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 fifty-two: Dragonslayer, part one
Iris, after having broken away from Cilan and Bianca upon reaching the Johto region, made her way to Blackthorn City. Iris, with Axew at her side, made a beeline right for where the Blackthorn City gym was located, as she intended to have a battle with Clair. Not for a gym badge, no; challenging gyms for badges wasn't exactly Iris's cup of tea. No, Iris's reason for challenging Clair was to test herself to see how far she had come in her goal of becoming a Dragon Master. Clair, due to her experience in working with dragon Pokémon, would be a good person to help Iris see how far she's come so far.
As Iris and Axew made their way, however, they were cut off when a random Gible popped in out of nowhere. "Woah, what are you doing, little fellah'?" Iris asked, right before the Gible proceeded to use Dig to burrow around, while causing some damage to the surrounding area.
Iris heard some angered cries, and saw that the local populace was starting to get unamused with Gible. "We're still rebuilding a few things that were wrecked back when Team Scorn attacked Blackthorn City a while ago!" one woman shouted, "That Gible isn't helping at all!"
"Don't worry!" Iris called out, getting the people to turn to look at her and Axew, "I shall try to reason with the Gible, as there's no way a dragon Pokémon could ever-"
"Duraludon, use Dragon Pulse on that Gible!"
A gruff, masculine voice cut Iris off, then all of a sudden a Dragon Pulse attack flew in and blasted the Gible, sending it flying into the side of a brick building before it fell to the ground, clearly out of it. Turning to see, Iris spotted a tall young adult man with fair skin, red eyes, long shaggy jet black hair, and his body was lean yet well toned. He wore a sleeveless black hooded jacket that reached halfway down his thighs, tannish baggy pants, and black boots of either work or military grade. He also had three metal stud earrings in each ear, for an overall total of six metal stud earings.
Standing next to the man was a Pokémon that Iris, due to her obsession with dragon Pokémon, was able to identify as a Duraludon, a dragon Pokémon native to a foriegn region from Johto. Duraludon being there was the only reason Iris wasn't going off on the young adult man right away for resolving the problem with Gible with brute force. As the people began to settle, Iris was surprised when Clair herself came on over, having been summoned by all of the commotion. Iris had to hold off on her asking Clair for that battle, given that Clair was addressing the young adult man first.
"Thanks for resolving the matter with this Gible, Bulat," Clair said to the now identified Bulat, "How are you and Yomi doing, by the way?"
Bulat scowled, a hint of bitterness in his expression and the air he was giving off. "As well as we can given that we were effectively evicted from Olivine City, also Yomi now has a scar on the left side of her face going from the outer corner of her left eye to almost to that little nub thing that's part of the ear."
"Wait a minute, what?!" Iris exclaimed, getting the attention of Clair and Bulat.
"Oh, hello Iris," Clair said, "Sorry that things are a little hectic right now. Umm, would you mind it if we postpone our battle until other things are settled?"
Iris nodded once in understanding, before going over to pick up the Gible that Bulat's Duraludon had knocked out. "We can also take care of this one here," Iris said, "Also I can figure out why it had been acting up before your apparent friend Bulat here resolved things with violence."
Shrugging, Bulat said, "Well it worked, didn't it?" Clair then ushered Iris and Bulat, the latter recalling his Duraludon, away before they all made their way over to the Blackthorn City gym.
Later, Clair was talking to Iris and Bulat in a lounge room in the back of the Blackthorn City gym. There, Iris after treating Gible used her special connection to dragons and was able to determine that Gible was simply lost and in a panic trying to find its way back home. Iris didn't get much of an idea beyond 'flower field' that Clair was able to provide must be the Dragon Holy Land. Once Gible is fully treated, they'll take it there. But while that was on hold, Clair properly introduced Bulat to Iris, saying that he's the substitute gym leader over in Olivine City.
"You mean former substitute gym leader," Bulat cut in, his tone still bitter, "Yomi and I were evicted, remember?"
"What do you mean by substitute gym leader?" Iris asked.
Letting out a troubled sigh, Clair explained, "A while ago, the former official gym leader of Olivine City's gym, Jasmine, was forced to step down when it was confirmed that she had collaborated with Team Scorn. It helps Jasmine that she did so against her will because they were holding her Ampharos hostage, but it still doesn't change how she had helped with letting a large number of Team Scorn members into Johto."
Iris was shocked to hear that a gym leader had been party to Team Scorn, even if it was under duress. "She helped Team Scorn?"
"With said help ultimately culminating in the damage that Team Scorn's first major attack here on Blackthorn City being as bad as it was," Clair replied, "But that's not here nor there." Gesturing to Bulat, Clair went on, "Bulat here was sent to take the role that had been stripped from Jasmine, at least until an official replacement could be found. He was even provided with an allotment of steel Pokémon to use for facing challengers, even though he already owns Pokémon of his own."
"And two out of the three are steel types anyway," Bulat said, "My Duraludon which you saw earlier, and an Aggron. My third Pokémon is a Meowstic." Scowling, Bulat said, "I left the Pokémon loaned to me for my duties behind for the League Officials sent in to clean up the mess to pick up."
Iris, a hint of mild uncertainty on her face, said, "You said that you and your girlfriend were evicted?"
Scowling, Bulat said, "By the people of Olivine City themselves."
"What?!" Iris exclaimed.
Sighing, Clair explained, "...The people of Olivine City were by no means happy that Jasmine had been stripped of her position and dishonored so much. Olivine City is more or less a hot mess of rioting right now, with the people demanding Jasmine be pardoned of everything and reinstated as gym leader." Gesturing to Bulat, Clair said to Iris, "Bulat here, as well as that Yomi girl he's sweet on, were victimized solely because Bulat was trying to do his job that was given to him."
"What's Johto's government going to do?" Iris asked.
"Unless my cousin Lance, who is Johto's Champion, hears about it," Clair said, "Then jack squat will be done to effectively resolve what's happening. Lance if he knows will actively push for a firm and effective permanent solution, but if he doesn't know then League officials will just send another temporary gym leader to run the gym down in Olivine City."
Bulat gave a bemused hmph, his arms folded over his chest. "And the people of Olivine will do to them what was done to me and Yomi."
Turning her attention to Bulat, Iris asked, "Where will you and Yomi go?"
"A friend of mine who got me a new job is coming by Blackthorn City to pick me and Yomi up," Bulat said, "And then take us to the Alola region."
"You're going to the Alola region?" Clair asked, sounding mildly surprised.
Bulat nodded in the affirmative. "It's where my new job is." At that point, a gym trainer working at Clair's gym came in, leading a girl who looked to be young adult age. Although only a year younger than Bulat, the girl was more than a head shorter than him; if both of them were standing up, the girl would barely miss coming up to Bulat's shoulders. She was slender and petite, and had blue wavy hair held back with a yellow hairband. Fair skinned and with brown eyes, this girl wore an orange dress with white straps over the shoulders, and a pair of sandals matching her dress's main color.
Iris noticed that this girl had a scar going from the outer corner of her left eye to almost reaching the left ear's tragus. Pointing to the girl, the gym trainer said, "This girl came here saying she was looking for Bulat?"
"Ah, that's Yomi right there," Bulat said to Iris while pointing as the short girl with blue hair. Turning to look at the now identified Yomi, Bulat asked, "What's up, Yomi?"
"I just got a call from Aya," Yomi said, "She and your new boss just got to Blackthorn City." It was only Bulat who had noticed it, but Yomi made the briefest of pauses between saying 'and' and 'your new boss', as if she was going to say something else other than 'your new boss', but changed it at the last moment before Iris, Clair, and the gym trainer noticed.
Looking confused, Iris said, "Wait, you know someone who works for Bulat's new boss?"
"Yomi and Aya are best friends," Bulat explained, "And Aya works for my new boss as a secretary."
Clair gave a small but sincerely amused smile. "...The world isn't so large of a place as one might thi-"
*THOOM*
Clair was cut off when she and the others heard the sounds of an explosion going off from somewhere. "What was that?!" Iris exclaimed, clearly panicked, a few moments before another gym trainer came running into the lounge room.
After catching his breath, the second gym trainer exclaimed, "Team Scorn is attacking Blackthorn City again!"
"WHAT?!" Clair exclaimed, shooting straight up from the chair she was sitting in. To the others, Clair said, "Come on! We have to join what forces are being mustered to fight off this latest attack!"
"Yomi and I ought to go find her bestie and my boss," Bulat said, "They literally just got to Blackthorn City, so they might need help dealing with jerks attacking them with Pokémon!"
Clair nodded to concede the point to Bulat, then gestured for Iris to follow her. The gym trainers remained behind at Clair's order to protect the gym and to look after the Gible who was still recovering. After Clair, Iris, Bulat, and Yomi left the gym, they broke off, with Clair and Iris going one way and Bulat and Yomi going another way. They had to do what it took to save Blackthorn City from an attack by Team Scorn. ...Again.
Meanwhile, in an upper middle class neighborhood in Blackthorn City, Admin Brother, head of Team Scorn's Katana Sector which is based in Johto, was leading a group of his men through. The rank and file were attacking whatever, but Brother himself, with his Admin's Assistant (and actual younger sister) Akari following along behind him. Waking next to Brother was another uniquely dressed Team Scorn member, meaning he was either a Captain, an Admin, or an Admin's Assistant. He was fair skinned with the slightest of tans, had black eyes, and spiky salmon-pink colored hair.
He wore a yellow trimmed, sleeveless dark blue waistcoat that was completely open, showing his lean yet well toned upper body. He also wore a yellow trimmed, dark blue cloth held up with a belt and the cloth reached his knees, a pair of yellow knee-length trousers with dark blue ribbon ties, a pair of dark blue open-toed sandals, and most notably a yellow scarf around his neck; the scarf had a scale pattern in it, and there were fringes on both ends. This Team Scorn officer's Team Scorn insignia, with the heater shield dark blue and the 'S' inside of it yellow, was actually a tattoo he had on his right arm, located just below the shoulder.
"So we're going to wreck up Blackthorn City a bit while they're still rebuilding from the last time you lead an attack here?" asked the mysterious Team Scorn officer.
Brother nodded in confirmation. "That's the idea, Admin Mage. Give the people of Johto at large a good scare." A look of serious contemplation crossed Brother's face. "...There's also some personal business that I just so happen to need to take care of here, and I can very easily do so during the attack."
Nodding in understanding, the now identified Admin Mage replied, "Yeah, I need to pick up something here in Blackthorn City as well." As the two Admins were searching around the area they were in with Akari and the rank and file behind them, they heard some shouting coming from a distance away. Turning to look, the two Admins saw it as Iris and Clair came running up to them.
Brother choked back a curse under his breath. "That shorter girl with the light cocoa skin. She's Iris, a girl from Unova and one of the specific trainers that Team Scorn has a dossier on."
"Must be a known companion of Dawn Berlitz," Mage reasoned, "That lady next to her is Clair, the local gym leader here in Blackthorn City. She's regarded as the strongest gym leader in Johto." The two Admins, while Akari took cover behind Brother, got ready for a fight against some troublesome foes as Iris and Clair reached where they were at.
Pointing an accusing finger at Brother, Clair said, "You're the bastard who led the first attack on Blackthorn City! What are you doing back here?"
Brother gave Clair a dry look. "Making sure that Johto gets the message that I tried delivering the last time that I was here."
"Aren't you the guy who killed a teacher working at the local elite Pokémon school?" Iris said while pointing at Brother.
The head of Team Scorn's Katana Sector gave a resigned sigh. "No, I didn't kill a teacher at Blackthorn City Academy." Giving Iris a cold glare that sent shivers down her spine, Brother went on, "But I did, however, kill a bully who was actively ragging on an autistic girl who I came across during the portion of the attack that was focused on Blackthorn City Academy."
Iris, acting on instinct and without even actively knowing she did so, took a half-step back out of a primeval sense of fright. Although this wasn't the first time that she had encountered a criminal confirmed to have taken at least one human life (Iris still remembered what all Admin Swordsman had done), there was something about Brother being totally fine with what he did that scared Iris more than even the biggest and meanest-looking of ice Pokémon.
Clair turned her attention to Mage, who stood next to Brother. "And who are you?" Clair demanded more than asked.
"Admin Mage," replied Mage as he pounded a fist into his hand, "Head of Team Scorn's Scarf Sector."
"Scarf Sector?" Clair repeated in a confused tone, "According to what intel my cousin Lance got on Team Scorn, the only Sectors are called Katana, Kunai, Longsword, and Shield." Clair's eyes narrowed out of suspicion. "...What region is your Sector based out of?"
Gently shaking his head, Mage said, "That's for me to know and for you to find out." At that moment, a number of Blackthorn City civilians came running in with their Pokémon, and although the rank and file still outnumbered them slightly, there were enough of those volunteers to keep the rank and file all busy while Clair could focus on the big players of Team Scorn who were present.
Stepping forward, Clair said while pointing at Brother, "I'm taking you on. I still have a bone to pick with you over your actions in leading the previous attack here on Blackthorn City."
"And as for you," Iris said while pointing at Mage, "I shall be your opponent who will-"
"-Face me instead and leave my Admin alone!" a female voice called out, making Iris and Clair turn to see a uniquely dressed Team Scorn member step out from the crowd of rank and file. She was a slender girl, fair skinned with bright blonde hair long enough to reach halfway down her shoulder blades in twin pigtails, and she wore a yellow midriff exposing tank top under a dark blue vest of similar length that was completely open, a dark blue skirt that reached halfway down her thighs, dark blue stockings that reached halfway up her thighs, and a pair of yellow boots that reached almost to her knees.
Clair turned her attention to the mysterious, uniquely dressed Team Scorn member. "...You must be Mage's Admin's Assistant, then."
"Damn straight I am," replied the now identified Mage's Admin's Assistant. Tossing up a pokéball to call out a Pokémon, Mage's Admin's Assistant said, "Go, Gogoat!" Coming out to battle was a Gogoat, who Iris was somewhat familiar with due to traveling with Alexa the Kalosian reporter briefly in Unova.
That being said, Iris at least knew that Gogoat is a pure grass type, so she had a gameplan in mind already. "Go, Dragonite!" Iris said as she sent out her Dragonite.
"Go, Dragonite!" Clair said as she sent out her own Dragonite.
Tossing up a pokéball, Brother said, "Go, Annihilape!" Coming out to battle was a Pokémon that resembled Primeape to some extent, but it had mostly grayish fur aside from white tips on thick tuffts of hair that stuck up, and its arms and legs were darker gray, with one iron band around each ankle and an iron band with a crack in it on the left wrist. There were also lengths of fur that somewhat obscured the Pokémon's eyes. When Brother's Annihilape came out, its appearance threw both Clair and Iris for a loop, as they've never seen such a Pokémon before.
Clair looked at the unsettling Primeape-looking Pokémon. "What... what sort of Pokémon is that?"
"My Annihilape," Brother explained, "It's the evolved form of Primeape, but the evolution was first discovered in a region foreign from Johto."
"...An evolved Primape, huh?" Clair said, "That means that it ought to be at least part fighting type, meaning it'll still feel some stinging from flying attacks!" Pointing forward, Clair called out, "Dragonite, use Wing Attack!"
"Annihilape, use Ice Punch!" Brother called out, alarming Clair to an extent. The two Pokémon rushed one another, with Dragonite's wings glowing and Annihilape's right fist which was pulled back cloaked in an icy cold aura while glowing an icy blue color. The two Pokémon reached one another, but Annihilape's Ice Punch was quicker, and as such Clair's Dragonite took a devestating blow to the side of its face that sent it reeling, eventually falling over onto the ground in defeat.
As Clair recalled her fainted Dragonite, she took a quick look around; only she and Iris were handling the uniquely dressed members of Team Scorn, while the civilian volunteers were stuck dealing with the Team Scorn rank and file. Turning to look back at Brother, Clair said, "...Not bad for a villain."
"Not bad for a gym leader who's keeping me from carrying out my work," Brother shot back dryly, "Both official and personal."
Clair's eyes narrowed out of suspicion. "...What does that mean? What personal work do you have to do here?"
Brother was about to answer, but was cut off when he and Clair heard Mage's Admin's Assistant cry out in worried alarm. Turning to see, Clair and Brother saw that Mage's Admin's Assistant had a lion-like Pokémon with dark brownish fur on the upper parts of its body, lighter brownish fur on its underside, and a red and yellow mane going all around its head. Said Pokémon was laying on the ground, defeated, as Iris's Dragonite who stood above it roared victoriously. "That Dragonite of Iris's knocked out my Gogoat," Mage's Admin's Assistant said, "And now my Pyroar as well! I'm out of Pokémon that can fight!"
"Well alright!" Clair said as Mage's Admin's Assistant recalled her now identified Pyroar, "We got a noted member of Team Scorn defeated!" Clair then tossed up two pokéballs, calling out her Kingdra and shiny Druddigon. "Kingdra, I need you to help me battle that Pokémon called Annihilape," Clair said. To her Druddigon, Clair went on, "As for you Druddigon, I need you to go physically subdue that blonde girl with her hair in twin pigtails! Capture her by any means necessary!"
"Hey, wait!" Brother said as he moved to send out another Pokémon, but he and Annihilape were cut off by Clair's Kingdra and Iris's Dragonite getting in the way. As such, there was nothing stopping Clair's Druddigon from rushing Mage's Admin's Assistant and swiping at her, sending her flying back until she hit a wall. Her right shoulder which hit the wall getting scuffed up aside, there was a moderate but fair cut going down Mage's Admin's Assistant's left arm, as well as some scraped up skin along either side of the cut. Mage's Admin's Assistant cried out in pain as she took the hits.
"What the hell was that for?!" Brother snapped.
Scoffing, Clair replied, "Oh please. Like a murderer like you has any right to complain when someone roughs up one of your own! And it's not like we're going to sink to the same low that-"
*HUHWHUPAP*
"DIGGON!"
Clair was cut off when she heard her Druddigon cry out in pain; turning to see, Clair saw than an enraged looking Admin Mage had straight up punched Druddigon in its right eye, sending it stumbling back and away from Mage's Admin's Assistant. "STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM AYA, YOU MONSTER!"
As the now identified Aya straightened herself out as much as she could, Mage turned to look at her. He then took out the three pokéballs that contain his on hand Pokémon and handed them to Aya. "...Are you well enough to borrow my Pokémon so you can keep that Iris girl busy again while I deal with the Druddigon that had just attacked you?" Mage asked.
While Druddigon was busy trying to shake off the stun from being punched in the eye, Aya who took the pokéballs from Mage said, "Yeah, but these are all of your Pokémon. How are you-"
Mage cut Aya off by turning away the moment she had his Pokémon then, rushing over to Clair's Druddigon, got in close enough to stand on his right foot before raising his left foot up and spun around in place, sending his left foot's heel into the side of Druddigon's throat in a roundhouse kick. As Mage began battling Clair's Druddigon personally, Iris immediately went on the offensive. "'AY!" Iris yelled, "How dare you physically attack a Pokémon! Especially one that's a dragon!" Pointing at Mage, Iris said, "Dragonite, use-"
"Go!" Aya called out as she tossed up one of the pokéballs that Mage loaned to her, calling out a Charizard in the process. Pointing at Iris's Dragonite, Aya said, "Charizard, use Dragon Pulse on Dragonite!" The Charizard, despite being commanded by its trainer's aid rather than its trainer himself, still obeyed without question, firing a Dragon Pulse that flew right into Iris's Dragonite and sent it reeling. But even a super effective hit like that wouldn't be enough to deter Iris's Dragonite. Iris turned to look at Aya who, despite her injuries with one even actively bleeding, gave her a firm look. "...This is round two," Aya said to Iris, "I, Admin's Assistant Aya, am still your opponent!"
As Iris resolved to have to deal with Aya again, she suddenly realized something. "Wait a minute," Iris began, "I just realized that your name is Aya. Clair's friend-"
"Aggron, use Dragon Claw on Kingdra!"
Iris was cut off when she and the others heard someone order their Aggron to attack Clair's Kingdra. Suddenly, an Aggron rushed in and swiped at Clair's Kingdra with Dragon Claw, sending it reeling back and providing Brother and his Annihilape with some relief. Turning to look, Iris, Clair, Brother, Akari, and Aya saw Bulat standing there, with Yomi next to him. Cracking his neck, Bulat said, "Hey, Admin Brother. Where's Admin Mage?"
"Beating up that Druddigon over there while Admin's Assistant Aya is borrowing his Pokémon to battle Iris," Brother pointed out, showing Bulat and Yomi what was going on over at where Iris, Aya, and the still occupied Mage were at.
Letting out a shocked gasp, Yomi said, "Aya-chan, you're bleeding!"
"Clair's Druddigon attacked me on Clair's orders to capture me," Aya called out, "And now Admin Mage is beating it up." True to form, Mage was then seen suplexing Clair's Druddigon.
"Bulat, Yomi, what are you guys doing?!" Iris called out, "You're helping Team Scorn!"
"We know," Bulat barked back, "It's my new job!"
Seeing that Bulat was moving in to take dealing with Clair off of his shoulders, Brother recalled his Annihilape. "Thanks for doing some work for me, Captain Bulat," Brother said, "This frees me up to continue the official work here, as well as handle some personal business." Brother then took off with Akari, leaving Bulat and Yomi to keep Clair's attention occupied.
Clair never expected Bulat, as well as Yomi, to throw their hats in with Team Scorn, but she wasn't about to let that stop her from saving Blackthorn City from this latest Team Scorn attack. "...You do know that I'm the strongest gym leader in Johto, right?" Clair asked, "And I had even won the exhibition battle that I had against you, even though the steel Pokémon you used resisted dragon attacks."
"Said Pokémon that I had used in the battle I lost to you," Bulat began to explain, "Were the Pokémon loaned to me for my job. This time, I'm busting out the Pokémon that I actually own." As a case in point, Bulat's Aggron roared challengingly at Clair and her Kingdra. Clair knew that this was going to be a tough fight, what with Bulat using his own Pokémon, as well as how Iris is stuck dealing with Aya who is using Mage's Pokémon while Mage himself is attacking Druddigon. Clair was worried about where all this may lead to in the end.
END, CHAPTER ONE-HUNDRED AND FIFTY-TWO
Author's notes;
This chapter begins the apparent two parter of adapting the events of BWS02 here. Yeah, two parter; I... wasn't really expecting to come up with enough to stretch it into two parts, but I guess I did. Anyway, for those who don't remember, Bulat is the guy who ran the Olivine gym in Jasmine's place when Dawn and Kenny were able to try the Olivine gym. There were signs back then of Bulat not being warmly received because the people of Olivine didn't like that Jasmine was being replaced, and they gave Bulat and his girlfriend Yomi enough grief to make them do what they started doing here.
Speaking of, the issue with the rogue Gible is quickly resolved so that the action could begin, seeing Admin Brother return to Blackthorn City, only this time he's accompanied by another Team Scorn Admin, that being Admin Mage. Admin Mage, who will pop up again in Alola, came to Blackthorn City to pick up Bulat and Yomi and get them out of there, but things there are put on hold when the fighting starts and Mage sees Aya get attacked by Clair's Druddigon, spurring him into fighting the shiny dragon personally. Things will continue into the next chapter, so don't turn that dial.
Dawn's Pokémon: (on hand) Chi-Chi (female Infernape), Akiza (female Roserade), Germany (male Garchomp), Cyrus (male Staraptor), Leni (female Lucario), Tsukune (Palkia)
Kenny's Pokémon: (on hand) Roshi (male Torterra), Cell (male Scizor; shiny), Kermit (male Politoed), Shallot (male Glaceon), Godzilla (male Tyranitar), Black (Giratina; Origin Form)
Trip's Pokémon: (on hand) Mr. Popo (male Magmortar), Veda (female Abomasnow), Myde (male Empoleon), AkiBot 966 (Golurk), Deelia (Dialga), Fourze (male Electivire)
Ash's Pokémon: (on hand) Pikachu (male), Charizard (male), Steelix (male; shiny)