The Contender's Ascent

by Insane Dominator

Third installment to "The Fairy Contender". Months passed since Nic and Erza finally united, but now things get really interesting. New challenges face Nic as Pokemon begin to rise, more complex foes challenge him and his powers, and something darker than darkness itself seeks Nic. With friends new and old joining forces, Nic and two worlds unite in ways unimaginable. OCxErza

55. Getting Settled Back In

The deep confines of an unknown space were enough to occupy two figments that were silhouettes. They both had a radiating gleam around their framed to reminisce of a sun and moon glaring at the other. Though from a distance, no one would had noticed they were two living organisms that were intertwined with one another.

"(Are you certain this was the right choice?)" The large lion whose body gave off a bright yellowish-white hue that made him look like a sun. His piercing, blue eyes flashed when they glared at the familiar bat whose red eyes glinted back.

"(Yes, I'm certain that this was necessary for all of us. You've felt it, didn't you? That shockwave that went across the universe, it undoubtedly contained Ultra Wormhole energy.)" Lunala chastised, raising her wings to prove a point.

The lion's mane flashed like a solar flare going off. "(Don't you think you're being a little paranoid? Yes, I sensed it as well, but it could have been an interdimensional burst. You know how Dialga and Palkia get. They get into such fits that they can bend space a little father than what their tempers can.)"

"(Well, you're not wrong...)" Lunala trailed off, but was quick to return to the point. "(But this is serious. I know you've felt it, too. Ultra Beast energy doesn't happen to go floundering about during interdimensional shockwaves when the two get into conflict.)" Another short silence fell as her third eye gleamed. "(It was him. Necrozma.)"

The lion's tail visibly whiplashed. To say he was unnerved would be putting it lightly. "(Hmph! Having the nerve to say his name like that. I thought we agreed to never speak of him again. Not after what happened last time.)"

"(Don't brush this off like it doesn't concern you, Solgaleo. We both know you think you can brush it so whimsically because you weren't the one whose light was being sapped like a leech.)"

"(And whose fault was that!)" His glare brightened on Lunala. "(I tried fighting him off. Don't make it sound like I didn't do anything to help you. I did everything to try and get you out of his clutches. But he just had to turn your Moongeist Beam on me.)"

"(Are you seriously still salty on that?)" Lunala exasperated, fluttering a little closer. "(I saw it, when I gave that human my power. When he turned into me, I saw it with my own eyes as well. Necrozma is back, and he won't stop until he gets what he wants.)"

Solgaleo ruffled his flashy mane as he snorted. "(And you're saying I'm making excuses. You gave that human who saved the universe your power, at this time around? Now look who's playing the blame game.)"

"(It wasn't under those intentions. You know, unlike the other Legendaries, our spirits are replaceable. And when Necrozma steals our light, our current spirits are permanently damaged. He's much more vicious this time around. If he steals and exhausts either of our spirits, Ultra Space's network can very well go out of control. And you remember all too well what happened the last time that happened.)"

Solgaleo's muzzle fell. Even he didn't want to remember the last time something like that happened. It was, quite literally, a very dark period in time. It was astronomical how they were able to get out of that in one piece. To say they were lucky would be putting it extremely mildly.

Ultimately, Solgaleo sighed. "(Fair enough. But are you sure this is the right time?)"

Lunala nodded firmly. "(Yes. If something happens to us, at least this measure taken will secure a balance with Ultra Space. Necrozma was pushed back for now, but once he regains enough light, he'll most likely come for us again.)" Her head fell. "(Of course, this means that we will not be able to take care of it in this time.)"

"(I see...if this is what you think will be best. I'll go along with it.)" The lion gave a brief sigh. "(Of course, you do realize doing this costs a fraction of our spirits. Right? And we're supposed to do this at the Altar of the Sunne or Lake of Moone.)"

"(I am very much aware. It will be taken care of, I can promise you that.)"

Solgaleo nodded. He didn't like it, but he did take this responsibility seriously. On top of that, he'd rather not deal with a pitch-black freak of nature that plagued his nightmares to this day. On one hand, it did buy them some time in case the beast ever found them. But on the other hand, it expended a fraction of their lifeforces. It was risky, but thinking about it and delaying would result in an unbalanced future like Lunala was pointing out.

He sighed heavily. "(Fine. Let's hurry this up. The sooner we do this process, the sooner we can return to Ultra Space.)" He straightened his back. "(Ready?)"

Lunala solemnly nodded. "(Yes...let's just hope that we've made the necessary preparations for its journey.)"

"(You wanted this. Let's get this over with.)"

Without another word, Lunala and Solgaleo's eyes brightened. A third eye appeared on their foreheads as the light on their figures brightened. They raised their heads towards the empty space above, focusing their energy to a single point. Lunala expelled a condensed blue wave, whereas Solgaleo made an orange wave. The two energies met in the center above, mixing into a multicolored flare that gradually engulfed the darkness.

---

The dawn rays of Alola's light finally breached the seas. The first thing they illuminated were Nic and Erza as they stood an equal distance apart from each other, with Charizard and Aegislash respectively in their positions. Their eyes met with confidence as the sunlight warmed the sides of their faces.

"Ready?" Nic asked.

Erza gave a nod. "Yes."

Nic spread his heels as he and Charizard took in a unison breath. Nic crossed his arms, the Z-Power Ring giving a powerful shine. In the slot provided, the Dragonium-Z pulse, illuminating the air with a royal indigo shade. The hue around the atmosphere darkened as the Z-Power's aura engulfed Nic. He bent his knees and stuck his arms out, with his wrists facing opposite directions and fingers out like he was blasting something. Charizard mimicked the motion. As Nic and Charizard spread their arms apart to make a chomping stance, the indigo aura around Nic arched over the air onto Charizard. A dragon-like symbol appeared in front of him.

As Erza and Aegislash braced to guard, they watched as the air around them trembled from the mass of bright purple energy manifesting from the aura around Charizard. He held it between his claws, concentrating it further with a heavy mass embedded into it.

"Devastating Drake!"

At the same time Nic jutted out his arms, Charizard shoved the energy forward. It traveled a short distance before lengthening into a skeletal energy dragon. The wings were thick, and they flapped as the skeletal energy dragon's head had a gaping maw and roared as it maneuvered through the air and shot at Aegislash.

"Aegislash, King's Shield!" Erza countered. Aegislash remained in her Shield Forme as a hexagonal forcefield appeared before her.

The energy dragon sped at a steep angle into Aegislash's shield, where the maw opened wider and chomped down onto the massive barricade. In a flash, bright purple energy flared around the entire beach that evolved into a monstrous pillar that shot skywards. The air roared violently with the cries similar to a dragon. Shockwaves raced across the ground past Erza as she used her forearms to shield herself from the brunt of the attack. But that didn't stop the sand from stirring around them. Nearby palm trees lost a few leaves, and the airwaves blew traveling Pikipek and Wingull in the nearby forests and sea away from the direction of the blazing explosion.

Nic and Charizard watched the monstrous pillar gradually dissipate, though the atmosphere kept roaring for minutes on end. They stood in the shifted sands as the light purple smoke dissipated, revealing Aegislash's King's Shield still up. While everything around them was completely leveled, Aegislash remained unhindered. However, it looked like the shield was greatly dimmed. She looked only a little buffered from the attack as well, though it wasn't easily read.

A harsh blue aura enveloped Charizard's body, signaling his Attack depleting.

The dust passed by Nic and Erza, revealing both sides unhindered by the either's efforts.

"How did that feel?" Erza asked.

"It felt...good." Nic answered, contemplating the Z-Power that he felt spur through his veins a moment ago. "It was like a strong wave of energy was coursing through me." He looked down at the Z-Power Ring on his left wrist. "It feels different from Mega Evolution. It's not like a constant flow of power that's between me and Charizard. It feels more like...an outright burst of power all at once."

"That's exactly what it felt like with Aegislash when we used our Z-Move." Erza replied, taking a glance at Aegislash. Aegislash looked back at Erza walked towards her, putting a hand on her hilt head. "It was a great fortune that we were able to learn a move that synched with the Rockium-Z."

"Yeah, I know. Head Smash is a strong Rock-type attack, perhaps one of the strongest as far as I'm aware." Nic replied. "But the user suffers intense recoil when it hits."

She nodded. "Noted." Her expression fell into a frown. "But I wish you had the fortunes that I did. It's a shame that Pokémon can't Mega Evolve and use Z-Moves at the same time."

"Yeah, I figured that out, too." Nic frowned as Charizard looked back at him. "We had to unequip Charizard's Charizardite X so we could use the Z-Move. This might be a problem if we're against opponents in long-lasting quarrels."

"(Yeah, I hear that.)" Charizard grunted. "(Don't get me wrong, that was some power we've packed just now. But I'd much rather be at tooth and nail than a large bang.)" He held up a claw and clutched it. Subconsciously, it started crackling on its own.

"We'll work it out eventually. Guess we don't have much to rush ourselves for now." Nic noted. He reached for the Charizardite X that he kept in his clothing and tossed it at Charizard. He caught it on one hand and held it tight. "At least we have a measure against Water-types, plus it works with your Tough Claws Ability as Mega Charizard."

Charizard rolled his head, smirking. "(Works fine with me.)" He held out his fist, in which Nic bumped it with his own. They smirked at each other, excited to get back to training.

A slightly jealous Erza hummed as he walked towards Nic. "If you're done over there, I believe that we should ready our things...it's time."

Nic looked back at her, nodding in agreement. "Guess you're right. I'm sure that the others are probably wondering when we'll be back. Knowing Joey, he's probably holding up a party with our faces all over the guild hall."

The image immediately sunk in, and instantly he regretted it. He meant it as a small joke, but thinking about his face plastered all over the guild hall on banters felt disturbing. If not borderline offensive. Though if the roles were reversed, it's what Joey would have wanted. Nic knew him that much to know that was within his character's criteria. But while Nic was unamused, Erza was the opposite.

"I'd think it'd be flattering if they did. It'd show how much they've been thinking about us." She beamed with pride. "That settles it! It's already been two weeks! Nic, time to head back to the guild!"

Charizard craned his neck at Nic, raising a brow and smirking. "(Feel good about yourself after saying that?)"

Nic groaned heavily, hanging his head. 'Me and my big mouth.' He looked over to where the rest of his Pokémon were. "Alright guys, time to head out."

One of Greninja's blank eyes turned red as he looked at Nic. "(We hear ya.)" He got up, as did the others. "(Guess it's time to head out, guys.)"

"(Heh, fine by me. It was starting to get a little stale.)" Garchomp sneered.

"(Relaxxxing isss fine and all, but my ssscalesss are all cooled now.)" Arbok boasted, his tongue flickering in and out.

"(No dandruff falling off my head...so I'm good...)" Kecleon chimed in, tilting her head.

They all stood upright as Nic pulled out the Poke Balls, taking liberties with withdrawing each of them. Greninja, Charizard, and so on. By the time they were all inside, Erza had recalled her Aegislash as well. Everyone was set to head through, except for something that caught Erza's attention.

"Nic, where's Staraptor?"

"Her?" Nic looked at her like it was too obvious. His gaze then fell towards the sea. "Oh yeah. She decided to take a morning swim. Hang on." He inhaled briefly and put two fingers to his mouth. He let out a high-pitched whistle that could have been heard well over the distance.

In an instant, a loud splash was heard, followed by a gush of water from far out. The sea expelled a bird-like projectile that shot high into the sky, before its wings fanned out. It gradually lost its momentum as it slowly fell back towards the seawater below, almost divebombing. Just before it crashed back into the seawater, the wings had since dried from the air drying, allowing a single flap to stop it cold. A wave of water fanned out from the flap, making a strong wave that shifted the ocean water into a tide that stopped a few feet before Nic and Erza. The avian flew over and landed in front of Nic, revealing her to be none other than Staraptor.

"(Phew! Nothing like a good morning swim to give your hollow bones a little workout.)" Staraptor chimed, stretching her wings upwards.

"I'm still amazed at that fact that you taught Charizard and Staraptor to swim." Erza chimed in. She had to admit, even she hadn't tried anything like that with Talonflame. Though the idea was rather tempting after seeing how easily Staraptor performed.

Nic looked back her. "Honestly at first, I was worried too about that. Especially with Charizard. I was leery with the whole tail flame theory as well, so I was a little hesitant at first." He put his hands to his sides. "But when we crossed Route 12's waterways, miraculously enough, Charmeleon was fine. I think it has to do with physical training. The stronger the body, the less chance of your flame going out. The stronger your body, the more tolerable you are, I guess." He turned away. "But enough of the trivial. You want to get back to the guild, don't ya?"

The reminder was enough to bring Erza back to center. "Right, of course. How silly of me." She walked closer towards him, giving him a sincere look. "This was fun, wasn't it?"

Nic gave her an honest nod. "Yeah. Despite being run ragged for a while...it wasn't all that bad." He looked out at the passing Wingull in the distance. "It was nice."

They took a moment to marvel at the sunrise of Alola. For the past two weeks, it's all they've seen. By this point they've long gotten used to it. It was a little disheartening to leave it, but it wasn't like they weren't ever going to see it again. Besides, Nic could always transport themselves here whenever he wants now that they've been to it. But they had their fill. Now it was time to head back home.

The people, the memories, the atmosphere; it was all sinking into their brains as they took one more spotted glance at everything. The ocean waves were moving in their own rhythm yet again, a fine tune to Erza's ears until she had her fill. "Alright...I'm ready. Let's go."

Nic nodded, before glancing at Staraptor. "Staraptor?"

The bird ruffled her wings to make sure they were dry. Once she had found she was dry, she looked back at Nic with red eyes beaming. "(Whenever you're ready.)"

The majority rule settled, Nic faced forward, a small grin set in stone. "Alright then. Let's get going."

---

It was another morning in Magnolia. Since it was still early, not a lot of people were out in the streets. And yet even in the morning, the guild was booming with a bunch of mages gathered around.

BAM!

With a brutal Take Down, Droy's Weepinbell yelped as Gajeel's Shieldon sent her flying skywards. She shrieked as she spiraled downwards onto a stunned Droy, who only gaped when Weepinbell came down with her mouth swallowing his large head. The force was enough to send them toppling over in a daze.

"Droy?! Hey man, who doing alright?!" Jet moved closer, but his shoulders drooped when he saw they were both dazed.

Levy sighed. "Well, guess that about does it." She raised an arm towards Gajeel's side. "Weepinbell can't battle, so Shieldon and Gajeel are the winners!"

Gajeel crossed his arms while smirking. "Not bad. That was some spunk you showed there."

Shieldon raised his head with pride, easily shaking off the recoil damage of the attack. "It was nothing. All these foreign types don't have the sturdiness that we apparent ancient Rock-types possess. Clearly, you all need to toughen up!" He glared at Droy and Weepinbell. "Especially those softies over there! You say that Grass-types have it easy on us Rock-types, but look who's on the floor. Disgraceful."

"Geez, a little harsh much...?" Jet murmured, but he was too busy trying to pry Weepinbell off of Droy's cranium. "Gnnnngh, geez! It's like it's apart of your head! Are those lips like glue or something?!"

"Looks like Gajeel's starting off on a solid foot today." Pantherlily noted. "He's been on a few jobs as of late, so he's been getting in better synch with his Pokémon."

"Yeah, but Natsu can still beat his butt any day of the week." Happy beamed, beaming out his tiny chest with pride.

"Heh? What's that supposed to mean?" Shieldon glared at Happy, turning his body towards the feline. "You have something you wanna say to my face, cat? If so, come down here and face me head-on with your words!"

"No thank you!" Happy cried out, immediately activating his wings and glided away from the scene. Even he didn't want to mess with someone as small as him.

"Um, I think Happy just barked up the wrong tree again..." Wendy nervously pointed out.

"It's been getting a lot more common these days. I'm pretty sure he's just doing it to impress Liepard...though I doubt any fruit will bear." Carla sniped. She looked over at the bar area, where Liepard was lying at Cana's feet and taking a small nap. True to her words, she looked far from appealed by anything. "Hmph, honestly. Happy needs to get over it."

Wendy wanted to say something about how defensive Carla sounded about the subject, but instead she nervously smiled. Swablu and Amaura looked at each other in confusion, but said nothing due to having no inkling to the subject.

Most if not everyone was settled into the guild hall at this hour. Those who went out on overnight jobs were either still gone or were coming back. But most of the guild was still accounted for, including the majority of Team Natsu, Vanessa, Sophie, and most recently arriving, The Freaks.

Mirajane turned towards Joey as he walked over. "Good morning, Joey/" Mirajane smile. "Did you come for breakfast perhaps?"

Joey offered his own smile. "Thanks Mira, girl, but I just ate. Fueled up just before we came here." He replied, padding his stomach area. "Just came for another job today."

"I see. Well we just got a bunch of new requests labeled today. I'm sure you'll find something to your liking." She chimed, her smile widening. "You're outing a lot of effort into this guild for a rookie. I'm so envious."

Joey crossed his arms, his smile brightening. "Heh, you really think so?" He lightly bumped her arm and smiled. "Thanks for the little check-up there. We'll do our best to keep things freaky." He chimed, casually striding past the bar area with his teammates in tow.

"Well someone's in a good mood." Cana chimed, taking a small sip of alcohol while glancing at Joey.

"He's been working really hard since Nic and Erza have been away. I think he's trying to pick up the slack while they're gone." Mirajane chimed. "Knowing him, he's trying to make a good impression on looking stronger."

The Freaks walked over towards the request board, when they inadvertently passed by Team Natsu's booth. Coincidentally, Sophie and Vanessa were there as well. "What's up, people! What's going on over here?"

"Huh? Oh, Joey. Hey." Lucy chimed in, before blinking. "Wait, I thought that you guys went out on an overnight job."

Dereece stepped forward. "It ended up moving sooner than we expected. A bunch of Sudowoodo were blocking a town's main road. Just one look from our Water-types was enough to send them running straight into the forest close by.

"Those Sudowoodo were weak if they didn't think to block those attacks." Duncan harrumphed. "The pay was exaggerated for such a simple task. But it works out for us."

"Well it's good to see you're all working diligently." Vanessa offered a relaxed grin.

Joey offered Vanessa a big smile, the praise being like electric shocks that rejuvenated his heart. 'Vanessa-senpai just praised me!' He squealed with delight. "T-thank you very much!"

Duncan scoffed at Joey's fanboy demeanor. "Hmph, pathetic." However, when his gaze met Vanessa, he immediately grew defensive. It wasn't a lie that he's been working harder than ever as well. He was training nonstop for some time now. As much as he wanted to prove himself again, he needed a firmer ground than what he had. 'Just a few more payments, and it'll be done. Maybe then I'll see where I'm at with her.'

Sophie turned towards Dereece, raising a brow. "Was the job that big of a pay?"

"If 50,000 Jewel is considered a lot around here, then yeah." Dereece replied. "And of course, the Captain is spending all his expenses on clothes."

"Well you can't expect me to strut my stuff if I wear the same thing all the time, Dereece!" Joey scowled, raising his arms above his sides. "Besides, these jeans are elastic, and a lot more comfortable than what they appear." He twisted his leg, showing everyone his new navy-blue jeans. "The best part was that it was on sale this week, so who's making the fuss now, huh?" He gave his pal a sly smirk, to which Dereece eyerolled at.

"Just at least leave some for the rent on our place coming up, alright? I don't wanna be the one pulling weight on those bills like last time."

Joey put his hands up to his sides. "Okay, okay. The next job we go on, all that money we make will go to the apartment and our items funds. Will that help you sleep tonight?"

"You guys keep a budget for items?" Gray asked, raising a brow.

"Yeah. Can't say it's not a bad decision, but those Super Potions and medicines for the Pokémon are pricey." Dereece noted, crossing his arms. "Not to mention those Escape Ropes and Repels do a number from time to time."

Vanessa looked down, putting a hand to her chin. "That's true. While the Cambire Foundation's industry is affordable, the supplies aren't easy to come by. I'd imagine it has to do with the different levels of pharmaceuticals compared to what PokeEarth produces." She turned towards Lucy. "Speaking of the Cambire Foundation, has there been any word about Brandish's condition, Lucy?"

The blonde frowned as she looked down at Plue, who sat on her lap. "Honestly, I didn't hear anything about that. All I know is that Arthur claimed to have made the cure for whatever condition Brandish was in. I just hope that it's of a credulous source that it doesn't go wrong."

"Puuuuun." Plue chimed.

"Then why are you being down about it?" Natsu questioned, smirking. "If that cure doesn't work, we'll just find a better one. We'll make sure she's gets to her feet." His toothy smile returned. "And when she does, we'll stop on by!"

"Aye!" Happy yelped, raising a paw.

Lucy's worries gradually diminished as she saw Natsu's smile. It brought one onto herself. "Thanks guys. I mean it."

"So, does anyone know when Erza and Nic are gonna be back?" Wendy asked, trying to keep the mood light. "It has been a little while since we've heard from them."

"It's only been two weeks. Knowing them, Nic's probably being dragged around by Erza to stores and sweets." Carla quipped. "Though I do admit that it does feel odd not having Erza around as company."

"That's true. But...I'm sure they're fine." Juvia chimed, a smile crossing her face. "Let them enjoy themselves. After all, honeymoons are special occasions." She looked over at Gray's shirtless body. "Isn't that right, dear?"

Gray awkwardly glanced away, rubbing the back of his head. "Uh...do you really have to put me on the spot like that?"

The others threw out inquiries of their own. A short distance away, Shiin had resumed his familiar spot apart from the conversation. He had just taken a snapshot of Gajeel's Shieldon defeating Droy and looked down at the picture. As he expected at this point, there were no charts sensing Magic Power from any of them. For the past week, it's been the same thing, day in and day out. He kept his interactions to a minimum while observing everyone there. He's already done a careful observation of Nic's premise. Now all that mattered was getting to meet him. Though if he was being personal, his patience was beginning to thin.

'It's been 16 days since my arrival, yet the target has yet to make an appearance back from his world.' Shiin thought. For a moment, he presumed that he finally bit the bullet and decided to return to PokeEarth permanently. But knowing how the target acts and his affiliation with the guild, that guesstimate was immediately pigeonholed.

He was aware enough that Mirajane had walked over, he knew what the reason was. "Thank you for the meal. It was fine." He said, sliding the empty plate with a fork on it over towards Mirajane.

She accepted the empty plate with a smile. "My pleasure."

"Hey, Mira. Where's Rufflet?" Vullaby whined. "I wanna go play with big brother again."

Mirajane looked down at Vullaby, smiling motherly. "Sorry, Vullaby. You know Lisanna and Elfman went out on a job last night. It'll still be a little while until they get back."

"Awww! I'm soooo bored~!" She pestered, flapping her wings rapidly. At this point, her wings were still too short to give her the ability to fly. It only added more to her frustration.

"It'll be just fine. Just be patient for a little while longer. Once they get home, I'm sure that Rufflet will be happy to play. Okay?"

Vullaby puffed her cheeks, folding her tiny wings over the other and looking away. "Okay..." she pouted. She waddled back behind the bar, where she was accustomed to being around with her trainer.

"Hmph, well it seems that you've been able to teach her about space. That's an improvement, I suppose." Shiin scoffed.

"She's still young. It's like raising a child." Mirajane reasoned, before her head tilted and she smiled. "I even have to tuck her into be sometimes. It's almost too cute."

Shiin blinked. "These are otherworldly creatures. Not pets or children." He shook his head in annoyance. Was this guild seriously this laid back as to treat something like this with such familiarity? If this were a huge joke, he would have said it's gone on long enough.

Before Mirajane could offer a reply, Cana waved her mug from the bar. "Hey, Mira! Got another round that I need to fill over here!" She shouted, waving her empty mug to and fro.

Mirajane gave Cana a look. "I'm surprised that you drink this early." She gave Shiin another passive glance. "Sorry about that. But hey, they're not bad once you get to know them a little. I suppose that the usual will be for when lunch comes around?"

Shiin replied with a nod. "Yes, please and thank you." Mirajane nodded and turned away. Once she was out of the picture, Shiin returned to gazing at the guild and their many Pokémon they had by their sides. He paid enough attention to distinguish which Pokémon belonged to whom at this point. He didn't question their choice of partners, nor had any desire to get to know them. It's been that way since the beginning. Yet many of people had pestered him from time to time about it.

'They're not the most secretive kinds of mages I know. That's a given.' He glared heavily. 'That's one of their greatest weaknesses.'

"Hey, Joey!" Natsu suddenly stood up, his fist balled tightly. "How's about another rematch! This time, Charmeleon and I are gonna kick your butt!"

"Aye!" Happy added.

Joey almost did a double take as he raised a brow. "Really? I was about to go on a job, so..."

Natsu stepped forward, not minding the space he was violating. "C'mon, I've been aching since that last battle we had. Now we wanna show you what we can do this time around!"

Joey sighed. He knew well of the proper etiquette for trainers accepting challenges from one another. He couldn't just walk away from a challenge thrown in his face that he could take head-on. It would blow his street cred – to his vocabulary of course.

"Ugh, fine. Let's just-!"

All of a sudden, a multicolored portal sprung to life in front of the guild hall. Everyone's heads turned towards the portal to see familiar figures step through from a world that had a shoreline and sunrise that illuminated their silhouettes.

'What's that? A portal spell?' Shiin stood up, looking prepared for what would come out. His glare hardened as he tried to sense what magic it was. Oddly enough, he was sensing a very prominent aura. 'Something's coming out.' He shot a glance at how relaxed everyone was. 'Why aren't they reacting...unless they know who is coming out.'

Everyone watched as the first steps out were by boots worn by a figure with red hair. Immediately following that was the flight of a bird with brown-gray wings making way. The last to follow...was what Shiin's eyes widened at. He couldn't help but almost grow slackjawed at the sight of a familiar person with short black hair with ocean blue eyes.

'That's him. It has to be!' His gaze never left the silhouette that finally set foot on the guild's wooden floor. If nobody was looking at the sight, they would have seen Shiin's visible for him, that wasn't the case.

"Hello, everyone." Erza took a good look at the familiar scenery around her. Not a thing was out of place, just the way she liked it. "Looks like the place is still intact, despite my absence."

"Erza!" Team Natsu shot up from their seats, large smiles on their faces.

"Hey, look who's back!" Macao cheered, raising a mug. "Been a while since we've seen your faces around here!"

"True that. For a second I thought they'd ran off together and forgot all about us." Wakaba chimed in.

"Well now, talk about a sight for sore eyes. Where did you two run off to for so long?" Bisca teased, crossing her arms with a smirk.

Erza approached them, giving them all a nod. "We're sorry for keeping you all waiting. I hope that you can forgive us for being away for so long."

"Hey, it's all good. We're just glad to finally see your faces again." Max waved at them. "Hope you guys had a fun few weeks without anyone on your backs."

Erza snickered. If only they knew what really happened. She would undoubtedly tell them about it later. She looked over at Nic, who seemed to have had a small grin of his own.

"And lookie here! The big man on campus has returned!" Wakaba dryly chimed in. "How was Alola, Nic?"

Nic gave the older man a refreshed look. "It was definitely something, thanks. Sorry for making you all wait for us."

Joey's jaw nearly touched the floor. The sight of one of his idols left him frozen in place. His shaking finger gradually pointed in their direction. "D-Dereece...i-is that who I think it is...?"

"Yes Captain Joey, it is alright." Dereece replied with a small eyeroll. "Looks like their little honeymoon's finally over."

Duncan harrumphed lowly. His gaze was fixed on Nic's figure alone. His grip on his metal staff got firmer by the second. Of course, he wasn't the only one feeling anxious. Shiin's glare was as sharp as knives, though no one paid any heed towards him.

"Nic-senpai! Erza-senpai! Welcome back, you guys!" Joey snapped out of his earlier recoil, beelining in front of everyone with an upbeat smile on his face. "It's so great to have you guys back! You have no idea how lonely it's been without you!" His eyes widened. "Er, I mean how much Dereece felt lonely without you!"

Dereece shot him a despondent look. "Really?"

Nic turned towards his biggest fan, offering him a simple smile of his own. "Joey, hey. You're looking well for yourself." He lowered his head some. "Sorry for being away. But if it means anything, we got through it thanks to what you packed for us. We really appreciate the sentiments you guys put together."

Joey looked like he was about to explode with ecstasy. He looked like he just saw euphoria and the words spoken to him were like fine wine...if he knew what that tasted like. He assumed that it was like grape juice, but Dereece made it clear that drinking it was definitely wrong. He had to derail any attempts Cana had at offering any drinks to Joey from time to time.

"Hey Nic, long time no see!" Natsu waved back. "About time you guys showed your butts around here! Hasn't been the same without ya!"

"Glad you're back." Lucy greeted.

Erza turned towards her teammates. "It's nice to be seen by you all again. I trust that you were able to behave yourselves while we were away." Her tone sounded suggestively singular, specifically towards Natsu and Gray. The two felt an uneasy shiver run down their spines.

"Ehehe...yeah...about that..." Wendy nervously trailed off.

"You were glad you weren't around to see even half the property they blew from the last job." Carla sniped. "An entire street froze while another had several potholes in it. Take a guess at who did caused them."

"Hey! It's not my fault those moles hid underground the whole time!" Natsu shouted in defense. "They should have just stayed still!"

"You mean those Diglett?" Happy corrected.

"Yeah, and because of these two numbskulls, we hardly got paid." An irritated tone came from Lucy as she folded her arms. She looked visibly annoyed until she slumped her shoulders. "Honestly, I know we just said it hasn't been the same without an all, but it's troublesome keeping these two in line as it is."

Natsu and Gray nervously hummed as they looked away from each other. They had a bad feeling that Erza was going to be on their case later.

Vanessa walked up, greeting her brother and sister-in-law. "Hey Nic. Erza." She grinned, moving in to embrace the two in a hug.

"Hey Vanessa." Erza smiled warmly. "Thanks for welcoming us back."

"Thanks Vanessa." Nic replied. "Don't worry, we had a good time. Thanks for holding down the fort while we were away. We owe ya."

"It wasn't any trouble. Nothing that wasn't incorrigible at least." She pulled away, her eyes never leaving them. "You both must have enjoyed yourselves if you stayed in Alola that long. I'm excited to hear about what you did when you get the time."

Erza nodded. "We'll be sure to fill you in on everything soon." She looked over at Nic. "It's been some time since we've set foot back into our home. Let's just hope it's still standing this time." She teased, much to Nic's chagrin.

As they turned around, Staraptor's red eyes picked up on the portal closing behind them. She saw the multicolored framing fading inwards until it became a small orb. Instead of disappearing like it would normally do, the portal's shrunken hemisphere fluxed in and out uncontrollably.

"Nic!"

Nic's eyes snapped wide when he heard Staraptor's outcry. Everyone saw his portal flicker brightly, then dimming. The process was on loop as it looked like a miniature lightshow happening within the guild hall. Everything was a spontaneous flash before their eyes; they had a hard time looking at it without having to squint.

"N-Nic? Does your portals normally do that?" Lucy nervously asked, pointing towards the fluctuating mass.

"Puuuuuun." Plue groaned.

"No, it's never done something like this before." Nic's voice gradually trailed off. His body started vibrating from the core. He could feel the spatial field buffering even the likes of him. Nothing like this happened before. Out of reflexes, he heightened his guard and took a defensive stance, along with Erza.

Everyone took a step back as the portal seemingly collapsed upon itself. The pressure caused a multicolored comet to squeeze out. It beamed as fast as light directly for Nic, but Staraptor cut in at the last second and shielded with her wings. A bright, cosmic eruption flourished across the guild hall as everyone covered themselves from the flash. It was so bright that it was like looking directly at a star

"What the hell is going on?!" Gajeel grunted, shielding Levy from the blinding rays.

It took several minutes for the commotion to finally settle down. The light gradually diffused across the guild hall, allowing everyone to see once again. It took a few blinks worth to allow some of their dazed visions to settle, but ultimately everyone was unharmed.

The Guild Master's door opened, with Laxus rushing out. "What's going on?!"

"Master Laxus!" Freed exclaimed, ushering to his side in an instant. "It's Nic and Erza, they've returned."

Laxus looked away from Freed towards the commotion and dimming light in the center of the crowd. He frowned heavily. Something about this didn't feel right. It didn't even look right.

"Erza, are you alright?" Nic asked, attending to his wife.

"I'm fine." She looked over at Staraptor. "More importantly..."

Nic's eyes traversed towards Staraptor, immediately widening. Everyone looked on with a show of shock and confusion as the multicolored flare dimmed in front of Staraptor's feathered wings. Oddly enough, the light didn't singe off any of his feathers, despite how heated the impact was. If she wasn't fully dry though from before, she most certainly was now.

"What is this...?" She looked down at the light in confusion. She hovered over as said light gradually shaped into a small cloud that had two puffy cloud-like appendages overhead. The whole body looked like a twinkling mass sparkling on a dark-shaded, purple cloud. It had a black face with yellow eyes that were closed, signaling it was asleep.

"Uh...what just happened?" Lucy worriedly asked. She rubbed her eyes to make sure she wasn't being played like a fool, but after a quick rub of her eyes, she backpedaled.

"What exactly is that thing?" Gray crossed his arms, giving the unknown creature a studious glare.

"I'm not sure. But it looks so small." Juvia bent over, looking past Staraptor to see the sleeping cloud up close. "It actually looks cute now that I look at it."

Natsu leaned in, his eyes wide with surprise. "Woah, Nic. I didn't know your portals could spew out baby clouds like that." He crossed his arms. "How come you didn't tell us about this trick?"

"It's not a trick..." Nic gave the puff cloud another cumbersome look. "At least...it'd better not be."

Staraptor looked down at the cloud that sat itself against her wings. She was surprised that it wasn't some kind of invasion, but to have something that looked like a space cloud with an actual form was like icing on top of the sweet taste of befuddlement. And the taste it left was like bile.

"What's going on here?" Breaking through the crowd of gathered guild members, Laxus made way to the front of the guild. The Thunder God Tribe was right behind him as company. He looked down at the commotion's center. "Huh? So it's true then. You're both back."

"Master Laxus." Erza greeted, her tone still filled with surprise.

Laxus adverted his attention towards the puff cloud that was sound asleep in Staraptor's wings as a means of cushions. "What's this? A new Pokémon you two brought home?"

"Honestly, we're not sure ourselves." Erza answered, gazing back down at the cloud. "We've seen a lot of new Pokémon we weren't familiar with back in Alola. It could be a species that made its way through at the last minute."

"Possibly." Nic frowned. After just getting back from Alola, now he had to make another trip. He furrowed his brow as a stray thought came to mind. 'Or is it like one of those Ultra Beasts we've encountered?'

"She's probably right. The most logical thing to do is to take it back to Alola. Who knows what this thing will do. We don't even know if it's really another Pokémon." Gray pointed out. He suddenly got an idea. "Hey, hold on." He reached into his pocket, pulling out a PokeDex. "I forgot we had these to work with."

Natsu hammered his palm with a fist. "Oh right, those things can identify Pokémon, huh? Why didn't I think of that?"

Happy patted his back. "Better luck next time."

Gray took the liberty to hold the PokeDex up to the sleeping cloud. The monitor appeared and a scanner-like circle appeared on the hard light. It took a few moments to scan the unknown beast, but after several seconds, the screen gave its answer.

"NO DATA"

"But if it's not a Pokémon, then what is it?" Sophie questioned, tossing a lock of her hair over her shoulder.

"Honestly, your guess is as good as anybody else's." Carla chimed in.

"Oh! It could be some kind of magic animal disguised as gas!" Natsu toothily smiled, beaming at his own answer. Everyone else gave him skeptical looks.

"I stand corrected. Everyone's guess but his." Carla despondently added.

"I~ think maybe that whatever this is, it's not something that I'm certain that even isn't existence from here." Dereece nervously pointed out. "After all, if the PokeDex can't tell what it is, and if it came out of Nic's portal, then it can't be from here either." He raised a brow and crossed his arms. "And trust me, we've seen some freaky stuff in our time here to know what's normal and what's not normal here."

Joey shifted his gaze away, rubbing the back of his head. "Eh, true that. And take it from me, the leader of The Freaks."

"This does bring up a lot of questions." Vanessa pointed out. "If it's not a Pokémon, then having it being left in our world isn't a good idea." She turned towards Nic. "Which reminds me, what happened to that creature that left for PokeEarth?"

Nic rubbed the back of his neck, raising a brow as he tried to think of something to say. "It's a long story. We'll fill you in on the details later. Right now...we have this to deal with right now." He looked down at Staraptor and the cloud.

A soft moan was heard from the puff cloud. They all looked down as the yellow mouth drew squiggles before a loud, soft yawn was heard. The cloud proceeded to open its yellow eyes, taking in the sights of soft red eyes with a bang over the face, with the red tip immediately drawing its eye.

"Cooooo..." It moaned, staring at Staraptor.

"Hello...little one." She tried to pick her words carefully, while maintaining a high guard. If this thing were faking, she would know. "And what might you be?"

The yellow eyes blinked several times at the statement thrown at the cloud. "Coooo?" It tilted its head in confusion, but chose to smile brightly as its star-covered hands tried reaching up towards Staraptor. It laughed with an innocent glee.

'It didn't respond to what I said?' Staraptor wondered. 'No. It responded. It didn't say anything...or rather, it couldn't. Is it a baby?'

Erza looked down at the giggling cloud with an observant eye. "It looks like it doesn't know its surroundings very well. It's like a child."

"Hold up, you mean this thing is a baby?" Lucy blinked.

"It's possible. Then again, it's not easy to say." She watched it paddle itself closer towards Staraptor's stomach. The bird stood there as the cloud's hand touched her soft feathers. "Well, we can't leave it unattended if it's just an infant." She turned towards Nic. "Nic, would you believe that it would be trouble if we kept an eye on it?"

Nic wasn't sure what to say. All he wanted was to just settle back into his little cottage of a home, but it looked like fate had other plans. He could have said no, but given the circumstances, it wasn't like he knew anybody else qualified for the job. Everyone in the guild was capable in their own way of looking after the other...but he wasn't a gambling man, and even if he was, he knew it was always best to keep your assets around you at all times.

He shot another look at Staraptor, who lightly flapped her wings to keep the cloud entertained. "I guess we don't have a lot of options, do we?" He gave the cloud another look. "Alright, let's take it with us back to the house. Can you carry it, Staraptor?"

"Hm? Well, I suppose..." She gave the cloud's face another look as it tried reaching up for her. "I'll try to be as gentle as I can." She fluttered overhead, gradually gaining hold on the surprisingly solid gas. It felt like clutching a cotton ball. "Alright little one, hold on tight now."

"Coooooo~!" The little cloud chimed merrily as Staraptor took off with it in her claws. She surprisingly didn't seem to mind as she chimed merrily out of the guild hall.

"Well, guess that happened." Nic said in a neutral tone.

"Yes, so it did." Erza replied, before turning towards her guildmates. "We'll be back soon, I can promise you that."

"No worries guys, take your time." Lucy waved them off. Nic and Erza proceeded out the guild's saloon doors. "Geez, somehow I'm not even surprised anymore. The minute those two get back, something else happens at the same time." She put a hand to her chin. "But I'm really curious. What was that thing anyway?"

Gray folded his arms and closed his eyes. "Who knows? But we'll find out once those two get settled down. Pretty sure after being away for so long, they'd want to kick back and unwind."

"Sounds like something Vanessa would do." Sophie nudged Vanessa's shoulder with a teasing smirk. "You sleep in too much, have you ever thought about breaking that habit?"

"It's not it's intentional." Vanessa retorted nonchalantly.

Meanwhile, as everyone was discussing what they saw, Shiin glared ahead. He finally stood up from his seat and gazed out the saloon doors where the two most important people had ejected from. 'So...he's finally back. Now I can move forward with the mission at hand.'

---

As soon as Nic and Erza spotted their cottage up the trail, a sense of relief washed over their minds. For a moment, they worried that they would come home to a smoldering crater. Glad that delusion was a false alarm. "It looks just like how we left it." Erza chimed in.

"Yeah, you can say that again." Nic said, making his way up the laminated wooden porch. He reached into his pocket, pulling out a small key for the lock that he undid. With a click, the door creaked open. Immediately, the mixed smell of oak and lemon enflamed their nostrils.

"You smell that?" Erza took another sniff of the air. "It smells sweet in here."

Nic looked over at the windows, seeing how they were glossy on the inside. They were so clean that he could actually see his own reflection. The rimming looked spotless, too. "You think somebody came in and did the chores in advance?"

Erza blinked. "...now that you mention it, didn't Vanessa have the spare housekey for when we rebuilt?"

It took a moment for Nic to put two and two together. "Yeah, that's right. I almost forgot." He grinned in delight. "Guess we'll have to thank her for housesitting, won't we?"

"I'm sure she would be delighted if we invited her over for dinner. A nice little family dinner sounds just what we all need." Erza beamed with arms folded underneath her blouse, emphasizing her massive buxom. "And thanks to all of those restaurants and sweets we've tried out on our honeymoon, we can present a line of desserts that she'll absolutely enjoy!"

'I hope that she remembers that Vanessa prefers sour foods over sweets.' Nic's thoughts fell on deaf ears. Knowing Erza, it probably wouldn't be enough to stop her from going through with it anyway. He chose to shrug it off. 'Oh well, at least she and Slurpuff will have a blast, I guess.'

"Coooo?" The cloud sat on the wooden floor, its wide eyes taking in its new surroundings. It marveled at how compared to the huge building it was in previously, this one was much smaller, and had a few knickknacks that caught its attention.

"Hm, you like this place?" Staraptor asked. "This is where we live. It's not big, but it's comfortable."

"Cooooo..." The cloud clapped its hand-like appendages.

"Speaking of places, we should probably figure out where...whatever this is, came from." Erza explained, gazing at the puffy cloud. She watched it paddle off to the side, dragging itself along the smooth wooden floor with cooes and awes. It was like watching a baby learning how to crawl. It was cute.

"I know. But it's not like we know much about it from the start." Nic pointed out. "It's like Dereece said earlier, it couldn't have come from this world, and even the PokeDex didn't have information on it."

"Then what are we going to do?"

They were left unsettled with the predicament they were left in. As they were left pondering, Staraptor glided across the living room area, looking back to see the cloud tilting its head at her. It awed loudly, before crawling across the floor towards her. When Staraptor landed on the end of the rug, the cloud looked up to her with a cute little laughter. At least for now they could use this inexperience to an advantage. After the hellish kind of experience they've had the other week, coming back after a honeymoon wasn't going to be on the agenda.

Nic sighed heavily. "Guess we don't have a lot of option, don't we? I'll stop by the Cambire Foundation and see Arthur. Maybe he has something from the trainers that he's gathered that'll help give us a better idea of what to do."

"I suppose that's not a bad option." Erza agreed, before putting her arms to her hips. "Well, suppose there's no delaying the inevitable. Time to unpack."

Before Erza could requip her belongings, a knock was heard at the front door.

"Who could that be? We just got home." Erza looked at the door with scrutiny. "Is it the others? I said we would stop by to see them later."

"Not sure." Nic eyed the door as another knock came from it. He stepped forward to take the initiative. "I see who it is. You just worry about unpacking your belongings. And Staraptor can tend to...uh, it." He looked at the cloud again, which eyed him in return.

"Cooo..."

"Right..." Shaking his head, he tended to the front door before another round of knocks would disturb him. He reached the handle and turned it, allowing him to come face-to-face with the visitor.

Much to his confusion, and immediate alarm, the man was relatively young, borderline a very young adult much like himself. His white hair was a distinguishing nature all on its own. His teal eyes were fixated with a serious gaze so intense that it was like he was staring at a serial killer. He wore an unfamiliar robe that loosely fitted him. He stood a fair distance away from Nic with arms crossed over his abdomen.

Almost immediately, Nic's gut was telling him something was definitely wrong about this person. Whoever he was, he was here on an agenda. He held a high guard as he glared back. "Can I help you?"

"Yes. I do apologize if this came as an inconvenience, but are you perhaps...Nic Pularis?" Shiin asked.

Nic raised a brow. "Depends, who's asking?"

Shiin raised a hand to signal a halt. "Please, do not feel alarmed. I have come with no intention on harming you nor your wife. As a matter of fact, I consider it a very rare opportunity to meet someone such as yourself in person."

"You don't say." Nic could tell just from a single look that this guy meant what he said. He didn't come to harm them. And even if he did, he would catch on quickly. Judging from the sharp look in this man's gaze, he knew that, too.

"So tell me, what business did you have for me?" He crossed his arms at his own inquiry.

"I assure you, I didn't come to ask you in search of a job...or should I say a job offer. But I am here under instructed business that does involve you if that clarifies any lingering discomforts about me." Shiin explained. "I understand if this is not the most appropriate time given your impromptu return from...whatever business you were attending to beforehand, but I have obligations to fill regarding you."

"Obligations, you say?" Nic's brows furrowed. That was a phrasing he'd never thought he'd hear. 'He sounds professional. He must be from nobles or must be related to high-ranking work?'

"Nic Pularis, will you be willing to comply?" Shiin asked, his tone having an underlying sense of insistence.

Nic was no fool. It was obvious that this guy was baiting him into something. He could say no, but given the circumstances, that might not be a good idea. Erza was still around, but she was still unpacking. And Staraptor was still tending to the newborn creature. He also knew outright bashing this guy was a childish move, and given his past experiences, he wasn't going to attack first and start something that might turn against him later. It was best to see what this guy had on him and see what he does with the responses he gets from him.

"Nic, who's at the door?" Erza called from inside.

Nic shot a glance back inside. "Erza, I'm gonna step out for a little bit. You just worry about getting your things situated."

"Alright. If you say so."

Nic gradually closed the door behind him, stepping out to the porch and looking Shiin in the eye. The white-haired man gave the black-haired otherworlder a harsher glare now that they were to themselves. The atmosphere around them grew tense with their opposing glares fixed on the other.

"Alright, so what do you want?" Nic started.

"I'll start with a formal introduction of myself. My name is Shiin Verdade. I have hailed from the Pergrande Kingdom's capital. I work for the Magic Government that is located there."

"The Magic Government?" Nic raised a brow. Immediately, his fluids were starting to bubble. Just the mere mention of the Magic Council was enough to make his blood boil. This, on the other hand, was another story.

"Presuming from your expression, you aren't aware of what the Magic Government is. I'll be as brief as I can about the subject then. The Magic Government is the establishment that is above the Magic Council. I understand that you have a...history regarding them. Rest assured, the Magic Government is incomparable to the likes of them." Shiin crossed his arms. "Now then, since you are aware of my status, are you willing to comply entirely to what I have to ask?"

Nic didn't bother to blink. He gave Shiin the same calm, serious expression he did before. "That depends. What does the government have to do with me?"

Shiin's brows furrowed. "Well, as a matter of fact, it is precisely because of you that I was sent here." He reached back into his coat, pulling out a shimmering golden badge that he showed Laxus a few weeks prior. "I've been sent by the Grand Captain of the Magic Government himself to see you personally regarding the current situation that Earthland is in with these creatures that you call Pokémon. My objective is to find and shadow this world's strongest 'Pokémon Trainer' in order to learn everything about the fundamentals between these mages and Pokémon."

"Does anyone else know about this?" Nic inquired. "If you wanted to shadow a Pokémon Trainer, couldn't you have just went to any guild and get opinions from those that have trainers in their ranks than myself?"

"I've already informed your Guild Master upon my arrival. Fortunately, he was very understanding of his position as well as mine." Shiin answered, raising his chin. "As for your second inquiry, I see the merit in that proposition. But I was specifically told that it had to be you. You have been the forefront of Pokémon since before The Crossing. It's only natural to get the best intelligence from the primary source after all."

Nic's right eye strained to not narrow. He couldn't disagree with Shiin's logic on resources evaluation, but something about the way he interpreted it sounded more accusing than warranted. "The primary source you say, yet there are still numerous trainers out there." His right eye finally gave in. "You really think that I'm the root cause as to how the humans and Pokémon of my world got here?"

Shiin scoffed as he lowered his chin. "Well, given the evidence and your abilities, I'm not saying that you aren't a prime suspect to this case. Whether or not it was you remains unknown for now. That's another reason why I have come to you."

"I see. And I don't suppose you have proof of that accusation, do you?"

Shiin calmly lowered his chin. "If it will sedate your inquiries, then I shall abbreviate the facts. The night of the final events of the Fiore X791 Grand Magic Games, that was when the entity who took the stars known as Lysandre discombobulated the very laws of magic and physics. We sensed no Magic Power, and yet it was a pressure far beyond humanity's manipulation. That same instance, you transformed into the likes of a God. A...Pokémon God, from what I've been told." He stepped forward. "Now, is it really true that all these Pokémon that fought each other from before had the powers of Gods themselves?"

Nic had to choose his words wisely. He didn't want to say something that could tur this conversation against him. But the way Shiin was leering at him, he was just itching at the opportunity for him to slip up. "More or less." He responded.

"'More or less', you say?" Shiin gave him another incredulous look. It looked like a doubtful and vague answer, but he chose to go along with it. "Very well, I'll take that as my confirmation of proof. But from now on, I am expecting clearer and more concise answers to my questions, Nic Pularis."

"I'll see what I can do." He nonchalantly stated.

"Then allow me to assist you with that claim." Shiin focused his magic into his left eye, trying to convey it over Nic's as well.

"Truth's Eye!"

A bright blue magic seal appeared over Shiin's left eye. He waited until one appeared over Nic's left eye...but nothing happened. 'What's this? My Truth's Eye doesn't have any effect on him?'

"Sorry, but magic related to eyes or illusions don't work on me." Nic retorted. "If you needed to use a spell that badly to get the truth out, then you must have serious doubts about me. Like I said, I'll do my best to answer your questions."

Shiin frowned displeasingly. "Does this happen to involve your so-called God-like powers you claim to have?"

"That's a long story in itself." Nic answered, glaring back at him. "And secondly, I never claimed that my powers are godly."

"Yet you have the capacity to transform into these other God-like Pokémon that are able to raise sea levels at will, and manipulate the environment to as you see fit. Not mention, reshape the very fabric of reality." Shiin's tone was getting more accusing as he went along, something that didn't elude Nic. "And from what was seen and told, you are also capable of transforming into the one that can do anything. And you're saying that isn't godly?"

Nic furrowed his brow. "Where are you going with this?"

Shiin sighed out his nostrils. "My apologies. It seems that I am digressing here. Allow me to return to the point at hand." He glared at Nic. "Nic Pularis, with these powers that you have, tell me, what is your overall agenda for Earth Land?"

Nic blinked, yet his gaze remained unfazed. Now everything was clicking. It took a little while for him to piece it together, but with that one question, it was essentially a threat on Nic's behalf. His powers, Pokémon and Trainers on Earth Land, The Crossing, and now this question. It was bad enough that he was being accused for all this by the Magic Government, but now they want to know if he intended to destroy them like Acnologia wanted. In hindsight, he had the potential to. He could transform into Kyogre and just flood the entire world, or Entei to make volcanoes erupt, hell, he could just transform into Palkia and disintegrate the space around the entire planet until it's reduced to nothing! Of course that was in theory, and it was best left that way. He was well above a full-scale destruction spree like Acnologia wanted. He had some sense of morality within his conscience to not blow up something that wants him dead. Of course, with this being the Magic Government and his past conflicts with the Council being brought into light, he dared to wonder just how much weight his words could hold.

With a calm breath, Nic finally gave his reply. "You want to know what I intend to you?" He crossed his arms. "I'll tell you...not a damn thing."

For the first time, Shiin showed genuine surprise in front of someone's face. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me, I don't intend to do anything to you guys if that's what you were trying to figure out. I just want to live with my wife and my Pokémon. Nothing more, nothing less."

Shiin's mind did a double take. Did he hear that right? He really wished that his Truth's Eye were active to indicate that it was a lie. It sounded too mellow for a response. His brow furrowed. "So let me get this straight." He uncrossed his arms. "You're saying that after turning our world into a battlefield, destroying Fiore's Magic Council's system, and defacing everything known to mankind's concept of magic...you tell me that after all of that and littering our planet with your kind...that you have no desires beyond just settling down?"

"That's what I'm saying." Nic nodded.

Shiin was doing his best to keep his composure, but something in him was starting to show. A passion of sorts as his glare started boiling. "Pardon me if this sounds offensive, but do you understand how controversial that sounds? You've made history, and you have defeated the strongest mages on this planet without the use of magic. You've crumbled the very order of our society." His tone was getting higher and more accusing. "You've defied the very order of our world's government, and your guild was the sole reason as the Alvarez invasion as of a year ago! And now you're telling me that after all that destruction, you insist that the next course of action, is nothing on your behalf? Then why did you send all those Pokémon from your home world to here?"

"You're mistaken. I never said that I was the one who initiated The Crossing. Even I'm not entirely certain how it all happened." Nic countered.

"And yet you have such powers to warp reality. To bend time and space to your whim."

"So you chose to cast the blame to me?" He scratched the top of his head. "Listen, even if this was somehow my fault, I can't undo it all with just a snap of my finger. I'm not omnipotent. I'm not a god. I'm human, just like you." His own glare fastened on Shiin, showing his own rising anger. "Or are you just looking at me for what I'm made of and not as a person?"

"I would appreciate it if you didn't hold such a vehement glare against me, Nic Pularis." Shiin growled. "Don't forget, I'm a member of the Magic Government. I have my own responsibilities to uphold for the sanctum of our world's future of magic. And if you have powers handed to you by this supposed God of yours, you should take responsibility for your kind as well. Don't forget, this world belongs to us first, so it's only fair that you take our responsibilities as priority above yours. Are you to say that you are not familiar with your place here, or the responsibilities of a mage in a guild under the Council's position is meant for? Do you understand the very meaning of responsibility and understanding? Tell me."

Nic frowned heavily. He was no doubt feeling that Shiin was trying to guilt trip him into fulfilling an obligation that he felt was justified. Though, Nic did understand his position. He was in that position before.

Thoughts of his talks with Erza bubbled to his head.

"People can learn from understanding, Nic. You're one of those examples. You didn't try to control your hate or your Pokémon, you've made a bond. We just need to keep trying, even if it's one person at a time. Let's just keep doing what we can and not think of what-ifs. It'll make you age faster if you do."

"Nic...you're no monster. You're human, just like we all are. You're right, when people are flustered, when they're angry, they tend to push the faults on others than accept them as their own. People fear what they don't understand, and they don't understand us. When we tried pushing forward, they pulled back. But...that's nobody's fault."

It was euphoric to remember such strong words. Though the concept of responsibility and understanding were distorted in Shiin's viewpoint when he looked at him, Nic didn't feel anywhere nearly as offended as he did a second ago. He just looked at Shiin with an accepting expression.

"You can choose to believe me or not, but I know your position better than anyone." He put his hands into his pockets. "I get it...you're afraid. Afraid of a power that could surpass yours and take away whatever security you may have left."

Shiin's pupils shrank. He didn't know what to say, but before he could respond, Nic pressed the matter further. "I know Earth Land isn't used to it just yet, and I'm truly sorry for the circumstances that befell here. But if you've been around the guild long enough to wait for me, then you should have seen my guildmates with their Pokémon, didn't you? You're probably worried that Pokémon will eventually take over the concept of magic if this continues. But...doesn't everyone deserve a chance?" The first thing that came to mind was Tapu Koko and the island guardians. He felt the Z-Power Ring inside his pocket glimmer. "I'm not at all saying that I'm the bad guy, nor am I the victim. To be honest, I'm as worried about this planet's future as you are."

Shinn stepped forward. "Then you do understand. Then you know that this has to be fixed at on-!"

"Hold on." Nic interrupted. "Weren't you listening? I'm not omnipotent. I can't turn into Arceus and change everything with just a snap of a finger. It's complicated."

Shiin's glare fastened. "Then how will you take responsibility for this mess?"

Nic kept his composure as he hung his head, closing his eyes. "If you believe that I'm at fault, that's fine. But it won't change the fact that I can't bring everyone back to my world in one go. If I come across struggling trainers or Pokémon who are homesick, I'll do what I can. But I'll clear up one thing..." He opened his eyes, giving Shiin a glare that could put even a Hydreigon at bay. "All those instances you've listed about me, I wasn't the one who started them. I never start pointless fights. The Council, Acnologia, Tartaros...they started it all because they've felt the same way you are right now. They refused to understand...and they paid the price."

"So then...I can take this as a threat of action against the magic world?" Shiin leered.

"Only if you come after me first. I made this warning very clear to a certain someone who you so much remind me of." He turned away. "And he fell on his own sword rather than accept what could have been a different future."

Shiin stepped forward, hurriedly defensive. "Do not speak of Gran Doma in such a manner! What rights do you have at saying such a name that tried to preserve this world's magic justly?"

Nic raised his head, looking at his door. "What rights? The same as everybody else...to fight any unjust against people like me and my friends."

If Shiin weren't so composed right now, his spine would have visibly shivered. He was left at a loss for what to say. Unjust laws? What could have been so flawed with how their system worked that Nic would have to go and raise a death flag. If anything, this sounded like a threat...yet the way Nic worded it sounded like he knew what he was talking about. It was like he knew their position of being threatened, but unlike a full-on rebellion and war declared on their world, Earth Land was met with a change that Nic was not to blame for. Or so he eloquently claimed.

"...I see. So that's how it is." He turned away, starting down the porch steps. "Thank you for your input and answering my questions, Nic Pularis. If you'll excuse me, I will be taking my leave elsewhere." He started walking down the trail away from him. "You may not know your place...but you will sure enough. And I'll be watching your every move made until that time comes. Take care."

"Yeah, sure..." Nic knew this wasn't going to end well from the way Shiin had worded it. For himself or Shiin, he wasn't sure. But he knew he had to try and be honest with himself. He conveyed what he truly felt back there. If Shiin didn't understand because of his entitlement, that was on him.

'He said he was going to be watching my every move. I wouldn't imagine he'll allow my privacy if he's that intent.' He recalled that intense glare in Shiin's eyes; they remind him of his own disposition. 'Guess we'll have to see how this goes.'

"Nic?" The door opened, revealing Erza in her casual wear. "What's taking so long? Everything alright?"

Nic managed to maintain his calm disposition. He would have to worry about Shiin's warning later. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"I heard another voice." She looked past Nic, noticing a young man with white hair walking down the trail towards Magnolia. "Was that who was at the door?"

Nic looked over his shoulder towards the departing Shiin. "Yeah. I'll tell you about it later. Did you need help unpacking?"

"If you're offering." She smirked. "How flattering of you to oblige. Hurry along now...you know it's not smart to keep me waiting."

'I know that better than anyone.' Nic sighed. He chose to keep the notion to himself as he followed Erza back inside, closing the door behind him.

Meanwhile, still walking down the trail, Shiin's gaze looked like he's seen a ghost...a very disappointed ghost. It was subtle, but the way that his glare was fixed with a slightly furrowed brow showed his anger. He knew he shouldn't let a personal feeling such as this get in his way, but in this instance, it couldn't be helped.

"What rights? The same as everybody else...to fight any unjust against people like me and my friends."

'What rights?' Those two words. Those goddamned two words. They pounded every inch of Shiin's head. His face stiffened with a scowl. 'You have no idea of what you speak of. The rights that we mages and humans of this magic world, they are our lives. Ones that you will never be allowed to judge so freely like you claim. You wish to do nothing for the damages caused by your kind's infestation upon our world. You claim that you are omnipotent. You say that everyone deserves a chance. Well...you will soon learn the hard way that our rules are never to be taken lightly.'

A familiar chirping was heard above Shiin's head. He stopped and looked up, his face maintaining such bitter disappointment as he recognized the same Butterfree that's been on his tail all this time. The butterfly fluttered overhead, giving Shiin the same curious expression as he always had.

Butterfree tilted his head. His antennae were picking up very negative waves from the mage. He didn't get too close on that account, something that Shiin took note of.

Shiin gave the butterfly a demeaning glare...before scoffing and resuming his stroll. "I have nothing more to say to your kind right now. Enough has been said for one morning. If you were wise, you'd return to the forests...and stay there while you are still able. Because soon, you shall know the true worth of the magic world will be more than you ever realized."

Butterfree chirped, but Shiin was having none of it. He wanted to scold it for not knowing its place after so many verbal warnings from over the past few weeks. But at this point, there was no use speaking to these things if they had the same mindset as Nic. If they were here to stay, then a point must be made.

'This is for the good of our world. You shall know soon enough...one way, or another. Nic Pularis.'

---

Erza sat the hamper of used laundry in the corner of her and Nic's bedroom. It was filled to the brim with mainly her clothes. "That should be the last of it." She sighed. She turned towards Nic. "Finished with your stuff?"

"Yeah, I'm good over here." Nic raised a hand. In truth, he didn't pack much at all. He wasn't the kind of guy to haul non-essentials like Erza. But it was enough to keep hairs from crossing. "We'll worry about the laundry later. I imagine Natsu and the others are probably seconds away from crawling up to our doorstep begging to hear about what happened."

The thought about them literally crawling and sitting outside their door was enough to make Erza snicker. "You're probably right about that. I'm actually excited to see them as well." She turned to give Nic a smile. "Now then, as for you, you still have business with Arthur, do you not?"

"Yeah. We've got to deliver the Z-Power information for him. And also..." He turned his attention towards their door, knowing in their living room Staraptor was still occupying the new subject Nic was bringing up.

"That might be our safest bet. The Cambire Foundation may still be as new as any other trainer here, but the connections should give us a general direction of where to go. Besides, they're our only trustworthy source of information. If they aren't certain, then that's certainly a problem."

Nic lowered his chin, tilting his head like Kecleon would. "Yeah, that's true. And as far as what we've seen, Arthur hasn't been unfaithful to us."

"We've suffered a lot of trust issues during our trip." She approached him, putting her hands on his shoulders. "Let's just be glad for those who can trust us now." She leaned in, giving Nic a soft kiss on his lips. "Let's be sure not to make the same mistakes like they did and jump to conclusions."

Nic softly smiled back. "Yeah."

"I'll head to the guild hall. Be sure to meet me there after you're done with your errand now, alright?"

"Sure thing." Nic left the bedroom and started towards the living room. Immediately screeching to a halt, he saw Staraptor gliding in circles in midair, with the puffy cloud laughing happily as it held on. "Hey, Staraptor. Sorry if you're too busy amusing yourself. Time to head out."

Staraptor immediately halted herself and descended to the ground. "Sorry about that, Nic. This little one just can't seem to get enough of the air." She responded, turning her head to look at the cloud poking his head out from behind her back.

"Coooo!" He chimed.

Nic smirked. "Yeah, it's a lively one. Why don't you rest and get your space for a while?" He held up his Poke Ball, shooting a red laser at Staraptor's consenting nod. The laser turned her into energy and retreated into the capsule.

The cloud gingerly floated towards the ground, his hands dropping on either side. He turned his head with wide eyes scouting for any signs of Staraptor. He could have sworn he was on her soft feathery plumage a moment ago. His curious expression turned to one of sadness as tears started swelling. His lips began to quiver before he fell onto his back.

"Waaaaaah!" The baby cried out.

Nic's eyes widened slightly. "Hey, what's wrong?" He walked over and kneeled towards the baby. He picked him up, but that only made the baby cry louder. "Easy now, everything's okay..."

"WAAAAAAH!" The infant cried so louder that it was enough to cringe Nic's ears. It's been a long time since he's had anything loud wedging his ears, the last thing he remembered being his earbuds with heavy metal playing from his phone. But a baby's cry was anything but the adrenaline rush he'd get from his past jams.

Nic cradled the baby cloud in his arms, looking down with an uneasy expression. He knew if he looked sad or upset, it could have a negative impact on the infant. 'It's not calming down. Maybe it's hungry...' He paused to think about the inquiry. 'When Vanessa was a baby, she stopped crying when...'

His eyes widened. He understood what he needed to do. He pulled out Staraptor's Poke Ball and opened the capsule from his palm. Staraptor appeared on the rug once more, immediately silencing the whimpering baby.

"C-Cooooo!" He chimed, reaching out towards Staraptor.

"Sorry, Staraptor. It looks like it's gotten attached to you for the time being." Nic stated. "I hate to ask this of you, but if it's not much of a hassle, you mind watching it for a while?" He walked over, presenting the baby cloud to Staraptor. She held him between her wings, much to the child's delight.

"I suppose, if I have no other choice." She said, her tone bearing a slight sense of worry. "There, there, little one. It's alright. No need to cry now." She chirped softly.

"Coooo!" the baby cloud chimed.

Nic sighed quietly. 'Well, at least we know how to sedate it for now.' He frowned. 'Let's just hope the Cambire Foundation has something to work with for...this.'

---

"My deepest apologies, Nic, but your guess is as good as mine."

Nic mentally facepalmed himself. As if it wasn't already ironic enough that Arthur had Charlotte and Jeffrey accompanying him for this gathering, but also on how despite their three brains, they couldn't draw an image on what was paddling along the floor, following Staraptor as she tiptoed on her talons. Nic tried his best to continue the subject at hand.

"Is that right..."

Arthur folded his fingers and gave him a serious expression. "It's not that we don't understand your plight. By all means, you have every right to feel warranted with an unknown specimen. You're not in the wrong coming to me or the Cambire Foundation for these sorts of answers, but for this one...well I'm just as perplexed as you."

"I see..." He crossed his arms. "And nobody else is familiar with this...?" He trailed off as he glanced back at the cooing baby, which started light hops towards Staraptor.

Arthur pulled out something from underneath his desk. He brought it into light, revealing a large, navy blue binder that looked to be thick in laminated pages filled with information. "This is all the data of the various species and organisms that we've got from fellow mages that have come to the foundation for guidance. Thankfully, with their shared resources, we were able to make this log to help categorize the information." He handed it towards Jefferey, who accepted it and walked over towards Nic with it.

"Take a look at this if you will. Are any of these creatures familiar enough to you?" he asked.

Nic accepted the binder and looked down at the cover. He opened the front page to find every page laminated with slick sheets of plastic holding photos and categorized data of numerous creatures across Earth Land. Some of the species he was familiar with, such as the Vulcan that were common in forests and mountains, and the monster that he and Erza were on a separate page as well. There was another page with a blob-like substance labeled "Parasia". From the looks of it, the hand-written manuscripts of the data were fresh. He rummaged through numerous pages, but despite all the creatures he was seeing – some for the first time in fact – he didn't recognize any that related to the cooing child behind him.

"As you can see, we don't have the necessary records to make any sensible correlations to your dilemma. Neither here nor the PokeDex." Arthur stated. "I suppose we could get started on a separate documentation folder for the time being. But of course, the rest that follows will involve field study." He eyed the creature. "But..."

"Cooo!" The baby hopped across the floor, momentarily distracted and heading towards one of the ferns decorating the corners. Staraptor was quick to pick him up with his talons.

Jefferey stepped up. "Which is precisely why I suggested, Mr. Pularis, that we should leave it here to confirm whether or not it could be an extraterrestrial. And if possible, its origins."

Nic grumbled lowly to himself. "I'd get that...but I tried to separate it from Staraptor, and well...it didn't exactly work out." He gave another lookback at the pair, watching as Staraptor glided into a spiral towards the floor. The motion was enough to leave the baby yelping with joy.

Seeing this, Arthur gave a reassuring nod. "I see...I believe that I have a good idea of what you may mean by that. Tell me something, are you familiar with how newborn Pokémon perceive the world and their surroundings?"

"Can't say that I've taken light to Day-Care since I've handled my Pokémon myself." Nic admitted

"This is information from Day-Care employees, but when newborn Pokémon hatch, they familiarize themselves with whomever they first see upon their birth. In this instance, if your Staraptor was the first thing it saw, then its first immediate instinct is to familiarize herself as its mother."

Nic blinked, before piecing it all together. "So you're saying...that it thinks Staraptor as its own mom?"

"I assure you, this is a very common occurrence that happens with Pokémon Eggs. Why, would you believe me if I told you that was how my Stoutland and I first met?" He looked over his shoulder, seeing his Stoutland sleeping in the sunlight going through the glass wall. The large canine's ear twitched upon hearing his name and looked back at Arthur grinning at him.

"It's true. We won't get into the specifics as to how it all transpired, but the point still stands." Jefferey continued. "But now there's a new question that needs answers to: What exactly can be done about this?"

"Nothing like a little discipline that won't set a person straight." Charlotte offered, glaring in a domineering fashion at the cloud. The infant's immediate reaction was fear as it shifted behind Staraptor's back.

Arthur put a hand up to her. "With all do respect, Ms. Jet, I don't believe that course of action will only lead to more trouble. Conditioning at that early of an age would undoubtedly reflect harshly on the infant. You wouldn't expect a young Starly to face an Onix right off the back and not receive backlash, would you?"

Charlotte scoffed and crossed her arms. "I've shaped Pokémon in much worse shape, and you know that."

"That still doesn't answer my question, Arthur. What exactly can we do about it?" Jefferey pointed out.

"It needs a proper guiding hand, at least until it becomes familiar with its surroundings." Arthur advised, gazing back at Nic. As he smiled at the younger man, Nic got a bad feeling running down his spine telling him that there was no way out of the situation he was going to be led into.

"Arthur...?"

Arthur folded his fingers again. "Nic, I know it's not your preferred...style, but it's best that you hold onto the infant for a little while. At least until it exhibits some behavior."

"Really?" Nic and Staraptor shared similar looks of surprise. They looked at each other as the infant tilted his body at Staraptor's attention shifting away from him.

"You're a Pokémon Trainer, are you not? And you treat your Pokémon so well that they're borderline independent thinkers in their own right. I think you're mature enough to trust one of your own at this point to watch over an infant, are you not?"

"Arthur, are you certain about this?" Jefferey asked, his tone dreading. "I'm most certainly not saying that Nic isn't capable, but given his...reputation and all..." He gave Nic a look. "No offense of course."

Arthur raised another hand to cut Jefferey off. "Please, Mr. Bistro. Let's try and be more subtle here." He lowered his hand and reaffirmed his gaze on Nic. "Let's say hypothetically this were a new species of Pokémon. As far as we know now, only our two worlds are linked through what Mr. Pularis described. It's very unlikely that it's another lifeform, otherwise we may have a third-party universe crossed in here. Aside from that, there's also what I've stated earlier. If it's attached itself to Nic's Staraptor, there's nothing more we can do until it matures a little. But, that doesn't mean we can't still render some level of precaution. If it starts exhibiting any bizarre behaviors or traits, don't hesitate to let us know."

Nic and Staraptor didn't stop giving one another the same inquiry spread across their faces. They were just as unsure about this as Arthur and the others were, if not more so. And by all accounts, they had every reason to be. For one thing, Nic had common sense. He knew there was a fine line between raising a Pokémon and an actual baby. He couldn't say he didn't look out for Vanessa when he was barely four years old. He knew how to take care of someone with his own life...literally. Though looking after a young one after an indefinite amount of time, that's where problems arise. For one thing, he was well aware that he wasn't the best role model. Arceus knows why Joey borderline worships him, but he dismissed that part because Joey was a grown man. This was a newborn organism, and possible Pokémon. And that wasn't to say that his traits and Staraptor's weren't all that different. Very much adamant, yes. Stubborn, but also tactful. But the concept of kids hasn't sunk into their craniums, mainly Staraptor. The Predator Pokémon herself had a lot to think about.

Would she call herself a mother figure? She wasn't very certain. Her heart lied in the thrills and logistics in battle. Not once has she thought about hunkering down and playing mother hen. But looking down at the babbling cloud that gazed up at her, she didn't want to necessarily leave such an innocent face to be tended to by someone untrustworthy. It could be from past experience, or because of her feminine avian instincts.

But above all else, the least she could do was try. Who knows, maybe she may have a knack for this after all. Besides, it wasn't like the rest of Nic's Pokémon were necessarily..."child friendly" in appearance. Though Garchomp's out-of-battle demeanor might be for consideration.

"Well, Staraptor, what do you say?" Nic finally asked.

"Coooo!" The baby gave her another coo as it smiled up to her. With such a face, how could anyone say no?

Staraptor's beak curbed into a smile as she leaned down to lock eyes with the infant. "I suppose...if it's a must for this little one."

Her answer made the baby cloud squeal as he capped his cloudy hands together. Rather than loud claps, it sounded like dewdrops when they touched.

Arthur nodded at the answer. "There you have it. Now then, about this little one's diet." He raised his hand and snapped his fingers. In an instant, the doors behind Nic and Erza opened, revealing Marie with pouches full of what looked like gummies.

"Here are the assortments that you asked for, President." Marie sat the tray down on Arthur's desk.

"Ah! Splendid! Thank you very much, Marie. Just what I asked for." Arthur smiled. His assistant nodded and stepped aside. He held up one of the blue packets with a clear filament to reveal colorful gummies inside. "This is a special type of gummy food we've been trying out for the newer, inexperienced Pokémon. It's packed with all sorts of nutritional vitamins so they'll be healthy for young ones. They're soft and flavorful, too." He snickered. "You can say it's like a fun snack for all."

"So it's basically gummy candy?" Nic asked, raising a brow.

"To put it bluntly...yes."

"From research, Earth Land isn't fancy with our advanced otherworldly lifestyle. These changes have to be gradual." Jefferey explained. "The idea of installing television is still a far ways off. So for the time being, we've been developing foods that we can make so that at least trainers that have decided to stay within the foundation's estate have some semblance of our world."

"I see..." Nic trailed off, unsure of how to comment on the subject. He couldn't argue anyway. It wasn't like he knew if anything else would appease the baby when it comes snack time. And he' rather not know if it eats anything that's actually alive like a parasite would.

Charlotte huffed loudly. "Can we move along now?"

"Ah, yes. Sorry about the delay, Ms. Jet." Arthur apologized, before clearing his throat. "Now then, Nic, onto the original point at hand. Were you able to find any information on these crystals and rocks from your stay in Alola?"

Nic reached into his pocket, pulling out a few folded papers. They were neatly folded into pocket-sized wallets, and while the edges were wrinkled, the print inside was legible. "Sorry if it's a little messy. Apparently there wasn't anymore room in Erza's luggage to fit this. Or so she said."

"I'll take those, thank you very much." Marie held out her hand to take the notes. She gradually unfolded them to take a look inside the notebook paper. She saw the fine black cursive jotted down in bullet points, with several pages of the information at full length. She turned towards Arthur with a nod. "It looks official, sir."

Arthur's smile brightened. "Wonderful. At least now we can use this and test in the fields." He turned towards Charlotte. "Ms. Jet, I believe I'll leave that part to you."

"Gladly." She smirked.

Arthur turned towards Nic. "It will still be a while until we make confirmations to your findings public, but we'll be doing our part the best we can." He spoke. "And with that, the job is complete. Thank you very much for all that you've done for us, Nic Pularis."

Nic turned slightly away, shrugging. "Don't mention it." He said, before glaring back with a frown. "But there is one thing I want to be certain about before I head back."

"Ask away."

"How's Brandish doing? You were able to get a cure for the toxins that she was suffering from, didn't you?"

Arthur put a hand to his chin, humming. "Hm, yes. Your guildmates' closest friend, yes?" He smiled. "Well, from what Ajeel had told us about two days ago, there was a considerable amount of reaction coming from her. She's able to get around, though it's taking some strain on her body. Apparently, the neurotoxins have a significant impact on the human nerve system. So much so that it could potentially paralyze a victim if it latched on for too long." He shook his head. "But luckily, it just left Brandish comatose, though we believe she'll be back to herself soon."

Nic nodded. "That's good. I'm sure Lucy will appreciate the news."

"Indeed. We can't thank you enough for all that you have done once again. I assure you, once we have this new information sorted out, your guild will be compensated fairly. I guarantee you that."

Nic thought nothing of it. He'd much rather get home to finally settle down. He moved and took the gummy candy sitting on the desk before transforming into his Mind Form. "Alright. Time to head home, guys." He told Staraptor and the baby cloud.

"Right." Staraptor nodded.

"Coooo!" the baby chimed.

Without any further delays to keep him busy, Nic touched Staraptor and the infant. His body vanished along with them, via Teleport. They left the office area and the employees behind to let them get to their own matters at hand.

"Well, if all else is finished here, then I'll get to deciphering this information for testing." Jefferey stated, taking the notes from Marie and walking away. "Give me a few days and I'll leave the rest to your department, Charlotte. Arthur. If you all will excuse me."

With that, Jefferey turned and started out the office. Once he was gone, Charlotte gave a small huff before she took her leave in silence, leaving Arthur and Marie alone.

"Er-hem. Sir, with all do respects. Was it alright to leave it at that, sir?" Marie asked.

"Why, whatever do you mean by that?" Arthur asked. "I was certain that I covered the basis of everything that the task inscribed." He felt a sudden nudge from the side. He looked over, seeing Stoutland standing right beside him. He smiled and petted behind his ears, much to the dog's delight.

"That's not what I meant, sir. I was referring to the Grand Magic Games." Her gaze shifted towards him. "Wait...were you planning on telling him from the beginning at all?"

Arthur's wide grin softened. "If I told him so soon, it wouldn't be so much as a surprise, wouldn't it? Besides, even if I wanted to tell him, the circumstances were not aligned today." A serious frown crossed his face. "And also, there's the matter of these so-called Ultra Beasts, and that unknown black prism entity that attacked him. We'll at least let matters settle down for a while before we unload any more information onto our acquaintances."

Marie sighed. "If that's your decision."

Arthur rested his elbow on his desk, while his other hand continued petting his Stoutland. His face was cascaded in its own shadow by the sun beaming through the glass behind his back. 'I wonder...is there indeed a third-party? These Ultra Beasts...just what are they capable of exactly?' He closed his eyes. 'Nevertheless, I can't concern myself with what isn't in my influence. I'll have to focus on what I can do for now. If what's coming will ensure a stable society for mages and Pokémon, then I'll do my upmost in making such a future a reality.'

---

The guild hall was boisterous as ever, even more so now that Erza was back in the saddle. She was surrounded by everyone as she entailed what happened on the "honeymoon". Suffice to say that her tale left many marveled at what the tropical expenses that the Alola region had to offer them.

"You're kidding, they have actually volcanoes there?!" Natsu exclaimed in excitement.

Erza nodded. "Yes. It's called Wano Volcano Park." She lowered her chin as she put a hand to it. "Though to be honest, it was a little underwhelming than what I expected. The volcanoes there have been dormant for some time. But it was still a fun place to exploit."

"Well, looks like you both had a blast exploring." Gray chimed.

"I wish I could have seen it with my own eyes." Juvia swooned. "This Brooklet Hill sounds like a soothing place to relax."

"Yeah, no kidding. Those beaches sound like a real blast." Lucy smiled.

"They were. Though I admit the first half of our stay was rather rushed...it still wasn't all that bad." Erza admitted.

"I can't believe that they really thought you were there to endanger Alola, without concrete proof at that." Sophie grimaced, her green eyes cascading towards the ground.

"Oooooh, you have no idea how much I want to just stick it to these so-called Kahunas!" Joey outraged, clenching his fists and teeth gritting. "o these people seriously not know who they're dealing with here?! And people say that Dereece is the nutcase!"

Dereece shot him a despondent look. "Um...that's you, Captain."

Erza sighed. "My thoughts exactly. Still, it didn't turn out so bad once the situation was cleared up." She smiled. "Actually, we were able to become fast acquaintances when it was all over. Olivia was kind enough to brandish these up for all of you as personal souvenirs."

Vanessa blinked with mild surprise. "Souvenirs?"

Erza beamed with a mocking snicker. "You didn't really think that we would forget about you all, would you?" She requipped into her hands what looked like a large plastic bag. She started rummaging through the contents that were strewn inside. When she pulled her hand out, she had in her hand a thin black necklace with a single tooth on it.

"Uh...do I want to know what that is?" Lucy asked nervously, pointing towards the tooth necklace.

"These are necklaces with filed Sharpedo teeth on them. They were too sharp, so Olivia used her expertise in filing them so they wouldn't be a danger when accessorizing." Erza explained. "She made so many of these that I have one for just about everyone here." She handed the one in her hand towards Vanessa. "This one's for you, Vanessa. Thank you for looking after everything while we were away."

Vanessa accepted the necklace, looking at the fine tooth dangling at the bottom with a humbled grin. "You're too thoughtful, Erza. Thank you."

Erza moved to hand one to Lucy. "Lucy, here you go."

"Gee, uh, thanks..." Lucy accepted the necklace, giving it a very unnerved smile. She was unsure if giving someone a necklace with a Pokémon's tooth was an appropriate souvenir, but she chose to dismiss it. 'Well...at least it's the thought that counts.'

"Wow, this is cool!" Natsu chimed, looking at the tooth closer. "So is this really made from a Pokémon's tooth?"

"Indeed. A Sharpedo. Their teeth fall out quite frequently so that new ones can replace them. They make for fancy collector items for fishermen."

Natsu's smirk widened as she held the necklace tighter. "Now I wanna find and fight a Sharpedo for myself. Bet they're strong as you say."

"Aye!" Happy cheered.

"Um, she didn't say anything like that..." Wendy sidenoted.

Erza took her time passing around necklaces for everyone. They all accepted them with thoughtful smiles. When Joey accepted his, he looked like he was so in shock that he nearly fell over in a bliss coma. Fortunately for him, Dereece was there to catch him. Once everyone had one, she moved towards her bag, pulling out one more item.

"Here, Lucy. This is for you as well."

"Huh? For me?" Lucy blinked, but recovered enough to accept the blue stone in her hand. She looked down at it with surprise. "What is this?"

Juvia leaned closer, her eyes widening slightly at the item. "This stone...it resembled what same one that Vaporeon touched back on the beach when she evolved from Eevee."

Vaporeon jumped up and looked at the stone as well. She gazed into the lustrous blue shade with marveled eyes. Her fins flickered subconsciously at the familiar sensation of when she saw one before.

"That was another gift from Olivia. It's a Water Stone." Lucy explained. "Some Pokémon evolve with these certain stones. Just like my Cloyster when I first caught him as a Shellder." She thought for a moment to when she first encountered her beloved Cloyster. Even then, he was still so closed off. "Nic said save it for when you feel Staryu wants it."

"Staryu?" Lucy repeated. She turned to her Staryu, who was having a conversation with Plue about something.

BEEPBEEP BEEP!

"Puuuuuun." Plue chimed, raising a paw.

BEEPBEEPBEEPBEEPBEEP!

"Puuuuuun!"

BEEEEEEEEP!

"Pun~!" Plue struck a pose with his frail body, trying to exaggerate something that Staryu was seemingly beeping repeatedly at.

"Since when have those two been so buddy-buddy with one another?" Natsu raised a brow.

"I think it has to do with what happened in Seven a while back. Maybe it's because Plue is a Celestial Spirit and that Staryu was involved." Wendy surmised.

"I suppose that's one way of putting it." Carla said, folding her arms. "But it'd be more helpful if they were more verbal in understanding."

"Puuuuuun!" Plue chimed.

BEEP BEEP!

Hidden away in the corner, Shiin was watching with a very discerning look. He was taking silent pictures with his camera while everyone was preoccupied with Erza's fable and the gifts she gave them. Even so, he had no intentions on giving her a proper engagement. He was here to observe, nothing more.

'She brought more items from Nic's world to here.' He eyed the souvenirs everyone had. 'They don't appear to be lethal, but still.' Shiin's eyes narrowed. 'Captain In-Sue would need one to examine what these Pokémon can do.' He looked at Plue and Staryu interacting. 'And Celestial Spirits having a link with Pokémon as well. Just what are they communicating about?'

Suddenly, teleporting out of the blue, Nic appeared with Staraptor and a wide-eyed cloud on her back. Shiin's guard immediately heightened while everyone else turned around.

"Hey, there he is!" Macao waved at him. "Where've you been, Nic?"

"Yeah, we thought you'd gone and left us for good this time!" Wakaba teased.

"Sorry about that, I had to run some errands before I could make it back." He answered, before turning towards the puffy infant cloud. "But for now, this little one is harmless, so we'll take care of it for the time being."

"Coooo!" The infant cried out happily.

"Awww, it's so adorable!" Mirajane swooned.

"Oh, somebody to play with?" Vullaby chirped, flapping her wings in excitement. She hopped off the countertop and approached the puffy cloud. "Hi there! Wanna play with me?"

The infant flinched at the sight of the sudden approach. He immediately whimpered before hiding himself behind Staraptor for security.

"Huh? Hey, what gives?" Vullaby whined. She approached Staraptor, but the piercing red eyes of the predator bird made Vullaby second guess her earlier approach. "Um...h-hi?" She felt her tiny legs buckle with anxiety. She slowly started creeping away from Staraptor's proximity, with one slide. Then another. Then another. Until she was far enough to where she could full-out scuttle and hop into Mirajane's buxom. "Waaah! She's scary!" she whimpered.

Mirajane cradled her with a smile. "Sorry, Vullaby. It's a little too young just yet. Perhaps later."

"Mmmmphf!" She whined deeper within the valleys of her trainer's chest.

"I was wondering when you would be back." Nic heard a familiar voice. And all too familiar one. He looked up to find Vanessa coming over to greet her brother. "So how was the trip? Were you able to find anything of value?"

Nic shook his head. "I wouldn't say that. Even Arthur was unfamiliar with..." He grew silent as his gaze fell towards the infant cloud. He watched as he looked around warily at the many unfamiliar faces before hiding behind Staraptor's back. The avian was there to comfort the baby as the message became clear for Vanessa to comprehend.

"I see. I don't sense anything violent of it." Vanessa stated, her Aura Magic sensing the aura of the infant. "It's like everyone said, it's not hiding anything that's worth concerning over." She noticed the accessory on Nic's left wrist, seeing it dazzle underneath the guild's lighting. "Where did you get that accessory?"

Nic held up his left wrist. "This?" He looked at the Z-Power Ring. "Yeah, it's a long story. In short, this is the same stone that we've found that same morning. It was modernized so we can use Z-Moves now."

As if by a miracle from Arceus, Joey snapped out of his trance with a deep gasp, like he had been underwater for too long. "Did someone just say Nic-senpai can do Z-Moves now?!" He started wheezing. "Oh god, this is just too much..." He started slumping down again, to which Dereece caught him.

"Seriously?!"

Duncan scoffed. "A Z-Move, huh? Wonder what that can do?"

Erza beamed once again. "It's a trick of its own. You'll all be surprised first-hand at what we're capable of." She turned and smirked at Vanessa. "Vanessa, care to battle to demonstrate to everyone what I mean?"

Vanessa blinked. "A battle?"

Gajeel snickered. "This should be something alright."

"If this so-called Z-Move is anything like Joey and Erza described, it must be a big deal." Pantherlily noted.

"Right!" Kinana nodded.

Back in his corner, Shiin was searing glares at Nic. Even more so with the bizarre ring attached to his left wrist. The trainer glanced past everyone else at Shiin as well. The tension between them grew thick for a moment before everyone exited for the guild's backside.

---

The air outside the guild hall felt tense. It could have been the fact that they were all standing beneath the hot summer sun in the middle of July, or perhaps the fact that standing on opposite sides of the outdoor battlefield, they were about to see the Pularis in-laws about to duel.

"Oh~, I knew I should have brought with me a camera! Dereece, quick! Use the rest of my expense change and get me a camera, ASAP!" Joey snapped, shivering from glee from the anticipation churning in his stomach.

"By the time I'm back, I'm pretty sure this battle would be long over, Captain." Dereece groaned.

"Don't care! Captain's orders! I wanna remember this!" He eyed up Erza and Vanessa, his eyes glazing so much that they were animatedly glossy. 'I never thought I'd live to see the day. Vanessa-senpai and Erza-senpai, going head-to-head! Two of the most important people ever...if this is a dream, it's a damn awesome one!'

"Well, this'll be a hoot." Bisca chimed. "Never thought I'd see those two duke it out."

"Yeah, I'll say. I wonder who will come out on top?" Alzack inquired.

"Well I don't know about you, but I'm putting my money on ole Vanessa. The girl's got as much of a fire for battle as Nic does. Talking smack about her wouldn't be a good idea. I would know." Cana commented.

"Oh please. Vanessa might have battling blood, but so does Titania." Evergreen argued, using a finger to prod her glasses. "She doesn't stand a chance."

"So, Luminous' sibling and Titania, huh?" Gajeel smirked. "Guess this'll be a show."

"Um, I think everyone is missing the point here. Isn't this just to show off a Z-Move?" Levy nervously reminded them. She looked around to see if anyone was listening...but soon realized her words held little to no weight.

"Better give us a good show!" Max shouted.

"Yeah, this is gonna be sweet!" Nab exclaimed.

"Do your best and don't hold back, you two!" Laki yelled.

Levy sighed. "Good grief."

Shiin crossed his arms. He was standing far back from the others to closely inspect the battle. He had his camera in his sleeve, hidden away from sight until he was certain nobody was looking his way. He even looked at Nic, but he was blocked by Droy's massive frame. It didn't help that he was eating a large bucket of fried chicken. The smell was enough to make his nostrils flare. He would have to make an extensive reflection on his reports about this unprofessional health behavior later, however. For now, he had to bear witness to the battle.

Erza looked back at Nic with a smile. "Nic."

"Got it." He moved to unclip the Z-Power Ring from his left wrist. Once it was unfastened, he tossed it towards her. Erza caught it with one hand and moved to place it on her left wrist. She looked back at Vanessa with a confident grin.

'Now that I think about it, it's been some time since I've fought Vanessa. Not since we've been gone for a whole year I presume.' She thought. 'I'm sure she's been doing training on her own. It'd be foolish to underestimate her.'

On the opposite side of the battlefield, Vanessa looked at Erza with a tenacious gleam in her eyes. 'It's been a while since Erza and I sparred with one another. I may have gotten sluggish with my morning training, but...' She pulled out a Poke Ball. 'That doesn't mean that I don't train at all.'

Duncan glared intensely from aside a gleeful Joey. Unlike his polar opposite of a captain, Duncan was observing for the sake of himself. 'Erza Pularis, and Vanessa Pularis...' His eyes narrowed. 'I wonder which one is stronger? Guess this will prove it.'

Mirajane walked up between them with a bright smile. "Alright then, guess I'll referee. Show us what you two got!" She raised an arm up. "Go!"

Erza pulled back her arm and threw the Poke Ball with all her might. "Aegislash, I need you at once!"

The Poke Ball popped open, expelling energy that manifested into her Aegislash. The Royal Sword Pokémon crossed her arms behind her back as the shield covered her front.

Vanessa held onto her relaxed disposition, despite Erza sending out her ace. "Aegislash, is it? Alright then." She pulled out a Poke Ball of her own and threw it. "Delphox, come out!"

The Poke Ball she sent out manifested into her Delphox. The humanoid fox stood with her red and yellow fur glistening. She harrumphed as she straightened herself up for battle.

"Aegislash and Delphox, huh? That's pretty bold." Bisca smirked.

"Yeah, I'll say!" Romeo excitedly smiled. "I can't wait to see those two battle it out!"

"Delphox is a Fire-type, so she has the advantage against Aegislash's Steel typing." Lucy said. "But if I remember also, Aegislash is a Ghost-type, and that's strong against Psychic-types like Delphox as well."

"Sounds like it'll be even then to me." Gray said nonchalantly.

"Yeah, whatever. I just wanna see what this Z-Move is all about. Bet it's really cool!" Natsu pumped his fists eagerly.

Shiin narrowed his eyes. He pulled out his camera, awaiting to take a shot.

A serious tension fell through the air as Erza and Vanessa glared at one another. Aegislash and Delphox were no different.

"I apologize if I won't be so lenient on restraining myself." Delphox said, pulling out her wand from her fur. "I'd rather not take my chances against you. Aegislash."

"Believe me..." The sword responded, jerking upright. "It would be a crying insult if you did."

"Cooooo..." The baby watched from the sidelines, along with Nic and Staraptor. The latter kept him tucked behind her wings to keep him from getting hurt by what's to come.

Shiin took a quick snapshot of Aegislash and Delphox. As if that was the cue, the attack had begun.

Vanessa took the initiative with bringing her arm up and then out. "Delphox, Flamethrower!" Delphox wasted no time with manifesting concentrated flames into her wand's tip, gradually heating up her surroundings. Once enough of the flames were charged, a monstrous stream of fire projected outwards, beaming directly at Aegislash.

As the flames drew closer, Erza's eyes narrowed. "Aegislash, King's Shield!"

"Of course, Erza!" Aegislash dutifully responded, before reaffirming her position and manifesting hexagonal barriers into a forcefield in front of her.

The superheated blast of flames seared across the battlefield. They blasted into the forcefield, causing an explosion of flames, embers, and and smoke to expel outwards. Shockwaves of the impact spread into the peanut gallery, who were caught off guard by the erupting start.

Even though he was in the back of the crowd, Shiin covered himself from the wake of the attack. He grunted heavily. 'Such firepower!'

The battlefield's vibrant tremor gradually receded, along with the massive smoke cloud around the vicinity where Aegislash would be. When it lifted, everyone was stunned to see Aegislash completely unscathed. Her King's Shield faded into thin air, leaving her open.

Another passing silence fell over Erza as she had a serious expression. Vanessa was no different. This was well within their range of expectations from one another.

"Delphox, Flamethrower!" Vanessa reached out, commanding for the second wave of the attack to be unleashed. Delphox complied, unleashing another blast of broiling fire that seared through the atmosphere towards Aegislash.

'If they use King's Shield again, its chances of failing steadily increase.' Vanessa reminded herself.

Seeing the attack heading her way, Erza knew well of the risks of King's Shield. She decided for offense. "Sacred Sword!"

Aegislash, having no choice, shot out of her Shield Forme and pivoted into her Blade Form. He entire blade-like body ignited in blistering, bright blue energy and lengthened. She waited for the flames to draw close enough to swing vertically downwards, using wind pressure from her attack to bisect the flames around her and Erza. The battlefield blazed into two walls of infernos that rushed on either side of Erza.

With the Flamethrower bisected, Shiin was taking more pictures of the battle ensuing. He was so engrossed in the snapshot of Aegislash bisecting the flames that the instant after he took a picture, the screen showed blue eyes focused on him.

"Gah!" Shiin recoiled, realizing Joey had gotten between him and the dissipating flames. "What do you want?!"

"I, uh..." Joey eyed Shiin, then his camera. He looked at him again, then the camera once more. "Don't suppose you can spare some photos for me, would you?"

Shiin furrowed his brows, scoffing. "Sorry. This is for my studies. I hope that you can understand that."

"Well yeah, I kinda get that, but surely you can print copies, right?"

"It doesn't work like that. This camera isn't the same as any photographer camera. Plus it's for my research. Now if you don't kind." He moved past Joey, but the fanboy dancer intruded yet again. "Move!"

"I wanna remember this! Give me!" Joey hastily reached for the camera, only for Shiin to use a hand and keep him at bay from the camera at arm's length.

"You are overstepping your boundaries! Do you not know anything about obligation?!"

"I know it's an obligation for you to spare some of this special occasion with me!"

"You are insane!"

"I'm not insane! I'm a Freak!"

Dereece groaned as he facepalmed.

"Coooo!" The cloud watched with wide eyes behind Staraptor's cover as a Shadow Ball shot across the battlefield towards Aegislash. The sword countered with her blade glowing bright purple via Night Slash. Without any delays, Aegislash cried out as she slashed clean through the oncoming shadowy sphere, slicing it into two. Once again, it bisected on either side and exploded behind Aegislash as she kept going.

"Psychic!" Vanessa ordered.

Delphox's eyes glowed bright blue. She stuck her wand out as the flame pinpointed on Aegislash. As the blade was coming down, it froze midair with a bright blue outline around her entire frame.

'She froze Aegislash?' Erza mentally exclaimed. 'She timed that so well. Vanessa has been training.'

Vanessa raised her arm skywards. "Delphox!"

"Yes, of course!" Delphox raised her wand, in which Aegislash followed. The latter found herself immobile until Delphox flicked her wand and sent her through a tailspin into the ground. Rather than her flat sides, her ridged blade was wedged into the ground. By the time she registered this, the shock had already gone all the way to the tip of her head. Her body rung like a bell from such a dense stab.

"Guh!"

'She's blocking Aegislash from being able to use King's Shield. She knows Aegislash needs to access her blade to shift her shield beneath.' Erza thought. 'So that just leaves us with one option left...'

Aegislash didn't try to wedge herself out. She looked at Erza's calm expression and knew what she wanted to do. She looked at Vanessa and Delphox with a readied expression.

"Delphox...Fire Blast!" Vanessa ordered.

"I do apologize in advance." Delphox clutched her wand tighter than before, channeling more heat into the tip. "But we simply do not take chances! You wanted to show off, didn't you?" She raised her wand at Aegislash. "Then show us while you can!"

"Aegislash, now!" Erza yelled. "Head Smash!"

Aegislash's purple eye glinted. She grunted before she lowered her head, aiming at Delphox. Rather than pry herself out, her head exploded with a dense blue aura field that encompassed her entire body. The sheer force surrounding her completely broke apart the ground and freed her, leaving her flying into Delphox.

Delphox cried out as she blasted fore from her wand once more. However, this was heavily concentrated, and erupted into the kanji symbol of fire. The flame insignia seared across the atmosphere, trembling the earth as it closed in on Aegislash.

"HRAAAAAAAH!"

Aegislash spearheaded herself into the kanji inferno's center, causing the flames to palpitate for a split-second before a large explosion of smoke and earth spread everywhere. Shockwaves leveled the earth beneath everyone's feet. Yet, as thick as the smoke was, Aegislash continued with the piercing attack into Delphox, much to her utter shock.

"Wha-?!" she gasped.

Before she had room to register, Aegislash smashed her head into Delphox's chest, causing an airwave to erupt upon impact. Vanessa covered up from the wake's projections onto her as she tried to hold her ground.

An eruption of dust and earth bloomed before her into the sky. The impact's force kept the ground vibrating for a few more seconds. Delphox was sent flying onto her back hard, causing another thud that made many of the guildmates cringe.

"Delphox!" Vanessa snapped.

The dust cloud dissipated, revealing Aegislash as she backed away towards Erza. A red static crackled around her entire body, causing her to cringe in pain. She shook herself of the recoil and faced forward in anticipation of the next order. Erza didn't look fazed at all.

"Woah, did you see that?" Macao winced.

"Yeah, Erza's Aegislash just completely barreled through Delphox's fire attack like it was nothing!" Wakaba yelped.

Sophie blinked. Even she looked surprised. 'I never would have thought that Erza's Pokémon would be this strong.' She shook her head dismissively. No, she was probably aware...she just didn't any memories of it. At least now she had something to go by. 'I wonder how Vanessa would take this?'

Shiin and Joey were left silent. That explosion left both completely frozen from shock. However, Shiin was able to snap out of it and realize he and Joey were holding the camera. He furrowed his brow and yanked the camera away while Joey was still in his awe-inspired stupor.

Delphox grimaced as she came around. She stirred back up, but she was taken back by the shock of that attack. Vanessa stepped forward. "Delphox, are you alright?"

Delphox looked back at her. "Yeah. Don't worry, I'm fine." She said, before facing forward. '...somehow.'

Vanessa looked back at Erza and Aegislash. Her heart rate began to skyrocket despite her relaxed frame placating any concerns from others. 'I never would have guessed that Aegislash learned a Rock-type attack. That poses as a problem against Fire Blast.' She thought back to when the two attacks collided. 'If Fire Blast hadn't weakened Head Smash, it could have been much worse for us.'

Aegislash turned back towards Erza. "Erza, now is the time!"

"Yes, Aegislash. I believe so as well." Erza held up her left wrist. "It's time for our new Z-Move technique."

"Wait, are they really gonna use it now?" Lucy gasped.

"This is gonna be good." Natsu smirked.

Nic remained silent as he observed. They all sounded a little surprised. If only they knew...but it was best to learn the hard way. He turned towards Staraptor, who nodded and kept the infant creature tucked behind her wings.

"Enough playing around, now is the time!" Erza's Z-Power Ring shined brightly as she crossed her arms. The moment they did, the hue around the vicinity blackened. An earth-like insignia appeared before her. Aegislash took up a similar stance with her trainer as their synchronizing energy manifested with their posing. Erza bent down on one knee while flexing her biceps and hips.

"What are they doing?" Bisca asked.

"Beats me." Alzack murmured.

"Look, Mommy! She looks so cool!" Asuka cheerfully shouted.

"Something's being stored up by her. It isn't Magic Power...it's something else!" Lucy shouted cautiously.

Shiin's eyes were fixed solemnly on the battle. He was so lost in the battle that he was unaware that on the guild hall's top, hiding from everyone's viewpoint, the Butterfree looked just as in awe as he was. He could sense it, the incredible mass of energy gathering from the Z-Power Ring's response to Erza.

Vanessa kept her guard up as her Aura Magic was sensing everything. The aura was visible for everyone to see, not just her. 'This power is so natural that we can all see the power transferring from Erza over to Aegislash...'

Delphox furrowed her brow and bent her knees. She had a bad feeling about this. She could have looked into her wand's flame to see into the future, but she wouldn't have time for that.

"Now, go!" Erza commanded. "Aegislash..." She raised her arm high overhead. "CONTINENTAL CRUSH!"

Aegislash's eye gleamed one more time before she shot into the atmosphere, her arms raising up above her. Large masses of the earth and stone beneath gradually arose from beneath everyone. They all stood anxiously as they saw earth shoot like missiles past them to gather above Aegislash's head. The mass finally gathered enough rock until a massive shadow loomed over everyone's heads.

Vanessa and Delphox's eyes showed visible shock to the oversized boulder that was held up by Aegislash. They never saw anything like it, but that didn't make it any less surprising for them.

"W-WHAAAAAA?! A GIANT BOULDER?!" Jet and Droy screamed, holding the other together tightly.

"How did it do that?!" Laki exclaimed.

"Forget that, if that comes down, we'll get crushed, too!" Macao shouted.

"Is Erza seriously trying to crush all of us at the same time?!" Max exclaimed.

Nic saw the ensuing panic everyone had. He could understand their reactions, but he kept a calm front as he turned towards Joey. "Hey, Joey."

Joey was in the midst of being slackjawed at the sight when Nic's voice snapped him out of his trance. He instantly shook his head and returned to reality. "Uh, y-yeah?"

"You might want to make a barrier perimeter around the barrier. Everyone better get back, too. The barrier won't be enough to keep you safe if you stand too close."

Joey flinched. "S-sure thing!" Getting a serious demeanor, Joey reached out towards the area ahead of himself. "Barrier-Make: Barrier!" He summoned a rectangular barrier around the battlefield, cutting off even Vanessa just in case. With everyone behind the barricade he created, he nodded.

"Might wanna get back like Nic said, people!" Dereece urged, moving backwards with a few of the guildmates behind him.

Erza's eyes suddenly widened. "Now!"

Aegislash cried out as she finally threw down the massive boulder. With all the momentum she could carry, she dropped it onto Delphox with the force of an oncoming meteor. The air violently trembled as the enormous boulder closed in on the ground. Delphox looked extremely wary as the shadow of the crust was getting smaller with each passing second.

'She can't dodge something that big. She needs to slow it down!' Vanessa made a desperate countermeasure. "Delphox, Psychic!"

Delphox snapped out of her shock and immediately focused telekinetic power into her wand. It responded by turning the outline of the oncoming mass a similar bright blue. The more she applied the attack, the harder and more pressure was being used on her.

'It's...far too heavy! I can't-!'

The Continental Crush finally drew too close for Delphox nor Vanessa to savor their peace. An explosion of earth and rock smashed everything to bits. The crushing force was so adhesive that the shockwaves went around a large area of Magnolia. Everyone stopped for a moment and felt no less than a small magnitude run beneath their feet, and a horrific view of rock and dust exploding like a volcano from behind Fairy Tail's guild hall. The Butterfree chirped in shock before he was blown back by the shockwaves of the explosion.

Everyone who was behind Joey's barrier still felt strong wind pressure push against them. They all screamed and shielded themselves and others around them. Gajeel anchored his feet to the ground using his magic and held Levy tight. Pantherlily and Carla stood their ground while poor Happy went flying overhead helplessly. Staraptor covered the infant, who took the hint and covered up as well from the disastrous sight.

'Even the shockwaves are going through my barrier?!' Joey grunted, trying to keep his barrier up. He pushed harder, but only ended up losing a few feet off himself. "What kind of crazy power is this?!"

Duncan held onto his cap as he kept his distance with everyone else. Even though it was unlike anything he's seen, his eyes were wide with astonishment.

It took several minutes until everything had finally settled in. Everyone uncovered and watched the dust settle within the dust barrier that was still miraculously up. Joey lifted the barrier, allowing the wall of dust to pool between their legs and air out.

Vanessa's Aura Guard dissipated around her, though she seemed to be fine, if not shaken up by that overwhelming strike. Her first thoughts when she looked forward were towards her Pokémon. "Delphox..."

The debris finally settled around everyone, allowing a clear view of what just happened. The dust simmered to thin air to reveal Delphox on her back, her entire body covered in dust and fragmented stone stuck in her fur. Her eyes were full of swirls as a soft moan gurgled from her hoarse throat.

Aegislash gently lowered towards the earth, settling for a few feet above Erza. The two stood perfectly still in synchronized fashion with knowing expressions.

Immediately getting her second wind, Mirajane raised her right arm for Erza's side. "Well, guess that's that. Delphox is unable to battle, and Aegislash wins. Which means that the winner is Erza!"

"Woah...d-did that really just happen?" Vijeeter stammered. "Did Erza's Pokémon just drop a rock out of nowhere?"

"The heck was that all about? Was really just a Z-Move she wanted to show us?" Gray blinked. "How was it that strong?"

Nic sighed. "It's a long-winded explanation. Basically, the human and Pokémon synchronize with one another to use something like an ultimate move. We've been looking into these ever since we've arrived in Alola. Apparently, there's one for every type that we know of."

Natsu's head almost cracked from how fast his neck turned towards Nic. "Wait, hold on! You're telling me there's one for every type?!" he leaned in with a brightening smile. "Get out of here! There's one for Fire-types, too?!"

"Duh, he said one for every type, or did you just forget that?" Lucy sidenoted.

Before Natsu could retort, a low groan was heard behind them. They swiveled around, seeing Happy in a daze upside-down against the guild hall's wall. "Aye...did somebody catch the number of that Magikarp fishy? It looked really tasty..."

"Man, that packed a serious punch. Even Vanessa didn't stand a chance." Dereece said solemnly. He looked over at Joey to find him at a loss for what to say. "Captain, you okay?"

"Um, I think he needs some fresh air." Kinana nervously said.

'Don't tell me...' Sophie followed her hunch and moved closer to Joey's face. She moved a hand in front of his face, but he kept that same stoned face with slacking jawlines and bulging eyes. "Yeah, he's in shock again." She shook her head. "I guess seeing two of his favorite people fighting was too much for him...or it could have been that last move. I almost feel sorry for him."

"V-V-Vane...and D-Delph...a-a-and the Erza...with the Aegislash..." he spatted, but was unable to make heads or tails of how to feel at the moment.

"Oh boy, here we go again." Dereece groaned, slumping his shoulders as he walked away. "I'm gonna go home and get a cold water bath started. If that doesn't get his senses into shape, Arceus knows what will. Duncan, you coming?"

His response was the Sinnoh trainer turning away. "I'm fine. Guess this means no job today then." He started off. "I'm heading back to training. We better get some more work in tomorrow. Make sure the Captain's good to go unless he drowns in that tub."

Vanessa walked over and kneeled before Delphox. She reached into her pocket, pulling out a small Revive. She dropped the item into her open mouth, where it dissolved in an instant into her gums. A green energy wave eroded around her body before her consciousness started returning. It didn't take long for her eyes to flicker open and gaze up to her trainer.

"Vanessa...? What happened?"

"How do you feel?" Vanessa asked.

"It...feels like I was crushed by a mountain." Her eyes widened at what she said. "Wait, did that really happen?" She tilted her head up, seeing Aegislash floating close to her. "How did you...?"

"My apologies. I trust that you're not hurt too badly, Delphox." Aegislash remarked.

"I'll be alright...after some rest of course." She attempted standing, but her left knee buckled. She was spared a painful thud when Vanessa caught her and supported her by the shoulder.

"Let's be sure to get you some Hyper Potions. You deserve a good rest." Vanessa insisted. She used her Poke Ball and smiled once more. "Return for now."

The laser returned Delphox to her capsule. Once she was inside, Erza and Nic walked out towards the field. Staraptor and an ecstatic baby cloud were quick to catch up.

"So I take it that was the Z-Move you wanted to show everyone." Vanessa eyed Erza, looking relaxed in spite of her sudden defeat. She looked around at everyone else. "What exactly is it that makes it so different from a Pokémon's standard attack?"

Erza put her hands to her hips. "Well, aside from having an immense power to match Legendary Arts Nic uses, they have quite a few traits about them as well. I'm sure you noticed what one of them were by now." She looked directly at the gaping Joey. "Its force makes it bypass barrier and defensive attacks, you see. Though not entirely exactly. More like it's weakened."

"So that's why we felt that impact, even when Joey had his barrier up." Gray noted.

"That's a very dangerous ability to have in such a move." Juvia added, before shifting her eyes towards Vanessa. "Well, if you're on the receiving end that is."

"Coooo!" The infant popped his head behind Staraptor's back. He eyed the Z-Power Ring with awe and a big smile on his face. He attempted to reach it.

"Oh, you like this?" Erza asked, gesturing towards the ring. "Sorry, this isn't a toy."

The infant didn't seem deterred. He let out a mild cry and flapped his arms overhead, almost like he was trying to fly.

"Aw, look at that. He's trying to copy Staraptor's flying." Mirajane chimed in. "That's so precious."

"Speaking of...this thing, we gotta call it something." Jet stated. "I mean anything is better than calling it a...thing. Right?"

"Yeah, we better work something out if you guys are gonna be in charge of it." Droy mumbled, still eating a drumstick of fried chicken. It was his last one in the box he had in hand.

Erza folded her arms, looking down at the ground as she pondered. "I see your point..." She looked over at Staraptor as she tried to keep the excited baby at bay. 'It's so cute...'

Hearing this, Joey shook his head and gradually came to his senses. "Hey! Wait a minute!" he shouted. "I know a name befitting that creature!"

"Joey, you?" Vanessa blinked.

Sophie stepped up, trying to block him off. "Um, Joey, perhaps you should reconsider. No offense, but your team's title is 'The Freaks' by you, I think maybe names by you otherwise should be...

"Nic Jr." Joey declared.

"Nic Jr? Really." Carla huffed, before careening her head back with a smug look. "Though I suppose it does have its own ring towards it."

"Please tell me you're not being serious about this... Nic berated, his brow furrowed.

The cloud waved around, happily laughing at the name given.

"He seems to think otherwise." Cana chimed in, smirking at Nic's belittlement. "What? It's kinda cute when you think about it."

Erza folded her arms and nodded with a prideful smile. "A sound agreement, Cana."

Nic's left brow twitched. 'Seriously? I thought she was on my side! Arceus...'

Staraptor locked eyes with the baby cloud. Not even half a day old and he looked like he was having a swell time. It almost reminded her of herself when she first hatched on Route 11 in Kalos. That's when she came across Nic back when. She was adamant because of him. That's when she found an ultimatum.

"I think it's just fine for this little one." she said. "Nic Junior...or even better...Junior for short." She smiled down at the infant. "What do you think?"

"Cooo!" he raised his appendages overhead, exaggerating glee of his own.

Mirajane giggled. "Guess that settles it. No takebacks."

Nic sighed heavily. He looked at Staraptor and the infant – now named Junior – both smiling. He wanted to be upset, but considering that this was a suggestion by Staraptor, he was willing to abide for her sake. It looked like she considered the name based on him for some special reason. It was only for those reasons alone that he sought no reason to pry in pointless objection.

"...I need to head to the sanity corner for a while."

"Coooo!"

While everyone was talking and cheering for the events that happened, there was one person who excluded himself from it all. Staying back towards the guild's walls, Shiin looked on, his arms crossed with a hidden vehement leer from his eyes fixed on the Z-Power Ring. But he had to keep his thoughts at bay for now. He wasn't wearing his magic concealment cloak, so Vanessa could easily tell what he's feeling. For now, he pressed glares at what the one person who could have been at fault for this.

Even as he stared, the Butterfree fluttered overhead, having his own sense of awe.

---

The rest of the day for the Fairy Tail guild hall proved to be uneventful. Aside from a few others heading out on overnight work, others went to tend to their own matters at hand. Of course the only outlier was Lucy, who was elevated in spirits after hearing how Brandish's condition was starting to get better. Nic and Erza went into more details about their adventure in the Alola region, though Erza did most of the talking. She was more than happy to speak with her team again. Nic was neutral, but he didn't bother her too much. He knew she wanted some time with her friends, which he was willing to abide to. Meanwhile, he just spent much of his time behind the counter, accompanied by Vanessa, Sophie, and Cana. Surprisingly enough, Staraptor and Junior since the latter was still getting used to things.

Soon enough, the day came to its end and everyone started for their homes. Nic and erza invited Vanessa over for dinner as compensation for her help maintaining their place. As the Pularis family handled their night together, others stayed out to party, and others chose to ready themselves for the next day.

Amongst those who took their leave, Shiin made way to his home and closed the door, securing the lock behind him before heading for his bedroom. As he walked, his face showed a bitter distaste. He looked like he failed at something miserably and lived to regret it.

"All those instances you've listed about me, I wasn't the one who started them. I never start pointless fights. The Council, Acnologia, Tartaros...they started it all because they've felt the same way you are right now. They refused to understand...and they paid the price."

'That's preposterous. There was clearly an outlier that separated everything from our control...and you simply refuse to tell me what it is.' He reached his bedroom door and stopped. He checked for any signs of mages within the area again before realizing the coast was clear. He closed the door and locked it. He moved to turn on the lamp's dull lighting and sat at his desk to begin another prompt.

Once his pen and paper set were ready, he sat his grimoire right beside himself as he commenced the log.

July 8th, X793

20:45

My plans to observe the guild hall's residences has resumed once more. It was a warm day in Magnolia, but not intolerable. Many of the guild members had resumed their daily routines with guild work and many of these Pokémon battles. Most notable as of this morning, Gajeel Redfox's Shieldon defeating Droy's Weepinbell.

The guild thus had many of its members about to head out for work. However, much to my lack of preparations, those plans had come to a halt. And I tell you now through this letter. After nearly two weeks of reconnaissance, the target and Erza Scarlet, now known as Erza Pularis, have returned.

I made sure to keep myself from being as direct as possible before I immediately began my interrogations upon him. I had to wait due to many of the guild members wishing to tend to their allies' returns. Upon their return from the world known as PokeEarth, I waited an approximate thirty minutes before the target isolated himself from his fellow guildmates.

I confronted him at his home to avoid any suspicion. I used my magic sensory to ensure that I was not followed by anyone. Once cleared, he answered my call and stepped out of his domain. I stated my business as to shadow and observe him as per the research purposes and development of our country's fundamentals.

In detail, I summarized the evidence of the events that transpired prior towards the Tenrou Island members' return from traveling through time. I explained of the incident of the X791 Grand Magic Games, along with the Tartaros and Acnologia incidents. Amongst that, the war that was instigated by Alvarez in the attempts to destroy Nic Pularis, as well as ascertain Fairy Tail's Lumen Histoire. His answer was very vague, in that his powers were granted to him by a proclaimed 'Pokémon God'. Due to his distrust in our world's superior authority, I instigated my Truth's Eye to gain solid proof. However, it appears that magic related to eyesight had no effect on Nic Pularis. I will run an immediate investigation as to why the effects of my Truth Magic did not work.

After he confirmed my words, I told him about the situation of Pokémon inhabiting our world. However, he seemed to lack the fundamentals of what I was saying, so I questioned to what business he had with Earth Land now that his world has crossed over. To my bitter dismay, he answered that he does not intend to do anything of the sorts. He said he 'wanted to live with his wife' and nothing more. Although he said that The Crossing was not his doing, I was unable to confirm the truth. But knowing our target's demeanor, he simply refuses to acknowledge his capabilities and responsibilities that he must follow in our world. I made sure to explain thoroughly of that case to him. And his response was that all the instances where he was the forefront of all those battles were against him, and that he didn't start those fights.

What he said was out of conduct. He essential declared that the actions taken by Fiore's councilmembers and Gran Doma were unjustified. He refused to acknowledge his kind's code to follow here, and stated that he will help any Pokémon Trainers or Pokémon that are in need, but will not oblige to using his powers to return them where they belong.

As far as my direct interrogation went, that was the full extent of it. From here on, because of Nic Pularis unwilling to comply, I shall comply to the Magic Government's actions to rectify these acts or contempt against our justice. I shall pay heed to his every move, so I shall require another month's sum of the Division's budget to sustain myself as I detail everything about him.

Following the procedure, I resumed my observations at the guild hall, attentive on Erza Pularis and what she brought back being souvenirs of necklaces made by Pokémon teeth of the Pokémon labeled Sharpedo. From the details, it has sharp teeth that can fall off and regrow swiftly, similar to that of a shark.

I have also seen some measure of communication between Celestial Spirits, and Lucy Heartfilia's Staryu. According to them, it is an inorganic starfish that has the ability to communicate with the stars. The exact affiliation and connections it has with Celestial Spirits are unknown. I shall observe further into this detail.

Nic and one of the six primary Pokémon of his arsenal, Staraptor, a predator avian Pokémon, returned to the guild hall later, with something else that had traveled through one of Nic Pularis' portals. According to them, it was not of Earth Land residence, nor did I recognize it. It resembled a semi-transparent cloud. A figment that is promptly presumed to be not native to Ishgar. I shall resume the data that will be required for such a creature.

Another matter has come up that is to make alarm of. I bared witness of Vanessa Pularis and Erza Pularis engaging in a Pokémon battle. The photos that I have taken of them are the Pokémon that are proclaimed their aces: Delphox, and Aegislash. Delphox's attacks revolve around the usage of flames and long-range attacks. As opposed to Aegislash, whose skills revolve around close-quarters combat and defense.

That's when I saw it, one of the reasons why Nic Pularis had went to his world. He brought back with him a mysterious yet prominent power known as a Z-Move. From what I saw, the power comes from the crystal that is placed in the center of the stone, enabling the trainer to access it through a pose that the Pokémon copies. They then launch a powerful attack, one that even the likes of Joey Haycliff's Barrier-Make Magic were unable to fully defend against. At the moment, I have only seen one that surpasses much of our many Earth Mages within the government. It is called Continental Crush, a very devastating attack in which a massive boulder from surrounding earth is dropped onto the target. I shall see to investigate many of these Z-Moves and the full capabilities that they have against mages.

With the arrival of the primary target, I shall require a new chip to be delivered to me. I shall send to you the chip with the data that I have detailed in this report.

At the time that I have been writing this, the target is settling in once again. I shall await further instructions from the Magic Government's Grand Captain and his direct and signed orders.

~Shiin Verdade

21:21

Shiin closed the letter and sealed it within an envelope with an approved stamp on it. Once it was signed, he reached for his miniature grimoire and flipped to a bookmarked page. He concentrated his Magic Power onto the page to make a magic seal pop out. He placed the envelope and the unsealed chip to his camera onto the magic seal and waited. Once a few seconds passed, they vanished, as did the seal, indicating to Shiin that the message was successfully sent. He closed his grimoire before taking in a deep breath through his nostrils, and out through his mouth.

"Well, that takes care of the report." He started towards his bed, his posture and stride straight and prompt as ever. 'I need to ascertain my rest. Because as of this point, I need to double as much intel as I can get. Not just from Fairy Tal, but Nic Pularis, as well as whatever secrets he may be hiding from us. We won't allow this world to plunder of his reckless selfishness any longer.'

He moved to undo the sheets and slide himself beneath them. He faced the ceiling with a blank expression. He closed his eyes, but not before one final thought came to mind.

'You may sleep soundly now, but that won't erase the mistakes that you have befallen on us. For the future that we seek to retain...this world shall move on our terms.'

---

Inside the one-story cottage that was the Pularis household, the night was very quiet. Nic and Erza were sleeping soundly in their bed. While Nic laid on his back, topless as usual, Erza was clad in her undergarments as she was sprawled over him.

Scattered in a few rooms across the cottage, all their Pokémon were sound asleep. Staraptor was amongst them who took to roosting in the corner of the living room on a large pillow. Tucked underneath her wing, Junior was sleeping soundly, subconsciously nuzzling himself against his caretaker's soft feathers.

They all knew something was going to come sooner or later, but at least for now, they could enjoy a peaceful, quiet sleep.

---

Wow...this took way, way longer than I expected it to. Two and a half weeks! Man, and here I thought I was going to be on a roll. Sorry about that, guys. Some days, I just completely crashed and couldn't motivate myself. And when I did, the spur only happens for like...20 minutes every three hours or so. I just found myself watching anime instead or working 40 hours. That and I wake up way late, so that leaves my time extremely limited. And it also doesn't help that my laptop isn't in the best shape that it's used to be. That and I've been getting mentally paranoid and insecure about everything around me. As you can tell, I have a lot on my plate that I really need to sort out.

So because of that, I think that I need to take yet another step back and cool my diffused jets. I'll step away for a few weeks so I can work on my Fire Emblem/Pokémon crossover that I really need to get to at this point, and also catch up on a few things in terms of my health. I'll also be going back on last chapter and do a solid proofreading of that and this chapter, too. I promised quality, so that I shall keep to, no matter how time consuming it'll be!

But seriously, thank you guys for being patient with me thus far. For those who have been waiting a whole year for my other fanfic to be updated, I'll try my best not to disappoint you!

I'll also be doing some more Bakugan art for my Bakugan fanfic that I've completed before New Year's Eve on 2020.

Anyways, this is Insane Dominator! Please favorite, follow, and your reviews are very much appreciated. Thank you!