Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon, or any other property in this work that I did not make myself.
Pokémon: Sinnoh no Isekai
Chapter One-hundred and forty: Opelucid Obstruction, part one
To the surprise of the heroes, they learned upon entering Opelucid City that Drayden, the very man they had gone to Challenger's Cave along Unovan Route 9 to find, was actually Opelucid City's mayor. While Drayden handled business concerning his return to Opelucid City, including calling people to let them know he's fine, the heroes went to the local Pokémon Center. The ones among the heroes intending to challenge Drayden to gym battles to try to earn the badge his gym awards to trainers who found victory there did the necessary party rotating to best prep themselves for the battles that lay ahead of them.
To the surprise of some of the heroes, one of the Pokémon that Ash was planning to use against Drayden was Meloetta, alongside Hydreigon and Gardevoir; Iris told the other heroes that official challenges to the Opelucid City gym were three-on-three affairs. "You think that what training you've done so far with Meloetta will be sufficient for it to hold its own against Drayden?" Cilan asked Ash as they and the rest of the heroes took a lunch break.
Ash nodded in the affirmative. "I got a feeling that Meloetta's a lot stronger than you're giving it credit for, Cilan. I'm going to have faith in Meloetta."
Turning to look at Iris, Kenny said, "I believe that you and Drayden have something of a battle coming up as well, right? At least that's the implication that I got from Drayden."
"Drayden wants to test me to see how far I've come as a Dragon Master in training," Iris said, looking a bit unsure. Looking to the rest of the heroes, Iris asked, "What do you all think?"
"Well it helps that you got Dragonite reliably obeying you now," Dawn began, "A strong dragon Pokémon like Dragonite is bound to serve you well in your trek to achieving mastery over the dragon type."
Nodding in agreement, Trip added, "And you also have an Excadrill. It's not a dragon Pokémon, but it does serve as a rather effective answer to fairy Pokémon, one of the biggest threats to dragon Pokémon."
Dawn gave another affirmative nod. "Since you're gonna be a Dragon Master, you need to keep in mind the strengths and weaknesses of dragon Pokémon. Having a steel Pokémon in your party, even if it's not part dragon, is a sound and valid move since it can help cover your dragons from fairies. Also ice types."
"Oh yeah!" Iris said, looking like she just had an eureka moment, "Ice Pokémon are weak to steel! How could I have forgotten that?" Iris then had a clear hint of amusement in her eyes, now that she had it that she had an effective answer to ice Pokémon, who she did not like in the slightest.
After Iris had that amused look, Drayden came walking into the Pokémon Center. When the heroes found him in Challenger's Cave, he was a bit disheveled and had a very slight odor due to being stuck there for a fair while. Now, he was properly dressed in a clean outfit, and he had also showered and properly groomed himself. "Are you kids doing alright?" Drayden asked.
"We're doing fine," Kenny replied, "Oh and Drayden, we got confirmation while you were out that Giblet really was the Riolu who mugged you for your lunchbox while you were over in Challenger's Cave. Professor Oak said that the stain on the side of Giblet's face really was mustard. Sorry about Giblet mugging you."
Holding up a hand to stem off arguments, Drayden replied in a kind and understanding manner, "It wasn't your Riolu until sometime after it had stolen my food, it was still a wild Pokémon at the time it robbed me. And it was a wild Pokémon, so it was most likely acting due to being desperate for food."
Gesturing to Drayden, Dawn asked, "So Drayden, the lot of us here aside from Cilan and Iris want to battle you in official challenges to your gym, but we know that you wanna test Iris to see how far she's come. Any plans to manage all of this?"
"There's only enough time left in the day for me to have one battle," Drayden replied, "So I was planning to make it the battle I want to have with Iris to gauge her progress. I'll start accepting challenges from the rest of you who wish to challenge my gym tomorrow. I hope this is okay with the rest of you." The other trainers all agreed, and Dawn even said that she was going to suggest what Drayden had said anyway. Thusly, with the plans set up and everyone ready, they made their way over to the Opelucid City gym to see Drayden test Iris.
The mayor of Opelucid City was going to see just how far Iris had really come, but he won't see it in the... specific way... that he was intending.
Meanwhile, hidden throughout Opelucid City, members of Team Scorn were getting ready to launch a major attack. "So what are the goals for our attack here in Opelucid City?" Captain's Assistant Ayana, who served First Captain Hiroaki of Team Scorn's Longsword Sector, asked her Captain as they stood on standby with a group of about a dozen other Team Scorn members, all of them rank and file grunts.
"There's a few targets, actually," Hiroaki explained, "One of which is an old copy of an incredibly rare book that has info on the legendary Pokémon Reshiram. It's in the household of Opelucid City's mayor, Drayden." Nodding once, Hiroaki said, "That will be the target we're going after."
"I heard of Drayden," Ayana said, a worried look on her plump face, "He's also the gym leader here in Opelucid City. He's a very strong user of dragon Pokémon, and is considered by some to be a true Dragon Master."
Holding up an index finger, Hiroaki said with an amused look on his face, "True, but that power of Drayden's won't do him any good to keep us from breaking into his home and searching for that book if he's not around to stop us. He's currently heading right over to his gym with some kids from what I got. Granted, we have no idea who said kids are, but I highly doubt that they'll put up much of a fight anyway."
Ayana nodded once, looking like she understood. "...They won't even put up a fight anyway because they'll never encounter us at all."
"Exactly," Hiroaki said, "We'll be long gone with the book from Drayden's place before they can catch up to us."
"What about other things that Team Scorn will be doing here?" Ayana asked.
Gesturing to his assistant, Hiroaki said, "A fair number of the specific acts we're gonna do are actually meant to serve as distractions, divvy up the focus of what heroes try to rise up to stop us. Also ransacking that one museum might net us some valuable works of art that we can sell on the black market to private collectors of dubious morality and character." Ayana nodded in understanding, now understanding why so many of the available members of Team Scorn's Longsword Sector were prepped for the mission in Opelucid City. However, as Ayana nodded, she was surprised when Hiroaki asked a certain question.
"Speaking of things going on during the mission, I don't suppose you have any idea at all on what Admin Swordsman plans to do, do you?" Hiroaki asked, "I mean, he is your cousin, so maybe you can see things that I, despite being his First Captain, can't see."
Ayana thought about it. The plump younger cousin of Admin Swordsman saw how her cousin looked primed for war as he said that he'd be coming along to play a part in helping to make sure Team Scorn got what all it wanted out of the attack on Opelucid City. She also remembered, back long ago when she and her cousin had lived in Opelucid City, that he did not like it at all that someone who had played a rather big role in making sure that he continued to remain free was not permitted to have the same privilege herself.
As a person who believes that freedom is a universal right that all persons, Pokémon trainers especially so, are entitled to have, seeing that girl who helped assure that he'd be able to remain free not be allowed to be free herself, to see her life lived for her down to every last detail without any input from herself, Swordsman was by no means amused. He considered it an affront, a sin of the worst kind, to not allow someone to live their life as they wish, to not be allowed so much as to make even one single choice by themselves.
Although she had no idea what exactly her cousin had planned, Ayana could reason out the most likely course of action her brother was planning to take during the mission here in Opelucid City. Swordsman brought with him his three Pokémon, those being Gallade, Aegislash, and Sceptile. Swordsman had also brought with him his longsword, the very weapon that the Longsword Sector was named after. Swordsman was not only ready to fight, but was also ready to do some damage if the need to do so comes up for him.
...The fact that he made sure to bring his weapon meant that Swordsman most likely was intending for him to have the need to do some damage.
Over at the Opelucid City gym, Iris stood on the battlefield at one end, starring over at the other end where Drayden stood. Meanwhile, in the bleachers around the battlefield, the heroes all sat on Iris's right. "So how do you guys think Iris will do?" Bianca asked.
Cilan held a hand to his chin. "...Hmm, it's hard to say. Sure, Iris has made a lot of growth, and she has some strong Pokémon. But Drayden has loads of experience compared to her. Depending on how things go here, it could go one way or the other."
Dawn was estimating that Iris was going to lose, given that from what Dawn could see, Iris is roughly the same at this point both here and in the anime in Dawn's previous live. But one never knew for certain. Regardless, this battle would serve as a chance for those who wanted to challenge Drayden to battles in bids to earn the badge his gym hands out to victorious trainers to scout out at least some of what Drayden has. Dawn was fairly certain that Drayden owned a Haxorus and a Druddigon, but her memory of the BW anime from her previous life was a bit fuzzy.
"This battle will be between Drayden, the leader of the Opelucid City gym," the referee began, "And the challenger, Iris! Both trainers may use up to-"
"HOLD EVERYTHING!"
Everyone stopped short upon hearing a panicked female voice call out, then turned to see an early twenties woman who looked like a chubby otaku had just rushed right in, unintentionally cutting off the battle before it could even begin. The chubby otaku woman had to breathe hard to catch her breath, she probably ran here from some good distance away, as Drayden, sensing that something serious enough to warrant an interruption like this, made his way over to the surprise guest. After the chubby otaku woman caught her breath, Drayden got her attention.
"Interrupting a battle here at my gym is a serious deal, ma'am," Drayden said, "So unless the reason for the interruption is severe enough to warrant it-"
"Does an attack being launched by Team Scorn on Opelucid City as we speak count as a severe enough reason?" the chubby otaku woman cried out, surprising everyone in the gym.
"Team Scorn's attacking Opelucid City?!" the heroes all exclaimed in unison.
The chubby otaku woman nodded in the affirmative. "They're attacking places in Opelucid City all over, but I think I saw one group heading on over to City Hall and another group heading on over to Mayor Drayden's house!"
Drayden scowled in bitter anger. "So, they have a bit against me, eh?" Turning to Iris, Drayden said, "My apologies, Iris, but I'm afraid that our battle cannot be done now. Team Scorn is attacking Opelucid City, after all."
"Let my friends and I help fight them off!" Iris immediately insisted, drawing cries of agreement from the rest of the heroes.
Drayden looked over, took a look at the rest of the heroes. "...I'd normally object to children fighting off criminals," Drayden began, "But I can sense that they are all very competent trainers. Also, I do indeed recognize Sinnoh Champion Dawn Berlitz there, and not having her fight off villains attacking Opelucid City would be a rather bone-headed move."
Dawn nodded in agreement. "We need to get out there and start dealing with Team Scorn."
"Indeed," Drayden said, "Anyway, come along now, children!" With Drayden leading the way, all of the heroes, as well as the chubby otaku woman, took off running from the Opelucid City gym, ready to fight off this attack by Team Scorn being launched on Opelucid City.
Outside of the Opelucid City gym, the heroes and Drayden looked all around, and already were seeing some Team Scorn grunts causing mayhem all over. "Ma'am, can I count on you to lead some of Iris's friends here over to City Hall?" Drayden asked the chubby otaku woman, "Those villains are personally attacking my home, so I'm fit to give them all a thrashing!"
Nodding once in the affirmative, the chubby otaku woman said, "Got it!" Looking to the heroes, the chubby otaku woman said, "Can some of you kids help me with-"
"Hey, are you guys going to head to the wealthy elite neighborhood?" a mid-forties man called out, getting the heroes to all turn to look at him coming up, "Because I saw a fairly large group of Team Scorn members head off in that direction, led by a guy in a long dark coat who was carrying a longsword!"
"...That sound like that Admin Swordsman guy that we've heard about," Trip said, sounding worried.
Ash scowled bitterly, remembering the Team Scorn officer that he fought to a standstill back in Nimbasa City a while ago. "Yeah, that sounds like that jerk alright. I say that some of us sho-"
*dash*
Ash was cut off when Bianca took off running suddenly, a determined look on her face. "Bianca!" Dawn called out. Given that Bianca either was too far away or too consumed by thoughts of revenge to hear her, Dawn scowled. "Damn it, she's going off on her own into danger."
"I'll go back her up!" Kenny said, taking off running in the same direction as Bianca, "You guys help clean up shop around the other parts of Opelucid City!"
After Kenny took off to go help make sure Bianca doesn't get in over her head, Cilan looked to the remaining heroes. "So how do we do this?"
"Well obviously Drayden's going to to see to fighting off the Team Scorn members attacking his home," Dawn said, "I think that you and Iris ought to go back him up on that one, Cilan."
Iris went a bit wide-eyed in surprise. "...Me? Help Drayden?"
Dawn nodded once in the affirmative. "Meanwhile, Ash, Trip, Cilan, and I will go deal with the chaos over at City Hall. We also ought to clean up the mess around us here before we take off to-"
"Ash already defeated all of the Team Scorn grunts that we can see from here," Trip said, pointing out how Ash, using Pikachu and Meloetta, had defeated every Team Scorn grunt within view.
After Ash had caught back up to the rest of the heroes, Dawn gave him an amused looking knowing smirk. "...You ready for going to subdue the attack over at City Hall, Ash?"
"You bet I am!" Ash declared confidently, drawing cries of agreement from Pikachu and Meloetta.
Dawn nodded in affirmation before she and the others took off for their respective destinations. Dawn had a bad feeling that Team Scorn, if what they were truly after here in Opelucid City wasn't stopped somehow, would become significantly more of a pain in the fanny for her and everyone else to deal with. They had to do anything and everything they could to stop what all they saw Team Scorn getting up to; they had no way of knowing what Team Scorn was up to exactly so they didn't know what exactly to do to foil Team Scorn's true aims here, also there were loads of civilians and other innocent persons in Opelucid City who were in danger.
Maybe the fellow matching the description of Admin Swordsman, the head of Team Scorn's Longsword Sector, would have some info on what he and the others were up to. Hopefully Bianca and Kenny would have some luck in getting some info out of Swordsman, assuming that he's here and assuming that they manage to encounter that murderous fellow wielding his sector's namesake weapon. Dawn hoped that Bianca and Kenny would be fine; they are going after someone who has been confirmed to have killed before. Dawn was especially worried for Bianca, given that it was her father who Swordsman had killed.
Dawn hoped that Bianca wouldn't allow her desire for revenge to consume her.
"This is terrible! We need to get out of here until the heat dies down!"
Over in the neighborhood where Opelucid City's wealthy elite all lived, a mildly plump mid-forties woman dressed like a wealthy socialite was fleeing with a somewhat slender mid-forties man dressed like a wealthy member of society. Following them was Haruka Leigh, a girl who long ago secretly showed thanks to a guy who'd go on to become one of Team Scorn's most high ranking members. The three of them were fleeing while a few Team Scorn grunts had filtered into their mansion and began to attack everyone within their immediate vicinity.
"Grr, those foul detestable criminals!" the woman growled, signifying her as the one to have previously cried out, "Figures that they would launch an attack on the people in society who actually matter!"
Haruka, despite the situation, arched a wry eyebrow at the woman. "Mom, aren't you worried that Team Scorn might attack anyone who gets in their wa-"
"Young lady, there is no need for you to worry about the clods who are well below us," the woman, now identified as Haruka's mother, interrupted, "Hell, I bet that most of Team Scorn consists of those very same worthless persons! They're jealous of people like us who are successes, so they're attacking us out of said jealousy!"
Having been shut up by her mother, Haruka could only scowl, and she knew full well that she was able to get away with scowling because her mother wasn't turned around to see the look on her face. As Haruka, her mother, and the man with them were running, they were accosted by a random female Team Scorn grunt, who sent out a Patrat. "You three look like you're the heads of this mansion here!" the grunt said, "That said, you all better play nice and come along!"
"Haruka, you're the only one between you, me, and your father here who has any Pokémon!" Haruka's mother said, identifying the man with them as Haruka's father in the process, "Fight this criminal off for us right this instant!"
Haruka rolled her eyes, another act she got away with because her mother didn't see it, and tossed up a pokéball while saying, "Go, Liepard!" Haruka sent out her Liepard, the only Pokémon that she owned. It wasn't by Haruka's own choice that she owned her Liepard; her mother had forced it onto her when it was a Purrloin on the basis that it was a 'lovely and elegant' Pokémon befitting ladies of high society. Haruka just couldn't find it in her to hold anything against Liepard despite the fact that she had never really wanted it in the first place.
Still, Liepard would be good against the Team Scorn grunt's Patrat. Pointing forward, Haruka said, "Liepard, use Night Slash!"
"Patrat, use Tackle!" the Team Scorn grunt ordered.
It wasn't much of a contest to be honest; Haruka's Liepard rushed forward and slashed at Patrat with a black energy slashing motion, striking the unevolved Pokémon and knocking it out in one go. Scowling in annoyance, the Team Scorn grunt recalled her defeated Patrat. Taking out another pokéball, the Team Scorn grunt tossed it up while calling out, "Go, Lillipup!"
The grunt's second Pokémon was a Lillipup, and at that Haruka actually took pause; Lillipup was the Pokémon that Haruka really wanted to have. She had always found Lillipup to be absolutely adorable, but her mother had forbade her from ever getting one because it 'wouldn't be a proper fit for a proper lady', then proceeded to force a Purrloin upon her. Haruka actually had to shake her head to try to will herself back to focusing on the battle ahead of her. Pointing forward, Haruka called out, "Liepard, use Psycho Cut!"
"Lillipup, use Tackle!" the Team Scorn grunt called out. Again, things ended like they did between Liepard and Patrat; one hit from the evolved Pokémon took out the unevolved opponent. Haruka believed that her Liepard got lucky and had scored multiple critical hits in a row. The Team Scorn grunt recalled her defeated Lillipup. With an annoyed look on her face, the grunt said, "So I guess you pampered high society twats aren't so useless in a scrape."
"This is what worthless lowlifes like you get for so much as daring to try reaching for us!" Haruka's mother proudly boasted, "You all will get what you have coming towards you in th-"
"Hey everyone!" the Team Scorn grunt yelled loud enough to be heard, "I found the rich family who lives in this mansion! They're right in front of me!"
As Haruka and her parents heard footsteps rushing towards them from multiple directions, Haruka's mother scoffed. "Don't like it how you lost, so you're calling in backup to clean up your mess, huh?" Haruka's mother taunted more than asked the Team Scorn grunt who Haruka had just defeated, her tone making her sound very much like a condescending haughty noblewoman.
"We need to get away from here!" Haruka's father said, clearly panicking, then led his wife and daughter into a large parlor room off to the side, throwing the large double doors leading into the room shut before locking them.
Looking around the room, Haruka's mother said, "Well this is just great, dear! You've trapped us in a room we can't escape from! How much of an idiot can you be?!"
Pointing to the windows, Haruka said, "Uhh, the windows in this room look into the backyard, where there's a gate we can go through to escape. We can just smash the windows and go through to get out of he-"
*SLAP*
Haruka was cut off when her mother slapped her hard across the face. "How dare you, young lady!" Haruka's mother exclaimed, "This is our home! I will not permit you to smash it up!"
"We're being attacked by villainous criminals!" Haruka pointed out, "Why do you care about doing a little bit of damage if doing so means we can get away?"
"We will not stoop to the level of common petty thieves!" Haruka's mother scolded, "You especially so! I raised you better than that!" Wildly throwing her hands up into the air, Haruka's mother went on, "What would your husband say if he heard that you wrecked up your parents' home?"
Holding up a few fingers, Haruka began, "One, I didn't suggest that we 'wreck up your home', I suggested we break just one window so we can escape into the backyard in order to get away from members of Team Scorn trying to get to us! Two, he'd probably agree if he were here since he's a coward and would do anything if it meant he would be able to get away from criminals who were after him!"
Haruka's mother pointing an accusing finger in her daughter's face. "One right back at you, how DARE you take such a tone with me! I am your mother, and you will show me nothing but the absolute unconditional respect and obedience that I demand from you! Two, how dare you insult your husband by calling him a coward! Wives are expected to always honor their husbands!"
"You yourself had called dad an idiot not one minute ago!" Haruka pointed out, "That's you being his wife insulting him!"
*SLAP*
"I will not stand for this blatant disrespect from you!" Haruka's mother barked at Haruka after slapping her across the face yet again, "You will do as I say! Do I make myself-"
*CRASH*
Haruka's mother was cut off when the locked double doors leading into that parlor room were smashed to pieces, sending large hunks of broken door into the room and startling Haruka and her parents. Stepping into the room, followed by his Aegislash who was the one that busted down the double doors that led into the room, was Admin Swordsman, the head of Team Scorn's Longsword Sector. He had his longsword drawn out, hanging casually at his right side. He cracked his neck a bit as he got a look at the persons in the room.
Haruka, seeing Swordsman, recognized him as Yoshitsugu, the boy who she in one the very few free acts she had even been able to take in her life had expressed thanks to for a favor he'd done for her. He looked serious in his mostly dark blue outfit, although she was a bit surprised to see a Team Scorn insignia worn on his person as a buckle on the belt worn over his body to support the scabbard over his back. Haruka thought that she'd never see Yoshitsugu ever again, but here he was, looking like he was the one leading the attack on her family's mansion.
...Or was that all that he was truly up to?
"You!" Haruka's mother exclaimed, pointing an accusing finger at Admin Swordsman, "It's clear you're a special member of Team Scorn! What is it that you think you're doing here?! What is it that you plan to do?!"
Swordsman, rolling his shoulders, gave Haruka's mother a dry look that made it clear that he couldn't care less about what she had to say. "...Liberation."
END, CHAPTER ONE-HUNDRED AND FORTY
Author's notes;
The heroes get Drayden back to Opelucid City, and the ones aiming to earn badges make preparations to challenge Drayden at his gym, although he wants to first have a battle with Iris to gauge how far she's come as a Dragon Master. However, that plan is thrown out the window before the battle could actually happen because an attack is launched on Opelucid City by Team Scorn. Although the attack's main goal is to steal a certain book, Admin Swordsman personally heads over to the mansion where Haruka, the girl who helped him so long ago despite how she was denied what she helped maintain for him, and her parents are at. This will be continuing on into the next chapter, so don't turn that dial.
Dawn's Pokémon: (on hand) Chi-Chi (female Infernape), Argent (male Arcanine; alpha; Hisuian), Germany (male Garchomp), Zancrow (male Volcarona), Leni (female Lucario), Tsukune (Palkia)
Kenny's Pokémon: (on hand) Godzilla (male Tyranitar), Giyu (male Samurott; Hisuian), Android 21 (female Weavile; shiny), Black (Giratina; Origin Form), Cell (male Scizor; shiny), Shallot (male Glaceon)
Trip's Pokémon: (on hand) Mr. Popo (male Magmortar), HedonismBot (Magnezone), Myde (male Empoleon), Veda (female Abomasnow), Deelia (Dialga), Fourze (male Electivire)
Ash's Pokémon: (on hand) Pikachu (male), Krookodile (male; Sunglasses), Gardevoir (female), Meloetta (gender unknown), Hydreigon (female), Steelix (male; shiny)