Author's notes: And I have broken my personal record. Before adding the A/N:s, this chapter is 12,799 words long. Goddamn, I actually considered cutting elements from this chapter for the next one, but nope. Actually, this chapter has more stuff than I initially realized it would have. Originally of course, it has Merciless in Sinnoh, Batman Who Laughs having his 'date' with Serena's mom and then the default Batman with Serena, Dawn and May who finally get to talk about how they all know Ash and get to call Ash who is now in Kanto. And then there's Team Rocket, who, unlike in the Pokémon - I Choose You movie, are not here as filler. As well as the two characters from Pokémon Adventures Manga.
Another thing I think I should bring up in the characters' current appearances, I got Serena and Dawn get new clothes two chapters ago and I described Ash to have a different attire in the last chapter. And I haven't really gone to May, but long story short, she is wearing her clothes from Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire games. I might draw a new cover for this story where you can see them at one point.
Oh, and I have refreshed my profile to have a mapped list of the two multiverses of the above and below as well as where the Pokémon World is between them.
Replies to Reviews:
-Guest: Well, here it is now. Oh, and considering the 'date', I am required to say that I do not approve the act of daterape which is pretty much what the Batman Who Laughs does with Grace here by using pheromones from his Poison Ivy's weaponized flowers. I can write villain characters to go far to do some bad things, but I'm not comfortable of writing those things with too much detail, because then I could get complaints from a certain group of people.
-Sailor Dragonball 87: What happens when Batman might get back, you ask? Let me just tell you that the flashback scene that you see here, and is inspired by Batman#24 of DC Rebirth written by Tom King, takes place from my previous story Arcane War between Gods and Men between chapters 7 and 8.
Chapter 7: Departure
Dark Multiverse – Earth -12
Then…
It was supposed to be the final war. The last battle between good and evil. We fought it together, Diana. We thought it would be the end. If only we knew… the real war had just begun.
I lived war practically my whole life. I was only 7 years old when my war begun, with a shot fired in Gotham City alley… begun with an oath to myself that what happened to me could NEVER happen again. An oath that I would wage my battles justly. With rules, with mercy. Unlike my enemy. What a fool I was, back then.
She loved a man before me. Trevor, an honorable soldier. He died in the early years of the war.
War that begun overnight. Ares had forged a new helmet that magnified His power a hundredfold. It took us two years to get to the front. We vowed to kill Ares. Destroy the helmet.
We never expected to win. But we did… though it cost Diana her life. She managed to separate Ares from His helmet by using ancient and dangerous Amazon fighting techniques. During the long two years we fought she taught them to me as well. After Trevor, Diana didn't want to lose any more of the people she loved. If we only had more time for her to have taught me more, so we could have taken the helmet off Him together. She would have lived through it and it wouldn't have come to this.
''ARES!'' I yelled as I held Diana's lifeless body in my arms, standing on knees in the battlefield filled the fallen soldiers and the bare headed enemy standing before us. ''YOU WILL PAY FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE!''
''Enlighten me,'' Ares told me with His smug ego of a God looking down on me. ''The fields of fire are littered with dead. All have fallen. WHO ARE YOU TO CHALLENGE THE GOD OF WAR?''
Diana had warned me of the helmet's power, its ability to corrupt…
But at that moment, as I picked it up from the ground, I saw it…
I saw the possibility…
If I took the helmet, I could wield its power mercifully, with restraint. For the first time in history, war could be just, fair. With codes and rules, I would reshape war…
…AS IT'S DAMNED GOD!
Sinnoh Region – Lake Valor
SPLAS-BOOOOOM!
SPLAS-BOOOOOM!
SPLAS-BOOOOOM!
''Hey, what are you doing!?'' Gary Oak asked approaching to confront a large man in a dark blue armor and winged helmet that hid his face.
This man was using a large sword to beat the water of the lake, disturbing the calm surface with every strong hit. Being approached by an observer, the armored man paused what he was doing and put away his swords before turning to face his visitor.
''What does it look like I am doing?'' the armored man asked with his voice echoing from his helmet as he turned around and spoke to the Pokémon Researcher directly. ''Lake Valor, just like Lake Aquity and Lake Verity, act as doorways to the dimensions where Uxie, Mesprit and Azelf live. I was knocking on the door, Gary.''
''Do I know you?'' Gary asked confused as the armored man referred to him by his name.
''Yes and no,'' the armored man answered taking off his helmet to reveal the face of an old man with long gray hair and beard with a scarred face. ''I have been told that you know someone, who is like I once was.''
''A young man?'' Gary asked looking at the face of the old man.
''Even then, I was not fond of Jokers making bad jokes,'' the old man said glaring back at Gary. ''I was expecting you to have grown up by now, from the trash talking provoker who looked down on lesser people than you.''
''When did I ever-'' Gary was about to ask when he suddenly realized that the old man was talking about his early days as a Pokémon Trainer back in Kanto. ''Hold on, how do know about-''
''Like I said, I was told,'' the old man replied turning away from Gary and back to face the lake.
The mist over Lake Valor had begun grow strong and from the middle of it, light begun to shine. And from the light, shape of the small Legendary Pokémon begun to approach the shoreline.
''There you are, Azelf,'' the old man said extending his hand towards the Lake Guardian which was slowly and carefully approaching him. ''That's right, it's me. Your friend from before. Yes, I'm old now, but surely you can recognize this old man as-''
''Are you trying to pose as Ash?!'' Gary asked shocked at realization what the old man was doing.
Gary's loud proclamation and accusation caused Azelf to see the ruse that the old man was trying to pull off and the lake Guardian begun to retreat, but the old man was prepared. Before Azelf got a chance to turn away to retreat, the old man threw his sword, which had a chain attached to it, at the Lake Guardian and pulled the Pokémon into his grasp.
''You blew my cover prematurely,'' the old man spoke as Azelf struggled to free itself from his hold. ''Go ahead, call the others to help you. Summon Uxie and Mesprit here.''
''Blastoise, use Hydro Cannon!'' Gary yelled throwing a Pokéball that released his fully evolved starter Pokémon to protect the Lake Guardian.
''BLASTOISE!'' the large turtle Pokémon roared upon its release aimed the cannons on it's back at armored old man and shot water at him at high pressure.
The water hit its target for some time, but ultimately the old man absorbed the attack and was otherwise unaffected by the attack. Both Gary and his Blastoise were shocked to see how the old man was still standing unmoved as if the Hydro Cannon had never hit him.
''It seems the privileges of being Professor Oak's grandson are restricted when it comes to facing someone like me,'' the old man said looking back at Gary and put his helmet back on. ''And I have battled against Gods Themselves.''
''Blastoise, return!'' Gary yelled recalling the water type and threw another Pokéball at the armored old man. ''Electivire, use Thunder Punch!''
The black and yellow striped electric type charged at the old man upon its release. Electivire 's fists sparked with electricity as it prepared to attack and upon impact
KRA-KA-THOOOOOOOOM!
it caused a large explosion of sparks and lighting. Gary was sure this had worked with Blastoise's earlier water attack making the old man's armor wet and conducting the electricity through the armor and under it.
''I waged war on the Gods of Olympus, against the likes of Poseidon and Zeus,'' the old man's voice echoed from under his helmet as the dust settled and he was shown holding Electivire's fists in his grasp. ''You are playing with me, Gary Oak. You do not know what war is.''
''Electivire, return!'' Gary yelled once again recalling his Pokémon from the old man's mercy. ''What do you think you're doing with the Lake Guardians?''
''What Team Galactic was supposed to do 3 years ago, had their Leader Cyrus had better vision,'' The old man said as two lights shined out behind him over the lake. ''Uxie and Mesprit, welcome. I have been expecting you.''
Two small Legendary Pokémon floated in the air before the armored and masked old man. As soon as they saw Azelf held captive in his grasp, they immediately reacted by raising their arms into the air, ready to use Future Sight to save themselves later in the battle against him.
''This won't take that long,'' the old man spoke extending his hand not holding Azelf up in the air and
TZAAAAAAAAAAAAALLF!
a large collecting of weaponry appeared floating around him. From all of that, the old man picked a spear and a net. As he picked them, they merged together as one weapon he then threw over the lake, over Uxie and Mesprit, capturing them into the net. As he was unable to fight back against the old man with his Pokémon, Gary took it up on himself to record what he saw with his research equipment, which streamed it straight to his employer Professor Rowan.
''What Team Galactic did 3 years ago should have warned everyone not to do what they did,'' Gary told the old man as he pulled the net holding Uxie and Mesprit captive. ''Why are you repeating their mistakes?''
''Mistakes? Do you think I haven't studied their actions before coming this Region?'' the old man spoke as he threw Azelf into the net, along with Uxie and Mesprit. ''Murder Machine, this is Merciless. I have all three Lake Guardians as well as the Lustrous and Adamant Orbs. I'm heading to the Spear Pillar on Mount Coronet now.''
''No! You can't do that!'' Gary protested as the Merciless turned away from the lake with the Lake Guardians closed in the net, thrown over his shoulder like a bag. ''Team Galactic almost destroyed the world with the Lustrous and Adamant Orbs. Why are you-''
''The reason you would ask me that,'' the Merciless spoke with his voice echoing from his helmet as he suddenly ascended to float in the air to look down on Gary, ''is why I'm up here and you're down there.''
Throwing those words at Gary, the Merciless flew away, just as the Future Sight that Uxie and Mesprit had set to attack Merciless earlier. As the armored old man was no longer there, the attack simply hit the waterfront where he had stood and splashed a large body of water on Gary, who was the only one still there.
Kalos Region – Aquacorde Town
Grace had decided to jump her Rhyhorn riding exercises from riding on the track to making her way to Aquacorde Town to meet the Bruce who she had gotten a match with on the Singe Parents' dating site. She could have stopped by her home to refresh herself, but as even as a retired athlete who still exercised regularly, Grace didn't sweat from something this small and having her Rhyhorn with her added to the charm she usually had.
Getting to Aquacorde Town, Grace set down from her Rhyhorn and loosened her riding suit down to her waist and tied its sleeves, leaving her with it and her dark t-shirt. As she wasn't allowed to ride her Riding Pokémon in the Town, Grace guided her Rhyhorn to the grass near the river and let it roam there freely for the time being. Grace left the riding leash in it's back to let the people coming across it be advised her Rhyhorn wasn't a wild Pokémon to be caught. Then Grace set her sight to the bridge leading across the river, where she was supposed to meet with her date. Approaching it, she saw the back of a man wearing a dark overcoat and had a bouquet of roses in his left hand.
''Breath in, breath out, breath in, breath out,'' Grace heard the man speak to himself as she got closer and he was also waving his hand up and down with the mantra. ''Just… breath and stay calm. No rushing, just stay calm... and breath.''
''Are you Bruce?'' Grace asked as she got close enough to see some of the man's features, like the fact that his skin was surprisingly pale and his hair was green. ''Was I supposed to put on makeup or-''
''Oh, you're not freaked out by my appearance?'' the man said turning around and letting Grace properly see him.
'Bruce' was tall and quite slender in build and he had a strong standing stature. His attire was not something Grace would have expected someone to wear on a clear day like this, but it somehow suited 'Bruce'. Then there was his face, which was so pale, that Grace couldn't tell if it was bleached or caused by the lack of sunlight. His hair wasn't green enough to look like it had been dyed, which made it look like his natural hair color. And then there was the look his face, that calm and charming smirk with eyes that were smiling at Grace.
''Good, hah hah, I was starting to get worried there for a minute. Yes, I am Bruce. Pleased to meet you, Grace.''
''Yes, you seem to be an interesting person too,'' Grace said carefully not to be weirded out and not to appear too accepting for her own good. ''Where were working before coming here?''
''Nowhere interesting, just somewhere that needed me to wear some war paint, that I assumed would wash off easier than this,'' 'Bruce' answered waving his hand past his face. ''I hope this won't be a problem for you.''
''I'll… let you know once I'll get over it,'' Grace answered carefully, to which 'Bruce' answered with a warm smile. ''So, are we going to be walking around and talk getting to know each other?''
''Yes, I assume that is how this supposed to work,'' 'Bruce' said presenting the roses he had to Grace. ''Probably old fashioned, but I saw it necessary on my part to bring you these. I know a botanist who always suggested me always bring this particular kind of roses to a date.''
''How nice,'' Grace said taking the bouquet of roses and smelled their aroma. ''Oh, they smell wonderful.''
''Thank you, Doctor Isley,'' 'Bruce' said glancing at the ground on his right side before gesturing Grace that they started walking together now. ''So, what do you want to talk about? Work? Sports? Childhoods? Kids?''
Johto Region – Goldenrod City
''Piplup?''
Dawn let her Pokémon out of it's Pokéball and hugged it. Just as Bruce had told her to do after they had landed to Johto, she had shown Hilbert and Hilda to the hospital in Goldenrod and Hilda had been taken to an emergency surgery and to be given a blood transfusion to help her with the blood loss. After being chased by yet another two versions of Bruce after surviving Lilycove City, Dawn had decided to take this moment to breath and hold onto what was important to her and that she had close at hand to hold.
''Piplup, thank you,'' Dawn said holding onto the little penguin Pokémon. ''Thank you for saving me from being burned alive back in Lilycove.''
''Piip-lup,'' her Piplup said hugging back his trainer. ''Piplup?''
''Ka-Rowl!'' the large Legendary Pokémon howled silently outside the hospital, looking inside to the hospital reception through the glass windows.
Unlike what Dawn had been previously told, Reshiram had not reverted back into the Light Orb and remained at large outside. Fortunately, it was still early enough that no one was around to see it or try to fight or capture it, yet. Likely as it had been in the Light Orb form for the last two years with Hilbert, Reshiram probably saw itself as his Pokémon and was waiting either to be put inside a Pokéball or to turn back into the Light Orb once Hilbert was back.
Something that Dawn was hoping not to happen after having just seen Hilda being taken to the operation room with a firm grip on Hilbert, muttering ''Please don't go'' over and over again when the surgeons had tried to separate them for the time of her operation. She really didn't want to be separated from him again.
''Hmm, Reshiram?'' Dawn muttered taking her Pokédex and pointed it at the Legendary Pokémon.
''Reshiram, Dragon/Fire Pokémon. This legendary Pokémon can scorch the world with fire. It helps those who want to build a world of truth.''
''Truth?'' Dawn heard Bruce's grunting voice say while she was looking at her Pokédex and looking up from it saw Bruce being helped into the reception by May and Serena. ''What is the truth?''
''Is he okay?'' Dawn asked looking at them.
''Physically yes,'' Serena answered as she and May helped Bruce to sit on the reception chair.
''I'm fine,'' Bruce said sitting with his head down and eyes closed, before taking a deep breath and spoke again. ''How is our wounded?''
''Hilda is in a surgery right now,'' Dawn answered updating Bruce, Serena and May on that situation. ''Considering how strong grip she had to keep Hilbert from being separated from her, I think she is going to pull through.''
''That is good to hear,'' Bruce said running his hand through his hair and exhaled. ''They shouldn't be involved in this. I'll apologize them before we leave.''
''Leave where?'' Serena asked.
Bruce raised his head up as he looked at the three girls before him. He kept himself deep in thought as if he was struggling with his words and how to present them. Then he drew breath and spoke.
''This is not easy for me admit, but not knowing what kind of versions of are still out there against us does scare me and I don't know if I even can survive against them without your Pokémon,'' Bruce said struggling to keep his gaze from moving here and there. ''We escaped Murder Machine and his Alfred Protocol only because May's Blaziken kept it away from us and that Reshiram was released from the Light Orb along with Hilbert Black. As for our current situation, we are flying blind without a clear goal other than running away from the enemy.''
''Then where were you going to have us leave from here?'' Serena said asking a follow up question.
''While you were buying new clothes back at Mauville, Looker told me about one of the unseen versions of me still running loose that had destroyed a town called Pallet in the Kanto Region,'' Bruce said dropping a bomb that caused all three girls to jump off their seats and stand. ''To learn more, we need to go there, which brings us to the person I now know for certain to be connecting you two.''
Bruce took a short pause from speaking to evaluate the reactions of his company. At the second he had mentioned the words Pallet and Kanto, all three girls had given an emotional reaction based on shock, concern and fear. Serena had flinched and reached to the blue ribbon on her collar with a desperate look on her face. Dawn had tightened her grip on Piplup to keep it closer to her. May was the one whose reaction was tamest although she still had a shocked expression on her face, but despite that Bruce was able to read all three reactions as fear of losing something dear. Having acknowledged that, Bruce drew breath and said:
''Ash Ketchum.''
''ASH!?''
Both Serena and Dawn screamed that name in a unison, before looking at each other as they realized they had both done that. May, who had already caught up something like this from her previously having eavesdropped on Bruce and Looker, merely flinched with a shocked expression on her face. Before he spoke again, Bruce stood up to properly converse with the two coordinators and performer.
''Serena, you told me that he travelled with you in Kalos,'' Bruce said taking the photograph Serena had shown him in Lilycove from his belt and presented it back to her before turning to Dawn. ''Dawn, Looker told me about the 2 years he travelled with you in Sinnoh 3 years ago with Brock Harrison. And, May, before the Alfred Protocol attacked us in Mauville, you told me that you know Dawn through Ash Ketchum.''
Again, the revelations Bruce had presented caused reactions that needed to kept calm.
''I can gather that he is quite a person, but avoid any misassumptions among us, I would prefer you all to help fill the gaps on who he is,'' Bruce said keeping his hands up as a gesture to let him keep talking. ''Everyone at their own turn. May, you're involved only because we came across you and you obviously weren't a predetermined target, so you can start first by telling how you know Ash.''
''Wha-''
''Then is Dawn's turn and Serena, you'll go last,'' Bruce snapped at Serena when she was about to say something. ''May, go ahead.''
May took a few seconds to get her head cleared from everything she, Dawn and Serena had just been told before beginning to tell how she knew Ash.
''I met Ash when he first came to Hoenn 6 years ago,'' May begun as they all sat down. ''His Pikachu had become sick because Team Rocket's previous attack against him and had brought Pikachu to Professor Birch's laboratory, because Littleroot Town didn't have a Pokémon Center. I had come to meet Professor Birch at that time to get my starter Pokémon, a Torchic that has now evolved into the Blaziken you saw back in Mauville. Once Pikachu was back to normal, Ash travelled with me to Petalburg City and taught me how to be a Pokémon Trainer on the way.''
''That was kind of him,'' Bruce commented while pointing at Serena and Dawn not to speak over him or May.
''Although to be honest, I quilted him into it after his Pikachu accidentally barbequed my bike while it was still sick,'' May added quickly before continuing. ''My brother Max joined us from Petalburg and we met Brock while going through Petalburg Woods. When we got to Rustboro City, Ash begun to get his Hoenn Gym Badges and I decided to start getting Contest Ribbons.''
''Thank you, just one question,'' Bruce said nodding his head. ''This 'Brock' you mentioned, is he the same Brock with whom Dawn travelled with along with Ash in Sinnoh?''
''Yes,'' May said as her quick answer. ''Ash and Brock are old friends who had travelled with each other through Kanto and Johto, before Ash came to Hoenn.''
''Dawn, it's your turn,'' Bruce said turning to look at Dawn. ''How did you meet Ash?''
''I actually met his Pikachu first, after it had escaped from being captured by Team Rocket,'' Dawn said beginning her explanation and briefly glanced at her Piplup. ''I had just gotten my Piplup from Professor Rowan and thought the Pikachu was a wild Pokémon to capture, but then Team Rocket showed up and we needed to-''
''Let's pause for a minute,'' Bruce said raising his hand. ''Team Rocket. May mentioned them too. Who are they?''
''They are bunch of bad people who want to steal other people's Pokémon!'' May, Dawn and Serena all said in a unison, which made Bruce grunt.
''Yes, I got that from what they had done to Ash's Pikachu,'' Bruce said rubbing his eyes. ''Never mind that. Dawn, carry on.''
''Okay, so I came across Ash and Brock when I returned to Professor Rowan's lab to drop Pikachu and as I was already going to travel from town to town for Pokémon Contests,'' Dawn continued, ''we all decided to travel together through Sinnoh while Ash got his Gym Badges.''
Bruce crossed his arms and nodded as a sign that he had heard enough, before lastly turning to Serena.
''Okay, it's your turn now.''
Throughout May's and Dawn's short tales of how they had met Ash, Serena had kept herself reserved and, despite speaking out of her turn, listened to what the others had had to say. Now it was her turn to speak, so she held onto her ribbon and the photo Bruce had returned to her as she raised her head up and she begun.
''When I was 8, I was sent to Pokémon Summer Camp held by Professor Oak at Pallet Town in the Kanto Region,'' Serena begun, making Bruce and the other girls look at her surprised as her story was already much more different than May's and Dawn's. ''I hadn't wanted to go to that camp, so at disinterest I got lost one day and got myself hurt. Ash was the one who found me from the forest and helped me getting back to the others.''
Truly the different beginning of Serena's tale of meeting Ash had surprised Bruce, May and Dawn. Bruce didn't look as tired as he had been when they had arrived at Goldenrod, while May and Dawn looked at Serena with their eyes wide open and their jaws hanging.
''Okay, then,'' Bruce said seemingly more awake, ''when Ash eventually came to Kalos for… I assume for Gym Badges-''
''Them and to compete in the Pokémon League,'' Serena said, sensing what Bruce was asking. ''I didn't even know Ash was in Kalos until I saw a live news broadcast from Lumiose City about a rampaging Garchomp that had Mega-Evolved wrong. It had climbed to the top of the Lumiose Tower and Ash had been the one to climb after it with Pikachu and Froakie to take the Mega Stone off from the Garchomp to it would calm down. After the situation had been resolved, I set out to meet him again, eventually catching up with him at the Santalune Gym.''
At this point Serena let May and Dawn see the photograph she had with her.
''I also met Clemont and Bonnie, who were travelling with him through Kalos.''
As May and Dawn looked at Serena's photograph of her, Ash and their friends from Kalos, Bruce stood up walked a couple of steps forward with his hands crossed, thinking. As he had already seen the photograph multiple times, Bruce had other more important matters that occupied his attention.
''So, according to three of you,'' Bruce said thinking with his back facing the girls, ''Ash Ketchum the Pokémon Trainer is the following three things; a teacher, a friend and a hero. Did I get that right?''
''Uhmm, no,'' May said shaking her head while looking elsewhere with her eyes half closed, obviously thinking back to something embarrassing. ''Ash has some… unique qualities that undermine the ideal image you just described.''
''Yeah, a lot of juvenile characteristics that would make that description laughable,'' Dawn in a similar tone and look on her face. ''Don't think too much of him.''
Serena didn't say anything on that matter but glared at May and Dawn with a fiercely disagreeing look on her eyes.
''Thank you, all of you,'' Bruce said turning around to look at the girls again. ''This has been enlightening. But, does any of you know where Ash Ketchum is right now?''
All three girls shook their heads, then showed fear of not knowing as they had probably assumed that Ash had been in Pallet Town before learning what had happened.
''Okay, next best thing,'' Bruce said moving the conversation forward without leaving them time to wallow in worry. ''Brock also lives in the Kanto Region. Would he know where Ash is?''
''Brock is training to become a Pokémon Doctor, so he should always be carrying his work phone,'' Dawn said pointing their attention toward the telephones at the nearby wall. ''We can call him and ask.''
Kanto Region – Remains of Pallet Town
There was not really much to say about what had happened to Pallet Town. As Ash Ketchum and his Pikachu watched it from a hill overlooking the ruins, it looked like the small town had been stomped on multiple times by a large foot and squished the remaining ruins to the ground before the plant life was burned and poured with salt to keep anything from growing there anymore. For Ash it was truly painful to look at and it took everything he had not to break down and start crying.
This had been his home. The place he had been born and raised. Where he would have always returned to rest, relax and recharge his strengths after having competed at Pokémon Leagues before he would set his sights on where to go next. And now as he looked down to where his mom's house had been, Ash couldn't even recognize the spot on the ruins anymore.
''Come on, Pikachu,'' Ash told his oldest Pokémon friend as he turned away from the view of the ruins. ''There is nothing for us here anymore.''
''Pikaa-Pi,'' Pikachu said jumping up on Ash's shoulder. ''Pika pika.''
Ash walked down the hill to the road where Brock was waiting for him with his jeep. Because Ash no longer had his old home waiting for him in the Kanto Region and he couldn't keep on staying at Pokémon Centers definitely, Brock had offered to let him stay at his home in Pewter City until he would eventually return to his studies at the Pokémon School in the Alola Region. Meaning, that once Ash had gotten his affairs into order here, he would need to go back to school to get his life into an order where he live independently as a grown adult.
Getting down to the road where Brock's jeep was waiting, Ash saw the Pokémon Doctor-in-training busy on the phone. So, Ash decided to respect his privacy seeing as it could have been a work-related call or, if Brock had actually managed to get a hold of himself as Ash had seen him last time he visited Kanto, it could have been a personal call.
''He's coming back from it now, hold on,'' Brock spoke into his phone as he saw Ash approaching. ''Ash, need to get this. I have May and Dawn on the line with some other people named Serena and Bruce.''
''Serena?'' Ash repeated confused looking at the phone Brock was gesturing him to take. ''Umm, where are they calling from?''
''Goldenrod City in the Johto Region,'' Brock answered with a serious look on his face. ''Ash, Pallet Town wasn't the only place that attacked. You need to hear them out!''
''Put the video screen on and turn it on loud speaker!'' Male voice unknown to Ash spoke from the phone.
Brock did as he was told and gave the phone to Ash as they got in the jeep. Looking at the screen of the phone in his hands, Ash saw his friends from 3 different regions along with a tall, wide shouldered man who looked tired but focused. Looking at them all, Ash realized that they all looked kind of tired like they had not slept at all during the previous night and were feeling the effects of jetlag.
''Pikachu!'' Pikachu yelled happy seeing them, then suddenly got confused seeing the tall man. ''Pikaa?''
''Ash, we just learned what happened to Pallet Town,'' May spoke from their end as Brock started the jeep and begun driving. ''Brock told us that you just got back from Alola and are in Kanto.''
''Yeah, we just got back from… checking the damages,'' Ash responded hesitantly as he had a hard time adjusting to the situation. ''What did Brock mean by saying Pallet Town wasn't the only place that was attacked?''
''Lilycove City at Hoenn was swept under two gigantic tidal waves by a splicer who can control water and we were the only ones who got out,'' the unknown man answered pointing at Serena and Dawn as he spoke.
''And who are you?'' Ash asked looking at the unrecognizable man with Pikachu.
''Chuu?''
''That's Mr Wayne, he's alright,'' Dawn answered quickly. ''We came across May and Looker along with two Unovians in Mauville City, where we were attacked again by a… Mr Wayne?''
''A cyborg and an artificial intelligence composed of nanites,'' the tall man answered quickly, using weird words that Ash barely understood. ''We managed to escape them on a Reshiram and are now here. One of the Unovians is hospitalized, but… Look, there are more important things we all need to talk about face to face that can't be spoken on the phone.''
''You're in Goldenrod City, right?'' Brock said turning his gaze briefly away from the road. ''We're on our way to Saffron City now and the Magnet Train travels between Kanto and Johto, being connected to Goldenrod.''
''Yeah, that's true,'' May said turning to look at the others with her. ''We can use the Magnet Train to go from Johto to Kanto and meet them in Saffron City.''
''Then let's do it,'' the tall man said nodding with a focused frown on his forehead. ''We'll take the next train to Saffron.''
''We'll meet at the train station in Saffron City then?'' Ash asked looking at his friends on the screen.
''Ash,'' Serena said, finally speaking from their end. ''It's good to see you again.''
''You too,'' Ash said. ''I'll see you all in Saffron.''
''Pikachuu!'' Pikachu said waving goodbyes as the call ended.
The car ride continued for some time with Ash, Pikachu and Brock thinking back to the times they had travelled together. With May and her brother Max back in Hoenn and the Battle Frontier in Kanto. With Dawn back in Sinnoh and the few days she had come across Ash and Pikachu in Unova. Ash also thought back on his travels in Kalos with Serena and how high he had gotten in the Kalos League. After coming back from seeing the ruins of his hometown, the thought of being reunited with them regardless of circumstances felt good.
''Wait a minute,'' Brock said suddenly cutting out Ash's trail of thoughts. ''Ash, what was the name of that man whose phone you were borrowing when I called you to Alola?''
''Huh?'' Ash said reacting slowly to Brock's question. ''Thomas Jr, why?''
''Thomas Wayne Jr, if I recall correctly,'' Brock said with his eyes squinting.
''Yeah, why?'' Ash asked.
''Who did Dawn introduce that man she, May and that girl Serena were with?'' Brock said asking a follow up question with a suspicious tone in his voice.
''Mr… Wayne?!'' Ash said, slowly seeing what Brock was taking about. ''Brock, are you suggesting-''
''I don't know, but the same surname can't be a coincidence,'' Brock said with his eyes on the road. ''Before you came down, they introduced him to me as just Bruce, so we have a Bruce Wayne and a Thomas Wayne Jr. Call me paranoid, but with all that we know now to have happened-''
''I didn't focus that much on his face on the call, but Thomas Jr said that he had a brother who died when he was young,'' Ash remembering what he had been told back in Alola after he had last come across Team Rocket. ''I don't know if that's true or if he was just trying to relate to what I was feeling about Pallet Town.''
''We'll know when we get to Saffron,'' Brock said as he kept driving.
Above the jeep driving forward, a large Meowth shaped hot-air balloon flew following them. In was equipped with booster rockets so it was able to match the speed of Brock's jeep and not fall behind. It would have been easily noticed, but fortunately it's long time owners piloting it had years of experience in shadowing people.
''This is Operation Tailing the Twerp calling out to Operation Hoothoot. Come in Operation Hoothoot?''
Outside Team Rocket HQ - Undisclosed location in the Kanto Region
''Operation Hoothoot responding to Operation Tailing the Twerp,'' Jessie said answering to the comms as she drove the rental car. ''What news do you have?''
''The Twerp and the original Big Twerp have left the Pallet's ruins and are heading towards Saffron City,'' James' voice responded from the comm. ''But that's not all. We have used the equipment given to us and intercepted a call from the Hoenn Twerpette, Sinnoh Twerpette and Kalos Twerpette.''
''All three Twerpettes?'' Jessie said surprised.
''They called from the Johto Region, along with someone also named Wayne,'' James continued from his end. ''We're calling to consult our Wayne.''
Thomp!
Jessie parked the rental car into a safe distance from the entrance to Team Rocket's Kanto Headquarters, which was a big fort with a large R in hidden by tall rocks near the mountains, so that it was hidden from anyone looking from the entrance. She got out of the car with her Wobbuffet while Thomas Jr answered to James before getting out himself from the backseat.
''Considering what you heard that Green Lantern converse with his ring back in Alola, I have a hunch on who that might be,'' Thomas Jr answered to James' request of consultation. ''Unfortunately, we can't do anything about that right now, except observe from the shadows. What was the purpose of the call?''
''They said they are using the Magnet Train to meet up with the Twerp in Saffron,'' James answered.
''Then nothing has changed so far,'' Thomas Jr said opening the backseat car door. ''Stay on your mission. Follow them Saffron and report when they have met. When that happens, also send a picture of that Wayne that the… 'Twerpettes' have with them, to help me make sure that's who I think it is. Operation Hoothoot out.''
With that, Thomas Jr closed the call and got out of the rental car, having changed into his old supervillain costume during the car ride. To someone like Jessie, and to an extension to James and Meowth who weren't there, having a past in having donned multiple various disguises, the sight of Thomas Jr's attire was not that strange but rather confusing in trying to figure out what he was wearing.
''You remember what you're supposed to do in there?'' Thomas Jr asked pulling his gauntlets onto his hands.
''Report that we have followed the orders regarding to the Twerp,'' Jessie answered as Thomas Jr was reviewing the contents of his equipment belt. ''I tell them that James and Meowth are currently keeping an eye on him and his Pikachu and that I'm here to recall our Pokémon to be used as proper backup.''
''Wobbuffet!'' the psychic type responded making a salute.
''That sounds reasonable enough,'' Thomas Jr said throwing the multiple pieced and wing shaped cloak on himself. ''They should buy it.''
''What were you going to do in there?'' Jessie asked as Thomas Jr pulled a dark grey cowl over his head and locked a chin-guard to it.
''Find your boss,'' Owlman responded connecting the chin-guard to intimidating looking goggles. ''And take the control over his crime syndicate.''
''Um, now I think I have to ask,'' Jessie said turning to look at fully costumed supervillain, ''what exactly are you supposed to be?''
''Someone who will beat you up while you're still wonder what I'm supposed to be,'' Owlman said turning his attention to the fort and took out his grabbling gun. ''Now go and be a distraction while I infiltrate the base.''
Sinnoh Region – Spear Pillar on Mount Coronet
Merciless placed the Adamant and Lustrous Orbs on the two pedestals next to each other at the shrine on top of Mt Coronet. From the researched history of this world, Merciless and his fellow Dark Knights had been told that this place was where the God Pokémon Arceus had created this world along with It's children, Dialga and Palkia, while another one was banished to another realm. While Giratina was banished, Dialga and Palkia were according to the legend, and the report from Team Rocket about Team Galactic, trapped into the forms of the Adamant and Lustrous Orbs.
Having placed the Orbs on their places, Merciless released the Lake Guardians, Uxie, Azelf and Mesprit from the net he had captured them in and used his influence over them to force them to submit and take their places around the Adamant and Lustrous Orbs.
''STOP THIS AT ONCE!''
As the Lake Guardian rose up in the air ready to use their powers, Merciless felt unwanted presence on the summit of the mountain. Turning around to where the canceling command had been yelled, Merciless turned around to face 13 people who had come from all around the Sinnoh Region for him.
''Champion Cynthia,'' Merciless spoke removing his helmet to reveal his face and properly confront the person leading the others, ''your presence is not unexpected, but I am surprised you brought both the Elite 4 Four and the Gym Leaders with you.''
''You better release those Pokémon immediately!'' Cynthia demanded, more focused on the danger that Merciless was going to bring forth.
''They are not held in captivity against their will,'' Merciless answered as he reached his left hand at the direction of the Lake Guardians and slowly closed it into a fist. ''Uxie, Azelf and Mesprit know power when they have seen it and respect it to follow through.''
As the Merciless pulled his hand away from the shrine, the Adamant and Lustrous Orbs reacted to his power. They glowed before turning transparent, floating in the air and then turned into two dimensional circles in the air that had waving insides which spiraled backwards, lined with crimson chains that reached to the Merciless reached hand. Then, Merciless moved his pulled hand to point forward at the Champion and pushed it at them like slow motion punch, pulling the two Legendary Pokémon into their reality.
With this act, Merciless showed the Champion, Gym Leaders and the Elite Four that he was someone more powerful than those cultists and resistance against him would have been a fool's errand. As for Dialga and Palkia, the two Legendaries were both agitated at how this was happening to them again as well as shocked to see someone who seemed to be a human was showing this kind of power over them.
''Do not let their restraints fool you,'' Merciless spoke without giving the Champion or the others a chance to protest how the chains were bind around the two Legendaries. ''I am fully aware of the actions of Cyrus and his Team Galactic here 3 years ago. The Red Chain was necessary in bringing Dialga and Palkia here and to keep them from showing any kind of resistance.''
''What are you planning to do here!?'' Gym Leader Crasher Wake shouted at the first chance he got.
''Don't you know happened to Cyrus and Team Galactic when they tried to create a new world!?'' Flint of the Elite Four yelled also.
''You're digging your own grave!'' Gym Leader Byron said hitting the ground with his shovel.
''I know Cyrus was the one who was leading a cult trying to kill themselves,'' Merciless spoke putting his helmet back on and prepared himself for what was coming. ''But you, all of you, are children, playing war you have never been a part of.''
''Who are you to call us children!?'' Bertha of the Elite Four said seriously offended and threw a Pokéball. ''Rhyperior, use Megahorn!''
The fully evolved Ground/Rock type Pokémon charged at the Merciless with its horn first. Everyone else took this as permission to release their Pokémon against him as well. Roark released his rock type Rampardos, Gardenia released her grass type Torterra, Maylene released her fighting type Lucario, Crasher Wake released his water/flying type Gyarados, Fantina released her ghost type Dusknoir, Roark released his steel type Bastiodon, Candice released her Ice type Abomasnow and Volkner released his electric type Electivire. The others in the Elite Four also responded by Aaron releasing his bug type Drapion, Flint releasing his fire type Magmortar and Lucian released his psychic type Bronzong. Champion Cynthia already had her Garchomp out, but none of them had the chance to give them any orders or Mega Evolve them as they quickly saw what little Bertha's Rhyperior had managed to accomplish.
The Megahorn attack had reached to try and stab Merciless, who had barely even tried to counter it by grabbing the Rhyperior by it's horn and lifted the Pokémon up with one hand, before throwing it away.
''Who am I!?'' Merciless spoke as he turned his gaze from the thrown away Rhyperior to Cynthia, the Gym Leaders and the Elite Four. Then he rose up into the air with his arms spread downwards and his arsenal of weapons appeared circling around him. Merciless had no Pokémon on himself to fight them, but he had just showed them that he was more powerful than their strongest Pokémon and could have been more powerful than all of them.
''Behold, THE GOD OF WAR!''
Goldenrod City – Johto Region
''Looker should have been back by now,'' Bruce said looking at the outside of the hospital reception shortly after they had called Ash and Brock in Kanto. ''At least in my experience it doesn't usually take this long to get a perp turned in.''
''Maybe it just takes longer here,'' May said.
''Hrrr,'' Bruce grunted before changing the subject. ''So, May and Dawn, you two have here in Johto before, what can you tell about this Magnet Train?''
''What else is there to tell besides that it goes from Saffron in Kanto to here in Johto and back?'' Dawn asked.
''Train schedule and ticket prices for example,'' Bruce said telling her the obvious answer. ''The situation is this: We need to get to Kanto to meet up Ash and Brock as we just agreed with them, but our group is currently divided. We don't know when Looker will be back, and we haven't heard any updates on the Unovians since we got here. The four of us are obviously leaving, but are we taking them with us or leaving them behind with the deadline we have?''
''Actually, Bruce,'' Serena said pointing at the large Legendary Pokémon standing outside the hospital, ''if we leave Hilda and Hilbert behind they can always follow us on the Reshiram.''
''That then just leaves Looker,'' Bruce said crossing his arms. ''Okay, I think I know we're going to do.''
May, Dawn and Serena stood looking at Bruce, ready to listen what he had to say.
''May, because you're not an initial target for the enemy and you have been to Johto before, you're going to get us tickets for the Magnet Train,'' Bruce said handing that objective for May to handle. ''But don't take any chances. Let Blaziken out of it's Pokéball and keep it as a bodyguard. Serena and Dawn, you stay here incase Looker comes back.''
''Alright,'' May said taking out Blaziken's Pokéball and released her Fire/Fighting Type. ''Blaziken, come out!''
''BLAZIKEN!''
''Are we supposed to just stay here until that?'' Dawn asked as May's Blaziken looked around their surroundings.
''No, you can also take your Pokémon out of the Pokéballs and let them know we're not in Hoenn anymore,'' Bruce said acknowledging Blaziken's confusion. ''Also treat them for needed care, we can't leave for Pokémon Center without splitting up too much. Make sure they're fit until we get to Saffron.''
May left to get the Magnet Train tickets with her Blaziken while Serena and Dawn released their Pokémon from their Pokéballs. Serena released her Braixen, Pancham and Sylveon, while Dawn mostly released just her Buneary, Pachirisu and Togekiss along with her already out Piplup. As they were doing that, Bruce walked to the reception desk and asked about Hilda's current condition.
''Ms White had her wounds addressed and her blood loss is being currently treated,'' the receptionist said looking at the information from the desktop. ''The initial first aid kept her alive until she was given the needed medical attention.''
''You are welcome,'' Bruce said passively referencing to the first aid he gave to Hilda while flying across the ocean on the Reshiram. ''If ms White is unavailable now, can I talk to the young man who brought her? Hilbert Black? I was told by ms Berlitz that ms White was, even in her condition, adamant not to be separated from him.''
''Yes, he is currently with her in a room upstairs,'' the receptionist said reviewing a file from the desktop. ''Oh, he is being kept in her strong grip by his wrist. She really doesn't want to lose him.''
''That's what I keep hearing,'' Bruce said like he had heard a joke too many times. ''Listen, the four of us are leaving for Kanto soon, so I need to let ms White and mr Black know how they can follow us once they are released from your care. Can I leave a message for them through you or are you going to tell me what floor and room they are in?''
The receptionist didn't answer vocally but by writing the hospital room number on a piece of paper and gave it to Bruce. Bruce read and memorized it before turning to move there. As he got there, Bruce took a small torch from his belt and burned the paper into small cinders after making sure he was at the right address.
''Hilda, Hilbert, is it alright for me to come in?'' Bruce asked as he creeped the door open to give the people in there their privacy before he was allowed in.
''Yeah, you can come in, Batman,'' Hilbert's voice answered from the room.
''It's Bruce,'' Bruce said as he stepped inside the hospital room.
Hilda was laying on the hospital bed with a patient's post-surgery scrubs and she was now more awake than when they had landed on Route 34, but still weakened from losing as much blood as she had, which was why her right hand was connected to a blood pack replenishing her. And her left hand was, as Bruce had heard already multiple times before, keeping a firm grip on Hilbert's right wrist, who was sitting on a chair next to Hilda's hospital bed. He was still wearing the same clothes he had been wearing before, except he also had the kind of scrubs surgeons usually have on them. A sight, which told Bruce that he had been present during Hilda's surgery as she had refused to let go of him.
''After the trouble we all got through getting here, I think it's fair for you to call me Bruce,'' Bruce said walking to the end of Hilda's hospital bed, so he could face her and Hilbert to talk to them both. ''And I also think you can let go of him. He's not going to run anywhere, aren't you?''
''She's not worried about that,'' Hilbert said as Hilda scared gaze was pointed at the Reshiram outside their window. ''It hasn't reverted into it previous form as the Light Orb.''
''Aah,'' Bruce said nodding his head. ''Got any spare Pokéballs?''
Hilbert pointed at his bag resting hanging from the closet holding Hilda's clothes. Bruce turned to grab it and presented it open to Hilbert. Hilbert put his free left hand in there and took out a black Pokéball with gold lining in it.
''This is a Luxury Ball,'' Hilbert said giving it to Bruce. ''Reshiram should be comfortable inside it.''
''I heard the story you have with it from Hilda back in Mauville,'' Bruce said opening the room's window, so he could get his arm better outside. ''Knowing that I'm doing this for you, I'd expect it get in quietly without any resistance. So, do I throw this at Reshiram or-''
''Ka-Rowl!'' Reshiram howled quietly as it pushed it's head against the Luxury Ball, which activating surrounded the Legendary Pokémon with red energy that then was absorbed into the black and gold Pokéball.
It was opened as Reshiram was transferred inside it and closed as all the red energy was inside. Then it shook around a little in Bruce's hand before stopping to do that as a sign of the Pokémon being successfully captured inside it.
''Wow, so that's what's it's like to catch a Pokémon,'' Bruce said taking his arm back inside and closed the window before placing the Luxury Ball into Hilbert's bag.
The sight of him doing that caused Hilda's face turn calmer and more relaxed, so much that she let go of her grip on Hilbert's wrist and let Hilbert take the sweaty scrubs of him, along with his light blue jacket and cap.
''Alright, this is what is going to happen now,'' Bruce said resuming his place at the end of Hilda's hospital bed. ''Because of your hospitalization, you can't follow me and the others to Kanto. Obviously the two of you were never supposed to be a part of our group and were dragged into it by chance that left you in this situation.''
''Are you… leaving us… behind?'' Hilda spoke in a weak but stronger voice than before which was good sign of recovery.
''Yes,'' Bruce said with a serious and unapologetic voice. ''Once you're released from here, take the Reshiram, fly to Unova and go on with your lives. You don't owe me or them anything that requires you keep following. Furthermore, I don't know what kind of relationship the two of you have, so I'd rather let you go on living while you figure that out than drag you with me to what is a certain death.''
''Uh… Prez and I aren't in a that kind of relationship,'' Hilbert said in a passive denial. ''I just worked for company to pay off some equipment I accidentally destroyed.''
''Which she told me you did already had paid and she had you around to sponsor your training for the Pokémon League,'' Bruce said mildly amused looking at how Hilda was looking at Hilbert, who looked at her surprised and confused. ''You were trapped away inside the Light Orb with Reshiram for two years while she made it her priority to find and release you, leaving the running of her company as a secondary objective. And when she found you, she needed to be dying from blood loss until you got released. That kind of bond goes beyond paying a debt.''
Bruce let his words sink into Hilda and Hilbert for a few seconds before speaking again.
''I'm trapped here in your world, separated from my son, my family, my friends and my-'' Bruce cut himself off, surprising Hilda and Hilbert by hiding something from them before continuing. ''You have gained something that I'm still being denied. Take the gift you have both been given and don't let it go to waste.''
With that, Bruce let the two Unovians think what they did. All the time Bruce had been talking, Hilda had been looking at Hilbert sitting next to her hospital bed and reaching her left hand at him again. Hilbert, threw his glance around between Bruce and Hilda like he was being kept under pressure. Bruce didn't wait for him to say anything and turned to leave. He had come to tell them that he was leaving for Kanto without them and he had now done that. It was time to leave.
''Wait, I forgot to tell you that-'' Bruce said remembering one last thing as he was about to exit the hospital room and turned around to see that while he had not been watching, Hilbert had answered to Hilda's gesture and they were both holding hands. ''-that Looker still hasn't come back. If or when he does come here, let him know me, Serena, Dawn and May took the Magnet Train to Safforn City in the Kanto Region.''
That was the last thing Bruce told Hilda and Hilbert vocally. Before he left, he gave them smirk of half smile as he opened the door to the hospital room and left the two Unovians alone to their own privacy. Whatever those two would do next was up to them.
With that thought, Bruce reached for his belt and took out the Green Lantern Ring he had taken from Dawnbreaker and forgotten have destroyed. Which for a small but significant reason was still a good idea. Bruce put the ring on his right hand's middle finger and through the painful strain focused in creating seven constructs of seven people to stand before him in the hallway.
''Damian, Dick, Jason, Tim, Cassandra, Barbara, Alfred,'' Bruce spoke in a shaking voice as he looked at the green constructs of his family and the ring resisted him as an unchosen wielder with pain. ''You… all of you... are my strength!''
Then Bruce let go from the pain and took the ring off him as the constructs disappeared from before him. He had let them know he was still alive back in Lilycove and seeing them again, even if it was an image of them, gave him hope that he would see them again when he got back home. Them and-
Bruce put the ring back on his finger and focused on creating one more construct.
Flashback:
''Selina...'' Batman said approaching Catwoman on rooftop in Gotham.
''Bruce?'' Catwoman said confused over Batman's unusually careful approach.
''I need to go do something I'm not sure I'll be coming back from,'' Batman said looking at Catwoman. ''I have already spoken to the boys and they think I have already left, but I needed to see you too before I go.''
Catwoman didn't say anything, but she smiled flattered and spread her arms ready to get whatever was coming.
''When I first met you on that boat-''
''Bruce,'' Catwoman said amused at this old thing, ''we met on the street.''
''On the boat, the diamond you stole, after I got it back,'' Batman said not looking at her to make it easier to speak. ''I bought it. I've had it. For years.''
''What!?'' Catwoman asked surprised and concerned.
''I wasn't sure then at the beginning, but I felt like I needed it,'' Batman said turning back to face Catwoman and unmasked himself. ''I… I needed it. Just like… I need you… … …I'm so scared.''
''Bruce…'' Catwoman said as Batman walked closer and unmasked her as well.
''Selina… I love you,'' unmasked Batman told the unmasked Catwoman as he got down to one knee and showed her that diamond on a golden band. ''And I want you to be there when I come back.''
End of Flashback:
''I got the tickets,'' May said returning to the reception area with her Blaziken and showed the Magnet Train tickets to Serena and Dawn. ''The train leaves to Saffron in 30 minutes.''
''That soon?'' Dawn said reacting quickly and recalled all her Pokémon except for Piplup.
''We told Ash and Brock that we'd meet the in Saffron as soon as possible,'' May said giving one ticket to her and another for Serena, who also kept her Braixen out of it's Pokéball. ''Where's Mr Wayne?''
''We heard him talking to the receptionist about where Hilda and Hilbert were and about going to see them before we leave,'' Serena said when May was left holding two tickets. ''I saw him going that way.''
''Then we go pick him up and get to the train before it leaves,'' May replied recalling her Blaziken to it's Pokéball and begun to march to the direction Serena had pointed at. ''Sigh, and they blame women for making men wait for them.''
The three Pokémon Trainers walked up the stairs and stopped at a hallway where they saw familiar green light glowing. Going into that hallway, they came across Bruce, wearing the ring he had taken from that 10-year-old evil version of him and was using it to cast seven people as green light constructs before him.
There was a short masked boy with a hooded cloak and a costume with an R on his left chest, a tall masked young man in a leotard with sticks in his back, another young man wearing a jacket and helmet, someone closer to the Pokémon Trainers' age wearing a wingsuit, a girl the Bat-symbol on her chest, a young woman with glasses sitting in a wheel chair and next to them all, the same old man they had seen as a nanite construct back in Mauville.
''Damian, Dick, Jason, Tim, Cassandra, Barbara, Alfred'' they heard Bruce speak to the constructs of the people before him. ''You… all of you, are my strength.''
''Are those people… his family?'' Dawn said asking Serena and May.
''Bruce did say that man raised him after his parents were killed,'' Serena said remembering what Bruce had told as Bruce took the ring off and the constructs disappeared. ''We should go get him now-''
But then Bruce put the ring back and created another construct before him. This one was a woman closer to his age, with a short black hair wearing a skintight costume with a whip on her hip and goggles hanging from her neck.
''Selina,'' Bruce said struggling to keep up the green construct of the Catwoman before him, ''were you there at the cave when I- How long have you been there?!''
''Since 'you are my strength','' Dawn said imitating Bruce's voice as he took the ring off and the construct disappeared.
''I got our tickets for the Magnet Train,'' May said showing them in her hand, before joining the subject Dawn was pushing with her tone. ''So, who were those people you were-''
''My family,'' Bruce said, not feeling any embarrassed about it. ''The one I'm being separated from by being in your world. It's not uncommon for me to miss them.''
''And that woman-''
''When does the Magnet Train leave?'' Bruce asked dodging another question.
''Pretty soon,'' May said showing the timestamp on the ticket she gave to Bruce and pointed at the clock on the wall. ''We came to pick you up, so we could get to it in time.''
''Understood,'' Bruce said as they begun to move out of the hospital and make their way to the Goldenrod train station. ''Let's-''
Zoooooooooooom!
''-get going then.''
Kalos Region – Aquacorde Town
''And everyone just kept telling the bride 'at least the priest didn't blow up' throughout the wedding.''
''Hah, that's… not supposed to be funny,'' Grace said responding to the story her date had just told her. ''Why is it funny?''
''Well it really was a tragic story at first,'' 'Bruce' said casually explaining it. ''That first wedding was attacked, and the priest was blown up before he could announce, well, anything. I was not there when it happened, but I was at the groom's second wedding and I assume it was our dark sense of humor that the guests just had to bring up the previous one. Even the best man's speech paled next that running joke.''
Grace and 'Bruce' had spent most of the day talking about how Grace's life currently circled around her Rhyhorn riding and coaching those who had taken up the sport as well as what 'Bruce' had told about his line of work as the second-in-command for what he compared to a private army unit. When they had talked about Grace's coaching in the sport of Rhyhorn riding, 'Bruce' had compared it to how he had trained young and broken people into strong adult soldiers, which had lead to a story about two weddings of his first ward.
''Hah hah hah, I'm sorry, but the look the bride's face when she kept asking what kind of weddings we had gone into still cracks me up,'' 'Bruce' said trying not to laugh too much and changed the subject. ''It was still better than my first one.''
''Oh, how was that?'' Grace asked interested as it was now brought up.
''Ra's said that Talia and I are married and that was it,'' 'Bruce' said not anymore as amused as he was a few seconds ago. ''I didn't even get a say in it and I remember waking up with detoxing symptoms the next morning when Talia begun to talk about the future of our yet to be born son. I managed to get out of that faux marriage eventually and was told a decade later that I'm a father of 10-year-old. 16-year-old now.''
''So that's how you became a single parent?'' Grace said not sure if that was a sad or a happy story. ''How did you gain custody?''
''By the time Damian turned 13, his mother had been brainwashed by her father into being the head of a terrorist organization,'' 'Bruce' answered with a blank expression on his face. ''Sigh, can we change the subject now?''
''Yes, this got too weird for some reason,'' Grace said agreeing. ''So, your son is 16? That's just two years younger than my Serena.''
''Foof,'' 'Bruce exhaled air from his lungs as Grace said that. ''And what kind of girl is Serena, now that you brought her up? Do you think she and Damian would come along?''
''I can't say anything to that yet at this point,'' Grace said relaxed, which the Batman Who Laughs recognized as the sign of Poison Ivy's pheromones from the flowers he gave her starting to kick in. ''What kind of boy is Damian?''
''A true child progeny, which I ironically have to thank Talia and her tutors for,'' 'Bruce' with a wide and proud smile on his face. ''The boy rivals multiple adults in fields of academics and sports if you can believe that. He also fosters a lot of stray anim- Pokémon. He currently has a Houndoom, an Alolan Meowth, a Miltank and a Salamence. And now as we speak he should be looking after children that have survived severe emotional abuse and trauma.''
''That is some son you have,'' Grace said with admiration in her voice. ''My Serena on the other hand-''
''Is currently boarding the Magnet Train in Goldenrod City in the Johto Region,'' 'Bruce' said showing Grace a tablet that was showing how Serena was doing exactly what he had just told her, ''along with a girl from Hoenn, a girl from Sinnoh and, huh, one my undercover guys. What has she gotten herself into?''
''What?'' Grace said, reacting rather slowly to the footage on the tablet. ''Why do you have this?''
''It's an hourly report I'm being sent from my guys,'' ''Bruce' said quite innocently. ''My tech guy ran a background check on the suspects our undercover guy was shadowing, and they thought to report me who was among them. What do you have to say about this?''
''I,'' Grace said getting even more slower in her reactions, ''the last I heard from her was when she was in Hoenn yesterday.''
''A lot can happen in that time,'' 'Bruce' replied compassionately. ''Well, my guys are tailing her group, so she's not exactly out of your reach. If you wish to know what happened, you should go and intercept her in Saffron City in Kanto Region where that Magnet Train is heading.''
''Yes, I should go and do that,'' Grace said like she was in trance.
''It just so happens that I have a way for us to get into Saffron City,'' 'Bruce' said placing his hands onto Grace's shoulders and smiled confidently. ''From here to there before the train gets there. Would you like me to help you in getting there so you can confront your daughter when she gets there?''
''You would… do that?'' Grace asked.
''But of course,'' 'Bruce' said taking a metal card from his jacket and shook it into a comm. ''All I need to do is call one of my guys and we'll be at Saffron in Kanto like that.''
''Do it,'' Grace said as 'Bruce' pulled his mask on his face.
''Murder Machine,'' the Batman Who Laughs said talking to his comm, ''a Boom Tube to our Saffron base in Kanto for two, please.''
BOOM!
A Boom Tube opened and the Batman Who Laughs escorted the dazed Grace through it. On the other side, in a dark hallway, they came across the Drowned.
''Bryce, my dear,'' the Batman Who Laughs said greeting the Drowned as held Grace, ''I saw that you managed to complete the switch in Goldenrod without any extra attention.''
''We did,'' the Drowned said confidently pleased. ''How was your date?''
''Still ongoing as you see,'' the Batman Who Laughs said looking at Grace. ''Grace, say hello to Bryce. She is like a sister to me.''
''Hello, Bryce,'' Grace said dazed to the Drowned, who smirked at the sight before her.
''I think the shock of seeing her daughter was a bit too much for her,'' Batman Who Laughs looking at Grace's condition. ''Would you mind helping her to get her head cleared a bit? I need to go check on your progress and tell Murder Machine to bring my boys back here as well.''
''My pleasure,'' the Drowned said taking a hold of Grace's arm to escort her better. ''By 'get her head cleared' you mean-''
''Just keep her company until I get back,'' the Batman Who Laughs said beginning to walk ahead the dark hallway. ''Is HE where I told you to put him?''
''Of course,'' the Drowned answered.
''Good,'' the Batman Who Laughs said with a wide grin on his face as he walked away from them.
He walked for a while, before coming to a larger hall that had a big battle arena on the middle. Walking over it, the Batman Who Laughs arrived to his target held in a glass box and tied to a chair.
''Hello, Batman,'' the Batman Who Laughs said speaking to their prisoner.
''Joker!?'' the prisoner spoke reacting to the sight before him. ''No, you can't-''
''Hah hah hah, no, Batman,'' the Batman Who Laughs said pressing his hand against the glass, looking at the man whom Red Death had changed places with the Devastator in Goldenrod. ''You're not having a nightmare and you're not talking to him. We're just me, myself and I. HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH HAA!''
Dark Multiverse – Earth -12
I would say I was corrupted by the Helmet in the months that followed your death. Killing those I showed mercy to before, my enemies and heroes who stood against me. I would say that I was purified, that my illusions were finally, rightfully stripped away, with the Helmet. My whole life, I had been afraid of doing what I knew needed to be done. Afraid to give all of myself to the battle.
The Helmet showed me that my codes and rules were naïve. That all that mattered was victory. And now I would finally take it to myself.
I was storming Olympus when… I heard his voice. Like mine, but it chilled me to the bone.
''It's a loosing war, Bruce,'' the stranger told me as he approached me with his sons. ''You're playing the game right, but the rules are stacked against you. Trust me, I've been there. You're never going to see the end of your glorious war. You'll never be able to build a finer world from the ash. Or prove to Diana that in the end this scorched path was right.''
I stood and listened what he told me. He couldn't have been right.
''In a matter of minutes this world will cease to exist,'' he told me with his sons' crows echoing in the background. ''If not for the explosions, you would have already felt the tremors.''
''You lie!'' I protested at first.
''That helmet of yours, it lets you to peer into the hearts of men now,'' he said without fearing me or my power. ''I might not have a heart, you can sense who I am, can't you?''
I did. I couldn't have believed it, but I didn't need the Helmet to see who he was.
''You know this isn't a trick, you know I'm speaking the truth and you know that I wouldn't be here it I didn't have an offer to make,'' this alternate version of me told me and I knew I had no other choice but to listen. ''Your war here is over, but a greater war is just in the horizon. Perhaps the greatest war in the cosmos has ever seen and we need someone who understands how to win it.''
I looked down at him as he gave me a picture of Diana.
''You've lost so much, Bruce, all to prove your way is right,'' he said as I turned to look at my world dying. ''So, let's prove it to everyone, once and for all.''
I had nothing left to lose and everything to gain. So, I followed him.
Sinnoh Region – Spear Pillar on Mount Coronet
A new battleground. For here is the truth the Helmet teaches. There is no war between good and evil, right or wrong. There is only the war for survival. And it is constant, and total. In the red, the weakest feels teeth in their back legs. In the green, a hungry vine creeps towards it's neighbor.
Our worlds were weak, compared to the one above. But together, we would conquer it. We would wage war against our fate. Against those who would call us dreams and nightmares, hopes and fear.
And these children who have come to stop me from taking Dialga and Palkia. The Time and Space Pokémon, who Cyrus of Team Galactic wanted to use to create a new world but can create us a way to the world above. These so-called warriors who call themselves Gym Leaders and the Elite Four, they put these noble creatures to fight in their place because they can't even protect themselves from my presence. You would expect too much of them, Diana. You would expect them to have banded together, negotiated and compromised a better way to oppose me.
I miss you.
As I keep throwing their Pokémon away from me, they begin to see the truth. The attacks from their precious Pokémon only showcases my strength and power. With the Helmet, I could make them fight each other to the death for my amusement, but that would be merciful. Instead, I will make them watch as I conquer their world.
A large shadow forms behind me as the Reality Pokémon announces it's presence to me. Giratina, it appears in it's shadowy form which bears resemblance to the Bat Symbol. It must see me as it saw Cyrus 3 years ago as I have replicated his actions from then. The Gym Leaders and the Elite Four takes their distance as Giratina rises above me, in the attempt of intimidating me or-
''GIRAAAAAAAAAAAAA!''
Trying to take me to it's banished realm of distortion. Like Dialga and Palkia, Giratina is a child of Arceus. It is a child of this world's God. But the Helmet has made me a God as well…
…You warned me about it's power. Warned me, once I put it on, I'd never take it off. I love you, Diana. And I am sorry.
…Sorry you tried to TAKE IT FROM ME! But what I was supposed to do when I saw you were still ALIVE? That Ares had only stunned you. You reached for it, Diana, for the Helmet. So I had to strike you down, just as I strike against Giratina.
''GIRAAAAAAAAAAAAA!''
The Reality Pokémon does not expect me to fight back. It expects me to send others to fight it. And my weapons hurt it, making it less than easy for me to make it submit and turn it into my steed. Everyone watches me as I do it. The Lake Guardians, Dialga, Palkia, the Gym Leaders, the Elite Four and the Champion.
They all know I have won and they are still alive because I still allow them. The humans kneel and bow before me as I climb onto Giratina to fly away with Dialga and Palkia in my leash by the Lake Guardians. Until Arceus comes for me, I am their God now.
As I leave to join with comrades, I receive a word that they have managed to capture the Batman from the world above. I see him as I arrive to them with the Pokémon I brought with me. I look at him and I see the man I used to be. He fights with mercy. With restraint. Which is why he'll lose and this world, like his world above, will fall to Barbatos.
Author's notes: Yeah, it happened fast. Red Death switch the places between the Batman and Devastator in Goldenrod City's hospital RIGHT UNDER SERENA'S, DAWN'S AND MAY'S NOSES! As far as they know, the Bruce Wayne they have with them is the man they met in Hoenn and not another monster from the Dark Multiverse.
On another front, Owlman and Team Rocket are working together to find Giovanni and take his organisation's resources away from the Dark Knights.