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Episode 18: The Cultists of Aseria

HaruMiju

Hero in their dreams
Location
London
Pronouns
They/them, She/her,
14 Athens.jpg

Episode 18: The Cultists of Aseria



“Uh, do we really have to go to Pokétopia?” Esther groaned. The group were at Everend’s gondola station.

“Well, yeah. It’s an order from the agents.” Sophitia shrugged her feelers.

“But that’s- uh, y’know, wouldn’t it be cooler to just focus on Naivie’s quest? Like she said, this is all with the world at stake, after all.” Esther raised a fist.

“I’m in agreement,” the Carbink squeaked.

“If that Eevee is waiting for us inside or near the temple, then we can’t just throw ourselves at it. We know that we can’t beat them. So at the very least, we should aim to get more information and maybe train ourselves up a bit. That was our first time fighting together as a whole team, after all,” Sophitia reasoned. She frowned, and rubbed her chin with a feeler. “And with this free time, disobeying the agents is pointless. Don’t you want to go?”

“Argh. I don’t mind but… uh, Fluffy Cheeks, help me out here,” Esther groaned and slumped into him.

“You are not officially an agent. You do not have to come with us,” the Fennekin said.

“Aww what? C’mon, we should do stuff together now. Plus, didn’t you say I’m in your custody or something? Would be pretty bad if you were seen without me.” She winked.

“Then come with us.” He walked around her; eyes shut.

Esther’s face fell flat. “Gee, thanks. I’ll remember that.”

“Don’t you want to go to Pokétopia, Esther?” Infia asked as they walked into the station. “I’ve never been that far away from Everend before. It’s kind of exciting.”

“Oh alright, I’ll level with ya,” Esther grumbled and folded her arms. “I’m a pop star, ya’know? It’s sorta impossible to walk around a big place like that. Pokétopia’s always overflowing with crowds. Every time I go there, I get followed or whistled out by an asshole pervert or something. It’s really uncomfortable.”

“That’s a good call, actually,” Sophitia said, about to scan her ticket into the barrier. “What do you normally do to deal with that?”

“Brayen or Fluffy Cheeks sorts it out for me. I just thought if we were doing Naivie’s journey, we wouldn’t go anywhere that populated.” Esther turned away. “I’m… not ready to deal with the fans yet. That’s it! Infia, swap clothes with me.”

“Wha-huh?” Infia gasped.

“Yeah! If we swap clothes, they’ll never know it’s me. C’mon, you get to wear the real costume for a day! That’s gotta be a fangirl’s dream come true, right?” Esther bounced eagerly..

Infia took one look at Esther from top to bottom and went bright red. “Y-you’ll never fit, though.”

“Oh what, ‘cos I eat more than you?” Esther went half-lidded.

“N-no! I’m smaller. A-and… well… I er, the underwear,” she said, going quieter at every word.

“That’s the least important part! C’mon, for me? I’ll wear it instead if you don’t wanna throw it away,” Esther said.

“Oh-kay, that’s enough out of that one. I’m getting awkward just listening to this,” Sophitia pushed them apart with her feelers. “If hiding your identity is to do with your clothes, why don’t you just take them off? Unlike Infia, you don’t have anything to hide.”

“Sophitia!” Lute said.

“Ah, that’s- actually a good idea. But wait, Infia has something to hide?” Esther said. Sophitia’s eyes widened.

“No, but there’s no point in swapping clothes. Take yours off, stay or home, or deal with your fans yourself,” Sophitia ordered.

“It is actually the mark on your tail that gives you away,” Phoenix stated as he went through the ticket barrier. “Gondola leaves in two minutes. We need to move.”

“My tail—” Esther twisted to look at it. “Oh yeah. I forgot I had that on there. Well shit.”

Lute watched her grumble and march off, unable to help sneak a look himself. Her tail had the heart-shaped tip that all female Pikachu had, but for her, the tip also had a black mark on it. To him, the mark almost looked like the number five. It probably had something to do with her motif or something he didn’t understand.

“Pokétopia is in the very centre of Aseria. It’s the largest city in the world, and its inside a dome. It’s like, the most urban place the world has,” Esther explained. By now they had boarded the gondola and set off, and they were the only ones aboard the carriage. “You guys have all been to the Ministry of Science, right? If you’ve seen the kind of tech they have there, then you won’t be surprised to see the dome.”

“I’ve read about it. It’s also the centre of energy circulation throughout the world, right? It’s where all the gondolas go, and all the electricity the world uses is generated.” Lute looked up to recall it. “Supposedly the city’s always awake because it’s visited year-round by Pokémon constantly. Pokémon switch between daytime and nocturnal workers. It’s also expensive to visit, so Pokémon from Everend rarely go there, even though we have gondolas travelling directly to it.”

“Ahaha, you do your research! You’re so impressive, Lute,” Esther praised with gleaming eyes. “I’ve played more shows there than I can count, all at the different venues and landmarks. While it’s pretty flashy and I get to go all-out, it’s impossible to sleep there. Sure there’s hotels and stuff, but there’s lots of light and stuff. Can we not stay there longer than we need to?”

“U-understandable. I’m not one for all the tech stuff, either,” Sophitia whimpered. She was crouched by one of the handlebars and clutched it with both paws and feelers as if her life depended on it.

“It depends on what King’s Shield want with us,” Phoenix said.

“I er, was hoping I could sightsee a little when we were free. It’ll be my first time there,” Lute admitted.

“Oh, why didn’t ya say so? Sure, I’ll show you around, my treat.” Esther winked at him. Infia tilted her head.

“That was a change of heart,” Phoenix said.

“Do you want me to be enthusiastic or do you want me to be edgy? ‘Cos you’re bein’ pretty fucking edgy right now, Fluffy Cheeks.” She went half-lidded.

“If you are not a pop star, then you’re not my boss anymore,” he replied

“Oh. Sassy now, are we? Why don’t you say to my face?” she stomped her way over to him. “Do go on. I couldn’t hear you earlier.”

“I do not understand your sentiment.” He looked away.

“Exactly. Next time, don’t forget your dog collar,” she said, and tapped him on the nose.

Lute rolled his eyes and turned to the scenery. The gondola sped across a rail so high in the sky that much of the distant land was patterns of fields and mountain, while the sea below them looked like a clay model. He was used to this view from his trip to the Ministry of Science, but this time, he wasn’t as happy to see it. The clouds above blanketed the sky as far as the eye could see, and every speck of them was exactly the same colour and tone of grey.

If he hadn’t met Naivie and seen the foggy temple for himself, he would have thought that this was normal. This stale scenery brought on a heartfelt dread that made him shiver. The world was truly devoid of seasons and was only going to look bleaker if he didn’t get stronger.

“Hey, Sophitia,” he said quietly, but stopped when he saw her weakened state. She was sprawled out at the foot of the handlebar and had gone completely pale. “You’re never going to get used to gondola travel, are you?”

“No! I’d rather do anything else!” she squealed.







Over an hour later, their destination finally came into view with their arrival imminent. Pokétopia was exactly what it was made out to be: an enormous dome of tinted glass situated in the middle of barren fields on all sides. Protected by this land of empty plains and distant mountains, the dome was allowed to occupy a huge amount of space. Even from miles up in the sky, the whole dome couldn’t fit into Lute’s view.

Their gondola slipped inside via a small gap in the glass, where it slowed down to let them get a good view of the city. The sound of active crowds passed through the walls of the gondola, while neon shop signs and waves of show lights blurred the scenery. Lute pressed his face against the window in awe at all the colours, most surprised by the sheer number of Pokémon in the streets. There wasn’t a single space where the ground was visible.

“Wow, there’s so many different shops,” Infia said, doing the same.

Inside the dome was dark, as if they had just stepped somewhere that was perpetually night time. That enabled the lighting to really shine with an urban vibe. Even as they stepped off the gondola and out into the open of the station, it was impossible to see the sky.

“We er, better stay together. It’s kinda easy to get lost when you’re not surrounded by chauffeurs,” Esther said. “I call dibs on Lute!”

“Call dibs? Oof,” Lute coughed as she jumped on him. He struggled to stand with her on his back, but just about managed. “E-Esther, you’re kinda heavy.”

“Aww c’mon. It’s training, right? Fluffy Cheeks doesn’t have any trouble carryin’ me.” She giggled.

“That’s because he’s Phoenix,” he growled.

“E-Esther, please.” Sophitia rolled her eyes when Lute finally collapsed. That set off the Pikachu’s laughter though, as well as weird looks from Phoenix and Infia. She ignored them all to review their directions. “Oh, wait. There’s no need. They’re meeting us at the station.”

“Are they? See, you don’t even have to walk far. You can do it lil’ champion!” Esther cheered.

“Why did I sign up for this?” Lute groaned.

“Now where would,” Sophitia habitually nibbled a feeler as she scanned the area.

Similar to the gondola stations she had been to before, this one overlooked a central street from a few floors up. It was far bigger than those other stations though, with many signs plastered on the walls to direct to platforms counting to the double digits. There were electronic screens detailing schedules and a constant flow of chatter, making her feel like she was in the way.

“By the platform thirteen lounge. Man this place is huge,” Sophitia mumbled.

“That would be this way.” Phoenix walked off.

It didn’t take long to find, especially since said lounge was noticeably cleaner than the rest of the station. It looked more like a bar had been set up rather than a typical waiting room, complete with an Audino bartender and Slurpuff in butler suits.

“It’s about time you showed up. Did you all have trouble finding the place?” someone said soon after they wandered in. They turned to see Lassic sat on a couch with a wine glass, one leg crossed over the other. The Delphox had his familiar eyepiece.

“It’s Lassic,” Lute said. Esther stopped teasing him to gawk at the famous figure.

“So who’re you meant to be, mister important? You better have called us out here for something important, because if it’s a waste of our time, you’re going to pay for it,” Naivie said as she fluttered out in front of him.

“Naivie!” everyone screamed.

“Please excuse her, she’s sorta outta the loop of stuff, haha,” Sophitia said, managing to push her away.

“No worries. It’s just a trait of the young. Besides, I’ve seen reports of your recent activities. I know who she is. You’ve all been far busier than I ever intended,” Lassic stated. He slowly sipped the rest of his drink and then stood up. “Follow me, please. I am a busy Pokémon, as you know. And we are already behind schedule.”

He left his glass with the bartender and led the way with his paws tucked behind his back. Everyone followed as closely as they could, although Lute couldn’t help but admire the surroundings he passed. The Pokémon all around them looked like they were having fun, though some also looked stressed as they dashed to and from the station.

“Wait, what’s that? There are more vehicles?” Sophitia cried. It looked like a gondola except that it was connected directly to the ground and there weren’t any doors.

“Oh, that’s just a bus. Haven’t you seen one before?” Lassic informed.

“No!” she cried.

Lute didn’t get her panic. The bus carriage was majestic in its colourful design and had rows of lights on its front and back. After a Monferno boarded it, the bus sped off with an engine noisier than surrounding conversations. He thought it looked fun to ride on one.

He couldn’t help but laugh a little. There were a few of these buses around, and each one went in different directions. This was on top of gondolas that glided on a web of rails lining the city heights. Pokémon flew amongst those to deliver what looked like boxes and food to Pokémon that accepted them from open windows. One of those delivery Pokémon, a Farfetched, dropped its food onto a group of Pokémon below, a Lickilicky in a wheelchair. That family of Pokémon were surprised, but after slurping up the food, broke into laughter.

“This place is so alive. It looks like it’s night time, but everyone and everything’s so active and colourful. I’ve never seen anything like this,” Lute remarked.

“Yeah, it’s pretty fun. It’s hard to be upset about anything while you’re here. It’s so much fun sometimes that you forget to sleep, or you kinda stop caring about the outside world. It’s a real, er, what’s that word?” Esther agreed.

“Utopia?” Lute guessed.

“Yeah, I guess so,” she said. “You’re really good with words, too.”

“Look around you well, Lute and friends. See the marvel of the world of Aseria,” Lassic said. As they walked, Aegislash and Doublade surrounded their group to block the crowds from them. “Public transport. Disability services. Convenient technology ranging from the mighty aircraft to the simplicity of the automatic door. Such fidelity of simple life services is only possible thanks to Aseria’s reliance on V Waves.”

“All of this stuff is V Wave powered?” Sophitia gasped.

“Yes. But that convenience is being threatened by none other than you and your friends,” Lassic stated.

“Wait, what? What did I do?” Lute gasped.

“Be too cute, that’s what,” Esther said as she tickled his cheek. “But seriously, that’s one hell of a bold statement.”

Lassic stopped to face them. “You’ve all recently been to Moand Dia again, haven’t you?”

“We… yes we have. We went there once as per Silver’s orders, but we ended up there again thanks to the quest,” Lute said.

“We know because of the computers you put down last time. They allow us to monitor Moand Dia deeper than ever before,” he said. He resumed the walk, and a paw went to his chin. “But your second trip there was unauthorised. Following that, the Radial Castle has activated and left the atmosphere. It’s all according to the legends left behind by the ancients. The place you found was a temple, wasn’t it?”

“Well you’re well informed. So why the negative tone?” Naivie commented.

“We’ve arrived,” Lassic said as he walked straight in. Everyone stopped to see where they were, a shopping centre titled ‘The Arcade’ in letters drawn out of light bulbs.

“I don’t like this,” Sophitia brought a feeler over to Lute. Esther slapped it with a little shock. “Hey- what the, why are you still on his back?”

“It’s comfy. And he’s handling just fine,” Esther said smugly.

Lute sighed. “Not now. Please.”

They followed Lassic into an elevator, where he inserted a unique key into the one key slot amongst the buttons for each floor. Once twisted, the doors shut and the lift descended and soon opened out into the familiar, computer-filled room of an agent base. This one was much better organized and spacious, but also had a lot more Pokémon at work.

“The legends in Aseria’s history are outdated fantasies of the past that should stay there. Do not attempt to revive them.” Lassic finally addressed them with an angered look.

“Hold on, I only agreed to do it because I wanted to be- why shouldn’t I?” Lute said.

“You have seen the way the Pokémon live here, and in the Ministry of Silence. Computers enhance our lives. Stabilise our society. Some Pokémon our born with disabilities where they need this technology to even function and have close to a normal life. But all of it requires V waves,” Lassic stated. “The legend you have followed, the legend that requires you to enter the temple below the Radial Castle, it is the one with the legendary flowers, is it not?”

Lute gulped. “That’s the one. Naivie said she can plant a seed and that our prayers can grow it.”

“I don’t think you should tell him that, Lute,” Naivie said.

“Those flowers will destroy our world. The infrastructure I have spent such a long time creating and maintaining, it would be forced to reset to that of the ancient past. Could you imagine living in a world without the everyday miracles you saw just now?”

“I don’t get what you’re talking about, though. I’m only doing this because the weather of Aseria has gone stagnant. If we grow the flowers, won’t the seasons return?” Lute said. He gradually sounded more and more fearful.

“There are Pokémon who cling desperately to the ways of the past. Refuse to try and use technology despite how much easier it makes things. Despite how it enables we Pokémon to act far beyond the feral instincts our species are based upon. The purpose of the ancients and their religious following of those flowers and the Shaymin, was to prevent our advancement as a society,” Lassic said, closing a fist. He looked as though he wanted to smash something. “If those flowers are reborn, the V waves will be controlled and our technology will cease to function. The world will be brought to a drastic standstill!”

“So what, we should just leave the world to get destroyed by lack of weather? You sound smart enough to know exactly why the lack of seasons is a problem, or maybe you’re choosing to be wilfully ignorant to push your own agenda,” Naivie argued. “It’s what you leader types always try to do.”

“Naivie—” Sophitia said.

“I have researched far more than you could ever imagine. That is why I was able to create the world we have today! If I didn’t understand V waves the way I do, we would never have moved forward as a society!” Lassic raised his voice. He took in a breath and shut his eyes. “Take this as a direct order from the president of Aseria: you are not to engage in this history any more. Continuation will result in arrest and trial.”

“That’s not going to stop me. Or any of them,” Naivie said as she floated over to Lute and the others.

“Naivie please, this isn’t the place to—” Sophitia tried to hush her.

“Listen here, Mister Lassic. These five are the heroes of Aseria. And as long as they follow their hearts, they will stop at nothing to make the world what they want it to be. I can’t make them decide on what’s best, and neither can you. That’s just who they are.”

Silence fell, and Esther slowly got off Lute’s back. “W-wow. Naivie, I didn’t know you felt that way? You never sound like it.”

“Shut up. I’m not trying to give you kids swell heads,” Naivie replied.

“Well that was uncalled for,” Sophitia rolled her eyes. “Arguments aside, that recent activity can’t really be why you called us out here like this.”

“You are sharp, Sophitia. No, it wasn’t. That was simply an urgent matter I had to speak about. Over here.” Lassic directed them deeper into the base. Lute couldn’t help but hang his head, and didn’t realise that everyone was moving until Infia tapped him.

“We have been monitoring Spirle’s movements recently and have finally seen a pattern in where their High Points are attacking. The other agents have already been notified of our findings,” Lassic informed, allowing them to go into the next room first. It looked like a laboratory for secret experiments, lined by computer screens on the walls. A large stasis chamber sat in the centre surrounded by even more intricate screens and keyboards. A male Meowstic turned and left his work to greet them.

“It’s you. The prosecutor,” Sophitia said.

“Please, call me Athens. I’m guessing Lassic is giving me the task of delivering the news?” Meowstic wondered with paws tucked behind his back.

“You are very good at it, sir.” Lassic snickered.

“Yes. Of course.” Athens cleared his throat. “Two major things. The first is that Spirle’s High Points have been very active around areas related to Moand Dia. Specifically, areas where information on Aseria’s history can be deciphered. This includes areas like the Ministry of Science’s nature reserve, or the ruins of Angard, an uncharted country on Eastern Aseria.”

Angard? Where Gen lives. Don’t they know that we’ve been there? Sophitia thought.

“This is the most active Spirle have ever been, so we need to strike them hard while we have the chance. We would like you agents to search these locations and apprehend anyone you can find,” Athens ordered.

“We need to go to those places anyway. So we’re sorta killing two birds with one stone, right?” Esther added.

“We were heading to those places, but not anymore. This is our new mission objective,” Phoenix said.

“Er-erm, as happy as I am about hitting the bad guys where they deserve it, how’re we going to manage?” Sophitia came forward. “We’ve battled High Points before. Not to downplay you guys, but I don’t think we can stand up to them.”

“It won’t be a problem, not if we use their own weaponry against them. For you see, the data we got from Infia recently has also revealed that you have a trump card. This brings me to the second piece of information I wish to share with you,” Athens said. “Infia, if you please?”

“Me?” the Minun scrunched up.

Athens nodded and directed her to a small set of steps by the stasis chamber. She wandered along, unsure about stepping into the middle. She stepped far enough for a glass cylinder to trap her in, however.

“Hey wait, what’s going on? What’re you doing?” Lute said, about to jump after her. The others crowded around in concern as well, but Athens ignored them all to work on the computer.

“Don’t worry. I’m going to show you something, something that Spirle are highly responsible for,” Athens said as he tapped away.

“Well this doesn’t look worrisome at all,” Esther said. A moment later, the chamber filled with orange liquid, throwing everyone into a panic. Infia cried out but held her breath as she was submerged.

“Infia!” Lute gasped.

“Whoa whoa whoa hey, what do you think you’re doing? Get her outta there,” Sophitia cried.

“Don’t panic, she will be fine. She doesn’t need to breathe,” Athens said, continuing to work on the computer.

“She’s doesn’t need to- what the fuck?” Esther shouted.

“This liquid helps to compress V waves. Once I increase the density of it, you will see what I mean, and the remarkable truth about Infia will be revealed.” He continued to ignore them.

“But she’s gonna drown!” Lute cried.

“Easy. Trust this Pokémon. He isn’t going to hurt her,” Lassic said, and laid a paw on Lute and Sophitia. They barely contained themselves though, one foot shifted ahead while their eyes locked on Infia’s anxious face. Even Phoenix growled with fangs gritted and embers leaking from his mouth.

“You see, Spirle’s operations appear to utilise some of the most advanced V wave technology ever seen. Their results are imperfect, but through their efforts, they have been able to create living entities. Pokémon with digital bodies so real that they blend right in with real Pokémon,” Athens explained.

A heavy spark of electricity made them all jump, and before anyone could turn around, Esther’s ribbon snapped at the glass. Infia cowered away just in time as the strike smashed the glass to bits, flooding the room and the surrounding machinery in the liquid. The stasis chamber itself shorted, while everyone else was soaked.

“Esther?” Lute gasped. She was slumped over with her ribbon in hand, but her whole body crackled with bolts.

“What is wrong with you? Do you have any idea what you’ve done?” Athens shouted. He retracted when Esther looked up at him with a gaze fiercer than a protective Pyroar.

“I knew it was a bad idea coming here,” Esther shuddered. “What’s wrong with me? Are you seriously asking that?”

“This machine was tens of thousands worth of pokegold. Lives were risked stealing it from Spirle, and you just broke it like that?” Athens said.

“Oh shut the fuck up!” Esther roared into the air. “You drown a living Pokémon while you talk about some crap about digital creations. This is the same shit as before with Phoenix. You haven’t changed a bit!”

“Esther,” Infia mouthed.

“So what, you gonna tell these guys that she’s just some programmed creation from Spirle? That she’s our ‘weapon’ we can use to help us against the High Points? And then just send her every which way to do your dirty work like she’s some expendable resource?” Esther ranted.

“Esther, it’s okay,” Infia squeaked.

“No it’s not okay, Infia! You dunno what you’re getting yourself into,” the Pikachu ranted. Her volume rose with every word. “You don’t have to say you’re okay with it just ‘cos they’re adults. You don’t know the fucked-up stuff you’re agreeing to.”

“You already know about it? About Infia?” Athens approached Esther. “Then you know that she’s a V Pocket. A pre-programmed bundle of waves that behaves as a self-dependant android Pokémon.”

“What?” Lute whispered.

“Shut up, shut up, shut up, shut the fucking hell up! You guys always talk and treat them like they’re just your slaves. You can’t even think about what they want or what they feel!” Esther screamed.

“They’re V Pockets, Esther. They can’t want anything,” Athens stated.

“Yes. They. Can!” Esther shouted at the top of her voice. She released a violent spray of electricity all around, but Athens stopped her immediately with Light Screen attack directly in front of her.

“Damage one more thing and you can kiss your freedom goodbye. We’ve been lenient enough with you and your group,” Lassic threatened. Esther grabbed her head and roared upward, and then took off before anything more could be said.
 
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Episode 19: How to Live

HaruMiju

Hero in their dreams
Location
London
Pronouns
They/them, She/her,
15 Evoli.jpg

Episode 19: How to Live



Infia is what we’ve called a V Pocket. A compressed bundle of V Waves with intricate programming that enables them to act as an independent android. They are like Pokémon, but since they are made of programmable V Waves, they have certain limitations, such as an inability to grow. The benefit however, is that they are capable of abilities not possible by normal Pokémon.

Lute wandered the streets of Pokétopia with his head down, distant from the amusements around him. He couldn’t get that fact out of his head. Infia’s disability, her effective Helping Hand, and her healing abilities, all of it was because she was a V Pocket. A creation of Spirle’s.

They don’t age. They don’t need to nourish themselves with food or water. They don’t even need to sleep or breathe. If perfected, V Pockets could become god-like weapons that threaten all of Aseria. But if we use their weapons against them, Infia

According to Athens, Spirle had been trying to create and perfect V Pockets for years now, all so that they could create an army that could conquer Aseria. All their failed experiments transformed into Risen, the sludgy monsters he had seen and battled a few times. He didn’t want to believe any of it, but knowing that Infia was Victoria’s ‘daughter’ made it hard to argue against.

He stopped dead in his tracks and teared up just thinking about it. The poor Minun had been through far more than any Pokémon should have to bear. And now, the Agents of King’s Shield wanted to use her to help defeat the Spirle High Points. As sensible a solution as it was, it felt equally vile.

The thoughts made him furious, but that fury was only a fraction of what Esther felt. The Pikachu stormed out of the agent base and hadn’t been seen since, so now the party was split up to search for her. Infia sat on Lute’s back in silence while he searched.

The way Esther spoke back there, it implied she had seen the exact scene before, but with Phoenix instead. Considering how close they were, he didn’t understand it beyond the fact that it obviously tore her apart. Even though he had seen her upset enough to curse before, this time felt different. The whole scene repeated in his head.

“Lute. I think I know where she is.” Infia tapped his neck. “Esther likes high places. So she’s probably at the top of the Arcade.”

“Right back where we started? We did kind of circle the area.” He looked toward the rooftops. Thanks to the lighting of the city, it didn’t look like there were any. He made his way to the shopping centre anyway, where the lift took them to the highest floor.

The doors opened to a rooftop lookout lined with benches and a few bushes. There were a few Pokémon chilling here, mostly couples or groups. Without wind or a view of the sky however, Lute felt hot, as if he wasn’t really as high up as he thought he was. At twenty-four floors up, he expected a cool breeze, not heated air from the lights all around.

“I can’t see her,” he muttered. Infia looked with him, and her cheeks gave the lightest sizzle of static.

“Over there.” She pointed towards the front edge of the lookout. He jogged right to the edge, but he still couldn’t see her. “Esther?”

“You sure she’s here?” Lute raised an eyebrow. Infia called out again, and finally got a reaction via the bushes that walled them into the area. They rustled for a moment, and out popped Esther’s head, bows and all. “E-Esther?”

“Shh!” She signalled him to come closer. He was wary, so she yanked him through the bush the moment she could grab him.

They emerged on the very edge of the shopping centre’s roof on top of the letters and logo of the place. The instant Lute realised how little floorspace he had, he freaked out and stood on his hind legs to lean back as far as he could.

“Geez, keep it calm, will ya? You’re not gonna fall,” Esther said as she slid to sit down. Just that gave him anxiety, and sweat covered his face.

“E-Esther. What’re you doing here?” Lute managed to say, but Infia slid off him to walk over. “Infia, careful!”

“Oh, you’re not good with heights? Sorry, I wouldn’t have dragged you out if I knew.” Esther smiled

Lute paused and gulped. He turned to face forward, but how high up he was began to become apparent. The Pokémon in the streets were blurry dots from here, and he couldn’t even hear them. “Okay. Let’s go back okay? The others are all worried about you.”

“Of course they are. Then I get slammed with a million gald fine and another decade of media service. I know I can pay it off no sweat, but damn it man,” Esther rested her head on her paws.

Infia took a deep breath. “Lute, do you mind if I talk to Infia alone for a minute, please?”

“I-I er,” he glanced back. He could climb back into the bush, but one mistake on these shaky hind legs and he’d fall. He opted to shuffle away instead, but slipped and fell onto his belly. He took to hugging the metal instead. At least it was as cold as he wanted it to be.

“You’re gonna ask me what’s wrong. And all I’m gonna say is stuff you probably don’t understand. Or maybe it just all sounds like sappy, made up Tauros-shit,” Esther began.

“Please tell me anyway. I want to listen,” Infia said. “When I first met you, I thought it would be a dream come true. But you turned out not to be the Pokémon I thought you would be. That really hurt me a lot. But I’ve had a lot of time to think too, and now I know that me hurting myself over that is just really selfish of me.”

“Oh?” Esther smiled a little.

“You’re not the Pokémon I thought you would be. But that’s only because I never knew you – the real you. If we’re going to travel together, I should get to know the real you. So I want to know why you got so upset about what Athens did to me.”

Esther hesitated and leaned back with a sigh. Her eyes were shut, but her paws were relaxed. “When I first met Phoenix, it was the first time in my life where I’d seen a Pokémon and thought: I wanna be just like them. He was already an agent for King’s Shield by then, but his looks still caught my eyes anyway.”

“Oh, you have feelings for Phoenix?” Infia put her paws together. She blushed a little too, while Lute could only blink.

“The thing is, working for Brayen, I had been brought up to never want a romantic relationship. Well, like, he taught me that I never needed a romantic partner,” Esther explained. “He used to kinda force that rule upon me, but because he’s kinda my Dad, I always respected it. So it also felt like a sinful thought, you know?”

“Wait a minute. Brayen is your father?” Infia questioned.

“Oh right, I should’ve started from the top. Yeah, I come from a weird line of inbred Pikachu that are all talented in some way. My parents were doctors, wrestlers, rock stars, some weird talented history. Point is, all I ever did was my work as a pop star, and the reward I got was Brayen looking after me,” Esther clarified. Her paws clenched into fists. “But I was his robot. I made him money by following his orders, and never got to know anyone. But when my career got him super famous and I started to play big shows in places like this, I got to see fans. Pokémon who looked up to me. Pokémon who lived terrible lives, where my fake smile and my music gave them genuine hope.”

“Don’t you enjoy singing?” Infia asked.

“I do I do. But it was all robotic to me. I did it because I had to, because I was told to. I never got to meet these Pokémon until I got super famous. So I started getting rebellious. I went outta my way to meet these Pokémon, do signings, go on dates, hang out, get treated, that sort of a thing. Fluffy Cheeks happened to become my security for one show, and that was when I got to talk to him,” Esther explained. She shivered and looked down. “I saw myself in him, you know? The agents just ordered him to do stuff, and he did it without question. He could barely talk back then. It just, disgusted me so much. Finding out that he was Pokémon Spirle altered to become this, it made loving him complex. I don’t wanna believe that he’s some robot.”

“Esther,” Infia said.

“I don’t wanna believe that you’re some robot, either. You have a personality, you have friends and all that stuff, you know?” she turned to Infia.

“I get it. But… I’m sorry, I just- I’m useless. If I really do have these useful powers that will let me help everyone against Spirle, then I want to learn about them. This might be the first time I get to be useful to other Pokémon. That’s all I want. So I don’t mind this,” Infia reasoned. Esther swung a fist back and hit the wall behind her.

“This is exactly what I’m talking about. You’re not useless!” She sounded like she was going to cry. “When you first came to my show, you were on a date, weren’t you? And you became my fan. You were alive. Who cares if other Pokémon think that’s ‘useless’ or whatever? You’re you, you’re living. Can’t you Pokémon just find your own self-worth and live the life you want to live?”

Infia struggled to reply, and gasped when Esther leaned over to link their paws. “Infia. Athens and that lot say that you’re a V Pocket and that you can be a secret weapon against Spirle. But that’s what they want you to be. I want to know what you want to do with your life, and whatever that is, you should do it.”

Infia went bright red and looked away. She uttered a few sounds. “I don’t know what I want to do. All I know is I want to help Pokémon.”

“That’s enough. That’s all it takes, and that’s okay. You have your whole life to figure it out,” Esther said. She wiped her eyes and joined Infia in admiring the city below. “Wait a minute. You didn’t just say that because of the Risen, did you?”

“N-no. I didn’t know there was- that is a Risen!” Infia gasped.

“A Risen?” Lute said, and gulped as he looked over. Screams and cries sounded out as a large blob of brown began to fill the street. The monster’s sludgy roar could just about be heard as well, and the swings of its bulky arms gave away its threat. “How did a Risen get into the city?”

“I dunno, but I’m not gonna stand here and let it do its thing,” Esther said as she pulled her ribbon baton from below her tutu. “Infia. If you give me your Helping Hand, I might be able to take it out from here.”

“From here?” Lute cried.

“Trust a girl. Generations of talented ancestors and inbreeding makes you pretty damn strong,” she bragged with a fancy pose.

There was hesitation from both Infia and Lute, but Infia got to work and mounted Lute again. “I can’t move when I use Helping Hand. So please carry me, Lute.”

“I-I-I only promise to try,” he said as he forced himself to his feet. “Just don’t look down, just don’t look down, just don’t look down.”

Infia strained and stretched her arms and legs out, and then her whole body glowed with a dim, white outline. Her paws blinked especially bright, and then Esther received that same glow, but only for a brief moment. “V Waves are invisible, so you can’t see the Helping Hand boost taking effect. But I promise you, it’s there. I’m doing my best.”

“Sweet. Then it’s my turn to do my best, too!” Esther said, and then dove headfirst off the roof. Lute and Infia screamed, the former only able to stick a paw out.

Now in freefall, Esther flipped and spun with style as she surrounded herself in the pink strand of her ribbon. Once she had enough speed, she looked like a pink arrow beaming toward the ground, helped by a burst of electricity. She kept the blade of her baton pointed straight, and then slammed right into the head of the Risen. Her impact spread electricity in a dome-shaped blast.

Any Pokémon in the area could only shield themselves from the nasty splatter of mud that came from her explosive attack. Sophitia and Phoenix had just arrived, but avoided getting swamped over as the mud flooded everything. Esther was left in the middle of a pool of it, and was laughing despite being neck-deep.

“Esther! What in the world?” Sophitia cried. She and Phoenix could only gawk as the Pikachu lost herself to laughter even more. She didn’t even stop by the time Lute and Infia returned.

“Wait, she actually did it. All this mud, that’s the Risen, right? Infia, your Helping Hand worked like crazy,” Lute remarked. She slowly got off him and examined for herself, but cringed from the cold, jelly-like touch.

“Wait, so all of this is Risen sludge? We got the call there was an emergency, but wow. Way to go taking care of it by yourselves. But why did the Risen blow up into all this goop? This looks gross!” Sophitia said. She dipped a feeler in and recoiled right away.

Esther’s laughter seemed to slow for a moment, making Sophitia look up at her. The slyest smile was on her face, with thin eyes and closed fists dripping with mud. “Wait, what’re you- oh no, do not even think about getting that stuff on me, if you dare I swear to gods—”

“Mud fight!” Esther screamed and she dashed over to the Sylveon.

Lute and Infia watched the duo scramble and wrestle one another with their jaws on the floor. Sophitia was caught with ease and smothered in mud, earning screams and squeals. The duo still fought, but that quickly turned into laughter and playful aggression.

“And to think we were concerned for you,” Phoenix said when the duo calmed down. That didn’t stop Esther from throwing herself on him to cover him in mud as well. He didn’t react.

“At least she’s feeling better?” Lute laughed nervously.

“She’s so weird,” Infia groaned.

“What in the world is going on here?” Lassic’s voice boomed.

“Oh great. Here comes the fun police,” Esther groaned.

“Your idea of fun is blocking roads? We need to get this cleaned up. Leave this to us. You have your orders, so go and get to work,” the Delphox ordered. There was a moment of silence where he stared at the messy girls. He cleared his throat and began to sweat. “After you clean up and get presentable.”

“Oh lighten up. When you win against a scary monster like a Risen, you’ve gotta celebrate.” Esther skipped over to Lute’s side and shook herself off. “And by the way, I don’t care for all your orders, either. If you ain’t gonna do anything about the seasons, then me and my friends are gonna go awaken those temples whether you like it or not.”

“Esther,” Lute said.

“What do you mean? Those are government orders.” Lassic’s face grew tighter.

“What she means is, until you can present a solid solution to the issue, we will continue our journey,” Phoenix stated. “You warn us about the destruction of society but fail to present any evidence that it will actually happen. Meanwhile, the world around us begins to whither, devoid of sunlight, rain, wind and all else. We will not ignore the issue when the solution is directly in front of us.”

“Can I take this as a declaration of your departure from King’s Shield?” Lassic warned.

“Easy. None of us are against each other here.” Sophitia joined their side. “Remember that I’m the one pulling the strings here, Lassic. We only want to help the world. So we’ll look into this a bit more and come up with a solution on our own paws. We’ll let you know if we can or can’t go through with the legend or not.”

“Aww what? Sophie, you’re putting us against each other,” Esther whined.

“We cannot disobey a direct order from the president of Aseria. This isn’t something he’d lie about, would he?” Sophitia argued. Everyone shared unsure glances. “Exactly. So enough about disobeying orders, and let’s go after the actual issue on our hands: Spirle. We have the means to fight them, so let’s find ‘em.”







One trip through the Deposit Box later and the group arrived at their destination: Everend. They popped out in front of the school, surprised to find it closed for apparent renovations.

“Okay, so we’ve got more than enough time to head back to the temple, what do you say?” Sophitia began.

“Wait what?” Lute replied.

“Alright, go Sophie!” Esther cheered.

“Wait wait wait, but you just said we weren’t going to- wait, are we following King’s Shield or Naivie?” Lute raised an eyebrow.

“Oh Lute, keep up! Can’t be a dimwit here, too. Of course we’re following Naivie. That’s the quest to become the heroes of Aseria, why’d we ever pass that up?” Sophitia giggled as she brushed him with a feeler. “To be honest, I’m surprised that Lassic even brought it. I sounded so unconvincing.”

“Well if I had any faith in you, it’s looking pretty renewed right now,” Naivie said, popping up in front of them. “But I do still question what you’re going to do about your strength. A bunch of petty criminals is one thing, but that Eevee was a whole different thing.”

“Yeah, he really put us in a spot last time. I wasn’t planning to throw myself at him again, so I thought of a plan,” Sophitia replied. “If everything Athens told us about Infia is true, then that means her Helping Hand should give us the means to damage him.”

“I can confirm! Infia let me beat that giant Risen in one hit,” Esther tucked her paws behind her head as they walked. The Minun blushed and shuffled away.

“Add in that attack that Lute used that paralysed the Eevee. We might actually have the tools to fight powerful enemies, we just need to know a little more about each other,” Sophitia said.

“I dunno how I did that, though. What if it’s just a paralyse chance?” Lute informed.

“Only one way to find out. Either way, I’m willing to give it another battle. Strategy: Lute, you can carry Infia while she supports the rest of us fighters. The two of you will power us up with Helping Hand and slow down the enemy with paralysis. And if all goes wrong, I brought a few orbs from the Kecleon Market so we can escape.”

“Oh wow. Someone’s taking this seriously,” Naivie joked.

“Well what’re we waitin’ for? We can’t lose!” Esther said.

“We can! Wha-what if my move isn’t good enough, or—” Lute cried.

“I said, we can’t lose,” Esther leaned closer to the Eevee. He moaned and looked away, to which she giggled. “Don’t worry! You’ve seen us fight. We’re no slouch, we’ll make this look easy. Trust us!”

Lute kept quiet since no one else was objecting. Losing the battle wasn’t really what he was worried about, however. It was Lassic’s plea and certainty that they might tear down everything he had built up for society.

Esther didn’t relay what she had spoken to Infia and Lute about, and instead went back to her cheery self. Thank to that, Lute had the chance to sink behind the group and think to himself. He had gotten used to this stale forecast. That wasn’t a good thing, so much so that he longed to see it feel different. Fixing the weather was a huge priority for him, but if it meant destroying the society of V Wave technology, was it worth it?

Sure, Sophitia was right – Lassic didn’t show any evidence that V Waves could disappear. But she was also right in that the Delphox had zero reason to lie about it, either. If there was a chance that his ‘heroic’ actions could end up destroying the wonderful world they had, then he didn’t want to do it.

He shook his head. He had to find a way, somehow.

“Hey, Naivie. I hope you don’t mind me asking—” Lute spoke up.

“I do mind,” she replied.

He paused. “Uh, you don’t even know what the question’s about.”

“But it’s you. It’s gonna be something stupid,” she said.

“Wow. Who woke you up this morning?” Sophitia rolled her eyes. “Go ahead, Lute.”

“When the four temples are awakened, what actually happens?” Lute asked.

“The seasons return. That’s all there is to it.” Naivie squinted.

“It’s not that I don’t believe you, but there must be a reason Lassic is against you. Do V Waves stop working, or do some natural disasters happen, or any kind of trade-off?” he clarified.

“Oh gods, time away from the legend has warped all sorts of facts. Don’t you guys know the tradition?” Naivie asked.

“Nope. In fact, you barely explained it to us,” Esther pointed out.

“What? Then why in the world would you follow me? Why listen and go this far if you don’t fully understand what you’re getting into? Only a fool does that,” Naivie cried. Lute and Sophitia froze.

“It’s kinda hard not to assume you’re telling the truth when you come outta a giant beam of light and stuff. You came from the teleportal when I got near it. That means I triggered your awakening, right?” Esther reasoned. Naivie went quiet, and then sat on Lute’s head.

“Listen to me, you lot. All V Waves come from a powerful thing called the Mega Stone. And the Mega Stone is what allows the laws of nature to function in Aseria. Stuff like the weather, plants, and even systematic stuff like Pokémon evolution,” Naivie explained. “The main source of release for V Waves is actually the ancient flowers, which were connected directly to the Mega Stone. In the past, Pokémon respected these giant flowers because they gave Pokémon energy and power, what you Pokémon now call ‘V Waves’.”

“But the flowers are wilted now and the temples are in Moand Dia. Does that mean Moand Dia is an ancient society?” Lute asked.

“Impressive. Yep, your modern generation buried the world of the ancients and changed to use technology, not knowing that you were exhausting a non-sustainable energy. Skip forward some thousands of years, and now there’s so little energy that Aseria is dying and the seasons aren’t functioning,” Naivie finished. She launched off of Lute to glare at everyone. “There are six of you chosen by fate, those who would understand the importance of the Mega Stone and its flowers enough to resurrect them. That’s what we’re going to do. Bring back the flowers and restore your source of uh, V Waves.”

Lute rubbed his chin. “But that’s not a sustainable method, either.”

“Knew you were gonna test me with that. The flowers are Shaymin, Lute. You know about Shaymin, right? All you have to do is be thankful for them, for the world they let you live in. You’ve already been doing it,” Naivie cried, hitting him on the nose. “Bless the Shaymin by showing them your gratitude. And when you guys become parents, get your kids to do the same. Make a new generation of Pokémon who bless nature and are thankful for it. With this blissful way of life maintained, the flowers will never wither again.”

“Wait whoa whoa whoa, whoever said anything about having kids? I don’t want any children!” Esther cried.

“Don’t give me that rubbish. The rate you get horny, I’m surprised you don’t have any already!” Naivie spat.

“Hey c’mon, I’m not that pervy!” she cried.

“Okay, no. We’re not talking about this,” Sophitia slapped her forehead. “Naivie! You said there were six heroes. But there’s only five of us.”

“I know, I’m not blind!” Naivie raised her voice. She calmed down at everyone’s surprised looks. “You just so happen to not need the sixth to do what you need to do. They definitely help, but from what my observations have gathered, it’s better you’re separated for now.”

“So you know who it is?” Lute asked.

“Don’t bother. They won’t join you now or anytime soon. But they’re doing their part. I’ve made sure,” Naivie assured. “So, are you still feeling apprehensive about me? Got a million questions about the temples again?”

“Not now, I admit. Sorry about that, Naivie,” Lute said.

“Good. You won’t win fights unless you’re certain,” she said.

Once they arrived at the temple, there was quiet and concentration when Sophitia sent them through the teleportal. Phoenix and Esther were first to stand guard, weapons bared and stances ready. The cold of the cave hit them all enough to make everyone tremble a bit, but it wasn’t anything that would weaken them now. In Lute’s case, he took in a deep breath and shivered as he scanned the area, though there was no change from the bluish, cold cavern.

“Wait that’s weird. Phoenix, are you getting that too?” Sophitia asked.

“He is not present. The Eevee is not here,” he said.

“Seriously?” Esther said. She gave it another moment to be sure, and then nodded. “Huh. Guess he flew south for the winter.”

“There is no winter. And Eevee can’t fly.” Infia palmed her face.

“I know! That’s what makes it funny to imagine,” she giggled.

“Wait are you serious? You did all of this just to come back here and he’s not guarding the temple anymore? The heck’s up with that?” Naivie cried. “I almost want him to come out now.”

“Let’s not! If that Eevee’s not here, then now’s our chance, right? Let’s awaken the flower,” Lute said.

“He’s probably patrolling this section of Moand Dia, and is too far away to sense or something. Either way, Lute’s got a point. Let’s get this done,” Sophitia led them deeper inside.

The area was exactly as they had left it last time. Six markings surrounded a single spot of soil where Naivie plopped herself when they arrived. The group took their positions and nodded to each other.

“You just told us to pray last time, but is there anything in particular?” Lute asked.

“We just need your gratitude, really. Close your eyes, calm your thoughts, and respectfully ask for a blessing,” Naivie answered. “And whatever you do, don’t stop until I say so, no matter what happens, okay?”

They nodded to her, and then she got started. The tiny Carbink closed her eyes, went rigid, and began to let out a cry of increasing volume. Her gemstones brightened and glowed with light, which gave her with a fiery appearance. Blue flames lingered over her for a moment, and then shot into the soil below, where they seeped through the markings on the floor and lit up the room. Lute felt a slight fear when the flames reached him, but they turned out to be harmless, even as they surrounded him.

Naivie on the other hand, the Carbink quickly cried out in pain. He thought it a mistake at first until she began to twitch and gasp between her cries as the ritual went on. The flames had created a circuit of energy between everyone, but all the energy was being sucked from Naivie and into the soil below.

“Naivie!” Lute stuck a paw out.

“Focus damn it! Don’t you dare,” Naivie commanded. He couldn’t bear to see and hear her struggle so desperately.

That was until his own head felt a sudden jolt of discomfort. He gritted his fangs and trembled with irritation as a painful, electric-like jolt streamed its way through his head. His thoughts scattered and his body lost strength, but not painfully, as if he was rapidly growing tired enough to fall asleep. Seconds later and his vision was replaced with white.











That’s it. Stand firm and strong. It must be tough for you to stand on four feet, but you’ll get used to it. That’s a promise,” a young woman’s voice said calmly. A Sylveon with blue fur was stood on shaky legs, and their feelers were tucked in tight. Two small palms softly rubbed the Sylveon’s back.

Be brave now. You know how to control your body. Extend. Relax. Let the energy flow through your body. Exercise your appendages and feel the fairy magic pulse through you.” The voice said.

The Sylveon was a girl, but their voice was young and infantile. She didn’t say anything, but she made petty moans and whimpers that revealed her voice. Still on a shaky stance, she managed to extend her feelers and raise all four of them above her head.

That’s it now. Relax. Take it easy, relax. Just hold it there. Marvel at the feeling. Keep the magic flowing. You can do it,” the voice said, as they removed their hands from Sylveon’s back. The tips of her feelers began to get surrounded in pink, swirling dust, which glowed with energy for a Fairy Wind attack.

But that was as far as she got. The Sylveon squealed and fell onto her side. She wailed like a baby while kicking and squealing with every foot and feeler.

There there now. You’ve done amazingly.
 
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Episode 20: The Sixth Hero

HaruMiju

Hero in their dreams
Location
London
Pronouns
They/them, She/her,
16 Kuri.jpg

Episode 20: The Sixth Hero



Lute was the first to come to. His awareness that returned to him in a flash. One moment he was gone from the world, the next, fully aware that he had fainted and sprung to his feet.

“Sophitia? Everyone?” He glanced at their collapsed bodies. They all seemed to wake up at the same time, so he sighed. He turned his attention to the surroundings instead, and quickly concluded that they were still in the temple.

“What was that all about? I feel like I slept in a wet barrel or something,” Esther complained as she stretched her back. “Everybuddy alright?”

“Stiff, but I’m okay,” Infia replied.

“Awake,” Phoenix said.

“I think we’re all dead inside. Did we at least do it?” Sophitia commented. “Naivie. Where’s Naivie?”

“Oh yeah, Naivie. Where’s- what is that?” Lute cried.

He choked as he realised he was stood in the shadow of a towering plant. Whatever this blooming flower was, it would make a Wailord look like a Joltik in comparison, or that was at least how Lute felt about it. Massive broad leaves hung above them while roots appeared to have torn through the rock, claiming a pot for the plant in the cave floor. The pink bud of the plant hadn’t fully flowered, where a few of the leaves cradled it protectively.

“Holy Miltank look at the size of that thing!” Esther cried and fell back.

“I-is that really the ancient flower? I wasn’t expecting it to be massive,” Sophitia said.

“What were you expecting it to be?” Naivie said.

“I dunno. Something a little more magical and not as intimida- Naivie! You’re okay?” Sophitia gasped.

“Intimidating? Man, you Pokémon sure are weak if you’re getting intimidated by a little giant flower,” the Carbink teased. “Thanks for passing out, too. You only left me bored for a good several hours. I’ll have to charge you for sleeping on hotel property.”

“Little giant used to describe one thing. Now I’ve heard it all,” Esther said.

“Look, here. See that sleeping cutie here? That’s a Shaymin.” Naivie brought everyone’s attention to the tiny creature at the foot of the flower. It was a hedgehog Pokémon half of Lute’s size, but instead of spines, smooth, vivid green grass covered its back. Its body was white and plump, and was curled up to sleep comfortably. Between the Shaymin and the ancient flower, it was as if the two mimicked each other, coiled up and hugging themselves for comfort.

“We won’t be able to wake it up now, but this is the physical manifestation of the ancient flower’s will. While the flower is alive, the Shaymin will also be. But the flower is asleep now, as you can see. So none of your precious V Waves will come out of it just yet,” Naivie explained.

“So how do we make it? Or at least, will the weather be better?” Lute asked.

“The Shaymin all have to wake up in perfect sync, or the seasons will be out of order and stuff. That’d be a bigger disaster. So, we have to plant all four seeds and grow the flowers first. You’ve done this one, so three to go,” Naivie answered. “It’s not all bleak, though. You should notice some very slight changes in the weather. I hope that’s good enough for you.”

“Aww, I was excited to say hi to the cutie. She looks adorable,” Esther said, crouched by the Shaymin. “Let’s get outta here. I feel like I could eat a whole Grumpig.”

“You as well? Lucky us, not getting jumped by that powerful Eevee, too. I still can’t sense him at all,” Sophitia said.

“That’s a good thing, right? Let’s get out of here while it stays that way,” Lute said.

As soon as they got outside, Lute couldn’t help but sigh in disappointment. The fog was still heavy in the area, and if anything, was even heavier than before. Just when he felt they made a step forward, things remained unchanged.

“U-um, Lute, can you carry me?” Esther said. He raised an eyebrow while everyone else turned to her, making her blush. “I-i-it’s nothing really, I’m just like, dying of hunger back here. I don’t think I can walk very far, that’s how hungry I am!”

“I mean I’m starving too, isn’t that just exaggerating? But fine, I’ll carry you,” Sophitia stretched her feelers over.

“Na-uh, it has to be Lute!” Esther cried.

“Esther.” Phoenix rolled his eyes.

Oh. I didn’t take you for the lazy type,” Naivie said.

“It’s not lazy! I’m genuinely too hungry to go far, that’s all. And I’d love it if a big strong male were to help me out a bit of the way, nothin’ more, nothin’ less,” Esther said.

“Big strong male and Lute in the same sentence is hilarious to think about. In fact it’s so hilarious that nobody’s laughing,” Naivie commented.

“Why me?” Lute sighed.

Esther paused for a moment, and then moaned. “Oh stuff it, life’s too short to play blind Zubat.”

“Esther? Wah!” he cried as she dove on top of him. She latched to his mane and wrapped both paws around his neck.

“You handled me last time, you can do it here, too.” She giggled at his bothered groan.

The others palmed their faces, but chose to ignore her as they made their way back to Everend. Lute took note of Phoenix’s especially frustrated look, however. The way the Fennekin silently snarled and turned away, he felt guilty for it, despite not knowing why.

Their return home was as degrading as the trip to the temple. Lute was silent and smothered by negative thoughts about the weather, though he also thought hard about how he failed to stay awake during the prayer. He was sick of getting into these situations where he had to put effort into something, only to pass out despite his efforts to stay strong. It was like no matter what he did, his body would remind him of how weak he truly was.

Even when they made it home and Marina met them all with celebrations and a grand meal, he couldn’t bring himself to pay attention to everyone’s merriment. Naivie’s comment was surely a joke, but it stung, hard. It was far beyond a joke how much he struggled, and if he was still serious about becoming a hero, then he needed to make a miracle happen. Those thoughts followed him all the way until bedtime.

Tomorrow, I put in one hundred and fifty percent, he kept telling himself.

He envisioned battles and situations similar to what he had been through recently, and what he could do to deal with them. He was so deep in his thoughts that he didn’t notice Esther sneak up to cuddle him from behind. The moment she did, he flew into a frenzy and threw his tail high into the air.

“Wah, wait Lute stop it’s only—” Esther cried.

“Get off!” Lute screamed as he balanced on his front feet. He spun with astonishing force to throw his attacker into the wall so hard they stuck there, upside-down. “A-ah! Esther?”

“Whoa, Lute! Cool move. Where’d you pull that one from?” Sophitia praised.

“Right when he didn’t need it, too,” Naivie said. Now he definitely felt guilty.

“E-Esther I’m so sorry, you surprised me and stuff.” He rushed over to her. She sunk to the floor with her eyes swirling.

“No worries. ‘Twas a good counter,” she gurgled.

Lute gulped and stepped away. Silence took over the room. He dared to glance at Phoenix, and met that fierce, overly aggressive gaze. “I-I need to go out for a little bit. Sorry.”

“Lute,” Sophitia said as he left, but he ignored her.

Thankfully for him, Marina wasn’t in the front room, allowing him to quietly stroll right out. Everend was dark and quiet, but lit just enough for him to wander around to the back of the house where there was space. He looked around for a few moments to ensure he wasn’t followed and that all was silent, and then let out a breath.

Here, he would throw out his attacks and try to replicate that electric move he used. To master his attacks, or at least give them enough power to damage another Pokémon; that was his aim. That was his aim until he walked a little further to the next house over and bumped into Infia, who was hugged up against the wall.

“L-Lute?” Infia gasped.

“Infia?” he gasped as well.

Neither said a word for a moment. Seconds later, he realised he was staring and looked away.

“I didn’t expect to find you here. I didn’t even realise you weren’t in the house. You’re so quiet sometimes,” he said with a blush.

“Sorry. I won’t intrude. I didn’t know you go out like this,” she said, doing the same.

“No no, you’re not in the way. This is sort of new to me, too,” he said.

“Oh.”

Another moment of silence.

“Uh, this is sort of the first time we’ve gotten to talk alone since you-know-what happened… Sorry about that. So much has been going on. How’ve you been?” he asked.

“I’m okay. I’m just worried about being useful. The V Pocket stuff really upset Esther. And you too, didn’t it?” she said. She played with her paws and twiddled her feet as she spoke.

“I don’t fully get it, but if it means you have all these cool powers, then that’s great, right?” he said, and walked around to sit with her by the wall. She kept her head down and eyes closed. “Did you know about it?”

She didn’t answer.

“Uh, I came out here because I’m feeling weak, too. Esther, Sophitia, and Phoenix are so confident in their fighting, and their attacks actually do damage and stuff. I wanted to start practicing so that mine could do damage, too. If we’re both going to get stronger, then why don’t we train together?” he proposed.

She slowly looked up. “Hey, Lute? Do you trust everyone?”

“Huh?” he didn’t expect the question. “Of course I do. Legend brought us together. If we didn’t trust each other, the whole world would be in danger.”

“But you asked if I knew I was a V Pocket. If I did know, that would mean I’m still keeping secrets from you. And you suspected that,” she replied.

“No, I didn’t mean it that way! Even if you did know, I wouldn’t blame you for keeping it secret. It’s the same as the underwear thing, there’s no need for everyone to know, so you didn’t tell anyone. I-I was just sort of nosy there, that’s all.” He scratched his face. “I’m nosy about what you being a V Pocket really means, too. Athens didn’t specify other than Helping Hand.”

He tried to lighten to mood with a little giggle, but she stayed silent. He struggled to look at her as a result and wished that she would say something, anything that could get him moving. But she didn’t, and long enough for him to start sweating and clear his throat. “U-um, what’s on your mind? If you want to talk about it, that is.”

“I can’t explain it. It’s some kind of feeling,” she said so softly he barely heard her. She stood up with a sudden determination in her eyes, and clenched her paws into fists. “Lute. I want to try something with you. But I need you to trust me with this.”

“You know I trust you. What’s wrong?” he replied.

She stuttered on a word, and then leaned away. Her face grew brighter than a tomato, too. “Oh gosh, this is really embarrassing. I don’t know if this will actually work and if it doesn’t, it’s going to look really, really weird.”

“Well, what is it? I can be okay with it if I know what’s up.” He tilted his head.

“I can’t explain it. It really is just… there’s something I know I can do and know how to do, but I don’t know how to do it? Like this feeling that something’s in my code. That small moment when I was in that liquid Athens put me in, it gave me an epiphany,” she said as she paced. She smiled awkwardly at him, still blushing. “It’s also super embarrassing for some reason, too.”

“O-kay?” he replied.

“Are you really okay with me trying it with you?” she said.

“If it’s bugging you, then it can’t hurt to try, can it?” He smiled.

“Okay. Thank you, Lute,” she breathed out. “St-stand up on your hind legs, please.”

“I can’t stand for long, but I’m trying,” he said. He used the wall for balance, but he still wasn’t able to stay still.

“Okay, here goes,” she said as she skipped a few paces back. She took a deep breath, and then glared with determination in her eyes.

At this point, Lute played along with her because he wanted the awkwardness to end. He didn’t know what was going to happen, but since he was with Infia, nothing he expected could have been bad in any way. That was until she crouched and rose up with steady, rhythmic sways of her paws.

She danced to her feet, and he was very quickly reminded of how good of a dancer she was… and how beautiful she looked in his eyes. Her paws, her feet, her skirt, her ears, and the serene look on her face – when she danced, everything impressed him on a level that stole his breath and focus. The whole world seemed to vanish around her as passion exuded from her perfectly coordinated moves. She controlled that world by moving in perfect harmony with her surroundings, swaying and drawing curves with her paws as if to pull the very elements of nature toward her.

Lute could see the artistic style in those moves and he loved it. What he didn’t realise was that unlike the last time he saw her dance, she was edging towards him, and once close enough, made him a part of her moves. She was crouched right by his hind feet at one point, rose up, and then linked their paws in an aggressively intimate manner. Their faces were close enough to feel one another’s breath, which drove all the heat in his body to his cheeks.

She didn’t seem to be bothered at all, though. That fact made him keep quiet besides a nervous utter, even when she continued to move. She danced with their paws linked and legs tangled. He feared he might backflip somehow, nut Infia prevented it, guiding him the same way she guided those natural elements in her dance. He let her guide him, but his breath gradually became unsettled. He hit turmoil when she broke into a spin, and their paws wound up wrapped around one another in a romantic embrace.

That wasn’t even the last of it. She bent him back and nuzzled his nose, which of course he recoiled and fell to the floor. It didn’t hurt or anything, but the loss of balance made his heart jump. That shock took him back to reality, and he finally realised exactly where he was. She was sat on top of him with their paws linked together, digits interlocked and all. Her eyes were shut so he wondered if she even realised what she was doing, but when she began to lean in, his mind screamed code red.

“Gah, okay okay okay, that’s it that’s enough!” He tensed up.

She froze at his cry, but moments before their faces would reconnect – if that was what she was planning to do. Her eyes shot open, and her whole body went just as rigid. Just then, for a lengthy moment, Lute felt a powerful jolt of fear caused by her. Her eyes were flickering. Not blinking, but flickering with static within the irises. Her eyes looked like a broken computer screen with multicoloured graphical glitches, but when she blinked after a moment, they went right back to normal.

“Oh my gosh, ah!” she squeaked. She flinched back and screamed, but jammed her paws in her mouth as she stumbled away. She tripped over and tried to hide herself from view, pulling her shirt over her reddened face.

“I-Infia?” Lute said, jaw-dropped.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, aah, why did I think it’d work? It didn’t work I’m so sorry!” she let out a shrill scream. She had become a complete wreck of shudders and blushes. She couldn’t stand up straight and tears fell from her eyes. Seeing that, Lute composed himself, but the moment he rolled over to stand up, she was off and crying out loud.

“Aw, Infia,” he said, and blinked. He looked back and forth, and then growled. “Damn it, all the girls are going nuts!”







The next morning, Infia avoided Lute of course. He didn’t care though, as he resumed his attempt at training after her departure. The late night left him yawning at breakfast, but aware enough to take part in the conversation. The important parts that Naivie had to tell them, not the questions about why he was so sleepy or why Infia avoided him.

Their next destination was Angard. Despite the city being drained of all life, the place was still home to a functioning temple where an ancient flower could be grown. Esther and Phoenix already confirmed the existence of a Teleportal there, so perhaps there was more to the ruins now that Naivie was with them.

And so, after a restock of supplies and a wave of good luck from Marina, they began their next trip. They remembered the rule of not being allowed to transport there using the Deposit Box, which meant they had to use a gondola. Sophitia lost all strength once they set foot on the vehicle, Esther went about trying to ride Lute’s back again, and all the other bits of banter he had grown used to killed the time.

“O-okay, looks like we’re arriving in two. I’m surprised that a place like this has a gondola station,” Sophitia shuddered, still crouched by the seats.

“It may be that the transport was already there before the country withered. With the gondolas still functioning, there is not much reason to remove the station,” Phoenix explained. “There are a few theories like that around.”

“But who’d wanna go to a run-down joint like this? You guys could’ve at least tried to spruce it up rather than being lazy,” Naivie said.

“Gen sort of stops anyone from doing that,” Lute said. “She’s serious about preserving this country’s state.”

“Plus, it makes for a pretty interesting place to explore, ya’know? We might’ve never run into you if I wasn’t so nosy,” Esther added.

“Hmm. I’ll never understand you Pokémon. You do such weird stuff sometimes,” Naivie commented as she settled on Lute’s head.

When they arrived, a curious look around unveiled that the gondola station was as small as expected. Just two platforms for arrivals and departures, with each trip nearly an hour apart. The station was devoid of staff, too. Lute dashed out into the one room the station had, but still had to look left to right for the Pokémon he could hear.

“It is Gen. Hi,” he called out once he spotted her. She was with another Pokémon, and they both went quiet when they saw everyone.

“Wait a minute, you’re that guy,” Sophitia gasped, hopping to Lute’s side.

Besides the Meowstic was the same burly Chespin they were with when they rescued Infia. He responded to Sophitia with a cocky smile and a flexed muscle, to which Gen palmed her face.

”The one and only. Fancy meeting you kids here… provided I knew who you were,” Chespin greeted.

“What’re you doing?” Gen grumbled.

“You do know us. Remember the Radial Castle? The fight against that giant Risen that fused?” Sophitia said. Chespin looked to the side, then lit up.

“Oh yeah. That mess. That was a while ago. Good to see the little girl’s still alive and kicking,” Chespin said, and approached. “Now then, let’s not beat around the bush, ‘cos we’re always busy here. What’re you here for?”

“Are you serious? We’re the ones with a bone to pick with you,” Sophitia cried. “What was with all that when we left? And what’s with that attitude now?”

“So it’s a fight? You want to fight me?” Chespin said.

“Carry on like that, and maybe I will,” Sophitia said.

“Glad to hear it. And maybe you’ll gimme a workout, too!” he laughed.

“Oh no you freaking don’t.” Gen pulled the Chespin by one of his leaves. That made him yelp and cringe, but he pulled back on her.

“Baby, please! They’re the ones who challenged me,” he complained.

“I’m not your baby. And remember what I told you about the hot-headed stuff? When you act like an ass and fight everything in sight, I’m the one that takes the heat for it in repairing this place,” Gen said. “So get your head in the game. Besides, these kids aren’t enemies.”

“We’re here because of the legend of Aseria. We can awaken the ancient flowers and restore the seasons and V Waves,” Lute informed. “Sorry for intruding in Angard again.”

“Again?” Chespin folded his arms.

“Yes, again. I told you they were here. And you didn’t tell them your name, either,” Gen clarified.

“Mercenary’s code. Either way, you believe them?” he said.

“Oh come on, you knew we were coming! I already told you in advance,” Naivie popped up between them. “Seriously, I’ve had it up to here with you. Can you not be a pain to work with for one minute?”

“Well pardon me for deciding to live my life rather than go full hobo.” Chespin looked away.

“Is that why you came back, honey? To work with everyone?” Gen asked.

“Of course not. I came back to see you, my lovely wife who spends every minute worrying about my wellbeing.” He put his arms around her.

“Oh behave yourself. We have guests,” Gen huffed. She still allowed him to bring her into a hug, where they shared a quick but flaunty kiss.

“What, it’s true. You’re not gonna deny you’re happy to see me, are you?”

“It’s been too long, but there’s a time and a place. Later, you big dolt.”

“Aww wow, they’re just the cutest icon,” Esther said.

“You and I have a very different definition of cute,” Sophitia groaned. “Can we get going? If possible, I’d like not to spend the night here.”

“Yuck. Love stuff is so gross,” Lute muttered.

“Pardon us. He can be a real idiot sometimes,” Gen led the way. “What exactly are you all looking for?”

“A temple used by ancients. Apparently, there’s a Teleportal there. It’s like this big shiny platform,” Lute said.

“I know what a Teleportal is. I’ll take you there. Hope you don’t mind a walk,” Gen said.

“Gen honey, you’re way too trusting,” Chespin sighed.

“Naivie being here tells me all I need to know. And if I’m reading between the lines correctly, you and Naivie already know what’s going on,” Gen added. She tucked her paws behind her back. “You six are the ones responsible for the Radial Tower flying off. And now your journey has brought you here.”

“That’s right! Wow, you’re good,” Esther nodded.

“But how did you know?” Infia said.

“Oh, right. You’ve not met me before, have you? My name is Gen. I am a Pokémon who lives in the past in this modern era,” The Meowstic reintroduced herself. She gave her bright yellow dress a loose brush. “I know all about Aseria’s old ways. The ancient flowers, the guardian Naivie, the Mega Stone and Aseria’s champions… I’m not surprised at all to see foretold events taking place.”

“And you’re also aware that Spirle wanna mess about in any petty way that they can. Run your mouth too much to everybody, and one of ‘em is sure to find out something they shouldn’t,” Chespin interrupted.

“Do you have to be so antagonistic? I really don’t like you,” Sophitia complained.

“I’m only spouting facts,” Chespin smiled cheekily.

“And you still haven’t told us your name!” Sophitia cried.

“As obnoxious as he seems right now, this guy is my husband. And he’s got just as much love for ancient Aseria as I do” Gen smiled. Lute was surprised to see how angelic the Meowstic looked all of a sudden, as if a sense of genuine, relaxed happiness had taken over her whole being. “That’s why you were chosen, wasn’t it, Kuri?”

“Aw geez, my name and everything,” Kuri rolled his eyes.

“Don’t get edgy on me now. If you knew, I wish you’d told me sooner. I’m super relieved to know that Aseria is in good hands,” she said.

“I’m selective with information, Gen. Seriously, you can’t just go around telling these guys everything about me,” Kuri said. “Yes, I’m one of the heroes of Aseria. But I’m not a hero. I’m here to do this task and then go about my real mission.”

“What’s—” Sophitia said.

“Don’t even bother asking.” Kuri shrugged.

“Just tell us, darn it! You did this last time, too.” Sophitia stopped walking. “I worked with you last time because we had to to save Infia. But now, we know we can grow the ancient flowers without you. So unless you have something really important, I’m happy to leave your edgy butt behind.”

“Huh. Sophitia really does not like him,” Phoenix said.

I don’t blame her, to be honest. Something about him just feels off, Lute tilted his head. But what could be so bad that he doesn’t want to work with us? And not call himself a hero?

Kuri was hesitant, but a serious expression took over his look. “I’m a mercenary. I do fighting work for money, from bodyguard stuff to infiltration. Don’t be surprised to learn I’ve got a kill count. I’m pretty sure I’m near the top of Aseria’s most-wanted.”

“Wa-wait, you—” Infia squeaked and shrivelled up.

“I can’t afford to work with a bunch of Agents of King’s Shield, especially when they’re tattletale kids,” Kuri stated.

“Do I look like a snotty little snitch to you? But either way, how did someone like you get chosen to be a hero? There has to be a mistake, right Naivie?” Sophitia said.

“The only mistake is you questioning my accuracy. Kuri is a hero, case closed. If you’re gonna bicker about it, then you might as well kill yourselves now,” Naivie replied. Everyone silenced. “No more objections? Good. Now get along, kids.”

“Good gods. That one stung,” Sophitia muttered.

“Even I felt that. And I am not even arguing,” Phoenix said.

“At least try to explain how? I’m not against Mister Kuri coming with us, but I am a bit confused how the heroes get chosen. He doesn’t seem to want to be one,” Esther wondered.

“The heroes get chosen by fate. But supposedly, it’s those with a passion for the ancient ways of life who will work the hardest to keep Aseria alive,” Genesis began. She laid a paw on her chest, and looked happy. “Knowing Kuri, it’s truly an honour to see him become one. I could only wish I got chosen.”

“You’re a little too important for that, don’t you think?” Naivie commented.

“Speaking about Kuri,” Gen raised her voice suddenly. She calmed down quickly, though her happy appearance faded. “If there’s anyone who loves the natural ways of Pokémon as much as I do, it’s him. I have every bit of faith and trust that with him fighting alongside you, your journey will not fail.”

Lute’s thoughts had an explosion, one so sudden that he visually shivered and felt afraid. “Wait a second. If we awaken the flowers, there’ll be more V Waves, right? And then the weather turns back to normal. Why do we need to have an interest in ancient Aseria?”

“I knew this shit would come up. Here we go.” Kuri rolled his eyes.

“Didn’t we answer this already? It just means society has a sustainable resource,” Sophitia put a feeler to her chin.

“Did the Lassic tell ya that one?” Kuri folded his arms.

“Naivie, actually. Lassic told us not to awaken the flowers because technology will stop working if we do,” Lute said.

“Well, he’s right,” Kuri said. Lute felt like he literally froze. “We awaken the flowers, and all of the fancy tech in Aseria stops dead in its path. Lassic’s society will cease to function, and he’s no longer the top of the world.”

“Are you serious?” Lute cried. There was no response. “We can’t do that. If all technology just stopped working, the whole world would be in trouble. There’s nothing heroic about that!”

“Because you don’t have an automatic door or gondola to travel on?” Kuri joked.

“Well… no but… some Pokémon need that stuff. A-a-and life in general is so much better with it all. If it all stopped working suddenly now, Pokémon around the world will suffer for sure,” Lute said.

“You’re a young kid. You’ve been conditioned to believe that you need all this to simplify your lives. The reality is, Pokémon existed way before all of it was invented. We built doors out of nature, and ferried each other across the sea or sky. We can live without technology, but many Pokémon rely on it so greatly that they’re practically forgetting they’re Pokémon altogether,” Kuri argued. “The real question should’ve been why you’re a hero. If you value the world as is so greatly, then why are you even here?”

“Hey, don’t test me! I’ve been interested in ancient Aseria, too.” Lute leaned toward him. There was a pause, and he shrunk back. “S-sure, I only know stuff I’ve learnt in school, but… but back then, Aseria was a feral world. Pokémon had to go through great lengths of danger like mystery dungeons just to go to school every day. Now everything’s safer and we don’t have to do things like that. If we go back to that, we’re little better off than we are now.”

“’Little better off’? What’re you, stupid?” Kuri raised his voice. “Look around you! This is Angard. This is a world devoid of nature and weather. The whole world will be like this if we don’t awaken those flowers. Would you rather live in this than learn to fight with Pokémon attacks, the thing every Pokémon is capable of using?”

“Oh boy, this is getting real,” Esther leaned away.

“Lute,” Infia said, but she was silenced by Sophitia slipping a feeler in front of her. She kept Esther and Phoenix back as well, and watched intently.

“Some Pokémon can’t use attacks. Some Pokémon can’t even walk, they’re born like that! With disabilities, and poorer life circumstances. I’ve seen it with my own eyes. Those Pokémon can do things and live normal lives thanks to V Wave technology. And regardless of what you think, a world where we don’t have to fight should be ideal.” Lute grit his teeth as he spoke.

“Then what’re you going to do? Beg Lassic to change the way his machines work?” Kuri snapped. Lute leaned back and shook. He couldn’t find the worlds to reply with, and had to put all his effort just to keep eye contact. “Get out of here. You’re no hero. You’ll never be a hero. You’re just another one of Lassic’s puppets.”

“Kuri,” Gen said. The Chespin shook his head and walked away.

“Oh and by the way,” Kuri slowed to look back at them over his shoulder. “Since you’re Agents of King’s Shield, it’s your mission to try and apprehend me for my previous crimes. But if you dare, I won’t hesitate to kill you. So pick your next move wisely, kid.”
 
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Episode 21: Temple of the East

HaruMiju

Hero in their dreams
Location
London
Pronouns
They/them, She/her,
19 Storm.jpg

Episode 21: Temple of the East



“Allow me to apologise. Kuri isn’t normally like this,” Gen said, crouched beside Lute. “He doesn’t mean to target you directly.”

“He said a lot of mean stuff, ya’know. You don’t need to sugar-coat it,” Sophitia said.

“No, I mean it. Kuri has a heavy bias against Lassic. I do as well, but he acts on it personally. So any agents he comes across, he refuses to give a chance,” Gen explained. “It is a deeply rooted hatred that leads him to act that way. You’ll just have to understand.”

“Well thank god we don’t actually need him to awaken the flowers. I don’t think I could take it if we had to travel with someone that bitter,” Sophitia rolled her eyes.

Lute kept his head down while the rest of them bickered about the now absent Chespin. They complained, but to him, they were just trying to sympathise with him. He knew that Kuri wasn’t wrong, and that was what stung so much. Anxious thanks to the cold and darkness around him, let alone the circles the conversation moved in, Lute growled.

“Kuri’s not the problem,” Lute finally spoke up Everyone went quiet. “He’s telling the truth. If V Waves stop working and everybody loses their technology, it will break Aseria. We’re far too dependent on it.”

“Well we can’t just sit here and let everything die. I thought that’s what you believed?” Esther replied.

“I don’t think Lassic will be able to make any machines that fix the weather, though. That sounds like a real fantasy,” Infia added.

“I know. That’s what makes this so difficult. If we awaken those flowers, we bring back the seasons, but we also destroy the foundation the entirety of society is built up on,” Lute turned away from everyone. “If only there was some way to make everyday machinery still work even without V Waves. Naivie—”

“Don’t look at me. I can’t magically resolve this problem of yours. It’s purely a problem for modern day kids,” Naivie said.

Lute faced the floor. “Perhaps it’s impossible for everyone to be happy. No matter what we do, we destroy the world.”

“Argh, is that anything a hero would say?” Sophitia snapped. He didn’t look at her. “He said we’re not heroes, but I believe you can be. That’s why you joined the agents, that’s why you wanted to join the agents. Don’t let some pessimistic naysayer tell you otherwise!”

Lute looked up at her, expecting some kind of sarcastic tone to come. Instead, there was a look of genuine annoyance on her face, and her eyes were fixated on him. Was she actually annoyed at him for not being overly positive about this?

He looked away again. That didn’t matter. What mattered right now is what they did. In the loosest sense possible, even if the everyday technology stopped, Pokémon would be able to survive. They survived for this long without it. A time of panic wasn’t ideal, but it was better than ignoring the dying weather. He looked back up at everyone, and then at the surroundings.

If everywhere ended up like Angard right now, then all would be lost.

“Let’s catch up to Kuri.” Lute faced forward.

“That’s more like it. Not like you to get tripped up ‘cos of some jerk,” Sophitia said with a smile.

“Well actually, I want to try to talk to Lassic about all this. Properly. It’s just that if the seasons don’t come back, the whole world could end up like Angard right now. If that happens, we’re all done for,” he said. “But I am curious. Gen, why do you and Kuri hate Lassic so much?”

“That’s private for both of us,” Gen turned away.

“How private are we talking?” Esther asked. There was no response.

“Not a good question, Esther,” Phoenix said.

“Ya’know, Pokémon would be a lot happier if they talked about their problems rather than keepin’ a lotta secrets,” she teased, batting her eyes.

“It’s not even important. All you need to know is that I hate that Pokémon with all of my being. He continues to act against our interests, so that makes him and most related things an enemy,” Gen reasoned.

“You say that, but he has to have done something pretty bad for you to hate him with ‘all of your being’. If I’m being really nosy, I’d say you’re living out here in the sticks to avoid him and his world that much,” Esther pointed out.

Gen squinted and came to a sudden halt. With the command of one paw and lifted ears, she pulled Esther off the ground and dangled her upside-down with Psychic, making the Pikachu squirm and squeak.

“A-ah-ah stop please okay I’m sorry! Guys, get me down from here!” cried the Pikachu.

“You were asking for it.” Phoenix rolled his eyes. The others could only blink in a daze.

“Alright alright, I’m sorry, just stop already, please?” Esther whined, trying to hold her tutu over herself. “They can see everything it’s gross and—”

“You can stay like that until we get to the temple,” Gen said.

“Gross? What’s so gross about—” Lute said.

“Don’t look! Not for your eyes yet, Lutey!” Esther cried.

“… Lutey?” he tilted his head.

“Forget it. She’s just being Esther,” Infia sighed.

He laughed lightly as did the others, and then left it at that. He was more concerned about the nerve that had been touched with the subject. What could Gen and Kuri have known about Lassic that made them get so furious? Or maybe he was just reading too much into it, and they were crazier environmentalists than he first thought.

It took them a while to reach the temple. Gen took them from the streets of the drained, texture-less town they had seen before, to the dark fields and plains that lay beyond it. It wasn’t too different to the open space outside of Everend, but the dead lands took the tone of dread Lute felt and multiplied it. It led to a trip that felt long and draining, and all the time he couldn’t think straight.

By the time they reached the temple, he felt exhausted. The rugged slope up to a mountain looked daunting, even though its layout was as public friendly as could be. It even had the remains of fences all the way up to the top.

“It’s just as we left it. Just like I promised, too,” Esther said, still upside-down. Gen ran up the slope to check for herself, but made no comment when she looked it over.

The crater looked like the one underneath the Radial Castle. It was as if someone had taken an ice cream scoop and used it on the ground to create a crusty crater. Just like they had been told before, there was a Teleportal, too. Kuri was there as well, impatiently tapping his foot with folded arms.

“And this is where you guys met Naivie, huh?” Sophitia smiled. She jumped and floated down, while the others skidded down the bottom. “Able to tell us what you were doing before you met us?”

“Checking up on the temples. It’s inconvenient, but there really isn’t a way of me finding the heroes when I first awaken. I just have to hang around each of the temples, and those curious enough to find them are likely the heroes,” Naivie said. She floated over to Kuri, who gave her a cheeky grin.

“Wait, but doesn’t that make it extreme luck? I mean, Esther kinda guessed that we’d be the Pokémon you were looking for, didn’t she?” Sophitia said. “How can you be sure that it’s us?”

“You kids ask too many questions, you know that? What happened to the days where Pokémon let fate and destiny explain everything?” Naivie complained.

“That corny stuff stayed back in old movies, heh. Can I get down now, by the way?” Esther giggled. Gen let her go, and she fell face flat.

“So you guys came in the end. Decided you’re okay with letting society’s toys break down?” Kuri joked.

“Oh don’t get smart mouthed. You’re stuck here ‘cos you can’t go to the temple without us. So if I were you, I’d be a good little boy and play nice,” Sophitia replied.

“Ho ho. The little lady’s got a sting to her,” he said. “If we’re really allies for the time being, then let’s see if you can keep up with me, then.”

“Please don’t compete, guys,” Lute groaned. He took a deep breath and approached Kuri directly, making sure he was being paid attention to. “I’m only doing this because the danger of losing the weather is worse. I will talk to Lassic about this, and I will find a way to keep things the way they are.”

The Chespin responded with a frown, and a tensed. “Alright. See how far you can get with that.”

“I want a world where Pokémon don’t have to fight, and everyone can get by with the convenience technology gives us. For Pokémon to be capable of living life to the fullest, despite their disabilities, or a wage gap. It has to be possible. But to do that, there needs to be a tomorrow. And we won’t have tomorrow if the weather dies,” Lute stated.

“Spoken like a real hero. Let’s go,” Sophitia said as she crossed her feelers. She promptly unfurled them to activate the Teleportal, and they all vanished in a flash of light. However, Gen was left behind, confused and surprised to have not been affected at all.

“Wait huh? How did?” the Meowstic gasped and spun around. She stopped and scratched her head. “Guess I’m not allowed in. I was looking forward to that.”







Lute did his usual of skip ahead the moment they appeared in the temple, but this time he regretted that decision. It was blazingly hot inside, so hot that he felt his breath get ripped from him the second they landed.

He coughed and his mouth instantly dried up, but that was all. After that moment of discomfort, he was able to adjust a bit, but the heat still irked enough to draw out a bit of panic. The temple at least looked more sophisticated than the caves and dungeons he had been in so far. The walls were lined with decorative patterns and brickwork, painted and coloured smoothly enough to earn a wow.

However, his eyesight gave off the fluctuations normally seen when looking through heated air. His panic flared up even more when he realised that he was struggled to breathe, and he took an exaggerated breath to try and rectify that. It didn’t look like there wasn’t any oxygen in this place, yet he felt like every inhale merely tickled his lungs.

“Oh my goodness,” Infia cried and fell on all fours. “It’s so hot!”

“What’s up with this? It’s blazing in here,” Sophitia said. She brushed her fur with her feelers. “Where are we?”

“The eastern temple. If you guessed that here is where you’ll restore summer, then you guessed right,” Naivie said. “By the way, only the heroes are allowed inside the temples because they’re in Moand Dia. So your little Meowstic girlie has to wait outside.”

“Could’ve warned me before on that one,” Kuri complained, evidently looking for her.

“It won’t make a difference to your team, though. So let’s go,” Naivie sung.

“Any chance you’re gonna make it easy on us?” Esther said, slumped forward. “It’s so hot I can hardly breathe in here.”

“Oh don’t be lazy. C’mon, chop chop, get a move on!” Naivie sung.

“We have a problem,” Phoenix said.

“Figures the fire and rock types would be okay. What’s up, fluffy cheeks?” Esther said.

“That Eevee is here. If we encounter him in this state, I am not confident in our chances,” he warned. “Please allow me to lead. I can tell us in advance if he is nearby.”

“That would save a life,” Sophitia said, clutching her chest. She was already drenched in sweat. “Pretty preoccupied here.”

Lute couldn’t help but wipe his own face, and only now realised how much he sweated as well. He was definitely weakened. It was as if each breath gained less air each time he inhaled and exhaled. He lagged behind the others as a result, but noticed that Kuri didn’t seem to be affected by all the heat.

Unlike the southern temple, this place had more of a constructive layout. The Teleportal was at the end of hallway that split into multiple paths, each one marked with directions painted on the walls. Giant bonfire candles high up kept the place lit, contrary to the weathered age most of the decorations had. There were a few pots and trinkets in the corners of some places as well, some of which even still had soil in them.

“It’s like Pokémon lived here,” Lute said slowly.

“It’s best to save your breath, Lute,” Sophitia said, just as thirsty and drained.

“Oh when we are out of here, I’m taking the biggest bath.” Esther tugged at her clothes. “Who designs a place like this?”

“It’s in Moand Dia, like the other temple was. I guess I never really noticed how hot it was, being a Carbink and all. Even though it’s right next to magma,” Naivie explained.

“Figures I would feel a little better walking in a place this warm. I believe this is how Pokémon feel when they say they can run a hundred miles,” Phoenix commented. He was several paces ahead.

“Just watching him makes me tireder,” Infia slumped.

“Wait a minute, right next to magma? What are we walking inside the planet?” Lute stopped.

“Of course. You knew Moand Dia was inside the planet. This Shaymin and its flower thrived off heat and nothing else. It was said to be the toughest one,” Naivie said.

“Do you have any idea how hot that is?” he raised his voice.

“I’ve never heard of a plant that thrives off heat before. Don’t tell me its leaves are made of fire or something,” Sophitia added. Lute’s curiosity went through the roof at that, as he tried to picture a giant flower with fire for leaves. That just looked like a tree on fire, which wasn’t pretty.

Phoenix soon stopped them at the edge of a corner and peeked around it. “This is it. But there is someone else there.”

“Is it that Eevee?” Infia asked worriedly.

“No. A Spirle High Point.” He turned around.

“Son of a- what? How?” Kuri gasped. “So much for only heroes being allowed in here. Who is it?”

“Storm. Storm is a Dragalge,” Phoenix stated. Infia gasped and stumbled back a bit. “Despite being dragon type, his species is very prone to drying out. During my battles, I have only seen him once. I am certain he is a scientist for Spirle who rarely shows his face around their conflicts. He must be here for a considerably serious reason.”

“We can’t fight him. We should come back another time,” Infia suggested.

“Are you serious? This is prime chance to take out one of Spirle’s biggest wigs. A little sweaty weather ain’t gonna stop us, right?” Kuri snickered and raised a fist.

Lute looked away. “If things go bad, do we have a way of escaping?”

“Lute?” Infia cried.

“I can’t run away from the bad guys. If we can safely bail, then it’s worth a shot. Heavy breathing or not,” he said as he wiped himself of sweat again.

“I have our escape orbs. One cast of this, and we’ll be thrown out to the Teleportal,” Sophitia replied, flashing one. “Let’s go.”

“Ah, wait,” Infia cried and tripped over to grab Lute’s tail.

“Infia?” Esther said.

“I just… I really don’t want to fight him.” The Minun shuddered.

“Oh screw off with this. Sort out your petty little drama elsewhere. This isn’t the place for it,” Kuri complained.

“Infia, what’s wrong?” Lute asked. She didn’t answer, and scrunched herself up. She looked like she was struggling to breathe for a moment, but coughed and took deep breaths to get a hold of herself. She shook her head.

“Kuri’s right, you know. If he dies ‘cos he goes and fights a Dragalge on his own, you have no one to blame but yourselves,” Naivie said.

“It’s… alright. I’m coming,” Infia gulped.

The hallway was long enough for them to catch up to Kuri before he started a fight, at least. The walls here were fancier than the designs in the rest of the temple, and as they entered the room at the end of the hall, they got even more extravagant.

However, the heat got worse. They were on a bridge that opened out into a prayer altar matching the one in the southern temple. Below the bridge was active lava that bubbled and slowly swirled. Just one look at it made Lute’s heart race, and his breath was stolen again. He never imagined how unbearable it would be to stand so close to lava, but here he was, surprised he wasn’t being set alight.

“You’re here. Just like the leader said you would be,” the Dragalge began. he curled a wing to invite them closer. He was identical to any other Dragalge: a huge, purple, serpentine dragon with a body of dried, rotten seaweed. He was thin, his eyes were a deep red, and the lighting of the heat from below gave him a terrifying gaze.

“Storm!” Infia cried, still at the back of the group. At her shout, Lute could actually see his eyes widen for an instant.

“You’re here. You’re also one of them?” Storm said. Infia didn’t reply.

“Ah, so you know her. Good to see we all acquainted already,” Kuri commented. “No need for fancy introductions. We can get straight to the tea party. I’d love to know all about you. Like, why are you here? How’d you know who I’d be bringing, too? And while you’re at it, maybe you could tell us about your special ability.”

“That information is none of your business, Chespin,” Storm said in his low, vicious tone. He was almost comical, but it still made Lute tremble.

“Oh please, I insist. I’m just dying to know all about you,” Kuri began to pace. “Go ahead, the table’s yours buddy! I’m sure you know all about me already, so I’d be gloating if I kept talking. We’d love to know how you hang out in a place like this.”

“This isn’t gonna get us anywhere,” Sophitia muttered.

“Shh. The honoured guest is talking,” Kuri snapped at her.

“Guest? It is you who is trespassing in this place. But my business is only with the Eevee,” Storm replied.

“Him?” everyone said.

“Why me?” Lute cried.

“Don’t hurt Lute!” Infia cried. Esther held her baton in front of Lute. “Don’t do it. We don’t have to fight.”

“As we are now, little Minun, we are foes. You lived so that you could fight in scenarios like this, and fight you shall. Do what you were created to do, and show the world the might of Spirle’s V Pockets,” Storm said.

“But why? You’re a good Pokémon. Why are you here, working for Spirle?” Infia asked.

Kuri cringed hard. “Him? Are you freaking serious? He’s a High Point of Spirle, and you think he’s a good Pokémon?”

“When I went to the Radial Tower to try and… Storm was there. He stopped me. He told me to wait until the end of the day before trying to hurt myself, because he believed that everyone would come. And he said that if they did, he would make sure Spirle didn’t get in the way,” Infia explained. “He believed that you guys were good Pokémon when even I didn’t.”

“And we did come. You stopped her. You saved her?” Lute gasped; jaw dropped. “You could’ve kidnapped her and done all sorts of things. But instead, you made her wait for us?”

“Oh no,” Kuri rolled his eyes.

“That was before you were considered heroes young Eevee. Now, we are direct enemies. I was told to drop Risen in your way, but after seeing reports of your battles, Lute, I have grown interested,” Storm answered, and raised both wings. He held a number of capsules filled with brown liquid. “Victoria revealed that you may have power. But Tetra failed to draw out that power.”

“I don’t have any special powers. You guys keep talking about stuff like that, but I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Lute cried.

“You need not concern yourself. I will do my utmost to draw them out,” Storm said with increasing pitch.

He dropped the capsules beside him, and out drained the brown liquid within. It turned out to be a thick sludge, which when it hit the ground, soon rose into the form of Risen. Each one looked like a common Pokémon, but their eyes were glowing red orbs that peeked out of their muddy skin. About five of them formed, and each one locked eyes with one of Lute’s friends.

“Aww what, you’ve gotta be kiddin’ me. It’s too hot for this,” Esther complained.

“Don’t waste your breath, just fight them,” Sophitia ordered as she formed her weapons. Everyone shrugged and prepared for battle. They soon each had a Risen to fight, although Infia stood back, protected by Esther who took on two Risen at once.

“You guys!” Lute cried.

“Focus, Eevee. Your fight is with me,” Storm loomed over him. The sudden closed distance made him gasp and stumble away.

“How did you—” Lute gasped. The way Storm glared at him and the sounds of attacks going off around him brought him to focus. “You want special power? I’ll give you it, by just beating you.”

He started with Quick Attack, and aimed for Storm’s chest. He was blocked by a wing, but was held in place. Storm clawed into his back, but Lute resisted it as best as he could. He attempted a Bite attack. Black light swarmed around his fangs, which clamped down hard enough to make Storm yell, making the Dragalge throw Lute down.

Lute already felt like he was being drained. He couldn’t breathe, but he knew that he couldn’t stop the battle now. He took in as much breath as he could and jumped into a Swift attack, releasing a rain of energy stars toward his enemy. Storm made no attempt to dodge them, and instead crossed his wings to guard against them. As soon as the attack stopped however, he vanished forward in a blur of a speed.

“Fast?” Lute gasped. Before he could land, Storm appeared in front of him with a tail drawn back and dripping with purple sludge. That tail whipped Lute’s chest, sending him flying. He hit the wall at the edge of the altar and sunk to the ground in a heap.

A grunt and a groan were all he could muster, and then he found himself unable to move. He could stand, but his body was stiff and ached all over. He was out of breath and dripping with sweat. His eyesight had blurred to a level where he could only make out colours. He wasn’t in pain, but he barely had the energy to do much other than fight consciousness, a familiar feeling that he had grown to hate all too much.

Sophitia and the others were barely in any better. The Risen had them all pinned to a corner. They weren’t hurt yet, but were surrounded and back to back with uncertain looks on each of their faces.

“Alright, I guess now’s the time to one-up you. Leave this to me,” Sophitia huffed in an effort to carry her sword and shield. She charged ahead and sliced the Risen directly in front of her with a clean cut in half. “Ha! See, look at that, Kuri. Easy as—”

Concern raised when the two muddy halves began to bulge and mutate, and they quickly reformed as two of the same enemy she had just defeated. Her mouth hit the floor while Kuri burst out laughing behind her.

“Oh wow, Sophitia. How nice of you to one-up me by making things worse. You’re a real heroine,” he said in a sing-song tone.

“Oh- just- bah, shut up,” she growled and withdrew her weapons. Pink swirls of dust surrounded the tips of her feelers instead, ready for a Fairy Wind attack. With a thrust of each feeler, the dust came out as strong bursts of wind, knocking several of the Risen back.

Kuri had to focus and take on his own foes as well. He kicked one of the Risen away and then used his vines to lift another, and roared as he threw it into the crowd of them. Rather than being knocked away, the thrown Risen merged with the target that it hit, creating one more Risen that was taller and bulkier than the rest. “What the- it absorbed it?”

“Wow, nice work Kuri. I’m definitely gonna have trouble keeping up with you,” Sophitia said, a cheeky smile on her face. Kuri cursed and spat, surrounding his fists with the thorns of a Needle Arm attack.

“Will you children just get along?” Esther growled. She cried at the top of her voice as she released a wave of electricity. It hit three Risen that came running toward her, melting them away. Her efforts brought her down to one paw, but several more Risen rose up in front of her.

“This is not the time for this. They are multiplying as we speak. Focus!” Phoenix said as he coughed up several Flamethrower attacks. He had a whole mob of Risen after him, but all he could do was slash or blast each one as it came at him.

Infia watched the whole conflict from a safe distance, and shook her head slowly in disbelief. Conflict plagued her, but mostly in the form of Storm’s hesitant fighting. She was fixated on him with terror in her eyes, watching him bash Lute around the area like a Substitute doll. Whenever Lute took a bad attack, Storm would wait until the Eevee stood up and retaliated before launching another attack. She almost felt as if he was allowing Lute to win, if that was even possible.

Esther’s shriek of pain made her heart jump, and her eyes snapped to the remainder of the battle. The Risen were overpowering the others, and Esther was at the centre of it all, flat on the floor with her baton knocked out of her grasp. Unlike Storm, those monsters weren’t going to wait for the Pikachu to get up. Once Infia saw the panic in Esther’s eyes, her own anxiety shot up, and she clenched her paws into fists.

“Stop hurting them! Leave her alone!” Infia cried. Her shout was useless however, and the monsters continued to advance on the struggling Pikachu, as did Storm towards Lute. Infia’s face became determined. She put her paws together and gathered energy toward the tips. That came out as a watery glow held between her paws, which she then cast up into the air with a desperate cry. “Please work!”

“Esther, hang in- damn it will you let go of me?” Sophitia growled, pushing her shield against a Risen. It was latched to her shield and tried to climb over the shield to slash her. It took a roar of effort to throw it off, which left her with a hung head again. Damn it, I can’t breathe. All my strength is gone. Why does it have to be so damn hot here?

She gave an exaggerated gasp, surprised to find that all of a sudden, her breath was back to normal. At that, it felt cooler, and a light wind brushed away the loose sweat still on her. The Risen seemed to react to the new atmosphere as well, and looked around in confusion.

“Clouds?” Sophitia whispered, just as confused. Rainclouds had formed inside the room, and they soon rumbled with thunder. Seconds later, rain fell, making the Risen wrench and screech like feral animals. The water began to melt their muddy forms, leaving everyone dazed and surprised. “What do you know? Water’s their weakness.”

“Guys, don’t just stand there. Now’s your chance! Help Lute,” Infia cried.

But for Lute, things were just as strange and unexpected. The rain had levelled his temperature and allowed him to breathe properly, yet his eyesight was still blurry and his head was still drowned in discomfort. He growled and twitched as he forced himself to stay awake at all costs. Storm seemed unbothered by the disappearance of his Risen and was fixated on Lute, eyes thinned and concentrated.

Focus Lute. Focus, darn it. Why my eyes so… the necklace? he gasped in his head as he realised what was happening. The necklace around his neck glowed pink, but being so close to him, it was blinding. It’s just like when I used that electric attack. So if I…

He gave the necklace a squeeze, and surely enough, out came streams of pink light and energy, all of which circled him before flying into his chest. The lights no longer blurred his eyes, but instead his whole body began to glow, getting brighter and brighter as more and more energy flew from the necklace into him. Lute began to worry as he felt that energy leak from him. It was like he was holding back the energy for a Swift attack, holding it in for so long that he might actually explode from it, and he cried out.

“What?” Storm whispered and edged back a bit.

He shielded his body with his wings, only for the Eevee to actually explode. A huge wave of pink light burst from Lute. It was a powerful pulse of force that cleansed the area around him. Storm let out a monstrous shriek as he was sent flying and slammed to the ground in a heap.

The others were in shock, even the previously concentrating Infia. Not just at the powerful new attack Lute had used, but at the fact that it had damaged Storm so much. The Dragalge looked devastated, covered from top to bottom in marks of dirt and scratches. He shivered as he righted himself and snarled furiously with eyes locked onto Lute. The Eevee was back to normal, but a glittering sphere of light surrounded him.

“That attack- and it put up Light Screen,” Storm growled. Sprinting footsteps drew his attention to Kuri and Phoenix, to which he dashed out of sight to avoid their Energy Ball and Flamethrower attacks at the last moment.

“Damn it! Where are you hiding?” Kuri shouted.

“I have seen all I needed to see, heroes.” Storm said. His voice echoing through the area. “That was a clever move, summoning the rain. I will take my leave. But count your remaining days of freedom, for Spirle will soon be on the rise. In time, Aseria will be ours.”

“You’re running? Now?” Kuri spat.

“Just stop! I’ve seen who you can really be. You don’t have to be a villain for Spirle,” Infia cried. There was no response for a while, and no one could see him, either.

“I… think he’s gone,” Sophitia said. “You gotta hand it to him. A guy that big being able to move that fast and hide, I guess those are his ‘special powers’?”

“Slippery bastard. He has to be nearby,” Kuri coughed, and took off. Naivie fluttered in his way.

“No you don’t! We’re living on borrowed time, here. You can catch your snotty little bad guy another time. The flower comes first,” Naivie ordered. Kuri growled and shook his head, but folded his arms and tapped his foot in defeat.

“Something’s up with those Spirle High Points. I swear all of them actually just want to get in the way? What was all that really about?” Sophitia wondered. “You okay, Lute?”

“I… I am. But I did another attack. I don’t know where that came from. This is the second time that’s happened,” Lute replied. She held his chin up with a feeler.

“You don’t need to worry about it. Whatever it is, all that matters is that you’re okay,” she said. “Plus, whatever you did really put the hurt on him. I mean, did you see the way he struggled? And I’m pretty sure Infia wasn’t doing Helping Hand, there.”

Esther screeched all of a sudden, but all she did was run and body slam Infia. She was screaming some other things as well, and nuzzled the Minun in a tight cuddle. Lute and Sophitia exchanged unsure glances, speechless as the two mice practically wrestled each other on the floor.

“Look at you! You’re the best, you’re the real hero here!” Esther squealed.

“Alright alright, what’re you trying to do to her?” Naivie came between them.

“Sorry, I just – you really saved our butts back there,” Esther cheered and pumped her fists. Infia barely made a sound, left scrunched up with a face redder than a pepper. “Helping Hand, Healing Touch, and now, Rain Dance? You’re a genius!”

Infia’s only response was to cover her face with her shirt with a high-pitched whine. Esther still took to hugging her while giggling.

“Okay okay, keep that up and you’ll kill her from embarrassment” Naivie prodded Esther on the head. “Eyes on the goal, too. We haven’t made the flower yet!”

“I do not like to rush these things, but Naivie is right. I can still sense the Eevee in the area. And once the rain wears off, this will only get more difficult. We should get this over with,” Phoenix warned. His fangs were gritted and one eye was closed.

“Oh, right. Fluffy Cheeks and rain. You wanna get outta here now, don’tcha?” Esther giggled.

“Eh, they’re both right,” Kuri shrugged. He took his position at the altar. With upbeat smiles and nods to one another, the others took their positions as well, soon joined by Naivie in the middle.

“Because this is our first time with all six of you, I’ll run over the basics. You just have to cast your wish with your prayer, and I’ll handle the hard part. But the main precaution is that you must not stop praying until I tell you to. Is that clear?” Naivie instructed.

Lute concentrated to try and ignore the rain. Magical rain cooled him off as he stood on an altar atop a lake of lava, hoping to grow a giant flower. The thought felt satisfying. It was just the kind of magical story he wanted to be part of, and knowing that he had withstood the battle this time, he finally had that sense of progress he wanted. This didn’t feel like luck that he survived, it felt like he had gotten stronger, and the help of Infia’s Rain Dance had let him utilise that strength.

He couldn’t help but smile when Naivie began. They had adapted to a strategy, and it was all thanks to them all getting stronger. Thinking back to his days at school, he could never have imagined Infia standing up to a giant like Storm. But here she was, able to set aside her personal weakness to help them battle, all to protect the Pokémon that meant something to her.

It must have hurt her to fight Storm. He gave her a chance to live rather than letting her kill herself, only to have to try and kill her just now. That is, if their death was what Storm really wanted. One thing was for sure, Infia had made her decision when it counted, and fought, proving that she now had faith where she once felt nothing.

Naivie’s struggled cries brought him back to reality. The flames that surrounded her last time was there again, alongside the streaks of light in the patterns on the floor that surrounded each of them in fiery pillars. She was in pain, and as the ritual went on, Lute began to strain.

“Is that meant to be happenin’?” Kuri growled, clearly strained as well.

“Focus! Don’t- you dare stop,” Naivie coughed, soon crying at the top of her voice. But with her cry came a bright wave of light that took away their consciousness in a flash.







“You’re soon going to see what the outside world looks like. Are you excited?” a motherly voice said. A grey palm stroked a Sylveon’s back, but the Sylveon didn’t look happy about it. “It may still be for training, but it is a new experience. New experiences are important.

But it’s scary,” the young Sylveon said, pouty and huffy.

Now now. You can’t decide what is scary until you truly try it. You are going to meet many new Pokémon. Species living lives just like your own. You could even make friends. And when you come across foes, that is when you can fight with confidence.

This isn’t going to be fun,” Sylveon said.

You can defend yourself in a way that only fairies can. A gesture shared by the people of your world is going to become one of your strongest weapons: the kiss.

Why would I want to kiss another Pokémon?

Because you are a beautiful young woman. I have no doubt in my mind that you will attract the eyes of many who will wish for your love,” the motherly voice said. They withdrew their palm. “But your feelings are most important. Your true kiss is reserved for the one who you, and only you, would consider your partner. The others, you will curse them with the might of the Draining Kiss.

Draining Kiss? Wait, you mean I can hurt Pokémon with a kiss?” Sylveon asked.

And drain the energy for yourself, no less. It is a fairy Pokémon’s most deceptive tool!

… Cool.

Remember: Pokémon attacks are a means of self-defence. For should you threaten others with your Draining Kiss often, you may forfeit the trust of a real relationship for the remainder of your life.

… I get it. It’s not like I’m going to fight everything in sight,” Sylveon said. There was a pause, and the young Eeveelution shut her eyes. “Hey, Diancie? What’s the world up there like?
 
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Episode 22: Evoli

HaruMiju

Hero in their dreams
Location
London
Pronouns
They/them, She/her,
15 Evoli.jpg

Episode 22: Evoli



Gen was sat on the fence around Angard’s crater with her arms tucked behind her head and legs hung loosely. She was half asleep, but sprung awake the instant she heard the Teleportal go off. “You’re back?”

“Ah, finally! Fresh air and a late-night chill,” Esther cheered with a stretch. “Seriously, did Pokémon live there? I’m surprised we didn’t melt.”

“Fire Pokémon, Esther. Come on, it’s so obvious,” Naivie said.

“Yeah but even Fluffy Cheeks is,” Esther said, glancing at him. The Fennekin was sparkly clean for some reason, even though everyone else was drenched in sweat and catching their breath. “Okay, you’re right. Forget it. Just get me home so I can have a bath, please.”

“You weren’t kidding about that, huh?” Sophitia said.

“Why would I? Have you seen my clothes? They probably smell like a wet Grumpig,” Esther complained and tugged at her shirt.

“More importantly, where’s our next destination?” Kuri asked.

“Already?” Lute said.

“Don’t have to go there right away. It’s just useful to know,” Kuri said. Naivie nodded and took to the centre of the group.

“The temple on the western continent. I don’t know what the place is like right now, but if the land is the same, then be ready for some real mountain climbing,” Naivie stated. “That’ll be the third of four temples, located high up in frigid mountains. I had my doubts about this journey, but you guys are making faster progress than I thought. The seasons will be back in no time.”

“Praise from Naivie without a sarcastic tone? Should we call a Blissey?” Sophitia gasped.

“Don’t push your luck,” Naivie grumbled.

“I won’t. Just teasing, hee hee,” Sophitia giggled.

“You just got back here,” Gen said. “You’re going to leave already?”

“Heck no! I came back to see you, not get roped into this. Fastest way to get the kids to leave is to just do what they needed to do here,” Kuri folded his arms.

“Oh yeah right. You’re here because I told you to be here. And now that you’re here, you’re part of the team. Don’t make things difficult,” Naivie cried, fluttering in front of him.

“Nope. And you can’t make me.” The Chespin flicked her away. He wrapped his arms around Gen and brought her in close. “Not when I’ve got a promise with the most beautiful woman in the world.”

“Ugh. I know I’ve been waiting, but no need to get sappy on me,” Gen turned away. “Besides, your work with these kids is important. If you have to go, then I understand.”

“The only place I have to go right now is somewhere with you. Where do you fancy? Pokétopia? That sweet shop in Everend?” Kuri said.

“Be serious about this.”

“I am serious about this.”

Gen glared at him, a little surprised to see a goofy smile on his face. She blushed a bit, and then swayed her head and brushed her dress. “You’re hopeless, you know that? I know you’re not doing this because I asked for it.”

“Aww. Nice to know my wonderful wife has so much faith in me,” Kuri sung.

“Kuri!” she said, breaking off from him. “You know how important this is to me. Don’t go brushing them away.”

“Gen,” he said, surprised.

“If it was up to me, I would be with you on this journey. But someone has to take care of Angard. Plus, I’m not even allowed in the temples.” She looked away.

“You could still come with us,” Lute suggested. “It just means you won’t be able to come with us into Moand Dia.”

“Will you clear off?” Kuri shouted, making him flinch. “You can clearly see this is a private conversation.”

“But that- I thought- you—” he tried to say, but Sophitia pinched him.

“We’ll wait at the bottom,” Sophitia said.

“Wait, we will? But we—”

“Drop it, Lute. It’s couple stuff.” She rolled her eyes.

“But couple drama is fun,” Esther moaned.

“Not you, too,” Phoenix shoved her away.

She allowed him to with a groan, and soon, Kuri and Gen were left alone. They still waited a moment to make sure all was silent, and then Kuri sighed. “Don’t pretend this doesn’t mean a lot to me, too. It’s been months since we’ve gotten the chance to see each other. I do honestly want to spend time with you.”

“I do as well. I’ve really missed you. But I guess this is what Father meant when I told him I was marrying a rebel. Long times alone and apart, where all I can do is watch you run from the law,” Gen rambled. “That’s what this is really about, isn’t it? If you journey with them, you’re right in Lassic’s grasp. You’re worried about finally getting arrested.”

“Er, that’s a precaution, but I don’t think they have the skill to catch me. They’ve got their hands full trying to track Spirle,” Kuri began to pace. He tucked his arms behind the back of his head. “Those kids aren’t my style. If you were there with the stunt they almost pulled, trying to argue that a High Point was a good guy…”

“Look, none of that really matters to me. All I want is revenge on Lassic. To stop his creation of this idealistic, ‘evolved’ world. You’re now one of the heroes of Aseria, which means I now have to bank on you doing everything,” Gen stated fiercely. “That’s worth living alone here for another month or two. Or however long it takes.”

“Never thought I’d hear you make another declaration like that. Have you really resigned your life like that, driven by vengeance?” he replied. She had a silent, piercing gaze, but he wasn’t shaken by his words. “Something like that isn’t satisfying unless it’s by your own paws, you know?”

She looked down and sighed, and he came closer to embrace her again. “I never wanted things to be this way. I’d give anything for things to have been different. That’s what we decided, didn’t we? That we’d try and make this work, even despite everything.”

She held his hand tightly and looked out at the dark country before them. “That even in this bleak place, to stay positive, to keep the feelings I felt when I first fell in love with you,” she said shakily.

“And even if everything goes wrong, I did everything I did without regrets. We lived, we fought, and we loved,” he said.

“You still remember,” she said. She swallowed a tear. “This is absurd. I mean both things. I want to destroy Lassic, but more than anything in the world, I just want us to live in peace for once. That’s all I really wanted.”

“Don’t let the others see you like this. But the feeling’s mutual.”

“This is our best chance. The legend will force Lassic to make a move. We’ll destroy his world, and then him.”

“So let’s stay together. Let’s destroy Lassic our way. Then we’ll rebuild Angard, and live together like we always wanted,” Kuri said. Gen started giggled, sat down and leaned back.

“Goodness, you really are one cloud of sappiness, aren’t you? Once you start raining emotions, they don’t stop. But you never let anyone else see this, only me. When are you going to realise how much that holds you back?” she said. “Seriously. Go with them. You’re all heroes for a reason. If they can’t resonate with you, then I don’t who know can.”

“Um… you?” he said. She pinched him, and he joined her in sitting down. “But seriously, I just can’t trust anyone, Gen. You know that.”

“Anyone except me.”

“That’s why I want us to do it our way. We can build our world in our lifetime, I know it,” he said.

She stared out at the scenery, and didn’t respond. He made a sound, unable to tell what she really thought behind her stoic expression. She smiled after a moment though, which lifted his mood a bit. He decided just enjoy the scenery with her, ignorant of how dark it was. Angard was still a dead country of lifeless fields and the silhouette of a fragile, empty city. They stared at it until the most unexpected thing began to happen, so much so that their hearts sped up in slight fear.

There was light over the horizon. It seemed like a nasty hallucination at first, but as time went by, the light only got brighter. It wasn’t a threatening glow like that of an attack, but the engrossing warmth granted by the sun. As it rose over the horizon, its warm colour brought life to the barren scenery, and soon, the couple themselves.

“Sunrise,” Kuri whispered, and stood up tall. He sprinted to the edge of the hill and leaned over the fence, holding his head as wind brushed against his fur. “But how?”

“You awakened the temple, didn’t you? Naivie said they’ve done two of them,” Gen had to hold her dress down. “The weather must be starting to come back now that there are two ancient flowers.”

“The wind and sunlight.” He blinked in disbelief.

The clouds had cleared up as well. A world of life had truly breathed back into Angard. The black fields were now colourised with a wasteland-like moss. The city was built out of aged and weathered buildings that had their various paint colours washed out of them. Even the fence they were leaning on was a weakened metal that was grey, marked with spots of dirt and scratches. Contrasted by the clear blue sky, the couple were now stood in a world that they could fully imagine being populated with the life it once had.

“This really happened because of the awakened flower?” Kuri muttered, jaw dropped. “I… I’d forgotten what Angard looked like in the light.”

“So did I. And I’m the one who’s been living here,” Gen said. “Um… hey, Kuri?”

“The wind as well. It’s nicer than I remember. And it feels clean,” he remarked. Gen linked their paws and pulled him back a bit. She pulled him into a cuddle, though neither could take their eyes off the scenery. “Gen. Seeing all this, I…”

“Shh. You’re not going to go with them, are you?” she said.

“You want me to stay, now?” he said.

“You can catch up to them later. But first,” she said as she kissed him on the cheek. He immediately turned and kissed her back, and the two wrapped their arms around one another, caressing each other. “When we start rebuilding this country, now we have an idea of what it can look like. We have hope.”

“You want to make rebuilding plans already?” He smiled.

“Planning ahead leads to success, after all.”

“And improvising leads to adaptation. Catching up to them later was what I was planning on doing, anyway.”







“Naivie, I thought you said the sun and stuff wouldn’t come back until we did all the flowers?” Lute bounced with excitement. “It’s here, the sun’s back! And it’s so amazing.”

“It’s so beautiful. Everything’s so much more colourful than I remember,” Infia whispered.

“Honestly, I barely even noticed. We were in the grey for so long that I didn’t realise how bad everything was getting,” Esther added.

“Especially here,” Phoenix paced to admire it all. “The country is still in ruins, but it does not seem so bad all of a sudden.”

“You’ve got that right. And,” Sophitia agreed with a bright smile. She snuck a glance at the excited Lute, warmed by the gleam in his eyes. You’re finally smiling again.

“Everyone must be so happy right now. Let’s go back to Everend and—” he said. He froze when he noticed that Naivie was trembling. “Naivie?”

“This isn’t right. This is impossible. The Shaymin are asleep, the ancient flowers aren’t blooming. V Waves aren’t being released! How is there weather?” Naivie shouted. “Don’t tell me that Lassic guy actually did it? Is that an artificial sun?”

“Wait. You mean this isn’t the weather coming back slightly? Not even a little?” Lute asked.

“No! Each Shaymin and flower corresponds to a certain season. If the two we grew awakened without the others being around, their powers would be unbalanced and the weather wouldn’t come out properly. All of it would be extremely polarised in one direction. We’d be having natural disasters!” Naivie stated. “Find out where that sun is coming from and stop it!”

“But it feels so nice. How can this be wrong?” Infia hung her head.

“We better get Kuri,” Lute said.

“Er, f-forget them. They’ll catch up to us,” Sophitia replied. He tilted his head at her. “I can sense stuff through my feelers, remember? So I sorta know what they’re doing. It’s best to leave them to it right now.”

“But this is serious,” Lute cried..

“Hey if the Agents of King’s Shield have something to do with this, then he won’t come, anyway. He’s wanted by them, remember? We can’t let them know he was with us,” she said.

“Oh yeah. I guess we can ask them about it later. Let’s go and find out what that sun is,” he said with a nod.

They ran off after that, but Sophitia couldn’t help but stop and look back at the hilltop. She lifted her feelers high and then cringed hard. “Yeesh, now I know why Lute hates touchy lovey stuff.”







With Angard’s colours returned, the group didn’t need Gen to direct them. Given the potential emergency as well, they didn’t need her permission to use the Deposit Box outside her home, so they headed there and used that to warp. That still took a good while, but they arrived at the Ministry of Science in a conveniently short time.

The main street had been evacuated and most of the stores had been shut tight. The area was unnaturally windy. Bursts of air pushed against everything periodically, like a heartbeat that pumped wind everywhere. Besides the nasty howls that came with each gush, all was quiet.

“Strange wind. But it could be felt all the way from the middle of Angard,” Phoenix said once they came out into open space. They had to shield their eyes from the wind bursts.

“Sheesh. So much for that bath. I bet one of their machines is going haywire or something. Nerds choose the best time to do weird stuff, don’t they?” Esther complained.

“I don’t think the scientists are responsible,” Infia said, one eye shut as she held her skirt down. “Look!”

They followed her point to the greenery in front of the Ministry’s main skyscraper, where a whole band of Risen had gathered. The muddy monsters were stood in a circle formation around the grassy area. A wider range of species than ever seen before was present, from quadruped Pokémon to even some winged Pokémon, all with the Risen texture of sludgy mud for skin.

They all had their arms and such raised to send particles of light up into a giant ball of flames miles above the area. The fireball was large enough to cover most of the sky here, which gave the area a discomfortingly bright gleam. It rendered the area in a heat wave, much to everyone’s annoyance.

“They’re using Sunny Day?” Infia tilted her head. “But why?”

“Lute!” a familiar voice made him jump.

“Mum?” Lute cried. Silver, Lassic, and a few other King’s Shield agents were with her. “What’re you doing here?”

“We should be asking the same thing. We never called, but I suppose it’s a good thing. It saves us the trouble,” Silver said.

“Isn’t this dangerous? Get my son out of here,” Marina demanded.

“They’re agents. They will assist us,” Silver said. “The situation is that these Risen rose up from the ocean somewhere. We don’t know why, but they just started casting this power, and now we have that artificial sun in the sky.”

“Is anybody hurt?” Sophitia asked.

“That’s the weird bit. No, they haven’t touched a thing. We evacuated everyone anyway, but to have a zero-damage report is a miracle. Risen normally attack every living thing in sight,” Silver said. “I thought to call Marina here since she has knowledge of things like this.”

“You said the Risen came up from the ocean? But our Rain Dance back there washed them away,” Sophitia said.

“And it should have. Since they’re made of… whatever they’re made of, Risen are usually easily defeated with water. So we can assume that these are some kind of enhanced, evolved Risen,” Silver theorised. She placed with a hand on her slimy chin. “They’re obviously following orders from someone or something. But I just don’t know what they’re doing.”

“Grr, you’re not just going to attack them anyway?” Marina growled.

“Not when you can analyse them. You’re good with artificial intelligence like this. Go and take a look,” Silver suggested.

Marina looked back and forth between both parties, appearing angrier than a Mankey. She still obeyed, but mumbled something as she walked off. Lute and others watched in concern, but Silver stopped them with a hand and a smile.

“Marina has a history with this sort of thing, you know. She’ll figure it out in no time,” Silver said.

“Oh? Is she a scientist here, too?” Esther asked. “Lute, you never told me your parents were so high-class!”

“She said she used to work here, but that she wasn’t anything special,” he tilted his head.

“You’re about to find out a lot. I was going to call you both here to talk about something very important,” Silver said. “But not now. We deal with this situation first.”

“Do you really think she can do it? And not one of ours?” Lassic said, arms tucked behind his back. “I can contact Athens, if you’d like.”

“No need. She’s coming back already.”

“That was fast,” Infia gasped.

“You were right on the money. These Risen are enhanced from the usual kind. They’re retaining their conscious, which means that they’re capable of using Pokémon attacks and following orders,” Marina reported, stern and stoic.

“Enhanced Risen. That means we should smash ‘em up real good and fast, right?” Esther punched the air.

“Yes. You should.” Marina nodded.

“Please don’t make a muddy mess again.” Infia hung her head.

“No idea why they’re using Sunny Day?” Silver asked. The others began to bicker about something, and were quickly dragged away by Esther. Lute and Sophitia stayed back.

“No idea. Maybe Spirle need the sunlight for something? There’s no way to track the command or anything. Part of me believes that this is some kind of field test to see how well they can follow orders. You know, a typical, aimless, Spirle terror move,” Marina hung her head. “We should be more concerned about the fact that there are now stronger versions of these things that can do Pokémon attacks. I can’t imagine what would happen if all of those things were ordered to just go wild and trash a place. They could cause riot-level damage.”

“And with a resistance to our prior solution of water, too. Spirle are adapting rather annoyingly.” Lassic scratched his chin. “It looks like Lute’s friends don’t have much trouble with them, though.”

“Huh?” Lute glanced at the action. His eyes widened upon realising that the battle was already over, but not without Esther and company getting mud all over themselves again. They casually walked back over. Esther smiled goofily while Infia looked miserable. The wind had stopped before he realised, but the Sunny Day remained in the sky.

“Er, are you guys okay?” Sophitia asked. Phoenix didn’t answer for a second, and then pulled Sophitia onto him, smothering her side in mud. “Ugh. I should’ve guessed.”

“They were easy to take out. They didn’t even fight back! But they were dirty,” Esther said with a naughty giggle. She didn’t seem bothered by the flat faces she got as a reply, even when Lute eventually sighed.







“So what’s all this about? You were going to contact me and Lute’s team anyway?” Marina asked as they walked through to the King’s Shield Base. After cleaning up, the whole group were brought in to follow Silver and Lassic.

“The results of your report a while ago have come in, and I feel like it’s time to share some vital information with you,” Silver began. She brought them over to the largest computer screen there. It was a round table lined with keyboards. A holographic screen hung in the middle. “I’m talking specifically about your report on the first temple. When you discovered that other Eevee that looks exactly like Lute.”

Marina froze and glared at the Goodra. “Other Eevee?”

“You of all Pokémon know exactly who I’m talking about.” Silver glared back. Marina didn’t say anything, but her face twisted with some heavy movements. It was like she didn’t know what to say, but she kept mouthing something anyway. “So, how are we going to do this? Are you going to tell him yourself? This story would be better coming from your own mouth, after all.”

“To tell you the truth, I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Marina said.

“You know exactly who I’m talking about. I know that you’ve put the pieces together and figured it out, that’s why you’re looking at me this way,” Silver said. Marina went quiet. “I’m talking about Evoli. It’s him.”

Marina shuddered hard. She shook so hard her feet scraped a bit and drew all eyes to her. She looked terrified, but not in a childish way where she was whimpered or hid from view. Her fins hung forward, her body went stiff, and her collar created a shade over her eyes.

“M-Mum?” Lute said, hesitant to move.

“This isn’t your idea of a sick joke, is it?” Marina said. Silver hadn’t moved or averted her gaze at all. “That some things are better off left unknown.”

“I have worked with Lassic and many other scientists and agents on this matter. This is now a personal battle against Spirle. In order for us to move forward in our battles against them, we require your help. And we also require our main force to be fully informed,” Silver stated.

“Main force? You made them the main force against those terrorists?” Marina raised her voice.

Lute was struck by her tone, and now he was the one childishly terrified. Marina sounded furious. The dangerous kind of furious – she sounded like she was capable of killing someone. He had never seen or heard her like this, not even when she was mad at him for breaking something in the house. Even scarier was the fact that she had the snarl of a Mightyena, yet Silver wasn’t deterred in the slightest.

“I should never have allowed Lute to work for you. If I knew that all you were going to do was bring this up, I should’ve—”

“Don’t talk like this isn’t affecting me, either,” Silver suddenly raised her voice. She changed tone as well, a fierce snap to her usually calm accent. “If Evoli is alive, then that very well may mean that Jagen is, too. But I have a job to do, and I will see it through. Seeing it through means fighting my own pain.”

Marina growled, but Silver continued to ignore that cutting glare. “If you’re not going to tell them, then I am. Whether you like it or not, they need to know.”

“Er, this is gettin’ kinda serious and it sounds real personal, so should we like, y’know?” Esther said.

“Stay here!” Silver snapped. The Pikachu flinched and shut right up.

“What’s gotten into you two? I’ve never seen you both like this,” Sophitia asked. Even Lassic behind them didn’t look like he knew what to say. Silence fell until Lute finally stepped forward and gulped.

“Mum, I… whatever it is you have to say, I’ll listen. You don’t have to—”

“This isn’t something you’re going to accept. This isn’t something anyone can accept. It’s not supposed to be known,” Marina replied. She refused to look at him.

“So you’re not going to tell,” Silver said.

“I never said I wasn’t. Just that it shouldn’t have ever come to this,” Marina stated. She slowly turned to face Lute’s party, where her livid appearance had vanished almost completely. She was focused, but clearly afraid. “You’ve figured it out already, haven’t you? That I used to work here. And that I was actually a pretty big deal.”

“Er, I was curious why you wanted to leave so soon when we came the first time. And why you hated the agents. Did something happen?” Sophitia said. Marina shut her eyes.

“Twenty years ago, V-Wave technology had the biggest breakthrough it had ever seen. Lassic had discovered the V-Wave phenomenon long ago, but I bolstered it. With my theories, the V-Wave technology could be used to accomplish seemingly anything,” Marina began. She slowly opened her eyes.

She went to one of the computers and started to tap things on it. The speed at which she worked was proof enough of her experience. Various devices showed up on the holograms. “My work for the agents was invaluable. I was able to make suits to explore Moand Dia, blueprints for everyday technology, brand new TMs, even conventional weapons. Pokémon say that Lassic ushered the evolution of the society with have now, but it was actually me. I was the one that figured out how to utilise V-Waves in everyday technology.”

“Whoa, for real? Doesn’t that make Lassic a fraud?” Esther gasped.

“I allowed him to take the credit for it. He was already the figurehead, and me and my husband were Agents of King’s Shield. Our secret identities were too important,” she stated. “But then, sixteen years ago, we started one more project. We began working on something better than a conventional weapon. AI programming that was advanced enough to behave and act as a living Pokémon. I’ll spare you the complex details, but the basic part is that we were working on the creation of artificial Pokémon, disposable soldiers that looked and acted exactly like real Pokémon.”

“Wait, that sounds like,” Infia whispered.

“With the limitless boundaries of V-Waves, we could have these soldiers be of any species, have any ability, and be capable of any move. Pokémon wouldn’t have to work anymore. We could have these soldiers take over every labour of our lives,” Marina continued, and turned back to them. The multitude of faces everyone made told her their thoughts. The majority were deeply concerned.

“There’s no need to feel that way. She was following my orders,” Lassic folded his arms. “I suggested the creation of these soldiers as a possibility. Think: why have conventional weaponry when Pokémon that can act independently could accomplish so much more? What better security and surveillance could there be?”

“Me and my husband completed it. We came to a breakthrough. We managed to make our first artificial Pokémon, which was constructed entirely out of energy waves. It was sustainable, required zero maintenance, and did not need nourishment. We called it a V Pocket,” Marina announced. Lute and the others eyes widened, and Phoenix gasped. “But in testing, it backfired. Our formula was wrong, and the whole lab threatened to explode.”

“You created a V Pocket?” Phoenix stepped forward. Marina nodded, and then turned to the glass wall on one side of the room.

“It was right here. Everyone was so proud of our achievement that we brought our families to the grand unveiling. But when we presented it, something went wrong. The V Pocket was going to explode, and due to a chain reaction, threatened to destroy the entire island. Silver’s husband, Jagen, and my husband, Evoli… they both ran into the room, and by some miracle, they managed to mitigate the damage… B-but I still lost everything. Evoli, my kids…” Marina explained. She began to tremble hard and blinked a few times. “It broke me. Everything I had that I could call a success in my life, gone in an instant. Vanishing into relentless flames and screams of agony.”

“That’s horrible. No wonder you quit,” Sophitia said, a feeler on her chest.

“I didn’t. I was given one compensation first,” Marina said. She turned ever so slowly, and looked down at Lute. Everyone else fell dead silent. “The chance to try again.”

“Ah, but why would you try again? Didn’t the other agents care?” Esther said.

“They did. They allowed me to work on another V Pocket, one that would be for my personal use. And above all else, I’m the one that requested to make it,” Marina said, still staring at Lute. He locked eyes with her, and his heart sank.

He knew what was coming. But he didn’t want it to be said. Not by Marina.

“I perfected my formula. And I tried to bring back my husband. I made a V Pocket in the exact likeness of my deceased husband, Evoli,” she said.

It took an eternity for the reality of the story to sink in. Fur stood on end, teeth were grit, eyes were widened, and breaths became unsettled and hefty. Almost a full minute passed, and no one said a word.

Lute was shaking. Everything was going blurry besides his view of Marina. He couldn’t even feel his legs anymore, as if they had turned to jelly. He was sweating and shivering, and wanted to be sick and black out. He was trying to physically throw himself into a nightmare, an absurd nightmare where he could wake up and believe that what he had just learnt wasn’t real. He couldn’t control himself, and staggered about, his mouth beginning to move on its own.

“I’m… I can’t be. I’m your husband?” he cried. Even his words were so unclear and blurred that he couldn’t understand himself.

Marina shook her head. “No. You are my perfect V Pocket, a perfect replica of my husband. My only remaining son,” she said. She shut her eyes and turned away. “Back then, all I could think about was bringing back Evoli. I didn’t care about anything else. I was so desperate… so misguided by emotion. But the moment you came out of that test tube, crying like a new-born, I realised the inexcusable sin I had made.”

“And that’s when you quit,” Sophitia said.

“And nobody held me contempt for it. I quit the agents, taking Lute and all of my research with me. King’s Shield would never try to create a V Pocket ever again. It was deemed far too dangerous, and after consideration, much too immoral. Creating a life that would just aimlessly follow our orders…” Marina said, finally sounding like she was beginning to break down. “I couldn’t do that to you, Lute. I wanted to raise you as my son and just leave it at that. And I really did feel like your mother, teaching you things, seeing you discover things, and grow to love life. Even when it came to you becoming an agent here, I knew I couldn’t stop you. It was best not to stop you. I never imagined I would ever have to tell you all this.”

“And now you know. Evoli is alive,” Silver said.

“This is news to me,” Lassic said, scratching his chin. “I was aware that you quit, but I was told that all records on V Pockets were deleted. I approved of that request from your team. Why didn’t I know that you created one more?”

“It was as secret as my connection to the agents. So basically, it’s a secret to everybody. Even you,” Marina stated. “Until now, me and Silver were the only ones who knew. If we were successful, we were going to bring back our families.”

“Remarkable. With the exception of retaining Evoli’s memories, you were successful?” Lassic said. “And you just have this knowledge? On artificial Pokémon?”

“Hold on a royal minute. Don’t make me start swearing, Lassic,” Esther said. “This whole thing’s twisted as heck. Why do you sound so excited?”

“Because it’s remarkable. It’s shocking. This, this means something to me, too,” Lassic said. He approached Lute, but the others stood around him, wary. “This defies belief. This here Eevee isn’t a living Pokémon, but a bundle of V-Waves programmed to act as a living Pokémon? Truly?”

“He is my son first and foremost. Before anything, you’re going to treat him like one,” Marina threatened.

“But he is capable of things beyond a normal Eevee. Beyond an ordinary Pokémon. He can be reprogrammed, upgraded, fixed. That alone warrants an in depth—”

“It warrants jack shit! Don’t you dare lay a paw on him you creep!” Esther shouted and pushed her way between them.

“Lute is Lute! Whether he’s a V Pocket or not, he’s still a living Pokémon,” Infia said, paws closed into fists.

“Like they say, I do believe it is about time you started treating us altered Pokémon like we belong here,” Phoenix said, stood beside them.

“Okay, please. I apologise. I’m not going to do anything.” Lassic backed off with arms raised. “That was my inventor mind speaking there. I get excited when I learn things like this. I’m sorry, truly, I am.”

Lute began to zone out of their bickering. He was still dazed and dizzy from what he had just learnt. He didn’t know how to feel anymore. One thing became clear to him: he was now in Infia’s position, where he had to decide how he wanted to live.

He could childishly ignore it all and pretend that the outpour from his mother didn’t happen. Keep calling himself a living Pokémon like his friends argued, and live as he always had. He would have to keep fighting the expectations slammed on him by all the other Pokémon he’d met. The Spirle High Points that wanted to know his ‘special powers’, the agents right here who wanted him to stand up to Spirle, and his friends who wanted him to live a normal life with them.

Who was he kidding? Life was never going to be the same again.

Words echoed in his head. Horrible memories of his battles and desperation to be someone special. Well, now, everyone had what they wanted. He was someone special. A V Pocket. A programmable thing that could do anything they wanted him to do. If he embraced this fate, his achievements would skyrocket. With only the limits of Marina’s programming, he could make short work of any task. He could even be turned into anything they wanted, but he would be at the mercy of their orders and expectations.

Something was happening, and he really did feel sick. He fell down and moaned weakly, paws on his head. The others noticed and surely began to panic, but he couldn’t hear a word of what they were saying. He couldn’t even feel their touch. All that he could hear was the repetition of all the Pokémon who wanted him to be something for them.

No. It was hatred.

He hated Pokémon. He hated them for their ludicrous aims, their expectations, their love of fighting and disruption to life… their vile evil.

And now his own mother was counted amongst that evil as the creator of the V Pocket. The one who potentially set all of this in motion. He hated how hard these King’s Shield missions were. He hated the battles, the false relationships, the difficulty. The very fact that he was an existing thing, a sin of reality. A tool that merely fit into all of this drama. He didn’t want to be here, knowing that he was this.

“Enough!” Lute yelled at the top of his voice. A psychic blast released from him, enveloping the room in a piercing screech. Computers crackled and blew up, glass smashed, and Pokémon screamed in pain. He was left huffing in the centre of shards of destruction, but he didn’t wait for anyone to get up. He drew back, breathed in a cry, and roared to release his electric attack at the nearest wall.

Another blast went off, this one strong enough to destroy the wall. He ran through the smoke immediately, knowing that his attack had opened the way.

“St-stop him. Don’t let him escape!” Lassic coughed as he fought his way to his feet.

“Lute!” Sophitia cried, using her shield and sword to fight the rubble he had generated. She coughed on dust and debris. With his emotions on high, she could sense him even if he got a mile away. “Wait but that’s towards- Lute!”

She ran faster than she thought she could. She wound up jumping through holes in walls, and soon enough, she reached a hole in the ceiling. It wasn’t a fancy escape route created by the agents, but a devastated ruin of a path with leaking pipes, crumbling debris, and leaking gas fires. She couldn’t help but gawk up at it, and shook with fear. “Is this the power of the V Pocket?”

She had to back up for a running jump, and then hung from her feelers to climb the rest of the way. It was a struggle, and by the time she made it out, she was covered in scratches, dirt, and sweat. She came out in the centre of the Ministry, and spotted Lute by the entrance to the nature reserve. They locked eyes only briefly, but the moment they did, he turned tail and sprinted. “Lute wait, stop!”

She wasn’t as fast as him, though. She lost him in the hedges and resorted to jumping over the exhibits, and he to fight her breathless state to keep him in sight. He ran right through until he reached the edge of the island, where the fairy relic was. She found him stood on the railing by the sea.

“Lute!” Sophitia screamed. But that was it. She couldn’t say another word, and hung her head to catch her breath. Her chest burnt, her body ached, and sweat dripped from her forehead.

“I don’t… want… to be here,” Lute said, his voice stoic and empty. That got her to look up. In the brief chance she got to see him just now, she noted the terrifying appearance of his eyes. His pupils had vanished, replaced by fizzling static. Glitchy patterns of sick colours. He fell over the barrier in a limp pose, and she flew into a panic.

“Lute!” Sophitia screamed again. Not caring about how tired she was, she leapt right over the rails after him.

They were in freefall for a few seconds, but it felt like an eternity for her. An eternity of chaos and terror. She was much too far away to catch him, and she could barely move her body altogether. She had no breath, no energy. All she could think about was catching him, and almost blacked out from how hard she hit the water.

Powerful waves punched her, while a frightening chill whipped her aches into overdrive. She choked instantly. A painful pang seared her chest as salty water forced its way into her lungs. She struggled for only a moment, but all she could see was the light filtering through the surface getting further away from her. A stream of bubbles rose while she wasn’t, even though she felt as though she was kicking her legs to fight the waves.

She was barely awake, yet too weak to swim. She couldn’t even close her mouth, her vision darkening as smaller and more desperate bubbles escaped her. Soon enough, only the sound of underwater was present, and her consciousness faded.
 
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Episode 23: Rising Spirle

HaruMiju

Hero in their dreams
Location
London
Pronouns
They/them, She/her,
Episode 23: Rising Spirle



“Lute. C’mon, get up already,” Naivie groaned. He didn’t respond, so she growled and began to bash his head. “Get up dang you! Can the fate of Aseria really depend on such a lazy boy?”

Lute didn’t say a word, but he did raise a paw. Without looking up from his slouched position on his bed, he caught her and tossed her aside. She hit the wall beside the door just as Esther tiptoed in. Naivie mumbled a curse as she sank to the floor.

“Naivie?” Esther said.

She looked around the room and downed her ears at the darkened tone. The curtains were closed, some belongings were scattered on the floor, and there were three bowls of untouched food. What was cooked had gone off, and what wasn’t had gone hard from being left out in the open.

“Geez, you haven’t eaten a thing in so long, Lute. You must be famished. Can’t do anything if your tummy has the rumblies, can you?” Esther joked.

“Go away,” Lute replied, his voice muffled by the bedsheets.

“Na-uh-uh. Not until you eat this freshly made—”

“I said go away,” he raised his voice. He got up in a flash and kicked her, making her drop the plate in her paws. She fell backward, in shock and covered in sauce. He didn’t bat an eye at it however, and went right back under his blanket.

“Lute, if you keep that up we’re gonna run outta food,” she said, a slight shudder in her voice. He didn’t answer. His tail didn’t even move. “I know you’re hurt by everything that happened, but come on. You can’t stay like this. Everyone’s worried about you. We need you.”

He was quiet for a while. “You don’t.”

“We do! We dunno where Kuri is. And he wouldn’t help us even if we made him, you know he won’t. So our legend’s at a standstill until you decide to get up,” she said. He still didn’t move. “Those evolved Risen have been showing up all over the place now, too. They’re doing all sorts of stuff. Stealing, breaking into shops, attacking Pokémon… and they’re super tough to take down. Whatever Spirle are doing, they’re making their moves now, ya’know?”

But he still didn’t budge. Not a twitch. Even when she started to growl. “Alright. I’ve had enough of this. It’s been two weeks, Lute. Two weeks of sulking alone in here. Not even Infia was this weak. And I sure as hell didn’t fall in love with someone who’d get beaten down by something like this.”

That got him to move, although it was only to roll over to face her. She was stern and stiff, with her paws curled into fists.

“Like, I get it. You’re a literal product of society. All other Pokémon want from you is what you can do for them. And your reason for being created is nothing but gross, too,” she said. She kept as still as she could while she spoke, but little shakes of tears came through her voice. “I’ve seen it all before. I could’ve stayed an idol until I was unpopular. Phoenix could’ve stayed as Spirle’s test dummy. Infia could’ve been labelled Victoria’s defect, too. But we all moved on, ya’know? None of us are gonna let others decide who we are. Only our feelings are allowed to choose that.”

“All I care about right now is how much I hate how everything has turned out,” he said, half lidded and empty. “I just want to destroy it all. I don’t even want to be alive.”

“Then why did you save Sophitia? Why didn’t you let her die? Why didn’t you destroy Marina?” She grit her fangs.

Lute had to think about that one, and turned away. Besides these regular visits from his friends, nothing else had happened since the reveal, so everything was still fresh in his memory. He remembered drowning and magically recovering from it. It felt like torture, deprived of breath until his body ached from head to toe.

However, moments later, all the pain and discomfort vanished. Somehow, despite staying underwater for longer than any air breather should have been able to, he fully recovered without doing anything. In fact, his vision became as clear as it was on land, and his hearing enhanced to pick up sounds from miles away. His aches stopped and he could practically fly through the water. This was even after he choked and spasmed in an effort to gain oxygen.

The moment he realised that he was okay, his focus locked onto the drowning Sophitia. She was passed out, so it was easy for him to swim over. He caught her in his front paws and shot for the surface, and breathed water the whole time. It was probably the most heroic he had ever looked, yet it felt the most disturbing.

“Never mind all that. Isn’t that okay?” Naivie said. She fluttered between him and Esther. “So you hate this world that’s created you, huh? And you wanna destroy everything that contributed to it.”

Lute didn’t answer, but his eyes thinned.

“Then let’s go do that. And this isn’t even some fancy twist and stuff to get you to do what I want. This world is filthy!” Naivie announced. “So let’s destroy it by awakening the remaining flowers. Do that, and everyone gets what they want.”

“Naivie!” Esther cried.

“Trying to get me to follow your orders like I’m some kind of slave. That’s exactly what I’ve grown to hate about everyone,” Lute said as he coiled back to into bed.

“Hold up, listen for a sec. You remember that when the flowers are awakened, V-Wave technology stops working, right? But aren’t you a product made entirely outta V-Waves?” Naivie continued. He got up again. “Exactly. You destroy the basis of society, and you stop functioning, too. You wanna die, so you take the world with you. You already tried to kill yourself once, so might as well do something useful with it.”

“Naivie, that’s fucking horrible!” Esther cried.

“But it’s what he wants. The world isn’t gonna change as long as V-Wave stuff keeps existing. So if you wanna remove it all as well as yourself, do it all in one fell swoop with the help of the ancient flowers,” Naivie explained.

“That’s still a horrible way of thinking! What kind of twisted masochist do you have to be to help someone kill themselves for your own gain? Weren’t we friends?” Esther shrieked.

“Ha! Hardly. With stuff like this, I can’t afford to let emotions and ‘friendship’ get in the way of stuff that has to be done. It’s do or die for the world. Friendship has no place in it,” Naivie said.

“That’s a good way of thinking, actually,” Lute said, getting up. Esther took in a breath. “I’m tired of treating everyone like fake friends.”

“Don’t say that,” Esther said. She held him in place, but he didn’t fight back. “We’re friends, aren’t we? We understand each other more than most Pokémon.”

Lute’s face tightened. “You’re annoying, you know that?”

Esther gasped and flinched back.

“You’re annoying. You’re obsessive and controlling, and you have no sense of shame. Your idea of us being friends was you inserting yourself into my life and dragging me into this mess, careless about how I felt or how any of it really affected me,” Lute stated. He completely ignored her look of disbelief. “And then you have the nerve to try and coax me with asinine statements like falling in love with me? You and I were never friends. That was just a dumb status you convinced yourself you had for your own satisfaction.”

“But I- we—” she mouthed and shuddered. “I-I m-meant… I didn’t—”

“Hey, you confessed, and he responded. You can either deal with this maturely, or run off crying like a sissy,” Naivie said. Esther let out a hoarse groan and then stifled it after a second, left shuddering with a furious glare on her face.

“You’re both vile,” she said slowly, and stormed out. She slammed the door so hard it sounded like the frame cracked.

“Gotta admit I’m surprised. I expected the running away and crying part. I wonder how long she’ll throw out underhanded comments for?” Naivie said. “But hey, try not to cut through the others too deeply, okay? We do still need them to be wanting to do this, too.”

Lute didn’t reply. He began to sort out his room, retrieved his bag and the important tools he needed. Naivie watched him in interest, and then sat on his bed.

“You and I, we’re going to do this, no matter what it takes. It’s super easy to wind up being misunderstood, but remember that it’s your prayers that grows those flowers. The world will end up the way you and the other heroes want it to be,” Naivie explained. “I’m not doubting you or anything, but if at any point you do change your mind on feeling the way you do now, you have the time to do so. Not even I can stop you from doing that.”

“That was surprisingly sentimental coming from you. You wanted this all along, didn’t you?” he said.

“All the matters to me is that the heroes do their jobs and awaken the ancient flowers. I don’t care how it gets done. Maybe it’s fate that you were supposed to die along with it, I dunno. I reckon your little Minun friend has figured that out already too, but she thinks she’s being strong by keeping a tight lip on it. And I haven’t the faintest what’ll happen to Phoenix,” Naivie said. “But all the heroes are chosen for a reason. Whatever the future holds, you all will decide what it is and know what’s best for it.”

“So it’s less of a personal wish, but a mission implanted on your own being,” he said. She froze, her eyes wide. “So you’re just like me. A slave to your orders. You don’t even know what’s going to come of this, do you?”

“Okay that part I do know. I was born to see this through, so everything that happens regarding the legend, I know all about,” she said cheerfully.

“But have you seen it happen? Do you know what kind of prayers and wishes are actually going into those flowers?” he said.

Naivie’s eyes widened again. For the first time, the miniature fairy looked flustered and her ear-like wings ceased to flap for a moment. It made Lute snicker, and he got up to leave. “If I were you, I’d start thinking for yourself before it’s too late.”

Before she could respond, Esther’s scream rung through the house, and they exchanged glances. The instant Lute pulled the door open, Naivie flew out, while he trotted after her.

At the front of the house, Spirle High Points Victor and Victoria were out in the open, and between them was a massive Pokémon he hadn’t seen before. Sophitia and the others looked as though they had been fighting for a while, but Esther was knelt down at the back of the group. He thought she had simply taken an attack that had grounded her until he noticed a huge red stain on her side, barely covered by her paw. It was steadily spreading, too – she was still bleeding.

“Esther, get a hold of yourself! You know that charging at these two isn’t gonna work,” Sophitia said. She had her shield and sword out.

“Stay still, I can take care of this,” Infia said as she laid her paws on the wound. The Pikachu cringed, but once Infia’s healing move started, she settled a bit.

“Now then, are we done playing children’s games? We’re busy Pokémon, you know,” Victoria said. “You’ve already made fools of yourselves by underestimating me again. Keep wasting our time, and I can’t promise you I’ll hold back your punishment.”

“And trust me, Victoria’s punishments mean real business. A beating from her is worse than a beating from mummy’s belt!” Victor remarked. His Spritzee partner slumped forward.

“Do you have to put it so embarrassingly?” Victoria complained.

“It ain’t embarrassing, sweetheart. It’s called brutal honesty. No doubt they’re peeing themselves just picturing it, ha!” Victor laughed.

“Working with you is so embarrassing,” The Spritzee rolled her eyes. “But we aren’t joking. Marina. Come quietly, or the lot of you will pay the price.”

“Marina?” Lute said quietly. Marina was in fact amongst them, feet spread like she was ready to fight. What do they want with her? Or did they somehow figure out that she built me?

“I dunno what you want with her, but I’m not gonna let you get away with the kidnapping routine again,” Sophitia said.

She leapt towards them and swung her sword overhead, only to hit the ground where Victoria once was. She pointed her other feeler where the fairy types had jumped to release a Fairy Wind attack in their direction. The attack passed right through them however, and their forms vanished.

“How can you think to do so when you can’t even see me?” Victoria’s voice taunted her. Before she knew it, she was inside of a cloud of pink perfume, unable to see. She could only hear the laughter of the two fairies, to which she growled.

Curse her illusions. Don’t let it trip you, Sophie. Emotions, find their feelings, she thought as she raised all four feelers.

To Lute however, he could see everything. The duo had simply spread out, and Victoria was glowing to signify the use of her powers. He was tempted to charge her with Quick Attack right there and then, but something stopped him.

With the power to make illusions of anything that are so real that you can feel them, it’s a wonder that they aren’t able to just walk away with Marina. Unless, something is stopping them from doing that, he thought as he observed. His eyes locked to the giant Pokémon that hadn’t moved since he arrived. And then there’s that thing.

The bipedal creature was covered from head to toe in shell that resembled battle armour, all as shiny and smooth as metal. The turquoise sheen contrasted with its large, dark eyes. Huge arms failed to hide its tough nails, two on each claw. The armour theme carried on across most of its back and its legs, but its front was mostly exposed. However, with the four ant-like feet gathered near its mouth, each with a nail on the end, it hardly looked like a weak spot.

“Sophitia, they’re on your left,” Infia cried. Sophitia was too late to react, and wound up tackled to the floor by Victor. She fought with the Swirlix with a kick and a slap, but they were brought to a stop when he chomped on her shield to lock them in place.

Instead of trying and shake him off, Sophitia flipped to her feet and brought him close, and then pressed her lips to his side. It looked to be an unprecedented move until the Swirlix’s body began to glow and burn and he started screaming. It wasn’t long before he detached, with a curse and a huff.

“Draining Kiss! You sly little witch,” Victor shouted.

“Good. Now you guys know that the same tricks won’t work twice,” Sophitia replied.

“Don’t get cocky. You just caught me off guard,” Victor said. “Ha. Wait a minute. There he is. The star player.”

“Star player?” Sophitia whispered. She did a double take once she realised that Lute was there. “Lute?”

He sighed now that all the attention was on him. Everyone seemed surprised, besides Esther who puffed out her cheeks and turned away. He slowly advanced and paid them little interest.

“Not another step. We brought back up just for you.” Victoria pointed at him. But he didn’t stop walking. “Hey, are you listening to me?”

“The big Pokémon in the centre? I’m not afraid of him,” he said.

Victoria squinted. “Cocky since you damaged Storm, are you? You’ll live to regret it if you carry on like that. Rhodeas, activate!”

Her words caused the Pokémon to stand taller, its claws and nails pulled into a stance. Lute stopped in place the moment it reacted, but he kept his eyes on it. He couldn’t help himself. His breath became tenser and his heart picked up, and now his mind was trying to convince him that he wasn’t afraid. This Pokémon was massive, and any one of its nails looked like it could pierce right through him.

“Lute, wait! That thing is powerful. Be more careful,” Marina called out. Sophitia growled and leapt to his side with her shield out.

“I dunno what your plan is, but I’ll ask you about it later,” she said. She held her shield in front of them both.

“Not going to ask me why I’m here?” Lute asked after a moment.

“Not really the time, is it?” she glanced at him.

“Hmpf. You’ll be in the way. Don’t bother.” He rolled his eyes.

“He’s right, you know. This one is a V-Wave enhanced Risen, the finest Spirle has ever created,” Victoria announced. Now Lute’s eyes were wide. “A Golisopod is already a formidable Pokémon. Powered up through V-Waves, the very essence of Pokémon attacks and abilities… Rhodeas is legendary in power.”

“If he’s really so powerful, then why didn’t you use him in the first place?” Phoenix challenged. Embers leaked from his mouth.

“Because—” Victor said, and then choked on his words. He turned to his partner with a nervous sweat. “Actually, he’s got a good question. If we have this ultimate creature of destruction, why aren’t we just using it to make life easy?”

“Victor, oh Victor. It is uncouth. Don’t you know about keeping things exciting? We need push the limits of their disobedience,” Victoria explained. “They could listen to us and make life easy, or they could struggle, and force us to have to use such a powerful weapon.”

Weapon. There it was. That last word rung alarm bells in Lute’s head, and brought him back to that livid focus he had brewed these past two weeks. That they spoke of a clearly living Pokémon this way, and were going to order it around like a pet. The idea disgusted him.

“Or, if investigations are anything to go by,” Sophitia said. “This here is another of Spirle’s prototype enhanced Risen. And this little scenario is your field test for it. You’ve never actually used this Risen in battle, have you? You have little idea of how it’s going to perform.”

The enemy fairies glared at her, making her snicker. “Looks like I was right.”

“You can hype it up all you want, but it won’t be enough to defeat me,” Lute stated. He bared his fangs at it. “The things I’m capable of now, I couldn’t possibly lose to something like this.”

“Lute wait, that’s not how it works,” Marina gasped.

“That is how it works. You said it to me yourself!” he said.

“He’s totally takin;’ the gamble. If he’s askin’ for it, might as well give it to ‘em,” Victor said with a snicker.

“Rhodeas! Give him the First Impression. And don’t hold back on it.” Victoria pointed a wing.

Lute appeared focused, but his chest went into overdrive. He was frightened to the point he could throw up, but just about managed to stiffen and brace for the battle. That is, if the battle went the way he expected. His eyes were focused solely on the Golisopod and nothing else, not even his surroundings. So when it took one step forward and vanished from view, it was like a heart attack, where he had an instant to react before a crisis.

Rhodeas reappeared after it had struck him. It impacted Lute’s neck with the space between its nails. There was a pause of time where all feeling disappeared from his body and a lifeless cry escaped his mouth alongside a wave of spit. Then the next thing he knew, his surroundings were blurring past him, followed by the sounds of crushing rock and destruction.

The others mouths hit the floor. They turned a few seconds after the attack had been delivered. Their reactions couldn’t keep up. In the time span of a single breath, Lute had been struck so hard his body had gone through the walls of the house behind them. Looking through the holes left behind, he had gone further than that, knocked through all the walls of the house and out of sight.

“A-amazing,” Victoria said on a staggered breath.

“Good Arceus, it freaking killed him. You killed him, dude!” Victor said.

“I-I-I didn’t mean t-to, I had no idea Rhodeas had that kind of power?” Victoria replied, her voice a total flip of her confidence from earlier. Sophitia turned to them, a fear triggered by Victoria’s sudden panic.

“What kind of weapon is this?” Phoenix glared at the Golisopod. It was still in the pose of when it struck Lute.

Contrary to everyone’s concerns, Lute’s body remained intact. He had gone through the house and his body had skidded to a halt as it rolled across the earth, leaving a deep ditch in its place. It had left him feeling numb and empty, almost like his whole being had turned to jelly.

But it had equally triggered exactly what he thought it would trigger. That robotic focus that transcended realistic feelings. Despite being struck so hard, he was conscious, and his mind could think of nothing other than that Golisopod. It was his target for assassination, and nothing else mattered.

With vision, hearing, and smell keen enough to track the creature from however far away he was, he stood up and braced himself. His body was bursting with energy for Pokémon attacks, so much that the air around him began to fluctuate, tiny rocks and mess floated around him. He erupted with a feral roar, and a gush of wind expanded the ditch around him. He abandoned it with an easy leap towards the battle with a faster Quick Attack than he had ever used.

“Wait, what’s—” Victoria said. She squinted to look in Lute’s direction. Rhodeas reacted with a cry of its own before she did.

Before anyone could realise what had happened, Lute’s Quick Attack crashed into Rhodeas’ arm and sent it back a few paces. It guarded the hit and pushed against him, but growled hard in effort. It didn’t get a chance to try anything else however, as it looked over its armour briefly to see Lute crackling with electricity. His electric attack was launched right in Rhodeas’ face, causing it to cry out and topple over.

“Wait, is that Lute?” Esther gasped; arms crossed over her front. Just those two attacks from him released so much force that wind whipped everyone’s fur, those unaware knocked to their feet.

“Lute?” Sophitia whispered. His eyes had that same terrifying glow they had when he attempted to drown himself: empty, fizzling, and erratic.

Despite crackling with paralysis, Rhodeas got up and resumed a battle unlike anything anyone had ever seen. The Golisopod and Eevee moved at blinding speeds, Lute a blur of brown that darted to and fro to strike with Quick Attack, while Rhodeas tried to guard each hit with its armour. It was able to retaliate despite Lute’s ferocity, slashing the air with its claws to set off sparks and force. Their battle was nothing short of violent ad bloodthirsty.

“You two, don’t just stand there! Do something!. Or someone’s going to get hurt!” Marina shouted at Victor and Victoria. The two fairies were in a daze, and replied with a horrified look.

“V-Victoria, you can command him to stop, right? I think it’s safe to say he’s going outta control,” Victor said.

“I-I, u-um—” Victoria staggered said.

“Victoria! Before we lose our Risen!” he cried.

“I-I know, I got it, I got it. Rhodeas, return!” she called at the top of her voice.

It was no use. Attacks clashed and powerful moves flew all over the place, but everything came to a pause when the blade of a Razor Shell pierced Lute right through the middle of his waist. Lute was held up high from the blade, but it didn’t deter him in the slightest. He didn’t even make a sound of pain. Hung high up and at point blank range, Lute unleashed a huge orb of electricity directly into his enemy.

His attack freed him from the Razor Shell and brought Rhodeas to the floor. The Golisopod groaned and roared as volts seared through its body. By now, lots of ditches had formed, while nearby buildings had huge dents and burns where stray blasts had hit, some even damaged with holes in them.

But Lute didn’t care. He watched the weakened Golisopod like a hunter waiting for their prey to stop struggling. Rhodeas eventually fell forward onto its claws. Only when its defeat was a certainty did Lute’s eyes return to normal, and the energy surrounding him visually dissipated.

“Haven’t you ever seen a paralysed Pokémon before?” he said. It took Victoria a moment to realise she was being spoken to, and she flinched when their eyes met. “Get out. And never come back.”

She staggered and shivered, her eyes darting all over the place. “Is this… truly the power of the V Pockets?”

No one answered her, but once she saw Lute’s impatient eyes again, she knew to move. She growled and flew over to her fallen comrade. “Victor! C’mon, we’re out of here.”

“Yeah,” Victor said slowly. He looked over at everyone. “You might wanna put that thing on a leash.”

They vanished in the light of an escape orb. For moments after they left, no one said a word. All was still besides the others getting to their feet, and eventually, the public gathering around. Lute spared all the townspokémon a glance, surprised by the wave of anger and fear plastered across their states. He froze when he spotted Lassic amongst them, who clapped slowly.

“You picked a good time to show up,” Lute said.

“Your hostility is only natural. However, I assure you, it is unneeded,” Lassic replied. “Let’s take this inside. This isn’t for the public to hear.”







“What you saw was the results of how I programmed Lute. Back then, I was focused on ensuring that he would be the start of my revived family, so I took extra precautions to ensure that he couldn’t be killed easily,” Marina began. Everyone was sat around the dinner table. They had to ignore the giant holes in the walls. “To understand how this works is to understand what V-Waves are and how they work. V-Waves are the essence of Pokémon attacks and abilities, treated as a weather phenomenon.”

Phoenix spoke up. “When the V-Wave favours a certain type of Pokémon, all Pokémon of that type experience a boost in energy and will find it easier to execute their moves and abilities. This is basic knowledge in Aseria.”

Marina nodded. “And we now manipulate the V-Wave with programming, allowing us to create computers and other technology that can do all sorts of things. The V-Pocket is a living AI with a physical form made up entirely of V-Waves,” Marina continued. “To ensure that Lute couldn’t die easily, I gave him programming that focuses on the theme of ‘Adaptability’. That happens to be a Pokémon ability, in case you’re wondering.”

“Adaptability?” Sophitia tilted her head.

“Lute’s body is set to react to certain situations it is put under, and then bolster his abilities accordingly, absorbing all manner of surrounding V-Waves in attempt to adapt to the circumstances. In simple words, when Lute is in battle, his body will absorb V-Waves to power him up until he’s strong enough to fight the foe or at least escape,” Marina clarified. She began to draw a diagram with her paws. “This is what we just saw. In no circumstances should any Eevee have been able to tank the hit that Lute did. But he absorbed it, grew to match Rhodeas’ strength, and then retaliated, suddenly having enough power to defeat Rhodeas.”

“Because Rhodeas was so powerful, the strength we’re talking about is… well,” Sophitia said, a feeler on her chin. She gestured to the holes in the walls, and gulped.

“Exactly. You catch on fast. It can be destructive. I dread to say it, but possibly even godly. In theory, Lute is invincible,” Marina said. “It even adapts to environmental changes. If he’s underwater, he stops requiring oxygen. If he’s in lava, his body will resist.”

“Holy shit Marina, way to make him overpowered!” Esther cried.

“Can you at least talk as if I’m part of this conversation? You wanted me to be here,” Lute said.

“Sorry. But like I said, my original aim was to revive my family, my husband first and foremost. If I had the chance to make you invulnerable, I took it,” Marina reasoned. “But there are two things. You are in a ‘natural state’ almost constantly, like you are now. If something should knock you out at your current strength, it will. Your body won’t adapt if you simply pass out, and whether you want it to or not, your body is programmed to be like a normal Pokémon inside and out. So carry on not eating, and you will pass out from hunger. Try not to sleep, and you will faint from fatigue.”

Lute gave a gruff groan. He hadn’t eaten a morsel in two weeks and felt fine, so he wasn’t sure that that part was true. However, he had found himself passing out into long hours of sleep, where he had apparently snored, even. That felt like an obnoxious limitation beyond his control.

“Secondly, and most importantly… I built you with a failsafe.” Marina shut her eyes.

“A… failsafe?” Phoenix said.

“As desperate as I was, I’m not so incompetent that I would create something like this and not have a way of stopping it should things get out of my control. So yes, you have a failsafe. A shutdown function. A forced ‘off switch’,” Marina revealed.

“So if you wanted to, I really am at your mercy,” Lute said. Marina shook her head.

“I don’t know if you’ll ever listen or believe me ever again, but I mean it when I say that you’re my son first and foremost before everything. And you never won’t be,” she said. “But, and this is the most hypothetical ‘but’ ever, if some extreme circumstance should ever occur and go wrong, I will power you off.”

“A question. Is it possible that Lute’s adaptability can yield new Pokémon attacks, too?” Sophitia asked. “We’ve seen you use that electric and psychic type attack a few times now, but I still can’t put a paw on what moves they really are. The electric move instantly paralyses, and the psychic one puts up Light Screen.”

“Yes. That would be caused by absorbing huge amounts of a specific type of V-Wave, particularly when that V-Wave is in use. If Lute spent extended amounts of time near an electric or psychic type when his adaptability activated, it would trigger unique moves using those two types,” Marina said.

“Would that be because of me and Esther? All those times I used Helping Hand with you.” Infia wondered.

“Oh yeah, right. And I guess Gen has a paw in it, too.” Sophitia tilted her head. “Although, that begs to question, why no fairy or fire type move? Me and Phoenix have been with him way more than Gen. Did we just like, not resonate?”

“It’s certainly possible. There are so many factors that play a role in it,” Marina said. She cleared her throat. “My main reason for telling you this, though. Please Lute, for the love of Arceus, don’t ever pull a stunt like that again. You can still get hurt very badly, you can still get knocked out, you can still die, and you can still feel pain. You have to look after yourself.”

“And then what would’ve happened back there? Just let them kidnap you? And what does it matter if I get hurt, anyway? You just told everyone how powerful I am. If pain makes me stronger, then it doesn’t matter,” Lute said.

“By far, I am no longer the only one who will be hurt by seeing you in pain. I’m sure everyone here can agree that it’s frustrating seeing you like this. I never meant for things to end up this way,” Marina reasoned.

“But they have, and it’s all because you decided to make me. Just like everything else wrong with this world. It’s better I don’t exist. I’m just another disposable tool in the grand scheme of things,” Lute stated. “I could die, and nobody would care eventually. You can deny it all you want, but it’s no secret truth.”

“Lute, don’t say awful things like that. I-if you died, we—” Infia whimpered.

“We’re not having this conversation again. That’s not why Lassic came here.” Lute turned away.

“Actually, it is,” the Delphox said. He got up and approached, and then to everyone’s surprise, bowed down on his knees.

“Lassic?” Marina gasped.

“Please. Allow me to apologise for everything I have caused you, and for my disgusting display two weeks ago. On behalf of every King’s Shield agent, and all our teams working on science and technology, we never meant for such a sinful turn of events,” Lassic said. Lute expected to be disturbed as he spoke, but he felt a sense of genuine remorse instead. “And to know that you feel such a way after your experiences. We are entirely at fault. No amount of apology or respect will resolve this… but if there is anything we may do to repay you personally, please name it. We will see to it where realistically possible.”

Lute didn’t respond. He was actually speechless. He kept his mouth shut, but he half expected some kind of bad-taste joke to come out. There wasn’t. Lassic remained bowed until he actually started to feel awkward about it. “Okay I get it. Get up. S-seeing you like this is just off-putting.”

“Your service thus far has been phenomenal. To lose you as an ally over some hard feelings would be a critical loss to Aseria’s safety,” Lassic said.

“So you did come here for other reasons,” he said.

“Only relating to duty, Lute. Scenarios like what we just experienced have become commonplace across Aseria. The evolved Risen are very powerful enemies, and the common public cannot deal with them. We could use you out there, fighting amongst your friends,” Lassic said, paws tucked behind his back.

“I’ll pass. We have our own thing to be doing, anyway,” Lute said.

“What kind of attitude is that? Lassic of all Pokémon actually came out of his way to apologize and plead, and you’re still gonna be a rude ass to him, too?” Esther cried. “When did you become such a- argh!”

“Lassic’s only apologizing to get me to follow his orders again. It’s no different from the rest,” Lute argued.

“That’s so that we can help Pokémon, though. Can’t we just stay as agents so we can do good things?” Infia said.

“Keep your original goal in mind,” Sophitia said, surprisingly calm. Lute glanced at her. “You just want to follow the legend at this point, right? So that we can become true heroes.”

“And if Spirle get in the way of that, we’ll knock them aside, like we always have,” Lute nodded.

“But if we do that…” Esther said. She gulped and turned away. “Nothing. Forget it. Fine, we’ll do this.”

“Shall we consider your team off-duty, then? You can keep your status as agents, but unless an emergency occurs nearby, we will not call you. You need not report to us your activities either, unless related,” Lassic said as he came to Lute’s side. He crouched and gestured to pat him on the head. “Consider it a holiday. Take a load off for a while, okay? Go back to being an ordinary boy, and see how you feel after a while. A change of horizons and pace works wonders for clearing your head.”
 
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Episode 24: The Oldest Village in Aseria

HaruMiju

Hero in their dreams
Location
London
Pronouns
They/them, She/her,
Episode 24: The Oldest Village in Aseria



“We have to change gondola in Pokétopia anyway, so we might as well take a break there and drop off Marina,” Phoenix said, sat down in the gondola. “You are free to take care of your issue.”

“Thank you,” Infia said quietly. The others didn’t say anything, but there was an obvious shift of discomfort from Lute. He had been silent since they left Everend, and spent the trip staring out the window at the dull sky. Only Sophitia had dared to stay close to him, but she didn’t say anything. It was difficult to.

“I’ll try not to be long. Sorry about this.” Infia bowed when they came to a stop. She was the first to step off into the station.

“What’s got you in a rush, anyway? Did something happen?” Marina asked.

“Actually, I wanted to ask you something,” Infia replied.

“Well, go ahead. You could’ve asked me any time,” Marina said.

“Um, I-I… I can’t,” Infia turned bright red. Esther perked up.

“Oh right, that thing. Yeah okay, er,” Esther said, and spun around to look at everyone. “Yeah uh, we’re gonna be a little bit, ‘kay? You guys go do something for a little while.”

“Hmm? What’s wrong?” Sophitia wondered.

“It’s kinda for me and Infia alone. We’ll be in the King’s Shield base if you need us. We’ll call you when we’re ready to go. That means you too, Fluffy Cheeks.” Esther waved at them. She pulled Infia and Marina with her, and soon disappeared into the crowd in an impatient sprint.

“Er… shall we grab snacks?” Sophitia suggested with a shrug. Lute remained half-lidded, while Phoenix looked confused.

The three girls went straight to the agent base underneath the shopping arcade, but once there, Infia shrivelled up and couldn’t stop blushing. There wasn’t anyone there except them and a few operators, and they were hard at work on computers. Some had headphones on. Athens wasn’t even around, so all was quiet.

“C’mon now. You all have work to do. And I know no one wants to say it, but I doubt Lute’s patience is going to last with you girls keeping secrets like this,” Marina said. “What’s wrong?”

“I-I, um, I dunno how to say this,” Infia squeaked every word.

“Forget Lute, don’t worry about him. That turd can wait as long as it takes. This is important,” Esther stated. She walked behind Infia and shoved her a little. “Go ahead! Be brave. No one here is gonna judge you for asking.”

“Y-yes they are!” she squeaked even louder. Marina tilted her head. “I-I can’t. This was a bad idea. I’m sorry about this, sorry. Forget it, I wasted your time.”

“No you didn’t- urf, alright, I’ll do it,” Esther said.

“Esther no!”

“Infia wants to know if you can improve her body,” Esther said, paws on her hips. The Minun went even redder and pulled her shirt over her head. “Since you made Lute so powerful and stuff, is it possible that you can like, y’know… I really hate to put this way, but is there a way to like, ‘fix’ Infia? You don’t have to give her any crazy powers and stuff.”

“Fix her?” Marina said slowly. Esther signalled for the Minun to talk again, and she gulped. She stepped forward and lifted her skirt, revealing her nappy.

“M-m-make it s-so that I don’t have to we-wear this anymore… please,” she said.

“Oh, that’s what this is about. Okay, I totally understand the privacy, now,” Marina said. She gave Infia a quick look, and rubbed her chin. “Normally I would immediately decline. This isn’t something that could be done on a normal Pokémon. They want me working on V-Pocket and Risen stuff, so this will be a good refresher. But please understand that I can only promise to try.”

“Why wouldn’t it work? She’s a V-Pocket just like Lute,” Esther said.

“But she was made by Spirle, not me. I wouldn’t be surprised if the technology and programming is totally different. This is very immoral too; you know that right? If Pokémon knew that it was possible to just, remove disabilities, birth defects, that sort of thing, the world would be a million times different to what it is now,” Marina explained with a straight face.

“B-but this is so important. There are so many things I can’t do properly because I’m so weak and I keep having accidents all the time. I’m just lucky that I’m someone where it can be fixed. Please, if you can do it, I’ll do anything. I’m so tired of being a liability to everyone,” Infia cried.

“You’re hardly a liability, though,” Esther sighed.

“Like I said, I only promise to try. We’ll start with a scan. Pretty sure they have one of those tubey things here,” Marina said.

They went deeper into the lab to the stasis tube that Esther had previously destroyed, only to find it as good as new. Infia looked nervous as she approached it, but with a determined nod and a clutch of her chest, she stepped inside.

“They fixed it already. Geez, Lassic doesn’t waste any time with his toys, does he?” Esther muttered.

“They do need this. Clothes off, Infia. And try not to panic. The tube will fill with liquid, but you’ll be alright,” Marina instructed as she tapped a few buttons. Esther tensed up and closed her fists once the procedure got underway. She stuttered and growled as Infia was submerged, and crackled her cheeks. “Easy now, Esther. I promise you; she’ll be fine.”

“I… I know but—” Esther gritted her fangs. It looked like the Minun had fallen unconscious, and bubbles came from her mouth. “It’s really hard to look at this and not just think somebody’s drowning.”

“I can understand that, actually,” Marina admitted, half paying attention. She tapped buttons without even thinking about it, or at least, that was how she looked when she worked. She seemed to know where to retrieve tools and what levers to pull. She worked with the screens like it was second nature.

“Plus… I kinda don’t agree with this. I tried to talk her out of it, I really did,” Esther sighed again. Marina finally slowed down to look at her. “She really, really hates the fact that she has to wear nappies. It’s not even the idea of wearing them. I’ve never met anyone who hates themselves so much for something they can’t control before.”

“Yes. She tried to take her own life over this, didn’t she?” Marina replied. She looked up at the Minun.

“According to Lute, yeah. She talks about him a lot. I dunno why she’s so open with me, but if you heard the way she talks about him, it’s like she’s given her whole life to him or something. Its super fucked up,” Esther said. “If this works out and she actually does get stronger, I really hope it doesn’t go to her head like it did for Lute. Why can’t she just be like Phoenix, and just realise that she can still live the way she really wants to?”

“Phoenix and Lute are very different cases.” Marina returned to focus. “How can I put this?”

“They’re all just V-Pockets, though. It’s got a different title, but they’re all Pokémon,” Esther said.

“Both Lute and Phoenix were brought up as ordinary Pokémon. They know how to value their lives, how to talk to others, how to relax, how to want something, you know? But Infia grew up under a Spirle High Point. All she ever knew was what she was made to do. If she can’t do those things, she’ll feel like she’s useless. This goes beyond simple computer programming – she was physically and mentally raised to know no better than that mindset.”

“But she does know how to want things. I can see it in her. She was a fan of me when I was an idol! She wouldn’t think like that and have her own feelings if it wasn’t true,” Esther argued. Marina didn’t reply, and she sighed. “She’s smarter and more proactive than she makes herself out to be, too. Using Helping Hand when we first fought Evoli, and then Rain Dance when we were in that volcano… she’s a fighting genius. And she never gives herself credit for any of this.”

“You said she’s very open when she talks to you, yes?” Marina said, still not looking. Esther nodded with a hum. “Then it’s up to you to teach her. She’s obviously opened up to you enough to talk to you about things like this.”

“You don’t think I haven’t already tried, have you?” Esther raised her voice.

“I assume you have. But keep doing it. This isn’t something that can just be snapped away. It’s years of mental forging and bad experiences that have shaped her into who she is, and you’re the first step into trying to break that apart and change it,” Marina explained.

Esther looked away and sighed. That made Marina smile, and she faced the Pikachu. “Just stay her friend, okay? Keep treating her as you would your friends, and everything will work out okay.”

“I know I know,” Esther sighed again, and folded her arms. The machine started making irritating scratching noises, to which her ears twitched and she groaned at it.

“It’s just processing the results now. I copied all her data so that I can mess around with it while you guys get on with your journey,” Marina said as she finished up. The liquid drained from the chamber and Infia was set free, but she slumped forward lifelessly into Esther’s awaiting arms. “Oh. She should wake up after a minute or two.”

“She damn well better,” Esther said.

“Hmm… Ugh. This is just like I feared,” Marina frowned at the screen. “Most of this code is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. I’m actually surprised this even functions as a V-Pocket.”

“Can you work with it, though? Like, this isn’t a totally hopeless—” Esther said.

“Oh. Oh. Ooooh. Amazing. Okay, this looks amazing,” Marina continued, slapping her paws on the sides of the computer to lean over the screen. Her eyes began to gleam, and Esther could’ve sworn they were growing bigger. “Oh yes. Who could’ve imagined that that formula could possibly work? Like so, it is only an amalgamation of that code. I have a hypothesis. It is almost a cheese! And this part here, this must be the move data… ohoho, Spirle, you clever little dunces!”

“Uh,” was all Esther could mutter, and she leaned away. Marina froze and slowly averted her gaze from the screen in a robotic fashion.

“This was a fantastic idea, and a clean insight into Spirle’s plans. I am going to tear this apart! The anatomy of the code, the ambition in the formulas, the material tying it all together… it’s remarkable! I’ve never seen anything like it. Mwahahaha, it’s like a whole new void has opened up to me!” Marina rambled with growing intensity.

“Yeah uh, you have fun with that. Just y’know, don’t forget to actually help Infia?” Esther leaned back.

“Oh yeah, I will,” Marina said dismissively. There was a moment of quiet, and then she realised that the Pikachu was still there, cradling the unconscious Infia in her arms. “Go on, get outta here! Can’t you see I’m deep in work now? Go sleep on the couch or something. I’ll give you guys a call on the badge when I’ve found something.”

“There’s a couch here?” Esther squeaked as she was pushed out of the room. Marina slammed the door shut the moment they were out, but could be heard laughing maniacally within. “O-kay then. Lute’s mum is a fucking weirdo. Noted!”







Infia woke up soon after that, so they returned to their main trip: a gondola to the island where the third temple was. The Minun was disheartened by the news, even though there was open-ended potential for her.

They dropped the topic the moment they reunited with Lute and the others. The group had restocked on the important things they needed, evident by their overstuffed travel bags and Sophitia snacking on a chocolate bar. The only question that was asked was whether or not they picked up Esther’s favourite cup noodles.

The gondola ride was mostly in silence again. Everyone occupied themselves until their destination had come into view. The moment it did, Naivie got everyone’s attention. “There it is. And it looks as good as ever.”

“You said it was called Obire, right?” Lute said as he went to the window. His mouth hung agape, and an old feeling awoke in the back of his mind.

The island looked like one of those generic scenic paintings of holiday spots you could buy in a market. The difference was that this was reality, and so every last detail was unlike anything he had ever seen. The land was tropical, wild, and bursting with nature. The station was near a beach, which led into a jungle lined with plant life so foreign it looked alien. Beyond that, mountains peaked through the central region of the island, all at different heights that went beyond the clouds above. Everything about it screamed adventure.

“This place... is there even a town or a village here or anything? It almost looks like an uninhabited island,” Sophitia remarked.

“This is so cool! I’ve never seen anything like this,” Esther gasped.

“It is probably the last place in Aseria to have not been taken over by the advancing technology. I do not know much about the island, but it is considered to be out of the agent’s jurisdiction, so any criminals that escape there, we let go,” Phoenix explained.

“Whaaaaat? You knew about this place and never told me? Fluffy Cheeks!” Esther put her paws on her hips.

“This is my first time here. I know not what to expect,” he added, half-lidded.

“If it’s untouched by your tall foxy friend, then that means the village should still be there. And that the Pokémon living there will be ancients,” Naivie said. She fluttered around everyone in glee. “The temple is somewhere in the mountains there. Looks like you guys’ll have to climb a mystery dungeon to get there.”

“Kinda a good thing we stocked up then, huh. I guess we’re even luckier that a gondola goes here,” Sophitia said.

The gondola station was no greater than a single square room situated on one end of the beach, with only one rail for carriages to come and go. Lute was the first to jog away the moment he set foot on it. The sea wasn’t stagnant, but the waves that washed up weren’t strong. He twisted and sniffed his own footprints, surprised to have gotten his own scent from it. Then he let the water wash over his legs a few times, and shivered from how cold it was. It was a pleasant cold, the cool cold that was perfect for hot weather.

“Lute, don’t run off like that. The heck are you even doing?” Esther called.

“I just told you the temple is up there in the mountains, and you start frolicking in the sand like a hyper little infant. Good job, kid,” Naivie groaned.

“I was curious. I’ve never been to a beach before,” he replied. Everyone froze.

“Su-seriously?” Infia whispered.

“Places like that were always too far away for Mum to ever take me. I-I just wanted to try stuff out.” He looked away.

“Holy shit, way to remind me that you’re a sheltered little bumpkin. If you hadn’t been a big dick earlier, maybe I’d call for you to have a little fun here,” Esther pouted. She folded her arms and turned away.

“Oh. No, you’re right,” Lute sighed. He shook himself off and looked up at everyone, immediately awkward thanks to Sophitia’s gleaming smile. “Sorry about that. We should focus. The rule of mystery dungeons is- okay, what’s up with you? Stop looking at me like that.”

”It’s just, you’re excited,” Sophitia said in a sing-song tone. “I didn’t know you hadn’t been to the beach before! We should look around.”

“We should focus on the quest. Forget about what my feeble little outburst wants,” Lute replied, unable to hide a blush. “If we keep walking towards the direction of the mountain, then even if the mystery dungeon diverts our path, we should make it to our destination. That’s the rule of mystery dungeons. Let’s go.”

“Uh uh, hold on a second,” Naivie objected. “Normally that would be true, but that only really works because of your V-Wave stuff stabilising all the ley lines and preventing the landscape from moving. But this island is untouched. To get through the mystery dungeon, you’re probably going to need the help of those ancients.”

“Oh, right. That’s also true. So like it or not, Obire Village is our best first stop,” he said.

“I mean, that’s still just as exciting, huh?” Sophitia brushed past him with a feeler. “We still get to look around. We get the full package.”

“We’re not here for fun, Sophitia.” He rolled his eyes.

“Listen to yourself, Lute. I never thought you’d be the one to say no fun allowed,” she said with a giggle. He growled and shivered to stop himself from retaliating. They set off after that, but he still felt that tone sting.

The transition of the soft sands to the loamy, dusty soils of the forest was almost magical to him. To go from such a vast open space to this dark, enclosed corridor of trees and foliage, it pushed his curiosity to insanity. Even though the weather had stopped the wind and left no sunshine, he wanted to imagine this area with the heated light beaming through the leaves overhead, or know how it felt to run on the beach with a tailwind behind him.

Even without that, everything about this area was attractively fantastic. Fruits, berries, and mushrooms of all sorts grew all over the place, many just waiting to be picked. Feral Pokémon could be heard all around them doing what they were said to do in fairy tales: Kricketot chirped, Weedle snacked on leaves, Taillow eyed them and their prey cautiously. It was truly the epitome of nature in its purest form, and he wanted to bask in every last second of it.

“I know for sure where I’m taking my next vacation,” Esther commented. She tucked her paws behind her back. “This place is super inspiring.”

“Watch out!” Infia cried and shoved her forward. The stingers of a Fury Attack hit the spot where the Pikachu just was, making everybody flinch. “The bugs and the birds were watching us!”

“That means—” Esther gasped. She looked at where the attack came from, and wound up rolling away as a Beedrill charged at her, stingers front and ready. It got lodged into the soil below and was stuck in place. Phoenix was first to act, flaring up for a Flamethrower.

“Wait, don’t shoot! Do you wanna set the whole forest on fire?” Naivie screeched. He retracted with a cough that made embers puff from his mouth instead. In that time, the Beedrill pulled itself free and glared at the group with its stingers bared.

“Heh, wouldn’t be a mystery dungeon without the feral Pokémon defending their homes,” Sophitia said as everyone readied themselves for battle. At that moment, a flock of flying types soared down towards her, but the group were brought down by Esther’s Thunderbolt.

“Easy-peasy. For somewhere dangerous, they really don’t put up much of a fight,” Esther bragged. She dusted her paws.

“Lute, behind you!” Infia cried, making him jump.

All Lute was doing was strafing the Beedrill that awaited its chance to attack, but he stepped on something unexpectedly soft. He flinched around, and took a second to realise that a camouflaged Amoonguss was rising up out of the ground. It grew above him, and its cheeks were puffed up.

“Watch out, it uses spores!” Phoenix shouted, but it was too late. Lute crossed his paws over his front to defend himself, but that was helpless against the cloud of colourful dust the mushroom Pokémon shook to shower him with.

“Lute!” Sophitia cried. The Beedrill tried to attack at that point, but she made easy work of it by whacking it away with her shield. She rushed over to him, but the smell of the spores irritated her. “Argh… n-no!”

Everyone waited in angst, surprised when the dusty cloud faded and Lute was revealed to have a clear barrier around him. He didn’t seem to know it was there either, and looked up with a dumbfounded gasp.

“Safeguard? Infia you genius, you did it again,” Esther praised, noticing she was glowing as well. “Now’s your chance, trash that thing!”

“R-right,” Lute staggered. He jumped up high to use Swift, and threw as many stars as he could to hit the cowering Amoonguss, but each hit seemed to blow up harmlessly against the thing. It used its padded arms to block the hits, dumbfounded by its lack of pain. Seriously? Nothing? I’m still this weak?

Before he could fret about those thoughts, Sophitia picked him up by his mane and made a break for it. “We need to keep moving. That’s how these dungeons work, the feral are gonna keep attacking.”

“You’ve got that right,” Esther said as she threw an Electro Ball to her side during her sprint. It hit a tree, but it shrouded a swarm of Spearow in smoke.

Lute was put down after that, but he didn’t argue. They ran through the forest as quickly as its bustling paths would allow. Lute changed pace to ensure he didn’t trip on any of the giant roots or logs of wood littered here and there. It felt shameful to have to charge through here so hastily, but with all the feral Pokémon around them, they had to.

He looked up as he ran, seeing a constant watch of birds or bug Pokémon. Some attacked right away and made everyone jump or clash an attack, while others snarled and growled to keep them away. This carried on for a good while, but when the trees began to thin out and be more spaced apart, the group had to stop to catch their breath.

“Geez. Okay, that was close,” Esther huffed. “C’mon Lute, watch where you’re going! How’d you step on an Amoonguss of all things? It’s only a couple inches taller than you.”

“My eyes were on the Beedrill! Like everyone else’s,” he argued.

“You’re supposed to be better than this! If Infia wasn’t so good, we’d have gotten spored!” she snapped.

“I barely did anything, though,” Infia muttered.

“How can I be better than—” Lute said, but cut himself off. He frowned and went half lidded. “Are you really going to do this? Are you going to look for a reason to fight with me at every opportunity? Because that’ll make you even more insufferable.”

“Wha-what?” Esther gasped.

“Whoa there, okay, easy now. There’s no need for this,” Sophitia interrupted.

“He called me insufferable. After everything I’ve done for him!” Esther yanked at her head fur.

“You haven’t done anything for me except pull me into things I don’t want to be part of. We’ve had this conversation already,” Lute said. “Grow up and get a grip.”

“Grow up? How dare you, I’m older than you you little shit!” Esther hissed.

“Then act like it. We don’t have time to be bickering like little children. I don’t care if you hate me, we have work to do. So suck it up, and let’s do what we have to do. The sooner we finish, the sooner you don’t have to put up with me,” Lute stated.

Esther shivered, and the others mouths dropped. “A-as if I can work with someone I don’t like!”

“That’s enough you two!” Sophitia shouted and stood between them. “I dunno what’s gone down between you two, but cut it out. No one’s gonna get anything done if you keep snapping at each other like that.”

“Tell him, not me!” Esther said.

“You’re the one who snapped first actually, but whatever, forget it,” Sophitia sighed. “Where are we?”

“The village,” Phoenix said.

“What village?” Sophitia said. There was still quite a bit of woodland and shrubbery in front of them, but there was enough space for the area to be lit. She strolled forward and spread the bushes apart, and then gawked at the clear space of the village that lay beyond. She pulled back to bring everyone over. “How did you spot that?”

“Enhanced eyes,” Phoenix said as he walked past. Infia stopped Esther while everyone else went ahead.

“Please don’t fight Lute like that,” Infia said.

“Grr, look I know you like him and stuff, but if he’s a dick, he’s gonna get treated like a dick. That’s who I am. I’m not gonna change that ‘cos of you,” Esther replied.

Infia moaned and held down her skirt. “He’s just hurting, though. He doesn’t mean any of it, I know it.”

“I’ll believe that when he apologises.” She folded her arms.

“Esther, Infia, c’mon!” Sophitia called.

Obire Village was every bit the ancient locale they expected it to be, and more. Comfy rock floor, wooden log houses painted a creative variety of colours, and not a single modern-day material in sight. It was quiet, but a few Pokémon chatted as they went about their business. More tropical forest surrounded the village on all sides, and there were a few stone streetlamps to mark a path. The best thing was the open cooking which gave the area a delicious smell.

“It’s just like the ones I’ve read about. They even have a Kecleon Shop and Kangaskhan Storage,” Lute remarked.

He wanted to wander around and get lost in this homely place, which he felt relaxed in even though it was surrounded by forest he had just been attacked in. This wasn’t like Everend, it was a newfound cosiness that awakened natural instincts in him. If he ever got to move out and live on his own, this would be his number one choice for sure, or first pick for a holiday destination.

“Oh there you are, about time you guys showed up!” a familiar voice got their attention. Kuri had just exited one of the buildings, the biggest one to be exact, and was followed by an old Azumarill.

“Oh great. It’s you.” Sophitia rolled her eyes.

“Aww, don’t be like that. I could’ve spent more of my holiday with the wife, but I decided to give you guys the time instead,” the Chespin said as he walked over. “After all, what’s a hero if he’s not a team player?”

Lute glared at him coldly. “Why are you here?”

“Oh wow. What am I like, not welcome all of a sudden?” Kuri shrugged

“It’s not that, it’s just… okay, sure. So what, are you gonna work with us for good this time?” Sophitia said.

“Well yeah. I waited here all this time for you kids. Don’t tell me my entry ticket has expired,” he said. “The head of Obire here let me stay once I explained the situation, but I didn’t expect you to take so long. Did I miss something?”

Sophitia’s eyes diverted to Lute for an instant, but focused on Kuri. “We just ran into a bit of trouble. Things changed a little bit, but we’re back on track. We shouldn’t get held back by King’s Shield, either.”

“Oh yeah?” Kuri said. He folded his arms and his face went straight. “What about all that stuff with Lute?”

How does he know about— Sophitia’s eyes widened. “Oh wait, Phoenix told you everything, didn’t he?”

“Good. No more keeping secrets from each other,” Kuri said cheerfully.

“Y’know, you kinda gotta stop doing that,” Esther commented.

“Does he not he deserve to be in the know?” Phoenix replied.

Okay, so how much do you know? Not that it matters much,” Sophitia asked.

“Everything. The V Pocket stuff, the way he functions, even the fact that he beat Spirle’s big monster by tearing it a new hole. So before I join your team, I want to see something important,” Kuri replied. Lute remained devoid of emotion even when Kuri stood right in front of him. “Battle me.”

“Waste of time,” Lute replied.

“Could be a fun waste of time. Give it a go,” Kuri said, a hand on his hip.

“We didn’t come here to entertain you. This is a waste of time,” Lute said.

Kuri shrugged. “So what, you think you’re all invincible, now? That if we fight, maybe you’ll get your ass handed to you? What happened to your want to get stronger?”

“With my powers, I can be as strong as I need to be to finish this quest. I don’t need to ‘get stronger’,” Lute said. He was clearly aggravated.

“Oh wow. See I like the confidence, but are you actually sure about that?” Kuri said as he walked a few paces away. “Have you actually beaten anyone since discovering those powers?”

Lute didn’t reply, and gulped. The recent memory of his Swift failing to damage the Amoonguss replayed in his mind, and he shook his head. “Don’t try to reverse psychology this. I don’t want to fight you!”

“Yeah, I’m not going to lie, even I’m confused about what you’re up to. This kid can get pretty savage, so I don’t think it’s a good idea to wind him up,” Naivie finally appeared.

“In Phoenix’s exact words, he knocked down Spirle’s Golisopod after getting the power boost. That doesn’t sound like defeat to me.” Kuri folded his arms. “I just want to make sure you’re really up to code on this. If you think you can defeat everyone you need to be able to beat like the hero you wanna be, then you’ve got zero reason to say no.”

“It’s a waste of time, Kuri!” Lute growled.

“At least show me. Humour me! Show me what you’re made of.” Kuri smiled cockily.

“Do you have to be so provocative? Seriously, how are you a hero? You really just sound like a villain right now,” Sophitia said.

“Then pretend I am. I’m a villain that’s challenging you to an honourable duel. Lose to me, and innocent lives will suffer for it,” Kuri said aloud. His words had gotten the concern of the villagers, who had already been eying the confrontation. Now there were mutters, clearly wary about what was going on. Lute glanced at them and sighed.

“I don’t know what Phoenix told you, but I react to damage and get stronger through it. You can’t defeat me, and I might end up knocking you out. That’ll only slow us down,” Lute explained.

“Again, you’re so damn certain that you’re unstoppable that you’re really not even going to try? I want to see this for myself you coward. Show me this power that makes you so confident and invincible!” Kuri raised his voice. Lute groaned angrily.

“Fine. You had your warnings. If you really won’t take no for an answer, then bring it!” he said, gritting his teeth. Kuri smiled and unfurled his arms.

“Wait for real? C’mon, we don’t have time for this!” Naivie cried.

“Tell that to him, not me,” Lute said.

“Naivie, let it happen. A little punch to the guts ought to knock some sense into him,” Esther giggled.

“That is not why I told him to do this,” Phoenix said quietly. He pulled the others back with him.

“Wait what?” Sophitia said, going quiet as well. “You told him to fight? Kuri?”

“Just watch,” he said.

Lute had his eyes on his friends and took note of them going quieter as they made space for the battle. The Azumarill seemed to be cooperative as well, stood at the front of the crowd as they did the same. He groaned a little, realising that it must have been a setup of some form, but played along anyway. After he failed to damage that Amoonguss, he needed to prove himself.

“Well then, let’s begin. Come at me, show me your best move,” Kuri said, and opened his arms out.

Lute knew it was a taunt. It actually hurt inside just to see the Chespin look so jolly and silly despite the serious tone earlier. But if he used any of his attacks now, he would only make the Chespin overconfident. In order to show off what he could really do, he needed Kuri to hit him first.

“You know how my powers function. So you’re not going to get anything interesting unless you go first,” Lute said. He remained tense with his feet spread, eyes on the Chespin who slumped forward in disappointment.

“Oh gods, it works that badly? That’s lousy. How can you expect to win a fight if you have to get beaten to a pulp, first? Sounds like some really bad shounen manga hero,” Kuri complained. Lute became even tenser. “Seriously though, that’s a lousy power, especially if you can’t control it yourself. What happens if you get knocked out right away? Or your bones break?”

“That can’t happen. I won’t get defeated, no matter what,” Lute replied. Kuri was quiet for a moment.

“Let me show you that that absolutely can happen. At the same time, I’ll give you an example of the power a real hero is supposed to have,” Kuri threatened.

The Chespin shut his eyes, took a deep breath, and then curled his hands into fists. He thrust them down, tensed up, and let out a low roar as if powering up for an excessive attack. It took a few moments before any sort of effect started to show, but surely enough, he was powering up. The leaves on his head fluttered in an invisible aura, and dust started to blow away from him. Not long later, Sophitia and the others started to get unsettled, and shifted back.

“O-o-okay, hold up. I wanted Lute to get punched, but not like, super hard. Is that Kuri?” Esther gasped.

Sophitia didn’t reply right away, and stared at the Chespin in disbelief. “Is that really Kuri? What’s going on?”

“Is he getting super strong? M-me and Lute can’t feel energy like you guys. What is he doing?” Infia said worriedly.

“His power’s rising alright. But this is unreal, and it’s still going up,” Sophitia said. “U-uh, hey Kuri, that’s enough! We get the point!”

The Chespin ignored her, continuing to increase in volume. With a shout at the top of his voice, he released himself from his strained pose, and a gush of wind brushed away from him. The green on his body glowed brightly, and somehow, his face became a little darker and bolder, too.

“You look surprised,” Kuri said after a while, his voice unexpectedly calm. Lute closed his mouth and gulped. “You can’t feel it though, can you? The power of a hero.”

“What did you do? Is that Solar Beam?” Lute asked, trying to sound unfazed. In reality, he could hear the surprise in the other Pokémon, and a dark possibility was in his mind.

“I’ve spent a lot of time researching moves, powers, and abilities, training with my friends and Pokémon that mean a lot to me. Thanks to everyone, I achieved this form a long time ago, and I’ve used it to become the wanted mercenary that’s eluded King’s Shield for all these years,” Kuri began, still stoic and calm. “I’ll spare you the complexities. Species like mine can use abilities like Overgrow to power up their grass type moves, but only when their back is against the wall, similar to the power that you’re using.”

“So like Overgrow, Blaze, and Torrent?” Lute said. He gasped. “N-no way. Did you learn how to bring that power out without taking any damage?”

“Not just bringing out that power, but fully controlling it, using it to enhance the entirety of my body and not just my grass type moves. In this state, I am even stronger than a Chesnaught utilising Overgrow!” Kuri bragged. He entered a fighting pose. “Still think you can take a hit from this and take me down? This is your last chance.”

Lute grit his fangs and stretched his feet apart to brace for the worst. He shuddered, but then thought about it. Such a high power hit would guarantee his win, here. After all, that Golisopod had stabbed him right through to trigger his Adaptability. The worst Kuri could do was Frenzy Plant, which he was sure to survive.

“Go ahead and do your worst. Like I said, it won’t work on me!” Lute shouted.

Kuri frowned at that. It wasn’t like his prior frowns where he had been acting, but more as though he was genuinely disappointed and furious about something. Still, that was his call to attack, and he took it. But the instant he shifted stance to sprint, he vanished from Lute’s sight.

The Eevee didn’t even get a chance to react in shock. Just frames of time later, a Needle Arm had smashed its way into his chest so hard that the shape of Kuri’s fist was shaped out of Lute’s back, and the Eevee was suspended in the air.

This wasn’t like taking any of the attacks he had taken up until now – it did more than wind him. It literally stole his consciousness from him. It delivered an overwhelming amount of sensations unto him in an instant. He couldn’t breathe, he was in so much pain he had been silenced, and he had gone numb all over. He couldn’t close his mouth, felt like he might throw up his organs, and couldn’t do anything other than shiver in place while time caught up to him.

“Lute!” Sophitia and the others cried. That was the last thing he heard before he collapsed, eyes wide open. Kuri stood in front of him for a moment, wary that his ability might work and he’d stand up again. However, Lute lay motionless.

“Good. Not even King Shield’s ultimate weapon can stand up to me,” Kuri announced, looking into his fist.

“What the heck was that? You didn’t kill him, did you?” Sophitia gasped as she rushed to the fight. “Lute! Lute, wake up! Lute!”

“You don’t need to panic. I held back,” Kuri said quietly. He swiped his arm aside to dismiss his power. “Won’t lie though, I expected way better.”

“Why though? For the love of the gods, just tell me why you do the weird shit that you do!” she cried, holding the Eevee up.

“To get his head in the right place, teach him a lesson. Isn’t it obvious?” Kuri replied. “I did the same to Phoenix back when I first rescued him, you know.”

“He’s hurt!” Sophitia cried.

“He’s knocked out. Defeated. At a time when he thought he couldn’t be beaten. Hopefully he won’t have such a big head when he wakes up, and will learn to watch his mouth, too.” Kuri turned his back.

“Now now, you’re sounding just like him, your highness,” the Azumarill addressed the whole group. Her voice was strong but fragile, a reflection of the few wrinkles on her face and hands. She held a peculiar walking stick, a pink rod with a yellow star on the end. “You were victorious, exactly as we predicted.”

“So this was a setup. But damn, did you have to literally kill him?” Esther said.

“The harshest lessons are learnt without restraint, after all,” Phoenix said.

“You all are the heroes of Aseria, correct? The ones growing the Ancient Flowers,” Azumarill asked. “Please come with me. You must all be tired. We can talk over tea.”

“Not like we have a choice now. Geez, another time-waster!” Naivie said.

“We were going to stop here to get help with the mystery dungeon, anyway,” Sophitia said. “Pardon me for asking, but you are?”

“Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Azu. I am an elder of sorts for the village, even though I’m not that old.”
 
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Episode 25: Temple of the West

HaruMiju

Hero in their dreams
Location
London
Pronouns
They/them, She/her,
25 The Mega Stone.jpg

Episode 25: Temple of the West



A cosy warmth cradled Lute all over, leading to one of the most relaxed sleeps he’d ever had. Not that he had slept at all in a while. It was the perfect level of heat and softness that urged him to keep his eyes shut, body relaxed and dreams vivid. He frolicked in a world of cake next to a river of ice cream, and stopped when he spotted a giant strawberry.

Just the sight of the fruit made his mouth water, but it was atop a towering swirl of whipped cream, to which he licked his lips. The cream was just about stable enough for him to climb up it. He hugged the strawberry, licked it, and then took a hearty chomp before happily nibbling away at it.

That was until he realised how gross it tasted. It was soft but not chewy, and tasted pungent and rough like dirty fur.

His eyes shot open. He had one of Sophitia’s forepaws in his mouth, and the way it was covered in saliva, it looked like he’d nibbled at it for a while. He didn’t move and slowly directed his gaze upward. This had to be a dream, and the cake world was reality. He wanted things to be that way around.

It wasn’t. It was worse. The shiny Sylveon was curled around him and quietly snored away, but the way she slept, they were cuddled up to each other like lovers, right down to his own paws laying on her chest. All that soft warmth he felt relaxed in was hers, right down to the pudge of her belly where he rested his hind legs.

He almost flew off the sewn mattress they shared with a hard, hiss of a shriek. She shot awake at that, darting her gaze all over in expectance of an emergency. He was frozen, unable to look away from her face at all, or stop the heat from filling his own.

“Oh, Lute. Sorry about that, something scared me. Good morning,” she breathed a sigh of relief. She took notice of her wet paw and wiped it clean, unbothered. He uttered a reply, and must’ve looked so dumb that even she was confused about it. “Er, are you okay? Your face is all red. You don’t have a fever, do you?”

“Y-y-you! What is wrong with me? No, what’s wrong with you?” he gasped. She tilted her head. “Y-you slept. In the same bed. Again. And the hugging and the- yeah, why?”

“We hugged? Wait I’m so confused. There’s only one bed in this room, so why wouldn’t we—”

“Because that’s what couples do! And we’re not—” he cried, but then came to a stop. Now that he was awake and aware, all sorts of necessities were made themselves apparent. Right now, he was so hungry that his innards felt like they were turning inside-out. “F-f-food. A-a-anything. Oh gods, anything, just food, please.”

“Lute!” Sophitia cried, unable to stop him from running off into the other room.

He couldn’t stop himself, either. There was a bowl of apples and oran berries on the table in the middle, and the sight was all it took for him to dive for it. He didn’t think twice, he just stuffed the apple into his mouth and demolished it right down to the core and seeds. He grabbed the next one and a berry with both paws and stuffed them into his mouth with even more eagerness.

“Careful, you’ll choke!” she warned as he did just that. It barely deterred him, though. He kept eating until he had to swallow a huge gulp, where he was finally able to take a breather.

“Oh gods, that feels so much better. Wa-water, too. Is there water?” He turned to her with a desperate look. She pointed to a bucket in another room, and he was off. He dumped his whole face in the bucket and gulped away without even looking at what was inside. She was her speechless.

He soon fell back with a gasp, and calmed down. “Man, that feels kinda better,” he said, and then had few more gulps.

“W-wow. Are you okay?” She walked over.

He had to take a moment to catch his breath and regain some kind of control, to which his stomach rumbled and he looked up at her with a desperate frown. “I-I don’t know. All I can think about is food right now. I-I’m so dang hungry.”

She watched him divert back to the fruit bowl. He chomped down and devoured every last thing there like a wild beast, even though some of it looked like it had been there a while and had started to brown. She still had concern on her face, but the way he ate only made her feel hungry, too.

“So much for not wanting to eat or sleep anymore. But I guess that’s what you get for not eating for two weeks.” She rubbed her her face.

“You’re right!” he gasped and stopped at the last bite. He only stopped for a second though, and then swallowed the remainder whole. “How? Why am I so hungry and I- I slept! Kuri knocked me out, and then… gods, I’m still hungry.”

“You know what I think?” she said. She giggled at his crazed look. “When you stopped nourishing yourself, your body started using its remaining V-Waves to just like, keep you alive in general. But after fighting Rhodeas, you were so outta strength that you couldn’t fight at all. And now you like, need to replenish!”

“Did Marina say that?” he gasped.

“No, that’s just a theory,” she said. She giggled again, and put a feeler by her mouth to stop herself. He had a gawking frown, and turned away to blush. “It’s fairly obvious though, isn’t it? All living things need food and water to survive. And if they don’t, there’s always some substitute. You shouldn’t be an exception.”

“But that’s so ridiculous! What’s the point in having all these powers and stuff if I still need to eat? That’s… that makes me useless.” He hung his head.

“That’s not useless.” She turned serious.

“I was made a V-Pocket with all these cool strengths and abilities. If I can’t use them when I want to, then I can’t do what I was made to do. I’m just a useless liability,” he said.

The words made the Sylveon stiffen, but she didn’t take her eyes off his frustrated stance. Her chest was heavy, but she fought the feelings and approached to slowly wrap her feelers around him. He didn’t seem concerned until she brought him close and cradled him like a baby, with their cheeks within touching distance.

“Wha-what are you doing? Sophitia, what’s gotten into you?” he gasped and began to sweat.

“Nothing.” She nuzzled him a bit. He made nervous sounds and went stiff as he tried to look away and scrunch himself up. That only made her giggle again, and he gulped, a wriggly smile on his face as he dared to look up. “Let’s kiss.”

“What?” he almost screamed. “O-okay no, that’s weird. Something’s totally gotten into you.”

“What’s the matter? You scared? Or shy?” she said.

“N-no- I-I mean yes- I mean- gah, what and why are we doing this?” he cried.

“You don’t seem to be too bothered for someone who said no.” She put a feeler by her mouth.

“That’s because- I-we—” he uttered, and then clammed up. He couldn’t stop blushing.

“I thought you thought love stuff was gross?” she said.

He kept quiet, but that did make him grit his teeth. She put him down after that, and turned away with a sneaky smile. “You want to, don’t you? But you’re nervous.”

“N-no… it is gross. And it’s super weird right now. I dunno why you’d wanna kiss anybody, let alone me.” He pretended to spit.

She turned back to him and pointed a feeler. “You see what happened right there? Your reaction. Everything.”

“Huh?” He tilted his head.

“You got nervous. You got hungry and thirsty. And if you’re not lying, confused, too,” she said. “All of those things are things that every living thing can get, too.”

“They’re not real for me, though. I’m a V-Pocket, all of it’s just programming,” he said.

“Then why and how could you have any kind of feelings for me at all?” she said.

“I don’t have feelings for you! I’m just confused,” he cried.

“There it is again. You’re blushing more than a tomato, too.” She looked away.

She didn’t look nearly as embarrassed as he felt, which was even more confusing. He was sure this conversation was going to go in the direction of his V-Pocket traits, yet all the thoughts swelling in his head were about the kiss proposal. He didn’t even know how to kiss, so where could such thoughts have come from? All it did was make his mind wander to her appearance, and whether or not he wanted to do such a thing with her. Yes or no, the one thing he knew for certain was that he definitely found her attractive, even now with her bed hair and unwashed fur coat.

He shook his head and cried out, then hid under his paws. He couldn’t believe what he had just thought, and at such a time as serious as this. They had work to do, yet all he could think about was that he was this close being able to do affectionate things with such a beautiful Sylveon. This wasn’t the first time he’d felt this way about her, too.

“You’re starting to get it now, aren’t you?” She smiled. He managed to look up at her, and was happy to see it was a sincere smile. “You’re alive. You feel things. You feel emotions just like any other person. Like me, like Esther, like Infia and Phoenix. Even like Naivie.”

“But it doesn’t make sense. I was just made to be like this, programmed to look like I’m alive. There’s no way it’s this advanced, or… unless Marina’s that good. It has to be.” He rubbed his chin.

Sophitia shook her head and laid a feeler on his head. “How you were born doesn’t make a difference at all. It’s what you’re doing with your life that determines who you really are.”

“How I was born…” He looked down and away.

“Infia should be the same as you. Yet still, she wanted to go on that date with you. And she became a fan of Esther. Phoenix made friends with Esther and Kuri, too. None of that was because of programming or whatever the person who made them. They’re who they are, and you’re who you are. All of your feelings are real. You’re all living!” Sophitia said. “So please stop saying and doing things like that, okay? You’ve said some pretty mean things to everyone, and when you go on like you’re useless or your feelings don’t matter, it really hurts us. Your friends.”

“My… friends…” he muttered.

“Don’t you enjoy living, too? I know you enjoy living. Being on this journey and being able to see the world, being part of King’s Shield and helping people in need, becoming the hero you always said you wanted to be. All of that was you,” she said. She began to pace around the room, and her voice became soft as he followed her. “I’m not saying we should ignore all those other things. We can work it all out together, but only if you let us, you know? Because if today’s anything to go by, it’s fairly obvious that things don’t work the way we thought they do.”

“Okay okay I get it.” He turned away. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do, though.”

“We’ll do what we’ve been doing. What you want to do. Restoring the seasons and saving Aseria,” she said, and raised a feeler. He gawked at her again.

“… No. That wasn’t really what I was doing. That’s why I feel this way,” he said. His soft tone surprised her. “It was you. I mean yeah, I wanted to be a hero, but all of this only happened because I met you. And from since then, I really wanted to help you get your memory back. Now that I think about it, I haven’t really done anything about that for a while, besides those weird scenes we keep seeing in the temples.”

“Me?” she said. She shivered slightly and started laughing awkwardly. “All that stuff’s just super weird mystery stuff. You’ve got a lotta problems going on yourself, y’know? Worry about those before me.”

“But if it wasn’t for you, I’d have never changed. Because of you, I got stronger, I got to go on this journey, and despite all the bad stuff that’s happened, I…” He trailed off and looked down. He paced, then stopped to look up at her with a look of surprise. “Wow, now that I think about it, I’ve been through a lot, and I’ve been really selfish with a lot of it.”

“You haven’t! Not at all. Look this has nothing to do with me, ‘kay?” She shook her paws.

“But it does. I became a King’s Shield agent because of you, I decided to explore Moand Dia because of you, too. I knew you were really special from the moment I saw you. And then even though you’ve got all of this mystery going on, here you are, sticking up for me even when I’ve been the most unfriendly I could ever be.” He shut his eyes. He slowly opened then, looking straight at her and smiled. “That’s why I feel the way I do about you. You’re… you’re a really special friend, you know that?”

“Well I am pretty cool and all, and I better be. I’m your leader, after all,” she said, rubbing below her nose.

“Yeah. That’s why I like you, you know. So I guess I do wanna kiss.” He smiled. It took her a moment to realise what he’d just said, and her face went deep red.

“Wa-wa-wait a minute, what?” she screamed. “I-I-I didn’t mean that, I was just trying to prove a point and stuff I didn’t really—”

“Hahaha, gotcha. You’re really confused now too, huh?” he snickered. She was the one who couldn’t stop blushing, now. “But I do mean it that you’re a special friend who I want to stick with, though. I spent all this time thinking about myself, even though I was really doing it all to help you get back your memories. So that’s what I’m going to do, now. From here on, it’s all about you, Sophitia.”

“Aww, don’t do that either,” she whined and swayed her head. “If I cared about who I used to be, I’d never be able to move forward and do stuff with my life. And don’t say stuff like you liking me and wanna kiss, okay? When a boy says it, it’s not supposed to be joked about!”

“Huh? That’s not fair,” he said. She slapped her face with a feeler.

“No no, that didn’t come out right either. Look, if you’re saying or doing affectionate things, you don’t just suddenly stop and say the whole thing’s a joke when the other person gets weirded out.”

“But that’s exactly what you did! You even slept with me and cuddled me and everything!” he cried.

Her face went red again. “You tried to kill yourself! Is it so wrong that I really didn’t wanna let my friend out of my sight since then? Like, I’ve genuinely been super worried about you and the way you’re hurting, you know!”

“You did it before when we had to sleep at Gen’s, too,” he argued.

“Yeah, again because you were hurting! And sometimes words just aren’t enough. Well they are, but I don’t know enough words.” She puffed out her cheeks. He didn’t reply, and slowly stepped closer. “What? Don’t look at me like that! Stupid kid.”

He still didn’t say anything. He kept stared up at her until she dared to look back, her cheeks still red. It all made him gradually begin to laugh, all until his stomach growled above his volume. He couldn’t help but shrivel up and rub it, and now he was the one blushing while Sophitia was smiled cheekily.

“Serves you right. You’re a real glutton right now, aren’t ya?” she said. Her own stomach broke the silence, but that only made her laugh.

“Am I?” He smiled.

“To be fair, it’s like lunch and I didn’t have dinner yesterday. You were sleeping like a log,” she said cheerfully. “So uh, find the others and get some grub? We should probably get a move on!”

“Best plan you’ve ever had,” he agreed. The duo nodded and made their way toward the door.

“The others should be close by. The village isn’t very big, and it is lunch, I think,” she said.

“Aww what? No, it wasn’t supposed to stop there!” Esther whined as she pushed through the door to the house. The two Eeveelutions flinched as the others filled the house, Kuri and the Azumarill from yesterday included. “How the hell didn’t you kiss? And start getting all saucy and stuff. And Lute, you weren’t even being dense and stuff. Like, how, just how?”

“Esther,” Infia sighed.

“Esther, everyone,” Sophitia gasped. “Wa-wait a minute. How long were you watching?”

“I dunno. It was Esther’s idea, though. Once she saw you babying him, she made pretty sure to get us to hide,” Kuri said, arms folded and eyes closed. Sophitia started growling.

“In her exact words, she really wanted to see you ‘rock his world’,” Phoenix said.

“Shh, guys, way to rat me out!” Esther hissed.

“Rock… my world? Wha?” Lute tilted his head. Sophitia blushed again and her growls intensified. She suddenly snapped back to being calm, though she locked right onto Esther.

“Excuse me, everyone. Before we eat, me and Esther have a little business to attend to,” Sophitia said.

“Eeep! We do? No we don’t, I didn’t—” Esther squeaked.

“Of course we do. Follow me now, if you will,” Sophitia sung as she drew her sword and shield, while her spare two feelers directed the scrambling Pikachu out the house. Lute watched them leave with an eyebrow raised, and flinched when Esther’s wild squeals came from beyond the door.







Lute had to wait a little while for food to be prepared, but once it was ready, him and the group were treated banquet beyond their imagination. Apple pies, vegetable stir fry, strawberry cakes, bowls of curry, and all other sorts of elaborate dishes were laid out on giant table in the centre of the village. It seemed like everyone who lived there had come out to eat together, and not one of them seemed to mind how much of a glutton he wanted to be.

He stuffed himself royally, all the while surrounded by some of the happiest Pokémon he’d seen in months. It was almost like he was back at school and they were all having some big celebration, only there wasn’t anything to celebrate and he didn’t know who anyone was. Still, it put a great big smile on his face, and from the looks of the others, it lifted their spirits, too.

“Azu,” Lute said, lying on his back in his seat. The Azumarill had finally walked past him and the group, and she giggled at his bloated and lethargic look. “Why did you all do this? Do you always eat like this?”

“Not at all. But this was the best we could do, given the circumstances,” Azu replied. She put both hands on her staff.

“Wow Lute, is that stack of plates yours? You weren’t kidding about how hungry you were,” Sophitia giggled. He a groaned a bit and slumped in his seat.

“All the food was good. I didn’t know when to stop,” he groaned. “But what’s the occasion? Why go to all this trouble?”

“Because his highness is with us, and departing for the temple to restore the seasons, no less,” Azu said.

“His… highness? There’s royalty here?” Lute gasped and flipped over to appear proper.

“Wait, going to restore the seasons is our job. Esther and the others were supposed to ask you for help on that,” Sophitia said.

“I know. You require assistance on reaching the temple, of course. Making sure your group is well fed and up to code is only the most basic of hospitality we need to offer,” Azu nodded.

“Look, enough of the old grandma act. The only thing we need is getting to the temple. So go gather everyone and let’s go!” Naivie popped up between then. “You kids are wasting time again.”

“I implore you to have a little patience,” Azu said with a groan. “This old body may have once leapt over the oceans, but now I can hardly manage a trip to beach without requiring a rest.”

“Then get somebody who can!” Naivie shouted.

“Naivie please, I can hear you from all the way over there.” Esther came over. Phoenix and the others were behind her, but Lute was immediately drawn to a jewelled anklet around Infia’s leg. It looked pricey, but it shone.

In fact, her whole costume was different. The Minun had stuck to her pink preferences, but her costume was a lot more dancer-like and similar to Esther’s. Her shirt was looser and had various tones and patterns on it, while her skirt was a little shorter, frillier, and shinier, too.

“Wa-wait, when did- Infia, how didn’t I notice you changed your clothes? You look really good,” Lute said. She flinched in surprise, but instead of hiding her face as usual, she simply tipped her skirt and blushed.

“Thank you. It’s just stuff that Esther got for me, though,” she replied. He turned to the Pikachu and noticed a similar anklet of her own equipped, but her costume hadn’t changed. She was as blank as ever at him however, so he settled his thoughts and approached.

“Esther,” he began. She only looked cross at him, but when he bowed at her feet, she almost fell backward. “I’m sorry for how much I hurt you. All the mean things I said and did. I’m sorry.”

“I- er- oh geez, you’re the last person I expect to go bowing at my feet. Get up, you look stupid.” She rubbed her face. “It’s gonna take more than that for me to forgive you, though. I’m normally cool, but I can’t just like, snap and forget about all this.”

“I don’t expect you to forgive me right away,” he said, getting up. “But I don’t want my own immaturity to throw away our friendship, either. Or even if we just have to work together for the remainder of the journey, I hope we can get along.”

“Okay whoa, you rehearse this or something?” She looked away and folded her arms. Everyone else’s eyes were on her, making her groan and turn back after a moment. “I just can’t look at you the same way again. What you said is literally haunting me.”

“Esther, I—”

“Don’t bother with it. I-I’ll just do what I’ve been doing, ‘kay? We get into a fight; I’ve got your back. Make sure you’ve got mine with those new powers of yours, too. I’m not gonna be a cheeky butthead, either,” she said.

He didn’t know how to reply, but it definitely hurt to hear her talk like that. This didn’t even look to be like something else bothered her. It was a new experience to be this close to her and not have her dote over him the way she usually did. He always thought of it as slightly bothersome, yet now he actually wanted her to say sike and to body slam him or something.

But she didn’t. They continued with an awkward exchange of silent, awkward stares and uncertain body language, and that was what burnt. What she said, she meant.

“Huh? Was there a love triangle or something?” Kuri said, finally breaking between them.

“Oh piss off,” Esther spat, and went back to the group. The Chespin looked back and forth between the two of them and shrugged, a dumb smile on his face.

“Are all of you ready to depart?” Azu said with a smile. Sophitia looked over everyone and nodded. “Please follow me closely. The mystery dungeon works in unexpected ways.”

“It’s a mystery dungeon, we kinda expect that,” Sophitia commented.

Azu walked slowly and had to use her staff to keep herself upright. Thankfully it didn’t take them very long to reach the edge of the village, where a dusty road led right up the mountain. Stone candle lamps with an eccentric design lined the path, and each one glowed with a curious blue flame. Thick, dark green woodland lined their sides, so many bushes and things that the depths of the area looked like a dark cave even though it was in the middle of the day.

“This is the Umbra Grove. Unless you follow the candles perfectly, you will find yourselves circling back to the village, even though you are ascending,” Azu explained. “Your highness, please allow me to guide you directly.”

“Um, I know I’m the leader and all, but calling me royalty is a little too flattering,” Sophitia snickered. Her smug smile turned into a sharp yelp when Azu hit her foot with her staff.

“Do you think I’m senile? I’m not talking about you. I know that not all blue Sylveon are male,” Azu snapped.

“Then who are you talking about? You’ve been saying that ever since we got here,” Esther wondered, arms tucked behind her head. The Azumarill didn’t answer, and begun her ascent instead.

“I did say to stop calling me that,” Kuri sighed.

“You? Ha. Can’t tell what’s a bigger joke. You thinking you’re royalty, or the fact that one of us is being mistaken for one,” Sophitia said.

“Oh my. Have you not told them yet?” Azu turned to walk backwards. Kuri grumbled and folded his arms. “If there was ever a safer place on this planet to reveal the truth, here it is. Not one from the modern world has set foot on this island in over a decade. Besides yourselves, of course.”

“Oh wow. Pokémon really don’t come here?” Esther quizzed. “Wait, didn’t Fluffy Cheeks say that criminals like to escape here?”

“And do you ever hear from them again?” Azu commented. There was quiet. “This island is full of mystery dungeons. Those who get lost here either perish or become feral. It is truly an island untouched by the modern Pokémon of Aseria, and we are the remaining Ancients who’d like to keep it this way.”

“That sounds terrible. But it keeps you all safe,” Infia said. “I’m a little confused. How are you all Ancients?”

“I mean it’s fairly obvious they’re Ancients. So then what’s the big truth about it? You clearly wanna tell us something,” Sophitia said. She had to stop, surprised to find that the path had begun to wind around the mountain. The grove still surrounded them, but the road and the lamps were no longer on a straight path.

“Are you all aware of what the Mega Stone is?” Azu began. Lute had to look up to recall it.

“Naivie told us about it once. That’s where the Ancient Flowers draw their energy from, right? And the flowers were split across the planet to spread V-Waves evenly,” he recalled. “Do you know where the stone is?”

“Grk. Just so you know, if we keep talking about this, I’m putting you kids on a contract,” Kuri warned, still arms folded. He looked a little distressed and serious, however. “If you don’t keep quiet, I’ll kill you.”

“Calm down. Seems a bit much, doesn’t it?” Esther said.

“That’s correct, the Mega Stone is the source of all V-Waves, and effectively, the source of Aseria’s ecosystem as a result. The only Pokémon who knew where the Mega Stone is were the guardians of the flowers and the royalty of the Ancient civilizations. So it’s very important we keep the only remaining king and queen as well taken care of as possible,” Azu explained.

“But Kuri? Him of all people?” Sophitia snickered.

“I’d be lying if I said that wasn’t a comment I’ve heard commoners make a lot back in the day. But he married into the family. A lot of Pokémon questioned her highness’s decision to marry a ruffian fighter, but they’re the only ones still alive today, so you’ve got to hand it to their survival skills. She knew what she was getting into.” Azu shrugged.

“Married into the- wait, that means Gen’s an Ancient. An Ancient queen?” Lute gasped. Kuri started growling.

“Gen? Is that a nickname she offered?” Azu said.

“An alias she invented to protect herself. But that’s right. She’s Princess Genesis, the only one left in the world who knows where the Mega Stone is,” Kuri stated. He unfolded his arms.

“But that means you’re both Ancients. H-hold on a second. There’s no way you’re that important. How old are you?” Sophitia gasped.

“Well I can’t go answer that if you won’t tell me your age now, can I?” He snickered. “I’ll give you a hint, though. My biggest aim right now is to drive you all crazy before I reach age forty.”

“Good luck, old man,” Esther teased.

“It’s kind of obvious when you think about it, though. Gen chooses to live in Angard and somehow protects the entire country on her own. I don’t mean to brag about us Ancients, but we’re freaking gods when it comes to power,” Kuri said.

“That’s what I don’t get. You’re less than forty, Mister Kuri,” Infia asked. “Why are they called Ancients if they aren’t actually ancient? Exactly how long ago did the world start changing?”

Kuri suddenly went dead quiet, and faced the floor as he folded his arms and shut his eyes. It brought everyone to a stop, and Naivie almost screamed at him.

“A little under twenty years ago. The same time as Aseria’s ‘meteorite event’,” he said. His tone took Lute by surprise. For some reason, those words felt like they physically hurt him to say.

He knew what the meteorite event was. It was an important part of Aseria’s history, and something he learnt a lot about in school. Giant comets fell from outer space and caused colossal damage to civilization, where if not for the Pokémon uniting together, Aseria would have been destroyed. It was thought to be the lowest point in Aserian history due to the fact that the Ancients and their limited technology couldn’t prepare for the comets.

What he didn’t know was that that event took place so recently, let alone had been resolved so well that he was able to grow up in the world that he knew. The conclusion to the event was thought to be Lassic’s breakthrough and leadership abilities, which tied greatly into his technological discoveries and led him to be who he is today.

“Impossible!” Sophitia gasped, making Lute jump out of his thoughts. She’d gone stiff, and shuddered with a pale gaze.

“Sophitia?” he said, worried about her. She took one look at him and gulped.

“Never mind. Sorry about that. We’re getting distracted. Let’s hurry up before Naivie blows a fuse at us,” she said.

“Excuse me?” Naivie squeaked.

“Don’t complain if I’m hurrying us up,” Sophitia said. She shoved Azu a bit to get her moving. “Don’t you worry about a thing, Kuri. Gen’s secret is safe with us. That’s an order from me as your superior, all of you. Once we leave this island, Gen is the Gen we always knew, and no one is to even drop a hint, understand?”

“What’s gotten into you all of a sudden?” Lute tilted his head. She didn’t say anything, but the serious glance she gave Kuri seemed to relax him, so he left it at that.

“Up ahead it gets dark. Make sure you keep close and follow me carefully, now,” Azu warned.

“But it’s still clear. And there aren’t any trees,” Infia said.

Rocky walls lined their right, while the jungle they had passed was a short jump below to their left. The path hadn’t felt steep, so it was a surprise to see how high up they had climbed. The road they were on was level with the woodland from earlier. Looking up the mountainside, they didn’t have long left to climb, either.

There haven’t been any feral Pokémon yet. But this island was teeming with them, Lute realised. He was about to bring that up, but then everything went dark and everyone came to a stop.

“Hey what gives? What kind of move is this?” Sophitia cried.

“I do not know. Nobody move,” Phoenix said.

“A bit late for that, whoever’s hugging me. Mind my skirt!” Esther squeaked.

“S-sorry!” Infia squeaked.

“Oh, Infia. It’s just you. You’re okay,” she said.

“Listen and follow carefully now, all of you,” Azu said. They could hear her staff tap the floor a few times, and then the yellow star on the end gave off a dim glow. “You can see my staff, right? You must follow my directions exactly, and stay close. Don’t even attempt to shortcut me or we’ll loop back to the start.”

It sounded easy, but it put Lute right on edge. This darkness clearly wasn’t natural. It was so dark that he couldn’t even see the floor. The only things around him that weren’t totally black were Azu’s glowing staff and the blue flames from the lamps. And even those were a distance away.

Then he quickly realised the true terror of this challenge. Everything hadn’t just turned black – it had vanished from sight and left nothing but the black. Every single one of the streetlamps in the area was visible, even those behind where the wall to the right of him just was. With only those lights visible and not the actual terrain leading up to them, it meant he could walk right off the cliff and not realise until it was too late.

That drove him to focus harder than ever before. He breathed silently and traced the movements of Azu’s staff closely. He waited until she looked to be a few paces away before repeating her path. He could still hear the scruffy scratches and shuffles of the group every time they moved, as well as the occasional prod when one of them bumped into him. It didn’t annoy him in any way, but it did make him flinch every time.

A few minutes onwards and things seemed simple enough. Azu moved in straight lines, so everyone’s silent focus almost felt unnecessary. A little later however, and things started to get unsettling. He could hear noises he couldn’t hear before, and the lights got dimmer for some reason. Static buzzing and a low rumble through the air distracted him. He could’ve sworn he could hear unfamiliar voices too, although they were far off in the distance. When Azu started to go in more complex paths, he began to worry.

Two steps left. Then two forward. The three to the right. One backward. Four to the right again. She started to really wind around an area, and he felt that if he stopped watching her for even an instant, he’d make a mistake and they’d have to start again. No one had said anything since, so he wondered how they managed. Could they hear the bundled whispers he could hear, too?

Right when he least suspected it, something touched him and his body reacted with the harshest cringe he ever felt. He almost threw up from how hard his body shook, cuddled by uncomfortable sensations. He let out a dry screech as his breath became unsettled, and he froze to the spot.

“Wait, what? Sophitia? Infia? Phoenix, you guys, you there?” he cried.

All he got as a response was louder static buzzing, so much that it became irritating. He cried out, growled, and grabbed his head as it became headache inducing.

“Lute, Lute c’mon stop it! Wake up already, please,” Sophitia cried. She cradled him in her paws and feelers. It took him a few blinks to realise where he was, and he settled down. “Lute?”

“Sophitia,” he said blankly. She put him down, but she was right close to him.

“Are you alright? What happened?” she asked desperately.

He opened his mouth to reply, but even he wasn’t sure. He snuck a look around to find he was at the top of the mountain and totally unharmed. Everyone else was behind Sophitia with concern written all over them, and behind them, a lonely stone temple lined with elaborate columns.

“I’m… fine. I’m okay. Sorry about that,” he said just as blankly.

“Geez kid, you almost jumped off the mountain. You’re gonna give someone a heart attack if you keep up this weird stuff,” Kuri said.

“Anyway, we have arrived. I cannot enter the temple as I am not of authority to do so, but you shouldn’t face any trouble. There should just be a Teleportal that leads right to the flower,” Azu informed. “When you are done, you can walk straight through the darkness and let it loop you back to Obire.”

“Before you go. That darkness back there… is that a V-Wave phenomenon?” Lute asked.

Azu shifted in interest. “You’re nosy about this land, aren’t you? And if that was a guess, it was a well educated one. There are a lot of mushrooms in this area, so certain parts of the mystery dungeons are rendered in total darkness, which they thrive on.”

And technology, like King’s Shield communicators, uses V-Waves, too. I wonder… if it’s possible…
 
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Episode 26: The Next Phase

HaruMiju

Hero in their dreams
Location
London
Pronouns
They/them, She/her,
20 Rhodeas.jpg

Episode 26: The Next Phase



Listen to me now. You’re not doing the move properly.”

“I’m doing exactly what you said!”
the little Sylveon cried.

“Look. Look up here, at me.” The mother spoke sternly and pointed to herself.

At long last, the vision was clear enough to make her out. The mother was a regal creature with a beautiful tiara of pink gems on her head. Her body was grey as stone, yet smooth and round, with a sleek figure but a young complexion. A short white dress adorned with a pink diamond covered her arms and body, while her lower half took on rocky form. This rocky half had a large pink diamond half sticking out of it.

“Follow me carefully, now,” the Pokémon instructed.

The Pokémon tensed itself and tucked its arms together, cupping space between them as it drew them back. With its intense cry came a glow of white energy between its palms, which it then began to cultivate. The energy grew until a large sphere of light was held within.

“Wow,” the little Sylveon said, entranced.

“Pay attention. You try it now,” the motherly Pokémon instructed, after she relieved the attack.

The vision blurred the scenery to focus solely on the two Pokémon. The Sylveon copied the larger Pokémon’s pose as best as she could, using her feelers in place of hands. Energy formed, but the sounds and sparkling energy was different.

“Focus on your feelings. You’re still using Moonblast!” The Pokémon said.

“Ahh!” Sylveon squeaked.

The cry caused a lack of focus, and then an explosion went off. The motherly Pokémon was unharmed, but the little Sylveon had been knocked to the floor. She shivered and sounded like she was going to cry.

“Are you alright?” the motherly Pokémon asked as she reached out.

“I’m fine! This is just a setback!” the little Sylveon shouted and slapped their hand away. She got up and performed the motion again, though that only seemed to make the Pokémon frown at her. “What’s wrong? I can’t be weak and rely on others all the time. I have to be strong too. That’s why you taught me all these moves, Diancie!”

“But you are missing an important part about this last move.”
Diancie shook her head. “Moonblast might seem to be an exceptionally powerful attack, but Return can be far stronger. However, Return cannot be used without a genuine faith in others. You will never progress and become any stronger unless you understand that. Let the Pokémon help you, and in turn, help them.”

“But if I’m strong enough, I won’t ever need their help. They can just leave everything to me!”
Sylveon said.

“Then why are you training?” Diancie said.

There was a pause.

“You are nearly there, capable of many mighty powers. And of the rare fairy type species, many of these powers are exclusive only to you. Use those powers to just, help everyone. Spend your life making everyone you can be happy.”







The group woke up all around the same time, rubbed their heads, stretched, and all other habits. Just like the past two prayers, an enormous flower had grown in the middle of the area, accompanied by a slumbering Shaymin nestled by its roots. They were used to it now, so there was little confusion about what had happened while they were unconscious.

“It’s happened three times now, but no one’s actually mentioned it. That’s Sophitia in those visions, isn’t it?” Lute asked.

“Huh? No, you mentioned it,” Sophitia said.

“It does seem like it’s Sophitia, doesn’t it? They’re learning fairy attacks from that Pokémon called Diancie.” Infia tilted her head.

“Our Sophitia seems to be able to use those moves after seeing the memory as well,” Phoenix stated. “But we cannot confirm it. I do not know if my visions differ, though. Until now, Diancie had not been named, nor had it been as clearly visible.”

“Sounds like they’re the same to me, ‘cos that’s what I saw, too. So does that mean you know Moonblast now, Sophitia?” Esther wondered.

“No, no I don’t!” Sophitia gasped and stumbled away from them. “W-why does it matter?”

“It’s an important part of your past. I did just promise you I was going to help you get it back, and I meant it,” Lute said. “Naivie, do you know anything about all this?”

“Heck if I know! But I do know one thing. All of this stuff has to do with the Ancients, right? They’re the ones who maintained this world. But Sophitia is not an Ancient,” Naivie replied. She sat firm on the Sylveon’s head. “I’m almost certain that she has nothing to do with any of this. I don’t know what visions you’re talking about.”

“So you’re not seeing them. Does the name Diancie ring a bell?” Kuri asked.

“Hold on hold on, don’t I get a say in this?” Sophitia jumped between them. “Most of this doesn’t make any sense. We pray, we get visions, I copy the Sylveon in those visions and learn a new move, and that’s that. It doesn’t really matter who those Pokémon are, whether it’s me or not.”

“But it seems so much like… what if it is to do with your past?” Lute frowned at her.

“It doesn’t matter. What matters is who I am now, right? And there’s nothing wrong with that. Nothing where I have to look into the past, anyway,” she said. She slowly turned to the flower. “And who I am now is a person who decided to help save Aseria.”

“Well said. To that end, some congrats are in order. You guys have only got one flower left to grow. One!” Naivie cheered and flew up high. Lute couldn’t help but look away and groan at it, but everyone else dismissed the negative for smiles, so he went straight faced and paid attention. “The way you guys bumbled about and fell apart, I never thought you could do it. But here we are, on the crux of success!”

“You know what? I can get behind that. Where’s our last target?” Esther said with a paw on her hip.

“You are eager? And not tired?” Phoenix joked.

“Hell yeah. If we can go and do that last one like, right now, we might as well get it over with!” She smiled.

“I’m hungry though.” Infia rubbed her belly.

“We’ll just take it naturally. No rushing into this since all the V-wave stuff stops working and all that,” Sophitia said.

“Your final destination is in the northern reaches of Aseria. There’s a large ocean to cross and a river that runs through a series of valleys, but the temple sits in the middle. In my time, you needed to be able to swim to reach it. You couldn’t even get there by flying,” Naivie informed.

“Underwater travel. Okay, that’s a bit of a problem,” Sophitia tilted her head.

“Nah. You guys will be fine!” Naivie cheered.

“In case you didn’t notice, none of us are water types. And we breathe air, too,” Kuri said, arms folded and eyes closed.

“You’ll still be fine. A couple five-minute dips into seawater will be no problem for you guys. You’ve all done it before,” Naivie snickered.

“Okay yeah I don’t think me or Fluffy Cheeks can hold our breaths that long,” Esther said.

“And… and… er-erm, my clothes,” Infia scrunched herself up a bit.

“That too. Ah well, we’ll figure somethin’ out. Maybe that old bubble bunny knows something,” Esther said.

“Old… bubble bunny?” Phoenix raised an eyebrow.

“Y’know, the old bunny that brought us up here!” she said.

“Azu,” Lute corrected. He flinched as a vibration went off in his bag. He shuffled through to get to his badge, surprised to find a call coming through on it. However, the caller’s name was withheld. “Huh? How is?”

“Answer it anyway. If they’re calling off-duty agents, it has to be important,” Sophitia ordered. The group gathered behind Lute as he activated the call, bringing up a holographic screen in front of them. To their surprise, Gen’s face showed up, and she wasn’t even looking at them.

“Lute, oh thank goodness. Is Kuri with you?” the Meowstic hissed. She looked a desperate as she sounded.

“Gen, hello. Yeah, he met up with us a little while ago,” Lute said before the Chespin pushed him aside.

“Hi, what’s up babe? You can’t be missing me already,” Kuri sang.

“Now really isn’t the time for that you ass. I don’t know what you did, but an enormous fleet of Spirle soldiers showed up here. I’ve only just gotten the chance to call,” Gen whispered hard. Kuri’s face immediately switched to one of terror. “I’m not gonna be able to drive them out. I’m talking a literal army of them. There are high points here.”

“Do you know why they’re there? What’re they doing?” Kuri asked anxiously.

“I don’t know, but they’re definitely searching for something. I don’t want to think the worst, but they might be looking for me. Regardless, get over here as soon as you can. They’re trashing the place as we speak,” Gen informed.

“Damn right I’m getting over there. Please stay hidden, hang tight. We’re on our way,” Kuri said.

Gen cut off the call before he finished talking, and then there was a pause. Kuri closed his fists and shook. The others could feel him grow more intense until he snapped, and he glared at everyone with gritted teeth.

“One of you ratted us, didn’t you?” he shouted at the top of his voice.

“Ratted you?” Lute gasped.

“Gen’s identity. It’s meant to be secret from Spirle!” He stomped a foot. “It’s meant to be secret from everyone! Did one of you tell King’s Shield? Or Lassic?”

“You’ve been with us the whole dang time. No one’s leaked anything,” Sophitia replied angrily.

“You have no fucking idea how terrifying this is. Good gods, why- forget it. We’re going to Angard, now!” Kuri ordered, and stormed off.

“Whoa hold up! But we’re so close. How can—” Naivie said.

“Naivie, I know you don’t give a shit about our lives. But get this now: if we do not save Gen, all of this will be for naught.” Kuri pointed at the Carbink. She raised an eyebrow at him. “Princess Genesis is the only Pokémon left in the world who knows where the Mega Stone is.”

“You think Spirle found out? And they’re trying to get that from her?” Lute said. He had to jog after Kuri.

“They’ve been searching for her for decades now for that very reason. If they’ve figured out that she’s been in Angard the whole time, then they won’t pull any punches,” Kuri explained. “We have to keep her safe!”

“But what does Lassic have to do with this? You asked us if we told him,” Infia wondered. However, Kuri didn’t answer.

That left Lute to focus and think for a moment. There were a lot of loose dots of ideas he had about this, but they all had connections. If he was sure of everything he knew, that is.

The group reached the village quickly by abusing the loop effect of the mystery dungeon – all they had to do was run in the wrong direction when the darkness took over, and they ‘looped back’ to the entrance. When they arrived however, things were worse than they predicted. Screams, cries, and fleeing groups of Pokémon made the group sprint into action.

“What the?” Lute cried as he skidded to a stop.

A familiar Golisopod scraped its claws against the floor as it swung and smashed aside an Ivysaur and a Lombre that had opposed. It roared into the air and then glared in the opposite direction, where it had to use its arms to block a fiery blast of energy. The attack exploded and shrouded it in dust.

Lute followed the attack’s direction and flinched in surprise. Silver was there with a few strong Pokémon at her side. She spat a small flame in threat, keeping her eyes on the enemy. They glared at one another for short while, but were interrupted by the arrival of two other Spirle high points.

“I had a feeling this was going too well. Rhodeas, you insolent wretch! Listen to us and don’t go running off on your own,” Victoria said as she fluttered in front of it. It barely reacted. “Are you listening to me? Don’t think just because we’re winning that I’m not watching your behaviour.”

“You know what happens when you get her mad, and you don’t wanna get her mad!” Victor laughed aloud. He bounced up and down around Silver’s group. “That goes for you palookas, too! You’re really in for it, in case you didn’t already realise!”

Silver tensed up. “This is such an aimless attack. Tell me, what’s your real goal here?”

“Aimless? What, did ya think we were gonna keep lettin’ King’s Shield get on our behinds while going about our work?” Victor said. He screeched with laughter. “We’re all set. Our mission for world domination is in motion. But for it to work, we need to get rid of petty little heroines like you!”

“I didn’t take you for text book villains. World domination? That’s got to be a joke,” Silver lost her intensity.

“You see this guy here? You’ll be at his mercy. He is the fruits of my research, the strongest of our superpowered Risen Pokémon! He’ll destroy all our possible opposition on his own,” Victoria explained. Her eyes squinted with excitement. “And don’t think that you can manipulate him with your mortal feelings. He is my child! A good child who only listens to me and never fails.”

“Are you sure about that?” Sophitia smiled cockily. “Last I checked, Lute sent that guy into overdrive!”

“Sophitia, Lute!” Silver gasped. “Wait, is that Kuri? What in the world is going on?”

“Oh yeah I’d love to stay and chat, but we’ve got a lot more important shit to deal with. So if you’ll excuse us,” Kuri said.

Victoria calmed down. “There you guys are. At long last, we found you. Do not think that things will go as they did last time. I perfected the kinks in Rhodeas’ coding. He won’t be losing to your little V-Pocket monster anytime soon.”

“Look guys, we really don’t have time for this. They must know about me, too,” Kuri said quietly. He glanced back at everyone. “These clowns are here to stall us while they hunt for Gen. We can’t let them waste our time!”

“I know that, but we can’t go and leave them, can we? After everything Azu did for us,” Sophitia said, looking around at the village. Habitats had been smashed to bits, flames raged, and she could constantly hear attacks going off followed by villainous cheers.

“If you guys really don’t have anything to hide from me, then you’ll leave this to Silver and help me out. A couple of poor villagers will have to wait,” Kuri argued.

“The thing is, Lute really is the only one who can beat Rhodeas,” Sophitia tensed up. “You know what? Screw it. We’ll find a way. Kuri, go ahead and get to Gen. We’ll catch up as soon as we can.”

“And then you screw things up for me?” Kuri replied. Sophitia slapped his arm with a feeler and brought him close, and then slipped something into it. He snuck a glance, eyes widened that it was her King’s Shield badge. Seeing that, his face tensed, and he nodded. “You better not be far behind.”

“It’s a promise.” She shoved him away.

“I am a lady of honour and reason.” Victoria came forward. “This doesn’t have to come to vulgar bloodshed. I am giving you a chance to forfeit. If you don’t, I will have to set him on you.”

“You, a lady of honour? As far as I’m concerned, you reek of filth!” Esther spat.

“Reek?” Victoria said.

“Yeah. Reek. I’ve met Muk that smell better than you,” Esther said as she confronted her. “I’ve heard about you, but I didn’t think you’d be this despicable.”

“Esther, wait—” Infia whispered.

“So what’s this I hear about you being the one who made Infia? Doesn’t that make you her mother? Shouldn’t mothers be more respectful to their children?” Esther folded her arms.

“Infia,” Victoria went quiet. She squinted at the Minun, who cowered behind Esther. “So that’s what this is about. You’re going to lecture me on why I should care about that worthless defect?”

“Worthless defect? Infia is a living Pokémon!” Esther shouted.

“Children should listen to their elders if they want to learn and be respected. Those that don’t, grow up to be failures who die rotting on the streets. That Minun made its choice when it chose to defy me so,” Victoria said with a tired sigh. “Silver, are these Pokémon really your newest King’s Shield recruits? If these are them, then it’s awfully pathetic, even for you.”

“They’re… yes, they are,” Silver answered. She glanced back and forth between the two groups.

“Seriously? They’re a team?” Victoria cried, genuinely surprised. “The worthless, defective, disobedient V Pockets, the spoilt little mascot, and—”

Sophitia shifted backward, concerned about the sudden silence when she was the one being looked at. Victoria spat in disgust.

“And whatever this sorrowful embarrassment of a species is. This is your team?” Victoria said. “If it wasn’t for Lute’s powers, the whole lot of you should’ve died a long time ago. But whatever. My perfect creation, Rhodeas, is here to give you that long overdue death that you deserve. For even daring to speak to me this way, I’m going to set an example using your corpses.”

“So much for being honourable. You’re a fricking coward!” Esther cried.

“Rhodeas, be a dear and give these Pokémon a good First Impression,” Victoria said as she flew up and out of the way.

“Here it comes!” Sophitia shifted into a battle-ready pose. The others did the same before she even instructed. The whole group kept their eyes locked on the Golisopod.

Lute knew what to do here, but his confidence was shaky. He had already been proven to have lost his powers once, and he didn’t know how they would function here. He just hoped that if he withstood the pain of that giant insect’s attacks, he might grow strong enough to take it down again.

He kept his eyes on it and nothing else, his chest heavy and breath held for whenever it decided to move. It stared right back, its expressionless eyes and rigid pose overwhelming in presence. Thanks to his focus, he was able to see its foot twitch and shift the slightest inch backwards. He braced himself in response, and a small instinct in the back of his mind told him to use Quick Attack to dodge.

The instant Rhodeas moved, it shot forward with one claw held back behind it. However, Silver made her own move at a shockingly similar speed. The Goodra skidded into the ground and whipped her head around in a circle to throw the ponytail-like appendages from her head forward like lassos. One missed Rhodeas while the other snapped around its arm, bringing it to very sudden halt. There was a struggle and Silver was pulled forward a little, but a stomp of her feet and a feral roar later, she had Rhodeas totally pinned to the spot.

“What in the world? Let go of him!” Victoria shrieked.

“Don’t you kids just stand there. Finish him off, now!” Silver snarled as she pulled hard.

“Infia!” Esther held a paw out. Infia linked paws with her, and the duo nuzzled their cheeks together to generate a blinding amount of electricity in an instant. They danced together with a brief few dance steps, and then Infia released Esther with a romantic twirl. By that point, the Pikachu was a crackling arrow of bolts, which were released in a huge, bright yellow beam.

Rhodeas let out a panicked gurgle right before the attack hit, and then roared aloud on impact, but its voice was engulfed by the explosion. It was left sizzling and spasming, but Silver wasn’t about to let it go just like that. Using her appendage, she yanked it toward her and drew an arm back in the process. She caught it with a flame-infested uppercut of a Fire Punch to send it skyward, where she then released it from her appendage. She quickly threw up a beam of energy towards it, an attack that looked like a purple meteor.

“Rhodeas!” Victoria screamed just as Silver’s Draco Meteor hit.

It caused an enormous explosion in the air, large enough to have everyone shield themselves and hold their breaths. Even when the smoke was brushed away, Rhodeas didn’t come down. The only thing that fell around them were smouldering pieces of rock.

“Did she kill him?” Sophitia gasped.

“No… something tells me he actually might not have been alive to begin with,” Phoenix said. He glared with gritted fangs. “But that Silver… she’s way stronger than I ever pictured.”

“You’re tellin’ me!” Esther squeaked.

“Enough games, Victoria. Come quietly and we won’t have to break any more of your toys,” Silver threatened. The Spritzee and the Swirlix gawked in shock the whole time, but snapped upon her words.

“You… you, you you you, you’re all so annoying! How could you dare?” Victoria shuddered and rubbed her head.

“What’s the matter? Got nothing left?” Sophitia joked.

“Yeah! Time for you to come down here and fight properly,” Esther added.

The Spritzee only shivered with fury, and then suddenly froze. “We’ll settle this the next time we meet, if you’re even still alive by then. Come, Victor! We’re getting out of here.”

“Aww what? But I was just getting excited! I didn’t even get to fight,” the Swirlix whined. Her look intensified, and he flinched. “I mean- okay honey, I’m right behind ya!”

“Don’t run, come back here!” Esther shouted, going on all fours to give chase. Silver stopped her however, and stood in the group’s way. “Silver?”

“Treason is the bigger crime,” Silver said. They could only watch as the two fairies disappeared into the distance, their fellow Spirle goons giving chase from the ground below. Minutes later, the Pokémon of the village returned, many of them injured, covered in dirt, and furious with Lute and the others.

“What happened? I thought this island was normally untouched?” Lute said.

Silver took a while to respond, and held up a hand to tell the crowd to remain quiet. She turned her back to address Lute and the others, and her assistant agents gathered beside her.

“About an hour ago, Spirle launched a massive attack on key locations across Aseria. Included in those were our bases in the Ministry of Science and Pokétopia,” Silver explained. The group’s eyes widened. “They knew how to get in, who was there, and what we would do to counterattack them during such an attack. The whole world has suffered losses today.”

“But how? And if that happened, why didn’t you call?” Sophitia cried.

“We did. Your communication was out of bounds. You were in the temples we ordered you to avoid,” Silver stated. She shifted her head to silently order the Blaziken beside her. “On top of that, we managed to trace an unknown signal that was transmitting unauthorised data. It led us here, where we found Victoria terrorizing this village.”

“Wait, are you accusing us?” Sophitia gasped. The Blaziken completely ignored her adversity towards them to pat her down and go through her bag. “Get off me! The heck do you think you’re doing?”

“If you have nothing to hide, then you won’t decline us searching you. It’s a standard procedure. Every single agent got searched when this communication line was discovered,” Silver explained. She looked unbothered by everything she said and did, and that annoyed the group to no end. Sophitia stood down anyway, and raised her feelers so they were out of the way.

“We’re really doing this? First Kuri, now you guys, too? Does nobody trust us?” Esther complained as she obeyed.

Lute was nervous enough to sweat about the whole thing. Even though he knew in his heart that none of them would or even could betray King’s Shield like this, he had a horrible feeling in the back of his throat. Gen’s potential discovery, followed by their own comrades here to have a go at them? Even if all of this went his way, a grand scheme had been set in motion and he didn’t understand any of it enough to say or do anything right now. It had to be that, the scheme of some super intelligent perpetrator that tangled them into a plot so complex that it had their allies suspecting each other.

The Blaziken searched him after it searched Sophitia, patting him down all over. He couldn’t help but gulp when they started, and held his breath right up until they were done. He checked out okay, but the fire type didn’t say a word as it moved onto Infia. None of them could betray King’s Shield and work for Spirle. It just wasn’t possible. If they had willingly done so, then they couldn’t be heroes who could awaken the flowers. He had to believe that.

“Please be careful,” Infia whispered. Her face was turning red with stress, and she shivered well beyond her control.

“It’ll be okay, Infia. They won’t find anything because we haven’t done anything. This is fucking stupid, they let those High Points get away for this!” Esther said.

Once the group had been patted down, the Hitmonlee of the agents stepped up. He hovered a small device over each of them. It was some sort of metallic scanner which bleeped once a second and sped up when it detected anything made of presumably metal. It did so when it came to scanning their bags, which of course only led them to things like their badges or the jewellery on Infia’s leg. Nothing incriminating was found.

Just when the anxiety was about to be over, the scanner went off when it wasn’t expected to. All were confused as the Hitmonlee hovered it over Esther’s face, and then her chest, where it quietened down. He put it over her face again, which made it pick right back up. Everyone looked at her in total confusion.

“Restrain her!” Silver shouted, and the Pokémon kicked into action. Blaziken and Hitmonlee pinned her to the ground in an instant.

“Wait wait wait what the hell gives? Get the heck off me!” Esther screamed.

“Esther, what?” Lute whispered.

“I dunno what the hell’s up! This thing must be broken!” she shouted.

“But… that is impossible. They found something,” Phoenix said. He was dumbfounded. “They actually found something.”

“The rest of you are under arrest. You’re coming back to Pokétopia for further investigation,” Silver ordered. “Resistance will result in a license to kill. You’ve been warned.”

“But this… this is… there has to be some kind of mistake. Esther would never—” Infia started to tear up.

“Silence. Now march,” Silver ordered. Her agents held Esther up rather painfully, keeping her arms tied back and hung her from there. She squirmed, struggled, and shouted various profanity of course, but it was all useless. The Hitmonlee’s grip wouldn’t budge at all.

“But Esther is… no, she couldn’t have… she couldn’t be,” Infia whimpered.

“It’s better we stay quiet and obey, guys,” Sophitia said as she put them down with her feelers.

“But Sophitia!” Infia cried.

“I know what this looks like. But trust me. You trust Esther, right?” she said. Infia moaned and looked down. She only shivered even worse. “We’ll get to the bottom of this.”
 
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Episode 27: Loneliness Together

HaruMiju

Hero in their dreams
Location
London
Pronouns
They/them, She/her,
21 Silver.jpg

Episode 27: Loneliness Together



“At least tell us what they’re doing to her. You can’t leave us in the dark like this, please!” Infia cried as she slapped her paws against the door.

“Will you stop that? All you’re doing is distracting the scientists,” one of the agents shouted her. “Reminder that you guys are all under contempt right now. Sit down and be quiet or we’ll be forced to pass premature judgement!”

“But she’s innocent! They could be hurting her when she’s done nothing wrong,” Infia cried and slammed the door even harder.

“Infia, please! What’s gotten into you?” Sophitia pulled her back with her feelers. The Minun sniffled and shuddered, but accepted the grip and gave up there.

They were back in the underground base in Pokétopia, but there was clear evidence of the Spirle attack that Silver mentioned. Most of the machinery was damaged, glass was smashed, walls were marked with burns, and the staff were injured. A horrible battle had definitely taken place here, and despite having nothing to do with it, Lute couldn’t help but feel a sense of guilt from looking at it all.

It was cold and quiet, aside from the sniffles and shuffles of him and his group. Running water could be heard somewhere in the distance, and the smell implied that it was sewage or something. They had to bear it however, guarded by agents as they awaited the results of whatever they were doing to Esther in the test room. The instant the handle for that room opened, Infia shot to her feet and pressed her paws together. Athens the Meowstic emerged from the room and signalled them to come over without a word.

The test room appeared to be mostly unharmed. Silver, Marina, and a few other agents were present, though the latter were hard at work on the computers lining the room. Esther was slipping her shirt back on, and was watched closely by the same Hitmonlee as before.

“Esther!” Infia cried. The Pikachu was snatched the moment she spoke, and she gave the Hitmonlee a brutal stare.

“This is a considerable situation if I ever knew one. I actually cannot believe things went on this long without us noticing,” Athens began. He tucked his arms behind his back. “We’ve isolated the problem. It’s absurd, but no matter what way you put it, it gave Spirle the knowledge to act as they have.”

“Well then, what is it? Don’t mess about,” Sophitia said.

“Esther has some sort of camera implanted in her head,” Athens revealed. Everyone’s eyes widened. “Amazingly, it isn’t the slightest bit detrimental to her health. However, it is intricate enough to broadcast everything she sees and hears to a location Spirle have been using as a base until now.”

“Well then what’re we waiting for? Let’s trace it and take down Spirle!” Sophitia said.

“Too late. We sent out agents to the location the moment we discovered it, but by the time we got there, they were long gone, all of their important data and records taken with them.” Athens scratched his chin. “The point is, everything your group has said and done until now, Spirle have seen it. They took record and planned today’s attack almost flawlessly.”

“But how? How could they do something like that to Esther? That’s just impossible!” Infia gasped.

“No… no it’s not,” Lute said. He gulped aloud. “Spirle kidnapped her that one time. And then they handed her back to us without much of a fight. That was when we first met Tetra.”

“You catch on quickly, thankfully. Whilst we initially thought the act to be a petty little ransom game, it turns out that they predicted they might get useful information out of whatever agent came to rescue her. Or more specifically, you, Lute,” Athens stated. The Eevee was shaking. “Don’t worry, we’re not accusing you anymore. With the absurdity of this scenario, even our veteran teams would have fallen for it. I assume they only picked you because they knew you were a new agent, a young one who might overlook details.”

“Thank goodness, anyway. With the base gone, they aren’t gonna sneak any new info from us,” Sophitia said.

“We can’t take any chances, though. We’ve begun preparations for your punishment, as well as what to do about Esther’s condition,” Athens continued.

“You are still going to punish us?” Phoenix questioned.

“At the end of the day, your team is responsible for a mass damage to the entirety of the Agents of King’s Shield. And don’t forget, I saw you with Kuri. You are fully aware that he is a high priority for capture, yet you were aiding him,” Silver replied. “Add in the continuous disobeying of Lassic’s orders to stay away from the temples and the Aseria legend, and well, your group’s been asking for a punishment for a while.”

“You are one rotten group, you know that?” Naivie popped out. “You’re seriously gonna lock these guys up for stuff that you just admitted is barely even their fault? That’s a real dick move, and trust me, I know about being a dick!”

“Esther’s operation comes first,” Athens said.

“Operation?” Phoenix said. Athens nodded.

“She was operated on to place that camera in her head in first place, so we’ll have to reverse the procedure to remove it. Although,” he said, tilting his head.

“Although?” Sophitia said slowly.

“I can’t quite picture how this might go. Our scientists and doctors are saying that they definitely won’t be able to remove it without serious damage to Esther in general,” Athens explained. He cleared his throat. “I’ll be blunt. Esther is going to lose her sight and hearing.”

Everyone’s mouths hit the floor, and Esther gasped. The Hitmonlee let her go however, to which she growled and closed her fists. “Is this some kinda joke? You guys are gonna make me deaf and blind?”

“For the sake of Aseria’s future safety, we have to remove that camera. We’re being respectful in letting you know before we do this,” Silver said.

“This is some kind of sick joke. Do you seriously expect us to be okay with this?” Phoenix raised his voice.

“This is her whole life we’re talking about here. The rest of her life will be ruined!” Lute said.

“You don’t have a choice in this matter. They could redirect the camera source at any time. As long as it’s there, what happened today is liable to happen again,” Silver warned.

“Are you listening to yourself right now?” Phoenix said, livid. “We are supposed to just sit here and let you take away this young girl’s life just because of what Spirle did to her? Would you do the same thing to yourself?”

Silver audibly took in a breath, and she shifted back a bit. Her face barely changed though, something she was obnoxiously good at. “I would. For the sake of Aseria—”

“I call Taurosshit! This is what I hate about you adults, you always come up with these dumbass excuses to be the world’s biggest dickweeds!” Esther shouted. “Like, you can’t think of anything else? Just ruin my career, my relationship, my whole fricking life just because you screwed up? After treating my like your slave since I was a kid?”

“It’s not like we’re doing this because we want to, you know,” Marina finally spoke up.

“Then figure out something else!” Esther screeched.

“Our backs are kind of against the wall here. We have to act fast, and this is the safest way for everyone,” Marina said.

“Mum, not you, too.” Lute shook his head.

One look at him and she turned away. There was a depressing conflict in her eyes. “Like I said, it’s not like I’m doing this because I want to.”

“The whole lot of you have been very immature about this. The things you’ve done and the position you are currently in, you actually deserve execution,” Silver threatened. “So when we tell you that we’re being honourable in letting you live, we mean it. It’s these consequences, or death. If you understand that, then stand down.”

Lute and the group did stand down from there, but not without livid gazes and furious growls. He felt something awful growing in the pits of his stomach, a horrible brew that concocted hellish ideas in his mind.

This all happened because he gave in to everyone. Because he decided to come back and give life another chance, here he was, reminded that he was only ever here to serve those that created him. And now, he knew that this didn’t even apply to him alone. They were prepared to take everything away from him and everyone he cared about, and all for something that they weren’t mature enough to take responsibility for.

Silver turned her back to address Esther, and that felt like the perfect opportunity. All he had to do was summon up his most powerful attack and stab her in the back, and then he’d be home free. He would be satisfied giving her what she deserved.

He resisted, though. Even though she was saying something and prolonging the one moment her guard was down, he simply couldn’t bring himself to make a move.

A shrill crackle of bolts went off, making his heart jump out of his chest. A strong burst of yellow electricity had done the stabbing for him, an attack that manifested as an arrow of electricity that seemed to pierce right through Silver’s belly.

“Esther, now! Over here!” Infia shouted, on all fours.

“What… the—” Silver said on a shaky breath, in disbelief at the electric spear that poked through her stomach. Esther herself seemed to be shocked, but the moment she heard Infia’s order, she rushed over.

The next moment went by without Lute registering what had just happened, or what was happening. The Minun proceeded to glow with an unstable amount of electricity, where her whole body disappeared into a blinding glow of bolts that matched her shape.

It all exploded into a storm of lightning that rained down on everything in the room, which threw everyone into a panic. Lute danced on the spot to try and avoid damage, but it turned out that all of the electricity that could hit him was being absorbed by Esther. The storm stopped just as suddenly as the lights went out. The instant they did, Infia slapped Lute’s head to throw him into focus.

“Let’s go let’s go!” she said.

He shook himself and blinked. He’d barely adapted to the awful darkness that overcame the room. The agents were standing up, and he and his group were loitering. His desperation made him run for it. He tackled through the nearest door and sprinted back through the underground base.

“What’re we doing?” Esther gasped.

“Gettin’ outta here, don’t question it!” Sophitia said, surprised to be behind Infia.

Marina was the first to get up, so she smashed a few buttons on the walls and tried to operate the nearest computer. None of it functioned, so she cursed under her breath and then looked to the doorway. “The power’s out. We have to stop them by force.”

“Lady Silver,” Athens gasped.

He shivered at the sight of her. She was still frozen to spot, but as they both stared, the electric spear fizzled into nothing. Silver appeared to be left unharmed, and rubbed her belly in total confusion. There was no damage, and she wasn’t paralysed anymore.

“Use your telepathy or something. Issue the order to catch them!” Silver snapped at him. “They’re going to try and leave the city. Don’t let them escape!”

Back with Lute and company, they had already begun to get assaulted by the agents. As they rushed through the dark halls and offices, attacks were thrown their way and some of the bigger agents jumped out to confront them. A combined Thunderbolt and Flamethrower took care of an Aggron, while Sophitia’s surprise Moonblast took down an Ambipom.

“This way!” Phoenix took the lead. He directed them away from the lifts that normally led to the Pokétopia Arcade, where he jumped up high to knock open an air vent. “Up here! With the power out, the lifts won’t work.”

“Looks like a tight fit,” Sophitia groaned at the vent.

“Is now the time to complain?” Phoenix held a paw out. One look back, and a crowd of Pokémon was already scrambling over the desks to reach them.

“Yeah yeah, I get it,” Sophitia said. She briefly charged a Moonblast and threw it in their direction, and then hopped up to crawl through.

It was a tight fit even for the smaller members of the group, and the stench of sewage water was at its strongest in here. Lute crinkled his nose in disgust, but kept his sense of urgency until he heard the grate on the other end of the vent get busted open. There was a dim light at the end of the tunnel.

“Ah, what—” he coughed as he fell from a surprising height. He splashed right into a shallow river of green water, and spat and thrashed about to get out of it.

“Ugh, it stinks! And it’s all over my clothes and everything,” Esther said, holding her tutu up. “I would’ve preferred stairs or something.”

“What kind of air vent leads into a sewer?” Infia cried, doing the same. “Can they find us here?”

“It was an alternate path that leads into the city sewers. But they can find us here. We need to get out of the city if we are to rest,” Phoenix informed. He took off with a sprint. “Be quick! Or they will mobilise a trap.”

“What was all that, anyway? Why did you do that?” Sophitia said as she hopped on top of the water. “You’ve been acting crazy ever since they took Esther away for that examination.”

“I didn’t want them to hurt you. I-I get it, really, I do. If Spirle can see and hear everything we say and do, that puts Pokémon like Gen in danger.” Infia panted between words. She was trying to keep up in a way that kept her as clean as possible, but gave in and ran on all fours, even though she fell pretty deep into the water. “But I can’t let them take away your sight and hearing. That’s all you have. You’ll never be able to dance or sing, or do anything. You won’t be normal anymore!”

“Infia,” Esther said, surprised to hear her tone. “I really appreciate it. But by doing this, aren’t we all like, public enemy number one, now? You guys are gonna get in a hell of a lotta trouble for this. It’s not worth it, you shoulda let me take the heat! We could’ve worked somethin’ out.”

“So, I think we’re all in agreement on escaping this King’s Shield dribble as we go about the Aseria legend, right?” Sophitia proposed. The two electric types were surprised.

“She adapts fast,” Lute commented. “What she means is, you losing your life isn’t worth it for the rest of our safety. Besides, the real danger here right now is Spirle going after Gen. Kuri must be furious with us.”

“Oh shoot, I forgot about him,” Sophitia gasped. “We’re in little position to go to Angard right now, though. They took all our stuff, so you don’t have your weapon, do you?”

“No. But I can fight fine without it, honestly,” Esther said.

Come to think of it, they didn’t take my necklace. Lute realised as he tugged at it.

“This sewer will take us out by the gondola station that leads to the northern continent. Unfortunately, even I do not know anything about that place, though. It is off limits to me,” Phoenix said.

“Off limits even to you? What could be there that they don’t want everyone to see?” Lute said. “Naivie, don’t you know anything? Any info at all could help us right now.”

Naivie appeared beside them. “In my time, it was an island called Reis. It was supposed to be looked after by a legendary Pokémon, but they were really lazy and stuff. Usually let a lot of waste pile up on the island. But no matter what, they kept the underwater paths clean. Only the strong and the devout could get to the temple by walking underwater.”

“Oh right, the underwater thing!” Sophitia came to a halt. “Great. King’s Shield against us, no supplies, and no chance of heading home. And now our only way forward forces us to drown? What’re we actually supposed to do?”

“We can deal with that one later. This way leads us outside the gondola station,” Phoenix said. He was stood by a ladder.

“But wait, this is serious! If we can’t get to the temple, then all of this is for nothing,” Sophitia said.

“Regardless, we cannot stay here. Everyone, be on your guard,” Phoenix ordered as he hopped up the ladder.

He waited until everyone was hung on below him before he peeked his head out through a manhole. He couldn’t spot or hear anything unusual, so he pushed the manhole aside and looked around properly. A few public eyes were on him, but for the most part, this area of the city appeared totally unaffected. Trams still ran, a gondola soared overhead, and groups of Pokémon filled the streets in crowded lines. It was dark out, but the city lights stopped any kind of night time feel.

“Quickly now,” Phoenix instructed. He hopped out to help everyone up. Infia had to fall on all fours to catch her breath. “Are you alright?”

“Yes, I’m… fine. Running like that… just tires me,” she huffed and clutched her chest. She forced herself to stand, but droplets fell from her head. “I can get through this. I have to.”

“Please don’t kill yourself over this,” Esther said.

“Don’t worry about me!” Infia raised her voice.

Before they could argue, Phoenix grunted in alarm. He tensed up and stretched his feet apart. In the corner of his eye, he spotted a Swellow perched high up on one of the skyscrapers beside them. A few blocks away, a Heracross was waiting as well, and both Pokémon had binoculars and attacks held and ready. He gritted his fangs at them, and then locked his sight on their destination.

“They’re trying not to cause a panic, so we’re being watched. This way, quickly.” He sprinted away again. Infia let out a moan of a breath, to which Sophitia tried to lift her up to carry her. The Minun declined however, and was first to follow Phoenix.

“Are we really being watched? I can’t see anyone,” Lute said as he tripped up a few steps. This gondola station was a little different to the ones he knew, being far smaller and completely devoid of the public. He realised that Phoenix had torn through a metal barrier to get in, but only after he ran past and glanced back to look at it. “Wait a minute—”

“Above us!” Phoenix shouted. All eyes glanced upward, and then their cries rang out as they all dove away from a Galvantula that detached from the ceiling.

“So the callout was true. There are runaways from the agents,” Galvantula said, and shook her many legs. As she did so, electricity crackled from their tips, and the group were thrown back into a panic.

“Esther!” Phoenix shouted. She gasped and dove in his way, barely in position to soak up the volts released by the Galvantula’s attack. The spider Pokémon stopped after a while, surprised to see them unharmed.

“You have Lightning Rod?” she cried. Esther responded with a growl and then a Quick Attack, bashing right into the Galvantula’s face.

“Lute, Infia, get that gondola running, now! We will keep this one busy. If you take too long, we will get ambushed,” Phoenix shouted.

Phoenix dismissed them to charge after Galvantula. The potential type advantage didn’t scare her at all. She brushed off Esther’s attack and crawled over the walls to dodge Phoenix’s Scratch attack, and then attempted to slather him in sticky web. Sophitia drew her sword and tried to cut into it, but still found herself tangled by it.

“R-right,” Lute gasped, heavily distracted by the battle.

A quick glance around and he found the gondola carriage, but it was eerily dark and covered in rust. There were only two of them parked side by side, and both had their paint wearing off and aged police tape over the doors. The one on the right side of the platform wasn’t completely shut, and a quick check proved his paws could fit between the doors.

“Phoenix told us to do this, but I don’t actually know how to work a gondola,” Lute admitted as he jammed his paws in between the doors. Infia soon joined him, and the duo growled in their effort to force them open. She didn’t answer him as she concentrated hard. There was a little budge right away, but it still took a full breaths worth of effort before they were open, and the two fell forward inside. Dust and dirt exploded around their fall.

“Argh, it’s so old.” Lute coughed and brushed the air with a paw.

The whole carriage was like this, covered from top to bottom in dust and dirt from lack of use. Unlike the gondolas he had used up until now, this one was a little different. It had a control panel that looked like the computer screens in the King’s Shield base. It was lined with buttons, levers, and dials instead of a screen. He had to climb up to reach it, and dusted it all off to read any of the text on there.

“Can you figure it out?” Infia asked.

“Hardly! I don’t know the first thing about handling a gondola. It’s just obvious that this controls it,” he replied, hesitant to touch anything. Then he remembered the one thing that all gondolas had that lit them up and let them move: the Klefki. He glanced up at the ceiling, and could just about make out the empty key slot. “Infia, up there. If we can jolt that up, we could turn it on.”

She walked over and looked up at it. She rubbed her cheeks to bring up some sparks, then rubbed her paws to turn it into a Thundershock, and then launched it at the key slot.

“What’re you doing?” he gasped.

“I dunno. I thought it might work. Can’t we just force it somehow?” she said.

“Not without getting something in there. A Klefki normally activates it, remember?” he said.

She frowned and moved over to the control panel he was stood on top of. Whatever she saw there, she used Thundershock again. It soon began to send volts all along the panel, shocking Lute and forcing him off.

“I don’t think that’s doing anything,” he cried. She kept going until electricity began to spread throughout the whole carriage. “Infia!”

Just when he was about to tackle her, a light bulb came on and the sound of an engine started. The floor vibrated lightly and the controls lit up with blinking LEDs of various colours, most of which were red. Infia kept shocking it all until she wore herself out, and fell onto one paw.

“How did you… Infia, did you know this would happen?” He gawked. He didn’t realise how worn out she was however, and had to help her up. She still had to take a minute or so to catch her breath.

“You… need to… read more… comics,” she panted. He didn’t understand what she meant, but nodded anyway and rushed back out onto the platform.

“Hey guys, it’s up and running!” he shouted.

Their battle had gotten fiercer than he expected. The Galvantula proved herself a worthy agent even though her electric attacks were useless against Esther. She crawled over the room so fast that she was blurry, jumping from wall to wall with her many legs bared and pointed with energy. She latched herself to Sophitia’s shield and slashed it before the Sylveon could escape, and then she was off again to avoid Phoenix’s Flamethrower.

“They’re ready, go!” Esther shouted, first to run away. Sophitia cringed from damage and was last to rush after them. She had her feelers wrapped around a bruise on her side.

“No you don’t! You’re not getting out of the city, traitors!” Galvantula shouted.

“Traitors? For trying to stop them from cutting my eyes and ears off?” Esther she as she threw an Electro Ball before jumping on the carriage.

Phoenix and Infia strained to pull the doors shut, while Lute was back on the controls. He pushed the biggest lever with all his might. Thankfully he was right on the money and the gondola began to take off at a steady speed.

“We did it? We did it, we’re actually moving!” Lute gasped and laughed with excitement. He jumped at the sound of a loud thump, and freaked out when he turned around. Galvantula wasn’t done yet, and had latched herself to the side of the carriage with an electrified web.

“Holy moly! You don’t go down easy, do you?” Sophitia cried.

Everyone held their attacks at the ready even though they expected the Galvantula to be blown off when the gondola ascended and sped up. However, she remained latched on tight with all of her feet. Her front two crackled with energy, and then smashed the back window to let her slip inside. But in her haste, she didn’t make a hole big enough and was only able to get her head and a few of her legs safely through. Her six eyes glowed and twitched with irritation.

“Now, now, now, just shoot it!” Sophitia cried and released a Moonblast.

Even that attack didn’t knock Galvantula away, but the Swift, Electro Ball, and Flamethrower attacks that came afterward caused her to growl and struggle. Phoenix kept his attack going until the Galvantula started crying out, where she finally let go and was sent sailing into the air. All that was left was the chilling sound of a slipstream against the damaged window, but it still took the group a while to calm down.

“Is it finally over?” Esther whined. She fell straight back. “She’s not gonna crawl back on a spider web, is she? I’ve done that plot on a horror show before. It’s not nice to deal with.”

“It’s… I think we’re good. Now we’re just praying we’re on the right gondola.” Sophitia huffed. Lute beamed up.

“Wait, can we be going in the wrong direction? There were only two gondolas,” he cried.

“Calm down. This station only has two, for two trips. One for returns and one for arrivals,” Phoenix said as he settled down. “I do not know how long this will take. We should rest while we can.”

“You’ve been kinda fiery about this, too. You and Infia. You two really like Esther, don’t you?” Sophitia said. Infia didn’t reply, while Phoenix kept his eyes shut for a moment.

“Esther is an important friend. That is the way I see it. Besides, I do not recall ever being relieved of being her bodyguard,” he stated.

“Aww, you two. I love you two, you know that?” Esther squeezed herself. She started to moan a little, and after a moment, tears started to appear in her eyes. The others looked at her in concern. “S-sorry. I shouldn’t be crying. Now’s not the time to start.”

“Are you okay?” Lute said.

“Su-seriously. Why? Do you guys realise what you’ve done? You’re really sticking it out for me right now, you know.” Esther wiped her eyes.

“It’s because you’ve done a lot for us, too. You would do the same for me too, wouldn’t you?” Infia asked.

“Well yeah… but damn, this is crazy, y’know? We’re talking like, those guys are gonna hunt you down like they do Kuri, now. We’re breaking the law and we’re fighting our own allies and… just for me? And all I really did for it was push you around and stuff,” Esther remarked. The tears wouldn’t stop coming.

“I was really mad about it at first, but it’s all fate, isn’t it? If it wasn’t for you finding Naivie and being just like the rest of us, we wouldn’t be where we are,” Lute said. She went straight faced. “We’re not giving up on anyone, not when we’re this close to the goal post. Even Kuri came looking out for us. We’re not going to lose either of you.”

“No no, you’re right. You could be at home, eating good food right now, all set and planning to travel properly if you just listened to the agents.” Esther looked away.

“But then that wouldn’t be very heroic now, would it? Letting a friend get hurt when she doesn’t deserve to. It doesn’t matter who it is, if they’re wrong, they have to answer to it,” Lute said. She started shaking again.

“Ugh, stop it! You’re not supposed to be saying stuff like that! You’re supposed to still be being a big dick… You’re not supposed to like me at all anymore.” Esther started tearing up.

“We’ll get through this together, alright? So you stop that. We’re headed towards the last temple, so if we can figure out how to get in there, we’ll put Aseria in a point where they can’t stop us,” Sophitia explained.

“Guys,” Esther whimpered. She turned into Infia, who was smiling up at her. “You guys… sorry… I dunno what the heck to say. Just, you’re real friends, y’know? I’ve never had real friends before. So I guess… I… I can really count on you guys, huh?”

“It felt like you already knew that. We’re all the heroes, so I kinda assumed,” Sophitia said, surprised. After blinking a few more times, Esther cuddled Infia and nuzzled herself into the Minun’s chest.

“I didn’t. I truly didn’t feel it at all. But I guess you’re right, this is why you’re all heroes, too. Because I really can count on you,” she wailed.

Lute and the others smiled at the two girls, even Phoenix. He still didn’t consider himself to have made it up to her, but looking at them now, maybe he didn’t need to. Just like the way Sophitia came out with new fairy attacks every now and then, Esther and Infia came out with new moves and actions, too. They were growing together in a way that he knew he couldn’t provide or keep up with, and all he had to do was be there for them when they needed him.

He turned away and looked out the window at the dull, night scenery. Nothing but dark ocean below, blurry fog in the distance, and stale clouds above. When put into this perspective, doing what he felt he was best at didn’t seem like such a bad idea. In fact, he liked the idea. The idea of being counted on by fellow Pokémon who cared about him to this extreme, he was happy to go to the very same extreme for them. His attention was brought back when he heard a low, loud rumble, and Infia broke away from the hug with a face redder than a tamato berry. Esther started giggling at her.

“S-sorry… I’m starving,” Infia shuddered and slumped.

“Me too, now that you mention it. We didn’t really get to eat anything since that big dinner at Obire. I was getting so tense I didn’t even notice.” Sophitia scratched her face with a feeler. “We’ll have to bear it for a little while, though. Let’s hope there’s something on Reis Island.”

Guess my powers are still working. I don’t feel hungry at all, Lute thought to himself and turned away again. The rusted controls on the gondola weren’t too much trouble, either. I wish this V Pocket thing would make up its mind.







About half an hour later, Pokétopia had become a distant blur of show lights and sparkles, while their destination became clear enough to have details made out. Everyone had fallen quiet and rested however they could. They leaned on one another while Phoenix gazed out the window the whole time. The crack in the back window made things cold and with an annoying howl of wind the whole time, but it didn’t stop them from being able to sleep.

Reis island wasn’t nearly what they expected, though. The land was broken up with giant cracks all over the island. The sea ran deep between all those cracks, comparable to an archipelago if not for how close the lands were. There weren’t any landmarks to be seen – no forests, towns, not even beaches. It looked like a place of totally uninhabitable, mountain wilderness.

“There are Pokémon on the island!” Phoenix suddenly shouted. “Agents! How did they get there before us?”

“Wait, are you serious?” Sophitia gasped.

“I can see it. There are groups waiting in ambush,” Phoenix gasped.

“They must have used a Deposit Box,” Lute said. He blinked, dumbfounded. “This is going to be tough.”

Sophitia wasn’t having that, however. She shook her head in a daze, keeping her eyes on the island. She Glanced up at the ceiling, then the distant sea below, and hatched her plan in a flash. It was going to be risky, but it was far less so than attempting to fight an ambush of King’s Shield agents.

“Er, is it too soon to joke and say you’re sure you don’t wanna just give me up?” Esther said. She noticed Sophitia forming her sword, and leaned away. “Whoa calm it, we’re not there for another ten minutes or something, right?”

“Doesn’t matter. We’re not fighting an unwinnable battle!” Sophitia cried.

She whipped her sword hard against the ceiling. Everyone cringed as sparks flew and the light went out. The whole gondola shook with her force. She ignored their squeaks and slashed at the ceiling again and again, each time cleaving deeper and deeper into the aged metal. Eventually she cut right through and tore the wire that held up the carriage, sending the whole gondola tumbling toward the sea.

“Sophitia!” Lute roared while the others screamed.

No one was prepared for what she had done. They tripped and bashed against the sides of the carriage as it flipped downward. It smashed into the sea with a deafening crash and sunk right down. Not that that gave them a chance to get a hold of the situation.

The windows cracked and chipped on impact, while seawater shot in through the already broken window. There was a moment long enough for everyone to gather together towards the roof, but even then, they were all scrambling together to keep their heads out of the water, Infia being the unlucky one that had her head pushed down the most. Soon enough and the whole gondola was drowned, and panic ensued as the door would not open.

Surrounded by chilly water, the dark middle of the sea, and the muffled sounds of a slow, bubbling current, Lute’s instincts shot up to crisis in an instant. He held his breath like everyone else, but if they felt anything like he did now, they had a dangerously short time left. His heart raced and his face scrunched as he resisted the urge to breathe even though water forced its way up his nose, trying to get him to snort or curse. He heaved and moaned, and then forced his eyes open to find a real solution.

The doors weren’t opening, Esther and Infia’s desperate attempts to pull it open proved that. So he aimed for the cracked window, and brought up his psychic attack instead. His little explosion of force broke all the windows at once, in turn sending everyone slowly flipping through the water. It didn’t matter, though.

Now that they were out, he scrambled over to Sophitia to hug her front, and then kicked himself towards the surface. He could barely see it, and it looked to be further away than he expected it to be, really testing his limits. But he held on, even as his face scrunched again, chest heaved, and body tightened in its need for air. Sophitia’s scrambling legs only told of how bad she was, but he tried not to think about that.

They breached the surface before they realised, where they coughed and gasped for dear life. Phoenix and Esther were next, and had done the same, hugging each other in their efforts to swim up. The whole group splashed about wildly.

“Infia? Where’s Infia?” Lute cried, only to have her pop up a moment later. She looked miserable and worn out, and kept splashing as she barely stayed afloat. Lute swam over to help her.

“You’re okay, you’re okay,” he said repeatedly until she stopped thrashing and clutched him. He could barely keep them both afloat however, and how deep the sea was didn’t help.

“Sophitia, what the hell were you thinking? What’re we gonna do?” Esther screamed.

“It is okay, I can swim. Take care of yourself,” Phoenix said as he detached from her.

“Okay, how? Actually, no. Never mind, don’t answer that. But how are we supposed to get outta this?” Esther cried.

“It was either this or trying to fight an ambush. I picked my poison!” Sophitia said.

“You could’ve at least warned us before going through with it! I almost drowned,” Esther argued.

“Girls, stop it, this isn’t the time for this. Look,” Lute said. He turned to face Reis Island. It was a death-defying swim away still, but it was the closest land they could reach. “It’s our only choice. Don’t complain, save your energy and let’s go.”

“Wait a minute, we’re not washing out to sea,” Infia said.

“We can’t. If there’s no wind, there’s no current. Not even in the sea,” Lute said as he kicked himself off. Everyone followed, despite the daunting distance.
 
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Episode 28: Temple of the North

HaruMiju

Hero in their dreams
Location
London
Pronouns
They/them, She/her,
2 Sophitia.jpg

Episode 28: Temple of the North



Lute couldn’t stop breathing aloud. His breaths weren’t hoarse or weak, but they were deep and exaggerated. In fact, it was all he could do. His body felt heavier than a slab of cement, sprawled out and lifeless on the cold, wet rocks of the surface of Reis Island. His friends were all around him and were no better, dropped to zero energy from their desperate swim to the island.

Fortunately for them, the island’s mountainous layout and valleys provided the perfect coverage for where they washed up. There were King’s Shield agents on the island, but they were stationed in the safest spots perfect for an ambush, while Lute’s team were well hidden.

“Hey, I know you guys are kinda dying and all that, but they did see the gondola crash and stuff. You’re not gonna be able to sleep here forever,” Naivie fluttered over them. They barely moved. “Don’t make me sell you kids out. C’mon, rise and shine babies! World saving awaits.”

“Naivie c’mon, just stop,” Esther grumbled and turned away.

Naivie started prodding her. “If you sit there, there’ll eventually find you. And then all this struggling will be for nothing. C’mon, you’ve gotta move!”

“She has a point, obnoxiously,” Phoenix said as he casually stood up. One look at him made them feel even more tired. Somehow, he looked the same as he always did, brimming with energy but unbothered and plain. The group hung their heads as they forced themselves to their feet, but even after a few minutes, they still had to lean on walls.

“This is the worst way to do an exploration. And we still have to go back under to get to the temple, right?” Sophitia said. “Man, I’ve really put us in it this time.”

“I actually did a little tour of the island while you lot were out. You should be able to handle it,” Naivie said. “All up? Alright then, follow me carefully. I’ll lead you guys the shortest way there. But there are groups of police and agents stationed all over the place, so stay outta their sight and try to be quiet.”

“Stealth? I never thought I’d be happy about avoidin’ fights. Just gotta keep my stomach quiet,” Esther grumbled.

“They’re stationed all over the island? Seriously? How many Pokémon did they get to come after us?” Lute wondered.

“I think they’re pretty serious about the whole temple thing. After all, Lassic loses if you guys get there,” Naivie said. Everyone was stood up now. “Breathe through your noses and keep quiet, okay? Now follow me.”

“We’ll go one at a time. Lute and Infia, you’re the smallest, so you first,” Sophitia suggested. The Minun was still slumped forward and pale from fatigue however, so Lute pushed her so that she was sat on his back.

“Wa-wait, stop I don’t—” she gasped.

“It’s fine, I don’t mind,” he said, looking up at her. “Try to rest and recover as much as you can.”

“But I… I hate this.” She scrunched herself.

“I know how you feel, but this isn’t about being weak or strong right now. You’ve done your best. Now let me do what I do best,” he said.

“One thing at a time,” Esther added. Infia gave in and leaned forward to squeeze herself into Lute and shrink their figure.

Now that he was up and looking around, Naivie floated ahead on a path to their right. He never noticed how funny she looked when she moved, bobbing up and down like fish Pokémon.

Even though she fluttered through a cave path, the ground was rough and there was tiny bits of debris everywhere that he accidentally kicked. He froze every time, expecting a spy to detect him out of nowhere.

Fortunately for him, Naivie stopped every now and then to account for the stationed agents, so none of them actually heard him. There were clearings amongst the valleys and hills, and each one had various tough Pokémon hidden on the hills or on the ceilings of caves nearby. The terrain was confusing as a result; Lute felt as though he was constantly walking on a slant or very close to one of the rivers that ran through the cracks, instead of being on a coherent path. The walls and floor were black, dusty, and seemed to rotate all around him wherever he went. It was claustrophobic enough to make him hold his breath, even though he turned out to be well away from water all the time.

Breathing through his nose barely helped, either. Dung had a better smell than this place. His tongue felt like it fluctuated between something burnt and something toxic. Combined with the darkness of the night hiding most of the area in silhouette, and he felt nauseous every time he pricked his foot on a piece of metal or scraped himself on a loose brick or whatever it was he was kicking.

The next thing he knew, Naivie’s route took them to the end of a path. These spots had been open areas with flat ground and a Pokémon or two stationed on guard. She stopped at this next one, forcing the group to remain hidden behind a short wall.

“Wait. There are some guys here,” Naivie whispered.

Lute gulped. He couldn’t sense other Pokémon the way Sophitia and the others could. All he could do was take Naivie’s word for it, and sweat hard as he remained as still as he could. Now that he wasn’t moving, the stench was became overbearing, and the ground felt too hard. If he had to do this for too long, he could see himself going insane. He tried to stay focused however, and kept his mouth shut and eyes concentrated on Naivie. Infia shuffled and reminded him that she was there.

“It’s no use. We’ll have to take the water,” Naivie whispered. Lute’s eyes widened, and he looked around. A little way down to his left was a very thin river that led in the direction he assumed they were headed.

“Seriously?” he whispered with an eyebrow raised.

“They ain’t movin’. And be careful, don’t make a splash,” Naivie said as she led the way. He hung his head as he turned his back to crawl down the cliff carefully.

That claustrophobia was settling in big time, now. This part was far thinner than he saw earlier. He couldn’t walk straight without scratching his fur against the walls to his side, and some parts were so jagged and sharp that he would have to slow down to squeeze his way through. Just looking at it made him feel like the walls might close in and crush him, and to that he gulped and moaned a bit.

The worst part was the enforced dive yet again. Even though the area ran this thin, the walls were slanted at such an angle that the clearing where the stationed Pokémon were was in full view, or at least, he could imagine it so from their height. He could make out a Gliscor from where he was too, a Pokémon known for its impressive senses, so he couldn’t underestimate that thought. He stared at the water below him once more and frowned. Great. Another long dive. He and Infia took a deep and exaggerated breath, and snuck into the water.

With all this, the water felt a lot colder and more unbearable than before. It was freezing cold, dark, and murky enough to obscure his view of everything via puffs of dust and dirt from everything he touched. He felt Infia cringe and squeeze him harder, as well as whoever was behind him pushing him a bit whenever he stopped due to the path growing thinner. After just a minute without air, he felt his body tighten from its need to surface, but at his speed, he knew he couldn’t give in to that. This was the worst thing he ever had to do in his life.

At this point, he wanted his powers to activate and to let him stay underwater for longer, but that didn’t happen for some reason. As he shuffled along this tight waterway, his chest started to pang and his view darkened. He didn’t even know if he was following Naivie anymore, or if the others were behind him. He just kept going as far as he could, holding his breath and bearing the strain of it all. Some moments later, he couldn’t take anymore. Trying not to breathe literally hurt his whole body, so he gave up and scrambled upwards.

Both Lute and Infia gasped aloud when they were free. Lute didn’t realise just how out of breath he actually let himself get. His chest stung when he began to breathe again, almost as if his lungs had contracted and were filling back to normal size. His view was still blurry and everything around him sounded muffled and unfocused. He absolutely had to stay still and recover his strength from how weak he was. He sounded like he was whining, too.

“Er, are you guys okay?” Naivie asked after a minute. She didn’t whisper, which got Lute’s attention.

“Just, give us a minute, please,” he huffed dryly.

“Geez dude. You and Sophitia really like makin’ me work hard, don’t you?” Esther groaned and pinched Lute as she shuffled her way past him. She looked just as drained, too.

“Wait, Esther—” Lute gasped.

“What? I’m gonna go and wring out my clothes before I get waterlogged or something. Infia, you coming?” Esther said.

Lute tilted his head, and then realised where he was. He had been under and gone way further than he anticipated. The terrain wasn’t too different from before, but there was a mountain behind them and a great clearing to their left. To the right was more valley where the water continued, but all of it was far steeper and nastier to traverse.

“You guys made it. Not far to the temple, now,” Naivie informed.

“Wait, but you said – wasn’t that—” Lute cut himself off, looking back and forth. The underwater path they had just braved had a roof over it, and his eyes widened. If he hadn’t lasted long enough, he could have actually drowned everyone back there. No wonder Infia didn’t say anything.

“Dare I say it? It looks like the agents haven’t come this far out, either,” Sophitia remarked as she admired the area. She shook herself off, irked by the splotches of dirt and mud stuck to her.

“This part of Reis Island is only accessible via the underwater road. I mean yeah, you guys had to go under way earlier than I planned, but you lasted anyway, right? You’re all alive, no trouble,” Naivie praised.

“Your lack of concern sometimes is truly going to get back to you someday,” Phoenix warned. He shook himself dry as well. “What was with the water there? It wasn’t seawater.”

“Yeah. It’s ruined my clothes.” Infia tugged at her shirt. She looked like he hadn’t washed it in weeks. All her pink had drained out and was matted with splotches of brown and black. Lute twisted to look at himself, realising he was just as bad.

“And it still stinks, too. Maybe this is why no gondolas go to this island. It’s just a wasteland,” he said. He tried to get to higher ground to look around some more. He tripped on even more debris on his way up, although this was a lot more annoying and painful to hit. His foot actually got stuck in something, to which he kicked and growled. It was a can of something. “Wait a minute, that was?”

He stared at the ground more closely. All the unevenness started to make sense here. There were cans. Wrappers. Scraps of things, what looked like food or materials.

He dared to look back at the mountain he had swam under. It had the same thing – the very mountain was made entirely out of decomposed litter of all kinds, from item packaging to wasted food, dung, and everything else one would casually throw away. All of it was so old and far removed that it had gone black and brown, and stuck to each other to create this painful terrain. Naturally, that meant the river was borderline toxic, a myriad of putrid colours that pasted into the natural seawater colour.

“Is this a landfill?” Sophitia gasped.

“A landfill?” Naivie floated over to her.

“It’s a place where people get rid of waste by like, burying it into the ground. But it’s not a sustainable method of getting rid of mass waste at all,” she explained. She stared at it all with a concern. “Wait a minute, now that I think about it, how do you Pokémon get rid of all your waste material?”

“The same way anyone else deals with it? You put it in a litterbox and let the trash collectors take it,” Esther shrugged. “Or a restroom. Just normal stuff.”

“Yeah, but where does it all go after that?” Sophitia asked. Esther raised a finger, then lowered it. No one else answered. “Have they been dumping all of Aseria’s rubbish here?”

“That’s… really disturbing. What do they do when the island is full?” Infia asked.

“Better question, what happens to the island when it’s got shit in it rather than natural soil?” Sophitia raised her voice. “They chose a place where a temple was to do this? How can you have that little respect for anything?”

“Hey, this is all the more reason to get on with it, right? That’s enough of a break. Let’s get to the temple before they find out we’re here,” Naivie said.

“You are questionably unbothered by this,” Lute said.

“Well yeah, because the moment you guys are done, the problem gets resolved. They probably thought they could ruin this precious island by using it as their dumping ground for the entirety of Aseria’s waste,” Naivie replied. She floated up high to look at the scenery. “It was always a place of dilapidated mountains and valleys and stuff. The Pokémon that lived here kinda basked in the guardian and the flower’s blessings and never worked. But they never let it get to this state.”

“Oh Naivie,” Esther said. The tiny Carbink spun around them, and then stopped before them all.

“Hey. I know you’re all having doubts because of everything that’s happened. But I’m sure we’re all going to get through this. To even your doubts, let me tell you that you don’t need to hesitate on growing the flower,” Naivie added.

Lute hung his head. “If we do that, V-Wave technology stops working, doesn’t it?”

Naivie shook. “It does. However, this will only happen when the flowers bloom. I get to decide when they actually bloom, so even if you grow all four, the whole world won’t suddenly be in crisis or anything.”

“It won’t?” Sophitia said with widened eyes.

“Having the flowers ready to bloom puts us in the advantage. After you grow them, I’ll wait for you guys to tell everyone,” Naivie explained. “Tell the world to stop relying on Lassic’s technology. Come up with new solutions to those that have to rely on it. I know you guys can change the whole world. And when you give me the go ahead, I can restore the seasons.”

“Why didn’t you just tell us this in the first place?” Sophitia cried.

“And lastly, for you, Lute and Infia. You guys won’t actually die when the flowers bloom, either,” Naivie finished. Now everyone’s eyes were wide.

“Wait, they were going to die?” Sophitia said even louder.

“I told them they would. I expected them to back off from the whole thing. Yet here you both are, still trying your hardest despite it,” Naivie clarified. She looked happy. “V-Waves will still be around, so you guys will be just fine. I’ll make sure of it.”

“Are you for real? Why would you do something like that?” Sophitia cried and pulled Lute over. He was about to snap at her until he realised how desperate she looked.

“This was when I wasn’t feeling right. It’s fine now, though,” he said, trying to look away.

“No it’s not. If you died, what would the rest of us have to do about it? You as well, Infia. You both have so much to live for, you shouldn’t—”

“Hey clam up already. Can’t you tell I was spreading good vibes here?” Naivie bonked the Sylveon on the nose. “That the lot of you would sacrifice your very lives for the sake of this planet is just another of the reasons you all are heroes. But as the guide, I have to put that theory into true practice, you know? So yeah, I said and did some really questionable stuff in the past. But so did you. And now, here we are! Minutes away from the last temple. Minutes away from saving the world.”

“Ugh, I can never understand you. I dunno whether you’re just saying stuff like this to get on our good books or what,” Sophitia sighed. “Well, whatever you think, know that I did all this because of what I think of Aseria, and for Lute. If it was just for you, I wouldn’t have bothered.”

“Hey, at the end of the day, I am just a tiny ‘bink. I do what I have to do and I do it as long as it’s right,” Naivie replied. “Okay, that’s enough mushy stuff from me. You girls done yet?”

“Huh?” Lute said. It took him a moment to realise the change in tone.

“Yeah the girls went to wring out their clothes, but there was no cover so I had to stop you from peeking for a little while,” Naivie admitted. Lute flinched and spun around in confusion, and surely enough, Esther and Infia were behind them. Esther was damp and had discarded her ribbon, while Infia was miserable, having discarded her shirt altogether.

“It’s ruined. I don’t know what I’m going to do,” Infia said. She held her skirt down and played with the tip. “My whole costume needs changing.”

“This is your fault you know, Sophitia. You didn’t think about her at all when you dumped us into ocean!” Esther cried.

All eyes turned to the Sylveon, who slapped her forehead with a feeler. “Are we really gonna drill me for this? Like I said, it was either an unwinnable ambush, or we swim here. I made my choice.”

You made your choice. And ruined our clothes in the process,” Esther said.

“Wait a minute, this is rich coming from the girl who plays in the mud like a pig!”

“But I don’t drag everybody with me and ruin their stuff!”

“Yes you do! Remember that time with the Risen?”

“I was playing with you! And I didn’t go and ruin your clothes or anything.”

“You stained my shiny coat! I couldn’t get that mud out for weeks!”

Lute groaned as he watched them bicker. He was too hungry for this. Naivie didn’t say anything for a while, so he nudged her. “Are we still heroes if we argue about clothes?”

“Don’t ask me, ask yourselves that! I don’t get why any of you wear clothes at all. Except Infia, for obvious reasons,” Naivie said, eyes shut. He groaned and slumped forward.

“Esther, it’s okay. I just have to bear it right now, right?” Infia tugged at the Pikachu. “J-just… sorry, I look ridiculous. It’s really embarrassing.”

“But this is serious! It’s total self-esteem territory. You’re just an ordinary Minun now, there’s nothing embarrassing about that,” Esther said.

“I can’t let stuff like this bother me, though. I-I have no choice. Ah, let’s just go already. The longer we take, the more embarrassing this gets,” she pouted

“That’s the spirit! Nothing else holding us up. Keep following me.” Naivie fluttered away. Sophitia gave in with a shrug and a shake of her head.

“You sure you’re okay?” Lute asked.

“Please go in front. I want to be at the back,” Infia said, still holding her skirt down.

Her look made him nervous, but he obeyed anyway. Seeing Infia without a top on for once, he never realised how pale her face was in comparison to the rest of her. Despite them all having gone through that putrid river, her fur coat was smooth and clean, shiny even. Her figure was healthy, if a little round; but he did agree that she looked a little silly. He had to shake off a giggle there, which earnt him a funny look from Phoenix. Now wasn’t the time for thoughts like that.

Naivie directed the group across the open clearing, which wasn’t as vast as it initially appeared. The further on they went, the smoother the ground became, going from decomposed litter to a strange, dry field of dark brown grass and crusty soil. She continued onwards to a wide cave, to which the group slowed down upon entry.

Inside was warmly lit up by glowing orbs on top of candles, each of which gave the area a fiery glow. The cave was spacious but empty of detail, besides the altar at the far end. The altar was familiar with the markings on the floor and the tiny spot of soil in the centre.

“It’s here. This is actually it,” Lute said, jaw dropped. Everyone scattered in expectation of a trap or, but nothing triggered. The temple really was in the middle of this barren cave. “Surprised there’s no Teleportal. This one isn’t in Moand Dia.”

“Well, what’re you waiting for? Let’s get that flower grown!” Naivie said as she floated over the middle. Everyone was quiet. “What? Did a ghost just pop up behind me or something?”

“No it’s just… I should be thankful because I’m starving to death here, but it’s almost disappointing. No Evoli, no King’s Shield agents, no Spirle… just, we made it,” Esther remarked.

“Be careful what you wish for, Esther,” Naivie said, half-lidded.

“Yeah, you’re right. If we really had to fight somebody, it’d probably push us to our limits,” she agreed. She took position. “When we’re done with this, can we please sort out the food situation? And our clothes, too?”

“It’s a priority,” Sophitia promised. She slumped forward as her stomach growled.

“This is the last time, so the last reminder of what to do. Pray for what you want out of the world, and the flower will grow in your view. But you absolutely mustn’t stop praying until I tell you to, no matter what happens, okay?” Naivie recited as they all took position. “This is the last time, so things can still fail.”

“And you’re absolutely certain? The V-Waves won’t just suddenly stop working? Lute and Infia will be alright?” Sophitia asked.

“Positive. There will be little difference to Aseria until I make the flowers bloom. I’ll wait until you guys give me the go ahead before I do that,” Naivie assured. “Don’t you trust me?”

Sophitia didn’t answer that. She just put her feelers together and bowed her head. The others did the same to pray in their spots to initiate the ritual. Just like all the other times, the markings below them glowed with turquoise light that flared around them. The light seeped through the markings to light up the whole area, and then erupted around Naivie and shrouded her in flames. She groaned and growled like she was in agony.

They wanted to say they were used to it, but it still hurt to hear. They were sadly used to the light strain that took away their consciousness, too. Even with their eyes closed, white soon replaced everyone’s vision, and the group drifted off into the dream of Sophitia’s memory.







Thank you for answering those questions so sincerely. It seems that I was correct when I believed that you would be someone special who could help us,” Diancie said.

However, Diancie couldn’t be seen, only heard. There didn’t seem to be anyone here. Just a pattern of waving greens, blues, and whites. It was a peaceful void, disrupted only by the form of a silhouette in the centre.

You appear to be… the proud, heroic type. You aspire to be something special on your own, someone who stands up for themselves and everyone else, no matter who they may be,” Diancie said. “You are talented, resourceful, and always speak your mind. Everyone else looks up you and isn’t afraid to ask for help. Someone like you is the perfect leader, selfless and always the first to outdo themselves no matter the problem. You seem perfect, don’t you?

There was a long pause, and the silhouette began to form into the shape of an Eevee.

But you still have much to learn, and may struggle to admit when you may be wrong. Your haste and pride in helping others may lead you into situations that you simply cannot deal with.” Diancie’s tone changed. “In your overwhelming care for others, you lack an important self-love, too. You don’t view your personal problems or faults as things others should have to deal with. As a result, you are pretty lonely, despite all the praise from others. When searching for fulfilment in your own life, you may never find it, and remain forever lost. But don’t fret. Your belief in what makes you happy will keep you going, no matter how dark those feelings become.

There was another pause, and the silhouette morphed from an Eevee into the shape of a Sylveon. It coloured in as well, revealing its shiny fur coat of blue fur. It had a lot of excess blue fur, so much that it hung down the sides of its face.

Someone like you is best as an Eevee, but due to circumstances, I have evolved you straight into a Sylveon,” Diancie said.

Sylveon stepped forward and admired itself in a reflective puddle. It was shaky with its movements however, and nearly tripped itself up in those few steps.

This is me? A Sylveon,” she said. She admired herself and her feelers, weirded out by it all. “I’m on four feet. And I have those weird hands. This is going to take long to get used to, you know.

It will. But I’m afraid things are progressing very quickly. Your training will have to begin from now.” Diancie bounced her way in front of the Sylveon. “Sophitia. This is something very special, though. You’re going to be extraordinary. An experience. Pokémon are going to love you. And with that will come the ultimate attack we need you to learn during this training: Return.

Return? Don’t skip too far ahead. I-I feel like I’m gonna fall over,” Sophitia said, looking down at her wobbling legs. “So if I learn that attack, I can take on any enemy? And deal with why we’re doing this in the first place.







Lute flashed awake very suddenly. He regained consciousness even though his eyes were shut, and groaned as he got up. He felt like he’d been asleep for a while, but immediately checked for the Ancient Flower.

There it was, right behind him. A giant flower with roots so large they covered the floor markings, and a Shaymin slept at the foot of it. He stared at it for a minute, and then started to laugh lightly just as the others groaned and got up.

“We did it. We actually did it. We did it, we did it!” he cheered and raised his paws as he turned around. He immediately froze, and his smile turned upside-down. Staring at him in surprise was Silver.

No one said anything for a few moments. The Goodra quickly composed herself. Her hands curled up and her face became furious. Lute could’ve sworn the slime on her body become wetter as well, as it shone and flowed in the dim light.

“This is it, isn’t it? The Ancient Flowers your group have been cultivating in order to destroy Aseria’s technology,” Silver asked.

“Destroy it? We’re not trying to destroy it. That’s… not what these flowers are for,” Sophitia replied, glancing back and forth between them both.

“Great. Just when I thought we’d have an easy time from here on,” Esther groaned.

“Perhaps not exactly. But we know the legend. V-Waves get reserved for distribution via these flowers. They’ll stop most of Aseria’s machines from working,” Silver stated. “This is the last one? You’ve grown all of them?”

“We did. We did it because we had to,” Infia said. “If we didn’t, the weather wouldn’t return. Now it can.”

“There’s little point in trying to argue with you, is there? Now that things are this far, I’ve got no choice but to take action against you,” Silver said. “You threaten the stability of the entirety of Aserian civilization. Don’t you understand that? If you break our technology, the world falls to a standstill. We won’t even be able to get off this island!”

Yes we will. Gondolas will stop working, but Pokémon will not. We can use a sailing ship, or a Pokémon can ferry us across the sky or water,” Phoenix said.

“Don’t try to get technical and smart with me. You know exactly what I’m talking about!” Silver raised her voice.

“What he’s saying is that there are solutions to everything. Solutions that don’t forfeit the natural world. If Pokémon continue on the way they are, then Aseria will be destroyed.” Sophitia stepped forward. “We’ll be resetting our society back by many generations, yes, but that is what it takes to keep us safe!”

“Don’t talk to me about finding solutions when you yourselves aren’t finding more suitable solutions to your own problems. Do you know how many Pokémon will suffer as a result of your actions?” Silver objected. She sounded unexpectedly anxious. “Don’t you trust Lassic? His guidance and beliefs are what made King’s Shield what it is today. And King Shield’s aim is to protect the world. Protect Pokémon from dangers they don’t even know about. Aseria’s history isn’t what you think it is!”

“But if we carry on the way we are, the whole world will die. The lack of weather,” Lute said. He looked down. He couldn’t find his words all of a sudden. Why is Silver this desperate?

“Our job was just to help Pokémon. Lassic and our teams were always searching for ways to help that. This legend isn’t a solution!” Silver shouted.

“Then how? Since you seem to know so much, tell us why it isn’t a solution!” Sophitia cried.

“Naivie is manipulative. She’s been lying to you the whole time, just feeding you everything you want to hear. All this will do is revive the sins of Aseria’s history,” Silver said.

“Which are what? Go on, tell us,” Sophitia challenged. Silver tensed up.

“You will need to ask Lassic. He’s the only one who knows,” she said.

“So you’re just blindly listening to him? And you don’t even know, either?” Sophitia stamped forward.

“You’ve seen what he’s capable of. He is the leading mind that made Aseria what it is today. He brought out the best in Pokémon, enabled us to evolve beyond feral creatures occupying a wild world. We can maintain this world as it is, and we can do without destroying society. We just have to figure out how,” Silver explained.

“Listen to me. The only reason I’m doing all this is because I work based on what I see rather than what I hear. I’m not listening to Naivie, or you, or Lassic. I never did. I’m doing this because I feel it’s best for the world, from what I’ve seen and experienced,” Sophitia stated.

“Then you’re impossible to reason with,” Silver finished.

“Unless you have solid proof, of course. I’m sick of seeing Pokémon not act like Pokémon. All of them losing their powers as they rely on vehicles and other machines to do simple stuff. Just look at this island! Today’s Pokémon don’t care a bit about nature or their history. You Pokémon had everything you ever needed, yet you replaced it with whatever the hell everything is now, as if that’s progression!” Sophitia argued.

“And all that’s under the belief that the old world, that flawed old world where dictatorship ruled and war was rampant, is better than a modern, democratic society?” Silver said.

“Democracy? Your democracy doesn’t even work!” Esther shouted. “Ordinary Pokémon like me slave away for pennies while aristocrats with no care for life breed Pokémon like me and Infia. We have more morals than that!”

“Your morals are about to ruin the lives of every single Pokémon that is just hanging on the edge. Pokémon with disabilities, or families they can barely support in their fields. Are you really going to forfeit them based on your blind ideals?” Silver said.

“Like I said. I do it based on what I see. And what I see is a world where those Pokémon can be Pokémon,” Sophitia said as she formed her sword and shield. “You only want to preserve those Pokémon because they keep working for you.”

“So you see it. You can already tell we’re not going to see eye to eye on this. King’s Shield has been as kind and patient with you as they possibly can, but enough is enough. I’m not going to sit here and watch while a generation of kids destroy everything their elders spent so long building up,” Silver shuddered. Her eyes widened and body tensed. The others did the same to prepare for battle as best as they could.

“Just because you’re older, doesn’t mean you know better. Can’t you just look at everything that’s happening?” Esther said. She was cut off by Silver spitting out a Dragon Pulse attack, a beam of purple flames and energy that blew up on the floor where Esther just was.

“Your words are meaningless. If you really think that the world we live in is wrong, then fight the very law of it. Fight me! Put everything you have into it, and try to take me down,” Silver shouted.

Lute shuffled back a little. Normally he would be okay with that idea, but right now, he was certain that would lead to defeat or even death. He was in a bit of a daze, unfocused and lost in thought. His stomach panged so hard that he couldn’t stop shuddering, like if he fell to the ground now, he wouldn’t be able to get back up. He didn’t know whether he could trigger his powers again or not, even though he needed them now more than ever. Was it worth the risk trying?

But more so, he was totally lost in thought. He couldn’t understand what was happening, the full weight of it all. He was certain that when Esther came to his house on that fateful day, shoving Naivie in his face to drag them off to Everend’s temple, that it was fate. Pokémon should be side with him and cooperate to restore the seasons.

And now here he was. Face to face in battle with Aseria’s most powerful defender, the strongest King’s Shield agent he knew. She wasn’t having a word of him or his friend’s beliefs, strongly convinced that Lassic was in the right. Was it patriotism, blind or justified? Or was it truly adult knowledge he wouldn’t understand that she withheld from him? Or by extreme chance, was it the same as Sophitia, and Silver’s own personal beliefs driven by experience and sight?

The battle had exploded around him while he stared in dazed disbelief. The team scattered and came at her two at once to combine their moves and crush Silver in a pelting of special attacks. Flamethrower combined with Moonblast, Thunderbolt fused with Revelation Dance, and any other combinations they could pull off on a whim. Silver took none of it. She bounced across the cave at shocking speed, or pushed those attacks back with an easy Dragon Pulse.

It was chaotic and deafening. Beams rained across the cave, exploding and shrouding everyone in smoke. The cave shook as Silver’s Fire Punch and Outrage attacks smashed the ground when she missed, and the air trembled when Phoenix’s Flame Charge clashed with Aqua Tail. And when everyone seemed to collapse with fatigue, the Goodra twirled her head around as she threw up a huge, orange ball of fire. That fireball hit the ceiling of the cave and exploded against it, splitting into countless meteors that fell with the sound of fireworks.

This had him focused, and he had dance about to dodge. He clenched his muscles and flew into Quick Attack, no longer thinking. If one of those Draco Meteors hit him, he would be dead for sure. So he charged through the storm, darting left to right to avoid their fiery blasts as they exploded around him. Silver locked eyes with him for the briefest of moments before impact, and he hit her straight in the neck.

The scene froze for him, and battle instincts came into play. She had caught him by twisting to the side so that he hit her arm, but he had latched himself there. He cried out, opened wide, and bit down on her neck as hard as he could, his motion exaggerated by a bear trap made of energy that clamped down on her.

Silver winced and twirled, and then with a feral thrash, sent him skidding across the ground. Just that felt like it tore the skin off his chest, but natural reactions made him right himself. He was puffing and panting, drenched in goo and sweat. He tried to hop into another Quick Attack, but the goo had made him heavier, and he was stuck him to the ground. One glance at his feet made it look like he had glue underneath them. His only response was a fierce growl at the dragon.

Silver had to fight off Sophitia’s sword and shield with Fire Punch and Flamethrower, effortlessly bashed Esther away with a backhand, and then locked eyes with Lute before roaring. She came at him like a Sharpedo, surrounding her arms and face in a draconic storm of energy. He had moments to react, and anxiously did whatever came to mind as she hopped up and dove toward him.

His electric attack came out, a crackling orb of yellow electricity. It looked like she literally ate it to charge right through and slam into him, and that was it for him. All he could do was roar at the top of his voice as all of his senses were lost to pain.

“Lute!” Sophitia shrieked. She rushed over to him while the others stood guard over her.

He couldn’t hear her for a while, though. He felt like his whole body was on fire, melting and shedding its insides as a mixture of agony and chill took over him. The attack hadn’t physically broken him, but it left him on his back and shivering. His body was covered from head to toe in black and red marks. He managed to keep a hold of himself enough to notice Sophitia and Infia above him, the latter using her healing touch to try and restore him. It must have worked, because that agony had shrunk into aches and hunger pangs after a moment.

He rolled to his feet and huffed. This was a bad idea. The worst idea he had ever had. Believing he stood a chance against Silver and taking her head on while starving to death. Even if his V-Pocket powers had triggered, she probably would have competed with them for long enough to beat him on stamina alone. He glared up at her furiously, and she glared right back, her eyes red and crazed.

However, the Goodra was spasming. She was in an uncomfortable pose, or what would be one if not for how round and jelly-like her body was. She was paralysed. And just when he thought to take advantage, someone else acted for him. He could only see their shadow drop behind her before it was too late, where a thorn stabbed her right in the back. Silver let out a shrill cry and arched her back hard. She froze in that position, and was cradled carefully by the leafy arms of a Dragalge.

“What the?” Esther screamed.

“Easy now. I would not move too much if I were you. The more you do, the faster the poison will seep through your body. And it wouldn’t do to have a dead Goodra on either of our hands, would it?” Storm whispered. The others made a move, but one sharp glare from him, and they all froze. “I must admit, it was a lucky stroke that you happened to fight her. If not for your attack paralysing her so, I might not have ever landed my Poison Tail. It is both luck, and something I thank you for.”

“Now what? What is he doing here?” Esther cried. Storm’s eyes narrowed as if he was grinning at them.

“I have information for you, heroes. Information you will be very happy to hear,” Storm said. He let go of Silver’s shivering body to let her slump to the ground. He kept his tail in her however. It spread a hideous patch of purple around the stab wound. It was underneath her skin, almost like a poisonous bruise was spreading across it, separated by her veins and pores. “Princess Genesis is ours. And she’s told us where the Mega Stone is. It is only a matter of time now before ultimate power is ours.”

“No… seriously? Genesis? You’re just saying that to throw us off!” Sophitia gasped and shook her head.

“Hoho. Is that what you believe? Then so be it. Sit and watch as Spirle evolves into an unstoppable force,” Storm bragged. He crossed his arms. “Meanwhile, her little heroic husband was apprehended by none other than King’s Shield. They made our job easy!”

“Kuri as well?” Infia gasped.

“And now, thanks to you, we have Silver. She should make an impressive Risen,” he said, starting to float off the ground. “That is all. As things are now, Aseria is already within our grasp!”

“What? No, don’t you dare run you bastard!” Esther shouted as she dove toward him. Storm spun and vanished in the blink of an eye, taking Silver with him. “No! Get back here!”

“We know you will come for her. If you do not, consider her dead,” his voice echoed around the room. Everyone twisted around in expectation of an ambush, but nothing came. His presence simply vanished.

“Uh,” Naivie said, making them all jump. She came from behind the flower, eyes agape.

“Naivie! You were hiding?” Sophitia cried.

“Well yeah, Silver came before you woke up. I couldn’t let her find me and do something,” Naivie squeaked. She shook hard. “But what in the world just happened?”
 
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Episode 29: Project Dragonlord

HaruMiju

Hero in their dreams
Location
London
Pronouns
They/them, She/her,
25 The Mega Stone.jpg

Episode 29: Project Dragonlord



“So Silver got stabbed and kidnapped,” Marina said. She began to pace around the lab. It wasn’t the habitual pacing of a deep thinker, but the stressed kind of someone on the verge of breaking down. She ended with a loud sigh, and slammed her paw on the table beside her.

The group had managed to call a truce on their situation by telling the agents of Silver’s abduction. With King Shield’s usual leaders out of commission, leadership duties fell to Marina of all Pokémon. She welcomed Lute’s group back to the Pokétopia base and provided them with a table of nourishment, but even with their hunger, her angst had them freeze.

“Er, you okay?” Esther said, slowed her chewing on an apple.

“This whole thing is turning into one unbearable mess. Lassic had us focusing on stopping you and the Spirle attacks, but from what I’m gathering, this is all going well beyond some simple crimes, now,” Marina explained, staring at her paw. She clawed at the table, and her added pressure made it shake. “And he’s still absent. I don’t know what he’s playing at, but we need him now more than ever, and he’s away on ‘business’.”

“Well what do you want us to do? You obviously invited us back here to ask for something. I doubt you guys actually wanna let us go free,” Sophitia said.

“I trust you, though! Silver was the one chasing you guys, not me,” Marina cried. “I don’t believe Esther’s eyes are an issue now, especially if Spirle know that we know. We’ve got way bigger things to worry about.”

“I hope so. Did they leave a ransom note telling us where to go for Silver?” Sophitia asked.

“They did. And I believe I should send your group to retrieve her. You have the power, and it’d help to mend whatever vendetta she has against you. But I can’t help but hold off on this. Something seems massively wrong with the whole thing.” Marina turned away.

“It’s just bad guys doing bad guy stuff. What could be wrong about everything else?” Esther commented. She went back to stuffing her face.

“Hasn’t it struck you guys as odd what Spirle have been doing ever since… well, forever?” Marina pointed out. She began to pace again. “Their actions seem so aimless and sporadic. Even for a team of villains who have had access to government secrets through your eyes, what they’re doing with it seems petty compared to what they could be doing. I just can’t put my paw on what their plans are at all.”

It’s true. It’s not even obvious why they kidnapped Esther in the first place. They can’t have known she’d become a teammate who gets regular access to this place. Then there’s the Risen attacks, and now the kidnapping of Silver. I guess there’s also kidnapping Gen, too, Lute thought, having a light bulb moment. “One thing’s for sure, they’re after the Mega Stone. Wait, then Kuri might know what to do.”

“Kuri?” Marina said.

“He’s going to hate me for telling you this, but Kuri’s wife Gen knows where the Mega Stone is. She’s the last royal Ancient, Princess Genesis. When Spirle did that mass attack all over Aseria, Angard was the main place they targeted because they heard it from Kuri through Esther’s camera,” Lute explained. Marina’s eyes widened. “But King’s Shield arrested Kuri when he went to help her, letting them kidnap Gen easily. But if he works with us, we might be able to fix this quickly.”

“Are you suggesting Spirle created a diversion? Or set up a trap using us that could occupy Kuri?” Marina said. “Silver did admit that it felt easier than expected to finally arrest him.”

“I think it’d be something like that. But the Pokémon we need to be trying to save right now is Gen, not Silver!” Lute raised his voice.

“Alright. We need to calm down and get clearer on this. We’re not leaving Silver behind,” Marina said. She gulped, took a deep breath, and then paced a little bit. “I’ll need you all to come with me, if you can.”

“Can we take the food with us?” Sophitia’s face turned red.

“Of course! I hope you guys are feeling better, you looked starved. When I’m in charge, I don’t care about mess,” Marina smiled. Infia and Esther pumped their fists and stuffed their cheeks before wrapping everything up.

The group stayed quiet while they were directed, but took note of how clean everywhere in the base looked. They didn’t exactly trash the place during their escape, but to find that there was no evidence of their skirmish was remarkable. King’s Shield certainly were efficient when it came to hiding their tracks, even when they were in their own hidden base.

They headed down a few flights of stairs into a darker sector of the base, where they found prison cells. A single lampshade at the ends of the halls were the only sources of light here, and a distant sound of leaking droplets was all the company the Pokémon here got.

Lute felt heavy-hearted as they wandered through, and glanced into the cells they passed. There were six cells in all, and each one was empty besides one. Kuri was sat on a bench at the back of that one, head hung and fists clenched together.

“I have so many questions, but I feel like it’s better to trust you guys on knowing what you’re doing,” Marina stood aside for them. Kuri lifted his head at her voice, but he looked furious with them. “Kuri is one of yours, isn’t he? I’m going to set him free, as long as he stays with your group.”

“Seriously? You’re just gonna do that on a whim?” Sophitia leaned back.

“Well I figured that much out. If Spirle created a diversion involving Kuri, then it’s obvious he’s a key to this,” Marina admitted. “Silver was only going to have him executed in a court trial, anyway.”

“So what is it?” the Chespin spoke up, his voice parched. “Am I now your pawn or else?”

“I do still have to do my job, so you could see it that way. But I’m letting you go with Sophitia’s team. If you’re really a part of everything going on right now, then you’ve no reason to object. They’re here to stop whatever Spirle’s up to,” Marina said. Her face and tone were stern. “Kuri. We need information. Everything you know about Spirle. Why they’ve kidnapped Gen, what they’re doing with the Risen, why they did what they did to Esther—”

“Go to hell. What do you think I am, one of them? You’d never catch me spitting in their direction,” Kuri turned away. “I don’t know the answer to any of that, except why they took Gen. But I’m gonna guess you already know why ‘cos this lot couldn’t keep a freaking secret after all.”

“It’s necessary right now. Who knows how far Spirle have gotten? They could be on their way to the Mega Stone right now,” Lute warned. “C’mon, please Kuri. Work with us. I’m sorry we let you down before. But you’re one of the heroes, we need—”

“Don’t get all sappy on me. I never said no. But don’t expect me to be totally buddy-buddy after you flipped me off back there,” Kuri said.

“We did not. King’s Shield actually turned on us. They wanted to take away Esther’s sight and hearing thanks to that camera,” Phoenix said. Kuri seemed surprised by that, and unfurled his arms. “Now Silver was taken by Storm. We may have time yet, but it seems like they’re trying to waste it.”

“And Lassic?” Kuri asked.

“Nowhere to be found. Away on business.” Phoenix said just as sternly as Marina.

Kuri looked away again, and his face started to go pale as he nibbled at a hand. “Of course he isn’t here. But them stalling for time just means she’s suffering right now.”

Then there was silence, besides those droplets. Lute was particularly surprised to see the Chespin this way, confounded and sweating from whatever his inner thoughts were. The group were equally as unnerved, and rubbed their arms or avoided eye contact. That was until Phoenix took a deep breath and stepped forward to get everyone’s attention.

“Kuri. Until recently, you have been fighting with only a select few Pokémon on your side. But now, things are about to change. Big things. Big things caused by this team right here,” he spoke proudly, and glanced at everyone. “We’re not just King’s Shield agents. We’re not just heroes, either. At this point, we’re friends.”

“Your point?” Kuri glanced at him.

“You wanted me to keep a connection with King’s Shield. By being with them, I can tell you that you can trust them with everything. We only want to do what is best for the world, just as you do,” Phoenix said.

Kuri shut his eyes for a moment, and then shook himself. “Gods damn it. Not like I have a choice anymore. It’s my pride or the whole world.”

“Precisely. Tell King’s Shield what they need to know. And don’t hold back on it,” Phoenix said. Marina’s eyes raised, and she cocked her head.

“Hmpf. Alright. We’ll see how much you believe me after all. I’ll reveal, but none of you will like it,” Kuri said mockingly. “We’re on the crux of Aseria’s greatest crisis. Even greater than the Meteorite Event that took the lives of so many and ended Aseria’s Ancient days.”

“That’s because of the Mega Stone, right? If Spirle’s leader gets their hands on that, we’re in trouble. That much is obvious,” Marina said.

“What isn’t obvious is how close they really are to doing that, and how little power we have to stop them. The world is already being ruled by Spirle,” Kuri said as he walked off. He headed back upstairs with a distant snarl on him, a vacant but feral aggression like he was trying to stifle the frustration of his thoughts. “That’s because our main enemy is Lassic.”

“Co… come again?” Lute froze.

“Our enemy is Lassic. He’s the one who caused the Meteorite Event, and now he’s the one orchestrating this whole thing. He’s found the Mega Stone, but he needs as much time as possible to work with it,” Kuri announced.

“So he’ll stall for time by any means possible?” Sophitia asked.

“Wait wait wait, hold on a sec, don’t leap a million miles ahead. Lassic? Why is Lassic our foe?” Esther gasped.

“I knew you weren’t gonna listen to me.” Kuri rolled his eyes.

“Not with a bold as hell statement like that, no!” she cried.

Kuri took a deep breath and leaned against the wall, ignoring the attention he drew from all the other agents still here. “Spirle rule the world because Lassic is their leader. He’s staged everything. Rising through the hierarchy until he’s the unquestionable god he sees himself as today. I saw it all happen. A scientist from the earliest days of the modern age who wouldn’t take no for an answer.”

“What you’re saying is Lassic commands King’s Shield and Spirle, making himself appear as a hero? For what reason would he have to create such intimidating villains?” Marina said.

“So much for do or die. It’s just like I expected. The more I reveal, then less you guys are gonna believe me,” Kuri sighed. “You guys have a Teleportal here, right? We’ll need one.”

“It’s just absurd to think, especially for me,” Marina admitted, and looked down.

“More absurd than everything Spirle’s done so far? Like putting a camera in someone’s brain, or kidnapping Silver for no reason?” Kuri challenged.

“Look, you don’t know Lassic the way I do. This hasn’t been obvious, but he was part of a team with me and Silver, you know. The five of us, we were the original Agents of King’s Shield. Me and my husband Evoli, Silver and her husband Jagen, and then Lassic as our leader… we built up everything together. We went from a nerdy little rescue team to the syndicate we have today,” Marina explained, and slid one foot forward. “He’s the living icon of advancement and peace in Aseria. He couldn’t possibly be some criminal mastermind controlling a group of terrorists. The things he stands for, the things he creates, the things he works towards… we wouldn’t be living in nearly as peaceful times if not for him.”

Kuri was quiet, but his face grew more intense with every word. “You’re right. You don’t know him the same way I do. You don’t know him as a crazed scientist who doesn’t care about anything other than gaining more power. All he really wants is to turn this world into his making, and will stop at nothing to do that. He wiped out the Ancients and stripped the world of their lifestyle because of their refusal to suck up to him.”

“Okay, stop a second. Arguing about this isn’t going to get us anywhere,” Sophitia pushed her way between them. “We need to work with what we have. We’re on our own now, and we know that Spirle are after the Mega Stone, which Gen has knowledge of. Kuri. Can you help us get to the Mega Stone first?”

“I don’t actually know where the Mega Stone is. Despite being married, that’s information even I wasn’t allowed to know,” Kuri turned away.

“Of course it wasn’t,” Esther rolled her eyes and groaned.

“But I do know where their base is, and that’s where she’ll likely be. We go there, we save Gen, and then we disappear from the world,” Kuri stated. “As long as Lassic is in power, nowhere is safe for us.”

“That doesn’t sound nice at all.” Lute looked down.

“I don’t care. You guys aren’t willing to accept the truth,” he said. “Spirle’s Base is in the world buried in the planet, Moand Dia. We can get straight there using a Teleportal. I know you guys have been messing about with those things, so I assume you have one here.”

“Moand Dia?” Lute and Sophitia gasped and exchanged glances.

“What? You’ve been there?” Kuri said.







In a flash of light, the wavering colours of teleportation disappeared and they appeared at their destination. Only Lute’s group could go as the strange limitations of Moand Dia were present here.

They landed in what looked like a laboratory not much different to the King’s Shield bases they were used to. Sterilised tiles for floors and walls, pipes tangled all over the place, and a plethora of computers and high-tech devices lining the tables and sides of the room.

The absence of Pokémon or noise gave this place a more sinister feel than the agent bases Lute had gotten used to. He warily sniffed the air and cringed from the suffocating feel of it. It was almost as if there wasn’t any oxygen here, or the air was so stale that it hardly gave him the energy it was supposed to.

“Wait, this smells like… banana wrap? Or maybe that’s a sugar doughnut. No no, I think it’s chocolate popcorn,” Esther said, getting happy. “Either way, it smells like my room. That’s funny!”

“It smells so bad, though! Isn’t this just gone off food?” Infia cried.

“Of course it’s all gone off. You try keeping a decent stock of meals when you’re god knows how many layers deep into the planet,” Kuri commented.

“Is this really it, though?” Sophitia said while the group scattered around the room to investigate. Esther immediately headed for the suspiciously fridge-like machine, happy to find that it was in fact, a fridge. “Also, you had a way into Spirle’s main headquarters the whole time? And it was as easy as using the Teleportals…”

“It seems too convenient, doesn’t it? But that’s how little anyone would question Lassic’s discoveries. I’ve never been able to get the power to storm a place like this. Let alone a reason, either,” Kuri said, arms folded. He never looked at her once. “I doubt we’re strong enough now, too. But we have to try, to save Gen.”

“Who keeps a fridge without having it turn on? All the food in here’s spoiled,” Esther said, brushing her nose at it. “They’ve got good taste, though. There’s curry sandwiches in here.”

“Curry sandwiches? Who puts curry in a sandwich?” Sophitia said.

Anything works in a sandwich if you try hard enough,” Esther said, half-lidded.

“Er… okay, whatever. Let’s focus. They probably know we’re here. We need to find Gen or Silver,” Sophitia instructed, and formed her sword and shield. “Weapons out. If we really are in the enemy’s home base, they’ll attack us on sight.”

“If there’s one truth to all of this, it’s that Kuri could activate a Teleportal and casually led us here of all places,” Lute said. “Kuri, I…”

“Don’t get all sappy on me. I don’t care what you have to say,” he said, and walked off.

Lute groaned but caught up with him. “You might not care, but I do. I-I want you to know that I’m on your side.”

“Don’t be stupid.” Kuri swayed his head.

“Stupid? Y-you got us here. I don’t think you’re lying, it’s just hard for everyone to believe,” Lute said, looking away. Kuri froze, and then turned to him with that distant fury on his face again.

“Me and Gen have spent the last twenty years opposing the world’s most politically powerful dictator on our own. No one believes us. No one would side with us. And even now, with evidence on our side, no one would stand with us. And you expect me to believe that through some shoddy little friendship morals based upon nothing but your own naiveté, you’re going to suddenly start fighting with me? You, a product of this world’s flawed infrastructure?” Kuri said. Everyone went completely silent. “Don’t make me laugh. You’re only in it to save your leaders and get your next pay check. I know you don’t believe me or any of this. We don’t share the same beliefs about the way Aseria should be.”

“B-but I know there’s truth to it. You and Gen are really close and passionate about the Ancients and the old world. That’s why you both helped us. That’s why you worked so hard to keep Angard alive. That’s why you’re here now,” Lute said, and hung his head.

“Plus, Lassic was totally against us awakening the Ancient Flowers and stuff. And when it most mattered, came up with an excuse to try and get us killed when we were nearly done,” Sophitia added. “If Lassic really is some narcissistic guy who wants to rule the world or whatever, it’s shown through in more ways than one.”

“What, so now you guys are totally against him? Attacking him means becoming the enemy of every last Pokémon in Aseria, you know. Destroying the world you grew up in and becoming the very terrorists Spirle are known as. Are you really prepared to do that?” Kuri asked with a cheeky grin. His smile faded when no one replied. “Exactly. No one would willingly side with me and Gen on that.”

“… Well, Phoenix did,” Esther said, arms folded and eyes closed. Kuri looked to get even angrier, but left it at that.

It is true that it’s a really difficult pill to swallow. It could just as easily be a really elaborate mix up, Lute thought.

His heart raced as they headed deeper into the lab. He snuck a glance up at Kuri, who was concentrating hard. Then at the surrounding area, which looked exactly like a King’s Shield base. It even had rooms with hologram tables on it, and glass sections where stasis chambers were. However, not one Pokémon was present.

The difference was that a lot of it was badly damaged. The further they went, the more they came across broken computers or damaged pipes. Small leaks of white smoke, crackling loose wires, dented tables and bruised walls, and more and more frequent as they passed through rooms, hallways, and stairs. They eventually came to a familiar room that actually still had a fire in it, and everyone covered their mouths.

“This is a copy of the Pokétopia base,” Infia said, stopping to look around this new room.

“You sure you didn’t accidentally warp us to an old base or something?” Sophitia asked. “Everything’s broken and out of use.”

“Then where are all the agents? I’m just as concerned as you are,” the Chespin said as he scanned the computers. He groaned at the fact that most of them were broken, but his face lit up when he found one that was still on. “Damn it, passcoded. I can’t get in.”

“Naivie, can you confirm that we’re actually in Moand Dia?” Lute asked. She came out of his mane and settled on his head with a lazy yawn.

“Huh? Oh yeah, guess you’re in the old world. That’s where all the teleportals lead, after all,” she said.

“So either way, what’s a place like this doing inside the planet? No Pokémon could survive here normally,” Lute said as he spun around to look at what everyone was doing. Phoenix tapped things on the computer Kuri was at, and whatever they were seeing, it was making Kuri more interested.

“Oxygen containment and ventilation. Pressurisers, remote access commands for every room in the base. The way this looks, you’d think we were in an underwater home or something. Because the concentration of V-Waves in the atmosphere prevents Pokémon from living in Moand Dia, this place has a heck-ton of stuff to make it bearable. And it still feels like I can barely breathe,” Kuri read aloud. He habitually tapped his chin and a foot.

“That explains something else. So all these pipes and vents and stuff, all this makes it so that normal Pokémon can survive here,” Sophitia said. “Meanwhile, all King’s Shield have are those creepy suits, and their research of Moand Dia is struggling.”

“See if you can find something more useful, like a map or a report or something. This info’s useless,” Kuri said as Phoenix tapped away.

“Maybe for us. I am sending everything I can to Marina,” Phoenix replied.

“How come Fluffy Cheeks can use the computer?” Esther asked.

“Remember, I was part of Spirle before I was appointed to you. I may have been a soldier to them, but my tirelessness made me useful for maintenance as well. I know how to operate and fix a lot of their machinery,” the Fennekin explained. He didn’t look away from the screen once. “They are here! On the lowest level. There are three Pokémon here right now!”

“Wait a minute, isn’t this super weird? Spirle’s main base, but just three Pokémon are here? No guards, no High Points, nothing?” Sophitia said.

“No complaints. Let’s go. Phoenix lead the way!” Kuri said. The Fennekin nodded and charged off.

“Wait seriously, it might be a trap or- oh god damn it, what is wrong with that guy?” Sophitia squealed. She shook herself off and followed.

“Whoa geez, this got a lot scarier than I thought it would be,” Esther said, dancing on her toes. “Hey er, if at any point you wanna bail, don’t hesitate, ‘kay?”

“We’re in too deep to run away now, though. I won’t run anymore,” Infia said.

“That’s my girl,” she said with a smile.

“I don’t really get what’s going on, though.” Infia admitted, running on all fours.

“Heh, neither do I, Infia. Neither do I,” she giggled.

The Spirle base retained its identical layout to the King’s Shield base right up until they were at the lowest level, where a new room was present. The sophisticated look of the tiled walls was dropped in favour of natural caves. Black rock that shone with moisture and a gooey, sparkly substance, surrounded a room which was so busted up that it was a wonder the lights still worked.

The same computers from earlier were here, but now they had wires and pipes scattered all over the floor to a single power supply somewhere back in the base. Pickaxes lay against the walls, while lights had been taped to the ceiling and floors, many of which flickered on and off. Everything here looked like a poorly managed excavation site.

“It’s even harder to breathe down here. It’s like this isn’t part of the base or something,” Lute said. He had to breathe through his mouth. Everyone except Sophitia was the same, and had gone from running to walking.

“The cave goes onwards, though.” Phoenix huffed between words. “We’re so far down that the V-Waves are getting denser.”

“Do you mind if I wait here? I don’t wanna get left behind if I keel over on you,” Naivie said.

“Just stay in my mane or something,” Lute said.

“Na-uh. It’s tough enough to breathe in there as it is.”

“You have to breathe?” he said. She bashed him on the head. “Alright alright, just, watch from a distance though. We might have to use an Escape Orb.”

“You got it, kid. This is all your business, anyway. I don’t wanna get involved,” she said, and disappeared into his mane.

“Typical Naivie,” he groaned and scratched his face.

One more steep slope onward and the roughness of cave got worse. The area widened as it descended, but there was a lot more broken rock scattered everywhere and marks on the surroundings where stray attacks had hit. Right at the bottom was a metal door protected by a giant green barrier. Storm the Dragalge and Gen were there, but the two of them appeared to be roughed up.

“Gen!” Kuri roared and charged ahead the moment he saw her.

“Kuri? Wa-wait!” she cried back. But he ignored her and threw himself at Storm with an arm pulled back for a Needle Arm attack. Storm avoided his first two punches, but was struck by the last, sent sailing into the wall. He cried out and slammed to the ground pathetically, left surrounded by chipped rocks.

“Are you okay?” Kuri gasped.

“I’m fine you dolt! What’s with you?” she cried and shook in his arms.

“What’s with me? You look like a state! You were kidnapped by Lassic and everything. I had no idea what was happening! I could’ve… I could’ve lost you,” Kuri said, and fell forward. “I’m so freaking glad you’re okay.”

“And as you can tell, I’m totally fine!” Gen backed off to brush herself off. She realised how ripped and scruffy her dress was and blushed, and pulled at it to uselessly hide her fur underneath. “Okay, I admit I could look better, but this is nothing, you know that. I’m totally fine. We have a bigger problem.”

“None bigger than getting you the hell outta here. We’re in a crisis here, but there’s no time to explain,” Kuri stated.

“I’m not going. I can’t leave this the way it is,” she said.

“Genesis, please! If we stay here, we’re—”

“What’s gotten into you? You’re acting like a kid who’s just found their mother.” she growled. He sighed and put his arms around her. She accepted his hug, but her face went bright red.

“I can’t begin to tell you how worried I’ve been. I couldn’t bear if I’d really lost you,” he said, trying to sound calm. “For the first time ever, I was helpless, and knowing that you were taken by Spirle during that time… It hurt to think about what they might’ve been doing to you.”

“Well you’re gonna have to hold those feelings. We have a crisis of our own here,” she said as calmly, and pushed herself free. “This is gonna sound nuts, but Storm needs you guys’ help.”

“He… what? Him?” Esther cried.

“Spirle’s king is on his way to the Mega Stone as we speak. However, he is making use of a flawed theory,” Storm said as he got up from the rubble. He was furious but weak, hung forward and nearly lifeless. He let the rocks crumble around him. “Wait, Lute, why did you return? To finish us off?”

Lute didn’t answer and raised an eyebrow. His silence only made Storm squint, and he shook with fury.

“So it wasn’t you. A feral Eevee in your likeness forced Spirle to evacuate this place.”

“A feral Eevee in your likeness? Evoli? Evoli was here?” Sophitia said. She glanced back at everyone, but they simply shrugged.

“He seems to want to stop the Spirle King! But the king was never here. He departed for the Mega Stone a little while ago, practically the moment I completed my work on Project Dragonlord,” Storm said, crossing his arms. “I believed that I reached a breakthrough with using V-Waves to create soldiers and alter a Pokémon’s genetic makeup. If this theory would work, then the Pokémon behind that cage would be unstoppable.”

“And he plans to use that same work using the Mega Stone to make himself invincible.” Sophitia guessed.

“Precisely. You catch on fast. But the theory didn’t work! Project Dragonlord just now turned into a Risen. An exceedingly powerful one, for that matter. I cannot contain it!” Storm said. “If the Spirle King uses the same technology on the Mega Stone, he will turn himself into a Risen. Please, you must stop him!”

“You have got a fucking load of balls asking us to do anything for you,” Kuri replied.

“Like, how stuck up do you actually hafta be?” Esther added, rubbing her face.

“Also, Project Dragonlord? The ultimate soldier, is behind that door?” Lute said, fixated on it. “You… d-did you turn Silver into a Risen?”

“That was not the intention. Normally, my failed attempts at soldiers that become Risen would at least follow orders or could be contained by some means,” Storm said. “But this thing is uncontrollable! It is an actual monster that far exceeds my expectations. It is fruitful that your group is here, now. It will require all our effort to bring it down.”

“This is crazy, Gen. Look, we need to get outta here, now,” Kuri said, and tugged at her arm.

“We can’t leave this monster here. Once it breaks free, it will wreak havoc upon Aseria,” Gen stood firm.

“That’s not our problem! Let these kids deal with it,” Kuri begged.

Before she could argue, the ground shook hard enough to throw everyone off balance. The group went quiet, and flinched when the door behind the barrier was smashed from behind. It didn’t break, but the whole cave vibrated, and a quivering, gurgling roar came from beyond. That was followed by several more slams. Each one sounded like it threatened to bring down the whole cave around them.

“It’s here! Project Dragonlord!” Storm warned.

“Tsk, damn it. Gen, you better not do anything reckless!” Kuri said, standing up front and ready to fight.

“The same goes for you, asshole,” she said, doing the same. Lute’s group got ready to fight in their own ways, all stood side by side.

The green barrier shattered like glass, but the shards fizzled out into the air before they caused any harm. A moment later, the metal wall with the door broke apart, and Storm’s monster tripped through with a triumphant roar.

Project Dragonlord. The hint that it was Silver turned Risen was undeniable, now. This Risen had her exact her round and smooth shape, and kept Goodra’s traits of being slimy and shiny. But it was murky coloured and perspiring an alarming amount of brown mud constantly, leaving a sea of the stuff in its wake. Its eyes were hollow, pink, and glowed in the uncertain darkness. Trails of goo connected its lips constantly, causing it to sound as if it was drowning.

The main issue was that this monster was a giant. Just one of its dripping claws was bigger than Lute’s whole body. He would drown in mud if he got close to it. Coupled with its inconsistent combination of sharp appendages and rounded skin, he was at a loss on how to approach this thing in a battle.

“I er, wha- uh…” Esther staggered back. “Okay look, I’ve played the part of the hero before, but this is like, how the hell do we hit this thing?”

“Don’t let it get you muddy, stay away!” Sophitia cried as she leapt back to avoid its claw slamming down.

“She’s right. We have to try something!” Lute said, and jump up high. He formed Swift and threw with all his effort. His stars got lodged deep into its body, where they exploded in massive, blinding bursts that tore its body apart, sending the Dragonlord stumbling back.

“What? Lute, how did you?” Kuri said.

“Guys, remember you’re in Moand Dia,” Naivie cried, popping out of Lute for a moment. “There’s lots of V-Waves here. Your Pokémon powers will be super effective and easy to use here.”

“Okay, then let’s try Energy Ball.” Kuri pulled an arm back to form one. It took just an instant the charge the attack until it was bigger than his head, and when it hit the Dragonlord, it once again sent it stumbling back. “Oh hell yeah! I almost forget how it felt to have power in my guts.”

With a growl and an uncomfortable looking twitch, the slimy dragon started to regenerate, however. The split parts of its body glowed white and regrew, where their colour returned when they were back in shape. Just like that, Dragonlord returned to being unharmed, and roared at the group loudly enough to pin them to the spot.

“It’s still not gonna be easy,” Sophitia muttered, and grit her fangs.

Dragonlord bolted forward and surrounded its claws in green energy that enlarged them, a Dragon Claw attack. It swiped hard and wide to force everyone to jump back again. However, Esther and Kuri were struck directly, and smashed into the walls to the sides.

“Kuri! You will pay for that!” Phoenix shouted as he charged towards it. He leapt up high and scorched everything below him in Flamethrower, hitting the Dragonlord so hard that his attack actually pierced its body and revealed the monster’s flesh-filled insides. That regenerated immediately however, and Phoenix landed deep in the creature’s muddy wake. He panicked down there, and stared up into the face of a Dragon Pulse attack. He braced, but his frightened cry filled the area, shrouded by a blast.

“Don’t get close to it!” Infia cried, dancing on her toes. Gen floated using her Psychic, but instead of attacking, pulled Phoenix out the mud and retreated back to everyone.

“We may be able to hit it hard, but one hit from this thing is ten times worse,” Phoenix admitted, unable to stand. His body was shivered and purple flames sparked where the Dragon Pulse lingered on him, even after Infia used healing touch.

“But it regens so quickly. Storm, isn’t there anything you can tell us that’ll help?” Lute said, and glanced at him.

“I already know how to beat it,” Sophitia said. She hesitated however, and stared as it thrashed about at the surrounding cave like a wild beast.

“Well then? Now is not the time to mess around!” Kuri said, shaking a fist at her. She shuddered and hung her head.

“Did you see its insides? It’s a living thing. If I stab it with my sword, I’ll kill it for sure,” Sophitia said, holding said sword up high. “But I’ll kill it. I’ll kill Silver.”

“Right, this thing is Silver,” Lute gasped.

“This thing was Silver. We kill it here or we let it kill thousands of others once it finds its way to the surface. Pick your poison!” Kuri said.

“I-I know but… damn it, Storm. Isn’t there any way to bring back a Risen once its transformed?” Sophitia said.

The monster charged up another Dragon Pulse attack, to which Kuri, Lute, and Esther combined their attacks to clash with it. The resulting blast shrouded them all in smoke and forced everyone back even further. They tripped on the wires and pipes of the area however, and the lighting began to flicker.

“N-no, not to my knowledge. Risen we could not control were disposed of by being thrown out to sea,” Storm said.

“Tsk. They’re too emotional. Gen, with me. Let’s pin it down!” Kuri said.

“Got it,” she replied nod.

The two of them jumped forward, Gen soaring through the air while Kuri hopped from spot to spot atop the pipes. As he closed in on the Dragonlord, both his arms began to glow brighter and brighter with shiny green energy. He bashed both fists together and then slammed them both into the ground.

“Frenzy Plant!” he shouted at the top of his voice. Thick vines erupted from the ground and swirled around the giant Risen. They wrapped around its arms and legs tightly. Neither Kuri or the Dragonlord could move, but it thrashed around as much as it could, to which he strained and cried out in effort.

Gen wasn’t far behind, though. With both ears lifted and her arms stiff, she helped to pin it down with Psychic as much as she could. However, even with the two of their best efforts to hold it down, it still growled and roared while wrenching hard enough to shake the cavern. Kuri and Gen looked like they were in pain from their efforts to hold it down.

“Grr damn it. Now’s your chance! Hurry up and kill the damn thing!” Kuri shouted.

Sophitia gasped and held her sword close. She knew what to do, yet she froze. She couldn’t get Marina’s cries out of her head, or the knowledge that this was Silver’s fate. “Silver!”

“Sophitia,” Lute whispered.

“I know you’re in there, and you’re strong enough to fight it. You’re not like the other Risen. You’re aware of yourself right now, I know it!” she shouted, and shut her eyes. “So don’t make me do this. I get it now; you were once like us. Like me and Lute, and everybody else. I just wish you could’ve told us sooner, properly. That you were once a giddy little rescue team that wanted to be heroes, too.”

The monster quietened down, but its thrashing didn’t stop.

“You just wanna help everyone. And now that you’ve been through it all, you know that it’s not so easy sometimes, that you’ve got to put the majority before the minority. That’s why you wanted to take Esther, didn’t you? That’s why you wanted to fight us. That’s why you made us prove to you what we stand for,” Sophitia said. She sounded like she was going to cry. “That’s why you made us a team in the first place.”

The Dragonlord started to get wilder and louder, making Kuri and Gen begin to trip up and falter. Lute and the others gasped, and held their special attacks at the ready while Sophitia held her sword with two feelers, pointing it straight at the monster.

“But you still have these feelings, too! I know you can have them. You just have to fight it and come back to us. Tell Marina and Lassic how you really feel. Let’s find a way to bring Evoli back. C’mon, let’s all work together for once, and make each other happy,” she cried. “Don’t make me do this. I don’t have to do this. You can come back to us Silver!”

The Dragonlord started to roar at the top of its voice, and pulled its hardest on Kuri and Gen’s efforts. It broke free of the Frenzy Plant and the Psychic, and came stomping towards her with its claws bared and mouth overflowing with Dragon Pulse. “Silver!”

All thoughts stopped there. Everyone’s desperate instincts kicked off, and their attacks were fired straight at the monster’s chest. Swift, Flamethrower, Thunderbolt, and all combined with the energy of the area to grow huge. The attacks tore right through the slimy monster’s body and revealed its bloody organs.

With fangs bared and eyes clenched shut, Sophitia threw herself into that vulnerable spot and drove her sword straight through. A piercing screech was let out, and the monster’s body lost any sense of form immediately. It looked like it fell straight over Sophitia and smothered her in blood and flesh while its murky, muddy exterior flooded the area around them, swamping everything.

It submerged them all for a while, but as it spread, the height of the substance lowered. Sophitia remained frozen to the spot regardless, her body pale beside the remaining streaks of blood running down her fur. Her fangs were still clenched, her eyes were wide and empty, and her feelers were trembling hard.
 
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Episode 30: Beginning of the End

HaruMiju

Hero in their dreams
Location
London
Pronouns
They/them, She/her,
Episode 30: Beginning of the End



Silence. Everyone was gathered in the main room of Pokétopia’s agent base, yet all was silent. Heads were hung, some had their eyes closed, and any shuffles were kept to a minimum. Even Kuri was leaned against the wall in silence.

Eventually, Marina began to shift forward a bit, and nodded her head as if struggling to keep a hold of herself. She did fall forward completely, but she was caught and held by Athens. He struggled to lift her, but after a shudder and a sniffle, she picked herself back up.

“Marina,” Athens muttered.

“It’s okay. It’s okay. I knew this day was coming. I just didn’t expect it to be so soon,” she said. Her tone was unbearable. She opened her eyes and they were filled with tears, yet she maintained a straight face. It was morbid to look at. “We don’t have time to waste. We have to focus now.”

“Mum,” Lute whispered.

“You don’t have to be so strong you know. No one here is judging you,” Kuri said without looking at her.

“Are you sure?” Marina whimpered. No one replied, but their sorrowful appearances were an answer enough. Seeing that, the Vaporeon sniffled once more and then leaned on the table with her paws by her eyes. Tears streaked down her face and weak hiccups strained her voice, which echoed throughout the room. “She’s gone. I can’t believe she’s actually gone.”

Lute couldn’t look at her. He had seen Marina get emotional a fair share of times, yet this time it felt the worst. He hadn’t ever considered Marina and Silver to be close friends, yet here she was, staining the floor and the table with tears. She sounded like she was trying to say something more, but all those words were lost to her wails.

He felt guilty, even though he didn’t do anything. Or perhaps that was the problem, the fact that he didn’t try harder to help Silver, and in a way, contributed to her death by attacking her. No matter what way he thought about it, he regretted his actions. Both the out of character decision to attack her, but also the self-defence feelings that made him stay quiet in the first place.

“Silver fought so hard against Spirle for all this time. S-she dedicated everything she had to them. Even though we were far apart, I always knew,” Marina said, unable to stop her tears or stabilise her voice. “Perhaps if I hadn’t run away back then, all those years ago, things could have turned out differently. Perhaps I could have really understood how she felt and made her happier.”

“It’s not fair to blame yourself. You were protecting you and Lute,” Infia reasoned.

“Besides, it was all because of Spirle. You came back and helped, even though you were suffering all that mental pain,” Esther added. “Ya’know? Like, you let Lute and that lot make a team. And then you started working with the agents again, too. You weren’t scared at all; you just did what you could.”

“And now, thanks to Spirle’s twisted ambition, you’ve lost one of your strongest,” Kuri joined in. “The only regretful thing you could do now is refuse to finish what she started.”

“Kuri?” Marina replied, surprised that he approached.

“Lassic is away. Silver is gone. The only one left who can steer this ship is you,” he stated. Marina gulped and sniffled. “So finish it. When your head’s clear, review all the information and come up with a plan.”

Marina shuddered and took a deep breath. She had to blink her eyes dry. “You’re right. I know you’re right, and still… you’ll have to forgive me. I need an evening.”

“It may be for the best if we drop this here,” Athens suggested, and helped to guide Marina away. He stopped in the doorway. “I suggest you all remain here for the evening. You are free to go where you wish, but do not leave Pokétopia.”

Lute finally glanced up at everyone. The only Pokémon present were his group, Athens and Marina who had just left, and then a few other agents who had come to hear their report. Storm had been apprehended and locked up, but claimed he knew nothing that they didn’t already know.

This was a cast he had gotten used to. Outside of his friends, the agents usually retained a professional stance of no emotion whatsoever. Even they were slumped forward and looked ready to punch a wall and throw themselves into bed. Frustrated frowns, heads leaned in paws, and all else across the board.

“I need to clear my head, too.” Sophitia suddenly stood up and left before anyone could say anything.

“Sophitia,” Lute glanced back and forth.

He ignored the few awkward glances he got and followed, although she slowed down once she left the room. She didn’t say anything when he caught up, either. He was concerned that they were leaving the base through the lifts. They went in, and even when the door shut, she didn’t press anything until a moment of silence. She let out an angry huff and smashed the button for the roof.

He groaned a little, and tried not to look too miserable. Stood this close to her, he felt her cold trembles and every little huff she let out. He wanted to say something, anything, but no words came. Because of that, the lift felt far longer than it ever did. No one came in or out, nor did it stop on any floor. Yet it felt like a dozen minutes before it finally opened up to the roof lounge.

They walked slowly over to the clearest edge of the area, the one part with benches and the shortest hedge. No one else was here, so they sat right at the end.

Silence again. Silence besides the distant crowds below going about their business. He had been so busy with everything going on that he had forgotten about Pokétopia’s twilight aesthetic. The navy blue, night time hue made exciting thanks to the show lights that illuminated every street. All those neon shop signs and happy crowds of Pokémon doing their thing. This city never slept. There were always crowds around, crowds that clearly weren’t worried about Risen or Spirle, or existential crisis’.

He was brought back to focus by Sophitia forming her sword. Just her sword. She held it out and glared at it with concentration. This was his first time getting to look at it so closely, despite it being used so much. It was a glowing pink blade with a handle that melded right into the skin of her feeler. Despite the feeler’s floppy, light, and flexible appearance, the blade was long, stiff, and heavy. Yet she could hold it up and swing it around without breaking a sweat.

“If I knew how to use Return, I might’ve been able to save her,” Sophitia said. He flinched back and realised he was staring.

“D-don’t blame yourself,” he stuttered.

“But I failed everyone. I actually failed everyone,” she shivered. “That was the hardest battle I’ve ever had to do.”

“Really?” he said.

She frowned further, and then gave him a look. “What?”

“Yeah… really? Was that really the hardest battle you’ve ever had to do? Silver was going to beat us when she wasn’t a Risen,” he clarified. She turned back to the scenery.

“Tsk. We would’ve figured something out. That wasn’t going to end like that. But this, I had to use an attack that I don’t know how to do. And I couldn’t figure it out. I-I freaked out, so I just… attacked,” she admitted. “I could have just taken her attacks. They were dragon moves; they wouldn’t have hurt me.”

“Don’t blame yourself,” he raised his voice.

“But it was my fault, Lute!” she cried.

“You did what we couldn’t do. You’re always doing what the rest of us can’t do,” he looked down. “It’s pathetic, really. I promised I’d help you get your memory back and find out who you really were and stuff. I promised I’d protect you, too. Yet, you’ve done everything.”

“Well blaming yourself isn’t going to make this any better, either,” she tapped him.

“But it’s true. You’ve saved us on so many occasions. You stop arguments, you lead us in the right directions, and when the going gets really rough, you always do the boldest things. I’m trying, yet I can never keep up with you. Or anyone else, really. Even Infia’s come into her own more than me,” Lute explained. He turned away. “The one time we really needed to help you out and do what you couldn’t do, and I couldn’t do a thing. I failed you.”

“Lute, this is about Silver, not me or you! Don’t be so selfish,” she snapped.

“I’m not being – no, this is totally about you!” he cried. “Sophitia, you had to make a decision for everyone’s sake, and we failed you!”

She gave him an angry look, so he shook himself and came closer. “If it was possible to save Silver, you were the one thinking about it most. But all of us were also in danger. You had to choose to struggle and save Silver, or save us and spare everyone the pain. You took it on yourself.”

“Oh, whatever. I just feel like shit. I could’ve saved her, I really could’ve, but my one shortcoming stopped me. I can’t not be frustrated about that,” she said, and turned back to the scenery.

Her body went stiff so much that she was trembled. She breathed loudly, but she didn’t say anything. He raised a paw to say something, but all of a sudden, he choked up. He didn’t know what to say. She was right, after all. If this Return move could have saved Silver, then her not knowing it, despite the fact that Diancie tried to teach her the move, was a major shortcoming. It was such a massive shortcoming that it cost someone else’s life.

And now, they had to deal with a heartbroken Marina.

He kept trying. He ran all sorts of words through his mind, but nothing made a sentence. He even opened his mouth to just blurt something out, but not a sound came. In the end, he just squeezed right up to her and hugged her leg instead. The instant he did, her stiff shivers came to a complete stop.

She relaxed after a moment too, and when she did, he shut his eyes. He soon felt a bit of shuffling, and then the two of them were huddled close. She sat up and cradled him from behind, keeping him between her hind legs, and her face down close to his. Without even thinking about it, he brought up a paw and linked it to one of hers.

“Thanks,” she whispered.

That was it. They sat like that for a while, cheek fur lightly brushed together, paws linked, and bodies loose and relaxed. He still didn’t know what to say, but that seemed to be okay. Like this, his own frustrations of not being useful didn’t seem to matter.

He was so quiet and relaxed that he could have slept right there. He had forgotten how plush and warm her body felt. Perhaps it was fairy magic that soothed him every time. Being this close to another Pokémon that wasn’t family was always such a cringey situation, yet with her, it felt right. As if he could do this with her at any time and it would keep him happy. He instinctively began to nuzzle her a bit more, but her response to that was to pull away a little.

“No. Not now,” she mumbled as she broke away. He glanced up to see a little smile on her face. “You’re a real rascal, you know that?”

“What did I do?” he replied.

“Never mind, you little fluff ball,” she said, and ruffled his head fur. She got up to reposition herself, settling down on her front and prompted him to join her. “We both screwed up. And all we can do from here on is try to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

“By… learning Return? I-I could try and help you learn it,” he tilted his head.

“One thing at a time, Lute. You need to learn how to use your own moves well before you start tutoring anyone else,” she said.

“Yeah, you’re right. Especially when it comes to keeping up with you,” he sighed.

“You said it, not me. But also, if we don’t stop Lassic, we might not even have the chance to do that,” she said, staring at the Pokémon below.

“You think it’s Lassic, too? The King of Spirle. We haven’t actually seen them yet, and Storm didn’t know, either,” he stared as well.

“To be honest, no. I know it’s possible, but until I see it for myself, the real King of Spirle is just a mystery to me. It’s just easier to think of it that way. Lassic is easier to say than Spirle King,” she said.

He paused. “Sophitia, are you okay?”

“You’re asking me that now?” She smiled.

“I don’t know. You seemed really upset before, but now you just seem like, casual? I don’t know, I don’t get it,” he said. “I… I feel like you’re trying to do what Mum was trying to do earlier. But you don’t have to be strong now, too. If something’s bothering you, we can talk about it, you know? I mean, you have a lot going on.”

“No I don’t. I have just as much as you guys,” she said.

“You have your missing memories which have come back a bit thanks to those visions. There’s Diancie, and the fact that you have a sword and shield. We still haven’t figured out like, any of that,” he said with a frown. “I feel like you’re just being really casual about that stuff for some reason. You always have, but now it’s all built up and it’s kinda serious, you know?”

“Well, it’s not. It is what it is. I have these cool powers, and I’m using ‘em to be a heroine. Just like how you’re using your powers to be a hero,” she explained.

“What’re you talking about? You just admitted that you not understanding your powers is what made you attack Silver,” he raised his voice. Her face twisted sharply, and she sucked in a breath so suddenly that it looked like it hurt. He realised what he just said, and his chest tightened. “I-I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—”

“Oh shut up,” she said, and pulled him into her. He yelped, but froze when he realised that she had only brought him into another cuddle. “That’s it. Right there. That’s how you do it.”

“How I do it? What?” He started to blush. She kept him close with her feelers and glared down at him endearingly. She batted her eyes at him, to which he groaned and shuffled away. She let him go, but only to trot around him while teasing him with her feelers.

“You finally talked to me on equal. I’m your leader, yet you didn’t hold back. Finally. You finally talked to me like a hero would,” she said, stopping in front of him.

“Er… okay?” He tilted his head.

“Don’t you get it, Lute? I’m not going to spell it out for you. But that, right there, is something I’ve been waiting for you to do for so long,” she confessed. “Now you tell me. Tell me how you really feel about this whole thing.”

“How I feel?” he said. He looked down at his feet. Now he was confused, but the question was clear. If she was asking, then whatever was wrong with her, it might actually help her to be honest. “I don’t really know. Everything’s been happening so fast. And when I think about it, it’s gotten really crazy, too. But the main thing is, I’m really glad you’re here, still?”

“Go on,” she said with a half-lidded gaze.

“Er… None of this ever would’ve happened if I didn’t follow you that day, back then in Everend. Or if you decided not to stick with me. Nothing’s actually gone that well in hindsight, but despite that, you’ve stuck with me and helped me even when I was at my worst. I’m still scared, and I’m still angry at myself for being so weak. But I’m also okay, because I know that you’re here, and that makes me feel like everything’s going to be okay?” he continued. He slowly looked up at her, but blushed at her smile and rubbed his face. “That’s probably a bad thing to feel. Sorry, Sophitia.”

“Don’t apologize, just go on! Keep telling me how awesome and special I am,” she joked.

“Wait is that what this is about?” He slumped forward.

“Maybe,” she giggled.

“Your ego’s as big as your belly sometimes,” he said with a groan. That set off her laughing, and she danced around him a bit more.

“But that’s fine, isn’t it? I’m fine knowing that you’re fine. Yeah this is probably super big headed, but knowing that you look up to me so much keeps me going, y’know? I can be confident because you have nothing to complain about. You and the others. When the time comes and I do really need you guys’ help, I’ll make sure that I do. But until then, I’m gonna make sure that you can rest easy,” she stopped by the edge of the roof once more. “Hey. We’re definitely going to be headed to one huge battle very soon. It’s best to make sure that you don’t have any regrets going into a battle this huge. Y’know, make sure there’s absolutely nothing on your mind.”

“Nothing on my mind,” he mumbled. “The only thing I can think of is, I wish you didn’t say you don’t want to need us. We’re your friends, we’re here to help.”

“Oh never mind that, that’s not what I mean, silly,” she said.

“Sophitia—”

“I mean nothing you wanna say. To me. About stuff. And how you’re feeling,” she leaned into him. He leaned back and blushed again. There was a moment of silence.

“Nothing.” He scratched his face.

“Nothing?”

“Yeah. There’s nothing else I really wanna talk about.”

Absolutely nothing at all?”

“Uh, nothing. Sophitia, is there something you want to say to me?” he cocked his head. Her face went bright red.

“N-no. Nothing at all. I-I mean, I’m perfect, so there’s no regrets I could have going into this. I just thought because you cuddled me back there and all that, that maybe there might’ve been something you were trying to tell me,” she admitted with a sway of her head.

“I just copied you, actually. You’d do that when I was feeling bad and it always made me feel better,” he rubbed his face.

“Oh. Of course. Figures.” She looked away.

Then there was a moment of silence. He snickered at her to break it. She was about to tell him off when a peculiar, futuristic noise burst through the area. It made the two of them keep quiet, stand up, and look around.

An unnatural silence began to replace the usual chatter of Pokétopia. Lights began to go out in a wave across the city, causing the streets below to look like the depths of a dark dungeon. Worried chatter started up and muffled screams echoed as gondolas stopped in mid-flight. The city fell to complete darkness.

“The power’s out?” Sophitia said.

“But how? Everything’s V-Wave powered,” Lute said, glancing back and forth. “This is bad. We should get back to the others.”

“Wait, look!” she gasped.

He followed her gaze down to the dark roads below, not seeing anything for a short while. Soon, that strange sound began to vibrate the entire world around them. A sinister red glow began to tear through the ground in a stream of blood-red particles that ran through the planet in a gradually enlarging crack. It was like a giant fissure was opening up below Pokétopia. Red energy flooded out in a massive eruption that briefly reached the sky of the Pokétopia dome.

“What is this?” Lute whispered, frozen stiff with a gawk.

The red energy settled below their height, just below the height of the rooftops, but the red particles flew high enough to turn the sky red. A few moments later, Lute’s team badge began to vibrate nonstop, and he scrambled to pull it out of his belongings. Even after her took it out and mashed the button, it wouldn’t stop vibrating, and the screen wouldn’t show up, either.

And then the worst of it came. It hit him almost when it felt like it was too late. A severe lack of air. He was breathing through his nose, but he didn’t seem to get any oxygen from it. He gasped a dry breath, coughed, fell forward, and then resorted to deep breaths aloud, keeping his paws by his neck. Only with this maximum effort was he getting air, and even then, it was just about enough to stay energized. He was literally suffocating.

“Lute? Lute hey c’mon, get a hold of yourself,” Sophitia gasped.

“C-can barely b-breathe. You’re okay?” He forced himself to speak.

“I’m… fine,” she said, going blank. She snatched the badge from him and held it out, but the screen still didn’t appear. “Damn it, c’mon already.”

The screen suddenly popping up made her jump back, and she juggled the badge on her feelers. There wasn’t anything on the screen except for grey static, however. She froze to stare at it, and after stabilising his breath, Lute joined her. A voice came through clearer than expected.

“Pokémon of Aseria. Many of you must be in a panic now, but you must stop and calm down. Please, heed my words and listen to me very carefully,” the voice said.

“It’s Lassic,” Sophitia whispered.

“Many of the older generation will remember this. Twenty years ago, Aseria was struck by a seemingly endless rain of meteors made of fire. These destroyed a great percentage of the world, and left the rest bathed in insatiable flames. It was a time where our world was nearly completely and utterly reduced to ashes. But thanks to our cooperation and advancing understanding of nature, we were able to save ourselves and rebuild the world,” Lassic spoke. “Since then, I have worked tirelessly in an effort to evolve the world of Pokémon. The meteorite event nearly made Pokémon extinct, because they weren’t prepared to face such a crisis. However, I refused to stand idly by. I researched, and tested, and evolved our society into a state where such a crisis would never take our world ever again.”

“What’s he talking about? What’s going on?” Lute huffed.

“Shh. Just listen,” Sophitia ordered.

“But the meteor event was just a taster of what was to come. The worst natural disaster Aseria has ever suffered is soon to befall us. It is a rapture, a complete and total eradication of all life on this planet,” Lassic continued. Their eyes were wide. “The red particles you see around you, stripping you of air are no greater than V-Waves, at a density so high that it physically hurts Pokémon. The world of Aseria intends to drain itself of these V-Waves, disabling our technology, our powers, our very life force, in attempt to bring Pokémon to extinction.”

“But why am I fine?” Sophitia whispered, clutching her chest. She glanced at Lute who was still struggling.

“But I am prepared once again. I can save you. I can stop this rapture, but only if you as Pokémon cooperate with me. It is time for us to evolve once again, as Pokémon, as a society, as a world. I have discovered the deepest secrets of the ancient phenomenon of the V-Wave, and now have gained total control over it. I will not allow it to destroy our world,” Lassic announced. “Pokémon! You must cooperate with me. You must all come to Pokétopia. By any means possible, make your way to this dome in the centre of Aseria. Those who can fly, carry as many possible across the skies. Those who can swim, ferry all you can across the seas. Your powers will be nullified, but whatever your situation, you must do absolutely everything you can to reach this place. Here, within the dome’s walls, I can save you. Unite here and I can ensure your survival. Those who cannot make the trip, do not fear. You must gather as close as you can get to Pokétopia or the region surrounding it. The closer you are, the better.”

“What is this?” Sophitia whispered. “A rapture? How and why would something like this happen?”

Naivie popped out of Lute’s mane. “If you guys needed any kind of proof whatsoever, here it is. This guy’s nuts. Does he seriously think he can get the whole Pokémon world into this one dome? And how does he really plan to save everyone? What, with a shelter or something?”

Just like that, a light bulb exploded in Lute’s mind. It wasn’t a pleasant flick, but a terrifying revelation of what was truly to come. He trembled hard, and his eyes flushed into focus. “That’s it. It’s actually true.”

“Lute?”

“He doesn’t plan on saving everyone. He can’t,” Lute stated. He breathing scarily, and shook himself to summon the strength to stand talk and speak loud. “I-is he causing this with the Mega Stone? Is he going to wipe out everyone not in Pokétopia by controlling the V-Wave?”

That state flicked Sophitia into the same mood. “We need to get to the others. Now.

In a flash, the red lights and the particles vanished, replaced briefly by a faded, sky blue light instead. Seconds later, all had returned to normal. Lights came back on, the gondolas resumed, and Lute’s breath returned.

“The range of my salvation currently only extends to Pokétopia and the region surrounding it. I will do my utmost to spread it further, but you all must help me by gathering within it. And you must hurry, for the second wave of this rapture will be significantly harsher than the first. I will not be able to save the whole world, besides those who make it this far. So you must do absolutely everything you can to reach here and help as many Pokémon as possible,” Lassic instructed.







“Riots have been reported in towns all across Aseria. Even some parts of Pokétopia are reporting record-high levels of aggression from the locals. Meanwhile, those red lights haven’t left anywhere else. The number of Pokémon being hospitalised is rising by the second,” Athens read aloud. His eyes were glued to a computer screen and his paws moved at light speed, tapping away at the screen. “The common facts in the reports are that the red lights are stopping Pokémon from using their powers. No attacks or abilities are working, and many Pokémon are struggling to breathe. Machines also aren’t functioning. Gondolas are frozen, doors are fixed shut, and more.”

“So it’s just like what happened to you, the suffocating thingy,” Sophitia said. Lute nodded.

“These red lights, this ‘rapture’, is all over Aseria right now. It’s all well and good that Lassic has told us all to congregate here, but there’s no way we’ll fit the entire population within the dome. With the gondola system down and Pokémon unable to use their powers, there will be millions incapable of making the trip. This is a surprisingly flawed plan for Lassic,” Athens remarked.

“But I don’t get it. It just doesn’t make sense to me. Why is this happening?” Marina whispered. “Lute, Sophitia. Does this have anything to do with your legend?”

“Not in the slightest! Unless you count his using of the Mega Stone,” Naivie cried and fluttered around. “He’s causing this, but we can straight up stop him if we just go to the Mega Stone and beat him up, right?”

“That’s the spirit. And we have Genesis, too. So we can get there!” Esther cheered. “Genesis, where’s the Mega Stone?”

“I guess I have to get used to you all calling me that now, huh?” the Meowstic replied, and rolled her eyes. “I underestimated him, though. He got there very quickly, and learnt how to harness and control the V-Wave faster than I expected.”

“That’s Lassic for you. Always proficient when it’s for himself,” Kuri commented.

“If it really is Lassic, then just why? It just doesn’t make any sense,” Marina said anxiously. “Why cause all of this? Why make Pokémon suffer? I thought he wanted to use the V-Wave to help Pokémon?”

“And that’s what he intends to do. The rapture must be something that we simply cannot stop, but survive, as Pokémon. Like he said, he’s doing everything he can to help us,” Athens said. “Him being at the Mega Stone is what gives us this chance to survive the rapture. He only ever intended to get it so that he had a source of unlimited V-Waves.”

“Gods, you really believe that?” Genesis replied. Her face was livid. “He’s got you idiots eating out of his paws.”

“Your comments are meaningless, now. Let’s see… a small portion of the fields outside of Pokétopia are functioning, so we can still use the gondolas for a little while. We’ll have to spread agents to the different regions carefully, and have them aid in the evacuation of Pokémon. We can have our construction workers make shelters to expand Pokétopia as well,” Athens muttered as he returned to his computer.

“Wait are you serious? We’re not just gonna go after the Mega Stone?” Esther cried.

“Of course not. If Lassic really is there, then it is best not to disturb him,” Athens said, not even looking at her. Lute and friends exchanged shocked glances.

“Athens,” Marina said, her eyes shut. Her tone made him pause. “Who is the one that we agreed was in charge now?”

“… You,” he said, and stepped away.

“So please don’t go creating disagreements within our group. King’s Shield functions on a cooperative effort, not an offensive one,” she said. She jumped on top of the table. Her face was stern and furious. “I don’t know what to believe. Lassic and the rest of our group were great friends to me. But as things stand, I need to know the truth about everything going on. I believe that if Lassic is there by the Mega Stone and truly has control over V-Waves, then he should be able to prevent this sudden crisis he just reported.”

“That’s more like it. Some logical thinking.” Esther folded her arms.

“What would you have us do?” Phoenix said.

“All of us are to go to the Mega Stone. Every single agent and scientist. Kuri and Genesis, you as well,” Marina ordered to everyone’s surprise. “We’re going to get to the bottom of this. So please, Genesis, where is the Mega Stone?”

There was another pause, mostly from the Meowstic’s hesitation. “You’re going to find that difficult. The area is dense with V-Waves. Only those connected to the Ancients could get near.”

“Well, Lassic has supposedly found a way after you diverged the information to him. So tell us, and we can do the same,” Marina stated. Genesis sighed. “I know, this is pretty sacred information that you and your family have had to keep secret from since time immemorial. But now we face—”

“I know, you don’t need to get all deep and convoluted on me. I already told the Spirle King to stop myself from getting tortured,” Genesis replied. She turned to Athens. “You there, Meowstic. Don’t you get it? I was the only Pokémon in existence who knew where the Mega Stone was. I only told the Spirle King. Now, Lassic is supposedly there and all of this crisis with an apparent rapture is happening. Why would he be there when I only told one other totally unrelated Pokémon?”

Athens mouthed a response, but his face turned fierce and his paws clenched. Genesis cleared her throat and fixed her neck fur. “Exactly. The evidence is piled up so much that we have enough to make this information public. But the way Lassic has built up this world, even if we do, no one would even listen to you guys.”

“You’re derailing. Hurry up and tell us where the damn stone is!” Esther said. Genesis hesitated. “Genesis!”

“You know, I don’t think I really care anymore. I’ve spent way too long trying to protect this world. I told him in hopes he would understand enough not to tamper with it, but here we are, on the verge of his rapture,” Genesis said. She sighed, and shut her eyes. “The Mega Stone is in the centre of Planet Aseria. It is the planet’s core.”

“The… core?” Sophitia tilted her head.

“That’s right. The source of all V-Waves wells that energy up through the planet and expels it through giant flowers connected directly to it. It is the source of all energy on the planet, the very stability of the planet itself, the thing keeping everything held together,” Genesis announced. “Tamper with that stone, and only the gods know what will happen.”

“If it’s in the core of the planet, then doesn’t that mean it’s in Moand Dia?” Marina said.

“Precisely. Only those connected to the Ancients could go,” Genesis confirmed.

“You really gave up?” Kuri said. “But what about rebuilding Angard? And our future. If you give up, the whole world will die.”

“Lassic pretty much made everything public. If we go down there and take him down, we’re still against the whole world. Even if we win, we will never be able to live in the peace we want,” Genesis explained. She hung her head. “You know how much that hurts, Kuri. This world doesn’t deserve us and the effort we’ve put into protecting it. It’ll destroy itself even without our efforts.”

“Will you guys stop?” Lute shouted, and stepped forward. “We’ll go. And we’ll stop this rapture. Whatever the truth is about what’s really going on, what matters now is that the world’s in danger and we’re Pokémon who can save it. So we’re going to save it and we’re going to do our best to do that, no matter how hard it looks!”

“He’s right, you know. Sooner or later, Pokémon are gonna have to swallow their guts and see the truth about the world Lassic created for them. And when that happens, they’ll see that you guys were right. You guys will get to live in peace, like you’ve always wanted,” Sophitia added. “And besides, a lot more’s been done than you realise. We finished growing those Ancient Flowers, you know.”

“Wait, you’ve done that? All four of them?” Kuri and Genesis gasped together.

“Yep. The world can go back to being the ancient world it was supposed to be whenever we give Naivie the A-OK. But we don’t wanna do it right away, not while Pokémon are still relying on technology so much. It’s a little complicated, but we’re already on track to making everything better. Pokémon will have to listen to us, in which we can put you on the platform you need to tell everyone the truth,” Sophitia said. “But before we can do any of that, we need to stop Lassic’s rapture. So let’s stop wasting time and get going to Aseria’s core!”

“And this isn’t anything any of us can be scared of. We’re all in, aren’t we? Let’s do our part and actually be the heroes of Aseria,” Lute said. Kuri and Genesis exchanged glances, and a cheeky smile went on their faces. Kuri shrugged while Genesis giggled and pinched him.

“I guess it is that easy, isn’t it? I’m definitely curious to see how far you’ll carry those words. So that’s it – I’m counting on you now, Lute. I’ll make sure we can get there quickly,” Genesis promised. “I told the Spirle King where the stone was, but I didn’t tell them exactly how to get there. We do it using the Teleportals.”

“Are we going right now?” Infia said.

“Yes, if the lot of you are ready. The Teleportals are all interconnected, but each of them leads to somewhere in Moand Dia. Whether it’s the temples or the places outside the temples or whatever, if you can properly command the Teleportals, you can go anywhere,” Genesis explained.

“And you can do that?” Infia wondered.

“Of course I can. I’m princess, aren’t I?” she said with a wink.

“Princess,” Infia muttered and held her skirt down.

“What, you thinking something naughty?” Esther teased.

“No! C’mon Esther, now’s not the time.” She blushed.

“You guys were off to save Genesis, now you’re going back down there to stop the rapture. I feel awful for relying on you so much, but it’s all we can do now,” Marina sighed. “Lute, Sophitia, everyone else. Please be careful.”

“Hey, you guys have to be more careful. That red stuff really pinned down Lute. So don’t do anything crazy until we stop Lassic, ‘kay?” Sophitia nodded. “I’ll make sure you don’t have to suffer again. We’ll bring Lassic back here alive, I promise.”

“Sophitia,” Lute muttered. Marina didn’t reply, and her face remained straight.

“What? It’s true, just like Esther says. We’re gonna beat that guy up and drag him back here if we have to. We’re all in this, aren’t we?” she said with an eager smile.

“If that red stuff is all over Aseria and it does turn out to be his fault, then of course! I dunno what this is gonna be like, but it can’t be any tougher than the other Spirle battles. And to be honest, a trip to the planet’s core might give me some crazy inspiration, so I’m already looking forward,” Esther remarked, pumping her fists.

“You have to admire that enthusiasm. But this is not a simple mission to a new locale. Please do not do anything reckless,” Phoenix said. “Do not think this is an act of vengeance in any way. But I do wish to see Lassic brought to justice for everything he has done. For everything he and Spirle have taken away from me. And for everything they have taken away from everyone else affected by them.”

“I’m in this. I’ve come too far to stop now. And if I’m one of the only Pokémon that can go to Moand Dia, then that means I have to go, doesn’t it? It would be selfish of me not to,” Infia said.

“Spoken without any uncertainty. Infia, you’ve really come into your own,” Lute praised, to which she blushed and started playing with one of her pigtails. “Sophitia, you didn’t need to ask if we were ready. Like I said before, you can count on us. So don’t feel like you have to do everything yourself, okay?”

“Yeah… you’re right,” she said, smiling warmly at him. She had to look for Genesis and Kuri, surprised to find them already stood on the Teleportal.

“You guys really are kids. But something about that just gets me going too, fills me with confidence about this,” Genesis admitted. She waved at them. “It’s you guys who’ll be keeping up with us, I hope you understand that.”

“Oh is this a race now, is it? I hope you’re not underestimating me,” Sophitia said, and smugly trotted over.

“What is with you today?” Lute sighed.

“If she’s challenging us to a battle, then we’ll show her who’s boss,” she said, eyes closed and head raised high.

“She’s not challenging us; she’s just saying not to underestimate her. We know how strong Kuri is already.” He rolled his eyes.

“Oh Lute, someday you’ll understand grownup language,” Sophitia said with a giggle. And then they were off in a beam of light.
 
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Episode 31: This Is Who I Am

HaruMiju

Hero in their dreams
Location
London
Pronouns
They/them, She/her,
Episode 31: This Is Who I Am



The planet’s core. A Teleportal that led to the core of Planet Aseria. Now that the group had fallen quiet while they flew through the light stream of the Teleportal, so Lute had time to think. It really started to soak in, the ludicrousness of what he was getting into. He was Headed to the direct centre of the planet in order to fight a crazed Pokémon and stop it from wiping out all life.

If he was still the same Pokémon he was before he met Sophitia, this idea wouldn’t have crossed his mind even during his dreams. If he had the opportunity, not only would he turn it down, but Mum would most certainly say no in the harshest, most frightening way possible. The thought made him cringe and sneak a glance at Sophitia. She was faced forward and focused, and appeared the coolest she had looked in a while.

He faced forward, too. He had to concentrate. This place was probably going to be worse than the strange red particles that drained his breath before. He had to be ready to brave the harshest conditions ever, the perilous unknowns of the world inside of the planet. When they landed, he instantly spread his feet apart, scanned the area, and darted side to side.

“Wait, we’re back here?” he said with an eyebrow raised. Genesis had just taken them back to Spirle’s hidden base.

“The Teleportal we need is in the depths of this place. It’s a special one that only we of the royal family could activate. It doesn’t even look like a Teleportal, you know,” Genesis said. She walked fast, so he had to jog to keep up. “Funnily enough, Kuri was registered to it, too. We did it, even though we didn’t tell you where it is.”

“When? Gonna take a wild guess and say it wasn’t important until now,” Kuri asked.

“It was and it wasn’t. This scenario right here is exactly why we did it in secret,” Genesis stated.

“Okay, so we’ve got a little time. Tell us about this,” Esther said, and tucked her arms behind her head.

“The royal families of the Ancients had their own network of Teleportals built for their personal use, and each one was only ever to be used in very special situations. These ones led directly between the castles and palaces across Moand Dia. The public never knew about them, but it’s how we maintained such a vast and connected world,” Gen explaine. She slowed down so that everyone could walk beside her. “Every kingdom had one that led to the centre of the planet. But they weren’t all for important trips and the like.”

Lute already had questions. The way she talked; it was as if she was used to using these things. It was hard to picture the Teleportal being a casual method of transportation for Pokémon, considering the average Pokémon even today didn’t know about them. In fact, before Sophitia, even King’s Shield could barely activate one with their machinery.

“Kuri, remember our honeymoon the night we got married?” Genesis wondered.

“How could I forget that? That was the day we figured out what your Father was doing when he allowed us to get married,” he replied. “He sent us to that greenhouse-type place. But in reality, it was an underground shelter. From there, we had full view of Lassic as he rained his meteors upon Angard. It was less of a honeymoon and more of a frightening revelation that your Father had already resigned himself to the destruction of Angard.”

“If he had a Teleportal leading to another kingdom or inside the planet, why didn’t he just transport everyone there? He could’ve saved everyone,” Sophitia said.

“The other kingdoms had already been reduced to rubble. Drained of their V-Waves by his weaponry, and then smothered in meteors of fire. The only way to deal with this devil was to confront him head on, like we’re doing now,” Genesis answered. The question had caused her tone to sharpen, and she sped back up.

It was no different to the Spirle base now, Lute thought. It was in worser condition than when they initially went through, where the flames that had raged had eaten through basically everything in the area until there was little left. The shape of tables, computers, pipes, and more was all that remained, but all of it was charcoal black and crusty to the touch. Ash tickled his nose and he felt like the air was still smoky.

“The Teleportal doesn’t lead directly to the Mega Stone, but a mystery dungeon that leads to it. There’s only one Teleportal there too, and all the ones from all the kingdoms link directly to that one,” Genesis said. “Being inside the planet though, there aren’t any Pokémon to worry about. The biggest danger is the storm of electricity that orbits the core.”

“Electricity doesn’t come from the ground, does it? Why is there a storm inside the planet?” Esther wondered.

“You’ll see it for yourself soon. The best advice I can give you about the mystery dungeon is that there are a lot of pathways that lead directly into the storm, but if you encounter such a pathway, then you need to turn around and find another direction. You shouldn’t ever need to walk directly into the storm,” Genesis informed.

“I’m so nosy now. I wanna touch it,” Esther said with a cheeky giggle. Infia rolled her eyes.

“Good luck trying not lose an arm, then. The Inner Storms are no joke,” Genesis said.

Esther’s squeak of surprise made Lute smile, but he remained focused. They reached the depths of the base now, the area where they fought Project Dragonlord. Nothing of it remained, not a single speck of mud or slime. They went past the iron door she was behind, where the cave went even deeper.

Everything onward was even more hastily dug than the area leading up to it, and without the support of lamps or tools, the cave was dangerous to walk through. There was no attempt to keep the floor flat, the overall space of the cave was inconsistent, and much of the rocks were broken all over the place and had to be climbed over. Kuri and Genesis jumped up quickly, while Lute and the others helped each other climb. Infia glowed with Flash to keep the place lit.

“My hunch was right on the money. This base was built right on top of the kingdom, but they didn’t actually know the underground passage was here. Kuri, if you please.” Genesis came to a stop and folded her arms. The Chespin looked back and forth between her and the way forward, and raised an eyebrow. “The wall, right here. Are you awake?”

“In case you never noticed, I’m not psychic,” Kuri said, tensing up his fists. Needle Arm surrounded them, and with a forceful cry and a punch, down the wall went. It crumbled to reveal a far neater cave, one with a square corridor.

“Wow, that’s so cool. There really is a secret passage way. She really is a princess,” Infia said, her eyes gleaming.

“What’s with you and her being a princess? You’re so giddy today,” Esther said.

“She’s a magic princess. It’s really awesome.” She twiddled her feet.

Genesis didn’t offer any comments. She jumped through and led everyone down the hallway. The transformation between this hallway and the cave they were just in earnt gasps and curious eyes, even from Kuri. The hallway was in a state of decay from lack of use, but it had a fancy red carpet and aged paintings of patterns on the walls, so it was miles more welcoming.

“It really is a totally untouched hallway. There’s stairs, too,” Sophitia said. Stairs that led into a place filled with collapsed rubble. There were quite a few of these down the hall, and a couple even had signs on the outside which were still readable.

At the end of the hallway was the Teleportal they needed. It wasn’t a platform, but a small metal room closed off by decaying curtain. It was clearly supposed to be a shiny material too, but it was rusting on the outside.

“Oh my. I hope this thing still works,” Lute remarked.

“Of course it still works. Don’t underestimate ancient technology. Unlike Lassic’s little toys, a couple generations of no maintenance ain’t gonna break it,” Naivie bragged. The group let Genesis check it out first, and then she poked her head out and nodded with an eager smile on her face.

“Oh wow. It actually works. Okay, now the action really begins!” Esther skipped forward.

Lute let the others walk in first as his chest tightened up in anticipation. That didn’t stop him from noticing Sophitia’s hesitation though, as the Sylveon stopped moving entirely. “Everything okay?”

“L-Lute… th-that thing looks… familiar,” Sophitia whispered, staring at the metal room. He glanced back and forth between them, and then flinched.

“Does it bring back any memories? Any idea at all?” he gasped.

“No. Nothing.” She looked away. “I dunno why I feel this way, I shouldn’t. It just seems like something I’ve seen before… it’s making me scared for some reason.”

“Sophitia,” he sighed.

“Sorry about that. It won’t happen again. Let’s stop wasting time and finish this,” she said with an eager smile. She leapt into the room, leaving the concerned Lute to wander in.

Inside wasn’t anything special, just an empty box walled by the metallic material. From in here, Lute realised that the whole box was made of the same material as the Teleportals. With the same arm movements as always, Genesis activated it, causing the walls to brighten and rumble. The room filled with light, and in a flash, the team vanished.

He fell back into focus and repeated his thoughts from before. He was prepared for anything, mostly the worst, and immediately braced himself upon landing in the next area. He scouted out immediately, restless at the uncomfortable chill that greeted them.

This was definitely the Inner Storms. Cracked, rocky ground that looked like a mountain path, hung suspended in a space of distant darkness. Far away from them, a fluctuating stream of booming lightning swirled around the world, and it was always visible. They arrived via a room identical to the one they used to teleport.

“It’s fine,” Lute muttered slowly after testing his breath.

He looked around at everyone, who had split up briefly to survey the area. They landed on a circular platform that sloped in a zigzag pattern into the depths of the storm, where a distant gleam awaited them. That gleam was of multiple different colours, and was sat in the middle of a cave. The Mega Stone.

“This is all you, Gen hun.” Kuri pointed ahead.

“Can’t believe this is what the inside of the planet looks like. I dunno why, I was seriously expecting lava and crystal and stuff, or something,” Sophitia remarked.

“Well I’d rather this,” Esther shhrugged.

“But I’d rather something more chaotic, too!” a childish voice said, making everyone freeze. Without instruction, the group shuffled together back to back and gazed around for their spy. That set off their childish laughter, and then Lute finally recognised what was happening.

“Tetra?” he called out. Surely enough, the giggly Klefki spun into appearance over the one path forward.

“Wowee wow, you remembered my name!” Tetra cheered. “It’s been such a long time, heroes. I must have left a pretty lasting impression. That makes me really happy, you know.”

“Oh great, it’s him. Well, I forgot this guy counted as a High Point,” Sophitia said mockingly.

“Figures the underlings would show up to block the way. We don’t have time for this, though. Let’s mow him down and push through!” Kuri said. Everyone nodded.

“Oh you must be joking if I’m going to allow you to just, fight me. I’m super intrigued because you guys made it all the way here! I was sure nobody could make it this far, but here we are. Anybody strong enough to make it here is sure enough to give me a Wailord of a time,” Tetra announced, and then jiggled his keys. His posh voice quickly angered the group. “And I’m sure that you, Lutey, are just itching to show me how powerful you are now that you can use your powers properly. But I can’t. If you wanna show me, then you’ve gotta reach me, first!”

Eyebrows raised as all he seemed to do was laugh and jiggle his keys. He eventually released a burst of air, which only set him off laughing even more. It made everybody flinch, and then a moment later, the floor split apart into countless pieces.

“A-ah, guys!” Lute cried and braced himself. His plans quickly changed when the floor began to tilt and he scrambled to hang on to the edge.

“Gen!” Kuri shouted, slipping off his part. Lute could only stick out a paw in shock.

The floor pieces all began to drift apart, where they slowly flipped and twisted. Everyone cried out and held on to individual bits, but Genesis let go of hers to float using her psychic. She caught Kuri with the same powers, and the two of them flew towards Tetra, arms drawn back with attacks held at the ready.

“Wha-what? Hold on—” Tetra squealed as he was struck head on by Needle Arm and Shadow Ball. Both attacks pierced his thin metal body, and a hard burst of energy exploded on impact and shook what remained of the area. Tetra quickly regenerated, but the duo hung onto him, making him shake crazily to try and get rid of them. The uneven weight had him squeal and curse as Kuri and Genesis dragged him everywhere.

“Aah, Sophitia! Hold on!” Lute cried as he struggled to look around at everyone.

He gasped as he realised what was actually happening. Whatever Tetra had done, the world around him was had begun to warp and change right before his eyes, and not because he was hung from a rotating platform. Floors actually became ceilings and walls, the stream of lightning went from circling the dungeon to weaving through it, and the broken platforms his friends were held onto were nowhere in sight.

Before he could cry about it, one final gush of wind struck him so hard that he felt his paws slip and his heart jump. Lute held on with all his might, but it was like he was being yanked by the grip of a thousand arms on his tail and his back. He was ripped from his post and sent spinning through the air. All he could do was cry at the top of his voice and kick his paws while darkness took over everything.







Time passed. Infia wasn’t sure how long, but she dreaded to think it was a few hours or longer. However long it was, her costume was scruffy and her body felt groggy. That didn’t deter her however, as once she realised where she was, she knew she had to put up with it.

Lightning streaked across the pitch-black background, crossing between floating islands and debris at a chaotic level of random. A strong, bone chilling wind ruffled her fur almost constantly. The crusty floor felt like it was going to break apart at any moment. She tried to ignore it all as she shook Esther, crying out her name desperately to wake her up. She had been awake and doing this for all of a couple minutes, and only now started to get a result.

“Esther! Esther please, wake up!” Infia cried as loud as she could. The Pikachu squirmed and rolled onto her front with a lazy mumble. “For goodness sake Esther, now is not the time to be a goofball!”

“Alright alright, gods, quit being such a drama queen,” gurgled the Pikachu as she squirmed onto her back again. She stretched, scratched, and patted herself a few times before opening her eyes, where she gave Infia a dozy smile. “Mornin’. What brings you to wake me?”

Infia’s face flushed with angry heat, and she puffed up her cheeks. “Esther, please wake up already!”

“What’s got you so worked up – oh. Oh. OH. Holy shit,” Esther mouthed as she sat up. She couldn’t stop gawking. “Oh gods, right, we were doing that stuff in the world’s core or something, right? Oh my gods I’m so sorry, I dunno how the hell I fell asleep!”

“It’s okay. Just, ah, w-we need to find a way out. Please help me find way out,” Infia said, turning to look around. As far as she could tell, there was no pathway at all. Just floating rock islands and a loud stream of lightning.

“O-kay, let’s see what we got. Gimme a minute,” Esther said, still on the floor. She stretched and grumbled a bit, making noises so strange that it was embarrassing, even given their situation. She soon kicked herself to her feet, and then walked on all fours to survey their surroundings. “There. We need to get down there, ‘cos that’s where that Mega Stone thingy is, right?”

“Huh?” Infia replied, going blank. She realised that Esther was pointing to the rainbow coloured gleam straight ahead of them. A giant abyss of darkness sat before them, and the light was obscured by the floating debris. “How are we going to get there?”

“We got through everything we’ve gotten through so far, and now you’re gonna ask that?” Esther smiled.

“We should try and escape, though. The others are separated from us,” Infia said.

“So we’ll meet them before the final showdown. That’s how these things work, duh,” Esther said with a roll of her eyes.

“O-kay. And if we get there before them?”

“Then we stall for time. We can do that much, surely.”

“And if they left without us?”

“Then fuck them! Cowards.”

“Esther, this is serious! How are we even going to get there?” Infia pouted.

“And I’m being serious. We’ll get there like,” Esther said, a finger on her lip as she gazed around. “Okay. I’ve got a route. C’mere.”

“Uh,” was all Infia could mutter before she was scooped up by the Pikachu. She squeaked and went stiff, making it easy for her to be positioned on Esther’s back, where she instinctively wrapped her arms around and clutched the Pikachu’s front.

“You’re really light, you know that? But yeah, just, hang on tight baby!” Esther said, cocking a smile.

Infia could only moan in angst. She knew what was about to happen, yet she didn’t think that Esther was actually going to go through with it. Quick Attack was charged, and still she repeatedly told herself otherwise. And then they launched into a sprint, and her heart jumped out of her chest.

She screamed and held on even tighter as Esther leapt high into the air, even doing a flip and shouting out with the momentum they had built up. They landed on the side of one of the floating bits of rock, where Esther kept using Quick Attack to run along the surface of it. She leapt off once they reached the end, once again crying out in effort. They hung from another island, where she pulled herself up and sprinted into another jump.

Like this, Esther carried Infia from portion of rock to portion of rock. At first it was clear where to go, but it soon descended into jumps in random directions in some attempt to get somewhere. They travelled in the general direction of the glowing light, and it felt like it was getting tougher and tougher as they went on. Equally, Infia began to get a hold of herself. Her panicked squeals turned into quick breaths and focused eyesight.

“The lightning!” Infia shouted, pointing at the stream they were getting dangerously close to. However, Esther was in the middle of a sprint, and looked as though she might run directly into it.

“Shit,” Esther whispered, frantically searching for some other foothold. There was one to their left, which she could use to reverse and find flat ground. She jumped without a second thought, but as soon as her feet touched it, the rock broke apart, sending the duo into a freefall.

Esther had a moment to react, and a million thoughts ran through her mind as Infia broke back into deafening screams. She didn’t know what to aim for at all, but she pulled out her ribbon baton and snapped it. The ribbon stretched out and latched to something, stopping their momentum so hard it hurt. All the time, Esther prayed for the best in her mind.

“That’s it. Hold on!” she said. They began to swing with a good amount of speed, and brushed past another island as their momentum caused them to ascend. She ran across the surface to build up even more speed. With one arm holding onto the baton, which was latched to the lightning stream, she was literally running up the underside of a broken island so fast that everything around them became a blur. When they reached the edge of the island, Esther threw herself off with all the strength she could muster, and flew up into the air with a triumphant roar.

They sped through the air for what must have been over five or ten seconds, and landed with a painful crash that shook their bodies. Infia lost her grip and rolled away, while Esther lost her voice to gasps of pain, skipped a dozen metres, and then tripped so hard that she did a full forward roll. It hurt worse than a splinter, but surely enough, they were on flat ground.

“Ha ha, fuck yeah! Eat that, Inner Storms. Pikachu can fly too!” Esther cheered, raising a fist. She was stuck on her back for a little while where she caught her breath. It was only when she patted the floor beside her that she realised that Infia wasn’t there. “Oh my gods, Infia?”

“O-over here,” the Minun squeaked. She was further away than expected, but she looked okay, stood up and holding her skirt down.

“Oh thank fuck. Yeah that got a little outta control,” Esther said with a cheeky giggle.

“Wa-wait!” Infia gasped. Esther tilted her head while she patted herself all over, even lifting her skirt. “I-I-I’m dry. I-I didn’t wet. S-s-somehow, I didn’t wet.”

“Oh right, that stuff. Well that’s good. You need a moment alone or something?” Esther tilted her head.

“N-no! I’m fine,” Infia gasped, latching close to Esther. She quickly detached and returned to her usual squeaky self. “I-I-I mean, ah… I’ll be fine. I don’t think I need to go or anything. I should be okay.”

“You sure? You don’t want something like that slowing you down when things get tough,” Esther said, paws on her hips. Infia shook her head. “Heh, man you’re still shy even after all this time. I really dunno why.”

“I can’t help it,” she said, not realising that Esther had walked off. The island they were on qualified as an actual island, unlike the tiny platforms they just jumped off. It had a steep hill, but the floor was smooth and hard.

“I guess I don’t really get it. I would understand if I was still a performer and you were still a superfan, but I’m not. You’ve gotten to know the real me for months now.” Esther tucked her paws behind her head.

“Y-yeah. Sure. It’s nothing to do with being leagues below the surface in the middle of the planet,” Infia said. Esther’s ears perked up.

“See? There we go, that’s the kinda remark I grew to love about ya. You can talk like you, but then you still get all antsy and squirmy,” Esther teased. Her face went straight and she slowed down all of a sudden, confusing the Minun. “Hey, sorry to drop the serious stuff all of a sudden but, we’re heading into a pretty big deal. I know I said I don’t fully get what’s going on, and I still don’t, but I do know we’re going up against Spirle’s king.”

“Yeah. We need to be ready for anything. I know. With you at my side, I know we can stall until the others get here. I believe that now,” Infia said. She put on her bravest look with fists clenched and face serious.

“Well not that, but… look, I’m not trying to second thoughts this, but something could happen, y’know? And if it does, it’s better not to have anything you wanna say left hanging around in your head,” Esther suggested. She turned to face the Minun in the eyes. Infia gawked and her eyes started to sparkle. “So yeah. If there’s anything you wanna say that’s important, get it outta the way now.”

“I,” was all Infia could mutter. Her eyes wavered left and right, and she couldn’t keep her head straight. She looked up, gulped, and her breath became soft. “There’s nothing. I’m fine. I’m ready for this.”

“Really? That’s a relief, ‘cos I dunno what would happen if you didn’t get to tell Lute how much you liked him or something. But if you’re that confident we’ll live to see him again—”

“What is with everyone and shipping me with Lute?” Infia snapped.

“H-huh? Wait, I thought you did, I thought you still did? You stood up for him when he was all angsty and stuff,” Esther said.

“Yes I had feelings for him at one point, but that was nasty. I didn’t believe I was worth anything other than to serve Pokémon, all thanks to Mum. I wanted to just give up my life for Lute, ‘cos he was the first one who was patient enough to actually be friends with me,” Infia explained.

“Yeah, see? He’s a special kinda guy for ya. Ha, he tore me to shreds and I’m never gonna let him live it down, but that doesn’t mean you have to not be with him,” Esther giggled.

“I don’t have those kinds of feelings for him anymore, though. And not because of the whole V-Pocket thingy. Those feelings for Lute were built off my immaturity. I want to be with- I mean – I want to just live happily more than anything right now,” Infia clarified. She couldn’t stop glancing side to side.

“Aha, I heard that! There’s someone you want to be with,” Esther sung and squeezed her cheeks. “Is it Fluffy Cheeks? Please tell me it’s Fluffy Cheeks!”

“What? No! I didn’t even say that. I—” Infia pouted at her. She froze. She had to remember who she was talking to. “What about you? Do you have anything you want to say?”

“Me? Uh, which one do you want? The normal one or the TMI?” Esther said.

“The normal one, please! Or whichever’s most important?” Infia slapped her face.

“Well uh,” Esther said, prodding her fingers together. She started walking ahead again, albeit slowly. “I dunno if you’ve noticed or not, but I er…”

“You…?” Infia raised an eyebrow. Esther leaned in close and mumbled into her ear.

“Esther, what in the world? I said to tell me the normal one!” Infia squealed, going bright red.

“That is the normal one!” the Pikachu giggled.

“Argh, that’s gross and- why are you so dang weird!” she cried.

“That’s not weird, it’s practical! Look I was kinda thrown into this journey business, you know? I’m used to having restroom access whenever I want, but Naivie really pushed us!” Esther said. “Fuck it. I’ll tell you the other one, since they’re both important.”

“This is less heartfelt and more embarrassing, and it’s not even about me,” Infia whined and slumped forward. Esther leaned over again and whispered something in her ear, which immediately perked her up. She started blushing deeply, too. “Wha? Really?”

Esther nodded. “Please keep that a secret, though. I’m trusting you with that as a symbol of our bond. ‘Cos when we get outta this, we’re gonna be performers together.”

“You… why did… I just,” Infia whispered. Esther didn’t look bothered at all, and even snickered at her. “Yeah. We’ll get through this, and I-I’ll do my best. To keep up with you.”

“Ha, I’m not gonna be teaching you much. If your Revelation Dance is anything to go by, it’s gonna be me trying to keep up with you,” Esther said with a laugh.

The hill they were on evened out at the peak, and the duo were surprised at what awaited them. Here was a huge, circular space, all flat and walled by short mounds in the shape of pyramids. The floor was coloured a wine red and marked out with black cracks that almost looked like ancient markings carved into it. Directly ahead of them was a thin path that led directly into the rainbow coloured light.

Staring at them were two large, rounded, pink Pokémon. Infia recognised one of them as an Aromatisse, the evolved form of Spritzee. Thanks to this particular Aromatisse’s rugged horns and peculiar fragrance, she didn’t need to be told who they were.

“Mum,” Infia whispered, immediately locking eyes with the Pokémon. Victoria was just as surprised, sat on a portable stall.

“Wait, then that means – oh brother. It’s you.” Esther slumped forward.

“It’s you!” the other Pokémon cried, his voice high pitched and excited. He was short and a little snowman shaped, but very flabby and quite friendly looking. A red ball sat on top of round, pink, smooth fluff resembling hair which covered most of his head. His eyes were hollow and red, but not in an intimidating way. Altogether, he looked like a walking cake.

“Tetra wasn’t kidding. They actually got here somehow. But even after they rearranged the mystery dungeon,” Victoria said. She slowly stood up. “Tetra darling! Be a dear and get rid of these pests, would you? They refuse to die.”

The two girls shifted back as Tetra descended from nowhere to confront them with crazed laughter. He stopped very suddenly, and then got cross. “Wait a second, is it just you two?”

“That a problem?” Esther said. She curled her hands into fists.

“Yes. It’s severely disappointing. In fact, it’s a complete and utter waste of my time. It’s so unfunny, I can’t even laugh about it.” Tetra turned his back. “These two won’t be very fun to battle. I guess the mystery dungeon killed the others, ha. Whatever. You don’t need me for this.”

“What do you mean?” Victoria replied.

“Are you deaf? Stupid? Do you not understand Pokémon? I said you don’t need me for this. The only Pokémon that would be entertaining for me to fight would be Lute, and he’s not here,” Tetra said, puffing out his cheeks.

“Those weren’t our orders. Our orders were to keep everyone away from the king—”

“Well I don’t care about some smug king’s orders. I joined Spirle to have a good time, and I’m not having one. If Lute doesn’t show up, I’m out of here for good.” Tetra bounced away.

“You know what, I don’t blame ya. It sounds like things are getting pretty serious on the surface, and something tells me the king’s gonna pull a fast one on us,” Victor said. “Our villain work suddenly seems a little too villainous.”

“Will you bumbling fools shut up? We’re Spirle High Points, and we’re soon to rule all of Aseria with infinite power. That much is guaranteed. But if we don’t follow our orders, we can kiss that promise goodbye,” Victoria said as she took Tetra’s place. “It’s only a pop idol and that defective rodent. We can get this over with quickly.”

“Yeah, not like we’ve beaten your ass before. So what, you guys had to evolve to stand a chance?” Esther mocked them.

“You beat us with a group, and under advantageous circumstances. But here, we are on level ground. You will see the superiority of Spirle High Points first-paw,” Victoria threatened.

“We don’t need the others to beat you. I’m stronger now!” Infia said, closing her fists.

“You? Don’t make me laugh,” Victoria said. Her eyes narrowed as if she was smiling. “Has your time away made you forget what you are?”

“I haven’t forgotten what you think I am. My time living has let me learn who I really am,” Infia said. “I-I’m a hero of Aseria. I can’t lose to Pokémon like you.”

“A hero? Aseria doesn’t have heroes, honey. It only has fools and leaders. Fools like your rabble need to understand who to respect, and know your place,” Victoria replied.

“I know my place, it’s you who doesn’t know yours. You created me like I was some kind of possession, and as soon as I stopped obeying you like a servant, you didn’t want to know who I was. But you aren’t allowed to do stuff like that. And you didn’t know what I can really do,” Infia said.

Victoria paused, and put her hands on her hips. “You couldn’t touch me when I was a Spritzee, and you barely beat me with all of your pathetic friends doing the hard work for you. Now that I am evolved, and it’s just the two of you, what could you possibly hope to achieve?”

“See? You have no idea what I’ve been through, what I’ve survived. I can beat Risen, I can fight Silver, I grew the ancient flowers with everyone. I can beat you!” Infia announced. Victoria seemed to get angrier at everyone word, and unfurled her arms as Infia finished.

“Holy crap, you go girl! Give ‘em the biggest shock of her life,” Esther cheered and raised a fist. “Victor’s mine. We’ll take ‘em one on one!”

“You honestly believe that you can beat me?” Victoria said with half-lidded eyes. Infia was rigid. “Victor, stay back.”

“Don’t mock us!” Infia shouted. She raised a paw and a mighty lightning bolt came straight down and struck her, surrounding her with a heavy wind and a yellow aura. With that aura around her, she began to twirl and dance to turn that light in a gleaming, crackling ball of electricity. In just a moment, Infia had turned herself into an explosive ball, which she fired at Victoria with a cry.

“Whoa!” Victor cried, sliding back as the ball hit. A crackling explosion went off, and he had to shield his face.

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” Infia said as she stomped a foot. She went on all fours to use Quick Attack, but turned her attack into Spark as she closed in on the Aromatisse. During her approach however, it suddenly occurred to her that Victoria hadn’t been floored despite the heavy hit, and in fact, had the same face as when the battle started.

It worried her. It made her brace and cry out in the extra effort she put into her Spark attack. Victoria made no attempt to defend herself at all, letting Infia smash directly into her fluffy coat. The direct hit only sent Infia flying backwards, and scraped Victoria’s feet a bit.

“Wha-what?” Infia whispered in disbelief. Victoria wasn’t damaged. Electricity merely grazed her. “Her illusions shouldn’t be working on me. How aren’t I doing any damage?”

“Uh oh,” Esther said, a paw by her mouth. Victoria didn’t say a thing. She just stared back, half-lidded and focused.

“I’m not done yet!” Infia cried as she called down lightning on herself again. This time, she curled herself up and braced hard to gather every last bit of power she could muster. With gritted fangs, a squeal of strain, and an erratic pose, she turned herself into a yellow arrow of light, and charged at her enemy. With all of that power, she shot ahead like a laser, and a pulse of static burst through the air the instant she launched. The attack exploded on impact as well, sending another wave of static-infused air across the battlefield. Infia recoiled back in an agonising daze and fell on her backside.

“That was my Wild Charge. That has to have done something,” she whimpered as Esther came to her aid. The two stared at the remaining dust cloud in angst, and both gasped when it cleared to reveal Victoria totally unharmed. “N-no, h-how?”

Victoria had a dirty mark on her front where she had taken the attacks, and lazily brushed it clean. “It’s because you’re weak.”

“N-no, I-I’m not. I can’t be,” Infia whispered.

“It’s like I just told you. You’re a weak, defective V-Pocket failure that I should have gotten rid of an age ago. The fact that you truly believed that you could amount to anything at all is only an example of your defective traits,” Victoria said.

“Don’t listen to her, she’s talking shit,” Esther cried. However, Infia looked terrified and was still on the floor.

“You weren’t born a Pokémon. You cannot grow. You cannot learn. Everything you think you’ve achieved was only possible because other Pokémon did it for you,” Victoria said.

“Well yeah? But what’s wrong with that? Friends are there to help one another out,” Esther said, giving Victoria a furious glare.

“She’s a useless V-Pocket. You could replace her with anyone and they would be infinitely more useful, even that bumbling sack of icing behind me.” Victoria cupped her hands. A pink light began to form between them, which grew fast. “I won’t even need my illusion powers to defeat you.”

Esther cursed and growled. She shifted her way in front of Infia just as Victoria’s attack came out. The pink orb grew and burst into a rain of beams which spread all over the area, several of which looked as though they burned right through Esther. She was set off screaming and fell on one paw. Her body was left smouldering.

“It’s just like our king says. A Pokémon’s evolution determines its usefulness. You who have not evolved, and you, a defective product of our research, stood no chance in this world. But in this new world that Spirle will create, only useful Pokémon will ever exist. Useful Pokémon that obey their elders with the proper respect,” Victoria stated. She held one arm forward, and a Moonblast began to charge in her palm.

“Oh boy, okay I fucked up with this one,” Esther said. She took a deep breath and tried to force herself to her feet, but stumbled and fell straight back. “U-uh, this is the point where Lute’s comes along and saves us at the last second, right?”

“Lute can’t protect us, he’s not here!” Infia cried. Esther gritted her fangs, quickly glancing between the Moonblast and Infia.

“Well then go and get him, I’ll keep ‘em busy!” she cried as she rolled over onto all fours. She swirled her tail around to generate an Electro Ball attack.

“N-no, Esther, you’ll lose! You’ll die. I wanna protect you!” Infia whimpered.

“Don’t be stupid!” she argued, trying not to get distracted.

The Moonblast was fired, and she forced herself to charge into it. She flipped over to slam the Electro Ball into the Moonblast, but there was clearly no competition in the clash. Her attack dissolved into the pink blob, leaving Esther to take the full brunt. She screamed as she was sent scraping across the floor by the blast.

“Esther!” Infia cried as tears began to roll down her eyes. Esther forced herself to lift a paw.

“Get- out of here, Infia. You’ve got too much to live for. Don’t risk your life for me. Get the others,” she struggled to growl. Infia sniffled and whimpered, terrified of seeing the Pikachu so beaten up. Her clothes had torn and her body was trembling in pain. “Hurry up!”

“I won’t.”

“Infia!”

“I love you too much to leave you to get killed here. Let me protect you too!” Infia cried. “We said we’d stall together if we had to. So let’s do it together!”

“Love me?” Esther said. Her face flipped suddenly, and it looked as though she stopped breathing. “Me? Seriously?”

“Yes, seriously!” Infia said.

Another pause. Esther let out a heavy breath, and then looked like she started snickering. “Well shit. I thought Lute was dense, but I turned out to be denser, huh? What a way to go.”

“But it’s not over yet. I can still protect you. You’re right, I can,” Infia said. She locked their paws together.

“This is pathetic,” Victoria held another Moonblast. This one was larger than her head in size and required both hands to hold and throw. She spun to bowl it at the electric couple, where its size engulfed them from her sight.

Infia and Esther kept their paws linked and cuddled each other in an effort to pull Esther to her feet. But as the attack came at them, Esther did her best to spin her body so that she would take the attack first, while Infia stiffened her pose on one foot to try and do the same. Like that, the duo hugged tighter than ever and braced for the worst, and then the magic happened. The instant before the attack hit, the duo glowed white and a field of their colours swirled around them.

Victoria shut her eyes to avoid being blinded by the towering eruption of energy that came from her attack. She huffed and dusted her hands off. But something wasn’t right.

The tower lingered for an unnatural length of time, making her give in and stare at it. Light continued to erupt for long enough for her to raise an eyebrow. Minutes later, the eruption began to calm and a lone silhouette was visible. She realised what had happened, and her eyes popped out of their sockets.

When the light cleared, a single Pokémon was left in place of the two girls. A tall, shapely mouse Pokémon with long, rabbit-like ears tipped with colours – its left ear was blue, while the right was black. It had cheek pouches similar to Pikachu that followed a similar multicolour scheme to the ears; its right cheek was red while the left was blue with yellow minus mark on it. It was clothed in an elaborate shirt, an extra frilly tutu, and even underwear, all adorned with glittery pinks and purples. Its tail was lightning bolt shaped like Pikachu’s too, only tipped with blue minus signs.

“What the,” the Pokémon muttered in a mature, womanly voice. She stared at her paws in confusion. “What just happened?”

She checked herself out while Victoria and Victoria gawked like cartoon characters, all the time muttering to herself. She tugged at her skirt and outlined her body with her paws, totally self-absorbed in her shape. “Oh gosh, this is a new one. Why am I so thick, and like, smooth and- oh gosh, my voice, it’s so adult. Did I, did we?”

“Uh Victoria, are you gonna tell me what just happened or not?” Victoria cried and danced on his toes. “What is that? Where did it come from, and why does it look like the two Pokémon just like, fused?”

“Fused?” the Pokémon said, still feeling herself all over. Her paws went to the back of her head, where surely enough, Infia’s fur style was there, two long pigtails. “Oh my gosh. I did do it. What is this? I thought I couldn’t do it, but I did it.”

Victoria tried to calm down, but she couldn’t manage anything better than a gulp and a shift backward. “That’s exactly what this is. They fused.”

“We really did fuse?” the Pokémon gasped, and then smiled. “Aww yeah, this feels awesome! I finally exist, and my debut is kicking you guys’ asses?”

“My V-Pocket experiment. Project Subtraction. That’s what Infia was,” Victoria began, her face blank as she stumbled forward. “It was designed to be a soldier that could support a stronger Pokémon in combat. Being made of V-Waves, she was able to physically take away part of her body to heal or power up another with Helping Hand. But the main purpose was to combine her whole body structure with a living Pokémon, exponentially increasing their abilities due to the absurd amount of waves a V-Pocket is made of.”

“Er, can you put it in for dummies terms?” Victor said, dumbfounded.

“Infia was a V-Pocket that could fuse. I thought she was useless because she couldn’t fuse, no matter what I did with her. But here she is, fusing with that Pikachu pop star. And now their powers are immeasurable!” Victoria snapped.

“Immeasurable, huh? So it really is enough to kick your ass?” the Pokémon said. “It’d be a shame if I didn’t have a proper name for you to remember it by, though.”

“Do not get cocky. I created you. I know the limits to your power,” Victoria said as she formed another Moonblast. “Victor, get in gear! We’ll destroy her together.”

“Oh boy, I didn’t think my first act’d be a threesome. But that means it’s extra special,” the Pokémon said. She tapped her chin and didn’t look like she was paying attention, making Victoria growl. The Moonblast was thrown, but the fusion deflected it almost effortlessly by slapping it away with an electric infused palm. “The fusion doesn’t quite have a smooth ring to it. How about Ultimate Esther? Nah, I’m not just Esther though.”

“Ha, you really are cocky,” Victor said as he charged toward them. He was unexpectedly fast, and his small fists and feet glowed white in preparation for a Play Rough attack.

“Well, I am part Esther, part Infia, so I guess, something cool that they could come up with. Something cool and cute,” the Pokémon muttered as she made easy work of Victor’s crazed attacks. Victor was faster than a blur as he attempted to tackle, punch, or kick the fusion several times over, but each attack was dodged with ease. The fusion merely stepped aside while she continued to mumble to herself.

“Gah, will you sit still a second so I can maul ya?” Victor cried. He was tripped up by the fusion suddenly pulling out a ribbon baton from her chest pocket. The ribbon glowed a neon blue.

“Okay, fudge it. All the cool names are copyrighted, so I’ll just stick with: Esthia,” she said as she began to dance with her baton. She booted Victor up high, revealed a second baton, and spun them both around in her paws. The ribbons curled around the batons and turned them into glowsticks, which then sparked with electricity. She put both palms together and punched Victoria as he fell from the earlier kick.

“So, how do you like it? I’m Esthia, the fused mouse Pokémon!” Esthia announced. She cupped her paws behind her head and danced a little, giving the two fairies a half-lidded look.
2020 12 31 Esthia new - Copy.png
 
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Episode 32: This Is Who We Are -PART 1-

HaruMiju

Hero in their dreams
Location
London
Pronouns
They/them, She/her,
22 Tetralocke.jpg

Episode 32: This Is Who We Are -PART 1-



“It’s crazy scary to think about. He rearranged the terrain of the Inner Storms right before our eyes,” Kuri remarked. He was on Phoenix’s back while Lute was on Sophitia’s back, and the duo leapt across the broken debris, closely followed by Genesis who flew with her psychic.

“I wasn’t expecting this. His mastery over V-Waves is truly not to be underestimated,” Genesis agreed. “I made a grave error in giving into Spirle and leading them here. I honestly didn’t think he would figure out how to work with the Mega Stone this quickly.”

“Well he wouldn’t have stalled us like this if he really knew how to use it all. He already knew how to rid the world of mystery dungeons, so really and truly, he’s done nothing new so far. Besides the rapture,” Sophitia said. They were headed for the rainbow light, and now that they were close, they could see powerful flashes of electricity from the area in front of it.

“You did what any sane Pokémon in your position would do. Things have played out the way they have thanks to all of our efforts,” Phoenix said. “Do not beat yourself up about it.”

“Hmpf. If only it were easy to feel that way, Phoenix,” Genesis sighed. “That must be Esther and Infia.”

“Wow, they got there first.” Lute smiled.

The group had to hop off of a few small bits of debris to safely reach them, and landed behind the battle. Esthia took on Victor and Victoria without breaking a sweat, even though she was moving at blurry speeds. Esthia and Victor kept crashing into each other with punches and tackles, but the fusion’s electric attacks looked like they were won every time. Eventually, Victoria interrupted with a Moonblast, making Esthia backflip and make space.

“Aww oops, you almost got me that time,” Esthia teased, leaning toward them with a finger on her lip. “Why don’t you try just a little teensy bit harder? I might actually let you hit me then.”

Victoria slumped forward, her face red with rage. It was clear she was being pushed beyond her limits. Her fluffy body was badly ruffled and covered all over with burn marks. “This isn’t happening.”

Victor was no better as he hit the ground in front of her. He was paralysed to the spot, and let out jittery gurgles in an effort to throw a tantrum. He could barely wiggle his fat.

“Whoa, but how?” Lute whispered, drawn to Esthia. She spun her glowsticks to slip them into her shirt, and then put her paws on her hips.

“C’mon, I’m not done playing yet! You guys have gotta have some ace up your sleeve, right?” Esthia complained. Victoria started growling even more, and put a foot forward. “Yeah, c’mon, that’s it. Come at me. Do all the desperate bad guy speeches and pull out your secret weapon! I’m ready for it.”

The Aromatisse didn’t say anything, however. Her fists were clenched and her body trembled. She had a look that could kill, if only she wasn’t so scruffy and beaten up. Esthia waited though, to which she pulled her foot back and started snickering.

“Huh? Oh wow, did you actually think of something?” Esthia said.

“Your friends have shown up. If your fused state can defeat the two of us, then attempting to defeat the rest of you would be a suicide mission,” Victoria admitted. She held her arms forward. “So I concede to you. I hate to admit it, but we have done our jobs of stalling for time against you annoying children.”

“Aww what? But I’m supposed to teach the kids not to give up,” Esthia cried.

“Hmpf. Take it or leave it. I’m not risking my health continuing to fight an unwinnable battle,” Victoria said. She walked off to the side. “Between you and me however, I don’t believe you stand a chance. The Spirle King is on an entirely different level to anything you may have ever seen. If you leave him to make his new world now, then he may just spare you and make you a slave or something.”

“What’re you talking about?” Lute jumped forward.

“Lute!” Esthia said cheerfully.

“You heard Lassic’s public announcement, right? The Spirle King is going to use the Mega Stone to wipe out all life. Only the smartest and most fortunate will survive. If you do as you’re told and don’t try to fight him, he might spare you,” Victoria said. “I mean, he got Lassic to do it! Anyone who can get that genius to do their bidding is not to be underestimated.”

“We ain’t kiddin’ when we say the king’s on a whole other level. We’re talking like, this guy might be Arceus in disguise or something. He’s so powerful that you won’t be able to touch him! And now that he’s got the Mega Stone on his side,” Victor said, bouncing back to his feet. “Man, us losing to you guys isn’t gonna keep him happy, though. Is he even gonna accept us anymore?”

Lute’s eyes diverted for a moment. Don’t they know who the Spirle King is? Do they not realise that Lassic might be the Spirle King?

“That doesn’t matter, you lardy lump! We’re alive and we’re in his safe zone. We will live regardless.” Victoria stomped angrily.

“Wait, so which is it? Are we fightin’ for him or are we fightin’ for ourselves?” Victor cocked his head.

“Ourselves, you nugget! Argh, forget it,” she cried.

“Actually, if you guys are gonna come quietly, then that actually means you’re both under arrest,” Sophitia said, a snarky smile on her face as she held up her King’s Shield badge. “You can join Storm in our comfy cells. Marina will deal with you.”

“You guys beat Storm?” Victor cried. Victoria didn’t say anything. “… Y’know, we might be wrong on this whole hero thingy.”

“Will you shut up? There aren’t any ‘heroes’ in Aseria. Heroes don’t exist. It’s just a stupid title the authorities give themselves to become the idols of some snotty little child. The world isn’t going to magically become a better place because of a ragtag group of no-lives decide to follow the story of some crazy old coot,” Victoria ranted. “The only way the world will ever change is if everyone makes it. And that is what is going to happen! Our king is going to wipe out all of the unworthy, and rebuild the world with Spirle as its rulers. Only then will we get what we deserve.”

“That’s what you held onto. You do realise what’s really going to happen, right? Can you imagine wiping out everybody and leaving only certain Pokémon alive?” Sophitia said as she approached them.

“That’s what it takes to create the perfect world. The world where I sit upon a throne. A peasant like you wouldn’t understand these feelings,” Victoria said.

“Well this is an interesting development. And here I thought you wouldn’t need me,” Tetra said, floating down from above. Sophitia flinched back, while the others reassumed their poses for battle. The Klefki looked them over with blank concern, and of course, locked his sights on Lute.

“Why is it always me?” Lute cried.

“I’m not going to fight you now. The Spirle King has finished his preparations, so I’m more interested in seeing what’s going to happen. Lute, if you can beat him, you might stand a chance against me!” Tetra said with an upbeat giggle.

“What’re you babbling on about now?” Victoria snapped.

“The only reason I stay for Spirle is because I want to engage in interesting battles. But if the new world gets created, I won’t be having any battles, will I? So Lutey has to win so that I can get what I want,” Tetra reasoned. He had an eerie smile on his face the whole time. “So how’s that, everyone? I’m on your side now! Ish. Sort of, anyway.”

“You’re so messed up. But I’m not complaining,” Kuri said, arms folded.

“The thing is though, if you lose and Spirle’s world gets created, that means you were never worth fighting in the first place. So you better not lose,” Tetra said. “Well then? Get on with it. Send those two back to your prison and go challenge the king!”

“Wait, you’re not gonna help us? You’re a traitor!” Victor shouted.

“Oh shut up. You are so loud and childish! How did a fat lump like you get into Spirle anyway?” Victoria slapped him.

“Well ya’see, it all started—” Victor said.

“That wasn’t a serious question you overweight sack!”

“Ya’know, I’m actually getting’ really tired of all the tubby names you keep callin’ me, you smelly old Gogoat.”

“Smelly old- how dare you! You know and love my fragrances full well!”

“Ugh, they’re awful together. They were arguin’ the whole time we were fighting,” Esthia groaned and shrugged. Sophitia gave a tired sigh and swiped her badge to the side, and then pointed it at the arguing fairies. The badge reacted, engulfing them in a cylinder of light that made them vanish.

“And you?” Esthia said.

“I just told you kids. Don’t worry, I’m not going to pull any nasty cheap shots or dirty moves. It’ll be too easy to kill you all if I did that, and I want fun fights, remember? So I’ll just be waiting back here to see what happens,” Tetra said. “I think you better hurry up before I change my mind, though.”

“Should we trust him?” Lute tiled his head.

“Well you’re the one he’s obsessed with. That’s your problem, not mine,” Kuri said as he walked off. Genesis and Phoenix followed, leaving him to gawk.

“Aww c’mon guys, after we got this far? Ah, those guys still don’t think of themselves as part of the team, do they?” Lute complained.

“I’m surprised, but considering where we are, I think he’s being serious. We did just see Victor and Victoria give themselves up,” Sophitia said. “So c’mon. We don’t have time to lose.”

“And if he does turn out to be fibbing, we were already prepared to have to pound him along with the rest of Spirle anyway, so that won’t be anything new,” Esthia said. Everyone turned to stare at her. “Er, what? Do I have something on my butt?”

“No it’s just, who actually are you? Are you another High Point, too?” Sophitia said. Esthia’s eyes widened.

“Huh? Oh no, not me. I’m uh, ah, oh gods, girls wait, stop please—” she said, beginning to panic and rub herself.

All of a sudden, the fusion’s body began to mold in and out of shape, turning completely white in the process. It eventually split into two much smaller Pokémon, and both of them thrown apart by their un-fusing. Infia and Esther were left on their backs, both surprised with blank stares for a moment.

“Oh. My. Gosh! That was so amazing what the heck was that?” Esther screamed and kicked herself to her feet. She kept rambling in excited squeaks as she charged over to Infia. She locked paws with her to spin her around, all the time laughing and hopping.

“A-ah, Esther please!” Infia squealed.

“Sorry, but no I can’t!” Esther broke free to throw a fist up high. “That was just, so freaking cool! I was all like, ready to sacrifice myself and everything and you were all like, no ‘cos I’m totally in love with you and then everything turned into light and then the next thing I know I’m that awesome- thing! That, whatever that was!” The Pikachu squealed.

“It was… our fusion, yes.” Infia held her chest and let out a breath. She looked at the floor.

“Our fusion? You didn’t tell me you could do that, that felt so damn good! Let’s do it again!” Esther cheered.

“I-I uh—”

“But first!” Esther suddenly froze. Infia looked up at her and went bright red, and gulped. “You meant that, didn’t you? You really like, like me?”

“I-I-I’m sorry, that just sorta slipped out. I’m so sorry, that must be super weird and stuff. I mean, we’re both girls, and I’m younger, now everybody’s watching, and—” Infia gasped. She kept huffing and couldn’t stand or look straight.

“Oh who gives a shit what they think? That was like, what do they call it? An epiphany and all that stuff. Totally woke me up from a rut!” Esther said. She tightened her grip on Infia’s paws. “Hey c’mon, look at me. You meant what you said, right?”

Infia could barely manage that. One look at the pudgy Pikachu’s sparkling eyes and she knew she was out of her mind. “I-I was just s-saying stuff that came to mind! I didn’t mean to.”

“Wait, is that really true?” Esther said. Her tone made Infia snap to reality, surprised to see Esther’s genuine look of disappointment. “Look, forget that the others are here now. Forget everything else. This is just one question from me to you. Y-you really mean it?”

“I… I really look up to you. You’ve helped me open my eyes to so much more and stuff. If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t have gone on this journey. But you’re so beautiful and confident and capable compared to me, I just love that you keep pushing me so hard. I-I-I love everything about you. If I could live with you, I know that’s what I really wanna do,” Infia said. Her face was redder than a tomato. “But that’s just like, super weird, right? Ahaha, I’m just a crazy superfan who got to be too close to you for too long. We’re both girls, too.”

“Oh stop it, you’re killing me!” Esther said, and rubbed her face. “Look. I’ve heard a lot of it. But those lines? I’ve only ever heard ‘em from cocky guys who get to meet and greet after a show. You, you’re saying this after months of getting to know the real me. I’m a loud mouth, I don’t care about cleanliness, I mean well I do, but you know what I mean – I’m a slob and I know it. I dunno, I feel like you’re genuine.”

“Esther,” Infia whispered, finally able to stare back.

“Every other Pokémon who’s seen me swear or play in mud, or chug food twice my weight has just gotten freaked out and pretended they didn’t see it. But you, even though you’re a girl too, you still did and said everything and stuff with me and everything. That’s gotta be special, am I right?” Esther said, squeezing Infia’s paws again. “I’ve never been in a real relationship before. But all that really, really spoke to me. S-so what I’m saying is like, I-I’m happy? To have you around? I-I mean I want to have you around. I wanna give this a try, a proper relationship! With you!”

Infia was frozen to the spot, now. Both of them were blushing deeply and wouldn’t take their eyes off one another. She couldn’t believe what she had just seen and heard. Her, a nappy wearing weakling that had all these strange powers and the max volume of a Whismur? What could Esther really see in her?

Then it hit her. The reverse of Infia’s own affection was true. Esther was the only Pokémon who, when learning about Infia’s strange disabilities and powers, accepted it at face value and just went about her way. It wasn’t that Esther didn’t care or was simply trying to train her, or perhaps it was, seeing as the Pikachu didn’t realise how much affection she had for her. It was that Infia had long since been accepted for who she was. She could be herself around this Pikachu, and never once would she be judged or joked about or pitied.

Realising that, Infia began to snicker. Her blush disappeared as she broke into giggles and light laughter. Esther seemed surprised until she leapt into the Pikachu’s arms and connected their lips, only briefly. Esther reacted fast, and began to laugh and nuzzle back. She wrapped her arms around her as Infia did the same. They twirled, nuzzled, laughed, and danced on their toes without a care in the world, and after a while, began to glow white. Their yellows, blues, reds, and pinks all began to mix together until they were the shape of one figure, which manifested as Esthia, who was laughing and hugging herself just as blissfully.

“Ha ha, yes! Today is the best day of my life!” Esthia cheered, raising both fists. She froze upon realising that Lute and the others had been watching the whole time, and their jaws were on the floor. “Umm, yo.”

“What? Ain’t you ever seen a couple before?” Tetra laughed while jiggling his keys.

“It’s not that, that’s super sweet and all. I-I’m super happy for you, honestly, I am, but,” Sophitia said as she dozily walked forward. She examined Esthia, lifting her arm, tapping her ear, tugging at her clothing and all else. “This is unprecedented! I never imagined Infia could do something like this. And this form made them strong enough to beat Victor and Victoria?”

“Well sorry if you like what you’re seeing, but this beauty’s taken,” Esthia said, half-lidded and teasing with her skirt. Sophitia flinched away. “But it’s alright, Sophie. Just get a guy who looks at you the same way Lute’s looking at me.”

That drew all eyes to the Eevee, and he flinched away to rub his face. “Aw geez, why would you say something like that?”

“Still seems like Esther to me,” Phoenix said.

“I’m not Esther anymore, it’s Esthia. This might come as a shock to you, but I’m my own Pokémon. I bet if Marina saw me, she’d be able to explain it better,” Esthia stated.

“You look alright, but I do still have to ask: you’re ready for this, right? You don’t need a rest or a Cheri Berry or anything?” Sophitia said.

“The Spirle King stuff? Oh yeah, no sweat. Perfect setting for my real debut. I won’t un-fuse unless they want me to, or I get defeated, so we won’t have any sudden emergencies on our hands or anything,” Esthia assured. “Intros outta the way, tummy’s full, underwear’s dry, nothing to stop me from showing you guys up.”

“You’ve got spirit. About time someone in your group had that,” Kuri praised. He threw his arms up and stormed off, to everyone’s surprise.

“You don’t have to be rude about it. This is special to them!” Genesis said.

“I know that. But it’s still something born outta Lassic’s twisted shit. If she can beat him, I won’t be satisfied with myself,” he admitted. He snickered and rubbed his chin. “Or maybe it’s a good thing. It’d be pretty cool if he got beat by a product of his own mess.”







A little way ahead took them into the rainbow light. Inside wasn’t as blinding as they anticipated it would be. In fact, it turned out to be the opposite. They had walked into a large dome of rainbow light, only for the darkness from outside to pierce through the light and keep the dome eerie. Bubbles of various colours streaked all around them in random directions, while a watery texture of smoky black outlined the area. The rumbles of lightning from the Inner Storms could still be heard, but they were muffled as if the group was underwater.

Lute was surprised there was even solid ground in here. The ground matched that of outside. Dark red, cracked, hard, and rocky towards the edges. Humidity kept his heart beating fast as he walked along its zigzagging pathways, which descended into the heart of what felt like a mountain. The closer they got to the core, the more there appeared to be vines that swirled towards their goal. Thick vines that were harder than metal.

As the path descended, these vines became so abundant that they shielded the background from view, soon joined by an unattractive array of computers and machinery. Pipes had been weaved between the vines, computers were stationed to hang from them and stick up in the middle of the path, and there were even some tiny, floating, Spinarak drones scuttling across it all.

Kuri let out a yelp and kicked one away, making everyone freeze. “Damn things. What the hell is all this?”

“Kuri,” Genesis said. He gave her an intense glare, and then glared back to the path ahead. There were here.

The core of Planet Aseria. One more winding path that led into the heart of all the vines and light in the area. It became a final descent to the edge of a cliff, surrounded on all sides by the smoky black abyss, wavering lights, and swirling vines. The vines all congregated to where the cliff faced, where they entangled an enormous, shiny stone.

“The Mega Stone,” Lute whispered, awestruck.

Everyone else, even Genesis, was the same. The core was a gigantic, perfectly spherical stone that shone every single colour in existence. These colours flowed about the inside of the stone, but with an illusive pattern that made it look as though they were both inside and outside of the stone. It was difficult to look at.

Lute shook his head and redirected his gaze to the edge of the cliff. There, at the foot of the Mega Stone, was the back of a tall Delphox. His chest churned, and his breath became shaky, yet he walked with his friends until they were within his presence. The Delphox’s fur perked up as they neared, and he turned to address them. Lute wouldn’t ever forget that charming, welcoming smile, or the strange earpiece that covered one eye with a visor.

“It’s exactly as destiny willed it. Perfect timing, all of the expected Pokémon present,” he said, and slowly stepped to the side. He had an entire computer attached to the surface of the Mega Stone, with wires and pipes linking directly to it.

“S-say it isn’t so,” Sophitia said, stepping forward first. “Is there someone controlling you, or someone hiding right now, or whatever petty thing – this isn’t really you, is it?”

He was quiet for a moment. “You do not believe your eyes. Then let me assure you, and welcome you here personally. I, Lassic, the current leader of Aseria and soon to be king of New Aseria, am truly here at the core of the planet.”

“It really is you. The High Points made it seem like they didn’t know who you were,” Sophitia hung her head.

“They do not,” Lassic replied, and she instantly looked up. “Spirle and their High Points are a perfect example of how flawed Aseria currently is. And today, I seek to correct that in one grand action.”

“But I don’t get it. It can’t be true,” Lute said. “All the evidence was pointing to you and yet I still can’t understand it. You’ve done so much for Aseria, why make Spirle and do all this?”

“And in case you haven’t already realised, we’re all here to kick your ass so hard that you’ll regret ever being born with one. So you better have a good reason for this,” Kuri warned, his signature cocky smile on his face. With a tilt of his head, that smile switched into a focused frown of dark fury. “Who am I kidding? Regardless of what you blather, I’m going to tear you limb from limb until there’s nothing left.”

“And I’m surprised that you’ve lived long enough to feel you have the chance to do so. It truly is destiny at its finest, isn’t it?” Lassic replied. He raised a claw, and then hovered a palm over the Mega Stone. “It’s magnificent, don’t you think? The source of Aseria’s energy. Not just the battery for the planet, but the source of all Pokémon powers and abilities. To think that the secret to our progress has been the core of our planet the whole time. With this, we have evolved, discovering our latent abilities, new moves, new forms, and so much more. Mega Evolution, Z-Moves, Dynamax, all possible because of V-Waves from this magnificent stone.”

“Er, I know you plan to do something really weird with it, but don’t you think that because it’s the planet’s core means we shouldn’t mess about with it? If you broke it, the whole world would be in trouble,” Esthia remarked.

“Broke it? And who do you take me for?” Lassic faced them again.

“I dunno, some mad scientist who thinks he rules the world or something? Get to the point already.” She shrugged

“I founded the Agents of King’s Shield in order to further this world. A mere rescue team with the aim of helping all Pokémon in need. But my talents went beyond that. I discovered how our powers worked, I discovered how mystery dungeons work, and I discovered the way to manipulate those things into my preference. Do you understand that? My natural knowledge enabled me to shape the laws of this very world into my being. I was a god in mortal flesh long before I made it here!” Lassic explained. He stepped forward and smiled. “But the current rulers of the world, the kings and queens of times that are now ancient, they declined my progress. When I sought to further this world by taking control over the source of all V-Waves, they declined and shunned my aims. They held the progression of all of the Pokémon world back, and for what reason?”

“To protect us from truths that we don’t understand, dangerous potential that could threaten our world in generations to come. We weren’t to step out of line because nobody knew what would happen,” Genesis answered.

“So while the Pokémon of the world continue to suffer in broken communities, torn apart by the feral monsters of mystery dungeons, we were expected to suck up to monarchs that sat upon unearned riches? I took matters into my own paws, all to progress this world. I worked with V-Waves and gained the power to conquer those fools. I wiped them out of existence, and then evolved Aseria into what it is today,” Lassic bragged.

“Yes. A world with withering nature that lacks seasons, so close to the point of irreversible destruction that ancient heroes had to awaken. We are here because of your callous actions,” Phoenix said.

“I am literally about to resolve that crisis. Will you patriotic fools look with your eyes and use your own heads for once in your lives?” Lassic raised his voice. “What have I done for your world? I rid it of mystery dungeons, I created technology to enrich the lives of the common Pokémon. I enabled those who could not live normal lives to exist as peacefully and normally as possible. All I care about is evolving this world for the better, to bring about the best in Pokémon. To bring us beyond the feral creatures we once were. To evolve us beyond what is expected of Pokémon, beyond the domination of humans, beyond the supposed gods that created us!”

“Evolve us… beyond… humans?” Sophitia said, going blank.

“But I began to notice a fatal flaw in our current world. As I rose in recognition and achievement, more and more Pokémon began to look up to me, began to rely on me. Fewer Pokémon were taking matters into their own paws,” Lassic continued. He glared at Lute. “Lute, you’re a perfect V-Pocket. Surely you must have this feeling sometimes. When all but a few can keep up with you, and soon enough, you become relied on to do even the simplest of tasks?”

“What? No, I… I’ve never had a feeling like that. I’ve only been able to get this far thanks to everyone. My friends,” Lute answered, and glanced at them all. Lassic’s fury returned.

“Then you are as pathetic as the rest of them. Within time, I became adored to a fault. Pokémon called me a leader. But do you know what happens to the leaders of worlds? Pokémon are extremely quick to take them down for doing things they don’t like. For not being absolutely perfect, despite being not being perfect themselves. For not taking matters into their own capable paws!” Lassic said. He raised his claw again, and curled it into a fist. “I will evolve this world into absolute perfection by all means necessary, if it’s the last thing I do. I am the sole reason this world has evolved to its current state, and I will not let that be destroyed thanks to the aged beliefs of some backwater, fantasy-loving children.”

“You’re even more deranged than I thought. You actually think you’re a god,” Kuri shook his head.

“When the world is this easy to manipulate into your favour, can you consider yourself anything lower? Seeing only adoration from Pokémon the world over, I created a foe for myself, Spirle. Without ever revealing my true identity to a group of criminals, I was able to create an organization that I was called a hero for taking down. I pushed myself up through the hierarchy until I became the leader of this generation. But this, this is greatly flawed,” Lassic said, and shook his head. “I couldn’t stand it. Pokémon wouldn’t evolve or progress without me. So I began to create my own Pokémon. I experimented with V-Waves to create powered up Pokémon that could do anything I wished.”

“The V-Pockets,” Sophitia whispered.

“And now, with a source of infinite power within my paws, and the perfect theory, I have discovered the secret to evolution. With the Mega Stone, I can control the world, the very laws that bind it, and the evolution of Pokémon, to my every command. I will erase this current world and create a new one. A new world occupied by my perfect Pokémon, where we rule as the powerful creatures Pokémon can be,” Lassic announced. He slowly turned back to the group, and hung his arms to his sides. “And yet, here you are. Pokémon with the belief that I am wrong and must be taken down, exactly as I feared. I can evolve you all into perfect beings capable of so much more than even I currently am, and yet here you are, thinking of ways to argue against everything I have just told you.”

“You’re in danger, you know!” Lute cried. “You’re going to use the same theory you used on Project Dragonlord. But that didn’t work, that turned her into a Risen!”

“I know that,” Lassic said. He snickered at Lute’s dumbfounded look. “You underestimate me. I wouldn’t go into this with a knowingly flawed theory. You have seen the Spinarak drones on the way here, have you not?”

“Aren’t those just robots?” Sophitia said. She flinched. “Wait a minute, don’t tell me—”

“All living Pokémon. Every last one of them. Powered up through V-Wave technology. Like perfectly behaved little soldiers, maintaining this area flawlessly.”

There was silence.

“I don’t believe it. It’s all so sound, yet it all sounds so… wrong,” Lute said.

“Lute, what’re you saying? You actually pity this guy or something?” Naivie shouted, coming out to bash him on the head. “If you let him do what he wants, the seasons will never return. Nature will become nothing but his robotic, digitalised dream. He’ll destroy the whole world and he doesn’t even know it.”

“You know Naivie, Artemis isn’t happy that you’ve interfered so much,” Lassic said, tightening his gaze. Naivie yelped and went totally silent. “With this stone, I can control everything. The seasons, the powers of Pokémon, everything you can imagine. I will evolve the world into perfection. Knowing that, will you still oppose me?”

There was silence again. Eventually, Sophitia stepped forward, and she smiled eagerly. “I think I speak for everyone when I say that there’s a reason you need to step down from your leadership position. ‘Cos somewhere along the line, you forgot what it means to live, and I mean on a serious level.”

“To live?” Lassic replied.

“You seriously think that you’re perfect? For ditching Marina and Silver, for creating a terrorist group that’s ruined the lives of millions, for creating a society that destroyed the concept of the seasons? You’ve single-handedly destroyed the whole planet and killed millions, and all in the name of your apparent ‘evolution’? You’re living in your own head, just like the kings and queens of the Ancients you were so happy to take down for not agreeing with you,” Sophitia revealed. “You’ve done exactly what you’re criticizing other Pokémon for. Your solution is to just wipe out everything you don’t like and make artificial Pokémon to rule some new world. That’s crazy! I don’t need to be some ancient hero to know that that’s totally screwed up dictatorship.”

“Lassic. This is who we are. Pokémon. Not humans, not gods, and certainly not useless creatures who spend our lives serving fools like you.” Kuri pointed at him.

“All kinds of Pokémon live in this world, and not all of them will be born wanting to be who you want them to be,” Genesis said.

“Do you truly wish for society to regress? To go back to the days of suffering in mystery dungeons? For the less fortunate to suffer at the claws and fangs of mindless ferals who prowl our wilderness?” Lassic argued.

“Maybe you have good intentions, but the way you have gone about them is unforgiveable. We cannot allow you to destroy that which makes us Pokémon,” Phoenix threatened.

“The only way the Pokémon world is gonna evolve is the way that everyone wants it to, not the way you think it will!” Esthia said.

Lassic seemed to calm down completely. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. “Then so be it. Destiny saw us never coming to an agreement, and so, destiny will see us deciding this through conflict.”

“We don’t have to kill each other, you know. Marina’s blaming herself for what you’re doing,” Sophitia said. “You could apologise and come quietly. We can talk about this to everyone.”

“Her pity would not sway me even if she were here now. But it doesn’t matter. Words have no meaning, now. You who believes that the world the ancients ruled is the way forward for society, versus me, who wishes to evolve Pokémon beyond what nature dictated for them. Don’t hold back, or you will lose,” Lassic warned. He slammed a claw onto the Mega Stone. The stone released several streams of light from around where he touched. “I will show you what we can become. I will evolve further than a Delphox has ever been believed to!”

“Wait, what? But Delphox can’t evolve any further!” Genesis gasped.

The lights swirled through the air before closing in on Lassic, completely covering him in pure white texture. He let out roar of agony at such a volume that the group cringed from it. They expected the worst to come out of his apparent evolution, but after a few seconds, the very miracle began to take place, and gasps took over.

He grew taller. His ears vanished into more defined head fur. His chest grew shapelier, whilst an alarming amount of fur fell off his body. His pained roars turned into a triumphant cry that told of a complete change of voice. And to finalise, the light burst from his body, revealing his new form.

26 Necro Lassic 1.jpg

“Y-you’ve got to be kidding. He actually freaking evolved?” Kuri shifted back.

The robe-like flow of red fur that normally covered Delphox from the waist down had completely fallen off, leaving long, thin, exposed legs that looked like they were covered in foil armour. The white fur of his chest had turned into a magenta carapace, exposing arms of a similar nature to his legs. The upper body yellow fur remained similar to a Delphox’s original appearance, but it no longer connected to a complete fur coat. It flowed behind him like a cape, split behind him into two loose shapes. His ears had all but vanished, invisible behind five bushy bundles of red fur that flowed like live flames. He still had his stick wand, but boasted new powers. With the click of a single paw, he created a fireball above the tip of one nail.

“So this is it. An evolution beyond Delphox,” Lassic said, playing with the flame. By using that one nail, he was able to fill the air around him with heat, and controlled it with perfect majesty. Without any visible effort at all, he made that fireball turn huge, and then threw it at the team with a flick of that nail.

“Watch out!” Sophitia shouted. No one needed to be told to avoid it though, and dove away as it exploded in middle of where they all were. The fireball remained in that spot as a sputtering flame for a while, and then burst into a searing wave of hot air.

“Don’t let his power intimidate you. We came here to destroy him!” Kuri said as he crossed his arms. He unfurled them to unleash his Overgrow powered state. He was first to run at Lassic, prompting a maniacal smile from the fire type.

Lassic formed two giant fireballs, one on each claw, and threw them one after the other. Kuri growled as he approached, having to shift to the side to avoid them. Both fireballs exploded as dangerously as the first, creating a wall of flame that kept everyone else back and unable to help.

With an arm pointed forward, Lassic released a whole stream of fire that swamped the ground and almost stopped Kuri’s approach. With an angry roar, the Chespin leapt right over the flames and struck Lassic’s face with a bone-crunching punch.

The battle was underway from there. Lassic released flames and fireballs with more ease than had ever been seen of a Pokémon, and hovered over the ground with psychic power. Like this, he slid all around the cliff, flinging fireball after fireball and occasionally a Flamethrower with his palm. Kuri could barely keep up, skidding and diving desperately to gain a clear footing. Whenever he got a moment, he’d throw himself at the fire type to punch or kick him. None of it looked like it had any kind of effect however, and soon, he was stumbling in the middle of a storm of flames.

“I can’t get close with all this fire,” Sophitia growled, holding onto a Moonblast. She fired it, but it was avoided by both combatants. They didn’t even look at her.

“Esthia, can you still use Rain Dance? We’ve gotta help him!” Lute glanced at her.

“Of course! And Helping Hand doesn’t seem to be doing jack,” Esthia said. She stopped pumping her fists and resorted to a prayer instead, which she raised into the air. The sound of thunder rumbled, and then a blanket of dark clouds covered the battle.

“My flames?” Lassic said, surprised to have one of his fireballs fizzle out so suddenly as rain poured over the area. Genesis appeared above him then, and trapped him in her Psychic. He growled and wrenched about in her grip, but with a mere glare in her direction, he was able to shock her into letting up. “Do not get cocky. You may have weakened my fire, but my new powers are above anything a Pokémon has ever seen. You cannot defeat me with Psychic!”

“Tsk. Gen, rock Rollout combination!” Kuri ordered.

“Got it!” she replied as she recovered in mid-air. She put her paws together like she was to receive a ball, and held her position in the air.

Kuri had to dodge a few more fireballs, but none of them were lingered on the floor thanks to the rain. This enabled him to build up speed, and then he skipped into a forward roll. Surrounded by brown energy that resembled rock, Kuri rolled into Lassic, where he finally hit him hard enough to earn a curse.

Kuri’s first strike had sent him sailing off the cliff, where Genesis was ready to receive him. She punched him right back with a shove of her paws, and he hit Lassic again, this time so hard that the fire type stumbled. Genesis flew off in Kuri’s direction and caught him again, knocking him back even faster.

They kept it up. Seven hits, all at increasing speed and power every time. On the last strike, Kuri released his Rollout attack and pulled an arm back, putting all his energy into that one attack. He punched Lassic’s face with that arm that bulged with overflowing energy.

“Frenzy Plant!” Kuri roared at the top of his voice. The energy came out as giant vines that engulfed Lassic completely, huge vines that squeezed and crushed him into a ball of blindingly bright green energy. It all exploded into a mighty blast that pushed everyone back, but they remained on their feet.

No one dared to say anything, eagerly watching the smoke. No one expected him to be defeated despite the heavy hits, and they were right to think so. With a snarl and a swipe of an arm, Lassic blew the smoke away, revealing a livid appearance.

“You? Where did you get this kind of power?” Lassic growled.

“It’s a little thing called training and growing. You seem to think Pokémon can’t do it, even though it only takes a little effort,” Kuri said.

Lassic snarled again, and gripped his right arm with his left. His body trembled and strained while he grit his fangs so hard it looked like he might draw blood. “You, you!”

“Wait, something’s happening,” Sophitia warned. She kept everyone back with her feelers.

“I… you… m-my arm, what is—” Lassic growled. He suddenly let out a painfully loud roar. His grip on his arm looked to get even tighter, and the fiery appearance of his fur got wilder. And then, in a flash of light, his right arm burst off, leaving a spray of blood in its wake. Gasps and screeches rang out, and several of the group covered their mouths and faces.

Even Sophitia had to look away, sickened by the mutilation. But she kept him in his sight, further speechless by the fact that his bleeding stopped instantly. A fleshy gash healed over as quickly as it appeared, leaving behind a brown bulge where the arm once was. In response, Lassic’s left arm began to get bulkier and its nails grew longer.

“Hah, hah, I see,” Lassic panted. He curled that one claw up to test it. “This isn’t a mere evolution, but an adaptation.”

He pointed at Kuri and instantly trapped him in an agonising Psychic hold. The Chespin couldn’t move an inch, only growl and cry out pathetically.

“Kuri!” Genesis hissed, curling her paws up. She quickly used Shadow Ball, prompting Lassic to dismiss his target just as quickly. He flung his arm to guard himself, which in turn threw Kuri into a scrape across the floor.

“Are you nuts? You just lost an arm. That can’t be okay!” Sophitia cried. Lassic replied with a snicker, and then trapped her in Psychic.

“Sophitia!” Lute cried.

“Okay, no more little miss nice girl, this guy’s playing for keeps. Can you guys keep ‘im busy?” Esthia said.

“We’re fighting him anyway,” Phoenix said, and charged forward.

“He’s right. We have to try,” Lute added, looking up at the struggling Sophitia. But I can tell. You want to try and save him, too.

In his moment of hesitation, the battle had resumed. Sophitia had been set free thanks to Phoenix shooting Flamethrower in Lassic’s direction, once again blocked with ease by that single bulky arm. Phoenix, Genesis, and Kuri kept close to him, only to have all of their attacks deflect off that arm. It was big enough to swipe them all back in a single slap as well, a backhand that scraped across the ground so hard it left an indent and shook the arena.

“It’s like he just gained the defence to stop us all of a sudden. I doubt Frenzy Plant is gonna work again,” Kuri said.

“Then just pelt him with special,” Genesis said, ears raised and Shadow Balls held in both paws. The group nodded and resorted to Energy Ball and Flamethrower attacks, forcing Lassic to guard himself. Seeing their attacks not end however, he growled, stepped forward, and swiped them back once again.

“Your efforts are wasted. You can’t hurt me anymore!” Lassic boasted.

He grunted as he realised that the air was changing. The clouds above him had gotten thicker and louder, telling of a Thunder attack. He growled and raised his arm to deflect it, only for the electricity to pierce right through and shock his whole body. He roared out as electricity streamed through him. It stunned him to the spot and then exploded moments later in a blast so large it smothered the area in smoke.

“Nice Thunder! That ought to pin him,” Genesis said, giving Esthia a cheerful wave. The fusion giggled and waved back, but kept her eyes on the fight.

Lassic was pinned down, slumped forward and sizzling with electricity. The rain had stopped, so his grunts could be heard loud and clear. Seeing his high damage, Sophitia stepped forward and signalled for everyone to stand back again. “You really don’t care, do you? You’re that determined to just, kill us and go about making your world. But look at yourself, Lassic! You can still reverse this.”

His response was a light snicker, and then he wrenched his body back and roared aloud again. He sounded like his was in more pain than before, but this time, there was a warning before the next gruesome evolution happened. His remaining arm glowed the colour of flames moments before it blew off, once again spewing blood in its place.

“Lassic!” Sophitia cried.

“Do you know… what evolution means, Sophitia?” Lassic said with heavy breaths. His body grew as he spoke, getting thicker legs and longer nails on his feet. His yellow fur had begun to change colour as well, almost as if it was deteriorating into a nasty brown. “Right now, I am physically linked to the Mega Stone, the source of natural evolution. As this fight rages on, my body will adapt specifically to each and every change in the circumstances. The longer you fight, the more effective my form will become.”

The group shifted back as his new form finalised. He was now armless, but possessed a fierce face with large fangs and huge legs that looked as though they could crush them in a single step.

“This fight is unwinnable!” Lassic declared.

“Sophitia! I know you’re concerned about Marina. But you have to let those feelings go!” Kuri said. Sophitia gasped at him, appearing terrified. “This isn’t someone you can reason with right now. He isn’t going to stop fighting until he gets his way.”

“It can’t be kill or be killed, though. He’s too smart for that!” she cried.

“Trust me damn it!” he raised his voice. She gawked at him in silence. “I’ve spent the last twenty years of my life watching this guy, waiting for this chance to take him down. Trust me when I say this: he isn’t going to let up.”

She looked back at the fight, disheartened by the weight of what was happening. Having lost both arms, Lassic had resorted to using his legs and his fire breath for offense. He was no weakling in those areas, almost as if now that his body only had those things, those attacks had multiplied. Every Flamethrower he let out swamped the area and set the group alight, while his ruthless stomps throughout the area shook the cliff like an earthquake.

“The only way out of this now is to kill him. Kill him and let Aseria know the truth!” Kuri stated.

She couldn’t take her eyes off the conflict. Even Lute had gotten involved, bracing the walls of fire to charge through with Quick Attack. Esthia had used Rain Dance again, but the water was barely enough to douse his attacks anymore. Angered by their inability to hit him, Sophitia formed her sword and shield, and sighed.

“That’s it. No more words. Let’s take him down and save the day,” Kuri said, bringing up his Overgrow boost again. She ran with him and drew attention to them by grinding her blade against the ground as she approached.

“Do we have a plan? He’s going to keep changing form,” she asked.

“Just pulverize him! He can’t adapt to getting beaten to death,” Kuri said as he skidded to avoid a stomp. Lassic attempted to step on him several times, and then just as he brought up flames, he was slashed from behind by Sophitia’s blade. His Flamethrower went haywire, forcing Genesis to fly through the air evasively. His attack came to a stop thanks to a combined Thunderbolt and Swift from Esthia and Lute, all before being tackled from the front by Kuri and Phoenix together.

As the battle raged on, Sophitia kept her distance and held her sword and shield at the ready. She became focused as the time went by, rigidly waiting for her chance to end it all. Every move, every dodge, every stumble, she was beginning to predict it all. And then the perfect opportunity came, and her feelings vanished. She held her breath, tightened up, and blacked out every mental thought that held her back. She Leapt forward and drove her sword deep into Lassic’s chest.
 
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Episode 32: The Is Who We Are -PART 2-

HaruMiju

Hero in their dreams
Location
London
Pronouns
They/them, She/her,
Episode 32: The Is Who We Are -PART 2-



Even though she had psyched herself up for it, Lassic’s roar of death still shook her to the bone. He may have looked like a mutated monster now, but his pain was real enough to let her know what she had just done.

Sophitia dared to look up, even though she shivered nonstop. Lassic bled from his mouth, and glared down at her with a mad fury in his eyes. Two feelers held her blade deep in his chest, but blood oozed from around the blade. Being so close to him, his heated breath brought her gradually closer to screaming. But she held on, and breathed frantically as she shifted back to pull her weapon out.

“You don’t understand, do you?” Lassic said with a low, satisfied growl. She could only respond with a gulp, and then the colour of flames began to seep from his upper orifices. Between his eyes, somewhere around his neck, and whatever of his ears was underneath that flaming head fur. That was followed by his head beginning to bulge as well, and the whole group set off gasping.

“Sophitia!” Lute screamed and rushed toward her. Esthia and Kuri were several steps ahead, and pushed their way between the Sylveon and the mutated Delphox. He could just about see them activate Protect and Spiky Shield before Lassic’s head exploded into a nasty mess of flames and flesh. This blast was strong enough to push their group back, leaving them disturbed and soaked in smouldering blood. They shook themselves off in a panic.

A few moments passed, then. No one made a move for an uncomfortable amount of time, as if someone else was supposed to do something to move this forward. But as the blood cooled, the group looked at themselves, all shivering by just how much had splattered around the arena.

“He’s headless! Don’t look at him,” Genesis said as she floated back down to their level.

“I had to do it again, though,” Sophitia whispered with a hard shiver. She glared at her stained feelers and paws, and her face turned pale. “I-is that really it?”

Phoenix didn’t seem to have a problem with staring at the mutation, but he suddenly flinched. “Don’t start celebrating. Something’s coming!”

“But he’s—” Sophitia whispered. She dared to look up with a feeler over her eyes. She blocked out his missing head from view. His body had remained standing, but it looked like it was going to evolve further. “You’ve got to be freaking kidding me!”

“That stab should have done it. Can he really recover?” Kuri clenched his fists.

All the others could do was growl and stand back as Lassic’s chest began to pulsate, soon joined by the brown bulges by his missing arms. It all beat loudly, as if a giant heart in his body was pumping something into him that was trying to burst out. His body grew taller as a white texture took over him, and the familiar look of an authentic Pokémon evolution happened again.

His arms appeared first, stretching out far to the sides to give his enormous claws the space to shape out. His legs grew in a similar fashion, becoming even wider with longer nails. Lastly, a face burst out of his chest, which seemed to curl up his body as if he was shedding a skin. His tail grew bushier, his head fur resembled a war fan made of flames, and a new shape of armour replaced the chest he had just discarded. With his evolution complete, the light disappeared, revealing his new form.

2020 12 30 Necro Lassic 2 - Copy.png

Any resemblance to a known Pokémon was now lost. His head and upper body was a sludgy brown, torn towards his chest and misshapen around his mouth. Five eyes with empty red pupils and a gaping maw lined with huge fangs adorned his face, tipped by two horns. Those horns and his tail were the only yellow fur that remained of his original form, as his thick arms and legs had taken on an armoury appearance, though they bulged with muscle. He retained some fur on his knees and upward, though it was a deep red and stained with the blood lost from his previous evolution. With a triumphant roar, he landed so hard that a shockwave took everyone off their feet.

“Perhaps now you understand what you are fighting against,” Lassic said. His voice had completely changed, becoming deep and grainy, but it retained the smart composure of the Lassic they knew. “My power is limitless. I control it. All form, all law, the very concept of evolution. It belongs to me, and I shall never let mortals take it away from me.”

“Lassic, you’ve turned yourself into a monster. There’s no way that’s a Pokémon evolution!” Sophitia cried.

“I can revert at any time. This form is only temporary,” he said, and stepped closer. Just that one step shook the whole cliff, forcing everyone to pay attention to their balance.

“Then change back. If you can change back, then we can still talk about this,” Sophitia cried, unable to hide the tears in her voice.

“You would fight this far only to now call upon diplomacy? One might say that you are quitting when faced with certain defeat,” Lassic commented. He bared his claws and the three eyes between his main two began to glow. “The time for talking is over. This will be the face of Aseria’s rapture. With the immense power coursing through me, I will wipe out all the Pokémon I deem unworthy, and recreate the world with my perfect V-Pocket creations.”

“Guys, we’re on a timer,” Kuri warned. The surrounding area had begun to take on the red aura that appeared when Lassic initially warned of the rapture, and all of it came up from the ground itself. The air was filled with red particles, and with it, oxygen grew thin.

“My perfect creations will evolve this world beyond anything you aged mortals could ever comprehend. We will transcend all known Pokémon. We will transcend humanity. We will become perfect beings that rule over all living in this universe,” Lassic announced. He raised a claw as if to taunt them. “Do you accept that? Will you bow down to me and succeed this ancient world at last?”

“Shut up! You know the answer is no. We’re not going to let you kill everyone and turn them into- into- whatever the heck you are!” Lute shouted. He already sweated hard as he struggled to breathe.

“Then there is nothing more to discuss,” Lassic said. He brandished his claws and fangs. “Throw yourselves at me, and face certain death: the pinnacle of Pokémon progression!”

With that, he inhaled deeply until embers leaked from his mouth, throwing everyone back into the fray. He belched out a sea of flames that spread far and wide, and towered high enough to block him from view. Esthia, Sophitia, and Kuri reacted with their shields, while Lute, Phoenix, and Genesis could only cry out and brace as the flames swamped over them, stealing whatever little strength and breath they had left.

Lute was left stumbling in a daze. His head was rushing to form some coherent thought, but all he could muster were the survival instincts to stay on his feet. His body hurt so much that it ached just from the cool that came after the flames. He managed to open his eyes to see Lassic stood over him with a claw drawn back. His vision was blurry so he could only make out the colours.

He threw himself to his side in an effort to dodge, but the claw struck the ground so hard that it created such a shock wave that knocked him into the air. He couldn’t even let out a cry at this point, only a lifeless cough as he lost control over himself. He landed hard on his side, so worn out he could barely move a paw.

Still, he growled and ground his teeth to fight the fatigue and force his eyes open. Everything was still a blur, though worse than before thanks to sweat cascading down his face. He breathed hard and fast, and that was the only sound that was clear to him. Even then, that didn’t provide him any strength. It only dried out his chest as he couldn’t get any air from whatever he was breathing in.

“Sophitia,” he mumbled. What looked like her pale blue was fluttering around the fiery reds and blacks of Lassic’s moves. The ground shook hard, and the crackling of flames was constant. There were definitely screams and cries of pain going on there, and that kept him fighting his heavy eyelids.

“Lute, hang in there,” Esthia said as she laid her paws on him. A harmless yellow light pulsed from the tips of her fingers and into his side, relieving him of his energy.

“Y-you can still heal.” He shuddered. He was able to get to his feet, but he still stumbled and blinked a few times to focus. Nothing was working. His view was still blurry.

He didn’t need to be able to see perfectly to be able to tell what was happening, though. The monster crushed everyone’s best efforts. Lassic had well and truly evolved into a monstrosity that was adapted to fight them, and showed little to no damage from their attacks. Soon enough, Sophitia had all four of her feelers holding up shields, and had clasped them all together to block one of Lassic’s claws.

“Sophitia!” Lute choked, finally focusing on her face.

She was strained, more strained than he had ever seen her. In just a moment, she was going to let up on those shields, and then he was going to have a nightmare of his paws. His feelings flared, and everything else just vanished to him. All he could think about was stepping in to stop her from getting crushed.

His eyes had fizzed out, but this time, he was aware. Aware of everything he needed to do and all the power he needed to bring up to do it. He launched himself away from Esthia with Quick Attack and crashed into Lassic’s palm so hard that the monster stumbled back.

“You continue to struggle so?” Lassic said as he turned his full attention to Lute. Lute stood coolly on the edge of the cliff, totally silent and eyes locked onto Lassic. Noting his glowing body and fuzzy eyes, Lassic’s own eyes twitched as if he was grinning. “I see. But not even that form will be able to best me. Come, try!”

Lute silently snarled, and took that invitation. He stretched to charge up Quick Attack again, and then he was off. He thought he would crash directly into Lassic again, but the monster was fast enough to step aside and clash with him with one of his claws. Neither combatant was pushed anywhere, enabling Lute to kick off the ground and fly straight back, where they both hit again in a similar fashion.

Everything flew by in the blink of an eye. Lute felt like he was flying through the air, charging into Lassic so hard that sparks flashed from their impacts every time, about four in the space of a second. He roared out loud as he skidded across the floor, and formed Swift stars by his paws as he did so. Lassic was the same and breathed in for a Flamethrower. Once again their attacks clashed, Lute’s stars exploding against Lassic’s flames. Loud and flashy explosions took over, and soon the whole core was enshrouded in flames.

When Lute landed, his instincts kicked up to a million. Sophitia was stood beside him with two of her feelers holding swords. She put them both together and ran forward, prompting him to do the same. Neither of them were thinking, they just charged headfirst through the smoke and debris with fierce gazes, Lute putting his paws on Sophitia as if to help her. They had a mere instant where Lassic’s face was visible in their approach, and then that was it.

That horrifying roar of death rang out once again, loud and powerful enough to blast the smoke away. Sophitia had her swords jammed so deep into Lassic’s centre that they poked cleanly through his back, and Lute’s paws were helping to push them further. The monster glared down at them as they forced those blades deeper and deeper.

Before Lassic could do anything, a powerful Thunder attack slammed down on him from above, keeping his body stunned. He struggled to look up and give Esthia the same leer, only to find Kuri, Genesis, and Phoenix high in the air with their strongest attacks at the ready. None of them said anything. He was at the mercy of a combined Frenzy Plant and Blast Burn.

An incredible force pushed the whole party back, while Lassic once again vanished into a cloud of black smoke. The group breathed heavily, brought to their knees as they anxiously awaited the remains of Lassic’s state. As the smoke began to clear, he was revealed to be bleeding from a huge hole in his centre, and was shuddering sharply from pain.

“N-no matter how ma-many times you h-hurt me, I will always- e-evolve,” Lassic said, struggling to gain breath himself. The red aura of his rapture vanished in a flash, and his body began to glow.

“Are you serious? Stabbing him doesn’t work, pulverizing him doesn’t work, what the actual hell is this guy made of now?” Kuri cried.

Lute still struggled to stay standing, even though the rapture had stopped. It wasn’t from fatigue, it wasn’t from the aura, and as far as he knew, his energy was limitless when he was in his berserk state. Yet still, his eyesight was blurred due to sudden colours obscuring it, while his body felt like energy was being physically sucked from it.

“Wait a minute, of course, it’s all V-Wave powered!” Sophitia cried and slapped her forehead. “Lute, your necklace!”

He growled and blinked hard, and then it all became clear to him. Those random colours in front of him, they were waves of energy that looked like light, and they flew from him and the Mega Stone behind Lassic. He struggled to look down at his mane, and there it was – the overbearing glow of his prized necklace. He hadn’t seen it look this explosive in a long while.

He didn’t think twice. He stood up on his hind legs and squeezed it tight, causing the light within to burst. Just like that, the energy waves he could see reversed direction, flying from the Mega Stone and directly into him instead of Lassic. It looked like he was the one draining the energy from Lassic this time, and that was causing the monster’s appearance to become panicked.

“Wha-what? Why am I—” Lassic said, and then he suddenly choked. More lights shone from within him, and his body began to bulge yet again. “M-my body… is s-so… h-hot…”

Lute could only growl as he himself was overwhelmed by whatever energy was flying into him. And while he fought to stay standing, Lassic’s body was soon enveloped by sparkly blast of gold light. It looked as if he was exploding, not from new body parts bursting out of him, but actually evaporating into light. Those bursts intensified as time went on, until finally, one last wave of light blew across the area, throwing everyone to the ground.

It took a few seconds for Lute to get back up up, and it wasn’t without some groans and moans. His sight was back to normal, but his body ached all over and he couldn’t stop breathing through his mouth. He faced forward to find that Lassic had vanished completely.

“Did… that work? I can’t sense him at all,” Esthia said, glancing left and right. Nothing remained of that terrible fire type. Genesis walked over to where he just was, joined by a wary Kuri, but there wasn’t anything to be afraid of.

“He’s gone. Whatever you did, it made him evaporate,” Genesis confirmed.

“Oh thank gods!” Esthia groaned hoarsely, and threw herself on the floor. “Talk about not knowing when to quit!”

“It’s over?” Sophitia said, going blank. No one responded until she looked at Genesis, who gave a light smile. “It’s actually over. Lassic’s gone.”

“He really lost,” Naivie said, popping out of Lute’s mane. “That guy was a heck of a deal, but we proved him wrong.”

“Naivie,” Lute muttered.

“I hope you understand what this really all means. You knew this already, but there’s no going back on yourselves. There’s nobody left to tell you guys that the ancient world is the wrong way to live. We’ll do our jobs to make Pokémon rely less on V-Wave technology, awaken those flowers, and then the world is saved. Well, the seasons, anyway,” Naivie explained. “Now let’s get outta here before something weird happens!”

“She’s… right. Can we use an Escape Orb from here?” Sophitia asked.

“Should do. It counts as a Mystery Dungeon,” Phoenix said. “Everybody gather close, please.”

“Wait, one thing first,” Kuri said.

He walked right up to the Mega Stone, eying the computer positioned in front of it. He clenched his fists, rekindled his Overgrow boost, and then hammered it as hard as he could. Everyone was surprised to see him go on a rampage of sorts, reducing all the machinery into sparking rubble.

“There. Now let’s hope I never have to use these powers again,” he huffed as he walked back over.

“Hey, y’know, you don’t have to look so edgy anymore,” Naivie commented.

“Piss off. I’m just tired as hell,” he grumbled.

“You’re telling me. I don’t wanna do anything for like, a month,” Esthia said with a lazy stretch. She fell back to the floor again, where she was surprised to see a number of the Spinarak by her face. “Oh hey there little guys. You’re the perfect V-Pockets, aren’t you?”

They didn’t make a sound, but a whole swarm of them had gathered up to the group. If there was anything to tell from their faces, it was that they were confused.

“Well don’t just stand there, tag along,” Esthia said with a giggle. The spiders still didn’t make a sound, but they obeyed and scuttled around her. The thought brought a smile to Lute’s face, and he activated the Escape Orb.







First thing was first. A private meeting with the staff that had sent them off to the Inner Storms in the first place. Just like all their other meetings, the team had been gathered in one of the main rooms in Pokétopia’s King Shield base, where they reported and explained everything that they had been through. Sophitia was the quietest, and she wouldn’t stop staring at Marina.

“And so he vanished. So Lassic’s dead now,” Marina said, finishing for them. There was silence, and she shut her eyes. “Lute, Sophitia. Your team have been through a lot. So let me now say: you guys are absolutely incredible.”

“Incredible?” Sophitia replied.

“Yes. You took on an incredible role, and despite the number of Pokémon standing against you and the power they had, you stood your ground and did what you had to do. You guys really did something that nobody else could, and for that, you guys deserve the best holiday you can think of,” she said with a warm smile.

“Ooh ooh ooh, I know just where!” Esthia cheered, bouncing and raising a paw. At that moment, she took on a glow and separated, leaving Infia and Esther on the floor.

“Esther, you’re crazy. No!” Infia cried.

“Aww c’mon, it’ll be fun!” Esther whined.

“No less than it’ll be embarrassing!” Infia scrunched herself up.

“Wait, you two,” Sophitia gasped. She slapped her forehead. “We weren’t good enough, though. We couldn’t save Lassic.”

“Save Lassic?” Marina said. Kuri had been leaning on the wall, and his eyes opened at that.

“He was your friend, wasn’t he? The head of the Agents of King’s Shield. And the one who created so much that’s helped the world. If we could just have brought him back here and maybe talked about all this… things might’ve been different,” Sophitia said.

“You’re really regretting that? You, the ballsiest fighter on the team?” Kuri said.

“… Of course. I might enjoy fighting and be good at it, but I don’t like killing. I mean just think about it, his real intentions were good, you know?” Sophitia reasoned.

“His intentions were good, but the way he went about them threatened to wipe out all life. He also betrayed the trust of the entire world, commanding Spirle as a terrorist group. By literally fighting himself in predetermined battles, he falsely rose through the social hierarchy,” Kuri clarified. “He was evil, Sophitia. Evil Pokémon do terrible things while making you think that they’re right. As long as he was that, he deserved judgement.”

“It’s good that you feel compassion about others, including those that you fight. However, Kuri is right. Lassic was a villain who stood for his evil goals until his death. I wouldn’t have had anything different to say to him that you guys hadn’t already said,” Marina assured. “I won’t have another word on this, understand?”

“Yes. I understand,” Sophitia said, looking away.

“C’mon, don’t gimme that look. I don’t want to have to be a mum again,” Marina said, half-lidded.

“I got it I got it, yeesh.” Sophitia flinched.

“Now, that goes for the rest of you, too. Aseria is on the verge of a major breakthrough towards peace! Spirle are no more, their main base is destroyed, and their leader is in the afterlife. The four temples are able to restore the seasons and weather at a moments notice. And it’s all thanks to these heroes, right here!” Marina announced. She jumped on the table to address everyone. “They deserve a rest, now. It’s time for us to take over and clean up the remainder of this mess. We need to rebuild the most structural parts of Aseria as quickly as we can. Find an alternative to gondolas, round up the remaining Spirle goons, and prepare ourselves for a world without V-Wave technology. And we also need to help these two.”

Kuri and Gen beamed up, surprised to be addressed. “Oh yeah, you two aren’t getting left in the dust. You two knew about Lassic’s true aims before anybody else. Heroes before any of this started. If you don’t mind waiting on your holiday a bit, we can help you out on rebuilding Angard.”

“I guess you can start by like, y’know, talking to her like an actual queen?” Kuri folded his arms.

“Oh don’t be like that,” Genesis said and pinched him. “For the first time in so long, we can live out in the open. Without fear. I couldn’t give a claw if Pokémon didn’t talk to me with all that stiff authority nonsense. Of course we don’t mind sticking around.”

“And then you go and order me around. What if I wanted to take my holiday first, huh?” Kuri said smugly. His wife giggled and pinched him again. He prodded her back, making her squirm. “Hey c’mon now, I’m being serious. You’ve probably got a decade’s worth of annual leave to use up, but I’m not having it without you.”

“If you’re going be like that, I am going to treat it as a royal order. You’ll get your annual leave, mister,” she said, poking him back.

“Naivie, it might be better if you stayed with Mum for a while, too,” Lute suggested.

“Oh really? You’re going to pawn her off on me?” Marina said.

“If you’re building stuff without V-Waves, you’ll need her guidance. And we’re not doing stuff related to the journey anymore, so,” he reasoned.

“For once, the little kid has a point,” Naivie said as she popped out. “You’re a grownup, so I expect you to not be as annoying to work with.”

“And I expect you to know your place,” Marina replied. She leaned on the table towards Lute and Sophitia, making them lean away. “So, what’re you planning to do, then? The whole house to yourselves for a little while.”

“Oooh, I get it. Smooth moves, Lutey,” Esther added with a half-lidded smirk.

“Wait, what? I’m not – why are you guys acting so weird all of a sudden?” Lute groaned. Sophitia rolled her eyes. “I’m not planning anything.”

“Yeah yeah, sure. We’ll make sure we leave you alone for your honeymoon and all,” Esther said with a giggle. “Infia, you can come with me, though!”

“What about Phoenix, though?” Infia said. “Wa-wait, but I live in…”

A smile grew on the Pikachu’s face, making her blush. “We’ve got a revival show to work out, and your big debut, too.”

“I, you’re right,” she said, smiling.

“I am comfortable helping out here. It might seem disappointing to you, but I do not get much out of holidays anymore, since I cannot sleep,” Phoenix said.

“Oh, yes. If you still want it, we can finally put some proper time into doing something about that, you know. Turning you and Infia back into normal Pokémon instead of soldiers,” Marina said. She eyed the Spinarak they had brought back, who weren’t doing anything. They were positioned all around the room, but they were motionless and quieter than a Whismur. “And… something about these lot, too. They’re so well behaved.”

“That… I didn’t get the chance to tell you, but that won’t be necessary anymore, Miss Marina. You can focus on Mister Phoenix and those Spinarak.” Infia bowed to her. “I’m sorry for the trouble I caused you!”

“So that’s really it then. We’re just, going home and relaxing?” Sophitia said quietly while the others broke off into their happy conversations.

“Well no, not really,” Lute said. He walked off hastily. Sophitia seemed surprised and blankly followed after him. They wound up outside, where the street in front of the arcade was empty. “I don’t plan on really resting yet.”

“Oh. Is it Evoli?” Sophitia guessed.

“No, actually. I don’t think anything worth while’s gonna come out of looking for him,” he said, staring at the empty, lit road. The city still managed to look lively, even though nobody else was around. He took a deep breath, and then faced her. “It’s you.”

“Me? Wait a minute, I don’t have – oh, right, my memory and stuff.” She turned away.

“I know you said you didn’t mind about it and all that, but we haven’t found a thing, even though I promised you. If the others are going to sort everything else out, then I finally have time to look out for you properly. And Naivie won’t be able to complain or drag us away on anything.”

“Oh Lute, you silly thing. You’re really worried about my past, but honestly, I don’t care. It doesn’t mean anything. I’ve made a new life, with new memories and new friends, and I couldn’t ask for better. I don’t need to worry about the old me. If it was important, then something would’ve happened by now,” she said.

“Really? You’re absolutely positively okay with it all?” he asked, tilting his head. She smiled and winked. “You’re not just saying that to stop me from worrying, are you?”

“The only thing I wanna do is go home, kick back, and have a heck of a meal,” she said with a cheeky smile.

“You and food. But I do agree for once. My stomach feels like it’s gonna eat me inside-out,” he said.

“Ew. That’s an image I didn’t need to think about,” Sophitia commented.

“Sorry, figure of speech. I really am famished, though,” he said with his own cheeky smile.

“And, well,” she said, playing with her feelers. “If we are gonna be back in Everend alone for a while… I… look, don’t take this the wrong way, but I’d be happy if we spent some time together properly.”
 
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Episode 33: Aseria Evolves

HaruMiju

Hero in their dreams
Location
London
Pronouns
They/them, She/her,
Episode 33: Aseria Evolves



Lute awoke with a lazy yawn and a stretch, followed by a dozy look around the room. Sophitia’s pudgy form lay sprawled out beside him, having stolen most of the blanket while drooling away. Nothing unusual.

He sighed and made his way out of the house, tripping up on a loose stone from one of the walls. With their new habitat, he kept telling himself he’d figure out a way to sort that. He had to go to the back of the house where a little pond was, where he could dip his face in the water to wake himself up. It was chilly and sent a shiver all the way through him.

He looked out over the town. Just another morning in the new Everend. The town had regressed since its change to natural technology over V-Wave technology, and even after all this time, he still wasn’t really used to it. Food was getting scarce and the only way to wash was through the river water, which had been partially redirected into a lake in the middle of town. Every household in the area had to share it, but thankfully Pokémon were being polite and cooperative with it.

Speaking of those households, all of those had shrunk considerably, too. The brick structures and such remained, but they were more spacious thanks to the lack of appliances that were once standard. No fridges or ovens, no light bulbs, no electronic doors, and more. He had a fear that robberies would increase since the change, but thankfully, not one had been reported – in Everend, at least.

Of course, school was off. The entire school and system needed to be rebuilt from scratch, since so much of that building was built with V-Waves in mind. As such, he hadn’t seen his school friends for a while, too.

“Lute?” Sophitia’s voice echoed from within the house. She sounded like she was whining about something, so he made his way back in.

“Morning. Everything okay?” He asked with an eyebrow raised. She was squirming a bit, sprawled out on her back.

“Closer, please,” she murmured, half awake. He was wary but obeyed, only to be snatched up by her feelers and brought into a surprise cuddle. She pinned him down with her body, giving him a half-lidded look. “Finally got you, mister hard worker.”

“What’s gotten into you?” he said, and rolled his eyes. He didn’t even try to fidget his way out.

“Oh nothing, besides the fact that I’ve been totally ignored for all this time. So much for spending time together,” she said. She curled around him so that her face was close to his. “And I know I know, we needed to rebuild Everend properly and stuff, but we’ve made crazy good progress on that, right?”

“Go on,” he said sceptically.

“We should take a break today. Go somewhere special, have some fun. You promised me we would,” she said with a little giggle.

“I did?” he said.

“Pretty sure ya did. But just in case, I ain’t movin’ until you say yes, so pick your next words wisely,” she giggled again.

“Really Sophitia? You’ve been acting so weird lately. You’re doing this again. What’s actually wrong?” he asked with an eyebrow raised.

“Urgh. I always have to spell stuff like this out for you,” she groaned as she got up. She went over to the window and sighed, swaying her head with her thoughts. “I’m bored, okay? Like, really, really bored.”

“Bored?” He cocked his head.

“Yeah, bored. I mean I get it, Aseria’s a happier place now. There’s no fighting, the Pokémon are all working together, everyone’s constantly got stuff to do. But I’m a fighter, y’know? All that stuff I did before when we were travelling, I literally live for it,” she explained. “I thought you did too, so I thought we were getting closer. Close enough to maybe… I dunno, do something special.”

“With me?” he said, leaning back. “Oh whoa, first thing in the morning. Are you awake right now?”

Yes Lute, I’m awake. You might think I’m a lazybones, but I got this strong ‘cos I woke up before sunrise every day,” she slumped. “But since Lassic died, I don’t even have to do that. All we’ve been doing is rebuilding Everend. It’s not me, I just can’t enjoy it.”

“C’mon, can’t you be mature about this? This is life we’re talking about. We have to do this; it’s not going to be the funnest thing in the world. We still have so much to do. We’ve still got crops to plant and fields to make,” Lute reasoned

She turned her back to him. “So it’s no, huh? You’re not interested in me?”

“What? No- I just, want to focus on this. And besides,” he said. He slowly walked around her, but stopped and shifted back when he saw her face. “Forget it. I just think it’s better we get all this over with first before we really relax.”

“No go on, what were you gonna say?” she said.

“Forget it, don’t worry about it. I wasn’t going to say anything,” he said. A loud, obnoxious vibration sounded out, and the two looked dumbly at each other before they realised that it was the King’s Shield badge. “Er, where is it?”

“You don’t remember where you put it?” she said, scrambling to shuffle through belongings.

“I thought you kept yours nearby or something,” he cried, having to tidy up the room to help find it. It sounded like it was buried under towels and things, so he threw those up and everywhere to make space. In his rush, he didn’t realise that she was doing the same, and accidently touched her paw. He flinched hard, but so did she, and their heads bashed together hard enough to have them waddle off in the opposite direction.

“Geez, watch where you’re going,” she cried. She had stepped on the badge, and held it up, still rubbing her head with a feeler. “Ugh. Browse!”

“Oh, you found it?” he said. He was worse, blinking continuously. The screen fizzed into view before them, revealing Naivie unexpectedly close to it.

“Finally! You guys took your sweet time to answer. Is it ‘cos it’s me calling?” Naivie shouted.

“Naivie? No, why would – we can’t see who’s calling until it’s picked up,” Lute said. “Why are you using this thing, anyway?”

“Because I needed a quick and easy way to get all you weakling’s attention that I know would actually work. Don’t judge me!” she shouted even louder.

“Okay okay, stop shouting into the badge. It comes up really loud over here.” He cringed.

“I need you all to come to the Northern Temple. You remember which one that is, right? The trash island. Reis Island. And you better come quick!” Naivie ordered.

“What’s happened? Are we needed there?” Sophitia wondered.

“Well like it or not, we’re all ready to bring back the seasons and stuff. So, you know, it’s only right that the heroes be here to witness it all first-hand and stuff. You know… you’re honoured, VIP guests! So don’t miss it, or I’ll make you wish you were never born!” Naivie shouted her loudest. She cut the call off.

“Huh, not much longer until we don’t have to put up with her anymore,” Sophitia said, falling on her backside. Lute gave her a look. “I’m only kidding, obviously. Don’t gimme that look. But before we go, can we please do something about breakfast?”

“Oh yeah, sure. We’re running on fumes here,” he said, and blushed as his own stomach rumbled. “It seems cheeky seeing as we’re about to lose access to all the V-Wave stuff, but we’re going to have to use the Teleportal for this one.”







Getting ready was smooth, after that. Sophitia stuffed herself on Lute’s idea of a cooked meal: toasted bread in mixed berry curry, with their remaining gummis on the side. He stressed over them possibly being away from the house for a length of time, making sure nothing could rot and that they wouldn’t have anything worth stealing left inside. After about an hour of preparation, the duo finally left the house. Everend didn’t actually have a Teleportal, so their route involved a Deposit Box that had been moved to the centre of the town.

To their surprise, they emerged from a Deposit Box right there on Reis Island by the gondola station. The station was still open from the looks of things, but in need of serious repair from when Sophitia had slashed the rail wires. From there, they made their way across the island’s mountainous landscapes, quiet until about halfway to their destination.

“You know what, this is a lot better when you’re not hiding for your life,” Sophitia remarked. She stretched her legs and feelers.

“The island’s prettier, too. We weren’t actually here during the day,” he said, admiring its numerous coves and views. The island’s height meant that there were a lot of inlets where the sea could be seen, as well as the distant mainland of Aseria. The rail wires from the gondolas could all be seen connecting to one another. This was the only place he had ever been where multiple islands and the vehicles connecting them were in sight all at once.

“Hey, a little off-topic, but have I ever told you your cooking’s really good?” Sophitia said with a sway of her head.

“My cooking? Really?” He scratched his face.

“Yeah, seriously. Where’d you learn?” she asked.

“I just copied Mum. She’s way better than me, though,” he admitted.

“Well I’m not gonna dispute that. But just, if what you made today is what you can do on like, limited bread and instant meals, then I can’t wait to see what you do with a full berry garden. Just thinking about its making me hungry again,” she said, looking up and licking her lips.

“Eheh. Well er, I am happy you like,” he said, rubbing his face. “I don’t think it’s that special, though.”

“Don’t be so shy, it’s a compliment,” she giggled. “Er, where do we go from here?”

“The temple’s on the other side of the mountain. Er, we can climb over.” He drifted off. The mountain was tall and rugged enough to give a flying type a challenge. He gulped, and turned to the valley of water down below. “We better just go the way we came before.”

“Ugh. Was hoping we wouldn’t have to get wet,” she sighed.

“Didn’t you say you liked this stuff?” he said.

“Well excuse me for not wanting to drown myself getting to and from a place. Underwater’s not my forte,” she said, following him anyway. With a reluctant nod, they took deep breaths and dived.

He didn’t have to sneak like last time, but it was still irritating to get through the tight walls. He felt nervous and claustrophobic from how close the jagged, dirty walls would get to him, and how he had to tiptoe sideways just to squeeze through. That was until he got about halfway through this part, and some new settings started to show.

As the walls spread out and he reached the far end of the valley, new scenery unlike anything he could ever have imagined showed up. There was enough space for him to swim properly, but he couldn’t help but slow down to get a good look at it all. Dandelions grew on the riverbed. There were whole entire fields of them that covered the floor for miles. To his sides, the walls were clean orange rock, a mighty departure from the decomposed trash he expected to find. The water was crystal clear, too.

His chest started to ache a bit, and bubbles leaking from his mouth reminded him where he was. He kicked himself upward, realising that he was far deeper than expected. He let out a grumble and shut his eyes as he forced himself to keep his mouth shut, but even though was difficult. By the time he breached the surface, he was splashing about and gasping like a Magikarp out of water, and had to take a moment to catch his breath.

“Ahaha, c’mon Lute! You can do better than that,” Sophitia popped up beside him. She shook herself off, but she didn’t seem to have nearly as much issue with catching her breath. He wanted to snap at her, but seeing her smile made him rethink.

“Sorry, I really am not that good at diving,” he admitted. “What is all this, though? Everything’s clean, and there’s way more water than last time.”

“Down here. It looks prettier,” she said, going back under.

“So much for not wanting to get wet,” he said with a roll of his eyes.

He paddled ahead a little before he joined her, but she was miles ahead. He could recognise the hill they originally walked down to reach the temple, which was now totally underwater. The area was now a clean, natural field with not just dandelions, but sunflowers and even a few young trees. They all swayed in the current and shimmered a mixture of colours in the water’s refracting light.

“It looks so beautiful,” Sophitia said, her voice muffled. He opened his mouth to agree, only to immediately choke and have to surface again. She watched him with a smile, and giggled.

“You’re really not very good at this, are you?” she laughed as she popped up beside him again.

“N-no. Wa-wait a second, you can talk underwater?” he cried.

“It’s easy. Is that really not a normal thing Pokémon can do?” she said.

“No, it’s really not! Ah, guess I’m never going swimming with you ever,” he groaned.

“Oh yes we are. You wanted me to help you get stronger, right? That’s being added to your training regime, mister,” she said with a half-lidded smirk. “In fact, why don’t we start right now?”

She dove into him and pushed him under, giving him the fright of his life. He just about managed to take a breath before he was stuck under and wrestling with her, but it was only until he managed to break free of her feelers that he realised that she wasn’t being serious. She was barely even trying to trap him, instead tickling him with her feelers at most. It still made him cough though, and he wound up cradling her as his source of support for staying on the surface.

“Sophitia, stop it!” he cried.

“Not until you say you’re gonna swim with me,” she sung, pressing him back under.

“Geez I wasn’t being serious- okay okay, I get it I will!” he cried, and she finally stopped, letting him catch his breath. “You’re so playful lately… I-I’m not scared or anything, but can we at least go see Naivie before she calls us again?”

“Bah, Naivie can wait. I wanna check out this gorgeous place,” she gasped. He groaned a little, stuck cradling her back. Looking at her though, he rethought his ideas.

She looked genuinely happy, and more than he had seen her look in a long while. Her eyes gleamed and her tail wagged nonstop. He went blank while she laughed and splashed her way ahead.

“You gonna let go of me anytime soon? I wanna dive again,” she asked, bringing that sunniness over to him. He blushed a bit, and then returned with a light smile of his own.

“Er, I’m not that good, so mind if I hold on?” he proposed.

“Oh alright. Just this once. Gimme a tap if you wanna surface,” she said, kicking into high gear.

To his surprise, she leapt right out of the water with graceful ease, and landed directly on top of it. She skipped with her usual gait and tapped off the surface like it wasn’t water, almost like she was dancing across it. His mouth was agape as he was brought over to new scenery thanks to this, a view of the open ocean that this drowned area led to. Some woodland was stuck up out of the water. There were treetops swaying in the current like little islands of leaves and branches.

“Here we go!” she said, leaping especially high. He made a squeak but took a deep breath right before they dove into the underwater world.

He had to take a second or two to adjust his eyes to being underwater again, but once he did, he nearly gasped. The trees were the midst of a growing forest, right here in this underwater mountain field. It was like the forest nearby Everend, only far more tropical and colourful thanks to the clear water and colourful flowers everywhere. There were petals flowing in the current, herds of tiny Remoraid and Goldeen, and more nature all around them.

Even more impressive was Sophitia herself. He clutched her tightly, but that didn’t impede her smooth movements at all. She weaved her way through the area like a Milotic in its prime, stretching her feelers to wrap them around the nearby trunks and branches. She launched her body like a pebble in a slingshot to propel through the water at a pleasant pace.

His chest started to irk him again, so he squeezed and tapped her. She giggled, but promptly shot for the surface. She breached it with an upbeat cheer of laughter. Lute cried out from how high they went, expecting them to plummet right back into the water. But she danced on top of it again, and stopped once she reached a treetop that was sticking out.

“Whoa. I thought you said water wasn’t your forte? How are you this good?” he cried.

“I dunno, I seriously just discovered all this! But look out over there, those are islands, right?” she said, pointing. He had to lean forward and shake some water out of his face, but surely enough, she wasn’t mistaken. Large islands were off in the distance.

“It is. But they don’t have gondolas going- wait a minute,” he gasped and whipped out his King’s Shield badge. He brought up its holographic screen and tapped a few things on it. “I know I said I wouldn’t use this thing anymore, but… no, I was right. These islands aren’t on the map!”

“Not at all? So they’re undiscovered islands?” she said, leaning forward too.

“They are. And they look big enough for Pokémon to live on,” he said with an excited shiver. He put the badge away, and now he couldn’t stop staring. “How didn’t anybody discover this? Pokémon probably live there and stuff, yet the rest of Aseria has no idea that they’re there.”

“You thinkin’ what I’m thinkin’?” she said with that half-lidded smirk again.

“Aww… but we do have to get back. Naivie and the others are probably ranting about us by now,” he said.

“I was actually gonna say you’re still on my back and your face is awfully close to mine,” she pointed out, making him realise. Their cheeks were practically touching, so he wildly withdrew.

“Ah, don’t say stuff like that! I didn’t mean to,” he cried.

“Ehee hee, oh Lute, I’m just teasing. I don’t mind, really. But we’re gonna check those islands out soon, right?” she proposed.

“Definitely. They’re a bit too far away to swim to, though.” He hung his head.

“I just wanted to know if you wanted to. We’ll cross that bridge when we get there,” she said, heading back. “Just, this is my idea of a day out with you.”

He went quiet at that. Is that really what she wanted? Just a chance to hang out?

She leapt across the top of the water back to the mainland of Reis Island, and then followed her memory to go to where the temple originally was. All of that area was underwater now, so there was a bit of doubt and hesitation, but after a little while, a new island came into view. An island large enough for them to stand on. By the time they got there, Sophitia was panting, though.

“You okay?” he asked as she leaned against a rock.

“Y-yeah. Ha, just gimme a minute or two,” she said. “I was running for quite a while! Swimming’s a real workout, too.”

He looked around, curious about the familiarity of this small island. It was shaped like yet another one of Reis’ many inlets, but with a huge mountain walling the backside of it and a cave entrance looming before them, he couldn’t wait to explore it. He shivered from the cold wetness of it all, though. The whole area was damp, right down to its sticky floor and the sound of droplets in the distance.

“Oh, wait. This is the temple,” he realised. “The temple must’ve floated while the rest of island started sinking.”

“Then we’re here,” she said as she wandered ahead. “That’s another mystery, by the way. We gotta figure out why all the trash disappeared and why the island started sinking. I’m almost certain both aren’t good things.”

“You were really upset about all the landfill here,” he said. Inside the cave was the wide area where they fought Silver, and beyond that, the entrance to the temple.

“Finally. You guys took your Arceus damn time,” Kuri said. He was leaning on a rock somewhere high up, and hopped down to them.

“Lute, Sophitia!” Esther cried, charging toward them.

“Esther, everyone. Sorry, we er,” Lute trailed off. Naivie was the only one that looked mad. “We had some important stuff to sort out back home. Really slowed us down.”

“Ooh. Juicy stuff?” Esther bat her eyes at him.

“Esther please.” Infia rolled her eyes. “Sorry I didn’t come and visit. I hope my house wasn’t too hard to deal with and stuff.”

“We actually left a lot of it the same. We didn’t want to mess with your stuff,” he smiled. “Er, I’m surprised, Infia. You don’t have a new costume or anything?”

“I do, but if this is going to be our last little adventure together, I thought I might as well go classic,” she said, brushing her shirt and skirt. “Don’t worry. You’ll get to see my first show soon.”

“Show? You girls got a routine already?” Sophitia asked.

“Heck yeah. Lute, you missed out big time. Infia’s a natural, and I mean, she’s really got the moves!” Esther wiggled a little dance.

“Don’t, you’re gonna make me blush,” she said, shaking her paws.

“In case you guys didn’t realise, this is not a family reunion!” Naivie shouted, popping between them all.

“This is literally a family reunion,” Phoenix said, and pressed her down. “And now that you are here, I am going to have to tell you all off for not visiting Angard.”

“Angard? Wait, have you been working there, Phoenix?” Lute said.

“Oh brother,” Kuri rolled his eyes.

“Pokétopia did not need any help, so I just went to help there. And the progress is going impeccably. Turns out that despite the fact that Pokémon relied a lot on tools, a lot of them still remember how to be Pokémon. Building is actually easier when you use your powers to do it rather than a crane.” Phoenix smiled.

“You know what, I was actually thinking the same! Making all the new homes in Everend’s been way easier than I imagined it’d be,” Lute said.

“That’s because you’ve been doing all the easy stuff, gathering stones and stuff. I’ve been doing all the heavy lifting, and literally!” Sophitia said, and pinched him with a feeler.

“Oh Lute, how could you? Leaving a lady to do the heavy lifting, for shame,” Kuri said with a cocky smile on his face.

“You try carrying stones three times your size! It’s not that easy,” Lute groaned.

“Oh yeah. I have Phoenix to do that for me. Gen and I have been on holiday,” he said, arms folded.

“Didn’t you say you weren’t going to do that?” Sophitia said. “Gentlemanly advice is the last thing I wanna hear from you.”

“He’s teasing you. He has actually done way more than Genesis has,” Phoenix said.

“He better be!”

“They’re competing over who can do more.”

“Oh. Of course.”

“But what about the real juicy stuff, the juicy stuff!” Esther bounced between them all. “Go on, tell me all about it. What’ve you two been getting away with, havin’ a house to yourself and all that?”

“We haven’t been doing anything. And even if we did, like I’d tell you!” Sophitia cried with a little blush.

“Aww, the first timers are always so shy,” Esther sung.

“No, I mean it. Me and Lute have been hard at work. That’s why we were late today,” she said, glancing at him. He smiled that she played along with his lie.

“Huh, seriously? But wait a minute, weren’t you…?” she said, a finger on her lip. Sophitia raised an eyebrow, making her snort. “Excuse me a second everyone!”

“Esther—” was all Lute could say before she was off and dragging Sophitia so quickly that a cloud of dust remained in their wake.

Esther left the cave and ran to the side of the island, where she stopped to ensure they weren’t followed. Once certain, she let Sophitia’s paw go, and then pouted at her. “Are you like, totally for real now? You and Lute didn’t do anything?”

“The only lie was that we were curious about this area being underwater. It’s no use getting Naivie mad and admitting we mucked about on the way here,” Sophitia said.

“Aww my gosh, what? Ah, the actual heck Sophitia? How can you have such an opportunity and do nothing about it?” Esther whined.

“I don’t even know exactly what you’re talking about, you know. Seriously, why did you drag me all the way out here?” Sophitia asked.

“Really? We’re playing dumb, too?” Esther said. Sophitia tilted her head, making her sigh. “Alright. Look, it’s super obvious. I can feel the sad aura oozing from you. You really like Lute, like, love him, right? And we all know how stories like this end in the plays. You can’t have a whole journey with someone you like, get a house to yourself for two weeks and not do anything. It’s like, literally against the rules!”

“Well your first mistake is trying to ship other Pokémon together. I thought we were through with this from Infia?” Sophitia replied with slight annoyance.

“No no, it’s not a ship if it’s true! Don’t lie to yourself. I can sense these things from a mile off, I know when someone’s suffering from feelings,” Esther pointed at her.

“Bold claims for someone who couldn’t tell who Infia had feelings for,” Sophitia said.

“Hey in my defence, I didn’t known what a lebsian- lesbiab- lesiban- ah, I didn’t know girls could go with girls, ‘kay? I seriously had a whole epiphany with that,” she flinched. “But this ain’t about me. Did he not even say anything?”

“Not a thing. All focused on rebuilding the town, day by day.” Sophitia shut her eyes.

“Aww. I knew the kid was as dense as peanut porridge, but wow, no wonder you’ve got it so bad. You need to say something, Sophie,” she said.

Sophitia growled and looked away, feeling her face heat up a little. “I have, okay? I tease, I play, I be extra nice, he’s just not interested.”

“Did you sit him down to talk?” Esther asked.

“I did. Sorta. This morning, actually.”

“And did you ask him out at least?”

“No. Yes? Again, sorta?”

Esther sighed again and started pacing, and then hopped up to sit on one of the rocks. “Y’know, in my little experience with Infia, I learnt a lot. I mean I get it; most girls want boys to just, man up and pop the question. But I just have to ask, why?”

“Why?” Sophitia tilted her head.

“Yeah. Infia didn’t have a boy to wait for, y’know? And you know how shy she is. But she wanted something so bad, she broke all those unwritten rules and just talked to me about it,” she said, playing with her tutu. “So why not you, too? If you really wanna be with Lute, why don’t you just talk about it properly?”

“Again though, your problem is your assumption that we’re struggling with a relationship of some kind,” Sophitia said, turning her back. “I just really like adventuring. And when I met him, I was sure he did, too. I thought we’d be travelling forever, but, turns out I might be wrong.”

“If you’re serious about it, make sure you ask him out. Preferably before he goes back to school and stuff,” Esther said.

“Tell you what. I’ll ask him if you promise to get outta the habit of trying to be privy of everyone’s relationships,” Sophitia said, turning back.

“I can’t make that promise. I wanna know all the saucy stuff, ‘cos maybe I could learn a thing or two,” she said, tucking her paws behind her head. She fell right back too, kicking her legs up happily.

“You’re shameless.” Sophitia palmed her face.

“Not shameless, just nosy. Hey, come back! It’s not that embarrassing, is it?” she cried.

They came back to find Naivie had quietened the group, fluttering between them. As soon as they got there, Naivie flew right into their noses, sending them reeling back in irritation.

“Took you furry louts long enough! The day will be over if we mess about any longer. And I ain’t waitin’!” the little fairy screamed.

“Geez alright, I’m sorry. No need to hit me so hard,” Esther moaned.

“You asked for it.”

“I didn’t ask for—”

“Shut up, just shut up already! Gods, it really is like dealing with a bunch of children sometimes,” Naivie cried.

“I mean, they are literally children, so I don’t really know what you’re expecting,” Kuri said with a shrug. “But you’ve got our attention now, so yeah, let’s get to it.”

Naivie gave him a leer. “Just follow me. And try not to get distracted like children.”

“No fun allowed, huh?” Phoenix said.

“I called you all here because Aseria is starting to reach its limit, as evidenced by this island’s drastic change in circumstances. None of you realised while you were journeying because you warped around a lot, but certain disasters are starting to occur. The sea is rising, and the land is shrinking,” Naivie explained as she directed them into the temple. “As you’re no doubt aware, Reis Island has seen the biggest effect. The island is mostly underwater now.”

“But it somehow cleaned off all the landfill?” Sophitia tilted her head.

“Not exactly. There was actually an eruption here. Tectonic plates are starting to forcibly shift. We’ll get all kinds of nasty eruptions, earthquakes, and tsunamis soon if we don’t do something,” Naivie warned. “But everyone’s been making stunning progress. If Pokétopia is anything to go by, then I have no doubt in my mind that you Pokémon really can cope.”

“So you brought us away from our work, why?” Kuri said.

“So that you can witness the evolution of Aseria with your own eyes,” she said, positioning herself above the ancient flower. “Congratulations, heroes. You are about to see everything you’ve been working towards come to fruition. For Aseria to go back to being the way it’s supposed to be. For Pokémon to…”

“Heh. I suppose that is cause for a little celebration,” Lute agreed.

“Celebration? Yes. I should thank all of you for going through with all of this. It’s just a bit of a shame, really,” Naivie said.

“A shame?” Infia said.

“Yeah. A shame that I’ve had to bring you into one place like this. But I won’t dwell anymore,” she said, starting to glow. “It just makes my job a little easier.”

Confusion swept across the group, but before they could question it, a massive cylinder of light enveloped Naivie and the ancient flower below her. She cried out for a moment, and then seemed to brace herself to resist it, letting out struggled grunts and moans. The group stepped forward to help but were stopped by a squint of her eyes, almost as though she were smiling.

The energy filled the ground, lighting up the altar around them, and with it, Naivie plummeted to the ground like a lifeless doll. Heavy wind blew against them, ruffling the petals and vines of the flower. All the while, the cave around them began to gain life. Colour, soil, grass, and more decorated the cave by the second. In just moments, they were stood in a cave that smelt beautifully of pollen and were surrounded by grassland and golden dust in the air.

“Naivie!” Esther let out a panicked cry. The heavenly choir coming from it all wouldn’t distract from the fact that the tiny Carbink was lying on the floor nearly motionless. She looked as though she was dying right before their eyes. It was as if she were straining to flap her tiny wings.

“Naivie, wait what’s happening?” Sophitia gasped as she came to the Carbink’s aid. She attempted to pick Naivie up with her feelers, but a spark from an invisible barrier got in the way. Amongst all the light and nature growing around her, she noticed the Shaymin was awake and watching her. It promptly changed into its sky form, and then took off out of the cave.

“Guys, look out here,” Kuri said, revealing he was by the cave exit. They all exchanged glances and then jogged joined him by the exit.

The Shaymin had become a golden glow that streaked through the sky, soon joined by three other gold lights – the other Shaymin. They gathered toward the centre of Aseria, where they formed one huge light that was blinding to look at, even from their distance. That light ascended into the grey clouds, instantly warming the colours and leaving a golden glitter to rain from the sky.

Even though he had just seen Naivie’s predicament, an incredible relief began to take over Lute. He couldn’t divert his eyes away from the sky, while a smile snuck its way onto his face. It started with rays of natural light peeking through the clouds, and then a natural breeze against his fur.

“We… we did it,” he whispered. Nature spread throughout the world right before their eyes, as the blanket of clouds began to part and the sun peaked through. Flowers bloomed around them where there was once rock, and looking down at Reis Island, all over the surface there, too. The water suddenly splashed up against the island as a tide returned, while waves from a visible current filled the ocean.

Without really thinking about it, he raised a paw and linked it with Sophitia’s. The two of them stared at the beautiful range of colours forming before them. He leaned on her a bit, too. All he could think about was how happy he was to see it all after so long. It was impossible to imagine how colourless and dry the world looked before, especially how quickly it had all reformed, too.

And then, a horrible noise boomed across the sky, and massive shockwave blew across it. The clouds above Pokétopia split in an instant and swirled into a pit around a dark object.

“What?” he whispered, his smile vanishing in a flash.

Another shockwave occurred, and this one was strong enough to hit them even from here. The clouds had vanished from the sky completely, revealing not the sun, but a massive object that was generating a solar eclipse. It was easy to think of it as a planet, but it was so close to them that its surface could be made out.

“What, is that?” Esther gasped and shifted back.

“Is that the moon?” Infia said, pointing out its greyish colours and craters.

“That’s not the moon, that’s a… I don’t know what that is. It’s a planet, but it couldn’t be,” Kuri said and clenched his fists. A powerful roar made them all flinch, and they turned back to the temple. Dark rays were coming from it. The group exchanged glances and rushed back in.

“Naivie?” Sophitia gasped.

The Carbink was mutating in a similar fashion to Lassic. She took on a white glow while her body expanded, gained, and threw away features to attain a new form. Her little wings expanded into long, straight, hard arms with solid claws on the end. Her overall size grew drastically, becoming taller and wider than the ancient flower behind her. And when the light burst away from her, she smashed to the ground with a triumphant, intimidating roar.

“Did she evolve?” Lute cried.

“It can’t be,” Sophitia whispered. She was shuddering hard.

Naivie had a mouth now, a maw lined with fangs with a wider bottom jaw than the top. Her eyes were solid blue, with no pupils or light reflecting at all. Her fluffy muffler was similar to before, but had a fiery sphere in the centre. Otherwise, her body was relatively the same as a Carbink’s, only oversized and monstrous sounding. She had to balance herself using her new claws, but loomed over the party and laughed maniacally.

“Sophitia… Remember me?”


27 Naevil (Brutal Naivie).jpg
 
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Episode 34: Aseria’s Last Crisis

HaruMiju

Hero in their dreams
Location
London
Pronouns
They/them, She/her,
27 Naevil (Brutal Naivie).jpg

Episode 34: Aseria’s Last Crisis



“What is this? What just what happened to you, Naivie?” Esther gasped and staggered back alongside everyone. Naivie’s colossal form leaned over them and laughed. “Did you evolve?”

“Evolve? No. I was supposed to have regained my original form, but it appears that isn’t fully possible right now. But it doesn’t matter. Like this, I’m strong enough to crush you all if you decline my master’s demands,” Naivie said. Her voice was low and a little distorted.

“Your master’s wishes?” Lute said.

“Let’s save ourselves some time and exposition and cut straight to the chase, shall we? Let the lady speak for you,” Naivie said, baring her claws. Her form toppled a little, forcing her to put them down again to keep balanced. All eyes turned to Sophitia, who was going pale. “So go on! Our conquest begins now. We’re going to reclaim what was once ours.”

“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about, though,” Sophitia looked down. Her voice was so quiet and uncertain.

“Don’t waste our time, champion. We’ve been waiting generations for this!” Naivie raised her voice and leaned forward.

“No, no, no, I really don’t know! I promise, I mean it,” she pleaded and bowed. Naivie’s eyes narrowed, and she leaned back.

She’s so afraid. This isn’t like Sophitia at all, Lute realised.

“Nothing? You mean to say that amnesia excuse is actually real? That you don’t remember anything prior to meeting Lute in that cave?” Naivie questioned. Sophitia didn’t answer. “You don’t remember me or my original appearance? You don’t remember Artemis, Diancie, or our accursed home, Balunercc?”

There was silence besides Sophitia’s whimpers and the choir of the altar. That brought Naivie to go half lidded, and she growled. “To think that I spent all this time playing along with your asinine little game. Do you know how pathetic I felt? How foolish I looked? How long I waited for you get your act together?”

“Whatever’s going on, this was your plan all along, wasn’t it? You’re using the V-Waves from the temples to power yourself up,” Esther readied her baton.

“Quiet, peasants. You fools have nothing to do with this,” Naivie replied.

“To hell with that. We have everything to do with this, bitch! You can’t tell me we went through all of this just for you to—” Esther shouted, getting cut off by Naivie’s attempt to smash her. She hopped back to avoid it, but stumbled and fell on her backside.

“Esther!” Infia cried. The others were all ready for battle, now.

“You got one thing right, and that was that I deceived you,” Naivie said. “Heroes? Chosen ones? All a load of nothing. None of you are anything special in the slightest. Ordinary Pokémon, the lot of you. Except Sophitia.”

“That can’t be true. The temples reacted to us. W-we could go to Moand Dia,” Lute argued.

“The temples reacted to me and Sophitia, fool! Once Artemis’ champion, but now a lowly Sylveon, head over heels in a petty teenage romance. It’s a shameful waste, but whatever. You’re useless to us, now. I have the go ahead to get rid of you all, and I’m going to enjoy it.” Naivie clenched her claws. “That is, unless of course, you pledge your alliance to me. I’m sure we ancients could find some use for you, still.”

“None of us have any idea what the hell you’re talking about, but it doesn’t look the slightest bit good,” Kuri said. “I spent my entire life avoiding sucking up to Lassic after he committed genocide. What makes you think I’d succumb to a new leader?”

“The fact that you don’t have a choice in the matter. Bow down to me, or die,” Naivie threatened.

“Naivie, just- stop. What’s going on? What’s Balunercc? What’s the planet in the sky? And why did you change into this?” Lute asked.

“Nothing I’m going to answer. You don’t need to know!” She leaned forward.

Lute gritted his fangs. “Then we’re going to assume it’s evil, and we’re going to stop you.”

“You know, in my noble position, it is only right to ensure that you aren’t going to do anything that you’re going to regret. Is that your absolute, final answer?” Naivie said.

There was a pause, but everyone’s answer was to pose for battle. Electricity sparked, flames puffed up, and energy visibly flowed through the group. Sophitia was last, readying her sword and shield.

“So you’ve chosen death. Inevitable for ordinary Pokémon. But Sophitia, I expected better,” Naivie sighed.

The giant Carbink monster stood tall and stretched her arms up, and then brought both claws down. Even though the group jumped away from the attack, the sheer force of her palms shook everything around and brought the group to the floor. Naivie was unaffected by that, and cried out loud as she flew straight into a follow-up attack. A bright set of sparkling wings flashed on her back for a moment to propel her forward, where her claws collided directly with Sophitia’s shield.

“A perfect parry. Just what I expect from Artemis’ champion. It’s almost like you’re lying to me,” Naivie said. The two of them were stuck against a wall in the corner of the room, Sophitia half buried in an indent in the ground.

“Why don’t you believe me- that I don’t remember?” Sophitia growled. She held her shield with both paws and two feelers. Just as Naivie brought her other claw forward to push against the shield, she brushed both claws off and slipped away to the side, avoiding continued strikes from Naivie. As the giant Carbink continuously smashed the ground, the Sylveon darted around Naivie, and eventually kicked off her head to get back to the centre of the room.

“Because you can do things like that. No normal Pokémon could put up this much of a fight,” Naivie glared at the Sylveon. A Moonblast was charged between her claws, prompting Sophitia to charge the same attack. Both of their moves collided, creating a massive explosion of dust and smoke. A powerful shockwave came with it, keeping everyone else back.

Sophitia didn’t have time to rest, though. Before the smoke cleared, she knew to raise her shield and stand strong. Naivie came right through and crashed into her, claws bared and grinding against her shield.

“You mean to tell me that you’ve never once thought about it, considered what you could really be? All the battles you’ve been in, knowing you’ve had the power to end them in an instant?” Naivie said. “I could see you were holding back. Hesitating, not out of fear of death, but because you didn’t want to give yourself away. I watched you do it with Project Dragonlord, and Lassic!”

Sophitia was tried to respond, but couldn’t do so on top of her struggled parries. She guarded against Naivie’s claws, but the sheer size and force behind each attack knocked her whole body haywire. The best she could do was step backward and jump whenever the ground shook, constantly looking back to make sure she wasn’t backed into a wall.

With all the heavy impacts to the ground however, the temple quickly transformed into a ruin that threatened to come apart. Massive ditches were left whenever Naivie moved, while huge indents caused rocks and dust to erupt sporadically. Before long, the whole group were in a crumbling cavern and had to shield themselves from a rain of boulders and rocks.

“Everyone, are you there?” Lute cried out on top of all the destruction. Just then, part of the ceiling came right down on top of him, but he was saved by Esthia diving through him. “Esther?”

“It’s Esthia, get it right already!” cried the fusion. They landed on top of more rubble than he was expecting to see. She continued to run and hop across it all, to which he followed.

In the middle of all the dust and destruction, Sophitia cried out as she freed herself. She coughed and panted, forced back into focus by Naivie landing beside her. She moaned a bit, but staggered as she pointed her sword forward.

“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about at all. Who is Artemis?” Sophitia asked. She was smacked aside by a backhand, winded as she hit the ball hard.

“It doesn’t matter anymore, does it? You know full well who he is. You know full well who you are, and it’s annoying me to no end that you’re continuing to feign ignorance,” Naivie said, jumping closer again. She pointed a nail at Sophitia as she struggled to stand. “I really don’t want to lose you, you know. Artemis might despise you, but I see something different. You continued to work hard and become as strong as you did, and not in the name of vengeance. You were the perfect champion, truly dedicated to servitude.”

“So I- ah, so I should know who he is, huh?” she huffed as she held her sword up again. She had one eye shut and was barely stood up on wobbling legs.

“So why? Why forsake everything you worked towards and become… this? I mean, look at you!” Naivie said. She moved frighteningly fast to scoop up Sophitia in a flash. The fairy struggled in her grip, forced to stare into her face. “You could’ve had it all. The greatest honours of the Ancients, the respect to be crowned a queen… infinite life. But you would really forfeit it all just so that you could live alongside peasants like these? They’re not even your species!”

Just then, Naivie was struck hard by Kuri. He was glowing with his Overgrow boost, and turned his attack into Frenzy Plant without delay. Gigantic vines burst from his arm and enveloped Naivie’s head, exploding so hard that she toppled aside and dropped Sophitia with a wince of pain.

“I’ve got you,” Phoenix said as he caught and carried the Sylveon to safety. Sophitia could barely whimper a response.

“Now’s our chance, Lute. Let’s hit ‘em hard,” Esthia cheered, raising a fist. With a twirl and a twist of her palms, she revealed two glowsticks and lit them both up with a tap on her cheeks. They turned into crackling pompoms. “We’re not lettin’ you escape, Naivie!”

To their surprise, Naivie recovered from Kuri’s attack without so much as a scratch, and glared at the duo angrily. Kuri landed beside them and seemed equally as surprised, refraining from jumping after her. Esthia ignored it though, firing her electric pompoms with a thrust of her palms.

“Esthia, don’t!” Kuri shouted and stuck an arm out. Lute attempted to give chase, but was pulled back by his tail. “Not you too, you idiot! If Overgrow doesn’t do any damage, what chance does V-Wave power?”

“But Esthia!” he said. Kuri growled and glared at the fight.

Naivie didn’t even move, letting the fusion pelt her with electrical blasts and other fancy moves. The hits were making her flinch, shut her eyes, and grunt, but anything resembling real damage didn’t wasn’t happening. Esthia eventually stopped and landed on a mountain of rubble.

“Holy sugar, what’s this thing made of? I knew Carbink were defensive, but this is something else,” Esthia cried. Naivie slowly turned to face her, eyes squinted and claws bared again. “Eeep!”

“Do you understand, now? The vast difference between us?” Naivie bragged. “You are mortals of a modern generation. Weak, useless, inferior, reliant on the group effort of slaves or machines. The likes of you could never hope to even scratch my hide.”

“And you are?” Sophitia said, still standing. Phoenix was stood over her protectively, but she still took centre stage with her sword out. “Just because you’re turning into some kinda heartless monster, that doesn’t make you better!”

“But you know exactly what I am. After all, you have that same power for yourself. If only you weren’t trying so desperately to throw it all away,” Naivie said. She aimed a palm at them. Pink particles began to gather before it, which soon formed into a giant Moonblast. Even when they expected it to be fired however, she held it, adding more and more energy until it was an unstable bomb that stormed with energy.

“Don’t just stand there, burst that thing!” Esthia shouted. The group combined their efforts: Flamethrower, Thunderbolt, Energy Ball, and Swift all coming together in a wild volley. The attacks hit their target, but dissolved harmlessly.

“It can’t be,” Kuri whispered, while the others were speechless.

Lute stared, and finally began to whimper. He couldn’t believe what he was part of right now. Not just the fact that Naivie had betrayed them like this, but the fact that he and his group turned out to be completely helpless. He truly didn’t know what to say or do, and stared down this awful attack that tore apart the world before him. All the rock and earth around Naivie floated up and disintegrated in the awe of her Moonblast, and soon enough, he couldn’t even see her behind its storming surface. It almost looked like if she unleashed it, the attack might swallow the whole world.

“Farewell, Pokémon,” Naivie said, springing his mind into fright. He had to get out of here, and now.

But it was too late. All went silent once she let the attack go. The noise of it ripping through the ground made him deaf, and the light of its core lit up his friend’s desperate faces. All he could do was turn around and make a useless lunge for safety.

The last thing her saw upon turning around was Sophitia leaping in the opposite direction, directly into this world-destroying Moonblast. Now he knew what it was like for time to freeze around him. Total fear, confusion, and desperation took over his whole being, bringing a million questions and cries with them, all in an instant. He knew he couldn’t do anything to stop whatever she was doing, and that was what brought the pain first.

He was made deaf again, this time in both reality and in his body’s senses. A catastrophic blast of wind struck him harder than a truck, while electrical streams surged through him, feeling like it burnt every fibre of his being to nothing. Before it was all over, a heavy impact to his back jolted his fragile form so hard it stole his breath. He landed on a surface that was so cold it burnt, completely drained of all strength and awareness. Whatever was left of his conscious was a blurry daze that viewed the world sideways, and a head-splitting bleep that rang without cease.

Cohesive thought had but a moment left, and with it, he witnessed what looked like Sophitia standing strong. She had an enormous, circular shield of light in front of her, but it was flickering out of view. And then everything faded into blurry darkness, all noise and feeling disappearing from him.

As for Sophitia, she had protected her friends. She didn’t know how, but she had mitigated a massive fraction of the Moonblast with that giant shield she brought up. It drained what little strength she had left, and she fell on her side, breathing hoarsely through her mouth.

“Unbelievable!” Naivie cried. “That would have killed them and destroyed this entire island with ease. You managed to weaken it that much?”

There was no response for a while, and then Sophitia attempted to stand. She took in a breath, ground her fangs hard, and gradually began to shift her way up, keeping a furious glare on Naivie. Naivie could only stare back in surprise as well. In fact, she shifted back with a sound of concern. But when it looked like the Sylveon might take a step, her eyes went dead, and she fell forward lifelessly. Her breath ceased, her twitches stopped, and complete silence fell.

“All this effort to protect your friends, even though they’re just weak, pathetic Pokémon of the modern era. And for what, to buy them a few more seconds of life?” Naivie said, and raised her claw. “And to think that you had me worried for a moment.”

She brought her claw down to crush Sophitia, but halted very suddenly, grunting from the effort to resist. “Master?”

Silence.

“I don’t see what purpose leaving them alive will do, but if it is your wish, then so be it. What would you have me do now, my lord?” she said, looking up.

Silence for another moment.

“Thank you. You have no idea how much I’ve missed being by your side. I will return to Balunercc with utmost haste.”







Lute awoke very suddenly, but mentally, first. Some impatient thoughts surfaced, and he forced himself to open his eyes and sit up. Big mistake. He sat up to a searing ache that tore through him. He silently wailed and wrenched back over to his side, eventually able to let out a choke and a gasp. His whole body hurt like it was on fire.

Dang it. I don’t have time for this, he cried in his head. Okay Lute. You’ve been through this. One step at a time.

First thing was first, to check whether he was actually alive or not. He certainly felt like he was alive. He slowly opened his eyes and blinked away tears of pain. He was on a mattress in a warm room of wood and stone walls. Beside him were a few makeshift beds made of cushions and things. Some had patches of dried blood on them.

As his view focused, he felt familiarity, and then recognition. He was at home, his new home remodelled to not use technology. The extra beds clearly accounted for his friends, but they were all empty.

“I must,” he whispered, finding his mouth dry and horrible tasting. His body still hurt, but it wasn’t enough to paralyse him down like it did earlier. With heavy breaths, he wobbled to the floor and just about stood up. Thumps could be heard from the other room coming right towards him.

“Lute!” Marina cried as she burst in. He let down his guard the moment he saw it was her. She didn’t hesitate to run over and cradle him, but with obvious awareness that he was in pain. “Thank goodness you’re alive. Oh thank gods!”

“Mum,” he muttered.

“He’s awake?” other familiar voices called out from behind.

He had to look over her, finding Pokémon he wasn’t expecting to find. His school friends, Raiju and Cinder, fought to get into the room first. The Jolteon came out on top, but stopped behind Marina instead of body slamming him like he usually did. Esther and Infia were right behind them, and stopped in the doorway.

“You guys,” Lute muttered.

“You should get back into bed. You’re in no condition to be up,” Marina suggested. “Here, some water.”

“Wait what? Weren’t we,” Lute muttered and turned away. The moment he got offered the water bowl, he dove in and took several gulps. Just that made him feel a lot better. His memories came back to him in a flash, and he cringed. “Naivie. All that stuff with Naivie, what happened?”

“We heard from Phoenix and the others already. Please, rest,” Marina replied. She gestured to carry him back onto the mattress. He took her offer and settled down, but he was focused on them.

“Honestly, dude. I dunno what to say. It’s been ages, and all this happened?” Raiju remarked. “I can’t believe you’re the same kid.”

“I really wanna give you a talking to, but now really doesn’t seem like the time,” Cinder added, looking away. “But… it really does hurt to see you like this.”

“Cinder?” Lute said.

“I mean it, dude. I dunno what you think of us, but when I learnt that you left on a whole other journey without us, I kept telling myself it was okay. But I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I thought that if something like that ever happened, we’d all be on it together,” Cinder said with a growl. “And now you’re here, badly hurt with all this stuff going on, and all I have is sympathy to show for it.”

“What he’s really trying to say is let us take over from here,” Raiju said cheerfully. “That big brute who beat you up, let us help you out and take care of it. We’ll make mince pie of it!”

“Guys,” Lute mumbled. He shook his head. “You can’t do that. You know you can’t.”

“Hey don’t underestimate us. Remember, we’re—”

“No Raiju!” Lute leaned forward. “How much did you learn? Not just about what happened here, but the whole journey altogether?”

There was quiet.

“We know about the V Pocket stuff,” Cinder sighed. “Sorry. I just… can’t stand sitting on the side. Especially when things are getting so- you don’t have to worry about it.”

“I don’t have time to sit here and not worry, though. Where’s everyone else?” Lute stood up again.

“Lute—”

“Mum, I’m fine. This is serious, though! What happened, why am I at home?” he said. Her face churned, and he growled. “Mum!”

“I know. I know, Lute. I can’t stop you. I think it’s better you see things for yourself,” she said, trying not to look at him. She led the way out after that, prompting Esther and Infia to wait ahead. He rose an eyebrow, but Cinder and Raiju didn’t offer anything besides concerned looks, either.

He could see it right as he exited the house. On a distant island, more than likely the central continent of Pokétopia, there was a sinister swirl of dark colours. Most of the clouds in the sky were gone besides that one area, where they had swirled around the planet that he had seen when the Ancient Flowers activated.

It looked like plant roots were had come from the planet and gripped the ground, tethering Aseria and the dark planet together. Light blue fog surrounded the whole formation in a flat, rigid shape, like a cocoon of crystal was growing around it all. A complete contrast to the sunny skies of the surrounding world.

“What is that?” Lute whispered, his eyes wavering in disbelief.

“It happened soon after the clouds parted. When the light from the Shaymin filled the sky, that planet appeared above Pokétopia. Soon afterwards, all that crystal started raining from the sky, which soon grew into that cage,” Marina explained. “We were able to determine that the planet is heading towards Aseria. With its mass and size, if it gets any closer, it’ll affect our climate. Or worse, collide with Aseria and destroy it completely.”

“Didn’t you say it was like some kinda alien invasion, too?” Raiju said.

“Aliens?” Lute gasped.

“Not nearly. Just unusual, extra-terrestrial Pokémon started showing up immediately afterwards. Species rarely seen, like Starmie or Clefable. They appeared to be cultivating the crystals that were coming from the planet, rooting it down,” Marina clarified. She turned back to Lute and company. “That was all we really got to see during our evacuation. One team went to Reis Island, where they found your group. Everyone except Sophitia.”

Except Sophitia?” Lute cried this time. His heart felt like it was going to drop out of him. To make matters worse, everyone went totally silent at that point. “Wait, what happened to Sophitia? Someone say something!”

“They didn’t find her. You really have to wonder why?” Kuri said, bringing attention to himself. Phoenix was beside him.

“No, I don’t know. All I know is—” Lute said, having another memory flash in his mind. Her giant shield. The only reason they survived the Moonblast. And the things Naivie was saying to her.

“Her and Naivie were in on it, dude. This whole mess,” Kuri stated.

“In on what?” Lute raised his voice.

“Beating us aside, what else? Naivie wanted those temples so that she could power up into whatever the hell that thing we fought was. And now she’s obviously off to her ‘master’, who looks like they’re gonna destroy the whole of Aseria,” Kuri explained.

“You don’t even know what you’re talking about. Sophitia wouldn’t betray us, she’s got no reason to!” Lute shouted.

“You don’t know her reason to. You don’t even know anything about her, none of us do!” Kuri raised his voice. “I should’ve seen this coming, but I was too damn focused on Angard and the missing weather.”

“She’s our friend, isn’t she?” Lute said.

“You said you were helping her get her memory back, right?” Kuri asked. Lute opened his mouth to respond, but couldn’t. “But you never did, did you? And every time you brought it up, she changed the subject. Said it was fine, something she didn’t care about. But obviously, it was.”

“You’re just jumping to conclusions. For all we know, the worst could’ve happened. Naivie could’ve taken her. Maybe she did something that saved us, but drew Naivie away. What if the rescue team just didn’t find her body?” Lute cried.

“Have you been dreaming this whole journey? Our lives haven’t nearly been as convenient,” Kuri said. “She played us, kid. Get over it.”

“No! I don’t believe it!” he cried and scrunched up his face.



“Yeah, bored. I mean I get it, Aseria’s a happier place now. There’s no fighting, the Pokémon are all working together, everyone’s constantly got stuff to do. But I’m a fighter, y’know? All that stuff I did before when we were travelling, I literally live for it. I thought you did too, so I thought we were getting closer. Close enough to maybe… I dunno, do something special.”



“Ehee hee, oh Lute, I’m just teasing. I don’t mind, really. But we’re gonna check those islands out soon, right?”

“I just wanted to know if you wanted to. We’ll cross that bridge when we get there. Just, this is my idea of a day out with you.”




“She wouldn’t have said and done all that stuff. I just can’t see it,” Lute huffed and faced the floor.

“Stop it already!” Infia came between them. “Kuri, you’re just being really mean.”

“You?” Kuri raised an eyebrow.

“I have to agree. There is no point in provoking each other right now. What we really need to be doing is deciding what to do next,” Phoenix said. Kuri spat and folded his arms. “I have been collecting reports from the agents and the rescue team that found us to get as much information as possible. Sadly, what Marina says is true. They searched the ruins of the temple up and down, and found not a single hint of Sophitia.”

“What we need to do is find her, right? She might know the most about what’s going on. If any of her memories could come back,” Lute said.

“That would be convenient, but without any hints, that is a wild Ducklett chase. Arceus help her if she has gone to Pokétopia,” Phoenix stated. There was quiet for a long moment.

“I think,” Esther said, pushing everyone aside to bring attention to herself. “I think we should go back to Obire.”

“Obire? The western continent? Why there?” Kuri asked.

“Remember that old granny? Azu, I think her name was. She knew loads about the legend of Aseria and all that. If anybody knows about what that planet is or what Naivie turned into, it’ll be her,” she said. “I think if we find out exactly what’s going on in terms of the flowers, we can get to the bottom of all this. Clearly, there’s more to it then bringing V-Waves back to the world.”

“Why would they withhold information from us?” Kuri asked.

“You tell me. Genesis is connected to the old world, yet she doesn’t have a thing to say on this, does she?” Esther said with half lidded smirk. Kuri gawked at her.

“You little son of a bitch,” he replied.

“Just doin’ my thing,” Esther said smugly. “Lute, I know you’re worried about Sophitia, but if you really believe in her, then you know that she’ll show up sooner or later. She probably just remembered something and went to go and sort it out.”

“It’s worrying that she would go without telling any of us, though. I hope we find her soon,” Infia said. “How do we get to the island?”

Esther raised a fist and then realised. “Oh right. There’s no gondolas to it other than from Pokétopia. And no way we’re going near there, now”

“You can use the Deposit Box to warp. When Silver and that lot went to get you that time, they put one down near the gondola station. Unless the villagers really hate the boxes, it should still be there,” Marina explained. “Better question is, are you in the condition to go?”

“We don’t have a choice. That planet isn’t going to wait for us,” Lute said. He nodded to his friends.

“Wait, really? That’s it?” Raiju whined. Lute hesitated with an awkward smile. “Aw geez, you really have grown up super lots. Now I feel like a super spoilt kid. There really no way you can convince us to come with ya?”

“Oh right. Lute, you didn’t tell me ya had school buddies you left behind. You gonna tell us about it or what?” Esther commented.

“Now really isn’t the time for that,” he sighed and palmed his face.

“You will introduce us properly though, won’t you?” she said, half-lidded.

“Yeah Lute, you’ve got lots of introducin’ to do. You as well, Infia. It’s you gonna be giving us story time lots and it’s gonna be really cool and interestin’, ain’t ya?” Raiju said.

“Admitting that he’s grown up, but still talking over him. Better request is, when are you going to grow up?” Cinder said with a sigh. “I want to come with you. But if you’d feel more confident without, then I won’t argue. Just…”

Lute made a sound and got nervous when Cinder approached him. He only got a friendly punch and a smile. “You guys better all come back, and when you do, you better have good news to tell us. None of that finding you out cold in the middle of nowhere scare.”

“Yeah yeah! And actually have some presents from all the places, too. Can’t believe you guys have been all over Aseria and gotten nothing. Like, no fancy food or toys or even a funny little way to talk. You’re not living, Lute. You’re turnin’ into a zombie!” Raiju cried.

“Tsk, it’s not been a holiday, you know. Don’t be annoying about this,” Kuri said.

“You know what? Fine, I will. But you guys have to keep a promise to me, too,” Lute said, surprising everyone. “Promise me that if something happens here, you guys will take charge and help to protect everyone in Everend. And listen to Marina or any agents, okay?”

Raiju and Cinder exchanged glances, and nodded.

“Erm, I’m coming with you, you know,” Marina replied. There was a pause.

“Wait, what?” Lute shouted.

“We left behind all our computers and data and things in Pokétopia. If I have any hope of getting access to it, I’ll stick with you guys. But regardless, there’s basically nothing I could accomplish if I stayed here,” Marina explained.

“It makes sense. Your knowledge may be compatible with Azu’s,” Phoenix agreed.

“Sophie said your cooking’s real good, so no objections here!” Esther pumped a fist.

“Wait but… ah, it’s just,” Lute said, swaying his head. Marina giggled at him.

“Really, Lute? Even after everything, you’re still nervous about going somewhere with Mum?” she said. “I won’t embarrass you unless you do something you’re not supposed to do.”

“Hrrg. Let’s just go already,” he sighed with a slump.







He was surprised to emerge from a deposit box he had never used before, as well as that the area hadn’t changed much. The beach on the western continent was as quiet and colourful as ever, helped greatly by the natural sunlight brightening the place. He landed on the white sand with a curious stance, and had to shield his eyes from the light and wind.

It was quiet here. Quiet and soothing. Something about this natural beach entranced him last time, and now that he was back here, he felt no different about it. The sea washed over the sand and slinked back in a loud rhythm that gave his fur a relaxed chill. It was serene.

None of it would distract from the situation at Pokétopia, though. That giant crystal cocoon was in full view even from here, and being at a different angle, it looked all the more like a four-sided diamond. It was an ugly downer in area he wanted to feel relaxed in.

“You’re going to have to lead the way, I’m afraid. I can’t remember the last time I was here,” Marina said.

“What, you couldn’t figure it out on your own?” Kuri said.

“It’s more like, I imagine we scientist types aren’t really that welcome here,” she said, following Esther. Lute had to catch up with them.

Getting to the village was the same as before, at least. The forest remained a mystery dungeon, so none of the trees or paths felt the same besides their familiar types and the flying Pokémon that confronted them. The group took it in turns to throw attacks and keep the feral Pokémon at bay, keeping a compass out to ensure they kept in a straight direction. They did it all in silence, too – no one even instructed this strategy, it was just something they instinctively followed.

It gave Lute a chance to think, though. To think and realise just how different this little mission was without Sophitia. Whenever a fight or a predicament started, he always knew what to do because she always knew what to do. If she turned out to be wrong, someone was right behind her with a better solution. And now, thanks to her leadership, they were able to get along wordlessly like this. She did more for him than he ever realised.

He sped up a bit as he neared the village, and had to squirm his way through a few bushes and things to get there. Very few Pokémon were out, and they looked like they were only gathering a few bits and pieces to call it a day. The instant he came into sight though, all eyes were on him and his friends.

He gulped, and his face became hot. To him, it was best to stay focused. Everyone watched him like he was doing something wrong, so he chose to try and ignore them and headed straight for Azu’s house. Even so, he couldn’t help but stop to look over at all those wary villagers and his friends. He got a series of concerned and disgusted looks, but a silly range from his friends.

“You know those villagers are afraid of outsiders. Especially considering we basically ditched them when Spirle and the Agents came here, it’s only natural they have it out for us,” Kuri commented, arms folded and eyes closed.

“Oh yeah. Right,” Lute mumbled. He hung his head at the thought. He promised himself he would make it up to these Pokémon later, and knocked on the door. Minutes passed before thumps could be heard on the other side.

“Oh, well look who it is. I knew you would show up before long. Come in, please come in,” the aged Azumarill said. She rushed ahead into the home to shift around her furniture, it looked like. “I wish you weren’t so quick. I barely got to clean up after my last guest.”

“It’s fine. With everything going on, we likely won’t be staying long. Apologies for the inconvenience, either way,” Marina said with a bow.

“Oh nonsense, nonsense. That big storm might be there, but it’s not like it’s flipping houses upside-down or anything. Anyone over here panicking about it is as silly as a potato,” Azu replied. She wiped her forehead as she settled down at the table. “So then. I ask what brings you here, but I assume it involves the storm?”

“Partially. We actually wanted to see if you know more about Aseria’s legends and history. Anything you haven’t told us yet that could help us out,” Lute asked. “We know you’ve told us a lot already.”

“But you need an update on everything going on to figure out what to do next. I assume that’s why the scientist is here, too,” Azu said. She tapped her staff habitually, and everyone began to settle down.

“I hope I’m not being a burden, here,” Marina said.

“No. Not at all. I just hope you’re prepared to listen to an old bunny ramble a story,” Azu joked. “I would like to ask you something before I begin, too. Just for confirmation.”

“Go on. What is it?” Lute said.

“Naivie isn’t with you anymore, is she?” Azu began.

There was a pause, and Lute’s face tightened. “No. She turned into a monster when the weather returned, and then attacked us. That’s when the planet showed up, too.”

“Oh! Hasty as she is. Did she mention a thing called Balunercc?” Azu asked.

“Sounds like you know a lot more than you originally let on. You knew who Gen was back then, too,” Kuri became concerned.

“There’s no need to get worked up over little old me now, is there? Come now, don’t look so scary, I can’t bite you,” Azu said. She laid her staff on her belly. “I just didn’t think the Ancients would take this opportunity. It seems so desperate, even for them.”

“The Ancients? Are we talking about the same ones that lived in Angard or something?” Esther wondered.

“The Ancients are simply what we call Pokémon that lived before the meteors rained down and nearly destroyed Aseria. But you guys already proved that that was Lassic, or something like that,” Azu said. She sighed and stood up to pace around the table. “They lived all over Aseria, you know. Including the sixth continent.”

“There was a sixth continent?” Marina’s eyes widened.

“Yes. And it disappeared long before any of this ever happened. Had a kingdom and everything, and it was ruled by Carbink,” Azu came to a stop. She began to roll up one of her rugs to reveal a floor door. “I think it’s better if I just show you.”

“This is relevant, right? We really need to find Sophitia and what we can do about the planet plummeting toward us,” Lute said. Azu went half lidded.

“Oh but of course. She was only here earlier,” Azu said. Everyone’s eyes widened. “She was just as impatient and restless, too. Barely in the condition to make a trip, but she insisted. And she seemed to know exactly what was here.”

“She really came here?” Lute gasped. He warily followed Azu down into her basement.

The area was wider than it looked and had to be lit by a glow from her staff. Sat a little ways ahead of them was a Teleportal, but it was caked in dust from lack of use. There were pawprints on it, however.

“Seemed to me like she had some kind of breakthrough and was a little too excited to wait. I was really hoping she’d stay for a snack. You would think someone her size would jump at the chance,” Azu joked.

“She must’ve got her memories back,” Lute whispered.
 
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Episode 35: Put Him To Rest

HaruMiju

Hero in their dreams
Location
London
Pronouns
They/them, She/her,
Episode 35: Put Him To Rest



The Teleportal dropped the group off on the edge of tall hill, but the edge was so sharp it resembled a cliff. From here, they had full view of the disturbing scenery of the world around them, and were amazed at it being nothing like they had ever seen or imagined.

That was at first glance, anyway. Lute could draw parallels between this place and Pokétopia in that skyscrapers and lively streets defined the place. Complete with neon signs and warm, colourful lights that gleamed like stars in the nightlife, this place even had wind.

The major difference was that this entire world was drowned beneath an ocean that seemed to have no end. All the lights from the buildings glistened from beneath the surface of the water, as if the sun was setting behind it – but there was no sun, just the crumbling ceiling of the Earth above. A few skyscrapers poked above the water, and strangely, every last one of them was intact.

“What is this place? There’s nowhere but underwater,” Esther said as she slowly spun around. They were on a small island, and that was all that stood out of the water.

“This is the sixth continent. Cistern Citadel. A city once cultivated by Carbink, and their ruler, a mythical Pokémon called Diancie,” Azu said. She hopped down the cliff and stumbled, and then continued to the edge. “I believe it was something to do with a second royalty being born when they shouldn’t have been, causing a civil war. The continent expanded into two more lands: Moand Dia, and Balunercc.”

“So Balunercc’s an island?” Infia tilted her head. “But that doesn’t make any sense. Isn’t Moand Dia that world inside the planet? Normal Pokémon can’t go there.”

“Normal Pokémon can’t go there now. Those are practically two worlds now, and they’re protected by their respective mythical Pokémon. Moand Dia is protected by Diancie, and Balunercc, a royal called Artemis,” Azu explained. “I honestly never considered it at first, but it seems that Naivie is Artemis’ champion. She’s trying to bring Artemis and Balunercc back to the world.”

“Oh, I get it. So something happened that turned Balunercc into a planet. Now that the weather is back to normal, Naivie’s trying to get to Balunercc because Artemis is there, right?” Esther said.

“Something like that. I couldn’t tell you the full details, to be honest. All I know is that this is what remains of the Carbink’s continent. Somewhere here is a way leading directly to Diancie, and that your Sylveon friend is way ahead of you in finding it,” Azu informed. “You’ll want to find Diancie and talk to them yourself if you want to know how to stop Balunercc from crashing into Aseria.”

“Sophitia went here? How, the whole thing’s underwater!” Kuri said.

“Somehow I don’t see that being much of an issue for her,” Lute said, staring at it. He said that, but the idea of her diving deep into this underwater city made him nervous. She may have been excellent at swimming, but she was no Vaporeon, and he had certainly seen her drown before.

“Well it’s a good thing I came then, isn’t it? I had better get to work,” Marina said, and stretched her legs. “I’ll find the Teleportal and head back here. Hopefully it’s in a place where I can lead you all to it.”

“I hate underwater travel,” Infia slumped

“We could always go as Esthia,” Esther suggested.

“Thanks, but that’s not going to solve the clothes problem,” she said with a groan.

“Hahaha, you kids really are adventurous. I love it! You think you’ll last exploring a place like this? Where the portal is, the pressure would probably kill you,” Azu remarked. She inhaled deeply and puffed up her chest and belly to nearly twice her size, and then gradually exhaled to form a large bubble. She made several of them and each one was bigger than her. “Okay, get in.”

“Did Sophitia take one of these?” Lute asked. He blankly pressed his paw into the bubble. He slipped into it with a bit of effort, and was surprised at how sturdy it felt from inside.

“Nope, ran off the moment we landed from the Teleportal. The bubbles will shrink as they run out of air, so I’d get a move on if I were you. I might think twice about resupplying those,” Azu said with a half lidded smirk. Between awkward glances, shrugs, and sighs, the group collectively agreed and got in their own bubbles.

Walking felt like being inside a giant ball of sponge, but once he was below the surface, all the nervousness hit. Most of the pressures of underwater exploration took hold right away. The water was cold, movement became difficult, and all he could hear around him was the muffled bubbling of the water. Despite being in the bubble, he still had to paddle and swim, too. He was sweating, and breathed carefully as he descended. He half expected the bubble to suddenly pop.

“Spread out, but stay together. And check the windows,” Marina ordered, as she took the lead. It was no surprise to see her speed through the water with a majestic slither. Lute held onto his fears and followed her closely, gazing at the world around him in search of anything suspicious.

This place was clearly not supposed to be underwater. The buildings had stairs with large steps, and many of the roads were lit up by glowing poles made of gemstones. The stones changed colour every now and then with a bleep and a bloop, like the traffic lights for the gondolas he knew.

Not a soul could be heard and seen besides him and his friends, yet these traffic systems functioned ceaselessly alongside the lights and machinery inside the buildings. None of it was in any sort of pattern, with random rooms lit up and others not. The deeper down and closer he got to it all, the more he sweated.

“This place was abandoned, but I cannot fathom why. A lot of it is in good condition,” Phoenix commented. Lute was surprised to hear him so clearly. His voice echoed vividly.

“And check it out. Everything’s made of stone. Like, pure, hard, stone,” Esther added, admiring one of the streetlamps. “It’s stone, but it’s glowing like a jewel. I could take some of these, if they don’t mind.”

“Maybe next time, Esther,” Infia said, admiring the same jewels.

“Maybe the island sunk? It’s not really that important, is it?” Kuri said.

“The island sunk and the Carbink abandoned it, separating into what we know as two different worlds, Moand Dia and Balunercc. Does that idea not concern you in the slightest?” Phoenix said.

The Chespin looked back him. “It does concern me. But we’re not gonna figure something like this out right now. We don’t know enough information.”

“This is unbelievable. It’s even more advanced than Pokétopia in some places,” Lute said quietly as he stopped to look around more. All the facilities he expected to find were here. A shopping mall, a city hall, a children’s park, and more. Street signs directed to a gemstone mine, public habitats, and other general areas.

Even after what must have been about twenty minutes, his bubble didn’t look like it had shrunk an inch. With convenience like this, his thoughts shifted to Sophitia again, and how much she would have loved to explore a place like this. More specifically, he would have loved to explore this place with her. She probably wouldn’t mind him sharing a bubble with her, enabling him to take part in all those fancy moves she pulled on Reis Island. Well, that was if she could do them within the bubble.

“Please be okay,” he whispered. He shook himself back to focus.

“She’ll be okay. We believe in her, too,” Infia said. She gestured holding his hand, and he smiled a little. “So chin up, Lute! We’ll find her.”

“I know. Thanks, Infia,” he replied.

“You guys, I found it. The Teleportal is right here in the city hall,” Marina called out. “But it looks different to the Teleportals I’ve seen.”

“Different?” He raised an eyebrow. The group gathered together and followed her lead, confused that she swam in through a window rather than the front door. Esther lagged behind a bit, realising that the city hall, and all the other big buildings for that matter, had no main doors.

“Wait, is this really a city for Carbink? The stone and gemstone stuff matches up, but none of the buildings have doors,” Esther said as she caught up. She nearly bumped into Infia’s bubble.

“It has to. That’s the same one,” Lute said, staring at the Teleportal. It was the same kind as the one below the Spirle Base. The fancier Teleportal in the crystal room with a curtain. Just like everything else, it was perfectly intact. “Kuri, we’re counting on you.”

“Me?” he groaned.

“Well yeah, you’re the only Ancient here, now. Deep breaths, everyone,” Lute said.

The Chespin grumbled a curse but went along with it, checking out the room for a moment. Once he signalled the okay, they all took deep breaths and broke their air bubbles. Lute was surprised by the hefty feeling of all the water around him, which almost paralysed him in place. He almost caved right in and breathed too, but with all his will, held back. Marina had to grab and pull him into the room with everyone else, while Kuri warped them away.

When they landed, he did his patented hop forward to scout around. The instant he did so, all the water they had warped with splashed around and swamped him out of place. It was surprising enough to distract him so he choked on it. He was left drenched and confused in a cold, dark cavern.

“Really?” He coughed and spat out the awful, salty taste. He looked up to find the rainbow colours of a Hyper Beam attack speeding toward him, to which he screamed and threw himself to the side so roughly he fell awkwardly on his side. The enormous blast grazed him and filled the air with smoke and embers.

“Guys!” he called out, trying to brush it all aside. No wait, look where the attack came from!

He was right to do so as the instant he turned in that direction, his attacker was high in the air and heading straight towards him. It was at a blurry speed, so the best he could do was flinch and throw a paw forward to punch. He was tackled down by his four-legged attacker, and cried out as his back scraped across the hard ground. When his momentum stopped, he growled and blinked away tears to look up.

“Evoli?” he gasped. The enemy Eevee raised its head and brought up another Hyper Beam, and he flew into a panic. He couldn’t get out of Evoli’s grip, and started screaming.

“Get off of him!” Sophitia screamed and barged him over. Evoli looked as though he choked on the Hyper Beam, causing it to explode and envelop the area in smoke once again.

It took Lute a moment to register what he had just seen and heard, to which he did a double take as he rolled to his feet. He stared in angst, desperate for the smoke to clear. As it did, his emotions bubbled up within his chest. All sorts of unknown feelings welled up and swirled a million unfamiliar thoughts in his mind, with only one thing in common: relief.

He was relieved to see her. She was battered and paid him no mind to concentrate on Evoli, who slowly stood back up from his damage. But there she was, in the flesh. Looking at her now had him shudder in affection and adoration, but that was cut off by Evoli letting out a war screech.

“You can keep fighting all you want; I’m not giving up. I’ve come too far to stop here,” Sophitia said, and raised a feeler briefly. Her shield appeared on the end of it, which she held forward.

“Glad to hear it, but you can kick back for a bit.” Kuri slid in front of her with Esther and Infia. “Wouldn’t do to have you faint on us now, would it?”

“What’s this guy doing here, anyway? If the going gets rough, let’s Esthia,” Esther said. Infia nodded.

“Oh, right,” Lute gasped, and shook into focus He slid between his friends, now with a cocky smile on his face.

“You guys,” Sophitia whispered. “B-be careful. This is Evoli we’re dealing with here!”

“You don’t need to tell us,” Lute said, half looking back at her. “We beat Lassic for a reason. We can handle this, now.”

Evoli screeched at them again, making everyone face forward. He began to charge Hyper Beam once more, and everyone responded with the preparation to dodge. They glared each other down, and their bodies tensed.

To their surprise, there was hesitation. Lute knew better than to let his guard down here, but the hesitation to fire the attack did worry him. That was until Marina stepped beside him, wary and jaw-dropped.

“Mum! Be care—” he began to say, only to become just as shocked. Evoli’s attack fizzled out into thin air.

Complete silence fell. The Eevee may not have had any details in his eyes other than veins, but nobody needed to see those details to tell that he was staring at her and nothing else. Marina was the same, completely fixated on him. The duo shuddered from their stiffness.

Marina eventually took a single step forward, and he didn’t move. She blinked once, twice, a third, and he was still there in the same spot. She held both her forepaws forward, and he slowly did the same. He had stopped gawking, but she was on the verge of tears, and uttered the faintest of sounds of disbelief.

“Is it really you?” Marina whispered. Evoli didn’t reply, nor did he move as she came closer. “Please. Anything. Just a sign. Is it really you?”

Kuri shifted ahead in expectation of a sly move, but he didn’t need to. Marina kept her wary approach until she could wrap her paws around Evoli. He took a few seconds to do the same, and once they were hugging, his ears and fur relaxed.

“I… I can’t believe it. The guy really has a chill mode,” Esther whispered. Infia hushed her.

“I don’t know why you’re here. When everyone said it was you, I didn’t know what to believe. But now that I’m here, I know for sure,” Marina said, her voice softer than ever. She sniffled and nuzzled into her partner while tears ran down her face. He accepted that affection without a sound, doing the same. “It’s over now, Evoli. You don’t have to suffer anymore.”

There was another round of silence, and the two stepped back and forth, side to side a little, never leaving one another’s embrace. It was as if they were dancing, the kind of dance a royal couple would do on the ballroom floor on the night of their marriage. Even with Evoli’s empty eyes, it felt just as romantic to watch here as it would have in a place like that.

“Lassic is gone. Silver is gone. They’re both resting in peace. The weather is back, and Pokémon aren’t relying on V-Wave technology anymore,” Marina whispered with a sniffle. “So it’s over, now. You can rest. You don’t have to fight anymore. And that’s Lute, you know? Our son. He’s grown up strong, don’t you think?”

Evoli slowly slipped out of her grip and sat down. He had to look up at her, but his eyes squinted as if he was holding back tears. A moment later, bright particles of light appeared all over his body. He began to vanish, but as he did so, the faintest of smiles appeared. Marina wiped her eyes and smiled the same way.

“I’m so happy, and so blessed to be able to see you one last time,” she whimpered.

Evoli bowed, and then shut his eyes. His body faded into light which disappeared into nothing, but as it did, he had the most peaceful serenity the group had ever seen. He kept those peaceful eyes and light smile right up until he was gone completely, and left nothing behind. Not a fur, not a sound, not a touch, even moments afterwards.

“I didn’t believe it was really him, you know,” Marina said, without turning around. “I don’t understand it, either. Why he was here and why he was fighting you. Maybe he knew I was suffering and didn’t want to go.”

“He was your husband, right? It’s not the first time I’ve seen or heard of something like that,” Kuri said. “Vengeful or suffering spirits that refuse to lay to rest. They become mutated ghost Pokémon who won’t leave the world until they find their one last solace. If you hadn’t come here, he might’ve been that overpowered monster for the rest of time.”

“It’s exactly that. He was getting taken advantage of by Artemis,” Sophitia stated and drew all eyes to her. “When he died, Artemis gave him the chance to stay alive as a physical spirit under the condition that he would guard the way to the Diamond Domain. Thus, he attacked everyone who came down to Moand Dia. His whole purpose was to stop Pokémon from ever reaching Diancie.”

“Oh wow. You really did get your memory back,” Kuri said, and put a hand on his hip.

“Sophitia!” Infia and Esther cheered and threw themselves at her.

“W-whoa, um, hi there,” gasped the Sylveon. She leaned away from them as they cuddled up to her. Even Phoenix huddled close and bumped her with a paw and a smile.

“You’ve got some real explaining to do, little miss. The kids really missed ya,” Kuri jokedd. “Wish they’d wait until Marina’s had her time, though.”

“Are you kidding? I’m so through with crying, I’ve cried all there is to cry. You, you’re like a daughter to me. So my first question is: where have you been, young lady?” Marina raised her voice and jumped over. “Do you have any idea how worried sick I’ve been?”

“Urk I- guys, c’mon, this is just,” Sophitia mumbled, smiling awkwardly. She blushed and scratched the back of her head with a feeler. “Geez, I’ve never felt so important. And I was the leader on the damn team.”

One look up brought her attention to Lute, who was still stood away from the group. He was shaking and muttering to himself. He almost looked worried, which confused her. The others took note of her quiet and stepped away from her, letting her stand up to address him properly.

He didn’t know what to say, though. For the first time in his life, he was stuck at a loss when it came to her. He knew what he wanted and what to say when he was on his way here, and yet now that he was here, all those feelings of relief were going absolutely wild inside of him. At some point they exploded and came out as an enigma actions he didn’t have control of. He sniffled, failed to blink away a tear, and trembled, yet he also laughed lightly, smiled, and his eyes glazed over with happiness.

“I’m sorry, I just—” he said, finally taking a step forward.

“Lute?” Sophitia said, still confused. His steps turned into a full force sprint, giving her a moment of surprise before she was tackled down. He dove right through her, sending the duo rolling all the way to the other side of the area. “Whoa, easy there, Litleo! I’m not in the best shape, I admit.”

She felt uncomfortable from the suddenness of it, but realised that he was actually crying into her chest. He hugged her tightly, but not with the evasive and awkward feelings he showed when she usually got affectionate with him. His grip with desperate and delicate at the same time, as if he was no longer ashamed to show his feelings to her. His head was just below hers, nuzzling into her bow a, where she could detect every last hint of emotion behind his tears and sniffles.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry I couldn’t help you. I’m so sorry I ignored you for so long,” he rambled. He kept saying similar apologies even after she wrapped her paws around him and cradled his body closer. It wasn’t until she gave him a teensy lick on his cheek that he froze up and leaned back, locking eyes with her. She had the sweetest smile on her face, and her own magenta eyes were glazed over, too.

“I’m so glad you’re okay. I just- I dunno, I couldn’t—”

“Just stop already,” she replied softly, and giggled a little.

“Sophitia,” he whispered. Right here and now, her few words relaxed and focused his feelings. He adored cradling her like this, and having those feelings reciprocated. Right now, nothing else mattered other than proving to her how much she meant to him, and the idea that those feelings were mutual to her was clear as day. His paws slowly rubbed to her sides as she did the same, and a heavy shyness filled his chest.

He wasn’t going to let that shyness stop him, though. For some reason, he felt like everything he wanted to do now was right, and so he leaned in and slid one paw behind her head to guide her face to his. She allowed him to, and closed her eyes as her smile pursed instinctively. But an instant before their lips connected, he was yanked from his position with a painful pinch. She was surprised by the sudden detachment as well, enough so that she let him leave her grip without contest.

He blinked several times in a complete daze, left hanging by his tail and rotating. Once he met eyes with Marina, he flinched at the exceptionally loud clearing of her throat, and his face went bright red. “M-Mum?”

“I warned you, mister. I said I would only embarrass you if you did something you weren’t supposed to do,” Marina said. “And what’s up with the rest of you? Let go of me!”

The Vaporeon was stood tall on her hind legs, but Esther, Infia, and Phoenix were all trying hopelessly to pull her back by her tail. The trio let go and hopped away to pretend they weren’t paying attention. Once Sophitia saw them, she flipped back to her feet and cleared her own throat. She couldn’t stop blushing.

“You’re mistaken, it was just a little affection. Nothing more, nothing less,” Sophitia squeaked.

“Y-yeah, m-me and Sophitia definitely weren’t going to kiss or anything!” Lute cried, shaking himself. “I’d never do anything like that, and we definitely don’t have anything going on. Love is gross!”

Every word brought Sophitia to growl, so she raised a feeler and slapped his face so hard he dropped out of Marina’s grip. “You stupid kid. How many times do I have to tell you to watch your words?”

“Maybe next time you’ll think twice about getting a room,” Marina said, brushing off her paws. “We have far more important things to be dealing with right now, young Eevee. As long as you’re in my presence and in my household, you are not doing anything close.”

“We-we’re not a-at home though,” he said, twitching on the floor beside her. Without even looking at him, she rose a paw, and that made him shriek. “Okay okay, yes Mum!”

“Aww, really?” Sophitia said. She palmed her face with a sigh.







“I didn’t fully regain my memory, but some things came back to me when we fought Naivie,” Sophitia began as she directed the group through the cave. Wherever they were now, the area was vast, quiet, and decorated with various gemstones jutting from the walls and floor. Each one was tiny and a different colour, shape, and size, and were gathered together like plants.

The same humidity as Cistern City was present, though. Lute sweated hard and breathed roughly, as if breathing through his mouth didn’t give him the oxygen it should have. The hard floor didn’t feel like he was underwater or in a volcano or anything. The way this place was laid out, it felt more like he was walking in the open fields between towns. Instead of vast green fields and clear skies, there were massive rooms of slopes and arches miles above him.

“This place is called the Diamond Domain. I’m sure Diancie lives here, and she’s the one who raised me. Who gave me those memories you guys all saw when we awakened the Ancient Flowers,” Sophitia said. “I knew that if I came here, I could learn everything. But that’s when I remembered stuff about Artemis, too. About how I knew he had Evoli under his control, or that Naivie’s attack could be blocked.”

“So Naivie wasn’t really lying about all that stuff she was talking about, was she?” Kuri asked.

“I dunno who I used to be, but I don’t care about that. I’m who I am now, and who I am now is you guys’ friends. That Naivie has nothing to do with me,” she assured, and slowed down a bit. She looked side to side at all the park apparatus around them. “It was right here. I’m sure of it. I grew up right here.”

“That’s so strange to look at. It’s just like a children’s park, but everything’s made of stone,” Infia said, while Phoenix gave the seesaw a tap. It functioned, surprisingly. There was a spring horse, a slide, seesaws, a roundabout, and even a climbing frame. The latter stood out the most due to being made entirely of clear pink gemstones.

“Doesn’t look very comfortable to use. And there’s nothing here for quadruped Pokémon,” Marina commented. “We’ve been seeing a lot of unusual things since we came here. How is any of this suitable for Carbink?”

“That’s what I was saying! The buildings back in the city had no doors, only windows. With no glass!” Esther cried.

“You!” a girly voice squeaked, making the group jump. A Floette and a Flabébé came out of hiding, and the Flabébé flailed her flower in anger. “I was wondering what all that racket was earlier. Can’t you stupid kids take your battles outside? Why do you have to have ‘em on historical grounds? Can’t any of you have respect for stuff that doesn’t belong to you for one minute?”

“Whoa hey, pardon you. Who hurt you?” Kuri spat.

“Easy, Florrie. These Pokémon managed to make it here, even as they were beset by the demon Eevee,” the Floette said as she floated between them.

“Demon Eevee?” Lute raised an eyebrow. “You mean Evoli, right?”

“Whatever. You’re here now, and you nearly made a mess of things. Get outta here if you’re looking for treasure or whatever. You’re not gonna find it here!” Flabébé shouted.

“Oh great, you’re the fiery one,” Kuri groaned and rolled his eyes.

“Why do I feel like…?” Sophitia muttered, staring at them.

“You must forgive my sister. She is understandably protective of this area as it is truly important to us. But if you are Pokémon that have gotten here, then you must be here for a good reason,” Floette said. Sophitia started crying out continuously, and pointed at the duo.

“It’s you two! The guardian fairies from that relic!” she shouted.

“Guardian fairies?” Lute said.

“You know them! We saved them from the Risen,” she gasped and bounced up and down. Lute had a lightbulb moment then, and looked up to recall it.



“Geez sis, you’re a fool’s fool, you know that? Or fate’s fool, anyway,” Florrie said.

“We fairies are important to Planet Aseria. We only awaken when the planet is in danger, where it is our duty to pass on knowledge and guidance to heroes that can resolve the planet’s crisis,” Floette said as she floated toward some markings on an old wall. It looked like groups of Pokémon worshipping the sun, though that sun was very rigid and octagonal. “Look closely. The Pokémon of Aseria worship the Shaymin, and through their blessings, the Shaymin control the weather around the planet.”

“The weather? The Shaymin must’ve been some really cool and powerful Pokémon,” Lute said, his eyes gleaming.




“You were the ones who told us about the heroes and the legend of Aseria. You recognised Sophitia and told us all about everything that was going on long before we ended up setting off,” Lute said. “Florrie and Floette. What’re you two doing here?”

“When did this happen? And why didn’t you ever tell me about it?” Marina said.

“It ended up not really being that important. But I guess, you girls are here now, so it has to be important,” he said, and turned back to the fairies.

“And you are all here as well. It can’t not be fate. By any chance, did you ever remember who you were?” Floette said.

“Seriously? You dolts are one’s we’ve gotta- oh alright, whatever. I guess the gods will choose anyone when they’re strapped for heroes,” Florrie pouted and turned away.

“Is she always like this?” Kuri mumbled to Lute.

“Er kinda. I’m sure she doesn’t mean it,” he replied with a snicker.

“Actually, don’t answer that. It doesn’t matter at this point. I’m sure you’re here to find a way to stop Balunercc, right? Everything will become clear if we wake Diancie up. And I’m certain that she will recognise you,” Floette said, turning to the climbing frame. “With me please, Florrie. And make it quick.”

“Yeah yeah, keep your petals on,” The Flabébé said.

The two fairies positioned themselves on either side of the web of gemstones and raised their arms as they started to glow. Now that he was staring at it, Lute realised that there was in fact a Pokémon frozen inside of the gemstones.

He didn’t have to wait long to meet them though, as all it took was a magical gleam from the duo for the climbing frame to react with its own warm glow. It looked like the light burnt away the gemstones in a smooth fade that left embers in the air. Half a minute later and everything within was set free, and a shining Pokémon slowly descended to the ground.

The Pokémon was quite tall and was clearly royalty. Her body was smooth, coloured a stony grey, and was clothed in a thin white dress that went down below her waist. She wore a huge pink diamond on her head, with a headdress of smaller diamonds behind it. Her lower half resembled a Carbink’s lower half, with its general pyramid shape but rocky appearance. Many pink gemstones poked out here and there.

She came out of her prayer pose as she landed, and let out a light breath of surprise. She balanced without anyone’s help, and slowly revealed her bright purple eyes. “Oh. I’m so glad you all made it here.”

The group didn’t respond, overwhelmed by her presence. Her voice was serene, her body was clean and glowing, and in general, her form was attractive. She lowered her tiny, mitten-like hands to press one to the gemstone on her chest and smiled. “Allow me to introduce myself. I am Diancie, the queen and founder of all of Aseria.”

“The queen and founder?” Marina said.

“From my sealing of trapped crystal, I was able to see much of the world through the eyes of my champions, Floette and Florrie. Likewise, my connection to the planet enabled me to sense any and all changes. I am very aware of much that is going on, and all you have been through, heroes,” Diancie explained. She put her hands together. “Will you please listen to my story? This will lead to my last request to you as heroes.”

“That’s what we came here for. You know about my past, right? And how we can stop that planet from crashing into Aseria,” Sophitia said.

Diancie nodded slowly. “Please listen well to the story of Aseria.”







Aseria was originally a barren rock inhabited only by feral species who survived purely on instinct and nothing else. Its most dominant species, flying fairies known as the Carbink, spent their time constructing the rock into a civilization. Eventually, there came to be born a special Carbink, a taller, more beautiful, majestic fairy christened as Diancie.

I am the very same Diancie as the one I speak of. Back then, I was worshipped as a legendary queen, blessed with great power and intelligence. I shared my power with the world, and thanks to my rule, Aseria advanced into a flourishing world rife with species and life. I created a stone that was to be Aseria’s core, the Mega Stone. The Mega Stone was the source of Aseria’s power and nature, which would be expelled through gigantic flowers on the world’s five continents. Civilization grew, and Aseria became a paradise.

But any form of peace was not to last. As our planet grew and its species became more intelligent, other kingdoms sprouted out and declared their independence. Pokémon became separated by their species, values, and more. We of the Carbink were forced below the surface by their advancing civilizations, avoiding all conflict by hiding ourselves inside the planet. The citadel you travelled through to reach here.

But as desperate as the world’s leaders were for dominance of Aseria and the limitless energy of the Mega Stone, one feeling was unanimous: that the flowers be respected, and the Mega Stone left unharmed. Thus, no war ever involved the harming of the flowers. It was a known culture to respect the flowers and the energy they gave.

As the Carbink adjusted to a new life in hiding beneath the plates of earth, we lost much of our power and wonderful glow. Our bodies, which were once adorned with fluff, feathers, and gemstones more beautiful than diamond, had regressed into armless, heavy suits of rock. Our eyes attuned to the dark and our powers leaned towards defence. As I ordered my Pokémon never to engage in conflict, we became weaker and weaker, until one day a new mutation of our species was born: Artemis.

28 Diancie and Artemis - Copy.jpg

Artemis was a new me, a new ruler of the Carbink. He matched me in power, intelligence, majesty. But as he was born into our time of darkness, the time where we Carbink were being threatened to complete extinction, his views were different. He lamented the Pokémon who had split the continents, who worshipped and used the flowers and the Mega Stone. All he cared about was reclaiming the world above and returning the Carbink to their original glory.

And thus, we Carbink entered our own civil war. I refused to strike against the Pokémon of the world above, but there were Carbink who believed in him, who could not take our suffering in the darkness. They sided with Artemis and split our country into two, Moand Dia and Balunercc. Our battles created the cistern you see today.

I foresaw the complete destruction of the Carbink and the world as we knew it. And thus began a plan of unheard actions. I enlisted the help of one being who could stand up to me and Artemis, someone with an unwavering passion for survival, life, and prosperity; someone who would set aside everything and challenge a god. My prayers presented me with an infant girl, a human baby christened as Sophitia.

Artemis was astonished that a human could exist here in our world of Aseria. But it was his realisation of how grave his actions were. And so, we gifted Sophitia our powers, and raised her together. My stout resilience manifested as a shield that could guard against the world’s mightiest powers. Meanwhile Artemis’ passionate resolve for glory manifested as a sword that could slay the world’s most dangerous monsters. And with an aura of both our blessings, Sophitia could take an army of her own to anywhere in the world, even our sacred realms protected by our influence.

To put an end to the Carbink’s battles, I sealed myself into the planet and locked the powers of the Mega Stone. Moand Dia would remain sealed to all but those at Sophitia’s side. Artemis took his Carbink into outer space along with his continent of Balunercc, where he planned to cultivate an unstoppable army.

This was our final decree to settle our generations long battle. When the world of Aseria was in need of our power once more, the two of us would awaken, our ideals clashing one final time. The human would be the decider of Aseria’s fate.







“No way… I-I mean it makes perfect sense when I think about it, but it’s still surprising. I’m a human?” Sophitia said, looking down at her feelers.

“A human turning into a Pokémon to stop a war from times of history,” Lute said. His eyes gleamed brightly. “I always knew you were an amazing Pokémon, but this is way cooler than I imagined. Sophitia, you’re phenomenal!”

She looked at him in surprise, and then suddenly burst out laughing. “Oh gods, Marina, you totally made us dodge a bullet back there then huh? That could’ve gotten real awkward if we’d gone through with it!”

“Huh? But… it did get awkward. Because of everyone there,” Lute said, going quiet.

“I mean ‘cos I’m human you silly fox. A human and a Pokémon can’t get together. That’s just, wrong,” Sophitia said, and shrugged her feelers. He seemed totally confused by the idea. “Never mind. We won’t have this conversation now.”

“Let me get this straight. Sophie’s a human who has some of yours and Artemis’ powers and is strong enough to defeat both of you. You guys made her this way so that she could save the world when you sealed off the Mega Stone and cut off the seasons?” Esther said.

“I’m really impressed you actually got all that,” Infia said.

“Hey I’m really into legends and stuff too y’know. Remember, it was me that dragged you lot off on this in the first place,” she said, raising a fist. “Now I know I’ve got a real knack for it. I picked like, the world’s greatest legendary on a whim! A frickin’ human!”

“Artemis took you with him when he left Aseria, Sophitia. He made you his champion, and manipulated you into believing that no Pokémon could pay respect to the flowers. When Aseria finally began to lose its nature, you came to the planet to stop anyone from paying respects to the flowers. He wanted to let the planet die thanks to me. I had no choice but to intervene soon after you landed, and wiped your memories,” Diancie explained. She frowned and held her chest. “But Artemis wouldn’t stand for it. He took advantage of a lost spirit, the one you call Evoli, and used them to guard the way to my domain. He used these underhanded methods to shift our battle into his favour, hoping that we could never meet and that you could never learn the truth!”

“But now, she does know the truth. So we are going to go to Balunercc and confront him to settle this for good,” Phoenix said. “Your aura truly enabled us to go anywhere in the world. To the core, to the deepest reaches of the ocean, and even here. I’m sure outer space will be no problem.”

“It won’t be the wildest battle we’ve ever had to do. Having to go to the core to fight Lassic still kinda blows my mind,” Kuri said. “So, how do we get to Balunercc?”

“You guys are surprisingly okay with this. This won’t even be like fighting Lassic, you know. We’re talking about somebody with the power to both destroy and create an entire world,” Sophitia warned.

“Well of course we’re okay with it. We’ve been through way too much together to stop here,” Lute said with a cheerful smile. “And this is the goalpost. We finish this, we all live in peace forever. But I’m sure we can help Artemis, too.”

“Hold on. Help him?” Kuri said.

“Yes. He grew up doing nothing but hating the world he saw at war, and seeing his Pokémon suffer. But the world isn’t like that anymore. It hasn’t been like that for a long time. I’m sure if he saw it for himself, he might feel differently,” Lute explained as he walked between everyone. “And I’m sure that everyone here would be okay if the Carbink came back to live on the surface. The time of kings, queens, and conquest is long over. Now we’re all just trying to rebuild Aseria into a place where we can all live. The Carbink can be part of that.”

“You are one seriously dumb sack of innocence,” Kuri groaned and rolled his eyes.

“And you are one big sack of dickweeds,” Esther did the same.

“Do not be mean if you agree with him, Kuri,” Phoenix said.

“Artemis is trying to crash his own planet into Aseria. If you really believe you can convince a guy like that not to do that by talking to him with your little heart to heart stuff, then be my guest.” Kuri folded his arms. “But this poses more of a threat than Lassic did. I won’t hesitate to kill him when I feel it’s best to.”

“You know what? That’s fair. I won’t try to stop you, either,” Lute said, straight faced.

“And Diancie! You should know better than anyone in the world how dangerous it is to keep secrets. You’ve still got stuff to tell us, so spill it before it’s too late,” Kuri added. The legendary tilted her head, a light smile on her face.

“How dare you talk to Diancie that way! You’re speaking to royalty, you know,” Florrie shouted.

“I know. And there’s nothing I hate more than leaders who keep secrets from their subjects for their own gain,” he said, closing his hands into fists. The others were confused too, until Diancie’s smile slowly faded.

“What are you insinuating? You mortals are the ones who betray each other for personal gain. Diancie would never do that!” Florrie shouted even louder.

“Diancie?” Floette said, bringing everyone’s attention to her troubled pose. Diancie was playing with her hands, and sighed a deep sigh.

“I had hoped to hide it not for my own gain, but for the sake of all of you,” Diancie said. “The power Sophitia must use to defeat Artemis would expel her Pokémon form. With her role finished, our blessing that is keeping her here would expire, and she would return to her own world.”

“Thought so,” Kuri said, and kicked the floor.

“Wait, you mean—” Lute said. Diancie nodded.

“Sophitia will return to being human. She’ll disappear from you forever after you defeat Artemis,” she said.

“Oh,” Lute said quietly. Everyone else fell dead silent. Sophitia didn’t even look at them.

“That’s why you came here on your own. And that’s what Naivie meant about you hesitating, too,” Kuri said, keeping his back to everyone. “You always had the power to stab Project Dragonlord and Lassic, and probably Naivie, too. But you were afraid that if you did, you might throw your form away. Don’t you think that makes sense?”

“Kuri, this is the first time I’m gonna tell you the shut up,” Sophitia said, her tone stale and quiet.

“Won’t be the last, I’m sure,” he said, doing just that. There was another lengthy silence.

“B-b-but that’s fine, right? That just means the rest of us will just have to try extra hard to convince Artemis. And if we have to beat him, we’ll give it our all so that Sophitia doesn’t have to use all her power. Then she won’t have to leave,” Lute said, starting to bounce. No one replied.

“I’m afraid that if that were possible, then we wouldn’t have brought Sophitia here in the first place, as any other Pokémon would be able to handle it. And besides, even if you were to convince Artemis, Sophitia cannot keep our powers. They are a part of us,” Diancie said. Lute cringed and he blinked away tears, but forced himself to keep smiling. “Sophitia would have to return to her world eventually.”

“Then we can just… we should… but that’s… that’s not fair,” he said, gradually getting quieter. “That’s not fair at all.”

“Lute,” Sophitia said. She slowly walked in front of him. He couldn’t look at her, so she knelt down and pulled his face to hers with two feelers. “It is fair.”

“But it’s not. You didn’t even get to live,” he said

“I did get to live, thanks to you. You took me in, promised me you would help me get my memory back, and brought me on this adventure. I have lived, I’ve lived treasured memories I know I’m never going to forget. And you know what? You succeeded your promise after all,” she said. He mouthed a reply. “You helped me get my memory back, just like you said you would. You literally went to the ends of the world to do that for me. So thank you.”

“Sophitia…”

“So now, let me pay you back properly, and make it so that you guys can live in your world. And all I ask is that you don’t forget me,” she said. “Consider that an order from me as team leader.”

“But I… I-I don’t want to live in a world without you. I just… I only just realised I love you,” he said, looking up at her. “Now you have to go forever? That’s not fair.”

“It wouldn’t be right, Lute. Oh,” she said, taking her feelers off him. “And besides, life moves on. Even after I’m gone, you’re probably gonna meet some other girl. Or guy, if you prefer. And they’re gonna see this golden side of you, and wanna go on adventures with you to the ends of the world. And you two are gonna make each other the happiest Pokémon in the world. That’s how it works, right Marina?”

“I agree. Think of it this way, Lute: we’re all being given a chance to live our lives properly from here on. You saw me do it just today with Evoli. Does it look like I don’t care about him anymore?” Marina said. He seemed surprised by the question, and shook his head to say no. “It’s not like Sophitia’s dying, either. She’s just going back to her world to live her life anew.”

But her friends are here, he cried in his head, trying not to tear up.

“You don’t have to be so strong about it, you know,” Infia cried, half hiding her face.

“Chins up, wipe those tears away. We’re on the crux of our last battle! Let’s see it through, and see it through with our best. No one gets hurt and nobody has any regrets!” Sophitia raised her voice and stood tall. Nobody could stop, and she slumped to her side. “Diancie. I know they’re crying and all, but I dunno how much time we have left. How do we get up to Balunercc?”

“Are you certain about this?” she replied.

Sophitia cleared her throat and spoke aloud. “I was prepared to do this on my own in the first place. If it hurts them too much, then I’ll spare them the pain and just do it myself. It’s the same for me either way.”

“Don’t say something so mean!” Lute shouted.

“I’m not being mean. You know I’m like this. I don’t sit around thinking twice when someone’s in trouble,” she glanced back at him. He growled and turned away.

“I know. I-I know, but still,” he whimpered.

“You will fly there using our method of transport. My personal chaperone, our giant Togekiss called Angel. Girls, would you do the honours, please?” Diancie said.

Florrie and Floette nodded and held their flowers by their mouths. When all was silent, they began to blow, and their voices came out as a flute-like whistle instead. Together they played a jingle, one note at a time, alternating between each other. The serene tune was soothing and angelic, if not a little familiar. The group huddled together on instinct, confused when the song stopped.

No one asked the obvious. They exchanged a few glances to get shrugs and raised eyebrows. Diancie wasn’t bothered though, and they would soon know why. Off in the distance from goodness knows where, the cheer of a Togekiss echoed toward them, and their attentions were brought to its direction. All they could see coming at them was a giant wake of dust and sand, as if a sandstorm was ripping through the stone.

“Wait a minute, what is?” Kuri said, wary.

“Hold on tight now, all of you,” Diancie said cheerfully.

The group flinched as the thing headed toward them faster than it appeared. In an instant, all of them were scooped up and placed of the soft, feathery back of a giant Togekiss. This Togekiss was colossal – the six of them put together were smaller than one of the tufts on the fairy type’s head. As such, it flew at a remarkable speed, and with a flap of its wings, doubled that speed to soar through the gem-fields of Moand Dia.

“It’s… it’s really a giant Togekiss!” Lute gasped, his eyes gleaming again. Angel had more than enough room to twist and turn throughout the area too. It gracefully soared and dove to maintain an impressive pace. Without thinking about it, Lute and the others held onto her fur as well as each other to keep balanced.

“Guys, the water!” Infia cried.

“Huh?” Lute said.

He had just a moment to gasp before Angel ascended into an oceans worth of water that was magically part of the ceiling, where she swam through the water the same way as she flew. He barely adjusted to it, clenching her back and Sophitia’s paw, but he was able to open his eyes after a moment. Angel ascended so quickly that a current had formed around them, meaning that the distant surface didn’t seem too far away. The familiar sea life of their world soon took over the backdrop, and moments later, they breached the surface straight into Aseria’s sky.

Angel stopped to pose and let out a triumphant but angelic cry. Lute and the group felt that level of grandeur themselves, and smiled in awe at the world around them. This was nothing like being in the gondolas, or maybe it was because the sun was out, the clouds were natural, and the world around them was so colourful and blue. It was uplifting, a relaxing mixture of chilly wind and fair warmth from the sun.

From here, the lands of the continents below could hardly be recognised. They looked as if they were toy worlds made of plastic. Likewise, Balunercc was a believable distance away, and its gargantuan size brought its otherworldly surface close to them. They could land on there in minutes if Angel headed towards it.

“Angel, do you mind dropping me off back in Everend? I’m not technically part of their team, I wouldn’t last!” Marina said, having to shout out. She got a peppy noise as a response, and the Togekiss wiggled her wings.
 
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Last Episode: The Definition Of Hero

HaruMiju

Hero in their dreams
Location
London
Pronouns
They/them, She/her,
Episode 36: The Definition Of Hero



“I’ve packed you guys multiple Escape Orbs and a whole lunchbox full of Sitrus Berries, too. You’ll find the Oran Berries in your personal packs, and the Sitrus ones in the middle bag there. Use those to keep your strength up and don’t feel bad for not hoarding them, okay?” Marina said as she ran through a checklist. The group were awkwardly posed and lined up while a whole host of agents checked them over.

It looked like the entirety of Everend had come to see them off, or at least see what the crowd was all about. Lute tried to look away while Marina straightened and combed his fur, meanwhile the agents made the whole thing look like a military operation. Thankfully that kept the general public a good distance back, even though there was no police tape.

“Mum, this isn’t a field trip,” Lute groaned and brushed her paw away.

“That doesn’t mean you can’t look good during it. I wish you would take a page out of Esther’s book,” Marina said. That made him exchange glances with Infia, and the two of them set off giggling. “What’s so funny about that? I’m serious.”

“You don’t know her the way I do. It’s okay, don’t worry about it,” Lute shook his head. “What’s taking Sophitia so long? Kuri’s not here yet either.”

“I’m not surprised he’s keeping a lady waiting,” Esther said, paws on her hips. He happened to arrive just then, and palmed his face when he saw the agents.

“You guys are takin’ this seriously, aren’t you? Are you all prepared?” Kuri asked.

“Of course! Clothes clean, weapon sharpened, tummy stuffed, restroom used, and all stretches done,” Esther announced. “How about you? Applied enough makeup yet?”

“I was catching Gen up to speed with everything that’s happened. She can’t come with us, so she’s planning on helping out the other continents if Artemis’ Pokémon come off planet,” he stated. “I don’t want this to come to war, though. We’re both too exhausted from it.”

Esther opened her mouth to give a cheeky retort, but let it go instead. The last thing they needed right now was a little bickering. So she gave him a happy smile and held Infia’s paw instead.

“Guys, sorry for the holdup!” Sophitia cried as she dashed through the crowd. She was sweating a bit, but gave them a toothy smile. “I got caught up with a little something. Didn’t mean to make you wait.”

“Is everything okay? It is not like you to be late,” Phoenix said. She nodded at him and approached Lute.

“Close your eyes and hold out your paws,” she sang. He obeyed, although wary about it. “Hope you’re not allergic to feathers.”

“It’s,” he said, confused about it. It was a little red plastic collar with a shiny blue feather sticking out the side of it. He could easily clip it on underneath his mane where it wouldn’t obstruct his necklace. Only the feather stuck out. “Huh. It’s neat. But why?”

“I always thought you could do with a little more style. And well, I made it a bit of a parting gift. That’s why it’s blue,” Sophitia said with a smile. “Look after it, won’t you?”

“A parting gift? What for? Who’s parting?” Raiju said, making her shriek.

“Raiju! don’t sneak up on me like that!” she gasped.

“Oops, sorry. But really, who’s parting? What’s parting? Did you mean partying?” he said, bouncing up and down. “Shock that, what’s happening? You guys are altogether here and it looks super cool and I wanna be part of it!”

“Will you pipe down for one second and actually let others answer?” Cinder complained. “But seriously, even I’m curious. This is quite a scene.”

“You didn’t tell your school friends?” Marina said, drawing all attention to Lute. He grumbled a little.

“I didn’t tell them because there’s nothing all that important to tell them. It’s obvious we were going to stop Balunercc from crashing,” Lute replied.

Kuri groaned and pulled his hand down his face. “Didn’t we just tell Diancie off for this? And even then, they’re the public, Lute. They don’t have a clue what’s going on.”

“And they should not know. It is one our duties as Agents of King’s Shield to keep them safe and comfortable,” Phoenix said. He turned to Lute. “But they are your friends. You should tell them.”

“Guys. Urf. Look, Sophitia it’s a really thoughtful thing but, we’re going to make sure you don’t have to go away,” Lute said.

“Go away?” Raiju repeated and went quiet.

“No matter what it takes, I’m going to make sure you don’t have to use your power. By the end of this, you’ll be coming home with us,” he said.

“Wait wait wait, power? If I’m reading into this right, then…” Cinder glanced back and forth.

“Hee hee, that’s the spirit!” Sophitia smiled. The others seemed surprised. “What’s with those looks? Aren’t you guys gonna one-up him and try even harder?”

“Hmpf. If you want to go about it that way, I’m not going to complain,” Kuri said.

“So that’s the new strategy? I can dig that. Sophie sits back for once and we give ol’ Artemis an ass whoopin’. Easier done than said!” Esther cheered.

“I think you mean ‘easier said than done’, which is sort of a bad thing,” Infia said with a giggle.

“Nope. I meant what I said, too!”

“Esther, hee hee hee. I’m going to do my best too,” Sophitia said. “And as for you, you do like the collar, don’t you? It was pretty tough choosing between a new necklace and a collar, you know.”

“Hey I never said I hated it or anything. It’s pretty cool for something you just whipped together,” he said, and posed coolly.

“And it looks good on you,” she said, gleeful at her work. “Right then. I’m guessing you’ve all been ready for a good while, so shall we go and put an end to this?”

“Wait wait wait I’m so confused, where are you going, what’s happening?” Raiju cried.

“That planet that’s storming over there on the horizon? We’re going there, and we’re going to stop it,” Lute answered. “I know it looks super dangerous, but trust us. We’ve been through worse. We’ll be back by the end of the day. So until then, I’m still counting on you two to help look after Everend, you know.”

“But what was all that stuff about somebody leaving? Sophitia gave you a partying gift. Is Sophitia going away?” Raiju asked.

Lute’s face contorted, and he looked to his teammates for a sign. They all stood back though, besides Kuri, who was plain as ever with his arms folded and foot tapping. Seeing that, he sighed, faced forward, and blinked a few times to steady himself.

“The short of it is that the foe we’re facing is a mythical Pokémon who’s extremely powerful. Sophitia has the power to defeat them, but if she uses that power, she’ll fade away,” he said.

“So that’s what you meant by trying so hard she doesn’t have to,” Cinder muttered. Lute nodded, and silence fell.

“Don’t worry, if you guys are. I mean it, we’ll try our hardest, two-hundred percent. Sophitia is coming home with us,” he said with a smile.

There was still a lengthy silence where even Raiju was a twister of emotional reactions. Cinder eventually came closer and patted Lute’s side. “Nothing I say now isn’t going to sound condescending. So this is me just accepting that you’re the grownup now, okay?”

“Cinder…”

“That means you and everyone else has to come back okay, right? You just made a promise, Lute. I’m looking forward to that,” Cinder said. He walked out of the crowd after that, leaving Raiju totally confused.

“He’s going to need cheering up,” Lute said. Raiju nodded unsurely and took off after him, leaving Lute and his team at last. He turned to them and nodded.

“Right. Let’s do this. Marina, if you would, please,” Sophitia nodded to her.

Marina started giving orders to the agents and the crowd of Pokémon, and the crowd stood back. Once they had a lot of space, Sophitia unveiled a small blue flower and began to blow on it, using its petals as a flute to play the tune Florrie and Floette had played. Moments later, Angel’s symphonic cry echoed across the sky, and the giant Togekiss appeared from somewhere. The group jumped onto her back in style. They gathered by her front to cling on.

Within minutes, they were miles in the air and headed directly towards Balunercc. The group held on in silence and focused on their surroundings. As they got closer to the planet, the blue of the sky seemed to change colour and the uncomfortable chill of their height faded. It felt as if a wicked wind full of moisture had begun to whip them like a hurricane, but it wasn’t strong enough to unbalance Angel or throw them off her back.

“You are heading towards Balunercc now, yes?” Diancie’s voice echoed, sounding like it was in Lute’s mind. It took everyone off-guard and they looked around for its source, though nothing was there. “Do not fret. It is only my telepathy.”

“Oh. Then yeah, we’re going for Balunercc now,” Sophitia said.

“Hold on tight. The gravitation pull of that world will turn you upside-down. But I will ensure that you can land safely,” Diancie informed.

Right on cue, the wind around them began to intensify and the group had to hold on with both paws. Angel gave a displeased cry as she started flapping her wings to try and fight it, but it was no use. The next thing they knew, she was plummeting headfirst even though she was trying hard to right herself. A horrible wave of heat and pressure struck the group like a weight, which pinned them to the spot.

Lute wanted to cry out, but he couldn’t open his eyes or his mouth. He was suffocated by the speed they fell and spun through the air. It was almost like if he opened his mouth, his lips might tear right off. Yet it wasn’t particularly painful, just a very uncomfortable pressure.

Just as suddenly as it had come, all the pressure vanished. He was able to gasp and take in much needed air, so the first thing he did was stretch and relax himself. Angel let out a curious noise, and everyone sat up.

It was like they had entered an entirely new world. Angel slowly descended toward the surface, which was a crusty, pure grey stone littered with crater after crater. A forest of dead trees surrounded their landing spot, though each tree had large and long enough branches to barricade the cloudy sky beyond. There was at least a natural humidity that was comfy to be in after their horrible entry experience.

“Look!” Infia cried and pointed straight upward.

Lute had to squint to see it, but behind the garnet hue of the sky was a foggy, faded view of Aseria. Their home was a massive sphere of blue, white, and green. He couldn’t take his eyes off it, or his intense glare.

It was so quiet, too. No wind blew, no wildlife chirped, not a single natural noise. They could hear every scrape and crumble as they dismounted Angel and spread out across the area. A fog as black as night sat in all directions besides a main path as marked out by the trees.

“We’re really here. And it’s so alien,” Sophitia said. “Wasn’t this supposed to be Artemis’ country? I know it’s a country for Carbink, but it’s not what I was expecting.”

“Diancie did say he was preparing to destroy Aseria. He must have turned it into a fortress or something,” Kuri suggested. “We’re not here to sightsee though, and I don’t think I’d want to do that even if I could. Let’s get this over with.”

“Good call. Angel, thank you so much. Go take a load off somewhere. We’ll call when we need you,” Sophitia said, laying a feeler on the Togekiss. A chirpy cry was a response, and then the giant Pokémon took off, but not without a great gust shaking the woodland around them.

Silence fell again. The group followed Sophitia and Lute’s lead without instruction, who followed the main path away from the fog. They were unnerved by the light crumbling of rocks they could hear with each step, but the ground felt as stable as ground could be. Their breaths were unsettled, even as their poses were prepared. Sophitia tried not to look back at everyone or give away that their insecurities made her uncomfortable, but it couldn’t be helped.

After a few minutes, Phoenix suddenly dashed to the front and growled into the darkness of the forest. A large red gleam was shaking a bit, and got bigger and bigger as time went by. No one needed to say anything to prepare for battle.

“Wait what?” Sophitia said as the gleam came into view. A Starmie emerged from the black fog. Only its gem glowed. “You’re a Pokémon.”

“There’s loads of them,” Esther squeaked.

“When did they get behind us?” Kuri whispered, uncertain of it.

Within a couple of minutes, a whole army of Pokémon had appeared around them, their only visibility in the fog being the glow of their eyes. Clefairy, Clefable, Staryu, Starmie, Solrock, and Lunatone were the species recognised, but there was one more. A small species that looked like a fairy with humanoid features that silently fluttered on crystalline wings. Their bodies shone with a rich, seemingly transparent blue, which nearly camouflaged their eyes. They had thin arms with mitten-like hands on the ends, and hard lower halves that resembled growing crystal instead of legs. They were small and numerous though, no taller than Lute.

“What are those? I’ve never seen a Pokémon like that before,” Lute said. He calmed down when the Pokémon stopped by the edge of the trees.

“They don’t look like they want to fight,” Infia calmed down as well. She let go of Esther’s paw and slowly approached, to which a Starmie came out to greet her.

“Careful,” Esther said.

Her warning was unfounded, though. The Starmie stared at her, and she stared right back in silence. And then it floated off the ground and began to glide down the path, spinning its body around its gem.

“They want us to follow them.” She pointed at it.

“How odd. After everything, they’re inviting me home,” Sophitia said with an eager smile. “C’mon you guys.”

“Are you sure this is safe?” Lute said, running to keep beside her.

“If it isn’t, we’ll deal with it.” She strutted smugly.

The foggy forest continued like this for a good ten or so minutes, and never changed height or direction even once. The rigidness in its road was unnatural even compared to something one would find in a city – the trees were all perfectly aligned right the way up until they spread out into another clearing. This clearing was actually a crater the size of a canyon, with a slope so large that the group had to climb it. It wasn’t difficult, but the peak looked to be exactly where they wanted to be.

In the centre of this crater was a staircase wider than could fit into their sight. It went straight up out of view as well, like a literal mountain of stairs that led up beyond the clouds. At patterned intervals were coloured markings on the steps, as well as magical rings that slowly rotated around the stairs.

“Er, you don’t seriously want us to climb that, do you?” Kuri said, and glanced at the Starmie. It bowed its body as if offering itself, and he smiled. “You’re a lifesaver. I’ll buy you a drink sometime.”

“Kuri, we still don’t know if this is safe or no- ah!” Lute cried. He was cut off as a Starmie scooped him up on its own. Some of the unidentified fairy types carried Esther and Infia on their backs, and soon the group were ascending the giant staircase.

Once higher up, Lute couldn’t help but look around to admire the better view of the planet. Everywhere was as strange as his first experience, minus the gigantic dead trees. The regions beyond here were either giant stone plains with more craters, or forests of dead trees in remarkably unnatural layouts. Everywhere was totally square in layout, right down to perfect, ninety-degree angles at their corners. He didn’t offer a comment and focused forward.

The air around them grew colder as the reddish horizon turned into the glittery darkness of stars in space. The higher they went, the more he could see his breath come out as smoke. He didn’t feel cold despite, oddly. He was too concentrated. He didn’t even think about looking down.

The Pokémon took them right to the top of the stairs, where a perfectly flat, perfectly tiled platform awaited them. It was like an arena was laid out for them, where although it had no barricades, its corners were marked out by mystical towers made of glowing diamond. An energy flowed through the diamond towers in a visible current, which was expelled from the top of the towers via a magical ring just like the ones surrounding the staircase. Here, the scenery was the garnet of reds that filled the sky, half tainted by the black fog that filled the forests. The upper half was outer space, which glistened on occasion.

“Well this wasn’t my idea of a welcome home party. I guess they’re making it a surprise party?” Sophitia said as she warily stepped forward. Nothing. All was as quiet as before.

Lute turned to speak to the Pokémon, but they had already left. He could still see a lot of them gathering around this area however, almost as if they were an audience. “This… this really is a trap, isn’t it?”

“Just stay on your guard,” Phoenix warned, watching his back. The group had spread out into a circular formation.

“Like I said. Whatever it is, we’ll deal with it,” Sophitia frowned. She hopped forward into the middle of the arena and glared straight up. “Hey, Artemis! Naivie! Whichever of you. We made it here. Show yourselves!”

There was no response.

“Heh. Really guys? We save you the trouble by coming to you on your home turf, and you can’t even greet us? How rude!”

Silence for a another moment. Just as she opened her mouth to ramble more, a loud bleep came from the middle of the arena, followed by the floor lighting up. Sophitia warily stepped back while the others took place beside her, but it turned out to just be the light of a Teleportal. It came from below rather than above, a white glow that flowed between the tiles of the floor before flying up in a huge pillar of light.

Naivie came out of the light, alongside a huge throne made entirely of blue crystals. Just like the one Diancie was sealed in, a Pokémon was frozen within, a royal figure that looked to be as tall as she was.

“I don’t know how you weaklings survived for so long, or how you managed to make it all the way here. I don’t even get why Lord Artemis invited you so, but that’s not the way to respond to him,” Naivie began. She was back in her tiny form, so her voice was loud and squeaky again.

“Hey to be fair, parties aren’t my thing. So if your man’s giving me the invite, he needs to make it worth my time,” Sophitia replied.

“Don’t bother with that attitude. I imagine you’ve come here believing you’re all ‘legendary heroes’ and that you’re going to ‘save the world’ or some trite. But you don’t really understand anything!” Naivie shouted and shook with fury. “You just pranced along doing your own thing like you were the only ones in the whole world who mattered. But the reality is, none of you matter, only Sophitia does! And since she likes to play the dumb little amnesiac, she fell right into your pathetic little games.”

Dumb little amnesiac? Naivie doesn’t know that we’ve met Diancie, Lute realised. This means Sophitia’s powers are a trump card.

“Let me tell you. You’re here because you’re special to us. And you’re the only one who was ever invited. Nobody else matters! If you’re ready to accept your place here where you belong, then we can take back what’s ours. The world that was stolen from us,” Naivie stated. “And if you refuse, then it’ll be a public execution right in front of his highness. That’s the highest honour you could ever be given.”

“You’re the one delivering trite. You’re still going on about that rubbish as if our response is ever going to change,” Kuri said.

“Hmpf. Whatever. It was Lord Artemis’ orders to invite you here anyway, so I’ll let him decide whether he wants to hear your dribble or not,” Naivie grumbled. She prayed briefly and then bashed the throne, making it begin to glow and fade away. “I should warn you, though. We are on the precipice of a new generation. And you Pokémon are the ones who decided it.”

The moment the crystal faded away, a tremendous force blew across the area. The group growls and slumped as if a weight had been pushed down on them, even though there was nothing there. It took a moment to adjust, but even then, they were left short of breath and on shaky legs.

The figure of Artemis had light peel off it, unveiling his royal details. He resembled Diancie in many ways, from his humanoid figure clothed in a white dress, to the gemstone and circlet of diamonds on his head. His gems were all a bright blue in colour, and the gemstone on his head was shaped like a five-pointed star. He slowly opened his eyes, revealing purple pupils in a blue eyes.

“Is that his aura? It is so powerful,” Phoenix growled and strained. The force stopped before long, enabling them to stand normally again.

Naivie twirled around him a few times and laughed happily. “You’re back. I can’t believe you’re finally back. I’m so happy, Lord Artemis! You’re finally back, and you never have to go away ever again!”

Strange words began to echo through the minds of the group, causing them all to tense up and shift backwards. The royal, masculine tone implied that it was Artemis speaking through telepathy like Diancie did, but his words made no sense. It brought Naivie to a stop tough, but she still fluttered beside him.

“Forgive me, I just cannot express how happy and relieved I am that you’re here. I’ve missed you so much, my lord. And I had to suffer for such a long time with these Pokémon from the lower world,” Naivie rambled. She stuck her tongue out at Lute and the others. “Many times I almost gave up! If it wasn’t for your words, I would have given myself away.”

“What’s going on, is he speaking? I’ve never heard these words before,” Lute cried over Artemis’ dialogue. Sophitia beamed up.

“You guys can’t understand what he’s saying?” she cried.

“Don’t tell me you can?” Esther gasped.

“He’s speaking another language,” she said, and slowly faced. Artemis kept talking the whole time, and disregarded their confusion.

“Um, translation then?” Kuri swished an arm around.

“Hold on,” Sophitia said. “For much time I have awaited your return, Sophitia. Your amnesia came as a surprise to me. It made me curious as to what might happen on Aseria, especially with my influence taking such a hold of society.”

“Your influence? Weren’t you sealed all this time?” Lute asked. There was a pause, and then the voice started up again. Sophitia had to wait until a few words had been said before she slowly repeated.

“Since my departure from Aseria, I have been playing my hand in the game of Aseria’s evolution. I gifted the secret of evolution to a Pokémon you know as Lassic, and advised him in methods with which to rule the world. Like the sinful mortal he is, he took that knowledge for himself and attempted to go further. Rather than becoming Aseria’s trusted leader, he used that power to seek the creation of a new world, and considered himself above the level of a god,” she said. She recited his words in monotone. “But I was surprised by the outcome of that story. I did not expect Pokémon who valued the past to rise against him and try to revive those old ways. Without my guidance, you Pokémon revived the ancient flowers.”

“But that wasn’t without your guidance. Naivie guided us. Isn’t she your champion?” Lute asked. Artemis hesitated again. His face didn’t change as he spoke psychically.

“Sophitia was sent to this world to prevent Pokémon from ever discovering the ancient flowers. But when I learnt of Lassic’s true nature, my intentions changed. I wanted Naivie to awaken the flowers, that way I could use their power to maximise my strength and wipe out all life. I wish to start life anew with superior races who would not seek conquest and destruction,” Sophitia said. “You Pokémon became interesting to me. This is technically the path you have chosen by choosing to defeat Lassic and rely on the ancient flowers like so. I will give you a proposal.”

“Oh whoa, you’re giving them a chance? You’re so benevolent, my lord,” Naivie praised.

“You Pokémon fought to change the future of Pokémon and the actions of your generation. If you Pokémon would pledge your alliance to me, then I will not wipe you out. We can rebuild Aseria together,” Sophitia said. Her face snapped to something serious. “Wait I get where this is going. Because we value the flowers, you’re gonna ask us to stay here with you while you wipe out the rest of Aseria, aren’t you?”

“That’s horrible! That’s not what we’re fighting for. We wanted to help everyone,” Infia said. Artemis thought about his response, and then said something brief.

“He says this is non-negotiable,” Sophitia stated.

“Well that’s all kindsa messed up. That’s not why we did all this, I swear?” Esther cried. “If Lassic’s stuff wasn’t like, destroying nature and all that, we’d have kept his tech you know. It’s kinda good for Pokémon, even those with disabilities. We just had to compromise to keep the planet safe. But we’re gonna find a better way to help those Pokémon.”

“Destroying the world as we know it will not solve our problems. We are going to shape it into something right for everyone,” Phoenix said. Artemis spoke again.

“That is not the way the world of Aseria functions. My Pokémon, the Carbink, were forced into a world of suffering by the constant conflict of Aseria. Even generations later when your supposed peace reigns, Pokémon such as Lassic would be born, who would go on to make the same mistakes as the past,” Sophitia repeated, looking down. Artemis paused, and then continued when he got no response. “I am a creator. A mythical Pokémon that stands as the next ruler after Diancie. It is as I will it. I decree the complete erasure of all Pokémon on Aseria, so that I may rebuild this world from scratch. I am giving you, an intelligent party of Pokémon who understand a world of equality, a chance to join me. If you refuse, then I will erase you as well.”

“Artemis, wait!” Lute cried.

“That’s Lord Artemis to you! Have some respect,” Naivie spat.

“Er, Lord Artemis, please wait. I think you need to see the world for yourself. It isn’t the same as it was before. The time of kings and conquest is over, Pokémon aren’t like that anymore,” Lute begged. “Everyone was living in worry and terror when Lassic nearly destroyed the world. No one knew what was going to happen with the seasons either, but they were all working together to try and stop it.”

“You do not understand the world the way I do, mortal,” Artemis spoke physically, taking everyone by surprise. His voice was extremely old and dry, but his tone echoed with a searing frustration. Despite that, he returned to speaking through telepathy. Sophitia forced herself to shake off her brief fear and translate.

“I-if I was to adhere to your beliefs and leave Aseria be, then it would only be a matter of time before another evil sp-spawns, a Pokémon that would seek to control the world through their own means,” Sophitia said, and shuddered.

“Sophitia, take it easy. We’re here.” Kuri put a hand on her. She nodded, rose her head, took a deep breath, and then continued.

“It may take generations. Centuries. Millennia. Time you may never get to see. But to us mythical Pokémon, that is but the blink of an eye. We have to deal with mortals stepping far out of line when we gift you life and a world,” she said. She looked up at him. “You know, by that logic, there will always be Pokémon like us, too. Pokémon who’ll stand up to it.”

“We will never see this eye to eye,” Artemis replied. His voice was loud enough to echo throughout the area.

“Please Artemis, just look at the world. You’ve been sealed for such a long time. I promise you with my life, things are completely different to what they were back then. Your Carbink may have been sealed away before, but they would be allowed to come back and live with us now, and nobody would shun you. We all need to try to work together to live together,” Lute cried.

“You had your choice, mortal. My Pokémon faced near irreversible evolution into the Carbink you see before you today.” Artemis raised his arms.

“Carbink evolve? You mean… those blue Pokémon, they’re the original Carbink?” Lute gasped. Then it hit him like a truck.

Cistern Citadel and all of its features. The messed up paths of the Inner Earth. The open fields of the Diamond Domain. All of it was perfect for the small flying creatures he saw back there. But for the Carbink species he knew, the heavy, rocky creature that lived underground, it would be impossible. The Carbink had to have regressed.

“Exactly how long have you been here? For Carbink to have gone from that to what we have now – h-how old is Sophitia?” Lute whispered, and his eyes widened.

“It matters not. I gave you a choice. Now your fate is decided!” Artemis said as he began to glow. Naivie let out a sound of surprised strain as she started glowing as well, and soon they were surrounded by pink spheres of energy which completely hid their appearance. The spheres rose off the ground and grew in size. A heavy breeze came from both, which quickly became strong enough to make the group cover their faces.

“What’s happening?” Esther called out.

“It’s like some kind of cocoon. They’re changing form!” Sophitia said. She gasped when Artemis’ voice projected into their heads, once again needing to be translated. “This is a power long lost to your world. The Ancient Flowers once had champions guarding each, and they were Pokémon hand-picked by myself and Diancie. They were gifted our power, granted the capability of Mega Evolution.”

“Mega Evolution? That must be Artemis’ full strength,” Lute warned.

By now, the spheres had grown to over twice their original size. Energy leaked from them in the form of pink light, while streams of sparkling energy orbited both. The spheres soon burst, unveiling the evolved Pokémon within.

Naivie had changed appearance almost completely. Her head was round and retained its ears for wings, but her eyes had been given life. A royal muffler hid her neck and a small blue diamond on her chest, while a dress similar to Artemis’ now adorned her form. Her rocky underside was just about visible, but it had far more diamond than it did rock.

Artemis on the other hand, had grown massive. The star shaped diamond on his head had become a gleaming blue heart, supported by a tiara of diamonds all around the back of his head. His upper body and arms had become thinner, while his lower half lost all of its rocky parts in place of a long, freely flowing dress tipped with enormous strands of diamond. Ribbons and disconnected shards of diamond flowed around him constantly as his energy influenced the wind around him.

29 Mega Artemis and Origin Naivie - Copy.jpg

That strange pressure that pinned the group to the spot had come back, once again forcing them onto one knee. With everyone at his mercy, he spun and performed a few arm movements that ended with both hands held together. He pulled one apart from the other to form a very long, razor-thin rapier between them. When fully formed, the rapier was adorned with darker blue diamonds by its hilt.

“This is… Lord Artemis, you brought me back to my original self. I’m so happy, I could just burst!” Naivie cheered. Lute leaned back in disbelief. The last thing he was expecting to hear from her was the voice of an adult woman. “I can’t remember the last time I felt this free and looked this good. There’s so much power welling up through my body. I feel like I could fly around the world!”

“That’s Naivie’s original form?” Infia said, still on one paw. “What’s happening? I can’t move!”

“This must be what Diancie warned us about. It’s like there’s so much power coming from them it’s pinning my body. It’s just like Lassic’s rapture,” Kuri growled. “There’s so much V-Waves coming from them that my body is being crushed.”

“So that is it. His mere presence exudes that much power. After coming all this way!” Phoenix snarled.

“You’re supposed to be the tough guy who can do anything. Stand up and do something, Kuri!” Esther cried. By now, Artemis floated before them with his sword raised high, and energy built up its blade and surrounded it in aqua coloured flames.

“Me? You do something instead of complaining about it!” Kuri argued.

“Guys,” Lute growled.

It took all his strength to not topple over, but he couldn’t do much more than squint and look up at his attacker. His hearing was the only thing that seemed to function correctly, and all that did was fill him with fury. Naivie was laughing and prancing around like a little girl in a funfair.

He wanted to get out of the way. He needed to get out of the way. Yet no matter how hard he cried, growled, and forced his body to, all he could feel was the pain of strain as it refused to move an inch. Artemis almost seemed to be taunting him, and held that sword up so high for so long when he could have just stabbed him ages ago. Even his mouth wouldn’t move, besides losing its breath to those growls.

This can’t really be it. This is impossible, Lute cried in his head, and gasped. His head hung and his strength sapped fast. He couldn’t even look up anymore. This really is what Diancie warned us about. Artemis’ godly power. But if it’s so much that we can’t even move, then Sophitia is going to… I can’t. I can’t let her!

He tensed and braced as much as he could. He still couldn’t move, but he kept going anyway. He just kept growling louder and louder, welling up every last ounce of effort he could muster. His necklace glowed brightly with all the energy he was demanding, yet it was still so little that he could only bring his head to look up.

Artemis’ attack was fully charged, and his sword was encased in raging blue flames. The mythical Pokémon paid him no heed besides an emotionless glare. Their eyes met directly, and Lute could feel Artemis’ shallow pity frustrate him. When the blade was gripped with both hands, he hung his head again. He couldn’t move. It was all over.

“Don’t!” Sophitia cried and stood over him. She crossed all four of her feelers together and stood firm, forming a giant shield around the two of them, a half sphere made of solid light. Artemis’ blade crashed against it with tremendous force, sending an explosive shockwave across the sky that wiped the area clean. The pillars in the four corners were each cracked by the blast, while Naivie let out a squeak as she was knocked away. The flames dispersed from the sword, scattering around the arena in a wild dance of embers and streaks.

That wasn’t the end of her action, either. With a triumphant cry of her own, Sophitia unfurled her feelers to dismiss her shield and push Artemis back with her own shockwave. “I won’t let you destroy this world!”

Artemis’ eyes widened as her energy spiked and reversed his aura completely. Sophitia glowed brilliantly, and with another cry, her aura expanded into a field of swirling blues and pinks. Her aura enveloped the arena, relieving Lute and the others of the pressure that had them pinned down. Artemis guarded his face from it, though he remained shocked the whole time.

“Sophitia, no!” Lute cried.

Sophitia was surrounded by an energy flow that looked like a clear fire, though it had a constant hue of blues and pinks. However, those flames seemed to be eating away at her form, as strands of fur burnt off her body as the seconds went by. It was only slight, but it clearly had her pushed to her limit as she wouldn’t stop gritting her teeth.

“Sorry guys. I know this wasn’t part of your plan, but… well, I don’t really need to explain it, do I?” She glanced back at them.

“That power!” Artemis gasped, and shook in awe. He quickly collected himself and slowly floated back down toward them. “It appears that I have underestimated you. I did not think that you would come back here to do exactly as Diancie prophesied you would. But it is of little concern. If you would side with these Pokémon, do you truly have what it takes to defeat me and protect your world?”

Naivie flew back to his side, still surprised by what had just happened. “You gotta be kidding me! You meant to say you guys already met Diancie?”

“Sophitia. You are the only one with the power to bring harm to me, but that power will not last forever. The rest of you are but pawns in her little game,” Artemis bragged.

“You’re wrong, Artemis. They’re my champions. And they’re gonna put an end to your petty tantrum,” Sophitia announced, posing proudly. “We’ve done it once before and we’ll do it again, against all odds, no matter what it takes. We protect our planet. We are the heroes of Aseria!”

“Again with the hero nonsense. I made all that rubbish up! You’re just ordinary Pokémon, you can’t touch us!” Naivie mocked. She was struck by a sudden Energy Ball, and to her surprise, it knocked her down to the ground. “What the- how dare you!”

“It looks like you oughta shut up, ‘cos that looked like it dealt damage to me,” Kuri said, holding onto another one. The whole team was ready to fight beside him, weapons out and attacks ready. Naivie let out a shrill squeak and grabbed her head.

“Lord Artemis! Permission to crush these insolent Pokémon once and for all?” she cried. He answered her by pointing his rapier at the group, and she smiled evilly. “I’m going to enjoy this more than I should.”

“The feeling’s mutual,” Kuri replied as he stomped his feet to summon his Overgrow boost.

“Guys, keep Naivie off my back. I’ll handle Artemis,” Sophitia instructed as she formed her sword and shield. Naivie had spun fast to create a cluster of jagged rocks that circled her.

“But Sophitia—”

“There’s no time to argue about this, Lute. Go!” she shouted.

He tried to argue but was thrown into the battle anyway. Naivie’s attack, a rain of jagged rocks, came down at them before he could say anything, while everyone else jumped away. He grunted and braced the hits, but it still felt like several of the rocks had torn bits of his skin off. A moment later, he was half buried in a mess of diamond shards.

“Diamond Storm. I’m going to have to get used to using that one again.” Naivie teased and tapped her chin. Esther’s ribbon wrapped around her waist and yanked her, earning a yelp and a squeak. She tried to fight against it, but with both Esther and Infia pulling down together, she was soon slammed down into the floor.

She got up cursing, but was immediately beset by Phoenix and Kuri together. The duo slammed into her with fists and claws, forcing her to bounce up to try to evade them. They chased her across the arena and just about nicked her with the lightest of hits until she was pressed up against a corner. After a second of hesitation, they charged Energy Ball and Flamethrower, forcing her to fly up high. The instant she did, Esther’s ribbon tangled around her again.

“Sorry buddy, strategy’s not gonna change,” Esther said as she pulled her down again.

“You little- cut it out!” Naivie growled, raising both arms while pulling back. She struggled not to get slammed down, but managed to bring up a Moonblast attack between her palms. She threw it down at the two girls, taking them by surprise.

Before she could celebrate her hit, Energy Ball knocked her back down instead, where Phoenix caught her arm and locked his jaw in place. She let out a shriek as his fangs pierced her skin right down to the bone. She let out a feral roar and used Moonblast with one hand to knock Phoenix off her. He scraped across the ground, but flipped back over once he was back at Kuri’s side.

Naivie was livid, now. She glared at the four of them, one arm clutching her wound. “It’s that Sylveon. That’s the only way you have the power to hurt me like this.”

“What’s the matter, done already? I thought we were going to be so easy you’d enjoy it?” Kuri mocked her.

“And we haven’t even fused yet,” Esther said, twirling her baton around. Naivie growled even louder, but turned her attention to the battle above.

Lute had climbed one of the towers in the corner to get closer to Sophitia, ignoring Naivie’s battle entirely. He was in complete awe and struggled follow Sophitia and Artemis. Far up high from the arena, Sophitia gave chase to Artemis’ fluid mid-air flight by galloping through the sky. She created magical platforms of light below her and leapt from platform to platform, though many of them didn’t appear flat so that she could kick off them and follow at high speed.

He recognised this move. The day he met her, she used it to walk over the river in Everend. He didn’t know she had remembered it, but the way she used it now, it filled him with just as much dread and excitement as it did back then.

The two fairies clashed blades with stunning force every time they came close. They would curve through the air and cross paths, striking one another so hard that a gush of wind and sparks flew off from each strike. Moonblast attacks collided in sparkling explosions of light, while Dazzling Gleam rained lasers through the dark space. All of this happened within the space of a few seconds, so from Lute’s distance, the sky was being lit up like a firework show, complete with ear-popping bangs and a chilly shiver after the big ones.

“Lord Artemis… he’s struggling?” Naivie whispered. Kuri suddenly pinned her down with his foot, to which she growled and fired a Moonblast directly at the floor. “Will you just give it a rest already!”

“It’s funny, you’re the one running your mouth too much. You haven’t stopped complaining since we started!” Kuri retorted. Every combatant in their battle was covered in dirt and cuts, yet they all stood strong and surrounded Naivie on all sides. “After complaining at us all journey!”

“I- you- blast, this can’t be happening,” Naivie growled as she slowly spun to glare at them all. “There’s too many of them!”

Just then, Lute recognised what Artemis was doing, the same Diamond Storm move Naivie had used earlier. Sophitia had stopped moving to prepare her own move, and held her sword high and proud. He couldn’t tell from his distance, but it almost looked as though her weapon had powered up into a new attack, a blade made of flames that matched the colour of her aura.

Both of their attacks were launched at once. Artemis thrust both arms to send a swirling hurricane of diamonds straight at Sophitia, while she retaliated with a slash that unleashed a crescent shaped blast of energy. It flew straight through Artemis’ attack and struck him directly, but it didn’t stop his attack at all. The rain of solid diamonds quickly overwhelmed her, sending her sailing back towards the ground. She thrust her shield forward to fend them off, but the sheer number and force of them had her descending fast.

“G-guys, look out!” Lute cried as he realised what was about to happen.

All eyes glanced at him and then the attack from above, unable to move aside in time. Sophitia crashed right into a screaming Naivie with tremendous force, while Artemis’ Diamond Storm rained around the field and quickly buried it. The ground shook while screams and cries took over. Everyone scattered and threw themselves to the floor in a helpless attempt to escape.

With all the blasts going off, Lute had fallen off the tower and to the edge of the arena, escaping most of the damage besides a harsh fall. By the time he could climb back up, a stalemate had formed. Kuri and the others were battered and bruised toward the edges of what was left of the area, while mountainous piles of diamond lay here and there, mostly in the centre. Ditches had formed, leaving the once pristine platform as an unstable mess of cracks jagged ground.

“Sophitia, Naivie!” Lute cried at the top of his voice as he ran over. Artemis had descended to continue to fight, but halted completely when he heard those words.

Once he reached the pile of diamonds in the centre, he began to frantically throw them aside to dig into it, screaming their names the whole time. Minutes passed as the others stood up and watched with gawks. Soon enough, Naivie emerged, but she was breathing hard and miserable.

“Naivie,” Lute held out a paw. She looked up at him, but slapped his paw aside and fluttered up to Artemis’ height. She barely made it, and collapsed into his arms. He hardly reacted, but he did look surprised to see her faint. Lute stared at the two of them until he noticed Artemis’ attention diverted elsewhere, prompting him to turn as well.

The Pokémon that had escorted them here surrounded the arena. A country’s worth of those species had shown up, and all of them were stoic and silent in their poses. They gathered around in whatever way they could, surrounding the arena by flying, gathering on the stairs, and all so numerous that they could be seen as far as the eye could see.

Lute grit his teeth and went back to digging. He put his all into it, and practically dove into the diamond pile to throw them aside. “Please be alive. Please for the love of almighty, be alive. I’m begging you.”

His heart skipped a beat when he caught sight of Sophitia’s fur. He clawed his way around it to unveil her totally battered body. She looked fainted, but spat and coughed the moment he cradled her head. She still had her aura around her, and it still peeled away at her.

“Sophitia! Sophitia stop already, please,” he begged. She shivered for a moment, and then to his surprise, started giggling. Those giggles turned into total laughter, right down to her clutching her stomach. “S-Sophitia?”

Everyone was completely silent until she stopped, but she didn’t appear to care at all. She looked up at Lute and cradled him with eyes that glistened with tears. “Geez Lute, you really are a fool in love, aren’t you? I told you to keep Naivie off my back, but instead, you sit and watch me the whole time. What a way to go!”

He didn’t know what to say. He could only utter a sound as she used him to struggle to her feet, where she could just about manage to sit without his aid. Once she was sure she was alright, she looked up at Artemis with a warm smile on her face. “You’re starting to get it now, aren’t ya?”

There was a long pause, broken by Artemis slowly descending. He came out of his mega evolved form, which woke Naivie up. “Wa-wait, Lord Artemis. What is…?”

“Why do you care?” Artemis asked. It took Lute a moment to realise that the question was directed at him.

“It’s… I-it’s just what I told you before,” Lute replied, and looked down. He gulped and thought hard about his response. “I had no idea how long all of you suffered. But when I saw Naivie’s real form, I knew I didn’t really want to fight. I just want everyone to be able to live together. I desperately didn’t want Sophitia to use all her power and disappear as well.”

“Each of our lives is but a symbol of this world’s wrongdoings. And Naivie would serve to make your experience the worst. And yet, you show pity on her and refrain from taking her life,” Artemis stated.

“H-huh? Wait, no way, they weren’t anywhere near killing me. I didn’t—” Naivie cried, trying not to look at everyone. “Lord Artemis, just finish them off! You won the battle. You got what you wanted.”

He let out a grumble and shut his eyes. “I was born in a time of conflict and suffering. My solution was to lament all life and flee, harbouring those feelings that I might return one day to enact revenge on it. But it seems that reality is far deeper than I ever learnt. Perhaps this is what Diancie wished for me to see.”

“But all they’re doing is fighting. They’re doing what they were doing all that time ago! We can’t live on a planet like that!” Naivie cried.

“Pokémon are fighting. But I never once asked what they were fighting for. I believed it was for selfish desires of conquest and domination,” Artemis clarified. Kuri and the others gathered behind Lute and Sophitia. “Sympathy, compassion, love. These are feelings I have never once experienced. I do not understand them. And yet, here and now, I can see that they are just as much a part of us as are feelings of hatred and anger.”

“If it’s not for fun, then it’s to stop some bad guy. Without bad guys to fight, we don’t have a reason to fight. I’d say you already get it,” Esther winked at him.

“That so many Pokémon have gathered here, unbeknownst to who you are or what kind of person you are, having no concerns other than the potential loss of life. The Pokémon you see around you, Naivie ruled and lived amongst them, guided them when I did not,” Artemis explained.

“But I was just following your orders, Lord Artemis! It’s you they look up to,” Naivie cried. He gave her a look, and she flinched and rubbed her face. “I guess they did see me around a lot. They would be worried if I’d gotten hurt.”

Artemis turned back to the group. “You are not free from judgement, mortals. But perhaps, if I live amongst you, my heart could learn what yours all know so well.”

“Artemis,” Lute said, a light smile on his face. Just then, a horrible rumbling noise took over the area and the world around them began to shake hard. It quickly worsened. “E-er, what’s that? Is this an earthquake?”

“No. They are shockwaves,” Artemis informed. “Balunercc is on a crash course for Aseria. The planets are now so close together that their forces are colliding. The end is close!”

“Well shit, certainly took the best time to start. How do we stop it?” Kuri shouted. Nobody answered. “Aw c’mon? Really guys?”

“It can be stopped with a crystal tower. Me and Diancie can create one together,” Artemis stated. “But we cannot do it! The ability to create something that powerful was lent to Sophitia.”

“Sophitia?” Lute cried. The duo exchanged glances. “Can she stop it?”

“We must take that power back. It is now time for Sophitia to return to her own world,” Artemis said. The group went quiet.

“That’s what Diancie meant again, you know. About how it was inevitable that’d I’d have to go home. They need their powers back,” Sophitia said with a smile.

“But that’s… no, I can’t accept that!” Lute cried. “We made a promise. We said we were gonna try. We, we, we… you didn’t get to live.”

“Oh Lute, I did get to live,” she said, caressing his face with a feeler. He started crying.

“No, you know what I mean! That’s not fair. We-we were supposed to all go home together. We’d tell Raiju and Cinder our stories… and then go to that island we saw out to sea. Together. Just us two,” he wailed.

“Can’t you just like, team up with Diancie and Artemis instead? Why do you have to stop being a Pokémon, too?” Infia said.

“Even if I could, I think it’s a bit late for that.” She held up a paw. It was surrounded by light that looked like it was eating away at her body. Her paw had vanished and the light was gradually going up her body. Lute’s breath was stolen. “That aura really tore this body up.”

“Then that means,” Phoenix said.

“C’mon now though. Is this really how you’re gonna let me see you all off? A bunch of crying man babies upset ‘cos they won’t get to see their favourite little fairy anymore? It’s really nice knowing I’m so important to you guys, but that’s not what I signed up for,” Sophitia commented. “You as well, Kuri. Ain’t no room or time for edgy stuff now.”

“So what do you want? I don’t think offering you a drink’s gonna be worth anything now,” he said, bumping her with a fist.

“Kuri!” Lute cried.

“You promise you will not forget us?” Phoenix said.

“Of course I won’t! And that’s the spirit, you two. But Kuri, I’m not actually old enough to drink yet… so I’ll just hold you to that until I am. And you better take care of me when I do. Take me to the best place in Angard,” Sophitia proposed.

He was a little surprised, and then snickered and tucked his arms behind his head. “Alright. What’d I sign up for this time?”

“Do not go getting into too many fights, now,” Phoenix said.

“And you two. When you’ve got your big Esthia stage debut, I better be getting front row seats,” she said, turning to Esther and Infia.

“Fudge that! We’ll bring the show to you!” Esther said. “I dunno how, but we’re gonna do it. You just let us know where the best place to perform is, and we’ll make sure we’re the main act!”

“This isn’t a wild idea, either. We’ll find a way, I promise! We can make Esthia, we can make this happen, too,” Infia said loudly, blinking away tears. She couldn’t stop, and sniffled. “I’m sorry. I am gonna miss you. I’m gonna miss you so much.”

“Aww, thanks girls! I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Sophitia said, giving them a slap with a feeler. She turned to Lute, who was still crying quietly. He wasn’t smiling. She crouched down and began to whisper to him. “When you get back, I want you to make sure you tell your friends everything. Tell Raiju, Cinder, Azu, even Anbi and Athens. Tell them everything we’ve been through. Can you do that for me?”

“O-of course! Sophitia, don’t go!” he wailed. She waited until he quietened a bit before continuing.

“And then, it’s up to you to finish what you started, okay? Go and see Artemis and the others, and give them the best welcome ever. If you don’t, I’m gonna keep calling you a kid. Got it?” she said. They stared at each other for a moment, and then Lute jumped into her and hugged her as tightly as he could. “I love you so much.”

He didn’t reply. He couldn’t reply, still unable to stop the tears from flowing. That one phrase brought a smile to his face though, even after the lights took over her and she vanished in his arms. One moment her soft embrace was there, the next, he was stumbling forward as he was no longer holding anything. He grabbed at the air a little bit in hopes of feeling even a trace of her, but there was nothing left. Not a fur, not a tear. Nothing.

“The rest of you need to depart from the planet. Naivie, please guide the Pokémon back into the craters,” Artemis instructed. He looked at her. “I… I am counting on you.”

Her face flushed a deep red, and she flew up with an enthusiastic cheer. She flew up high to address the crowd of Pokémon. It didn’t take long before they were obeyed and gathered together to follow her lead.

As for the others, Angel soon showed up with her peppy cry and scooped them all up. Artemis waited until they were far away before returning to his Mega Evolved form, where he took off into the sky at high speed.

Leaving Balunercc was as uncomfortable as it was going in, but the gravitational shift didn’t seem to last as long this time. Angel took them well away from the planet to somewhere out in the middle of Aseria’s oceans, and then turned around to view the scene from afar.

To them, Balunercc was alarmingly close to Pokétopia, practically metres from touching. As a result, the shockwaves could be heard constantly, and powerful pulses of wind pushed the sea away from the point of impact.

Infia stood tall and pointed at two gleaming lights that swirled in between the two planets. One was pink and came from below, while the other was blue and came from above. The two lights danced around one another for a short while before combining, where they began to grow bigger and brighter.

It was Diancie and Artemis. They were both Mega Evolved and had linked hands, Diancie’s right with Artemis’ left. Together, crystals formed from their other palms, millions and millions of diamonds and crystals that clustered together to form around them. It distorted the storm Balunercc had created around Pokétopia, and soon began to destroy the city itself.

Streams of gemstones sprouted up from the ground like the roots of a thick-vined plant, which twirled and tangled with the diamonds around them. The streams followed the mythical Pokémon and their orchestrated movements perfectly, soon taking form as a tree made entirely of rock. Its roots pierced and destroyed the city below, but its branches grew abundant and bright. They opened out like a pair of delicate hands. Those branches wrapped around Balunercc and caught the planet to stop it in place. That was not without a colossal boom that shook the whole world, a single soundwave that ended the shockwaves entirely. Clouds parted with the impact, but soon, all was completely silent.

Lute and the group had seen it all perfectly. Now, where there was once a city, there was a towering tree in the centre of Aseria. Adorned with craters and surrounded by an orbiting stream of glistening crystal shards, the tree proudly held and connected the two planets together. Minutes later, all had gone still besides the nature around them. Natural wind blew, the sea below had calm waves, and Angel’s wings had dull wooshing sound coming from them.

Lute stared at the tree with a sorrowful frown. He had no more tears to shed, only promises he wanted to keep. He gulped, sighed peacefully, and held the feather on his collar to his chest.

“Thank you.”
 
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