Chapter 20 – The Secret of the Saurus Rock!

"Hold still, Skullcrusher," Hiccup grunted, struggling to get the bandages over the squirming Axew. "I know this is your first time getting medical treatment while still awake, but I need you to work with me here. It'll just take longer if you don't."

"Yew yew, yew…" Skullcrusher muttered, reluctantly settling down. Though he still fidgeted when his Trainer's inexperienced fingers brushed a tender spot by accident, he was no longer actively fighting treatment, which Hiccup appreciated.

In his defense, it was really hard to treat a conscious Pokemon with only the light of the moon to see by.

Him and the rest of the group – Fishlegs, Heather, Astrid, and the three lost-and-recently-found Fossil Lab researchers – were currently crowding the ledge just outside of Glittering Cave. After the disappearance of Team Flare and the reunion that followed, Heather had informed the former prisoners that the police were on their way to pick them up, and they'd all left the stuffy tunnels in anticipation of their rescue. Though Hiccup, Astrid, and Fishlegs could've made it back on their own, none of them suggested leaving those without glider suits behind. It was out of the question.

Waiting for said rescue left a lot of time left over for other things. But for Hiccup, there was nothing to do except give his Pokemon first aid… and to think about Team Flare.

That's twice now, and they got away both times, he reminisced, tilting his head contemplatively toward the sky. The moon gleamed back at him, providing no answer to his earthly problems. And tonight, they completely overwhelmed us. If they'd decided to stand and fight even when Fishlegs and Astrid joined the fray… where would we be now?

"Axew yew!" A harsh squeak pulled him back to the present, where Skullcrusher was protesting a bandage wound too tightly around his sensitive arm.

"Oh, sorry, Skullcrusher. We're done," he assured the Axew, pulling away at last. "That will hold you over until we can visit a Pokemon Center. I'll put you back in your ball until then."

Skullcrusher nodded, tugging at the bandages bemusedly, before being called back into the Poke Ball in a flicker of red. Toothless, too, was absent, having been treated and returned just before Skullcrusher. That left Hiccup kneeling amidst a pile of bandages and potion bottles, alone with his increasingly worrisome thoughts despite the murmurs of conversation happening only a few meters away.

"Um…" A voice alerted Hiccup to the presence of Fishlegs, who hovered awkwardly over him whilst wringing his hands. "S-Sorry, Hiccup, but if you're done, can you spare a potion bottle? Meatlug's got this nasty scrape on her leg… one of Team Flare's Pokemon must have nicked her in that free-for-all…"

"Oh, no problem," Hiccup said, grabbing one of the unused bottles. "I had to borrow these from the researchers, since I only had room for one. I wish these packs were bigger."

"I-I know, right?" Fishlegs replied, talking even as he motioned for Meatlug to come over. "I get that too large a pack w-would lead to greater risks of imbalance d-during flight and defeat the entire purpose of the glider suit, b-but if the Academy is willingly sending Trainers into the canyon, they really ought to consider giving us a greater capacity for storing supplies…"

The two boys were quiet for a moment, the only sound between them being the soft hiss of medicine being spritzed onto Meatlug's leg. Eventually, though, the silence grew uncomfortable enough that Hiccup had to say something.

"Fishlegs," he started, shuffling closer, "are you doing alright? After… you know."

His friend let out a shaky sigh. "H-Honestly… better than I expected," he confessed. "Th-That entire time I was tied up in that cave, I-I felt like I was sitting on a bed of nails… I-I didn't know what Team Flare was going to do to me. Mostly, I'm just happy to be out of that h-harrowing situation."

After a pause, he turned to Hiccup with uncertainty clouding his watery eyes. "H-Hiccup…" he began again. "D-Do you think that Meatlug and I d-did the right thing? J-Joining the battle, I mean? Th-There was so little time to think, and w-we were all so ready to escape, th-that I never stopped to think about Meatlug getting hurt, o-or what T-Team Flare would do if they c-captured us again, o-or –"

"Hey, calm down, Fishlegs," Hiccup soothed him, placing a hand on his meaty arm. "You and Astrid were a huge help. None of us were certain if Team Flare would react the way we wanted or not, but they did, and everything turned out fine. You and Meatlug were awesome."

He gave the Ground-and-Rock-type a congratulatory pat on the head, and she responded with a pleased rumble. "Rhyhooooorn…"

Fishlegs' face broke into a relieved smile. "Th-Thanks, Hiccup. You've no idea how much that means to me… S-Sorry, girl. To us," he added when his partner bumped her snout into him.

Abruptly, a small head poked out from behind Meatlug's spines, its expression stony and cautious but its eyes glinting with interest like jewels. "Larva, lar?" the Larvitar asked, its gaze flicking from Hiccup to Fishlegs and back again.

"Oh, that's right!" Fishlegs perked right up and reached over top of Meatlug to scoop the Larvitar into his arms. "Hiccup, I'd like you to meet my new pal, Darkvarg! He played a critical role in our escape from Team Flare – we never even would've gotten past our bindings if not for him! Darkvarg, come and say hi to my friend Hiccup!"

How could I have forgotten? In all the drama of battling Flare, and the gloom that followed, Hiccup hadn't had the time to inquire further about Fishlegs' mysterious Pokemon friend. The Larvitar was put down on the ground, where he approached Hiccup with nostrils snuffling cautiously. His curiosity was quickly satiated, and he went back to join Fishlegs and Meatlug, completely accustomed to and content in their presence.

"Hey there, Darkvarg," he greeted, smiling as he witnessed how close the Larvitar was to Fishlegs. To the Ingerman boy, he asked, "So, are you going to catch him and bring him with us?"

"Wh-What?" Fishlegs' head whipped back and forth between Hiccup and Darkvarg, eyes bugging out in disbelief yet shining with enthrallment. "I-Is that what Darkvarg would want? D-Darkvarg, is that what you want? W-Would you like to c-come with me?"

"Tar, larva Larvitar," Darkvarg stated almost matter-of-factly. He clambered back onto Meatlug's back, who glanced up with a pleased rumble, and Fishlegs goggled after him as though he'd just sprouted wings and flown up there.

Hiccup chuckled at his friend's consternation. "For sure, he wants to join you! He gets along with you and Meatlug. He helped you out of a crisis, and you commanded him in battle. Heck, you even named him already!"

"Th-That's true," Fishlegs replied, still tentative. "I-I do want to, b-but… it's just, um, I didn't b-bring any…"

Without hesitation, or even needing to look away, Hiccup plunged his hand into his pack and lobbed an unused Poke Ball into a gobsmacked Fishlegs' hands. "There you go. I brought it for Wild Dragon Cliff, but, uh… it'll probably take a while before that place is populated again. So you might as well have it instead."

Numbly, Fishlegs nodded and brought the Poke Ball over to Darkvarg, carrying it and presenting it to him in an almost reverent manner. "Uh, D-Darkvarg… do you want to join our adventure across the Kalos region? I'll feed you and groom you… y-you'll want for nothing, I p-promise!"

Darkvarg agreed swiftly, his mind having been made up already. He met Fishlegs' eyes with a smile, tapped the button on the front of the capsule, and was drawn inside. It gave a single shake before producing a chime to celebrate the capture.

"I-I don't believe it," Fishlegs whispered as childlike joy dawned on his flushed features. "I-I caught a Pokemon…! I have a Pokemon team! Team Fishleeeeegs, woo!"

Meatlug stared placidly at the Poke Ball and then nudged her Trainer with a questioning growl. He turned and, placing the ball in one hand, hugged her around the neck with the other and cooed, "Of course, Meatlug! You're still my Number One, girl, forever and always!"

Shaking his head with bemusement at the pair's odd relationship, Hiccup used the lull to turn his attention elsewhere – nowhere in particular, just in search of something that'd grab his interest in the minutes before rescue. As he gave them a once-over, he thought about addressing Astrid or Heather, but the girls seemed occupied already; Astrid was off on her own with a brooding look on her face, and Heather was murmuring into her Holo Caster. That left the Fossil Lab researchers, one of whom just so happened to meet his gaze as it passed them by. It was the bespectacled one, and his face brightened when they locked eyes, before motioning to his comrades.

Hiccup and Fishlegs glanced up in bewilderment and got to their feet as the scientists came forward with relaxed smiles. "Hey, Fishlegs and… Hiccup, right?" Dr. Carbon began. "How're you and your Pokemon doing? Alright?"

"We could use a trip to the Pokemon Center, but not too bad besides that," Hiccup answered, Fishlegs nodding along beside him. "How about you? You, uh, were prisoners of Team Flare for a fair bit longer than Fishlegs and Astrid…"

"Good, good…" Carbon acknowledged. He shuffled a bit before adding, "We actually wanted to thank you for that. Freeing us, I mean. Until you two and Astrid and Heather came along, we thought we would, um… join the very fossils we'd come to excavate."

"O-Oh, uh…" Momentarily unsure what he should say in response to that morbid visual, Hiccup ended up stammering out, "You know, if there's anyone you should be thanking, it's your colleagues at the Fossil Lab. They're the only reason we knew you were out here in the first place."

Dr. Devon joined in the conversation, plucking at his beard musingly. "True enough, but still. I don't know of many Trainers that are brave enough to challenge a whole group of such organized criminals for the sake of strangers. We, and surely the rest of the Fossil Lab, owe you a great debt."

Hiccup's cheeks grew hot at the glowing praise, and Fishlegs was even more bashful, barely able to muster a coherent thank-you. Their sheepishness prompted a round of chuckles from the scientists, yet when they were done, the third stepped forward and gave Hiccup, in particular, a significant look.

"Fishlegs told us that you'd come to Kalos Canyon to visit Wild Dragon Cliff," Dr. Perma said, though the way she blinked at him made it more of a question. "You were going there in search of Dragon-types to catch. Is that true?"

"Uh, yeah. Dragon-types are kind of… my thing," Hiccup answered awkwardly. "The cliff was empty except for a hostile Vibrava, though. I'm guessing that the Dragon-types were disturbed by Team Flare's operations here. Is, uh… is there a reason you're asking, or…?"

The woman glanced over her shoulder at her two fellows, who smiled and headed back to the entrance to Glittering Cave, where they'd piled the equipment they'd liberated from Team Flare. To Hiccup's bemusement, they grabbed hold of a massive black case and heaved, lifting the heavy object between them and shuffling it over with. They groaned and shook out their aching hands when they at last put it down in front of Hiccup, to which he reacted with only a mystified stare. He couldn't imagine for the life of him why this thing was significant.

"As thanks for saving us," Perma continued, bending down to unlatch the case, "we want you to have… this."

The lid swung open, and Hiccup's eyes nearly bugged out of their sockets. Sitting on a protective mat of spongy foam was a flat slab of rock that took up nearly the entire case. The rock itself was unremarkable, but it had one notable trait – that of the dark object embedded inside, smooth where the stone was coarse. It was a fossilized jawbone, instantly identifiable as such by the row of pointed teeth running along its length.

"A… A fossil?" Hiccup breathed. It was a staggeringly generous gift – and Fishlegs knew it too, if the muffled squeal on his left was any indication. "This is… for me? I… I can't…"

"It's the only one we managed to dig out before those goons showed up," Devon interjected. "Honestly, we have plenty of them stored at the lab, so we can afford to part with this one."

"It's the jaw of a prehistoric Dragon-type called Tyrunt," Carbon added, sounding proud. "How would you like it if we revived such a Pokemon from this fossil and gave it to you for your collection?"

"No way!" That wasn't Hiccup's outburst, but Fishlegs', who was practically hopping up and down with wild-eyed ecstasy. "Hiccup, you can't decline this offer! Th-Think of all we could learn by living alongside an extinct Pokemon from prehistoric times! O-Oh, and of course it'd h-help with your Gym battles as well… th-that's the important thing."

In contrast to his friend's exuberance, Hiccup was stunned silent, beside himself with awe and gratitude as his brain struggled to catch up to what he'd heard. He wasn't just getting his desired Dragon-type from Kalos Canyon after all… he was getting a Dragon-type that practically nobody else had ever seen alive.

"Y-Yes… please," he told the researchers, his joy spilling out in a brilliant grin that broke through his shock like the rising sun. "Thank you… seriously. This is… this is huge."

"No, no, please, think nothing of it," Perma insisted. "You deserve it for saving our lives… and, honestly, it's comforting to know that the Pokemon that comes from this fossil will be thriving under the care of a Trainer."

"That reminds me, we need to find something to give to the other two, as well," Devon muttered, with a glance in the girls' direction.

"We'll take the fossil with us straight to the lab, and it will be revived some time tomorrow," Carbon assured. "Just be sure to come visit and pick it up before you leave Ambrette Town."

"I will," Hiccup replied… or, at least, he wanted to. Before he could speak, he stopped to concentrate on a new additon to the peaceful canyon ambience. It came from deeper within the canyon walls – a thrumming, mechanical roar that got louder by the second, until everyone was gathered at the lip of the ledge in search of its source. It got so loud, it seemed to be coming from everywhere at once, and Hiccup didn't know in which direction to look…

…and then, from the north, a sleek black object rounded the bend. Hiccup's heart soared as the police helicopter seamlessly curved toward them, its spinning blades kicking up a fierce wind as it slowed to a steady hover directly above them. A ladder was tossed down, and he reached out to grip it eagerly.

After the ordeal he'd been through that night, it was a blessing to leave the Kalos Canyon behind.

The morning after they arrived in Ambrette Town passed by in a blur of activity.

A night of deep sleep brought on by a wave of delayed fatigue was followed by a reunion with Fishlegs and Astrid the next morning. After heading down to the Pokemon Center lobby to retrieve their Pokemon from their overnight stay, and being informed by a peeved Nurse Joy that their Pokemon had just barely recovered from the worst of their injuries and that they shouldn't have been so irresponsible with them, they exited through the automatic doors to find that their troubles weren't over. A squad of police officers stood before them, briefly expressing their gratitude to the shocked Trainers before requesting firmly that they be escorted to the police station to give their statements regarding their encounter with Team Flare. None of them objected.

That was how Hiccup and Fishlegs found themselves brought before Officer Jenny, the Ambrette police chief. They exchanged polite greetings before, at her request, taking turns recounting their experiences from last night. Even with Jenny interrupting occasionally to ask a question and note down the reply, the session didn't last long.

"And you two are certain you don't know anything about what their wider goals might be?" she asked once they were finished filling out the details. "They gave no reason for their actions other than to collect and study the crystals?"

"At one point, the leader… Bryony… she mentioned to one of her lackeys that they'd come to the cave looking for something else," Hiccup informed her. "The crystals were just compensation, I think. She seemed to think the whole thing was a failure."

"Bago bay…" Toothless replied, perched on Hiccup's shoulder as usual and looking dejected.

Nodding, Officer Jenny waited until she was finished scribbling on her pad before raising her head to give the boys a satisfied look. "Alright, that should be everything. You two are free to collect your things and go."

"Um… e-excuse me?" Fishlegs almost quailed before the questioning glance she threw at him, but held firm and continued in a stammer. "Y-You, uh… you will c-catch Team Flare, r-right? E-Even though we couldn't p-provide any more intel of use…"

Fishlegs' worried question – the significant undercurrent of dread that made his voice tremble so – resonated with Hiccup, churning up his own feelings of dread, the ones he'd left buried in his subconscious last night. Being chased by a Hydreigon and tumbling uncontrollably into a canyon were scary experiences, but Team Flare… they were terrifying on a completely different level. Unlike territorial Pokemon or the indiscriminate cruelty of nature, they were evil, a danger that frightened him in a way that went beyond mere survival.

Team Flare were willing to break laws and do harm unto others to get what they wanted… and the most frightening part was the unanswered question of why.

While Hiccup agonized, Jenny shook her head and gave Fishlegs a reassuring smile. "I appreciate everything you could tell us, Mister Ingerman. We were already looking into Team Flare after the Lumiose incident, but now that we know they're still active, they're going to rise to the Kalos police force's first priority, I can almost guarantee. Let us handle Team Flare from here; you two just focus on your travels from here on out."

When they left the office, Fishlegs was in a much cheerier mood, babbling to Hiccup about the many worries he'd harbored when they were brought in. Hiccup listened, and chuckled along at some of his more ridiculous scenarios (arrested under suspicion of being an undercover Flare agent, please), but he was harboring his own secret demons deep within. Team Flare being captured… that would be great, if it were as simple as Officer Jenny made it sound. It only took a brief flashback of his Pokemon being decimated in a single attack, however, to wipe away any reassurance her words carried.

"Hiccup?" At the sound of his name, he stopped in the middle of the hallway to see Fishlegs staring at him, radiating concern. "A-Are you doing okay…? I-If there's something you want to talk about…"

Sighing, Hiccup let out the knot of anxiety in his chest, speaking aloud of his repressed fears. "It's just… Team Flare," he confessed. "When… when they attacked Sycamore's lab that day, Mom asked if I wanted to put off continuing my journey for fear of meeting them again. I said no, and then I reassured her that it was a one-time thing… but it wasn't. And now, I can't help but think the odds are good that we encounter them again. That woman with the visor – she almost destroyed us. What are we going to do if we have another run-in?"

When only silence answered, Hiccup resumed his walk down the hall – but abruptly, Fishlegs started to speak, and it was with such surprising certainty that Hiccup stopped again in his tracks to listen.

"I-If it's any difference to you… I don't want to stop our journey," Fishlegs declared. "We promised to go to the Tower of Mastery to learn about Mega Evolution, remember? A-And I have my field dictionary to compile, and you and Toothless have your goals… What I mean is, we have so much to gain from traveling Kalos that I don't think we should give up just yet. We'll just have to… prepare for more unexpected dangers going forward. D-Does… that sound right?"

It sounded more than right. It sounded just like what Hiccup had felt when Valka had first brought up the question of leaving – the righteous indignation, the shockingly profound disgust at the notion of abandoning his life's dream after one mishap. Fishlegs' words resonated with him on a personal level, and upon digesting them, he broke into a wide grin.

"Fishlegs," he announced, "that has got to be one of the bravest and most admirable things I've ever heard you say."

The Pokemon enthusiast blushed and shuffled his feet in bashful delight. "Oh, stop it, Hiccup… i-it's nothing you wouldn't say, had our positions been reversed…"

In the police station lobby, they bumped into Astrid. The Hofferson girl's greeting, and her follow-up thanks for helping get her out of Team Flare's clutches, were as generic and disinterested as Hiccup could've expected. However, something about her acknowledgement made him inexplicably pleased, and it wasn't just that she was even saying "thank you" at all. No, he could sense… something in her tone, a level of respect that hadn't been there before. Although she wasn't any less standoffish than usual, he got the impression that she was begrudgingly grateful. He hadn't beaten her in battle, but it felt as though he'd convinced her the tiniest bit of his abilities as a Trainer, which was… nice.

He ended up accepting her gratitude with an openly warm smile, to which she crooked an eyebrow before changing the subject. She was going back to the Sky Battle Academy, she announced, and asked them to hand over her glider suits for her to take back. Him and Fishlegs, who had completely forgotten about the Academy's return policy during their eventful night, promptly took out the garments that they'd been keeping folded in their bags and did so. Astrid tucked the suits under her arm and raised her hand with a casual word of farewell, then turned on her heel and left the building.

"W-Well, that was… pleasant," Fishlegs remarked awkwardly. "I would almost say that that entire discussion was amicable. Feels weird to say that about Astrid…"

It was only after they'd exited the station that Hiccup finally noticed something even weirder than that. It was Heather – they hadn't seen her all morning.

That was truly odd, and it was only one of several questions Hiccup realized had been building up regarding his black-haired friend. At the top of the list was her apparent fixation on Team Flare, for which she'd never bothered to give an explanation. Understandable in hindsight, given the dire situation they'd been in… but still. Hiccup made himself a mental note to sit her down and ask her, if only to assuage the worry he was harboring that she'd put herself in danger. Next time they got together, hopefully.

Together… That thought inexplicably triggered a recounting of their last meeting, her flirtatious whisper replaying in his mind's ear: "Maybe next time we meet… if I'm free… I wouldn't mind taking you up on your invitation…"

His cheeks flushing with heat, Hiccup had to consciously fight to keep his twitching lips from curling into an elated little grin. Maybe, he dared to think, he had more than one reason to look forward to meeting her again.

When he shook off the fuzzy euphoria of adolescent fantasy, he was immediately jumped upon by an eager Fishlegs. The Ingerman boy wanted to pay a visit to the Fossil Lab right away, to see if the revival process for Hiccup's new Pokemon was finished. Hiccup himself, though, reprimanded him that the lab wouldn't even be open this early in the morning, and proposed that they instead take the opportunity to replenish their supplies – after a week of travel, their stock was dwindling. Unable to argue with necessity, Fishlegs agreed.

And that was how the pair found themselves in their present location – a street in the middle of Ambrette Town's shopping district, outside a chain store that specialized in Pokemon Food.

"I hope this place is good," Hiccup grunted, shifting his near-empty bag. "Between Toothless, Skullcrusher, and a third Dragon-type on the way, I'm going to need more Yache berries than ever."

"Bagooooo…" Toothless licked his chops and purred lowly at the thought of dining on such fare.

"Trust me, it's great!" Fishlegs assured him. "There's one in Aquacorde that I go to regularly for Meatlug. It has berries, meats, and mineral-based dietary supplements on offer! Come on, I can't wait to show you the variety –"

So many things happened at once when Fishlegs reached for the door. He strode forward to grasp the handle, only to almost trip when Toothless scrambled off Hiccup's shoulder, energized by the thought of food. Hiccup himself crouched down to retrieve the dragonling, and Fishlegs readjusted and made another grab for the door…

…which then, without warning, opened for them, spitting out a pair of bodies that almost crashed right into them.

"Ahhhh!" one screamed in a masculine voice. "Egad! A thing with sharp teeth! Sister, that Carvanha that tried to bite your stinky fish hair is back! He's risen from his watery realm to taste the rest of us!"

"I resent that, idiot!" the second protested in a raspy squawk. "He was trying to get at you for using a Tynamo as bait! And don't diss the hair – it took me months to achieve that aroma!"

"Bago Bagon!" Toothless snarled, baring his fang at the inattentive feet that had almost trampled him.

It hit Hiccup all at once: the two that had just about ran them over were Ruffnut and Tuffnut Thorston, the hooligans from Parfum Palace. And it was no wonder that he hadn't identified them on sight – their long, greasy locks of blonde hair were just about the only parts of them currently recognizable, as everything else had either been replaced or disguised underneath tons of cheap tourist memorabilia. Their horned hats were gone, substituted with bucket hats with "Fishin' Accomplished" stitched into the brims; neon-colored sunglasses in the shape of Lumiose's Prism Tower obscured their eyes; Mantine and Wailord plushies were tucked under each of their left arms; their right hands held Swirlix-shaped cotton candy sticks; even their jackets were gone, replaced by baggy T-shirts that read "I visited the Kalos Canyon and all I got was this stupid T-shirt".

Fortunately, Hiccup resisted the urge to burst out laughing at the Thorstons. His previous interaction with them was repugnant enough to sour any amusement, as was the fact they'd nearly stepped on Toothless. Carefully, he scooped up the growling Bagon and joined Fishlegs in greeting them… well, not warmly, but at least with as little displeasure as they could muster.

"Uh… hey," he tried. "Ruffnut and Tuffnut, right? It's… great to see you again."

"Y-Yep, it's… been a while!" Fishlegs agreed gingerly. "You, um… enjoying the sights?"

The twins stared blankly in response for several moments, apparently not recognizing Hiccup or Fishlegs at all. Until a moment later, anyways, when Ruffnut snapped her fingers in a "eureka" moment. "Oh, right! Bro, remember? It's Shabboneau's delivery boys!"

"Aha!" Tuffnut brightened and pointed his cotton candy dramatically at them. "Well met, Hiccup… uh, Flounder, and Fishlegs… Fingerman. Those are your names, right?"

Not even close. "Shabboneau's delivery boys", what a load of–

Hastily, Hiccup stamped down on his annoyance before he could finish the contemptuous thought and focused on maintaining his increasingly strained smile.

"You're, ah, almost there," he told them. "Fishlegs and I were just about to restock on supplies… there's a lot to buy, so we're kinda in a hurry. Uh, come on, Fishlegs…"

Subtly, he motioned for his friend to play along, and an inspired twinkle lit the Ingerman boy's eye. "R-Right! We'd really better get going, so… it was nice seeing you again!"

They tried to sidle past and into the building, only for Ruffnut to block them with an eager grin. "Whoa whoa whoa, wait! Why don't we have ourselves a battle, instead!" she offered. "Tuff totally ruined the outcome of our last one, so if either of you are up for a redo –"

A hand lashed out to swat at her, courtesy of an imperious Tuffnut. "Ah ah ah! Still thine tongue, woman!" he reprimanded. "We've no time to waste dithering with this muscularly challenged squire and his husky sidekick! We have an appointment to keep at La Torre de Maestria, pronto!"

Muscularly challenged… what?!

Oblivious to Hiccup's indignation, a second "eureka" moment flashed over Ruffnut's face. "Oh yeah, you're right! Sorry boys, but the Thorstons gotta make like a Toedscool and sprint! Adios!"

The twins abruptly swung around and booked it without a second thought, their expressions aglow with adventurous thrill. Their emotional one-eighty was enough to surprise Hiccup into forgetting his annoyance, and their parting words inspired undeniable intrigue. Even with a tiny part of him warning that he'd regret it, Hiccup stepped forward and did the unthinkable – he called for them to come back.

"W-Wait up!" he shouted urgently. It did the trick – Ruffnut and Tuffnut abruptly stopped in their tracks and whirled around mid-stride, as though ready to take off again at a moment's notice. He approached them, asking, "What exactly is going on? What's got you in such a big rush?"

"Y-Yeah, I have to admit, your haste has got me curious, too," Fishlegs confessed, creeping forward to join Hiccup with a questioning glance. "Has something happened?"

"You mean you haven't heard?" Tuffnut gasped, a bit overdramatically with eyes bulging and mouth hanging open. "There's, like, this huge event going on in Shalour City in a few days. All the coolest Trainers around are gonna be there, which is why Ruff and I are going. Though that's pretty obvious. We are the coolest around, after all."

"… Right…" Hiccup and Fishlegs shared a glance, sweatdropping. Not feeling up to debating just how "cool" the two Paldeans were (especially with so much evidence to the contrary), Hiccup instead pressed them further. "So there's a big event happening. What kind of event is it, specifically?"

Ruffnut folded her arms as best she could with a stuffed Mantine wedged in her armpit, smirking smugly. "Only a super-cool battle tournament, specifically," she bragged. "The owner of that big tower is sponsoring it. You know the one. The Tower of Disastery."

"No, you muttonhead," Tuffnut grunted, smacking her again. "It's the Tower of Mastery. Ugh, no wonder everyone thinks we're idiots."

"I'll show you who's an idiot!" Ruffnut yelled, lunging at him. Before she could tackle him to the ground in a huge pile of souvenirs and spilled cotton candy, Fishlegs quickly got in between them and forced them apart with his wide frame.

"Guys, not the time!" he scolded. "Don't leave us hanging – what else do you know? Why's the Tower of Mastery holding a battle tournament? What's the big prize?"

"Oh, I dunno – only our one-way ticket to Celebrityville!" Tuffnut boasted, puffing out his chest. "From what we hear, it's gonna be all tag battles, which are totally right up our alley!"

"And once Tuff and I dominate the competition with our awesome tag battle skills," Ruffnut added, "they're gonna bestow on us the title of 'Honorary Successors of the Tower of Mastery' and give us something awesome!"

"Heh, they might as well just give us that grand prize straight-up when we get there," Tuffnut cackled. "See you there, losers. That is, unless you decide not to bother, 'cause you already know who the champions are gonna be. That's right, the tag battle prodigies, Tuffnut and Ruffnut Thorston!"

Snickering evilly to themselves, the twins turned and dashed off again without a word of farewell. Well, at least, Ruffnut did – Tuffnut tripped at the top of the stairs that led to the next plateau, and let out a lengthy wail as he tumbled all the way down. His sister remained at the top, pointing and cackling at his misfortune.

"Hiccup!" Fishlegs squealed, practically vibrating with anticipation. "Our luck is nothing sort of miraculous! We were heading to the Tower of Mastery anyway, to investigate more about Mega Evolution for Professor Sycamore! This tournament might be worth checking out!"

A tag battle tournament at the Tower of Mastery. The idea sent a tingling thrill up Hiccup's spine, all sorts of thoughts gamboling through his head at what that might be like. But it wasn't just the thought of participating in a tournament – battling in front of a cheering crowd, rising up in the ranks as he defeated Trainer after Trainer – that excited him. The fact it was being held at the Tower of Mastery, holder of the secrets of Mega Evolution, held all sorts of tantalizing implications.

"Fishlegs, do you know what this could mean?" he asked in a voice tremulous with barely withheld excitement. "If the twins were being serious – and I can't believe I'm about to take them at their word – then this tag battle tournament is specifically meant for skilled Trainers. And since the Tower of Mastery is supposed to be where people train to use Mega Evolution, then do you think…?"

"That the grand prize might have something to do with the secret of Mega Evolution?!" Fishlegs gushed. "Oh, I'm way ahead of you, Hiccup! I can't even guess as to what it might be – do you think the owner simply passes on the secret of how it works? Or do they intend to train the tournament winners to master the phenomenon for themselves?! Ooh, I'm giving myself goosebumps imagining it!"

While he turned away and continued to babble in his self-perpetuating spiral of enthusiasm, Hiccup was left temporarily alone to contemplate the possibilities by himself. According to the Professor, the owner of the Tower of Mastery held more information about the mechanics of Mega Evolution. The whole reason they were going there was to uncover more of the phenomenon's history, and the secret of how it functioned; things that the Professor was too busy to look into himself. But now, the reveal that a competition was to take place there offered new possibilities. They may be able to learn far more than they bargained for, if Fishlegs' speculations were right.

And even if they couldn't win, it would at least be good experience for his team.

"What do you think, bud?" Hiccup smiled wryly at Toothless. "Does a big battle event in front of hundreds of spectators sound moderately fun?"

"Bay-go bay Bagon!" Toothless answered emphatically, jumping aboard and delivering a big, sloppy lick to his Trainer's cheek. That was a "yes" if Hiccup had ever heard one.

"Alright, it's unanimous, then," he spared Fishlegs a nod. "When we get to Shalour City, we're gonna enter that tag battle tournament."

"Oh, we're going to do more than that, Hiccup," Fishlegs declared, getting up in Hiccup's face with fists clenched in ecstatic determination. "We're going to win the tournament! Then we're going to tell Professor Sycamore that we've learned all about Mega Evolution – or maybe that we've learned to use Mega Evolution! Let's be sure to train super-hard on the way to Shalour, okay?! I'll even give your team an examination and recommend moves for them to learn!"

Hiccup backed off, laughing lightly. "Okay, Fishlegs, settle down! This sudden enthusiasm for Pokemon battling is surprising… great, but surprising."

Fishlegs retreated back into himself with a sheepish flush of pink, though a tiny grin remained, his exuberance unable to be quashed. Hiccup stepped forward and presented his fist, which his friend met eagerly with his own, sealing their oath of comradery.

"Looks like we have even more reason to head to Shalour City now," he stated.

"Uh-huh!" Fishlegs bobbed his head repeatedly. "L-Let's both do our best!"

They broke their fist-bump and stood there for a few seconds, until Hiccup coughed uncomfortably and motioned toward the door they still had yet to enter. "So, uh… finish shopping, then over to the Fossil lab?"

It was still relatively early by the time Hiccup and Fishlegs passed through the gates of the Kalos Fossil Lab, though the trip there had still been longer than anticipated, given the heavy loads they were lugging now. It was tiring, yet satisfying to have a backpack as full as the day Hiccup had left Vaniville, and Fishlegs' nonstop gushing about the quartz, granite, sandstone, and feldspar he'd picked up for his Rock-types made the marathon walk more bearable.

The Fossil Lab was now accessible and devoid of signs discouraging visitors, so they strode across the paved path and through the entrance unimpeded. The lobby within was clean and relatively sparse, its floor made of polished tile and its walls decorated with posters describing the staff's achievements and recent scientific papers. Behind the countertop over on the right, a familiar, bespectacled face sat.

"Ah, Hiccup and Fishlegs! The men of the hour!" Dr. Carbon's glasses gleamed when he looked up from his paperwork. "You guys are actually just in time; we put the Jaw Fossil through the revival process overnight, and it finished about an hour ago."

It's finished! A shiver passed through Hiccup unbidden at the announcement, filled with energy at the knowledge that his new partner was only a few rooms away. As he processed this, he heard a squeal ring through the room as Fishlegs reacted in a more vocal manner.

"Y-You really did it? You r-revived a living T-Tyrunt?!" he exclaimed.

"Sure did. It's one of our livelier ones, too," the scientist answered. "I think Devon is still conducting our standard post-awakening health exam on it, but he should be about done. Hey, Devon!"

A shocked yell echoed out from an open door on the other side of the lobby in response to the sudden shout. A few seconds later, a disgruntled and very frazzled-looking beard poked into the room, glaring daggers at his colleague.

"Can you not bellow at me from the other side of the building while I'm trying to acclimate a fresh revival to its new environment?!" Dr. Devon demanded, holding up his hand and shaking it. "The Tyrunt was so startled it nearly bit my hand off – oh, hey there, Trainers! Finally showed up to take our little firebrand off our hands, huh?"

Hiccup blinked at the researcher, a tinge of worry dampening his mood. "It's not actually that aggressive, is it? If it doesn't get along with Toothless and the others…"

"Bago!" Toothless agreed, snorting fervently through his nostrils. The message was clear – anything that was a threat to him and his Trainer was unwelcome.

"Well, that's the whole reason you're here – to meet it and judge for yourself," Devon stated matter-of-factly, brushing down his lab coat. "But don't worry, it's not dangerous. Tyrunt are just prone to biting when… well, all the time, really. Hey, you wanted a Dragon-type!" he chuckled when Hiccup looked at him in dismay.

"Fascinating! C-Can we come see it right now?" Fishlegs asked, and Hiccup turned and saw his notebook and pencil already back in hand.

"Sure," the researcher replied. "It's as healthy as can be, as far as I can tell. I'd like Perma's opinion on it, but she's busy with our Cranidos herd at the moment…"

"Cranidos herd?!" Fishlegs sounded like he was about to die from sheer happiness.

Devon let out a booming laugh. "One thing at a time, kids! Come on, I'll take you to the examination room where you can meet your new Pokemon."

Before he started forward, Hiccup took out Skullcrusher's Poke Ball and let the Axew out. "The whole team might as well come along and meet it, too," he reasoned, which got a permissive nod from the scientist. "Alright, gang, let's go and say hi to the new guy. Don't take offense if it bites – apparently, it's just like that. It's up to us to train him well."

Toothless and Skullcrusher gave affirmative chirps of "Bago," and "Yew," to let him know they understood. With everyone on board, Devon gestured for them to follow him, and he led them through a hallway that was unremarkably bare, all beige walls and labeled doors.

"The examination room is just through here," Devon went on as they walked. "We designed it to resemble the habitat our prehistoric Pokemon would've thrived in before they went extinct, to help them adjust to their new environment before we deem it safe to introduce them to other living things. We do our initial health assessment in here, as well as take notes on the Pokemon's temperament and its acclimation to modern Pokemon food. You'll be happy to know that, so far, your Tyrunt got top marks in everything."

"Th-That sounds incredible!" Fishlegs said, his pencil scratching audibly on paper. "You've really prepared for everything, it seems like!"

Hiccup was impressed, as well. It sounded like there was a lot of work and attentiveness involved in helping a prehistoric Pokemon adapt to the modern world, and that put more than a little pressure on him to do his part. I'll just have to do my best to help it thrive and grow strong, he told himself. Like Toothless, and Skullcrusher, and anything else I catch.

In moments, they'd arrived. The examination room was just one more heavy-looking door in a featureless corridor that was full of them, outside of the red light that illuminated a sign reading "Pokemon acclimation in progress". Devon raised a finger to signal the Trainers to be quiet and cautious, and then knocked on the door in a slow, clear pattern before opening it. With the researcher leading the way, Hiccup, Fishlegs, and the Pokemon progressed inside in single file.

The sight that awaited them was amazing, almost surreal. The room itself was medium-sized and had been converted into something like a greenhouse, with a dense array of ferns and other shrubbery sprouting from the dirt-covered floor. The walls and ceiling had been painted bright blue and dull brown, mimicking a clear sky and mountains to complete the prehistoric image.

The most remarkable part of the room, however, was the Pokemon that emerged from the rustling ferns to stand in the center. The Tyrunt, despite its name, was larger than Hiccup had expected, almost as big as Meatlug, and most of that was taken up by a massive head. Framed by a feathery ruff, the Tyrunt's head was almost all jaws and teeth, but also sported a pair of orange crests as well as sharp, intelligent eyes that scanned the newcomers curiously.

Hiccup was unable to take his own eyes off the prehistoric Pokemon – a literal living fossil, right in front of him. He'd heard all about revival technology and how it was used in paleontology and Pokemon conservation from Valka, but this was the first time he was seeing the result for himself, and it was breathtaking.

"Until I say so, hang back and don't crowd it," Devon warned them. While Hiccup and Fishlegs obediently hung around the doorway, he progressed forward to address Tyrunt with an easygoing smile. "Hello again, Tyrunt. I've brought the Trainer I told you about – would you like to meet him and his Pokemon?"

Tyrunt, who had tilted its head to monitor the researcher's approach, swiveled it back toward Hiccup and blinked several times – Hiccup could practically see the questions swimming through its brain. At last, though, it opened its jaws and let out a deep bark. "Runt…"

Interpreting its cry as positive, Devon signaled for Hiccup to come closer. He did so slowly, trying to find a balance between confidence and caution. He didn't want to appear frightened of his new Pokemon, which stared unceasingly at him with great interest. Relax, Hiccup… it'll be able to tell if you're nervous. This is your partner… let it know you're its friend.

"Uh… hey, Tyrunt," he greeted it, giving it as natural a smile as possible. "My name's Hiccup, and, um… this is Toothless and Skullcrusher. Say hi, guys."

The two Dragon-types came forward and gave subdued hellos – they were even more wary than Hiccup was of the larger reptile, which seemed to glower at them before losing interest and staring up at Hiccup again. The friendly greeting hadn't quite won Tyrunt over, but Hiccup had a backup plan in the form of Valka's Pokemon food, the last of the old batch. He would need to make more by the next mealtime, but for now, he scattered the remnants on the ground in front of Tyrunt and spread his arms out invitingly.

"There you go; a little token of friendship for you," Hiccup told it. "Toothless and Skullcrusher love this stuff, so eat up. It's all for you."

"Tyra…" Tyrunt's nostrils flared as it inhaled, and it apparently liked what it smelled, as its tongue lashed out to lick up half the pellets in one go. When its expression brightened, Hiccup knew that his mother's special recipe had claimed another fan. "TYRA!"

As the dinosaur leapt forward to scarf the rest of the pellets down greedily, Toothless and Skullcrusher shared a content look, and Hiccup laughed. "Well, Mom's done it again," he said, before returning to watch Tyrunt eat. "I guess he wasn't exactly revived with a belly full of food, huh? He looks… uh, I mean, she looks… hmm. Fishlegs, you wanna chime in, or…?"

He sent a pleading glance at Fishlegs, who already had his nose against the Pokedex's screen. "Um, just a sec. The Pokedex's scan is showing a lot of interesting data…" he muttered, only to snap out of it and refocus. "S-Sorry, got carried away. According to the Pokedex, your Tyrunt is a female, and has the Strong Jaw ability! Her moves are –"

"Shh, details later," Hiccup interrupted, seeing that Tyrunt was about done with her meal. "It's time for the moment of truth…"

Taking a deep breath and allowing all his muscles to relax, Hiccup steeled himself and took a single step toward Tyrunt. Once he was sure the Rock-and-Dragon-type was attentive, he closed his eyes, lowered his head, and extended his hand in the same trust exercise he used for every Dragon-type. Any second now, and she would –

"Hiccup!" The startled shout pulled Hiccup's head back up, the bonding ritual interrupted to see what was wrong. Tyrunt was directly in front of him, close enough to touch – only that she had much more than touching on her mind, and was gaping wide to bite!

"Whoa!" Hiccup exclaimed as he snatched his hand back, just before Tyrunt's teeth clashed together with a SNAP. Heart pounding, he wriggled his fingers before his face, confirming that all five were still attached, and swiftly shifted focus to the one that had almost taken them off.

He wasn't the only one to do so. "BAGO!" Toothless snarled and leapt to confront Tyrunt, dragonfire embers flickering dangerously from his open mouth. Tyrunt reacted immediately to his threat display, snapping her head in the Bagon's direction and lashing her tail agitatedly.

"Toothle–" Hiccup attempted to shout, but he found his advance blocked when he nearly tripped over Skullcrusher – the Axew had planted himself in his path, ready to defend. Meanwhile, outside of Hiccup's reach, Toothless let fly with a Dragon Breath that Tyrunt dodged by bounding to the side. As the flames exploded against a patch of ferns, Tyrunt lashed her tail again and pounced with fire gushing between her bared teeth.

Toothless jumped to the side, the Fire Fang gnashing on thin air, and started to charge another Dragon Breath –

"Guys!" Hiccup stepped over Skullcrusher and thrust himself in the middle, glaring pointedly at both combatants. While Toothless was quick to obey – albeit reluctantly, his stance still confrontational – he was privately surprised to see Tyrunt follow suit, tilting her head upwards to stare curiously at Hiccup again. The way her tail swayed made her seem cheerful, as though Toothless' attack had been only a game to her.

"Hiccup, a-are you alright?!" Fishlegs came rushing over all in a tizzy, though he deliberately gave Tyrunt a wide berth. "Th-The Tyrunt… your h-hand… sh-she didn't…?"

"I'm fine, Fishlegs, Toothless," he addressed both with reassuring nods. "That was just… really unexpected, if I'm being frank. Tyrunt was probably still hungry and thought I was offering more food, is all…"

Though he waved off his friends' concern with a round of nonchalant chuckles, inwardly, Hiccup wasn't quite as confident. Indeed, he was still a bit shaken by how his interaction with Tyrunt had escalated. His favorite bonding ritual had never failed him before when it came to establishing a connection with Pokemon. It was a submissive bid for permission that told the Pokemon he was asking for its trust, and they always responded. Always until now, that is… and Hiccup didn't know why.

He looked over at Tyrunt again. She was still staring, although starting to fidget as if rapidly growing bored, and when she leaned in to sniff him, Toothless and Skullcrusher both growled loudly enough to draw her away from him again. There was nothing about her that suggested she didn't like him, or otherwise objected to his presence. So… did she already trust him? Was it okay to train her?

Now that the brief scare was over, Dr. Devon approached from his previous observation point near the wall. "So, Hiccup, what do you think?" he asked. "Do you want to take Tyrunt with you? She might be a bit of a handful, as she just… ah, demonstrated… so I won't blame you if you're having second thoughts…"

It had been such a short time ago that Hiccup had been looking forward to adding this Pokemon to his team, but in only a few moments, that certainty had been shaken. It wasn't just a matter of if he wanted Tyrunt to come with him – his brain was preoccupied with questions it never had before. After a few seconds of trying, and failing, to come up with an answer that satisfied him, he turned almost automatically to Fishlegs.

"I-I'll support whatever you want to do, Hiccup," the Ingerman boy smiled nervously. "Th-Though, if you're still uncertain, m-maybe try asking Tyrunt? She, um, m-might not know if she wants to go, either…"

Yes. That was an idea. Perhaps Tyrunt was simply as uncertain about Hiccup as Hiccup had become about her. The thought gave Hiccup the strength he needed to approach Tyrunt once more, stopping just shy of her snout and kneeling down so that she wouldn't feel threatened. Tyrunt didn't move – she just cocked her head, as inquisitive as ever.

"Tyrunt," Hiccup began, "I'll bet you're wondering why I came to meet you. Well… I'm working to become a Dragon Tamer, which means I need a team of powerful Dragon-types. I'm training Toothless and Skullcrusher right now to become strong, which means fighting a lot of battles, and we're currently heading for the Kalos League, where the strongest opponents of all are waiting for us to defeat them. If you really want, you can come with us and become strong, too. The battles will be challenging, and there'll be times where –"

"TYRA!"

He jumped at the startlingly loud cry that came from Tyrunt's throat. The prehistoric Pokemon was no less than exhilarated by his speech, jumping up and down with eyes shining and tail swishing back and forth. When Hiccup, shocked yet pleased by the overeager response, tried to reach out to Tyrunt, he was forced to draw back again as flames started billowing from her snapping jaws. It was almost like the thought of participating in battles had Tyrunt foaming at the mouth with anticipation.

"Okay, I'm gonna take the enthusiastic Fire Fangs as a resounding 'yes'," Hiccup said with a bemused laugh. "And after seeing all that biting, fire-spitting, and excitement for fighting, I think I've got the perfect nickname for you. How would you like it if I called you Inferno?"

Dousing the fires that gushed around her teeth, the Tyrunt let out an eager bark. She seemed to like the sound of that – so Inferno it was.

Feeling a nudge on his shoulder, Hiccup glanced up to be met with Dr. Devon's hand, an empty Poke Ball resting in the researcher's open palm. He took it with a word of thanks and presented it to Inferno, before gently tossing it forward and calling, "Welcome to the team, Inferno!"

"Ruuuuunt!" Inferno growled, and… snapped the Poke Ball up like it was a plump red apple, to Hiccup's utter bafflement. But just as he was about to give an exasperated groan at the misunderstanding, the Tyrunt's eyes bulged in surprise…

…and she abruptly dissolved into red light, leaving no trace behind except for a saliva-soaked Poke Ball.

"Ha! I've never seen a capture quite like that!" Devon guffawed, before calming down and patting Hiccup on the back. "Congratulations on your new Pokemon, and I hope you treat each other well. Just one last thing, though – you'll have to do a bit of paperwork before I can let you leave the Fossil Lab. Owning an extinct Pokemon requires a fair bit of legal documentation, I'm afraid."

When Hiccup told him it wasn't any problem, the researcher slipped through the door, not bothering to close it. In his absence, Fishlegs sidled forward to fawn over the newly-filled Poke Ball in Hiccup's grasp.

"Oh, this is so exciting! I can't wait to document everything about her… t-to better help in your endeavor to t-train her, of course," the Ingerman boy said, dialing back his elation with a self-conscious smile. "Are you going to use Inferno in your Gym match?"

"That's the idea," Hiccup affirmed, his mind already racing ahead. Fishlegs was right – the next Gym badge was right around the corner, and he had so much to do. He needed to learn Inferno's moves, toughen them up, build up his stamina, and come up with winning strategies…

But it would be fine. This wouldn't be a repeat of Santalune. He had three whole Pokemon to use, and with them by his side, he was going to win on the first try.

He'd accomplished what he'd wanted to in Ambrette Town. Next stop: the Cyllage City Gym.

AN:

Thus concludes the "Kalos Canyon" arc! This chapter was obviously dedicated to covering the aftermath and tying the loose ends so that Hiccup and Fishlegs can move on, but hopefully it was a fun read nonetheless. Team Flare is officially established as a serious threat, Hiccup got himself a feisty new Dragon-type, and most importantly, the setting of the next big story arc has been revealed!

(Well, re-revealed, seeing as how the Tower of Mastery was already on the to-do list.)

Tyrunt was a shoo-in for Hiccup's team, seeing as how it's one of the earliest Dragon-types you can get in Kalos (alongside Bagon and Axew, coincidentally) and the fact its Rock-type gives him much needed coverage against Ice. Inferno was originally supposed to be male, but Hiccup only has one other female Pokemon on his final team, so I changed it. Her name is of course derived from his fire sword in the second movie.

Also the three researchers – Devon, Carbon, and Perma – were named after the Devonian, Carboniferous, and Permian periods, in case you were wondering. They're background OCs, but OCs all the same, so it's only right to give them some recognition.

Please send reviews and give me your thoughts if you enjoyed, and thank you for reading! Until next!

Next time: How (Not) To Train Your Tyrunt!