23 years ago.
The woman screamed as Cyrus plunged the knife into her, she was caught off guard and stumbled backwards towards the edge of the ledge, when suddenly it appeared.
Giratina.
The distortion world was dark, strange, silent. The Pokemon's scream cut through the air as it rushed at the man a few meters away, throwing his pokemon off the ground and into the void if they got in Giratina's path. Cyrus eyes widened the moment it approached; one last thought passed through his mind seconds before the pokemon killed him.
This was not the end.
Cyrus' body was engulfed with darkness as the Giratina's power unleashed over the man. It was Cyrus' end, but the story had just begun. Giratina turned to the woman bleeding at the edge of the floating landmass, knife through her side, she was clutching her stomach as she looked up at the dark beast with teary eyes.
"I have to get back..." She said weakly, but they both knew she wouldn't make it. Giratina was still, examining the woman before her, she had attempted to stop Cyrus from wielding its power. It was grateful. But even Giratina could not save the woman. Suddenly she grunted, panting heavily, the beast watched.
She was with child.
Perhaps she would not make it, but the distortion world was no place for a premature newborn. "Please... Please I beg you..." Tears were streaming down the woman's face. "The child must live!" the woman screamed in harmony with the howl of her Luxray. Giratina faced the void, and instantly a whirpool of darkness formed, a portal.
The Luxray tugged at her clothes, the child was close, Giratina watched in silence. The woman, still crying ripped a hole in the fabric between her legs, which was soaked with amniotic fluid. Screams filled the distortion world as the delivery went on.
The child came swift and fast, a tiny thing, no more than 30 centimetres. The woman tore off her jacket and wrapped the thing in it, it didn't cry, it didn't open its eyes, it was silent, but breathing. Giratina finally moved. It approached the child, a made a low rumble, from its mouth a plume of dark smoke surrounded the child. It mewed and squirmed then settled, the child seemed to be asleep. The luxray sniffed the child, then carefully held it by the fabric of the jacket in its mouth, like its young, and turned towards the portal, leaving the woman, its trainer bleeding, sweating, crying on the ledge. It was time.
The luxray turned around one last time, to look at its trainer, her eyes fluttered open.
"Goodbye, my child."
The luxray lept into the portal.
Present
Julia was waiting for her at the airport. She had just came back from Kalos after the Kalos disaster had been averted by her and Champion Steven Stone as well as the trainers Serena and Alain. Julia was her sort-of aunt. She had raised her, in twinleaf town, on the farm. The two were not blood related, you see, Julia was her mother's maid. The young woman walked out and engulfed Julia in a hug.
"Its good to see you again, dear."
"Good to see you to Jule" the young woman said.
"I was so worried about you, and when you pulled that stunt in lumiose city, Arceus I thought you were going to die..." Julia teared up and pulled her sort-of niece into a hug.
"I was perfectly fine, Plus I have my whole team with me" the young woman gave a small delicate smile.
"Still, Luna, you must be more careful."
Luna chuckled as the two set foot outside Jubilife airport and got into the elder woman's car, en route to Twinleaf town. They talked the whole ride home, about her adventures in Kalos, how she had completed all its Gyms, and of course, the ever-charming Hoenn Champion, Steven Stone.
"You mean to tell me you didn't even say goodbye?!"
"I have a reputation to uphold, Jule, the league and interpol is on my ass, and I don't need Steven Stone asking more questions." She replied matter-of-factly.
It's true, the pokemon league was fascinated by this mysterious trainer who had stopped the Kalosian Crisis. All they knew was that she was also the same mysterious trainer who had dozens of gym battle badges on her scarf, completing the Unova, Kalos, and Sinnoh Gyms, and who routinely participated in the battle frontier seasons and the pokemon world tournament in Driftviel city, Unova. The trainer that they called, the Black Lotus. The trainer who seemingly had...powers. Who disappeared in a portal of darkness at just the right moment, or who appeared from the shadows right where she needed to be, the league and international police was tracking her down. Booker, a prominent investigator had come close in Kalos. She had to disappear.
"About the league... have you decided what to do now?" Jule said, a hint of curiosity in her tone.
"I was thinking about maybe taking a vacation to Alola, apparently they don't have gyms there, but they have these Island challenges, although rumour has it they're building a league on the top of a mountain there." She stretched, vacation wasn't really her thing. "But I was thinking...Maybe it's about time." Luna said with a frown.
"Luna, if you're not ready, don't. Cynthia isn't going anywhere, you can challenge her anytime you want." Jules replied. Cynthia was unbeatable. After the previous champion, her mother, died in the distortion world along with Cyrus, Cynthia had taken up the title of champion. She was her mother's protégé of sorts, they had been working together on the Team galactic case and Cynthia was a young trainer when she took the title. Now she was experienced, everybody who faced her lost.
Luna wasn't worried about beating Cynthia though, Luna was worried about what would come after, the mysterious trainer finally revealed as the previous Champion's daughter. Ironic.
The skitty sitting in her lap chirped at her, pulling Luna out of her thoughts. Skitty was called Tofu and had been a gift from Julia when she was very young. Tofu was her true partner and despite her looks, she was incredibly strong, Luna simply hadn't wanted to evolve her, she glistened a brilliant peach colour, a unique shine to her coat.
"I have to battle Cynthia, I need to take the title."
Before long the two arrived in twinleaf town, car parked in the garage near the barn. Mareep swarmed to the edge of the fence to greet the two women. Luna patted one's head gently, she felt a spark creep into her hand. The evening passed quickly, the two women spent it knitting on the grand living room couch and chatting about their own respective updates. But the night came fast, dinner came and went, and soon enough it was a new dawn.
Luna sat down at her desk in her room. She would have to plan out the next few months carefully. Laying low for now was a priority, especially after the Kalosian Crisis. When she fought alongside Giratina in Lumiose city, the world discovered the Black Lotus had ties to Sinnoh, interpol was sure to be at her doorstep in no time after the cleanup was over in Kalos.
Luna thought on what to do. But it quickly became clear to her that she had to put her alter ego in a draw under her desk. She wasn't ready to put a face and a true identity to that persona.
Outside her vigilantism, Luna had a mundane job, the next day she was off to Jubilife city. Julia and Luna had a small yarn shop towards downtown where they sold the Mareep wool, along with different buttons made from recycled plastic, different fabric and crafting tools. It was a small business, but they made enough to maintain themselves. Usually, Julia maintained the Mareep while Luna handled the shop, but they had been closed for quite some time due to Luna's absence.
She finished dusting off all the services and flipped the sign from 'closed' to 'open'. Sure enough, customers stopped by and by the end of the day, Luna had plenty of restocking to do. She enjoyed what she did, it was a simple life compared to being the Black Lotus. But all her life, she longed for more. She knew she was strong enough to become champion, but she just wasn't sure. It was a life of fame and limelight. She knew there was no turning back to becoming a plain old craft shopkeeper. So she enjoyed it while she could.
Cynthia hesitated before entering the room. She had been called to the conference with the pokemon league champions, elite four and International Police regarding the fallout after the Kalos Crisis. She wasn't ready to lie to the police, but she knew she had to. She pushed the door open and flipped on the computer. Holograms appeared, Booker, Diantha, Lance, Red, Steven Stone, and Alder as well as all the elite four of all regions appeared into view. They all turned to her.
"You're late." Lance said.
"I know I'm sorry. I was caught up with work." Cynthia replied sighing.
"We were waiting for you to begin. So... any leads?" Booker asked.
"Giratina, the legendary pokemon of shadows who appeared to save that pokemon in the Kalos crisis. Only the legendary pokemon Dialga and Palkia as well as the Legendary pokemon of the lakes can open a portal to the distortion world, where it was confined." Cynthia announced. "That, I am sure of."
"And yet, there exists a trainer who can summon Giratina at will. The Black Lotus they call her..." Booker challenged. "We must find this trainer, she is a danger to everyone. We finally have the proof we need to take her into custody."
"She hasn't committed any crimes." Steven Stone interjected. "If anything, we should thank her, she helped save Kalos from destruction."
"I agree with Steven. If the woman had the power to guide Giratina to save a world that isn't even its own, Arceus knows what she can do... We must find her. but not to take her in." Alder said.
"We don't know if she forced Giratina to do that." Booker pointed out. "She could be as bad as Cyrus."
Cynthia slammed her fists on the table. Everyone looked at her.
"No."
There was silence in the room, only the soft buzz of the holograms which flickered occasionally.
"What are you not telling us Cynthia?" Booker inquired suspiciously.
"The Black Lotus could well be Callisto Renn, the only person to ever go in and out of the distortion world." Diantha stiffened. Callisto Renn was the former Champion of Sinnoh.
"It isn't her. I saw her face. She was too young to be Champion Callisto." Diantha said.
The meeting went on for several hours. Cynthia lying through her teeth to protect the truth. But with every passing second, the Pokémon league got closer and closer.
Hearthome was windy, being right next to the mountain. A chill blew down over the two women who sat outside a café, cradling their coffees in their frigid fingers.
"So my dear, what are you going to do these days? Shall I expect to see you on stage?" Fanny asked with a dazzling smile.
"I'm thinking of taking on the league." Luna expected her smile to drop but it only grew wider.
"Aha! Finally! The champion of people's hearts finally takes on Cynthia. This will be quite the show then, hm? You're ready to show yourself to the world?"
"I can feel Cynthia getting closer and closer to admitting to the league who I really am... but besides I need to take back my mother's legacy." Fanny suddenly stood up and gave Luna a twirl, clapping her hands.
"This will be the battle of a lifetime mon cherie! Ahhh! I cannot wait!" Fanny giggled.
Luna smiled. Fanny was extravagant, for sure, but she was also the first person to whom she admitted who she really was. She was a friend. Tofu snored softly in her lap, but was awoken with the clap of Fanny's hands, she didn't know what was going on but chirped happily at Fanny's twirl.
Several months had passed since Luna arrived in Sinnoh. She had spent the time meditating, working on the farm, training, planning out her team. For now, the team was as follows: Luxray, Skitty, Purugly, Driftblim, Roserade, and Zoroark.
The Sinnoh Pokémon league was a massive cathedral structure. It towered above her ominously, but she wasn't intimidated. She had practised and awaited this moment for a long time. Reporters flooded the entrance of the league. This had been the first challenger in about a year, and when the press found out that the challenger was Just a young woman named Luna alongside Tofu the skitty, they begged the league for the match to be televised. Now the world would find out that not only was she Luna, but she was also the Black Lotus, the mysterious trainer of the Kalosian Crisis.
Journalists stuck their mics in her face as she entered the building, asking a flurry of questions, how do you feel in preparation for the match? Do you really think you can beat the e4 and champion? How come you've decided to battle? Luna scoffed and moved ahead to the entrance of the battle area. The reporters couldn't bother her once she entered.
Beating the elite four swiftly, Luna's footsteps echoed across the chamber. Cynthia was straight ahead, on the other side of the battlefield with her back to her.
"I was wondering when this day might come." The long-haired trainer turned, flicking her fringe over her shoulder. "Hello Luna."
"Cynthia."
Luna had always considered the woman her rival. Sure, she was champion, but if her mother hadn't died she wouldn't be. Sinnoh had always given Cynthia a free pass.
Flashing lights and cameras from reporters on the sidelines of the chamber fixed on the two, the sound of clicks and beeps echoing.
"It's time for you to show the world who you are, Black Lotus." Cynthia smiled. A murmur spread through the reporters from all over the world. The reporters' cameras trained on the younger woman. Her face was unreadable, she did not smile, nor frown. It was time.
"If you're ready, Cinzia..." Cynthia's name in Sinnohvian dialect "Let us begin."
The battle was over, One hit of return with her Skitty and her Garchomp collapsed to the ground, dazzling light fading away. It was amazing how such a small thing could take down such a large Pokémon in one move. Cynthia recalled her Pokémon. Tofu lept into the arms of her trainer, happy but tired.
"Well done, Luna." The former champion said. Her grey eyes stared deep into Luna's own. The reporters going crazy in the sidelines. Luna was the new champion of Sinnoh, after Cynthia's 23-year reign. "It seems Destiny pulled you here, where your mother once stood." Cynthia said, barely above a whisper. She had a wistful look on her face.
Luna didn't know what to say. She wasn't in shock, she was just, well she didn't know what she felt. It was as if she had waited her whole life for this moment, but it simply didn't register in her mind. Something was missing.
"Follow me, we must register you in Sinnoh's hall of fame." Cynthia announced, leading the way to the elevator shaft behind her. The hall of fame was a small room. It wasn't grand or extravagant. It was just a plain room with a large screen at the back and 6 dents to put your pokeballs in. the screen was black until Cynthia turned it on, immediately past champions came to life onscreen, one of whom Luna recognized.
"Callisto! The Lady with the Luxray!" The screen read, before flashing to a previous champion.
"She would be proud of you." Cynthia said behind her.
"All my life I've waited for this, but it's not what I imagined." Luna whispered. "Why didn't you come find me?" silence reigned in the hall of fame. Cynthia was at a loss for words. "You knew she was pregnant. You did nothing to save her."
"She ordered me to stay out of the distortion world. She wanted to go after Cyrus alone." Cynthia said, eyes pooling with tears.
"You should've gone." Luna said. You could have saved her.
"Perhaps..." Cynthia started and wiped a lone tear on her cheek. Luna didn't face her, eyes still glued on the succession of historic Champions on the screen. "Perhaps you'll be better then, Black lotus." Cynthia took a step forward, imputing Luna's name and title on the screen. She looked at Luna, who turned to face her finally. "You can be a better Champion that I was. Live up to your mother's name." She finished with a soft smile.
Something shifted in the air. Luna's thoughts settled, and she closed her eyes. She was just a girl. She was just a girl when the Galactic tragedy happened in Sinnoh, must've been no more than 20. She imagined it.
The Sinnoh Champion threw out a fighting cry at Cyrus.
"You'll never have their power, Dialga and Palkia will never allow it. The world you dream of doesn't exist!" She yelled over the chaos in spear pillar. The dark black portal swirling ominously. Cynthia and Garchomp stood tall but were afraid. If Cyrus was able to control Giratina and the lords of Time and Space, he would be unstoppable.
Cyrus ignored her, wind whipped their hair around, and the two women covered their ears as Dialga in chains let out a deafening roar.
"Cynthia! Stay here! I'll go after Cyrus! Free Dialga and Palkia! You must defeat the pokemon of the lakes! Only then will their red chains be broken!" Callisto yelled over the wind. She approached the portal; Cynthia grabbed her wrist.
"What about-!" Cynthia was interrupted.
"There's no time Cynthia!" She shouted above the chaos. "There's no time. I'm sorry. Cyrus must be stopped." A tear fell on spear pillar's floor. The champion was right. "If anything goes wrong, you must be strong Cynthia. Promise me" Cynthia looked at the black portal, then at her mentor. "Promise me!"
"I tried my best Luna." Her eyes filled with tears. "I don't know what happened in the distortion world, but neither of them ever came out...and when the portal closed, and the distortion stopped... The first thing I did was go to Turnback cave...Legend says it was the closest point between our world and Giratina's. but there was nothing there. No portal, No Giratina." Cynthia kept a strong face and turned to face the screen. "When I saw you for the first time, I knew Giratina had something to do with it. You survived the distortion world, I don't know how...but you did."
"You never even spoke to me."
"I couldn't. The path you walk is not mine, nor your mothers. It is your own. I cannot interfere with that."
"Then why tell me now?!"
"Because now you are Champion." Cynthia said. "Put your Pokémon in the grooves. We must record you in the hall of fame database." Luna obliged, thinking about her words. She had felt anger towards Cynthia from all these years. But she only then realized:
There was nothing she could've done. Instead, she chose to protect the child's identity
