Waking Dreams

by thewargod

Arron lost his reason to live, so when he's seemingly resurrected in a world thats the polar opposite of what he's used to, he sees it as a kind of sick joke. But as he slowly learns how to move on, a plot of retribution and vengeance millennia in the making rears its ugly head, and the implications are enough to send him in a downward spiral of regret and despair.

26. Part 1 Finale

Hey guys, it's me again.

I know it's been a long time, far too long in fact, but a lot has happened in my life recently (mostly good things) that have made it a little more challenging to maintain a constant update schedule for this story. I have begun to pursue a higher education and I'm attempting to lose weight, so I have a lot to do.

That being said, I have zero intent on abandoning this story. This fanfiction has become a constant passion of mine for the past year or so since I've been uploading, and it's become somewhat of a ritual of mine to whittle my way down to the next chapter one sentence at a time, whenever I can find an opportunity to write.

Beyond that, while this part of the story has dragged on a bit longer than I would like, I am far from done. I have so much more to tell throughout the rest of this story, and a fully fledged plot that I wish to see come full circle, as well as a detailed world I've created in my mind that I want to put down on paper.

I have only one favor to ask from you: please review this story. While I welcome follows and favorites, reviews are how I truly determine whether I'm going in the right direction or not. I want your opinion, because I value the input of the readers and writers on this site, some being veteran fanfic authors who have published countless stories, as well as successful book authors in their own right. A lot of people on this website have far more experience than I, and I want the feedback. Are my chapters too long or too short? Does the story make sense? Do the characters feel genuine and interesting? I want to know what people think.

Now, a few questions I have gotten from friends as well as DMs that I'd like to answer.

Q: Is Arron a self insert?

A: God no. I think writing a main character as a self insert is an incredibly bad writing practice. Are Arron's experiences created from what I've lived through during my life? Yeah, somewhat. I've lived in many of the places he's lived, I've struggled with loss, loneliness, distrust, regret, mental illness and hopelessness to varying degrees, and I've struggled with my place in life. He is an accumulation of many woes I have been subjected to throughout the twenty years I have been on this earth, and some I hope to never have the displeasure of experiencing. Yet he isn't me, nor will he ever be. Arron is, amongst many other things, a unique interpretation of what it means to be human, and how to discover self worth beyond the common blood and traditions that bind mankind together.

Q: Why is Muerte Congelada a squid/octopus?

A: A lot of reasons. First of all, octopi are simply fascinating creatures. They are the closest things to equals humans have on this ball of rock we call earth due to being exceptionally intelligent, self aware and yet so very alien. They are fragile yet strong things, something that I think really represents Arron well.

There is also the fact that Harribel represents the warm waters, sacrifice, blood and steel. She is the protector and the shield. Arron is the blade, the sharp obsidian edge of retribution and the crushing cold and numbness of hopelessness. He moves and acts without thought or emotion because he feels he must, and that doing anything else would be incredibly foolish. He feels he has no choice but to act and to survive. Harribel is the opposite of him, the martyred lady willing to do anything to protect those she cares about. Arron isn't above scheming and lying to get what he wants, as much, if not more, brains as he is brawn when necessary, a trait that octopi seem to possess as well. She is the vibrant coral reef and he is the suffocating hadal trench. An octopus seems like something that could survive and even thrive in such hostile conditions.

There's also the fact that large octopi and squid tend to live in the coldest waters, especially in the Arctic. They are also very curious and possibly even introspective, so they fit certain plans I have for Arron very well.

Despite this, I still chose to make Arron something akin to a badger-esq creature partially because I didn't want to make a rip off luppi, but also for narrative reasons I don't want to explain because it would spoil the story. Take that whichever way you want. It also fits his aggressive, violent nature really well because Honey Badgers are afraid of nothing And will fight things ten times their size if they feel like it.

Now, please temper your undying wrath over my absence with this very long chapter. This is the end of Part One of this story, after all, so it'd better be long.

---

Goh woke up the next morning with a splitting headache and a sense of vertigo, his head feeling like it was stuffed with cotton. He groaned and wiped the sleep out of his eyes before sitting up and stretching, his back cracking in the process. He had a lot to do today and what seemed like not enough time to do it all, so he couldn't afford to laze around even if he really wanted to. Nursing his headache with some water and a hot shower, he left the hotel room with bags under his eyes and made his way down the stairs and to the sliding doors of the hotel lobby, weakly waving to the tired greeter at the front desk and stepping outside. The sun had barely peaked its head over the horizon, and stores were still closed beyond a few cafes, so it was up to him to find something to eat before the battle, or otherwise he'd probably lose from lack of focus alone.

But first, he had to retrieve Arron and Scyther from the pokemon center. He made his way down the sidewalk, hoping to get there as soon as possible so as to not waste any time. It was nice out, warm and humid with the squawks of wingulls ringing in the air. He pushed past small

crowds of tourists and pedestrians while simultaneously using his Pokenav to navigate his way through the quiet red brick streets of Shalour.

By the time he reached the crowded pokemon center, the sun had breached the horizon halfway and the sky had lit up into a fresh amber glow, warming the streets and sidewalks with its rays. He paid no attention to it however, instead walking inside the center and seeing a different nurse from last time, a small woman with blonde hair tied into a bun with silken red braids. She smiled, but it was a bit strained, as if she already knew who he was and wasn't happy to see him but still had to wear the facade of friendliness. He hoped it was something petty and vain rather than a grimace caused by some trouble Arron had caused, but Goh knew better than to expect his desires to be confirmed at this point.

"Is everything alright ma'am?"

The nurse wiped the look off her face, obviously noticing that she was being rude. "Yes, everything's fine, how can I assist you today?"

Goh nodded. "I'm looking for the pokemon I submitted here yesterday, one Scyther and one Exotic Pokemon?"

The nurse tapped away at the keyboard of her desktop for a bit before pulling up data. "Same owner I assume? Yes, they're next door to each other, rooms 112 and 114. They were cleared for release this morning."

Goh nodded. "Thank you, have a good day."

Goh left the desk and entered the doors down the hall to reach the rooms where Scyther and Arron were. As he walked, he felt dread crawl up his throat, worried about what trouble Arron was in now. People don't just make that kind of face at you for no reason, so something had to have happened. Goh could only hope that Arron hadn't killed anyone or something equally as awful. He made his way to Scyther's room first, knowing he'd be easier to manage.

Goh gently opened the door to not disturb Scyther just in case he was sleeping, but to Goh's surprise the bug pokemon was wide awake and eyeing Goh expectantly, as if he had nothing better to do. He sat on the bed, legs crossed and bladed arms pressed against his chest. Goh walked in and sat next to Scyther, noticing the faint white lines running across his carapace like spider web, the still fading scars from the battle the day before. He placed a finger on one and traced it all the way down, feeling the carapace as it slowly hardened over time. Scyther simply closed his eyes and hummed, as if he enjoyed the feeling of Goh's touch. Goh obliged and rubbed the shell more, causing Scyther to relax and recline.

"You okay to fight today? I don't want to push you too hard, not after yesterday."

Scyther didn't respond, but his eyes locked onto Goh's with a firm determination. Goh hadn't taken the time to know Scyther too well, something he regretted, but he knew that look all too well; it was the look of restlessness."

Goh nodded. "I see you still want to fight, but I asked if you were okay to fight, not if you wanted to. I can still see the cracks, and they still feel soft. I don't think I can let you fight in good conscience with how brittle you still are."

Scyther grumbled but didn't resist Goh's denial, allowing Goh to continue to massage his carapace without any qualms. It seemed impossible, but he could practically feel the muscle underneath, the carapace flexing ever so slightly as Scyther shifted and pressed his head against Goh's lap like a dog.

"I get that you want to fight, I really do, but you're still hurt. You don't have to act so tough all the time, nobody is going to doubt that you're strong?"

Scyther snorted and sat up, brushing off Goh's hand. Goh momentarily scowled at his childishness but let it go. Scyther must've just liked to fight, and not fighting probably made him feel restless and even useless. But Goh couldn't let him fight, not today; he wasn't going to jeopardize Scyther's health just to satisfy his desire to fight.

Goh slid off the hospital bed and pulled out Scyther's pokeball, gesturing it towards him. "You want to stay here or do you want to go with me? We're not battling until noon and it's only just past six."

Scyther harrumphed, as if he was disappointed in Goh. Goh simply strained his frown. "I'm not going to sit here and put up with this; if you're going to act like a child, then I'll leave you here and the rest of us will Goh to the park without you. Now, do you want to stay here or come with us?"

Scyther still didn't respond, crossing his bladed appendages like a pair of oversized scissor blades and facing the window with his back to Goh.

"Alright then, no steel pellets for you."

This caused Scyther's wings to twitch restlessly, signaling to go that Scyther's willpower was cracking. For some reason he hadn't quite discovered yet, Scythers in general loved eating metal. Some attributed this to it being how they naturally evolved into Scizor, seeing as how many of them existed in the wild, but it often took a long time for that to happen. Either way, with the recent invention of both the steel coat and and the virtual trade system, Pokemon could be imprinted on the cellular level with a requisite amount of a substance to artificially trigger an evolution rather than it being a slow and expensive process of natural progression like it was before the wonders of modern technology.

Goh, however, didn't really care for the fast and easy way. Sure, it was obviously efficient, but it didn't seem right. It felt like he was cheating the natural order of things, and the side effects and long term consequences hadn't been discovered yet, seeing as the virtual trade system had only become a widespread phenomenon in the last decade.

"So, are you gonna come, or are you going to sit here and pout like a child?"

Scyther stood still for a few moments longer, his wings just barely buzzing as Goh stood behind him; his arms crossed. Then he relented, his wings folding into his back as he hunched over in defeat. He looked at Goh with an almost betrayed expression, but he wasn't having any of that. "Don't look at me like that, I'm trying to make sure you actually heal; I do care about you, more than you know."

Scyther sighed but didn't protest, returning to his pokeball with an indignant huff. Goh snorted and shook his head before clipping the pokeball to his belt and yawning, rubbing the remaining sleep out of his eyes grumpily. Next was the most challenging part; dealing with Arron. Goh still wasn't eager to learn just what exactly he had done to earn even more ire from the nursing staff, although there was no alternative; Goh was going to have to just suck it up and deal with the consequences of his pokemon's actions.

He left the room, closing the door quietly before peaking through the window of the second door, seeing Arron's hulking figure seated on the oversized hospital bed, his back facing the door. He was watching the sun rise in an almost trance-like state, as if it was soothing to him. Goh cracked the door open and slipped into the room so as to not disturb him before sitting on the bed next to him, slowly brushing his hand along his fur. Arron didn't respond, simply sighing and looking down at Goh with a weary expression. Goh hadn't noticed it before, but Arron always seemed so tired, as if he was drained by just being awake. The only time Goh noticed he wasn't exceptionally lethargic was when he was fighting. The rest of the time he was just… sitting there, moping or sleeping. He hated how it reminded him of the other Arron, the desperate and weary Arron facing a ruthless and unforgiving world of sand and moonlight.

For once, Goh could truly relate to Arron, because he felt how Hueco Mundo sapped away at not only your strength, but your psyche as well. It crumbled walls and broke down barriers, reducing all but the strongest to a state of despondency. Maybe that exhaustion extended to this world as well.

"You okay? You look tired."

Arron sighed again, his shoulders slumping. Goh leaned against him and pressed his ear against his side, feeling his heartbeat from the left end of his ribcage. It was a soothing feeling reminding Goh that Arron did have a heart down there, under all that angst and indignation.

Arron looked at him and huffed, ruffling Goh's hair. Goh chuckled. "You don't have to be like that, you know, you can just… oh I don't know, just attempt to be a little joyous for once; We're battling today, there's something to be joyous about."

Arron sighed again and looked away, watching the final moments of the sunrise as it breached the horizon and greeted the world. Arron's lips thinned, as if he was a bit disappointed that he had missed the show. Goh patted Arron's side apologetically. "Don't worry about it, the sun will rise again tomorrow, you'll see it again."

Arron didn't seem to agree, but stood up from the bed, the weight change of him leaning off the frame causing it to creak tremendously. Goh followed suit, hopping off the weathered gray mattress and rolling on the balls of his feet anxiously. "So… you do seem a bit tired. You know we don't have to fight today… right? We can just hang out, get ready for the trip back. Whatever happens today, we're going to have to be ready to go home by tomorrow."

Arron shook his head, which Goh chose to interpret as I'd prefer to battle rather than I'm surrounded by idiots, so he slung his bag over his shoulder and pulled out Arron's pokeball. "Alright, we can battle today, but are you sure you're up to it? You took quite the beating yesterday."

Arron huffed as if to say don't treat me like a child before willing himself to enter the pokeball. The small device responded, a small crimson beam of light retracting him within before emitting a quiet click. Goh clipped Arron's ball onto his belt right next to Scyther's and shook his head. "He does heal faster than the rest, I'm sure he'll be fine."

Goh left the room, closing the door gently before nearly colliding with professor Sycamore. Goh nearly fell over, but Sycamore grabbed his wrist before he hit the ground and hoisted him up with a surprising amount of strength for someone so thin. He wasn't upset either; he still had that same cheshire grin that he always had plastered on his face, as if he was bemused by Goh and his clumsiness.

"Well, it's good to see you, Goh. How's your day been?"

Goh was stunned for a moment, but regained his composure almost immediately and began apologizing profusely. "I'm so sorry, I… I didn't…"

"Don't worry about it, it happens here more than you expect, these halls are a bit too narrow anyway. But enough about the clinic, how are you today?" He gestured to Goh's pokebelt with a raised eyebrow. "Getting the gang back together I see. You guys prepared to battle?"

Goh nodded, still a bit frazzled from the collision. "Uh, yeah, though Scyther isn't going to battle today, his carapace is still covered with cracks."

Sycamore nodded. "That makes sense, with the beating he received and all. It seems that Arron isn't the only one who lacks self preservation instincts during the midst of a good battle"

"I… Well, yeah, he is a bit reckless, but not like Arron; Arron is different."

"Hmm… describe it for me."

"I… I don't know how to explain it. How do you explain something you don't understand?"

"I never said you needed to understand anything, just to describe what you've seen. It's not a big deal."

Goh inwardly cursed, attempting to circumvent Arron's whole Hueco Mundo experience without watering down the severity of his psyche. "He's… well, he's a mess. He seems to take an inordinate amount of pleasure through violence and battle, as if it's what he was made to do. And then when he isn't fighting, he just seems so tired. It was easy to miss when he was smaller, since he was always so angry and scared, but now that he's bigger and a lot of that anger has changed, he just feels so… detached."

For a moment, Professor Sycamore scratched his chin, considering what Goh had told him. Then he scrunched his eyebrows. "You know, pokemon being violent isn't rare or even that big of a deal. Many types of pokemon are exceptionally violent and prone to anger, especially when they're young and hot-headed. They tend to temper with age and learn restraint as they battle and gain experience."

Goh scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Yeah, but there's more to how Arron acts than just violence. He doesn't just defeat his opponents, he practically destroys them. He toys with them, slowly chips away at them until they're weak, and then he crushes them utterly. The only time I've ever seen Arron fight normally is when he faces a foe that requires his full attention and effort to beat, like during the last battle against Clarence and his Mega Heracross. Arron only won because he used everything he had, and it was a far cry from his usual behavior during a battle."

Professor Sycamore nodded. "So you believe there's an aspect of sadism within him, as if he feels invigorated by dominating enemies?"

"I don't really know what else it could be. When normal pokemon fight, they often feel the rush of combat and seek to simply battle, while the rest only enjoy battle because they've been conditioned to do so over time, right."

Professor Sycamore shook his head. "Not quite, although you aren't wrong either." He looked up at the clock in the hall. "I'm going to meet a friend at a Cafe downtown for breakfast, I'd like you to join me if you will."

Goh stuttered, "I wouldn't want to intrude."

"Nonsense, she's been dying to meet you. And it's on me, you can't just turn down free breakfast, now can you?"

Goh sighed. "If you insist, I'll come."

Professor Sycamore clasped his hands with a grin. "Good, we can talk more on the way and gather more insight on your concerns."

He followed Sycamore down the hall, mad that he let himself get dragged into a breakfast meet up he wanted nothing to do with. Nothing against professor Sycamore, he just cherished his own private time, and losing that was a bit frustrating. But he knew he'd never say no, his meekness prevented that.

"So Goh, have you ever heard of the Magnolia Hypothesis?"

Goh was taken aback by the sudden change in subject. "I… no, I haven't. What's it about?"

"Well, Professor Magnolia from the Galar region pushed a new idea into the scientific community recently that caused a lot of backlash. She claims that in the wild, many types of pokemon and especially Bipedal pokemon have a natural disposition to form crude hierarchies and even communities based on strength, ability and familial ties."

Goh nodded. "I think I remember hearing that a few years ago, it was all over the news."

Professor Sycamore's face darkened. "Yes, many people had a serious bone to pick with her, considering her theory on pokemon muddled with cultural norms. People outside of the western regions didn't like her very much after that."

"Well, that makes sense. People all over Kanto treated her like she was some kind of maniac, considering that the notion of Pokemon being sentient in any way is vehemently abhorred."

"That, amongst other things. But that's not the reason why I brought that up. I brought that up because when I looked over her findings, I found that a lot of the pokemon she observed had many traits in common, but one that stuck out was a penchant for ritualistic combat. Many of the species, including Lucarios, Blazikens, Scizors, Zoroarks, Weaviles and many others have been observed partaking in organized duels, almost like the pokemon battles we humans have. The only differences are the justifications and the outcome. The justifications are vague, since it's not like we can communicate with them, but based on the locations they battle in, it was an almost sacred, even religious practice. The outcome is always the same; the winner partakes in a ritual of varying practices based on the species, and the loser is tended to but disgraced and humiliated for a time. This leads to rivalries and feuds, but never anything akin to a war."

Goh was concerned with the whole prospect of ritualistic bloodsport, but he couldn't quite denounce it since Pokémon Battles were quite similar, albeit controlled. "How does that help me with Arron?"

"Well…" Professor Sycamore started, "I spoke with professor Magnolia briefly last night, and we both came to the same conclusion that Arron might be from a pokemon species that has similar rituals and hierarchies. For instance, he's consistently assaulted but not killed other pokemon around him, is antisocial to other species and based on his body language, he seems to believe he is somehow superior to his peers. It's not solid proof, but it's definitely a worthwhile hypothesis to humor."

Goh shrugged. "I figured that already, although I never considered he'd be classified as sentient. Heck, I didn't think any pokemon could be classified as sentient. They don't teach those kinds of subjects where I'm from."

"In Kanto? No, I don't think they would. The concept of any pokemon being sentient goes against the entire superstructure all the corporations had set up in Kanto and Johto. To them, pokemon are objects to be used, and they've been regarded as such since the end of the war."

Goh wasn't old enough to have witnessed the war, and neither were his parents; that was fifty years ago, before pokeballs and the trade system and all the modern amenities that people had grown accustomed to. He'd heard stories in articles, but a lot of it was wiped away and what remained was what Goh would consider propaganda; fantastical accusations of all sorts of cultural taboos and eventually a series of political accidents caused the war to break out.

He remembered when he asked his father why he left Galar all those years ago. He was apprehensive, but he told Goh what he thought was the case. "The Galar region became poor after the war, so me and your mother decided to leave. We didn't want to raise you there, not with all of the crime and the poverty. Maybe one day, when the Galar region gets better, me and your mother will move back, but that won't be happening anytime soon."

His father never told him what the war was about, but Goh was beginning to realize it wasn't just about a political accident.

"Is that different in Kalos? I mean, you guys literally eat pokemon. It's a bit hypocritical to judge the people of Kanto and Johto for simply objectifying pokemon when you guys roast Seaking on the regular?"

"That's… different," Professor Sycamore said quietly. "We only eat some Pokemon."

"That's descriptive."

Professor Sycamore sighed. "Goh, the pokemon eaten in the Kalos region are those considered… unrestricted by cultural norms. Many water types for instance are considered

moral to eat because they aren't considered sentient. Almost all Bipedal pokemon, however, are considered restricted due to their similarities with humans. So for instance, eating a Lucario is considered morally wrong, but eating a Sawsbuck isn't."

"So it depends on how much we can relate to it? Why can't we relate to a Sawsbuck? Because it doesn't walk on two legs? I've always found the concept of eating any pokemon unnerving because I consider them all companions, and I've only really done it because there are very few places that actually serve anything vegetarian. It makes me incredibly uncomfortable to even see a pokemon being served on a platter."

Professor Sycamore massaged the bridge of this nose. "I understand that you aren't accustomed to the way people do things in Kalos, but that's because you came from Kanto, the region that is the complete opposite of Kalos. Kalos is a region ruled by the decrees of dead gods; I figured you would've figured that out by now!"

Goh practically growled in exasperation, confused as to what Professor Sycamore was even referring to. "I don't understand what that means? Dead Gods? When the heck did mythology become relevant in this conversation?"

"The moment I brought up the sentience clause produced by Professor Magnolia. Goh, do you know why the concept of pokemon sentience is such a contested issue in a Region where some pokemon are eaten?"

"I… I don't. By how everyone had addressed it so far, I just assumed that it was tradition or what was considered 'proper'"

Professor Sycamore snickered bitterly. "It goes far deeper than that. Kalos is a region of history, Goh, and that history is deeply rooted in the mythological. You might not have seen it yet, but to many of the people in Shalor, the gods haven't died, they just went away for a while. The old gods, not the whole cult of Arceus nonsense you might see in a city in Kanto. I'm talking about the old school paganism that dominated the west thousands of years ago. Here, it still dominates in everyday life through shrines and statues, in how we build our houses and how we live life, from public baths to eating certain types of pokemon. All of those things were allegedly set in stone by the old gods long ago. Kanto might have finally cast aside their worship legally after the war, but that hasn't stopped people from doing so in private, especially not in Shalor."

That made Goh think for a moment, the gears in his head turning. "The language Gurkinn was speaking at the beginning of the Votive Games…"

"That was Latin, the language of the Gods here in Kalos. It's still spoken at formal events because that's the religious tradition. To not do so would be to spit on the gods, metaphorically speaking. All of the holidays are religious, all of the foods served during them are traditionally religious foods, and yes, the consumption of certain pokemon is considered a religiously sanctioned act. The only thing missing is the druid cult, and that hasn't been a thing since long before the war."

Professor Sycamore finished his rant, breathing heavily. "I'm sorry for bringing that up and burdening you with that information, we've got way off topic. Let's just… go to breakfast, I'll explain what I think the connection between Arron and those other pokemon is."

They made their way out of the clinic in silence, the situation becoming too tense for them to continue any conversation. The sun had fully risen by the time they made it outside, and the town was alive again, the streets crowded with morning shoppers.

The Cafe wasn't too far from the Clinic, about two blocks away, and it was a small hole in the wall bakery and coffee shop crammed between two larger buildings like a book on a shelf. A small chalkboard sign sat outside the glass doors advertising fresh pastries baked daily along with crepes and a variety of tartines. The smell was heavenly, the thick and bitter scent of espresso wafting through the air along with the softer aromas of melting butter and warm pastries. "Is this your usual spot?" Goh asked, attempting to break the awkward silence.

"Yes. Breakfast is simple in Shalor, and I miss it when I go back to my lab in Lumiose. The simplicity is refreshing compared to the posh and uptight culinary standards of the city. That, and the overwhelming presence of fast food everywhere."

Goh could relate to that. "So, who are we meeting? I doubt you'd ask me to come if it was just some random friend. Who wants to ask me a question?"

Professor Sycamore chuckled. "Alright, you got me, but you'll see. I assure you that they mean no harm."

Goh sighed. "Well, that's reassuring."

Professor Sycamore gave him a dirty look. "Hey, I didn't mean it like that. I meant that she doesn't have any ill-intentions. You were never going to be in danger in the first place, I'd never allow that."

"I appreciate your care, I've just become a bit skeptical recently with all that's happened."

"That's understandable." The good professor replied.

They made their way to the front of the store where a young woman dressed in black stood behind the service podium. She held menus in her hands and smiled when Professor Sycamore approached. They communicated in Kalosian for a bit before she led them to a booth where a kindly old woman sat. She wore an aquamarine dress with small lapis stones decorating the hems. Her graying hair was tied up with ivory hair pins and her glasses were a simple black.

"Augustine," She greeted the professor formally. "It's been a long time. Is this the young man you were mentioning, the one with the… strange companion."

Before Sycamore could respond, Goh interrupted them. "Which one?" He blurted out before blushing slightly at the rude response. If the older woman was offended, she didn't show it, rather chuckling at Goh's bout of brashness. "Oh, I like him. I meant your peculiar pokemon, young man. The one that everyone who is something is talking about."

Goh nodded nervously, and she waved her hand dismissively. "No need to be so meek, I'm not going to bite your head off. Augustine, why is the boy so nervous? Surely he knew who he would be meeting with."

Professor Sycamore scratched the back of his head guiltily. "Well, you see, I didn't exactly…"

"Augustine!" She scolded him brazenly, "you should at least have the decency to give the boy some idea who he would be meeting." She then turned to go with a gentle smile. "I apologize for his poor behavior. I am Professor Magnolia of the Galar region, and it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

---

They sat at the booth in silence, Professor Sycamore next to Professor Magnolia, and Goh opposite them. On the booth table was a set of vibrantly decorated mock chalkboard menus with hand-drawn illustrations of their signature dishes, including their lingonberry and honeyed creme crepes, chocolatines with a cinnamon dusting and a selection of other pastries and breads. A server had brought them an assortment of thin brioche slices along with jams and apple butter, but quickly disappeared, probably noticing the tension in the air. Goh tapped his foot nervously and incessantly, awaiting for Professor Magnolia to begin assaulting him with all sorts of questions that he didn't want to answer, but she simply sat there and hummed contently as she slowly perused the menu.

Finally, Goh built up the courage to ask her the million dollar question; "So, how does Arron pertain to your research."

Professor Magnolia looked up from the menu, her humming coming to a halt. She then readjusted her glasses and gave him a slight harrumph, as if she was disappointed with how impatient he was. "Well, that's a quick way to ruin the mood, young man, but if you insist on skipping the pleasantries I have no choice but to oblige." She set down the menu and removed her glasses, wiping them with a handkerchief she pulled from her purse. "As for what I wanted to inquire about, it wasn't just for the advancement of my research; I had several concerns to address, namely your ignorance of the situation."

Goh inwardly balked at her accusation, but managed to keep a straight face. "Excuse me for not being as informed as a qualified professor, ma'am. I'm just figuring out things as I go along."

"Oh, I never meant to insult you, it's just a fact that you don't know just what kind of creature you hold in the pokeball. Tell me, what have you and your companions 'figured out' so far?"

"Well, we know he's like no other pokemon we've ever seen before, even Professor Cerise was at a loss for words. He's aggressive, violent, ornery, and exceptionally powerful."

"Yes… all true, but that's not what I meant. Do you have any idea of what his true nature is?"

Goh bit down the desire to reveal his dreams to them, believing it would only have him branded insane by these two decorated professionals. He didn't want to come off as a fool or a madman, so he played along, feigning total ignorance to her insinuation. "Well, what does that even mean? Isn't he just a new type of pokemon?"

She gave him a sad, almost pitying look. "No, no he is not. He is so much more than that, especially to the people of the west. To those who know of his existence and believe in certain faiths, he is a symbol that something is on the horizon."

Goh frowned. "What is about to happen?"

She shrugged. "I don't pretend to know what will happen, but many of the people who still hold faith in the old ways believe he is a sign."

"A sign?" He asked sarcastically.

"A sign." She confirmed.

"That's vague."

"I don't pretend to understand what people think. It's not like everyone will believe the same thing about such a sensitive topic; we're talking about their beliefs, not something objective."

Goh nodded. "I understand that, I just figured there'd be some commonality in what people believe will happen."

Professor Magnolia leaned forward, leaning her elbows on the table. "If the sagas are to be believed, it has been thousands of years since such a thing has happened. Thousands of years is a long time for beliefs to splinter and shift. At the end of the day, all I can tell you is people have expectations for your friend."

Goh sat silently for a moment, before changing the subject. "That's enough about that. Professor Sycamore told me about your controversial research, and about how he thinks it might relate to Arron. What do you think?"

Professor Magnolia leaned back and clasped her hands together as she considered what to say next. "My research revolves around the possibility of pokemon sentience, a rather controversial topic in the east. I lost valued friends and colleagues over it, and I became a laughingstock for the scientific establishment there. But I refuse to bow to the establishment there, the truth is everything to me."

Goh nodded with respect. That was an admiral goal, pursuing the truth no matter the cost. "What would it have to do with Arron though? You've never met him, how can you assume he'd be any help to your research?"

Professor Magnolia sighed. "I've been in contact with Augustine for as long as I can remember, and he's provided me with invaluable information for years. So when he called me to tell me about a new pokemon he'd encountered, one of the most intelligent pokemon he'd ever had the pleasure of meeting, I simply had to come. The fact that many of my projects in the east came to a screeching halt when I published my studies on pokemon sentience didn't hinder me from coming as soon as I could. The many lobbying groups had pushed for my labs to be raided for 'criminal activity' which was completely ludicrous, and have held much of my unrelated research hostage unless I publicly denounced my work." She coughed into her hand before wiping it off with her napkin. The waitress returned and nodded to them before pulling out a notepad and taking their orders. Goh ordered the lingonberry crepes, Professor Sycamore a pair of buttered croissants and Professor Magnolia an almond jesuite.

"I believe I have veered off course from the original topic," Professor Magnolia said. "The reason why I believe that Arron is relevant to my research is because I can see the same aspects of sentience in him that I've seen in many of my subjects. Augustine, do you still have the videos I've sent you?"

"Uh, yes, I do. Do you really believe these are appropriate for someone his age?"

"He's participated in brutal pokemon battles, I'm sure he's seen worse than my findings."

Professor Sycamore shrugged and pulled out his Rotom Phone, sending Goh the files Professor Magnolia had referenced. "Those files contain many of my theses as well as video evidence of my claims. I wanted you to have those before I left for Galar to see my granddaughter again. One video in particular might be interesting to your companion. I'll explain some of my findings, but I cannot go into much detail: we'd be here for hours and my time is running out."

Goh nodded, but before he could open the files, professor Magnolia cleared her throat again. "And before we continue, remember where you are returning to. Do not trust Professor Cerise or his companions; while he is an accomplished biologist, he is still part of the same establishment

that has shunned me for bringing the truth to light. If you wish to find the answers you seek, answers to questions that have plagued you and your friend, then this is a good place to start."

Goh didn't know how to respond. He hadn't considered that receiving this information would be akin to going behind Professor Cerise's back. He was Goh's patron, the only reason he'd been able to pursue his goals. If he found out about Goh's connections…

Then Goh remembered the thoughts he had only moments before, how he had inwardly applauded Professor Magnolia for her bravery in railing against the institutions that sought to silence her for her findings. Goh had felt she was in the right, no matter her allegiance. Now he was becoming craven by simply being in the shadow of her position. He didn't want to succumb to that kind of hypocrisy.

"Yeah, I understand, and thank you for everything."

"Don't mention it, young man. I'll be leaving tomorrow, if you need anything else, or if you have the time to visit, come by and maybe we can discuss this more."

Goh nodded and ate more of his Crepes. "My battle is coming up, I don't mean to be rude but I'd rather have some time to prepare."

Professor Magnolia nodded and smiled. "Good luck, young man, I'll be watching."

Goh finished his crepes as Professor Magnolia and Professor Sycamore ate, the atmosphere becoming tense again. They apparently seemed to know that Goh wasn't comfortable being here due to all of the intrigue, but his thirst for knowledge far surpassed his introversion. If there was something else to know about Arron, he would learn it, and maybe it would be more concrete than hunches based on dreams.

He finished his plate quickly and stacked all of his rubbish and silverware neatly on top of it out of habit before sliding it to the end of the table so the waitress wouldn't have trouble retrieving it. Then he stood up and nodded his head awkwardly before leaving the Cafe and heading towards the Arena to prepare for his next and possibly final battle.

---

"He knows something, I can feel it."

Professor Sycamore leaned back in the opposite end of the booth, having long since polished off his pastries. Professor Magnolia, on the other hand, chose to eat slowly and enjoy her food while she listened to his speculations.

"I mean, I heard directly from professor Sycamore that he was a bit of a frazzled young man, but somehow he seems downright reticent, reclusive even."

Professor Magnolia shook her head disapprovingly. "That's not a bad thing, especially with the situation he's in. He owns the most controversial pokemon since porygon, I'm sure a bit of healthy paranoia won't kill him."

Professor Sycamore remained silent while she continued to eat, until she responded to him again. "But yes, your suspicions may be correct. The boy is still paranoid and eager to be alone. I don't know whether he is simply a bit misanthropic or he truly has something to hide, but there's something concerning about that boy."

"Then we should help him, we need to find out what's wrong and seek to assist him."

Professor Magnolia sighed at him with a hint of frustration. "At the end of the day it is none of our business, Augustine. Besides, he is under the care of Professor Cerise and his establishment. While he and I have had our differences, he is a good man at heart and he would protect that boy with his life."

Sycamore shrugged, obviously feeling slighted, but he didn't let the feelings get to him. "What else do you know? I never told you about Arron, yet you knew about him; what angle are you playing? This isn't just about your research, is it?"

"And you wisely kept your mouth shut. But to answer your question, do you remember my contact in the Onyx Hall? He slipped me a file packet of all sorts of information that frankly I still have no idea how he retrieved. Information regarding the subject's biology, clear pictures taken from all angles, even less… relevant data including religious inscriptions within the halls themselves. Then they told me the boy and this pokemon would be in Shalour within the week; I had that long to get my affairs in order."

"How is that even possible? I know they have a reputation but there's no way they could have retrieved such information! It's hidden in government funded and secured databases, much of that information is private to the patients and their doctors alone."

"I don't know, but they don't call them the All-Seeing Eye for nothing. My money's on some kind of magic." Professor Magnolia said sarcastically as she chuckled at Sycamore's irate expression.

Professor massaged the bridge of his nose. "This is serious! Why are you even in contact with them? They're a religious organization and you're a pokemon professor, you and them should mix like fire and water."

She nodded in a conceding fashion. "True, but the Onyx Hall has a certain veneration for the acquisition of knowledge for its own sake. They've been surprisingly tolerant of my general

interest in their institution as of late." She set down her fork on her empty plate and shifted it to the side. "But furthermore, this is a labor of great importance to both me and them. My work could legitimize their institution to the outside world again."

Professor Sycamore snorted. "I highly doubt that. Even if your work held some kind relevance to their dogma, the average person in other regions wouldn't bat an eye."

"Maybe, but to them the idea of pokemon sentience becoming mainstream is enough to sponsor my work and assist me in any way they can. For an order that has remained so secretive for the last few thousand years, that's more than enough to show me that they have some semblance of faith in my work. This is possible, Augustine, and you know it."

Professor Sycamore leaned back in the booth, running his hands through his hair. "I have nothing against your studies, but I doubt that even if you discover concrete evidence of pokemon sentience, evidence that the rest of the world besides the west will even accept, you'll still be fighting against the single most powerful league of institutions in the world. The pokemon leagues won't stand for it, they will find a way to silence you one way or another."

"So, you think all my struggles are pointless then? That my accumulated work of over a decade of scientific research and studies is all for naught? I'm not going to just lie down and die because Kanto and its lapdogs believe my discoveries might cut into their profit margins, I'm going to fight with everything I have. This is something the world needs to know, that some pokemon are of human level intelligence. You've seen evidence for it, I've seen it as well, and so has every trainer who's owned a pokemon with the potential for sentience; there's something more than just animalistic urges and a primitive mind, there's something that separates the wheat from the chaff, something that separates the sentient from the non-sentient."

Professor Sycamore raised his hands in defeat. "Okay, I just wanted to make sure you knew what was in store for you. They will put you through hell and back."

She pursed her lips in frustration. "I know, which is why I have friends of my own."

Professor Sycamore gave her an odd look before he realized what she meant. "No, you can't, that's too risky, and you don't even know if he'll help you!"

"I don't care. Chairman Rose is a man with serious influence, and the thing he hates the most is Kanto's influence on the west. If my discoveries pose a chance to weaken them, he'll help me in any way he can."

Professor Sycamore was silent for a moment before he stood up and dusted the crumbs off his lab coat. Then he placed a wad of cash onto the counter and nodded to her, an almost sympathetic look in his eyes. "Be careful then, you know what that man is capable of; what lengths he's willing to go to. Don't let him drag you into another war."

She nodded back to him. "I won't. Thank you for breakfast, Augustine, it was good to see you again, after all this time."

Professor Sycamore sighed before walking out the door, pulling out his rotom phone and dialing an unknown contact. Professor Magnolia huffed and pushed her plate and the remnants of her pastry to the center of the table, her appetite gone and her mind wandering.

---

Goh stood at the end of the arena, opposite of Korrina, who was confidently tossing a pokeball up and down in her palm. She had a wide smirk on her face and a giddy hop in her step, no doubt excited to finally battle Goh, or more accurately to battle Arron. She was wearing her creme colored ceremonial gown, her long blonde hair blowing in the wind. Today she added a white sun hat with a simple, jade ribbon tied around the crown. She dipped it mirthfully before taking an ornate, almost taunting bow towards Goh.

Goh on the other hand was rigid like the walls of the Arena. He gripped Raboot's pokeball so hard that all the blood drained from his knuckles. He wasn't excited, rather he was stressed, his body sitting up at both his opponent and the size of the spectating crowd.

"Losing your nerve, Goh? That's fine, you can chicken out whenever you want!"

Korrina's taunt snapped him out of his encroaching dread, forcing him back to reality. "You know I can't do that, I've got too much on the line!"

Jorrina blew a raspberry at him. "Like what? Ash's pride? It can't be yours, there's nothing inside you but fear and anxiety."

Goh gripped the ball tighter. "We'll see about that."

Korrina raised an eyebrow and lifted her pokeball in the air in an almost elegant, elegiac pose, one that had to be poetic or symbolic in some way, her left leg pulled up and her left arm arched behind her back like the arm of a bow pulled taut. Instead of throwing it, however, she twirled along with her limbs, her arms becoming unwound around her like leaves fluttering down from a tree, her eyes closed and face calm and serene, as if she was meditating. Quietly, Goh pulled out his rotom phone and scanned the dance she was performing, eager to know what significance it had, if any.

After a few moments of silence, his rotom phone buzzed, revealing a page of information. It was a webpage of varying kalosian lore and folktales, presenting everything from religious practices to local legends. The 'spiorad dothuigthe' the incomprehensible spirit, a sacred dance once

performed by a draoi. It was thought to have gifted the performer and their retinue with an unyielding resistance to the elements. Legend states that the druids used it to combat the Brotherhood and their mastery over fire and ice during long forgotten battles enshrined in song. The dance doesn't strengthen or embolden the spirit like others do, but rather grants the aura of the user and their followers an elusive and sleek essence, allowing them to slip through bursts of flame and gusts of ice and receive only a fraction of the damage one would expect.

Goh wasn't expecting that, but it made sense in a strange way. Even if it was just a ritualistic dance meant to inspire or encourage, it was chosen for a reason. The most obvious was the fact that Korrina knew that he would be using Arron no matter what; he was his ace in the hole, and while Arron was vicious in close combat, her lucario had a double type advantage at close range. If she truly believed that this dance would do something, anything, even act as a placebo, then that would reduce Arron's advantage of being able to attack from afar with ice attacks, something Lucario was already resistant to.

Then another realization hit him; she had predicted he was going to use Raboot! Of course, why hadn't he known? It would be logical to use Raboot against her because Raboot was his only pokemon with a serious advantage against Lucario. She had a type advantage and could outmaneuver Lucario with enough effort, meaning that she would be instrumental in attaining victory.

He glared at her before putting Raboot's pokeball back and went to retrieve another in what may have been his most foolish move as of to date, allowing a simple ritual to intimidate him. But something inside of him would not allow for something that seemed to be so sacred to the people of Shalor that their champion would perform it in front of thousands, not after what he experienced with Emilia. He knew there was something unnatural about this place, something ethereal even, and if he had to play by their rules then he would.

He retrieved Misdreavus' pokeball in his hand, clenching it tightly just as Korrina finished her dance, bowing and placing a single crimson flower petal on the ground in one elegant, swooping motion. It remained still for a moment before the wind picked up and lifted it into the sky with the scent of a thousand different flowers in the air, causing it to flutter and wobble into the sky like a baby bird learning to fly. The crowd murmured at the outcome of the performance, but Korrina had a confident smirk on her face, so it was obviously a good omen of sorts.

Goh grimaced, and decided to look up into the stands instead. He regretted doing that immediately, since he saw Chairman Rose staring down at him from his private booth, a frown plastered onto his face. Goh didn't know why, but that man made his stomach roil with anger for some reason, as if he had wronged him in some way. So he tore his eyes away from the chairman and back to Korrina, who tossed her pokeball out, releasing her first pokemon.

"Go, Mienshao!"

Mienshao tumbled through the air and landed on her feet before taking a fighting stance, focused and disciplined. Goh narrowed his eyes and released Misdreavus from her pokeball, the small ghost pokemon fluttering through the air. Korrina raised her own eyebrows at his choice of pokemon, obviously expecting him to choose a different fighter.

"Interesting, I didn't know you had a ghost type."

"I'm full of surprises," he replied tensely. She nodded and took a stance with her pokemon, grinning with excitement. "Hey, I love a good challenge. Mienshao, use Aura Sphere!"

Goh's eyes widened as Meinshao whipped her arms out and channeled a purplish aura sphere, sending it flying towards Misdreavus. Goh shouted in surprise and Misdreavus sped away in terror, dodging the Aura Sphere before cowering behind Goh. Korrina chuckled and raised her hands in mock victory, giving Goh an sympathetic look. "It seems that your ghost type isn't all that it's cracked up to be. How are you going to beat my pokemon when your Misdreavus doesn't even have the guts to face them?"

Goh grit his teeth. "Oh, you'll see." He turned to Misdreavus and grabbed her skirt-like essence, lightly pulling her in front of him before looking her in the eye, "I'm going to need you to be brave, okay? I know you can do it."

Misdreavus gave him an uncertain look, whining softly as she eyed Korrina and her pokemon. Goh sighed and ruffled her fluffy, ghostly hair, causing her to giggle. But as Goh stopped and gave her a determined look, and she recoiled, her lip trembling as she moved forward, facing Mienshao directly. She fluttered around anxiously while Mienshao stared her down, causing her to shiver. Goh buried his head in his hands, regretting his decision, but before he could try and rectify it, Mienshao lunged forward, an Aura Sphere swirling in her hand. Misdreavus gasped and flew upwards, twirling through the air before descending behind Mienshao and hovering off the ground, still spooked by Meinshao's speed.

Mienshao growled at Misdreavus' evasiveness, obviously unable to catch her with an Aura Sphere. Goh let out a tentative grin, since at least he had some kind of advantage against Korrina's team and their overwhelming strength. Korrina wasn't smiling anymore, but she didn't seem fazed either, rather she seemed more interested in just how Goh was actually going to counter-attack. Goh had to admit, he didn't know a lot of Misdreavus' moves, so he'd have to try and get creative with what he had at hand.

"Misdreavus, use confusion ray!"

Misdreavus' mood seemed to change on a dime, her once frightful expression morphing into one of frustration and focus, channeling energy from the glowing crimson orbs dangling from her neck. She then howled, the shriek that erupted from her mouth shaking the very air itself and sending a blast of sonic sound towards Mienshao. The echoes of the blast rippled over Goh,

leaving him momentarily dizzy, but for Mienshao it was like a flashbang, causing her to stumble and clutch her ears in intense pain, her eyes dilated and her movement confused.

"Misdreavus, use Psybeam!"

Misdreavus shuddered and began to glow before unleashing a thin beam of dark purple energy at Mienshao. Mienshao didn't even notice the energy until it slammed into her, erupting into a baleful black aura that caused her to crumple to her knees. Misdreavus nearly fell to the ground as well, obviously just barely able to conjure such a move, and Goh noticed that the crimson pearls around her neck became cloudy.

"Mienshao, get back up! Use an Aura Sphere!"

Mienshao hobbled to her feet with a growl, a weak Aura Sphere circulating in his hands while she shuddered. Goh couldn't begin to understand how Misdreavus was able to discharge such a powerful psybeam, but he wasn't going to complain; she had just increased their chances tenfold.

"Misdreavus, use Spite! Weaken her!"

Misdreavus shuddered again before a black aura emanated from her being, pitch black energy morphing into a loose orb of power like ink swirling in water. It began to swim through the air like the most vile of creatures given shape in shadow before sharpening into an almost needle-like edge and nearly skewering Mienshao. She instead attempted to redirect the force despite her confused state, yet it was no use: it would have its way no matter the resistance. It quivered through the air milliseconds before impact and pierced her left hand, forcing her back, her arms and legs thrust downward in an attempt to regain balance through friction and sheer effort alone. She succeeded, but collapsed to her knees again, her eyes bloodshot and dry, the little blood vessels in her eyes dyed a sickly black color, as if she had been poisoned.

Mienshao rose to her feet again, Attempting to charge another Aura Sphere, but before it could coagulate in her hand she grasped her forearm in panic and pain, hissing like a fox trapped in a claw trap. Blood dripped from her nose and her arm went momentarily limp as if the nerves simply shut off.

Goh couldn't see Korrina grimacing in the background, her first pokemon essentially neutralized, so he wasn't surprised when she whipped out Mienshao's pokeball and retracted her within, preserving her for a later battle. Goh considered doing the same with Misdreavus; she was obviously both fatigued and stuffed by fear and a lack of confidence. But she was a valuable team member, and he was willing to use her to his advantage. But not without her consent.

"Misdreavus, can you keep going?"

Misdreavus looked back at him with a sly grin, her little incorporeal eyebrows arched downwards with mischievous glee. Apparently she had gained the adrenaline rush after manhandling Mienshao, because she seemed exceptionally confident.

"Alright then," he said under his breath, "let's keep going."

Korrina frowned for a moment before twisting it into a smirk. "All right, I'm impressed, I'll give you that. But you're going to have to try harder than that. Mienshao was nowhere near my strongest pokemon, so be prepared to lose."

Goh sighed and waited patiently as Korrina tossed another pokeball in the air and fooling around with it like a performer before tossing it out into the field. A massive Machete burst forth, flexing its muscles before eyeing Misdreavus dangerously. Immediately, all of Misdreavus' bravery evaporated and she disappeared behind Goh. Goh sighed, massaging the bridge of his nose with his hand.

"You know he's going to have a hard time even hitting you, right?"

She fluttered from behind him nervously, an apologetic smile twisted on her cute little face. Goh couldn't bring himself to be mad at her, she was whimsical and adorable all the same, but he was flabbergasted by the fact that she was part of a pokemon species whose entire identity was based around scaring woodland travelers and hiding out in dark forests. He couldn't imagine her being scared of anything.

Yet he remembered when Arron bit Professor Cerise, and when he bit him as well. Now, Goh couldn't see Arron being scared either, but he had learned that the devil was in the details. Just like Arron was put in an uncomfortable and unrecognizable situation, so was Misdreavus: he had found her in a dark bell tower in the dead of night, and only after she had terrorized them for intruding. Now she was in the bright sunlight, surrounded by large and powerful enemies. Her advantages were gone and she was used to simply fleeing when she was outmatched. Now she couldn't do that, and she was terrified.

He wrapped his hands around her and pulled her close, running his hands through her purple locks of ethereal hair. She looked up at him, awed by his change in behavior, and he simply let her curl up in his arms. "You're stronger than you know, you just have to believe it. Can you do that for me, please?"

She whimpered, and Goh's heart felt a twang. "I know you're scared; I am too, I was afraid of people who were bigger than me for a long time, but then I realized I had to believe in myself and take pride in who I was."

Goh chuckled bitterly on the inside, knowing full well he did it reach that point yet. He knew he had to, he just hadn't achieved the self confidence yet. But he wouldn't let his problems leech onto his team, no matter how crippling they would be.

Misdreavus' uncertain expression morphed into one of determination, and she floated out of his arms again, staring down the enemy machoke. The machoke merely chuckled at her, obviously amused by the little creature attempting to intimidate him. Misdreavus simply glared at him before launching a dark Lance of energy at Machoke, causing him to stumble backwards and cough up blood. He growled and she responded with another psybeam, burning his skin. He clutched his chest in pain and charged towards her against Korrina's wishes, who shouted in annoyance at his disobedience. Misdreavus simply floated away from him before he could strike her with a dual chop.

Goh was incredulous with how rapidly misdreavus' lack of confidence had changed into defiance, her newfound bravado practically radiating from her. She whizzed around the arena, dodging strikes from machoke with ease. Korrina remained stone-faced all the same, however, forcing down any frustration she might have had beneath a placid scowl. Her dress flapped in the rapidly heightening wind, her hand placed firmly in the crown of her sun hat to make sure I wouldn't fly away. He had never seen her like this, but he hadn't seen her battle much either; Goh knew people could transform when they battled, so it wasn't unprecedented for Korrina to become quiet and serious when facing a strong opponent.

Machoke kept into the air and got in a lucky hit, slapping Misdreavus across the arena with an energy encased forearm, a devilish grin plastered on his face. Misdreavus slammed into the ground, the dirt cracking and misdreavus' plush face becoming scraped and bruised. She leaned up to see machoke towering over her before he lifted his foot up and attempted to crush her underneath, only for her to slip away at the last moment. Machoke growled and spun around, searching for her, but a blast of psychic energy pierced the back of his knee from behind, Misdreavus having been floating in the air behind him to avoid his sight.

"Misdreavus, use confuse ray and finish him off! You can do this!"

Misdreavus took a deep breath and was about to unleash a confusing bellow, but machoke caught up with her, striking her with a withering double chop that sent her spiraling down to the ground. She attempted to get back up, but Machoke landed on her and practically crushed her with the full weight of his body bearing down on her, his elbow jammed into her small body with an unrelenting force.

Korrina pumped her arms in excitement while hopping up and down, barely able to keep her sunhat on her head. "That's it machoke! Finish her off."

Mahoke rose to his knees, chuckling venomously while lifting his hands up into the air and clasping them together, ready to bring the combined force of both arms down on Misdreavus, who was unmoving and practically broken. She shivered as the pain left her debilitated and unable to move. She was done for, he wouldn't let her suffering continue.

"STOP!" Goh shouted at the top of his lungs. Both Korrina and Machoke, as well as the rest of the crowd, turned and stared at him in shock. He held out Misdreavus' pokeball, his hand shaking with pity and sorrow for Misdreavus' broken state. Korrina looked at him as if he was an alien for a second, but nodded, obviously knowing what he wanted to do.

"Machoke, up! Back to me, get ready for the next battle."

Machoke growled dejectedly, as if he was angry to be denied a good finale, but listened to her all the same. He stood up and walked backwards, eyes never leaving Goh's. Goh stared him down, his fingers clasped so tight around Misdreavus' pokeball that his knuckles were white. As soon as Machoke reached Korrina and sat down next to her, Goh rushed out and retrieved Misdreavus from the ground, cradling her in his arms. She was bloody and bruised, but still conscious. She grunted as goh embraced her softly, and he returned her to her pokeball to rest and heal.

Goh stood up and sighed, the wind becoming stronger and more violent, as if responding to his emotions. Korrina just continued to smirk, her mood fluctuating between moody and smug depending on the balance of power.

Her machoke wasn't much different; he was violent and short-sighted, and seemed to revel in battle; much like Arron in that regard. The difference between the two was that Arron became ruthless and bloodthirsty, while machoke simply seemed to enjoy exploiting his superiority.

Goh was sure Arron would teach him a lesson in true savagery.

He whipped out Arron's pokeball and unleashed the beast, his hulking form landing on the ground with a resounding thud that scattered dust across the arena. His icy blue eyes and milky sclera focused on his new foe. He spotted Korrina standing next to Machoke and grinned maliciously, as if he had been waiting to humble her.

He raised his claws up to his chest and wrapped them around his shoulder, scraping them across the bony plating to sharpen them while unleashing an ungodly screeching sound that caused the many spectators of the arena to cringe and wince in pain, their eardrums pounding from the awful sound. Machoke seemed unaffected, however, and he simply cracked his neck before rising to his feet and flexing his arms threateningly.

Arron's tail flicked around in agitation, his eagerness to obliterate Machoke beginning to overwhelm him. Machoke chuckled darkly before taking a downward stance, bent over with both hands on the ground, ready to rush Arron when he charged.

They say silently for a second, the air becoming so thick with tension that you could cut it with a knife. Arron's ever present snarl seemed to become even more ferocious as he tensed, his body twitching like a wound up rubber band ready to spring. Machoke was more loose, relaxed and

confident, somehow either ignoring Arron's ferocity or just not being intimidated by him at all. Goh didn't know which one he hated more.

The air continued to thicken and the clouds gathered and coalesced into storming black blotches in the sky. Spectators opened their umbrellas and hid under them as the first bolt of lightning ravaged its way through the clouds and crackled with energy, the thunderclap silencing everything else. Then, when the second bolt of lightning struck and the first raindrop fell, Arron lept towards machoke, claws extended and ready to remove his foe's head from his body.

Machoke laughed and stood his ground, catching Arron by his arms and slamming him into the earth with enough force to shatter it, leaving a spider web of cracks across both the rocky surface and the back of Arron's shell. Arron roared and struck Machoke rapidly, leaving a nasty cut along his left bicep, as well as a laceration down his left eye, temporarily blinding him. The massive wrestling Pokemon stumbled backwards, howling in pain as he clutched his eye, blood pouring down across his face and pooling on the ground in front of him.

Machoke stomped his foot, cracking the earth and kicking up dust, before he lunged back at Arron, who caught him in turn. The two powerful foes locked arms, pushing against each other to gain the upper hand and snarling like rabid dogs. Eventually, Arron attempted a violent push to unbalance Machoke and force him to the ground, but Machoke was prepared; he ducked under Arron and wrapped his arms around his waist before hauling him up and slamming him into the ground again in one swift motion.

Arron wheezed for a moment before attempting to lift himself up, only for Machoke to slam his intertwined fists into his back, sending him sprawling onto the ground. Arron sat there for a moment, allowing Machoke to straddle him and pound him into submission, but was able to flip him over with a violent shout and force Machoke on his back. Machoke nearly stood up again, but Arron plunged his claws into him with reckless abandon, shearing into his abdomen with bloodlust in his eyes. Machoke shrieked in pain, but kicked him off with the force of both of his legs, sending Arron flying several feet and into a stray boulder, shattering it and scattering dust about. When the dust cleared, Arron was still lifting himself up sluggishly and painfully like a wilted flower given new life. He stumbled forward but regained his balance, his two icy blue eyes staring into Machoke's soul like knives, his claws outstretching and retracting with anticipation. Machoke, for his part, wasn't grinning anymore. He stood stoic in the rain, his saurian skin covered in droplets of water. He held his gut gingerly, blood slipping from between his fingers, down his groin and dripping into a pool of blood below that splattered in the storm.

Lightning crackled in the air again, lighting up the arena for a split second as the two lunged at each other once more, only this time Arron had the upper hand. He was able to slip past Machoke's guard and wrap his hands around his head, slaying it into the ground with a resounding crack, causing Machoke to groan in pain and reach for the back of his head. More blood gushed from his scalp, a nasty cut running its way across his neck and skull. He stood up again and Arron knocked him down once more with a violent swipe, sending him sprawling across the arena in a daze.

The rain had become oppressive, making it impossible for either of the trainers to shout orders. Goh noticed that throughout the latter half of the battle, Korrina had been shouting at the top of her lungs to no avail, the deafening thunderstorm making it impossible for her to convey anything to Machoke. Goh didn't even bother giving Arron orders; even in this weather he knew Arron was both capable and would perform to the extent of his abilities. Besides, even if there was no rainstorm, Goh doubted that either Pokemon would listen either way; both had kept their eyes locked on each other, looking for an opening to strike at or a weakness to exploit. The battle was painfully close, and neither combatant could afford any distractions.

The two foes continued to engage in a series of grapples, neither being able to overwhelm the other, even with how injured they were. Arron, despite having less cuts and bruises than Machoke, was still brutally wounded on the inside, his ribs having been broken and his skull cracked. He was obviously more fatigued as well, his heavy armored plates weighing him down, spiderweb fractures expanding slowly with every heaving breath from his lungs.

With one last boom of thunder, Arron leapt forward, racing towards Machoke before slamming into him. Machoke twisted his upper body, tossing Arron away before punching him square in the jaw when he attempted to retaliate by charging at him. Arron stumbled backwards, but Machoke didn't stop, continuing to press him with a series of punches and uppercuts before sweeping him off his feet with a sliding kick and kicking him in his stomach with his shin. Arron hunched over with a pained growl, blood seeping out from between his teeth as Machoke picked him up by his legs and slammed him into the ground with a loud thwomp, violently flattening him.

Goh was getting restless, but he could only watch as the battle dragged on, both combatants exhausted and broken. Arron lifted himself up as Machoke caught his breath, hunched over as the wound in his gut worsened. Arron flexed his muscles before trudging over to his foe and slamming him to the ground and continuously slicing him with his claws. The ground became blood soaked from the attacks, leaving Machoke nearly eviscerated. Arron stood up again, blood drenching his fur and dripping back down onto Machoke in the rain. Machoke didn't get up again, he had passed out from exhaustion and blood loss.

Korrina stepped forward, lifting Machoke's pokeball and returning him before retrieving the pokeball of her last Pokemon, Lucario. She smiled bitterly before tossing it in the air and closing the gap between her and Goh, Arron returning to his side and sitting down with a pained grunt as he nursed his cracked shell. She was drenched, but she didn't seem to mind.

"So, we've reached the final battle. You've hit the end of the road, Goh, although I'll say I'm impressed you made it this far."

Goh's brooding stare didn't change. "I didn't make it this far, Arron did. He and all of my Pokemon got me here, I just did my best to help them."

She shrugged. "True I suppose, although I would say Arron did most of the heavy lifting. He's really something if you ask me, one and a million. Treat him well, because I have a feeling you're going to need him wherever you're going."

Goh sighed. "So, what now?"

"You know what. It's time for the final act, so I think it's our job to put on a show, don't you think? These people have come to he entertained." She swept her arms across the crowd. "Just remember, no matter what happens today, you have already won great honors. Few truly make it to the Votive Games and even if you don't win you are deemed a worthy trainer. That includes a lot of points towards your rank in the world coronation series."

"I don't really care about that, Ash does."

"So why are you here? This doesn't seem like the type of place an aspiring physician would be found, now does it?"

"Maybe not, but I'm more than the subject of my studies."

"So I've heard." She grinned at him before tossing Lucario's pokeball in the air again. "But I think we've stalled enough; we both know how this is going to end."

Goh didn't respond, instead simply looking at Arron, who was staring into Korrina's soul, a snarl plastered onto his face. She didn't seem very intimidated by him, probably because he was already very injured. "I've been waiting for this moment for a long time, so you better put on a show for them." she gestured to the silent crowd, who were rife with anticipation. Arron merely growled at her, which she chuckled at.

She turned around and walked back to her end of the arena, removing her soaked sunhat and letting her blond locks flow in the wind. Then she tossed Lucario's pokeball in the air before catching it and launching it forward, releasing him. He landed on all fours before standing up and stretching. "All right Lucario, it's time for the final act. No holding back!"

She held up her arm and revealed her keystone, glowing with bright chromatic energy as it engulfed Lucario, transforming him into something else. He grew taller by half a foot, his straight tail turning into a bushy one and black stripes growing more prominent, as well as crimson red fur sprouting on his paws. His bony protrusions grew and multiplied, becoming sharper and curved, and his eyes became more intense. He summoned a bone rush, spinning the large, femur-like weapon menacingly before slamming the butt end on the ground with brutal force, causing spiderweb cracks to spread for meters around the point of impact.

But what was most intimidating was his aura. He couldn't feel anything like it before, but now it radiated like the air in a heat wave, dissipating the rain into mist. It was intoxicating and dizzying, like being trapped in a room full of methane.

Arron trudged forward, his body glowing with power as he channeled all his energy. Goh hadn't realized it before, but he hadn't really been trying as hard as he could have been. He won against Machoke, sure, but maybe he would've won faster if he had gone all out. Maybe he didn't want to waste his energy or maybe he just wanted to prolong the bloodshed.

Then he noticed that Arron's bony plates were slowly fusing back together, the cracks disappearing as they healed. Arron could afford to be reckless, Lucario couldn't. That meant they still had a chance.

"Arron, crush him." Goh said simply. Arron gladly responded by rushing towards his new enemy, ready to eviscerate him.

---

Arron and Lucario slammed together, snarling like wild dogs as they attempted to overpower each other. Lucario was steadfast and unflinching, a deep frown glued on his face as he focused on his enemy. Arron was barking with laughter, elated to finally have a worthy foe. Lucario wouldn't give in, being exceptionally strong for his size, but Arron had more weight and muscle, and simply pushed Lucario through the dirt, his paws slipping.

Lucario yielded, jumping backwards before charging an aura sphere at him, which Arron blocked with his forearm, charring his bone plates. He looked up only to see Lucario on top of him, slamming down a bone rush on him and causing him to stumble backwards. He blocked the next two skull rattling strikes with his arms before grabbing Lucario's next bone and swinging him around on it. Lucario let go and landed on his feet like an acrobat, arms outstretched and all.

"You are a fool if you think you will win this battle " Lucario said, summoning another translucent bone. "You are but a child."

Arron cackled with manic glee. "A child? You truly are clueless. I am much older than you think." He sharpened his claws on his shoulder plates, watching with pleasure as Lucario grimaced from the screeching of his claws scraping against bone. "But you are ignorant, so your foolishness is to be expected."

Lucario charged at him, swinging his weapon as hard as he could, creating small shockwaves when the translucent bone and Arron's carapace made contact. Each strike shook the earth, causing pebbles to shake so much that they lifted off the ground. Lucario continued to growl and grumble, unable to break through Arron's defence, but he was able to avoid any blows from Arron as well, meaning they were stuck in a stalemate until one broke through.

Arron was the first to strike true, slashing downward with such immense force that it shattered Lucario's bone and cleaved into his face and chest, leaving nasty lacerations on his snout and body. He stumbled backwards only to be punched in the face and then kicked away further.

"Damn you," he hissed. "don't get too cocky, abomination. I'll wipe that smirk off your face"

"I'd like to see you try." Arron replied, the temperature in the arena dropping rapidly as he began to channel his power. Lucario became unnerved as raindrops froze before they hit the ground, creating small splotches of icy earth every few steps. Arron was covered with a thin sheen of ice that seemed to crackle like lightning, the temperature so cold it would freeze flesh and blood solid in seconds. Lucario growled and jumped backwards, launching another Aura sphere as he flew. Arron blocked it, only for several more to come his way, all impacting against his skin as he struggled to overcome the energy output of each. What was left was burnt and seared skin and blackened bone, his once white fur charred black in many places. Yet the ice did not dissipate, instead growing even more as Arron rushed towards his foe, slamming into him and lacerating him against the spiked on his shoulder plates.

Lucario shouted and pushed himself off of Arron, conjuring and throwing another bone which pierced his chest, causing Arron to slow down and cough up blood. Lucario launched another, and then another, one piercing his thigh and another piercing his upper groin, causing him to hunch over in pain. Lucario didn't waste his time pressing his advantage, rushing towards Arron, his paws encased in blue aura ready to strike him down, but Arron was able to react just in time, backhanding Lucario before slashing at him again, this time lacerating his leg.

Lucario tumbled across the arena, Arron's ice beginning to spread like a disease across his body. He got up, ice crackling off his fur as he rubbed the side of his head where Arron had struck him, his right eye swollen shut. "You won't quit, will you? Don't make me have to hurt you further."

Arron simply laughed at his threat. "Hurt me? Doubtful. I can do this all day." He then proceeded to cough up copious amounts of blood before wiping his face, staining the remaining white fur on his arm crimson red. He frowned at the ironic timing, but waved it off as karma for his hubris.

In reality, he was very hurt. More than usual, and that was saying something. Lucario had gotten lucky and pierced his left lung as well as his liver, causing him immense pain. But he was used to pain; he had suffered worse throughout his pitiful existence, and he wouldn't allow it to overcome his discipline, even if it killed him.

But Lucario seemed to see through his expert facade. "I'm no fool, you're in debilitating pain. You can't go on much longer at this rate."

Arron chuckled darkly. "You'd better worry about yourself, you don't look too good either."

"I'm still strong enough to put you in your place, don't forget that."

"We shall see."

Arron closed his eyes and focused as Lucario was planning his next move. He felt the ice growing within Lucario, eating away at his strength slowly. He felt the connection between it and himself, like strings attached to his fingers. He pulled, and the ice obliged, shattering and expanding until Lucario collapsed onto his knees in pain, howling.

"Ruptura!"

The size of the ice magnified until it ruptured from Lucario's abdomen, pulverizing his liver like a grape. He crumpled to the ground, retching and heaving as his insides unwound. Arron just barely heard Korrina scream through the rumbling of the adrenaline coursing through his veins, but he wasn't done with Lucario: that wench could wait.

He splayed his claws and approached Lucario with murderous intent, ready to finish the sorry creature off, but he rose to his feet before Arron could reach him. Arron attempted to tackle him by leaping sluggishly, but Lucario just barely sidestepped the attack, causing Arron to grapple with the ground and make a sharp turn before leaping again, only this time Lucario was ready. He was able to hold out two ethereal bones Justin time for Arron to be impaled on them. Heet out a gasp, his voice raspy and devoid of rage, his surprise overcoming all other sensations, quickly trumped by a numbness in his chest that wasn't natural. He couldn't speak either, a series of gargles were the only responses he could give.

He looked down and mouthed an estranged oh with his snout, noticing the two bones had pierced him through the throat and the heart. Blood dripped from his mouth as he began to laugh hysterically, blood splattering on the ground. He had lost, for the first time in forever he had lost and he felt nothing but irony. Lucario looked almost disturbed at Arron's delirium, and dropped the bones, the lack of focus causing them to deteriorate and dissolve, leaving only Arron's gaping wounds behind. He collapsed to the ground, losing consciousness as the pokeball's red light encapsulated him before he could die from his injuries.

---

Goh sat in the lobby of the Pokemon Hospital, signing paperwork and attempting to pass the time while he waited for some semblance of feedback from the doctors or the nursing staff. It had been several hours since the battle, he had lost to Korrina, even with Raboot at full strength. Compared to his battle with Arron, fighting Raboot must've been child's play for Korrina's Lucario, even when he was so injured. In less than a minute she had been deemed unconscious and Lucario had won, allowing for her to move up to the final four.

Goh wasn't disappointed over losing, it was all just a way to help Arron blow off steam and become more relaxed, but he doubted he had been successful in slaking Arron's bloodthirst. Arron only seemed to become more monstrous after each battle, as if it was what he lived for.

He looked out the window and into the sunset and sighed. Arron was in bad shape, worse than usual; in fact, he was on death's doorstep by the time the nurses had put him in a medically induced coma and began preparing genetic material for cloned organs and tissue replacement. For now, all he could do was wait until they deemed him stable enough to be put on stasis and transported back to Kanto where he could fully recover in peace.

But that wasn't the only concern; he had a meeting with the nursing staff and professor Sycamore about Arron's physical state, something that seemed redundant at the time but became quite the bombshell.

"Arron's body shows signs of extreme duress," The good professor had explained to him. "His entire body is plagued by long term exhaustion, as if the natural healing process is extremely taxing. We knew that he healed far quicker than most other Pokemon, at a rate which many would call unbelievable, but it seems to be taking it's toll on his long term health."

Goh furrowed his brow in curiosity. He had noticed just that over the past week or so, realizing that Arron was gifted with an exceptionally fast metabolism, yet apparently speed is sometimes mutually exclusive with quality.

"Here, let me show you," Professor Sycamore continued, fumbling with a medical case file containing everything from a list of proper anesthesia to dietary needs. The good professor fished out what looked like CT scans of muscle tissue, the tubular structures implying a microscopic snapshot had been taken. It was a flip-photo gallery of the musculature taken over the course of an hour based on the timestamps, with each showing rapid tissue growth.

"We were observing him and his internal biology while we were waiting for his cloned heart to fully form, and the rate of tissue regrowth in his chest cavity is otherworldly. His muscles just knit themselves back together from a ruined state within the span of less than an hour, to the point where he was able to naturally flex his arms, breath and cough with little complications." He pulled out another photo, an even closer snapshot of the musculature, but it was riddled with holes and tears. "but there is a catch; the granulation tissue is strained at best and incomplete at worst, meaning that it wasn't fully formed when his tissues regained mobility. That, along with a small yet constant amount of beta-endorphins co-mingling with adrenaline, means that he's constantly on high alert and aggressive, while his body is ignoring the pain, strain and stress that his muscles are being subjected to."

That explained a lot. It explained why Arron was so hostile and vicious, why he was able to withstand so much pain, and why he never seemed concerned about dying: for hours, or even days after a battle his body is still on high alert as he adapts and survives. It's a genuinely brilliant way to reduce the main weakness of predatory Pokemon, how fragile they were, in an

efficient way. If the average wild Pokemon was severely injured, death would be a very real and plausible possibility. Arron's natural healing ability reduced that possibility by quite a bit.

"So, how bad is his condition? That kind of muscle strain can't be good for his health."

Professor Sycamore shrugged. "To be honest, we don't exactly know. All I know is the best thing for him right now is a few days of rest No more strenuous excersize until Cerise can confirm he is in good shape."

"That's… sounds easy enough."

"That includes battling."

Goh's heart sank. There was no way for him to prevent Arron from fighting the other Pokemon at Cerise park unless he constantly watched him. "Can he still travel with us?"

"Well of course he can still travel with you, just make sure he isn't straining himself. No battles or heavy lifting or anything like that after bouts of extreme exertion. You guys have Cerise's travel pass, right?"

"Uh, yeah," Goh said, fishing through his pockets before finding his mock leather wallet and pulling out the small card token from within that they used to ride the trains across the continent. "Why do you ask?"

"You guys probably have to get back to your tasks soon anyway. Take him with you for a while so he can experience something other than violence for once. He's been through a lot these past few weeks."

Goh sighed. "That was the plan."

"Excellent, I'm sure he's in good hands." Once Professor Sycamore finished, an awkward silence persisted, causing Goh to shuffle on his feet nervously. The good professor coughed in his hand to break the silence before putting a hand on Goh's shoulder. "I do want to let you know, that if anything comes up, or even if you just need to talk, get something off your chest… I'm just a call away. We researchers may have our differences, but despite some conflicts of interest we look out for our own. You and Ash are always welcome here."

Goh nodded, slipping away from Professor Sycamore's grip and slinging his bag over his shoulder. "Thank you, I really appreciate that." He said, in a reserved fashion, "I need to go now, so I can see Arron before I go back to the hotel." He stood up and headed towards the medical wing before turning to look back at the good professor. "I'll call if I need to talk about anything."

He slipped through the doorway and into the hall, making his way to the room that Arron was being treated in. In the crisis wing, the doors were all metal as opposed to the glass doors with

polished nickel handles in the lobby, and each door was labeled a number. Goh retrieved the slip of paper from within his wallet, the guest information pertaining to where Arron would be staying. He approached room 141 and pressed his thumb on the scanner next to the door, causing it to slide open with a soft vrrr. Inside was a sectioned off area sealed with a tile wall a third of the way up and a thick fiberglass window separating the outside medical area from the patient bed and monitoring hardware. An ECG machine monitored the performance of his artificial heart pump and a set of IV lines supplemented him with electrolyte solution to keep him hydrated and somewhat nourished while he slumbered.

Next to Arron was a nurse, not Nurse Joy, but rather a short, somewhat older woman with blonde hair tied in a set of short dutch braids running down the back of her head and onto her shoulders. A white medical mask covered her face and latex gloves were tightly fitted onto her hands. Her custom nurse's gown covered the rest of her body, obviously to make sure that there was a protective layer between her and her patient at all times. She had a swab in Arron's mouth, which she was scraping along his inner cheek, probably to gain spare genetic material from the runoff cells in his cheeks.

Arron knocked on the door to gain her attention, but she simply dismissed him with a wave of her hand. Goh waited patiently while she finished swabbing Arron's cheek and depositing said swab in a fiberglass tube, twisting on the lid tightly and setting it in a small beaker stand on a bedside table. She then stepped through the sanitation chamber and quickly decontaminated before removing her mask with a sigh. "You know, young man, you aren't allowed to go in there. You don't possess the proper gear."

"I can use guest scrubs, and there is a sanitation chamber present. Are you sure about that?"

She snorted. "Neither are anywhere near appropriate to enter the patient's chamber. Do you see my dress, young man? It isn't for show; it's a multilayered, high thread count synthweave gown designed to prevent bacterial contamination. I must change out of it whenever I leave the crisis wing just to prevent any contamination coming to it. It's washed daily in a heavy duty antibiotic solution at the highest temperature available. Scrubs are nowhere near adequate I'm afraid." She looked him up and down scrutinizingly before folding her arms sassily. "And what exactly are you doing in the crisis wing anyway, young man? You know this area is usually off limits."

"I'm the trainer of your patient, I have a legal right to be here," he said defensively, "Besides, I was given permission when I first arrived by Professor Sycamore as long as I followed staff directions."

She shook her head, but didn't dismiss him again. "I suppose you can watch me tend to him, the wall isn't soundproof, but you can't come inside the chamber; his chest cavity is still exposed, and we don't want him getting infected, now do we? He could become very sick from almost anything, not to mention how catastrophic it would be if he became afflicted with something severe like botulism."

Goh grimaced, but nodded. Botulism had a pretty high fatality rate, and if Arron's chest cavity was still exposed like she said then she had every right to be fearful of a deadly infection. She pulled off her gloves and patted him on the shoulder. "Thank you for being so understanding, I know this must be hard." She said, "Now I need to check on the state of his cloned organs, they should be done soon. Would you like to come and see our facility?"

Goh nodded, but paused when he saw Arron. She noticed his apprehension and sighed. "He'll still be here when we get back, don't feel guilty."

Goh nodded weakly and followed her out of the room and further down the hall, towards a set of stairs at the end of the crisis ward. They went up the second floor, a place even cleaner than the first if that was even possible, and she beckoned him through a pair of sliding glass doors and into a room full of rectangular standing machine units, each the size of an retro arcade machine and marked with a number starting from 101 and ending at 330. They looked almost futuristic and sleek, with sets of small monitors and consoles halfway down. She approached the set of machines labeled 123 and 124, typing in a few commands before unlocking the system with her thumbprint. Suddenly, the devices whirred lightly before the tops suddenly began to lift up, revealing them just to be protective hoods. Inside each was a glass chamber filled with a reddish liquid, one containing a spare lung being grown from the primary bronchus, still a little too small to provide the standard amount of oxygen but still operational. The other was a fully formed heart, much bigger than a normal human heart. Goh stared in awe at the all the small tubes lined throughout the tissue of the organs, feeding them nutrients and proteins to continue development.

"Impressive, huh? This is probably one of the most advanced medical facilities in all of Kalos: the Sycamore foundation paid to have this built so that the people living in the towns near Shalor didn't have to travel far for organ transplants. It also just so happens to help all the injured Pokemon, since organ damage and failure are a common outcome of many battles, that's why the crisis ward was constructed." She waved her hand across the room, gesturing to all the covered pods that could be containing organs. "Every single pod is able to nurture a cloned organ to maturity in the span of a day at most, and that's for the largest Pokemon whose organs have to be pieced together with individual parts that have been cloned. Your Pokemon should have his organs implanted tonight and after a quick injection of immune-stabilizers he'll be in good shape and ready to heal at home."

"That's… amazing! I've never seen anything like this in Kanto, not even In Professor Cerise's labs."

"Probably because he's a biologist. This is a state of the art medical institution, we pride ourselves in being at the cutting edge of medical and medicinal technology. Professor Cerise most likely has very different priorities."

She turned back to the cloned heart and examined its state of growth. "It seems to have finished growing, we should commence with the transplant soon. You return to the room, I'll go and retrieve Professor Sycamore and we'll go from there."

She resealed the hoods of the organ pods and with a loud hiss they locked and pressurized, ensuring that the glass casings underneath were protected. Then she placed a hand on his shoulder and firmly guided him out of the cloning facility. They made their way back down to Arron's room, the halls of the crisis wing empty and cold, with only a few other nurses attending to the patients staying here. He supposed that not many Pokemon would need to enter the crisis wing, especially if Scyther hadn't even with how bad his condition was during his last battle.

They stepped into the room Arron was staying in only to find Ash, Riolu and Pikachu pressed against the window, staring intently at Arron as if he was going to wake up any moment. Goh knee better.

The nurse simply sighed in frustration. "Alright, who keeps letting you all in here? This is an off limits ward."

Ash and his Pokemon jumped in surprise before falling onto the ground in an almost comical fashion. Ash quickly stood back up, stuttering. "I-uh, Professor Sycamore said we could check on Arron, he wanted me to come and get Goh anyways it's almost eleven and the hospital isn't accepting visitors after eleven."

She nodded. "That sounds like him," she checked her watch. "I need to go speak to Professor. Sycamore, you all have about fifteen or so minutes before I start to lock down the ward and the transplant will commence. Take your time and say your goodbyes."

She left Goh and Ash to watch Arron breath softly. Ash returned to pressing himself against the glass, obvious concern on his face. "I hope he'll be okay. He looks… broken."

"He'll be fine," Goh said. "He just needs to rest up for a bit, do something other than fighting. Besides, him going on some trips with us will do him good."

"Yeah, you're right…" Ash started. He looked like he wanted to say something else, but he didn't at first. Then he took a deep breath and started. "Goh… I really need to apologize. I treated you horribly, and I treated Riolu horribly. I let my jealousy get the best of me and it got people hurt." He bent over and lifted up Riolu, who was wide eyed and curious about Ash's intentions. "And I'm sorry for how I pit you against someone who was far stronger than you. I should've never let my ego get the best of me. Can either of you ever forgive me?"

Goh gave him an odd look. "Ash, I forgave you several days ago, I thought this was water under the bridge."

"It was, but it's been eating away at me ever since. I didn't think I did a good enough job of it, I just wanted to stop fighting with you. Now… I really regret what I did to you, and especially what I did to Riolu."

Riolu suddenly wrapped his arms around Ash with a giggle and they embraced. It was a heartwarming scene, and Goh decided not to spoil it any further. Ash set down Riolu, who continued to lean up on his toes and stare into the room intently, watching and waiting for Arron to wake up. It was odd, a few days ago the little fighting type hated Arron with a passion, and now he was concerned with his well-being.

"What's up with you, I thought you hated him?"

Riolu stepped away from the wall, hands balled as he yipped at Goh defensively. Goh remembered a few days prior when he and Arron had visited Riolu in this very same hospital and he had simply comforted Riolu. It was one of the first times Goh had seen some depth to his character. Maybe they'd get along, not as friends, but as rivals.

That was a comedic thought, little Riolu competing against a Pokemon that could defeat mega evolutions. He had a long way to go if he wanted to defeat Arron.

He placed a hand on Ash's shoulder. "c'mon, it's late. We need to head back to the hotel."

"Yeah, you're right." Ash said. They packed up their things and left the room, but not before Goh looked down at Arron one last time.

---

The next day was a blur.

Arron had been discharged from the hospital first thing in the morning after an unsurprisingly miraculous recovery. It only took him six or so hours of bedrest to be deemed stable and recovered enough to go home. He was exceptionally tired when they came to pick him up, practically slouched up on the bed they had placed him in, snoring with the volume of a buzz saw.

Next was breakfast with the gang. May and Korrina had invited them to eat on the pier, and they provided a box full of croissants with butter and jam so they could sit on the docks and watch the sun rise. They let most of their Pokemon loose (not including Arron) to fool around while they ate, which lead to a strange soccer match between Ash and Korrina's Pokemon and May and Goh's Pokemon with an old, algaea covered soccer ball they found floating in the ocean. Korrina's Lucario sat down next to her, stitches running along the side of his abdomen. He was mostly recovered, but he still had abdomen pain from his own transplant after Arron had practically pulverized his liver with that esoteric power over ice that he had, which made Goh curious as to why he didn't use it more often. It seemed like a no brainer to simply use it every

fight and eviscerate anyone who stood in his way, whether they be a wild Pokemon or in a Pokemon battle.

Was he holding back to prolong the battles? Possibly, as Arron seemed to enjoy fighting more than anything. But you place himself in jeopardy of death or dismemberment just to keep fighting seemed a little overkill. Maybe it caused some sort of drawback? Maybe, but he had performed other exceptionally deadly moves in the past that seemed to be even more costly than what he had done to Lucario, But those moves were often slow and took time to become fully effective. The attack Arron had dealt to Lucario had been instantaneous and brutal, shredding flesh like paper. Maybe the sudden expenditure of energy caused biological imbalances?

It was a possibility. Moves like steel beam, fire blitz and volt tackle caused the user varying negative effects, such as steel beam causing rapid hormonal imbalances that have a chance to cause calcium buildup, calcium tendonitis, potassium deficiency and more. Maybe the move caused a buildup of that toxic mercury-like substance that Arron possessed within his body, to a point where it became unbearable? Mercury poisoning can cause neuromuscular breakdown, which might be why Arron had such efficient granulation tissue.

But it was all just speculation, as usual.

Korrina tapped him on his shoulder, causing him to lose his train of thought. "Hey, you okay? You haven't even touched your croissant."

He stuttered. "Yeah, I'm just thinking that's all."

She readjusted herself on the dock to face him. "You do that a lot?"

He nodded. "Just thinking about our battle, how it ended…"

"Hey, losing isn't that big of a-"

"I wasn't talking about losing, I've accepted that," he interrupted, "I'm talking about that move that Arron performed on Lucario. I've never seen him do that before, not even on enemies much stronger than him. I feel like he's been holding back this entire time."

She nodded, understanding his frustration. "Maybe it's simply a preference?"

Arron shrugged. "Maybe, I wouldn't know, and I can't even begin to understand what's going on inside his head. All I know is that he seems to be limiting himself."

Korrina was quiet for a moment before responding. "Well, maybe you'll figure it out eventually. Besides, you guys have more important things to do. I'm sure Professor Cerise has a whole backlog of projects for you to follow up on. And there's always Mew to find and research."

That was true; Project Mew was still something Goh was shooting for, even though it wasn't going to happen for a while. He still had to hear back about his upcoming trial mission, something he doubted he'd hear about for a while, months even. It was a good thing he caught Arron while he still had so much free time, since that allowed him to adapt to taking care of a challenging Pokemon. For now, he just had to keep working on whatever Cerise threw at him, no matter how simple it seemed; Stay busy and stay occupied, that was his current goal.

"Yeah, there's that."

"You don't seem so excited, is something wrong?" She inquired, "I mean, from what I've heard from Ash, this has been your dream since you were a little kid."

"I haven't even gotten a response yet, there's no point in getting my hopes up."

"Goh, don't think like that! I'm sure they'd be delighted to accept you!"

Goh scoffed. "Says the person who's been guaranteed her place in life. There are thousands, if not tens of thousands of applicants alone, and only the best of the best will proceed. My chances are slim at best, nigh nonexistent at worst."

"So you're giving up then, just like that?"

"No, I'm just under no illusion as to what the outcome will most likely be. At the end of the day, you have to expect the worst and hope for the best, and right now the window of margin isn't in my favor."

Korrina harrumphed but didn't argue with Goh's assertion. He preferred it that way, she wouldn't understand his struggle anyway.

Suddenly, Lucario turned around in surprise, followed closely by Korrina, who gasped in surprise. The rest of them stood up clumsily, finally seeing what all the commotion was about. Twenty feet away on the brick street stood Chairman Rosé in dress pants and a white button down under a black waistcoat. He was clean cut, conquer-posed and eerily calm and quiet, as well as surprisingly inconspicuous for arguably the most well known political figure in the world. He readjusted his lapels impatiently before tightening his suit and stepping forward to the crowd of young trainers before him, a small yet viperish smile nestled on his face. But the person beside him was arguably even more eye-catching: Leon, champion of the Galar league. He wasn't wearing his trademark cape and tournament outfit, but rather a pair of designer blue denim skinny jeans and a black jacquard half shirt. A fine silver watch was fitted tightly around his right wrist, and his belt of pokeballs was snuggly wrapped around his waist.

Ash's jaw immediately dropped. Korrina simply looked concerned, and the rest of them were startled as to why one of the most powerful men in the world, along with his adopted beneficiary, were standing there. He waved as of to say 'I get it, but let's get a move on'

Ash recomposed himself while Korrina approached the chairman. She had a grim look on her face, something that worried Goh even more than before. Apparently the chairman's arrival had been an unpleasant surprise, one that put both her and her father on edge.

"Chairman, what seems to be the problem?" she asked him sternly, far more composed and serious than he thought Korrina could be. He simply chuckled, the thin veil of emotion sifting a little to make him seem a little more friendly, but his unease stayed the same; the man had a motive, and Goh had a good idea of what it was.

"Oh, no problems, nothing of the sort Miss Du Chercheur," replied the chairman. He glanced at Goh, who looked away to avoid an awkward confrontation. "I simply came to congratulate you all, seeing as how you made it so far. Especially our newest trainer! I must say what a spectacular debut, young man, you made quite the splash."

Goh had a feeling he wasn't technically lying. He had been watching both Arron and Goh for much of the tournament, as if he took special interest in the two of them, but Goh knew from both Professor Sycamore and Professor Magnolia that anyone who was something was talking about Arron. What if the chairman wanted to do more than talk?

"Well, thank you for your congratulations, Chairman, but we'd best be going. I have… business with my father."

"Now, I'm sure he can wait. As you can see, I've brought my favorite person with me! Leon, don't be shy, introduce yourself."

Leon waved nervously before approaching Ash and Korrina, the former practically fawning over Leon and the latter visibly uncomfortable by the obvious rise, leaving Chuck, May and Goh. The Chairman approached the remaining three, Chuck and May visibly troubled by his presence, leaving Goh to confront him.

"I hate to be rude, but I'd like to have a conversation with your friend here."

Chuck stepped aside, and Goh couldn't blame him for that, and May just nodded nervously before stepping by Chuck. The chairman gestured for Goh to follow him down the pier to an empty cafe, where a singular table was set aside for them, fully decked out with two steaming hot cups of coffee. The fact that Chairman Rosé could cause a cafe to be emptied so quickly just to accommodate a sensitive discussion was both an impressive yet showy display of wealth and quite disturbing, as if denying him full privacy was a poor life choice.

Goh pondered whether denying the chairman of his company alone was also a bad life choice, and he decided that yes, it was. Acting out of turn could cause commotion, which the chairman could use in his favor later on. So he would play the role of the clueless child for now, just to get a grip on the situation.

The cafe was quiet, without any waiters to disturb them. The Chain sat down, placing the cloth napkin on his lap before taking a quiet sip of his Noisette before placing his forearms on the edge of the table and leaning forward, interlocking his fingers. Goh simply sat straight and looked him in the eyes, waiting for him to begin his spiel. But he didn't, he just sat there, wearing down Goh's nerves with that look of his; a soft smile, slightly arched eyebrows, and an aura of pure confidence.

Goh had always wondered why anyone would work under the Chairman; Leon and Rosé were an odd matchup, especially since most business moguls didn't invest in trainers, at least not to the extent that the chairman had. To Goh, who had some sense of caution, The Chairman seemed like a predator waiting to strike at the right moment. Shaking his hand must've felt like making a deal with the devil.

But then he remembered Leon's story, how he was a nobody whose father and older brother had died in the coal mines and how his mother could barely feed him and his brother. In that scenario, the chairman could've seemed like an angel in disguise, a way out of the poverty and suffering he was used to. Mix that with his handsome and chiseled physique and his fine taste in fashion and Goh could totally see him selling his soul to someone like him if he were a lot less knowledgeable and a lot more desperate.

"So, to begin, I'd like to make clear that I'm under no illusion as to how you feel about me. I know you don't trust me, that's fine; that's to be expected."

Goh didn't respond, waiting for him to continue, which didn't seem to surprise Rosé at all. "I must say, however, that much of your distrust is unfounded. I know the people of this city have a sense of looming disquiet when I visit, but the people of Kalos are my neighbor, our neighbors, and I only wish to help them. In my eyes, they can cling to their distrustful ways all they want, as long as the peace is maintained."

"What do you want," Goh asked coldly.

Chairman Rosé tapped his hands on the table anxiously. "I think you know what I want."

Goh shook his head. "Then my answer is no. I won't give you Arron."

The chairman leaned back, perplexed. "I could grant you anything, you know, money, fame, power… even patronage. Very few people have something I want, so use that gift wisely young man."

"You don't seem to get it, do you?" Goh asked, "I don't want anything that you have, nothing worth giving Arron up over."

"Really? Nothing at all?"

"No," Goh responded. "Absolutely nothing."

"Not even admittance into Project Mew?"

Goh's blood froze. For a split second, he actually considered taking that offer. Getting into Project Mew had so far been his life's goal, his dream. He always wanted to find Mew, even if the work itself was a distraction. He could shake his hand right now and have everything he'd ever wanted in the palm of his hand.

And then he thought about Ash, about Professor Cerise, about Professor Sycamore and Professor Magnolia as well as all the people he had met so far, and how all these people saw something in him that Goh couldn't. What would they think if he gave up Arron for such a selfish goal, especially since Goh didn't know what the Chairman had in store for him.

Then Goh thought about Arron, and how much he had changed. Sure, he was still violent and ill-tempered, but Goh had begun to see a change in him, a growing sense of compassion that Goh had tried his damnedest to cultivate without being forceful. Arron still had so far to go, but he was taking steps in the right direction. And Goh realized he wanted to be there with him every step of the way, because Arron made him feel safe in a way he couldn't describe, like he could do anything with his help.

And Arron had done so much for him, nearly gave his life for him in that last battle. It was time Goh returned the favor.

"No."

The chairman gave him a look, as if he had heard Goh wrong. "No?"

"No. I'm not giving him to you."

"And yet, I offered you everything you could've wanted; Your dreams, ripe for the taking, and you turned it down."

"I have no guarantee that you'll even follow through with your promises."

The chairman chuckled before gesturing to Leon, who had released his Pokemon to mingle with the rest. It was obviously a strained conversation, as Korrina obviously didn't trust him at all, but she couldn't just leave Ash alone with him, since it was likely that he'd do something incredibly stupid and they didn't want to spend another day here waiting for Ash's Pokemon to recover. "I

made his dreams come true. He wanted to be a star, and now his name is uttered in awe in every language, in every region across the globe. I keep my promises Goh, otherwise I'd have nothing but a castle of sand instead of the empire I have built for over three decades." He looked back at him, leaning back with his hands interlocking while resting them on the edge of the table, "I could do the same for you, you certainly have the potential for it. Your grades are stellar, you've got no criminal record, and now with that last tournament… Well, let's just say that many people are talking about more than just your exotic Pokemon."

Goh snorted, unimpressed. "I barely did anything, Arron can find for himself on the battlefield."

"Maybe so, but it takes a lot of charisma to train and control a Pokemon like him. You underestimate your talents."

Maybe he was right, but Goh didn't care; he just wanted this snake to leave him alone. "I don't want anything you're offering me, that's final. Not even you guaranteeing that I'll be accepted into Project Mew will change my mind."

"I still don't understand why you're resisting such a fantastic opportunity. Do you really hate me that much?"

Goh sneered at him, sick of his act. "No, it's because nothing in the world could justify that kind of choice. Anything and everything I could've gained from handing him over to you would be worthless to me, because it wouldn't have been earned or genuine. If I got into Project Mew by betraying those I care about, then it would have haunted me for the rest of my life."

The Chairman nodded, although he seemed quite disappointed. "An admiral choice, although some would call it foolish. But now it seems that we're at an impasse; you have something I want. There must be a way to rectify that," His voice became more menacing as soon as Goh made it clear he wouldn't cooperate. "It is very unwise to stand in my way, young man, so what are we going to do about this problem we have?"

"This isn't our problem, it's your's," Goh stood up and pushed his chair in, never touching his coffee. "And I'm going to leave, and you are never going to talk to me again, that seems like the perfect solution to me."

"I disagree," He replied, "and I have a feeling we'll be having another conversation soon, a less… pleasant one. Just remember, I can get you into project Mew, but I can also prevent you from joining the program as well. Keep that in mind the next time you choose to defy me, because I won't be as merciful."

Goh scowled at him but refused to back down. He knew his threat was genuine, but Goh wouldn't allow himself to be pushed around by people stronger than him, not anymore. He was sick of being treated like he was weak and malleable.

"Let's get one thing straight, Chairman; You. Don't. Scare. Me. I'll overcome whatever you throw at me, and I'll achieve my goals. And I'll do it with my friends by my side. Whatever twisted plan you had for Arron, It'll never come to be under my watch."

The chairman's smile shrunk, until he had an almost disappointed look on his face. "As you wish," He said as he stood up, pulling a long, thin cigar from the breast pocket of his waistcoat before lighting it with his silver plated lighter and setting the tip ablaze, taking a long drag and puffing out a smoke ring to his left as to not be rude. "You'll come to learn that I am a very patient man, but I will not be denied. Go, celebrate your victories; I'll be back to take my just due, whether you cooperate or not."

He took another drag of his cigar before standing up and nodding to León, who nodded back. León wrapped up his conversation with Ash before handing him something and following behind the chairman to the car parked on the road that they hadn't noticed beforehand, a luxury convertible probably worth more than his parent's entire home. León sat shotgun and the Chairman started his car, the engine purring like a ferocious feline before whizzing off down the street.

Goh had a bad taste in his mouth. He knew the Chairman wasn't just trying to goad him; he was one of the most powerful men in the world. And he knew that whatever he had planned, it wasn't good.

Ash came up to him, visibly concerned. "What did he want to talk about? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"It's nothing, just… business."

"You're a terrible liar," Ash said, a thin smirk on his face. But the smirk died when he saw that Goh obviously didn't find the situation funny at all. "Seriously, what's wrong? Because something's wrong, it's written all over your face."

"I just… we'll talk on the train ride to the lab. I just want to go home."

Ash nodded before signalling to the rest of them. Goh was thankful that Ash knew when to take him seriously.

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