AN: I'm splitting this story up into 4 Arcs. Each Arc will have a little insight into this violent pokemon world that I have created. If you want to know a little more background on a specific topic, let me know and I'll use it as an Arc story.

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon or any of the characters. Just the random plot bunnies that my mind creates.

Chapter Warnings: Language, blood, violence

Arc 1 - The Journey Begins

Excerpt from The Kanto Times from 4 years ago

Happy Birthday to the Pokemon League Academy!

Today is a very special day for Kanto! On this date, 10 years ago, the Pokemon League opened the Academy to those orphaned from the rising battles against the now nefarious Dragon Riders and wild pokemon attacks.

At first, the Academy was a trial program. The League brought in only 5 children from around the country that were only 4 years old. For the first year, all eyes were on these small orphans as the League gave them an education they would have been otherwise unable to receive. Their overwhelming success prompted various orphanages to begin sending their problem children for the military to handle.

Due to the increase in numbers, the League opened up a second branch of the Academy. Offering the children a chance to begin training to be a League soldier. A team of pediatricians, child psychiatrists, and high-ranking military personnel carefully structured the new program in order to provide a full education as well as preventing overtaxing the students mentally or physically.

Those students who did not want to pursue a military career are given the option to stay in the initial branch to learn different crafts that will allow them to have a trade career and support themselves immediately after graduation.

As seen on the front page this morning, the Academy has grown tremendously over the years. It also now houses the main Kanto League base due to its close proximity to the Pokemon League. In the middle of the compound, you can see the stout school building where younger students learn basic skills such as math and spelling. A large indoor/outdoor training facility gives the older cadets and soldiers challenging workouts throughout the day. Next to that are the barracks that are split by gender and age groups.

The military classes are arranged around a combination of level of experience, age and talent. The advanced classes are used to groom highly talented young children for top officer positions. However, all Academy graduated are guaranteed an officer position due to the years of training they receive compared to the short League's Basic Training program for adults.

All eyes are now on the poster children for the Academy, Gary Oak and Ash Ketchum, who decided to take the military course once they reached age 7. Oak and Ketchum were among the first few children taken in as survivors of the Attack on Pallet Town, one of the first acts of terrorism by the group known as the Dragon Riders. Surpassing their childhood trauma, the two cadets were even moved up to the advanced classes well before others their age could qualify. Now 2 years into the advanced program, they have some of the highest combat and test scores in the country. An anonymous source states that "they [Oak and Ketchum] may the best cadets that will ever graduate from the Academy."

This week marks the fifth annual Graduation Ceremony. The top 4 soldiers of this graduations year will receive a promotion to Major as well as a starter pokemon to begin their journey to collect a pokemon team. The Commander of the League had this to say about "the Four" as they are named:

"The Four are the best the Academy has to offer. They take the most dangerous missions to help protect our home and country. They are the ones most likely to succeed. That is why we gift them a pokemon to help them gather a well-rounded pokemon team faster. All our cadets receive a month off after Graduation to travel and explore before they report to their stations. We believe this is a valuable part in their transition from child to adult and cadet to soldier. We have had great success against the Dragon Riders in the past through this program and we will have even better results in the future if our younger cadets continue to improve as much as they have up until this point."

We at The Kanto Times wish the graduating cadets the best of luck in their journey to become decorated heroes and will continue to watch the Academy's outstanding success.

Chapter 2 - Resolve

The duo walk into the large, almost empty Mess Hall. Long wooden tables run down the length of the room. Flimsy plastic chairs line their sides, waiting to hold up the bulky soldiers as they dig into their meals. At the far end of the hall sits a high, segmented counter. Each compartment containing another tantalizing concoction of mouth-watering bliss. Their pleasing aroma flooding the room and making their stomachs call out in hunger.

Black hair still plastered to his head and dripping down his back, Ash sits down at the closest table. He and his partner are some of the first cadets awake and ready for food. Unsurprising due to their early wake up.

With a smile on his face, Ash cheekily stares after his partner who walks away to pick up their morning meals. On the way back from the showers, he somehow managed to convince Gary to go get his share since Gary was the one who woke him up in the first place. However, Ash has a strong suspicion that the brunet only agreed in order to shut him up.

Not that that should be surprising either. He's gotten on Gary's nerves for years. They were even rivals in their younger years before they were made mission partners by the higher ups due to their outstanding progress.

What did they expect though? We kept trying one-up each other. Of course we would pull ahead from the others and be put in the advanced classes eventually.

Ash jerks from his reveries as a tray clatters onto the table a few inches from his face. His whole being fills with joy at the steaming meal. Ignoring his partner sitting down across from him, Ash quickly digs into his breakfast with gusto.

His food filled daze breaks as Gary sighs. The brunet's attention completely focused on a piece of paper he pulled out of nowhere. "I can't believe they are giving our year so many days to study. This shit isn't that complicated."

Ash flinches in dread. Ugh. Exams.

"Such a waste of time." Gary continues, "The Dragon Rider attacks have been increasing. They should just let us graduate early and send us off to battle already."

Ash doesn't respond. He's learned not to argue with Gary about the Dragon Riders. The brunet is too set on revenge. Too determined to annihilate them to see reason. Steadily growing worse as the war between the Dragon Riders and the League escalates.

Sure, Ash wants revenge too. He lost his mom in the attack and was left orphaned since his dad's whereabouts, or even if he's alive or not, are still unknown. However, he knew Gary lost both parents and his sister. While Professor Oak managed to pull through without major injury, he had to fix too much destruction at the lab, as well as defend the destroyed town, to take care of Gary properly.

So the two young four year olds wound up at the League's orphanage in Viridian City. However, due to the increasing frequency of attacks all over Kanto, the League was forced to turn the orphanage into The Academy to train young orphans into either soldiers or workers. As soldiers, there is the opportunity to get both a pokemon and revenge so it was obvious what path they chose to follow.

But at least he has enough sense to not lose himself in hate so that he won't be broken and useless once they achieve their goal.

"Besides, final assessments are a few days away," Gary continues mistaking Ash's silence for worry over the exams. "You need to pass everything in order to get into the top Four. Only they get a starter pokemon before they leave the Base. The other cadets have to find their own before they can lead a team. The sooner we get a team, the sooner we can hunt for them."

Ash slumps into his seat at the reminder as he picks at the crumbs left on his plate. "I know. I know. I was just going to go all out in the Battle Simulations and get by on just that. I know there is no chance of me acing any of the exams. I don't have your brains."

Taking pity on Ash's now depressed mood, Gary takes both of their trays back to be cleaned. Sitting back at their table, they watch in companionable silence as the other cadets file in for food before classes begin.

At the sound of the bell, the duo rise as one with the other soldiers as they march out to their classes for the day. The younger kids break off first, heading towards the school building in the middle of the compound. The older cadets head off to begin their morning workouts. However, Ash and Gary march further, towards the edge of the compound where the advanced lessons take place. The lessons where soldiers are trained to be leaders. Trained to be killing perfections. Trained to be part of the Four.

xxx-War of the Dragon Riders-xxx

An exhausted Gary trails after his raven-haired companion on the way back to the Senior Barracks. He scowls at the teen ahead of him. Ash somehow beat him 11-9 in Battle Simulations earlier. Even if Gary can predict Ash's swordplay moves instantaneously due to the years they trained together, the raven's pokemon battle style is too chaotic. Too unpredictable to predict ahead of time or even in the moment.

His partner was a genius when it came to pulling out the power of a pokemon. Not that Gary would ever tell that to him. Ash gets enough praise from the reporters that occasionally trickle in asking for an interview from the "poster children of the Academy."

Like they had any other choice besides to join when they were 4. Their home was destroyed and family gone. The League gave them a reason to live.

To get revenge.

Ash crosses his arms behind his head and looks up towards the ceiling as he slows his pace to allow Gary to catch up. Seeing the inquisitive look in his brown eyes, Gary sighs. "What's going through that thick skull of yours now?"

Ash ignores the jibe. "Hey Gary? If Pallet was never attacked and you never joined the military, what would you want to do? You're smart enough to be a researcher like Professor Oak." Ash trails off as he notices the look on his friend's face. Gary's body is taut with barely restrained fury as his green eyes blaze with hate.

After a few tense seconds, Gary responds tersely, "It doesn't matter Ash. What's done is done. They nearly destroyed Pallet in the course of a single night and killed our families and friends. They will pay for what they've done."

Ash doesn't respond. Just looks around the base as Gary fumes beside him. They stop abruptly as the speakers click on. A frantic voice calling for all available medics to head to the main gate immediately.

They quickly make their way to the front of the complex. Joining the group of curious cadets to see what the big commotion was.

A wave of shock rips through the crowd when a small group of soldiers stagger in. Wounds wrapped crudely in whatever extra cloth they could find. Blood dripping onto the ground. Limbs gone. One soldier even holds his stomach tightly as if that was they only thing stopping all of his guts from spilling out.

The cadets stand frozen as the watch the slow procession. Unable to process the scene of carnage. Unable to hear the cries of pain and help. The shock of the reality of battle so different from the structured days at the Academy.

Shouted commands from a nearby medic pushes them into action. The familiarness of responding to orders pushing them past their unease and nausea.

Ash and Gary grab a soldier as he trips over his walking stick. His right leg completely torn off and dripping blood onto the packed earth beneath him. Throwing his arms over their soldiers they quickly drag him to the middle of the compound towards the medic building. The other cadets following behind them with their charges.

The soldier smells awful. The stench of rotting blood and sickness radiates off of him in waves. Thankfully, Gary's stomach is empty from the long day of training or else it would have emptied immediately.

"Dragons." The man mutters. His speech almost incoherent in his pain-induced delirium. "So many...popping out of nowhere."

Two young medics remove their charge and lift him onto a waiting stretcher. Rushing him into an operating room as soon as Ash and Gary step back.

They back away. Watching the rest of the proceedings with a strange feeling stirring in their guts. They stiffen as the Colonel in charge of the mission steps through the gate. The man's face haggard as he walks forward to support his injured men. Gary misses the odd look thrown their way from the soldier. Their eyes trained on the procession behind the man.

A train of uninjured soldiers walk in formation him. Each group carrying a plain wooden casket between them.

The cadets line the path silently. Each lifting their right arm slowly. Touching their forefinger to the brow in salute. Honoring their fallen brethren for their sacrifice.

Gary seethes behind his carefully constructed mask that he always wears in public. The mask that protects him from the harsh world they live in.

Made all the harsher by the cruelty of the terrorists that continue to attack fellow soldiers and civilians.

As the last casket passes by him, he renews his resolve. His promise to take the life of every last Dragon Rider. To kill them with his bare hands if he has to.

They must pay for all that they have done.

xxx-War of the Dragon Riders-xxx

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Next up: Chapter 3 - Partners