¡± - ¡®My love¡­ He promised me¡­¡¯ - ¡°We can still salvage this, but only if we haul ass! MOVE! ¡±

    ¡­

    Pok¨¦mon Center, Fallarbor Town, Hoenn, December 20th, 1997

    There were times, in his life, when he regretted his vow never to drink alcohol.

    Of course, such a statement wasn¡¯t exactly true - especially given to whom he made the promise - but from what he had been told by various acquaintances, a glass of whiskey would be of great help in getting his mind off of things, even if only for a moment.

    But he was never one to waste away on his lonesome, sooner turning to suicide than abject depression. He had always been a man of action, both terrible and beautiful, and she had known that about him, and loved him for it.

    He couldn¡¯t help but wonder what she¡¯d seen in him, even to this day.

    But every now and then, he just needed time to breath . And he couldn¡¯t do that when the reminder of her death lay beside him. He couldn¡¯t do that when his oldest partners stood by him, ever vigilant of the never-ending war.

    So, he had recalled them all to their pok¨¦balls, and sat up against the bed of his motel room, drawing on a pad because he had to find something for his hands to do that wasn¡¯t destructive in nature.

    Whether in Destruction or Creation.

    He smirked with no real humour at the thought, looking down at the drawing he¡¯d made - it was her face, more beautiful and terrible than he could ever remember - his smirk quickly dropping at the sight.

    He carefully tore the paper out of his notebook and folded it, placing it in his pocket with all the other old drawings of her.

    What was life, if not a series of losses meant to break away at your resolve?

    He was no stranger to loss. The first person he¡¯d lost had been before he was born, and the second mere months after. He knew loss intimately, almost like an old enemy that he tried to fight against, only to lose again, and again, and again.

    But this time, his loss was not just a loss to himself, but to another.

    He rubbed a scarred hand over her jaw, feeling the purpling bruise that Zinnia had left on his face.

    Aster would have cried, had she seen the two people she loved the most fighting with such anger.

    Though, for all that his innermost demons urged him to fight - to defeat, to destroy - Zinnia, he couldn¡¯t lay a hand against the little spitfire.

    He hadn¡¯t stayed long, after all, just enough to witness the final breaths of the old Lorekeeper, and the honorary ceremony immediately after. He knew he wasn¡¯t welcome any longer amongst the clansmen, even if they tolerated him on Aster¡¯s account.

    He knew his presence had always unnerved the Oracles, who spread portents of doom upon his arrival.

    He closed his eyes and washed the old pain away. It was years¡¯ old by this point, over a decade old, really. He had moved on with his life.

    Oh, what a lie he told himself.

    He grumbled to himself, raising the remote to turn off the television and get some sleep when the channel paused its programming to show something about ¡® BREAKING NEWS ¡¯.

    He made to turn off the idiotic commentary, only to pause as grainy footage was shown, revealing a figure floating above the Silver Stadium, raining destruction towards the viewer.

    He leaned forward and slipped off the bed as the figure Teleported around the air, dodging attacks before they came and redirecting it with a finesse that he hadn¡¯t seen outside of himself.

    The footage cut, and it showed the figure in a different position, paused in the air as if waiting for something, before its armour began to peel off - intentionally - revealing purple skin and cat-like features and¡­

    Oh¡­

    Oh this¡­

    This was hilarious.

    He watched as the footage cut out, only to be replaced by a man and a woman discussing it.

    He turned away, all feelings of melancholy and fatigue fading away as he gathered his clothes, strapped on his belt - six pok¨¦balls visible; three hidden away - and headed for the door.

    He had a new purpose. It would be a very short-lived purpose - not like the one that drove him for the past decade - but it was purpose, none the less.

    And we all need purpose in the world.

    The Chariot smiled as he walked out of the motel and towards the coast, fingers tracing the outline of Poseidon¡¯s pok¨¦ball.

    It¡¯s been too long since Zeus has had the chance to stretch his wings.¡¯

 Anticipation

    Mewtwo¡¯s Palace, New Island, December 21st, 1997

    With one final wave of the hand, the final tower was set in place. The windmill attached to it spun with the wind, blowing away the excess ash that Mewtwo removed from the ruins.

    The tower itself overlooked a sprawling palace, constructed with abstract shapes of every colour and texture. Spiralling battlements and twisted tunnels raced along the edges of the island, surrounding a massive stadium, modelled after the one he had destroyed. Mewtwo had a feeling that the creature would desire a fight, and he would not deny its wish.

    This was not to say that Mewtwo wouldn¡¯t have fun doing so, as he held a warped sense of whimsy at the theatrical architecture, almost looking as if he had brought a fairy tale to life.

    Something deep within him resonated at the childishness of it.

    Mewtwo ignored that sensation.

    Besides, for all that his palace looked like a child¡¯s fantasy, the method by which it was built was sure to scare off any prospective children from investigating. After all, Team Rocket hadn¡¯t ever bothered to clean the site of his birth, meaning that the ashes of the lab still remained, along with the bodies.

    The carbon within their skeletons made a worthwhile base for building material, when combined with other elements. It had been easy - trivial - to pull apart the atoms and rearrange them into what he needed.

    And if he used the excess radiation to power the core of the palace, then all the better.

    Mewtwo did leave one piece of the island intact, which now stood at the crown of his throne.

    Dr. Fuji¡¯s skull wasn¡¯t any different than the other human skulls that Mewtwo pulled apart, but it had housed the brain that devised his creation. Regardless of Mewtwo¡¯s inherent disdain for the man and everything he stood for, he could at least use the skull as a keepsake, and a reminder of what he was.

    An abomination borne from the hubris of man.

    ¡®a god born in tubes.¡¯

    Mewtwo ignored the alien sensation of remorse - horror - at the sight, seating himself upon his throne, overlooking the stadium below, and the sea beyond.

    Mewtwo had beckoned the creature to New Island, wishing to understand what made it so. Somehow - though, Mewtwo was hardly surprised by it - the creature didn¡¯t need to be shown where it was. After all, Mewtwo could sense that the creature¡¯s unique psychic signature was heading in his direction.

    But not fast enough.

    Mewtwo hummed, and with a flick of his wrist, he called upon the clouds above and the sea below, and drew them into the wind.

    Another flick of the wrist, and the wind became a gale, dragging the clouds and see into it with flashes of lightning and hail.

    Another flick of the wrist, and the gale became a typhoon, circling the island as it began to expand upwards and outwards.

    Another flick of the wrist, and the typhoon became a great and terrible hurricane, blanketing the horizon in pouring rain and hellish lightning, threatening to flood the edges of the island.

    And with a push, the storm began to spread, casting its wrath - Mewtwo¡¯s wrath - into the sea and towards the coast, growing larger and thicker until it covered the entire globe.

    And somehow, despite the power of the winds and the rain and the lightning and the hail, it paled in comparison to the Storm of the creature¡¯s memories.

    Mewtwo felt vaguely discomfited by this, but disregarded the thought, like he did many others.

    Besides, the storm was only in its infancy, as it would grow harsher the greater its reach, smothering the world in an unending rain within the tenday.

    Once more, Mewtwo ignored the voice in the back of his mind, urging him with a vaguely familiar voice - the voice of a child - to stop.

    But Mewtwo could not. It was not his purpose to stop, but to destroy. He was a new God of War, and his rage at creation would smother the earth until there was nothing left but himself.

    And the creature¡­

    For the creature would see the storm and understand what it represented. From the rage the creature felt when Mewtwo witnessed its inspiration, he was sure that it would spur it into swifter action.

    And should the creature not make it in time¡­

    Well, then Mewtwo shall reign over the ruins of the old world as its god.

    ¡­

    Base of Mount Silver, Outskirts of Silver Town, December 22nd, 1997

    ¡°Those storm clouds aren¡¯t natural.¡±

    Karen, along with Agatha and Pryce, turned back to look at Lorelei, who was watching the distant clouds with a curious gaze.

    They waited for her to elaborate, but she never did, seemingly content to stare at the distant horizon.

    Agatha shook her head with a tired huff, ¡°Unless it¡¯s comin¡¯ from that unknown pok¨¦mon, I don¡¯ really care for it.¡±

    Karen crossed her arms, a troubled shadow crossing her face, ¡°...Lorelei¡¯s right, though, it isn¡¯t natural.¡± Karen frowned as she recalled a footnote on the news - something considerably less outstanding than the attack on the Silver League, which they were still cleaning up after - ¡°Isn¡¯t there a hurricane spreading along the east coast? What if it¡¯s related to this pok¨¦mon?¡±

    Agatha pursed her lips, but didn¡¯t answer - couldn¡¯t answer, not with certainty. While Karen had only seen the mystery pok¨¦mon at the beginning of the attack, the other three had front row seats to its power, all of them fighting against it - 2 Champions, one current and the other former, the Elite Four, and several Gym Leaders - to no avail.

    There were very few pok¨¦mon that could claim to stand against the might of all those trainers.

    All of them were legendaries.

    It was a troubling thought for there to suddenly be a new pok¨¦mon of legendary power, especially with its apparent alignment with Team Rocket.

    Though, even that was in question given how many of their own number perished under the pok¨¦mon¡¯s wrath.

    Karen broke away from her musing when Pryce huffed behind her, ¡°I get that you all want t¡¯ponder and all. Really, I do,¡± Karen turned alongside Agatha to watch Pryce as he sighed, casting a vaguely vulnerable glance at Lorelei - whose sharp eyes betrayed the oblivious stance she took - ¡°But I was under the ¡®mpression that you wanted to tell us somethin¡¯, Karen?¡±

    Karen startled, ¡°Right¡­¡± She mulled over her words, thinking through various ways to say what she needed to say, before deciding to just get it out, ¡°Giovanni is the leader of Team Rocket.¡±

    Karen couldn¡¯t help her wince at the others¡¯ reactions, which ranged from surprised anger (Agatha) to weary acceptance (Pryce) to cold composure (Lorelei). Had she learned alongside them, she too would be surprised - like she had been when Red told her - but she¡¯d learned this before the attack, and could have told them¡­

    She didn¡¯t, out of respect for Red¡¯s wishes.

    But he never explicitly told her not to tell them she just assumed that with all the other secrecy that Red wanted to keep it close to his chest and it was one of the few things she¡¯d learned of him even though it wasn¡¯t even related to him-

    ¡° Karen ,¡± Agatha¡¯s voice was sharp, and it instantly snapped Karen out of her spiralling descent of self-flagellation. However, Karen almost would¡¯ve preferred to remain falling within her guilty conscious, as Agatha¡¯s eyes were different to the acceptance on Pryce¡¯s or the chill of Lorelei¡¯s.

    They were suspicious.

    ¡°...When did you learn this?¡± Agatha asked, as if she knew the answer.

    With Agatha¡¯s mastery of the emotional aspect of aura, Karen wouldn¡¯t be surprised if she could sense the guilt in her heart.

    Karen would¡¯ve considered lying were she speaking to anyone else, but Agatha¡­ She raised her, found her off the streets and clothed her. She gave Karen her name after hunting down her parents only to find unnamed graves, marking her as Agatha¡¯s child in everything but blood.

    Karen couldn¡¯t lie to Agatha.

    So Karen gulped down the guilt - vaguely wondering if this was what Red felt like everyday - and answered, ¡°I learned the night before the attack.¡±

    Agatha reeled, as if struck by her words - by her dishonesty - and Pryce made a noise that Karen couldn¡¯t interpret. Agatha didn¡¯t stay down, though, but it was clear in her eyes that she was pained by the revelation - and it was almost funny, how quickly surprise turned to hurt - ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell us?¡±

    Karen opened her mouth and closed it, trying and failing to come up with a reason that wouldn¡¯t deepen the pit she had dug for herself, ¡°It was the night before - I had a match the next day - I didn¡¯t have time to tell you-¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t quibble with me, girl ,¡± Agatha snarled, stepping forward to point a finger to Karen¡¯s chest, ¡°You could¡¯ve made time to tell us, if you truly wanted to, that is.¡± Karen leaned back as Agatha pressed her face closer, eyes bugging out of her skull, ¡° Now tell me the truth. ¡±

    Karen¡¯s hand twitched - for her belt, her pok¨¦mon, she wasn¡¯t sure - and she grit out, ¡°Personal reasons.¡±

    The lines on Agatha¡¯s face deepened, making her seem much more ancient and much more wrathful than Karen had ever seen her - and it was almost funny, how quickly hurt turned to anger - ¡°It¡¯s because of Satoshi , isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Karen blinked in surprise, pushing herself off of Agatha with a pained scowl, ¡°And what the hell do you mean by that? ¡±

    Agatha smiled , and it was a terrible thing - with any beauty in its grace having faded decades ago - ¡°You¡¯ve been spendin¡¯ a lot of time with the lad, haven¡¯t yah?¡± She sneered, which was an expression that Karen had never seen directed to her, ¡°He¡¯s a whole bag o¡¯ mystery, isn¡¯ he? And you¡¯ve always loved a mystery.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯ you tell us, hmm? ¡± Agatha bit, pushing herself into Karen¡¯s personal space, ¡°Did you want a special favour from him? Oh¡­ Karen, Karen, Karen¡­ ¡± Agatha¡¯s false smile quickly dropped as she visibly restrained her ghastly aura from striking out, ¡°There are ways of gettin¡¯ a boy¡¯s attention without betrayin¡¯ us-¡±

    ¡°Oh, Fuck you!¡± Karen yelled, shoving Agatha away from her. Karen¡¯s careful restraint on her own aura faltered for a moment, immobilising Agatha with her dark anger, ¡°It¡¯s not like that you goddamned hag! ¡±

    ¡°Then why keep his secrets?!¡± Agatha cried, shaking off Karen¡¯s aura - which was quickly shoved under a mental shield - ¡°This was barely even related to him!¡±

    ¡°Red¡¯s my friend ,¡± Karen snarled - she only had two friends she could name - ¡°And I trust him-¡±

    ¡° I trusted Oak too! ¡± Agatha roared, her voice going hoarse at her yelling, ¡°And what did he do with it?! He stabbed me in the back!¡± Agatha began to cough, stumbling backwards until Pryce caught her shoulder - Karen made no move to help her, and Lorelei simply watched - ¡°Don¡¯ make the same mistakes as me , girl!¡±

    Karen¡¯s restraint snapped , ¡°I¡¯M. NOT. YOU! ¡±

    Agatha didn¡¯t move from Pryce¡¯s grip, glaring at Karen for several moments before turning away.

    Karen - who was also glaring - nearly broke at the gesture, but¡­ she didn¡¯t acquiesce her point.

    She wasn¡¯t Agatha.

    Finally, Agatha¡¯s voice rasped out, hoarse from her previous shouting, ¡°Fine, then. It seems your allegiance is clear.¡±

    She turned to Karen, and her face was guarded, her eyes cold. Her aura¡­ was masked. Locked away.

    It was almost funny, how quickly anger turned to distrust.

    Pryce sniffed, ¡°Not now , Agatha.¡± He received a dark look from the woman, which he ignored as he faced Karen, ¡°Do you have any proof?¡±

    Karen¡¯s face went a shade paler, ¡°No.¡±

    Agatha snorted, ¡°Well that¡¯s no help. ¡± She cast a waspish glance towards Karen, injecting venom into her next words, ¡°How do we know you¡¯re not lying to us now, girl?¡±

    Karen clenched her fist, preparing to yell at the presumptive bitch , only for Pryce to push her shoulder away, allowing Lorelei to step forward, ¡°She has a guilty conscience. Surely , you can see that?¡± Agatha turned her glare to Lorelei, who was entirely unfazed by it, ¡°She at least believes what she¡¯s saying is true, and given the source of her knowledge, we can¡¯t rule it out.¡±

    Agatha growled, ¡°Satoshi has given us no reason to trust him.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps not us ,¡± Lorelei stated, casting a quick glance at Karen before looking back to Agatha, ¡°But, as you¡¯ve said, he¡¯s a mysterious entity, with a background that we¡¯ve only been able to guess about.¡± Lorelei adjusted her glasses, hiding her eyes behind the reflection of the sun, ¡°We can use this as a lead, on both fronts. We learn more about Giovanni, and, perhaps, we¡¯ll learn more about Red.¡±

    Agatha remained silent at her reasoning, allowing Pryce to butt in, ¡°How are goin¡¯ to get tha¡¯ evidence, though? It¡¯s no¡¯ like we can get a search warran¡¯. The man¡¯s reputation is absolutely spotless. ¡±

    ¡°Why not simply break in, then?¡± Agatha questioned, a cruel gleam entering her eye at the prospect of thievery and property damage.

    Lorelei shook her head, stepping forward to lead them as they walked, ¡°Won¡¯t work. Giovanni could simply claim that the evidence was planted, or fake, and the public would side with him.¡± She paused, narrowing her eyes at something in the distance, ¡°...If we got unlucky, we¡¯d be caught, and he could easily paint us as villains given his reputation.¡±

    Karen nodded along at the reasoning - she couldn¡¯t help but think back to Red saying the same kind of thing, if in much fewer words - though Agatha pouted, crossing her arms with a huff, ¡°Koga would agree with my plan.¡±

    ¡°Koga¡¯s not here ,¡± Pryce mumbled irritably, beginning to lose his patience with Agatha¡¯s attitude.

    Before Agatha could retort - probably starting a chain reaction of arguments that they would all get roped into without Koga as the mediator - Lorelei took a decisive step forward, silently drawing their attention as she marched over to a clearing of trees.

    Karen glanced at Pryce in silent question - outright ignoring Agatha - only for him to shrug and follow his apprentice. She trotted alongside him, not looking back as Agatha followed.

    They reached Lorelei as she paused within the clearing of trees, the subject of her attention now visible in the form of five stones set within the packed earth, each inscribed with a harsh, but legible script, spelling out a set of names.

    Steven.

    Jessie.

    Bonnie.

    Clemont.

    Serena.

    The names meant nothing to Karen, but the remnant trace of aura she could feel upon the makeshift gravestones was vaguely familiar¡­

    Before she could focus on the feeling, Lorelei breathed out, ¡°These are recent. No more than a month old.¡± She stepped between the graves, resting her hand an inch away from the stone, ¡°These stones are freshly cut, and the moss has yet to take hold.¡±

    Pryce grunted, his eyes betraying his uneasiness. Karen felt a pulse of aura from him, as he Detected the ground below them, ¡°...There¡¯s no bodies here.¡±

    ¡°But there¡¯s something ,¡± Agatha stepped between them, causing Karen to flick her eyes away. Agatha breathed in deeply, murmuring almost to herself, ¡°A trace feeling of melancholy ¡­ guilt . Whoever set these graves left their mark.¡±

    Karen pursed her lips at Agatha¡¯s words, suddenly realising where she recognised the aura of the clearing.

    It felt the same as Red¡¯s aura.

    Karen didn¡¯t speak, though, even as Lorelei asked, ¡°Do any of you recognise it?¡±

    At their silence, Agatha closed her eyes, and breathed out, ¡°It almost feels as though their spirits linger¡­¡± She opened her eyes, an otherworldly glimmer radiating out of them, ¡°But it¡¯s nothing more than an illusion. A phantom memory of a singular soul¡­ I wonder¡­¡± Agatha stepped back and opened her mouth, drawing in the ghostly memories with Dream Eater , absorbing them to divine them of their meaning.

    Karen watched as Agatha began to shiver, feeling a sliver of concern despite herself. Agatha¡¯s shivers ceased, however, and she swayed before opening her eyes, looking haunted in a way that Karen had only seen when hearing about the War.

    Karen had a feeling that she knew what Agatha felt, assuming that it was Red that left the ¡®phantom memories¡¯. If Karen¡¯s experience of being forced into Red¡¯s psyche back in Azalea Town was any consideration, then Agatha was probably feeling some mix of guilt and self-loathing.

    A deep, cruel part of her whispered, ¡®good¡¯.

    Agatha didn¡¯t say anything to confirm this, though, as she turned away from the clearing, and began to hobble back towards the town, ¡°We¡¯re done here.¡±

    Pryce huffed in mild annoyance, but say anything to stop her, instead following close behind, whispering into her ear.

    Karen was once more struck by Agatha¡¯s newfound distrust of her upon seeing the woman whisper back to Pryce. Before, Agatha would always make sure to include Karen in everything she said and did. She could understand why Agatha did it, but it did nothing to lessen the hurt.

    And it was almost funny, how quickly hurt turned to anger.

    Karen jolted where she stood as Lorelei crept up on her, ¡°For what it¡¯s worth, I agree with you.¡± Lorelei¡¯s face was impassive as usual as she stared at Karen, though she could almost see a shadow of sympathy on the woman¡¯s face as she passed, ¡°You¡¯re not her.¡±

    ¡­

    Team Rocket Base R-1, Underneath Viridian City Gym, December 23rd, 1997

    Giovanni idly twirled a glass of whiskey as he watched the news reel of the day, which spent the bulk of their runtime urging the masses to find shelter in the face of the storm that had engulfed all of the eastern mainland. For most, the storm would be nothing more than an inconvenience, what with the rain coming down in steady waves. However, with the storm engulfing coastal cities such as Lavender Town and Fuchsia in floods and power outages, only to spread further inland, the League made the call to place the Indigo region into lockdown.

    Viridian was one of the first cities to listen to the League¡¯s directive, following after Giovanni¡¯s example. He was sure that, had he decided not to go to ground, the people of Viridian would also follow his example, regardless of the League¡¯s directives.

    However, this was a case where Giovanni agreed with the League¡¯s caution, at least on a basic level. While Giovanni and other strong trainers could brave the storm, most couldn¡¯t say the same. Giovanni had begun receiving reports of Ranger activity along the eastern seaboard, with rescue parties being formed to extract those few individuals that lived away from civilisation, making them particularly vulnerable to the storm¡¯s wrath.

    Though, perhaps it was more appropriate to call it Mewtwo¡¯s wrath.

    Giovanni ignored the throb on his temple as he sipped on his drink. He had received stitches a few days ago, now, having been injured by the falling debris of the collapsed stadium. It was only due to Dugtrio¡¯s decisive rescue that Giovanni escaped with his life.

    The fact that it got to that point was unacceptable.

    Really, Operation Rhydon was growing to be both one of Team Rocket¡¯s greatest successes, and one of its greatest failures. While they had made out with dozens of exceptionally strong pok¨¦mon to fold into their ranks, their losses were far too many.

    Giovanni tapped a finger on the arm of his chair, which balanced a folder bearing the finalised casualty report of the whole endeavour, stolen from the League database. Of the 241 confirmed fatalities, 48 of those were his own.

    Of course, Giovanni didn¡¯t much care for the individual grunts that he lost - replaceable as they were - but Ariana¡¯s death was an unwelcome necessity, given that she had allowed herself to be captured.

    But she knew the risks when she pledged herself to him, and she accepted death with an ease that Giovanni admired, given the secrets she knew. A lesser woman would¡¯ve folded under such pressure, but not Ariana¡­

    Giovanni shook his head, chastising himself for any feelings of fondness he may have had for the woman - clearly brought on by the alcohol . She was nothing more than a tool, like all of the others, her greatest use having been years ago, with the birth of his heir.

    She was ultimately a loose thread in his web of connections, and he was better off with her gone.

    Thinking back to the numbers, Giovanni reflected that, in addition to the casualties he sustained, there were also two additional grunts unaccounted for, along with 29 that were captured by the League. Of course, being grunts, they didn¡¯t know anything truly damning of the organisation - least of all the identity of their boss - but it was still an annoyance.

    There had been roughly 150 grunts pulled into the operation, being led by Archer and Ariana. Of that number, he lost 79 operatives, either to death, capture, or the wild green yonder.

    In addition to that staggering number, neither of Giovanni¡¯s chief objectives had been met. He¡¯d obtained Satoshi¡¯s Pichu only to be stopped by his own son, who seemed to have resisted the dozen or so grunts he¡¯d assigned to specifically sedate and acquire him.

    Giovanni would have had words with those imbeciles, had they not been near the top of the stadium when it fell.

    Giovanni shook his head once more, clearing his head with another sip of the whiskey. For all that the operation had been disastrous, they would recover, as they always did. Team Rocket would just have to lay low for a little while until it all blowed over.

    In this way, Mewtwo¡¯s tantrum was something of a boon. Any action the League could take against Team Rocket would have to wait until the storm was dealt with, giving Giovanni ample time to prepare for their inevitable incursion.

    In a sense, Giovanni was gearing for war - a covert war, of course. He rather disliked the idea of having Operation Rhydon become his modus operandi; he wasn¡¯t a barbarian like the savages leading Cipher. He was more refined with his criminal empire.

    No, the League would be looking for information on Team Rocket - leads to their hideouts, to their plans, to their leaders, to him. They had underestimated Team Rocket as a threat for years, and in their panic, they would devote all of their resources to stomping out their growth before it could happen.

    And in their panic, Giovanni would strike at their blindspots.

    Giovanni didn¡¯t wish to destroy the League, but to profit from it. On one end, he would profit from his dealing as the head of the Indigo underworld. On the other, he would profit as the head of legal industry, along with having considerable influence in political affairs.

    Team Rocket was Giovanni, and Giovanni was Team Rocket. They could not exist without the other, and they both served to strengthen the other. As long as Giovanni walked as a free man, Team Rocket would persist as the blight in the League¡¯s shadow, expanding it¡¯s reaches at the World League expanded its own.

    After all, Proton was leading the expansion into Sinnoh, and once Archer finished with Operation Swellow, he would be assigned to take over Unova.

    Giovanni reclined in his seat with a pleased smirk, placing the empty glass on the small table to his side to be refilled. While Operation Rhydon had been a bust, Operation Swellow was nearing completion, given their recent take over of the leadership of Silph Co.

    With Silph Co. in his pocket, the rest of Saffron City was soon to follow. In fact, according to Archer¡¯s latest report, Sabrina had shown interesting in - ahem - aligning with them to ¡°protect¡± her city.

    Should Archer succeed in acquiring Sabrina as an ally, Operation Swellow would end in a resounding success. After all, while Giovanni¡¯s relationship with Blaine could be called positively neutral at best, he had yet to acquire another Gym Leader as an ally.

    And for someone as well regarded as Sabrina¡­

    Indeed, things were actually looking up for Team Rocket¡¯s future. Giovanni couldn¡¯t help but truly smile at his fortune, which seemed to unnerve the grunt who had just entered his room, holding another bottle of whiskey for him to drink.

    Giovanni waved at the empty glass, prompting the grunt to fill it. He brought the newly filled glass to his lips, only to pause as a slip of paper slid under his arm.

    He turned to the grunt with a mild glare, only to see the man all but running out of the room. With a sigh, Giovanni lowered the glass and read the paper - the contents of which were brief - brow furrowing as he did so.

    ¡®League incursion heading due east. Using Diglett Cave as route. Incursion consists of Champion, Elite Four, and others.¡¯

    Giovanni rose an eyebrow at the information. He wasn¡¯t terribly surprised that the League had sent an incursion to rout the storm - Lance had always been a proactive Champion - but he was somewhat surprised by their mode of transportation.

    Travelling through Diglett Cave in these conditions was just asking to be caught in the middle of a Diglett War.

    Giovanni thought for a moment before releasing Dugtrio, which immediately burrowed through the steel floor and into the ground - Ground beat Steel, after all - ¡°Dugtrio, I have an assignment for you.¡±

    Dugtrio¡¯s three heads perked up - one looked excited, the other annoyed, and the last calculating - and Giovanni allowed himself a smirk, ¡°Go to Diglett Cave, and incite a war amongst your brethren. Make sure the damage prevents anyone from going through the cave, and do it quickly .¡± Giovanni stared down at the Dugtrio, a sharp tone entering his voice, ¡° You have one day. ¡±

    Dugtrio didn¡¯t bother to nod before burrowing into the ground, knowing that Giovanni wouldn¡¯t appreciate the gesture. Giovanni sighed as he sat back on his seat, steepling his fingers as he pondered on this development.

    Should Dugtrio move with due speed, he may be able to close off the entrance to Diglett Cave before the incursion arrives, preventing them from entering.

    It was a mercy - Giovanni assured himself - to keep them from entering, lest a cave-in occurred, which would plunge the League into chaos, which was bad for business.

    He didn¡¯t want them dead, after all, only frightened.

    Besides¡­ It would be interesting to watch the coming days, as the incursion marched along the expanse of Kanto in the face of a worsening storm.

    To see how they adapted to this threat would be¡­

    Illuminating.

    ¡­

    Pok¨¦mon Center, Fuchsia City, December 24th, 1997

    Rain battered against the windows of the Pok¨¦mon Center, and Brock found that he couldn¡¯t be any more thankful than he already was that there was a barrier between himself and the cursed rain.

    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    Brock shuddered, even though he had switched his clothes for a dry pair - though it was his last one, and dirty at that! They had been on the road to Fuchsia for almost a week when the rain hit from the coast. They had been dealing with a bunch of rowdy Diglett that uprooted the road - though, Ash seemed more concerned with fighting Professor Oak¡¯s grandson - only for them to squeak in terror and flee as the first drops of rain hit the ground.

    Ash had been surprised, and the Oak kid - Brock didn¡¯t care to remember his name - claimed that they fled from his ¡®awesome¡¯ presence, but Brock knew why they fled. By her thoughtful silence, Brock imagined that Misty knew why as well.

    As pure Ground-types, Digletts were particularly weak to water, in all forms. However, due to their low defence, especially among other Ground-types, they could be overwhelmed by something as common as rain.

    On the one hand, Brock had been glad for the rain¡¯s appearance, as it had ended a potential conflict before it escalated - and, with Ash, it always escalated to something crazy - and it secured them room and board at the Gaiva Resort, which Brock would never say no to.

    On the other hand, Brock could sympathise with the Diglett . While he wasn¡¯t hurt by the rain, it sapped at his energy in a way that didn¡¯t seem to affect Ash at all, and in Misty¡¯s case, she actually seemed invigorated by the downpour.

    Brock had hoped that the storm would pass during their stay at the resort, but the storm disrupted any attempts to look online for the weather, and from what Brock saw, the rain only continued to grow as they stayed the night.

    If Brock was travelling by himself, he would have stayed an extra night or two at the resort to avoid the storm. However, for good and for ill, Brock had a tween and a teenager to look after, and neither of them seemed to have the good sense to wait out the storm, instead wanting to rush all the way to Fuchsia to fight the Gym Leader and fish in the sea respectively.

    Brock rubbed his eyes as he leaned back against the couch in the common room of the Pok¨¦mon Center. The three of them had arrived about fifteen minutes ago, only for Ash and Misty to ditch Brock to go to the Gym.

    Though, it was more accurate to say that Ash was going to the Gym, and Misty tagged along to accost him for something or other.

    To top off Brock¡¯s grouchy mood, he forgot to get bodyguards¡¯ numbers. There were, like, six girls trailing after Oak¡¯s grandson, all looking so awesome while they covertly watched over him, and the kid didn¡¯t even know!

    Brock didn¡¯t know why that secretiveness - that subtle competence - affected him so, but he was an open-minded guy, and he accepted that as another of his various desires in a woman.

    And unlike every other girl Brock had tried his charm with, they actually seemed to reciprocate!

    And he blew it!

    Brock huffed a tired breath, reaching over to pluck a newspaper from the stand to keep his mind off of it. He felt like an old man doing it - why read the news when you can watch it on TV? - but the storm kept any signal from reaching the Pok¨¦mon Center, limiting the use of the television to prerecorded movies and VHS tapes.

    Brock scanned the top stories of the newspaper, ignoring the front page about the growing storm to focus on a smaller, but no less eye-catching headline.

    ¡®Death Tolls Finalised for the Disaster at the Silver Conference!¡¯

    Brock felt his eyebrows rise into his hairline. Death tolls? He sped through the article, gut dropping lower within his stomach as he digested what happened on the other side of the region.

    An attack staged by Team Rocket at the end of the Silver Conference.

    Over two hundred dead, one of whom was a member of the Elite Four.

    An unknown pok¨¦mon that levelled the entire stadium.

    Brock barely noticed that someone began to shake his arm, their voice filtering into his ears over a cloud of disbelief, ¡°Brock? Brock! Can you hear me?!¡±

    Brock shook his head, quickly folding the newspaper so neither Ash or Misty would read it, ¡°Yeah? You¡¯re back early.¡±

    Unlike himself, the two of them were absolutely drenched , not that they seemed to care about it - though, Pikachu clearly begged to differ in that regard . Ash crossed his arms with a frown at Brock¡¯s words, his wet hair and dejected demeanour making him look like a sad Meowth, ¡°The Gym Leader wasn¡¯t at the Gym.¡±

    At Brock¡¯s raised eyebrow, Misty elaborated, ¡°There was a substitute, Janine - you¡¯ve met her,¡± Misty waved the thought away, leaning on Ash¡¯s shoulder with an eye roll, ¡°Mister Pok¨¦mon Master over here wasn¡¯t real happy that he could fight the actual Gym Leader, so he¡¯s decided to wait until Koga gets back.¡±

    So¡­ according to Misty, they could¡¯ve waited out the storm, sparing Brock from the rain?

    Brock¡¯s eye twitched, which - unfortunately - given how much time they had been travelling together, both Ash and Misty caught.

    Brock bit back a sigh. He didn¡¯t want to burden them with his own irritable mood.

    Brock crossed his arms, allowing his face to relax, which helped ease the consternation out of Ash¡¯s face, ¡°Okay then¡­¡± Brock bit back a sigh, ¡°Then we¡¯re probably going to have to wait a little while for Koga to get back. The storm¡¯s made long-distance travel pretty difficult - even dangerous - for the best of trainers.¡±

    Thankfully, Ash was distracted by Brock¡¯s words, though not in the way that Brock would¡¯ve liked, ¡°That means nothing to us! Some stupid rain isn¡¯t going to be the thing that stops us, right guys?¡±

    Oh, Mew, No. Brock did not want to go back out there . He had to run damage control, and quickly , ¡°Maybe not, Ash, but look at Pikachu. He needs some time to rest before going back out.¡± As directed, Ash looked down at the plump mouse, who was scowling at his trainer beneath drenched fur.

    ¡°Oh,¡± Ash seemed suitably apologetic, picking Pikachu up into his arms, ¡°Sorry, Pikachu. It¡¯s just¡­¡± Ash sighed, turning to look out the window, and at the rain pounding against it, ¡°After the lighthouse¡­ some rain didn¡¯t seem so bad, in comparison.¡±

    Brock his a wince at Ash¡¯s words - he never liked thinking about the lighthouse - only for Misty to gasp behind him.

    Brock turned around alongside Ash, only to see that Misty had unfolded the newspaper that Brock had tried - and seemingly failed - to hide, and had read the same headline as he.

    Ash stepped forward, leaning his head over to read the newspaper as well, ¡°What¡¯s-¡±

    ¡°There was¡­ an incident,¡± Brock interrupted, snatching the newspaper out of Misty¡¯s hands with a heavy look. He recognised the sudden glimmer of understanding in her eyes, and turned around, shoving the newspaper into his pocket as he faced Ash, ¡°Team Rocket interrupted the final match of the Silver League, and¡­¡± - a lot of lives were lost - ¡°-a lot of pok¨¦mon were stolen.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t even a lie.

    Just a heavily sanitised truth.

    Of course, despite normally acting decidedly foolish, Ash could be surprisingly canny at times, as he narrowed his eyes at Brock, ¡°Brock-¡±

    ¡°I wonder what Team Rocket thinks about it!¡± Misty exclaimed in false interest. At Ash and Brock¡¯s twin stares, she fidgeted, ¡°I mean those three that always go after us! That Team Rocket.¡±

    Ash crossed his arms with a frown, looking back and forth between Misty and Brock before muttering out, ¡°I think they would¡¯ve probably wanted to be a part of it, if they heard about it.¡± Ash shrugged, any suspicion washing away under a mask of indifference, ¡°They like that sort of thing, stealing pok¨¦mon. It¡¯s all they do.¡±

    Brock could agree with Ash¡¯s point to some extent, though¡­ he rather doubted that the trio would¡¯ve been all too keen on something that led to over two hundred deaths.

    For all that Jessie, James, and the talking Meowth were an annoyance, Brock hesitated to call them truly evil. Of course, he wouldn¡¯t call them good , but they hadn¡¯t severely hurt any of them, and they certainly hadn¡¯t killed anyone, at least to Brock¡¯s knowledge.

    Of course, Ash didn¡¯t know the full extent of what happened at the Silver Conference, and if Brock had his way, Ash wouldn¡¯t , at least not for a while.

    Ash had changed after the explosion at Bill¡¯s Lighthouse. For the first week after the event, Ash had been eerily silent around them, thoroughly worrying his two friends.

    Soon enough, though, Ash was back to his old self, or¡­ at least, that¡¯s what it had seemed like at first.

    There were subtle differences in Ash¡¯s behaviour. For one, he was a lot more reserved in battle, watching it in a calculated way that Brock hadn¡¯t seen in his first few weeks of knowing Ash.

    It became most apparent after Ash¡¯s first battle against Lieutenant Surge, where the man had dogged on Ash for not evolving his Pikachu, claiming that he was holding his starter back out of misplaced sentiment. While the Ash Brock had known before would¡¯ve allowed himself to be affected by Surge¡¯s taunts, Ash had remained calm in a way that almost seemed cold , which caused Surge to seemingly give up on his taunts, deciding to simply thrash Pikachu in order to send his message.

    However, when presented with the option to evolve Pikachu, Ash readily declined, instead training with Pikachu day and night to perfect a strategy that they used to defeat Surge just a few days later.

    And when Ash shook hands with Surge - earning his first badge without extenuating circumstances - instead of looking excited or vindicated at his victory, Ash only looked determined.

    That steely determination in battle only seemed to evaporate when the Oak kid was around. Small blessings, Brock supposed.

    Ash¡¯s demeanour in battle wasn¡¯t the only change that they noticed. Ash had also - somehow - become that much more reckless in what he did, both during training and on the road.

    Brock and Misty had to call Ash off from doing risky manoeuvres while hiking along the mountains more times than he cared to count. More often than not, Ash would retort by saying that ¡®it wasn¡¯t that bad, compared to the lighthouse.¡¯

    It almost seemed to Brock like Ash was chasing that danger, as if he wanted to reexperience it for some unknowable reason. He knew that some of it probably amounted to the youthful folly of invincibility that every teenager seemed to go through, but Brock had never seen it quite so prevalent as with Ash.

    Brock mentally shook off his brooding. If there was one positive change that Brock found in Ash, it was that the kid had become much more proactive in his research. Ash had even asked Brock some questions about the Tyranitar line, which was a novel experience, given that it was rare for him to share his knowledge on Rock-types with people who were genuinely interested.

    He had been Gym Leader for almost two years. He knew his stuff.

    Misty sent Ash off on some errand or other, and took the opportunity to sidle next to Brock, ¡°Why weren¡¯t we notified of this?¡±

    By ¡®this¡¯, Brock imagined that Misty was talking about the attack, which would have normally led to a region-wide alert to every Gym Leader, past and present.

    However, with them being stuck in the mountains, followed by the storm, their lack of cell signal kept them from receiving any such alerts, causing them to be blindsided upon reading the papers. After explaining as such to Misty, she frowned, crossing her arms, ¡°Well that sucks. ¡±

    Brock couldn¡¯t help but cast a grimly amused eye at her - that was the understatement of the century - before he could respond, though, Ash came bounding back from healing his pok¨¦mon, ¡°So what are we doing now?¡±

    Brock would¡¯ve have very much liked to have said ¡®Nothing. We¡¯re going to rest for once.¡¯ Yet, in accordance with Murphy¡¯s Law, the worst thing that could happen¡­ happened.

    Misty¡¯s phone received a ping from her Water-Master group chat.

    Brock usually trusted Misty to be the sane one compared to Ash, but whenever something came up regarding Water pok¨¦mon, she gave him a run for his money on how crazy she was.

    Case in point: right now.

    ¡°Ash! Brock!¡± Misty gasped, eyes sparkling as she read whatever cursed words appeared on her phone, ¡°We need to leave Fuchsia right now! ¡±

    Brock blinked incredulously - and with no small amount of dread - and Ash frowned, ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Because there¡¯ve been sightings of Gyarados and Seadra on the east coast!¡± Misty squealed , like a school girl, which was just wrong on so many levels, ¡°I need to get one!¡±

    Had it just been Misty that wanted to go, Brock would have fought against it, would have reasoned with her about all the various reasons why it was wildly unsafe to go out in this weather. But, of course, Ash latched onto the idea with all the thought of a singular brain cell, and before Brock could do or say anything, the two of them were rushing out of the Pok¨¦mon Center, not even bothering to check in with Brock.

    Brock stood there in shock for several moments, only snapping out of it when Nurse Joy left her station, trying to stop them as they went out into the rain, ¡°WAIT! It¡¯s dangerous out there! Reconsider what you¡¯re doing! ¡±

    Naturally, given that Brock apparently accounted for 99% of the group¡¯s collective intelligence, they didn¡¯t listen. Brock slumped onto the couch, numbly sorting through his bag as Nurse Joy began to fret, ¡°Oh dear, I really hope they decide against it. This storm is growing to break all sorts of records!¡±

    Of course it is. It wouldn¡¯t be an adventure with Ash if it didn¡¯t involve something completely out of the ordinary.

    Brock tried in vain to find an umbrella in his bag, a part of him already knowing that he had left it at home with the assumption that he wouldn¡¯t need it.

    Mew¡¯s laughing at him, he can feel it.

    With a tired huff, Brock extracted a frying pan from the bag, and stared at it for a moment before shrugging helplessly, zipping up the bag, and running after his friends.

    With the frying pan held over his head, Brock ran into the rain, trailing after Ash and Misty as they skipped along to an ill-advised fishing trip.

    At least with the frying pan, he could keep himself somewhat dry.

    Almost as if it was a frying pan¡­ for drying¡­ a Drying Pan.

    Brock couldn¡¯t help but let out a slightly manic grin as he began to catch up to Misty - Ash still ran several times faster, and several times longer than they did.

    A Drying Pan. Oh, nice one, Brock.

    Definitely saving that one for later.

    ¡­

    Pok¨¦mon Center, Base of Mount Moon, Route 3, December 25th, 1997

    ¡°No! My decision is final! I¡¯m not going to lift this lockdown just because someone wants to look good! ¡±

    Lance was shouting. He found himself doing a lot of that over the past few days, and he found that his voice was suited to it in a way that he¡¯d never heard in his usual careful tones.

    It was almost freeing.

    If nothing else, finally being able to make Goodshow shut his trap for one single moment was a change that Lance was certainly happy about, even if it required him to delve into his draconic roots and roar. He could see the old man¡¯s face on the other end of the X-transceiver, flushed in such a stark shade of red that he looked like a Cheri Berry.

    Of course, no good thing could last forever, as Goodshow eventually found his voice and responded will poorly hidden outrage, ¡°But we need to consider the image that we present! We can¡¯t be hiding away from something like this, especially not after what happened at the Silver League! The World League needs to appear strong in the face of this disaster!¡±

    Given that Lance had been arguing this point for almost thirty solid minutes - which wasted precious time - he thought that he could be forgiven for losing his patience, just this once.

    Clair would say that it¡¯s therapeutic, to unleash one¡¯s inner dragon at their superior.

    Lance found that he normally shouldn¡¯t listen to Clair¡¯s advice.

    ¡­It didn¡¯t stop him from doing so, though.

    ¡° Strength, ¡± Lance snarled , his eyes narrowing into golden slits as he glared Goodshow into submission, ¡°Is knowing when to prioritise the safety of one¡¯s people over appearances. ¡±

    ¡°Sinnoh is going into lockdown as well,¡± Cynthia chimed in, representing the Sinnoh League. Her grey eyes were hard as she spoke, her words aligning herself to Lance, ¡°I made the order this morning.¡±

    Goodshow sputtered, no longer appearing quite as resistant to the idea now that his favourite Champion - despite Cynthia¡¯s denial - agreed with Lance. Still, he tried to come up with a retort, ¡°H-Hoenn hasn¡¯t gone under lockdown!¡±

    Steven perked up, having been nodding off in the background. He reached forward to unmute himself, boredom lacing his words, ¡°With all due respect, Hoenn doesn¡¯t have a lockdown procedure.¡±

    Goodshow was visibly shocked, and Cynthia leaned forward, seemingly interested. For his own part, Lance had some experience interacting with the Draconid Tribe, which led to him having a basic understanding of the people of Hoenn as a whole.

    They were a hardy bunch.

    ¡°A storm like this,¡± Steven continued, ignoring Goodshow¡¯s confusion, ¡°Well, it¡¯s certainly something , but it¡¯s not the first time we¡¯ve faced something like this.¡± Steven shrugged, as if the casual mention of Hoenn¡¯s semi-common issues with legendaries was no big deal, ¡°It¡¯ll pass eventually, so there¡¯s no need to worry about my people. They¡¯ve got it handled.¡±

    Lance couldn¡¯t help but scowl - well, scowl further, really - since he very much couldn¡¯t say the same.

    Indigo didn¡¯t have nearly the same history as Hoenn in dealing with elemental forces. Sure, there was the Legendary Bird Trio, but they were usually pretty docile, when they weren¡¯t fighting each other. Most of Indigo¡¯s history revolved around human conflict rather than that of pok¨¦mon, which was why both Kanto and Johto retained the most developed military, though Unova was a close second.

    However, whereas the periodic tantrum of Groudon or Kyogre usually lasted no more than a week, this storm showed no sign of stopping, only continuing to grow until it engulfed the Earth.

    Lance couldn¡¯t afford to sit back and allow things to pass the same way Steven could. He had to stop the storm at its source, lest his region be drowned out by the rain.

    Goodshow was making to speak again, so Lance interrupted him, ¡°Listen, Mr. Goodshow. Nothing you say will change my mind on this matter. Have a Merry Christmas. ¡±

    Lance left the call before Goodshow could respond, and eat up more of his time. The man was already pushing his luck with Lance answering the call in the first place, especially considering that Lance was still several days away from New Island.

    Lance sighed as he leaned back against his chair, looking over the common room of the Pok¨¦mon Center that they occupied for the next couple of hours. Aside from the Nurse Joy manning the building, and two trainers unlucky enough to be stuck here, Lance¡¯s group of eight were the only ones here.

    Aside from Lance himself, his - remaining - Elite Four joined him on the journey, along with Karen, Koga, Clair, and Flint (who tagged along when they passed Pewter). Most of them were catching what sleep they could at the moment, with the exception of Lance himself, Lorelei - who was typing away on a portable computer - and Clair, who was trying, and failing, to sneak up on Lance.

    Clair seemed to notice that Lance could see her creeping up to his side, as she dropped any pretence of stealth to flop herself over the arm of Lance¡¯s chair and onto his lap, clearly feeling no shame for anyone who may be watching.

    Though, to be fair, the only two who were watching were those random trainers who were more focused in staring at Lance in awe than anything Clair was doing.

    Lance scowled tiredly at her, which only elicited an equally tired smirk in response, ¡°Long call?¡±

    He knocked his head back, lightly tapping the wall with the back of his skull, ¡°...Have you ever wanted to kill your boss?¡±

    ¡°Oh, always, ¡± Clair responded with morbid humour. It had been ages since they¡¯ve indulged in it, ¡°You know how I feel about the Elders sticking their noses where they don¡¯t belong.¡±

    There was a surprising amount of bitterness in her voice, though it was well-hidden in her light tone. Unluckily for her, he knew her well enough to catch the grain of truth in her words, probably more so than she would like to acknowledge, ¡°We could always trade roles.¡±

    Clair stretched her arms like a Persian, blinking her eyes tiredly, ¡°No. Gods, no .¡± She propped herself up on her arm, leaning a fist against her cheek, ¡°If I left you in charge of the Gym for a single day , I¡¯d come back to see it burned down.¡±

    Lance smirked at her joke, finding himself unable to give a true smile. They both knew that the opposite was more likely in that scenario, given Clair¡¯s temperament.

    For all that Lance had his own temper, he could at least keep some patience with Goodshow¡¯s tauros shit.

    Had Clair been Champion for the same time that Lance was, there was a high likelihood that Goodshow would be eating through a straw.

    ¡­Dragons were temperamental, that¡¯s all he could say.

    Still, Lance appreciated that Clair was trying to cheer him up, in her own unique way. After all, he would be the first to admit that the past week had been rough.

    First there was the clusterfuck with Team Rocket¡¯s attack, leading to a whole multitude of issues that Lance had been forced to put off because of a god-forsaken rainstorm. Then, when Lance had the chance to interrogate an admin within Team Rocket for their leader¡¯s identity, she ended up committing suicide - and they had yet to catch the individual who spiked her drink.

    To top it all off, when Lance and the others reached Diglett¡¯s Cave in an attempt to cross Kanto, it was engulfed in the middle of a Diglett War.

    At this point, Lance didn¡¯t know whether this was some sort of divine punishment or foul play.

    Still, Lance had adapted, as had those who followed him. While going over the mountains of Kanto was certainly slower than going under, it was their only option left.

    Lance only hoped that it wouldn¡¯t be too late by the time they made it to New Island.

    Lance shook his head, forcibly distracting himself from his worries by directing his attention to Clair, ¡°I haven¡¯t heard you mention Satoshi recently.¡±

    Clair jolted in his lap, sitting up to squeeze Lance onto one half of the chair. She gave him the stink eye, which, to be fair, he kind of deserved for the sudden change in conversation.

    But, honestly, Lance needed to distract himself with something, even if it was as embarrassing as Clair¡¯s poorly hidden crush on the man.

    Clair only glared at Lance for a few moments before sighing, puffing a lock of hair from her face as she leaned against him, crossing her arms, ¡° I¡¯m sorry , I was trying to stay focused on more important things during a crisis. ¡±

    Lance raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised - and feeling somewhat guilty at that surprise - that Clair seemed to be taking this as seriously as he was, ¡°I would¡¯ve thought you¡¯d be worried about him, with his disappearance and all.¡±

    Karen certainly had been.

    Clair huffed, turning to look him in the eye, ¡°...Red will be fine.¡± She turned up her nose, as if she was looking down on Lance, ¡°But you needed someone looking out for your sanity, since that¡¯s in low supply.¡±

    Lance couldn¡¯t help but wince at that, mainly because it was the truth, no matter how he may wish to deny it. The past two years as Champion, while tough, hadn¡¯t challenged him quite the same way the last week has. With everything that¡¯s happened and all of the stress Lance wore on his shoulders, he found his patience - his hold on his draconic instinct - slipping by the day.

    He could only thank Clair for being there to reign him in, ironically by acting a little insane herself. Still, there was a difference - muddled as it was - between insanity and the Madness , and Lance would be the first to defend his cousin if any of the Elders decreed her to be of the latter.

    And if that made him a little Mad¡­

    Well, he¡¯d live with it, like everything else.

    Lance shrugged off the thought with a shudder, and returned to the conversation at hand, ¡°Still, he¡¯s probably been caught out in the storm.¡± He turned his head to look out of the window, watching as the deluge of water poured down from the sky, ¡°You can¡¯t say for certain that he¡¯ll be fine out there.¡±

    Clair scoffed, ¡°C¡¯mon, Lance, he has lightning fingies! ¡± She waved her arms out, jazz hands splayed in the air, ¡°Only the Dragon Lord has shot lightning out of his fingers!¡±

    Lance privately agreed that it was an absolutely wild thing to witness - though it had been overshadowed with the other events of the day - but he hissed out, ¡° Keep your voice down. ¡±

    Clair meeped, turning around with wide eyes only to breath a sigh of relief as their sleeping allies merely shifted in their sleep, not waking at the volume of her voice, ¡° Sorry. ¡±

    Lance grunted, ¡°Just¡­ remember that they¡¯re asleep.¡± It had been a long day for them all. He shook his head, ¡°Still, with your crush and all, I would¡¯ve thought you¡¯d be more worried.¡±

    As expected, when directly mentioned, Clair sputtered over her interest in Satoshi. However, once she recovered, Clair¡¯s voice was surprisingly level as she responded, ¡°Actually¡­ Red didn¡¯t really strike me as the type to be all that interested in¡­ ¡®romance¡¯.¡±

    Lance raised an eyebrow at the emphasis on that word, and Clair continued, ¡°But even if I¡¯m maybe a little¡­ a touch interested in that respect, I did really enjoy talking to him. You know¡­ without the subtext.¡±

    Clair shook off her apprehension, a soft look of respect crossing her face, ¡°He¡¯s actually got a lot of experience rearing dragons, given that he¡¯s not an official dragon trainer. You can just tell by listening to him talk.¡± Clair bore a small smile at the memory, which Lance had never seen on her face before when she talked about those who caught her eye, ¡°He knows a whole lotta other stuff as well¡­ I¡¯d like to keep in touch with him,¡± Clair snorted, her tone becoming wry, ¡°Mainly to see his Charmeleon again, I¡¯ll admit, but to see him as well.¡±

    Lance couldn¡¯t help but blink in surprise at the mature response, from Clair of all people. Of course, his surprise must have been visible on his face, because Clair quickly slapped him on the shoulder with a scowl, though a bashful grin threatened to break through.

    Lance allowed himself a small smirk at her expense, before quickly refocusing at the central problem he found in her wish, ¡°You do know that you won¡¯t be able to keep in contact with him, right?¡±

    Clair blinked, ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s Arkeu-Kin,¡± - the glowing eyes, the lightning fingers, the disproportionate strength. Yeah, Lance was sure of it - ¡°You can¡¯t keep in contact with him without violating the Rites of Transgression.¡±

    Clair blinked again, then once more, before letting out a sly smile, ¡°But that¡¯s only if we know for certain that he¡¯s the one.¡±

    Lance rose an eyebrow, and he stared at Clair for several moments, before steepling his fingers, ¡°I¡¯ll keep your secret,¡± He raised a finger, ¡°But only if you delete the recording of ¡®95. I know you have one. ¡±

    Clair narrowed her eyes, a slightly incredulous smirk gracing her lips, ¡°Why, cousin , blackmailing me to get rid of my blackmail?¡± She leaned back, crossing her arms as she watched him, ¡°I didn¡¯t know you had it in you.¡±

    Lance shrugged lightly, his face carefully set in a neutral gaze, ¡°Do we have a deal?¡±

    Clair pursed her lips, before sighing back with a pout, ¡°Yes, fine, I¡¯ll delete it.¡± She grumbled to herself, ¡°I suppose it¡¯ll just have to live on in my memory.¡±

    Lance rolled his eyes - gods, he hadn¡¯t been this emotive in weeks - and grouched out, ¡°Figures you¡¯d remember it perfectly.¡± He tilted his head, looking at her, ¡°You are aware that you¡¯ll have to find Satoshi to get his contact information, yes?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t I just find it in the database?¡± Clair asked glibly, only to back down at Lance¡¯s glare, ¡°Fine, fine. Besides, I¡¯m pretty sure I know where Red¡¯s going.¡±

    At Lance¡¯s questioning gaze, Clair elaborated, ¡°Knowing Red - or, well, as well as I can know him - he¡¯s probably on his way to deal with that pok¨¦mon as well.¡±

    Lance¡¯s eyes sharpened - they assumed that the mystery pok¨¦mon was behind the storm, and prepared to fight it - and he murmured, ¡°I¡¯d rather he not. He¡¯s going to get himself killed.¡±

    ¡°Nah,¡± Clair drawled, nestling herself into a comfortable position to sleep, even if only for a few hours, ¡°Red¡¯s a survivor, Lance. He¡¯ll be fine. ¡±

    ¡­

    Outskirts of Lavender Town, Eastern Coast of Kanto, December 30th, 1997

    Red was beginning to think that this situation could no longer be considered ¡® fine ¡¯.

    The Source Storm, for all of its terrible power, was only directly dangerous within 500 kilometres of its centre. Most of its destructive potential came from its effect on the world¡¯s pok¨¦mon, with periodic Source Waves acting to further deteriorate their mental faculties, making them nothing more than mindless beasts that ravaged the few remains untouched by the Storm itself.

    For the majority of Red¡¯s three years under the Source Storm, though, he was able to evade the Storm itself. Aside from those first few months - where everyone scrambled to understand what the Storm even was - and the final weeks leading to the Conduit - in which Red had actively pursued the Storm¡¯s centre - most of the danger he¡¯d faced had been in the forms of rabid pok¨¦mon and the Chariot.

    However, this was not to say that Red didn¡¯t have any experience in surviving the worst of the Storm itself. He had been at ground zero when it first erupted, after all. And many of the lessons learned from that experience translated over to the storm he was currently facing, spurned on by Mewtwo¡¯s command.

    Red marched forth, ignoring the water pooling in his boots as they sank into waterlogged grass. Frogadier trudged by his side, lifting his arms in tandem with Red as they parted the rain above them, creating a thin sliver of space free of the torrential downpour that surrounded them.

    Behind Red, Salvare¡¯s Feraligatr did the same, though with limited success. The beast¡¯s command over water seemed more focused on power than precision, making the delicate job of deflecting rainfall rather difficult for him.

    Of course, they¡¯d found an alternative use for Feraligatr, as any time the storm surged with waves of water, he could blast it away far easier than Frogadier could do on his own.

    On Red¡¯s other side was Salvare, who, despite looking ready to keel over from exhaustion, remained steady in his pace alongside Red, not uttering even a single word of complaint.

    Red had warned the kid, after all, of the distance they would cover.

    They¡¯d crossed the entirety of Kanto in ten days, under continuous downpour and limited sleep.

    In the back of his mind, Red thought that he would¡¯ve been able to cross the region is only seven days, without having to drag Salvare along as well. However, he couldn¡¯t fault the kid for slowing him down as much as he did, especially considering it could be a whole lot worse.

    Salvare hadn¡¯t complained even once throughout the whole ordeal.

    In fact, Salvare showed the kind of grit Red found only in those few who lived long enough to see the aftermath of the First Source Wave.

    Despite Salvare¡¯s presence, though, Red didn¡¯t let up on their journey. The storm was growing to engulf the entire world, in a twisted mockery of the Storm he remembered. All of the latent rage and desperation Red felt in his soul was channelled in the shuffle in his legs, in the blood pounding along his veins, in the constant glow of his eyes as he held the storm at bay alongside Frogadier, refusing to allow himself to be swept away by the waves.

    Red¡¯s shirt rustled, and two tufts of violet fur poked out of his collar, bouncing along with his footsteps as they neared the coast. Vee¡¯s snout reached up to sniff the air, before disappearing back into the warmth of his chest and Pichu beside it, drowsy thoughts filtering into his mind.

    ¡®Near¡­ Storm point¡­ Light is coming¡­ Sleepy¡­¡¯

    Red felt Vee retract from his mind, subconsciously drawing their fatigue into her snores as she slept for all of them. For the hundredth time that week, Red reminded himself to profusely thank the young pok¨¦mon after the whole ordeal was over with, preferably with some sort of special treat as thanks.

    After all, Vee didn¡¯t just keep them moving by funnelling all of their fatigue into her form, but was also invaluable in helping them navigate towards the storm¡¯s centre, as Espeon¡¯s fur could detect air currents, allowing them to properly navigate towards the origin of the storm.

    This was essential, given that their surroundings were entirely obscured by the rain, and any compass was made obsolete by the psychic energies throwing off its magnetic pull.

    A flash of lightning ahead of them was shortly followed by a roar of thunder. In that moment of light, Red caught the glimmer of waves, crashing against the eastern coast.

    There were silhouettes lining the coast, all holding their hands out as if holding the waves back from flooding the coast. Red recognised the shapes of Alakazams and Slowkings, amongst various others, combining the powers of Water and Psychic types in a desperate attempt to keep the worst of the storm from ravaging inland.

    And they were beginning to falter.

    Red and Salvare marched past the line of pok¨¦mon, the storm so severe that none of them could lose their focus to accost either trainer for their apparent foolishness.

    Red stumbled as his boot hit rock, and Salvare surged to his side, catching him to prevent a fall.

    Not that Red would have fell, but he appreciated the gesture.

    Despite Salvare¡¯s apparent exhaustion - which lingered even after Vee¡¯s help - the kid remained vigilant in a way that Red couldn¡¯t help but be proud. Every day, despite their silence, it became apparent that Salvare was adapting to the danger around them, learning from Red¡¯s silent example to push against the might of the storm in a way that the kid Red had met at the Lake of Rage never would have.

    Every day, it became more and more difficult for Red to differentiate the Salvare of today from the Judgement of future past.

    Red could no longer say whether such a thing horrified him, or filled him with unexplainable comfort.

    Salvare¡¯s eyes glowed a vibrant purple as he let go of Red, who stepped down the rocky edge towards a barely-visible dock at the edge of the road. Yet, unlike the malignant glare of Red¡¯s eyes - pupil-less, crimson suns - Salvare¡¯s eyes still remained human.

    Red¡¯s eyes were decidedly inhuman.

    The dock was splintered under the assault of sea and sky. Shards of wood were splayed along the ocean, spread along like an open wound by the unforgiving waves.

    Of the few boats that had appeared to be docked, all but one were lost to the ocean floor, damaged beyond repair by strikes of lightning and hail. The one that remained only did so because of its size, making it durable in the face of the apocalypse, bearing only scratches along its steel frame.

    The dinghy was held down via anchor, which was likely the sole reason why it wasn¡¯t lost at sea. Red and Frogadier held back the rain as Salvare stepped onto the boat with Feraligatr, hopping onto the boat themselves after severing the rope tied to the anchor.

    At once, the boat spun against the waves, nearly capsizing them into the ocean. Yet, as Red reached deep within his bond with Frogadier, they kept hold of the currents around the boat, clenching their fists to still the water around them, allowing for Feraligatr to rear back, and push , propelling them into the sea with a backwards Surf .

    Red grit his teeth as moved his hands, as if swimming through the ocean himself, to part the raging tides around them for clear passage ahead. After what seemed like hours of reaching forwards, gripping the unwilling waves, and forcing them aside, the storm began to clear. The waves around them began to still, as the downpour of rain trickled down into nothing more than a drizzle.

    Red leaned against the edge of the boat, silently heaving in air as Frogadier did the same. Pichu¡¯s head popped out of Red¡¯s collar upon realising that the rain had subsided, and hopped up to the edge of the dinghy, looking out to the calm waters ahead.

    They were in the eye of the storm.

    And in the distance, obscured by a veil of mist, a palace came into view, towering over the seas with spiralling battlements and glimmering lights.

    The morning sky shown above them, unobscured by the clouds, and the blue peeking out into the darkness of the horizon brought a beautiful - terrible - inverse to the image of the last time Red had ventured into the eye of a Storm.

    A Storm created by the same being that created this one.

    Red¡¯s eyes flashed to Salvare¡¯s face for a moment - which went unnoticed, for the kid stared in mixed dread and anticipation at the palace - and they glowed a malevolent crimson, flickering once more to the island, and the being that called it home.

    When Red had last emerged into the eye of the Storm, he killed the creature that commanded it.

    Red trailed his fingers along his bracelet, outlining the shapes of the Source Stones embedded within. An uneasy feeling of anticipation settled within his stomach.

    Now, emerging once more in the storm¡¯s centre, Red contemplated whether this, too, must end in death.

    He may not wish for it; not in the same way that he wished for death before.

    ¡­But he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to deliver it once more, should he be faced with no other choice.

    ¡­

    Abandoned Snagem Hideout, Eclo Canyon, Outskirts of Orre, December 31st, 1997

    The constant drip of water echoed along the steel halls. Distant peals of thunder rumbled along the dilapidated floor boards, rotted away after over two decades of disrepair.

    Puddles of beige coloured water rippled with every step of a boot, the sediment from the canyon above falling through the cracks of the walls, rusted and blackened in shades of old, bleeding red.

    Scorch marks lined the floors and walls, now faint after all this time, but still visible to those who knew to look for it. The acrid scent of used gunpowder remained, even if only in memory, fighting against the prominent stench of musty air and decayed corpses.

    The Chariot paused as his nose registered a new smell - a fresher smell - and his grey eyes narrowed into the darkness of the corner, finding the remains of human bones, picked clean of muscle and blood.

    The Chariot sniffed the air with Odour Sleuth , finding the same smell scattered across the ruined base, all in various states of freshness, and various states of decay.

    The Chariot smirked to himself - a hollow image - and he shook his head as he stepped past the human bones.

    He supposed that it wasn¡¯t too surprising that there remained fools who thought to scout the base out for usable remains.

    Chariot could almost commend the effort, were it not obvious that this was their final place of resting. One had to fight to survive in Orre, and oftentimes that called for less civilised methods of survival such as thievery, fraud, or murder. It was either that, or be sucked up into one of the various criminal syndacites scattered along the wasteland, usually culminating in servitude to Cipher.

    Which also required its members to steal, cheat, and kill.

    The Chariot traced a scarred hand along cold steel, fingers rising up and down as they ran along rust and cursed blood, blackened by shadows unleashed by human monsters.

    But the Chariot was a monster himself, and instead of being repulsed by the sight, he remained unphased. The base held a long and bloody history, and only the final hours of it were painted by his own hand.

    As the Chariot reached the edge of the base, the final rays of outside light lost themselves in shadow. With a flick of the wrist, a small Flash of light emanated from his hand, and the Chariot saw a stairway leading to the depths of the base.

    Condensing the errant light into a ball, the Chariot stepped down the steps of creaking wood. With every step, the steel walls rusted further, finally tearing off completely to scatter the ground, which now glistened with small rivers of water along a musty yellow cavern.

    The Chariot took one step, two steps into the cave, and snuffed the ball of light out with a clench of the fist. All around him stood a pervasive darkness, and the only sounds to pierce his ears were the trickle of cave water and a slow, heavy breathing on the other side of the stone chamber.

    It¡¯s been too long.

    The Chariot closed his eyes of grey, and reopened them, pinpricks of crimson red casting a malevolent glow into the void of the room. With a rasped whisper, the Chariot called out into the darkness, ¡° I know you¡¯re there, Zeus. ¡±

    Immediately, the cave lit up with blood-red light, as a pair of eyes glowed amidst a mass of shadows. The shadows stretched towards him, wings of void wrapping along the sides of the cavern¡¯s walls, surrounding him in its embrace.

    The Chariot mused for a moment that the sight that met his eyes was likely the same that preceded the deaths of those whose skeletons now lined the base. He never worried for his own mortality, however, for the danger of the beast before him was familiar. The staticky skreak that emanated from its maw was almost comforting in how unnatural it sounded.

    It reminded him of himself.

    The Shadow Lugia uttered a low croon as it lowered its head onto his shoulder, closing its glowing, bloody eyes as the Chariot rubbed the beast¡¯s neck, ¡°Come on, old friend.¡± The Chariot stepped back up the steps, through the ruined base, out into the raging storm, and the corrupted god followed , ¡°Let¡¯s show them who the real God of the Storm is.¡±

 The God Born in Tubes

    New Island, ~10 Kilometres from East Coast of Kanto, December 31st, 1997

    It was a silent morning.

    Clouds obscured the sky above the sea, shining a soft orange as the rising sun peeked over the horizon. The simmering water, raging mercilessly just minutes before, was tranquil in a way that belied the wrath of the storm around them, encasing them in a small circle of false calm that trembled at their approach.

    Red and Salvare led their dinghy beneath the cliffside of the island, stone battlements dipping into the waters around them, spiralling up to the palace above.

    They were quiet as they approached the base of the island - a thin sliver of stone holding up a greater landmass - the only sound between them being their breaths, and the low grunts of their pokemon.

    They reached land, and after leaving the boat, Red took the rope attached to it, and tied it against a stalagmite.

    They would need it, after they were done.

    Unlike last time Red had travelled to the eye of a storm, he had no intention to die here.

    Red turned to Salvare, giving a nod as his protege let out the rest of his pokemon, and did the same himself.

    Frogadier and Charmeleon appeared side by side, and formed rank behind Red, both of them readying their own attacks as they began to ascend a long set of stone stairs.

    Pichu gripped Red¡¯s shoulder as they walked upwards, occasionally sending minute glances at Charmeleon and Frogadier¡¯s forms, an unreadable look in his eyes.

    Red reached over and scratched him behind the ear, comforting his oldest friend, and refocusing him on the mission ahead.

    They had no time for jealousy at this hour.

    They had no time for disunity.

    They must stand tall for the devastation bound to be ahead.

    Red traced a finger on Vee¡¯s pokeball for a moment - now housing the baby creature - before letting go.

    Vee had already given so much.

    Red fingers aimlessly darted around before finding something else to touch, the bracelet around his left wrist. He tapped a finger against the three stones embedded within, shivering at the twinge of energy he felt within.

    Red wondered if he would be forced to activate them.

    Red shook his head, locking the thought away under several more immediate concerns.

    He couldn¡¯t be sure that they would survive it, and even then, it may not be necessary.

    Mewtwo was powerful, yes, but the Conduit was in a league of its own.

    ¡­Or was it?

    Red considered the storm surrounding them for a moment, before shaking his head. It didn¡¯t matter whether Mewtwo was more powerful than anticipated, Red wouldn¡¯t force the transformation onto his pokemon.

    Of course, this didn¡¯t stop the possibility that they would press the matter, should they believe the boost in power to be required for him to survive.

    It was always like that between them.

    Red fought to protect his pokemon, and they fought to protect him.

    It only made it so that when one of them were hurt, the others would fall to an incurable rage.

    Red briefly recalled the hellish haze that overtook him at the stadium, and shook off the memory - an action made easier by the other memories sifting through Red¡¯s mind as the architecture around them turned ever more garish, yet distantly familiar.

    Red¡¯s memories of New Island were¡­ fractured , to say the least. Vague feelings of sorrow lined the walls, a pervasive sense of desperation and terror spiking with each and every step.

    He could see wispy illusions of Brock and Misty standing beside him, could hear the roars, screams, pleas as pokemon fought their clones.

    He could hear the chimes of death, as he ran into the path of two Legendaries¡¯ attacks. The chimes only receded by a single shred of life, and Ash always wondered whether he had simply imagined it all.

    These memories had only started to drip into his mind after a particularly harrowing day during the first year of the Storm, when the Chariot had deemed fit to break into Ash¡¯s mind, tearing away at it in some haphazard attempt to show him that We don¡¯t need to be enemies, You and I.

    We¡¯re not so different, in the end.

    Ash had thrown the Chariot out of his mind through sheer force of will, and had yelled some stuff he couldn¡¯t really remember. Now, Red couldn¡¯t help but wonder if the man was right, after everything, but he found that he no longer cared.

    However, the Chariot¡¯s mental attack seemed to have unintended consequences, as any psychic barriers within Ash¡¯s mind had been shattered, and spots of memory began to appear where they hadn¡¯t existed before.

    It all painted a harrowing picture.

    Now, as they began to ascend the final flight of stairs, Red¡¯s memories cracked further, and images of mercy filtered into his mind.

    Mewtwo had changed last time.

    Mewtwo had been saved.

    Red paused, and Salvare paused behind him. Red gazed at the final steps to the glimmering sunlight, eyes unseeing as he clenched his fist.

    Ash had stopped at nothing to get everyone to stop shedding blood, even if it came at the cost of him own life.

    Red¡­

    Red could no longer say with certainty that he would do the same¡­ or be in the midst of the fight itself, raging as he did during all those years in the Storm.

    Red¡¯s eyes flashed crimson, and with a grim face, he stepped forward, raising a hand to block the light of the rising sun from mid-morning sun from blinding him.

    Once his eyes acclimated to the light, Red looked at his surroundings, and found themselves to be standing in the middle of a stadium, not unlike that of the Silver Stadium, but smaller, yet much more grand than anything manmade.

    After all, there was nothing about this island that was manmade.

    Not anymore¡­

    The stone beneath them shifted, and Red whirled to see the passage behind them get encased into the earth.

    Red closed his eyes for a moment, sensing the air still around him, and slowly turned, gazing up as Mewtwo hovered over them, arms splayed as if in greeting.

    As if Red should be in awe in the presence of a god.

    Red pursed his lips, and stared at the newborn legend, tapping a finger against his thigh in a signal for his pokemon to stand vigilant. Beside him, Salvare took a step back, momentary fear flashing on his face, before quickly being replaced by wary determination.

    Mewtwo spared a bored glance at Salvare for a moment before refocusing on Red, lowering himself onto the ground as he did so, ¡°So you arrive, Storm-Bringer.¡±

    Red¡¯s eye twitched at the moniker, but he was able to keep the monstrous rasp from seeping into his reply - but only just - ¡°So I have.¡±

    Mewtwo gazed on Red for several seconds - and he couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the lack of crimson within the pokemon¡¯s eyes - before turning his head to the side, watching the distant stormclouds as they lowly rumbled, ¡°Marvellous, isn¡¯t it? The devastation wrought by mere rainfall.¡±

    Red remained silent, using every ounce of control he possessed to keep himself from screaming. Mewtwo flicked his eyes to Red for a moment, and seemed to find his simmering rage to be amusing, ¡°Such anger¡­¡± Mewtwo shifted, and it floated an inch off the ground, ¡°I modelled the storm after your memories.¡± Mewtwo began to hover around them, gazing almost lazily into Red¡¯s eyes, ¡°Does it live up to expectations?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Red snarled , eyes flaring as he realised that the storm engulfing the world was nothing more than a petty taunt.

    Mewtwo created this storm to get a rise out of Red.

    And it was working.

    And in the lingering haze of Red¡¯s vision, he could see Mewtwo¡¯s mouth curl upwards, as if he knew what he was doing, and revelled in it, ¡°Such rage, such hatred¡­¡± Mewtwo turned away, exposing his back to attack - but Red knew that Mewtwo was aware of this; it was no true advantage - ¡°So much like myself, before I found Purpose.¡±

    Mewtwo turned, and faced Red in what he could only assume was meant to be a look of understanding , ¡°You are a martial being, like myself. You were born in the shadows of Creation, broken by the chains of Destruction, and forged in the flames of war.¡±

    Red¡¯s eye began to twitch uncontrollably at the monologue, unwillingly reminded of the Chariot at his most melodramatic.

    He forcibly pushed away the truth of Mewtwo¡¯s words in the back of his mind, along with all the other demons Red carried.

    We¡¯re not so different, in the end.

    Mewtwo paused for a moment, before slowly rolling his head - as if to crick his neck - looking away from Red as he spoke, ¡°But allow us to parley, if only for a moment.¡± Mewtwo crossed his arms behind his back as he floated before them, staring off into the storm over the horizon, ¡°After all, I would have your name before waging war against you.¡±

    Red narrowed his eyes - Mewtwo was expecting a fight; how wise - and thought for a moment, before responding with the truth , ¡°My name is Red Satoshi.¡±

    He felt Salvare straighten beside him, and recalled their conversation on the night before the attack. They both used names that were different than those given at birth, but Salvare was no longer Silver in the same way that Red was no longer Ash.

    Salvare could appreciate Red¡¯s choice in name, even when others may question it.

    Red appreciated that, especially when he questioned it daily.

    But not today. Red couldn¡¯t afford to question anything today. His heart thundered in his chest, his mind narrowed into a fine point, and his soul dulled to shades of black and white. There was what needed to happen, and what needed to be avoided.

    And Red must answer his call.

    Mewtwo hummed, and it was a melodic sound, almost akin to a melody. An orchestra breathed in the creature¡¯s lungs, ¡°Red Satoshi¡­ A deceptively human name.¡±

    Red raised an eyebrow, ¡°I don¡¯t know how it¡¯s deceptive -¡± - ignoring the fact that it started off as a lie - ¡°-given that I am human.¡±

    Mewtwo titled his head, his eyes poring into Red¡¯s before shining with¡­ sympathy? ¡°You must be deluded, then¡­¡± Mewtwo tilted his head to the other side, appearing almost catlike as he prowled in the air around them, ¡°You cannot be human, not like them.¡±

    Mewtwo jerked his head to Salvare, who¡¯s scowl confirmed to Red that he had at least a basic understanding of Mewtwo¡¯s words, or at least the contempt behind them if he couldn¡¯t understand it. Red crossed his arms with a glare as Mewtwo turned away from Salvare in disgust, ¡°You are no mere human, Red Satoshi. You bear too much power.¡± Mewtwo¡¯s eyes flashed, and he turned once more to the storm outside, watching the clouds slowly spiral around them, ¡°You bear the same power as the Storm within your memory.¡±

    Red sucked in a breath, and in that same instant, the world turned crimson - the same crimson as the Conduit¡¯s eyes - and Red fought against the need to rage, to roar , if only to grit his teeth and ask, ¡°Is that why you call me Storm-Bringer? You thought I brought the Storm?¡±

    Red laughed, and that laugh turned manic - bloody - and hateful crimson blazed through his eyes, ¡° You¡¯re mistaken, Mewtwo. I didn¡¯t create the Storm. I destroyed it. ¡±

    Salvare tensed beside him - sensing something beautiful in his voice, sensing something terrible in his tone - but did not step away. Red stepped forward in his rage, only held at bay by that final, lingering part of him pleading that, perhaps, Mewtwo could still be reasoned with, could still be saved.

    That part of him sounded so much like Ash¡­

    That part of him quickly died as Mewtwo¡¯s eyes flashed a malevolent blue.

    Mewtwo remained still in the air, ignoring the growing winds that began to spiral the arena, ¡°You know my name.¡± Mewtwo¡¯s hands clenched, and his tail twitched in agitation, ¡°I never gave it to you¡­¡±

    Mewtwo¡¯s eyes began to glow a chilling azure - the opposite of Red¡¯s blazing crimson eyes - and the storm crackled ominously above them, ¡°Who told you?¡± At Red¡¯s silence, Mewtwo surged forward and bellowed, his words underlined by the rumble of thunder, ¡°WHO TOLD YOU?!¡±

    Red stared at Mewtwo¡¯s enraged visage, and silently apologised to the little boy within his spirit. He resolved to make Mewtwo¡¯s death quick and painless. He could no longer guarantee a satisfactory outcome otherwise. Red stuck two fingers into Pichu¡¯s fur, and rubbed three slow, precise circles into his fur, and ended it with a pinch.

    Crack the Sky, at his command.

    Red didn¡¯t bother to check whether Pichu understood - he knew he did - and gazed upon Mewtwo¡¯s enraged form with dying embers of remorse, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t believe me if I told you.¡±

    After all, it was Mewtwo himself that told Ash, hidden within his shattered memory.

    Obviously, the answer only seemed to further enrage the creature, as Mewtwo spat, ¡°Was it Giovanni? I know he lives.¡± Mewtwo¡¯s arms began to twitch, his movements growing increasingly wrathful - increasingly out of control - ¡°No matter. I care not if you are just another weapon he created to destroy me. I care not if you were sent by Arceus itself,¡± Mewtwo raised its arms, and they tensed, ¡°You will all fall.¡±

    At once, Mewtwo reached out, and before Red could do anything, Salvare was encased in a psychic bubble, and blasted back. Feraligatr jumped forward in time to cushion Salvare¡¯s impact against the wall of the arena, but Red didn¡¯t focus on that.

    No, all of his crimson-hazed focus, all of his blazing rage, focussed on the singular being floating above them.

    And at once, the red haze threatening to overtake Red¡¯s vision spilled over, and with a roar , a surge of crackling energy erupted from his heart, condensing into a hellish wave that slammed into Mewtwo¡¯s shields.

    Pichu leaped, and through a monstrous combination of instinct and overwhelming power , Red reached with him, and they moved together, flashes of white lightning dancing between them - almost akin to Thunder Pulse - before shooting into the air, and into the storm, before Cracking the Sky with a blast of holy lightning upon Mewtwo¡¯s form.

    Yet, in that microsecond before the lightning struck, Mewtwo reacted, reaching up to split the attack, redirecting the two bolts of holy lightning into the ground, quaking the entire island with the impact.

    Mewtwo heaved, only to be blasted back by spiralling white Thunder , pulled from the excess electricity of Pichu¡¯s body into Red¡¯s own, surging through his nerves and out all ten of his fingers, sparing Pichu from the crippling recoil of his attack.

    For a moment, electricity raced up Red¡¯s spine in a familiar jolt. But with a calm breath, the coming paralysis dissipated, and Red¡¯s eyes crackled with white arcs of lightning.

    The ground shook, and a wave of shattered earth rose, crashing towards them in a cascading Stone Edge .

    Red shifted - a pulse of pale-blue aura snaking up his arms - Frogadier and Charmeleon stepped forward, and as one, the three of them reached out, and broke against the wave of stone with Rock Smash .

    A cloud of dust sprang forth, and with a clap, Frogadier pushed it away with Aerial Ace . With a sharp rasp of, ¡° Ember ,¡± the cloud of dust ignited in an explosion of blue flame, smothering Mewtwo¡¯s form.

    Red knew his enemy lived, as was proven when Mewtwo parted the burning smoke, hovering within the dusty flames as his skin slowly reknit itself of its wounds, glints of bleeding red quickly hidden behind new skin.

    Mewtwo watched Red with glowing blue eyes, and with a low growl, it uttered, ¡°And you claim to be human, Red Satoshi. But I know what you truly are.¡± Mewtwo¡¯s fists clenched, and the remaining embers around it blazed with golden flame, and began to spiral around his form, ¡°You are like me!¡±

    Mewtwo extended its arms, lifting up columns of stone before chiselling them into massive daggers, pointing them at Red, ¡°We are blights against nature, Red Satoshi, monsters amongst monsters!¡± Red stepped forward, and with that step, the earth trembled under his feet, ¡°Fight me Red Satoshi, Conduit of such terrible beauty! Fight me, and let the world tremble under the weight of our power!¡±

    ¡­

    Ash would be the first to admit that this was not one of his brightest ideas.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to capsize!¡±

    ¡°Ah! This was a mistake!¡±

    ¡°I never agreed to this!¡±

    Ash and Misty had spent the past near-week travelling along the southeastern coast of Kanto, dragging Brock along despite his repeated protests.

    While Misty wanted to go out into the storm to find some rare Water pokemon that were out and about, Ash didn¡¯t actually care about that. Of course, seeing new pokemon was always cool - I mean, c¡¯mon, it¡¯s pokemon - but Ash wasn''t really in it for the same reasons that Misty was.

    Ash couldn¡¯t exactly say what it was that drove him towards the storm¡¯s centre, other than that something simply beckoned him to do so. It wasn¡¯t like a voice telling him what to do, or anything silly like that - despite how Gary might like to take a jibe at Ash¡¯s sanity - but it almost felt like a sense of magnetism.

    Like a sense of inevitability.

    Ash had to go towards the centre of the storm. For what reason, Ash couldn¡¯t say, other than he simply must.

    Ash pondered that. Ash pondered a lot of things, despite what Misty might think - though Brock seemed aware of it. He wasn¡¯t stupid, at least, he liked to think he wasn¡¯t stupid. Misty and Gary might claim otherwise, but Ash thought that most of his mistakes came from inexperience. After all, he strived to improve on every failure he faced, even if that only led to another¡­

    Pikachu understood that, at least. While Brock didn¡¯t seem to think Ash unintelligent like Misty seemed to, he did treat him like a kid .

    Which, fair , Ash couldn¡¯t argue that. I didn¡¯t mean he was exactly happy about that perception of him, but he learned not to fight it. Playing up that part of himself seemed to keep them from asking questions, and there were some times where Ash was genuinely childlike in what he did. He couldn¡¯t really escape that.

    But with Pikachu, well, he was special to Ash. Aside from being his starter pokemon, Pikachu seemed to show the exact same drive as Ash.

    To be the very best.

    Like no one ever was.

    And, sometimes, that drove Ash to, quite frankly, ridiculous situations. Ignoring all of the antics that Team Rocket put them through, Ash and his friends had encountered dozens of wacky people and pokemon, many of which foisted their issues (whether purposely or not) onto them.

    And Ash was totally fine with that! He¡¯d met Brock that way (what with the weird disappearing act of his father), and he made a lot of other friends through those escapades, many of which were pokemon. Sure, sometimes, he wasn¡¯t even aware of his presence influencing things until after the fact, but he did notice it.

    Not that he ever regretted doing things to help other people. People should help others all the time!

    But there was one event, one innocuous day that had started off unremarkable, that stayed with Ash in a way that always caused his hands to stiffen when he thought about it.

    A behemoth, chiselled of stone and obsidian, standing over him on the flaming remains of a lighthouse.

    Ash had been a child that day, and he remained a child still. But, in that morning, Ash faced death , and it faced him back.

    It changed him, that was undeniable.

    Ash didn¡¯t know whether that change was for the better, or for the worse.

    But, to condense Ash¡¯s mental ramblings into one single point, that had been the only moment of his life thus far that inspired such conflicted thoughts in Ash. I had been the only moment of his life where he made a choice that very nearly ended catastrophically.

    Key words: had been.

    Flash forward to today, and Ash was hanging on for dear life as the canoe they sat in was slammed back and forth by unforgiving waves.

    The sailors paddling them - both dressed in so many layers that Ash wondered how hot it was in there - were yelling out to each other, ¡°We¡¯re going to capsize!¡±

    And as Ash silently wondered why their voices were so familiar, Misty shrieked as a particularly violent wave struck the canoe, and clung to Ash¡¯s arm, ¡°Ah! This was a mistake!¡±

    And across from them, face flushing with a pale green, was Brock, who looked moments away from puking, ¡°I never agreed to this!¡±

    And Ash, who felt oddly calm despite the situation, unclipped a pokeball and released Squirtle, giving out a single, sharp order, ¡° Surf! ¡±

    The various people around Ash kept screaming , and he couldn¡¯t help but be reminded of Bill, making him purse his lips. Pikachu, burrowed inside of Ash¡¯s shirt, was scowling at the noise, covering his ears with wet paws.

    It wasn¡¯t exactly fair to his friends, but Ash couldn¡¯t help but wonder why they were being so dramatic . They were nearing the eye of the storm, after all, and they only had to reach the edge of that to get out of the raging tides.

    He couldn¡¯t be the only one who sensed that, right?

    Yet, as Squirtle pushed the boat forth with Surf - making Ash thankful that he decided to teach it to Squirtle - it became clear that Ash was the only one who sensed it, as everyone else on the boat seemed surprised - and relieved - at the suddenly clear skies. It was almost as if they had thought that they would die at sea.

    Which Ash would have never allowed to happen. He would have let himself drown if it meant everyone else got to land safely.

    Ash remained silent, though, hugging Misty as she shook herself from the cold of the rain. It seemed like even Water-type trainers could only take so much of that weather.

    Ash ignored Brock¡¯s questioning looks at his own stillness - he couldn¡¯t help if he was warm-blooded; the water evaporated quickly from his skin - and watched as the island ahead drifted closer.

    It was a pretty odd sight, and that was about all that Ash had to say about it. He was mainly interested in what awaited them there. However, Brock seemed more interested in the palace¡¯s architecture, a frown marring his face, ¡°That doesn¡¯t look like anything I¡¯ve seen before.¡±

    Misty shivered once more, teeth chattering as she reached into Ash¡¯s shirt to grapple Pikachu into her arms - which, for once, the rat wasn¡¯t content with - ¡°I-it looks almost like an a-alien built it.¡±

    The maybe-sailors only spared a momentary glance at the island before conversing amongst themselves, ¡°How are we supposed to get up there?¡± The other responded with a very familiar feminine voice, ¡°We can try to paddle around, maybe there¡¯s a place we can dock for us to climb up?¡±

    Ash crossed his arms as he watched the duo - and likely trio - navigate them around the island, eventually finding a spot near the edge of the palace¡¯s walls where they could leave the boat.

    Ash stepped out after Brock and Misty, remaining silent as the two of them gave their thanks to the fake-sailors. He did thank Squirtle, and allowed the turtle pokemon to hop onto his back in a piggyback ride as a reward.

    Ash¡¯s eyes wandered for a moment at the stone battlements beside them - they looked almost haphazard, almost as if someone with a hazy memory of a fairytale tried to recreate one of its pictures - before noticing the floor crack beneath him.

    The island shook; Ash doubted it was a natural occurrence.

    Brock asked their tagalongs if there was a way to pay them, after all of their trouble in getting them there, prompting the ¡®sailors¡¯ to laugh haughtily, and tear off their disguises, revealing themselves to be none other than Jessie and James, of Team Rocket.

    In all honesty, their disguises were impressive. It was their panicked voices that gave them away to Ash.

    Naturally, as they always did when they revealed themselves to Ash and his friends, the two of them - oh, actually it¡¯s three now, with Meowth wriggling out of Jessie¡¯s discarded disguise - began to recite their motto, with Jessie taking the lead, ¡°Prepare for trouble!¡±

    James posed dramatically, ¡°And make it double!¡±

    Jessie stepped forward, flexing an arm as she exclaimed, ¡°To protect the world from devastation!¡±

    James brought a hand to his forehead, a sudden breeze swaying his hair in the wind, ¡°To unite all peoples within our nation!¡±

    Jessie reared back, a wild smirk gracing her lips, ¡°To denounce the evils of truth and love!¡±

    James extended a hand, bringing himself back-to-back with Jessie, ¡°To extend our reach to the stars above!¡±

    Jessie stood straight, confidence lining her words, ¡°Jessie!¡±

    James brought a fist to his forehead, leaning against Jessie with a leg splayed out to shape an ¡®R¡¯ between them, ¡°James!¡±

    The island began to shake, and Jessie continued, ¡°Team Rocket, blast off at the speed of-¡±

    The wall exploded before they could finish their motto - which was a shame, since Ash found a guilty pleasure in their antics - and they hastily shielded themselves as a wave of heat blasted against all of them.

    Ash raised an arm over his eyes, shielding them from the light of an azure inferno. Within the breach of the wall, they could only see silhouettes dancing within the fire, fading in and out as arcs of fire, water, and electricity impacted the inner walls.

    And for a single instant, that silhouette took the shape of a man.

    Ash began to take a step forward, only for the island to shake once more, and much more violently , as the stone beneath them began to crumble, and fall.

    Ash grabbed Misty¡¯s arm as his own was grabbed by Brock, and the three of them ran along the side of the wall, desperately trying the escape the now-collapsing floor below them.

    Ash heard Team Rocket yell in fright behind them - ¡°We¡¯re blasting off again!¡± - but he couldn¡¯t do anything to help them by that point - James voice echoed, ¡°But this time we¡¯re falling!¡± - so he focussed his efforts to finding a way to safety.

    ¡­There!

    Ash twisted his arm, breaking Brock¡¯s hold of it, only to grab Brock¡¯s own arm as he led them both to an archway within the stone battlements.

    With one final tug, Ash heaved his friends into the safety of the walls, stumbling into a rolling fall. Behind them, the floor collapsed, forming a pit around the wall of the fortress, preventing them from leaving.

    Misty helped Ash onto his feet, which he was grateful for, but he only settled for a nod to her before releasing Charmander and Bulbasaur, ¡°There¡¯s some sorta fight going on here! We gotta help!¡±

    ¡°No, we don¡¯t, ¡± Brock snapped, drawing surprised looks from the other two - he¡¯d never sounded so dire - ¡°We don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on here, but it¡¯s dangerous , Ash! As soon as we got here, the island started falling apart!¡±

    ¡°But we¡¯re safe now!¡± Ash exclaimed - ignoring the part of him that said a part of the wall was already destroyed - ¡°Besides, there was someone fighting in there! They¡¯re in danger!¡±

    Brock¡¯s scowl deepened - which was hard to see, given his eyes, but Ash could read his friend¡¯s tells - before he sighed, ¡°Fine! But whatever¡¯s causing all of this -¡± - Brock¡¯s words momentarily interrupted by another quake of the island - ¡°-We¡¯re staying out of it! Alright! ¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Ash agreed, with only a small glare - Brock was just trying to protect him, even if he didn¡¯t need it - and jogged past him, looking down a spiralling hall, ¡°Then we need to find our way forward!¡±

    Ash saw Misty and Brock exchange worried glances before following him, which¡­ well, it wasn¡¯t exactly encouraging . Ash was aware that they thought him reckless - he was aware they thought a lot of things about him - but he wouldn¡¯t risk them getting hurt because of him.

    They knew that, right?

    Ash shook his head, focussing on the task at hand. The passageways of the fortress winded down and around in ways that obviously wasn¡¯t built by anyone who actually intended to use them. He vaguely recalled that ancient castles were built with confusing layouts to slow down invaders, but having halls that went in circles and stairs that led nowhere seemed nonsensical, even to him.

    It didn¡¯t help that it all looked the same, what with the muted colours and rough textures of the walls. At several points, there were protrusions that almost looked like one of the posters Ash saw in elementary-grade science class.

    It was almost impressive that he even remembered it, given how he slept through almost every class.

    Eventually, though, the three of them, plus their pokemon, reached a large room that seemed to be some sort of great hall, given how high the ceiling was. Ash stopped for a moment to look around, ignoring the gasping breaths of his friends - who always seemed worn out when Ash ran - as he searched for a way forward.

    After a few moments, Ash noticed something that seemed promising. There was some sort of platform at the edge of the room, with a panel next to it having a button to go up or down.

    Just like the rest of the fortress, it looked alien and unused, but it seemed promising. Ash turned his friends as they trudged forward, picking Pikachu up off of Misty¡¯s arms, ¡°Do you all think we go up or down?¡±

    Ash apparently had the gift of good timing, as another quake shook the island, as something large impacted the ceiling above them, causing cracks to ripple above them.

    Misty looked up with a frightened expression, ¡°...I think that answers your question, Ash.¡± She looked back down to him, ¡°Are you really sure you want to-¡±

    Misty yelped as the platform suddenly shifted upwards, with Ash pressing the topmost button. Ash gave her an apologetic smile as she glared at him, ¡°Sorry, Misty. But you know I can¡¯t let this go on without at least seeing what¡¯s causing it.¡±

    Brock muttered tiredly to himself, too quiet for Ash to hear, but he got the gist of it. He couldn¡¯t help but feel guilty that he was dragging his friends alongside him, but they wouldn¡¯t have to get involved, not if they truly wanted to avoid it.

    Ash would respect that much, at least.

    As the platform rose, the fortress began to shake more and more. The battle outside became louder and clearer, allowing Ash to catch an individual voice - male, from the sound of it - giving commands to what sounded like multiple pokemon, if the varying types of moves were any consideration.

    Finally, the platform peaked outside into what seemed to be a stadium , and they quickly stepped off to avoid any malfunctions with the mechanism holding up the platform.

    The island was shaking pretty badly, after all.

    And now that Ash could see the source of it, he wasn¡¯t so surprised as to why the island shook.

    Waves of blue and golden flame spiralling together with bolts of water, electricity, and ice rippling against the inferno.

    Blades of darkness cleaved the air, slicing entire boulders into pieces, the shrapnel surging forward with a psychic push, only to be repelled by a wave of energy that brought chills to Ash¡¯s bones.

    Ash took a step towards the fight - the battle of legendary proportions - only to stop himself, remembering his promise to Brock.

    Tugging on his will, Ash looked away from the devastating conflict, only to see a flash of red on blue halfway across the stadium.

    Another look, and Ash realised that the red he saw was someone¡¯s hair.

    Ash rushed forward, Brock yelling behind him as he ran towards the red-haired person. As he got closer, the blue form he saw rose to watch him coming closer, standing over the limp form of the unconscious person with a growl.

    Ash stopped, looking up at the pokemon as it stood over the person - its trainer - with protective fury.

    Now, Ash would be the first to admit that, sometimes, his priorities were somewhat backwards. Instead of looking at the beastly pokemon¡¯s aggressive stance and backing away like any sane person might, Ash gasped in excitement, and took out his pokedex to scan the unknown pokemon.

    ¡° Feraligatr, ¡± The device chimed, its digital voice adopting a tone of academic curiosity that Ash often heard in Professor Oak, ¡° The Big Jaw Pokemon. When it bites with its massive and powerful jaws, it shakes its head and savagely tears its victim up. Yet, underneath their ferocity, they are known to be incredibly loyal to those they consider family, often imprinting upon a few key creatures within its first few months of life. ¡±

    Ash glanced up at the towering pokemon - Feraligatr - with greater understanding, ¡°Oh!¡± He took a step towards the red-haired trainer, prompting the Feraligatr to block him with bared teeth, ¡°You¡¯re worried about him, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Ash!¡± Brock¡¯s voice reminded Ash that he also had people that worried about him, given how shaky Brock¡¯s voice was, ¡°Step- Step away from the Feraligatr, Ash. I don¡¯t think it wants you near its trainer.¡±

    Ash could see that - and he was about to step away, he wasn¡¯t completely brainless - but the Feraligatr actually seemed to calm down some, trading away its anger for confusion as it regarded Ash.

    Then, with slow movements that had Brock and Misty tense, the Big Jaw pokemon leaned over to sniff Ash¡¯s hair, visibly adding to the pokemon¡¯s confusion. Feraligatr cast a look at the battle across from them before looking back at Ash. Finally, after a few moments of staring at him, the Feraligatr snorted, and slunk down beside the red-haired trainer, seemingly deeming Ash trustworthy enough to come closer.

    Ignoring Brock¡¯s shaky inhale, Ash crouched down beside the red-haired man, distantly noting the other, smaller pokemon watching over him. While some of them were new to Ash - and he itched to take out his pokedex for them as well - he was a bit more preoccupied with making sure the guy wasn¡¯t dead.

    Thankfully, he was breathing, if a bit slowly. Brock - seemingly getting over his wariness of the Feraligatr - crouched down next to Ash and began to check over the man, ¡°...He doesn¡¯t seem to have any major injuries, other than some bruising. I wonder what caused it.¡±

    The Feraligatr grunted angrily, looking over at the battle behind them. Ash nodded to himself, understanding the basics of what the pokemon insinuated, and Misty stepped over to the crocodile¡¯s side, doting on it with soothing tones, ¡°And you¡¯re standing guard over your trainer. I¡¯d be lucky to have a pokemon like you !¡±

    Feraligatr seemed somewhat annoyed by Misty¡¯s enthusiasm for all things Water-type, but allowed her to massage his scales as Brock took out his first aid kit, and began to treat the man for his injuries.

    Feeling somewhat useless now, Ash stood up to check on the man¡¯s other pokemon, only to flinch as a particularly loud blast erupted from the battle on the other side of the arena, and a yellow streak came crashing against the ground, before seemingly getting its footing as it skid to a stop next to them.

    And as the streak solidified into a single being, Ash and Pikachu watched on in absolute shock as a pint-sized Pichu shook blood off its fur. For a moment, Ash almost thought that the Pichu would faint then and there - what was a Pichu doing here?! - but it only closed its eyes for a moment, before reopening them with renewed vigour as it began to step back towards the fight.

    Ash lurched forward, Pikachu hopping off his shoulder in the same movement to step in the Pichu¡¯s way, startled concern lined in Pikachu¡¯s face in a way that Ash hadn¡¯t ever seen before.

    And he could understand the concern, given that they both just saw a baby of Pikachu¡¯s species get blasted against the floor next to them.

    But, Mew above , based on the state of the baby creature, Ash reckoned that the Pichu lived through a warzone. There were scars lining its body that only he could see through the fur - perks of being used to searching for injuries within Pikachu¡¯s fur - which was nothing compared to its tail , which seemed like a Golbat tore through most of it.

    Based on the fierce light Ash had seen in the Pichu¡¯s eyes, he almost expected the baby pokemon to shove Pikachu aside - not that his starter would tolerate that - but the Pichu didn¡¯t. Upon seeing Pikachu, the Pichu froze , staring at Pikachu with a sort of horrified surprise.

    Pikachu took the opportunity to sniff the Pichu, mewling lowly at the scent of blood, prompting him to attempt grooming the Pichu¡¯s matted fur - and wasn¡¯t that a sight? Ash never knew that Pikachu had these sort of paternal instincts . This only seemed to further freak out the Pichu, and it pushed Pikachu away with a frantic paw, only to see Ash coming to them.

    And if Pichu¡¯s reaction to Pikachu could be categorised as horrified surprise, then the only way to describe Pichu¡¯s reaction to Ash would be terribly vulnerable.

    Ash swore he saw tears shine within Pichu¡¯s eyes.

    Yet, where Pichu had froze upon Pikachu¡¯s appearance, Ash¡¯s own seemed to remind Pichu of the battle behind it.

    Ash and Pikachu both knew what was going to happen before it did, but they were too slow to stop the Pichu as it ducked under Pikachu, hopped over Ash¡¯s outstretched arm, and dashed along the ground, gaining speed as maddening arcs of white lightning trailed behind, coalescing into a spear of light as it leaped back into the inferno with a blinding Volt Tackle.

    At once, Ash knew that his promise to Brock was in the bin. One of Pikachu¡¯s own - a baby of its species - just threw itself into suicide . Pikachu was obviously looking to follow the Pichu into the fight, if only to drag it away again, and Ash would be damned if he let Pikachu go into that alone.

    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    So, with a sharp look to his pokemon to follow, Ash and Pikachu ran towards the raging inferno, ignoring the cried of his friends as he rushed to another deadly situation.

    He would have to apologise to them later for worrying them so much.

    But right now, he needed to stay with Pikachu.

    As they neared the inferno, chunks of stone were ripped away from the ground and thrown into the fire, only to return in pieces that smashed along the stadium.

    Ash dove to the side as one of the stones came a bit too close, and he was momentarily reminded of a falling lighthouse amidst a pillar of flame.

    Though now the flames were blue rather than white.

    Bulbasaur began to use Razor Leaf to split apart the falling stones as they neared the wall of flame, prompting Squirtle and Charmander to do the same with Water Pulse and Ember , to differing degrees of success.

    Ash could tell that Charmander, in particular, was getting dismayed at the minimal effect his attacks had on the rocks, and pointed him to the edge of the flames, ¡° Ember to the flames, beat them back!¡± He turned to Squirtle, ¡° Water Gun after Charmander! Keep the flames from spreading further!¡±

    They followed his orders without questioning him, which always made Ash feel grateful in a way that he could barely describe. As always, Charmander threw everything he had at the wall of flame, beating it back with large blasts of flame, with Squirtle soaking the ground to prevent the inferno from engulfing that place once again.

    After a few minutes, in which Bulbasaur periodically threw Razor Leaves at debris, the inferno had thinned to the point where Ash could glimpse inside of it.

    But with the heat surrounding them, he could barely see inside.

    Sensing another wave of heat growing from within the inferno, Ash recalled Charmander and Bulbasaur, shoving Pikachu into his shirt as he called to Squirtle, ¡°Soak me with water!¡±

    Squirtle did so, and was recalled shortly after, as Ash took a heavy breath, ignored the taste of sweat in his mouth, and charged through the inferno, using his drenched clothes to shield him as he passed through the thinned flames and fell into the other side.

    Pikachu scrambled out of Ash¡¯s steaming shirt, biting on Ash¡¯s hand, causing him to scramble up.

    Ash ignored the small trickle of blood from the wound - though he hissed as sweat trickled into it - picking Pikachu up onto his shoulder before releasing Charmander and Squirtle.

    Bulbasaur would burn up in here.

    Ash looked up, and for the first time, witnessed the full extent of the battle before him.

    A purple pokemon, both catlike and humanoid, dashed through the air, firing waves of psychic energy at blurs of blue and yellow.

    Streaks of electricity blurred around them, striking the unknown pokemon at every angle. Yet, in face of what seemed to be overwhelming odds, the purple pokemon simply raised its hand, emitting a resounding blast of noise that shook the island.

    Then a flash of light, and an explosion of azure flame, and a mass of shadows carrying blades of ice darted around them, before splitting into several copies with Double Team , stabbing down into the creature with all their might.

    The beastly figure roared , its body flashing with electricity to stave off its attacker, coalescing it to its finger tips to strike back at the shadowed figure with Thunderbolt , excited wrath filling its eyes.

    Yet, the shadows only retreated a step back, as from the flames, a man reached out and caught the lightning in his fingers, and trailed the electricity around his body before firing it back, now blood-red in colour at the floating monster above them.

    Yet the purple pokemon only laughed , catching the lightning in its hand before snuffing it out , blowing out a wave of Icy Wind from the leftover energy, bolstering it into a raging Blizzard with nothing more than a wave of the hand.

    Ash stepped back, he and his pokemon slowly creeping towards the man, only to stop as the ground shook, and a Charmeleon with blue flame burst out of the ground and struck the purple pokemon with Dragon Claw.

    It grunted and grabbed the Charmeleon in a psychic hold before blasting it away, then quickly erected a polygonal shield to deflect a Thunderbolt sent from the man¡¯s fingertips. It rolled its neck, lowered the shield, and struck twice towards the ground.

    The earth shook.

    Taking a moment to deflect a Water Pulse , the pokemon then extended its arms, lifting two massive boulders, lifted its arms up, carving the boulders into spikes , and crashing its arms down, launching the stones into the ground, shattering it as Fissures erupted around them, spreading along the entire stadium.

    Ash grabbed Charmander, ignored the burn of his tail-flame, and commanded, ¡° Surf , Squirtle!¡±

    A wave of water rose from the ground, saving them from falling into the depths that cracked below them. As Ash and Squirtle directed the flow of water away from the Fissures , the raging legendary pulled magma up from the earth, shaped it into a wave, and sent it careening towards the man.

    Yet, instead of running  - which even Ash would¡¯ve done - the man remained calm, moving in synch with the shadowed pokemon beside him, calling blades of pressurised water along their arms as they both solidified the wave of magma into obsidian, before blasting it into pebbles with a joint attack.

    And as the man lowered a bleeding fist, Ash wondered whether the man was truly human like himself, or if he was a pokemon in disguise, like Ditto.

    ¡­Or Mew.

    The man¡¯s eyes had been glowing an absolutely blazing crimson just a moment ago - so much so that Ash couldn¡¯t see the man¡¯s(?) pupils - but he could see them now, locked onto his own as they dilated in horror.

    ¡­Oh wait.

    The battle had paused, with both the man and pokemons¡¯ attention shifted to Ash. He realised seconds after the fact, stepping over to shield his pokemon as the floating beast emitted a sound that almost seemed like laughter.

    A voice pierced Ash¡¯s mind, and he wondered whether he truly heard it, or was simply imagining it - either way, it was a terribly beautiful sound - ¡°Another human, Red Satoshi? Did this one also follow you?¡± The creature turned to the man - Red Satoshi? - tilting its head in mock shock - its wounds slowly reknit themselves at the battle¡¯s pause - ¡°My, this one even looks like you!¡±

    The creature¡¯s eyes began to glow a chilling blue, and Ash took a step back as it extended a hand towards him, ¡°Let us see if it shares your strength!¡±

    ¡°NO!¡± Ash shielded his pokemon with closed eyes as the otherworldly roar pierced his eardrums, and he awaited something to strike him, to knock him out, to kill him .

    ¡­But nothing came, and Ash opened his eyes to see the terrifying pokemon frozen in midair, hand reaching out as a psychic blade fizzled out of existence, as it turned to the being holding it in place.

    And the man - the man who was not a man but looked like one - had an arm outstretched, fist clenched around an invisible chain - white veins crept up his arms - and with a roar , the man¡¯s eyes erupted withing blinding light, and the pokemon was yanked away from Ash with a snarl.

    The pokemon crossed its arms and broke the man¡¯s psychic hold, blades of shadow appearing along its arms. It stared at the man - his eyes blinding from its crimson light - and asked a low question, something primal lining its words, ¡°What are you?¡±

    The man - the demon? - only answered with a roar , as billowing winds of esoteric energy began to envelop the man, wrapping along his arms and legs as he began to rise into the air, crackles of energy spiralling in discordant patterns around his eyes and chest.

    And as the man¡¯s hat blew into the wind and to the flame, the creature looked level at the pokemon, and with a shout, a wave of visible power shook the entire island, and the sea beyond, as the pokemon surged forward to resume his fight against him.

    Ash stood there in shock and awe, only to turn around at the sound of something entering the inferno behind him.

    As one, Ash¡¯s pokemon leaped forward and combined attacks, striking the intruder with a mixture of fire, water, and electricity. They quickly regretted it upon seeing who it was that they attacked, given that there was now a very pissed Feraligatr nursing a wound on its scales.

    A hand caught Feraligatr¡¯s shoulder before it could retaliate, as the red-haired man from earlier looked at Ash with wary eyes, ¡°Next time, look before you act. ¡±

    Ash began to mumble out an apology, only for the man to completely disregard him as he stared at the fight beyond, eyes widening in both surprise and resignation, ¡°What the hell - Red? ¡±

    Ash turned, and saw Satoshi - who he could no longer confidently say was just a man - spew Flamethrower from his mouth as the Charmeleon did the same.

    Ash was beginning to wonder that, if Satoshi was a human, then would Ash be able to learn how to do that?

    ¡­That would be kinda awesome!

    No, no. There was a time and place for such thoughts, and Ash shook his head to remind himself that this was neither .

    The red-haired man, whose expression shifted from incredulity to awe to wariness to resignation, turned to Ash, staring at him in apparent confusion for a moment before rubbing his eyes, ¡° Mew almighty , what the hell are you doing here, kid! You need to get the hell out! ¡±

    Before Ash could protest - something, something, Pichu - he was yanked by the red-haired trainer and dragged towards Feraligatr as it parted the inferno - much more easily than Ash had - and stepped out of the warzone.

    Misty and Brock were waiting directly outside the flames, and immediately descended upon Ash once he and his pokemon were back outside. They alternated between fretting over him and yelling at him for terrible decision-making, which only became louder anytime he tried to defend himself.

    The red-haired man unwittingly became Ash¡¯s saviour in this regard, as he pushed Ash¡¯s friends away to speak to them, ¡°I don¡¯t know why the fuck you¡¯re even here, and I don¡¯t even care. You need to-¡±

    Another explosion rocketed the island, and they all watched as the unknown pokemon was blasted into the side of one of the tallest towers of the palace - causing the tower¡¯s foundation to crack - only to leap back into the inferno with enough speed to create a shockwave.

    Causing the tower¡¯s foundation to shatter.

    And, in that moment, Ash was back in the lighthouse, carrying Bill through pillars of flame. And above them, the tower shook, before falling towards them, its shadow smothering them moments before impact.

    So Ash acted.

    With a call, his pokemon moved, and with a cry of ¡° Triple Finish! ¡± his pokemon attacked, sending forth beams of water, fire, and electricity that spun together into a singular beam of concentrated power, rising alongside Feraligatr¡¯s Hydro Pump to strike the falling tower.

    And upon impact, the beam splintered through the stone, and shattered it, scattering rocks to fly above them in every direction.

    Feraligatr grabbed everyone around him and covered them, groaning lowly as chunks of stone smashed against its back, cracking into smaller rocks that rolled onto the floor.

    Several seconds passed, and Feraligatr let them go, stumbling in pain as it did so. The red-haired man was at its side instantly, and after a moment of arguing between them, the towering beast allowed itself to be recalled into its pokeball, and the man turned back to face them.

    The man looked over them and his remaining pokemon, taking stock of it before groaning into his hands, ¡°Fuck. Fuck! Okay¡­¡± He took and breath, and forcibly calmed himself, regarding them with violet eyes, ¡°Do you have a way off the island?¡±

    Ash thought back to where they came from, and considered the earthquake that broke across that area. Brock seemed to be thinking the same thing, as he responded with a worried frown, ¡°It was probably destroyed¡­¡±

    The man clenched his fist, visibly holding off a swear as he glared at the ground - a very specific part of the ground - before turning back to them, ¡°Unfortunately, our own ride is currently unavailable ,¡± - he did little to hide the bitterness in his words, though it wasn¡¯t directed at them - ¡°So that means I¡¯ll have to keep you safe.¡± He crossed his arms, eyes flashing for a moment before returning to them, ¡°It¡¯s what he¡¯d want.¡±

    This was the point where Misty - who¡¯d been awfully silent up to this point - lost her composure, ¡°What the heck is going on?!¡±

    The red-haired guy only laughed, rather maniacally at that, and Ash almost joined the man before he sobered, ¡°Hell if I know. But we¡¯re here.¡± He shrugged, leading them back towards the edge of the arena, which Ash reckoned was safer than where they were currently standing - which was somewhere near the middle - ¡°But since we¡¯re stuck here, I¡¯d at least know your names.¡± The man flashed a tired grin, making him look much younger than before, ¡°I¡¯m Salvare, and I¡¯m here with a guy named Red.¡±

    Ash recalled the man in the inferno, and wondered whether this guy - Salvare - knew the answers to Ash¡¯s questions about the guy.

    Ash shook himself from his thoughts as Brock crossed his arms, hiding his lingering anxiety as he calmly introduce himself, ¡°I¡¯m Brock.¡±

    Misty perked up, having stolen Pikachu once more from Ash - she began to mindlessly comb through Pikachu¡¯s fur with her fingers - ¡°Misty.¡±

    They looked to him - though Salvare¡¯s gaze was decidedly more curious than he was with the other two - so he responded, ¡°Ash Ketchum¡­ And - uh - that guy, Red? Is he gonna be all right?¡±

    Ash wanted to ask more about the guy - like how he could shoot lightning from his fingers and breath fire - but he thought it was probably insensitive to ask something like that at the moment.

    Maybe after this is all said and done.

    Ash wouldn¡¯t say no to a likely-magical friend, even if he was a Mew in disguise.

    Salvare watched Ash for a few moments, squinting at him before shaking his head, muttering something about ¡®younger cousins¡¯ before answering, ¡°He¡¯ll live.¡±

    It was said with such surety that Ash couldn¡¯t help but believe him - though, what he saw earlier helped strengthen that belief in Ash¡¯s mind - and the man cracked a grim smile, his eyes taking a dark edge as he added, ¡°Honestly, if you were to ask him yourself, he¡¯d probably tell you some shit about having ¡®dealt with worse¡¯.¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°Ow¡­¡±

    That was about all James could say at the moment, laying atop a mound of rubble. Jessie gave her agreement in the form of a groan, ¡°For us to blast off as soon as we got here, that¡¯s got to be - oh, will you stop that! ¡±

    With a burst of energy, she leaned up and swiped Meowth away, who was batting Jessie¡¯s head with a paw. With a small chuckle, Meowth trotted over to James, repeating the same process to his own forehead as he snarked at Jessie, ¡°C¡¯mon now, Jess. You¡¯re overreactin¡¯! Tha¡¯ fall wasn¡¯t so bad.¡±

    ¡°Maybe not for you, ¡± Jessie cried, stomping her foot down with a pout, ¡°But we didn¡¯t exactly have a graceful landing!¡±

    ¡°What can I say?¡± Meowth shrugged with a smirk, applying some claw to James¡¯ forehead, ¡°Cats always lan¡¯ on their feet- yow, hey! ¡±

    Now he was dangling by the tail, as James carried him down the pile of rubble to where Jessie was standing, ¡° That¡¯s for scratching my beautiful forehead!¡±

    James let go of his tail, allowing Meowth to scurry away for a moment before crossing his arms with a huff,  ¡°There weren¡¯ no beauty in your head anyway.¡±

    James ignored the cat, dusting himself off before looking around the underground chamber with Jessie. Their eyes adjusted to the darkness, allowing them to see that it wasn¡¯t a cave that they¡¯d fallen into, but something manmade.

    Meowth scuttled forward, knocking a paw against a device on the ground, emitting a loud metal bang, ¡°Huh. Seems t¡¯me like we¡¯re in some kind o¡¯ lab.¡±

    ¡°Well its nice that you can see ,¡± Jessie grumbled, cursing her lack of night-vision, ¡°But if you could do something useful, like Flash , that would be more helpful than your commentary.¡±

    James leaned over and whispered loudly to Jessie, ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure Meowth only knows Scratch and Fury Swipes .¡±

    Meowth squawked in outrage, but Jessie ignored him as she scoffed, ¡°Well that¡¯s not useful. What we really need is some sort of light!¡±

    James scratched his head before turning to the wall. He narrowed his eyes, tracing the outlines along it. After a few moments, he noticed the silhouette of a series of switches, ¡°Ah-ha!¡±

    With a flick, James turned on the first switch¡­ which did nothing. With a frown, he flicked the second switch, which caused some sort of ominous noise of creaking metal ahead of them¡­ it was probably nothing. James then tried the last switch, which thankfully turned on the lights, as they were bathed in a hue of sickly green, which was rather ugly in his opinion, but it did give them decent visibility.

    He returned to where Jessie and Meowth were, only to find them gazing upon a row of statues. They were rather ugly caricatures, seemingly based on people, though it was hard to tell with how grotesque they looked.

    James was actually rather repulsed by them, which was a sentiment mirrored by Jessie, but Meowth actually seemed rather enraptured with their image, spouting off random nonsense about the duality of man and pokemon, and how man was the real monster.

    James didn¡¯t really understand what he was going on about, but he didn¡¯t say as such, allowing Meowth to wax poetic about the hubris of man or something similar. Instead, he noticed a statue at the end of the line, which, unlike the rest, was more than just their head, as it showed the person¡¯s entire body. It was also strikingly normal compared to the others, with its stone faced carved in some mixture of frantic excitement and manic sorrow, almost looking alive as it stared into an endless abyss.

    It looked haunted in a way James couldn¡¯t describe.

    Jessie walked past James and found a large computer, which the statue faced. James turned his attention to the screen as Jessie activated the computer, which booted up to a file titled ¡® Project: Mewtwo¡¯ .

    James watched in silence as Jessie scrolled through the file, idle curiosity turning to wariness as descriptions of cloning and testing and disasters filled the screen.

    Jessie also seemed disturbed, if the downward curve of her mouth was any indication, ¡°...What were they doing here?¡±

    Meowth hopped onto the keyboard, stepping around Jessie¡¯s hands to peer at a corner of the document, ¡°...It says the boss authorised it.¡±

    James crossed his arms, eyes creased as he verbally asked, ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°We dreamed of creating the World¡¯s Strongest Pokemon,¡± echoed behind them, resonating in a way that was entirely ethereal .

    The three of them whirled around, only to stumble backwards as the statue of the man behind them smiled with empty eyes, before blinding them with a radiant pink.

    ¡°And We Succeeded.¡±

    Upon blinking away the stars in their vision, they saw that the statue had disappeared, with nary a trace that it had ever existed in the first place.

    James reached back to grip the edge of the computer to keep himself standing, and Meowth scampered up onto his shoulder with a mewl, ¡°I don¡¯ want to be here no more.¡±

    Jessie gulped, turning off the computer as she stood up, ¡°Well¡­ we can¡¯t exactly leave the way we came in.¡± She turned towards the end of the lab, which emitted a soft blue light, ¡°Maybe we can find our way out over there?¡±

    As she said it, the island quaked around them, causing a few of the grotesque statues to fall and crack onto the floor. James turned to Jessie with a strained grin, ¡°G-good idea!¡±

    The three of them began to walk towards the blue light at a healthy pace. They weren¡¯t outright running - given that there was probably a ghost haunting them - but they weren¡¯t exactly strolling either.

    Eventually, they reached the source of the blue light, which they were dismayed to find was trapped behind a glass wall.

    They stared inside of the small chamber, which housed some sort of glowing blue core, encased in metal and wires. Wisps of radiating energy seeped out of it, and into the walls, and they all shivered as James asked, ¡°Is that a nuke? ¡±

    Jessie turned a sharp eye on James, which, seriously , it was a genuine question. Meowth, however, brought a paw to his chin, and hummed in thought, ¡°I don¡¯ think it¡¯s a bomb , James. There¡¯s no trigger, or timer. A nuke¡¯s gotta have one o¡¯those.¡± Meowth was too entirely sure of it, ¡°I think it¡¯s some kind o¡¯ nuclear reactor!¡±

    James blinked before narrowing his eyes at the cat - who sweatdropped - ¡°How do you know so much about nuclear bombs? ¡±

    ¡°Do you think we could steal it?¡± Jessie asked, only for James and Meowth both to stare at her, ¡°...What?¡±

    There was a chuckle beside them, and they turned to see a finely-dressed man walk towards the glass, pressing a pale hand against it, ¡°A nuclear reactor? How¡­ unrefined.¡±

    It was then that James recognised the man, and he stumbled back in shock as Meowth stuttered, stars in his eyes, ¡°Th-th-the boss! ¡±

    Giovanni flashed them a smirk, and for a moment, his violet eyes glinted with a shade of pink, ¡°His only desire is to strengthen his power, to refine it.¡± He tilted his head at them, his eyes fully pink - fully unnatural - as they turned to the reactor on the other side of the glass, ¡°He considers the splitting of atoms to be the height of control.¡± He smiled, and teeth lined Giovanni¡¯s neck - but it wasn¡¯t Giovanni, not truly - ¡°How¡­ narrow-minded.¡±

    Jessie stepped forward, determination and fear warring across her face, ¡°You¡¯re¡­ You¡¯re not the boss!¡±

    Not-Giovanni regarded them almost lazily, before his mouth twitched up into a sly smirk, ¡°So I¡¯m not.¡±

    The reactor flared, blinding them with its blue light, and once again the apparition disappeared.

    The island shook once more, and one of the tubes connected to the reactor snapped apart, falling to the floor. An audible hiss reached through the glass, and James made the wise decision to drag the other two away.

    They found a flight of stairs away from the lab, leading upwards to a dark chamber. James brought his shirt to his nose, eyes watering at the smell. Jessie did the same, reaching into one of her various pockets to pull out perfume.

    James rather doubted it would do much against this stench.

    Yet, once more proving himself to be the biggest trash-baby amongst them, Meowth wasn¡¯t repulsed by the smell, but enthralled by it, causing him to trot over to the corner of the chamber.

    James followed, only to retch into his shirt as Meowth began to bat a ball of human skin.

    He heard Jessie do the same beside him, as Meowth¡¯s eyes dilated as he played with the errant hair follicles that were seemingly covering the¡­ thing . Meowth crouched down, preparing himself to pounce, only for Jessie to reach out and snatch him.

    She quickly regretted that action, since it required her lowering her shirt from her nose, causing her to drop Meowth as she hurried to block the smell once more. It proved enough to snap Meowth out of his feline instincts, though, as he shook his head with a look of embarrassment.

    James coughed into his shirt, tears building up at the edges of his eyes as he asked, ¡°Why is there a ball of skin here? And why is it so hairy? ¡±

    ¡°There are lots of things that he can only dream of, but never remember,¡± They turned once more to see the apparition, this time taking the form of a young girl.

    She glided a phantom hand an inch over the ball of skin, giggling lightly as human hair waved against her touch, ¡°He is haunted by voices, but can never seem to grasp them.¡± She looked to them, her face slowly decaying with sickness, her eyes remaining a radiant pink, ¡°He is a lost soul, searching for purpose in a purposeless world.¡±

    The girl giggled, bringing her hand to her mouth in a way that was almost dainty. Her next words weren¡¯t, however, as James was surprised at the cruel humour lining her voice, ¡°It¡¯d be funny if it weren¡¯t so pathetic!¡±

    Jessie leaped forward, trying to catch the girl before she disappeared. It was in vain, though, as it became nothing more than a shadow, wreathed in flame, before disappearing with the inferno. All of its heat wisped away as soon as it came, causing their sudden sweat to cool to chilling temperatures.

    James would forever claim that his soiled pants was from the rain outside.

    Jessie shuddered, choosing to wipe her head of sweat instead of blocking her nose of the smell, ¡°Let¡¯s go. ¡±

    There weren¡¯t any arguments from Meowth or James - they all wanted to get the heck out of here - and they followed her up another set of stairs, and into a labyrinth of endless halls and spiralling rooms.

    James was beginning to think that their fall did something to his head, because he was going crazy in here, scrambling around as some sort of phantom tormented them.

    However, it seemed that the phantom no longer followed them, as minutes passed without it appearing, allowing them to sigh a breath of relief as they climbed another set of stairs that would hopefully actually lead to someplace.

    Thankfully, it seemed that lady luck was in their favour, as they found themselves in some sort of throne room overlooking the entire palace. James wasn¡¯t entirely sure how they ascended so quickly - the labyrinth below really messed with his senses - but he didn¡¯t complain, placing himself by the glass window to look down below.

    It was almost as if James had a bird¡¯s eye view of the stadium, or what remained of it. There seemed to be some sort of localised fire storm near the edge of it, with the area surrounding it being littered with stones and magma.

    One of the towers on the other side of the palace seemed to have fallen onto the stadium, splitting it into two. He couldn¡¯t help but breath a small sigh of relief upon spotting a group of people hiding behind the fallen tower, next to the battlements, as he noted the twerp and his group among them.

    Jessie sighed behind him, making him turn around to see her sinking into the throne with a tired smile, ¡°Ah, finally. A throne befitting of a princess.¡±

    James rolled his eyes, only to snap them back to the throne as Meowth clambered onto it, plucking something from the top, ¡°Oh neat! I¡¯ve always wanted t¡¯add a human skull to my collection!¡±

    James¡¯ eyes widened as he saw that Meowth was correct in identifying it as a human skull, and Jessie fell off the throne as both of them shouted, ¡° What collection?! ¡±

    Before Meowth could answer, a soft, fluttery sound echoed from behind the throne - it almost sounded like a giggle. James tensed alongside Jessie, expecting the phantom to have returned, only to see a small, female Meowth emerge out of the shadows, her soft pink eyes batting at their Meowth.

    James didn¡¯t trust the female feline, but Meowth was enraptured , standing shock-still as the female trotted over to it, and began to nuzzle against him, ¡°H-h-hey there¡­¡±

    The female meowed - which was a haunting sound, underlined by chimes - and turned her eyes to the skull in Meowth¡¯s hands, batting a paw onto it.

    Meowth stammered, ¡°Y-you wan¡¯ the skull?¡± The female mewled, eyes shining pink, and raked a claw against bone, ¡°Uh- yeah! Y¡¯can have it!¡±

    Meowth handed the skull to the female, who handled it carelessly. Meowth didn¡¯t seem to care about that though, despite his previous excitement for his collection - which brought an unknowable dread to James - clearly besotted with the other cat.

    After a few moments of silence - undercut by ethereal giggles echoing around them - Meowth decided to be bold, and puckered up for a kiss.

    Yet, the cat¡¯s lips met empty air, as a psychic barrier rose up between the Meowths. The female giggled, and with a kick, floated up into the air with a twirl, the skull hovering lazily by her(?) side.

    The Meowth giggled into its paws, and before their eyes, it shifted , limbs shifting to smaller, stockier frames, its fur becoming finer, and as light and pink as the evening sky.

    And as Meowth stumbled backwards, shock giving way to fear, the newly formed creature turned to the others, and giggled wildly into its paws.

    Jessie gasped, her eyes becoming haunted as she recognised the mythical pokemon, ¡° Mew¡­ ¡±

    The pokemon - Mew, holy shit, it was Mew! - giggled once more, radiant pink eyes staring to each of them, before zeroing in on Meowth, ¡°Thank you for the gift, but you¡¯re far too young for me.¡±

    The glass behind Mew shattered, the noise causing them all to yelp. Yet, the bits of glass remained floating, splitting into smaller parts before sharpening into thousands of microscopic daggers.

    A hiss, and the glass daggers glowed a soft orange, their tips superheated by a mere suggestion from the mythical. Mew tilted its head, turning its eyes to Jessie, only for them to begin twinkling in cruel amusement, ¡°You look familiar¡­¡±

    Jessie¡¯s breath hitched as Mew floated backwards, enveloping itself in a sphere of rotating daggers, seemingly unaffected by the growing heat, ¡°There was another like you that tried to follow me.¡± It¡¯s eyes widened, almost appearing like a baby who played their first Pump-Ka-Boo, ¡°A word of advice: run. ¡±

    At once, the room froze over, shards of ice crackling into the walls, the Sheer Cold sucking all of the heat out of the room in a matter of seconds.

    James lost his breath at the sudden change in temperature, his eyes blowing wide, his breaths uncontrolled.

    Oh, he was going into shock.

    But he couldn¡¯t afford to, not with how Jessie seemed to have shut down, if her slowly closing eyes were any indication. So, with the last reserves of his energy, James yanked on Jessie¡¯s arm, snatched Meowth from the ground, and booked it to the room¡¯s exit.

    He made it out just in time for his legs to give out under him, and the three of them fell onto the top of the staircase, thankfully keeping themselves from falling all the way.

    With a gasp, Jessie¡¯s eyes blew open, and she began to shiver alongside them as they all reeled from their encounter with the cruel deity.

    Meowth scrambled onto James¡¯ side, burrowing into his arms to heat himself up, ¡°Th-th-that really sucked. ¡±

    James let out a breathy laugh, and Jessie gave a mix of a chuckle and a sob.

    James had to remember what Jessie had told him of her mother, back when they¡¯d first got drunk with each other.

    Fighting off his shivers, if only for a moment, James reached over and laid an arm over Jessie, supporting her as she silently weeped.

    Jessie would do the same for him, no matter how much they might accost each other about it later.

    So James would do the same for her, even if he had to deal with her embarrassed anger afterwards.

    ¡­

    ¡®You¡¯re dangerous.¡¯

    An Aura Sphere shot into the forest, cleaving a line of destruction.

    ¡®You don¡¯t just do that and walk it off like it¡¯s nothing!¡¯

    A red haze, a hateful crimson, let there be light, oh let there be light.

    ¡®I must absolutely ask - both for myself, and, I suspect, for yourself.¡¯

    A roar, a blaze of crimson fury, and waves of destruction poured from his heart.

    ¡®What are you?¡¯

    Crackles of electricity lining bone, frying nerves¡­ until it didn¡¯t, and lightning surged.

    ¡®You¡¯re a monster.¡¯

    Primal instinct, and a wave of a hand became a wave of flame, a font of energy seeped from his veins.

    ¡®Come to New Island, Storm-Bringer.¡¯

    And all around him was a terrible - beautiful - Storm, and in the centre, a cocoon hovered, adorned in a crystalline matrix of psychic, dark, and other energies, white veins pulsating in a steady rhythm.

    And the creature - the Conduit - within the cocoon opened its eyes, bearing a red haze, a shade of hateful crimson that was the same as Red¡¯s own.

    go forth.

    Red roared , and another wave of destructive power struck Mewtwo in the chest.

    Red grit his teeth in a snarl - a Mad grin - not paying any mind to the taste of blood on his lips.

    Not paying any mind to the Mad Mad Mad tremble of his heart.

    Red breathed, and with an exhale, a Hurricane erupted within the inferno, drawing the blue flames into its embrace.

    Mewtwo bled , wounds lining its skin in jagged streaks, yet moved no slower because of it. With every wave of its hand, the earth shook from its power, and with every kick of its legs, the air quivered from its wrath.

    There was no more room for mercy in either of their hearts, for Mewtwo had come here searching for purpose in bloodshed, and Red had come to put down a rabid beast. Any thought or hesitation was lost between them, as they both gave in to the singular thing that drove any living being.

    Instinct.

    Red lost control, had started losing control at the beginning of their battle, only for its fledgeling remains to shatter at the appearance of his younger self.

    Ash.

    For all that Red had agonised - continued to agonise - over his identity, he had refrained from keeping up with his alternate¡¯s movements, had refrained from seeing so much as a photo of him, lest it shatter any stability he may have gained in his sense of self.

    But he had been certain that Ash wouldn¡¯t be involved in this; it was several months too early for him to be in the right place at the right time.

    So why the hell is he here?

    A staticky shriek pierced the air around them - sounding miles away, yet so close to them - and the ground rumbled with chimes.

    In that distant, smothered part of his mind that remained human - that remained rational - Red couldn¡¯t help but feel like a passenger in his own body. Something other rewired his brain, providing memories of using moves that no human should - ¡®you bear too much power¡¯ - providing instinct for abilities he¡¯d only seen in one other creature.

    A cocoon, encased in white veins and terrible power.

    A Conduit, bearing crimson eyes, and ever so much hate .

    Red shifted in the air - the winds carrying his body inches off the ground - and moved alongside his pokemon, all of them synching to combine rippling water, blazing fire, blinding lightning, and uncontrollable power into a beam of energy, condensed at his chest - white veins splintering from his heart - before bursting in an overwhelming light that struck Mewtwo¡¯s form.

    Red buckled in the air, using his bond with his pokemon to bolster their strength while absorbing their fatigue. He couldn¡¯t describe how he did it, and he dared not think of why , but the time for questions could wait until later, could wait until after the red haze left his vision, left his sanity alone. The power - the rush - was addicting in a way that Red could barely describe, and he would be more worried about its potential effects, but he needed it, he needed the power, he needed the rage, the hate, the overwhelming urge to destroy.

    they had a god to kill, after all.

    another to add to the funeral pyre.

    watch them burn.

    Mewtwo¡¯s skin ignited, as if driven by Red¡¯s desire, and the monster yowled , extending both hands to erect a psychic shield.

    A flick of its wrist, and the flames froze over, a noxious gas taking its place. The shield shattered in a flash of lightning - Pichu panted from the impact - allowing Mewtwo to spread the gas towards them.

    Yet the cloud ignited - struck with Dragon Pulse - and exploded into shards of ice, which Mewtwo directed towards Red.

    With a raised hand, and a burst of blazing power, the ice daggers melted in mid-air, being absorbed by Frogadier as he passed, driving a Water Blade, mottled red with blood, into Mewtwo¡¯s shin.

    Mewtwo huffed - his skin torn and burnt with no reprieve - and for a single moment, the azure glow of its eyes dimmed - and for a single moment, Red heard the blast of chimes before a god¡¯s fall .

    But Mewtwo¡¯s eyes regained their glow, and it Teleported away from a strike of Thunder mere milliseconds before it struck. And Red¡¯s heart was beating Madly Madly Madly in a rising tempo, white veins spreading beyond what his human body could handle, meeting his limits, exceeding them-

    Red choked on blood.

    His eyes dimmed.

    The flood of Pichu¡¯s electrical recoil finally leaked through his dam of power.

    And Pichu flinched.

    And through its own fatigue, Mewtwo caught that moment of weakness, and like Red himself, capitalised upon it.

    In an instant, Mewtwo Teleported behind Pichu, redirected his Thunderbolt , and blasted him back with Aura Sphere.

    And as Red knelt down, his body unresponsive despite his demands to move, he couldn¡¯t help but feel his hate turn inward as his mind began to clear, bruised thoughts filtering into his mind.

    Ash had been surgical in his attacks, picking apart the Conduit slowly before delivering a final blow.

    Red had been arrogant, relying on overwhelming force in a way that would have gotten him killed in the Storm.

    And Mewtwo, who had all the subtlety of a battering ram as the Conduit, endured Red¡¯s rampage, attacking only when necessary, reserving his strength.

    And now, he unleashed it, when Red¡¯s own began to waver.

    Frogadier and Charmeleon leaped into Mewtwo¡¯s way, water and flame working together to protect their brother. But with Pichu¡¯s strength failing, and Red unable to support them, Mewtwo simply repelled their advances, isolating Pichu for one final Psystrike.

    No.

    Mewtwo surged forward, wicked glee stretching along its face.

    No!

    Pichu closed his eyes, succumbing to unconscious, and Mewtwo struck.

    NO!

    Red¡¯s world burned, and his eyes bled light - let there be light - as a glow enveloped his body, wrapping it in a matrix of white veins before spiking out, and disappearing with a thunder clap.

    Red¡¯s body hit the ground, and rock exploded next to him as Mewtwo¡¯s Psystrike hit the earth. Pichu¡¯s body remained limp in Red¡¯s arms, having Teleported to grab the small mouse out of range of the attack.

    Any strength Red felt in his veins shattered as quickly as it came, his vision turning red not from a crimson haze, but from blood smearing his vision.

    Mewtwo lifted its fist from the ground, slowly turning to Red¡¯s prone form upon the ground, every ounce of energy sapped out of his very being.

    For the first time in months, Red¡¯s eyes held no glow.

    Mewtwo huffed, rising into the air with a raised hand, psychically blocking Frogadier and Charmeleon from standing between them. Mewtwo rolled its neck, releasing what sounded like a weary sigh as its skin finally began to knit itself together, flakes of charred tissue peeling off as new cells patched over old wounds, ¡°It seems even your power has limits, Red Satoshi, and you have met your end.¡±

    Red glared at Mewtwo, unable to do much else besides recalling Pichu to his pokeball - a paltry measure, and his self-hatred only festered . Mewtwo looked at Red for several moments, and in the light of the inferno surrounding them, they both cut pitiful figures.

    Mewtwo waved a hand, and the fires were snuffed away, revealing the ruin of the palace around them, ¡°You are powerful, Red Satoshi. Your power even rivals my own.¡± It was said as a statement of fact, yet Red found no pride in the words, ¡°But you have no control over that power.¡±

    It was also said as fact, and Red¡¯s glare faltered, memories of only minutes past filtering to his mind of his thoughtless rage, his directionless wrath, his purposeless destruction.

    When Red looked back at the one who commanded his pokemon to battle against Mewtwo, he didn¡¯t see himself.

    He saw a mindless beast.

    and he was ashamed.

    Mewtwo seemed to sense his shame, and once more, displayed an infuriating amount of sympathy at it, ¡°I was told that power was like a wildfire, and would destroy everything in its path if uncontrolled. Your powers are the same.¡± Now Mewtwo¡¯s eyes hardened, and a blue glow enveloped them, ¡°Your blind faith in your abilities may work against lesser beings, but I am the Strongest Pokemon in the World.¡±

    Mewtwo¡¯s fist clenched, and a dozen Shadow Balls surrounded Red, all facing him, ¡°There shall be none that surpass me.¡±

    Red grit his teeth, forcing himself up with every remaining ounce of his strength. He wouldn¡¯t die here, not after everything.

    Only a month before, Red may have simply accepted death the same way he did upon Mount Silver.

    But now, the faces of Salvare and Karen, the calm warmth of Vee, the determination of Frogadier, the passion of Charmeleon, the vengeful fury of Pichu-

    -They all pushed his will forward.

    They pushed his will to fight against death.

    So Red stood, pushing past numb limbs and shaking bone. So Red stood, ears ringing from his writhing heart and bruised mind.

    So Red stood, daring the god before him to strike him down in fear of him.

    And in every moment of Red¡¯s defiance, his eyes did not emit even the smallest glow.

    Mewtwo watched Red stand, and chuckled to itself, a grim respect lining its words, ¡°Even when you are beaten, you remain standing.¡± Mewtwo flicked a hand, dispelling the psychic barrier to allow Frogadier and Charmeleon to stand by Red for their final stand - this time with Red keeping his sanity - ¡°You are the first being truly worthy of my respect, but after all of this, you must know this is futile-¡±

    Mewtwo paused - and Red distantly noticed the cry of static creep closer - before turning around, flicking a wrist to launch the Shadow Balls not at Red, but to the sky.

    Why?

    Then Red saw it: a great wave of glass descending upon them, sharpened into simmering points as thousands of microscopic daggers stabbed down into the earth.

    Red tore his voice out of throat, not caring if it came in the worst of rasps - not caring for the spittle of blood that left his mouth - as he commanded his remaining pokemon, ¡° Get behind me!¡±

    With sharp movements that tore at his arms, Red unclipped a capsule from his belt, and threw it to the ground. Three metal claws sprung from the device and dug into the ground, as a bubble shield grew to just barely cover them all, only to shake as waves of glass struck against it.

    Yet, Red felt no worry - these shields could withstand a small mountain falling onto them - and took the opportunity to spray the last of his potions on Frogadier and Charmeleon.

    It would be more of a surface-level healing than anything major, but it was better than nothing.

    Red looked up, as the impacts against their shield suddenly ended, the waves of glass turning in mid-air to begin targeting Mewtwo, who Red could see was faring far worse than they were from the attack.

    Droplets of blood struck the ground, as Mewtwo darted across the sky, blasting groups of glass into dust, only to be struck in the back as another wave rose from below. Mewtwo conjured Psychic domes to trap the glass, only for others to stab through it. Mewtwo blasted the sky with Aura Sphere , Shadow Ball , Fire Blast , Solar Beam , everything it could to fight back against the attack, only for more glass daggers to appear.

    Red watched as the glass spiral and dance around Mewtwo, a soft - barely visible - pink radiance emanating in their cores, and felt a presence he only had fragmented memories of.

    Mew.

    ¡°Who?¡± Mewtwo snarled, pushing forth a Heatwave to melt oncoming glass, ¡°Who dares attack a god?¡±

    ¡°My, you¡¯re awfully conceited.¡±

    Red blinked at the voice, high-pitched yet low in volume, almost as if it was a whisper. His eyes widened upon noticing a tiny pink dot high in the air, only to bulge as a human skull shot down, and began to grow , its jaw opening up to devour Mewtwo¡¯s head as he was distracted by the glass, wrapping around it in a twisted mockery of a Cubone.

    The voice trailed closer, ¡°For being ¡®greater than man¡¯, you fall into much of the same hubris.¡± Mew finally appeared, floating almost lazily towards Mewtwo, who remained still in the air - shocked - as its progenitor giggled into its paws, ¡°So I thought it¡¯d be fitting to have you look around in there!¡± A sharp note entered Mew¡¯s voice, and Red was taken aback by the cruelty lining its words, ¡°Besides, it¡¯s not as if you ever learned from their mistakes.¡±

    Mewtwo seemed to regain his senses, his eyes glowing blue as the skull he wore exploded into a fine dust, ¡°Mew.¡±

    Mew twirled in the air, entirely uncaring about Mewtwo¡¯s visible wrath, ¡°Clone.¡±

    Red¡¯s pokeball rattled, and Pichu tumbled out and onto the ground, groaning in pain as he stumbled onto his legs. Red immediately knelt beside him - silently cursing Pichu¡¯s stubborn inability to rest - and rubbed Pichu¡¯s fur, pushing Heal Pulses into his skin.

    Thankfully, this remained within Red¡¯s ability, despite his eyes remaining entirely dull, powerless.

    ¡­Red was grateful for it.

    His eyes shot up as Mewtwo growled, entirely forgetting Red¡¯s presence as he stared at his counterpart¡¯s form, ¡°I am no mere clone. I am no mere mortal.¡± Mewtwo raised his head, and despite the lingering wounds from Mew and Red combined, he cut an imposing figure, ¡°I am Mewtwo, the New God of War, and I am the Strongest Pokemon in the World!¡±

    Red¡¯s eyes narrowed, as without the crimson haze clouding his thoughts with beastly instinct, he could parse the tone of Mewtwo¡¯s voice, the subtle inflection that most would miss.

    That he had missed in his rage.

    Mewtwo was doubtful , whether of his title as ¡® Strongest ¡¯ or something deeper, Red couldn¡¯t say.

    But it struck a cord in Red nonetheless.

    Yet, Mew obviously held no sympathy for his clone, as it scoffed derisively, ¡°You believe yourself a god? You believe yourself to be the Strongest Pokemon in the World?¡± Mew shook, and Red shivered as Mew¡¯s giggles blew over, as it laughed in Mewtwo¡¯s face, ¡°I think you may have misunderstood what I meant when I said the human¡¯s mistake. I was referring to you! ¡±

    Red stared at Mew in miscomprehension, not bearing any clue as to why the mythical was riling up its clone. It was clearly working, based on the visible tremble of the air that surrounded Mewtwo¡¯s glowing form, ¡°You DARE?!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re pathetic!¡± Mew spat, clearly daring Mewtwo into attack, and it kept on going , ¡°Born in a glass chamber, all alone, with no-one to love you. You¡¯re nothing more than a pitiful god born in tubes!¡±

    Mewtwo¡¯s patience snapped , as a blinding Shadow Ball rippled towards Mew, only to whizz by as Mew twirled around it, ¡°Surely you can do better than that!¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Mewtwo wailed, surging forward with blasts of Aura Sphere and Shadow Ball , cast in waves and chains, spiralling against one another in the sky as Mew danced between them, giggling wildly as it did so, ¡°Shut up! You know nothing of me!¡±

    Mew sneezed, shattering an Aura Sphere into light, and Teleported away from a trio of Shadow Balls. It¡¯s eyes glowed a radiant pink, and its voice lowered to something truly menacing, ¡°Cease this tantrum, clone, or I¡¯ll end it for you.¡±

    Pichu crawled onto Red¡¯s shoulder as Mewtwo erupted, sending volley after volley of attack after attack in an increasingly desperate bid to hit Mew even once , ¡°I am no mere clone! I am your better, I am your successor!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re boring. ¡± Mew thundered, stopping abruptly only to tank several Shadow Balls without any visible strain, ¡°I thought a funhouse mirror of myself would at least be interesting, but you¡¯re no fun at all!¡±

    Where minutes before, Red lost control of his power and raged blindly, now Mewtwo did the same.

    Snarling wordlessly, Mewtwo called forth Thunder , Hurricane , Fire Blast , Solar Beam , Focus Blast , every hard-hitting move it could in a mad attempt to take down Mew.

    Yet - like Mewtwo himself did with Red - Mew twirled, dodged, redirected, and blocked each and every attack, only drawing blood once upon being struck by Stone Edge.

    Yet Mew was unphased.

    ¡°Where¡¯s the fun in world domination?¡± Mew asked, Teleporting away from another Fire Blast , ¡°The storm is neat - I¡¯ll give you that - but your motivation?¡± Mew stuck its tongue out, deftly pirouetting a Solar Beam , ¡°It¡¯s bland. It¡¯s uninteresting! You could¡¯ve done so much better!¡±

    The storm above seemed to wail, and droplets of rain began to spread from the coast - closing in on the eye of the storm - and a staticky shriek pierced the air. Yet, Red seemed to be the only one aware of it - wary of it - as he was the lone being to turn his head skyward.

    And in the storm clouds, he saw the shadow of wings.

    ¡°This is my purpose!¡± Mewtwo roared , as if it would give him strength, ¡°This must be my purpose!¡±

    And Red clenched his fist, staring at the darkening sky as Mewtwo spoke, as his words echoed the words of another, heard over the static din of a VHS recording.

    ¡®THERE MUST BE PURPOSE!¡¯

    ¡°It must be!¡± Mewtwo wailed, ignorant of the coming storm - ignorant of the coming end - ¡°I must show the world that I belong in it! I must carve a place for myself!¡±

    Another wail of static, and Red could see . A shadow - wreathed in flame - began to descend upon them - wrapped in the storm - and Red deactivated his bubble shield to move.

    Only, it was too late, as Mewtwo rumbled - and for the first time, Red heard nothing but sorrow in its voice - ¡°There is no escaping my destiny¡­¡±

    And The Chariot answered.

    ¡°destiny¡­ is a funny thing,¡± The Chariot¡¯s voice - clear, unlike the Ruins of Alph, and so much younger than it was during the Storm - boomed across the stadium, carried in an echo that made it seem inhuman , ¡°by the turn of the clock, We shall all come to know it, and dread it.¡±

    A mass of shadows and wind landed before them, and atop the might of Shadow Lugia - Zeus, alive once more - stood the Chariot, visible only by his glowing red eyes, shimmering in the darkness of the storm clouds.

    A flash of lightning, and Red saw his face for but a single moment.

    And it was¡­ young.

    Yet the shadows crossing his face made him seem decades older.

    ¡°no matter how we may run, our fate shall meet its end,¡± The Chariot¡¯s voice was mocking , in a way that only Red could understand.

    After all, the Chariot repeated the decrees of the Creator that haunted him so.

    How did he know this?

    Red was given no time to ponder this - and it was a miracle he could even think at the moment, that his rage had already dwindled away into chilling numbness - as Zeus shrieked , shaking Red to his bones as the shadow pokemon flapped its wings, smothering them in the storm.

    The Chariot¡¯s voice, though muffled, pierced the din of ice and lightning - and for the first time in Red¡¯s memories, the Chariot¡¯s wrath wasn¡¯t targeted at him - ¡°I have come to bring Your fate to You, Mewtwo. whether in destruction-¡± A pulse of pure darkness shattered the artificial calm, and Mew meeped as it was sweeped away, leaving Red and Mewtwo to fend for themselves, ¡°-or creation.¡±

    ¡­

    (9:26 P.M.) - The_Tower has opened the chat.

    (9:27 P.M.) - The_Emperor has logged in.

    (9:29 P.M.) - The_Emperor: The Empress will not be able to join us tonight. She informed me that she will be unavailable for the next few weeks.

    (9:29 P.M.) - The_Magician has logged in.

    (9:30 P.M.) - The_Tower: Okay

    (9:30 P.M.) - The_Tower: I¡¯ll send an encrypted file to her once we¡¯re done

    (9:31 P.M.) - The_Tower: Do you all recall the Chariot¡¯s report on Team Rocket¡¯s use of the Mew cells?

    (9:31 P.M.) - The_Magician: Yes

    (9:31 P.M.) - The_Emperor: I do. Go on.

    (9:32 P.M.) - The_Tower: Based on public recordings, and the data that the Empress sent, there is a high likelihood that the Mew Cells were used in some way to create the unknown pokemon at the Silver Conference

    (9:33 P.M.) - The_Magician: Its a clone of Mew?

    (9:34 P.M.) - The_Tower: Most likely

    (9:35 P.M.) - The_Emperor: Tower, were you able to access Team Rocket¡¯s database to get more information?

    (9:35 P.M.) - The_Tower: No

    (9:35 P.M.) - The_Tower: They seem to have fortified it in some way since the Silver Conference, and the storm is interfering with my efforts to get past their firewall

    (9:36 P.M.) - The_Magician: Doesnt Chariot usually give information on Team Rocket?

    (9:36 P.M.) - The_Tower: The Chariot hides things, so I can¡¯t rely on the Chariot for everything

    (9:37 P.M.) - The_Tower: Not to mention hes been radio silent for three weeks

    (9:37 P.M.) - The_Tower: Speaking of. @The_Emperor is Chariot the cause of the storm?

    (9:37 P.M.) - The_Magician: ?

    (9:38 P.M.) - The_Emperor: What do you mean?

    (9:38 P.M.) - The_Tower: Please dont play ignorant with me

    (9:38 P.M.) - The_Tower: We both know that Chariot could do this if he wanted

    (9:40 P.M.) - The_Emperor: I cannot be sure, but I am reasonably certain that he would inform me before doing something so drastic.

    (9:41 P.M.) - The_Magician: You cannot be sure?

    (9:41 P.M.) - The_Magician: I thought you were confident in your ability to control the Chariot

    (9:42 P.M.) - The_Emperor: And I am. I am simply unsure of the extent of his capabilities.

    (9:42 P.M.) - The_Magician: You expect us to trust him?

    (9:43 P.M.) - The_Emperor: I expect you to trust my word.

    (9:43 P.M.) - The_Tower: @The_Magician, is Team Galactic giving you any trouble?

    (9:44 P.M.) - The_Magician: Not presently

    (9:44 P.M.) - The_Magician: They are rapidly growing though which might put us in conflict with them

    (9:45 P.M.) - The_Tower: In that case, I¡¯m pleased to inform you that John Kiru has successfully infiltrated their ranks under my orders

    (9:46 P.M.) - The_Magician: Impressive work

    (9:46 P.M.) - The_Emperor: Kiru was initiated this October by the Chariot, correct?

    (9:47 P.M.) - The_Tower: Yes

    (9:48 P.M.) - The_Emperor: In that case, once I get in contact with him, I will send the Chariot to Sinnoh so that he may keep tabs on Kiru, and Team Galactic as a whole.

    (9:48 P.M.) - The_Emperor: He may also provide some much-needed assistance with Project: A.N.E.M.I.A.

    (9:49 P.M.) - The_Emperor: This should also satisfy your need to keep tabs on the Chariot himself, am I correct, Magician?

    (9:49 P.M.) - The_Magician: I will accept it

    (9:50 P.M.) - The_Emperor: Excellent.

    (9:51 P.M.) - The_Emperor: With regards to the storm itself, our sensors in Kanto have picked up a unique energy signature erupting off of the eastern coast of Kanto.

    (9:51 P.M.) - The_Emperor: Based on meteorological data, that is the most likely location of the storm¡¯s centre.

    (9:52 P.M.) - The_Emperor: The interesting part of this is that the energy signatures exactly match those from Mount Silver four months ago.

    (9:53 P.M.) - The_Magician: I suppose you believe that Satoshi is the source of this energy?

    (9:53 P.M.) - The_Emperor: I do.

    (9:54 P.M.) - The_Emperor: And if I am correct in this assumption, Satoshi may be the perfect host for Project: Conduit.

    (9:54 P.M.) - The_Tower: I would heavily recommend against that course of action

    (9:55 P.M.) - The_Tower: All simulations point to the Conduit¡¯s host requiring a level of stability that Satoshi does not have

    (9:55 P.M.) - The_Tower: Im sorry, but I really think we should reevaluate whether Project: Conduit requires a living host, because I think a non-living host would be much more stable

    (9:56 P.M.) - The_Emperor: A non-living host would be unable to generate the power necessary for Project: Conduit to be of use.

    (9:57 P.M.) - The_Emperor: Your objections have been noted, but I will request you to file Red Satoshi as a promising host for Project: Conduit.

    (9:59 P.M.) - The_Tower: Done.

    (10:00 P.M.) - The_Emperor: Excellent. I have nothing more to say.

    (10:00 P.M.) - The_Magician: Neither do I

    (10:01 P.M.) - The_Tower: I don¡¯t have anything more to report

    (10:01 P.M.) - The_Tower: Happy new years

    (10:01 P.M.) - The_Emperor has logged off.

    (10:02 P.M.) - The_Magician has logged off.

    (10:47 P.M.) - The_Tower has closed the chat.

 Third Turn of the Clock

    Dr. Fuji¡¯s Private Lab, Uncharted Territory, Guyana Archipelago, April 7th, 1985

    ¡°Vital Signs: Suboptimal.¡±

    ¡°Estimated Lifespan: 30 Standard Minutes.¡±

    Dr. Fuji ignored the automated statement, resting a hand against the glass chamber that stood in the centre of his main laboratory.

    Within the glass, suspended in artificial amniotic fluid, was a little girl, no older than five-years old.

    His daughter.

    Her eyes remained closed as she curled into herself, plastic tubes and wires connected to ports embedded in her skin, initially meant to be a temporary means of sustenance, only to be required for her continued survival.

    It won¡¯t be long, sweet daughter.

    Soon, you will be reborn into something greater.

    Beside Ambertwo¡¯s chamber was another, far smaller replica, hosting a being far smaller than his cloned daughter, yet far more powerful than Dr. Fuji ever could have predicted.

    It was through him that his daughter could be saved.

    Mewtwo¡­

    Before Dr. Fuji were the remains of his experiments in cloning over the last year, each iteration requiring the use of a Mew Cell to develop, with each bearing deformities that were slowly stripped away as he crafted the key to resurrection.

    They always said Dr. Fuji would do great things. They always said Dr. Fuji could prevent stillbirth, solve world hunger, cure cancer, should he put his mind to it.

    But he never cared for such things; he was never as altruistic as his peers.

    He only cared for his family.

    He cared enough to defy death itself, and bring them back.

    Ambertwo was born from the fourth iteration of testing. In her mere existence, she was a miracle, created from the perfect combination of Mew and Human DNA. She should have been perfect.

    Yet, she wasted away all the same, caught in the grip of the same illness that took Amber.

    It was only thanks to her connection to the fifth iteration of testing that she lived for this long. Mewtwo was formed before Ambertwo had fully taken shape, and was meant to be the last of non-human testing, with his cellular structure remaining almost identical to Mew, with just the smallest touch of Dr. Fuji¡¯s own DNA.

    In his own way, Dr. Fuji now looked upon two of his children.

    One human.

    One pok¨¦mon.

    And like Ambertwo, Mewtwo was almost perfect, bearing none of the sickness that took the lives of the first three clones. It should have been Dr. Fuji¡¯s ultimate scientific success.

    Yet, for some inexplicable reason, despite remaining entirely healthy, Mewtwo could never fully wake.

    Upon discovering this, Dr. Fuji had been overcome by overwhelming disappointment, but no real sense of grief. This only changed when, upon reading the psychic frequencies between the clones, it became clear that Ambertwo and Mewtwo were connected in a way that he could never have dreamed of.

    They were both fully conscious, and spoke to one another with their minds.

    And if their heartbeats indicated anything¡­ they were content with each other¡¯s presence in a way they weren¡¯t when separated.

    A small, withered part of Dr. Fuji felt proud of his daughter for her compassion. She had always been far more friendly than himself - an oddity, considering her mother wasn¡¯t exactly kind herself - so it shouldn¡¯t have surprised him that she would have made a friend in Mewtwo.

    But the larger, more practical side of his mind only saw the opportunity in such a connection. Both Ambertwo and Mewtwo were almost perfect, as Ambertwo was slowly dying, and Mewtwo was unable to awaken.

    But Ambertwo had already opened her eyes, had pressed her hand against the glass.

    And Mewtwo¡­ his body was genetically unable to fall under illness.

    It was meant to be.

    ¡°Vital Signs: Suboptimal.¡±

    ¡°Estimated Lifespan: 20 Standard Minutes.¡±

    Dr. Fuji cast his eyes away from his daughter, and barked at the workers, ¡°Are the preparations complete?¡±

    One of the scientists - Dr. Fuji never cared to learn their names - stepped forward with a wary glint in his eyes, ¡°Yes, sir. But-¡± The lab shook minutely from a tremor on the ground. The scientist seemed to find this particularly worrying, given the dread overtaking his visage, ¡°-There¡¯ve been tremors around the area; you just felt one of them. They¡¯ve been increasing in intensity, and we¡¯re pretty sure they¡¯re not naturally occurring.¡± The scientist turned back to look at the other assembled workers, all of whom beared varying looks of worry, and turned back to Dr. Fuji, ¡°We - er - we recommend you wait-¡±

    ¡° This can¡¯t wait! ¡± Dr. Fuji snapped - ¡°Vital Signs: Near-Critical. Estimated Lifespan: 15 Standard Minutes.¡± - taking a step towards the scientist, ¡°I¡¯m not going to let some insignificant earthquake stop me from saving my daughter! ¡±

    The scientist gulped in the face of Dr. Fuji¡¯s sudden rage, yet he found it within himself to respond, ¡°With all due respect sir¡­ it¡¯s a clone. If it passes, we can simply make another.¡± He adjusted his glasses with increased enthusiasm, unseeing of Dr. Fuji¡¯s rising fury, ¡°We have the cells for it, and we know how to make them work-¡±

    The scientist gasped as he was shoved down, Dr. Fuji standing over him with narrowed eyes, ¡° Get out of my sight! If you¡¯re so damned worried about the floor shaking a little, then leave! ¡± He snapped his eyes to the rest of the workers, who watched the display with frightened stares, ¡°Begin the procedure!¡±

    Dr. Fuji turned around, listening as the scientist scampered off the floor and scurried away. Lights and dials blared to life as the machine behind the glass chambers finally activated.

    The ground shook once more - glass tubes fell and crashed against the ground - but Dr. Fuji only had eyes for the clones, as the amniotic fluid began to drain out of their chambers, which were then connected to the machine.

    The monitor on Dr. Fuji¡¯s desk lit up with several readings, showing the vital signs and brainwaves of both clones. The chambers were refilled with an almost clear liquid, and at once, the pressure within the room tripled as their psychic link was tugged on and stretched.

    Dr. Fuji looked down on the readings, ignoring the sweat pooling at his bangs as Ambertwo¡¯s brainwaves slowly amped up in speed, before finally equalling the intensity of Mewtwo¡¯s own.

    As this happened, Ambertwo¡¯s heart began to beat faster and faster - like Mewtwo¡¯s own - before slowing down suddenly, dropping to 80 BPM, 70 BPM, 50 BPM, 30 BPM-

    ¡°Subjects are Ready for Psychic Transfusion,¡± The automated voice echoed around the lab, and Dr. Fuji snapped his head up, ¡°Do you wish to proceed?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Dr. Fuji snapped, his grin halfway between joyous and manic.

    At once, the pressure in the room increased once more, and Ambertwo and Mewtwo¡¯s eyes both opened, casting the room in a shimmering blue light, as they both opened their mouths in a silent scream.

    And Dr. Fuji watched on, tears in his eyes, as Ambertwo¡¯s body began to fail, and Mewtwo began to writhe. The light of their eyes only growed ever more beautiful - ever more terrible - and it was only from the screams of the other scientists that Dr. Fuji pulled his eyes away, and witnessed a blast of fire, as a shadow, wreathed in flame, entered the lab.

    ¡°let there be light.¡±

    ¡­

    New Island, The Eye of the Storm, January 1st, 1998

    let there be light

    And there was light, as flashes of lightning tore the sky in streaks of blue and silver. Rain and hail flooded the ground, an icy slush pooling at Red¡¯s feet as the temperature rose to boiling highs, and his breath puffed out in chilled clouds.

    ¡°I have come to bring Your fate to You, Mewtwo. whether in destruction-¡± The mass of shadows moved, and Red crouched over his pok¨¦mon, watching with narrowed eyes as the Shadow Lugia blasted Mew away with a staticky roar, ¡°-or creation.¡±

    Your Fate will Meet Its End.

    Mewtwo - predictably - focused his attention on Zeus and The Chariot, who dismounted the corrupted legendary as Mewtwo launched a volley of Shadow Balls at it.

    The storm surged , and the Shadow Balls were shredded mid-air by a spiralling darkness so thick that Red could feel it in his lungs. The Chariot - who¡¯s form was obscured by the hellish winds, the growing shadows - stood within the storm as if he was born in it, breathing in the stifling air as if it was a sunny day at the beach.

    And though Red couldn¡¯t see the Chariot¡¯s face, he could easily envision the crazed smile upon his face, the thrice-damned flash of snarling teeth as his eyes glowed with malevolent whimsy, conducting massacres as a musician would an orchestra-

    Red could see the Chariot¡¯s face, broken and bleeding, his mechanical lung wheezing out as glass and water crashed from above, a watery tomb far too merciful for the man - the monster that doomed the world-

    focus

    The shimmering haze of crimson left Red¡¯s eyes, and he stumbled back, almost losing his footing as the storm continued to grow.

    remember Your lessons in control

    Red snarled wordlessly, digging his nails into his palms - drawing blood - as he forced himself to stand still, and observe.

    The first and most important thing Red noticed was that all of his pok¨¦mon were alright. Though they were injured by their battle against Mewtwo, and forced onto the ground by the strength of the storm, he could see that they were still healthy.

    Well, healthy enough to not require being put into stasis within their pok¨¦balls.

    And they were all tense , primed for battle at Red¡¯s word, visibly restraining themselves from rushing at the Chariot in a suicidal rush.

    And it would be suicide, as Red witnessed twin flashes of light, columns of fire and stone joining the shadows as the Chariot¡¯s Typhlosion and Tyranitar - Ares and Dionysus - fought alongside Zeus.

    After his pok¨¦mon, though, the second thing Red noticed in his forced state of calm was an almost familiar tug on his aura - shattered as it was. It was a state of heaviness that didn¡¯t affect him physically, yet there was a sense of itchiness beneath his skin that drove him mad.

    It felt like a link - fluttery and thin - only barely there, but it clung tightly.

    It almost felt like Red¡¯s bond with Frogadier - and his infant bonds with Pichu and Charmeleon - but it was deeper in a way that unnerved him.

    It actually felt closer to his bond with Vee than anything else, as sudden and deep as his love for her.

    ¡­Yet the tug on his soul felt deeply cold rather than pleasantly warm.

    Red shook the thought away, moving himself and his pok¨¦mon back to protect them from the Chariot¡¯s wrath.

    But all of the Chariot¡¯s focus was on Mewtwo.

    And that was the third thing Red noticed in his forced calm, and it threatened to break what little control he had because this had never happened before.

    Everytime the Chariot encountered Red - going back to their very first meeting, at the birth of the Storm - he was out for blood , attacking him indiscriminately in such a way that Red simply couldn¡¯t afford to stand still and watch.

    Not like he was now.

    Even before the Chariot singled Red out as his equal , there would always be some sort of battle. Yet, as Red stood against Zeus¡¯ storm, he witnessed - for the first time of his life - the terrible beauty of the Chariot¡¯s power when it wasn¡¯t directed against him.

    And, oh, it truly was both beautiful and terrible.

    Where Red¡¯s battles against the Chariot were feverish, frantic dances of blood and fire, the Chariot¡¯s offensive against Mewtwo seemed far more¡­

    Graceful.

    Where Red had pounded against Mewtwo¡¯s defence like a blunt instrument, and Mew had spun around Mewtwo¡¯s offence like a fine thread, the Chariot managed to do both.

    And he made it look effortless.

    Where Red had raged and roared, the Chariot remained silent, weaving between crashing stone only to send his own with a flick of the wrist.

    Minimum movement with maximum effect.

    Where Mew had remained passive in his attacks, the Chariot lunged, forming spears of flaming aura to throw at Mewtwo, only for it to Teleport away, unwittingly leaving it prone to Ares¡¯ Fire Pledge.

    Mewtwo shot through the air in a flaming heap, only stopping itself less than a second before impacting the wall with a wave of Psychic , and the only thing Red could think at the moment was that Mewtwo wouldn¡¯t have survived that had Ares used Blast Burn.

    Not when it was already so weakened from Red and Mew.

    But Red only had to look once into Mewtwo¡¯s glowing blue eyes to see that it didn¡¯t realise - or didn¡¯t care - that it could have died, as it launched itself back into the typhoon, both hands forming sharpened Aura Spheres.

    Red looked back to the Chariot, and for a moment, the storm shifted in such a way that he could see his eyes.

    A shimmering, steel-like grey.

    Yet not the cold, dead grey Red remembered.

    He almost looked¡­ sane.

    In fact, what troubled Red so much was just how sane the Chariot seemed compared to Red¡¯s memories of him from the fallen timeline. Where that Chariot ranted endlessly over maddened ideologies, this Chariot was far too quiet.

    It unnerved Red.

    it enraged Red.

    It didn¡¯t matter if this Chariot was somehow more controlled in his brutality, he still had to die. Red¡¯s mission - his Purpose - was to eradicate Team Source before it doomed the world, and the man - the devil - before him was responsible for the death of millions-

    The Chariot turned his head - merely a silhouette - and Red perceived through the haze of hateful crimson that the Chariot was staring at him - with what look, he couldn¡¯t tell - only for the Chariot to tilt his head, eyes flaring a dark crimson of its own - yet not as bright as Red¡¯s - as Red¡¯s chronic migraine snapped , and the haze shattered into the din of static noise surrounding them.

    A trickle of blood crept out of Red¡¯s ears and down his neck.

    Yet, for the first time in months , Red could think without having to restrain the phantom urge to destroy.

    Red reared back, as if struck, as the everpresent weight on his soul soothed and simmered. Yet it remained, slowly clawing its way back to the cornea of his eyes. He brought his eyes back to the Chariot¡¯s form, only to see that the man had turned his back to him, calling out to his pok¨¦mon, ¡°Evade and counter! Wear it out!¡±

    Even with the rise in volume, the Chariot¡¯s voice remained calm in a way that still discomfited Red. But with the migraine soothed - with the crimson haze smothered - Red could think past his blazing hatred enough to remember that there were others on the island.

    And unlike himself, none of them were remotely equipped to deal with the Chariot¡¯s wrath.

    There was a choice to be made here, and just a month ago - perhaps even weeks ago - Red would have chosen to stay, to fight, to kill, to get revenge twice over.

    But the Red of before was a broken man, alone, with all those he loved long since buried.

    Now, though, Red¡¯s choice was obvious.

    He turned around, and fled to the edge of the typhoon.

    For while he may still be a broken man, he was no longer alone.

    Did it make him better, to have friends to help lift him up?

    Did it make him worse, to drag them down to death or damnation?

    Red didn¡¯t have time to ponder this, as he grit his teeth and fought against the winds of the storm, distantly noticing the pounding of his veins as blood vessels popped from the change in air pressure.

    Red reached the edge of the typhoon, only to shoulder Mew as it flew back towards the fight. The small mythical shook itself off from the impact - it¡¯s singed fur being the only signs of being in a fight beforehand - before turning to scrutinise Red.

    Red stilled, glaring at Mew as it turned up its nose in a snobbish gesture, ¡°Well, well, well! Here I thought my clone was the only freak around here!¡±

    Red¡¯s eye twitched - though it¡¯s glow remained dull - and he snapped, ¡°Now¡¯s not the time! Where are the others?¡±

    Mew rolled its eyes, twirling lazily before pointing a foot towards the edge of the stadium, ¡°They¡¯re all cowering, like ants!¡± Mew giggled, before suddenly pressing its nose against Red¡¯s, ¡°You know, you¡¯re lucky the Creator¡¯s light shines upon you. You wouldn¡¯t be allowed the backtalk otherwise.¡±

    Red¡¯s face twisted in a grim smile - which hid the frank bafflement he felt at the mythical¡¯s words - and growled, ¡°Try me.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Mew rumbled, before bopping Red on the nose with a happy trill, ¡°I like you! Unlike him, you have some moxie!¡±

    Red couldn¡¯t help but blink at the whiplash of Mew¡¯s tone, and wasn¡¯t able to respond before the mythical twirled once more, ¡°Get going now! I have to go teach a stupid bird some manners.¡±

    With an echoing giggle, Mew flew back into the typhoon, leaving Red to shake his head and run to where Mew had pointed.

    As he did, Red noticed just how much of the stadium had been destroyed in his and Mewtwo¡¯s battle, with the battlements and towers all bearing some form of damage, with some structures having been reduced to nothing more than rubble.

    After vaulting over the shattered remains of one such fallen tower, Red reached a breach in the battlements, and found Feraligatr standing guard, with Salvare¡¯s other pok¨¦mon flanking it.

    Just as Feraligatr noticed Red¡¯s arrival, so too did his trainer, as Salvare burst out from the breach, ¡°Red!¡±

    Red opened his mouth to respond, only to snap it shut, eyes widening as Salvare wrapped his arms around him.

    ¡­It was a hug.

    Before Red could say or do anything about it, Salvare stepped back, his visage somewhat embarrassed, but it was quickly overshadowed by a grim stare, ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re alright, but we have a problem.¡±

    ¡°Let me guess,¡± Red deadpanned, turning an unimpressed gaze upon the trio of children who were peeking at them from behind Feraligatr, ¡°It¡¯s those three?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Salvare sighed, scratching the back of his head in agitation, ¡°They just kinda¡­ showed up. ¡±

    Red held in a snort - ¡®Showed up¡¯ sounds about right - and forced himself to look upon a group of people he hadn¡¯t seen in years.

    The first he saw was Brock, who protectively stood over the other two - an instinct borne of raising a legion of younger siblings, no doubt - with a guarded stare. He was somehow older than Red expected, yet younger than he remembered.

    Brock was only 16 at this time.

    To Ash, that made Brock seem that much more mature.

    To Red, who had been 17 when the Storm first came, that made Brock seem all the younger.

    Red shoved down the growing pit of anger in his stomach, and wrenched his eyes to the side, spotting Misty, who was shivering against Brock¡¯s side.

    And if Brock¡¯s youth was more of a subtle thing, Misty was very obviously still a child. Her eyes were scared - innocent - in a way that hadn¡¯t been present in Red¡¯s memories of her, and with her holding herself as she shivered, she seemed so much smaller than he remembered.

    So much more scared, despite her attempts to hide it.

    It made Red wonder if she had been this scared the first time, back when he had been Ash.

    And if so¡­

    How did he not see it?

    Red closed his eyes, pinching his nose in growing agitation before opening them to witness the source of his rising fury.

    Himself.

    Ash Ketchum was a tiny slip of a thing, staring up at him with a determined scowl. Pikachu - younger than Pichu, yet evolved - was carefully balanced on his shoulder, and placed the entirety of his focus upon his older self. Ash¡¯s clothes were far more damaged than that of his companions, sporting tears and burns that likely came from his ill-advised trip within the inferno of Red and Mewtwo¡¯s battle.

    How he managed so was still a mystery to Red.

    But there was another mystery Red needed answered, as he strolled past Salvare and stared down the group, flicking his eyes between Brock and Misty, before settling his gaze upon Ash, ¡° Why are you here? ¡±

    Not ¡®How are you here?¡¯ That could be answered in any number of ways, none of which truly mattered.

    But ¡®Why?¡¯

    Red had to know why Ash had deemed fit to risk himself - to risk his friends - to go to an island kilometres off the coast whilst a storm ravaged the world. He had to know why Ash would do something so reckless, so stupid , when he should have kept his friends in mind and protected them.

    Like Red failed to do.

    And Red knew this was Ash¡¯s idea. It was always Ash¡¯s idea. He had brought his friends along on more suicidal quests than he could count, simply because it looked cool , or he needed to help.

    And behind Red remained a series of failures, a series of graves, a series of mistakes he couldn¡¯t undo.

    Ash blinked at Red¡¯s question, and his eyes turned defensive, as he puffed up and responded, ¡°Well, someone needed to do something! ¡±

    Red could see Brock and Misty¡¯s nervous expressions in his peripheral vision, but he remained focused on Ash. He didn¡¯t have to ask what Ash meant by something - it was apparent to them - but he did have to ask, if only for himself, ¡° Why does it have to be you? ¡±

    Red didn¡¯t give Ash the chance to respond, as he turned to Salvare and asked, ¡°I¡¯m assuming they don¡¯t have a way off the island?¡±

    Salvare straightened, ¡°They don¡¯t.¡±

    Red restrained the urge to sigh, ¡°Then they¡¯ll take ours.¡± He turned to his pok¨¦mon, who tore their gazes away from Ash - something, he knew, was far more difficult for them than it was for himself - ¡°Do you remember where our boat is?¡± At their nods, Red commanded, ¡° Dig us there.¡±

    ¡°Wait!¡± Ash shot forward, glaring at Red with determined eyes, ¡°We need to stop this, whatever¡¯s happening-¡±

    Ash was cut off by Brock, who stepped in front of Ash as Misty wrestled him away, ¡°You¡¯re sending us away, sir?¡±

    Red¡¯s lips pursed at Brock¡¯s small voice - sir? - but he answered, ¡°Yes. This is no place for children.¡±

    Because that¡¯s what they were, in the end.

    Ash, Brock, Misty, they were all children facing the wrath of gods.

    Mewtwo, the Legendary Bird Trio, Palkia, Dialga.

    Arceus¡­

    They shouldn¡¯t have had to be the ones to pacify these beasts.

    They were children.

    They were dead because of him.

    Red closed his eyes, beating back the mix of guilt and rage that threatened to overtake him. He opened them, and nodded to his pok¨¦mon to begin Digging , as Brock asked, ¡°Are you also leaving?¡±

    Red narrowed his eyes at the question, and ignored Ash¡¯s own squawk of disapproval to respond, ¡°That¡¯s not for you to know.¡±

    It was pretty apparent to Red that the answer didn¡¯t satisfy Brock - or Salvare, for that matter - but before he could respond, Ash shot forward, having successfully wrestled himself and Pikachu out of Misty¡¯s grasp, ¡°But-¡±

    ¡° But nothing, ¡± Red hissed, his eyes flaring crimson once more. He yanked Ash by the scruff of his shirt and shoved him into Brock¡¯s embrace, ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous for you. You¡¯ve done your part, but now it¡¯s time to leave. ¡±

    Red turned away from his younger self, but not quickly enough to miss the glare the child was sending him. He nodded to Salvare, wordlessly beckoning his prot¨¦g¨¦ to the front of the tunnel, and stepped back, ¡°Follow him, single file. No speaking, and no escape attempts.¡± Red¡¯s eyes met Ash¡¯s as he said this, and the younger counterpart was cowed for a moment by the blazing crimson of his eyes, ¡°I¡¯ll follow behind you.¡±

    It went unsaid that if Ash tried running, Red would catch him.

    Ash grumbled, but allowed himself to follow his friends down the tunnel Red¡¯s pok¨¦mon made. It was nowhere near as spacious or dry as the tunnel Red had ascended upon reaching the island, as fissures ran along the island¡¯s crust, causing trickles of rainwater to drop on their heads as they crept down the tunnel.

    They crept along for another minute before the earth began to shake, as the battle above heightened in intensity, causing cracks to form along the tunnel¡¯s walls. At once, without any words between them, Red and Salvare stopped, their pok¨¦mon pressing themselves against the earth to keep it steady. After a few more moments, the earthquake passed, and they continued.

    None of them noticed Red¡¯s hat slip from his hair and fall to the ground.

    Finally, after several minutes of digging, they reached the base of the island. Salvare stumbled out, but kept his footing, and helped Brock and Misty out of the tunnel.

    Ash declined Salvare¡¯s assistance with a huff, hopping down himself.

    Red followed his counterpart, telling Frogadier in a whisper to seel the tunnel, before noticing the other trio by their boat.

    Salvare noticed them shortly after, ¡° Hey! ¡± He ran towards the trio, as the two humans fled behind the boat, and the Meowth jumped three metres into the air, ¡°What the heck are you doing?!¡±

    ¡°What are you doing?!¡± That was James¡¯ voice - because where Ash went, Team Rocket wasn¡¯t far behind - ¡°This is our boat!¡±

    ¡°Yeah!¡± Oh, now it¡¯s Jessie. Red took the moment to nod towards Charmeleon¡¯s creeping form before walking towards Salvare, ¡°Now scram!¡±

    Salvare sputtered, looking somewhat bewildered, and entirely exhausted, ¡°Who the heck are you people?! ¡±

    Ash seemed fit to answer the question; though, it was probably in the worst way possible, given Salvare¡¯s history - not that Ash would know it, but Red wasn¡¯t exactly feeling charitable - ¡°Team Rocket! Your boat¡¯s on the other side of the island!¡±

    Salvare¡¯s eyes flashed upon hearing ¡®Team Rocket¡¯ , and it was only because of Red placing a firm hand on his shoulder that he didn¡¯t command Feraligatr to commit murder.

    Salvare turned an aggravated stare onto Red, only for him to shake his head and command, ¡°Charmeleon, Scary Face. ¡±

    A beat - then twin screams, as Jessie and James both scurried out from behind the boat, with Charmeleon trotting out behind them, bearing the smuggest look Red had ever seen on his face.

    Meowth popped his head out from underneath the boat, and locked eyes with Red for several moments, before gasping out in confusion, ¡° Twerp? ¡±

    Red scowled, causing Meowth to meep and scurry behind the other two, who now stared at Red with wide eyes. They turned to stare at each other, before turning their heads to Ash, ¡°You have a brother?!¡±

    ¡° Enough ,¡± Red snapped, cutting off Ash¡¯s exclamation of ¡® What? ¡¯, ¡°Everyone, get in the boat.¡±

    ¡° Red, ¡± Salvare¡¯s voice was strained, and the cause of it was apparent based on the direction of his glare, ¡° They¡¯re Team Rocket.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± Red murmured, low enough that only Salvare could hear - Misty was the first onto the boat - ¡°These three are harmless, though.¡±

    ¡° What? ¡± Salvare hissed, as Brock tried to corral towards the boat - with minimal success - ¡°What the hell do you mean by ¡®harmless¡¯? ¡±

    ¡° I¡¯ll tell you later, ¡± Red snapped, his patience wearing thin - though that was no fault of Salvare¡¯s - as he turned towards the second trio, ¡°You all, get in.¡±

    ¡° What?! ¡± Salvare barked, stepping in front of Red to stare at him in betrayal , ¡°Why the fuck are we saving them! ¡±

    ¡°Because I know them, ¡± Red hissed, watching in the edge of his vision as Team Rocket clambered onto the boat, ¡°Sure, they¡¯re not exactly good , but they¡¯re not like your father. They¡¯re not evil, not like the rest of them.¡±

    Red and Salvare remained in a standoff for several moments, only for it to be broken by Brock and Misty¡¯s yells, as Ash darted past the two of them and tried to run back to the tunnel, only for him to be blocked by Frogadier.

    Red¡¯s ears began to ring as Misty and Brock¡¯s voices melded into a ringing din, as he stalked towards Ash, his voice no louder than a whisper, ¡°Are you this fucking dense?¡±

    Ash whirled around, his eyes widening at Red¡¯s glare - his eyes glowed in a brilliant rage - ¡°I¡¯ve told you already, it¡¯s too dangerous for you to go back there.¡±

    Ash wavered, but stood firm - determined - in the face of Red¡¯s growing anger, ¡°Maybe it is, but I can¡¯t just do nothing! ¡± His voice was backed up by a squeak from Pikachu - a Pikachu that knew none of the horrors Pichu lived through - ¡°I¡¯m not a coward!¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re not going to think about your own safety, then think about theirs!¡± Red hissed , extending a fist towards Misty and Brock - both of whom were struck silent by the weight of Red¡¯s rage, the weight of Red¡¯s guilt - ¡°They¡¯ll stand with you, even when you do something idiotic - especially when you do something idiotic!¡±

    Ash¡¯s eyes widened as Red¡¯s restraint snapped , and he stomped forward, eyes blazing in pure loathing as he raged at himself, ¡°DO YOU WANT TO GET THEM KILLED! THAT¡¯S HOW YOU GET THEM KILLED!¡± The earth began to shake as Red stepped forward, his anguish breaking free to ravage the coast, ¡°THAT¡¯S HOW YOU GET YOUR FRIENDS, YOUR FAMILY, EVERYONE WHO YOU¡¯VE EVER CARED ABOUT KILLED!¡±

    Images of countless faces, countless tombs, countless deaths flashed across Red¡¯s mind - and all of them, he bore the responsibility of in his heart - ¡°MISTY! BROCK! GARY! SERENA-¡± Red¡¯s voice cracked, sorrow overtaking the rage in his voice, ¡°Professor Oak, your own goddamned mother¡­¡± Red straightened, and pinned Ash¡¯s trembling form down with a stare, pooling every ounce of accumulated self-loathing into his words, ¡°Mark my words, Ash. It may not be today, but if you keep acting like this, you will see it for yourself.¡±

    Ash had fell onto the ground at some point of Red¡¯s rage, trembling under the weight of his fury. Yet, Ash mustered what remained of his courage, and blinked back tears to snap, ¡°Y-you don¡¯t know me! You don¡¯t know anything about me!¡±

    Red snarled - a dark part of him found grim amusement in Ash¡¯s words - and bit out a single name, ¡°Delia Ketchum.¡±

    Ash went still, and Red reached out to grab the child, only for Frogadier to pick Ash up onto his shoulder, hopping past Red to deposit Ash with his friends.

    Red stared at Frogadier¡¯s eyes once Ash was settled¡­

    And Frogadier was shaken.

    Frightened¡­

    By him.

    Wrenching his eyes away from the boat, Red turned to Salvare - who almost looked disturbed - raising an eyebrow in silent question. It didn¡¯t take long for Salvare to pick up on it, and he responded with a wary shrug, ¡°What? We already established that I¡¯m sticking with you.¡±

    ¡®Wherever you go, I go.¡¯

    Red closed his eyes - realising that the migraine was back - and simply commanded, ¡°Send them away.¡±

    Red¡¯s eyes remained closed as Salvare commanded Feraligatr to push the boat away with Surf. He listened with closed off ears as the sounds of whispered voices were overtaken by the waves, plunging the remaining two in a blessed silence.

    Of course, it couldn¡¯t last forever, as Salvare murmured by Red¡¯s side, ¡°Did you have to terrify the kid?¡±

    Red sighed, his eyes remaining closed, ¡°Can we not talk about it?¡±

    ¡°No, I kinda think we have to talk about it,¡± Salvare responded with faux-cheer, mimicking Karen¡¯s tones, ¡°Because, between you and me, that was pretty fucking disturbing .¡±

    Red opened his eyes - simmering in a dim hue of crimson - and turned back towards the tunnel, prompting Salvare to snap, ¡° Red- ¡±

    ¡°He has to learn¡­¡± Red breathed, his voice airy from yelling so much, ¡°That his actions have consequences. That he will cause his friends to die because of a misplaced sense of loyalty. ¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s ten, ¡± Salvare growled, following Red as they began to ascend the tunnel once more, ¡°He didn¡¯t deserve your rage.¡±

    ¡°And he doesn¡¯t deserve to lose his friends over a stupid mistake,¡± Red snapped, turning to face his prot¨¦g¨¦, ¡° Leave it. ¡±

    ¡°Are you the kid¡¯s father, because you sure acted a lot like the only father I know! ¡± Salvare barked, his own eyes rippling into shades of violet, ¡°You look similar enough for it! Is that why you looked so fucking spooked upon seeing him? I saw it.¡±

    ¡° Salvare, ¡± Red rumbled, narrowing his eyes into crimson points, ¡° I. Said. Leave. It.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Salvare shook his head as he rushed forward, blocking Red¡¯s path through the tunnel, ¡°You threatened him. You said a name - Delia Ketchum - and it scared him. ¡± His eyes turned pleading, as he regarded Red with a desperate stare, ¡° Please tell me there was a reason for it. Please tell me you didn¡¯t do it for fun-¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s me,¡± Red cut Salvare off, prompting everyone within the tunnel to freeze, ¡°I¡¯m him.¡± He stepped towards Salvare, his eyes flashing in raging anguish as he stared him down, ¡°We¡¯re the same person, Salvare. That¡¯s how I know it would happen. ¡± His eyes darkened into seas of void, both baring singular crimson suns, ¡° That¡¯s how I know they¡¯d die for him, because they died for me. ¡±

    Red distantly felt Pichu nuzzle against his cheek in a comforting gesture, but kept his focus on Salvare, who now knew Red¡¯s secret.

    A secret that, after months of lies, was revealed in a fit of emotional duress.

    Red gulped down the rising bile in his throat, and stepped past Salvare, ¡°Nevermind. We don¡¯t have time-¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t get it,¡± Salvare whispered, his eyes no longer looking disturbed, but rather perplexed, ¡°You¡­ yelled at your past self?¡±

    Red clenched a fist at Salvare¡¯s words - it painted a rather pathetic picture, him using his past self as a punching bag for his own self-loathing - and grunted out, ¡°I¡¯ll explain later.¡± They neared the stadium, ¡°Now, we have to focus on the present.¡±

    In more ways than one.

    Salvare sobered, taking his place by Red¡¯s side as they peered at the hellish storm before them, ¡°Understood. Where do you need me?¡±

    Red pursed his lips as he watched the storm, witnessing flashes of silhouettes appear under strikes of lightning, and turned his head to look at his pok¨¦mon. Frogadier and Charmeleon were both winded from their previous battle, but they bore minimal injuries. However, as Red looked into Pichu¡¯s eyes, he could sense that, despite the mouse¡¯s bravado, it was a hair away from fainting.

    Should Red force Pichu into battle against the Chariot, it would with Pichu succumbing to something much worse than fainting.

    With a resolute nod, Red plucked Pichu off of his shoulders, and set him in Salvare¡¯s arms. Upon realising Red¡¯s intent, Pichu began to protest rather loudly, cheeks sparking in growing agitation.

    Red fixed Pichu with a hard stare, ¡°Don¡¯t fight this, Pichu.¡± His gaze softened, and he pet Pichu¡¯s head, ¡°You¡¯ve done enough for us.¡±

    As Red¡¯s hand left Pichu¡¯s head, he pushed a small amount of aura into Pichu¡¯s form, dragging him into slumber with Hypnosis.

    Red nodded to himself and turned to Salvare, ¡°Hold him, and keep away from the storm.¡±

    Salvare held Pichu against his chest, and looked past Red, ¡°You¡¯re going in?¡±

    Red turned back, as a flash of lightning illuminated the midnight sky to reveal the hazy form of Shadow Lugia as it descended back into the battle with a cry of static. Arcs of purple and pink energy rushed against the edge of the storm, as Mew and Mewtwo both fought against the Chariot.

    Yet, Red could feel deep within his soul that their strength alone would not be enough.

    BY THE TURN OF THE CLOCK, YOU SHALL KNOW YOUR DESTINY.

    GO FORTH, MY CHARIOT. GO FORTH, AND PREVAIL.

    Red cast an eye to the sky before turning back to Salvare with a solemn nod, ¡°I must.¡±

    Salvare nodded back, holding Pichu close as he stepped back, ¡°Don¡¯t die, Red.¡±

    Red paused - and once more, despite his recent failings, he found that he had no desire to die; not like the last time he delved into a storm - and responded, ¡° I won¡¯t. ¡±

    Red walked back to the edge of the storm, pausing as Charmeleon and Frogadier stood by his sides.

    Red ran a finger along the bracelet on his right wrist, and felt the Source Stones embedded within.

    His pok¨¦mon watched the movement with narrowed eyes, anticipation lining their nerves as they gazed upon their trainer in silent question.

    Red looked back, his face set in a grim stare, and only asked, ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    Frogadier and Charmeleon both nodded - both of them far too trusting of him; yet it brought a warm comfort, all the same - and Red heaved a weary sigh, ¡°...It¡¯s probably necessary at this point. Arceus have mercy on us all. ¡±

    Red pinched the stones, and with a grunt, twisted them, releasing the boundless energy contained within them, only for them to latch onto his pok¨¦mon.

    Red¡¯s aura spiked as his bonds with them triple in weight, as Frogadier and Charmeleon both doubled over, shining with a radiant light.

    Red¡¯s heart raced as he stepped forward, his pok¨¦mon stepping beside him as light condensed into new, more powerful forms.

    Red¡¯s eyes blazed as they breached the edge of the storm, and they all rejoined the battle with the same heart, the same mind, and the same soul.

    ¡­

    ¡®We dreaming of creating the World¡¯s Strongest Pok¨¦mon.¡¯

    Mewtwo buckled in the air, pulling the hellish winds around itself as a makeshift shield. Blades of fire and stone crashed against it, leaving burning scrapes along his skin.

    ¡®Those fools thought you were a science experiment.¡¯

    His fists clenched, his skin peeled over with Recover , and a stab to the earth brought forth another Earthquake , the next brought a Fissure.

    ¡®But I see you as a valuable partner.¡¯

    With a wave of Mewtwo¡¯s hand, golden flames arced into the sky, turning the surrounding rain into steam, which exploded into blasts of ice with a clench of his fist.

    ¡®It was my impression that you were looking to prove your place in this world¡­¡¯

    Mewtwo sunk to the ground, and with a mighty roar, upturned stone into magma, wielding it as a shield to deflect blasts of Dark Pulse and Flamethrower.

    ¡®You¡¯re mistaken, Mewtwo. I didn¡¯t create the Storm. I destroyed it.¡¯

    The Typhlosion and Tyranitar combined attacks and blasted away the wall of magma. In the smoke, the demon commanding them lunged forward, launching spears of flaming aura at him. Mewtwo Teleported away - moments before being struck - but not as far as he would have wished.

    ¡®You¡¯re nothing more than a pitiful god born in tubes!¡¯

    Mewtwo huffed, exhaustion clawing at his limbs, only for pain to spike in his side as the Typhlosion¡¯s Fire Pledge connected, shooting him through the air.

    Mewtwo regained control, summoning a Psychic barrier between himself and the wall before impact. Wounds laced his skin as he hovered in the air, the glow of his eyes flickering as rage gave way to exhaustion.

    But he didn¡¯t, he couldn¡¯t allow himself the weakness. He couldn¡¯t be burdened by the same limits as mere mortals - he was above them!

    With a desperate cry, Mewtwo enveloped his fists with sharpened Aura Spheres , and launched himself back into the fight, punching the Tyranitar¡¯s chest once, twice, before being knocked back by the Typhlosion.

    The demon - wreathed in phantom flames - pierced Mewtwo with a steel-eyed stare, and commanded those that followed him, ¡°Evade and counter! Wear it out!¡±

    Mewtwo was struck by the demon¡¯s arrogance - greater even than Red Satoshi¡¯s - in thinking that it could stand against him, and it boiled over into rage, which Mewtwo used to fuel his wrath against the twin behemoths of stone and fire.

    Mewtwo had been fighting for hours , first with Red, then with Mew, and finally against the demon. Any lesser being would have fallen against such a gauntlet long ago - for Mewtwo would readily admit they all bore power - but Mewtwo was not a lesser being. All three were unique challenges for Mewtwo to overcome - unique trials for him to prove his title as ¡®Strongest¡¯ .

    Red Satoshi was an incredible being, bearing a power that even Mewtwo couldn¡¯t sense the limit of. In a direct confrontation, Mewtwo doubted that even he would emerge victorious. At best, he may achieve a pyrrhic victory, with both combatants suffering fatal wounds.

    This became very clear early on in his battle against Satoshi, so he adapted, and found a weakness. For all that Red boasted power, he hardly knew how to wield it. It seemed to Mewtwo as if Red himself had been unaware of the power until fighting Mewtwo, which would be a blessing, if true.

    Thus, Mewtwo¡¯s battle against Red became less of a brawl and more of a test of endurance. Instead of attacking Satoshi directly, Mewtwo prioritised redirection and defence, slowly wearing his opponent down to press the advantage.

    It had taken much of Mewtwo¡¯s energy to outlast Satoshi - far too much - but it allowed him to best his opponent, and in his victory, Mewtwo did not sense Mew¡¯s arrival until it was too late.

    Yet, where Red had been overly aggressive in his attacks, Mew was overly defensive. It was true that Mew had struck Mewtwo with attacks of its own, but it seemed more concerned with enraging Mewtwo with its words than actually defeating it, and Mewtwo indulged in that rage, allowing it to fuel his attacks.

    Mewtwo had no doubts that he could have defeated Mew. He may not have been able to kill the annoying creature, but he would have forced it to flee.

    Yet, it seemed neither Mew, Mewtwo, or Red accounted for the arrival of the demon.

    Mewtwo hissed, spitting out blood as he twisted his wrist, banishing Typhlosion into a wall. It gave a cry, but Mewtwo had no time to capitalise, as Tyranitar barreled into him with Bulldoze .

    Mewtwo shook the Tyranitar off, huffed a tired breath, and lifted a hand, grabbing Tyranitar with Psychic before pressing down .

    Tyranitar grunted as it was crushed into the earth, but any crippling damage Mewtwo may have inflicted was cut short by a wave of dark energy, as Tyranitar broke free from Mewtwo¡¯s Psychic hold, allowing it to reemerge from the earth.

    Mewtwo growled in annoyance - phantom flames lingered in his vision - only to stop at the sound of lightning, and Teleport away in time to dodge a Thunderbolt from the demon.

    Mewtwo sensed the power behind the blast, and found it lesser than that of Satoshi¡¯s, but far more precise in a way that Red¡¯s hadn¡¯t been.

    The demon cocked his head as he regarded Mewtwo, who cast another Recover with the time he was given. The winds of the storm still carried phantom flames that obscured the demon¡¯s face, though Mewtwo could still see the edges of a small grin, ¡°You¡¯re running on fumes, my friend. It¡¯s obvious just by looking at you.¡±

    Mewtwo snarled, and punched out a series of Shadow Balls , only for them Tyranitar to absorb them into its hide, looking only mildly pained by the attacks.

    Mewtwo heaved in a breath of air into his seven lungs - each of which were strained - and roared, ¡°You dare?!¡±

    ¡°Oh, I dare,¡± The demon replied, sounding mildly amused as he strolled around the typhoon - and in Mewtwo¡¯s mind, he heard the terrified screams of a little girl - ¡°I¡¯ve dared many things in my life; it¡¯s what makes it worth living.¡±

    The demon sighed, looking up for a moment as a shriek of static emanated from the corrupted Lugia above them, ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be like this, Mewtwo.¡± He looked back down, staring at Mewtwo¡¯s exhausted form, ¡°I will get what I desire, one way or another .¡±

    He stepped towards Mewtwo, and in a flash, the demon¡¯s eyes burned into pinpricks of crimson void, ¡°Don¡¯t make this more difficult than it has to be. I¡¯ve killed you once already; I have no desire to do so again.¡±

    At once, the world around Mewtwo faded, and the phantom flames grew to consume him. In his mind, amidst the din of chimes, the screams grew louder, louder until they deafened him.

    ¡®I¡¯ve killed you once already.¡¯

    Something cracked within Mewtwo¡¯s mind, and he closed his eyes as he banished the screams of the child, ¡°No. No! ¡± He opened his eyes, blazing a brilliant blue as he stared at the demon in rage, ¡° You lie! ¡±

    The demon sighed, as if disappointed, and began to speak once more, only to cut himself off as a static shriek pierced the air, and a mass of shadows fell from the sky, dropping to the ground with a monumental crash.

    The demon¡¯s focus upon Mewtwo broke, as he rushed to the corrupted Lugia¡¯s side. He almost looked concerned. And for the first time, Mewtwo was able to view the fallen god without the winds obscuring it.

    The corrupted Lugia looked far different from what Mewtwo knew of their species, bearing sharper edges along its scales that seemed to ooze with dark ichor. It¡¯s eyes were narrowed into triangular slits, glowing a bleeding crimson that cast the mist into shades of scarlet.

    The beast met eyes with Mewtwo for a moment, before snapping upwards as it enveloped the demon with its wings, protecting him from the sphere of radiant pink energy that slammed onto them.

    The Lugia grunted at the impact, and the sphere burst into excess psychic energy, as Mew tumbled out, kicking through the air as it yelled at the God of the Storm, ¡°That¡¯s what you get for knocking me back earlier, you overgrown Pidgey!¡±

    Mewtwo blinked at Mew¡¯s exclamation, only to blink again as he registered the injuries his progenitor bore. While the pest didn¡¯t show any obvious signs of exhaustion, he could see a number of burns and scratches that weren¡¯t there previously.

    Before Mewtwo could fully ponder this, the demon extricated himself from the Lugia, and paused upon seeing Mew¡¯s form. Mewtwo tensed as the demon straightened, but rather than attack, the demon brought a hand to his chin, ¡°In all my years, in all my travels, I have met many legends¡­¡± The demon¡¯s eyes darkened, but his focus was no longer on Mewtwo, but Mew, ¡°But never once have I met a Mew.¡±

    Mew huffed, upturning its nose in a way that only caused Mewtwo to tense further, ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re a nobody .¡± Mew giggled cruelly, regarding the demon with uninterested eyes, ¡°You¡¯re just one of many. No more than a measly human!¡±

    The demon only smirked in response, though it was hollow in a way that haunted Mewtwo, ¡°Perhaps so, but us humans have tales about legends such as yourself.¡± The shadows along the man¡¯s face flickered, casting him in a monstrous light as he stepped forward, ¡°They say that Mew are invulnerable, that they are unable to bleed, for they may heal their bodies even past the cold embrace of oblivion.¡±

    The demon tilted his head, eyes flickering between his Lugia, Typhlosion, and Tyranitar before locking back onto Mew¡¯s, ¡°Something I¡¯ve learned about these legends is that they are often nothing more than superstition, myths crafted out of a need for purpose, security, or simple faith.¡± He took another step forward, and Mewtwo watched as Mew formed a ball of Psychic behind its back, eyes widened in some foreign feeling that Mewtwo hadn¡¯t seen in the creature until now.

    But on Mewtwo¡¯s tongue, the sensation tasted strongly of fear.

    ¡° I wonder, ¡± The demon¡¯s voice was cold - almost detached - as he stepped closer to the mythical, ¡° How much pressure does it take to make a Mew bleed? ¡±

    ¡°How about none?¡± Mew snarked, before launching the built-up Psychic at the demon with a flick of its tail.

    Yet, rather than taking the hit or dodging, the demon simply extended a hand, catching the ball of Psychic with a grunt, forcing the demon¡¯s arm back as he skidded several paces backwards, slowly clenching his fist around the ball of Psychic , before extinguishing it with a snarl.

    Mewtwo and Mew both stared at the demon in awe for a moment, only to kick into motion as the demon¡¯s pok¨¦mon rejoined the battle.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    At first, Mewtwo almost considered Mew to be an opponent alongside the demon. This thought was quickly banished within the opening minute of the battle, as Mewtwo and Mew were forced back-to-back to defend themselves against the demon¡¯s onslaught.

    Yet, there remained no chance for either of them to confirm their temporary alliance, as the demon¡¯s pok¨¦mon attacked them relentlessly, periodic flashes of light coinciding with the arrival of new opponents.

    In streaks of shadow, an Umbreon danced around the edges of the battlefield, using Helping Hand and Wish to support its allies in their fight against the two legends.

    Mewtwo Teleported away from a blast of corrupted energy from Lugia, only to be hit in the shins with a Head Smash by a Sudowoodo, who had been Flung by the Tyranitar.

    Mewtwo gripped the damnable rock - his shin throbbed from the impact - igniting the layer of sap coating its form, before launching it into the storm.

    Without the sap, the hellish rain would do much more damage to it than anything Mewtwo could do with the time he had.

    This was proven true when Mewtwo was forced to Protect against a Moonblast from a Togekiss, hissing at the strain within his veins as the fairy trilled in chimes above them.

    Mewtwo spared a glance to his side, and saw that Mew wasn¡¯t faring much better than him, as it desperately weaved between attacks of fire, stone, and shadow, only managing to retaliate with paltry waves of Psychic .

    The Lugia managed to strike Mew in the chest with a pulse of shadowed energy, blasting it into the ground. Tyranitar made to double down on Mew, only to be pushed back by a Roar from Mew¡¯s mouth.

    Mewtwo surveyed the battlefield, Teleporting wildly in the face of overwhelming odds, mind working desperately to find a path to victory in this hopeless situation.

    It was becoming clear that, without a drastic change in circumstance, Mewtwo would not emerge victorious in this conflict.

    Mewtwo ignored the pit in his stomach at the thought - just like he ignored the terrified screams of the little girl - and narrowed down their opponent¡¯s offences in order to find the flaw in their defence.

    Their defence was almost nonexistent.

    No, that wasn¡¯t right. Their offence was their defence. The demon¡¯s pok¨¦mon attacked with such brutality, with such overwhelming force that it prevented them doing anything else but to defend.

    Mewtwo saw this cycle, and knew it had to end.

    And Mewtwo knew how to do it, as the storm of rain and pok¨¦mon surrounded them, what stood in its centre remained the same.

    The demon-man itself, bearing a shadowed smile amidst phantom flames.

    ¡®how terribly beautiful.¡¯

    Mewtwo shook his head of the voice - it haunted him it haunted them - and erected a psychic dome, warding off the pursuing Umbreon and Togekiss, before forming a gauntlet of aura along his arm.

    The demon-man commanded the pok¨¦mon with such confidence that they heeded his every word.

    With him gone, they too would fall.

    He sharpened the aura, heaving shuddering breaths at the strain on his soul, and collapsed the dome, using the excess psychic energy to Teleport himself one last time, appearing before the demon-man as he reared back and struck-

    A bellow of static pierced the air, and Mewtwo braced himself as he was blasted back by a pulse of darkness.

    The corrupted Lugia cried once more, its static trill laced with pain, as Mewtwo¡¯s attack had been blocked by the creature, causing it to pierce its wing.

    The fallen god bellowed once more, and after giving a singular glance at the demon-man to verify his safety, it rose into the air and descended upon Mewtwo with an enraged shriek.

    Mewtwo hissed in pain, but raised his fists in defiance. The last remains of his energy were flagging, and his final bid for victory was all but gone, but he stood nonetheless.

    Both voices in his head - his own and the girl¡¯s - went silent in his conviction.

    Mewtwo had proclaimed himself to be the God of War.

    If he were to fall here, it was better for it to be while standing instead of kneeling.

    The Lugia opened its maw, charging up one final Shadow Blast , only for its jaw to snap shut as a chain of shadow wrapped around its maw, the rippling sickle at the end of the chain stabbing into the creature¡¯s snout.

    The corrupted Lugia gave a muffled cry as it was yanked back and slammed into the earth, the chain fading away as a shadowed figure leaped out of the storm¡¯s edge and stabbed down with a katana of compressed water.

    The Lugia rolled away in time to avoid being impaled, only for the shadowed figure to throw a Water Shuriken into its hide, prompting a cry from the beast.

    It crept forward, intent on fighting the other shadowed figure, only for a bolt of blue fire to strike its chest, blasting it back with a shirek.

    Mewtwo turned to face the new combatant with wary eyes, only for them to widen as he registered that the source of the attack had been the Charmeleon that Red had commanded earlier.

    However, there were notable differences that confused Mewtwo. It appeared slightly larger than before, and its scales were several shades darker. Blue-tipped spikes protruded from its head and shoulders, crawling down its back before being consumed by a blue flame that enveloped its entire tail.

    Yet, the oddest detail Mewtwo noticed were a set of malformed nubs on the creature¡¯s back, bent in a way that almost reminded him of the broken wings of a bird.

    However, the deformity didn¡¯t seem to cause the dragon any pain, as it roared in rage at the corrupted God of Storms.

    The shadowed figure stepped back to stand alongside Charmeleon, revealing that it, too, was an inexplicable transformation of one of Red¡¯s pok¨¦mon.

    The Frogadier seemed much sharper now, almost appearing entirely black as shadows caressed its form. It stood much taller than before, wearing a chain-and-sickle on its back - a kusarigama, if Mewtwo recalled correctly - and two small shurikens on its hips.

    As Mewtwo tried to comprehend when and how they achieved such transformations, Red himself stepped through the storm, casting a momentary glance at Mewtwo before refocusing on the demon-man behind him.

    Mewtwo then noticed that the demon had halted in his advance.

    Mewtwo shivered, dragging any remains of his energy into another Recover as the demon tilted his head, regarding Red as his pok¨¦mon moved to protect the Lugia¡¯s wounded form, ¡°So you return¡­ Red Satoshi .¡±

    Mewtwo expected Satoshi to explode into a rage, as he did before. But the man merely closed his eyes and breathed slowly - calmly; much more calmly than he had against Mewtwo - and reopened them, ¡° So I have. ¡±

    ¡®So you arrive, Storm-Bringer.¡¯

    ¡®So I have.¡¯

    Mewtwo shuddered, hearing the distant chime of bells as the earth shook with something other.

    The demon and Red continued to stare at the other, sizing each other up in a way that surprised Mewtwo in how personal it was.

    The demon broke the silence with a grin - the shadows stretched along his form, hiding it, but the white of his teeth seemed to glow in the moonlight - ¡°Well, this should be interesting. ¡±

    At once - as if driven by a combined understanding - the two men moved , and the brawl raged harder than before.

    Mewtwo flew away in a bid to escape the storm, but was prevented from doing so by Tyranitar and Umbreon. Mewtwo huffed away his joint exhaustion and frustration, blinding the two of them with Flash in order to back away from them.

    Mewtwo nearly collided with Typhlosion in his fatigue, barely managing to beat away the embers of its Eruption as it fought against Charmeleon and Mew. He rolled under them - in a move similar to Mew¡¯s - and panted on the ground as the splinters of his mind cracked further.

    ¡®let there be light.¡¯

    Mewtwo hissed as Togekiss released a Dazzling Gleam upon Frogadier, blinking away the lights in his eyes as the ninja retaliated with a Toxic Dagger. Tyranitar charged forward to Bulldoze Frogadier, only for Red to step forward, launching an Aura Sphere into the beast¡¯s chest, toppling it to the side.

    And though Red¡¯s aura seemed much more reserved than before, it also seemed much more precise.

    Mewtwo grunted as he rose into the air, casting a shield of golden flame to ward off Sudowoodo as it neared. At the flames grew, so too did the cracks in his mind, as phantom flames surrounded him, and a demon - the same demon? - wreathed in flame, smiled as the shadow of death descended upon him.

    ¡®how terribly beautiful.¡¯

    Mewtwo began to scream - began to scream like the girl in his mind - as the chimes grew to deafen him.

    With a roar, Mewtwo banished the flames, striking the Sudowoodo and Umbreon both as they prowled around him.

    Mewtwo barely paid any mind to them, though, as he focused upon the battle at the storm¡¯s centre, as Red faced off against the demon-man, their pok¨¦mon trading blows in a fruitless endeavour to gain ground.

    It became apparent to Mewtwo how, despite whatever desperate measures Red had taken with his pok¨¦mons¡¯ transformations, he would surely lose in a prolonged conflict.

    In his mind, the demon of the fire laughed and laughed and laughed and-

    The little girl couldn¡¯t stop screaming.

    Mewtwo¡¯s eyes glazed over in azure rage, and he surged forward, arm outstretched to grab the demon¡¯s form, wrapping it in his psychic embrace so that he may press the man down, and crush him into the earth.

    The demon¡¯s eyes - shadowed crimson - widened as Mewtwo gripped him, only to narrow as Mewtwo¡¯s grasp on him loosened, almost shedding away like water, before outstretching his own hand to grab Mewtwo in a psychic hold.

    The demon snarled as he held Mewtwo aloft, fingers twitching as sweat trickled down his brow. The demon¡¯s breaths came out in harsh rasps - so much like Red¡¯s own, hours before - before levelling out as his hold on Mewtwo slackened, before releasing in full.

    But this was in no way a sign of the demon¡¯s fatigue.

    The demon spared a glance at Red - held off by Typhlosion, Umbreon, and Togekiss - and another at Mew - beaten down by Lugia, Tyranitar, and Sudowoodo - before rolling his neck, piercing Mewtwo with a shadowed glare as he growled, ¡° Enough of this. ¡±

    Mewtwo buckled at the sheer wrath of the demon¡¯s words, and fell onto his knees as a terrible - beautiful - pressure suffused the air.

    If he were to fall here, it was better for it to be while standing instead of kneeling.

    Yet Mewtwo could not stand. No amount of willpower, rage, desperation, terror could move his knees off the ground as the demon stepped forward, eyes glinting with thinly held malice , ¡° This has taken long enough. My patience wears thin. ¡±

    By now, Mewtwo could sense that Red and Mew both recognised the demon¡¯s advance, and tried to stop it - Mewtwo would have almost thought it to be from a desire to help him, were the thought not so laughable. However, the demon¡¯s pok¨¦mon held them off, allowing it to step closer to Mewtwo until it stood directly before him.

    ¡­So this was how the new God of War would die.

    He would die kneeling, having proven unworthy in the face of the gauntlet before him.

    The demon raised an arm, and Mewtwo closed his eyes, awaiting death with a sudden sense of acceptance that he never before associated with the prospect.

    In the surfacing depths of his mind, a little girl silently weeped at how, even after all this time, he didn¡¯t desire to live.

    ¡®I never asked for this!¡¯

    ¡®What do I have to live for?¡¯

    The demon pressed a thumb against Mewtwo¡¯s forehead, and he held his breath, waiting for the finishing blow.

    It never came¡­

    What happened was so much worse.

    The demon tore into Mewtwo¡¯s soul, and under his command, the cracks in Mewtwo¡¯s mind splintered, shattered as the demon wrenched forth the buried depths of his spirit, flooding his mind with a cascade of memories.

    A little girl - his best friend - a clone-

    A valley - a mountain - a lakeside-

    Clones struck mute, blind, deaf - passed away-

    burning burning burning-

    The demon released his thumb from Mewtwo¡¯s forehead, allowing the clone to drop onto the ground, writhing as images, smells, sounds, thoughts, terrors, tears, loves, joys, sorrows flooded its mind.

    Flooded its soul.

    ¡®What is that?¡¯

    ¡®That¡¯s the sun.¡¯

    ¡®What¡¯s it for?¡¯

    ¡®It makes the whole world bright and keeps us warm all day.¡¯

    The voice - the little girl¡¯s voice - it was the same it was the same Mewtwo opened his their eyes and mewled as shining light let there be light blinded him and the girl was screaming still screaming why was she screaming he was screaming the pain the veil shimmered I¡¯ve killed you once already phantom flames spread, it feels like it¡¯s time to say goodbye no no no no No No please I need you live to live what am I who am I what is my Purpose this cannot be my destiny there is no escaping my destiny god of war you are good I am a monster amongst monsters a god born in tubes-

    Mewtwo clutched his - their - head, twin voices screaming in pain as their world shattered around them, revealing the Veil in all of its terrible beauty.

    He had seen past the Veil.

    He had seen what lay beyond the void.

    And it was driving him Mad.

    Mewtwo felt a hand press against his shoulder, and the demon murmured words that nearly bled into the din of chimes, yet Mewtwo heard it in perfect clarity, ¡°look around you, see the twine that weaves the veil of the world.¡±

    Mewtwo saw , and shed tears as the Veil shimmered against an invisible wind.

    He had seen it before, in the cold embrace of oblivion.

    Ambertwo continued to cry in his mind.

    ¡°take one look past the veil,¡± The demon - a haunting voice whispered ¡®The Chariot¡¯ into his mind - urged, his voice sounding desperate in a way that was hauntingly familiar, ¡°and see that freedom is a lie.¡±

    Mewtwo bellowed, energy pouring off of him in waves as he succumbed to the memories - the Madness - of death and rebirth. Cracks splintered along the ground, shattering the entire island down to its very foundation.

    And deep below the stadium, held within a chamber of reinforced steel, the core of nuclear energy cracked, and emitted a hiss as the cracks splintered further, inching towards the same oblivion that Mewtwo found himself trapped within.

    ¡­

    There was a certain familiarity - a certain clarity - in Red¡¯s mind as he stepped into the storm.

    He and his pok¨¦mon had braved Mount Silver only four months ago, and breached the Source Storm in order to destroy the Conduit once and for all. Compared to that, this storm almost seemed akin to a simple rainstorm .

    Now, as the three of them stepped past the outer layer of heavy winds and hail, the cascades of light began to simmer down along his pok¨¦mons¡¯ forms, allowing him to see what they had become.

    Red¡¯s right arm was entirely numb - paralysed - from the transformation.

    It was worth sparing his pok¨¦mon the pain.

    It wasn¡¯t as if Red expected to be of much use in the coming fight. The seemingly limitless well of power he held before had been reduced to a mere trickle, slowly charging back up to the levels he wielded before.

    Though Red rather doubted he would have the time to wait for that power to fully return.

    And even if he could, Red wouldn¡¯t. He needed a clear mind for the fight ahead, and if this day had proven anything to him, it was that whatever crimson power engulfed him also took away his restraint.

    He couldn¡¯t afford to lose control again.

    Especially against the Chariot.

    Red looked to his sides, taking in Frogadier and Charmeleon¡¯s new forms.

    Frogadier blended into the shadows, his form almost looking as if it was somewhere between aqueous and gaseous. Tendrils of darkness caressed his limbs, as darkened water compressed into shurikens that stuck to his hips, the lingering remains forming in a chain-and-sickle that Frogadier held in his hands.

    Red didn¡¯t remember the exact name of that weapon.

    On his other side, Charmeleon walked proudly, standing almost as tall as Red himself. His scales had darkened even further, layering themselves in a way that made him appear fiercer. Blue spikes protruded from his skull, across his shoulders, and down his tail, which itself was consumed by azure flames.

    Yet, a single glance at Charmeleon¡¯s back revealed that the loss of Charizard¡¯s wings affected Charmeleon even today. Red rubbed Charmeleon on the back in a comforting gesture, but quickly refocused himself as they heard a bellow of static.

    Shadow Lugia.

    Frogadier darted forward, launching his chain-and-sickle to wrap around Zeus¡¯ maw before yanking it, pulling the corrupted legendary away from Mewtwo¡¯s form.

    And it was then that Red recognised just how exhausted Mewtwo looked.

    The newborn legendary was a sight for sore eyes, bearing numerous cuts and bruises along its skin. The glow of its eyes was all but gone, and Red was struck by the hauntingly familiar tan of its eyes.

    Not crimson, like the Conduit.

    Nor azure, like the wrathful god.

    But tan¡­

    It was the same tan eyes that stared at Red atop the mountain, after the Conduit had been defeated, and Mewtwo freed from its control.

    And these eyes were the same, both accepting in the face of death.

    Red snapped his eyes over to Zeus as it targeted Frogadier, watching as Charmeleon blasted it back with a bolt of blue flame.

    Red stepped forward as his pok¨¦mon closed ranks, casting a momentary glance at Mewtwo before refocusing his attention on the man behind it, who had seemingly taken notice of Red¡¯s entrance.

    Yet, while the storm had dwindled enough for Red to fully see the Chariot, he could see no more than his most basic features, as shadows warped in such a way to envelop the man in darkness, only illuminated by the glow of crimson eyes.

    A darker shade than Red¡¯s own.

    Red could only faintly feel the tug of the man¡¯s aura - the same tug as earlier - and distantly recognised just how much control the man must have to hide his form in such a way.

    To constantly pull on the surrounding shadows to hide one¡¯s face was difficult enough.

    To do so with his entire body¡­

    Red couldn¡¯t help but be grimly impressed.

    The Chariot regarded Red for several moments - the shadows hiding any expression his face may have had - and tilted his head in a curious gesture, ¡°So you return¡­ Red Satoshi. ¡±

    He knew Red¡¯s name.

    Or¡­ he knew Red¡¯s name. Not Ash¡¯s. Red closed his eyes and breathed slowly, forcing himself to remain calm even as his soul writhed against his restraint.

    The Chariot doesn¡¯t - can¡¯t - know his origin.

    Only he and his pok¨¦mon do¡­

    And Salvare too¡­

    Red reopened his eyes - they glowed, but only with a fraction of the power they had before - and spoke with false civility, ¡° So I have. ¡±

    Red ignored the sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu he felt at the words, and took a step forward.

    The earth shook.

    The Chariot regarded Red in silence for several moments, only to break out into a grin - and it haunted Red how brightly his teeth seemed to glow against the shadows - and remark, almost pleasantly, ¡°Well, this should be interesting. ¡±

    Red¡¯s eyes widened, and at once, he moved , commanding his pok¨¦mon forth as the Chariot¡¯s own launched a coordinated strike against himself, Mew, and Mewtwo.

    It was a brawl, with the Chariot on one side, and the rest of them on the other.

    They split apart, as the Chariot corralled his pok¨¦mon into striking them in teams, preventing them from aiding one another as they were forced to fend against their own adversaries.

    Red and Frogadier faced off against Athena and Hepha - Togekiss and Sudowoodo respectively - moving as one against a greater foe.

    Charmeleon had been separated with Mew into fighting Ares.

    Red forced himself to remain calm as he dodged alongside Frogadier - their bond strengthened with his transformation - recalling that any miscalculation borne of rage or panic could cost him or his pok¨¦mon their life.

    And he could not accept that.

    Red had failed in this regard when fighting Mewtwo, as he had allowed himself to be controlled by emotion, which granted him terrible power, yes, but it came at the cost of his control.

    He wasted moves, wasted his energy in a mad scramble to take down the legendary, allowing Mewtwo to retake the upper hand by outlasting him.

    Mewtwo did the same thing to Red as he did to the Conduit.

    It stung.

    But it forced Red to learn , and he applied that lesson to his current battle. He reached into his bond with Frogadier and turned it into something greater than the sum of its parts.

    They moved as one, dodging attacks with efficiency, never wasting breath as they redirected attacks and blocked what they could not avoid.

    Red¡¯s left arm throbbed in pain as he did so - for his right arm remained unmoving - but he remained active, lunging alongside Frogadier to deliver a Low Kick to Sudowoodo before launching it away with a Fling .

    Athena retaliated with a Dazzling Gleam , and Red reached through his bond and absorbed the brunt of the attack, allowing Frogadier to leap up and stab the Togekiss with Toxic Dagger.

    Red hissed as the light burned his skin.

    But he could bear it; the light hurt him far less than it did Frogadier.

    Red¡¯s eyes snapped to his side at the sound of a hiss, only to see Mewtwo¡¯s dazed form stumble away from them.

    Before he could think or do anything to help Mewtwo, Dionysus emerged from the storm¡¯s edge, charging towards Frogadier with Bulldoze.

    Red snapped forward, punching his left fist towards to beast, launching an Aura Sphere into its chest, causing it to topple over before colliding with Frogadier.

    Red took the moment to glance once more at Mewtwo, only to see it hovering in the air as it screamed , banishing the golden flame surrounding it to strike Hepha and Hades both as they circled the hovering pok¨¦mon.

    Red snapped his eyes away from Mewtwo¡¯s wrath - though, Red wondered if it was wrath, or Madness - as the Chariot jumped towards him, smile stretched wide as Zeus flew above him with a bellow of static noise.

    A glimmer of blue appeared at the edge of Red¡¯s vision, as Charmeleon - injured, but able enough - stepped beside him.

    The Chariot regarded Red for a moment as his own pok¨¦mon stood beside him. With a wordless twirl of his finger, the battle resumed, with the Chariot finally personally leading the fight.

    It became readily apparent that any advantage Red may have had was void in the face of the Chariot¡¯s wrath.

    Whereas before, the Chariot¡¯s pok¨¦mon attacked in singular - almost predictable - patterns, under the Chariot¡¯s direct command, they were nearly unstoppable.

    While moments before, Red had battled Togekiss, Tyranitar, and Sudowoodo to a standstill with only Frogadier, now Red found himself on the backfoot, as the Chariot battered against his defences with precise strike after strike after strike.

    This was not the Chariot that Red thought he knew. The Chariot he remembered only spoke is rasping laughs and hissed whispers. The Chariot he remembered attacked relentlessly, never stopping for a single moment until absolute devastation was wrought, both on his opponents and himself.

    The Chariot he remembered was never so silent , never so calculated , never so cold. While the fallen Chariot had shown shades of these aspects in battle, he was often loud in a way that grated Red¡¯s ears, often reckless in a way that spelled danger to all that surrounded him, often blazing hot in spirit, so much that he burned anything he touched, including himself.

    It was due to the Chariot¡¯s own ill-advised battle underneath a lake that he perished, after all.

    In many ways, the Chariot was the cause of his own death.

    But this Chariot was a different beast altogether.

    This Chariot displayed such fine control - such finesse - over his own aura that the fallen Chariot never wielded.

    This Chariot displayed a level of restraint that spoke less of ill-placed mercy, and more of well-placed caution.

    This Chariot displayed a calm demeanour that barely wavered, even in the face of devastation.

    It made Red wonder what made the Chariot change so much, to make him go from this¡­ to the Chariot he remembered.

    They almost seemed like two entirely separate people.

    Red grit his teeth, banishing the thought.

    He had no time for it; it wasted brainpower.

    He needed every ounce of focus he could muster for the fight ahead.

    So Red pulled from his experience of fighting the Conduit, and endured. He shifted his priorities from defeating the Chariot to simply surviving.

    After all, it was hardly likely that he was going to emerge victorious with only two pok¨¦mon, regardless of their Source transformations.

    So Red stood firm, commanding his pok¨¦mon into guarded retreat, as they deflected attacks when they could, blocked when they couldn¡¯t, and simply tanked what slipped past their defences.

    Red¡¯s skin burned as he pulled on his bonds with his pok¨¦mon - both of which were heightened to new levels under the influence of the transformation - but he didn¡¯t buckle from the pain, standing firm so that his pok¨¦mon may persist.

    Red ignored the visible look of intrigue he saw upon the Chariot¡¯s eyes.

    Red¡¯s salvation only came minutes later, as the Chariot stopped in his tracks, crimson eyes widening as a faint blue glow enveloped his body, only for him to narrow his eyes in annoyance as he shook away Mewtwo¡¯s psychic hold of him, only to stretch out an arm to ensnare Mewtwo in his own hold.

    Red remembered doing the same, when Mewtwo went to attack Ash.

    It had taken even him, with all of his power, the majority of his reserves to hold Mewtwo in place for just a few seconds.

    Yet, the Chariot did the same with a fraction of the power, gasping out in harsh rasps as he slowly released the legendary, trickles of sweat dropping onto the floor below him.

    Yet he had achieved the same feat as Red, even if only for a moment.

    Red looked upon the Chariot, reminded once more of Mewtwo¡¯s words.

    ¡®You are powerful, Red Satoshi. Your power even rivals my own.¡¯

    ¡®But you have no control over that power.¡¯

    For the first time, Red believed he understood what Mewtwo meant by control - what Herren meant in his various rants of the subject .

    Control allowed for the Chariot to wield a mere fraction of Red¡¯s power, and achieve the same result as him with a fraction of the cost.

    Red grit his teeth, stepping towards the Chariot, only for Typhlosion to body-block him, Umbreon and Togekiss both standing at its side.

    Red backed away, staring warily at the towering beast as it lumbered towards him, no longer attacking - which, in and of itself, was a mystery - but not allowing Red to get any closer to his trainer.

    It almost made Red laugh hysterically , how Ares had suddenly become much less aggressive with nothing more than a glance from the Chariot, as it backed Red towards the edge of the storm, before stopping to look at his trainer as he growled, ¡°Enough of this.¡±

    Red turned to see the Chariot standing before Mewtwo, who kneeled in defeat before the man.

    Even from this distance, Red could see the sorrowful acceptance of its eyes.

    It plagued him.

    The Chariot only took another step forward, eyes glinting with thinly held malice , ¡° This has taken long enough. My patience wears thin.¡±

    The Chariot was going to kill Mewtwo.

    In the back of his mind, Red recalled that was exactly what he was going to do mere hours earlier.

    But a voice in his mind - a voice suspiciously close to Ash¡¯s - urged him against it.

    Red lunged forward, only for Typhlosion to catch Red at the chest and slam him into the ground, knocking the breath out of his lungs.

    Frogadier and Charmeleon both attacked Typhlosion in retaliation, but were quickly held back by Togekiss and Umbreon. Typhlosion let go of Red¡¯s chest, pinning him with an almost disappointed stare before snorting out a plume of smoke, making it seem as if it asked ¡® What did you expect? ¡¯.

    Red hated how much the gesture humanised Ares.

    Red was helped onto his feet by his pok¨¦mon, both of whom glared at the Chariot¡¯s own, who seemed content to merely stare back.

    Neither of them attacked the other.

    Red only reflected on this baffling state of affairs for a moment, as the island suddenly began to shake, an ear-splitting wail emanating out of Mewtwo as he slumped to the ground, clutching his head.

    Both of its eyes glowed an incandescent blue.

    The Chariot stepped back, leaving Mewtwo to slump onto the ground, energy pouring off of him in waves, splintering the island with its power, releasing plumes of dust and smoke from within the earth.

    Distantly, Red felt a tremor of disaster rumble deep beneath them.

    Mewtwo kept screaming - screaming with two distinct voices - and Red¡¯s eyes sharpened upon the Chariot¡¯s satisfied smile - visible, even amidst the shadow - ¡° What did you do to him? ¡±

    The Chariot turned, facing Red with crimson eyes of his own - ringed with darkened void - and smiled softly, ¡° I gave back to him what was stolen. ¡±

    The Chariot stepped towards Red, cutting off his vision of Mewtwo¡¯s wailing form, and blinked away the crimson haze of his eyes with an ease that Red envied, ¡°But enough about Mewtwo¡­ I want to talk about you. ¡±

    Red tensed as the Chariot¡¯s pok¨¦mon moved, flanking the man as he stepped towards Red, seemingly unworried about that fact that they fought minutes before, ¡°I knew you would be a fascinating individual, Red, but today¡­¡± He turned, eyes taking in the ruined stadium - now visible amidst the receding storm - ¡°You were extraordinary. ¡±

    The Chariot turned his eyes back to Red - and they remained grey, even as they flashed with shades of crimson - ¡°You fought my pok¨¦mon to a standstill. You forced me to step in directly .¡± The Chariot smiled - and it was paradoxically sickening and comforting; Red shivered - ¡° This has never happened before. ¡±

    Red stepped back, recognising the glint in the Chariot¡¯s eyes as hauntingly familiar, ¡°It almost makes me think that you could be my equal¡­ ¡±

    Red heard his pok¨¦mon growl at those words - they recognised it as vividly as him - and the Chariot turned curious eyes to them, ¡°And to think you did so with two pok¨¦mon, even transformed as they were.¡± The Chariot¡¯s tone was flippant - uninterested - about the transformations themselves, though it quickly sharpened as he regarded Red once more, ¡°You will make¡­ the greatest of prot¨¦g¨¦s. ¡±

    Red¡¯s fist clenched, as he grit his teeth, remaining silent.

    He couldn¡¯t trust himself to speak without screaming.

    Red supposed that the Chariot¡¯s words shouldn¡¯t have surprised him as much as it did - it was only every previous encounter with the man that he said some variation of those same words. Yet, with the myriad of differences he had seen in his enemy, Red almost believed - almost hoped - that the Chariot would simply ignore Red, for once .

    The Chariot seemed to be aware of Red¡¯s spiralling dread, fear, hatred , as he stepped back - almost as if giving Red space - willing the harsh shadows on his form to soften.

    It almost seemed like he was trying to pacify Red.

    This was another difference that Red didn¡¯t find himself particularly fond of.

    The Chariot began to speak once more, in softer tones, but abruptly stopped as the island shook once more - undercut by distant chimes - only for the quakes to linger, as distant explosions erupted beneath them.

    Beneath them?

    The sense of dread burrowing into Red¡¯s heart only digged its way deeper, and he felt the Chariot Detect the ground underneath them, only for his eyes to widen in surprise, momentarily loosening the shadows from his control.

    In the split-second that Red could see the Chariot¡¯s face, he could only think one thing.

    The Chariot looked young, around Red¡¯s age.

    The shadows enveloped the Chariot¡¯s face a moment later, but Red could still see the look of bitter annoyance on his enemy¡¯s face, ¡°You have got to be kidding me-¡± The island shook once more, the explosions rising in volume, ¡°-There¡¯s a nuclear reactor under here?¡±

    Red blinked, only to blink again as the Chariot¡¯s words fully registered. A wavering trill caught his attention, as Mew hovered over to them, face set in a grim stare, with just the smallest amount of vitriol aimed at the Chariot.

    Yet Mew¡¯s reaction only told Red that the Chariot was being truthful.

    The Chariot cursed, turning his burning eyes skyward, ¡° Do you think this is funny?! ¡± He roared at the moon overhead, eyes narrowed on an unseen observer, ¡° Is this all one big joke to you?! ¡±

    Red watched as the Chariot¡¯s pok¨¦mon looked at each other in visible concern before moving to calm their trainer, nuzzling against him in a manner that reminded Red all too much of Pichu¡¯s own reassurance amidst his worst moments.

    Red forced himself to shove out the mingled wrath and confusion from his heart.

    The Chariot faltered in the face of his pok¨¦mons¡¯ support, visibly calming himself with a single breath, ¡° So be it. ¡± He turned to Red, eyes bearing no trace of their crimson haze, ¡°I will not die here, and you need not die either.¡±

    He extended his right hand, which, while scarred, was flesh and bone. It bore not traces of the leather and metal of Red¡¯s memories. The Chariot¡¯s lips twisted in a defeated smile - an expression Red had never seen on the Chariot¡¯s face - and he beckoned, ¡°Come with me, Red Satoshi, and we can reshape the world. We can make it into something better¡­ ¡±

    There was a note of genuine desire in the Chariot¡¯s voice, both different and eerily similar to the desperate, doubtful tones that Red remembered.

    It almost gave Red pause.

    But all the same, Red¡¯s answer remained instinctive - familiar, a blunt riposte to the Chariot¡¯s systematic offer of alliance - as he snapped back, ¡°Go to hell!¡±

    Yet another difference presented itself, as while Red¡¯s memory illustrated a wan smile, a sarcastic twitch of the lips, the Chariot before him frowned, almost looking hurt by Red¡¯s words.

    Somehow, this, more than anything else, was what struck Red as truly bizarre.

    The Chariot quickly shrugged, however, the faint edges of his face smoothing out into shadow, ¡°I imagine I will, Red, but not today. ¡± He took a step backwards, and Zeus lowered its neck for him to mount it, ¡°For what it¡¯s worth, I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    The Chariot looked around, missing Red¡¯s visible confusion, ¡°You were never meant to be caught in the crossfire of¡­ this , but I suppose I shouldn¡¯t be surprised at the cards dealt to us by fate.¡±

    The Chariot recalled his pok¨¦mon in a single movement, leaving Red and Mew behind as the Shadow Lugia flapped its wings, rising into the air, ¡°Farewell, Red Satoshi.¡±

    With a shriek of static, Zeus flew away, dissolving into the clouds above them. Red watched them leave for several moments - several things flying through his mind - only for the island to rumble once more, snapping Red back to reality.

    Right, there was a nuclear reactor underneath them.

    What the hell was a nuclear reactor doing here?

    ¡° It powered the island, ¡± Mew chimed, having gleaned Red¡¯s panicked thoughts. Mew ignored Red¡¯s glare, floating around him in slow, disjointed movements, ¡° That guy was a total freak, right? ¡±

    Red didn¡¯t answer, his eyes narrowing on Mew¡¯s skin, specifically the slashes marring its soft furs.

    There was blood on them.

    It was the smallest amount, yes, but Mew bled . It tried to hide its wounds once it noticed Red staring at them, but he had already seen enough to know what it meant.

    The Chariot - Zeus - one or both of them made Mew bleed.

    Mew were said to be invulnerable, incapable of shedding blood.

    Red shook his head, shoving the thought away as he limped towards Mewtwo¡¯s writhing form. He distantly noticed Salvare running towards them, seemingly emboldened with the lack of a storm.

    But with the looming nuclear explosion, the storm¡¯s disappearance was hardly a comfort.

    There was a musical echo hidden amongst the din of chimes, and it took Red a moment to recognise it as Salvare¡¯s Absol. The haunting melody seemed to awaken Pichu¡¯s sleeping form, causing him to scramble out of Salvare¡¯s arms and onto Red¡¯s shoulder. Red turned his eye to Salvare, only for his prot¨¦g¨¦ to calmly remark, ¡°Something terrible is about to happen, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Red almost laughed at the absurdity of it all - living through Mewtwo and the Chariot¡¯s wrath, just to die in nuclear fire - only for Mew to actually laugh, ¡° Oh, nothing major. We¡¯re just on top of a nuke, is all. ¡±

    Salvare¡¯s eyes widened first in incomprehension, then in terror, but before he could ask Red what they could even do , Red turned to Mew, ¡°Can you teleport us away?¡±

    Mew puffed up, ¡°I can leave anytime I want¡­¡± It trailed off under Red¡¯s glare - and wasn¡¯t that an experience, silently chastising an ancient godlike being with only a look - and meeped as it tucked its tail inward, ¡°I mean¡­ I¡¯m - er - I¡¯m going to need help to get¡­ us all out of here¡­¡± Specks of red tinged Mew¡¯s cheeks, almost as if it was embarrassed , ¡°I¡¯m not exactly at my strongest right now¡­¡±

    Red closed his eyes, forcing himself to remain calm - a calm soul is a controlled soul - and asked with a slight rasp, ¡°Could I help you with that.¡±

    Mew reached up to sniff Red¡¯s hair, only to shake its head, ¡°Ew, no! I mean-¡± It quickly changed tone after Salvare silently loomed behind it, ¡°-The power you wield wouldn¡¯t exactly¡­ work well with mine.¡±

    Red knew it was a stretch, but it did nothing to lessen his disappointment. He couldn¡¯t afford to lose hope, though - the Turn of the Clock was ever merciless in its finality - as his mind spun with rapid ideas, ¡°What about Mewtwo?¡±

    Mew readied itself to deny the idea, only to pause, scrutinising the comatose form of its clone, ¡°I suppose it would work¡­ but the clone¡¯s not exactly responsive, genius.¡±

    ¡°No, he¡¯s not,¡± Red agreed airily, looking at Mewtwo with considering eyes.

    The Chariot went close to Mewtwo, close enough to lay hands on him.

    Yet Mewtwo lived, but his spirit was fractured.

    ¡®I gave back to him what was stolen.¡¯

    Red¡¯s own memories were fractured, peeled apart by the man he hated most.

    The Chariot brought his thumb to Red¡¯s forehead - close enough to kill him, yet he didn¡¯t.

    The Chariot did the same to Mewtwo.

    Red looked down on the only pok¨¦mon he had left that remained in their pok¨¦ball.

    Vee could connect with Red¡¯s mind - Red¡¯s soul - with such an ease that seemed instinctive.

    At Azalea, Red and Vee had pulled his friends into his memories, fueled by sorrow and desperation. Red had regretted it ever since, and never sought to replicate it.

    But, now, Red wondered¡­

    Could it be replicated, and done in reverse?

    Red silently apologised to Vee, knowing that she had earned a well-deserved rest, but this was the last shot they had at survival.

    And Red promised himself that he, and his friends, wouldn¡¯t die today.

    Upon Vee¡¯s release, Red spoke - for they had no time to wait - easily tapping into his bond with the young pok¨¦mon, ¡°If we were link our minds together and reach into Mewtwo¡¯s mind, could we do it?¡±

    Vee blinked tiredly, momentarily confused before sharpening as she gleaned their situation off of Red¡¯s mind. She gave a single look at Mewtwo, her form shifting almost entirely into Espeon, before chirping back into his mind with a yawn, ¡®Yes, Lightbringer.¡¯

    Red nodded back, wordlessly kneeling down beside Vee to link their bodies, minds, and souls together. Their bond flared, strengthening to such an extent that, for the first time in Red¡¯s memory, Vee solidified entirely into the form of Espeon, bearing no signs of mixed evolutions.

    There was, unfortunately, no time to congratulate her for then achievement, not to thank her for her willingness to help.

    As one, Red and Vee stepped together, and dove into Mewtwo¡¯s mind.

    ¡­

    Red opened his eyes, and awakened in a valley of emerald green.

    On his neck, Vee wrapped around his shoulders as if she was a scarf, casting tired - but vigilant - eyes to their surroundings.

    It was not what Red expected.

    Around them stood blue mountains, rising so high that they touched the clouds, and the sun above. Sunlight reflected against trickling streams, which fell from the mountain into flowing rivers, cascading down waterfalls and into a lake beside them.

    Birds sang in the trees around them, unseen within the leaves as the wind sifted through the forest. Though the sun was warm on Red¡¯s skin, he felt a chill enter his bones as he stepped into the forest, whose music beckoned him forth.

    Go Forth.

    Red glided through the forest, his movements swift and precise in a way that was not his own. The trees shifted around him, only leaving spectral remains as he came upon a clearing within the woods.

    Red paused at the sound of a child¡¯s laughter, her voice soft yet bright in soul. Almost unconsciously, Red felt a smile grace his lips, but he remembered that the voice of the girl was nothing more than an apparition, or a memory - Red truly wondered which would be worse - and forced his face into neutrality as he entered the clearing.

    The laughter suddenly stopped, as within the clearing, five heads turned to stare at the newcomers. Red looked over them all in rapid succession, noting what looked to be the three Kanto starter pok¨¦mon and a little girl beside them. His gaze lingered on the human girl for a moment - both of them regarding the other in silence - only to finally rest upon the final form, which Red recognised as Mewtwo himself.

    Yet, this Mewtwo was smaller, almost childlike in appearance, looking much more like its ancestor than his physical form showed. In the silence, Red could hear Mewtwo whispering to itself, though its words were lost to Red¡¯s ears, and he crouched, softly calling his name, ¡°Mewtwo?¡±

    At the sound of his name, Mewtwo jerked away, and the other pok¨¦mon in the clearing all moved as well. The Squirtle retreated into its shell with terrified eyes, the Bulbasaur huffed as it dug its roots into the ground, and the Charmander growled as it stared at Red in ill-hidden distrust.

    Only the girl remained unaffected by Red¡¯s words, as she stepped over to calm the pok¨¦mon, her face cast with lines of sorrow that were far too old for a child as young as she. She cast a sad smile at Red and Vee, her eyes lighting up only slightly at the sight of the small pok¨¦mon, ¡°It¡¯s lovely to meet you two, what are your names?¡±

    The girl¡¯s voice carried an otherworldly echo that only deepened the chill in Red¡¯s heart, but he kneeled to become eye-level with the girl, shoving away his lingering confusion and exhaustion as he answered, ¡°I¡¯m Red, and this is Vee,¡± The girl giggled softly as Vee chirped, and Red felt his smile return, ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±

    The girl¡¯s smile widened, the sad edges receding as she lifted her dress in a curtsy, ¡°I¡¯m Ambertwo.¡± She smiled at Red, her eyes suddenly shining with unshed tears, ¡°It¡¯s nice to finally meet another who has died and lived on.¡±

    Red¡¯s eyebrows rose in confusion, but he pushed past his concern and asked the girl, ¡°Do you know what¡¯s wrong with Mewtwo?¡±

    The girl¡¯s smile dimmed as she looked to Mewtwo¡¯s whimpering form, and Red was once more struck by how the girl both looked too-young and too-old for her apparent age, ¡°So many¡­ So many things¡­¡± She turned back to face Red, tears trickling down her cheeks, ¡°What do we do?¡±

    Red couldn¡¯t answer - because he didn¡¯t know - and Vee uncurled herself off of Red¡¯s shoulders and went over to comfort the girl, nuzzling against her with a tired mewl, shocking a wet laugh out of the girl.

    The Squirtle poked its head out of its shell, inspecting Red with no small amount of caution. Bulbasaur merely gave a single glance at Red before turning its head with a huff, and Charmander only growled once more at him, inadvertently making Red remember his early days with Charmeleon.

    Back a decade ago.

    Red shook his head of the thought, only to notice that the girl was still awaiting an answer, based on how she looked to him. He almost responded ¡® we do what we must ¡¯ out of instinct, but thought better of it, instead responding slowly, ¡°We do what we can.¡±

    Red thought that answer would be better for a child her age, but it didn¡¯t seem to satisfy her. Yet, as Red thought to himself, the girl and the pok¨¦mon may not be separate entities like he first believed. His gut told him that they were all one and the same.

    They were all within Mewtwo¡¯s mind, after all.

    So perhaps¡­ perhaps the key to this was understanding why they all appeared in Mewtwo¡¯s mind.

    Vee seemed to glean Red¡¯s idea, as she gave him a single nod, prompting him to ask the girl - Ambertwo - ¡°Introduce me to your friends, Ambertwo.¡±

    Ambertwo¡¯s frown turned right back into a smile, as she set Vee down to introduce the pok¨¦mon. She trotted over to the Bulbasaur, petting its head as it huffed in agitation - yet he accepted the pets, regardless - ¡°This is Bulbatwo! He¡¯s deaf, and it makes him stubborn, but he¡¯s truly loyal.¡±

    Bulbatwo regarded Red with thinly veiled suspicion, but allowed him to slowly reach down and pet him, prompting a blinding smile from Ambertwo, ¡°He likes you!¡±

    Though Bulbatwo was apparently deaf, it seemed to understand Ambertwo¡¯s expression, as it shook away Red¡¯s hand with a surly frown, prompting a chuckle from the girl.

    Red allowed himself a small chuckle as well, as he thought back to Charmeleon, and how the dragon presented a tough front, despite longing for Red¡¯s attention.

    Red has been so focussed on survival - on his mission - that he hasn¡¯t spent much time with his pok¨¦mon outside of training.

    Red closed his eyes at the thought, and breathed once more, silently vowing to spend more time with his pok¨¦mon, his oldest friends.

    Ambertwo grabbed Red¡¯s hand and dragged him over to the Charmander, whose growls increased in volume as he neared, ¡°This is Charmatwo! He¡¯s blind, and it makes him angry, but he loves fiercely.¡±

    Ambertwo stepped forward, whispering softly as she wrapped Charmatwo in a hug, visibly surprising the small beast, only for it to reciprocate with a hug of its own.

    Red stepped closer, reaching out a hand for Charmatwo to sniff, growling at him all the while. As it did so, Red noted how Charmatwo¡¯s eyes were faded, and only seemed to be focussed on growling at his general direction, rather than him specifically.

    It reminded Red of Pichu, and how the mouse¡¯s rage was directed at everything in his path, which only served to bolster his rage rather than minimise it.

    And Red had sought to utilise that rage in battle rather than find a way to satiate it.

    Red frowned, unseen by Charmatwo, and he looked back to the past four months with a grimace. His pok¨¦mons¡¯ devolutions affected them all negatively, but it struck Pichu the hardest. With Charmeleon and Frogadier¡¯s evolutions, Pichu was left further and further behind, and if Red didn¡¯t do anything about it, Pichu may take desperate measures to compensate.

    Red couldn¡¯t lose Pichu to some hairbrained scheme to regain his old power. He needed to show Pichu that he meant the world to him, no matter the level of power he wielded.

    Ambertwo released Charmatwo, and with a small smile at Red, tiptoed over to the Squirtle, coaxing its head out of its shell, ¡°This is Squirtwo! He¡¯s mute, and it makes him shy, but he¡¯s very thoughtful.¡±

    Squirtwo poked its head out cautiously, eyeing Red with poorly veiled suspicion. Ambertwo only stroked the pok¨¦mon¡¯s head, soothing it as it slowly extended its limbs from its shell.

    It regarded Red in silence as he reached his hand out once more, staring at the limb with distrust, only allowing itself minimal, cautious contact with his hand. Squirtwo¡¯s eyes remained locked with Red¡¯s as it did so, yet its thoughts seemed far away in a way reminiscent of Frogadier.

    Frogadier had always been the most quiet of Red¡¯s surviving pok¨¦mon, usually opting to remain entirely silent as Pichu and Charmeleon both spoke over the other in growls, cheers, and roars.

    It made it difficult to recognise when Frogadier was struggling, as he often kept his demons to himself, bottling them up until they stacked upon each other, only to spill over in terrible fashion.

    But that gave no excuse for Red to miss it. He would have to talk with Frogadier, if only to catch up with a close friend.

    Yet, Red¡¯s thoughts about Charmeleon, Pichu, and Frogadier only made him remember that, in many ways, his pok¨¦mon mirrored their trainer. He, too, yearned for companionship while fervently pushing them away. He, too, raged against the world, regardless of whether the target of his rage deserved it. He, too, remained silent as he spiralled into his own demons, only being saved by his friends, his pok¨¦mon.

    Red owed the world to them, several times over.

    He strived to return the favour, to make himself worthy of their trust.

    Red nodded to himself, reaching down to pet Vee as she trotted over to him, mewling softly at the turn of his thoughts.

    She, too, was worth more than anything Red could offer.

    Their attention returned to Ambertwo as she stepped next to Mewtwo, placing a hesitant hand on his head. Her smile wavered as he whimpered, covering the ground in frost as pain, sorrow, self-hatred radiated from the creature.

    Yet Red heard the song within Mewtwo¡¯s whimper, and understood it.

    Ambertwo kneeled next to Mewtwo, hugging his trembling form with closed eyes, which did nothing to stem the flow of her tears, ¡°Mewtwo was always meant to be the best of us.¡± Her eyes opened - tan flashing with an azure glow - and she clenched her fists, stomping her foot in sudden excitement, ¡°And he is! He was never deaf, never blind, never mute! No sickness could take root in his cells!¡± Then, as quickly as it came, Ambertwo¡¯s excitement left her body, as she slumped against Mewtwo¡¯s form, crying alongside his silent tears, ¡°But even still, it wasn¡¯t enough. Mewtwo¡­ was dying.¡±

    Ambertwo closed her eyes, sucked in a breath, and kissed Mewtwo on the head with such sorrowful love that Red had to force himself to keep looking. She turned to him with a watery smile, no longer bothering to hide her tears, ¡°He was a baby, new to the world in a way the rest of us weren¡¯t. But even still¡­¡± She lifted Mewtwo¡¯s chin, revealing the cold blue glow of its eyes. Yet, she felt no fear at the sight, only smiling at the one she loved, ¡°He was flaking away, all the same, and we were dying with him.¡±

    The forest suddenly darkened, and the sun dipped below the mountains. Red repressed a shiver as Ambertwo straightened, her tone growing colder as she breathed out puffs of icy air, ¡°My dad wouldn¡¯t accept it - couldn¡¯t accept it. He couldn¡¯t accept another of his children to die, and he could hardly stand to lose two at once.¡±

    The valley darkened as the shadow of death descended upon it - at the edge of Red¡¯s vision, embers of white flame flickered within the forest - ¡°So he found a miracle, a way to trade two lives for one, and gift him with the perfect child¡­¡±

    Ambertwo turned to face Red, her eyes radiating a chilling azure, and her voice echoed with an otherworldly force, as many souls spoke at once through the same vessel, ¡°Some things were never meant to be trifled with. Ambertwo and Mewtwo became one.¡±

    And at once, the forest erupted into flames, as shattered glass and steel rose from the ground, tearing against the earth as crimson lightning arced the sky. The fires grew into an inferno, and within the crimson void, a shadow, wreathed in flame, formed into an angel of death. The light of its smile shined amidst its shadows, as it laughed at Red, raising flaming arms above itself as if it was a conductor, and the din of chimes echoed and echoed until it grew to choke Red, forcing him to the ground as Mewtwo howled into the air, crying against the smoke as it smothered them, wrapping them in an inferno that blazed¡­

    Then left, leaving nothing but a wasteland of ash.

    Red knelt onto the ground, cradling Vee to his chest as he lifted his head, checking to see if the inferno had truly left.

    Though his skin bore no burns, the devastation wrought was no less real.

    Ambertwo stood amidst the wasteland, keeping a hand on Mewtwo¡¯s shivering form. Unlike Red, they did show signs of injury, though they were vague, formless tears, almost as if a child tried to draw a dead body without ever seeing one before.

    That made their appearance no less haunting.

    And it was then that Red understood , as he gazed upon Ambertwo¡¯s protective stance with newfound vision, ¡°...You died, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    Ambertwo and Mewtwo turned as one - both of their eyes glowing a chilling blue - and Ambertwo gave a smile, though it was a hollow thing, ¡°We died, yes¡­ But Mewtwo lived anew.¡± Her smile fell, and the glow of her eyes pulsed with a familiar rage as she whispered, ¡°Dead things were never meant to live twice.¡±

    Red closed his eyes - ¡®I accepted my death¡¯ - took a slow breath - ¡®I was willing - no - I was happy to die!¡¯ - and asked in a calm voice, ¡°When did Mewtwo die?¡±

    He didn¡¯t ask when Ambertwo died, but rather Mewtwo¡­

    They were one and the same, after all.

    Mewtwo regarded Red with intense - Mad - eyes, only for Ambertwo to whisper in response, ¡°1985¡­ I was less than a year old.¡±

    Red shuddered, for a child¡¯s death was always a tragedy, regardless of whether they were a clone. He bowed his head, and murmured to Mewtwo, ¡°You have my condolences¡­ I know what it¡¯s like to die, only to live again.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± Red¡¯s eyes snapped up at Ambertwo¡¯s voice, which trembled with desperate rage, ¡°But how do you remain whole? How do you remain complete?¡± Ambertwo¡¯s form began to flicker, as she clutched her head in pain, ¡°We had to be cut away- yet I remained!¡± Her eyes snapped open, and in mixed voices of both Ambertwo and Mewtwo, she cried out, ¡°We¡¯re tearing myself apart!¡±

    Vee mewled in distress, reaching out to bring comfort to the girl and pok¨¦mon - one and the same - only to snap back as their form splintered apart, tearing at the seams. Yet Red remained calm, as he gave a sad smile, ¡°You say I¡¯m - what is it - whole?¡±

    Red closed his eyes, clenched his fist, and released the iron-grip he had on his soul. He opened his eyes, casting a dim crimson glow against the azure of Mewtwo¡¯s own, ¡°That¡¯s the thing¡­ I¡¯m not. ¡±

    And behind Red, formed from the shadows of his own fractured soul, were shimmering figures of crimson void, all lashing out with separate voices.

    let out your rage let out your hatred let them all burn bring on the storm-

    It¡¯s what you are, Red. You are destruction made manifest. All who follow you will die-

    but there¡¯s a time and place for destruction, and only you may make that decision. your will is your own, now go forth-

    GO FORTH, MY CHARIOT, GO FORTH AND CONQUER.

    Red closed his eyes, and with a heavy breath, the shadows withered away, as he locked them within the depths of his soul, festering amongst the countless demons he carried on his shoulders.

    Red opened his eyes, regarding Ambertwo as she gave an astonished stare, ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m not whole. Haven¡¯t been for years¡­¡± Red sighed, but leaned forward with a determined glint in his eyes, ¡°I know it¡¯s painful. I know it¡¯s unfair. But I persist.¡± Red paused, thinking back to all of the people who matter to him - Pichu, Charmeleon, Frogadier, Vee, Salvare, Karen, the rows upon rows of people who died for him to live - and murmured with a steady voice, ¡°I have too much to lose otherwise.¡±

    ¡°How?¡± A voice called from within the wasteland, as a familiar form parted the ash and fire with a wave, revealing itself to be the adult form of Mewtwo - his eyes glowing a brilliant azure - ¡°How can you know for sure?¡±

    Mewtwo floated towards Red, stopping beside the younger Mewtwo as he bellowed, ¡°How can you know this to be your purpose? HOW?!¡±

    At once, every aspect of Mewtwo¡¯s soul snapped their heads to Red - each of their eyes a brilliant blue - awaiting his answer.

    Red thought for a moment before deciding with the truth, ¡°I honestly can¡¯t say.¡±

    Red suddenly laughed, half-hysteric as he looked upon Mewtwo¡¯s shocked face, ¡°I don¡¯t even care if there¡¯s such a thing as destiny. I¡¯m not doing this for some sort of cosmic purpose!¡± Red stepped forward, staring at Mewtwo with a determination that had never left Red, even during his darkest days, ¡°I¡¯m doing what I must because there are people I care about, people who I want to protect. ¡± He took another step forward - and Mewtwo stood his ground - his voice rising with emotion, ¡°I¡¯m doing what I must because I¡¯ve seen - no - I¡¯ve lived through what will happen if I do nothing! So I¡¯ll do it , and keep on doing it, even if it¡¯s painful , even if it¡¯s unfair , because that¡¯s who I am. ¡±

    Red was nose-to-nose with Mewtwo now, but neither of them made any moves to step away. Red¡¯s eyes softened after reigning in his heightened emotions, petting Vee as she wrapped around his shoulder in comfort, ¡°...Do you understand what I mean?¡±

    Silence¡­ then a whisper, ¡°No¡­¡± Red turned his head to see the baby Mewtwo lifting his head, eyes no longer glowing blue, but shining with a shade of tan. Ambertwo hugged the baby Mewtwo as it stood, speaking for the first time in Red¡¯s memory - his voice being remarkably soft - ¡°But¡­ I am willing to try.¡±

    Red smiled softly and kneeled before Mewtwo, extending a hand, ¡°Then come with me.¡± Mewtwo hesitated for a moment, only to grasp it like his life depended on it, and Red smiled as the world around them shimmered, then faded back to reality, ¡°And I will show you.¡±

    ¡­

    The Clock Turned, and the earth quaked, concrete turning to rubble as tectonic plates began to shift.

    The Clock Turned, and glass rattled - the core bubbled - then cracked - the core hissed - then shattered - the core erupted - before melting as the walls around it melted into magma, and heat splintered through the stone and into air, condensing into nuclear fire that pulsed, then burst in the depths of the island.

    The Clock Turned, and within the stadium above, moments before the blast, a flash of light pierced the sky in shades of radiant pink, brilliant azure, and blazing crimson, as several figures disappeared in an instant, only for the very ground they stood upon to explode in a cloud of fire seconds later, blasting apart the entire island, and the palace built upon it.

    ¡­

    Eastern Sea, ~1 Kilometre from East Coast of Kanto

    The sound of a distant explosion brought silence to the boat.

    Ash looked back alongside the others to see a bright cloud peeking over the horizon, which was somewhat ominous, especially given that the cloud seemed to be a little bit on fire.

    Yet, Ash could barely get himself to care about the implications of the cloud of fire likely originating from the island they left mere hours ago. He remained entirely silent as the others on the boat began to murmur about the explosion and flaming cloud, keeping his arms crossed as he glared at the sea behind them.

    Pikachu cooed on his lap, nuzzling against his leg almost aggressively in an attempt to calm him. Ash directed a small smile at his best friend, but only pet his head for a moment before returning his glare at the sea.

    ¡®DO YOU WANT TO GET THEM KILLED! THAT¡¯S HOW YOU GET THEM KILLED!¡¯

    Ash¡¯s eye twitched as the words replayed in his mind - for the hundredth time - and he could vividly recall the man¡¯s face as he yelled at Ash, eyes glowing a terrifying crimson that warped his snarl into something monstrous.

    Ash had never before thought of someone in such terms.

    Ash shook away the pit of dread in his stomach, turning his eyes to Jessie and James as they hesitantly brought up the ¡® new-clear(?) ¡¯ reactor they found underneath the stadium, with Meowth adding that it was apparently damaged.

    Ash didn¡¯t quite understand why this seemed to make Brock and Misty go so pale, but he could infer that whatever this new-clear thing was, it wasn¡¯t a good thing.

    Apparently, it really wasn¡¯t a good thing, because Misty was starting to look as distressed as she had been when they were hiding at the edge of the stadium, ¡°Oh God¡­ I hope they¡¯re alright, especially that really pretty guy¡­ ¡±

    Ash raised an eyebrow at Misty¡¯s whisper, which was a lot louder than she probably intended, as evidenced by Brock¡¯s flabbergasted question, ¡°What? Who? ¡±

    Misty¡¯s eyes widened in absolute embarrassment as she realised they had all heard her, and Ash felt himself give a mildly vindictive smile as she began to blush - it was about time he found a way to get back to her for all her teasing - and stammer out, ¡°Th-the scary one! You know, the one who emerged from the storm, almost like a fairy tale, ¡± Misty¡¯s voice became oddly wistful, and Ash¡¯s smile dropped as he realised who she was referring to, ¡°I mean, he was kinda mean, but-¡±

    ¡®THAT¡¯S HOW YOU GET YOUR FRIENDS, YOUR FAMILY, EVERYONE WHO YOU¡¯VE EVER CARED ABOUT KILLED!¡¯

    ¡° Who cares about him?! ¡± Ash snapped, almost surprising himself with the amount of anger in his voice.

    Pikachu mewled, increasing the level of nuzzlement he gave his leg, and Misty and Brock both blinked in surprise, only for Brock to send Ash a severe frown, ¡°Do you want him to die there?¡±

    Ash blanched, ¡° No! It¡¯s just-¡± He bit his tongue, raising agitated hands as he fumbled for words, ¡°He threatened my mother! ¡±

    Everyone on the boat winced - even Team Rocket - and Brock hesitated, eyes beckoning less hard and more sympathetic, ¡°I¡­ wouldn¡¯t say it was a threat- ¡±

    ¡®Mark my words, Ash. It may not be today, but if you keep acting like this, you will see it for yourself.¡¯

    ¡°What else could it be?!¡± Ash yelled, fully turning his anger at his friend, ¡°He was going on about me knowing what it¡¯s like to lose family! He-¡± Ash¡¯s breath caught on his throat, his voice hitching as he began to tear up, ¡° H-He knew her name. ¡±

    ¡®Delia Ketchum.¡¯

    Misty leaped over the boat to envelop Ash in a hug, Pikachu shifting onto his shoulders to nuzzle against his cheek with a low, comforting purr. Brock regarded Ash for a moment, waiting until his hiccups lessened, and his eyes dried, ¡°He¡­ He did look like you¡­ eerily so. ¡±

    Ash rubbed his eyes, blinking at Brock in incomprehension, ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s right. I actually thought he was you at first,¡± Misty chirped up to his side, only for her to go red and scoot away from Ash, ¡°B-but he¡¯s way older looking¡­ Do you think you¡¯re related?¡±

    Ash blinked before glowering, ¡° No. ¡±

    Brock didn¡¯t seem to hear Ash¡¯s denial, as he audibly wondered, ¡°Maybe he¡¯s an older cousin? Or an uncle?¡±

    ¡° We¡¯re not related! ¡± Ash snapped, more exacerbated than angry, ¡°I¡¯ve never even heard of this guy before!¡±

    Brock and Misty looked at each other before shrugging in confusion, leaving Ash to simmer as the boat neared land.

    The storm had lifted around an hour or so ago, fading away so quickly that Ash almost thought it was an illusion. But he had seen some crazy stuff today - including the appearance of two - maybe three - legendaries - so he didn¡¯t find it entirely out of the question.

    As Pikachu called out in joy at the sight of land, Ash thought for a moment about what he was going to do once they were back on the road. It didn¡¯t take long, especially in light of the words echoing in Ash¡¯s mind - ¡®Delia Ketchum¡¯ - as he hadn¡¯t called his mother in well over a month.

    He really needed to talk to her right now.

    He¡­ He just really needed to hear his mom¡¯s voice, and he¡¯d be fine.

    He had to be.

    ¡­

    Ruins of New Island, February 5th, 1998

    ¡°...I¡¯m still at a loss for words.¡±

    Lance grunted, thinking to himself that Clair clearly wasn¡¯t at a loss for words since she was still talking.

    Not that Lance could necessarily blame her for it; it was her way of coping with stress, which was in no short supply given that a fucking nuke went off a month ago.

    They stood over the wreckage of the disaster site, Lance being accompanied by the Elite Four - sans Lorelei - the Pewter Gym Leader, the winner of the Silver Conference - regardless of said winner¡¯s denial of the title - and, of course, his darling cousin.

    Lance wanted to sleep.

    Arceus must¡¯ve found that absolutely hilarious, if the past two months were any indication.

    Lance huffed to himself, rubbing his eyes as his subordinates surveyed the wreckage.

    They had only just been able to safely travel to the island, over a month after the actual blast. Apparently, given how astronomically barbaric the use of nuclear energy was in most parts of the world, it was incredibly difficult to acquire Poison pok¨¦mon that specialised in purifying nuclear radiation.

    Lance had to go behind Goodshow¡¯s back to hire contractors from Orre and Kalos.

    Of course, Goodshow claimed that there was a process to such things, and that Lance should have waited for help by trusting in the process .

    Yet, even a month after the fact, all Lance could get out of Goodshow was that the World League was conducting an ¡®investigation¡¯ on any nuclear threat.

    Lance had - admittedly - flipped his shit at the excuse, cutting off communications from Goodshow as he dealt with the crisis himself.

    The following month was easily the busiest Lance had ever been in his time as Champion. First, he had to conduct the proper burial rites for Will, who now rested in the Indigo Burial Grounds at the Indigo Plateau. Then, he instated Koga as the newest of the Elite Four, which led to a week¡¯s worth of paperwork with getting his daughter to be officially recognised as the new Fuchsia Gym Leader.

    Then , with the Silver Conference still lingering in everyone¡¯s minds, Lance finally went forward with his idea for an organisation specifically meant to counter threats such as Team Rocket. He personally vetted various candidates amongst the Ranger Corps - taking Red¡¯s words of warning to heart - promoting ten to be the first generation of the G-Men.

    Clair laughed herself silly at the name.

    The formation of the G-Men had proven to be much less controversial than Lance had thought it would be, with most of Johto supporting it, while Kanto was an even split.

    Towns such as Vermillion City were particularly receptive to the G-Men, with Surge giving public support to its formation. Meanwhile, Viridian City became the most vocal of his objectors, with Giovanni firmly standing against the G-Men¡¯s creation.

    Agatha didn¡¯t seem particularly surprised when she brought it up to him, bearing a look in her eye that told him she knew more than she let on.

    Lance had found almost immediate success with the G-Men, as they had already struck at Team Rocket bases in Goldenrod and Celadon City, with Lance personally leading the charge. Their retaliation against Team Rocket seemed to curb any advances the organisation may have made on his region, as they started going to ground.

    And if Lance felt the pride of a dragon at his opponent¡¯s fear, then so be it.

    Naturally, Goodshow wasn¡¯t particularly pleased with Lance¡¯s actions, what with there being rumours of him inquiring about any replacements for Lance.

    Thankfully, Lorelei had taken to managing the Indigo League¡¯s communications with the World League, sparing Lance the headache. She had only given him a single nod when he went to thank her, saying that he had more immediate concerns than some old bureaucrats.

    Honestly, Lance almost believed that Lorelei enjoyed dealing with bureaucratic bullshit.

    Lance shook his head of the thought, turning to one of the G-Men - Asher Forre - as he approached the Champion, ¡°Sir, Gym Leader Pebbleman wishes to show you something.¡±

    Lance nodded to the man, turning back to quickly call Clair over as they followed the agent to the other side of the ruined island.

    They came upon a small crowd of people, as Karen was loudly talking - or perhaps yelling was more accurate - at Agatha and Koga, waving a red hat in the air. Standing to the side, looking somewhat lost, was Flint, who simply watched Karen¡¯s rant with bemusement.

    Lance sidled next to the man, ¡°You wanted to see me?¡±

    Flint turned to look at him, ¡°Yeah.¡± He grunted, pointing to the hat in Karen¡¯s hands, ¡°My Onix found tha¡¯ hat underneath all this rubble. The girl seemed to recognise it, though.¡±

    Lance nodded to himself, watching as Clair stepped in to calm Karen down. Shifting his eyes to Agatha - whose eye was twitching in obvious agitation - he rose an eyebrow, prompting her to hobble over and bark, ¡°What?¡±

    Lance crossed his arms, letting his cape fall to his ankles, ¡°What was that about?¡±

    Agatha huffed, turning to eye Karen with a mix of emotions that Lance didn¡¯t bother to decipher, ¡°Apparently, tha¡¯ was Satoshi¡¯s hat.¡± She sniffed, her face going cold as Karen stepped over, having calmed with Clair¡¯s assistance, ¡°She seemed rather concerned that he was at the sight of a nuclear blast.¡±

    ¡°Are you saying I shouldn¡¯t be?¡± Karen growled dangerously, gripping tightly onto the offending item.

    Lance decided to step in before Agatha could respond with her own cutting words, ¡°All this tells us is that Red was here.¡± This didn¡¯t surprise Lance nearly as much as it should, ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean he was here when the blast went off.¡±

    Karen turned her glare onto Lance, ¡°But they might¡¯ve. ¡±

    Lance noted Karen¡¯s use of ¡® they ¡¯ rather than ¡® he ¡¯ - were there other pieces to this puzzle? - and shook his head, addressing Karen¡¯s concerns, ¡°The League is looking for him - Cynthia and Steven, too.¡±

    ¡°But you haven¡¯t found anything,¡± Karen accused, drawing a growl from Agatha.

    Lance rubbed his eyes in exhaustion - he could understand her worry, but Red was, admittedly, pretty far down on his priority list - and replied, ¡°There¡¯ve been rumours .¡± Karen perked up, ¡°Some guy seen with a Pichu, or with a black Charmeleon. It¡¯s all been hearsay.¡±

    Karen didn¡¯t care about Lance¡¯s doubt, leaning forward with a determined glint in her eye, ¡° Where? ¡±

    Lance sighed, ¡°Rota, Alto-Mare, random places¡­¡± He rubbed his eyes, ¡°Look, I¡¯m sorry, but I have a load of other things to worry about without adding Satoshi to the pile.¡±

    Karen crossed her arms, a considering look crossing her face, ¡°...I can look for them.¡±

    Lance regarded her for a moment before waving his hand, ¡°Fine, go ahead.¡± He sighed, willing himself to stay awake - he had received a grand total of 8 hours of sleep in the past week; his bloodstream was coffee - and grit out, ¡°Good luck.¡±

    Lance didn¡¯t see Karen blink, nor did he see her sharp smile. He could barely bring himself to care about Red at the moment, even though the man might be dead.

    Call him heartless, but he believed Red would forgive him the slight.

    It was pragmatic, after all.

    Besides, Lance was going to be busy enough in the coming months dealing with Team Rocket.

    Red Satoshi, Team Source, everything else regarding the two¡­ well, he¡¯d leave Red to deal with that for now.

    Lance had his own demons to contend with, and he¡¯d rather like to do so with another few hours of sleep.

    ¡­

    Archived Audio Recording, April 7th, 1985

    It was raining outside.

    Flames spread throughout the compound.

    Sirens blared with crimson light, only stopping as the walls holding them up collapsed into rubble.

    Plumes of white fire scorched the floors.

    With every step, the earth shook.

    Bodies lined the halls, some dead and others cowering.

    None stood to fight.

    The man felt no remorse for those he passed.

    They were hardly the first he killed, and he doubted they would be the last.

    There came voices from deeper within the compound.

    The man followed.

    With a wave of his hand - as if he was a conductor - the man commanded his pok¨¦mon to blast open the door.

    ¡°let there be light.¡±

    And there was light, as screams rang around the room.

    A blazing inferno stretched into a ring around them, trapping them inside.

    Some realised too late, and burned for it.

    The man stepped into the inferno, and scanned the layout with a cold stare.

    Amidst the machines and screaming masses stood a single man, seemingly unaware of everything else in the world.

    He stepped forward, eyes rippling into crimson void.

    He felt its presence, and gave a satisfied smile.

    The other man - a scientist - only seemed to notice his arrival once the flames began to spread towards them.

    He stood protectively over two glass chambers.

    One held the body of a little girl, as still as death.

    The other held a blight of creation, writhing in agony.

    The man paused upon seeing the creature, sensing the twine of the veil dancing around its form.

    It was never meant to be born, yet it was.

    ¡°a god born it tubes.¡±

    The man¡¯s whisper drew the creature¡¯s attention, as it snapped glowing blue eyes to his own.

    For a moment, he felt a strange kinship with the creature.

    They were both cast out of the Creator¡¯s shadow.

    But he crushed the feeling; it served no purpose.

    He spared one last look at the abomination.

    ¡°how terribly beautiful.¡±

    The creature writhed.

    The flames spread shattering the glass around it.

    The creature fell onto the ground with a gasp.

    The man looked away, closing his eyes.

    It looked like a foetus, torn away from the womb before birth.

    The man felt a stab of remorse, and smothered it.

    Many will die in his path for a better world.

    He must not flinch because of it.

    The man stepped forward, grabbing the scientist by the collar.

    His voice was soft, but no less wrathful.

    ¡°The Mew Cells. Where are they?¡±

    The scientist babbled.

    The scientist screamed.

    The scientist weeped and cried and raged about the girl and the creature.

    The scientist apparently intended to save them.

    The Chariot did not care.

    He dropped the scientist, knocking him unconscious with a strike to the head.

    The flames continued to spread.

    The creature continued to writhe.

    Though, it¡¯s strength was quickly faltering.

    The Chariot kneeled down next to the creature, recognising it in the light of the flame.

    It was a clone of Mew.

    The Chariot sighed, and closed the clone¡¯s eyes.

    He granted the poor creature rest, using Dream Eater to tear away the last vestiges of its vitality.

    It was an act of mercy.

    It was an act of practicality.

    The compound began to collapse.

    The Chariot opened his eyes, seeing through the creature¡¯s memories to find the location of his quarry.

    It didn¡¯t take him long to find it.

    Hidden underneath the glass containers was a hidden compartment.

    Within the compartment lay a photo of a girl - the same girl by his feet - and a parcel.

    ¡®Stem Cells extracted from Mew fossil, Guyana [Count: 3]¡¯

    The Chariot closed his eyes, and pocketed the package.

    He was done here.

    ¡°Ares, leave no survivors.¡±

    His voice held no emotion.

    No joy.

    No regret.

    Ares obeyed.

    The Chariot fled, nothing more than a fleeting shadow, wreathed in flame.

    He left behind a wasteland of ash and fire.

    It would be years later that he learned of a single survivor: the scientist.

    But that didn¡¯t matter to the Chariot.

    Little mattered to him any more.

    He only cared for the cells in his pocket.

    They were his key to salvation.

    They were his key to damnation.

    GO FORTH

    GO FORTH, MY CHARIOT

    GO FORTH, AND CONQUER

 Interlude 1-C: Dr. Fujis Journal

    March 23rd, 1973

    My wife is, once again, proving herself to be rather troublesome.

    There¡¯s only so much I can say to placate her, and none of that matters when her father is around to spur her nationalistic drivel. Kanto pride is meaningless when it kills you, and I foresee many idiotic souls losing their lives for it in the coming days.

    It¡¯s times like this that I wonder why I married a Viridian. I can hardly think of a less backward people. At least she isn¡¯t from Kalos; I shudder to think of the depths of their insanity.

    It isn¡¯t as if moving to another town is somehow treason against the state. Lavender Town is still in Kanto, just a much nicer part of Kanto. A much quieter part of Kanto.

    It doesn¡¯t hurt that next to nothing happens there, or at least anything worth noting. I highly doubt it will be home to much fighting, unlike Viridian.

    Can¡¯t she see that?

    ¡­

    April 29th, 1973

    There¡¯s talk of a draft.

    It hasn¡¯t yet been legalised, but I don¡¯t expect it to take long for it to become so. The last time it happened was in the 1800¡¯s, which is vaguely horrifying to think about. University always taught to learn from the mistakes of history, yet here we are, gearing up for another meaningless war.

    I¡¯ve already made plans to avoid the draft. None of my pokemon are geared towards conflict, and I¡¯m hardly a soldier, either. Thankfully, I look older than my age, so I can realistically say that I¡¯m older than the maximum age for the draft.

    Assuming, of course, that they don¡¯t bump up the maximum age itself.

    Naturally, my father-in-law wasn¡¯t impressed with my plan, calling me a coward. He¡¯s already signed up for the army, even at the ripe old age of 46.

    He¡¯s a fool, and I told him as such. My wife screamed at us to stop, and her father left the house in a rage.

    He¡¯s going to die in this war.

    For her own part, my wife seems relieved at my choice. Perhaps she wasn¡¯t as deluded as I initially believed?

    ¡­

    June 14th, 1973

    We learned today that my wife is three-months¡¯ pregnant.

    It¡¯s a girl.

    ¡­

    August 4th, 1973

    The war has begun.

    My father-in-law left today to fight in the northern front. Apparently, Johto has launched a number of attacks on various garrisons along the badlands.

    It seems rather pointless to me, but what do I know? Maybe there¡¯s some unseen strategic potential in a patch of barren rock.

    I had to console my wife after her father left. I imagine that her pregnancy isn¡¯t helping her with this, what with all the hormones running around.

    I gave her some medicine I developed to soothe her nerves, even though she refused. She seems much better now. Hopefully my daughter will be less temperamental than my wife. One is already bad enough.

    Maybe growing up in a time of war will strengthen her? That might be the only good thing to come from this conflict.

    ¡­

    December 1st, 1973

    My daughter was born today, two weeks ahead of schedule.

    Her birth was an ordeal in and of itself. We ended up needing to perform a c-section to fully remove her from my wife¡¯s womb.

    She is a tiny thing, much smaller than the average baby. Her breathing was shallow, too, and I asked the nurse about it. Apparently, she will grow out of it.

    I named her Amber Fuji.

    My daughter.

    ¡­

    February 28th, 1974

    I was caught today.

    I successfully avoided the draft for seven months, but I woke up this morning to find the Chief Quartermaster at my doorstep.

    I knew of Giovanni Sakaki before today. Practically everyone in Viridian did. I hadn¡¯t ever met the man, but his reputation painted him as a paragon of Viridian grit, making him one of the most well-known leaders of the Kanto Army.

    The man I met today was far different than his public portrayal. He led me to his headquarters on the other end of town, and began to discuss some research projects I worked on over a decade ago.

    He¡¯d planned this.

    He focussed on my research on stem cells and their medicinal use, and asked a series of questions about their military application.

    Naturally, I answered these questions as best I could. I had expected by that point that the draft was unavoidable, and tried to minimise the fallout for my family.

    However, Giovanni gave an offer that I never expected. He owned a lab at the edge of town, and offered me to work there to develop the stem cell technology I discarded after my doctorate. He wouldn¡¯t even force me into the military, as long as my research was aimed towards medical use!

    I accepted, of course. I would be a fool not to.

    Even disregarding my fortune with the draft, I had always dreamed of going back to my university research, and perfecting it. With Giovanni giving me the resources to do so, it was almost too good to be true.

    My wife had asked where I was for the day, and she seemed happy once I told her of my fortune.

    She did seem somewhat hesitant about the source of my fortune, which was surprisingly canny of her. Giovanni reminded me of a snake more than a man, but such things don¡¯t matter in the grand scheme of things.

    I told Amber of the good news, too, even though she can¡¯t understand why it¡¯s good yet. Something in my tone must have been off, as she started to cry when I talked about Giovanni.

    I was unprepared to deal with it - Amber had barely ever cried before. I left my wife to handle my daughter, and went off to recover old documents of my research.

    ¡­

    August 29th, 1974

    Amber learned to walk today.

    Though, it¡¯s very possible she learned several days ago, and I simply didn¡¯t notice. I¡¯ve been awfully busy these last few months.

    What¡¯s remarkable to me is how intelligent my daughter is, especially for her age. She¡¯s only 8 months old, yet she already seems more mature than my wife, being able to listen and follow directions.

    Not a very high bar, sure, but still impressive.

    Quite frankly, her level of focus is almost unnerving. I don¡¯t know much about children, but I always thought they were supposed to be stupid for most of their youth. But stupid is the last thing I¡¯d call my daughter.

    The only area of growth Amber seems to be struggling with is speech, which is surprising. She has hardly spoken a word, and has cried even less.

    My wife seems worried about it, apparently thinking it¡¯s some sort of disorder.

    I know better, Amber is better than that, she is smarter than that. Her speech will come eventually, and I will be proud for it.

    She is my daughter.

    She is perfect.

    ¡­

    January 6th, 1975

    Days like these make me wonder whether Giovanni owns all of Viridian.

    We had a brief meeting the other day - he was preparing a series of transports throughout the region - and I mentioned, in passing, how nice it would be to have access to the morgue for experimentation.

    I arrived to the lab today, only to find a number of recently deceased bodies stacked within one of the freezers. There was a note pasted onto the freezer that simply said ¡®You¡¯re welcome¡¯.

    Admittedly, today was one of my most productive days in months. I created a human fingernail out of dead matter, which is immensely promising. Up to now, I¡¯d been forced to work with composite elements and the occasional volunteer. Now that I have my own stock of human remains, I expect testing to yield more consistent results.

    I shared this fortune with my wife, though she hardly seemed pleased by it. Apparently the idea of experimenting upon human remains struck her as ¡®barbaric¡¯.

    As if! Many of the modern medical practices were developed using such remains. We, as a species, had to learn our skeletal structure somehow!

    At least Amber seemed interested in it, when I told her. She didn¡¯t say anything, of course, but her mind was there. I could see it in her eyes. She understood what I was doing more than my own wife!

    Amber truly has a bright future ahead of her. Why, at the rate she¡¯s going, she¡¯ll become a doctor before age twenty!

    ¡­

    September 18th, 1975

    Amber said her first words today.

    My wife has yet to understand how much of a blessing this is, since she¡¯s apparently made it her mission to avoid me.

    Kanto was invaded today, with Cerulean City being taken over. We¡¯ve only received a little bit of information thus far, but it seems as though few of the soldiers stationed there escaped with their lives.

    My wife¡¯s father was stationed there.

    Of course, such a thing caused her to tears. I tried to tell her that the man knew what he signed up for, but that only seemed to turn her sadness into anger.

    She is an emotional creature, hardly capable of following logic at times like this. I truly wonder why I married her.

    We had devolved to screaming at each other - something we both agreed not to do with Amber in the house. It didn¡¯t matter, though. She was driven by emotion, and I will admit that her misplaced anger spurred my own.

    We broke apart after that, with my wife locking herself in our room. I hardly sleep there anymore, so it¡¯s not as if its loss matters that much to me.

    It was then that Amber said her first words, having snuck up on me as I sat back down. She patted my leg, and said in the smallest whisper, ¡°It¡¯s going to be okay.¡±

    She didn¡¯t say any more than that, even with my prompting. It seemed as though she said her piece, and no more.

    Yet, I¡¯m not disappointed in my Amber. I couldn¡¯t be more proud. Her first words set in a fully-formed sentence, and meant to console me as well.

    She truly is a compassionate child, which is a miracle in and of itself.

    I suppose it fits, though.

    My miracle child.

    ¡­

    October 2nd, 1975

    Viridian has been under siege for almost a month now, and has held far better than I gave it credit for.

    Much of the east coast has been taken by the Johto-Sinnoh Coalition, with Fuchsia City being the main exception. Ironically, Lavender Town was overrun almost immediately, apparently due to its strategic naval uses for Sinnoh.

    To think I had wanted to move there to avoid the war.

    With the siege underway, my experimental technology has found its use in the frontlines. Many of the wounded have underwent stem cell therapy to heal their wounds, which has given me far more data than I could have ever dreamed.

    It seems as though my name has become well-known throughout Viridian as well, as several of those who received my treatment have called me a miracle worker, repairing broken bones and burnt skin back to health in record time.

    There were even talks of making the treatment the standard for the entire army, but Giovanni shut that down, citing its experimental nature as a reason for caution.

    I was almost insulted, but I believe I know his real reason. Giovanni strikes me as a man who holds his cards close to his chest. Any advantage he has will remain his alone, at least until he has no choice but to share.

    If I was more of a philanthropic sort, I would oppose this, but I don¡¯t truly care about saving lives.

    I¡¯ve healed bones and skin, yes, but I can do more than that. What use is healing broken bones when an arm is torn off? What use is healing skin when the blood is boiled?

    I can do more than what I have now, I¡¯m sure of it. The people call me a miracle worker, but they have yet to see the end of my genius.

    ¡­

    March 23rd, 1976

    My wife and I had another fight today.

    She keeps on insisting that Amber be placed in elementary school, citing a need for ¡®social growth¡¯ or other such drivel.

    I¡¯ve read through the curriculum that they teach! There¡¯s hardly anything of worth for the first several years, and the little there is centres around pokemon!

    Amber is better than that! She deserves better than that! I could teach my daughter more in a day than those lousy excuses for teachers could in a year.

    And, Mew, don¡¯t even get me started on the other children.

    I¡¯ve seen them, bumbling around with snot dripping down their noses¡­ Honest to God, it makes me ever more thankful for how much of an angel Amber is.

    For her own part, my daughter just seemed to¡­ stare - for lack of a better word - while we were shouting.

    She has yet to say any more than a few sentences at a time, but I¡¯ve learned to accept it.

    If nothing else, she seemed to take my side of things. When I asked her for her thoughts, she just scrunched her face in confusion.

    It gave me good chuckle, actually. It¡¯s rare to find someone of similar mind as me. I¡¯m lucky my daughter is one such person.

    ¡­

    July 27th, 1976

    I performed a miracle today.

    There was a man wheeled into the emergency room, apparently fresh off the front at the Plateau. He was truly a ghastly sight, with his left arm being mangled into something unrecognisable, with only the smallest sliver of skin keeping it attached to his torso.

    According to the man¡¯s comrades, he had been hit with a Stone Edge by some Tyranitar that was rampaging about. The man was lucky to be alive, with one of the field-medics¡¯ Blissey keeping the patient stable.

    They were preparing for an amputation - one that, admittedly, was mostly done for them already - but I called it off.

    After all, I had just developed the perfect cure.

    It was a delicate procedure, far more than I was used to. But the people of Viridian had come to trust me. Or rather, they had come to trust Giovanni, who publicly gave his trust to me.

    The stem cells took affect, holding a mixture of human and pokemon DNA that I had only recently begun development of, and found very promising. After all, pokemon are resilient creatures, and most show some level of healing that is greater than any human can achieve on their own.

    After several hours, the arm began to knit itself back into place, requiring a sling to keep it in place as it did so.

    The bones, too, began to regrow, though it would require surgery for them to be replaced in their proper state.

    The people all looked at me in awe as I single-handedly restored someone¡¯s arm to health, as if I was some god amongst man.

    Yet I find myself blinded by the possibility of it all.

    Why should this be my magnum opus?

    If I can restore an arm, who is to say that I cannot restore other things? A lung, a heart, a brain¡­

    A body, restored back to life.

    It is a fantastical thing, yes, but so are pokemon, and there are none alive who would claim they do not exist.

    So why not?

    Why shouldn¡¯t I be the man to invent resurrection?

    ¡­

    November 30th, 1976

    Amber had a nasty fall today.

    I felt my heart nearly fail when it happened. One moment, Amber was smiling at the top of the stairs, the next, she was at the bottom, whimpering in pain.

    She didn¡¯t even cry out, but I could see her tears.

    Oh, and there was blood, too. A worrying amount.

    My wife started screaming by that point, proving herself to be woefully unhelpful. I had to drag her into the next room before going into my office.

    Amber was still lucid, but in pain. Admittedly, I don¡¯t believe her fall was fatal, or even dangerous to her development. I later saw that the blood was from a broken nose, and nothing more.

    That didn¡¯t matter in the moment, though. I will admit to panicking, foolish as it is, but rather than scream I set out to heal my daughter.

    We were lucky that I¡¯ve performed some of my research at home. It wasn¡¯t long before I acquired the stem cells needed for Amber, the same used for my ¡®miracles¡¯ with the soldiers.

    Amber fell asleep after the injection, her bruises fading away almost instantly.

    I knew it would work, but seeing it was no less relieving.

    I had to take the time to show this to my wife, but it seemed that she was determined to stay panicked, harping on me about ¡®using experimental drugs on my daughter¡¯.

    Honestly, the nerve of the woman.

    There is no-one I trust with my daughter¡¯s health more than myself.

    ¡­

    January 19th, 1977

    Viridian has finally pushed the invaders back.

    Kanto has regained the upperhand in this conflict, with Lavender Town and Pewter City being retaken from Johto-Sinnoh forces.

    Out of all of the major towns, Viridian remained one of the two to never be taken, which¡­ admittedly, I never expected. The people of this town were much more resilient than I gave them credit for.

    Good for them.

    Of course, much of Viridian¡¯s recent success can be attributed to yours truly. Easily hundreds of soldiers who would¡¯ve died, or been forced to retire, were brought back to the front with my technology.

    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    Giovanni himself seems to agree with me, given the amount of praise he¡¯s given me, not to mention the increase in pay.

    I brought up the idea of moving to a nicer house, away from all the rabble, but, as usual, my darling wife disagreed. This time, she claims to argue for Amber¡¯s benefit, worrying about how isolated she would be if we moved, especially given that she¡¯s ¡°already isolated enough.¡±

    I don¡¯t understand her point, and I¡¯ve stopped trying to. Amber has her mother as company, as ¡®pleasant¡¯ as it is, and I¡¯ve managed to come home much more often than before.

    What more does Amber need?

    ¡­

    June 28th, 1977

    Today the war has officially ended.

    I say ¡®officially¡¯, because after the Battle of Rage, there was barely any fighting to speak of, outside of Orre and Kalos doing their usual idiocy.

    I suppose I should be happy for this. At least Amber will grow up in a time of peace. Yet, over the last few months, I found that I almost missed when the war was at our doorstep.

    Back then, there was a constant flow of wounded to experiment on. Now, all I¡¯m left with are volunteers, which are few in number.

    One would think people would be more enthusiastic about helping their local ¡®miracle worker¡¯ do his thing, but I guess not.

    Still, development is going well enough.

    I made a hand the other day, unattached to any living organism. It¡¯s encased in amniotic fluid to keep it from decomposing - a defect I¡¯m working to correct - but its nerves are fully functional. Despite not being alive, it can still feel things.

    Pain.

    Pleasure.

    It makes one wonder how much of the living experience is truly tied to being alive in the first place.

    ¡­

    March 6th, 1978

    There¡¯s been some discourse over the ¡®Great Burning of Orre¡¯.

    It¡¯s been almost a week since it happened, and the public hardly knows any more about it than when it first occurred. I¡¯ve heard a number of theories on the subject, each more nonsensical than the last.

    Some say it was an act of divine retribution. For what, they cannot say. For all that Orre has been a thorn in our side, there¡¯s been no indication of them pissing off any of the local legends.

    Others claim that it was some sort of experimental weapons test, likely from Cipher. None of them ask why they would be attacking their own country, and there¡¯s yet to be any manmade weapons of such destructive potential, even of the nuclear variety.

    Quite frankly, it¡¯s obvious that the burning was the work of a rogue agent, someone with a grudge against Cipher, perhaps? Whatever the case, it couldn¡¯t have happened to a more deserving people. Why, if I ever meet the man, I would shake his hand.

    The only thing that could top this would be if Kalos burned as well. That wouldn¡¯t just make my year, it would make my decade.

    Amber heard about the event on the television that my wife purchased a month ago. Normally, I would have admonished her for listening to such drivel, but this is one of the rare instances where I let it slide.

    Amber has to grow to see the world for what it is. I see no reason to prolong it any more than is needed.

    Of course, Amber didn¡¯t find the story as happy as she should have. She was very nearly close to tears for the first time in years.

    I sat her down to explain why it was a good thing. People die all the time, so it¡¯s best for the bad people to die first.

    She didn¡¯t seem to understand, but that¡¯s all right.

    I have years to teach her.

    ¡­

    April 27th, 1978

    There was a flaw in my treatment.

    I still don¡¯t know what¡¯s caused it - and I have half a mind to say I did everything perfectly - but one of my subjects suddenly passed away three days ago.

    I paid no mind to it, at first, but Giovanni left a note at the lab showing the corpse¡¯s medical file.

    The man had a tumour the size of a baseball, lodged in his shoulder. The very same shoulder that my technology reattached almost two years ago.

    At first, I dismissed the idea that it was due to my miracle. Perhaps the tumour was already there upon reattachment, in which case it would still be an unfortunate happenstance, but not my fault.

    I¡¯ve seen otherwise. Giovanni met me today to share the medical files of other subjects. All those who had passed showed similar cancerous growths, and those still living have been falling ill, one after the other.

    Giovanni made it clear that this was unacceptable, and that there will be consequences. He¡¯d kept the first man¡¯s family from learning the truth, but he made it clear that he couldn¡¯t do the same if it happened repeatedly.

    Things could get¡­ very ugly, if people connect these tumours to me.

    Of course, that assumes that they¡¯re intelligent enough to connect the dots, which is a stretch in and of itself.

    I¡¯m not terribly worried about it, but I will keep it in mind.

    Public perception is a fickle mistress, and I¡¯d be remiss not to direct it.

    For Amber¡¯s sake.

    ¡­

    June 2nd, 1978

    There¡¯s rumour of a criminal organisation sprouting in parts of Kanto.

    The papers call it Team Rocket.

    Apparently, with the number of deaths in the Great War, as they¡¯re now calling it, an unprecedented percentage of the current generation have been left as orphans.

    Experts say this has led to an increase in crimes committed by juveniles, either out of lack of parental supervision, or out of desperation.

    For my own part, this is just another reason why Amber shouldn¡¯t be forced to mingle with other children. She is their superior in every way, and I will not have her dragged down to their level.

    Besides, Amber¡¯s had another silent spell in the last couple of months, and I hardly see the outside world being kind to her for it. Subjecting her to their abuse wouldn¡¯t just be stupid, it would be cruel.

    Amber agrees with me. She always does.

    ¡­

    August 3rd, 1978

    Amber has been diagnosed with brain cancer.

    The doctors say it¡¯s terminal.

    ¡­

    August 7th, 1978

    Amber has been moved to the hospital. She hasn¡¯t woken up in over a day.

    They¡¯ve hooked her up to life support, but they say it won¡¯t matter.

    They expect her die within three months.

    I refuse to believe it.

    I¡¯ve saved men from the edge of death, reattached limbs, and grown fingers.

    I can develop human skin out of paper, with working nerves and blood cells.

    Amber will not die from this.

    I refuse.

    ¡­

    September 1st, 1978

    I¡¯m making progress.

    I¡¯m sure of it.

    I¡¯ve placed several cancerous bodies into stasis back at the lab. I¡¯ve found ways to minimise the growths of the tumours, but I have yet to completely remove them.

    But I¡¯m close.

    My wife doesn¡¯t understand why I¡¯m doing this. To her, Amber is already dead.

    She has no vision. She¡¯s rather keel over and accept death rather than save our daughter.

    She is a coward.

    I know I can save my Amber. I will save her.

    I will save her.

    ¡­

    September 24th, 1978

    Giovanni informed me that an investigation has begun on the relation of the tumours to my stem cell technology.

    I don¡¯t care about that anymore.

    All that matters is my daughter¡¯s survival.

    ¡­

    October 3rd, 1978

    I¡¯m nearing a breakthrough, I¡¯m sure of it.

    Amber will be cured within the week.

    ¡­

    October 7th, 1978

    None of the tests have panned out, but many have come close.

    There has to be some way to do this!

    There has to be.

    I will not accept any other answer.

    ¡­

    October 9th, 1978

    WHY?

    Why does it have to be Amber?

    Why does it have to be my daughter?

    Why couldn¡¯t it be any of the other idiot children running around?

    Childhood cancer is such a rarity why did it have to happen to me?

    What did I do to deserve this?

    ¡­

    October 16th, 1978

    Someone broke into the lab and vandalised it

    How DARE they?

    I am saving my daughter and they are ruining it!

    They will regret it

    ¡­

    October 23rd, 1978

    it isnt going to work ive tried everything shes going to die because of me how could she do this to me how could i do this to her why couldnt i save her

    ¡­

    October 31st, 1978

    Amber was taken off of life-support.

    She passed away in her sleep.

    I couldn¡¯t save her.

    ¡­

    November 3rd, 1978

    I buried Amber in the backyard.

    My wife wanted her buried in the Viridian Cemetery, but I overruled her.

    It was a private affair. Only my wife and I were there. She hardly had any friends at this point, and I was never of the social sort.

    Yet, somehow, Giovanni knew of Amber¡¯s passing anyway, if his written condolences were any consideration.

    I burned the note when I found it.

    I¡¯m done working for him.

    I have nothing left to live for.

    I¡¯d do anything to bring her back.

    ¡­

    February 2nd, 1979

    My wife caught me experimenting in the basement.

    I¡¯ve been kicked out from the lab. Apparently, Giovanni saw me as a liability, what with the public after my head and all.

    She yelled at me for some time, and I just let her.

    Her words mean nothing to me.

    Apparently, she found herself displeased with this, as she thought it wise to blame me for Amber¡¯s death.

    Oh, she was hysterical about it, but she succeeded in stoking my rage.

    She claims that I killed her with my treatment all those years ago, after Amber had fallen down the stairs.

    And I.

    There was screaming.

    I don¡¯t want to talk about it.

    But the fucking nerve of the woman! To say that I killed my own daughter!

    If I were to kill anyone, my daughter would be the very last person I would go for!

    I would kill myself before harming my daughter!

    She doesn¡¯t believe any of my work was worthwhile. She believes that curing Amber was all for naught.

    She believes that my daughter will remain dead.

    I¡¯ll prove her wrong! I¡¯ll-

    I¡¯ll prove them all wrong.

    ¡­

    May 29th, 1979

    I just got back from the hospital.

    Well, I suppose it¡¯s more accurate to say I was kicked out. Not that it was deserved.

    I just had to say one last thing to my wife before leaving. She would¡¯ve done well to hear it.

    It¡¯s regrettable that she got herself hurt in our argument, but I can hardly say it wasn¡¯t her fault.

    She was asking for it.

    You know, for a mother, she can hardly stand the sight of her own child. It makes one wonder.

    I dug Amber out of the backyard. She¡¯s currently in the freezer.

    I scraped a small amount of bone from her body for the DNA. A few hours later, I held an arm in my hand.

    Amber¡¯s arm, exactly the same as it was in life.

    Minus the fact that it was synthesised.

    Of course, the arm began to decay, what with the lack of a beating heart to sustain it.

    But it showed me an avenue that I have never before considered.

    Cloning.

    ¡­

    July 13th, 1979

    We had a divorce.

    My ex-wife apparently felt ¡®unsafe¡¯ at home, which is ludicrous to consider. But, of course, the judge was a ludicrous man, and listened to her.

    She kept the house, and most of the money. I left shortly afterward.

    I have no real use for the house anymore. It was only restricting my work.

    I¡¯m planning on leaving town soon. It¡¯s become a hassle to afford motel rooms when their owners hate my guts.

    At the very least, I can call myself lucky that Amber was a small girl, making her easy to fit inside of a portable freezer.

    That¡¯s the most important thing now.

    I¡¯m too deep in this to stop now.

    ¡­

    December 29th, 1979

    It¡¯s something of a unique experience to live in Johto.

    They were recently combined with Kanto into the ¡®Indigo Region¡¯ - which is quite the silly name, in my opinion - yet there remains a sense of separation between the two peoples.

    It wasn¡¯t so long ago that we were at war, after all.

    But they¡¯ve been pleasant enough, and the Indigo merger is useful for travel, if nothing else. It made it much easier to cross the border.

    And, of course, no-one here knows who I am, which is a much-needed breath of fresh air after Viridian.

    I¡¯ve stayed in Goldenrod for nearly a month now, and have acquired a few part-time jobs to keep me afloat.

    For the biggest city in Johto, there seems to be remarkably small demand for someone of my talents, with most of the local economy focused on industry and entertainment.

    I fail to see the need for them, especially the latter, but I have other things to worry about.

    The freezer slows Amber¡¯s decomposition, yes, but it doesn¡¯t stop it. I need to find a way to halt it entirely.

    And quickly.

    ¡­

    February 18th, 1980

    It seems as though my reputation precedes me.

    I was approached by a group of men during my travels, who ushered me to the local bar.

    I had a taser on me - a recent purchase, since crime rates are higher in large cities - but I had no need for it. The men made no move to hurt me, instead asking me if I was ¡®Viridian¡¯s Doctor.¡¯

    It took me a moment to understand that this was a title I gained among certain circles of the Johto military. Apparently, word came out that my technology played a part in why Viridian held on for so long, and I gained a small level of infamy to those who laid siege.

    I was momentarily worried that these men intended to enact some sort of revenge on me - I hardly believe I could have fended them all off - but I was pleasantly surprised when they gave a hearty laugh.

    They actually seemed pleased to meet me? It appears as though they only knew of the short-term affects of my technology, and nothing of the subsequent tumours.

    I wouldn¡¯t be the one to tell them.

    They offered me a job, a very well-paying job as the head-researcher at one of the few labs on the north end of town.

    It¡¯s a closed contract deal, since they wanted my ¡®miracles¡¯ solely for themselves. Apparently, Team Storm is the dominant power in the Goldenrod underworld, and they wanted to use my technology to secure their place.

    Naturally, I accepted. While some may oppose working for a criminal organisation on principle, I¡¯ve never claimed to be of the moral sort.

    It¡¯s a weakness of the mind.

    Besides, their offer was better than anything else I could reasonably find, so I would be a fool not to take it.

    And I am no fool.

    ¡­

    May 21st, 1981

    I finished the development of a human brain today.

    It was fully conscious, capable of both thought and emotion, though it was limited.

    It had no memory, no experiences to draw upon, so it was no smarter than a newborn.

    Still, this is a massive step in my research. I have synthesised nearly every part of a human body.

    The limbs.

    The torso.

    The head.

    The eyes.

    The lungs.

    The heart.

    And now, the brain.

    All that remains is to piece it all together.

    And, I suppose, to make sure it doesn¡¯t decompose.

    I have yet to develop a single cloned entity that has not developed tumours, but I have a theory on how to correct this error.

    They say that Mew is the ancestor to all pokemon.

    But what about humans?

    They say that Mew had healing properties like the world had never seen.

    Why, then, couldn¡¯t it be applied to my cloning?

    It just makes sense.

    It just makes sense.

    ¡­

    April 2nd, 1982

    I created a fully formed foetus from Amber¡¯s DNA.

    It passed away in under an hour, but it did live, if only for a moment.

    It¡¯s possible.

    It¡¯s always been possible.

    ¡­

    November 19th, 1982

    I¡¯ve scoured the public library for texts of Mew and resurrection.

    There are precious few.

    Unfortunately, since many of them are ancient legends, they can hardly be looked at as solid evidence of either¡¯s existence.

    But then, there¡¯s never been mention of people regrowing limbs. And I perfected that years ago.

    I have come to wonder if there is something that I have missed in my research. I can craft a body, but it doesn¡¯t know how to function, how to keep itself alive.

    The heart will beat, but it will do so erratically, with no rhythm.

    The lungs will breath, but it do so in shallow breaths, and suffocate over time.

    The brain will think, but it will not command the body properly.

    These organs fail when any one of them is off. They all need to be perfect.

    Perhaps they need a helping hand¡­

    I believe it is time for me to begin work on Amber¡¯s brain.

    And bring it back to life.

    ¡­

    March 12th, 1983

    I received an electronic mail today from someone calling himself ¡®The Emperor.¡¯

    I was bemused, to say the least. The name struck me as rather pretentious, and the man¡¯s writing hardly dissuaded me of that notion.

    He apparently learned of my research, and found out where I lived. He thought himself to be something of an ¡®intellectual equal¡¯ to share ideas with.

    I¡¯ll admit, I was interested for a moment, but as I read further, it became clear that this man doesn¡¯t actually know what he was talking about.

    He brought up my connections to Team Storm, and while I¡¯m grudgingly impressed that he found it out, his following threat of blackmail was more amusing than it intimidating.

    It¡¯s clear by his writing that he¡¯s rather green to the business. While I¡¯m no mobster, I¡¯ve had enough dealings with the underground to know when someone is of new blood.

    Besides, the man struck me as an idealist, and those type of people tend to get blinded by their goals. I¡¯d like to think that I¡¯m above such things.

    I declined the man¡¯s offer to share our research. A part of me wonders if it was a scam, honestly.

    Infinite energy, hah!

    Such a thing is ludicrous.

    ¡­

    May 2nd, 1983

    Guyana.

    That is where Mew¡¯s remains are said to rest.

    It will end at Guyana.

    I can feel it.

    ¡­

    December 27th, 1983

    This last month has been rather hectic.

    Team Storm was taken over by Team Rocket, solidifying the latter¡¯s control over the Johto underworld.

    It happened rather suddenly, and I suppose some of that can be attributed to me.

    This is around the time that the tumours would appear, for the mobsters I¡¯ve healed.

    I was prepared to move once more, but Team Rocket approached me before I got the chance. The group was led by a red-haired woman that I vaguely remembered from Viridian.

    I¡¯m not terribly surprised that someone from that backwards town ended up in a criminal organisation.

    Our meeting ended up going much better than I expected, with me being allowed to continue my research, with the caveat that I don¡¯t use any of their grunts for experimentation.

    It seemed as though they knew about the other side of my ¡®miracles¡¯.

    The lady promised further communication from her boss in the coming months, before disappearing into the wind.

    I¡¯m not particularly happy with the thought - I¡¯m content with staying alone with Amber, thank you - but it¡¯s better than the alternative. I can hardly say that this was the worst thing that could have happened.

    Besides, the most recent clone of Amber¡¯s brain managed consciousness before passing away.

    ¡­

    March 3rd, 1984

    I did not expect to know the leader of Team Rocket.

    Giovanni never struck me as the type to cavort with criminals - it seemed beneath him, really - but there he was, seated right where I was directed to when meeting with the organisation¡¯s leader.

    It almost makes a cosmic sort of sense, now that I think about it. Giovanni was always a control-freak.

    But that doesn¡¯t matter, what does is the opportunity he presented me.

    He¡¯d learned of my cloning experiment.

    How, I can hardly say. And I can hardly bring myself to care.

    Giovanni is willing - no - he is eager to finance it.

    Apparently, he¡¯s interested in the prospect of making a biological weapon out of it. Mew only knows for what reason, but I didn¡¯t care to ask it.

    I told him of my plans, of Mew, of Guyana, of Amber coming back to life.

    Giovanni nodded along. I don¡¯t think he understood it - he¡¯d never been the academic sort - but he seemed to understand my need.

    He offered to finance an expedition to the Uncharted Territory, along with providing research personnel.

    I accepted the offer, of course.

    I would be a fool to decline.

    His only stipulation was to use my research to develop a new pokemon, specifically geared towards warfare.

    That¡¯s fine. It has to be fine. It¡¯s the only thing keeping me from reuniting with my daughter.

    Any experiment needs its control, after all.

    It¡¯s only logical.

    ¡­

    July 5th, 1984

    The expedition crew arrived on Guyana just over a week ago.

    We¡¯ve set up camp along the coast. I already have the beginnings of a lab set up in the main tent, and am waiting on the first shipment from Giovanni before constructing a more permanent building.

    I intend to be here for as long as necessary.

    My subordinates have established a perimeter between our camp and the wilderness. This far out from civilisation, the pokemon are savage.

    Some of the researchers seemed more interested in catching some of the local pokemon more than what was actually important. They were quick to correct this when I reminded them that they were on Giovanni¡¯s payroll.

    One group of researchers did manage to recover some sort of ancient tapestry depicting Mew.

    It¡¯s been torn, but it still holds together. Quite frankly, I¡¯m amazed that it hasn¡¯t eroded from the elements.

    The weather isn¡¯t very kind on this end of the hemisphere.

    Whatever the case, the last week has been more productive than the last year.

    I just know Amber¡¯s time is coming soon.

    It has to be.

    ¡­

    July 10th, 1984

    We discovered traces of Mew¡¯s DNA.

    Cells. Fully formed cells, unique to everything I¡¯ve ever seen before.

    We recovered eight of them; I would have been satisfied with one.

    Finally.

    Finally, I can bring her back.

    ¡­

    October 27th, 1984

    There seems to be something I am missing.

    We successfully cloned a pokemon - Bulbasaur - in a stable body. No tumours to be found, and no decomposition.

    It appeared to be a resounding success, if not for one, small defect.

    The creature was deaf.

    And it shouldn¡¯t be! The host specimen is perfectly healthy, responding to commands, both verbal and not!

    Why, then, is its clone defunct? What went wrong with the procedure?

    I¡¯ve agonised over it for months now! Perfecting every calculation, every measurement to produce the perfect copy.

    It has the exact same brain - the exact same soul - for crying out loud!

    I¡¯m not going to accept this half-measure! I¡¯m not going to create a new daughter, just for her to be retarded!

    What am I missing?

    ¡­

    December 1st, 1984

    We¡¯re down to 6 Mew cells, now, and two defective clones.

    The second specimen is somehow entirely different yet exactly the same as that infernal Bulbasaur. This time, instead of being deaf, it¡¯s blind!

    What did I do to deserve this?

    I¡¯ve placed both specimens into stasis. Even ignoring their defects, they have difficulty breathing outside of their amniotic fluid.

    For some unfathomable reason, none of my subordinates seem to view this as the tragedy that it is. They¡¯re too busy congratulating themselves for their ¡®accomplishment¡¯.

    As if they could do any of this without my direction!

    I¡¯ve been slaving over this dream for years. It is my accomplishment, and no-one else¡¯s!

    It is my accomplishment alone.

    ¡­

    January 3rd, 1985

    I¡¯ve finally made headway with the cloning, as the most recent specimen is neither blind or deaf.

    This isn¡¯t to say my method has been perfected. For some unknowable reason, the Squirtle seems unable to speak, which shouldn¡¯t be the case. There¡¯s nothing physical preventing it from doing so.

    I checked, it has a tongue.

    It can¡¯t be a mental disorder; the host Squirtle is far too loud for that to be the case. Their brains are exactly the same, barring inconsequential differences.

    So what¡¯s the problem?

    Perhaps the Mew DNA is contaminated? I surely hope not, since it was hassle enough to acquire what little we have.

    Maybe I need to alter the ratio of Mew DNA? It¡¯s something to consider.

    Though, what¡¯s to say that something like this will happen with a human clone? Human DNA is vastly different to pokemon DNA, after all.

    It¡¯s worth testing, at least.

    And it¡¯s not as if I have anything to lose¡­

    And why not? Why shouldn¡¯t the next subject be Amber?

    If it succeeds, I¡¯ll have my daughter back.

    If it doesn¡¯t, well¡­

    I suppose I can tolerate a mute daughter.

    It¡¯d hardly be different from the real thing, really.

    ¡­

    February 6th, 1985

    We¡¯ve had our first success.

    And it is an overwhelming victory.

    Our fifth iteration of testing, utilising only Mew and Human DNA in a 5:1 ratio. It was meant to be the last of non-human testing.

    And what a beauty I made.

    The specimen is little more than a newborn at this point, coming into conscious mere hours before writing this.

    The sensors in the lab spiked upon its awakening, indicating levels of psychic potential that I could hardly dream of.

    And there¡¯s every indication that its power will grow with time.

    Amber¡¯s unformed clone remains beside it, slowly coming into being.

    Perhaps¡­ Perhaps I have fully done it.

    Perhaps today I gaze upon not one success, but two.

    Two.

    I¡¯ve hardly thought about it, but these clones, they¡¯re not the same as the hosts, are they?

    They¡¯re different beings. Different souls.

    Or, maybe the same souls?

    I don¡¯t know, and frankly, I don¡¯t care.

    I have gifted life to new beings, saving them from assured death.

    I look forward to meeting them.

    Mewtwo and Ambertwo.

    ¡­

    February 9th, 1985

    Ambertwo has gained consciousness.

    She has yet to wake up.

    ¡­

    March 1st, 1985

    Whoever governs the world must be a cruel god.

    But I refuse to accept this as the end.

    I couldn¡¯t cure Amber of her illness all those years ago.

    But this time, I will save Ambertwo from the same fate.

    I have nothing else to lose.

    ¡­

    April 7th, 1985

    I¡¯m sorry.

    I couldn¡¯t save you.

    ¡­

    Abandoned Remains of Dr. Fuji¡¯s Private Lab, Uncharted Territory, Guyana Archipelago, March 12th, 1998

    Red closed the journal, having reached its end after hours of reading aloud.

    Salvare sat to his right, remaining attentive even hours past midnight. His eyes were clouded in a way that they hadn¡¯t been since December, likely because of his father¡¯s involvement in the events detailed in the journal.

    Red turned to his left, and held the journal to the air, ¡°There¡¯s no more after that.¡±

    A deep voice hummed in responde, and a purple hand plucked the journal out of Red¡¯s grasp. ¡°So it seems,¡± Mewtwo held the journal in his hands, before lifting the journal into the air, ¡°I have heard enough.¡±

    With a flick of the wrist, the journal burst into flame, and tumbled into ash. Red watched the scattered embers die into the wind, and asked in a murmur, ¡°Did it bring you closure?¡±

    Mewtwo rumbled, crossing his arms as he stared at the moon above, ¡°...Closure? No.¡± He closed his eyes, and let out a melodic sigh, before turning back to the ocean behind them, calming in its own terrible beauty, ¡°But peace? Perhaps¡­¡±

    Red hummed, softly petting Vee as she snuggled in his lap, ¡°You¡¯re ready to move on?¡±

    Mewtwo watched as a shooting star streaked the night sky, and exhaled, ¡°Yes.¡±

    Red nodded, gently prodding Vee to wake up, ¡°Where will you go?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ but I will find out soon.¡± Mewtwo turned to Red, tilting his head, ¡°What about you?¡±

    Red pursed his lips, making eye contact with Salvare - who now knew of Red¡¯s goal - before sighing, ¡°...I don¡¯t know.¡±

    Mewtwo hummed knowingly, ¡°You are directionless, like myself.¡± He turned once more to face the ocean, and the storm approaching from the horizon, ¡°Perhaps you, too, should be searching for closure.¡±

    Red couldn¡¯t help bitter laugh that erupted from his throat, ¡°No need. I know how my story ends.¡±

    Mewtwo turned, locking amber eyes with those of crimson, ¡°Have you made peace with it?¡±

    Red grit his teeth, becoming silent in the face of Mewtwo¡¯s question.

    His silence was answer in itself.

    Mewtwo stood, prompting Red and Salvare to stand with him, ¡°I hope you find it for yourself.¡± Mewtwo extended a hand, ¡°You have my gratitude, and aid, should you ever need it.¡±

    Red grabbed Mewtwo¡¯s hand alongside Salvare, lifting Vee onto his shoulder with his other hand, ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Mewtwo huffed, apparently finding some level of humour in Red¡¯s words, ¡°Don¡¯t thank me, Satoshi. I am simply paying you back.¡±

    And in shades of brilliant azure and blazing crimson, a flash pierced the sky, and upon the coast of Guyana remained nothing but footprints in the mud.

 Interlude 1-D: Predator and Prey

    Rebuilt Snagem Hideout, Eclo Canyon, Outskirts of Orre, March 4th, 1978

    The oldest lesson ever taught was that there is no truth.

    Yet it was exactly that which gave truth meaning.

    The earth spun, day turned to night, and the sun and moon danced around each other in an eternal chase. Yes, perhaps these could be considered universal truths, but such a thing was not the same as truth.

    For some, the earth stood still, shattering underneath them as the world fell before them.

    For some, day never came, its light smothered in darkened clouds of an unending storm.

    For some, the sun and moon were not celestial beings in the sky, but unknowable deities on the ground, laying in wait.

    And for her¡­ her truth was simple.

    There were two types of people in the world.

    Predators¡­

    And the Prey.

    Jade was never the philosophical sort ¨C she never had the time nor the desire to pursue such thoughts.

    This did not mean she never had such thoughts ¨C look at her now, thinking about truth ¨C but time was precious, and wasted time was a wasted life.

    Whether by one¡¯s own hands or by another¡¯s.

    Jade was a hardened woman - fourteen years of age - borne by the death of a silly girl who didn¡¯t understand the truth of the world.

    Jasmine - like the flower she was named after - was always such a pure girl, even amidst a wretched world. She never knew her parents, but that was okay, because she had friends on the streets who looked after her.

    They were the most reliable type of friends.

    They were trapped, like her.

    They could never leave.

    She learned from them, and fought with and against them, depending on the day. To be pure was not the same as being innocent ¨C there wasn¡¯t a single soul in Orre who could claim to be innocent ¨C but Jasmine always strived to be a good girl in a bad world.

    She was weak she was stupid she was prey stupid prey weak prey-

    Jasmine - small, thin wisp of a girl - knew hunger well, and knew the taste of desperation even better.

    And, oh , she was a desperate girl, trying - praying - to escape the slow purgatory she was stuck in for something more fulfilling than swiping scraps off the streets before the local Raticate tore it apart leaving none for you and the other orphans of a land torn apart by foreign powers for such a lucrative prize of precious minerals-

    But, then, she was getting ahead of herself.

    And Jasmine tried - oh, she tried - to keep her purity , even as the world around her lost all sense of order, all sense of meaning.

    Jasmine had friends once, the type of friends that only came together because staying on your own meant you¡¯d be stolen away and sold off to Cipher or - gods forbid - the brothel.

    They were never the kindest - kindness was a synonym for weakness in their tongue - and she had many sleepless nights nursing her stomach, bruised by the older boys who wanted her to know her place-

    She never did attack back - even though her mind catalogued all of the most vulnerable places on their body - and they eventually got bored of her in favour of moving onto new blood.

    She stood to the side, as that one girl - two years younger and half her size - was beaten to a bloody pulp as ¡®initiation¡¯.

    She thought about offering the poor fool a hand.

    She thought about it, and did nothing more than think.

    And though the world wore away at her, Jasmine still held onto her purity with shaking hands. She was always a stubborn one, never knowing when a fight was impossible to win.

    Her death came on an unremarkable day, ten years after she dragged herself to this mess of a world. Mortality came to her in the form of a drunken man with a knife, bearing darkened eyes clouded over with lust.

    There may have been a world out there, a strand of the Veil casting a much more merciful destiny for the young girl. One where she grew up to be a leader, a doctor, or otherwise simply happy.

    But this was not such a merciful world.

    And Jasmine was faced with a choice.

    The drunken man forced himself upon her, uncaring for her size or her age.

    Jasmine had always been weak.

    She froze, in fear - in shock - and tried to get away.

    Jasmine had always been kind.

    But, oh , something writhed in her heart, and snapped its jaws in rage as the man became a touch more violent, a touch more handsy , and cornered her.

    Jasmine had always been Prey.

    And the man forced himself on her, keeping her still with his weapon as he defiled the sobbing girl below him, defiled the few shreds of innocence she kept, defiled the purity of her soul.

    And in her heart, a pit of black ichor - a putrid hatred that festered every day under a burning sun - spread its roots and sunk its teeth.

    Jasmine had always been prey, yes¡­

    But she had the heart of the predator.

    The man¡¯s grip on the knife loosened, and the girl grappled for it, wrestling against the man¡¯s clumsy hold before disarming him, and stabbing-

    The knife tore into the man¡¯s chin, and into his throat.

    The girl gasped as the man¡¯s hands left her throat, as he fell onto the floor, gasping for bleeding air.

    And though the girl had screamed, had cried, had plead to the man and the world around her, nobody came upon her and the man.

    This was not to say none heard her ¨C oh, yes, plenty did hear her screams.

    But this place ¨C this hellish purgatory ¨C was never one to foster such emotions as compassion, now was it?

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    And Jasmine - sweet, pure little girl - gave her final breath that day, a gasped sob mingling tears amidst bloodstained cheeks.

    And as the girl¡¯s sobs slowed, and her breaths leveled out, once-kind eyes turned cold, as a layer of writhing hatred was chained together into an invisible mask.

    The girl knelt down, and grasped the knife, yanking it out of the man¡¯s chin.

    The predator stood, and wiped the weapon clean, before leaving the prey behind to be picked apart by birds.

    Where Jasmine¡¯s death came in a singular, sharp end, Jade¡¯s birth was muddled, unknown, spanning for a period of two years where the girl simply wandered.

    There were still aspects of Jasmine to be found in Jade, echoes of a girl who clung to the belief that the world was kind. But those similarities mattered little to the few who knew her. They didn¡¯t like Jade as much as they did Jasmine.

    They always felt safe with Jasmine, that foolish little girl that reigned in her wrathful heart.

    But they were scared of Jade, for her heart was no longer chained.

    They didn¡¯t understand why her name was different than before, and she never cared to educate them.

    Names were precious to those like them ¨C they were the last link between them and their families.

    To forsake one¡¯s name was unheard of ¨C to forsake one¡¯s name was insulting.

    She saw her once-friends less as time moved on, and eventually, she never saw them again.

    And where Jasmine had hope for the world, Jade was aimless in her anger. She no longer held any desire for a better future, for she could no longer imagine such a thing existing.

    That was why, when recruiters for Team Snagem - the new dominant power over her town - asked around, instead of hiding underneath trash heaps and tarps as Jasmine had done, Jade willingly joined them.

    She wondered, for a time, just why Team Snagem had gone to her, had gone for the children lingering on the streets. Few of them had any experience in pokemon battling, and most could boast anything more than meagre skills in pickpocketing and sleight-of-hand.

    Of course, she was something of an exception.

    She had blood on her hands.

    It quickly became apparent to her, though, even if none of the other fools her age understood it. To her new taskmasters, she was little more than clay , to be beaten and shaped into a desirable object, moulded towards absolute loyalty for them.

    And it worked , for most her peers. Consistent shelter and food were practically a myth for most of them, and despite the harsh words and occasional beatings - ¡®physical training¡¯ they called it - most of them grew to call this little canyon hideout a home.

    Jade was not one of those people.

    She had no home.

    Yet, despite her distaste for the taskmasters and the hatred in her heart, she took to their unique brand of training, and excelled at it.

    None of her peers fought better than Jade. None of her peers snuck better than Jade. None of her peers planned better than Jade. None of her peers lied better than Jade.

    None of her peers were better than Jade.

    And, naturally, the taskmasters noticed. It was a blessing and a curse in many ways ¨C higher expectations leaned towards harsher punishments in the case of failure, but she never failed.

    She had no friends among her peers - not like Jasmine did with the kids on the street - as they all glared at her anytime she passed, whether in jealousy, doubt, anger, or some combination.

    However, while she had no friends, she retained a single ally amidst a sea of strangers.

    Once she and the others were fully inducted, they were assigned a pokemon to train alongside with. They said it was chosen randomly, but Jade had become better at detecting lies.

    Her taskmasters lied in every word.

    She met Bagon through this process - assigned to her due to his sickly constitution; a test of her will - and they quickly formed a bond.

    It wasn¡¯t anything magical ¨C certainly nothing like the fairy tales peddled along by desperate children in a dying town ¨C instead borne out of the necessity for survival than any true friendship.

    Jade trained Bagon to overcome his weaknesses, to turn them into strengths. She proved his worth to people who didn¡¯t care whether he grew into a Salamence, or was butchered for meat.

    Through this, her own strength was proven to them as well ¨C grunts were expendable, but she wasn¡¯t.

    No, unlike her peers - unlike the fools parading around, claiming to be ¡®master criminals¡¯ - she was cunning, she was observant.

    She was dangerous.

    And she lived in a dangerous world - she¡¯d learned that long ago now - where legends were real and wrathful, where gods could be chained by man to do its bidding.

    There were rumours, spread in hushed whispers between the taskmasters and other adults, thinking she couldn¡¯t hear. Tales of terror, of savagery committed against people that made her own experiences pale in comparison.

    For a while, all she heard of the outside world were horror stories of Cipher, and a corrupted God of Storms. Where the taskmasters trembled in fear under the might of the living god, Jade could only hear the rumours and think of the opportunity.

    After all, if Cipher could subdue such a powerful creature, why couldn¡¯t she?

    But then, the whispers began to change, as operatives came back from the wasteland with charred clothes and charred skin, telling tales of an unending wave of fire , raining down from the sky.

    They said that the people of Orre had finally angered the gods too much.

    And they responded with a storm of cascading fire.

    And Jade couldn¡¯t help but think to herself - in voices both her own and that of a long-dead little girl - that the shivers of the men around her, the terror in their eyes, all painted them not as the terrifying predators they believed themselves to be.

    But as prey, cowering away from something greater.

    And Jade wanted to scream , wanted to yell , wanted to tear out their throats , because they were being stupid if they thought they could simply hide away and wait for their nightmares to peacefully walk away.

    She wanted to run - she wanted to fight - she wanted to scream - she wanted to rip and tear with foaming teeth-

    She was a predator.

    She was prey.

    She was the only one who wasn¡¯t surprised when the world around her shook, and shattered.

    The earth stood still, as the walls of their base caved in with a blast of flame.

    The light of day flashed away, as harsh shadows splintered against charred remains.

    And the sun and moon fell from the sky, as a legend chained tore through those who rose to defend.

    The monstrous Moltres opened its maw and screamed , casting plumes of flame that melted through steel walls and plated floors.

    And Jade, frozen as bodies scrambled around her - to run, to fight, to shout, to die - looked into the eyes of the mortal god-

    And saw death, the destroyer, riding upon it, staring back with crimson eyes ringed with darkened void.

    Jade blinked - death looked away - and was knocked off her feet as Shelgon rammed into her.

    She scrambled to get back up - she wouldn¡¯t die on her knees - but the dragon held firm on her clothes, and dragged her beneath smouldering rubble.

    It would almost be funny, if her mind weren¡¯t clouded by ichorous wrath.

    She was predator ¨C she was prey.

    Shelgon - her partner - was neither.

    He simply survived.

    And so she watched, as the base was torn asunder, and set ablaze.

    Seconds passed, falling over into minutes. Hours and days warred in her head, for the fire was as bright as the summer sun, and no less hot.

    Finally, after hours - or days or weeks - of writhing flames, there remained only piles of debris, as the chained god rested its neck down, allowing its human riders to dismount, and smell the ashes.

    And where before she could only see their silhouettes emblazoned in flame, she now held in a gasp as she watched them survey the wreckage.

    They were both young ¨C not much older than her.

    The first - the shorter one - watched the devastating with guilt on his face, well-hidden beneath a veneer of coldness, not unlike her own. He almost looked her age, were it not for his eyes. They were a warm amber - beautiful, in a simplistic way - which clashed against the bags underneath his eyes.

    He looked remarkably tired for his age, and almost sick by the sight before him.

    That weakness undercut any awe she may have felt at the sight of him.

    In the reaches of her heart, she knew this boy was prey.

    But the other - with eyes of darkened void - walked with an easy grace that the other lacked.

    He, too, looked young - yet something told her he was older than he looked . He watched the carnage he wrought not with any guilt, but satisfaction.

    The lingering flames around them licked against the man¡¯s skin, leaving it unblemished aside from the scars it already bore. Even amidst the hellish light, he seemed to retain a shadow, almost sentient in how it moved around him, obscuring his form.

    The man paused, and her breath caught in her throat as he turned to stare at her directly, despite being hidden underneath the rubble.

    And for the first time of her life - both Jade and Jasmine¡¯s - she knew what it meant to be under the gaze of an apex predator , one who was unchained by any fear or weakness.

    For all that Jade tore herself away from Jasmine¡¯s identity, she still retained the weakness of prey.

    Yet now, as she gazed upon what she knew in her heart to be the most dangerous man she would ever meet, she felt her heart seize, as desire filled her lungs.

    She wanted what he had ¨C the strength of a monster, the grace of a killer.

    The eyes of a hunter.

    The heart of a predator.

    She wanted to be feared like she feared this man. She wanted to inspire the same awe she felt in his presence.

    So, as predator and prey locked eyes, she stared back with conviction, with purpose.

    And the predator - the monster lying in wait - smiled.

    And she read much in that smile - a dark mix of sorrow and loss and wrath and grief and humour - before it faded away, as the predator turned to the boy beside him, and murmured, ¡° Come, Takashi. ¡±

    She held her breath as the two mounted once more on the tamed god, and watched them take to the evening sky.

    She waited until she couldn¡¯t see them, then waited a little bit more, before emerging from the rubble. And like Jasmine before her, Jade passed away to make way for the birth of another.

    The sun set on a burning world, and from the wreckage of her old home, Hunter J emerged, a predator among prey.

 04/01/25

    Ketchum Household, Pallet Town, April 1st, Undetermined Time

    ¡°Buh.¡±

    Ash woke up in a tumble, which, admittedly, was not nearly as uncommon as he might have preferred, but was still enough of a shock to rid him any vestiges of sleep.

    He managed to land soundlessly on the floor, rolling into a crouch rather than falling into a heap. He didn¡¯t do so out of any conscious thought, but rather by instinct; yet, he could hardly say how he acquired it.

    For some reason, the feeling of a blanket around his shoulders felt foreign to him.

    As if it was choking him out.

    Ash shook his head, dispelling the though, which was weird, even for him.

    He stood up - expecting to hear his knees pop, yet they didn¡¯t - and stretched, casting a crimson eye over his room.

    Crimson?

    Ash blinked, and stared at the mirror in his room that he didn¡¯t remember ever being in his room yet there it was, standing in the middle of his room.

    Ash looked at himself, gazing upon a scarless face with bright scarlet eyes that bore none of the bags he remembered being a constant beforehand.

    He couldn¡¯t help but focus on the eyes, finding their colour odd. He was pretty sure his eyes weren¡¯t red before? Granted, he wouldn¡¯t put it past himself to forget, but last he recalled, his eyes were amber.

    A sneeze snapped him out of his spiral, turning to see Pikachu hopping off his bed with a grunt.

    Ash smiled to himself; at least Pikachu seemed to be the same as ever, what with his stink eye and mangled tail. He was pretty sure that, at this point in his life, he knew what his pokemon looked like even better than himself.

    He wondered what his mother would say to that.

    Speaking of, she didn¡¯t seem to be at the house at the moment, given how silent it was. Based on the sun outside his window, Ash would reckon it to be sometime in the late morning.

    Which is to say: breakfast time.

    And while he was mildly disappointed that he wouldn¡¯t be able to enjoy his mother¡¯s cooking today, he wasn¡¯t completely helpless in providing for himself. Such a skill was a necessity during the Storm, after all, and Red had learned to make do with minimal-

    Ash blinked, fighting off a sudden headache. He didn¡¯t know why his thoughts were now centred around some sort of storm, nor why he called himself Red in his mind.

    Who names their child after a primary colour?

    Yes, Professor Oak, Ash is talking about you.

    Ash¡¯s thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door, prompting him to step away from the kitchen - grumbling all the while - in order to open the door.

    However, upon doing so, he was met with an empty patio, entirely silent save for the distant call of a Pidgey.

    Ash rubbed his eyes - distantly wondering if he was going insane - before closing the door, only to jump as a haughty voice yelled from inside, ¡°Ey! Ashy-boy!¡±

    Red whirled around, blinking at the sudden sight of Gary Oak leaning against the hallway wall. He paused, looked back and forth between Gary and the door, and began to wonder if his friend somehow acquired the ability to teleport.

    Before he could ponder this in full - which would have likely led to him answering: yes, Gary did indeed teleport inside - Gary piped up with a grin, ¡°What¡¯s with the weird look, tough guy? You too good for me now?¡±

    Ash blinked - what the hell was he on about? - and simply asked, ¡°Huh?¡±

    Gary snickered, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you forgot! ¡± He wrapped an arm around Ash¡¯s shoulder, tugging him along, ¡°The World Crown Championship! Ring any bells?¡±

    Truthfully, it did not ring any bells in Ash¡¯s mind, and he said as such. Gary only laughed, as if he didn¡¯t hear what Ash said, ¡°I¡¯ll say! The whole town¡¯s been waiting for your return! They¡¯ve been planning a congratulations party in your honour.¡±

    While Ash was still confused by all of this - somehow, the idea of him winning a Championship seemed impossible - he couldn¡¯t help but smile, excited for the upcoming celebration.

    This excitement quickly turned to dread once Gary¡¯s tone grew more teasing, as his smirk gained a smug edge to it, ¡°And hey, I heard a few of your lady friends wanted to congratulate you personally . Wink wink, nudge nudge.¡±

    Ash blinked, uncomprehending as to why Gary seemed to find such a thing so funny . He made to ask for this very reason, only to snap his jaw shut in instinctual dread as a female voice called from outside.

    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡°Oh, Ashhhhhhhhh!¡±

    Ash jerked into a stand, eyes blown wide as Gary¡¯s smirk widened upon his sudden understanding of his words.

    This understanding turned to fear as the front door was kicked open, prompting Serena to burst into the kitchen.

    And Ash froze , as smothered memories broke through into his mind - images of Serena¡¯s face, streaked with blood, burning away into ashes - allowing her to sneak up on him and wrap her arms around his torso.

    And Ash froze now for an entirely different reason, as the back of his head was smothered by two freakishly large cushions that he belatedly realised were her breasts.

    And - gods above, this sounds creepy - he knows for a fact Serena¡¯s¡­ chest wasn¡¯t even close to being that¡­ developed.

    ¡­Way to know your priorities, Ash.

    With that thought, Ash ducked away from the girl, tumbling out underneath the other side of the table. He scrambled onto his feet as Serena gave an exaggerated pout, crossing her arms underneath her (again) freakishly large chest, ¡°What? Are you not happy to see me?¡±

    Ash was about to respond - though he didn¡¯t know with what, because while he was always happy to see a friend, he was half-convinced that some mind-stuff was going on - yet, he didn¡¯t get the chance to, as another woman spawned from the aether, ¡°Get lost, harpy! He¡¯s obviously happier to see me!¡±

    Ash turned, momentarily glad to see Misty acting somewhat normal - what with her using insults as a greeting - only to groan as her own lovestruck eyes turned to him, ¡°Aren¡¯t you, big boy? ¡±

    Ash mimed vomiting, and he was pretty sure Misty would as well, were she in her right mind. They¡¯d long ago settled into a pseudo-sibling relationship, given how he¡¯d grown to view her as a bratty older sister, and the reverse for her.

    But, of course, this day had seemingly decided to leave any semblance of sanity behind, as the two girls attempted to tackle him, prompting Ash to roll away with a yelp.

    He ran to the door, Pikachu doing the same as the girls crashed into a wall behind him, getting in each other¡¯s way in their attempts to seize him.

    Ash reached for the door, wrenching it open, only for him to tumble into another girl who had been waiting outside.

    He scrambled off of the girl, recognising her to be Dawn, except - for some reason - she had huge boobs. I mean some serious honkers. A real set of badonkers. Packin¡¯ some dobonhonkeros. Massive dohoonkabhankoloos. Big ol¡¯ tonhongerekoogers.

    And before he could make a break for it, another girl spawned to surround him with the other three, as May gave a sultry smile, packing even bigger bonkhonagahoogs. Humongous hungolomghononoloughongous.

    Ash shuddered upon seeing their eyes, which glowed a terrifying pink as stylised hearts overtook their irises. Their breaths - despite it being the middle of Spring - came out in visible puffs that raised the hairs on his skin.

    Pikachu sneezed at the sheer amount of pheromones in the air.

    Ash knew he had to do something now , and desperately pointed a finger to the distance, ¡°Wow, look! It¡¯s Team Rocket!¡±

    Somehow - in what could only be described as a blessing - the pitiful distraction worked, and Ash darted towards the woods.

    He heard the girls yell in outrage behind him, but for as long as he¡¯d known them, he was always the fastest runner. It didn¡¯t take long for him to lose his pursuers, allowing him a small moment to catch his breath.

    Ash leaned against a boulder, giving a whispered apology to a Caterpie he startled earlier. He huffed an aggravated breath, and turned to Pikachu, who was also recovering from the fiasco, ¡°What a day, right?¡±

    Pikachu growled at him, which quickly turned to a whimper as a girlish giggle echoed from behind them, ¡°I don¡¯t know about that , Ashy-poo~.¡±

    Ash turned, and instinctually took a step back as a positively feral Iris prowled towards him, her indigo hair wreathing her face in a mad spiral.

    Diluted eyes narrowed into draconic slits, and Iris¡¯ teeth gleamed in a sharpened edge, ¡°I¡¯m gonna eat you up! ¡±

    Ash decided to make like his nonexistent father, and disappear, running back into the woods.

    Yet, despite his attempts to avoid it, women just continued to show up!

    A girl named Lillie - who he briefly remembered meeting in Alola; why the hell is she here - tried to throw herself at him.

    Jessie fell out of the sky at one point, and proceeded to profess her undying love for a boy who was half her age.

    Latias - the one he met once at Alto Mare - appeared in a flash, attempting to smother him in dragon kisses.

    Fucking Cynthia appeared out of nowhere, having apparently flown all the way from Sinnoh just to get in his pants.

    For hours, from sun-up to sun-down, Ash dodged the countless - countless - hoards of women throwing themselves at him.

    Numerous brawls broke out between them as they vied for his attention, which he gladly took advantage of to run back home and lock himself inside.

    Only once he was back in his room did the adrenaline fade, and Ash collapsed on his knees. Pikachu let out a pathetic moan and did the same, burrowing into his blanket for comfort.

    He stayed in that position for a while, simply¡­ existing .

    It could¡¯ve been minutes or hours later when his peace was finally broken, as his mother¡¯s voice whispered from behind, ¡°Oh, Ash! You¡¯re home!¡±

    Ash jolted, a hysterical sense of relief surging through his veins.

    Surely, his mother would see how insane everyone was being!

    Ash smiled, and turned around with a grateful - manic - smile, ¡°Mom-¡±

    His words cut off with a choke, and he turned away in an instant.

    There wasn¡¯t enough bleach in the world to undo what he just saw.

    His mother began to advance from behind, and Red snapped his eyes onto Pikachu¡¯s, ¡° Kill me. ¡±

    Pikachu, being the loyal partner he was, didn¡¯t question the command, flooding the room with light - let there be light - as an arc of lightning pierced Red¡¯s chest and-

    ¡­

    Pokemon Center, Sandgem Town, Sinnoh, June 26nd, 1998

    Red gasped awake, sitting up quickly enough to hurt his back.

    He cursed across two languages, rolling onto his feet, accidentally sending Vee tumbling onto the floor.

    The poor girl startled awake, casting confused and bleary eyes to him as he began to pace, forcing any memory of that dream - that nightmare - into a box, locked away in the recesses of his mind.

    The imagination was a beautiful and terrible thing.

    Red sighed, leaning his head against the wall as he contemplated whether the murder of a legendary would be prosecutable by law.

    He was 80% sure that dream had come from either Arceus or Darkrai.

    He shook his head, dispelling the (admittedly pleasing) thoughts of murder aside to apologise to Vee, and then to the others, who had also woken up in the commotion.

    Only Pichu didn¡¯t seem confused, bearing haunted eyes in a manner similar to Red¡¯s own. They met each other¡¯s eyes and turned away a moment later.

    Neither of them would speak of what they saw.

    It was better this way.