"In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable."
Dwight Eisenhower
Dateline: Morning
Location: Big Mountain Sink
Our courier was knocked out, clearly having been drained by the battle preceding the the moments he fell asleep, his companions were not amused by the creature who had helped him. In fact, this creature brought more questions than answers, for one certain cazador, this creature, known far and wide as the legendary Xerneas, had some answers that the entire complex needed.
'What do you mean you can't answer EVERY question?"
"I mean, you flying nuisance, that I can't answer every question. I need to answer only what the prophecy will allow."
"Prophecy-Smophecy, either you answer the questions or I stick your antlers where the sun don't shine."
"That doesnt't even make sense you prehistoric Venemoth!"
"The hell is that supposed to mean you glorified lawn ornament?!"
William the Quilladin was astounded by the argument, hardly anyone dared to fight against a legendary, even the most powerful of pokemon bowed in fear and respect to their glory...
Roxie wasn't one to mince words though, she told things as they were, William thought she was insane at this point, perhaps as nutty as a watchog that stood sentry too long. Nevertheless, she prepared to speak her mind against the massive deer.
'Either you tell us whatever you're telling him, or I sting your ass all the way to the Divide."
Xerneas was shocked, this creature..No, this monstrosity dares to defy them? This simply could not do.
"You understand you're challenging the power of a Legendary, don't you?"
Xerneas offered a wry smirk, signifying its victory against the Tarantula Hawk, but stood shocked at what Roxie said next.
"I could care less even if you were God himself! I don't like you, in fact I wouldn't even bother with you if it weren't for the fact that you saved our guardian."
"Guardian of what?"
"Guardian of this entire damned lab! For some wise legendary you surely are one of the dimmest atoms in the chamber."
William was terrified, Roxie was surely going to kill herself, and eventually he would be dead as well, here's hoping he wouldn't end up in the Distortion World.
...
No attack came, there was only laughter, laughter coming from Xerneas itself.
"He-he...hah, few have dared to challenge a legendary to their face, you are one who is quite the shock I must admit."
William spoke up timidly.
"So...you're not going to kill us and throw our souls to Giratina's Realm?"
"Of course not child, usually that was Yveltal's job, thankfully he's taken back to his rest...hopefully for eternity."
Roxie spoke next.
"I'm sure this Yveltal wasn't that bad...is he..or is it she?"
"We follow no gender, we are above that, as for Yveltal being dangerous...well, a misguided Hoopa summoned Yveltal and I, we nearly destroyed Dahara City alongside many other legendaries. It's a time I'd rather not think about."
"Sounds like a hell of a family reunion..."
"Yes..yes it was...Ah! Your friend is stirring."
Upon a queen-sized bed slept Six in all his slumbering *SNORE* wonderful *Sounds of logs being sawn* glory. Of course our courier was tired, the man just fought against soldiers that were as tough as Rangers! Slowly starting to stir, he almost reached for Muggy, prepared to throw him at the door where several figures stood and floated.
'Ech..*BLRUP*...eh wha-? Oh hey guys, what time is it?"
The deer simply replied.
"It's 11 AM, you've slept for some time now, more than adequate I would suppose."
"Hi talking deer, forgot you were real."
"I told you I'm no ordinary deer! I am Xerneas! Giver of Life and Guardian of Nature."
"And I'm Courier Six, Hero of The Mojave and champion poker player, know how to play?"
"I wouldn't waste my breath on simple games of luck, Mew always enjoyed such gimmicks though, I'm sure you two would get along juuuuuust fine..."
"Right...well..first question. What the hell are you doing here?"
"Ah finally, a smart question! I thought you humans were starting to lose brain cells."
"Jeesh, what took a piss in your Sugar Bombs this morning?"
"Stop going off track! I have an important message to tell you."
"Speak away. I've got all week."
Preparing to speak in the stereotypical dramatic voice that bears plotline thickening news, Xerneas motioned for toning down of lights to make things more dramatic, the light switches happily abided. Increasing Xerneas's Charisma as a result.
"Heed me human, you who are a part of the prophecy. You are heralded as the Guardian, he who protects the weak and defenseless against the strong and tyrannical, you are he who defends the Aura Guardian in his time of need! He who-"
"What's an Aura?"
"Not even letting me finish...how rude, aura is in every living thing, but very few can contain its power to be used as a tool and weapon, these few are usually pokemon such as Riolu and its evolved form of Lucario, though some humans can do the same with very hard training."
"Can you yourself detect aura?"
"Of course! Legendaries can sense any aura miles upon miles away...unfortunately, only your Quilladin has an aura in this entire complex."
"So I don't have an aura?"
"No...it's strange and only slightly terrifying. I fear that your sub-species may actually be IMMUNE to aura attacks...oh Arceus..why do these humans exist?"
"Hey! I'm happy being alive thank you, now continue your prophecy. I'm actually curious now."
"Very well, he who is the Desert Guardian, you are he who defends the Aura Guardian in his time of need, you shall not stand alone, from Arceus came these visions. One is as deadly with a syringe as he is with a weapon, another stood vigil upon massive canyons, watching over the burning ruins of a lost civilization. Then comes a group, a soaring eagle that glides across the sky, bringing eternal hellfire to its opponents down below, these three are your allies, worthwhile ones. Heed my warning courier, Team Flare has stolen something extremely dangerous and all of these forces coming into play will prove invaluable."
"What could they have stolen? They couldn't have gotten anything big...right?"
"You are wrong...Arceus spoke of clouds shaped as mushrooms encroaching the grandest cities across the globe, Lysandre wishes to create a new world, and he will happily forge one out of fire."
Mushroom clouds?...Oh no...no..
"Christ in a Corvega! He's going to destroy the entire planet!"
"You finally understand the situation? He also has one of the Zygarde as his personal weapon, you fared better than I thought when you faced it."
"Are you kidding? The thing nearly chomped on my Super Sledge like it was a chew toy!"
"You are unafraid, you clearly have a reason to have fought against a legendary in it's on right, besides, your hammer possibly being destroyed was the least of your worries...YOU could have been his chew toy."
"Thanks...makes me feel a lot better. And of course I have a reason to defend this place, do you really think I'm giving up so easily? I have reasons to protect Big Mountain, nothing that is built here ever leaves, and for good reason."
"I trust your judgement, but for now, we must plan our next move, no doubt that Lysandre as his team are planning their new world as I speak."
"Right, let me just get up and we ca-AGH Christ that hurts!"
Six fell back onto the bed, his leg was clearly swollen.
"Doesn't look to be fractured, spend some time waking up human, we have time for that at least."
Dateline: Morning
Location: Route 12
Ulysses had left Shalour City to reach Route 13, according to several locals, it was mainly a desert, someplace familiar to him. Ulysses was concerned about the purplish stone found in the reflection cave, convinced it had something to do with Boris the Gengar.
"Gen? Gen-gengar."
"Huh? Oh, it's nothing, just speculating on certain things. No need to worry. We surely can't be far from Coumarine at this rate."
Ulysses soon came upon four children and a yellow mouse by a river, discussing about some sort of conference, the mouse glanced across the river to look Ulysses in the eye.
"Pika?"
The yellow mouse pointed its trainers attention the route on the other side, revealing Ulysses' location, the former Legionnaire simply glared at the mouse, something about that thing didn't sit right with him. Soon the creatures apparent trainer, a raven-haired child wearing mainly blue and being no older than 14, spotted Ulysses and spoke to his other teammates, one young man in a jumpsuit, another rather fashionably dressed young woman and a young girl.
Eventually the youngest spoke out to Ulysses.
'Hey mister, you couldn't help us could you?"
"Bonnie! What have I told you about talking to strangers?"
'But Clemont...We need all the help we can get."
The other girl came up.
"She's right Clemont, besides, remember that we can't judge someone by appearance alone."
What was that supposed to mean? Ulysses wasn't that terrifying...was he?
"What do you kids need help with?"
The little girl beamed at Ulysses, then frowned again, remembering the reason they needed help.
"Team Rocket stole all of Ash's pokemon...well...except for Pikachu, we lost track of them..you couldn't help us could you?"
If there was one thing that got through Ulysses, it was children, even more so when it was children that weren't raised to kill and maim someone fifteen ways from Tuesday before the age of 12.
"Well...what does Team Rocket look like? I've experience as a tracker and have the eyes of an eagle."
"What's an eagle?"
"It's...Ugh..nevermind, do you have anything identifying them?"
"Well...oh! We have a wanted poster from Coumarine City, right Serena?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah we do, here you go sir."
Being handed the parchment, Ulysses almost suppressed a laugh...almost. It was said that all of the residents in the Mojave had suffered from an involuntary chill the moment Ulysses laughed, even Mr. House felt the chill all the way inside his little chamber that held his body.
"These...these Idiots are a criminal organization, *Snort* He-hehe..ahe-ha-ha! By god these morons couldn't even fight me properly, they hid behind a squid and a flying tree."
Raven-hair was surprised at that statement.
"Wait, you met them before?"
"Not even a full six hours ago in Shalour, these guys met a friend of mine farther south. They're apparently terrified of us both, it's fine by the both of us."
Little blonde ball of innocence spoke next.
"But why? You seem so nice, and you obviously have a great sense of humor! Everyone laughs at Team Rocket."
"I can't argue there, but anyway, so these idiots stole your...friends?"
Raven-hair nodded.
"That's right, my pokemon are my closest friends. I'd do anything for them!"
"Well..I respect that, come on then, we're going hunting.
Elsewhere in the forest, three morons just succeeded in their biggest grab yet, all but one of a certain twerps pokemon, a shame they couldn't capture the Pikachu, but a Greninja and Goodra were exremely valuable and rare pokemon to the right seller.
Or they would have been sold, were it not for the rustling in a set of bushes.
One of the three, identified as James, whispered to the nearby Jessie.
"You hear that Jess? Sounds like someone's close by."
"Must be that twerp...I'm not backing down that easily...I stole his pokemon fair and square!"
The third member, being Meowth, interjected.
"Exactly, fair and square, by being the lowlifes we are!"
"That doesn't help at all Meowth...some days I just wonder if we'll ever reach retirement like this."
"Jeesh James, you're a downer for sure, just be happy we got's da pokemon and we could get paid within the day as a result!"
An unknown voice interrupted the cat's speech.
"Not today you three, why is it that I always have to meet the worst that the world has to offer? Especially if the world's worst are you three idiots..."
That voice...it couldn't have been, he couldn't have gotten here that fast! Looking behind them, the trio saw a tall dark shadow flanked by two others, the tallest simply uttered out one word.
"Boo."
The trio screamed so loudly, that it's said even the deaf could hear for that moment in time.
The trio immediately ran towards the balloon, but not before Ulysses cut them off.
James went first, not noticing that a certain Gengar was nowhere to be found.
"Why are you torturing us? We just wanted to do our evil deed for the day!"
"By stealing a child's group of friends? Your ways remind me of the Legion, you're not worth the dirt I tread on."
At this statement Ulysses spit on the ground, to which Jesse immediately took offense.
"How dare you?! I'll have you know that we're the best rockets in business, in fact, we would happily battle you once more in a show of strength, right Ja-"
She didn't finish, as Ulysses, tired of the incessant nagging and chattering, silenced Jessie with a straight right hook to the face. Both Ulysses' and Team Rocket's parties stood shocked and bewildered.
"You...you dare? There's a law against that you creep! I could have you arreste-"
*Cling*
Old Glory was torn from her sheath, aimed straight at the terrified face of Jesse. Ulysses stood over her, a grimaced expression plastered on his face.
"I dare you to say another word, interesting fact, it is said in the old-world that 'He who dares, wins.' For you though, it goes as is, 'She who dares, dies.' So give me a reason to end you... One. Simple. Reason. Right here and now."
Jesse took notice of the pole aimed at her, the gold ornament offset by small splatters of possibly dried blood, this was no simple flag pole, it was used as a weapon for sure, and it appeared to be quite a deadly one.
While all this was occurring, Gengar had snuck past the incident, he respected his trainer...but he didn't approve of his methods. The man was too violent, but he supposed there had to be violent heroes to offset the violent villain...right? Moving on, Gengar was busy reclaiming the pokeballs that belonged to the raven-haired boy, taking the five, he snuck past once more, signaling to Ulysses that the deed was done. Being a ghost-type has perks.
"It seems I've no more time for you...leave..and if I ever see any of you three, pray to whatever deity it is that you pray to for a quick death."
With a smooth motion, Ulysses locked Old Glory back into her spot, awaiting the day when it is once again used in battle. Team Rocket immediately took to their...balloon? Lifting off into the air as quickly as three numbskulls could.
Ulysses walked towards the group of children, they had apparently left after the punch, not wanting to see any more than they already had.
"Boris, you have something to give the boy, right?"
"Gengar! Gen-gen-gar!"
In Boris's hand there were five pokeballs, each holding one of the Raven-haired boy's team.
"Thank you...I just..."
"You just what, child?"
"I just wish you didn't have to fight them..."
Ash was honestly scared, and he fought against legendaries! Yet a simple man scared him..but this is far from an ordinary man, this was Ulysses, the guy could scare an orange into slicing itself and tossing it's own pieces to the former Legionnaire to eat.
'They're criminals child, they deserved more than what I gave them."
"I have a name! It's Ash from Pallet Town, and even I wouldn't do that."
"And, pray tell, why not?"
"You're hurting more than just the criminals, you're also hurting families that rel on them. Some might be parents or siblings..."
The fashion girl simply stood shocked.
"Y'know Ash...that's honestly the deepest thing I've ever heard you say...bravo."
"Young Ash, the sooner you realize that our worlds are nothing alike, then the sooner you realize I did what I thought was right."
"So are you apologizing right now?"
"Not before the Divide skins me alive."
"Ugh...I'm not sure what that means...but thank you anyway.."
"You're welcome, and if you see the Courier, tell him I'll be waiting the City of Illumination."
"City of...oh you mean Lumiose City. Wait, how you know Si-"
"Not important, just tell him when you see him."
With that said, Ulysses took towards Coumarine City, straight towards a certain Wasteland doctor, who is also helping cook a Lum Berry pie.