Vale turned and ran for the door. She didn't see East, behind her, pull out a Pokéball and throw it, but she couldn't miss the Haxorus that appeared in front of her.

She wasn't scared. Despite their appearance, and their ridiculous offensive power, Haxorus were actually one of the less aggressive Dragon-Type species. Unless provoked, they were largely harmless.

"Grab her," East ordered it. "But don't hurt her."

The Haxorus lunged for her.

Vale ducked instinctively, and suddenly Damien's Metang was there, grabbing the Haxorus' hand with its own.

Haxorus threw a punch, and Metang grabbed its other hand too. The two Pokémon were now locked in a shoving match.

"Go, Vale!" Damien yelled.

She went.


East stared at Damien, visibly surprised that the supposed "failure" was picking this fight.

"I suppose I'm going to have to get through you if I want to stop her," he said.

"Yep," Damien said.

This boy is quite the surprise, he thought.

Jaern, along with most of the rest of the Sky Cult's leadership had been convinced that Vale was the dangerous one and that her traveling companion would be easy to defeat.

Well, let's see just how wrong they were.

"Very well," he said. "Shall we make this an official Gym battle?"

"I…guess?" the boy said.

"I take it you don't know much about how this works."

Damien shook his head.

"Then I'll go a little easier on you. Four-on-four, no switching out, except when a Pokémon faints or is otherwise rendered unable to battle. We'll both start with the Pokémon that's already out. Is this agreeable?"

"Yes."

"Good. Haxorus, throw it."

"Zen Headbutt," Damien cried. "Quickly."

Metang shifted upward, trying to get the necessary leverage. It wasn't able to land the move before Haxorus threw it across the room.

Metang managed to stop itself, just before slamming into the window, by flipping perpendicular to the floor and pushing against the window with a psychic pulse.

"Bullet Punch," Damien yelled, running towards the edge of the room.

Metang shot back across the space between it and Haxorus and slammed both fists into the dragon's chest.

Haxorus was barely fazed.

"Uh-oh," Damien said. "Zen Headbutt! Hurry."

Again, Metang wasn't able to land the move, this time because Haxorus used Crunch, sinking teeth coated in Dark energy into Metang's arm.

Metang's levitation cut off, and the Steel-Type dropped to the floor.

"And that's round one to me," East said.


Finding the way to the floor above, which Vale was pretty sure was the roof, was quite a bit harder than finding Jaern's office had been. Vale wished she had thought to ask East before running out.

She realized she had to go logically and started with the elevator, which, just as she'd expected, had no button for the roof.

So she started working her way down the hallway checking each door. Most of them were locked, but since Jaern had gone through the door she was looking for only minutes before, she felt she could safely rule out any door that she couldn't open.

The right door turned out to be on the opposite side of the building from the elevator. It was only when she was standing in front of it that she realized she didn't have her Pokémon.

Well, now I know I'm not fighting him today, she thought.

She grabbed the handrail.

And immediately started having second thoughts.

I can't do this. He wants to kill me and here I am about to challenge him without Pokémon to back me up. What was I thinking?

Correction, said Mew's voice in her head. You have one Pokémon to back you up.

"Mew?"

The pink Legend materialized.

"Where the heck have you been?" she snapped at him. "I was almost shot earlier."

"Busy," he said. "I have jobs other than just looking after you, you know. Are you freaking out again?"

"No, just feeling like a bit of an idiot," she said.

"What exactly happened to that determination from earlier?"

"It got killed by common sense," Vale muttered. "Wait. You heard that? And you didn't jump in?"

"Seemed like you had it all under control by that point."

"So, should I have listened to East and run away?"

"I won't deny that that was probably the smart choice, but I'm glad you chose to try and save Ray."

Mew disappeared.

You still there? Vale thought at him.

Yes. I'm here.

Good. I have a funny feeling I'll need the help.


Vale had half-expected to find Jaern on the roof itself, standing on the jade carving or some other platform that would keep him from sliding off the steep cone.

Instead, the cone had split in half, with each part positioned at a forty-five degree angle relative to its usual location. Under the cone, and now open to the sky, was a regulation-sized Pokémon battlefield, with bleachers on the side where the stairs were and nothing on the other side, where Jaern stood.

Surrounding the top of the Tower was an enormous amount of mist, as though a dozen rock concert smoke machines were all running at once.

He's certainly going to great lengths to make sure no one sees what he's doing up here, she thought.

Do you have a plan to stop him? Mew asked.

Not really, she thought back. Even if I had my team, I most definitely don't think I'm a match for him at this point.

If he wasn't confident in his ability to win, I doubt he'd have invited you to Helios in the first place, Mew agreed.

So what do I do?

There's more to who you are than just a strong Trainer. You can outthink him. Just watch for now.

Vale nodded, even though the gesture was completely unnecessary.

Jaern was reciting an invocation.

"The sky is clear. The sun is high. Come to me, Dragon of the Skies, for I have built you a resting place. Hear me, for my home is in turmoil and I beg your aid."

Isn't there a myth that says you can earn Rayquaza's favor by giving her a place to rest? Vale asked Mew.

Yes, actually. Humans in those days didn't understand how anything could fly so endlessly.

Jaern repeated the words two more times, and then a green light appeared above the edge of the platform.

She's coming, Mew said.


Damien felt something insistently tugging at his mind.

What the…

Hello, said Shaymin. Miss me?

"Damn—" he started.

Shhhh, Shaymin snapped, cutting him off. I told you. Just think what you want to say.

Damn it, Shaymin. Get out of my head.

Well, fine. If you don't want my help…

He felt her presence recede, and as it did he grudgingly admitted that, as annoying she could be sometimes, she had helped him a lot.

Wait, he thought. I think I could use your help.

All right then.

East sent out a Skarmory.

What's its Typing? Shaymin prompted.

Steel and Flying.

What does that mean it's weak to?

Fire and…Electric. So I should use Luxray.

Correct.

"Choose your next Pokémon, Challenger," East said. "I've already given you more time to think than you would get in an official match.

"Luxray," Damien said.

Luxray popped out of his Pokéball and landed in a crouch on the office floor. Skarmory glowed blue as its attack power dropped.

"Toxic," East commanded.

Skarmory conjured up a ball of purple goop and launched it. It hit Luxray before he was able to react.

Damien reached for Luxray's Pokéball.

Don't recall him, Shaymin snapped. By the rules of this battle, you'll lose if you do.

But he's poisoned.

He can still fight, and he still has an advantage.

Damien sighed. "Thunder Fang," he ordered.

Luxray jumped onto the desk, then jumped again, and managed to get his teeth into Skarmory's wing. There was a pulse of electricity, and then Luxray let go and dropped to the ground, leaving behind a sizable dent.

He's hurt, Shaymin said.

"Roost," East said.

Skarmory landed on the desk and almost immediately began to look healthier.

And now he's not.

What do I do? Damien asked.

I think East's plan is just to wear Luxray down. What non-attacking moves does he know?

Leer, Swagger…

It's a risk, but try Swagger.

Damien ordered the move. Skarmory glowed red, but then seemed to lose focus on the battle, its attention shifting away from Luxray and toward the bookshelf.

"Keep Roosting," East ordered.

Now what? Damien thought.

I'm not sure.

Wait. You said I'd lose if I returned Luxray.

Yeah, Shaymin said. Oh. That's brilliant.

"Roar, Luxray," Damien commanded.

Skarmory vanished back into his Pokéball.

East smiled.

"Normally," he said, "moves that force switching are banned in this rule-set, but since I slipped up and didn't specify, I can't penalize you for doing it."

Damien grinned.

"That was smart. The score now stands with us each having one win."


The light grew in size, and then expanded into a green-rimmed portal.

I have to do something, Vale thought.

Not yet, Mew said. Jaern doesn't know you're behind him right now. You have the element of surprise, but you'll ruin it if you time this wrong.

All right.

The green rim of the portal pulsed three times, each pulse growing progressively larger.

Then a large, jade green, draconic head poked through. Two skinny, three-clawed hands briefly grasped the edges of the portal, as Rayquaza looked around.

She flew the rest of the way through, sixty feet of brilliant green dragon with red and yellow markings.

Rayquaza hovered above the edge of the platform at the top of the Tower, the tip of her tail inches from the portal, which remained open.

The Sky Dragon folded her arms and glared at Jaern.

"I told you not to summon me again," she said.

"I know," Jaern said. "But this region is in crisis. I have a plan to fix it, but it won't go over well unless I have power to back it up.

Rayquaza shifted her position in the air, such that her head was much lower and she could better lock eyes with Jaern.

"And you think that I'm just going to hand myself to you because you asked? That's not how this has ever worked."

"Except—" Jaern started.

"There's a process," Rayquaza went on, almost snarling at the man in front of her. "You have to battle me, and even if you did win, I've seen what kind of person you are. I will never join you."

I like her, Vale thought to Mew.

I thought you might, came the response.

"Except," Jaern said, sounding slightly annoyed. "I'm not asking this time."

He pulled out a strange looking Pokéball, purple on top and white on the bottom.

"Oh shit!" Vale cried, not even realizing at first that she'd spoken out loud.

A Master Ball.


"Send out your next Pokémon, challenger," East said.

"What?" was all Damien could say. He'd expected East to choose first again.

"You won the last match. That means you send out first for the next one."

Damien immediately grabbed Charizard's Pokéball.

Are you sure? Shaymin asked. Think this through.

"Charizard, go!" Damien cried.

Or don't. That works too.

"Hmm," East said. "A Delta Pokémon. Interesting, but not nearly as hard to counter as most people think. Go, Altaria."

"Confuse Ray, Charizard."

"Cotton Guard, Altaria."

A small puff of purple energy hit Altaria between the eyes, which glazed over. That didn't stop him from glowing red as his feathers puffed up.

Oh, here we go, Shaymin muttered.

"Dragon Claw," Damien ordered.

Charizard flew at Altaria and attempted to rake his claws down the other dragon's side.

Only for his claws to get caught in the puffed-up feathers.

And that's why Cotton Guard is a problem.

"Perish Song, Altaria," East said.

Cover your ears! Shaymin cried.

Damien and East both clamped their hands over their ears, as Altaria started to sing. Even with his ears covered, it was the worst sound Damien had ever heard: high-pitched, shrill, and sounding a bit like two pieces of metal grinding together.

Keep calling orders, Shaymin said. Charizard only has a short time before he passes out. You have to make the best of it.

"Shadow Ball," Damien ordered.

A larger, darker purple version of the earlier Confuse Ray hit Altaria in the side and sank through his feathers and into his body, which convulsed.

The purple haze remained surrounding his body.

Altaria didn't look good. The combination of a direct hit from Shadow Ball and the lingering effects of Perish Song had left him looking a bit sick.

Not much time before Perish Song kicks in. Let him move first.

And then what?

Destiny Bond if he attacks. Otherwise, Dragon Rage.

"Swagger, Altaria."

"Seriously?" Damien asked.

"It's a strategy some people use, and one few people have experience against," East explained.

"Part of the challenge," Damien sighed. "I know, I know. Dragon Rage."

Charizard breathed out a ball of cobalt blue flames point blank at Altaria. It left a scorch mark on his feathers.

Then Charizard landed on the desk and used the additional leverage it provided to pull his claws free.

"Ice Beam," East commanded.

"Yes! Destiny Bond."

Charizard fainted.

Altaria fainted.

They hit the ground at the same moment.

"And…that's a draw," East said.

What? Shaymin!

Sorry. Destiny Bond is kind of a toss-up as to who hits the ground first, but Perish Song was going to hit at the end of that round anyway, and you would have lost.

"Still a tie game," East said. "Last round."


Mew didn't need to say anything.

No one needed to say anything.

Vale was already moving.

Master Balls were the ultimate tool for catching Pokémon, the only type of Pokéball that could not be escaped or broken out of. According to the books, a Pokémon caught in one could not leave it at all unless the ball's owner allowed it. They were illegal for good reason.

It took a special combination of insanity and megalomania to even consider using one, much less actually using one, and on a Legend at that.

Jaern was just bringing his arm forward to throw the ball when Vale tackled him, knocking him to the ground.

His throw went very wide, the ball bouncing off one of the sections of roof and dropping to the floor well outside Jaern's reach.

Nice job, Mew commented.

Now what? Vale asked.

That's up to you.

Of course you'd say that.

Jaern got to his feet first, pulled a pistol from the inside of his suit jacket, and aimed it at Vale.

"I am going to save this region," he said. "No one is going to stand in my way, especially some stupid kid who thinks she knows better because she's special. This ends now."

A gust of wind snatched the gun from his hand.

"No, it doesn't," said Rayquaza.

She fired off an extremely under-powered Air Slash, which was still strong enough to knock Jaern halfway across the battlefield.

"It's over," Vale said.

"You probably should have waited to threaten the kid until after I left," Rayquaza continued, grinning.

Jaern wasn't moving and appeared to be unconscious.

"So what's the plan now?" Vale asked.

"You'll have to figure something out on your own. I'm kind of not supposed to be here."

"I'll keep an eye on her," Mew said, turning visible.

"Good," Rayquaza replied.

She flew over to where the Master Ball had landed and very, very carefully picked it up with her tail.

"Whatever else you do," she said, "I want you to find a way to destroy it. No one else can be allowed to get their hands on it. Understand?"

She suddenly seemed far less relaxed.

"Of course," Vale said.

"Thank you," Rayquaza said, as she placed the Ball in Vale's hand.

As the Sky Dragon flew back towards her portal, the swirling smoke dissipated, leaving a pale green haze in its wake.

"Air Lock," Mew explained.

Vale turned around as Rayquaza disappeared back through the portal, and saw that Jaern was no longer where he'd fallen.

"Shit," Vale muttered. "That can't be good."

The words were hardly out of her mouth when the door to the stairwell slammed open and Jaern strode through, followed by… not his cultists.

The six men behind him all wore the uniforms of agents of the anti-cult task force, and they were very much armed.


"Alright," East said. "Go, Coral."

Coral was a Kingdra.

I think I just lose, Damien thought.

Probably.

Shaymin!

What? Did you want me to lie?

Damien sighed. "Crawdaunt, go."

There was a loud bang, coming from upstairs.

"Uhh…," Damien said. "What's above us?"

"Just the roof," East replied.

"That's were Vale is! Sorry, but I think I have to forfeit."

"Well, you've performed quite well up until this point, especially for someone who has never battled at this level before. For that, as well as for being a good friend, you should consider yourself an official holder of the Sky Badge."

"Don't you have a badge to give me?" Damien asked.

"I didn't expect to battle today," East said with a chuckle, "but if you're ever in the city again, come find me."

"Cool, thanks. What's the quickest way to the roof?"

"Well, that depends on how good your Metang is at controlling its levitation."


Mew had disappeared when the door slammed open, so Vale was on her own.

Alone, facing down half-a-dozen men with multiple guns each.

"Stand down, Vale," Jaern said. "I don't want to have to kill you."

"Yes, you do," she cried. "You literally just tried."

"Stop lying!" yelled one of the men. "We all know you're the one who tried to kill him."

Jaern had been edging towards her during the shouting match. He was now close enough that he could grab her. She didn't like the look on his face.

"You told them that I'm the bad guy?" she asked him.

"Oh, Vale," he said, lowering his voice. "It doesn't matter what actually happened. It only matters what I can make people believe happened. That's how the world works."

I'm going to Dazzling Gleam them, Mew warned.

One of the agents pulled out a set of handcuffs and started forward.

"Dazzling Gleam!" screamed a voice. It wasn't Mew's.

Vale covered her eyes just in time. No one else on the roof managed it.

She turned. Shaymin was standing on the edge of the platform. Behind her was Damien, hanging on for dear life to a wobbly, levitating Metang. He was carrying her bags as well as his own.

"Get on!" he cried.

Vale ran for the edge. She heard a handful of gunshots behind her as one of the agents recovered and tried to shoot her, but none of the bullets came close. Probably Mew's doing.

She reached the edge and grabbed Damien's outstretched hand, and he pulled her onto Metang, who became even more unstable with the extra weight.

"Ok, Metang," Damien said. "Down."

Metang dropped at an alarming speed. Both kids screamed, but Metang managed to slow down before hitting the ground, just enough to land without doing any damage to itself, the ground, or the kids on impact.

Damien returned it, and he and Vale sprinted for the nearest alleyway.

"Thanks, Damien. You really saved by butt," Vale said.

"That's what friends do. Now what?"

"We get out of the city and get stronger. I think that's all we can do."


AN: Vale and Mew face down Jaern at the top of the Jade Tower. Damien battles East.

The handling of Rayquaza was the biggest thing I didn't like about the game, or at least about the alpha version I'm familiar with. She doesn't fight back against Jaern before he uses the Master Ball and makes no attempt to resist him afterwards. That seemed preposterous to me, so I changed it.

I was so excited to finally introduce Rayquaza to this story. She'll be a major character in parts 2 and 3.

Having Damien battle East instead of Vale was a relatively recent idea for this story. I liked it as a way of developing Damien's character.

I hope the jumping POV wasn't too jarring or difficult to read. I used it to build suspense and also to introduce the shift to multiple points of view, which I'll be using a lot more in the remainder of the story. Hopefully, I did it well.