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Paragon (Pokemon Fanfiction)

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Remnants of the Great War [13]
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    • PARAGON

    Remnants of the Great War Arc [13]

    Chapter 22 : Ash Ketchum vs Founder AZ​


    Kalos Region - East of Geosenge Town

    Zinnia whistled as she walked, Aster perched on her head, the sunlight cutting through the canopy to cast a jade glow over her. Spring in Kalos was quite pleasant, and a refreshing change of pace from the always windy Draconid Village hidden beyond Meteor Falls. Of course, her journey as a Lorekeeper and her quest for the Great Dragon had taken her all across the world, but she never stayed in one place for too long.

    She and N hadn't taken their eyes off the ruins ever since they'd spotted AZ. They'd moved from their initial spot and were now looking down on the town from atop a cliff. But so far, the reconnaissance had yielded no further results, despite them taking turns sleeping to keep up the watch.

    When Zinnia returned to their makeshift camp, her Altaria, left to guard the camp, fluttered over to her and sniffed at the basket of berries in her hand, and she grabbed a handful to feed the majestic bird. Two camouflage tents sat facing each other, and N sat between them facing Geosenge.

    "Yes. Nothing to report. We haven't seen AZ at all since last night."

    N was on the phone and Zinnia furrowed her brows upon hearing him. They locked eyes, and N thumbed the screen to turn on speakerphone.

    "Hmm, interesting. Well, there's been yet another raid on an Interpol facility but no sighting of him there," Cynthia's voice came through. "So far, you two have found our biggest lead." She sighed. "He's moving far quicker than Interpol expected. Far quicker than I expected."

    "Cynthia," Zinnia scowled.

    There was a pause. "Is that Zinnia I hear?"

    "Damn right." She stomped over to N and crouched down so her face was right next to his phone, and he grimaced. "Why the hell won't you let us get closer? There's only so much we can do just staring at the place. Obviously AZ has a base there so we should break in and see what's going on!" She'd had her reservations initially, but after hearing that AZ had personally attacked a facility in Sinnoh, Zinnia wanted nothing more than to break in as soon as possible. They were right here!

    Cynthia's sigh crackled through the phone. "Negative. Keep your distance. The last thing we need is you two walking straight into a death trap."

    "They don't even know we're here!"

    "They will if you start snooping around the ruins again. You don't even know where or how to get in, if they do have a base there. And we still don't know what his ultimate goal is or even why he broke out of prison in the first place. Until we know at least that, I will not even consider an attack on one of Kalos' oldest historical sites."

    "Historical sites?! He killed a hundred Interpol agents with his bare hands!"

    "And what makes you think he can't do the same to you?" Cynthia snapped, but Zinnia turned away and crossed her arms, and did not offer another response. "Anyways, back to what we were talking about," Cynthia said after a few seconds. "The raids on Interpol's bases have been minor but persistent. As of now, we can't find anything that makes the one AZ showed up to any different from the others. If AZ truly does have a hideout beneath Geosenge Town, then it's absolutely imperative that you two stay hidden and continue observing from afar. That's the only way we may be able to catch him off guard."

    "I understand, Cynthia," N said. "But if I may, I do agree with Zinnia, to a certain extent. We saw AZ leave the ruins with a number of others through some sort of teleportation. But they appeared again in Sinnoh far too quickly. I don't know of any pokémon capable of teleporting such a distance. And then there's the fact that he and his cohorts never returned, or at least, we never saw them return. But Aster still senses a suspicious lack of ancient energy in the ruins, suggesting that this hideout is still in use. I believe it would be in our best interest to begin a search for other entrances to the base. Whatever is going on within the ruins is still happening, and at the speed AZ is moving, it may be unwise to allow this to continue."

    Cynthia stayed silent on the other end for nearly a minute, clearly in thought. "Fine," she finally said. "I'll allow it. But you two are to remain hidden. I'll say it again. Our top priority is gathering intelligence. Is that understood?"

    N nodded. "We understand."

    There was a pause. "Zinnia?"

    "Whatever, sure, yeah, fine," she mumbled.

    "We'll update you with intel as we get it," N said.

    "Likewise. The situation is fluid at Interpol though so don't expect—. Ah, sorry, I'm getting a call from Ash. I have to go, I'll leave you to it."

    Before they could get in goodbyes, she hung up. Once she did, a silence fell over their camp.

    Zinnia fell backwards onto her Altaria's back and sighed loudly. "About time. What the hell's her problem? It's like she doesn't think we're capable or something."

    "I do wish you'd treat Cynthia with a little more respect."

    "Huh?" Zinnia sat up and glared at N. "What's this now? You're taking her side? I know she gave you a second lease on life or whatever, but that's not gonna stop me from stating the obvious." As soon as the words came out of her mouth, she seemed to regret them, and she blushed and turned away. "Actually, never mind. Sorry."

    N looked away in embarrassment. "That's not it," he said quietly. "I agree with you that Cynthia's being uncharacteristically apprehensive. Everything about this AZ situation is strange. For one, it's the first time so many of us have all been assigned to the same issue. And for another, it almost feels like Cynthia is waiting for AZ to act instead of wanting us to stop him before he can do whatever it is he wants to do."

    "You think she's helping AZ?"

    "Of course not. I fully trust her. Which is why I believe all this caution is the hardest on Cynthia. Something is compelling her to keep us grounded. Whether she's worried about our safety or juggling concerns we aren't aware of, I'm not sure. For now, I think we should do what she says."

    Zinnia nodded glumly. She hadn't picked up any of that herself, but then again, she'd never exactly been the most perceptive when it came to other people.

    "But," N said. "If this keeps up for too long, I wouldn't be opposed to breaking ranks and seeing what's in those ruins for ourselves once and for all."

    Zinnia grinned and jumped up. "Ha, that's more like it! Now, c'mon! Let's split up and start looking for those other entrances. I'll go north, you go south!"

    "Slow down, Zinnia, let's work out a more detailed plan…"


    Alola Region — Heahea City

    Cynthia hung up and quickly answered Ash's call. "What is it, Ash?"

    "I found AZ!"

    Cynthia stopped in her tracks. At this hour, the streets of Heahea were barren, and Cynthia nearly shouted. "What?"

    "I…found AZ!" he panted.

    "Where are you?" Cynthia demanded, ducking into a nearby alley.

    "Still in Kanto! Outside Saffron! He's heading north through Mt. Moon!"

    "You have a visual?"

    "Not now! I can't talk for too long! MIght lose him!"

    "Wait, Ash! Don't engage! It's too dangerous!"

    "Don't worry! I already called Sabrina and she's on her way over from Rota!"

    "Hold on, Ash! You don't know what you're getting into! Has he seen you yet?"

    "No! At least, I don't think so!" He paused, and Cynthia heard nothing but breathing for several seconds. "I gotta go, we're about to enter the mountain!"

    "Wait, Ash, don't—"

    She heard a click and the line went dead. "Damn!" she cursed as she squeezed her phone and reared back against the side of the alley. A thousand thoughts ran through her mind, each one more morbid than the last, but she dashed them away with a jerk of her head. He's already been humbled once. I just hope that was enough for him to exercise more caution this time.

    Cynthia took several deep breaths and stood up straight again. She needed to update the rest of Paragon immediately.

    As she tapped out her message, a thought passed through her mind that made her blood run cold. If Albrecht had put Ash up to this, or if he'd said something during their conversation that pushed Ash to pursue AZ, then maybe caution wouldn't be the first thing on his mind. In which case, he was heading into extreme danger.

    She prayed Sabrina would make it to his side in time.


    Kanto Region - Mount Moon

    Mount Moon was dark, but the white granite of its walls looked silver in the torchlight. Ash cruised through the cave on Dragonite's back and they raced forward without any regard for the wild pokémon giving them stares from the darkness.

    It happened while they were flying east. A sudden jolt, like magnetism, and Ash had been alerted to AZ's presence instantly. It was like he'd been jumpscared, and he nearly fell out of Dragonite's arms. It was a strange feeling to know exactly where he was, and even stranger that he knew it was AZ, despite not having actually seen him.

    Unfortunately, it was a lie he'd told that he'd actually found AZ. He actually didn't have a problem telling her about the Plate now that he'd gotten a handle on it, but it was much too long a story to tell over the phone while they were in pursuit of AZ. Nevertheless, he was certain AZ was here.

    But the part about calling Sabrina hadn't been a lie. She sounded groggy when she answered, so she must have already gotten into bed for the night, though luckily, she'd decided to spend the night at Cameran Palace. She was even less responsive than usual on the call, but Ash'd heard her say she was on her way, so that was the best he could hope for.

    AZ's presence gleamed like a light in Ash's consciousness. It reminded him of the time he'd worn Sir Aaron's gloves at Cameran Palace and he'd started to see the Aura within people and pokémon. Now, it felt like AZ's Aura was a comet, streaking through a field of lights that were far dimmer by comparison. Or maybe a black hole was more apt. His presence was so great, he engulfed the others around him.

    Ash urged Dragonite to move faster through the caves, and his partner complied. As they flew, Ash started to think strategy. At the moment, the nine pokémon he had seemed like far too few to challenge AZ. Even if Sabrina arrived in time, this was a man who'd survived the Great War. Ash wasn't so dense as to think he'd be able to bring a man like that down after a mere afternoon of training with the Electric Plate.

    But it would be on Ash to deal the damage. All of his pokémon would need to play support roles, and Sabrina's too, he reckoned. He wasn't sure if AZ was susceptible to her psychic attacks, but after three thousand years in the World Prison, surely it'd already been tried.

    Lucario and Dragonite would be his heavy hitters, which in this case meant distracting AZ enough so that Ash could get close. Glalie and Venusaur would be responsible for immobilizing him. With any luck, he'd still be susceptible to the cold or paralyzing spores.

    Pikachu would be helping him. He was the electric expert after all, and in the heat of battle, there was no telling what Ash would or wouldn't be able to pull off.

    When the mountain's exit came into sight, Dragonite didn't slow down at all and burst through back into the cold night air. The stars danced above the dark forest and Ash raced between the trees. They moved in near silence despite their speed, with Dragonite long having mastered the wind and storm.

    In a violet flash, Sabrina appeared beside them, hovering through the air to keep their pace, her wrist gauntlets spinning. Ash nearly yelped in surprise, and seized closer to Dragonite to stabilize himself.

    "AZ's ahead?" Sabrina asked as she floated alongside him.

    "Yeah. Not sure what he's doing here but he's up ahead. How did you find me anyway? Lucky you didn't teleport right on top of AZ."

    "I sensed you," she said quickly. "How did you find AZ?"

    "Long story. Tell you later."

    Sabrina looked over at him but said nothing. After several more minutes of flying, Ash slowed Dragonite down until they stopped, and he gently disembarked and recalled the dragon. Sabrina let herself fall too, and her gauntlets slowed and dimmed. He crouched down behind a bush and Sabrina did the same.

    "What's wrong?" Sabrina whispered.

    "We're close."

    They crept behind a line of bushes, the trees above sheltering them from the illuminating moonlight. They were far from any civilization this far north, but that only made their stealth all the more imperative. In the dead of night, even the smallest sound would give them away.

    After five painstaking minutes, they reached a small hill that led to a cliff. Ash laid down and peered over the edge. Far below, beneath the rippling sea of black leaves, he saw movement.

    "There," he whispered, pointing, and Sabrina craned her neck beside him. "Let's split up. I'll head down here. You head around. We'll strike at the same time and pincer him."

    Sabrina nodded and crept back the way they came, disappearing into the darkness. Just before he started his descent, Ash noticed a flash deep in the forest behind him where Sabrina had teleported. Smart on her to keep her distance before teleporting so the flash wouldn't give them away. Once she was gone, he released Glalie and grabbed its horns. It floated over the edge of the cliff and dropped down without a sound.

    Ash recalled Glalie and crept through the underbrush. The people he'd seen were just up ahead, beyond the ever-thinning line of trees. His heart hammered in his chest. AZ was here, right in front of him, amidst the darkness. The images of his massacre at the World Prison flashed across Ash's vision.

    I won't let him kill anyone else, he vowed.

    As the grass began to shorten and thin, Ash slowly lifted himself from the ground and snuck behind a tree. Just ahead lay an open clearing, and the figures had stopped on the other side of it. They spoke in normal voices that sliced through the silence of the forest.

    "Just a few more crates and we'll be done," a man's voice said.

    "Keep it moving. His Grace won't be pleased if we keep him waiting."

    "Hey, where's that new guy anyway? I haven't seen him at all tonight."

    "You mean that kid? Who knows? Somewhere around us, I'm sure. Not much except Caterpie in this forest, I'm sure he's bored."

    "I just hope— oh, your Grace!"

    Ash peeked out from behind the tree ever so slightly, and his eyes widened. A man of breathtaking height with long, tangled white hair stood between the two men, who were both kneeling. Several large crates sat next to them, but they looked small next to AZ. A wrinkled cap shadowed his eyes, making his gaze impossible to discern in the dark. Ash shuddered and he began to sweat involuntarily.

    "These are the last ones, your Grace," one of the men said.

    "Excellent."

    His voice sounded like the crash of waves during a furious storm, and Ash clenched his fists.

    "Have you received word from Lord Vandrick, your Grace? The hour is almost upon us."

    "He has been in contact. Be ready to depart when the time comes. In the meantime, ensure all preparations are complete."

    "At once, your Grace!"

    AZ remained standing between them, and the men seemed unsure if they had permission to rise. But after a few moments, they did, and began lifting one of the crates together. AZ didn't move.

    "Your Grace?" one of them said in confusion.

    The wind swept AZ's locks across his face and he stood with the resoluteness of a tree. "Go on ahead. We're being followed. I'll take care of it."

    Ash's blood froze in his veins and black spots blossomed across his vision. He suddenly became hyperconscious of how loud he was breathing. Pikachu stiffened on his shoulder, and he clutched at the tree for support. Damn it! Of course! If I can sense him because he's a Platebearer, then that means he should be able to sense me too!

    "Your Grace, please allow us! Do not—"

    "Enough. Leave us."

    The men nodded and scurried away as fast as they could, carrying a crate together. AZ made no move, simply crossing his arms behind his back

    "Please come out. Let me see you with my eyes."

    Ash grit his teeth. No choice now. I'll have to do this alone. He peeled himself off the tree and stepped forward beneath the moonlight.

    Beneath the cowl of darkness, Ash saw AZ frown.

    "A Platebearer?" he rumbled. He chuckled and shook his head. "So you truly have betrayed me, then." His eyes flicked up and snared Ash's gaze.

    "You're AZ," Ash said.

    AZ rolled his head on his neck. "I've been told that's what I'm called now. So be it. I am AZ. Have you come to kill me, Platebearer?"

    Without realizing it, Ash had moved his hand to his belt. AZ stood across the clearing, quite far from him, yet the danger that radiated off of him felt so hot it nearly burned him. "I'm here to stop you," Ash said.

    "Oh?" AZ raised a brow. "State your name, then. I'll know who you are before I send you back to the cosmos."

    Ash glared at him and gripped his pokéball so hard his knuckles turned white. "Ash Ketchum."

    AZ raised a brow. "Ash Ketchum," he repeated. "The former World Champion."

    That surprised Ash. "You've heard of me?"

    "Only recently." AZ stretched his arms out from behind him and flexed his fingers. "Who sent you here, Ash Ketchum?"

    "No one!" Ash yelled.

    A mocking laugh escaped AZ's lips. "We'll see about that. If you're here to stop me, now is the time." He crouched down and raised his hands, and his tongue fell across his lips. "You don't know how long I've been keeping myself tame. It's been so hard to keep from killing. And it's been even longer since I've seen a Platebearer!"

    Ash exhaled shakily, his body overflowing with adrenaline. His eyes scittered across AZ's body, looking for a weakness.

    You've got this, Ash! he thought.

    Without another word, Ash hurled two pokéballs forward and Lucario and Dragonite burst out, elemental attacks already glowing on their speeding forms.

    "Force Palm and Breaking Swipe!" Ash roared.

    They struck simultaneously and AZ didn't even have a chance to defend himself. The air appeared to crack as Lucario's palm slammed into AZ's shoulder, and Dragonite's tail burned with black energy as he connected with AZ's torso. AZ bulleted backward into the forest, snapping trees with the sheer velocity of his body. Aura wafted off Lucario's outstretched hand and red electricity snapped off Dragonite's tail.

    Half a minute later, AZ returned, stalking through the forest with a grin on his face. He appeared undamaged.

    As expected. But I need to get him used to my pokémon's attacks before I make a move.

    Ash pulled two more pokéballs off his belt and released Venusaur and Glalie at his sides.

    "So this is a 'trainer,'" AZ mused. "Very well. Show me more, former World Champion!"

    "Extreme Speed, both of you!"

    His pokémon disappeared and reappeared at AZ's sides, before slamming against him in a blaze of slashes. Lucario and Dragonite were so adept they could attack the same opponent with Extreme Speed without hitting each other. That was just one thing they'd worked on during the training.

    AZ grunted as his body was forced in opposite directions. His legs buckled and he collapsed to the ground once the assault finally let up.

    "Now!" Ash yelled.

    Countless vines snaked out from Venusaur's back and a jagged line of ice cut across the clearing and devoured AZ's torso. The vines curled around AZ's body and tightened until he looked like a cocoon, with only his head still exposed. Glalie's ice seeped between the many layers of vine, cold enough to cause frostbite, but Ash was sure he'd be just fine under there. Dealing damage wasn't the point, though.

    "Impressive," AZ smiled. "I don't think there was a man alive in the war powerful enough to command two pokémon at once, let alone four. Perhaps you are worthy of being called the World Champion."

    Venusaur screeched as his vines began to snap, and AZ started to rise. Suddenly, an effulgent light blasted out from his body and lit up the clearing, and Ash shielded his eyes. When the light faded, AZ was free, and the remnants of Venusaur's vines lay in burnt cinders on the ground.

    "I think I've given you long enough." He turned to Dragonite. "I'll start with you."

    Dragonite snorted, but before he knew it, AZ was upon him. His fist cracked against Dragonite's torso, but despite being the same height, Dragonite flew backwards with an agonizing roar. He disappeared past the trees into the forest, but after a few moments, he made no indication he'd be returning.

    Ash grit his teeth, sweat trailing down his face. Dammit! With just one punch, he…

    AZ's baleful glare glowed black in the moonlight, a bloodthirsty grin on his lips. "I bear the Fairy Plate. For a trainer like you, surely that should be enough for you to understand."

    The Fairy Plate! So he is a Platebearer! Of course he targeted Dragonite! Ash's eyes swept over to Venusaur and Lucario. Does that mean he's weaker to poison and steel? His eyes narrowed. Either way, I have to strike soon. "Pikachu, I have a plan, but I need your help."

    As he relayed his instructions, Pikachu nodded and jumped off of his shoulder, ready for battle.

    "Alright! Sludge Bomb, Venusaur! Drench the whole clearing! Lucario, hold him! Give it everything you've got!"

    The massive flower on Venusaur's back opened and the air above it shimmered as if it was on fire. A purple mist began to drift out of it, before a deluge of thick poison shot skyward and arched back down toward AZ. The giant grit his teeth and moved to dodge, but Lucario leapt behind him and wrapped his iron arms under AZ's, locking him in place. AZ snarled as he lurched back, but he slipped on the newly frozen soil beneath his feet, courtesy of Glalie. AZ fought to free himself, but against Lucario's martial arts, he could not break free, and his struggling almost seemed to solidify Lucario's hold. Just before the poison impacted, Lucario released him and rolled away, then somersaulted over him back to Ash's side. A gleaming shield of Aura opened around them, and the poison rushed past them in a wave.

    Within a mass of poison, AZ groaned and stumbled. The poison was thick and stuck to him like honey, and he clawed at his eyes in order to wipe it away. Soon however, he simply clenched his fists, and another blinding explosion engulfed his body. When the dust settled, he stood in a blackened circle, the poison at the edges burned and congealed. But Ash was no longer in front of him.

    "Thunder Wave!" he heard behind him, but before he could turn, electricity flooded his body, and suddenly, his body was unresponsive. I can't move?! What is this?

    AZ could barely muster enough strength to turn his head, and he narrowed his eyes. Electricity swirled around Ash's fist as he flew toward AZ. An azure glow outlined his figure, and AZ looked past him to see Lucario siphoning his Aura into his master's body.

    Ash's Thunder Punch connected with AZ's jaw, and both of them fell to the ground.

    "Now, Thunderbolt!" Ash roared, and AZ's eyes widened as bolts of electricity began to dance on Ash's form. The clearing erupted in a brilliant flash and bolts of lightning cracked the heavens and sizzled outward from the epicenter. A titanic thundering rolled through the forest as Ash expelled everything he had into the assault. AZ trembled beneath him, and he screamed in fury. Only when his bones began to hurt and his eyes began to dry did Ash abate, and when he did, a pair of vines wrapped around him and quickly pulled him away from the monster.

    Venusaur placed him and Pikachu back onto a frozen platform Glalie had created, since the poison still soaked the clearing. Ash fell to his knees, breathing heavily. "How's that?" he wheezed.

    Pikachu squeaked in concern beside him, but Ash brushed him off, craning to see the results of his attack.

    AZ heaved himself off the ground and steadied himself with his hands. He rose slowly.

    Ash squinted. His eyes were still adjusting back to the darkness so he couldn't see too well, but AZ was clearly still conscious. Across the clearing, AZ raised his head. A trickle of blood was dripping from his nose, but before Ash could take any satisfaction in that, their eyes locked. AZ's murderous gaze seared through him and Ash swore they looked red from how much hatred they contained. He shivered, as did Pikachu beside him.

    "I was going to wait until the war to destroy my enemies. But I think I'll have you die now."


    Sinnoh Region - Paragon Island

    "Finally," Anabel said as she stared down at the completed newspaper before her. Sakura was dozing in the corner, but Magic still had enough energy to nuzzle her leg. She crouched down to get a closer look and rubbed Espeon's head.

    Each sheet lay side by side, stitched together with Latias' psychic power. When Anabel reached forward to lift the first page, her fingers felt a warmness imbued. Luckily, they'd been able to restore some of the ink enough to make the text barely legible, and the pictures barely viewable.

    "Now, let's see," she murmured. "What was such a big deal that you'd throw away three thousand years of free sleep?" She scanned the first page, then the second, then the third. But all of it contained nothing but mundane articles.

    The next page she looked at was actually the front page, and large letters sat across the top, nearly faded, but still readable. A picture lay beneath the title of the article, and she started reading. After coming across a certain sentence, Anabel frowned. Then her eyes widened as she remembered the last message she'd received from Cynthia. Ash had found AZ and was meeting up with Sabrina to engage him, against Cynthia's orders. "Oh no…," she breathed. Anabel shot to her feet and recalled Magic. Latias woke up at the sound of her alarm and she chirped in concern.

    "Let's go, Sakura!" Anabel shouted and she raced out of the room. Upstairs, she ran into Sylvester, who smiled initially, but upon seeing her urgency, his smile faded.

    "Anabel? What's wrong?"

    She ignored him and ran past, racing through the halls until she made it to the dining room, where she threw open the patio door and ran outside. Latias followed her out and Anabel quickly mounted her.

    "To Kanto, Sakura, as fast as you can!"

    Latias yipped and shot into the air, leaving a bewildered Sylvester behind.

    Please let me make it in time! she prayed. You're in terrible danger, Ash!

    Next — Chapter 23 : Old King

     
    Last edited:
  • Threadmarks
    • Ash probably should have waited. It's very him not to though. He got in some good hits.

    krookodile11 said:
    cross the clearing, Az raised his head. A trickle of blood was dripping from his nose, but before Ash could take any satisfaction in that, their eyes locked.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    Formatting issue: this is the only time AZ is not full capitalized.
     
    Remnants of the Great War [14]
  • Threadmarks
    • Sorry I'm a week late! Busy week at work last week and I didn't want to rush out a subpar chapter.


    PARAGON[

    Remnants of the Great War Arc [14]

    Chapter 23 : Old King​


    Sabrina rolled to the side as a blistering Flamethrower swept across the ground she was standing on moments ago. The opponent's Delphox was relentless in its assault, but it seemed to inherit that trait from its master.

    "C'mon hit her once, I thought Flamethrower had a hundred accuracy!" the young man yelled. "I don't care if you have to burn this whole forest down, just kill the trainer!"

    He attacked with a ferocity that took even her psychic wherewithal by surprise. Sabrina had watched AZ appear in the clearing from a distance, but before she could reveal herself, she'd found herself in the crosshairs of this boy and his Delphox. Even after deploying Minior, every attack it fired off had still been aimed at her.

    Ancient Power.

    Minior shuddered and spun through the air, and the ground rumbled as it pulled several boulders up from beneath the soil. Another gout of fire shot from Delphox's wand, but Minior shifted a boulder in front of it to protect its master. Delphox growled and conjured a glimmering shield before itself, and the boulders cracked harmlessly against it.

    Who is this kid? Sabrina thought as Minior tried to slip around Delphox to attack it from its side. Is someone this young really working for AZ?

    As it happened, she had the faculties to find the answer herself. She closed her eyes. It's for the greater good, she thought, but the justification fell like sand over her conscience, worth nothing.

    Nevertheless, her gauntlets began to glow and spin. Across the way, through the trees, the young trainer frowned, noticing her gauntlets for the first time through the nighttime darkness and the chaos of battle.

    I'm sorry, Minior, but I need you to draw its attention while I do this. Meteor Beam.

    Minior quivered in the air, and a bright light began to escape from the cracks in its rocky shell.

    "Yeah, right! Like we're just gonna stand here and let you charge that! Psychic, Delphox! Throw it away!"

    Delphox's eyes glowed blue, and a light of the same color engulfed Minior. It raised its wand to cast Minior away, but suddenly its eyes flashed and its full attention turned to Sabrina. Without warning, it scrawled a flaming kanji into the air and flung it at her. It spun through the air, trailing black smoke.

    Sabrina recoiled, but Minior was faster, and it abandoned its attack and flew straight into the inferno.

    "No!" Sabrina breathed.

    When the flames cleared, Minior hung in the air weakly, its carapace blackened by the attack. Despite its resistances, Sabrina could immediately tell its true form within the meteor was burnt.

    "I see what's going on," their opponent sneered. "You're a psychic. Your pokémon seemed like they were acting independently, but really you've been talking to them telepathically this whole time, right? And just now, you tried to read my mind, didn't you?" His glare pierced the darkness and rooted Sabrina in place. "Well, nice try you piece of shit. Don't you know Delphox can sense a psychic attack as obvious as that?"

    Sabrina pursed her lips. There was nothing obvious about that! Who is this boy? Her gaze shifted to her pokémon, who was steadily dropping closer to the ground and seemed to be struggling to lift itself again. We need to take Delphox down, Minior. Can you do it?

    They needed to end this quickly. She could hear Ash facing AZ alone in the clearing a short ways away and every second she remained stalled here was one second closer to more blood on AZ's hands. Ash's blood.

    Sabrina heard agony from her pokémon, but beneath it, resolve.

    Thank you. Use Earth Power. I'll keep it in place.

    She raised her arms and her gauntlets began to spin again, faster this time. Minior took a second to gather its strength, then shot into the sky above Delphox. Delphox raised her wand, but its body suddenly stiffened, and it hissed, whipping its gaze at Sabrina. A pulsating emerald light shimmered on Sabrina's outstretched hands.

    Minior's burned shell cracked apart and its fragments fell to the ground, revealing a pale violet body underneath. The tips of its spikes glowed, and the ground beneath Delphox gurgled.

    Delphox squealed as the ground beneath it started to heat up and crack apart, and it struggled furiously, but couldn't move.

    "Stay calm, Delphox!" the boy spat. "Use Psychic."

    At its trainer's words, Delphox calmed its struggle, and forced its power into the tip of its wand. Minior's Earth Power reached full charge, and a moment later, the ground erupted.

    A shaft of orange lava burst from below, but to Sabrina's shock, Delphox flew skyward with it, flipping its legs into the air until its wand was pointed directly down at the attack that should've defeated it instantly.

    It used the momentum of the Earth Power to shoot itself into the sky?! And used Psychic to protect itself…wait!

    Delphox flung its arm outward in an arc, and the lava from the Earth Power came with it. The oozing mass of lava stayed suspended in the air for half a second until Delphox locked eyes with Minior and hurled it straight at its unprotected form. It hit the meteorite point blank, and both attack and attacker hurled to the ground. The hot slag of the Earth Power hardened on the ground and Minior's body fell onto it, then rolled off of it, unconscious and smoking.

    "Don't fuck with me, bitch!" the trainer screamed. "I'm basically a Champion! Who the fuck are you?"

    Sabrina grit her teeth as she recalled Minior. Arrogant as he was, Sabrina could tell he wasn't lying. Their battle was evidence enough. Once, she'd been hailed as an unbeatable gym leader. But she'd never taken much of an interest in battling, relying mainly on her psychic powers to repulse trainer after trainer from the Saffron City Gym. But after retiring from her post and joining Paragon, it wasn't like she was suddenly interested in battling. Her skill level was basically still at the level of a standard gym leader, if not lower.

    If anyone else in Paragon were here, they'd have beaten Delphox. She was sure they'd come up with some stratagem that she could never hope to see. She simply didn't have the aptitude for it, or interest in it.

    A colossal bang and an inhuman roar shook Sabrina from her thoughts. It came from the clearing.

    Ash…! Her eyebrows furrowed and she clenched her fists. Her eyes flicked over at her opponent and she started walking forward.

    "The fuck? Okay," he scoffed. "Flamethrower, Delphox."

    "Dark Pulse."

    An oozing darkness burst out from Sabrina's body and mauled Delphox. The fox didn't even have a chance to react before the darkness swallowed it whole, inking out its silhouette against the backdrop. It quickly succumbed to the attack and fell to the ground.

    "What?!"

    Sabrina walked right up to the boy, who stood before her, frozen in shock and horror.

    "Hypnosis."

    Sabrina's eyes turned black, pupils and sclera all, and Gengar wafted out from her head, his arms outstretched. The boy could only gasp as Gengar leaned forward, cackling silently, and devoured him. His ghostly body passed through the boy, but when he withdrew, the boy's eyes rolled back in their sockets and he collapsed to the ground. With a satisfied grin, Gengar shrunk back into Sabrina's head, and her eyes returned to normal.

    She shuddered and rubbed her temple. Another boom drew her back toward the clearing, a worried expression on her face.

    "Ash!" Taking one last look at the defeated trainer, she took off into the forest, heading toward Ash's aid.


    "Arghhh!" Ash yelled, as another he crossed his arms in front of him and caught another of AZ's blows. The giant bore down on him, hammering punch after punch onto him, and it took all he had just to keep track of AZ's fists so he could defend himself.

    Venusaur and Glalie were both unconscious, and Lucario was slumped against a tree wheezing, expending all of his remaining energy on forcing oxygen into his battered lungs beneath his shattered rib cage.

    All of Ash's pokémon were effectively defeated, but he didn't even have a moment to recall them or summon new ones. Though even if he did, he figured they'd likely end up the same way.

    AZ roared and his fist glowed white for a moment before it connected. The punch hit Ash like a truck, and heat began to blossom against his chest. His eyes widened as AZ launched him back, and he flew through the air, slamming against the ground multiple times as he bounced away. He eventually came to a stop at the forest's edge and groaned in pain.

    AZ exhaled and cold vapor passed between his lips. He slowly lowered his fist, but it remained clenched.

    He's so strong, Ash thought as he staggered to his feet. That last hit had sent his head spinning, and he struggled to get his eyes to focus on the man in front of him. His fingers dug into the soil as he heaved himself up. His arms were numb from all the hits, but he moved them to his belt on autopilot and pulled off another pokéball. Keeping his gaze forward, he thumbed the release, and Emboar emptied out beside him. His beady eyes quickly scanned the situation, and upon seeing AZ, he snorted, sending a flurry of embers into the air.

    "We'll…attack him together," Ash panted. "Stay strong…as long as you can."

    Emboar bellowed, and Ash smiled weakly. You know what to do, too.

    Together, they bolted toward AZ, Ash going left, and Emboar tromping right. AZ grinned and lowered himself to welcome the assault. Just as Ash entered striking distance, he slid down. "Now!"

    Gengar emerged from Ash's shadow with a grin and disappeared into AZ's body. When he did, AZ's entire body went rigid, and he spasmed uncontrollably, unable to protect himself from what came next.

    Emboar jumped into the air, his hands clasped together. AZ's eyes locked onto the fire-type just as it brought the hammer down right on his head. AZ snarled in defiance, but his resistance broke and his legs buckled. From below, Ash's eyes sizzled as he cloaked his fist in electricity. As AZ's head sunk under the weight of Emboar's hit, Ash struck his chin with an ferocious uppercut, sending him skyward. His back arched, and against the white moon, Ash saw black blood fly from mouth.

    But suddenly, AZ twisted in the air, and his gaze burned down at Ash. At some unseen change, Gengar forced himself out of AZ's body, clearly smaller and damaged in some way. "It's a beautiful moon tonight!" he hissed. A curtain of bright light opened between his fingers, and before Ash could react, he hurled two blinding columns of energy from his hands.

    Moonblast! Ash glared up at the fearsome attack, but it was coming far too quickly to dodge.

    Suddenly, his body was jerked to the side and dragged across the grass. The Moonblasts hit the ground with a grand release of energy, sending dirt flying in all directions on currents of howling wind, and AZ dropped back to earth, landing on his feet. He raised his head slowly. "What's this now?"

    Sabrina stood behind Ash, her eyes glowing jade. Without taking her eyes off AZ, she released her Alakazam.

    Ash once again pulled himself off the ground. "He has the power of Arceus' Fairy Plate within him. He'll take no damage," he said, gathering his resolve once more, "except from me."

    Sabrina frowned in confusion as Emboar and Gengar rejoined Ash at his sides. He was breathing heavily, but he wasn't finished yet. Even if he couldn't defeat AZ here, he refused to let AZ escape without exacting a price first.

    "Same plan as before," Ash continued. "We'll flank him. I'll take front, you attack his back. Try and keep him still if you can."

    Sabrina nodded and Alakazam raised its spoons.

    "Another trainer, then," AZ commented, rolling his shoulders in their sockets. "This night becomes more and more entertaining. Perhaps I underestimated the warriors of this age. Either way, this has been an enlightening experience." His hair blew in the wind, and against the dark backdrop of the forest behind him, he appeared like some sort of mythical monster out of a fantasy. He raised his arms.

    Ash sprinted forward once more, his pokémon in tow. Sabrina faltered for a moment, seeing Ash join the charge with his pokémon, but her gauntlets whirred and her expression tightened, and she and Alakazam both disappeared, reappearing a second later behind AZ.

    AZ swiveled on his feet to take them both on at once. His hand shot out to catch Alakazam by the neck, but it teleported out of his grasp. From above, Gengar's mouth opened impossibly wide and he shot down to consume AZ, but the giant snarled and sidestepped, unwilling to get caught in his Imprison again. A gleaming shock of moonlight burst from his open palm and consumed Gengar. Despite his resistance, battle was not his specialty, and his body vanished in a smoky haze, burned away by the scalding moonlight.

    A fiery punch from Emboar roared in from AZ's left, but he caught it in his outstretched hand and flung him away like a ragdoll. But through the embers he left in his wake, Ash charged forward, electricity coursing across his hands.

    Pikachu jumped into the air, and his entire form turned a blinding white. AZ grunted and closed his eyes instinctively, but opened them a moment later after realizing the attack had meant to blind him.

    He glared ahead to take Ash on, but suddenly found himself unable to bring his arms forward. His head snapped around and he saw Sabrina floating in the air behind him, her gauntlets spinning about her outstretched hands. His wrists were cuffed in fractals of emerald light, and he frowned, trying to yank them free. Not a Platebearer, but this is clearly her doing. What is she? He pooled his monstrous strength in one arm and pulled with all his might, trying to break free before Ash reached him.

    Sabrina's eyes widened as she was suddenly pulled forward, and AZ's uneasiness melted away. Upon realizing she wasn't strong enough to hold him, he smirked.

    But she'd done her part. AZ's face was illuminated gold before he even had a chance to finish turning around. Ash smashed him straight in the chest. He groaned as thousands of volts flooded his body, before shooting backward past Sabrina, tearing up dirt as he went. He stopped on his back, his body smoking, and across the clearing, Ash heard him cough. Immediately, Sabrina and Alakazam appeared at AZ's side, and the air seemed to sag as they dumped wave after wave of psychic energy upon him.

    "Now, again," Ash breathed. As he limped forward, Gengar reformed at his side and promptly disappeared back into his shadow. "We…just…need…to…" With one more step, he doubled over and collapsed.

    Pikachu squeaked in concern at his side, his tiny eyes darting back and forth between his trainer and AZ, who was slowly getting to his feet. Sabrina and Alakazam were both clearly exerting themselves, but AZ's raw physical strength appeared to be prevailing.

    "No," Ash groaned, forcing himself up, but his vision swam, and he clutched his face. It was wet. He pulled his hand away. Even with black spots dancing at the edges of his sight and in the darkness, he could see the dark smear of blood in his palm. His was bleeding from both his nostrils.

    A guttural scream escaped AZ's mouth, and he shattered through the psychics' hold. Fast as lightning, a thin beam of light shot from AZ's finger and hit Alakazam, sending it shooting back into the forest with a painful wail. Sabrina's eyes widened, but AZ rounded on her, his dark visage smoldering, eyes blazing with bloodlust.

    A high pitched keening suddenly rang across the sky and AZ looked up. Indigo meteorites were raining down from above. He blasted one of them apart with a Moonblast, but the rest slammed against the ground between all three combatants, blazing with dragonfire.

    Streaking between the falling meteors, was a Latias. Ash craned his head up, but the Draco Meteor burned his vision. None of the meteors fell on Ash or Sabrina, but they all seemed to curve toward AZ like gravity was pulling them, and he was soon buried beneath an avalanche of flaming rock.

    Latias whipped through the inferno and found Ash. Anabel disembarked and ran toward him. "Ash!" She knelt down next to him, and upon seeing his bloodied face, horror flashed across hers. "Oh my goodness, what happened?"

    Sabrina teleported beside them, Alakazam's pokéball in her hand, having just recalled him. Sweat beaded her forehead and matted her hair against her neck. Fear dripped from her every move and twitch, undeterred by Anabel's arrival, and she took short, quick breaths, her whole body shaking.

    "Help me up," Ash coughed.

    "We need to leave now," Anabel said, lacing her arm under his. "Do you even realize where we are right now, Ash?"

    "He has the Fairy Plate," he said, ignoring her. "That's why he's so powerful."

    A flaming boulder launched toward them and AZ's arm clawed its way out from beneath the burning rubble, but Latias shattered it with a Dragon Pulse. He knocked the remnants of the Draco Meteors aside, emerging completely unharmed. "Another one," he hissed.

    Anabel stood, and Sakura spiraled to her side. Ash got to his feet and glared at AZ, Pikachu at the ready at his feet, ears perked up and ready to fight. Sabrina's gauntlets spun erratically, but they were dark now. She trembled as she reached around to pull a pokéball off her belt.

    "Three against one," AZ said, and his voice cut through the din of the conflagration. "Delicious."

    "Ash and Sabrina, on my mark, split for the forest. I'll draw his attention—"

    Az raised his hand, and with that one small movement, he ended everything. A tremendous bang, like the birth of a star, suddenly lit up the entire forest. The hair on Ash's skin burned off as he was cast backward. Pikachu fainted instantly, and Sabrina didn't even have time to deploy her next partner before a gale of searing wind voided her senses. Sakura surged in front of Anabel, but the dragon's eyes rolled back in her head, and Anabel was quickly buried under the slacken body of her own pokémon.

    When the light finally faded, AZ sighed and lowered his hand. The bodies of his opponents lay on the ravaged ground, the flames and rocks of the Draco Meteor completely gone. The entire clearing was now blackened and burned, and the trees at the edges were singed. Amidst the fiery decimation, AZ stood tall, utterly unfazed by the licking flames and roar of destruction.

    How disappointing, he thought. Even the Platebearer lay unmoving, blood trickling down his face. You are nothing like the Platebearers I faced in the Great War. Arceus would weep if it could see what's become of its soul. He lumbered over to their fallen bodies and shook his head. Then, a sneer curled onto his face. "You really thought you could fell me, who survived the Calamity, with that?" He raised his arm over the body of the Platebearer. "Die."

    A dark blur streaked across his periphery, but before he could turn his head, it dropped below his line of sight and he felt his legs get swept out from under him. The air around his enemies warbled, and an invisible veil appeared to dissipate. The visage of his defeated enemies melted away, and in its place, a different reality played out.

    Ash was hunched over Sabrina's prone form, a handful of pokéballs in his hand after recalling his fallen partners. Anabel stood tall, but Latias was already back in her ball.

    "Take Sabrina and run, Ash!" Anabel barked. "Hydro Pump, Magic!"

    As AZ got back on his feet, his eyes found the Umbreon that had knocked him over. Cloaked in darkness, it'd been able to evade his senses until it was right next to him. But as it primed its attack, something peculiar happened. Its black fur bristled and began to recede into his skin. At the same time, its body began to turn a vibrant turquoise, and aquatic fins stretched out across its limbs and head.

    Vaporeon? He threw up his massive hand and the water blasted against it. For the first time since the battle had begun, he demanded an answer from the Fairy Plate. His eyes snapped open wildly, like a beast gifted intellect, It can change forms! It used its powers as an Espeon to create an illusion around them, then shifted into Umbreon to attack me!

    "C'mon, Anabel!" Ash screamed. Dragonite shimmered into being at his side and he gently lifted Sabrina into his arms.

    "Get out of here, I'll be right behind you! Spirit Shackle, Sophia!"

    Decidueye swooped down from above, an arrow smoking with ghostly energy already nocked in her arm.

    "No, it won't work, get back, Anabel!"

    AZ blitzed forward and the arrow snapped and broke against his body. Decidueye's eyes widened, but it was too far away from its trainer to stop what came next. AZ's arm came down in a vicious arc just as Anabel turned to dodge. His sharpened hand caught her right arm and cleaved it from her body like a hot knife through butter.

    Anabel tripped back, blood dumping from the wound, and she fell to the ground, eyes wide. Decidueye and Vaporeon both shot toward AZ, but he grabbed them both and slammed their heads together, then tossed them aside.

    "No!" Ash roared, and a blazing thunderbolt as tall as his body tore toward AZ.

    AZ crossed his arms, and the gargantuan bolt shattered against him. "You're next!" he snarled.

    A Dragon Pulse from Dragonite washed over him harmlessly, and he bunched his legs up and bulleted toward Ash, his arm pulled back, ready to impale him.

    A deafening screech, like grinding metal, stopped him in his tracks, and just as a storm of curved steel blades flurried toward him, he leapt back, landing all the way at the other side of the clearing.

    A hulking Corviknight landed between Ash and AZ, digging its talons into the black soil, and it spread its wings protectively. A man in a white suit climbed off its back.

    "Albrecht!" Ash exclaimed. "Please get back, he's extremely dangerous!"

    Albrecht ignored him and pulled another pokéball off his belt, tossing it out. A Nidoking, oozing just as much threat as the Corviknight, emptied out.

    "Fissure."

    Nidoking released a low bellow and slammed its fists together, before leaping into the air and smashing the ground with its herculean strength.

    Ash almost fell over, if not for Dragonite steadying him, as the ground began to shake furiously. It felt like an earthquake, and his bones rattled painfully within him. Dragonite hovered into the air, glancing nervously between his trainer and the newcomer.

    Between Albrecht and AZ, the ground tore apart, and a yawning chasm opened, before spreading outward in both directions. It cut through the forest, swallowing trees, rocks, and entire hillsides. Even after it'd sheared through the clearing, completely out of sight, the seismic shaking never ceased or diminished in intensity.

    Ash fell back against the ground, and the shaking caused his body to bang against the turbulent ground repeatedly, but it was better than trying to stand. He simply closed his eyes and prayed for it to stop soon, before a tree could topple on top of him or Dragonite.

    The earthquake continued for nearly a minute until the ground finally stopped moving. Ash's whole body was numb, and he opened his eyes slowly. The ground now curved upward into a hill, as if pried apart forcefully, and Albrecht stood at its top. Dragonite cautiously lowered himself, and Ash got up and limped over to the World Champion.

    "What…," he breathed. A giant canyon had opened before them, so deep and wide he couldn't even see the bottom.

    On the other side, AZ stood unfazed, directly opposite Albrecht. His gaze was smoking, and it never left the World Champion. "Do you think a measly crack in the road can stop me?"

    "You'll have to forgive me. Violence was never my forte like it was yours."

    Ash glanced back at Albrecht. His visage was resolute, but his eyes held a sadness that shook Ash to his core. As unpredictable as Albrecht was, he never expected to see this, not from a man like him.

    "Three thousand years, and still, all you have for me is scolding," AZ scoffed. "You haven't changed at all."

    "I've changed," Albrecht countered. His fists tightened. "Against my wishes, everything has changed."

    "Oh? Do tell. How are the others doing anyway?"

    "Most of them are dead. Only the strongest remain."

    "Ha ha," AZ laughed dryly. "Is that what you're supposed to be?" After seeing Albrecht's expression remain unchanged, he continued. "So, are you here to kill me then, old king? Those three who came before you didn't offer much of a challenge."

    Corviknight and Nidoking hissed at either side of him, but Albrecht put up a hand. "And yet I see you're bleeding."

    Behind AZ, a cowled figure emerged from the forest on shaky legs. "Your Grace!" Upon seeing the canyon, he stopped and fell to his knees. "Ahhh, t-the World Champion. How…?" He shook his head and bowed toward AZ. "Y-You're Grace, with all due respect, we're out of time. We must leave now!"

    AZ didn't move, and neither did Albrecht, both sizing each other up. Finally, he grinned, his face twisting into a hellish tapestry of rage, bloodlust, and amusement. "Let's postpone our battle. I suspect the both of us still need time to properly gather our forces. I've waited three thousand years to kill you. Another month or so is nothing."

    Without a second glance, he turned and lumbered back into the forest, disappearing into the dark.

    Ash watched him go, and extended a groggy hand forward. "No… wait…" But dark spots danced in his vision, and a wave of nausea bubbling up from his chest was the last sensation he felt before blacking out.

    Next — Chapter 24 : Mankind's Greatest Desires


    I am aware that I did a lot of head-hopping this chapter, but I hope it wasn't too immersion-breaking. I wanted to get into the heads of a lot of characters, and a pseudo-omniscient POV seemed like the only way to do that. I will try not to do this in the future, though.
     
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    • Remnants of the Great War [15]
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    • 100k words!


    PARAGON

    Remnants of the Great War Arc [15]

    Chapter 24 : Mankind's Greatest Desires​


    Ash opened his eyes to the sound of silence assaulting his beleaguered senses. He was lying down indoors, and as his eyes adjusted to his surroundings, he saw high walls of mahogany draped in noisy tapestries closing in around him. A trail of dust shimmered in the sunlight that beamed through the vaunted windows, and he squinted at its brightness.

    Where…? He pawed at his face and his line of sight gradually shifted down to his torso, where he was buried beneath several layers of thick blankets. He kicked them off and sat up. A dull pain ached throughout his entire body, like he'd fallen asleep on a bed of cragged rocks, and he winced. His eyes drifted around the room. Then his heart dropped and his eyes shot open. "Pikachu!"

    As he moved to jump out of bed, movement to his left stopped him. "He's safe, Ash, as are all your other pokémon." Albrecht was sitting by his bedside table, a book in hand, though he promptly closed it.

    "Albrecht!" Ash exclaimed, and took several seconds to process what was going on. "You were…" He looked around again. "Where are we?"

    "This is my estate. I assure you, you're safe."

    "Where're my pokémon?"

    "I have my people taking care of them. You've raised some excellent partners. Despite the beating they took, it seems they'll all be fully recovered in just one more day."

    Ash took several deep breaths to try to calm himself down and process what was going on. "I…thank you."

    "You went well beyond your own limits as well," Albrecht continued. "I'll have a meal brought to you, but after, it'd be best if you let your body rest so you can regain your full strength."

    Almost as if Albrecht's words had manifested into reality, Ash's stomach gurgled and he was suddenly hit by a wave of fatigue. The room began to spin and he closed his eyes, refusing to fall asleep. Once it passed, he opened them again. "Where are Sabrina and Anabel?"

    Albrecht stood, leaving his book on the bedside table. "They're here as well. Not to worry, they're being taken good care of."

    Noticing Albrecht's reserved tone, his eyes flicked over nervously. "What's wrong?"

    Albrecht hesitated, looking away. "Sabrina is still asleep last I checked, sporting only minor injuries. But your friend Anabel… How much do you remember—?

    No, it can't be. Ash nearly tripped over himself clambering out of bed. His stomach protested, but he didn't care. Please tell me I imagined that. Please don't be real.

    "Ash, wait. Please, wait! Just—I'll take you to her, just please slow down!"

    Albrecht rushed ahead and opened the door for Ash, and Ash stormed through. The hall outside had a similarly high ceiling and medieval adornments on its walls. Albrecht waited a moment for Ash to catch his breath before heading down the hall. They didn't have to travel far before they came upon an open set of twin doors. Beyond lie an array of pristine white beds, and one of them was occupied. Several nurses looked up at Ash's arrival in confusion.

    "Anabel!" Ash yelled, surging toward her.

    The girl was wrapped in bandages, but the skin on her face that was exposed was raw with burns. Ash's stomach dropped upon seeing her right side. In the sea of white, he'd seen a dark spot of red from the door. Where her right arm should have been laying on the bed next to her, there was nothing. Her bandaged right shoulder ended in a bloody stump.

    "Not good, huh?" she breathed. Her eyes were glassy and out of focus. "I haven't been able to bring myself to turn my head and look at it."

    "Anabel…"

    "Ash, I think we should let her rest," Albrecht said, slowly walking up beside him. "She'll need time to recover and heal."

    "Wait," Anabel croaked. "I need to…talk to you." Her every word sounded like they scraped painfully against her throat before coming out. "You…you…" she began, but she was interrupted by a fit of coughing.

    "Can she get some water?" Ash cried, but a nurse was already lifting a glass to her chapped lips before he could finish.

    After she finished drinking, she took several breaths. "This place…we're in Rota, aren't we?"

    "Rota?" Ash exclaimed, taking another glance around the room. Though now that she'd mentioned it, it certainly did look eerily similar to the interior of Cameran Palace.

    "AZ was coming here," Anabel said quietly. "Wasn't he?"

    Albrecht's expression didn't change. "Well, there isn't much else this far north…but it sounds like you knew that already."

    She took several more breaths, as if preparing herself for a long winded explanation. "There were newspaper particles…left in AZ's cell after he escaped. I…put them back together. The headline was about you…becoming the World Champion." She closed her eyes. "At the Frontier, I used to meet all kinds of people. And because…of the…nature of the Frontier, I came to learn about various important people behind the scenes. That's when I first heard…your name. I should've forgotten it immediately. But…there was a man drinking at the party that night. He was so loud, but he started to say…some strange things about you. That you were connected to the Guardians. That you were someone important in Rota. I didn't remember…until I saw the headline. Once I realized…where Ash was…that he was chasing AZ into northern Kanto, everything…fell into place."

    Ash listened to Anabel, transfixed by her every word, and when she was finished, he looked over at Albrecht. The World Champion's brows were knit together tightly.

    "I see," he murmured. "Well, my connection to the Guardians isn't entirely unknown. To those who know me, at the very least. I try to cover my tracks as much as possible…but I suppose a leak like that was inevitable sooner or later." He sighed wearily. "These games of the elite are not my forte."

    "I don't understand," Ash said, turning back to Anabel. "Even if you knew Albrecht was involved with the Guardians, what does that have to do with AZ? You're saying AZ broke out of prison because Albrecht became the World Champion?"

    "Let's let your friend rest," Albrecht said before Anabel could respond. "I believe I can answer any further questions you have. As far as this one is concerned, I'm assuming your friend knows about the final battle of the Great War, which took place here in Rota, between the Guardians and the forces of the Kalosian Empire." He glanced at Anabel, and the girl nodded slowly, before wincing in pain. She moaned, flexing the remaining muscles in her ruined arm. Her bandages darkened.

    "Anabel…," Ash knelt closer to her, wanting to do something, anything, to abate her pain, but couldn't.

    "I'll be fine…Ash," she bit out. "Go… Learn all you can…on my behalf… Please."

    Her breathing was short and quick and Ash could see sweat begin to bead on her forehead.

    "Her fever's flaring up again," Albrecht said, and he motioned to some nurses to attend to her. "Let's return to your room, Ash, and there, I'll tell you everything you want to know."

    Ash cast one last pained look at Anabel before a nurse strode between them and began administering aid. Involuntarily, his hand balled into a fist, but he didn't even feel strong enough to punch anything. He was just so frustrated. Angry at AZ. Angry at himself. And guilty that he alone came out scot free while Anabel and Sabrina were confined to their beds. They didn't have impenetrable skin like he did. Yet he was the one AZ was trying to kill, and they'd suffered far worse than he did.

    Ash stood and ambled out of the hospital ward. He felt lightheaded as he walked through the vaunted halls of Albrecht's manor. He heard Albrecht walking up behind him, but even he sounded so far away.

    I called Sabrina to help me. And Anabel lost her…

    His tongue heated up and warm saliva flooded his mouth. Before he knew it, he was on his knees, vomiting onto the velvet carpet. Albrecht came up behind him and rubbed his back, but he could barely register him as the contents of his stomach forced their way out of his mouth. After several minutes, when he finally finished, he simply knelt there, hanging over his mess, focusing on each and every breath he took. His vision was blurry, and cold sweat coated his skin.

    She doesn't have her right arm anymore.

    Anabel wasn't weak by any means. And she was a cautious trainer. In battle, she always tended toward defense over offense. She'd tried to get them to escape the moment she'd arrived. So why did things turn out this way?

    "Ash," Albrecht said softly, resting his hand on his shoulder. "Let's get back to your room."

    Ash let Albrecht lend him his arm. He mumbled a "sorry," but didn't catch Albrecht's reply, if there was one. Guided by the World Champion, he put one foot in front of the other until he found himself back at his bed. At that point, he needed no more direction, collapsing onto his bed where he swiftly fell asleep.

    When he woke up, the windows were black, and his room was dark, save for several candles that fluttered on his bedside table.

    To his surprise, he felt rejuvenated and strong. The thought of Anabel's arm brought him a thick sense of malaise, but he found he could ponder it without being blinded by his own thoughts. Hunger and thirst evaded him, but his wits were returning to him. He needed to contact Cynthia immediately.

    He swung his leg onto the floor, and after realizing he was good to stand, slowly walked over to his backpack on a chair along the wall.

    Before he could grab it, he heard the doorknob to his room turn, and he turned. A thin smile wrinkled his cheeks.

    "Sabrina."

    The girl's skin was bright red in patches on her neck and face, and several scratches adorned her face. Her gauntlets were dark and barely moved. She was looking down, and she almost seemed to be sleepwalking, but she slowly padded inside and closed the door behind her.

    "Sabrina," Ash hurried toward her and wrapped her in a hug. She bristled but didn't move, and let her head sink into the crook of Ash's shoulder. "I'm so, so, sorry," he whispered. Sabrina didn't respond, but after a few moments, Ash felt his clothes warm with her tears, and he held her tighter. "Have you seen her?"

    She shook her head.

    Ash's face crinkled in agony. "I'll go with you."

    As they pulled apart, Ash saw her puffy red eyes and looked away. But another knock at the door interrupted their emotions, and Sabrina turned at the sound, wiping her eyes.

    "Ash," Albrecht said. Upon seeing Sabrina, he stopped himself. "Miss Sabrina. I was just looking for you. I'm glad you found your way here, I wanted to update both of you on Miss Anabel's condition. May I?" After Ash nodded, he stepped inside. "At the outset, I'll say it's good news. She has stabilized, and the treatment appears to be working well. Her arm isn't bleeding anymore, and with enough time, it should heal without any complications."

    He let them absorb the info. They both looked down in shame, but Ash looked dejected while Sabrina looked despondent.

    "All of this is to say, you shouldn't keep blaming yourselves for it. Miss Anabel herself seems to be in higher spirits than either of you. The best you can do for her now is to eat and rest, and recover your own strength. Once you are ready, let's talk."

    "No," Ash said, remembering what Anabel told him. "I've done enough resting. I'd like to hear what you have to say now." He looked over at Sabrina, and she nodded in agreement.

    Albrecht glanced between them, but nodded. "Very well. Let me have some dinner brought here, and we'll get started."

    Albrecht left and returned a couple minutes later with a pair of maids who carried their dinner and a pitcher of water. Sabrina stood awkwardly beside Ash's bed until he nudged her over to it and insisted she sit. He pulled over another chair from the wall and set it up next to her, but he sat sideways and his legs lay between her and Albrecht's seat, who faced the two of them. After pouring them both a glass of water, Albrecht put the pitcher down and crossed his legs.

    "Now, where to get started?" he said after taking a deep breath. "Ah, where are my manners? It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Sabrina." He extended a gloved hand.

    Ash caught it. "Sorry, but can we just cut to the chase? You're like AZ too, aren't you? You're over three thousand years old. And you're from the age of the Great War."

    Ash let Albrecht's hand go and he withdrew it. His expression darkened ever so slightly. "Yes, that's right."

    "So you lied?" Ash said. "You are a Platebearer."

    Sabrina's eyes darted between them in confusion and Albrecht noticed. "Forgive me, Miss Sabrina. Ash and I spoke prior as you may be aware, and I told him about certain things that he may or may not have relayed to you."

    "I didn't," Ash confirmed.

    "I see. Well, then first, I must thank you for trusting me and keeping what I told you a secret. But those secrets are moot now that AZ is on the move." He locked eyes with Ash. "What I told you before was true. I am not a Platebearer. But before we continue, let's catch Miss Sabrina up to speed."

    Over the next half hour, Albrecht once again explained everything he'd told Ash about Arceus' Plates, the Platebearers, and his suspicions about AZ. Sabrina didn't interrupt once to ask questions, simply nodding along as she nibbled at her food. When Ash told her he was a Platebearer himself, her eyes went wide and she almost choked on the food in her mouth. For the remainder of the explanation, she just stared at Ash in awe, like she couldn't even believe what he'd told her.

    "I know it was a lot, but does that all make sense, Miss Sabrina?" Albrecht asked, and she quickly faced him again and nodded. "Please forgive Ash from keeping this from you, it was something I asked of him for obvious reasons. But now that AZ is aware of you all, it is imperative that you have the full story of what you're dealing with." He took a deep breath. "First, I'll ask you two how much you know about the Great War."

    "I don't really know anything about it, except that it happened three thousand years ago and AZ was a part of it," Ash said with slight embarrassment.

    "Same," Sabrina said quietly.

    Albrecht nodded. "No worries. The Great War is such ancient history, you'd be hard pressed to find anyone in this day and age who knows anything more about it beyond its name, aside from scholars of that time period. Well, then I suppose we have a lot to go over. But the truth about the Great War is quite different from most of the information about it out there today. In textbooks and museums, you will be told the Great War began over practical things like land or resources. And while this may have been a contributing factor for the lesser factions, the truth is that it was Arceus' Plates that started the war, and Arceus' Plates that ended it. In fact, most, if not all, major conflicts since the Great War have had something to do with the Plates. It's no exaggeration to say this world has lived in the shadow of the Plates for over three thousand years."

    "But I thought there haven't been any wars ever since the Great War?" Ash asked. "Haven't we had peace for the past three thousand years?"

    "On the surface, yes. But no, the conflicts never abated completely. They simply moved underground, behind closed doors, where the powers that be could conduct their warfare away from the prying eyes of the masses. Make no mistake. The struggle for the Plates hasn't ceased at all. Instead of trading blows on the field of battle, men shake hands behind the curtain to gain incremental advances in their own myriad agendas."

    "But back to the Great War. As you may know, the Age of Carnage, where pokémon behaved like beasts and attacked humanity indiscriminately, was just coming to an end shortly before the war began. People and pokémon were only just starting to get along, and the concept of a 'trainer' was still unbelievable to most. After all, how could one befriend, much less tame, the very monsters that devoured their kin and destroyed their meager homes just several generations ago? Human settlements were little more than villages, or small towns in certain areas. There were only two places in the entire world that could be called civilizations at that time. The Land of Rota in the west, and the State of Kalos in the east."

    "The Guardians, gifted with their ability to control Aura, had an easier time taming the wild pokémon of the age, and thus, were able to carve out a sizable country where peace and harmony reigned. On the other hand, the land of Kalos held many natural resources in far greater abundance than anywhere else in the world, so the kings of Kalos slowly pushed their borders further and further out with each successive generation, until they conquered the entire continent. They developed technology, paved roads, and raised armies to protect their citizens."

    "Despite their infantile societies, Rota and Kalos both recognized the fortune they'd been blessed with, and saw the squalor that the rest of the world lived in. They sought to spread their wealth to neighboring lands. For Rota, this meant sending out envoys to what we now know as Johto and Hoenn to spread the knowledge and wisdom of pokémon training. The Guardians taught those less fortunate than them how to work together with pokémon to cultivate their lands and build up their communities. In the east, Kalos set up colonies on the Unovan and Galarian continents, and their immense wealth transformed those untamed frontiers into a bedrock strong enough to support the superpowers that we recognize them as today."

    His eyes sank and he laced his fingers together. "I was around your age when I first met AZ. At that time, Kalos had slipped ahead of Rota in their rivalry through sheer size and numbers. Their lands eclipsed all others in scope and strength, and people flocked east in droves, hoping to finally find safety from the untamed wilderness. AZ had come of age and been crowned just several months earlier, and he'd set out on a tour of his domain, and somewhere along the journey, he'd decided to sail west and see not just his own lands, but the entire world. It was toward the end of his voyage that he finally arrived at Rota. Unlike his predecessors, who saw the Guardians as rivals on the world stage, AZ sought to join hands with Rota."

    "He wanted an alliance?" Ash asked. "I thought Rota and Kalos were enemies? They fought each other in the Great War after all."

    "Yes, but it all began with a proposal for an alliance. AZ had witnessed much death and misfortune on his journey across the world. Most of the world was nothing like Kalos, with its abundance of food, legions of trainers to protect the weak, and expansive social programs to maintain an elevated standard of living. And Rota offered a similar respite. AZ wanted everyone to share in the sanctuary that Rota and Kalos enjoyed, and believed an alliance would hasten the world to that end." Albrecht glanced back up at Ash and Sabrina, and met both of their enraptured gazes. "But the Guardians rejected his alliance."

    "You see, to understand the Guardians' decision, you must first understand the balance of power between east and west. Kalos was a sprawling empire, with vassal states to the north and south which expanded its sphere of influence across nearly half of the world. Meanwhile, Rota commanded a comparatively minuscule slice of land in northern Kanto. They had a presence in neighboring lands, but it amounted to little more than garrisons. What you might call embassies in this day and age. But what they lacked in numbers, they made up for in raw strength and talent. As I said earlier, the Guardians had the gift of Aura on their side, and a detailed chronicle of history and legends penned by their predecessors that gave them a leg up against Kalos. Any single Guardian was worth ten Kalosian wielders, at a minimum. All of this is to say, the Guardians believed that, despite the vast difference in the size of their domains, they were roughly equivalent in power to their great Kalosian counterpart in the east."

    "But AZ possessed something else his predecessors didn't. While the Kalosian kings of the past were content to release their generals and dignitaries out into the world like birds, and wait for the news of their expanded borders to trickle in, AZ took an active interest in…everything. He wanted to learn about people, and pokémon, and above all else, the reason for why there had to be so much suffering in the world. It was said he spent more time abroad, searching for answers to his many questions, than in his own vast empire."

    "As you can imagine, his depthless curiosity led him to discovering the Plates of Arceus. In truth, the Guardians had known about the Plates for some time, and tried to keep knowledge of their true power hidden, for reasons which would soon become obvious." He took a deep breath. "But for a man like AZ, he was bound to learn about them eventually. And once he did, he began to seek them out. He saw them as the solution to the world's prolonged suffering."

    "But his voracious pursuit was a double-edged blade. While he was able to push technology and medicine further than any of his predecessors, he also stumbled across things that transformed him in a darker way. You see, the terror of the Age of Carnage was still quite fresh in everyone's mind. And none more so than AZ, who wished to stamp out all human suffering. But…that righteous heart in his chest began to pump a poisonous fear into him."

    "In short, AZ believed the Age of Carnage would someday return, even worse than before. He recognized the power of Arceus' Plates, and came to the conclusion that pokémon, not just humans, would seek them out as well. He believed the power in those Plates would drive them to madness, and they would fight over them viciously, causing the end of humanity in the process."

    Albrecht closed his eyes and nodded solemnly. "In truth, he was right. Ancient Guardian texts tell of a war between pokémon that predates all life on this planet. It was said the pokémon defeated in that war fell to Earth, continuing to enact pointless violence against one another. That was the beginning of the Age of Carnage. But it's said the war between the pokémon was indeed fought over custody of the Plates. The strongest pokémon, who were able to taste the power of the Plates, became the legendary and mythical pokémon of today."

    "But the outcome of that war was never written. Which has led some Guardians to believe it continues to this day. The last words about it in the Guardians' archives speak of a quarrel between only two remaining pokémon. Two pokémon, one of infinite light, and the other, of infinite darkness. For eons, they've fought, surviving all others, never tasting defeat."

    Albrecht sighed. "In any case, AZ eventually did acquire one of Arceus' Plates. In spite of the Guardians' efforts, a man like him was never going to be barred from the truth forever. I'm not sure what it did to him, but he suddenly became certain of humanity's grisly future. He believed humanity was destined to wage insignificant wars against one another until one day, we were unceremoniously wiped off the map by those two creatures, so powerful they wouldn't even register our existence."

    "And AZ, in all his righteousness, took up arms against that fate. He began construction on a weapon that would be able to kill such godlike beings. But the price for such power…was unspeakable. All pokémon are imbued with a certain energy. They are imbued with Aura. To power his weapon, AZ slaughtered countless pokémon. His entire empire became drenched in blood. Can you imagine just how many lives it would take to amass enough power to destroy a god?"

    "It was Rota who eventually declared war, though tensions between the east and west had already been rising. His massacre violated every tenant in the Guardians' code. Because of the vast expanse of the two forces, fighting broke out on nearly every continent." Albrecht smiled grimly, his eyes pale with sadness. "It's ironic. AZ feared the madness of the Plates, but that's exactly what consumed him." Albrecht let out a hollow laugh, devoid of amusement. "He wanted to join the war between the pokémon and win, on behalf of humanity."

    Ash swallowed, shell-shocked by Albrecht's story. At first, AZ seemed like little more than a crazed monster. To think he did it all for the sake of humanity… Ash frowned as he processed everything he'd just heard. "But with a weapon like that, how in the world did AZ lose and end up getting locked in the World Prison?"

    "As one might expect, AZ's hubris at meddling with powers he didn't fully understand ended up being his downfall. In the end, the weapon was fired. From where, we still don't know to this day. But…it did not hit its intended target. In a stroke of divine justice, it fell upon Kalos itself, as well as Unova and Galar. The Kalosian Empire was utterly annihilated. Suffice to say, it ended the war immediately. What was left of AZ's forces turned against him. The survivors apprehended him, he was put on trial before a coalition of representatives from Kalos and Rota, and all the regions in between, and was sentenced to death. Of course, how was one meant to kill a Platebearer?"

    "Weren't there other Platebearers at the time?" Ash asked.

    "Oh, there were. But none who dared to prod at AZ after he'd already resigned himself to defeat. The wardens of the World Prison carried out meaningless execution attempts, but eventually, the memories of his crimes, like most of the Great War, were lost to time."

    Albrecht sighed. "AZ's lust for power poisoned his righteousness and turned it to ruthlessness. In hindsight, it's not so surprising. The power granted by the Plates is intoxicating. They can elevate even a king like AZ to heights he could never reach on his own. But from so high up, he lost sight of what was most important."

    Ash looked down at his hands. If he wanted to, he could destroy this entire room. He could destroy this entire building. He knew he could. It'd be over in an instant. And what could stop him? His skin was like iron. And this was the power granted by just a single Plate? He nearly shivered at the thought.

    "And so, ultimately, the Guardians rejected AZ's offer of an alliance because they foresaw the darkness in his future, and did not want it to corrupt them too. AZ was not the first king to seek out the Plates, and of course, he wasn't the last. At the end of the day, Arceus' Plates will always be sought out by those who learn of them. Since time immemorial, man has yearned for two things. Do you know what they are?"

    Ash shook his head, as did Sabrina.

    Albrecht put up two fingers. "Immortality and world domination. These are mankind's greatest desires. And with the power of the Plates, one can achieve both."

    "Immortality and world domination…," Ash repeated. "I don't want either of those, yet I have the power of a Plate all the same."

    "And that's precisely why I sought you out," Albrecht said, pointing at him. "When I told you I was a fan of yours, that was no exaggeration. If anything, it was an understatement. The truth is, I've been watching your pokémon journey for some time, from afar. You came here, to Cameran Palace, several years into your journey, and helped save the Tree of Beginning. It was then that I became invested in you. After you became the World Champion, I believed it was time to finally approach you, and tell you about the Plates. But, wily as you are, you slipped between my fingers. So I had to wrack my brain and think of a new plan. It took some time to get enough of the League on my side, but eventually, things panned out." He seemed to hesitate for a moment. "I believe you asked me why I became the World Champion the last time we spoke."

    Ash's eyes went wide. "You became the World Champion…just to talk to me?!"

    Albrecht looked away in embarrassment. "Well, it sounds a certain way when you put it like that…but yes, I suppose that's not entirely inaccurate." He straightened himself and faced Ash again. "Ash, I believe you will be the hero that AZ failed to be. With the power of the Plates, you will end the incessant conflict between humans, and between pokémon."

    Adrenaline surged through Ash's veins. Everything Albrecht was saying sounded insane, too insane to be real. Somehow, the shock of finding out that everything Albrecht had done over the past two years was just to meet him was even greater than when he'd found out he was a Platebearer. And then his grandiose statement just now. It was like a dream within a dream, but the dream wasn't his. Become some grand hero? How?

    "I…I don't know what to say," Ash stammered. "This is all so much."

    The World Champion sighed. "Yes, I'm truly sorry things turned out this way. I had hoped to ease you into this more slowly, but evidently, things are moving beyond either of our control. AZ's plans are almost complete. I suspect it won't be long until he rains hellfire back down upon the world again."

    "Mister Albrecht, sir," Sabrina said, speaking up for the first time. Her plate was clean and she'd set it gently on the bed beside her, but she wore a determined look on her face with her hands crossed in her lap. "You keep referring to the Guardians as if they're a third party, but you are a Guardian, aren't you? I mean, you have this mansion here, and that's how you know so much about them, right?

    Ash frowned, but his mind drifted back to the conversation he'd heard between Albrecht and AZ just before he passed out. His eyes widened. "Wait…AZ called you 'old king'…" His head suddenly jerked up. "You're…?"

    "That empty throne in Cameran Palace," Albrecht nodded. "It's mine." His eyes flared blue with the radiance of Aura.

    Next — Chapter 25 : Aura

     
  • Threadmarks
    • Remnants of the Great War [16]
  • Threadmarks
    • PARAGON

    Remnants of the Great War Arc [16]

    Chapter 25 : Aura​


    "Oh, you look dreadful, my dear."

    Zelda Leora fingered her rings as Cynthia settled into the seat across from her. True to Zelda's observation, even the ever-present radiance of the Hano Grand Resort could not hide Cynthia's weariness. She fell back into her chair with a slump, and sighed.

    "Yeah," she agreed.

    "Well, no better time for this, then." Zelda lifted a bottle of dark silver liquid off the table and pulled off the crystal stopper, before carefully pouring some into the empty glass in front of Cynthia.

    Cynthia watched her pour, the alcohol swirling like storm clouds within the glass.

    "I like this one quite a bit," Zelda said, replacing the stopper. "Take a sip before I tell you what it is."

    Usually Cynthia would be cautious, but she was so exhausted she couldn't even bother feigning concern. She lifted the glass to her lips and emptied a bit into her mouth. Immediately, her face wrinkled and she put her glass down a but harder than she intended to. She swallowed and rubbed her throat.

    "It's spicy!" she said, cringing with one eye closed. "Is that whiskey?"

    "Very good, Cynthia! You're exactly right. Aged in cask made from the spectral wood of a former Phantump, then finished with 0.02 milliliters of Salazzle poison. The poison is scraped directly from the tongue of an adolescent, when it's at its sweetest, and that takes with it a bit of its fiery mucus. Before it can congeal, it's blended with the whiskey in a centrifuge so its flavor gets distributed evenly. It's said that a single sip can add a whole year to one's life. What do you think?"

    Cynthia opened and closed her mouth a few times, letting the taste work its way around her mouth. Since it was so spicy, she couldn't taste the whiskey at all before,but now she could, and it actually soothed her inflamed tongue. A smoky aftertaste wafted throughout her mouth, and she stifled the urge to cough. "It has an interesting flavor," she eventually said.

    "I can't get enough of it," Zelda smiled. "But enough of that. Have some of these ocean cakes. And have a sugar stick with it."

    Cynthia did as instructed and loaded up her plate. She took her bites slowly, and chewed even slower. Today's sweets were quite exotic, and she found herself disliking more items than she liked. Zelda let her take a few bites before speaking again.

    "So. You must tell me what ails you, my dear. Miss Leora is here to lend you her ear."

    "AZ," Cynthia said, dabbing at the corners of her mouth. "What else?"

    "'What else,' indeed. These attacks on Interpol's bases have yet to abate. It's quite concerning that his cohorts seem to know exactly where they are. It's almost worse that they never take anything of much value. At least then, we'd have a lead on what it is they're after."

    Zelda wasn't a part of the International Police, but Cynthia knew they were connected in some way. Maybe she worked for them in the past, but Cynthia had never asked. After knowing Zelda for so long, she'd come to expect that Zelda had eyes on everything.

    "Actually about that," Cynthia said. "I've been thinking. If they're not stealing anything of value, then maybe the purpose of the raids isn't to procure anything in particular. Maybe the purpose of the raids is simply to whittle down Interpol's resources."

    "They haven't whittled down anything," Zelda scoffed. "The total value of everything stolen doesn't even come up to a tenth of my personal wealth, much less Interpol's."

    Cynthia almost replied that Zelda's personal wealth wasn't even that much smaller than Interpol's entire budget, but she held her tongue. "I was talking about time. I think they're trying to waste our time."

    "A red herring, huh?" Zelda seemed to mull it over and shrugged. "I suppose. But then why would AZ himself take part in one of the raids? He hasn't been a part of any of the others."

    "More misdirection, maybe? Who knows?"

    "Well, clearly the World Champion knows something we don't. He moved the Champions before the raids even began. And even got Steven to cover Sinnoh." Zelda narrowed her eyes. "Why would he omit you?"

    Cynthia felt her face heat up, and she took another sip of her whiskey, despite not particularly liking it. "I'm not sure. Though it's not like I would've gone anyway."

    Zelda smiled, popping some violet pastry into her mouth. "Of course not. You have more important things to do than play security guard for Interpol's lost and found." She swallowed. "How is your Paragon Organization doing?"

    "Ah, right. Apparently they've found AZ, and potentially one of his hideouts."

    "Begin with that next time, please."

    Cynthia grimaced. "Sorry. But I haven't heard back from them in a couple days. Ash apparently found AZ in northern Kanto, and the Kalos team is looking into some ruins."

    "Ash…he's the new one, right?"

    "Newest. I first scouted him over two years ago."

    "Right, right." Zelda nodded. "He's the one the World Champion was interested in. Anything cause for concern?"

    "Not that I know of."

    Zelda laced her fingers together. Her sweeping black bangs fell over her eyes. "I wonder. AZ was spotted in northern Kanto. That means near Rota."

    "Rota?"

    "Oh, yes. Our World Champion is a Guardian, did you know that?"

    Cynthia frowned. "No. Not at all."

    She waited for Zelda to continue, but the woman was still deep in thought. Eventually, she shook her head and faced Cynthia again.

    "Do try to contact Ash again. He's in danger."

    "I told him as much."

    Zelda sighed and took a sip of her own drink. She didn't recoil at all. "Things are unraveling faster than I expected. Interpol and the League are being forced together, yet AZ still remains two steps ahead. His cohorts are quite formidable." Her silver eyes met Cynthia's grays, and she smiled. "It's times like these that I am truly thankful for the Paragon Organization."

    Cynthia blushed and she averted her eyes. "Please."

    Zelda grinned, and her glossy black lipstick sparkled. "There's the Cynthia I know. No more moping about. You have a good head on your shoulders, Cynthia, and you know how to use it. Stay strong, and listen to your old friend Zelda from time to time. She wants to help, you know?"

    "I know."

    "Ahh, back to one sentence responses already! You need to relax more! Any men in your life yet?"

    Finally, Cynthia laughed, out of the sheer ludicrousness of the question. "Of course not. You think I have time for that?"

    "Oh, come on, Cynthia! I can hear your grandmother crowing about it from here! She wants great-grandchildren, and you're the only one who can give them to her! You're the only family she has left, right?"

    Cynthia's eyes glimmered. "Yeah."


    "You're…you mean, you're the missing king of the Aura Guardians?!" Ash stammered. On the bed, Sabrina's eyes also went wide, so she'd clearly gotten a history lesson on the Guardians.

    Albrecht closed his eyes, sealing off their azure glow, and slumped in his chair, looking smaller than he ever had. He rubbed his hands and rested his head on them. "The throne is mine, but I am no king," he said quietly. "Not anymore."

    Ash and Sabrina both faltered at asking him more questions. A wave of sadness drifted off his body, and Ash found himself unable to open his mouth, much less utter a single word. Albrecht had always been mysterious, cloaked in a coat of peerless confidence that shielded all from getting close to him. But he'd opened himself up to Ash, and then he seemed dauntless. The man before him now was neither. He looked and sounded exhausted.

    "None of the Guardians know who I truly am, even the good Queen," Albrecht continued. "I haven't even set foot in Cameran Palace since the war. So even with whispers of my connection to the Guardians floating around, I'm sure none of them would ever go as far as to suspect that I am who I am." He lowered his hands and sat up, a ghost of a smile on his face. "In that regard, your friend Anabel is truly monstrous to have realized so quickly."

    "But why?" Sabrina said softly, speaking up for the first time. "Your people have been waiting for you all this time."

    Albrecht closed his eyes again, and his head bobbed as he tapped his foot, as if considering how best to answer. "I made a promise, at the end of the Great War, to my best friend," he eventually said. "That I would never again involve myself in the affairs of the world, or the Platebearers, or the shadow war between them. But the truth is, I'm running out of time." He met both Ash and Sabrina's gaze, a glimmer of resolve shining in his eyes. "I'm over three thousand years old, and as I said, I don't carry a shard of the God Pokémon's soul within me. My longevity is due only to my feeble strength as a Guardian." He held out his palm, and a small Aura Sphere flickered into being within. It spat azure energy, warbling chaotically in the air. "Once upon a time, I wielded Aura as easily as I drew breath. I devoured the wisdom and teachings of Guardians past, and in my youthful folly, sought and attained so-called immortality." He said the word mockingly. "But look… This is all I can manage now." He extinguished his Aura and sighed. "When I speak of mankind's greatest desires, I speak from foolish experience." He turned to Ash. "I hope you'll forgive me for expecting so much of you. It's a brambled path I've set you on."

    "You didn't set me on anything," Ash said, shaking his head. "I'm following my own path, as I always have." Ash clenched his fist. "And this time, I almost led myself and my friends straight to our deaths. But you saved us. So…thank you."

    Albrecht smiled warmly. "It was the least I could do as the World Champion. I'm glad I was in the area." He sat up straighter and uncrossed his legs. "It's getting late. I know you two just woke up, but I would try and get to sleep again before you ruin your sleep schedule. It will only make your bodies recover even slower." He started to get up, gathering their dishes.

    "Wait, sorry, I have another question," Sabrina said, and Albrecht turned. "Can you tell us about Zagreus?"

    Albrecht paused as he was picking up the pitcher of water. "Zagreus? Who's that?" Genuine confusion colored his face.

    "Uhhh, he…was a Guardian from the Great War…who committed some sin and had his name erased from the history of the Guardians. That's what Queen Ilene said, but I guess she didn't know anything more than that. But he reappeared just a month ago…and we were wondering who he was…"

    Albrecht stood up straight and furrowed his brows. "Zagreus, hm? I'm sorry, I don't recognize the name." He turned, truly appearing to dig deep into his memory. "Zagreus… No, I don't recall a Guardian by that name. But if the Queen knows of him and I don't, it's possible his crimes came to light after I'd already recused myself from Cameran Palace." He exhaled sharply. "Well, I was planning on paying the Queen a visit tomorrow anyway. I'll inquire when I'm there. Perhaps I can fill in the blanks. I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help."

    "O-Oh, not at all," Sabrina said, blushing nervously. Her gauntlets pulsed. Her social battery seemed to be out after being so assertive.

    "Zagreus…" Albrecht murmured one more time. He turned to face them one last time and nodded. "Very well. I'll have breakfast ready in the morning. After that, Ash, I was thinking we'd spend a bit of time going over the basics of being a Platebearer, if that's alright with you? Nothing too strenuous, of course."

    "Right! Sounds good!"

    "Excellent. Well then, good night, you two." He smiled one last time before he left, seemingly back to his usual self.

    After he closed the door behind him, a silence fell over Ash's bedroom. They'd been talking for so long it was almost midnight, and even though all they'd done was listen, Ash felt ready to curl back up into bed all the same. The information they'd just received was so dense it made his head feel heavy.

    "You going to bed?" Ash asked after several seconds.

    Sabrina bolted up from his bed and took a few robotic steps away from it. "I-I guess." She grabbed her hair and pulled it in front of her face. "I'll go see Anabel first."

    "I don't know, it's pretty late. You think she's still up?"

    Sabrina froze. "Ah…oh…uh."

    "I…I got it," Ash said quickly, snapping his fingers.. "I'll go with you, like I said. C'mon!"

    "O-Ok."

    The hall outside was dark, but small orange candles fluttered in golden candlesticks lining the wall. Their shadows slid large along the far wall, but beyond the windows outside, the night sky was starry and bright. Ash felt a twinge of nostalgia, as he remembered sneaking around the Oaks' house with Gary after they'd already been sent to bed.

    "Where's your room?" Ash asked quietly as they walked.

    "At the end of this hall," Sabrina whispered back. Her gauntlets cast a soft jade glow on the manor's antique furniture as they passed it.

    As they neared the medical room, Ash saw a darker spot on the carpet, and the sharp scent of cleaning chemicals filled his nostrils. Ash cringed. "Yeesh, I think that was me. I…sort of…threw up."

    After not hearing anything at his side for a few seconds, Ash turned. Sabrina was looking up at him, clearly wanting to say something, but seemingly not knowing what.

    Ash chuckled, flashing a smile she definitely couldn't see in the dark. "Don't worry, I'm fine now. Thanks."

    Sabrina buried her hands in the pockets of her sweater and nodded.

    They arrived at the medical room, and Ash glanced over at Sabrina. Unlike her usual slouch, she seemed determined to keep on a happy face, standing tall. Ash smiled, and since the door to the medical room was closed, she knocked gently before opening it.

    Within, it was dark, save for the area around Anabel's bed. A lamp beside her was on, and she was sitting up. As they got closer, Ash saw a plate of food on the bed in front of her, and she was stabbing at her food with a fork. Upon seeing them, she brightened.

    "Anabel," Ash said quietly. "How're you doing?" He and Sabrina both took seats next to her bed.

    "Better, now that you two are here." She turned to Sabrina, and frowned upon seeing her reddened neck and face. She reached out and grabbed her hand. "You're hurt."

    Sabrina clasped her hand. "W-What about you?" Her eyes were glued to Anabel's right side.

    Anabel withdrew her hand and slowly lifted it to her severed arm. She spread her fingers and her hand hovered over the bandaged stump, trembling. Her hand moved closer and closer, until she stopped, and let her hand fall back onto the bed. She sighed, slumping back against her bedrest. "Yeah, I messed up."

    "Anabel, I'm so sorry. I should've—" Ash began.

    "What're you apologizing for, Ash?" she said, cutting him off. "It's not your fault at all. It was all my decision."

    "But you said you rushed over here after hearing that I was—"

    "Please, Ash. Do you think I think so little of you? I didn't fly from Sinnoh to Kanto in the dead of night just to rescue you or something." Her eyes flicked down at her bed. "I wanted to confront AZ. I wanted to see how I'd do. I guess I haven't fully left the Frontier behind even now." She looked back up at Ash. "You understand, right, Ash? I'm sure you felt something similar. That's why you disobeyed Cynthia."

    Ash opened his mouth to rebut her, but she was exactly right. He hadn't gone after AZ merely to test his prowess with the Electric Plate, or in the interest of apprehending him on behalf of Paragon. No, he'd gone after AZ as a pokémon trainer. He saw an insurmountable challenge, and wanted to defeat it.

    Anabel poked at her dinner and stuffed a bean in her mouth. After chewing and swallowing, she said, "And now I have to eat with my left hand, which is great."

    "Isn't there anyone here to help you?" Sabrina asked.

    "Oh, there is, alright. They just wouldn't stop fussing over me. I lost my arm, I didn't forget how to eat. But keep your voices down, she's sleeping on the other side of that curtain."

    Ash and Sabrina both looked over at a curtain that had been drawn between Anabel's bed and the one next to her. After a few seconds, they heard the soft sound of someone sleeping next to them.

    "So annoying. First, she wanted to only give me food I wouldn't need a knife for, then she wanted to cut up my food and feed me like a baby. No thanks."

    Ash watched Anabel struggle with her meal, but eventually she got another bite off. Albrecht wasn't kidding. She certainly seemed to be in an okay mood. Though that made Ash uneasy. He could tell she was putting on a brave front.

    Midway through chewing, she suddenly winced, and dropped her fork. She clenched her right shoulder, and grimaced again after touching it. "Aah!"

    "Anabel!" Ash stood up to help, but realized he had no clue what to do. He started moving toward the sleeping nurse.

    "Don't wake her up!" Anabel bit out. "Just…give me a few of those tablets on the table."

    Sabrina unscrewed her bottle of pills and shook out a few. She lifted Anabel's glass as Anabel scooped the pills out of her hand and tossed them into her mouth. After a swig of water, she handed the glass back and took several deep breaths.

    "Are you really okay?" Ash asked.

    "I'm fine," Anabel said curtly. "Really, I am. But I just got my arm cut off so it hurts a bit." She smiled weakly. "I'll be fine. But enough about that, what did the World Champion tell you?"

    Ash and Sabrina exchanged a look.

    "Uhhh, it's kind of a lot," he said.

    "I'll tell her everything," Sabrina said, standing up.

    "Are you sure?"

    Sabrina nodded, then turned to Anabel. "I'll stay here with you tonight."

    "Sabrina…" Anabel started.

    "I am," Sabrina repeated. To hammer her point home, she sat back down and crossed her arms. "You can get to bed, Ash."

    "I'll stay here too."

    "I-It's fine. I'm not even tired anyway."

    Ash glanced between the two girls, but both seemed resolved about the situation. On the other hand, he actually was tired, and knew he wouldn't be able to contribute much to Sabrina's explanation. Finally, he nodded and stood up. "Fine. I'll see you two in the morning, then."

    "Good night, Ash. And thank you," Anabel waved.

    Sabrina just stared at him, which Ash took to mean something similar. After one last look at them, he left the medical room and made his way back down the hall. Once again, he collapsed onto his bed when he arrived, and it didn't take long for sleep to come to him.


    He woke up with the sun in his eyes, which he was thankful for. It meant he hadn't slept through another day. Feeling refreshed, and ready to get started with Albrecht, he threw off his sheets. Luckily, he had a change of clothes in his backpack, so he promptly went over to it. But on the very top was the invitation he'd gotten from Albrecht a few days ago. Filled with curiosity, he ripped it open and pulled out the letter.

    Dear Ash Ketchum,

    The World Champion would be honored by your presence at his celebratory banquet in Celadon City. Please bring up to three guests to enjoy a serene night out in the gardens of the jewel of Kanto. See details below for the date and exact location.

    A. Albrecht

    Ash frowned and turned the letter over. For how much Albrecht had wanted to meet him, the invitation was surprisingly barren. Then again, anything more would've probably scared Ash off. Not that an invitation to a party like this was that appealing to begin with. But Ash had a feeling Albrecht would've found a way to meet him regardless. Clearly, it was just that important.

    He walked back across his room as he reread the letter, and sat back down on his bed. A familiar squeak cried out as his ass came into contact with some sort of warm mass beneath him

    Pikachu squirmed out from under him, looking none too pleased that he was getting woken up by getting sat on. But once he was free, a smile spread across his face.

    "Pikachu!" Ash cried, and Pikachu jumped into his arms, sending those familiar jolts of electricity throughout his body. "When did you get in here?"

    Pikachu chittered excitedly, pantomiming the actions he took, from sneaking out of the recovery center undetected, creeping through the darkened halls of the manor, and sniffing out his master's scent, until finally snuggling up beside him.

    "Sounds like quite the adventure," Ash laughed. "And I was not snoring that loud!"

    Pikachu stood on his hind legs and roared like a beast, insisting, and Ash rolled his eyes and nudged him over.

    Pikachu watched Ash get ready, and started scurrying around the room impatiently when he was taking too long. As he changed, Ash relayed the gist of what had happened, including Anabel's arm. At that news, Pikachu moaned sadly, his ears flat against his head.

    "I know, but she's hanging in there. We'll stop by and see her on our way to breakfast. Try and keep a smile on your face, 'kay, bud? I know she likes you, so I'm sure she'll feel better if you're your usual self."

    Pikachu nodded furiously, and they left the room together. As expected, when they arrived, Pikachu bounded straight into her lap, and she pet him happily. Ash could tell he faltered for a split second after seeing the missing arm, and the bits of dried dried blood left on her jawline, but he did his job splendidly. Sabrina was already gone, and Anabel confessed she'd forgotten she was even there, since she slept so silently.

    Though it could also be all these drugs they're giving me, she'd added.

    After chatting for a little while, they parted ways so her nurses could administer another round of tests. Albrecht hadn't told him where to go last night, so they wandered around the manor aimlessly. Though they ran into several servants on their quest, they were far too professional to even notice Ash and Pikachu's existence as they carried out their duties. But eventually, they found the dining hall.

    It was a large room, clearly well-suited for hosting a formal dinner, with its cobblestone fireplace and coat of arms along the walls. But on the grand table in the room's center, several dishes piled high with Ash's breakfast favorites sat haphazardly, with a short stack of plates and utensils beside it. Sabrina sat alone at the far end of the table nibbling on a muffin, and she locked eyes with Ash from across the room when he arrived.

    Breakfast was a quiet affair as expected, but Sabrina did make a point to say she would take care of relaying everything they'd learned to Cynthia so Ash could focus on his time with Albrecht.

    "But could you leave out that I'm a Platebearer?" Ash asked tepidly. "I feel kind of bad about lying to her, so I want to tell her in person."

    Sabrina assented to his request without question, and she left soon after to return to Anabel's side. Though she was doing her best to hide it, she was clearly extremely worried about her. And Ash wasn't surprised. Out of everyone in Paragon, Sabrina was closest to Anabel. At times, they even resembled sisters to Ash, and he had little doubt that Sabrina felt as if her sister had just been maimed.

    Nevertheless, Albrecht, or anyone else, never entered the dining hall throughout the entirety of breakfast. Once they finished, Ash asked Pikachu to lead him to the recovery center so he could see the rest of his pokémon. Once there, according to the nurses, only Lucario was well enough to be discharged, but the others still needed the rest of the day. On their way out, they ran into Albrecht.

    "Ahh, there you are, Ash," Albrecht sang. "It occurred to me just now that I hadn't given you a map to this ridiculous mansion. But rather than something tedious like that, I figured I'd come and get you directly. I trust breakfast was to your liking?"

    "Yes, it was very delicious, thank you."

    "Excellent, that makes me so happy to hear. And of course, this one seems to be doing fine," he said, winking at Pikachu, but Pikachu didn't react, simply staring at the World Champion blankly from atop Ash's shoulder. Seems he still didn't trust him.

    "Let's head outside, and we can begin," Albrecht suggested.

    "Lead the way."

    As Albrecht led Ash through the manor, he began to notice just how similar it was to Cameran Palace. The portraits of heroes along the walls were all garbed in deep blue Guardian cloaks, and the entire building exuded age, despite modern conveniences like a small router or outlet appearing occasionally to break the medieval veneer. However, in spite of everything Albrecht had told him, Ash still couldn't quite see him as the relic that he supposedly was. He looked modern enough, in that expensive white suit, and with those sapphire earrings, he looked a bit like a pop star that any girl his age would drool over. Unlike AZ's tangled gray hair, wrinkled face, and yellowing eyes, Albrecht's visage seemed to be perfect in every way, like he'd just stopped aging.

    After passing through several halls and doors, Albrecht led Ash out a back door. The weather always seemed perfect in Rota, and today was no different. The sky was a captivating blue and fluffy white clouds lazed across it like ripened fruit swaying in the wind. Verdant hills of emerald grass rustled toward the forested horizon before them, dotted with boulders that jutted from the ground like fingers.

    "Where is this in Rota?" Ash breathed as he drank in his surroundings.

    "We're west of the town. This is all my property, so we should have plenty of room."

    "Room for what?"

    Albrecht crossed his arms. "Ash, I understand that you have your own path to follow, but if you'd permit me, I'd like to once again extend an offer for you to join me here. I'd like to develop your abilities as a Platebearer and prepare you for AZ's inevitable assault."

    Ash frowned. "Assault? What do you mean?"

    "Ah, right, I forgot to tell you," Albrecht said, tapping his forehead. "I sent some of my household guard to investigate the forest where you found AZ and his men. To the naked eye, nothing was amiss, but they did find something most harrowing indeed. A psychic dyad conjured just outside Rota's southern border."

    "A psychic dyad?"

    "Yes. In essence, a matrix of latent psychic energy. I think your friend Sabrina would know more about them, being a psychic specialist, but they have many potential uses. Most likely, this is the opposite end of a long-distance teleportation tunnel, which would allow AZ and his men to appear just outside Rota in an instant. After observing it up close, I suspect this may be how AZ's allies have been able to conduct their discreet activities without detection all these years."

    "Well, can't you get rid of it?" Ash asked, and Pikachu chirped in alarmed agreement.

    "Unfortunately not," Albrecht sighed. "This dyad was well-conjured. Until it is used once, it has so little form that we can do little more than observe it. It would be like trying to use your finger to pop a bubble the size of the tip of a thumbtack." He shook his head. "I'm sure we could destroy it with enough time, but AZ created it knowing he'd attack before we could. I'm afraid there's nothing we can do."

    Ash's face wrinkled in dismay. "So he really intends to finish what he started during the Great War, huh?"

    "To AZ, the Guardians represent the greatest impediment on his path toward the defense of humanity, ironically. Although there aren't nearly as many Guardians now, in proportion to all of mankind, it seems he still views us as the biggest thorn in his side." Albrecht raised his gloved hand and clenched it into a fist. "He's become so consumed by darkness that I'm not even sure he's capable of rational thought anymore. The war is all that exists to him anymore." Albrecht dropped his hand and turned to Ash. "In any case, there's no use in worrying about this now. It's just one more thing I'll have to bring up when I have dinner with the Queen tonight."

    Ash's gaze dropped. He knew it wasn't his fault AZ was targeting Rota, but it was still a difficult reality to swallow. As a Platebearer, he was supposed to be one of the very few who could stop him. But he couldn't. Although…

    "Albrecht, about what you were saying earlier," Ash said. "I can't stay here forever, but I'd like to take you up on your offer for the time being since I'm here. Please teach me how to be a Platebearer!" He clapped his hands together and bowed.

    Albrecht put up his hands. "Please, there's no need for that. As I said, this was all my desire to begin with." He smiled. "Very well, though. I accept."

    Pikachu cooed and bristled on Ash's shoulder, ready to get to work even though he wasn't the one training today.

    "To begin, I'd like to see what you're capable of now. After our chat, I imagine you must have done a bit of practice on your own time? Surely something gave you the ludicrous impression that you'd be able to take on AZ."

    Ash blushed and smiled. "Yeah, you got me." He took a few steps forward and Pikachu jumped off his shoulder to give him some space.

    Albrecht also stepped back, and with a flash of azure light, his Lucario appeared next to him protectively.

    Ash raised his hands and concentrated. Like the opening of a dam, his chest seemed to roar as power flooded his body. His skin began to tingle as white electricity crackled over it, but he continued building the energy. The smell of ozone leaked into the air as the bolts became larger and larger, eventually zapping down onto the ground and blasting through the grass to the soil below. Just as Ash felt like he was beginning to lose control of his power, he flung his arms skyward. The electricity around his body disappeared, and a moment later, a blinding blade of lightning lacerated the air in front of them, crashing down upon a boulder several meters away and blasting it to pieces.

    Pikachu shielded his face with one paw and this wind pressed his ears back against his head. Lucario raised a hand across Albrecht's body, but the man himself looked unfazed, his eyes narrowed as his snow-white hair blew wildly.

    Ash lowered his hands and grinned slightly. That was good! That's the strongest attack I've been able to use yet. And I feel like my aim has gotten better too! He turned back to Albrecht. "So, what do you think?"

    Albrecht's brows were furrowed, and he seemed to be in thought. "Hmmm. That's it?"

    "Huh?"

    The World Champion smiled and waved his hand reassuringly. "I'm sorry, that was mean. I forget you only just found out you had this power. But I see. So this is how you choose to use it."

    "What do you mean?" Ask asked, sweating. "I don't understand."

    "Well, as I said, the Plates are shards of Arceus' soul. It's no exaggeration to say that the power that rests within you is among those that shaped the universe itself. In theory, you should be capable of far more. But actually, considering you've only practiced for, what? A few hours at most? I'd say that was pretty impressive."

    "Oh yeah?" Ash said, slightly peeved. Pikachu backed him up and blew raspberries at Albrecht.

    "In addition, it's said that Platebearers of the same Plate wield its power in different ways, depending on the circumstances of the wielder. I see that you seem to model your use of the Plate after pokémon. Perhaps your own Pikachu?" he said, eyeing the mouse. "That was Thunder, wasn't it?"

    Ash looked at his hands. He hadn't even realized it himself, but now that it'd been said aloud, he had been imitating pokémon attacks. Thunderbolt and Thunder Punch, and now Thunder.

    "My first thought is that it'd be wise to exercise caution if that's how you plan to use the Electric Plate," Albrecht continued. "When we spoke the other day, I believe I told you that Platebearers can only be hurt by other Platebearers. In truth, that's not strictly true. Trip and fall, and you'll skin your knee. Fall down the stairs, and you may very well break your arm. All the Plate does is protect itself from being ejected from its host. In other words, it merely prevents death."

    "But if that were true, some of those execution attempts should have injured AZ, right? He just wouldn't be able to die."

    "AZ survived because he is adept at using his Plate. He actively protected himself using its power. Don't make the same mistake in thinking you'll reap the same benefits, at least for now" Albrecht frowned. "Come to think of it, AZ wouldn't happen to have said which Plate he has, did he?"

    "He did, actually. He said he has the Fairy Plate."

    Albrecht rubbed his chin. "The Fairy Plate, huh. Hm, I don't know anything about that one. I'll check the archives later and see if there's anything about it. Anyways, back to my explanation. If you want to command even greater power from the Plate, I believe it's essential that you know what the nature of this power actually is."

    He held up his hand and summoned an Aura Sphere. "As I said before, Aura is what gives pokémon their power. In the scientific community, I believe it's known as Infinity Energy, but they are one and the same. All pokémon employ Aura to conjure their elemental attacks, and the proficiency of an attack directly correlates with the volume of Aura in the attack. I believe a live demonstration would be best here" He scanned the field before them and pointed. "Look over there."

    Ash followed Albrecht's finger and found two pokémon, a Pidgey and a Bulbasaur quarreling atop the grass. The Pidgey was nipping at Bulbasaur's bud, but the grass-type was fighting back.

    "Look at that Bulbasaur's attack. It's using Razor Leaf, you see?"

    A handful of leaves levitated off the ground and peppered Pidgey's side, and the bird flapped into the air.

    "See how it lifted those leaves, which were already in existence? As it grows stronger, and evolves, it will be able to synthesize leaves just like that within its body and use Razor Leaf even when there aren't leaves around for it to use. But once it gets even stronger, it will be able to summon a storm of leaves out of nothing. That's because those leaves will be made of Aura. Do you understand? As pokémon become more and more powerful, they can rely less on their physical environment or bodies, and rely on their command over Aura to supplement their attacks. In a word, the strongest pokémon are masters of Aura"

    "I see," Ash murmured. "So because the leaves are made of Aura, it'd be able to create much larger attacks that it otherwise wouldn't be able to."

    "That's exactly right. Can you think of a time on your journey where you witnessed this sort of disparity?"

    Ash thought for a moment, tracing back through his memories to his many gym battles, as well as the battles his friends partook in. Then, his eyes widened. "I can! The move Stone Edge. My friend Serena has a Pancham that can use Stone Edge. It summoned stone pillars from the ground. But my Krookodile's Stone Edge looks different. He can summon a hail of sharpened rocks out of thin air."

    Albrecht smiled. "That's exactly right. Pancham relies on his environment to use his Stone Edge, but your Krookodile can use Stone Edge regardless of the terrain it finds itself in. If that Pancham were ever caught in midair, or perhaps on a beach where the ground is made of sand, I imagine it'd find it very difficult, if not impossible, to use Stone Edge. That is why a pokémon's command over Aura is so important."

    "As pokémon get stronger, their application of Aura also gets more complex, and they find themselves able to use techniques that their former selves simply couldn't perform. For example, it is through the use of Aura that pokémon that know the move Dive can use it even when not in a body of water, or pokémon that know Dig can use it even when burrowing should be impossible. Aura, as the versatile force that it is, can be used for far more than just energy spheres."

    "Now, as for what this means for you as a Platebearer. By developing and honing your own use of Aura, you will be able to tap into greater volumes of power, and therefore, more complex techniques with your own Plate."

    "So…I'll be training to be a Guardian?" Ash asked.

    "Not exactly. To set you on the path of Guardian now when you're already a Platebearer would be akin to sharpening a kitchen knife when you already have a broadsword in your scabbard. It should not be done. But the fundamentals are the same. AZ had years to cultivate his knowledge and skill with his Plate. Plus, there's no telling what other secrets the Fairy Plate itself holds. But if you want to match him, then you need a solid foundation upon which to construct your power. Imitations of pokémon moves will only take you so far."

    Ash clenched his fist and felt the power of the Electric Plate course through him. Aura, huh? Not like this will be my first time, he thought, recalling the time he'd tapped into his Aura to save the Tree of Beginnings. But just like two years ago, ideas began to flood his mind, and he grinned. "I understand. Let's get started!"

    Next — Chapter 26 : Cloak and Dagger


    Lot of yapping the past couple chapters, sorry about that.
     
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    • Remnants of the Great War [17]
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    • PARAGON

    Remnants of the Great War Arc [17]

    Chapter 26 : Cloak and Dagger​


    Caleb watched as men moved around him, but he was beginning to tune them out, sight and sound, like frost creeping across a window in winter. He was back in Kalos. This was Shalour, he was pretty sure? He'd never been here, but the looming tower of white granite and red tile outside certainly looked like the Tower of Mastery he'd heard about. It was night, but away from the oppressive lights of Lumiose, stars glittered in the sky like gems on a bed of soft black velvet.

    He'd woken up in a plastic chair up against the wall in some sort of office space. The desks and cubicles looked barren, but men were carrying boxes and talking in hushed voices when he'd come to. They ignored him, and it was clear he'd been put where he was so he wouldn't get in the way.

    Instinctively, his hand drifted to his belt. Thankfully, all six of his pokémon were still there, and he breathed a sigh of relief. No matter what happened, as long as he had his pokémon, he could do anything. Without them, he was nothing.

    His oldest memory worth remembering was of Lord Vandrick. For years, he'd survived in the allies of Lumiose, eating trash, which itself had been hard won due to the legion of Rattata who were in competition with him for it. But one day, in the dumping rain, on a day when his stomach was even more barren than usual, Lord Vandrick appeared. At first, he thought he was hallucinating. After all, why would anyone ever lower themselves into his domain of garbage, much less a man dressed as extravagantly he was? Then Caleb thought it must've been a mistake. This rich fellow just took a wrong turn, but when he saw Caleb, he'd pinch his nose and turn right around. Surely. But Lord Vandrick walked toward him, without an umbrella. Then Caleb thought he must've been invisible. He doesn't see me. He's just walking in my direction. He'll walk past me without a second glance.

    But Lord Vandrick strode right up to him, and stopped, then knelt down and looked him in his eyes. For the very first time in his life, someone saw him. These were not the beady eyes of some feral rat, or the empty gaze of some other abandoned child who'd peered down his alley, only to see that this one was already taken. This man, this real person from the real world, had recognized his existence.

    All Lord Vandrick did was extend his hand. No, first, he pulled off his glove. Words were not needed, though Caleb couldn't speak anyway. And overnight, Caleb had become Caleb.

    Lord Vandrick clothed him, fed him, and educated him, and when he was ten, he presented him with three pokéballs, and a choice. Chespin, Fennekin, or Froakie.

    It'd been years since he'd lived on the streets, but a fire-type would ensure he'd never go to sleep shivering for the rest of his life.

    And so he set out as any other ten year old would. But Lord Vandrick expected much. And after coming under his wing, Caleb had seen other children fail to meet Lord Vandrick's expectations. He never saw them again. So Caleb made sure he'd be so good Lord Vandrick would never even consider getting rid of him. A miracle had already happened. He would guard it with his life. The life he'd been given. No matter what was asked of him. He would not let Lord Vandrick down.

    "Caleb."

    The young man raised his head and saw his master standing before him. Their eyes met, and Caleb knew that Lord Vandrick knew he'd lost. His gaze felt like a slash across the face.

    Caleb jumped out of his chair and bowed down to a ninety degree angle. "Master…"

    "Tell me what happened. I'll hear it straight from you," he said quietly.

    Caleb grit his teeth. He'd never suffered a loss so humiliating. Against an opponent with such weak pokémon too! "Master… I—"

    "Ah, Lord Vandrick."

    A shadow fell over Caleb, and he looked up to find AZ towering over the both of them, his thick gray locks hanging down like the side of a cragged mountain.

    "Your Grace," Lord Vandrick said, shifting tones immediately and dipping into a kneel. Caleb joined him. "My apologies, I thought you were still in the tunnel below. I was planning on meeting you down there."

    "At ease. I wanted you to know that everything went according to plan. We can attack Rota at any time."

    "That's excellent news, your Grace," Lord Vandrick said, standing.

    "There were some unexpected elements, but that is the nature of war, of course." His palm slammed down on Caleb's shoulder, and the boy winced. "I must say, this young man is exactly as you described, Lord Vandrick. I should have trusted your word. He is indeed a reliable man."

    Caleb's mouth quivered as Lord Vandrick's attention shifted back to him.

    His master frowned ever so slightly. "Is that right? Well, that makes me very pleased to hear." He smiled. "Well done, Caleb."

    "A-Ah, thank you, Master."

    "If it's alright, I'd like to have a word with the young man, in private," AZ continued. "Can you attend to matters down below, Lord Vandrick?"

    Lord Vandrick bowed. "At once, your Grace." As he walked away, he caught Caleb's eye, and the message was clear. Do not embarrass me.

    Too late.     Caleb's face heated up and his heart hammered in his chest. His master's employees milling around, who he normally thought nothing of, were welcome company. AZ didn't terrify him like he seemed to with the others, but he still didn't want to spend any time alone with the giant.

    Lord Vandrick passed through a set of frosted doors, and then he was gone. Caleb swallowed, resting his hand on his pokéballs for comfort.

    "Let's get some privacy," AZ said, moving toward one of the empty conference rooms that lined the office space.

    Caleb's heart sank and he followed tepidly. Once inside the conference room, he could clearly make out the Tower of Mastery, and the dark ocean beyond. The city was still and quiet, unlike his own emotions right now.

    AZ sat down on top of the table in the center, too large for any of the leather swivel chairs that surrounded it, and he motioned for Caleb to take a seat, which he did. In his tattered clothes, it was a strange sight to see him surrounded by such modernity, but sitting there, backlit by the night sky and sleeping city, AZ looked like a king.

    Luckily, the door was still open, which eased Caleb's mind ever so slightly. Caleb wasn't privy to the details of his master's master's escape from the World Prison, nor the circumstances that'd gotten him in there, but his encounter with that psychic outside Rota had made it pretty clear the authorities weren't messing around with him. Clearly she was a part of some sort of black ops unit, likely secret, since there still wasn't a single word of AZ's escape on the local news. But if anything, that only made Caleb even more nervous. What sort of monster did his master serve? And what would become of him now that they were alone together?

    "Are you alright?" AZ asked.

    Caleb quickly made eye contact, but the sight of AZ's weathered eyes made him avert almost immediately. "Yeah—yes! Of course, Master…sir."

    "Be honest."

    Caleb hesitated. Really, he felt fine. He'd expected headaches or something, but the psychic girl clearly knew what she was doing. There were no after effects.

    His eyes narrowed. Something else bubbled beneath his trepidation, steaming and condensing on his consciousness. "That girl… That psychic…" A baleful smile split his face. "Do you know how long it's been since I've been beaten? And I mean really beaten?"

    His question hung in the air for a moment, before remembering who he was talking to. He quickly moved to correct himself, but AZ already had a quieting hand up.

    "It's frustrating, isn't it?," AZ said. "We sweat and bleed for the things we want, but then something comes along and breaks all the rules." He met Caleb's gaze again, and this time, the boy didn't look away. "That girl is a formidable one. Not to tarnish your pride as a warrior, or a trainer, rather, but she was far beyond your level. She was the biggest threat there. Aside from me, of course."

    "Wait, what about that other guy?" Caleb asked, his confidence slowly returning. "I got a few looks, but it looked like he was trying to fight you directly!"

    "Ah, the Platebearer. Yes, his potential is great. Far greater than the girl, no doubt. But he does not know the fury of war yet. He wasn't fighting to hurt me, not truly. But…the girl has a latent darkness. I would prefer not to encounter her again.

    Caleb drank in his words. "You mean…you're afraid of her too?"

    "Now, I didn't say that," AZ said, continuing before Caleb could cut in with an apology. "Those machines on her arms have reduced her to a fraction of her true destructive potential, for her own sake, I presume. Nevertheless, you were lucky to escape with your life."

    Caleb turned away, shame burning on his face despite AZ's words. AZ seemed to notice this and averted his own gaze, to relieve the pressure on the boy.

    "I witnessed your battle from a distance. Lord Vandrick's assessment of you was accurate. Perhaps it's just the passage of the times, but your skills as a trainer are above anything I saw in the Great War. You may be more advanced than even I."

    "S-Sir! No way! Not a chance!" Caleb waved his hands furiously.

    AZ smiled. "Perhaps I exaggerated a little. But I believe you are well-suited to the task I have in mind for you. Lord Vandrick told you of this, no?"

    "Oh! Yeah! I'll be defending that underground machine, right?"

    "That's right. It is an assignment of utmost importance. Lord Vandrick and I will be in Rota. It will fall to you alone to protect it."

    Caleb clutched his pokéballs tightly. "But…if that psychic is there…I'll do my best, but—"

    "The girl is in Rota now, as is the Platebearer. The king of the Guardians won't let her leave, of that, I'm certain." AZ raised an eyebrow. "But I'm surprised you'd admit your weakness so easily. Are you so candid with your master?"

    "I just…"

    "Hah hah, I'm teasing," AZ rumbled. "Forgive this old man. You're the only one of my men with any personality. Even Lord Vandrick…he's quite rigid, isn't he?"

    "He's a great man, even if he is a little strict," Caleb said, the words spilling out.

    AZ smiled. "Your loyalty is commendable. I shouldn't have asked you to speak ill of your master."

    He clutched Caleb's shoulders, and a kingly warmth spread through him.

    "Since before we set out, I sense you've been wanting to ask me something," AZ said.

    Caleb flushed red in embarrassment. He wasn't used to being treated like a child by anyone except Lord Vandrick. "It's nothing, really."

    "Ask."

    Caleb's mouth twitched. "I…I guess I was just curious why we needed to set up the teleportation spot if we could already teleport so close to begin with." He rubbed his arms nervously.

    AZ looked down at him, amused, not offended at all. "A good observation. But despite how it looks, Rota is quite heavily defended, by much more than meets the eye. There are enchantments carved into the land itself that would make a standard approach… not feasible. By establishing a psychic node just beyond the border, we can bypass most of their spells."

    Caleb nodded slowly. "I see. That…makes sense. Thank you," he quickly added.

    "Any more questions?" AZ asked. "Lord Vandrick is loyal, but he has never once questioned me. I get the impression he's not even interested in what I want to do or why I'm doing it."

    Caleb racked his brain. To be honest, he wasn't all that interested either. Anything his master asked of him, he would do, no questions asked. It must've been the same way between his master and AZ. But after a minute, he thought of something.

    "A-Are you alright, sir? Same question you asked me, I guess."

    AZ pondered the question, before turning to Caleb. His eyes gleamed beneath the shadow of his cap. "I will be."


    The flight from Alola to Kanto was relaxing enough, but having to ride on Garchomp's rough hide the whole way over the forests beyond Cerulean City was more than Cynthia wanted to deal with right now. Mount Moon stood tall against the blue sky, flanked by sharpened spires of stone that made flight difficult. But time was of the essence.

    She began receiving a string of texts of Sabrina earlier this morning while her plane cruised over the ocean. Things had played out exactly as Cynthia had expected. Ash and Sabrina were defeated, and AZ escaped. What she didn't expect was the sudden arrival of Anabel, or what had happened to her.

    Anabel lost her right arm to AZ. The Guardians are taking care of her and she's in stable condition and conscious.

    Cynthia had reread the message several times, chewing on her nail, something she never did.

    …lost her right arm…

    Of course, she had told them not to confront him. As far as fault and blame were concerned, Cynthia was objectively quite low on the list. Nevertheless, her heart burned in her chest, like heated lead. She was the head of Paragon, after all. At the end of the day, they were all her responsibility.

    Not to mention, there was a glaring absence in Sabrina's report about how Anabel herself was holding up. Cynthia could've simply asked, but that wouldn't be proper. She'd talk to Anabel in person and see for herself.

    Rota came into view later that afternoon, just as the sun was beginning its descent. Cameran Palace sat nestled atop a glasslike lake, but Sabrina had given her a different location. After passing over the town south of the palace, Cynthia found her destination: a grand manor at the end of a long road. She landed on the road and recalled Garchomp, and started toward the manor.

    From what she could piece together from Sabrina's messages, the World Champion had swooped in and saved them in the nick of time, and this manor belonged to him. She'd said they'd had a lengthy conversation with him that would be far easier to explain in person, but the most important revelation was that Albrecht was also over three thousand years old, just like AZ.

    Considering she'd only just found out Albrecht was a Guardian yesterday, his age was an even bigger shock. For all his mysteries, Cynthia had never considered this possibility. It all seemed too absurd to be real, each new piece of information she learned about him more unbelievable than the last.

    But if he was telling the truth, and he really was from the time of the Great War, then it was as Cynthia suspected.

    He knew.

    He knew about everything she wanted to know. The answers she'd been looking for, about who was really at the top. It wasn't the Champions, she'd learned. And it wasn't the World Champion either.

    But it was this World Champion. Here was a man who'd survived the Great War and persisted for over three thousand years to the current day. If anyone knew where the real power in the world rested, it would be him.

    She was walking into the dragon's den now, but dragons had gold, and if she played her cards right, she suspected she'd find even more treasure deep in the annals of this hallowed land.

    Sabrina met her outside, just beyond an iron fence that circled the manor. A maid stood slightly behind her, probably to screen her before she entered. The World Champion didn't take unsolicited visitors.

    "Sabrina," Cynthia said after getting close enough. "Thank you for the report."

    The girl nodded glumly. She was normally fairly stoic, but she looked even more muted than usual. She immediately began padding away slowly, back toward the manor, as if on auto pilot.

    "Lady Cynthia, Master Albrecht is honored by your visit," the maid bowed. "Please, allow me to take you to the patio for some tea. I understand Master Albrecht has much to discuss with you."

    Is that right? I would've liked to have seen Anabel first, but I suppose she'll have to wait. "I'd love to take you up on that, thank you."

    Cynthia followed her into the house, and quickly recognized the colors and style of the Guardians everywhere. She'd only been to Cameran Palace a couple times before, but it stood out as distinctly medieval in such a modern world, and this mansion was no different. It smelled of wood and stone, and history.

    The patio in back overlooked an open field pocked with boulders. Based on scorch marks across the grass and several shattered rocks, it looked like a battle had taken place.

    A different maid arrived to pour her some tea, and she left behind another cup for Albrecht for when he arrived. But after she left, Cynthia didn't move to drink it.

    Albrecht arrived several minutes later in his usual spotless suit and mischievous glint in his eyes. He took the seat opposite her and took a sip of tea, then smiled. "Welcome to Albrecht Manor, Champion Cynthia. I didn't expect you'd be here so soon or I would've prepared a banquet that befits your station."

    "Where's Ash?" she asked immediately.

    Albrecht carefully placed his cup back down onto its dish. "Not to worry, he's just inside resting. He's been working quite hard this morning."

    "Doing what, exactly?"

    The World Champion folded his hands together and leaned back in his chair. "My turn."

    Cynthia's eyes narrowed, but she acquiesced. "I serve at your pleasure, World Champion."

    "Do you?" he asked, meeting her gaze.

    Cynthia's heart shivered. Here we go.

    "When I spoke with Ash in Saffron, he told me he was working for you. Those two young ladies with him appear to be doing the same. A former World Champion, gym leader, and Frontier Brain, no less. You'll have to forgive my curiosity."

    If I don't tell him, I'm sure he'll find out eventually. Better that it comes from me. "I work for an off-the-books sect of the International Police," Cynthia said cooly. "Ash and the others are assets of mine."

    Albrecht nodded slowly, absorbing her response. "I see. The International Police." He seemed to be thinking about something.

    "What about you?" Cynthia asked. "I heard you ordered all the Champions to protect certain Interpol black sites. You're not a part of Interpol. And you ordered all of them except me. Why?"

    Albrecht met her gaze again, but he didn't seem bothered in the slightest but the question, or her slightly accusatory tone. "If you want to keep your clothes dry, go around a storm instead of through it. In short, I wasn't sure of your intentions, so I decided to leave you be. The other Champions don't have anything as exciting as you going on, I'm afraid."

    "That's it?"

    Albrecht scooted back closer to the table and crossed his arms on it. "My dear. Let's speak candidly, or at least as much as we can. I respect the position you're in, after all. I'm not sure how much you've heard from Ash or the others, but the more you give, the more I can give."

    "They've told me little," Cynthia said. "Only that you're a bit older than you look."

    Albrecht smiled and ran his fingers through his snow white hair. "Yes, I've been around awhile. Too long, I would say. But they told it true. I am the last king of the Guardians, from the age of the Great War."

    Cynthia pursed her lips and tried to keep a poker face, but it was tough to do when the man in front of her had basically just confessed to being immortal. The only thing that kept her from immediately blurting out a string of questions was the knowledge that he was also a Guardian. To the Aura wielders of Rota, even something like a human's natural lifespan was a rule to be bent. She'd met a few Guardians who looked younger than they actually were before, but only by a decade or two at most. Albrecht's feat was legendary.

    "What do you want?" she eventually asked, reaching for her tea. At this point, it'd be rude to continue refusing.

    Albrecht let her question hang for almost a minute. He clearly wanted to give her a satisfactory answer.

    "I want peace. That's one of the reasons I sent the Champions where I did."

    Before Cynthia could ask a follow up, or even process his answer, he rounded on her. "What do you want, Lady Champion?"

    What do I want? Cynthia repeated in her mind. Can I tell him? The more she talked with him, the more trustworthy and good he seemed. It almost made her wonder why she'd been so wary about him in the first place.

    No, she knew why she didn't trust him initially. She didn't trust him because she was led to believe he was untrustworthy. He said he wants peace. What does that even mean? Peace between who? But the moment she thought about it, she knew.

    It was the same conflict she herself was so interested in. The shadow war between the string-pullers. The war she'd joined, that she'd been desperately trying to gain an upper hand in. Till now, she'd been waging her war off instinct alone, based on the movements of the other players. Reactively. When the sharks moved, she responded to the currents that rippled out. This strategy had forced her to play a role she didn't necessarily want to play. But here was a chance to take a leap of faith.

    Do you? Albrecht had asked. Do you serve me?

    The answer was no.

    She served herself. No one else. She pursued her own goal. And that goal was…

    "I want to win the war," she finally said.

    "Oh?" Albrecht said, a glint in his eyes. "And what war would that be?"

    "The Great War, of course," she said. "It never ended, did it?"

    Albrecht smiled. "Very good. Yes, you're right. AZ and I should be proof enough. The Calamity put things on ice for a time, but humans are feckless creatures. Once we learned about true power, nothing could stop us. The proverbial fire could not be extinguished."

    Cynthia frowned, raising a finger to her lip in thought. Then she glanced back up at Albrecht. "The Plates of Arceus?"

    "Of course."

    His confirmation dropped several more puzzle pieces into place in her mind. "There's something more to them… The Great War was fought over them?" She glanced up again at Albrecht for his response.

    "Right again," he smiled. "I'm glad you're so knowledgeable about the Great War so I don't have to relitigate the entire thing again."

    He must've explained the whole thing from start to finish from Ash and the others. "So you and AZ were fighting over the Plates. And then AZ used one of them to enact the Calamity?"

    "That's the idea," Albrecht sighed. "But we weren't exactly fighting over the Plates. It was more like the Guardians were trying to protect them from him."

    Protecting them? He said the Great War hasn't ended. Which means there are still people out there vying for the Plates. But AZ's been in prison all this time, and Albrecht only recently became a big deal. Which means he's been in hiding, or at least not acting on the world stage. So neither of them are still going after them. But who…?

    Cynthia's eyes widened. She couldn't help it. But she quickly recomposed herself, pushing her initial thought to the back of her mind. "AZ's reappearance. And your ascension to World Champion. Neither of them have anything to do with the Great War, do they? It revolved around Rota and Kalos three thousand years ago, but your participation ended. It moved on without you."

    Albrecht clapped his gloved hands together. "You are a menace of brilliance. You're right again. Rota and Kalos are insignificant actors now. What exists between AZ and me now is purely personal. A three thousand year old revenge that has little, if anything, to do with the Plates." He turned to face the grassy expanse of Rota stretching out beside them. "I understand it's your job to report your findings to the International Police, and then some, but if this old man could make one request, I'd ask you to allow me to end this on my own terms."

    "What does that entail?"

    "AZ will be coming here soon," Alrebcht said very matter-of-factly. "And when he does, I think it'd be best if Interpol doesn't get involved. You'll have my word that the Champions will stay away too. I'll even give you the order this time."

    "No deal, to that last part. I will be here. As will the Paragon Organization. You may want to settle things with AZ yourself, but he isn't coming alone. And if it's like you say, then all of Kanto is in grave danger." Cynthia shook her head. "No, the whole world, perhaps."

    Albrecht frowned. "What did you just say?"

    "I said we're staying here," she said firmly.

    "No, before that. The name of your group. The Paragon Organization?"

    "Yes. Have you heard of us?"

    Albrecht turned away again, in thought. "No," he eventually said, without looking back. After another lengthy pause, he continued. "Very well. Do what you will. I'll maintain the same policy as before. You can act as you see fit. I'll not interfere. But until AZ arrives, Ash will continue working with me."

    "And why would I allow that? What is it you're doing with him? You still haven't told me."

    "I think it's best if he told you himself," Albrecht said, flicking his head behind Cynthia.

    She turned. Ash was standing behind her, Pikachu on his shoulder, and his Lucario at his side. Dirt and sweat matted his face, but he seemed well enough.

    "Yo, Cynthia," he said, throwing up a hand.

    Next — Chapter 27 : Calm Before The Storm


    A plot hole has been sitting in the story for some time now, which I just corrected. It's nothing too major, but if there's any confusion, feel free to PM me.
     
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    • Remnants of the Great War [18]
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    • PARAGON

    Remnants of the Great War Arc [18]

    Chapter 27 : Calm Before The Storm​


    "I see," Cynthia said coolly. "So the Electric Plate has been within you this whole time."

    "I'm sorry for keeping it from you," Ash said, clapping his hands together. "And for disobeying orders."

    Over the past hour, Ash had explained everything about the Plates and Platebearers he'd learned from Albrecht. The World Champion himself had left to give them some privacy, though Cynthia wished he would've stuck around so she could ask him follow up questions. Nevertheless, this conversation had been most illuminating. She wasn't particularly upset that Ash had hidden this from her, despite the fact that this was essentially the missing link between all the conflicts at the top of the world that she'd witnessed ever since becoming Sinnoh's Champion. After all, she still had her own secret too.

    Though it would have to come out sooner or later.

    "Well, even if you'd told me a few days ago, there isn't much I would've done differently. But since things did turn out this way, I will chastise you a little. I know I said you'd be in danger if you joined Paragon, but I didn't expect you to throw yourself headfirst into it."

    Ash looked down in his chair. "I'm sorry," he repeated quietly.

    "It's a delicate balance," Cynthia said, tapping her teacup. "Believe me when I say I understand the draw toward the unknown. At the level we're at, there are things only we can see, and we are inexorably drawn to them. As a trainer myself, I understand why you'd chase down AZ so fervently. But our strength also comes with a responsibility. Not only to others, but to ourselves. We possess a great gift, and we should feel compelled to protect that gift. If you had died, Ash, then all the good you may have done in the future would've been snuffed out before it could happen. Not to mention, the suffering that would befall your friends and family if you were to die. Your pokémon, too."

    Pikachu was elsewhere right now, but Ash instinctively reached at his shoulder. "I understand."

    Cynthia sighed and wiped her fingers on her napkin. "Now, that's enough of that. I sound like my grandmother." She shuddered, and Ash smiled slightly. "So, after encountering AZ and now Albrecht, and experiencing the power of the Plates firsthand, do you think you're beginning to figure out how to use it?"

    "Oh, yeah!" Ash exclaimed, grinning. He clenched his fist. "I had it all wrong when I first went up against AZ. I mean, I figured out how to create electricity and stuff, but that's like the bare minimum for the bearer of the Electric Plate, right?"

    "I suppose I would expect more than just you turning yourself into Pikachu 2.0."

    "Not even that, but a worse one! Pikachu can do way more damage than I can manage now when he gets serious! I don't know if I'd ever be able to use a Thunderbolt or Volt Tackle as well as him no matter how much I train. But that's just it." He turned over his palm and conjured several strands of electricity that snapped between his fingers. "I need to use this power as a human, not as a pokémon."

    Cynthia frowned. "You mean like the Guardians?"

    "Sort of. Albrecht said he'd be training me similar to how a Guardian would. But the analogy he used was that the power of the Plates is like a broadsword, but the power of the Guardians is like a kitchen knife. Basically, the Guardians can manipulate Aura, but only in basic ways. The Guardians can't mold Aura into elemental attacks, which is something even the weakest pokémon can do effortlessly. That's why we usually just see them using Aura Spheres or conjuring shields."

    "So you're saying the Plate allows you to mold Aura into electric-type attacks?"

    "For starters. But right now, I'm focusing on just building the energy from the Plate and containing it within my body. That's how AZ has kept himself from getting killed all this time. Once I'm able to build and maintain power without it weakening me too much, then I'll move on to applying it." Ash tapped his head. "The important thing, though, is still using my head. I am still a human after all, a trainer."

    "What has our blessed World Champion unleashed upon the world?" Cynthia smirked. "An Ash that uses his head?"

    Ash grinned. "Very funny. Once I'm controlling entire storms and changing the weather with my mind, I bet I won't see you laughing then!"

    "Lofty ambitions, as always," Cynthia said, standing. "I'll leave you to it, then. I should really go see Anabel now."

    "Oh, yeah, right," Ash said, his mood dampened. Just one look at his face and it was clear he bore guilt for what had happened.

    Remember this feeling, Ash. That acid in your stomach that makes you forget why you ever decided to walk this path in the first place. That makes you want to leave everything behind. Remember it. If you stay this course, it won't be the last time you see a loved one get hurt.

    Before he could apologize again, Cynthia got up and strode back inside, and pulled a maid aside to ask about Anabel's whereabouts. She figured he'd be back in the spirit of things soon, but to have something so bloody happen right in front of him…it was jarring to say the least. Even Cynthia felt a twinge of nervousness as she ascended the stairs toward the medical room. Sabrina hadn't sent any pictures, so she had no idea what to expect. She could only expect the worst.

    After counting the doors down the hall and finding the right one, she took a deep breath and knocked. Several seconds passed by before the door cracked open, and Sabrina's face popped through.

    "Sabrina," Cynthia greeted. "May I see her?"

    The psychic pulled the door open some more and let her in. Inside, it looked like a typical, if not slightly old-fashioned, hospital room. Between the medieval aesthetic and the fact that they were in Rota, Cynthia had honestly expected something a little more fantastical. But the women hunched over Anabel were in stark white nurse's uniforms, and they were checking on various monitors surrounding Anabel, without a dash of Aura in sight.

    I guess even in Rota, you stop bleeding with bandages.

    True to what she'd been told, Anabel's right arm was gone. Her shoulder was wrapped in bandages and she was asleep, breathing softly as her nurses worked around her.

    Cynthia almost shuddered, but walked across the room to her side confidently. Right now, she was in public, in front of one of her subordinates, no less. She had an image to maintain.

    Sabrina took her seat again beside Anabel, and grabbed the prone girl's hand. The skin was red, and Cynthia figured she must have been holding it all morning.

    "The painkillers put her to sleep… She's barely eaten anything…," Sabrina murmured.

    "As I've said before, she's getting all the nutrients she needs and then some via intravenous," one of the nurses said softly. "Don't worry, Lady Sabrina. On my loyalty to Master Albrecht, your friend will be just fine."

    The nurse met Cynthia's gaze and nodded, and Cynthia gave her a reassuring smile. She nodded down at the young psychic, and the nurse seemed to understand. She whispered to her peer and they both left quietly, leaving Sabrina and Cynthia alone.

    "When did you last sleep, Sabrina?" Cynthia asked once they were gone.

    "I don't know." Her response was immediate and dismissive.

    Cynthia pursed her lips. Normally, Sabrina did whatever was asked of her without argument. To be honest, Cynthia had never seen, much less had to deal with this side of her. "Why don't you get some rest? I'll watch over her for you."

    "It's fine, I'll stay."

    She was being unexpectedly obstinate. But her disheveled hair and dark circles around her eyes were clear physical indicators that she was anything but fine. And her gauntlets betrayed her mental state as well. Initially, Cynthia had tried to ignore Sabrina's gauntlets, knowing how insecure they made her feel since they reacted to every slight change in her emotions. But after spending so much time around her, she'd begun to pick up on what their movements meant involuntarily. Right now, they were spinning slowly, but trembling frenetically. She was almost at her breaking point.

    Cynthia paced around Sabrina's chair and knelt down beside her. Sabrina glanced her way, but didn't let go of Anabel's hand.

    Surprisingly, Sabrina spoke up on her own. "I could've stopped it, you know?"

    "And how do you figure that?" Cynthia said, cutting in before she could continue. She didn't want to grant the girl even a moment to wallow in regret. Nothing good would come of it. "I heard you were knocked unconscious before it even happened."

    "I could've…I could've…" Sabrina's breaths came quick and short, and her gauntlets began to whir and they spun. "I saw the attack coming…I felt his intentions. But to stop it, I knew…" She trailed off, clutching Anabel's hand even tighter.

    I need to end this line of thinking now. "Actually, I've been meaning to ask you something for a little while now, Sabrina," Cynthia said.

    She stood and walked behind Sabrina's chair, forcing the girl to turn her attention away from Anabel. But she still didn't let go.

    "My Spiritomb brought something to my attention a couple months ago. It noticed a small needle embedded in my mind, made of psychic energy. Nearly imperceptible, but completely benign. Would you happen to know anything about that?"

    Almost immediately, the color drained from Sabrina's face, and her gauntlets jerked suddenly, spinning much faster. "Oh no…," she breathed. Her eyes slowly traveled up Cynthia's body until she met her gaze.

    Cynthia put up a hand. "Please don't try anything. I'm not angry. I just want the truth."

    To prove her point, a murky haze of ghostly energy outlined her body for just a moment, but Cynthia knew Sabrina would catch it and understand. Spiritomb was protecting her now.

    "I…I…" Sabrina stuttered.

    Cynthia reached out and rested her hand on Sabrina's shoulder. "Please…you don't need to be afraid of me. I'm not your mother."

    The moment those words left her lips, Sabrina's gauntlets froze, then calmed, noticeably. She took several deep breaths and closed her eyes. After a minute, she opened them again. "It's nothing, really. It just tells me where you are," she whispered. "I'm sorry."

    Cynthia rubbed the back of her head. "How long has it been there?"

    "Since we met."

    Cynthia counted down the years mentally, and all the places she'd been since.

    "I'm really sorry. I'll remove it right now."

    "No," Cynthia said, putting up her hand. "You don't need to do that. I trust you have your reasons for doing it." She dropped her hand and turned away. "But, if the others have something similar, you might consider removing theirs. They may not be okay with it like I am."

    "Ah—ah! Okay!" she said, a little louder than she probably wanted to.

    Cynthia began walking away. "I'll leave Anabel to you. But please get some rest. If not for your sake, then for hers. I'm sure she'd be very angry with you if she found out you'd hurt yourself looking over her."

    She opened the door and shut it quietly behind her, then exhaled. Well, that was that figured out at least. In truth, she'd basically deduced what the needle's purpose was two months ago.

    Sabrina Natsume was a girl starved for something she'd been deprived of nearly her entire childhood. She was broken, and it was obvious. And that disrepair manifested in twisted ways like this. With Paragon, Cynthia had hoped to help her, and offer a new sense of normalcy for her, separate from the pain of her past. But it seemed she still had a ways to go. Paragon did provide a new normal for her, but she seemed to want to bury her blemishes and hide them from her new friends, rather than confront them directly.

    But Cynthia couldn't blame her. It was a terrible existence she'd been living when Cynthia first met her. And she could guess what the young psychic was going to say before she cut her off.

    To stop AZ, she would've had to become what her mother accused her of.

    A monster.

    Now that she'd checked up on Anabel, Cynthia was content, for the time being. Of course, having Anabel down an arm and bedridden was an awful situation, especially with AZ on the move, but at least it felt like they were making progress. As she'd suspected, Albrecht did have a lot to hide, and she was glad she'd invested the time in him. Her and Ash seemed to be back on the same page as well, and she'd just gotten word from N earlier this morning that he and Zinnia had narrowed down their search for the secret entrances to AZ's hideout to two main locations: Shalour City to the north and Cyllage City to the south.

    For the time being, she decided she'd remain here. He clearly knew she had alternative motives, but seemed willing to accommodate them, as long as they didn't jeopardize Rota in any way. And in that sense, he actually seemed grateful that Paragon would be sticking around. Obviously, he was invested in Ash, and according to Ash, he'd become the World Champion solely to get him here and set him on the path of a Platebearer. Cynthia had noticed his interest in Ash two years ago, and made it clear to him that he was hers, but frankly, the lengths he was willing to go far exceeded her expectations. And in the end, it was he who had provided Ash with answers to his many questions, not her. In fact, he'd even answered some of her own questions. Including the nature of the war at the top.

    And she had a pretty good idea who, of those she knew, was an active participant in it.

    But there was one thing that had taken her off guard. During their conversation, unexpectedly, he'd reacted to the name of the Paragon Organization. He'd said he didn't recognize the name, but he clearly knew something. Cynthia's instincts told her he was telling the truth, but if he was, then she had no clue why he would've reacted that way. And she doubted he'd tell her if she asked. At the end of the day, he was clearly still wary of her, just like she was of him.

    For the time being, it seemed they both considered it wise to keep their enemies close. Especially enemies of enemies.


    An hour after Cynthia left, Anabel woke up. Sabrina's eyelids had drooped shut, when she was suddenly jerked awake at Anabel's hand crushing her hand in its grip. Anabel's eyes were squeezed shut and her teeth were clenched in agony as she stifled a cry.

    Sabrina stood to get the nurse, but Anabel yanked her back. "No!" she bit out. She took several labored but deep breaths. "I-I'm fine," she said, sweat glistening on her skin.

    "Please, let them help you," Sabrina pleaded, her eyes shimmering.

    "I'm fine," Anabel repeated, with a soft smile. "Thank you for staying with me."

    Sabrina wiped her eyes with her sleeve. "Of course," she mumbled.

    "Sabrina," Anabel breathed.

    Sabrina noticed her body trembling. She was still in pain.

    "Can you do something for me?"

    "Anything," Sabrina said, clasping her other hand on Anabel's.

    Anabel took a few more unsteady breaths. "Can you check something in your room for me real quick? This bed is so uncomfortable…it's so thin. Can you tell me what yours feels like? If it's better than mine…I'm gonna tear into those nurses…I don't want you to see that." She rolled her head over to face Sabrina. "Will you do that for me?"

    Sabrina's lip quivered, but after a few seconds, she nodded. She gave Anabel's hand one last squeeze before standing up and slowly walking to the door. She spun around to get one last look, and Anabel was smiling weakly back at her. She offered a weak smile of her own and slipped out, closing the door gently behind her.

    She took a step to the side and waited.

    After a few seconds, it started again. A miasma of despair emanated from the room behind Sabrina and sunk into her bones. This happened every time she left. Without her there, Anabel was free to let the dam break.

    Sabrina pressed her ear against the wall. Sure enough, about a minute later, she began to hear a faint whimpering, along with coughs and sniffles into a pillow.

    Tears welled up in Sabrina's eyes and she clapped her hand over her mouth to keep from making any noise herself.

    Oh, Anabel. You can't get rid of me that easily! I'll be back with you in just a moment!

    She raced down the hall to get an answer to Anabel's stupid request.


    Later that night, after dinner, Albrecht's staff prepared a room for Cynthia as well, a room, she noticed, was on the opposite side of the manor from Ash, Anabel, and Sabrina's. She'd walked around the manor earlier in the day to get a lay of the land and it seemed like Albrecht's master bedroom was about the same distance away, so maybe she'd be able to rest easy. Though that didn't stop her from almost ordering Spiritomb to keep watch on them. But, Albrecht had opened his home to her and been forthright about everything she'd asked him, so she stayed her hand. Plus, he was a Guardian, and clearly in another class of trainer in his own right. It was dubious to begin with whether or not she'd be able to get away with something like that without him noticing.

    As always, much to her chagrin, she had to play along.

    After a long, steamy shower in the adjacent bathroom, she returned to her room in a bathrobe and found that Spiritomb had returned with a suitcase of her belongings. She hadn't expected to stay here for an extended period of time, but since Albrecht had offered, who was she to refuse? It was lucky her ghost could travel to and from Paragon Island at any distance. Ghosts-types were different from most other pokémon, and they could sink into and travel through a realm of their own, with different physical laws than the material world. And the more evil a ghost, the more powerful it was. For a monster with as many malicious souls within it as Spiritomb, instant travel across an entire ocean was a simple task.

    As she changed into her nightwear, she saw an ultra ball resting on the bedside table, and walked over to it. It was hers, of course. But it had only just become occupied earlier today. While Ash was training in Albrecht's backyard, and the World Champion had gone off to speak with the queen of Rota, Cynthia had taken the opportunity to venture through the woods of Rota. It was an aimless journey, really. She really just wanted some fresh air and some time to think. And on her way, she'd decided to catch a new pokémon, something she hadn't done in years. The Guardians were strong, but the wilds in Rota were pretty low-level. The ones in the Tree of Beginnings were stronger, but entrance into that sacred place was barred to outsiders, and Cynthia wasn't looking for anything in particular anyway.

    She picked it up and released her new companion onto her bed. Her Spearow appeared in a flash and cocked its head at her, before taking a look around the room. Cynthia smiled and brushed its head with her finger. Since she'd used an ultra ball, she hadn't needed to injure it at all before it caught, and in the brief time they'd spent together, Spearow had already warmed up to her.

    Then her phone buzzed, and she picked it up. The screen awoke, a single notification displayed. A text message.

    One Cynthia had been expecting all day. Dreading all day.

    Upon seeing it, her chest turned to stone. Spearow flapped up from the bed and landed on her shoulder, peering down at her phone alongside her.

    The Great War never ended, she recited in her head. But Albrecht and AZ both backed out. Which means others have carried it on in their stead, continuing to vie for Arceus' Plates.

    From Zelda Leora:

    Pull out of Rota now.

    Cynthia closed her eyes, as if that would make the message go away. She slept her phone and put it facedown on the bedside table. After that, she turned off the lights and climbed into bed. It was dark, but she felt Spearow cozy up beside her.

    I'm sorry, Miss Leora. It seems this is where we part ways.

    Next — Chapter 28 : Storm Before The Storm

     
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    • Remnants of the Great War [19]
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    • PARAGON

    Remnants of the Great War Arc [19]

    Chapter 28 : Storm Before The Storm​


    It was a bright day out in Rota again. Ash had gotten an early start, beginning with his usual jog around the World Champion's property. He returned to find breakfast ready for him in the dining hall, but again, there was no one to join him, and he ate alone. As expected, Cynthia slept nearly till noon. Taking advantage of the lull in her busy schedule, Ash supposed. And as he'd learned at dinner last night, Sabrina had crashed earlier yesterday afternoon after watching over Anabel for so long, and Ash still hadn't seen her at all today.

    All and all, it meant a quiet morning for Ash and Albrecht to dedicate to their Platebearer training. With the threat of AZ on the horizon, Ash had once again switched around his roster. Although type matchups had largely become irrelevant at his level of trainer, since he could comfortably engage with any pokémon with any of his own regardless of type, he still thought it'd be wise to use a different flyer than Dragonite for now. He'd gotten one-shot by AZ, even through his Multiscale, so clearly types still mattered. In place of Dragonite's powerhouse offense, Charizard was on his way. Venusaur and Lucario were still onboard as checks, and they were both training their poison and steel moves respectively in a different part of the valley. Though thinking about them made Ash remember a certain request from his Lucario.

    "Hey, Albrecht, if it's not too much trouble, d'you think I can head over to Cameran Palace later today?" Ash asked. "My Lucario is actually the younger brother of a Guardian friend of mine and he wanted to say hi while we were in the area."

    The World Champion crossed his arms. "Hmmm, I'm not sure that's wise."

    "What do you mean?"

    "I spoke with Queen Ilene yesterday and told her everything I told you. As you can imagine, she was quite shell-shocked to learn who I truly am, and she demanded a royal banquet be organized immediately. I talked her out of that, but she did insist I stay for dinner with her at the Palace, which is why I was absent last night, and I apologize for that. But ultimately we decided it would be the wisest course of action if my presence and identity remain hidden from the rest of the Guardians, for the time being. As I understand, she's actually calling a meeting of all her top advisors and captains later today to discuss AZ's imminent attack, and she plans to summon all the Guardians from around the world back here to defend their home. The time will eventually come for all to be revealed, but there's no sense in causing a panic before we're ready. For the time being, I'd prefer you and your friends to remain here, so as not to cause undue excitement."

    Ash nodded. "I guess that makes sense. But couldn't AZ attack any time? He could attack today, or tomorrow for all we know, before the Guardians even get here."

    "That is true, but I don't think he will. Like us, he still needs time to gather his forces. Taking into account the secrecy of his journey here, and how quickly he left, I suspect it'll be at least two or three months until he'd even consider launching a full-scale attack on Rota."

    "Which means I have two months to get ready to face him again," Ash said, clenching his fist.

    Albrecht turned to Ash. "Your gusto is admirable, and appreciated. But Rota is my home. And the home of the Guardians. It is our duty to defend it."

    "But didn't you say you thought I was the one who'd use the Plates to end the conflicts of the world?" Ash asked.

    "That I did," Albrecht smiled. "But this quarrel with AZ is a fight that should have ended three thousand years ago. AZ is a sad old man coming back to haunt the present. If I can help it, you won't need to concern yourself with him." He rubbed his fingers. "Allow me to finish what I started long ago."

    As much as Ash wanted another shot at AZ, especially as revenge for Anabel, there was a certain poignance in Albrecht's tone that made him relent. It was clearly a personal matter for Albrecht.

    "By the way, I did end up asking Queen Ilene about Zagreus," Albrecht continued. "First, she asked me to apologize to Sabrina on her behalf. I imagine your friend may have been a bit frustrated after hearing the Queen's paltry explanation, but the truth of Zagreus' crime is strictly confidential for a good reason."

    Ash frowned, listening intently.

    "Zagreus was the name of a Guardian who was obsessed with power. It seems he was quite the knave back in the day, but his antics weren't yet malicious in nature. However, he apparently disappeared from Rota shortly after the Great War began."

    He walked over and sat on a rock, facing away from Ash. "The truth is, I've wondered for quite some time what exactly caused AZ to change so abruptly. What would compel him to create a weapon powered by the lifeforce of pokémon? After speaking with Queen Ilene, I may finally have an answer. You see, the Great War began for the Guardians after we received word that AZ had massacred a countless number of pokémon. At the time, we thought he'd gone mad. After all, it was an unprecedented act, and entirely uncharacteristic of the benevolent Kalosian Empire. However, after the war ended, the Guardians began an exhaustive investigation into AZ and the remains of his empire, as part of their search for his ultimate weapon. At this time, I had already recused myself from the Guardians so I was not privy to their findings. But the investigation concluded, among other things, that Zagreus was the one who'd told AZ how to harvest Aura from pokémon. That is his crime."

    Ash was speechless. "Why in the world would he do that?"

    "I'm afraid I don't know. I never knew the man personally, but from what little records remain of him, it remains unclear how he benefited from allying with AZ. If he desired power, he didn't get it by spilling secrets about Aura. And if he hated the Guardians for some reason, I imagine he would've made a move against Rota some time in the past three thousand years."

    "He's going after the Plates, we know that much," Ash said. "And it doesn't seem like he has any yet."

    "If he desires power, the Plates are an excellent place to find it," Albrecht agreed. "But I sense there's more at play than just that. We're missing a piece." Albrecht turned and smiled. "All this scheming and plotting has never been my strong suit."

    "Ha ha, me neither," Ash grinned. He stretched his arms and hunkered down. "Now, let's continue!"

    In front of Ash, Emboar smashed his fists together and grinned.

    "You still want to go with what you told me earlier, eh?" Albrecht mused. "If that's what you want to do, I'd be very careful about how you do it. If you don't have adept control over your power, you could end up causing far more harm than good."

    "That's exactly the type of strategies we love!" Ash said, electricity crackling between his fingers. "That's our style!"

    Over the next several hours, Ash continued to work with his pokémon as he trained his abilities as a Platebearer. Albrecht watched intently and offered pointers every now and then, but remained passive for the most part. Eventually, Ash's curiosity got the better of him, and when they broke for lunch, he decided to ask Albrecht about it.

    "I thought you'd be more hands on if I'm being honest," Ash chuckled as he munched on a sandwich. It was good, but it tasted a little too gourmet for such a casual meal. He preferred Sylvester's. His pokémon ate from bowls on the grass.

    "Oh no, I'd not dare interfere," Albrecht said, waving his hand. "The power you have…it's not so dissimilar to training pokémon. I could tell you how I might use it, but just as a trainer asserts his own style of battle for his team, you must also develop your own path for how you wish to use your Plate. You have a font of power at your fingertips, but you will only reach your own fullest potential if you wield it in the way that best suits your style, as you said."

    "I guess that makes sense. Though I guess I am curious about how you used your Plate. Especially during something like the Great War."

    "Oh, I didn't bear any Plate by the time the war began," Albrecht chuckled. "My stint with the Plates was a youthful folly. I expelled its power shortly after I first touched it."

    Ash frowned. "I didn't know you could do that."

    "Oh, yes," Albrecht nodded. "That is how the Plates can pass from one to another. A Platebearer can surrender it willingly."

    "So what happened to yours, then?"

    Albrecht smiled, a twinkle in his eye. "Oh, I still have them. All three."

    Ash's jaw dropped. "You had three Plates at once?!" With just one, he already felt so powerful. He couldn't even imagine carrying a second, much less three.

    "I still have them, but they're hidden away where no one could ever find them. With the Great War on the horizon and AZ on the hunt for the Plates, you can imagine how imperative it was that I make them disappear."

    Ash gulped and nodded. "That's true. I guess it makes sense why he'd attack Cameran Palace directly."

    "The fighting here was brutal," Albrecht agreed. Then he frowned. "When you were here with your friends, you glimpsed that battle through the Time Flowers, didn't you?"

    Ash's eyes widened. "I did! But I had no idea that that was from the Great War!"

    "Yes, the Time Flowers that grow around Cameran Palace chronicle many significant events in Guardian history. And few are more consequential than that battle."

    "I remember hearing the story of Sir Aaron," Ash said. "How he and his Lucario sacrificed themselves to save Rota."

    Albrecht's eyes glazed over and he gazed at the blue sky wistfully. "Yes… Sir Aaron. The incessant fighting had begun to affect the health of the nearby Tree of Beginning, which the Guardians are charged to protect. It was an unacceptable fate to allow the Tree to fall. Sir Aaron's deed allowed the Guardians to gain the upper hand and rout the attacking Kalosian army. They surely would've returned with an even greater force… But then AZ's weapon fell upon the east, and that was the end of that."

    Ash swallowed. Even just seeing the battle through the Time Flower, he remembered how visceral the fighting was on both sides. And through the magic of the Flower, it felt like he was actually there. He still remembered the heat of war, the cries of fury, and the stench of blood and dust.

    "Why is the Tree of Beginning so important to the Guardians anyway?" Ash eventually asked. "I know a Mew lives in it, and it has a ton of pokémon living there, but it sounds like it's important to the Guardians for other reasons."

    Albrecht nodded. "You're exactly right. The Tree holds an elevated significance to the Guardians. It is where all the pokémon in our world originate. Arceus was the first pokémon, of course, but apparently, pokémon did not begin to inhabit this world until Arceus descended from the heavens and incarnated here. The Tree of Beginning marks the spot where Arceus first stepped, and thus, pokémon came to be. The Tree has a storied history from then on, but that is where it gets its name."

    "I see. So I guess the reason the Guardians are called the Guardians is because you're literally guarding the Tree of Beginning?"

    "Yes, I suppose so," Albrecht laughed. "Though the Guardians protect many things, be it the natural world, our fellow man, and the bond between people and pokémon. But yes, protecting the Tree is quite high on the list. After all, it isn't just that pokémon originated from the tree. Many energies flow throughout the Tree even now. For example, did you know that Mega Evolution stones also first appeared within the Tree? And relatively recently too, I might add."

    "I didn't!" Ash exclaimed.

    "Before the stones, people achieved Mega Evolution by forging an unbreakable bond with their pokémon, so tight that their very souls seemed to meld together. But that meant the fate of one decided the fate of the other. One could not live without the other, and in an age of such rampant violence, many pokémon lost their lives due to the deaths of their trainers."

    "That's terrible," Ash said. "I don't even want to imagine my death causing the death of any of my pokémon."

    "However, some time ago, the Mega Evolution stones started to appear, first in the Tree of Beginning, and then in secluded places across the world. By using the stones, the former penalties of Mega Evolution have are passed off, so to speak, and one can wield Mega Evolution safely without compromising the safety of trainer or pokémon."

    "Hmm, I wonder if there's any difference between the two different kinds of Mega Evolution," Ash wondered aloud.

    "There are old clans who mislike the use of Mega Stones, calling them blasphemy. The Draconids in Hoenn are one such group. But if anything, I'd say it shows the fortitude of the bond between people and pokémon, that trainers continued to pursue Mega Evolution in spite of the heavy consequences. Perhaps Arceus above gifted us with the stones after persevering for so long. That's my theory, at least."

    Ash smiled. "I like that."

    As always, talking with Albrecht filled Ash's head to the brim, and Albrecht seemed to understand that, as he didn't say another word for the rest of lunch. After they were done, Ash excused himself to go check on his friends, and Albrecht politely bid him farewell.

    "Do try and return quickly," he called as Ash was heading back toward the house. "Your stratagem won't be mastered overnight!"

    "I will!" Ash replied. But he was worried. It was now afternoon and he still hadn't seen Sabrina. At least Cynthia had popped outside earlier, watched him train for a bit, then head off into the forest. Although it wasn't exactly unusual for Sabrina to hole up in her room, Ash still thought he should check on her. She'd clearly taken Anabel's injury hard, and it'd affected her enough to break her normally rock-solid stoicism.

    But after ascending the stairwell to the second floor and walking down the hallway that contained both of their bedrooms and Anabel's room, he ran right into her. Or more accurately, she'd run right into him.

    "Oof!" Sabrina said, clutching her head.

    "Whoa, there you are!" Ash said. "Where are you going in such a hurry?"

    Sabrina looked up at him, then looked away. "Anabel." She moved to get around him.

    "Wait," Ash said, grabbing her wrist gently.

    She stopped and turned, but he noticed her gauntlets flare, and he quickly let go. She stared up at him blankly, and he realized he didn't really know what to say.

    "Where have you been all day?" he eventually asked.

    "Sleeping," she grumbled. "She tricked me."

    "I guess you needed it," Ash said, cracking a small smile to try and lighten her mood. "It's past lunch time, you know?"

    "I'm not hungry," she said, and she started walking away again.

    "Wait!" Ash said, running to catch up to her. She jerked away from him, before he could touch her, but stopped all the same. "Just wait for a second, please." He took a few moments to catch his breath. "What're going to do?"

    "I need to watch over her."

    "You don't," Ash said. "You don't. Sabrina, Anabel will be just fine. I'm more worried about you right now. You missed dinner last night, and now breakfast and lunch today. That's basically a whole day without food." As he said it, he noticed how pale and skinny she looked, even more so than usual.

    "That's not important," Sabrina said curtly. "Anabel is the one who's hurt! I'm just—"

    "What do you mean?" Ash said, frowning. He grabbed her wrist again. "What do you mean it's not important?"

    Sabrina looked away, her cheeks hot, though she looked more annoyed than embarrassed.

    "Sabrina," Ash said. "You're important too, you know that, right?"

    Sabrina grit her teeth. She seemed upset, though at Ash or herself, Ash couldn't quite tell. Her eyes twitched and she yanked her hand out of Ash's grip. "I don't even know what you're talking about!"

    "What?" Ash said, confused. "But I just said it so clearly! You haven't eaten anything since yesterday so obviously you need to go and eat—"

    "Is food all you think about?"

    "No, I was just thinking about you!"

    Sabrina's eyes flicked over at him, burning with irritation. "And why would you be doing that?"

    Ash's arm dropped as he processed what she'd asked. He was speechless! "Because we're friends," he said softly, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Isn't that why you're going to Anabel now? How can you say you don't know what I'm talking about?"

    Sabrina dropped her arm too and she looked away again, taking deep breaths. Once she calmed down, she turned back to Ash and bowed. "I'm sorry. This was all my fault."

    "Sabrina… That's not what I—"

    "I think I understand what you mean, though, now," she said, fidgeting with her hair. "Just a little bit." Her blush now was clearly from embarrassment.

    A smile dawned on Ash's face like the sun peeking through a cloud. "Oh…oh, good! So that means you'll come and eat now, right?"

    "I guess."

    "Great! I think they still have the ingredients out and stuff," he said, walking back downstairs, Sabrina in tow. "Sandwiches, but not as good as Sylvester's, of course. Oh, yeah, I gotta tell you about everything I've been working on!"

    On the other side of the door, Anabel smiled. Thank you, Ash.


    Back downstairs, the cooks had luckily still been at their stations as Ash had said, and at his request, they whipped up a meal for Sabrina and presented it to her in the dining room. Despite the fact that they'd already been here for several days, Ash was still reminded at how surreal their situation was as he watched Sabrina casually eating a sandwich at the end of the table in the World Champion's grand dining hall. It actually made him a little self conscious, since he didn't have anything to eat, and had to sit there with the queen of introverts herself. Pikachu had returned from his own training, but was resting on the table, exhausted.

    But, Ash still wanted to stay here for her. No offense to her, but Anabel was hardly in any shape to support Sabrina after everything that had happened. If anything, spending so much time next to that severed arm probably only exacerbated Sabrina's feelings of guilt.

    Though, now that he thought about it, Ash realized that was probably the case for him. He'd been subliminally avoiding spending too much time with Anabel. Every visit, he spent no longer than fifteen minutes with her. The sight of her arm simply tore Ash's insides to shreds.

    If Sabrina was spending too much time with Anabel, then Ash was the opposite. He was avoiding her.

    Clearly, he hadn't escaped from his encounter with AZ as unscathed as he initially thought.

    So really, talking with Sabrina here now, about little things, trivial things, meaningless things, was good for the both of them.

    Of course, Ash still did the vast majority of the talking.

    Just as she was finishing, Cynthia strolled in, and they both looked up.

    "Oh, good, you're both here. We need to talk."

    "What happened?"

    "Nothing happened," Cynthia said, sitting in one of the chairs next to them. "I just got off the phone with N and Zinnia. They're making good progress in Kalos. They're both closing in on the entrance ways to AZ's hideout, it's just taking awhile since his men are so meticulous. It's no wonder they haven't been caught all this time."

    "Do they think they'll have found it in less than two months?" Ash asked. "That was Albrecht's estimate for when AZ would be ready to attack."

    Cynthia nodded, processing his statement. "Yes, assuming nothing else comes up." She narrowed her eyes. "Two months, huh? That's very soon, all things considered."

    "Yeah, but it's still enough time to get ready," Ash protested. "Is the International Police or the League sending anyone out here to help?"

    "That's what I came looking for you two for," Cynthia said. She locked eyes with both of them. "We're pulling out of Rota for now."

    Ash glanced over at Sabrina, then back at Cynthia. "What? Why?"

    Cynthia pursed her lips, seemingly considering how to phrase her response. "As I understand it, the Guardians are taking point on the defense of Rota. Interpol has no jurisdiction here, and neither does the League."

    "So we're just abandoning them?" Ash asked incredulously.

    "We're not abandoning them," Cynthia said firmly. "We're going to be keeping an eye on Rota from afar. Maintaining a bird's eye view of the situation, so to speak. Then, we will act accordingly."

    Ash shook his head in disbelief. "You still don't trust Albrecht. After everything? He saved our lives."

    Cynthia glanced at Sabrina, but she was stoic, and her hands were beneath the table. "Ash, I don't trust anyone right now. Except Paragon. You're the only ones I can trust."

    Ash continued shaking his head. "I can't believe what I'm hearing. You're going to let AZ attack Rota without even putting up a fight?"

    "Ash, you heard what I said. If Rota needs our help, then we'll—"

    "We're leaving because Interpol doesn't have jurisdiction here?! I've never heard you say something so ridiculous!"

    "Calm down. Haven't you disobeyed me enough already?" Cynthia snapped.

    "This isn't like you all," Ash said, standing up. Pikachu's ear perked up and he opened his eyes lazily. "You've lost your way."

    At that, Cynthia cracked a tepid smile. "Lost my way, huh? It's the opposite. Paragon is doing what it always should've done."

    "Leaving Rota to fend for itself?" Ash demanded. "Paragon was created to help people!"

    "Wrong." Cynthia stood up as well. Her smoky gaze seemed to cause the air in the room to thicken, and Ash found himself taking deeper breaths. "Paragon was created by me, for me."

    Ash's eyes narrowed. "What did you just say?"

    Even Sabrina couldn't hide her confusion, and her eye twitched.

    Cynthia sighed, and her gaze dropped. "Paragon was born of my own selfishness. I had dreams and desires that I couldn't reach on my own. So I gathered talent to help me."

    "Help you do what?"

    Pikachu padded across the table and jumped up onto Ash's shoulder, sensing danger.

    Cynthia crossed her arms. "You've known me a long time, Ash, surely you should know."

    Ash thought for a moment, but it sounded absurd in his head. She was abandoning Rota for that? What did one have to do with the other? "You want to discover the history of our world. But why do we have to leave Rota because of that?"

    "You just learned yourself that the Great War, one of the most significant events to ever happen on this planet, began not because of border disputes or resource scarcity, but because of the Plates of Arceus. And yet every article and textbook on the subject reports the former. I would know, I've read them all. Which means the history is a lie."

    "The Guardians didn't lie, they kept the truth about the Plates hidden to protect them from falling into the wrong hands!" Ash countered.

    "This is bigger than the Guardians, Ash. For now, we need to pull back and assess the situation at large!"

    Ash sat back down. "No. I won't leave."

    Cynthia closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them. "I was afraid you'd say that."

    A sheet of darkness burst out from behind Cynthia and engulfed the entire room. The table and chairs vanished, and the floor beneath them disappeared. The inky void surrounded them, churning and roaring all around them as they stood suspended in midair.

    Ash winced as the darkness raced around him. It was so cold he thought he'd get frostbitten, but his body seemed fine. He grit his teeth and faced forward. Across an indescribable distance, Cynthia stood before them unmoving, her platinum blonde hair whipping around her, the only color in this deafening miasma. "What is this…?!" he bit out. Beneath him, Pikachu had fallen off his shoulder, but was clinging to an unseen floor, trying to maintain his footing, one of his eyes clamped shut from the effort. Sabrina was behind them, and though he couldn't see her, Ash could hear her straining against the storm of darkness. "Sabrina!" he yelled.

    Neon green pustules erupted from Cynthia's form, staining the void, and an otherworldly cackle echoed as they passed.

    Just as Ash felt like he was going to be ripped off the "ground" and sent hurling away, the darkness began to recede back toward Cynthia. The howls of laughter quieted, and light once again flooded his vision as the floor once again materialized beneath him.

    He fell to his knees, panting. Beside him, Sabrina was crouching down, shivering. Pikachu took a step forward and snarled, electricity sparking on his fur.

    "I'm sorry for that," Cynthia said. She was still standing, and was exactly as far away from them now as she was before. "But my decision is final." Beside her, Spiritomb shuddered and grinned.

    Ash glared up at her and stood. Then he frowned as he noticed where he was. Sunlight beamed through the windows around them, bathing them in a familiar warmth. "This is Paragon Island. How…?"

    "Spiritomb can teleport over long distances. I didn't want to have to do this, but it was the fastest way."

    A million thoughts raced through Ash's head, bouncing off emotions of anger, confusion, and disbelief. "What did you think would happen? Did you think we would abandon Rota without protest?"

    "You've become quite fond of the World Champion," Cynthia noted. "As expected, your emotions are clouding your judgment, Ash. Once you've calmed down, I'm going to summon N and Zinnia back, and then we'll talk about how to proceed. You said two months, didn't you? That's plenty of time for us to clear things up, once and for all."

    Ash was enraged. How dare she bring up Albrecht as an excuse to leave Rota behind! Riley was his friend too, and he'd surely be partaking in the battle against AZ. But above all that, protecting Rota was the right thing to do. How didn't Cynthia see that?

    "Cynthia? Ash? Sabrina?"

    Sylvester walked into the room, drying his hands on a towel tied around his waist. "What's going on here?" he asked, looking between them all, bewildered.

    Cynthia glanced over at him, but her attention quickly shifted back to Ash. "Stay out of this," she said curtly.

    "She's ordered us out of Rota, leaving the Guardians to AZ," Ash answered.

    Sylvester frowned. "Is this true, Cynthia?"

    Cynthia bit her lip, scowling. "Get back in the kitchen."

    "You are going to return, aren't you?" Sylvester asked, ignoring her.

    "We'll see."

    Sylvester glanced at Ash, then Sabrina, then back at his cousin. "That doesn't sound like you." He tapped his chin. "In fact, you've been acting strangely for some time now, Cynthia." He glanced over at Ash and Sabrina, as if considering what he was about to say in front of them. "You've been taking more and more flights to Alola, but the League HQ isn't there. The League hardly even has a presence there." His expression darkened. "I've tried to respect your privacy, but I'm afraid it's all become far too unusual. What's in Alola, Cynthia?"

    Cynthia shook her head. "I'll explain everything when everyone's here."

    "You…," Ash murmured. "You've been taking orders from someone else this whole time?"

    Cynthia sighed, glancing between all of them. "Ash, I'm the same person you've always known. You can trust me."

    Ash shook his head. "I can't. The Cynthia I know would never abandon people in need like this. She wouldn't leave something as dangerous as AZ for others to deal with. She'd face it head on." He glanced down at Pikachu, then back up at her. "I'm returning to Rota. Whether you approve or not. But you're staying here."

    "Oh?" Cynthia said coldly. "You're calling the shots now?"

    "I guess so."

    "It sounds like you want a fight."

    Ash met her gaze. "Only if I have to."

    Pikachu's cheeks crackled, and Spiritomb roared with silent laughter, those neon green souls roiling within him.

    Before Cynthia could respond, Sylvester took a step forward. "Sorry, cousin, but I'm with Ash. I trust you have a good reason for everything you're doing. But I can tell you've thrown caution to the wind. You're acting recklessly now. So forgive me, but I can't let you continue."

    "'Can't let me?'" Cynthia repeated. She took a step toward him. "And who are you to tell me what to do?"

    "Wait, what're you doing, Sylvester?" Ash said.

    Sylvester reached around and pulled something from his belt. "Not to worry, Ash," he said, his eyes never leaving Cynthia. "In all the battles Cynthia and I have had over the years, she's never beaten me." He enlarged his pokéball. "Not even once."

    Next — Chapter 29 : The Board Before The Battle

     
  • Threadmarks
    • There's a lot going on here. A lot of interesting new ideas, a lot of intriguing twists on things we know...

    I'm really excited to see where it goes next.
     
    Remnants of the Great War [20]
  • Threadmarks
    • PARAGON

    Remnants of the Great War Arc [20]

    Chapter 29 : The Board Before The Battle​


    Sinnoh Region - Paragon Island

    "In all the battles Cynthia and I have had over the years, she's never beaten me. Not even once." Sylvester grinned as he enlarged his pokéball.

    Despite the tension between him and Cynthia, Ash was momentarily distracted by Sylvester's proclamation. Not even once…? I hadn't even realized he was a trainer… I thought he was just a breeder… He glanced back at Sabrina, but the girl was stoic, and hadn't moved an inch after standing up.

    In front of them, a shadow hung over Cynthia's face, and she stood motionless, expressionless. Then the vein on her temple bulged and she smacked the pokéball out of Sylvester's hand. "You've been breeding pokémon to hard counter every single one of my pokémon ever since I left Celestic! Six Togekiss just to handle Garchomp, barely! You're raising a Charizard for Roserade right now, aren't you? After the Skarmory didn't work!"

    Her eyes were white with rage, and Ash sweatdropped. He'd never seen her lose her cool like this. And so easily too.

    "Hey!" Sylvester whined, scurrying over to pick up his pokéball. After scooping it up, he rounded back on his cousin. His cheeks were tinted pink. "Heh. Heh heh! Well, a win is a win, is it not? And you've never procured one from me!" The corners of his mouth twitched up.

    "Want to have another go right now, then?" Cynthia growled.

    Sylvester cleared his throat and dusted himself off. "Dear cousin, I think we were talking about something rather important before that outburst of yours." He lowered his pokéball, but his storm gray eyes locked with hers, deadly serious. "You've made the bizarre decision to withdraw from Rota after learning it is AZ's true target and left us all quite befuddled. And to think you'd break out Spiritomb to whisk them back here forcefully… Not that it's my place to say, but a bit of transparency on the matter would likely go a long way…"

    Cynthia shook her head dismissively. "That's right. It's not your place to say. I am the head of Paragon. I've given an order. I expect it to be followed."

    "We're not soldiers, Cynthia!" Ash said. "We're trainers!"

    "That's exactly right," Cynthia said. "If you recall, I told you something when you first joined Paragon, Ash. I told you, and the others, that to join Paragon would mean a life of unprecedented danger, and unprecedented strength. Descending on Rota right now is a force of nature who possesses both."

    "So you're afraid of AZ? If we withdraw now, then what's even the point of Paragon?!" Ash demanded. Then he frowned. "You said Paragon wasn't created to help people, but to help yourself and your own ambitions! So that's it, then? This 'assignment' isn't worth the trouble?"

    Cynthia closed her eyes, but her eyes shivered beneath her eyelids. Spiritomb swiveled to glance over at its trainer.

    "Cynthia…," Sylvester began.

    "That's enough," she said, opening her eyes. "I'm sorry, but if you can't trust me, then I only have one choice left." She thrust her arm forward. "Silent Domain!"

    Inky darkness exploded out from Spiritomb's ghastly form, and a low chortle escaped its simpering mouth. Before Ash could even react, the darkness had closed in all around them, thick and suffocating. Pitch black shadow sealed away all light and they were instantly plunged into darkness.

    Pikachu's cheeks sparked in alarm, illuminating their surroundings. Unlike Spiritomb's technique that had brought them here, the darkness around them was calm, wispy, and devoid of Spiritomb's tormented souls. But the cold that seemed to penetrate Ash's clothes like a sheet of ice beneath his skin still remained.

    The ghost itself was nowhere to be seen, nor could its mocking laughter be heard. However, Cynthia stood upon the empty darkness, her arms crossed.

    "In here, it's impossible for you to reach Spiritomb," she declared. "You can't pass through the barrier, and you can't break it either. Until the others arrive, we'll wait here."

    "What?!" Ash demanded. "Let us out!"

    Sylvester ambled over to the apparent edge of the domain and reached out tenderly with a gloved hand. The light from Pikachu's sputtering electricity flashed across his body, and a smoky blackness curled around his hand when he made contact with the barrier. "Hmm, interesting," he muttered.

    "Let us out, Cynthia!" Ash yelled. "You're not making any sense!"

    "I'm trying to protect you!" she snarled back. "To protect Paragon!"

    "You're talking out of both sides of your mouth! You say you're doing this to protect us, but you also said Paragon was nothing more than your own personal unit to help you achieve your dreams! Which is it?"

    "Cynthia," Sylvester stepped forward. "Tell us what you've been doing in Alola."

    A solid stone of darkness swirled into reality behind Cynthia, and she took a seat upon it. She laced her fingers together and sighed. "I can't do that."

    "Why not?!" Ash roared. His fists were clenched so tight even Pikachu spared a glance back at him in concern.

    In response to Ash's outburst, Cynthia said nothing.

    Ash grit his teeth, his mind spinning for a solution. "Pikachu, use Thunderbolt on the barrier!"

    Cynthia didn't move at all as Pikachu wreathed himself in electricity and fired the blinding bolt straight into the murky darkness. But it was swallowed up harmlessly, just as Cynthia had said. He dropped back to the ground and growled in frustration.

    "Try Electric Terrain!" Ash commanded, hoping to overwrite Spiritomb's "domain."

    Pikachu hissed, trying to suffuse the area with electricity, but it refused to take hold. His electricity sparked and crackled against the pitch black floor, but disappeared after just a few moments. He moaned in sorrow.

    "Tch!" Ash spat. He started to advance on Cynthia himself. But after reaching the halfway point between them, he suddenly hit an invisible wall and stumbled back. Cynthia looked up at him, emotionless, and he glared back, slamming his fist against the barrier in frustration.

    "Well," Sylvester said after an awkward pause, "it seems she has well and truly defeated us."

    Ash was about to retort when he suddenly felt a dark presence behind him, simultaneously hot with anger and cold with ruthlessness. But before he could turn, Sabrina swept past him, her gauntlets spitting mechanical groans as they fought to contain her power. Pikachu stared up at her as she walked, and she came to a stop before the invisible wall separating them from Cynthia.

    "Sabrina…?" Ash said.

    Cynthia's eyes narrowed, clearly not expecting a challenge from the normally placid psychic. Sabrina raised her arm, and the gauntlet around her wrist began to spin faster. Cynthia started to get up, sensing danger, but before she could, her body was suddenly seized by an invisible force, and she cried out in pain.

    "Sabrina!" Sylvester roared, and he advanced on her from behind. But upon getting within a couple meters of her, he was unceremoniously shoved backward onto the voided ground, unable to approach. Sabrina hadn't even turned around.

    Cynthia's arms and legs snapped together, as if forced, and she nearly fell over, but Sabrina caught her and suspended her where she was. "Sa…brina!" she bit out.

    Pikachu whined at his trainer, begging for orders, but Ash was transfixed by the scene playing out in front of him. His fists were balled and sweat dripped down his temple, but he made no move to help or stop Sabrina.

    The domain around them suddenly thickened, and despite the fact that none of them could quite make out its edges, they could feel its oppressive walls closing in around them. Red malevolence dripped from the smoky haze that curled off their pitch black surroundings, and a baleful screech thundered through the cavern of darkness. The shadows began to move beneath their feet, and Ash quickly caught himself before he tripped.

    Pikachu winced, instinctively priming electricity on his cheeks, and Sylvester scowled, clamping his hands over his ears.

    But Sabrina wasn't fazed in the slightest. From Ash's vantage, she still had hold of Cynthia, and hadn't even stumbled at the shifting domain around them.

    "Let us go, Spiritomb," Sabrina commanded, her voice echoing loud throughout the domain, just like Spiritomb.

    Pure, unbridled rage coursed through the entire domain and seemed to infiltrate everyone within. Ash clutched his chest, as a sudden heaviness lanced through him. He smelled the iron stench of blood, and though he tried to blink it away, a crimson tinge filtered his vision. He felt Spiritomb's hatred as if it were his own.

    Sabrina tightened her hand, and Cynthia responded accordingly, her body twisting painfully. Tears ebbed down her cheeks involuntarily, but Sabrina must've been choking her, because she couldn't speak.

    "Mmmmm!" Cynthia wailed, and Sabrina loosened her grip slightly. "Re—lease t-them!" she choked out.

    Several seconds later, the beating anger of the domain subsided. After a few more seconds, Ash began to feel the domain dissolving. The darkness around them thinned and receded, and Spiritomb's body appeared once more before them. Slowly, the darkness slid over the walls and floor until it was guzzled entirely back into the crack in Spiritomb's Odd Keystone.

    They were back inside Paragon HQ, none of them a step from where they'd started. Ash turned around and saw Sabrina's arm still raised, holding the Sinnoh Champion, whose face was matted in sweat. But there was no fear in her tearstained eyes. Sabrina's gauntlets began to slow, and she slowly lowered her hand. Cynthia's eyelids fluttered, and she slumped to the ground.

    Spiritomb hissed, priming an attack, but Ash had seen it coming a mile away, as had Pikachu. With a single leap, Pikachu landed next to Cynthia's fallen form and clicked the button on the ghost's pokéball, recalling it.

    Once it vanished, an uncomfortable silence descended upon the gathered. Ash walked over and checked Cynthia's pulse, confirming she was fine, then stood and turned around.

    Sylvester was staring, unblinking, at Sabrina, but the psychic was ignoring him, her eyes glazed over. Her unfocused gaze was directed down at the floor.

    "You," Sylvester whispered, his eyes burning with fury. He took a step toward Sabrina.

    "Wait!" Ash said, jumping between them. "Cynthia's fine, she's just—"

    Before he could finish, Sabrina bolted out of the room. Ash looked back at Sylvester, but the man was moving to chase after her.

    "Wait, Sylvester!" Ash said, grabbing his shoulders.

    He thought Sylvester would try to push past him, but after a few moments of tense resistance, Ash felt the aggression leave his body, and Sylvester leaned back. Ash released him, and he walked over to his cousin's side, no doubt to confirm her health himself.

    "I…I'm sorry, Sylvester," Ash said. "I don't know how things turned out this way." The last thing he wanted was for Sylvester to inflame the conflict between them even more. At the moment, it felt like everything was falling apart. Cynthia and Sabrina had both acted in ways he hadn't expected.

    Actually, Sabrina's actions weren't so unexpected. That was why he hadn't intervened. But it was a dark realization, that he'd essentially allowed Sabrina to hurt Cynthia so that he wouldn't have to act on his own feelings. His own frustration had nearly reached a boiling point, so when Sabrina stepped forward to act, he was not compelled to stop her.

    Although Sabrina had gone about it in a forceful and violent way, Ash still believed this was the correct course. Cynthia made a completely irrational decision. At someone else's behest, according to Sylvester. We're in the right…right? As logical as it seemed, Ash still couldn't shake a nagging feeling of doubt.

    "Why don't you bring Sabrina back, Ash?" Sylvester said, his voice back to its usual calm. "Let's quash this internal discord properly."

    "I don't think that's possible now," Ash responded. "I'm sure Sabrina's heading straight back to Cameran Palace now as we speak."

    Sylvester sighed and stood. "I see. I suppose she's still worried about Anabel, then. Truthfully, I wish I could've attended to her here. But it sounds like she's safe under the World Champion's care."

    "Yeah. Anabel's fine, but her injury has really been bothering Sabrina. I'm sure that's why she did what she did."

    Sylvester glanced back down at Cynthia. "I understand. I should've realized as much after knowing Sabrina for so long. But I'm afraid my emotions nearly got the better of me."

    "No, I understand. Cynthia's your cousin after all," Ash said. "When she comes to, I promise I'll keep my emotions in check too and we can talk about everything like she wanted to. Then we can decide what's best to do."

    Sylvester smiled grimly. "You're an optimistic man, Ash. But I disagree with that course of action. As I understand, AZ will be launching an attack on Rota within the year. Cynthia also told me you've only just begun practicing with your newfound abilities granted by the Plate. With all that in mind, I believe it'd be best if you return to Rota as well, and continue your training with the World Champion."

    "But what about Cynthia?"

    "I will watch over Cynthia here. I'll keep her in one of the cells down below," Sylvester said coldly.

    Ash frowned. "What? Why?"

    "Cynthia has become a danger to you all, as well as to herself," Sylvester stated. "Forgive me for saying this, but I strive to be as honest as possible. The truth is, I care more for Cynthia's safety than all of yours. She is, as you said, my precious cousin. But the last thing Paragon needs before facing its greatest challenge yet is an erratic leader, and that's exactly what she's been for the past several months." He paused and frowned. "No, perhaps even longer. In any case, I can't allow her autonomy any longer. She'll be safest if I imprison her."

    As barbaric as it sounded, Sylvester didn't waver in the slightest at his decision.

    "Imprison…are you sure?"

    "I'm sorry for the way it sounds, but I have absolutely no reservations when it comes to the protection of my family. Even if she hates me for it, curses me for it, I won't let her continue to act recklessly."

    Ash's brows were knitted, and though he tried to think of a counter, he was drawing a blank. The last thing he wanted now was to get into another altercation with yet another member of Paragon. Plus, Sylvester's decision technically did work in Ash's favor. He'd told Cynthia he'd return to Rota, and not to come after him, yet it would have been naïve to believe she'd simply capitulate to that demand. If Sylvester kept her here…well, that solved that problem. "So…you'll ask her about everything then, right? Why she did what she did, and who she's been meeting with."

    "I will try," Sylvester scoffed. "But she's as stubborn as a mule. If she's decided not to tell us something, I'm afraid there's little I can do. But what I can do is keep her safe until this business with AZ comes to a close. Then, I suspect we'll get some answers."

    It felt like a bridge too far, but then again, Cynthia had just spirited them across the world and trapped them in a similarly forceful manner. This resolution satisfied no one, though that also meant that no one was getting their way completely. For now, with the threat of AZ on the horizon, it would have to do. Paragon could not fracture before he fell.

    "Fine," Ash said, though he wasn't pleased. "I'll return to Rota. And I'll talk to Sabrina."

    "Thank you," Sylvester said. "Though I doubt they would have abandoned their posts on such short notice, I'll inform Zinnia and N that they should remain in Kalos. I'm hesitant to tell them about everything that just happened, lest it distract from their assignment. But with Cynthia put away, I will need to keep them in the loop in her stead."

    Ash nodded. It wasn't the first time Sylvester had taken point on one of Paragon's missions, for when Cynthia was busy. He was a capable leader when necessary.

    "Thank you, Sylvester."

    "Of course. I want this conflict to end just as much as you. Just as much as Cynthia too, I've no doubt. I'll keep you updated on her cooperation."

    As much as Ash wanted to stay on Paragon Island for a bit longer, he didn't want to be around when Cynthia woke up. So after bidding his farewell, as Sylvester carried his cousin down into the prison cells beneath the base, Ash departed on Dragonite's back. As he soared through the cloudless sky, Albrecht's words once again echoed through his mind, unbidden.

    Be wary of your friend Cynthia.


    Kalos Region - Cyllage City

    "What the fuck is going?!"

    Despite not being on speakerphone, N winced and pulled the phone away from his ear. "Please lower your voice, Zinnia, I'm trying to perform reconnaissance here." He leaned forward slightly and peeked out a window frosted with hardened dirt and grime. Still nothing.

    "Reconnaissance? For what? Cynthia wants us to pull out!" she screeched. "Do you know how long it took to find the fucking tunnel? Now I have to comb through the whole damn city to find where it comes out. You cannot tell me to just give up now! I mean, shit!"

    "Settle down," N groaned. "All your cursing is giving me a headache."

    N had tried, really tried, to start liking humanity after everything that'd happened with Team Plasma. He'd been raised to see humans as little more than bothers to the divine existence of pokémon, but his perspective had slowly begun to change over the years, after formally joining their ranks as a member of Paragon.

    Four phone calls a day for the past three days from one Zinnia Higana was single-handedly undermining his efforts.

    Zinnia seemed to sense his distaste through the phone. "Sorry, okay? But seriously. Did she hit her head or something?"

    Her? "Who knows? I haven't made a habit of questioning the whims of my benefactor."

    "Uggggggh," Zinnia groaned. "Now Ash and Sabrina have gone rogue and Sylvester's running the op? And they locked Cynthia in the basement?!"

    "That is what the text said, I got it too."

    "Whose side are we even supposed to be on?"

    N sighed. "Well, given that we both haven't left Kalos, I guess we've already made our decision."

    "Tch. I guess now we know why Cynthia wasn't sending us in. She never intended to in the first place." She paused for a moment. "Wait, why are you staying here? I thought you were like super loyal to Cynthia or whatever."

    "Well, her command was fairly strange, wasn't it? " N murmured. "Not to mention, out of the blue. Who's to say it wasn't an accident?"

    "You know, you can just admit you think staying is a better idea."

    N paused, needled by her remark. But for all her bluster, she said some surprisingly on-the-mark things from time to time. "If you say so. How are you holding up?"

    Zinnia went quiet on the other end for a second. "What're you talking about?"

    "Anabel."

    The prolonged silence on the other end was simultaneously pleasant and painful.

    "Let's just focus on what we're doing now," Zinnia eventually said, quietly.

    N pursed his lips. "Very well."

    "I'm gonna go. Sorry for bothering you."

    "No, it's not a bother. I just—" He heard the line click on the other end and pulled his phone away from his ear. She probably hadn't meant to hang up on him. The conversation was over.

    N sighed and put his phone away. Dealing with people was not his forte, and Zinnia seemed like an unbeatable final boss as far as people went. He just couldn't deal with her as hard as he tried. In truth, asking her about Anabel was nothing more than imitation. He thought it was what he should've done. It's what a normal human would do. But if she'd actually given an answer, he would have had absolutely no idea what to say next.

    If Ash were here, he'd know exactly what to say. He and Zinnia got along like siblings. Which is to say, they were like oil and water, yet somehow, they seemed closer than anyone else in Paragon. N didn't understand it. Friends and family. He simply couldn't wrap his head around the concept.

    But 'friendship,' if it had to be called something, had certainly wrapped itself around him. Something was different about him ever since learning of Anabel's fate. He didn't quite understand it, but a certain feeling had begun to squat in his psyche. And it wasn't a good feeling. He was far more irritable than usual. There was a poisonous burning sensation in his stomach, even now. And he was finding it difficult to keep focused on his assignment.

    Without him noticing, it seemed the unthinkable had happened. Somewhere along the way, N had begun to care for his human friends. Yes, his friends. As dense as he knew he was, even he could recognize that these feelings were caused by his friendship with them.

    Really, he'd had no right to ask Zinnia how she was holding up, since he was also wounded by the same dagger of helplessness. Here they both were, on the other side of the world, while their friend was suffering after losing an arm in battle. Perhaps if he'd had a bit more empathy, he would've realized how Zinnia felt before asking such a question. If she'd asked him…he probably would've answered in the exact same way.

    Focus on what we're doing now.

    In other words, keep his feelings to himself and not answer the question.

    N took a deep breath and cleared his mind. Cyllage City was smaller than Shalour, but the mountains to its east were ripe for a network of secret tunnels.

    Unlike Zinnia, N had located the deep underground tunnel leading away from the ruins in Geosenge Town quite quickly. With Reshiram's sensitivity to heat, it didn't take long to find the two tunnels branching out from beneath the ruins. From there, it was just a matter of following it from above, until they reached Cyllage. Zinnia's methods, which she did not disclose to N, took longer, but she eventually reported that her tunnel led to Shalour. Unfortunately, however, after arriving in the Cyllage, the bustling heat of the city ended Reshiram's usefulness. And it seemed Zinnia had hit a similar roadblock after reaching Shalour, and they were now both forced to begin a manual search.

    N was stationed in a cheap motel, and today he was following up on a sighting of one of the hooded figures they'd seen with AZ outside the ruins just before they teleported away to Sinnoh. Reshiram had spotted the figure last night, but they'd slipped through his fingers. But at least now, he'd narrowed the entrance down this quadrant of the city. He was on the outskirts, adjacent to what appeared to be a warehouse district. His plan was to remain vigilant about any other hooded figures, but to begin searching the warehouses under the cover of nightfall for the entrance to the tunnel.

    As he peered back out across the street at the cargo workers and sandstone warehouses, N felt that frustration that'd been plaguing him for the last three days return again. Humbly speaking, it was a feeling he hadn't experienced often, if ever.

    Rage.


    Sinnoh Region - Paragon Island

    It was dusk when Cynthia came to. Sylvester had come down with her dinner nearly half an hour ago, yet she was still asleep when he arrived. Then he'd gone up to get a folding chair for the wait. And when he returned, she still hadn't awoken. So there he sat for the next half hour, keeping his blossoming anxiety at her prolonged sleep at bay, in silence. Just when he was beginning to consider calling Ash to get an answer from Sabrina about when exactly he should expect to see her wake, she groaned and stirred beyond the plexiglass door.

    "Cynthia," Sylvester said, once she'd sat up and rubbed her eyes.

    Her attention suddenly shifted to him, and upon seeing him, she seemed to realize where she was, and looked all around her cell. It was padded, clean, and larger than the cells in a typical prison. A white cot was bolted to the wall, and opposite the cell door was an open passage that led to the bathrooms. After getting her bearings, she faced her cousin again. "Are you serious?"

    "Don't blame me for your cramped quarters, you designed this place," Sylvester said, putting his hands up defensively. Then his eyes narrowed. "You did, didn't you?"

    Cynthia snorted and shook her head in disbelief. She checked her belt, but as expected, her pokéballs had been stripped from her. She also found her pockets emptied.

    "I have been curious for some time now," Sylvester continued, "where you procured the funds for a facility like this. I didn't think a Champion's salary was that high." He met Cynthia's gaze for an answer.

    But she looked away defiantly.

    "Still won't answer, hm? Perhaps I'll pay a visit to Alola myself and see what I find." He looked over to catch her reaction, but she didn't react. She simply stared down at the floor, arms resting on her bent legs as she leaned against her bed. Sylvester cursed her stubbornness silently. "Unfortunately, I couldn't figure out the passcode to your phone or computer so I suppose that will remain a mystery for now."

    "Where are Ash and Sabrina?" Cynthia asked.

    Won't answer my questions but you'll ask some of your own? "They're gone. Back to Rota, of course." Albrecht shook his head in disbelief. "What did you think was going to happen?" he snorted. "Did you truly believe you could simply whisk them back here and they'd take it lying down? Their friend is wounded in Rota, with her assailant closing in. That they'd abandon her alone is unthinkable, much less the rest of the Guardians."

    "Ash I could've reasoned with," Cynthia said. Her quick reply and the fact that she'd replied at all surprised Sylvester, and he stayed quiet to let her finish. "But Sabrina…was a miscalculation."

    "That girl certainly showed some initiative this afternoon," Sylvester agreed. "And to think she'd attack you directly… That's quite the creature you brought into your employ."

    Cynthia's eyes flashed with anger. "Don't call her that."

    Sylvester whistled, and an amused smile flickered on his face. "She wrung you out like a dishrag and you still defend her?" When Cynthia's expression didn't change, Sylvester broke eye contact and let his smile fade. "Of course, she's your one of your beloved underlings, I understand. But you know I didn't mean it like that. I've known her just as long as you. But I never would've guessed she'd oppose you like she did."

    "She's changed. It's not grief from Anabel's injury. When N brought Ash back from Mount Coronet, she didn't become like this. This is something more fundamental." She brought her hand up to her mouth, but just before she covered it, Sylvester caught a small smile. "It seems our young psychic is finally beginning to evolve. Not bad at all."

    Sylvester looked at her quizzically. "You're not mad at how she treated you?"

    "Nor really. It didn't hurt…that much. You're the one I'm mad at," Cynthia said, glancing over at him again. "It was your idea to put me in here, wasn't it?"

    Sylvester shrugged. "Yup."

    "And when can I expect to be let out?"

    Sylvester locked eyes with her. "Once you explain everything. The others will return after this business with AZ concludes. Then we can have that chat you wanted."

    Cynthia scoffed and bit her lip. "It'll be too late," she murmured.

    "Too late for what?!" Sylvester suddenly shouted, his façade breaking. "If you can't tell the others, at least tell me! What is it you're after? What burden do you carry that is so heavy it would compel you to turn on your own friends?! You can trust me, damn it! How long have we known each other?"

    Sylvester's outburst hung in the air as Cynthia remained silent.

    "You of all people I can't tell," she said quietly. "Especially you."

    Sylvester's eyes narrowed, but upon seeing that Cynthia had no intentions of speaking, he buried another outburst and regained his composure. "Your behavior has been nagging at me for a while now, actually," he said. "For two years. It was something I noticed when Ash joined." At the mention of his name, Cynthia looked up, and Sylvester savored her interest. "It was the way you were acting the day he returned from his training. The day he battled you and defeated you. You trounced him two years prior, flaying his Sceptile nearly to the point of permanent scarring. And when he was expected to return, you were on edge like I've never seen you before. Not for any of the other members of Paragon were you ever so…fidgety. And then I thought of something ridiculous. Something that couldn't possibly be true. And yet your actions ever since have suggested that it is."

    Cynthia's resolute eyes met his, as if challenging him to deliver his conclusion.

    "You expect Ash to lead Paragon one day, don't you?" Sylvester accused.

    Cynthia didn't move, but he'd known her since they were children. And that slight glimmer in her eyes told him he'd hit the nail on the head.

    Sylvester shook his head incredulously. "Do you expect something to happen to you or something?"

    "Don't start crying," Cynthia said flatly. "I'm not suicidal."

    "Then why?" Sylvester breathed.

    Cynthia closed her eyes and turned away. They sat together in silence for a minute.

    "I suppose my decision was absolutely correct, then," Sylvester eventually said. "You'll remain here for the duration of this campaign. Ash, Sabrina, and Anabel will protect Rota alongside the World Champion. N and Zinnia will storm AZ's Kalosian hideout once the giant appears in Rota. And I will remain here to ensure you don't step one foot off this island."

    Without another word, he stood up and lifted Cynthia's meal tray through a slat in her cell's door. "Here's your dinner. I'm sure it's cold. You're lucky you built a connecting hall to the showers because this door won't be opening until the others return. Good night."

    As he walked away, he heard Cynthia knock on the glass. "Keep me updated," she called.

    "Damn you, Cynthia," he said under his breath. "Damn you."

    As he ascended the stairs, he could faintly hear her thanking him for another delicious meal.

    Next — Chapter 30 : Beach Episode


    Sorry I'm late, I found the first half of this chapter difficult to write. As always, thank you to everyone who shares their thoughts, as it motivates me through the difficult sections :]

    I don't plan on making delays like this a habit. Next chapter should come out this weekend as usual.
     
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    • Remnants of the Great War [21]
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    • PARAGON

    Remnants of the Great War Arc [21]

    Chapter 30 : Beach Episode​


    By the time Ash touched down again in Rota, the sky was black, and the hill upon which Albrecht's manor sat had gone silent and dark. However, that did not mean he made a quiet return. Almost immediately after he'd landed and recalled Dragonite, several suited Guardians surrounded him, materializing from the shadows. They were Albrecht's household guard, of course, but upon seeing who had just trespassed on their master's property, they relaxed and led Ash back inside. On the way, he'd learned Sabrina had gotten back several hours earlier, but that she refused to disclose where she, or he and Cynthia, had gone. She'd simply swept upstairs to check on Anabel, then disappeared into her room, skipping dinner once again.

    Ash thanked them as they parted from him, and headed upstairs himself. He considered going to talk to Sabrina now, but ultimately decided against it. She would still be here in the morning, and if she was anything like him, then she was exhausted from the day's events as well. He returned to his own room, and he and Pikachu quickly fell asleep together.

    The next day, Ash got up later than usual. He'd actually woken up early enough to go for his usual jog, and though it probably would've cleared his head some, he'd just gone back to sleep instead. Waking up meant possibly running into Albrecht, and he wanted to talk with Sabrina first. She was an early riser as well, but based on how she'd acted yesterday, he suspected she also would've foregone her usual sun-staring training today.

    So around nine, he finally rolled out of bed and cleaned up for the day. There was a brief message from Sylvester saying Cynthia still refused to talk, so no updates on that front. He noticed he'd neglected to mention her reaction to being put away like she was, but no news hopefully meant good news. Surely she understood, he hoped.

    Either way, Ash sent Pikachu on his way to go get breakfast, and he trodded across the hall toward Sabrina's room. He'd check there first, but if she wasn't in, then he'd check the hospital room.

    But after knocking on her door gently, after a few seconds, he heard movement on the other side, and the door opened, surprisingly. Sabrina was dressed and showered for the day, but she did not make eye contact.

    "Can I come in?" Ash asked.

    She nodded and paced back over to her bed, which was neatly made. She sat on the edge, facing a small couch, like she'd been expecting this conversation. Ash obliged and closed the door behind him before seating himself on the couch.

    "How is Cynthia?" Sabrina asked.

    Caught off guard at the fact that she'd initiated the conversation, Ash hesitated for a moment. "She seems fine. Sylvester didn't say much. He's watching over her in the cells under the island. He'll be taking point for the rest of this mission."

    Sabrina nodded slowly, no doubt processing his surprising decision.

    Ash caressed his hands. "I was wondering how you were, though. You kinda ran out of there before we could get a handle on everything." Ash inhaled. "Honestly…"

    Sabrina closed her eyes and her gauntlets flickered.

    The next day, Ash got up far later than usual. Pikachu wasn't nuzzled beside him, so Ash figured he must've gone ahead to get breakfast. Honestly, he hadn't expected to sleep this late, so he quickly cleaned up and headed over to Sabrina's room to talk with her. However, she wasn't there. Next, he checked the hospital room, and though she wasn't there either, he did find Anabel awake.

    "Oh, good morning, Ash," she smiled.

    She looked like she was getting better, and Ash breathed an internal sigh of relief. But honestly, he really thought Sabrina would be here, as she had been the past several days. "Hey, Anabel… Sorry, have you seen Sabrina at all today?"

    "Mm, no, not yet." She smiled softly and averted her gaze. "Sorry, I actually overheard your conversation yesterday, when you said she was important." She looked up at him. "Thank you for telling her that. I tried to make the same point, but she just wouldn't listen to me. It's like all she saw was this," she said, shrugging her right shoulder.

    "O-Oh, yeah. No problem." He didn't think he'd said anything that impressive. Really he was just speaking his mind.

    Anabel frowned. "Is everything alright, Ash? You look worried."

    Ash refocused his attention on her and smacked his cheeks. "Sorry! Nah, it's nothing. I just wanted to talk to Sabrina is all." He faltered, and his gaze dipped. "No, actually, a lot happened yesterday. Let me tell you everything."

    He pulled over a chair and started to explain from the beginning. Anabel listened attentively without interrupting, and when he was finished, she exhaled.

    "Wow, I see. That's…I don't even know what to say."

    "Believe me, I'm just as confused as you," Ash said. "Why Cynthia would do what she did, or what's in Sabrina's head right now."

    Anabel stayed quiet in thought for a moment. "Sabrina's always had trouble expressing herself. And she doesn't take resistance to her desires well. I suppose the question now is what exactly she wants. Not to sound overly humble, but I don't think she would've done that to Cynthia just for my sake. She returned here for another reason." She tapped her lips, and a smile perked up on them. "Think she fell in love with a Guardian after being sent here on her last assignment?" Her eyes flitted over at Ash mischievously.

    "I doubt it," he sighed.

    "Why not? You don't think she's capable of that?"

    "What? Are you being serious right now?"

    Anabel waved her hand. "Never mind, never mind. I was just kidding. In all seriousness, I think what you said to her sunk in. About friends and all that."

    Ash frowned, trying to remember exactly what he'd said. "What do you mean?"

    "I mean about taking care of herself for the sake of her friends," Anabel explained. "Maybe she thought she was doing you a favor by standing up for herself and incapacitating Cynthia for you."

    "You really think so?"

    Anabel just looked at him, staying silent. Eventually, Ash nodded.

    "Yeah, I guess that does sort of sound like something she'd do," he said. "Well, I'd better find her, then. Gotta catch her up to speed since she flew off before everything was resolved." He stood up. "Do you need anything?"

    Anabel shook her head. "No, thanks. Before you ask, it's not as painful as before. I just want it to heal as fast as possible so I can hurry up and take a shower."

    "Do you want me to tell Sabrina not to worry about you?"

    "If you would, please, thanks. I think I'm just gonna sleep all day today." Anabel slid back down under her covers and nestled under the blankets. "Thank you, Ash. Talking to you has made me feel better."

    Ash flashed a peace sign. "No prob! You took a weight off of me too, so thanks."

    Anabel smiled and nodded, then closed her eyes. As Ash shut the door behind him, Anabel was already drifting back to sleep. And when she did go under, she dreamt of a day from the past, one of her treasured memories.


    Paragon Island, one year ago

    "Ah."

    It was quiet on Paragon Island and Anabel found herself alone in the kitchen. It was a bit past ten and she'd been on her way to get breakfast, but something on the counter had caught her eye as she was walking past.

    A deep blue box, about the size of a birthday cake. Golden embossed lettering adorned the top, the name of a place she didn't recognize. She glanced around the empty room warily.

    I mean….my birthday is today.

    Slowly, she reached to lift the lid of the box open.

    But a muffled shout from down the hall tore her attention away, and she instinctively slunk back. She slipped out of the kitchen and pressed herself against the wall, listening for further noise. Sure enough, she heard footsteps coming from the opposite hall just a few seconds later, coming closer.

    "You're just not serious about this," came Ash's voice, and Anabel heard the sound of thumps on the counter. "It's one day in the whole year, it's not that hard."

    "There's seven of us, that's seven days, dumbass," Zinnia said in response.

    "Okay, seven days. You're telling me you can't lay off for just seven days out of the whole year?" Anabel began to hear the crinkling of cellophane, the ruffling of a plastic bag, and more plops on the counter.

    "Yeah, that's just how serious I am about becoming a Dragon Master. You don't know anything about that."

    "Former World Champion, by the way. Dropped out voluntarily."

    "Okay? And actually it'd only be six days because we'd definitely be battling on my birthday. You'd definitely have to do what I say!"

    Anabel heard Ash sigh. "You can challenge me on my birthday too for all I care. That makes only five birthdays. Just five days for you to put the challenges on pause so we can—"

    Ash went silent, and Anabel's heart began thundering in her chest, wondering if she'd been spotted.

    "Are you kidding me?" Ash said after a few seconds.

    "What?"

    There was a one second silence. Ash must've gestured.

    "Oh, whoops," Zinnia said.

    "Has that been sitting here this whole time?"

    "…Uh, yeah, probably."

    Anabel heard Ash sweep around the counter, and she was afraid he'd pop out of the kitchen right next to her. But he didn't, and she heard him slide something off the counter. Probably the box she'd seen.

    "The frosting's probably all melted by now," Ash said, clearly annoyed.

    "Relax! It's only been like an hour!"

    "Well, where were you gonna put it?"

    "Cynthia has a minifridge in her office!" Zinnia shouted.

    "Shhhhh!" Ash hissed. "Are you sure she's still in the shower?"

    "Yes! She works out every morning, then takes a longass shower after!"

    Anabel blushed outside in the hall. She'd cut her workout short today, because it was her birthday.

    "Can you even get into Cynthia's office? Doesn't she keep it locked all the time?" Ash asked.

    "Ash, get serious. This is Anabel's birthday we're talking about here. Are you gonna let something like that ruin it?"

    "I don't want to hear that from you," Ash said in a low voice. "Help me put the rest of this stuff away before she gets out here. Once she does, I'll distract her, then you can get the cake to Cynthia's room."

    "Won't the cake melt even more though?"

    Another pause.

    "Can you please, please, please just cooperate with me here?" Ash pleaded.

    Anabel clutched her face to stifle a laugh. Working with Zinnia to plan Ash's eighteenth birthday several months ago had been a similarly hair-graying exercise. But it seemed like they'd be busy for a few minutes, which gave her the perfect window to sneak away back to her room before they realized she'd left it. And as much as she wanted to continue eavesdropping, she'd already spoiled their surprise for her enough, so quietly, she slipped away.

    Once back at her room, she carefully shut the door behind her, then flung herself onto her bed and smiled giddily.

    The surprise party for Ash had been her idea originally, and she'd hatched her plan along with Zinnia and Sabrina, who'd happened to be unassigned at the time, and Sylvester, of course. Ash himself hadn't had anything planned for his big day, as expected, so after battling Zinnia all day, he was pleasantly surprised to find a celebratory feast fit for a king waiting for him inside. To be fair, Sylvester had done most of the cooking, but at least she and Sabrina had enough brain cells between them to whip up a shitty vanilla cake from one of those store-bought boxes.

    For her birthday, they seemed to have foregone the hassle in favor of something professionally made. Not to knock them, but the idea of Ash and Zinnia working together to make her a birthday cake…hmm, inconceivable. Ash + Zinnia = cake was an equation just as false as 1 + 1 = 3.

    However, all of Paragon, save for Cynthia, was unassigned. They'd hit a lull in their work, and over the past few days, they'd all trickled back onto the island. Honestly, she'd expected Zinnia to take off immediately like she usually did, but Ash or Sylvester must've pulled her aside.

    Or, hey, c'mon. Maybe she'd remembered herself. Sometimes Anabel wondered if she was too harsh on Zinnia. The girl was an excellent trainer, and you'd never know it by looking at her, but her quest for the Great Dragon required a lot more brains than anyone gave her credit for possessing.

    Either way, that meant everyone was here. So did that mean all of them were in on the surprise? She hadn't seen Sabrina, N, or Sylvester this morning, but that wasn't entirely suspicious. Sabrina usually stayed in her room. N could've been outside, chilling with Reshiram. And Sylvester may have been over at his daycare, since he usually headed over there before lunch if there were no other chores to do.

    So maybe the surprise wasn't completely spoiled after all.

    A few minutes later, she heard footsteps approaching her room from the hall outside, and she quickly jumped off her bed to flip the fan on in her bathroom so it sounded like she'd just finished showering. But after ducking in, she glanced in the mirror and realized her hair was way too dry for that to be plausible. She froze in the middle of her bedroom, frantically trying to think of a solution.

    "Magic!" she exclaimed, tearing her pokéball off her belt. She released her, and Espeon immediately began yipping at her ankles. "Thank you, thank you for the happy birthday, but hurry! Mist me!"

    Magic shuddered, and her skin shimmered, turning turquoise. Before her fins had even finished growing, she sprayed a cloud of watery mist at Anabel's hair. The girl ran her fingers through it in a hurry, trying to get it to soak in as much as possible and look damp. Luckily she'd done this before to get rid of her bedhead, so Magic knew what 'Mist me' meant. But she offered a perplexed expression as she looked up at her trainer, unable to comprehend the urgency of the situation.

    Not a moment later, there was a knock at Anabel's door, and she quickly recalled Magic. She peeked into the bathroom one more time to make sure she looked fine, and that's when she noticed the top of her tank top was a little damp from the mist.

    "Whatever," she muttered. She quickly reset her face, putting on a smile, and opened the door.

    "Morning, Anabel! Happy birthday!" Ash waved, Pikachu mimicking him.

    "Heyyy, yeah, thanks!" Anabel beamed.

    "How was the workout?"

    "Oh…yeah, same old, I guess," Anabel chuckled.

    "So, anything special planned for today?" he asked.

    You tell me. "No, nothing, really. I was just about to go get some breakfast, though."

    Ash noticeably tensed up, and Pikachu grinned at her like a psychopath, seemingly determined to keep facing forward and not look suspicious. She noticed his paws clench on Ash's shoulder, and she had to swallow a laugh.

    "Uhhh, actually I was wondering if you could help me out with something real quick. Just for a few minutes!" Ash clapped his hands together and bowed.

    "Hmmm, I don't know, I'm kind of hungry. Can it wait till later?" Anabel asked innocently. As curious as she was about what excuse Ash had come up with, toying with him like this was just too fun.

    "Uhhhhh, I mean, not reall—"

    Zinnia came up from behind Ash and joined him at Anabel's door, slinging an arm around his shoulder. "Yo, happy birthday, Anabel!" She seemed out of breath.

    "Oh, morning, Zinnia, thanks!" Anabel said. Dang it!

    "Ah, yeah! You know what, actually it can wait till later, let's go eat!" Ash suddenly said, nodding and smacking Zinnia on the back. Pikachu deflated on Ash's shoulder, like a weight had just evaporated off his back.

    "Great idea, buddy!" Zinnia nudged him back, and they shared a laugh.

    Anabel deadpanned in the door frame. Even if she hadn't caught them earlier, this performance was embarrassingly transparent. She smiled weakly and shut her door behind her, and joined them on the trek to the kitchen.

    "You guys haven't eaten yet?" Anabel asked as they walked.

    "Nah, way too busy," Zinnia said. She had her hands behind her head like she didn't have a care in the world.

    "What were you doing up so early anyway?" Anabel asked, eyeing Zinnia.

    "What do you mean, I'm always up this early," Zinnia yawned.

    "Wait, actually?"

    "Yeah," she said seriously. "Journey won't plan itself."

    Anabel nodded. Impressive. She hadn't known that. Though to be fair, Zinnia didn't spend very much time on the island, and the path she walked as a Draconid seemed a solitary endeavor.

    Sylvester was still absent when they got to the kitchen, though Anabel usually didn't catch him in the mornings. He always prepared breakfast a few hours before she woke up, for Sabrina and Ash, the early risers. There was a serving plate full of eggs and a tray of sausage and bacon sitting covered on the stove, out of the way.

    Ash and Zinnia insisted they be allowed to serve her, so she seated herself at the table while they readied the plates. The sun outside sat high in the sky, warming the dining room beautifully while she waited, and she half-regretted not getting in a workout earlier. Once they joined her at the table, they all dug into breakfast, talking about what they'd been up to as of late. Anabel noticed they kept steering the conversation away from any talk about Sabrina and N any time it started to head in that direction, so she graciously decided to stop bringing them up after getting her fill of nervous twitches from them.

    "What do you have planned for today?" Anabel asked, placing her dishes in the dishwasher after Ash rinsed them off. "Another battle with Zinnia?"

    The Dragon Master herself had already run off, leaving her dishes behind.

    "Eh, I don't know," Ash said, drying his hands. "I figure you probably want to have a quiet day to yourself, so I was thinking we'd hold off for today."

    Anabel shook her head. "I don't mind at all. Actually, I wouldn't mind watching. I'm always hearing about your matches from Zinnia but I've only seen a couple of them."

    "Let me guess, she wipes the floor with me everytime and it's not even close?"

    "And leaves you in tears, begging for mercy," Anabel grinned.

    While Ash dipped back to his room to get ready, Anabel headed outside to wait for them. The temperature really was perfect outside, and the cool breeze blew across the island every now and then felt blissful on her skin. She'd actually planned on tanning at the beach all day, so she'd already put on sunscreen.

    Ash and Zinnia always started their matches at a clearing in the forest so that's where she waited. But before they arrived, she released all five of her pokémon.

    Magic the Espeon curled her tail around her leg as she lay down on the grass. As her first pokémon, Magic was the most affectionate with her by far, and she gently stroked her behind the ears. Like many a young trainer, she'd received her as a gift at age ten, but shortly after setting out on her journey, her Eevee had begun to show signs that it wasn't quite like others of its kind. Her fur began to change colors sporadically, and at first, her mood changed along with it. Abrasive and standoffish when it turned bronze, quiet and stoic when it turned silver, and mischievous and unruly when it turned gold. Anabel and Eevee hadn't even decided what they wanted her to evolve into when she suddenly woke up one morning to find an Espeon curled against her chest. It took some time for them to get the hang of Espeon's quirky new ability, but it soon became one of their trump cards. It was then that Anabel decided she wanted an entire team full of 'weird' or unusual pokémon, like her Espeon which changed form like Magic.

    The next pokémon she'd caught she hadn't even recognized when she first saw it, and that's how she knew she wanted it. Soon after coalescing onto the grass, Juggernaut the Snorlax stretched his arms, and promptly wandered off into the forest. He ambled away on his long legs, and his long arms swayed at his side. There was no delicate way to put it. Juggernaut was a skinny Snorlax. Most people looked at him with horror, wondering what sort of abuse Anabel must've put him through to get him looking so emaciated. But the truth is that Anabel had found him just as thin when he was only a Munchlax. In fact, she'd caught him while he was sleeping, thinking he was actually dead, or close to it. Only after she'd hauled ass back to the nearest pokémon center did she realize Munchlax had slimmed down of its own accord. He was a lover of battle through and through, and his many quarrels with the denizens of his local forest had somehow burned his fat faster than he could accumulate it, a complete anomaly for his species. Although he still maintained a blasé attitude about everything, he actually didn't sleep all that much, and even now, he was no doubt heading off to go punch some trees or something.

    Her next two pokémon were a little embarrassing. She'd gotten addicted to the Battle Frontier after arriving there on her journey, and midway through her gym circuit, her pursuit shifted toward wanting to become a Frontier Brain. All the Brains had one or two legendary or mythical pokémon. So that led Anabel to seek out her own. Sakura the Latias and Royal the Suicune were the powerhouses of her arsenal. Initially, they'd both been quite proud, as expected, but they'd been together for years now, and all their pompousness had since ebbed away. Sakura especially had gotten jealous of her other pokémon shortly after Anabel had caught her, and she soon began acting like a baby to get some of her trainer's mothering too. Royal had a bit more dignity. Anabel supposed she could only put on airs for so long after Sakura had already tarnished the title of 'legendary.' Immediately after spilling from her pokéball, Latias soared into the sky, chittering with delight beneath the warm sun, and Royal simply laid down beside Magic, ignoring her antics.

    Sophia the Decidueye was the newest member of her team, but at first glance, there wasn't anything too special about her. Anabel had learned her lesson after the last two catches and decided to lighten up a little on the team restrictions. She'd picked up Sophia in Alola while she was with the International Police on a whim. She hadn't raised a new pokémon in awhile, and she didn't see too many Alolan pokémon in Hoenn, so she figured, why not? But despite being the newest, Sophia watched over her comrades like a hawk, and she did not tolerate horseplay in her presence. Even Royal respected Sophia's gaze, though Anabel had a feeling there was a bit of a rivalry there. They'd been fighting over the position of matriarch to the rest ever since Dartrix had evolved, and it had led to many a long and silent brooding sessions between the two. Luckily, that was all it ever amounted to, and Anabel was glad they both cared for their comrades so much. Sophia took flight into a tree to oversee everyone at once.

    Ash and Zinnia came out several minutes later, taking their places on opposite ends of the clearing. As they got situated, Anabel scooted further back, as did her pokémon.

    "Ready to lose again?" Zinnia challenged, tossing her pokéball in the air casually.

    "We've been training hard since the last time we battled! You won't know what hit you!" Ash barked, unclipping his own pokéball.

    "Oh?" Zinnia's eyes narrowed. "Let's see it then!" She hurled her pokéball forward, and it snapped open in midair. Tyrantrum crashed down onto the grass and roared, glaring at Ash.

    "Same as usual, huh?" Ash sighed, and he tossed his pokémon out as well. Floatzel coalesced onto the ground, its tail spinning, and it hunched down, ready for battle.

    "A counter, of course. Can't win without a type advantage?" Zinnia taunted.

    "That's not even a type advantage," Ash muttered. "Well, we'll start things off if you're just gonna complain. Wave Crash!"

    A torrent of water spun into existence around Floatzel's, and it bulleted forward, its tail spinning like a motor to propel itself.

    "Head Smash!" Zinnia commanded.

    Tyrantrum snorted, and charged, the crest on its head hardening beyond belief. At their collision, water sprayed out in all directions, and fragments of rock shattered off of Tyrantrum's skull. Royal conjured a shield lazily to protect her master, but otherwise took no interest in the battle.

    Anabel sweatdropped. Ash was normally a pretty creative trainer, but against a meathead like Zinnia, he seemed to always prefer meeting her with brute force head on. Though knowing him, this was probably just another vector by which he could train his more frail pokémon's toughness.

    After a few seconds of clashing, Tyrantrum dug under Floatzel's body and tossed it back with a roar. However, Floatzel landed deftly back on the ground, not looking overly worse for wear. On the other hand, Tyrantrum shook its head with discomfort, blinking its beady eyes.

    "Follow up! Dragon Crunch!" Zinnia hollered.

    Tyrantrum's cragged maw burned with violet flames, its teeth turned an unholy black, and it once again charged toward Floatzel. Its feet cratered the ground where it stepped, and it was on top of Floatzel faster than one would expect for a creature of its size and bulk. Its jaw opened, a hellish chasm ready to devour its prey.

    "Counter Shield!" Ash commanded.

    Floatzel spun on its tail, conjuring a cable of water all around it. The rope caught Tyrantrum on its side and knocked it off kilter. Its jaw smashed closed around open air, but before it could recover, another rope lashed its body, forcing it back. A spiral of water tornadoed around Floatzel, and try as it might, Tyrantrum couldn't penetrate it without sustaining heavy damage.

    It's flecked with shards of ice too, Anabel noticed, squinting. Those will cut up Tyrantrum bad if it continues. Nice one, Ash.

    Suddenly, Pikachu cried out beside Ash, and before he even had time to turn, the mouse had wreathed himself in electricity and shot into the air with a Volt Tackle. An Altaria tore through the forest, its fluffy wings angled straight at Ash. Pikachu careened into its before it could hit, and Ash reared back in surprise.

    "Are you kidding me?!" he roared.

    "Ha ha! Outrage, Tyrantrum!" Zinnia smirked.

    Anabel's jaw dropped, stunned, as Pikachu derailed Altaria's sneak attack. Really, Zinnia…

    With its concentration momentarily broken, Tyrantrum surged through Floatzel's cage of water and smacked it with its giant head, then continued to pummel it with skull, jaw, and claw alike.

    Ash grit his teeth and ripped another pokéball from his belt. "Throw her into the sea! Aqua Ring, and Whirlpool, Floatzel!"

    Altaria rolled back into the sky, its attack having failed, but Staraptor was speed incarnate. Its unmaterialized form streaked across the sky, and by the time it finished coalescing out of its pokéball, it was already directly above Zinnia.

    "What?!" Zinnia squawked.

    Staraptor snatched her up in its talons and took to the skies, then changed its trajectory and bulleted toward the beach. Zinnia wailed, but Staraptor was so fast, her cries were quickly muted.

    Meanwhile, a storm of water erupted from Floatzel's battered form, flinging Tyrantrum skyward. It landed back on the ground with a giant crash, and groaned from the impact. Floatzel slumped to the ground, breathing heavily. Neither of them were knocked out, but they were both spent.

    After seeing the battle here had ended, Ash took off toward the beach, and Anabel leapt up after him, laughing. Magic and Sophia came with, and Sakura cooed excitedly above them.

    Over at the beach Staraptor and Altaria were locked in a death stare, both suspended above the ocean, waiting for the other to make a move. A second later, Zinnia's head popped up out of the water, gasping for air. Staraptor broke eye contact, a sign of ceasing hostilities, and Altaria took it up on its offer, fluttering down to check on her trainer. Zinnia swam closer to the shore, then waded back the rest of the way. She saw Ash's grinning face and glared.

    "Fuck!" she screamed, shaking the loose water off her hands and hair.

    "Nice try, loser!" Ash taunted. "What the hell was that?"

    "Urggggh," Zinnia groaned. She rounded on Altaria. "You're too damn nice, you know that?! You could've gotten him if you really wanted it! You need more bloodlust!"

    Altaria chuckled weakly, trying to put on a mean face, though it couldn't keep it up.

    "Don't blame Altaria," Ash scolded. "It's your fault for trying out something you've never done before. So tired of losing you're trying to sneak me now?"

    Zinnia closed her eyes and raised her finger. "One must always be ready for the unexpected. I'm glad you took my lesson to heart. Her lecture could not have looked more unconvincing, sopping wet as she was.

    "Lesson, huh?" Ash said, rolling his eyes. "Well, that was short."

    Anabel clapped beside them. "Congratulations. Great battle."

    Ash nodded in thanks while Zinnia continued to wring out her shirt.

    "Whatever, I was getting hot anyway," Zinnia said. "I'm going to change." She recalled Altaria and headed back toward the forest to get Tyrantrum.

    "Not a bad idea actually," Anabel said once she was gone. "It's a nice day for a swim."

    "Yeah," Ash agreed. "Though one time I decided to go for a swim and swam so far out the island disappeared. Need to be careful of that."

    Anabel laughed and began walking back beside Ash. "Should've told Cresselia what you were up to first!" She slung her arm around his neck and pulled him closer. "Any chance N and Sabrina will be joining us?" she asked quietly

    Ash chuckled nervously. "They are kind of taking longer than expected. But trust me, it'll be worth it."

    Anabel smirked and let him go. Finally, she was getting answers.

    She let all her pokémon stay outside while they headed back inside to change. Once inside, Anabel peeled out of her tank top and shorts and changed into a white two-piece with a shawl wrapped around her waist. She grabbed her shades and flip-flops, then headed back outside.

    To her surprise, Sylvester was waiting for her just outside the door. "Ah, Anabel. Happy birthday. I apologize I didn't catch you sooner." He bowed.

    "No problem, thanks!"

    "I trust you've had a pleasant day thus far?"

    "Yep! Probably just gonna chill on the beach now."

    "That sounds wonderful. I'll bring a towel and other amenities out to you shortly. Lunch in a few hours sound good?"

    "Yes! And thanks!" As she walked away she quickly called back, "Oh, yeah, please get towels for the others too!" and Sylvester nodded.

    Once she got back to the beach, Magic seemed to materialize out of nowhere as a Vaporeon, and she quickly curled up around Anabel. Several minutes later, Sylvester returned with a bundle of towels and a picnic basket in his other hand.

    "Please help yourself to anything inside," he said as he placed it down next to her. "And do let me know if you're feeling peckish and I'll get started on lunch immediately."

    "Thanks, Sylvester!" Anabel said, unfolding her towel and whipping it out over the soft sand. As Sylvester departed, she untied her shawl and took a peek in the basket. It had several water bottles and soda cans, some sliced fruit, and a small bottle of rum, all chilled. She helped herself to a water and a few berries, then laid down on her stomach, allowing the sun and sand to bake her right into a state of pure relaxation.

    She was half asleep already when she heard Ash and Zinnia come tearing down the beach, but the constant rumble of the sea soon drowned out their yelling. Even they could not disturb her now.

    Never did the sun ever feel too hot, or the breeze too blustery. In her state of half-consciousness, she heard Ash and Zinnia running in and out of the water, and across the beach alongside their pokémon, though they seemed to be paying careful attention to never get too close to her spot, and she was thankful. Eventually, she heard a couple more voices join them, and after recognizing N's, she stirred in her sleep.

    She raised her head and turned over, sitting up. The bright sunlight assaulted her dilated eyes, and she squinted, reaching over for her sunglasses to put them back on.

    "Yo, hey, she's awake!" she heard Zinnia say. As her eyes adjusted, she suddenly found all four of them staring down at her.

    "Happy birthday, Anabel," N smiled. He was in a pair of black trunks and an unbuttoned Alolan t-shirt, and his long green hair hung untied.

    Sabrina waved timidly. She appeared to be in a bathing suit, but she was also wearing a thick hoodie that made Anabel wonder how she wasn't overheating. Her jet black hair was tied in a ponytail, and Anabel resisted the urge to call her cute in front of everyone.

    "Hey guys, thanks," Anabel said, rubbing sand off her arms. "Can you ask Sylvester to start making lunch? I'm kind of hungry."

    "I believe he's already gotten started. He was just finishing feeding the pokémon when we returned," N said, shielding his eyes from the sun. "Something on the grill, it looked like."

    "Ooh, let's go see, Pikachu!" Ash exclaimed, racing off back towards the base. He was in a pair of navy trunks, but he must've just been in the water because he was dripping wet. Anabel averted her gaze from his toned back.

    "Hey!" Zinnia yelled, and she tore after him. Zinnia looked pretty nice herself. She was in a black two piece that showed off her form quite nicely. And she was also wet from head to toe.

    Once they were gone, Sabrina padded over and sat herself down next to Anabel. "Happy birthday," she murmured.

    Anabel glimmered with glee and pulled her closer. "Thank you!" She frowned. Ah." Something soft hit her side, and she whipped around to face her friend. "What're you hiding under there?!" She looked down at her own boyish body, defeated.

    "Stooop," Sabrina wailed, curling into a ball defensively, as Anabel jabbed at her.

    N, by courtesy or coincidence, was facing the ocean. "Ahhh, what a brilliant day to enjoy the sea," he declared. "There's nothing quite like the sight of a clear blue sky above the cerulean ocean to truly make one's day!"

    "Lunch!" Anabel heard Zinnia call, and as if on cue, her stomach rumbled quietly.

    "Ah, perfect! I wonder what our friend has prepared for your special day!" N sang, starting back.

    Anabel grabbed Sabrina's hand before she could escape, and she swung it as they walked back. "So, are you gonna tell me where you've been all day?" she asked, glancing over, trying to meet her gaze.

    "No," Sabrina said flatly.

    Anabel puffed out her cheeks in a pout. "Hmph!" Her eyes landed back on that heavy hoodie. "Aren't you hot in that?"

    Sabrina pointed at her gauntlet.

    "Ah." Right. Of course. Not even the sun could force Sabrina Natsume to bear herself to the world.

    Sylvester was just peeling the last burger off the grill when they arrived, and Ash and Zinnia were already seated at the patio table, nearly salivating as they dampened their surroundings with their wet bodies. Anabel was surprised they weren't chanting and pounding their utensils like middle schoolers.

    "Here we have some smashburgers with a special aioli of my own creation. I have some fries that I'll bring out in a moment, as well as a refreshing spring coleslaw," he reported, placing the platter in the middle of the table.

    Usually she watched her weight carefully, but her birthday was enough of an occasion for Anabel to push all caloric considerations from her mind, and she dug in before Sylvester had even finished setting up the rest of the food. And good thing too, because Ash and Zinnia had waited for her to take her first bite before starting themselves, and they were looking impatient.

    "Mm!" Anabel moaned, lifting a hand to her mouth. "That is so good!"

    "You like it?" Sylvester said, raising an eyebrow.

    "Please can I just get this sauce for my birthday?"

    Sylvester grinned with pride and amusement. "I'm very pleased it's to your liking. I can certainly start making it more regularly. Excellent on sandwiches too, I should add."

    Anabel thanked him profusely, and helped herself to the rest of the food. He seemed to have factored in her consciousness over her health into the meal, because despite how casual it looked, everything she ate felt light, and not too greasy at all. And her sentiment seemed to be shared by the rest of the table, because there was hardly any talking throughout all of lunch.

    After lunch, while Sylvester tidied everything up, the members of Paragon returned to the beach to enjoy the remaining hours of sunlight they had left. It took some prodding, but eventually Sabrina joined them for a game of volleyball without a net. Zinnia and N waded out into the ocean and the rest of them stayed on land, and they all batted the ball between each other.

    Soon, their pokémon returned and the whole beach became busy. Ash's Greninja dodged splash after splash of ocean water from Juggernaut, Sabrina's Alakazam levitated into the air to play with Sakura, and Anabel even caught Royal the Suicune, Reshiram, and Cresselia having some sort of talk.

    By the time the sun was beginning to hug the horizon, and the sky had melted into orange, Anabel was starting to feel tuckered out. Sabrina had long retired and was snoozing on a towel beneath a beach umbrella, and Anabel collapsed beside her, resting her head on her stomach. The girl didn't even stir. Somehow, Ash and Zinnia were still messing around, and surprisingly, N was keeping up with them. But when the dinner call came from Sylvester, Anabel gently shook Sabrina awake, and they all slowly trudged back to base.

    As always, Sylvester seemed to know exactly what they wanted, for instead of preparing some extravagant feast for their tired selves, he'd whipped up a simple meal of sushi. With a more casual affair, they ate their food slower, and the conversation flowed like a quiet river. Sylvester and Zinnia helped themselves to a beer, and Anabel sipped on a margarita, but no one else partook. By the time they finished dinner, the sun had disappeared entirely beneath the waves.

    "That hit the stop," Zinnia burped out, crumpling onto one of the sofas in the living room.

    "I agree, that was delicious, Sylvester, thank you," N said, taking a seat in one of the plush chairs. Ash took the seat next to him and exhaled loudly. Anabel pulled Sabrina onto another couch and laid back against her. So comfortable.

    After a few moments, the lights dimmed, and N cleared his throat.

    Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you! Happy birthday, dear Anabel! Happy birthday to you! they all sang, in various volumes and pitches. Sylvester approached with a cake in hand, and he carefully placed it on the coffee table in front of Anabel.

    That's what I saw this morning! she thought. It was simple, but it looked majestic. It was completely white all over, with only the candles breaking the field of sugary monotony.

    Anabel giggled at their singing and blew out the candles.

    "Wonderful!" N chirped, and Zinnia pumped her fist lazily.

    Sylvester returned again with plates and forks, and a pie server, which he handed to Anabel. "Cut yourself as large a slice as you'd like."

    "What is it?" she asked, as she pushed the server down through the cake.

    "Ash? Zinnia?" Sylvester offered, glancing at them.

    "Uhhh," Ash said, turning to Zinnia.

    "It's a vanilla lemon angel fruit cake," Zinnia said confidently. "From the finest and most legendary…cake store in Jubilife."

    Anabel glanced back down at the cake, not seeing a single piece of fruit on it.

    Sylvester sighed. "Small correction. This is a white lotus buttercream cake from Opaline Patisserie in Jubilife. It received rave reviews from critics in a Jubilife Times article a couple months back, and now you must call ahead a month in advance in order to procure one." He glanced back at Zinnia and Ash. "You have these two to thank for picking it up this morning."

    "Thanks guys," Anabel murmured, though her attention was mainly on the sizable slice she'd just cut for herself. Just cutting through it, she could tell it was of extremely high quality, and seeing its cross-section now, it looked like something out of a magazine.

    She took a bite tenderly, and was immediately assaulted by a cascade of flavors, each seemingly more blissful than the last. The cream melted on her tongue, and the cake felt like gold in food form. She shook her head and took another bite.

    "She's speechless," Ash said. "I guess it really is that good."

    "Better be," Zinnia scoffed. "Some dingus almost knocked me over it was so crowded in there. I swear he was thinking about stealing it when I was walking out."

    "I suppose I'll cut for the rest of us," Sylvester said, seeing Anabel make no move to finish her job. Sabrina, Ash, and N all received a piece, but then Anabel finished hers and asked for a second before Zinnia even got her first. Of course, Sylvester accomodated the birthday girl, and Zinnia had to visibly restrain herself from exploding, but after receiving her piece, she was quickly placated.

    When they finished, N suddenly stood. "And now, for presents." He pulled a gift bag out from behind his seat that Anabel genuinely hadn't seen him get earlier. "For you," he said, handing it to her. "This is from the four of us."

    Ash, Sabrina, and Zinnia all stared at her expectantly as she took the bag into her lap.

    Sylvester sat on the edge of the couch, watching with great interest at what the others had gotten her. Anabel nodded in thanks and slowly pulled sheet after sheet of tissue paper out of the bag. Then, her hands hit something solid, and she pulled it out of the bag.

    It was like a pokéball, but significantly heavier, bulkier, and black on both hemispheres. The button was outlined by a raised hexagon. She frowned, recognizing it from somewhere, then her eyes widened. "Is this a Tera Orb?"

    "That's right!" Ash said. "What do you think?"

    Anabel turned it around in her hand, then frowned. "Wait, I thought these could only be used in Paldea? Because of some special crystals or something there, right?"

    "That's a very special prototype model from Blueberry Academy," N explained. "Tera Crystals are embedded within the orb, allowing one to Terastallize anywhere in the world. This is very new technology, and this particular model finished going through quality control just a few days ago. I apologize, but that's why Sabrina and I were so late today. The flight from Unova is quite long."

    "Oh my goodness, I don't know what to say," Anabel said. "You two have been flying all day, but you still made it back in time to celebrate with me." She clutched the Tera Orb tightly. "Thank you so much." She met N's gaze, then turned over to Sabrina.

    "Uh, yeah, we had to fly to Jubilife and back this morning too," Zinnia commented, raising her hand.

    Anabel smiled and leapt up off the couch, then wrapped Zinnia in a big hug. "Thank you, Zinnia!"

    "Agh!" Zinnia squirmed, trying to break free. While she did, Anabel mouthed a thanks to Ash, and he and Pikachu both gave a thumbs up.

    "Well, it seems we had similar ideas," Sylvester said, withdrawing his own gift bag from who-knows-where. "Paldea is a land of mystery, distant as it is from the rest of the world." He handed Anabel his gift. "I recall you saying in passing some time ago that you were interested in rounding out your roster with a sixth team member."

    Anabel's eyes widened, and she pulled the bag open. A blinding smile gleamed onto her face upon seeing its contents: a pokéball. She pulled it out gently and held it in her hand.

    "I remember you telling me the story of your first pokémon, and how it'd sparked in you an interest in unusual and unique pokémon. Not to toot my own horn, but frankly, I'm brilliant at what I do. I think you'll be very pleased with this one."

    Anabel brushed her thumb against the release, feeling the stares of anticipation from everyone in the room. Then, she pressed it.

    A small red pokémon with a black face burst out onto the coffee table. It looked around the room, but its flaming eyes hung on Anabel, sizing up its new trainer.

    Anabel frowned. "What is it?"

    "That's a Charcadet," Ash said, transfixed by the pokémon.. "I've never seen one before, they're super rare."

    Charcadet glanced over at the mention of its name, but its attention quickly turned back to Anabel.

    "Charcadet…," Anabel repeated.

    "You can consider Charcadet a gift from Cynthia and me," Sylvester said. "This is my half of the gift. Cynthia's half would be impractical to lug around, so they're put away for now, but it's two sets of armor which are necessary to trigger Charcadet's evolution. Normally, Charcadet evolve into one of two possible pokémon: Armarouge or Ceruledge." He stroked his chin. "But…you are a member of Paragon after all, so I don't suspect convention will hinder you in any way."

    Anabel stared at her new pokémon, and Charcadet stared back. She could feel its strength and potential radiating off of it like heat. Sylvester wasn't kidding. He knew what he was doing.

    "Thank you so much," she said. "You, and everyone else." She met all of their gazes individually.

    She felt a nudge beneath her, and turned to Sabrina.

    "Do you have a name for him?" the psychic asked.

    Anabel smiled. The name had come to her the moment she'd laid eyes on him. A being packed with mystery and strength. He respected power, and possessed much more of it than met the eye. And he evolved into a sort of knight?

    Anabel reached out and laid her hand on his head, and Charcadet extinguished his flame to allow her to touch him.

    "Arcane," she said.


    Land of Rota, present day

    The throne room within Cameran Palace milled with activity, all of Queen Ilene's captains and advisors assembled before her. At the very back of the room, Albrecht leaned against the wall, observing the meeting from behind.

    "Hear me, Guardians," the Queen said, and all fell silent immediately.

    Toward the front of the pack, Riley listened with rapt attention, a bead of sweat trickling down his cheek. He didn't know what was going on, but he could tell it was big. He'd never seen Captain Magnus so serious after returning from a meeting with the rest of Queen Ilene's closest retainers a few days ago. Since then, he'd heard rumors that the World Champion was in Rota, and actually owned a house somewhere in the kingdom. And though he didn't think the others had noticed, he could sense the World Champion's presence behind him right now, seemingly confirming the rumors.

    "Some of you already know this, but I will state this plainly for those who do not," Ilene continued. "Rota is in danger. At this very moment, a great evil conspires to bring destruction to our peaceful lands."

    A wave of discontent passed through the crowd, and Riley furrowed his brows.

    "Captain Magnus," the Queen addressed, and the old Guardian knelt.

    "My Queen," he intoned.

    "Summon the Guardians. For all our brethren across the world, the time has come for us to defend our home."

    Next — Chapter 31 : Ambush


    Anabel's Nicknames

    Magic - Espeon

    Juggernaut - Snorlax

    Sakura - Latias

    Royal - Suicune

    Sophia - Decidueye

    Arcane - Charcadet, who has since evolved
     
  • Threadmarks
    • Cynthia's certainly not a fan of transparency in her organization.

    What's her problem? I bet she's secretly dying.
     
    Remnants of the Great War [22]
  • Threadmarks
    • PARAGON

    Remnants of the Great War Arc [22]

    Chapter 31 : Ambush​


    Land of Rota - Albrecht Manor

    "Steady your breathing, and slow your heart rate."

    Ash took a deep breath and closed his eyes, slowly raising his hands. He felt his fingertips tingle as his power began to build.

    In front of him, he could sense Pikachu's form, small, but powerful. It gleamed like the sun in his mind's eye, and as he sharpened his focus, his temples began to pound. But he grit his teeth and ignored the pain, forcing himself to see the details of Pikachu's body. As the seconds passed, that amorphous blob of power before him shrunk slightly, coming into focus, and Ash could begin to make out his limbs and ears. Then he saw his cheeks and tail, and the ventricles of power within. After a few more seconds, he could make out his blood vessels and bones and brain, all tinged with the sapphire of Aura.

    "Agh!" Ash cried, suddenly clutching his head. His focus snapped as a lancing pain bloomed within his skull. He opened his eyes to see Pikachu approaching him, eyes brimming with concern. "Sorry buddy, I'm fine," he said, taking deep breaths to banish the pain. He sighed and rubbed his face.

    "Don't worry," Albrecht said beside him. "This is to be expected. What you're trying to do requires an extraordinary amount of precision. Precision that your body as it is now cannot hope to achieve. Just as you work out to build your muscles, so too must you exercise your mind to push the boundaries of what is possible with the Plate."

    Ash nodded and took another deep breath, then raised his arms again.

    "How about we take a break?" Albrecht cut in before he could begin. "You've been at this for a couple hours now and you won't do yourself any favors by overexerting yourself."

    Ash sighed and lowered his arms. "We've been training since this morning and this is still all I can manage," he grumbled.

    Albrecht crossed his arms. "You've come further than you realize. When we first began, you could not even gaze upon Pikachu's raw Aura. 'Twas like looking straight into the sun. That you are not only able to do that after just a few hours of practice, but distinguish the organs and power centers in his body as well, is quite an impressive feat."

    Pikachu squeaked in agreement, scampering up Ash's body to give him a few pats of encouragement on his neck.

    "I guess," Ash said. "I just want to be ready for when AZ arrives."

    Albrecht smiled, his face etched with empathy. "AZ has possessed his Plate for millennia. Ready is all you can hope to be in the face of his overwhelming advantage in experience. And as I said before, his assault won't come for another couple months at least."

    "Yeah," Ash said, walking over to a nearby rock where he'd left his water bottle, and taking a swig.

    Albrecht crossed his hands behind his back, and his gaze dropped. "Of course, I understand. You don't want a repeat of the situation with your friend Anabel. I understand your impatience."

    Ash cracked a smile. "Nah, it's not about that. Not really anyway."

    Albrecht nodded respectfully. "Very well. I must say, though, I was quite surprised when you first told me how you plan to use the Plate. Of all the Platebearers I've ever encountered, none have used them like this."

    Ash grinned. "Then I guess we'll be the first."

    "I suppose," Albrecht agreed. "Perhaps it would be judicious to speak with your friend Sabrina. As a human psychic, she may be able to offer some additional insight into channeling the depthless power that resides within you."

    Ash's expression darkened. "Yeah…"

    "Come to think of it, I haven't seen her in some time. Not since yesterday morning with Miss Anabel, I believe," Albrecht said. He frowned. "When none of you made it to dinner last night, I assumed you'd gone into town on business. But Miss Cynthia has also been absent…"

    Ash's expression tightened. "Cynthia left."

    Albrecht frowned and turned to him. "Left? So suddenly?" He looked away, perplexed. "She only just arrived, and seemed like she planned on staying, at least as long as you were here." He stroked his chin in confusion.

    "Something came up. Sorry," Ash said curtly.

    Albrecht stared at him for a moment, as if studying him, but he soon looked away. "I see. Well, I won't pry further, as promised. Her business is her business."

    An awkward silence hung in the air between them, but soon, Ash placed his water bottle back on the rock. "Sorry, I think I will go talk to Sabrina right now, actually. Do you mind?"

    Albrecht spread his hands in resignation. "Not at all. We'll pick up when you return."

    Ash stamped out his guilt as he walked away, both for lying to him, and for complying with Cynthia's disappearance. Although he'd initially just been worried about getting back to Rota as soon as possible in the wake of Cynthia's sudden turn, now that he'd calmed down and had some time to think about it, Sylvester's concerns about her recklessness were now beginning to sink in. Ash wasn't privy to whatever Sylvester had been seeing in her, but her order yesterday was jarring enough that he felt more comfortable with her behind bars. It was simply irrational. But that only made him more anxious about why she'd done it.

    Although he hadn't seen Sabrina since yesterday on Paragon Island, Ash had a pretty good idea of where she was now. While eating breakfast, he'd asked one of the maids if she'd eaten yet, and she'd said she had. And since Sabrina hadn't gone to see Anabel yet, and he hadn't passed her coming downstairs, that meant she was likely outside of the manor somewhere.

    Knowing Sabrina, she wouldn't have gone totally off somewhere. She'd returned to Rota, after all, and surely she knew Ash would follow. Which meant she knew they'd cross paths again after what she'd done to Cynthia. But she wasn't entirely aloof. At the end of the day, she was still a member of Paragon, and she had a job to do.

    Ash hiked along the path, beyond Albrecht's property, through the chittering forest and past glassy brooks. While he walked, he practiced with the Plate, tickling the pokémon who were nosy enough to get close to him with an electric jolt.

    He soon crested a hill, and as expected Sabrina was standing at the top of it, her dark hair blowing in the wind. She didn't turn as he walked up beside her, but the sight before him distracted Ash from her momentarily, and his jaw dropped.

    A chasm, long and deep, yawned before him. Tenuous roots stuck out from the loosened ground, and a patch of dirt fell over to edge and dropped into the void as he approached the cliff. The bottom was pitch black. He winced and moved his foot back, while Pikachu peeked over the edge curiously.

    "This is Albrecht's Nidoking's Fissure, huh?" Ash murmured. "Just how powerful is he?"

    "This chasm encircles all of Rota," Sabrina said.

    All of Rota?! Ash leaned forward carefully and stared back down into the chasm. The fact that a single pokémon could deform the landscape so severely with just a single attack was a sobering realization. Till now, Ash had only seen this magnitude of destruction attributed to legendary pokémon.

    "He cut the entire country off from the rest of the world," Sabrina continued. "Not that it matters."

    Ash furrowed his brows and leaned back. "Because of the psychic dyad, right? I thought you might be here to take a look at it."

    Sabrina nodded, but she looked just as stumped as Albrecht did when he'd first told Ash about it. "I've never seen anything like it. Psychic pokémon use dyads like this one in most of their attacks, to help with targeting. One half of the dyad rests within the pokémon's mind, and the other, on the target. But this one…it's like it's submerged between multiple dimensions. I tried to destroy it, but it's like trying to blow out a candle through a window. It looks so weak…but nothing I did worked."

    Ash nodded. It was worth a shot, but even Sabrina hadn't had any luck with it. He wished he could help, but he couldn't even see the thing. He'd come here to see what her mental was like, but he hadn't expected such a detailed report of her efforts.

    "The pokémon that created this must be extremely powerful," she continued. "It'd take years…centuries, of honing its power to create a dyad this complex."

    "Are we sure it wasn't created by a human psychic?" Ash asked.

    Sabrina bristled, but shook her head. "I don't think so."

    Ash noted her reaction, and nodded. He didn't think it was likely either, given how rare human psychics were, but he'd been curious.

    Sabrina glanced down at Pikachu and turned to walk away. About half way down the hill, she stopped. "Please forget about what you saw yesterday."

    "Yesterday… Wait, Sabrina…" Ash reached his hand out to stop her, but she was already walking again and he found he didn't have anything to say. She'd been more composed than he expected, and it seemed now she was fully focused on the mission at hand. No point in dredging up the past if Sabrina was content to let it slumber, at least for now.

    The wind whistled softly against the grass as it drafted up from the chasm, and then Ash and Pikachu were alone. "Good talk, eh?" he muttered, and Pikachu giggled beneath him. "Well, might as well get back to work. Why don't you go train with the others now?" he said to Pikachu. "I think I basically have the hang of it now. I'll call you all back when I'm ready."

    Pikachu snapped a salute, then scampered off back into the forest to where the others were training. Ash took one last look out at the chasm, then waved his hand through the air in front of where Sabrina had been standing. He couldn't see anything, and he didn't feel anything, but that was where the psychic dyad supposedly was. He took one last breath of the crisp air, which smelled of freshly overturned soil and ancient mildew, then turned and headed back toward the manor, his hands buried in his pockets.

    Quiet and serene as it was now, the whole valley would soon be consumed by war, for the first time in three thousand years. And it would all start here.


    Kalos Region, one month later

    "Anything to report?" N asked, his feet kicked up on the desk. He'd never been the cleanest person, even as a kid, but empty food trays, bottles, and cans, littered his motel room. As a kid, he'd had servants to clean up after his every mess, and Ghetsis had obviously never impressed upon him the importance of personal responsibility.

    "Yes, actually," Zinnia responded. "So no need to keep gloating."

    "That…wasn't my intention," N said, quashing a more argumentative tone after deciding it'd be more prudent to keep their conversation as professional as possible. He'd found the entrance to his tunnel several days ago, and was now waiting on for Zinnia to find her entrance, before proceeding. "So?"

    "I found it," Zinnia said curtly. "I'll send you the details. Now we just have to wait till Sylvester gives an update. See ya."

    "Wait," N said, swinging his feet off the desk and lurching forward. "That's it?"

    "...Yeah?" There was a pause. "I get the feeling you don't really like talking to me. I don't think we need a daily update. Let's just talk again when Sylvester gives an update."

    "Please, wait!" N demanded, getting up. "I…I…" He didn't know what he wanted to say, but he didn't want her hanging up with that impression. "That's not what I meant to convey," he started, trying not to stumble over his words. "I'm sorry if it came across that way, but I'm just as frustrated as you, believe it or not."

    "I don't believe it," Zinnia said, but N could hear her sarcastic smirk through the phone.

    "The truth is, what happened to Anabel affected me more than I realized." N glanced around his room. Even for him, this was a little pathetic. "Something about the visceral nature of it, or…the permanence, I suppose. When Ash fell unconscious for a month, at least I could see his body still intact, and feel his breath on my hand. With her, she just seems so out of reach…and the damage is visible." A sudden curiosity overtook him. "Is that normal?"

    There was a silence on the other end, and at first, N thought Zinnia hadn't been listening. "Who knows?" she eventually said, nonchalantly. "You give her a call?"

    N's insides turned to meal. "Oh…no, I haven't." He'd completely forgotten that was an option available to him. He felt like a moron. "Have you?"

    "'Course. She's been in bed for weeks so I've just been texting her every now and then about whatever."

    N squirmed in his chair. It was becoming painfully obvious to him how inhuman he was. Things that were obvious even to a headstrong woman like Zinnia had never even occurred to him. After the fall of Team Plasma, he'd had a vague idea about starting anew and connecting himself to humanity, not as a king, but as their equal. As a fellow. But it wasn't as easy as he'd thought. After the hell he'd nearly unleashed on Unova, by what right could he suddenly join hands with them? And what did it even mean to be human to begin with? Ghetsis had raised N to see humans as beneath him. But in truth, it was the opposite. He was beneath them. He possessed so little of the dreams and emotions that filled each and every person he met, and had only just begun to see that after Ash pulled the metaphorical veil from his eyes. Since then, he'd been strung along by Paragon, content to simply exist alongside Reshiram and his few friends. Yet fundamentally, he still remained the same.

    He did not deserve to be called human yet.

    "I-I see," N said. "Perhaps I'll give her a call and see how she's doing."

    "Oh, don't bother. I was just texting her a little while ago and she's outside. Getting some fresh air and some exercise after spending so much time cooped up in bed."

    N frowned, allowing a thin smile to grace his lips. "So she's moving around again, then?"

    "Yup."

    "That's…That's wonderful," he breathed. He only wished he'd heard it from her.

    "Yep. Ash is doing well, apparently, too. Seems like he's figured out something pretty major about using the Plate. And the Guardians have slowly been trickling back in to protect the place. All and all, Rota seems pretty well-guarded."

    N nodded. "That's excellent." He stood and stretched, readying himself to ask a question he'd asked before. "So…how are you holding up?" This was probably safe to ask now, now that he'd poured his own heart out. Plus, he was genuinely interested, as he'd been before, especially now, since she sounded so chipper compared to the last time he'd asked.

    "I'm good," Zinnia said casually. "Uhhh, actually, to be honest, I didn't give Anabel a call until about a week after we got the news. For some reason, I was afraid she'd blame me. Stupid, right?" she chuckled.

    "She does blame you for quite a bit," N smiled. But it quickly faded when he realized she was being serious. "Er, I suppose…well, it's…"

    "Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, I know," Zinnia snapped playfully.

    "No," N said. "Actually, I…want to understand why you feel that way. I don't understand, but I don't think it's stupid at all."

    Zinnia sighed loudly into the phone, and N was afraid he'd pissed her off. "Hmmm…don't tell the others about this, but basically…I realized some time ago…that basically…I have a massive ego."

    N stifled a laugh. You? No…

    "So it's like, when things happen, I kinda just assume it's my fault, good or bad." There was a pause. "But, hey! A lot of things are my fault! Or like, I cause a lot of things to happen because I'm just that kind of woman!"

    N smiled. "I see. That does make sense…at a certain angle. Thank you." He noticed he was pacing around the room, starting to enjoy the conversation more and more. "So what changed after a week that you finally decided to give her a call?"

    "I was just talking it out with my pokémon," she said. "Don't laugh!" she snapped, before he had a chance to say anything. "That's perfectly normal!"

    N was laughing, but he was covering his mouth with the back of his hand, hoping Zinnia couldn't hear. "Of course! I would be the last person to judge you for something like that." The skin around his eyes crinkled as he smiled. "It's just, you reminded me of my own stupidity."

    "Huh?! You calling me stupid?!"

    Of course it was funny. In all thinking and overthinking about how best to connect with humanity, he'd forgotten the most important thing. In times of duress, he could turn to his own pokémon to lean on. Perhaps it was the nature of the mission they were on, or his anguish at Anabel's pain, but he'd neglected to speak with Reshiram even once since arriving in Cyllage City.

    "I'm sorry," N said, wiping his eyes. "I should go now. Let's talk again tomorrow."

    "Wait, you're not calling me stupid, are you?! Or are you? Wait, what is going on?" she wailed.

    Taking a page from Anabel, or Ash's playbook, N hung up, leaving Zinnia to stew in her confusion.

    He had no right to treat her this way, really. Especially after she'd graciously continued the conversation. And he was the most foolish of them all.

    But he was learning. Slowly, but surely. From his friends.

    With his head clear, and a goal on his mind, N grabbed his bag and slipped out of the motel, careful about any prying eyes. He'd remained vigilant over the past month, and had no reason to suspect he'd been made, but there was no such thing as being too cautious. AZ had already long proven his formidability, and there was no reason to believe that those who worked under him would be any less adept. The reality that a man who was three thousand years old somehow still had men loyal to him was chilling enough already.

    However, N encountered no one suspicious on his walk to the beach. The vast expanse of ocean before him reminded him of Paragon Island, only, this was no private beach. Small families and young trainers dotted the supple sands, playing with their pokémon and splashing in the shallows. N smiled as he walked along the retaining wall that held the city above. People weren't so bad. Seeing them enjoy their time together in such a mundane way, he was surprised at how easily he'd once looked down on them.

    After pacing down the wall for nearly a half hour, away from the other beachgoers, toward the edge of the city, he crossed behind a wall of cragged rock, beneath a shadowy cliff where the sun didn't reach. The waves crashed against the sand in a way that made it extremely unlikely for anyone to intrude on him here. And the cliffs leaned forward enough to hide them from above. With their own swath of sand to themselves, N reached into his bag.

    "Oh, wow, it's like you read my mind."

    N whipped around. Standing in the shadows of the cragged rock was a young man with coarse brown hair. He looked to be around Ash's age. And with the pokéballs strapped to his belt and his black windbreaker that zipped up to his mouth, he looked like a typical trainer. Of course, the fact that he'd evaded N meant he was anything but ordinary.

    He'd been followed.

    For how long, N couldn't say, and that made his skin pale and sweaty. He hadn't detected him at all. He swallowed, and turned to fully face the boy. "I'm sorry, can I help you?"

    The boy flashed a grin and sauntered toward him. "You already have. You know how long I've been waiting for you to go somewhere secluded? All that snooping around...I thought, 'surely this guy's gotta go somewhere quiet eventually.' And sure enough, you did."

    N forced himself to keep his breathing steady. Just how long has he been watching me? "Who are you?" he asked.

    "Name's Caleb," the boy said without hesitation. "I was planning on introducing myself when you eventually decided to take the plunge into our little tunnel, but honestly you're taking a little too long. So I decided to come to you myself."

    N frowned. "Our tunnel?" It can't be… He's so young…

    "Ya know? The tunnel you've been looking for this past week," Caleb said, nodding like an idiot. "My master wasn't pleased when you found it, I'll have you know. You could've ruined everything. Lucky for us, you stayed put."

    "Your master?" N repeated. His hand was still in his bag, and he brushed the Light Stone gently, feeling its burning warmth in his palm. "Who are you referring to?"

    Caleb seemed to consider saying, but a smirk slid onto his lips instead. "Wouldn't you like to know? I'd ask who you are but you're already a little famous. Or should I say infamous, N Harmonia?" He sniggered.

    N bit his lip. "I am N Harmonia, that's right." I need to contact Zinnia…no, I need to tell Sylvester.

    "I gotta say," Caleb said, popping down onto a nearby rock, "I expected someone to start looking for us, but I didn't expect to find a guy like you." He raised his eyebrows mockingly. "What're you, a fed or something now? Cut a deal to get out of jail?"

    "Caleb, if there's something you want from me, I'd be happy to provide it," N said. "But I was in the middle of something before you spoke to me, actually."

    Caleb clutched his chest sarcastically. "Oh! I'm so sorry, sir! Please carry on, don't mind me!" He dropped his hands, then stood up, and glowered at N. "Have you been listening to me? We know you're here. You and your bitch girlfriend in Shalour. The guys over there aren't as talkative as me so she's probably already fucked."

    A bead of sweat dropped down N's face. Zinnia… He exhaled slowly. The boy was young, but his allegiance was clear. "Extrasensory," he said in a low voice. "Just knock him out."

    "Huh? What was that? Speak up, bro!" Caleb tilted his head.

    A scalding heat erupted around N, and without moving, the flap on his bag sprung open. Orange magma geysered around him, shooting out of the bag and crashing back down onto the sand. His hair blustered around him, and the magma at his side faded into the protective white wing of Reshiram. Above him, Reshiram howled to herald his arrival, and behind him, N could feel Reshiram's tail begin to hum and spin, generating fire with every turn.

    Reshiram's eyes gleamed, turning a harsh blue, and suddenly, the beach around Caleb ruptured, spewing sand and crushed rock into the sky. N shielded his face as a gale of wind blew back from the attack, and he squinted to see the outcome. Once he did, his eyes narrowed.

    Caleb stood unscathed, with a Delphox at his side. Its wand was already drawn, and a shimmering Protect shined around them. "Hooooh," Caleb whistled, brushing the sand off his clothes. "That's Reshiram alright. Which means you're definitely N Harmonia." He met N's eyes, and smirked. "Maybe Master won't be having all the fun over at Rota after all."


    Land of Rota - Albrecht Manor

    "Young master! Young master!"

    Ash turned to find one of Albrecht's butler's barreling toward him across the grass. He frowned in confusion, but immediately realized something was wrong. "What is it?"

    Upon reaching him, the butler stopped to catch his breath, panting with his hands on his knees. He swallowed and pulled a handkerchief from his pocket, dabbing at his forehead with it.

    "What is it?!" Ash demanded, grabbing his shoulders.

    The butler looked up at him, fear in his eyes. "The attack is here," he said in a feeble tone. "AZ has launched his attack against Rota!"

    "What?! It wasn't supposed to happen for at least another month!"

    "I'm sorry, I don't know what's going on. But you need to gather your pokémon and find Miss Sabrina, and—"

    Ash ignored him and began recalling his pokémon in their places as they lounged on the field. "Anabel!" He started back toward the manor.

    The butler grabbed his collar. "Wait, please, Master Ketchum!" Ash glared at him, but let him continue. "Master Albrecht is at Cameran Palace right now. He's about to address the Guardians! Please, make your way there at once!"

    Ash cursed, glancing between the manor, and the palace beyond the forest. A sudden bang in the distance snatched his attention. The battle had already begun.


    AZ stepped through the portal, now expanded and enlarged and swirling around him. He planted his foot onto the grass and pulled himself through. Before him, his followers engaged the Guardians' border defense, but they were nothing more than light skirmishes. Their defense would soon fall as more and more of their forces continued to pour from the portal.

    AZ was draped in finery that befit his royal station. A deep crimson cloaked sat draped over his shoulders, clasped over a tunic laced with milky opals and shimmering pearls. His storm gray hair cascaded down his regal chest in intricate braids, and atop his head sat a golden crown crusted with treasure. As he strode past, his men knelt in reverence.

    As the last Guardian fell before him, he sucked in a breath. "Time to end this war once and for all, old friend."

    At his proclamation, the white clouds above began to drift across the sun, obscuring its light ever so slightly.

    Next — Chapter 32 : The Vault of Secrets

     
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    • Remnants of the Great War [23]
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    • PARAGON

    Remnants of the Great War Arc [23]

    Chapter 32 : The Vault of Secrets​


    Kalos Region - Shalour City

    Zinnia grit her teeth as she slid back, clutching her arm. She pulled her hand away, revealing her palm to be sticky and red with blood. Blood oozed from the gash on her arm, and she glared at her assailants, who stood before her in an intimidating crescent, encircling her. There were five of them, slowly advancing toward her in their hooded cloaks.

    She felt her hand brush against the cold metal of the warehouse wall behind her and cursed internally. She was outside, but the warehouses on Shalour's coastline were packed together, and the rusted roofs above blotted out the sunlight.

    The enemy's Weavile licked her blood off its claws as it prowled around her. To her left stood a Thievul and a Magcargo, and to her right, an Audino and a Manectric.

    Zinnia slowed her breathing and carefully assessed the situation. This outcome wasn't entirely unexpected. After N had told her where the Cyllage entrance was located, Zinnia had narrowed her search down to Shalour's own warehouse district. Sure enough, Aster had sensed a peculiar concentration of anxiety coming from an administrative building at the district's edge. After a night of reconnaissance, she'd spotted a pair of hooded figures slinking around and tailed them there. It only took a couple more nights of poking around to find the secret entrance to the tunnel, hidden in the lobby of the building beneath a supply closet. Aster hadn't sensed any shadows, yet shortly after getting off the phone with N, they had appeared. She'd thought camping out near the entrance right under their noses would've provided a certain level of protection, but it seemed even playing the part of some homeless vagrant hadn't shielded her from their notice.

    Somehow, they'd identified her as a threat.

    "Not even gonna give me time to think, huh?" she grinned, wiping her mouth, and the Weavile grinned back, frost crackling across its forearm threateningly. Zinnia's hand drifted down to her belt and she pulled a pokéball off. Cocky bastards, she thought, realizing they'd made no move to stop her. Think you can kill the Almighty Zinnia with a mere five man advantage? She thumbed the release on her pokéball. "Dragon Darts!" she roared.

    Dragapult poured out of his pokéball with a sinister smirk, jade Dreepy peeking out of the holes on its horns. Faster than the eye could see, the Dreepy shot out in volleys of four, jade dragon energy streaking through the air with a harsh screech. The concrete floor splintered and blew apart as volley after volley fired indiscriminately at all five opponents before them. A dusty haze rose up from the carnage, obscuring Zinnia's view, but when it faded, she saw the Audino on her right with its arms raised, eyes glowing to power a wide Protect.

    Dragapult didn't seem at all bothered by the fact that his attack hadn't done anything, and similarly, the grin hadn't left Zinnia's face either. "Drakloak Cannon," she commanded.

    A pair of Dreepy slithered out of Dragapult's horn and mashed themselves together in a haze of ghostly mist. More Dreepy emptied out, adding themselves to the pulsating cloud above Dragapult's head, and as they cast themselves into the infernal mix, the cloud began to stretch into a larger form, darkening into a black-horned Drakloak. Its body was still unformed and incorporeal, but like its master, it smirked, then split apart and squirreled away into all four of the holes on Dragapult's horns. Within each hole, a yellow eye opened, glittering with malice.

    Beneath their hoods, Zinnia could see her assailants frown, and Weavile and Manectric narrowed their eyes behind the shield, their instincts aroused.

    Dragapult let out a high-pitched chortle, then released the attack. Four golden beams of hellish energy blasted forward in an instant like a laser with a tremendous crack. The cannon barrage splashed against the Protect and tore through it instantly, piercing straight through, and carving across Audino's body in a savage blitz. Audino cried out in pain, but its voice was quickly cut off as the beam slashed across its face, silencing it, and it warbled back in defeat. Yellow flames erupted across the ground around the hooded figures and they stumbled back, unnerved. One of them recalled the defeated Audino and glared at Zinnia, squeezing the pokéball of his defeated partner so hard its hinges creaked.

    "Hah hah!" Zinnia laughed. "Serves you right! What kind of assassination is this?!" Dragapult's eternal smirk mimicked his master's mockings, the holes on its horns smoking fumes the color of golden oil and black death.

    "Be careful," one of them said. The one with the Weavile, it looked like. "The boy said she'd be strong."

    "She would have to be, to be targeting his Grace," the one with the Magcargo growled.

    "Reggie, Claire, keep us protected. We'll kill her," said the one with the Manectric.

    You know I can hear you, right?! Zinnia screamed in her head, yet the casual way they talked about murdering her still unnerved her, and a nervous bead of sweat fell down her temple. That Weavile was supposed to end it instantly, but I dodged in time… I should create some distance while I still have them awestruck!

    She ripped another pokéball from her belt and released a second pokémon. Cyclizar reared onto concrete, and Zinnia leapt onto his back immediately. "Get us out of here!" she commanded.

    Cyclizar tore through the hooded figures, leaping through the golden flames of Dragapult's assault, and bounding through the narrow alleys between the warehouses, Dragapult floating behind.

    Right before they could round the corner, the ground in front of them ruptured, fierce flames gurgling beneath the cracked stone, threatening to erupt. Zinnia grit her teeth as Cyclizar jumped, but her eyes widened in horror, realizing the attack was spreading faster and further than he had jumped. They would come down right on top of it as it erupted.

    "Shed Tail!" she hollered.

    Cyclizar shuddered beneath her, and a glittering substitute made of energy peeled away from him. As it dropped toward the boiling ground, Cyclizar bunched his legs up, and pushed himself off of his clone, sailing higher into the air. Not a moment later, founts of lava belched up from the ground, consuming the air they'd been just a second ago. Cyclizar whined in pain as the lava grazed his underbelly on their descent, and Zinnia pulled her feet higher to avoid getting hit. However, this destabilized her balance, and as Cyclizar landed on the other side of the attack, she rolled off of his back across the concrete, groaning in pain as her injured arm slammed against it.

    Without an order, Dragapult fired a barrage of Dragon Darts back the way they came, and jade energy streamed across the alley with an infernal wail. However, a Protect opened before they could find their target, and they exploded harmlessly against it in multi-colored bursts of smoke.

    As Zinnia rolled back over and stood up, she saw two hooded figures approaching slowly behind the Protect, flanked by Magcargo and Thievul. A thin fissure of cooling flame trailed out from Magcargo's body to the decimated ground where it'd used Earth Power, and Thievul's eyes gleamed as it powered the Protect. The warehouses around them had charred walls, and they groaned, threatening to collapse.

    Before Zinnia could mount Cyclizar again, she saw the others walking toward her down the alleys in the other four cardinal directions. They'd circled around her and now had her completely boxed in. Weavile and Manectric approached from the sides, and a newly deployed Sawk walked beside his trainer at the front.

    Zinnia's eyes narrowed. Who are these people anyway? I know they work for AZ, but their pokémon are way stronger than your average grunt. If their other pokémon are just as strong, I might not last…

    They closed in slowly, clearly confident in their trap, and to be honest, Zinnia couldn't blame them. She closed her eyes, pondering for a way out.

    I've been in Shalour for about a month… They seem pretty well off… I mean, that giant tower looks pretty expensive… Yeah…they'll be fine. She opened her eyes and pulled Salamence's pokéball from her belt, her decision made. She turned around to face the Sawk, but her attention locked on behind her to the Magcargo and Thievul. Because that Earth Power messed up the ground, those two will have a bit more trouble getting close to me. We'll start with the others.

    Zinnia slammed the pokéball against the ground and it snapped open. Salamence materialized beside her, his eyes already absorbing the entire situation.

    "Hyper Beam!" she roared, jumping onto his back. Once on, she recalled Cyclizar and Dragapult.

    A screaming column of death poured from Salamence's maw, and he sweeped it across his enemies, tearing through the warehouses like butter. Manectric launched a Thunderbolt to counter, and Sawk bore the attack in front of its trainer protectively, while Weavile snatched its trainer up and deftly leapt back as the horrific beam carved through the ground in front of it.

    "Into the air!" Zinnia said, before the last two could attack them from behind. Sorry, Shalour! I'm sure you'll recover from this! But it had to happen!

    Salamence jerked to the side to avoid a searing Flamethrower and tangled Dark Pulse from Magcargo and Thievul, and as they ascended, Zinnia could already see her assailants rummaging on their belts so they could pursue. She faced forward as Salamence soared ahead. The administrative building towered in the distance, and Zinnia nudged him toward it.

    We've made enough noise already as it is… Might as well go through the front door, guns blazing!

    Salamence angled down toward the building, and he started to speed up, bulleting toward the front doors.


    Land of Rota - Cameran Palace

    Ash and Sabrina appeared in a flash in front of the massive entrance to Cameran Palace. Having run into her on the way, Sabrina had teleported them straight here. The doors were open wide, and throngs of Guardians hurried through them, with some descending the marble steps down to the maple grove below, and the viaduct further on, and some ascending the steps to rush inside, not paying the newcomers any mind.

    "We need to find where Albrecht is, fast," Ash said, brushing to the side as some Guardians pushed past him. "Let's follow some of these Guardians heading inside!"

    Sabrina nodded and followed Ash inside. The interior was even more packed, and Ash recognized Sarah the receptionist from when he'd been here before, barking instructions to her fellows. He started moving toward her, and when she saw him, he noticed her mouth open in shock, losing interest in whoever she'd been talking to.

    "Ash? What in the world are you doing here?!" Her eyes found Sabrina. "Miss Sabrina, you too!"

    "We're here to help," Ash stated. "Can you tell us where Albrecht is?"

    Sarah frowned in utter confusion. "Albrecht? Who do you mean?"

    Ash facepalmed mentally. They still don't know he's here! That's probably what this meeting is for! "Where is Queen Ilene? She's about to address the Guardians, isn't she?"

    Sarah nodded slowly, still confused, and a bit rattled at all the commotion around them. "Yeah, that's right. She should be at the great hall. All the Guardians who just arrived are heading there now." She peered behind them, then refocused back on them. "Does Riley know you're here?"

    "Not yet," Ash said.

    "He should be there as well. Last I heard, he was with Captain Magnus when everything began."

    Ash nodded and clutched her hand. "Thank you for your help, Sarah."

    She nodded, still entranced by the whirlwind, and Sabrina bowed as they turned away. Ash hoped she'd be fine. She was a strong woman, but a surprise attack like this was unprecedented.

    Ash and Sabrina raced through the halls of the palace together. Pikachu scurried beside them, weaving through the forest of legs before him with finesse. As they got closer to the great hall, the crowd seemed to get denser, and by the time they reached the doors leading inside, they'd slowed to a crawl.

    Once inside, Ash tried to push himself through the crowd to the front. He felt Pikachu scurry back up onto his shoulder before he could get lost in the crowd.

    The great hall was lined with hearths and statues and paintings, but none could be seen through the massive crowd. Up ahead, a large balcony overlooked the entire hall, and Ash suspected that was where Ilene would come out from.

    Once Ash could go no further, he stopped, and a few moments later, he felt Sabrina brush up beside him. "Sorry for leaving you behind back there," he apologized. "You okay?"

    Sabrina nodded, and Ash believed her. Her eyes reflected a stalwart determination.

    Several minutes later, Ilene emerged out onto the balcony, flanked by a pair of cloaked royal guards. However, gone was her usual flowing lavender dress and many hair ornaments. Now, she was dressed in a simple azure Guardian's tunic and black leggings, and her curly platinum blonde hair was drawn into a long ponytail. One of her guards whispered something to her, and she nodded subtly.

    At the Queen's arrival, the Guardians swiftly fell silent and knelt, their full attention captured by their liege. Seeing her of all people dressed for war seemed to be just as shocking to them as the sudden chaos that had engulfed their lands, and a wave of unease passed over the crowd. Ash and Sabrina lowered themselves with the other Guardians, ready to listen to what she had to say.

    "My Guardians," she addressed. "Please rise. We haven't any time for formalities."

    As they did, Ash saw the burly Captain Magnus join the Queen on the balcony, and he crossed his arms, a look of fierce concern etched on his face. Riley joined him right after, dressed in his usual Guardian's attire, and then came Albrecht, in his silver suit, and Ash and Sabrina looked at each other, before facing the Queen again.

    "As we speak, our home is under attack," Ilene continued. "A fearsome enemy has returned from beyond the grave to haunt us once more. Most of you will not be familiar with his name, but I suspect some will. He is called AZ. He is the monarch who once headed the great Kalos Empire, and clashed with us, the Guardians, during the Great War, centuries ago."

    The Guardians turned to each other, speaking in tones laced with confusion, with the older and wiser ones unable to keep the stunned horror off their faces. But Queen Ilene did not give them time to process it, and she continued.

    "Right now, AZ and his army march on the palace to destroy us once and for all. I summoned you back here to defend your home, but in truth, AZ launched his attack before we were ready, and only half the Guardians have returned."

    Unsettling whispers flit throughout the gathered, and Ash saw Captain Magnus furrow his brows uneasily. Riley was gripping the balcony banister so tightly his knuckles were white. It was clear they'd been agonizing over this.

    Ash steeled his own nerves. If only half the Guardians they expected have returned, that means we'll need to pull double the weight. He glanced over at Sabrina, but she still looked resolute, her attention trained on the Queen, ready to hear what she had to say next, and he smiled grimly. Her bravery was a welcome comfort.

    "As such, the town has not fully evacuated. I have dispatched the Guardians who were already here to facilitate the completion of the evacuation, and to fortify our border defense, who have already engaged the enemy. Due to the nature of this surprise attack, I did not have time to tell them what I must tell you all now." She stepped aside and allowed Albrecht to step forward.

    "Greetings, Guardians," he said. "Some of you may recognize me, but for those who do not, allow me a moment to introduce myself. You will know me as the current World Champion of the Pokémon League, Albrecht." He raised a hand to his chest and bowed. "However, there is no longer any need to hide my true identity, and as perceptive as you are, perhaps some of you have already figured out who I am."

    A Guardian near the front of the pack suddenly fell to his knees, and everyone's attention shifted to the sound of his knees hitting the wooden floor. He had graying hair, clearly one of the oldest of the gathered Guardians, and he clutched his wrinkled face, sobbing.

    "Sir Amos," a younger Guardian beside him said in a concerned tone, and she knelt to check on him.

    "I-Impossible…," Sir Amos breathed, the tears running between his fingers. "I never imagined I would live to see the day…"

    Albrecht eyebrows crinkled empathetically. "I have been with you always, young one," he said softly. "Your sight does not fail you."

    At the word sight, several other Guardians seemed to catch on, and across the chamber, their eyes flared blue with the power of Aura. Some of them recoiled instinctively, some dropped just like the wizened Sir Amos, and some simply froze in pure shock, their jaws dropping. The younger and more inexperienced Guardians left looked around in confusion, wondering what everyone else was seeing that they had missed.

    "Perhaps a more familiar visage will instill recognition," Albrecht said, and suddenly, his entire body began to glow blue with Aura, and the shape of his form shifted. Several seconds passed, and then, the glow faded, and the man standing above them looked completely different.

    A shot of adrenaline instantly pierced throughout Ash's body, and he couldn't stop the smile from opening on his face. "I knew it! I'd felt his Aura once before…" Sabrina frowned next to him, but she quickly looked back toward the balcony.

    Spiky black hair and a pointed Guardian's cap shadowed his enigmatic face, and instead of a silver suit, he now wore the gray and blue garb of the old Guardians. A dark cape tumbled down his back, raw power emanating from his body like heat, easily evident even to non-Guardians. He tapped the balcony floor with a regal staff he now held in his right hand, and it echoed throughout the chamber.

    "I am Sir Aaron Albrecht, the last king of the Guardians."

    Ash had expected a dramatic reaction to the sudden reveal, but everyone in the run suddenly knelt, and despite their attempts at keeping a reverent silence, he could hear thankful crying all around him. He and Sabrina were the only ones in the room still standing, and they glanced at each other awkwardly. Although they caught a few dirty looks from strict looking Guardians, Ash used the suppressed crowd to take the opportunity and move closer to the front, skirting around the side, Sabrina following.

    "Doubtless many of you have questions about my survival, and my prolonged absence, but due to the unfortunate situation we now find ourselves in, we no longer have the time for such an explanation. We must deploy immediately. I beg of you to forgive my selfishness."

    "Please, don't beg, my King!" a bearded Guardian shouted through his tears.

    "We are blessed that you have finally returned!" another shouted, her eyes clamped shut.

    Sir Aaron smiled, the corners of his eyes twinkling. "Truly, I do not deserve your loyalty. Yet, I will wield it all the same." He turned to Captain Magnus, who was not crying, but seemed to be fighting hard to maintain his soldierly demeanor. "Captain Magnus, I entrust you with the safety of the Queen. Maintain the forces you believe you need to protect her, and release the rest to fight in the south."

    Magnus slammed his fist on his chest and nodded, grunting.

    "To the rest of you, we will bisect your numbers. Half of you shall join the royal guards in the field. The rest will establish a perimeter around the palace once the town has finished evacuating. These will be our two lines of defense."

    As the Guardians rose again, they whispered to each other, clearly worried that it wouldn't be enough.

    "I know you are scared," Sir Aaron said softly. "I know these lands have only known peace since the Great War. And I know that when you first joined this order, you did so without ever intending on becoming a warrior." He closed his eyes and raised his fist to his chest. "However, the bonds you have cultivated with your pokémon will not fail you. I sense strength in every single one of you. Strength borne from the love you bear for your fellows, and for this place you call home. He opened his eyes, and seemed to meet the gaze of every single person in the room in an instant. He raised his staff. "Guardians, let us protect our home!"

    The gathered Guardians trembled, then let out a cacophonous roar, and Ash felt like his bones were shaking. Cries and cheers of encouragement were shouted out, and even the younger Guardians, some younger than Ash, blazed with a newfound vigor. Several royal guards among the crowd began barking orders, the veterans among them beginning to gather teams together, and gradually, the crowd started to thin as the teams made their way outside.

    Once the last of the Guardians left, Sir Aaron leapt over the banister and floated down to the floor below, landing gently in front of Ash. Queen Ilene and Riley both followed suit, their bodies tinged with Aura. Now that he was this close, Ash almost felt like he'd get burned up from how much power he seemed to radiate, though strangely, it was invigorating.

    "I apologize for the deception," Sir Aaron said, spreading his arms, "but I suspect you've had an inkling for a little while now, Ash."

    Ash nodded slowly. "Yeah…I started to think your Aura felt familiar once I got deeper into my training and started being able to sense that kind of thing. It's the same Aura I felt several years ago when I met you in the Tree of Beginnings."

    Sir Aaron nodded. "My true body slumbers within the Tree, but my spirit has since detached. This vessel is of my own creation, and it allows me to change my visage at will." He turned to Sabrina and smiled. "If you tried to read my mind at all, you'd have seen nothing more than a roiling mass of Aura." He tapped his temple.

    "I-I didn't," Sabrina sputtered, clutching the hem of her shirt. "I would never try that against a man as powerful as you."

    "Oh, I appreciate the compliment!" Sir Aaron grinned.

    "I had no idea either of you were in Rota this whole time," Riley said, stepping forward. "Or that you were an acquaintance of the World Champion."

    "Yeah, sorry about that," Ash said. "But it's good to see you again, ignoring the circumstances!" Sabrina waved shyly as well, and Riley smiled at them both.

    "That was my decision, not there's," Sir Aaron cut in. "I didn't want to cause a panic. But to think AZ would mount an attack so soon after coming here… I underestimated him too much. That miscalculation was my fault. I can only hope it won't cost us the whole of Rota." He frowned in dismay.

    "Er, Albrecht…or Sir Aaron, you said you'll be fighting AZ, right?" Ash asked.

    "Yes," Sir Aaron stated. "But there is something I must do first." He turned to Queen Ilene. "My lady, if you please. Take me to the Vault of Secrets."

    Ilene nodded and started moving toward the door, Sir Aaron following. Riley tailed them, and just outside the door, Magnus was waiting for them.

    "Wait!" Ash cried, running after them. "What's the Vault of Secrets?"

    Ilene and Aaron were clearly in a hurry, and Ash had to jog to keep up with them as they swept through the palace. "The Vault of Secrets is something I created during my tenure as king," Sir Aaron explained. "It contains all of the most precious and powerful Guardian artifacts, tomes, and, as its namesake suggests, secrets. It is constructed into the palace itself, and to keep itself hidden, its location changes constantly. Even I no longer know where it lies today."

    "The existence of the Vault is known only to the highest echelon of Guardian," Ilene said, and Ash saw Riley listening with rapt attention, so clearly he hadn't been privy. "Its exact location, however, is known only to the royalty."

    They crossed beneath a stone arch into a room with a staircase leading to some higher floor. However, Ilene ignored the stairs and instead headed over to a bookcase along the wall, no doubt for decorative purposes only.

    "Here it is," Ilene said, stepping back.

    Sir Aaron walked in front of it and placed his gloved hand on the shelf, closing his eyes. Then he opened them. "Excellent."

    His hand glowed blue, and suddenly, the bookcase shattered forward. However, instead of splintering against the stone wall behind it, a blinding hallway of pure white light stretched out before them, and the fragments of wood disappeared within, as if sucked into a vortex.

    Sir Aaron turned back to face them. "Sir Riley, I'll defer your assignment to Captain Magnus. He knows your skills best and will place you better than I could."

    Riley bowed.

    "Captain Magnus, as I said, you are not leave the Queen's side. I'm afraid that's non-negotiable. The Guardians do not need a king, as has been evident, but we will perish if the Queen dies."

    Captain Magnus nodded, taking a step closer to the Queen.

    "Lady Sabrina," Sir Aaron said, turning to her. "I understand you have no cause to obey me, but if I could make a request. You're more fit than any else to destroy that portal allowing the enemy entrance into our lands. Cut that off, and we will only need to defeat those who remain. Now that it is open, I imagine you'll find it easier to destroy."

    Sabrina nodded, and her gauntlets jerked, and Ash could tell she was preparing for battle.

    "And Ash," Sir Aaron finally said. "I have no right to ask this of you, but I will all the same. AZ has come to kill me for good and annihilate everything I've ever loved." His eyes met his. "Please, stop him until I arrive."

    Ash's eyes gleamed with determination. "That's what we've been training for all this time! You can count on us, I promise!" Pikachu cooed in agreement, his cheeks sparking.

    Sir Aaron took one step into the hallway of light, and his leg vanished from view. "I will return as quickly as I can. I wish you all good fortune in battle." Without another word, he vanished completely into the hallway with an effulgent flash, and after a few seconds, the shards of the bookcase returned, repairing itself around the hallway until the light faded, and it once again looked like nothing more than an innocuous bookcase.

    "Um!" Sabrina chirped, raising her hand.

    Magnus raised his hand to cut her off. "No need to worry your pretty little head, young Sabrina, I know exactly what you're going to say." He smacked Riley on the shoulder. "Their friend is incapacitated at the manor overlooking the town. Lost her arm about a month ago to AZ, the bastard. Get over there as fast as you can and keep her safe."

    Riley nodded quickly. "Yes, Captain. Leave it to me, Ash, Sabrina."

    "Thank you, Riley," Ash said. "Now, let's get going!"


    Land of Rota - Tree of Beginnings

    The ground trembled, and Anabel spun around. Pidgey and Spearow burst out from the forest in alarm. Something was clearly wrong. Her hand drifted to her belt of pokémon and she unclipped one. As if to confirm her suspicions, a cloud of dust rose in the distance, followed by the faint cry of some pokémon.

    Either Ash's training has gotten way out of hand, or Rota is under attack.

    The Tree of Beginnings loomed behind her, ancient and powerful, glittering beneath the sun. She'd come here out of curiosity, having grown tired of walking around Albrecht's estate. Of course, she'd obeyed the Guardians' rule of not entering, and simply standing outside of it told her why. The Tree of Beginnings was alive, and she could tell it would not take kindly to trespassers.

    A shadow seemed to pass over the Tree, because it dimmed ever so slightly all of a sudden for just a moment, before returning to its usual crystalline hue. Anabel frowned in confusion. What was that?

    "The Tree is weakening," a voice behind her said. "It does not enjoy war."

    Anabel spun around to find a man with smooth black hair in front of her. He didn't look especially like a trainer in his tailored suit, but he held a pokéball in his hand.

    "Who are you?" Anabel demanded. "What's going on?" Her finger brushed the release on her pokéball."

    "I didn't expect to run into anyone this far from the palace. This may complicate things." The man glanced at Anabel's missing arm, at her empty sleeve, swaying in the wind. "I know who you are, at the very least. You assailed my master when he was here last."

    "Your Master?" Anabel frowned. She released her pokémon. An indigo Ceruledge materialized on the grass, grinding its swords together menacingly. "You're with AZ. So he's begun his attack already…"

    "For what's worth, I'm sorry for what happened to you. I doubt my master intended to maim you as he did. Likely, he meant to kill you." He tossed his pokéball forward, and it snapped open to reveal a gigantic, silent Golurk.

    "Stand by for battle, Arcane," Anabel whispered. She clutched the stump of her right arm, gently feeling it to see how sensitive it was right now. There wasn't pain now, but the painkillers she'd taken this morning would only last a little longer. Already, she felt her arm throb beneath her fingertips. I need to end this quickly.

    "Lucky for you, you face King AZ's most loyal servant, the honorable Lord Brian Vandrick," the man said, bowing. "On my master's behalf, allow me to finish what he started."

    Next — Chapter 33 : The Second Battle of Cameran Palace


    N's Pokémon
    • Reshiram
    Zinnia's Pokémon
    • Salamence
    • Altaria
    • Tyrantrum
    • Cyclizar
    • Dragapult
    • Whismur (Aster)
    Anabel's Pokémon
    • Espeon (Magic)
    • Snorlax (Juggernaut)
    • Latias (Sakura)
    • Suicune (Royal)
    • Decidueye (Sophia)
    • Ceruledge (Arcane)
    I'll start adding the lineups for everyone in Paragon to my profile on FFN/AO3 for easy reference. Happy Easter!

     
    Last edited:
  • Threadmarks
    • I enjoyed the action sequence with Zinnia and the assassins. Zinnia has not opened up to the idea of teamwork, it seems.
     
    Remnants of the Great War [24]
  • Threadmarks

    • PARAGON

    Remnants of the Great War Arc [24]

    Chapter 33 : The Second Battle of Cameran Palace​


    Ash, Sabrina, and Riley raced across the stone viaduct, the lake below still and calm— a mirror, in more ways than one, for the chaos unfolding above. Not much time had passed between their arrival at the palace and now, their departure, yet already, it seemed like the war had begun in earnest. Smoke billowed up from multiple spots amidst the forest, and Ash could smell the pungent stench of violence permeating the air.

    Upon stepping off the bridge, Ash saw a perimeter of Guardians surrounding the palace, their pokémon deployed and ready to fight at a moment's notice. There were Guardians in the air as well on the backs of their pokémon, keeping a lookout for any approaching enemies, either from land or sky. Riley nodded a thanks to them quickly as they rushed past, pushing into the forest toward the town of Rota.

    Within the forest, they enjoyed a brief respite from the roar of battle, shielded by the battalions of trees that stood tall between the town and the palace.

    Ash's heart hammered in his chest as he ran. Just like before, he could sense AZ nearby. Somehow, he could pinpoint his exact location as a fellow Platebearer, and each step along the shaded path brought them closer. He closed his eyes, dispelling his anxiety, then opened them again. AZ would not best him this time. He and his pokémon had worked themselves nearly to the bone this past month, and finally, it was time to put that effort to the test.

    "So, Ash. I know you were once the World Champion and all, but is there a reason King Aaron believes you'd stand a chance against AZ?" Riley asked as they ran. "I don't mean to doubt you, but this AZ is supposed to be like a force of nature. Even King Aaron didn't sound like he wanted to face him."

    Right, he doesn't know about the Plate. "I guess he didn't tell you," Ash said.

    "Tell me what?"

    Ash tried organizing a cohesive explanation in his head, but gave up after only a second. "Uh, basically I have these powers now, kind of like a Guardian, actually. I've been working with Albr—er, Sir Aaron this past month, so theoretically, I should at least be able to hold AZ off until he arrives. I can explain the rest when this is all over."

    Riley stared at him for a moment, then faced forward again. "Right. I'll hold you to that. So don't go dying on me!"

    "Same to you!"

    After another minute, Sabrina's gauntlets glowed, and she floated into the air just above the ground. Her stamina left much to be desired and clearly she'd run out of it. As they ran over the shallow rivers and gentle hills of the forest, she cruised along beside them all the way to the town.

    As they broke out of the forest and the town came into view, Ash's eyes widened. The whole town had already become a warzone, and even from above, he could make out civilians among the Guardian fighters and AZ's hooded acolytes, hiding behind smoking buildings or other similarly damaged architecture.

    "Arceus above," Riley breathed. He glared at the decimation below, then swiftly turned to Sabrina. "Sabrina, if you please."

    "Right." Her gauntlets glowed, and suddenly, all three of them were in the town.

    The sound of angered shouts and savage roars filled the air as the two sides clashed against each other. The Guardians down the street ahead hurled azure Aura Spheres at their enemies, but their enemies had come prepared, knowing full well who they were assaulting, and they reacted calmly, ordering their pokémon with quiet precision.

    They'd teleported down into a plaza, with a burning tree in the center spewing embers and soot across the cobbled ground. Immediately, Riley approached a family of three, huddling behind a cracked fountain, the two parents wrapping their arms protectively around their child.

    "Get up, you must get away from this place!" Riley urged, tugging on the father's arm.

    He unburied his face from his child's head and stared at Riley, eyes wide with fear. Dirt and tears smeared across his face, but he smiled ever so slightly upon recognizing his family's savior. "S-Sir Riley…"

    "My comrades will lead you to a safe place," Riley said, and he stood, peering down another street. This street was lined with black ash, the scars of a battle, but after a few seconds, a pair of Guardians appeared at the next intersection, leading a middle-aged couple away from the battle. "Hey!" Riley shouted, catching their attention. They both looked over, and one jogged over, his Mightyena running beside him. "Boris!" Riley said, recognizing the Guardian. "I have three more over here!" He pointed over at the family.

    "Shit, I'm sorry!" He ran over to the family, coaxing them out of their huddle. "Come, you're safe now."

    As he led them down the street to join his comrade, Riley grabbed his shoulder. "Don't be sorry, you're doing well. Just make sure to keep your wits about you! You can only keep others safe if you keep yourself safe!"

    "Right, thank you, sir!" Boris nodded, before racing off back down the burned street.

    Ash and Sabrina joined Riley, ready to move on. Riley pulled out a pokéball and released his Lucario. "I wish I could stay here and help, but we have our jobs to do. You two know where you're going?"

    "Yup, I can sense AZ now," Ash said. "He's slowly moving toward Cameran Palace, through the forest."

    Sabrina nodded. "The psychic dyad is at Rota's southern edge. I can teleport nearby."

    "Good. Be careful," Riley said, meeting both of their gazes. "As for me, King Aaron's manor lies to the west of town." He chuckled grimly. "All those years I'd been told to stay away, I never would've guessed that house belonged to the World Champion, much less King Aaron himself." He clapped both of them on the shoulder. "Good luck to both of you. I promise you I'll keep Anabel safe."

    Ash and Sabrina nodded, and without another word, they disappeared, Ash down a street to the southeast, and Sabrina, into thin air. Riley gave one last look at the scenery around him, before sprinting off toward Albrecht's manor, Lucario running beside him.


    Arcane jumped back as Golurk's massive fist came crashing down on the ground where she'd been standing a moment ago. Dirt and grass erupted around it in chunks, spraying outward.

    "Confuse Ray!" Anabel commanded.

    Two wisps of blue flame wafted off of Ceruledge's blades, and floated up toward Golurk's face. However, despite the fact that one of its fists were lodged in the ground, Golurk raised its other fist, a purple Shadow Ball roiling in its palm. The massive golem pushed the Shadow Ball against the wisps, snuffing them out, before casting it down at Arcane.

    Ceruledge raised its arm, then sliced them down in a screaming arc, bisecting the Shadow Ball perfectly. The two halves fell past her, and collapsed in on themselves, exploding behind Anabel. The explosion sent a gale of wind buffeting around her, blowing her hair around her.

    "Did you think a trick like that would work against me?" Vandrick drawled.

    "Made you look."

    Ten blue wisps suddenly spun into existence around Golurk's head, and it barely had time to raise its head in surprise before all ten wisps plunged into its body. Immediately, the lights on its ancient body began to flicker spastically, and it jerked awkwardly, ripping its arm free from the ground and sending a spray of dirt in its master's direction.

    Vandrick frowned and shook his head, brushing the dirt from his pants. He pulled out a pokéball and recalled Golurk before it could do any further damage. "No matter. I'll simply crush you with another. He switched pokéballs and tossed out another one. A Talonflame, as tall as the man himself, landed deftly on the ground before him, before spreading its brilliant wings menacingly. "I'm afraid Talonflame is unmatched in the sky. I doubt you'll be able to stop what happens next." He thrust his arm forward. "Brave Bird."

    Talonflame vanished, leaving nothing but a cloud of dust where it'd only just been standing. Anabel squinted up at the sky, and was chilled at what she saw. Talonflame had flown so far it was nothing more than a black speck. So fast! I need to—

    Right in front of her, right where Arcane was standing, a massive crash exploded outward, sending dirt, grass, and dust into the air. Talonflame flew back and landed next to its trainer again, and Anabel looked down in horror at the crater that had suddenly appeared before her. Arcane staggered back on her feet, her swords dragging against the ground. She was clearly massively injured. Anabel wouldn't have been surprised if she had a concussion from that blow.

    Vandrick flicked his hand lazily. "Finish it."

    Again, Talonflame slammed into Arcane, though because it was so close, Anabel could just make out Arcane's crossed swords blocking the blow before Talonflame disengaged and pelted her from the side. Each time, Arcane blocked it at the last second, twisting her body and sliding on her feet to get the best footing she could. But Talonflame was relentless, and its attacks started to come faster and faster.

    That was when Anabel realized Talonflame was targeting her. But every time Talonflame tried to come at her at an open angle, Arcane leapt in between them. Anabel could see Arcane's shadow oozing behind her as she moved. She was using Shadow Sneak to keep up. But every attack was landing, and she wouldn't last much longer on the defensive.

    "I'm going to move to the left, Arcane! Take the next hit and use Night Slash, then Shadow Claw!"

    Arcane made no acknowledgement that she'd heard, but as Anabel moved herself to lure Talonflame into an opening, she saw Arcane lower its swords, and one ignited in rippling black darkness, while the other became soaked in ghostly purple energy. Talonflame tore toward Anabel, but just before it could slice her in two, Arcane tackled it out of the air, then slammed her Night Slash into the bird's exposed back.

    Talonflame squawked in surprise and tried to put some distance between the two, but the darkness sizzled within the slash on its back, and it shuddered in pain. Arcane's Shadow Claw caught it in the neck, and she swung so hard she launched the bird all the way back over to its master's side. With the relentless assault finally over, Arcane exhaled with a metallic groan, and she panted in place.

    Anabel's eyes narrowed. That was way too much damage. Arcane will go down with the next attack. She clutched her injured stump, and grit her teeth in pain. Damn it! She took deep breaths, trying to stave off and ignore the pain. We still have our trump card. She pulled out Arcane's pokéball and recalled her.

    Vandrick raised an eyebrow. "You actually stopped Talonflame's Brave Bird. Color me impressed. I can understand why you'd save your Ceruledge for later. One as tenacious as that is surely destined to punch a hole in my team before it falls for good. But, very well. Release your next pokémon."

    What is this? Some kind of honor? Anabel thought, grabbing a different pokéball. From what he said before, he probably doesn't want to bring shame on AZ by attacking me without one of my pokémon out. She released Snorlax, and she saw Vandrick's eyes narrow in confusion at the sight of his wiry body. "What are you doing here at the Tree of Beginnings anyway?" Anabel asked. "Aren't you here to destroy the Guardians?"

    "Yes, that's right," Vandrick said. "We're here to destroy the Guardians. But there is one Guardian who stands head and shoulders above the rest. And his body rests within the Tree."

    Anabel frowned. Even she had heard of that man. "Sir Aaron?"

    "The very same. Though I believe he's been gallivanting around under the name'Albrecht.' Facing down the World Champion in battle is a tall enough order as is, but add to that his tremendous power as a Guardian, and he lands in an entirely different tier of strength." Vandrick's gaze darkened and he rubbed his knuckles. "Much better to discard a man like that off the board as soon as humanly possible, however underhanded the method."

    Anabel's eyes widened. Albrecht is Sir Aaron! Sir Aaron was the king of the Guardians? I always thought he was just a hero! Then she remembered what he'd told Ash and Sabrina about his departure from the Guardians. Did he purge the history of his rule along with his association with the Guardians? Why would he do such a thing to begin with?

    "It seems you weren't aware of this fact, but while I understand your shock, you're still in my way. Heat Wave, Talonflame."

    Talonflame streamed up into the sky, trailing embers, and Anabel dashed thoughts of Albrecht from her mind, once again focused on the foe in front of her. Talonflame was taking full advantage of its flight, and while it was up there, Juggernaut would be forced on the defensive just like Arcane. However, after Arcane's unexpected resilience, and because of Juggernaut's peculiar appearance, Vandrick seemed to be taking a more defensive posture now, opting to attack from a distance. Likely, he intended to whittle Snorlax down from afar, then close in more aggressively once he'd chipped away at him enough.

    Unfortunately for him, Juggernaut was no ordinary Snorlax.

    "Hammer Arm!" Anabel commanded.

    Juggernaut crouched down, bunching up the muscles in his legs, then rocketed into the sky. A storm of scorching embers rained down on and around him. The grass around Anabel caught fire, and though she tried to angle herself behind Juggernaut, a flurry of embers caught her in the side, and she winced in pain.

    "Arghhh!" she cried, falling to her knees and clutching her severed arm. Just a few hot embers had touched down on her right shoulder, but with how sensitive her arm still was, it sent a searing agony across her entire injury. She squeezed the stump, trying to stifle the pain, but when she withdrew her hand, it was sticky with blood. Her shirt was also now soaked in bright red blood and she cursed silently, feeling her body begin to sweat.

    Up above, Juggernaut sailed above the Heat Wave and brought his two fists together, before raising them over his head. Talonflame barely had time to register the fact that its target was now above it before Juggernaut brought the hammer down right on top of its head. Talonflame shot downward, but just before it impacted the ground, its wings spread outward, and it caught itself, flying upside down parallel to the ground, before righting itself again.

    "Brave Bird!" Vandrick snarled. "Get the girl, now!"

    Anabel grit her teeth and looked skyward. Juggernaut's silhouette looked black against the sun, but he seemed close enough. "Giga Impact!" she screamed.

    A blaze of purple and white energy filtered into existence around Juggernaut, and the air shimmered around him, as if he'd suddenly gotten too heavy for reality to contain him. As Talonflame streaked across the burned grass toward Anabel, Juggernaut bulleted downward like a living comet. The two intercepted each other just in front of Anabel, and they smashed into each other, raw energy booming outward and knocking Anabel to the ground once again. Snorlax and Talonflame both spun off in opposite directions, rolling over in heaps on the ground, their bodies smoking. After several seconds, neither of them moved.

    Anabel watched the aftermath from the ground, her sense of pain dulled by the shock of the outcome. Admittedly, Juggernaut wasn't as tanky as he probably could've been if he'd kept the fat, but that he'd gone down so easily was like a slap to the face. Anabel could've run through a list of excuses for why things had happened the way they did, but ultimately, none of that mattered now. This man was on his way to kill the Sir Aaron, if his words were to be trusted. Anabel needed to stop him at any cost.

    She recalled Juggernaut and Vandrick did the same for his Talonflame, then released Arcane again. She was slouching where she stood, still unrecovered from the Talonflame's assault, but her eyes burned with resolve.

    Talonflame took far more punishment than I expected it would have, especially for such a frail species," Anabel thought. If his other pokémon are anything like it, then I need raw power to cut them down…

    Across the field, Vandrick released an imposing Goodra, dripping with rancid slime. The tails on its head curled, acquainting themselves with their surroundings. Upon seeing Arcane before it, its eyes narrowed, and Anabel could sense the threat exuding from it, and she shivered.

    She rolled her shoulder, trying to ignore the burning pain that was rapidly getting worse on her right side, and pulled out her Tera Orb. She clutched it in her hand for a moment, savoring its weight, and the power that came with it, before recalling Arcane into it. She pressed the center button, and it thrummed in her hand, before releasing Arcane once again.

    Vandrick's eyes narrowed at the sight of Ceruledge's Terastallized form. "What is this now?" he murmured.

    Arcane's armor was now pitch black, as was the ghastly flame on her head. However, as the sunlight moved across her body, there were faint glints of refracted light, evidence of the Terastallization, though her body was far too dark now for their color to be made out. As she raised her swords, her crystalline body clinked softly.

    "It wasn't easy to weld an Auspicious Armor piece and a Malicious Armor piece together," Anabel said. "But the end result ended up even greater than I expected. Turns out when you combine the two, you get more the sum of its two parts." She pointed at Arcane's jet black armor. "It takes Tera Crystals to keep this armor together, which means its true form only manifests during Terastallization."

    "How fascinating," Vandrick said. "In another life, you would have been worthy to serve my master. It's a shame such talent must be culled."

    Anabel smirked slightly. "Is that supposed to be a compliment?" she muttered. "Whatever. Seraphim Saber."

    "Power Whip to restrain it, then Hydro Cannon," Vandrick commanded. Arcane's power was obvious to see, and he clearly wanted to end it as quickly as possible, knowing she only needed one more attack to fall for good.

    Goodra's head-tails stretched out in an instant, closing across the battered field and wrapping around Arcane's arms. Arcane made no move to defend herself, and a moment later, the dragon moaned in pain and let go, its appendages smoking as they shrunk back to size.

    Vandrick frowned. "How hot is its body?! No matter, use Hydro Cannon!"

    Goodra sucked in a gigantic breath, flooding its bowels with water, then bellowed it out in a pressurized, white column of fury.

    Arcane's arms both elongated, and the tips of her swords began to glow white. The glow traveled down the length of her swords to the hilt, until both were brimming with a harsh light. She swung one, slashing the Hydro Cannon apart, sending the water sizzling upward in a billow of steam, then blitzed toward Goodra. Goodra glared at its opponent and crossed its arms and head-tails both in front of its body protectively. Arcane did the same, crossing her swords before her, before cleaving them across Goodra's chest. A blinding light seared outward from the impact, and Arcane came to a stop behind the dragon, the glow on her swords fading.

    Goodra pitched to the side, then collapsed. A gleaming white X remained carved into its body, and Vandrick looked upon his pokémon in shock, before shifting his gaze to the hateful Ceruledge.

    I'm sure he thought I went with an offensive Terastallization to maximize Arcane's damage before she fell," Anabel thought. That made him think Hydro Cannon was a safe bet. But unbeknownst to him, because of Arcane's special armor, she can only Tera into one type— typeless. She has no advantages, but also no weaknesses, perfect for either a hyper-offensive or defensive role, whichever we need.

    Anabel wasn't clear on the specifics, but based on their work together, melding the auspice and malice in Arcane's armor had produced a sort of void, an emotion so strong it killed itself, leaving something else in its wake. Practically speaking, they'd grafted plates from the Auspicious Armor onto the Malicious Armor, which is why Charcadet ultimately evolved into Ceruledge, but their trump card turned her into something that could hardly still be called Ceruledge. The heat within her also grew stronger, despite losing her typing. Anabel surmised it was similar to the move Burn Up, except Ceruledge's fire redirected inward instead of exploding outward, causing her body temperature to skyrocket.

    All and all, she was quite proud of her final team member.

    As Arcane stepped back to Anabel's side protectively, her swords shrunk back down to size. Vandrick recalled Goodra and pondered for a moment before selecting his next pokémon. Ultimately, he decided on Sigilyph, and the massive bird fluttered into the air, its multicolored stone pieces tinkling against each other.

    "Yes, truly it is a shame you transgressed against my master as you did," Vandrick lamented. "I would've liked for us to work together."

    "Why do you think I would ever work with you?" Anabel said in disgust.

    Vandrick shrugged, like he really hadn't given it much thought. "I've met many young trainers in my time, all pursuing power for various reasons. Within you, I sense a lust for glory. On another timeline, I think you would work for me, if only to get closer to my legendary master." His eyes flicked up to meet hers, and they mocked her, as if daring her to deny it.

    "Shut your mouth!" Anabel roared. "Seraphim Saber, again!"

    Vandrick raised his arm. "Psychic Ruin!"

    As Arcane's blades extended once more, Sigilyph floated into the air, and shards of psychic energy began to curl into existence around its wings, shimmering like snowflakes around it. As more and more flecks filtered into being, the air seemed to get heavy around the cursed bird, and its whole body began to leak a noxious power that twisted reality and forced Anabel to look away.

    It won't take the entire attack to defeat Arcane, which means the rest of it will turn on me, Anabel realized. The way that spectral sheen seemed to engulf Sigilyph made Anabel think it had a mind of its own, and she shuddered. She plucked another pokéball off her belt in preparation for the worst.

    Arcane leapt straight into the blizzard, her swords gleaming against the spectral silica, steeped in evil. Sigilyph trembled, and suddenly, all its gathered power shrunk down and absorbed itself back into its body. Then, a moment of silence later, it blasted outward in a hellish nova, releasing a scream of death that filled the air with violet malice. Rays of light sliced through the explosion in sporadic cuts, leaking through the shadowy discharge.

    In front of Anabel, the newly deployed Royal batted away stray bits of psychic energy that snaked their way toward her master with her ribbons. Her eyes were narrowed, studying the pungent violet hue across the sky.

    After almost a minute, the light finally began to fade, and daylight once again cut through the darkness, revealing the outcome. Arcane and Sigilyph both lay unmoving on the ground, and Arcane's armor was back to its usual indigo. Anabel closed her eyes and recalled her fallen partner, thanking her silently.

    Vandrick hesitated a moment before doing the same, and he replaced Sigilyph's pokéball on his belt seemingly still in disbelief that it was already defeated. However, he soon shrugged and eyed his new opponent across the field.

    "A Suicune. Most impressive," he said, nodding. "As if it wasn't already clear that you're no ordinary trainer. No ordinary Interpol asset either, I imagine." He looked past Royal to meet Anabel's gaze. "The other two my master encountered are like you, aren't they?" He scowled. "This may throw a wrench in our plan."

    As he reached around to grab another pokéball, he brushed his suit coat aside, and Anabel saw at least twenty pokéballs attached to his belt, and her blood ran cold. She wouldn't last if they continued to exchange evenly like this. Her mind began to race, thinking desperately of what she could do to stop him.

    "It is absolutely imperative that you fall here," Vandrick said, and he released his next pokémon.

    A towering Trevenant materialized onto the grass and immediately sunk its ghostly roots into the ground.

    "Stay on guard," Anabel said to Royal, though maybe she'd meant it more to herself. The pain in her arm was beginning to blossom into full-blown agony, but she took deep breaths to keep herself focused forward. It was getting so bad her eyes started to water, but she grit her teeth and clenched her fist.

    "Sheer Cold!"


    Atop a tall hill that overlooked all of Rota, one man watched the unfolding chaos below. He sat on the edge of the cliff, his leg swinging lazily over the open air. From such a height, the Guardians and AZ's force both looked like little more than ants, crawling about in a depraved scrum. Dark clouds crawled across the sky above him, slowly closing in on Rota. Yet for now, the sun still shined through.

    "Good thing we got here in time, eh Kingambit?" Zagreus said. "The storm arrived quicker than expected. Perhaps even we underestimated him as well."

    Beside him, a Kingambit stood still, its arms crossed, observing the war with as much interest as its master.

    "Fate is such a cruel jester. To think we'd find the Plate here of all places. Though I suppose that is by Sir Aaron's design." He sighed. "As much as I'd like to kill the boy, I suppose that will have to wait. We have a far more important role to play here."

    As they watched the war play out, after some time, the mountain beneath them started to rumble, shaking the sea of trees below.

    A demonic grin split Zagreus' face, a horrific scar nearly bisecting it from brow to jaw. "They're here. And with that, what little hope the Guardians had will now be unceremoniously snuffed out," he snickered.

    Next — Chapter 34 : AZ's Titans

     
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