{Edit: Author Notes}
Just a small note to tell you. There's a slightly important Author notes at the bottom. Enjoy the story!
[From the perspective of a bad guy.]
I am going to be honest with you—which is something of something really strange since I, a hacker and an assassin, am trying to tell you that I fell in love.
Weird huh? Pay me enough money and I can plant a bomb in a family's minivan in Christmas as they travel to grampa's house while I'm back at home eating ice cream and watching a Christmas comedy movie as the money gets secretly deposited to a fake bank account I can empty out later—so yeah. We can all admit that I can easily be one of these bad guys.
You could blame my past, I lived in a bad place and to live, you had to be bad or end up having your skeleton dry up and turn to dust in the barren dessert that even Pokémon couldn't live in. But let's go back to where I told you that I, a heartless bastard, fell in love.
Some big shot wanted some random yahoo to really, really feel the heat. He hired me to make sure that this person's life got ruined while he hired a bounty hunter to sell off his Pokémon like slaves. Some might call it overkill, but then with blood money by the bucket loads, you end up not really caring. There was this girl, she looked hella stiff but dam she had a really nice body. She gave off a lot of intimating glares and had the strength of a Machamp. I admit my attraction to her was opening lust, and my fires did not die when I found out we were paired together to get this poor sap.
Long story short, we bonded over the little assignment. The woman didn't say a single word to me despite my advances—probably shouldn't have used cartoons as opening conversation topics. I knew movies were a better topic to start off with! But eventually, taking a stab to the chest meant for her made her at least say one word to me.
And no, it wasn't 'Thanks'. It was 'Fool'.
Arceus dam that was hot.
I'm not ashamed to say that I stalked her digitally and kept track of her whereabouts, trying to pair up with her as many times as I could no matter where she went. From mild indifference, she then became more annoyed with me to the point she kicked me off her new plane once. Still somehow, after a little digging around, I found out who she was and saw she was just like those other amazing sob stories you hear if you look hard enough.
Which was great! Cause I had one of those crappy sob stories too! According to fiction, we would get along fine!
Looking back, maybe there was a possibility that TV and media weren't always right on romance in real life.
It took years, but heck we finally had really hot make out sessions—wink—that totally had this love-hate thing going on.
Feisty! Me likey!
Then something happened that I never thought would happen.
… I became a dad.
I guess you could call Dads my kryptonite and all. My crappy old man was the only one who gave a Rattata's behind about me. He wasn't always sober, but heck at least he tried.
So here I was, somehow holding onto a new baby boy that for some reason she didn't want to abort when she could have that entire year carrying this little… brat… and then it hit me. Two people who haven't even batted an eye in staining their hands in blood in taking lives have just given life to a new kid to the world.
Irony's a witch.
And Karma is a freaking sadist.
I ended up… worrying for the kid, actually thinking about his future and it scared me—him being anything like us scum bag parents. After years of shutting down my emotions, how the heck did a crying little sack of flesh with skin so wrinkled, bald, and red suddenly make me shiver in cold sweat?
Killing? That was easy.
Raising a kid? Heck no!
Things kind of got worse after that. My lady friend and I shared different opinions about the kid. She was… dang… no really dang… she was really hurt from what happened to her. In a way, she kinda wanted to raise our kid under her wing.
Me? I always thought I had a special place reserved down below where I would be singed for eternity as my punishment. I sure as heck didn't think my punishment would be that I actually start to regain my empathy after throwing it all away.
I wanted out. Who knows? Maybe trying an actual family thing wouldn't have been such a bad idea. A wedding sounded tedious as freak—unless it was one of those crazy Greek Weddings I've heard about. I could totally make it so that we have Greek blood in our papers. We could totally pretend to be a snobbish rich family and look down on every other family member while at night we vandalize their house and blame it on the gangs and no one would question us because they'd think we were rich snobs who wouldn't lift a finger to serve themselves.
She thought I was being crazy, crazier than usual.
Things got heated… and no, sadly not in the fun way.
Eventually, I just left with our kid. Thought I would try my hand at the domestic life after all.
Never really saw the girl afterward, but spending time with my son, I realized something…
I never was brave enough to ask or even drag her along with me to this type of life with our son. I never was brave enough to try and tell her that she could live a strangely happy life with a murderer like me and just give up all this black market business.
I ain't no hero.
… I guess what they say is true: bad guys never win.
Well, looks like I'm placing my gamble on you, kid. Maybe one day you can do what I couldn't and be a good guy?
Save your dumb, stupid, evil parents won't you?
[Before The Final Stand]
If you didn't know any better, with how fast people were moving and placing reinforced steel objects over the ruins, you would imagine that these people were arming themselves for war.
No… they were arming themselves for something much worse.
In the middle of a War Room, a powerful man walked in to three people setting up their location. "Are we ready?"
They all showed their respect to the man, but one then asked, "Yes we are, Boss, but not to sound ungrateful, why are you here as well? Isn't it dangerous?"
"It became dangerous when we were unable to capture Subject 5 at the first attempts. According to the files we viewed over, he is entering the League by collecting badges. And it's more than likely that among those badges, he's going for the Icirrus City one. May I remind you what exactly is in Icirrus City that we absolutely cannot let him anywhere near?"
"I-I know sir, but I just wasn't expecting you to join in on the fray."
"Actually Warden, it is literally my destiny to always stand in their way. … A bloodline dedicated to fighting the impossible… The point is if Subject 5 comes anywhere near the Ruins while he has the Seed then everything we have strove to protect for these past 10,000 years will burn and die horribly."
[Back with the group…]
"Are you sure you're alright?" Jamie asked as she, White, Wes, and Anto were heading back towards the Virbank City Airport at night so that Miles, the grandfather of the current Mistralton City Gymleader, could bring them towards the next City before it gets too late.
Jamie was asking if the mute was alright because just later this afternoon, he was chased by a former high contender in the Kalos League a year back named Trinity for 'defiling' her younger sister. Needless to say, the young boy ran away like a scared little creature being hunted down by vicious prey. It wasn't until, her companion and current boyfriend, Victor, another Kalos League participant, came in and calmed her down from murdering someone in broad daylight.
It was a traumatizing experience for the boy, adding on to the many things that traumatized him across this adventure. Though strangely enough, this was the third time an older scary female chased after him. The others being Valarie and that Strange Fake Team Plasma Woman.
After separating from, the trainers from Kalos, the four prepared for their flight towards Icirrus City.
However…
"I've never seen much ice before. Can't wait to make a snowman!" Benga spoke out as he dragged along a bag with them.
"Benga, why are you coming with us?" Anto asked with confusion.
"Well, you said it yourself, you have to get into the league! And I'm here to help you with that! You're going to be training as I did and my father before me and his father before him!" Anto was surprised and shocked that Benga would declare that so suddenly.
"Train like the Unova Champion? What exactly did he do?" The mute asked curiously.
The red haired teen smiled. "Don't worry, it's nothing too strenuous."
"Oh joy."
"Dibs on the window seat!" Benga called out.
[Later]
Icirrus City was a lot chillier than he imagined which he should have seen coming due to the fact that it's named after ice, it lives near a wetlands area, and the gym leader there uses ice type Pokémon. Anto and the others were getting themselves comfortable in the Pokémon Center they just arrived in.
"Hmm… You know I could use an ice or water type Pokémon while I'm here." Benga noted to himself while he was looking out the window. "I am known for accidentally burning things down."
"That wouldn't sound too bad. I could come with since I heard there were wetlands known as the Moor of Icirrus where a lot of water, bug, and ground Pokémon could be found. Maybe I can get in some training there." Anto thought.
"Oh yeah! I can definitely make sure you can start your training there! Come on let's go!" Benga excitedly spoke out before running towards the main door.
However, the door opened up before Benga got close and to the group's surprise, Brycen, the gym leader of this town had just entered into the Pokémon Center.
Benga stopped in his tracks as his eyes widened. He gave out a big smile as he then bowed respectfully at the man. "Mr. Brycen! Good to see you again!"
"Benga?" The ice gym leader showed surprise. "I'm surprised to see you out of Floccesy Town."
The flame headed teen rose back up with a smile and pointed at Anto. "I'm helping out a friend in his training. He's going to challenge you later!"
A gentle smile appeared on the masked man's face as he answered. "Is that… so…?" His voice trailed off as he followed Benga pointing towards Anto. "You?"
Anto blinked in surprised before he looked around making everyone look at him. The mute pointed at himself in confusion as Brycen walked closer towards them.
"I know you, Clay had spoken about you," Brycen spoke out seriously. "Are you the telepathic trainer?"
The boy slowly nodded. "Yes, but I'm surprised that you talked to Clay."
The ice type gym leader's face turned somewhat grim. "A lot has happened in the past week. … Actually, the timing now couldn't be more perfect."
"Huh? What do you mean?" Jamie asked.
"It's a long story, but Anto here has earned the respect of many other Gym leaders and right now we have a problem concerning Team Plasma."
"Those weirdoes?" Wes asked as he recalled those strangers with the strange medieval look.
Brycen looked at them with curiosity. "So you didn't know at all? Perhaps Clay thought just one trainer would be enough, but now? … I think it's time I caught you up to speed."
[In the skies above: A Monologue]
Hunter J stood in front of her cell of one of her most recent Bounties, Yellow of Viridian Forrest. One of the few people in this world said to have the ability to heal Pokémon and understand them naturally. A hero some called her and her friends.
Oh come on, can't we bad guys play hero every once in a while?
She briefly recalled that most notable trainers under Professor Oak's care usually had a color as a name. If the hero, Gold from Johto, were in place of this girl would it be ironic that he turned into his name? Then again, she recalled the records showing that Yellow and several other heroes had been once turned to stone.
"It must feel frustrating doesn't it? The fact that you are once more frozen over by strange circumstances?" She asked impassionate like as she looked on the still face of surprise. "Though it appears that unlike the time you were stone, right now you are very much conscious. That makes you all the more dangerous."
A one sided conversation perhaps? She would admit that she was sounding dangerously close to a Saturday morning cartoon villain, monologuing towards someone who she clearly had the upper hand to. However, she knew to never underestimate the heroes and their friends, especially since that among them were two of the boys that stopped her before. The last thing she needed was to have victory snatched from her hands by some dues ex machina.
"I wonder what exactly my employer wants with you? He only gave me money to capture you then to head towards Unova. Strangely enough, my next employer also was from Unova. Even without my gut feeling, there was obviously some kind of coincidence to that, but I don't care." She spoke out more information than necessary ever towards a captive. Why? What compelled her to open up now of all times?
So that's your decision huh? Well that's a shame. … A real darn shame…
She walked around the floating platform with a force field bubble around the frozen statue. "By now your little group of heroes are probably on their way to save you. It's what they do apparently. But you don't have to worry, you won't get hurt. Much." A grin slipped into her features, making those boys pay one way or would be quite the catharsis.
Hunter J had a flash back, her newest target and a picture of him with three other people. However, for once she did not carefully study her newest prey.
"I find it odd how a bunch of kids can undo the works of organizations and ambitious men all over the world. And it's done over and over again, and I was one of them. What is it about the next generation that brings out those types of trainers? What makes people like you rise every time someone's power rises?"
So what's your name anyway? I know it's not just J. It's gotta be a code name or something.
It finally dawned on her why she was here, talking aimlessly towards one of her prisoners and not preparing more recon on the boy she was sent to capture.
She was anxious. Strange as it was, after coldly squashing any form of sympathy that prevented her from doing her job, she felt anxious with this target for the first time since even her very first bounty—Arceus that was almost a life time ago by now.
With that, she left the prisoner room, commanding the guards outside to double their patrol but stay a respectable distance away from the prisoner. Getting sloppy here would be catastrophic.
[Back in Unova]
"All those Gymleaders… gone?" Jamie asked in shock as they all stared at the Gym leader in utter surprise.
"Team Plasma played us. Their Ambition is to resurrect one of the legendary Dragons of Unova."
White put a palm to her face and muttered, "Sapphire was so right." before she realized something. "Where is Black right now?" She asked worriedly.
"I gave him some directions to train his Pokémon. He still should be training right now. But now the focus is back to you Anto. What will you do with this information?"
Everyone looked to the young mute as he looked deep in thought and rather overwhelmed by this new revelation. He did recall Aspertia City where he saved Jill and Hugh's Pokémon, but he thought it was just one part of Team Plasma since N was in charge of most of them. But he never thought Team Plasma was capable of something like this.
It was actually a full minute before Anto asked if he could have time to think about this, letting everyone give him some space before Brycen explaining that he will be waiting for him in the gym. The mute stood up and told them he would be out for a walk, and despite knowing his poor luck, he really did need to clear his head for a second.
So here he was, walking around Icirrus City with his head pointed down on the pavement as he felt the chilly air.
Getting to the league, saving Unova, surviving a secret organization, and finding out his past… there was a lot of things he admitted that really complicated his life. And it was starting to get really overwhelming.
"I am way in over my head aren't I?" The boy sighed dejectedly before he continued walking to think about what he should do.
Perhaps he should challenge Brycen already? That would cut down time and allow him an easier time to get to the league since that was also the goal of Team Plasma somehow, but then Black was training right now in order to challenge Brycen, should he be doing the same thing instead of moping around so that he could become strong enough to help the gym leaders out? It was so horrible to hear that all the other Gym Leaders got beaten and captured by Team Plasma, especially after he met all of them and befriended them briefly and it also scared him somewhat that they could overpower such powerful trainers with Legendary Pokémon.
"Poliwag, Bubble!"
"Surskit, dodge and use Quick Attack!"
The 14 year old turned his head towards two young boys in a Pokémon battle. They looked too young to be official trainers, but it looked like the two boys were really into the battle. Anto found himself watching the two, as the Poliwag got hit by the Quick Attack, but then countered with Tackle. The two boys were screaming out attacks as they saw fit while the Pokémon looked like they really wanted to win for their friend.
It was then Anto realized something strange: he was smiling at them. There was just something fun about Pokémon, wasn't there?
… Hold on a second. Fun?
(Stop thinking so much! Being Pokémon is supposed to be fun!)
He did say that didn't he? It wasn't even that long ago… and if N really is doing this…
Man, he sure was eating his own words now wasn't he?
… Or was he still right about them?
Anto inhaled deeply. He knew what to do, but he still wondered how to handle Brycen's challenge? He did want to train, but he also knew he was pressed for time with everything else…
Dang! If only the world could take its sweet time in being destroyed, but nnooo, it was always 'running out of time' to them. Inconsiderate planet, you get threatened to destruction almost every year! You'd think by now people would have learned from this from all the other times the world was threatened to near extinction.
The black haired boy looked back towards the kids who were now cuddling their Pokémon after an apparent draw from both Pokémon slamming into each other. They both started running towards the Pokémon Center and then another idea came out from watching the kids leave.
He needed to get to Wes and Benga as quick as possible.
[Later]
Brycen could recall when he was depressed and hurt, Alder came up to him and shared that being with other and Pokémon can make one stronger. He kept those words etched to his heart and lived by those words of his friend and mentor figure.
It felt good to recall those uplifting times, especially when things look so dire for Unova considering Team Plasma and those mysterious terrorists in Nimbasa City. There was just this unsettling feeling he had as he waited in this gym that Unova would be seeing dark times.
A strange voice—a telepathic cry caught the Gym Leader out of his meditative state as Anto and the others came into the gym. For some reason they were all smiling.
"I see you decided to challenge me right away. Just know that I will not be going easy on you as we battle for your badge." The Gym leader welcomed the challenger as the four others left towards the seats.
"Actually, about that…" The amber eyes of the trainer lit up like lights as he fiercely pointed towards the ice gym leader. "Brycen, for this battle, I challenge you to a double battle! A 4 on 4 battle!"
That caught the older man completely off guard. The challenger was creating a stipulation for his match that he was not expecting. Why did he do that? Was he more comfortable with double battles? Still he never had a challenger create a condition for their battle before, so the boy had quickly caught his attention. What was the point of this?
Still, what reason did the gym leader have for declining this? "Very well. I accept your terms. Whoever losses all four Pokémon first forfeits the match." Brycen saw the boy nod at his condition before taking out a Premier and Poké Ball.
"Takezo! Kryx! Tear the Battlefield Asunder!" He cried out as the two Pokémon appeared in bursts of light.
Brycen blinked as he looked in surprise. The Patrat was wearing an eastern themed straw conical hat that sometimes rice farmers wear and fashioning two wooden blades to the side of a miniature scabbards. Then he turned to the Elgyem who was wearing an eastern themed robe. Why where his Pokémon wearing costumes?
Takezo tilted his head upward, pushing his straw hat slightly up. "Who dares enter into the Den of Dangers?"
Kryx couldn't contain her excitement despite what she said next. "All trespassers beware us, the Duo Guardians!" She smiled as she tried to levitate up and fold her arms dramtically.
Brycen blinked, he had understood what those Pokémon had just said! "Wait, how did…"
"I have the ability to translate language between Pokémon and People. It's a new ability to be honest, but now I thought it would be best if I do it now for this battle." The amber eyed boys spoke out with a excited smile.
Brycen was still shocked that the amnesiac had this ability. However, as the shock died down, he realized something with what his two Pokémon said. "Hold on, I recognized what those two Pokémon just said."
The mirthful smile on the boy grew wider. Brycen did know those words his Pokémon just spoke, how could he not? Those were from his famous movie: Enter the Beartic! There was a scene were the hero and his friend had to pass through two powerful evil doers to enter into the den of the Evil Beartic.
Oh how nostalgic, but why was the boy having his Pokémon quote that movie? Fans?
"Come out, Cryognal, Vanilluxe!" Byrcen threw his duo into entering the battle.
As soon as they entered the double Ice Cream Pokémon suddenly cloaked the field in snow, covering the battlefield.
Wes frowned, thinking back at the time he had to deal with a snow team. As he thought back, he was starting to wonder how everyone else was doing now that Anto is much closer to joining the league.
Kryx blocked her eyes since some of the snow swatted her face, but then suddenly Takezo ignited his wooden blade with Assurance and seemingly cut off pieces of snow falling towards Kryx. When his hit made contact, everyone noticed that the pieces of snow were connected and looked attacked towards Cryognal's ice chains.
"Impressive, young one," The Cryognal's voice sounded intrigued as the chains slowly made their way back towards the snowflake like Pokémon. "You are the first Pokémon to ever notice my chains among the falling hail."
Takezo fixed his straw hat, the bits of ice rolling off it as he threw out his blade and then pointed it towards his opponent. "My eyes are not just for show, you realize?"
"Ooohh! A Samurai off! Samurai battle! We're like super excited!" The Vanilluxe spoke out besides their partner. "I guess that means we get the psychic type though…"
They all turned back to Kryx, who was putting on a bunch of green goggles with giant red lenses she got from underneath the cloak like dress. "Ahh there we go, I can see much better now!"
Brycen was surprised to hear his Pokémon talk as well as Anto's, but passing over that, he noticed the goggles the Elgyem had. "Those are?"
"I got them back before I left Castelia City. Everyone was given Safety Goggles so that the desert storm wouldn't bother us on our walk. But I kept mine and recalled that the attendant said that the goggles also work for hail just like sandstorms! I had a feeling you would try a weather changing move in our battle so I gave Kryx my old one!"
"I like being given stuff." Kryx spoke out as she used a psychic shield to prevent the hail from buffering her.
Brycen stared at the two Pokémon. Despite the opening, this challenger was very prepared to face him. Still…
"Just because your own Pokémon can handle themselves in the snow does not mean my advantage stops there! In this weather my Pokémon get a boost!"
Suddenly, Takezo took out his second blade and both wooden swords ignited with dark energy. In a flurry of speed, the normal type slashed wildly, hitting and revealing more than a dozen frozen chains all aiming for him. As the Hail continued down, Cryognal was making more and more chains for him to manipulate like tendrils to attack the two from a far.
"Now do you see them?!" Takezo shouted towards Kryx whose eyes were already glowing and freezing all the chains mid air from being staggered by Takezo's strikes. Kryx pointed, making all the chains point back towards Cryognal and launch themselves back towards the giant snowflake. Vanilluxe acted quickly and used Flash Cannon to blast away the chains going back to his partner before unleashing an empowered Blizzard right on the two Pokémon. The psychic type levitated nearby Takezo, before psychically gathering ice to surround them before the attack covered over and really froze the make shift ice shield.
Cryognal made use of the hail still. Quickly recreating another batch of ice chains for him then making all the chains strike the dome with the force of ten whips and shattered the ice dome into chunks.
However, the attack only hit the dome. Kryx and Takezo were nowhere to be found.
Anto pointed and quickly everyone noticed Kryx and Takezo teleporting right above Vanilluxe. The Samurai unleashed a crossed X slash of dark energy on the Ice Cream Pokémon while Cryognal tried to whip his chains towards them in retaliation. The Extraterrestrial used psychic to block their momentum and send them back at Cryognal again. In that time the Elgyem was able to make the chains wrap around Cryognal like a badly wrapped Christmas present.
Then the alien scientist pushed them both with a powerful psychic blast making them fly across the battlefield.
However, Cryognal and Vanilluxe stood back up, or rather floated back up. Cryognal quickly loosened and untangled his chains while Vanilluxe looked to be healing from whatever damage Takezo had inflicted. This signaled that the Vanilluxe had Ice Body while the other Pokémon, taking on the Psychic blast, revealed that the snowflake Pokémon had some massive Special Defense stats.
"It's time I pressed the attack!" Brycen spoke out before ordering his Pokémon to use Blizzard once more but this time it was far stronger since Vanilluxe looked far angrier and Cryognal was now using his chains to attack the two with the Blizzard. Kryx quickly teleported out of the way while Takezo dashed/slid out of the attack while fending off the chains.
"Use your Ice Shard Whip variant!" Brycen called out.
The Cryognal shot out the speedy Ice Shard attack. At first glance it looked like Takeo would easily dodge it; however, the attack suddenly changed trajectory mid air and zoomed into the Patrat despite not losing velocity. More and more Ice Shards scattered and started homing in quickly on the normal type like a flurry of angry Beedrills and their stingers.
Takezo knew right away what was going on thanks to his sharp eyes, while Anto quickly figured it out. Brycen had ordered the Ice Shard attack to form around Cryognal's chains! This allowed him to aim and launch the attack from any angle he wished and allowed his chains to move faster and hit much harder like whips! Takezo was now using Detect to both avoid and block the near invisible chains among the hail until one of his blades got knocked out of his hands and eventually one of the chains constricted around the small normal type's leg and lifted him in the air.
Quickly, the ice type sent more chains to constrict Takezo in lift him mid air.
Meanwhile, Kryx had been teleporting around the Vanilluxe as they tried to aim for and hit the alien with a large ice blast. Kryx sent in her own blasts of psychic energy at the ice cream, but she wasn't doing enough damage that couldn't keep up with Vanilluxe's bulk and healing.
"Vanilluxe, use Flash Cannon on the Patrat!" Brycen commanded, seeing as how despite how sleeper Kryx was she lacked severely in fire power, and that his Pokémon could handle the small psychic as soon as they were done with the blade wielding normal type.
Anto panicked as this all happened but kept cool under pressure. "Kryx Teleport!"
Kryx appeared right next to Takezo of all places before grabbing him… and holding onto Cryognal's chains around the samurai.
"Don't let them escape, Crygonal!" Brycen cried out as Takezo saw another chain heading quickly towards Kryx beneath her.
Anto smirked.
Kryx quickly teleported all three of them—suddenly swapping the places where they were despite still being chained! Then in the last second, Crygonal got blindsided by Vanilluxe's Flash Cannon!
Anto capitalized as he saw the chains around Takezo weaken. "Now Kryx, Psychic again!"
Kryx psychically held onto the Snowflake Pokémon's body and chains… before throwing him at Vanilluxe! The two Pokémon slammed together and quickly, Kryx motioned all the chains to wrap and tie themselves around the two ice types.
"Takezo! Blade Storm—Katana Variant!"
Golden blades appeared floating near Takezo before they all condensed and became an electric Katana for Takezo to grab with his free hand. Then he quickly blasted off towards the two trapped Pokémon.
"Cryognal! Stop that Patrat!"
Out of the snow on the ground, more chains that were not used to tie the ice types down shot up to impede the charging samurai. However, Takezo slashed and shattered the chains with the raw energy of his Katana as he ducked, weaved, and slashed his way towards his opponents regardless of his obstacles.
When he got closer, more ice chains shot up to stop Takezo. The Samurai tilted his head, letting his straw hat get pierced from barely avoiding the last second blow before he unleashed a forceful, thundering slash on both Pokémon and then sliding away from the momentum of the attack.
The two Pokémon sparked with bits of electricity… then cackled… then electricity wildly danced around their bodied before exploding and stopping the hail from the battlefield.
The two ice types fell down unconscious, while Anto's Pokémon started gasping for breath.
"Well done!" Brycen complimented as he recalled the two Pokémon. "But this is far from over, go Mamoswine and Beartic!"
Two colossal ice Pokémon towered over the small psychic and normal type, and with how the two were tired from their fight with the first pair, Anto recalled them back into their spheres.
"Anto has been playing this quite well." Benga noted from the side.
"Yeah, I don't think Brycen is that well rounded when it comes to double battles." Jamie noticed.
White started thinking. "Now that I think of it, I don't usually see Gym Leaders do anything but single battles."
"You guys should see Orre. Single battles are actually super rare there. I think Anto has more experience in double battles than most people." Wes commented before they all looked at Anto throwing out his next pair of Pokémon.
Super Nut and Ohko stepped onto the field.
"Super Nut and Friends enter onto the field dramatically!" The Ferrothorn spoke out in third person.
Brycen was surprised that the opening move of the first pair was to use Stealth Rocks around the field, spreading out many floating boulders around the battlefield. He then noticed both Ohko and Super Nut already taking higher ground by jumping on the floating rocks. Brycen frowned; his two Pokémon right now didn't have that good off a ranged attack, but…
"Icicle Crash." Brycen called out as the two Pokémon summoned large frozen stalactites above the mobile Pokémon on the flying rocks.
The two Pokémon jumped and swung their way across the boulders, until they had reached the highest one where Ohko jumped up and shattered an falling icicle before give a thumbs up sign towards Super Nut.
"A valiant effort, my comrade!" Super Nut declared proudly.
"Yea! We gots each other's back and we ain't going to lose to no power hungry Beartic!" The one armed Sawk spoke out before pointing towards the Beartic down below.
Despite their thick accents and speech patterns, Brycen and hi Beartic recognized this as another indirect quote where the hero and his ally were facing down the rampaging Beartic.
Brycen gave the order to continue their fire before looking at the challenger and calling out to him as their Pokémon continued to fight. "Why are your Pokémon continually quoting my old movie?"
"I asked them to. When I told my plans to my friends, Benga told me about your movies and I gave them a watch. They were so cool!" As Anto conversed, Beartic and Mamoswine were now summoning icicles nearby them for the two power houses to throw with much faster speed at the two other strange Pokémon as they jumped from rock to floating rock.
Brycen felt a little pride, but it was mixed with some shame. "I am honored, but looking back, my past works were not something I appreciate as others do."
"I know, you once said that you focused more on making cool stunts and that eventually gave you an injury that prevented your stunt acting for a while, which is why you retired from acting and went to being a gym leader. But I did watch your movie, despite those amazing stunts, I enjoyed the human parts of the movie as well. In Enter the Beartic, your character doesn't fight for glory or honor. He fights to save his friend who put himself at risk to save the hero. You portrayed your character wonderfully, and that was the part that I enjoyed most of all, not the cool stunts, but the humanity and kindness you showed behind that state of courage."
Brycen stayed silent at the thought provoking words the young teen. This was the first time someone had complimented his acting rather than his stunts. It felt strange, but as he recalled in acting, he had to feel the part as well. He truly felt like he was avenging and protecting a friend during the final climax of the movie and he would have been lying if he said he did not feel at least somewhat heroic in that moment.
Anto went on. "It was then I found my answer in regards to Team Plasma by watching your movie. I know that Team Plasma has done horrible things, but I think there is honestly some good in them. So I choose to fight, not to prevent them from threatening Unova, but to inspire them that what they're doing is wrong."
Brycen closed his eyes.
"That sounds Idealistic and naïve." He said as Beartic and Mamoswine have launched so many Icicle Crashes at the two that they destroyed all floating Stealth Rocks in the air and brought Anto's pair back into the ground.
"I won't deny that, but I can't really bring myself to hate or despise anyone in the long term. Sure I get angry at them at the horrors they do, but afterward? I only wish they would be more compassionate." He spoke softly with strange tenderness.
Still Brycen thought that was a dangerous way of thinking. "Then how would you change that?"
An honest smile, with eyes that shined of something clever and devious appeared on the boy's face after he was asked that question. "I have one crazy idea that I don't think anyone has tried: I'm going to make the King of Team Plasma, enjoy a Pokémon battle!"
Make the King of Team Plasma enjoy the very thing he loathes with all his soul and might? That sounded impossible! Was this child truly insane?
Yet why…? How could he say something so incredible with the most determined face he has only seen in Black so far?
"It sounds impossible, but yet… if you truly wish to prove such improbable and outlandish ideals, you must prove to me your strength to pursue them!"
All four Pokémon clashed heavily against each other with blow after heavy blow. There was no grace or speed in this battle where the previous four Pokémon battled in test of skill. This one was a test of pure power, endurance, and will. "My ideals sound farfetched, but last time I checked: humans have always had this ability to turn ideals into truth by chasing after them! I'm not giving up! No matter what impossible odds stand in my way, I'm going for it; win or lose! That's what I've decided!"
The boy screamed out. If his life was nothing but strange ever since he woke up, why couldn't he try to do the crazy and impossible as well? Actually he knew that was something like Gambler's Fallacy in expecting some kind of pattern when there actually wasn't, but there was something Anto always did whenever he battled anyone: he battled with all of his heart and soul. There had to be something in a battle he could show to N that no one ever taught him before.
Ohko and Super Nut where knocked back a peg as Beartic and Mamoswine pushed the two Pokémon away.
Yet the mute stood strong. "But I'm not going in alone! I've got the best back up in the world behind me! Ohko, Super Nut! Yoyo Combo!"
"Yoyo?" Brycen quickly stated in confusion.
Suddenly the costumed Ferrothorn shot out one of his vines which Ohko quickly grabbed. The fighting type flexed and then pulled on the vine, lifting Super Nut and moving the steel and grass type towards the blue Pokémon. Ohko lifted his leg… then kicked Super Nut as he had a small circular Protect force field around him!
Super Nut shot out like a blur and slammed right into Mamoswine! Not only that, the Protect barrier was gone, and Mamoswine felt hurt from the thick spikes from Super Nut and tumbled over from the heavy impact.
Beartic and Brycen gasped before they noticed Ohko pulling back for Ferrothorn then swinging his body around the fighting type before whipping him back towards Beartic!
Brycen immediately realized why Anto had called out Yoyo, he was using the elastic vines of his Ferrothorn to come back from each attack with potentially greater force! He quickly commanded his Beartic to block since he lacked the speed to dodge such a combination. However, despite bracing the blow, it did little as Beartic was knocked down hard into the ground sliding on the ice.
Brycen had ordered his Pokémon to go all out, ordering the Mamoswine to perform Giga Impact while it shrouded itself in thick ice like armor. Then he commanded Beartic to use Avalance in such a way that the ice beneath them shook hard and gave power for the towering pure ice type to extend his claws with a large amount of ice energy in them that contained all the damage he had received so far in this fight.
Ohko and Super Nut returned in kind. The one armed fighting type threw Super Nut towards the fast moving Mamoswine with amazing speed, and as he did Super Nut started spinning wildly with Gyro Ball as the two incoming forced made contact.
But at the same exact time, Ohko ignited his fist with a blaze of fire and charge right for the Beartic who threw his long, muscular arms back and unleashed the heaviest punch he could muster at Ohko with the Avalanche stored claws.
The four heavy blows made contact and a huge explosion covered the whole gym, causing everyone to cough violently and wait out until the dust settled.
When they came back up, all four Pokémon were lying on the ground, injured form the contact of all attacks.
However, to everyone's surprise, all four Pokémon slowly got back up despite the heavy damage each of them took.
"That is enough!" Brycen yelled. "I have seen enough. Anto, you win."
"I-I do?" The young boy sounded surprised as Brycen walked over to his side of the field, recalling his two ice types.
"To be honest, I think you had an advantage being more experienced in double battles than I, but none the less, I have lost against you and your Pokémon. And now I present to you the Freeze Badge in honor of your victory."
"Thanks." Anto spoke out before Ohko and Super Nut came by.
"Oh wow look at that! It's so shiny! Danger Damoiseau, permission to use your badges as valiant symbols of justice!?"
Anto actually understood the meaning of what he was actually implying. "No you cannot just use these like police badges to show off or wear them along your mask!"
Super Nut deflated.
The amnesiac relaxed a bit. "… After the league, I promise to give these to you and you can do whatever you want with them."
"Truly!?" Super Nut's response was met with a nod. "Look out Evil Doers, The Dynamic Pair is on the case!" The Pokémon said as he grabbed Anto and hugged him… with his spikes…
"AAAH!? Super Nut!?" Anto cried out.
"Ooh! Group Hug! I want in to boss!" Ohko spoke out before Super Nut quickly wrapped Ohko in as well, but then made the young teen get crushed between a hard place and a spikey place.
Brycen stared in shock as the boy struggled with standing before flailing around and then falling into the icey floors with hail still.
The boy and his Pokémon… they all seemed to be on the same wavelength. Perhaps there truly was more to him than met the eye.
Still, as Anto was struggling to get his Pokémon off him, he felt like he was actually starting to bleed with how close he was to Super Nut with his bone crushing hug.
Brycen raised his brow at the odd sight of drips of blood starting to come out. That boy was definitely going to clean that up later. No one bleeds on his clean gym floors.
Still… perhaps…
There was a gamble worth taking on the strange boy.
[Meanwhile…]
They two stepped off the plane, taking in the air around them.
"Ahh Unova! It's great to be back!"
"Man it's chilly here. Brrr!"
"Well we're in the northern region of course. … Flow? You sense them?"
"Oh Yes Summer! I can sense Anto's signature from here! I can't wait to meet them again!"
{Important Author Notes}
OK, I accidentally forgot to write some Author notes but this should explain somethings right off the bat.
Yes, Anto is getting his next badge very quickly than normal: I have a reason for this and you'll see it later. I'm really asking you guys to be patient because I'm going to explain this right in the next chapter because this is technically a small but plot important arc.
There is something else in Icirrus City that I want Anto to do, so getting his badge early was the only way to make this work.
Also, I am aware of how cheesy Anto sounded, but I promise you that while I was writing that mini speech, an idea popped into my head.
Basically, these notes are here to Apologize before showing what the next chapter is. Sorry for posting this wrong in the first place.