Author's Note: This is optional to read but I highly recommend checking this out before continuing onto the story. Contrary to the summary, this story, in all actuality, is a hard reboot of one of my older stories: Nothing to Arceus. Despite that story aging poorly over the last couple years, I still hold a soft spot for it. Despite my original plan being to release a DxD x Naruto story alongside a Halo Infinite x Kotor story, I just don't have the time nowadays to start studying both franchises up and down and then developing the story. They aren't out of the equation but they are definitely on the back burner for now. I've had plenty of time at work to ponder and create a whole new version of my old story complete with its own set of characters, rules, mechanics, and lore as opposed to being a self-insert that followed along the XY anime and proceed to deny it being a self-insert. Point being, I want this reboot to have no attachments to the anime or games (for the most part) and be able to stand on its own two feet. This is a departure from my normal line of work because I usually have a reference to the original story to follow along if I run out of ideas but this time around, I have to create everything from the ground up including the region.

That being said, I do run a busy schedule and I don't quite have as much free time as I used to when I was writing Doom x Demon Slayer. The reception and following this story gets will influence how much I prioritize chapter uploads for this story. One way or another, I intend to complete the story because I have most of it planned out but a larger following will influence the frequency of the chapters.

I also greatly appreciate criticism, I only seek to improve so everyone's feedback is truly welcome. This is my first time doing something original without the crutch of the source material to back me up so please feel free to point out any flaws that stick out to you.

With that out of the way, I genuinely hope all of you enjoy this introduction to my new story, I've been working very hard on developing it and making it the best it could possibly be. Ladies and Gentlemen, I present Pokemon: Tainted Steel.

16 years before the announcement

After living in darkness his entire life, for however long that was, a crack of light was the first thing he saw. But it didn't stop there. The fractures exponentially multiplied until his cage of darkness was shattered to set him free. It was the first time he had seen the light in such purity, it burned his pupils. He blinked several times to adjust to the setting. The brilliant subtleties of the light dawned on him as he slowly identified rough shapes through his blurry vision. However, as he was adjusting to the light, he felt something soft and tender wrap around his sides to lift him out of his cage. He blinked once more to fully adjust to the setting, finally comprehending the shapes that surrounded him. Despite this, he wasn't sure what he was looking at.

A human girl raised the newly-hatched Pawniard from out of his shell. She had dark-orange hair tied into twin ponytails in the back. She also wore glasses that exemplified her dark eyes. She spun in place, giggling as she cheered, "Awww! You're so cute! We're going to be best friends forever!"

Those were also the first words the Pawniard had ever heard in his life, words that will echo in his soul for as long as he draws breath. Words that belonged to the person he would then cherish the most, his trainer, Lucy… Those were good memories from a distant past, a past he would like to go back to. Alas… that moment in time has passed…

Ten years later, the Pawniard, now evolved into a Bisharp, is on his knees as he helplessly watches his life crumble before him. Raging fires surrounded him in every direction, he could feel the heat despite the distance. His body is in agony, the sharp blades that jut out from his body were shattered, splintered into crumbs on the floor. Unfortunately, his physical pain paled in comparison to the suspense and guilt tugging at his heart as he was forced to watch the corpses of his former comrades be piled on top of each other to form a pyramid. It all happened so quickly, none of his comrades stood a chance.

He heard the sound of the demon, the one who caused all of this. His tendril-like feet sounded like bones tapping against the floor in rapid succession. Emerging from the peak of the corpse pyramid was the Trevanant he identified as the demon. The creature was a tall and imposing tree-shaped pokemon. His claws and feet were as sharp as knives, his jaws were as unforgiving as a dragon. But the worst thing was his eye. A singular glowing red dot hidden in the abyss of his socket. The Trevanant shoved a young woman in front of him to display for everyone below. The recoil of the action caused the young woman's glasses to shoot off of her face before the lens shattered on the floor below.

Though her hair was down and much longer, and she had grown into a fine young woman, Bisharp could still recognize the trainer he was loyal to. She cried out to her partner with tears rolling down her cheeks. Bisharp tried to fight against the strength of those who held him back, but it was a futile effort. In that moment, he heard the sound of the Trevanant announce with a deep gravel to his voice, "The price of your cowardly pacifism shall be this:" After releasing the young woman from his claw-grip, he retracted his arm briefly before shooting it towards the woman's back.

Bisharp's eyes widened with despair as he saw the claws of the Trevanant skewer the one he loved. The demon seemed to enjoy himself as he stood triumphantly over the bodies while raising Lucy above his head as some sort of trophy. After several agonizing seconds, the Trevanant swung his arm wildly to allow the trainer's impaled body to slide off of his sharp claws. She was thrown quite a distance from a dangerous height. Her body slapped against the warm dirt, an injury that even made Bisharp squirm in pain. Despite her critical condition, Lucy fought through the pain to lift her head and lock eyes with her loyal partner. She reached her only functional hand out towards him, digging into the dirt to pull herself closer to Bisharp.

Suddenly, the restraints holding Bisharp back were undone and he was allowed to scramble towards the comfort of his trainer. He scooped his arms underneath his trainer to lift her up, only to feel the warmth of her own blood coating his damaged body. Life was slowly draining from her eyes as she reached her hand out towards him. She placed her same, tender hand on his face as she muttered her final words, "Thank you… Bisharp…" her arm limped, falling to the ground as the tiny ember of life within her fizzled out.

He heard it again, the same clatter of bones tapping the ground. The demon descended the pile of bodies to stand a few short meters from Bisharp who clung to the corpse of his trainer. The creature mocked, "The only person to blame is yourself. Your weakness and denial of your true passion led to your downfall.".

Words could not describe the sudden overwhelming anger Bisharp felt in that moment. The normally passive and kind-hearted creature went blind from rage. His blood boiled and he felt like his entire body would burst like a balloon from the inside. His unbridled fury compelled him to get up on his feet and blindly charge towards his aggressor. He screamed at the top of his lungs like a madman as he prepared to swing his fist at the Trevenant. Just as he prepared to attack, he felt something strike at his neck, then he couldn't feel anything…

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The day of the announcement

Valles, for the longest time, was known as the land of controversy and division. As for why? Well, it's mostly rumors. Some say it was political disagreement with their leader that caused the fracturing of the island. Some even say they were never united at all and ancient civilizations all fought for control over the island before finally settling down in their respective corners of the island. The extent of the rumors run as wild as the human imagination allows. Meanwhile, the rest of the world simply watched with pity as the individual civilizations of Valles continued thumbing at each other for years. Their conflict was theirs and theirs alone.

But one thing is for certain, their conflict is a thing of the past. Now opening up their borders to the rest of the world, they invited trainers from across the globe to bear witness to their once in a lifetime announcement, collaborating with their beloved business partner known across the world as Team Tech to make this special occasion possible. Team Tech, to put it simply, was the bread and butter of the world's technological needs. Most equipment was manufactured by them and them alone, no other company could quite rival their corporate presence.

The shape of Valles has been described by most cartographers as a "broken wheel", a subtle jab given the island's history. The majority of Valles' land forms a broken outer ring that surrounds a sizably large island in the center. Despite logical solutions provided by experts on the subject, scientists are still in awe of its formation. The event was to take place in Valles' capital city, Rudakov, which was established on the central island.

Residing within the outskirts of Rudakov, Daniel Barsony sat inside of his cramped room at home, surrounded by shelves filled with his own creations. He loved to display his collection of sci-fi/fantasy model kits alongside the very few contraptions he managed to make given his very limited resources. He was meticulous about each piece, keeping his collection in pristine condition from the newest addition to the very first model. He wanted to keep track of his progress, to reassure himself that he was going somewhere in life, wherever it may be. His parents, or rather, his foster parents, always considered it a waste of time. But to him, this was everything, it was the only source of comfort in his sheltered life. Being inside of his room, regardless of how claustrophobic it was, was the only time he got to feel comfortable. When he wasn't inside his room, he always had someone with him at all times. Even for trivial matters such as shopping at the toy store for more model kits, he always had one of his family members watching over him like a Pidgeoto.

Try as he might to confide in any of them, they all gave him the same look of… well, he wasn't sure how to describe it. Was it fear? Disgust? He couldn't tell, but they all gave him the same identical look. Perhaps it was genetic.

Daniel stared intently into his computer screen as he browsed through video after video, content creators from every part of the world discussing their thoughts and predictions on the upcoming announcement that Valles and Team Tech were going to make today. He propped his hand under his cheek to rest as he watched in wide-eyed amazement. He wanted to go so badly, but his family wouldn't let him. Whenever they tried to explain why, they always stopped themselves and turned their backs towards him. Is his life just going to be this? Rotting away inside of a home with so many boundaries that there are almost no boundaries?

The door to his room opened up carefully as his foster father poked his head into the room, not bothering to fully enter. At least he had the courtesy of minding the occupied shelves. The man has blonde hair, cut short because of his job, and very intense features on his face. The man eyeballed the room very quickly, as if to make sure nothing had changed until his eyes passed by the computer screen displaying yet another content creator rambling about the announcement. The man made a sour expression until he shook himself out of his discontent state and explained, "The wife and I will be heading out for a couple hours, Jason's upstairs if you need anything. Don't do anything without consulting him or us, got it?" He expressed while trying to sound welcoming in tone. Regardless, the family made no effort to cover up that they aren't related, that was a revelation the boy had to cope with at a very early age. Daniel's all-too-familiar with the facade by this point.

The boy simply mumbled, "Yes sir…" Despite the quiet annoyance he felt for his foster family, he didn't necessarily hate them. He just wished he had a less-sheltered life. To go out and be with all the other kids, do what other people are doing, to meet other people that could actually appreciate him and all he does.

The door closed, leaving Daniel by himself once more. The silence gave birth to an idea that crossed his mind… What if he left without their permission? The thought never crossed him until now. Surely, he can go to the town hall for a couple hours and at least watch the event, right? Hmm, but his family would still find some reason to be angry with him. But it'll be worth it, this is a once-in-a-lifetime announcement! The boy swung his chair around so he was facing the screen. He decided he was going to wait 30 minutes to pass before checking in on Jason so Jason wouldn't have to check up on him. That was 30 minutes to make a plan or else he'll miss the opening of the doors. To help him concentrate, he quickly typed in the first song that came to his mind on his keyboard and began playing the song.

This nervousness, he only ever felt it whenever his family scolded him for messing up. But for once, there was excitement laced in there. He began formulating his plan. Check on Jason, grab some money, get the taxi, go to the town hall. Plain and simple, just like his model kit instruction books. He began imagining the conversations playing out in his head, whispering his answers almost in a chant as he psyched himself up for his miniature rebellion. He didn't want to leave his room until he was absolutely certain that he memorized every single detail, every pause and breath he would take during the upcoming conversations. He knew what he had to do! He can do this!

The door swung open, slamming into the nearby shelf and knocking down a few of the models propped on the shelf. Jason, a boy who was around his age and shared the same blonde hair as his father, except longer, and similar intense features, stepped in. He shoved his hands into his pockets out of annoyance and cursed, "Dude, I could hear your music as I was going down the stairs, turn that shit down."

Daniel's cheeks flared with embarrassment as he turned to his computer to lower the volume, apologizing in the process, "Sorry…!" As he clicked on the volume bar on his computer, he glanced over at the time and realized fifty minutes had passed since he started preparing. The boy's heart sunk into his stomach as a sudden rush of adrenaline began to take over, he needed to get out, now! Jason continued:

"Anyways, I was coming down to make sure you weren't up to anything. I'm grabbing some snacks and I'll be in my room. Come up if you need anything."

"...Will do, thanks."

Daniel closed down everything so he wouldn't get sidetracked like that again. He stood up from his seat immediately counting up to five minutes before mustering the courage to open the door and look around the main hallway. All clear, good, he better move before it's too late. He tip-toed his way down the hall, passing by the mirror to notice how unkempt his black hair was. His brows curled in concern as he frantically swiped away at his hair in a desperate attempt to do what a comb would in that situation. His bright brown eyes were like the rest of his family. It's what made him believe he was a part of the family for the longest time but his black hair contrasted with their blonde.

After snagging plenty of money from his family's money bucket, because he was unsure how much the cost of going there and back was, he gripped the doorknob and inhaled sharply as he very slowly turned to the doorknob to open it. He didn't risk opening it all the way and opted to slip through the open crack. He had to open the door-midway due to his "above-average" physique, to put it kindly, before closing it as gently as he could. Once he was certain the door was closed shut, he let out a massive sigh of relief as he began booking it towards the town hall which was quite a distance away but was, conveniently, straight down the road a few dozen kilometers away. All he had to do was find the first taxi he saw and hightail it to the town hall. It was a bright and sunny day outside, and luscious wildlife could be spotted in every direction. But there was no time to admire the scenery, it was time to move!

Unfortunately, Daniel forgot one very tiny but ever so important detail. Today was the day of the announcement. That means trainers from across the world who were invited to the event were touching down on their airplanes and getting taxis directly to the town hall. They probably have to call taxis from in the city to compensate for the large influx of tourists funneling out of their airports.

The boy ran as fast as he could, but he has barely ran in his life. He was always sitting and snacking away at his food. He was not physically capable in any way, shape, or form. But for the sake of this event, after everything he's already done, he had to push himself more than ever! The boy was able to last a few meters before halting his sprint and gasping for air, sweat coating his forehead like an extra layer of skin. His eyes were burning and his nostrils were flaring. Come on, keep moving! He forced one foot in front of the other, trudging across the open street. There was a steady stream of taxis dashing towards the airport, each simply ignoring the boy as he waved his hand to gesture for their assistance. However, they seemed more intent on making money out of the tourists. In the same direction he was going, plenty of taxis were leaving the airport and racing towards the town hall.

By this point, Daniel had stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, raising his hand at each taxi that passed by but the drivers would shake their heads to communicate they were busy, before the boy would catch a glimpse of the passenger beside them. The boy felt his eyes get watery, the town hall was so far away and no one wanted to pick him up. He started walking forward, quietly sobbing as he wiped away the tears with the sleeves of his shirt.

Then, as if Arceus answered his call for help, one taxi slowed down to keep pace with the boy as the passenger window slid down to reveal a man with dark brown hair slicked back in a professional manner while wearing a casual T-shirt and a pair of sunglasses to obscure his eyes. The man called out to Daniel with a very relaxed and comforting voice, "Hey, kid, you okay? Where are you going all by yourself?"

Daniel wiped away the rest of his tears as he fought his congested nose and constricted throat to speak, "I… was trying… to go to the town hall… but nobody will pick me up."

"Are you trying to attend the event?"

"Yeah…"

"Shoot, then hop in, I'll pay for the ride."

Daniel's eyes widened and shone with excitement as he asked, "Really…?! Thank you so much!" The passenger chuckled nonchalantly as he jabbed his thumb behind him, assuring:

"Yeah, just come in. Let's not keep the traffic behind us waiting all day."

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Michael Kayston, the head of Team Tech, sat in the town hall's backstage adjusting his tie to perfection so he was presentable to a crowd. There was not a speck of dust on his suit, it was perfectly clean from the top down. He had dark brown hair that was shaved at the sides while the top was gelled at an angle. His facial hair was short but kept and his eyes were of a bright brown. He was relaxed as ever, just another presentation like all the others he's done. Except, this time, he's got the attention of the entire world and he has to put up a damn good show.

A young and impressionable man in a similar suit attire almost marched towards Michael with a datapad in his hand. It was one of the new employees they had hired because Michael doesn't recognize him. The young man took a deep breath, clearly nervous to speak to the world-renowned head of Team Tech as he willed the courage to speak, "Mister Kayston, I've tallied the list of-"

Michael shook his head out of bewilderment as he mocked, "Mister Kayston? Who the fuck do you think I am? Your home room teacher? Put some fucking respect to my name."

The young man's cheeks burned bright as he cleared his throat and apologized robotically, "Apologies, sir! I was just-"

"Oh great, now we're suddenly in the army. I'm giving you one more chance to not fuck this up." The young man took a deep breath as he calmly reported:

"Mister Kayston, sir…" there was a pause, but no reaction this time which was the young man's que to continue, "I've tallied the list of Modified we have. All are accounted for and we are right on schedule."

"That's good to hear, now get some water, you look like you need it."

"Yes, Michael Kayston, sir." The young man spun around and paced away from the CEO without trying to look conspicuous.

Michael muttered under his breath, "ugh, youngsters. They don't need to be so wound-up all the time."

A soft, old, yet familiar voice chimes in from behind, "Agreed, but I do think you could be more gentle."

"Gentle my ass. Everyone's too much of a softie nowadays, that's what I think. Anyways, you ready for the show, mayor? You'll be going up, first." Michael finally turned around to face the mayor of Rudakov who was a wide man who seemed very full, not only of himself but physically as well. The man's formal attire was extraordinarily large yet the fabric seemed to stretch against the edges of his fluffy physique.

"Of course I am, I've had to take melatonin to get some sleep recently because of the excitement, it's all I can think about. But tell me: do you think this will work? Will they actually show up?"

Michael abruptly stood up from his chair, seemingly annoyed by the mayor's doubt as he said, "It better, or else we'd be wasting a helluva lot of money on some fancy charade."

"I wouldn't be so pessimistic about it, think of all the revenue!"

Michael rolled his eyes at the statement. He didn't really care about the money, money was worthless to him. But, it was a surefire way of establishing control because if you have money, you have power and those with power are the ones in control.

One of the mayor's workers approached as she quickly reported, "There's a sizable audience waiting, a lot of them are having to sit outside the building."

Michael gave a half-assed smile to his friend as he stated, "let's not keep them waiting, shall we? I'll be right behind you."

The mayor gave a cheerful smile in return as he replied, "As you wish." Before marching up the steps towards the stage.

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The taxi eased alongside the front of the town hall of Rudakov, the site was flooded by tourists and locals alike, all clambering to get inside. The older man wearing the sunglasses let out an audible "ah" sound before grinning, "Looks like we got a full house." He paid the taxi accordingly for his service and stepped out of the vehicle alongside Daniel who was in wide-eyed wonder of the spectacle before him. The older man chuckled at the boy's reaction as he noted, "Surprising, isn't it? It looks like a lot of people have been looking forward to this event."

The truth was, Daniel wasn't very good with crowds to begin with. He was always self-conscious about his weight despite ignoring it at times, catching mocking glances from strangers in the mall. In addition to this, Daniel didn't speak much to strangers unless the situation absolutely demanded it. His inability to gauge people's emotions made him a nervous wreck. So, Daniel in that moment was feeling the most excited he's ever been in his whole life as well as the most regretful and anxious due to the size of the crowd flooding into the building. In response to the man's statement, he responded with a withdrawn, "...Yeah…".

The man simply smiled, placing a comforting hand on Daniel's shoulder as he excused himself, "Well, better get going before it's too late. Let me know if you need any more help." The boy was still too much in shock to respond accordingly. He did not factor in the large population whatsoever in his grand plan. His gaze wandered around the outside of the town hall, acknowledging the numerous food and registration stands lined up alongside each other. There were even a few temporary buildings fenced off for the time being with numerous suited men going in and out. Those buildings must be a part of the event. For the participants that weren't inside the building, numerous television screens were hanging up from the town hall walls with many smaller ones situated near the booths.

There was no way Daniel would be able to squeeze his way to the front of the crowd, he was too scared to ask. He would go the easy way and just settle for any position outside as long as he could see the Televisions. The idea crossed him to call upon the stranger's help but he had already assimilated with the crowd, seemingly out of sight. Well, that was no longer an option. Daniel inhaled deeply and marched himself towards the crowd, acting as if he was defying Arceus himself even though he was at the back of the crowd, where no one was looking.

The sweat, the collective odor, and the claustrophobic nature of the gathered crowd made him comfortable. Daniel had at least some form of space inside of his claustrophobic room filled to the brim with shelves, but here, he was bumping shoulders with several other people who gave an irritated glare every time he was pushed against them.

Then the television screens flickered to life, showcasing an illuminated empty stage along with a newly added red curtain to cloak everything behind the podium. A familiar round man emerged from the side entrance of the stage to mark the start of the event.

The crowd began cheering right away as soon as the mayor of Rudakov stepped out, the man waving towards all of his loyal followers and tourists who welcomed his entrance. Daniel shrank from the loudness of the crowd's cheering, never putting up with anything that loud before, he could hear their cheers echo through his body. There was barely any room left in the large hollow building. The spot lights were focused on the stage, leaving only a blanket of shadowy silhouettes staring up at the mayor.

The man eased everyone down, chuckling for a minute before leaning towards the microphone to speak, "Alright, alright, thank you everyone. I am so humbled by your presence here today, whether you're a Vallesian or one of our many visitors from across the globe, I welcome you, not only to Valles, but to this very special event as well! This is a monumental day in Valles' history, we are taking a major step forward. But to take this step, we needed help. As you all know, the very kind and generous organization of Team Tech has lended their support to making our dream as a nation come true. We could not have done this without them. Though we are the hosts, the credit rightfully belongs to them. Thus, I see it fit to allow them the chance to make this announcement! Everyone, I present Michael Kayston, CEO of Team Tech!"

As if the first wave of cheers didn't scare Daniel to death as it was, the second made Daniel think several trains were blasting through the area. The slim-fit suited man strolled onto the stage, exuding pure confidence with his rolled back shoulders, puffed up chest, and chin held up so high it looked like he could only stare into the sky. He smirked while waving towards the crowd, rushing to the side of the mayor before shaking hands and exchanging control over the podium microphone. The cheers continued for another minute after Michael had taken control of the mic, the man simply standing in silence as he absorbed the energy of the crowd and inhaled it as if he was inflating himself with their positive energy.

"I know all of you are happy and surprised to see me here. Most of you are probably thinking to yourself right now, "what is this special announcement that we have stored for all of you?" Well, you can probably take an educated guess and assume it's pokemon-related because of all the trainers we invited. If that was your guess, you'd be half right. We got a lot to unpack today ladies and gentleman, so fasten your seatbelts and get ready for what's to come." The man snapped his fingers as if to que the next sequence. The curtains somewhat parted to reveal yet another large screen that was showcasing some Pokemon League highlights from across the globe.

"This beautiful country has only opened up their borders in recent years. However, the rules were restricted. No catching the wildlife, poaching, or anything of that sort. There was little room for battles as it was. So we decided to change things. The no-catching ban is still in effect, the wonderful people of this great nation value our lovable critters and would prefer that their ecosystems and food chain remain in-tact." The man paused in his speech, gazing upon the crowd who was staring up either at him or the screen behind him. The screen would change between corresponding images based on whatever he said in the speech. He definitely had the crowd's attention and it was better to keep the ball rolling as Michael's learned in his many years of speech.

"So, if this isn't about legalizing catching… What else is there? That leaves us with battling, the second half of the "pokemon spectrum" as I call it. Team Tech doesn't believe in mediocrity and we also aren't accepting of optimal stagnation. Pokemon battling has remained the same for literal generations. I mean… Why fix what ain't broken? But you see, I like to take things and make them better. But we can't just change things like that on the whim, can we? We need a stage to test our new products, and you're sitting on it. Mister Mayor, if you will." Michael stepped back from the podium to allow his colleague to temporarily regain control.

The mayor cleared his throat before cheerfully announcing, "As of today, the nation of Valles would like to announce the opening of our very first Pokemon League!" Both Michael and the Mayor witnessed the expressions of the crowd widen from shock before the audience exploded into a chorus of cheering and whistling.

These reactions towards his creations was what Michael lived for. He felt the sudden spurt of excitement and pride compel him to subtly shove his comrade out of the way before snatching the mic and adding, "That's right! Valles' very own Pokemon League! Every single person here has a chance to etch their name into history, to become The Very First Champion of Valles!"

The Mayor leaned in to continue speaking before fully adjusting himself in front of the podium once Michael stepped out of the way, "The league will take place within the very heart of our nation, the capital city we're all in right now, Rudakov! Situated within each of our exotic cities awaits a gym leader who is ready to take you on and push you to your limits to earn your gym badge! After collecting all eight, you will be eligible to participate in the league and compete for the title of First Champion!"

Michael dominantly took control as he raised his voice with a powerful passion behind it, "Now this is where we come in! Before all of you start rushing off to the local gyms, you need to understand the rules we're playing by. There will be no teams, these will strictly be one vee one encounters to spice things up. So, that means the pokemon you choose will be the pokemon you will work with from beginning to end, no swapping them out at any time. You and your selected partner will be registered into our systems, and only those who are registered are allowed to battle our gym leaders and participate in the league. So prepare to get a lot more intimate with both your partner and opponents. Only the best of the best will come out on top and claim the title of First Champion!"

The screens now displayed a brief list of new rules all trainers must obey during their stay in Valles. Michael suggested, "Please take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with these new rules because that's not all we're showcasing today. We'll be right back with you in two minutes." The audience clapped before chatting amongst themselves as they debated about the new rules they have to account for. Michael shook hands with the mayor, both smiling as they glanced around to see how their hard work had paid off.

After exactly two minutes had passed, Michael spoke into the microphone once more, "Now for part two of our great announcement. On top of the opening of Valles' new Pokemon League, the brilliant minds over at Team Tech would like to introduce a new variable to the mix, something that'll help revolutionize the battlefield and spice up battles in a way we've never seen before. Every single one of you knows what we do best, I don't need to waste our time on our proficiency. With our great hosts providing ample funding and materials for our grand project, Team Tech has combined Technology with Pokemon! Instead of going in excruciating detail about what we mean, how about we introduce our first wave of Modified Pokemon!"

The curtains were fully drawn back to reveal a set of eight pokemon on the stage. Their appearances left the crowd speechless from utter shock and amazement at what they were seeing. They were quite unsure of how to respond. Michael knew the crowd would be bewildered by his creations, but he took the chance to cleanse their doubts by confidently strolling towards the Modified on the far left side.

The first of the eight was a white and cyan Pangoro, a creature that resembled a seven-foot tall bear, wearing plated metal armor from the head-down. It didn't even look like a Pangoro at first glance, it simply looked like a hulking metal statue wielding a gigantic sledgehammer as its weapon. Michael explained, "Representing the desert city of Bamus is the Gym Leader Pokemon, Pangoro! Do not be alarmed by the looks, as intimidating as it is, the Pangoro is simply wearing this gigantic suit of armor. It has been trained to wear the armor comfortably and efficiently. However, that's not all we're introducing into the mix. On top of his armor, he wields a mighty sledgehammer! And underneath that hulking exterior isn't an ordinary fighting/dark type Pangoro. Through careful adaptation and training, this Pangoro was able to adopt ice as a part of its type listing. That's right, people, our modifications extend not only to the outside but to the inside of our lovable critters as well! We've perfected the art of type-changing, and have given them appropriate metal enhancements to make them better than ever! If neither is up your alley, we are also introducing Poke-Equips into the fold to fundamentally change how a battle flows!"

The crowd burst into cheers once more followed immediately by a stampede of clapping. Michael decided to carry the momentum by strolling over to the second one. This one was substantially more obvious, it resembled that of a Magmortar, a flame-shaped creature with gigantic funnel-shaped arms. It, too, had undergone a type change. The Magmortar was half its unique red and yellow color while the other was white and pale gray. Strapped to its back was a large canister which was connected to a large tube protruding from the gut of the creature. "Representing the hilly city of Opala is the Gym Leader Pokemon, Magmortar! Poke-Equips come in all shapes and sizes, and this one is no exception! I can't disclose too many details about our gym leader's abilities, but I will definitely warn you to watch out for this guy's flames, they're more powerful than ever!"

The third Gym Leader Pokemon was an easy-to-identify Luxray, a cat pokemon with tall and spiky black fur, who looked fairly normal except for a few metal packs wrapped around its torso with wires linked up to different parts of its body. It represented the badlands city of Akutan.

The fourth Gym Leader Pokemon was an altered Golem, a lizard-like creature encased inside of a boulder, who's rocky shell was dark purple while its skin had morphed into a pinkish-gray color with glowing red eyes and black pupils. It represented the mountain city of Toba.

The fifth Gym Leader Pokemon was a Coalossal, a living, breathing, and standing pile of rock and molten coal, had undergone a similar change. Its pile of molten coal on its back radiated a magenta color with a similar-colored liquid pouring through the seams of its body. It represented the plains city of Undara.

The sixth Gym Leader Pokemon was a Gallade, a humanoid grass-shaped pokemon with sharp edges, possessed no distinct differences from a normal Gallade outside of dual-wielding a pair of batons underhanded. It represented the swamp city of Dempo.

The seventh Gym Leader Pokemon was a Machamp, a muscular fighting creature with four arms, had a very simple modification: an additional mechanical set of mechanical arms, giving it a total of eight arms to work with. The implications of this are frightening. It represented the forest city of Hakone.

The final member was a Golurk, A hulking teal sentient suit of armor, who had a very interesting modification. The glowing yellow symbols dotting his arms, shoulders, and chest were covered by a metallic plate with a frame that held within it a different colored stone. This final pokemon was the representative of Valles' capital city, Rudakov.

"These are our defenders of the First Champion title, defeat them to earn your chance to make history! For trainers that have already made their choice and are ready to get started right away, I would like your attention just a little bit longer. This next segment goes out to all of you who are perhaps starting out their journey or aren't Pokemon trainers. This isn't traditional, but we have a very wide and very ready selection of Modified Pokemon waiting for you! Even if you're a seasoned trainer, you are quite allowed to register yourself alongside one of our enhanced friends! If you have any more questions, please feel free to ask the staff immediate questions and stick around for more details later! Let's make history, folks!"

The fences surrounding the temporary buildings were removed by the security guards while the doors opened up to reveal the interior lined with a staggering array of Modified on their own pedestals for display. The audience quickly fanned out to enter the temporary facilities and get a firsthand look at the next step in Pokemon Evolution.

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He kept his eyes closed, concealed, just like his unfathomable fury. His entire existence was pure torture, inhaling was a chore in and of itself and movement felt restrictive yet painful. However, it's the life he's learned to live as he's handed out from the training grounds into the hands of a human. All around him were Modified just like him, all "eagerly" awaiting their chance to be welcomed by their future partners. Bisharp wasn't, he despised all of it. The employees of Team Tech checked if their equipment was up to standard and ran frequent check-ups on each of their products to see if they were still "functional". Bisharp passed his inspections with flying colors, his enhancements were still in pristine condition.

Once the doors to the facility were opened, the once open space inside was devoured by the presence of hundreds of excited human trainers who would snap frequent pictures with their cellular devices. He would hear nothing but compliments for his training mates but whenever a person passed by him, they would pass a comment along the lines of, "This one doesn't look like the others, it's a freak."

They're right, he isn't like the others, and that's by design, or so his mentors over at Team Tech preached to him every day. He looked nothing like a Bisharp anymore. His singular twin-pointed arched blade was replaced by twin blades angled in a V-shape on his forehead. He wore a metallic mask over his face that obscured everything but his eyes. There were metallic plates covering most sections of his body, and all of his blades had been replaced by those of a higher quality.

He ignored the flock that passed by and ridiculed him. He didn't care for them or their approval. None of these people were worth his time. After several hours of standing still like a stature, staring mindlessly into the wall as if the wall would give him some sort of comfort from all of his madness, an overweight child with spiky black hair stepped in front of his pedestal, eyes shining with amazement as he clearly couldn't contain his inner excitement. The boy cheerily spoke, "Whoooooaaahhh! You're so cool! You look like one of my sci-fi model kits merged into a Bisharp! Look at the detail of your armor, your eyes, mask! You look so cool!" For the first time during this very dreadful day, Bishrap was actually complemented, not that he cared for the compliment either way. The boy put his hand out for a friendly handshake as he introduced, "My name is Daniel! Let's be friends!" Bisharp's eyes snapped towards the boy intensely, growling underneath his mask as if he had just been insulted.