Meeting of the Masters

A fresh blanket of snow covered Blackthorn city, giving it an almost holy aura as it sat nestled in the mountains. A continuos column of steam rose high above the peaks that shaded the Dragon Holy Lands from the rest of civilisation. Made up of numerous hot springs, it was a warm retreat for its inhabitants the Dragons who didn't much appreciate the icy cold of winter.

The Blackthorn gym stood apart from the remainder of the city, a long standing testament to the bond formed between Dragon and Human. Unlike the city outside, the gym was warm and humid, causing Kair to shift uncomfortably on her feet. Hell, nothing made her comfortable anymore! Not while she found herself in this state. It had been a difficult few months for someone so used to being active on her feet all the time. Now she could barely walk ten paces before she found herself struggling for breath. She hated to admit it, but she was huge.

"Its good to see you're doing well, Kair. Welcome back to the Dragon Clan," The gym's leader watched her with a curious stare. Her recollection of their first meeting several year prior was vague at best. But she was very well aware of who Kair was.

Kair nodded her thanks and stepped aside to allow for her travelling companion, Elaine, to take over the conversation. The woman had come to save Kair from the depths of boredom as she found herself stuck alone on Lance's estate while he travelled the region.

Elaine had spent much time with her in the past several months, becoming as a sort of surrogate mother for Kair while she prepared for the changes that were yet to befall her.

"So what's news from the Dragon Clan, Aunt Elaine?"

Kair wasn't a fan of the small talk that ensued, especially while the mixture of heat and

humidity of the gym caused her to feel suffocated. Excusing herself from the conversation, she decided to step out for some fresh air…

The woman was oblivious to the dark car with tinted windows that watched her from across the street, or its most important inhabitant, her father, who scowled at two of his agents through the video conversation on his phone.

"Sir, we lost the target. It's like he simply vanished into thin air," the woman with orange pigtails hung her head as did her companion. "We… we're sorry."

"You know I don't take to failure very well, Cassidy," Giovanni growled, though he had to expect the Dragon master would be on his toes. His capture attempt had been a long shot at best. "I don't care how you do it, you find that Dragon Master!"

He ended the conversation by throwing his phone across the car and digging his hands through his hair for a moment, before finally the call of his driver grabbed his attention.

"Sir, we have a visual on your daughter. Shall we engage?"

Giovanni's head came up to spot the woman who stood just outside the front door of the gym, taking in the chill of the winter afternoon. Brown hair waved lightly in the breeze and her gaze seemed focused on the ground as she rubbed a visibly pregnant stomach.

Legendaries, she looked just like her mother…Giovanni found himself taken aback, but quickly chose to push such thoughts away and nodded. "Proceed as planned."

"Yes sir," the diver gave him a steely nod before he stepped from the car and approached the gym with a careful tread. His trench coat hid many of his features, including the Team Rocket uniform he wore underneath it, though it was still evident who he represented.

Giovanni watched him approach the woman from behind, whispering something in her ear and pressing what she perceived to be a hidden firearm into her back. The woman's head immediately shot up as she listened with intent to the demand Giovanni's driver placed on her before she turned to glimpse the car. She swallowed, looking this way and that before she nodded and even in spite of her power, chose to follow him.

They approached the car together and the driver held the door open to her. Kair carefully placed herself down into the car seat next to her father. The two said nothing as the car pulled away, merely spending moments to take one another into their sights. Giovanni's daughter shifted uncomfortably in her seat, taking to rubbing her tummy as seemed to be the habit of pregnant women.

"It's good to see you're keeping well, Aisha," Giovanni finally broke the silence.

The woman gave him a brief nod, choosing to keep her gaze down and focused on the driver. "What do you want?"

Giovanni sucked in air through his nostrils before heaving a long-winded sigh. "I want to ensure the safety of my heritage," he stated bluntly. "I want to offer you the best medial care money can buy. Giving birth to twins… won't be easy."

So he knew…

Kair forced down a swallow. He'd been keeping tabs on her. "Why the sudden change of heart?"

"I still consider Lance an enemy to this organisation. But it seems… the Dragon Clan is in your blood. Your mother would have been very proud of your paring."

It was like the pressure of a great burden had been taken off her shoulders and Kair suddenly found herself relieved. She turned to face her father now, speaking to him as his daughter and not an enemy. "I've decided to have the twins at the Dragon temple… but… I also need your help…"

The Crime Lord's eyebrow rose.

"The boy. He is special… like me. He is a psychic."

"The abilities have become inherent?" He took a moment further to process the information. "And the girl?"

"She is normal as far as I can tell."

Giovanni's head fell into a nod. "While I have you then, I want you examined by my medical staff to ensure your health. Do you understand?"

Kair realised she really didn't have a choice in the matter. But she wasn't interested in fighting him. She nodded. "I would appreciate that, father."

I woke with a start, finding myself lying on my back and staring at an arched, stone ceiling. The bed I'd been placed in felt hard and the loud whistle of a draft blowing through the bottom of a doorway alerted me to the fact that I was located in a room of sorts… a room that looked strangely familiar.

Painfully pulling myself upright, a headache burned in my temples and when I went to rub my face I yelped when my hand brushed across my nose. Two large strips of medical tape held it in place. Whoever it was that had assaulted me had broken my nose!

But that seemed to be the least of my worries right then as I gathered my bearings and assessed my surroundings. I knew where I was… but the big question was what did she want with me?

There was only one way to find out…

Pulling myself from the sheets, it didn't take me long to notice that I'd been stripped of my clothing and dressed in a plain sleeping tunic and no trousers. The stone floor felt cold under my feet as I tiptoed over to a chair by the window and shoved my way into my clothes that had since been washed and freshly pressed. Stealing a glimpse outside, dark grey clouds hovered over the horizon and an icy ocean sluggishly lapped about the edges of the island castle. I was a long way from Johto.

I found my boots and belt, but the Pokéballs were missing. I cursed out loud, realising that any form of Pokémon assisted escape attempt had now been thwarted. I was going to have to hang around and play whatever game she had in store for me until I could get my Pokémon back.

I made my way to the door only to be greeted by the deep howl of a breeze that rattled through the castle hallways. It was dark but I knew this place like the back of my hand - even though I hadn't step foot into it for many years now. But then again, it was hard to forget the eventful months I'd spent here that had, in effect, changed my life. It was a foolish decision to have come here and trained in the Shadow arts with Sa'lu… but yet I was never able to fully come to regret it.

A single, well lit chamber illuminated in the hallway's darkness and I approached what I knew to be Sa'lu private office. The door was open and I could hear the low murmur of voices. One belonged to the old Shadow Dragon Master and the other I recognised but wasn't able to recall until I saw the man who stood with his arms behind his back in front of the fireplace. Standing as a tower against the flaming backdrop, he looked like a demon who had come up from the depths of hell. He was a mix of pure, human muscle and armour. A large helmet masked his features, though it was hard to deny who he was.

"You!" I hissed at the man who called himself the 'Ironed Masked Marauder'.

He too straightened, but a simple wave of Sa'lu's hand stopped him from potentially attacking me. I was now certain that my broken nose was the handy work of his oversized fist.

"Vicious, you are dismissed. I'll ensure your payment makes it into your account by the morning. Thank you for your services."

"Much appreciated, Madam," the Marauder gave her a nod before he brushed past me and left.

She waited until he disappeared down the hallway before addressing me, "I apologise for the inconvenience. It seems he has a certain grudge against you."

"That underground facility belonged to you?" I gave the old woman a scowl. "You funded the operation to have those pokéballs built!"

"Perhaps," the woman didn't seem very adamant on denying it. "But that is besides the matter. I had you brought here because I require your services."

"Pssh. I don't-"

"Now, now little Lance. You haven't heard me through," she cut me off. "I need you to cooperate because your life and the lives of your own unborn children may well depend on it."

I couldn't resist the urge to back up. "Sa'lu, leave Kair and the children out of this." I didn't need to ask her how she knew… the woman had eyes everywhere, including her supporters who still resided in the Dragon Clan itself.

"I will if you do as your told, young man," she watched me with a twisted smirk. Her elbows gently lent on the desk and she rested her chin on folded hands. "I have a very important student with me and I am currently tied up with other endeavours. So I find myself unable to properly train him."

"I'm not tapping into the Shadow Arts Sa'lu. You can forget it."

But the woman merely chuckled, amused that I would even consider bringing it up. "Why would I send someone as incapable of controlling the art as you, Lance?"

I shifted on my feet, uneasy. "Then what do you want with me?"

"I need you to train him to be a master, Lance. A master of Dragons."