Corrin followed behind as his siblings were already leaps and bounds ahead of him. It could have been from the exhaustion he was enduring, or maybe the recoil of his earlier rampage as a dragon. But no matter what, he chose to put one foot ahead of the other as he made way through the woodland areas. His Yato was held firmly in hand as he kept moving forward.
'The battlefield...it just lies up ahead.' Corrin furrowed his brow, feeling a wave of anxiety wash over him like a tsunami. He staggered off to the side to where he supported himself with a tree.
"Corrin, are you alright?" Azura asked in concern.
Corrin panted as he looked back at her. "Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just feeling a little slow for now."
Evan stepped up. "Buddy, you're looking a little pale. Maybe we should take a breather before we stumble any further."
"It's...it's nothing, I promise..." He attempted to move forward, but after a few steps, he found his legs starting to buckle. 'This is bad. Ryoma and the others are farther ahead. At this rate...' As he found himself starting to wane off towards the side, he was caught by Azura.
"Please, Corrin. Maybe it's best that you listen to your allies. It won't do you any good for you if you push yourself like this."
Corrin's expression cascaded to a frown. "...you're right. At this point, I'll only be slowing everyone down. I'm sorry, everyone."
Evan shot Freya a concerning look, to which she reciprocated. There was a pained feeling in their guts telling them something about this just felt off. Corrin sounded...strained. As far as they've known him for the past few days, he was always calm, even under pressure. He always put his best foot forward and actually adapted to a situation...but here, it sounded like even he was starting to fall behind in his usual pacing. And honestly, they couldn't blame him. They had already gotten to their wit's end at how fast everything moved around them that they didn't know how to question anything anymore.
Taking the initiative, Evan stepped forward, putting a hand on Corrin's shoulder to keep him from going any further. "Um, Corrin? I think it's time to take a break. We all need it."
"Evan's right. We need a little time to catch up." Freya insisted. "We'll end up at the battlefield half-dead if we keep going like this."
Corrin lowered his head, knowing full-well that what they're saying is true. "...yeah, you're right. We should rest for a little while."
"I believe that there should be a river nearby. We can freshen you up over there." Azura advised.
Corrin turned to her, offering a warm smile. "Thank you, Azura." He stopped and looked back over his shoulder. "We'll go and find some water. We'll be right back."
Azura supported Corrin as they went behind some lower tree branches, disappearing beneath the rustling leaves in the breeze. With him gone, Evan, Damon, and especially Freya, all found large tree roots to settle as makeshift stools to sit down for a while.
A deep sigh came from Freya. "I don't remember the last time I sat down like this."
"Yeah, it's been a while, huh..." Evan mulled. He felt like complaining about how cramped his feet were from how much walking was done. But he knew complaining wouldn't solve anything.
'Well, at least we ate a little bit at the festival earlier...' He trailed off in realization. He wasn't starving, but his Pokémon must be. "Right, time to eat I guess..."
He pulled out his Poke Balls, letting out his Squirtle, Butterfree, and Growlithe. Freya didn't fall too far behind as she followed Evan's lead. Her Sobble, Rolycoly, and Snom appeared to get some fresh air.
"(Mmmmm, yeah, there's a good stretch. Just what the Chansey ordered.)" Growlithe groaned, getting into a crouching position to stretch his spine and hind legs. "(That battle really takes it out of ya, huh?)"
"(Easy for you to say. You weren't struck by lightning like me and Butterfree were.)" Squirtle pointed out.
"(Yeah, that really hurt...but I think I took it well enough.)" Butterfree noted. "(I'm just surprised that I was able to take that. I thought I was fried.)" He felt his stomach churn from a lack of sustenance. "(But, I'm really hungry.)"
"(Hey, yo, what makes ya think it's 'bout you now? You'z not being d'only ones starving here.)" Scraggy rebuffed, before giving Damon a look. "(Yo, we gonna get grub or what?)"
"(I can eat.)" Snom declared boldly.
Scraggy slowly turned towards her, giving her a deadpan look. "(Who...de hell are you supposed to be? You some kind of bug somebody locked in de freezer overnight? Cuz dats all I see.)"
Snom visibly blinked. "(I-I'm not really...)"
Scraggy turned towards Rolycoly, who continued silently watching his surroundings. "(And what's you be? Some kind of piece of coal trying out for a race car?)"
"(...)"
"(Uh...okay?)" Scraggy turned towards Sobble. "(And what's we gotz here? Some kind of wimpy-eyed lizard?)"
Sobble was taken back by the insult and scooted away. "(I-I'm not that wimpy...)" she muttered. "(I just...choose my battles at a distance is all.)"
Scraggy cocked a brow. "(...like I said. Wimpy.)"
"(N-no I'm not!)" Sobble quipped. Getting defensive. Her body was starting to shudder as her eyes began misting. "(I'm not a wimp...)"
"(Fo', don't be crying on me now! What's wrong with you?!)"
Squirtle's eyes widened as soon as he saw Sobble starting to tear up. "Oh no...guys, cover your eyes!)"
Butterfree and Growlithe looked at each other confusedly, but they did what Squirtle asked. Butterfree grabbed Snom and fluttered towards the trees above, whereas Rolycoly rode away. Squirtle retreated into his shell mere seconds before Sobble began crying. Her tears had a powerful scent to them that traversed towards Scraggy, causing his eyes to water.
"(GAH! What de hell is wrong with you?! Why's it like somebody's choppin onions?!)" He complained as he veered away. "(Gngh! Can't see nothin, fo'!)"
"Uh, Freya? You got her?" Evan asked.
Freya sighed. "Oh, Sobble. It's okay." She hoisted up her bagpipes up over her shoulder, aligning her mouth with the pipe. She took in a deep breath before she blew, making a mildly loud, melodic note that overshot Sobble's crying.
"Ugh! What de hell are you playing?! I didn't think girls blowing pipe could make dat kind sound!" Damon complained, blocking his ears with his hands.
"Apparently, it helps keep Sobble calm!" Evan shouted through the melody.
"What?!"
"I said, it keeps her Sobble happy!"
"Wait, so that freaky little lizard thing likes this weirdo music? Pffft, man, I didn't sign up to be no audience for dis kinda musician! Girl, be blowing pipe de right way, would ya?!"
Freya ignored the peanut gallery as her bagpipes played their melody. Sobble's loud cries gradually turned to whimpers, then became more sound mumbles as she heard the familiar melody her trainer was making. She slowly turned towards Freya, crawling up her legs and wrapped herself around one of them to get her warmth.
Once Sobble was calm, Freya ceased playing and bent down to stroke her head. "There, all better?"
Sobble sniffled. "(...yeah.)"
Squirtle and the others regrouped and sighed in relief, as to where Scraggy was still trying to stop the waterworks from his own eyes. "(Man, where dat wimp go?! As soon as ma eyes clear up, I'm gonna make sure she ain't crying again!)"
"(You started it!)" Butterfree complained.
In an effort to change the topic, Evan pulled out something from his pockets. They were wrapped individually, and partially smooshed, but he pulled out some rice cakes that he kept on hand. "Thank god I saved some of these from breakfast." He sighed. "Hope they're still good."
"Uh, no? Lemme see dat." Damon snatched the rice cake that Evan was about to eat.
"Hey, what's what the heck?!" Evan grunted.
Damon matched his look with one that looked matter-of-factly. "Uh, last I checked, your little pooch over dere done and stole my meal d'one time. Remember? So the way I see it, is dat dis is you paying me back dat meal. Okay? Thank you."
Evan went to open his mouth, but as soon as he registered Damon getting his Glock, he backed off.
"Yeah, dat's what I thought, too. Be lucky dat I ain't taking any from yo Pookymans now, cuz we need dem to stay in de game." After making his point, he took the fried rice cake and ate a chunk out of it. As soon as the taste met his tongue, he cocked his head. "Not bad. It ain't no Bluk Berry Juice, but I'll take it."
He took another bite – one bigger than the other. Evan knew he wasn't going to win this one. Plus, as far as he was aware, that was the only set of rations he had. He was really glad he ate earlier. With the only other rice cake left, he got up and handed it over to Freya.
"Here, make sure you at least get your share." He insisted.
Freya looked up, genuinely surprised by his offer. "Oh...thank you, Evan." She took the rice cake, giving it a moment's look before looking back at him. "What about you?"
"I'll be fine." He frowned, glancing off to the side. "But..."
Freya looked in the direction where Evan was looking. It was the same one that Corrin and Azura took earlier. After the painful experience they've had today, she had a hunch as to why Evan was so concerned. "What are you gonna do?"
"I mean...I guess I'll go check up on Corrin and Azura, see if they're really alright." He looked over his shoulder. "You got the Pokémon, right?"
"Yeah, sure thing." She nodded. "You should take one just to be safe."
"Yeah, guess you're right." He looked over at his Pokémon, who were settling with some of the wild fruit that were in some bushes. "Hey, Squirtle. Gonna need you for a while."
"(Okay, I hear ya.)" Squirtle nodded as he walked over. He followed Evan as the trainer walked off
"Pffft...minors." Damon scoffed. A moment's worth of silence fell overhead before he turned his head towards Freya. "So, girl, what's going on with you?"
Freya turned away, disinterested. "It's fine..." she dryly replied.
"Oof, feisty. Dat's hot."
She groaned loudly. Sobble quipped as she hugged her leg tighter.
Evan worked his way through the woods, being mindful of his steps and what plants were surrounding him. For the most part, he didn't recognize any of the surrounding plant life as Pokémon, especially Oddish and Bellsprout since they would be most common. But even so, with every step taken, he was careful not to trip or step on something.
As soon as he head the sounds of water shifting, he knew that a river was nearby. 'Water? That means...' He trudged until he was behind a tree. He watched from afar with Squirtle as they saw smooth, crystal blue water running along a stream. Yet, resting along the bedrock was what Evan focused on.
Azura scooped up water with her hands, taking a long sip until most of it was gone. "The water here is filtered just right. This should be safe to drink, Corrin." When she didn't get a response, she turned towards him. "Corrin?"
Corrin, who was in a brief daze, snapped his head towards Azura. "Huh? Oh, sorry about that, Azura. I must have spaced out."
Azura frowned. "It's no trouble. You're normally focused, are you not?"
"Yes, I guess you can say that..." He trailed off once more as his thoughts brought him back to that same place. "Once we reach the battlefield...we'll be fighting against the Nohrian army...and most likely, my family..."
Azura paid close attention to his tone. The way that he was trailing off by the end of that sentence made it vividly clear that at this point, he was contemplative of what he should consider family. And in all honesty, she couldn't blame him. Nobody could. After all, it's not like everyone is taken from their family when they were young children and conditioned to fight for the enemy, right? Of course, in Corrin's case, he didn't know what to believe anymore. He didn't even know if even being out in the open was good after all. For all he knew, something like one of those Faceless could come out and attack. But even that was far from his concerns. Was he even real royalty at this point? What good was there being a war to begin with? There were so many questions haunting him that it was almost impossible for him to pick a certain one before another piles on.
Azura gave him a concerned look. "Corrin, please. It's not healthy keeping everything to yourself. At least a little will be enough for now. It's just like Evan said, you need a break."
"I know, Azura, and I can't appreciate Evan and the others for their concerns. It's just...must this be the answer to everything we've been looking for our kingdoms? Endless wars and strife, so many dead, and for what? What are we even fighting for to begin with?"
Azura looked out towards the flowing water. "Who's to say?"
"Still, there must be something that we can do. Something I can do, to put a stop to all this fighting. I know I'm bound to the Hoshidans by blood. But still, Xander and the Nohrians took care of me and treated me like family my whole life...whose side is more justified? That's what I wanna find out."
"I see..."
With the two of them lost in their wonders, they were taken back by the sounds of something approaching. Corrin jolted to his feet and pivoted, ready to grab the Yato.
"It's just me! Don't impale me!" Evan pleaded, raising his hands up front to guard.
"Huh?! Oh, Evan!" Corrin dropped his guard. "Sorry, that came as a surprise for me. Is everything alright with you and the others?"
"Yeah, everyone's getting their fill." He said as he turned away. "...except me." He mumbled lowly to himself. "But more importantly, how're you feeling?"
A small smile crept onto Corrin's face. "Don't worry. I feel just fine. I think I'm starting to feel my fatigue go away a little." He gave his friend a frown. "How're you feeling? You better after..."
Evan knew what he was talking about. The memory of earlier when Corrin rampaged and transformed into a dragon was still fresh in his mind. That near-death experience did little to deter Evan from what he felt for his friend. "Huh...oh, that. Yeah, I'm okay." He walked a little closer, with Squirtle by his side.
"I suppose you heard it all, didn't you?" Azura asked.
"Yeah, sorry. I came to check up on you, and, well..." He trailed off, knowing the rest was history.
Despite his weariness, Corrin was far above throwing a tantrum like a child. In fact, he appreciated the support Evan provided, even if what happened between them earlier were to drive a wedge between them. But through it all, the trainer didn't fault him. "...it's fine, really. I appreciate your support, Evan. Really, I can't thank you and the others enough."
"Once we reach the battlefield, we'll most likely be seeing Pokémon engaged as well, against their wills. I'm certain this might upset you more than anyone, Evan." Azura pointed out, changing the tone of the subject.
Evan turned away, furrowing his brow. "Well, I mean...you're not wrong. If I was a Pokémon, and forced to fight a battle that I had no part of, I would be pretty upset, too." He looked down at Squirtle to see he was just as concerned as him. "But it's not like we want to go because we feel obligated or anything like that."
"We know. It's because you want to find a way home, right?" Corrin clarified.
As bitterly as it sounded, Corrin put it so that Evan wouldn't feel as terrible...but it still stung. He lowered his head with a sigh. "Well...yeah."
"I promise you, Evan. I'll pay you back for all the support you've been giving me. We'll figure this out together. That's the only way forward for both of us."
A small smile crept on Evan's face. "Yeah, that's favorable thinking."
Corrin closed his eyes, allowing a moment to pass before he considered something he hadn't before. "Evan, can I ask you something?"
"Yeah, what's up?"
"Why do you Pokémon Trainers battle?"
Evan was taken back by the question. It wasn't because of the fact that it was Corrin who asked, but more because it was the question itself. Just as he was about to open his mouth to answer, he found himself unable to bear any words. Now that he thought about it, why did trainers do Pokémon Battle? It wasn't like they liked seeing their partners fight and get hurt, right? But then why did Eevan go on his journey the way he did? Why'd he spent the past few summers taking extra classes so he could graduate early and get his first Pokémon at 16? In the long run, what would have been the point of it all?
Realistically speaking, was there even a long-term goal that he wanted to achieve? He wasn't going to just up and make a career out of this unless it was something profitable like a Pokémon Day-Care, and even then, he couldn't see himself managing something of that tremendous scale. Becoming a Champion would have been a sweet deal, but even that would only be a short-term prospect due to how fragile the title's hold can be, especially if he lost. Was it the thrill that a battle gives, or the competitive aspect that it has? Even he wasn't sure himself, but he still had to give kind of answer for Corrin to not get the wrong idea of how to treat a Pokémon.
"Well, here's what I think, Corrin. I think..." He took in a deep breath before the words finally came out. "It's the same reasons as people fight. I mean, not all of us can agree on everything. Sometimes, when it comes down to it...the only solution to setting differences is by battle...at least that's how I see it right now. I really can't say it's because it's fun and it gives me meaning. I'm not a diehard fanatic trainer like that...because I just started my journey just after I got Squirtle." He mumbled the last part.
"I see, so you have Pokémon settle matters and bring you together is what you're saying?" Azura bluntly questioned.
Evan shrugged. "In one way, it's something like that. Really though, it's all a matter of perspective. I wanted to go on a journey and see places with Squirtle...and I guess we got what we wanted."
Corrin looked down at Squirtle. "So what does Squirtle think of all this?"
"(Me? I like battling. It makes me feel alive now more than ever.)" Squirtle exclaimed.
"Sounds to me that Squirtle is quite fond of these battles you have with other humans." Azura chimed in.
"Yeah, that sounds like a yes to me." Evan said. "But listen, Corrin. I'm really sorry that my answer might not be the best one, but I'm just someone who works with what he has on hand. But I know enough to tell you this..." He placed his knuckles against Corrin's chest plate. "Whatever battles you face, battle your way."
"Battle my way..." Corrin mumbled as he thought about Evan's words to heart. What he said about his inexperience wasn't wrong, but his answer left something with Corrin to think about. He hummed to himself before grinning at his friend. "Yeah...I think I get what you're saying. Thanks Evan, I really mean it."
Azura smiled. "You've rested well enough, Corrin?"
Corrin gave her a nod. "Yeah, thanks to you too, Azura. I think I'm refreshed enough to head back now." They were about to turn away, but the bushes rustled behind Evan, grabbing Corrin's attention. "Evan, behind you!"
Evan's breath hitched before he and Squirtle whipped around. They backpedaled out of shock as a creature jumped out of the shrubs. It was a small, bipedal canine Pokémon with baby blue fur over his body. He had a black mask with dewdrop-shaped feelers on either side of his head. He had large red eyes that looked directly at the humans before him.
"(So this is where I sensed that aura...)" the creature mumbled.
Azura's eyes widened. "Another Pokémon?"
"What is it, Evan?" Corrin asked, knowing Evan's knowledge of some of the species of Pokémon out there.
"Lemme see real quick." Evan pulled out his PokeDex, readily analyzing the creature standing several feet in front of him.
"Riolu, the Emanation Pokémon. It can use waves called auras to gauge how others are feeling. These same waves can also tell this Pokémon about the state of the environment."
"A Riolu?" Evan gave the Pokémon another look, this time with mild surprise. "I've only seen these Pokémon in games and documentaries. We don't get them from the region I'm from."
"A Pokémon that detects aura?" Azura gave the curious Riolu a look of surprise. "What's one doing all the way out here?"
"I'm not sure..." Corrin glanced at Evan and Squirtle, before coming to his own decision. "I'll see for myself."
"Corrin?" Evan asked.
Corrin stepped forward as the wild Riolu looked up at him, seemingly inspecting him. Their red eyes met with an empathetic passion in them. As if by first glance, Corrin could feel a wave of calm that he hadn't felt for the past few days. He met Riolu as their postures relaxed. As if it was natural, Corrin kneeled before the canine. "Hey there, what are you doing out here?" he softly asked.
Riolu paused before deciding to answer. "(I've been holding my own for days. I was in the area when I sensed a very passive aura and came to check it out.)" He squinted at Corrin. "(And it looks like you're the one I've been sensing.)"
As if he could somehow understand, Corrin nodded. "I see...I think I get it." He looked over his shoulder at Evan. "Hey, Evan. It's okay. This one doesn't mean any harm."
"Really?" At heart, Evan was a little relieved to hear this. Though his instincts say otherwise, he knew between his reserved judgments and Corrin's more open nature, it was clear who was more trustworthy. "Okay, if you say so."
"(I don't know, he seems pretty keen about something to me.)" Squirtle pondered aloud.
Riolu turned towards Squirtle, seeing him alongside a human. "(You're with these humans?)"
Squirtle blinked. "(Um, yeah? Is that a problem?)"
"(...no, it's not.)" He shot a look at Evan. "(I've been sensing plenty of aura from humans here with nothing but negative emotions. I wouldn't call them trustworthy if they're blinded by such an emotion.)" He looked back Squirtle. "(But around here, there was a much calmer aura from humans that I've felt...so I sought to check it out. Am I to assume that these humans surrounding us mean no harm?)"
Squirtle shook his head. "(No, you must have ran into bad company with those Nohrian and Hoshidan soldiers. Believe me, I know how you feel. Everyone's a little confused right now.)" He looked back at Evan. "(But we're making the best of it and trying to sort it out.)"
"(I see...)" Riolu's gaze fell back towards Corrin, getting a read of calm and resolution. As their eyes remained locked, another silence fell over them.
"I believe he is investigating you for something, Corrin." Azura pointed out.
"Yeah, looks like it." Corrin grinned, not at all under any pressure from this creature.
As much as Evan knew this was a moment, it was a moment long enough. He knew they had somewhere to be. "Um, Corrin. We really should get back."
"Yeah, you're right. We need to get going. The others are waiting." Corrin said. "Sorry. Please, stay safe." He turned towards Azura. "Azura, Evan, let's go."
"(Hold on...!)" Riolu reached out, but only watched as they departed back behind the trees. His expression fell to a more serious one as he saw Corrin fade behind the low branches. '(That human...what about him feels different from the others...I have to find out for myself.)' He took off behind them, fading into the underbrush of the forest.
In the riverbank left behind, a round head slowly poked above the water, followed by a white snout with a pink nose. A pair of big dark eyes blinked as she watched Riolu trot off. "(Huh...what was that about...?)" Though she was confused, she gradually sank back into the stream.
"So, why do you play dose bagpipes again?" Damon questioned Freya out of genuine curiosity.
The Galar resident sighed to herself. "It's...kinda complicated, really..."
Before she could finish her tale, the leaves shuffled, alerting them of Evan appearing with Corrin and Azura in tow. They trudged out of the forest and met up with the two others waiting for them.
"We're back, everyone. Sorry for making you all wait." Corrin apologized, giving them a bright smile.
"Man, you sure took yo time! Well, guess de rest is over den, huh?" Damon quipped.
"Yeah, we should hurry before-"
A sudden rustling of bushes and shrubs got their attention. Everyone turned towards the sounds of twigs snapping and leaves hastily rustling.
Freya gasped. "What is that?" She heard Sobble lightly whimper as her clutch on her leg tightened.
"And enemy?" Evan figured.
"Pfft! Fo', I ain't dealing with dis nonsense." Damon declared, glaring at the underbrush. "Yo, Scraggy! Give'em a Headbutt!"
"(Alright.)" Scraggy sauntered up towards the rustling bushes, keeping his stretchy skin up with his arms. "(Now, let's see who be trying to play hide and seek with a Dark-type. Where's you at? Hmmm...)" He scanned the underbrush until he spotted something. "(Bingo! BAP!)"
With a hasty lunge, he headbutted something hiding on the other side. A loud gag was heard following a thud. Something big slammed into the ground, much to the surprise of everyone present.
"That...sounded like a person." Azura quietly noted.
"Ah-owwww~! Damn, damn! That hurt!" A detested grumble was heard. It sounded like a guy in pain. "Oh, why did I just get headbutted like that! Oh, hohohohoooo~! I think I have a concussion!"
"(I told you to watch out. Did you seriously forget about my Ability like you forget how to cook?)" Something quacked loudly.
"Ugh! What are you saying now, you stupid duck!? Owww..."
Damon pulled up his glock, readying a bullet on the spot. "Alright, man! Get yo ass out here dis instant, or I'mma be coming in dere myself. Unless you don't mind having a bullet running through yo head, get out...slowly."
"O-o-okay..." A low grumble was heard as the underbrush rustled some more. Everyone steered clear as they watched the leaves separate to reveal a young man walking out, wearing the cliché chef outfit, though it was dirty from the carnage the chef had escaped from earlier. Preceding him was a Farfetch'd that waddled at his own pace.
DK rubbed his forehead with his finger, whining loudly. "Man...that hurt." He felt a leaf resting on his shoulder and brushed it off. "Ugh! I knew I shouldn't have hidden in that stupid bu-!"
"Hands where I can see them, fo'!" Damon cocked the glock and aimed for DK's face. DK gasped and raised his hands into the air with compliance. "Alright, first of all, who de hell are you? You one of dem ugly-ass goops we be slayin'?"
"I-I-I don't know what you're talking about, I swear!" DK shivered fearfully.
"I axed you, are you...one of dose ugly-ass...goops we slayed earlier?" Damon repeated, slowly, and more annoyed.
DK swallowed a lump. "Uh, n-n-no! I-I was just trying to follow you guys, that's all! Hehehe..."
Freya furrowed her brow. "Is he a stalker?" She whispered to Evan.
"I don't know. Let's just see." He muttered.
"L-Look, okay? Lemme explain myself!" DK pleaded. "My name is Chef DK, okay? I was a chef in Lumiose City...well, I mean I was...until my boss fired me. Then, um, I just ended up here. Yeah..."
Azura blinked. "Lumiose City? I don't think I've heard of such a city. At least, not here in Hoshido."
"Yeah, I don't think that's in Nohr either..." Corrin's eyes widened. "Wait a minute...could he possibly be...!" He turned towards Evan. "Evan, it looks like we've found another one!"
Evan whipped towards Corrin. "Another trainer?"
"W-what are you guys talking about?! What the heck is going on?!" DK complained fearfully. "And what's this about a Hoshido and Nohr, huh?"
DK cocked his Glock again. "Fo', we be d'ones axing the questions here. Okay? Shut up."
Corrin stepped up to volunteer for the explanations. "It's a long story. Please, bear with us. You need to calm down, sir."
"Okay, okay...I'm calm. I'm calm..." DK took deep breaths, exhaling and inhaling in repetition several times over until he was able to get his heartrate down – despite a Glock aimed for his face if he slipped up. "Phew...okay...I'm calm. So, what's the story?"
"Alright, well it goes something like this..."
For a whole two minutes, Corrin explained everything that he could surmise within the past weeks' worth of events that transpired. How Pokémon had crossed over to his world, along with the very few cases of humans familiar with the creatures. He went on further explaining the current war that they were going to see for themselves. By the time he surmised everything, DK was at a loss for words.
"Wow...okay, that actually explains a lot around this place. Why everybody is dress so old-fashioned and such." DK looked at Corrin's draconic knightly attire. "No offense."
Corrin grinned. "It's no trouble. You said that your name was Chef DK, right?" He turned towards the other trainers. "These are my friends, these are Evan, Freya, and Damon. They're from your world and fell here just like you."
"Hello." Freya greeted.
"Yeah, Damin be me, fo'. Don't forgets it unless you wanna sleep with dem fishes." Damon said.
"And I'm Evan." Evan raised his hand with a meek wave.
DK turned towards the trainers, scanning them up and down. Now that he had a good look at them, they didn't look much like Corrin nor Azura. In fact, their clothing should have been the dead giveaway he needed to confirm this. They were much more modern-looking, at least to their world's standards. Of course, it wasn't like he wasn't against meeting people. Seeing new people meant he could have a larger selection of people to try his cooking. But the last notion he would have to shove in the back of his mind for now.
He raised his hand to greet them back. "Hi, guys. Nice to meet you all."
"(Hey, don't forget about me, either.)" Farfetch'd poked his leg with his leek, getting his attention.
"Huh? Oh, and this is Farfetch'd. He's my little helper around the kitchen...or at least he's supposed to be!" He shot him a look, to which the duck turned away nonchalantly.
"They seem rather...at odds, you think?" Azura pointed out.
"Yeah, so it would seem..." Corrin stepped forward to intervene. "Listen, if you have nowhere else to go, you're free to follow us."
DK's eyes widened at the opportunity. "Shit, really?!"
Corrin nodded. "Yes, but right now. We were just about to head out. We'll be sure to uncover the secrets to why you were brought here along the way. But for now, we're following my brothers and sisters."
Azura turned towards him. "Corrin, if everyone is situated enough, we should get going."
"Yeah, you're right. Alright everyone, let's go to battle!"
DK had an upbeat tone about him. "Alright~! This ought to be...wait..." the realization dawned. "Did he just say battle?! L-like an actual fight, with weapons and blood?! Oh no...oh, no, no, no! I'm much to beautiful to die this young!" He swallowed a lump. "Um...maybe it's not too late to just swing on back tooo~" He slowly turned around...only to be met with a glock to the face.
"Keep walking, fo'. You be hitchin' with us, you'll be cookin' for us. And I ain't gonna starve again, So get yo ass up to de frontlines, aitz?"
Damon's threat was enough motivation to make DK freeze up on the spot. He backpedaled slowly away from the Glock towards the ongoing masses. "O-o-okay..." He slowly turned around, meekly sniffling to himself. "H'oh, ho...why me?"
"Yeah, keep walking, fo'!" As Damon followed behind, something grabbed his attention. "Hello, what's dis?"
He picked up the small disc that was blending in the grass. It was a bright green disc, containing a label on the back that he noticed. The label read "TM 10: Magical Leaf" in a fine print. However, much to his indifference – and lack of education – he had no idea what he was holding.
"De hell leaves a CD lying around? Pffft, oh well. Can at least scores me a couple bucks with dis." He took the TM disc and started off with Scraggy, keeping DK and Farfetch'd from turning tail and running. "Dat's right! Keep moving or else we'll be eating duck for dinner tonight!"
Though little did they all know, a Pidgey was flying over the woodlands, having a set of eyes focused on the ongoing group heading further northwest. With a chirp, it flew off in another direction to alert of the sighting.
The time came, and everyone arrived to the edge of the battlefield. There, they all stopped in their tracks at the sight that left them completely speechless.
To the east, the Hoshidan army was led by none other than the stalwart Ryoma. His blade was already drawn as his siblings were at the edge of the riverbank separating them from the Nohrians. Behind Xander, standing several meters from Ryoma on his horse, Camilla an the fellow Nohrian family stood anxiously to do battle. However, what both had going was a similarity of sorts, in the form of familiar creatures that got Evan's eyes widening.
Pokémon. Dozens, maybe hundreds at a time. They were all either bound by some form of chains and collars to their masters, or were already on standby to do battle. Though with the many numbers, there was no way of telling the ones not bound by chains – namely the Hoshidan army – were actually willing to comply. Some of them were even Wooloo or even Nidoran, as opposed to the Nohrians that had Pokémon like Heatmor or Raticate. Overhead, the aerial Pokémon were also accompanying the armies, scouting with vigilance over the massive forces both sides composed of.
Corrin and the others closed in, their eyes wide at the grueling sight before them. "We're here!"
DK gasped in horror. "Oh my god, it really is a battle!"
"It's just like they said, they've got Pokémon under their control." Freya observed, seeing the two armies lined up and ready to attack.
Evan furrowed his brow. 'Oh no.'
"Ooooh, fo', looks like de show is 'bout to start now." Damon chimed in.
Corrin's eyes traced towards Xander and Ryoma, seeing them converged on opposite sides pf the small bridge that made for the only way across. The sight of Xander and his blood-related relative together was enough to leave them momentarily conflicted of confronting them.
Xander was on his stallion, with a Pokémon that appeared to be a blade and a shield alike. He primarily had dark cloths for arms with purple swirls. There was singular, purple, cyclopean eye at the hilt of the sword, along with a shield that hugged the blade. The shield was large enough to be an actual guard.
At Ryoma's side, there was a Pokémon that resembled a male lion. He had black and tan fur lining the body, with a large mane that made the kanji for ire. He had light blue eyes and a black snout. The yellow and red fur on his long tail's end whipped around as he stood beside Ryoma.
"Huh?! Corrin...is that you?!" Xander gasped, taken back by his appearance. "They didn't hurt you, did they?"
"Xander! I'm just fine!" Corrin declared. "But what is the meaning of this? Why are you attacking Hoshido, and why with these Pokémon?!"
"Pokémon? Is that what these creatures' species are called?" Xander was genuinely taken back by this information. He took a moment to look at his partner, who stared blankly before facing him again. "Well, it matters not. Father says that now the time to show our enemies our true strength. And with the help of these creatures, that promise is sure to come true! Corrin, quickly, come join us so that we may end this fight, and prevent any unnecessary bloodshed!"
"Xander..." Corrin frowned as he whispered his brother's name...or rather, his unrelated brother. He couldn't find it in himself to agree to this; not to any of this. Though he really didn't want to make any bloodshed happen like Xander insisted...
"Corrin, be wary! He is a Nohrian commander, he is the enemy!" Ryoma declared, stepping up with his Pyroar growling behind him.
"Ryoma...!" Corrin shifted his gaze towards Ryoma, equally as stunned.
Before he could say anymore, everyone stopped and turned to where they saw three figures beaming from the trees from the Nohrian side. To Corrin's shock, he recognized them as none other than Camilla, Leo, and Elise. To Leo's side, there was a Pokémon that seemed to be a large, ghastly ghost with dark eyes. He had a fanged smile, along with detached hands with three purple claws.
Elise was also on the battlefield, riding her own stallion like Leo, granted hers was much smaller to accommodate her size. Her Pokémon appeared to be a very small green creature with an orange face and green eyes. In her tiny green arms, there were linked flowers in a pattern of red, yellow, magenta, and white looping until they reached behind her head.
Though Camilla had her wyvern, she was discharged to the battlefield without a Pokémon, as per what her father demanded. Though she was healed thanks to her sister, she knew she had to succeed this time. The eldest sister's eyes widened upon seeing Corrin once again.
"Corrin, you're alive! Don't you ever wander away from us again!" she chimed.
"Camilla...Leo...Elise!"
Leo smirked as he hummed. "Glad to see that you're alive, Corrin. You have the devil's own luck for sure."
"Yaaaay! We've got big brother back! I'm so glad!" Elise cheerfully shouted.
Hinoka glared daggers at them as she rode on something different than her Pegasus, like she normally would. Instead, she was riding on a Pidgeot that she had harnessed with a set of reigns around the beak to give her control. "Nohrian scum! First you kidnap my brother, then you lie to him in front of us!? You have no right to call him your own!"
Camilla's wyvern screeched as it ascended to meet Hinoka's Pidgeot. Camilla glared daggers straight into Hinoka's eyes. "You are mistaken here. Corrin is my sweet little brother. I will never allow you to have him."
Ryoma scoffed. "Don't be foolish. Corrin is not like you lowly Nohrians. He knows his birthright is alongside his true family!"
"Yes, and that would be us." Xander countered, turning towards Corrin. "Corrin, we have loved you all these years and raised you since you were so small. Please, return home so that we may be whole once again!"
"Nonsense! He belongs to us, not you!" Ryoma challenged.
"Absurd! He is a Nohrian! He is ours!"
"Um, okay...can somebody tell me why the hell they're fighting for that guy right there?" DK asked, turning towards his comrades. Nobody blamed the poor chef for feeling so confused. If anything, they were just as concerned for their health as much as Corrin.
"It's a long story. Bottom line is, it's a family dispute." Evan summarized.
"Yeah, I can see that." DK shrugged dismissively. "But, uh...is the whole, uh...armies with Pokémon thing absolutely necessary?!"
"We're figuring that out ourselves." Freya grimaced, turning towards the Nohrians and Hoshidans lined up with Pokémon.
The Hoshidans and Nohrians waited for the order as the royal families of both realms congregated to meet their beloved brother. In Corrin's case, it was choosing between the two paths that he had taken. But something about this setting seemed vaguely...familiar somehow. The creatures, the two familiar families, the people behind him. Everything.
Corrin was at a loss for words. 'This feeling...it's just like that dream I had.'
Ryoma reached his hand out towards him. "We're your family."
Xander turned on his stallion, reaching his arm down towards Corrin. "Corrin...come back to us."
"Big brother!" Sakura quipped, followed by her siblings and Audino.
"No! He's my big brother!" Elise challenged.
Everyone stopped glaring at each other and turned their gazes onto Corrin. All eight sets of eyes locked onto him, expecting an answer that would surely turn in their favor.
Corrin stood there, completely blank with confliction. In his mind, everything was going dark in an instant. He had a lot to think about, and he wasn't given a lot of time to do so. If anything, there was so much pressure on him now than there was before. He paneled back and forth between the two families: Ones of blood, and ones of care. It was true that the Nohrians were attacking the Hoshidans, but the royal family was kind to him after all these years. Even if he were to have some inkling to slay them out of vengeance, he didn't have the heart to go through with such an action. They were that important to him. On the other hand, there was Ryoma and the Hoshidan family. They revealed the truth to him, how they were his actually family. He even watched as his own birthmother died right before his eyes, defending him from the Nohrians that attacked the festival earlier. If anything, Hoshido seemed to be the more innocent ones in this disarranged feud.
More importantly, why was it up to him to decide? That was something that never crossed his mind. He wouldn't have the potential otherwise if the Yato he clutched chose him to carry this burden. He was destined to bring hope to the future of these nations, and yet he was being forced to choose whether to choose one side and betray the other. If that wasn't conflicting enough, he had to consider what would happen if he chose either side to begin with. If he chose Hoshido, then he'd make an enemy of Nohr. But if he chose Nohr, Ryoma and the Hoshidans would be his enemy.
With his contemplation in mind, he was completely unaware that he was being watched from behind a small tree close to the riverbank. Riolu peered from behind, eying Corrin with deep curiosity.
With his head down, he was losing his aspects on reality. "I...I..."
"Whatever battles you face, battle your way."
Corrin's eyes widened at the memory. 'Battle my way?' He realized then who it was that told him that. He slowly turned around, looking directly at Evan. "Evan..."
Evan stayed quiet, but very expectant of what he might do. He knew that he didn't have the position or place to put Corrin on the spot, but he was as much of a victim as he was in this war with two sides poised to kill each other. He wanted no part of this. It wasn't even meant to be like this to begin with. Even though he and Freya were keeping their secret of being from another realm to themselves, they apologized. And truth be told, he didn't blame them. They were there with him ever since he left Nohr. They've seen both sides of the war, and neither was very homely. The creatures they've befriended and keep by their sides shouldn't have to be dragged into this. This was unjustified!
His gaze reaffirmed by Evan, Corrin knew exactly what side he wanted to be on. He straightened himself and gave both Ryoma and Xander a steeled glare.
"I've decided...I won't betray anyone."
His answer didn't suffice with Xander. "What are you saying?"
"I won't fight against the people of Nohr, not after all the years you and the others have spent caring for my well-being. You, Camilla...Leo...Elise..." He paused before continuing. "We may not be tied by blood after all, but I still consider you guys family.
This brought a smile upon Xander's face. "Yes, and we, too, feel the same way."
Ryoma shot Corrin his own look. "Corrin...are you saying that you would be willing to discard your own blood for those that stand against us in this battle?" Judging from his tone, he sounded hurt. But Corrin was sure to make it clear.
"No, I'm battling my way." he declared. "I won't draw my sword to my Hoshidan siblings, either. We may not have spent much time together, Ryoma, but I consider you all my family as well. Hinoka, Takumi, and Sakura. All of you."
Ryoma's expression softened into a smile. "Well said. We, too, feel the same way."
Evan was going to open his mouth to say something about Takumi, but he'd rather not break the momentum that Corrin had going for himself.
"But...I'm sorry, I won't draw my blade onto you guys either. I won't betray anyone here."
"If so, what will you do?"
Corrin paused. "Ryoma...Xander...I'm sorry, but please, drop your swords, and call off your Pokémon at once! They're not yours to command!"
Xander squinted. "What are you saying, Corrin?!"
Corrin turned around, walking back towards Evan and the others. "This isn't right, not by any means. These Pokémon aren't your tools to use just to win this pointless war. Evan, Freya, Damon, Chef DK. It might only have been a short time as well, but you all know more about Pokémon than any of us. You all were dragged into this mess, so I ask humbly to help me resolve this crisis alongside me." He turned back towards Ryoma and Xander. "I'm sure if we sat down our swords and talked this out, surely a far less violent solution can-!"
Suddenly, Xander pulled on his armored horse's reigns, causing him to loudly neigh and raise on his hind legs. As soon as he came down, Xander held his blade firmly. "That is quite enough, Corrin! I understand what you are trying to achieve here...but as your elder brother, I must show you that the only path one must take towards their goals is to take it!" At his insistence, his Aegislash floated up.
Ryoma held his Raijinto while his Pyroar was ready to act. "Not while I'm standing! I refuse to allow you to have your way with these lands, and my brother! It's only fitting that I be the one to enact judgment upon you, Nohrian commander!"
Xander scoffed. "So be it. It seems only fitting for my blade with my opposing equal. As the respective heirs to our families, why don't we settle this matter here and now?"
"...I dare say I find your blood worthy to stain my Raijinto. Prepare yourself, for I shall defend my kingdom and my brother's life from you all!"
Corrin started forward towards them. "Hold on! Wait-!"
"Corrin, no!" Evan rushed towards him, alarming Freya.
"Evan!"
Without precaution, Xander reached his arm out. "Attack, now!" His Aegislash complied, grunting as he shifted out of his Shield Forme and into his Blade Forme. With the shield moved to the hand, Aegislash raised his bottom-half as it glowed, before rushing after Ryoma and Pyroar.
"Attack!" Ryoma ordered. Pyroar complied, opening his maws that were lit in broiling fore. He raced across the bridge and met Aegislash dead center.
However, neither considered Corrin as he stood too close. The glowing blade and fiery fangs gradually closed in...
"Corrin!" At the last second, Evan yanked him away, dragging Corrin to the ground with him before Aegislash and Pyroar collided with a mixed explosion of white energy and fire.
Xander charged through the flames, meeting Ryoma's blade with his own. Electrical sparks met ironclad metal that held the two offenses in their place. Both their eyes met with a burning passion, if not anger for their honor.
"Attack!" A Nohrian commander shouted. All the soldiers behind him carried on with the order and raced across the landscape, making sure their Pokémon followed with their chains.
The Nohrian army reciprocated, charging at the enemy at full speed. With the sounds of nothing but metal and screaming men filling the atmosphere, the sunset-filled sky's beauty was ruined with many of the Hoshidans raining down with feathered avian creatures of various sizes, clawing or divebombing straight into unguarded Nohrians. Even when they were down, the Pokémon made their move and struck back, hitting the birds with armor around their bodies. The battlefield was quickly littered with bodies falling from either blades, or soldiers commanding the creatures to enact large-range attacks.
A gush of water from a Hoshidan Poliwag shot across the terrain, meeting a Nohrian Bellsprout. However, all that did was made it a little wet.
"(Oh, that felt nice. Thank you. I've been really dry these last few days.)" he slurred.
The Nohrian soldier commanding him pointed forward. "Attack it, now!"
"(Sorry, nothing personal!)" Bellsprout's leaves lifted up, expelling green vines that raced after Poliwag, via Vine Whip. The green whips smacked both the Poliwag, as well as the Hoshidan soldier, flooring them instantly.
A Nohrian Spearow went to spear his beak into a Hoshidan's face, successfully deterring him from advancing. This gave two neighboring Nohrians the chance to spear their swords into the man's gut, instantly killing him.
Another Nohrian reached outwards before his pink Shellos. "Attack with water, now!"
Shellos flinched at the harsh tone. She wanted to hide in the neighboring stream, but she knew if she did, the chain and collar around her neck would yank her away. She opened her mouth and congregated water into a sphere, via Water Pulse. She expelled the attack forward and met a Starly, immediately grounding it.
A safe distance north from the carnage, Evan grunted painfully as he tried to get up. "Oh god...that was too close..." he labored.
Freya and Azura followed close behind. "Evan, are you okay?"
Evan looked up. "Yeah, I'm still alive..." He looked over his shoulder, fearing of any arrows that could come their way. "Though maybe not for long if this keeps up."
"Thanks for that, Evan. I really owe you." Corrin said, before turning forward with a grunt. "Gnnngh...but it looks like they're not going to listen to me."
"Is that obvious?" DK dryly chimed. "Look, we can't take on two flippin' armies at once! All I have on me is a frying pan and a kitchen knife! What do you want me to do?!"
"Fo', I don't know what dey be fight'n about, but dese guys better shut themselves up fast." Damon sniped, cocking his Glock.
Freya stepped back, tossing one of her long black locks back. "So what do we do now? Do we run?"
"Well I'm all for that." DK volunteered.
"No, we can't run! Not yet!" Corrin insisted. "If the fighting doesn't stop now, too many people will die! We just need to get them to back off from one another."
"In that case...why don't we be the scapegoat?" Azura imposed.
Corrin and everyone looked at her like she grew as second head. "What was that?"
"I'm saying we should take out the groups closest to us. That should get their attention once again. Look." She pointed her bronze staff towards the battlefield. They all turned towards the direction and saw the Nohrians and Hoshidans having one warrior that was slightly more armed than the rest of the troops present. "If we defeat them, that should get them to withdraw."
Corrin nodded in understanding. "Yeah, that just might work. Especially with all of us here."
"Lord Corrin!"
Everyone's attention brought them towards behind, where they saw a familiar maid run out in the open, pacing incredibly fast. She quickly caught up and labored in her breathing to relieve herself. "Phew! I...I just made it..."
"Okay, who's the maid?" DK questioned, pointing an accusing index finger at their newest acquaintance.
"Fo', there's too much goin' on right now, I don't know." Damon shrugged.
Evan's eyes widened. "Wait...Corrin, isn't she one of your maids?" He was a little surprised himself. He hardly saw her, but he remembered vaguely seeing her back when he was in the Nohrian courtyard, where he was pit against Corrin. He could recall that much at least.
"Felicia?! What are you doing here?!" Corrin quipped, visibly stunned at seeing her on the battlefield.
Felicia flinched. "That's some way to greet someone! And after I came all the way out here because I was worried after we got separated! I was trying to find you all over the place, until I was able to catch wind of you. So...here I am, ready to help however I can."
Corrin blinked. He didn't know whether to be surprised by her unyielding search of him after so many days away, or her loyalty towards him. Whatever the case, he knew he shouldn't be mad at her when she came to do her job. "Thank you, Felicia."
Felicia perked up, smiling proudly. "My pleasure!" She looked at the two sides and their magical creatures engaged. "So...who exactly are we fighting? Everyone seems so worked up."
"Both. We're up against the Nohrians and Hoshidans after I chose to not side with either."
Her eyes widened so much that they could have fallen out of their sockets. "W-what?! A-Are you serious?! Two armies at once?! Milord, what have you done?!"
"See, I'm not the only one thinking that!" DK quipped.
"Sorry, but this is the battle that I have chosen." Corrin said studiously.
It took a minute before Felicia chose to shrug it off. "Right. Well, anyways, your enemies are my enemies. I'll help in any way that I can!"
"Right." Corrin turned towards Evan. "So Evan, how do we approach them?"
"What?" Evan gasped.
"I've seen you handle these Pokémon well. You probably know more about their strengths and weaknesses than I do. You know which ones we should watch out for, right?"
"He's right, Evan." Freya added. "You're an actual trainer. You've made some good ideas up till now. Surely you have something in mind."
Evan furrowed his brow as he looked down at his feet. He certainly wasn't going to deny what they said was wrong. He was able to make it this far and get out of situations thanks to what he knew of his Pokémon and with Freya. He looked around the battlefield, scanning the nearby soldiers with all their Pokémon.
He noticed that the Nohrian commander had a Scyther, which sliced into a weaker Hoshidan in the Nohrian commander's place. The man snickered in glee at his opponent's downfall.
Yet on the Hoshidan side, the commander had a Flaaffy, which was supposed to be an evolved form of Mareep. Evan hadn't seen one in person, but he's played enough video games in the past to know what they were capable of. He furrowed his brow further before coming to a solution.
"Okay, here's what we'll do..."
The Nohrian commander rode on his brown wyvern, which howled in the heat of battle. The man snickered as he held onto his iron axe in one hand, observing as his Scyther struck down another Nohrian close by with another slash of his glowing blades.
"Heh, this one was strong. I can definitely make some uses with this one. Those Nohrians are history!"
Suddenly, from seemingly out of nowhere, a Water Pulse shot across the landscape, barely passing the Nohrian commander and kept going, straight into the soldier behind him. The attack exploded in a pulsing blue explosion, spraying water everywhere. The foot soldier collapsed from the headshot, much to the surrounding soldiers' confusion.
"Where did that come from?!" the commander demanded. He looked around to see which of the Nohrians was close enough, but much to his disappointment, not a one was within his proximity.
From the riverbank not too far from him, Sobble was camouflaged due to being completely wet. She was extremely glad that she was cloaked, otherwise, everyone could see her body shaking. "(P-please tell me that got his attention...)" she quipped nervously.
The Nohrian commander looked around, finally looking north to where he saw Corrin on the other end of the riverbank. He stood there, his Yato in hand and ready to attack. Beside him, Felicia held up an iron dagger.
"Heh, well look what we have here, the former Nohrian prince wants to tussle, huh?" He maliciously smirked. "Well, I'll just have to show him that the battlefield is no place for amateurs!" He pointed at him. "Attack!"
"(Understood!)" Scyther crossed his blades, before flapping his wings and jetting off. Behind him, the nearby soldiers that also rode their wyverns gave the same order, sending their Zubat and Poliwag to battle.
"Here they come, get ready!" Corrin stood readily for the signal.
"Yes!" Felicia raised her iron dagger, ready to defend herself as Scyther drew closer.
"(I'll cut your pretty face into str fry!)" Scyther closed the gap, but just as he was about to reach the two targets the commander had in mind, he was blindsided by a sudden rush of swirling water from below. It gradually expanded until he was surrounded by a vortex of water. "(What the-?! The hell did this come from?!)"
The Whirlpool surrounding Scyther left both the oncoming Zubat and Poliwag to come to a standstill before they could cross the river. They stood on the side, unsure of what to do. With them immobilized, they noticed an electric net dropping down from above onto them. By the time they registered it, the Zubat, Poliwag, and neighboring Scyther were all electrocuted by electrical webbing that snared them.
"What the hell?!" The Nohrian commander gasped as he watched their Pokémon suffer voltage out of nowhere.
The Electroweb continued its job until Zubat and Poliwag both fell over, unconscious and exhausted. Meanwhile, Scyther barely withstood it, gasping while in pain. A blue aura engulfed his body to signal a Speed reduction.
Overhead, Butterfree fluttered over the sight. "(Did that do it?)"
A safe distance away, Evan and Freya were behind Corrin, staying low and out of range. They didn't have any trees or bushes to take cover from, so their best course of action was to stay with Azura as she had her brass lance to guard them.
"That's two down." Evan muttered calmly.
"Okay guys, we don't have a lot of time, so I'll lay this out as best as I can." Evan made sure everyone around him was all ears on what he had in mind. "Our best bet at getting them to stop will be to stop their first commanders and their Pokémon. With our numbers, we should be able to divide up the work between the two armies."
"What do you mean?" Freya asked.
"Evan turned towards her. "Freya, we'll get their attention. We'll use the nearby stream and have Sobble camouflage. She'll lure them in where she traps the Pokémon, and Butterfree goes for the kill. Our biggest threat is that Scyther, so focus on that. Once their Pokémon are down, that leaves the soldiers for Corrin and Felicia. We'll stand back with Azura in case they need support, or they need a back route."
He turned towards Damon and DK. "Chef DK, you said you have a knife and a frying pan, right? Try and hold off the Hoshidans with Farfetch'd as best you can. DK can support you from a safer range if they get too close."
"Mmm, fo'! Deez fellas are 'bout to get lead stuck up their asses!" DK declared, holding up his Glock.
"O-Okay, we'll do that." DK begrudgingly mumbled.
"So far, everything is going the way Evan said it would." Corrin said, seeing Scyther snared in the Whirlpool.
The Nohrian commander grunted in ire. "Gnnngh, enough of this! Useless pets!" He raised his iron axe and jutted it straight at Corrin. "Attack!"
The two nearby wyvern riders obeyed and flew over towards the riverbank, ready to attack both Corrin and Felicia. The two were grouped up and poised to take their positions.
"HRAH!" Corrin swung his Yato once the one was too close to them. The blade gashed into the wyvern, making it flinch. The rider attacked with his iron axe, aiming for Corrin, but Felicia stepped in and held her dagger up to deflect the blow.
"Thanks, Felicia!" Corrin lunged forward, slashing into the warrior with a mighty battle cry. "GRAH!" He cut into the Nohrian, causing both him and his wyvern to fall to the ground with large thuds.
"Yes, we sure did." Felicia smiled...before her eyes widened. "Milord, incoming!"
Corrin gasped before pivoting towards the direction that the wyvern was coming from. The rider rode on its back with an iron axe ready to swing. Felicia stepped in front and fired iron daggers at the flying reptile, successfully deterring it.
Watching from afar, Evan balled his fists. 'I lost that bronze katana back in that last attack, so I have to stay away.' He looked towards Butterfree. 'Let's distract them!' His glare hardened. "Butterfree, use Tackle!"
"(Okay!)" The butterfly was more or less wary, but he flapped his wings and fired into the wyvern's side, barely buffering it.
"Huh? Hey, get out of here, you oversized insect!" The Nohrian waved his iron axe, causing Butterfree to back off.
Butterfree chirped as he avoided the blade, but he was more or less annoyed that his efforts were in vain. "(Oooh~! Okay then, you asked for it! Take this!)" He flapped his wings, furiously expelling a dark purple powder that scattered all over the soldier and the wyvern. For a moment, nothing happened, until moments later, toxic bubbles and an aching feeling arose within them.
"Gnngh...what's...happening?" He coughed, his insides aching with every harsh exhale he took. "Am I...poisoned?!"
Evan's eyes widened at the sight. "Did Butterfree just learn Poison Powder?" He blinked, realizing there was no time to lose momentum. "Freya, go!"
Freya nodded. "Right! Sobble, quick! Water Pulse!"
From the shallow stream below, an invisible Sobble opened her mouth, generating a hemisphere of water that shot straight up into the wyvern's underside. The impact caused a bright blue explosion that buffered the sickened beast, causing it to lose balance in the air.
"Hey, quite it you stupid lizard! I'm gonna fall!"
Azura stepped up, taking a deep inhale. "Allow me." She raised her head, giving off a very tranquil, harmonic chime that focused on Corrin. A blue, searing energy arose around him as he tightened his grip on his sword.
"HRAH!" With another rush of adrenaline from Azura's musical note, Corrin rushed in and slashed the knight and wyvern, sending them crashing onto the land on the other side of the bridge. Both laid there, defeated, if not killed by the gashes and poison together.
The Scyther contained in the Whirlpool grunted furiously. Though he was unable to move very well, that didn't stop his twin scythes from glowing and giving Corrin a fierce Fury Cutter. The attack met its mark, managing a strong dent in his armor.
"Gngh!"
"Milord!" Felicia gasped.
"Heh, now that's more like it!" The Nohrian commander sniped. "Make sure he doesn't get back up!"
"(Understood!)" Scyther crossed his blades once more, readying another Fury Cutter. His body cringed from the constraining Whirlpool damage, but even though his Speed was also knocked down, he was still agile enough to close in for the attack on Corrin.
"Look out, milord!" Felicia was about to move to defend him with her iron dagger again...but something beat her to it.
In a blue blur, something small ziplined in front of Corrin crossing his arms and taking the slash in his stead. The creature dropped to a knee and grunted in pain, but he wasn't out.
Corrin's eyes widened at the sight. "Wait...aren't you that..."
"Riolu?" Evan quipped in shock.
Riolu grunted as he held his own against Scyther. No doubt that second Fury Cutter did a number, but he refused to let him have his way. "(I...shall not yield to your ways!)" His fist balled tightly as a multicolored aura engulfed his body. He brought his fist forward, striking Scyther in the gut, via Counter.
The force of the attack was just enough to cause Scyther to screech out in pain and fall to the ground. He laid there in an unconscious heap in front of Corrin and Felicia as they stared in disbelief. Riolu stood tall in front of Corrin, glaring down his defeated foe.
"Riolu...you helped me just now, why?" Corrin questioned.
Felicia turned to him in confusion. "Wait, you know this creature, milord?!"
Corrin nodded in confirmation. "Yeah, I met him a little while before we arrived here." He looked back at Riolu. "So then, you..."
Riolu turned towards Corrin, looking him dead in the eye. "(I sensed your aura once more while I was watching. I couldn't help but feel that something was different about you...now I know what that is. You...have a conviction, a true conviction!)" He turned back towards the battle happening around them. "(This land is filled with nothing but hatred. I want to prosper in a land that you envision. So...allow me to fight with you for that cause!)"
"What's it saying?" Felicia wondered.
Corrin stood there, fixated on what Riolu said. He couldn't understand Pokémon language, but at the same time, he felt an aura emanating off of Riolu that told him what he thought he meant. A smile crept onto his face. "...alright then." He poised with his Yato once more. "Looks like we're battling together!"
"(Indeed.)" Riolu smirked.
Sobble poked her head out of the water, still invisible. "(I-is the fighting over...?)" She turned and gasped in fear of what headed their way. "(Gah! Freya, save me! Scary dragon men are coming!)"
The Nohrian commander grunted as he rode on his wyvern to attack Corrin.
Evan made sure to get the interception first. "Not on my watch, let's try out another new move." He raised his head. "Butterfree, Sleep Powder!"
"(Sure thing, Evan!)" Butterfree fluttered in front of the wyvern and oncoming soldier, readying himself. "(Alright, nighty night!)" He flapped his wings, expelling a green powder instead of purple. It scattered into the oncoming wyvern, covering it and the soldier.
"Pffft! Bleck! The hell is this stuff?! It's making...m-making my...my allergie..." The commander sniffled before he fell asleep atop his wyvern. The beast itself fell limply towards the ground before it could cross the water.
"Now!" Corrin raced across the shallow stream, being mindful of Sobble as he closed in on the commander.
"(Don't forget me as well!)" Riolu followed, his claws glowing a metallic gray and extending, via Metal Claw. The two attacks closed in on the sleeping beast and the commander. Together, they slashed at the same time, landing a double gash wave that careened their foes. For good measure, Corrin spun around, landing a horizontal slash, causing even further pain that seared into the enemy.
"GAH!" Coming out of his deep sleep from the severe pain, the commander coughed as he fell onto his back with his mount.
Corrin adjusted his position, with Riolu standing right beside him. "That takes care of one commander."
Ryoma and Xander locked their glares on one another. They tried to overpower the other, but found themselves to be on equal grounds. They jumped away from each other, with Aegislash and Pyroar following their lead.
Ryoma deeply exhaled. "I see that we truly are on equal footing, wouldn't you say?"
"Yes, it would seem so." Xander adjusted himself atop his stallion, which neighed in the heat of battle. "But I shall have thy victory over you, Hoshidan high prince! Prepare yourself!"
Aegislash moved in front to brace for his attack. Pyroar snarled as his master adjusted for a defensive position.
"Lord Xander!" a nearby soldier cried out. "Look!"
Xander glanced away from Ryoma to where the soldier was referring at. He really wished that he didn't see what he thought he saw. Northward, he could see Corrin, his own brother, taking down his front soldier. Had it not been for being on his mount, he would have done a double take.
"What?! My front commander!" He grunted belligerently. "...no, we can't get caught between our enemies and Corrin." He turned back towards his forces. "All units, regroup! Await further orders!"
Immediately, Aegislash backed off, retreating back into his Shield Forme. Xander pulled on his horse's reigns and started pulling away from the battlefield.
"Where do you think you're going?!" Ryoma spat.
Xander shot a glare over his shoulder. "Watch yourself, Hoshidan. This is far from over between us!"
Pyroar snarled, ready to pounce on the word. Ryoma extended his arm out to deter him. "No, stand down for now." He furrowed his brow, shifting his glance northward. "Corrin..."
Felicia emanated green healing waves onto Riolu, reenergizing him from the intense damage he sustained earlier. Once the green waves dissipated, she backed off to allow Riolu plenty of elbow room. "There, you should be fine now!" she chirped.
"Thank you, Felicia." Corrin looked down at Riolu. "Glad to see you're better."
Riolu beamed proudly. "(Likewise, but this fight is only half-over.)" His aura feelers tingled. "(Huh?)" He turned towards the riverbank, giving it a studious look. '(That's strange, what was that just now?)'
"Riolu, is there something wrong?" Corrin asked.
Riolu stared at the river, his brow furrowed. Something just tickled his aura sense just now that indicated something was there. He couldn't see it clearly with how blue the water was, but he chose to dismiss it. "(...it's nothing. We better secure the perimeter!)"
Corrin fell silent as Riolu walked away from the water. Butterfree and Sobble exited from their positions upon seeing the Nohrians retreat. Corrin chose to comply and focused on turning towards his allies. "Azura! Evan! Freya! We're all clear over here!"
As everyone pulled away from the riverbank, something popped its head up from beneath the surface. A set of dark eyes blinked as it watched them trot off. "(Wow...so that's what that was about.)" She turned towards the blue-haired girl that had the brass lance. "(Did she make that beautiful chime earlier...?)"
"Hm?" Azura stopped for a moment to look back at the river, her eyes barely caught a swift splash of something. She frowned in her curiosity before turning away to join her allies.
DK banged his pan and knife together, making loud clangs that could be heard from close by. "Hey, hey guys! Over here!"
"Huh?" The Hoshidan commander wearing a red cape turned with his Flaaffy, along with the two soldiers wearing battle armor and masks. Their Beedrill and Mankey turned and hissed at the aggravating sounds being made by the chef.
"Okay, I got their attention. Now...comes the hard part." He swallowed a lump. "Oh God, please don't let this beautiful body rot here..."
"Attack!" The commanding Hoshido jutted his iron katana out to usher his Flaaffy to attack. The Beedrill and Mankey filed behind as they closed in on DK and Farfetch'd as they raced across the bridge.
"Oh no, here they come!" DK hastily panicked. "Uh, uh...ah!" DK brought up his frying pan to defend himself from a Beedrill's Fury Attack, repeatedly stinging and striking the metal with little success in puncturing it. "Get the hell back, get the hell ba~ck!" He swung his large kitchen knife around, deterring the Beedrill. He rapidly swung the sharp knife in desperation for his life. "Go away you stupid bee! Shoo! Shoo!"
Beedrill buzzed louder, surprising DK when he jabbed forward. The stinger deflected the knife, causing DK to stumble away. With his defense deterred, DK let out a loud scream as he prepared for the most brutal stinging of his life.
"(Peck!)"
A glowing beak jabbed Beedrill from behind, causing him to jerk and sharply turn around to see who it was that attacked him. Much to his displeasure, it was a light brown duck holding a leek in his webbed feet as he flapped in the air.
"Farfetch'd, do something!" DK quipped.
Farfetch'd rolled his eyes with a groan. "(Can you be a little more specific? Who and I kidding, of course you wouldn't know how to battle, just like you don't know how to cook.)" He dropped to the ground and picked up his leek in his wings, before kicking up dirt and sand with it and hurling it into Beedrill's face, via Sand Attack.
Beedrill shielded his eyes as a blue aura engulfed his body. He shook his head to get any excess sand out of his lenses and shot Farfetch'd a glare. "(You'll pay for that! Bee ready to die!)" He readied all his stingers as he shot at Farfetch'd with a Fury Attack.
Farfetch'd glanced over his shoulder, seeing the Mankey jumping for him. He simply sidestepped to allow Beedrill to speed his way through and furiously jab the Mankey. The poor pig monkey didn't even get a warning before the piercing white lances stabbed his face relentlessly. The total tallied up to five times before Beedrill pulled away.
Farfetch'd turned and extended his leek at the baffled Mankey. He made a slashing motion with a white streak following his leek, via Cut. The attack had a bright burst of energy following it due to a critical hit. The Mankey whined pitifully before falling over, fainted.
"(Did I get him?)" Beedrill blinked, but instead he saw his ally defeated. "(Huh?! When did that-?!)" He was silenced when another harsh jab by a beak harshly stabbed his side, this time harder due to another critical hit. The impact was enough to completely diffuse Beedrill and send him crashing into the ground, red spirals for eyes.
DK was shielding himself with his frying pan, unwilling to look. "D-did we get them...?" He slowly moved his cooking utensil to find that both the Beedrill and Mankey lying in the dirt in unconscious wrecks. "Hahaha! Aw yeah, that's what I'm talking about! How do you like that?!" He mockingly laughed.
"(You didn't even do anything.)" Farfetch'd pointed out irritably.
ZAP!
"(GAH!)" An effective amount of voltage coursed through Farfetch'd, electrocuting him to a painful degree. He fell to the ground with a harsh grunt, where the Flaaffy stood a short distance away with static crackling around her body.
"U-uh-oh! Ah!" DK saw a Hoshidan raise his iron club to smite his head. He raised his frying pan to bunt the downward slam, but the weapon was so heavy that it put the chef on his back. Had it not been for the metal utensil barricading him from the club, he would have already been knocked out...or worse.
DK grunted as he struggled profusely, but his foe had way more muscle than him, enough to keep him pinned to the ground. "Gnnngh...man! He's built like...like a Machoke or something!" He craned his head away. "A little help here! Somebody?!"
BAP!
As the two remaining Hoshidans closed in, a bullet went through the soldier beside the commander, immediately befalling him. "Boom! Not today! Hehe." Damon turned towards DK, seeing his problem arise. "Oh yeah, fo'." He turned and readied his Glock. "Fo', get off him, or you'd be getting'z it."
The Hoshidan grunted as DK was trying as hard as he could to push him off. However, it was becoming increasingly clear that he didn't have the strength.
The commander looked down at his fellow soldier, seeing blood in the deep wound on him. He harshly turned towards Damon, pointing in his direction. "Attack him!"
"Whu?" Damon turned towards Flaaffy, seeing her charge up electricity before firing directly at him. "Oooh, shit!" He ducked from the Thunder Shock that beamed overhead. Once the streak ended, he jerked upright. "Fo', dat was too close!"
"Oh god, somebody help! Waaaaaah!" DK screamed in peril as the Hoshidan pulled his iron club back to finish him off.
"Bagon, Dragon Breath!"
A sudden blast of dragonfire got the Hoshidan's attention, but he was too slow to act in time before he was engulfed in the flames. They exploded upon impact, sending him fumbling across the plains. DK groaned as he struggled to get back up. "Gnnngh...wait, what just happened?"
Farfetch'd shook his head as he recovered from that last attack. He looked north to see some more humans and Pokémon heading their way. "(Huh, what's that? A cavalry?)"
A maw flickering with concentrated dragonfire belonged to none other than a Bagon, standing in front of Nathan. Following behind him, Keith was led by Mightyena until she stopped by his side. Her snarls indicated she was threatened by her enemies before her.
"What the...?" DK trailed off, at a loss for words.
"Man, who de hell invited dese guys?" Damon cocked a brow.
"Looks like your Ditto was heading the right way after all." Nathan glared at the battle, seeing many of the Nohrians preceding to back off from their posts. From his point of view, he could tell which side was winning.
A chirp from above was followed by a morphing blob that dropped to the plains in front of Keith, revealing Ditto as it waved to the other confused trainers. Keith stepped in front.
"It sounds like we're just catching the tail end of it all. Let's hurry and give these guys a hand, shall we?" He reached his hand out towards the fight ahead of him. "Mightyena, go!"
"(No problem!)" Mightyena crouched before racing after the opposing Flaaffy. Flaaffy unleashed another lightning streak to intercept her, but Mightyena was diligent enough to open her mouth, expelling dark soundwaves that reverberated into loud echoes, via Snarl. The shockwaves briefly fought the weak lightning blast centerfield until Mightyena's bark overwhelmed the voltage. It continued towards Flaaffy, sending her careening across the battlegrounds.
DK's jaw dropped in astonishment. "Woah..."
As Flaaffy attempted to stand, a blue aura traveled down her body, signaling a Special Attack decrease. The Nohrian commander held up his iron katana to direct forward. "Don't sit around! Defeat them so we can usurp the retreating Nohrians for good!"
"Oh, fo' not on my watch you don't! Bap!" Damon aimed his glock and didn't waste a second firing another bullet.
"AH!" The commander screamed out in pain as the bullet went through his armor, piercing his gut. He dropped to a knee, gaging blood. "D-Damn you...who are you?!"
"Scraggy...shut dis fucker up."
"(You read my mind.)" Scraggy jumped from behind Damon, making his way over towards the aching Hoshidan. Once he was close enough, his leg swept beneath, kicking the Hoshidan straight into his knee, via Low Kick. The attack had enough force to cause the commander to faceplant into the bridge, splattering blood.
"And dat's how you do it." Damon huffed, cocking his Glock.
Flaaffy turned around, seeing that her master was defeated. With nobody to guide her, she was left staggering at what to do...unfortunately for her, the enemy wasn't willing to give her a chance.
"Bagon, go! Hydro Pump!" Nathan yelled.
Bagon eyed Flaaffy carefully. "(Sorry about your fleece, buddy.)" He took a sharp inhale before expelling a violent, powerful blast of water that bolted across the plains. It jettisoned straight into a shocked Flaaffy, who stood befuddled until the attack engulfed her in a giant explosion of mist and water. The gush sent an airwave across the vicinity that diffused around everyone.
Though he couldn't see, Keith definitely felt the wake. "Not shabby."
As the mist cleared, it revealed Flaaffy completely soaked and defeated. Spirals were in her eyes, indicating she fainted.
"D-did we actually do it?!" DK asked hopefully, seeing the last foe around them defeated.
"Yep, looks like it alright." DK huffed.
It didn't take long for the information to register towards the observing enemy. As Ryoma watched from afar, he was left shocked at the sight. "No...that was my forward officer..." He looked at Xander's units going on standby, then back at Corrin's little unit. It was a tough pill to swallow...but he knew what he had to do. He turned around, sharply swiping his arm.
"All units! Hear my cries! Withdraw from the frontlines! Await any and all orders by me!"
The Hoshidan army's advances suddenly took a one-eighty. One second, they were repelling the Nohrians, next thing they knew, they were withdrawing from battle. Many bodies were left strewn across the battlefield, be it the injured or the killed. But for the most part, the two conflicting sides backed off.
Corrin's group reconvened with DK and Damon, along with Keith and Nathan.
"Keith, looks like you made it!" Evan exclaimed.
Keith smirked. "Yeah, sure did. Sorry for the holdup, there wasn't a map lying around."
Nathan raised a brow. "Is that supposed to be a joke?"
"Keith, who is he?" Freya asked, referring to Nathan.
"Hm? Oh, the fellow with the Bagon? Meet Nathan, I picked him up shortly before I got word that a skirmish was happening and thought I'd come by."
DK sighed in relief. "Well I'm sure glad you came when you did, because that was dicey, heh."
Keith turned away. "So, mind filling me in on what's going on?"
Corrin stepped up. "The Nohrian and Hoshido armies were fighting, this time with Pokémon." He explained, before turning back towards the segregated armies afoot. "But...it looks like we were able to get them to back off for now."
"Yes...so it would appear." Azura chimed.
Much of the armies were drawn away for the time being, but Ryoma, Xander, and Corrin were all on the edge of the riverbank, separated by the flowing water. The two heirs to the opposing thrones weren't so focused on each other as they were with Corrin and his actions. No, not just him. Behind him, the small group of humans with creatures; they were also to blame. It was clear to them just whose side that he was on.
"...tch. Corrin, why? After all the years that we've cared for you...this is how you repay your family?" Xander grunted. It was clear in his tone that he was genuinely hurt.
"Xander! No! I'm telling you, it's not like that! Please, I just want you to hear me out!" Corrin pleaded.
Ryoma deeply sighed, shaking his head. "Corrin...why would you betray Hoshido...your own blood? Is there no sense of justice for you?"
Corrin clutched Yato tighter. "Ryoma! Listen! I haven't betrayed you, not anyone!"
Xander closed his eyes in deep mourn. "You say that, and yet who stands behind you? It's clear now that your loyalty clearly isn't for the likes of Nohr." He turned towards his troops. "From this day forth, Corrin is to be considered an enemy! Spread the word to all the troops! From this moment on, he is to be captured on sight!"
Ryoma grunted to himself. "I vowed...I vowed...from the day that Corrin was taken, that those aching feelings would be ridden once we would reunite at long last. To think that I was played the fool this whole time. How could I have not seen it before..." He sharply turned away to face his troops as well. "Tell everyone...that Corrin is truly lost to us! If he insists on becoming an enemy of Hoshido, he shall be faced with harsh justice!"
"No...it's not like...!" He felt a comforting hand on his shoulder pulling him away. He looked back in shock. "Evan?"
"Corrin...just stop." He bitterly shook his head. "They're not gonna listen to you at this point."
Azura stepped closer, putting a hand on his other shoulder. "He's right. We need to go while we are still able."
Corrin looked at them, then back at Xander and Ryoma. Their expressions spelled all the pity they could possibly give him for which side he's chosen. His chest tightened at how hurtful it was to have such an emotion on him, but there was nothing that he could do to change their minds. It was just like Evan said...it's no use. Not this time, at least.
"...you're right. We can't afford to allow ourselves to be caught...Ryoma...Xander...I'm sure that one day, we'll make sure that you understand!"
Riolu looked up to the human, fixated on his emotions. "(Human...)"
Evan sighed out his nose, before sharply turning towards Freya. "Freya, we need a smokescreen cover!"
Freya nodded. "Okay." She reached back, pulling out a Poke Ball and tossed it upwards. "Rolycoly, Smokescreen!"
The Poke Ball popped open, bringing out Freya's Rolycoly. The coal stood in front of everyone and expelled thick black smoke that quickly plagued the entire area from view. Everyone watching only saw a thick smoke cloud that diffused shortly after a minute. When it was, the group was no longer standing there. They were gone.
To Xander, saying that he was disappointed would be an understatement. He was left befuddled, if not angry. But with the composure he had going for himself, he couldn't afford to break it. He was genuinely unsure of why Corrin would band with outsiders to make an enemy of Nohr, but it wasn't in his place to question that. Behind him, Camilla, Leo, and Elise looked just as mournful about the proclamation.
The same could have been said with Ryoma as he looked like he was trembling. Whether it was out of anger or sadness, it wasn't conveyed well. Hinoka looked like she had just witnessed something out of a nightmare; Takumi looked away in disgust, whereas Sakura was crying. Fortunately for her, Audino was there to comfort her with a warm hug.
From below the river water, the creature watching them this whole time swam off, her flippers making her race down the waterway away from the battlefield.
Truly, to them, this was a revelation.
Party Data:
Evan
-Squirtle (Male)
Lv: 14
Item: None
Nature: Mild
Ability: Torrent
Moves: Tackle, Tail Whip, Bubble, Bite
-Butterfree (Male)
Lv: 13
Item: None
Nature: Modest
Ability: Compound Eyes
Moves: Poison Powder, Gust, Electroweb, Sleep Powder
-Growlithe (Male)
Lv: 12
Item: None
Nature: Bashful
Ability: Intimidate
Moves: Ember, Flame Wheel, Howl, Bite
Freya
-Sobble (Female)
Lv: 15
Item: None
Nature: Timid
Ability: Torrent
Moves: Water Pulse, Whirlpool, Water Gun, Bind
-Rolycoly (Male)
Lv: 12
Item: None
Nature: Quiet
Ability: Steam Engine
Moves: Tackle, Smokescreen, Rapid Spin, Smack Down
-Snom (Female)
Lv: 12
Item: Snowball
Nature: Bold
Ability: Shield Dust
Moves: Powder Snow, Struggle Bug
Nathan
-Bagon (Male)
Lv: 26
Item: Dragon Fang
Nature: Calm
Ability: Rock Head
Moves: Headbutt, Hydro Pump, Crunch, Dragon Breath
-Wimpod (Male)
Lv: 21
Item: None
Nature: Bashful
Ability: Wimp Out
Moves: Struggle Bug, Sand Arrack, Defense Curl, Screech
Keith
-Ditto
Lv: 20
Item: Quick Powder
Nature: Quirky
Ability: Limber
Moves: Transform
-Zorua (Female)
Lv: 18
Item: Wise Glasses
Nature: Sassy
Ability: Illusion
Moves: Fake Tears, Extrasensory, Feint Attack, Pursuit
-Mightyena (Female)
Lv: 20
Item: Black Glasses
Nature: Rash
Ability: Quick Feet
Moves: Snarl, Fire Fang, Ice Fang, Thunder Fang
Damon
-Scraggy (Male)
Lv: 15
Item: None
Nature: Naughty
Ability: Moxie
Moves: Headbutt, Sand Attack, Low Kick, Payback
Chef DK
-Farfetch'd (Male)
Lv: 16
Item: Leek
Nature: Hardy
Ability: Keen Eye
Moves: Fury Cutter, Cut, Sand Attack, Peck
Here's to another chapter! As I'm sure that some of you may have expected, I went with the Revelation route of Fire Emblem Fates (the best route by the way). But here we got most of the trainers finally in the party data! We have Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Kalos, Alola, and Galar.
Also, as you saw, Corrin befriended a Riolu. Don't worry, that'll come around again soon, along with that other Pokémon that's been watching them.
Hope you all enjoyed this chapter!
