Happy New Year, everyone, and welcome to Season 3 of Through Their Eyes!
In spite of my lack of updates, the past months has been fairly active. Aside from all the real world stuff, I began posting Through Their Eyes on Archive Of Our Own, something that has given me a very good opportunity to zap some bugs in the early chapters. This will continue over the next couple months - nothing that will alter the plot in any major way, though.
Also on Archive Of Our Own is the beginnings of my newest fanfiction, Warping The System. For reasons that will become clear upon viewing it, I was unable to post it in . Currently, the first three chapters are up and I'm planning on updating weekly, so if you want to read that, go right ahead. Fair word of warning - it's pretty different from Through Their Eyes.
Finally, speaking of weekly updates, that will be the schedule of Through Their Eyes for the forseeable future. Especially since I'm now writing two fanfictions, there's no way I can go back to my four-day update schedule that I kept for most of Season 2. Ah, I still remember the days when I thought a two-day update schedule was a good idea...
Anyway, enough about my life. You're all here to see the Season 3 Prologue, and I'm here to show it to you, so here goes! I hope you all enjoy.
"You can relax, Medicham. Believe me, if I were here to kill you, you would already be dead. I just want to talk."
Medicham stared at Betrayer-Of-Kin with widened eyes as she stepped nonchalantly down the riverbank. Talk? All this time spent trying to murder my Trainer and now she wants to talk? What could this monster possibly have to talk about?
Medicham swallowed as Betrayer-Of-Kin inoffensively sat down next to her. "Why?" she asked. "Why should I even begin to hear you out after what you've done?"
"I'm not asking to be heard out, Medicham," said Betrayer-Of-Kin. "It is just that you have done something that not many have done in my very long lifetime." She leaned in closer. "You have interested me."
"How so?" Medicham did not untense.
Betrayer-Of-Kin's smile widened. "Over the years, I have met - and killed - many pawns of the Heralds," she said. "Trainers old and young, Pokemon of all kinds. Yet none of them - not a single one - had what you have. Knowledge." She learned back. "You know about the Heralds. You know who they are, what they've done, what they want. So tell me, Medicham. Why continue to work for them? Knowing what they've done to you, knowing that they've done the same to countless others…why do you so readily do their bidding?"
"It's not like I enjoy it," Medicham retorted. "It's not like I like the Heralds. But when it comes down to it…I'd rather live than die."
"And do you consider a life serving the Heralds' every whim a life worth living?" Betrayer-Of-Kin asked.
"It's only until-"
"Only until I'm stopped?" Betrayer-Of-Kin's eyes narrowed. "Come now, Medicham. Have you given no consideration to what happens next? You know Bringer-Of-Visions. Say she does succeed in stopping Giratina's rise. She now is at the head of a shadowy, world-spanning organization with knowledge of all possible futures…and the understanding that she can now, with impunity, alter those futures to suit her desires as she wishes. Do you really think she's just going to stop?"
Medicham felt a horrible feeling in her stomach at the thought.
"Imagine," said Betrayer-Of-Kin, "a world where every single being lives or dies at Bringer-Of-Visions's whim. Every single decision is made under Bringer-Of-Visions's watchful eye. Every Pokemon, every Trainer, everyone and everything exists to serve Bringer-Of-Visions. Is that the so-called life you would champion? Can you honestly claim that is preferable to death?"
Medicham shook her head. "There has to be another way to avert that than allowing the apocalypse to happen! Tell me, did you even try to think of another way before you stabbed him in the back and left to join Giratina?"
Betrayer-Of-Kin stared at Medicham. "Him," she whispered; Medicham realized her slip of the tongue, and panic filled her mind. "You don't just know about the Heralds…you know everything."
I can't deny it…I have to double down. Medicham gulped. "Yes," she said. "I do…Bringer-Of-Visions."
Betrayer-Of-Kin didn't even twitch. "That is not my name," she growled. "That is a title. One representative of a position that I have long since abandoned."
"Why?" Medicham demanded. "Why would you throw away everything he gave you? Why would you allow someone like her to come to power? Why would you allow that just to become a killer in the service of an abomination like Giratina?"
"Because I had no choice!" Betrayer-Of-Kin snapped, her calm demeanor slipping for a moment. In another she was back to calmness. "I did not betray Darkrai lightly, Medicham. The Heralds gained their name because of me. I was Darkrai's emissary. I was his eyes, I was his ears, I was his will. For a thousand years, I served him without question. I believed in him. I worshiped him. And together we worked to ensure one thing: that time was protected from those who would try and control it, to use it for their own gain." Her eyes narrowed. "To create Splinter Timelines in order to exact their will upon time itself."
"This is different," Medicham argued.
"No," Betrayer-Of-Kin said curtly. "No, it isn't. You must understand, Medicham: if there had been one single timeline where the apocalypse did not take place, I would have stayed with Darkrai, and I would have done anything to ensure that timeline came to pass." She sighed softly and shook her head. "But there was not. Every single timeline, Prime or Alternate, ends in Giratina's rise. The apocalypse cannot be averted without the creation of a Splinter Timeline. Time itself has stated that this world is doomed. To go against time…to do the very thing that we had spent a thousand years fighting to prevent others from doing…I cannot accept it."
"And yet," said Medicham, "it seems like you're the only one."
"Yes, it seems I am," said Betrayer-Of-Kin, her voice momentarily taking on an air of wistfulness. "For what it's worth, I did try and think of another way. Before I even considered betraying Darkrai, I went to him and told him of my qualms. I hoped he would listen to me. He always had before. But this time he refused. When I told him he was going against everything the Heralds stood for, he said in response that he knew, but that he couldn't just sit back and let the world be destroyed."
"And you can?" Medicham asked.
"Yes." Again Betrayer-Of-Kin's response was curt and blunt. "That is my purpose. My very reason for existence is to keep time on its course. And as much as I owed Darkrai, as much as I worshiped him, I simply could not bring myself to follow someone who was willing to abandon that charge the instant it was convenient for him."
"It's not about convenience!" Medicham cried. "It's about life! Darkrai cares for the lives of everyone living in this world - our experiences, our knowledge, our connections! But you don't even care who Marcus is, do you? You don't care about the friends he's made, the path he's taken, the life he's lived. He's just an obstacle to you, isn't he? An Arceus-damned hurdle in your path!"
"Precisely." Betrayer-Of-Kin continued to stare into Medicham's eyes. "And if you were really as smart as you seem to think you are, you'd let me kill him."
"Never," Medicham snarled.
Betrayer-Of-Kin sighed again, taking a step back. "You really are shortsighted," she said. "I see now why you continue to serve the Heralds. I wish I could say that speaking to you was worthwhile. But even with your memories intact, you're still content to act like a mindless puppet, to foster a world where time is bent and twisted at the Heralds' will, and where Bringer-Of-Visions controls all. I see no reason to further waste my time."
Medicham opened her mouth for a retort, but as Betrayer-Of-Kin stood and began to walk away, no words came to her throat.
Betrayer-Of-Kin stopped at the edge of the treeline, glancing back at Medicham. "Your Trainer is lucky," she said. "Killing a normal Trainer is easy enough. Local authorities and perhaps the Trainers' grieving families are easy enough to avoid. But killing a Gym Leader would bring far too much heat. Other Gym Leaders, the International Police, even Elite Four members might become involved. And if that happened, the Heralds would find it all too easy to take advantage of it. Perhaps they would even be able to use them to bring me down. So your Trainer is safe from me. For now."
The Absol's eyes narrowed once again. "But if you think I'm done, you're wrong. It could take years…but I will find a way. Marcus will die by my hand. That is a promise." With that, Betrayer-Of-Kin disappeared in a burst of Oblivion, leaving Medicham alone with only the familiar surroundings of the stump-dominated clearing for company.
Medicham waited for several more seconds before she finally untensed. Betrayer-Of-Kin was gone, but her words remained, and they repeated over and over through Medicham's mind as she stood in the center of the clearing.
Do you consider a life serving the Heralds' every whim a life worth living?
Medicham had always considered Betrayer-Of-Kin an enemy. She saw no reason to change her mind on that front. Whatever the Absol's motives, the fact remained that her goal was to kill Marcus, and there was no way Medicham would ever let her do that.
But the thought of a world ruled by Bringer-Of-Visions terrified Medicham. All the pain and suffering, both physical and psychological, that the leader of the Heralds had inflicted on Medicham came roaring back to her mind in full force. The thought of her friends enduring such torment made Medicham's blood boil.
But causing the apocalypse isn't the answer.
In Betrayer-Of-Kin's mind, stopping the apocalypse would inevitably lead to a world ruled by Bringer-Of-Visions. But Medicham had no intention of accepting either outcome. There has to be another way, she'd told Betrayer-Of-Kin, and the Absol's refusal to believe that hadn't changed Medicham's position.
Medicham finally roused herself. Turning, she began to step away from the gigantic tree stump, moving in the direction of where she knew Sarah and James's house lay. There is another way, she told herself. And whatever that way is, when the time comes…
I will find it.
TWO AND A HALF YEARS LATER
"Primeape, Focus Blast!"
"Houndoom, block with Flamethrower!"
With mingled cries of "Anger Point: Furious Shot!" and "Flame Tongue!", the two opposing Pokemon flung energy outwards, a gigantic sphere of Fighting energy meeting a stream of Fire energy. But with the Primeape's Anger Point Ability allowing him to channel his emotions - namely rage - into his attacks to power them up, and the fact that Houndoom had already exhausted himself finishing off the opposing Trainer's Heracross, the Focus Blast swiftly overpowered the Flamethrower, and Houndoom was struck head-on by the explosive attack, sending him flying backwards, his limbs flailing limply as he sailed past Marcus straight into the wall behind him.
Drapion watched from his Luxury Ball as Houndoom's unconscious body was recalled. He knew he had an uphill battle ahead - Trainers with type specialties good against Dark were always annoying. This particular Trainer was an aspiring Fighting-type master named Don who had only lost his Hitmontop and Heracross in the process of bringing down Liepard, Pangoro, and Houndoom.
Which left another Pokemon for Drapion to face even if he managed to bring down this Primeape. At least, from the opposing Trainer's comments, this Primeape was his Starter, meaning that his last Pokemon would be weaker than it.
"You've done well so far," said Marcus, "but it's time to see just how much you rely on your precious type advantage. Drapion, let's finish this!"
Drapion grinned as he was sent out. He'd liked the 'precious' Marcus had tossed in; it was good to maintain the tough image Marcus had cultivated over the past years. And Drapion was always pleased to reinforce that image further; plenty of Trainers had lost their challenges to him, unable to make it through his bulk and his peculiar typing that left him with no weaknesses against the common Dark-type answers of Fighting, Bug, and Fairy.
Officially, Pangoro was Marcus's Ace, since it was the only member of his team that originated from Kalos. But any Trainer who had challenged the Laverre City Gym knew that Drapion was his real strongest member, and since those who hadn't didn't know that, oftentimes Trainers who had beaten Pangoro would get overconfident, lowering their guard, expecting the battle to effectively already be over.
Just one more piece of misdirection in a Gym that thrived on it.
Drapion glared into the eyes of the Primeape opposite him. The Fighting-type hadn't needed to expend much effort to fell Houndoom, but he had revealed his Ability. A straightforward power increase would be easier to handle than, say, that Cradily last week - how was Drapion meant to know that Suction Cups would allow it to cling to his body, using his own arms as platforms to launch attacks while he'd been unable to shake it off no matter what he tried?
"You think I haven't studied my type matchups?" Don retorted. "Primeape, Stomping Tantrum!"
Primeape leaped forwards, bunching his legs under him, and as he descended he slammed them both into the ground. "Anger Point: Furious Quake!" Primeape bellowed; the power of the blast of Ground energy that shot outwards was impressive for a five-badge Trainer.
"Protect, then Poison Jab!" Marcus called.
But all that power was rendered useless by Drapion's Protect. The barrier of energy took the bulk of the attack, and as the remnants flew past Drapion on either side the Poison/Dark-type lunged forwards at the off-balance Primeape. "Rip!" he snarled, lashing out at the Fighting-type with one arm, claws glistening with Poison energy.
"Block with Brick Break!" Don ordered, but Primeape was still staggering from his clumsy landing. He clearly hadn't expected Drapion to be able to negate the attack, and all he could do was get up one Fighting energy-enhanced arm. Drapion's strike bulldozed through Primeape's defense, and his claws sank deep into Primeape's shoulder. Primeape snarled in pain, dropping to one knee.
"Stomping Tantrum!" Don cried worriedly.
"Battle Armor!" Marcus called, recognizing that there was no time to get up a Protect.
Drapion stepped backwards, echoing Marcus's words as his chitinous reserves sprang forth, wrapping around his front legs and belly as Primeape unleashed another Anger Point-fueled Furious Quake. The attack hit, and Drapion stumbled backwards with a growl of pain, but the chitinous armor dampened the impact significantly, whereas as Drapion came down, he could see Primeape's wound glistening purple and knew he'd managed to inject some poison into the Fighting-type's body.
"Figures," Primeape growled, glancing at the injury.
"Close Combat!" Don ordered. "Overwhelm him!"
Primeape charged, fists drawn back in preparation for a barrage of punches. "Anger Point: Furious Flurry!"
"Protect and Dig!" Marcus retorted.
Drapion saw Don purse his lips and shot the Trainer a smirk as he raised another Barrier. As Primeape's rapid-fire barrage of fists slammed into the Protect, Drapion reared up and slammed his claws into the floor. "Burrow!" Ground energy rippled around him as he dove into the ground, evading Primeape's swinging fists as the Protect dissolved.
There was only so much space between the floor of the arena and the ceiling of the room below, but Marcus had made sure it was enough to fit Drapion, and so he had plenty of space to maneuver. "Go in after him!" Don told his Primeape.
Drapion heard a grunt of effort from behind as Primeape obeyed his Trainer's order. He hid another grin; it was always nice when his adversaries were foolish enough to try and confront him underground. Drapion twisted in the narrow confines and began to dig upwards, listening to Primeape's footfalls as the Fighting-type rushed down the tunnel Drapion had dug.
He's coming closer…closer…
Now!
Drapion slammed through the earth underneath him and dropped down right on top of the charging Primeape. Primeape grunted in surprise as Drapion, with a growl of "Prey!", jammed every spike on his body into the Fighting-type. Primeape struggled furiously, but was unable to break free as Drapion tore into him with claws and teeth.
"Anger Point: Seismic Fury!" Primeape snarled through gritted teeth; Fighting energy flared up around Primeape and he surged upwards, carrying the surprised Drapion with him. They exploded through the floor, Primeape bearing Drapion on his back; the Fighting-type swiftly hauled back and, with a yell of "Anger Point: Furious Fist!", delivered a vicious punch right to Drapion's face that sent him reeling back.
"Anger Point: Furious Flurry!" Primeape pressed, hoping to catch Drapion as he staggered backwards. But Marcus's cry of "Protect, now!" galvanized Drapion into action, and he raised a barrier in time to deflect another barrage of fists from Primeape, giving Drapion time to recover and regain his bearings.
He could at once tell that Primeape was weakening. The poison combined with Drapion's successful ambush had done a number on the Fighting-type, and Drapion could see it in the stumble of Primeape's foot as he broke through the Protect, could see it in his wearied eyes as they focused on Drapion once more. "Keep up Battle Armor," Marcus urged. "And Earthquake!"
Gym Leaders were allowed to change their allowed movesets via appeal to the League submitted during the three-month break after the Pokemon League Tournament. After the first year of battling, noticing that Drapion's allotted moveset made him incredibly one-note - defensively powerful but not much else - Marcus had successfully appealed to the League to allow Drapion to use Earthquake in his Gym Battles. Now Drapion, grinning at the sight of Don's eyes widening, reared up with Ground energy rippling around his front legs once more. "Quake!" he roared, slamming his legs down and unleashing a fast-moving wave of Ground energy across the field.
"Counter with Stomping Tantrum!" Don cried. "Then Outrage!"
"Anger Point: Furious Quake!" Fueled by rage, the blast of Ground energy Primeape unleashed was even stronger than the previous ones, and it was enough to counter the Earthquake, the two waves breaking against one another. Primeape let out an enraged howl. "Anger Point: Raging Fury!" Dragon energy burst forth across Primeape's body, and he sprang at Drapion with the force of a thunderbolt.
"Protect and Dig," Marcus stated simply.
Once again, Drapion raised a Barrier, then reared up and dove underground as Primeape flailed ineffectually. "Under again!" Don cried, but this time Primeape, caught in the throes of Outrage, was deaf to his Trainer's command, stomping around with eyes flicking from side to side as he searched blindly for his adversary.
"If that's your strongest, this will be over quickly," said Marcus. "Finish it, Drapion."
Drapion leaped upwards; Primeape's stomping let Drapion know exactly where the Fighting-type was, and he cannoned out of the floor straight into Primeape's midsection. Primeape was flung backwards, the Dragon energy fading from around him as he flew through the air. Drapion watched as Primeape landed on the ground, skidding to a halt at Don's feet.
Don reached for Primeape's Pokeball, but his hand stopped halfway there. Marcus frowned; Drapion's gaze, which had turned away from Primeape, swiveled back towards the fallen Fighting-type in time to see him beginning to glow with light.
Evolutionary light.
Primeape's entire body erupted with it, and Marcus, Drapion, and Don all watched with amazement (and alarm in the eyes of the former two) as the Fighting-type's eyes opened and he began to rise in the midst of the storm of light. Drapion watched as the light faded, leaving behind a very different Pokemon than the one he'd sent flying. This new Pokemon had the features of Primeape, but instead of the tan furry skin and darker brown limbs that had formed Primeape's body, the new Pokemon's body was dark gray, its fur looking almost like smoke as it shifted back and forth through the air. Its eyes were now pure blood red, and the shackles that had once adorned its wrists were cracked and broken.
And yet, somehow, Drapion could tell that under that simmering exterior the new arrival onto the field was perfectly, impossibly calm.
"Annihilape…" Don grinned. "Let's take this stupid Drapion down! Stomping Tantrum, then Rage Fist!"
"It's weak to Dark-type moves now!" Marcus countered. "Counter with Earthquake, Battle Armor, and then hit it with everything you've got!"
"Quake!" "Furious Quake." Blasts of Ground energy flew from both Annihilape and Drapion; this time, though, no Anger Point strengthened Annihilape's attack. Instead, the Ground-type attack was focused, a spear rather than a shockwave, and it split Drapion's Quake down the middle, leaving the rest of it to fly uselessly past Annihilape. The newly evolved Annihilape rushed forwards, Ghost energy gathering around his fists as he charged Drapion; Drapion readied his Battle Armor and lunged as well, arms flaring with Dark energy.
Annihilape's movements were far more controlled than earlier; it was like fighting a completely different Pokemon. Whereas Primeape would have charged straight in, leaving himself open, Annihilape stopped short, raising his fists in preparation as Drapion hurled himself at him. Drapion's initial swipe was accompanied by a snarl of "Battle Armor: Slam!", but Annihilape drew back a Ghost and Fighting energy-enhanced fist and drove a swift punch into Drapion's swinging limb, stopping it cold from the sheer force of the attack. Drapion stumbled, having not expected the sudden resistance, and Annihilape twisted towards him, hauling back once more. "Furious Fist." Annihilape's punch ripped straight through Drapion's Battle Armor, and once more Drapion was sent reeling, this time with blood shedding from his jaw as he recoiled.
"Furious Shot."
"Barrier!" Drapion snarled, deflecting the Focus Blast with a rapid Protect. "Pursuit!" Marcus ordered. "Keep him at range!"
"No Escape!" Drapion growled, but Annihilape was again ready for Drapion's assault. "Furious Flurry," the Ghost/Fighting-type retorted, unleashing a blisteringly fast barrage of punches that tore the Pursuit rays straight out of the air. "Blast!" Drapion cried, but Annihilape was swift to counter the Cross Poison with a Furious Fist, and this time he followed up with another spear-like Furious Quake that Drapion had to counter with another Earthquake of his own.
Drapion grimaced. He's a lot stronger now. At full power I could easily crush this thing…but at my Gym Leader-regulated power level, I'm not sure I can win this.
In that moment of nervousness, Don called another order. "Swagger!"
"Inciting Fury," Annihilape stated, and something in his words infuriated Drapion. Rage filled him, blinding him as he lunged forwards, wanting only to rip Annihilape to shreds. Marcus's voice sounded dimly, but Drapion couldn't hear him and didn't care what he was saying.
His arm flew forwards, augmented by Battle Armor, and Annihilape smoothly twisted away from the blow and, with a murmur of "Furious Fist", delivered a vicious blow to the side of Drapion's face, sending him sprawling to the ground.
"Furious Quake."
The spear of Ground energy arced towards Drapion as if in slow motion, and even through the haze of fury Drapion knew it was going to hit him. There was no time for Protect; Drapion tensed, hoping he could somehow tank the blow-
And then he was back in his Luxury Ball as Marcus recalled him out of the attack.
Marcus sighed. "Congratulations on your evolution," he said. "And on your victory. The Dusk Badge is yours."
He stepped across the field to shake Don's hand and give him the badge. Don recalled his Annihilape before reciprocating, praising the Ghost/Fighting-type for his hard fight as he did so. Despite the anger at losing, Drapion felt a measure of pride - he remembered so many examples of similar situations from Marcus's own Gym Challenge, and knew exactly how Don must be feeling right now.
"Thanks," said Don. "Not sure if I would have won without it, to be honest."
"Hey, a win's a win," said Marcus. "If I may ask, how did you beat Viola?"
"I've also got a Gurdurr and a Hakamo-O," Don answered. "They're both good with Rock-type moves. Still wasn't easy, though."
"I'll bet," Marcus murmured. "You've gotten lucky so far with your type matchups, but you're not going to be able to beat Olympia with just brute force."
"I had a feeling." Don shrugged. "Heracross is my main answer for Psychic-types, and, well, now I've got Annihilape…but I might want a Dark-type."
"Maybe," said Marcus. "As you've seen, I'm partial to Pangoro myself. But aside from that, this might help." Reaching into his pocket, he handed Don a TM. "This contains Sucker Punch - your Hitmontop should be able to learn it."
"Thanks, I'm sure he'll be able to make good use of it," said Don. "Anyway, I should probably be getting to the Pokemon Center."
"Yeah, me too," Marcus admitted. Nodding, Don stepped away, moving through the back door that led out of the Laverre City Gym and down to the ground. Marcus did not follow, instead turning towards the intercom system set up in the main room that led to all the other rooms in the building. "All right, we're done for the day," he said into the speakers.
Drapion smiled exhaustedly. Another day done. Though not quite done for Marcus…to be honest, I'm glad I get to stay in the Pokemon Center while he has to go to this 'League dinner party' or whatever official name they're calling it.
And I also can't help but feel sorry for Medicham and the others - I know they like it when Marcus visits, but the visit really shouldn't involve them having to accompany Marcus to such a boring event.
He pushed those thoughts out of his mind as Marcus turned and began to head out of the Gym after Don. Right now, all he was worried about was getting a good night's sleep in preparation for tomorrow, and the day after that, and the day after that. That was the life of a Gym Leader's Pokemon. A life of constant battling and even more constant exhaustion.
But it was a life that Drapion very much enjoyed.
"Skill Link: Wave Blast!"
Cloyster spun in place, unleashing five separate streams of Water energy arcing through the air, the outwards-soaring streams curving inwards as they flew so that all five streams streaked at his adversary.
The adversary in question crouched, his clawed feet digging into the earth. "Strong Jaw: Air Gnash!" Kamado's jaws clamped shut, the force of his bite strong enough to unleash a wave of air outwards, intercepting the barrage of Water energy and dissipating it in midair.
Kriesh watched as Kamado surged forwards, a roar of "Rock Wave!" flying from his open maw as he did so; the ground around him surged upwards, a barrage of Rock energy flying forwards at Cloyster, only for the Water/Ice-type to deflect it with a shout of "Skill Link: Impenetrable Shell!" A Protect sprang up in front of Cloyster, while another one did the same behind him. The first Protect deflected the Rock Wave; as Kamado charged, head lowered with a roar of "Rock Slam!", Cloyster spun, carrying the second Protect with him, and deflected that as well, retaliating with a swift Ice Blast that sent Kamado stumbling away.
"Strong Jaw: Air Gnash!" Again Kamado's jaws snapped shut hard enough to unleash a sharp blast of pseudo-wind, and it was Cloyster's turn to stumble backwards. The Tyrantrum had unlocked his Ability a little over a year and a half ago; Strong Jaw drastically increased the force of his bite, which naturally made his melee biting attacks stronger, but under tutelage from Medicham Kamado had learned to send out waves of disturbed air by slamming his jaws shut with his Ability active, giving him a fast and powerful ranged attack that he otherwise lacked.
"Skill Link: Self-Duplication!" Cloyster countered by forming several copies of himself, similar to Double Team. "Split Wave Blast!" Each of the duplicates of Cloyster produced a powerful Hydro Pump, the powerful streams once more arcing towards Kamado's form. The Self-Duplication technique had been another new Ability usage taught by Medicham; thanks to her, all of Marcus's Pokemon had learned several new uses for their Abilities in the past couple years.
Kriesh herself had not been excluded; neither had Trevenant, who was standing beside her, watching as Kamado and Cloyster sparred in Sarah and James's yard. "Who do you think's winning?" the Grass/Ghost-type asked.
"I don't know," Kriesh murmured as Kamado, utilizing a quick activation of Rock Polish, leaped away from Cloyster's barrage of Hydro Pumps, each blast of Water energy sending up a spray of earth as it impacted the ground where Kamado had been standing. "They seem evenly matched."
"Figures," said Trevenant. "Ice beats Dragon, Dragon beats Water, Water beats Rock, Rock beats Ice. Neither of them has a clear type advantage over the other - it's a battle of pure power, except Medicham isn't involved."
As Trevenant chuckled at his own joke, Kriesh sighed and turned away, her eyes focusing on Medicham. The Fighting/Psychic-type and Marcus's Ace was sitting on the other side of the yard, legs and arms crossed in a meditative position. Kriesh's eyes flashed for a moment towards Medicham's missing right forearm. She'd long since gotten used to seeing a rounded stump where that had been, but sometimes she still caught herself thinking of it as unnatural; she quickly tore her gaze away.
"She's been sitting there for the past few hours," Trevenant observed. "Do you think she's all right?"
"You know she does this sometimes," said Kriesh. "She's a Medicham. It's in the name."
"I guess," said Trevenant. "Oh, wow!"
That last comment was drawn from Kamado slamming the crown of his head into the chest of one of Cloyster's duplicates. The duplicate disappeared in a puff of dissipating energy as Kamado spun, tail slashing through another duplicate. "Strong Jaw: Electric Gnash!" Kamado snarled, his teeth crackling with Electric energy as he lunged for another Cloyster. Based on the Impenetrable Shell that sprang up, this was the correct one, and indeed the Cloyster in question shifted backwards as his two remaining duplicates moved forwards, arraying themselves in front of the real Cloyster. Kamado crouched again, readying for another charge.
And then there was a flash of light from Kriesh's left, and Kriesh turned to see Marcus, materializing a little ways away from the house's gate with a League Kirlia - one he'd used several times before - standing next to him.
"Marcus!" Trevenant greeted excitedly. Cloyster and Kamado swiftly abandoned their spar, stepping over to greet Marcus as well. Kriesh hung back, turning her head towards Medicham. "Sniper: Vox," she whispered, aiming her voice next to Medicham's ear. "Marcus is here," she whispered; Medicham's head snapped upwards and she turned. Seeing Marcus, she rose and began to move over towards the rest of the team. Satisfied, Kriesh twisted herself, following Trevenant, Cloyster, and Kamado as they clustered around Marcus.
Using her Sniper Ability to 'aim' her voice and senses, allowing her to extend them far beyond where they normally could reach, was one of Kriesh's personal favorite newer techniques.
"It's good to see all of you," said Marcus, looking around at his assembling team. "I'm sorry I couldn't bring the others this time; they're still recovering in the Pokemon Center from our last battle."
"It's good to see you too, Marcus," Medicham said telepathically as she walked over, speaking for all of them.
"Now I wish I could just hang out," said Marcus, "but Diantha unexpectedly arranged a League dinner party tonight on fairly short notice. I didn't want to cancel my planned visit here, so…I was hoping you'd be willing to come, and I could enjoy some time with the rest of my team on a night that would otherwise be…ah…"
"Boring?" Medicham guessed.
"Yeah, that," said Marcus.
"I'd be willing to go," said Kriesh. "Do you want me to fly you?" She glanced at Medicham, waiting for a telepathic translation.
"It's fine." The League Kirlia piped up. "I can teleport him. It's my job, after all."
Kriesh nodded at Kirlia. Trevenant spoke up. "I'll go as well!"
"I think we can all go," said Cloyster. Medicham looked to Kamado, who nodded, and then back to Marcus. "We'll all come with you."
Marcus smiled. "That's good to hear. We don't have to leave for another half-hour, so why don't you all catch me up on what you've been up to in the past week?"
The Kalos Pokemon League was shining with light; the sun had only just dipped below the horizon, leaving the sky purple and starry but not yet ink-black. As Marcus materialized, the League Kirlia at his side and five Luxury Balls clustered around his belt, the facade of the building where the dinner would be rose up in front of him. Medicham recognized the building; it was the same building that Steven had hosted his brunch social in. The same building that had been the site of Marcus's confrontation with Calem, just before their fateful battle.
Medicham knew Marcus had been to several of these League dinners. It was expected that Gym Leaders (at least ones without scheduling conflicts due to Gym Battles and the like) would attend them. But this was the first one she'd been to, and as such she was initially taken aback by the sheer amount of lights that blazed from the building. It was like a signal; clearly the League didn't want anybody to get lost in the admittedly expansive cluster of buildings that surrounded the main Kalos Pokemon League building and its adjoining arena.
"Ah, Marcus." An elderly female voice came from the side. "Glad you could make it."
"Drasna," Marcus greeted, shaking the hand of the Dragon-type Elite Four member. "You're looking well."
"Age hasn't caught up with me yet," said Drasna with a smile as the two of them began to step towards the lit-up building. "How's that Tyrantrum of yours holding up?"
"Pretty well," said Marcus. "Have I told you about Air Gnash?"
"No, do tell," Drasna responded. Medicham found herself tuning out their chatting; it wasn't that their conversation wasn't interesting, it was that her eyes had fallen on another Trainer who was standing in front of the building. She recognized Karen immediately, and also recognized the Absol standing beside her, looking up at his Trainer as Karen spoke to a League official about something Medicham couldn't make out.
Walker-Of-Paths. The last time she'd seen this Absol, he'd made it clear that he was very much a fanatic in the vein of Bringer-Of-Visions. Medicham liked Karen - from what she'd heard, the Dark-type Elite Four member had visited the Laverre City Gym a couple times to see Theo, and had been nothing but cordial to Marcus - but Walker-Of-Paths was a Herald Medicham wanted nothing to do with.
Medicham hoped Marcus wouldn't attract Walker-Of-Paths' attention, but those hopes were dashed as Marcus raised his voice. "Karen! I didn't realize you'd be here."
Karen and Walker-Of-Paths both turned. "Marcus, good to see you again," said Karen, stepping over. "How's Theo?"
"He's doing well," said Marcus, but as they spoke, Medicham's attention was once again drawn to Walker-Of-Paths. Her worst fears were confirmed; the Herald was staring right at her Luxury Ball, and as Medicham locked eyes with him she heard a telepathic voice in her mind.
"Third door on the right. One hour."
"What do you mean?" Medicham asked, but Walker-Of-Paths had already looked away, and no response came. Marcus, Karen, and Drasna were already walking through the wide-open double doors and into the building; the interior was, if possible, even brighter than the exterior. The room was illuminated by a great chandelier and dominated by a long, white-clothed table in the center of the room, covered with all manner of dishes. Glancing around, Medicham noticed that aside from Karen, everyone else in the room was Kalosian; she could see Wulfric and Ramos talking on one side of the room, Clemont in a cluster with Wikstrom and Grant on the other, Siebold, Viola, and Korrina waiting in line to select from a plate of hors d'oeuvres, and Diantha standing in the back of the room, chatting with Olympia and Emma over glasses of wine.
So why would Karen be here?
Medicham did not have much time to ponder the reason for Karen's presence, for Marcus had just excused himself from Karen and Drasna to move over towards a fairly large area on the right side of the room that was occupied by quite a few other Pokemon. As Marcus moved in that direction, Medicham spotted four doors lining the right wall of the room; all of them were closed, and from the lack of light shining through from the other side, none of them were currently in use.
Third door on the right.
"I'll get you after the dinner," said Marcus, "and we'll have a good few hours to ourselves, okay?"
"Okay," said Medicham halfheartedly. She felt a measure of guilt at Marcus's sigh; clearly he'd misinterpreted her lack of excitement. The Trainer swiftly released her and the others into the Pokemon area, murmuring a last goodbye before stepping back into the main room.
Left alone, Medicham shifted over to Kriesh as Trevenant, Cloyster, and Kamado spread out to socialize with the other Pokemon in the area. "Kriesh, there's a Herald here," Medicham told the Fearow telepathically; she saw Kriesh stiffen slightly. "Karen's Absol - his name's Walker-Of-Paths. From what I know of him, he's as fanatical as they come."
"What does he want?" Kriesh asked, giving no outward indication that she was speaking to Medicham.
"All he said was 'third door on the right, one hour," said Medicham; Kriesh's eyes quickly swiveled over to the door in question. "He didn't bother with clarification."
"It's been two and a half years since they've tried to contact you," said Kriesh. "Why here, and why now?"
"I don't know," Medicham admitted. "Something about this is off. But I can't ignore this."
"I'll keep my hearing up," Kriesh promised. "If they do anything to hurt you, I'll be there before you know it."
"Thanks, Kriesh," said Medicham. "Let's…try and enjoy ourselves in the meantime. We've got an hour until I need to meet Walker-Of-Paths - it won't do to spend all that time worrying."
"Right," said Kriesh, turning away. But as the Fearow moved after the other three members of the team, Medicham found herself reluctant to follow her own advice. For the next hour, she moved around the area, attempting to socialize, but she found her speech was awkward, her words halting and distracted.
The hour passed by glacially slow. At some point, the Trainers in the main room sat down and began to eat, and several large plates of food were summarily distributed to the Pokemon. Medicham nibbled on a few berries and Pokeblocks, but they all tasted wrong, and even though her stomach growled with hunger at the sight of so much delicious-looking food, Medicham found herself unable to swallow more than a few bites. She found herself closely eyeing a clock perched upon a wall in the main room, watching the minutes and seconds tick away.
At length, though, as the final seconds of the hour passed by, Medicham spotted Walker-Of-Paths again; the Absol was stepping out of the Pokemon area, moving towards the door he'd told Medicham to come to. His head swung around as he walked up to the door, his eyes locking with Medicham's. With a gulp she fervently hoped wasn't too loud, Medicham rose, stepping after Walker-Of-Paths, trying not to look too hurried.
The last thing she needed was someone asking where she was going.
Thankfully, the surrounding Pokemon were engrossed in eating or making conversation with one another, and Medicham reached the edge of the Pokemon area without being stopped. Over the edge of the low barrier surrounding the area she went, and now the door was within sight. Walker-Of-Paths was already moving through it; picking up her pace, Medicham hurried towards the door, reaching it before it closed fully.
She was already in the room before she even began to wonder how the door had opened in the first place. Then the sound of footfalls came from above, and Medicham looked up to see none other than Bringer-Of-Visions, perched atop one of the many shelves that lined the room; clearly, she had been the one to open the door. Medicham had to stop herself from shuddering at the sight of the leader of the Heralds as Bringer-Of-Visions carefully but quickly hopped down from the shelf, landing lightly on the floor behind Medicham. The door slid shut.
"Why-" Medicham began.
"You will speak when spoken to," Walker-Of-Paths growled.
Bringer-Of-Visions glanced backwards, making sure the door was closed. Even after it was, she waited a torturously long time before finally opening her mouth. "Hello, Spirit," she said. "It's been a while."
Medicham nodded, unwilling to speak.
"Your questions must wait," said Bringer-Of-Visions. "We will take you to Oblivion. All will be explained there. Walker?"
Without hesitation, Walker-Of-Paths began to hum the notes of a Perish Song. Medicham stood where she was uncomfortably, waiting for the song to finish. Bringer-Of-Visions' eyes were fixed on her, and Medicham began to shift under her gaze, scared to even adjust her posture.
Finally, Walker-Of-Paths' voice reached a crescendo, and the room faded from existence around them as Oblivion took its place. Only when the blackness had fully enveloped the three Pokemon did Bringer-Of-Visions speak again. "I believe," she said, "you were about to ask why we chose to contact you again."
Medicham nodded. "I've kept quiet for the past two and a half years," she said.
"I know," said Bringer-Of-Visions, "which is why I have not seen the need to pay you a visit in the past two and a half years. I did not arrange this meeting to offer you a rebuke, Spirit. I arranged this meeting because Marcus is about to embark upon the next stage of his journey. Follow me."
Bringer-Of-Visions turned and began to walk. Medicham followed, keenly aware of Walker-Of-Paths bringing up the rear, his eyes locked on her back. As the three stepped through the formless expanse of Oblivion, Medicham saw a hole beginning to open some distance away, a hole through which Medicham could see light and hear the murmur of speech.
As they reached the hole, Bringer-Of-Visions stepped aside. "They cannot see or hear us," she said. Medicham stepped up to the hole, slightly confused, and then her eyes widened as she spotted Marcus.
He was sitting in a chair, Karen on one side and Clemont on the other, taking a bite of what looked like roasted Fletchinder while carrying on a conversation with the Electric-type Gym Leader about the new lighting system he'd installed in the Lumiose Gym last month. This is what he's doing right now, Medicham realized; as she thought that, she saw a waiter slide up between Marcus and Karen. "Diantha wants to see you both," the waiter whispered; Marcus looked suddenly nervous as both he and Karen rose, following the waiter towards a flight of stairs.
"We will follow," said Bringer-Of-Visions, stepping forwards unexpectedly. To Medicham's shock, the hole to the real world moved with her, as if it were the lens of a camera Bringer-Of-Visions was holding. Medicham followed once more, watching as Marcus, Karen, and the waiter moved up the spiraling staircase and towards a fairly ornate-looking door.
Through the door they moved, and Medicham saw Diantha sitting on the other side of a lovely wooden desk. Her Gardevoir was at her side, as it always was. Diantha smiled as Marcus and Karen entered the room. "Thank you," she told the waiter; the waiter bowed, and at that Diantha indicated a pair of chairs on the other side of the desk. "Please, sit," she said.
Marcus and Karen sat. "Thank you for the dinner, Diantha," said Karen.
"It was my pleasure," said Diantha. "But I am afraid I have not been entirely honest with you, Karen. I did not invite you here on a whim - in fact, I must confess that this dinner party was staged in order to bring you and Marcus here. So let us get this over with. Have either of you had any contact with Piers in the past two months?"
Marcus looked puzzled. "No," he said; Karen gave a similar answer.
Diantha frowned. "I suspected as much. Two months ago, Piers and all his Gym Trainers went dark - no pun intended. My attempts to reestablish contact have met with failure. From what I can tell from the other Galarians, he's still technically the Dark-type Gym Leader of Galar, but they're being frustratingly cagey about the situation. I invited you to this dinner, Karen, in order to ascertain whether you happened to know anything about Piers's situation - I know both you and Marcus are tangentially associated with one of his former Gym Trainers, Connie."
"I can ask Connie," said Marcus. "I haven't heard anything from her regarding Piers, but then again, I haven't asked recently."
"Please do," said Diantha. "I hope this situation can be resolved in the coming months. But…well, as you know, this coming year Kanto-Johto will be hosting the International League, and if Piers's non-contact persists, Galarian participation in the International League will be in jeopardy. Marcus, if by the end of the Kalos Pokemon League Tournament there is still no contact with Piers, then I must ask you to check on the situation."
"You want me to go to Galar?" Marcus asked.
"If it becomes necessary," said Diantha. "As has been established, you're the Dark-type Trainer with the closest relationship to Piers - he's notoriously fairly standoffish with other people of authority. So you're the one he'll be most likely to talk to."
"I suppose that makes sense," Karen admitted. "You'll be right in the thick of the Galarian Gym Challenge. They do it differently over there - they select a bunch of Trainers through endorsements by Gym Leaders, Elite Four members, and other authority figures, then send them through the Gym Challenge. It only takes a month from beginning to end. Point is, if Piers is still a Gym Leader, the Gym Challengers will have to go to him for a badge."
"So I should try and tag along with a Galarian Gym Challenger?" Marcus asked.
"It would probably be your best shot at getting to him," said Diantha. "Understand that our hands are pretty badly tied on this. Chairman Rose is historically not the biggest fan of the UPW, and I'd rather not give him an excuse to accuse us of poking our noses where they don't belong. I can't just, say, teleport to Spikemuth and start asking around without risking a political fiasco. But if you were to come for a friendly visit, and you just so happened to, as you say, tag along with a Galarian Gym Challenger…"
"Since you're the only Kalosian Gym Leader with a generalist team," Karen added, "you can use training your team as an excuse to tag along. Going to Milo's Gym to train your Trevenant, Nessa's to train your Cloyster, and so on."
"Indeed, Karen," said Diantha. "Additionally, you could act as a sponsor. Galar does allow foreign endorsements. If you could find a Gym Challenger to endorse, that would give you an even better excuse to tag along with them."
Marcus nodded slowly. "So do I need to search for a Trainer I can endorse?"
"No," said Diantha, "I will take care of that. I will send you the details when I have succeeded in finding such a Trainer. Assuming, of course, that you accept this mission."
Marcus nodded again, this time much quicker. "Of course."
"Thank you very much," said Diantha with a smile. "Again, we hope this does not end up being necessary. If you do manage to reestablish contact with Piers, let me know as quickly as possible. I will begin searching for a Trainer you can endorse. You are both dismissed - enjoy the rest of your night."
As Marcus and Karen turned and began to step towards the door, Bringer-Of-Visions closed the image with a flick of her horn-blade, leaving only Oblivion surrounding Medicham and the two Heralds once more. "We have ascertained that there is 0% chance that Piers will reestablish contact," the leader of the Heralds said. "As such, in three months, Marcus will be departing for Galar. But what awaits him there is far more dangerous than any of them expect."
Medicham swallowed. "Of course it is. What's the danger?"
"A group of Heralds have gone renegade," said Bringer-Of-Visions. "They are led by a former member of the Kalosian Heralds, Teller-Of-Tales. They believe that they know better than the Master. That there is a solution to the impending apocalypse that the all-knowing Darkrai has not considered. They are, of course, wrong, but they are fanatical in their beliefs, and that fanaticism makes them dangerous."
Medicham had to hide a disbelieving chuckle. To hear Bringer-Of-Visions speaking of the ills of fanaticism was like a Pyukumuku calling a Shuckle slow. But Medicham knew such mirth would not be tolerated, and so she kept her mouth shut.
But despite Bringer-Of-Visions' hypocrisy, the news of renegade Heralds worried Medicham. More than once she'd heard Darkrai worry about more Betrayer-Of-Kins springing up due to Heralds losing faith in him. If these renegades were following similar ideals to Betrayer-Of-Kin, the consequences could be disastrous.
"The problem," said Bringer-Of-Visions, "is that the renegades have chosen to set up shop in Galar, as it is the region where the Heralds have the least presence in the UPW. And they know full well about Marcus's association with us. As such, when they learn that Marcus is coming to Galar, they will naturally assume that we sent him as an agent to eliminate them, and they will respond in kind."
"Can't you deal with the renegades before Marcus arrives?" Medicham asked.
"If we could, we wouldn't be having this conversation," Walker-Of-Paths growled.
Bringer-Of-Visions sighed, shaking her head. "Like I said, we have no real presence in Galar. The Dogs of War have refused to allow us to establish a foothold in the region - and truth be told, we initially believed the renegades would be met with similar resistance. But somehow, they were able to settle in the region. We still do not know how - their Psychic shielding is extensive, and we still do not know the full scale of their plans or even where in Galar they are hiding."
"What we do know," said Walker-Of-Paths, "is that the renegades are dangerous, and they will not take Marcus's arrival in Galar lightly. You must ensure you and your teammates are ready to defend Marcus from them."
"Precisely," Bringer-Of-Visions stated. "In particular, there is one you must watch out for. Her name is Arbiter-Of-Fates. We did not call upon her often due to her lack of morality, but her combat skill is impressive - I don't know how Teller-Of-Tales managed to recruit her, but Arbiter-Of-Fates is dangerous."
Medicham saw Walker-Of-Paths' nose wrinkling at the name; from the look on the Herald's face, he'd had at least a couple previous run-ins with Arbiter-Of-Fates.
"And," said Bringer-Of-Visions, "of course, you must do all of this without alerting your teammates to our existence. I do not believe I need to inform you of the consequences should any of them find out the truth."
Medicham nodded shakily.
"Very good, Spirit," said Bringer-Of-Visions. "I believe that will be all. You may return to your friends, but do not forget about what lies ahead. I wish you luck." And with that, Oblivion faded from around Medicham, and she found herself back in the small side room, its walls bare and its confines empty of Heralds.
Medicham looked up at the door; a quick application of Psychic power was all she needed to open it. As she walked out, closing the door behind her, she craned her neck to see around one of the large pillars blocking her vision, and she was able to spot Marcus and Karen descending down the last few steps of the spiral staircase, Marcus in particular clearly trying to hide his nervousness.
He's worried, Medicham thought as she moved back towards the Pokemon area. And so am I. We've enjoyed a peaceful life for two and a half years…I suppose it was inevitable that something would upend it eventually.
Her eyes locked on Kriesh; the Fearow was chatting with a pair of Hawlucha that Medicham recognized as Korrina's and Diantha's. I'll have to tell her, she thought. And make sure the rest of the team's ready for a fight. Going against an entire group of renegade Heralds without support…even with all the training we've done, it's going to be tough.
I just have to hope we're all ready.
Elsewhere, at the same time, a man stepped through an archway of rock into a fairly sizable cavern.
The man was very strangely dressed for the area. This cavern was far off the beaten path, in a place only Hikers and a few wayward Trainers would probably ever go. Yet this man's attire did not resemble a Hiker's or even a normal Trainer's in any way. He was dressed in a fine gray business suit, a dark red necktie hung from his neck, and he wore a pair of fine red-and-black shoes, the color of which was slightly muted due to the dust that had accumulated during his walk.
The man's green eyes glanced around the cavern he had stepped into. Several people dressed in black and white and wearing sunglasses were situated around the area. Some were perched atop various ledges, a few Steel-types at their sides. Others were clustered around the strange gigantic rock in the center of the cavern that was emanating indigo energy every so often, energy that matched the auras around the half-dozen titanic Pokemon that lay unconscious around the cavern.
A tall, blonde woman, appearing even taller thanks to the high-heeled black shoes she wore, stepped to the man's side. "Chairman Rose," she said. "We have secured the area. The Absols performed effectively."
"Very good," said Rose, gazing at the fallen Dynamaxed Pokemon. Each of them had a pair of Absols standing over it, their eyes fixed on their defeated adversaries, horn-blades at the ready in case any of them woke up. "Oleana, how long do you believe it would have taken to find and secure this place without their aid?"
"At least a few more months, Chairman," Oleana admitted.
Rose nodded. "Which one is their leader again? They all look the same to me from up here."
"That one." Oleana pointed to the fallen Pokemon closest to the center, a Gigantamaxed Sandaconda. Whereas all the other fallen Pokemon were being watched by two Absol, this one was only being watched by one, and as Rose looked, that Absol turned its red eyes towards him.
"Thank you, Oleana," said Rose. "Go oversee the workers - we must prepare for transportation immediately."
"Yes, Chairman Rose." Oleana stepped away as Rose began to walk down the narrow stone path that led towards the center of the cavern, passing by several other workers and Absol on his way.
The lone Absol's eyes remained locked with Rose's as he approached. Rose spoke first. "I am impressed. You and your compatriots have proven themselves as capable as you promised."
"Thank you," the Absol responded, inclining its head.
Rose thought for a moment. "Teller-Of-Tales, you call yourself?"
"That is indeed my name," the Absol replied.
Rose smiled. "You have done Galar a great service, Teller-Of-Tales," he said. "I believe our partnership will lead to even greater things in the future."
"Yes." Teller-Of-Tales returned Rose's smile. "I believe it will."
Season 1 did Kalos, Season 2 did Alola, so it's only natural that Season 3 heads to Galar.
...
Oh, you wanted to talk about the time-skip?
Yep. I went there. Nothing else needs to be said.
Please drop a review if you have the time, and I'll see you in a week for the start of the first arc of Season 3, otherwise known as the "Postwick Arc"!