Pokémon Home is Where the Hoenn is

[Flyg0n]

Home is Where the Hoenn is

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Summary: There's no such thing as a Flygonite. Or so they say. Hana has never been interested in pursuing impossible things. But when her Flygon, Raga, sets her sights on mega evolution, Hana is forced to find out—how far is she willing to go for something she doesn't believe in? And how far will Raga go for a dream she can't let go of?

Spoiler: Author's Notes

Welcome to my new fic that I will hopefully not abandon. This idea seized me and I haven't been able to let go of it since. I couldn't slip in my favorite mon, Flygon, into Legendary Adventures. So I decided, why not write a whole story centered around a trainer with flygon!! And the idea of a trainer pursuing something that seemingly may not exist. This story actually technically takes place in the same rough continuity as Legendary Adventures, but its so far removed that you don't need to read it all to understand. (But you should! ;] )

Spoiler: Crit request

Unlike Legendary Adventures, I'm okay with basically any and all crit. My one caveat is that I ask that if there's parts you like and think worked well, you can point those out as well. Otherwise, just about anything goes.

My goal for this story is to try and write a character-driven story with subtext, subtle themes, and craft something that feels more explorative and less plain/simplistic. I am not backing down on the non-chronological aspect, so any crit regarding that I ask to focus on how I can do it better if you have crit.

I am particularly seeking feedback on:
-Character
-Development of character
-Subtle themes
-Subtext
-Worldbuilding details
-Progression
-Emotional beats

These aside, I still welcome all forms of feedback, both simplistic or critical! Many thanks!

Spoiler: Art

(Art Credit to Dragonfree). This was my first rendition of Hana, as drawn by Dragonfree, who did a wonderful job. I figure this is how Hana looked when she was a little younger maybe?

(Art credit: Hawkosa on Deviantart. Love his art, check him out)
On my second request of Hana, I refined her design and this is what Hawkosa came up with! I really like the adjustments!

Chapter 1: The Magikarp and the Waterfall
(Thanks to Pen for helping me beta this chapter! And for helping smooth out my summary!)


(Art credit: chibipika)​

Ash fluttered from the skies, coating the windowsill outside Hana’s room. Beyond the sooty windowpanes, she could make out the silhouette of a Flygon, perched on top of the hill.

“Raga...” Hana murmured. Easing herself around Cosmo, her snoozing Linoone, she crawled out of bed and pulled on her boots and jacket. With a yawn, she trotted outside.

When Hana had first come to Fallarbor Town, she’d spent a full five minutes just staring at the ash falling from the sky, entranced. Raga had been a Vibrava then and had immediately taken to swooping and diving about, batting the ash into clouds until she slipped into a sneezing fit.

Hana had laughed at the sight, and Raga had laughed as well, her strange little trills echoing through the air. They spent some time sightseeing before moving on to the next town to challenge the gym. Back then, Raga had been happy. Even when Hana put aside her badge quest to join the research lab, Raga had still been happy.

The first time this had happened, Hana had dismissed it as a one-off. But every night for the last two weeks she had been woken by an emptiness beside her bed and found Raga outside, standing in silence. Not moving, just... thinking.

The soot softened Hana’s footfalls as she made her way up the hill, but Raga turned as if she had sensed her. The Flygon’s eyes caught shards of moonlight. Soot had gathered between her wings and on her head. She hadn’t moved in some time. Hana raised her hand in a half-hearted wave.

“I thought we'd agreed you’d stop coming out here,” she called out, only half teasing.

Raga gave a low trill. Her red gaze bored into Hana for a moment, before she looked away and huffed, sending up a puff of gray dust. She fluttered her wings rapidly, shaking the ash from her body.

Hana smiled. Even though it had been two weeks since Raga’s evolution, she still wasn’t used to being able to look up to her. “There was nothing you could have done to win. And you’re still my favorite dragon, no matter what that guy said.”

Raga didn’t move.

“You know that, right?”

A snort, a flutter of her wings, and a flick of her tail. She was still upset.

Hana sighed. She reached out, resting her hand against Raga’s side. “We’ll do some more training tomorrow, okay? But you know you always have trouble battling when you’re sleepy. Come back inside. Get some rest.”

For a moment, Raga stilled, her chest barely even moving. She was thinking. Weighing her frustration and instincts against her better judgment. Letting out one last huff, she turned and dipped her head in assent.

As Hana started back towards her house, Raga fell in step behind her. Each heavy step the dragon-type took resounded in Hana’s thoughts, as she tried to think of a way to cheer up Raga. Darn that trainer and his Garchomp. Everything was fine until he showed up.

It was their fault Raga had been distant and bitter all week, despite all of Hana’s attempts to console her. Even after evolving, Raga had still lost the battle. All because of the newly discovered bane of Raga’s existence, mega evolution. If only she could go back and decline that battle, everything could go back to normal.

Hana tromped into her house, dusting ash from her jacket before stepping aside to let Raga squeeze through the doorway. The house was plain, but nicely spacious, an amenity provided for interns working at the lab. Even a dragon like Raga had space to move around as long as she was careful.

With a half-hearted grunt that she took to mean ‘goodnight’, the dragon flopped onto the ground and wrapped her tail around her snout. Hana chewed her lip. Normally Raga would join her and sleep in her bedroom.

Hana watched her for a moment, brow furrowed, then shook her head. Tomorrow would be better. Some dedicated training would cheer Raga up, and then everything could go back to normal. Feeling a little more confident, she returned to bed. As she crawled back under the covers, Cosmo yawned and nuzzled up against her side. A moment later the Linoone was fast asleep. Moments later, Hana joined him.

xXx

“Alright Raga, Dragon Pulse!”

The buzz of Raga’s wings filled the air as she lifted into the early morning sky. Purple energy licked around her jaws for a second before she let out a thin beam of energy. The blast struck the boulder they were using as a training dummy, chipping off a piece, but otherwise leaving it unharmed.

Hana frowned and tapped her chin. “Alright Raga, you need to gather the energy and sort of compact it for a bit first, then fire.”

She’d woken up a good thirty minutes earlier than usual to come out to their spot outside town and train with Raga. Cosmo was curled up on a rock a few feet behind her. She’d told him he could stay in bed, but he’d insisted on coming--only to immediately fall asleep anyway. Every now and then, Hana caught sight of a flash of red as her Plusle, Pi, pounced from dust heap to dust heap.

Raga landed and stared at her in confusion.

“Think of it like ... a snowball. Remember that research trip we took to Sinnoh? If you press all that energy together you make it a lot stronger than just throwing some out there.”

A grin formed on the dragon’s face and she let out an excited trill. Beating her wings, she rose into the air once more. Violet light gathered in front of her face, but this time she didn’t instantly let loose. After a few seconds, the light solidified into something darker and more compact.

“Perfect! Now let it go!”

The stream of energy shot from Raga’s mouth and collided with the boulder, shearing off a substantial chunk.

Hana cheered. “That was awesome, Raga!”

As Raga landed beside her and gave her a triumphant nuzzle, Hana pulled out her phone. 6:37am. Plenty of time to get in more training before she had to report to the lab.

She looked up again. “Alright, this time we’re gonna focus on compacting that energy quicker, got it?”

Raga nodded. Fluttering her wings, she rose into the sky once more.

“Now, Raga!” Hana called. She caught the faintest glimpse of a smile grace the dragon's face. Then a powerful Dragon Pulse annihilated the boulder completely.

Practice continued for another hour. Hana alternated between honing Raga’s moves and having her spar with Pi and Cosmo, who had finally woken up. 8am came sooner than Hana would have liked, and with a sigh, she brought their training to a close. One brisk walk later, Hana arrived outside Fallarbor Labs. Cosmo and Pi had already opted for the comfort of their pokeballs. Only Raga remained out.

“What do you wanna do, Raga?” Hana asked, pausing outside the entrance.

Raga gave a low rumble, tipping her head and flicking her tail. Pokeball.

“Gonna hang in your pokeball today, huh?” Hana kept her voice light, but she couldn’t help furrowing her brow. Raga usually loved hanging out with her in the labs while she worked or did field experiments. And on top of that she’d skipped breakfast, for the third time this week. But it was hardly as if she could force her to eat.

A red flash swallowed Raga, and Hana rubbed her hand over the smooth surface of the pokeball, sighing. Maybe Oliver could give her some advice. He knew more about pokemon behavior than anyone else she’d ever worked with. Tucking the pokeball on her belt, she stepped into the facility.

Her worries seemed to melt away as she ambled through the hall, waving to her coworkers and fellow interns. It was hard to believe what a difference two months could make. The first time she’d entered the lab, she’d kept her head down and had hardly spoken a word to anyone. Now everyone greeted her on a first-name basis.

The lab specialized in studying pokemon moves and behavior and had an impressive program available to young trainers. Housing was provided nearby, and they were given the chance to assist the researchers with various tasks in exchange for valuable experience. A chance encounter with Oliver had eventually led to him offering her a position if she ever wanted it.

The terrarium was her first stop. Stepping into the glass dome felt like leaving Fallarbor Town. Warm, sticky air wrapped around her skin. Sunlight, refracted among the glass panes ahead, lit up the area like a sunny day attack. An Armaldo trundled up to her, clicking a greeting. Hana waved. “Hello, Shale!”

Shale clicked happily before wandering back into the trees. If Shale was here, Oliver probably was as well. The Armaldo rarely strayed far from his trainer. Raga and me used to be like that.

Shaking her head, she followed a path through the greenhouse to a large lake that took up most of the rear area. A geyser of water erupted from the surface, spraying a shimmering rainbow. A moment later a Milotic breached the lake’s surface with a trilling cry. She fired a ring of water into the air, then twisted gracefully through it, scales shimmering in the sunlight.

Smooth as pecha syrup, she slid back into the water, vanishing again.

Hana clapped and whistled. “Good show, Laguna!”

The Milotic emerged from the lake and slithered onto land, crooning in delight. She flopped on the sand, exposing her belly. Hana took the hint and began to scratch under Laguna’s chin. Her scales were silky smooth as always and perfectly clean.

Laguna let out a soft cry that ended in a rising note, tipping her head to the side.

“The others are good,” Hana said. “Raga is in her pokeball today.”

The Milotic rumbled, her eyes darkening with worry.

“I’m sure she’ll get over it eventually.” Hana shook her head. “I already explained that no one has found a Flygonite. They don’t exist.” She shrugged, avoiding Laguna’s crimson gaze, which suddenly struck her as accusatory. “I’m trying, though. We get up early to train together. She just has to accept she’s fine the way she is.”

Laguna’s only reply was to swish her tail through the water and snort.

Hana sighed again. She knew it wasn’t that simple. Battling was intrinsic to pokemon’s very nature, second only to companionship. And she could only imagine how devastating last week’s loss had been for Raga. But she didn’t get why Raga was still upset. When they lost to Winona twice, Raga had simply thrown herself into training until they won. What made this any different?

“I’ll see you later, alright?” Stroking Laguna one final time, Hana turned around and headed for the entrance.

Halfway there, she caught snatches of conversation and odd clicking noises to her left. She turned and caught sight of Oliver, engaged in a rapid conversation with Shale. The Armaldo’s clicks were like indecipherable code to Hana, but her supervisor followed them easily. Hana waited until they had wrapped up, then waved. “Oliver!” she called out.

He looked up, then smiled. “Oh! Hello, Hana! How are you doing this fine morning?”

Hana tipped her head up slightly to look him in the eyes. “Good!” she said, trying to match his cheer. "How’s Shale doing?”

A child-like grin formed on Oliver’s face. “Very well. He said he’ll accompany us today on our field expedition.” He frowned, cocking his head to peer at her. “You appear troubled,” he mused.

Two months ago, Hana might have flinched at observation, given how much pride she took in masking her emotional state, especially at work. Of course, she’d quickly come to learn that Oliver Lockwood had a gift for discerning the feelings of both people and pokemon. No wonder he was the lead researcher.

She sighed, averting her eyes to studying the bark of a nearby tree. “It's just... I don’t think Raga gets it.”

“Ah.” Oliver nodded slowly. “Still up at night, I take it?”

“Yes. And she’s not eating as much. I just wish she’d understand, you know? She never used to get this upset over battles. I worry about her when I see her out there at night. I try to train with her and she’s happy then, but she still doesn’t seem content. I don’t know what else to do. Raga’s fine just how she is. All I want is for her to understand that.” She sighed again and stared at the ground.

“Be patient.” Oliver gave her a quick pat on the shoulder. “Perhaps something may present itself, you never know.”

Hana smiled, feeling a little better. Even though Oliver couldn’t solve Raga’s problem for her, it was nice to get her worries off her chest.

Oliver continued. “For now, focus on the task at hand. We have some field research awaiting us!”

xXx

Two hours later, Hana perched on a ridge overlooking a steep valley, surrounded by several other researchers, Oliver included. Raga and Pi remained in their pokeballs, while Cosmo curled around her feet, his blue eyes gleaming with interest as he stared into the valley.

A cacophony of cries rose from within, echoing across the slopes. A large crowd of pokemon had gathered in a patch of earth that had been completely cleared of ash. There were Graveler, Zangoose, Nuzleaf, Machoke and many other species present. There were even a few Spinda, to Hana's surprise. All of them stood in a loose circle. From the corner of her eye, Hana caught a glimpse of one of her coworkers furiously scribbling down observations about the different species present.

Hana watched the scene unfold. First, a Zangoose broke away from the crowd and stepped into the circle. Judging by the size, it appeared to be the same Zangoose she’d observed the last two times they’d come to this valley. It stood nearly six inches taller than the other Zangoose.

It raised its claws, and the pokemon around it grew quiet. Then it threw back its head and let out a loud snarl. Low, rumbling cries rippled through the crowd. A Sandslash stepped into the clearing and brandished its claws. The two pokemon met eyes, dipped their heads, then sprang into battle.

Hana leaned forward as the two pokemon locked claws and traded rapid, skillful blows. There was something about wild pokemon battles that gave her a sense of awe. There was no tactics or fancy strategy, just attacks and counter-attacks. She almost forgot to do the very job she’d been brought for - recording the battles, and what techniques the wild pokemon could use.

After what felt like only a moment, the battle ended with the Zangoose battered but victorious. It dipped its head to its opponent. The Sandslash returned the gesture before shuffling back into the crowd.

A tense silence fell. Then a Spinda stepped into the ring. A few murmurs rose from Hana’s co-workers. She shared their surprise. Spinda were a fairly weak species. Without a trainer, one stood little chance against a Zangoose, a species that sparred regularly among themselves. She watched as the Spinda tottered awkwardly into place. The Zangoose eyed it for a moment, then chirped sharply and gestured towards the watching crowd. The Spinda shook its head. Hana found herself holding her breath. Would the Zangoose refuse the challenge? But even as the thought crossed her mind, the Zangoose gave a guttural snarl and brandished its claws, scraping the tips together.

The grating sound caused Hana to flinch briefly, but she smiled. Among Zangoose, such a gesture used to show respect to worthy combatants. Glancing at her notebook, she scribbled a quick note of the occurrence. Then the battle began.

To the Spinda’s credit, it lasted longer than Hana expected. Which was to say it dodged two blows before the third knocked it out instantly. A brief wave of pity washed over Hana as the Spinda staggered back into the crowd. Poor thing. Part of her wanted to go down and feed it some berries, console it, tell it that it didn’t need to fight to prove itself.

For the next couple hours, Hana focused on recording the fights and what tactics the wild pokemon used. Her coworkers made notes of their own, detailing the behaviours of the pokemon. As the day wore on, different pokemon fought, not just the lead Zangoose. She also saw a Spinda fight three more times, and get defeated each time. As it got knocked down for the fourth time, she turned to Oliver.

“Am I crazy, or is that the same Spinda that keeps fighting?” She was fairly sure it bore the same pattern of spots, which were unique to every Spinda.

Oliver scribbled something in a journal and nodded. “Indeed it is.”

Hana frowned, staring at the Spinda as it once again left the ring to rest. “Why do you think it keeps fighting? Doesn’t it know it’s impossible for it to win?”

Oliver turned to face her, one eyebrow quirked. “Impossible?”

Hana looked away, briefly embarrassed. She’d come to learn that as easygoing as Oliver was, the one word he didn’t tolerate in his lab was ‘impossible.’ “I just mean, Spinda without a trainer are categorically weaker pokemon. Their group structure isn’t as combat centered as other pokemon so they don’t have as much experience with battle, and they lack the natural abilities of many species. I don’t see how it can ever hope to win.”

“A good observation. Much like how a Bagon might never hope to fly?”

Hana stared at Oliver. “That’s...” Not the same. She finished the sentence in her head. Spinda didn’t evolve. But Oliver knew that. He had to be getting at something else.

“The same way a trainer can carry a Slugma in their bare hands and not suffer a single burn?” Oliver smiled. “Remember, Hana. Pokemon are capable of incredible things. Who’s to say that Spinda won’t one day defeat every pokemon you see there?”

Logic. She chewed her lip. She knew better than to let a reply like that out. Logic had its limits. She’d seen that herself, when Cosmo had gone up against Brawly’s Machop. By type match-up alone, the Zigzagoon shouldn’t have stood a chance, but they had won after a heated fight. Still...

As if reading her mind, Oliver spoke again. “Let me tell you a little story. Did you ever hear of the legend of the Magikarp and the Waterfall?”

Hana shook her head.

Oliver glanced down into the valley for a moment before sitting up straight to look at her. “Here’s how it goes. There was once a great river, which at its peak lay an even greater waterfall. This waterfall was so high that no one below could glimpse its peak, for it was covered in clouds and very powerful. Rumor had it that the gods lived at the peak of this waterfall.

“Wait, where was this river?” Hana asked, puzzled. “I've never heard of a waterfall with clouds at the top-”

Oliver gave her a chiding look, then continued. “There lived in this river many water-type pokemon, the most numerous species being Magikarp; known far and wide as being weak and helpless. One Magikarp, however, was not content with his station. Deep within his heart, he longed to meet the ancient gods that supposedly lived at the top of this waterfall.

One day he declared he would climb the great waterfall, find these gods, and ask them to bless him. The other Magikarp laughed at this sentiment, but he was undeterred. So, he embarked on his journey and began to climb. At first, he made no progress, but day by day, he started to get stronger and stronger, and climb higher. A few other Magikarp even joined him.

But as days became weeks, they eventually gave up. Still the first Magikarp persevered. Up and up he swam. Other pokemon jeered at him as he climbed, taunting him and telling him he would never succeed, but he never wavered. Bird pokemon would try to attack him as he climbed, but he never ceased.

Until finally, he reached a point where the strength of the waterfall seemed so great, he couldn’t possibly go further. Until a strange light came upon him, and he found the strength to climb the last stretch.

When he arrived, nothing lay at the top. No gods, no legends, just a quiet lake. The few pokemon at the lake were surprised to see him. They congratulated him and admired him, and Magikarp realized he had changed - no longer was he a tiny fish, but a great dragon serpent.

‘You did so well to continue when everyone was mocking you,’ they told him.

The Magikarp, now in his new form, gazed at them in surprise. ‘Mocking me? I could hardly hear anything over the sound of the waterfall. I thought they were encouraging me!’

And that is how the first Gyarados came to be.”

Hana stared blankly at Oliver once he stopped. “And?”

“And? That’s all.”

“But what about the gods' blessing? Did he find them? Did he get what he was looking for? That can’t be the end of it.”

Oliver shook his head and chuckled. “I think you’re missing the point.”

“But he never found what he wanted.”

To her dismay, Oliver’s only reply was an expectant look.

Huffing, she turned back to the sparring pokemon. The fighting had begun to die down, and she suspected the gathering would break up soon. Her attention was on Oliver’s story, however. She knew asking him outright what it meant wouldn’t be much use. That was her job to figure out. Even so, she found it hard to suppress her irritation. The Magikarp never found what he was looking for on top of the waterfall, so what was the point?

“Some story, huh Cosmo?” she murmured, looking down at the Linoone. He dragged his gaze away from the sparring pokemon to regard her with a curious look. He chittered, then bobbed his head.

There’s more to it.

Hana knew Cosmo was right. But what was she missing?

xXx

That night as she cooked herself dinner, she nearly burned her stir-fry. Only Pi’s frantic squeaking alerted her to the dangerous sizzle of the pan. She snatched it off the fire and heaved a sharp sigh of relief. Still edible. “Thanks, Pi.”

As she slid the noodles onto a plate, Pi tugged on her pant leg and gave a soft squeak, tipping his head.

“I’m alright. Just thinking too much I guess.” She tried her best to push Oliver’s story out of her mind for the time being. Yet it lingered in her mind all through the night, even as she sank into her covers.

When she woke to find Raga gone and the all too familiar silhouette on the hill, she sat up in bed and watched her through the window for a minute. The image of the determined little Spinda came back to her. Fighting on despite its weakness. Like the Magikarp climbing the waterfall.

What was Raga thinking about out there? Was she reliving the fateful battle against the Mega Garchomp? Plotting strategies? But training hadn't helped. And she didn't appear to be practicing herself. She would simply sit there, every night, not moving. Why? What was she thinking about? It almost reminded her of... Something clicked. The pieces fell into place. Perhaps Raga wasn’t thinking. She was waiting.

“Waiting for me.” The words left Hana’s mouth in a whisper.

Cosmo’s eyes flashed open, glimmering in the dark. From his spot at the foot of the bed, Pi’s ears twitched and he looked up.

“I’ll be right back guys.”

She grabbed her jacket and boots and ran outside, ignoring the way the ashen wind stung her face. Raga turned to watch her as she climbed the hill and stood next to her. Resting her hand against the smooth scales of Raga's neck, she turned to stare up at the sky.

Now that she’d mulled it over, she thought she understood what Oliver was saying. The story was about what the Magikarp thought. After all, because Magikarp thought it was hearing praise it managed to climb the waterfall. Even if it was just a little fable, Raga needed to see she cared. Maybe she just needed someone to indulge her.

When she spoke, she carefully pieced her words together. She needed Raga to believe her. “Okay Raga. Maybe it is impossible. Maybe people are right when they say Flygonite doesn't exist. And even if we looked for it, we might not find it.” She let out a slow breath and looked into Raga’s eyes. “But... I’ll help you look anyway.”

Spoiler: A/N

Chapter edited as of Mar 14th, 2023.

Hana is nearing about 15 right now. She lives in a temporary housing with other lab interns, provided by the lab. This detail has been added.

The fable Oliver tells her has been changed from 'The Magikarp in the Well' to one more closely resembling the tale of Koi fish climbing to become dragons.

The ending paragraphs have been edited slightly to clarify and hint at Hana's goal.

 

[Flyg0n]

Chapter 2: Elegos
(Greek: poem or song of lament)

[Art credit: chibipika]

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Spoiler: Author's Notes

I'd like to give special thanks to based beta HelloYellow for all her help with this chapter! And for helping with the title!!!
Now without further ado, enjoy, chapter 2!!!

"Alright, Raga! Dragonbreath!"

At the sound of her trainer's command, Raga felt the telltale surge of power within her. She fluttered her four wings, buzzing in a rapid circle around her opponent, a Garchomp. His head whipped back and forth as he tried to keep up with her rapid movements, but she remained just ahead of him.

Opening her small mouth wide, she gathered her dragon energy together, as Hana had taught her. Perhaps this would teach the brute to look down on her. Then she let loose a stream of indigo flames, bathing the Garchomp in her fury. He roared, thrashing and jerking away, but she continued her onslaught.

Behind her, she could sense Hana's drive, her determination. She could hear her cheering, urging her on. Raga's strength flared and she poured another rush of energy into the attack.

At a command from his trainer, the Garchomp's bladed arms began to glow. He raised them in front of his face, diverting the stream of fire, then lunged upward.

Dodge.

"Dodge!"

She felt Hana's command almost before she spoke it. Raga dove down at an angle, slipping under Garchomp's body. For a second, the world was blanketed in shadow as she darted underneath him. Then she emerged on the other side as Garchomp landed, a snarl in his throat.

Raga paused for a moment, wings still vibrating frantically. She drew in a few sharp breaths, glaring at Garchomp. Although she'd managed to evade the worst of his attacks so far, she could feel her energy beginning to falter.

Still, she continued to hold Garchomp's gaze, her ferocity never waning, despite the other dragons' much larger size. Oh how she hated looking up to the brute. All brawn and no elegance, touting his size like an overgrown Pignite. With a quick buzz of her wings, she rose higher into the air and glared down at him.

Her speed and maneuverability had given her the advantage over his greater power so far. If she could just hold out a little longer...

"Hang in there, Raga. Just a little more, we can do this!"

Raga's antennae twitched. She snorted lightly. Hana could be so silly sometimes. Yes, she was tiring, but she wouldn't be beaten so easily. She was Raga, the queen of the desert! Together, she and Hana were unstoppable! She let out a loud trill to reassure Hana.

As the last note of her cry faded, something inside Raga cracked. A dam opened inside her. Light flooded her vision and consumed her. Her entire body suddenly felt alive, every inch of it tingling with boundless, beautiful potential.

Power... ambition... strength. She felt her dragon instincts take hold, and she embraced them. Her new form bloomed. The light faded and her senses returned, along with a strange awareness granted by the energy of evolution. A new body, lithe and strong, one she could stand upright with. A red tinge to her eyesight, thanks to her beautiful, shimmering eye covers. Protection and beauty, all in one. Beneath the covers, her eyes widened as her mind fully caught up with the strange lightness on her back. Craning her new neck, she peered behind her, desperate to catch a glimpse of her wings.

Now she possessed two beautiful, diamond-shaped wings, broader and larger than they had been as a Vibrava. They were magnificent. She moved them experimentally. They no longer buzzed but flapped, weaving the air around them and stirring up waves of sand.

Whipping her head back, she let out a long, sonorous cry, reveling in the strange feeling of her new vocal chords. Oh, the songs she could sing now, the melodies that would belong to her. But first...

She settled her gaze on Garchomp, who was glaring at her, eyes narrowed. Pride filled her as she realized she now stood his equal, as tall as him, able to stare directly into his yellow eyes. She took him in with her newly enhanced eyesight. Every inch of his body oozed frustration and impatience- his lowered head, the subtle twitch of his tail, and his overly tensed muscles. She let out a trill, flexing her claws in a beckoning motion and lashing her new tail.

The message she sent was clear. Come get me.

"Go Raga!" Hana's elation had soared, evident in the tone of her voice. "Bug Buzz!"

The words hadn't even finished leaving her mouth before Raga drew on the strange buzz of insect energy and channeled it into a stream of crimson light. It effortlessly crashed against Garchomp, making him stagger back and drop to one knee.

"Dragonbreath!" Purple fire washed over Garchomp's stunned form.

Raga paused after a moment and sucked in a breath, taking delight in the sight of Garchomp, bent over, panting and weary, no doubt on his last legs.

This fight belonged to her now.

Garchomp raised his head and snorted, a strange throaty huff escaping his jaws. Almost like... laughter?

She narrowed her eyes, a growl rumbling in her throat. How dare he laugh at her? Defeat was imminent for him, and he found it funny?

His eyes shifted to his trainer, who nodded. In a smooth movement, the trainer brushed his hand against some kind of necklace he wore.

Light surged around the trainer and Garchomp, consuming him in a shimmering glow. Confusion flooded Raga and she backpedaled a few feet. Garchomp were apex, they couldn't change form again, just as she could not grow past her own new form! Garchomp blazed with even greater intensity. Raga stared in disbelief until the light seared her eyes and she was forced to turn away.

When the light finally faded, she looked back. No. No, this wasn't right.

Her wings failed her for a moment and she dropped to the ground, tail limp and arms hanging by her side.

Garchomp had changed. Evolved. Something that should have been impossible. He now stood bulkier, stronger, and the blades on its arms twice the size. His yellow eyes glinted with a predatory triumph, like a Meowth who had cornered a Rattata. Then he roared, a low guttural sound that sent a clear message to any dragon.

I am alpha.

Raga's heart began to race. No! This wasn't right. It wasn't right, this should be impossible. She had evolved, this was her battle, her triumph, her victory. Garchomp was cheating! She whipped around to stare at Hana, searching her trainer's gaze for some kind of explanation.

Hana's expression and body channeled 'surprise', but nowhere near the level of disbelief Raga herself felt.

"Hang in there, Raga." Hana's voice was calm, steady, but there was something else in her tone too. Fear? Nervousness? Or... lack of confidence?

Raga whirled around to face Garchomp. He stood several yards away still, blades raised, eyes locked onto her. His body was relaxed now as he awaited a command.

"Enough waiting around! Garchomp, Giga Impact."

Raga spread her wings, ready to dodge. Something slammed into her body. The breath left her lungs and the world spun as she tumbled haphazardly across the ground. She rolled several feet before she managed to gather herself and flare her wings, forcing herself to stop.

She drew in rapid breaths as her heart fluttered even faster. Garchomp snorted, clearly unimpressed. She roared back, though she couldn't summon as much moxie as she wanted. She'd barely even seen him move, only felt the impact.

The voice of Garchomp's trainer cut across the field. "Well? Gonna admire my Mega Garchomp all day or call an attack?"

"Dragonbreath!" Hana's urgent command stirred Raga to action.

She began to channel the draconic energy within her. Rage gave her extra strength, and she forced every ounce of her will into it. A swirling beam of purple energy shot at Garchomp.

A flicker of triumph began to grow in Raga. Then it was extinguished.

"Hyper Beam!"

The beam of energy erupted from his jaws and crashed into her attack. For a moment, the two forces clashed. Then gold overwhelmed purple and swallowed Raga.

A howl escaped her jaws as the force of the attack carried her off her feet. The earth bit into her back and for a moment, she found herself too stunned to move. How... how? She had just evolved! She could still feel the excess energy of evolution flowing through her and still, she wasn't enough.

"Draco Meteor!"

Garchomp's roar filled Raga's senses. She saw a golden orb arc up through the sky, then explode. Meteors rained down, far more than Raga expected. More than she'd seen from this technique.

"Fly, Raga! Fly!" Raga detected a shift in Hana's commands. Her tone had gone up an octave. Fear.

Her wings fluttered into overdrive as she dipped and weaved frantically through the hostile sky. As she tried to dodge one, another crashed down on top of her, knocking her to the ground. The ground shook as more meteors crashed around her. Hana cried out, and Raga struggled to rise.

Another meteor struck on the side, sending her to the ground again. She rolled awkwardly and tried to move again, only for a final one to smash across her body, shattering to pieces around her.

Raga snarled, her own rage building as she rose again. No, she still had more to give, she could keep going. A shadow fell across her as Garchomp drew near, his sheer bulk blocking out the sunlight.

"Dual Chop!"

Raga barely saw his blades move. She only felt the collision and loss of her strength.

"Raga."

The defeat in Hana's voice cut through Raga worse than any attack. A surge of defiance rose within her and she forced her eyes open. Hana might have given in, but she wasn't. She would never give in.

Garchomp stood over her, leering down at her, his form towering over her. He growled, low and sinister.

Get up.

Raga pushed her trembling body, willing herself to rise. To fight. To claim her rightful victory. A cry escaped her jaws.

Garchomp snarled again. Get. Up.

Raga managed to stand halfway, swaying on her feet, another growl in her throat. This is mine. I evolved for this, I can still give more-

The last of her strength slipped through her grasp, and she collapsed. She had nothing left to give.

The shadow of Garchomp moved back as he stepped away. Then he tilted his head up in triumph and roared.

xXx​

Raga stared out the window, watching the ash drift lazily through the dark sky. The steady sound of Hana's breath as she slept, which once soothed Raga, now left her feeling agitated. Hana was just sleeping-

She flicked her new tail side to side, staring at it frustratedly. Despite recovering from the battle earlier that morning, she couldn't find a comfortable position to sleep. Everything just felt wrong. She had evolved today, but she could take no joy in her new form. Finally, she stood and started toward the door. A soft squeak sounded behind her and she turned to see Pi watching her.

He cocked his head and chittered softly. Are you alright? A few stray sparks pulsed across his red cheeks. He was worried. Yet she could find no words to offer comfort. With a soft huff, she turned and left the house.

Eventually, she found herself standing on a hill outside Hana's house. The moon shone brightly overhead, illuminating the rocky landscape. In her head, the battle replayed over and over again. It should have been hers. It should have been hers. She tried to analyze it, figure out where she could have moved faster, or struck harder. But she found nothing. Her thoughts briefly traveled back to the battle, to the trainer's words to Hana afterward.

"So are you gonna admit it?" the Garchomp-trainer asked.

"Admit what?" Hana demanded.

The Garchomp-trainer folded his arms and cocked his head back, smirking. "That Garchomp are the superior dragon. They're better than Flygon in every way."

"That's not true," Hana replied, sounding more confused than angry. "They're both excellent. They both have strengths and weaknesses."

"Yeah, and some pokemon just got more weakness than strength. You want my advice? Ditch the oversized insect and get a better dragon." He paused. "A real dragon."

Raga could remember how upset Hana had been. Which made her even angrier at the Garchomp-trainer. But now that her anger had subsided, she simply felt... empty. She let herself fall still and tried to absorb the sounds of the night which she so loved.

Not so long ago, she would fly alongside Hana, or perch on her head as she walked through the night. They would listen to the various cries of the nocturnal pokemon and try to identify them, and she would mime ridiculous impressions for Hana to guess. Straining her ears, Raga tried to listen again. But she could hear no Kricketot chirps or distant barks from Mightyena. No soft calls from the Hoothoots and Noctowls.

Only Garchomp's roar of victory. She closed her eyes, only to see the searing light of his evolution, still burning behind her eyelids. Mega Evolution, Hana had called it, when Raga asked her later. It required something called a Keystone and a Mega Stone. Keystones could be wielded by any human, but pokemon required a special stone of their own. Like Garchompite.

Or a Flygonite.

In her mind's eye, she could see it, clear as the moon above. A shimmering stone hung around her neck, and one around Hana's. The light would surround her and she would become even greater. Flexing her claws, she latched onto the image. A new desire began to fill the empty void inside her.

No matter what it took, she would find a way.

A way to become complete.

 

[Flyg0n]

Chapter 3: Why Do We Fall

[Art credit: Dragonfree!!!]
​

Spoiler: Authors Note

This NOT an April Fools chapter.

I got impatient. My April Fools chapter references some stuff from this chapter, and will be a little more enjoyed if you happened to read this first, but its also not 100% necesaary.

As for feedback on this chapter, the usual goes - I am okay with anything, as long as its constructive and has some positives to balance. It also intentionally ends on an 'abrupt' note. Experiementing with some stuff here.

Also uh. There might be one or two rough patches? I wrote some of this very late at night.

Mega Evolution can be defined as a temporary evolution achievable by certain Pokemon. It requires two components. The first, naturally, is the Mega Stone itself. Mega Stones are crystallized deposits of energy that respond to the latent aura of specific species of Pokemon.

This energy triggers a temporary evolution in the Pokemon. However, the surge of power that accompanies a Mega Evolution can cause a Pokemon to become unstable, both physically and emotionally. This is where the second component comes in - the Key Stone.

The Key Stone links a trainer and Pokemon, allowing the strength of the bond to act as a stabilizer for the Pokemon, as well as siphon off the overwhelming levels of evolutionary energy. Without it, it is believed a mega evolved Pokemon can suffer intense pain.

Hana shut the book and glanced over her shoulder where Raga peered. Her eyes burned beneath her red visors, her grip on Hana's arm tight.

"So the first thing we're going to do is get a key stone. Even if we did find a Flygonite, it wouldn't do any good unless I have a key stone. Sound good?"

Raga reached out with her claws, brushing it against the page, one half of which showed pictures of various mega stones. After a moment's silence, she gave a soft cry of acknowledgement and nodded. Key stone first.

Despite her tiredness, Hana smiled. She rubbed her eyes and stifled a yawn. "Perfect. I already did some research while you were sleeping and found out there's a place in Mossdeep City where trainers can get mega stones. I guess they have to pass some sort of test first, but I'm sure it's nothing we can't handle, right?" Technically, the website had mentioned the tests would be challenging and unorthodox but Hana felt pretty confident.

The very next second, Hana was forced to cover her ears as Raga gave a cry of affirmation. Well, good to know she was on board. That just left explaining everything to her boss and then making travel arrangements.

Yawning again, she started to reach for her PoryPhone when Raga seized her hand. She chittered frantically, then fluttered her wings. Her eyes practically blazed with excitement.

After a moment, her intentions dawned on Hana. She quickly shook her head. "No! Absolutely not."

Raga's expression shifted. The glow in her eyes hardened, and the tip of her tail twitched side to side. She growled.

Hana glared back. "We're not flying. It's too far. That's at least three hours. It's too long, and you only just evolved-"

A hiss, followed by a disdainful sniff. I'm faster than that. I can handle it.

"No."

Yes. Raga stamped her foot.

Hana folded her arms, and Raga mimicked the motion. The air crackled. A flash of light lit the room, and Cosmo appeared from his pokeball. He nudged Raga's leg, tilting his head and churring. What's wrong?

Raga didn't reply. Hana growled and stamped her own foot. "We're taking a boat. End of story."

XXX

"Don't tell me you're still mad..." Hana placed her hand on Raga's side. The Flygon's only response was to huff and turn away.

With a sigh, Hana turned her gaze outward again, to the sea. She leaned against the railing of the ferry, letting her thoughts drift. Here and there, she could catch a brief glimpse of Laguna as she cruised alongside the boat, skillfully weaving through the water. Cosmo scurried about on the deck, apparently enjoying the boat ride. Only Pi remained in his ball, given his propensity for seasickness.

What was she doing? Oliver had been understanding, and given her a few days off but... Would it be worth it? Mega Evolution had been discovered over a decade ago. Surely if Flygonite existed, someone would have found it by now.

Unconsciously, she twirled the end of one of her ponytails around her finger as she watched Raga. And what of Raga? What happened when their search ended in failure? Would she really be satisfied? She sighed again. By the seas, I can't wait for this to be over.

She checked her watch again and rolled her eyes. "Why does time always move slower when you're trying to get somewhere?" she grumbled aloud. Cosmo responded with a cheerful grunt and continued dashing around the deck. Well, at least he was happy.

"Do mine eyes deceive me? Hana Saito?"

The sound of a taunting voice drew Hana's attention.

"I'd ask if that was really you but those ridiculous glasses are hard to miss."

Hana tensed at the familiar voice. Clenching her jaw, she slowly turned around. Cosmo had stopped racing around the deck to stare at the newcomer, his fur bristling.

"Taro." The words came out with a hard edge. A few feet away stood another trainer, arms crossed and head cocked, looking for all the world like some smug Incineroar preening before a match.

"Who else?" Still smirking, he stuck his hand out. Withholding a sigh, Hana settled for rolling her eyes as she shook it. Even so, a half smile tugged at her lips. It had been months since she had crossed paths with her rival. Not since she'd battled him after her third gym badge.

"So how many badges you got? Please tell me it's at least five. The last time I saw you was what? Four, five months ago? You'd better have made progress since then." He winked. "Otherwise I might have to find myself a new rival."

"Six, actually," she replied, a hint of smugness slipping into her tone. Nostalgic pride filled her, and she reached for her pocket where she used to keep her badge case. Then she stopped short. Right. Ever since she'd stopped the gym circuit to intern at the lab, she'd started keeping her badge case in her bag instead. Which was back in the locker on the boat. For a moment, she swore she caught Raga giving her a judgemental look. Then it was gone.

"Sweeet." His gaze shifted to Raga, and his eyes widened. He let out a low whistle, nodding appreciatively. "Are you that same little Trapinch I met? You're pretty impressive."

Raga let out a triumphant croon and flared her wings, basking in the praise.

Taro nodded to Cosmo in acknowledgement before turning back to Hana. "Too bad about only having six badges though. You're gonna have to step up your game, I'm about to get my 7th." He said, puffing out his chest.

A pang shot through Hana, but she kept her face even. She'd been happy those past couple months at the lab. She didn't miss the training, the preparation, the wins and losses, the sting of failure. "You're challenging Tate and Liza?"

"Duh," he sneered. Despite the arrogance in his tone, his friendly smile and the light in his eyes belied his teasing. "So what about you? You must be fighting them next too, right?"

Hana fidgeted, and adjusted her rose-tinted glasses. "Actually I'm going to Mossdeep for something else."

"Pah! What could be more important than the gym? Don't tell me it's more of your nerd stuff. Let me guess, the Space Station?" He gave her a playful punch on the arm.

"Key Stone Center, actually."

She could practically see the gears turning in his head. His eyes slowly widened, his mouth opening slightly. "Wait, you're gonna try for it? Mega Evolution? You must have caught a new pokemon then! Who is it?"

Before Hana could answer, Raga stepped forward and let out a high-pitched cry.

Taro snorted, looking like he was about to laugh. When he saw the look in Raga's eyes, he stopped short. "Wait you're serious? Flygonite doesn't exist-."

Raga hissed, narrowing her eyes.

"Okay okay, jeez!" Taro grumbled, backing up as he waved his hands in a pacifying motion. Hana could still sense the bewilderment from him, but he seemingly decided to hold his tongue. "So uh... Guess you're gonna do the gym after that then, right?"

Hana glanced away, trying to put on her best thinking face as she watched the ocean slip past. A mental countdown began in her head as she tried to compose the best response. It ran out all too fast. "I actually stopped traveling."

She didn't quite meet Taro's eyes, but she could see his face change from surprise to anger, then something else. Her heart sank, and she felt a vague pang in her chest that she dismissed. He's disappointed.

"You quit?" The statement felt much more like an accusation than a question.

"No!" She immediately clenched her jaw after the curt response escaped. She could feel everyone's gaze on her. Cosmo, eyes filled with concern, Raga anticipation, and Taro annoyance. Her mind scrambled to find a way to pacify them all. "I'm trying out some new stuff. Interning at a lab, studying. But I still battle. I just haven't had time to go after badges." There. Still true. She had been busy. And she did still battle.

Raga's eyes narrowed and she cocked her head ever so slightly. That's it?

Hana braced herself, expecting an argument or a snippy comment from Taro.

His silence stretched on too long. "I see," he said finally.

Somehow, those words hurt more than any protest.

The rest of the boat ride at least passed by quicker. She managed to get her rival talking about his team, which he praised for the rest of the boat ride. And thankfully got the spotlight off her. Apparently he'd raised a full team of 6 pokemon by now - His starter, a Blaziken, followed by Houndoom, Exploud, Dodrio, Lunatone and his newest, an Altaria. He didn't stop his ramble until well after the boat had docked and they disembarked.

Hana adjusted her backpack and kept glancing towards Mossdeep as he finished his tale about Dodou chasing him all across some route until they'd both worn each other out. She couldn't help but smile to herself when she realized the story made her feel equally worn out.

"So I guess I'll see you around," Hana offered, once he'd finished his tale. She held out her hand.

The same disappointed expression from earlier returned to Taro's face. "Mhmm yeah." He waited a moment too long, then shook her hand. His grip was weak. Too weak.

"We can have a battle, too. Raga would like that I'm sure."

"Uh huh." Taro shoved his hands in his pockets. "Maybe."

The waves lapped against the dock, and Wingull squawked overhead. Hana adjusted her glasses. She forced herself to smile cheerfully. "Good luck with your gym battle."

"Yeah. Thanks." With a final wave, he walked away. Hana watched him go until he vanished into the crowd of passersby. Her gaze lingered on the spot where he vanished for a few moments, before she shook her head.

Focus. She needed to get to the Key Stone Center if she wanted to make her appointment. They apparently held three classes every other day. She'd picked the afternoon class, which left her... she glanced at her watch and frowned. 15 minutes.

Not much time, but she could still make it. The confirmation message she'd gotten after signing up mentioned someone would be at the docks to escort her. So where-?

Her eyes alighted upon a small figure some yards away, with a top hat perched on its head and a sign between two stubby forelimbs. It appeared to be a Nosepass, holding a sign that read 'Hana Saito'.

She couldn't help but laugh a little at the sight as she made her way over to it. "Are you my guide?" It let out a guttural noise like rocks knocking together. Hana nodded. "Lead the way then."

XXX

Ten minutes and a mini maze of back streets later, Hana found herself at her destination. The Nosepass had proved to be an effective and skillful guide, avoiding almost all foot traffic. Except there seemed to be one problem - they'd arrived at the wrong building.

Hana stood, hands on her hips, as she stared forward. "Are you sure this is right?" Large, cursive print on the front read: "Morelull Plant Nursery". A few ferns and various plants hung from the eaves, and frosted windows offered a blurry glimpse of colorful flowers within. Not at all like a testing center where trainers would receive rare key stones.

Nosepass eyes glimmered cheerfully and it gave a small hop, as if to say 'I am sure!'

Hana's hand drifted to her side and she ran it across her pokeballs. Maybe she should turn around and leave. She still had a couple minutes to go... She could try to ask around for the right location... Her gaze drifted back to Nosepass, who watched her placidly.

She tapped the release button on Laguna's pokeball. The Milotic emerged with a soft cry and coiled into a graceful circle as she eyed Hana curiously.

"I needed a second opinion," Hana said, answering the unasked question. And I didn't know if I could trust Raga to be objective. She kept those words to herself, however. "Turn back and look for another way to the testing center, or go in this shop? I just don't see what a plant nursery has to do with anything..."

Laguna called a brief greeting to the Nosepass, then turned her gaze upon the shop and scrutinized it. Then she turned back to Hana and dipped her head.

Hana raised an eyebrow. "Well, if you say so." Unclipping the ball, she held it out. Laguna returned herself, and she tucked the ball away before releasing Raga. "We have to go in here."

To her surprise, Raga didn't offer any argument. She simply gestured to the door.

Hana stepped up to the door of the shop and opened it slowly. The soft ring of a Chimecho filled the air. The pleasant scent of herbs and flowers greeted her, along with an array of colorful plants of all shapes.

"Hello?" Hana called. She scanned the shop. Despite how small it appeared outside, the inside felt surprisingly airy. A tall ceiling left plenty of room for different plants. Various grass-type pokemon moved about the store, tending to the plants. Bellossom kept careful globes of sunny light above some plants, while Morellul gave off a soft glow in the darker corners of the shop, watching over luminescent fungi and strange mushrooms.

A woman clothed in a soft lavender kimono emerged from the depths of the shop, smiling brightly. A name tag pinned to her chest read: Aphra. "Welcome!" she called cheerfully. Her gaze immediately shifted to Raga, who stood behind Hana, tail coiled carefully around her feet.

"Oh my! What a gorgeous, strong dragon."

Hana kept an even expression as Raga once again soaked up the praise. "Actu-" she never finished her sentence.

The woman clasped her hands together. "Please! Trade with me." She turned her gaze upon Raga. "Come with me. I can offer anything you seek. The best foods, access to the best training, whatever you want. My sister is a dragon tamer you see, and is seeking a strong young Flygon. You'd be just perfect."

Hana stared at her, unable to conceal her aghast expression. "No!" Simultaneously, Raga let out a disgusted huff.

Aphra frowned. "If it's mega evolution you seek, I can offer a magnificent Salamence, looking for a nice young trainer. Or perhaps you might like an Altaria?" She glanced at Raga again. "You'd get to battle the strongest dragons, travel the world, have all the comforts you could want."

The low growl building in Raga's throat grew louder. Hana placed a hand on her neck to calm her. "With all due respect, no. We came in here because we believed we could find the location of the Key Stone Center. But if you don't know anything about that, we're leaving."

Aphra's expression shifted, becoming suddenly serene, yet pleased. "Good. You passed the first trial."

"First... trial?" Hana shared a perplexed look with Raga.

"Precisely. From the moment you arrived, you were being tested. If the Nosepass hadn't trusted you, he would have led you in circles. Then, if you had accepted or considered trading your pokemon, or leaving your trainer, then you would have failed." She let her gaze rest upon Hana and Raga in turn.

Aphra turned towards the rear of the store. "Indigo!" she called.

Mystified, Hana watched as a Grumpig trotted out from the rear of the shop and stood next to Aphra. It gave them a friendly wave in greeting, which Hana returned.

"Indigo here will teleport you to the testing facility. Good luck."

"Wh-" Han let the question die on her tongue. Whatever she wanted to ask, didn't really matter. She'd passed, and she was closer to Raga's goal.

Hana took Raga's claw. "Well, I guess we're halfway there." She grinned a little, then took Indigo's outstretched paw. Bright light filled her vision, swirling with blues and pinks. Then the veil of shimmering cyan and magenta faded, and Hana found herself standing in an open foyer with a raised podium at one end. Marble tiles and square architecture gave the room a very sleek, refined feeling. A few other trainers stood around, gazing about with equally perplexed looks. It looked like they had been teleported in as well. She also noted the distinct lack of outer doors in the room. Only large windows, a small door to the right of the podium, and a set of double doors on the other side.

Just what was this testing center?

Before she could consider the strange room any further, a man emerged from a door behind the podium, carrying a clipboard. An Orbeetle floated behind him. He adjusted his glasses before stepping up to the podium. As he scanned the room, a smile grew across his face.

"I'm very pleased to see so many participants!" As he spoke, he handed off the clipboard to the Orbeetle, who began to write on it.

He cleared his throat. "Welcome everyone, to the Key Stone Testing Center! If you made it this far, that means you have passed the initial trials designed by our sponsor, and you are one step closer to earning a key stone. The next stage will involve a series of trials that will test the bond between you and your chosen partner pokemon. We strongly recommend you attempt them with the pokemon you seek to mega evolve."

A few murmurs swept through the crowd, and she felt more than one pair of eyes on her and Raga.

"There will be three trials in total. You must successfully pass all three to receive a key stone. If at any point you fail, you will not be allowed to continue and you will be teleported out of the facility."

At that, several shocked gasps came from the assembled trainers. Hana traded a glance with Raga, who looked utterly unperturbed. Hana quickly disguised the anxiety in her own eyes. Best not to dwell on the potential failure. Besides, how hard could it be?

"Please wait here until your name is called, then proceed through the double doors. The test will be explained to you there. And to everyone who made it this far, good job. Trust in your pokemon, and you won't need luck." With a wave, he turned and strode back the way he came, his Orbeetle following.

Just as Hana was mentally preparing for the wait, a loudspeaker crackled to life. "Hana Saito and Raga."

"Guess that's us-" Raga fluttered her wings and made a beeline for the double doors, leaving Hana scrambling to catch up.

She stepped through the doors, into a small, empty room. At the other end was a door, seemingly the only way forward. The only occupant appeared to be the Orbeetle from before.

Raga, please proceed through the door, alone. Miss Saito, please wait here until you are called.

Hana flinched in surprise at the smooth telepathic voice in her head, which she assumed was the Orbeetle. With barely a second glance, Raga hurried to the door, and stepped through. It shut behind her, leaving Hana alone in the room. She checked her watch, then tried her best to make herself comfortable. Two minutes ticked by, then Orbeetle nodded to her and beckoned with one of its claws.

You may proceed.

The door swung open telekinetically, and Hana stepped into a large room roughly the size of a gym battlefield. A room filled with Flygon. There had to be at least twenty or thirty, all clustered in the room, flying and gliding about, talking with one another. As she stepped into the room, several let out cries of greeting.

Then she heard a voice.

"Hello Miss Saito, and welcome to your first test."

She turned, and her eyes widened in surprise. Just to the side of the entrance, waiting for her, stood none other than Hoenn's former champion, Steven Stone.

"Mr. Stone!" Somewhat in awe, she held out her hand in greeting, and he shook it. She found herself surprised at the strength of his grip, and the hint of roughness to his hands. There was a quiet confidence to his posture, a surety in the way he carried himself. Brief envy rippled through her. There was someone who'd probably never had any doubts.

He smiled amicably, folding his hands behind his back. "No need to be formal. Mr. Stone is my father, just call me Steven."

Hana nodded, her surprise morphing into curiosity. "What are you doing here?" As soon as she asked, the answer seemed obvious. "Are you in charge of the testing center?"

He nodded. "That I am. The facility was my idea actually, a little project after I resigned from being champion. A better way for trainers to earn a key stone. Far too many reckless trainers would injure themselves delving into dangerous caves." He paused, clearing his throat. She swore she detected a faint hint of embarrassment.

"I myself got into my fair share of scrapes in my youth. So instead I came up with this - trials that any trainer and their partner would be able to pass, if their bond is strong enough."

He gestured to the room of Flygon, still smiling. Despite his calm demeanor, she detected an almost child-like flicker of excitement in his eyes. "Now, for your first test, you must identify which of the pokemon in this room is yours."

Hana nodded. That seemed straightforward enough. She turned to face the room full of Flygon.

"Raga?" she called. Almost every head turned to face her. She frowned. Every Flygon in the room was practically identical. Same height, same build, even the same wing sizes. They had to be Ditto. Twenty-something Ditto in a room, and only one Raga.

Her mind began to churn, running through ways to narrow it down. She could call out, or ask Raga to come forward, but then, every Flygon would just do it, too. Still thinking, she began to move through the crowd, running her hand over each Flygon's scales, looking into their eyes for any sign of a Ditto. There were none. Each Flygon's eyes glimmered with eerie similarity and eagerness, watching her, making small vocalizations as if to say 'pick me, pick me!'.

Dang. They were good. She paused in the middle of the room, once more scanning the group. Their body language was surprisingly Raga-like as well. The same tail-flick she liked to do, the way she carried herself, head held high... The Ditto must have all copied Raga. She adjusted her glasses and scanned the room again. Something wasn't right.

Slowly, she made another pass through the room. Every single Flygon was the same and yet- it was nothing she could explain. It was what Oliver liked to call a 'gut-feeling' and she called 'subconscious observation'.

Heart beating rapidly, she flexed her sweaty palms and turned back to Steven. If she was wrong... Raga would probably take a long time to forgive her. She swallowed. "I can't. Raga isn't in the room."

From behind her, several of the Flygon let out cries of protest or anger.

Steven nodded slowly. "And is that your final answer?" His face was utterly unreadable now.

Without looking back, Hana nodded. "She's not here."

A smile broke and his eyes glowed with unrestrained delight. "Correct!"

Something flashed in the corner of Hana's vision and she turned to see the room now filled with Ditto. From a door on the other side of the arena emerged Raga, looking very pleased.

"You may proceed to the next room."

xXx

"For your next test, Raga will be blindfolded. It will be your job to guide her in battle."

She had followed Steven down a long hallway to the next room, and had even found herself excited when she realized it was a battlefield. Right up until the moment he'd explained there was a catch.

Great. Hana reached out and took the blindfold from Steven's hands. Of course there was a gimmick. Steeling her nerves, she turned to face Raga. She hoped Raga wouldn't notice how forced her smile was.

"Ready?" She did her best to sound calm and confident.

Raga placed a claw on Hana's shoulder and gave a high, eager cry followed by a sharp nod of her head. I trust you.

A knot of tension faded from Hana's chest, and she carefully tied the blindfold over her eyes. She flexed her hands and took a deep breath. A smile formed on her lips, this time a genuine one. "We got this," she whispered.

Raga gave a triumphant cry of assurance, then turned awkwardly towards their opponent.

Hana sized him up. Everything about him exuded confidence. His neat black hair was streaked through with blue, and judging by his lightly tanned skin, he looked Alolan. He stood straight, one hand slipped lazily into the pocket of his slacks, the other holding a pokeball. His gaze was focused and serious, almost unnervingly so. Hana found herself wondering how many trainers he faced. And how many he defeated.

She cut a quick look to the side. Steven had moved off to the side of the battlefield, where he now stood, arms folded and expression perfectly neutral. She wondered why he was here, watching her test. If she won, she decided, she'd ask him.

"Ready?" their opponent called. He tossed a pokeball lightly in his hand, and caught it again.

"Ready!" Hana called, turning her attention back to him. She could do this. No doubt they wouldn't use anything too strong - this was a test of her and Raga's bond, not a gym fight, right?

In a smooth, practiced motion, he flung the ball forth. The light faded, revealing a Crawdaunt. It clacked its pincers together and took up a battle stance.

"Okay Raga, our opponent is a Crawdaunt." Hana's instincts took over, and her months of training and learning for the gym challenges resurfaced. She quickly evaluated their opponent.

Crawdaunt were adept fighters, especially in close quarters. Their claws could deal serious damage, but they were slow. That would be their key to success. Strike fast, strike hard, and keep their distance.

She quickly relayed her plan to Raga in a low voice.

Raga hardly finished nodding in understanding before the referee called for the match to begin.

Pushing all thoughts except ones related to the battle out of her mind, Hana called the first move.

“Earth Power!”

Raga slammed a claw into the dirt immediately, and a second later, the ground under Crawdaunt exploded, knocking it off balance.

“Now, fly straight forward and use Bug Buzz!”

Raga’s eyes flashed red beneath her blindfold, and a wave of red energy surged forth, nailing Crawdaunt in the chest. It grunted and stood, looking slightly shaken. It’s trainer seemed undaunted.

“Crabhammer, swiftly.”

The Crawdaunt moved like a blur, charging across the field towards Raga.

“Feint left!” Raga thrust with her wings, jerking first left, then right - much to the dismay of Crawdaunt, who expected the opposite. Its pincer missed Raga by inches.

“Dragon Claw! To your left!” Hana added, struggling to keep her voice level. Raga’s claw shone, and she swung to her left, but not far enough. Crawdaunt dodged backwards, firing off a swift Water Pulse at his trainer’s command, soaking her.

Raga landed and hissed irritably, shaking her body. Still, the hit hadn't been too bad, it looked. “Okay, we got this Raga.” A half baked plan rushed through her head. “Bug Buzz, sweep it across the field!”

Crawdaunt trainer frowned. “Jump to dodge it!”

Raga’s eyes blazed again, and she swept the red energy side to side across the field. It was substantially weaker this way, but that detail didn’t matter. It had already achieved what Hana hoped.

Crawdaunt weaved frantically side to side, hopping awkwardly to avoid the beam. As Raga swept it across the field a final time, Crawdaunt leaped up, and Hana saw her opening.

“Just to your right, fly forward and use Dragon Claw!”

Raga took off, wings vibrating in a blur. Crawdaunt landed and tried to fire a blast of water, but raga crashed straight through it to deliver a stinging blow to its side, knocking it down.

“Spin, and use Iron Tail!”

Raga swung her tail in a wide arc. A sharp crack echoed through the battlefield as it made contact, toppling Crawdaunt over.

“Crawdaunt is down! Dragon Claw, right side!”

Draconic energy wreathed Raga's claw and she lunged downwards before Crawdaunt could recover. She struck a direct blow to its underbelly, sending it skidding backwards, where it gave a final cry before falling limp.

The referee's piercing whistle signified the end of the match. For the first time since the fight began, Hana allowed herself to relax as she let out a long breath. Her heart was still beating rapidly, and her hands were shaking slightly. Yet she felt... exhilarated. How long had it been since she'd felt like this?

Raga pushed the blindfold off and shrieked with triumph, before flying towards Hana and grabbing her into a hug. Hana laughed, wrapping her arms around the dragon and pressing her cheek against her silky scales. How long has it been since you've seen Raga like this?

She stepped away as Steven approached.

"Congratulations! Raga clearly trusts you a lot. And she's quite talented." Steven smiled at her, and she held her head high. "That means there's just one more test. Are you two ready?"

"Yes," Hana declared. "But if you don't mind, can I ask a question?"

"Only if I can ask you one," Steven countered.

She nodded, then continued. "Why are you watching our test? You can't possibly have time to watch every trainer's test personally, so why me?"

Steven chuckled lightly. "I think my question may answer yours. Why a Flygon? I have seen many trainers and their pokemon come through my center. But I've never seen a Flygon. As far as anyone is aware, Flygonite doesn't exist."

At that, a scowl appeared on Raga's face and she slapped her tail on the ground. She gave a soft, insistent trill.

"So what made you take the test with Raga?"

Hana adjusted her glasses, suddenly feeling uncomfortable under Steven's cool gaze. "Actually, Raga really wanted to find one so I'm-" humoring her? Going along? Trying to make her feel better? "-helping her. After we get a key stone, we are going to take a trip and go exploring, see if we can find one." Perhaps he would tell her this was all ridiculous, a lost cause. If anyone would know, it would be Steven Stone, right? Maybe they could just go home now-

"A noble endeavor." Hana's heart twisted, but she made herself smile. Steven's gaze shifted to Raga briefly. "But it's not one without flaws. You might not find what you're looking for. Are you prepared for that?"

Raga hissed.

Steven simply regarded her calmly. "Well, if you pass this test, then I hope you find what you seek, young dragon." There was something in his tone that Hana picked up on. Was that a warning?

With a huff, Raga turned away and flew towards the doors to the next room, leaving them alone.

Steven watched her go, before fixing his gaze on her. Hana was suddenly filled with the unnerving sensation that he was somehow staring right through her ruse, and all her fears were laid bare. "Miss Saito."

She tipped her head. "Yes?"

"This dream you two are chasing... are you truly prepared for whatever answer you find?"

Hana nodded, maybe a little too quick. "Sure." Her voice felt uncomfortably high pitched. She cleared her throat. "We're fine. Whatever we find, we'll be fine."

"Very well. Good luck with your final trial, Miss Saito."

XXX

Hana felt a strange, almost nostalgic surge of energy as she followed Raga down the hallway to the final room. Anticipation, excitement and nervousness all blended together, making her heart race, in an almost pleasant way. It almost reminded her of her days traveling, just her and her team. They pick somewhere exciting and just start traveling, whether it was some obscure vista or an amusing tourist attraction. Nothing but the thrill of adventure.

"One test left. You ready?" she remarked, as they approached the doors to the next room.

Raga chirped enthusiastically.

The sound brought a smile to Hana's face. There was even more pep than usual to Raga too. She seemed a lot happier than yesterday. A new confidence filled Hana. They'd made it this far, she felt confident that they could handle whatever the next challenge was. Still smiling, she pushed open the door to the final room.

The sight that met her eyes was both strange, yet not unexpected. An obstacle course stretched out before her. Hurdles, tunnels, things to squeeze between and climb up, and various other objects barred her path forward. Still, all things considered, it looked fairly mundane. No absurdly high walls or moving obstacles. This didn't seem so bad.

A smile shifted and she pressed her lips together, frowning in thought. Surely it couldn't be this easy?

A moment later Steven emerged from the hallway behind her. "Welcome to your final test." He walked up next to her and gestured to the course before continuing to speak. "The test is simple. Navigate to the end of course, blindfolded. You must rely on your partner to guide you."

There it was.

Still, it felt less scary than the surprise of the previous test. "Okay," she said simply.

"Are you ready?" Steven asked, his voice reassuringly calm. "Don't worry, as long as you have each other, you'll be fine."

Hana nodded. "I'm ready."

Darkness swallowed Hana as the blindfold was wrapped around her eyes. Yet somehow, she felt eerily calm. The trial was simple, she reassured herself. Of all the things she'd had to do so far, this felt the simplest. The easiest. Just finish this and then it'd be over. They'd have a key stone, look around for a Flygonite, and then... then she could go back to her old job, back to the way things were.

Fixing the mental image of the obstacle course in her mind, she began forward.

The first part of the obstacle course passed by in a blur. With her memory of the course still strong, and an occasional comment from Raga, she found herself fairly easily navigating it. Even easier than she first assumed. The further in she moved, the more her confidence grew. Her recollection of the course was still strong, and she hardly needed Raga's help. Soon enough, she realized she had to be approaching the last part of the course. Before she knew it, she felt her boots catch on the rough floor. The final obstacle. Cross the short, wide bridge and she'd be done. A key stone would be hers.

Heart thrumming, she took a step forward.

A high shriek cut through the air and Hana paused. That was Raga. Almost immediately, she heard Raga again, this time letting out a sharp, high chirp. Jump?

No, that wasn't right.

Maybe Raga was seeing something wrong, or misunderstanding. Stretching out a toe, Hana tapped the floor ahead. There was definitely something there. She moved to take a step, but Raga called for her to stop again. Then she made the same call as before.

The message was perfectly clear. Raga wanted her to jump.

Hana walked forward.

The floor crumpled under her weight in an instant. Her stomach lurched and she pitched forward, flailing her arms. Then her face met the soft foam below. As she sunk into the foam blocks, the weight of what she'd done settled inside her chest.

You failed.

 

[Flyg0n]

Hana strode the streets of Lilycove, intent on getting back to the boat. The past two weeks were a blur - she’d been searching and asking around for any sign of Flygonite, but she’d heard nothing. She’d visited, texted, emailed and called every scientist, researcher, and professor she knew, from every region, even the ones from spin-off games.

She’d done everything possible to find it, but perhaps there was no thi ng t b foun HJHAJGkjgh!

Noth
Flnite really dint DID exist.

The end-

The end

NOT the end



But Raga knew, deep down, there had to be a way. A way to accomplish her dreams. They couldn’t give up yet. Determination surged within the powerful and elegant Flygon, and she roared to the skies.

Hana gasped in awe, utterly amazed by the incredible cry and the sheer tenacity her amazing dragon displayed. “Raga... I had no idea you felt this way. You’re right, we can’t give up so easily! We have to keep going, keep fighting, do whatever it takes!!!” She pumped her fist in the air, and was filled with determination.

Eyes shining, Raga held out a claw and gave Hana a high-five, before setting her sights on the horizon.

It was then she spied something from the corner of her splendid eyes. A figure, draped in a dark cloak and hood, hidden in the shadows of an alley. Invisible to all but her keen eyes. As if knowing Raga was watching, the figure held out one gnarled hand, beckoning.

Curious, Raga approached, Hana trailing behind.

“Young dragon... I sense within you immense power and unbridled potential. You possess such determination and an unwavering spirit.”

It was true, Raga reflected. She was very strong too.

“Also you are very elegant and beautiful. One such as yourself can accomplish anything.”

Raga nodded. “Can I mega evolve? Does Flygonite exist?”

The man chuckled mysteriously.

“That is a question you must answer yourself. But I can guide you.” The old man withdrew a strange map, one that looked ready to crumble.

“Hey, that map isn’t canon!” Hana protested. “There’s an island there that doesn’t exist!”

“Yo what do you even know?” the old man retorted. “Do you know everything? Just because people don’t talk about it doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist you know.”

Hana fell silent.

The man, satisfied that he’d reminded Hana of this, continued. “You must seek this ancient island... Mega Island. There... perhaps you may find what you seek.”

“How do we get there?” Hana aksed.

“Do you not desire to ride upon the back of your glorious dragon to reach it?” The man asked.

“No, I’m just boringggg “ replied Hnna. BorinGly

“I’m boring and I like taking BOATS.” HANA SAID.

“VERy well, if you wish not to experience the joy of riding on the back of Flygon, there is a mysterious shop that will take you there.” Reaching into his cloak, the man took out two rainbow printed tickets. “Show this to the Boat Driver down at the docks. He’ll take you there.”

“Thank you,” Raga said.

And so Raga led Hana down to the docks where they found the Boat Driver, and showed him the tickets. “I can take you ma’am, but really its so much more FUN TO FLY ON THE BACK OF THE FINE FLYGON YOU HAVE THERE.”

Hana shook her head very boringly. “No thank you, standing on a ship for three hours sounds more interesting.”

“Have it your way,” Boat Driver said, shrugging.

They boarded his bland ship and rode it for a while. Finally, they arrived on the shores of a mysterious island, so far from the coast of Hoenn it was invisible. It was dark and ominous, but almost tantalizingly so, and had a volcano. It was very cool.

Raga disbarked the boat, and led Hana onto the island. Now what? She scanned the island, but her keen senses didn’t pick up anything. All she could detect was the presence of various wild pokemon.

“Where do you think we should go now, Raga?” Hana asked.

Raga frowned in thought.

“We have to explore the island.”

“Good idea! Exploring is a great idea. I really miss doing that. Let’s go!”

And so the two adventurers set off on a quest, journey all across and through the island, battling wild pokemon together, growing strong, and seeing places perhaps no human had seen. And then one day, they came across a mysterious cave. Energy radiated from its depths, and powerful wild pokemon guarded it.

Together, they fought their way through until they reached the very bottom of the depths. And there, Raga saw something amazinnnnNNNNNNN
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There, at the bottom of the cave, waited a trainer, and beside the trainer stood an aged Flygon. The trainer looked like she was old, her hair graying and face wrinkled. Yet there was a deep wisdom to her eyes. Her Flygon’s tail swished rhythmically side to side as it evaluated the new arrivals.

Hana felt strangely compelled to bow in greeting.

“Ah, young trainer and Flygon. Why have you come to this place?”

Raising her head, Hana peered at the old woman. “Please, your honor. My name is Hana, and this is my Flygon, Raga. We have come to this island seeking the truth. For many days now we have been trying to find out if Flygonite exists. A strange old man told us to come here to find the truth. Do you know? Can Flygon mega evolve?”

The old woman chuckled lightly, and shared a knowing smile with her Flygon. She approached, walking slowly. “Young child... the truth you seek is a simple one. So long you have sought the answers in the world around you. But the power you and Raga seek is not out there.” She gestured to the cave around her.

“It’s in here,” With a gentle hand, she placed it on Raga’s heart, and her Flygon did the same. “You don’t need mega evolution, you’re already fine.”

Hana nodded in understanding. Raga did too. A grin spread across Hana’s face, and she felt at peace.

“She’s right,” Raga said slowly. “I thought I needed mega evolution to be strong, but I’m already strong. What I am now is just fine.”

“Yes.” Hana looked to the old Flygon and the woman. Pride shone in their eyes. “Thank you. You’ve taught me something amazing today. I can don’t need to keep chasing these things.”

Then she turned back to Raga, who looked at ease. “You see Raga? What you were looking for... We never needed any of that, it wasn’t important.”

Raga nodded. “I only wish I’d understood sooner... power and strength aren’t what matters. Thank you for telling me.” Then she turned to Hana. “Want to go home now?”

Hana nodded, and bid a farewell to the the old women and the Flygon. Raga did the same.

Before Raga turned to leave, the woman brushed her hand across Raga’s chest. “Always remember. The power is in hereee
.



“Oh hell no.” Raga slapped the woman's hand aside. “I didn’t come all this way to give up!”

She glanced between the two. Understanding dawned on her immediately. “This is a test.”

The old woman’s eyes glimmered, almost a little mischievously, yet with veiled delight and pride. The old Flygon nodded sagely. “You are correct,” they said, speaking almost in sync. “A brilliant deduction.”

Slowly, old women reached up, brushing a hand through her graying hair. “The truth is, mega Flygonite does exist. But it is rare, and one of the strongest and best mega evolutions known to human and pokemon kind. Only the Flygon possessing the strongest wills and greatest determination can wield it.”

The old Flygon stepped forward, flicking his tail. “Are you ready?”

Raga turned to meet Hana’s eyes, and saw a matching grin.

Hana squeezed her hands into fists. “I’m always ready! Let’s do it!”

“Very good.” The two old ones said.

The old woman brushed aside a lock of her hair, revealing a pin set with a shining stone. Raga gaze landed on the old Flygon’s tail, spotting for the first time the gem set in a special strap near the end.

“In order to mega evolve, you must unearth your own mega stone, and then pass the trial.”

The old Flygon stepped back. “But first, defeat us in battle, and we will show you the path forward.”

“Let’s DO this!” Hana cheered.

Raga sprang forward and roared a challenge. The old Flygon roared in return, then charged.

A great and awesome battle ensued. The old Flygon was strong, smart, and tough. But Hana never gave up, and together, they managed to land just enough powerful blows to take it down.

They cheered together as they defeated the enemy, and the two old ones nodded in approval. “Very well, you have proven your skill. We shall reveal the path.”

At these words, the magnificent and wise old Flygon opened its jaws and let out a stream of dragon fire at the back wall of the cave. When the fire faded, a secret hidden passage was rveealed.

“So awesome,” Hana said eagerly.

Raga shrieked happily, and then together with Hana, started down the tunnel.

It seemed to wind on forever, but Raga didn’t mind. With Hana by her side she could handle anything. In no time at all, they found themselves in a small chamber, with only a single object in it. A large stone, almost as tall as Raga, and flecked through with rainbow specks. On the floor lay a set of mining tools.

Immediately, Raga understood, her intuition giving her wisdom. The Flygonite was buried within the stone, and they would have to unearth it. With their combined efforts however, and Raga’s strong claws, they carved through the rock, until finally all that remained was a single sphere-like geode.

“This is it,” Hana whispered reverently. “The Flygonite must be inside this.” She held out the geode to Raga and smiled. “Go ahead, crack it. You earned this. You never gave up.”

Heart racing, Raga channeled energy into her claw, then with a single powerful strike, slashed it open. And there, at the center, shining with rainbow brillianc W S NotaFlygon tie that wasn’trealbecause

A Flygonite. The gem shone vivid green, swirled through with red and orange. It absolutely pulsed with energy, filling Raga herself with newfound strength, even just by touching it.

“You did it!” Hana shouted. “We really did it!”

Raga gave a primal roar of delight. Finally, Flygonite was hers! All her hard work and determination and amazing skills had really paid off.

“Now there’s one thing left to do.” Hana grinned, almost a little devious. “How about we get some retribution!”

Xxxxxxxxxx

“Back for more, huh?” the Garchomp trainer sneered. His Garchomp sneered too.

Hana stood across from him, Raga with her, facing it down. Excitement and determination filled Raga to her core.

“Let’s get this over with quick,” the Garchomp trainer said obnoxiously. His ugly face twisted into a grin and he threw out a hand. “Garchomp, Mega evolve.”

The familiar light of evolution shone, just like it had before. Raga remained unafraid. She was ready this time.

Soon, mega Garchomp stood across from her, looking as dumb as the first time she’d seen it.

“Now it’s our turn!” Hana shoved her hand skyward, the key stone on her wrist blazing in the sunlight. Energy rippled outward. Rainbow tendrils began to snake from it, wrapping around Raga, responding to the mega stone on Raga’s tail. Her whole body began to blaze with light as Hana began to speak.

“Feel the power of our determination realized, oh great dragon arise from your slumber to slay your foes! Behold our ceaseless willpower! Keystone, respond to my hearts desire. Raga, Mega Evolve!”

The light an energy crescendoed, until Raga’s regular body couldn’t contain it any more. She felt herself changing. Shifting. Growing larger and large, developing armor for battle and wings to power her. A new visor, stronger jaws, a body that could deal out powerful hits. The evolution light peaked, then exploded outwards, revealing Raga’s new form.

The roar she unleashed shook the earth and struck the fear of Arceus into Garchomp. She saw him tremble at the sight of her, completely shocked and stunned and surprised. Totally off guard at the towering majesty of her new form. She now stood over a full foot taller than his puny self.

“Attack!” Hana cried.

Raga needed now prompting. With her strong new body she launched herself across the field in the blink of an eye, missile drop kicking Garchomp right in the jaw before slamming its face into the dirt. It didn’t rise again. One blow had felled it, so strong now was Raga.

“OH MY GOSH YOUR FLYGON IS SO AWESOME” the trainer shouted. “Flygon are way cooler than Garchomp.”

“Yeah, I guess I’m overrated,” Garchomp muttered, still lying on the ground. “You’re way more awesome than me. And stronger.”

Raga smirked, then high-fived Hana before roaring to the skies once agai




“Give me my laptop back!” Hana yelped. She yanked the laptop away from Raga for what had to be the fourth or fifth time that evening. Frowning, she skimmed the words Raga had added this time, before looking up and shooting the dragon a grouchy glare.

“You know, when Oliver suggested I write my thoughts down in the form of a story, I don’t think he meant you writing your stuff in my story.”

Raga stared evenly back at Hana, then crossed her arms and hmphed.

Hana sat back, rolling her eyes. “It’s not even realistic! There’s no such thing as mega island, first of all. And it doesn’t make sense. Why would a random old man in a cloak appear just to tell us about some mega island? It’s contrived.”

Flicking her tail in protest, Raga but on her best offended face.

Hana could practically hear her saying ‘At least it was cool.’ She shook her head, half smiling to herself. She supposed the exercise Oliver had suggested had been fun. Even if Raga had almost immediately hijacked it. She couldn’t help but smile just a little as she reread parts of it. Her smiled slowly shifted to a playful scowl as she kept reading, however.

“And for the record, I’m not boring!”

Spoiler: Author's Note

In case you haven't guessed, this is a meta fic wherein Hana and Raga sort of 'cowrite' a fanfic.

Oliver, her friend and boss from her lab, suggested she write her thoughts as a story. So one night she sat down to do so, only for Raga to interrupt and take over with her idea how the story should go.

The last bit at the end of course, takes place in the 'real world'.

Feel free to guess which bits belong to which of them!

I should also note that as jokey as this is, I have my element of seriousness - there's some tasty psychoanalytical analysis to do with how each character writes their part.

 

[Flyg0n]

Chapter 4: Cadence​

Until now, Hana had never appreciated plain, regular wind. But after her three-day long excursion through the desert, and feeling nothing but the sting of sand against every uncovered speck of her body, it felt blissful.

She basked in it as her two pokemon, Cosmo and Pi, chased each other around her feet. Pi in particular seemed delighted to be able to run around without falling into some sand pit or having to watch Cosmo fight every battle against a ground-type looking for a battle. In retrospect, a Plusle and a Zigzagoon weren’t the best picks for desert travel.

Now all that lay ahead were the rolling grasslands of Route 111, and just beyond that, Mauville City. “I don’t know about you guys, but I’m ready for a nice bed for a few days.”

Pi paused their little game to dash over to her leg and tug at her boots, letting out high pitched squeaks as he bounced from paw to paw.

She leaned down to pat his head reassuringly. “And yes, you can have the next battle. I think Marill like to hang around here...” She returned her two pokemon to their respective pokeballs, so they could rest.

The next few hours passed by in peace, not having to worry about any of the usual perils she’d been keeping an eye out for the past few days. Which was why, as she picked her way through a stretch of nearly knee high grass, her eyes were trained on the sky and not the ground.

Her knee collided with something hard. She yelped and pitched forward, crashing into the ground and getting a mouthful of grass. With a grunt, she rolled away from whatever she’d tripped on and pushed herself onto her hands and knees. “What the-”

A single large, beady black eye peered at her from a sphere of orange.

She blinked and rubbed her eyes.

The thing opened and shut its mouth, showing its displeasure. Hana simply continued to stare at it dumbly. What on earth was a Trapinch doing all the way out here? They were almost a full day's walk from the desert.

With a final displeased rumble, the Trapinch turned away from her and started to plod south, a strange dutifulness in its step.

Curiosity seized Hana. She stood up properly, checked to make sure she had her two pokeballs, then pulled her notebook from her pocket. “You know, the desert is back that way.” The Trapinch made no indication it heard her comment. She frowned and scribbled a quick note of their location in her book.

The Trapinch gave no indication it had even heard her. It simply pressed onwards, slowly parting the grass as it walked. Clearly it was going somewhere. A new nest? Food? But nothing to the south would appeal to a Trapinch.

She frowned and peered closer. There was a slight heaviness to its steps, and a few scuffs on its scaled hide. More possibilities swarmed through her mind. Had it been chased out of the desert? Injured? Sick? For the next several minutes, she watched from afar as it left the patch of grass and started to make its way further south. As far as she could tell it didn’t seem badly injured or sick, just tired.

A jet of water smashed into the Trapinch’s side, sending it tumbling several feet. Hana whipped around to see a Marill crouched near a pond, eyes blazing. The Trapinch scrambled to its feet, somewhat ungainly, and whirled to face the Marill. It snapped its jaws together threateningly, and took a step towards the water-type.

Uh oh. Hana crouched a safe distance away to watch.

With a loud cry Marill shot another stream of water. The Trapinch tried to shift out of the way, but only succeeded in making it halfway before the attack glanced off its hide, causing it to stagger. Almost without hesitation, Marill followed it up by charging the Trapinch, its body glowing faintly with energy.

The slam attack connected with a sickening thud, causing the Trapinch to cry out. Its eyes flashed and in a blur of movement, snapped its jaws shut, catching the Marill before it could retreat. It squealed in distress, but the Trapinch’s vice-like jaws remained unmoving. Hana felt a slight smile tug at her lips at its valiant attack. Perhaps the determined Trapinch was out here to train?

Her elation quickly turned to dread at the sight of a second Marill emerging from the pond. Water began to swirl around its tail, then with a powerful leap, it lunged forward and brought the Aqua Tail crashing down on the Trapinch. The impact left a small crater and dislodged the other Marill from Trapinch’s jaws.

But to Hana’s dismay, none of the Pokemon seemed content to leave the battle. Trapinch’s eyes blazed with fury despite its battered body, while the two Marill looked ready for another fight. The Trapinch was in no condition to keep going like that.

Hana’s hand was already on Pi’s pokeball as she rose to her feet. “Electro Ball!” she shouted, tossing the pokeball forth.

The flash of light from the ball briefly drew the two Marill’s attention, as she hoped. It hadn’t even faded before a sphere of electricity shot across the field and struck both Marill simultaneously. Pi stood, cheeks still sparking, a smirk on his face. The Trapinch let out an annoyed rumble, regarding the new arrival with visible suspicion.

“Let me help!” Hana called.

There was no more time to argue further. The Marill had recovered and turned their sights on their new foes. One of them sprang forwards with another Slam attack, aiming right for Trapinch’s head. The other shot a powerful stream of water towards Pi.

Hana acted quickly, directing Pi to dodge and attack with two more well-placed Electro Balls. A shower of sparks exploded as the attacks connected, sending the Marill rolling back several feet. Almost as soon as it began, the battle had ended, and the two Marill slunk away, their defeat accepted.

Trapinch gave a curt nod to Pi, then turned and started trekking south once again. It hadn’t made it more than a few steps before it stumbled, then caught itself and kept going.

“Wait!” Hana called.

She jogged over to the Trapinch, who watched her impassively. “Let me at least help you.” Unslinging her backpack, she took out a few of the Oran berries she’d kept aside for her team. She’d be in Mauville soon anyway, she could spare some. She held out the berries, and gave the Trapinch her best reassuring smile.

After what felt like an eternity, it reached forward and gently scooped them into its mouth. Relief flowed through Hana and she sat back and watched as the healing effects kicked in. “Isn’t that better?”

A tentative nod was given in response, which made Hana smile further. Something about the Trapinch’s attitude was amusing and admirable. Looking closer, she could also tell this one was female, based on its jaw structure. “Where are you going?”

The Trapinch jerked her head to the south and made a series of chittering noises. Then she nodded back towards the pond.

“Hm...” Hana drummed her fingers against her leg. “You want to go to the south to find... water?”

She nodded vigorously, and stamped her foot.

“A specific place? Like a lake?”

She nodded again.

Hana couldn’t imagine what a Trapinch would want at a lake of all places, but she had already come so far. Except... the next closest lake to the south was past Mauville and on the route to Verdanturf. Tons of wild pokemon, and hills and other terrain that would be difficult for a Trapinch to cover. And if she ran into more water-types...

“Let me help you.” Hana declared. “If we work together, you can get to your lake much faster. And I can help you navigate the city.” She crossed her fingers. Her curious spirit yearned to know what this strange little Trapinch was after, and it was a good excuse to keep traveling a while longer.

The question hung in the air as the Trapinch evaluated Hana, her beady eyes narrowed. Finally, she gave a tiny nod.

“Yeah!” Hana pumped her fist and jumped up. “Let’s go!”

---

Reaching Mauville ended up taking twice as long Hana expected, and the sun had long since set by the time she entered city limits. Still, she didn’t mind. A fair few wild pokemon had challenged them on the hike, and Pi seemed more than happy with the training, and Trapinch seemed to appreciate the assistance (even if she acted like she was tough enough).

By the time she found herself among the first small buildings of Mauville, night had fallen. The city looked a lot different from when she’d first visited with her parents, some years back. From what they said, Mauville started out as a small crossroads city. Throughout the years, it expanded into a sprawling indoor complex that eventually expanded to include several suburbs and other businesses around the outskirts. Navigating as a human felt daunting enough, she couldn’t imagine how it might look to Trapinch.

“You good?” she asked.

Trapinch nodded, her eyes narrowed with determination. Despite the long walk, she had declined Hana’s offer to carry her every time.

“Alright, time to find somewhere to stay for the night, and then keep going in the morning,” she mused out loud.

“Excuse me, miss?”

Hana turned to see a young woman, dressed in casual clothing and resting a hand lightly on her hip. The light from the streetlamps reflected in her glossy brown hair and she flashed a friendly smile. “You’re looking for somewhere to stay, right?”

Hana nodded slowly. She hoped this wasn’t some weird trainer or someone asking her for directions.

“Great!” She stuck out her hand. After a moment, Hana shook it. “Name’s Irene! I sometimes give tours through the city in my spare time. I was about to head in for the night, but I can show you to a nice place for the night if you want. And I’ll give a discount, since it's late anyway. How does... 250poke sound?”

A small knot of tension left Hana’s shoulders. “Oh awesome, that sounds great! Thank you.” The idea of wandering through outer Mauville’s winding streets for half an hour trying to find a good spot didn’t sound appealing. She could already feel the burn in her legs from walking so long. Besides, she could spare 250p. That was barely more than a couple pokeballs, she supposed.

Trapinch butted a head against her ankle. She glanced at her, then knelt down. “Don’t worry, I promise we’ll get right back out there nice and early in the morning. But we both need rest.”

She gave Hana a long stare and rumbled in displeasure.

Hana offered her most confident smile. “Don’t worry, it’s fine! Trust me, Irene is going to help us.”

Trapinch huffed, then gave a reluctant nod.

“Alrighty then, come on, follow me!” With another smile, Irene spun around and began to stride confidently down one of the many streets.

Hana quickly scrambled after her, glancing back briefly to see if Trapinch was still following her, before once more setting her gaze on Irene’s back so she didn’t lose sight of her. Within minutes, Hana found herself surrounded by unfamiliar buildings and winding stone streets. None of it felt very familiar or looked like any kind of hotel, just houses. Perhaps when she got further in?

Just as she was contemplating asking Irene how much further, her tour guide spoke up.

“Is that your Trapinch by the way?” she asked casually.

“Oh no, I’m just...” she glanced at Trapinch, trotting along behind her. “Traveling with her I guess. That’s all.”

“Aww, that’s sweet.” Irene’s hand dropped to her waist, where a single pokeball hung. With a flick of her wrist, a flash of light lit up the dark streets, and a Roserade emerged. “This is my partner!” she said cheerfully. The Roserade dipped her head and trotted after Irene, who hadn’t slowed down at all.

Hana’s attention, however, was only on how bright the flash of the pokeball appeared in contrast to the streets, which felt even darker than before. Kyogre’s rings, she couldn’t wait to get to wherever this hotel was...

They’d been walking for another couple minutes when she noticed a strange, sweet aroma in the air. Floral, yet it almost reminded her of fresh bread or warm pastries. From the Roserade, maybe? A clicking noise drew Hana from her thoughts and she glanced over her shoulder to see Trapinch had stopped some feet behind her.

“Hey.”

Hana spun back around and almost jumped back when she saw Irene suddenly standing uncomfortably close. Her Roserade stood next to her, eyes glinting dimly.

“Look, I hate to be this way. You seem sweet. But if you want me to take you the rest of the way it’s gonna cost extra. Consider it a late fee. Or a fee for the passenger. Whatever you want. But hand over 5000p and I’ll show you right to the hotel. Otherwise...” She smiled again, but this one didn’t reach her cold eyes.

Hana blinked and cocked her head. “Excuse me?” Her heart began to thrum in her ears. Was Irene robbing her?

Irene tipped her head to the side, almost as if mocking her. “You heard me. Pay up, or you’ll find yourself in quite a bit of trouble.”

Cold chills rippled down Hana back and she tensed. With some effort, she swallowed and forced a word out. “No.” Maybe she could go for her pokemon, fight her way away...

Irene frowned and sighed. “Ah, one of those.” She smiled pityingly. Her Roserade, however, wore a sinister grin. Irene swept her arm forth. “All yours, Hemlock.”

With a blindingly fast flourish, it spun, flinging out hundreds of purple spikes all across the ground around Hana. Even in the dim light, Hana could see she was completely surrounded by the toxic thorns.

“Well? Maybe if you pay up, I might consider getting rid of those spikes. I’m sure a smart trainer like yourself knows how deadly they can be.”

Squeezing her hands into fists, Hana did her best to hide her trembling arms. Anger welled in her chest and her mind raced. She couldn’t send out Pi or Cosmo, they would just be horribly poisoned. And she couldn’t move either.

Irene’s scowl deepened. She stepped closer to Hana. “Pay up, before I ask Hemlock to do it the hard way.”

Hana stiffened, tensing more. If she stepped back she’d end up straight in the midst of the spikes — Irene’s hand suddenly flew out and seized Hana by the jacket. At the same moment, vines slithered out from Roserade’s bouquets, and curled threateningly around Hana’s wrists.

Taking a trembling breath, she forced herself to stay still. There had to be some better way out —

When Irene spoke again, her voice rang cold. “Last. Chance.” Her grip tightened, and Hemlock’s vines dug into Hana’s wrists.

A throaty roar shook the air and Hana turned her head to see Trapinch charging straight through the midst of the toxic thorns, jaws open wide. Her black eyes flashed and she lunged awkwardly forward, brushing past the Roserade, and sinking her jaws into Irene’s leg.

Irene screamed and released her grip. Roserade cried out, withdrawing her vines from Hana, before desperately trying to pull Trapinch off Irene. After a few yanks, they tumbled apart, and Irene clutched her leg, face twisted into an ugly grimace. Hana cringed. Trapinch hadn’t used anywhere near her full strength, but Irene looked hurt nonetheless. Even so, Hana couldn’t help but feel relieved. Trapinch had saved her. She wasn’t sure what Irene might have done if Trapinch hadn’t intervened when she did.

Irene glared at her, then awkwardly rose to her feet, supported by her Roserade. She shot Trapinch a nasty glare, who clacked threateningly in return. “Fine. Hemlock, Flash!”

Hana paled. The Roserade let out a furious cry as it pressed its hands together. Hana’s hand shot up. But she was a moment too slow. Searing whiteness filled her vision and she cried out. She distantly heard Trapinch rumble in distress, and the sound of footsteps, heading away from them.

Spots continued dancing across Hana’s vision. Several more seconds passed before the last flickers of light faded and she could see properly. Irene was nowhere to be seen. Trapinch, however, lay curled on the ground, trembling. A sickly purple colored her scales and she made weak grunts every few moments.

“Oh no no no.”

Still shaking, Hana dropped to her knees next to Trapinch. From here Hana could see several of the spikes dug into her feet and belly. Too many. And nothing in her bag would be strong enough to help now. Gritting her teeth, Hana stood again.Think, think.

She needed to get Trapinch to a Pokemon Center immediately. But she was lost, in an unfamiliar city, with no clue where to head and no time to debate either. As she scanned her surroundings again, it struck her.

Her hand flew to her side and she flung Pi’s pokeball out, away from the spikes. Pi emerged, ears twitching, then started to take a step towards her.

“No! Stay there,” Hana snapped. Pi froze, then noticed the spikes, his eyes widening. “Pi, I need you to try and sense electricity in the air. If we’re close to a pokemon center, it’ll be the only place using a bunch of electricity at this hour. Understand?”

Pi’s face turned grim, and he nodded. As he closed his eyes to focus, Hana stooped down and carefully maneuvered the trembling Trapinch into her arms. “Thank you. You’re gonna be fine, okay?” she whispered softly. Trapinch shifted in her arms and moaned softly. “Anything?” she asked, turning back to Pi. He gave a shrill cry and took off running.

Hana started after him, trying her best not to jostle the poisoned pokemon. Trapinch let out another feeble cry and Hana held her closer, praying to any legendary she could think of that the Pokemon Center wasn’t far. Already she felt heavy in Hana’s arms.

Heart racing, she followed Pi as he zigzagged through the streets. Her chest heaved and sweat dripped down her neck. The minutes ticked by. Just as she was sure she would collapse or her arms would give out, she emerged from an alley to see a tall gray building, lights shining from within and sporting a vivid red “P” on the outside.

If she hadn’t been in such a rush, she might have wept from relief.

Staggering under the weight of Trapinch, she rushed inside, flanked by Pi. She didn’t even have a chance to speak before a nurse seemingly manifested next to her. In a flurry of activity, a small stretcher was brought over by a Chansey, and Trapinch was carted away.

A long, weary sigh escaped Hana. Trapinch would be fine, she would be fine now... Her eyelids grew heavy, and she almost wanted to fall asleep on the spot. She could explain everything later, and report Irene to the cops tomorrow. Her legs burned and her arms tingled, probably from carrying Trapinch.

Something squeaked softly, but the noise sounded far away. Another pokemon maybe? Distracted, she scanned the lobby for a chair or couch. Then she blinked. Everything seemed a little blurry. Rubbing her eyes, she blinked again as she shook her head. By Jirachi, she must be more tired than she realized —

Something squeaked again, this time much louder. A light flashed at her side, one of her pokeballs opening. Hana turned to look. The world twisted and suddenly she crashed into the cool tiles of the floor. The last thing she saw was the frantic faces of Pi and Cosmo, eyes filled with distress. Then a warm, dark haze enveloped her.

---

The sound of slow, steady breathing was the first thing Hana became aware of. A warm weight on her chest, soft fur pressed against her side and arm. Fabric tucked around her legs and torso. The feeling of her own chest, rising and falling, and a strange drowsiness. With effort, she forced her eyes open and blinked slowly as she soaked in her surroundings.

Dim yellow light from a bedside lamp illuminated the area. She appeared to be in a plainly furnished room that consisted of a bed, bathroom, and a window with the curtains drawn. A simple regional map hung on the wall. Cosmo lay on her chest, which explained the furry weight she felt, and she spotted Pi at the foot of the bed.

One of the Pokemon Centers bedrooms, if she had to guess. But when had she gotten here-? She remembered running here and then... she whipped her head to the side, then breathed a sigh of relief. A small bed had been set up on the floor, and in it lay Trapinch.

At first, she thought it was sleeping, but then she caught her peeking out from one half closed eye. As she watched Trapinch, she gathered her thoughts from the night prior. She must have dropped off the injured Trapinch, but after that it was all a hazy blur.

Cosmo’s eyes flicked open, and upon seeing her awake, immediately covered her in frantic licks. A knock sounded at the door almost the same time, and Hana pried the Zigzagoon off of her and sat up. “Uh, come in,” she managed.

One of the nurses poked her head in and smiled softly. “Feeling better?”

Hana nodded numbly. “What happened? Did I collapse or something?”

“You sure did. Got a nasty bit of poisoning. You Pokemon were so worried about you. Your Trapinch, too.”

She tipped her head. “Oh, Trapinch isn’t mine.”

The nurse frowned. “Really? As soon as she recovered she took off looking for you.” She chuckled. “She practically chewed through the doors.” The nurse shrugged. “Well, you’re welcome to leave, whenever you feel ready. The poison is gone, but you might feel a little tired. And there’s a police officer in the lobby who needs to speak with you before you go.”

“Will do,” Hana said. “Thank you.”

A comfortable silence fell. Hana let out a soft sigh, absently scratching at her wrist. She glanced down to see that the area where that Roserade had snagged her left a faint scar on the underside of her wrist. She traced her fingers across it and shivered. Irene’s cold gaze flashed through her mind, and for a moment she wondered what would have happened if...

Hana crawled off the bed to kneel in front of Trapinch. “Trapinch... Thank you. You saved me back there. I don’t know what I would have done without you.” She hesitantly reached out, then patted her on the head.

Trapinch’s only response was a noncommittal grunt, as if saying ‘no big deal’, though Hana detected a sparkle of gratitude in her dark eyes.

After that, Hana quickly set about changing into the pair of spare traveling clothes she kept in her backpack, then returning Cosmo and Pi to their pokeballs. After telling Trapinch to stay put, she hurried out of the room. Suddenly, she felt all too anxious to get out of Mauville. Her gym badge here could wait awhile. She could still feel Irene’s mocking, icy gaze; see Hemlock’s eyes glinting in the dark.

The police report seemed to fly by. She recounted everything as best as she could. Apparently, this wasn’t the first incident of a traveler getting preyed on, each time the explanation varied slightly, but it all came down to the same thing — unaware travelers agreeing to get a tour or guide through the city, and then ending up paying double. ‘Irene’, however, seemed to be one of the more aggressive ones.

Within an hour, she was heading back to her temporary room to gather her things and leave. She was eager to get out of this city and figure out where her— er the Trapinch was headed.

Crash!

The sound came from her room. “Oh no...” she opened the door to see the framed map that hung on the wall, now on the floor. Trapinch stood over it, head cocked, seemingly studying it.

“Trapinch!” Great. Now she’d probably own a maintenance fee. Maybe this Trapinch was more trouble than she imagined...

Trapinch glanced at her, then turned her attention back to the map.

“What?” she grumbled, standing over Trapinch and peering at the map.

With an excited chattering noise, Trapinch tapped her foot on a spot just west of Mauville, one of the many lakes along the route.

“That’s where you’re going?”

Trapinch’s head bobbed up and down, her eyes shining.

Hana rolled her eyes. How had she even gotten the map down? No matter.

“Okay, fine then! But let’s not break anything else in the room please. I have to pay for it, you know.”

Trapinch’s only reply was a smug, yet eager grin.

---

The trip out of Mauville and west towards the lake had proved thankfully uneventful. Hours slipped by as Hana enjoyed the scenery and Trapinch’s quiet company. Soon, warm oranges seeped through the clouds, blending with rich purple and blue as the setting sun began to cast shadows across the ground.

Not much further now. She could glimpse flashes of shimmering blue between a thick copse of trees ahead. Trapinch noticed, too, and immediately took off running, which was closer to an awkward shuffle.

The sky had grown dark by the time Hana followed Trapinch all the way out to a secluded spot near the edge of the lake. She nestled herself into the earth, until just her head peeked out, and trained her eyes on the sky. Mystified, Hana took a seat nearby and let Pi and Cosmo out. Cosmo set to making himself a nest to take a nap, while Pi sat next to Trapinch. Curiosity burned in the Plusle's eyes.

Was she waiting for something? What did a desert pokemon like her want at some lake? It couldn’t just be training, or she would have stayed near the desert. There was something else... but what? Why this lake? At this time?

A gentle, steady hum filled the air. Hana glanced around, but the sound seemed to come from everywhere at once. It began to grow in volume, as if many tiny voices were becoming one, until the air itself seemed to thrum. And then she saw it. Dark shapes, flitting from all sides to gather around the lake. By the faint moonlight, she could just make out familiar red and blue bodies and gossamer wings.

Hundreds of Volbeat were gathered together, the beating of their wings filling the air. A soft cry sounded overhead, and Hana looked up just in time to catch a flash of purple. Illumise.

It fluttered forward until it was in full view of the Volbeat. A tender floral scent tickled Hana’s nostrils. A moment later it was followed by a gentle glow flickering to life from the Illumise.Then the sky came alive.

The Volbeat lit up the night, their lights dancing and weaving together in a symphony of light. Living shapes wove through the air, shifting and blooming into a new pattern every moment. Pictures emerged, then reformed into new ones, always moving, and in perfect synchronization

Hana sucked in a sharp breath, eyes glued to the sight. The elaborate dance continued, looking like the stars themselves had come down to put on a show. Each movement precise, each shape somehow more complex yet beautiful than the last. A strange mistiness gathered in her eyes and she blinked, still in awe.

She managed to tear her eyes away for just a moment to look at Trapinch. From her burrow, she watched, jaws spread wide, the reflection of the light show dancing in her dark eyes. She reared up slightly, rumbling and calling out, as if cheering them on, her stubby forelegs pawing the air. Somewhere beneath the awe and amazement, Hana recognized something else.

Longing.

Her heart lurched and she looked back to the dancing Volbeat. They were building now, their movements swift and bold, though no less precise. The dance culminated in one final geometric pattern, like a series of triangles wrapping into themselves. The lights beat in perfect harmony. As one, they lifted their voices, the song-like cry filling the air, followed by a brilliant flare of light.

It faded, and the bug pokemon began to disperse. Trapinch’s gaze still lingered on the lake. Hana stood up and stared at Trapinch, studying her. She understood that longing now that she had seen in her eyes as she watched the Volbeat. The beauty, the intricacy. The skill. Trapinch wanted to be there in the sky. Strong and majestic and beautiful.

And Hana wanted to go there with her. To take her there. To travel the skies, to have that beauty and grace. She wanted Trapinch to be her partner.

“Let’s battle!” Hana shouted.

As if sensing her thoughts Trapinch spun and dropped into a battle stance with no hesitation.

“Cosmo!”

With a yawn, Cosmo bounded over and took up a stance of his own, facing Trapinch. A tingle of excitement ran through Hana. It had been awhile since she remembered feeling this excited. And she wasn’t even sure why, but something about this Trapinch, and then everything she’d been through the past two days...

“Attack!”

Trapinch put up an excellent fight, and proved surprisingly quick on her feet, but Cosmo had the edge in strength and experience. Exhilarated, Hana called out another command. The battle slipped by in a blink. Minutes later, Trapinch lay on the ground, exhausted and defeated. Yet Hana caught a glimmer of pleasure in her eyes as well.

Heart pounding, she withdrew a pokeball, then tossed it out. It tapped Trapinch’s head, sucking her in. The ball wiggled once, then dinged softly. Hana let out a whoop and jumped up before racing over to retrieve the ball.

She tapped the button, releasing her new partner. Trapinch churred softly and stared up at her, eyes burning with excitement.

“That makes us a team now,” Hana declared. She knelt down, grinning so hard her cheeks hurt. “We’ll travel the world, and I’ll help you get stronger. So strong that one day you’ll fly like that, and the skies will be yours.”

Trapinch opened her jaws and let out a cry almost like a low roar. Hana rubbed her on the head. “Do you want a name then?”

Trapinch nodded.

“A name then. A name worthy of a Flygon.”

Trapinch’s eyes widened and she screeched and stamped her feet.

Hana thought about it for a long time, the only noises that of wild pokemon and the waves lightly lapping the shore. Then she smiled.

“Raga.”

 

[Flyg0n]

Chapter 5: To Rise Again​

“Raga.

Raga.”

The Flygon stubbornly kept her back to Hana. Holding back a sigh, Hana sat down. Ten long minutes had passed since the Alakazam had teleported her to a quiet corner of Mossdeep City, thankfully free from Steven’s gaze, which she couldn’t meet, and away from prying eyes of other trainers.

{Better luck next time} Alakazam said gently, before vanishing.

“If at any point you fail, you will not be allowed to continue and you will be teleported out of the facility.” The officiator’s words wore a hole in Hana’s thoughts. You failed, Hana Saito. Again. And she’d let Raga down. On a mission that was folly in the first place. She gritted her teeth, then forced herself to take a deep breath. “We can find a keystone somewhere else, Raga,” she pleaded. “It’s not a big deal. I mean, it's just a test, there’s probably somewhere else to get them.”

Or you can let it go, she thought. Stop chasing a pointless dream. Except Raga would never do that. Hana’s hand clenched into a fist. So now what then? Surely other trainers had to have failed. She couldn’t have been the only one. So what did other trainers do when they wanted to Mega Evolve? Maybe she could buy one...

Hana stood up, taking out Raga’s pokeball. She edged closer, into her peripheral vision. Raga could see her, even if she was pretending she couldn’t, keeping her gaze fixed on the horizon. “Come on Raga, we need to go home. I have work at the lab to catch up on. I’ll try to find another way to get one, okay? I promise. But there’s nothing else we can d—”

Raga spun to face her, face just inches away, eyes burning with an anger Hana had never seen before. Hana shrank back. Then Raga gave a fury laden screech that almost deafened Hana; and with a few beats of her wings, shot up into the sky.

“Raga!” The name hardly left her mouth before Raga had become a distant green dot, quickly fading. Hana’s throat tightened and her heart began to race. She glanced frantically around, then back up at the sky, which was now empty. For a few more seconds, Hana stood there, mouth open, blinking dumbly at the spot where Raga had vanished. Then she sank slowly back to the ground, Raga’s pokeball still clutched in her sweaty hand.

Great. Now she’d have to wander the city for hours trying to find her. What more did Raga want? She couldn’t help it if getting a key stone was a hassle.

One of the pokeballs on her belt trembled slightly, then with a splash of light, Cosmo emerged. Sympathy filled his gaze and he pressed his cold, wet nose into her empty hand, nuzzling himself into it. She gave him a half-hearted scratch behind his ears.

Slowly, he wormed his way onto Hana’s lap, then crawled up to give her a sticky kiss on the cheek. Hana gave a hollow smile and pulled away. He chittered inquiringly. “It’s just... it’s silly Cosmo! I tried the test, and I told her I’ll try and find another way but still it's not enough. Flygonite doesn’t exist and she’s just gonna be angry once we get the dumb keystone, go looking, and find nothing! I’m trying to save her the annoyance of being disappointed but she doesn’t even care.”

Cosmo gave a low whine and butted his head into her chest. He tapped his paw on her knee and stared at her.

“Yes that's the only reason,” she grumbled. “I have a job to do at the lab. Oliver was nice enough to give me some days off but I can’t just shirk my responsibilities to wander across the region looking for a rock that doesn’t exist. I just don’t want her to get her hopes up.”

He gave a high-pitched squeak. Are you sure?

“Yes. If it did exist surely someone would have found one by now, right? Mega-Evolution has been in the public eye for over a decade.” She huffed and stood up, trying to orient her thoughts. Her gaze drifted skyward briefly before she shook her head. “If Raga is going to be stubborn, then she can come find me. I have to go to the docks and find out when the next ship is.”

She started to walk, only for Cosmo to slither between her legs, nearly tripping her. He grabbed her boot in his teeth and tugged at her, then gave her one of the first glares she’d seen from him in a long time.

Her stomach churned and she glanced away. She could still feel Cosmo’s accusing gaze on her, questioning her. Then Cosmo stood up and nudged her wrist, where she still held Raga’s pokeball. “Cosm-” Her thoughts stopped abruptly and she held up her arm where Cosmo had touched it. The skin still bore a faint scar from her encounter with Irene and her Roserade, a thin line wrapping halfway around her wrist.

She slowly traced her finger across the scar.

Irene's cold tone rang in her ears. And with that came another memory. Raga, tugging at her boots, trying to stop her. To warn her about Irene. But she’d ignored her. Hana’s grip on Raga’s pokeball tightened. A hot sticky feeling weighed on her, and suddenly the buildings around her felt tall, too tall. The memory of her all too recent failure resurfaced.

Jump. One simple command Raga had asked of her. But she ignored her, again. When it counted most, she hadn’t trusted her. Guilt and anger churned inside her.

Cosmo butted her leg again, giving her an accusing and slightly impatient glare. “...You’re telling me I need to apologize, aren’t you?” she said heavily. He nodded, as if to say ‘obviously’.

The thought of apologizing made her buzz with anger. But Cosmo was right. If she'd listened to Raga at the end she would have had the key stone. "You think..." she hesitated. "You think Raga is more mad about that than failing?"

Cosmo nodded again, looking pleased with himself.

Once again, Hana sighed heavily. "Okay. I'll try to find her." Mossdeep was a fairly large city though, and Raga could have gone anywhere. She doubted Raga would leave the city, but that still left a lot of city to explore.

Unless... She looked down at her wrist again. A slow smile crept onto her face. Maybe finding Raga wouldn't be so hard after all.

---

As it turned out, for once Hana was right. One uncomfortable walk later, Hana had worked her way to a secluded beach on the west side of the city. The sun was not quite touching the horizon by the time she arrived. And there, resting on the beach, claws folded under her and tail wrapped around her body, sat Raga.

Her gaze was fixed on some distant point on the horizon, and she didn’t acknowledge Hana’s approach. Even so, Hana detected the nearly imperceptible twitch of her tail. Hesitantly, Hana took a seat next to her. The whole walk, Hana had gone over and over what she wanted to say to her, but now the words seemed so far away.

“Raga I’m sorry.” She blurted the words out before she could question them further. Hana saw Raga’s gaze flicker briefly to her. “Really sorry. You trusted me in battle, to guide you, but when the time came I didn’t trust you. And...” she swallowed, trying helplessly to clear the lump in her throat. “I was wrong. And unfair to you. I really thought I knew what I was doing back there.”

At that, Raga snorted and rolled her eyes.

Hana chuckled humorlessly. She toed the sand with her boot, painfully aware of Raga staring intently at her. “Yeah, I guess I missed the point of the whole exercise.” Saying it now, she felt even more stupid. Of course there would have been some simple trick to the test she would overlook... “I can’t change my mistake, but I promise I’ll try to do better next time.”

For a moment, Raga didn’t say anything. Then she turned her head to nuzzle Hana’s cheek. Smiling, Hana wrapped her arms around her neck in an awkward hug, stroking her silky scales. “Thanks Raga,” she whispered.

When Hana finally drew back, she checked her watch and her eyes widened. “We better head back for real. And I do mean what I said earlier. If you want, I’ll see if I can find another way to get a key stone.”

Chittering happily, Raga nodded. Hana returned her to her pokeball, clipped it back to her belt, and then hurried towards the port.

She had just passed by the gym when she spotted a familiar face. A moment later, their eyes met.

“Hey Taro,” she called, slowing down from her speed walk and waving.

He turned, recognition flashing through his gaze. “Hey Hana.”

“Where are you headed?” she asked carefully. She half expected him to launch into bragging about getting his 7th badge, but instead his voice was serious.

“Training. Hoping a few of the sailors around the port or some trainers around the beach might be willing to battle. My team is real tough but Tate and Liza are something else. Their pokemon were in perfect sync and we could barely touch them.” Bitterness stained his tone. “I’ll probably have to try again in a couple days. My team and I are gonna drill on some double battle strategies.”

“Oh. Good luck to you guys then.” Somehow knowing she wasn’t the only one who failed made it sting a little less. Except Taro would just undo his failure. Her chest tightened and she walked a little faster.

Taro glanced conspicuously at her wrist as he kept pace. “No key stone?” he asked, surprise in his tone.

Familiar shame rose in Hana. “Nah,” she said as casually as she could muster. She studied her steps as she walked through the city. “We uh... I kind of messed up the test. So I’m heading home and we’re just gonna have to find another way.” When she looked up, Taro was staring at her like she’d asked if Caterpie evolved into Rayquaza.

“You’re joking, right?”

Heat rose to her cheeks. “No,” she snapped indignantly. “I messed up and it’s not that big a deal-”

Taro shook his head. “No I mean, you’re just going home?”

“Yeah...” she said slowly. What was he trying to get at? “You only get one shot at the test,” she muttered. She picked up her pace, keeping her thoughts on deciding what ferry to take, and anything but Taro.

“Come on! I can’t believe you’re giving up so easy. The Hana I knew would never do that.”

She felt him grab her by the shoulder, spinning her around. She scowled at him as she pulled away.

Taro continued, heedless of her annoyance. “What about when you lost to Flannery and you went to the middle of nowhere to catch a Feebas because you liked Milotic so much and needed a water-type? Or losing to Winona twice?” He flung his arms into the air as he spoke, his brows knitting together.

Hama grimaced at the memory. Winona’s flying types were unparalleled in the air, and even with Pi’s help she’d struggled against her birds, especially her Skarmory and Altaria. Raga had only been a Vibrava then, and had been completely outclassed in the air. “There’s nothing I can do—”

Taro abruptly stepped in front of her, staring her seriously in the eye. “I didn’t become rivals with a quitter. You dropped out of one of the most prestigious academies in any region to come here and be a trainer. You’re not even gonna try?”

“There’s nothing to try,” Hana snapped, raising her voice. Why didn’t he get it? What was so hard to understand. Not everyone had it as easy as him, what authority did he have to question her!? He wasn’t her parent! “I failed, and that's that. It's over.”

“No, you quit. You could have gone back, at least tried to convince them to let you retake it. You gave up.” With a huff, Taro spun around and strode away.

Hana glared daggers at his back as she watched him leave. “By the land, where does he get off thinking he can act like that?” she muttered. Shaking her head, she did her best to put his words out of her mind.

Finally, she reached the docks, and was relieved to see that the last ferry for the day would arrive in less than ten minutes. Already, she thought she could spot it on the horizon in the slowly growing twilight. She couldn’t wait to get back home, to her familiar house and her familiar job at the lab... Maybe Oliver would even know another way to get a key stone.

With a twinge of guilt, she wondered what Oliver would say about her failure. Probably give her another fable. And just like Taro he’d probably try to say she could have tried harder...

Taro was just being irrational. He hadn’t been at the test. It was simple. They’d said you got one shot, and that was it. Her steps slowed. Better luck next time. That had been the Alakazam’s final words to her. And when she’d gotten off the boat, the Nosepass waiting for her took her to a random flower shop. Not to the test. The first stage of her test had been there, and she hadn’t even realized it. A test within the test.

What if... what if Taro had been right? What if only getting one shot at the test was part of the test?

The ferry’s horn broke her train of thought, and she looked up to see the other passengers boarding. She took a step towards the ferry and paused. If she left now, that might be it. She didn’t think she could come back in a week or two when she felt like it. Her heart rate picked up. What would Raga say? And she knew. Raga would tell her to try.

Hana closed her eyes and exhaled hard. “Okay.”

---

Running at a dead sprint through the city, Hana breathlessly arrived in front of the flower shop from earlier, only two minutes before closing time. “Please let me be right,” she muttered as she stepped inside.

Aphra and Indigo looked up as she entered. “Oh, Miss Saito. We didn’t expect to see you back here. Anything I can help you with?”

Hana gulped, then spoke, sounding as confident as she could. “I need to get back to the center. I have to speak to Mr. Stone, if he’s still there. Please, can you help me?”

An oddly pleased smile formed on her face and she nodded. “Of course, I’ll see what we can do. Indigo, would you be so kind?” The grumpig nodded cheerfully and trotted over to Hana, and held out his paw. Still dumbfounded, Hana took it. A moment later, Hana felt the subtle lurch of teleportation as her surroundings blurred and went white before fading back into view. She was back in the main hall of the Testing Center, although now it lay empty. The main lights were off, and the area was lit only dimly.

Indigo gestured to a door she hadn’t noticed before on the far side of the room, under which she could see a strip of light. Hesitantly, she approached the door and as she drew near, she saw a nameplate reading ‘Steven Stone’.

She took a deep breath before raising her fist and knocking.

Almost immediately, she heard a soft voice from within. “Come in.”

Hana turned the knob and pushed the door open. The sight that greeted her was not what she expected. For some reason she always assumed that the son of one of the most prolific and profitable businesses in Hoenn would have a fancy office.

The room was undeniably huge, yet plain. Her gaze was immediately seized by the hulking giant of an Aggron curled up on one side of the room. One eye flicked open to stare at her, and it grunted in acknowledgement before returning to its nap. A display case along one wall was filled with stones of every kind, and the rest of the room was taken up by a plain wooden desk, behind which sat Steven himself.

“How may I help you, Miss Saito?”

The soft navy carpet absorbed her footfalls as she stepped up to his desk, where he watched her expectantly. “Mr Stone... I mean Steven. I came to ask you something, but not for me, for my partner, Raga’s sake. Let me take the test again. Just one more time. I’m the reason we failed because I didn’t trust her enough. But I promised I’d try to do better next time and I want to do right by her so... Give me one more chance!” She finished abruptly, suddenly painfully aware she had rambled.



Steven gave a broad grin. “Of course.”

Hana blinked. “Really?” Even with her theory about it being another test she’d rather expected it to be harder somehow.

“If you’re back here, that means you might have figured out that the ‘one chance’ part was a bit of a fib. I do apologize for the theatrics, but far too many trainers simply aren’t ready for Mega Evolution, so I had to be sure the key stones I give out only go to those who both have a strong bond and are truly determined. Of the trainers that fail, only a few try to return, and those are the ones I find who possess true fortitude of spirit.”

“So it's just that easy?”

Steven chuckled lightly. “Naturally, the challenges will change a bit, but indeed it is. Sometimes the simplest thing to do is to just try again, Miss Saito. Now, let’s get to that test, shall we?”

---

The first half of the test flew by. This time, Raga was among the crowd of Dittos. Just as before, she could sense it, somehow. A sort of spark when she locked eyes with her.

The battle test proved trickier the second time around when their opponent turned out to be a tough Cetitan. Yet even as a moment of doubt crept up on her, Raga gave her a reassuring grumble. Dodging its ice-type moves proved hard, but Raga fearlessly heeded her every command, even blind.

All too soon, Hana found herself staring down the obstacle course again. The layout had changed, unsurprisingly. More complex, more gaps and twists and turns. Except this time, Hana felt completely at ease. Almost unnaturally so. She’d already failed. The worst thing had happened, and this time she had Raga. There was nothing to fear.

“Are you ready?”

She nodded.

As Steven tied the blindfold around her, she wiped away her mental image of the course and instead focused on Raga. She stepped up to the starting plate. Her heart stilled and her muscles relaxed. “I’m ready, Raga.”

Raga chittered in acknowledgement.

Steven spoke. “You may begin.”

With Raga’s voice as her guide, Hana slowly worked her way through the course. Twice she avoided a hidden pitfall and a shaky platform, thanks to Raga calling them out to her. Left, right, crawl over, shimmy under. The time seemed to drag. Just as she was falling into the routine of inching forward, waiting for Raga’s commands, and slowly moving again, she felt the ground under her change from the soft rubber to solid ground.

A soft chime rang through the room.

“You can take off your blindfold now.” Steven called.

Slowly, Hana pulled it off and looked behind her. She... finished? She turned back around to see Raga waiting for her. Raga’s eyes shone with happiness and pride. “I did it?” Hana asked, half expecting another test or perhaps the ground under her to collapse again.

Raga nodded, then gave a smug roar. Hana pulled her into a hug. “We did it! We did it! Thank you Raga.” Rumbling happily, Raga awkwardly wrapped her arms around Hana.

“Excellent work this time, Hana,” Steven said as he approached. “Strong improvement from before. I can see your bond has grown, even in such a short time.”

Pride burned in Hana’s chest and she nodded appreciatively, resting a hand on Raga’s side. “Thank you.”

“In light of that, I can now confidently present to you your prize.” He reached into his pocket and held out a velvet covered box.

Reverently, Hana reached out and took it. She opened it slowly. Inside lay the key stone - a small rainbow colored sphere, slightly larger than a marble and sporting an intricate pattern within. It was set into a bracelet, a simple leather band. She took it out, and strapped it to her wrist.

The weight of it felt... good.

“So where do you intend to head from here? Are you two still planning on pursuing Flygonite?” Steven asked.

Raga nodded fervently.

Hana hesitated a moment, then asked, “I don’t suppose you know where I could look?”

The long pause that followed made Hana’s spirits begin to sink.

Steven stroked his chin in thought. “Mega Evolution is still mysterious, to say the least. It’s believed that mega stones form in response to surges of the right sort of aura from said species, along with a combination of factors in the earth that no one is sure of. If you were to find one, the best spot would be where you can find Flygon themselves.”

“So Mirage Desert then?”

Steven nodded. “While the main part of the desert has been explored, pokemon keep plenty of secrets, and there’s no telling what lies beneath the sand. Of course, the desert is dangerous territory. I can’t stop you from going but if you do, be careful.” His gaze shifted to Raga. “Take care of her. As my Aggron is always reminding me, humans are not quite as sturdy as we often think.”

“I’ll be careful,” Hana said solemnly. If she went. Suddenly the idea of a trek through the desert for days or weeks sounded unappealing. Still, there was no backing out now. Raga would never let her.

“And where are you heading tonight?” Steven asked. “To an inn, I hope. The last ferry has already left and nighttime is no time to try and cross the water with a pokemon.”

“I’m staying the night,” Hana said with a nod. “But I actually have one errand left, a friend I need to thank.”

Steven nodded knowingly. “Good luck to you both then. Or rather, as long as you have each other, you won’t need luck.” He held out his hand to shake, and Hana took it.

“Goodbye, Steven. And thank you for everything.”

---

The sun had nearly set by the time she left, this time through the regular exit. Turns out, the Testing Center was just a nondescript building near the Space Center. She needed to find a cheap inn to stay at for the night, but first, she had one person she wanted to find...

After a good fifteen minutes wandering around the docks and the surrounding beach, she finally spotted him, heading away from the coast. She picked up her pace, jogging across the beach, her boots sinking into the sand.

“Taro!”

He paused and glanced towards her, as if deciding whether to ignore her or not. After a second, he stopped, waiting for her.

“Taro I-”

His eyes locked onto her wrist and widened. “You did it!? You got a key stone?”

Hana nodded. “Yes I... Well, after what you said I started thinking and realized maybe I should try to ask them to give me another shot. So thank you. If you hadn’t said anything to me I probably would have just gone home. I’m sorry I didn’t hear you out.”

Taro quickly shook his head. “Nah, I’m sorry too. I was pretty harsh with you. I guess I just miss battling with you all the time. Now that you’re at the lab I never run into you on the road. I mean, who am I supposed to curbstomp if you’re not around? It’s just not the same.”

“You do remember I won our last battle, right?” Hana griped, her tone light. “Besides, just because I’m working at the lab, doesn’t mean I haven’t been training.”

“Oh yeah?” A twinkle came into Taro’s eyes, and he grinned. “Then I challenge you to a battle!”

“Bring it,” Hana retorted confidently. Her hand dropped to her belt on instinct, and she grabbed Raga’s pokeball. Without even thinking, she moved back to make space, and Taro did the same. “Go Raga!” she cried.

Light spilled out, illuminating the night, and Raga emerged, roaring in challenge. Taro’s Blaziken emerged a second later, and dropped into a fighting stance. Standing across an empty field, facing Taro...It reminded her of the old times. Traveling across the region, running into her rival, and every day something new.

Without meaning to, Hana found herself smiling.

 

[Flyg0n]

Review reply time!! Rounding up all of chapter 1! If I forgot anything or you have a further question, hit me up on the discord!

Two main notes! First, did you know that the image of Raga outside, waiting with ash piled on her back is based on this gorgeous fanart? (Also from Hawkosa).


Two, despite how joyful I am that everyone loved Pokemon Fight Club in the wild, I straight ripped that off from the anime lol. You can see it periodically through but the biggest one is in SM anime ep 015 'Rocking Clawmark Hill'!

Two Lycanroc, Midnight and Midday, organize a fight club for the local wild pokemon, and Ash's Rockruff is determined to get stronger.
Was a great episode imo.


Now with that settled, onto the reviews!

Spoiler: Nubushi

Hello, I'm here from the Review Blitz.

Right off the bat, I love the way you establish the atmosphere in the opening few paragraphs! The first three paragraphs are all great, but especially this one:

Thank you! I'm really glad you liked the opening. It kinda came to me in a flash once I decided Fallarbor town was where the lab was located.

Just one minor critique, we get the name of Hana's third pokemon, Pi, but unless I missed something, I can't recall Pi being introduced, so I didn't know what to picture even for his species.

Yeah I realized I kinda skipped this. Whoops! Went back and edited. Pi is her Plusle that we see early on, jumping through piles of ash.

I also took some of your other suggestions into account and tweaked the end too. Thank you!

Spoiler: Flaze

I got some dissonance when I read this because the first sentence seems to be in Hana's thoughts or something, but the second sentence is just fine. To add to that since the first sentence doesn't really read any different to the second it's a bit hard to know why it's particularly highlighted.

Also it'll be interesting to know more about this trainer and garchomp! Maybe in later chapters or maybe you can expand on it a bit here.

Yikes! Fixed that error, along with most of the others you noted. Thank you! And yeah, that should have been italicized. Fixed!.

Is the lab really so big that Hana can afford to have a flygon out and about?

I'd imagine so, tbh. Given Flygon is only 6'7 or may 7' max, I think she can fit inside most open areas in the lab. Not to mention Pokemon are fairly sentient in my take, as you can see. So they would know better than to cause a ruckus indoors. Plus, since its a dedicated Pokemon research lab I'd imagine it's designed with pokemon in mind, much like they have an onsite terrarium for the scientists pokemon. Good question tho!

Originally when I read this I'd thought that Raga's deal was that she felt like she'd peaked in a way. Fighting against normal pokemon it's easy to just keep training and get stronger, but mega evolution is something that actively removes a pokemon's limits and it's a level of strength that you can't attain by just training. So I thought that maybe she was in the dumps about that.

That's definitely a part of it! Now that chapter 2 is out, hopefully there's some even further insight, ehehehe.

While I really like this description and how it tries to shed more light on the differences between trainer battles and battles between wild pokemon. I do think there's a bit of a contradiction when you say that it looks like an elaborate dance but then say that it's just a series of attacks and counter-attacks. The first sentence gives me the feeling of something more fluid, that looks as if it's been choreographed, while the second gives me the idea of something messier and more down to pure instinct.

Yeah, I realized the two descriptions don't blend well. Thanks for pointing this out. Fixed! Hopefully this version is a little better.

Spoiler: Sinderella

I'm enjoying how this chapter begins after this seemingly devastating battle. All the allusion to it is really leaving me wondering what exactly happened, what the trainer said about Raga, and what led up to it...and I'm perfectly okay with that. You honestly give enough hints toward it to where I get a gist of why it's bothering Raga so much--clearly, it wants to be able to mega evolve, just like the Garchomp apparently had, which won it the battle. Maybe we'll eventually revisit this particular trainer, and Raga will get to show what she's truly made of, and get the redemption she deserves!

Now you have all the answers you seek! What he said, how she felt, and just why the fight sucked so much :V. Ouch.
Gambits still up if the ugly Garchomp trainer returns though.

Where I do think the chapter needs some work lies in some technical aspects. This might be a little nitpick-y, but I noticed you tend to repeat a lot in the exposition. You also had the tendency to repeat names a lot, in a sense of "Raga did this, then Raga did that. Then, Raga went here." I would just recommend possibly spacing out phrase and name usage, so the constant repetition doesn't bog down your writing. There were also some punctuation mistakes here and there, which are of course easy fixes!

I also think the ending was a tad bit rushed. I sort of wanted to see Hana go through a bit more of a thought process as she figured out what Raga was truly doing out on the hill. What specifically clicked? What specific pieces fell into place? I would have liked to have seen this fleshed out a little more, and I think it'd give a lot more meat to this chapter!

yes and yes, you're right! I did trim the use of Raga's name a bit, and then as you saw, I tweaked the ending to make my intent clearer.

Oh no, wtf did he say???

>:}

Love this lazy characterization for Cosmo.

That one goes straight to @Pen , actually! she added that bit and I freakin loved it.

Just a lot of use of "found herself," maybe try rewriting around this?

Eeek! Yes. Adjusted this as well, I didn't even see that. Thanks!

Your SIMILES are a chefs kiss. 10/10 stars on Yelp.

EEEEE thank you!!

Bold sentence can be rewritten without the use of Laguna's name. We know it's Laguna!

Noted!!

Thank you for all your thoughts again!

Spoiler: Kintsugi

Ahh kint, with your meaty thematic reviews! I'm really happy you're getting in on this story. Thank you for reviewing! I feel like back when I first posted LA I had no idea what to do with myself when I got reviews and I had moments where I forget what the heck I was doing with my own story lol. Anyways I digress, but I think you'll enjoy this story a lot :]

I like how you set up the parallel reactions to this battle loss here. Self-care isn't always about looking away from the hard things in life, quietly insulating yourself from the things that hurt you--sometimes it means looking yourself in the eye and acknowledging that things have to change. That's a powerful sentiment, and one that I don't think Hana's ready to hear, or that Hana's understanding that Raga's ready to hear.

You touched on such really good points. I won't spoil too much but you raise the right questions and observations. Especially about what it means to love, be content, and 'self-care'.

I see some parallel themes from LA coming up here, mostly around the idea that some pokemon aren't inherently stronger than others. I like the way you frame it differently in this story, though--we see the opposite idea from Hana's point of view, with this sort of softer, unintentionally condescending "you're beautiful but also you're going to be stuck in that well forever"--it gives a more clear picture of what a pokemon traditionally viewed as "weak" might want to fight against, and we get to see how this mindset affects the pokemon as well as the humans

Yeah, with LA's plot focused adventure and lighter themes, I feel like I wasn't as confident in what I wanted to communicate, so my intentions probably come off way clearer here (even though they're exactly the same at heart! LA was just written earlier and not as concise :/ )
I'm glad you appreciate this though, I was absolutely aiming for a different tone. And nice! pickup on the 'condescending' bit because yeah, if you think hard on it, Hana is supposed to sound a little condescending.

How would you feel if you were trying to work out and get stronger and healthier but your best friend kept saying 'thats nice but you're fine how you are?' They mean well but there's a difference - and anyways I don't want to spoil too much thematic fun stuff. Glad to see you're picking up on the subtle bits!

It's a big gap from understanding what your friend wants to being able to actually help them with it, but I'm curious where they'll end up going, if Hana's brief glimpse into Raga's actions here will be enough to bridge the gap altogether or if there's still learning.

Eeeyup! That said, I did end up changing the last paragraph or so slightly, to give a different impression. Hopefully this version is clearer. Hana is supposed to think she gets it - and she's close - but the reader is meant to say 'x to doubt'.

Thank you again for all your thoughts and observations! I think you'll enjoy chapter 2!

Spoiler: BasedJackie

AHHHH Jackie yeee! Happy to see you here, I particularly thought you'd like this fic when I was writing it.

Did you edit them?

I did! Pen helped greatly of course, and after what you said I tried to trim the fat as well. Thankies!

Is that fucking pokésign. NICE.

Also, more seriously, I love that Raga voluntarily asks to be recalled. I don't see that often, and it's great for personal reasons to do with my feelings on worldbuilding and lore and the franchise and fandom trope history.

>:]
It's actually not pokesign perse, since it doesn't exist for my HC. However Hana is particularly adept at understanding pokemon, more so than even Koa. Thanks to aura, people and pokemon can understand each other, but usually only to a degree and only with their own pokemon.

Hana is in the field of pokemon communications so there's a lot of details about body language slotted in.

And yeah I think pokemon can break out of a ball really easily if they want to but its basically like a cozy bedroom, so a lot of pokemon don't mind hanging out in the pokeballs.

There's a lot I love about this lab scene. Hana talking to pokémon both casually and seriously, comments on the state of her relationship with Raga, and the general charming vibe. It feels really... peaceful, might be the word. There are problems, but this is a good world to exist in. I also really like 'smooth as pecha syrup' for some reason. I also like that Hana's attitude to Raga's insecurity is really wholesome in its own right, but it just happens to not be what Raga responds to. I also like Oliver! Love that little morse code click concept.

Thank you! This is the exact vibe I want to give for my pokemon world. It's not perfectly perfect, but it's dang good, and a majority of people are good.
A big aspect of what this story will explore is the 'You're fine just how you are' attitude and the good and potential bad of it, and what that means for certain pokemon and their desires.

Also, so many people love Oliver?? Wow!! The morse code bit is courtesy of Pen once again, based Pen.

Adore this. This is 100% my own take, and I'm confident @Chibi Pika will also strongly approve for reasons.

PREACH IT

Seriously though I'm so glad you agree and I hardcore support this like. Pokemon love competition, whether its battles, contests or whatever.

Really enjoy the distinction between battle in the wild and as a combat sport, and the way it does double duty as worldbuilding and characterisation. I've never imagined wild pokémon congregating for little wilderness tournies, but it's a lovely concept and I approve. Hana is a real sweetheart, but pokémon in this fic evidently have ever such strong fighting spirit. Hana, you lovely! Raga needs more ganbatte energy from you!

I love how everyone keeps bringing up Pokemon fight club as something new and edgy and cool when I straight up, just ripped it the heck off from the anime, period. Anyways I'm glad you enjoyed it anyway!

You also briefly refer to Raga as he/him, when elsewhere in the fic Raga is she/her. Oops. But I do love it and it really sets up the story so well! It also works as a lovely little standalone narrative, honestly. Great 'pilot episode' you got here! Excited to see you keep this up, mate!

oof. Fixed thank you.

Thank you for your insight Jackie, hype to see you more and I hope you enjoy chap 2!!

Spoiler: Q

the deposits on raga's back as she stood still, the piles that the plusle hops between.

I'm delighted you appreciate the detail of the ash piling up cause that's based on my PFP in which I wanted to communicate the essence of sitting in one place for a long time, never moving.

on that note, i did find hana herself a little flat—she doesn't seem to have any desires or motivations of her own outside of appeasing her pokémon. her research is really interesting; i think you could capitalize on that to give her a stronger sense of character.

Yeah, I realize she is a little simplistic in chap 1. I don't have any plans atm to edit chapter 1 but I do plan on going into it more on chapter 3 hopefully!

unsure what the comparison to morse is meant to convey. incomprehensibility? rhythm? or are you just literally comparing it to morse without any further implication? whatever the case, i think it could be rephrased to be more clear.

Thank you for this! I see that's its a bit confusing so I tweaked the description. Thank you as well for your other observations, I took most of them into account!