Divide

by The Vilified

Aaron takes in a typhlosion with low self-esteem and a crippling disability: she can't make fire. As it turns out, though, there is far more to her than he expected, and with the arrival of a new group – one that believes humans are no longer fit to rule themselves – a global conflict forces them to question what they are willing to fight for. Human x Pokémon.

15. Chapter 15

A/N: Sorry for the two month wait, but this chapter was essentially a full one-shot at 35.8K words. Hope y'all enjoy.

---

Chapter Fifteen: Adira

---

"Wh-what the…" He blinked, making sure that he was seeing things correctly.

'Hello Aaron,' a soothing voice said within his mind. Adira's down was fluffy in certain parts, sparkling if the light caught it at just the right angle. Her feathery wings looked almost angelic. But one thing that didn't change were her piercing eyes – the very same hazel as her husband's.

"I don't…" Aaron swallowed nervously.

"Now you know."

"I thought… you said she wasn't a pokémon…"

"No," Nathan corrected, "I said she wasn't a zoroark. And she isn't." Despite the situation, Aaron rolled his eyes.

"And her being mute?"

"Did I ever claim that she was?" the older trainer asked.

'Though I will admit, I am proficient in sign language, aren't I?'

"Of course, love." He fixed his eyes on Aaron. "So…"

"Y-yeah?"

"I don't suppose you'd like to continue that conversation we were having in the diner." Aaron looked down, wishing at that moment that he was anywhere else. What could he say? That he hadn't meant it?

"I… I didn't know…"

"Which tells me that your words were honest. You wouldn't have said anything had you known," Nathan replied. "Do not feel the need to hide your opinions from me. I have heard far worse before."

He looked at the latias, who fixed her eyes upon him. Seeing a legendary in person was something that most people could only dream of. But finding out that his best friend was married to one? That was something else entirely.

'You have questions,' Adira said telepathically. He had yet to insert his translators, but that didn't seem to be an issue for her.

"Many."

'Go ahead.' Her mental voice was like a gentle breeze, tickling his ears with every syllable. Despite the fact that he had unintentionally insulted them a few days prior, the legendary showed no signs of animosity. A small smile was on her face.

"I just… I can't believe this is real…"

"Well, if you're expecting us to prove our intimacy, then I'm afraid we'll have to disappoint," Nathan said. Adira giggled, placing her hand on his. Clawed digits fit perfectly between the human's.

"That's not what I meant," Aaron countered. "But… looking back… Nora was right. Stuff wasn't adding up…"

"What do you mean?"

"She felt something around you, Adira. Nora knew something was up."

'Interesting. No one has ever been suspicious of my illusions. Even your lucario was completely unaware.'

"I guess this answers a lot of questions, though," Aaron stated. "I assume this is why you have a license plate blocker?"

"Correct. I'm sure you know how Unovan law works when it comes to particular species. They would want to track every single move she makes, and they would try to take her from me if we didn't abide by their rules. Adira is not theirs to control. But they can't accept that. So we play by a different tune."

"That's rough…"

"I don't want you to think I didn't trust you," Nathan continued. "I do. But a secret like this… there are only a few thousand of their kind in the world at any given time. You must understand that any risk was worth avoiding."

"Then why show me now?"

"Because I felt you deserved to know. I trust you to keep our secret." Nathan twisted his teacup, making the handle parallel to the side of the table. "But if you don't… well, I'm very confident that Adira would be more than a match for anyone who decided to come for us."

"I would never betray your trust like that," Aaron assured him. "Your secret is safe with me."

"You wouldn't even tell your pokémon?" he asked. That question made him pause.

"I—"

"They're free to know as well. But I would like for it to rest there."

"Understood," Aaron replied. Now that the shock value had worn off – as much as it could, at least – he felt the overpowering desire to barrage them with questions. It was uncertain how much of his thoughts she could read, but perhaps that hadn't been necessary as evident from her smile. "This is amazing. I never thought I'd actually see a legendary in person… Should I have bowed or something?" Adira laughed.

'I am not that significant a legendary, dear. But I appreciate the thought.' She reached forth, placing her hand on his wrist. 'Now, you do have my apology for keeping this matter a secret, but you can surely see our reasons.'

"Yeah," Aaron said, "I definitely can."

"So, if you'd like, you can ask whatever questions you want. Or, if you aren't in a rush to get back, you can hear the long version," Nathan stated. "Which will it be?"

"Nothing I had planned for today was that important. So if you don't mind… I'd like to hear the whole story."

"Very well." Nathan glanced towards the living room. "In that case, we might as well head in there. Make ourselves comfortable. This will take some time."

---

There was nothing like the thrill of battle. Pokémon clashed from both sides, one of which was being overrun by the other. Nathan walked forward, taking note of the admin's tactics. Battles like this consisted of no rules aside from winning, and the blood staining the concrete proved that much. He walked beside a limp staravia, unsure as to whether or not it was still alive. It wasn't theirs, though, so it didn't matter.

As they overtook the remaining Delta members, Nathan gripped the handle of his revolver. A .357 S&W with seven rounds and a four-inch barrel. He'd never had to use it in the field, but he knew how to if necessary. Very well if he might add. But it didn't look like that would happen today. Red beams recalled injured pokémon amidst cries of agony. Bones cracked and elemental attacks of multiple kinds were launched. Justin's tyranitar grabbed a barely conscious salazzle by the arm. She sputtered, trying in a last-ditch effort to escape, and he hurled her into the ground. Teeth shattered, causing him to look away as blood escaped from her mouth. The poison-type was returned.

The remaining members soon tried to retreat. That's when the final stage of the fight ensued. The one where they targeted the trainers themselves. "Get 'em!" one of the Alpha militants yelled, pointing towards their enemies and chuckling as his rhydon was one of the first in pursuit. This was the part that Nathan was most concerned with. Attacking the trainers seemed like a good way to be charged with assault. Of course, he'd need to get past that if he were going to be an admin himself. At least they were all wearing bandanas over their faces, hiding their identities, and the cops tended to be slow to arrive at the scene.

He folded his arms, standing back with Justin. The admin was in his early thirties, sporting a full beard that was barely hidden by the cloth. "Whatcha think, boy?"

"They've got to be losing hope by now. There can't be that many more in this city."

"You'd be surprised." He pulled a cigarette out of his shirt pocket, taking the liberty of lowering his bandana. In the distance, people could be heard yelling as Alpha's pokémon relentlessly attacked them. The point was simple: to make sure each and every one of them never wanted to step foot in this city again. Or could, for that matter. Nathan knew from experience that there was little reservation of making paraplegics. "Damn this is satisfying." Justin deeply inhaled, closed his eyes and took in the sounds of victory. A few gunshots served as the pinnacle of their achievement. If a few of them had to die to make their point, then so be it.

"Still," Nathan continued, "every war has its end. At some point they've got to become discouraged."

"Yeah, but let's just hope that ain't any time soon." He tapped his cigarette, flicking the ashes away. "There's nothin' quite as satisfying as driving these fuckers out." Of the hundreds of Alpha members that Nathan had met, he'd seen few that loved what they did as much as Justin.

"They don't give much of a fight."

"That makes it better. Seeing those stupid, self-righteous looks wiped off of their faces – that ain't something I could ever get tired of." Nathan agreed with that much; his own hatred of Delta was due to the fact that they felt the need to embark on this crusade of sorts, trying to rowel up the populace. To teach them that they were disadvantaged or discriminated. Delta would rather have the average man revolt over some imagined state of oppression instead of doing something to better his life. And poverty? Poverty in these countries was a joke. Even the very poorest had access to clean water, food from various non-profits and charities, and government-funded housing. The poor in this day and age lived better than the wealthy a few hundred years ago. No… if they want to see poverty, they should go overseas…

Once the screaming died out, Alpha retreated from the area before the police could arrive at the scene. The entire fight had only taken five minutes, and as the sound of sirens drifted in the night air, they sped off. City blocks gave way to grassy plains and rolling hills. After twenty minutes of driving, they stopped by a rustic bar, hollering as they let their pokémon out once more. Few had become injured in the fight, but none of their injuries were all that significant. Delta attacked quickly and in numbers, but they tended to lack coordination and thus fell to people who had it. "Drinks are on me tonight boys!" Justin yelled.

Nathan sat at the table. He had picked at his food, and the bubbles no longer rose in a nearly untouched soda. He still had about half a year to go before he could legally purchase alcohol, but that wasn't really high on his list of priorities. He'd tasted several kinds before; beer tasted awful and anything harder burned the throat. Nathan saw no appeal to it.

"Somethin' on your mind?" Justin asked.

"A bit. Got about a month left before I head back."

"Nervous?"

"About classes?" Nathan asked, receiving a nod in return. "Nah. Not yet, at least. Engineering ain't all that hard, it's just a lot of work. But I'm thinking about going to grad school, though."

"What's gotcha interested in that?" Justin finished his third or fourth beer, holding an empty glass up to signal the waitress for another.

"One of my professors last year teaches courses in both mechanical and nuclear. And I'll admit, hearing him talk about his other content was pretty neat. Definitely sounded like he loved the field."

"And you don't like mechanical?"

"I mean it's not something I'm super passionate about. I definitely wasn't about to waste my scholarships on some useless degree – that much is certain. But I like it alright. I can definitely see myself finishing with this major, but… if I can get funding for grad school, it might be nice to try something new, you know?" Another beer arrived at the table.

"Whatever the case, I know you'll be fine. You've got a good head on your shoulders, boy. Better than most of us. You'll make a damn good admin one day." Justin folded his arms. "Though I suppose you won't be an admin if you're off workin' at some power plant."

"The degree is just to learn how to think more critically," Nathan replied. "At least, that's what Dad said. He did the same thing when he was my age."

"And he's second in command of the most powerful team on the planet. You'd do well to heed his advice."

"Of course, of course. But it wouldn't hurt to have something that I could use outside of Alpha, you know?"

"Maybe. But keep in mind where your priorities are."

"Yeah." Even if he became passionate about nuclear engineering – and he wasn't certain about anything yet – saving the world from the clasps of Delta was far more important. Society was on its last stand; as the decades had passed and the left had increasingly won the culture war, securing control of the media and the education system, they had pushed decent people out and antagonized any who saw things differently. The religious – including those belonging to warped, cult-like sects or those who claimed it yet acted however they wished – only accounted for a little more than half of people. There was a significant problem on their hands.

As strong as Alpha was, one thing was clear: unless they stepped up and started pushing into enemy territory, they would lose the ideological war. Delta pumped out more brainwashed morons every day. The dim light cast shadows on the wooden table, flickering slightly, and Nathan began to pick at his food once more. Around his neck was something that symbolized what they stood for – what they were trying to bring society back towards. A golden pendant of Arceus' crest. Not everyone in Alpha wore one; in fact, most people didn't. But it had always been an important part of his upbringing.

When he arrived back at the house, Nathan removed his boots by the door. After graduation – whether that was from grad school or not – he would join the fight himself. Someone of his standing had access to some of Alpha's most powerful pokémon. Typically ground, rock and dragon-types, but there were many who owned others. But that was then. For now, all he could do was take one day at a time.

He looked at the darkened sky, knowing that it would rain tomorrow. Random storms had been more common, and as they approached the prime of hurricane season, they were expected to receive some serious tropical storms. It wouldn't be the first, and definitely not the last. Fortunately, their house was built at a decent elevation, being at an incline that placed them nearly thirty feet above sea level. But there was always the chance that it could be worse. That was what flood insurance was for.

In the distance, the sea showed no signs of hostility. It was strange how something so serene was capable of such destruction. Nathan shook his head, opening the door and shutting it behind him.

---

He looked at the phone number on the email, taking a deep breath. Nathan didn't know why he was so nervous; he'd spent several hours in Dr. Miller's office. But the matter at hand wasn't some after-class question.

The phone only rang once. "Hello?"

"Hey Dr. Miller. How are you doing?"

"Great, Nathan. Glad to hear that you're considering grad school."

"Yessir. Hearing you talk about nuclear engineering is what got me interested, actually," Nathan replied.

"Is that so?" Dr. Miller asked. "Well, I'm glad to hear it. We need more students like yourself in nuclear. Do you have anyone sponsoring you?"

"No sir. That's actually what I was calling about. I figured that you would know the staff well, and that if any of them were considering taking any grad students, you'd be able to point me in the right direction."

"I see." The doctor paused for a second; his tone was uncertain. "Well, I hate to disappoint you, but all the professors I know that are sponsoring have already filled their slots."

"Oh." That was somewhat disappointing to hear. Paying for it out of pocket wasn't an option, and student loans would put him somewhere around sixty thousand in debt. That was incredibly impractical for someone who would end up being an Alpha admin anyways.

"That said, I could make a slot available."

"Wait, really?" Nathan asked.

"Sure. I've been toying with the idea for some time, and there are several topics that I could come up with for a project. I think you would be a great fit."

"Wow… thanks, Dr. Miller. I'm not sure what all to say."

"Think nothing of it. You always asked a lot of questions," the professor said. "And questions are cheap. Broken machinery isn't."

"Well… I still have two years to go. Anything I should do in the meantime?" Nathan asked.

"Just keep your grades up. I'll send you some readings on the subject of our project."

"Already got something in mind?" Nathan was intrigued; though he likely wouldn't understand all of the terminology, that wouldn't prevent him from reading each one.

"Of course," the professor replied. "The focus of my research hasn't changed much in the past decade, so I've already got a very good idea of what you'll be doing."

The rest of the call consisted of a broad overview of the topic: nuclear vitrification, or the consolidation of recycled nuclear material into a solid glass for safe waste storage. And there wasn't a lot of room to mess that up; waste products from the recycling process could remain radioactive for well over ten thousand years.

Once he was done – and after Nathan had thanked the professor numerous times – he hung up, retreating to the shed in the back. His father had planned on going fishing with him, that being one of their favorite pastimes. With the hurricane edging closer to the coast, this would be one of the last days of bearable weather. Why Walter had ever decided to build in such a disaster zone, Nathan had no idea, but at least it was at somewhat of a decent elevation above sea level.

Fishing rods and tackle box in hand, he walked nearly three-quarters of a mile to the dock. Several boats drifted there, secured to posts, and it didn't take long to find theirs. If Nathan stood close to the sleek white surface, he could almost make out his reflection in the glossy paint.

Before long, he wasn't the only one there. Walter joined him, a felt cowboy hat hiding a receding hairline, and the two boarded the boat. His father inserted the key and turned the ignition while Nathan untied the rope. The motor hummed to life as he took a seat. Nathan frowned. Dad looks tired.

"Everything okay? You look pretty worn out."

"Yep. Just a long day today – that's all," Walter said. Once they stopped, the two quietly threaded their lines through the lures. Nathan was sure to use one that pokémon could easily distinguish; he'd learned that one the hard way. "What were you up to? Stayed in your room most of the day."

"I had a pretty good reason," Nathan replied. "I spoke with one of my former professors." His dad cast his line, reeled it back a little, and waited.
"About?"

"Well… he's willing to sponsor me for grad school. Nuclear engineering." Walter turned his head, catching him with a sideways glance.

"Really? That so?"

"Yeah."

"Huh…" He seemed not to know what to make of Nathan's statement, and that concerned the younger male. Shouldn't he be happy for him?

"Is… something wrong?"

"No, no – not necessarily. I just thought you were planning on sticking with the cause."

"Of course, Dad. But wouldn't it be better for me to get even more education?"

"Maybe. I know you got a really good head on your shoulders – that much is certain. I've no doubt you'll be one of the smartest admins the team's ever seen. But the more time you spend there, the less you're learning what really matters."

"Oh…"

"But if this is what you want, then I won't say anything against it. It's only another two years, right?"

"That's right."

"Good." For a moment, the two of them stared blankly at their lines, the only sound being the gentle splash of a low tide against the boat. The sun was going down. In the distance, several boats could be seen heading east. Those on board looked to be Hispanic, and as they grew closer, Nathan could make out tattoos on most of their skin. One of them made eye contact with them as they sped by. "Dumbasses," Walter spat as the waves from the much larger boat's motor forced their own to rock.

"Why would they be headed towards the storm?" While it wouldn't be here for a few more days, going in the direction of a hurricane didn't strike him as a particularly smart idea.

"Don't know, don't care. Let's hope they sink." He pulled his line back a bit, and Nathan followed suit. "Anyways, back to what we were talkin' about before."

"Yeah?"

"I want you to know how proud of you I am. You got a full ride for your bachelors and now this. Most kids your age are only focused on the here and now. On what makes them feel good in the moment. But you have actual priorities – a sense of direction. You've always been destined for greater things."

"Thanks, Dad."

At that moment, Nathan couldn't have asked for anything more. As they stared at a vast ocean in front of them, he felt a sliver of something he hadn't felt in a long time. A glimmer within the abyss.

He felt happy.

---

Aaron took an experimental sip of tea, finding himself decently surprised. Adira had already filled her own cup once again. "So you were going to be an admin," he said.

"One of the highest-ranking ones. Eventually, once Dad got old enough, I'd take his place. Maybe even Clay's if he hadn't found a successor."

"You mean to tell me that you could have been the leader of Alpha?"

"Could have."

"Damn… and how do you fit into this, Adira?"

'We will get there soon.'

"Oh, I almost forgot." Aaron fished his translators out of his pocket, inserting them into his ears. "There. So you don't have to use telepathy." In truth, he was also curious to hear what the device made her 'actual' voice sound like.

"I appreciate the thought, dear, but telepathy is as natural to us as vocalized speech."

"Ah… yeah, that'd make sense." He looked at Nathan. "So what happened next?"

"The hurricane."

---

Dark clouds loomed over the horizon as wind howled, stripping the branches of trees in a violent manner. Water droplets stung the skin. Nathan's family was secure inside, having purchased several provisions in case the power went out. Windows occasionally vibrated from the force outside, making him fear that they might shatter even through the shutters.

Walter sat at the table, skimming through a few papers related to one of their recent counterprotests. A far more public event that had resulted in a stalemate when police forcibly separated everyone. A candle was positioned in the middle of the table in case it was necessary. His mother was in the kitchen and sorted through the food in an effort to similarly prepare for the worst.

Nathan scrolled through his phone, reading one of the articles Dr. Miller had sent him. He found himself very intrigued by the field; how a few scarcely enriched pellets were capable of powering massive houses. Or, if one was particularly diabolical, how a sphere of the stuff the size of a baseball was capable of leveling a city.

"It looks like we're all set," Julia finally said. They'd likely be good for a week or two in the absolute worst-case scenario. "Oh, I'm hoping this one won't be as bad as last year's…"

"Everything will be fine, honey. All we're getting is some heavy rain. Anything else, I'd have had the boat brought on land."

"Right, right…" She said it more so to assure herself. "Are you sure it's secure out there?"

"Nathan tied it up, so it should be." That made him stop reading the nuclear papers.

"Uh… I tied the stern line." Walter removed his reading glasses.

"What?"

"You always secure the bow line."

"I grabbed the damn tackle box and rods." Walter gripped the chair tightly, his eyes going wide. "Oh shit!" Nathan sprung to his feet and sprinted out the door. Immediately a wave of piercing drops met him, but he wasn't about to let that stop him. He just prayed that he wasn't too late.

Mud splattered with each step as he swiftly closed the distance between the house and the dock. As he drew near, his worst fear had been averted, though only narrowly. The boat drifted violently as a single rope barely held it near the dock, and as he nearly slipped on the wooden surface, Nathan hurriedly grabbed the unused rope, secured it in place, and jumped into the boat, using it to pull it closer to the dock. He panted, still out of breath from his sprint, rocking violently as the waves threatened to take his footing but glad that he had managed to make it in time.

Nathan carefully stepped out, completely drenched from head to toe. While there was no rush to get back on account of preserving any dry clothing, staying out in this weather was far from preferable. He broke out into another jog, this time allowing himself to actually breathe in the process.

He nearly made it off the dock when something caught his eye. It looked like someone else's boat hadn't been so lucky, fragments of which had been pushed to shore, though soon they would likely be pulled back into the water. But an odd shape was in the midst of it all. Violent waves pushed something covered with mud, and floating around it was what looked like… feathers?

It didn't take him long to panic. Nathan ran forth into waist-deep water, managing to grab ahold of what appeared to be a bird-like pokémon. It was hard to make out the details with its crumpled body coated with mud. But as he trudged back to the shore, pulling it behind him, he found himself at a loss for words.

He was looking at a latias.

His fingers reached to her neck, feeling for a pulse and sighing in relief when he found one. But now that left him with another issue: what to do next? Nathan was holding a legendary in his arms, and that alone was an intimidating thought. Should he take her to a pokémon center? No, running through the city streets with an unconscious legendary was asking for trouble – a fight that he wouldn't be able to win without any pokémon. So he settled on the next best idea, running faster than he had ever run before into the storm.

The door was all but kicked open. "I need help!" he yelled to his parents. Julia was the first to arrive, followed by her husband, and both of their mouths went agape. "Quick, get some potions and disinfectant. Mom, draw some warm water and grab some towels." Everyone split up, going about their tasks with all haste. Nathan evaluated her condition. There were several notable gashes in her down, though none of them seemed too deep, and thick, gentle trickles had mixed with the water that still dripped down her body. One in particular crossed along her right wing, and had it not been for the naturally red feathers, surely it would have been the first thing he had noticed. A mental note was made to patch that up first.

The latias was set on the table, everything else cleared, and a warm bowl of water and several cloths were brought out. He helped scrub the dirt from the legendary's form, careful to avoid the scarring tissue at first. Walter had dumped and refilled the bucket, the water of which had adopted a brown coloration, multiple times. "Mom, would you mind finishing up here?" Nathan asked, setting down his rag. "Latias is a female-only species… Once you're done, I'll help with everything else."

"Of course, honey. You and your father wait for me in the living room." Nathan nodded, but instead went to the tiny laundry room, grabbing some clean sheets from over the dryer. Walter had a curled fist in front of his mouth, likely pondering everything that was going on.

"Where'd you find her?"

"By the dock – other side from the boat. I was running back when I spotted her in the water."

"What in the world was she doing, flying through a storm like that?" Walter asked.

"I have no clue."

"In any case, she ain't lookin' too good. We'll need to sort a few things out. Look like you're on the same page," he said, motioning to the folded sheets.

"Yeah, I'm gonna remake my bed real quick." Since there were only two bedrooms in the house, he felt that the matter of her sleeping arrangements was an unspoken settlement.

Nathan helped clean and bandage the few wounds that she had. Now that the shock value had worn off, he found himself fascinated by such a creature. And in their house! Admittedly, the thought of taking a picture or two had crossed his mind so that one day he might show others in future conversations; undoubtedly nobody would believe him otherwise. But he refrained, as that would be immensely disrespectful given her current position.

Then there was another thought – one that, if he had considered before jumping into action, might have even made him hesitant. They knew nothing about her. Nothing aside from the fact that such creatures were immensely powerful. There was a good chance that even in her wounded state, this latias could completely level this house and everyone within it if she so wanted. She was a legendary, though – odds are she wouldn't. The more likely case was that the latias would fly away the moment her strength permitted.

Nathan and his father carefully lifted her into his bedroom. Carrying such a creature was surreal, and physically, not what he expected: she was heavier than her appearance suggested. The fact that moving the latias didn't wake her was concerning. While he wasn't inclined towards the medical field whatsoever, he doubted that staying unconscious for so long was a good sign. But her chest was rhythmically rising and falling, so if there was one, that was it.

Retreating back to the living room, Nathan took his spot on the recliner and resumed his studies.

---

He found it difficult to focus on anything else as she rested. Nathan's eyes skimmed over his readings, but none of the words resonated anymore as his mind constantly returned to the legendary in his bedroom. It also didn't help that the setup of a nuclear assembly, even with correlating pictures, wasn't the most interesting of topics.

But a legendary? That was another story. The experiences such a creature must have had must be phenomenal. Rain pounded against the house, creating a heavy yet soothing barrage. What was she thinking, trying to fly through such weather? There had to have been a good reason to take such a tremendous risk. It was only one of a multitude of questions that he would like to ask. Of course, they needed to be mindful of the latias' boundaries; making her feel cornered could be a great way to initiate a conflict. It was for that very reason that the door to his bedroom had been left open.

Nathan read over the document again, somehow absorbing less information than the last time, then decided to close the file. Maybe later. His mother was cooking dinner – thankfully the power had not gone out – and bubbling could be heard from the kitchen as vegetables were steamed in a large pot.

"Need any help?" he asked.

"No, honey – not in here. You could check on our guest, though."

"Alright I guess." Door open or not, Nathan didn't favor the idea of peeping in on a legendary. But knowing that it was all in good intention, and she had been pretty wounded, an exception could be made. Silent footsteps treaded through the carpeted hall until he paused in front of his door. Nathan looked inside the room, expecting to see her tucked under the covers as they had left her.

What he didn't expect was two open eyes.

"Uh… hey…"

'Have you captured me while I was asleep?' The voice was smooth. Despite the nature of her question, the latias asked it without any malice.

"No. I would never do such a thing." That seemed to bring some reassurance to the legendary. Her body floated upwards, but she winced, craning her neck to better observe the prominent bandage on her wing. Nathan folded his arms, now even more curious. "I'm surprised that you know English…"

'Most of us learn the local human tongues. They are not difficult.' He didn't know what to make of that statement.

"…Alright then. Do you have a name?" She tilted her head, seeming to ponder his question. His eyes fixed on her own. A soothing coo sounded in his mind, resonating with him as if it were a perfect musical note before fading away.

'In your language it roughly translates to 'New Light.' And you?'

"Nathan."

'Well Nathan, I thank you for helping me, but I must return to my group. I have no doubt that they are worried for me.'

"You're not going anywhere for the time being," Nathan replied. "You're in absolutely no condition to be flying, and the weather is an absolute nightmare. You need to wait the storm out."

'I am able to endure some harsh weather,' With a swift motion, the latias managed to toss the covers aside, but as her wings straightened, she flinched again.

"Please, there's no need to push yourself. Just wait the storm out," Nathan said. "I promise you, I've no intention on capturing you or anything of the sort." Truth be told, he doubted that he even could if he wanted now that she was awake. A moment of silence was held between the two, but the latias finally broke it.

'Very well. I shall remain here for the time being. I suppose it would not hurt to recover my strength while the weather calms.'

The house was not very large, and as such, it did not take long for Nathan's parents to join them. The latias looked at them, and while Nathan was unable to determine her expressions, she seemed… uneasy.

"I see you're awake now. Hopefully my son here ain't talkin' your head off." Nathan rolled his eyes.

'He has done nothing of the sort,' she mentally said to all of them. 'Nathan has convinced me to remain here for the time being. Once the storm has passed, I will leave and rejoin my group.'

"I see," Walter said. "Well, I certainly can respect that. Family comes first. You just let us know if you need anything. Supper's in ten, and you're more than welcome to join us." She nodded. Everything about this exchange was bizarre to Nathan. Every time he had imagined legendaries, it had been through a mythical, mysterious lens. But yet here she was, casually interacting with them as though she were any other pokémon despite her status.

At first, that had been one of the quietest family meals that Nathan ever remembered. It hadn't fully set in yet; there was a legendary across the table from them. She levitated in place, eating without utensils with her telekinetic powers. Walter was the one to finally break the silence.

"So… if you don't mind me asking, what were you doing flyin' through a storm like that? That's suicide."

'It was not the storm that subdued me,' was her reply. 'Rather, it was a human ambush.'

"What?" Walter asked. "What do you mean?"

'Members of your species attempted to capture mine. They succeeded in doing so with the help of their sea serpents. There were seven from what I recall. Forgive me; I do not know its name in your language.'

"Was it large, blue, and a mouth full of teeth?" Nathan asked. She nodded. "Gyarados. They're pretty common around these parts."

'I see. We managed to escape, but once we did, it came to our attention that a young male was missing from our herd. We tried to figure out who should return for him, but I slipped away as they spoke. I was one of the few unpaired members of my herd, so I felt that if anyone should take such a risk, it should be me.'

"And did it work?"

'I know many electric attacks, which were useful in dealing with the serpents, but as you can see, I sustained injuries during the fight.' Her eyes drifted towards her bandaged wing. 'Perhaps I was overconfident in my abilities. But the latios managed to escape, and I lost consciousness soon after. I do not know if it was one of their gyarados, but with their ship breaking from the storm, I believe their focus shifted towards survival rather than securing another capture.'

"So that's how you wound up on that beach…" Nathan murmured.

'That is correct.'

"I'm sure you want to get back to your group, but how can you be sure that they're not in similar positions? This was a category two hurricane we're talking about."

"Only a one about a hundred miles off the coast, and even then, we won't catch the blunt of it," Walter corrected. "Don't think for a second that I'd have left my boat out there if it'd be worse. But still, he's got a point. Unless they've got a place where they're waitin' the storm out, then they could be in trouble." She nodded.

'We have found refuge, though I do not wish to disclose the location. I hope you can understand that.'

"Of course. We have a great reverence for your kind. I wouldn't dare press an answer for something like that."

'You have my gratitude.'

"That said," Nathan joined in, "you've got me wondering something else – something that I hope wouldn't be intruding." Her eyes locked with his, and he paused for a moment before continuing. "Clearly you know our language. But how? Is it something you teach one another? Or do you occasionally visit our cities and towns?"

'Our species is capable of producing very realistic illusions. We can either assume the appearance of your kind or hide our presence altogether. Using the former, we occasionally visit human settlements to obtain the few supplies we cannot find in nature.' To demonstrate her point, the latias completely disappeared from sight. The image of an auburn-haired woman, looking to be about 5'3, took her place. She was quite cute, in Nathan's opinion. 'I pieced together this appearance from various females of your species. It is sufficient to pass when I need to purchase something.'

"How do y'all get money?" Julia asked.

'That is a secret we guard closely, though rest assured we are honor-bound not to do anything immoral for it.' The image of the woman faded, replaced by a feathered legendary. 'Occasionally one of the little ones suffers an illness, or someone an injury, that is more easily remedied than anything we can produce by our own means.'

"That makes sense."

She finished her meal first, clearly hungry after waging a battle against so many other pokémon – and debatably winning at that. Nathan wouldn't have been the least bit surprised if the fragments washed ashore had belonged to their boat.

---

That night, Nathan found himself towards the end of his readings from Dr. Miller. While the articles didn't compare to an actual degree in the field, he felt as though he grasped the general concepts of spent fuel recycling and vitrification. It was midway through the second-to-last article when he felt a gentle prod in his mind.

'You have stared at that device for quite some time,' the latias said. 'What is it you are doing?' She looked at his laptop curiously.

"Ah, didn't know you were up. It's just that one of my professors is willing to sponsor me for grad school, so I've been reading through some things he's sent me."

'Oh, I see. What about?' On one hand, Nathan doubted the topic would make a lot of sense to a nomadic legendary, but on the other, he knew better than to underestimate their intelligence.

"Nuclear fuel, actually. There's a metal that we can mine that is innately unstable – well, a certain amount of it is – and when you separate that stuff and condense it, you can use it to generate a ton of energy."

'How interesting,' she said with a smile. 'A metal that breathes fire.'

"I guess you could say that." He laughed. "But the metal that's left afterwards is some nasty stuff."

'Oh?'

"Yeah. Once it's burned up, you have to replace the fuel in the reactor core, and that metal has a lot of radioactivity in it. You have to be really careful and dispose of it properly. The research I'm going to be doing relates to a method of disposal after recycling."

'Interesting. Tell me more.' Of all the responses she could have given, that was the one he least expected. Truth be told, Nathan only offered the basics to avoid boring her; he could have that effect on people if he went into detail about subjects they cared little about. But in the latias' inquisitiveness, he saw something akin to his own. The legendary floated to a spot beside him on the couch and lowered herself.

"Alright. What would you like to know?"

So at that hour of the night when nobody else was awake, he taught her from the ground up. The latias asked questions in the off chance she didn't understand something, but everything he told her seemed to sink in. It took her all of an hour to start making inquiries that Nathan couldn't answer.

"Yeah… that kinda leads me here," he concluded. "I'm trying to learn more myself, so that's why I'm going to grad school."

"And this is something you see yourself doing for the rest of your life?" she asked. Another question he couldn't answer. Or maybe he just didn't want to. Nathan sighed.

"Well… truth be told, it's more complicated than that." He averted his gaze, feeling pressed for an answer when he realized that she was looking at him expectantly. "I'm… not sure what I want to do, but I know what I have to. Dad's a leader of one of two prominent global organizations that's engaged in an ideological war. Both are trying to win control of society and shape the future. We represent the side that wants to restore honor and traditional values – stuff that Delta hates. They want to ruin the world and plunge it into degeneracy. We can't let that happen. So when the time comes… and Clay gets too old to keep up with the day-to-day activities… that's where I come into play." She closed her eyes.

'I see. We have heard of the various conflicts between humans. It is nothing new, despite what you may think – and it is not related merely to your species. Would it surprise you to know that there are some within our own ranks who abandon the right path to follow their own?'

"That… is weird to think, but I've heard a few cases," Nathan replied. "Sometimes an urban legend or two floats around…"

'As long as sapient beings populate the planet, there will be conflicts of all manners.'

"Yeah, I suppose. Nothing new under the sun, right? But we can't let Delta win. These people have no moral compass at all."

'It is true that we are not deemed in the same regards that we once were,' the latias admitted. 'Any reverence the majority of people offer is shallow in nature, due more to awe or the scarcity of our species than any supernatural respect.'

"Most of them have no religion at all. It's all about them. That's it. There was once a time in this country when nearly every human worshipped. Now it's less than half, and many even within that percentage don't treat it seriously at all. We have to restore things to the way they were before everything just falls apart." And he felt strongly about what they did in Alpha; after all, he had seen more than his fair share of militant people on the other side, most of which justified their own violence. Maybe his side wasn't perfect, but they wouldn't let Delta inherit the planet. "I trust that, when the time comes, I'll know what to do. At least, I hope…"

'I believe so as well,' the latias said.

---

The storm still raged outside. Any other time, Nathan would be bored out of his mind without any form of entertainment aside from a laptop. But there was a legendary in their house; that changed everything. The two had found themselves talking quite frequently. The latias had great curiosity about the workings of the human world, which more often than not was avoided by her kind, and Nathan was all the willing to provide her with answers.

Nathan began to wonder what their lives might be like. Surely more interesting than our own, he thought. So one afternoon as they all sat in the living room after dinner, he asked. "Hey, I was wondering if I could ask you a few things about your own life."

'Is that so? Well, go ahead.' Walter set down his book, listening to the exchange with interest.

"I mean… you did mention that you were part of a group, and that sometimes you come into human settlements. But what about all the other times?"

'We roam the lands based on the seasons. Many herds establish their own patterns, but mine spends most of its time around the sea. As I've said before, a few of us will venture into towns to purchase the occasional supplies, but we live 'off the land' as you might put it. We have fairly diverse diets, so it comes naturally to us.'

"Do you have a leader?" Nathan's father asked.

'Of course! We do have a hierarchy, but it does not function in a similar way to that of humans. It is merely for matters of wisdom and discernment rather than that of control. There is no need for the exercise of power over one another, for nobody within our herd is in need.'

"What do you mean?" Walter's eyes narrowed, trying to make sense of what she was saying.

'As we are nomadic, we have no property, and anything you might consider a possession is shared equally with the herd.'

"That sounds an awful lot like communism," Walter said.

'Oh! That is a term I know,' the latias said excitedly. 'Nathan told me about those who you oppose, and I can assure you it is not. Those types wish to disburse possessions by force; their supporters covet what is not theirs and wish to steal from those who have. We do not do this at all. Instead, we share everything equally out of love for one another. Also, most of their social ideals are very incompatible with our way of living.'

"People can't work that way, though. Too many parasites." Nathan nodded in agreement.

"Still, that sounds like a pretty interesting life – roaming the world and all," the younger male added.

'It is. Perhaps your kind may find it boring, but we have learned to be content with little. It certainly isn't a very complex manner of living, that's for sure.' The latias giggled.

"Sorry that y'all got attacked. As you've learned, not every human is good."

'They are not the first to seek to capture us, and I doubt they will be the last,' she stated. 'But I do not hold animosity, nor will I use them as a standard by which to judge all humans. There are many pokémon out there I would not consider 'good' either.'

---

On the third day, the power went out. Walter swore once the lights followed suit. A loud sound – that of the transformer blowing a block down – was heard. Julia carefully made her way to the kitchen in an attempt to find the lighter. They certainly had enough candles to outlast the storm.

A spark of light caught their attention. The latias smiled, positioning her claws upward. A flickering flame danced between them, about the size of a pokéball, illuminating the dark room. Her eyes glanced around, and finding the candles, the smallest of flames sprouted from them as if out of nothingness.

"That was pretty cool," Nathan said. "I didn't know your species could learn fire moves…"

'In fact, fire is one of the elements I'm most potent with.' She tilted her head. 'Well, not an 'element' in the way you understand it, Nathan…'

"It's alright," he said with a laugh. "But why is that?"

'I do not know, just as I do not know why my dragon moves are considerably weaker than most others my age. Everyone is different, though, so perhaps that is your answer.'

Walter had used one of the candles to read a hunting magazine as Julia cooked for them. Once dinner was over and Nathan's parents turned in for the night, he found himself alone with the latias once again. As usual, they talked, this time until the candles themselves drifted closer towards their bases. One topic seemed to catch her off guard.

"So what is your plan in the long term?"

'What do you mean?'

"I mean like, what goals do you have? I've told you what all I plan to do – finish my degree and assume the mantle of Alpha. But what about you?" She seemed to think it over for a moment before offering a response.

'I'm not sure I have an answer for you. We trust the earth to feed us, so we neither reap nor sow, and we do not have many of the goals that your kind has. But the one thing that we each expect to do, of course, is to find a mate and produce offspring of our own. I have already begun the process of searching; for that reason, I left my parents' herd to join another.'

"Okay, makes sense. Any males caught your eye?"

'There are a few that would make suitable mates,' she said, 'but none that I have begun the courtship process with. It is longer than most of yours, that much is certain.'

"Why is that?" Nathan asked.

'Why should it not be? That is the most important decision in life to get right – one's mate – and we believe it to be a permanent binding.'

"We do too."

'Do you really? Over half of your kind abandons one another.' He paused, uncertain as to what she was referring to, until it hit him.

"Oh. You're referring to divorce…"

'We do not have such a thing. We learn the other thoroughly before committing to them. Every reservation must be lowered, every fear and secret revealed. If we are to spend our lives together, there can be no barriers whatsoever.'

"Dang… that's pretty intense."

'No, it is as things should be. The pairing of humans is as inconsistent, and therefore as destructive, as humans themselves tend to be. And the stakes are higher for us, as we can only reproduce once every ten years, giving us only three opportunities in total.'

"Wow, that's certainly something for population management…"

'It is not a matter of management, but rather our blood. We only go into season those few times.'

"Not a whole lot of opportunities then, huh?" Nathan asked.

'No. It is why we are so particular when selecting a mate – everything is at stake.'

"That sounds like the way we should be doing things. Most people seem to marry because they just enjoy having sex with the other person."

'That is a shame,' the latias said, 'for there is so much more depth a bond forged from love than… whatever your people do.' Nathan nodded in agreement. 'What about you? You mentioned that your group practices better ethics than those you oppose. How is it that you pursue someone?' He wasn't prepared for the question, and as such, had to stop and think about it. Nathan shrugged.

"It isn't something I've put any work towards. Ideally, good people do it the way you said. For me, though, I'm more focused on my degree and on Alpha. I trust that everything else will work itself out in time. Or maybe not – who knows?"

'I see. And are you doing what you want in life? We do not have careers as your people do, but I am interested in your particular case. It seems like after selecting a mate, devoting your life to an entire field of labor would be the most important decision.' It seemed as though it hadn't taken her long to put together what it meant to be human. But it wasn't that which had taken him off guard. Was he doing what he wanted in life? That was never a question he had asked himself.

"I… don't know. What do you mean by 'want?' I know what I'll be doing at the end of the day, so what does 'want' have to do with it?" The latias' head lowered, and her eyes slowly closed as though she were sorry of something. Then Nathan found himself in shock when she placed a hand on his shoulder.

'I ask that you forgive me if I am being intrusive or insensitive. One of the peculiarities with our species is that we can often feel the emotions of others.'

"Just like lucarios, huh?" Nathan asked. "And what do you feel from me?" The legendary looked up at him, and Nathan could have sworn that he'd seen the shimmers of the tiniest tear drops forming in the corner of her eyes.

'Nothing at all. Everyone else I run into, I feel something. Maybe I cannot tell what it is aside from basic emotions, but it is there. But with you… I see an abyss. It is not just that you have a lack of desire with matters pertaining to selecting a mate or a career. It is that you lack desire itself altogether.' Nathan wasn't used to being asked questions that he didn't know the answer to. But of all those that the latias had put forth, this was a definitive statement. And more than anything, he wished that she had been wrong.

But she wasn't.

"I…"

'You are under no obligation to open yourself up to me, but for the time I am here, I wish to help.' He felt those were the truest words she'd spoken all night. And if he was going to reveal that struggle to anybody, he would trust no one more than a legendary.

"I wish I had all the answers for you. I really do. It's not something that I've put a lot of thought towards myself. Everyone's different, right? So some of us aren't as emotionally inclined as others. But I mean, I definitely have moments where I feel something. Tiny sparks if you will."

'I felt those during many of our conversations,' she replied. 'But sparks die out when not given fuel.'

"I've… always had a pretty strong aversion to failure if that counts. But for the most part, I just exist. I do stuff, I succeed, but at the end of the day, I guess I just wasn't meant to feel anything, one way or another. I wish it were different… or that I had a better answer for you, but that is all. I'm sorry; I'm not used to being asked questions like this…" She shook her head.

'No, Nathan – I am sorry.'

---

The lack of rain was a good sign for everyone else in the southern coast of Kanoma. Waking up one morning, Nathan's family found cloudy skies outside, but no storm. It had moved elsewhere. Right now, the community was alive and active as people surveyed their damages and helped one another wherever possible. Power lines were being reconstructed, roofs had been stripped of shingles, and everywhere one looked, shattered bark and tree limbs littered the roads. The Hayes family had suffered no serious damages, and upon walking out to the dock, Walter had been able to confirm that the boat was in perfect condition as well. But despite all the good news, Nathan was anything but excited for today.

The latias peered out the window and surveyed the atmosphere. Nathan sighed. The selfish part of him didn't want to see her leave; though the abyss, as she called it, may have been present, she sure had provided him with a lot of sparks. Those spread moments of laughter and excitement throughout their conversations had been a very welcome change. But she had an entire life to return to. Before long, she had drifted towards the door, and Nathan's parents were behind him.

"Well… I guess this is it," he said.

"It's really been an honor, having you in our house. Sorry it wasn't under better conditions," Walter said.

"And you've been a real joy to be around, dear." Julia had also taken a liking to her. Then again, it was hard not to.

"You're always welcome here if you're ever in the area," Nathan said. He felt that was a safe assumption to make.

'You all have been very kind. And yes, our herd happens to make this voyage every year. This will surely not be the last time we speak.' Nathan smiled; if there was something good that came from this parting, that much was it. He was glad to have made a friend like her. The latias assumed her human disguise in front of the door. She opened it; the scent of wet earth drifted in.

"Be safe, alright?" Nathan asked. "No more taking on a bunch of gyarados…" It came as a surprise that he could joke at such a time.

'No promises,' she replied. 'But of all the outcomes that may have resulted from such, I am glad that the storm led me to your house.'

"Yeah, me too."

'Sometimes the winds take us where we don't intend to go,' the latias said. 'But if we keep a humble heart, we will find ourselves where we were meant to be.' Her wisdom, despite being a younger member of her species, astonished them all. 'Until we meet again, Nathan.' And with that, the image faded as a few shimmering feathers could be seen retreating into the skies.

---

Nathan had often found his mind wondering back to those nights, where a legendary was seated beside him on a ten-year-old couch, eagerly learning of the steel and concrete jungles that humans had created. Never before had he met someone so perceptive – so kind and understanding – and that made her absence hurt all the more. In the week he had come to know her, it felt as though he had known her forever. The only evidence of her visit was a single picture that the two of them had taken together, though it was by her request that it serve as a memory and not as bragging rights for having met a legendary. He hoped that she fulfilled her word and returned to visit someday. Nathan laughed to himself; the thought of her, at some point, bringing her family around his own was a humorous thought.

But then there were the morbid thoughts the latias had left him with. Questions she had asked that pushed the wrong buttons, now making him unable to ignore the truth. The so-called 'abyss.' He had always operated as such, almost like the very machines that he had learned of in engineering. Inputs and outputs, figures and numbers – that was it. Was there something wrong with him? There were people who loved him – his parents and family, and even a few people in Alpha – and he believed that he loved them as well. He was brought up in a relatively good, stable home, and all his needs were provided for; that was more than a lot of people could say. And yet there was still something missing. Something large, though he didn't know what it was.

Feelings were relative to the individual. That much was obvious, and it was something that everyone learned at a fairly young age. So maybe there wasn't anything wrong, and rather the latias had only met someone that had been very different from what she had been used to. And that very well could be the case; it seemed as though everyone in their herd shared a strong kinship – an unbreakable bond – with one another. Humans, though, were different. Humans had careers, a need for advancement within society, and in these concrete jungles, it was survival of the fittest. The members of the lati species may have their own unique way of living, but that didn't work out here. Here, it was competition, and nobody owed you anything. That is why he took the major he had; even if he was going to be a future leader of Alpha, he would have earned it rightfully.

Or at least, in doing this sort of degree and in being trained to continue the legacy of those before him, it would prove that Nathan was capable of leadership and had not merely inherited the role from nepotism. That was a great way to sink an organization, and Alpha couldn't afford to sink. Not when they were the last ties between civilization and decency.

---

The door opened, taking Aaron's attention away from the story. Nathan paused, similarly taken off track, as a charizard shuffled in awkwardly. He held a paper bag between his claws which crinkled with every step. "Dad, I picked up the usual spices, but they didn't have any of that funny salt that you usually have Mrs. Bradley hold for you. Something about a late shipment or whatever, but she was really nice like usual, so I just…" Aiden, not having seen Aaron initially, had finally realized the younger trainer's presence, and the fire-type's mouth went agape. At that moment, it was hard to determine who was more surprised with the other. "Uh… well…"

"It's alright, Aiden. That point would've come up eventually," Nathan answered, meeting Aaron's gaze again.

"He… just called you 'Dad.' I thought—"

"Like I said," Nathan interjected, "we're working towards that point." Aiden stood in place, then looked at his trainer – or father, apparently – and back at Aaron.

"…Well… what's the plan for dinner now?" Nathan laughed.

"Since plan A is out of the question – can't make salmon without my smoked salt – I'm thinking we might order delivery."

"Awesome!" Aiden happily said. The flame at the tip of his tail grew ever-so-larger. "Well, you know what I want!"

"Yeah, because if given the choice, you'd have pizza seven days a week, and that wouldn't be very good for you," Nathan said. "Let's go ask Naomi her opinion. Would you mind taking over for a bit, dear?"

'Of course, love.' Aaron tried to push aside the numerous questions he had, focusing on the latias before him, trusting that he would know everything in due time. 'So, back to where we left off…'

---

Nathan had met with his advisor, signed up for the proper courses and was ready for the start of the new semester. Apparently, the junior year of engineering was the hardest. Ignoring the dropout rates common to the field in freshman year, which typically came from those who realized that calculations and physics weren't what they wanted to do for the rest of their lives, these two semesters had the next highest instances of major changes. Which is a shame, Nathan thought, since they've already made it halfway… Mechanics of materials, fluid mechanics and heat transfer were what he had to look forward to. And then there was that one random weightlifting class that he was using to pad out his GPA…

It was a week and a half prior to the start of classes when there was a knock on the door. Nathan was the closest to it, not having done anything productive that day, sitting at the table and browsing the internet after lunch. Approaching the door, he looked out the small window towards the top and found himself at a loss for words. What the… Nathan unlocked it and quickly opened it.

"Hey…" he said awkwardly. The red-haired façade stood on their porch, arms folded as though she really were human.

'Hello Nathan. You look surprised to see me.' Her mental voice was like that of a fond yet forgotten song.

"I don't think I could possibly be more surprised right now…"

'Really? What if I were to say that I brought a lugia with me?'

"Okay, you know what I meant." They laughed. It had been the first time since she had left several weeks ago that he had done so. "But seriously, what brings you here? I thought your herd would have left by now."

'They have,' she replied. 'I may catch up to them, but I wished to see you before anything.' He nodded, stepping aside for her to enter the house. Once she did so, the disguise faded away.

"Is someone there?" asked Walter, coming in from the hallway, stopping dead in his tracks upon seeing the latias.

'Walter, I believe?' she thought aloud. 'It is nice to see you again.'

"Likewise…"

'It would seem as though my visit is a lot sooner than you expected from the surprised looks on your faces.'

"You could say that," Nathan's father replied. "What brings you here?"

'A matter I wish to discuss with Nathan. Alone, if I may, though it should only take a moment.' Neither of the two males said anything, but Walter nodded.

"Alright. If that's the case, I'll head out back. Take all the time you need." He walked past them, shooting a quick glance towards his son as he did so. The latias telekinetically shut the door behind her, then motioned for Nathan to take a seat.

'You have felt a spark,' the latias noted. He looked away. 'Do not be afraid. It is heartening to know my presence brings you joy.'

"Sorry. I… did enjoy the week you spent here, and not just because you're a legendary."

'As did I. I will admit, I learned far more of the human world than I had ever expected.' She smiled, and for him, it was contagious. 'My friends were fascinated with everything I told them. For all the downsides of humanity, you all most definitely have a vigor for advancement, and a passion for creativity, that much is certain.'

"That sounds about right," Nathan said. "So what is it that you want to talk about?"

'I wanted to ask if the offer still stands.'

"Offer?" he asked. "What offer?"

'I seem to recall you saying that I was always welcome here.'

"Of course!"

'Well, how about for good?'

"For good?" He fixed his eyes on hers, trying to determine if she was saying what he thought she was. "You mean like—"

'That is exactly what I mean,' she replied. 'But I must have my answer soon, for if you decline, I will need to be on my way this afternoon.' Nathan shook his head, then quietly offered his response.

"I would never turn you down. But… why?" The latias floated a bit closer.

'When we spoke of your future with Alpha, you mentioned that you would need to put together a team. Seeing that you have not begun to do so already, I would like to be the first and to accompany you in your travels.'

"I mean, I'd love nothing more than to have you with me," Nathan replied, folding his arms. "But why me of all people?"

'Let us discover that together,' she said, extending her hand. Without hesitation, feeling unworthy all the same, he offered his own.

The news was equally shocking to Walter once they went outside and notified him. The idea that the legendary their family had looked after for a brief time had now wanted to stay with Nathan indefinitely was surprising to say the very least. When Julia returned and both she and the latias were catching up, Nathan's father pulled him aside later that night.

"And she hasn't told you why?"

"No," Nathan replied, the traces of excitement from earlier not having worn off. "But who cares? She's awesome, and she wants to be my starter? How many people can say they've had a legendary for a starter?" Walter grinned.

"This is perfect," he said. "The Lord must be watching out for us – this is just what we need to turn the tides of this conflict." His voice was lowly, barely above a whisper.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, once the world sees Alpha's new leader with a legendary on his team, there will be no denying which of the two teams is morally superior."

"But there have been legendaries who have chosen darkness, too," Nathan stated. "What would prevent the heretics from claiming that she is just another one of them since she does not follow their world view?"

"We aren't trying to win over Delta," Walter stated. "Our goal is to win over the average person – those confused with this world they have perverted. Those who align with the blues can rot; they've already made their choice."

"Yeah, you're right," Nathan replied. "I guess we'll figure out all that stuff once I actually take charge."

---

'Nathan?' the legendary asked as he drove towards the university.

"What's up?" He looked to the latias in his passenger seat. She had to take a peculiar position, and her wings didn't exactly help the matter, but she managed. The latias had made it so that he could always see her true form, but others only saw the illusion she permitted.

'I was thinking earlier… I believe I should take a name much like yours. If I am to accompany you, even with my illusion up, people may ask my name.' He shrugged, then stopped at a red light.

"Well, you know sign language. People will likely assume that you're mute – and that isn't exactly wrong, either. Telepathy isn't spoken language, after all."

'Ooh, I bet I could learn that, too.'

"It'd be a pretty clear giveaway," Nathan said with a laugh. "All the pokémon I've ever heard of that learned to physically speak still had pretty unique voices. Doesn't sound human at all."

'I see. But still, I believe it wouldn't hurt for us to select a name for me.' Nathan briefly glanced away from the road, seeing her claws intertwined with each other.

"Okay. Do you have any ideas?"

'I was hoping you might have a few,' the latias stated.

"You just asked me," Nathan joked. "How would I have any leads?"

'Hmm, point taken. Perhaps you could list the first things that come to mind. If I like one, we may select it then.'

"Sounds like a plan." So for the next fifteen or so minutes, as the university drew closer, Nathan tossed out any names that came to mind. First he had gone through names of people he had been familiar with: family members, some girls he'd known in various classes, and even a few of his favorite teachers. His mind drifted towards the past – the very origin of his last name – and he closed his eyes. Maybe it was a beautiful name, but it would be wrong to give her one that came from such a morbid history.

'You have thought of something.'

"Alright, how much of my mind can you read?" he asked jokingly.

'Only emotions, but I suppose that was a lucky guess, wasn't it?'

"Yeah, it was." No use lying to her. Not that he would, but she'd see through it anyway. "Thought of an ancestor of mine. She lived in Kalos back when their revolution took place and they overthrew their monarchy. The type of woman who never met a stranger and was loved by everyone in her community."

'That sounds nice. What was her name?' Nathan hesitated, but if he had come this far, there was no use in turning back.

"Adira."

'And a lovely name it is. I like that one.'

"It is, but I'd like for you to hear the rest of the story before you choose it."

'Of course.' She looked at him expectantly, ready for him to continue. He turned onto the freeway, made sure it was safe to get over, and assumed a pace exactly at the speed limit.

"The Kalosian Revolution was when revolutionary forces overthrew their monarchy – and there were a lot of good reasons for that, too. The rulers were pompous, selfish and out of touch with reality, and their incompetence had led to famine and unemployment across the nation. But it wasn't just the monarchy they sought to topple. There has always been some level of cooperation between church and state, and so I wouldn't be very surprised if there were members of the clergy who were corrupt as well."

'Okay.'

"So the revolutionaries, in their bloodlust, targeted the churches as well. One day, Raymond – that was her husband – stayed home from the service because one of their children was ill. Tuberculosis. But Adira and the other four were all there, and as the hymns were sung, the doors were chained from the outside and torches were thrown through the windows."

'Oh…'

"You can figure out what happened next. The only way Raymond was able to identify her body was by a slim silver bracelet she wore. He and his son, who managed to pull through in a time when that disease was pretty deadly, fled the country for Galar shortly after. Ever since then, many in my family have found themselves opposing rising threats within society." He shook his head, getting back on topic. "But yeah, after that, you can see why I'm a bit cautious of giving you that name. Wouldn't want you to take one that has a family history to it."

'Perhaps I could bring light to the name,' the legendary said. 'To give it positive feelings when one hears it.'

"Maybe. I leave the choice up to you. It's your name we're talking about, after all."

'That it is. Adira.'

---

Once he got settled into his junior year, Nathan found himself pinned down. Many students attended parties or went out during the weekends, but not him; all of his spare time went into studying and coursework, labs and reports. Not that he went to parties, anyways…

But Adira was another story. She had a pokéball – a plain, red and white one that she had insisted on rather than any of the more expensive types – that she never was in. Sometimes she attended class with Nathan, slipping in and listening to lectures with interest, or to just check up on him every so often. He appreciated those visits. But more often than not, if the latias were to be found somewhere, it was at the library. She peered through human history, their discoveries in biology, the ideals they had and the wars they'd raged. It had taken her little time to be able to hold her own in a conversation, and before long, it was he who needed to polish up on several subjects.

One thing in particular that she took interest in was the topic of battling. 'Your people have invested significant research into this sport,' she said to him one day while in a private study room within the library. People outside were seated at computers, most of which seemed to be wasting time.

"There are several majors devoted to it. Not that I'd recommend any of 'em. It isn't a practical field at all, and most people that get those types of degrees end up with a hundred fifty-thousand in debt and working at a restaurant."

'What is wrong with working there?' she asked.

"Well, nothing at all – it's just that they should have been more practical with their degree. College isn't for everyone."

'I see.'

"What's got you interested in battling, though?"

'We will be doing that one day, correct?' Nathan set down his pen, halfway done on the problem, and looked to his right. She glanced at his paper, then back at him. 'Well?'

"You're right. I just figured that Clay and his former gym members could teach us anything we needed to learn about battling. There's a reason he's one of the strongest trainers around."

'And perhaps that is the case, but he does not know everything,' Adira stated. 'The swellow, proud and noble, thinks it knows everything about the skies, flapping its wings and gliding, but are there not other methods of flying? Am I not proof of that?' The trainer's eyes shifted.

"Kinda hard to argue with that logic. So what do you recommend we do?" As if on cue, she set a brown satchel on the table, producing from it a large textbook. He recognized the university library's label on the side, then groaned at seeing the title. Advanced Mechanics of Energy Transfer in Pokémon Battling. "Look, I know us engineers are like the masters of boring topics, but that one looks a bit rough…"

'And yet it, along with these other books, could have valuable information. Perhaps we should go over them when you have some time.' Of course there were others.

"I'm not really fond of the idea of doing more homework. I have enough as it is." Her silence drove a sigh from him, then a response. "But you're right. We should learn from other sources when time permits. Maybe during the winter break, though. Right now, I feel like I've got enough on my plate."

'I assume that is a human saying referring to being busy. In any case, I agree. Right now, a break would likely serve you well.' That was funny.

"Adira, I can't just decide to stop doing schoolwork. That's how you fail out."

'Did I ever say that you should?' She rolled her eyes, then flicked him on the hand. 'You attend no lectures during the weekends. Why not finish all your classwork ahead of time so that you may relax?' If only it were so simple; the work always seemed to pile on, professors having little knowledge or care of the others' schedules for exams and the like. But maybe she was right in this regard, too. There were certainly a few places where he could procrastinate less.

"Eh… alright. What do you have in mind?"

'That is for you to decide. If I can constantly find enjoyment in the simpleness of my former lifestyle, then it will not be difficult for me to do so with whatever activity you select.' He thought over a few potential options for a weekend retreat. It would have to be something close – that much was certain. 'You enjoy outdoor activities, right?' He nodded.

"Yeah. Hunting and fishing in particular, but both of those would require me to drive all the way back home." A twenty-hour round trip for essentially a day's worth of activities didn't seem practical at all. "I've also camped a few times. Maybe we could try that. There's a lake not too far from here."

'That sounds quite nice. Perhaps this upcoming weekend would suffice?' He didn't have anything major due aside from the constant stream of assignments. No exams to study for.

"That could work. But why the sudden interest?"

'While I could spend a lifetime within these walls and never find boredom, I sense the same is not true for you. That, and my original reason stands. You need a break.' He couldn't deny that much.

"Fine. I'll buy a tent or something, and we can visit the lake for a day or two. How does that sound?"

'It sounds great,' Adira said. As Nathan returned to his work, he saw her flip open one of the smaller, more beginner-friendly textbooks. Something told him that he would come to regret letting her use his university library card…

---

Upon arriving at the lake, they noticed a few shops that sold various camping supplies, most of which Nathan had already bought or ordered while at the university. Mainly a tent, food for a few meals, and a single sleeping bag. Aside from the fact that she could levitate – even while unconscious – Adira never actually slept in the room with him. She always returned to her ball. He asked, at one point, why that was so, and her response was that the sharing of sleeping space was something only reserved for mates in her species. That implication made his cheeks burn. He never asked about that again.

One store in particular caught his attention, though, and that was a small shack that allowed for people to rent kayaks. They were ugly in coloration, reminding him of a pack of assorted highlighters, but the idea was still appealing, nonetheless. After setting up camp in a distant place from the few other tents near the lake, the two decided to go kayaking. A few people were swimming in the distance, and Adira took her human disguise to blend in.

'It's a very lovely day,' she noticed, dipping her hand into the water as Nathan began rowing. 'There is no need for that. I can easily move this with my mind.'

"I don't mind. And besides, it'd look weird if a kayak was moving without oars in the water." He scanned the surroundings, seeing a few people swimming near the coast in the distance. Further back were some docks with a multitude of boats. Every year there was a bass fishing tournament in Cedar Lake, and his father had entered once about a decade ago, earning third place and muttering something about the winner having known where all the good spots were.

For a while, neither of them said anything. A braviary not too far from their location managed to snag a plump fish from the waters – a brim larger than any Nathan himself had ever caught – and soared towards one of the several small islands that littered the lake. Adira gently scooped up some water, forming it into a sphere that floated between her claws, and Nathan looked at it, almost entranced. The large sphere pulsed, then tiny ripples formed on its surface as it morphed. Now, it looked like dozens of them, all crammed together, and the tiniest of droplets orbited it in place. She smiled, and Nathan laughed, getting what she was doing. "Alright, that's probably the coolest thing I've seen all month," he admitted. "Maybe that's not exactly what the atom looks like, but that's still pretty awesome."

'Really? Then what does it look like? I saw a depiction similar to this in one of your textbooks.'

"Well, the electrons don't really orbit like tiny particles. They form shells, depending on the element, based on a probability distribution. Some of them look pretty insane. I'll show you when we get back."

'I would very much enjoy that.' The water merged together into a bubble-like cluster before the latias gently lowered it into the lake. Her eyes fixed on the surface once more, and all of a sudden, Adira jolted. 'Oh! I have an idea!' she thought excitedly. 'How would you feel about swimming?'

"Well… I packed some gym shorts, but they're in the tent."

'I can freely remove water from your clothing if need be.'

"I'm sure you can." Nathan pondered the matter for a moment. A t-shirt and cargo shorts wasn't the attire that came to mind when going for a swim. "What do you have in mind? Just floating about?"

'No,' she answered. 'I intend to show you how we swim. And believe me, it is far more enjoyable than how humans do.' Somehow, her enthusiasm caught on.

"You know what? Screw it. I'm in." He anchored the kayak near the edge of a small island, and as he did so, a brown blur dashed away. Probably a bibarel; they were fairly common sights here. Nathan removed his phone and wallet, tucking them within a corner of the boat before stepping out into the water. It was roughly room temperature. "Alright, so what now?" Adira made sure that nobody was looking before jumping into the water, abandoning her disguise.

'Actually, after thinking about it, I believe what we're about to do is considered diving amongst humans,' she admitted. Having heard that, he debated whether or not that was such a good idea. The most Nathan had ever dived was a few feet in a swimming pool, or from the edge of the dock after dropping his wristwatch one summer afternoon. It seemed like Adira was talking about another matter entirely. 'What's wrong? You're hesitant now.'

"Well yeah – you left out that little detail," he replied. "How deep are we talking?"

'How deep is this lake?'

"Okay, that's the wrong answer."

'We will be fine,' she assured. 'Do you trust me?'

"Of course! But…"

'Then grab ahold of my wings. I will do the rest.' Adira backed herself up to him, and if it weren't for his uncertainty, Nathan would have laughed at the idea of her acting like one of those underwater gliders that were popular amongst scuba divers. But then reality hit him: this was Adira, and she knew what she was doing. Few people throughout Kanoma could say that they would ever share a bond so close with a legendary, and fewer could admit to diving with one recreationally.

So it was there, in soaked clothing, that Nathan committed. He grabbed ahold of her wings, finding that they weren't so stationary as her species made them seem. The second thing he noticed was how soft her down was; it was as if each individual one had been formed of the finest silk. And once she smiled, giving him a curt nod, the water displaced from around them. It was then that she began to descend into the lake. The large void failed to fill in, and as they completely submerged, Nathan finally was able to make sense of everything. A large pocket of air was held in place by her psychic powers and enabled them to breathe. Though if she were to drop it… well, he didn't want to think of that.

Instead, Nathan focused on the sights around them. Tangling grasses drifted from a gentle tide, and as they brushed past them, a few freshwater crabs scuttled about their business. The pair drifted over the ground, which steadily declined as they made their way towards the center of the lake. Fish of various sizes swam in every direction as the legendary approached. She grabbed a largemouth bass telekinetically, pulling the helpless fish towards them. Adira craned her neck and winked. 'This is how we fish. Seems a lot easier than the way you do it.'

"Yeah, but I also don't have psychic powers." She released her mental grasp of the fish, which swam off, oblivious with in its dull mind as to how much it had been at her mercy. That is, until a basculin, having spotted an easy meal, darted from out of nowhere and snapped the poor bass up. Piercing fangs spread its warm blood in the water, and both Nathan and the legendary went wide-eyed. They looked at each other before breaking out into laughter. "You murdered that fish!"

'I didn't mean to!' she said between giggles. 'Oh, but that pokémon surely got an easy meal…'

"I'll say!"

He wore that stupid grin as they continued forward. Light became scarce as they went deeper, and though the very idea of this would have made him nervous before today, Nathan fully trusted her.

As they swam through the lake's depths, he noticed the several species that lived here that he had previously no idea of. Basculin were a common sight – that much he knew – but soon Nathan saw a whiscash drifting along the mud, a slowpoke floating lazily by, and at some point – forming the highlight of their 'swim' – they saw a golduck that seemed far more surprised at seeing them. After all, both Nathan and Adira were a bit out of place…

But it was when they spotted a dull, spotted-brown fish, poking at the ground around a sunken log, that both found themselves confused. Nathan found himself in awe. Feebas were a rare sight anywhere, but in Kanoma? He had never heard of them being native to the region at all. "That's a feebas," he stated. "I had no idea those were here. Maybe someone stocked the pond with them?"

'Maybe,' she said, not sounding too focused on what he was saying. 'What do you suppose she is doing?' How Adira already knew the pokémon was female was beyond him. Probably just a legendary thing; those facets of life he had become more accustomed to.

"I have no clue."

'Hello there,' the latias thought – aloud, apparently – as the fish in question jolted back. 'My apologies – I did not mean to startle you. My friend and I could not help but wonder as to what you were doing.' For a moment, the feebas floated there, and Nathan was debating as to whether or not she even understood Adira in the first place. But the creature's lips moved, though only the tiniest of bubbles came out. There was no noise. And yet, Adira tilted her head. 'I see…'

"What is it?"

'She appears to be looking for the scale of her kind.' The latias was visibly confused. 'Why would she need that? Is she not covered in them?'

"Ohhh - she's looking for a prism scale," Nathan replied. "A scale from a milotic can accelerate their evolution. It isn't exactly required, but it can instigate it pretty quickly."

'Why would you want to induce evolution?' Adira remained silent for a moment, then nodded slowly. He was about to ask her what the pokémon had said when he noticed the feebas' tail. It had been split almost completely in two, with tissue having long since scarred over. Still, each movement on her behalf caused both halves to ripple, often out of synch with one another. The slim bone was almost visible from the top half.

"Oh…"

'She believes if she is able to evolve, then her tail will be mended.' It seemed like those mental words were between the two of them. The latias moved a little closer. Her next question was aloud. 'So you seek a scale to trigger your evolution. Perhaps we can help you find one.' Though Nathan couldn't understand the smaller pokémon, she seemed to take well to that statement, and before he knew it, the three of them were coasting along the lake floor, scanning it over. Adira held her arms out, producing a small, luminous orb which bathed the otherwise dim surroundings. They searched and searched for the smallest shimmer, but they had no luck.

One thing that Nathan did notice, however, was how much slower they were moving. Prior to meeting the feebas, he and Adira displaced the water with great speed. But right now, he was fairly certain they weren't moving much faster than a brisk jog. The feebas had great difficulty keeping up with them, swishing her tail back and forth as quickly as possible. One wouldn't think a split tail would make all that difference in movement speed, but here was evidence to the contrary.

'There seem to be no scales around,' Adira thought to her two companions. The other pokémon's mouth moved; this time, he heard the smallest of sounds, though Nathan wasn't sure what to compare it to. 'I see…'

"What did she say?"

'That the few milotics that live here rarely drop their scales, and when they do, there are often several other feebas ready to grab one. Often they fight over them.'

"And she doesn't stand a chance at that speed…" The feebas, despite a relatively blank expression, seemed sad all the same. They all remained still in the water. If he had to estimate, Nathan would guess they were about forty or fifty feet deep. "That's a shame, too – they're actually pretty common in our stores and the like. People make jewelry outta them and stuff of that sort."

'Then perhaps we could obtain one for her.' She turned around, causing Nathan to let go of her wings, and she split the oxygen bubble into two smaller ones which surrounded their heads. 'How much would one cost?" Now the fish somehow managed to look eager.

"Well, I'm not sure where you'd buy one outright, but those necklaces they sell at tourist places tend to be pretty large. One of those should do the trick, and they tend to run somewhere between one to two hundred bucks."

'Is that a lot for you?' He rolled his eyes.

"I mean, I hadn't really anticipated on buying something like that…" But he also felt as though he were on the spot regarding the issue. And as the two females remained silent, Nathan sighed. At the end of the day, this had been pretty fun, and it would help someone out. "But I guess I dropped that on the tent and renting a kayak, so… I say we go for it."

'Perfect! Do you hear that? You're going to evolve today!' The feebas in question seemed ready to swim circles around them. Nathan laughed. Then the thought of how they would pull this off came into question.

"So what's the game plan? Closest place I could imagine having a prism scale pendant would be one of those big shopping centers in San Orlenzo, and that's about fifty miles west of here."

'Which means it should not take me even an hour,' Adira stated. After all, she was very much capable of breaking the sound barrier.

She had returned them to the kayak, its radiant orange surface making it impossible to miss for miles around. Maybe that was the point in giving them such colors. Nathan handed her his card, told her the PIN, and watched as she disappeared into the sky and from sight altogether, leaving him with a silent, yet excited, feebas.

True to her word, Adira returned within the hour, making her appearance pretty known as she zoomed above the surface, spraying mist in every direction. His latias seemed to materialize from nothingness, holding in her hand a pendant with a scale small enough to close within his palm. It was pearl white, and depending on the angle it was held, every other color seemed to be within it. Nathan took the necklace. Closing his hand over the scale, he snapped the silver chain off, dropping it into the boat as he held it out for the feebas. Truth be told, seeing such a rare species evolve in front of him would be worth whatever she had spent on it.

He set it into the water, wondering how she would go about interacting with it. His question was answered when she, faster than the blink of an eye, snapped the scale up, swallowing it whole. "Well… that's certainly one way to do it…" He didn't know what to expect; this would be his first time witnessing an evolution in person. Nathan had heard of bright lights and flashes, morphing of bodies and even immense heat.

But nothing of that sort appeared. The feebas remained, the same as before, and only stared back at them. 'What is the matter? Why has nothing happened?'

"I'm not sure," Nathan answered. "Sometimes this sort of stuff isn't always instant…" He looked at a carboard backing that the necklace had been mounted on. It definitely was a legitimate prism scale – all two hundred twenty dollars' worth. The feebas lowered herself, only barely peaking above the water.

'Do not worry,' Adira said in an effort to soothe her. 'I am sure you will evolve when you're ready.' She seemed to say something back to the latias. Nathan saw Adira close her eyes, and before he could glance at the water-type again, a splash sounded from the side of the boat. She was gone.

Nathan began rowing back for the campsite, somewhat annoyed that the money had been wasted for nothing. But that wasn't anyone's fault and there was nothing he could do about it now. Once he beached the kayak, Adira started a fire, then pulled the water from his clothing as she had said before.

"What did she say before leaving?" he asked prior to turning in for the night. The orange glow illuminated the trees and the faces of the two on either side. Adira twirled a spark between her claws, somehow keeping it alive.

'She said she's been ready for three years…'

---

Neither the dark clouds nor the rolling thunder bode well for them the following morning. The forecast had mentioned a fifteen percent chance of rain over the weekend, and for that reason, Nathan had put up the plastic tarp. As they were discussing whether or not they should pack up now and count the rest of the day as lost, light droplets began tapping at the tent, forcing them to retreat inside. "Well this sucks…"

'Oh hush. It is just a bit of rain.'

"Which completely ruins the rest of the day."

'Do most humans enjoy complaining as much as you?' she teased.

"I'm an engineer. Something always goes wrong. What did you expect?" That earned a laugh from the latias.

'That is fair.'

As they remained inside the tent, Nathan gazed at the lake, seeing tiny droplets leap back into the air as they bounced off the surface. It was quiet. Fortunately, the air was cool and not muggy. Annoying as this may be, there was a certain level of serenity to standing still, away from all the hectic ongoings of college. He was glad he'd come here, even if he didn't get to see a feebas evolve. Adira hummed quietly.

"I guess it wouldn't hurt to stay for a bit," he concluded. "Who knows? Maybe it'll stop soon."

They waited, exchanging small talk as the rain proceeded, and when it came time for lunch, they prepared sandwiches in the safety of the tent. Once it died down a bit, they decided that they'd pack up the tents, take the kayak back to the shop, and be on their way. It was when he had just finished rolling up his sleeping bag and folding the blanket that Adira's head perked up. She went invisible and darted out the tent. Nathan stopped what he was doing, and after a few seconds, her voice rang within his head.

'It would appear as though we have company.' He joined her outside, seeing a large serpentine pokémon before them.

"Woah…" The milotic slithered towards Nathan, and before he knew it, she had coiled around him, releasing a sweet croon as she nuzzled his cheek. "Looks like someone managed to evolve after all." Each droplet that clung to her skin seemed to shine with every color.

'She wishes to join us,' Adira said, causing the male to hesitate.

"Uh… really?" He felt a nod from the milotic. From what he had understood, Alpha was going to do the majority of the work in terms of putting together his team. And Clay was very experienced with matters of the sort; Nathan fully trusted that he would select competent battlers, even if most of them were ground, fighting, or dragon-types, which seemed to be the case for most pokémon within Alpha. But he looked at the former feebas that they had helped, and a smile appeared on his face. There was no way he was turning her down. "Then I'd love to have her."

---

The inclusion of a second member of the team introduced new complications. Nathan had a single dorm, and while the newly acquired milotic, who had taken the name Naomi upon hearing the suggestion, didn't actually sleep inside of it, instead preferring her ball, that didn't mean she would be perfectly fine inside these walls. While he could provide everything she technically needed, Nathan knew from the start that keeping a large aquatic pokémon in a place without water would be cruel to say the least. Fortunately, the university had a gated-off pond that trainers could leave their water-type pokémon at.

The first day he had taken her there was eventful to say the least. A massive, spewing fountain in the center, the pond was roughly the length of a football field, perfectly circular and in the shape of a pokéball. Once he'd let her out, one would have thought a celebrity had arrived on campus. Naomi seemed to relish in the attention, the comments and photos. It was unreal how such physical beauty had originated from a small, brown fish, and perhaps that was why she enjoyed it as much as she did.

People flocked towards the water-type and to her trainer, asking Nathan a series of questions, most concerning where he had managed to find a feebas. That information he kept to himself; the last thing that lake needed was a swarm of trainers trying to hunt for a particular pokémon. 'If only they knew who was standing beside me…' It had taken a few days to learn telepathy, but Adira was a good teacher. Of course, it was one-way and thus less akin to telepathy and more so opening up his thoughts to the latias in such a way that she could detect them. 'Say… what about a psychic-type? Could they see through your illusion?' Adira's hand fell on his shoulder.

'It would take a very impressive psychic to see through my disguise.' He nodded, then returned his gaze to the milotic.

A new routine was established. While Adira was still in the library more often than not, Naomi tended to hang around the pond directly across from it. There were certain things that the university spent money on that Nathan would have been irritated at had he not gotten a full scholarship. A pond for water-types stocked with fish was not one of them. As such, Naomi was able to live with him on campus rather than other arrangements having to be made.

And Nathan was glad that she had joined them, too. Now, Adira had someone else to talk to, especially when he was doing schoolwork, and that was a liberty they took quite often. The two girls were inseparable from one another. Partners in crime – though that crime was often poking fun at their overworked trainer. It was that level of work that had caught up to him one day when he got a call from his father.

"Hey," he said, answering the phone while scrolling through a presentation for one of his classes.

"It's been over a month since you've called and that's how you greet me?" Nathan looked away from his screen. Had it really been that long?

"I'm sorry," he said. "I've been swamped with work lately. Two exams next week and a project between them."

"Uh huh." Walter didn't sound as though he distrusted his son's words, but he didn't sound particularly happy, either. "Well, I was just checkin' up on ya. Aside from that, how've things been?"

"Pretty good. Grades are looking to be all A's this semester – at least, so far. But something else happened a few weeks ago. I should've called about it, but… I'm sorry, I kinda got caught up in everything and it slipped my mind."

"And what is that?" Walter asked.

"Adira and I added a new member to the team."

"Really? Who?"

"She's taken the name Naomi, and she's a milotic that joined us. Helped her evolve as a feebas."

"A milotic? Huh…" Nathan couldn't tell for sure, but it seemed as though his father's tone had changed. That was all but confirmed when he next spoke. "You realize we're gonna put a team together for you, right?"

"Yeah, but one more member doesn't hurt," Nathan replied, stepping outside of his room; it was very much possible to hear from within those pokéballs, and while it might have been late at night, he didn't want to risk anyone hearing.

"Maybe not, but a milotic? That's not a very fitting species for the future leader of Alpha."

"Why does it matter? I'm sure Naomi will be great at battling. If that's the case, who cares what species she is?" Those cowards from Delta would fall to her all the same. "Besides, one of the past champions of Hoenn had one on his team. Juan, wasn't it?"

"No, it was a former gym leader named Wallace – and he was hardly the picture of masculinity." Walter all but spat the words into the phone. "He's anything but someone you should compare yourself to."

"Why's that?"

"Everyone thought he was a faggot for the longest time, but as it turns out, he was screwing that same milotic."

"Oh…" Nathan frowned, unable to comprehend the appeal to such a pairing. "Well, rest assured my intentions with this milotic are anything but that."

"I know that," Walter said, annoyed by even the implication. "The problem is, others might not. You've got two female pokémon on your team—"

"Yeah, but literally nobody in their right mind would criticize me over Adira since she's a legendary and all."

"But still, two females all the same. We'd best make sure the next few are males. Wouldn't want anyone getting the idea that you're one of those degenerates who puts together some form of twisted harem."

"Alright, fine. I won't add any more members to the team. Y'all can take care of that if you want. How does that sound?"

"That was the plan originally," Walter replied.

---

It was a few weeks before finals when Nathan went to retrieve Naomi for the night. While some of the shock and awe had worn off, she was still quite popular, even being somewhat of an attraction for people on campus. There had been a few pokémon so bold as to make an advance, and it was always humorous to hear of her turning them down. But that afternoon, as he made his way to the pond and received a loving nudge from the water-type, she asked him one of the last questions he had expected.

"Nathan?"

"What's up?"

"What is a pageant?"

"It's sort of a contest. Sometimes they judge the participants on their movesets, sometimes on their physical attributes…"

"Oh… Someone told me I should enter one. She said my species is considered to be the most beautiful."

"That is an opinion held by many," Nathan replied. He was hoping that the attention she had been shown had not gotten to her head – especially since what their future held was anything but beauty contests. "Why do you ask?"

"I… kind of wanted to enter one." She looked at him, her eyes almost pleading while his were stoic. "I fully intend to battle! I knew that was part of the plan when I joined you. But… all these people who come over and are so happy to see me, and they're so nice and supportive and…" He nodded; it must have been a lot to get used to, being valued so lowly among wild pokémon only for everything to change upon evolution.

"Yeah, I get it…" Nathan wanted to be there for his pokémon – they were family, after all – but he also didn't want to encourage her to go down a path they couldn't travel. If his previous conversation with Walter had been uncomfortable, him hearing any consideration of beauty contests would all but get him disowned. Well, maybe not that far, but it wouldn't be good… "You do realize why pageants would never work, right? Once I rise to the international spotlight, the very ground we walk will be scrutinized. We will have no family outside of Alpha, and the world will hate us. Your career in that field would be over before it even began." For the first time in his life, Nathan learned what it felt like to break someone's heart.

"Oh…" She looked away from him, and he pulled her into a hug, indifferent to the water that clung to her skin now moistening his shirt. "I'm sorry," she said. "I won't bring it up again." Even though Nathan had wanted to spare her from getting her dreams crushed in the long run, that didn't make him feel any less like the bad guy now.

But that's when it hit him. There was still quite a bit of time until that happened. First he'd get his master's degree, then have to train pretty rigorously before assuming Clay's position. "You know… we do have several years before anything too serious happens. Once I've completed grad school, we'll have to shift gears." She looked up at him hopefully; now he knew there was no going back. "Until then – as long as you can manage to keep it secret – then I see no harm in it." She wrapped her body, which was significantly heavier, around him, and Nathan laughed as they fell over, almost into the water. Naomi pressed her cheek against his. Nathan laughed, trying to calm her down. "Alright, alright – I love you too. But that doesn't mean everything's in the clear. I clearly can't be your coordinator, so we'll need to figure something out."

"Okay!" she said excitedly. "But… they won't be my trainer, right? I would never leave you or Adira." He rubbed the back of her head.

"I know – we wouldn't want it any other way. I'll still be your trainer, but once we find a coordinator, you will likely be spending a lot of time with them doing whatever it is that they'll have you do. I'm not sure; this isn't my area of expertise." While Nathan might have lacked knowledge in that field, he knew that there was an entire curriculum here that focused on contests. "Students can major in that sort of stuff, so I'll see about getting in touch with one of the professors. Maybe they'll be able to give you a few pointers."

That afternoon, Nathan looked up the school administration and found the one he was looking for: a woman by the name of Meredith Shelford. A golden-haired woman in her fifties stared back at him from the picture. She appeared to have wrinkled very little or had taken great care to hide them. The trainer sent an email, seeking a consultation with the professor, and waited. A few days passed and nothing, but the start of the next week he got a response. The email read:

I had heard that someone brought a milotic to campus. They're a pretty rare species, so it's always a privilege to look one over in person. I'm free this Thursday at 2:30. I'll be at my office in C305 in the Whitaker Building. Does that work for you?

He sent the response a few minutes after reading it.

That works great for us. Look forward to seeing you then.

---

As that hour drew near, the milotic found herself preening in front of the mirror with Adira's help. Everything had to look perfect. As the latias helped comb the hair-like fins that were a third the length of her body, the water-type straightened her neck to provide better access. She wanted to make the best impression possible, especially considering there was a good chance that Mrs. Shelford might be able to hook her up with a coordinator. After all, not only did she teach many would-be members of the field, but she had also been one herself years ago.

Once they were ready, Nathan returned Naomi to her ball. The last thing they needed now was to be stopped on the way to their meeting. He had to admit, he was excited for his friend, uncertain all the while as to what this might be like. She had been more than eager for this moment – for the expert who would inspect her new body, telling her what she could do to achieve further greatness. Of course, ultimately, she would find far more greatness by his side in Alpha, but Nathan saw no harm in these dreams for the time being.

The Whitaker building made him grimace the moment he stepped inside of it. Everything was sleek and white, like he had stepped onto some futuristic tower. Modern screens jutted out from every corner – devices far newer than those in the engineering college. So this is where most of the tuition money goes… Nathan pressed the button to the elevator, causing a slim, blue circle to light up around it. He stepped off at the third floor and located the room pretty quickly.

The professor's door was already ajar, held open by a small, half-full trashcan. He knocked. "Come in." She put on a pair of reading glasses. The picture of her on the university page had clearly been taken a few years ago; though Mrs. Shelford still looked as though she were fighting against age, it was a battle of attrition that had begun to make its mark. She wore a pristine white suit and pants. It dawned on him that she had not fully left the stage. At least, in her mind.

"Hey Mrs. Shelford. Thanks for meeting with me."

"Sure, sure – I would have visited her myself when I heard rumors of a milotic at the fountain, but I was a bit backed up." He could see that much considering how many papers were on her desk. How someone in such a field could have a comparative amount of clutter to that of an engineer, Nathan had no clue, but that thought was kept to himself. "So, let's see the star of the show." He pulled out a luxury ball and released its inhabitant.

"Well, this is Naomi." The milotic gave her sweetest smile as the former coordinator stood. Meredith approached the serpentine pokémon, her posture straight, and looked over her features.

"A fine specimen, to say the least." Naomi seemed to glow upon hearing her words. "And you seek to enter her into the competitive scene, correct?"

"Well… not me. I'm not a coordinator in the slightest," Nathan admitted. "Nor do I want to be one – no offense. It's just not something I could see myself doing. But Naomi would like to give it a shot, and so I thought I might ask you what steps I'd take to make that happen. I'm sure we'd need to work something out with a coordinator."

"Yes, but there is no shortage of those here." The professor ran her hand down the milotic's pink fins; Adira had done well in preparing her for presentation. Naomi's antennae nearly stood straight up. "With a milotic, you should have no trouble finding suitable coordinators. Many can only dream of working with one." Those words heartened both trainer and pokémon.

"Great. So how would we get started?"

"Would you hush for a moment?" She did not say the words in a snappy manner but rather as calm as could be. Nathan did as she asked. "I apologize. You seem like a young man who likes to ask a lot of questions. But my work is often done in silence and with great focus. I will answer any you have after I am finished." Her eyes drifted over the creature's body; with each shimmering scale, Mrs. Shelford may as well have been a jeweler inspecting countless fine gems. Moving, breathing gemstones – that's what she looked like in Nathan's opinion.

She knelt down towards the tail, taking the water-type by surprise by lifting it off the ground. Naomi blushed but said nothing. The professor was silent for a moment. Turning it for a better look, she sighed. "But even Achilles had his heel…"

"What?" Nathan asked.

"Have you not noticed her tail?" He looked at her dumbfounded. "I suppose not; engineers are not known for possessing an eye for quality."

"…Quality?"

"Look at the colors – the pattern of her tail. None are alike, and their appearance is never symmetric in nature, but the pinks, the blues, the black lines… all of them develop with particular borders. With boundaries." She stretched out a hand, motioning towards the base of her tail. Nathan saw what she was referring to, and it had never even registered to him as something that mattered. "See how crooked the lines are? How the pink tries to merge with blue? The line is slim as a hair in some places. Jagged and crooked. Now look over the rest of her tail." Just as she said, it was like that everywhere. "And look at her tail fins – that alone would have done it. The second and third should be the same size, but one is slightly longer than the other." She was right when she said slightly; odds were that not even Naomi had recognized this.

"I mean, her tail was split when she was a feebas. But what does that matter?"

"It matters because she wouldn't be able to compete." The words stung him even though this wasn't even something he cared about. But he cared about Naomi. For that reason, he was scared to even look towards her face. "Let me rephrase that. You could still enter her, but you would be wasting your time. Milotics are only allowed to compete against other milotics for a reason, and if Naomi were to go on stage with others that lacked these unfortunate deformities, then she would likely be the first ruled out."

"I don't understand," Nathan persisted. "I never even noticed these things. It's so minor… such a petty thing to dismiss her over."

"Mr. Hayes, do you think I don't know this?" She removed her glasses, folding them up and tucking them into her shirt pocket. Her investigation was done. "Everyone seems to think that this field is one of ease, but I can assure you that just as much calculation goes into mine as does yours." She went back to her desk and took her seat. "I have won first place in three separate regional competitions in my life. That was over twenty-five years of rigor and blood and sweat. And for each of those three girls who won… ten were turned down. The harsh reality of this field, Mr. Hayes, is that beauty is not in the eye of the beholder. It is in the eyes of those judges. And those judges would dismiss her if they saw this."

The following silence that took place in the room was the most deafening Nathan had ever heard. It was during that very silence that he made probably the worst decision he could have: he looked at Naomi. Tried to pretend that he didn't see beads of liquid forming in her eyes as she looked away. Her lip quivered. "I am sorry, dear." Now, Mrs. Shelford sounded sincere. Or maybe she had learned to sound sincere after saying these same words however many dozen times in the past. "But I feel that I'd be doing you a disservice by not telling you the truth."

"It's fine." Only Nathan had his translators in, but anyone could have easily determined that her words weren't sincere. She looked down, not wanting to make eye contact with her trainer. He decided that it was best to return her for now.

"Thank you, Mrs. Shelford," Nathan said, heading for the door. She seemed not to hear his words, instead focusing on a picture at the corner of her desk. One she likely looked at every day. He managed to briefly glance a picture of her teenage self alongside a seviper. Something that had no chance of ever winning a competition.

"And the truth is… this is an ugly business…"

---

Aaron had finished his third slice by this point; they had ordered pizza after all, much to Aiden's delight. What a story he would have for the others when he got back home. But at this point, he wondered when the story would end. Already he had been here for over an hour and there had been little mention of Alpha, his relationship with Adira, or even the charizard who had ensured that there were no leftovers for tomorrow. He looked at Naomi, expecting to see the heartache of a resurfaced bad memory, but instead he saw the look of resolution. Peace.

"What happened next?" This time the question was directed towards her.

"I did not take it well," she admitted. "Could you imagine the amount of pride that filled me upon seeing my evolution? After hearing all those words of encouragement and awe? After being a dull little fish?" She shook her head. "Talk about a letdown…"

"I'll bet."

"I didn't want to go to the pond," she continued. "I couldn't bear to be around all those people again. All those people who would look at me with admiration. As that professor pointed out… they were poor judges. I just wanted to crawl into my pokéball and stay there forever."

"Then what got you out of that?" Aaron questioned.

"Adira."

---

Nathan sat in front of his laptop, the words on the screen having remained unchanged for the past half hour. He hardly even knew what they said anymore. Glancing towards the side of his desk, he found two pokéballs, though only the luxury ball was occupied at the moment. A clawed hand gently rested upon his shoulder.

'I just don't know what to do about this,' he thought. 'It's been over a week now…' In his mind, that was plenty of time to come to terms with the matter, but men and women sometimes dealt with matters differently.

'Then perhaps we should try a different approach.' He shrugged.

'I figured something like this would take time. Naomi knows that we're here for her, but right now, it seems like she needs some time alone…' Adira shook her head; though he didn't see it, he felt her disapproval.

'With all due respect, friend, I think that is the last thing Naomi needs right now.' She didn't wait for his question; Adira floated to the other side of the desk and grabbed the ball, making eye contact with him. Just as each time, he hesitated. 'You may be her trainer… and your culture states that it should be your responsibility to see to her needs, but I am also her family, and as such, I feel responsible to intervene.'

'Of course. I would never deny you that.' The latias nodded, and without wasting another moment, pressed the release button. Nathan inserted his translators as Naomi appeared between them, confused as to the sudden release. Had he not said that he would give her the necessary time?

"What's going on?" she murmured.

"I wish to speak with you." The legendary drifted closer, raising her hand and placing it to the cheek of the water-type. She flinched back.

"Everything's fine. I just want to sleep."

"Dear… everything is not fine – and you know it. Why not talk about it?"

"Talking won't change what happened," Naomi replied. Nathan regretted ever even entertaining this idea, but he couldn't bear to see her upset at that pond and caved. His weakness then was indirectly responsible for what she was feeling now.

"Maybe not," Adira admitted. "But it can change how you look at it." She once again closed the distance between them; this time, once she got close enough, the latias hugged her. "So let us talk. Why did you want to go into those contests?" Nathan said nothing, observing the scene before him. "Did you think that your value lies within being attractive to the eye? That you needed the approval of a few human judges, who see nothing but a fleeting beauty, to feel content with yourself?"

"I don't…"

"Why do you need them to feel good about yourself?" Naomi paused, and for a minute, it seemed like she wouldn't respond. But when she did, it took Nathan by surprise. The venom she said the words with was one that he'd never heard.

"You'd never understand! You didn't spend fifteen years of your life as an ugly little fish!" Rather than being offended by her tone, Adira pulled back, looking the milotic in the eyes. Immediately, the water-type averted her gaze, ashamed of lashing out at her.

"Dear… beauty is subjective. Do you think I was the most attractive latias in my herd? I had neither the shiniest plumage, nor the most majestic wings. Some had sleeker features, others softer feathers…" Adira trailed off. "But none compared to our leader's mate. Her colors were that of the sun itself rather than red. None compared to her fairness, so I will use her as my example." She reached her wing and plucked a single red feather from it.

"What are you—"

"What do you see here?" Adira asked.

"A… feather."

"Can I make it golden? Or red? Can I order it to grow the size that it did, or any larger for that matter?" The milotic shook her head slowly.

"No," she replied. "I suppose not."

"You are right. So why should I worry about what I cannot control?" Naomi coiled up on the ground. A heavy sigh filled the room. It was clear where she was going with this.

"That's easy for you to say. You're a latias, and you don't have a deformity…"

"Maybe not," Adira admitted. "But do you think if I based my happiness on comparing myself to my leader's mate that I would ever be able to feel content?" She floated towards Nathan. "The humans have a saying, I have learned: that there is always a bigger fish. There will always be someone greater than you in some aspect, and you will always be greater than someone else in that very same regard. Perhaps there are milotics with more impressive tails according to some silly human judges. And? Can you change how your tail formed? If not, then why should you base your happiness upon something out of your control?"

"I… I don't know," Naomi admitted.

"Furthermore, do you think that this physical beauty that many pride so much will last forever? Do we all not age and lose that which we had in our youth? Do the flowers not wither and die?"

"They do." Her response was quiet and hesitant.

"If you choose to try and find your joy within superficial matters – matters in which there will always be that 'bigger fish' – then you will never find it. Do you not think there are millions of pokémon, if not billions, that would love to have even a fraction of the beauty that you possess?"

"I guess so…"

"I know so. If we always use others, or the expectations of others, as our measurement of self-worth, then we will always feel worthless. I see a beautiful person in front of me, both in body and in heart. But one day… one of those two will fade. Beauty is like a flower, after all. I ask that you see in yourself what I see in you and what our trainer sees in you." Though she wasn't facing him, Nathan saw the milotic's mouth curl into a smile.

---

College, despite its workload, was a gentle distraction from the real world. This was the real world. Signs waving as fists flew, pokémon and humans standing alongside each other as an admin took the stage. Terrance was a massive man, a figure strapping enough to make a machamp think twice about challenging him. He assumed the podium within the former warehouse, which had been bought by the team and repurposed. Adira was at Nathan's side, her disguise up, and eagerly looked around the room.

'So this is what one of these rallies is like,' she said. 'I must say, you all are quite an energetic group.'

'Yeah!' It was almost hard for him to either hear her or focus enough for a telepathic response. 'We're planning for a massive counter-protest. Delta's gonna be taking to the streets this weekend, so we'll be ready to push them out.'

'What is the matter at hand?'

'Well, those morons don't ever really need a set reason. Most of 'em are a bunch of degenerates that are just upset that the world isn't bowing down to their whims and desires. But right now, they're mad that our courts just ruled that a man putting on a wig and makeup can't compete with women in sports.' She looked at him in a puzzled manner. 'I'll break down the details for you later,' he assured.

'Alright.'

"Y'all ready to purge some sick sons of bitches from this country?!" Terrance all but yelled into the microphone. The response was deafening, echoing within the warehouse. "That's what I like to hear! Now we ain't got too much news tonight. Most of you know yer plans by now, so we won't be spendin' too much time on that, but we will be breaking into the usual groups to make sure everyone knows their parts."

The speech, as he said, wasn't very long. The room was abuzz as everyone broke up into their units; Nathan found Justin on the other side of the building. The nature of this mission was an odd one. Cops would be everywhere – the result of a massive protest Delta was holding regarding the results of the court decision – and their route was planned and set. There were no questions as to where everyone would be. But the police presence in the area would be concerning. If officers tried to break things up, Alpha always heeded the law. It was a matter of not getting caught up until that point. Assault was only illegal if you were identified and charged.

Adira's hand went to his arm. He looked at her, hearing no words, but somehow feeling her apprehension as his own. 'Is something wrong?'

'Yes,' she answered. 'Something is very wrong, but I do not know what.'

'Gotcha. Well, if you happen to find out, let me know.' He returned his focus to hearing Justin out. Their assignment was to ensure that several key speakers never made it to the event. A singer, an actor, an activist – all people who thought themselves far more important than they really were. And all of them were in a single hotel building. Their group would be leaving early in the morning to make sure they were successful in their mission. And there was a reason Nathan had been put under Justin's watch. He was always successful.

---

The days crept by. Anticipation built, and for many, bloodlust. There were always a few people who died in these events, and they tended not to be on the side with stronger pokémon and guns. Perhaps not today; there were far too many cops that would be there, but that didn't mean bones wouldn't be broken.

They stepped out into the winter morning. At one time, his father had told him, Kanoma received snow. Not a whole lot, for they were in the most southern part of the region, but enough to frost over the ground, small clumps like cotton spread about. That was thirty years ago. Nathan wasn't sure what had changed. If you listened to any of the scientists who all but supported Delta, they would all point to climate change. Truth be told, he was wondering if they were right about that very case, but he kept thoughts of that nature to himself. If a little heat was the price they had to pay to save every other aspect of the world, then so be it.

Glass doors slid open as they walked into the hotel. The receptionist nodded. It wasn't easy getting one of their guys into position, especially for the early shift, but Justin, despite a country accent that made him seem dumb in the eyes of their opponents, was incredibly creative when he needed to be. They found the back entrance pretty quickly, and a key was turned, locking it shut. They would be coming out the front whether they liked it or not.

They would not. Not when they saw what was waiting for them. Justin tucked in his shirt and straightened his belt. Pulling a nearly-empty carton from his pocket, he lit a cigarette, offering one to Nathan. He turned it down, as he did every time. 'That's disgusting,' Adira said as he exhaled a stream of smoke.

'It's not for everyone.' Seeing her in a bandana and cowboy hat, though, was quite humorous, even if it was only an illusion. Cute, even. Of the people present, only Justin knew of her identity.

'So we wait for them to come out. What happens then?' she asked. 'Are we asking them to leave?'

'Something of the sort.'

'Wait… will there be battling involved?' She sounded unready, though he had little doubt she could take anything that was thrown their way.

'There almost always is. But don't worry. We aren't required to participate. Not for a while, at least.' She was visibly relieved.

The men stood against the wall, waiting for the right moment. Nathan checked his watch. Half past six. It was dim outside, but quickly becoming brighter, and within a few minutes the streetlights would go out. Nathan's hand rested on his revolver – his only guaranteed source of safety if Adira didn't want to intervene. He had left Naomi at home; she wasn't ready for a fight like this.

It was close to seven when Justin nudged him. Adira snapped to attention. Sunlight coated her face. An uncertain face, prepared for anything and nothing all at the same time. There were many ways in which she was more experienced than him, but right now, she would be the one learning.

She would learn just what they were up against.

Several hands fished pokéballs from within their pockets. Justin himself grabbed two balls, one of which was his tyranitar. Even though they were on the same side, Nathan could honestly say that pokémon scared him and everyone else in the team. The dark-type had only ever warmed up to Justin.

They took their places, hiding from sight as the doors slid open. Close to a dozen people stepped out with their suitcases and belongings, identifiable from a mile away, even if they weren't wearing their insignias. And once they did, the receptionist slipped behind them and flipped a switch, locking the doors.

Justin was the first to step forth. He always was. Nathan was right behind him. No one spoke for a moment as the enemies' eyes went wide. "Well… ain't this a sorry sight," he said. "I'm afraid y'all won't be makin' it to that rally."

"Back off, you inbred fuck," one of the males stated. Nathan had heard of him; he was a singer for a somewhat popular band from Unova, one that had apparently been started by a gym leader decades ago.

"I don't think we're goin' anywhere," Justin said, releasing his tyranitar and blaziken. "You, on the other hand… well, how's the ICU sound?" Nathan folded his arms, watching the scene unfold as though he were an impartial observer. Almost like a football game. Only this time, one team was significantly more powerful and had superior numbers.

One red flash led to another as pokémon were recalled. By his count, three had been returned from Alpha. They weren't bound to win every single fight. Delta, on the other hand, had recalled all but four of their own, and as they squared off against opponents three times their number, the situation had gone from bad to hopeless for them.

"Aight Drake, you know what to do!" Justin called out, his lips curled into a wry grin. The tyranitar stomped the ground, shooting fragments of asphalt into the air before hurling them at the remaining enemies. A sylveon was pelted, and as he tried to roll onto his feet, the far larger pokémon kicked him into his trainer. A loud crack sounded.

"BARRIE!" his trainer, a girl not much older than Nathan yelled. She bent down, grasping at her limp pokémon who whimpered. Blood came from his mouth. Several ribs were broken to say the least. She looked up, tears in her eyes, and any resolve towards Delta's cause was likely gone. This was what being a member of Alpha was about: crushing the enemies of decency, reveling in their destruction.

A machamp from their side, along with Justin's blaziken, struck a blastoise with such force that one wondered if the creature's shell would crack. As the last pokémon from Delta neared his breaking point, a massive flash occurred, one that shook the ground and hurled everyone off their feet. Nathan opened his eyes. His cheek touched the road, and his vision blurred. Through it all, he could barely make out the swift movement of feet as their targets sprinted away, likely for their very lives. He groaned. Picked up the dropped cowboy hat. His bandana felt stuffy.

"What the hell just happened?" one of the Alpha members asked.

"Beats me," Justin said. "Shit, that fuckin' hurt." His two pokémon were in a similar state, clasping their heads and wondering what sort of attack that blastoise managed to use. By now, their enemies were long gone.

"They got away…"

"Doubt they'll be headin' towards the rally," Justin stated, "we could likely intercept them at the pokémon center if we hurry." He dusted off his shirt, tiny fragments of rock falling off as he did so.

"Should we go?"

"Nah. It's a shame we didn't get to rough the trainers up, but they won't be at the rally. Not without their cars."

"Gotcha."

"Y'all head back. Me an' Zachary will stay here and keep watch in case they decide to be dumbasses and come back." He lit up another cigarette, this one the reward of a battle won. Well, sort of won…

Nathan got into his truck, lowering his bandana. Adira didn't say a word to him the entire way home.

---

As the television showcased the events of the calamity that had taken the city, nobody in the Hayes household was paying it any attention. Nathan's parents were outside with the neighbor while he and the two pokémon were at the table. He scrolled through his phone as Naomi peered out the window.

"You know, you're free to go out there if you want…" He looked up at the serpent. "You've been staring for quite a bit."

"I like it here," she replied. "I could get used to this. The pond at your college is nice, but it does not compare to this freedom."

"Yeah. And the fish here eat pretty well, too." She smiled at his statement.

"I believe I'll be the judge of that." Nodding at the door, she wordlessly asked for him to open it.

"Be back by dark," he called out to the milotic as she made her way towards the ocean. He returned to his seat. "And then there were two."

'Mhm.' She sounded distant, as she had the past several days. Ever since the fight with Delta, Adira had been off. Perhaps she had felt their evilness; members of her species could detect emotions, after all, so she had doubtlessly seen how wretched they were.

"Hey Adira?" The legendary looked at him, though it wasn't much of a look as it was a glance. "Is something wrong? You've been off since that battle."

'In truth, that was not what I was expecting,' she replied. 'At all.'

"What were you expecting?"

'I do not know, but not that.' The way she said it was almost bitter.

"Are you upset?"

'Of course I'm upset, Nathan. I know Delta is evil. That is certain – they are hateful and lost within their twisted morals. They have made gods of their own desires.' Her eyes narrowed, settling on the framed picture by the door. It was of him when he was young, shooting a rifle for the first time. He was eight then, and it was only a .22 caliber. He smiled at the memory, but that smile disappeared as soon as he heard her next words. 'But… I thought better of you than what I saw out there.'

"W-what?"

'You heard what I said.' He had, but he was trying to make sense of it.

"I don't… understand. We have to stop Delta."

'I never said that you didn't,' was her reply. 'But you know just as well as I do that what just happened out there was wrong.'

"Wrong?" He looked at her incredulously. She nodded, her claws latched with each other. "It's Delta. There's no 'wrong' against them. They're monsters."

'They are people.'

"People trying to destroy the last few good things about the world. What about you and your herd? You realize they would hate you for living a moral life?"

'I am very well aware of that.'

"Then what gives?" She levitated over to him. He fell silent as a single hand made its way to his chest. What was she doing? His question was answered as her hand scooped up the crest of Arceus. The necklace he never removed.

'Perhaps I am being unfair to you. You are a product of what you have been raised around. But the words you have said… how do you reconcile them with this?' She tapped the golden pendant.

"I… I don't…" He shook his head. "Look, we have to make some hard decisions, okay? If we don't, Delta wins, and there won't be even the slightest ounce of traditional values left. They will destroy everything we hold dear."

'So you will use evil to accomplish good?' Evil. That was a word that he had never thought to apply to Alpha. Evil; that wasn't them. They were the good guys.

"War isn't evil. Standing by while they wreak havoc on everything they touch would be."

'Did I say you should stand by? No.'

"Then what would you have us do? Ask them nicely to leave?" She sighed, letting go of the necklace before floating into the living room. A marble fireplace was the central attraction, and in front of it stopped.

'It is fair that you are angry. Immorality should incite that within us. But acting on anger – making ourselves slaves to wrath – is not the answer.' Her sleek arm reached out. A flame sparked to life within the fireplace, though there was no wood. 'Anger is an emotion, and when applied righteously, is even a good thing. But when taken out of its rightful place…' She looked at him. The flame within the fireplace shriveled as a new one formed within her hand. 'Well… what would happen if I placed this on the carpet?'

Nathan wasn't sure how to respond. Surely she wasn't threatening him – that much wasn't in her nature. But what was she trying to say? Finally, he muttered a reply. "You would burn the house down."

'Exactly.' The flame died. 'We must master anger and subdue wrath. The only way to do that is to invest in patience and gentleness, both of which are virtues of love.' She approached him again. He looked away. 'And I believe there lies the problem. Those in Alpha have forgotten how to love.'

"What do you mean by that?" he asked. "Several of them are married. I've yet to see a trainer in Alpha that doesn't love their family, or the pokémon, or…"

'That is not the full form of love,' she countered.

"Then what is?"

'Is it not easy to love those who we wish to love? Everyone does that, do they not? But we are not only judged by loving those who we want to, but also in how we act towards those that we do not want to love. Even towards those who hate us.'

"Wait just a minute," he said. "You mean to tell me that you think I should show love towards those freaks in Delta?"

'It is not a matter of what I think,' she replied. 'It is a matter of what is right.'

"I don't think… I mean, how could we? They would kill us given the chance."

'And could you say that you would not do the same? Towards the end of that battle, I sensed it. Your people would have brought them, at the very least, to the brink of death. Perhaps even to it.' Nathan saw sorrow in her eyes, and though he hadn't participated directly, it made him feel guilty. And that's when it clicked.

"You… you helped them escape…" Her silence over the next few seconds was the only answer he needed.

'You had achieved your goals already. There was no need for further violence.' His fingers wrapped around the necklace. True, he had heard it a time or two in church, but… this was war. Was it not different here? 'Before I decided to stay with you, we spoke of your lack of feeling. I believe I now know the cause.' He looked down, not wanting her to continue. An already uncomfortable topic was drifting further than he had hoped.

"Adira…"

'You have become dead to love, having let wrath take its place, making you bitter and cynical to the world. And you are a product of what you have been raised around – just as I am a product of my parents. But you are older now and may choose differently. I think… it was for this reason that I felt called to stay with you.' Adira held her hand out to him. 'Please, Nathan – I have felt good within you. It seeks to leap out from you, to shine forth. But you must learn how to love the way we, as children of Arceus, were meant to love. I invite you to see things from a new perspective. Let me show you.'

He had yet to meet her gaze. All he could see from his peripheral was the outstretched hand. The latias was patient, waiting for a response. A simple yes or no, and she wasn't about to let go of the matter until she got one. One or the other…

'Do you trust me?' The breath stopped within his chest. Nathan swallowed, uncertain as to what to make of all this. But if he had one answer, it was to that very question.

"Y-yeah…" He looked up at her. Despite all she had said against everything he had come to believe, she smiled. Nathan looked down, and throwing caution into the wind, slowly took her hand.

---

It started out slow. A comment here, a question there. She seemed to know how to best challenge him. Maybe he shouldn't have been surprised. After all, she had proven herself smarter than anyone else his age. Quite possibly smarter than himself, even…

And despite what she had said – the manner in which she had cut Alpha down – she began training with Naomi. One particular day he had gone to the dock, finding them both there. The milotic held a ring of water around her, floating in midair, that seemed to be several tons. The serpentine pokémon smiled upon seeing him. Then something happened that he didn't expect: the water quickly came to a halt and solidified. A large, ice ring floated in the sea, and Naomi dove under it and surfaced at the edge of the dock. "What was that?"

"Adira taught me how to freeze water," she said happily.

"Yeah, I can see that…"

"It is not entirely unlike how I create fire," Adira stated. "After all, it is simply a matter of transferring heat." She cocked her head. "Well… I also have to create my own fuel… but you know what I mean." Nathan nodded, eyes fixed on the ring that bobbed with the tide.

"We'll be heading back to college in a few days."

"Good. I am eager to scan your library for more resources." He laughed; she arguably was receiving more education there than him.

Spring classes that year were much easier than the previous semester. Perhaps it was that way because he had already been introduced to the harder concepts and equations, and now it was more so a matter of applying them rather than learning a lot of new contextual information.

It was the summer that brought the first major changes. It was those breaks when his education within the university ended and the one within Alpha resumed. And summer was crammed with events for him to attend. Rallies and counterprotests would inevitably happen surrounding any major ongoing event. Economics and social policy would be discussed with his current superiors, most of which were enthusiastic for the trainer with a latias to be their future leader.

But now that word didn't have the same luster. Not with Adira around. She had managed to taint it – to make him question it. Alpha was still right; of that, he was confident. But maybe they needed to tweak their methods and reasons. "One thing that you can do," Adira would tell him, "is not only to pay attention to what someone is saying but also to why they are saying it."

Why did they say the things they did? They believed them to be right, of course. But now he wondered if there were other reasons. Were they desperate for relevance in a hedonistic time? Were they angry that they had lost the culture war and were losing numbers year by year? The world was against them, pushing them into a corner and forcing them to act this way… right?

He wanted to put the questions to rest, but to no avail. He didn't know what to make of the future, but the past could no longer be seen through rose-colored glasses.

---

"So you dragged him out? Wow…"

"It wasn't quite that simple," Nathan replied. "As I said, Adira made me ask questions. Questions that I'd never thought of. She has a habit of doing that."

"I bet…" The latias grinned triumphantly.

"That summer, I think I attended two, maybe three events with Alpha. To put things into perspective, they were held biweekly where I lived. I started… noticing things. We all sat in the pews every Sunday. I kid you not, I watched people nod in agreement to a sermon on the importance of forgiveness and loving one's enemies… and then talk about instigating Delta members into 'self-defense' situations and mowing them down only a few days later."

"And you still wanted to stay in that group?" Aaron asked. The older trainer hesitated, then shrugged.

"It was what I knew, Aaron. Ever since I could form memories, Alpha had been a part of my life. Did you think I would leave them in a matter of a few weeks?" That was fair.

"So what brought you out?" He couldn't help but notice Aiden looking downward. The flame on his tail dimmed slightly.

"…It was soon after I got Aiden…"

---

The middle of summer brought something else, too. Now twenty-one years of age, he could enjoy several of the freedoms the older members of Alpha could. "You know what this means?" he asked Adira.

'What is that?'

"I can legally drink now." She cut a glare towards him.

'You had better not stoop to the level of a drunk. It would seem your organization has enough of those already.' He could agree with her on that; there were no shortage of beer cans and bottles littered around several of their meeting places.

"I know, I know. I was just joking." The latias stuck her tongue out. "You know, you're kind of a buzzkill sometimes."

'Oh? Is this coming from the engineer of all people?'

"…Fair enough." He laughed, and a heartfelt grin spread across her face.

'I like hearing you laugh.' Now that he was conscious of it, it died down. Nathan had found himself doing that a lot more this past summer, and far more than ever before in his life once Adira had stepped into the picture. It was easy to lighten up around her. She seemed to have that effect on people.

It was about three weeks prior to his return that Walter called him out back. Adira remained in the house with his mother while Nathan and his father talked. Walter motioned for him to take a seat at the unlit campfire. "What's up?" Nathan asked.

"I dunno – you tell me." He didn't sound pleased.

"I… I'm not sure what you're expecting. Is something wrong?" Apparently deciding against beating around the bush, his father told him what he thought was wrong.

"Where've you been all summer? Justin's said you've only showed up to a couple meetings."

"Oh…"

"So what did you find that was more important than your duty to Alpha?" There was no answer that he had to that question that would be satisfactory to Walter. There was nothing much that he had done this summer aside from hanging out with his two pokémon, often watching as Adira showed Naomi how to manipulate her element. That most certainly wasn't what his father wanted to hear. "In any case, you need to step up."

"…I understand."

"That's why Clay's arranged a little deal." Nathan was almost scared to ask. Luckily, he didn't have to. "We've spoken with the administrator of Jagged Scale. You'll be meeting with him this Saturday. Spend a few days there and pick your next team member." The trainer paused, both unnerved by their disapproval and in the selection that they had made for him. The Jagged Scale starter facility was internationally renowned for the charmanders that were raised there. Several had gone to compete on local and regional levels, and odds are, in every tournament within Kanoma, at least one trainer would have a charizard that was born there.

"So a charmander, huh?" Nathan had known that they would eventually build a team for him. He just didn't know that they planned on starting it so soon. But it made sense, to some degree: while he was at the university, they could be trained here. Though he really wasn't fond of the idea of leaving Naomi behind…

"Not just a charmander. He's lettin' you pick a mega stone, too."

---

Dark steel fencing surrounded the property, jutting up from brick borders like thousands of spears that stretched in each direction. Nathan stopped in front, and after punching in the code that had been sent to him, the large gate opened. Each of the two pillars had the head of a charizard situated on top made of burnished bronze. He drove through. Adira gazed out the window as gravel crunched underneath the tires.

Near the facility was some dense woodlands along with the auburn hills that Kanoma was known for. But inside was a different picture. It looked like a warzone. Entire spots of grass were charred or burnt away completely, an immediate sign of what rested within these fences. The buildings they approached were all made of brick and stone with no exposed vinyl or wood. Several other vehicles were parked in a small lot in front of what he assumed was the main office.

Stepping inside was a stark difference to the outside of the building. Aluminum furniture was positioned in front of a large desk; an older woman with thick glasses and cracked lips seemed to be focused on her computer. She smiled upon seeing him, and he was greeted to an accent even more southern than most around these parts. "Roland is in his office. He's expecting you, so go right ahead."

"Appreciate it." Adira decided to stay in the lobby, finding a spot by the window and picking up one of the magazines. Several picture frames lined the hallway, filled with members of the charmander line, most of which were indistinguishable from the next. In front of each, though, was the same man. The room of interest was the last one on the right.

Roland was at least half a foot taller than Nathan, donning overalls and thick, calloused knuckles. He nodded; his silver hair was parted, though it looked as though he only had a few years' worth of it left. In the corner of the room was a cowboy hat.

"So you're that kid Clay done told me about. Heard you're gonna take us to new heights."

"That's the plan," Nathan murmured, shaking his hand.

"Saw y'all get out the car. That yer latias in the waitin' room?" He hesitated, and that seemed to give it away. "Like I said, Clay filled me in on a few things. Mind if I meet her? In her real form, that is." It dawned on Nathan that this was probably why Roland was not only giving him a starter, but a mega stone.

"I mean I'm not the one to ask. That's up to her."

"Course." An awkward silence followed, and then Roland spoke up again. "Well? You gonna ask her?"

"Sure, sure." He felt the reach of Adira's mind; it had, at first, been a tricky thing to grasp, but she always was ready for a signal. The latias agreed to the request, especially considering what Roland was offering them, and dropped her disguise as soon as she entered the room.

"Damn… so he wasn't kiddin' at all."

'I suppose he was not,' Adira answered. 'This is a rather large facility you have. Might I ask how many pokémon you raise here?'

"Oh, at least a couple hundred per year. You'll be choosin' from a group of about forty, though. They have to be a certain age before they get sent out, you see."

"Makes sense," Nathan said.

"I'll introduce ya to the lot. You get to know a few of 'em over the next few days and then let me know who your pick is. In terms of the mega stone… well, you'll pick whichever best suits that charmander."

'How is it that we will be able to observe them?' Adira asked.

"When they're in the training facility. That way you'll be able to see what they're capable of. Though I'll give you a bit of a heads up: number twenty-seven is physically the strongest. He never gets tired of fightin'. Then there's fifteen. She's the best with her flames."

"I'll definitely be looking out for them," Nathan replied.

As Roland had said, they were taken to a large building that resembled an arena inside. Individuals from all three members of the evolutionary line were inside, the younger ones learning from the older. Each charmander wore a small scarf-like article that displayed a number, several of which were chipped and fading. When he and Adira, now disguised once again, entered the room, many of them stared at him, though they held their places. Not like a lot of the starters that professors would hand out – those would rush towards the new trainers. These all stood in formation like a small army.

One of the three charizards instructing them snorted, then called them back to attention. Nathan and Adira took a seat towards the corner of the room where a few chairs were set up, presumably for this very purpose. They watched for over an hour as charmanders practiced fire attacks, wrestled and grappled with one another, and performed mock battles. Nathan paid especially close attention to the two that Roland had pointed out. "If we take him," Nathan said, referring to twenty-seven, "then I'd say it's best to pick the Charizardite X stone, and Y if we pick fifteen."

'That would be a good idea,' the latias admitted.

The following day was more of the same. This time, though, after the charmanders had concluded their training for the day, they were allowed to interact with Nathan. Most of them scurried over, though a few showed little interest, and huddled around him. Adira giggled at the sight.

"So you're the trainer that Roland told us to behave for?" a male asked.

"I guess that's me," Nathan replied. "Though I'm not much of a trainer. Not yet at least. I'm gonna need a little help for that part, so that's why I'm here." One of the other males, his number being thirty-two, wandered close, looking up at the human.

"You have one of those funny hats. Are you going to work here?" He tried to figure out what the fire-type was referring to, but then realized that Roland was also a supporter of Alpha, as were many people who worked here.

"Nah. But one day, I'll be leading all the people wearing hats."

"Woah…" several of them said.

"So you're going to be our boss' boss?"

"I mean… I wouldn't put it that way," Nathan said.

For some time, he spoke with the starters. None of them had names, only being referred to by their numbers, as their names would be decided upon reception by a trainer. It was clear that several hoped to be picked, especially now that they knew exactly who they might be picked by.

He studied them closely. This was a pick for Alpha, not for him. And for that very reason, though it all but made his decision for him, he decided against fifteen. Even if she might be the best in one regard, Walter's words echoed in his mind. Adding another female member to the team would be problematic. So it looks like we're leaning towards twenty-seven…

And it was clear what exactly Roland saw in that one. He fought and clashed with all ferocity, though in the rare case that he was matched up with an opponent that was notably weaker than himself, he would adjust the force of his blows. But he wouldn't lose; it seemed like he would prefer death to defeat.

It was during the third day that Adira brought him to the administrator. She seemed not to be too focused on the charmanders' performance the previous days. 'Hello, Mr. Roland. I'd like to ask you something, if I may.'

"Sure thing, miss."

'You've been very generous in allowing us as much time as you have to get to know each of the charmanders. And I must admit, your training regimen is very impressive.' Roland grinned from the praise the legendary gave him. 'But I couldn't help but notice that we have only been allowed to observe them while they're training.' Roland's brows furrowed.

"Yeah, I feel like it's best to give some free time throughout the day. Helps them develop an' all. I don't let any of my staff mess with 'em then."

'That is a wonderful idea, of course,' Adira replied. 'But is there any way you could make an exception? Do keep in mind I can conceal our presence, so they will not know we are near. I feel as though it might help us get to know them better. After all, we all act differently when we know others are watching.' The old man grunted, unable to deny her point, and eventually nodded.

"Fine. You're free to roam the facility as you see fit."

'Perfect!'

That was a liberty that she took to heart – and immediately at that. It took them a few hours, as the pokémon were fed and tended to after a day of combat, but they were eventually let out for their free time. Adira was able to cast an illusion surrounding them, and as such, they were completely hidden from sight.

Members of the charmander line tended to live in mountains and crags, so as such, this part of Kanoma was anything but natural for them. But that hadn't prevented Roland from doing his best. Jagged boulders and slates of stone littered the charred earth which consisted of clay and sand. The fire-types who were not chatting idly were playing with each other, some doing their best to imitate human games or sports. Most of them wrestled, though. Crude circles had been drawn in the ground for the purpose of forcing one another out of them.

'How strange,' Adira said. 'Even in their downtime they prefer to fight. Why is this?'

'I know as much about them as you do.' He watched the fight with interest. Two were going at it, and from the sounds of it, both were female. Flames were hurled from one to the other, creating a dangerous dance in which each tried to subdue their opponent. Maybe not enough to be immediately deadly, but the ground had been blackened from the very activity. Several cheered the two girls on. 'They're really going at it…'

'That they are.' She looked towards the corner of the makeshift arena, seeing two charmanders huddled together and talking between themselves. They left, heading towards the very edge of the recreational area, and found another charmander laying prone on a rock, drawing with a piece of charcoal. 'How strange. It seems like he does not care to play with the others.'

'Always one of those in every group.' Nathan didn't feel the need to tell her that, throughout most of his life, he had been that very one.

'Come,' she said. 'Let us investigate.' They walked towards the less dynamic scene with the human being careful not to make too much noise in the process. He avoided taking steps that would reveal footprints. Eventually they drew close enough to the point that words were distinguishable.

"Why don't you ever fight?" one of the two on the ground asked. "You want to be a charizard, don't you? You'll never evolve if you don't fight."

"I'll evolve when I'm ready to evolve." The one on the rock, a bit smaller than the other two, had a gentle voice. He didn't even look up and continued scribbling. One of the charmanders hopped up, looking over his shoulder.

"This is dumb. Dragons aren't supposed to do stupid stuff like… whatever that is."

"Drawing," the smaller fire-type said. "It's called drawing."

"It's stupid, and it's not something a dragon with any self-worth would be seen doing," the second charmander stated. He was adamant with his words, folding his arms and leering as if he were five times his actual size.

"Then I guess I'm not a dragon." He finally looked up. "And… don't the humans say we're fire and flying-types anyways?"

"That's just stupid humans for you," the first charmander said. "You heard Roland yourself – a bunch of 'em are so dumb they can't even decide if they're male or female." Nathan looked at Adira, but her eyes were fixed on the scene ahead. It seemed as though the smaller charmander – he wished they were still wearing their numbers – was completely content in ignoring the other two.

"Well?" one of the instigators asked.

"Hmm?"

"Are you going to do something or not?"

"I think I'll pass." He turned the piece of charcoal on its side, using the broad edge to shade a larger section. The gentle one acted as though they weren't even there to begin with. Apparently, that was the wrong course of action. The other charmander on top of the rock huffed, and having grown agitated, dragged his foot across the drawing. He looked up at the aggressor with a quivering frown on his face. "…Why?"

"You gonna do something about it?" The prone charmander slowly stood up; he wasn't much smaller than his aggressor at all. But unlike the other, he did not take a combative stance. "Well?"

"You know you'll win…"

"Well why don't you find out?" The exchange had attracted the attention of several others who looked with interest. Nathan clenched his fists. That charmander had been minding his own business, not bothering anyone. Before he had known it, though, the larger fire-type decided that he was tired of waiting for something to happen. He pushed the innocent starter back, causing him to stumble and fall off the rock. He released a whimper like sound upon making contact. Then, as if surprised by his own action, the agressor took a step back, his mouth open. The meek charmander looked up from the ground, blood trickling from his nose, and sniffed.

"Are you happy now?" he asked. Tears beaded up in his eyes as he wiped the red stream away, smearing it with the clay that coated his face.

"I… I didn't…" The downed charmander staggered back onto his feet, turned around, and walked away.

'That little shit!' Nathan thought. 'That charmander wasn't hurting a fly – and he comes up and does that?!'

'It is curious, is it not?' Adira said, almost musing to herself. 'He looked almost the same size as his opponent yet did not respond with aggression.'

'He should have punched him in the throat,' Nathan stated. That's what Alpha taught them to do should they ever get into an altercation. It was very effective at downing someone.

'I am going to follow him.' Nathan cut his gaze towards the receding fire-type. 'And you are coming with me.' Not giving him a choice in the matter, the legendary grabbed his arm and led him towards the wooded section within the property. They passed the rock with the smeared drawing.

Pine straw crunched underfoot, their source being the only trees in the immediate area, and the shade provided some welcome shelter from the beaming sun. That said, it was still muggy outside, and sweat clung to his clothing; the heat of Kanoma was not something one could understand until they experienced it, and even then, the inhabitants themselves were often unable to fully acclimate.

It didn't take them long to find the lone, flickering flame. A bit further east, the gate could be seen, though if one were particularly dauntless, they could use the branches and shrubbery and attempt to jump over. Adira placed her hand on Nathan's shoulder. He stopped, trying not to make the situation awkward, but Adira simply remained in place. 'He is crying…'

'Yeah, he looked the part when he left…' What the latias did next took him by shock. She dropped her illusion, removing their visual coverage, and showed her true form. She drifted closer to the charmander, who was still oblivious to their presence. Finally, once she was only ten or so yards away, he looked up, wiping his eyes again.

"H-hello?'' He sniffed. "Who are you?"

"A friend," she said. "Why have you come here?"

"I… I come here a lot…" Adira lowered herself to the ground beside him. "They d-don't think I'm a dragon because…" He collected himself, trying in vain to save face. "…because I don't like the things they do…"

"You are as much of a dragon as I am," the latias said softly.

"…You're a dragon?" She laughed.

"We get that a lot, but yes."

"Oh…"

"Why did you not fight the other one?" He looked down, stirring his claw in the dirt. Nathan could barely make out a rough sketch of the legendary before them.

"What good would it have done?" he mumbled. "It's what he wanted…"

"Perhaps it would have made him leave you alone," Adira said. Her claws rested on his shoulder. He stopped drawing but didn't look up. "Is there another reason?" He paused, but likely feeling pressed by her gentle yet insistent silence, he replied.

"What good is fighting fire with fire?"

Adira looked at Nathan, who seemed equally impressed by the answer. She returned her focus to the charmander. "How old are you?"

"Fourteen…"

"That is a very wise answer for one so young."

"Th-thanks."

"Do you not feel anger towards the one who hurt you?" It had sounded from his tone that he placed no blame.

"Nineteen was probably just trying to impress one of the females or something. I don't think he was trying to be mean… just stupid."

"I think you are right," she concluded. "It would seem as though most people do not intend on evilness. But our desires creep in, our vulnerabilities spring forth and make us defensive. In our efforts to acquire what we think we need to be happy we can find ourselves straying from the right path." Nathan held his breath. Right now, he didn't know who those words applied to. The latias embraced the fire-type, pulling him against her chest.

"Or maybe I'm just a coward." He sniffed.

"No…" She brought her hand to the back of his head. "In fact, I think you are braver than most. You are brave enough to recognize the brokenness we all deal with and to not give in to rage. And I think someone with your bravery is just what our team needs." Nathan had to check if he had heard that correctly. Her eyes met his, and right then, he knew that she had made the decision for him.

"R-really? But… a lot of the others are better at fighting."

"Child, I think the world needs less fighters right about now…" For the first time since they had arrived, the charmander looked directly at Nathan, realizing that the very trainer they'd been told to show their best to had seen him at his very weakest. "And besides, I happen to be a very patient teacher."

---

Nathan clenched the dark blue, spherical stone in his hand, not sure what to make of the situation. Roland had been shocked to hear that he had picked the charmander he had; Nathan himself was surprised at the pick. He hoped that Adira was right and that she could train him accordingly. This was supposed to have been a pick for Alpha's purposes…

And yet that was the least of his concerns. Right now, everything was on the line. Was Adira right? Delta was the enemy – the enemy of all things good and righteous and traditional. Those who aligned with Alpha were the heroes who dedicated themselves to protecting the last few good things in the world. But if that was true… why did that word not sound right anymore?

He treasured Adira more than anything else. In her, he had found comfort and wisdom, much like the other two members of his team. But right now, to some extent, it would have been better had someone else found her before him. Someone that wouldn't be going through this dilemma. Nathan could have continued in ignorance, along with the previously scheduled program, but now there were too many questions.

And one that could jeopardize everything.

There was no way he could risk all that he was to become within Alpha – what he was going to accomplish for the world, even – and yet she had continuously managed to place him in predicaments that seemed to require him to do so. Naomi was one thing. A one-off event, so to speak. But this charmander? And what frustrated him the most was that he couldn't even be mad. The newly-named Aiden was the kindest, most well-behaved addition to the team that he could have hoped for. But that wasn't what Alpha had demanded.

Adira's words following that one mission came to mind. 'You have become dead to love, having let wrath take its place...' Had they all become that way? Was Alpha, wrapped up in anger, only fighting fire with fire?

He had booked a hotel for a few days in an effort to clear his mind, though it was mostly to avoid going home right now. He stood on the balcony overlooking the seemingly endless rows of corn which would soon be taller than him. The glass door slid open then shut just as quickly. He didn't need to even look to know who it was. A single porchlight was on, flickering every few seconds as countless bugs swarmed it. It was muggy outside, but then again, it was always hot in Kanoma.

'Talk to me, Nathan,' she said. 'Something is bothering you.'

"No, a lot is bothering me." She drifted closer as he clutched the railing. Adira looked out at the fields.

'We have nothing but time.'

"I'm just… I'm confused. I don't know what to do and that terrifies me," he admitted. "I feel the weight of their expectations. Alpha is several million in number, but… every year we shrink while Delta grows larger. I'm their trump card. They expect me to pull this thing off, and…"

'And?'

"I don't know if I can anymore." He felt her hand placed on top of his own. That wasn't helping. That was the last thing he needed right now. But he didn't pull away. "I mean… Delta is evil. That much is clear."

'Of course.' It was a simple answer. One that he was grateful to have received. 'And?'

"I'm just… I can't help but wonder if… we might also be the bad guys…" Those words tasted more bitter than any other that had come out of his mouth.

'What do you think, Nathan?'

"I don't know what to think, Adira. For the first time in my entire life, I have absolutely no clue what to do… and that scares me. This is all I know." And it was. Nathan was born and raised in this atmosphere, from the very moment he could first speak to the current day. As she said, he was a product of his environment, but now the veil had been lifted and he was old enough to choose differently. It was making that choice that he was uncertain about.

'Look at those plants,' she said. 'One person may have planted, another fertilized, and another watered, but do any of them have control over what that seed will become?'

"No."

'Similarly, you will become the person you were meant to become.'

"But seeds aren't what's important right now. What matters is that—"

'I was not finished,' Adira said. 'May I continue?'

"I'm sorry…"

'There are many who may have contributed into the man you have become, Nathan. I would like to think myself among them.'

"Yeah," he replied, "you definitely are." It was not that multiple sources had poured into him that brewed controversy in his mind. It was the fact that those sources seemed to be pointing in very different directions. Some were loud, demanding and certain. But Adira had never taken such an approach. She was gentle and patient, prodding here or there, one question after another. She never made his mind for him and yet had shattered the walls he had constructed over a lifetime.

'But at the same time, it is you who chooses which path to take. You can choose to let the seeds grow or to tear them out by the roots. I told you before that Alpha has forgotten how to love.'

"You said I have too…" His voice croaked.

'But I have seen that spark within you. You were under no obligation to help Naomi evolve or to allow Aiden to come with us, but you did.'

"It's not even fair to call those my own accomplishments," Nathan stated. "I was put on the spot both times…"

'That is true. I have a habit of putting you into such situations, don't I?' He laughed, grateful for even a split second of comic relief. His grip on the metal rail lessened.

"Yeah, you do…"

'Please continue. I am here for you, now and always. I want to help you get to the bottom of this.'

"I'm sure – because that's who you are." He sighed, deciding to do as she asked. He would tell her everything. Everything except for that one thing… "I really just don't know what to do. There is good in them – I know that. I've seen it with my own eyes. I watched Justin raise that tyranitar and saw the friendship they shared. I've seen Dad helping people in the community when they lost their businesses or their homes. After the rallies, most of our guys love each other like brothers – because we've all become brothers in arms against an ever-growing disease."

'They similarly have sparks within them,' Adira replied. 'But I fear that many are trying to destroy the flame before it may grow.'

"But maybe… if they had a new leader – one who could show them a better way…" Nathan swallowed, not wanting to complete his thought. But he did. For her sake, he continued. "…Then maybe we wouldn't also be the bad guys. Maybe we don't have to fight fire with fire."

'And you feel that you could be that leader.' He nodded.

"At least… I think I could." There was a silence between them. He prayed that it would stay that way and not lead to any more questions. But was that even a fair thing to pray for? Was he even worthy of wearing that same necklace that he always did, the sacred crest that he had profaned by combining it with the hat upon his head? How could he claim to serve Arceus while watching as the enemies of Alpha were ruthlessly rounded up and beaten?

In the end, that prayer wasn't answered. But maybe he had been praying for the wrong thing. 'There is something else you are withholding,' she eventually said. 'A hesitation. A fear greater than that of your uncertainty with Alpha.'

"…You can even feel that, huh?" He wanted to force a laugh but couldn't. "Even despite my best efforts…"

'I can.'

"Do I even need to say anything? You probably already know." He was treading into dangerous territory. He needed to put this to rest now.

'Even if I could read your mind – and I cannot – I would want to hear you speak your thoughts.' That was it. A way out. Maybe not a chance to lie – she'd detect his dishonesty – but an opportunity to remain silent. To tell her that he'd rather keep it to himself. 'Please, Nathan. Talk to me.'

And that did it. That broke him. Tears streamed down his cheeks, clouding his vision of the endless field ahead as his breathing became frantic. "I didn't… expect something like this to happen. I'm… I'm sorry. I can't…" And that was as close as he could come, too scared to be honest with her or himself.

'Nathan…' Adira moved her hand up his arm. 'Look at me.' He couldn't do it, squinting his eyes shut. He was a pathetic sight and refused to make eye contact with her. 'Please, look at me.' Nathan opened bloodshot eyes. He decided to make the best, worst decision up until that point. He looked at her.

He expected a somber look. One that pitied his predicament, or maybe a look of irritation, even. What he found instead was the most beautiful smile in the world. Without warning, Adira closed that small gap and pressed her lips to his.

Nathan's breath halted, and the world around him ceased to exist. He closed his eyes – he shouldn't have – and surrendered to the moment. It was only a few seconds, not overly sensual, and the latias withdrew, smiling just as she had before. 'There. Was that so difficult?' He was at a loss for words. Retreating from her, Nathan backed up against the wall in complete disbelief of what had just happened.

Of what he had just done.

"Arceus…" he murmured. "Alpha would attack me for something like that…" He tried to ignore the heat in his face. "We… we went after others for supporting it…"

'Then I suppose you have a conflict on hand,' she stated. 'We are gifted in being able to feel the emotions of others, so I know what you feel, Nathan. I feel it too.'

"You do?" That made no sense. For him, this was going to be a passing crush, something that he would have buried over time. He knew of his attraction to her kind, compassionate heart, and he knew that it was real. It had to have been for him to look past the prejudices that he had been raised with and to feel such a way for a pokémon. But it would be a bad look for someone like him and would induce strife and disunity within Alpha. It could have passed. It needed to. So why was she encouraging his shortcoming? "Why? Why me? What would make me deserving of you?"

'In the end, Nathan, none of us are deserving. We all have fallen short. But we may be better than our brokenness. In you, I see someone who wants to do the right thing, not because you are told to but because you are driven to do so. I feel like that is what has brought you to this point. I have only served to ask the right questions from time to time.'

"You… you would take that chance on me? Even though it would be completely final according to the traditions of your species?"

'I would.' Her response was quick and certain. 'Now tell me: what is it that frightens you? I know you replicate my feelings, so what is it that has gripped your heart with fear?' He looked down. Times had changed a bit since then, but the attitudes held were all the same.

"…Even as recently as the nineties, they were quietly killing people like that. A man and his sylveon came to mind. They broke their legs, trapped them inside their house, and burned it down…" Her eyes narrowed.

'I do not hold hatred, but if anyone tries that, they will witness flames unlike any they have ever imagined. I will not allow harm to come to us.' He laughed at the idea, knowing she was right.

"I'm sure. It doesn't end that way anymore. It hasn't for decades. But we would be despised."

'The good within this world often are.'

"Yeah… you're right." That had been a rallying cry that Alpha had maintained for years. To think how hypocritical they had been all the while… He wiped his face. "Well… if I have to choose between them and you… it's definitely you."

'I love you, Nathan.' No sweeter words had ever graced his ears.

"And I love you, Adira."

They remained on that balcony and spoke until orange began to spread across the horizon. She was the calm in the upcoming storm. But that storm was coming. He couldn't put it off forever. That afternoon, he needed to return home and show them the charmander he had picked. Somehow, he doubted that would be the issue that enraged them the most…

When she returned to her ball in order to get a few hours of sleep, Nathan followed suit. But for him, sleep wouldn't come. The idea of being despised by almost everyone he had ever known made any form of rest an impossibility. The only people who would back him were in this very room. Aiden shared a bed with him, sprawled out and snoring quietly. He laughed at the sight of the charmander's tail twitching every so often. A few days had gone by and he was already referring to Adira as "Mom." If Nathan and her continued this path, and one day united under that promise, then that would make him "Dad."

What would his own father say? About any of this? Would Walter be willing to give reason a chance, sitting back with one of his overly-expensive cigars while Nathan explained everything, or would he jump at the first opportunity and accuse him of every indecency they had stood against? Only time would tell.

The one thing he knew for certain, though, was that he chose Adira over Alpha. He hoped that he could lead them down a better path, but if not… then he would walk it alone.

---

When he was in elementary school, a girl by the name of Amy Palmer had often spoke with him. All the way up until middle school, even. She was very cute, even more so as she matured, but one image had always stuck with him to the very day. Like many kids, she had asthma, and in a land where the pollen could stain the sidewalks and waterways a murky yellow, that was sure to trigger an attack.

It had been during recess one day. She was running with several of the other girls in front of the swing set, her hair waving in the spring breeze. Nathan was on the losing side in a game of capture the flag when it happened. First she slowed down, clutching the painted post as she wheezed and coughed. No one knew what was happening then, but as her face went red and she lost strength, falling onto the mulch-covered ground, the teacher sprinted over to her. Fortunately, she had an inhaler in her backpack, but the image of her struggling for just one more breath never left his mind.

That was what pulling up to a full driveway felt like. Clay's truck, red paint gleaming like a ruby, formed a pit in his stomach. He'd hoped that by pulling up near eight in the afternoon would have been enough to avoid the majority of the crowd. To some extent he had succeeded. The only issue was that the two most prominent members were both here. And there was no backing out, either; Walter had stepped onto the front porch, folding his arms and leaning against the pillar. With a six-pack of beers in one hand, he acknowledged Nathan's arrival with a single nod. Adira held his hand tightly.

'No harm will come to us,' she assured.

"No physical harm..." He took a breath. But this was what he had prepared for – or at least, attempted to prepare for. Nathan removed the keys and stepped out of the truck, his belt in hand. Another luxury ball was fastened to it. "Well, no way out now." He glanced at her. "You ready for this?"

'Probably not.' He laughed dryly.

"Yeah, me neither." They made their way to the porch. Walter grinned and pulled his son into a hug. One that he readily returned. He hoped that there was some chance that things might remain well between them – that the secrets he was carrying wouldn't cause a rift in the family. He hoped for unity but expected division.

"Well, thought you'd never show up. If I didn't know any better, I'd have thought you were avoidin' us."

"Sorry," Nathan apologized. "Needed a bit of time to collect my thoughts."

"I see… Well, everyone's out back. We were just chattin' it up a bit when we ran dry." Nathan slowly followed him there. Just like old times, where several of the closer members would stay over, sometimes for dinner, others even spending the night and sleeping on the couch. Flames danced from the stone fireplace as everyone was positioned around. Justin was laying back, arms folded behind his head, and shifted his gaze from the fire to the new arrival.

"Man of the hour," Justin stated. "Well, let's see the new member of the team." Nathan slowly clutched the second ball in his hand and pressed the release button. Aiden shot out, shaking his head, and looked up at Walter who happened to be nearest to him.

"Hi there!" he happily chimed. "Oh, you have one of those hats that Mr. Roland did."

"That I do," Walter stated. He squatted down, almost level with the fire-type. Nathan's father removed the cowboy hat and placed it on the charmander's head, causing him to laugh as it sunk over his eyes. "So, you ready to beat the hell outta some Delta morons?"

"W-what?" He lifted the hat, looking at Walter in disbelief, then glancing at Nathan. "I thought… you said I didn't have to fight." Nathan flinched at the words. Walter looked at his son, then stood up.

"…What now?" Clay stated. "I thought Roland said you were a fighter. The strongest in yer bunch…" Aiden looked just as confused as him.

"That was Twenty-Seven…"

"Huh. Well, what do you have to offer?"

"Well… I like to draw, and climb trees, and catch bugs…" Nathan closed his eyes, wishing that the charmander would stop making matters worse.

"Nathan?" Walter asked accusingly. "Do you know how much one of Roland's charmanders is worth? If we didn't know him, that would've run you over two hundred thousand dollars… and you pull something like this?" Aiden looked down, ashamed of what he was – not what they wanted. Nathan knelt beside the fire-type, and despite the situation at hand, smiled at him. He might not have been acceptable to Alpha, but then again, neither was Nathan after the confession he had made last night.

"It's alright, bud. We love you and will never force you to fight." Aiden's somber look turned into a smile, and as he hugged his trainer, Nathan returned him. Took a deep breath. Though there might have only been a dozen people present, it was as though the entire world were staring at him. But with Adira at his side, he felt like he could take on that very world.

"What the hell have you done?" Clay said, devoid of any amusement.

"I did what was right. I picked Aiden instead."

"You mean to tell me that you just blew through a favor and filled another slot on your team out of pity?!" Definitely not amused.

"Son?" Walter's tone wasn't angry as much as it was disappointed. "Why do you intend on shootin' yourself in the foot? Look, I get trying to be nice and all, but this is the team of someone who's supposed to lead Alpha for Arceus' sake. You'll be fightin' for the fate of the entire planet one day. And you… blow it on this? Is this whole thing some sort of joke to you?"

"No," Nathan said, straightening his own cowboy hat. "I'm taking this more seriously than ever before."

"Then I'd better hear a mighty damn good explanation," Alpha's leader stated, standing up from his seat.

"Look, I'm not going to apologize if my team doesn't fit your all's expectations. I have no regrets over either Naomi or Aiden, and I know that both will be great battlers one day."

"Not if he'd rather be out… coloring or catching butterflies. And a milotic? That's something that belongs on some Delta faggot's team, not yours," Clay stated.

"You know what? Shut up, Clay."

"Nathan!" Walter snapped.

"And let's talk about Delta, actually. You know what the rest of the world thinks when they hear Alpha? They just think we're one and the same as them – equal but opposite. We're just some other lunatics waving different colors. And can you blame them? Look at what we do. We fight them – sure, that's fair – and then try to make sure they never walk again." He looked around, seeing the bewildered faces of family and friends. His mother looked horrified. Not at him, but for him. Nathan grit his teeth, his hand going to his neck and ripping the golden chain, holding it out for all to see. "Look at this! I know I'm not the only one who wears it! Do you really think this is what Arceus wants? That curb stomping and shooting and crushing people is what we should be doing?"

"It's Delta," Clay said. His hand rested at his side. Maybe he didn't have his revolver on hand, but there were six pokéballs there. They were just as deadly – if not more.

"They're people." Adira's arm went to his shoulder. It felt weird to quote someone right behind him.

"You…" Walter said, addressing the latias. "What have you done? Ever since you came into the picture things have been different. What role did you play in this?"

'I have watched Nathan grow in both wisdom and compassion. Is it right for you to be upset by that?'

"If he had any wisdom, he wouldn't be talkin' this way," Clay stated. "So you got in his head and turned him against us? Against the cause?"

"Listen to yourself!" Nathan all but yelled. "Are the legendaries only worth revering when they say stuff we like? Do you not realize how hypocritical that is? I mean… at least Delta holds indifference towards them. Is that what this whole thing is – us just pretending to follow them, but only when we want to? At least Delta's honest about their morals. We just… we lie about ours." He stood tall, any trace of fear leaving his voice. It was far too late to back down now, and as such, the only way was forward. "At the end of the day… this whole team is just a red Delta, isn't it?"

"You dumb little shit." Clay straightened his hat. Nathan had just insulted him in probably the most significant way imaginable.

"Adira, what did you tell him?" Walter said, still in disbelief. This wasn't the son he had raised.

'Is it wrong for Nathan to not wish to flood the world with more hatred? Is there already not more than enough of that?'

"If he refuses to do what needs to be done – to stand up to those degenerates – then he is a coward and a disgrace to his namesake," Clay retorted. Her eyes lit up, and instinctively, her claws clenched on Nathan's shoulder. It hurt.

'Nathan is anything but a coward. You will not speak of him that way.' Clay took a step forward.

"Oh really? And why's that?" She sunk the last nail in the coffin.

'Because he will be my mate.' Eyes went wide; the only sound was that of the crackling fire. He was scared to look at his father, and yet, like a glutton for punishment, he did. Walter's mouth was agape. He took a step towards them.

"Nathan? Is this true?" The young trainer only nodded. "What?! We… I raised you better than that! What the hell is wrong with you?!" Nathan felt like there should have been tears here. It hurt him to hear his father turn against him so swiftly for a something so inconsequential. But there were no tears. He stood his ground.

"For the first time in my life… nothing." He turned to Clay. "And as for this whole thing… we can be better than this. You know that. We'll be hated by the world if we stand up for what's right – I get that – but what we're doing here and now isn't that. I was hoping… maybe I could turn Alpha over to a new leaf. But y'all have just made it clear that there's no saving this broken thing. Find someone else to lead your terror group – or just let it rot. I'm not gonna help burn the world down. I'm done."

"So that's just it, huh?" Justin said. "You're just gonna up and quit like that?"

"I can and I will," Nathan replied.

"Then that's all you're good for, ain't it? Runnin' away, too scared to do what's necessary, you perverted little shit. I thought your father raised you with more decency than that. Definitely with more manners." Walter looked at Clay, then back at Nathan. At the end of the day, it was clear where his loyalty was. "It looks like I'm gonna need to teach you some…" Nathan felt Adira's grasp on his mind. Though he couldn't read her thoughts, her assurance told him all he needed to know: she was on the same page as him.

"You don't want this fight, Clay."

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure I do, boy." He held up one of his pokéballs, expanding it in size. Nathan backed up. He was outnumbered. Aiden was out of the question so that left him with two to Clay's six. But Clay wasn't ready for one of those two…

"Fine. Have it your way." Nathan nonchalantly grabbed one of the luxury balls. He returned Adira – her time would come. The setting sun bore witness to their standoff, and everyone remained quiet as they readied for battle. He locked eyes with Clay; though they were outnumbered three to one and Nathan wasn't much of a trainer, he knew that they were ready for this.

"Draw!"

---

Naomi was released at the same time as the golurk. Clay didn't give them time to think. "Goliath, use thunder punch!" he yelled. The milotic ducked a sharp hook, crackling with electricity, and sprung to the side. Before Nathan had commanded her, she condensed the liquid from the atmosphere into a ring around her.

"Twister!" Nathan commanded. The water-type formed a blue vortex around the slower opponent.

"Phantom force!" The golurk faded, sinking into the ground.

"Watch out for him!" Her eyes scanned the surroundings, ready for him to appear. The ground quaked; rocks sprung up from the dirt and trapped her in place. She could do nothing as her opponent sprung from the earth, striking her in the face. She cried out as his fist made contact.

"Confuse ray!" Nathan called, knowing the move had been unavoidable. She glared at the golurk who immediately raised his arm to his "face" in an effort to protect himself from the move's effects. "Hydro pump!" And that close, Naomi could not have possibly missed. Goliath took the blast point-blank, hurling him onto his back.

"Shit," Clay murmured. "Earthquake!" Before getting up, Goliath slammed his powerful fist into the ground, shooting a ripple towards their direction. Naomi jumped above it, though Nathan lost his footing, and she intended on keeping him down. "Low sweep!" In a feat of surprising agility, the golurk sprung to life, planting a perfect roundhouse kick into Naomi's side. Nathan could only watch in horror as she collided with the side of the house, shattering what used to be his bedroom window. Blood trickled between her prismatic scales.

"Recover, then water pulse!" As her opponent sprung towards her again, she drew moisture into her body, mending minor wounds with a glowing light, and launched the rest towards her aggressor.

"Heavy slam!" Naomi barely managed to leap out the way. A loud crash sounded as Goliath collided with the HVAC unit, denting it inwards and destroying it in the process.

"Clay!" Walter snapped.

"Hell, I'll have it replaced in the mornin'. Goliath! Use thunder punch!"

"Scald!" Naomi was first to act, launching steaming vapor into the opponent's face. He released a disgruntled cry that sounded like the screeching of metal against metal. In his blinded rage, he struck out. The milotic leaped upward, arching overhead, and landed on the ruined HVAC machine. "Hydro pump!"

"MOVE!" Clay yelled. But he could only watch as Naomi swiftly drew a pool of moisture from the environment and sent a pressurized stream into the back of Goliath's head. The automaton collapsed forward and didn't move.

"Great work Naomi!" He glanced at his father. "I told you so…" Clay returned his fallen pokémon before sending out his seismitoad. It was a terrifying creature, offensive to the eyes and rearing for battle. The lumps all over his body seemed to ripple as he punched his open palm.

"Brick break!" Levi leaped towards Naomi, far faster than she was out of water, and brought his fist down. It collided with her. The milotic cried out, but using the situation to her advantage, brought her tail around and swept his leg the moment he touched the ground.

"Life dew!" Water coated her frontside, floating off its surface, and in his eagerness to not give her an inch, Clay took the bait.

"Brick break!"

"Icy wind!" She brought a frigid breeze across the field, throwing his attack off its mark and freezing the water over her. Levi's hand impacted the ice, and though it cracked, he flinched from punching the hard surface. "Hypnosis!" As she attempted to use the move, the other water-type thought quickly, kicking up dirt into her eyes. Naomi cried out, trying to shake it free, and it was in that moment Levi made his move.

"Giga impact!" Clay commanded. The seismitoad rammed into her, shoving her to the muddy ground, and followed it up with a brick break. He struck her in the face over and over again.

"Naomi!" Nathan reached for his pokéball, ready to return her, but then she surprised him. Her tail sprung to life, taking advantage of his distracted onslaught, and wrapped him tightly. She freed the debris from reddened eyes, glaring at her enemy and preparing to choke the very life out of him.

"Hydro pump! Get outta there!"

She coiled around the frog-like pokémon, conscious to avoid his gaping maw as the attack was unleashed. Several of the Alpha members leaped out of the way as a blast of water launched between them. He heard the guttural sound of oxygen being forced from his lungs. She kept squeezing.

In horror, Clay returned the pokémon, causing Naomi to collapse onto the ground, gasping for air herself. Nathan smiled at her, proud beyond measure. "I told y'all so! All you worried about was her not being the right species and yet she just took down two of your pokémon, Clay! How's that feel?"

"I'll tell ya what," the former gym leader stated. "It's gonna feel real good beatin' some sense into you once this is all said and done. You have no respect for authority at all."

"You're wrong," Nathan said, returning Naomi. She had more than carried her weight. "I do respect authority – the right kind. That just doesn't include you." He held the simple pokéball in his hand. It was warm to the touch.

"You don't really think this is gonna work, do you? These last four are my strongest. Have been for over a decade." He pulled a cigar from his vest, almost like he counted the match as a victory already. He was foolish; Adira was far more than twice Naomi's strength.

"You should've brought more." A mamoswine was the next presence. Nathan looked at ball, then nodded. "I know you've got this."

She graced the field with a fiery aura, burning the very air around her. Grass underneath glowed orange and caught flame; to him, she was always beautiful. But right now, with a sharp glare, holding both arms out and containing flames within each hand, she looked downright terrifying. Like an angel of death.

"Ice shard!" Titan quickly formed frigid crystals in the air, but as soon as they solidified, steam began to drift off of them. They diminished into nothingness. The mammoth-like pokémon stepped back from the immense heat, unable to bear it, and decided on a different course of action. Dirt kicked up from the backyard, swirling around. Adira closed her eyes, ignoring the storm around her. If a hurricane had only barely managed to take her down, then a sandstorm was nothing.

"Calm mind." She took a deep breath. Concentrating her focus, she grabbed energy from everywhere she could.

"Stop her! Stone edge!" Titan slammed into the ground, forming a solid projectile half her size and flinging it towards her. It halted in midair. She dissipated it into the very sediment that had formed it. The mamoswine's eyes went wide. He took a step back as the sandstorm he had created died down.

"Mystical fire." No sooner had the words left Nathan's mouth, a flash overtook the area. It shrieked, like the screaming of a missile, as it slammed into the target. A sickening cry was followed by a heavy thud as Titan fell face-first. His right tusk had shattered, splintered into the ice and bone it was composed of.

"You bitch! I'll make you bleed for that!" Clay yelled, throwing out his krookodile. He clenched the cigar in hand, gripping it tightly enough to starve the flame out with his very flesh. "Evan! Use throat chop!" He closed the distance fast as lightning.

But a latias was faster.

She didn't dodge, didn't protect. Adira flew straight forward, intercepting him and launching him into the wooden fence. That fence had seen countless rows of vegetables planted at its side, witnessed the tales of decades of cookouts and several new coats of paint.

Now it looked as though a meteorite had hit it.

The panels snapped and splintered; a struggling gurgle for breath left the reptile's mouth. She drifted closer, flame in hand, and prepared to finish the job. Evan swiftly covered his face with bleeding arms, shards of bone protruding from the skin. Adira relented, turning to face Clay.

'Send out your next pokémon!' Nathan shivered at the tone of her voice. He mentally assured himself that he would do everything in his power not to upset her. Ever.

Clay's expression changed. He gripped the fifth pokéball, releasing Rhett – his garchomp that was known as one of the most brutal dragons in the world. And despite that – despite the mega stone secured to his ankle – he looked scared. Just like his trainer. Wordlessly, he initialized the mega evolution. A bright light overtook his body, merging his arms and wings into intimidating scythes. Or at least, they would have been intimidating had it been against anyone else.

"Dragon pulse!" He was far faster than the others, forming a blue shock wave and colliding it with her. Adira flinched slightly, then looked at him as if he were only a minor annoyance.

"Mystical fire." Heat rushed through the yard, flames flickering as they seemed to devour everything they touched.

"Slash!" Rhett sprinted between blasts, dodging them as if for dear life, and then closed in, bringing his razor-like arm down in a slicing motion. She dispelled the flames, and ducking his attack, grabbed his body and hurled him to the ground. Rhett released a pained growl. She flew higher, drawing heat from his location. Moisture rose from the ground and froze him in place as he writhed and hissed, trying to break free. "Mist ball." With the gleaming sphere forming between her raised hands, the garchomp could only watch in fear as it impacted him. A single shot to the head and he was done.

The final pokémon came out. Clay's excadrill, Knox, was supposedly his strongest. It was the only species that he was sure to keep on his team at all times, descended from the one that he had used during his gym days. How little that mattered now.

"Knox, use—" The words died in his throat as the excadrill was raised into the air, frantically trying to break free from her mental grasp.

'You have unleashed your hatred upon this world like a roaring flame,' she said, her voice like that of a judge ready to declare a verdict. Clay trembled as a fiery vortex began forming from the ground up, working its way towards the terrified excadrill. 'This fire is weak compared to that which awaits you if you do not change your ways!'

"Please!" he yelled. "Don't kill him!" The gym leader fell to his knees, his hat falling off beside him. Her eyes glowed like embers, and looking at the excadrill, she spread her arms and cried out. A massive pillar of fire descended from the sky, crashing into the ground and bathing the backyard in flames. Nathan covered his eyes from the brightness, fearing that she had done that which Clay had begged her not to do. A few seconds passed. The heat was like reaching one's hand into the oven, drenching everyone in sweat.

Knox fell to the ground. Despite his fear, Clay rushed to the excadrill's side, lowering his head to the creature's chest. "Oh… Oh thank Arceus…"

'You should thank Him that we are not like you.' Adira lowered back to Nathan's level, floating in front of him.

"Wow…" he said aloud. "I don't know if I'm more in love or terrified right now…" She rolled her eyes, but a small grin crept onto her face. He looked at Clay – a pathetic sight, grappling about and picking up his pokémon. Hair had been singed, but he would be fine. Traumatized, maybe, but fine. "Looks like you were wrong, Clay. Wouldn't be the first time."

"Nathan?" His father took a step forth. Fear and disbelief were present in equal part on his face. "W-why? You were… you were supposed to lead us. To be… better…"

"I am better, Dad. But better isn't within Alpha." He sighed, seeing the destruction the fight had caused to the house and to the yard. Smoke rose from all around them as the scattered flames continued devouring the yard. Adira lifted her hand, closing her claws inward, and just like that, they all diminished. All except for the one within the fireplace. "You can be better, too – all of us can. But that's not compatible with what we've been doing these past years."

"No," Walter said, backing up. He shook his head. "I don't care what you say – you're wrong. This is what we have to do." Nathan sighed. It grieved him that it had come to this. Now, things could never be the same again.

"I see…" Adira clasped his hand, looking at him with somber eyes. She felt his anguish as much as he did. They could be better. They simply chose not to be.

"What happened to you?" his father asked, driving the stake deeper. "What happened to my son?"

"…He let the spark grow." Nathan teared up. He had feared this outcome, and now it was far too late to change it. But maybe that was for the best. At the end of the day, he was given a choice – and that choice was set. He looked at his parents one last time. His mother had her hands in front of her mouth, either distraught from the scene that had unraveled before them or her son's betrayal. That's what it felt like. But he was right.

For the first time in his life, Nathan knew he was right.

"Mom… Dad… if you ever want to talk, I'll always be a call away." He turned around, hand and hand with his latias. But he stopped. As if hot, burning coals had been placed on his head, Nathan realized that there was one other order of business. His hand slowly reached up and removed the cowboy hat. A hat that he had worn proudly for years but could wear no longer. Its gleaming red "A" stared back at him.

Nathan tossed the hat into the fire, and without another word, left everything he had ever known behind.

---

A/N: Special thanks to FuryWrites for beta reading this chapter.