Preface
The story you are about to read is a prologue to the following chapters, which are set quite a few years in the past, at the beginning. If you'd rather not go through the wonder of gyms and early Pokémon, there will be a recap, eventually, right before the story starts to focus on more important things. Old readers should know that as of May 2018, much of the early parts of the story have been re-written, and in my opinion, improved. New readers should know that, due to time constraints, new chapters usually take a month to write, edit, and publish.
It is important to note that while I will attempt to make everything as 'canon-friendly' as possible in this story, I will not always succeed. If you notice any errors in my 'lore' that clash with what's established, feel free to PM me and let me know, all feedback is appreciated. Also note that much of this is headcanon, and is subject to change if Nintendo ever gives us information on areas of the world mentioned in the story.
The world featured in this story is meant to be a fusion of our world, set many, many millions of years in the future, and the Pokémon world. This will be elaborated on in the future, but for now, go forward understanding that some of the people, regions, and names may be identical or similar to the real world's. For example, Kalos may sometimes be referred to as 'France' as well, but the people living in that region don't quite remember why. It's just the name that's carved into a bunch of ancient ruins. Most people in the era the story takes place in refer to it as Kalos.
Also important to note, much of the information about the 'ancient world' (specifically the numerous pop culture references) is only available to these characters because of the 'PokéNet', a similar and futuristic version of the internet. When it was created again, much of the data from the 'ancient world' was lost, but not all, and between books and several websites, the people of this time know a bit about the planet's ancient history. To them, humanity's fall, and then rise with the arrival of Pokémon, is somewhat common knowledge. Again, it will be elaborated upon. Eventually.
I will try to avoid making 'fakemon' a part of the story, with some exceptions as you'll soon see, but don't assume that this means other regions all have the same Pokémon. They're around, but unless Nintendo adds them in, I probably won't mention them outside a vague reference. I also have a series of short stories set in this same world that take place at different times, with different characters, so if that's of interest to you, you can probably find it by clicking on my name. They're all going to be canon, unless marked otherwise, and the ones important to the plot will be threaded into the main story.
Finally, the story will contain very obvious references to a particular semi-legal herb, and some not-so-subtle innuendo of the sexual nature. Graphic sex scenes, should I write any, will be marked at the beginning of the chapter that they are in. This is a story with mature themes throughout, set in the Pokéverse. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone under 12 (In the U.S. at least), so be warned kids, mom and dad probably wouldn't want you reading this.
Without further ado, enjoy.
Prologue
The Gohara Desert – Plateau in Central Eurafricasia
He'd underestimated the locals when they'd told him how high the plateau was. Even with all his skill, it had taken most of the day to finally reach the top of the massive plateau, known in these parts as the 'Master Plateau'. There was a reason nobody climbed up here. The wind was too strong for most flying types, and though several of his teammates had been eager to test that, he had ultimately decided to test himself against nature instead.
Nature, for her part, was pushing back. The wind almost reminded him of Norstad, but it lacked the bitter, freezing cold. Looking around, he didn't see or sense anything for miles. He was alone, on the top of the world. He stared at the fiery horizon for a moment, and then turned his deep blue eyes back to the barren emptiness around him. This was, as promised, the ideal place to train his team. At their level, a sparse field in a forest simply wasn't going to work. They were too destructive, if they wanted to train seriously.
The wind gusted suddenly, and the man growled in irritation, one large hand clamping his black and gold hat down against his head before it could fly off. The hat itself was a throwback, to several years earlier. Most Trainers would recognize the style as Unovan. It was an ordinary Trainer hat, really. Black in front, gold in back, with the symbol of his homeland on the middle. The symbol of eternal balance, a Taijitu sphere of black and white.
His hair, as always in a constant state of 'needing a trim', curled up over the edges of the hat, and he knew he'd need a comb after he was done up here. He hated when the wind messed with his hair, but there were more important things to deal with. Training in this kind of wind was going to be a problem.
At a height of 6,5, the Trainer usually towered over most people he met. He wasn't fat persay, but if his clothes were baggy enough, he could appear that way thanks to his body type. His current attire was the opposite of baggy however, as it fit his form with a tightness he wasn't used to, and highlighted his musculature far more than what he usually wore, but only when he moved. Human-made fabric simply wasn't as comfortable as what the dragon had given him early in his training, but one simply did not turn down the attire one earned at the World Tournament.
The black and gold robe whipped wildly in the fierce wind. The same symbol on his hat was stitched onto the back of it, and underneath, he wore a plain black shirt with a green Pokéball symbol etched onto it. His pants, he'd kept unchanged, as he saw no reason to change them out, and he still enjoyed wearing the otherworldly material around his more…sensitive regions. They were black going up to his waist and crotch, as well as along his inner thigh, but the outer edge was white all the way down. As his robe was tied usually, nobody really saw his pants.
His undershirt clashed with his new attire, which he'd been told was called a 'Haori' back in Japan. Given the nature of the World Tournament, the foreign attire hadn't really surprised him. The Japanese Leagues were incredibly popular, and easy to watch. He did genuinely like the robe, which came down to his ankles, or would have, if not for the wind, flaring it out behind him. He would've felt epic if he wasn't struggling to keep his footing.
While mostly gold, by request, he'd asked for a black flamelike pattern on the bottom of his relatively new attire. An obvious homage, and a subtle reference to his not-so-secret weapon. The wind gusted again, and as he felt even his large form lifting from the ground, he decided enough was enough. He focused his mind, and let the breath build within his lungs, but before he could do anything, the wind suddenly ceased. He exhaled softly, somewhat disappointed. He liked clearing the skies.
Ceased was the wrong word, for the wind still moved his attire with a light breeze, a credit to its strength, given that Air Lock was supposed to remove all weather effects. He looked up to see the long, snake-like form of his Rayquaza, arcing through the clouds. He was, as far as he knew, the longest on record. It made sense, for he was also the first, and therefor the oldest. Or so the dragon had told him. He gave the Rayquaza a nod of thanks, and he could've sworn the dragon was smirking at him. He had no earthly idea as to why.
After he adjusted his hat, the Trainer once more surveyed the area, and began mentally setting up locations for where his team would train, and with whom. As he reached for the camouflage patterned Pokéball, as always, in point position, a voice interrupted him mid-throw. He turned, and stared the intruder down, slowly raising an eyebrow at what his sight revealed. To all appearances, a perfectly normal looking human.
Normal, in this case, was a term he applied to the general masses of humanity. Even amongst them however, this man would've stuck out. The shape of his body was round at the bottom, and thin all the way up. His first thought, by pure reflex, was how similar it looked to a bong, a glass instrument used in the smoking of Leaf, a herb this Trainer was particularly fond of, but not reliant on. Trainers the world over, particularly those with grass types, often shared it at Pokémon Centers, and he was, at his core, a grass type Trainer.
"Well well." The strangely shaped man said, "It seems the rumors are true after all. Unova's Rayquaza has a new Tamer." Alexander Redwood raised a brow at the man approaching from about a Pokéfield length behind him. He'd had his Rayquaza for years. Most people knew that. Rayquaza appeared in the clouds again. The dragon coiled his massive body in the air, resting on said coils, and watched him. Alex knew that through that dragon's eyes, his other mentors were likely watching him as well. Bunch of old crotchety bastards. He did like them, even if they drove him nuts.
"He found me worthy." Alex said as the man across from him stopped, and put his hands on his hips. His attire didn't help his oddly shaped body. His bag stuck out from his overly round hip, not unlike the slide one filled with Leaf before smoking it. Alex resisted chuckling, despite the absurdity. There was something off about this Trainer, but he couldn't quite figure it out.
He wore a robe similar to Alex's, so similar in fact, that it was uncanny. It was white, rather than gold, and a swirl of artfully woven red lines moved to Alex's right around the bottom. When the garment shifted, they appeared to swirl, almost like water, or smoke. His shirt was a plain, smoky gray, and his pants were white cargo shorts, several years out of style. Even his head fit the uncanny similarity to a bong, for his hat was white with an open top, which revealed an entirely bald head underneath.
The symbol on the hat was green, but rather than the normal leaf symbol, or even the spiky variant found in Grassium crystals, this leaf symbol had five prongs, each looking slightly serrated. He shook his head, and bit his tongue. His eyes were probably red as well, and though it was hard to see at this distance, he knew that look, the look of someone who was enjoying the highs a bowl of the Leaf gave. This had to be a prank. He was about to tell the tourist to kindly piss off, when he noticed a familiar, if a bit outdated, stone on the strap of the man's bag. A legitimate Trainer, apparently, despite his appearance.
"I assume you're here for a battle, then?" Alex smirked. He heard Rayquaza in his head, offering to deal with the intruder via their linked telepathy. He wasn't the only dragon requesting a chance to drive this strange man off, but Alex ignored them, for the moment. The fact that he hadn't sensed this man had piqued his interest, something many Trainers unfortunately failed to do these days. Being in the world's top tier of Trainer could be rather boring, and after the World Tournament, many people recognized him, but only a few actually wanted to battle. He couldn't really blame them.
The man nodded. "My name is Clarence. Grass type user. The best grass type user, I'd wager. I've beaten all the others that are of note. All except you." Alex nodded, understanding. Of course. He was here for Terra. Everyone wanted a piece of the fabled 'Yggdrasil', and his legendary defense.
"I'm not strictly a grass type user." Alex said, flaring his robe open as he began reaching for the power, deep within. He kept his eyes from flaring blue though, he had just enough for a battle connection with his first Pokémon. Clarence eyed the collection of balls on his belt with a cursory examination, but his focus was on the camouflage patterned one still in Alex's hand.
"I'm aware…your team is rather impressive, I admit, but I've seen plenty of impressive teams. You heard me, Redwood. I didn't come to this Arceus-forsaken wasteland for your Charizard. I want your Torterra." The man was smirking, but Alex pinched his brow, and sighed.
"Everyone thinks they can handle my Torterra." He said, looking up again, and then gestured at the field. "But, you're in luck. This is actually a battlefield that could handle him. He might only break half the plateau."
The smirk disappeared, and what replaced it was hard to make out. Fear, perhaps? Constipation? "Break half of the Master Plateau? You're overselling, Redwood. I'm ready to buy, too much, and I'll lose interest. And then who will be left to challenge you? Who would take the risk?"
The smirk left Alex's face as well. "You incorrectly assume that the rest of my team is as wild as Shruikan. He's a dragon. Honestly, it's like you people forget what they're best known for. Ferocity in battle." The mood had shifted, at least for Alex and his team, who were connected by a series of mental links, stemming from their Trainer and forming a mental web of sorts. They did not take kindly to people who insulted members of their family. Alex kept their anger in check, however. There would be time to use it.
Before more words were exchanged, Clarence drew, and threw his own Pokéball. "Brute Root! This is the Trainer. Prepare for battle!" The Venusaur let out an impressive roar as the flash of light that accompanied its arrival faded. It was certainly one of the stronger male specimens Alex had seen, and unique in that his ten serrated-edged petals were a deep forest green, rather than pink.
A quick glance told Alex that this Venusaur, for whatever reason, was a pure grass type. There was no poison typing with it, which only further increased the strangeness of this Trainer. Pure grass type Venusaur weren't unheard of, but they were usually ancient, wild, and responsible for breeding many Bulbasaur. Such offspring would then go into the world, and usually acquire the poison typing from the pollution human cities still produced, despite their best efforts to stymie it.
"Impressive," Alex said, nodding at the Venusaur. Old memories of another Venusaur, who had, now that he thought about it, also been a pure grass type, rose to the surface of his mind. Sadness accompanied them. "I still don't think he can handle Terra, though…recall him. I don't want to hurt such a unique Venusaur. They're a favorite of mine…"
Clarence's expression shifted to a grin. "I know." Before Alex could ask what that meant, the Trainer opposite him pressed two fingers to his key stone, and Alex sighed. Evidently, this battle was happening, despite his warning. Oh well. He'd tried.
"Respond to my heart! Beyond Evolution! MEGA EVOLVE!" Clarence shouted, as his Venusaur climbed to the next level of power in a long, drawn out sequence that really wasn't needed.
"Are you done?" Alex asked, once the Venusaur was finished. It certainly looked impressive, and he had to admit he was curious as to why it radiated a familiar Stunky-esque scent from its newer, larger petals, but he still knew it was no match for Terra. Then again, he'd been wrong before.
"Saaaauuuur!" The Mega Venusaur roared a challenge that one didn't need psychic powers to interpret. Alex glanced down at his belt, feeling a twitch from Terra's ball. He'd been called out by a fellow grass type, and was more than willing to put this Venusaur in its place.
Alex shrugged. "It seems Terra wants to accept your challenge. Very well." Clarence raised a brow as his opponent snapped his fingers, and in a flash of green, a large Torterra appeared on the barren, rocky field.
Terra was everything one expected a titanic earth turtle to grow into. Like his Trainer, he had grown larger over the course of their adventures, and had to be pushing, in Clarence's estimate, eight hundred pounds. Minimum. His legs were not dissimilar to the species of tree in his Trainer's surname. Large, thick, and sturdy. His shell was massive, easily large enough to ride, or camp on. The Ash tree on said shell was also large enough for a pair of Decidueye to roost comfortably, and the massive spikes on the right side of the shell were mirrored by three more on the left. That, more than anything, set Terra apart from his species, though such growths weren't unheard of. Moss covered each spike, and gave the massive turtle the appearance of a Pokémon in his prime.
Despite all of that, Clarence appeared undeterred, as did his Venusaur. As impressive as Terra was, he was still just a Torterra. Terra looked back at his Trainer once he took stock of his opponent, and was seemingly unimpressed. "Torterra?"
Alex shrugged. "If you want. There's no reason to restrict yourself. This time." "Terra." The earth turtle nodded, and then began to glow green, as a green light surrounded his Trainer, and then himself. With that, the already massive Pokémon began to evolve.
His form shifted in the light, the tree on his back moved to the center of its shell, expanding into a passable depiction of Yggdrasil itself, additional spikes appeared around the entirety of the shell. The white horns on either side of his head grew longer, sharper, and the green that usually covered his head became white, connecting to his new head spikes, and forming a helmet of sorts. His tail lengthened as well, and a pair of deadly looking spikes on either side of the now clubbed tip shot out, just as long and sharp as the pair on his head. The massive Torterra roared, and slammed the ground with said tail.
"Last chance." Alex said, grinning as the entire plateau seemed to shake. "I really don't want to injure your Venusaur. Now you know I'm not overselling. Recall him, and we'll enjoy a bowl instead. Something tells me you'd like that." He couldn't help chuckling now, this was too ridiculous.
Clarence's hand moved, by pure instinct at the offer of Leaf, towards his Venusaur's ball, and then it stopped. He grinned. "Fascinating. No Key Stone…no command…it just changed on its own. I didn't believe it. I guess Plate Crystals can cause Mega Evolution."
Alex raised a brow from under his hat. "This isn't exactly new information…people have been using plates and crystals from said plates for this for…years, now. Have you been living under a rock?"
Clarence stiffened, and his Venusaur looked back at him. "Something like that… years, eh? Hmmm…let's just say that, where I come from, Mega Evolution in general is…a touchy subject."
Alex nodded. With the explosion of new Mega Forms had come new problems. That much energy coursing through a Pokémon, the energy of the Alpha Pokémon himself, could have damaging side-effects. Without proper mastery, the Mega Forms could go berserk, and long-term usage could even, in the case of Scizor, cause fatal melting.
As he'd had something of a hand in making Mega Evolution so easily available, Alex had also taken steps to find a solution to that particular issue. It hadn't been easy, but the results spoke for themselves: a world in which a Trainer, once they had a proper bond, could Mega Evolve their beloved partner without worrying about killing them. Normally, the influence of one Trainer wouldn't have much of an effect, but after it was discovered that his method actually worked, many Trainers chose to learn it, rather than risk hurting their Pokémon. Those were the people he gladly taught the technique.
Those who only cared about using their Pokémon as a weapon, with unlimited access to the most powerful evolution phenomenon yet discovered, and there were many, had not been taught the technique. He had suspicions a few had found ways around that, but for the most part, the scum of the earth was kept from limitless power. Many countries had still opted to forbid Mega Evolution in their Leagues, but he hoped that someday, they'd change their minds. He'd travel to all of them, if he had to. Everyone deserved to battle on the same level, if they could handle such a thing.
"I understand." Alex said, finally, "But where I come from, it's been found to be harmless, now that we understand it." The problem with energy had been a uniquely crystal/plate based phenomenon. Several Kalos Trainers had discovered that using Mega Stones limited the damage their partners sustained, enough to be safely ignored. That had, if he was being honest, been what led Alex to his own discovery of keeping the power of Arceus from melting his creations. Either way, they were still nowhere near as useful.
"I will admit…" Clarence said, eyeing Terra, "I was seriously tempted to take your offer. That Torterra is…well, look at him!" Terra slammed the ground again, though whether it was for effect or a result of impatience, Alex couldn't tell. Probably a bit of both.
"Impressive as you both are, it's not important. I don't care how many badges you have, or how many regions worship the ground you walk on, oh future Tamer of Arceus." Clarence said through a smirk, "I will have the battle I came for!" "Saaauuuur!" Brute Root echoed his Trainer.
Alex sighed again. They really weren't backing down. "Alright. Fine." He said, finally giving in. He turned his hat backwards, the Grassium and Groundium crystals that were a part of the strap that held the hat in place, now obvious. He gave his usual smirk as he spoke. "Don't say I didn't warn you."