Okay, so we'll be kicking this off with some hilarity, then get down to seriousness. I hope you all enjoy this as much as I will writing it, so have fun! Story Spotlight, The Bell of Death, by The9Tard. Ratings; 1st United States, 2nd Australia, 3rd United Kingdom, 4th Canada, 5th Netherlands.
A, Green, Rose, and Loran sat around the kitchen table, with A visibly shuffling a deck of cards and a toothpick in his mouth. He proceeded to explain
"So, this is three turn draw, with each turn we place our bets, can raise or stay flat, and the aim is to get the highest hand. Any questions?" Green raised a hand and replied
"Yeah, I got one; what the hell inspired you to play poker of all games?" A grinned and shrugged, answering
"Been a while since I played, I was bored after training, and decided to try and relax through a game. I was never good at cards, but maybe my luck has changed." Green rolled her eyes, then said
"Fine, whatever. Let's just get this going." A nodded and began dexterously tossing the cards to each player, until everyone had five. He checked over their chips again; five each of red, black, and blue, and ten of white. He grunted and instructed
"Each one of us tosses in a white as the ante, then check our hands and decide whether to stay or fold." They all nodded and tossed in a white chip each. Then A picked his hand up, checking it. He had a ten, jack, and queen of hearts, a two of spades, and six of clubs.
"Damn, I could go straight for a royal flush! I hope to Arceus my luck has changed!" A grabbed a white chip, saying
"I'm staying." The rest nodded, adding their own chips, though Loran got bold and tossed a red in as well.
"I'll see your stay and raise a red." A rolled his eyes, and the rest tossed in a red to stay as well. Then A picked up the deck, placing his hand down.
"Alright, time for the doling of cards. Everyone put down the cards you're not using and get the same number back. Remember, Jokers are ambiguous." They nodded and Rose set down three cards, which A reimbursed her for. Loran only set two down, and A handed them over. Green, on the other hand, threw down four cards. A arched an eyebrow but gave her the cards, then looked over his hand. He threw away the two and six, taking two more cards. As luck would have it, he managed to score the Ace of Hearts, and his own soared.
"My luck really has changed! Now all's I need is the King, and I got it made." Despite his joy, however, he kept his face straight, though Loran wasn't nearly as skilled in this regard; it was clear he was pissed off, and A figured he had a good hand, or would have had he kept his original cards instead. Rose was a bit mellower, and Green was totally composed. A tossed in two reds, to stay and raise. The rest followed suit, except Green raised a few more whites, prompting everyone else to do the same, except Loran, who set his cards on the table and said unhappily
"Too steep for me; I fold." A nodded, then said
"Okay, second draw. Same deal as before. Rose?" She set down two cards, holding up two fingers. A reimbursed her, then looked to Green. She threw down two as well, repeating her actions. Finally A looked over his hand, throwing down the one card he didn't need, but unfortunately only received a three of diamonds.
"Dang. Well, there's still one more draw, and if it all fails I can still try and bluff my way to victory." He grinned and tossed in the required ante, throwing a black for good measure. Rose and Green eyed him warily, but followed shortly after. Green raised further, checking their reactions. A became just as wary of her as she was of him, but followed once again.
"Okay, final draw." Rose contemplated her hand intensely for a moment, then threw down one card. Once A handed the new one to her and she inspected it, she seemed to sigh in relief. A smirked and looked over at Green, who drew her hand across the table, just an inch above it, meaning she was satisfied with her hand. A's smirk grew, and he immediately tossed aside the three, and his heart skipped a beat at the sight of a royal figure with a sword stabbing through a heart, with the selfsame symbol on the corners.
"Hell yes! I've got it, a Royal Flush! Only one thing beats that, four Aces, but there's no way any of them got that! This game is finally mine." Still acting calmly, however, he tossed in a couple reds and blacks each, saying
"Ante up, gang." Rose eyes the growing pile, then set her cards down, shaking her head.
"I'm out." A chuckled and looked at Green.
"Guess it's just you and me, then. So, whattya gonna do?" Green smirked and replied
"I'll see your raise and double it." A blinked in shock, not certain what to think anymore.
"She couldn't have… no, that's next to impossible. She must be bluffing me. Alright, she thinks she's so sly, but I'll beat her yet." A played up a smirk and pushed the remainder of his chips in.
"Then I'm going all in. Your response?" Rose and Loran were on the edge of their seats, and Green smirked.
"Alright, tough guy, if that's your game, I'll play along. I'll go all in, too. Now, what are you playin'?" A chuckled and placed his cards on the table, showing his-
"Royal Flush! How's that for winning it?" His hands reached forward to scoop up his winnings, but Green's hand quickly and dexterously wrangled his wrists together, stopping him. Her smirk turned evil and she told him
"Don't count your Torchics before they hatch, Mr. White Knight." A scoffed, asking
"Oh yeah? And what could you possibly have to beat me?" Green released him, then began placing her cards, one by one, on the table. First came the Ace of Clubs, then Spades, Diamonds, and finally two Jokers. A's face and mouth fell, and Green proclaimed
"Not four Aces, but five! Now that's how you win." A simply blinked while Green pulled all the chips toward herself, and he slammed his face onto the table. Green laughed and told him
"Hey, better luck next time." A huffed and propped his chin on his right hand, the fingers of his left drumming on the table.
"I don't think there's gonna be a next time." Green rolled her eyes and muttered
"Sore loser." A scowled, but at that moment the phone rang. He sighed and went to answer it.
"Hello?"
"A, it's Rick!"
"Oh, hey, Rick! What can I do for you?"
"Not much. How are things?"
"We're fine. I just finished playing cards with my Pokemon and Green."
"And how did that go?" A hesitated for a moment before finally replying evenly
"It went...fine." Rick audibly tried to hold in his laughter and told him
"Well, I actually have some news for you."
"What's up?"
"Well, we'll be having some very important guests on Wednesday, and I want you to be with me and them as we speak."
"Sounds simple enough. Who are the guests?"
"It's the queen of the Water type civilization, the king of the Rock and Ground civilization, and the crown prince of the Flying civilization." A's tone then became one of interest.
"Oh? Really?"
"Yeah, they want to speak with me and I want you to be there as an adviser. This will be a great chance for you to express your power as the Guardian of Pokemon for the other civilizations to know who you are." A nodded, replying eagerly
"I will definitely take that chance. I'll see you there."
"Alright. They will arrive Wednesday morning, so be with me by around eleven in the morning."
"Understood! Goodbye!"
"Bye!" A hung up the phone, thinking
"A meeting with royalty, huh? This ought to prove interesting."
Six Days Later…
Rick, the Chief and Queen, and the rest of his team were at the gates to the Sanctuary, awaiting the arrival of their honored guests. Rick was nervous to meet the royal leaders of other civilizations, but kept his own royal composition. Rick asked A
"Ready to speak with them?" A grinned and replied
"It's not my first meeting with royal figures, and I highly doubt it will be my last. But yes, I'm ready."
"Good! Because you'll be my little voice of reason if this goes south." A frowned in confusion, asking
"How could it go south? You're a decent politician, aren't you? But if I spot something I'll point it out."
"No doubt that we'll also need your military advice in this meeting." A grinned now, chuckling.
"Heh… I make for a good military advisor, don't I? Okay, if you need me, I'm here for you."
"Thanks! Make sure you let Green know how to greet a member of a royal family."
"I rather doubt she'll be meeting with anyone. Chances are I'll be on my own when it comes to that. But I guess I'll still make the effort."
"I just want their visit to be a pleasant one."
"Well, Green is already pretty well practiced with meeting higher classes, so it shouldn't be that big a deal."
"Hmm... alright." He then watched as the gates opened and a Wartortle came forward with a scroll, remarking
"I'm guessing this is an announcer." The Wartortle then exclaimed
"Now introducing, her majesty, Queen Misuto III of the city of Shio and the Shio Empire!" He then stepped aside and looked towards the gates. At that moment, four Carracostas came in carrying a decorated carriage, while a large group Samurotts, Feraligatrs, and Empoleons around them as guards. On the carriage was a young, beautiful, and decorated Milotic who looked around curious at the city around her and the group. Rick quickly bowed and motioned for everyone else to bow. A and the remaining team members all bowed to her, waiting for the indication that they could rise again. The Milotic told them
"You may all rise!" Rick and the team then rose and Rick greeted her
"Queen Misuto, I am honored that you have decided to visit my city." Queen Misuto replied
"The honor is all ours! We are happy to be of company." She then saw A, Green, and Neil and floated over to A and inspected him and Green, remarking, to A's surprise, in the third person
"Humans are such peculiar creatures. They interest us." She then asked A directly
"Do you understand the words that come out of our mouth?" A grinned and replied
"We do, Your Majesty. It was a gift bestowed onto me by Lord Arceus, to assist in my line of work. It is an honor to meet you."
"The honor is all ours, White Knight." She looked at Green and asked
"And who is this other human? They look different than you and the other human over there. We are guessing that she is a female of your species?" A held back a chuckle for a moment, then replied
"Yes, she is. This is Green, my girlfriend. If that term confuses you, perhaps it would be easier to say that she and I are currently within a relationship."
"Mates? Are we correct in saying that?"
"Um… not quite. And humans don't really use the term 'mate'. At that level, we would be considered married, a practiced carried out among humans and certain pokemon civilizations."
"Marriage happens in our civilization, too. We expect to hear much of your wisdom during our meeting today, White Knight."
"I'm sure you will, depending on the situation, Milady. I have years to offer."
"We hope so." She then floated back to her carriage and coiled her body. Rick commented to A
"I have never met anyone who regards themselves in the third person." A almost laughed loudly, but managed to hold himself, then replied
"I'm completely used to it, seeing as my sister used to refer to herself that way all the time."
"Why would she do that?"
"I don't know. I think she was emulating how those old stories were read to her, and after a while it stuck, so she never outgrew it. Even into her adult years she referred to herself by her own name."
"I'm not even going to ask." The gates opened again and a Sandslash appeared, exclaiming
"Now introducing King Sonir of Hokori City!" Rick sighed and said to the team
"Bow again." A smirked and knelt on one knee, the classic bowing position for a knight. Soon a Shiny Rampardos walked inside the city, surrounded by many Sandslashes, Excadrill, and Krookodile. The Rampardos then walked over to Rick and said
"Great to see you!" Rick got up and stuck his hand out
"Likewise, Your Majesty." King Sonir looked at his hand, then asked
"What are you doing?"
"Offering you my hand as a greeting."
"That's not how you do it in my city." Rick sweatdropped and asked
"So how do you greet one another?" The king suddenly head-butted Rick, causing him to fall to the ground, holding his face. A winced, then broke his kneeling position and rushed up to Rick, asking in a low voice
"Should I have warned you about that ahead of time? Then again, I didn't know who this was, so…" Rick replied thickly
"I should have known." Rick then got up and said to the King
"Well that's a very... unique way to greet one another." The King asked in concern
"Are you alright?" Rick replied valiantly
"Yep! No problem!"
"The blood coming out of your nose tells a different story." Rick quickly wiped it and insisted
"I'm alright." The King then looked at A and asked
"So I'm guessing that you're the White Knight I've been hearing about?" A used Healing Pulse on Rick, effectively stopping the bleeding, then replied with a bow
"I am. However, I would prefer to avoid the method of greeting you are accustomed to; humans are not quite as sturdy as pokemon, as a rule of thumb."
"Very well. Tell me a bit about yourself."
"Well, I've lived a long enough life to fill several books, and have garnered much wisdom along the way. Hopefully I can also display my strategic mind within this meeting. As I understand, military advice will be sort of a necessity."
"Yes, it will." He then looked at Green and Neil, asking
"How many humans are there in this city?"
"We three are the only ones currently, unless more have been placed without my knowledge. Given that I hold no true authority here, I would understand that."
"Why do you not hold authority here?"
"Because this isn't my proper place, nor time. In truth, I come nearly a century in the future, but Arceus sent me back here to assist the Warlord."
"Hmm... very well. Well, I guess I should go wait for our last guest here." He then walked away with his company and waited. Soon, a Pidgeot appeared and announced
"Introducing the prince of the Gale City, Crown Prince Lear." A Staraptor then appeared and said
"Thank you, but I don't need an introduction. I just want to get this over with." He seemed nervous and soon a company of guards appeared around him. They were composed of Staraptor, Swellow, and Braviary. Rick observed in a low voice to A
"This looks like it is his first time performing a royal task. He's really nervous." A nodded and murmured
"I remember that feeling from when I was first recruited as a Knight. I was a mere soul, and Arceus was explaining his credit toward the fact that all my pokemon mourned my passing, even threatening him."
"Well, I guess we should try to not give him a hard time."
"Yeah. At the moment, the best thing for him is a source of comfort, and hopefully he can find that here. So, shall we begin?"
"Yes, let's just greet him." Prince Lear walked up to Rick and held out his wing, speaking nervously and uncertainly.
"Umm... hello, sir." Rick chuckled and told him
"No need to be nervous. I'm a kind man." Rick then shook his wing. Lear replied
"Sorry, I've never done something like this."
"You'll get used to it."
"I hope so." He then looked at A, inquiring
"A human?" A smiled and replied
"Not just any human, mind you. I'm known as Arceus' White Knight and the Guardian of Pokemon, though currently I'm acting as the Warlord's War Advisor. It's a pleasure to meet you." Lear nervously bowed his head.
"Likewise."
"There's no need to be nervous, Sire. I assure you, I'm quite gentle with my allies."
"Sorry, we pokemon are just apprehensive around humans."
"If it makes you feel less nervous, I can assume my pokemon form."
"No that's alright. And also, what?" A smirked and explained
"I was cursed some time ago by a Ninetales when I tried to force him out of a forest he claimed as his territory, but wasn't allowed to do so. He cursed me to live as a pokemon for the next one hundred years, but luckily the Warlord was able to help me return to my human form, to an extent."
"That's quite the story that I want to hear later. For now, let's get this meeting out of the way." Rick responded
"Yes. The others have left for the Chief's Court as we should as well." A nodded and they were escorted by Rick's soldiers and Lear's guards to the Chief's Court, where the entire contingent was waiting on them. Rick then saw Queen Misuto inspecting Alara's slightly bulging belly. He then heard her ask
"You are with child, are you not, Princess Alara?" Alara nodded proudly, answering
"Yes." Misuto smiled at her, saying
"Well, I wish you many congratulations on your great triumph."
"Thank you." Rick chuckled and asked A
"Well, looks like it's noticeable now. However, I thought that it took months for a baby bump to show?" A shrugged and replied
"It differs, I suppose. Besides, given the usually slim build of Gardevoir, it would make sense that the growing child would show sooner."
"Alright, I guess I can accept that answer. I'm just happy that she hasn't had mood swings yet. The cravings have happened, but not the mood swings." A smirked and told him
"That is a blessing in disguise, 'cause it's gonna happen. Hopefully not today, though."
"I know. Thank Arceus! Anyways..." Rick walked to the center of the room, then called for everyone's attention.
"Alright, thank you everyone for coming, but can you leave me, Alara, A, and the guests, plus their guards, alone so we can have our meeting? Thank you!" A told Green he'd see her later, then made sure Neil didn't try to make any moves on her. Luckily, they avoided a confrontation, and A sighed in relief, then joined the remaining group. Rick then said
"Well, I'm not expert in these kinds of meetings, so I might have to leave it to a veteran to start this off." The Chief interjected
"Allow me, we are gathered here because we all have an equal wanting to improve our standings with one another. Our guest are here to see what we can do and how we are planning to go about our campaign. So Aeru, I will like to ask you what you about our status. How is it?"
"It's great at the moment. Ideal really. What worries me is the eerie calm that we have had so far. Team Rocket is probably planning something right now because of our victory at Sanda City. They probably see us as a true military threat now." Rick then asked A
"A, what do you suppose we should do?" A bent his head, thinking hard. After a moment, he asked
"Do we have a good idea about where some of their more important bases are?"
"I know that there are two in Kanto and the HQ. I still remember where it is."
"Alright. Are any of them used to store their troops?"
"Not that I know of. The HQ is where Giovanni and the Projects are."
"Hmm… my suggestion was going to be, we find their barracks and cut them off from their supplies. Then we track the movements of the supplies, because they'll undoubtedly have more than one. We leave one of our group to lead the teams cutting off the supplies, and weaken their troops. Once we've done that, then we assault their main headquarters. But if we can't locate the barracks in the first place, that's a serious flaw…" Queen Misuto opinionated
"We feel like it's quite the gamble." A shook his head and told her
"Not as much as you assume. I used it when I campaigned against Cipher. They were completely blindsided, and that much easier to corral and thrash. The key part of this, though, is that we keep a constant eye on our situation, because it will change constantly."
"Yes, however, we should focus on locating these camps first rather than blindly attack them."
"Naturally. Unfortunately, my scouts have been unable to locate them effectively. They manage to keep out of sight, but some sort of cloaking device or other prevents them from spotting the actual barracks or bases. I've considered sending them with heat-sensing detectors, but that would compromise the purpose of undercover recon." King Sonir then said
"Then we must wait. This is not something we must risk our men with."
"It's not that I don't agree with that, but their forces are severely crippled by our last battle with them, at Sanda City. Not to mention they likely weren't expecting our victory. Furthermore, Rick managed to defeat and slay one of the Projects, which no doubt takes them further by surprise. We need to capitalize on their weaknesses while they still exist. We don't have to go for a finishing blow yet, but we should definitely try to cripple them further, or at least rattle them."
"While I agree with that, it's too risky. I respect your decision, White Knight, but I have to use my military experience in this one."
"Very well, then, what do you suggest?"
"I suggest we send more scouts, but more scouts that are trained at detection."
"The Warlord and I have tried that, and I can't think of anyone more perceptive than Psychics, unless our enemies are hiding in the water or underground."
"And yet you have two of the leaders of both the elements you are mentioning."
"Then by all means, go to town. However, considering that you're speaking with the Guardian of Pokemon, and the original person who beat both Cipher and Team Rocket, I'd think you would consider what I have to say with more attention. The fact remains that in order to predict our enemy's next move, you need to get inside their heads. This I have done and can still do."
"Very well. I will take your words into consideration."
"As long as we can come to an agreement, that's what matters most." Queen Misuto commented
"We believe that we should see your army. If that is not of any trouble with you, Warlord." Rick shook his head, replying
"Not at all. We can go see them." Rick then asked A telepathically
"Are you alright with that?"
"Why would it be a problem? Besides, it's your army to command, not mine. The decision is yours."
"Good, I just wanted to make sure." Rick then told the royal guests
"Let's go to the royal carriage. From there, we can see my army." The group got up from their seats and walked over to the Chief's Court driveway, where the carriage was amazingly already prepared and ready to go. They all got on and were driven off to the military barracks. On the carriage Rick asked A
"What part of the military should we show them first? The air force or the ground force?"
"I think the ground force first. Both are equally impressive, but I say it's always good to start from the ground up, no pun intended."
"Very well." Rick then commanded the driver
"To the Barracks." Rick then explained to the guests
"First off, I will show you my ground army. This is the army that defeated Team Rocket at Sanda City. It is composed of multiple divisions and four Special Forces divisions. These forces include the Rangers, which I am the first Ranger. The others are composed of the Blackhawk Shock Troopers, the Tomahawk Stealth Ops, and the Mounted Legion. I secretly put A here under the Mounted Legion since his Titan is a war steed." A rolled his eyes and remarked sarcastically
"Now he tells me."
"Yeah, sorry! I should have told you, but you seemed to love the scout division."
"I'm good with all divisions, truth be told. I'm multitalented, so just put me wherever you need me."
"Alright." They soon arrived into the barracks and Rick said to his guests
"Welcome to my military barracks. If you looks on either side, you will see my soldiers doing their jobs of the day when they are not deployed." With that, they saw soldiers doing drills, clean, train, and other odd tasks. Rick then pointed at a group of Pokemon, explaining
"Those are some of A's pokemon that are categorized as scouts." A smirked and added
"They've been lifelong companions and are extremely loyal. Any secret I give them goes to their graves unless I say otherwise. It's hard to find friends like that." Prince Lear chuckled and replied
"Yeah! It's hard to get friends like that. I'm just curious as to what your position in the army is."
"I serve many positions; I'm the Warlord's War Advisor, apparently the leader of the Mounted Legion, a scout, recon artist, and I daresay soldier extraordinaire." Rick then cleared his throat and said
"Sorry to correct you, but you're the leader of the scouts. Why do you think that you get progress reports from other soldiers that are not your Pokemon? Also, you're considered part of the Mounted Legion. General Morland is the leader of the Mounted Legion."
"Wait, I thought you said you put me secretly in charge of the Mounted Legion? But I'm actually the leader of the Scout Division? Can you explain this a bit better?"
"I said that I put you under the Mounted Legion category. I forgot to tell you about the scout division." A facepalmed and shook his head, then asked calmly
"Anything else you might have forgotten to mention?"
"Yes. You have to address the scouts next week at a rally." A appeared wary and asked
"What kind of rally? And how did you corral me into that without tipping me off in the slightest degree?"
"I told my dad to tell you. Obviously, you didn't get the memo." A facepalmed, then commented
"As the Guardian of Eternity, I hardly think he has time to send memos to his underlings about matters he likely has no involvement whatsoever in."
"Yeah, I guess... wait... Guardian of what?" A rolled his eyes and told him
"Never mind, never mind. You'll find out when you're supposed to. Suffice to say, I think you'll be surprised."
"Wait, I kinda want answers now. What did you say?" King Sonir then said, attempting to save A from an awkward situation
"Warlord, please do explain to me the strengths of your army." Rick stopped his interrogation and replied
"Well, mainly strategic warfare and frontal assaults. We are working on a new tactic that some of my generals are naming the Modern Phalanx. It's still in the untested phase, so I can't give off any details." A smirked and remarked
"If you want, I can act as a test subject to focus their power on. I'm very capable of defending myself. Given that it won't interfere with the speech I apparently have to give." Rick pondered this for a moment, then answered
"Well, it has to be tested against a group."
"Oh, I see. So with all my power, I couldn't be considered a similar threat level as a group?"
"Yes, but it's meant to be done on a group scenario. Army vs. army. However, if you want, you can enter your own battle scenarios and strategies to the General's Board. They have orders from me to honor your word."
"Hmm... I'll have to think about that. I'm trying to think about ways to further develop my power, so I might need the Sim Room solo for a while. Once we're finished with all of this, of course."
"Very well. I'll make sure to reserve it for you." Prince Lear then asked
"You have a great standing army, but how's the air force?" Rick replied
"They are not too far from here if you want to see it for yourself. To be quite honest, A and I are certified pilots of our own crafts."
"I believe we all use the same aircraft, but if I'm mistaken, I use the Falcon Wing."
"I use the Wolf Claw, but it's basically the same type of craft."
"Alright. So, our air force is just as strong as our ground forces, and I've been thinking recently about a marine force, since I'm almost certain that will come in handy." Queen Misuto then asked in shock
"You do not have a navy?" Rick replied, almost ashamed
"No. We do not have a body of water large enough to contain a navy here in the Sanctuary."
"You don't necessarily need a body of water to hold a navy. Plenty of water types can walk on dry land, and it's those we should recruit."
"Still I think we should have ships for those that are not water types to participate. My soldiers have requested a navy, but we do not have the water, nor the ships." Queen Misuto told him
"We suggest you use the ocean that is only about a mile or two south of here. That would be a great place to begin to grow a navy."
"Yes, but that's not Sanctuary land, and it would require increasing the size of the dens."
"As long as there aren't so many pokemon in the intervening space who have claimed that land as their home, I don't see that as a problem. Besides, you could use that extra space as a sort of emergency bunker should the Sanctuary be threatened for the average civilian."
"The Sanctuary has an agreement with Pastoria City. We will not expand our size outward unless the land is purchased. That's to protect their own borders. Pastoria City is the only place with knowledge about our existence and they have a sworn oath to keep it a secret for our sake. The land around us belongs to them. The Sanctuary and its borders belong to us."
"And you can't buy the extra land we need to help support our ideas for a navy?"
"The problem is, I can't just tell them that I'm going to use it to build a navy and seeing warships could cause a bit of a scare."
"So it would be impossible to expand the barrier that keeps the Sanctuary hidden, then?"
"Well we can use the invisibility cloak, but I have no idea how that works."
"So why don't you ask?"
"I will. However, that's not my decision. That's the Chief's decision and the Councils. I only focus on war." A facepalmed and muttered
"Oh boy, it's Loran all over again." He shook his head, then told him
"Alright, here's what you say. In the interest for the safety of the Sanctuary and its peoples, you must learn the specifics of the invisibility cloak and its full capabilities and limits. Then you campaign to extend it, buy the land necessary, and we start building our navy."
"Just one problem there, A; How do we train a navy? None of us are former navy combatants or Seals."
"How hard can it be? It's just water combat, right? Not much different from other warfare, besides placement. If you're still not convinced, why don't I briefly join a navy and get some experience, then share it here?" Queen Misuto then said
"No need. We can send some of our naval officers to come train your men."
"Okay then, problem solved."
"I guess. However, I will need a lot of resources and a lot of ways to convince the Council to approve it."
"We already need resources for our current forces, so a few more sets shouldn't be much of an issue. I would suggest you watch out for Zenek, though. He'll be ostentatious no matter what."
"That's exactly what I'm worried about."
"Well, the rest of the Council should be sensible. No one really cares for his opinion anyway, right?"
"It has to be a unanimous decision." A rolled his eyes and remarked
"That's just a bunch of bullshit. It seems, then, that the Council would never come to an agreement, since Zenek seems to go against them out of spite, and none of them would agree with him." Rick then admonished
"First of all, mind your language in front of our guests and I will try to think of something. Zenek has at least agreed to decisions at times."
"Sorry. Anyway, good luck with that."
"I'm going to need it. Also, I don't know how I'm going to supply all the money for the resources. Yes, I have a lot of money, but I'm using a lot of it to rebuild the Sixth Den. Also, I don't want to waste so much of my money in case of an emergency."
"Well, I'd offer my help, but my stash is either in the future or in the past, so both are unattainable. Unless I could go out and battle endlessly, I can't think of a way to raise funds. And no, we're not selling Girl Scout cookies."
"Well, I guess I'll have to wait until next month to see how much money I gain or if the Chief will allow me to use the royal bank's reserves." King Sonir then chuckled and remarked
"I remember of a human named Jonathan. He used to have a lot of money from battling." A's head whipped toward him, asking
"Jonathan? Jonathan what?"
"If my memory serves me correctly, his name was Jonathan Ryuto." A blinked in shock for a moment, then grinned.
"Yeah, that sounds like him, alright. Tell me, was he tall, about six foot, muscular, red hair?"
"Spot on, actually. He also traveled with a young lass, who seemed to be the one keeping him in check." A simply grinned again, asking
"Brunette hair, aquamarine eyes, about five foot five? Preferred to wear a pink jacket?"
"Exactly! Have you met them?"
"You mean you don't see the resemblance?"
"Excuse me?" A rolled his eyes.
"Oh, come on! You really mean you don't see my hair and eyes?"
"Are you related to them?"
"Seriously? Okay, I'll just say it; Jonathan Ryuto is my father, and Lily is my mother."
"Are you really? What's your name?"
"Michael Ryuto."
"That name does sound familiar. So tell me, how has your father been? It's been decades since I heard from him. Well, since the last war."
"He… was killed the day I turned five." King Sonir seemed hurt by the news.
"Oh… I'm sorry."
"How did you know my father, anyway?"
"We fought in the same war together, along with the Warlord's father and mother and the Sanctuary's Chief and Queen." A blinked for a moment, then deadpanned
"Excuse me? I don't believe that you, Xeron, or Aldira battled Cipher or Snagem."
"We fought something worse than them. Jonathan and Lilian were our only human friends and allies in the last war."
"I'd believe my old man participated in a war; he could never turn down a fight, even if he had to start one. But I don't see mom in war at all."
"She didn't really fight as much as she just was just support. She was really smart and had a lot of knowledge on Pokemon behaviors." Rick then asked
"So my dad was a part of that?"
"Oh yes! He and Jonathan seemed to be really good friends." A and Rick simultaneously blinked and looked at each other, and A asked
"You believe this?" Rick replied slowly
"To be honest, I kinda do."
"Well, I sure don't. My mom never mentioned any such war to me, even when I asked how she and Dad met. You'd think that was an important detail."
"She probably didn't want to expose you to that kind of stuff." A rolled his eyes.
"Please, considering my family history it was inevitable. And I can't exactly ask her to explain herself, so I guess I'll never know why she hid it." Sonir then said
"She may have her reasons. How is she though?"
"In my proper time, she's been long since dead. My whole family's gone, long before me."
"It only gets worse for you, doesn't it?" Rick then said hushed
"Sir, please."
"It's the truth. He's like his father, only that he's not making the fact that he has a curse painfully obvious." A interjected
"Well, I do, but I prefer to ignore that fact, if I can. Sometimes, though…"
"Don't start. I put up with it for six years. I think I heard this speech enough." A scowled momentarily, then let it go without another word. Queen Misuto told him
"We are interested on what the White Knight has to say. Please allow him to speak." King Sonir nodded compliantly, if a little irritated.
"Alright. Let's hear it." A shrugged and said
"Not much to tell, since I don't know the full details. What I know is that my family has a curse on it, passed down through generations, that most often kills us toward middle age. I'm the one exception that I know of, and have outlived my entire family and most of my allies." Queen Misuto then asked
"How does this curse work?"
"I don't really know, besides that it passes down to the first-born child and is marked by distinctive fire red hair, like mine. As far as I know, it only exists among the Ryuto family line, of which I am the last."
"Really? So when are you and your... girlfriend, is that what it's called? When are you two planning to continue the line?" A blushed for a moment, then answered
"I'm still working that out." Misuto tilted her head, remarking
"You humans are odd creatures." Rick told her
"Pardon me, your majesty; humans are different. They usually get married first, even if they are already promised to one another." A smirked, saying
"We have to put ourselves apart somehow. I guess we did that well enough." Misuto nodded.
"Very well. Sorry for the uncomfortable topic, we just thought that Pokemon solutions also applied to you humans." A chuckled and retorted
"Few do, but most don't. Don't worry too much about it; I've had a lot of time to think on it."
"How long?"
"Well, I died at ninety-eight, shortly before my birthday. It's been over a year now, and my birthday's coming up again. I'll be a hundred this year. So about… seventy-five, eighty years." Misuto seemed surprised, asking
"You have been planning to have children for that long?" A shook his head and explained
"No, not necessarily, but the possibility was stuck on my mind that long, and the question of whether I should or not. But you won't be interested in that."
"We guess not. May we return to the reason why we're here?"
"Of course. So, what do you think of our current forces?"
"Well, we feel like it is an impressive standing army. However, we want the Sanctuary to build up its navy. We will also begin a trading route between our civilizations." King Sonir nodded, adding
"So will I. I believe that trade between our cities will be of great help to one another." Lear then commented
"Well, I cannot speak for my father, but I will definitely put in a good word and give him the idea. I will also help in building up the Sanctuary Air Force. Also, may I make a suggestion?" Rick nodded eagerly.
"Of course!"
"Why not start building strategic forts near our cities and even recruit soldiers from our cities? You can call it the Sanctuary Foreign Legion. They will be army to use away from the Sanctuary, just in case you cannot make it to the region you need to go in time." He then asked A
"What do you think, White Knight?" A nodded and replied
"A good idea. I'll send some runners to scope out the ideal locations for these towers, and I'll visit myself to erect them once the locations have been decided."
"Not towers, sir. Just forts." A shrugged and responded
"Alright, I can still work with that. Nevertheless, an effective communication will be necessary for maximum effectiveness."
"Of course! But this is the Warlord's decision." Rick interjected
"I'm all for it. However, how are we going to start communications without the possibility of being intercepted?" A pondered for a moment, then snapped his fingers and said
"We need a code, one only we understand. Once we have that, we could work on a method to send messages, in code, to reduce the chances of detection. If no one's amenable to the idea, I have another."
"What's the other idea?"
"Teleportation plates within our communication centers. Designated runners so we don't worry about changes in lineup. Perhaps security questions for good measure."
"How would that work exactly?"
"The more effectively we can communicate, with no interference, the faster we can collaborate and come to agreements, speeding up the process with which we enact measures against Team Rocket and their affiliates."
"Very well. We'll try this system out." King Sonir then commented
"I can supply the materials to build the forts. Don't worry about the cost. I'll supply the currency to build the ones on our regions. As for the Sanctuary Foreign Legion idea, I think it's phenomenal! I can see it as something like a Pokemon World Police to keep the cities safe. They belong to all cities, but report to the Sanctuary. It's a brilliant idea! Good work, prince! You're getting the hang of this." Lear chuckled lightly, accepting the complement.
"Thank you, sir."
"Well then, ladies and gentleman, if there is nothing else of importance to discuss, I believe we should set out and get all this set up, quickly." Rick then stopped A
"A, wait a minute. The Queen hasn't given her opinion." Queen Misuto giggled and said
"It's alright, White Knight. We realize how eager you are to make progress. I'm sure you will have a gigantic role to play in all of this."
"I'm just here to do my job, and well. Safety precautions are just a part of that."
"Very well. Anyways, we are all for this plan. We will give you all the resources that are needed. However, the Sanctuary must begin to build a navy. We must not let Team Rocket win by any means necessary." She then said to Rick directly
"Warlord, we would recommend you to speak with the other royal leaders of the other civilizations. They must be a part of this. This might also find much wealth in international Pokemon trade." Rick nodded, agreeing
"Of course!" Rick asked A
"How do you feel about an international trade?"
"Definitely a good opportunity; it allows for active communication, not to mention strengthening our alliances with the civilizations we're protecting. However, we have to keep an open eye to make sure no moles are planted, and any hints of insurrection must be investigated immediately." Rick then said
"Oh, don't worry about that. We secretly check everyone when they pass through the gates." A grunted, then joked
"You're tighter than airport security."
"We have to be."
"Oh yeah, I know. But considering all the… stuff… I've got going through my head, how on earth did I pass?"
"We knew that you didn't mean us any harm."
"Well, at any rate, we've got a lot to do in little time. My kind of situation."
"Well, we were not given a time limit. However, it's best to have this done sooner than later. I will immediately get to contacting the other civilizations and taking my case to the Council. A, I want you to go prepare for your speech and to get everything that needs to be done finished with. We will continue to make preparations." A nodded, then transformed, taking the royal figures by surprise. He excused himself, then teleported back to his den.
At some point, while he was going over the details of his speech that he was supposed to give, he got a rather agitated call from Rick, telling him to meet in the Chief's Court. A wondered what the problem was, not least because Rick's tone suggested something was. However, he didn't argue and transformed, teleported, and found himself among the other team members, as well as Xeron, Aldira, and most notably of all, X. Rick their attention, practically demanding
"Where are A, my parents, and X?" A stepped forward with his fellow Knights, though Rick didn't know it yet, and Xeron asked
"Son, what business do you have to discuss about?" Rick looked at him bluntly and demanded
"What have you all been hiding from me?"
"Excuse me?" Rick then practically hissed at his father
"You know what I mean! A, let something slip today that I found a little alarming. Anything you four want to tell me?" A berated himself for slipping up like that, wishing now he could retract the action. X tried to reason
"Aeruthael, think this through a little. What could we possibly have to hide from you?" Rick argued
"I had plenty of time to think. None have you have ever been completely truthful about who you are, maybe A, but now I want answers. This didn't just come out of nowhere, I had a lot of time to think. Now, one of you better start talking." Aldira sighed and said to Xeron and X.
"I guess we should finally tell him. We have no choice." X tried to protest, but realized it would be for naught.
"Very well. We will tell you. Actually, I will show you." Xeron then asked him in slight surprise
"Are you finally taking off the hood?"
"Yes." X then reached for his hood, explaining
"I figured that it is best to stop living in the shadows and embrace my reality." X's hood then came off his head Rick stood in awe at what he was seeing.
Cliffhanger! Yeah, you might all hate me now, but I promise you won't when the next chapter arrives, so keep your computers warm! Lol.