Hello there, it's me, Jiro again, not that you need me to tell yo that, since this is chapter 91 of infinity. I do hope that you enjoy this, and I sincerely thank you if you've read all 90 chapters over the last 3-4 years. It means a lot, and I appreciate it. I hope to get at least into the last stretch this year, so make sure to keep up, because the pacing of this fic might shift gears lol. Thanks again, Jiro 'The Father Of Halflings' Uchiha, OTF Inc.
The next morning, Krom exhaled when he reached Cerulean City, surprised at how humble it felt despite what he had heard about it. "So this is where Misty is from, huh?" he asked, and Homika grunted, walking alongside Krom with her arms folded, the trio choosing to give Bergelmir a rest after he managed to get them through Mt. Moon overnight. "Exactly. That's why I don't want to be in this shithole any longer than I have to be." she said, something that Krom could understand. "Since Misty isn't around, who's the Gym Leader here?" he asked. Homika shrugged, glancing ahead and seeing the Pokemon Center of the city. "Likely the Cerulean Sisters. I forget their names, but I think it's Violet, Lily and Daisy. Could be wrong though, since I don't give a shit." she said, Krom humming.
"So I'll be in a three on one situation? It is legal for something like that to happen?" he asked, and Homika rose a brow, looking to her young husband and chuckling. "You act like you wouldn't jump at the chance to have a six on eighteen fight." she quipped, something that Krom chuckled at. "Are we going to do anything else here?" Orzhov asked, the third member of the trio piping up, feeling almost forgotten in the conversation. Krom looked to him and hummed, shrugging. "What else is in this town anyway?" he asked, and Homika chuckled. "Nothing. The Nugget Bridge is to the north and the Day Care is to the south. The City itself is just for the Poke Center and the gym if you ask me." she explained, and Orzhov nodded.
"I want to train on the Nugget Bridge while Dad has his gym battle." he said, and Homika nodded. "If Dad plans on having another cataclysmic battle that can kill everyone inside the gym, I think I'll supervise you." she said, ruffling his hair, something that made Krom chuckle. "What about the Day Care? Either of you have interest in that?" he asked, something that Homika seemed to ponder as they entered the Pokemon Center, Krom glancing to the right, where the booths and phones were so he could contact Simba. "I'll probably stop by and at least help out in some way." she said with a shrug. Orzhov nodded. "I want to stop by and see if I can get a third Pokemon. Even an Egg I have to hatch will be fine." he said.
Krom chuckled as he sat down, humming as he dialed the number Simba gave him. "I think I'll stop by before my gym battle. Maybe I'll post pone it to tomorrow depending on what happens." he mused aloud as the screen flashed to life, Simba's face appearing before their eyes, the Luxray Halfling's shaggy black hair pulled back in a single braid, a sign that he was doing something somewhat important today. "What's the occasion?" Krom asked, and Simba chuckled. "Hello to you too, Krom." he said, shaking his head. "Today is a League meeting. The Cerulean Sisters aren't showing since they knew you were going to arrive. They seem a little angry about Misty." he noted, and Krom shrugged.
"I don't even remember what happened to Misty, so I'll just keep that information in mind." he said. Simba nodded in response, glancing to his right before shaking his head, as if talking to someone off screen. "Anyone you want me to send over for the gym battle?" he asked, and Krom hummed, shrugging. "Honestly? Just Iris and Jerry. Acheron should be strong enough to handle most of their Pokemon, and if not, Cernunnos has a type advantage and both Bergelmir and Big Country are pretty strong. Iris and Jerry just a need a little bit of attention." he said, and Simba chuckled, appearing rather amused as he looked to someone off screen and began making hand gestures, as if instructing them without speaking.
"Anything else? I know the Nugget Bridge is in Cerulean, if you want to check that out." he said, and Krom nodded. "Orzhov said that he'd check it out when I decided it was time for my gym battle. I've got faith that he can beat everyone on the bridge." he said, and Simba nodded, a sly smirk passing over his features for a mere moment. "I'm surprised you aren't more enthused about a solid gold bridge." he said, and Krom blinked, his mind numb for a mere second before he chuckled, a sound that built up into a small round of laughter. Simba sighed as he looked to Homika, who stood behind Krom with her arms folded. "You should unfold your arms. Makes you look angry." he mentioned absentmindedly. "Make sure that you get Orzhov off the bridge after he finishes off the last trainer. Based on Krom's laughing we both have the same idea." he said, and Homika grunted.
"Couldn't care less about your idea." she said, and Simba sighed. "Remain here for a few moments. Iris and Jerry will arrive soon. For now, I must depart for the League meeting. I will contact you again after the gym battle incase you want anyone to return to the village." he said, and Krom nodded as the screen went black, the Halfling leaning back in his seat and folding his arms. "What idea did you and Simba have?" Orzhov asked, and Krom glanced to him, smiling as he ruffled his son's hair. "You'll see." he said, glancing back to the machine as the first PokeBall arrived.
Exiting the Pokemon Center with both PokeBalls on his waist, Krom began to hum as he let Homika lead him south, the trio choosing to head to the Day Care first. "You sure you should make those bitches wait?" Homika asked, and Krom shrugged. "It honestly doesn't matter to me. It's not like I'm facing Brock or someone I know personally. And besides, I know for a fact that they don't like me, so if I make them wait for me and I don't show today, they'll be in a rather foul mood." he said, and Homika rose a brow. "Any reason why you're being an ass to them in particular?" she asked, and Krom shook his head. "Nope. I'm the challenger, so if they get mad waiting for me, that's their fault." he said, intertwining his hands behind his head as they continued walking.
When Simba entered the large room, a smile spread across his face. He hadn't seen the folks in this room in a while, and he was almost beginning to miss them, or at least miss tormenting them in some fashion. A great many pairs of eyes turned in his direction, blank faces not hiding the emotion belied in their gaze. "Good Morning my friends! How have you all been since we last met?" He asked, a hearty question that allowed Simba to gauge what kind of mood everyone else was in. "I am rather well. How have you been, Simba?" Drayden asked, the burly dragon specialist always one of Simba's good friends.
"I'm rather well. I just spoke to Krom, and unfortunately, much like the Cerulean Sisters, he will not be joining us today." he said, taking his seat, noticing that he was the last to arrive as he had planned. "What was this meeting called for, anyway?" Lt. Surge asked, the large man obviously having other things on his mind. Simba looked across from him to Kurai, the 'Old Woman' seeming rather relaxed. "To get straight to the point, it was called by Iris, who put me in her place as head of this meeting." she stated, and Simba noticed that Iris wasn't present, the acing Grand Champion usually at the head of the meetings along with the Champions. "And what did the Grand Champion desire of us on this wonderful morning?" Giovanni asked, the Old Woman chuckling to herself.
"After information she received from a reliable source, she has instructed me to give you all orders. As per the Grand Champion's decree, you are all to increase your own security and keep a close eye on everything going on in your town or city." she said, and Simba nodded. "I must concur with Madam Iris. Someone sent a Slaking into my village with orders to take out Krom's family, starting with Nappa. Is there anyone here that knows anything about that?" Simba asked, his eyes scanning each face carefully, the only emotion he could see on the faces around him were surprise, something he took as a good sign.
"After discussing it with Lord Zekrom, I have come to the conclusion that the culprit is Blaziken Mask, the vigilante persona of Clemont's father. Even though Clemont's death was wholly unrelated to Krom, as he committed suicide after a wild Arcanine managed to overwhelm and kill his wife, I currently believe that he sent the Slaking as an attempt at retaliation. We desire for you to increase your security incase Blaziken Mask tries to take refuge in your town or city. If he does, you are obligated to report his presence to me, Kurai, Iris, Krom or Giovanni." He said, something that a few of the Gym Leaders didn't seemed pleased with. "I understand what he did was wrong, but you're asking for far too much in this case." Siebold stated, Simba raising a brow.
"Far too much? Telling the police to watch for a certain man is too much to ask of you? Are you Kalosians really so pathetic?" Simba glanced to his right, noticing exactly how much anger was radiating off the speaker. "Shere-Khan, you need to calm down." he stated, and the younger Halfling scoffed. "This one's feisty, isn't he? Is he as strong as he acts?" Malva asked, Shere-Khan's hands flexing as his fangs began to grow heavier. "Shere-Khan is an extremely powerful Halfling, and if I were you, I'd try not to get him angry." he said, jabbing his chin in his son's direction, his pupils narrowed to slits as he watched the Kalosians in the room, the Elite Four in particular. "I almost wish this one was traveling through Kanto. He'd be quite the opponent, or even a great student." Surge said, a laugh from the big man calming the room down.
"Now then, will you all comply with the orders Iris has given you?" Kurai asked, and many heads nodded. "On behalf of Lumiose, I assure you that we will increase security throughout the city. What my Father has done is wrong, and I will see to it that Lumiose provides him no hospitality." Bonnie said, remaining extremely calm and professional, something that garnered a few suspicious gazes from the people around her. Kurai nodded in thanks, Alder smiling as he looked over the room. "Unova is also no place for him. We consider Pinwheel Village a sacred site, and the Hitoawa family are rare Treasures. To attack one of our Treasures on our most sacred site is unforgivable." he stated, a grunt from Giovanni catching everyone's attention.
"On behalf of Kanto, we will see to it that he stands no chance of escape. My contacts are far reaching and effective enough to capture him as soon as he enters our waters or airspace." he said, something Simba nodded in agreement to. "Since I'm here on behalf of Krom, who is the Sinnoh Champion, I assure you that Sinnoh will join Unova and Kanto. And what about you three?" He asked, turning the attention to the Champions of the three remaining regions. Koga folded his arms, leaning back in his chair and closing his eyes. "I will do all within my power to ensure that Johto is the same. At the least the ninja of Fuschia City will spread into it's sister region."
Steven Stone leaned forward, his expensive jewelry reflecting off the light in the room, the flamboyant Champion smiling. "Krom is a pretty interesting guy. I don't think it's right to target his family for any reason. Hoenn is also in agreement to refuse him hospitality." he said, something that amused Simba. "Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh and Unova are all in agreement. What about you, Kalos?" He asked, his gaze shifting to Diantha, who had remained silent. The white garbed woman inhaled, closing her eyes as her lips moved into a frown. "We are a peace loving region. If a man from Kalos is found residing peacefully in Kalos, we will do nothing about it, regardless of whatever wrongs he may have committed in a foreign land."
Simba smiled, finding the Kalosian Champion's response rather amusing, something his son didn't seem to appreciate. The young Halfling opened his mouth to speak, but his father held his hand up, the two locking eyes before Shere-Khan's posture relaxed. "Very well. However, if he is found to be guilty through and through, we of Pinwheel will dispose of him regardless." he said, and Diantha narrowed her eyes. "Do that, and Kalos and Unova will no longer considered allies, and I will implement an embargo from my end." she said, and Simba rose a brow. "And what would happen if the one who took out Blaziken Mask was a Halfling from Santalune Village? Or a Kalos native Pokemon?" he asked, and Diantha narrowed her eyes. "What are you implying?" she asked, and Simba leaned back in his chair and shrugged.
"I don't know. A lot of crazy things happen in this big world." he said, and Diantha slammed her hands on the table, rising to her feet. "If anything happens to that man, Kalos will dispose of those responsible. We defeated Unova three thousand years ago, and we'll do it again if need be!" she declared, her loud voice ringing out, Shere-Khan's face shifting from confusion to amusement, laughs beginning to erupt from his childish frame. "I get it now!" he said, Simba smiling and closing his eyes as he folded his arms. "Kalos is supposed to be a peace loving region, but within mere minutes, the Pokemon League's Kalosian leader nigh on declared war on Unova, not remembering that the other five regions had already banded together. It's genius!" he said, enthralled by his father's schemes.
He turned to Diantha, his head tilting and his lips peeling back in a toothy smile, the Sableye in him rather apparent. "I look forward to when I travel to Kalos. I will take a great pleasure in treating your precious region as my personal playground." he said, and Simba flexed his jaw, trying to keep his composure. Shere-Khan leaned forward, placing his own hands on the table and laughing. "And if anything happens to the Hitoawa, to my rivals, I will see to it that everyone you care for is dispatched." he said, and Simba rose a brow, finding his son's unusual venom amusing. "You should watch your tongue, Child. You know not what you speak." Wikstrom said, and Shere-Khan glanced to him lazily.
"I am Shere-Khan Lionheart, the Prince of All Felines. There isn't a single human on this planet that could defeat me." he said, Kurai slamming her staff to the ground to silence the room. "Enough. I will ask once more. Kalos, will you comply with these orders?" she asked, and Diantha closed her eyes, calming herself as she sat back down. "If he returns to Kalos and does wrong, we will extradite him post haste. However, should he return to his life as a peaceful mechanic, we will refuse to extradite him, even at the cost of our place in the United Pokemon League." she said, something Kurai nodded to. "Good. Now that I am aware where everyone stands, you are all dismissed. I must speak to Iris and relay to her all of the information I gathered here." she said, the many people standing and beginning to file out of the room.
With the Day Care in sight, Krom glanced to his wife. "Say, do you plan on showing me the Pokemon you've brought with you?" he asked, and Homika shrugged. "Keep asking and I'll make sure you never see me with another Pokemon besides Slipknot again." she said, Krom chuckling in amusement at her over-dramatic comeback. "Do you know if this Day Care is as populated as the one in Unova?" he asked, and Homika shrugged. "It might be. Kanto is a rather competitive region. Breeders often simply release imperfect Pokemon instead of trading them away, giving them away or so forth. Few decades back there was a massive influx of wild Riolu in the region because a couple of breeders were trying to breed themselves a Lucario to stop Anthony and his Primeape when they made their triumphant return." she explained, something that made Krom more interested in the P1 Grand Prix.
Reaching the building, which was in an odd spot, being fenced in on both sides, with multiple small, steep hills behind it, Krom opened the front door, inhaling as he walked in. The building was rather plain, Oranwood floors and the scent of lavender wafting through the establishment. An elderly woman shuffled out from a back room, a smile on her face. "It's been a while since we've had customers. What can I do for you today, kids?" she asked, and Krom hummed, rubbing his chin. "Me and my son were wondering if you had Pokemon up for adoption to be honest. I enjoy working with many Pokemon at once, and he's just starting out." he explained, something the woman understood.
"You can follow me to the backyard. Since we only have a few regulars, most of the Pokemon here are strays or the Pokemon left by hardcore trainers during their breeding 'projects', as sad as that sounds." she said, leading them through the large house and towards the backyard. "My grandson, Stuart, should be in the backyard feeding the Pokemon. Poor child works so hard all by himself." she said, and Krom tilted his head as they entered the backyard. "What about his parents?" he asked, and the woman shook her head, glancing to the sky as a pair of Staravia landed in a nearby tree. "His Mother is in Johto, working as part of Silph Co.'s Johto Branch. And we don't talk about his father, since he passed away." she mentioned, and Krom nodded. "Me and Orzhov here wouldn't mind helping out while we're around, right?" he said, looking to Orzhov, who nodded happily.
Homika sat back, watching Krom and Orzhov working leisurely with smiles on their faces. "Why don't you let your Pokemon out? I'm sure they're rather cramped up in their PokeBalls." the woman said, something that Homika grunted in response to, pulling Slipknot's PokeBall from her waist and tossing it into the air, watching it crack open like an egg as the round Pichu rolled in mid air, hitting the ground and spreading it's short arms, as if awaiting applause. It remained in this position until Homika clapped lightly, the creature smiling at the applause it knew it deserved. Krom noticed this and pulled the six PokeBalls from his waist, smiling as he tossed them into the air, something Orzhov mimicked, right down to the angle Krom threw them at.
The balls all popped open, each of Krom and Orzhov's Pokemon beginning to take shape as the energy surrounding them faded away. Cernunnos released a sound akin to a relieved sigh, the ghostly tree stretching his branch like arms and grunting in happiness as he looked around, realizing that he was finally in the Kanto region. Acheron simply exhaled, his body still sore from his fight with Brock, the ancient Absol choosing to stroll over to Homika and curl up by her feet. Bergelmir merely crouched slightly and fell asleep, the Pokemon still weary from carrying everyone from Pewter to Cerulean. Big Country merely fell back, the ground shaking as the white, furry bear went to sleep as well. Iris seemed lively, exhaling and flying over to Big Country, greeting her new friend after landing on his large belly.
Sigurd and Chespin were also rather lively, immediately setting off throughout the Day Care's property together. Jerry exhaled, the Pichu seeming a little sluggish after all of his rest, the small mouse even looking like he'd put on a little weight, something Krom noted might hinder him in their upcoming gym battle. "Are you alright Jerry? You're looking a little plump there, buddy." he said, dropping down to a crouch and talking to the mouse. Jerry nodded, plopping down and exhaling as he sat, a lazy smile on his face. Krom sighed, noticing that a shadow came over Jerry. Krom glanced up, seeing a boy he assumed was the owner's grandson standing in front of him, a small Mankey at his side. Krom smiled, rising to his feet and nodding in greeting.
"Hey there. I take it that you're Stuart? Your Grandmother says that you're a pretty hard worker for such a little guy." he said, and the kid made a face akin to displeasure, as if being referred to as a 'little guy' wasn't something he liked. "I'm not little. I'm just growing. It's not my fault I haven't evolved yet." he said, and Krom narrowed his eyes in confusion before blinking. He held his left hand out, watching as sparks flew between his fingers and Stuart's cheeks, something that made Krom chuckle. "So you're a Halfling too, huh?" he asked, and the boy looked up at him in confusion. "You're a Halfling? You don't look like it." he said, and Krom shrugged.
"I can choose too if I wanted. See?" he said, holding his right arm out as it began to shift and change, black scales covering Krom's bronze flesh. The boy seemed surprised, something that amused the older Halfling. "Since the electricity I felt came from your cheeks, I assume that means that you're a Pikachu Halfling, right?" he asked, and the boy nodded. "Is it that easy to tell?" he asked, and Krom nodded. "Of course. I've met all kinds of Halflings over the last year or so. Infact, my wife over there and my son over by the Meowth are also Halflings." he explained, Stuart looking to Orzhov and noticing his long, red left ear, his eyes moving to Homika, who reached up and tapped her blunt, icicle like horns, her sensitive ears picking up the conversation.
"Are you strong?" he asked, and Krom nodded. "I'd say so. I've done a lot of fighting over the last year too." he said, with a chuckle. "Will you help me with something?" he asked, and Krom nodded. "Sure. What do you need help with?" he asked, and Stuart glanced down to his Mankey. "I have to feed everybody, but since I became friends with Manny, one of our Pokemon has been really mean lately." he explained, and Krom rose a brow in confusion, nodding. He flexed the muscles in his feet, feeling the elderly woman in charge approaching. "Let me show you the way to him. He likes to hide off in far flung corners of the property." she explained, and Krom nodded, allowing the woman to guide him and Stuart in the direction of the grumpy Pokemon.
Orzhov hummed as he sat with a small group of Pokemon, watching them eat contently as he merely lazed around, something he was happy to do. He watched Sigurd and Chespin closely, the two Pokemon remaining friendly to the inhabitants of the property. Orzhov heard footsteps approach him, smiling when he realized that it was only Foxy, the Zoroark his strongest, and closest, companion. "Does anyone here stick out to you, Foxy?" he wondered, and the illusion using Pokemon shook her head, unable to pick out any of the small creatures as a potential ally. Orzhov chuckled as he pulled a young Meowth off his head, placing it on the ground in front of him, watching as it turned away from him and walked over to the small group.
"Are you looking for someone in particular?" he heard, the Sneasel Halfling rising to his feet as he looked to Stuart, who was slightly shorter than him. "Not really. Me and Foxy are just looking for now." he explained, and the other boy nodded in understanding. "Say, is he really your Dad?" he asked, and Orzhov shook his head. "He's not my real dad, but him and Mr. Simba are the kindest people, and my Mom really cares about me." he explained, and Stuart hummed. "What kind of Halflings are you guys?" he asked, and Orzhov looked to Foxy, who nodded as she turned to the small group of Pokemon, exhaling as she watched them begin to scuffle over a berry.
"I'm a Sneasel Halfling, and my Mom is a Froslass Halfling. Part of the reason we get along so well is because we're both Ice types. Which should be weird for Dad, since he's a Zekrom Halfling." he said, and Stuart blinked, glancing in the direction Krom went in. "That guy's a Zekrom?" he asked, more to himself than Orzhov. The Sneasel glanced back to Foxy, who was tending to the fighting Pokemon much like a mother would tend to fighting children, something that made Orzhov smile. "Say, where did you get a Zoroark?" Stuart asked, and Orzhov smiled, glancing back to the Pikachu Halfling. "My Dad gave her to me since we got along so well. He caught her not that long after he started his journey, since she spent a couple of days hanging around him and his traveling companions." he explained.
"So you guys are from Unova?" Stuart asked, and Orzhov nodded. "I was born and raised in Pinwheel Village." he said, and Stuart smiled, and Orzhov could tell that the other child was happy to have someone around his age to talk to. He reached out and grabbed Orzhov's arm, pulling him along and seeming rather happy. "Come on, I wanna show you something!" he said, and Orzhov only complied, glancing back to Foxy and smiling, a single wave all the fox needed to reassure her that all was well. Orzhov noticed that they were moving towards the house, something he thought was slightly weird. They ran past Homika, who only smiled after them, happy that Orzhov was getting along with someone besides Krom and Foxy.
"Can you tell me about this Pokemon? It seems weird for a Pokemon to suddenly become aggressive towards it's caretaker, especially if that caretaker is a child." Krom inquired, and the elderly woman nodded as they moved through the property, the woman stopping to pet an elderly Arcanine that wandered the premises, Krom able to tell that he belonged to the elderly woman. "He's a real sad story, that one." she said, coming to a halt after their oddly long walk, pointing to a large tree on the back end of the property, where a single Pokemon was, the bipedal creature training by itself, Krom able to feel the anger radiating from it. "His name is Sagat. He was one of the rare, treasured successes of the unusual Riolu breeding. He came out impeccable, his potential said to be much higher than most, and his skin and fur a rare, inverted color compared to the usual Riolu's blue skin and fur with a yellow chest." she began, Krom watching the Lucario intently, finding something off about it's shape.
"When he was entered into the P1 Grand Prix, he was a huge success. And the second year, he was an underdog, but he still won. And the same thing goes for the next two years as well. However, the problem came on the fifth year. Because that was when Anthony returned with his legendary, fearsome Primeape." she explained, and Krom nodded. That explains why he wasn't fond of Stuart having a Mankey around him. Krom noted, the elderly woman shaking her head. "Sagat faced the Primeape in the finals, but it was a sad viewing. My husband who passed on recently said it was like watching a public execution. He told me that the Primeape went completely berserk, and not only beat Sagat, but scarred him in a bloody showing." she explained, and Krom frowned, completely convinced that he needed to win the tournament.
He began to walk forward, the Lucario's bright golden figure becoming more clear to his eyes, the canine Pokemon panting as his fists shot out at nothing in particular, Krom aware that the Lucario was likely picturing the Primeape that seemed to be the focus of the past day. When Krom chuckled at how flawless the aura wielder's form and technique were, the jackal's training coming to a halt as a golden head turned in Krom's direction, his body following, allowing Krom to see exactly how damaged he was. First, his face was scarred, a jagged wound that started at the left of his left ear and went down his face and over his eye, which was completely white, the wound going over his snout and over his lips, stopping at his right jaw. The fur on his chest was shaggy and ingrown, and Krom could see why.
Starting at his right shoulder, a large, swollen scar traveled down his chest to his waist, the Zekrom Halfling both shocked and intrigued by the fact that the spike on his chest was completely missing. He looked to the Lucario's legs, noticing that the middle toe of his right foot was missing, his eyes traveling to the canine's arms, his paws taped from the knuckle halfway up to the forearm. And, based on how flat the bandages were, Krom knew that the Lucario had lost the spikes in his hands as well, something that made Krom grow slightly upset. He clenched his fists, something that Sagat picked up on and took the wrong way, his taped fists rising and his lips curling back, his left leg rising off the ground slightly. Krom blinked, exhaling as he mimicked the Lucario's stance, beginning to understand his fighting style.
"The old lady in charge tells me that you're giving her grandson a hard time." he said, the two walking closer to each other, slowly and carefully. "And what of it!?" The Lucario spat in return, Krom blinking when he realized that he could understand the jackal. I gotta remember that being a Halfling means that I can talk to Pokemon now. He thought, making a mental note as he sighed. "You shouldn't give a little boy a problem because his friend is of the same species as the guy that messed you up." he said, and the Lucario growled. "Silence!" he shouted, jumping and throwing a right hand at Krom. Krom caught his taped paw with his left hand, shoving his hand back as he watched Sagat's left knee jerk forward, slapping the Lucario's knee down. The Lucario skidded back from the force, his teeth gritting together.
"Calm down. I came here because Stuart wanted me to see if I could do something about your attitude." he explained, and the Lucario rose back to it's full height before folding his arms. "There is nothing any of you can do for me." he said, and Krom rose a brow. "Stubborn, aren't you?" he asked with a laugh, walking up to the Lucario, noting that he was much taller than the average Lucario, the tips of his ears likely nearing the six foot mark, something that made Krom wonder exactly what kind of tactics breeders use. "I understand what it's like for a Pokemon to be abandoned by it's Trainer. Multiple Pokemon I've made friends with are like that." he said and the Lucario scoffed, a bitter sound that Krom wasn't surprised to hear. "But how many of them were bred to do one thing, and one thing only?" he asked, and Krom shrugged.
"None as far as I know. But I can tell you this. All of them are happy right now. Even the Haxorus I saved from it's abusive trainer." he said, and Sagat's posture relaxed ever so slightly. "And what does any of this have to do with me?" he asked, and Krom hummed. "Well, everything actually. You see, I want to enter the P1 Grand Prix and defeat Anthony, and probably take his Primeape somehow. This coincides with the extremely evident desire you have to get revenge." he explained, and Sagat scoffed again. "So you want me to do what? Serve you in the hopes that we can defeat the Primeape? Ridiculous." he said, turning away from Krom and walking towards the large tree. "Do you think you'll lose again?" the demigod asked, and Sagat hesitated.
"I can help you get stronger. Infact, I can help you reach your Mega Evolution, if you so desire." he said, and Sagat's head turned back to Krom, his white eye and scarred face looking to him. "And what proof do you have that you speak the truth?" he asked, and Krom shrugged. "None. However, I can tell that you're worried about me turning on you if you lose." he noted, dropping to a sitting position and sighing. "I take it that you evolved by being praised and treated better than your littermates, huh?" he asked, and Sagat narrowed his right eye. "How are you aware of this?" he asked, and Krom smiled. "Riolu evolve via a bond with their trainer, but since your trainer left you, it means that the bond was forced through praise, not a genuine bond." he said, Sagat growling as he dropped to a sitting position across from Krom.
"And you say that you're different?" he asked, and Krom nodded. "Of course. I train my Pokemon, and let them fight on their own to show off their skills. I wouldn't command them, nor would I ever breed a Pokemon, only to discard them." he explained, and Sagat hummed. "I can tell that you're telling the truth." he said, lowering his head as if concentrating, or thinking deeply. "Very well. I will travel and train with you. However, I request that my name not be changed." he said, the two standing as Krom held his hand out to shake the Lucario's paw. "That won't be a problem. I like the name Sagat. And besides, it'd be weird to change your name now, since you're almost thirty years old." he said, the two chuckling and shaking hands before turning towards the Day Care.
Stuart only let Orzhov's arm go when they reached a second floor room that he assumed belonged to the Pikachu Halfling. He watched the shorter boy run into the room and pick up a blue ball, approaching Orzhov. The Sneasel watched the ball closely, noticing that it was a Dive Ball. Stuart held the ball out to Orzhov, who looked from the sphere to the boy holding it. "I want you to have this." he said, and Orzhov nodded in thanks, grabbing the ball and clicking the button in the center. The ball popped open, and the blue energy that erupted from the ball moved to Orzhov's left, taking shape as it dissipated. Orzhov blinked, looking at the Pokemon that came from the ball as it grabbed it's own head, tilting it and quacking loudly.
"Say, isn't he cool?" Stuart asked, the boy in a very enthusiastic mood as he crouched down and patted the Psyduck's head, Orzhov finding something off about the water Pokemon. "Aren't Psyducks supposed to be yellow?" he asked, and Stuart nodded. "Yep. That's why he's so cool!" he said, and Orzhov blinked, finding it hard to understand why the Psyduck being a different color would make it any more interesting than a regular Psyduck. "If you want to take a Pokemon with you, why not him?" Stuart asked, standing and smiling at Orzhov. Orzhov blinked, looking the boy in the eyes, noticing that he wasn't as mature as most Halflings his age, something Orzhov was partially jealous of. "Is there a particular reason why you suggested this guy?" Orzhov asked, crouching in front of the Psyduck.
He rubbed it's round, smooth head, feeling his lips twitch at how soft it was, it's completely blue body rather vibrant compared to the usual dull yellow of most Psyduck. Another quack from the chubby duck, and Orzhov felt his lips move in a smile, a chuckle rising in his chest. "Because if Grandma finds out about him, she'll make me give him up." he said, and Orzhov glanced back to him, noticing the sad look in his bright blue eyes. For some reason, Orzhov didn't like that look, his smile shifting to a frown as he looked back to the Psyduck. "You think she'll give him up since she can charge more to adopt a rare colored Pokemon, huh?" he asked, and Stuart whimpered, something Orzhov sighed at.
He rose back to his feet. "Does he have a name?" he asked, and Stuart blinked, the look on his face brightening up slightly. He nodded, his dirty blonde hair shuffling over his eyes. "His name is Grin." he said, and Orzhov blinked, finding the name a little bit odd. He looked to the Psyduck, and sure enough, there was a grin on the blue Pokemon's beak. Orzhov chuckled at the name, and nodded. Stuart took the PokeBall from Orzhov, returning the absentminded duck to his spherical dwelling. Stuart inhaled, looking to the ball before holding it out with both of his hands, smiling. "Say, if I let you take Grin with you, can we be friends?" he asked, and Orzhov blinked. Was that his motive the entire time?
Homika glanced up, her sensitive ears picking up the conversation between the two children, finding it a little odd that a child would have to bribe someone to be their friend. "Does Stuart have a lot of friends?" Homika asked, the elderly woman sitting across from her at a small table right outside the house. The woman shook her head. "Afraid not. He doesn't enjoy going to school because he gets picked on for being a Halfling. He eventually stopped trying to make friends with people, which is why he does so much work around here, because he's working for his friends." she said, and Homika nodded. "And what would you do if one of his friends was a rare Pokemon, or one with a special coloration or something?" she asked, and the woman blinked.
"We survive rather well off of donations and our regulars, so it's not like I'd need to charge an inflated adoption price and ignore my own grandchild's feelings." she said, and Homika nodded with a smile, glancing up to where Orzhov was, closing her eyes and slouching in her chair slightly, feeling that her job was done.
Orzhov smiled, thanking his Mother for aiding him, his sensitive hearing allowing him to hear the brief exchange between his mother and the elderly woman. Orzhov looked to the boy, asking himself only one, singular question. What would my Dad do? He wondered, lifting his hand and hesitating before placing it on the PokeBall, pushing the boy's hands down before inhaling. Orzhov folded his arms, much like his Mother would, remembering that his adoptive father was far too laid back. He looked to Stuart, who seemed crestfallen, something that made Orzhov uncomfortable. "No offense, but I don't want to be bribed into being someone's friend." he said, his arms unfolding as he grumbled, scratching the back of his head.
He held out his right hand, partially wishing his father was here to coach him through the situation. Then again, Dad's a lot smarter than me. He noted, Stuart looking to Orzhov after glancing down to his hand. "Like I said, I don't want to be bribed. If you want to be friends, just ask." he said, and Stuart beamed, reaching out and shaking Orzhov's hand, the Sneasel breathing a sigh of relief.
When Krom reached the building with Sagat in tow, he surveyed the area closely. A small group of smaller Pokemon huddled around Foxy, who was evenly splitting berries up amongst the group. Big Country was doing something similar, a group of young Machop all taking turns attacking his massive, sponge like belly. Cernunnos sat calmly with his arms spread wide, bird Pokemon of many varieties adorning him like living jewelry. Iris and Jerry were playing with Manny, the trio of Pokemon chasing after Stuart and Orzhov, who had large smiles on their faces. "It seems rather upbeat around here." Sagat said, Krom noticing his scarred lips twitching, as if he was suppressing a smile.
Krom walked over to Homika, who sat with Acheron at her feet, her face ever so slightly red. "Are you alright?" he asked, and Homika nodded, rubbing her eyes as if she had just been crying. "I'm fine you idiot." she said, and Krom shrugged, turning towards the broad expanse of the Day Care's property, smiling at how cheerful everything was. "This is actually pretty nice. Maybe I'll take over Simba's Day Care after I finally settle down." he said, and Homika chuckled. "Knowing you there would be another region added to the United Pokemon League and you'd try and conquer that too." she said, and Krom shrugged. "I can't keep going forever. My kids gotta be able to do something too, y'know?" he said, and Homika nodded, a soft smile on her face as she watched Orzhov.
Krom picked up on this and chuckled to himself, happy to see his wife sitting calmly with a smile on her face. He looked to Orzhov as well, noticing that he was acting like the child he was, instead of being more mature like usual, something that made Krom rather happy as well. He felt his heart throb, and before he could question why, he looked to Homika. Inhaling, he folded his arms and nodded. I get what's gotten into Homika. She's happy that Orzhov made a friend. So am I. He thought, realizing that he could sit back and watch over the Day Care for a while, choosing to ignore the likely irate Gym Leaders to the north.
That night, Homika exited the room the trio was staying in, grumbling at how bright the rest of the Pokemon Center was despite the late hour. Shuffling though the halls, she made it to the wide open entrance, moving to the video phone booths and sitting down, inhaling and smiling at how quiet it was. She grumbled to herself, dialing a number as she rubbed her eyes and scratched her head. As she yawned, the screen flashed to life, a familiar round face visible to her eyes. "It's not often someone calls for me." Sable said, and Homika shrugged. "I like you more than your husband. He's a pain in the ass." she said, something that the Sableye Halfling giggled at. "How are things going?" she asked, and Homika grunted.
"Pretty nice actually. Krom got himself a nasty looking Lucario and Orzhov made a friend today." she said, the latter part of her statement making her smile. Sable giggled and clapped to herself, seeming as happy as Homika was. "That's great! I wish Shere-Khan would spend less time trying to get stronger and more time making friends." she said, and Homika shrugged. "Someday someone will get through to that kid. Although, that might be a lie if he doesn't get along with Kyouhei." she said, remembering that the shaggy haired boy was extremely friendly towards everybody, regardless of who or what they were.
"So what did you call for?" she asked, and Homika ran her fingers through her snow white hair. "Since your husband won't give me a straight fucking answer most of the time, I wanted to ask you. What information do you guys have on the Cerulean City Day Care?" she asked, and Sable hummed, tapping her lips. She held a finger up. "Wait here, I think Simba has something on it." she said, and Homika grunted in response, rolling her shoulders, which were slightly sore. "Damn Zekrom Halfling and his weird electricity shit." she said, remembering that Krom's electricity spikes when he sleeps sometimes, something she figured Simba or the man's father would know more about.
When Sable returned, she had a small file with her, humming as she looked through it. "It's just a Day Care. Simba made a note about the fact that the owner's grandson is a Pikachu Halfling. Did you see him?" she asked, and Homika nodded. "Stuart is Orzhov's friend. Cute kid." she said, her drowsiness slowly fading. Sable hummed. "Simba's file says that Stuart's Father was a Raichu left in their care by… some criminal. File says that Jazal took them both out sadly." she explained, mentioning the Feline Lord of Kanto, a man that Homika was glad she had never honestly met. Homika grunted in response to the information, neutral to it. "Does Simba have any ideas of what he's doing with that Day Care, if anything?" she asked, and the Sableye Halfling shook her head.
"Nothing here honestly. Nothing on protection, and nothing on taking it out. It's like it's just there to him." she said, and Homika hummed. "If you edit that file, will Simba get pissed?" she asked, and Sable shook her head. "Simba isn't as bad as you make him seem Homika." she said, and the Froslass Halfling chuckled, a slightly bitter sound. "Edit the damn thing. Write in that it requires high levels of protection, and one sizable, anonymous donation a year." she said, and Sable chuckled. "Sounds like someone is getting soft now that she has a kid to take care of." Sable quipped, and Homika grumbled, feeling her cheeks heat up ever so slightly as she folded her arms.
"Orzhov is Stuart's only friend and vice versa. I'm not going to let anything happen to them." she said, and Sable nodded. "Y'know, if you guys keep moving at the same pace, you can probably run into Jazal in Celadon and mention it to him personally. I'm sure if you tell him Simba is okay with your request he'd be happy to aid you." she said, and Homika grumbled, as if she wasn't convinced. "How can I trust a guy like Jazal? He might be the only one worse than Simba." she said, and Sable shrugged, a devilish smirk on her face. "I guess you'll just have to trust me." she said, and Homika sighed. "You expect me trust a fuckin' Sableye?"
The next morning, the trio took their time getting prepared for the day, Orzhov in particular. Krom picked up on this, and he glanced to his son as he tied his boots. "Something buggin' you, Kid?" he asked, and Orzhov blinked, shaking his head. "Not really. I was just thinking what I was going to do after I finish with the Nugget Bridge." he explained, and Krom hummed as he nodded, shifting to tie his other boot. "Why not stop off at the Day Care? After all, you aren't gonna see Stuart or that funny Psyduck of his very much while we travel through the region." he suggested, and Homika nodded in agreement, her arms folded as always.
"I wouldn't mind stopping by either. The Old Lady makes some killer lemonade." she said, Krom glancing to his wife before chuckling. He stood, rolling his neck and shoulders as he sighed. He turned to his left, glancing to the ceiling and sighing. "How long are you going to keep sleeping like that?" he asked, receiving a high pitched giggle in return as Kooky dropped down from the ceiling, rolling his small shoulders and smiling at Krom. "Keep and eye on these two, Kooky. Make sure you bring everyone along." he said, and the Pawniard saluted his Trainer, the other twelve Stealth Rangers appearing from various places to salute Krom as well, something that made him laugh.
On the way to the Gym, Homika looked to her husband, one thing still on her mind. "Why are you challenging the Cerulean Sisters and their Gym anyway? You already have the badge from this gym." she said, and Krom blinked. "I do?" he asked, and Homika groaned, rolling her eyes and shaking her head. "Yes, you numbskull. Remember when the damn dwarf beat Misty?" she asked, and Krom blinked, humming. "Not really. I just remember you killing Misty, which was where I started to fall for you." he noted, and Homika blinked, unsure of what to feel at such a statement.
"I'm not even to ask you to elaborate on that." she said, and Krom shrugged in response, glancing to Orzhov, who always remained quiet during their walks. "You shouldn't be so quiet all the time, Orzhov." The Sneasel Halfling blinked, chuckling as he looked up to his parents. "Sorry, I was just thinking about my Chespin." he said, and Krom hummed, happy to discuss the unusual grass rodent. "What about him?" he asked, and the boy hummed. "I was thinking of giving him a name, but I can't think of one." he said, and Krom blinked. "I haven't had that problem yet I don't think. I can usually think of a name for a Pokemon just by looking and them and seeing how they act. Just look at Rocky and Kooky." he said, and Homika rolled her eyes.
"Then where did Jerry get his name?" she asked, and Krom blinked. "I dunno. He just looks like a 'Jerry' to me. And besides, I didn't name him, Iris did." he said, referring to his Emolga before turning back to Orzhov. "Have you come up with anything so far?" he asked, and Orzhov shook his head. "I wanted to name him 'Pinap', but what if he doesn't have the Pinap Berry spikes when he evolves?" he asked, something that made Krom nod. "Well, you can take your time thinking about it. After all, you only name your Pokemon once, right?" he asked, and Orzhov nodded, a hum coming from the Sneasel as he looked forward, the trio standing at the front door of the Cerulean City Gym.
Shira Moyasu felt very uncomfortable around Zekrom, the large, dark haired man being a presence she honestly wished wasn't around. However, over the past couple of days, Saria made a point of leaving her alone with her Uncle as much as possible. And, even worse, this time she was left in the living alone with Zekrom and, of all people, Nappa. The large child sat next to her on the couch, his massive frame keeping him upright against the corner of the couch. "What do you think of Nappa?" the large man asked, and Shira blinked, looking to the sleeping child, his lazy attitude apparently caused by his odd form.
"I think he's… big." she said, and Zekrom laughed, something that almost made Shira worry. "He's actual rather normal for someone that's a mixture of such different species. Imagine how big he would be if he was your child." he said, and Shira narrowed her eyes. Was the god trying to imply something? "How much bigger would he be?" she asked, and Zekrom hummed as he scratched his chin. "Well, at least thirty to fourty percent bigger, I'd guess. Hitoawa, Moyasu hybrids aren't common as one would think. More often than not, the Hitoawa men married noblewomen who's fathers they joined forces with, or that they killed. The Moyasu preferred to marry for money and status." he noted, and Shira nodded slowly.
"Is there a third clan, one that descended from Kyurem?" she asked, and Zekrom hummed. "I don't believe so. The old man was never one for sticking around people enough to create an entire clan. If he's had any Halfling children, I would honestly be surprised. Why do you ask?" he wondered, and Shira shrugged. "I don't know. I'm not as used to this Halfling thing as Krom or Saria." she said, and Zekrom smiled, chuckling as Nappa shuffled around. "It would be interesting if one of Kyurem's daughters were to have a child with one of your sons with Krom. That'd be quite the combination." he mentioned absentmindedly, a statement that was more musing to himself.
"Hey, Uncle Zekrom? Is having a therian born child hard?" she asked, and he looked to her, shrugging. "Don't ask me. I'm not the one that had one. Krom was an unusual case. He was born in a partially shifted form as far as I can remember, so it's not as if I could use him as an example." he explained, and Shira nodded. "Since therians born from the wombs of Pokemon are usually stronger, doesn't that mean that I should be stronger than Krom?" she asked, and Zekrom shook his head. "Demigods are much different cases, partially because they don't exist very often. By observing you, Krom, Vraakas, Nemeria and Vraakas' cousins, we've gathered that demigod Halflings are all more animal-like, even when human born. However, the human born ones seem to have the ability to manipulate how much of their inhuman half comes out, which is very interesting." he said, looking to Nappa.
"Which makes this little guy extremely interesting, since he's the first therian born demigod Halfling born to a Halfling Mother since… why, since Thorkrom as far as I remember." he said, and Shira blinked. Shira looked to Nappa, who glanced at her lazily with his crimson eyes, making noises akin to grumbling as he swung his left arm out, hitting Shira's leg before he rolled over, falling back to sleep. Zekrom laughed, leaning back and smiling. Shira saw the look of pride on Zekrom's face, the god not trying to hide his love and happiness when it came to his family, something that made Shira frown slightly, as she was ever so slightly jealous. She hadn't really known her mother, and when Reshiram finally came to her, it was to convince her to kill Krom's wife, something that ended her up in the dungeon.
Although, Shira tilted her head. Why did Simba let her out so suddenly? "Because Simba hated the look in your eyes." Zekrom said, and Shira blinked, looking to the god, who had read her thoughts like an open book. "Simba saw that you looked dead inside, and wanted to do something to get your spirits up. The fact that he nearly gave you to Krom is very amusing to me." he said with a chuckle. The god's face soon shifted to a more serious demeanor, and he folded his arms. "I can tell that you were worried about your Mother." he said, and Shira blinked, listening to the god carefully. "When the time to fight Arceus the final time comes, I promise you that I will deal with her personally. And I swear that I will do everything in my power to remove the darkness in her heart and bring her back to our side." he said, bowing his head slightly.
Saria chuckled as she sat in the backyard, listening to the two talk inside the house, the sound of Nappa's light snores also reaching her pointed ears. She watched Kyouhei sit and play with Magni, the green haired child lazing about as Kyouhei played with him like a doll. "Kyouhei, don't be rough with Magni." she said, and the boy looked to her, blinking before nodding and sitting the child down, the young Zekrom Halfling grunting as he began to fall asleep. She looked to Freyja, who was sitting against Castle Face, both of them sleeping soundly, something Saria was grateful for, as the Bastiodon really enjoyed complaining. She looked to Aja, who was sitting in Mumbles' mouth, swinging her small legs and giggling as the Exploud swung his large jaw like a swing, something that made Saria question how comfortable he was doing that.
She heard footsteps approaching, and glanced back to Cockatiel, the Blaziken dropping to one knee and placing a hand over his heart as he greeted her. "My Lady." Saria chuckled, patting the bird man on the shoulder. "There's no need to be formal Cockatiel." she said, and the Blaziken rose. "I performed the surveillance you asked of me after the attack on young Lord Nappa. Nothing seems amiss in the entirety of Pinwheel Forest or the surrounding routes. The Church presence is also non existent, and the public Halfling presence seems to have risen, much like Master Krom hoped for." he explained, and Saria smiled. "That's great to hear. You can rest now. I know you've been at it for hours on end." she said, and the Blaziken bowed again, choosing to merely sit where he was standing, taking a cross legged sitting position.
Freyja stirred from her slumber, looking over to where her mom was and blinking. She saw a big, dark red chicken sitting by her mother, and she groaned loudly, catching Saria's attention. The Halfling moved to see what was on her child's mind, but Cockatiel sped over to her, the Blaziken silently bowing in front of her, hand on his heart. "Does something ail you, Madam Freyja?" he asked, and she reached out and touched his knee, giggling at how warm he was. Saria chuckled, walking over to the girl. "I think she likes you." he said, and the Blaziken looked to the happy girl, ignoring that the Bastiodon she laid against was beginning to stir. Saria looked to Cockatiel, sighing. "Castle Face is going to wake up any second. Let's get out of here before he does." she said, and he nodded.
"Oh really!?" The Bastiodon said, his voice rising enough to stir Magni from his slumber, the boy releasing a loud noise akin to an upset shout. Kyouhei was surprised to hear it, and he scooted back from his spot on the grass, and the Bastiodon began to shake himself free of the drowsiness as everyone began filing back into the house. "Oi! Where you fuckers think you're going!?" He shouted as he began following, the door soon closing before he could reach it. "Oh so you wanna run inside because I'm awake!? Fine! Fuck you!" he shouted, stomping his foot down and turning away from the cabin, walking towards the forest and growling to himself.
"Maybe you should chill, dude." the Bastiodon heard, rolling his eyes as he looked to Twiggy, the metallic Torterra lazing about in the sunlight. "This is the second time you speak just to tell me to calm the fuck down! I'm fuckin' sick of it!" he shouted, and Twiggy's face moved into a lopsided frown. "Are all old dudes like this?" he asked, and Castle Face grinded his jaws together. He narrowed his eyes and took a step closer to Twiggy. "Did you just fucking call me old!?" he asked, his voice rising as his sentence came from his lips. Twiggy nodded before stretching his limbs and sighing. "Yah, bro. You act like a crusty old man, dude. It's totally, like, not radical at all, maaan." he said, and Castle Face felt his muscles tense in anger.
Castle Face felt the ground shake slightly, and he rolled his eyes and loudly groaned as he turned to face Mahmut, the mammoth mammoth walking over with Boris sitting on his head. "And just when I thought it couldn't get any fuckin' worse!" he shouted, looking up at the mammoth and his companion. "Hey there Bud, I heard you yelling and I wanted to see what was going on. You okay?" he asked, and Castle Face grumbled to himself as he walked off, ignoring the monolithic mammal as he headed further into the forest. "Wait for me Buddy!" Mahmut called, following after Castle Face, oblivious to the Bastiodon's almost incessant anger. Castle Face turned to look to him, his jaws grinding together.
"Why don't you take your fat ass and that damned lizard and go somewhere else!" he shouted, and Boris grimaced at Castle Face's tone, holding an arm over his jaws. Mahmut noticed this and made a loud cooing sound. "Oh come on, Buddy! You'll hurt his feelings." he said, and Castle Face growled. "I do NOT give a FUCK!" He shouted, and Boris flipped back, hiding beneath Mahmut's long fur. "Aw, poor thing just wants to be friends. Why can't you be nicer to that fluffy little guy?" he asked, and Castle Face felt his veins rise to the surface.
"Did you just call that little fucker fluffy again!? How many fucking times to I have to tell you!? That fucker has SCALES!" he shouted, rising up and stomping his forelegs down. Mahmut turned away from Castle Face and scoffed, beginning to walk away. "And I already told you. He's fluffy if I say he is, Old Timer." He retorted, and Castle Face roared, a loud sound filled with enough anger to put a Primeape to shame.
Finished! I hope you enjoy this one, since it's something that just hit me one day. With this 'arc' or 'saga', I'm going to change things up a bit and focus on things I seem to have forgotten, as I'm going over the whole fic now and realizing that there is a MASSIVE amount of things I've forgotten because of my 3-4 4-6+ month long hiatuses. I apologize for that, and I will use a large portion of this arc/saga to remedy all of those problems. Thanks for your patience, and understanding, Jiro 'The Father Of Halflings' Uchiha, OTF Inc.