WHAT'S(voice crack)UP?!... Well that was dumb. Oh well. I hope all of you are doing well, especially with the start of 2021. I am praying that this new year is better than the shitstorm that was 2020. Still, anything can happen, but I have to be in high spirits.
On the up side… THE SPADE KINGDOM ARC IS HERE! I am sss soooooo freaking happening. Especially with the new animation
Shadow Joestar: Yeah, this chapter will be crazy.
Fiction Realm: You'll find his partner in this chapter.
Shadowwolf1997: Oh yeah. Yuno and Kiawe will try to surpass one another on several occasions.
Omni warrior: I will say one of your choices is right for Yami. Won't say what though;)
BanRedfox: All will be revealed soon, my child.
Devil Slayer: Yeah, Riolu would be a perfect fit for Asta.
Rebellion Rose: Well I aim to please.
JCarrasco: Thanks.
Poke Fun: I will say some of these Pokemon fit.
Rider126: That Kubu idea is interesting. I'll think about it.
GracefulArt: I put it as M in the event something I write is mature.
To recap the last chapter: The Magic Knights Entrance Exams went underway. Despite the efforts of Scorbunny and Rookidee, Asta had gotten the lowest score in most of the tests before he faced Sekke in the combat portion. With his large sword and Scorbunny's speed, Asta was able to defeat the Bronze magic user and his Pokemon, showing off his strength. After that, Yuno and Kiawe faced off, being the highlight of the entire exam. Once the tests were done, it was time for the Magic Knight Captain to choose their new recruits, with Yuno being chosen by the Golden Dawn. However, Asta was only given two choices and after some words, he was confronted by the overwhelming strength of Yami Sukehiro, who decided to take the magicless boy in.
What things await Asta and his friends now that they were chosen? Let's find out…
"Thank you. This concludes the Magic Knights Entrance Exam."
After Asta's acceptance into the Black Bulls, the rest of the examinees were either accepted by other squads or rejected. There were cheers and there were tears, but once the sun set, everything was settled.
"Wow, I never thought it would end." Mallow sighed while stretching her limbs, feeling a bit stiff after how intense everything was. Currently, she and her small group of friends were outside the colosseum, waiting for their escorts to their new bases.
"No kidding. I didn't think I would get out of there alive." Asta said while slumping his shoulders, thinking about the intense aura around Yami.
"Well, maybe next time, you can choose who you talk to instead of challenging everyone." Kiawe retorted with a frown. However, he had to give Asta credit. He and his Pokemon had guts to talk back against one of the strongest captains around… second only to Fuegoleon, of course.
"It wasn't my fault! The guy was a monster!" Asta shot back with wide eyes, though Kiawe merely shook his head.
"(I can't believe you didn't run away, Scorbunny. You and Rookidee looked just as scared as we were.)" Bounsweet said to the fire Pokemon in awe.
"(You and your partner have a strong bond.)" Turonator added with a smile.
"(Well, me and Asta have been together since we were kids.)" Scorbunny boasted while rubbing the bottom of his nose with a smirk. However… his legs were shaking a lot as he dropped his facade. "(But I'll tell you… being in front of that human with all that power… I almost peed myself.)"
"(I should've just kept looking for that beautiful bird. I can't die yet.)" Rookidee commented while turning white, still remembering the look Yami gave him. How one human can be so strong, he will never know.
"Asta…" Walking over to the three was none other than Yuno, with Rowlet and Cutiefly on his shoulders. They all had smiles on their faces.
"You're Golden Dawn and I'm a Black Bull. Looks like the real battle starts now." Asta told his brother with a big smile on his face as his own Pokemon stood next to him.
"(You better not lose the next time we fight, Rowlet.)" Scorbunny said to his rival.
"(That's my line. But you better get stronger with Asta.)" Rowlet commented with a nod.
"So this is it." Mallow spoke up with a sad smile. "I'm going to the Blue Rose Knights, Kiawe is with the Crimson Lion Kings and you two are going off to your own squads." She shouldn't feel too bad, given how she and Kiawe just met them. However, she could tell Asta and Yuno were good guys and it was sad they had to say goodbye.
"Don't worry. We'll see each other again." Asta reassured her with a grin.
"Especially since we haven't finished our fight." Kiawe added while looking at Yuno, a small smirk crossed his face. "The next time we meet Yuno, I'll win."
"That won't happen. I'll be the one who wins." Yuno retorted with a small smile. He had to admit, Kiawe was actually a good fighter and their little battle actually made his blood boil in excitement, something that rarely happened. To fight him again later on, would surely help him to grow and become the Wizard King. All Kiawe did was shake his head in an act of goodwill.
However, what none of the guys expected was for Mallow to pull all three of them into a tight group hug.
"Sorry. I just love hugs!" Mallow explained as her surprisingly strong, yet slender arms wrapped around them. Kiawe and Yuno, being the prideful guys they were, looked away while Asta's eyes were wide.
'Think of sister Lily. Think of sister Lily. THINK OF SISTER LILY!' Asta repeated in his mind as he tried to ignore how close Mallow's chest was to his face considering how short he was.
*Grrrr*
As luck would have it… if it was even considered luck, Asta's stomach suddenly began to growl, getting everyone's attention. "Oh no…" Asta whimpered as he pulled himself away from the group hug, holding his stomach.
"(Is he okay)?" Cutiefly questioned while giving Asta a look.
"Oh no… I GOTTA GO!" Asta shouted before he made a beeline towards the restrooms. It seemed like that grilled violet snake was coming out with a vengeance and unfortunately, Asta was not prepared.
"I told him to eat that berry!" Mallow exclaimed while puffing her cheeks in annoyance. She went out of her way to help Asta and he didn't even bother to eat the berry? Sheesh, what an idiot.
Kiawe, Yuno and the rest of the Pokemon merely sweatdropped at this.
'Several minutes later'
Once he was done with the bathroom, Asta rejoined the group with a look of satisfaction. However, their little group talk was cut short as they were forced to go back to their captains, with Asta making his way to Yami. Luckily, he wasn't too far away, talking to Finral and Gordon.
"Hey, captain! I'm here!" Asta called out while waving his hand as he ran to the captain, his Pokemon in tow.
However, if he expected a warm welcome, he was in for a SEVERELY disappointment.
"What took you so long, kid? You got a lot of nerve to keep me waiting" Yami demanded in an annoyed tone, making Asta stop with a nervous smile.
"Hehehe, sorry. I was talking to my friends. Then I had to make a big poop cause-" Asta was cut off when Yami grabbed his head and lifted him up.
"Did I ask to hear about you taking a shit? You're a damn moron, kid!" Yami told Asta while squeezing his head, making Asta flail around.
"(Well, he's still as scary as ever)." Rookidee told Scorbunny while gulping.
"(At least he isn't trying to cook me)." Scorbunny commented, praying Yami was joking about making him into a stew.
"Alright, go ahead, Finral." Yami ordered Finral, who took out his green Grimoire.
"Okay." Finral said as his Grimoire began to glow a light blue color before he opened his hand. The moment he did, a white portal appeared next to him, surprising Asta and his Pokemon.
"Woah, so cool! What's that?!" Asta questioned, still struggling with Yami's grip on his head.
"Since you can't fly on a broom, this is our way back to base. You'll have to learn some kind of transportation spell… oh right, you don't have any magic power." Yami realized before he laughed at Asta's misfortune. However, he remembered something. "Oh yeah, you still got Tauros?"
"He's right here." Gordon said quietly before taking out a Pokeball from his pocket. However, this one had chains wrapped around it, with a lock in the middle.
"The hell's this?" Yami questioned. Turning his attention away from Asta to glare at Finral. The brown haired male chuckled nervously as sweat ran down his temple.
"Ummm, w-well… you know how Tauros is… reckless, right? So I thought it would be a good idea… to… chain him… in the Pokeball?" Finral tried explaining with a laugh. Not only was it hard to keep the portal open, but having his captain glaring holes into him wasn't making it any easier.
"(I admit his actions are… questionable. But it seemed to be the only way to contain Tauros without him running off)." Kadabra reasoned before bowing to Yami. "(Please accept my heartfelt apology)."
"Whatever. Just let him out." Yami demanded before he turned to Asta… who went limp. "Huh, so he died. Oops." He then released Asta, who fell on his ass with an 'umph.'
"I thought… I would die…" Asta muttered as Scorbunny and Rookidee rubbed his head. Finral took out a key and nervously unlocked the chains around Tauros' Pokeball.
But the moment he did… the Pokeball opened up and released the creature from within.
Appearing in front of Yami was a quadrupedal, bovine Pokémon. It is covered in light brown fur with a thick, darker brown mane around the neck. It has a rounded muzzle with a dark brown nose, small, triangular eyes, three gray bumps running vertically down its forehead, and a pair of curved, gray horns grow from atop its head. Each of its three black tails has a tuft of fur on the end, and there is a single gray hoof on each foot.
Once it opened its eyes, the Pokemon looked at Finral, who gulped nervously.
'Oh crap…'
"(You)..." The Pokemon muttered before blowing smoke from its nose while digging its hoof on the ground. With a battlecry, the Pokemon rushed towards Finral.
"WAI-!"
*SMACK*
Finral was not able to finish his words as the Pokemon slammed into him, sending the Black Bull flying to the sky. "AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhh…" Finral's scream echoed through the city as his body continued to fly farther and farther away until he disappeared in a small twinkle.
"Huh… nice hit." Yami told his Pokemon casually while walking up and rubbing its head, making it sigh.
"W-W-W-What was that?!" Asta asked in a fearful tone, shocked at what he witnessed. He had seen some strong Pokemon, but never one that sent anyone flying! Both Scorbunny and Rookidee also looked in fear at the Pokemon. Their human partner then took out his magic mirror and pointed it at the new Pokemon.
"Tauros, the Bull Pokemon. This Pokémon is not satisfied unless it is rampaging at all times. If there is no opponent for Tauros to battle, it will charge at thick trees and knock them down to calm itself. So if you see its eyes turn red, it's over for you." The magic mirror informed Asta.
"Captain, wasn't Finral our way back home?" Gordon questioned his captain, though surprisingly, Yami seemed to hear this and grunt.
"Oh yeah… shit." Yami said while scratching the back of his head.
"(He deserved it)." Tauros said without any remorse. If anyone thought they could chain him up and get away with it, they had another thing coming! He then turned his attention towards Asta and his Pokemon, narrowing his eyes. "(Who are these weakings)?"
"(They are our newest recruits. So please treat them gently, Tauros)." Kadabra asked the Normal-type, who scoffed.
"(Whatever)." Tauros muttered as another portal appeared, with Finral exiting it.
"It's okay… I'm alive…" Finral told them, wiping away the fruit juice that was on his shirt and fixing his hair. Seeing as no one was asking if he was feeling alright, Finral sighed before he opened a new portal. "Okay, let's go."
"So… we just go through it?" Asta questioned in an unsure tone. This was the first time he had ever tried going through a portal, so it was understandable that he was reluctant to enter it. But he soon felt a familiar hand grab his head, lifting him up.
"Well, in you go!" Yami told Asta before throwing him into the portal, with the ash-blonde male screaming all the way.
"(ASTA)!" Scorbunny shouted in horror before Yami picked him up by the ears.
"You're next, rabbit!" Like with Asta, Yami threw Scorbunny into the portal. He then turned his head to Rookidee.
"(I'm going! I'm going)!" Rookidee told him while flying into the portal, not wanting to get crushed by Yami's hand.
"(Hehehe… nice)." Is what Tauros told his human partner before he and the rest of the Black Bulls went through.
'On the other end of the portal'
"... AAHHHHHHHHH!" Flying out of the portal, Asta continued to scream before he landed on the ground, face first. He groaned in pain, pushing himself up. "What was that f-"
"(LOOK OUT)!" Scorbunny then flew out of the portal, slamming into the back of Asta's head, making him hit the ground yet again.
"Owww…" Asta groaned as he and Scorbunny stood up, rubbing their heads in pain. Rookidee then flew out of the portal, landing on Asta's shoulder. It wasn't long before Yami, Tauros, Finral, Kadabra and Gordon came out of the portal as well, with said portal closing. However, once he looked ahead, Asta and his Pokemon bared witness to the headquarters of the Black Bulls.
It was… unique, to say the least. It was a random collection of rooms, all put together in random spots, with lights inside and vines hanging on the walls.
"Alright, the Black Bulls' hideout!" Asta exclaimed with a smile on his face.
"(How is even like this)?" Scorbunny questioned while scratching his head, trying to understand the random formation of the building.
"(It might be magic. Either way, it's home for now)." Rookidee told his fellow Pokemon.
"Nice, huh? We got a snazzy place." Yami informed Asta with a smirk, taking a huff of smoke from his cigarette.
"Yup. Crumbling bricks and all." Finral added.
"Home sweet home." Gordon muttered before the bushes next to him began to rustle.
"Hey, there's something out there." Asta told everyone while looking at the bushes. "Is it a Pokemon?"
"Probably. They come around every now and then." Yami said with a lazy shrug.
However… what was hiding in the bushes suddenly shot out. Gordon's eyes widened before he was tackled to the ground, with the creature seemingly attacking him.
"OH NO!" Asta yelled before he took out his Grimoire, with Scorbunny and Rookidee prepared to fight.
"(Calm yourselves, friends. It isn't what it looks like)." Kadabra said while appearing in front of Asta, raising a hand up.
"Hehehehe… stop. That tickles." Gordon spoke up with a chuckle, rubbing the mysterious Pokemon's head. Because of the moonlight, Asta and the others were able to fully see what was on Gordon.
It was a centipede-like Pokémon that usually stands with the front half of its body raised vertically off the ground. Its segmented body is dark magenta, except for its smooth, dark gray underside. Long, slightly bent horns similar to antennae extend from its head, as well as an identical pair of horns on its rear. Purple bands decorate these horns, and teardrop-shaped rings of the same color mark each body segment, one on each side of its body. It possesses four pairs of short, purple fore-claws on the body segments that make up its neck. The four hind legs are longer, thicker, and spaced farther apart. Each hind limb has curved dark gray bands around the middle.
"(I missed you, Gordon! You should've taken me with you)!" The large Pokemon told the human while affectionately rubbing her head against his own.
"Ummm… what's going on?" Asta asked, thoroughly confused.
"You moron. That's one of Gordon's Pokemon. It's a Scolipede." Yami told him while shaking his head in disappointment.
"Scolipede?" Asta took out his magic mirror and aimed it at the Pokemon.
"Scolipede, the Megapede Pokemon. Scolipede latches on to its prey with the claws on its neck before slamming them into the ground and jabbing them with its claw's toxic spikes. Make sure you NEVER see this thing alone in the forest at night." The magic mirror explained while Gordon sat up, rubbing the side of Scolipede's head.
"I'm sorry I took so long, my friend. But I promise I'll bring you next time." Gordon told his Pokemon, who smiled and continued to nudge him.
"As you can see, Scolipede is… close to Gordon. But since we weren't going on a mission, he thought it would be alright to leave his Pokemon here." Finral explained to Asta, seeing his confused expression.
"Oh. That's cute… in a weird way." Asta admitted, now smiling. He could see Gordon and Scolipede were really close, much like him and Scorbunny. However, his ears soon picked up the sound of wings flapping behind him. Turning around, Asta came face to face with a new creature, who stared at him.
"(... Who are you)?"
"WOAH!" Asta stumbled back in surprise.
"Oh, you're here too, my friend." Gordon spoke up with a smile as he extended his arm, allowing whatever scared Asta to land on it.
It was a purple, bat-like Pokémon with a small, round body. It has long, pointed ears, yellow eyes with red pupils, and a small mouth that usually has its teeth bared. On its body are two pairs of wings: an upper pair that is slightly larger and a lower pair that developed from its legs. Both pairs have green-blue membranes, but the lower pair's membranes are only visible from the back. The upper wings have two claw-like fingers near the middle. On the bottom of its body are what appear to be a pair of stubby feet or tufts of fur.
"(I'm glad you're home, Gordon)." The Pokemon said with a smile as Gordon scratched his ears.
"Is that another one of Gordon's Pokemon?" Asta asked almost rhetorically as he aimed his magic mirror and the bat-like Pokemon.
"Crobat, the Bat Pokemon. Having four wings enables it to fly faster and more quietly. It turns active when the night comes. They also like living in caves, so don't be surprised if you see a lot of them hanging around." The magic mirror informed in a joking tone.
"If we're done here, I wanna go to bed." Yami said to get everyone's attention. He was tired from the whole damn exam and just wanted to go inside, eat some food, take a dump, and sleep.
"Oh yeah. I can't wait to meet everyone inside!" Asta said in a cheerful tone as Scorbunny jumped on his other shoulder. "You guys ready too?"
"(Yeah/yup)!" Both Pokemon said, also eager to go inside. Asta quickly ran to the large set of doors, standing in front of it with a determined expression.
'This is the first time I'm meeting my squadmates. I gotta make a good impression.' Asta thought, remembering the lessons sister Lily taught him and Yuno. Taking a deep breath, Asta grabbed the handles and pulled them open. "I'm the newest member of this squad! Fresh from Hage village, I'm As-"
*BOOM*
Before Asta could fully introduce himself, he and his Pokemon were engulfed in a large explosion. The human let out a scream while Rookidee took to the sky and Scorbunny landed on his feet. "(What the heck was that)?!" Scorbunny called out, shocked by what just happened. It was a good thing Rookidee was fast enough to dodge and he was a Fire-type. Otherwise, that would've hurt a lot more. Asta was not so fortunate as he landed on the ground, he head buried into the dirt.
"Whoops. Probably should've warned him." Finral said with a sweatdrop.
"(Allow me)." Kadabra spoke up before his eyes began to glow a light blue. Asta was surrounded by the same colored aura before he was pulled out, dirt in his mouth. Once he was put gently on his feet, Asta spat out the dirt.
"Thanks." Asta thanked the Psychic Pokemon before narrowing his eyes. "But I'm not done yet!" With that, he charged forward with a battlecry. He was determined to show that he deserved to be in this squad, even if that meant getting his ass-
"(OH NOOOO)!" Emerging from the flames was a large black figure… heading straight towards Asta.
*THUD*
"OOF!" Asta was then struck by the figure, crashing onto the ground. However, he couldn't stand back up as the thing that crashed onto him was rather heavy.
"(Stupid rat. THAT HURT)!" It turned out that what crashed on Asta was in fact alive as it stood up, pushing Asta further down.
The creature was a Pokémon which resembles a minecart. It has a head with two triangular eyes and a mouth. Behind its head is a small mountain of coal, atop a body of black stone. It has four wheel-like legs which it moves on.
"Help… me…" Asta muttered, the Pokemon's little legs pressing on his stomach.
"(Huh)?" The Pokemon looked down, seeing a pair of human legs under it. It then waddles away, now seeing Asta's full body. "(Who's this brat)?"
"(Who are you)?" Scorbunny demanded with an angry tone. The black Pokemon looked at him in confusion.
"Carkol, get your ass back here, NOW!" A voice called out from the flames, getting the newly identified 'Cakol' to perk up.
"(Right)!" Charcoal called out before running as fast as his legs could, leaping through the fire.
"What was that?" Asta asked out loud, rubbing his stomach while standing up.
"Go inside and find out, kid." Yami simply told him with a shrug. With his Pokemon next to him, Asta made his way back inside the Black Bulls' hideout.
But what he saw shocked him.
"Now I'm REALLY mad, you little punk!" Shouted a man with a lean build and two different colored hair, a light grey hair at the top, black hair at the sides. Additionally, he also sports a black mohawk. One of his facial signatures is a straight line mark surrounded by three pairs of dots on his left forehead. He sports a white shirt covered by a navy leather jacket and navy trousers. In addition, his jacket covers half of his torso. He wears black fingerless gloves, a pair of blue shades, a pair of black boots, a chain hanging from the left side of his waist connected to his trousers and a belt that he uses to support his pouch containing his grimoire. The pouch is black and has a skull and crossbones symbol at the front. Finally, he wore a Black Bulls robe. Next to the man was Carkol, who seemed to be his partner. "You ready to take me on?!"
"Nope, not really!" Called out a young man of short stature with blue eyes and medium-length messy blond hair. His hair is long enough to cover both his ears and forehead. His outfit is very simple and consists of an aqua-blue tunic with long sleeves. The sleeves get larger as they reach his hands, making the tunic appear loose. Additionally, the tunic's length extends just below his waist, making it look to be a size larger for him. His pants are teal and extend just below his knees. Additionally, it has light-colored strips with stitch-like cross patterns at the sides, running from top to bottom. He also carries a pouch for his grimoire, which is strapped around his chest with the use of a belt. Finally, he wears a pair of light-colored brown boots that cover just above his ankles. The boy leaped in the air, a playful smile on his face. "Pikachu, give them a shock with Thunderbolt!"
"(You got it)!" A small creature leaped onto the boy's shoulder before jumping in the air. a short, chubby rodent Pokémon. It is covered in yellow fur with two horizontal brown stripes on its back. It has a small mouth, long, pointed ears with black tips, and brown eyes. Each cheek is a red circle that contains a pouch for electricity storage. It has short forearms with five fingers on each paw, and its feet each have three toes. At the base of its lightning bolt-shaped tail is a V-shaped notch at the end of its tail, which looks like the top of a heart. The yellow Pokemon smiled before rubbing her red cheeks. "(GO)!" With that, she unleashed a bolt of yellow lighting towards the Carkol and his partner, who leaped out of the way.
"Carkol, Smack Down!" Carkol's human partner orders before opening his hand, creating a bat-shaped flame. With his Grimoire floating in front of him with a fiery aura, the man then proceeded to knock out fireballs. Carkol opened his mouth, firing several glowing stones. The yellow Pokemon and her partner merely dodged each attack, causing more damage around them.
"(Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear! Such a mess! Such a big mess)!" A new Pokemon exclaimed frantically, using a broom to sweep up random dust. It was a bipedal, humanoid Pokémon. Blue growths resembling clown hair extend from the sides of its pale pink head, and there is a magenta circle on each cheek. Its jaw is curved inward, resembling the mouth of a wooden dummy. It has a round, white body with a magenta spot in the middle, light pink arms and legs that connect to its body via magenta spheres, and small white coverings over its knees. Its white hands resemble gloves with magenta pads on the tips of its white fingers and its dark blue feet curl upward at the tips. The Pokemon continued to sweep away, expertly dodging the lighting and fire that was thrown at it.
*SMASH*
However, a square-shaped log suddenly smashed into a lamp, shattering it to pieces.
"(YEAH! BREAK EVERYTHING)!" A new Pokemon shouted out with a wild laugh. It was a gray bipedal Pokémon with a dark purple nose and dark-gray oval-shaped eyes. It has bulbous protrusions extending from the front and lower parts of its head. Pink, vein-like bulges are present on the back of its head. Similar pink bands adorn its shoulders and thighs. It spun the log with one hand before throwing it to the picture frame, knocking it off the wall. "(WOOOOOOOOOOOO, YEAH)!"
"(Oh my. It's so lively tonight)." A new Pokemon said calmly while knitting something and sitting on a couch. It was a thin, yellow, bipedal insectoid Pokémon. It has a broad, split leaf around its large, round head and it has long antennae that end in semicircles. Its eyes are red with no apparent sclerae. Its tiny thorax is dark green, and its long abdomen is yellow and covered in a green leaf. Its hands are long and leaf-like with a "bite" taken out of each. Its upper arms are also leaf-like, but with a vein of yellow at the top. Its thin legs are yellow with dark green, thick segments around its upper legs, making them appear armored. In its hands looked to be a semi-complete red blanket and on its lap was a human.
The human was a tall young woman with a voluptuous body. She has long, wavy pink hair, purple eyes, a pair of small, purple diamond-shaped earrings and full lips. She keeps her hair loose in a lob hairstyle. She seemed to wear a pair of red, thin-strapped lingerie with frilly designs.
"They're too loud… some of us are trying to sleep." The pinkette whined as her Pokemon stroked her hair.
"(I know. Just keep sleeping and I'll have your blanket done in no time)." The insect Pokemon said in a motherly tone as she continued to knit.
"(They could be a little quiet for once. Maybe this time, they'll kill each other)." A new voice called out from the top of the couch. It was a primarily purple, feline Pokémon. Its head has tufted fur on its ears and cheeks. There are long, tapered violet markings above its green eyes. It has a diminutive black nose on its creamy muzzle, and a small, oval, cream-colored marking above each eye. Its neck, shoulders, back, and hind paws are also cream-colored. The tip of its tail has a curved, vaguely scythe-like extension. In its hands was a small piece of wood, which it was currently clawing out of boredom.
"Mmmmmm… dish ish so guud." Another human said with a stuffed mouth. It was a petite girl with shoulder-length black hair and green eyes, appearing much younger than her age with some confusing her for a small child. One of her facial features is her thin eyebrows and wide forehead. She usually sports her hair in an upside-down bun hairstyle with fringes framing both sides of her face, and her forehead left exposed.
Her attire consists of only a light-colored white tunic and dark-colored pants. Her tunic extends below her waist and has long sleeves that reach slightly past her elbows. Additionally, the tunic also has a kangaroo pocket at the front of her stomach area. Her pants extend slightly below her knees and fit perfectly for her. She sports a blue satchel that she slings over her right shoulder, which carries her grimoire on her left side. Finally, she also wears a pair of light-colored yellow flats for her footwear. She was currently sitting at a table, with multiple sweets on it as she ate to her heart's content.
"(I know… I like the cooks… they cook gooooooooood)..." Next to the girl was a massive figure. It was a huge, bipedal, dark blue-green Pokémon with a cream-colored face, belly, and feet. Its body is composed of mostly its belly, as its limbs are comparatively small. Its head is large with small, pointed ears and two pointed teeth protruding from its lower jaw. It has round feet, which both have three claws and a circular brown paw pad, and short arms with five claws on each hand. The Pokemon grabbed several sweets from the table before throwing it in its mouth, chewing its food with a satisfied groan.
"(And this new Pokemon food is so divine)." Across the table was yet another new Pokemon, who ate several pellets of food in front of it. It was a blue, avian Pokémon. Its body and cloud-like wings are covered in fluffy, white feathers. It often folds its wings behind it, obscuring its back.
Two long, blue plumes extend like streamers from the back of its head. It has a short, hooked beak and prominent cheek patches, both of which are white. Additionally, it has beady, black eyes. It has a long neck and short legs protruding from its fluffy body. The feet are blue with four toes, three claws forward, and one backward. The tail is made up of five feathers, the outer two being longer than the inner ones.
"(I agree. Though I feel it could be a little sweeter)." The Pokemon next to it commented while looking at one of the pellets. It was a vaguely anthropoid Pokémon with a body composed of whipped cream. Its head resembles several dollops of whipped cream styled like hair, with a large crowning dollop flanked by two loop-like "bangs." Each of these bangs is topped with either a strawberry, blueberries, and clovers. Alcremie's lower body is similarly composed of two dollops of whipped cream resembling a robe or a dress. It has two stout arms with three fingers each extending between the dollops of its body.
"Oh precious, beautiful Marie. My dear sister… my love…" Out in the corner was a human, who looked at a picture in his hand with a smile and blood running down his nose. He was a tall, slender-built young man with light skin and shaggy light brown hair that drapes over his forehead and left eye. He has brown eyes, though his left eye is covered by his hair. He wears a long-sleeved, blue and purple shirt under a brown, short-sleeved shirt, light brown trousers tucked into brown trench boots. As a member of the Black Bulls, he wears the official black robe of his squad: black with golden lining and the Black Bull's insignia over his left pec. Additionally, over the bull insignia are what appear to be two small jewels. His Grimoire was also out, a purple aura surrounding it as a mirror hovered in front of him. When another explosion erupted, the man turned around to glare at everyone. "Hey! Shut up, you damn idiots!"
"Ssssshhhhhuuuu…" And last, but not least, was the final human of the Black Bulls. He was an extremely large, heavy-set man with slicked-back black hair, sphere earrings with links that connect to other small spheres that hang, and glowing eyes. The rest of his appearance was blocked off due to the dim lighting.
Overall, if there was one word one would use to describe everyone in the room… it would be "crazy."
"(What did we just walk into)?" Scorbunny questioned out loud, looking at everyone with wide eyes. Even Asta was more tame than these people, and that was saying A LOT.
"Looks like they're at it again." Finral said as if it was nothing new.
"(I worry about the cost of all this damage)." Kadabra commented with a deep sigh.
"(That's why I prefer the forest)." Crobat added while still resting on Gordon's shoulder.
'Man, these guys look scary.' Asta thought with a gulp. 'Well, I'm one of them now, so I should act like them.' Getting his composure back, Asta stomped on the ground and opened his mouth. "I'M ASTA FROM HAGE VILLAGE! ME AND MY POKEMON ARE BLACK BULLS NOW! AND ONE DAY, I'LL BE THE WIZARD KING AND A POKEMON MASTER!"
And yet despite how loud Asta's voice was, everyone ignored him, going about their activities.
"(That didn't work)." Rookidee said dryly.
"That was my flan! Mine!" Carkol's partner shouted before launching another fireball, only for his target to dodge… and hit Asta in the face.
"OUCH!" Asta fell over as the fireball exploded on contact. Yami merely continued to smoke and watch everything unfold.
Until a random bottle came in and knocked his cigarette out of his hand.
"That does it…" Now annoyed beyond reason, Yami clenched his left hand, a purple aura surrounding it before he slammed it against the wall. "QUIT BREAKING STUFF ALREADY!"
*BOOM*
The moment Yami's fist hit the wall, a large explosion that stretched outside erupted, a large smoke trail following suit. In addition to this, the wall itself collapsed into small pieces, showing just how strong the captain was.
"Holy crap, that is way broken!" Asta exclaimed, shocked to see how easily Yami broke the wall.
"(Wait, he yelled at them to stop breaking everything, but he ends up breaking the wall)?" Scorbunny questioned with Tauros shrugging.
"(That's Yami in a nutshell. You piss him off and you're dead)." Tauros merely stated with a hint of pride. Surprisingly, Yami's words reached the Black Bulls as they all froze in place, turning their heads towards their captain.
"CAPTAIN/(CAPTAIN)!" In no time at all, they all rushed towards Yami, unintentionally stomping over Asta and Scorbunny, with Rookidee flying up to avoid the carnage.
"Did you find us a newbie?" The punk-like man with Carkol asked. However, he was then smacked away by the younger boy with lightning magic.
"Hey captain, let me fight you. Or better yet, let me fight one of your Pokemon!" He asked with a bright smile.
"(Can we go on another big mission? Me and Luxio want to go all out)." The yellow rodent asked while riding on her partner's shoulder.
"Forget about these brats. Wouldn't you rather come and have a drink with me?" The female drunk asked in a flirtatious tone. "Leavanny here made a blanket for two~"
"(Please, just don't tear it)." The bug-like Pokemon requested.
"Hey. hey! Try this new cupcake out! It's delicious!" The short girl offered while showing Yami the cupcake.
"(I'll even let you have the first bite… can if you don't eat it, can I have it)?" The large, fat Pokemon asked, his mouth watering at the sight of the cupcake.
"I can't wait any longer. May I please go and see my sister?" The man with the floating mirror requested bluntly.
"(So dirty! I'll clean it up right away, sir)!" The mime-like Pokemon said while taking out his broom and dust pan.
"Ssssshhhhuuu…" The giant man merely huffed out smoke from his mouth. Yami simply laughed at his squad's antics.
"Glad to know all of you missed me." Yami told them with a smile… before he gave them a glare. "Now shut up, will ya?" Once he gave the order, all the Black Bulls minus Finral and Gordon got on their knees in front of Yami.
"Sorry sir!" They all said in unison.
"(This is new. Very weird)." Rookidee admitted with a sweatdrop. One minute, they were going insane. And the next, they were giving Yami the utmost respect… most likely out of fear.
"I'd like all of you to meet our newest recruit." Yami informed them all before noticing a lack of a certain ash blonde. "Where the hell did he go?"
"(Hang on, Asta! I got you)!" Scorbunny shouted while pulling on Asta's arm.
It was then everyone realized where Asta was… trapped under the big guy's body.
"Help… I can't… I can't breath!" Asta cried out while trying to free himself with Scorbunny's help. That was twice he almost got crushed today. Not something he would like to repeat.
"Quit messing around, kid." Yami simply told him, not even worried about Asta's condition. However, Asta was still unable to get out, making the captain sigh. "Tauros?"
"(MOVE YOUR ASS)!" Tauros shouted before he bit on Asta's arm, getting a scream from said person. With a mighty pull, Tauros pulled Asta out from his predicament, allowing him to breath again.
"Thanks… I owe you." Asta told Tauros before running over to stand next to Yami, getting looks from his new squadmates. Scorbunny hopped next to Asta while Rookidee landed on his shoulder.
"As I was saying, this shrimp and his Pokemon are our other new members." Yami finally told everyone, catching Asta's attention.
"Hang on. What do you mean by "other?" Is there someone else who joined?" Asta couldn't help but ask. If that was the case, why didn't they come with him and the others back to the base?
"Oh well. Go ahead and tell them your name or something." Yami told Asta, ignoring the question entirely.
"Yes sir!" Asta straightened himself up, now given everyone's attention. "My name's Asta from Hage village. These are my Pokemon, Scorbunny and Rookidee! It's really nice to meet everyone!"
"(Hello)." Asta's Pokemon greeted everyone in a calmer tone than their human partner.
"You're from Hage? That's out in the middle of nowhere, isn't it?" Carkol's human asked in mild surprise.
"Finral, introduce everyone, will ya?" Yami asked Finral, who nodded.
"Sure. Where to start?" Finral said before he looked at Gordon, who continued to pet Scolipede. " You know Gordon Agrippa and his Pokemon, Scolipede and Crobat."
"Nice to meet you." Gordon said to Asta quietly as his Pokemon merely nodded.
"He's a bit quiet, but a good person. Just don't hurt him in front of Scolipede unless you wanna get stomped on." Finral advised wisely before gesturing to the busty pinkette. "Next we have Vanessa Enoteca and her Pokemon, Leavanny and Purrloin. She tends to pick fights when she's drunk, but she's good people. Same with her Pokemon." Asta took the chance to take out his magic mirror.
"Leavanny, the Nurturing Pokemon. Upon finding a small Pokémon, it weaves clothing for it from leaves by using the sticky silk secreted from its mouth. If you need a Pokemon to watch your eggs, this is the one."
"Purrloin, the Devious Pokemon. They steal from people for fun, but their victims can't help but forgive them. Their deceptively cute act is perfect. So no matter what, NEVER take your eyes off this little cutie."
"What are you talking about? I don't pick fights." Vanessa told Finral before turning to Asta, a smile on her face. "Hage village, eh? That's way off on the outskirts of the kingdom, isn't it?"
"Yup." Asta told her, returning her smile. However, Vanessa soon stood up, walking up to Asta and invading his space. Due to the close proximity and the fact she was in her underwear, Asta let out a gasp while blood shot out of his nose.
"Who knoew such a backwater village could have such a cute boy there? You must have worked really hard to pass the test, huh kiddo?" Vanessa said in a sly tone. She then kneeled down to Scorbunny and Rookidee. "And what little cuties you have? How about I give all of you a reward for working so hard~"
"(... Scorbunny, I'm scared)." Rookidee told his fellow Pokemon with a nervous sweat. The fire rabbit Pokemon couldn't help but agree while Asta wiped away the blood from his nose.
'Oh man. That's hard to turn down! But I have to think about sister Lily! She's all that matters!' Asta thought, trying to get these impure thoughts out of his head and focus on the nun back home.
However… Vanessa soon cupped her mouth and vomited. Luckily, Scorbunny and Rookidee got out of the way before they could get hit.
"(... And she threw up, yet again)." Purrlion said dryly, shaking her head at her human.
"(There there, dear. Let it all out)." Leavanny told Vanessa while rubbing her back. She then ushered Vanessa towards the couch to rest. "(Just sleep for now and we can clean your breath later)."
"(That was so gross)!" Scorbunny shouted, covering his nose so he wouldn't smell the vomit. The mime Pokemon then took out a wet towel and began cleaning the mess.
"Let's continue, shall we?" Finral spoke up before he motioned towards the blonde male. "Luck Voltia and his partner Pikachu. Both of them are kind of battle freaks who love fighting and pranking everyone, but they're good people."
"Nice to meet you." Luck said with a smile before he clenched his fists. "So hey, do you wanna fight? I bet your Pokemon are strong, right?"
"Ummm… maybe later?" Asta told him as he aimed his mirror at Pikachu.
"Pikachu, the Mouse Pokemon. It stores electricity in the electric sacs on its cheeks. When it releases pent-up energy in a burst, the electric power is equal to a lightning bolt. You better hope it doesn't rub its cheeks or else you're done for."
"(Hello. It's really nice to meet some new people)!" Pikachu hopped off Luck's shoulder and stood in front of Scorbunny and Rookidee, offering them a paw. Seeing no harm in it, the two Pokemon shook Pikachu's paw.
*Zap*
"(Ouch)." However, the moment they did, they were given a small spark, making them jump back. Pikachu giggled at their reaction. She always loved shocking people, though she was mindful to hold back just a tad since they are newbies.
"Hey." Asta turned his head, only to get a picture practically shoved to his face. It was of a young girl with short blonde hair and purple eyes. She seemed to wear a purple dress. The man with the floating mirror gave Asta a hard look. "See her? My angelic sister, Marie." He said with blood running down his nose.
"Ummm, yeah?" Asta said with a sweatdrop, wondering who this guy was.
"If you lay a finger on her, you're dead. Understand?" The man then threatened him with a deep glare, much to Asta's surprise. However, the mime Pokemon then came over and cleaned the blood off his nose with a handkerchief.
"Oh Gauche, you really need to watch your nose. It'll ruin your clothes)." The mime told his partner, who waved him off while looking at the picture.
"Gauche Adlai and his partner, Mr. Mime. One loves his sister a little too much and the other's a neat freak, but they're good people." Finral told Asta.
"(He keeps saying that)." Scorbunny muttered with a flat face as Asta nervously aimed his magic mirror at Mr. Mime.
"Mr. Mime, the Barrier Pokemon. It creates invisible walls with its pantomiming. If you don't act impressed, it will attack you with a double slap. Just never find this thing in the dark cause it will give you nightmares."
"And this here is Charmy Pappitson." Finral told Asta while gesturing to the small girl, who was eating the cupcake she offered to Yami. "The fat Pokemon is Snorlax, the one that looks like a walking cake is Alcremie and the fluffy bird is Altaria. Charmy and Snorlax are big eaters, but other than that, they're good people."
"Nice to meet ya!" Charmy called out with an arm raised, though her cheeks were full. Snorlax just gave them a wave before eating a whole cake.
"(Don't mind him. He's like that)." Altaria said with a bow. Asta aimed his magic mirror at the three Pokemon.
"Snorlax, the Sleeping Pokemon. It has no interest in anything other than eating. Even if you climb up on its stomach while it's napping, it doesn't seem to mind at all. There's a reason why not many people are able to own a Snorlax."
"Alcremie, the Cream Pokemon. When Alcremie is content, the cream it secretes from its hands becomes sweeter and richer. In fact, most people get their cream from Alcremie, which seems weird to me."
"Altaria, the Humming Pokemon. As it flies in a calm and relaxed manner, Altaria performs a humming song that would enrapture any audience. Just don't get it wet or else the winds dissolve, and it is not a pleasant sight."
"Then there's Grey." Finral then gestured at the big man, who simply blew smoke. "I don't get him, but he's good people."
"Ummm, hi." Asta greeted with a wave. He then felt a hand tap his shoulder, prompting him to turn around… and see himself. "What the?!"
However, the second Asta had dot-like eyes and a seemingly happy smile.
"(There's two Astas)?!" Rookidee shouted with wide eyes.
Suddenly, the second Asta began to glow a white aura before changing shape… into Rookidee. Like with its previous form, this Rookidee had dots for eyes.
"Oh, don't worry about that. This is Grey's Pokemon, Ditto." Finral said to Asta in order to get the confusion out of the way. To prove this, the second Rookidee transformed once again. It was a light-purple or pink, amorphous Pokémon with vestigial facial features. The face consists of a simple mouth and beady eyes. It also appears to have two pseudopods protruding from its body that it uses as arms.
"(Hiiiiiiiiii)~" Ditto spoke up with a wave of its little hand. Asta then aimed his magic mirror at the new Pokemon.
"Ditto, the Transform Pokemon. It has the ability to reconstitute its entire cellular structure to transform into whatever it sees. Just make sure everyone knows it is Ditto or else things might get… awkward."
"And then there's Magna Swing." Finral gestured to Carkol's human, who glared at Asta. "A street punk, but he's good people. His Pokemon are Carkol and Timburr."
"(You got something to say, little birdy)?" Timburr asked Rookidee arrogantly while putting the log on his shoulder. Rookidee simply glared at him, but didn't say anything as Asta aimed his magic mirror at them.
"Carkol, the Coal Pokemon. By rapidly rolling its legs, it can travel at over 18 mph. The temperature of the flames it breathes exceeds 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit. The perfect Pokemon to go camping with."
"Timburr, the Muscular Pokemon. Always carrying squared logs, they help out with construction. As they grow, they carry bigger logs… are we done? Good. Goodnight."
"I'm Finral Roulacase, lady-killer." Finral referred to himself with a confident smile. "Oh, and this is my partner, Kadabra."
"(How do you do)?" Kadabra greeted them with a bow.
"And last, but not least is our fearless leader, Yami Sukehiro." Finral finally said while gesturing to his captain. However, he was then hit by some steam, courtesy of Tauros. "A-And of course, one of his Pokemon, Tauros. Hehehe…" Asta and his Pokemon were wondering why Finral didn't refer to Yami as good people, but merely let it go.
"It's really nice to be here, sir. Thank you for taking us in." Asta thanked Yami with a respectful bow, which his Pokemon mimicked.
"The rest are on other missions, or on leave, or I don't know." Yami stated without a care in the world. "Think you can play nice with them, newbie?"
"Yes sir!" Asta told Yami before looking back at the Black Bulls. "IT'S REALLY NICE TO MEET ALL OF YOU! I HOPE WE CAN GET-"
*Slash*
Asta stopped when a paw suddenly swung out and slashed his face. A second later, a claw mark appeared across his face, followed by a squirt of blood. "AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" Now feeling the pain, Asta fell on his back. He grabbed his face and rolled around comedically. His Pokemon gasped in horror.
"(Purrloin! That was very rude)." Leavanny scolded the feline-like Pokemon, who stood on her feet while licking her paw.
"(He was too loud. Someone had to teach him a lesson in controlling his voice)." Purrlion merely said with no regret.
"That's one way to shut someone up." Magna commented with a small smirk.
"I noticed that before. This kid's as loud as he is short." Yami added while looking at Asta, who still rolled around in pain. "Anyways gang, give this kid and his Pokemon a good workout. Just don't kill them, alright?"
"(Workout)?" Scorbunny questioned, a feeling of dread creeping in his chest.
"What do you mean, captain?" Asta stood back up, having stopped the bleeding.
"He means… we're gonna test you." Magna said darkly. "Yami wants us to give you three a good workout, which is just what I'm gonna do." He then gave Asta a hard glare. "A pathetic runt, a little bunny and a small chick come out from Hage, a place that everyone has barely heard of, and you three think you can be Black Bulls? Not to mention how little mana I can even feel from you. I don't know what some magic-poor hick like you could have done to impress someone like Yami." Magna then grabbed his robe and pointed at the insignia. "Do you wanna prove that you deserve to be with the Black Bulls and wear this robe?!"
"(That goes for you shrimps, too)." Carkol spoke up, looking down at Scorbunny and Rookidee with a deep glare. "(Can you prove yourselves like your human? If you can, you might be worthy of this)." Carkol then raised his top right leg, revealing what looked like a small black scarf wrapped around it.
"A real magic knight robe… wow…" Asta muttered in awe, looking at Magna's fabric. He couldn't believe a real magic knight robe was just a few inches away from him. He then looked at Carkol's little scarf. "Is that for all Pokemon in a Magic Knight Squad?"
"Yup. Everyone's Pokemon has a scarf to show that they belong with us. Black is for Black Bulls, obviously." Finral explained while tugging on Kadabra's black scarf, which was tied on his tail.
"So, you want it?" Magna asked Asta with a smirk.
"YES! GIVE ME, GIVE ME, GIVE ME!" Asta asked while trying to grab the robe, only for Magna to push him back.
"You really are excited, aren't you?" Magna whispered with a chuckle. "Alright, you can have it…" He then swung his arm. "But first, you have to earn the approval of Yami's chief subordinate! Me: man among men, Magna Swing!"
"(You also have to defeat me: Carkol, the volcano)!" Carkol shouted while flames shot out of his back.
"(And me! Timburr, the muscle)!" Timburr added before slamming his log on the floor, creating cracks on it.
"This marks your entry to the Black Bulls." Magna told Asta with a broad smile. "A true baptism by fire."
"Say what?" Asta questioned in surprise.
This was not how he expected his first night in the hideout to be like.
'A few minutes later'
All the Black Bulls and their Pokemon now stood outside the base, with Asta, Magna and their Pokemon in front of all of them.
"Let's see just how much you want this robe." Magna spoke up before clenching a fist towards Asta. "You have to finish every task I give you!"
"We're ready!" Asta called out with a determined expression.
"Great, another one of those ridiculous baptisms." Vanessa commented with a yawn as Leavanny put a blanket around her to stay warm.
"Awww, I want a baptism too." Luck said with a smile, a little jealous that Asta would fight Magna.
"(But we fight Magna and Carkol all the time)." Pikachu argued, though Luck didn't hear her. The other Black Bulls just watched in silence.
"Alright first test!" Magna shouted as he pointed at Timburr. "First: your little bird vs Timburr! You have to hit him once in one minute!"
"That's it?" Asta had to ask with a surprised expression. He was expecting something a lot more… difficult than this.
"Trust me, it won't be easy." Magna told him with a smirk. Asta merely shrugged as Rookidee flew forward.
"That Rookidee is a Flying-type Pokemon, so it should be strong enough to beat Timburr." Finral spoke out.
"Then again, Magna's Timburr isn't a slouch." Yami added while exhaling some smoke from his cigarette.
"You got this, pal! I know you do!" Asta cheered Rookidee, who nodded.
"(I'll make this quick, birdy)." Timburr mocked Rookidee with a smirk.
"(You're the one who's going down)!" Rookidee shot back. He hated when people looked down on him, so he was gonna prove them wrong. Magna took out a small hourglass, with the bottom being filled with sand.
"One minute's all you got." Magna reminded, getting a nod from Asta. With a smirk, Magna twisted the hourglass, allowing the sand to start falling. "GO!"
"Rookidee, Peck!" Asta quickly ordered. Rookidee's beak began glowing as he flew towards Timburr. However, the muscular Pokemon didn't seem the least bit nervous. Just as the small bird was about to strike…
*SLAM*
Timburr slammed his log on the ground, pushing himself up in the air to dodge.
"Woah!" Asta exclaimed, shocked to see Timburr dodge so quickly. Rookidee was also surprised, though he shook it off as he began to fly towards the Fighting-type. "Alright, Peck again!"
"(You won't dodge this one)!" Rookidee shouted as his beak began to glow yet again. Jumping onto the top of the log, Timburr crossed his arms before leaping over Rookidee's attack. This continued again and again: Rookidee would try and sweep in, only for Timburr to duck or jump out of the way.
"(How is he that fast)?!" Scorbunny shouted, confused as to what was going on. Rookidee wasn't exactly the fastest Pokemon, but even he should be able to land a hit.
"(Not yet)!" For the umptenth time, Rookidee began to fly in with another Peck.
"TIME!" Magna called out, causing Rookidee to stop in place. Everyone turned towards the punk-like man, who showed them the hourglass. "Minute's up. You fail."
"Well, that was that." Vanessa said out loud with a hand on her chin. "But that Rookidee wasn't bad."
"(If only he knew another attack than Peck)." Purrloin commented with a sigh. Rookidee deflated in defeat, flying back to Asta.
"(I'm… I'm sorry)." Rookidee apologized, feeling ashamed with what had happened. He was sure he could land at least on Peck on Timburr. Boy, was he wrong. However, he then felt Asta pat him on the head, giving him a smile.
"Hey, don't worry. You did your best, pal. I'm not mad." Asta encouraged the Pokemon, who smiled before landing on his shoulder. At least he wasn't going to get scolded for being weak.
"That wasn't bad." Magna spoke up with a hand on his hip as Timburr walked back to him. "You might not have passed, but your little bird right there has potential."
"(Don't let it go to your head)." Timburr reminded Rookidee. Hey, he might admit that Rookidee was okay, but he wasn't gonna stroke his ego.
"Now onto test number two. Carkol!" Magna shouted.
"(Right)." Carkol rolled forward, giving Asta and Scorbunny a grin.
"The next test is for Scorbunny. You have to knock Carkol off his feet in one minute. If your Pokemon can't go it, then don't expect to get your robes at all." Magna explained with his arms crossed.
"(It doesn't seem fair, given how heavy Carkol is)." Altaria spoke up with a small hint of concern.
"(That Scorbunny might change our mind)." Alcremie added, interested in what will unfold.
"Ready, buddy?" Asta asked his faithful partner.
"(I won't let you down)!" Scorbunny declared with a determined look as he hopped forward. He wasn't going to lose, especially with Rookidee's defeat.
"(I'll show you how the big boys fight, rabbit)." Carkol told Scorbunny with a chuckle.
"Time… START!" Magna shouted as he turned the hourglass upside down.
"Use Double Kick on Carkol's legs!" Asta quickly ordered. Scorbunny launched himself towards Carkol at high speed, slamming his feet on the Coal Pokemon's left legs. Due to the strength, Carkol was forced to kneel down, though he seemed to be fine. "Flame Charge!"
"(Flame on)!" Scorbunny's body lit on fire before he charged at Carkol, slamming into him as hard as he could. However, due to being the same type, as well as being part Rock, Carkol wasn't fazed as much. In fact, the coals on his back seemed to be glowing a bit hotter because of it.
"Oh look, Steam Engine is activating." Finral commented with a raised brow.
"(Of course, given how he isn't battling, the advantage will be useless)." Kadabra said calmly while sitting with his legs crossed.
"Don't stop! Flame Charge again!" Asta called out as his Pokemon tackled Carkol again and again, though each strike barely made Carkol move. 'Come on, think! There's gotta be some way we can win!' As dense as Asta was, he wasn't by any means stupid. He did consider strategy in certain places and this was one of them.
"Tick, tock, newbie." Magna teased as half the sand was gone, showing their minute was almost done. Knocking on his head, Asta continued to think.
And then… an idea popped up.
"Scorbunny, use Flame Charge and run around Carkol!"
"Huh/(Huh)?" Everyone, even Scorbunny looked at Asta in confusion.
"Trust me. I have a plan!" Asta called out, giving Scorbunny a supportive smile. Putting his trust in Asta, Scorbunny engulfed his body in flames yet again before he started running around in a circle, leaving a small trail of smoke. Everyone watched as Asta's Pokemon continued to run around, creating a ring of fire around Carkol.
"(Ohhh… stop… running… getting… dizzy)..." Given how hard he tried to focus on Scorbunny, Carkol ended up getting confused by the running, his eyes turning to swirls.
Ten seconds… nine… eight…
'Almost…' Asta thought with a drop of sweat on his head.
Five… four… three… two...
"DOUBLE KICK!" Asta finally ordered, feeling that Scorbunny had charged up enough power. Slamming his foot on the ground, Scorbunny let out a scream before launching himself towards Carkol at high speed.
The Coal Pokemon barely saw Scorbunny within an inch of his face.
*BOOM*
Everything seemed to slow down as Scorbunny's foot collided with Carkol's face, creating a small boom in the air. Carkol was then sent flying off, screaming in pain. Magna's eyes widened before he jumped out of the way, allowing his Pokemon to crash into the tree behind him. The force was enough to actually snap the tree in two, with Carkol falling to his side.
All the Black Bulls looked on in shock. Even Gauche and Charmy stopped their usual antics to witness the end of Scorbunny's attack.
"... Wow…" Was all Gordon muttered.
"(He sent Carkol flying)." Scolipede said in surprise.
"That is one tough little Pokemon he has." Vanessa couldn't help but say. Even Pokemon like Purrloin and Timburr were impressed by this.
"WE DID IT!" Asta cheered loudly before he rushed to Scorbunny, who seemed to be in a daze. "You were awesome, pal!"
"(Hehehe… thanks… Yuno… that… was… funnnnnnnnnn)..." Due to running around in a circle, Scorbunny ended up dizzy as he began to fall over, only for Asta to catch him.
"Woah, take a break. You deserve it." Asta told his partner before carrying him to Rookidee, putting him down.
"You okay?" Magna asked Carkol while helping him back on his feet. The Fire/Rock Pokemon was still dizzy from the attack, but was otherwise fine.
"(That rabbit… was tough)." Carkol admitted while giving Scorbunny a glare. He had to admit, Scorbunny surprised him.
"I hate to say it, but Scorbunny did good. And with one second left." Magna complimented out loud. "But now, there's one last test and you have to do it by yourself."
"Got it! Give me everything you got!" Asta declared, ready to pass the final test. It was all riding on him and he wasn't about to lose.
"Using whatever skills you have, whether they're magical or ordinary…" Magna's Grimoire floated in front of him, going through several pages before finding the right spell. Magna opened his hand as a fireball formed in it. "You must defend or dodge against my magic attack! If you can manage that, then you pass." He gave Asta a serious expression. "You may consider yourself a true Black Bull and I'll give you your robe."
Asta gulped a bit, feeling a bit nervous with the instructions. However, not only did he have faith in his powers, but he also had the faith of his Pokemon riding on him.
"I understand. I'll do my best, sir!" Asta declared with fire in his eyes. Magna quickly told him to shut up, though this didn't deteriorate Asta's will.
"Alright, get your Grimoire out and get ready!" Magna ordered Asta as his fireball grew a bit.
"Yes sir!" Asta took out his Grimoire, allowing it to open up and cause his sword to grow out of it. Grabbing the handle, Asta took out his sword, getting everyone's attention.
"Whoa, what's he got there?" Luck question with a curious tone. He and the others had never seen such a weapon, and the fact it didn't have any mana was interesting.
"(It's so big)!" Pikachu commented with her ears perked up. Everyone watched in interest to see whether or not Asta is worthy of joining. Asta took a position, gripping his sword with both hands and aiming it at Magna. Said person then took out his fire bat, aiming it at Asta as well.
"Ready?!" Magna called out with a smirk.
"Ready!" Asta called back.
"Here we go!" Magna threw the fireball in the air before he smacked it with his bat. In doing so, multiple fireballs were shot at Asta. Rather than strike them, Asta opted to dodge each other, allowing them to sail past him. Rookidee and Scorbunny quickly got out of the way.
"(Hey! This isn't our test)!" Rookidee shouted, wondering whether Magna was shooting at them on purpose or by accident.
"Hehe, you're pretty decent." Magna admitted, slightly impressed with how fast Asta was at dodging.
'I'm gonna pass for sure!' Asta thought joyfully. However, much to his surprise, Magna's bat disappeared.
"Now for the real test to begin." Magna declared confidently. His Grimoire turned to a new page as yet another fireball appeared in Magna's hand. This one was more intense than the last one, sending waves of power towards Asta.
"THIS IS IT!" Magna's fireball grew several times larger. It then shrunk back to normal size as Magna grabbed it, pulling his arm back in a pitcher-like stance. "Flame Magic: Exploding Fireball!" With that, Magna threw the fireball with all his strength, the attack flying straight towards Asta at high speed.
'Oh man… I'm dead.' Asta thought in horror, feeling time slow down. Given how fast Magna's fireball was flying towards him, even if Asta was able to cut it, the force from the attack would still hit Asta. Plus, he wouldn't be able to dodge it in time, anyways.
However… Asta's body would not give up. With all the years he spent training his body with Yuno, Rowlet and Scorbunny, Asta was more than capable when it came to physical strength. Gripping his sword, Asta let out a battle cry as he turned his blade and swung it towards Magna's attack.
*SMACK*
Everyone watched in complete shock as Asta's sword actually BLOCKED magna's Exploding Fireball. Digging his feet in the ground, Asta pushed himself as hard as he could before hitting the fireball right back to Magna. Said person could only watch as the fireball flew right towards him.
However… Timburr soon got in the way, hitting it with his log.
*BOOM*
But even with this interruption, the fireball explodes upon contact, engulfing both Magna and his Pokemon. A large cloud of smoke flew into the air, with flames still in the air.
"Wow, he did it!" Luck called out in awe.
"(But… how)?" Snorlax asked, having watched the fight in interest… while still eating. No one had ever seen something like this.
"Didn't see that coming." Vanessa commented with mild surprise.
"(I just hope they aren't hurt)." Leavanny couldn't help but say in concern. Charmy clapped in amusement while the others stayed silent.
"Well, that was the first time in a while we didn't need to help the newbie out." Finral said out loud while closing his Grimoire. He was prepared to use his magic to help Asta out, but it looks like he didn't need to do anything… much to his hidden relief.
'He couldn't slice it with the blade's edge, so he hit it with the flat.' Yami thought with a critical eye, though he didn't show it. 'Looks like that blade can cut and reflect magic. Not bad. Looks like the kid's a lot smarter than I thought.'
'I HAD NO IDEA THAT WOULD WORK!' Asta thought with bugged out eyes as he looked at his sword. He was just going off on a whim and tried to block it, but it turns out his sword was more than meets the eye. 'This sword is awesome!'
"(Ummm, Asta)?" Scorbunny, having gotten over his dizziness, pulled on Asta's pants to get his attention. He then pointed over to where Magna was, making Asta widen his eyes.
"Oh crap, I didn't kill him, did I?!" Asta shouted, hoping that wasn't the case. Magna might have gone a bit far, but it was just a test.
"What the hell did you just do, you little runt?" Emerging from the fire was none other than Magna, who was carrying Timburr in his arms. The Pokemon seemed to have some burns on him and what looked to be half his log in his hand, but otherwise, Timburr was fine. Magna marched over to Asta, his glasses covering his expression.
'They took a direct hit, but they're still around?!' Asta thought in shock.
"I was able to dispel in, but Timburr was still hit by it. Even lost his log." Magna informed him while the flames on his robe died down. "But it doesn't change the fact we nearby got scorched by my own magic." Gritting his teeth, Magna rushed towards Asta, stopping in front of the younger boy while putting a hand on his shoulder.
'Scary, scary, scary, scary!' Asta repeated in his mind while Scorbunny and Rookidee prepared to jump in.
"You're really good, you know!" However, they need to worry as Magna gives him a grin. He then chuckled while patting Asta on the shoulder.
"(... what)?" Scorbunny and Rookidee said in confusion. One minute, Magna was about to fight him. And now, he was congratulating him.
"Here I thought you were gonna block my magic, but you shot it back?! Man, you're one crazy kid!" Magna complimented while patting Asta's back rather hard, making him stumble. "You know, I think I kinda like you, little Rasta!"
"It's… As… ta…" Asta reminded him.
"Sorry for insulting you and your Pokemon. You guys are actually pretty damn strong." Magna suddenly said while rubbing the bottom of his nose. "Hell, if I'm being honest, I'm from the sticks too. Rayaka village, just up from Hage."
"Say what?! I didn't know that!" Asta told him in surprise. "That's way out in the middle of nowhere!"
"Says the kid from Hage." Magna shot back as the two shared a laugh.
"(You two are alright in my eyes)." Timburr admitted to Asta's Pokemon while jumping off Magna's arm.
"(Thanks. Sorry about your log, though)." Scorbunny apologized as Timburr looked at said object before tossing it away.
"(Eh. I can find another one. But birdy)..." Timburr looked at Rookidee. "(You get faster so we can have a good fight)."
"(Count on it)." Rookidee declared with a serious look.
"Oh, and it isn't that I have little magic… I don't have any at all." Asta confessed with Magna with a sheepish smile. This got Magna to stop patting him.
"Hang on… you have no magic power, yet you were still able to turn my magic against me?!" Magna questioned loudly.
"Ummm, yeah?" Asta said nervously, only for Magna to smile.
"That's even more amazing, then! You're not just some runt with a few little Pokemon. You're a real man." Magna said proudly, much to Asta's surprise. Soon, the rest of the Black Bulls surrounded Asta and his Pokemon, congratulating them for their hard work.
"Okay, okay." Finral called out while clapping his hands. "We do have some business to finish up."
Magna stepped forward before offering Asta a Black Bulls robe. "Here you go. You earned this, Asta." Magna told him with a genuine smile. Asta stared at the insignia on the robe, his green eyes staring at it in awe.
This was it, the moment he had been waiting for. His entrance into the Black Bulls. This robe meant so much more than anyone realized. A part of him actually felt tears threatening to fall down his eyes.
"Ouch!" Asta was knocked out of his trance when something sharp poked his butt. He looked around and saw Tauros standing behind him.
"(Go on. Take the robe, you idiot)." Tauros urged Asta with a nod. Though he didn't understand his words, Asta felt he got the message and with a smile, he grabbed the robe from Magna. He raised it in the air with a smile. Both Scorbunny and Rookidee also smiled, proud that they were able to join the squad.
"Well, what are you waiting for? Let's see how it looks." Vanessa said as she raised a wand, causing his robe to glow. It then floated down, wrapping itself tightly around Asta's body. "And with a little touch…" She then aimed the wand at Asta's headband. Soon, a small Black Bulls insignia appeared on it. Vanessa then looked over to his Pokemon. "We haven't forgotten about you two." With a flick of her wrist, Vanessa telepathically moved two small black scarfs towards the Pokemon, wrapping around their necks.
It was official: Asta, Scorbunny and Rookidee were now official members of the Black Bulls.
"It's official. You're one of us now." Magna spoke up while crossing his arms. "Make sure not to do anything that would shame Yami, okay?" Asta's arms shook a bit, his lips trembling.
"YEAH!" Asta and his even Pokemon all cheered in joy, satisfied with their initiation.
"Shut up." Of course, since he was rather loud, Yami had to shut Asta up, making him shrink.
"We're sorry, sir!" Asta apologized, though his voice was still loud.
Little did any of them know, they were being watched by two figures.
"(Wow, so those are the new recruits)." The shorter of the two said in surprise before turning to his human. "(What do you think of them, Noelle)?"
The taller of the two, who was the same girl as in the exam, merely looked at Asta before flicking her hair.
"What little insects." Was all she said before walking away.
Jesus, I'm so glad to be done. I won't lie, I wasn't expecting the chapter to be this long. Then again, I added a lot of descriptions for the Pokemon. And before anyone asks, no. These aren't ALL the Black Bulls' Pokemon. There are some that are hiding inside and others just in their Pokeballs. You really think Yami of all people would ONLY have a Tauros? You'll see some of them in the next chapter.
But yeah, I think I did well with the tests. I wanted to ensure that they were unique for Rookidee and Scorbunny. I know it might seem like I'm shitting on Rookidee, but he will get his time to shine. There will be a lot more to come for the story, so look forward to that.
And if you guys have some Pokemon you think some characters should have, let me know and the reason behind it.
Follow, Fav, Review and PM for anything.
Next time: The water mage