The League has made their collective decisions and new insights into the world has been made. Volkner comes bearing good news to share with Topaz and friends, a new home for them all to share. I shall admit, my curiosity is piqued.
~x1x~
I trailed behind Volkner dutifully, Froberge and Roland at his flanks all casually walking through the city without a care in the world it seemed. Unfortunately I could not share in their carefree attitude as I still had several questions.
"What do you mean I'm a part of the League? Were Violet and Amethyst charged? When did you get a house? Is it fully furnished already? Do I have to move in with you?" I rattled off my questions like a Chatot having a tantrum. Donut had not a care in the world as he napped comfortably in my bag whilst Lou didn't seem all that concerned about the bomb that had been dropped.
Volkner sighed once again before looking over his shoulder to address me. "You're a gym trainer. Technically no. A while ago. Basically. Yes."
His answers were annoyingly short and to the point. He could probably sense the frustration from me as he added. "Relax, you'll like it."
"Hmmph," I continued my mumbling and grumbling as we continued our way through the city. The decorations from Hoopa's Eve were long gone and the temperature had been dropping lately. Sinnoh was in the midst of autumn and winter was fast approaching, as seen by all the Pokemon stocking up as we made our way past.
A pair of Pachirisu were fighting over a particularly juicy looking wacan berry in the bushes. Without even looking their way, Volkner took another berry out of his pocket and tossed it over to them, so they'd each have their own. They immediately ceased fighting before taking pause at the sudden kindness, squeaking thanks and scurrying away.
Sometime later I spotted a small group of wild Drilbur helping a man carry some yard equipment to his truck. Once they loaded in the last tool, the man pulled out several lunch boxes, one for each Drilbur to take home. They gleefully got into a single file line to reap the rewards of their labor.
After the whole ordeal with Benedetto and the mistreatment of Pokemon, it felt good to see what I knew for truth. That people and Pokemon can live in harmony, helping each other everyday whether they are partners in battle or simply neighbors.
As my mind began to wander, I began to notice we had been walking for quite a bit. I could tell because the cold had gone from unnoticeable to annoying as we made our way through the higher elevations of Sunyshore, where the homes were nestled by the cliffs. The gym is located in this general area, but Volkner was leading us closer to the beachside which piqued my curiosity further.
We continued onwards to the residential zone of the cliffside district. The homes here have a modern, almost futuristic look at times appealing to Sunyshore's advanced aesthetics. Minimalistic exteriors, large glass windows, rectangular shaping and solar panel roofs. If Volkner picked a house that looked anything different, I'd be shocked.
Heh, shocked. Electric specialist.
Froberge cocked his head slightly to stare at me with a knowing look. As if he knew I made a bad pun. I began whistling inconspicuously to throw him off. Needless to say, it was now awkward for all of us.
Lou whirred quietly after a bit more walking, stirring me from my boredom.
"If the new house was gonna be so far, we could've just taken the train or rode a Pokemon," I complained. "It's freezing out here."
Volkner whirled around back at me with a sleepy expression as though he had forgotten I was here. "Huh? Oh yeah we could've. I didn't think I had moved this far from the old house. It's closer to the gym which is what's most important. The cold air is actually pretty refreshing. It feels good to just walk."
I hurried over to his side and looked up at him. He did look rather sleepy, but oddly content.
"So, when did you decide to get a house? I don't think you ever mentioned it," I asked.
He shrugged. "I'm a de-facto adult now and my job has become even more demanding now. My parents' place is fine and all, but it's too small and archaic. I've got all these projects I want to do, but apparently I can't just live at the gym," Volkner grumbled before continuing. "So, I did some house hunting. Found a place with basically everything I need and bought it. No biggie, it took like an hour or something."
I gave him a concerned stare. "Shouldn't house hunting take a bit more time than that?"
"Look. I gave my real estate agent a list of what I needed and she got it for me. I did my once around the house, got second opinions-"
"From?"
Volkner put a hand on his chin. "My team, Flint, Cynthia and Lucian."
I wasn't sure how much they all knew about houses, but from what I've heard Lucian knows a little bit about everything so I'm guessing his opinion had the most knowledge behind it.
"Lucian did add a couple things to the list and bam. It was a deal. They all said the place was very me so that's good enough," Volkner shrugged once again. "It has room for you and your team too, not like they take up much space anyway."
I was a bit excited to hear that. My uncle and I do have similar tastes so if he loves it then I probably will too. Though, I had to ask…
"Do you really want me living with you? I mean… you're grown-up now. Wouldn't you want to be roommates with Flint or just live alone? Not have your nephew tag along…" My voice trailed off near the end prompting Roland to grunt and Froberge to nuzzle my leg. Volkner sighed deeply and began ruffling my hair. He looked down at me and chuckled softly.
"You're so weird, Topaz." Was all he said before he kept on walking. I had no clue what he meant, but maybe it sounds like he understands something I don't.
After a couple more minutes, Volkner finally stopped. I turned to find a decently sized modern home as expected sitting alongside a cliffside with a grand view of the ocean. Except unlike all the other homes in the neighborhood, rather than simple solar panels, it seemed Volkner had installed a miniature solar panel complex on his roof. In fact, there were multiple gadgets all over the house that were clearly of his design.
"Your automatic sprinklers, automatic lawn mower, automatic window wiper, auto rake machine, electric type feeding generators and is that a… donut dispenser?" I had to ask. The last one wasn't there, but I enjoyed teasing Donut.
Donut's head immediately shot out of my bag looking for said dispenser. Volkner looked exceedingly perplexed.
"I never installed one of those," He noted before strumming his chin. "But now you've given me an idea."
Donut, betrayed, shocked my cheek and began huffing on my shoulder. I chuckled, rubbing my face before looking at everything once again.
"So… I see, you've moved in all your stuff. Now how long until the city suffers a blackout?" I asked honestly.
Volkner crossed his arms proudly. "Joke's on you, nephew. Lucian already calculated how to avoid another blackout."
At least the city is safe… for now.
I was about to ask what sort of mess I could expect in the backyard when Donut suddenly became lively once again. His nose sniffing the air intensely before he turned around and jumped off my shoulder.
"Pika pika!"
"I did promise you donuts, yes. And have donuts you shall."
I turned around to find Donut hugging a tall stack of donut boxes from where the familiar voice spoke. Right behind her emerged a familiar female Meowstic, shaven Mareep and a tiny Dedenne.
"Pika pi pikachu!"
"Ah good, right on time," Volkner commented, his hands in his pockets, Roland and Froberge standing by. Violet and the others had returned.
"Everyone's here… in Sunyshore?" I said slowly. It was one thing to be dragged out of bed to walk across the city to the new home I'll apparently be living in, but now Violet and gang are back? It has only been a week since I last saw them, but I had been prepared for much longer.
[Nice to see you all again. Heck of a lot sooner than I'm sure any of us figured, though. Not that that's a bad thing,] Amethyst spoke, smiling and waving with one paw on her hip.
Lou jumped out of my arms and whirred his greetings to everyone. I collected my bearings and walked towards them as well.
"I can't say I expected all of you here so soon. I see you lot got the donuts," I had to tilt my head quite a bit to see the top. "A lot of donuts, wow, uhhh."
"Donut saved our lives and fought with us to bring Amethyst peace of mind. He asked for donuts. Frankly a paltry reward in the face of his feats, but one I will fulfill to his satisfaction."
Ah yes, a very Violet answer.
Volkner stepped forward. "There's a bit we need to discuss, but we can do that over some donuts. There's too many for just Donut to feast upon, so I think my team and some wild Pokemon would enjoy the sugar rush."
Violet simply gave Volkner a look. "Probation typically involves frequent discussion, yes."
"Probation?"
"Pika!" Donut interrupted us as he was carrying two boxes of donuts over his head and away from several wandering Bidoof.
"You uh… might wanna help him out there," Volkner pointed out.
After I saved Donut's donuts, we all went inside to eat. Fortunately, Violet bought Pokemon and human donuts, so it was fine for the Bidoof to take most of the boxes and share them with the rest of the wild Pokemon in the area.
The interior of the house was about what I expected for Volkner as well. The furniture fit a modern home's look with expertly placed fauna to add pops of life to the environment, but it also shared Volkner's look leaning more towards blue and yellows along with high tech knick knacks. It was much more spacious than I thought, even with all our Pokemon inside and his team was sizable. He'd only brought five of his team to stay here for now, the rest resided at the gym.
Violet's attention immediately focused on them when he called them all out to share in the donuts. She watched them closely as she nibbled on her own donuts and we all sat down at the marble countertop island. Donut was in his own corner gorging on donuts, living in his own little paradise.
Us humans sat at the dinner table to have our discussion.
"So, you mentioned probation? Is it because of what happened to Benedetto? Am I on probation too?" It was hard to focus on eating when you throw out words like that.
Volkner took a moment to drink from his glass of warm milk before responding. "Technically no, you're not on probation, the League has simply decided to observe your growth as a trainer more closely. Her on the other hand," Volkner gestured towards Violet. "Has to be on probation. Amethyst too for reasons we all know."
"Hrmm." The reason was a bit too clear in my mind for me to not know. "Are they the roommates you were talking about? How did this even happen?"
Volkner gestured towards Violet to respond. "The options offered to us were to either agree to probation, end up in a rehabilitation center, or attempt to run from the organization that oversees the entire region. Which is no option at all."
That makes it all sound rather hopeless.
"The League has decided that Violet's potential is too good to squander and due to our similar areas of expertise and your friendship, I was deemed to be the best caretaker for her for the foreseeable future," Volkner stated, casually finishing another donut. "Violet and her companions have agreed to cooperate with our terms, so from now she'll be living here honing her abilities for the League's benefit and for their own wellbeing."
All of this sugar and he won't coat the truth. It's a sensible course of action though. Violet is crazy smart and loathes humans. The League wants to at least aim that hate at the bad guys rather than everyone indiscriminately.
Amethyst gave a warm smile and patted Violet's arm. [It'll be nice to stay in a city for more than a couple days, right?]
Violet simply grimaced. "Yes. Cities. Bastions of humanity encroaching on the wild. Splendid."
Amethyst continued patting Violet's arm. Meanwhile I studied her. They both looked significantly better than when I had last seen them. Course when I last saw them we were all a bloody mess, but now they looked much healthier. Amethyst's body appeared healed, but what was most noticeable was how lax her movements were and the serenity on her face. A drastic difference from the unbridling anger she felt before we fought Benedetto.
Violet looked more or less the same, but it seems as though she had gotten fresh new clothes and a slight haircut. When I had met her she seemed groomed enough, but there must only be so much you can do in a forest while on the road. It seemed they both took a much needed break.
Zenara's wool was regrowing nicely. She had a blanket over her, and she was happily laying next to Violet and Amethyst and keeping track of the conversation. Cenza on the other hand was playing with Roland's flickering tail.
[It's not all that,] Amethyst continued. [If it were really such a bad place for Pokemon, there wouldn't be flocks of Wingull perching everywhere. Or Bidoof probably bringing some donuts back to their colony, or some making preparations to stay here for the winter. You know exactly what it's like to live through Sinnoh winters without proper resources.]
Violet just stayed quiet, still clearly unenthused with the circumstances.
Volkner sighed deeply. "I know you're upset, but… hmmm." Volkner stopped mid sentence as though trying to find the right words. "Nothing I say could legitimately make you feel better about this, so all I can say is that Topaz and I will be getting used to this new arrangement as well. We're all in the same boat, let's try not to sink it."
She just stared piercingly at him. "I have no intentions of drowning."
Volkner took another bite of his donut, unfazed by her glare. "Good. Let's all get along or whatever." Volkner swallowed before turning to me. "I can explain the details later, but the gist is Violet will retain her lass trainer status. She cannot interfere in law enforcement without my approval, yadda yadda yadda. She's mostly free to roam around the gym and learn what she can. If you see her breaking the rules, let me know."
I nodded as he gestured to Amethyst. "Amethyst's conditions are pretty simple. Don't viciously maim anyone else. No murder either. If you see her doing either, let me know."
"Oh uh okay, I can do that," I stammered before I remembered what he said in my room. "You mentioned me joining the League right? What was that about?"
"Huh? Oh yeah, you'll be working directly under me now as my protege. Along with the hefty monetary compensation for your actions, your other reward is just skipping the gym trainer test and officially joining. I've already done the paperwork. You're still 12, so school is most important, but you can finally begin soaking your feet in what it means to be a member of the League."
My eyes lit up. I turned to Lou who had been nibbling his donut next to me. He had heard the whole conversation. He immediately jumped into my arms and we hugged it out. I pulled Volkner into the hug which surprised both him and myself greatly, but I was just so happy.
I quickly released him and put Lou down before saluting. "We won't let you down, Gym Leader Volkner, sir!"
Volkner bonked me on the head and laughed softly. "I know."
Violet looked at us with a raised eyebrow, before glancing to Amethyst. After a moment, she chuckled. [No, this isn't some human ritual of some sort. It's just them being family.]
"I've got my work cut out for me," Volkner said mostly to himself. "Anyway, next topic." He reached into his pocket and took out a Pokeball. "It's about Cenza."
I gulped, eyeing the innocent little Dedenne as she was now playing with Froberge's tail. Violet's expression grew grave again.
"After some testing we now know more about her condition. Do you two know what a preemie baby is?" Volkner asked.
Violet nodded, while I spoke up. "They are babies that are born early, right?"
"Correct," Volkner stated. "Nurse Joy was able to deduce that Cenza hatched before she was completely developed. It seems that her electric sacs never finished developing within her egg thus explaining their paltry size. Dedenne are tiny Pokemon with limited stores. Decrease those stores even further and we've got a problem as she's effectively functioning at half capacity or less."
He pulled up his Pokedex and showed us some data on Cenza compared to the average Dedenne. "Her condition was even worse than we had initially thought when you brought her in. Due to the imprisonment, the traveling and battle Cenza was running on fumes she did not have access to and her body isn't sturdy enough for all of that. Honestly, in good conscience we still could not send her into the wild because her chances of survival would be low."
My breath hitched, racing back to when Meowstic shot her and how she was on the brink of death. The thought was horribly unpleasant.
"In order to continue her treatment, I've decided to register her in my name." Volkner held up the Pokeball to accentuate that fact. "As an electric specialist I'll keep working with Nurse Joy to figure out how we can improve her quality of life, but until then you all need to know this."
Volkner tapped away at his Pokedex, sending us Cenza's medical files. "Cenza cannot participate in any battles, use electric moves or go without electricity for an extended period of time. In order to generate enough to function, she needs to go on a special diet which is in her records. She can learn new moves, but it'll be at a slower pace. She also has monthly intensive check-ups at the Pokemon Center, which is different from just traditional healing. Cenza seems to trust you two a great deal, so I am going to assume you can follow these instructions for her betterment. Correct?"
I quickly nodded. "I… I understand."
Even with all that I still feel like he's going easy on us with his wording. What went on after I left the Pokemon Center a week ago? Heimdall said she was going to die if Violet hadn't healed her immediately… did they have to use more extreme measures to keep her alive afterwards?
Violet glanced at me. "Do you still have the generator?"
All eyes were on me, as I tried to remember what she meant. My mind flashed back to the generator she gave me to charge Cenza whenever she needed it. I immediately began sifting through my bag till I found the capsule where I stored it and handed it to Violet.
She took it and clicked the capsule, the generator appearing with both halves of the capsule on the table. She took one look at it and groaned. "Usually generators need to be on to produce electricity."
She turned it over, opened a panel on the bottom of it and turned… something, with a couple sparks flying out. It whirred to life, a gentle hum filling the room before she looked at Volkner. "As you have access to her medical records and more knowledge of electric type electricity compatibility than I, I am going to presume you will not fly into a rage at this being above typical human expectations." She then handed it to Volkner.
Volkner inspected it for a few moments before scanning it with his Pokedex. "I see… impressive. This'll do, thanks." He put away his Pokedex and the generator. "Now that the serious stuff is covered, any questions? Concerns? If not now, you can ask later. I'm throwing a lot at you, but trust me it's better than the alternative."
I shook my head. It was a sudden adjustment, but not my first. I could handle it. Violet on the other hand did have a question.
"It is to my understanding you are an independent adult human male in a position of power. Should I be expecting 'guests' to be galavanting around the house during the twilight hours?"
I didn't really understand what she was talking about, but Volkner's eyes bugged out at the notion. "I'm not like that. I'm ace, so the only 'guests' you can expect are actual guests. Flint may come by unannounced, but my other friends tend to give me ample notice. Any other questions besides… that?"
"No, that answers plenty. Continue."
Volkner gave an exasperated sigh muttering something to himself before he addressed us all once again. "Now I want to show you both the backyard. I know Topaz will love it. Violet… eh, the Pokemon will love it."
Violet and I exchanged looks of apprehension and curiosity respectively as we all got up to see what was up. We made our way to the back to find a surprisingly expansive backyard. In the distance I could spot a simple training field with sturdy training dummies, nestled a safe distance from the house. The looming trees and tall shrubbery surrounding the backyard gave it a sense of privacy and isolation. Closer to the house itself were berry tree plots to begin a small garden. Nearby there was an outdoor table set and an adorable hammock, perfect for reading in.
I gazed in awe at the amount of space we had access to. Volkner had a content smirk on his face while Roland looked pleased. Violet seemed apprehensive still, but wasn't immediately disparaging. I stepped forward surveying the area before I noticed a staircase leading down the cliff.
"Is that a part of our property too?" I asked. Volkner nodded and gestured for me to go on ahead. I ran on over with Lou hot on my tracks. We made our way down the long staircase until we made our way to a pristine sandy beach, with the ocean I had marveled from afar just a few minutes ago now a few steps away.
"Convenient huh? Ganelon is loving the easy access to the ocean." Volkner strolled up behind me. I stared at him in marvel.
"How did you afford all of this?"
He raised his hand and began counting points. "My advanced generator systems are responsible for fixing Sinnoh's major power problem. Our family created the solar panel walkways that everyone in Sunyshore uses. I've been a gym leader most of my career and have won countless matches and tournaments for prize money. The economy is booming and I don't really plan on moving again anytime soon, so I figured why not go all the way."
Violet gave Volkner a side eye. "And wild Pokemon are free to roam this area as they please?"
Volkner gave her a questioning look. "It's not like we're gonna zap any Starly that decide to land here."
"That would not be unexpected," she said skeptically, "but I was primarily referring to the inane idea that if a Pokemon enters your property, they are yours."
Now I had to give her a weird look. Which was annoying because once again I had been enraptured by the beauty of the ocean. "What are you talking about? That's not a thing."
She just gave me an odd look, but said nothing. Amethyst meanwhile sighed. [Long story, and not one for right now. For now, the answer 'no' is all that's really important.]
I dropped the topic and released a soft hum. Wherever Violet grew up it sounds like they had different rules, but that's not the case here. Interacting with the two now made me realize I didn't really know them all that well. We've been through a lot, know each other's ideals well enough, but all the little things? No clue. It was rather jarring, but she's here because we get along and the League wanted her to adapt to a normal life right? So it means I've just got to try, I guess.
Volkner turned to Violet, seeming to have moved on from the last topic as well. "You a fan of the ocean?"
She paused. "I… do not dislike it."
"Ever learn how to swim?"
She nodded. Volkner smiled and turned back to the waters. "The kids of Sunyshore love swimming with the Mantyke in the summer. My father, Topaz and even myself have all enjoyed the privilege. They like to swim directly under you and carry you on their back. Sometimes, a Mantine would carry a bunch of kids and soar over the water a bit. We can't do all of that right now because it's so cold, but I think…" Volkner glanced towards Violet. "You'd love it."
Amethyst smiled, while Violet just seemed perplexed. "Is this some sort of training exercise I am unaware of?"
I gave her an even more confused look while Volkner simply hummed before making his way back to the house. "You'll see for yourself. Until then, let's go inside. You two have got to pick your rooms already. And I think we should stop Donut before he goes into a sugar coma."
Violet and Amethyst nodded before heading back the house, engaging in a telepathic conversation no doubt.
I grunted in agreement before bending down to Lou who had been staring at the ocean for quite awhile. When I looked I noticed he had been locked into a staring contest with an angry looking Octillery swimming in the water. I shook Lou a bit and he turned to me as though he'd woken from a daze.
"Ready to go inside and see our new room?" I asked.
Lou whirred with excitement. Volkner stood by watching us with a proud expression.
"Volkner… Uncle. Thanks for letting us stay with you. It means… it means a lot to me," I thanked him once again.
"Course Topaz, we're family after all. The only one in our family that gets me really. I'm pretty low maintenance, but I'm glad you're not mad about this change." Volkner smiled down at me. "I'm looking forward to having you as my protege. Whether you decide to become an electric specialist or not, you'll definitely know your stuff by time you're done."
"I'm more than ready! Teach me everything you know," I exclaimed. Volkner and I exchanged fist bumps before he went back to the house. I turned around to give one last look at the ocean when I noticed something glistening in the sand. Lou went over to dig it out revealing another card.
That was fast.
I turned it over to see this time it depicted a man that appeared to be Volkner wearing a full body cowl. By his side strode a magnificent Luxray. The setting appeared to be a tumultuous storm at a beach city. In the man's hand he held a lantern and within said lantern was a tiny Electivire shining a path for them to walk. At the bottom of the card it read: The Hermit IX.
"The Hermit card… the arcana of solitude…" I whispered. Lou stared at me curiously, awaiting my inevitable explanation. "It represents walking alone on the path to discovery. The change as you go on may be in small increments, but it is change nonetheless. Outside forces cannot understand what The Hermit is searching for, but his underlying motivation is to understand himself."
I took in one last long look of the ocean before I headed back inside.
Volkner is growing and changing too. In more subtle ways than I thought.
~x2x~
After we intervened in Donut's attempt to eat every donut in sight, the rest of the day was spent moving furniture to the new house. My grandparents had already been notified of this change and were surprisingly fine with it, which is strange since they were not okay with me fighting smugglers. They're pretty old fashioned though, so all Cynthia had to do was flex her championship authority a bit and they had become much more amicable.
My grandfather believes it'd be good for me to spend more time working directly with Volkner and expand my abilities as an electric specialist… even though I haven't declared a specialty.
Violet and I chose our rooms, each was about the same size although I demanded the room with the ocean view. Violet couldn't care less.
Roland took the time to get all my stuff and Teleport it over, including my furniture. He effortlessly laid out everything in my room for me and my team in a matter of minutes. Volkner brought up if I wanted anything new I could now afford it with the snazzy new check the League gave me, but my current stuff was more than good enough. I just had to find a place for everything.
During that time I decided to check in on Violet's room which was… still mostly empty. Everything she owned was in the bag she had brought with her and besides her base essentials, survival gear, some new clothes and hygiene products the League got her, she really didn't have all that much.
A bit later, a moving truck arrived with a bunch of brand new furniture specifically for Violet's room. When I had asked her about it she told me one of Lucian's subordinates was tasked with outfitting her room. It seemed they had taken some potshots as to what she may have liked as the furniture was relatively neutral and consisted of a computer desk, painting of a Cleffa and Igglybuff and Pokemon beds for her companions. They seemed to maintain a violet color scheme at least.
Nonetheless, it didn't take long for her room to be finished as well. The only personal touch from Violet herself was the mysterious shrine I had seen her pray to a week ago, placed on its own personal table. After the moving crew finished their work (and Violet had finished giving the Machoke who delivered her stuff protein packed sandwiches), I decided to finally ask.
When I entered the room only Violet and Amethyst were within it. Violet seemed to be making sure the shrine looked right in the spot it was in whilst Amethyst sat on the bed, enjoying the softness of the brand new sheets.
"So… who's that shrine for?" I asked, standing by her doorway. It was a simple and handmade wooden tree shrine with a doorway in the trunk. The door had lightning bolt signs which imply electric legend, but there was also a yellow tuft of fur strapped onto it. "It's for an electric type right?"
She nodded, attention still fixated on the shrine, as though making certain it was in the best possible place. "Indeed."
"Uhhh… which one? Are they Raikou?" I guessed.
She shook her head. She and Amethyst looked between each other. There was a long moment of silence.
"Hello? Still here," I waved my hand.
Violet sighed. "It is in honor of our mother."
"Your mother?" I stared at the shrine once again, then back at Violet and then at Amethyst. "Who is your mother?"
"Our mother," she corrected. "She is the one who helped us when we both needed it most."
"Oh. Okay…. can I get a species name?"
"No."
I feel like this conversation just crashed. Before I could attempt to ask again Zenara came running into the room and jumped onto Violet baaing away excitedly about something. Nigh immediately Violet lost all interest in me and began to pay attention to the little electric sheep.
As I began to make my way back to my room, Violet called my name. "Is Cenza with you?"
"Uh, no. I think she's with Marsil in the backyard. Why?"
"Can you ask her to come here? I must apologize to her again."
"Apologize?" I muttered to myself, but I complied nonetheless.
When I got to the backyard I found Cenza was having a blast swinging on Marsil's twin tails. I informed her of Violet's request and she quickly heeded my words and headed back inside. Marsil was curious, but chose not to intrude as she could simply ask later. I followed after Cenza to find her and Violet speaking in her room.
"-If it had not been for me, you would never have been hurt nearly as horrifically. Pushed so close to death. I cannot apologize enough for allowing that to happen."
Cenza shook her head quickly. [Violet, it's alright! That's what friends are for after all! Plus, I got to give that mean Meowstic my one-two punch! I'm fine now, see?] Cenza raised up her hands to show how fine she was. She definitely looked better than she did last I saw her, but her medical stats indicate she is still far from fine. She had not been playing for long yet I could tell she was exhausted and I noted she rubbed her stomach often. That was where she endured the brunt of Meowstic's Psybeam.
Violet's posture barely changed, but her eyes betrayed a deep sorrow and pain. "Friends should not require one's life to be so close to being lost. I have been unable to forget how utterly incapable I was of doing anything more than barely protecting your life. I should have been able to do so much more, and yet…"
Cenza looked up at her mournfully before turning to Amethyst and then myself. The guilt wracked me as well. It was my call. Cenza should be blaming me; she trusted my judgement and nearly lost everything because of it. But she didn't. She kept on going.
[I think as friends we should support each other, right? I can't fight like Donut and I'm not as strong as Amethyst. I'm a Pokemon who can barely do anything… but I was able to help you guys save all those Kalos Pokemon! I can't be like them and neither can you, but we can do other amazing things too! You're the smartest person I know, you can do so much for everyone,] Cenza reaffirmed.
Violet wiped her eyes a bit. "I strive to do the best I am capable of. A poor best effort if I can only just prevent tragedies," she said quietly. "You can do so much more than you believe yourself capable of, while my best will ever pale in comparison to your accomplishments."
"I think you've done quite a bit so far," I interceded, entering the room proper. "Everyone in this house would say so I think." Cenza nodded adamantly in agreement. Amethyst got up to hug Violet and comfort her. I knelt down in front of Cenza.
"I am sorry Cenza. It was my call to send you out there. I… I didn't think he'd recover that fast, but I needed to stop his assault. I underestimated him," I grimaced at the thought of her tiny body flying through the air, a singed mess.
Cenza immediately shook her head. [No! I wanted to help! Everyone got hurt a lot worse than that. I just… I just got… what's the word in your tongue? Overconfident!]
Violet was looking at the floor. "You barely had the strength to wish Topaz, Donut and Lou on their way. Immediately after you had to go back into intensive care to make sure you would be alright. And prior you had been in an incubation tank because of how severe your injuries were. You endured so much, alerted us and helped us far more than you ever needed to in ensuring Benedetto never hurt anyone again. You easily went through more than all of us combined, save for Amethyst I would imagine. And yet how are you repaid? Yet another near death experience, being separated from those you love and living in a foreign land you were brought to against your will."
Cenza seemed downtrodden at that unfortunate reminder, while I stared at Violet wide-eyed.
"Volkner… never mentioned any of that when I asked about her. He said she was recovering smoothly. It took our teams vaporizing Benedetto's teamand more for them to be put in incubation tanks. Cenza was put in one too!?" My shock was evident in my voice. Incubation tanks were typically reserved as a catch all healing device. They were highly efficient, but expensive, especially for larger Pokemon. Using the smallest model for Cenza would be far from abnormal, but judging by Violet's tone it was not a short healing cycle.
The sorrow in Violet's eyes was matched with rivaling hatred quick as lightning. "Of course he did not tell you. What did you expect, for a human to not downplay the severity of a Pokemon's condition? He is in the business of watching Pokemon battle for nothing more than sport on a regular basis. Of course he believes recovering from such injuries is fine. The next time you are in a position where a Pokemon's life and my own are on opposite ends? You choose the Pokemon. I would much rather die than have any Pokemon die for my sake."
"Violet…" I whispered her name, but I could not set aside the slander against my uncle. "I get you're upset, but can't you see Volkner isn't-"
Just as Heimdall predicted. Her condition was poor.
[No!] Cenza interjected once again. [Mr. Volkner is a very nice human, nothing like the smuggler. He taught me how to take care of myself while I was healing. Topaz is a very nice boy too, he saved me from the Mankeys. You're a very nice girl, Violet and I didn't want to see you hurt. I'll try not to get in everyone's way in battle again, but… s'il vous plait. Don't speak so harshly with one another.]
[Well said, young Cenza. You've got the spirit of a soldier. If permitted by General Volkner, I'd welcome you into the army,] Lou announced crawling into the room. Donut poked his head in from the door, yawning. [But it seems there is still emotional turmoil in your hearts despite the battle with the smuggler having concluded. Relieve the thoughts from your minds so that you may be prepared for our next bout of combat!]
Donut yawned once again. [I don't think it's that easy for everyone, Lou.]
Violet's face hardened. "With all respect Lou, I cannot let go of such failures. They are a reminder to be better in the future and ensure they never happen again."
Lou seemed perplexed. I knew these types of things didn't bother him. Donut's expression remained neutral. Even I had trouble at times detecting what bothered him.
She then turned to Donut and Lou. "And I must apologize proper to the both of you as well. You were put in unnecessary danger and through unneeded pain because of me. There is nothing I can do to make up for that, but I will aid you both however you wish. Whatever that may be."
[There is no debt to be repaid or apology to be accepted. I was simply fulfilling the vow I had made myself when I had first attained mental competence as a lone Grubbin on Melemele Island. But you are a human with conviction akin to my own general, so if you insist I only ask you aid in my pursuit of strength. One day, I will amass enough electricity to evolve. I should see it sooner, rather than later with enough spurs at my hide to push me onward!] Lou proclaimed. His vocabulary seemed to have gotten even more colorful after Benedetto's defeat.
Violet upon hearing his words immediately picked up her tablet, likely considering a new generator she could make specifically for Lou.
Since he got stronger does that mean he got smarter? Is that how it works for some Pokemon?
Donut just looked up at her and shrugged. [It's alright. The donuts were all I wanted.]
He's easily satiated.
Amethyst smiled and sent a quiet [Thank you,] to everyone before going back to hugging Violet. Who looked up from her tablet for a moment.
"Lou, I will develop a suitable generator for you at the earliest possible opportunity. Donut, if you require more donuts I will readily procure them. And Cenza… please. If there is anything at all you require, I will do everything within my power to see it done."
All three Pokemon seemed satisfied with that response. Cenza immediately turned to Lou and Donut. [Can we go play now?]
Lou sputtered at the notion. [Young Cenza, I do not frolic-]
[Sure. Come on,] Donut interrupted Lou, pushing him out of the room. Cenza skipped after them, leaving me with a soft smile. I turned back to Violet.
"I aim to be better, same as you… I know it doesn't mean that much to you coming from me, but… I'm sorry for putting you in an uncomfortable position," I took a deep breath before attaining a more determined expression. "Ya know what, we should try more lighthearted conversations sometime. You need a break from all the serious talk, but hmmm… Donut and Lou learned Thunder and Thunderbolt after defeating Benedetto. I can go a while about what this means about their growth and I'm sure Zenara has grown even more. I know you're not interested in trainer stuff. At all. But this… is me trying. So uh yeah. If you ever wanna talk about Pokemon… just… ask."
She gave me a long, long look before speaking. "I will… keep that in mind."
I gave her an awkward thumbs up before taking my leave. Her expression at the end seemed genuinely thoughtful.
Coming from her. That's quite promising.
~x3x~
The next morning was a bit jarring. It took me a solid minute to realize that I was in a new room, in my new home, living in my new situation with my new roommates. Volkner was taking a few days off from the gym to help us acclimate to our new situation which in summation meant making sure we could actually behave.
Unfortunately, Jade is not known for his good behavior as he made himself welcome rather quickly. The perks of the move was that we now lived a bit closer so he found us rather easily and marveled at the interior of the house.
"Look at all of this, you've guys really upgraded, Zio," Jade whistled before sprawling on the reclining chair. "Oooh, comfy and with a beautiful plasma TV for viewing pleasure. Maybe I should move in too."
I scratched my hair at the joke. "I think we might be out of rooms. Volkner's team took one of the bedrooms as their own."
"Ah well, I tried," Jade reclined his seat, embracing the comfort. "I see Shizu has already made herself comfortable."
I looked over to see that Shizu was rolling around in the new carpet. Flax sat by on the couch watching trying to hold a glass of water. A month or two after Donut evolved Flax evolved into Roselia and he is… tiny. I had forgotten most Roselia tended to be so small. He's only around the size of when Donut was a Pichu, but he was just elated to finally have arms.
Shizu on the other hand has grown nicely after the years of pampering, seemingly on the verge of evolution. Judging by her contentment she was in no rush.
Donut was eating a healthy snack while Lou was recharging by the generator. None of the Pokemon seemed interested in talking amongst themselves.
"So. The roommate. The infamous and mysterious Violet. Where is she?" Jade asked with a mischievous tone. "The way you described her has me wondering if you'll have to hold her back from yelling at every single person she meets on the street. Beware Sunyshore, the Violet Purge has arrived!"
I sighed deeply. I felt like I should denounce that statement, but considering it had already happened I decided against it. "You know she's upstairs, right?"
"She got the hyper Mareep right?" Jade continued, ignoring me. "The one who challenged Shizu, a Houndour, to a fight? And you've got a sick Dedenne here too? Still can't believe you didn't call me when this all went down!"
I wasn't supposed to really tell anyone about what happened, but I just had to tell Jade at the very least. I may have romanticized everything though. I wasn't keen on talking about everything that had occurred so readily, yet.
"Yes, Zenara, remember? The Dedenne is Cenza, she's registered under Volkner's name, but we're all taking care of her," I explained. "They should both be upstairs too; I don't really know what they're doing. Volkner went on a jog with Roland and the rest of his team is just around the house. And before you ask, I can already tell you she doesn't want to talk to you."
Jade pouted, but let it go. We spent some time playing some video games and chatting about life until Violet walked downstairs with Cenza on her head, Amethyst floating beside her and Zenara gleefully bounding down the steps. She glanced in our direction, but said nothing and headed for the kitchen. Amethyst meanwhile just waved before following her.
Jade and I waved back, but then he immediately leaned in. "Why is Ma- Zenara sheared?"
"Her wool sort of got destroyed in battle. It was easier to just shave it all and let it regrow," I explained.
Jade hummed curiously eyeing the group as they made their way to the kitchen. Violet opened the fridge, took out several greens, berries and some meat before making her way to the counter. With practiced ease she washed the berries and greens, then cut them up and gave a bowl of them to Zenara. Then she began cooking the meat, keeping some berries on the side, Amethyst sitting on the counter and both of them probably talking telepathically to each other.
"I thought you said she grew up in the forest, when she'd learn how to cook?"
"Look. I've known her for like four days. I don't have the answers to everything. My guess is that she knows how to use the portable appliances you can put in capsules and you just uhhh apply that here," I surmised. "Why are you so invested?"
Jade ignored me and continued looking over. His expression was disagreeable and unusually tense. Flax seemed to have noticed it as well, but continued to sip his water. Shizu was stirred from her lounging by the scent of cooked meat, her tongue lapping in her maw.
For some reason Jade deemed that sign an opportunity as he got up from his seat and whispered into Shizu's ear before they each got up and wandered into the kitchen. Jade leaned against the counter close to Violet.
"'ello there, Jade's the name. Well met," He said, giving her his feigned innocence smile. "You are Violet, Amethyst, the newly dubbed Zenara and Cenza, correct? A pleasure."
"Ruff ruff," Shizu barked. Flax had made his way to the counter clumsily placing his finished glass of water into the sink. He elected to simply bow.
Zenara gave Jade a weird look before going back to her meal. Meanwhile, Violet completely and utterly ignored him. She checked to make certain the meat was cooking well before preparing another bowl of greens and berries for Cenza.
"Ah the silent treatment, Topaz warned me about this. You're not a fan of humans right, yet it looks like you've gotten roped in with them now living in a nice fancy house such as this. Funny how the world works, huh," He continued.
As he went on Cenza made her way over to Flax, trying to strike up a conversation. I couldn't understand what she was saying, but I could tell Flax wasn't particularly interested. Shizu on the other hand was eyeing the meat intently.
Violet finished Cenza's bowl and handed it to her gently before looking to Shizu, past Jade. "I did not intend this meat for anyone but Amethyst, but I can make you some as well if you wish."
Shizu's mouth was salivating, but she gave a brief glance to Jade before replying. Jade gave the tiniest of nods and immediately she barked in approval. Cenza began chowing down on her salad and even offered Flax some which just earned her a glare.
Oh Cenza. Do not offer grass types salad. Especially ones with roses for hands.
Violet went to get more meat from the fridge while Amethyst watched Jade and Shizu. Not particularly tensely, just watching. Before she began cooking again, she gently pet Cenza and then kept the extra meat to the side. Once the meat already in the pan had finished, she emptied the pan out onto a plate before putting in more meat. This time for Shizu. She went about seasoning it before making Amethyst something akin to a pita wrap, which she accepted gladly and began eating.
"I've never met a Meowstic before, but I heard you're leagues beyond the rest. You up for a little sparring match with Shizu after everyone's done eating? It could be fun," Jade continued on.
Amethyst shrugged, continuing to eat. [Eh, I'll pass. We're still getting settled in and we've got work to do.]
Jade paused before he touched his head. "Telepathy," He whispered. "Interesting."
Amethyst gave him a look. [What, did you expect me to start meowing or pull up flashcards? I'm a psychic.]
Before Jade could reply Flax began speaking to Amethyst. His voice as a Roselia has become more confident and elegant, but even I could hear the authority in his tone.
Amethyst just glanced at him. [For the second one, sure, not all of them. But we're known for it just fine. And as for the first, he comes in talking about how infamous Violet is and you're really gonna expect no sass?]
And of course she heard that.
Flax stepped forward and kept scolding her, but Jade waved it off. "It's fine, Flax. It doesn't matter. Some sass isn't going to hurt anyone."
"But you're right, she's not infamous at all." He then tilted his head back to Violet. "Not famous either. You just appeared at Grand Lake Resort and the next day a truly infamous smuggler is taken down with extreme force. And now you get to live here with my best friend even though your tendency towards misanthropy is quite clear. If I didn't hear it from his mouth myself I wouldn't have believed it."
"Jade…" I called from the couch. He was doing it again. Testing someone who really doesn't want to be tested. Donut stirred from his rest at the tone of my voice, peering over the couch to witness the drama that was likely about to ensue.
Jade stroked his curly hair out of his eyes. "I saw Volkner on the way here and he mentioned how intelligent you are, Topaz said the same. Yet, your initial plan was to topple an entire Pokemon smuggling operation by yourselves and the big bad boss himself. Now in my opinion, that sounds like a suicide mission, but you tell me."
Violet continued to ignore him, finishing cooking the meat and putting it on a plate before looking at Shizu. "Where would you prefer to eat?"
"You got Topaz, Donut, Lou, Zenara and Cenza tied up in your mission as well. Got him to lie to the League and fight for his life against smugglers and Benedetto. You care so much about Pokemon yet you put four more in danger to accomplish your goals. Doesn't that bother you?" Jade asked.
He was pushing unusually hard this time. His tone remained polite and even, but his words were callous as he kept on pressing. What set him off, I don't have a clue, but it's as though as soon as he saw Violet he decided there could not be peace.
Shizu looked uncomfortable. As though she were being tested now. Shizu stared at the plate, then at Violet before huffing and walking past her to sit next to Jade. He scratched behind her ears.
"So, Violet. Does it not bother you?" Jade continued.
Violet simply put the plate on the table. "If at any point you wish to eat it, you are more than welcome to." She then looked to Jade. Her expression was the same steely cold calm, yet wrathful it was when we were in the middle of Highshire.
Uh oh.
"Do you make it a habit of wasting the air within your lungs on mindless drivel, or is that special for today?" Her eyes were cold, probably giving Snowpoint a run for its money. "At what point exactly did you decide that all actions would be decided upon by humans, and humans alone? Because you must be quite the fool to believe I would galavant across the region for nothing besides my own base desires."
"Cenza was in danger of Benedetto. Had we not stepped in, she could very easily be dead or worse. At no point did either I or Amethyst force Topaz, Donut or Lou to come along. And we began searching for him to begin with specifically so that Amethyst could get the closure she deserved after being abandoned and left to fend for herself in a foreign region. And yet you somehow believe all of that originated from me, taking no account of the Pokemon involved? Interesting, as you might say."
Jade gave her a wide grin. He had stoked the flame and the fire was burning hot. Just as he likes it. "But before they joined it was a suicide mission, yes? Your plan was to track down Benedetto, defeat all of his subordinates, release all the Pokemon he had captured and then defeat the man himself all on your own. From what I can see everyone is still recovering from having to contend with him as a team and you two expected to do it by yourself. You both knew you could very well die, correct? Maybe you calculated that would be the most likely conclusion unless he turned out to be horribly inept in even battle."
Jade stroked his hair once again. "So I must ask, did hurting that man give you a drive to keep living or will you throw your life away at every chance you get, even if it looks hopeless? Or maybe you'll just hope you wrap more poor souls into your commando lifestyle and survive by the scrape of your teeth."
Jade stared into her eyes deeply and then studied Amethyst a moment. "Did you try to kill him? Is that it?"
Violet and Amethyst shared a quick glance before Amethyst sighed, looking at Jade. [Really? Right in front of my pita wrap?] She put it down. [Fine then, guess we're doing this.]
"Do we have to?" I asked. Donut had gotten popcorn at some point, meanwhile Lou was adamantly trying to ignore the conversation, likely believing it trivial when we could all just punch each other in the face and be done with all these feelings. Honestly. I think he wishes he had arms so he could do it himself.
Violet meanwhile continued glaring daggers at Jade. "Simply because you do not have the mental capacity to fathom how such a feat could be pulled off does not mean it is impossible. Had Topaz, Donut and Lou not come into the picture there were several other courses of action."
She looked to Cenza, her eyes seeming to apologize to her for the drama before looking back to Jade. "Cenza was already running. Thus, Amethyst would have been able to detect her and we would have intercepted. The grunts and their abused Pokemon would not be an issue, due to Amethyst being able to teleport. After getting her the care she required, we could well have hacked into his systems, while not allowing him the time to register what was happening. With access to his network, configuring his grunts' communicators into beacons would be simple. Thus ensuring they would all be caught. Benedetto would likely have only recently understood what was happening after that, and we could have easily ambushed him. No fight would have taken place. The only one enduring unimaginable pain would be Benedetto, which he brought upon himself."
Violet just ticked one off her finger. "In the event that he did respond quicker and managed to be ready for an ambush, we had profiled all possible Pokemon that he would be forcing to work for him. As such, we had countermeasures in place." She took out a capsule from her pocket, opening it and showing a small pellet that looked like it could fit into a smoke ball. "Ground and dried Ganlon berries infused with a smoke bomb would negate any hope of smelling our location. Sight could not be relied on, as Topaz saw himself with Amethyst's abilities."
"Smell is directly linked to taste, and as such the smoke bomb would function perfectly fine. Hearing can also be mitigated via Amethyst's proficiency with her abilities. Touch would be difficult to account for, as most Pokemon use movements through the air or vibrations through the ground to detect others through touch. Small devices to create random wind gusts as well as ones to simulate seismic activity at various points would handle both avenues." She looked at Amethyst, who smiled.
"Wait you had all of that in your bag!?" I questioned.
[Yup,] she said calmly, [and a lot of other stuff too. Whether Dispetto popped up (which they did), if the League got in the way, if for whatever reason Galactic happened, she has like. Eight hundred something different plans for how things could've gone. The reason we didn't go for those is twofold. First off, we were unsure how good you all were at stealth.]
I thought back to Benedetto calling us mid stealth maneuvers.
There's improvement to be made.
[And second, that's more a personal thing. We knew we couldn't take him on in a head on assault without help. I really wanted to be able to, but I'm not stupid. I know I couldn't handle all of that. Even if my temper got away from me during the fight.] She looked at Donut and Lou. [Sorry again.]
Lou grunted, but Donut's response was oddly distant as all he did was blink. Jade on the other hand didn't seem convinced.
"I won't lie, the evidence showcasing you're both quite capable is clear as you're both here and alive while Benedetto will be remaining in a hospital all his life. But no matter how many plans you concocted, in the end you ended up with this reality where my best friend got mixed up in all of this. And now you're in his life yet he doesn't even know your last name or your past. Most would be a bit wary of such a person, yes?" Jade replied, a bit more calmly closing his eyes. "I suppose things worked out well enough seeing as you're all alive today, but…" He opened them once again. "Even with all of that I can't say I agree with your methods, even if they were clouded by your vendetta. But I must say this conversation was quite insightful, I feel like I know you both better already."
Jade gave them a cheerful smile. Flax and Shizu studied his face for microexpressions. After finding what they were looking for Flax said a few words to Amethyst.
Amethyst looked at him a moment before looking at Jade. [...yeah this is the reality we live in. But you're moving on from the point of you damning the both of us for it being a suicide mission pretty fast. You seem quite ready to change topics now. So let's change topics. I'm not gonna pretend I'm innocent in all this. Since I'm not. But everyone keeps thinking it's Violet who did all the things and she just. Didn't? I dunno why you humans are so obsessed with the idea it's all her doing. She helped me, not the other way 'round.]
Violet looked like she wanted to say something, but was quiet as Amethyst continued. [Focusing on her last name. Her past. We don't know much about Topaz for certain either. And besides, I dunno if Topaz told you but someone's last name isn't as relevant when you hate your birthing humans.]
"I mean if you wanna know more you could ask…" I brought up quietly which got Donut to exhale deeply.
Amethyst looked over. [Do you want to tell us more?]
"Since we're living together you'll probably learn about me regardless whether you want to or not. I don't think I've got any deep dark secrets, none that I can remember anyway," I stroked my chin in adamant thought. We don't know each other yet and thus we don't trust each other completely, but the remark about their mother… I feel like there's so much I need to know about these two to make sense of them.
"Your memory isn't-'' Jade stopped himself mid sentence when the door opened revealing a spry Volkner and Roland. "Nevermind."
"Now I'm really glad I went jogging. The tension in this room is oppressive," Volkner noted. Lou buzzed in annoyed agreement. "Sigh, well I've still got energy. Zenara, Lou, when you're both done come outside to train with Roland."
Lou's face lit up quickly at the prospect of violence. Legitimate, physical, messy violence. He swung out the room immediately. Zenara gave a gleeful "Reep!" before all but inhaling her salad, sprinting out the door. Roland nodded to everyone before following suit. Violet gave a small smile as Zenara ran out.
Volkner pointed at the three of us humans. "Stop it."
"Huh?" I questioned. "Stop what?"
"I have no clue, but it needs to be stopped. You know what, Shizu head on out there as well, it'll be good for you," Volkner continued. Shizu immediately obeyed, but not before jumping up the table and taking the meat Violet had left for her, scrambling after the others.
Donut rolled his eyes, Flax sighed and Amethyst smiled at their teammates running out the door. Cenza stared at them somewhat longingly before plopping a baby tomato into her mouth.
"Violet, when you're done here I want to discuss the tools you're going to be working with and honing your skills. We can work them out in my workshop and even more so at the gym. Topaz, I need you to go over some data for me. Jade, I need your expertise in the garden. Gardenia explained it to me, but I've no clue how to grow anything besides wacan and shuca berries," Volkner rattled off orders rapidly. "I got yache seeds as a gift, so why not."
She nodded, giving another glare to Jade who gave her a shit eating grin before walking towards the workshop. Amethyst just grabbed her pita wrap and sat on Violet's shoulder, eating it and singing mentally [We're off to code the wizard, the wonderful wizard of Oz!]. Flax's interest was finally piqued as Jade received a bag of berry seeds from Volkner before they made their way to the backyard. Meanwhile, Donut scrambled onto my shoulder to lay while I made my way to my room, checking the data Volkner sent me on my Pokedex.
I wonder if Volkner can deactivate bombs because he really diffused this situation fast.
With that we were all left to our own devices. While it was incredibly forced, I did learn a little bit more about Violet and Amethyst today. Jade really knows how to bring out the… anger in people.
~Chapter 21 Fin~
Author's Note
Happy new year, welcome 2021! It has been 5 months since the first chapter, so that's a nice milestone. Lots of new readers and conversations to be had. It's been awhile since the last chapter, so I said screw the word count, let's go wild! I figured why not indulge in major plot points, it's a new year and a new arc. I've also made a comprehensive list of all the relevant teams at the moment. Keep in mind this does not list all of their teammates yet.
~x~
Fun Facts
-Volkner's team is named after characters from the Matter of France, Charlemagne's knights (sans Cenza which is short for Cadenza).
-Cynthia's team is named after mythological figures.
-Flint's team is named after characters from Matter of Britain, King Arthur's knights.
-Lucian's team is named after famous authors.
~x~
Question: Who is your favorite psychic specialist?
~x~
Relevant Teams
Topaz Heart: Donut (Pikachu), Lou (Charjabug).
Violet Hue: Amethyst (MeowsticF), Zenara (Mareep).
Jade Forrest: Flax (Roselia), Shizu (Houndour).
x
Volkner Beacon: Roland (Electivire), Froberge (Luxray), Marsil (Ambipom), Ganelon (Octillery), Zerbino (Magnezone), Cenza (Dedenne).
x
Cynthia Valkyrie: Reginleif (Garchomp ️), Heimdall (Lucario ), Hel (Spiritomb), Idun (Roserade ️), Aphrodite (Milotic ️), Athena (Togekiss ️).
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Flint Lantern: Mordred (Magmortar), Lancelot (Infernape), (Drifblim), (Rapidash), (Flareon), (Houndoom).
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Lucian Wellread: Siegfried (Gallade), Aristotle (Espeon), (Bronzong), (Girafarig), (Mr. Mime), (Medicham).
