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"So. You've got everything ready?" Michael asked Melody as she boarded the boat.
"As ready as I'll ever be," the girl said firmly as she gripped her bags. Following the previous night's celebration of the Legend Festival's conclusion, Lily surprised everyone by requesting that Melody return with them to Orre. Her reasoning was that the song that was used in the ceremony could be the key to purifying Shadow Lugia and wanted raw data for the lab to process. Best way to do that would be to get in-person recordings from the girl who knew the song better than anyone else.
Michael had been hesitant, something he admitted to his mother. Bringing Melody along would put her directly in Cipher's crosshairs if they figured out about her involvement. Something he expressed to the girl as she placed her bags with their suitcases. "Orre's not exactly the most hospitable of places."
Melody's response was simple as she looked at him through her sunglasses. "I've already been at the epicenter of a worldwide cataclysm. If anyone knows anything about danger, it'll probably be me.
"Besides," she smiled as she lowered her glasses. "I always wanted to visit another region. At the end of the day that's what Orre is, right?"
Michael made a mental note to fill her in that Orre is most certainly not just another region. But he did concede that Melody wasn't exactly a stranger to peril. Not to mention bearing witness first hand to how selfish some humans can get.
So, after saying their goodbyes to Carol, Slowking, and the rest of the islanders, they made their way back to Kumquat Island. After bidding farewell to Maren, they boarded the transport plane that would ferry them back to Orre.
While on the plane, Michael filled Melody in on the details about Orre and the dealings with Cipher. How the Ore Wars (universally known as the Stone Wars) ravaged the region and left it in a state of lawlessness. How a group like Cipher managed to rise in power and embody the worst of the region. He told him about the first incursion and how the legendary Bandit Hero put a stop to their dealings. And told them about their resurgence and everything he had been doing to keep them in check.
This included XD-001, aka. Shadow Lugia as he was known to Grandmaster Greevil.
The girl listened to every detail, soaking in every recounted event with interest. She asked questions to elaborate on some of the murkier details. Michael and Lily told her she'd get a more formal report once they returned to the facility. Melody's interest in the case alone was enough to earn their respect, and a confirmation that they made the right choice bringing her on board.
Though given this was her island's beloved guardian they were talking about, it really shouldn't have come to a surprise.
Once the transport hit the tarmac of the airbase, Michael and his companions were immediately escorted by the International Police to the Pokemon HQ Lab. Melody couldn't help but admit to being a little unnerved by all the law presence they had found themselves with. Michael assured them that the police were mainly there for protection, not to mention the obvious logic of having some form of order in a crime ridden region. Especially one that up until five years ago had virtually zero law enforcement whatsoever.
Michael couldn't help but smile as the familiar white clean walls of the lab came into view. Shamouti was nice and all, but nothing quite beat the feeling of coming back home. And he wasn't alone either. Espeon leaned over him to see the building come into view. Jovi had a big grin on her face to see them pull into the entrance of the facility.
"That...looks pretty high tech," Melody commented on.
"This is one of the most technologically advanced facilities in Orre after all," Lily said with a hint of pride in her voice. "The only installations that rivals or surpasses our capabilities is the Colosseum Tower by Phenac City…"
"Or Citadark Isle," Michael finished. Thankfully the last location had been decommissioned and abandoned following the final battle. Looker's forces had already combed the staging ground and had it on lock down when they first arrived. Didn't want to risk Cipher making a move on their headquarters.
Strange. Citadark Isle felt so long ago. So much had happened between then and now. Back then Michael couldn't have imagined going on a trip across the world. He knew that after that day things wouldn't exactly be easy going, but never thought the situation would get this hectic.
Or maybe he was just glad to be back in Orre, ready to go after Cipher again. He was anxious to hear what had transpired in his absence.
As the car pulled to a stop, Michael and his friends were greeted by the facility's staff, including Professor Krane himself, Doctor Kaminko, his assistant Chobin…
...and a Piplup and Minun who proceeded to rush forward and glomp Jovi. She proceeded to snuggle with her Pokemon, either not knowing or caring that their static fur was causing her hair to stand up.
"Welcome back Michael," Professor Krane greeted warmly as he put a hand on Michael's shoulder. The teen eagerly greeted the professor to Melody and Melody to the professor. After a few hellos and handshakes, Krane said with a happy smile that he wanted to show everyone something in the Purification Chamber.
Michael let out a sigh of relief as they entered the cool interior of the lab. He was almost expecting there to be a burnt ruin when he returned. Granted the chance of a Cipher attack was slim, but he still was a little uneasy leaving everyone behind.
They piled into the Purification Chamber, Lily giving a brief description of how the purification process worked to Melody. Krane walked over to Adon who was working on the console. "Could you bring up what you showed me earlier?"
"Sure thing boss!" Adon said eagerly as he input a command into the computer. A holographic display popped up, showing a projection of what looked like Dragonite with a brief description.
Dragonite
Gender: Male
Status: Snagged successfully at Gateon Port from Miror B.
Krane's Assessment: Subject shows heightened aggression as similar Dragon-type Pokemon. Although this subject's aggression is particularly ferocious, possibly due to previously documented aggression issues that required additional training.
Purification Progress: Purified
"Turns out you already got Dragonite to open his heart quite a bit," Krane commented as he looked at the display.
Michael couldn't help but ask, "So how many Shadow Pokemon do we have left to purify?"
"Well...with the titans being purified back at Shamouti Island, only one."
The revelation took a moment or two to set in as Michael's mind pulled together to realize what was just said.
"...they're all purified?!"
"Almost all of them, but it's certainly an accomplishment," Krane said with a proud smile. Everybody couldn't help but clap and pat Michael on the back. Jovi was practically cheering while Lily gave her son a hug.
He still couldn't believe it though.
82 Shadow Pokemon...all purified.
Michael looked at the Snag Machine with his eyes bright with tears.
We did it Dad. Your Purification Chamber worked.
"I'm guessing Lugia's the last one to be purified?"
Everybody's cheer had stopped as they looked at Melody. The girl suddenly felt a little sheepish having accidentally drained all the excitement out. "Well...that's the reason I'm here, isn't it?"
Lily came forward. "That is indeed correct, dear,"
Melody's eyes hardened.
"Then let's make it 83."
Nodding from the iron in the girl's voice, Lily took Melody to the console, evidently to explain things about how the Chamber worked and how she would be helping out. Michael looked at Krane, confident that things could be taken care of from here.
"What's been going on since I left?" he said, his demeanor stiffening.
"We've already got a meeting set up," Krane stated as he led Michael out of the room. Espeon looked at his trainer with worry in his eyes as he followed.
Something about Krane's tone didn't sound too good. And Michael's 180...that didn't seem right coming from the boy.
Michael stared hard at the photo. Specifically, the graffiti disparaging O.R.F on the wall in the photo.
Cail from Pyrite Town apparently discovered this display not too long ago. Judging from the wetness of the spray paint, he estimated it was pretty fresh.
It didn't take a genius to figure out who sprayed it.
"This is part of the reason why we've been having difficulty recruiting from Pyrite Town," Looker clarified.
Michael grimaced. Pyrite Town was home to some of the toughest trainers in the region. Fiercely independent, he knew that getting them on board wouldn't be easy. He was counting on the fact that many of them hated Cipher just as much as they did.
Looker continued. "We've been having reports from Duking that there may be suspected Cipher recruiters in the town. That could be the reason why their militia over there has been undermanned. From what I could gather, Cipher's recruitment rates haven't really hit full stride yet, but if this keeps going on like this, Pyrite Town will be one of their main recruiting sources."
"Eldes, if Greevil's begun to recruit again, what could this mean?" Krane asked the former Cipher admin. Eldes rubbed his chin in thought, his eyes unreadable from his visor.
"It's certainly possible he might try something. If anything, he might try to make another raid attempt for tech. Given the scale, I'd reckon he'd go after one of his larger facilities this time," he guessed. "Citadark Isle most likely. That was his main base after all. Of course, that's assuming he doesn't mass his forces at his secret base."
"I'll let our forces stationed at their facilities know what's going on. Citadark Isle in particular," Looker said as his eyebrows furrowed. "Do you really think Greevil will need that much tech?"
"If he plans on getting this Project TEMPEST off the ground, he's gonna need more than what that raid accomplished," Dr. Kaminko concluded. "There's only so much that facility will be willing to offer."
Michael wasn't sure what unnerved him more. On the other hand, Cipher recruiting was always bad news. Chances were they're probably planning something a lot bigger than the lab raid. If they were getting that confident...that was news for concern.
On the other hand, this Project TEMPEST didn't sound too good either. Krane said it was a project that they believed Cipher was interested in. Some kind of super mech not too dissimilar to Robo Groudon. If Greevil had something like that on his side…
The whole of Orre would be in a lot of trouble.
First things first though. He had to get to Pyrite Town. Krane had said Duking left a message for him requesting his presence. No reason was given, but Krane was certain it couldn't have been faked. Michael was pretty sure Duking wasn't in any immediate danger, but he made a mental note to get down to Pyrite Town once he was all rested up. Tomorrow at the latest.
"Well, the forces from the International Police can help bolster our forces in the meantime, right?" Michael asked. "We did say they and the militia would be working in tandem to keep an eye out for Cipher."
Krane and Looker glanced at each other uncertainly, something passing between their eyes.
"There's a little bit of a snag with that Michael," Krane said hesitantly.
The teen got a bad feeling in the pit of his gut. That didn't sound good.
"One of Duking's informants told him that a lot of the would-be Cipher recruits are having issues with O.R.F.'s association with foreigners," Looker elaborated. "Apparently they think O.R.F. is becoming a puppet state under the whim of foreign powers."
A hole opened up in Michael's gut. If there was a magic phrase Greevil could say to win Orre over, that was it. Orre was in the state it is BECAUSE of foreign regions. It hadn't occurred to him how relying on them would set a precedent for the Foundation.
That hole widened when he realized the kind of predicament that they now found themselves in. On the one hand they could keep the International Police around, but risk Cipher ramping up their recruitment rates. And there's no telling where it would spread outside of Pyrite Town if worse comes to worse. Not to mention with that deal regarding Shadow Lugia, chances are they couldn't be fully free from their scrutiny.
On the other hand, if they somehow convinced the police higher ups to back off, that would severely deplete their fighting power. The militias would be left to fend for themselves without proper back up, allowing Cipher to easily attack anywhere. Not to mention leave their former installations unguarded and ripe for the taking. Greevil created a scenario where both conceivable options would leave them at a major disadvantage.
Michael felt himself sag. It almost seemed like no matter where they turned, Greevil had a contingency plan for everything. Like playing chess with somebody who's already set up a checkmate.
"It's part of the reason why I'm going to return to Kanto. My presence here is only going to stir resentment with a foreign Gym Leader involved."
Sabrina made her presence known as she stepped out of the shadows and towards Michael. "I'm sorry that I can't stay any longer. Given the volatile situation I feel my being here will only make things worse."
Michael couldn't believe what he was hearing. She was one of the best trainers they had on their side. Given that they need every man on deck-
It's the only way. Trust me, Sabrina reassured him mentally. I've already discussed it with Krane and Looker. This really is the only option available to us right now. I...I'm sorry I can't be of much further use.
The teen sighed. "It's okay. I...it really is best for all of us. I'm just glad you managed to help us out as much as you can. Without you, we wouldn't have had a better understanding of Shadow Lugia's psyche."
Not to mention yours, she told him. Your powers aren't going to be all stronger than they are now, but that doesn't mean you should let your guard down. Just focus on what I taught you and do the best you can.
"...yeah," Michael said glumly. As if he couldn't take another punch to the gut.
He blinked in surprise as Sabrina embraced him.
"I...I know what you're going through," she tenderly consoled. "Just know that you're not alone. And don't view your bond with Lugia as a hindrance. Sometimes what we think is a curse can be our greatest strength."
Michael nodded as he returned the hug. He was going to miss having the psychic around.
The Master Ball on his belt shook with a wave of shadow.
Seemed like Lugia was going to miss her too.
"How do you feel Dragonite?"
The wyrm shrugged as he spread his wings, although a light in his eye indicated that he was feeling a lot better. At least that's one good thing today, Michael thought.
He needed to get some fresh air after the meeting. Kaminko had requested he tinker with the Snag Machine, make some adjustments. Truth be told, he hadn't been expecting everything to be hunky dory when he got back, but Michael never imagined the sort of situation they would be in right now. Either way he looked, Cipher was coming back in force. And at this point, he wasn't even sure if they could be stopped. Sure they could put Greevil behind bars, but there's no telling if he wouldn't become a martyr for some other wackjob to revive Cipher.
What they really needed was to restore Orre's faith in the Foundation. Do that, and they could destabilize Greevil's powerbase. But how are they going to do that when they haven't given much reason to be trusted? Cipher wouldn't have that much sway if they weren't right about something.
Espeon gave an affectionate rub along his leg. His old friend didn't seem to have their faith waver. That alone put Michael a little at ease.
Then his nerves were put up again as Dragonite suddenly howled at the sky.
Looking up, Michael could see a large shadow descending from the heavens. Instinct made him begin to reach for his pokeballs.
His hand stayed when that shadow turned out to be...another Dragonite. Michael blinked in confusion. Dragonites weren't native to Orre, and he'd be pretty sure he would hear about a trainer with one given their notorious power.
The stranger Dragonite landed on the other end of the laboratory's lawn, giving a friendly wave to Michael and Espeon. Caught off guard, the teen gave a wave in response. He gotten so used to being jumped he was just relieved that this one seemed a little more relaxed.
His Dragonite strode forth, giving a wary greeting while making sure his bulk was visible. Michael wasn't sure if this was the proper draconic greeting or his drake was just showing off, but he got a little nervous regardless. The thought of two Dragonite duking it out didn't really sit well with him. Especially since something about this Dragonite told him they seemed to be a little bit stronger than usual. Maybe it was the size, or the faint scars from previous battles.
"Take it easy Ironfang! It's me, remember?"
Michael's Dragonite stood down as he heard the voice. If the trainer was paying attention, he would've noted his wyrm seemed rather...familiar with voice.
But that's not what Michael was focused on.
No. He heard that voice before only on either the internet or on TV.
His heart almost lept right out of his chest as the owner of the voice gracefully leaped off the newcomer Dragonite's back. Specifically the blue hair and large cape fluttering in the wind.
"Are you Michael?" she asked.
Michael's brain wanted to respond, but his body was still stunned stupid. All he could do was numbly nod. Espeon couldn't help but snicker at his trainer's reaction.
The woman smirked as she gestured to herself confidentially. "I'm Clair, the Dragon Gym Leader of the Blackthorn City Gym!" Her cape billowed dramatically as her Dragonite couldn't help but shake their head in embarrassment.
Michael just slumped forward like a puppet dangling off strings, his eyes never wavering off of Clair. This time Espeon did all he could to keep himself rolling on the ground at the hysterical scene. He'd never seen his trainer under the effects of Attract before.
Dragonite looked at him curiously, wondering what on earth was keeping him from falling on his knees.
"Are…are you okay?" Clair asked, not sure if the answer was one she wanted to hear.
The limp standing sack of meat that was Michael gave a small noise that seemed to resemble something like a response.
Michael's Dragonite had enough. He slammed his tail down and gave a thunderous roar to the heavens.
"HICLAIRI'MMICHAELIREADYOURBOOKYOU'RESUCHANINSPIRATIONTOME-!"
A flash of light and a gentle soothing wave of psionic energy from a sighing Gardevoir finally managed to get Michael under control.
"Oh...umm...sorry about that," he said rather sheepishly. "It's just...I'm a huge fan of yours. Can't believe you came out all this way just to check up on us!"
Clair smiled. "Well you do have Ironfang with you guys right now. The clan elders are pretty insistent on making sure you've got him under control and having me look for any reason to take him back."
Michael paused for a moment, his mind caught up. "Ironfang...Dragonite, you have a nickname?" he asked, turning towards Dragonite. The wyrm thought for a moment before nodding.
"He never really got to know his trainer that well. We just caught him so he could do some training at the dojo. Get his attitude under control and all. We just gave him the nickname so we don't keep confusing him with this Dragonite," Clair said, gesturing towards her Dragonite. "Or Lance's Dragonite...we've got a lot of Dragonites."
"So…" Michael turned towards his Dragonite. "Do you prefer Dragonite or Ironfang?" he asked.
Ironfang thought for a moment before shrugging.
"Ironfang it is then," Michael concluded. After all, he wasn't the first one to catch him. Plus the name did sound kinda neat.
"So what do I need to do?" he then asked, having a good feeling about what the answer was gonna be.
"Simple. Only way to know if you can handle that Dragonite is through a battle," Clair said. "Although to make this interesting, let's make it a double battle. I heard you've got a Salamence on hand as well. Those dragons aren't exactly known for being easy to train."
Michael couldn't help but smile as he got out the Ultra Ball. "No problem. Go! Salamence!"
The blue dragon burst out of the Ultra Ball, roaring a challenge to the Johto Gym Leader. "That's one impressive specimen," Clair complimented. "I'm even more impressed you managed to earn his trust in such a small span of time."
"Well to be fair, we did have a few bumps in the road," Michael stated. Salamence shared with him a knowing look. They had come a long way since they first met.
Both Salamence and Ironfang locked eyes. The scars on the blue drake's hide were faint, but the memory was still fresh. They nodded as they stared down their opponent. Whatever their past issues with each other were, they knew that the battle took priority.
On the other side, Clair motioned to her Dragonite. The larger dragon lumbered forward, roaring a challenge towards the duo.
She then fished out a pokeball from her belt, staring straight at Michael and his Salamence. Then she clicked the ball and tossed it onto the field.
"GO! DRAGONAIR!"
The pokeball opened, the energy inside materializing into a blue, serpentine form. Dragonair screeched to the heavens, announcing her arrival.
If Michael were to bet, this was the Dratini he read about. The one that Clair raised when it was orphaned. It certainly did seem particularly powerful with that deep blue gem and great coils.
Dragonair and Salamence stared each other down. Salamence gave a mighty bellow as a challenge. The serpent gave off her own roar, the wind picking up the cry.
Salamence couldn't help but grin.
This would be quite the battle.
"Ironfang, go after that Dragonite. They look a bit strong so try not to get yourself too banged up. If they're as strong as they look, don't take them head on. Wear them down first." Ironfang nodded in agreement as he returned the gaze from the other Dragonite. They did look fairly powerful.
Course that doesn't mean he was gonna back down from a fight.
"Be careful Salamence. Dragonair may not be fully evolved, but that doesn't mean you should let your guard down. Something tells me she's a lot more powerful than she looks. Draw out her attacks before going on the offensive." Salamence tensed his wings as he eyed the serpent.
The air held still for a moment or two, the dragons on both sides starring the other down. Both trainers looked at each other, gazing into their eyes. One had the look of a seasoned veteran, the proud prodigy of a respected lineage.
The other had the eyes of youth, but with something else lurking beneath. A steel edge to the innocence.
And then...chaos broke out.
The Dragonites charged one another, slamming into each other and battering each other with punishing blows. For a moment, the melee seemed equal, but it became quickly apparent that Clair's dragon was the more physically powerful. Ironfang dashed back as he narrowly avoided a Slam from the other's powerful arms.
Being that close he realized from the scent that his opponent was female. An odd detail for him to notice but it was there.
Pulling back, Ironfang snarled as he slammed his tail into the ground and flexed his claws. He could feel the adrenaline from Dragon Dance flowing through his veins, and it was exhilarating.
The opposing Dragonite charged forward with the full weight of her bulk. Ironfang managed to narrowly dodge the charge with a snap of his wings with Agility before raking her face with a Wing Attack.
Only for the other wyrm to power through the attack with a Slam, bringing him to the ground. The female followed up by whipping up a Whirlwind with a beat of her wings, bringing Ironfang up into the air. Her chest expanded as she took a deep breath and took aim at her disorientated rival.
Ironfang just barely had enough time to dodge a massive Hyper Beam rush right past him. It was close though. His eyes widened as he could virtually taste the raw power behind that attack.
This was going to be tougher than he thought.
On the ground, Salamence and Dragonair circled around each other. Both had already psyched themselves up with Dragon Dance, the air between them becoming tense with energy. The serpent was the one who struck first, her long body surged forward, kicking up a great deal of dust. Her blue gem glowed as the dust was whipped up into a Twister.
Salamence smirked as he tore through the tornado with a swipe of Dragon Claw, his wings beating as he closed the distance-
-only to run directly into a Thunder from Dragonair. The blue drake crashed into the ground as his rival's gem glowed once again with power. Salamence quickly got up on his feet and quickly fired a DragonBreath to intercept the snake's own DragonBreath.
The resulting explosion gave Salamence a little bit of space to recuperate.
"Everything okay Salamence?" Michael asked.
The blue drake nodded as he pawed the ground, eager for more action.
"Just be more careful. Something tells me that Dragonair's gonna be a tricky one to deal with," he said. At the very least they knew when the Pokemon was going to attack from that gem glow.
Meanwhile, Ironfang dodged another Slam from the female. He whipped out another Wing Attack on her unprotected flank while narrowly dodging a swing of her massive tail.
He darted in, hoping to land a quick Slam, only to be caught in his rival's grasp before being smashed into the ground with her own Slam.
Ironfang quickly fired a DragonBreath at her face, causing her to back off and give him enough space to get on his feet. He snarled in frustration. She was not only stronger but seemed to be faster than she looked.
"Keep your head clear! Try going for the legs to see if you can take her off balance!"
Michael's voice managed to calm Ironfang down enough to notice that the other Dragonite was charging at him. And his words gave him enough sense to quickly duck to the side and body check her with a Slam. The female stumbled, giving Ironfang an opportunity to whip his tail in front of her legs and knock her off balance.
Clair's Dragonite tumbled onto the ground, but used the momentum to quickly get herself back up on her feet-
-only to eat a Hyper Beam right to the face, sending her flying.
"Nice Hyper Beam Ironfang!" Michael cheered. The wyrm couldn't help but smile at the compliment. It did feel good to go back on the offensive.
His thoughts were interrupted as he felt a sudden downpour on his head.
A blue glow from Dragonair's gem indicated she had just used Rain Dance.
Salamence snarled as he lunged forward, claws outstretched and wings fully spread. Dragonair simply flexed her body out of the way with Agility, before whipping around with an Iron Tail in retaliation. The dragon from Hoenn simply reared up on his hind legs and batted away the Iron Tail with Dragon Claw.
His maw let out a whoosh of mystical flame in the form of DragonBreath, but once again Dragonair was able to gracefully dance away from the fire with her serpentine body. Coiling around, she responded with her own DragonBreath, forcing the wyrm back a ways.
Salamence faltered for a moment as his muscles began to lock up. Michael's eyes widened as he remembered that Dragonbreath had a chance of paralyzing their target.
Luckily for them, they had a counter.
Clair smiled as she motioned Dragonair forward. The snake complied as she rushed forward, a powerful Slam incoming. They had to time this just right...
"NOW!"
A mighty roar erupted from Salamence's heart as he managed to power through the paralysis with Refresh, dodging at the last possible moment. Dragonair did her best to try and wheel around, but the momentum carried her forward. Snarling, Salamence rushed forward once more, smashing a ferocious Dragon Claw right in her face.
"Wait a minute. I thought Salamences couldn't learn Refresh," Clair commented with surprise.
Michael couldn't help but smirk. "Most Salamences weren't Shadow Pokemon." His dragon concurred with a tail slam into the muddy earth and a dark glint in his eye.
"Well color me impressed," the gym leader complimented. "But this battle isn't over yet."
With that, Dragonair quickly regained her balance with her gem glowing vibrantly. Salamence had a bad feeling about what that heralded. In response, he swung his tail through the wet earth, causing mud to splatter right in the serpent's face. She shrieked as she fired a blind Hyper Beam into the rainy sky, causing a hole to appear in the black clouds from the impact.
Salamence proceeded to roll himself in the mud with her distracted, completely covering his hide in the muck. Dragonair tilted her head in confusion before charging forward, wrapping her coils around the muddy dragon. Her serpentine body squeezed tight as she wretched Salamence upwards to look directly at her face.
Her gem glowed as she called to the heavens. At once, a great bolt of Thunder came crashing down on Salamence. All had to cover their eyes in order to shield themselves from the brilliance.
As the sparks cleared, Dragonair lowered her head to see the fainted wyrm-
-only to get a DragonBreath right in her face.
Salamence growled as he wretched his claws out from her coils and slammed a swipe from Dragon Claw right in her throat. The force of the attack forced her to relinquish her grip and sent her straight to the ground.
Clair's eyes widened as she saw the visibly unharmed Salamence. It didn't make any sense! A Rainy Dance powered Thunder should've been enough to knock him out. Even if he was a Dragon-type, he should've felt something from an Elec-
Her gaze went to the muddy coating on Salamence's body.
"Okay. That's a good one," she had to admit.
"Thanks! Something we picked up on a little while back," Michael said with a cocky smirk. As powerful an electric attack was, it wouldn't do a whole lot of good if the opponent was covered in mud.
"Guess you also figured that mud would make Salamence's hide slippery and easier to wiggle out of Dragonair's coils, right?"
"Uh...no," Michael admitted. That...hadn't crossed his mind.
The skies cleared as the rain faded, the sun from the hole left by Hyper Beam widening to encompass the heavens. Rainy Day had run its course.
Salamence looked over to check on his companion with Dragonair on the defensive. It wasn't looking good as Ironfang and the female were engaged in another melee. Clair's dragon had clearly taken some good hits, but it was pretty obvious the younger drake was losing steam.
The last time he and Ironfang were in action together, the Dragonite had almost killed him. Those memories caused his muscles to seize up.
But that was before. Both Salamence AND Ironfang were fighting for their lives. It was part of the horror in being a Shadow Pokemon. No matter how hard you fought to control yourself, that conditioning ensured you were fighting to kill. The mind may protest, but the body moved without conscious.
In the end, they really weren't all that different.
Salamence roared as he rocketed forward, driving a Dragon Claw into the female Dragonite's face. The blindsided wyrm was forced to drop her rival as the blue dragon bit and clawed at her head.
Ironfang and Salamence. They were enemies once.
But time and hindsight could heal the deepest of wounds.
Pulling herself up from the mud, Dragonair could see Salamence attacking her companion. She snarled as aimed down her sights for a Hyper Beam-
-only to be interrupted when Ironfang tackled her with a Slam. The larger dragon grabbed the surprised serpent with his claws and swung her at the other Dragonite. Salamence quickly ascended to the air as the two dragons collided into each other.
Salamence flew down at Ironfang's side. Both roared at once, almost daring their rivals to continue the fight.
They got a little more than they bargained for.
Rather than toppling over in a disorganized heap, Dragonair had gracefully coiled herself around Dragonite. She brought her head beside her ally as her gem began to glow brightly.
At the same time, Dragonite's chest took in air.
The duo proceeded to unleash a double Hyper Beam, tearing the earth apart from the sheer power of the combo. Ironfang and Salamence hastily brought up a Hyper Beam and DragonBreath in response, their attacks meeting in the middle of the field. The hasty set up of their combo, not to mention their overall wear from the fight began to take their toll as their attacks were pushed back.
But the advance was slow. Despite their disadvantage, Michael's dragons were pouring everything they had into this attack. It wasn't out of sheer survival. Partly it was out of pride. Dragons weren't exactly known for running from a fight.
Although there was another part that seemed even stronger than that. Michael's eyes teared up as he saw his Pokemon give it their all. It wasn't too long ago both of them were Shadow Pokemon trying to kill one another.
He believed in them, so they believed in him.
And that was all he wanted.
The beam clash ended in an explosion, dust covering the battlefield. Salamence and Ironfang could barely stand up on their feet as they were buffeted by dust. Their ragged breaths were all that could be heard as the dust began to settle. Michael wasn't sure if they could go on much longer.
Across the field, they could see to their shock that Dragonair and Dragonite were still on their feet as well. Bruised and battered, but still very much capable of carrying on the fight. A lot more than them in fact.
Ironfang and Salamence barred their fangs, not wanting to disappoint their trainer. If they were gonna go down, they'd go down fighting.
"THAT'S ENOUGH!"
Michael and his Pokemon blinked as they heard Clair holler out those words. Her Dragonite and Dragonair on the other hand seemed to relax as they heard their trainer's declaration.
"I've seen everything I needed to see. Ironfang's in good hands."
Again, it took a few seconds before Michael could respond. "What do you mean? You were winning!"
Clair shrugged. "I just needed to see if you could handle him well. And given how well he seems to work with you, I can safely say he's better off with you. Probably better than he would've been at the dojo anyways."
She smiled. "Even still that was one heck of a battle. You and your dragons were pretty in synch. I really can't find any reason to take Ironfang off your hands."
Michael and Ironfang shared an overjoyed look. The Dragonite was there to stay.
"That's good to hear, Miss Clair. Thank you for taking the time to evaluate Michael's performance. We knew he was good with powerful Pokemon, but it does feel good to hear it from a professional."
Michael turned around to see that Krane, Lily, Jovi, and a good portion of the onsite staff had gathered outside of the laboratory.
"...how long were you standing there?"
"It's kinda hard to not notice a bunch of dragons going at it right outside your door," Adon pointed out.
That...does make sense, Michael admitted inwardly.
"My pleasure," Clair responded, ignoring Adon's comment. "Michael's got real talent and the potential to be a great dragon trainer. I'd almost be willing to offer an invitation to train at my gym, but I know he's got obligations here to sort out first."
She turned towards Michael as she said this. "What do you say Michael? Consider training with me once this whole thing blows over?" she asked with a smile.
Once again, Michael's brain short-circuited. Training with Clair? That's...that's something he'd have to consider.
Unfortunately he short-circuited in front of somebody more than willing to take full advantage of the situation.
"Sooo...I didn't know you already had a girlfriend Michael! I didn't want to step between you and someone special!" Melody teased with a sly smile.
The barb was enough to snap Michael out of his Clair induced trance. "She's just someone I admire, Melody. There's nothing even remotely resembling a crush going on."
"Really? That blush of yours is saying something else," she playfully pointed out. Espeon also gave Michael a rather doubtful look. If the teens face were any redder, he may have qualified as a Fire-type.
The Master Ball shook once.
"BITE ME!" Michael snapped.
"Actually, there is one last thing I'd like to ask before I head out."
That got Michael's attention.
"It's a personal thing. I was wondering if I could get a look at Lugia."
That really got Michael's attention.
"Are you sure?" he asked hesitantly.
"You do know I once faced down Dragonite at her worst, right?" Clair asked rhetorically. Her Dragonite shivered from the memories brought up. "And I have seen photos of him on the internet. I know a thing or two about Pokemon when they get violent.
"Besides." Her voice suddenly went quiet. "Lugia's just as important to Johto and Blackthorn as he is to Shamouti."
Michael was taken aback by her shift in demeanor. Then again, Lugia was one of the most important legendaries in the Johto pantheon. He was the deity that was believed to have resided in the Brass Tower and frequently made rounds to the Whirl Islands.
With that in mind, who was he to deny a Johto native.
He nodded towards Krane as the onlookers took a few steps back.
"You ready for this?" he asked the Master Ball. The pokeball shook once, indicating the response.
He clicked the pokeball open.
Shadow Lugia's first impressions of the gym leader were...interesting.
It was obvious that Michael had an infatuation with Clair, only fueled by his genuine admiration of the woman.
He also noted that Clair didn't seem as visibly shocked as the others in the past. Granted she probably hid it well, but it certainly was refreshing to have someone not automatically freak out about his appearance.
The legendary felt her eyes look over his body for a moment or two.
"Well...there's not really much I can say."
Lugia turned his head curiously at the woman. "I'm pretty sure you heard it already so there really isn't much new for me to input.
"All I can say is this." She walked up to Shadow Lugia, placed a hand on his wing, and looked into his crimson eyes with a smile. "You're in the best hands I can think of."
The Shadow Pokemon wasn't sure of what to be more surprised by. The fact that this Clair had no visible fear of him. Or the fact he hadn't freaked out about allowing a complete stranger to touch him.
Michael walked up to her, gently stroking Shadow Lugia's plumage. "You said that Lugia was important to the Blackthorn City Gym. I get he's important to Johto, but any particular reason as to why your gym in particular?" he asked Clair.
"Three things specifically. To start off, Lugia technically is a dragon himself. The strongest dragon in the Johto region in fact."
"He is?" Michael startely asked. "Isn't he a Psychic/Flying type?"
"That he is. But Gyarados is also Water/Flying type, yet I still train one and consider him a dragon. And Lance has his Aerodactyl, which is a Rock/Flying type."
The teen thought to himself for a moment. Lugia did agree that logic was sound.
"We use the term 'Dragon-type' to refer to a group of Pokemon that can use a certain set of moves no others can," Clair continued. "'Dragons' refers to Pokemon that are typically reptilian in nature and sit on the top of the food chain. They don't necessarily have to possess the Dragon-type. Now while Lugia is typically associated with birds, he also has reptilian traits like fangs and a more saurian maw. And due to him being a legendary, he sits pretty far up the food chain. There's a reason why we call him the Dragon to Ho-Oh's Phoenix."
Ho-Oh, his counterpart. It felt like a lifetime since he had heard his name. Shadow Lugia wondered if the phoenix knew about what had happened. The vibrant, colorful and vibrant feathers compared to his dark appearance. They couldn't be any more different at this point.
Could they even be considered siblings at this point…?
"The second is that Lugia stood for what the clan always aspired to: harmony between human and Pokemon alike. He was one of the first to help maintain the balance in ancient times. Helped Fula City when he saw man and Pokemon working together to create a better life. We stride to do something similar with our Pokemon. The Dragon Holy Land is a sacred place for that reason. A refuge for Pokemon and for trainers to hone their skills with their partners."
Fula City. The name rang a bell. And there was that mention of maintaining the balance between human and Pokemon again. Just like at Shamouti Island. And like before, Shadow Lugia only had questions. If he was meant to bring balance, how did such darkness that he had manifested into reality come from his own heart?
"The third...is a little more personal. You know how Lance has a passion for flying dragons? I have a passion for sea dragons. Those that dwell in the darkest depths of our waters and seas. What mysteries and hidden secrets they have to tell us. Lugia is one of the mightiest of the sea dragons, spending most of his existence in isolation at the lowest depths of the ocean," Clair concluded.
"Yeah, because he's afraid of his own power. Of how a single loss of control could result in a hurricane," Michael added. Shadow Lugia nodded in agreement. He did remember all those eons spending in total darkness. Only a few species of Pokemon could survive such extreme depths.
It was a lonely experience. Unable to interact with another creature for mere moments at a time.
But it was necessary. The power that lurked beneath the surface could kill anyone when he lost focus.
Of course Greevil had to drag the beast within up to the surface.
"Not everything that lurks within the depths is necessarily bad. Just because one has the potential to be a destroyer doesn't mean they're a monster," the gym leader mused. Her Dragonite gave a solemn nod, the lesson having been taught once before.
Lugia blinked. What does that mean? How could a destroyer have the potential to be a guardian? Didn't those two things contradict one another? To be a guardian was to be pure of heart and soul. Shadow Lugia was neither. Try as he might, trying to live up to his past was all he could do.
"It'll just take time for him to realize that," Michael said, almost reading the legendary's mind. Given their bond, he probably did just that.
Clair said her goodbyes soon after, again offering for Michael to train at her gym when this was all over. The teen just asked for a photo with her, which she cheerfully obliged to. Espeon couldn't help but giggle as Michael went slack again when he and the Blessed User of Dragon Pokemon pressed together for Krane to take the photo.
Shadow Lugia made sure to send him a quick mental shock to get him ready for the snapshot.
After that, the woman waved goodbye from the back of her Dragonite as she flew her way back to Johto. Michael waved back, starstruck having met his idol.
Well, his second idol, Lugia could sense.
A/N: And thus, I have returned from my hiatus. I've been having some issues with work so that's what's been keeping me. I'm also starting school in a little bit so I'm not sure how frequent updates will be going forward. I will make sure to keep writing though. I didn't get this far to stop now.
To reiterate, I'm not planning on making Michael and Melody a couple. Granted the idea is tempting, but they've got bigger things on their plate right now. Besides they just met so I wouldn't look too deeply into it. Unless you do, which by all means go ahead.
Melody being here would help bridge the gap between 2000 and Gale of Darkness so I'd figure she'd tag along. Did seem like she'd be willing to go on an adventure judging from the movie.
Trouble's stirring up in Pyrite Town, which will be the setting for our next major arc. With Cipher on the move again, how will our heroes try to defuse the situation without setting off a full scale war? Especially with their standings with the International Police threatened and Sabrina's withdrawal?
Paying off on the Dragonite subplot from before with Clair here. Figured she'd be of some assistance given her experiences with rampaging Dragonites.
And yeah, Michael's got a crush. Must be the cape.
Lugia had some inspiration from the Sea God Ryujin of Japanese Mythology, who often appeared as a dragon who lived deep beneath the sea. Since Lugia's the dragon to Ho-Oh's phoenix, I figured he'd be of interest to the Blackthorn City Gym. Especially if you watched the anime with the whole deal with the Dragon Holy Land's Prayer Fire.
Fun fact for any fans of Ghost of Tsushima, Ryujin was believed to have sent the hurricane that sunk the Mongols' fleet. Make of that as you will.
Fula City is a reference to the Power of Us movie. While he only shows up towards the end, Lugia plays a pretty prominent role in the city's mythology and his presence can be felt throughout the film. Especially since an image of him has a habit of showing up during the dramatic moments.
Aside from that, there's not much else. Next chapter's gonna be mainly exposition and character dialogue so it's gonna be on the short side. Hopefully that means it'll come out a bit more timelier. Probably not.
Thank you for reading and make sure to leave a review. Follow and favorite if you enjoyed and as always...I'll see you next chapter!