Chapter 9: The Story of Zeraora
The Wailord had carried Zeraora across the ocean for at least an hour before the legendary Pokémon decided now would be a good time for a break before he carried on his way back home. As much as he wanted to get back to the island and have his revenge, there was one problem that he would have to fix before then. He was ravenously hungry. He hadn't eaten anything today, especially as his breakout had occurred before the guards could share any food with him. That was what they'd done for all the twelve years he'd been imprisoned. He had gone back into the den to see if any food was left but he'd unfortunately vaporised the remaining supplies when he'd used Hyper Beam on the guards. Luckily for him, there was a tiny island on the way back from the Dynamax Den and he ordered the Wailord to take him to it. The island was a small patch of land with a couple of berry trees growing on it and not much else. While it was no living space, it at least made for a good pit stop so Zeraora could replenish his strength and be ready for anything.
The Wailord came up to the island and Zeraora jumped off of it. He pointed threateningly at the whale-like Pokémon to warn it that if it tried to swim away and leave him stuck here, he'd electrocute the water and fry it alive. The Wailord was too frightened to try anything so it stayed where it was and waited for its passenger to finish eating. Zeraora studied the trees. They had some of his favourite berries on offer, including Sitrus Berries and Tamato Berries. He picked as many as he could and scoffed the lot greedily. How sweet it felt to be getting something proper to eat after all these years! Whenever the guards fed him, they gave him plain old dry Pokémon feed as if he was some pet in a cage than a prisoner they had to look after so the berries tasted even more wonderful to him. The ocean waves lapped gently at the island as the Mythical Pokémon gorged himself. While Zeraora usually preferred meat, he was grateful to have anything at all. Even berries came as a treat for him at this point. After he'd eaten ten berries, Zeraora picked one last Tamato berry and was about to eat it when suddenly, something came over him. It was a feeling of nostalgia as he remembered the good old days with him and Mustard back when they used to be partners. He stared at the berry as if he was now seeing his life story in it.
"I remember how we first met. That day I thought I'd finally found someone who truly cared for me…" Zeraora sighed sadly.
He closed his eyes as the past replayed itself in his head. Yes…he could remember that day as if it had been yesterday instead of fourteen years back…
The Isle of Armour: 14 Years Ago…
The Isle of Armour had been open for nineteen years by now and it had become more successful than Mustard could've hoped for. He'd expected it to become a modest success with trainers and attract a few students every so often. Instead, he'd attracted far more students than he'd initially believed he would and the Master Dojo had brought him more income than he'd anticipated. At least he'd been able to make back more money than he'd initially spent in purchasing the island and setting up his facilities in the first place. It certainly made for a nice change in his life after his time as Galar's undefeated Champion had come to an unpleasant end. He was enjoying becoming a mentor to so many new and upcoming Pokémon trainers that came to his island in the hopes that they too could become Champions like he had once been.
But most interesting of all, Mustard had received a visitor that he hadn't expected to receive. A beautiful young woman had come to the Isle of Armour on a business trip. Said woman would later become his wife. Honey was the CEO of a trading firm and had come here to see about trading deals that her company could make with the Isle of Armour. Instead, she'd ended up falling in love with the former Champion. It was love at first sight for both her and Mustard. As well as running the dojo, Mustard had taken the time to have a romantic evening with Honey and grow closer to her as a result.
They'd been dating for a month now and they were having another one of their romantic evenings together. It was the end of another term and all the students had gone home until the next term would begin in a few months' time, so Mustard and Honey had all the time they could ever want together. They were on Challenge Beach together, standing with their arms around one another and watching the sunset. Somehow the sunsets on the Isle of Armour looked more beautiful than they did anywhere else in Galar, or even the world for that matter.
"I could get used to a view like this." Honey said, her voice a soft whisper.
"If you ever decide to live here with me, you'll get used to it in no time, my dear." Mustard purred.
"To be fair, it'd be lovely to live here." Honey concurred, "A beautiful place like this would make for a lovely home."
"Do I factor into what makes this island a "lovely home"?" Mustard asked impishly.
"What made you think you wouldn't?" Honey teased, playfully poking her boyfriend's chest.
"Just wanted to make sure, love." the Dojo Master said casually, "But in all seriousness, ever since I've met you…I feel like I've truly found the woman for me. When you're around, my life seems…brighter than before."
"Aww, you say the sweetest things I swear." the brunette woman said graciously, "I have to say Mustard, you're like no man I've ever met. I mean that in a good way, obviously! Unlike most men I've met, you're not afraid to show your soft side and you truly see me as a person and not just some figure head in a business role or someone to ask out whenever they feel like it." she continued, "I never thought I'd find the right man…but I think I may have with you."
"I couldn't be happier to hear you say that, darling." Mustard said appreciatively.
The two leaned forward to kiss one another. But before their lips could lock, Honey suddenly stopped and looked ahead at the ocean.
"Oh my gosh! Look!" she exclaimed, pointing in horror.
Mustard followed her direction and saw why she looked so shocked. There on the sea drifting aimlessly towards them was a crate and in that crate looked to be a Pokémon of some kind. They couldn't quite see what it was, only able to make out that it had white fur and looked faintly cat-like in appearance. All they knew was that they needed to help it and fast!
"How long has that poor thing been out to sea like this?!" Honey exclaimed.
"No idea, but I must save it!" Mustard declared, "Corviknight, fly out and bring that box to shore!"
He threw his Pokéball and summoned his Corviknight, one of his most faithful companions and a Pokémon he could rely on for just about anything. The steel-plated crow Pokémon flew out towards the crate and it grabbed it by the edge. Then it flapped its wings and pulled the crate towards the shore. The Pokémon inside didn't seem to be conscious for there was no reaction from it as Corviknight dragged the crate it was in. In a matter of minutes, Corviknight brought the crate to shore and Mustard and Honey peered in to see what was in it. To their amazement, it was a Zeraora! And not just any Zeraora at that, but a rare variant of the species where it was white instead of yellow! That was surprising as Zeraora were very rare Pokémon and usually lived in Alola. What was it doing all the way out here and why had it been left in a crate just drifting away like that? They could see it had been out to sea for far too long for the Zeraora looked horribly emaciated. It probably hadn't eaten for days.
"That's ghastly! What heartless monster could just do this to a Pokémon?!" Honey gasped in disgust.
"Well we won't let it die thanks to whoever did this to it!" Mustard declared, "Help me carry that Zeraora to the dojo. We'll help it out any way we can! I hope it's not too late…"
The elderly dojo master and the young CEO carried Zeraora out of the box and took him back to the dojo, walking slowly between them so they wouldn't accidentally hurt him in anyway. The poor Pokémon seemed to be half-conscious, though he was clearly not all there as extreme hunger had left him delirious. As the duo carried him, he was mumbling to himself. His eyes were glazed and unfocused, staring aimlessly into space as he droned.
"Rockets…Rockets everywhere…they cast me out…send me drifting away on an endless sea…" Zeraora slurred.
"Oh bless him!" Honey said sympathetically, "The poor dear doesn't seem to realize where he is or what's going on!"
"How could anyone be so cruel as to treat a Pokémon so badly it ends up in this condition?" Mustard concurred, his voice dripping with venom as if he wished he could find whoever was responsible and give them a good chop in the throat for it.
Once they arrived back at the dojo, they gave Zeraora a bed to sleep in and Honey tried to revive him by giving him a long drink of water. Zeraora greedily gulped down the water, though he still didn't seem to be all there as his eyes were vacant and staring off into space as he drank. Then Mustard and Honey both fed him a warm bowl of Max Soup to try and alleviate his hunger. It would be a while before Zeraora would fully recover but the soup would be a good place to start. Hopefully the energy in the Max Mushrooms that gave certain Pokémon the ability to Gigantamax would perk him up.
A couple of days later, Zeraora started to recover. Gradually, he became more aware of his surroundings and he was no longer vacant. His hunger was satisfied and he was gradually becoming healthier and stronger the longer Mustard and Honey cared for him. One day, Mustard came in with some breakfast for Zeraora and was glad to see him sitting up by himself and looking straight at him. It was probably the first time he was truly taking in his appearance and realizing what he really looked like. For the moment, Zeraora looked more like an inquisitive pussycat than some legendary Pokémon of great power.
"Ah, Zeraora! You're awake already!" Mustard said jovially, "It's nice to see you up, and all on your own no less. How are you feeling?"
The white-furred Pokémon didn't answer. Mustard pursed his lips in thought as he came to him with the breakfast tray.
"I understand. You likely don't trust me after what's happened to you." the ex-Champion said sympathetically, "Well you don't have to worry about me, Zeraora. Me and my girlfriend, Honey, are the ones who rescued you and took you here to get better! We've even been giving you food the whole time you've been recovering."
He put down the breakfast tray and stepped back to prove to Zeraora that it was really for him. The Pokémon sniffed at it. The tray contained a bowl full of berries and some sweet bread. Zeraora looked at Mustard again as if seeking permission to eat. Mustard just gestured by holding his hands out, silently telling him "Dig in!". Zeraora picked the bread up first and bit into it. Now he was more like his old self, he could truly appreciate how good it tasted. Once he'd finished, he then gobbled the bowl clean of all the berries in it. Mustard just beamed.
"I see your appetite's improved plenty!" he said cheerfully.
"Why are you helping me?" Zeraora demanded. His voice sounded more suspicious than grateful.
It was the first time Mustard had heard him speak a coherent sentence since rescuing him on the beach. The dojo master was surprised by the question. He genuinely couldn't understand why anyone would ask that as to him, there shouldn't have to be a reason to help someone! It should be second nature to any person.
"I couldn't just leave you to drown out in the ocean or eventually waste away from hunger!" Mustard exclaimed, "Oh balderdash, do you have any idea how awful I would be if I just did that?"
"You should've done." Zeraora said coldly, "That's how everyone else treats me. They all cast me out and abandon me as heartlessly and as cruelly as they can."
Mustard was shocked to hear this. So this poor Pokémon had been abandoned like this regularly? How hard had life been for him?
"You've been abandoned many times before?" Mustard inquired.
"More times than I can remember." Zeraora said with a scowl, "The first time I ever found a trainer, I was still a kitten living in Alola. At first he seemed nice but then he suddenly decided he didn't want me anymore. He thought I was weak and not fit to be a Legendary Pokémon so he just released me and told me to get lost. I've gone on to other trainers who all went on to throw me aside for whatever reason they had. Then came Team Rocket…"
His face curled up in disgust as the most painful memories of all came back to him.
"…they saw me as a weapon to use to commit crimes and steal Pokémon. I didn't want to be their little lackey but they tortured me into complying! For years, I was just a slave to them, a weapon they could use to defeat Pokémon and catch as many as they wanted in order to please their masters. Eventually, I decided I'd had enough and I went on a rampage throughout their base! I destroyed just about everything I could there! But Team Rocket was able to sedate me with a tranquillizer. As punishment for trying to defy them, they stuffed me in that box and sent me out to sea…and I suppose that's how you found me and brought me here."
Zeraora concluded his story with a heavy sigh and he looked away from Mustard. His eyes brimmed with tears.
"My life has been nothing but pain and heartbreak…and I've only learned that I can't trust anyone." he muttered, "I know you're being nice to me now…but how do I know you won't stab me in the back like everyone else has?" he said darkly.
His yellow eyes narrowed suspiciously at Mustard. As far as he was concerned, the old man was just another treacherous human waiting to throw him back into the sea and laugh as he fought to stay alive. Once he was well enough, he planned to leave the dojo and just spend the rest of his life in the wild. After all, if he couldn't have life with a Pokémon trainer because they just kept abandoning him over and over, then he'd at least enjoy the rest of it as a free Pokémon with no humans to give him more heartache. But all that went out the window as Mustard gave his answer.
"If I was truly an evil human being, I would've left you in that box and let the ocean deal with you." he said dryly, "Would someone truly heartless have taken you in and nursed you back to health after finding you half-drowned and practically starving to death out there?"
Zeraora paused. He wasn't sure how to respond to that, but he couldn't ignore that Mustard had a good point. His ears drooped back in guilt over being so terse with his rescuer. Mustard approached the electric Pokémon and gave him a kind smile.
"You must understand, Zeraora, that not all humans are horrible people." the dojo master insisted, "The world is full of humans and for every terrible one out there, there's always plenty more nice ones to find. And luckily for you, I am one of those good humans. You see, I am a Pokémon trainer and I've always valued love and respect in training my Pokémon to achieve their best. Nothing good comes from abusing Pokémon, I believe. And if you want Zeraora, I can expand that same kindness to you and be the trainer you've always wanted but never got."
Zeraora thought for a moment. He couldn't detect any attempts to deceive him coming from this man and he sounded very sincere about his policies and what a nice guy he was. But he still couldn't trust him. He just had no idea if this man wasn't going to turn on him later. He turned away.
"I…I'm not sure. I'm still worried that you might abandon me too if I become your Pokémon…" he said uneasily.
"I understand." Mustard said softly, "Maybe it'll be best if you hear it from my Pokémon instead of me. You might be able to trust their word on it more than mine."
Zeraora nodded, finding that a fair compromise. He hadn't been mistreated by any Pokémon so hearing it from Mustard's own Pokémon would help to convince him more. So with that, the elderly trainer brought out his team of Pokémon, which consisted of a Lycanroc, a Corviknight, a Kommo-o, a Mienshao, a Luxray and a Machamp. He left the room and left Zeraora to talk with the Pokémon alone. As they chatted, each Pokémon gave their own story on what a wise, kind, compassionate and hard-working mentor their trainer was and that Mustard was a former Pokémon Champion who had also suffered misfortune in his life. Zeraora especially sympathized with him when they told him how Roger Plant had suggested winning a rigged fight to try and regain his former glory. So this man had also been a victim of betrayal like he had. Maybe there was some common ground they could stand on after all. In the end, Zeraora felt that he wanted to live that kind of life Mustard's Pokémon had talked about. It sounded so wonderful, especially with Mustard being a genuinely caring person that didn't mistreat his Pokémon! Maybe for once, he'd get to see what that felt like.
A couple of hours later, Mustard returned to Zeraora's room to see how he was doing. Honey had come with him and she was glad to see he not only looked better, but was getting on nicely with her boyfriend's Pokémon. They were still chatting as the two entered the room. Everyone looked up as the duo approached Zeraora.
"You sure looked like you were getting along fine!" he said jovially, "What do you think Zeraora? Did you like what you heard?"
"Yes." Zeraora confirmed, "Hearing the stories of how you raised these Pokémon and treated them so well…I never knew humans could be so nice to Pokémon. I've known only abuse, and it's clearly clouded my judgement."
"I'm glad you can believe that there are good humans out there." Honey said kindly, "So do you want to stay? Or would you rather we released you into the wild? In any case, I'm sure the island will make a nice home for you."
Zeraora nodded.
"I'd like to live as a free Pokémon…but I'd also like to be trained by Mustard." he declared, "I'd appreciate it if he could train me as he's trained his other Pokémon. Maybe I could fight the great battles that his other Pokémon have fought over the years and see Pokémon battles as a sport to enjoy for once."
Mustard and Honey felt that was the best decision Zeraora could make. They both patted him on the shoulders.
"We'd be honoured to have you as part of our family." Mustard said kindly.
"We hope you'll be very happy here, Zeraora." Honey said sweetly.
Zeraora gave a small smile of appreciation. He was so thrilled to have the chance to live with nice people for once that he purred. He hadn't made a sound like that for a very long time. At last, he'd get to see what a real life with decent people was like!
Zeraora opened his eyes again. As he did, they began to well up with tears as the pain of the past hit him deep at his very heart. Why did he have to be so foolish to believe that there was such a thing as a good human being back then?! How could he have been so naïve?!
"Those two years I spent with you…they were the happiest of my life…and yet you still abandoned me as cruelly as the others!" Zeraora ranted, "Why Mustard? Why did you do it?! I wanted nothing more than your love in return for my loyalty to you! WAS I NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU?! JUST LIKE I WASN'T GOOD ENOUGH FOR ANYONE ELSE?!"
He was in such an angry state that he ended up crushing the Tamato Berry he still had in his paws. Juice spurted everywhere and the berry's innards oozed out from the spiky red flesh like toothpaste being squeezed out of the tube. He was imagining that the berry he'd just crushed was his old master's head and that his brains were leaking out onto the ground. Wouldn't THAT feel satisfying! He could practically hear the sound of Mustard's skull smashing right now. Zeraora threw away the squashed berry and sighed heavily to ease his nerves.
"Once I've finished with Mustard, I'll find a new place to live. Maybe there's a remote island somewhere with no humans living on it at all." Zeraora thought aloud, "I'll make that my new home and I'll live peacefully alone with no more humans to make me suffer. No more abandonment. No more heartbreak. No more treachery…"
He closes his eyes again and sighed softly as he pictured himself lying on a blanket of grass and sunbathing under a tall tree with plenty of fruit for him to eat. That was certainly his idea of paradise. He would never suffer again. But he wouldn't truly be at peace until he'd settled his score. He opened his eyes again.
"I hope you're ready Mustard, because I'll be showing no mercy when I arrive. And don't think your precious "Armour Warrior" will be much of a weapon you can use!" Zeraora growled, "Nothing you do will stop me now. I'll knock out any Pokémon you throw at me and swat aside any human that tries to help you. After all, you trained me to be the best Pokémon you've ever trained…"
He grinned unpleasantly. He imagined that Mustard had spent every waking hour regretting immensely all the training he'd given him that had led to him being this unstoppable juggernaut he was now. He decided there was no more reason to stay on the island. He'd eaten enough so he could resume his trip home. Zeraora jumped back on the Wailord. He was glad to see it had been good enough to stay put like he'd asked it to.
"Go." he ordered.
The Wailord obeyed. Zeraora didn't need to remind it where he wanted to go. The giant whale Pokémon swam away from the island and headed on straight ahead. In a few hours, Zeraora would be back home…and he'd finally be able to get his revenge after twelve long years waiting for his chance to come…
Meanwhile, Sapphire was in the living room with Mustard, Honey and Hyde as they prepared to tell her everything she wanted to know about Zeraora and what the whole situation was about.
She sat on one of the sofas with Mustard sitting on the other one so they could talk to each other. Sapphire was still holding Iron Fist. He sat still on her lap like he was a huge teddy bear his trainer was cuddling. Unlike Sapphire, he knew what was coming as he was already familiar with this story. Honey sat beside Mustard with Hyde close beside her. He held the ice pack on his head as it was still throbbing. Sapphire could feel the tension coming from the family as they were about to talk. She imagined it was never pleasant talking about this dark secret of theirs to anyone, student or not.
"Can I get you anything before we start?" Honey asked.
"No thanks." Sapphire said politely, "I think it's best we just get started."
She waited for Mustard to begin. The old man was silent for a couple of minutes as he breathed in and out to steel his nerves for what he was about to say. Then he spoke.
"Once again Sapphire, I must apologize that we haven't told you or anyone else about this sooner." he said solemnly, "After twelve years had passed, we began to believe that Zeraora would never be a threat again and that nobody else had to know. I only wish I hadn't been so foolish as to believe imprisonment would've stopped him for good…"
"It's OK, master." Sapphire insisted, "I've read tonnes of books where one guy or girl has a dark secret that they'd rather not tell anyone and it's understandable as to why they don't want to talk about it. You're no different. Whatever Zeraora did must be so terrible if you'd rather keep it secret than talk about it."
"It's nice you understand, dear." Honey said appreciatively, "But of course, there's no point keeping secrets anymore. Zeraora's free and is on his way so we must talk about him. You especially need to hear about this as you'll be helping us to defeat him."
Sapphire nodded. Somehow, she had a feeling that would be the case even though this was her first time hearing about it. An incredible thought came to her as she mulled this over.
"Is this what these trials have been about?" she asked, "Was I secretly being trained by you two so you could see if I or any of the other students would be strong enough to beat Zeraora in case he did escape?"
"Oh no, nothing of the sort!" Mustard exclaimed, "Good grief, I'm not some madman who trains children to be weapons of war! These trials were devised before Zeraora ever came into my life. It was never about "training people" to fight him. Please don't ever think that I've been using you this whole time, my child. I would NEVER do that to any of my students."
Sapphire nodded again. She didn't believe that Mustard would be that sort of man and had only suggested that to be sure she was right. She imagined that the training was just going to be something additional that would help the students against Zeraora in case he ever did return.
"I'm glad to hear that." Sapphire said with a soft smile, "I would've hated it if that was the case. You see, my sister has had a bad experience with being used by someone she trusted. Poor Ruby couldn't look at Chairman Rose the same way again…"
The blue-haired girl had never forgotten that time Ruby had told her about Chairman Rose being a two-faced scoundrel who had secretly been using her to find enough Wishing Stars to power up Eternatus. Despite being sorry about it, Ruby still hadn't forgiven him for the act. She was glad Mustard wasn't turning out to be another Chairman Rose.
"Oh sweetie, my husband would never use anyone." Honey declared, "He too has had a history with being used before…"
"I know. Leon told me all about why he retired from Pokémon battles when his Champion reign came to an end." Sapphire noted, "All because some dick wanted him to win a rigged fight. But we're digressing." she added, "So what is the story between you and Zeraora? Why was he imprisoned and how did things go so wrong between you that he wants revenge?"
Mustard and Honey nodded as if both were thinking the same thing. They couldn't dodge the subject any longer, not that they'd intended to anyway. Mustard looked at Sapphire, his old eyes full of sorrow as he prepared to tell the story he'd hoped never to tell again.
"It all started one romantic evening on the beach between me and Honey…" Mustard began.
He told Sapphire the whole beginning with how he'd found Zeraora abandoned in a box floating on the ocean and how they'd nursed him back to health and made him part of the family. Sapphire took all this in with awe and fascination. How sweet it was to hear what kind people Mustard and Honey really were. The world really could do with more people like those two.
"It's so lovely that you took him in like that and did all you could to mend his broken heart." Sapphire said with admiration, "He was really lucky he found you two. But if you were so kind to him, why did he betray you?" she asked.
Mustard shook his head.
"Because he feels that we betrayed him." the old man said sadly, "It was all a terrible, terrible misunderstanding. I even tried to clear things up but Zeraora was too broken by his past to listen. For him, it was just one betrayal too many that had led to him breaking and falling below all reason. I only wish I'd been able to clear up the misunderstanding, that way we wouldn't all be in this situation."
He sighed for a moment before continuing.
"After two years had passed, me and Zeraora had grown close. He felt closer to me than any trainer he'd ever met before. He felt I was the first human being he could truly trust. That is until one faithful day that changed it all…" he said cryptically.
Today was just another normal day of training between trainer and Pokémon. That didn't matter to Mustard or Zeraora as those kinds of days were the best days for them. It was the time in their lives where they felt the closest and also the happiest. Every day of training made Zeraora feel as if he was in the best place he could be in. Not only was he with a loving trainer who actually cared for him for a change, but said trainer had given him more strength and power than he'd ever felt before. He truly felt as if he'd reached his true potential as a Pokémon. He'd enjoyed the many battles he'd had with Mustard's other Pokémon and the Pokémon the students would battle him with. Zeraora had even gone on to befriend many of them and had come to see that there were indeed good humans out there. His life on the Isle of Armour couldn't have been better for him!
As of now, he and Mustard were standing atop a huge rocky hill and trading blows with one another. It had been one of Zeraora's requests as he wanted to see what it felt like to fight like a human as well as a Pokémon. He was to use no attacks, only martial arts as humans were very fragile and delicate compared to the much stronger and more endurable Pokémon. Zeraora scythed a paw through the air and aimed for Mustard's shoulder. He remembered Mustard teaching him that attacking the shoulder was a handy way to numb an opponent's arm and leave them with one arm less to fight with for the moment. The Dojo Master had anticipated the move so he blocked it with his own arm. Zeraora tried again, aiming for his right shoulder instead but Mustard still blocked it.
"Not so easy when you have to fight bare-handed, is it?" he taunted.
"Don't think you can rile me up master. I know your tricks and they won't work on me this time!" Zeraora taunted back.
"Then I've clearly taught you well, my partner." Mustard said with a smile, "Now dodge this!"
He leaned to one side and swung his foot towards his Pokémon partner in a powerful roundhouse kick that would've taken any normal person out if he landed it. But Zeraora was too fast and he blocked the kick with his paw. Mustard grinned with admiration. Zeraora's reflexes had never let him down in any battle. He leapt away before Zeraora could take advantage of the blocked move and he crossed his arms in front of himself as the electric feline lunged towards him in an attempt to punch him in the face. He successfully blocked the attack and lashed out in a terrific jabbing attack that left Zeraora winded and staggering back with clutching his gut. Then Mustard tried to round house kick him again…only for Zeraora to block his attack by using his tail. The legendary Pokémon smirked at him.
"Forgot about that for a minute, didn't you?" he sneered.
He then flicked his tail, causing Mustard's leg to swing up and overbalance him so he fell over onto his back. Thankfully, it hadn't been too heavily and he soon sat up again, chuckling despite the hard knock on his back after he'd fallen.
"Very good, Zeraora!" he complimented, "I always thought you could use that tail to make an effective shield."
"It is another limb I can use so I don't see why I can't use it to fight my opponents like I'd use my hands or feet." Zeraora said casually, "After you taught me to use Iron Tail, I thought I'd see if I could use my tail in other ways than just using an attack."
"And you've just done so now." Mustard noted, "I still wonder how your other trainers could discard you so cruelly when you're not only a Legendary Pokémon, but one that is capable of great potential. I'm still amazed I've managed to teach you ten different moves over the course of two years! Very few Pokémon can even learn more than four!" he exclaimed.
"That's because you actually care enough to help me unlock that potential." Zeraora said appreciatively, "I cannot stress enough just how lucky I was to have washed up on this island so I could become your partner."
Mustard beamed, touched by the kind words of his partner.
"And you, I haven't felt this close to a Pokémon since my original partner died." he said warmly, "I didn't think I'd ever find a Pokémon I could love as much as I loved my Cinderace."
His face fell for a moment as he thought back to the very death that had started the downfall of his old career. Zeraora knew about this as Mustard had told him that story before. He rubbed his arms un comfortably.
"I hope you don't think I'm replacing your old partner." Zeraora said uneasily, "I never wanted to do anything like that."
"Nonsense! You never knew my old partner so of course you wouldn't be trying to replace him!" Mustard said brightly, "I may miss my Cinderace terribly, but with you I've learnt that I cannot keep yearning for a passed on companion. My Cinderace would've wanted me to make new friends with more Pokémon and carry on in his name. If he was alive now, I'm sure he would've gotten on well with you."
Zeraora purred. It was a lovely thought, him meeting Mustard's first and original partner and getting to be friends with him. He might even have been a mentor to him like Mustard was now. Zeraora came up to Mustard and nuzzled him. He looked very much like an affectionate cat showing love to its owner. Mustard giggled and hugged him back.
"Ha, ha, I know. I love you too." he said warmly.
But their tender moment couldn't last. A clap of thunder rolled across the clouds in the distance and the two looked up to see that the skies were starting to turn very dark. Zeraora shivered. Ever since Team Rocket had left him for dead, he'd grown to hate water. Even rain was enough for him to grow uncomfortable.
"Oh dear. Looks like a bad storm is coming." Mustard said grimly, "I think we best get back to the dojo before we get caught up in it."
He returned Zeraora to his Pokéball so he wouldn't have to get wet. He pulled his jacket tighter around himself and set off down the hill so he could get back home. Unfortunately, the storm ended up breaking much quicker than he thought. There was no warning drops to let him know. The rain just came down as if the sky had turned the shower on. The rain came heavily, each drop falling like missiles to the ground. Mustard was drenched within seconds and his clothes were already clinging to him as if they were trying to wrap around him. Mustard grimaced. Why did these tropical storms have to be so unpredictable at times?!
Mustard tried to climb down the hill. But he could see that it was going to be too risky to do so as the rain as making it too wet and slippery to risk trying to get down. If he slipped, it would be one bone-crushing tumble back down to the ground. He changed his mind and started to head back up to where he and Zeraora had been standing moments ago. He would get his Corviknight out to carry him back to the dojo. But unfortunately, the rain had made the hill too slippery. His foot came down on a sodden piece of dirt and it gave way instantly underneath him. Mustard cried out as he fell flat onto his stomach. He yelled in pain as his old body hit the rocky surface of the hill and he started to slide down. Unknown to him, one of his Pokéballs had fallen out as he fell and it bounced down the hill, disappearing down below. Mustard scrabbled furiously to keep his grip on the rocks and stop himself falling. He ended up hanging precariously over a ledge and it took all his strength just to keep a hold. His fingers felt sore but he refused to let go. Despite his age, he was still very strong and was able to keep a tight hold on the rocks so he wouldn't fall. But his strength wouldn't last forever. He had to act now before he plummeted to his death! Reaching down with one hand will keeping hold with the other, he grabbed one of his Pokéballs and threw it. He'd chosen just the one he needed. His faithful Corviknight materialized into view and it cawed upon seeing its master in danger. Mustard didn't even need to give it an order as Corviknight flew towards him and grabbed him with its feet. It carried him away from the ledge and headed back down to the Master Dojo. Mustard sighed heavily, placing a hand over his chest.
"Whew…that really was a close call!" he gasped, "I thought that was going to be the end of little old me!"
Once he was back inside the dojo, Honey was quick to wrap him in towels and get his clothes on the radiators to dry off. After Mustard had changed into new clothes, he got out his Pokéballs so he could check on his Pokémon and see how they were. But to his horror, he could only find five Pokéballs. How could this be? He always had six on him! Then he remembered his fall back on the hill. He must've lost it when he fell over! He opened his remaining Pokéballs to see who was missing. To his dismay, it was Zeraora. He wasn't with the five Pokémon he'd brought out. His eyes shrunk with worry.
"I must find Zeraora at once!" he declared, "He could be anywhere with him still being in his Pokéball and ending up goodness knows where while there's a storm going on!"
"We'll get all the Pokémon in the dojo to search for him, dear!" Honey put in, "It'll be safer for them to look during this storm than it will be for us."
"I volunteer!" Emolga offered generously, "I'm an electric-type so it won't be a problem for me if I get struck by lightning!"
"Excellent idea!" Mustard agreed, "We'll get my partner back!"
But in the end, he never did. Zeraora's Pokéball was resting at the bottom of a deep crevasse at the foot of the hill and to make matters worse, a landslide had occurred during the storm. The constant rain had caused a cascade of mud to slide down the hill and cover the crevasse completely. Zeraora was completely trapped. He couldn't get out of the Pokéball while it was stuck in the crevasse and buried alive. While Pokémon could willingly leave their Pokéballs if they wanted to, the ball had to be out in the open for them to do so. The only benefit was that in his energy state while inside the Pokéball, Zeraora wouldn't starve to death.
Mustard, Honey, the students and all their Pokémon searched the island from top to bottom. But they couldn't find Zeraora's Pokéball anywhere. Mustard refused to give up searching, swearing he wouldn't abandon Zeraora like his previous trainers had done. But eventually, he had to come to the heart-breaking conclusion that his partner was gone. Months went by and he still wasn't able to find Zeraora. It completely crushed him when he had to accept that he was gone forever and he ended up becoming more secluded and withdrawn as a result. Honey had been by his side to give him all the support he needed, though even she could tell it was going to take a while for him to recover.
"I'll miss him too, darling." Honey said sadly, "Zeraora was a wonderful Pokémon. Seeing him with you…I don't think I've seen such a stronger bond between human and Pokémon."
Mustard didn't say anything. He could only sob over his loss. He blamed himself for losing Zeraora and he doubted he could ever forgive himself for it, even if the whole thing was an accident.
However, Zeraora did eventually come back. Despite Mustard giving up the search for a while, Emolga had decided to keep an occasional eye out in case Zeraora ever did turn up again. She was gliding over the area where Mustard had lost his partner months ago when suddenly, she saw the ground shift and a Sandshrew popped up with something in its hands. It looked up at Emolga as the flying-squirrel Pokémon came in for a closer look.
"Morning Sandshrew!" she cooed cheerfully, "What is it you've got?"
"Just a Pokéball." the Sandshrew said casually, "I was just digging through here to make a new tunnel for my family to live in and suddenly, I find this! Some poor trainer must've lost it…"
He was interrupted as the Pokéball suddenly opened up and out came Zeraora. Emolga's eyes widened with surprise. The Sandshrew had found him! He was alive after all! Zeraora looked around frantically, his eyes wide with worry.
"What's happened?! Where am I?!" he shrieked, "How long have I been away?! It feels like I've been in that Pokéball forever!"
"Zeraora! You're alive!" Emolga cheered, "Oh Mustard's going to be so happy to see you again!"
Zeraora turned to Emolga in confusion.
"What are you talking about? Does everyone…think I'm…dead?" Zeraora stammered.
"Oh yes!" Emolga exclaimed, "We've been searching for you for months! We thought we'd lost you forever!"
"MONTHS?!" Zeraora screamed in horror, "I've been trapped in my Pokéball for MONTHS?! What happened?! Why have I been in there for months?! How did I end up lost…"
He paused and his face went deathly pale as a horrifying thought came over him.
"No…he wouldn't! Mustard couldn't have abandoned me like all the others! Why would he do this to me?!" he cried worriedly.
"He didn't abandon you! He lost you!" Emolga insisted, "He fell over on that hill and lost your Pokéball while you were still in it!"
"But surely he would've found me much sooner!" Zeraora yelled, "He wouldn't have let months go by without finding me! Unless he doesn't WANT to find me!"
His face turned from worried to angry in a split second. It was like a switch had been thrown and he was a completely different Pokémon. The Sandshrew shuddered worriedly and retreated back into its hole while Emolga gulped.
"I bet Mustard lost me on purpose!" Zeraora declared, electricity crackling angrily around his paws, "I can't believe I was so stupid to believe there was such a thing as a nice human after all! He put me away in my Pokéball and just left me buried in the dirt! He's no better than Team Rocket after they sent me out to sea!"
"NO! No, no, no! That's not it at all!" Emolga protested, desperate to get Zeraora to see reason, "It was an accident! He really didn't mean to lose you at all! He misses you terribly Zeraora and he'll be…"
But Zeraora was no longer listening. The pain of his past had overridden all common sense he had and now only rage was driving him on. He scampered off on all fours towards the Master Dojo so he could unleash all hell on his former trainer. Emolga flew after him, desperate to try and stop him.
"Zeraora, please! You're jumping to all the wrong conclusions!" she wailed.
But it was hopeless. Zeraora carried on running and as soon as he reached the Master Dojo, he charged in…and found himself staring at the very sight that convinced him he was right all along. There was Mustard, training with a new Pokémon. It was a Kubfu, though not the same Kubfu that he had now given to Sapphire. He and Kubfu were trading blows together and Zeraora could see that Mustard was laughing, clearly having fun with him.
"Excellent work, my partner!" Mustard complimented, "You're quite the powerhouse!"
"Thanks, master!" the Kubfu said cheerfully.
Partner?! Master?! Zeraora's heart turned to ice. So he was right to think what he thought! Mustard had abandoned him and replaced him with a completely different Pokémon! He had been foolish to let this man convince him he wouldn't abandon him as everyone else did, that he was someone who truly did care for him! Zeraora was so distraught by the scene that he let out a scream of rage that made everyone in the dojo turn and look at him. Electricity crackled all around him. He looked like a generator that was about to explode. Mustard stared at Zeraora as if he was seeing a ghost. He couldn't believe that his old partner really was back! He thought he'd lost him forever but here he was, still alive… and looking as if he was ready to kill!
"Zeraora! By Arceus, you're alive after all!" Mustard cried, "How did…"
"YOU REPLACED ME! YOU ABANDONED ME JUST AS COLDLY AS ALL MY PREVIOUS TRAINERS DID AND REPLACED ME THE FIRST OPPORTUNITY YOU HAD!" Zeraora roared, his face a mask of pure, uncontrollable rage, "HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME, MUSTARD?! I THOUGHT YOU LOVED ME!
"Zeraora, I didn't abandon you!" Mustard protested, "You're getting this all wrong…"
But Zeraora wasn't in the mood for listening. He threw himself towards his old master, snarling viciously and baring his fangs. Mustard braced himself for impact but before Zeraora could attack him, Kubfu leapt to his defence. He jumped up and kicked Zeraora in the face to knock him away from Mustard. Zeraora rolled across the floor and skidded to a halt with his claws digging through the floorboards. Kubfu held up his paws and pleaded.
"Zeraora, stop! Please don't hurt my master!" he begged, "He's been hoping that he'd find you…"
Zeraora ignored him and lashed out at Kubfu. He socked him directly in the face with a powerful Plasma Fists attack. Kubfu was knocked out instantly by the attack. He fell onto his back and lay still at Mustard's feet. The old Pokémon master cried out and picked up the unconscious Kubfu. Zeraora growled, his attention fixed on Mustard. The students all cowered in fear, too petrified to even dare try and fight Zeraora. What could they do?! This was a Legendary Pokémon and they were just students training to be good Pokémon trainers! They wouldn't stand a chance. Zeraora advanced on Mustard, pure murder in his eyes.
"I thought I'd found someone who truly cared…but you're just as heartless as the rest of your wretched kind!" Zeraora snarled, "As of today, I shall have no trainer and you won't live to abandon anyone else again!"
He was about to claw Mustard across the throat and finish him off but a voice called out to him.
"That's enough! Stand down now!"
Zeraora turned to find himself faced with somebody who clearly wasn't local to Galar. It was a woman, and a strikingly beautiful one at that. She had long blonde hair that reached down to her waist, bangs that draped over one of her grey eyes and she was dressed completely in black. A black Longcoat, black heels and black trousers. Her accent suggested she was from the Sinnoh region. Zeraora could see she was no student. Whoever this woman was, she had to be a visitor from afar. No matter. If she wanted to needlessly get involved, then he'd just knock her out so she couldn't interfere.
"Stay out of this, human!" Zeraora snarled, "This doesn't concern you."
"You are threatening to murder an innocent man who hasn't wronged you at all." the woman said coldly, "That DOES concern me very much. I'm giving you one chance to stand down or I'm afraid I'll have to put you down."
"YOU?" Zeraora sneered, "Who do you think you are that you can challenge me? I'm a Legendary Pokémon! You can't possibly defeat me!"
"I'm the Champion of the Sinnoh Region and my Pokémon are so powerful that even Legendries have sufficient reason to respect their battle prowess." the woman retorted, "You're about to find out first hand."
She drew out one of her Pokéballs. Zeraora was impressed that this scrawny looking woman didn't seem afraid of him at all. He had to admit, courage like that was admirable and that in his mind made her worth sparing, even if she was interfering with him.
"Garchomp, battle dance!" the woman yelled as she threw her Pokéball.
The ball opened up and unleashed the woman's strongest Pokémon. Garchomp were Dragon/Ground type Pokémon native to the Sinnoh region, though for Galarians they could find them in the Crown Tundra. They were notorious for being fast and powerful Pokémon and this particular Garchomp was the main reason this woman had garnered a reputation for being notoriously hard to beat. As it was half-Ground type, Garchomp had an immunity to Zeraora's electric attacks, which made his signature Plasma Fists useless but Zeraora didn't know this as he'd never seen a Garchomp before. He tried to use Plasma Fists on it but nothing happened. Before Zeraora could even contemplate why his attack didn't work, Garchomp struck back by using Dragon Rush, one of the strongest Dragon attacks a Pokémon could learn. Zeraora was slugged in the stomach by the attack and thrown off his feet. He couldn't believe that an ordinary Pokémon like this was able to hit so hard! He struck back by using Outrage. He at least knew that the Garchomp would be weak to that as Dragon-types were weak to each other. But the Garchomp caught him completely off-guard by using Earthquake to stop his attack. The earthquake sent Zeraora skyrocketing into the air and just as he was coming back down, the woman brought out five other Pokémon to join in with the battle.
She'd sent out a Roserade, a Spiritomb, a Lucario, a Milotic and a Togekiss. All of them plus Garchomp gave this woman a team that had made her worthy of becoming Sinnoh's Champion. Together, the six Pokémon continuously whaled on Zeraora with all their best attacks while hardly giving him any chance to fight back. It wasn't a flawless victory for Zeraora had managed to take out four of the woman's Pokémon before Garchomp and Togekiss dealt the finishing blows. Exhausted and depleted of energy, Zeraora collapsed onto the floor, glaring defiantly one last time at the very human that had defeated him before he passed out into unconsciousness. The danger was over and everyone was safe at last. The students cheered for their visitor while Mustard sighed with relief.
"It's so lucky for us that you visited today, Cynthia!" he exclaimed, "We'd probably all be dead if you weren't here!"
"I'm glad I could help." Cynthia said kindly, "Protecting people is my life's work. It's part of my duty as Sinnoh's new Champion to protect anyone and everyone, no matter what region I'm in."
She knelt down by the unconscious Zeraora and patted his head. She couldn't help but feel sorry for him despite his murderous intentions earlier.
"I have a feeling this Pokémon has been wounded badly…and I'm not talking about the physical kind." Cynthia murmured, "He was ranting about abandonment issues earlier. What happened that led to him believing you'd abandoned him?"
Mustard explained everything to his visitor. Cynthia nodded understandingly.
"So it was all a freak accident…but Zeraora won't see it that way." the blonde Champion sighed, "He's been too emotionally wounded to see reason anymore. You may not have abandoned him, but he's been a victim of it too many times in the past for him to see it as anything else. I'm afraid you may never reach out to him…" she said solemnly.
"Maybe not…but I believe there's always a second chance for anyone." Mustard declared, "We'll build a prison somewhere to hold Zeraora so he can't hurt anyone again. Hopefully some time in imprisonment will help my old friend see the light again."
"I hope so too." Cynthia said sympathetically, "It always hurts to see a beautiful bond between trainer and Pokémon broken like so…"
The ex-Champion and the Sinnoh Champion took one last look at Zeraora before standing back up to prepare his incarceration. Mustard wasn't going to like it, but he knew it was the only way. Zeraora had to be contained, but at least he would still be alive so he could have a chance to redeem himself and reform. Then he would get his beloved partner back at long last…
"…and that is where we are now." Mustard concluded, "Victims of a vengeful Pokémon's abandonment issues all because of a freak accident and some terrible misunderstandings."
Sapphire was so shocked by what she'd heard that she was driven to tears. It was so heart-breaking to hear that things had gone so sour between Mustard and Zeraora. How could such a wonderful friendship have been destroyed by a rain storm and a big misunderstanding of what had happened? Mustard waited for Sapphire to stop crying before he continued.
"I know. I would often lie awake in the night weeping for my old friend." he said sadly, "I only wish I could convince him that it really was an accident. I would never have abandoned him like his previous trainers had."
"It's so sad that all of this is because his dark past has clouded his rational thinking." Sapphire agreed, wiping her eyes, "I'm so sorry to hear that it really went so bad between you."
"You don't have to be." Mustard said kindly, "Still, now you know what this is about Sapphire. And now you know, you must be as ready as we are to face my former partner when he gets back here."
"It'd be my pleasure." Sapphire said bravely, "I helped my sisters and Hop save Galar from a corrupted Zacian and Zamazenta last month so I'll help you stop a vengeful Zeraora! And hey, maybe my new skills I've learnt from the trials might come in handy."
"We hope so." Honey agreed, "But don't think you'll be doing this alone, dear. We'll be helping you as well. You see, we'd always planned that me and my husband would defend the island together along with our Armour Warrior."
"Armour Warrior?" Sapphire asked quizzically.
"It's a name we bestow to students who win the secret armour." Honey explained, "Anyway, the three of us will team up together to stop Zeraora. We will start off the battle by softening him up, and then you and your team will finish off."
"Sounds clever." Sapphire agreed, "Though there's just one thing: how does the "Prison Ball" fit into all this? Was Hyde basically building a Pokéball that could catch Zeraora and keep him in there?"
"That's right." Hyde confirmed. It was the first time he'd spoken the entire time, "I got inspired by the Master Ball design from the Kanto region's Silph Company and thought if I tweaked it a little, I could make a Pokéball that would trap Zeraora forever. The idea is that only the controller of the ball can release the Pokémon inside, they can't do it on their own."
"So then why don't we just use the Prison Ball right away?" Sapphire asked, "We don't need to fight him at all!"
"Because Zeraora will be too fast for us to just throw a Pokéball at him and call it a day." Mustard said grimly, "We have to weaken him first and then use it. He'll never be able to dodge. We can't afford to miss, otherwise he'll just destroy the ball and we'll never be able to stop him."
Sapphire nodded. That made sense. It was better to have an unconscious Pokémon they couldn't miss with the Prison Ball than risk trying to use it and failing completely. God, how had she ended up in this mess? She'd come here trying to find a new purpose with her career as a Pokémon trainer and now she was in a situation where he had to defend an island from a Legendary Pokémon! Then again, that did at least give her something to use her skills for now! Still, she never would've thought she'd be about to battle against a Legendary Pokémon! What would Ruby and Emerald think if they heard about this? At least they weren't going to be in any danger.
"How long will it be until Zeraora gets here?" Sapphire asked worriedly.
"Unless we can delay his return, he'll be here by tomorrow." Honey said grimly.
"We'll ask as many Water Pokémon as we can to try and stall him for the time being." Mustard declared, "He may have the advantage through type, but the ocean is full of Pokémon. He'll be outnumbered with plenty of Pokémon to slow him down. If we're lucky, we'll be able to buy you and Iron Fist enough time to train and to unlock his full power."
"Heh, heh…no pressure." Iron Fist said meekly.
"How will I unlock his full power?" Sapphire asked.
"By entering one of the two towers." Mustard explained, "After you clear the trials in those towers, Kubfu can read an ancient scroll that will unlock his evolved form, the legendary Urshifu. Urshifu has power that few others can match and will give Iron Fist the power he needs to defeat Zeraora."
"I never knew you could get Legendary Pokémon that were capable of evolving." Sapphire said with interest, "Wow Iron Fist, your kind is full of surprises!"
"I guess that's what makes us so legendary." Iron Fist joked.
Sapphire chuckled. She looked back at Mustard.
"OK. I'll spend the rest of the day training with Iron Fist. Then tomorrow, I'll enter one of the towers." she declared, "I'll leave my other Pokémon with you to recover from their battle with Klara so everyone can be at full health when Zeraora arrives."
"Great idea." Honey agreed, "I'll nurse them all back to full health for you, dear. You and Iron Fist train well and train safely for now."
"We will." Sapphire swore, "We won't let you down, master and matron. I'll be strong for you all and be the Armour Warrior that will save you all from Zeraora's wrath!"
"I'm glad you're willing to help us." Mustard said kindly.
With nothing more to say, Sapphire left the room so she and Iron Fist could get down to training right away, but not without leaving her remaining Pokémon with Honey. She was very nervous but also very determined to be ready for Zeraora's arrival. She wouldn't let him wreak havoc on the island and kill Mustard! If Ruby could stop a rampaging legendary and save Galar, so could she! Zeraora would regret ever coming back to the island…
And so we know the story between Zeraora and Mustard and why he's so vengeful. But story time's over now. Sapphire has a lot of training to do to prepare for the Mythical Pokemon's arrival! Can she train Kubfu to his full potential and conquer one of the two towers to unlock his evolution? Tune in next time as we enter one of the towers. But which one? We shall see...
Trivia: Of course, all the Zeraora stuff here is completely made-up from me. None of this is in the game. So you may be wondering, why did I go to the effort of including an antagonist for my adaptation of the Isle of Armour and make it this random shiny Zeraora in particular? Very simple:
Zeraora's entire presence is a big Mythology Gag to the shiny Zeraora giveaway event that occurred last year. In it, we had to beat an ordinary Zeraora in Dynamax raids a million times and if we succeeded, we would win a shiny Zeraora and the best part was, you didn't need to take part in the event to win one! As long as you had the Pokemon HOME app on your phone and over a million people beat Zeraora, you could get the grand prize. I fought Zeraora during this event and let me tell ya, the five star raids were HAAAAAAAAAAARD! Especially for me as I was stuck with the useless NPCs to help me out instead of having players to join me. But yeah, I naturally downloaded the app so I could receive the grand prize and I have the shiny Zeraora to treasure on Pokemon Sword for always and always. ^^
So yeah, Zeraora's presence was inspired by a giveaway event of all things. XD Just imagine if the giveaway event had included a lame Pokemon like Sudowoodo or Lickitung or whatever? =P
And as you've also no doubt realized, Zeraora is basically Tai Lung in a Pokemon's body but with some alterations to make the character his own, like his backstory here and his code of honour of not killing innocents. Y'know, after putting up with Bede and the Sword and Shield bros. in my previous fanfics, it feels good to actually have a real villain I can enjoy writing for for a change. ^^
With all this in mind, I originally WAS going to stay true to the Isle of Armour and have no villain but once the Zeraora story happened, it was a snow white opportunity I couldn't pass up and so, here we are. Let's face it, this idea has made this story so much better than it would've been if he wasn't in it. :)
And last but not least, Cynthia's presence here is entirely last minute. For a while, I wasn't sure how Zeraora was going to be defeated the first time that lead to his imprisonment but as I was writing the chapter, it occurred to me that being beaten by a Pokemon Champion would work and who better than the one Champion that makes even Legendries her bitch? XD I bet Zeraora was wondering why he heard boss-music when she showed up... XD