Chapter 120:

Here Be Dragons

Pokémon List:

Luna (Kirlia)

Fay (Riolu)

Midna (Zorua)

All of the people who were still in the tournament were slowly drifting towards the center of town, lured by the promise of games and glory. And although cheerful music played through the speakers, there was a tense undertone.

People were not as relaxed as they were yesterday.

Considering at least half of the competition got wiped out by the last round, the survivors were more wary, more cautious, and stronger spirited. The selection of Pokémon reflected that as well. Whereas yesterday people still had weaker Pokémon as their choice, today the competitors seemed to opt for a safe bet and go with strong looking creatures instead. A few still stuck with their original choice, either out of heart or because they lacked the roster to switch.

I spotted Ash in the crowd, talking and musing to himself, appearing somewhat distracted. He had his trusty Pikachu on his shoulder. Last round, I heard he used his Staravia, which was one of his weaker Pokémons. Relatively speaking of course. Switching to Pikachu meant he anticipated a bigger challenge his newer Pokémon couldn't best.

Another reason for the increase in the level of present Pokémon was the incident from last night, which still left a lot of people spooked. Dropping an eyeless body in the middle of a crowd tends to do that to people.

Despite the magnitude of the situation, the authorities had been remarkably flexible about handling it. A public notice for a C-level threat was sent out to trainers in the vicinity, with the preliminary analysis essentially being what I told the police.

A Rogue Ghost/Dark Type Pokémon that had the ability to teleport or move through solid matter was at large.

A C level threat was an actual issue, but marking it as such did wonders to boost morale. It was a way to label the unknown, which was no longer a mysterious threat, but a quantifiable entity that trainers of all types and classes had dealt with before.

If I were Darkrai, I would be insulted by having such a low threat level, but I assumed that having a body count of one would do that. Or maybe they downplayed the threat for the sake of the festival?

On my way here, I heard people discussing whether the Sinnoh Knight tournament should be postponed or canceled altogether with a rogue Pokémon on the hunt. Others didn't buy it wasn't a Pokémon in the first place. A wild theory suggested it was going to be a part of the next game.

I supposed Flamera had her reasons for not canceling it. Thus the competition for the title of the Sinnoh Knight continued relentlessly, regardless of the public court.

I leaned against the column. The weather was warm and dry today— an early summer day one might have called it— but from inside the Space-Time Towers, the sun might as well have been located in another dimension. The sunlight did reach inside, but it lost all the warmth and energy it possessed the moment it passed through one of the many openings the Towers had. It wasn't chilly per se, but the meticulously laid brick floor, long walls, and still air had an eerie atmosphere about them that wasn't quite cold, but not warm either.

The material that made up the wall touched my back through the fabric of my sweater; it almost felt metal, but it wasn't quite that.

From what I've heard, the Space-Time Towers were constructed using an alloy of basalt, platinum and other materials. Besides the platinum, the components themselves were not that special, but somehow, the combination of these materials and their proportion caused them to be extremely resistant to the elements and Pokémon assaults. Far more than it should have been.

I was overseeing the town square from the balcony on the second floor. From my current position, I could get to ground level relatively quickly and easily, while still having the option to go higher into the spires.

The entire building was practically abandoned, as everyone was either down at the plaza to await the instructions for the next round, or was suggested to stay clear of the general arena to avoid collateral damage.

I had a good reason to be here instead of with the others. Yesterday, the Tattletail game had immediately started after the announcement, giving competitors barely any time to prepare themselves. I didn't trust Flamera to pull the same bullshit twice, so I opted to create some safe distance between myself and the crowd beforehand. From here, I had a perfect vantage point of the town and I sheltered myself, in case this was going to be another manhunt kind of situation.

Now it was just waiting for the game to start.

Midna abruptly jumped down from my shoulder and onto the balcony, treading alongside the railing, keeping careful balance. Like a cat, she used her small puffy tail to balance as she walked along the gold coloured path.

"So, what's on your mind?" Midna asked me casually. Her voice was raspy but had a lazy slog to it.

"I am just trying to focus on the game," I lied, prepared for the question. "Despite everything, I really want the title of Sinnoh Knight."

I checked the time on my Pokédex again. It was almost 3 o'clock.

Not only did this spot give me a good view of everything, I would also be able to spot any living Nightmares that might gouge out someone's eyes. I wasn't particularly worried about Darkrai. Last night, I had called out its name, showing that I was aware of what it was, of its presence and more importantly, I challenged the mythical Pokémon. Might not have been my brightest move, but I could make it work. I knew we would meet eventually, I just would rather not be caught off guard.

"So, does Luna know?" Midna asked, her voice the same bored tone. Her eyes darted around the area in an exaggerated manner. "She can't hear us, right?"

"No?" I scowled. "She can not hear us right now. She can only sense us. And probably our feelings."

Luna and Fay were on standby. I decided to take Midna with me to today's game. Fay and Luna had both been pushed to their limits yesterday, going much further than I wanted them to go. I didn't want them to become too exhausted, so I decided that I would just bring along the Zorua, who had just kicked back and enjoyed the show so far.

I knew Luna was still keeping a constant eye on me. Even if I could not see her, I was within her emotional radar. If the right sequence of emotions was detected Fay and she would join us immediately, turning the tables on anyone who thought I was alone.

"So, she doesn't know?" Midna asked, tilting her head and baring her own fangs in a feral grin. "Or did you do it without her?"

"Know what?" I asked, keeping my voice monotone, refusing to play Midna's game. Still, I couldn't help looking over my shoulder to double check I was alone.

"I can smell it, you know?" Midna sniffed the air. "The sweet scent of blood! It's subtle, and unless you're familiar with the smell, you wouldn't notice. But I did." She gave me a playful wink.

"Something happened last night. I was forced into a situation where I had to choose." I tried to keep my expression straight, but my eyes couldn't focus on Midna's piercing gaze.

The Zorua nodded thoughtfully. "Well, how did it feel?"

"Why do you care?" I said, surprised by my own harsh words. I wasn't feeling all too happy about where this conversation was going, even though Midna seemed to enjoy it.

I reminded myself that Luna was monitoring my emotions, so I made a conscious effort to adopt a more neutral mindset. "You got me, caught me red handed, literally. Congratulations, what now?"

Midna feigned an innocent expression. "I, as your partner, am just very concerned about you. Besides, who else are you going to talk about it? Fay won't understand, and Luna…" Midna clucked her tongue. "She is herself. I think I might be your best option to talk to right now. Killer to killer, aye?"

I gave her a tired look. "Cut out the bullshit. Why do you care?"

Midna contemplated my question before answering. "The reason I am following you is because you really are an interesting person, so entertain me, indulge me in the pleasure of learning more about you. What's going on inside your head?"

At least she was honest about it. Well, it's not like I would find anyone else to vocalize my thoughts with.

"I don't really know how to feel about it." I admitted. "I hate it, but I can justify why I did it. But I can't help but wonder what this makes of me as a person, or if I am capable of doing it again."

"Want to hear my advice?" Midna asked.

"Why should I value your advice?" I snarked.

Midna rolled her eyes. "You have no other choice but to listen to me?" Her aloof grin dropped and her expression turned serious. Her voice sounded more jagged than before. "I think you shouldn't take it too seriously. It happened, and you did what you had to do. We are up against criminals, Galactic, and gods. I hope you are prepared to do what it takes when the time comes." She flashed me a sharp set of teeth. "I know I am."

I looked at Midna. No matter how bad her advice was, I appreciated the effort.

"You are a shitty shrink, you know?" I sighed.

"Well, I can be a shitty lawyer as well," she boasted. "Did you get rid of any witnesses?"

I playfully slapped her head. "Well, thank you for helping me. If I am discussing this crap with you, it truly means I am overthinking it."

I looked out of the window. The situation on the ground had not changed an awful lot. But up in the air it had shifted drastically. Whereas the sky was clear before, now several people riding on flying Pokémon had claimed it as their domain. The Pokémon ranged from common Sinnoh natives, like Staravia and Drifblim, to more exotic species, like someone's huge Corviknight. They were soaring, gliding, and hovering around the perimeter, staying above the rooftops. All of them had a green stripe spray painted across their body, clearly distinguishing them from the trainers down below. Flying in the center of this spiderweb was a green bird-looking thing— a Xatu.

I had never seen one before, but now that I saw it with my own eyes, I was kind of disappointed.

The condor-like creature was much smaller than it looked like on photos, being the size of a kid. Its entire body was weirdly shaped, like a gown with strange patterns on it.

Xatu was overseeing the battlefield from above, just like I was from my spot in the tower. Xatu looked as if it was hanging in one spot, like an invisible cord coming from the sky held it in place like a stage prop. Its simple coloured eyes moved from left to right, an act that would have been intimidating if the owner of said eyes weren't smaller than I was.

My money was on it being part of the next game.

I scanned the crowd. There were between 50 and 80 people left in the competition. I saw a lot of strong looking Pokémon and at times, even tougher looking trainers next to them.

Compared to that, my team must have looked like a joke.

However, as long as it wasn't a straight up 1 versus 1 fight, I was certain we could hold our own against any of those players. All we needed was time to find the chink in their armour and even giants would fall to us.

Surprisingly, I couldn't see Flamera anywhere in the crowd. I had wanted to speak to her, but I guessed that it had to wait until after this round.

The large screen set up on stage lit up. Black text was displayed on the monitor against a white background, with the shadow of a sword used as a backdrop.

My Pokédex buzzed.

Mine wasn't the only one. Below me, people reached for their phones, watches and Pokédexes as well. Not to be left behind, I opened the device. Midna laid her head on my shoulder to read alongside me.

Round 2: Dragon Queen

"Dragon Queen, oh dear," Midna mockingly said. "What will we do against such mighty opponents?"

Rules:

1. Only 1 Pokémon per Player.

Makes sense to me. I already expected it and left Fay and Luna behind. If you didn't include such a rule it would be unfair and exploitable to anyone with a lot of Pokémon.

2. Contestants are not allowed to leave the designated game arena.

On the screen below an overhead view was given of where we were. Most of the city was marked red, with only the plaza and the blocks surrounding it coloured green. There was some place for urban warfare in the surrounding blocks, but most of it would be restricted to this.

3. Contestants are not allowed to use Class 3 Moves or higher. Teleportation is also strictly forbidden.

Unlike the last game, there were no restrictions regarding flying. Good to notice.

4. Survive.

That was everything.

I tapped the screen to see whether it had frozen during updates, but the rules remained this way.

Survive

Down below, the confusion spread amongst the other trainers. They gave each other suspicious looks and backed away from the denser parts of the crowd, others flocked together for safety.

With the rules as vague as they were, everyone kept double checking their devices to see if they had missed something.

The people with the green paint were up in the sky, not displaying any anxiety or uncertainty. Instead, they patiently observed the other competitors, but made no effort to move.

My Pokédex made another buzzing sound. I checked it.

Game Start

Three explosions went off simultaneously, each accompanied by a blinding flash of light.

One occurred in the middle of the crowd and went by relatively unnoticed. The second explosion destroyed the stage where Flamera had held her speech. After the flash appeared, the stage area collapsed with a loud crack. Plumes of dust stirred up, covering a creature that was far larger than the stage itself. The third explosion appeared above the captivated audience. People looked up, and when the flash had faded, it left a giant green coloured monstrosity in its place.

Gravity took hold of it, and the dragon didn't bother opening up its wings and crashed down in the middle of the crowd.

The green colored Druddigon opened its rocky jaw and let out a triumphant roar, challenging anyone nearby to come closer.

No one did, people were too stunned by its sudden appearance. Everyone was waiting for someone else to bite the bullet and make a move.

A voice suddenly crackled to life and began to broadcast through all the available speakers.

"Long ago, the skies of Sinnoh were ruled by mighty dragons and their followers." I recognized Flamera's voice but I couldn't see her anywhere. The voice continued, as if it were telling a bedtime story. "But one dragon was far stronger than all of them."

The slithering form that had moved through the crowd solidified its shape as it came to a halt. Shock and fear had taken the contestants hostage. Nobody made a move as the huge Pokémon had taken center stage.

Massive blue scales clung to a body that radiated pure muscle and power. The Gyarados looked down on the crowd with its arrogant visage.

"The queen of all dragons lived at the top of Mount Coronet, ruling her borderless kingdom with her sheer firepower that could level any mountain that rivaled her own," Flamera said, continuing the tale.

Another sky blue snake manifested above the crowd, but unlike the Gyarados, it was smaller and stayed in the air using two wing-like appendages attached to the sides of its head to glide while an aura-like substance around its body kept it afloat.

The Dragonair let out an almost cute sounding noise.

However, the way it suddenly appeared caused people to dreadfully back away as well.

"Armed with nothing but courage, the Sinnoh knight picked up the cursed sword and set out to take down the Queen of dragons."

Another flash appeared, this one below the Dragonair. A new figure emerged from the middle of the crowd. A human this time.

People backed away, forming a half circle around the newcomer.

It was a woman; I recognized her immediately.

Her long light blue hair was tied up in a ponytail, with a pair of bangs cascading down the sides of her face, framing a shit-eating grin. She wore two dark blue high heel boots, a black skin-tight bodysuit that didn't get much lower than her ass, and a red and black cape over her shoulder— superman style.

Clair struck a pose. She tilted her body to the side and extended her arm out to the stunned crowd. She opened her hand, grinning madly.

As she did that, I spotted something that was wrapped around her left arm, the one that was partially hidden by her cloak. A Tattletail.

She looked both extremely beautiful and extremely unhinged, and the gleeful look I saw in her eyes made me question my chances.

"Alamos Town, fear me," Clair's voice boomed. "For I am the Dragon Queen! Fight me and face the wrath of my dragons!"

The dragons began to move.

A/N This chapter was again, thoroughly, beta read by Atomic.

So I wanted to add some moments between Midna and our lovely protagonist. I personally still see Midna as the odd one in the group. Writing her is something of a wild card, it's a surprise what she'll say.

I hope this chapter was satisfactory as always. Next chapter, more action maybe? As always, share your thoughts in the reviews and don't rest too long.

We got the whole Insane world of Pokémon to explore.

-CaptainMoonShine-

(Reviews)

ELION57:

I have a question. by the rating (M) will there be sex? if there will be, it's taking time.

A: Full on sex scenes will be unlikely. Maybe a short nod to it, but I don't feel like people are waiting for that kind of stuff in this fic.

demissedwaifu:

Happy anniversary ~

A: Thank you!

netapel:

three years running, congratulations.

glad to have been one of the first readers of this wonderful ficalthough, isn't leaving the team rocket grunt with the Umbreon and Raticate all the way back at the beginning his first murder? or is it manslaughter since Dust wasn't the one who did it?

did we ever find out what happened to that guy anyway?

A: Ah, good to see anyone stick around this long. Technically the guy is totally fine. Nothing bad ever happens after all.