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 sixty-two: Mega Madness

The exhibition battle between Diantha and Magnus over in Brackish Town went about the same as Dawn remembered it from the anime in her previous life; Diantha, having a type advantage with her Gardevoir against Magnus's Absol, plus Diantha having access to Mega Evolution whereas Magnus did not, and the fact that Diantha had 'that region champion swagger' as Kenny put it, made it virtually a guarantee that Diantha would win, which she did, more or less knocking Magnus's Absol out in a single blow with Moonblast.

After the exhibition battle, a crowd of audience members began forming, to which the officer there informed them that Diantha had already left for a movie shooting. "Hey," Serena said, "I heard that Brackish Town has a good restaurant with phenomenal chocolate cake. I say we-"

"Oh, I actually work at that restaurant," a male voice called out, making the heroes and Sycamore all turn to see a male chef standing there; although notably plump, the male chef did not yet qualify as obese. And his extra weight actually helped to make him look more like a chef. "I came here on break to watch the exhibition battle with Diantha," the chef explained, "I can bring you straight to the restaurant if you all would like."

Arching a wry eyebrow in confusion, Bonnie asked, "But wouldn't there be a cue at a time like this?"

Answering Bonnie's question by pointing to Dawn, the chef said, "All I have to do is mention to the head chef that Sinnoh Champion Dawn Berlitz is here. I'm certain that will speed things up for you all,as well as ensure there's enough cake for the whole of your group so you guys won't have to, say, be force to share a single slice."

"Between the lot of us? Yeah, a single slice totally will not do," Sycamore replied as he and the heroes left with the chef.

At the restaurant in town, although there was indeed a long line waiting to get into the restaurant, the chef that brought the heroes and Sycamore over was able to get their group two whole chocolate cakes upon showing the head chef that Dawn was indeed among the group. As such, the heroes and Sycamore were able to sit outside and enjoy their cake.

"Itty-deku-mouse!" Kenny said before he dug into his slice of cake.

"It's pronunced 'itadakimasu', Kenny," Ash replied, "It's a common phrase said in Kanto when one gives thanks for the food they're about to eat."

Shrugging, Kenny said, "Yeah, that's where I heard it from when Dawn and I were going through there on our Gym Challenge Tour. I just didn't remember how it's actually pronounced, so I had to take a-"

"Umm, excuse me," a woman's voice called out, cutting Kenny off and making him and the others turn to see a disguised woman standing there. "I don't suppose I can get a slice of one of those cakes, can I?" the woman asked, "I stood in line but failed to get any cake."

Gesturing to an empty chair at a nearby table, Dawn said, "Sure thing, Diantha. Pull up a chair and sit down." The rest of the group aside from Kenny and Trip were surprised when Dawn identified the woman as Diantha, and further surprised when Diantha pulled her sunglasses and showed that it really was her.

"How did you know it was me?" Diantha asked, amazed that Dawn saw through her disguise.

"If the idiot Team Rocket trio before they joined Team Scorn couldn't fool me with elaborate disguises," Dawn began, "Then you with your mysterious actress-style outfit wouldn't fool me in a million years."

Diantha, although not knowing about the Team Rocket trio who joined Team Scorn, nonetheless accepted Dawn's invitation and joined the group. As Diantha was handed a plate with some cake on it and a fork, Bonnie said, "Say Diantha, would you be interested in marrying my big brother Cle-"

"Bonnie, no!" Clemont exclaimed, cutting Bonnie off by covering her mouth with his hand, "Diantha, I am so sorry about my little sister here just now!"

To the relief of Clemont, Diantha acutally laughed in sincere amusement. "It's no problem at all," Diantha replied, "And I think that it's downright precious that your little sister is looking for a bride for you." As the heroes and Sycamore talked with Diantha, the subject of Diantha's movie career came up. "Oh, the film I'm working on right now?" Diantha replied when Serena asked her what movie she was working on right now, "I'm actually co-starring with my Gardevoir in a romance film. I'm playing the role of a female employee at a workout facility for Pokémon, and my character is helping an obese Gardevoir, played by my Gardevoir who has to wear a fat suit for the role, slim down to impress a Gallade that the Gardevoir's in love with."

"Hey, Ash here caught an obese Gardevoir while traveling in Sinnoh," Kenny said to Diantha while pointing to Ash, "Granted, his Gardevoir's no longer got any excess weight because he helped her diet and slim down, but still."

Turning to look at Ash, Diantha said, "Really? You had for real helped an obese Gardevoir slim down?"

Nodding once in the affirmative, Ash said, "Yeah I did, and what Kenny said about my Gardevoir now no longer having any excess weight is accurate. Professor Oak is actually using my Gardevoir as an example in a research paper he's doing concerning helping overweight Pokémon slim back down. I had also used what I got from helping my Gardevoir lose weight to help Clemont's Chepsin slim down the bit of a belly he got a while ago."

"That would explain why you seemed to have such a keen mind when you help Chespin exercise," Clemont remarked.

Looking a bit curious, Diantha asked, "Maybe you could give me and the rest of the movie crew some ideas? I mean, you're someone who had for real done what we're trying to do for what's basically pretend."

Pointing at Dawn, Ash began, "Well first off, Dawn here helped with coming up with some sort of super food diet meal to have my Gardevoir eat while she was on the diet I had put her on."

"Heirloom tomatoes on a bed of steamed kale," Dawn said.

Ash nodded in confirmation, then he listed off a number of the exercises he had his Gardevoir do to slim back down. After Ash was done, Diantha said, "I'm going to want you guys to actually come with me to the movie set, it's nearby, and help with getting that stuff down. The crew is constantly editing the script to try to get things to be as perfect as possible, and having details from a real life example of helping an obese Gardevoir slim back down would be a boon to their efforts."

"If you can get the production crew to let us in then hey," Dawn replied, "Don't let us stop you." And so, after everyone had their fill of cake, the heroes and Sycamore got up and followed Diantha over to the nearby film set where a scene for the movie that Diantha and her Gardevoir would be co-starring in was going to be shot.

Later at the scene of the scene shooting, the heroes and Sycamore were led by Diantha to meet with a director, a middel aged man who looked like a stereotypical classic movie director. Additionally, Kathi Lee came walking over. "Diantha, why did you bring Dawn Berlitz and her group?" Kathi Lee asked.

"Believe it or not, but they can provide legitimate insight that can help with the production of the movie," Diantha said, "Especially Dawn's friend Ash, as he actually owns a Gardevoir who was obese when he caught her, but he helped her diet and slim back down."

"Oh, insight from someone who actually did in real life what we're faking for a movie would be helpful and add a much needed layer of realism," the director remarked, "But first, Diantha darling, you need to go get changed for your character's role in the first exercise scene in the park. Your Gardevoir is already wearing the fat suit her character needs for the scene, also could you send your Gardevoir out?"

Nodding once in understanding, Diantha said, "Got it." The Champion of Kalos then ran off to a nearby trailer that was parked off to the side. After Diantha had gone in, coming out in her place was a very fat looking Gardevoir, who came over to the director and Kathi Lee.

"And this here is Diantha's Gardevoir, who is her co-star in the movie we're working on right now," the director said, "She's currently wearing a specially made fat suit that is needed for the fat Gardevoir character she's playing in the movie."

Looking at Diantha's Gardevoir, Kenny said, "Wow, the fat suit makes her look about as big as Ash's Gardevoir was for real when he caught her."

"Yeah, I'd say this is about the same," Ash agreed. Turning to look at the director, Ash began, "So have the script writers thought about what all for diet foods to have-"

*CRASH*

Ash was cut off when he and the rest of the group heard a loud crash, then there were a lot of screams. Turning to see, the heroes were shocked to see that the production was being attacked by Team Scorn. Leading the grunts was a specially dressed man; he had fair skin and long dishwater blonde hair with bangs framing his handsome face and the rest tied back in a man's ponytail. He wore a dark blue long sleeved top under a yellow tunic that in the front reach halfway down his thighs but in the back reached halfway down his shins, dark blue pants, dark blue boots with yellow trim that reached his knees, similar leather gauntlet gloves that reached the crooks of his elbows, and a yellow cape that reached a little further down than the back of his tunic, with pauldrons covering where his cape went over his shoulders.

The Team Scorn insignia, the heater shield dark blue and the 'S' yellow, was over his chest on his tunic.

"Alright, movie crew," the specially dressed member of Team Scorn called out, "Listen up! You'll from this moment forward be taking orders from me, First Captain Xander of the Shield Sector! Anyone who tries fighting back will be beaten down!"

"A First Captain?" Kenny whispered to the other heroes, "Don't we usually meet those near to last before the Admin? And We've only met the Shield Sector's Third Captain before now. Where's the Fourth and Second Captains?"

Dawn nodded a bit to concede to Kenny's point, then moved to send out a Pokémon to help with confronting Captain Xander and his grunts he had with him. However, before Dawn could send out a Pokémon, she was cut off when she and the others heard Diantha call out, "Stop right there, Team Scorn!" Everyone turned to see Diantha, wearing a gray baggy sweater, matching sweatpants, and a pair of sneakers, come running out to join back up with the heroes.

Looking at Diantha and seeing the supposedly fat Gardevoir with her, Xander said, "Oh? And just who are you with the out of shape Gardevoir there?" Tossing up a pokéball to call out an Escavalier, Xander said, "I'd like to see you try to stand up to my might!"

"Yeah!" the voice of a young girl called out, making the heroes and the others see a young girl standing next to Xander, dressed as a Team Scorn grunt. She wore the uniform that was standard for female Team Scorn grunts, but she had fair skin, fair blonde hair that reached halfway down her back, and deep vibrant blue eyes. "No one here can beat Captain Xander in a battle!" the little girl Team Scorn member cheered, "You all will lose to him!"

"...Why is that little girl dressed as a Team Scorn member?" Diantha asked, more confused than anything.

"Rina here is my Captain's Assistant," Xander explained, "And is a downright adorable one at that! Anyway!" Holding his hand out, Xander said, "First off, all of you hand over all of your Pokémon!"

"Yeah, I don't think so!" Diantha said as she took out a necklace hidden under the baggy sweater she wore and tapped it with her right fingertips. This caused the necklace to glow with power as a similar glowing occurred under the surface of the chest area under the fat suit Gardevoir wore. Tendrils of power connected the two sources of glowing, and soon the fat suit was exploded off of Gardevoir as she was enveloped in a sphere of light and energy. The sphere then broke away, revealing the Mega Evolved form of Diantha's Gardevoir.

"So that's what a Mega Evolution looks like!" Ash exclaimed, "Wow! That's downright amazing!"

Growling in annoyance, Xander said, "No matter! My Pokémon still has the type advantage! Escavalier, use Iron Head!"

As Escavalier rushed at Diantha and Gardevoir, Diantha said, "Gardevoir, use Mystical Fire!"

Gardevoir conjured a swirling blast of fire that it launched right at Xander's Escavalier, blasting it with such force that not only was it knocked out, but sent flying right back at Xander and his Captain's Assistant. To be specific, Escavalier would have slammed into Rina with its left side, and the young Captain's Assistant screamed out of fright as she covered her face with her forearms. Xander, moving in quick, stood in front of Rina and even wrapped his arms around her in a hug, taking his Escavalier slamming into his back. It was an act like what a father would do to protect a young daughter, or an older brother protecting a younger sister.

"If you were going to throw my Escavalier right back at us," Xander snapped at Diantha, "You could have aimed it more directly so I was in its path rather have Rina be in its path! She could have gotten hurt!"

"Captain Xander!" a male Team Scorn grunt said, "Are you hurt?"

Recalling his fainted Escavalier, Xander said, "Nothing that a warm soak in the bath when we get back won't resolve." Pointing forward, Xander said, "Men, get them!"

The many Team Scorn grunts then rushed in, sending out Pokémon that the reborn trainers viewed as common fare for villainous team grunts in the Kalos region. Although the Team Scorn grunts had quantity, the heroes and their allies had more than enough quality to make up for it. With Diantha's Mega Evolved Gardevoir taking a leading role in the charge of heroic Pokémon, the many Pokémon sent out by Team Scorn were soon defeated. Before long, Team Scorn was forced to fall back, doing so as that Rina girl threw out a smoke grenade that gave Team Scorn plenty of cover to flee.

...

After things were settled a quick headcount was done. No one was seriously hurt, no Pokémon were stolen, and at most only two cameras were knocked over, but what damage they suffered could be easily fixed. If anything, the director only had one main gripe about Team Scorn's attack, and it was actually something that Diantha had done to fight back against Team Scorn.

"Gardevoir's fat suit!" the director screamed, gesturing to where the torn, ruined remains of the fat suit Diantha's Gardevoir had worn when she was Mega Evolved (Gardevoir had reverted back to her normal form by now) now laid on the ground, "It's ruined beyond use and repair! This will set us back by at least a week!"

"Why?" Bonnie asked, "Don't you have spares?"

"Do you know how much it costs to have made a fat suit for a Pokémon?" the director said, "Fat suits designed for human are more or less mass produced in factories, but ones for Pokémon have to be custom-made and on order! We're gonna have to order a new one and it'll take us at least a week! Gaahh!"

Chuckling out of mild embarrassment, Diantha said, "Sorry, but upon seeing Team Scorn, my first instinct was to Mega Evolve my Gardevoir so we could fight back." The Champion of Kalos let out some more embarrassed chuckling as the director screamed in rage some more.

While the director went to his trailer to try to calm down, Diantha was seeing the heroes and Sycamore off. "I'm terribly sorry that your time here was ruined by the arrival of Team Scorn," Diantha apologized.

Holding up a hand to stem off further arguments, Dawn said, "Oh please, Team Scorn has done way worse. No need to worry."

"What got my attention," Kenny said, "Was how that Xander guy shielded his little Captain's Assistant by hugging her from the front and taking a blow to his back for his troubles. That seemed like something a dad would do for a daughter, or a brother would do for a sister."

Gesturing to Diantha, Trip added, "He even scolded you because the aim that you had Gardevoir send Escavalier back at would have made Escavalier slam into that little girl Captain's Assistant of his."

"Well Team Scorn, if anything, is genuinely concerned with looking after their own," Dawn remarked. Looking to Diantha, Dawn said, "So that was Mega Evolution, huh?"

Diantha nodded once in the affirmative. "Indeed. It's a very sacred power among Kalosians. Many in Kalos fear that at least one member of Team Scorn will get their hands on that power."

"Hence why I'm hoping Dawn, Kenny, and Trip will get their Mega Rings and Key Stones soon," Sycamore said, "Not only because they'll have access to Mega Evolution, but it'll give me a chance to study a Key Stone that ISN'T being withheld."

"Pardon?" Diantha said. At that prompting, Dawn, Kenny, and Trip proceeded to explain how they had been set up to receive what they need to use Mega Evolution, so as to have more of an edge against Team Scorn. It was also Serena's first being made aware of it. Now understanding, Diantha said, "Yes. It's for the best that heroes such as them get all that they can get to help fend off Team Scorn." Turning to look at Dawn, Diantha added, "And I would like to see another Champion have access to using Mega Evolution."

Nodding once, Dawn replied, "We'll see how it goes when we cross that bridge."

As Diantha nodded in understanding to Dawn, Kathi Lee came running up to Diantha, "Umm, bad news," Kathi Lee said, "While everyone was fighting off Team Scorn, some little girl spotted with the Team Scorn officer leading the attack snuck into your trailer."

"What?!" Diantha said, "Did she steal anything?"

"Just what all you had in there in terms of bath bombs, bath salts, and other cosmetics designed to make baths more soothing and relaxing," Kathi Lee said, "Also, she stole what all foods you had in there, mostly snacks and sweets."

Diantha had a stunned look of shock on her face, as did Diantha's Gardevoir. "...Including the fancy milk chocolate candies I got to split between me and Gardevoir?"

"I was told the little girl was seen eating from the box those chocolates were in as she left your trailer," Kathi Lee said in an apologetic tone.

Both Diantha and Gardevoir held their hands to the sides of their respective heads as they cried out at the tops of their lungs, obviously the most upset about the theft of those fancy milk chocolate candies. Despite the... less than expected ending to things here, the heroes were glad that nothing of (real) consequence had gone down. Also, they got a first hand look at how Mega Evolution worked. It was one thing for the reborn trainers, who had used it in the games in their previous lives. But to see it happen for real right before their very eyes? It made Dawn, Kenny, and Trip want to use it even more.

And the first persons they'd use Mega Evolution against would be Team Scorn.

...

Meanwhile, at an undisclosed location in Kalos, Xander looking like he had literally just gotten out of a bath was sitting at a table in a personal residential area with Admin Hero, the leader of the Shield Sector. "I'm so sorry you came by right when I was in the bath, sir," Xander apologized to Hero as the two of them sat and talked things out, "And again I'm sorry the mission I led resulted in virtually zero real profit for Team Scorn."

"Actually, and don't take this personally Captain Xander," Hero said, "But that mission that I had you do was supposed to be a distraction to occupy the attention of what all would-be heroes that were in the area. I was running an actual mission, successfully securing a Mega Ring with a Key Stone in it plus a Mega Stone."

Xander's eyes widened a bit in surprise. "...Oh yeah, I heard that side missions meant to distract would-be heroes are supposed to be run to get their attention so that they wouldn't even know about the actual mission. And given that I saw Dawn Berlitz and some of her companions among those fighting me and my men off, I can see why you wouldn't want those guys confronting you while you're securing valuable goods."

Hero nodded once, a grim look on his face. "...Yeah, I got it that Dawn Berlitz, Kenny Harris, and Trip Barley arrived in Kalos. We need to be careful around them, Trip Barley especially so because of a fuck up caused by one of the Captains of the Katana Sector over in Johto."

"Oh, I heard about what that idiot Captain Zed did," Xander said, "Tell me, do you know why Admin Brother picked Zed in the first place?"

Sighing, Hero replied, "Actually, I got it that Brother didn't pick Zed to be one of his captains. He was given by the boss himself supposedly, which makes Zed the only known Captain in Team Scorn not personally chosen by their Sector's Admin." Arching a wry eyebrow, Hero went on, "And Captains who are handpicked by their Admins tend to produce much better results."

Xander nodded in understanding. "Well that figures. I also heard that Zed's recklessness got his Captain's Assistant and two special members in advisory roles taken prisoner somewhere in Johto."

"Oh yeah," Hero confirmed, "And Brother is NOT happy about it. He's currently working on a plan to get those three back, and Zed supposedly isn't going to be allowed anywhere near the planning for the rescue operation."

Xander let out an amused chuckle. "Yeah, there are some things too important to trust to most anyone." Xander then turned to look over at a plush leather sofa nearby, sitting in which were Rina and Asami. They were stuffing themselves with the snacks and sweets that Rina had pilfered from Diantha's trailer at the shooting of a scene for the film Diantha and her Gardevoir were starring in, basically being young girls. Hero also turned to look at where the two young girls, one a Captain's Assistant and the other an Admin's Assistant, were just being cute.

The two men turned to look back at one another. "...I'd be liable to crush Zed's wrist in my grip if he tried dragging Rina into any of his stupidity," Xander said flatly.

"Just leave Zed's other wrist for me to crush in my grip if he tries pulling the same on Asami," Hero replied dryly, "And hey, it'll technically make Zed no longer fit for duty, giving Brother the excuse he's looking for to replace him. We'd be helping a fellow Admin out." Arching a wry eyebrow, Hero added, "Rina told me and Asami that she also stole some bath products for you."

"Oh yeah, I took a blow to my back saving Rina during the mission," Xander said, "I said out on the field that it was nothing a warm soak in the bath when we got back wouldn't resolve. Rina must have remembered that because in addition to the snacks she took, she also took a bunch of bath products meant to make baths more soothing. One thing of bath salts even helps relieve back pain and soothe sore muscles."

Hero let out some sincerely amused chuckling. "Now that is just sweet." Straightening up, Hero said, "Well anyway, thank you for occupying enough attention from the would-be heroes to give me cover to carry an actual mission off without a hitch. I have already given the goods to Boss's Assistant Ayane, who will give them to the boss himself upon his arrival back at the head base." Looking to Xander, Hero said, "And you, you get some rest. You deserve it."

"I need it too," Xander said, "My back still feels a little bruised where my Escavalier was thrown into me." Hero nodded in agreement then rose from the table and called for Asami to come over as they were leaving. Rina gave a few extra snacks to Asami for the road, then Rina and Xander saw Hero and Asami off, as both pairs had been able to carry out their actual objectives.

One a real plan, and one just a distraction.

END, CHAPTER ONE-HUNDRED AND SIXTY-TWO

Author's notes;

This chapter picks up where the last one left off, and Diantha as predicted won her exhibition match with that Magnus scrub. Then after the heroes and Sycamore get cake, Diantha joins them and then invites them to a set where a scene in a movie she's in is being filmed. The filming's interrupted by Team Scorn, and Diantha after she and Gardevoir ruins a fat suit Gardevoir has to wear for her role in the movie by Mega Evolving Gardevoir manages to help drive Team Scorn off, saving the day as well as giving the heroes their first look at Mega Evolution.

But the attack at the scene filming set was a distraction, as Admin Hero himself carried out a real mission that netted a Mega Ring with a Key Stone plus a Mega Stone (what kind it is hasn't been said though), and he and First Captain Xander discuss the matter, as well as discuss matters of Zed's stupidity as well as agree to crush Zed's wrists if he tries dragging their respective Officer's Assistants into any of his stupidity, as Asami and Rina are basically their respective daughters (not actually, but they might as well be). Anyway, the next chapter will skip the Team Rocket trio impersonating the heroes as the Team Rocket organization no longer exists and the trio now is a part of Team Scorn, also Korrina can be introduced earlier and she's important to help the heroes learn more of Mega Evolution.

Dawn's Pokémon: (on hand) Chi-Chi (female Infernape), Levy (female Braixen), Germany (male Garchomp), Ieyasu (male Aerodactyl), Leni (female Lucario), Tsukune (Palkia)

Kenny's Pokémon: (on hand) Roshi (male Torterra), Rex (male Tyrunt), Hovernyan (male Espurr), Nogla (male Qulladin), Godzilla (male Tyranitar), Black (Giratina; Origin Form)

Trip's Pokémon: (on hand) Mr. Popo (male Magmortar), Veda (female Abomasnow), Myde (male Empoleon), Kululu (male Frogadier), Deelia (Dialga), Mitsu (male Helioptile)

Ash's Pokémon: (on hand) Pikachu (male), Charizard (male), Steelix (male; shiny), Froakie (male), Fletchling (male), Braviary (male; alpha; Hisuian)