How's everybody doing? Jiro here, glad hat I can write another chapter of this. And what a chapter, huh? I'm already at the 90 chapter benchmark! Thank you to everybody who's actually made it this far. You folk are the GOAT fans ahaha. Anyway, I sincerely hope you enjoyed the previous chapter, because that took a LOT of work, writing 8K words of it in one non stop session that lasted 4 hours. I hope this one is to your liking, as I'm trying to set a calmer tone after the insane clusterfuck that was the last one. Thank you for all of your views, reviews and support Jiro 'The Father Of Halflings' Uchiha, OTF Inc.
Krom grunted as he sat down in the chair in the corner of the Pokemon Center, his body still sore from his long, intense sparring session with Brock. Both fighters had beaten each other senseless, with Krom only edging out Brock thanks to his increased reflexes, honed from his training with Orku. He looked to Orzhov, who stood next to him wearing a shirt that depicted his adoptive Mother, Homika, smiling happily as she played on her bass, Krom chuckling at the boy's round face and one red ear. He ruffled his fur as he turned to the odd communication device, watching it flash to life as Simba sat in a chair on the opposite side of the screen, saluting him jokingly as Krom nodded in greeting. "Been a little while, hasn't it?" Simba asked, and Krom shrugged. "Pretty sure it's been no more than a few days. I know I've spent a while resting after sparring with Brock." he noted, and Simba nodded. "You want the rundown of everything that's happened on my end?" he asked, and Krom scratched his head, nodding.
"Well, after hearing from Brock that you've changed your mind about Hoenn, I changed my plans." he said, and Krom blinked. "I changed my mind? When?" he asked, and Simba shrugged. "Brock made it sound like you had an interest in traveling to Hoenn. I thought about it, and realized that if all of our children went to the same region, it'd be a lot more interesting, especially with how little there is in Kalos after you defeat Diantha." he said, laughing to himself. Krom shook his head. "So what plans did you change?" he asked, and Simba sighed. "I called everything off. Since you held an interest in going to Hoenn, I decided to cancel all of my plans there. Drake was slightly miffed about not being able to kill Lance, but he figured the chance to fight you man to man would be worth the wait." the Cat King stated, making Krom chuckle.
"Sorry. I should've had a clear idea of what I was doing earlier so Brawly would still be alive." he said, remembering that the pirate like member of Hoenn's Elite Four had taken down the Fighting Leader. Simba shrugged. "It's fine. I'll find a worthy stand in." he replied, and Krom exhaled. Simba held up a hand, wagging a finger as he laughed. "That reminds me. Your ancestor, Thorkrom, his Naginata should be in Hoenn. Since you're heading there now, I'll keep tabs on anything relating to it for you." he stated, and Krom nodded his head in thanks. "Since you reminded me of Thorkrom's Naginata, I think I'll travel to Hoenn before Johto. There's something rather tantalizing about taking my ancestor's weapon to Johto when I finally finish off the church." he said, and Simba smiled and nodded. "I agree. It'll make for quite the campfire story."
Krom chuckled, the Cat glancing to Krom's right, where Orzhov stood. "How ya been Kid? Heard you went and agreed to marry Amy." he said, and Orzhov chuckled, scratching the back of his head. "I had to. She looked really sad." he said, and Simba chuckled, Krom shaking his head, still in slight disbelief. "You're something else, just like Krom. But regardless, how has your Chespin been?" he asked, and Orzhov smiled, happy that someone was concerned about his Pokemon. "He's doing fine. His head hurts a tiny bit, but his injuries are all healed up thanks to Dad!" he said, and Simba rose a brow, rather amused that the boy would so readily call Krom 'Dad' despite the fact that not only had they only known each other for months at the most, they were almost identical in age. Simba also enjoyed the look of pride that crossed Krom and Homika's faces when looking at Orzhov, his years running orphanages and day cares always filling him with happiness when people held a parental pride in a child they didn't create.
"That's great to hear. Although, Warriorf will be a bit displeased. He was building Chespin a helmet and everything." he noted, and Krom rose a brow. "How is the psychopath?" he asked, and Simba shrugged. "He's pretty good. Forging up a storm, tending to his hygiene, and being merry with everyone else. The usual." he said, and Krom exhaled, glad to hear that his original Pokemon was doing so well. "Y'know, I can send over anyone you want right now if you'd like." Simba said, and Krom blinked, genuinely thinking about it. "Y'know what? Would you mind sending Jerry over? I think he could use some training. Send Iris too if need be." he said, and Simba nodded, turning to someone Krom couldn't see and commanding them. "What about old Castle Face?" he asked, and Krom chuckled. "The old man can wait a little while. He deserves the rest after all the complaining he did in Unova." he noted, something Simba couldn't disagree with.
"How is everyone I sent back?" Krom asked, and Simba shrugged. "Acheron is all better. Just waiting for fur removed to stitch up wounds to grow back." he said, and Krom exhaled, happy the elder cat was in good shape. "Make sure to send him back when the fur has grown in." he said, and Simba nodded, his pupils flexing in size, as if he was thinking. "Cernunnos is completely healed up, so I'll send him with Jerry and Iris. He seemed rather happy to see Kanto, regardless of how little he's seen." Simba noted, and Krom chuckled. "I questioned using him in that battle, but he did really well, so I'm not as worried about him anymore." he explained, and Simba nodded. "DJ Swamp is all better. Only difference is that his ego has swollen a bit." Simba said, glancing away to shake his head at someone off screen, Krom exhaling with a smile.
"Glad to hear he's doing well. What about Boogie Man and Birisu?" he asked, the buffalo and cat rather impressive in their matches. "Birisu is all healed up and has resumed light training. I've instructed him to increase the force of his training very slowly until he returns to his usual intensity, and have asked Sparturk to make sure he listens." he said, and Krom breathed a sigh of relief. "Boogie Man is also healed, and has spent most of his time trying to have a new suit and chain made for him for his next summoning. Other than that, he's been training rather diligently with Hercules and Drago." he mentioned, Krom humming to himself. "It's been a while since I've teamed up with Drago. I'll have to use him during a gym battle or two." he said, and Simba blinked. "That reminds me. Giovanni wants me to thank you for continuing on his son's bloodline. The Old Woman too." he said, and Krom blinked.
"Giovanni and the Old Woman want to thank me for having children?" he asked, Simba shrugging. "Seems weird, but they are descendants of Ash Ketchum." he said, and Krom sighed, shaking his head. He had honestly forgotten that fact, one that he still found rather bewildering to this day. "Sherman is doing well also. He's been training without the horns, but I managed to convince him to go see Warriorf later today, so he should be in top shape within the week." The Cat king explained, something that made Krom feel rather relieved. The legendary was one of his most prized Pokemon, being a God and all, and he'd hate to have been the reason that a God was maimed forever. "That's great to hear. Tell me, how are the people of Pinwheel doing?" he asked, and Simba smiled, seeming rather optimistic.
"Glenda and Vraakas are already in Pallet, establishing it as a secondary base for Pinwheel. Rex and Adoette are doing quite well, and I frankly expect them to have children before the year is out. Bishop and Lucina are enjoying retirement a little more than I expected, and Bishop is still pondering whether or not he should gift his helmet to someone. Me and Sable are quite well, and so are our children. Shere-Khan has begun watching over his siblings as they started to take an interest in training their own Pokemon. I've given them Kalosian Pokemon to start off with training before they go making any decision about who they want to be their honest partners for their journey." he explained, and Krom smiled at how well everyone was doing. "What about my family? How have they been?" he asked, the slightest bit worried.
"Quite well I assure you. Saria has begun training herself to defend her children better, something I am happy to aid her in. Shira has been helping care for the children and Pokemon in the village to make amends for her wrongdoings, not that she has to. Your Father has spent quite a bit of time in the village, and has taken a liking to your older son, Magni. And as for your children themselves, their advancement is impressive. I ran some minor sensory tests and found that they are all full hybrids, none of them having dormant DNA of one parent. Magni himself has begun trying to walk, although he isn't doing too well. Aja and Freyja are both enthralled with Saria's training, something I can take as a sign that they will be rather strong women when they grow up." he explained, Krom's face lighting up in sheer bliss at how well everyone was doing. "After I defeat the Gym Leaders, I'll have to visit to check on them." he said, and Simba shrugged.
"That's fine by me. Knowing you, that'll take no more than a few months at the most." he said, and Krom chuckled. "How much more will they have grown in that time span?" he asked, and Simba shrugged. "Depends. If they're anything like my kids, within the next few months they'll learn to walk and talk to the degree of a human toddler." he explained, and Krom sighed, excited to see his children again. He was ready to hang up and continue towards Mt. Moon, but something caught his attention. "Simba… why didn't you mention Nappa at all?" he asked, and The Cat King blinked, his pupils narrowing before he shrugged. "He doesn't do much of anything really. Everytime I check up on your family, he's always off to the side, sleeping or eating. I'm not sure who he takes after with that attitude." he said, and Krom chuckled, any of his worries completely misplaced.
Simba glanced to his left, seeing his children toss an empty PokeBall back and forth, a smile crossing his features. "Now then, don't you have another Gym to defeat? You'll never get to Giovanni if you spend your days talking to me." he said, and Krom blinked, nodding as he saluted Simba, the duo cutting the video feed and ending the conversation. Simba spun in his chair, rising to a vertical base as he glanced to Shere-Khan, who seemed slightly agitated. "Something amiss?" he asked, and his son shrugged. "Something bugs me about Kalos. If all eight of us will travel there, possibly more knowing Krom, won't the region just become one large battlefield?" he asked, and Simba hummed, shaking his head. "Of course not. Rex and Adoette, along with Glenda and Vraakas have all decide to keep their children nearby, and I'm quite sure that Homika wouldn't be too keen on letting her children explore the world so young." he said, and his son rose a brow.
Simba gestured for his son to follow him as he left the hut they were in, the current Chief smiling as he saw the peaceful streets of his village. "Homika's past is something you must factor in, especially if she has any daughters. I will persuade her to keep her children in Unova. It'd be nice to see someone worth watching explore the region with how drastically Krom changed it." he said, and Shere-Khan grunted. "And what of us going to Kalos? Are we to be allowed to go so far away with no known backup?" he asked, and Simba turned to his son with a smile. "Are you saying that a region famed for being bourgeois is going to overwhelm you?" he asked, and Shere-Khan grunted, shaking his head. "It seems a bit ridiculous that all of us are traveling to the same region, or we're at least expected to." he said, watching his Father wave to Bishop and Lucina, who lounged on their front lawn.
"It's competition. You must understand, most children in Pinwheel stay in groups and compete with each other. Even I did, competing day to day with Rex and Vraakas, my status as a mere Luxray causing expectations for me to be lower than a Tyranitar or a Landorus. The same will be true for you. You are a hybrid of Luxray and Sableye. Are you going to let a quartet of Zekrom and Gardevoir hybrids out do you?" he asked, his son's pupils narrowing at the thought, his natural pride as a lion called into question. "See? That fire in your eyes shows that you will be willing to go to the same place with them at the same time and strive to prove that you are the best. I hope to instil that competitive edge to your journey if only so that you nine push yourselves to each other's limits." he said, the mention of 'nine' reminding Shere-Khan of Fenrir, the odd child that his Father had taken in and began to civilize.
Shere-Khan shook his head, trying not to remember said child. "Still upset about Fenrir, huh?" he asked, and the boy looked up to his Father. Simba looked down to him, exhaling as he folded his arms behind his back. "Fenrir is merely a project of mine, an attempt to mold a unique creature into something more powerful and interesting. You are my most powerful child and the future Cat King. Do not think that I would ever pick one of my toys over the person I would give them to." he said, Shere-Khan exhaling in understanding, his Father ruffling his shaggy brown hair. "Good. Now go keep an eye on your siblings." he said, the feline Halfling nodding as he departed, heading back towards the hut they departed from. "Rather interesting child you have there." Simba heard, turning and glancing upwards before nodding. "Honored that he piques your interest Lord Zekrom." he said, Krom's father chuckling as he joined Simba on his stroll.
"I hold an interest in everyone in this village, but Shere-Khan sticks out for his incredible intelligence and power." he said, and Simba chuckled. "He's my successor, so I'd hope that he'd be incredible." he said, both men chuckling. "How is the Malkavi boy doing? Any process in getting the riddle off of his back?" he asked, and Simba shook his head. "Everything is pointing towards the scroll being hidden within Thorkrom's Naginata. I hope all of these signs are correct, cuz Kyouhei's back is bare." he said, and Zekrom rose a brow. "Bare? How were the tattoos removed?" he asked, and Simba glanced to him, a slightly irritated look on his face. "If they were there, I can only assume that they were magickally removed or enchanted to remove themselves." he assumed, Zekrom sighing. "Of course. I remember hearing whispers from a few of my followers that the Malkavi's tattoos are divinely enchanted to vanish should someone try to manipulate them mentally." he said, and Simba nodded.
"That's the thing. I remember sensing manipulation attempts and tracking the source in my free time. I dispatched some run of the mill Kadabra Halfling. After that, Kyouhei's moments of clarity seemed to become less frequent. It's unusual." he said, and Zekrom nodded. "As long as the possibility of the scroll being in Thorkrom's Naginata is there, consider me an ally at your disposal." he declared, and Simba laughed, nodding as they neared Krom's home, Simba letting Zekrom change the path they walked. "Although, let me ask you something. Did you manipulate Krom's DNA at anytime?" he asked, and Zekrom rose a brow. "What do you mean?" he asked, and Simba shrugged. "I played dumb pretty well, but I couldn't help but be suspicious that his Pokemon DNA only seemed to kick in after his near death experience." he explained.
Zekrom sighed, Simba able to tell that he knew something. "When Krom was born, his Zekrom DNA was rather dominant. It was almost akin to Nappa or Shere-Khan, so his Mother asked me to suppress this DNA. I assume that you found it odd that my direct descendant was so human like?" he asked, and Simba nodded. "I admit, when I first saw Krom after being employed to watch over him, I was surprised." he said, and Zekrom nodded. "When he was on Death's Door, and the Grim Reaper came to take him, I stood against him. I was quite ready to kill him, but we were stopped by the Allfather." he said, and Simba hesitated, the mention of the true supreme being stopping his mental process. "The Allfather himself?" he asked, and Zekrom nodded with a hum.
"I assume the Allfather cast away my suppression and placed him in a form of stasis while he became stronger through the stasis." he said, and Simba shook his head. "He really does have the best luck in the world. Good thing I'm not on his bad side." he said, and Zekrom nodded, walking up the steps to Krom's home, noticing that Simba didn't follow him. "Are you not joining me?" he asked, and Simba shook his head. "Nope. I have to get back to my adopted children. Fenrir, Kyouhei and Ishron are quite the handful." he said, Zekrom chuckling as he watched the Cat King depart, turning to the door and lifting his large hand, rapping his hand on the door three times, hearing footsteps hustle over to the door, the knob turning as the wood pulled back to reveal a girl with white hair, her tall stature all to familiar to Zekrom. She looked up to him, Zekrom not entirely sure he'd been introduced to this woman, who held Aja in her right arm, cradling her as if it was her child.
She stepped back, Zekrom stepping into the hut and bowing to her. "Greetings Madam. I'm not entirely sure we've met. My name is Zekrom of the Ideals, and I am Krom's Father." he said, and she blinked, the small child sleeping in her arms stirring slightly as a door far off opened, Saria emerging with Magni in her arms. "Mr. Zekrom! I wasn't expecting you to stop by today." she said, walking over to the couch and sitting the sleeping child against one of the arms, the large God chuckling. "You should. It's always good to see my Daughter In-Law and my Grandchildren." he said, and Saria chuckled. She walked over to the other woman, taking the child from her, her face rather absent as she stared incredulously at Zekrom. He turned back to her, a smile still on his face. "Are you perhaps a friend of Saria's?" he asked, and she blinked, slowly gaining her composure as she nodded.
"That too. My name is Shira Moyasu Hitoawa, and I'm Krom's third wife." she said, nodding her head, Zekrom raising a brow before a smile spread across his face. "One of my sister's children? Rather interesting that Krom would take an interest in one of his cousins." he said, and Saria chuckled. "Me and Homika were a little upset, but having an extra set of hands to help me take care of the kids is always nice." she said, and Shira nodded, walking over to the couch and sitting down, a little shaken that her husband's father, a major God, was standing less than five feet from her, acting rather casual about everything. She glanced to her right, seeing Magni sleeping against the arm of the couch, sighing as she turned to Saria and Zekrom, watching them talk casually.
Zekrom sat down in a large chair off to the side, seeing three of his grandchildren sleeping about the living room, his largest grandchild nowhere to be seen. "Where is Nappa?" she asked, and Saria blinked, looking about the living room before sighing and grumbling to herself. "I think Warriorf took him. He said something about showing him how to reattach broken pieces of things." she said, and Zekrom laughed heartily, glad to hear that the dwarf was so interested in teaching the boy. "How have you been lately? I trust that things have been well?" he asked, and Saria nodded. "With Warriorf and Shira around to help me take care of the kids, I've actually had time to train and work on becoming a force to be reckon with." she said, the young mother clenching her fist as a fiery look came over her face, causing Zekrom to break out laughing.
Off in a small corner of the village behind Krom's hut, Warriorf carried the large, sleeping child with him as Sherman walked alongside him, the large, bulldog like Pokemon carrying his shattered horns in his mouth, Warriorf glancing at the bright red stones and humming. "Sherman, could thou not just reattach thine own horns using thy godly powers?" he inquired, the large Rock type shaking his head as they reached Warriorf's forge. Walking over to a wall of the small, stone building, the dwarf laid the large child down, the smith finding the child's silence rather odd. Walking back over to Sherman, Warriorf pulled the horns from between his friends jaws, hearing a heavy sigh from Sherman.
"My horns were broken off by Mega Evolved Pokemon. Sherman doesn't know why, but residual energy from the wounds is messing with healing powers." he said, and the dwarf rose a brow. "So these Mega Evolutions can inflict wounds that even gods can't heal casually? Rather interesting." he said, more to himself as he glanced to the horns. He held them up, Sherman watching him closely. "What doth thee wish for me to do with them?" he asked, and Sherman hummed. "Make them stronger. I still wish for them to be most stone, but ability to CRUSH steel desired." he said, the dwarf's hair shrouded lips curving in a smile. He knew Krom said for the horns to be reforged and reattached using stone, but his good friend never said they had to be pure stone, especially if Sherman wished for enhancements. He nodded, placing them together and glancing to Nappa. "Keep an eye on him. Thou should be able to enhance these base horns within one hour." he said, turning and waking into the forge.
Sherman grumbled, walking over to Nappa and sitting down, his posture curled up almost like a cat as he stared at the large therian child. "Why you never do anything?" he asked, the child's chest lifting up and falling as he continued to sleep, Sherman able to see small rows of shark like, jagged teeth in his large, black head, his small clawed hands and larger, mitten like hands folded over his chest like a mummy, his undersized wings sticking out slightly. Sherman leaned closer, a frown on his face as he sniffed the child, a scent nearly identical to his Father's hitting Sherman's nostrils. "You smell like Krom. I hope this means that you will like to CRUSH things!" Sherman said, laughing heartily as the child stirred, opening his large crimson eyes and staring at the laughing bulldog.
Simba sat on a bench in a small open patch of the village, one of nine he set up after becoming chieftain. He enjoyed these spots, as they were rather necessary for Trainers and Halflings to train and grow stronger. He glanced to his right, seeing the small, wide eyed child watching the events unfolding in front of him with awe and intrigue. "Impressed, huh?" he asked, and the boy tilting his head as if confused. Simba chuckled, ruffling his hair as he turned the child's head to face forward. Simba exhaled. "Ishron, try to use your tail!" he called, the Umbreon Halfling glancing to the battle hardened Luxray before snickering, ducking underneath a lean muscled fist, coming up with his right fist clenched. A pair of golden eyes locked onto Ishron's movements, weaving to the right before a knee struck Ishron in the chest and knocked him back.
Simba chuckled, shaking his head as he stood. "I said use your tail. If you would have spun around and used your tail, Kyouhei would have had to either avoid it or strike regardless of the tail slamming into him." he explained, the foul tempered Halfling gritting his teeth as he straightened his posture. "I would've had it if he wasn't so quick." he said, and Simba chuckled, shaking his head. "Blaming your opponent's speed doesn't get you anywhere. Tell me, what Martial Arts do you know?" he asked, and Ishron frowned. "I trained myself in the ways of Umbreon, using my instincts and reflexes." he said, and Simba rose a brow, turning to Kyouhei and pointing to Fenrir, the human rather happy to hang around the smaller boy. Simba took a step back, exhaling as he stuck his hand out. He gestured for Ishron to attack, the headstrong Umbreon happy to oblige.
Ishron threw a right cross, striking Simba in the jaw, the lion remaining unflinching. He reached up and grabbed Ishron's arm, tossing him to the side before Ishron rolled to his feet. "That is what Bishop calls 'Umbreon Fist'. Umbreon are naturally defensive Pokemon, so a fighting style that relies on durability and close range grappling is the best fit. The basic, stiff techniques you use are akin to human karate, when your fighting style should be more akin to say… Judo, or even Wrestling." he explained, and Ishron frowned. "I'll fight however I want." he said, and Simba shook his head. He looked over to Kyouhei, who was sitting happily with Fenrir. "Kyouhei, come here so we can show Ishron what proper Martial Arts are." he said, the boy standing up and jokingly saluting Simba before walking over and standing next to Ishron. "Take a seat Ishron. I'm going to show you what hard work can do when you enjoy it." he said, and Ishron scoffed, walking around Kyouhei to sit next to Fenrir.
"Kyouhei, how many styles have you learned?" he asked, and Kyouhei stood rigid, Simba chuckling at how serious the boy was trying to be, possibly to impress Fenrir. "Nine, Father." he said, saluting him, and Simba nodded. "And what nine are they?" he asked, and Kyouhei exhaled hard from his nose. "Hitmontop Fist, a mixture of spinning attacks and Capoeira. Arcanine Fist, a well rounded style based on using one's body to it's fullest potential. Mienfoo Fist, a disciplined style based on Jeet Kun Do. Hawlucha Fist, a combination of flashy tactics and Lucha Libre. Weavile Fist, an underhanded style of cheap shots and speed. Jolteon Fist, a speed based style of fighting that uses quadrupedal offense. Sableye Fist, a slow style that focuses on wearing your opponent down. Ditto Fist, a style that focuses on mimicking your opponent by watching their muscle movements. Lastly, Luxray fist, a style that melds open handed strikes with Muay Thai." he said clearly and coherently, Simba clapping and nodding.
He glanced over to his defiant child, who folded his arms. "How many styles do you actually know?" he said, and Simba took his silence as an answer. He shook his head, laughing as he gestured for Kyouhei to relax, the boy still holding the same stalwart, firm salute. "By time Krom returns from Kanto, Kyouhei will have learned Lucario Fist and I will be teaching Fenrir Arcanine Fist and Shere-Khan any number of styles he wishes to learn. Tell me, are you going to allow yourself to get let behind?" he asked, and he vaulted to his feet, his fists clenched. "Of course not!" he shouted, and Simba smiled, noticing a pair of feet walking up behind them. "Shere-Khan, so glad you could join us. How are your siblings?" he asked, and the boy folded his arms. "With Mother. She has guests over, so I chose to seek you out." he said, and he nodded. "Are you in the mood to train?" he asked, and the boy nodded. "Of course."
Simba smiled, gesturing for Kyouhei to go sit down, the boy seeming rather bummed that he wouldn't get to show off all of his super cool moves to his friend. Simba gestured for Ishron to come over, the lion stepping back as his son stepped forward. "Have you two trained together?" he asked, and they both shook their heads. "Good. Take this as a chance to get to know each other better. Begin." he said, and the duo both took fighting stances, Simba stepping back as he analyzed them. While Shere-Khan only had the body of an adolescent human child no older than eight or nine, the much older Ishron had the body of a young adult, having a height advantage of at least a whole foot. However, Shere-Khan's muscles were denser than his training partner's, something Simba hoped his son noticed, Fenrir and Kyouhei cheering in sync as both Halflings moved forward.
Shere-Khan ducked under a wide right kick, rising up with a straight right kick that struck Ishron in the back, the Umbreon spinning and throwing a left cross that arced down, Shere-Khan rolling around his arm and thrusting his left elbow into Ishron's chest as he grabbed his outstretched arm, pulling him overhead and tossing him to the ground before stepping back. Ishron rolled to his feet, exhaling as he grit his teeth. "Is that it? Has my Father truly been spending his time trying to train you instead of me?" he asked, Ishron's stance changing to a more basic, boxing stance as he darted forward, Shere-Khan exhaling as he watched his opponent's movements, his body jerking forward as he felt something strike him in the back before Ishron's right fist slammed into his jaw, knocking him back as he fell off of his feet. Shere-Khan glanced to his Father, who shook his head. "This is a battle of physical ability Ishron, no using non physical offense." he stated, and Ishron frowned.
"I said it before and I'll say it again. I'll fight however I want." he said, and Shere-Khan looked to the sky, realizing that he laid on his back, nearly at the mercy of one of his opponents. He kicked himself to his feet, rising to a full vertical base as he gestured for Ishron to come at him again, a calm look on his face as he watched his opponent. He watched each step forward he took, gauging the maximum abilities of his body as it was now, watching him slide forward in a lose stance as he threw his right leg out, a straight kick that Shere-Khan avoided with a spin, his right fist arcing as he swung with a rather forceful overhand right. Ishron leaned back, his right hand opening as energy pulsated from it, a purple ball that Shere-Khan swiped away, the distraction giving Ishron enough time to close in and strike him with a volley of bodyblows before driving both of his fists into the younger Halfling's jaw, Shere-Khan able to feel his feet come off the ground as he felt like he floated back before crashing against the ground.
When he hit the ground, he realized that he felt bad. He blinked, realizing that it wasn't bad because he was in pain, but bad for a different reason, one he couldn't pinpoint. "Is that it?" he heard, the line all too familiar to him. "I think I understand why Simba adopts so many kids now." he said, Shere-Khan's heart throbbing at the implications of that statement. He vaulted to his feet, his pupils narrowing as he clenched his fists, a dull throb in his mouth being forgotten as he spread his aching hands, spreading his toes as he inhaled deeply, releasing a loud, bellowing roar, watching the grass flow with the force of his shout. "You dare insult not only my pride, but my Father's pride in his children?" he asked, his voice raspy and gravelly, a smirk crossing Ishron's face, Shere-Khan's mind telling him to not let the older Halfling speak.
And he listened, closing the distance faster than Ishron could react, a massive left punch striking him in the stomach and causing him to scream, Simba noticing that both Kyouhei and Fenrir seemed uneasy. "Why don't you two go visit Saria? I think Mr. Zekrom is still there." he suggested, the larger boy nodding vigorously and leading Fenrir away as Shere-Khan stepped back, watching Ishron crumple to the ground clutching his stomach. "You aren't fit to call yourself a Halfling. You lose everything precious to you as a mere toy in Sinnoh and have the nerve to insult me? ME? Shere-Khan Lionheart, the Prince of All Felines!?" He screamed, opening both of his palms and lowering his posture. His body jerked forward, stopping halfway through the attack, Shere-Khan feeling his Father's hand on his shoulder. "Enough. You proved your point." he said, and Shere-Khan looked to Ishron, a look of vehement disgust on his features before his shoved his Father's hand away and walked off.
Simba watched Shere-Khan's shrinking figure as a series of thoughts ran though his head, a sigh escaping his lips before he turned to Ishron, who had only just gotten back to his feet, the Umbreon clutching his abdomen as blood ran from his lips. "What…. What was that?" he asked, and Simba exhaled, helping Ishron over to the small bench in the clearing. "That was Shere-Khan's temper. Feisty little cub, isn't he?" he asked, Ishron gritting his teeth as he coughed again, staining the grass a crimson color. Simba folded his arms, glancing to the sky. "This is your last chance Ishron. First you start trouble with Kyouhei and now with Shere-Khan. If you try me, my wife or even Fenrir, I will have no choice but to exile you from the village." he said, and the Umbreon looked to him with his teeth grit. "And don't act as if you are being victimized or treated unfairly. Both Krom and Shere-Khan would have killed you if not for me." he said, standing and unfolding his arms.
"Go see Glenda and tell her exactly what happened. Since you refuse to listen to me, maybe Glenda or Vraakas can talk some sense into you. I would hope so, because you had a lot of potential." he said, turning and walking away, likely to attend to some business only he knew of. Ishron stared after him, spitting out a large glob of red saliva before he stood, his abdomen still throbbing. Had potential? He wondered. Did he do something that changed Simba's views of his maximum capability? He shouted in frustration, heading to Glenda's hut as instructed.
Warriorf stepped from the forge, sweat coating the rippling seas of muscle that coated his sturdy frame, wiping a pool of sweat from his broad forehead. He gazed to Sherman, who was chattering with Nappa, the now conscious child merely staring blankly at the bulldog as he laughed. "And best food you haven't had yet is Borscht. Is so delicious. And is so many kinds of Borscht too. Borscht with beef, ham and sausage, or Borscht with meatballs, Borscht with kelp, Borscht with dried fish… OH! In Summer, we make Borscht with Yogurt and make it cold. Is good for hot days. I will bring some next time we have conversation." he said, the therian child only opening his mouth and yawning in response. Warriorf laughed heartily, walking over and patting his friend on the back. "Come now Brother Sherman, let him sleep and come with me. I must fit your horns." he said, and Sherman looked to Nappa.
"Is it alright to leave him alone?" he asked, the dwarf pondering it for a second before nodding. "But of course. He shalt be alright." he said, assuring Sherman as the bulldog followed him into the forge. Nappa grunted, unfolding his arms and grumbling as he looked around, inhaling as he leaned forward, spreading his wings slightly, sleeping with them furled making his back sore. He looked up at the Blue, seeing fluff floating along, one fluff reminding him of his Mom, his large arms reaching out towards it, his body lurching and wings flapping as he moved forward before falling forward and grunting, looking at the ground as he pushed himself up, turning and rolling to his back before sitting up. He let out a loud noise, mad that he fell over. He heard a laugh, putting his hands on the ground and turning to see what was making the noise.
Simba sat on a couch with a phone in one hand and Sanatika in the other. The girl was sound asleep as he cradled her, his other daughter, Sarabi, right next to him as he cradled her close with his tail, his son Scar opting to be a big boy and sleep on the opposite end of the couch, Shere-Khan nowhere to be seen. "You can stop by and pick them up anytime Bonnie, I have no reason to hold them or deceive you." he said, the Lumiose Leader's sister laughing on the other end. "Please, Simba, I don't doubt you. Just make sure they're out of the dungeon and at least in a house after we finish talking." he said, and Simba agreed with a friendly laugh. "Have you heard anything about my Father?" she asked, and Simba rose a brow, carefully laying Sanatika in his lap as he chuckled. "Your Father? No, but a few trainers searching for Blaine say that they saw a man with a Blaziken mask training rather intensely in Cinnabar." he said, and Bonnie exhaled. "What are you going to do with him?" she asked, and Simba inhaled.
"It depends. Why are you working with me?" he asked, and she grit her teeth on the other end, something Simba could pick up with his incredible hearing. "I told you already. Serena and Clemont became husks of the people we saved Kalos with. I want nothing to do with them or my Father. Him trying to stop me back then made me wonder exactly where he draws the line." she said, and Simba smiled. "Surely he was just a concerned father trying to save his child?" Simba wondered, a partially sarcastic line that earned him a loud scoff. "Meyer never cared about me enough to check up on me more often than 'when it overlaps with my vigilante routine'. I don't need him." she said, and Simba applauded her, only clapping loud enough for her to hear. "Very good. Since you care so little, I can have a lot of fun with Meyer."
Krom looked up at Mt. Moon, rather surprised at how easy it was to get here. "Hey Homika, how many trainers were along the way? Seven? Eight?" she asked, and the white haired Halfling shrugged. "Who cares. I was just impressed with how easily Orzhov beat them." she said, glancing to the Sneasel Halfling, who's cheek lightened in embarrassment. "It was nothing, really. A lot of them used normal types and Sigurd is a Fighting type." he said, trying to dumb down the disposal of a large number of trainers. Krom pat him on the back, a proud smile on his face as he turned to the cave entrance. "Full speed ahead Bergelmir!" he called, the grumbling Ice Pokemon taking the first step towards Mt. Moon.
Nappa tilted his head, staring up at the larger body in front of him. He couldn't put it into thought how to describe the thing, but it wasn't good, and he frowned. He bared his teeth, watching the large creature laugh at him before glancing to the forge's entrance, where a cacophony of grunts of pain and hammer strikes could be heard, signaling that the dwarf was very busy, and wouldn't be leaving the forge anytime soon. The body lumbered over to him, lifting one of it's large hands into the air and smiling. It's hand came down, Nappa remaining silent and still as something crashed into the hand and caused the large body to stumble back. Nappa's blank face stared forward, watching something black appear in front of him, the black thing sticking it's tongue out at him. He blinked. Or was it? It always had it's tongue out, something Nappa tried to emulate by sticking his tongue out.
The Greninja rolled his neck, glancing at the Slaking across from him. "Who are you, and what are you doing in this place?" he asked, and the sloth like monkey laughed. "I am merely a Slaking on a stroll. I was inspecting that odd child behind you when you assaulted me." he said, and the frog ninja crouched down slightly, placing his hands on his thighs. "Don't play dumb with me you idiot! I know who sent you!" he shouted, the Slaking sighing as he shook his head. "I was hoping that this wouldn't have to get violent, but I guess I was wrong." He said, clenching his fists as the frog glanced back to Nappa. His brow furrowed before he moved his hands, a pair of Water Shuriken between his fingers. He threw them forward, the Slaking slapping them away before running forward, the frog spinning and grabbing Nappa before jumping away from a massive Hammer Arm that shook the ground slightly. The frog cursed, forced to flee with the heavy child in his arms.
Finding a small clearing, the Greninja laid Nappa against the tree, able to see the child's emotions on his face. A cross of excitement and curiosity were on his features as he watched the frog turn around and prepare to face the Slaking, who was hot on his heels. The Greninja clapped, summoning multiple Double Team clones as the Slaking reached the clearing, exhaling before silently beginning his attack. A clap resounded, the force blowing the grass back and dispersing the clones in a puff of smoke as the Greninja leaped into the air, launching a flurry of Water Shurikens as he descended from the air, landing in front of the slightly dazed Slaking, his hands and feet glowing as he threw a straight kick upwards, following with an overhand right cross into a spinning left kick and a left cross before summoning two blades of black energy and swinging them down, slicing two shallow wounds down the Slaking's chest.
The sloth slid back, grunting as he opened his mouth, launching a Hyper Beam without warning, the Greninja summoning a barrier to Protect himself, realizing that Nappa was directly behind him. "Young Master, if you can understand me, move!" he shouted, the beam baring down on the barrier as the Slaking closed in. The ninja realized that the enthralled child wasn't paying attention, his arms waving slightly as if trying to cheer or instruct the battle. The ninja turned back, realizing that the Slaking had closed in and lifted his arms overhead. With a burst of adrenalin, the frog increased the size of the barrier before closing his eyes, a pair of massive arms coming down and crashing through the barrier, slamming into his shoulders, white hot pain surging through his body as he cried out, wildly launching a Hydro Cannon wildly as he rolled back to his feet, his arms dangling uselessly at his side.
He panted, having no choice but to unravel his tongue, summoning a blade of dark energy as the Slaking brushed himself off, running forward. The ninja swung his blade, the Slaking catching his tongue and pulling him in, smashing his massive fist into the ninja's face and sending him flying back, his skull fractured and face bloodied. The Slaking shook his hands, rolling his neck as he looked to Nappa. "Now then, shall we finish what we started?" he asked, walking closer as Nappa looked to the ninja. He frowned, noticing that the frog was hurt and wasn't getting up. Nappa turned to the Slaking, who lifted his fist. Nappa inhaled, his brow furrowed and claw like hands clenched into small fists. The Slaking came down with a grunt as Nappa roared, a loud, bellowing sound that rung out throughout the forest as he watched the Slaking's hand stop.
The Slaking seemed confused, willing his fist to crash down. Instead, it began to open, softly reaching down and petting the small child's head, the Slaking unable to react as the child slammed his jaws closed on his fingers, the sharp pain causing him to recoil as he pulled his arm back missing multiple fingers, screaming in pain as he moved to retaliate. Suddenly, his body froze, not responding to his commands as his vision clouded. He tried to furrow his brow, realizing that his vision wasn't clouding, but what he saw was warping. The grass and trees and even the air began to warp and twist, losing their form as the Slaking's mind began to wander, the surrounding forest transforming into a wondrous, formless realm that defied both physics and logic. Suddenly, the Slaking felt his own body begin to morph and become formless as the vibrant colors of the world began to flash vividly before his consciousness, his mind truthfully blank.
"Now do you see?" a baritone voice asked, ringing out like a large drum in this vivid, formless world beyond his comprehension. "What is going on?" The Slaking asked, confusing himself, as he asked with no mouth, with a voice that wasn't his own. "You are being shown the world in it's truest state, formless infinity." the voice replied, the sloth's comprehension slowly slipping as a deep laugh rung out throughout the vivid infinity. "Are you… Arceus?" he asked, and a comforting feeling overcame him. "No. I am an Awakened One. And you…. You too will become Awakened." The comforting feeling was replaced with heavy anxiety as the Slaking immediately questioned where he truthfully was, and how he got there. "Do not burden yourself with questions. Merely accept the Awakening." the voice said, no longer soothing as the Slaking imagined himself shaking his head trying to reject the formlessness he felt, wishing he was back in the forest with his physical body.
Only, he couldn't picture his body anymore. Nor could he picture the forest. Infact, the formless expanse that surrounded him began to vanish as his mind slowly went numb, unable to comprehend the concept of form itself, and of color. He felt as if he was floating through an expanse of naught, his consciousness now a fleeting concept as his very existence was brought into question. And once he brought it into question, it began to fade away, his orders to kill the Hitoawa family long forgotten as his life, his thoughts, his soul, his very existence, faded into pure nothingness, forgotten like a fallen leaf in the dark fall night.
In the forest, Nappa watched the large body fall, sweating and shaking as it slowly began to vanish, as if being swallowed up by some invisible force, a scream of fear from the Slaking the last remnant of it as the last speck of it's body disappeared, Nappa rather confused as to what happened. Suddenly, he couldn't remember what he was looking at, his head turning to the injured frog as he called out to it, it's hand twitching to show that it still held life, a deep chuckle hitting the clearing as Nappa turned, seeing a large body walking forward, a kind disposition and glowing aura bout it as it reached down to him with it's bare right arm, Nappa reaching forward and touching it, being pulled up and cradled as the frog's body was propelled off the ground, caught by the body's other arm, being thrown over the opposite shoulder as the being exhaled.
Six feet barreled through the forest, reaching the clearing almost instantly as a pair of sighs rang out. "Halt! Who art thou!?" The dwarf shouted, brandishing his hammer, Sherman standing next to him with his sparkling horns brandished, the being merely lifting a hand. "Calm thyself. It is only I." it said, the dwarf raising a brow as he recognized the large, rounded body and orange robes. "Buddhalax! What are you doing here?" he asked, and the Pokemon smiled. "I merely came when I heard a call from Young Master Nappa." he said, shaking the boy in his arm, who began to doze off, comforted by the massive, soft Pokemon holding onto him. Sherman rose a brow. "What happened?" he asked, and the Snorlax exhaled, walking over to a tree and sitting down. "It seems that a Slaking tried to kill young Nappa, whom you left alone." he said, the dwarf narrowing his eyes as he pointed his hammer at the Pokemon. "What are you implying?" he asked, the smiling Snorlax merely breathing.
"I do not make implications. However, this Greninja here came to his aid and managed to fend off the attacker before I arrived." he said, referring to the injured frog on his shoulder. Sherman walked over, dropping down as the Snorlax placed the Greninja on his back, along with Nappa. "I take them back to village. Worry not." he said, nodding to the dwarf before taking off. The dwarf sighed, walking over to the robed Pokemon and shaking his head. "What happened to the attacker?" he asked, and the Snorlax hummed happily. "He is in a different place now, a better one even." he said, and the dwarf frowned. "Did you consume him?" he asked, and the Snorlax chuckled, the most movement the dwarf had seen out of him besides sitting down. "He became Enlightened, and in his foolishness, tried to shun his Awakening." he said, the bear like Pokemon's cryptic words not being fully understood by the smith.
"Regardless of what actually happened, whether you consumed him or not, I thank you for your assistance, and I apologize for my foolishness that forced you into action. I am in your debt." he said, bowing to the Snorlax, who waved his hand. "Nonsense. As one of Krom's trusted companions, I only did what was right." he said, the dwarf bidding him farewell as the Snorlax nodded, rubbing his large stomach.
Walking through Mt. Moon, Orzhov looked to Krom, slightly confused. "Hey Dad, can't you talk to and understand Pokemon?" he asked, and Krom blinked. He scratched his chin, humming. Couldn't he? "Well, I have before, but not often. It's kind of like something me and my Pokemon have to be in sync to do. And since me and my Pokemon are all different people, it doesn't happen often I guess." he said, shrugging as Homika chuckled, sitting up straight and patting Bergelmir, something the Avalugg appreciated. "It doesn't happen in battle because you don't talk to your Pokemon at least. You just let them run wild like a puppy in the backyard." she said, and he hummed. "I think you're right. When my Pokemon battle, I just try to imagine what they're going through, fighting for fun, to win, and to impress me. Sometimes I feel like I don't take good enough care of them." he said, laughing.
Homika rolled her eyes. "Me and Saria have spoken to your Pokemon. They all appreciate you. Besides that bastard Bastiodon of yours, no one had any complaints." she said, and Krom blinked. Orzhov scratched his head. "Hey Mom, are there any smaller tournaments for younger trainers in Kanto?" he asked, and she tapped her chin, thinking. "I think Erika holds something small in Celadon in the fall to try and push that female trainers are smarter and better than males. She's been on that same old shtick for hundreds of years. It's sickening." she said, and Krom rose a brow. "Has she gone undefeated like Brock?" he asked, and Homika shook her head. "Nope. Instead the cunt losses on purpose to females that impress her." she said, and Krom frowned. "I'm not sure I like the idea of someone losing on purpose." he said, and Homika rolled her eyes.
"You shouldn't be. Other than the one in Celadon, I'm sure if I call Surge when we get out of this shitty cave mountain crap, he can throw something together in his town." she said, and Krom smiled, ruffling Orzhov's hair. "Any reason why you're wondering?" he asked, and his son nodded. "I wanted to see how strong I am. Sigurd is pretty strong, and he can train with Foxy, who I know is really, really strong. I'm just worried about Chespin. He hasn't trained much since recovering." he said, holding the rodent's PokeBall in his hands. Krom smiled. "Since he's still young, he can train with Clera. She's better at healing, but she can still fight." he said, and the boy smiled. Homika looked to Krom, rather happy that after all this time, she found someone that made her happy, and that he was such a good Father.
Simba glanced at the calender, rather amused that the next league meeting was tomorrow. Of course, the Cerulean Leaders, Misty's three sisters, wouldn't be attending, as Krom was expected to reach Cerulean by tomorrow afternoon, and would challenge the trio as soon as the next evening. He turned from the calender, sitting down on the couch in his living room as he took in his surroundings. Sable sat next to him, his wife rather entertained. Sanatika and Sarabi played with small dolls, each girl proclaiming that her doll was prettier than the other. Shere-Khan was actually home for once, sitting in a chair in the corner with his legs folded and arms crossed, likely sleeping. Scar sat on the floor, grumbling to himself as he looked forward. "So you can't see in the dark?" he asked, receiving a shaking head in response. "Humans are weird." he said, his parents chuckling at his comment.
"Well we think Halflings are weird." the first boy said, Scar tilting his head. "Why?" he asked, and the second boy hummed. "Well, the Halfling's we've met are all really nice. And some of them look weird." he said, and Scar scratched his head. Scar pointed at the boy, looking to his mother. "Mom! Gold said I look weird!" he said, and Sable waved him off. "Now now Sweetie, I'm sure he was talking about someone weirder looking than you." she said, the boy folding his arms and grumbling. "Yeah, we were talking about Halflings like Mr. Rex." the first boy said, the one who called himself 'Gold' nodding in agreement. "Ruby is right. Mr. Rex is funny looking." he said, and Scar chuckled, finding it rather amusing that they thought the Tyranitar Halfling looked odd. "Well, what powers do you guys have?" he asked, and the two boys looked to each other before shrugging. "We're good Pokemon trainers. That's about it." Ruby said, and Scar hummed. "You guys don't have ANY powers?" he asked, scratching his head at how confusing humans were.
Sherman frowned as he walked through the forest, his mind wondering what would have happened had the Buddhalax had not shown up. He tilted his head and glanced to the small boy on his back, who merely sat silently as he looked ahead, Sherman finding him very hard to figure out. "I am sorry for leaving you alone." he said, and he shook his head as he looked forward. He felt something touch his back, glancing back to see Nappa petting him, his face still blank as always. "I would think that there are no hard feelings between you two." Sherman heard, turning to his left to see Bonaparte walking along, Pinky to his right. "Agreed." the pink Musketeer said, Sherman sighing in relief, a smile on his face. "How is Jawz? Is his training coming along well?" he asked, the past few days having been spent away from the trio's new protege.
"He is well. His training using wooden blades is coming along fine, and we have already prepared a training regimen for his evolutions." Pinky said, Bonaparte nodding in agreement. "Indeed. He shall be a fine addition to our group." Sherman exhaled as they closed in on the village, looking to the Greninja. "Will the frog be alright?" he asked, and Bonaparte frowned, humming. "Most likely. I believe we should train him as well. Greninja are a species famed for their ninjatic fighting, but speed and repetitive weak attacks won't work against sturdy, strong foes. I think we should aim to teach him how to fight like a swordsman." the gazelle said, and Sherman nodded in agreement. "He would be a fine addition to our group as well, should his training prove to be success."
Later that night, Krom and Co. chose to rest in Mt. Moon, the grumbling of the usually silent Bergelmir rather familiar to Krom. He sat on the dry cave floor, a welcome change from the ice cold, flat surface of his sentient iceberg. The trio sat around a fire, the temperature in the cave a little chipper for Krom's taste, even Orzhov preferring to sit around the fire. "Hey Homika, does Celadon have anything other than Erika's gym and that junior tournament she throws together?" he asked, and the snow haired Halfling shrugged. "Depends. The Game Corner might still be up, but I doubt it. The mall in the city is massive and should be at least fun to look through. And depending on what mood Silph. Co is in, they might hold the P1 Grand Prix in Celadon." she said, and Krom rose a brow.
"P1 Grand Prix?" he asked, and she nodded, scratching her head. "It's changed names a lot over the years, but the Pokemon One Grand Prix Championships has always been a big draw for Silph. Co. It's a tournament where you use one single Pokemon and compete in one on one matches. Usually you use Fighting Pokemon, but I have seen and heard of Rock and Ground Pokemon being allowed." she said, and Krom blinked. A tournament for fighting type Pokemon? That rather interested him. He looked to Orzhov, smiling. "You and Sigurd should join that tournament. It'd be pretty cool to face you in the finals." he said, and Orzhov blinked, Homika folding her arms and huffing. "Who says I won't compete?" she asked, and Krom smiled. "I'll face either of you in the finals. I just know that I'm winning that tournament." he said, and Homika rose a brow.
"You hope. Last I heard a man named Anthony won the thing twenty one times in a row. It won't be easy." she said, and Krom narrowed his eyes. "Twenty one times? What kind of Pokemon does he have? Some kind of Pokemon that can Mega Evolve?" he asked, the evolved state of some Pokemon partially intriguing him. Homika shrugged. "Possibly. I'm not sure what Pokemon can and can't Mega Evolve. You'd have to ask the glorified house cat about that. I just know that the fucker has gone undefeated with a Primeape." she said, and Krom scratched his chin. A Primeape? While he knew the Pokemon had an incredible temper and interesting movepool, he couldn't truthfully see it winning in a tournament where Gallade and Medicham were allowed, or even Hawlucha, the lucha libre hawk a Pokemon Krom looked forward to facing.
He blinked, looking to Homika. "Wait, what Pokemon can you even enter in that tournament?" he asked, and Homika pulled a PokeBall from a bag she had next to her. "This one." she said, and Krom rolled his eyes. "I take it you aren't going to show me what it is until then?" he asked, and she nodded. Krom sighed. "Who will you use Dad?" Orzhov asked, and the Zekrom Halfling looked to the dark haired boy, realizing that even with the type limitations, he could still use a large group of Pokemon. "Well, if you two weren't participating, I could just use Warriorf or Sherman. I could ask Kyouhei or Saria to borrow Bonaparte, Pinky, Handy, and so on. I could also use Sparturk or Rocky. Maybe even Rafiki." he said, tapping his chin as he thought about who he was using. He looked to Orzhov and Homika, realizing that with Sigurd being Orzhov's likely choice, and him not having knowledge of what his wife would use, that he couldn't go all out and risk injuring their Pokemon.
He snapped his fingers. "I got it. I'll use Bruce." he said, and Homika blinked. "Bruce? I tell you there's a fuckin' rampaging Primeape fucking that tournament in the ass for twenty one years straight and you decide to use a mouse that likes to wear headphones while fighting?" she asked, and Krom blinked. "Unless Orzhov's Chespin evolves into a Rock, Ground or Fighting type Pokemon by time the tournament starts and you're using something large and scary, I refuse to use a Pokemon of Sherman or Warriorf's caliber. I don't want to injure your Pokemon." he said, and Homika grit her teeth and grunted loudly in frustration. "So you're gonna go easy on us in the tournament? Un-fucking-believable." she said, and Orzhov smiled, trying to sooth his mother's anger. "I think it's fine. As much as Dad wants to win, I'm sure he's fine with any of the three of us winning." he said, and Krom nodded, pointing to his son. "He's right. As long as I can beat that Primeape I don't mind losing to one of you two." he said, and Homika exhaled.
"Whatever. I'm not sure why, but Silph Co. has yet to have it this year. So you have yet to miss it you lucky bastard." she said, and Krom smiled, rather happy that his leisure didn't screw him out of an opportunity to participate in such a tournament. Then, he thought about the person he was participating to fight. "Say, Homika. Do you know anything about that guy and his Primeape?" he asked, and Homika looked to him, closing her eyes and crossing her legs. "Anthony is a lonely man who puts training over his family, something that not many people liked. When Ash decided to give him that annoying serum that extended lifespan, a lot of people, myself included, were against it. If I fought him in the tournament, I'd cheat if that's what it took to fuck him up." she said, and Krom blinked, rather surprised that a man that sounded so generic was someone that got under her skin.
And, unsurprisingly, he didn't like that this man got under Homika's skin, his resolve to fight this man increased as he clenched his fists. "What about his Primeape?" he asked, and Homika grunted. "Not sure to be honest. The man was using his Hitmonchan for years and coming in second or third place. Once he switched to this insane Primeape, his luck changed. Once I get a good look at it I'll be able to tell you, but there's a small chance that his Primeape might have been the one given to him by Ash Ketchum." she said, and Krom rose a brow. A Pokemon that belonged to Ash Ketchum? That rather interested him. His mind shifted gears, and he thought about how he could acquire said Primeape. Would he murder the man? He shook his head. No, that wasn't really his style. Could he bet the ownership of his Pokemon to goad the man into doing the same? I could. Worse case scenario is that I lose Bruce and Kooky has to go get him back.
Simba stepped into the large hut known as the infirmary, many of the lights dimmed down, the few patients all resting well. Simba silently walked along the wooden floor, his unique feet, almost like padded human feet, allowing him to move without a sound effortlessly. Making it to a far bed, Simba stepped around and sat in the small chair set up by each bed for visitors. The form in the bed stirred, the black Greninja looking to his side, immediately noticing the lion. "Simba-Sensei. Good evening." he said, bowing his head slightly, the action causing his neck pain. Simba exhaled. "Don't move your body. Our nurses said that any physical movement could alter your recovery." he noted, and the ninja grunted in agreement. "Now, explain to me what happened in detail." he commanded, the frog exhaling and looking to the ceiling.
"I was spying on Lord Nappa as you instructed me to. When Sherman entered the forge to have his horns put on, Lord Nappa was left alone, much like you predicted in your head. However, a large Slaking came out of the trees. I'm not sure from where, but he at least chose to appear directly in front of the young Lord. I made an attempt to dissuade him, but failed. I fled with the young Lord in my arms, reaching a large field, where the Slaking caught up to me and engaged me. Regardless of my training, I lacked the raw power to defeat him, and was easily disposed of." he explained, shaking his head. Simba smiled, the frog ninja taken aback, expecting Simba to have been furious at his failure. "You did well. I spoke to Sherman, and he said that him and the other Musketeers are willing to train you to become stronger. Sherman feels he owes it to you." the lion explained, and the ninja smiled, rather happy that his failure wasn't a big deal.
"Now, do you remember anything else?" he asked, and the amphibious shinobi sighed. "I'm not sure. I saw the Slaking attack the young Lord, and then…. He just stopped. He fell back and started sweating and quivering, and then I lost consciousness. When I awoke, he was simply gone. Infact, I struggle to remember any defining characteristics of the Slaking. It's as if his existence itself is fading from my memories." he said, and Simba narrowed his eyes, mumbling something under his breath. He smiled. "That's all I need to hear. Sherman and Buddhalax explained everything else to me. Although, do you have any idea who sent this Slaking?" he asked, and the frog coughed, shaking his head. "I said that I knew who sent him, but there was no actual proof that Arceus or the Church sent him."
Simba bid the frog farewell, his consciousness fading as the lion stood. When he turned to the door, he noticed that Shere-Khan was standing, as if waiting for him. "What are you doing awake? Isn't it your bedtime?" he asked playfully, his son grunting as the two of them exited the building, hitting the quiet, night time streets of Pinwheel Village. "Father, what happened to me earlier? Why did my power increase so quickly?" he asked, and Simba looked to him. "It was a partial therian transformation. Even Halflings that can't use their therian forms can undergo a partial transformation in fits of rage." he said, and Shere-Khan grit his teeth. Simba looked down to his son. "Relax. Both Kyurem and I have told you, but you aren't going to be as indestructible as a god. Even the strongest of us face losses in some aspects. Krom has nearly died multiple times, I could barely scathe Arceus and I willingly sacrificed my entire body to play a prank, and even a God like Kyurem has been defeated." he explained.
Shere-Khan balled his fists. Simba crouched down to his level, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Relax Kiddo. You have to remember that strong Halflings are born and created with the help of other strong Halflings. Don't try and emulate me, because I have a hundred years of experience under my belt. You don't even have one." he said, and the boy nodded. Simba stood straight, glancing to the village, the houses on the ground and in the trees, smiling. "One day, when I decide to become the fat cat that sleeps in the window, this will all belong to you. All you truthfully have to do, is to make sure that you can manage and protect this place." he said, and Shere-Khan nodded.
"Father, when I travel to Kalos, am I permitted to dispose of people I see as problems?" he asked, and Simba rose a brow. "What brought that on? Did you learn about someone in Kalos you don't like?" he asked, and Shere-Khan only frowned. "Kalos is an unknown factor to me. I don't know anything about it except a few people. With your permission, I would like permission to remove pawns of my choosing from the board." he said, and Simba laughed, shaking his head. "We'll discuss this when the time comes. For now, why don't you head home and get some sleep." he said, his son opening his mouth to disagree, but instead of words, the only thing that escaped his lips was a yawn. He grumbled to himself, walking off in the direction of the Lionheart household, Simba shaking his head as he watched his son.
"Troublesome child, isn't he?" Simba heard, nodding as he turned. "Almost as troublesome as your child Master Zekrom." he said, the massive, dark haired man laughing as he walked forward, the moon at his back. "He is quite the handful. Although, I wish to hear more of my grandson. What happened with Nappa? I heard from Sherman that he was attacked." he said, Simba frowning. "One of my spies intervened and saved him. Someone, who I have yet to figure out the identity of, sent a Slaking after him. And by what my spy told me, a rather fast one at that." he said, and Zekrom hummed as he nodded. "Since it was a Slaking, do you think it was someone from Hoenn?" he asked, and Simba blinked, his mind running through various individuals.
"It couldn't have been one of the Elite Four, as none of them are my enemies. The better question is, why target Nappa? He's only a child. Surely targeting you, Kyurem or even my family would be a grander, more effective tactic?" he wondered, and Zekrom narrowed his eyes. "Has word of your plans to send the children to Kalos spread outside of the village?" he asked, and Simba hummed as he glanced to Krom's house as he walked, his eyes narrowing briefly as he continued walking. "You think that someone seeks, or sought, to take out our children to what, protect Kalos?" he asked, and Zekrom hummed. "Is it a possibility?" he asked, and Simba nodded. He wouldn't be sure who, but he could likely think of a few people, given time. "It is. I will look into it. For now, I request that you and as many of the Hitoawa Pokemon as possible remain within the village so it is harder for any wannabe assassins to target the children." he said, and Zekrom nodded.
"Of course. What of your family? Have you not chosen to take in those two young boys until they choose to leave the village?" he asked, and Simba clenched his fists. "My family will do the same. I'll have to call a few of my old friends to assist, but I'll get to the bottom of this by time Krom finishes his next gym battle." he said, and Zekrom chuckled. "Can you be sure that you aren't mistaking a wild Pokemon attack for an assassination plot?" he asked, and Simba narrowed his eyes. He blinked, a realization hitting him. "The Slaking was fast and got to the point quickly, and moved silently. Almost like a ninja. This reeks of Blaziken Mask." he said, making Zekrom turned to him in surprise. "The vigilante persona of the Lumiose leader's father?" he wondered, and Simba hummed. "Precisely." he said, exhaling as he looked to his own home.
Homika grumbled as she rolled over, reaching into her bag and grabbing the vibrating phone that was inside. "The fuck do you want?" she asked quietly, a sigh on the other end of the line. "I need you to call Surge after Krom defeats the next gym." he said, and she grumbled as she sat up, looking to Krom's sleeping form, the demigod laying against a rock with Orzhov leaning against him, the sight making her smile. "Can I ask why?" she asked, and Simba hummed on the other end, Homika able to picture him nodding. "I need you to ask Surge to lure out Blaziken Mask. When he asks why, just say that Blaziken Mask tried to crack the big egg." he said, and Homika grumbled, nodding and humming. "That's fine but what the fuck is a Blaziken Mask?" she asked. Simba sighed. "He's the father of a Gym Leader from Kalos. When he's not working as a mechanic, he likes to put a mask on and try to be a superhero with his Mega Blaziken." he explained, and Homika grumbled, agreeing before hanging up and laying back down.
"Bastard house cat with his cryptic bullshit asking me to call a fucking mountain man about a shitting superhero. Un-Fucking-Believable bullshit." she grumbled to herself, hearing Krom roll over, his arm flailing and hitting the ground. "People are tryin' to sleep Castle Face." he said in his sleep, the woman shooting to a sitting position, appalled that her husband would mistake her for the grumpy old Bastiodon.
Finished! I hope you enjoyed, as I was trying to break away from the massive battles to something quieter, calmer and more focused on giving character screen time and characterization/development. It's up to you to decide if I did good at that. Anyway, I thank for reading this, and as of this chapter, I will hit the 300K word mark, so I thank you for reading something as long as about 4 novels! I appreciate all of the love and support, and it means a lot. Thanks, Jiro 'The Father Of Halflings' Uchiha, OTF Inc.