Not much action here, but it paves the way for future battles.
Chapter 6
Building the Trust in Humanity
"There's no place like home, but for me, home is wherever I go. Anywhere that isn't inhabited or soiled by those evil humans is my home."-Garchomp
"Heroism is the fool's way of living the life."-Zephyr, trainer class unknown
With the departure of Zephyr and his Pokémon, the team knew their camp was no longer safe. Team Rocket had nearly defeated them all without even having to exert any effort, and it was only because of the mysterious human's assistance that allowed them to repel the sudden invaders. Gallade could only worry even more for the safety of his team now that they learned their strength against dark Pokémon was insignificant.
If they were to fight back, they would need to train further and gain more allies, or find the weaknesses of this new breed. For now, survival was their priority. They had to get to a safe haven first.
"Dark Pokémon…who knew it could've been possible. Such power cannot be measured." He grunted a bit as Piplup tended to his injuries. "Careful. Those bladed arms are my pride, don't bandage them too much, as I still need them to defend myself."
"I'm trying! You have to stay perfectly still as you're making the task harder if you constantly keep moving." Piplup finished working on healing his arm and proceeded onto the next one. She washed the wound with some alcohol, the stinging sensation from the chemical making the Blade Pokémon wince. And I thought I'd gain immunities from that nasty chemical upon being reborn as something completely different. He thought a bit, always having hated the fact chemicals stung his exposed wounds, human or Pokémon alike.
Across from the campfire, Riley worked at Garchomp's wounds, defrosting parts of her body that were frozen by the Team Rocket operative's Poliwrath and bandaging up exposed wounds. The hammerhead shark-like dragon hissed a bit upon feeling a sharp jolt of pain as her medic removed a sharp chunk of ice protruding from her back but reluctantly stood down, knowing that Riley didn't intend to harm her.
"Sorry, but it's embedded too deep. Defrosting it would take a while so removing it is the only option." He patted the dragon on the head gently, calming it down.
"How long until we reach Hearthome city?" Gallade asked, hoping for some shelter and rest after their dangerous trek across Mt. Coronet.
"A 30 minute trek through that mountain path will lead us there." Riley answered him, finishing up his work on healing Garchomp. "But why there?"
Piplup concluded her healing process, which allowed her patient to get straight back up on his feet and stretch. "It's a safe haven for humans and Pokémon alike. I plan to hide there with my companions until we can further plan our outcomes. With its friendly environment and sympathetic population, I suppose that Team Rocket would stay away from it. Aside, Mt. Coronet is swarming with United Aerospace Armed Forces agents and savage Pokémon. They must have something big going on up at the hill, but I don't know..." The fact Team Rocket was still around puzzled him, even though it was clear that they disbanded and Team Galactic took their place. But with their collapse too, only small factions of grunts and freelance operatives were all that was left. "What's your plan?" He asked in response.
"Nothing, really." Riley shrugged a bit. "I'm just doing research out here, and I didn't expect to run into a conflict like the last one we had. But if it doesn't bother you, would you like it if my Lucario and I decided to come to Hearthome City with you?"
Garchomp gave a frustrated grunt, not willing to work with a human even though it was clear Riley was friendly towards them.
"Don't worry, he's fine. We can trust him." Gallade answered her.
"Anything wrong?" Riley packed up his medical kit and placed it back into his backpack. "I don't want to make anyone upset here."
"It's alright. She's insecure around humans, but…I'd be too if I was hunted extensively by just about anyone that goes crazy upon witnessing a pseudo-legendary Pokémon."
The young man sat down on the log and gazed into the campfire with a concerned face. "I understand. But I'm on my way to the city too so I thought if we traveled together, we'd be a little less vulnerable. Not to mention you can pretend to be my Pokémon, just in case the city suspects that they've got strays running loose there." He turned to Garchomp, who was resting peacefully from her battle after today's events, and smiled a bit. "I don't think the citizens of Hearthome City would feel safe if she ran around the town."
"Well I'd flip too if I was still a human and saw something like that knocking on my door…" Gallade thought about it. Wild Pokémon aren't safe nowadays, in the wild or in populated areas. This world has become a warzone...
Prior to the events of the instability and rebellions, wild Pokémon were welcome to most cities by the human populace, and many of them were free to come and go without any hassle. With the rise and aggression of Pokémon against humanity and increasing injuries caused by them, most government-controlled metropolitan areas had passed a law to exile any wild Pokémon deemed to be dangerous to the locals. The more sympathetic populations whom complied with the laws often captured them and released their catch back into the wild, but the paranoid ones often either passed them over to the government for them to handle the situation. Those who took advantage of the situation (such as poachers, smugglers, and bounty hunters alike) decided to make a quick buck by selling their catches, bringing in the riches faster than anyone could imagine. It was truly a bright day for any snake-oil salesman and illegal criminals alike, as business for them was fairly easy to do and complete.
Being a wise and talking Pokémon didn't help either, in Gallade's perspective. "I suppose. They'll panic and we'll be on our way back to square before we can even throw up some resistance." Hearthome City was a friendly settlement, but chances couldn't be taken. "But are you sure that you're fine with us tagging along?"
Riley poured out some water from a canteen and gulped it down, sighing. "Don't worry about it. I have a Garchomp and Gallade of my own that I use in competitions. You guys can claim to be my companions, if you do not mind."
Garchomp, even though she was beyond exhausted and was already half asleep, had paid attention to the conversation. This human owns another member of our species…he must be really skilled, or he purchased them illegally. But I sense no force of evil coming from this man's heart…I'm starting to think too much. Maybe he's right. Not all humans are greedy and desiring monsters.
"Competitions? Do you mean competitive battling?" Gallade asked. Piplup joined in on the conversation, remembering the contests she used to see on TV before her trainer abandoned her to the wild.
"That too, but I also participate in Super Contests. They're contests where Pokémon are rated on their physical impressions and performance of how well they execute their moves. Brute force and sheer power won't get you anywhere in those, that's for sure." Riley reached into his backpack, pulled out a small case, and opened it up. Inside were various ribbons of all kinds, and the contents dazzled the small Penguin Pokémon.
"Amazing collection." Gallade spoke. "My trainer wanted to start a new career of earning the same ribbons as yours, but he never got the chance. We were captured in the midst of our last battle prior to our departure to Sinnoh."
"Who?" Riley asked as he closed the container and placed it back into his carrying satchel.
"Team Rocket and their United Aerospace Armed Forces partners." Gallade took a seat on a rock and placed his hands close to the fire, trying to warm them up. "They took my trainer and me, forcing us to undergo a brutal experiment. The end result is this. I'm a Pokémon with the mind of a human. My friends have heard this old chestnut multiple times already, so I can cover it a bit more in detail another time." He thought back to the haunting dream he had prior to his encounter with Riley. I can't seem to get it out of my mind…
"You can explain it to me more in detail after we arrive in Hearthome." The young man yawned a bit and doused out the campfire with some water. "Let's get some rest; we'll get to the city tomorrow. Good night." He smiled a bit before climbing into his sleeping bag and fell asleep.
"Good night." Gallade nodded a bit. Looking at his companions, he noticed they were all asleep. Piplup was already happily snoozing next to Garchomp, while the human was dead tired so falling asleep wasn't exactly difficult for him to accomplish. Riley had recalled his Lucario after Team Rocket fled, as its injuries were too serious to be healed using inexperienced medical skills.
He stared at the path ahead, wondering. Would Hearthome City really be a safe haven for him and his friends?
Mt. Coronet, Approximately 5 km from the Last Battleground
Zephyr continued to trek through the mountain pass quietly, with both of his Pokémon walking steadily along with him. All three of them were on high alert ever since their last encounter with Team Rocket. The night falling upon them didn't seem to affect the group as they continued to trek across the hazardous terrain, with only the sounds of the wind howling along accompanied by their footsteps making contact with the dirt and stones at their feet.
"You don't seem very relaxed, my friend." The Zoroark, nicknamed Xander Atra by his trainer, asked.
"Well, this environment isn't exactly the most appealing in terms of security." His trainer replied with little emotion.
The human himself could easily understand his Pokémon's language, even if it they simply grunted incomprehensible sounds. Having trained with them ever since he was a child, the three all had a special connection that allowed them to develop powers no other human or Pokémon could accomplish, aside from psychics. It was something that allowed him to develop powerful strategies to fight his opponents, as both his Zoroark and Umbreon were extremely intelligent and quick-reflexed.
"The night is upon us, should we rest?" The Umbreon, whom Zephyr nicknamed him to be Terios Sakurazuka, recommended. He gave off a big yawn as the rings on his body gave off faint glows of yellow and orange.
"We should get off this mountain first, at the very least. It's inhabited with dangerous Pokémon, and I don't plan to get attacked in our sleep." His thoughts wandered back to the Dark Dragonite and Dark Charizard he faced. "The last battle was terribly close, however."
The Zoroark smiled a bit, thinking about their crushing victory which they achieved with little difficulty. "My friend, we defeated those fools with little difficulty. What makes you so sure we were going to lose? Not to mention I was going to torture them even more if you gave me the chance." He flashed his claws a bit, reflecting his sadistic nature of enjoying the sight of seeing other creatures in pain.
"Those operatives could have overpowered us if they learned one thing. Mastering their Pokémon through connection and emotion." Zephyr answered his question. "Brute force doesn't win battles, remember?"
His Umbreon nodded his head slightly without saying a word, his tail waving back and forth as the Moonlight Pokemon continued to walk along.
"You always tell me that…" The trainer's Illusion Fox Pokémon rolled his eyes in frustration. With a love for brutal combat, he could care less about tactics as long as he could reach in, deliver the crushing blows, and finish his opponent with little difficulty. "Those foolish humans could never control their Pokémon even if they tried to. Their power is immeasurable!"
"Immeasurable power, yes, but with enough time and patience, it can be mastered, even if it means their Pokémon are both completely insane with no conscience." The trainer wondered a bit, lost at the fact why Team Rocket would do such a thing. It was essentially running around with a grenade timed to explode at any time. "But I doubt Team Rocket would even give a second thought about befriending their Pokémon. They're nothing more than weapons, slaves, and sledgehammers to forward their ambitions."
"Gives me more reason to shred them." Zoroark's two eyes glowed, hastily relishing at the thought of torturing a dark Pokémon. "Especially those Dark Pokémon…they're true worthy adversaries, too bad the foolish humans couldn't be described in the same way."
"Yeah, but don't let it go to your head." Zephyr laughed a bit.
"Very funny."
The trio continued their journey through the mountain pass, readying themselves to fight any incoming wild Pokémon or Team Rocket and UAAF operatives that might be foolish enough to ambush them.
Continuing into the night, the three disappeared into the darkness with the starlit sky overhead, a quiet, undisturbed environment awaiting them as they moved on.
The Next Day…
"We're here at last." Riley announced, finally relieved they were at the outskirts of the city ahead of them. All three of the Pokémon traveling with him caught up with him a little while later, as Piplup's slow speed and low stamina nearly made her lose the group. After some begs from the tiny Pokémon and a bit of frustration, Garchomp allowed her to ride on the back of her body with the penguin clinging onto her non-grooved fin, despite the fact her dorsal fin was injured. "Took you guys long enough to catch up!" He signaled to his approaching companions with a hand gesture.
"Sorry, our friend isn't exactly the fastest in terms of the endurance department." Gallade humorously stated as he caught his breath. Garchomp landed next to him, giggling a bit at his joke. Piplup wasn't amused one bit.
The team of four walked up to a sign that greeted newcomers approaching the city, which read "Hearthome City: Warm and Kind." Garchomp murmured a bit at the sign, hoping it kept its word. The last few cities she tried to take shelter in weren't exactly welcoming.
"Let's head on through. Now don't run loose on me, they might not take wild Pokémon kindly." Riley recommended. The three Pokémon that followed him nodded their heads carefully.
"I can't wait for a warm meal and a nice bed to drop on." Gallade sighed a bit.
"I'll check us in into the local hotel, then. It's better than any Pokémon Center residence, so consider it as a treat from me."
All three of the Pokémon leapt up and cheered in joy and excitement, and Riley could only smile at their heartwarming reaction.
Heartrome City, Outside the Pokémon Hotel
The team's short trek through one of Sinnoh's most populated cities was quicker and friendlier than they had anticipated. While both Gallade and Riley had expected people to run in fear upon meeting a talking Pokémon and Garchomp's fearsome first impression, the reaction of the local populace was rather the complete opposite. The streets were running wild with children, and the majority of the youngsters approached Riley and his impressive Pokémon in order to play and spend time with them. Some of them even made a request to pet the ferocious dragon that followed them or tell jokes to the crowd, in Gallade's case.
"It wants to pet me?" Garchomp asked, muttering to Gallade.
"Yeah. It thinks you're cute, which is something I find to be…intriguing, despite your intimidating presentation." The fact the Blade Pokémon could talk just amazed the local kids even more.
"Whatever…" Garchomp smiled a bit, lowered her head to the child and allowed her to be petted and hugged by the child. The Piplup who hitched a ride on her back could only smile at the adorable scene.
"Tommy!" A voice called out. A young woman approached the group and the child cuddling with Garchomp turned around.
"Mom, look! It's a Garchomp!" He released his grasp and wandered over to his mother. "Can I please take a picture with it? Pleeeeeeeease?"
The young boy's mother could do little but smile at his request. "Oh, alright." She turned to Riley. "Is this your Pokémon? Are you fine with my child taking a picture with it?"
"Oh, no, no problem at all." Riley shook his head. "They're just wi-I mean, they're my friends' Pokémon that I'm looking after while they're out of town in another region." He didn't want to reveal the actual truth even if the Pokémon was completely friendly towards the children. "I'm sure it would be happy to. Is that fine with you?"
Garchomp simply nodded.
"Alright Tommy, get into position!" The boy's mother pulled a camera out of her purse as she took aim with the device. "Can you please stand a little closer?" The child edged closer to the Mach Pokémon, her impressive size dwarfing the small boy by at least five feet. The camera flashed, and the snapshot of Garchomp befriending the child was captured on the device. It brought a small warmness back into her once cold-hearted nature.
"Alright Tommy, let's go. We promised daddy that we would meet him at the Pokémon Center at exactly 11AM." His mother reminded, checking her watch. "We'll be late."
"Oh, alright…" The young boy frowned a bit. "But can I play with it sometime?" Tommy turned to Riley, and he simply smiled and nodded. The Pokémon he claimed to "own" lowered her head towards the boy and gave a slight nod.
The mother and her child departed a short while later, with Garchomp frowning a bit.
"Are you okay?" Piplup asked, noticing her somber expression. "I've never seen you act like this before!"
"Oh…it just reminded me of my family. My kids. My husband. The young boy brought it all back." Shedding a tear, the dragon tried to contain her thoughts. "That's the first time a human ever wanted to befriend me."
"It'll be alright!" Piplup tried to be cheerful. "I'm sure he'll want to meet you again sometime!"
Garchomp smiled. It might be the first time she managed to befriend someone whom she didn't know or have any relations with at all.
As the dragon and her penguin friend continued to charm the kids by taking more requests of petting and picture-taking, Riley tapped onto Gallade's shoulder. "Look, I have to make a quick stop at the Pokémon Center to heal up Lucario, if you may, can you look after your two friends? I'll be back in approximately five minutes."
"Yes, take your time." He replied. Riley hurried off to treat his companion. Turning back to the kids, they all looked at him with widened eyes.
"Wow! A talking Pokémon!" One of the kids screamed in excitement.
"Can you tell us some jokes!"
"Pleeeeease?"
Gallade waved his two bladed arms in a "no" fashion. "I'm a Pokémon, not a comedian! Don't you guys have some joke books you can crack on instead of me!"
"It spoke again! Come on, be a little funny! Please? For us!" All the kids begged at his feet, eagerly wishing to hear something funny from this Pokémon that could communicate with them just as well as any normal human could.
Gallade sweatdropped heavily as the kids all stood in front of him, eagerly wanting this amazing talking Pokémon to tell them some jokes. He wasn't exactly the wisest Pokémon in the comedy field, despite his massive intelligence at combat. Regardless, he attempted his best to come up with any humorous, yet lame and clichéd, jokes he could cook up in his imagination. "Alright alright…listen carefully. What did the Pikachu say to the unsuspecting Squirtle with its back turned to it?"
"What?" The kids replied with eager faces.
"I'm peek-in-at-chu! Get it?" Gallade chuckled nervously. "Pikachu? Peek-in-at-chu?"
The kids suddenly exploded into laughter, with some rolling on the floor trying to contain their uncontrollable giggling.
"Wow…I didn't know I was such a good joker…" Gallade questioned his ability to amuse children. Spending most of his life as a serious, lone fighter, the talent of amusing kids just came into his mind. Or these kids are just too amazed at the presence of a wise Pokémon.
The children soon calmed themselves down from their laughter, and recovering, begged the Blade Pokémon to tell them some more. This time, he was really getting nervous…
"Look kids, I'm really out of-" He turned to the parents observing their children, and they smiled heartily at the talking Pokémon. It was obvious to him that they were accepting his welcome to the city, not to mention making their children so happy. "Oh, alright alright!" He cleared his throat, and the kids calmed down once again. "Why couldn't the three Team Rocket agents get into the Pirates of the Sevii Islands movie?"
The kids immediately all chanted "why" in unison with gleeful faces.
"Because the movie was rated ARRRGGGH! Get it? Team Rocket wears uniforms with big red "R"'s, while pirates say arrrgh? It had pirates in it?" Gallade grinned. "Don't you get it?"
Two milliseconds later the kids were once again roaring with laughter, while their parents couldn't help but chuckle along with their reaction. Piplup wandered over to her friend and clapped her fins in congratulations for being able to amuse the kids in such a bright manner. She squeaked excitedly with a bright expression on her big, bright face. "You're a great comedian! Maybe you should consider it to be a future career option!"
"Um, thanks." Gallade thanked. Well, I was a public speaker before this…
"Can we take a picture with you too?" The kids all asked while staring at him, expecting for their Pokémon comedian to reply and agree to their request.
He nodded in reply. "Sure. Are you fine with one group shot? Because my trainer will be back anytime now and we have to get going." None of the kids said anything in response to his request. "All right then, get close together for the shot!" His "fans" gathered around him while their parents pulled out cameras and took aim at the group.
"Say cheesy!" All of them called out.
"CHEESY!"
All the children placed on their biggest grins, and their parents shot the group with their cameras, capturing the moment in multiple flashes. Riley had just finished taking care of his Lucario and was heading over when he caught the moment. "Looks like he's making some new friends." He spoke to himself, chuckling. Approaching the group, Gallade was just relieved he was back because the Blade Pokémon was running out of methods to please the kids.
"Glad you're back. So you've taken care of everything?" He asked.
"Yes. We should check in to the hotel now." Riley turned to the children. "Look, I have to go now and so does my Pokémon. But we'll promise to play again!"
"Will you?" They all eyed Gallade with teary eyes. None of them wanted to depart from this amazing creature, who was a human unknown to all the youngsters.
"I can't keep promises, but I'll drop by to say hi if I have the chance. Listen, we really have to depart now. Now please listen to your parents, alright?"
All the children smiled, nodded, and wandered back to their parents, where they all gave one last warm smile and departed. The same crowd that was playing with Garchomp also left the scene in a disappointed mood, having to leave when they made new friends with the hunted Pokémon. "Such kids…they don't understand the brutalities of the world. They don't even know we're wanted both by the government and criminal organizations alike…"
Riley sighed. "They're still young minds. No need to blame them, but you did a good job cheering them up, however. But why? Why are you so skeptical of humanity?" He questioned, unsure of why his new companions showed so much hatred towards the race.
"They made me end up like this. They enslave us all for goals so terrifying one can only imagine who is at the nerve control of all of this." Garchomp walked alongside them and barked a bit, agreeing with his point. "She agrees too, since she lost her entire family to them. Pokémon have families and friends too, like humans. I understand some of humanity still has a good heart, but the majority…"
Scratching his head nervously, Riley didn't feel like standing in the open anymore discussing such matters. "Ok, I understand. Now let's get to the hotel, we've spent quite a good amount of time here trying to charm those kids."
He led the group into the hotel, willing to give them a well-earned shelter and day off to them.
Pokémon Hotel
While it wasn't very large, the Pokémon Hotel located close to the heart of Hearthome City could be described as extravagant. It was decorated with beautiful features, including rare paintings of Pokémon and humans alike, while a large chandelier hung from the ceiling of the first floor sent radiant streaks of light across the room, greeting new visitors with a ray of beauty and warmness. A couple of receptionists smiled at Riley as he and his Pokémon approached the front desk as they glanced at the impressive presentation around them.
"Can I help you?" A young lady greeted the trainer with a bright smile. Garchomp glared at the other workers at the front desk with a sharp eye. While they were frightened and tried to avoid her stare, she didn't really mean it since her natural, neutral look was intimidating to begin with. On the other hand, Gallade could only be dazzled at how they could put so much time in decorating this hotel.
"Yeah, can I please have a room for four please?" Riley asked.
"Mhm, do you have an ID?"
"Yes, hold on a second." Riley reached into his pocket, pulled out his Pokedex and handed it to her. After confirming that he was indeed a valid Pokémon Trainer, the lady forwarded the device back to him.
"Your room is B4. Head up three floors and make a right down the hallway and your room will be there."
"Thank you very much." Riley picked up his backpack and turned to the Pokémon. "Follow me, everyone."
Leading them to the second floor of the hotel and entering their suite for the day, they were even more surprised at how large their room was. It was just massive, and could easily accommodate eight people if they wished to share beds. Four massive, king sized beds awaited the team and a beautiful view of the city and beyond from the balcony was the top feature of their room. There was even a large-screen television, a miniature kitchen, and even a fridge loaded to the brim with sodas, lemonades, and ice cold water!
"Wow, this is amazing." Gallade exclaimed as he dropped onto one of the beds, sighing. "Now I can finally catch some rest after what happened these past few days!"
Garchomp and Piplup dropped onto their own respective beds, with the Mach Pokémon yawning heavily. Never in her life has she ever slept in a more fluffy and comfortable bed in her entire life. However, it was not long before the penguin Pokémon decided to sleep with her friend instead, since the tiny creature didn't need such a large-sized piece of furniture to sleep on, not to mention she grew accustomed to sleeping and cuddling up with her would-be predator that was so willing to eat her.
"Do you have to do that?" Garchomp asked, frustrated as the Pokémon snoozed on her back.
"Aw, come on! You're so comfortable to cuddle with!" Piplup snuggled happily the dragon's back, trying not to disturb her.
Rolling her eyes, Garchomp swirled her head at Gallade. "If you don't mind, we're catching some shut-eye. If you're going out, then you can take us off the list."
"Alright." Gallade was looking forward to seeing the town, but at least he didn't have to look after his companions for now.
Riley hung his hat up on a rack, sat down on one of the beds, and browsed through some magazines. "Oh, by the way, you said you wanted to earn some ribbons regarding those Super Contests, correct?"
"Yeah, sure. I'm fine with that if you're okay with it."
"Well, I can enter you and probably Garchomp under my name. I'm already registered so I'm capable of entering the contest. I'll just claim you're my Pokémon, so if that's okay…" The trainer placed the magazine back on the table. "There's an event tomorrow and since we're staying here for a while, I guess there's no harm in participating." He pulled up a towel and headed to the washroom. "I need a shower, haven't taken one in days!"
"Take your time." Gallade replied. Sitting in the room alone while hearing the low, heavy snoring of Garchomp along with Piplup's high-pitched snores, he pondered. Was he really prepared to show himself off in a contest where he demonstrated skills of speed, execution and performance in front of a massive audience? He never really got the chance, but for some reason, he was more than willing to show it off to the rest of the world.
A Little While Later…
The rest of the afternoon involved Gallade and Riley exploring the city on foot while Piplup and Garchomp stayed in their hotel suite to get all the necessary sleep they had missed these past few days. Since it was also their first time to snooze in a comfortable bed, no one could blame them as they refused to leave the hotel and spent their time sleeping and dreaming the rest of the day away.
While most of the attractions such as the Poffin House, Pokémon Fan Club and Amity Square didn't give Gallade the slightest attention or interest, the Hearthome Gym and a large dome-like stadium on the north end of the city made him seem interested. "So, where does exactly the Super Contests take place? There seems to be two gyms here, it seems."
Riley pointed to a large dome that stood at the north-center side of the city. "No, that's not a gym. That's the Super Contest Hall. It's where Pokémon and trainers alike dress formally to show off what they really have. That's where we're going tomorrow. Since I already challenged the gym leader here, I can't do so again." He looked forward to entering Gallade into a gym competition after witnessing his combat prowess against Team Rocket's dark Pokémon.
"Dressing formally…" The Blade Pokémon muttered slightly. "Does this mean I have to wear a suit or a cheerleader's uniform to look like a silly ape?"
The man chuckled at his comment. "No need. Just be yourself. Some trainers dress up their Pokémon just because it makes them look a bit cuter. But I'll enter you under something that isn't cute or whatever. But yes, my Lucario didn't exactly like dressing up with a tie so…yeah." He scratched his head nervously. "No need to worry too much about the wardrobe feature, since I already look professional enough and you have a perfect first impression!" He complimented, hoping to raise his spirits.
"Thanks." Gallade laughed a bit. "We still have plenty of time so let's explore the rest of the town."
Taking their time to take note of all the features around the town, both individuals eventually came to rest at an outdoor café where they decided it was a good time to explain their history. Riley's history was fairly short, as he was just a standard Pokémon Trainer and Researcher that would travel around and observe the wild while at the same time battling gym leaders and assisting trainers and Pokémon in need.
"That's it." Riley concluded. "I'm just a general run of the mill trainer. Let's hear your past."
Gallade rested his bladed arms on the table and took in some deep breaths. Recalling his history was one thing he never really enjoyed, as it was a difficult and depressing process. Regardless, he began his explanation. "I used to be a Pokémon Trainer originating from Sinnoh. I am the trainer's sole Pokémon, as he didn't believe in taking other Pokémon from their home environments forcefully away from any friends and family that they had."
His human companion nodded his head slightly. "That's pretty much the same reason why I only own a Lucario." He kept the Pokémon in the Poke ball, as he believed it deserved a well-earned rest after the events from yesterday. "But please continue."
"Because of the connection I shared with my trainer and my powerful skills in combat, Team Rocket and the United Aerospace Armed Forces began to show an interest in me and other various trainers. They were an organization formed to quell the uprisings and rebellions that have been going on throughout the world recently. Only after I was captured did I realize what they were really planning. Dubbed Project Alpha, it is by far the most horrific and unethical experiment known in existence." He sighed. "Their plan was to fuse a human with a Pokémon so it would be totally loyal to them, but there were glitches in the project."
Riley's face went blank. "They…they fuse humans with Pokémon?"
"Exactly. It was a plan to create totally obedient and loyal fighters to their alliance. They believe with Pokémon that possessed human minds, it would not have to rely on its trainer too much while in a fight. It was dubbed a failure by many because the end product either didn't meet the expectations of their trainers, or simply because the fused being didn't listen to their masters." Gallade sipped some coffee in angst.
Not saying anything, the man nodded his head.
"I was one of the few that escaped containment and lived to talk about it, and after being captured, I was assigned to a brutal trainer that abandoned me a while after since he deemed me to be too weak. There were some that didn't end up like me, as they were exterminated for their rebellions. I suppose I lived because I showed potential in their organization, even though I was planning a second escape." The thought of witnessing his fellow prisoners get slaughtered in his eyes at the hands of those cruel agents, soldiers and operatives brought back anger and regret in his heart.
"I'm sorry to hear what happened…" Unsure of what to say, Riley decided to not say much, as he didn't want to bring down the spirit of his ally.
A slight grin drifted across Gallade's face. "It's perfectly fine. I actually felt better after talking this out. People don't realize this dark story due to its complete covert nature…because after Project Alpha was deemed a failure, they proceeded to start Project Redemption, a massive program utilizing dark Pokémon to further…whatever they're planning. I suppose it's well underway seeing how we faced two of their dark Pokémon a while ago back on Coronet. It must be stopped at all costs." The piercing eyes of the Dark Dragonite still haunted his deepest nightmares.
"You have my full support." Gallade looked up and witnessed a confident face coming from Riley.
"Pardon?"
"I'll be assisting you all the way. I may not be as experienced compared to an elite trainer, but I'll do my best." Riley's past of fighting Team Galactic in his past came back to his mind. "I've aided other trainers in taking down Team Galactic during these past few years, and if you need my help, consider it a yes."
"Thank you." It was the first time he could entrust a human ally to travel with him.
The sun began to set, and the two returned to their hotel. It was going to be a new day tomorrow for them, as it would be the first time Gallade takes on a Pokémon Super Contest alongside one of his other companions. Who that would be, was the real answer he needed to figure out.
The Following Morning…
Streaks of sunlight shone through the windows, waking Piplup up as the tiny Penguin Pokémon bounced off the back of Garchomp. Looking at her other teammates, they were still sleeping away peacefully but it was at that moment she realized about the Super Contest that Riley was talking about prior to her falling asleep. She was too excited! After all, it was about time she had the opportunity to display how powerful she was, even if her other companions were much more powerful than she was. That wasn't a reason to back down from a challenge. But where was Riley? She looked around, but upon hearing spitting and gurgling sounds coming from the room next door, she realized the young man was brushing his teeth in the washroom.
"Hey, get up, you lazy lug!" She bounced across the bed and landed on Gallade, who was still sleeping away. "Wake up, the contest is today!" Slapping the Blade Pokémon with her fins, she abruptly awoke him by accident. Jumping out of bed with his blade arms raised, the tiny penguin fell onto the ground head first.
"WAAHH! Are we under attack!" Gallade looked around, and realized he was in the hotel. "Stupid dreams…always haunting me." He climbed down from the bed and noticed Piplup trying to struggle back onto its feet.
"There you are." Piplup rubbed her head a bit. "The Super Contest is today!"
"Calm down. It doesn't start in 2 hours." Her friend laughed a bit as he stretched, yawning sleepily. His actions also woke up Garchomp, who unleashed an earth-shaking yawn.
"Pardon me there." She rubbed her eyes sleepily. "I've never seen you so hyper, Piplup!"
Piplup jumped up and down on the bed in excitement, unable to wait for the contest today. "Well, today's the day of the contest and I'm going to participate!"
"Wait…there's the three of us, and only two of us can join in." Gallade asked, unsure. He didn't want to single out anyone and wanted to give everyone an opportunity to show their power. As he was definitely in, he was left with Piplup and Garchomp. Should I take the overwhelmingly powerful Pokémon with amazing power, or the rising champion who proved her capability in the field?
Garchomp waved one of her wings. "Eh, you can let the pipsqueak join. I'll sit the first round out, my injuries still need healing."
"Pipsqueak!" Piplup angrily squealed at the dragon. "I'm no pipsqueak!"
"Sorry, well, you're the smallest one here!" She laughed.
Piplup fired a jet of water at her in frustration, soaking her face and sending her wide awake immediately. "Well, you definitely improved there. Alright, it's decided. I'll be your cheerleader from the sidelines, and you two go out there and fight on Riley's behalf. If that's okay with you…of course." She asked Gallade.
"If you wish. Alright, Piplup, you know what to do?"
"Of course! I've watched the contests in the past and I understand what needs to be done!"
"That's good to know." He replied, relieved to save himself from explaining more meaningless points that weren't really important. "Let's do it."
Making any final preparations they needed to get over with, the group departed for the Super Contest Hall.
Mt. Coronet
"Ninetales! No!"
"I'm amazed you'd even last against Xander." Zephyr sneered at the Team Rocket operative as her corrupted Ninetales fell Zoroark's overwhelming and brutal assaults. The fox Pokémon fell to its knees, bleeding heavily before its two blazing red eyes fell dim and collapsed with a lack of energy. This brought a smirk on the Illusion Fox who laughed in a sinister voice.
That's the second corrupted Pokémon kill for today. Is there not one worthy opponent for me?
Don't be too cocky. I'm sure she's got something up her sleeve. His trainer noticed there was more than one Corruption ball present on her belt. Could be empty, but I'm not sure.
Having defeated many unsuspecting trainers with her dark Ninetales only to witness it fall against this newcomer with little damage inflicted made her shudder in disbelief. "It's not possible…how did you defeat us!"
"Superior speed and footwork, you stupid fool." The sadistic and apathetic trainer spoke with his arms crossed. "Your overwhelming attacks mean nothing to me. I've taken down hundreds of your types and you'll be joining them very soon." Good job, Zoroark. Someone needs to teach them a lesson that there's someone else darker and far more capable than them.
The agent's partners all stood and stared on in disbelief. How was it possible? This young man's two Pokémon, seemingly to be no more powerful than any old regular trainer they came across at first sight, easily dodged all of the Dark Ninetales's attacks without any effort, and when the time was right, he leapt in, delivered a couple of slashes with its claws before finally putting it out of commission with a nasty dark pule attack. Their thoughts about Zephyr's Zoroark just made them want to claim it more. A Pokémon that could easily create illusions of own self, dodge incoming blasts of fire by simply sidestepping, and act like it could read every single thought within the attacker's mind? It was just an unbearable capture ready to be stolen and given in for further processing.
"Nice Pokémon…care to hand it over? I promise I'll return it after I'm done." The lead agent taunted as she recalled her Ninetales with a sly smile.
Zephyr gave his adversaries a piercing stare. "Just try. I dare you."
All 6 agents, including the female operative who lost her corrupted Ninetales, grabbed a Corruption ball from their belt and without any second thoughts while driven by the possibilities of a promotion and massive paychecks being cashed into their accounts because of the rare Pokémon, flung it at Zoroark.
"You're mine now!" She cackled. "There's no escape!"
"Terios, do your stuff." Zephyr calmly spoke. They've seen Xander's powers, now let's see them quake in fear from Terios's force.
The Umbreon nodded, and with its two amber-colored eyes glowing brighter than ever, the rings on his body amplified a force which casted a barrier around Zoroark. The Illusion Fox was about to slash the Corruption Poke balls to shreds with his own claws, but he felt it was a good idea for the Moonlight Pokémon to demonstrate its bestowed strength to the world. After all, few have seen it firsthand, as it was Zephyr's Zoroark that did the majority of battles. Umbreon was trained for a defensive approach, anyways.
"Hah! You think your little Umbreon can protect your Pokémon?" A grunt laughed. To his surprise, the Zoroark did nothing except continue glaring at the agents. It was as if he didn't notice the Corruption balls being flung at him, or fear itself to be captured to begin with. The eyes of the Pokémon gave off a faint glow of crimson-red as he prepared to unleash a night burst attack in tandem with Umbreon's safeguard.
"Now." The trainer ordered. Let's see how you feel like being hit with your own gadgets.
A violet-colored force field bubbled around Zoroark, and as the Corruption balls opened up for the capture, the devices were stopped cold in midair as they made contact with the barrier. Freezing in place, the Poke balls started to crackle with bolts of electricity fizzing as they began to falter.
All the Team Rocket operatives staggered back in fear. "How…these devices were made to be flawless!"
"Do it, Xander."
The Illusion Fox Pokémon immediately unleashed a burst of evil energy from his body, sending the spheres that Team Rocket had flung at them right back at the agents. All 6 of the evil objects intended to capture and corrupt their victims' Pokémon smashed all of the agents in the faces with ferocious force, sending them flying back and crashing to the ground. The unlucky ones received nasty nosebleeds while one of the operatives lost a couple of his teeth. Zephyr's Zoroark couldn't help but sneer humorously at his targets. "About time someone made them eat their own vile tools." The barrier around him dissipated, and the Umbreon sat down on his hind legs.
"Well, I guess you can finally realize you idiots aren't all that good as you seemed to be, running around with your weapons." The mysterious trainer spoke. "Still plan to fight?"
Determined to get revenge for the bruise inflicted on her face, the female agent gripped a Poke ball in her hands, willing to make the Zoroark and his trainer pay for the makeover they gave her. "You snotty kid…you'll be sorry you did that! Go, Dark Gallade!"
The capsule in her hands was sent into the air, and in a flash of dark light, a corrupted version of the Blade Pokémon that Zephyr and his companions faced earlier emerged. Unlike the honorable creature that aided anyone in need, this one had no mercy, no pity, and no remorse for anyone it came across. It smiled evilly as its two bladed arms were surrounded by a black aura.
"Surprising…" Zephyr yawned a bit. "I expected something like a Garchomp or Rhyperior, but…sure. If you want to fight, fine by me." It was going to be a crushing victory.
The female agent turned to her colleagues enraged at the fact they were all just standing there doing absolutely nothing, aside from trying to stem their nosebleeds. "IDIOTS! Don't just sit there and observe like a slacking piece of trash! Assist me! Weaken that creature so I can finish him!"
Nodding wearily, all five of the other grunts sent their own Poke balls into battle, deploying, to Zephyr's disappointment, corrupted Golbats and Raticates. Even though they were driven into a state of insanity with bloodlust, any well-trained Pokémon could easily finish them without too much difficulty given their lack of power and strength.
"…that's it?" The trainer wanted to hold back his laugh. "Is Team Rocket still poorly funded even after its resurrection?"
The grunts were offended beyond belief. Many of them were fortunate to even receive a precious corrupted Pokémon to begin with, even if it was just the standard issue Pokémon that could be found almost anywhere in the wild. And here they were, grateful for the gift that the High Command of Team Rocket/UAAF had given, being mocked for their longtime laughable reputation of having horrible and near-useless creatures to work with during their dirty work. But this time, they were confident in the fact that their numbers would surely overwhelm the lone Zoroark and could be taken down with massed attacks.
Reading every single of their thoughts, Zoroark rolled his eyes. "Master, I'll handle this. I don't need Terios's help."
"If you wish." Zephyr was more than overconfident of his skills. If Zoroark could take down a Dark Dragonite by himself, 6 low-tier creatures with barely the strength to even match up with any average Pokémon was just a day's worth of training. Meanwhile, his Umbreon moaned sadly, not being able to show off his impressive powers even further.
"Don't worry." His trainer patted the Moonlight Pokémon. "You'll get your chance."
"Fine…I never wanted to fight these clowns anyways." His Pokémon yawned slightly at the agents. "Poorly funded yet still persevering, they've got courage, I'll tell them that much."
"ATTACK!" All five grunts barked. The barrage of Golbats and Raticates all charged at the lone Zoroark, hoping to win with superior numbers.
"This should be fun." The female agent sneered.
As the two Dark Golbats swooped in from the sky, their fangs gave off a faint glow of purple as they dived in in preparation to give their victim a nasty poison fang attack. Approaching from the flanks of Zoroark as it was preoccupied in a stare-off with the Raticates, the grunts and their Pokémon were assured they'd get him this time.
"Illusion, Xander." Zephyr ordered. He wondered if this technique would actually trick them. If it didn't work, he already had a backup plan, and that was to order the Illusion Fox to use extreme speed to get out of there and the two Golbats would fly smack-dab into each other.
Essentially an enhanced version of double team, it would produce copies of the original Pokémon to fool the enemy, but these ones could have the ability to function in a sentient manner all by themselves for a limited amount of time. It would make the opponent feel they are facing multiple enemies at once.
Zoroark's sharp intimidating pupils narrowed, and in a split second, it disappeared into thin air and began to generate multiple copies of itself. 4 other versions of the Pokémon appeared and surrounded the grunts' Pokémon, with no clear differences between the real or fake ones. The Golbats came to a halt before staring at the multiple copies in confusion, with no clear judgment on which one to attack first.
"Attack that one!"
"That one, in the middle!"
"Over there!"
"Get the one on the left!"
"That's the real one!"
The grunts barked multiple orders at their Pokémon, and in complete and utter confusion and dismay, the Dark Raticates and Golbats swarmed the clones as they literally dived through their intended targets with no result. With each illusion copy of Zoroark they managed to take down, 2 more took its place. The real Zoroark was perched on a rock above the battlefield as it observed the foolish grunts and Pokémon try to figure out where it went, and it tried not to laugh. Zephyr was well aware of this fact and he simply nodded without blowing his position away.
Should I continue toying with them? Xander communicated into his trainer's mind. I really like their reactions, their courage baffles me.
If you wish. I have plenty of time on my hands. Zephyr simply replied. This should be a good time to practice your illusion generating abilities.
Sure will, my friend. "This is too easy…" The Illusion Fox boasted. His mind continued to generate even more illusions, making the frustration of the attacking dark Pokémon grow even faster with each passing second. The fake copies gave off mocking faces as their attackers swiped, bit or slashed them before promptly disappearing, but not before disappearing laughing and being replaced with yet two more fakes. The reaction even amused Zoroark more, as it loved to toy with ridiculous and overconfident opponents who thought it could win by out-speeding it. While he wanted to scream "Hey, over here, you idiots!" into the day, the responses of the Pokémon and the grunts trying to locate the real thing was hilarious, to him anyways. Hissy fits, rages, screams of frustration, and cursing were just a few of them.
It was clear to the female agent that the real Pokémon they wanted to target was nowhere in sight. "Alright, where did your little coward go!"
A smile drifted across Zephyr's pale face. "Look above your head on that cliff then." Wanting to finish the battle quickly, he finally ordered Zoroark to commence a real attack. "Zoroark! Shadow ball now!"
The grunts all whirled their heads towards the cliff, only to witness the humanoid fox leap from its perch and into the air while focusing its two palms together. A black/purple orb of pure dark energy began to manifest in its grasp as it began to grow with each passing second.
"Golbat! Stop him!" A grunt yelled.
"You too!" His colleague added.
The two bat Pokémon soared towards the sky and right at the levitating Illusion Fox Pokémon and just as they were about to make contact, it disappeared yet again, leaving two more elusive copies in its wake. Both fakes cackled in a sinister manner before being bitten by the Dark Golbats and disappearing into the thin afternoon air.
Zoroark appeared again on the far side of the battlefield, and without any thoughts, flung the shadowy blob of energy at the Raticates on the ground. Let's see them react in surprise at the fact my shadow ball can actually hit normal Pokémon!
"Hah! You think a ghost-type attack can affect normal types? Did you not do your homework, kid!" The female agent with her Gallade laughed.
"Really?" Zephyr questioned her. "Then why aren't the Pokémon laughing with you?" His Umbreon taunted her in return by raising its paw as if it was giving her the middle finger.
The Dark Raticates witnessed the ball of shadow rocketing towards them with deadly speed, all the while still being preoccupied at trying to find the real Zoroark (even though they had no clue it was actually above their heads). The illusion copies immediately all leapt out of the way as the ball smashed into all three rats, causing a massive explosion and sending bits of dirt, stone and dust into the air. The grunts looked on in shock, surprised at how a ghost-type move could even affect normal types to begin with.
The dust settled, and all three Raticates were down in a fainted state. Not a single one moved a millimeter, and the real Zoroark returned onto a rock as the illusion copies vanished into thin air.
"You cheater!" The Team Rocket agent accused. "How on earth did you do that! Everyone knows ghost-type moves cannot hit normal types!"
"That's because you should do your homework!" Zoroark taunted. "Grow some brains, you dumb sack of bricks!" The real fact he could actually hit the Raticates to begin with was that their corruption of their DNA had changed their genetic typing, thus they were no longer classified as a normal type.
"You dare to insult me with that rude mouth of yours? Tell that to the Dark Golbats!" On her command, the two corrupted bats regained their senses and dived at the Pokémon. "Rend that rude scum's body apart!"
Prepared to kill? I'm amazed. "Kill them, if you wish." Zephyr commanded. It was about time he proved himself as a merciless opponent, as he allowed the three other operatives with the Dark Charizard and Dark Dragonite escape earlier.
"With pleasure!" Zoroark shouted in reply, finally getting a chance to demonstrate his strength in a lethal manner.
The Pokémon were just about to make contact with the Illusion Fox Pokémon when, with a flash, the defender slashed both Pokémon with its razor-sharp claws. For a few seconds, no one said anything as the battlefield drifted into complete silence.
The grunts and the agent looked on in horror as the Dark Golbats' wings separated from the main sections of their body. Copious amounts of blood poured from the wounds from which their wings used to be, raining from the sky in purple drops of liquid. Both Pokémon crashed to the ground, flopping desperately before finally dropping dead, their lifeless bodies showing no signs of any life force coming from them.
"…surprised?" Zephyr asked them in response to the massacre. "You shouldn't be."
Clenching her fists in anger, the operative turned to her Dark Gallade. "Serve that Pokémon's head on a plate. I want it ALIVE!"
The Dark Gallade, without any objections, leapt onto the battleground as it abruptly kicked the fainted Raticates out of its way. It had no feelings for its weak underlings, for its mind was corrupted to the point where its only desire was to slaughter, maim and kill. It looked up at the Zoroark, who finally decided to fight head-on after receiving extensive amounts of pure humor and amusement of the day.
"You've got guts to face me, I'll say…" The Dark Pokémon taunted in perfect human language. "You have the blood of a true soldier in your veins…why not join us?"
"I don't need the help of you corrupt corporate pigs. Looks good on you though!" Zoroark returned the offer.
"Big words from such a little cowardly Pokémon…let my blades do the talking!" The corrupted Blade Pokémon charged with its two blade-like arms extended, both glowing with a dark aura. "You will regret insulting my master!"
"As if." Zoroark once again utilized its illusion ability, generating 6 copies of himself in an instant. Zephyr and his Umbreon looked on tensely. The man knew this Gallade was skilled and it had the ability, senses and sharp eye to detect the real one with no difficulties, not to mention it could read the minds of its opponents to an extent. At the same time, Terios could literally sense traces of DNA from the Gallade he ran into yesterday when they were being attacked by the Dark Charizard and Dark Dragonite.
"That Gallade…it's a carbon copy of the one we faced yesterday." He whispered to his trainer. Zephyr nodded in response.
"I suspected it…Gallade is by far the hardest Pokémon to corrupt with its heart of justice and righteousness. They'd do better simply cloning it. Not to mention it can talk to begin with."
The dark Pokémon locked its eyes on a certain copy of Zoroark, and swinging its blades back, it launched a dark variation of the psycho cut attack. Seething from the hit, Zephyr's Pokémon leapt back from the hit and smiled, finally happy to face a worthy opponent that could actually hit him for once. The fact something so powerful such as a Dark Charizard or Dragonite could only land a hit in retaliation was a testament of how skilled he was at dodging attacks and deceiving his enemies at the same time.
The Illusion Fox Pokémon immediately disappeared again, once again utilizing its illusion tactic to fool his adversary in a second attempt. But it wasn't long before another blade of psychic energy was flung at him, and he broke his cover as he blocked the incoming attack with his claws. The Dark Gallade snickered, confident in rendering his opponent's greatest advantage useless.
"Looks like you aren't the master of illusions anymore…I can read each and every one of your movements. Your tricks won't deceive me!"
Zoroark took the threat as a joke, as he had a dozen more tricks ready to be used. "That was just one. I have plenty more for the likes of you." He turned to his trainer. "Zephyr, stay out of this. I wish to test my skills alone."
His trainer nodded. "Keep a sharp eye out! This Gallade isn't easy to trick!"
"Of course…for now." His sly mind was already plotting more tricks to fool his opponent. Some would call it unfair, but against a corporation far viler than any dictator can possibly imagine being, there were no limits there and all rules were definitely out the window.
"Dark Gallade, shadow slash!" The female agent commanded. "Don't let it trick you!"
The corrupted Blade Pokémon reared back its arms as they began to glow with purple energy. It leapt into the air, charging more power and strength to deliver the crushing blow on his adversary. Zoroark immediately countered by literally making himself vanish into the air.
"Huh! Where'd it go?" The grunts spoke, whirling their heads around in confusion. The agent who owned the dark Pokémon could only ponder.
Out of nowhere, Zoroark reappeared and fired a shadow ball at his opponent. Expecting the attack, the target immediately used its attack to slash the incoming sphere of energy, sending it flying in a random direction. It collided into the mountainside before detonating in a fiery explosion, leaving nothing but a gaping hole.
Both Pokémon landed firmly to the ground, both amazed at each other's powers. It was possibly the second time a pure-hearted being could stand against the overwhelming force of a corrupted creature, with the first time being their previous encounter with the two dark dragons. But that was probably because they were being commanded by incompetent trainers with no idea how to fight properly.
From far away, two Team Rocket agents observed the fight with an interested eye. They paid no attention to the casualties, for they could care less as long as the mission results in a success.
"Amazing. This new Pokémon is clearly matched against one of our corrupted ones. Its skills seem to be almost legendary…or maybe Agent 008 is just unskilled." The female agent viewed Zoroark up close with tactical binoculars. "The boss needs to hear about this. It would complement his arsenal greatly."
Cassidy interrupted her partner. "No. We should see if it prevails. If not, we'll interrupt and take it for ourselves. No need to call reinforcements from High Command."
"Excellent idea…" Butch smiled smugly. "Zoroark…he will soon be ours."
Well, we all know what's going to happen next...or are our judgmental skills deceiving us? Until next time, my friends!
