repeat history tactics amonniad series three

by pauline companion cavalry

Alexander and Ash are trying to recruit agents to help them find Calesthenes and his associates, and their friend, Aria Ray Alphis, knows where they can find them.

REPEAT HISTORY TACTICS

(Amonniad Series Three)

By Tracey Esteron

Leonardo da Vinci

and Alexander Alae Amon

Published by Athenian Academy Books Inc.

1023 Rictron St.,

Pallet Town CA, 12345

Copyright © 1502 and 2010 by Tracey Esteron, Leonardo da Vinci, and Alexander Alae Amon. All rights reserved. Illustrated by Athena Brazion and Leonardo da Vinci

The use of this material in other books not made by the Rock Circle is prohibited unless you receive permission from Athenian Academy Books Inc's CEO Athena Brazion or Tracey Esteron. Any other use is allowed without permission.

To the books of Mary Renault, Peter Green, and Milissa Scott, for giving me more info that I didn't already have.

And to Aria Alphis, for telling me to show her as a supporting role and to leave her in the background. She said that she would merely need to be introduced. She would become more important later.

1: Back to Business

"10:28 on the digital clock,

I know it's late but I just can't stop,

All this jumping around all this wasting time,

It's getting to be a habit of mine.

You would think I didn't wonna get paid,

I'm not the type to procrastinate,

But a girl can't always be well-behaved."

"Hey Aria Alphis, what you doing?"

Aria started at the sound of her best friend's voice. Alexander _always interrupted her though, so this was normal.

I know what you are going to ask. You might be wondering how can anybody, even Alexander, have _two best friends? Hephaistion is enough isn't it? Well, he has two best friends because he's too much for one person to handle.

"I'm just listening to music and testing our new sound equipment." She slid her headphones off her long black hair, and she placed them in her lap. "You know your room has awesome acoustics. I don't even have to sing that loud."

"Yeah. I get that a lot, but thanks anyway. I'm just asking, where's Triana, Cam, and Carn?"

"Why do you ask?" Why do I even ask? As soon as Aria's question escaped her lips, she regretted it and thought it was unnecessary. All I know is is that Alexander only asks questions like that when he's very, very, bored. Bored or planning something, but mostly when he's bored. "Who knows?" Aria had no idea where those three could be. Her bright green eyes glanced out the window, scanning. "All I know is is that Triana and Cam are together and Carn is either alone or with them."

Triana, Cam, and Carn were Aria's friends and were some of the first members to join the Rock Circle. They had been there since 2008, and they were the ones who gave the organization attention on the Internet. Carn had met Aria in high school, and when they attended the same college, they had met Triana and Cam. All four of them had finished high school early, so by the time they were twenty, they had jobs working on their podcast, Gatacast. It was the first publicly acknowledged Eragon podcast ever made, and they had used Gatacast to advertise the Rock Circle. "There's only one way to find them." Aria could tell that he wanted to carry out some random friend-finding plan he had made at some point. Alexander was living proof that military strategy could be easily utilized off the battlefield at any time. "Azelf, go!"

A blue-gray pokemon with a red jewel in each of its two tails appeared at Alexander's feet. She was extremely intelligent, and she loved her trainer's plans as long as they weren't life-threatening. "No need to look," she said, pointing out the bedroom window. "They're down there, um, using either a giant slingshot or a, a, what do you call it?"

"A torsion catapult."

"Right. Let's get down there before they reenact the siege of Tyre."

The two trainers and pokemon went out the door, went down the stairs, and into the back yard.

"Who knew launching things with a catapult is this fun? No. Who knew that it could _ever be this fun?" Cam shouted. His gray eyes shone with pleasure and energy. Cam was the pep-talk guy, having an encouraging word for everyone. He often did their errands and took care of other odds-and-ends.

"Who's catapult is this anyway?" Triana asked. Her light red hair, tied up in a ponytail, swished around her shoulders as she turned and watched their ceramic projectile fly.

"This is Alexander's. Philip let us use it. This will get so interesting when we're gonna try to find them." Carn was just content that Philip, Alexander's father, had let them use this catapult at all! Carn's dark brown eyes looked around the back yard. Good, they weren't caught by... "Aria, Alexander!" he shouted. "Where were you? We've been waiting! And your dad, uh, let's just say, gave us all this free of charge."

"I'm surprised you figured out how this thing works without launching yourself."

"Really Amon! Seven o'clock in the morning! Even now, diss me!" As soon as Carn had met Alexander, he had found the Macedonian to be naturally forceful and uncomfortable to be around. Alexander was continually proving to Carn that he was Alexander the Great, and Carn never seemed to get the message. Too bad for him.

"Hey Hephaistion, did we get all our missiles back?" Cam called. An olive-eyed guy about twenty, the same age as all of them, came running back to them with about twenty ceramic spheres in his arms. "These go farther than I thought," he said, out of breath, "and they're not even full weight."

"Well, according to Usnitch, Alexander's attempted many a saturation barrage before, so why not now?" Azelf posed.

"Because most of these houses are made to withstand a saturation barrage," Hephaistion said.

"Well, they never said by what. Bombs yes, but catapults, maybe not. Are there any walls that need breaching?"

"No, unless you count your walls." The Macedonian spun around to find Adam Usnitch standing there, smiling. "How did Philip deal with you the first time?"

"No clue, probably just because my mother was there. If she hadn't been there, Philip would have been working for me." he mused. "Maybe when I was seven, maybe younger. Usnitch, good luck in not trying to get hit in the head with another twenty pound stone."

Alexander was right. Adam dove down to the ground as a sphere of rock went flying inches above his head.

"This is better than when you chased Triana, Cam, Usnitch, and I around Pallet Town! We had a golf cart and you were on foot and you never stood a chance! Until our battery died anyway."

Darius had been walking past Alexander's house when he saw Adam nearly die via catapult. He was treated much like Carn, but worse. Alexander was always proving to him that he was his conqueror and that he would always be superior to him.

"Darius, would, would you stay out of this!" Alexander was pissed off again at his former enemy.

Typical Amon, Aria thought as she watched Macedon, Persia, and America rhetorically fight it out, again. How do I break them up. She wondered.

Then, Aria lunged forward, grabbed Adam by the shoulders and flipped him onto Alexander's back. They fell on top of Darius, and right before they could see that she was the culprit, she stepped back into place.

"What happened?" she asked with a note of surprise.

"Someone flipped me over," Adam groaned, standing. Darius managed to get the Macedonian off of him, and he stood as well.

"Before you guys beat each other into a pulp," Cam intervened "I have some info. Odysseus and Athena got some intelligence and we know who brought Calesthenes back to life for sure. He and his partner are members of Team Rocket. He-"

"Just say it will you!" Alexander shouted in his ear. "Get to the point!"

"Jessie and James brought Calesthenes and possibly Kleitis back to life to harass us, but specifically you, in your dreams."

"This explains the use of the Sacred band in the alternate battle of Gaugamela," Hephaistion said. "Only the Macedonians would know about them and about how they fight."

"Here is what we have to do. We can't let our past and present enemies get together or get a hold of anyone like they did Pikachu. We should rise up against them. A mutiny! Just like what the squires did." Alexander had another plan. Like a month ago.

"Crap," Peter muttered. "I know what we should do, though I probably will regret it later."

"They will not force us,

They will stop degrading us,

They will not control us,

We will be victorious!" he shouted.

"Songs again!" Darius yelled as everyone continued to sing.

"Operation Locate and Defeat is under way!" Pikachu shouted, stopping the singing.

"Pikachu! Didn't you say that, like, a month ago?" Alexander asked, eyeing him.

"Yes, but this time I swear by the gods I won't betray you. I promise. Let's get to Olympus again and see how your Successors, I mean the Diadochi's, training is going."

"If you need me," Darius said, turning to leave, "I'll be at Professor Oak's place. I want to check on Skiddy."

2: Many an Iskander

"Told you we'd be here!" Carn shouted, stepping out of the elevator and walking across the sky bridge onto Mount Olympus.

"We all know and we all knew you would come eventually." A man standing in the road smiled and beckoned at them to approach. "We could see that shield of yours from a mile away and even from the ground level of this place."

"What shield?" Carn asked, then he turned to Alexander. The shield of Achilles was on his arm. It was a plain silver circle, but the edge was razor sharp, so it alone could be a weapon. It reflected even the smallest amount of light to make a glare that would make him visible on any battlefield or in any crowd.

"How are the Companions?" Alexander asked, looking at Hermes. Hermes, the god of thieves and travelers, was not looking like a god, but just a normal guy, with his cunning smile, who would always cause trouble.

"You mean the Diadochi? They call themselves that since that's what your successors were called. Strangely, Ares was actually starting to the training. He's beaten some of them a couple times-" Alexander's face turned to shock, "but don't worry. They recovered, weirdly, immediately afterward. Not that bad for Ares. I'm just glad they're alive. He stopped though when A26 started to train them."

"Where are they?" asked Aria, looking around the many parks and palaces surrounding them.

"Oh, they're in that park," Hermes pointed to their left at a group of infantry wielding sarissas, long spears. "They've been expecting you for a long time."

"Come on!" Triana said, gesturing for them to follow her towards the drilling phalanx.

"We've been waiting for hours!" shouted A7, putting down his sarissa. "These things are impossible to lift! No wonder it was so hard to train people."

"Well usually they were what, full-grown men and you're, uh, um, not, so it's kind of expected," Triana pointed out, glancing over at who was leading the drills. A26 from the battle of Gaugamela, signaled the phalanx left and right wings to turn outward facing their respective directions. "This is fun. I remember when I did this before the battle. I remember it like it was yesterday." He closed his eyes for a moment, recollecting.

"Well, I can continue the drills from here," Alexander offered, taking up his own sarissa. "Let's do this everybody."

All day, Alexander only saw the thirty sarissas moving left, right, up, and down. He felt the cold metal of his helmet on his head, his silver shield on his arm, and his cuirass on his chest and back. Every other sensation was either there but he was ignoring it or it wasn't there at all.

"Good work everybody," he called, signaling for them to stop their drills. "I need a break; a long break. I haven't done this in such a long time."

"Tell me about it," A23 remarked, sticking his sarissa shaft-up in the dirt. "I need to do anything that doesn't involve drilling."

"Me too," Aria said, removing her armor. "There's a book I think you have to read too Alexander."

"What's it called?"

"Monday with a Mad Genius," she said, "by Mary Pope Osborne. A Magic Tree House book. It was made in 2008, but it's still pretty cool."

"Let's get down from here," Cam said, "and read it then. What's it about?" he asked, curious.

"Leonardo da Vinci," Aria answered, but before she could finish her sentence, someone interjected. "Why didn't you mention this before!" Alexander screamed, surprising everyone. "Besides Achilles, Homer, and Rick Riordan, he's one of my favorite people! Let's get out of here!"

"Wait," Carn asked, "isn't it true that Jack and Annie stalk who they have to find all the time?"

"Yes!" Alexander was delighted, "they have to stalk Leonardo da Vinci. Let's go! I want to read it! Now!"

3: Drafter, Line-sketcher, da Vinci

Ash heard a knock on his door. It sounded like about five people knocking in very very quick succession. That was Alexander's signature knock. No one at all could imitate it perfectly. They could do it yes, but not perfectly like him. "It's open," he called, heading down the stairs. He saw Alexander holding Pikachu and Azelf, and Aria was behind him. Triana, Cam, and Carn were on their heels, running towards the open door. "Why are you here?" asked Ash, seeing how out of breath they were.

"I. Want to. Borrow. Your copy of. Monday with. A Mad. Genius. Mary Pope Osborne. Magic Tree House," Aria panted.

"We want to read it aloud over at Agee's place," Azelf added as she looked at the thin book in Ash's arms. "Is that it?"

"Yes it is," Ash said, handing it over to Alexander. "You guys can keep it, I have a second copy anyway. I really really like the pictures. They're so lifelike."

"Thanks Ketchum," Triana commented as the group walked away and across the street.

Alexander's house was just like Ash's except that in front, sculptures of his pokemon in lifelike poses lined the pathway up to the door. The door was painted with a scene from a reenactment of Alexander's campaigns in a parody form he had done last year. It showed one of their friends, pretending to be Azimilik, one of the governors who died during that siege, being launched off the walls via catapult. Opening the door, the group went upstairs to Alexander's room. It had mosaics of the Iliad on the ceiling and the floor. There was a weapons collection on the wall in front of the bed, and book shelves lined the rest of the walls. A long table with carving tools sat below the left wall of books. Hephaistion was waiting, for he had not come to Olympus. It looked like he had been sleeping. Triana, Cam, Carn, Aria, Pikachu, Azelf, Hephaistion, and Alexander sat in file on the floor and started reading.

It only took about forty five minutes to finish the book, but it was really amusing. Aria loved how Osborne used a different prologue. Pikachu enjoyed the fact that Jack and Annie had the ability to use magic themselves. "That was awesome." Triana commented, handing the book back to Cam. "Stalkers! But cool ones!"

"Who knew that Agee, you Alexander, out of all people, liked da Vinci," Carn said, standing and stretching."

"You know what would be funny?" Hephaistion joked, looking around to make sure his friend wasn't in the room and dropping his voice, "if Leonardo knocked on the door wanting something."

"Hilarious!" Azelf chuckled. "Hopefully like what's happened in the past, it won't come true. Where's Alexander anyways?"

"Don't know," Aria said, looking around. "He's probably downstairs-"

"Ah!" There was a scream from downstairs. "Get down here! Now! Look! Look! Wait no I'm coming up!" Before any of them could react, they saw their friend running in with a look of astonishment on his face. "Someone. Walking around the block. Looks same as Leonardo in the book!"

"Yeah right," Pikachu said sarcastically. "You're probably just jumpy from seeing his picture. It's happened before."

"You're right." Alexander sighed, and he sat down beside Hephaistion. "I mean, it's usually because of coincidence that this thing happens. I mean what's he gonna do, knock on the window?"

Everybody laughed; Alexander's witty humor was why they liked him. Despite his past, they all knew he wasn't such a bad person after all. He did bad things with a just reason to do so. Making fun of himself was what he did a lot without meaning to.

In the two seconds of silence after their laugh, there was a tap on the window. Pikachu reached for the rope that pulled back the curtains, but Alexander grabbed his arm. "What if it's not him?" he asked, potential disappointment in his voice. "Let's look at his description in the book. Maybe it's the same."

"Okay. It says he was "wearing a purple cloak and a floppy blue cap. He had bright, kind eyes, heavy eyebrows, and a flowing beard." Aria read. "Maybe he'll be wearing those, though I'm sure he won't have a beard. I don't know why." Aria stopped reading and looked out the window. All she could see of Leonardo was two hands gripping the windowsill with his legs tucked up against the wall. When Alexander had had his room renovated, he had asked the builders to put hand and foot holds in the wall up to his window. It could be used if he needed to get in or out quickly. "You can look now," said Aria.

"Thank the gods that I made those handholds," Alexander muttered, looking at the gripping hands. The figure's cap was pulled down over his face, but he knew who it was. "Come on up!" Aria whispered to Leonardo.

"Open the window first," Azelf reminded, sliding it back to let the man in.

"Now," she whispered, "you can come on up." The man nodded, and Azelf grasped his hand. Pikachu, Alexander, and everybody else did the same. Soon, they saw the rest of him: his jeans under his cloak, his shirt with a familiar scene the Duomo di Santa Maria del Fiore, his blue cap that once covered his features was now over his light sandy hair. Pikachu and Azelf pulled the Renaissance genius up over the windowsill into the room.

"What a relief," Leonardo da Vinci said, sighing as he sat down on the floor. "I'm finally out of hanging out in open air. Thank you, Ma'am," he nodded at Aria, and she smiled.

"Oh, don't thank me, Leonardo," Aria said, pointing at Alexander, "thank him: Alexander Alae Amon."

"Well, I have to thank you then," Leonardo smiled.

Alexander was in shock and at a loss for words.

"I, d-don't, uh, thank you. I, I l-love your work."

"Who are you guys anyway?" asked Leonardo.

"I'm Aria Alphis," Aria said, "I'm Hephaistion Furissa," said Hephaistion, "I'm Pikachu Ketchum," Pikachu introduced, "I'm Azelf Alae Amon," said Azelf, "and she's Triana Melson, he's Cam Craecis, and he's Carn Sprinay."

"Who are you? Really?" Leonardo asked Alexander.

"I'm Alexander Alae Amon, but I'm better known as Alexander III of Macedon, son of Philip or Alexander the Great."

He watched Leonardo's face. He was first astonished, then fearful, then understanding.

"So, it's true," Leonardo said slowly, "it's true you're here. I thought, thought, you were dead!"

"I was," Alexander said, "but let's just say that here in the 21st century, we have the technology to bring back the dead. Can I have a moment alone please?"

"Sure," Pikachu let them have their private moment, beckoning the others out with him.

The two brilliant minds stared at each other, one with bright blue eyes full of wonder and one with one gray blue eye and one dark brown, almost black eye, both looking curious and astonished. "So, we might as well get you initiated into this organization," Alexander said quietly and he took his laptop off the desk. He logged into his Olympian Files account and began to type.

The Olympian Files: Leonardo da Vinci

I'm here, I'm typing, and I'm still counting types of noses! Seriously, that's actually true. It's hard okay? This will be really hard because I'm writing with both hands, not one.

Smart one! You can't type with one hand unless you're texting or something.

Who are you!

Alexander III, son of Philip II.

Alexander the Great?

Yes.

And you are?

Leonardo da Vinci, cool Italian person.

Whoa.

I love your work!

I love your work!

This is awesome! Alexander, can you, please, show me how this organization works?

If you want. Wait why in the name of your many notebooks are you here?

Running from these people who wonna kill me.

Cool. Welcome to the loop Leonardo.

Hey You're called Alexander the Great, how about me?

Hmm. How about da Vinci the Drafter? Or Line-sketcher Leonardo?

Cool! I'm modern!

"Wait," said Leonardo, stopping the typing, "aren't I supposed to have a magic item? I heard about that from someone."

"Yes you are." Alexander took something off his weapons rack. And so the typing continued.

Athena gave this to me in case I needed another magic item.

"It's a sketch book again and a pen too! Is this like that Percy Jackson thing, you know Riptide?" Leonardo asked in writing and aloud.

"No. It's completely different. Draw something, anything."

Leonardo put pen to paper, and drew several deft lines, or at least it looked like several deft lines. "What did you draw?" he asked.

"The iPad. I saw it on the way over here." He looked down to find an actual Ipad sitting in his lap. He gaped. "Am I dreaming?"

"No, whatever you draw will become real. You can draw anything but another sketch pad."

"I, I don't know how to thank you."

Alexander glanced out the window absentmindedly. He wanted to surprise Leonardo with what he saw. "How about the fact that Jack and Annie are here?"

"No way."

"Way. I've always wanted to meet those two."

"We've been looking for you, Leonardo!" Jack and Annie said, climbing through the window like Leonardo had done. "We thought you stole some person's airplane or something!"

"I'm not that much of a thief."

"Do you think you or Jack and Annie got followed, Lisa?" Leonardo called down.

"Really unlikely, considering what I did while you were climbing up. A distraction." A woman with long brown hair came up through the window too.

"What you did?" Jack emphasized you, "You took ten cell phones and played the ten most annoying ring tones known to man. I still don't know how you did that."

"Hi Lisa!" Annie exclaimed.

"Jack Annie guys! I was looking for you two also," said Lisa. "I didn't know you were following me."

"Hold up," Alexander held up a hand, "who's following you Line-sketcher?"

"This trio of people, two male one female, want to capture me if not steal all my ideas. And they always seem to-"

Before Leonardo could finish his sentence, there was a shout from below them in the back yard. "There they are! Get him! Go Pokeball!"

"Bye everyone." Jack typed. "We're gonna fight them off!"

"TAKE IT AWAY TO WRITE THE REST TRACEY ESTERON,` Alexander typed in all-caps.

"This! Is! Florence!" Leonardo shouted, throwing a javelin he had drawn out the window. The trio scattered.

"What was that?" Leonardo asked, taking a deep breath.

"I have no clue, but I think I know who it is who's chasing you," Alexander said. "I have to tell the others. But for now, let's find Teddy and Kathleen and get you guys situated."

"Already here." Teddy and Kathleen clambered into the room. Teddy's freckled face was beaded with sweat, and Kathleen was out of breath.

"Leonardo," Kathleen said, bowing her head. "It's an honor to meet you. And you too, Lisa," she added, glancing over at the Florentine woman.

"Oh you think it's an honor to know me," Leonardo said, "wait until you meet my, uh, newly made friend. Alexander Alae Amon, son of Philip, better known as Alexander the Great."

The two sorcerers stared in shock. "You're kidding," Teddy said. "It can't be, the Alexander the Great."

"Yeah," said Jack, "he died, what, 2300 years ago? And the archaeologists are saying that his body will never be found."

"Jack's right," Kathleen agreed. "Besides, he wouldn't even know about," she gestured at the room and the scene outside, "all of this. America wasn't discovered back then."

"Unless," Annie said slowly, "the archaeologists or whoever found his mummy, brought him to the United States and he resurrected here with magic or other means. They're saying that the people studying the DNA had put the body in a cryogenic freezer, but the liquid nitrogen started to vaporize. The freezer got warmer and warmer over the course of a few hours and soon, it was about body temperature in there. This had somehow restarted the replication of his cells to replace the ones that the nitrogen had killed. His body started to function again, and his nervous system responded to the fact that he was in the freezer. He woke up, opened the freezer and stepped out and when a guard tried to shoot him, the bullets missed, he went unconscious, and he snuck out. Then, he met Aria."

"How do you know all that?" Jack asked Annie in admiration.

"I read some Rock Circle magazines on the flight here," Annie said, "it was a good article. But that's not my point: in the rest of the issues, it showed how Alexander got here, moved in, and became a pokemon trainer with an Azelf he got from an egg."

"Tell us more," said Teddy.

"Well, in the most recent issue, it shows how he read all about all these historical accounts and how he's basically another Olympian."

Annie then turned her comments to Alexander himself. "You're still as charismatic now as you were back during your first campaign, and if you are who you say you are, then you would be able to tell us any detail of your campaign we asked."

"So, you're going to interrogate me. And if I give you what you ask, then you'll believe Leonardo here," Alexander summarized.

"Pretty much," said Annie. "Let me do this. If I can persuade Jack to do a lot of weird things and make people say a lot of weird stuff, then doing it to Amon here won't be that hard." Annie put an impassive look on her face and turned to face her interviewee. "Can I talk to him with just

Jack and Leonardo here?" asked Annie, "and this Aria?"

"Sure. Aria, can you come up here?" Alexander shouted to Aria from upstairs.

"Sure." Aria came up to his room, then saw Annie's face. "Let me guess," she said, sighing, "she needs proof."

"Yeah."

"Answer the questions please," said Annie, laying her hands on her lap, "and the questions only or I'll have to assume you are trying to hide something."

"That's fair," Alexander agreed.

"We have to stay!" Teddy interjected.

"Me too," said Kathleen.

"Me too," said Lisa.

Okay," said Annie. "You can all stay, but you can only intervene when I say it's okay. Let's see if you are really Alexander the Great, shall we?" said Annie, and the giving of proof began.

4: Tell Truth when Needed

"First of all, when and where were you born?" asked Annie. No time to be playful. She thought.

"I was born on July 20th, 356 B.C.E in Pella, Macedon, Greece. I am the son of Philip and the son of Zeus and my mother is Olympias." Did I give her too much information, Alexander pondered as Annie continued. "Who was your first teacher? If you had to switch teachers, how old were you, who was your new teacher, and why did you do it?"

"My first teacher was Lionidas of Sparta. I switched teachers at 13 since my father knew that traditional mentors weren't working out for me. My new teacher was Aristotle the philosopher."

"Good," said Annie, her expression softening a little bit. "Aristotle taught you common sense."

"How many questions are you-" "I'm asking three more questions," interrupted Annie. "I will be asking them, if you will, Mr. Alexander."

"Okay, yes ma'am."

That got Annie's mouth to turn up into a small smile. Not a sure sign that she was her young, playful self again, but it was enough to give him confidence. "Where was your first battle where you led a large force," she questioned, "who were you supposed to fight and how did this battle's victory benefit you?"

"My first battle was the battle at Chaeronea. I was supposed to fight the Sacred Band. This battle benefited me and my father since it allowed us to go to Asia without worrying about a revolt."

"What was your first major battle in Asia and who was your opponent?"

"The first Asiatic battle was the battle at the Granicus and my opponent was Memnon, Darius III's best general."

"Your last question," Annie notified. "What was your most renowned battle and what part of the battle did your generals refuse for you to do?"

"My most renowned battle was the battle of Gaugamela," said he. "I was chasing Darius off the battlefield and I would have caught him if Perminion hadn't stopped me by letting me know there was another skirmish to deal with. I'm telling you, we could have ruled jointly. However, I would have ruled the larger part of the empire."

Annie stared with her bright eyes. It didn't look like that this eight-year-old girl could get information affectively out of someone twice her age, but she had done it. She had, with luck, seen that he wasn't just a historian recounting the facts, rather that he was actually the one. He was the son of Zeus that so many feared. It was Basiliskos; he was the real Alexander the Great.

"So what do you think now?" asked Aria.

"I sense he tells the truth, Annie. No one would have been able to know all of that so easily without prior knowledge," Kathleen reassured.

"I agree," said Teddy. "He is genuine. Any Greek historian could have said what he had. But, he seems to be much more, sincere, than a historian's account."

"I concur," Leonardo approved. "I know if someone is lying. Their replies are hesitant or if they are not, they are not well formed and are open to more questioning."

"Though the questioning is over, I can not be biased," said Annie firmly. "I'm younger than you guys, so I don't have an opinion of who I am interviewing. However, I see that you-" she pointed at Alexander, "are really who you say you are. There is no denying it."

"Of course! No one at all who is a historian could have told this so easily. Plus, I could have told you more of Lionidas if you had allowed it. I could even tell you what I think about the feats of other military commanders who succeeded me." Annie raised her eyebrows. "What?" Alexander protested, pointing at Leonardo, "he does know people, but does he know war? Of course not! I know war. I've fought in more than 80 battles where I have been outnumbered and I have won. My military tactics can never be beaten as I would rather excel those in the knowledge of what is excellent than in the extent of my power and dominion."

He paused for affect. "I am the only one who has conquered so much. Only Ghengis Kaun could compete. He conquered a huge area yes, but he never did it with such a small force. I can and will never be rivaled, for I am the rightful ruler of this Asia, Africa, and Europe! There can not be two Greats, just the one, for heaven cannot brook two suns, nor earth two masters."

He stopped. Everyone was giving him a look that said, "This isn't fake. It really is Alexander himself."

"Is this proof enough for you Annie?" Alexander asked with relish. I have given her all that I can offer in such a short time period. Maybe even the long speech about how I am the best could have been proof enough. No historian can recreate something like that. What will she decide?

"In the style of the Assembly," proclaimed Annie, "we shall vote. Aye for genuineness, nay for being counterfeited. Jack?"

"Aye," he replied. "Lisa?"

"Aye. Kathleen?"

"Aye. Teddy?"

Everyone waited for his response. He would decide if Alexander's hospitality offering was true. There had to be unanimous vote. There was a pause in the proceedings, and then, Teddy pronounced, "Aye."

"Yes!" shouted Jack. "I can be with two of the most ingenious people of all time!"

"This is amazing!" said Annie.

"I can finally see why you love this year so much," said Teddy.

"I was really looking forward to looking at all the how do you say it, cool stuff" Kathleen said excitedly. "However, Teddy and I have seen all we have needed to see."

"Let's," said Aria, but then she saw Leonardo's face. "What's wrong, Leonardo?"

"It's just that," he said, "there's so much controversy around my Mona Lisa. So many people want to own it. I don't want it to belong to anyone but myself." He turned to Lisa. "I haven't seen you in person since I finished my painting. And here in 2010, I'll spend even less time with you like what happened after I finished your portrait."

Leonardo's eyes were sad and misty. It was clear that he really liked Lisa, but he also wanted to enjoy what 21st century America had to offer. Then, out of nowhere, against all expectations, Leonardo began to sing.

"It kills me not to no this, but I've all but just forgotten,

What the color of her eyes were, and her scars or how she got them,

As the telling signs of aging ranges down a single tear is dropping,

Through the valleys of her unaging face that this world has forgotten."

Leonardo was singing Savior by Rise Against, his voice full of sadness and longing. He had probably heard it while he was on the run, and probably all of those bitter memories had returned then.

"There is no reconciliation that will put me in my place,

,and there is no time like the present

To drink these draining seconds,

Seldom do these wounds in through where I'm constantly failing you,

Walls that we just can't break through, until we disappear.

So tell me now,

This ain't love

And how do we get out,

'Cause I don't know."

Lisa pitched in.

"That's when she said I don't hate you boy,

I just want to save you,

While there's still something left to save,

That's when I told her I love you girl

But I'm not the answer for the questions that you still have."

"How," asked Aria, "do you know that song, Leonardo?"

"I don't know," he answered slowly. "I heard it on the flight here from Pensyllvania. It's just that, that song is all about love. And unanswered questions. And indecision. Three things that plague someone, anyone, all the time. I have no idea what I'm going to do." Leonardo still looked sad, then he looked over at Alexander. They locked eyes, for both had had this experience of being alone plenty of times.

"Don't worry, da Vinci," Aria comforted, "we'll all be here for you."

"And," added Alexander, "no matter how difficult things around here get, as I said, "there is nothing impossible for him who will try." We'll get out there and bring it."

"The best we're gonna do," said Aria.

"We're not counting anyone," said Jack.

"Not even you because, nothing is impossible for him who will try," sang Annie.

"You might even notice how we tribute the best," said Hephaistion, who had come in without anyone knowing.

"It was no one's idea," intoned Triana.

"It'll put this fight at rest," chorused Cam.

"It's just that," said Azelf, "nothing is impossible for him who will try."

Sharing a song with their friends was what members of the Rock Circle did quite often. They did it whether they were playing Rock Band or not. If a good song was playing, they would all pitch in. This made everyone in the room feel much better. Leonardo relaxed. He smiled. "So it's true: you guys do sing a lot."

"It's not just true," replied Aria, "but a big part of our lives for us. Welcome to the Rock Circle, Leonardo da Vinci, Jack, Annie, Lisa, Teddy, Kathleen. We hope that your services will be of great help, even if they are minimal."

"Let's get you settled," Alexander gestured at the group. "You can stay at Ash's place if you want. I don't think he would mind."

"If we ever come back, we'll stay at Ash's house," said Teddy. "However, we were only sent here to make sure you four got here safely. We have to go back to Camelot and tell Morgan what's happened. We'll come back when and if she says."

"It was an honor meeting you," said Teddy, bowing to Alexander.

"You too," said Aria. "Say hi to Morgan for us, will you?"

"Sure," said Kathleen. The two sorcerers said good-bye, and they vanished.

"Leonardo, Lisa, Jack and I will stay here," said Annie.

"Let's settle in, shall we?" said Lisa.

"Man, I have to introduce you to my parents," Alexander remembered, glancing across the hall. "They'll be honored to have you four here. Oh, so will my sister. Cleopatra, can you come in here? I have someone you would want to meet."

A dark-haired girl came in from the room across the hall. She was three years younger than her brother, and she thought that he was the best brother anyone could have. He was kind to her, he always helped her out when she asked, and yet he always had an eye on her. He wasn't trying to be overprotective, but he was trying to keep her safe. "Who is it?" Cleopatra Alae Amon entered and embraced her brother.

"It's someone who you heard about from me who is really famous."

"Is it Homer?" Cleopatra observed Alexander's face. He was excited already.

"No," answered Alexander, laughing. "It's someone more recent and I know where he was born: Florence, Italy."

"Michelangelo was from Florence. Is it him?"

"No, but you're close. He was Michelangelo's rival. He thought himself the better artist."

Alexander was hoping Cleopatra would get it now. He tried again. "His name rhymes with Peocardo da Flinchi."

She thought for a moment before saying steadily, "Leonardo da Vinci?"

"Yes! You figured it out at last! It took you that long?" said Alexander. "Sorry about the sarcasm. I thought that since you love Italy so much, I was hoping that you would figure it out quicker."

"Is this true?" she asked, contemplating da Vinci's bright blue eyes with their long eyebrows, his long nose, his biscuit hair.

"It is," Leonardo replied. "I can prove it too." He opened the sketch pad that Alexander had given him and wrote:

.rednaxelA rehtorb ruoy fo ycrem eht ta dna nosrep ecnassianeR eniuneg a ma I

"If I can figure out what it means," said Cleopatra, "then I'll know that you're really," she gulped, "Leonardo da Vinci."

"Exactly."

How, in the name of Astyages will I figure out what this thing says? She considered as she stared at the writing on the page. What if it's a language that I don't know? I wouldn't stand a chance.

She looked in a mirror on the wall, scanning her own reflection. She stretched out her left hand, and in the mirror, it looked like her right hand was extended. Things in mirrors were backward unless the object was already symmetrical on both sides, like when her arms were at her sides. She held the paper up to the mirror and gasped. The writing on the page didn't read what it did before. Now, it read:

I am a genuine Renaissance person and at the mercy of your brother Alexander.

"I know what it says now!" she exclaimed, waving the paper in Leonardo's face. "You wrote the message backward. Only either a crazy person or a reasonable person could have done so!"

"And what does the message say, um."

"Cleopatra Amon."

"What does the message say then, Cleopatra Amon?"

"I am a genuine Renaissance person and at the mercy of your brother Alexander."

"Yes!" Leonardo grinned from ear to ear. "You have your brother's keen observation skills. You noticed that the writing was in English, but not written in the normal way."

"No," she said modestly, "I did that since it was kind of an accident. I was looking around here for inspiration."

"That's actually unsurprising," Pikachu said, "considering that everyone in your family had to have good observation skills the first time."

"Yeah," Carn remarked. "Not to put a damper on things, but Triana, Cam, guys, do you want to get back to our place?"

"Sure," said Triana, yawning. "It's already five o'clock. I want to get home and make dinner."

"Me too," agreed Cam.

"Even best friends need some alone time," said Hephaistion, standing too. "I'll be hanging out with Melson, Craecis, and Sprinay here for the next few days. If you need me, I'll be with them. See you, Alexander. Good luck, Line-sketcher."

"You too," said Leonardo. The friends went out of the room, and Alexander could hear his front door close behind them.

As the group watched their friends leave, they didn't notice that a man and a woman came in as Carn stepped over the threshold. "So, that's who caused Alexander to go crazy," said the man.

Alexander spun about to see that it was his father, Philip. His black eyes regarded Alexander with appreciation.

"Yes he is. He's Leonardo da Vinci!" Alexander emphasized, indicating Leonardo. "Jack, Annie, and Lisa are here, too."

"Wait," his mother, Olympias, stopped him. Her gray eyes shone with curiosity. "Jack, Annie, Lisa? You mean Jack and Annie from Magic Tree house?"

"Yeah," said Alexander, gesturing again. "Is it okay that they stay here? It will give you an opportunity to take care of the other kids you never had rightfully."

His parents took a sidelong glance at each other. Philip had had many children with people besides Olympias the first time in Macedon before and after Alexander was born, like Arridaios and Ptolemy. With the guests here, there would be less times when there were gaps in their lives where they wouldn't do anything.

"Sure," said Olympias, hugging Alexander.

"Great! We can go down to Professor Oak's place tomorrow to get you pokemon."

"And you know Alexander here," said Azelf, climbing onto his shoulder and nestling her head on his neck, "is an expert in pokemon matching."

"Don't you need to get a starter pokemon though," said Jack, "like Squirtel, Bulbasaur, or Charmander? Alexander, how could you get a legendary pokemon as your starter?"

"Well, I got an egg that hatched into an Azelf. Eggs can make any pokemon and Professor Oak's seeing that not only normal starters work for trainers, but eggs can too. It gives trainers a head start in catching, but not training. You have to teach them moves from scratch, and you don't have anything to work with."

"Well, that's our priority then," said Leonardo. "Tomorrow, we train. Jack discerns, Annie asks, Lisa strikes, and I sketch, to change the world, again!"

Leonardo da Vinci, notebook 101 page 1 (decoded):

I don't know what to think of meeting Alexander the Great! To think, the world's best pokemon coordinator and the most decorated one ever too! I can't say how I feel in any sentences. However, I might be able to convey my feelings in poetry.

_What _I _Will _Do

In the past,

It was great,

But will this be much better,

Only the gods can tell.

I will fight,

And I will invent,

The making of new things and also advent,

The making of new things,

That of so many will tell.

I have met,

And I have seen,

I will be tutored,

By the best,

I'll be helped by Jack, Annie,

The one I painted Lisa,

Alexander the Great,

All the rest.

It will be,

The Renaissance anew,

I will be flexible,

My mind will be playful again,

Tomorrow is our priority,

Tomorrow we will train,

Jack will discern

Annie will ask

Lisa will strike

And I, Leonardo will sketch

To change the world again.

5: Fall Down Dead

"Hurry up, Kleitis!" Jessie was always impatient, but she was now even more impatient, considering what this Macedonian did. He was a good bodyguard, but almost nothing else. He knew much about Alexander, and that was their other reason for bringing him back in the first place.

Kleitis emerged from the back of the shop, garbed in his cuirass, helmet, and greaves. "What is it now, Jessie? I've already gotten you guys this shop. I'm offering up my information about Alexander. What else do you need? Or want?"

"Actually," Meowth said, "We do want something. We want to see where your friend is." Meowth was one of the few people in Team Rocket that had their sanity. He didn't just talk: he was biped, not a quadruped like most pokemon.

"Calesthenes?" Kleitis smirked. "He's not worth the elements he's made out of. He's on yours and my side, not a surprise. But he can be on his own if you had permitted it. He would be okay; he would hire and persuade people to work for him. Just like you."

"Yes, just like us," said James. He had finally dyed his hair not just purple, but it was striped purple and dark green. "The only difference is that he is either an orator or an infantrymen with his sword and javelins, nothing more. I, on the other hand, are a gentlemen, a superb pokemon trainer, and a thief. Jessie is the beautiful, cunning one, who no one expects to do such bad things. But she does."

"Yes I do!" Jessie cried out. "I am the only beautiful one. I am also the one who suggested to bring back you, Kleitis, here and Calesthenes, in the first place. You Kleitis, you're not the sharpest sword in the army, but you're useful for Alexander intelligence."

"Calesthenes is our instrument for our plans," said Meowth. "He carries out our orders and you only do so when needed. Think of it like this. You're the flute player, Calesthenes is the flute. Or, he is the primary cavalry mount, and you are the remount."

"But really," Kleitis wondered, "how did Alexander, get so, um."

"Powerful?" said James.

"Smart?" said Jessie.

"Terrifying and short-tempered?" said Meowth.

"Guys," said Kleitis restlessly, "I'm going to get Calesthenes. He's probably in his room. We need to rethink our strategy."

"Go ahead," James called as he saw the Macedonian turn his back and walk to the back of the `rented` Sports Mart.

Kleitis turned and went up the stairs. He approached the room on the left, Calesthenes's room. In the middle was his room, and on the right were the three separate rooms of Jessie, James, and Meowth. He knocked three times on Calesthenes's door. There was no answer.

"Hello?" Kleitis called. There was no response from inside, no "I'm busy!" or no "Come in, please!" There was just silence.

"Get out here!" he shouted, pounding the door.

"Okay, okay," an annoyed voice said. Calesthenes opened the door, his dark green eyes scanning the hazel ones of Kleitis. His red hair was a mess. What had he been doing?

"Kleitis, what does Team Rocket want me for now? They have already forced us to be their slaves, their servants, their soldiers. We know about Alexander much more than they do. I've known him for 10 years! Why can't we, we, fight him, not them?"

Calesthenes expected Kleitis to say something like, "True! We shall have to deal with these halfwits however. They had the money to hire us and maybe, more people like us. We do not."

He, on the contrary, did something completely different. His face, once its usual neutral expression, changed to that of confusion and pain. His hands clenched into fists.

"Why! What have I done!" he screamed. His coarse voice echoed around the upstairs landing. He reached behind his back, felt at the other side of his shirt. He brought it back into view, and it was dripping with blood.

"What have I done! What-" His voice, at first loud, now trailed off. He put his hand behind his back once more, clamping his palm over the wound. His body slackened. He fell onto his side, his hand still over the injury. Calesthenes grasped his wrist; his pulse had just ceased. Kleitis was dead, again. But not by Alexander's hands, no. By someone else's.

Out of respect, Calesthenes placed Kleitis's hands at his sides and closed his eyes before examining him. He removed the shirt and looked at his back. There was a gash about three inches long and of an eighth of an inch in breadth. A scar that he knew Kleitis had received previously had broken open to make the new cut. He had never told him or Team Rocket how he had gotten it. The blood had run down his spine down to the top of his jeans in thick, finger-width streams. Calesthenes put the shirt back on, and he wrapped Kleitis's body in a blanket. I'll bring it downstairs to burn. He thought solemnly. Though Team Rocket doesn't really like him, he deserves his final rights.

He made his way down the stairs and approached the trio of pokemon thieves.

"Oraudis, there you are!" exclaimed Meowth in sarcastic worriment. "We were thinking you were out of action."

"Actually," said Calesthenes, uncovering the upper half of the body, "that is true for him." He motioned with a finger at his comrade. "He came to get me and, and, he just fell down dead. I performed an amateur autopsy. His scar-" He stopped, uncomfortable to say it. "His scar opened up again and he bled to death."

"So what are we going to do, then?" asked Jessie.

"Are we just going to leave him like this?" said James. "Even we're not that bad."

"I was thinking," Calesthenes said slowly, "that we could burn him and let his ashes travel to the wind."

"That is nice," said Jessie, sighing. "His spirit won't be confined to a casket. Less work for us, too. And he just might be able to get back to Greece. Back to his home."

"I'll do it," said Calesthenes. "Go, Charmander. Flame Thrower. Do it hot, but do it gently. I don't want to set this shop on fire."

Calesthenes's lizard-like pokemon focused a flame at the body. It enveloped it, and it began to burn. The flame grew hotter and hotter until the body had turned to ashes. "Return, Charmander," he said. He put Kleitis's ashes in a small bag before the group of four departed.

The party exited the store and turned down a side street. They came upon a trail that led to the shore of Lake Valor in Estoria City. Its blue waters gleamed in the noon sunlight.

"Kleitis," Jessie called, "though you have died in service to your comrades, you will be honored lavishly, but simplistically."

"You will not be confined to a coffin," said James.

"You will be free, flying on the wind!" cried Meowth.

"We hope that Hermes will be merciful and the judges of the dead sympathetic," proclaimed Calesthenes. "We hope Alexander has gotten his wish. He is dead!" all four of the Team Rocket members cried. "You have your wish, Alskander!"

"We are paying you respect not out of reverence," said Jessie, raising her voice, "but because of your companion."

Each of the four, even Meowth took up a handful of disintegrated bones and scattered them to the wind. They floated with the wind's current, traveling across Lake Valor and beyond.

They turned around and went back to the Sports Mart.

"We have to get back to the boss," said James. He grabbed four small suitcases from the front of the store. I didn't think we would use these so soon, he thought. "We have to get somewhere where we can rethink our plan. We also need to train you, Calesthenes to use different weapons."

"True," said the historian. "Forget the boss. This is our plan now. Where will we go?"

"Oh quite far," said Jessie. "To Saffron City. I heard there's a gym leader there who can help us."

"Sebrina, sure. But after we take care of a little business with the twirps. We'll go to Saffron City on Sunday. But now, we visit the supposed Great."

Jessie, James, Meowth, and Calesthenes walked through the back door of the store, and they slipped into a small white car. It had a red R on each of its doors. Jessie took the wheel. "Time to rethink while on the road," she said. The four of them buckled up, and Team Rocket and Calesthenes Oraudis drove out of Estoria City.

"Do you think it worked?" Odysseus peeked out from behind the car, looking up into Calesthenes's window.

"It did," said Athena, pulling her long blonde hair out of her face to look too. "The dart curved around Kleitis into his back, as you predicted. For once, a goddess is working for a mortal," she said coldly. "But, I don't regret it. If I had shot the dart, it would have given a sign that I was there like a glow or something."

"But we used you, Odysseus." said Achilles, taking his goggles off from around his light green eyes. These goggles were a gift from Athena. They allowed him to see through the Mist, the magic enchantment that disguised things like monsters and gods. "By using you, this allowed us to make a discrete kill. Kleitis's remains were burned and scattered to the wind. A very solemn ceremony for Team Rocket."

Odysseus's bright sapphire eyes shone with excitement at what they had done: his first successful assassination. Just like Assassins Creed, except in real life. They had done a beneficial service for the Rock Circle and a negative one for Team Rocket. Now, Jessie, James, and Meowth would have to act with just Calesthenes, who was not much of a fighter. He was clever though, and that might help him fight. However, before taking any other course of action, they had to report to Alexander for orders.

"Let's see what Amon will make us do now," said Athena. The trio walked around the Sports Mart, crossed the street, and went down the same trail that Team Rocket had gone down. They turned into a small alcove. A web cam was waiting.

"Good," said Alexander. He was standing in his room. He was smiling coldly. "Team Rocket won't know what hit them. They won't even know it was our hands who did this. They will merely assume that Kleitis's scar opened again. You may come back to Pallet."

"Thank you, Alexander," said Achilles, bowing. "How's da Vinci?"

"Better than I thought," said Alexander, his smile widening. "I'm going to get him a starter pokemon tomorrow. Let's see how it turns out."

Arrian's Accurate, Friday April 2 2010: Thoughts on Team Rocket

Team Rocket. Pah! I shudder to think of what they plan to do now. They are the worst thieves in history. They are not even worthy opponents in pokemon battles. They use other people like how they did Pikachu to carry out their orders. They recruit people smarter than themselves instead of those not as smart as themselves. They unknowingly put their plans in danger by doing so.

Not only this, but they do not know how I roll. I use competent and smart agents, who are smart enough to follow my orders and loyal enough not to back-stab me when it's the critical time. When and if I act on my own, my daimon guides me. It says when to sleep, when to eat, when to call for help, and most of all, when to fight. It tells me what attack to do and how much of my stats I should use. It can be gentle as a calm sea, where it keeps my temper in check. In this state, my daimon helps me stay my cool and awesome self. However, it can also leave me unbelievably weak in battle. So weak that I can barely stay conscious, let alone alive.

In contrast, though, if my daimon tells me to use all my power, to unleash all my intelligence in the final hour, I will do so. But, if it tells me to run directly into the enemy line with no armor or reinforcements or weapons, only to fight with my lightning and my Greek spells alone, I would do so without question. My daimon asks me to do one thing most of the time if it wants me to get rid of my power restraints: unleash your wrath and do not let anyone, friend or foe, escape you. Let your friends see what happens if they defect to the enemy side. Let your enemies see what they get for not surrendering to you. Let your powers take over your body, your mind, your actions. Do not think of war, think in slashes and cuts. Do not think in parleys, think in bolts and earthquakes. Cause as much destruction as you can: cause fires at your displeasure, tsunamis at your approach, lightning storms with bolts hitting individual men even when you are injured.

All of these weapons are insignificant in comparison to two things: your appearance and your voice. Use these most of all to intimidate and kill at minimum or maximum cost to yourself and at maximum cost to your enemies to try to defend themselves against you. Light your arms ablaze and scorch your opponents alive or dead. If you see a group of soldiers amassed to try to kill you, let your battle cry or merely just a scream from your lips be heard. The enemy will not hesitate to flee. Your voice at a shout can shatter glass, armor and weapons, and yes, even stone and steel and flesh. You can cause your foes to die at just hearing such a fierce sound. Obey Alexander, now. Always. I command you.

6: The Match's Signs

"This is so awesome!" cried Annie. Annie, Jack, Leonardo, Lisa, and Alexander were visiting Professor Oak that day. When they had approached his gated home, they thought that Professor Oak was rich. But he did this just for the pokemon. They were everywhere: Snorlax lounged in the sun, Squirtel were splashing in the pool, Taylo were flying over the yard. A tall short-bearded man greeted them at the door.

"Welcome!" he shouted, grinning. "New trainers?"

"Yes," said Jack. "We need to get pokemon. Most of us are either older or younger than ten, but I am actually ten."

"Then it is time for you to get your first pokemon, then," said Professor Oak. "Who do you have here?"

"Annie," he said, motioning towards his sister. "Lisa del Gioconda.," he pointed at the brown-eyed lady in the Mona Lisa.

"Alexander-"

"Oh you don't need to introduce him!" exclaimed Professor Oak, smiling even wider. "He came here last year to receive his first pokemon! You got that fine Azelf of yours out of an egg that Professor Roan gave to me in 2004. He was saying that only one who is as intelligent and renowned as much as the movie Alexander was hated will be able to hatch this egg. And look! It has happened! Look where Azelf is now, serving Alexander the Great!"

"Awkward," said Leonardo. "Does this happen to you all the time?"

"Yes, but not like this. Professor Oak, meet my friend and other idol, Leonardo da Vinci."

"I'm not even going to ask," said Professor Oak, unsurprised. "I heard from Darius Ackisan here that you were reading Monday with a Mad Genius and that you liked it. He never, never, told me of him," he declared, jabbing a finger at Leonardo. "It is an honor. I would have had the place prearranged if you had told me of his arrival Alexander. Alas, you didn't. But no matter. I have plenty of pokemon to go around. Come inside."

There were pokemon inside Professor Oak's house as well. For example, a Scyther and a Staryu were fighting on swordplay on his Wii, out of all places. "The wii keeps the pokemon from fighting each other," Professor Oak explained. "It keeps them fit, too. Now, do you want to start with the normal starters first or the eggs?"

"The normal ones please," said Jack.

"First, we have our Charmander," said Professor Oak. As soon as Charmander heard it was being called, it came forward on its two legs and stared up at Jack. It did a Flame Thrower attack experimentally.

"And we have Squirtel," Professor Oak continued. A pokemon with a shell like a turtle's came up beside Charmander. It did an Aqua Ring attack.

"And we have Bulbasaur." All of the pokemon are very intelligent if they can respond like this. Jack thought as he watched. He knew all of the pokemon were trying to impress him enough so he would take them. Bulbasaur performed a Razor Leaf attack. "Now," said Professor Oak, looking at Jack, "who will you choose?"

"I choose Squirtel!" he exclaimed. Squirtel jumped into Jack's arms. It looked at him with surprise and wonder. He squirted jets of water down Jack's shirt. Jack loved every moment of it. Then it looked at Alexander. It stopped squirting water, and instead, it got down from Jack's arms and prostrated itself, lying facedown on the floor. It stood and made a sign across its chest, lifting a leg to touch the spot on his heart. This was normally done with a person's three fingers, the thumb, the middle finger, and the pinky up together, but since Squirtel didn't have them, it did the best it could.

Jack was confused. How did Squirtel know of Alexander's Persian king rights? He didn't want to ask. "It's your turn, Annie," he said.

"But, Jack, you know I'm only eight," said Annie. "I have to wait two years. Can you make an exception?" she asked Professor Oak. "I really don't want to be left behind while Jack goes on his pokemon journey like how Ash did."

"Of course you're not going to be left behind," Professor Oak chuckled. "You can have a pokemon, you just can't travel by yourself."

"I choose-" Annie started then stopped abruptly. "Wait," she said. "How many eggs do you have Professor Oak?"

"Call me Samuel. We have at least 6 eggs at a time," said Samuel. "We can never be certain what will be inside of them. But we have discovered that the personality of the trainer affects which egg hatches. For example as you may know, Togepi hatched in Misty's hands not because she was holding it, but because she has a gentle but occasionally protective nature like that of a mother, perfect for keeping Togepi safe. Brock got Happini for being this way too. However, he got Happini since Happini is a pokemon of healing and though Brock wants to be a pokemon breeder, he often heals pokemon effectively as well. Come over here and you can choose an egg."

Annie came over to a shelf lined with pokemon eggs. They were all different colors with different designs on them. "When an egg hatches," said Samuel, "the pokemon that is inside will think the first thing it sees is its mother, so I'll keep out of the way."

Annie looked at the eggs. I can't judge the eggs by what is inside then. She reflected. I just have to judge by how it looks. She stared at the 6 eggs for a long time. Then, she made her decision. She pointed to a light blue egg with green dots speckling it. "Why did you choose that egg?" asked Samuel.

"It's because it's like me," replied Annie with no hesitation. "It is uniform in every respect except for the green dots. I am like any other eight-year-old girl, except for the fact that I am very persuasive."

"That is quite clever for an eight-year-old," Samuel praised. Annie reached up and took the egg. It began to shake. Just like Misty's egg, fragments of shell began breaking off. A golden brown head with pointed ears popped out. A long tail, two arms and two legs popped out too. "Abra," it said.

"An abra!" cried Annie. "Just like Sebrina! Except I'll take better care of you." She picked up Abra. It did an amnesia attack, glowing in Annie's arms. "Thank you Samuel!" She embraced the professor.

Then Abra suddenly turned around. Annie turned too; Abra faced everyone else in the room, scanning all the faces as if trying to memorize them: Jack's, Lisa's, Alexander's... Abra suddenly came running forward and prostrated itself as well. It did the same sign that Squirtel had done, but after it had done so, it held out its arms, expectant. Alexander bent down and picked up Abra. It performed the move extrasensory, not knowing that it made the opponent, or in this case Alexander, flinch. Abra looked surprised, then it looked at who it had attacked. It turned sad. Why did it have to do it to him? It squirmed down out of his grasp down onto the floor again.

"It's okay," he said gently, picking up Abra again. It made the sign once more. It looked like it was saying, "Sorry my Lord. I didn't know."

"Your Abra I'm guessing will be very strong," Samuel predicted. "I'm not sure why he attacked Alexander, though. Maybe he intended to do an attack that was beneficial for him."

It was Lisa's turn. "I want to look at the eggs as well,"

said Lisa. She approached the shelf. There were only five eggs left. She examined them closely. She was looking at two eggs in particular. There was a red one with silver stars on it, and there was an egg that was all black with just a slash of caramel to interrupt the uniformness. Lisa slowly but surely grasped the black egg in her hands. The egg shook once more. Pieces of egg loosed themselves from the main one like fleeing cavalry. A Zigzagoon emerged. It smiled at Lisa with intelligent eyes. "Cool!" she shouted.

"Lisa," said Leonardo, who had been watching the proceedings in silence until now, "why did you choose that egg?"

"It's because it's like me," she replied. "Its primary color, black, is something that a girl normally wouldn't like. It's dark and not very friendly. But then there is the caramel, a light brown. This color is subtle and delicate, like how I was raised to be as a noblewomen. But I'm mostly like the black color of the egg. Let's see, what kinds of attacks should you know," she mused, looking down at Zigzagoon. "Hmm, okay do Tri Attack!"

Zigzagoon sat in Lisa's arms stationary at first. It began to swipe at the air, touching Lisa on the cheek. She flinched. There was a burn there. But no matter.

"How about Swords Dance?" she shouted. Zigzagoon started to move its arms like it was doing swordplay, slashing and parrying the blows of an invisible foe.

"This is so cool!" she shouted happily. "I love pokemon!" She noticed that when Zigzagoon saw Alexander, it performed the same rights that Abra and Squirtel had done. It executed the move Tri Attack once more. It burned Alexander just like what had happened to Lisa, except the burn was on his poketch hand, his left hand. He flinched. Zigzagoon looked to Abra for help. "Zigza," it squeaked to Abra.

"Abra," it replied. Zigzagoon knelt and attempted the three-finger sign again. "Well, I've gotten hurt twice today, but I don't mind. It's okay," Alexander laid a hand on Zigzagoon's head. Zigzagoon looked happy again. It ran back to Lisa, excited.

"Why are the pokemon doing this?" asked Samuel. "I have never, never, seen anything like this."

"I think I have a theory," Jack proposed. "Annie, you know how Alexander is an Olympian? What is his sphere of control?"

"He's the god of brilliance and pokemon coordination," Annie replied, "but god of pokemon in general."

"I think I know too," said Alexander, knitting his hands together in thought. "It's my daimon. Sometimes, I feel so weak that I don't feel like fighting anymore, but my daimon keeps me alive. However, when doing this, I bottle up my powers. And when my daimon tells me to release this power, I cannot be controlled, and not even you or the gods can control me. When I meet people, even mortals, well, people can somehow sense this daimon. It inspires them to follow my orders since they know that my daimon can never be denied what it wants. And if it is denied what it wants, its wrath is limitless. No one can stop it."

An awkward but understanding silence followed. Everyone knew about Alexander's cool side: the side that loved Homer more than any other author, the Alexander who could talk about his battles for hours without stopping. But they almost knew nothing of the daimon that controlled Alexander. They just knew what he had told them. It directed him, not his thoughts. The only thing they knew beforehand was that it could inspire awe in anyone it was around. The awe, Leonardo thought. That's why he can inspire people to do the prostration even if they had never met.

"Leonardo," said Jack tentatively to try to break the silence, "your turn."

"I'll look at the eggs too," said Leonardo to Samuel. He came up to the same shelf that Annie and Lisa had approached before him. He examined all four of the eggs. No, he scrutinized them. He was trying to find the perfect match. He was looking at not two eggs like Lisa, but three: a gold egg with black lines running up and down it, a green egg with tiny orange dots on just the top of it, and then, the third egg. It was of four colors, its main colors being light blue on the sides and dark gold on the rest. Across the blue and gold, the egg was striped bright red and black. Leonardo first touched the egg cautiously with his finger, then with his whole hand, then with both hands. The group waited for it to hatch like the others. Annie and Lisa had gotten the eggs to hatch at their touch. Leonardo's choice egg just sat there. Did I choose the right one? He thought in dismay. This egg suits me.

Then, the egg, slowly but surely, began to hatch. Piece by piece, inch by inch, the egg began to break apart in Leonardo's hands. A tiny head with pointed ears emerged from the top of the shell. Then, two small pawed arms and a long tail came into view. It was a Vulpix, which like Abra, looked like a fox. The first fire type pokemon that any of them had seen in a long time.

"Vulpix," it said in delight when it saw Leonardo. It reached up to him and stroked his jaw.

"Don't worry," said Leonardo, grinning. "I'll take really good care of you. Just like what Susy would have done. You probably don't know who I am. And I'll tell you; I am Leonardo da Vinci."

Vulpix looked surprised and thrilled to hear this news. It did a Charm attack, but it didn't know it would lower Leonardo's Special Attack stat by two stages. Seeing that one stage was 20% and that Leonardo's Speed and normal attack stats were his high ones, he was startled to feel his Special Attack stat lowering. "Vulpix?" he said, unbelieving.

Vulpix looked sad. It had hurt its trainer. "Vulpix," it apologized and climbed down Leonardo's side onto the floor. It looked at Squirtel, Abra, and Zigzagoon. All were looking at Vulpix expectantly. What are they doing? Lisa puzzled over this sight until she saw Vulpix kneel at Leonardo's feet. "I will allow that Vulpix," Leonardo said softly. "But I am not worthy of such an honor. I am a mere artist. A genius in the Renaissance yes, but not the other interests of the world such as war, how to fight. Not I, but he," he pointed at Alexander, "is. He knows of the latter, not I. But I will train you with help from him.

You see that your fellows: Squirtel, Abra, Zigzagoon, look at you, presuming that you will pay respect. But you do not know what they are staring at you for. You just know that they do." Leonardo pointed at Alexander again. "He, he, is the one who all pokemon and pokemon trainers, old and new, prey to, hoping for success. Your friends have all sensed this originating presence and pay respect to it. Go, if you please, show yourself to your patron. I don't compel you, however. No one does."

Vulpix stood and thought for a moment. Then, it approached and prostrated itself, the fourth pokemon in one day to do so. It stood and made the three-fingered sign. As he watched, Samuel remembered something he had heard from Azelf. "This sign," she had said, putting three fingers on her heart and pushing out, "is the sign Greeks do to rid evil. It has become a blessing in recent years and do not be surprised if you see it done before you by many trainers."

I do see now! They do not know Alexander, but they know his daimon, his desire.

Vulpix didn't do a Cut attack, but it mimicked one. It knew by the other pokemon's looks that even when pretending to do a move, it could not do it towards Alexander. No, do it away, if not straight up.

Vulpix slashed with its arms and it jumped high into the air. It spun, doing a Fire Spin attack in midair. It landed and walked back to Leonardo again.

"How graceful!" Samuel proclaimed. "Just like you, Leonardo. Fluid in movement, but still very powerful. You are just like your trainer Leonardo, Vulpix. He looks like a frail opponent, but you haven't seen him with a weapon in his hand and a worthy enemy in front of him. He'll become very hard to beat. His creativity in art becomes his intelligence in war. He comes up with sword moves that no one has thought of yet. You and Vulpix are one in the same, Leonardo," Samuel theorized.

"Well, we have all our pokemon finally," said Annie. "I can't wait to train you, Abra. I'll be sure to take your suggestions to heart."

"Me too," said Jack, Lisa, and Leonardo.

"Well, you can't train a pokemon to be strong and obedient without loving it," said Samuel. "Without loving it, training isn't training. It's slavery."

"With the grim thoughts aside, let's get out to the back yard," suggested Leonardo, picking up Vulpix. "Let's get it started!"

Leonardo da Vinci, notebook 101 page 2: (decoded)

Pokemon are so cool. They are so amazing. They can do more than normal animals, but not as much as us. Everyone should work with pokemon. They are beautiful in many ways, for even the terrifying ones are beautiful. I will start writing poetry, again.

_Unstopped _Fire

Who can resist the feel of power,

Just within your reach?

Not Caesar, not Charlemagne, not Alexander, this feeling the least?

Controlled by his daimon, he moves in a direction,

Where he asks, what do I do, follow or disobey it?

He is just like my new pokemon,

Vulpix not evolved,

It knows no one but its master, and even that it barely comes to grips.

It can be gentle like a breeze, that cools the soldier's head,

Keeping it cold and free,

Or passionate like fire where nothing will satisfy.

You have to control the behavior, keep it in your hands,

But do not choke it with orders,

Or you will never make it listen.

Arrian's Accurate, Saturday April 3 2010: Thoughts on Leonardo, Jack, Annie, and Lisa

Jack, Annie, Leonardo, Lisa. I'm proud of all four of them. Annie's Abra has potential. Jack will be just like Ash: a little dull when not in battle, but clever when in one.

As for Lisa, she is just like how she describes herself: an in-your-face kind of personality. Perfect for a fight. But she's also very gentle, just like her Zigzagoon.

As for Leonardo...? I don't know. His Vulpix I guess will end up fighting with him for a long time. They'll be pretty hard to beat, even when I battle them. He's creative in his art and in war, considering that he probably had to fight Team Rocket earlier before I met him.

I will teach you Leonardo. You and your friends. I will teach you not just how to fight, but how to communicate with your pokemon. I'll show you the ropes. You will be taught by the best. Me. I will be free any time you need to talk to me, Leonardo, Jack, Annie, Lisa. All of you.

7: Meet Two New Moves

"Let's have our first pokemon battle shall we?" said Jack. "Who can I battle now?"

"Me!" said Annie. She detached her first pokeball from her belt. "Abra I choose you!" Her fox-like pokemon came into view.

"I choose Squirtel!" shouted Jack. His turtle pokemon came out of its pokeball in a blaze of light. "Squirtel Aqua Ring!" Squirtel made a small ring of water appear above its shell. "Now use Bubble Beam!" A stream of bubbles came out of Squirtel's mouth.

"Abra dodge!" commanded Annie. "Use Extrasensory!" A ball of white light loosed itself from Abra's paws. It flew towards Squirtel and hit its shell, making Squirtel flinch.

"Squirtel Caller Spin!" Jack yelled.

Squirtel spun around and around about ten times while it ran at Abra.

"Abra Kinesis, then Slash!" Abra put a dark barrier between itself and Squirtel to lower its accuracy. Then, Abra ran at Squirtel and slashed with its arms out in front to hit its shell.

"Squirtel Bubble Beam!" Jack shouted desperately.

"Sorry Jack," said Annie smiling, "but as Alexander once said, "remember upon the conduct of each depends the fate of all." I have no idea what that means, but whatever you do will determine if you'll win or lose your first battle." I'm not making fun of him. Annie thought. Just showing him what I can do. "Extrasensory Abra then Slash one more time!" Before Jack could do anything, Abra had knocked Squirtel to the ground. It was unconscious.

"Squirtel is unable to battle!" proclaimed a voice, "Abra wins!" Jack and Annie turned to see Leonardo and Vulpix watching the battle. "Not bad Annie. No offense Jack. What Samuel said is right."

"Well don't want to brag," said Annie. "Honest. I just used what moves I had available to me. You know I'm-" "Guys!" A tall man with dark brown eyes and black hair came sprinting towards them from Professor Oak's back door. "Three trainers. Tied up Professor Oak. Free now but helping to steal his pokeballs. Come on! I'm Darius Ackisan by the way."

Jack' couldn't believe it. "When did you see that?" he asked Darius.

"Just now," said Darius. "These three trainers were leading Professor Oak around at Siviper-point. They're forcing him to give away all of the pokeballs and the actual pokemon. Let's get out to the front yard! That's where they are!"

Jack, Annie, Darius, and Leonardo went running as fast as they could towards the front yard. Annie could hear shouting from there. "By Florence's unfinished battle scene why is this always your fault!"

"That's Lisa for you," said Leonardo. "Let's help her."

The group of four walked in to find there to be a shouting match as well as a pokemon match. "Zigzagoon Tri Attack on Siviper and on Mime Jr!" Jessie's Siviper got burned and Mime Jr. was paralyzed.

"Mime Jr. return," said James, "Cacnea go!" James's round green pokemon came ready for battle. "Pin missile!"

"Skiddy go!" Darius loosed his Skiddy from one of his pokeballs. A cat-like pokemon came out. "Barrage! Pinsir come on out! Pin missile as well!" Skiddy charged at Cacnea, hit it over the head with its paws, and withdrew as the grass and bug pokemon started to have a sort of javelin fight at close range. They both got hit a lot and eventually Pinsir got insensate from the blows.

"Pinsir and Skiddy return," said Darius. His pokemon went back into their pokeballs. "Now it's time for me to fight." Darius pulled a small dagger from his belt. "Aria the Alphis I command you, command so we can fight in form!" he commanded.

Aria appeared in front of Team Rocket. Her gray eyes were understanding as soon as she saw what was going on. "Summon Alexander as well," she turned around to face Darius. "It's time Team Macedon fights its first war!" she exclaimed.

"Wait," said Jack. "All four of us Annie Lisa Leonardo can have a team as well-"

"Not while we're here," said Meowth. "It's time you heard our new motto!"

"Witness oh Muses the writing of a new play!"

"Where us not Achilles ruins the day!"

"We will not stop to establish our regime!"

"But as for Alexander we'll end his scripted scenes!"

"Jessie!"

"James!" "Meowth is the name!"

"We will be like Bessos after Gaugamela's battle,"

"We'll strike you down, and you'll surrender after!"

"Meowth, I lie of this never!"

"Team Rocket works with tactics made by us!"

"In ways that do-gooders won't do because,"

"You're not us! Go ahead, fight us!"

"That is really weird," remarked Lisa. "Do they always do that?"

"Yes, yes they do," sighed Aria. "At least it's short." But wait until Team Rocket hears us. She thought happily. "Oh you're not the only team," she said, "but we are as well!" Alexander ran out from behind Aria. "Take it away Alexander Iskander!"

"To protect the world from Team Rocket's devastation!"

"To conquer and control with the Great's nation!"

"To break down what Team Rocket of the people it has made!"

"You should surrender or feel Alexander's blade!"

"Alexander!"

"Darius!"

"Aria, do we really have to do this?"

"Team Macedon will step off at Team Rocket's sight!"

"Surrender now or all three of us you will fight!"

"Choose a side!"

"And that," said Alexander, pointing at the three of them with both hands, "is what a good motto should be like."

"Really?" said Meowth sarcastically. "I couldn't understand you through your Greek accent."

"Oh no, not again," Darius moaned as he watched. He's that defensive about the nation he comes from. But I don't blame him. He's always saying how he's Macedonian and not Greek.

"Azelf go! Psybeam!" The blue-gray pokemon sent a white beam of energy at Meowth and Meowth just dodged in time. "Fury swipes!" he yelled and he felled Azelf in one blow.

"Yes!" Meowth shouted jubilantly. "I have beaten Alexander the-" Before he could finish, Alexander was on top of him. Meowth was being beaten into a pulp as Aria and everyone else watched.

"Should we help him?" asked Jessie to James.

"Nah," said James. "If he comes out dead, then blame it on him for being his ignorant self. We'll be going now," he said to Leonardo.

"Oh no you don't," he replied, calling for Vulpix. "Fire Spin!" Flames engulfed Vulpix, but Jessie's Siviper countered with a Poison Tail, striking Vulpix down. No one else noticed that Professor Oak had managed to get out from behind Team Rocket, and he was pointing at Meowth who was still getting the living daylights beaten out of him. "Look," he told Jack, Annie, Lisa, and Leonardo.

Meowth was being held upside down by his legs, and he was trying to fight his way out of his attacker's grip. Ichor was trickling down Alexander's arms from where Meowth had scratched him, but it seemed these wounds strengthened him. Then, Meowth finally got a leg free and kicked at the Macedonian's face, hitting him in the jaw.

Aria wanted to shout for Alexander to drop Meowth and to heal his wound, but she couldn't. She watched as Meowth got bitten in the leg. He screamed in pain as blood rushed from the small gash. He fell at Alexander's feet in a coma. "Meowth!" cried out Jessie and James as Jessie took up Meowth and looked at him. His leg was bleeding much, even though the cut was small. Meowth was rigid as well, eyes closed, and it seemed that he wouldn't be able to fight for a while. "How?" they stammered, staring at Meowth's assaulter in awe.

"To defend myself, of course. I never take up a defensive position. If I have to defend, I attack. Your comrade has felt this." The Team Rocket duo stared at their enemy, his gray blue dark brown eyes fiery with rage at what he had seen Meowth do to Azelf. His first pokemon! Unbeaten by them until today! "I'll make this easy for you." James suddenly felt pain in his head and he fell over. Guillotine," he said with satisfaction. "One hit knock out, if it hits. Of course, only if I intend to miss an opponent, I never miss."

"I won't let you take me!" Alexander turned to see Jessie with another pokeball clasped in her hand. She had taken it from James. "I will verse you. Call me Bessos if you will. Go Weezing!" James's poison pokemon came out of its pokeball, ready for the most important match of its life.

"Oh I will not battle you," Alexander contradicted what Jessie believed, "but Leonardo will. Your pokemon you will find is fully healed."

"Vulpix go!" exclaimed Leonardo, throwing his pokeball into the air. Vulpix emerged-. It didn't look hurt at all. "Give me your pokedex Darius," he said, "I want to check something." Darius handed over his portable pokemon database and placed it over Vulpix.

"Vulpix normally has the ability Magma Armor which prevents freezing. However, this Vulpix has Clear Body, an ability that prevents the pokemon's stats from being lowered." Cool, thought Leonardo excitedly. I can battle and Vulpix can stay in battle for a long time.

"Vulpix Fire Spin!" Vulpix was surrounded by flames as it ran at Weezing.

"Weezing, Sludge!" commanded Jessie. Weezing started to shoot brown sludge at Vulpix. The fire surrounding Vulpix burned it away before it could do harm to it. "Smoke Screen!" The yard became hazy as Weezing lowered Vulpix's Accuracy by 20%.

"Vulpix Charm!" Vulpix lit up, making the Smoke Screen attack end, and Leonardo could see Weezing. It shuddered as its Special Attack stat was lowered by 40% like how Leonardo had experienced earlier that day. "Can your Weezing do anything more?" Leonardo called. "It seems it only knows two attacks. It's useless. In fact, this whole battle is useless seeing that we all have pokemon that only know two moves."

"Oh and that is where you are wrong," said Jessie. "Weezing Toxic!" Weezing lunged forward and struck at Vulpix before it could dodge. Its stats were fine, but the damage would bring it down.

"Fire Spin again!" Leonardo invoked. Vulpix did the move, but Leonardo could tell that its damage wouldn't be as strong as it was before Toxic came into play. "Charm again!" A tremor racked through Weezing as its Special Attack stat was lowered even more.

"Sludge again!" James yelled. "Finish that Florentine twirp off!" Vulpix couldn't keep its flames up long enough to burn the poison away. It screamed as the sludge hit it. What can I do? Leonardo thought frantically. I don't know enough about Toxic or any other moves, but the Toxic damage grows every turn. I don't know by how much though! He closed his eyes, trying to think.

Then, Leonardo felt himself moving. His arms swung around in an arc. He opened his eyes to see a clear beam of energy come out of his hands. The two arcs of energy curved together to form a half circle, and when they hit a nearby post, they wrapped around it, constricting themselves on its metal surface. What did I just do? He wondered. He turned back to the battle. Vulpix, hurt as it was, was still fighting. And, it was doing exactly what Leonardo had just done! The beams shot toward Weezing. "weezing dodge!" Jessie ordered, but the clear beams had already encircled Weezing. It shook one last time, then fell. The beams continued and struck James, then Jessie, then the paralyzed Meowth. "Looks like we're being beamed off again!" they screamed.

"What," said Leonardo reluctantly, looking where Team Rocket had stood before, "did I just do?"

"I think," said Aria, "you discovered a new move."

"Samuel," said Jack, facing Professor Oak, "what did Alexander do to Meowth?"

"The only explanation is a new pokemon move," said Samuel. "Normally pokemon don't really get hurt that bad in battles. They just get poisoned or paralyzed, but this, this, actually got Meowth cut. A very serious one too. However, it's not the cut that felled him. It was his stats. They were lowered as much as they could possibly be lowered without getting him ill from weakness. Let's rely on Darius's pokedex to tell us what these moves should be named and I'll tell the other professors to add them to the attackdex along with Caller Spin and Electrofoil."

Samuel pointed the pokedex at Alexander. Then, he typed in the effects of the move: Meowth being paralyzed, his low stats, his cut. The group listened intently to the pokedex's response.

"This attack has never been seen in battles recently, but it is said that it is similar to Bite, though it does not cause flinching. It was first mentioned in Persian legend. It had been told that anyone who learns Cut Down will be unstoppable. This attack cannot miss, it is a one-hit knock out, and it lowers the opponent's stats to the lowest stage. The stats taken from the opponent are added onto the user's own stats. This attack can be used no matter what the user's stats are. Attack information: Name Cut down, Type dark, Power 100, Attack 100, Accuracy 100."

"That is the strongest move I've ever heard of," said Annie. "not just because I haven't seen that many moves, but its effects," she trailed off then started again. "They're so devastating."

"Perfect move to teach a weak pokemon if you're brave enough," Jack agreed. "Now, what about what Leonardo did?"

Lisa took the pokedex and typed in the effects of the move Leonardo had done. The pokedex replied, but its verdict was much shorter than the last.

"This move has never been seen before, and it is unnamed. Available attack information: Type normal, Power 80, Attack 90, Accuracy 100."

"We know everything about it but its name," said Lisa. "How about we name it after its, um, discoverer?"

"Me?" said Leonardo in disbelief. "Well if you want. Considering what it looked like and that it was discovered by me, why not call it da Vise?"

"Sure," said Samuel. "Two moves discovered in one day. A first. What will you do now?"

"Not sure," said Alexander. "I feel like either finding those pathetic pokethieves and Calesthenes or training Leonardo more. I've decided on the training part. But, you guys need to get somewhere where you can train out of danger. I'm not going to send you away forever, just until things settle down."

"How about Sorulian City?" posed Aria. "It's far away enough that you guys will be safe, but close enough that we'll be able to contact you."

"Sure," consented Lisa. "When will we leave?"

"Later today if you want," said Samuel. "I'll miss you guys, but you can come back any time you need to or want to."

"Yeah," said Leonardo. "Let's get back to Alexander's place. We need to pack."

8: Change Names

Arrian's Accurate, Sunday April 4 2010: Thoughts on the Leaving

I didn't want Leonardo to leave me so soon. He was one of the few people that actually listened to and took my advice for me to teach them. He'll be a great pokemon trainer. I know it. As for Jack and Annie, they'll have Leonardo to teach them and they'll have each other. Lisa, well, she can also be one of my pupils.

When Misty went back to Sorulian City after the pokemon contest, I told her besides to watch for Team Rocket to do one other thing. If she met anyone who said that they know me and that they needed a place to stay, she should first ask who they were, then let them into her house without question. Misty, I hope you'll remember that when you meet those four. They're too important to lose.

As for Team Rocket, they will be very busy because of me for the next four weeks, seven weeks at the most. They need to heal Meowth, and they need to figure out how to fight with no Kleitis. They might think of making an alliance with Cassody and Butch. They probably think they're that desperate. I can make people like that.

From now on, I'm not naming this organization the Rock Circle, but the Hellenic League. I need to get more of my own people into the League, so I can get Greek approval for my actions as well as approval from America.

I have ordered that my sister should be sent back to Macedon. I feel that much will happen while the army is being recruited and trained, and I know that she will be useful elsewhere. I am not sending her away, but she will do more important business for me. She will help me hire more Macedonian recruits. In addition, she will be of much help to me in other ways, for she can be my secondary Macedonian diplomat. I will send her to deal with matters of high rank, but that are not worthy of me. I shall preside over the rest myself. She may be there a while, so I will not be surprised if I do not have any time to contact her. She will still get information, though, and she will always be ready for if I need her so come to Pallet.

There are some videos on the Internet that I need to check out though. I found them last year. They're called Reign the Conqueror, and they're a parody of my campaign. The person who made them did a good job. I have to see if GordianThong made more episodes. He'll be of use to me with his antics.

No one knows anything about my mind set. I can think from any point of view, even from that of Team Rocket. I have to take what I once said to heart. But for now, I have written my mission in Homeric style.

End of the Historian

Just had to mess with me,

Just had to get on my bad side,

Using Kleitis,

Will be your last act, mean it I,

You don't deserve lenience from me,

It's too late to surrender,

There will be no way for you to escape,

From the search of Alexander.

You running many miles,

Always glance behind,

Dagger in your hand,

An arc you're slashing wide,

You see below the helmet,

You really can't believe,

You will never be allowed here again,

Not when the leader is me.

You try to send your envoys,

"I will never betray,"

But I know that you lie,

You don't mean what you say,

You will never evade,

The search of Alexander.

You want to say you're sorry,

You want to say "I don't mean!"

But who will believe all that, no one will really,

You know you will die,

But you don't know I will wait,

For just the right time,

Till you try to escape.

Just had to mess with me,

Just had to get on my bad side,

Using Kleitis,

Will be your last act, mean it I,

You don't deserve lenience from me,

It's too late to surrender,

There will be no way to escape,

From the search of Alexander.