The tournament was a success. Thirty two heroes from the seven regions Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Orre, Sinnoh, Unova, and Kalos had competed in a battle of the legendary heroes and friends. It was a close match, but Rosa Spryte had come out victorious in the end, beating Leaf Green-Ardour in a seven-on-seven match. Leaf's young daughter, Sun Ardour, who took third place, was congratulating the older girl for her win.
"You must be a goddess, to beat my mother. I didn't know anyone could beat her!" Sun said.
"Well… not a goddess, but I've certainly got a lot of talents no-one else has," Rosa said to Sun.
"Modest, as well? I don't care what you think: you are definitely a goddess! You want to come visit us sometime? I'd like to befriend you!" Sun said. Rosa beamed. Although Sun thought nothing of it, being able to understand Rosa's words was a rare gift that not even her boyfriend had at the same level as her.
"I'd like to befriend you, too," Rosa said, kissing Sun on the cheek. Sun giggled lightly. Leaf and her husband Red Ardour walked over to them, and Leaf curtsied in Rosa's direction.
"You should teach me how to fight like that sometime. It shames me to admit I don't remember how anymore…" Leaf said. Red was silent. He stepped forward, and held out one hand. Rosa shook it.
"Rosa! There you are!" Nate Joy said. He ran up to his girlfriend, and gave her a massive, proud hug. Rosa giggled, and accepted it. Nate had no real hard feelings about being eliminated by Rosa, not after this win.
"Oh, is this your husband?" Leaf asked.
"No, not yet. We're not old enough," Rosa told her. Leaf looked between the couple.
"Let me know when the wedding's on," Leaf said. Rosa nodded.
Whitney Rosemary-Feyre was fawning over Brendan and Courtney Skye's child, Blaise. Courtney was watching the Gym Leader bemusedly, while Jasmine Ress-Feyre was cooing over Whitney's shoulder.
"You two want a kid?" Courtney asked, after she had seen enough of the two.
"I do, not sure about Jasmine here. But we're taking it slow with our husband… the kid's dumb enough to make us question our own values," Whitney said, passing Blaise back to Courtney. Courtney nodded and accepted Blaise, before looking back up.
"Wait… your husband, singular?" she asked. Whitney nodded.
"Ethan found himself in love with both of us. We told him that he needed to choose between us. He asked why. …Still trying to figure out an answer to that," Jasmine explained.
"Jasmine, don't question it," Whitney told her. "We both get the same guy: he's adorable, he's unstoppable, he's vulnerable. As far as I'm concerned, we're set."
Whitney and Jasmine turned to Ethan, who was doing some catching up with Kris Sylva. Kris had taken an apprenticeship to Leaf, and between that and Ethan managing to get two wives, the two old travelling buddies had a lot to catch up on. Neither of them was jealous of Kris. Neither of them could really say they were jealous of another girl again, to be honest.
Calem Amor lay his girlfriend Serena across his lap, and started stroking her hair gently. Serena moaned quietly. Calem was devoting his young adulthood to the moments like this: when his girlfriend was a young object of his affections, and not the empty shell her father had carved from her childhood. Despite this, he still eagerly awaited the day he could enter a pure marriage with Serena, untainted by the horrors Serena craved.
"Still no good?" Shauna Sagaci asked. Calem looked up. After three years of complete silence from his own foster niece, she was remarkably blasé about their falling out. Although Calem had the perfect explanation for Shauna's nonchalance, it still pained him to see his first pride and joy become so detached. One of the pains of being immortal, Calem guessed.
"Shauna, Serena has spent sixteen years tortured, dehumanised and traumatised. She's not going to throw that off in three years," Calem said.
"Calem, I know three years is a long time for you. You don't have to be so prickly about it," Shauna said. Calem blinked.
"You were way too young to become immortal," Calem said. Shauna was preparing a retort, before Serena started to stir in Calem's lap.
"Shauna?" she asked. Calem and Shauna looked down at the girl.
"Shauna? I'm sorry for how I acted… I'm sorry for driving you away… I'm sorry…" Serena said. Shauna smiled, and gave Serena an awkward hug.
"The fault is mine, Serena. I didn't take the time to assure you that I know the risks and faults of immortality, and accepted them. I should've done that. But you didn't drive me away. I found something rather pressing, and I've made it my mission to attend to it. Even if it takes me your lifetime to accomplish, there is something I must do," Shauna said.
"You haven't done that yet?" Calem asked.
"It took me a while to get started, and my time was spent watching and planning my move. This tournament has, in fact, been a huge help in setting my accomplishment up for the future," Shauna said.
"…Glad to know you're doing well for yourself," Calem said, lightly kissing Shauna on the forehead.
"Thank you. If you don't mind, however, I'm going to need to get going again. Got to accomplish my mission!" Shauna said. She turned about on the spot, and left the tournament. Calem watched her go, looking with pride at the young girl he had a hand in creating.
Ashley Honeybase and Michael Snagg sat at one side. The four citizens of Orre were unheard of, due mostly in part to the lack of a regional championship, but Cipher was also to blame. It had surprised the small family that they had been invited to this tournament at all. It surprised them a lot more to see a young-looking woman, Hilda Lostfinder, plop down next to them.
"Who are you?" Ashley asked.
"The name's Hilda. I'm an amazingly competent fighter around here," she replied. Wes and Rui Snagg came over to sit beside their son, and looked up and down the newcomer. Summer the Espeon did likewise.
Yeah, her intentions are pure. In fact, she's guarding another one like you, Summer said. Hilda raised an eyebrow.
"Another… like you? You mean… like Rosa?" Hilda asked. She had become mildly acquainted with the four, and knew, at least, that none of them was a Pokémon.
Wes… we've gotta tell her, Summer said. Rui rolled her eyes.
"If you hadn't blabbed, we wouldn't have to!" she said. She took in a breath, and looked Hilda in the eye.
"Wes has been modified to throw harder punches. In essence, he has the blood of a Hitmonchan flowing through his veins," Rui explained. Hilda nodded, thoughtful. She vaguely wondered whether the man responsible for Wes's punching arm was also responsible for Rosa. She wasn't one to care: anyone responsible for any sort of human-Pokémon merging was going to get seamitared, no questions asked until later.
Dawn Moisell followed the woman through the hallways of Pokémon Tech. Shortly after her elimination from the tournament, she had left with Katherine Ragon, the sponsor of the event. She had intended it as a trap for a select few of the participants, but even with Dawn's help, she had been outnumbered. She had overburdened herself, and it was lucky for her to escape the Champions' wrath. She had stayed past the date of her failure to hire Dawn to Pokémon Tech, before leaving the region of Unova.
Pokémon Tech, despite Dawn's first impressions, was not a schooling institute. It was a research laboratory delving into the secrets of Pokémon and their very foundations. Katherine passed through the corridors with ease, despite the fact that Dawn's head was racing at every turn Katherine did and did not make. Katherine eventually entered a room that evoked a foyer, despite being entrenched within the building. Sitting on a chair across the room was a man, cast entirely within shadow.
"Katherine… you're late. I expected you yesterday," the man said. Seven words and Dawn was already terrified of this guy.
"I am sorry, master. I stayed a day longer in the Pokémon Masters' to recruit someone new to our cause. She was participating in the Masters', and I needed her to be eliminated before we left," Katherine explained. The man in the chair nodded. At least, Dawn thought he looked like he was nodding.
"If you recruited this woman, then your delay is forgiven. Give me more warning in the future," he said. Katherine nodded. The man at the end of the hall stood up, and stepped into the light.
"Dawn, Champion of Sinnoh and new recruit to Team Surge… my name is Tslye Laromi. Perhaps you've heard of me under a different title…"
Tslye led Dawn and Katherine to a small room behind his chair. Dawn was still looking Tslye up and down. He had a passing familiarity to her, but Dawn couldn't place it. And what person did she know by something other than his name?
"Dawn, there is no need to be so confused. Surely you have heard unsavoury tales about me from that ungrateful boy and his stolen property?" Tslye asked. Dawn shook his head. She didn't know anyone like this.
"Must I spell it out to you? Well, I suppose it might be a bit too much to ask of your memory… did you notice who Katherine was aiming for when she struck the Masters'?" Tslye asked.
"You mean that affronting little Ninetales? Her? What would anyone want with her?" Dawn asked.
"That Ninetales, as you call her, is my flesh and blood. She is my rightful property. But that racing wench disagreed. She struck me with her Rhyhorn, and stole away with the girl. Roughly a week later, I found my right had become the Champion of Kalos. Everyone calls her Serena, for some reason. I don't know why: she doesn't have a name. She doesn't need one," Tslye explained.
"So… you want Serena? That can be arranged: she's hiding in the Pokémon Village in Kalos' Winding Woods. She said as much herself. I can go and show that entitled little Ninetales a taste of the real world…" Dawn said, grinning excitedly. "So, just checking, what resources do I have to concoct a plan?"
"Our team of scientists is led by a woman called Kaiah Sofé. Call upon her if you have need of anything. With a few exceptions, if she can't source it, Team Surge as a whole cannot source it. Now Jane there will show you to your room. If you don't mind, I need to have a conversation with Katherine here," Tslye told her. Dawn nodded. Ideas for kidnapping Serena were flowing through her head already.
Sun appeared in front of the quite Unovan home. Hilbert, Hilda, Nate and Rosa had set up their home outside Aspertia City. Sun gently knocked on the door, and entered the house.
"Sun? You're Leaf's child, aren't you? Where's Leaf?" Hilbert Lostfinder asked.
"I don't need mum to escort me everywhere. My Alakazam's boyfriend is Leaf's Alakazam, and we do just fine based on that," Sun said. She held up a small package.
"There was also a woman coming up to your house with this. Don't know what it is," Sun added. Hilbert nodded, and set the package to one side. He turned back to his cooking, to find it ready.
The group of five had all set up for lunch, eating with only small talk. Hilda was talking her through the epic tale of her defeating the vile Ghetsis with the aid of her brother. Sun was hanging on to Hilda's every word until after the plates were cleared.
"Rosa, a package came in just before lunch," Hilbert said, laying the package on the table. Rosa unwrapped it, and found some sort of food item within. It's odour stung the Lostfinders, Nate and Sun, but not Rosa.
"Please don't tell me you won that for beating the Masters'…" Sun said. She thought back to her own placing in the tournament. Were it not for Rosa, she might've won that… no, she would've lost to her mother.
"No… what was the reward for that, anyway?" Nate said. Rosa looked at the food oddly. Her nose was dilating. Drool was forming at the corners of her mouth.
"If it's appealing to Pokémon, just eat it already!" Sun called out. Rosa was prepared to react hurt, before the food had her senses completely. She dived into the food, gorging it whole. Hilbert, Hilda and Sun all turned away in horror. Nate was more concerned with the primal urges Rosa was exerting.
"Rosa… Rosa, honey, are you all right?" Nate asked. Sun looked back. Like her mother, Sun saw absolutely no reason for Nate and Rosa to not be married. Rosa was looking at Nate with a hungry expression in her eye. Hilda had turned back in time to realise what was happening to Rosa. She leaped across the table, knocking it aside, and grabbed onto Rosa. Rosa was struggling against Hilda with all her effort.
"Rawr, Rosa rosa, rawr!" she hissed. Sun's eyes widened.
"That's… not normal…" Nate said. He stepped closer to Rosa. Rosa broke free of Hilda, and started viciously hugging Nate. Hilda pried Rosa off again, and sent out her Excadrill Drill. Rosa roared, and sent an Earth Power-like attack at Drill.
"Hilda! Let her go! She's not going to hurt me… she's trying to get to me. Count to ten, and then let Rosa completely go. Sun, come with me for a second…" Nate said. He clambered up the stairs, and ran into his and Rosa's joint room. Nate gave Sun hurried instructions, and ran into the room. Right on cue, Rosa shot up the stairs, into the room, and on top of Nate. Sun took a moment to affirm that yes, Nate was completely safe, before slamming the door shut, and locking it. She returned to the ground floor.
"What happened?" Hilda asked, massaging her arms.
"Whatever it was that was in that food Rosa got is driving her wild. She's reduced to kill-or-be-killed instinct, attacking everyone to get to her mate. I've gotta tell mum! She'll know what to do!" Sun said. She sent out her Altaria, and hopped aboard. She flew off to Kanto with haste.
Serena perched in a chair at her own table. Calem produced a small plate of food, and presented it to Serena. Serena kissed Calem in thanks, and started on her lunch. Calem barely had time to consider whether he was making progress with Serena before he heard a knock at the door.
"Calem…" Serena asked timidly. Her meal had been accidentally knocked from the table, and Serena had shot to clinging on Calem's sleeve.
"I don't think it's anyone who wishes you harm, Serena… but in any case, please don't come with me to the door," Calem said. Serena nodded, and stepped back. Calem went to the door, and opened it.
"Hello, Calem. Is Serena home? I'd like a word in private… about the tournament," Dawn said. Calem sized Dawn up.
"Serena, it's OK! It's just Dawn!" Calem said in a comforting tone. Serena hurried to the door, and left the threshold to see Dawn. Dawn took her on a small walk, out of Calem's sight. Calem grew a bit suspicious of this, and sent out Greninja.
"Serena… I've been thinking about what you said at the tournament… and I can sympathise. I've been in a bit of a similar situation myself," Dawn said.
"You have?" Serena asked.
"Yes. My boyfriend died. His name was Lucas. He was a very amazing man… I miss him. Anyway… I was thinking, in condolences to your own tragedy, I wanted to give you a gift. Take this flower of mine…" Dawn said. Serena accepted the flower, and took a sniff. No sooner than she had exhaled had she fallen to the ground, completely paralysed. Dawn rolled her over so that she could see Serena's face, and sent out her Infernape on a scout for Calem's eyes or ears.
"You have no idea what your life is like, do you? You've got no idea how lucky you are, huh? You think anyone gave a damn when Lucas died? No. Everyone insisted that I take up his dream for him. No one cared that I was horribly suffering: it was just press on and finish a job that was painful for me. And then what? No counselling, no therapy, no dashing knight on a Rapidash. And you? You've been taking Calem's kindness for granted far too long," Dawn said. She turned the girl back over, and started tying her up. Kaiah's paralysis incense would work for only a brief period of time, and Dawn didn't want Tslye's girl wriggling away. She sent out the Staraptor she had salvaged from Alfa's wrath years ago: Bravo. Bravo gave a keening wail, as Dawn set Serena on his back, and put a few more ropes over her, tying her to the bird. She sent out her Altaria, and hopped on its back. She recalled Infernape from somewhere in the village, and flew off with her prey.
Dawn swooped back to Pokémon Tech with Serena in tow. She crossed through the laboratory through the now familiar path to Tslye, the girl slung across her shoulder. She entered Tslye's room, and lay the girl before him.
"Dawn? You've done the impossible already? Way to make me feel inadequate!" Tslye said, stepping forward. Serena realised who he was, and let out a shocked sound.
"Tslye? I had hoped you were dead! What do you think you're doing, stealing me away?" she shouted.
"Watch your tone around your father, girl!" Dawn said.
"Dawn! You should know what it's like to be completely and utterly traumatised at the hands of an evil man! What do you think you're doing, wishing that on someone else? I thought I could trust you!" she cried out. Dawn pulled a rag from her pocket, and shoved it into the girl's mouth. She had had enough of her ramblings.
"Thank you for that, Dawn. Well, you did that so fast, I couldn't manage what I wanted to. Stay tuned, and I'll tell you when it's time for the plan to strike," Tslye said. Dawn nodded, and Serena's eyes widened.
In the corner of the room, unnoticed by either friend or foe, a youthful girl gasped with the revelation of her mortal enemy. She wanted to warn someone, but she needed to see the next move.
Sun passed over the Winding Woods on her way home to Celadon. As she flew, she spotted Calem in the fields, looking around in worry. Sun jumped from Altaria, and was drifted down by Mew. She landed daintily beside Calem.
"Serena?" he asked. Sun shook her head, before the full impact of what Calem said struck her.
"Where is Serena?" Sun asked.
"She disappeared… I fear the worst for her… but I honestly don't know what happened. Greninja does, though," Calem said. Greninja jumped beside Calem at these words.
"Greninja? What happened to Serena?" Sun asked.
"She was kidnapped by that Dawn girl from the tournament. I tried to get to her in time, but that damned Infernape of hers got in the way. Fighting trumped Dark… it shames me to admit it, but I lost," Greninja said. Sun stepped back in horror. Dawn…
"…I've really got to get back to mother. Now," Sun said.
Sun flew to Celadon City at long last. She jumped from Altaria during the landing sequence, and burst her way through Celadon Gym's door. She walked in on Erika and Leaf having a tea break. She looked in between them, and coughed nervously.
"Yes, dear, what is it?" Leaf asked.
"It's Rosa and Serena. Rosa's been drugged to become as insane as a Zubat, and Serena's been kidnapped by Dawn," Sun explained. Erika dropped her teacup, and Leaf missed psychically catching it.
"…Someone's up to something…" Leaf said.
Tslye called Dawn and Katherine into a special room he had prepared for this day. Serena was firmly belted to an operation table, a medical gag in her mouth. Dawn leered sadistically at her. Katherine's eyes were focused on the syringe lying next to her.
"Yes, Katherine. Hello, Dawn. Welcome to my Operating Lair," Tslye said.
"Very nice. So what is it you plan to show us?" Dawn asked.
"That," Katherine told her. She pointed to the syringe. It was filled to the brim with a light purple fluid. It had been the project Katherine had been assigned to completing.
"Yes, Katherine… The Pokérus. It is ready to be unleashed. But first, a little demonstration…" Tslye said. Serena gasped, and tried to squirm away from Tslye. The belts did a good job of keeping her immobilised. Dawn smirked. She grabbed the syringe from the tray, and pulled up Serena's sleeve.
"Dawn, aim for a vein," Katherine said. Dawn nodded, and looked at Serena's arm. Hearing Katherine's advice caused Serena's normally perfect shoulder to become crossed with red and blue lines not normally noticed. She found a prominent blue one, and stabbed the syringe into the girl's shoulder. Serena screamed into the gag, as the Pokérus-carrying liquid spread through Serena's blood stream.
It started with her legs. Her yellow skirt paled into a cream one, and extended long past her legs. Her legs themselves became skinnier and skinnier, with her shoes slipping off her now pointed, milky legs. Her breasts split apart, and a red shard stuck out from her chest. Her arms spread from her sides as best as they were able, squeezing into long points and becoming a greenish-pink. The gag on Serena's face burst off, as her mouth vanished into her face. Her large eyes became larger, and her left eye turned a shade of red. Her long honey-coloured hair shortened, and settled itself over her face.
"Interesting…" Dawn commented. Serena was now a mish-mash of human and Gardevoir.
"This is the Pokérus Mark IV. Normal Pokérus is only efficacious on Pokémon. But what if… we could make humans inflicted? The Pokérus Mark IV works on only humans. It finds the Pokémon that most represents that human, and turns them into an amalgamation of that Pokémon and themselves. With that sort of power… the world will be our Cloyster!" Tslye proclaimed.
"Count me in!" Dawn said.
"You know I obey your every whim, master," Katherine said.
"One question… how smart are the inflicted?" Dawn asked, looking at the girl.
"There is a lot of Pokémon in them. Watch this," Tslye said. He snapped his fingers, and Serena opened her eyes.
"Gardevoir? What is your purpose?" Tslye asked.
…To please my master, of course, Serena responded. Katherine's lip curled.
"And who is your master?" Tslye asked.
…You are my master, of course, Serena said. Dawn gasped.
"You got that arrogant Ninetales to completely obey you? Tslye… you have an army of superhuman creatures at your disposal!" Dawn said.
"Dawn, you are my greatest field agent. I trust you with this operation. Much like the original Pokérus, Pokérus Mark IV is contagious: through touch alone, anyone who is inflicted by this is able to pass it on. I have developed three immunisation tablets, so only us three will survive the outbreak. Dawn, I want you to infect as many people as you can with the Pokérus Mark IV we have!" Tslye explained. Dawn nodded, and accepted Tslye's tablet.
"Let's get started!" Dawn told Tslye.