Remove ads

Paragon (Pokemon Fanfiction)

View content
Remove ads
Remnants of the Great War [2]
  • View content
    • PARAGON

    Remnants of the Great War Arc [2]

    Chapter 11 : A Hollow History​


    Anabel Lila was not extraordinary.

    She had no grand dreams, like Zinnia.

    She was not on a righteous path of repentance, like N.

    She did not have superhuman abilities, like Sabrina.

    She was a mere pawn in Cynthia's order of misfit toys.

    She was not the strongest among them, nor did she surmise herself to be the weakest. She spent equal time on and off Paragon Island in between missions. She had no hobbies and held no hatred.

    If she were a character in a novel or movie, she'd undoubtedly be a side character. She was the type of character people would say is "kind of bland." Maybe future novels or movies would build on her character, or maybe they wouldn't. Maybe she'd just be killed or written out in some other way because the audience didn't like her. And the story would progress without incident, because ultimately, her scenes were what the kids called "filler."

    These sorts of thoughts and more did not run through Anabel Lila's head on a regular or semi-regular basis ever since joining the Paragon Organization.

    Anabel Lila was a zero. Not positive and not negative. If she was the dramatic type, she'd say she was a "void." If she was the pragmatic type, she'd say she was a "rock."

    But Anabel Lila was neither of these things. She voiced her insecurities to those who'd listen, but she didn't have many of them.

    She had parents who loved her, and friends to call friends. When she became a trainer, as all kids her age did, she had an instant knack for it. When she became a Frontier Brain in Hoenn at the age of twelve, people called her a child genius. As she got older, they dropped the 'child' but still called her a genius. And when she got older still, they seemed to forget that there was anything special about her to begin with, as shinier talent splashed onto the Frontier scene.

    Oh well. That was the entertainment industry. If the Pokémon League was the pinnacle of glory, then the Battle Frontier was the pinnacle of gluttony. The complete opposite, where corpulent wallets, friends in high places, and the rarest pokémon around were the tickets to the top.

    Which is why Anabel left the Frontier.

    And somehow she'd ended up here. Most people probably followed a similar trajectory as her. They drifted through life from one thing to the next, anchoring themselves to whatever opportunities materialized from the aether. After leaving the Frontier, she found herself in the employ of the International Police. And it was from there that Cynthia poached her.

    Of course, even that had happened without any drama. Somehow, Cynthia got ahold of her contact info, scheduled a meeting, and laid out the terms. It took Anabel four years to beat her. And the rest was history.

    Oh, yeah. Then Ash joined.

    Ash.

    Ash Ketchum.

    Ash.

    She rolled his name around her mind like a morsel of food that was too hot.

    When he'd appeared on Paragon Island, her heart flipped over in her chest.

    But then it stuck the landing.

    Hmmm, nope. Yeah, nope. Nothing. That flame had fizzled out long ago. Of course she'd gotten a pang in her chest after seeing her old crush after so long. That was to be expected. But her feelings, at least those feelings, were long gone now. Ash was now just Ash.

    So her life wasn't about to turn into a riveting, heart-pounding romance between two old friends reunited after ten years while they took on a world of evil and enigmas either.

    In other words, Anabel Lila was not extraordinary.

    Even her propensity for self-evaluation rode a thin line between critical and aloof. She was humble enough to know that she wasn't some once-in-a-generation icon, but not so much so that she would devalue her own achievements in a vain attempt at modesty. They had earned her a spot in the Paragon Organization, after all.

    And as a result, she now found herself on a small island at the center of the world. Despite its size, the place bustled with activity. Armored vans cruised past her in a hurry, and massive tents had been erected across the smooth sandstone at the island's interior. A veritable hive of International agents swarmed around her, but they were far too busy to greet her, and she passed them all without interruption.

    As she rounded a tall cliff, her destination came into view. The World Prison loomed high into the perfect sky. It was a column of justice constructed of stone, iron, and more that housed criminals from throughout the lands and ages. It was brown and overgrown at its base, but as it stretched higher and higher, it turned to metal, and thin currents of energy pulsed across its surface at the highest levels. The World Prison had been built countless years ago, but to this day, it was still incomplete, always adding more floors to accommodate the ever-growing number of villains.

    She began her ascent up a flight of grand polished marble steps flanked by massive banners of all the regions of the world. They flapped their colors in the wind: violet for Paldea, added most recently at the bottom, black for Unova, gold for Sinnoh, and so on. Finally, she reached the top and passed between the crimson standards of Kanto.

    Sabrina was waiting for her at the top. If nothing else, the girl was punctual, though she'd probably just had her Alakazam teleport her to the top. Or she'd done it herself. Unlike Anabel, who tried to dress the part of a Paragon operative, Sabrina wore simple black tights and an oversized indigo sweater dress. She looked like she was out to get groceries.

    Sabrina put up a hand when Anabel arrived and hopped off the granite plinth she'd been sitting on beneath one of Kanto's banners. Anabel smiled and waved back. Sabrina was a nice girl. She'd been a total cold fish when they first met, but after some… insistence on Anabel's part… okay, it was really more like a total invasion of her privacy for the better part of a year, she'd come out of her shell, at least when it was just the two of them.

    "Hey," Sabrina said quietly.

    "Hey!" Anabel beamed. "I thought for sure I'd beat you this time."

    "Oh. Sorry. I sensed you coming so I told Minior to fly faster."

    "You little—" Anabel grabbed her and locked her neck in her arm, and the girl giggled as she squirmed to escape. When she finally did, Anabel placed her gloved hands on her hips and looked up at the structure before them.

    Anabel scowled at its sight. She'd only been here a few times, but it was an unsettling place. Legions of scum served their time here, and as the prison continued to graft greater defenses into and onto itself, it seemed to become more and more like an abomination. A cylindrical golem that had long outlived its expiration date, yet continued to persist, somehow.

    Its oaken doors rested on the wall beside the gaping entrance, separated from their hinges, and Anabel led the way inside. Hooded guards beside the entrance bowed at their approach.

    Immediately, once they passed through the arch, Anabel gagged and slammed her hand over her nose. A malodor of rancid iron clawed up her nostrils, and she almost threw up on the spot. Sabrina closed her eyes, and her gauntlets whirred. A gentle wind enveloped them, and the stench of death subsided, and Anabel nodded at her in thanks, wiping her eyes. They crossed a short hallway, and the source of the stench quickly made itself apparent.

    The atrium was covered in blood, from floor to ceiling. Anabel gasped as she stepped across the carpet, dried blood cracking under her feet. Beside her, Sabrina shielded her nose and mouth with a sleeve-covered hand. Despite the fact that she was keeping the stench at bay with her powers, moisture rimmed her eyes. They'd both seen some things after joining Paragon, but a gruesome scene like this was new even for them.

    "It's quite something, isn't it?"

    Seated on a broken piece of pillar in the center of the room sat a man whose stained armor crumpled around him in a twisted sculpture. He looked to be in his fifties, and a pad of gauze covered half of his scarred face, though blood was seeping through. He held an ice pack to his head, and a medic was stitching up a gash on his arm. Unlike his guards scattered throughout the room, he wore no mask, as if the smell didn't even faze him.

    Anabel composed herself and walked up to him. "I wanted to believe the report I read was an exaggeration."

    "I'm afraid not," he chuckled, though there was no mirth in it. "Bastard got us good."

    "Seems he missed a spot."

    "Heh. Luck, and nothing more, sweetheart. If I hadn't been buried under my Stoutland during the massacre, and broke half his ribs in the process, I'd be a pile of meat like the rest of my men."

    Anabel pursed her lips. "Do you want to talk now?"

    "Day's not getting any younger. Get off of me," he shooed the medic away and stood up. "Everybody out!" he bellowed. Before he could get light headed, he sat back down and steadied himself for a moment. Then he smiled, his lips pressed together, and the many wrinkles on his face deepened. "So. How can I help the Paragon Organization today?"

    Anabel ignored his glib attempt at sarcasm, and motioned to the psychic. "I don't think you and Sabrina have met. Sabrina, this is General Nathaniel Barke, warden of the World Prison. General, maybe you've heard of Sabrina—"

    "Yes, Saffron gym leader. Human psychic. Extremely dangerous. I would know, I was in the room when those were being made," he pointed at her gauntlets with his pinky. "Pleasure to meet you, princess."

    Sabrina nodded, and rubbed her gauntlets absentmindedly. Then they started to spin slightly faster, and a breeze passed over Barke. He wrinkled his nose, and took a few sniffs, then glared at her.

    "That's some trick. Cynthia found quite the catch to add to her menagerie with you, eh? No need to bother with me, though. I selfishly survived when all my men died, the least I could do is have the courtesy to smell their corpses."

    Sabrina didn't react, but Anabel cut in before he could continue.

    "What can you tell us about the escapee?"

    Barke raised his eyebrow as he turned back to her. "Not much." He laced his thick fingers together and sighed, now all business. "He's known as AZ, though that's certainly a mistranslation from Old Kalosian. He was the World Prison's first prisoner, and it's said it was built to contain him."

    Anabel shifted uneasily. The World Prison, despite its human construction and obvious purpose, was nearly as mysterious as any other inexplicable phenomenon across the world. She knew this tower had its secrets, but even its secrets had secrets, it seemed. "And how long ago was that?"

    "Three thousand years, give or take a few decades."

    Anabel frowned. "How is that possible?"

    Barke threw his arms out. "We don't know. We haven't fed him anything in years, and he doesn't move. Every warden is briefed on the protocols regarding his treatment when they become warden, though most of it boils down to 'don't let him escape' and 'try and kill him, if you can.' All who came before me maintained the first directive just fine, but had no luck with the second."

    "Are you sure he's even human? It sounds more like you've been looking over a statue this entire time."

    "Oh, he's human alright. There are records of his crimes. Apparently he was a bit of a big deal back during the Great War. Some king or general from Kalos or something, the translations are a little unclear on that. Name a war crime and I'm sure it's on his ledger."

    Anabel bit her lip. There wasn't much known about the Great War. Three thousand years ago, humanity devolved into a bloody clash against one another on almost every continent, and it'd taken a catastrophic event known as the Calamity to end the fighting. Supposedly, the population of both people and pokémon were cut in half in a single day, though the source of such destruction remained unknown to this day. If Cynthia were here, she'd probably know more.

    "It's funny," Barke continued. "The World Prison held a monster like AZ for millenia, yet we still know next to nothing about how, or what our predecessors intended for him. You'd think they would've been a little more detailed in writing that history down."

    "Are there other prisoners like him here?" Sabrina asked.

    "No. The next oldest prisoner here is ninety-three, and he's in for bestiality." He shook his head in contempt. "You see? I can tell you everything you'd want to know about anyone else in this damned tower. But the one guy who puts all the others to shame… nothing." He spat on the ground. "Gone, in just a few minutes. No outside help. After three thousand years."

    "What were the protocols in place to contain him?" Anabel asked.

    Barke glanced up at them, and his eyelid seemed to sag wearily over his eye. "What I'm about to tell you doesn't leave this room." When the two nodded, he continued. "Interpol knows a breeder, I think out in Hoenn, who creates metalworks from the steel of a Metagross. Every ten years or so, we commission a new set of chains from the guy and rebind the prisoner. As the old chains decayed, the new ones would keep him restrained, theoretically. We had psychics monitoring his emotional state at all times. Ghosts kept his thoughts in check, and disrupted them any time he got a little too active."

    "That's inhuman," Sabrina murmured.

    Barke sneered at her. "If only. And that's just for starters, you're gonna love what else we were cooking, sweetheart. Several years ago, a defense firm in Unova invented a weapon that was supposedly powerful enough to turn his bones to sand and boil his blood in an instant. We weren't able to test it out on him because it would've destroyed his cell, but it's safe to say that's eighteen million dollars we won't be getting back." He rubbed his face in annoyance. "We had a damn armory's worth of similar such defenses, and there was supposed to be some sort of ancient magic imbued in the very stones of his cell from when the World Prison was first erected. But he tore through it all like it was made of paper."

    Anabel stifled her rising fear. Who were they about to go after? This mission was supposed to be little more than intelligence gathering, but it'd be up to Paragon to apprehend him once they had more information. Cynthia would need to mobilize far more than just her and Sabrina for that, Anabel could already tell. But before all that, was killing him even possible?

    "Did it have any effect?"

    "Gave him a little headache, if my men's words are to be trusted."

    Oh. Great. "What else have you tried? What have wardens in the past tried?"

    Barke shrugged, as if the question was completely pointless. "His skin is completely impenetrable. He can't be poisoned, and is immune to fire and lava. He can't be drowned. He can't be crushed. He can't be buried. Anything more invasive than that we've been hesitant to try for fear of incensing him."

    "Any idea where he is now?" Sabrina asked.

    "He was headed in the direction of Kalos last we saw him, though no further details beyond what was in the report."

    "And I don't suppose you know why he decided to break out now, of all times?"

    "My men are looking into it now. But no."

    Anabel sighed and closed her eyes. "Do you mind if we have a look around?"

    Barke shrugged. "The cell's down below."

    Anabel turned to Sabrina, and the psychic nodded. She released her Alakazam, and after a few moments, its spoons glowed, and Anabel felt her stomach turn weightless, before her feet fell back upon solid ground.

    They were now in front of the broken cell far beneath the atrium. Spotlights flooded the floor with light, but the empty cell held an eerie darkness unrelated to the light. There should have been something in there, amidst the ruin, but now there wasn't. And it was terrifying.

    Anabel selected a pokéball and released its contents. Decidueye emptied out onto the cobblestone, its dark eyes already studying its surroundings. "See what you can find," Anabel ordered, and Decidueye trotted off.

    Beside them, Alakazam hovered above the ground, its legs crossed, as it searched the chamber for clues. Although it was clearly making an effort, Anabel knew it wasn't necessary. Sabrina's gauntlets spun about her wrists, alternating directions every so often. Her senses were even greater than her pokémon's, a fact she seemed eager to hide through ruses like this.

    AZ.

    It was a name that was simultaneously meaningless and infamous. To the world at large, it meant nothing, but to those in the International Police, it was like an urban legend. A completely inexplicable existence. A man out of time. A monster at the bottom of the world.

    An extraordinary man.

    Anabel frowned.

    No way.

    Am I… jealous?

    She narrowed her eyes. Inquiry, begin.

    Am I jealous of AZ? she asked herself again.

    No. The answer came easily. No. And it wasn't just denial. It was like jealousy. But not exactly. It was fascination. Beneath her fear lay an inexplicable desire to find him. Like a moth to a flame. She knew she'd be incinerated, but she wanted to find him anyway.

    But why? What would I do if I found him?

    Although she didn't have an answer, she savored this new development. A fleck upon her ordinariness.

    As she noticed Decidueye approaching her, Anabel decided to earmark her thoughts for later. "What do you have for me, Sophia?"

    Sophia the Decidueye cooed and held up her wing. She saw with more than her two eyes, and nothing organic escaped her ghostly gaze. Upon one of her quills was a tiny speck of gray.

    Paper. Paper, which would never be found down here, damp as it was. Unless someone had brought it down recently.

    "Sabrina," Anabel called.

    Sabrina's gauntlets slowed as her concentration was interrupted. She picked the piece of paper off Decidueye's wing with her powers and it floated through the air. After examining it for a few seconds, her gauntlets began to spin again, and more gray specks started flying out of the decimated cell and assembling in the air in front of her. When she was done, she placed the patchwork gently on the floor in the center of the room, right beneath the spotlight. Though there were holes in it, and they only had a single page, it was obvious what it was.

    "A newspaper," Anabel breathed.

    Though it didn't tell them anything yet, this was a first step. Something AZ had read in this newspaper had catalyzed his escape. For three thousand years, AZ had remained an enigma. A void. A nondescript rock at the bottom of a mountain.

    If Anabel could shed a light upon him, what would that make her?

    Next — Chapter 12 : Revival

     
  • View discussion
    • Remnants of the Great War [3]
  • View content

    • PARAGON

    Remnants of the Great War Arc [3]

    Chapter 12 : Revival​


    When Ash opened his eyes, he thought he was burning. Pain, sharp and throbbing, lanced through his veins like magma, and he sucked in a breath to keep from screaming. As his eyes came into focus, he tried sitting up, but a deluge of vertigo dusted that idea instantly. A film of sweat covered his skin, and he resigned himself to taking deep breaths while his body recalibrated itself.

    Breathe in.

    Breathe out.

    As the world swam into view around him, he realized he was back at Paragon Island. This was the huge medical bay Sylvester had patched Sceptile up in, once upon a time. He was laying in bed, curtains strung up around him on all sides but in front of him.

    As his vision steadied and oxygen continued to filter through his body, the pain began to subside. This time, he didn't try his luck, and simply lay in place, arms splayed at his sides while the agony slowly bled away.

    The ceiling far above twisted and Ash felt his stomach turn weightless. He closed his eyes and prayed for sleep to take him again, but the pounding in his muscles refused to let him back under. Soon, the physical pain abated almost entirely, but he was left with tortuous nausea and a cold sweat that left him shivering in his hospital gown.

    After what felt like hours later, he heard someone enter the room, and the shot of adrenaline that coursed through his veins at their arrival gave him just enough strength to prop himself up against the bedrest to greet them.

    "Ash!"

    Ash exhaled as his visitor strode past the curtains into view. Zinnia was breathless, and she wore an expression Ash had never seen on her before: worry. Without another word, she surged toward him and fell onto him. She smelled like soil and ember, and it was a welcome change from the invasive odor of chemicals that infused this room.

    Ash groaned and pushed her off, her weight threatening to force whatever was left in his stomach out, though he found himself far weaker than he initially thought. She quickly scrambled off of him and put herself in a swivel chair beside his bed.

    "Sorry," she mumbled.

    Ash took several more deep breaths. "How…?"

    "Oh, hang on a second," Zinnia said, and she got up and walked away. A minute later she came back with a glass of water. Taking her seat again, she pulled herself closer and opened her other hand. "Here, take these. Sylvester said to give them to you when you woke up."

    Ash stared at the pills in Zinnia's palm before grabbing them carefully and shoving them in his mouth. He licked his lips and took a swig of water. Its coolness was refreshing, and he sighed in relief, before finishing the rest of the glass slowly.

    Zinnia watched him the whole time silently. This was quite the character change for her. During the times they'd found themselves on Paragon Island at the same time during his two year training, Ash had grown accustomed to her wanton belligerence. She demanded battles from him ad nauseam, and though she was an excellent opponent, it'd gotten so bad that Ash had to start calling Sylvester ahead of time to check if she was around, and if she was, he'd go to great lengths to land on a part of the island where she wouldn't notice him. But she was wily, and eventually she'd realized what he was up to. Then it was her turn to ambush him whenever he arrived.

    In other words, a silent Zinnia could hardly be called Zinnia at all.

    After Ash finished his water, and handed his glass back to Zinnia and she put it on the ground. Then she looked back at him meekly, burying her hands between her thighs.

    Despite his condition, Ash cracked a smile. "What's going on with you?"

    Zinnia half-glared, half-frowned at him. "Welcome back," she murmured.

    Back. Right. He'd been in Mount Coronet with N. They'd found the Plate. Then they run into a man named Zagreus, who fought them for the Plate. And then…

    "What happened?" Ash asked, his brows furrowed as he continued to comb through his memories.

    "You died, that's what happened," Zinnia said in a hollow voice. "When N came back and dumped your body on the floor, your heart wasn't beating. Sylvester tried everything he could, but you were gone. If it wasn't for… if it wasn't for Sabrina, we'd be burying you right now."

    "Sabrina…?"

    "She did something. I don't know what. But she did something, and then your heart was beating again. Barely, but it was beating. Sylvester said it was so weak it could've stopped again, and you would've died again. Lucky for you, it got stronger. Every day, a little stronger. Until today."

    Ash put his hand on his chest. His heartbeat felt no different than usual, but his throat ran dry at the thought that it had actually stopped, for an extended period of time. The life of a trainer was perilous to be sure, and even among trainers, the number of brushes Ash had had with death was downright embarrassing. But each and every one of those past times, his body had moved before he could even think about it. This time, though, he'd stared death in the face as it bore down on him. There was a world of difference between Ash's own reckless actions getting himself into danger, and sitting passively as it came to devour him, unable to do anything about it.

    "N… how did he…? There was water…"

    "Don't underestimate Reshiram. A bit of water is nothing to a dragon," she scoffed. "You have a lot to thank him for. He saved all your pokémon too."

    "A-And the Plate?"

    Now Zinnia glared at him. "Who cares about the Plate? You almost died."

    "And Zagreus—"

    "Who cares about that?! You almost died!" Zinnia gripped her knees in fury.

    Ash almost frowned at her outburst, but stopped himself. Anger carved lines into her face, and he looked away instinctively.

    "You almost died," Zinnia repeated. "What were you thinking?"

    Ah. That was wishful thinking.

    He'd had no intentions of failing his first mission, but if he did, he'd expected a storm of mockery from Zinnia.

    Not a scolding, like she was currently delivering. Despite appearances, and her juvenile personality, this was a veteran scolding a rookie, and Ash had nothing to say in his defense.

    "Sorry. I messed up."

    Zinnia sighed and crossed her legs, then her arms. Then she slumped forward into her lap. "I guess it's not really your fault. There wasn't supposed to be anyone else there." Her voice was muffled and quiet.

    "There's gotta be other people who know about the Plates, no?"

    "Of course. But knowledge of its location should've been exclusive. I'm guessing Cynthia got the intel from the highest levels of the International Police. Maybe even higher than the highest level." She propped her head up on her hands. "And you and N aren't weak. Something like this shouldn't have happened."

    Ash stewed in his shame. Mockery would've been preferable to this. All that grandstanding, from quitting the League, to his two year training, to his victory against Cynthia… all of it should've prepared him and then some for the world of Paragon, but on his very first assignment, he'd fallen flat on his face.

    Pokémon Master seemed just as far away as it'd been when he was a child, watching League battles on their grainy TV back at Pallet. Of course, that was an illusion. But the road before him certainly seemed steeper than ever before. There were monsters in this world he still wasn't ready for.

    Ash frowned and perked up, finally finding a fleck of gold as he panned through his memories. "What did N tell you about Zagreus?"

    Zinnia sat up, recognizing his sudden shift in demeanor. "Everything he knew, which wasn't much. He has a Kingambit and a Poliwrath. And he was gone by the time N recovered you. Possibly with the Plate."

    "I doubt it. He was injured."

    "Then the Plate is gone. Consumed by the mountain." Zinnia shrugged. "That seems pretty normal as far as the Plates go, according to Cynthia. They appear and disappear at random."

    Ash nodded, then shook his head. "Anyway, he must've told you that we were separated," and Zinnia nodded. "I saw something he didn't. Zagreus is a Guardian."

    Zinnia frowned and tilted her head. "Guardian?"

    "An Aura Guardian. From Rota. They're humans blessed with the ability to manipulate Aura."

    "Wait, are those the guys with the Lucarios?"

    "Yeah! That's them. A friend of mine is a Guardian. My Lucario is actually his Lucario's little brother."

    "So what does this mean? A Guardian attacked you and N for the Plate? I thought they were supposed to be all zen or something."

    Ash smiled at her brusqueness, thankful that serious Zinnia seemed to be gone. That had been a little creepy, to be honest. "I know what I saw. He coated his hands in Aura and tried to pull the Plate out of the ground, and when he… anyway, he's a Guardian! He was clearly trained in how to use Aura. I spent a bit of time at Rota when I was on my journey and learned how to manipulate Aura too. I know what it looks like."

    Zinnia pinched the bridge of her nose. "This is all really great information, but I don't know where Rota is, and it's Cynthia who should be hearing all this."

    Right. Zinnia was relatively one note. Anything that didn't pertain to her quest for the 'Great Dragon', or whatever mission she'd been assigned to at the moment found little room in her headspace.

    "Oh yeah, I guess you don't know what's been going on since you left. A lot has happened this past month."

    "A month?! I was out for a month?!"

    "Huh?" Zinnia blinked. "Oh, yeah. Yeah, you've been asleep in here for a month."

    Ash slid back in his bed. A month… No wonder Zinnia had been so distraught. Maybe open with that next time…

    "So what's been going on?"

    "Huuuge breakout from the World Prison. Some guy who's like a billion years old or something. Anabel and Sabrina are there now, Cynthia's been at Indigo Plateau with the rest of the League ever since it happened, and even Sylvester went out with N to talk to some breeder in Hoenn who contracts with Interpol. Shit's been a mess, honestly. I don't know how Cynthia will take it if you tell her you want to go and investigate this Zagreus right now."

    Damn. She noticed.

    "I have to go to Rota. If there's a rogue Guardian out there, they need to know."

    "You're not going anywhere until Sylvester gets back and gives you the okay," Zinnia snapped. "The only reason I'm here is because I happened to be busy when everything went down. But there's no way I'm taking responsibility if you croak because you went off somewhere before your body was ready. You stay in bed!"

    Ash rolled his eyes but obliged. "So where are you off to now? Going after the guy?"

    "Nope. Back to Johto to follow up on a lead," she grinned, standing up. "Hey, did you know that the people of Blackthorn City used to worship a giant Kingdra like a god? Apparently it was so massive it could change the weather just by moving! Something like that's gotta be related to the Great Dragon!"

    "I thought we were super busy right now," Ash deadpanned.

    "I'm not. Not until Cynthia gives me a call."

    She was nothing if not dedicated. Somehow, she eclipsed even his own depthless drive toward his dream.

    As she walked away, she stopped in front of his bed and turned back toward him. "Don't disappoint me again. Dingus." She pulled down the skin under her eye and stuck her tongue out.

    Ash smirked and suppressed the urge to flip her off. Some ego she had, when his win/loss rate against her was nearly two to one.

    Then again, he was the one incapacitated in a hospital bed right now.

    Wait till Sylvester gets back. Yeah, right.

    At the very least, he'd be getting up for some damn food and a shower.

    A month… What the hell happened to me?


    Kalos Region, Route 14

    The wet sand between his toes. The seawater as it dripped off his body. The cold wind against his skin, and the earthy scent of bog and oak.

    AZ drank up everything and more like nectar. As he walked, he brushed his hand up against a seaweed-covered rock, and allowed its rough surface to scratch him. These tactile sensations offered an indescribable euphoria. It was almost like sensory overload. A smile cut across his rugged face and he fell back onto the beach.

    He was naked. What little had remained of his clothes had come off in the ocean, and the swim had cleaned millennia of grime from his body. Now he was free, in body and mind. As the moist sand sunk under his weight, he laughed. What cruel irony, that that man should spur him toward such bliss.

    When he'd had his fill of the beach, he got up and lumbered over a ridge of bright gray basalt and into a valley of sprawling, windswept grass the color of emerald. The grass tickled him as he walked, and he ran his fingers through it like hair. Swampy soil squelched under his feet, and the sound was music.

    So long he'd been bound in that dungeon. They'd meant to kill him, but they couldn't, so he suffered an even worse fate. At first, it was stubbornness and pure pride that kept him there. He knew they couldn't hold him, even as they continued to add more and more defenses to his cell as the years went on. But they had killed him, in a certain sense. His life had become nothing more than breathing. Everything he ever had, everything he ever was, disintegrated in that cell.

    If they couldn't condemn him to hell, he would burn in this life. So be it. He deserved it. His crimes were incalculable. He doubted there was a worse man to ever live, even after all this time.

    But they hadn't killed him. Damn them. All this time later, and he was still alive. What weaklings. And for what? To be cursed with one last insult from the one man who deserved to burn more than he did?

    It was a joke. A divine joke. But the man had miscalculated. In his mercy, he'd let AZ live. Or maybe he'd just forgotten about him. It wouldn't have been surprising. Either way, he would get what was coming for him. His world would burn. And from its ashes, AZ would rise even higher than before.

    Yes. You kept me alive, and the war with me. You didn't want to finish it, so I'll begin it anew. But I won't be as merciful as you. I will destroy everything you've built. Everything you are. I'll take your treasures and make them my own. I'll steal your power and use it against you. I'll wrest your world from its foundations and shatter the peace you so carefully constructed over my living corpse.

    As the mountains around him leveled out, AZ stalked through a dark forest. The forest spoke to him in a thousand languages he had never learned. Yet he perceived them all, and they listened to him in turn. His rage kept all away. He was the only source of sound in the forest. Even the shallow brook that ran beside him seemed to stifle its babbling.

    He had nothing now, not even garb to clothe himself. But he knew how to be patient. Power would come, in time. He would make it so. And soon, he would be king once again.

    A stirring in the forest far ahead piqued his attention.

    Have they found me already? Are they so desperate to spill more blood?

    AZ grit his teeth and grinned. His hands curled into fists.

    War! Beautiful war! Come to me! Let me bathe in your fear!

    He flattened himself against a tree and let his presence melt into the forest.

    Once upon a time, he had dignity enough to face his foes like a man. His tenure in the World Prison had turned him into a beast. Now, he reveled in the hunt, hiding from his prey and tearing apart their bodies with tooth and nail alike.

    Come. Come! He couldn't have contained his bloodlust even if he tried.

    "Hello there?"

    AZ froze.

    "Is someone there?"

    A woman.

    "If you're hurt, please call out so I know where you are."

    How was this possible? The only thing this woman should have sensed was bloodlust. His physical body was undetectable! As confusion washed over him, his bloodlust ebbed away.

    He demanded answers from the forest, and it provided.

    He scowled and slid down the tree silently. As he stretched his legs out before him, he felt around the mossen floor until his fingers closed around a rock. He closed his eyes and dragged the rock across his thigh. Blood blossomed on his skin and slithered down his leg. For good measure, he grabbed an armful of dead leaves and tossed them over his nethers.

    "Over here. Please help me," he called.

    A tiny woman rounded the tree, her arms crossed behind her like she was on a casual stroll. Dark crevices sliced down her face, and her white hair was tied in a tight bun.

    "Is your leg hurt, dear?" the wrinkled woman asked without turning to face him. "Can you walk?"

    AZ squinted at the woman. Her eyes were glassy, her pupils, milky gray. "I can walk," he responded.

    "Good. My house is close by. I can guide you there."

    AZ stood, blood dripping down his leg, and he towered over her, nearly three times her height.

    "My name is Flora," the blind woman said, and AZ followed her wordlessly.

    Next — Chapter 13 : New Game

     
  • View discussion
    • Remnants of the Great War [4]
  • View content

    • PARAGON

    Remnants of the Great War Arc [4]

    Chapter 13 : New Game​


    The Hano Grand Resort was a golden castle by the sea. Silken beaches and tropical coves drenched the property in luxurious prestige, and the sun above bathed the whole city in a perfect heat, never too hot or too humid, all year round. Golf courses, volcanic hot springs, and furnished bars littered the resort, and its guests were never left wanting for greater services or accommodations. Despite the astronomical price tag on even their smallest suites, the resort remained fully booked year-round, though the property was so vast that it never felt cramped or crowded. It was unusual to not see at least several world-renowned celebrities enjoying one of the crystal pools or relaxing on one of the many private beaches.

    Cynthia took a sip of her cocktail, a lemon-colored nectar flavored with the purified enzymes of a Toxapex cultivated specifically for that one ingredient. It was refreshing beyond all belief, like drinking sunlight with accents of wood and spice. An array of small plates covered the circular table she sat at, holding powdered cakes and frosted cookies and fluffy meringue and other pastries and sweets she couldn't even name.

    It was a bit past noon and the sun still hung overhead, but she was inside. A day like today would've been best spent outside, but this penthouse suite at the top of the resort offered a different strain of comfort. The walls were lined with doors, and all of them were open to let in the fresh air and island breeze. Artificial streams trickled throughout the room, adding to the ambience. The ceiling above was painted with an oceanic mural with beautiful renditions of the local pokémon wildlife.

    Across from Cynthia sat a woman she'd known since she was a child. She had long black hair that cascaded over her shoulders like water and pooled on the floor around her. She wore a simple white sundress that swept over her tenuous form down to her ankles, and silver ringlets banded her fingers. Even though they were indoors, a wide-brimmed white hat sat on her head. Cynthia had learned how to be a woman from her, and she was the obvious inspiration for her own meticulous public image. Her face was spotless, without a single wrinkle or mole marring her porcelain skin. Her long eyelashes flitted like the wings of a butterfly with every blink, and her eyes were a cold pearl.

    Zelda Leora was perfection incarnate.

    "I'm sorry for calling you away during such a busy time. I would have understood if you declined."

    Funny.

    "Of course not!" Cynthia waved her hand. "Not even the end of the world could stop me from coming to tea time."

    Zelda beamed. "You're so sweet, Cynthia. And speaking of, try one of these honey tarts. A cafe nearby just opened several months ago and these sell out an hour after they open every morning." She pushed one of the plates in Cynthia's direction.

    Cynthia picked one up, then looked back at Zelda. The woman laced her fingers together and stared at her expectantly, like a child, her face alight with pride. Cynthia smiled and bit into it. Sugary goodness blossomed across her taste buds, and her eyes widened. She brought a hand to her lips. "Oh my goodness."

    "Right!" The lavender eyeshadow around Zelda's eyes shimmered as she smiled. "Here, have another! Oh, and then you have to try some liechi pudding next! And the sugarberry eclairs after that."

    "I'm trying to watch my weight…"

    "Oh, enough, you're still young," Zelda scolded. "Life is all about mundane pleasures like this. You need to enjoy them while they're still in front of you!" She pushed another plate forward with her glossy fingernails.

    Cynthia smiled and helped herself to a bit of each, putting the various pastries on her plate but not moving to eat any of them yet. "I must say, I'm enjoying this cocktail much more than I should at this time of day." She swirled her glass around.

    "Oh, I knew you would. I had to get my personal staff to mix it for us. Each individual ingredient is so rare, even the resort doesn't dare put it on their public menu. I heard a man was killed once over a tiny bottle of the liqueur alone." She winked and smiled mischievously. "I'd only partake on a special occasion."

    "And what occasion is that?"

    Zelda's eyes narrowed, and her winged eyeliner looked ready to take flight. "Time with my darling Cynthia, of course," she said, and she shook her head alluringly. "I look forward to these quite a bit, you know?"

    Cynthia was a resolute woman, but even she felt her cheeks heat up. She balled up her napkin and threw it across the table. "Stop that."

    Zelda laughed and shielded herself. This was how these meetings always went. They always tried to maintain an air of dignity as expected of their statuses for as long as they could, but it always inevitably devolved into banter between schoolgirls.

    "Still, this does feel different from our usual tea parties," Cynthia said soberly. "It almost feels like the world is starting to spin faster than usual."

    Zelda took a long sip from her glass. "The World Prison incident was certainly unexpected. Another monster set loose in the world, as if there aren't enough already." She shook her head in disdain.

    AZ's escape wasn't public knowledge, but it came as no surprise to Cynthia that Zelda knew about it. The woman sat at the pinnacle of society. She was the sort of person people were talking about when they complained about the rich. She was a serial investor, at least for right now. She never seemed to stay in one sector for long, always dabbling here and there in the various enterprises that underpinned society. But to Cynthia, she'd always just been Miss Leora, and Zelda once she'd gotten older.

    "It's not just that," Cynthia said. "More and more rogue groups are cropping up in the east, pokémon are getting restless across the world, and then there's the new World Champion."

    Zelda nodded and smiled. "Continue."

    "The League's been scrambling to align themselves under his new leadership, but honestly, the World Prison situation couldn't have come at a better time. The transition has been uncharacteristically smooth. Nothing like a good crisis to get everyone pointed in the same direction."

    "Well, you've met the man. What do you think of him?"

    World Champion Albrecht… She'd only met him once, by chance, two years ago at Ash's victory party, and her first impressions weren't kind. He immediately realized the lengths I'd gone to capture Ash, and he was interested in him too. She hadn't heard from him since, until the League called her out to Indigo Plateau for an impromptu internal meeting. That was when she learned they'd changed their minds, and were electing a new World Champion, effective immediately. I never expected them to keep that throne empty for five whole years. But for them to announce it, then renege… There's always been factionalism within the League, but this can't be described as anything other than a hostile takeover. And for it to happen all without my notice…

    "He's an interesting man," Cynthia replied. "If nothing else, his pokémon are certainly of the proper caliber. And he stabilized the League during a period of uncertainty. His political acumen is sharper than most."

    "You're hiding something from me, Cynthia."

    Cynthia bit her lip. She glanced down at her mental cards.

    "He's dangerous," she finally said. "He's using the League for something, but I'm not sure what. And the fact that I can't tell if his intentions are good or bad worries me even more."

    "Could you beat him?"

    Cynthia ran her hand through her hair, letting the breeze cool her sweat. "The Board elected him, so he never had to go through the tournament, and he hasn't done any public battles throughout his career that I'm aware of. Normally, I'd say yes, but…" She frowned and bit into a tart involuntarily. "Something else is going on, I can feel it."

    Zelda nodded. "Your instincts are spot on, as usual. I've heard of the man called Albrecht through the grapevine for some years. He's always been an enigma." She crossed her arms. "I suppose I'll just sit and watch, for now."

    "For now?"

    "Try some of these diamond pies, Cynthia, or I'll end up eating them all."

    Oh, well. It was worth a shot. "I also noticed a number of Alolan firms suddenly buying back a lot of their shares. Know anything about that?"

    Zelda blushed and smiled cheekily. "Guilty."


    Zinnia stormed down the empty halls of Paragon's headquarters. The sunlight that sheared through the windows cast shadows over her face as she walked.

    Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid. Stupid!

    He was so, so stupid! Zinnia herself was basically a genius, but there was a limit to how distant he could be in the intelligence department, especially for a fellow member of Paragon. His first assignment, no less! World Champion, my ass!

    When Zinnia received the message about Ash's condition while out in Johto, she'd quickly put a cauldron of insults and expletives on the fire to boil. When he woke up, oh, there'd be hell and more to pay. At least, that had been the plan.

    She exhaled loudly in frustration and slapped a curtain beside her for no reason.

    Stupid me.

    For all her pomp and pride, Zinnia Higana did not do well with death. How many times had she said goodbye at this point? First, her grandfather, of old age, then her grandmother, of cancer. Her father died while on the quest, and her mother followed him in anguish.

    Her sister and her few childhood friends met their end when a wave of sickness passed through the village. By a stroke of sheer luck, she hadn't been in the village when it had, and she returned to the stench of corpse piles burning in the square.

    That had all happened before she turned ten. And it was why she'd sworn to follow a solitary path as she pursued the mythical Great Dragon.

    Well, Cynthia had a funny way of shuffling one's life plan around like a deck of cards and always drawing the card that said, "Join Paragon."

    Zinnia herself had been on the verge of death when Cynthia found her. Breaking into the island chamber at the center of Lake Acuity to pursue a lead on a possible connection between the Spacetime Dragons of Sinnoh and the Heroes' Dragons of Unova may not have been the wisest decision in hindsight, especially at age twelve. Azelf had left her bleeding from every orifice in her body, but she'd gotten what she came for either way. The cosmic coordinates to the ancient temple at the beginning of everything were a prize she'd do it all over again for, and luckily she finished copying the last inscription just before Azelf appeared.

    As it turned out, her bombastic way of doing things had alerted the League of an imminent intrusion, and Cynthia arrived just in time to quell Azelf's wrath. She managed to get her to a hospital just fine, but seemed to have trouble getting her out of a ten-year sentence in the World Prison for her trespassing… unless she joined Paragon.

    So here she was. And here she'd been, for three years now. And damn it, these people were cool. Zinnia would never admit that aloud. She barely admitted it to herself. But after years of encounters with weaklings and oafs and fools who knew nothing about the Great Dragon, it was nice to finally find herself in the company of people who could, at the very least, appreciate her path for what it was. They were all eccentric like her, and had their own lofty dreams they wanted to realize.

    If any of them died, she wasn't sure how she'd react.

    Danger was plentiful in the world of Paragon, but none of them had come as close to death as Ash just had. Not yet, anyway.

    Get a grip, stupid. She cursed, though whether it was addressed to Ash or herself, she couldn't immediately say.

    Her room was sparsely furnished, with the door in one corner, and nothing else but a bed, a dresser, and a desk pushed into the remaining three. Unlike Sabrina, who treated this place as a second home, Zinnia spent almost no time here. The walls were bare and the room was tidy, though only for lack of belongings to mess it up with.

    She strode over to her desk and sat down, flicking on the desk lamp. She pulled a pair of glasses out of their case (glasses were completely unbefitting of a Dragon Master, but she was farsighted… she never wore them in the presence of others), sighed, and opened her journal.

    Inside lay the fruits of her life's work up until now. Inscriptions, sketches, scribbled notes, and esoteric codes covered the pages of her book. No one but her could glean anything from this disorganized chicken scratch, but it served its purpose. She flipped to the latest page she'd begun working on. The histories of various dragon legends in Johto were scrawled across the paper in clumps, with no regard to the printed lines on the page. She glazed through them to re-familiarize herself with where she left off, then flipped back several hundred pages to a master sheet on the Legendary Dragons, then to another page to cross-reference them with a sketch of a mural she'd found in Hoenn.

    That Kingdra in Blackthorn could be a descendant of Rayquaza, who's said to control the wind and weather, but I won't know until I look into it a bit more. And I still don't know how Rayquaza fits into the hierarchy of dragons… Is it part of the greater pantheon, or is it one of the lesser vassals?

    For the longest time, the Draconid people thought Rayquaza was the Great Dragon. But Zinnia herself had debunked that theory several years ago, after paying a visit to Sky Pillar in southern Hoenn. She'd burned up the validity of decades of Draconid literature in an instant, and the village elders were none too pleased at that fact.

    Those old coots can rot away for all I care. I'm the one who actually cares about finding the Great Dragon. They gave up a long time ago and are content to gorge on the wisdom of false idols just to maintain their pride.

    After spending an hour planning her trip back to Johto, she put her glasses away and stood up.

    Should I leave now?

    She glanced at her bed.

    Ah, well, a nap can't hurt. As busy as we are, I'm sure I won't get assigned anything in just the next few hours.

    She smiled and jumped into bed, wrapping the covers around her until she looked like a Swadloon.

    She woke up that evening to the sound of Cynthia pounding on her door.

    "Get up, Zinnia, we need to talk, now."

    Everyone was back.


    "How are you feeling?" N asked, leveling a concerned look at him.

    "Just fine," Ash responded, rolling his arm around in its socket. "Those painkillers worked wonders. Now that I know I've been out for a month, my body doesn't seem to want to stay asleep. I basically spent the afternoon cleaning out the fridge, and now I feel good as new."

    N didn't look too convinced, but he clapped his friend on the shoulder. "If you say so. Just, take it easy for a while."

    "Thanks. And thank you. For saving me, and everything. I should've been more careful."

    N shook his head. "No, he caught me by surprise too. It had nothing to do with you." He pursed his lips. "We'll talk about it some more once everyone is gathered, okay?"

    "Sure," Ash replied. Even N seemed shaken by what had happened. Just how lucky had he gotten? By all accounts, it seemed like he and N both should be dead right now.

    When they arrived in the situation room, Cynthia was already seated at the head of the table. Sabrina and Anabel sat beside each other, and Ash and N seated themselves opposite them. Sylvester sat at the end of the table, and he stood to do a quick inspection of Ash, but the younger man waved him off. He left and came back with a couple bottles of water and another dosage of medications.

    Zinnia arrived fifteen minutes later with a blanket over her head. All eyes turned on her when she pushed the door open and yawned obnoxiously. After wiping her eyes and realizing everyone was staring at her, she blushed and hurried over to an empty seat between Ash and Sylvester.

    "Good, now that we're all here, let's get started," Cynthia said, and the lights dimmed as the screen on the wall flicked on. "For the first time since Paragon's inception, we're faced with a threat that far outclasses any individual in this room."

    The screen clicked, and a black and white photograph of AZ's mugshot appeared. His hair was long and tangled, but dark eyes peeked out from behind his mane. Ash nearly shivered at the sight of him. This was a man who existed beyond comprehension. He belonged to a time and place that no longer existed, yet he persisted all the same. His eyes bore holes in Ash's chest, and he suddenly found himself conscious of every breath he took.

    "AZ is over three thousand years old, and was a former king of the region now known as Kalos," Cynthia continued. "How he's still alive, we don't know for sure, but it's safe to assume that it's the work of a pokémon. He's been buried beneath the World Prison all this time, and never once has he caused a disturbance." She flicked to the next slide, a picture of his decimated cell. "Until he escaped earlier this month and vanished without a trace."

    "How did he do that?" Sylvester asked.

    "Also a mystery. From the sparse report Interpol got from Warden Barke, his attack seemed spontaneous and was executed sloppily, so he does not suspect outside help." Cynthia clicked her remote, and an image of the world map appeared, with gradients of red and blue across the different regions. "This map represents the concentration of Interpol's forces across the world. Word of AZ's escape has yet to reach the media, but a full-scale manhunt is already underway to find him. Interpol is relying on the Paragon Organization and the Pokémon League to back them up. The other Champions and Elite Four have already been deployed to densely populated areas, as well as various Interpol black sites. It'll be up to us to pick up his trail and apprehend him."

    Cynthia stepped aside, and Anabel stood.

    "Sabrina and I spoke with Warden Barke and saw the scene of the escape ourselves." She shuddered, as if recalling something horrible. "He killed everything in this way. It's no exaggeration to say he alone is far more dangerous than any legendary pokémon or crime ring any of us has ever encountered. We received a file from Barke detailing his alleged crimes during the Great War, but a brief summary includes mass murder, mass torture, attempted genocide, corruption, and many other violations of sovereignty at the time. I've already sent the file to you all."

    Silence fell across the table. It sounded too ridiculous to be real. Even Sabrina, who was normally stoic, was scowling and seemed detached from the meeting.

    "We don't have anything concrete yet," Anabel continued, "but Sabrina and I found shreds of newspaper in his cell. The ink totally bled off, but I think I may be able to figure out what was on it, I just need a bit more time. Something in it must have caused him to break out now."

    "I can shed further light on the breakout itself," Sylvester said as Anabel sat down. "I spoke with the breeder responsible for creating AZ's shackles. They were forged from the iron cross on Metagross' face, the source of its power. The Metagross were raised in the depths of Meteor Falls, where that line originates. The psychic power that courses through that metal should be enough to give a migraine to anyone who walks in their vicinity without the proper protection and can wipe the memory of anyone who touches it, rendering them permanently amnesiac instantaneously. AZ was covered in the stuff for years, but I doubt they were simply ineffective. More than likely, he was actively protecting himself from their power that entire time."

    Ash raised his hand. "Sorry for bringing this up now, but I remembered something about Zagreus." After Cynthia motioned for him to continue, he did. "He used the power of the Aura Guardians."

    N frowned at the new revelation, as did Anabel.

    "Aura Guardians?" Cynthia repeated. "Are you sure?"

    "Absolutely."

    Cynthia closed her eyes to think. After a few moments, she opened them again. "That certainly explains how he was able to keep up with you and N at the same time. But a Guardian who would try to murder…" She closed her eyes again.

    "That man is certainly dangerous," N said. "Guardian or not, we would be unwise to let Zagreus abscond into the aether without facing justice."

    "I know," Cynthia said, opening her eyes. "This changes things. I'll have to reorganize my initial plans. Our priority is still the AZ incident. Anabel, please continue working on your lead so we can figure out why AZ broke out. I'll send you intel from Interpol as I get it. N and Zinnia, you'll be on the dark spots," she motioned back to the map. "Interpol can only cover so much ground. I want you two to fill in the gaps. If you should locate him, you are not to engage him under any circumstances. Do I make myself clear?"

    N nodded, and Zinnia bobbed her head up and down lazily. "Guess I'm not going to Johto," she muttered.

    "Sabrina, you'll head to Rota and investigate this rogue Aura Guardian called Zagreus. Speak with the Guardians there and see what you can learn."

    Sabrina nodded, though she cringed noticeably at the thought of having to interface with strangers.

    "Wait, what about me?" Ash asked. "I can go to Rota and speak with them."

    "Not this time, Ash. You'll be coming with me."

    Ash frowned. "I promise, I'm just fine. I can—"

    "It's not that," Cynthia cut him off. "You're coming with me to an audience with the new World Champion."

    "Wait, what?! New World Champion?"

    Zinnia snapped her fingers. "Oh, yeahhhhh."

    Next — Chapter 14 : Fairy Forest


    To be clear, Zelda Leora is a completely original character and not connected to The Legend of Zelda or the Princess Zelda character in any way. Maybe I'll explain how I came up with that name at some point later in the story.
     
  • View discussion
    • Remnants of the Great War [5]
  • View content
    • PARAGON

    R    emnants of the Great War Arc [5]

    Chapter 14 : Fairy Forest​


    Flora's cottage was built of the same wood that comprised the trees around it, and its roof was thatched with woven wheat grass that AZ recognized from the valley. The windows were crusted with dirt and age, yet vibrant flowers colored the forest floor around the house. A dark pond sat nestled behind a copse of reeds, and the whole scenery looked like something out of a storybook.

    AZ followed the woman down the path, the tall grass tickling his naked body. Despite her blindness, she seemed to need no help finding her way, not even needing to feel at the splintered fence that lined the path to guide her around the bends. She found the doorknob immediately, and pushed the dry door open.

    "I don't have much, but let's get that leg patched up," she said.

    AZ had already forgotten about the shallow self-inflicted injury, and looked down at the blood congealed on his leg, then back at his companion.

    She was tiny, even compared to him, and he had to crouch to get through the door frame.

    The interior was just as idyllic. A fire crackled in the cobblestone fireplace, an iron cauldron hanging from a spit above it. Potted plants adorned every window sill, and hung from the ceiling in baskets. The entire cottage was just one room, and a bed covered in a voluminous patchwork quilt sat in the corner.

    Flora hurried over to a chest and started rummaging through it, and she returned with a cloth and a jar of salve. After fetching a basin of water, she set it down on the dining room table in the middle of the room.

    "Have a seat, dear, and I'll get to work on your leg. I promise I'll have you feeling better in no time."

    "That won't be necessary," AZ said, but he did sit down cautiously after testing the chair's strength. "I can clean myself up."

    "Are you sure? I really don't mind."

    AZ said nothing and grabbed the cloth. He dunked it on the water basin and slathered it over his leg carelessly, not caring that he was dripping all over the floor. His leg didn't hurt at all, and he didn't care much to keep this performance up any longer.

    What was he even doing here? What did he hope to gain from this? The world was hunting him at this very moment, and here he was wasting time with some woman for no reason. No, it was worse. He'd gotten her involved. Now she was in harm's way just for housing him.

    He stood up to leave.

    "Oh, careful, dear. You shouldn't be walking around on an injured leg." She wrung her hands in worry. "Have a seat, and stay awhile. I'll lend you my bed so you can rest and recover."

    "I need to go."

    "Please, at least eat something. You're so weak."

    AZ's head cocked in her direction. She wasn't looking at him, but he felt her gaze nonetheless.

    "What did you say?"

    "Here." She paced over to her cupboards and pulled out another jar, this one full of berries. "Have some cheris. I have bread and honey too." Before AZ could protest, she was back in her kitchen sawing into a loaf of brown bread. She returned with a platter full of food, an empty cup, and a pitcher of water. She smiled at him.

    AZ let himself lower back into his chair, and before he knew it, he was tearing into the bread with abandon and shoveling handfuls of berries into his mouth. Flavors exploded in his mouth like cannonfire, and he washed it all down with a river of water, straight from the pitcher.

    "Do try spreading some honey on the bread, the sweetness goes perfectly with the oats." Flora said, having joined him at the table, though she did not partake and simply watched him eat.

    AZ spared a glance in her direction, and he shook some honey onto the heel of the loaf, before throwing the rest of the bread into his mouth in a single bite. She was right. The amalgam of flavors that assaulted him was heavenly, and for the first time, here at the end of the meal, he slowed his chewing and savored his meal.

    When he finally swallowed, Flora smiled. "There, there. Look how quickly you gobbled that up. I knew you weren't quite ready to leave. You need your energy back before you venture back out into the forest."

    AZ licked the crumbs off his teeth. That'd been his first meal since the end of the war. It was shoddy and meager, and he'd had grand feasts daily as king. But just like the feeling of the air outside and the smell of the trees and wind, it sated him in a way he couldn't even describe. It was like he was slowly remembering what it felt like to be human.

    Again, he stood. This time Flora didn't say a word to stop him. As if she already knew he would, AZ crossed the room and lay down across Flora's bed. His legs hung over the bedrest, and his arms dragged against the floor, but its iron frame held his weight. As if the sensation of the soft bed alone was enough to induce exhaustion, a sudden wave of tiredness passed through AZ's body. He exhaled slowly and closed his eyes. Then, for the first time in three thousand years, he fell asleep.


    AZ's eyes opened the next morning. He'd slept for nearly an entire day. Sunlight poured through the gaps in the curtains drawn across the windows, illuminating the dust in the air.

    It was quiet in the cottage.

    Still, eh?

    He swung his legs over the side of the bed, and it creaked as he moved. Flora was sitting in the corner on a rocking chair, a furry blanket over her lap.

    She opened her eyes immediately after his attention turned to her. Her glassy gaze remained fixed on the floor, but she smiled, and the loose skin on her face curled along their creases. "Good morning."

    AZ turned away. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to take your bed."

    "Oh, not at all. I offered it to you, after all. I thought you might sleep through the day. You looked so exhausted yesterday." She grasped her blanket and held it up. "I didn't mean to presume, but I assume you'll want some clothes for your journey ahead. I hope these fit you."

    It wasn't a blanket in her lap. It was a giant black coat made of wool. And now that she mentioned it, AZ noticed a burned out candle on the small table beside her, and a basket full of thread, yarn, wool, and other sewing materials. She must've worked on it all day, and continued into the night after it got dark.

    AZ remained still as he processed her words, but he soon closed his eyes. "Where do you bathe?"

    "In the pond outside. The buds of the blue flowers growing on the bank will create a lathering foam if you wet them and rub them together."

    AZ said nothing and exited the house. The morning sun filtered through the trees, and a soft wind blew at him as he circled around the cottage to the dark pond. He brushed aside the reeds and stepped into the murky waters. He bristled at the cold, but only for a moment, and he soon lowered his entire body beneath the surface.

    This respite could not last forever. His enemies were coming for him. But for now, he would enjoy this peace while it lasted. He found the flowers Flora had mentioned and waded over to them. After stripping the blossoms from their stem in one motion, he crushed them in his dampened hand. Sure enough, a soapy residue was left behind.

    As he cleaned himself, he started to think. Rage had pulled him from his ancient cell, but it would not be enough to stave off the forces that were coming for him. Now, he was back in the world. He was back in the war. And to proceed in war without a strategy was suicide.

    Three thousand years had passed. Obviously, his armies and allies were all dead. He had no idea what had become of his pokémon. And there was no telling how powerful his enemies were now, even if he'd razed them nearly to extinction once before.

    Knowledge was his first priority. His power could only do so much, especially with how much he'd demanded from it all this time. It'd kept him alive, awake, and lucid, but would do little else after so much time. No doubt it'd been eager to unbury itself from that prison and return to reality, and had gladly aided his escape to that end. But now that he was free, he could feel it going dormant within him.

    He was a relic and could serve its purpose no longer.

    Unless he could prove himself once again.

    At the very least, he knew this was Kalos. His land. A continent he'd cultivated and tamed himself. His enemies had surely painted over his legacy after they imprisoned him, but his legacy could not be erased so easily. There was one place that may have been left undisturbed, and could provide the knowledge he sought.

    As he ran his fingers through his tangled hair, he sank back into the pond. The black abyss was a welcome comfort. Death had been elusive to AZ, but perhaps this is what it was like. Eventually he ran out of breath, but his power kept him alive. Anger simmered within him.

    Flora came out some time later with a towel draped over her arms. "I've prepared breakfast. Please join me when you're ready."

    AZ rose at her arrival and took the towel from her, though he realized it was a blanket after grabbing it. If the clothes weren't enough of a hint, she clearly knew how large he was.

    "I have your clothes inside."

    He grunted and walked past her. The garb waited for him folded up on the bed and he was fully dressed before she returned. It fit perfectly, the coat's furry interior soft against his gnarled skin. Flora had even prepared a set of undergarments, and a pair of socks and boots. It shouldn't have been possible to create all in a single night, but AZ suspected he knew what was going on.

    The food was the exact same as the day before—bread, honey, berries—though this time, AZ ate with some class.

    "How is your leg?" Flora asked.

    He'd forgotten about it again. "All healed." He tore off a hunk of bread and hollowed out the middle, before putting a few berries in it and eating it altogether after seeing Flora do it.

    "This forest can be dangerous, but it's mostly trainers coming through so normally the pokémon are docile."

    "Trainers?"

    "Yes, though most of them are more interested in catching a Goomy in the swamp nearby. They love their dragons." She chuckled.

    "Ah, I see." Humanity has come a long way. But what about the pokémon? "These Goomy, are they very dangerous? I'm not familiar."

    "Not terribly so," she said, after taking a sip of water. "They appear in droves after it rains, but the Goodra who protect them aren't keen on trainers capturing their young."

    Just how docile are these pokémon? My Goodra would have melted the skin off a man for breathing in my direction. And these are the wilds of today?

    "These trainers… are they raised from birth to tame pokémon?"

    Flora beamed. "You must live very far away. I've lived in this forest my entire life, yet even I know about trainers. They're children who receive a pokémon on their tenth birthday and set off on a grand adventure, capturing pokémon as they go."

    Ten… adventure… receive… It took all AZ had not to sneer.

    "Surely there must be pokémon where you come from… oh, I'm sorry, I just realized I never asked for your name."

    Flora actually did look worried for the first time since he'd met her.

    "I don't have a name," he quickly said. "Tell me. What are pokémon to you?"

    Flora took a second to absorb AZ's response, but brushed ahead smoothly. She smiled as she said her answer. "Pokémon are my friends, of course. What about you?"

    AZ put his bread down.

    Friends. Fuel. Tools. Titans.

    "I don't know," he finally said. She was getting too close to him, and that needed to change. "Were you born blind?"

    Flora seemed taken aback by the question at first, but she nodded warmly, seemingly pleased he was showing interest in her. "Yes, I was. My friends help me see and keep me safe."

    That's what I thought. He'd sensed their presence all around ever since arriving at the cottage, despite their attempts at remaining hidden behind invisible veils. They guided Flora and whispered in her ears about him, and while he'd slept, they'd come out to help her weave his clothing.

    "I grew up with my parents in this house, and they've kept me company my entire life. I'd do anything for them." She paused. "I'm sorry. I'm sure you don't want to hear an old woman rambling on."

    "You're not so old."

    Flora shook her head and smiled. "Everyone is young to me."

    Not everyone.

    They finished breakfast and AZ helped her around the house for the rest of the day. For a woman living on her own, she had quite a number of chores to do. AZ helped wash the bedding he'd slept on, and in the afternoon, Flora's friends appeared to him. He didn't recognize most of them, but they yipped and purred around him like pets.

    This is madness. I don't sense even an ounce of aggression from them.

    Madness it may have been, but he was not so wishful that he would assume his enemies' pokémon were the same.

    Flabébé clung to the groves of flowers that surrounded the cottage, Morelull peeked out from the mossy shadows of the underbrush, and Cottonee floated through the air on streams of wind, giggling softly as they bounced off the various surfaces, spreading wispy spores everywhere.

    Flora had set AZ to work chopping firewood, and a giant pile of logs nearly as tall as the house sat outside next to a stump. His new coat was thrown over a rock, and he split each log with a one-handed swing of the cragged ax she'd gotten for him. It was twisted and dark, like the remnants of a failed smithing, but it was good at what it did. A small pink creature with a pale mauve ponytail watched AZ as he worked, its stubby arms crossed as it slouched against the house. It seemed to be judging him, perhaps because he'd taken its job.

    The sun warmed and cooled the little clearing as the hours passed by. Surprisingly, AZ didn't find the monotony of such a menial task boring in the slightest. He'd never once done manual labor like this in his life, and despite its simplicity, it was a nice change of pace. He cut each log slowly and deliberately, taking his time with the work as he enjoyed the outdoors.

    Around an hour before dinner, a faint presence made itself known at the edge of AZ's periphery and he straightened instantly. It was miles away, but he sensed its intentions. It was coming for him.

    There were only a few logs left in the pile, and it took him ten more minutes to chop the rest of them. Then, he struck his hatchet into the stump and put his coat back on.

    Flora came out in an apron, the open door spilling warm light into the dark evening beneath the trees. "Dinner is ready. I figured you wouldn't want the same thing again, so I made a stew for tonight. My friends take care of the wild vegetables in the valley, so these are a special treat!"

    "I have to go," he said bluntly.

    Flora frowned, and her friends looked between the two curiously. "But…what about dinner?"

    "I have to go," he said again, and turned away from the cottage.

    "But…it's so dark. And you haven't any pokémon."

    "No matter." He started to walk away.

    "Please, wait!" She hurried back inside and came back out a minute later. "The forest gets cold at night. At least take these with you." She held out her hands. Within them was a green scarf and a red knit cap.

    AZ glanced down at her, but of course, she was just staring aimlessly at his stomach. He grabbed them and put them on hastily, throwing the scarf around his neck, and pulling the knit cap low over his head.

    "Goodbye," he said.

    He did not think he'd remember this day for very long.

    Nevertheless, he could feel Flora's blind gaze boring into his back as he walked away, and long after he'd left the cottage in the far distance. Once again, his inner power guided him, and when he came upon a sheer cliff face, he climbed it. When he reached the top of the cliff, he walked some more. From here, he could see the moon as it began its ascent into the indigo sky. After several hours, the forest petered out, and he was left on a barren plateau, illuminated by silver moonlight. There, he sat down right in its center. And there, he waited.

    The presence got ever closer.

    An hour later, he could hear a faint humming, like a giant bug approaching him from the horizon. As it got closer, it got louder. Before long, it passed in front of him. It was another one of those metal monstrosities that could fly through the sky. It kept its distance for a time, then started to approach him. He didn't move even as it passed over his head, whipping the dirt and gravel on the mountaintop up in a frenzy. It landed behind him, and finally, the roar of the spinning twinblade stopped.

    Finally, AZ stood and turned to greet the new arrivals.

    A man with smooth black hair walked out of the flying machine. Within, AZ could see others, but they made no move to get out and simply peered at him from afar. The man wore an elegantly tailored gray uniform, but AZ could not place where it was from. Modern fashion, perhaps.

    When he was ten feet away, the man stopped, and knelt. "Your Grace. It is an honor to meet you on this day."

    AZ's brows furrowed ever so slightly. "Who are you?"

    The man looked up, and wore an expression of pure loyalty. "I am Lord Brian Vandrick, and I have been waiting for you for three thousand years."

    The moon hung above them like a ripened fruit.


    Flora rinsed her bowl and set it on a towel beside the sink. Having finished the dishes, she dried her hands and walked back over to the dining room table. Her fingers found the other bowl on the table, still heavy with stew, but after a moment, she withdrew her hand.

    Perhaps one day he would return. Of course, she wouldn't serve him old stew. But she wouldn't clear his bowl tonight. Not yet.

    A flowery scent filled her nostrils, and something brushed against her cheek. She smiled and cupped her hands, and her friend landed in them gently.

    "There you are, Floette. Where have you been? You just missed our guest."

    When Flora woke up the next morning, the bowl was empty.

    Next — Chapter 15 : Rota, Land of the Guardians

     
  • View discussion
    • Remnants of the Great War [6]
  • View content
    • PARAGON

    Remnants of the Great War Arc [6]

    Chapter 15 : Rota, Land of the Guardians​


    Ash woke up early the next morning. He and Cynthia would be flying out to Kanto later to meet with Albrecht at some function. Pikachu woke up when he did, and a soft jolt passed through Ash's body as his tail brushed against his face. Pikachu cooed and smiled, and Ash scratched him behind his ears.

    He knew Pikachu wasn't an early riser like he was, but the mouse made the effort anyway for his sake.

    As Ash brushed his teeth, his mind wandered back to his meeting with Albrecht two years ago. With everything that'd happened in the interim, he'd sort of forgotten about the man. The memory was easy enough to recall, he'd just had no reason to until now.

    Albrecht hadn't struck him as a trainer, but clearly the man was adept if he could be elected World Champion just like that. Of course, because of the election, Ash had no idea what pokémon he had or what his battling style was, but he was eager to find out.

    According to Cynthia, he was coming along so she could try and "suss him out," since he seemed to be interested in Ash two years ago. But to Ash, that just sounded like an excuse to get him away from the danger of an actual assignment, like going after AZ with N and Zinnia.

    That decision stung him, but it was warranted, so for now, he'd go along with this benching. He'd proved himself to Cynthia already, and he didn't expect her to keep him away from the action for long.

    Either way, his encounter with Zagreus had been sobering, once again. Similar to his decimation by Cynthia, he was once again reminded of how far he still had to go.

    Oddly, it wasn't the worst feeling in the world. If anything, it only kindled the fire in his chest even further.

    Against Zagreus specifically, Ash knew he could beat him. Their battle hadn't lasted long, but Ash knew his pokémon were stronger. Even without N there, he knew he would have defeated him.

    That was the frustrating part. Two years later, and he was still trapped in the mindset of a traditional pokémon trainer. Zagreus hadn't hesitated to target him, but Ash had treated the battle like any other, for the most part. Unwittingly, he'd fallen into another set of habits while training against wilds.

    Today, Ash swore, would be the last day he would let himself burden Paragon with his carelessness.

    And he would get to work on it immediately.

    Pikachu scampered up onto his shoulder after he changed and they headed out to get some breakfast.

    Sabrina was awake in the living room, and sitting cross-legged on the floor, facing the window. Her eyes were transfixed on the sun outside, but her eyelids didn't move in the slightest, much less blink.

    "Good morning, Sabrina!" Ash said with a smile, and Pikachu chirped and waved.

    Sabrina didn't move, and at first he thought she hadn't heard him. But as he approached her, she tilted her head ever so slightly in his direction.

    "Good morning," she said. After greeting him, she immediately shifted back into place as if nothing had happened.

    Ash stood in the middle of the room looking like a bit of a doofus, and he glanced around to see if anyone else was seeing this. "Uhhh, so what're you doing?"

    Silence passed between them. Pikachu's ears twitched, and he sent a jolt into Ash's body for no reason. Just as he thought he was being ignored, she spoke up.

    "Training."

    "Training?" Ash muttered, and he and Pikachu exchanged a look. He walked around her to see if he was seeing things right, but sure enough, it was just the sun outside, and she was staring right at it. He needed to squint because of how bright it was, especially reflecting off the surface of the ocean. "Do you do this every day?"

    Again, after another awkward silence, she answered, "Yes."

    "And… what is it for?" Ash asked, after it was clear she wouldn't be offering up the details on her own. He wasn't the prying type, but ultimately, his ballooning curiosity won out against his social sensibilities.

    After several seconds, she stood up and turned around to face him. She was a head shorter than him, and her crystalline gaze bore into him as she looked up at him.

    "Using my psychic powers strains my eyes, so I watch the sunrise every morning to strengthen them."

    Ash nodded slowly. "Right…yeah, that makes sense. I think?"

    She continued to stare at him. As the seconds passed by, her gauntlets began to whir and spin ever so slightly faster.

    "Hey, do you want to have breakfast with us?" Ash asked, if only to break the awkward silence. He chuckled nervously. "Actually, I saw Sylvester left us some jelly doughnuts. Wanna dig in?"

    Okay, had that done more harm than good? Sabrina simply kept staring at him, but her white skin was rapidly turning pink.

    Pikachu saved the day by jumping onto her shoulder. She yelped when he landed and looked at him in horror as he found his footing. Ash laughed when he nuzzled against her cheek, and he could've sworn her mouth warble into a slight smile.

    Before she could turn him down, he went over to the fridge and pulled out the box of doughnuts.

    "Sweet, four left! That means two for each of us!" He pulled a couple plates from the cabinets and a bowl of pokémon kibble for Pikachu.

    Sabrina joined them at the table, and she started picking it apart before Ash could get another word in. Pikachu sat between them on the table with his bowl, and Ash smiled in satisfaction before digging in himself.

    He finished his second doughnut right as Sabrina was licking the last bit of jelly off her finger from her first. They both looked up at each other simultaneously.

    "I'm not hungry any more," Sabrina said. "You can have the last one."

    "Are you sure?"

    "Yeah."

    Ash studied her for a few more seconds, but as expected of a psychic, she gave nothing away. He shrugged and helped himself to it. "Thanks, Sabrina!" After taking a bite, he groaned in bliss. "Sho goood…"

    Sabrina seemed glued to her seat and didn't get up. Pikachu polished off his bowl of kibble a minute later and sighed, patting his belly.

    Ash was almost halfway through the doughnut when he noticed Sabrina was staring at him. He glanced at her, then down at the doughnut, then back up at her. She blushed.

    "If you wanted it, you should've just said so. Now I feel bad," he chuckled. He cut off the rest of his half and lifted the other half onto Sabrina's plate with his fork and knife. She stared down at it.

    "Thanks," she murmured, but before she started eating, she cut it in half again and placed one of the halves into Pikachu's bowl.

    Pikachu looked over at her and grinned, before bowing politely several times in her direction. She smiled back, and Pikachu turned to Ash and scowled at him.

    "Oh, right. Yeah, sorry, buddy. I totally forgot about you. They were just too good."

    Pikachu started shouting obscenities at him, and as Ash defended himself, Sabrina stifled her giggles with her sleeve.

    After Ash finished his meal, he stretched and yawned. "Oh yeah, sorry for disturbing your training. I didn't mean to interrupt your focus or anything," he apologized.

    Sabrina shook her head and covered her mouth, full as it was of doughnut. "No, no, don't worry about it," she said once she'd swallowed. "I was finished anyway."

    "Oh, great!" Ash said, breathing a sigh of relief, and he saw Pikachu smirking out of the corner of his eye.

    From there, they started talking about this and that, like what they'd been up to recently as far as Paragon was concerned. Sabrina actually seemed very interested in his encounter with Zagreus, which made Ash happy, as she always seemed to hide her emotions behind a mask of stoicism. They hadn't seen each other much over the past two years, much less talked, and it was good to get to know her a bit better. He consciously steered clear of certain topics, like her wrist gauntlets and her past as a gym leader, but eventually, they found themselves talking about Ash's battle with her all those years ago, and the Haunter he'd left in her care.

    "Oh, yeah! That reminds me!" Ash suddenly said, and he pulled a pokéball from his belt.

    His own Gengar emptied out, and quickly surveyed the situation as if looking for more prey to torture with his teasing. His eyes found Sabrina, but the girl didn't seem fazed.

    "Hey, Gengar!" Ash said before he could go on the offensive. "I have a favor to ask. You know how you leave a piece of yourself within all of my pokémon so we can communicate with each other on a moment's notice? Well, I was thinking maybe we could do something similar with me too."

    Gengar frowned, and his head curled over one hundred eighty degrees in confusion. Gengar, unlike Dragonite and Lucario, had been the only pokémon Ash'd caught during his "year of hell" who hadn't made the cut for his fight against Leon. But his talents lay elsewhere other than battling. Even before their two year training, Gengar had possessed the unique skill of splitting his body into smaller forms and infusing them within other pokémon. It'd been a priceless asset for their brutal training regiments in between gym battles, as Gengar could help animate his pokémon's bodies past the point of exhaustion so they could continue training far longer than they should've been able to.

    Once Ash had had his match with Cynthia, and the gears had started spinning for how he could push his pokémon even further beyond their limits, Gengar's ability came to mind once again, and he'd thought up of a new application for it that, unbeknownst to him at the time, would become the critical foundation upon which the entire two year training would rest.

    Gengar infused a tiny piece of himself into every single one of Ash's pokémon. It wasn't enough that he could boost their stamina like he'd done before, but it was just enough to allow him to communicate with them all, across any distance, with his main body as the nexus. It was thanks to him that they could train all across the world, and always know how each other were doing. And the pieces of his body still rested within them all, to this day.

    A pair of disembodied eyes rose from Pikachu's body, then a mouth, like a Gastly without its poison cloud. It blew raspberries at Sabrina, then disappeared back into Pikachu's body. Pikachu shuddered and sneezed, but otherwise seemed unfazed.

    "Yeah, that," Ash said. "Do you think you could maybe put your entire body into me, and I can carry you around like that, instead of in your pokéball? That way, if I ever run into trouble again, I'll have you as an extra layer of defense!"

    Gengar grinned at the idea, but his expression quickly switched to dismay. He started gesticulating wildly, and belched out a thin cloud of poison.

    "I see. So you'd be able to if you were a pure ghost, but since you're a poison type too, it would kill me."

    Gengar nodded glumly.

    Ash wrinkled his nose. Well, it was a good idea. But things couldn't be that easy. Then, another idea popped into his head. "I have a new goal for you, Gengar."

    Gengar twisted in the air in curiosity, glancing between the others in an exaggerated frenzy.

    "Suppress your poison typing," Ash grinned. "I want you to protect me."

    Gengar's eyes bulged out of their sockets, but he coiled into a sitting position as he floated through the air. He tried stroking his chin in thought, but his arms were too stubby, so he pulled it off his body, and set his finger to work brushing his chin. After a few seconds, he lit up and nodded furiously.

    "Think you can do it?"

    Gengar gave a thumbs up. Then he grabbed his disembodied arm as it started wafting away and stuck it back on his body. Finally, he gave a double thumbs up and grinned proudly.

    "Alright, now get to work. Meet us at the plane when we're leaving."

    Gengar nodded one more time and disappeared through the ceiling.

    "Sorry about that," Ash said, turning back to Sabrina. "Anyway, where were we?"

    Sabrina was staring at the ceiling where Gengar had phased through, but she looked back at Ash after he asked his question. "That's amazing."

    "What?"

    "I do something similar with my Gengar, but it took us years to think of it. And you just came up with that idea on the spot?"

    "Well, I thought of it yesterday, actually."

    "When you were in agony after waking up from a month-long coma?"

    "Oh, ha ha, yeah, I guess so." He rubbed the back of his head in slight embarrassment. "Wait, you said you do the same thing with your Gengar? And is it the same one as…?"

    "Yeah!" Sabrina beamed. "It's the Haunter you battled me with! He's been with me this whole time!"

    "Let me see him!" Ash said, and Pikachu stretched his face out to mimic the ghost.

    "Oh, you can't," Sabrina said sadly. "Sorry, but it's kind of complicated. It has to do with my psychic powers. So I don't think I can help you with your own Gengar either. I'm sorry."

    Ash's smile faded, but he quickly revved it up again. "Oh, don't worry about it! It's no problem, really! We'll figure it out, no problem, like we always do. Right, Pikachu?"

    Pikachu nodded and saluted his trainer, and that seemed to restore Sabrina's spirits.

    It didn't take them long to finish their breakfast, and they parted amicably, with Ash going to shower, and Sabrina heading back to her room to prepare for her assignment in Rota. Ash had gotten her all up to speed about everything he knew about Zagreus, and after their breakfast this morning, he felt even better about leaving it in her hands.

    Cynthia came outside several hours later, to no one's surprise. Even a three thousand year old criminal on the loose or an audience with the World Champion could not disturb her sacred six hours of sleep, when she could get them. Nevertheless, she came out washed and dressed and ready to leave, so after a quick lunch prepared by Sylvester, they went out to the airfield and left for the Indigo Plateau.

    At the same time, Sabrina took flight for Rota on the back of a pokémon no one in Paragon knew she had.


    Sabrina arrived in Rota later that day. She touched down on a hill that overlooked the region, and recalled her pokémon, placing it back on her belt in the very back. The wind blew her hair across her face, and she walked forward to view the land of Rota from above.

    A sea of billowing trees shuddered in the wind below, and at the center of the forest lay a pristine lake, whose surface reflected the sky and cumulus clouds above perfectly. At the lake's center, nestled between a pair of long viaducts, sat Cameran Palace, the home of the Aura Guardians. It was built of polished limestone, and roofed in bright red tile, like a castle pulled straight from a hero's tale.

    Beyond the palace, towering above the treeline and nearby mountains, sat an indescribable formation of rock. It looked like a giant mountain, but rested on a thinner shaft of rock, almost like a tree trunk. Clouds drifted across its face, and the sun shined off the emerald grass on its surface like glass.

    Sabrina looked on the scenery in awe. Her entire childhood, she'd never left Saffron City. It was only after joining Paragon that she started to see the world, and there were few places in the world as breathtaking as the land of Rota. Though for Sabrina, almost everything was a breathtaking sight, sheltered as she'd been.

    She let herself absorb the view for several more minutes, enhancing her vision to watch a group of Pidgey and Petilil and other critters playing around in the forest, before turning away to focus on the job at hand. She wasn't here to sight see, after all.

    She jumped off the cliff, and the wind roared as it raced up around her. When she was seconds away from impacting the forest's canopy, her eyes and gauntlets ignited, and a harsh light enveloped her body. She twisted through the air, between the trees, and landed on the shaded grass far below.

    Exhaling, the glow in her eyes faded, and her gauntlets slowed, and she started toward the lake.

    Of course, she could've simply landed closer, or used her power to fly to the palace much faster, but she always made a conscious effort not to rely too much on her powers. She lived a sedentary enough lifestyle, and needed to take advantage of any opportunity for exercise she could get.

    Because she knew for an absolute certainty that she wouldn't be exercising on her own time.

    As was typical when she was left to her thoughts for a while, her mind wandered back to her last extended social interaction: breakfast with Ash and Pikachu.

    Immediately, she cringed. What the hell were those response times when he first said "good morning" to her? He definitely thought she was being rude. She hadn't meant to make things so awkward, but she was trying to recall what his current impression of her must've been, so she could be sure to match whatever he was expecting.

    It was definitely not a normal way to interact with people, but Sabrina saw so little of the other members of Paragon that she literally didn't know what they thought of her. Priority one was making sure they didn't hate her.

    And at that, she seemed to have failed. She definitely pissed Ash off this morning. Well, first she'd convinced him that she was a total weirdo, staring at the sun like a lunatic. Then, she'd pissed him off by freaking out at his Pikachu. Or for intruding on his breakfast. Or for lying about wanting the last doughnut. Or for all of the above.

    The doughnut fiasco. It almost hurt to think about. Why? Why had she offered it to him even though she wanted it? He looked so annoyed at having to fork over half of a doughnut he'd already started eating. Not normal. Again, not normal. That was not a normal human interaction.

    And then there was the Gengar conversation. Really? Oh, I can do that too, but actually I can't tell you how so good luck figuring it out on your own! What was wrong with her? Somehow he'd slipped past her guard, and before she knew it, she was rattling off about things he definitely didn't care about.

    He had a lot of patience, listening to her go on and on about her latest missions. It was a wonder he didn't tell her to shut up, or at least excuse himself discreetly.

    Hopefully her giving his Pikachu some of her doughnut would make up for her poor performance as a conversationalist. That was pretty normal, right? At the very least, it'd gotten them arguing amongst themselves, which meant the attention was off her for a time.

    Ugh. What an exhausting affair. Another bulleted list of blunders to file away after she foolishly ventured outside the security of her bedroom.

    Okay, enough. Now she was getting self-deprecating.

    She quickly replayed the morning one more time in her head and noted where she'd have to modify her behavior for the next time they interacted. Keep what worked, and toss what didn't.

    With her mind cleared, she tried to enjoy the rest of the walk toward the palace. Eventually she found the main path, and the walk became easier. Wild pokémon scampered across the path in front of her, and she tried smiling at the ones who stopped to study her.

    Soon, she cleared the forest and arrived at the lake. The bridge was still a ways away though, so she continued on her trek.

    She'd never been to Rota before today, but she had heard of the territory before. Apparently, it wasn't technically a part of Kanto, and the royal family had some sort of agreement with the region or something. Either way, it meant her status as a former gym leader, or even a representative of Cynthia meant little here.

    The Guardians were known to be selfless and kind hearted, but Sabrina wasn't sure how they'd react to an outsider meddling in their affairs. Ash had given her a contact in the palace, a friend of his named Riley, so that was where she planned on starting her investigation. Hopefully he was here, and had all the answers they needed.

    There was no one at or on the bridge when she arrived, so after an anxious breath, she started on the last leg of her journey. The lake below was like a mirror, and it only made Sabrina even more self-conscious. Hopefully this didn't count as trespassing.

    As she neared the palace, its façade loomed over her. Cameran Palace was thousands of years old, yet it looked pristine enough to have been built earlier this decade. It felt like there was a certain magic suffused in the castle's masonry, and Sabrina swallowed after stepping foot onto the island the palace was built on.

    It was an unsettling reality that she could atomize the entire thing, history and all, with a thought.

    The path took her through a grove of golden maple trees, and the scent of them calmed her nerves just a little. Eventually, she came upon a curved flight of marble steps, which she ascended slowly, and she finally arrived at the gigantic front doors, twin slabs of oak carved with intricate mosaics.

    Luckily, there were smaller, human-sized doors built next to the main doors, and she tried one of them. It was unlocked.

    She sighed in defeat. Seemed she'd have to go inside after all.

    After taking a few deep breaths, she pushed the door open and went inside.

    It was quiet. Oppressively so. Sabrina found herself in a large atrium with a vaulted ceiling. Other doors lined the walls, leading to other parts of the palace, and a grand staircase curled up on the far wall. Huge paintings and stained glass windows told tales of the heroes of old, and the characters featured in them all seemed to wear the traditional blue uniform of the Guardians. The light that passed through the windows danced on the carpeted floor in a waltz of color.

    "Can I help you?"

    Sabrina turned, and saw she'd walked in right next to what appeared to be a receptionist's desk. A woman sat behind it, dressed in the same blue, but she lacked the pointed hat the others wore.

    "Did you lose your tour group?" the lady asked with concern.

    "O-Oh, no," Sabrina sputtered. "I'm here to speak with someone. Someone named Riley."

    "Riley," she repeated, raising an eyebrow. "If I recall, he's out training in the Tree of Beginning right now. Does he know you're here?"

    Sabrina blushed. Uhhhhhhh. "I-I don't think so."

    "I see. Hmmm, well, I'd send you his way, but the Tree of Beginning is a dangerous place for non-Guardians. There's no telling when he'll be back… Is it urgent?"

    "It is…pretty urgent."

    "I understand." The receptionist pulled a pokéball from her belt. She released its contents, and a Lucario appeared beside Sabrina. "Lucario will lead you to the Tree and protect you whilst you're there. I wouldn't dally long there, however."

    Sabrina bowed. "Thank you."

    The woman nodded, and Lucario set off across the hall. They ventured through several rooms, and Sabrina had to force herself to keep up with Lucario, lest her attention be captured by the majesty of the palace's statues, murals, and architecture. They left out another door and headed across the opposite bridge over the lake. Lucario said nothing as it guided her through the forest, taking each step with soldier-like precision. The few times she did fall a bit behind, it waited for her patiently, then turned back to the path.

    Sabrina didn't even notice how close they'd gotten to the Tree of Beginning until they passed through the forest and suddenly found themselves at its foot. Now that she was closer, she could see that it was actually made of shimmering crystals, and the grass she thought covered its surface was actually the hue of refracted sunlight.

    Lucario didn't stop to let her marvel, continuing over a small hill. From the top of the hill, Sabrina could see the entrance to the Tree. It was gigantic and yawning, like the entrance to a cave, and time-worn steps had been built down the other side of the hill, leading inside.

    Lucario held out its paw toward Sabrina, and she suddenly felt a warm veil envelop her. This must be the protection the lady was talking about. Lucario nodded, and started down the hill and into the Tree.

    The inside was an enchanting place. Sabrina wasn't sure what she'd expected, but this certainly wasn't it. The ground was rock, like a cave, but sharpened crystals jutted out all around her, casting their mystical light across the cavern. Some were so huge they had to walk around them. Pokémon that were normally pretty hostile walked past calmly without paying them a second glance. A Graveler meandered by with a throng of Geodude, and an Annihilape stared at them from its rocky seat as they walked past.

    Soon, they came out into an enormous cavern. Here, the crystals grew plentifully, but they weren't all. Normal trees and grass littered the landscape, and waterfalls emptied off glowing cliffs into basins in thin air. Sabrina audibly gasped at the sight, the whole thing looking straight out of a dream. The pokémon lived here in greater numbers too, and flying-types soared through the air. If not for the cave ceiling far above, and the humongous stone pillars that kept it aloft, this place would have looked like the outside world.

    Lucario motioned to a scene below, on one of the rolling hills of the cavern. There, Sabrina saw a bare-chested man with spiky black hair tussling it out with an Ursaluna. The bear charged at him, but there was a flash of light, and somehow, it was redirected into a nearby boulder.

    Lucario barked, and the sound echoed through the cavern. Though they were quite far away, Sabrina could see both the man and the Ursaluna look over at them. Then, they glanced back at each other, and the man climbed onto Ursaluna's back. Then, it took off toward them.

    It only took a minute for Ursaluna to run over and clamber up the crystal formation that grew between the grassy hills below, and the rocky plateau Sabrina and Lucario found themselves on, and it came to a stop on front of them, snorting.

    The man was matted in sweat, and Sabrina looked away politely. "What're you doing here, Lucario? Where's Sarah?" he asked, after climbing off his pokémon's back.

    Lucario did not respond audibly, only slightly gesturing with his paw.

    Must be telepathy, Sabrina thought. She could speak with her own pokémon nonverbally too.

    The man glanced over at her, then back at Lucario as he got caught up to speed. When Lucario seemed to finish its explanation, the man nodded. "It isn't every day I get visitors. I'm sorry you caught me right in the middle of a training session, I'm sure I must stink right now." He held out a hand. "It's nice to meet you, my name is Riley."

    "Sabrina," she responded, shaking his hand bashfully. "I'm a friend of Ash Ketchum's."

    Riley raised his brow. "You know Ash, huh? Well, any friend of his is a friend of mine. I'll do whatever I can to help you." He turned back to Lucario. "You can head back now, Lucario, I'll take it from here. Don't worry about me, it'll help my training anyway." He held out his hand, and the veil around Sabrina seemed to ripple.

    Lucario bowed at her, then took off in the opposite direction before she could get another word in.

    "It's always business with that one," Riley muttered. "Though I suppose my Lucario is no different." He wiped his forehead with a towel slung around his neck. "I imagine this is your first time at the Tree of Beginning, Sabrina?"

    She nodded.

    "It's a sacred place, especially for us Guardians. The Tree is one of the oldest places in the world, hence its name. Apparently, this is where the Hero of Kanto once saved the entire world by stopping the rampage of a whole host of legendary pokémon."

    Sabrina had heard of the Hero of Kanto, but like most Kantonians, she hadn't known where his title had come from.

    "It's said one can find any species of pokémon here, since all pokémon have origins in this tree. But as Sarah eluded to, this place isn't fit for humans. The Tree rejects all non-Pokémon lifeforms. The only reason we stand here without being set upon by all the pokémon within is because of Aura."

    Sabrina suddenly became aware of just how many pokémon surrounded them. An Aerodactyl clung to one of the cliffs nearby, and if it wanted to, it could probably attack them before she even had a chance to release one of her pokémon. She shuddered.

    Riley held up his palm, and an orb of azure energy roiled into existence above it. "Aura is the life energy of all pokémon, and Guardians are humans with a gift to harness said energy. By masking ourselves in Aura, the Tree does not perceive us as threats. Only the strongest Guardians are permitted to train within the Tree, due to the sustained output of Aura necessary to protect oneself." He paused. "Sorry, that sounded like a brag. Well, I have been here for several hours already and I'm starting to feel the strain." He extinguished his Aura Sphere and recalled his Ursaluna. "Shall we head back?"

    "I can take us back quicker, if you don't mind," she said, and released her Alakazam.

    Riley nodded. "Very well."

    Alakazam's spoons glowed, and the three of them disappeared in a flash of light, reappearing in the atrium with Sarah.

    She jumped when they appeared, clutching her chest in surprise.

    "Hey, Sarah," Riley waved, and the woman rolled her eyes. "Please give me a bit to freshen up, and I'll meet you in the library, okay?"

    Sabrina nodded, and Riley took off.

    Yes, awkward conversation on the walk back to the palace, averted!


    The library was about what one could expect from an ancient palace built to house an order of mystical Aura Guardians. Dark bookcases towered high, with ladders to reach the top shelves. There was a second floor with balconies that overlooked the room, and a few other Guardians sat within at tables or on plush chairs reading. The whole room smelled of paper and incense, and it put Sabrina at ease.

    Though that didn't stop her from stressing out over the fact that she was just suspiciously sitting at one of the tables doing nothing. She could've sworn she saw a couple people glance over at her curiously, but it could've been her imagination. She would've taken a book off the shelf to do some reading while she waited, but wasn't sure if she was allowed to, so ultimately, she decided against it.

    Luckily, Riley didn't take long, and he strode into the library about ten minutes later dressed in the usual Guardian's uniform, with his own Lucario pacing in beside him.

    "Thanks for waiting," he said, sitting across from her. Lucario walked off deeper into the library, leaving them alone. "So, what can I do for you?"

    Sabrina had rehearsed in her head how she'd start this conversation, but it was still an awkward thing to bring up, especially while keeping the existence of Paragon a secret. "Does the name 'Zagreus' mean anything to you?" she began.

    Riley mulled it over for a few seconds. "Zagreus? Hmm, I can't say it does. Why?"

    Sabrina deflated slightly, but pushed on. "The International Police is looking into a man called Zagreus who seemed to be an Aura Guardian." While technically a lie, Paragon was close enough to Interpol that she could pass it off as the truth. "He was last seen pursuing one of the Plates of Arceus, and was willing to kill to get to it first."

    "The Plates of Arceus," Riley frowned. "If he's a Guardian, then it would make sense for him to go after them. Part of our charge as Guardians is to protect the legendary artifacts. But to kill… That certainly goes against our code. Beyond that, it is not within us to pursue any artifacts out of greed, which it sounds like this man was doing." He nodded and chewed on his thumb. "I see. Yes, a rogue Aura Guardian is a serious matter indeed. You've come to the right place."

    "Have you heard of any Guardians going rogue recently? Or any time in the past decade or so?" Sabrina asked.

    "The Guardians do see defections from time to time. The power of Aura is intoxicating, to say the least, and some let it get to their head. This Zagreus wouldn't be the first to use his gift for evil purposes. But Cameran Palace is good about hunting down traitors and prosecuting them on our own, or handing them over to the proper authorities if necessary."

    "So you don't recall anyone named Zagreus defecting from the Guardians recently, then?"

    "No, I'm sorry. Though there is a small chance he wasn't a Guardian, even if he had the ability to wield Aura. Guardians pursue those who have a latent gift and bring them back to Rota to cultivate their abilities if they so choose. But we don't catch all of them. If this Zagreus was talented enough, he may have taught himself to control and harness his gift all on his own."

    "It's possible," Sabrina said. "But the man was dressed like a Guardian, only his uniform was black instead of blue."

    "Well, then he was certainly dressed the part of a rogue Guardian," Riley agreed. "Unfortunately, I don't know if I can help you any further. But this matter should certainly be brought to the attention of the royal guard. They're the ones responsible for tracking down those of us who betray our kin. You should tell your story to them. Who knows, they may know more than me."

    He stood up, and Sabrina followed suit. Riley led them toward the entrance.

    "What about your Lucario?"

    Riley smiled. "Don't worry about him. He's a total bookworm. I'm sure he's fully absorbed in some tome about the history of this or that. I let him know we're leaving."

    Right, telepathy. With that, they left the library and passed through several other chambers. Riley seemed to be very popular, as almost every Guardian they came across greeted him by name.

    As they were walking through a hallway adorned with suits of armor and more paintings of ancient Aura Guardians, they came upon a larger group. A whole squad of Guardians marched down the hall, though unlike Riley, thick capes tumbled down their resolute backs.

    "Riley!" the Guardian at the front boomed. He was a stout man, but tall, with graying straw-colored hair that may have once been golden. "My boy, I thought you were training at the Tree! You slacking off again?"

    "Captain Magnus," Riley said with an embarrassed chuckle. "Of course not, I was just there earlier. But this is fortuitous timing. I was just on my way to the guards' quarters to report an incident."

    "An incident? Oh no, what trouble have you gotten into now?" He seemed to notice Sabrina and looked her up and down. "And who's this? I hope you're not getting any funny ideas, I see the way that Sarah looks at you." He smacked Riley's shoulder, and the younger Guardian wore his smile like a mask.

    "This is Sabrina, Captain," he said. "It's her report I wanted to bring to your attention. From the International Police."

    "International Police," Magnus said, looking a bit more serious. "Well, come with us. The Queen just finished a tour and we're on our way back to the throne room."

    As Sabrina fell into lockstep beside them, she noticed a beautiful woman with blonde hair within the throng of guards. The queen smiled at her, and she blushed, suddenly aware of how out of place she was.

    Riley and Magnus continued to talk on their way to the throne room, and after several more minutes, they arrived. After everything she'd already seen, the throne room was rather modest by comparison. It was smaller than Sabrina expected, and it was made of simple white bricks, with the deep blue standard of the Guardians flanking two thrones along the far wall, one grand and ostentatious, the other, simple and practical.

    The queen took her seat in the smaller throne, and Riley leaned closer to Sabrina as everyone filed in. "The bigger throne belongs to the king of the Guardians, but royal tradition states a new king cannot be crowned except by the current king, since the gift of Aura is not always inherited by a Guardian's children. Our last king never crowned a successor, so the throne has remained empty for over three thousand years, awaiting his return, so it's said."

    "What about the queen?" she whispered back.

    "Ordinarily the queen would simply be the king's wife, Aura or not. But we've had to bend the rules a bit because we don't have a king, so Queen Ilene is the daughter of the previous queen, and she was the daughter of the queen before that, and so on. The husband of the current queen is called the regent, and he acts as the governor of Rota, but never sits on the throne."

    The queen's guard took their positions at her side, and Riley leaned away.

    "My queen," he said, kneeling before her, and Sabrina quickly did the same out of respect.

    "Rise, my Guardian," the queen said. "And you, young one."

    "Sabrina, this is the Queen Ilene of Rota," Riley said, motioning to her. "My queen, this is Sabrina. I'm sorry for bringing such troubling news to you, but she claims to have encountered a murderous Aura Guardian."

    Magnus frowned, and the guards turned to each other and spoke in hushed voices. Riley nodded to Sabrina to step up, and she tried to ignore the hammering in her chest.

    "Y-Your Majesty," she said, not sure how she should address the queen. "And honored Guardians," she added.

    "Please, just call me Ilene," the queen said, smiling warmly.

    Inexplicably, Sabrina felt some of her anxiety ebb away, and she continued with a renewed confidence. "Ilene. I came to Rota today in search of information. Are any of you familiar with a man named Zagreus?"

    Sabrina saw a wave of confusion wash over the guards, and her heart almost sank. Until she saw Ilene's face. The queen hadn't moved, but Sabrina could immediately tell she recognized the name. Soon, the guards noticed their queen's expression, and they tried and failed to hide their sudden curiosity.

    "Zagreus, you say?" Ilene said quietly.

    "Yes."

    Ilene looked to the side, as if considering something, then looked back at Sabrina. "I have heard of Zagreus. But I'm not surprised Sir Riley hasn't. Or any of my guards." She pursed her lips, her eyebrows knit in a concerned frown. "Zagreus is a forbidden name. A name wiped from all Guardian texts long ago. It is the name of a Guardian who committed a terrible sin during the Great War three thousand years ago."

    Next — Chapter 16 : Platebearer

     
  • View discussion
    • Remnants of the Great War [7]
  • View content
    • PARAGON

    Remnants of the Great War Arc [7]

    Chapter 16 : Platebearer​


    AZ could feel their stares on him from behind. Anticipation and anxiety leaked from them like gas. They were beginning to disturb his reading. Books surrounded him in haphazard piles on the floor of the mansion. In front of him, a machine called a television displayed moving images of the ancient past, while a disembodied voice described what was happening.

    "What is it?" AZ rumbled, flipping through another page without moving to turn around.

    Lord Vandrick had been patient, eager as he must have been to finally meet his master after so long. He'd let AZ sleep undisturbed on the flying machine called a helicopter, and when they'd arrived at Vandrick's house, he explained everything.

    AZ still had allies. After the Great War, many of his vassals and retainers were imprisoned, exiled, or executed, but not all of them. The survivors hid themselves, changed their names, and swore fealty to their enemies. But they never forgot who they truly served. They knew AZ was alive and knew he'd return one day. House Vandrick had been the most powerful of the remaining houses, and over the years, they had consolidated AZ's remaining forces. Through their leverage in business, finance, and government, House Vandrick never let control of Kalos fall into the hands of outsiders. Each new head of the family was raised from birth to understand their true purpose, and it just so happened that AZ returned to the world while Lord Brian Vandrick was head.

    "Apologies, your Grace. The others were wondering when they might meet you. They want to see the man their families have dedicated their lives to for the past three thousand years."

    AZ flipped through another page. His power could've siphoned all the knowledge in this book, all the knowledge in this room, straight into his head in an instant, but he hadn't read a book in three thousand years. It was another experience to savor, and he was in no hurry. "I am still learning," he said. "Tell them to wait."

    "At once, your Grace."

    He heard Vandrick walk away with his guards and servants. AZ couldn't have asked for a better lieutenant. Vandrick was courteous and wise, beyond his paltry thirty years. The man had immediately surrendered his own master bedroom to AZ, and had met any and every accommodation AZ requested. He did not speak out of turn, and offered his wisdom only when it was asked for. Most likely, he'd never answered to anyone but his parents in his entire life, yet the man knew his role and played it beautifully.

    They were in a city called Anistar. It hadn't even existed three thousand years ago. Eastern Kalos was little more than farmland in AZ's day, but now, great towers of iron lined the smooth black paths of the city, and there wasn't a single acre of pumpkins or cabbage or winterpeas in sight.

    Before it could fester, AZ dashed the nostalgia from his mind. He knew if he dwelled for too long on how much he'd missed, he'd really start to go insane. He was not so proud he thought himself infallible. He was still a human, albeit barely, with human emotions. And an emotion like nostalgia at a time like this was lethal.

    AZ glanced up from his book, an atlas with maps of the entire world and all the states, or regions, that comprised it. The man on the television was talking about the history of Kanto. At least that was a name he recognized. Kanto and Kalos. The west and east, they'd been. Now, it seemed a land called Unova was the most powerful state in the world, and Kanto and Kalos were little more than accessories to greater powers.

    He was hungry again. Three thousand years he'd gone without so much as a drop of water, but after just a few meals, he already couldn't imagine going back to such a destitute existence.

    Vandrick returned, with a soft knock on the door before he entered and a tray of food in his hand. "I thought you might want lunch, your Grace, it is noontime now. This is roasted venison with red cran garlic mashed potatoes, and a summer salad with tangerines on the side. The beverage recommended by the chef is fresh blackberry cider." He placed the tray on the table behind AZ and folded his arms behind him. "I hope this is to your Grace's liking. Anything else you desire I can provide."

    AZ stood with his book and lumbered over. Vandrick dipped his head as AZ sat, and he grabbed his cutlery. It was normal-sized, like the chair and table, but AZ specifically requested that Vandrick not go overboard with replacing everything in his house to accommodate him. This would suffice. "Thank you," he said, and started eating.

    Vandrick bowed and turned to leave.

    "Sit with me," AZ said. "We have spoken enough about the past. Let us talk about the future."

    Even Vandrick, with all his decorum, could not completely hide his interest, and he spun on his foot a little too quickly. "Of course, your Grace." He sat across the width of the table from AZ.

    "I don't want you bringing me my meals from now on. Let your servants do it. I'll not have you doing servant's work in your own house."

    "I am grateful to serve your Grace," Vandrick said, but nodded in acceptance.

    "Had I not returned, what would you have done with all the wealth and power you've built?" AZ asked.

    "We would continue to administer the Kalos Region in your stead, and ensure it continued to prosper."

    Az sawed through his meat and stuck a large bite in his mouth. "And if I had different plans for Kalos? If the path I led you on would force Kalos to give up its prosperity? Say, to engage in war? What would you do then?"

    Vandrick's gaze met AZ's. "Then we would follow your Grace dutifully. Your wish is our command."

    AZ nodded. Truly, he did not deserve them. "Good. Then we will begin immediately." He opened his atlas to a map of Kalos and set it in the center of the table. "There is a place we will need to visit. It was known only to my closest generals, and they're all dead, so it should not have been found. It's here," he placed his finger on the map, "at this place called Geosenge. Buried within is a weapon that will win us the war."

    Vandrick frowned. "Geosenge? I see. We will have to be discreet. Geosenge is not well populated, but modern communications would put us in danger of alerting our enemies nonetheless."

    "I trust it won't be an issue?"

    "I'll disburse the order immediately."

    "Tell only those you trust. We will need smiths and engineers to repair the weapon when we arrive as well."

    "I can assemble a team by day's end."

    "Good. And get the word out to all of our allies that I have returned. We will need to raise an army to fight this war. "

    "It will be done. We have secret channels that we have maintained for centuries to hide our activities. We also already have a number of trainers loyal to us. They will be alerted that their skills will be needed shortly."

    Right. Trainers were ubiquitous now. "Excellent. Before we depart, I will meet with the other retainers. Arrange a council before week's end."

    "At once, your Grace."

    There was a soft knock at the door, and Vandrick stood. "Excuse me for a moment." He walked over to the door and pushed it open slightly. A servant on the other side handed him something, and walked away with a bow. Vandrick returned to the table with a small wooden box in hand, black and lacquered in lavender.

    "What is this, Lord Vandrick?"

    "Apologies, your Grace. I figured now would be as good a time as any to give you this. Or rather, return it to you." He pushed the box across the table gently.

    AZ stared at it, then slowly lifted the lid off. His breath caught in his throat. "Where are the others?"

    "I'm sorry, your Grace. This is all House Vandrick recovered after your imprisonment, and we have passed it down across generations as our most precious heirloom. Unfortunately, the others are lost to us."

    AZ's mouth stretched into a white line. "Leave me."

    Vandrick bowed, and left.

    AZ's elbow hit the table as he clutched his face, and his other hand fell upon the content of the box. He closed his fingers around six faded pokéballs, and tears began to fall on the table beneath him. A different agony lanced through his entire body, and his throat tightened and stiffened.

    Six would do. Six was more than he deserved.

    But the one he missed the most had never lived in a pokéball. And she was gone forever.


    "So why am I here again?" Ash asked as he and Cynthia ascended one of the many skyscrapers in Saffron City in an elevator.

    "I need your person," Cynthia said. "I've only spoken to him a couple times since he became World Champion, but the man is like a steel trap. He's divulged nothing about his motivations or intentions to the media, and he's given little more than that to the League. I want to dangle you above him so I can see exactly where he stands. The last thing we need now is the World Champion becoming a liability while AZ is on the loose."

    "What does that even mean? You think they're working together or something?"

    Cynthia glanced over at him. "No, not necessarily. But the world is changing now more than it ever has in recent memory. AZ's escape is just the beginning. There was the appearance of one of Arceus' Plates, a rogue Aura Guardian, and now this. Everything that's been going on lately… it feels like it's all connected, I just don't know how. At the very least, I'd like to be able to put Albrecht out of my mind as soon as possible, and the fastest way to do that is to get him to talk to you. He wanted something from you that night two years ago. I'd like you to entertain him for now."

    "Does he know I'm coming?"

    "He will soon. Watch his reaction for me. Watch everything he does, and listen to what he says. You don't need to worry about any of the other politics at play. I know you left the Championship behind to get away from all this, so I'll deal with the rest. That would just be rude of me to expect you to play the main attraction at another one of these parties."

    Ash grumbled to himself, but he wasn't entirely displeased with this assignment. Ever since hearing Albrecht had become the World Champion, he'd been eager for another chance to talk to him. Cynthia seemed totally paranoid about him, but this was her scene after all, so he trusted her instincts. Even for a simpleton like Ash, the peculiarities of Albrecht's crowning, and even the man himself, were not lost on him. He wanted answers too. Hopefully Albrecht would have them, and be willing to offer them.

    The elevator pinged, and they walked out into a lofty ballroom. This was one of many luxurious apartment buildings in Saffron City, but this penthouse at the very top was on another level. Various men and women dressed in various degrees of attire milled about, speaking and laughing with each other, while waiters attended to the food and drink tables scattered throughout the room. One of the walls was open to the outside, and Ash could see a steaming pool of cerulean water sloshing by the edge of a large balcony, with some partygoers within.

    Clearly, Albrecht enjoyed a different level of extravagance.

    Ash turned to Cynthia and saw that she'd already donned her public persona. An enigmatic smile rested on her face, and she was already addressing a few people with her gaze who'd noticed her arrival.

    "So, what's the plan?" Ash asked.

    "No plan," Cynthia responded without taking her eyes off the crowd. "I'll enjoy the party. You find Albrecht and let him talk. Whatever happens, happens. Very casual. If he offers you something, tell him you'll consider. I'll take care of your fans."

    A trio of young people who seemed to be around Ash's age had spotted him and were already approaching him, but Cynthia quickly cut in front of him.

    "Roger, Brandon, is that you? How have you been since the Solaceon Conference? Have the Contests been going well for you, Amber?"

    Ash smirked and made his getaway further into the party. He could feel them watching him leave, but they were no match against the full force of Cynthia's wiles and were swiftly enraptured by her instead. Luckily, it seemed like no one else had noticed him yet, though with his usual cap and Pikachu on his shoulder, he was sure it wouldn't last long. He picked a small slider off a food table as he passed it and gave it a bite. Maybe a full mouth would act as a line of defense against any potential fawning, however paper-thin.

    As expected, it didn't. He felt a tap on his shoulder and spun around. Before him stood a man of equal height and similar age to himself. He looked like a stereotypical engineering student at some college, with his slightly oily hair and wiry build. "Ash Ketchum, I thought that was you. I guess it makes sense you'd be here."

    Ash grinned and fake chuckled. "Yeah, I had to stop by and check it out. I don't think we've met." He held out his hand.

    "I'm Rosen," the man said, taking his hand and giving it a light squeeze. "Saffron's gym leader."

    "Oh, really?" he said, his interest piqued. "So you're Sabrina's replacement?"

    "Yes, I took over shortly after she abdicated her position. Similar to you in that way." He laughed nervously and didn't make eye contact.

    Ash chuckled awkwardly. "Yeah, I guess so. So is it still a psychic gym?"

    "Oh no, I've no proficiency with psychic-types. We're a steel gym now. I worked with a lot of electric-types in university but Surge already has that, so this was my second choice."

    Ash nodded. He didn't know the gyms worked like that, and it was interesting to get a peek behind the curtain of challenging so many of them.

    "Of course, there was already a psychic gym in Celadon when Sabrina became gym leader, so maybe the rules can be bent a little? Though I did hear there were some extenuating circumstances in her case." He laughed nervously again.

    "Oh, I didn't know that. So Kanto had two psychic gyms at one point, huh?" Maybe he'd ask Sabrina about it. Though he had a feeling the answer would have to do with her tumultuous childhood. "Say, Rosen, do you think you could point me in Albrecht's direction? I don't want to be accused of avoiding him at his own party."

    "Oh, yeah! Uhhh, I think I saw him, yeah. Right over there," he said, pointing further into the ballroom.

    Albrecht seemed to be talking with a couple others, though he looked exactly as he did at Ash's party two years ago, with his silver hair and spotless white suit.

    "Great, thanks! It was nice to meet you, Rosen! Let's chat again some time!"

    "O-Oh, yeah. It was an honor to talk with you, Mr. Ketchum." He smiled and waved.

    Now that Albrecht was in sight, Ash made a beeline for him before he could get roped into another conversation. Some he passed clearly recognized him, but after seeing who he was walking toward, they seemed to decide against impeding him.

    Albrecht's eyes flicked over to him as he neared, and he immediately put his hand up to kill whatever conversation he'd been in. A curious smile curled onto his face as he looked Ash up and down.

    "Ash Ketchum," he said once Ash was close enough. "To what do I owe the unexpected pleasure?"

    "Well, I'll say congratulations to you, first and foremost." He held out his hand and Albrecht shook it.

    The World Champion narrowed his eyes and pointed at Ash. "You look like a different man from when I last saw you. These past two years seem to have changed you immensely."

    "You think so?" Ash chuckled. "Sorry for inviting myself. I came here with Cynthia."

    A puzzled look flashed across his face, but it was gone as quick as it'd come, and he nodded. "Our old friend Cynthia, eh? Well, this is embarrassing. I was actually going to give her an invitation for you to my next get together."

    "Sorry, should I not be at this one?"

    "No, no, not at all. I would've invited you to this one, if only I'd known how to reach you. You are a difficult man to track down after all, and seeing as she was the last person I saw you with, I figured she might be able to get it to you." He pulled an envelope from his suit vest and handed it to Ash, who looked it over before pocketing it. Albrecht drained the rest of his glass of champagne and handed it to a passing waiter. "So, what brings you here anyway? I thought you hated gatherings like this."

    "Er, well, I wouldn't miss an opportunity to meet the new World Champion." Can't exactly say I'm here to suss you out on behalf of the Paragon Organization.

    "Hmm, I thought you abdicated your position precisely because of parties like this. It almost makes one wonder if there's an ulterior motive." He winked.

    Ash's chest tightened and a film of sweat appeared over his forehead. Shit! Does he know about Paragon? No, wait. Calm down, Ash.

    "I apologize, I'm being rude," Albrecht said. "I'm honored you came, really."

    It's now or never. "Actually, you're right. I was wondering if we could talk. Privately, if possible."

    For such a suave man, Albrecht did not hide his excitement at Ash's request very well at all. The smile dropped off his face while he processed what Ash said, then reappeared once he had, brighter than ever. "Of course! Absolutely! Shall I put something on the calendar? I don't know when you're free. Perhaps we can get lunch together…whenever? My schedule is clear."

    Is it really? Why does he want to talk to me so badly? "ASAP, if at all possible."

    Albrecht shook his head in acknowledgement. "Say no more."

    As a waiter walked past him, Albrecht put his hand on his shoulder and whispered something in his ear. The waiter frowned, but nodded, and hurried off.

    "Party's over," Albrecht said. "Let's talk now."

    Ash just stared at him. "Huh?"

    Around him, the other waiters were cutting into ongoing conversations to deliver the news and ushering confused partygoers toward the elevators. Those in the pool got out and started drying themselves without really even knowing why yet.

    "Wait…what're you…?"

    "Not to worry," Albrecht smiled. "The party's already been going for several hours, I think it's fine to pull the plug here."

    Ash stayed speechless as the many guests slowly filtered out of the massive ballroom. In the sea of people, Ash caught Cynthia's eye, but after seeing him with Albrecht, the only two not moving to leave, she seemed to understand the situation and filed out with everyone else. After several more minutes, the entire room was empty, save for the wait staff.

    "What…what did you just do?" Ash breathed.

    "Made things private," Albrecht said, sounding very pleased with himself. "With your help. Not even the most pompous dignitary would protest an order from two World Champions. I'm sure the sight of us alone made them understand the urgency of the request."

    Right, I guess that makes sense. Ash gulped. Now it's all up to me.

    "So," Albrecht began, "have you come to give your dear successor a bit of wisdom?"

    "You're funny."

    Albrecht chuckled and walked over to an empty table, bussed and cleaned by the wait staff already, and sat down, and motioned for Ash to join him.

    "Sorry again for showing up unannounced," Ash said, taking his seat.

    "Oh, not to worry. Most of the people here came unannounced, that's just the nature of these sorts of gatherings. Your appearance was a surprise to be sure, but very welcome." He crossed his legs and raised an eyebrow. "So, what can I do for you, Ash Ketchum?"

    Here we go. "Well, I just wanted to get to know you a little better is all. I don't know if ending the whole party was necessary." He rubbed the back of his head involuntarily, as he always did when he was nervous.

    Albrecht shrugged. "I'm always looking for new friends. Though I have some questions for you as well, if you don't mind. How about I give you an answer for each question of mine you answer."

    A waiter delivered a couple glasses of water and Ash took a sip. "Fine by me."

    "Do you mind if I start?"

    "Go ahead."

    He turned away. "What is your relationship with Cynthia? If it's the sort that desires discretion, rest assured I can keep a secret," he quickly added.

    "It's nothing like that," Ash smiled, shaking his head. "We're just friends."

    "Are you very close with her?"

    Ash shrugged. "Close enough."

    "I'm sorry. I only ask because we've met only twice, and both times she's walked you in."

    Damn. He's good. He shook his head. Luckily, he'd already thought of a cover story. "I work for her on one of her projects," he said, which was technically true.

    Albrecht nodded. "No need to say more, I understand. All these Champions are secretive in their own ways. I asked Lance where he got all his Dragonite from and he looked at me like a Stunky just stepped on him." He smiled. "All business, that one. Anyway, go ahead."

    Ash stirred his questions around in his mind, and picked one out to ask first. "Why did you become the World Champion?"

    Albrecht pursed his lips, then grinned. "Can we come back to that one?"

    "Er, okay. Where are you from?" Guess I'll start small and work my way up.

    "Kanto. Like yourself."

    "Alright, your turn," Ash said. Albrecht seemed like he'd be willing to talk about what he was really after, but Ash didn't want to provoke him too much.

    "Ask another, that one was too simple," Albrecht said.

    Ash shuffled through his questions again. "Tell me about how you became a trainer. You didn't strike me as the type when we first met."

    Albrecht smiled. "I've been around pokémon for as long as I can remember. Where I came from, pokémon were more used to battle, which made me used to battle. In my boyhood, I loved the art of battle, but as I grew older, I suppose that side of me grew up. Perhaps in a way, me becoming the World Champion was a nice reminder of my origins. As I'm getting older, now is as good a time as any to fulfill that dream."

    "But you didn't battle to get this position, right? You were elected."

    "That's right. But I assure you I am fully capable of defending the title if necessary."

    Ash took a few moments to study the man. It was true he hadn't pegged Albrecht as a trainer, but now that they were speaking more closely, he was starting to see it. Albrecht's eyes held the same sharp light that all trainers possessed, always studying what was before them. Without his gloves, Ash noticed his hands weren't entirely princely, and they were slightly toned, likely from years of use. And in his last answer, Ash had sensed the passion he held for pokémon. He almost reminded him of himself, with his talk of dreams. But there was a strange wistfulness in his voice that Ash couldn't quite place.

    "Now it's my turn, though this is really more of a statement than a question. And more of a confession than a statement."

    Ash raised a brow.

    "The truth is, I've been watching you for quite a long time. Longer than most, I suspect. In a way, you could say I'm a 'superfan' of yours. I've no doubt one of your questions for me was why I came up and talked to you two years ago. I wasn't being very subtle, cool as I tried to make myself sound. I hope I wasn't too offputting."

    Ash didn't react at first, then broke into a grin. "Ha ha ha, not at all! I just hope I'm everything you'd hoped for."

    "Well, that remains to be seen, I suppose. Now, your turn."

    They seemed to be having a good rapport. Ash figured it was time to get serious. "What do you make of this AZ situation?"

    As expected, Albrecht's expression darkened, and this time, it took longer for his smile to return. "AZ… yes, that monster." He chuckled once. "I'd planned to talk to you about him when we met again, but I suppose that time is now."

    Ash stared at him, absorbing his every word. He could tell he was about to get what he came for.

    "The League and the International Police both seem to be focused on what he plans to do now that he's escaped. It's not lost on me that they've breezed right past the mystery of his character and are focused entirely on stopping him. Killing him."

    "As part of my answer to your question, I'll ask another. How familiar are you with the Plates of Arceus?"

    The Plates! "Not very," Ash said, trying to keep a poker face. "I've heard of them, but that's about it. Like all legendary artifacts, I'm sure they're powerful. And dangerous." He couldn't mention Zagreus or that he'd just been on a mission to retrieve one.

    Albrecht narrowed his eyes, and he paused just long enough to make Ash uncomfortable. "Is that right?" He shrugged. "I see. Well, in that case, what I'm about to tell you now is extremely important, so please listen carefully." When he saw Ash fully focused on him, he continued. "The Plates of Arceus are, without a doubt, the most powerful legendary artifacts in the entire world. They are so powerful, in fact, that in every era, the powers that be have conspired to hide their true potential from the common man, and suppress the legend of Arceus himself, lest their study into the God Pokémon lead them to learning more than they should about the Plates."

    "In truth, the Plates are pieces of Arceus' own divine power. Arceus, who created the universe and everything in it. It is no exaggeration to say that even a single Plate holds enough power to destroy this entire world."

    Ash couldn't stop himself from swallowing. Had he really gotten so close to something like that? He'd touched it, and lived.

    "Now, as you might expect, the Plates are sought after by those who know of their true power. Some have good intentions and some have evil, but all who seek the Plates do so with a respect for their inconceivable power. Of course, in a competition with such high stakes, it only makes sense that those with the greatest resources would be fortunate enough to acquire the Plates."

    "So…that would mean the International Police and the League have some of the Plates? And maybe the regional governments?" Ash asked.

    "A logical conclusion. Indeed, the Plates have found themselves in the possession of many authoritative entities across the world, across history. The Great Founders and old families alike both enjoyed possession of the Plates at various points in time."

    "But Arceus is a sentient being, and this world is his creation. As such, the Plates move according to his design. That is why they appear and disappear across the world, seemingly at random. Even if one were to acquire a Plate, one may wake up the next morning to find it gone, without any trace it was ever there at all. There is only one way to truly gain the power of one of the Plates." Albrecht fixed Ash with a silver gaze. "The true secret of the Plates is that they can be assimilated, to grant one certain abilities, such as inhuman durability and longevity."

    "AZ," Ash said. "AZ has one of the Plates."

    Albrecht nodded. "Most likely. We call men like him 'Platebearers.' It would explain his invulnerability to time, and the futility of all attempts at his execution. Once a Plate has been assimilated, the Platebearer commands its power indefinitely."

    Ash shuddered, and even Pikachu seemed to be engrossed in Albrecht's explanation, as he stood unblinking on Ash's shoulder. Everything was starting to come together. "So AZ has the power to destroy the entire world…"

    "Not necessarily. As I said, the Plates are extensions of Arceus' very being, so the power granted to the Platebearers is based on Arceus' own whims, impossible to predict. But just because he lived for three thousand years without destroying the world doesn't necessarily mean he isn't capable of it either."

    "How do you even stop someone like that?" Ash said incredulously. "Someone who's immortal and indestructible? Is it even possible to kill them?"

    "Ordinarily, no," Albrecht said. "But by other Platebearers, certainly. Although when a Platebearer dies, the Plate disappears along with them, to reincarnate at some later point in time and space. So a Platebearer cannot simply kill other Platebearers to acquire more Plates."

    Ash's head was spinning. This was way more information than he expected. At most, he'd expected a possible lead on AZ's location via Albrecht's personal investigations or something. This…this was something else completely, and Ash was struggling to keep everything in his mind as Albrecht pushed on relentlessly.

    "So this is the true nature of power in this world. For centuries, humanity has fought over the Plates, in the shadows of history. This ongoing conflict has never been written about in the history books, for its mere mention invites more contenders to the contest. For the same reason, those who are party to the game exercise extreme caution when it comes to sharing their knowledge with outsiders." Albrecht glanced up at Ash.

    Ash met his gaze as the realization dawned on him. "But you're telling me… And you're one of them. You're searching for the Plates too." Ash frowned and shook his head in disbelief. "But why are you telling me this?"

    "Because I want your help. I've been in this game for some time, and things are beginning to swell. Perhaps you've felt it, even if you haven't been privy to the existence of the game until now. The Plates have been appearing more and more often, and the conflict is beginning to spill into the public eye in subtle ways. AZ's escape, though confidential for now, is a part of this. You are one of the greatest talents of your generation, and from what I know of you, you have an impeccable character. I want to stop this foolish conflict from destroying everything, and the only way to win the game is to play."

    "So you want…?" His voice trailed off, then he whipped his head back in Albrecht's direction. "Wait, are you a Platebearer too?"

    Albrecht smiled. "No, I'm not."

    Ash fell silent, and Albrecht seemed to expect it because he didn't interrupt the silence. Ash had come here today to get a handle on what Albrecht's endgame was, to figure out if he could be trusted while Paragon focused its attention on AZ. But now the two situations were tied together, in a certain sense, along with the Zagreus incident now as well. And at the end of it all, Albrecht only became even more mysterious.

    This is not my wheelhouse, Ash cursed. He hated when his friends called him a dumbass, but he really wasn't suited to these types of cerebral workouts. Either way, he'd gotten what they came for, and then some. And as expected, Albrecht had made him an offer. And a tempting one, at that. He seemed destined to encounter the Platebearers whether he joined Albrecht or not. And here was someone who seemed to know all about them.

    "If I were to help you, what would that entail, exactly?" Ash asked.

    "That would depend on you. If you do decide to accept my offer, then there's something I need to show you first. But I'm confident this path would help you to become a true Pokémon Master. That is what you desire, is it not?"

    True. I can't exactly call myself a Master with these de-facto demigods running around who could pulverize me in an instant. But is it really possible to stand up to the power of Arceus? He grinned. I'll do it, no matter what! Together, with my pokémon, I'll become a Pokémon Master that can defeat the Platebearers!

    With his thoughts as streamlined as they could be as of now, Ash decided to end their conversation with one last question.

    "Can I see your pokémon?"

    Albrecht cocked a smile. "Of course. I'll take you to the park downstairs.

    They got up and took an elevator down. True to Albrecht's word, he did take Ash to a park, though they didn't even have to leave the building.

    The elevator stopped at floor twenty, and when the doors slid open, Ash was immediately assailed by the scent of fresh grass and flowers. Floor to ceiling windows lined the walls, letting the sunlight pour in, and lush grass and bushes covered the floor as far as the eye could see. A pebbled path curved through the grass, and iron benches lined the path just as they would for a traditional park. Pikachu jumped off Ash's shoulder and scampered over to a nearby flowerbed, and began sniffing around.

    "This entire floor makes up the park," Albrecht explained. "Very relaxing to visit during the day, and sometimes, wealthy trainers will even battle here if they're staying in one of the apartments."

    He pulled a pokéball off his belt and released its contents onto the grass. A dark Corviknight unfurled its metallic wings and cocked its head curiously at Ash.

    Ash brought his hand up slowly and caressed its bearded chest. Despite being made of metal, it was warm, and its feathers felt malleable. "Oh yeah, you're definitely powerful, I can tell. A World Champion's pokémon for sure."

    "Impressed?" Albrecht asked, and Ash nodded. "Fly about fifty meters away, Corviknight. I want to show Ash something."

    The bird screeched and took flight. The ceiling was just as high as Albrecht's penthouse, and it easily soared through the air.

    "Watch this, I think you'll be surprised, based on our conversation earlier." He walked backwards a short distance. "Corviknight, use Hyper Beam on Ash."

    Ash didn't even have time to blink before a shaft of light tore toward him. His eyes seared from the blinding attack, and he screamed as he fell to the ground. A deafening roar accompanied the beam, and smoke burned his nostrils. He trembled as all five of his senses were completely overloaded, but soon, the beam stopped.

    It had missed.

    Ash slowly opened his eyes and clutched at the ground, his ears still ringing from the assault. He grabbed his head, but didn't feel anything unusual. Good. He moved his arm before him. White strands of electricity crackled on his skin, and he yanked it back involuntarily.

    "So there you have it, Ash."

    The sound of Albrecht's voice brought him back to reality. Ash stood and turned, glaring at him, but his attention was swiftly captured by his surroundings.

    He was standing in the dead center of a blackened circle. All the grass around him had burned away, and a path of death followed a straight line back to where Corviknight stood.

    It didn't miss at all! But then—

    "This looks like the work of a Plate to me. The Electric Plate, I reckon. So tell me again, Platebearer Ash. How familiar did you say you were with the Plates of Arceus?"

    Next — Chapter 17 : Ancient Weapon

     
    Last edited:
  • View discussion
    • Remnants of the Great War [8]
  • View content
    • PARAGON

    Remnants of the Great War Arc [8]

    Chapter 17 : Ancient Weapon​


    Kanto Region - Saffron City

    Ash stood motionless, not even registering the few thin bolts of electricity zapping between different parts of his body. Pikachu was glaring at Corviknight and seemed to be using every ounce of willpower in his tiny body to keep himself from attacking. Only the sight of his trainer alive and well despite such a monstrous attack kept him at bay.

    Platebearer. The word whistled through Ash's mind like the wind. The Plate didn't disappear in the cave in… I have it…within me. He clutched at his shirt, but his body felt perfectly normal.

    "Based on your reaction, it seems clear you had no idea you were a Platebearer," Albrecht continued after giving Ash a minute to process what had happened. "I apologize for using such an uncouth method, but seeing is believing. But before we continue, if you would please call off your Pikachu, he looks like he wants to fry Corviknight."

    Ash glanced over at his partner, then at the Corviknight that'd done the damage. "Stand down, Pikachu," he muttered.

    Albrecht walked up to Ash until he was right in front of him. He was a little less than a head taller.

    "Come with me, Ash," he said, and Ash could hear the pleading in his voice. "I have extensive knowledge of the Plates and resources to help you learn about your power. There is still more I have to tell you, but I cannot do it here. Not unless you accept my offer." He held out his hand.

    Despite the whirlwind in his brain, Ash somehow put his thoughts to the side to focus on what Albrecht was saying. His breathing was slow and deliberate, and he barely noticed Pikachu climb back onto his head, putting himself between Ash and Albrecht in his own sort of way.

    "How did you know I was a Platebearer?" Ash asked in a low voice.

    Albrecht raised his hand slowly. The air beside Albrecht warbled, and a blue sheen flashed over a formerly concealed form. Lucario's eyes swiveled in their sockets before landing on Ash.

    "Lucario sensed your power the moment you landed in Saffron. I almost ended the party there and then, unsure of who had just descended upon the city, until I realized it was you."

    The jackal crossed its arms, and the appendages on its head wafted behind it. Power radiated off its skin like heat, and Ash sized it up as its oppressive warmth passed over his body.

    "He's been with us the whole time?" Ash asked.

    "I am the World Champion. I can't walk around defenselessly. Unlike you, I don't have any pokémon like Pikachu who are small enough to remain on my person at all times." He smiled, but that only seemed to make Pikachu even more wary of him.

    Ash remained deep in thought, glancing over at the others in the room, the decimation at his feet, and his own hands periodically.

    "My clothes…are fine?"

    "The Plate rests within you, and it protects all that you consider, well, you. I suppose Arceus' pride wouldn't allow the bearers of his soul to be stripped naked in the course of battle so easily." He smirked, his silver hair casting an amused shadow over his face.

    With the tension slightly eased, Ash gave his response.

    "Thank you for the offer, Albrecht, but I have somewhere else to be. Thank you for everything, truly. I'm not sure when I would have discovered this power within me if not for you, and I know you took a risk telling me all of this. I promise I'll keep this information to myself."

    Albrecht nodded slowly and crossed his arms behind his back. "Even from Cynthia?" he asked, glancing away.

    Ash grit his teeth and clenched his fist. It was as Albrecht said. Knowledge of the Plates' true power needed to be carefully protected. Though he didn't like keeping secrets, this one he would, for now. He decided he wouldn't tell anyone about this power until he learned to control it. "Even from Cynthia," he affirmed.

    If Albrecht didn't believe him, he didn't say. Instead, he simply smiled and shrugged, as Ash had become accustomed for him to do. "Ah, rejected again. Very well, I expected this outcome to begin with. I'm sure this is all very strange to you, so perhaps it was too much to ask for you to so easily abandon the life you've made for yourself after giving up your World Champion title. And I commend your caution. Like it or not, you're a part of this grand game now. Distrusting me is the wisest course of action." He held out his hand. "I do hope you won't be a stranger, though. You have an invitation to my next party, and any others. And my contact details are in the letter I gave you."

    Ash patted his pocket where the invitation rested, then took Albrecht's hand and shook it. "It was nice to catch up with you again, Albrecht. I'll consider your offer, I promise. I just need time to think things through."

    Albrecht nodded. "And I understand completely. Though one last thing before you go, if I may."

    He fixed Ash with an icy gaze, and Ash nearly shivered. The mirth seemed to have evaporated from his silver eyes.

    "Be wary of your friend Cynthia. She's a reticent woman, even as Champions go. If you feel like doing yourself a favor, get to know her a little better, like you did for me. Just some advice."

    If ever there was a time to maintain a poker face, it was now, and to his own credit, Ash thought he did a pretty good job. He simply nodded, determined to keep Cynthia's secret from him.

    Albrecht pulled out a pokéball and recalled Corviknight from across the grass. Lucario nodded and disappeared in a haze of Aura as well. Pikachu hissed, and Albrecht waved a cheeky goodbye at him.

    Ash left the building feeling like his brain had just been put through a car wash. He found Cynthia leaning on a pillar outside the lobby, carefully placed to avoid any potential attention from passersby.

    "So, mission success?" she asked after he walked up to her.

    "…Yeah, something like that."


    Kalos Region - Geosenge Town

    The cavern was dark and smelled of mildew and moss, and it reminded AZ of the time he spent in that forsaken dungeon. Luckily, his men soon found sconces on the wall still drenched in grease and got to work lighting them.

    The torchlight illuminated the chamber and their shadows danced over the walls as they scurried about the room.

    "I've left some of the men at the entrance, but it seems we've arrived undetected," Vandrick said as he walked up beside AZ. "I've been to Geosenge countless times but I never suspected something like this rested beneath it."

    AZ grunted as his eyes traveled up the structure at the center of the room. It was jagged and crystalline, and it towered over them, disappearing into the unlit gloom above. Like the petals of a flower, stalks of crystal stood folded against a central pillar

    "What is it, your Grace?" Vandrick asked, but AZ ignored him and slowly lumbered over to it.

    He placed his hand on its surface and closed his eyes. "There is a pokémon you may have heard of called Diancie. Its crystals contain a powerful energy which made the construction of this weapon possible."

    "Diancie…yes, I've heard of it. I believe it's a rare form of Carbink that can create pure diamonds from nothing but air. It's been sought after by many who hope to make an easy fortune."

    AZ was continually impressed at how far humanity had come with their knowledge of pokémon. In his age, he could've counted on one hand the number of people who knew about Diancie's existence in the entire world. Even the existence of Carbink, rare as it was, was known only to the most skilled of trainers in his royal army. "It was a Diancie that created the sundial in the place called Anistar City. It was from that arcane structure that we learned of the crystal's true power."

    "Forgive any impudence, your Grace, but if you possessed a weapon such as this, how in the world were you ever imprisoned?"

    AZ's hand fell off the crystal. "I was betrayed. By a man I thought was my closest friend." He turned back towards Vandrick, and a haunted visage of rage and grief shadowed his face. "He spat upon my sacrifices, slaughtered my men, and when that wasn't enough, he stabbed me in the back and handed what was left to my enemies." His fist closed around a stalagmite and he tore it from the ground. "And if all those transgressions weren't enough, he has the gall to shamelessly continue on the same path to this day!" He roared and slammed the rock into the ground. "His death will sate only the shallowest depths of my rage! I will have everything that was stolen from me and more! My retribution has been paid! It's his turn, now!"

    Every deep breath and exhale caused a stream of mist to waft from his mouth. In his outburst, he hadn't even realized that every single person in the room had knelt.

    "We shall serve you until your revenge is complete," Vandrick said solemnly. "And then, we will rebuild your empire and usher in an age even greater than before." He looked up. "And of course, your Grace shall be king of it all."

    AZ nodded. Yes. The Great War was just the beginning. It was naught more than a setback on my path. This era still belongs to me!

    Vandrick stood and joined AZ once again. "The engineers will begin work on the weapon immediately, at your instruction."

    AZ raised his hand, and trails of pink mist began to snake through the air. They cast an unseen light throughout the cavern, illuminating it even more, and Vandrick's eyes widened at the sight of them.

    "Your Grace…? What is…?"

    "A great power was bestowed on me long ago, and it was through its magic that I was able to design this weapon. My power will guide you, and grant you the knowledge to complete the weapon."

    He lowered his arm, but the mist remained, and began solidifying, tracing through the air and flickering across the surface of the weapon. They illuminated certain components and carved their mystical instructions onto the floor and wall. The technically minded thralls seemed confused at first, but the ancient wisdom was soon communicated to them through the runes in a syntax they could understand, and their mouths dropped open in sheer awe.

    "Even once completed, the weapon will not be ready to use. There is a reason it has not been used in all this time. It requires a key that was confiscated from my person long ago. Even a child would know that the wisest course of action would be to destroy the key to a weapon like this. But I'm certain it's been protected instead. They would rather see the world burned by the weapon just for the smallest hint at where it was hiding all this time," he sneered. "Their hubris will be their undoing."

    Vandrick bowed. "I will scramble a strike force immediately."

    "Do as you will. But I will be the one to claim what is rightfully mine. I will lead the host personally." He closed his eyes, and the location of the key became known to him instantly. "Our next target is…"


    Sinnoh Region - Paragon Island

    "So do you recognize it?" Sylvester asked.

    "I feel like I've seen it before…but no," Anabel murmured.

    They were both crouched down within Sylvester's daycare, hunched over a small black creature hanging from a thin branch. Its skin was wrinkled and nearly translucent, almost like some sort of frostbitten fetus. It could've easily fit in Anabel's palm, and it swayed gently from the branch, staring at them with glassy yellow eyes.

    Sylvester smiled. "This is a cloakless Burmy."

    Anabel's lips puckered. "I knew it looked familiar." She moved her finger to poke at it, but Sylvester gently stopped her with his palm.

    "Burmy create their cloaks shortly after they're born, and little can stop them from doing so. Were you to hatch a Burmy in an empty room, Burmy would tear up the floorboards to cloak itself. Burmy are one of the weakest species around without a cloak, but ironically, they're at their most powerful for the few minutes it takes to create their cloak."

    Anabel withdrew her hand. "But this one…?"

    "An experiment of mine," Sylvester said, a hint of pride leaking into his voice. "Some may say it was cruel, but luckily for me, Burmy seems to enjoy her nudist life quite a bit. I had Togekiss suspend her egg in midair while she hatched, and kept her there until the standard cloaking period passed. Normally, a cloakless Burmy would shrivel up and die very quickly, but I've gone to great lengths to keep her alive."

    "So that's why she's in this special room?"

    "Yes, but I let the others in quite often. She's quite social," he smiled. "Charmeleon especially, surprisingly. He's extremely careful around her. He spends quite a bit of time lowering his body temperature and diminishing his tail flame before even entering. Anomalous behavior for such a proud species, to say the least."

    I want her, Anabel thought, but instinctively dashed the thought from her mind. One of the bad habits she'd picked up after spending so long at the Battle Frontier was coveting the rarest and most unique-looking pokémon. Those were what sold at the Frontier, after all, and despite the fact that she'd left the Frontier years ago, she still had a bit of a Brain's brain.

    "So what's the plan for her?" Anabel asked.

    "Up to her," Sylvester said, lifting a handful of ground-up pokémon kibble up to her to allow her to feed. "Though having my other pokémon interact with her isn't just an exercise of socialization. I'm curious about other cloaks besides the usual plant, sand, and steel ones. "

    "Didn't you say the cloaking period already passed?"

    "Yes, but who knows? Perhaps she'll take a liking to something she sees." He stood up and stretched his legs. "Thanks for coming by, as always."

    "Of course! I always learn something new here," Anabel grinned.

    "So, any progress on your assignment?" Sylvester asked, picking up his bucket and heading out of the small forest-themed room they were in.

    Anabel followed, and as they passed back into the main room, the temperature dropped slightly, and the wind from the exposed outside caressed her face. She hadn't realized it before, but now it was clear by comparison just how regulated the climate of Burmy's little room was. A glass door hissed shut behind them.

    "Unfortunately, nothing concrete yet," Anabel sighed. "A lot of the newspaper was burned in the escape, so there's soot all over the remnants we were able to recover. It's been slow work removing it all without taking off the ink that's left with it."

    "It doesn't sound like an enviable task. Do let me know if there's anything I can help with."

    "Thanks for the offer. But for now it's just a matter of patience."

    They headed to the front of the daycare, and Sylvester unlaced his apron and tossed it on a shelf beside the door before walking outside.

    "Well, I think I'm going to get started on lunch now."

    "Sandwiches with that aioli again?" Anabel asked, clapping her hands together.

    Sylvester smiled. "If that's what you want. I suppose there's nothing wrong with eating the same thing three times a day, for a whole week."

    "Thanks, Syllvy!"

    "Please don't call me that."

    "It's either that or Sylly!"

    He sighed. "Whatever you say, madam."

    After they got back to base, Anabel split off to one of the padded holding cells that had yet to ever be used to hold a prisoner, where her pokémon were hard at work on the mission assigned to them. It was the most sterile environment on the island and made a excellent workspace for the task at hand.

    She walked downstairs to the basement floor and passed several training rooms and battle arenas before arriving at the row of cells. Her pokémon perked up at her arrival, but did not let her appearance disrupt their work.

    In the corner of the room stood Sophia the Decidueye, keeping a watchful eye on the other two. Sophia was Anabel's newest partner, captured a few years ago in Alola. As her only pokémon who had never known the Battle Frontier life, Sophia was calm and reserved, as she'd never needed to develop a taste for the theatrics. But she did get fidgety when she wanted attention.

    At Anabel's feet sat Magic, the red gem on her forehead shining with a light that bathed the whole room in scarlet. At her trainer's arrival, Espeon's power died down, and she turned and purred happily, nuzzling against Anabel's leg. Anabel leaned down and scratched behind her ears, and Magic purred in bliss.

    In the center of the cell, barely able to fit, hovered the hard worker of the group, which wasn't saying much considering how little the other two were doing. Sakura's eyes glowed, and she didn't look up at all even as Anabel stepped carefully around the newspaper fragments to stroke her wing. Psychic power poured from her eyes, painstakingly pulling individual atoms of ash from between the fragile fibers of the newspaper and placing them in a small pile beside it. Once Sakura the Latias had a goal within her sights, there was little that could stop her from achieving it, besides her own sloth.

    Anabel watched her work silently for several minutes. She couldn't even see the soot coming off the fragments, but it certainly looked a bit cleaner than it had before they started. All of a sudden, Espeon yipped, and Latias' eyes flickered to correct the mistake.

    Anabel smiled. They made a great team. Sakura had the power to perform such meticulous work, but Magic's perception was unparalleled. As a master of the elements, she could tell what was soot and what was paper, and was preventing them from accidentally destroying what little evidence they had by verifying every single atom Latias touched before she moved it.

    "Lunch time, Sakura," Anabel said softly. "C'mon, you deserve a break, babe."

    Another minute passed before the glow in her eyes faded and she turned to face her trainer. She beamed and flew closer, and Anabel brushed her nose against Sakura's.

    Anabel had had apprehensions about nicknaming a legendary pokémon, but in the end, it didn't feel right to treat her differently just because she was considered "legendary" by human standards. Plus, she didn't want to create any sort of artificial isolation from the rest of her team. And, at the end of the day, she loved her nicknames. She was the only one in Paragon, somehow, who named her pokémon, but she wore her affection for them on her sleeve.

    Sophia gurgled as she stalked out of the cell behind them. She had a habit of making sounds like that, lest anyone forget she was a scary ghost-type. Anabel turned around and smiled, ruffling the feathers on her head, and Decidueye fixed her with a satisfied glare.

    Latias ambled through the halls excitedly, while Espeon and Decidueye followed at a slower pace. When they arrived back at the dining hall, Sylvester was just finishing putting the finishing touches on their sandwiches, and before long, he brought them over, along with a couple bowls of pokémon kibble.

    Anabel may not have made a distinction between legendary and not, but Sakura's appetite certainly did. She refused to eat pokémon kibble, and instead, placed herself at the head of the table where Sylvester had prepared a third sandwich for her. She picked it up gently and bit into it.

    Surprisingly, Sylvester wasn't all that impressed with Latias when he'd first met her. Anabel's reputation as Hoenn's Salon Maiden had preceded her, even to a man like Sylvester who lived in Sinnoh and wasn't interested in competitive battling, and he'd already seen her in numerous battle clips posted online. Though he did marvel at her initially, he seemed to decide that he wasn't missing much beyond what he'd already seen of her in her many recorded matches at the Frontier.

    He seemed to only be interested in pokémon that could breed.

    Although Anabel was never the glamorous type, the fervor of the Frontier was a difficult feeling to forget so soon, and she'd grown accustomed to being showered with praise because of her teammates. It'd taken a few long years for her to deflate her ego and adjust back to a normal life. Or whatever this was, at least.

    When they finished lunch, Anabel sent her pokémon back to their work, but as they were heading back, Latias caught sight of Cresselia and flew off to her. Best friends, they'd become, after meeting, and no less than an hour had passed before Sakura left the moon pokémon and finally got back to work.

    Meanwhile, Anabel headed to her room to update the others on her progress, but after arriving there, she found updates from the others instead. Sabrina had learned some more about Zagreus, and N and Zinnia were still sweeping through rural Kalos. But it was Cynthia's message that caught Anabel's eye.

    "The World Champion met with Ash alone? Why?" Anabel murmured as she read the message. She frowned, and as her mind started working, she left her room to inform her companions of the new developments. It wouldn't be long until all of AZ's secrets were in the light.

    Anabel smiled. Things were going well.

    Next — Chapter 18 : Warpath


    Anabel's Nicknames

    Sophia - Decidueye

    Magic - Espeon

    Sakura - Latias

    I hope you don't mind a few nicknames. It'll be an interesting challenge for me as well, but I'll be sure to repeat the names alongside the species often so we don't forget. And as stated in the chapter, Anabel will be the only character nicknaming her pokémon.

     
    Last edited:
  • View discussion
    • Remnants of the Great War [9]
  • View content
    • PARAGON

    Remnants of the Great War Arc [9]

    Chapter 18 : Warpath​


    Northeast Sinnoh - International Police Black Site

    Steven Stone exhaled into his palms and shivered. Despite being so close to an active volcano, the nights outside Stark Mountain were freezing. The black basalt that made up the mountain's exterior was thick, and insulated the volcano's heat within itself. However, that didn't stop the unceasing drizzle of ash that blanketed the entire area in a dull gray mist.

    Away from the light pollution of the cities and towns on mainland Sinnoh, a mirage of stars glistened in the heavens above, and Steven took a moment to appreciate the sight. Of course, he was here on business, but that didn't mean he couldn't enjoy this assignment for what it was.

    Unlike most of the others here, he knew about AZ's breakout from the World Prison. He'd gotten briefed along with all the other Champions, and they'd since been dispersed across the world to oversee the protection of various places of interest, until the monster could be contained.

    Of course, first, he'd have to be located. Something Cynthia was apparently working on.

    He shook his head and breathed into his hands again. Really, this should've been her out here in the cold, this was her region after all. The new World Champion had just held a celebration for himself, and to Steven's chagrin, he had to decline the invitation in order to be here. Yet somehow Cynthia had found the time to have a drink in Saffron.

    AZ is supposed to be in Kalos somewhere, did you forget?

    Unfortunately, Cynthia seemed to be like all the rest. She used her Championship title to pursue her own lavish lifestyle. Steven was no different, but at least he had the courtesy to make appearances where he was expected to.

    More the fool he was, perhaps, for stubbornly sticking to his inflated sense of responsibility. He knew for a fact Lance probably just sent a few of his elite trainers to deal with his assignment. Same for Diantha. Unova and Galar's Champions were so young he wasn't even sure they'd been given assignments.

    Steven turned away from his cliff of observation and buried his hands in his coat's pockets. Ah, well. Complaining never does anyone any good. This world has never been fair.

    Steven knew that more than anyone. He'd been born with a silver spoon in his mouth, as the heir to the Devon Corporation. For years, he'd been groomed for his pokémon journey, and when he finally set out, the media watched his every move as if they were making a reality show. Later, he found out that's exactly what his family had paid them to do. By the time he earned his eighth badge, his Championship was practically a given. It was only thanks to his depthless charisma and handsome visage that every trainer in Hoenn didn't take up arms against what was, in essence, a completely rigged conference season for the year.

    As he paced along the cold grass back toward the mountainside facility, his mind emptied of all his many worries. He'd been patrolling this base for nearly a month, and the monster had never once shown himself. Once this week was over, he'd be free of this wretched duty to return to Hoenn and continue his equally mundane duties over there.

    Champion life wasn't all it was cracked up to be, but Steven was an adult. Life wasn't all it was cracked up to be, but he enjoyed it for what it was, mundane or otherwise. Perhaps that was the Stone in him. A boring world meant a peaceful world, and that was what the Devon Corporation strived for every day.

    As he approached the facility, a pair of International agents nodded at them, and quietly radioed their fellows to let him back in.

    The structure was built into the side of the mountain, and smooth walls of nondescript concrete were the only evidence it was there. It was just one of many secret facilities, built by Interpol to hold dangerous artifacts and pokémon. Apparently, the Heatran in the nearby Stark Mountain acted as a warden against any trainers who got a little too curious about what may be over here.

    Steven entered the facility and finally removed his hands from his pockets. Luckily, the interior was temperature controlled, and come morning, the air conditioning would be on to counteract Heatran's awakening. As he walked, he passed numerous heavy vault doors, all containing things even he knew nothing about.

    There weren't many people here, and at this hour, Steven ran into no one. The halls were dark, illuminated only by a band of dim orange lights that ran across the ceiling. Though Steven knew not to mistake the silence for weakness. Beneath the facility rested a battalion of Solrock and Lunatone, who powered a constant shield over the structure and tracked the movements of everyone in or near it. And they never slept.

    "Quiet again, Mr. Champion?" came a gruff voice from the lounge. A portly man dressed in Interpol's standard uniform sat in the shadows sipping on a glass of cheap whiskey.

    "Captain. Yes, nothing to report."

    "Heh heh. I told you. Nothing happens out here."

    "Tell the Board," he sighed. "Drinking alone this late? Shall I pour myself a glass and keep you company?"

    The captain snorted. "Just finishing what I have left. You can take your pretty arse to bed. I can hold down the fort for the rest of the hour."

    "Suit yourself. I'll leave it to you, Captain."

    The captain raised his glass and Steven walked away to the quarters he'd been provided.

    Just a few more days, he thought as he climbed into bed and flipped off the lights.

    He awoke just two hours later to a piercing alarm blaring throughout the entire facility. The sound of heavy footsteps running through the hallway outside told him this was no false alarm.

    After dressing himself quickly, he grabbed his belt of pokémon and threw open his door. Steven seized an agent running past by the collar and slammed him against the wall. "What's going on?" he growled.

    "P-Perimeter breach, sir. The southern entrance is under attack."

    "By who?!"

    "I-I don't know," the man stammered. "The only orders we've been given is to reinforce the entrance."

    Steven let the man go, and he raced away with a fearful look in his eyes. Steven would never say it aloud, but most of Interpol's agents were complete imbeciles, good for little more than pencil-pushing. The League cultivated far better trainers.

    Steven pushed through the current of bodies racing down the hall, opting instead to head toward the main control center. Hopefully he'd find more answers there.

    When he arrived, surprisingly, he found the captain leaning on a pair of seats in front of surveillance terminals. An array of monitors and screen flashed in front of them, and he seemed to be studying them all at once. Other agents tapped away at other terminals, speaking in hushed but frenetic voices.

    "Captain," Steven said, walking up beside him."

    The captain turned, and Steven noticed black bags under his eyes. The man looked exhausted. "Ah, Mr. Champion. Thank you for gracing us with your presence."

    "Perhaps I should've joined you for a drink after all."

    "Not unless you wanted to look as shit as me," he drawled. "They've been hammering against the shield for several minutes now. It's holding, for now. Not sure for how much longer."

    "And you've contacted World Command already, I assume?"

    "I may be shit-faced but even I can manage that much. They're talking to the League, trying to scramble a team to get over here. Elite Four Lucian is briefing the eastern gym leaders, but they won't arrive until morning. They already tried teleportation, but the enemy covered their bases and has some sort of ward against it." He shook his head. "Something that sophisticated already goes beyond any defense we can muster here."

    Steven scowled. "So we're on our own then."

    "Heatran's on its way," the captain shrugged. "We should be able to hold the place once it arrives."

    I wish I was that optimistic. "Is it him?"

    "No visual on the prisoner yet, but it's a likely bet. The attackers are all masked, so not sure on their identities."

    Steven pursed his lips. So we're the lucky ones, then. What did we do to deserve the honor? And more importantly, what exactly is he here for? "I'll head out to the southern entrance. No telling when the shield will come down."

    "Wait, I'll come with you. Keep an eye on those cameras! Watch the other entrances! Any word from the League or Interpol, I wanna know about it!" he barked at his subordinates. Then, turning back to Steven, he said, "alright, let's go."

    The halls were empty now, and the two men made for the entrance hall quickly. When they got there, a horde of other agents were already stationed at their side, their pokémon deployed and ready for battle. A screen on the wall showed the onslaught from outside; a battalion of pokémon and masked trainers stood in a semicircle around the entrance, firing attacks at it with abandon. Each one that landed shook the facility and sent gravel falling from the ceiling.

    Ten minutes later, a seismic shattering blasted through the entrance hall, and the assembled agents cried out as a flood of smoke suddenly poured into the hall.

    "That's the shield!" the captain growled. He pulled out a pokéball and released a Houndoom.

    Steven released his Claydol, whose otherworldly eyes pulsed as it absorbed the situation around it with mechanical accuracy. "Clear this smoke."

    As if grabbed by some invisible hand, the smoke in the hallway parted around them, and slowly disappeared, filtering away into thin air.

    "Captain, pay no heed to this Champion's words if you wish, but in all my years of battle, I've learned that one of the greatest defenses is a strong offense."

    The captain grinned. "Heh. Aye, we'll follow your lead. Men! Prepare to attack!"

    His Houndoom's tongue rolled over its hellish lips as steaming saliva dripped to the floor.

    Steven glanced at the monitor and saw the attackers slowly advancing toward the now unprotected entrance. He clenched his fist. "Claydol, Psyshock now!"

    Claydol shuddered as it charged its power, then a constellation of glowing orbs appeared around it, before shooting forward into the door. It blasted through, and on the screen, Steven could see them hit several of the pokémon and their trainers. But the surprise wouldn't keep them down for long.

    "Charge, men!" the captain roared, and he and his agents tore through the now open entrance.

    The black night came alive with the flash of elemental attacks and the din of furious commands. Steven strode through the wreckage slowly, his gaze sweeping over the scene of battle. Where are you, AZ?

    Claydol floated ahead and began fighting on its own. A trio of sharpened Stone Edges shot from the ground and tossed a Pyroar into the sky, and a stray Shadow Ball sent a Meowstic barreling over the edge of the cliff, leaving its trainer in a daze of rage and confusion.

    As it worked, Steven's eyes fell upon one of the attackers who, like him, did not partake in the melee. Instantly clocking them as the leader, Steven moved forward to engage, and the figure seemed to do the same, pulling a pokéball from their cloak.

    The figure released an imposing Golurk, who towered above the others, and Steven quickly ordered Claydol back to his side.

    "Who are you?" Steven demanded. "Where is your leader?"

    "Champion Steven," a man's voice said. "Don't make the mistake of thinking you're the only one who was raised from birth for battle. Golurk, Shadow Ball!"

    Fine, don't answer my question! "Psybeam! Aim for its center seal!"

    Four rippling orbs of darkness hovered into existence around Golurk and shot toward Claydol, but it swiveled out of the way like a mad marionette, and fired off a crackling ray of energy. Golurk crossed its arms in front of it, but the beam tore through his arms and hit its chest. Golurk groaned and pitched backward.

    Don't think I'll let up! "Psychic, Claydol! Toss it over the edge!"

    As it fell, an indigo sheen engulfed Golurk, and despite its massive frame, its heels began dragging against the grass as it skidded backward towards the cliff's edge.

    "Into the air, Golurk, then Shadow Punch!"

    Golurk's feet ignited, and it shot into the sky on two blazing rockets. Claydol's control shattered around it, and the ghostly automaton turned in the air, then plunged down toward Claydol.

    Steven's eyes widened. It's fast! "Iron Def—!"

    Before Steven could finish his order, Golurk's fist, wreathed in darkness, smashed into Claydol, sending up a spray of grass and soil. The hole in its wrist did nothing to mitigate the damage, and Steven scowled. Claydol picked itself up from the crater, but its eyes flickered weakly.

    Damn it! I need to take it down before it starts getting in everyone else's way. All around him, the attackers were beginning to press forward towards the entrance. Their pokémon were on another level compared to Interpol's agents. "Grass Knot! Destroy it from the inside!"

    Thick vines burst from the ground and wrapped around Golurk's legs and arms, and it groaned. More stalks grew from the earth and snaked their way up into its torso and inside its feet. Several vines lashed across its shoulders and reburied themselves in the ground, and Golurk's legs trembled as it tried to keep itself on its feet.

    "Hyper Beam!"

    Steven's eyes widened, and even Claydol turned back, fearing for its trainer's safety. Golurk struggled to raise its arms, as more vines pulled them to the ground, but it ripped them free, and a searing power began burning in its palms. Faced with no other option, Claydol diverted its attention from the attack and weaved a barrier of energy between Golurk and Steven. Without missing a step, another vine, thicker than all the rest, skewered Golurk through its midsection, and it let loose an ethereal roar. The basins of energy in its palms wheezed, and Golurk launched them forward. A black shaft of blinding darkness screamed through the air and engulfed Claydol, and Steven ducked behind the Protect just in time. Steven could feel the heat from the attack, just inches away from him, but the shield held.

    When the smoke cleared, Claydol lay in a blackened heap on the ground, and Golurk stood on its knees unmoving, its lights now darkened.

    "Hmph," was all the man said as he recalled his pokémon. Without hesitation, he threw out another one, and a brilliant Talonflame appeared in a flash.

    Steven recalled Claydol as well and whispered words of thanks before replacing its ball on his belt. To his left, the captain's Houndoom was battling two attackers at once, but he didn't look like he'd last much longer. On his right, their perimeter had nearly been pushed back to the entrance, and it was only a matter of minutes before they broke through.

    I can't let him keep me stalled here. We still don't know where AZ is. Steven reached around and pulled a chrome red pokéball from his belt and tossed it forward.

    Jirachi materialized into the air, flitting around without a care.

    "A mythical pokémon," the leader said. "How typical. But steel is weak to fire. Even children know that."

    The flames of battle cast a shadow over Steven's face. "I don't have time for this," he said in a low voice. "Prayer of Armageddon."

    Jirachi froze, and its glassy eyes slid over to Talonflame, its entire attention suddenly focused on it. The grand bird shivered in fear, and took an involuntary step back.

    A wish, written on one of Jirachi's tags long ago, suddenly glowed a fierce orange, and the tag burned away. Jirachi's eyes turned into pits of darkness so black it hurt to look at them. Without a word, it raised its arms.

    The night sky, dark and silent, began to stir, like the ocean before a great tsunami. Lightning lanced across its roiling surface, and a dull glow slowly started to spread beyond the gray clouds. As the seconds passed, it became brighter and brighter, and several of the attackers and Interpol agents paused their fighting to witness the anomaly.

    Then, something breached the clouds. A meteor streaming white fire tore across the sky with a keening song, and the song soon became a duo, then a trio, then a quartet. The entire mountain seemed to shake as it traveled, falling ever closer to earth with each passing second.

    "Take your men back inside, Captain," Steven said.

    The captain stared at the sky in awe, before nodding. "Aye. Fall back, men!" he roared, casting one last glance at Steven before disappearing inside.

    The attackers cried out in a maddened frenzy and mounted their pokémon, bolting off the cliff as fast as they could. To his credit, the leader stood firm, as did his Talonflame. Steven's eyes seared from the barrage of hellfire, but he did not avert his gaze.

    When the meteorites impacted, the sky turned white, and Steven's clothes billowed outward. Now, he shielded his eyes. Wind gusted around him, and the meteors seemed to melt through reality, releasing a hissing suction as they pumped their endless power into their one singular target.

    But when the light finally faded and Steven's eyes adjusted back to the darkness, Talonflame's master still stood, as did it.

    "What?!" Steven stammered. "How—!"

    Standing before him was the tallest man Steven had ever seen. His long white hair blew in royal braids around him, but his attire was simple and beaten. His arm was stretched above his head, and a moment later, the shield he'd conjured over his subordinate faded into the darkness.

    He was able to stop Jirachi's strongest attack?! And so easily?!

    "Flare Blitz."

    Before Steven was finished processing what had happened, Talonflame streaked through the air and slammed into Jirachi, fire licking across its body.

    "No!"

    Jirachi cried out as it was suddenly catapulted backward into the mountainside, cratering it where it landed. Shockingly, it didn't move. Talonflame landed back beside its trainer, and seemed to smirk

    So powerful! But he's still just a follower! The real threat is…

    After confirming Jirachi's instantaneous defeat, Steven recalled it and slowly turned back to AZ. "The reports don't do you justice, sir," he breathed, and a nervous smile cracked across his face. "You are enormous."

    "You're Steven Stone, the Champion of Hoenn," AZ intoned. "What master do you serve?"

    Damn you. "I serve no master."

    "Playing guarddog of your own volition, then? Very well. Come and fall, Champion."

    Steven sneered, and his fingers closed around the pokéball containing his strongest partner. This was the time. He disabled its limiter and brushed his finger against a mega ring on his finger, then hurled his pokémon forward.

    A silver Mega Metagross whirled into being, as tall as AZ. Despite weighing over a ton, it floated above the ground with ease, but its mere presence crushed the blades of grass beneath it against the dirt.

    "You're a monster," Steven whispered. "I won't let you butcher anyone else! Meteor Mash on the giant, Metagross!"

    Metagross hummed, and golden light churned across its four hooves. Slamming them together, Metagross shot forward faster than the eye could follow, spinning as it did.

    You can't protect yourself from this! Not even the legendary Rayquaza could stand up to Metagross' full power Meteor Mash!

    Purple light bled out from Metagross' core, and the living comet smashed into AZ. Blinding light erupted from the impact, and Steven shielded his eyes from the fallout. It took several seconds for the light to fade, and when it did, Steven squinted at the results.

    The man hadn't budged an inch. With a single outstretched hand, he'd stopped Metagross in its path. Metagross continued to exert itself against the man, and his arms trembled, but to no avail.

    "Im… possible," Steven muttered. "Just what the hell…?" He shook his head and his face contorted into a glare. "Get out of there, Metagross!"

    Metagross screeched, but it didn't dislodge itself from its position either. Steven almost yelled again, but then he realized.

    The man hadn't just stopped his pokémon, he'd caught it; his hand gripped the steel plates on Metagross' head. AZ's eyes blazed with fury, and he tightened his grip. Metagross screamed in agony, but he wasn't finished. Twisting his humongous frame, he swung Metagross around his body, and, with a colossal roar, slammed it into the ground.

    Dirt and rock alike plumed up from the impact, and Steven clenched his fists, sweat dripping down his face. Something like a cough escaped Metagross' form, but after a few seconds, it made no further movements. What just happened…? My strongest pokémon…

    Seemingly satisfied with his handiwork, AZ trudged around Metagross' prone form and toward the Hoenn Champion. Steven could do nothing but stare up at him wordlessly, terror pouring from his eyes. The giant stopped in front of him. Not a single hint of emotion colored his grizzled face.

    Steven looked down, still in disbelief at what had happened. His hands shook and his mouth opened. A single sound, a laugh if it had to be named, emptied out.


    "Good work, Lord Vandrick," AZ said, stepping over the Champion's unconscious body. "I trust you can deal with the rest of the rats inside?"

    "Take as much time as you need, your Grace."

    At an unspoken cue, the strike team returned from their flight and surged forward through the cragged metal of the broken door into the base.

    AZ lumbered forward after them. Bangs and yells echoed through the halls as his men continued to fight off its protectors. He'd already seen how they performed outside, and it was clear his men were superior. Only that 'Champion' had posed a noteworthy challenge, but even he was an insignificant obstacle.

    And he didn't even know who he served or why he was here. Trash.

    The lamps on the ceiling flickered at the base strained against the carnage playing out within it, and, guided by his inner power, AZ made his way through the halls until he came upon one of many heavy vault doors lining a certain hallway. He placed his hand on the iron handle and tore it from its hinges, tossing it behind him with a deafening crash. The room beyond was dark and metal shelves containing a myriad of synthetic crates sat in rows, no doubt holding artifacts of untold power or rarity, but AZ passed them all without a care.

    Beyond a laser-protected pane of glass lay a black container, and AZ did not hesitate to smash through it. The lasers smoked harmlessly against his skin, but he destroyed them with a couple more punches nonetheless. Now, he could withdraw the container safely.

    Snapping off the locks, he lifted the lid. On a bed of some soft material lay the key, just as polished and pristine as he'd left it. AZ couldn't help but smile as he lifted it from its nest, before discarding the container unceremoniously. It was a large key, bronze with a dark ruby embedded in it, and a heavy chain attached to its head. It was the literal key to his three thousand year old vengeance.

    AZ heard footsteps behind him.

    "Your Grace. The facility has been cleared."

    He ignored Vandrick and lifted the key, and the chain it was attached to over his head and gently placed it around his neck. Its weight was a welcome comfort. It was proof of his victory here, however meager. But more would come. Many more.

    "Yes," AZ said, turning. "Let us go. There is still much work to be done."

    Next — Chapter 19 : Closing In

     
  • View discussion
    • Remnants of the Great War [10]
  • View content

    • PARAGON

    Remnants of the Great War Arc [10]

    Chapter 19 : Closing In​


    12 hours before AZ's raid

    "Here you go," Cynthia said, placing a cup of coffee down in front of Ash and sliding into the seat across from him.

    They were in a cafe in some hotel in Saffron's downtown, and had a private room all to themselves, away from prying eyes. Cynthia kept track of all such places in every major city, in case she ever needed a quick pick-me-up and a quiet place to think. Ash hadn't asked for a coffee, yet she'd brought him one out of courtesy anyway. He was a lot more interested in the danishes on a plate between them.

    "Thanks," Ash said, pulling one onto his plate. He broke off a piece for Pikachu with his fingers and fed it to him, then helped himself to a bite.

    Cynthia took a sip of coffee and pulled out her laptop, already typing and clicking away. After finishing whatever she was doing, she pushed it aside and pulled off a piece of her own danish.

    Ash eyed her as he chewed on his pastry. Be wary of your friend Cynthia, Albrecht had said. In the moment, Ash had thought he was alluding to the Paragon Organization, but on the way here, his mind had wandered through a more suspect forest of thinking.

    Albrecht's tone betrayed concern. He'd mentioned the other Champions and the sorts of ventures they pursued on the side, yet he'd singled out Cynthia as unique. If nothing else, he clearly knew that her 'venture' was a slightly bigger deal than the others'. And he'd told Ash to be careful of her because of that fact.

    To be fair, Cynthia herself had said the same thing to him when she'd invited him to join Paragon. She'd told him his life would be in danger, and it only took his first mission for that promise to pan out. But was Albrecht's warning as simple as that?

    Ash's instincts told him no. Albrecht distrusted Cynthia herself. But as for whether or not that meant he thought she was wholly dishonest, or simply engaged in secretive work, Ash couldn't say.

    For now, he'd table his suspicions. One conversation, even with a man like Albrecht, wasn't nearly enough to get him to turn on Cynthia. Albrecht was far more suspicious, all things considered, and Ash had a feeling it wouldn't be long until he found himself in the World Champion's presence again, whether he wanted to be or not.

    "So, what do you think of him?" Cynthia asked, covering her mouth as she chewed.

    How to answer that? Ash thought. Of course he'd been thinking about that too ever since he'd parted ways with the World Champion, but keeping secrets wasn't his forte, especially from his friends.

    "He seems alright," Ash eventually said, trying to keep his tone and mannerisms as tame as possible. The fact that he had food and drink at his disposal to keep himself active, and Cynthia distracted, made the job less nerve-wracking. Ash glanced back up at Cynthia and breathed a small sigh of relief when he saw she wasn't even looking at him, instead checking her laptop screen while she enjoyed on her pastry.

    "'Alright?' What's that mean?"

    "I don't know," Ash said, with a mouthful of danish. "He seems like a good man."

    Cynthia's eyes flicked over at him. "Did you figure out what he wants? Why he became World Champion?"

    "Er, well, he said it's been a dream of his. Actually, he said he was a pretty big fan of mine. Maybe he decided to take the plunge after I left?" he offered.

    "You don't sound very convinced," Cynthia said, looking at her laptop again.

    Ash quickly swiped his cup and took a long swig of coffee, using the cup to hide his face. He hated the taste, but loved the protection it gave him. "I mean, he's still super mysterious to me. If anything, I feel like I know even less about him than before."

    From behind his cup, he saw Cynthia sneak another glance at him.

    "I got a similar feeling. Though for me, it's more like I didn't learn anything about him, even after talking to him. Almost like he was making an active effort to keep his true self hidden." She took another sip of coffee. "What'd you guys talk about?"

    "Nothing much. We talked a bit about AZ."

    "And?"

    Albrecht had said AZ was a Platebearer, which meant he held enough power to destroy the entire world. Under any other circumstances, Ash would've been spilling that info to anyone and everyone who'd listen to make absolutely sure he'd be stopped. Except that he was also a Platebearer, and according to Albrecht, one of the few who could actually do something against him. That had cultivated a burning sense of responsibility in Ash's gut, but he didn't even know how to call upon his power yet.

    That was what stopped him from telling Cynthia the truth about the true danger of AZ, despite the steel fingers of guilt digging into his stomach.

    "He called him a monster," Ash finally said. "And he thinks the League and Interpol are getting ahead of themselves trying to kill him before they even understand where his inhuman powers come from."

    "Did he offer any solutions?"

    "Er…no."

    "Hm." Cynthia let a silence fall between them as she continued munching through her danish. When she was almost finished, she turned back to Ash. "So after everything, you think he'll be cooperative for whatever we need him to do once this AZ thing kicks off?"

    Maybe, if I agree to go with him. "Yes."

    Cynthia frowned and leaned back in her seat, crossing her legs. Then she nodded slowly. "Okay. I'll trust your judgment." Then she quickly leaned forward again to type something out with her clean hand.

    "What've you been working on, by the way?"

    "Sorry, I know it's rude. Interpol's filling me in on what the other Champions are up to. And Sabrina's been messaging me about Zagreus. She doesn't like to talk on the phone," Cynthia smiled. "Seems like the Guardians are being a little stubborn with the details, but this Zagreus you encountered may be like AZ. Another remnant of the Great War."

    "He's thousands of years old too?!" Ash grit his teeth. Is he a Platebearer too? That would explain why he was going after the one in Mount Coronet. No, wait. He was injured when we first saw him. Albrecht said Platebearers could injure each other, but I doubt he would've taken that much damage from merely touching it if he really was a Platebearer. But then, what does he want?

    "I just said it's a possibility. Most likely it's someone else adopting the name. It is slightly concerning, but his crimes are nothing next to AZ's. No offense, since he attacked you, but attempted murder and excessive destruction of the natural world are kind of below Paragon's scope. For now, I think I'll have Sabrina finish up with them, then hand the Zagreus situation over to Interpol. Seems like the Guardians will be launching their own investigation too."

    Ash frowned and took a slow bite of his danish. He would've liked to learn more about Zagreus, but AZ certainly did take precedence. Still, the fact that Zagreus was a name from the Great War…after learning about the Plates, it was impossible to write off the possibility that he wasn't an imposter at all, but the real deal. Why would the Guardians not want to talk about him? Maybe he'd give Riley a call… No. It wasn't like Riley to hide something like that. Which meant he probably didn't know.

    He breathed an exasperated sigh. Oh well. He'd hear about it all when Sabrina returned anyway. "Anything from the others?"

    "Nothing from Anabel. N and Zinnia started in southern Kalos and are sweeping their way up the region. But nothing from them yet either."

    "So what's our next move then?"

    Cynthia sighed and closed her laptop. "Nothing much we can do for now until AZ makes a move. I have a few assignments on the back burner, but I'd rather keep you free for whenever AZ shows up."

    Ash smiled and nodded. "Got it."

    Cynthia seemed to catch his drift and she smiled back. "I already told you, I have full faith in your abilities. Don't think you'll be benched when the monster finally does rear his head. We'll need all hands on deck if we want to defeat the undefeatable. And I'll need you to work one of your usual Ash miracles."

    Ash grinned. "You've got it! We'll be ready! Right, Pikachu?"

    Pikachu pumped his fists, ignorant of the sugar all over his mouth.

    Oh, I'll be ready. I promise.


    Reshiram and Salamence cruised through the sky, tearing through fluffy clouds in silence as their adept eyes scanned the surface below. After cutting through a field of clouds and coming out into the open air, an ocean of autumn-hued trees and rolling verdant hills stretched out beneath them. Salamence dipped downward at the directive of its trainer, and Reshiram followed. They plunged down through the sea of trees and planted themselves back on the ground, away from any prying eyes or curious gazes.

    Zinnia climbed off her Salamence and stroked its neck as she circled around in front of it, while N slid off of Reshiram's back. The great white dragon flexed its wings, and its turbo-tail began to glow a harsh orange. The moment N was out of its way, it bulleted back into the sky, bursting through the treeline and showering the pair in deep green leaves.

    "Wait, wait, wait, no!" Zinnia wailed, running over, arms flailing in vain. "I wanted to check him out some more!"

    "Reshiram's senses are stronger in the air without so many disruptions. You're a dragon master, you should know that too."

    "Not a dragon master," Zinnia grumbled as she recalled Salamence.

    "You refuse to call yourself one until you've found the Great Dragon?" N said. "Stubborn. Why did we land here?"

    "Aster found something," Zinnia replied, already pushing her way through the underbrush, leaving N to catch up behind her. A small Whismur sat on Zinnia's shoulder, much like Pikachu on Ash's, though unlike her bombastic trainer, Aster seemed to be pretty shy, and stayed in her pokéball most of the time.

    "Found what?" N asked, jogging up next to them. "If I'd known you'd found something, I'd have kept Reshiram with us."

    Zinnia scowled, and N could virtually hear the dammit echoing out of her mind, but her pride kept her from admitting her defeat out loud. "It's nothing major, just something weird. Here," she spat, tossing him a pokéball, and he caught it. "That's Altaria. If you're worried about being defenseless."

    "I wasn't worried," N deadpanned. "If we're in danger, Reshiram will return in a flash. But thank you."

    "Oh yeah? I thought he wasn't talking to you or something? Ever since you found him again after all that Team Plasma shit."

    "Yes, it was that way until recently. But I had a change of heart, or a change in mindset, really, after that assignment in Mount Coronet a month ago."

    "That one with Ash? I guess running into a guy like that Guardian would make you rethink some things."

    "No, actually, it was before we battled Zagreus. We had to cross a nest of wild Araquanid, and even after I told Ash I couldn't speak to them, he never doubted me, not even for a moment. And for just a moment, I was able to hear their voices. After that, I spent some time with Reshiram, until I could hear its voice again too. It turned out Reshiram had speaking to me the whole time, but my guilt dampened my senses and left me deaf to its voice."

    Surprisingly, Zinnia didn't interrupt with anything sarcastic or snide. Though she did tend to respect talk about dragons enough to quiet her usual fervor.

    "Sounds like Ash is important to you," she eventually said. "I was pretty surprised to see you refuse a mission from Cynthia while he was asleep. I've never seen you stand up for yourself like that."

    "Yes, I'm not sure what came over me," N said, turning away in embarrassment.

    "Oh, though I guess Cynthia reacted pretty weirdly about it too. That's the first time I've ever seen her get so angry. I almost turned right around and bolted off the island right then and there. Maybe she just wasn't used to having her orders refused. No way a trip to Hoenn to talk with some breeder should've gotten her that worked up."

    "I was out of line," N muttered. "But I was just so worried about Ash." His demeanor shifted and he suddenly turned back to Zinnia. "You were the only one there when he woke up, right? I hope you didn't curse him out too badly."

    "Tch!" Zinnia scoffed. "Of course I cursed him out! You should've seen him at the end of it! The guy was damn near crying and begging for forgiveness from the great Zinnia! Lucky for him, I'm a merciful woman!"

    N sighed. "Ah well, I suppose that was too much to hope for. He was worried that might happen."

    Zinnia exhaled loudly and slouched. "Just kidding."

    "What was that?"

    "Nothing."

    "Oh." N stepped around a bush with leaves tipped in some sticky white sap. "So what did Aster find?"

    "There's some ruins outside the town that Aster got some bad vibes from."

    "Hmm. I wonder why Reshiram didn't pick up on it."

    "Don't underestimate Aster! She specializes in good and bad vibes! Apparently the energy around the ruins are oddly muted. Normally, ruins like that should have some crazy old energy floating all around it, but Aster says there's something weird about it. Almost like there's something there that's messing up the natural flow."

    "Maybe just a wild pokémon? Or a powerful trainer passing through?"

    "It's not that she senses something unusual. It's like she doesn't sense the usual unusual energy you'd expect to be there. Almost like the ruins are fake or something."

    They emerged from the forest, and the wind brushed their hair over their faces as they gazed at the scenery before them. Aster's lips puckered and she pushed herself against Zinnia's neck. Geosenge Town lay before them, bordered by imposing boulders that snaked beyond the town limits and curled atop a hill to the north.

    "Or," N said. "The ruins are real. And the energy is there. But it's hidden."

    "And why would it be hidden?" Aster tittered nervously on Zinnia's shoulder, like she had made a mistake and missed something she should've caught. Zinnia calmed her by stroking her cheek, and she glared at N.

    "Perhaps an unintended consequence," N said, and his eyes sharpened as they always did when he began to speak of human evil. "Of deliberately hiding something of far greater energy within the ruins. Like an immortal man, perhaps?"


    Reshiram continued to patrol the skies for the rest of the day, staying beyond the clouds to hide itself from prying eyes. Meanwhile, N and Zinnia ventured over to Geosenge, and after getting some direction from the locals, headed up to the nearby ruins they'd glimpsed from afar.

    Aster stayed on Zinnia's shoulder the whole time, much to Aster's chagrin, but she was their guide to a certain extent. Zinnia peppered her with incessant positive affirmations the entire journey, to the point where even N started to wonder if it was doing more harm than good. Nevertheless, they made it to the ruins without incident.

    There were only a few other people with them, a pair of elderly locals, and a couple of young trainers scattered throughout the tall grass in the middle of training. Dark boulders with simple chiseled lines stood like trees on the lush hill, and Whismur's ears actually perked up once they got closer.

    "Take your time, Aster," Zinnia coaxed, gently lowering her to the ground.

    Aster padded over the ground slowly, stopping and turning every so often as its ears reacted to minuscule changes in the flow of energy throughout the ruins.

    "Hmm, never seen her this turned around," Zinnia murmured.

    "These ruins don't seem to be particularly special," N said. "According to the locals, these stones were likely used as primitive sites of worship for local human and pokémon tribes long ago. The energy imbued here shouldn't be substantially different from others like it."

    "Aster's never been wrong."

    But even after searching around until sundown, they found nothing out of the ordinary, beyond the mysteriously missing energy. Zinnia and N themselves didn't poke around too much, as there was nothing they would find that Aster couldn't detect, so they played the role of tourists, gleaning what they could from the stones and local chatter.

    Which wasn't anything that even hinted at AZ's location. Initially, this seemed like a likely hideout, given how rural it was, but ultimately, they had to return to town empty-handed. Aster was uncharacteristically animated about wanting to continue her search, but Zinnia's patience had run thin.

    "I'll keep an eye on the ruins. Reshiram is keeping watch as well," N said.

    "Don't underestimate me," Zinnia grumbled. "Something is weird about those ruins, and I don't want to move on until we figure out why either."

    They returned to the forest across the valley and ate fruit from the supermarket in town as they watched. Aster ate an oran berry as she gazed across the valley, but her eyes never left the horizon, and N found the scene quite comical and cute.

    "We shouldn't start a fire," N said as it started to get cold.

    Zinnia glared at him. "I've been sleeping outside since I was a kid. Call Reshiram back if you want some body heat."

    N smiled. "I'll be fine."

    Three hours later, Aster chirped, but there was no need for it. N saw it too.

    "There." He paused. "There," he poked Zinnia.

    "I'm awake!" she croaked. "Oh…!"

    Dark silhouettes milled about the ruins, appearing seemingly out of nowhere. And one towered over the rest.

    "It's him," Zinnia breathed. "But where—ah!"

    A sudden flash lit up the valley for half a second, but it vanished as soon as it appeared. And once it did, the ghosts were gone.

    "Where did they go?!" Zinnia demanded, sitting up.

    "Wait," N said, throwing his hand out to stop her from storming off. "This confirms that AZ was the cause of the strange disturbance in the ruins after all. If he's gone, then…"

    Aster shivered and shook her head furiously.

    "She says nothing's changed. The energy is still displaced!"

    "Then whatever or whoever is causing it is still there. And whatever it is, they're in league with AZ."

    Zinnia clenched her fist, and even Aster seemed motivated to return to the ruins. "Cynthia said not to engage."

    "Not like that's stopped you before," N smirked, but he knew Zinnia was feeling a little more cautious after what happened to Ash. "Very well. Let's let her know what we've found." N tapped out a message on his phone and sent it off.

    Zinnia stared at the screen, waiting for it to light up with a response.

    AZ has allies, despite Interpol concluding that he received no help in breaking out of the World Prison. But if he's leaving his hideout, where could he be going, and why? A bad feeling, like molasses, slid through N's veins. We should ambush them while we can.

    Zinnia almost jumped as Reshiram's face peeked between them. "Holy shit!" she whisper-yelled.

    "Sorry, I called Reshiram back. And he knows how to keep a low profile," N whispered back.

    As if to confirm his words, Reshiram raised the temperature several degrees, then lowered it back to normal, completely masking his fiery presence. Zinnia's jaw dropped, and N was sure she'd start fawning, but his phone screen lit up.

    Despite it being midnight in Kanto where she supposedly was, it didn't take long for them to receive a reply from Cynthia.

    Do not engage.

    Chapter 20 : Secret Training


    Merry Christmas! Thank you to everyone who gave this story a chance and read this far!
     
  • View discussion
    • Remnants of the Great War [11]
  • View content

    • PARAGON

    Remnants of the Great War Arc [11]

    Chapter 20 : Secret Training​


    Kanto Region - Route 6

    A flock of Pidgey chittered overhead and a pair of Goldeen splashed in the crystalline shallows of a nearby river. Ash walked up a grassy hill until he arrived within a large open field with a giant waterfall crashing down before him and flowing down the sides of the hill.

    Pikachu squealed and jumped off his shoulder to go and explore while Ash put down his belongings.

    There's a hill to the south of the city. The forest grows in such a way that the path to the top cannot be found except by those who already know it's there. I've never been disturbed whilst training there, and even though we can be quite loud, no one has ever even noticed us up there either. I think it will suit your needs quite well, Mr. Ketchum. Now, once you reach the tall grass, you'll want to head southwest through the trees…

    That was what Saffron Gym Leader Rosen had told him after Ash had asked about a quiet place to train his pokémon. After arriving here, it certainly lived up to Rosen's description, and Ash could see numerous crevices in the grass and burns across the rocks as evidence of Rosen's own training.

    Although Ash was here for training, the part about training his pokémon was a white lie.

    "This is crazy," he muttered after walking to the center of the field, away from his stuff. He held up his hand and spread his fingers, then turned it over to look at his palm. He certainly still looked human. And he still felt human too.

    "Platebearers are supposed to be invincible," he said. "Let's see." He knelt down and felt around until he found what he was looking for. He stood up with a small, sharp rock. Sticking out his pointer finger, he dragged the rock across his skin.

    "Ah." Blood beaded up from a glistening cut, and he dropped the rock and sucked on his finger. "What the hell? So I can still damage myself?" Maybe this has to do with what Albrecht was saying about why my clothes weren't destroyed. I guess it depends on what I want.

    He was a little peeved he wouldn't be able to reliably test the extent of his durability, since dealing excessive damage to himself would be going a bit too far. Perhaps the Ash of the past may have done something as reckless as that, but Ash had promised to be more careful, and he intended to keep that promise.

    But, that wasn't the only thing he'd come up here to do.

    "So, how does this work?" He stretched out his arm and closed it into a fist. He said I had the Electric Plate, right? Might as well try this. "Ash, use Thunderbolt!"

    Pikachu stopped his playing and perked up instinctively at hearing his command, but frowned after noticing he wasn't the one being addressed. An amused grin danced on his face.

    The wind whistled through the silent field.

    "Of course it wouldn't be that easy," Ash sighed. He closed his eyes and tried to feel the power within him, like he imagined some wizened master might tell him to do, but after a few moments, he still didn't feel anything strange at all. He sat down on the grass and rested his arms on his knees. "Pikachu, c'mere for a sec."

    Pikachu bounded over and jumped into his lap, fixing his trainer with a confident smile. Ash smiled back and rubbed his head, then moved his fingers down to his cheek, and pinched it. Pikachu giggled and released a jolt of electricity.

    "All your electricity is in here, supposedly," Ash said. "The question is, where's mine?"

    Pikachu nodded and scurried into a seated position as he rubbed his chin in deep thought. After a few seconds, he jumped up as if getting an idea, and slammed a fist on his chest.

    "My heart?" Ash stood up and thrust his hand out again, this time, trying to draw his power out from his heart. "Thunderbolt!"

    …

    Nothing.

    Pikachu shook his head furiously and scampered up Ash's body up onto his head. He leaned forward and put his paws on Ash's eyelids, pulling them open and peering down into them.

    "Agh, what're you doing, Pikachu?" Ash winced and brushed Pikachu's hands out of his eyes. "You mean my eyes? I'll try it." He scrunched his eyes up tight, then opened them wide. "Thunderbolt!"

    …

    Still nothing.

    Pikachu squeaked in annoyance and jumped back down to the ground. He started babbling, pointing at his chest, then Ash's, then his eyes and Ash's. Then he pointed at Ash's body.

    Ash frowned. "Wait…are you saying the power of the Plate…is in my soul?"

    Pikachu nodded so hard Ash was afraid his head would snap off.

    Hmm, the Plates are supposed to be pieces of Arceus' soul. I don't really understand it, but let's give it a try.

    Ash closed his eyes again and raised both his arms. I am Ash Ketchum, he reminded himself. My best friend is Pikachu. And I want to be a Pokémon Master. He took a deep breath. And right now, I want a Thunderbolt to come out of my hands and strike that tree over there!

    Behind his closed eyes, Ash could hear Pikachu's cries of encouragement.

    The smell of ozone suddenly assaulted Ash's nostrils, and a great pain burned his palms. Then, a harsh flash forced his eyes open and a heavy weight seemed to burst from his hands like a copse of violent snakes wriggling to get free. Two golden columns of electricity spasmed out of Ash's palms and tore through the air, crackling and thundering. They lashed the ground, but as soon they'd appeared, they were gone. The tree sat undamaged across the field.

    "No, wait!" Ash exclaimed. "Wait…wait!" He turned to Pikachu. "Wait!" A smile broke across his face. "I did it, Pikachu!"

    Pikachu jumped into his arms and squeaked in delight. With his stubby arms and patted his trainer's shoulder in congratulation.

    "I mean, my aim could use some work, and before that, I didn't even come close to reaching the tree, but still! So it's true! I actually am a Platebearer!"

    Taking Corviknight's Hyper Beam point blank should've put all his doubts to rest, but this was the nail in the coffin. He had seen lightning come out of his hands.

    Pikachu dropped out of his arms as Ash turned back toward his palms. They still looked completely normal, even though Ash was sure they'd be blackened. What he thought was pain was actually just the electricity bursting out of his hands. It was like the electricity overstimulated his nerves, and now they were left feeling slightly tingly. He rubbed them with his fingers to soothe some sensation back into them.

    "Well, this is a start," Ash said. "But I'm sure something like this wouldn't even tickle AZ. I still need to become much stronger. Though now that I think about it, we might as well turn this into a training session for everyone else." He reached down to his belt and pulled off nine pokéballs. Ten pokémon was the number he felt comfortable carrying around, and he released them all. "Time for some training, guys. But I'll be training with you this time!"

    Emboar and Feraligatr cocked their heads sideways, Crawdaunt clacked its claws, Noivern hissed, Venusaur sighed, Glalie grinned, a pair of Tauros snorted, and Gengar cackled with delight.

    "Watch this," Ash said, reaching toward the sky. "Thunderbolt!"

    A bolt of lightning shot from his palm and cracked the air, before dissipating almost immediately. His pokémon fell over themselves in surprise, and Ash and Pikachu laughed.

    "Believe me, I'm still just as shocked as you all are! But as much as I'd like to everyone personally about this new development, Gengar, I'd like you to let everyone know what's up so they'll all be ready the next time we go to battle."

    Gengar swirled back together and gave him a thumbs up.

    "By the way, let's keep working on your special technique some time today. I know it may seem redundant now that I'm a Platebearer, but I don't think it's wise to rely too heavily on this power, and I'm sure keeping you with me at all times will come in handy in the future."

    Gengar snapped a salute before floating off the ground, his hand still poised on his forehead.

    "Great. Now, free-for-all, all of you! Last one standing gets the usual Poffin Pudding!"

    Free-for-alls were one of the training exercises they'd developed to practice their decision-making abilities and battle sense against multiple enemies. It also helped develop their skills at taking advantage of the environment and leveraging their individual strengths.

    And the Poffin Pudding was a delicacy every single one of his pokémon had taken a liking to after Ash bought some on a whim after passing through Hearthome City in Sinnoh. He'd needed to have a chat with the patissiere after that to ensure he always had some stock on hand whenever the ex-World Champion needed some more.

    His pokémon raced off in different directions, already firing off attacks and turning the peaceful hilltop into a war zone. After seeing them get back to it, Ash turned back to his tree and exhaled. He raised his arms again.


    Hoenn Region - Mauville City

    Just a few short years ago, Mauville was a city like any other, with a downtown, a suburb, and everything in between. But after the mayoral election of Gym Leader Wattson five years ago, Mauville had been transformed into a fortress. Wattson's plans for the city were extensive, to say the least, and with multiple decades to think them up, he'd gotten to work right away. As expected, investment had flooded the city, with Wattson's renowned genius being enough of a guarantor for a fortune-making opportunity, but Wattson's limitless imagination somehow threatened to eclipse the constant flood of funds more than once. For now, construction had slowed due only to the stalwart refusal of Evergrande to grant even one single acre of land more to Wattson's grand schemes. Nevertheless, Wattson seemed to spend more time in the neighboring cities petitioning for greater expansion rights than accepting gym challenges. Rumor now was that he was lobbying the League to allow his pokémon to run his gym and issue badges without him present. Stubborn as he was, he refused to surrender his gym leader title even while juggling his many responsibilities as mayor and countless project proposals for Greater Mauville.

    One of the early investors in Wattson's madness was the International Police. They'd carved out a slice of prime real estate in the center of the city for their new headquarters. World Command was an iron fortress within the fortress. With its endless supply of energy, technological futurism, and army of satellites, Wattson's Mauville made the perfect location for Interpol's new headquarters.

    Willium Rhys, director of the International Police, walked through the pristine halls of World Command flanked by a pair of guards. He was a shorter man, though he'd been taller in his younger days. He was almost sixty now, and it'd taken about that long for his age to finally begin showing. His face was sharp, but his thinning hair only had a few streaks of gray.

    He wore a gray suit, but that was the style in Hoenn, thanks to the Stones, and his loafers clocked loudly upon the marble floor. After making his way through the labyrinth that was World Command, he finally found himself within eyesight of his office. One of Interpol's captains stood outside waiting for him, and he snapped a salute upon seeing his superior.

    "Sir, urgent report."

    "At ease. I'll hear it inside," Rhys said, opening the door to his office and motioning the captain in before him.

    Despite being the director, Rhys' office looked like any other in World Command. Mahogany bookshelves lined the walls, a mahogany desk held his computer and assorted other items, and a mahogany floor rested beneath a patterned carpet, the only color in the room. Rhys took his seat behind his desk as the captain closed the door behind them.

    "Something new, I hope," Rhys said. "I just got out of a briefing with our forces in Kalos and they have yet to find anyone over seven feet, much less our man."

    "We have a sighting, sir," the captain nodded. "At a warehouse in Sinnoh." He stepped forward with a dossier in hand.

    Rhys frowned and took it, and pulled a pair of glasses from his suit pocket. He flicked through the pages and raised an eyebrow, before shaking his head. "So our greatest fears have been realized then."

    "Are you referring to the raids on our other facilities?"

    Rhys nodded. "Minor incursions from a nondescript enemy. It's been a low priority till now. But if AZ is the one who's been behind them all, it changes everything. The question is what made him show up now?"

    "Still unclear, sir. This raid seems no different from the others. A small strike force. Minimal damage. Only a few injuries and no deaths. And they only made off with a handful of low star assets."

    "What'd they take this time?"

    "A crate of gold from the Undella Sea. A bronze key from ancient Kalos. And a pair of Tyranitar set aside for the Uva Project."

    "Do we know what the key was for?"

    "No, sir. Nothing of import, most likely."

    Rhys sighed, flipping another page. "And the Tyranitar were…?"

    "Not even approved yet, sir."

    Rhys flicked the page, finding the answer to his question right as it was told to him. "And I'm sure we weren't able to track them, were we?"

    "No, unfortunately not. Even Champion Steven was incapacitated."

    "What did you just say?" Rhys said, lowering his glasses.

    "Champion Steven was incapacitated, sir. Apparently he engaged AZ directly at one point, but—"

    "What the hell was Steven doing in Sinnoh?" Rhys snapped. "At our base, no less. Who authorized that, because it certainly wasn't me?"

    The captain gulped. "Apologies, sir, I assumed you were in the know. It was the World Champion."

    Rhys held up a hand as he flipped furiously through the dossier. The office fell silent as he read. "AZ defeated the Champion's Metagross with his bare hands…," he muttered. "What else did the World Champion authorize?"

    "Er, I believe Master Albrecht ordered all of the Champions to various Interpol facilities to protect them while AZ is still at large. Though Steven's was the only one of the Champions' that was hit."

    "All of the Champions?"

    "I believe the young Champions of Unova and Galar were briefed but not deployed. And Sinnoh Champion Cynthia also did not receive the order."

    "I should hope so."

    "Sir?"

    "Nothing," Rhys said quickly. He pulled off his glasses and pinched his nose in thought. "Leave me. I have some calls to make. And thank you," he quickly added.

    The captain snapped one last salute before exiting. When he was gone, Rhys exhaled loudly, then picked up his phone and dialed Cynthia.

    "Director," she greeted him after the phone rang several times.

    "Cynthia. Have you heard the news?"

    "And what, pray tell, are you referring to?"

    "One of my captains just swung by to drop a dossier on my desk. AZ was spotted in Sinnoh last night."

    There was silence on the other end for several seconds. "Of course I've heard. Is that all?"

    "Is that all?" Rhys repeated. "I also just found out the World Champion sent Steven to the base AZ just hit. Apparently all the Champions got marching orders from him."

    "That's not unusual. We are his Champions."

    "Are you playing daft on purpose? It'd be one thing if he was collaborating with us. It's another thing entirely that he's going behind my back and sending the Champions to facilities he shouldn't even know exist!"

    "I understand your frustrations, Director. But it seems the World Champion is only trying to help. He understands better than most how dangerous AZ is."

    "Level with me, Cynthia. Do you trust this man? I've been trying to get an audience with him for a month but it seems he's too damn important to spare me any time."

    "I don't trust him. But I have it on good authority that he can be trusted."

    "What the hell does that mean?"

    "It means you should be focusing more on finding AZ than worrying about what the World Champion is up to. Leave him to me."

    "And how are you doing? It seems like Paragon is making as much progress as we are."

    "As usual, your eyes are too close to the ground to see the big picture. Paragon is closer to finding AZ than you realize, Director. Please show some respect."

    "Whatever. The sooner this mess is behind us, the better. Then I'll need to have a stern talk with Warden Barke about any other thousand year old prisoners we happen to be storing at the World Prison. This whole situation is a farce to begin with. It should never have happened."

    "He's three thousand years old, Director. But don't get too excited. You're mistaken if you think AZ is the only monster on the loose in this world."

    "Well then, for now, I'll be thankful the Paragon Organization stands between the monsters and us simpletons at Interpol."

    "Thank you, Director, I'll pass your sentiments along. Now if that's all, I should go. I'm running late for teatime."

    "Very well. But do feel free to call me when you have a lead. I feel like I'm always the one pawing in the dark for information."

    "Oh, Director, if I called you every time I had a new lead, I'd never get any work done. My friends are very good."

    And with that, Rhys heard the line go dead, so he hung up. After putting the phone back in the receiver, he sighed and pinched his nose. The Paragon Organization was an invaluable asset to the International Police, and they accomplished nearly as much with a minuscule fraction of the manpower, but dealing with their leader was a headache in and of itself. Talking with Cynthia made him forget who was actually in charge between them two. At times, it seemed like she called more of the shots than him.

    Well, she'd never let him down before. And when Paragon mobilized, problems disappeared.

    Rhys woke his computer back up and keyed in his password. Checking his email, he saw he had another slew of meetings to attend this afternoon. But a certain message in his inbox caught his attention. Or rather, the sender of said message. He frowned.

    What would you want with me at a time like this?


    Cynthia hung up and stuffed her phone back in her pocket. Her calls with Interpol's director were always a game of cat-and-mouse, a game she, admittedly, always won.

    On the path to learn who really ran the world, Cynthia had become one of the shadowy stringpullers herself.

    Not that she felt guilty about it. There were things the director didn't need to know. And Willium Rhys was a practical man anyways. He knew she was hiding things from him, for a certainty, but he knew his role and played it well.

    On the other hand, his trust in her made it far easier to pull off a bluff. Paragon was moving slowly on the AZ situation, despite everyone's involvement, and now they'd been taken off guard with this raid in Sinnoh. Their own backyard, no less.

    But her decision to keep N and Zinnia grounded in Kalos was part of a much larger gambit, one they did not even know they were a part of. Cynthia suspected Albrecht was playing his own game too. That was why he'd moved the Champions.

    AZ's escape had switched all the "string-pullers" into battle mode. Here was a new contender gobbling up real estate on the power market unchecked. Everyone wanted him off the board expeditiously. But they also seemed to realize his appearance would change the game forever.

    Cynthia herself didn't have anything concrete. But between Zagreus, Albrecht, and AZ, she could smell the way the winds were blowing, and was now acting accordingly. One wrong move, and she'd lose everything. And not just Paragon.

    Cynthia's game was even more delicate. She knew Ash had lied to her, or at least omitted some parts, about what he'd talked about with Albrecht. But somehow, she knew that what Albrecht had told him was the answer to everything she'd been searching for for her entire adult life. The truth about this world. The truth about everything.

    Even if she needed to gorge on blood to taste the truth, she would.

    Next — Chapter 21 : Royal Edict


    Happy New Year! The past couple chapters have been a little late because of the holidays, but we should be good going forward. I have big plans for 2024 as far as this story goes, so I hope you stick around for the chaos!
     
    Last edited:
  • View discussion
    • View content
    You must login or register to reply here.
    Remove ads
    Back
    Top