Outsiders (ZnT/Pokémon Reverse Summon)
Season 1, Episode 8, Chapter 3
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"Excuse me, sir?" Saito asked the head butler. The man turned around and smiled politely at the young trainer, putting his hand over his heart and slightly bowing.
"What can I do for you, monsieur?" he asked while straightening himself.
"I was hoping to sign up for the battle session this evening."
"Ah, of course." The butler nodded and turned to walk away, beckoning Saito to follow him. The boy did, Louise not too far behind. "Mademoiselle, can we expect you this evening as well?"
"No, monsieur," Louise respectfully declined. "I have decided not to attend this evening. However, I do wish to spectate my friend."
"Very well." The butler stopped in front of a large and thick wooden desk and opened one of the cabinets above it. Looking over Saito with a keen eye, he turned back to the cabinet and pulled out a black suit and white button up shirt.
"All participants in the Battle Chateau must wear these," the butler explained as he handed the fancy clothes to Saito. As the boy took the cloths in hand, the butler handed him a pair of black shoes and socks. "The session starts in an hour. Please make your way to the main foyer whenever you are ready."
"I will." Saito nodded and began walking back to his room. Louise turned to follow him, only for the butler to cough and catch her attention. For a moment, Louise wondered what he wanted, only for him to hold out a light blue skirt with a white blouse. It wasn't hard for her to realize what he wanted.
"I assume I am to wear that this evening?" she asked, and the butler nodded. Nodding back, Louise took the dress and heels from the man with a polite smile. "Thank you, monsieur."
"You are welcome, mademoiselle." The butler bowed, to which Louise smiled back before turning and walking away. She walked through the chateau halls silently, occasionally hearing muffled sounds of people in guest rooms talking with their Pokémon. Most of their voices sound plain, indicative of what would could only describe as 'common' roots. Others mere much more prim and polish, not to mention full of themselves, and it wasn't hard to plant those individuals as coming from money.
Her thoughts couldn't help but drift back to what Saito had told her just before they went down, how in Kalos the concept of nobility was something in the past. The way Saito simply described nobles as being stuck up do-nothings, how people come here in an act of play. Part of her was infuriated at the very idea of it, that nobility had become so debased in Kalos that it no longer meant anything. She was still upset about it. But, that wasn't to say that she wasn't blind to the system's faults. Saito's simple assessment of nobles, as blanket as it was, was unfortunately based in truth. Many of her classmates at the Tristainian Academy of Magic could be perfectly described as stuck up, doing nothing and living purely off of their family's name. Many more treated the commoner workers like trash, barely acknowledging their existence at best. Not even she could say that she was immune to those attitudes, if only as a coping mechanism for the sheer hell that was her life up to that point.
That wasn't to say that everyone back home was like that. Tabitha mostly kept to herself, outside of sticking by Kirche's side. Even then, for all her numerous faults, Kirche never once used her family name to try and get what she wanted. Why would she need to use that when she could use her other…assets. Louise scowled at that thought then shook her head, only to sadly frown.
'Heh, hard to believe I miss them,' she thought as she rounded a corner. Truth be told, she almost missed everyone at the Academy, at least in some way. Whether that was simply due to a general feeling of homesickness or an actual desire to see them again, she did not know, but that didn't mean she could dismiss the feeling outright. That feeling of homesickness had come up every now and then, especially during that first week, but her travels with her Pokémon and Saito had helped to mitigate it greatly. She still missed her home, and she often dreamt of coming home victorious and with an entire team of Pokémon, but no longer did she think that being dragged to Kalos was the worst thing to happen to her.
Instead, she was beginning to feel like coming to Kalos was the single best thing to happen to her.
Louise's thoughts stopped as she closed in on her and Saito's room. She waited a moment then knocked.
"Saito, are you good in there?" she asked loudly enough to be heard through the thick wooden door.
"Just a sec!" Saito yelled, his voice muffled by the doors. The sounds of straining and things being pushed around could be heard, causing Louise to raise her eyebrow at the commotion. Bouncing up on her feet, Louise patiently waited before Saito finally opened the door, his clothes slightly wrinkled and his tie in a tangled knot.
"Hey," he said in an attempt to appear like he knew what he was doing. Louise didn't buy it for a second, showing her disbelief with a pointed and unamused stare.
"What is this?" She gestured towards him. He moved to answer his current state, only for Louise's continued stare to cut him off, making him sigh in defeat.
"…I don't know how to tie a tie…" he softly revealed, making Louise groan.
"For Brimir's sake, Saito…"
"I've never had to tie one before! I don't exactly go to high society stuff all that often!" he defended himself, only for Louise to point at his chest.
"Well, you've decided to go to one, so now you have to look like you do." She pushed herself inside the room, dragging him along by his shirt before making him stand in place. "Now, hold still. You're lucky that I know how to do this."
"Didn't you tell me that you once tried to get one of Sycamore's assistants to dress you during your first week at his lab?" Saito asked with an amused smile on his face, one that only brightened at the red hue Louise's face turned into.
"I told you that in confidence!" she hissed at him while fixing his tie, ignoring Saito's chuckles. That conversation with Sycamore had not been a pleasant one, and she had apologized to the girl shortly afterwards. She was lucky that Sophie and Cosette left for their Alolan vacation shortly afterwards, otherwise things might have gotten more awkward.
After a few more minutes, making sure Saito looked as perfect as possible, Louise finally stepped away and admired her work. Pride and a sense of accomplishment filled her as she took in how pristine Saito looked. He looked sharp, like he was supposed to be here, and Louise nodded to herself.
"You look good," she said with a smile. Saito smiled back and moved to thank her, only for Louise to point at the door. "Now out. I have to get dressed, too."
"Do you need me to help you with that?" he joked as he began walking towards the door.
"Out!"
Saito continued to chuckle to himself as he walked out the door. He waited in the hall for quite some time, occupying himself by leaning against the wall and surfing the internet on his Pokédex. After several minutes, the door finally opened to reveal Louise in a striking blue dress, her rosecrown hair neatly brushed and looking as regal as possible.
"You look nice," he complimented her, making Louise smile. She then straightened herself and held out her palm.
"Well, shall we?" she asked. Rather than take her hand, Saito merely stood there in mute confusion, making Louise scowl. "You're supposed to take my hand and escort me, you uncultured dog!"
"Oh, sorry," he apologized before awkwardly linking her hand and arm with his. Together, the two trainers walked down the hallway, idly chatting to each other about a myriad array of banal topics before reaching the main foyer. Inside, they were greeted by a multitude of people, each dressed in similar suits and dresses to their own. Most looked exactly like theirs, indicating that they were simply travelling trainers, but a few had suits and dresses that looked to be of much higher quality. They were similar to the clothes Elizabeth wore, in fact, telling them that those trainers came from wealth.
"Hmm, looks to be about…thirty people," Saito declared after doing a quick mental count of all the participants. Louise did the same and found it to be accurate, nodding to herself afterwards. Eyeing the clock, they noticed how they still had fifteen minutes until the battle session was set to begin, and so they calmly walked to the edge of the room where a butler was handing out hors d'oeuvres. Saito took a few for himself and Louise. He then sat down on a nearby chair, Louise sitting down next to him.
They stayed that way for quite some time, preferring to sit in silence and people watch rather than continue to converse. Louise took the time to study Saito's would be opponents, the way many of them showed off their fancy Pokéballs and accessories, and hummed to herself. Everyone, regardless of status, looked as though they knew what they were doing. They held an air of confidence around them, especially the ones wearing colorful capes that Louise could only guess marked what rank they were.
One man in particular stood out from all the others. Unlike everyone else, he wasn't wearing a suit but rather a full set of plate armor, sans helmet. He had spiky grey hair that jetted out on the sides, looking vaguely like horns, and a star-shaped diadem sat atom his head. The aura around him was one of confidence, charisma, and sheer power. She did not know who this man was, but she knew that Saito wouldn't stand a chance.
"Saito, who is that?" she quietly asked her companion. Quickly taking a bite from an hors d'oeuvre, Saito followed Louise's gaze to the armored man and almost choked. "Saito!"
Saito coughed and pounded at his chest before the small bit of food was dislodged from his windpipe. After a few moments to catch his breath, Saito looked at the man closely and narrowed his eyes.
"That, Louise," he began while subtly pointing at the armored man, "is Wikstrom Thyméo. Head of the Thyméo noble house and a member of the Kalos Elite Four."
"He's with the Elite Four?" she asked then studied the man more closely. Saito nodded.
"Actually used to be champion before Diantha beat him a few years back. Really big into Kalos' history, funding archeological digs across the region as well as preserving any historical accounts he can find. By all accounts, he's a pleasant man, if a little…eccentric."
"How so?"
"From what I've read, he's really big into chivalry and talking like he's some kind of knight."
"Ah." Louise looked at the man again then shrugged. Certainly explained his choice of attire, and it wasn't as though he wasn't allowed to have his quirks. At least his was harmless and good natured.
The sound of a spoon tapping against a porcelain cup drew everyone's attention. Seeing how everyone's attention was now on him, the head butler coughed into his gloved fist to clear his throat before straightening himself.
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen," he said loudly to the crowd, making sure that those in the back could hear him clearly. "Without further ado, I proudly declare that tonight's battle session may now commence. I am also happy to announce that we have a special guest this evening, Grand Duke Wikstrom Thyméo of the Elite Four. He will be joining us and participating this evening, so please bid him welcome."
The Elite Four member bowed to a polite applause from the audience, which Louise and Saito joined in on. Internally, Saito was both nervous about the prospect of potentially facing a member of the Elite Four, as well as excited about the opportunity. Louise looked to be feeling the same, although more nervous for him than anything.
"Please, if everyone may gather around and grab a battle slip. These will determine who exactly you will be facing this evening," the butler declared. Standing up, Saito looked at Louise and nodded then walked over to a nearby maid, the girl holding a plate of paper slips. Grabbing one, he moved back to Louise and opened it, revealing the number five in bold lettering.
"Now then, please find your matching partner and proceed to one of our battle arenas." At the butler's words, the assembled crowed nodded and began to move. Saito did as well, placing down his food and started to search for his assigned partner. Louise followed after him, despite not partaking in the battling herself.
"Excuse me, is your number 'five'?" a young blond man asked Saito, holding up a piece of paper with the number emblazoned on it. Saito nodded and held up his paper. "Splendid! My name is Jean, it's a pleasure to meet you!"
"Likewise. My name is Saito," Saito replied as he shook hands with the young man. Louise took the time to study his apparel and quickly came to the conclusion that the boy was rich. His clothes were much more pristine that hers or Saito's, and he had an air of importance around him. At the very least, he appeared to be friendly.
"And who might your lovely friend be?" Jean asked with a warm smile. Taking her cue, Louise smiled and curtsied.
"My name is Louise," she said.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Louise. Will you be participating tonight as well?"
"No, I'm afraid not. I'm merely supporting my friend."
"I see. Shame, I would have loved a chance to battle you as well. Oh well," Jean shrugged then looked at Saito. "I shall meet you at the arena, Mr. Hiraga."
"Sure thing. I'll be there in a bit." Jean nodded and walked away, leaving Saito and Louise behind. The two trainers looked at each other for a moment before walking after Saito's opponent.
"He seems nice," Louise noted, to which Saito nodded in agreement. He wondered how exactly the upcoming battle would go, although he himself already knew which Pokémon he was going to use. This would be a prime opportunity to use Tengu, see exactly what she was capable of.
Their path led them to a large room a set of double mahogany doors leading inside. A pair of servants politely opened the threshold for them, granting them entrance and revealing the large group of trainers already inside. There were several red circles on the ground, likely rings for battles. They saw Jean sipping a glass of sparkling water among a group of trainers, chatting among themselves, but their attention was drawn to the large window at the far side of the room.
"Holy crap, Wikstrom is here…" Saito muttered as he looked at the armored Elite Four trainer. He was standing by himself, the other trainers too intimidated to come near. Part of Saito wanted to go talk to the man, only for find his feet rooted to the ground. He then heard the clattering of heels as Louise confidently strode forward to the trainer. Saito hurried after her, and their approach was noticed by Wikstrom.
"Why, hello there!" he boisterously called out while puffing out his chest. "What can I do for you youngsters?"
"Hello, sir. My name is Louise and this is my friend Saito," she announced while Saito meekly waved at the man. "Do you mind if we stay here in the sunlight with you?"
"But of course! I don't mind at all!" Wikstrom boomed and smiled as he gestured to his side. Smiling at him, Louise walked up to the window and sighed as she let the sunlight hit her tanned skin.
"So, can I expect to you see you two participate this evening?" Wikstrom asked, to which Louise shook her head.
"No, I'm afraid that I am not participating this evening. I'm only here to support my friend." She gestured towards Saito, who waved at the nobleman and smiled.
"I'm Saito, sir. It's a pleasure to meet you," he declared while holding out his hand. Wikstrom smiled and shook it in turn before a maid came into the room and caught everyone's attention.
"Everyone, please find your partner and an open battle ring. These first few battles will be one on one. You may start when ready," she announced.
"Well, that's my cue. Wish me luck," Saito declared as he confidently walked over to Jean. Jean met him halfway and nodded confidently at him then, after spotting an open ring, both walked over to it.
"May the best trainer win," Jean stated while holding out his hand. Saito smiled and took it before each separated towards the opposite ends. Saito took hold of Tengu's Pokéball and readied himself as Jean did the same with one of his own. After a moment, they both sprung into action and threw their balls towards the ring.
"Tengu!"
"Rattata!"
Two bright bursts of light erupted onto the field, revealing Tengu and a black-furred Rattata. Arching up his eyebrow, Saito pulled out his Pokédex at the strange looking Rattata and scanned it.
"Rattata, the Mouse Pokémon. Originally native to the Kanto Region, Rattatas have spread throughout much of the planet by hitching onto trade ships. The ones that arrived in Alola in particular have noted to have undergone a massive evolutionary divergence, adapting to be nocturnal in order to survive the island's natural predators."
"Hmm, interesting…" Saito hummed as he read more detail on the creature, noting the added Dark-typing to the Normal-type Pokémon as well as the creature being male. Clicking the device closed, Saito pocketed it and readied himself.
"Tengu, Harden!" Saito ordered, prompting the Seedot's body to glow with a white sheen.
"Rattata, Quick Attack!" At Jean's order, the Rattata disappeared in a dark blur before impacting Tengu with a loud thud. Tengu skidded across the ground but was able to remain on her stubby feet. She stared at the Rattata, remaining the picture of calm while her opponent worked to find an opening in her defense.
"Bite!" Jean ordered again, causing Rattata to rush forward at her. As he neared, Tengu's body glowed just as Rattata's fangs bit down on her cap. She grunted in pain before using Growth to forcibly pry the jaws off of her.
"Tengu, Leech Seed!" Saito ordered. Tengu immediately complied, launching three seeds from her cap that soared towards Rattata. As they neared, thin vines exploded from the seeds and attached themselves to Rattata's body then glowed. Rattata could feel his strength being sapped away, while Tengu could feel strength and vigor returning to her.
"Grrgh," Jean grunted as he thought over how to get out of this situation. If he had any hope of winning, he needed to get past that Seedot's defenses before the Leech Seed could take his Pokémon out. Clenching his fist, he shouted out for his Pokémon to use Hyper Fang. Rattata's fangs glowed with energy and elongated as it jumped towards Seedot once more. Tengu reacted by glowing once again, taking the full force of Rattata's powerful jaws. She thrashed from the pain and threw her body from side to side, trying to pry the Rattata off, but Rattata merely tightened his grip. She fell down slightly to the base of her body-head, causing Jean to grin, only for the Leech Seed to glow and cause Rattata to flinch, releasing his grip and allowing Tengu to get free.
"Tengu, Nature Power!" Saito shouted. Tengu's body glowed with energy before several stars formed in front of her body. They shot towards Rattata, each one finding their mark and sending him skidding back.
"Synthesis!" At Saito's order, Tengu's body glowed in a green slight. The injuries on her body sealed themselves, scratches disappearing and her body returning to prime form. Rattata appeared to get nervous at this development, while Tengu looked as unamused as ever even as she used Growth. Her body then glowed in a soft white and she stayed perfectly still.
"Rattata, use Quick Attack again!" Jean seized the opening and shouted a command. Rattata, ignoring the pain of the Leech Seed sapping away at his strength, sped towards Tengu and struck her body. Tengu reeled form the impact as she skidded back. Following up on this, Rattata leapt towards Tengu and used Hyper Fang, biting down on her cap repeatedly before throwing her to the side. The pain of Leech Seed sapped through him once more, but he ignored it in favor of using Pursuit, his body becoming surrounded in a dark Aura and hitting Tengu in the face. The last impact send Tengu flying back, making her roll across the ground before coming to a stop. For a moment, Jean and his Rattata thought they finally won, only for Tengu to slowly rise to her feet. Jean shook his head and ordered Rattata to attack once more, only for Saito to smirk.
"Bide!" Jean's eyes widened as he realized exactly what that last glow had been. Rattata tried to get out of the way, only for a large white beam to erupt out of Tengu's body and strike across Rattata's chest. The impact shot him across the ring and outside the red boundary line into the walls that surrounded them. It fell to the ground with a thud, and to his credit tried to rise to his feet, only for the Leech Seed to activate one last time and sapped away the last of his strength. Rattata then fell back to the ground, well and truly defeated. Jean looked at his Pokémon in worry before sighing and rubbing the back of his head.
"Return," he said as he pulled out Rattata's Pokéball and shot a red beam at hiss prone form. Sighing once more, he turned back to Saito to see that he did the same thing to Tengu, and the two walked towards each other and shook hands. "That was a splendid match, Saito."
"Thank you." Saito smiled.
"How long have you had that Seedot? She seemed to be remarkably well trained."
"Actually, I've only had her since about noon today. This was her first official battle."
"Truly? Well, you and her have a bright future ahead of you. I wish you luck."
"You too, man." With only final shake, Saito and Jean separated and went back to their original spots. Moving back to Louise and Wikstrom, he was greeted by a polite nod and a boisterous thumbs up from the armored trainer.
"Good show, lad! That was quite the performance, indeed!" he declared while slapping Saito's back. The boy grunted and laughed while rubbing the sore spot on his shoulder before looking at Louise.
"That was quite good," she agreed. "But, I can't help but feel Tengu needs more options."
"Yeah, I noticed that too. Still, better here than at a gym."
"Oh, obviously." The two nodded at her statement turning to watch the rest of the battles. It wouldn't be long before the maid reentered the room, carrying a tray with paper slips and declaring for everyone to grab one. As the assembled battlers went towards her to grab them, Louise's thoughts drifted back to her room. They had left the egg in there with her team and Derflinger, and she wondered exactly what they were doing now.
Derflinger and the rest of the Pokémon all sat in silence on the twin beds, watching a nature documentary on the TV before them. Espirit had the egg nestled next to her, Brennaraki curling next to it to provide warmth while the others simply sat in silence.
"The Caterpie is foraging for food across the Viridian Forest floor," a calm voice narrated the scene before them. "It must take care to avoid any and all predators, lest he potentially come to harm."
"You know, I've met a few Caterpie. Interesting species, that one," Derflinger noted. "Don't tend to live very long in the wild, though. They just hatch, evolve, breed, then die."
'Really? Sounds dreadful,' Espirit noted with a sad tone.
"What about trained ones?" Brennaraki asked, genuinely curious.
"Oh, they live much longer. Even in the wild, a trained Butterfree can live up to ten years. Still, Butterfree don't have the longest lifespans anyway. They don't live much longer than that."
"Hmm…" Brennaraki hummed to herself while they turned their attention back towards the screen. "Aile, you lived in the wild. Ever come across a Caterpie?"
"A few times, actually," Aile revealed. "And before you ask, no. I did not ever eat a Caterpie. For one, they're way to big for me, and two…"
She was interrupted by a Pinsir arriving on the screen, roaring at the Caterpie.
"Now a Pinsir has arrived. The Caterpie had wandered into its territory, and now the Pinsir is defending it from any and all intruders." They watched with baited breath as the large beetle leapt towards the Caterpie, only for a large string of thick webbing to erupt from its mouth and encase the Pinsir in a cocoon. The Caterpie then curled its body upwards, hoisting the Pinsir high into the air and crashing it into the ground headfirst, knocking it unconscious. Satisfied, the Caterpie continued on its merry way, leaving behind the Pinsir's twitching body. "However, the Pinsir's attack was no match for the humble Caterpie's webbing."
"That," Aile declared while everyone else watched in absolute shock. A snort then filled the air, and everyone looked to see Espirit struggling to keep her laugh contained.
'I'm sorry, it's just…' Espirit laughed again, unable to hid her snorting laughter. 'Who would expect that?'
Everyone stared at her before, one by one, they too joined in on the laughter.
Louise watched Saito as he prepared for his latest battle. This current round had been declared to be a double battle, and as such he'd been ruminating over which pair to use. In the end, he decided on Tengu and Maindo, and although she could not understand exactly what the two were saying to each other, she really wished that she could.
'React, damn you!'
Tengu merely stared at Maindo blankly before shrugging.
'AAGH!'
Although from the way Maindo was reacting, he had been attempting to rile up the Seedot as soon as they both entered the field. In contrast to all of his other attempts with the others, Tengu succinctly ignored all of his barbs, rude asides and mean-spirited comments with her patented uncaring attitude. Maindo himself got angrier and angrier the more she ignored it, to the point where he was actually willingly participating in the battles just to get a reaction out of her.
So far, that didn't seem to be working either.
"I say, that Ralts has quite the mean streak to him," Wikstrom noted as he watched Maindo mercilessly beat down a Zubat while Tengu used Nature Power on its Sandshrew teammate.
Louise nodded. "Yeah, Maindo…takes some getting used to. He's been like this ever since Saito caught him, although my guess is that he'd been like this before."
"Yes, his behavior does seem to be borne out of practice." Wikstrom hummed to himself. "Tell me, what steps have been taken to try and alleviate this behavior?"
"We've tried everything." Louise sighed. "So far, nothing seems to work. We've tried rewards, he throws them away. We try punishment, he simply laughs it off. Tengu ignoring him only seems to rile him up even more."
"Hmmm, yes. That does seem like it would be a hassle." Wikstrom narrowed his eyes at the Pokémon in question. "How did Sir Saito come across him, again?"
"Maindo attacked him in Lumiose inside an alleyway. Saito beat him off and decided to add him to his team." Louise sighed once more. "He's been a complete dog ever since."
Wikstrom furrowed his brow and frowned. "You both need to find a way to curb this destructive behavior of his, lest it continue unabated and lead to disaster. I suspect he is doing it on purpose, but why I do not pretend to know."
"Yeah, we've started to figure that as well." Louise sighed and continued to watch Saito's battles. He was doing quite well for himself, with far more wins than losses. As she did, she couldn't help but glance at the Elite Four trainer next to her and think.
"Sir Wikstrom?" she asked, grabbing his attention.
"Yes, Lady Louise?"
"Well, I was hoping you could answer something for me."
"Go right ahead." Wikstrom smiled, and Louise straightened herself before turning back to look at the combatants.
"What do you think about the Battle Chateau and the ranking system it uses?" she asked, hoping to hear an actual Kalosian Nobleman give his thoughts about what she still believed to be a devaluation.
"What an odd question," he admitted before shrugging. "Well, in my humble opinion, I find the rankings to be delightful." Wikstrom's answer through Louise through a loop. That was not the answer she was expecting.
"You do? I would have thought that…?"
"What, that because I'm the head of a noble house that I'd be offended?" Wikstrom asked with an amused look on his face. He shook his head. "No, I don't find any offense on the practices here. This is all in good fun, a way for people to play dress up and enjoy themselves with the heat of battle. That is much more important than any noble title."
"You act as though nobility doesn't matter?" Louise asked.
"Lady Louise, in my humble opinion, the idea of nobility, that a person is greater simply because of who sired them, is in actuality a demeaning concept. It removes agency from a person, implies that what truly matters to an individual is who they came from, not who they themselves are. What truly matters in this world is not how one was born, but what one does with the gift of life. That is something far grander than any title."
Wikstrom paused to look down at Louise and smiled. "To me, Louise, it is far grander to act noble than to be a noble. Being a noble is only afforded to a select few who had the luck of birth, while anyone can act noble. Kindness, generosity, heroism, valor and honor, those are traits anyone can possess. From the lowest pauper to the highest king, anyone can be noble. I think of the Battle Chateau and its ranking system as acting out this pursuit of nobility, that through the glory of battle a person's nobility can be brought forth. By allowing everyone to participate, it shows that anyone truly can be noble.
"I think that is a much greater thing, don't you?" Wikstrom asked and finished speaking.
Louise paused at Wikstrom's words, running them over in her mind, before nodding in understanding. She could see where he came from, and the idea that one's actions determined their worth and not their title was a comforting one to the girl who had to cling to her name as her only lifeline. That didn't mean she was ready to abandon what she firmly believed to be right, but she could at least respect his opinion.
"I see. Thank you for sharing this." She smiled, and Wikstrom did in turn.
"It is no problem at all." With that, Wikstrom turned back to watch the battlers continue. The double battles had ended at this point, and after a moment to heal, the trainers partnered up and began their duels. Again, his eyes travelled to Saito, who now had swapped out Tengu to release Tanuki. The look on the Riolu's face was one of jubilation, joy, and utmost confidence in his abilities, and he could tell at the two had a strong relationship between them. His opponent was a Machop, and the two were beginning their spar.
As the fight continued, each of the Fighting-types trading blow after blow, his expression turned into a slight frown.
"Lady Louise?" he suddenly asked and catching her attention. "Tell me, how long has Sir Saito had that Riolu?"
"Tanuki? Well, he had him since Unova. Met him at a ranch, did some pranks together, and afterwards Tanuki decided to stick with him."
"I see." Wikstrom continued to watch Tanuki's fighting style, noting a distinctive lack of actual commands given by Saito, something he had been doing the entire time. "Do the two of you often not give commands in battle?"
"We do," Louise clarified, "but we've found that it is easier to simply train our Pokémon to fight on their own and merely give commands when absolutely necessary. Why, is that bad?"
"Not necessarily," Wikstrom explained. "While a Pokémon should typically trust in its trainer above all else, there may be situations where it's best for them to use their own judgement. Lady Korrina's experiences likely have her a bit biased in that regard." He turned his attention back to the battle. "Although...I do believe she is correct, in this instance. Sir Saito's Riolu is powerful and smart, but seems to hold himself above his trainer. In a Pokémon Battle, the trainer and Pokémon must respect each other as equals. Otherwise, it can only end in disaster."
"What do you mean? Saito and Tanuki get along great." Louise was confused and slightly offended on behalf of her friend, but Wikstrom merely held out his hand towards him.
"Watch. Notice how Tanuki fights, how he moves and studies his opponent." Louise did so, focusing in on the blue canine before shaking her head.
"Clearly he's showing how skilled he is. I don't see how that's a problem."
"The problem isn't that he's skilled. The problem is that he acts without taking into account his trainer." With wide eyes, Louise turned back to study the battle more closely. She saw Saito preparing to issue an order, only for Tanuki to act on his own before Saito could get the chance. The frustration was easily seen, but it disappeared shortly after. "See what I mean?"
Louise couldn't say a word as Tanuki quickly won the battle shortly after, the canine doing a short jump to celebrate. He and Saito then congratulated their opponents on a great battle before Saito returned his Pokémon and made his way back to Louise and Wikstrom, oblivious to the look the Elite Four trainer was giving.
"I think things are almost done for tonight," he noted with a smile. "Honestly, tonight's been a blast. You should have tried it, Louise. Gotten some training in."
"Yes, getting more training is always good," Wikstrom agreed before appearing to think to himself. "I say, dear boy, I just realized I haven't had a battle yet this evening."
"Really?" Saito asked in surprise. "I would have thought you've had some challengers by now."
"Alas, it appears as though my status proceeds me. Tis a shame, really. I was really hoping for some quality battles this evening."
"…Yeah, I can see how that would be disappointing." Saito nodded while a sinking feeling slowly built in Louise's stomach. That feeling only increased when a look suddenly crossed Saito's face, and before she could act he looked back up at the Elite Four trainer. "If you want, you and I could have a go."
Wikstrom looked down at Saito, appearing to contemplate his offer, before smiling and nodding in agreement.
"That sounds splendid!" he boisterously declared. "I humbly accept your battle invitation, Sir Saito!"
Saito smiled while all the other participants turned and gawked at the challenge, surprised that the rookie trainer would do so. Louise knew that, in Saito's mind, this was nothing more than a friendly spar, keeping up with the spirit of this institution. She also knew that was not the case in Wikstrom's mind, that he was doing this not to have fun but rather to impart a lesson on her friend.
She could only hope that his reasoning would prove to be unfounded.
As it turned out, the prospect of witnessing an actual member of the Elite Four battle someone, even if that person was a rookie, was enough to effectively end the night's battle session. Everyone from across the Battle Chateau had heard about the challenge and had gathered around to spectate, forcing Wikstrom and Saito to move to an arena on the river. Most of the spectators were on the ground level, while Louise herself was on a balcony overlooking everyone. She could see Saito and Wikstrom standing across from each other on the circular slab, and while Saito appeared to be excited, Louise couldn't help but feel nervous
"Combatants, this will be a one on one battle. Victory will be granted by knock out or ring out. You may begin when ready," a maid announced, assuming the role of referee. Both Wikstrom and Saito nodded, and the boy moved pull out a Pokémon, only for Wikstrom to hold up his hand.
"Sir Saito, my boy, do you mind if I make a request?" the older trainer asked.
"Sure, go right ahead."
"Thank you. I couldn't help but notice you happen to have a Riolu as part of your team. Well, I just so happen to have on me a Lucario. What would you say to us having them face off against each other?"
"Sure! Tanuki would love that!" Saito exclaimed while pulling out Tanuki's Pokéball. Wikstrom did the same with his Lucario's, and Louise's worry grew.
"Go, Tanuki!"
"Go, Lucario!"
Wikstrom and Saito shouted as their Pokéballs were thrown. The balls exploded, revealing Tanuki and his larger evolution. Louise recognized the Lucario slightly from her experience at the Daycare. One of them had been assisting Flare, but she wasn't able to get a chance to really study it. Too much was going on, but now that things were calm, she was award an opportunity to do so.
The resemblance to a Riolu was easily seen. Honestly, the biggest difference was simply how much bigger it got. The snout was more pronounced, the white bulbs on its pals had turned into spikes, and its torso was now covered in yellow fur. Two more black extensions joined the two it must have had as a Riolu, only now moved to the back of its head. The ears and tail was also much larger. Taking all of this into account, Louise then produced her Pokédex from a small bag attached to the back of her dress and activated the scanning function, pointing it down at the Lucario.
"Lucario, the Aura Pokémon. Lucario is the evolved form of Riolu, and members of its species are widely considered to be among the greatest fighters of the Pokémon world. Its mastery of Aura is unparalleled, capable of both sensing the Aura from living creatures as well as utilizing it in combat. Lucarios as a whole have a instinctual deposition to justice," the Pokédex revealed while Louise hummed to herself. It revealed that Wikstrom's Lucario was male, and that the evolution gave it an added Steel-typing. Should she come to fight a Lucario in the future, she would have to take that into account. Putting away her Pokédex, Louise turned her attention to battle below.
"Tanuki, start things off with Quick Attack!" Saito ordered. Tanuki grinned and disappeared into a blur, racing towards his opponent. To Saito's confusion, Lucario merely closed his eyes, the bulbs on the back of its head extending outward before he suddenly thrust out his paw and caught Tanuki's extended foot.
"Power Up Punch!" Wikstrom ordered. At cone, Lucario's fist glowed and thrown straight into Tanuki's gut, launching the Riolu back across the arena.
"Quick Guard!" Wikstrom followed up with another order just as Tanuki began picking himself off the ground. Closing his eyes, Lucario thrust his palms outwards as a red glow began to appear in front of him. For a moment, Lucario began to slightly float, only for the red light to erupt and cover his entire body in a red sheen. Lucario descended back to the ground, while Tanuki narrowed his eyes at his opponent.
"What does…" Saito wondered, only for Tanuki to suddenly use Quick Attack once again. "Tanuki, wait!"
If Tanuki heard him, it didn't amount to anything as the red aura surrounding Lucario suddenly expanded and enveloped Tanuki, slowing him down to his normal speed. Caught off guard, he was helpless as Wikstrom ordered Lucario to attack him with Aura Sphere, the ball of concentrated Aura slamming into his side and flipping him head over foot.
"Grrgh," Saito grunted as he tried to figure out a way around this. It was obvious to him now that the Quick Guard protected Lucario from moves like Quick Attack, something he had suspected but was unable to tell Tanuki before he acted on his own. That meant that one of his preferred moves was now off the table, which meant they had to adjust accordingly.
"Tanuki, Copycat!" Saito ordered, and Tanuki nodded. His eyes flashed gold before he copied Lucario's motions, creating a small sphere of concentrated aura in his hands then shooting it towards Lucario. Knowing that it was no point to try and dodge the tracking Aura Sphere, Lucario crossed his arms to shield himself. They took the force of the Aura sphere, obscuring him in a cloud of dust. Taking his chance, Tanuki ran towards Lucario, his arms thrust backwards and his body leaning forwards.
"Force Palm!" Saito commanded, and Tanuki leaped into the air with his paw glowing in a bright blue light. He moved to bring it down on Lucario's head just as the dust began to settle.
"Counter!" As soon as Wikstrom's command shouted out, and a red glow began to cover Lucario's body, Tanuki halted his attack and used Quick Attack away from any retaliation. He didn't go far before the red glow slowed him down, but it was enough to move away. Flipping in the air, Tanuki bounced off the ground and lunged for Lucario, his fist concealed and ready to strike just as the red glow subsided. Once it did, he used another Force Palm on Lucario's face. To his surprise, the attack barely seemed to faze the larger Pokémon, and before he could react Lucario grabbed his arm and slammed him onto the ground. As he did, the red glow surrounding Lucario faded, and at once Tanuki realized that the Quick Guard had subsided. With other burst of Quick Attack, Tanuki zipped away from Lucario's downward foot, stopping himself with a three-point pose.
"Your Riolu is very skilled," Wikstrom complimented his opponent. Saito nodded, but before he could speak again Tanuki used yet another Quick Attack to close the gap on Lucario. "Bone Rush!" Wikstrom quickly got out. Heeding his trainer's command, Lucario concentrated his aura into a thick bone and grabbed hold of it. He then expanded the bone into a large staff, with which he used to block all of Tanuki's furious attacks.
"Tanuki, get out of there!" Saito shouted, but Tanuki didn't listen. His paws ignited with Meteor Mash as he threw blow after blow at the Lucario, only for each attack to be effortlessly deflected by the bone staff. Seeing this, Tanuki moved to try another tactic, moving himself around the staff to attack the legs with a mixture of Force Palm and standard punches and kicks whenever he could find an opening.
"Tanuki, Screech!" Saito ordered as Lucario swung his staff downward. Tanuki did as instructed, screeching loudly, the pitch high enough to force everyone around to cover their ears to block out the pain. Lucario merely grunted and continued his swing, slamming his bone staff into Tanuki's gut and knocking the wind out of him. Tanuki slammed into the ground, and as he tried to pick himself up, Wikstrom shook his head.
He sighed and looked at Lucario. "Lucario, finish this. Extreme Speed."
Lucario practically vanished before reappearing right behind Tanuki, delivering an aura-enhanced kick to the Riolu's back. The blow sent Tanuki flying, and as he soared he soared Lucario closed on him.
"Tanuki, use-!" Saito shouted, preparing to command his Pokémon to use Counter at the last second, only for Tanuki to use Quick Attack in an attempt to get out of the way once more. As he did, Wikstrom shook his head and sighed once more.
"Bone Rush." Lucario nodded and gripped his bone staff tightly. He swung it in a wide arc, using his aura sensing to determine exactly where Tanuki would reappear and struck him across his back. Not letting up, Lucario lunged at Tanuki, striking him with the end of his staff repeatedly across his face, chest, and stomach, before finally Saito had enough.
"Enough! We give!" Saito shouted, and at once Lucario ceased his attack and withdrawing from the battle. He leapt back towards Wikstrom gracefully, his bone staff dissipated in the process while Saito ran towards his hurt Pokémon. Tanuki was still conscious, although greatly disappointed at his loss.
"Here," Wikstrom said as he handed Saito a bottle of Full Restore. Gratefully taking it, Saito applied it to his Pokémon. Together, they stood up and faced Wikstrom and Lucario, then extended their arms to their respective opponents.
"Thank you for the battle, Wikstrom. Have to admit, it went better than I expected," Saito admitted while shaking Wikstrom's hand.
"That so? How?" Wikstrom asked, clearly amused by the response.
"We lasted about twice as long as I thought we would." Saito laughed, and Wikstrom couldn't help but laugh alongside him.
"My, that's quite a way to take a loss!" he boisterously proclaimed as the spectators politely applauded both of them. His face then adopted one much more serious, something Saito and Tanuki both took notice of. "I would like to speak with you and your Pokémon. In private."
"Oh, uh… Okay," Saito said as he followed Wikstrom passed the splitting crowd and into the chateau. Together they walked towards the study of the mansion. Wikstrom opened the doors for them both, directing them to sit down on a large sofa. He then closed the door and walked towards a large fireplace, staring into its flame.
"Saito," he started with utmost seriousness, "what would you say caused you to lose that battle against me?" Saito looked confused as he glanced down at Tanuki to see his Riolu looked the same, then looked back up at the Elite Four trainer.
"Um, obviously because you were stronger than us. You've had years of training to hone your Lucario's strength, your own tactics and strategies. I knew going into it that I was going to lose," Saito admitted, only for Wikstrom to shake his head.
"While that is true, that is not why you lost." He then turned back to face Saito and Tanuki. "You lost not because of me, but because of the cracked relationship between you and Tanuki."
At this statement, Saito and Tanuki both looked aback, confused as to why he would say that their relationship was cracked.
"Forgive me, sir, but I thoroughly disagree with that," Saito insisted. Tanuki, for his part, looked absolutely offended. "Tanuki and I get along great. Sure, he does his own stuff from time to time, but…"
"That is exactly the problem," Wikstrom cut in. Before Saito could object, Wikstrom held out his hand. "I am not saying that you are training your Pokémon incorrectly. I meant it when I said that your Pokémon were well trained. Tanuki's skill is commendable. What is not is neither of you recognizing the frays at the edges, something that if not corrected will shatter the friendship you hold between each other."
If before Saito and Tanuki looked offended, now they simply looked concerned.
"What are you talking about?" Saito asked.
"It's so small that only an experienced trainer, such as myself, would be able to recognize it. But, I cannot deny that it is there, and I cannot forgive myself if I don't bring it to your attention." Wikstrom shook his head then sat down on a cushioned chair, opposite of Saito.
"Several times during this evening's battles, I watched you and your Pokémon fight against your opponents. Your Oshawatt, which I am assuming to be your starter, seems to have little to no issues, and I am more than aware that you know the issues surrounding your Ralts." Saito groaned at Wikstrom's statement, but allowed the trainer to continue. "But Tanuki here has a tendency to act out on his own rather frequently."
"Yeah but… Tanuki's always done that, and more often than not, the choices he makes prove to be for the better."
"And I commend him for that. Having a Pokémon be able to be self-reliant in battle is an important and impressive skill, one that I am happy is getting more and more popular in Kalos these days. Rather, it is the amount that he acts on his own that concerns me. In our battle alone, I counted four times that Tanuki acted without even waiting to hear your input. That is what concerns me."
Saito and Tanuki were both looking at him intently, and Wikstrom took their silence as a affirmation to continue. He then looked directly at the Riolu, and sighed.
"Tanuki, I'm afraid that you don't fully respect your own trainer." At Wikstrom's words, Tanuki shot up to his feet, clearly angry at the suggestion, while Saito remained still with shock.
'The hell I don't!' he growled, knowing that Wikstrom wouldn't be able to understand him but wanting to say it anyway.
"I take that as a "yes I do". Let me clarify my statement. I don't believe that it is consciously done. Rather, I want you to look deep inside yourself and ask "do I see myself as superior than my trainer". Can you do that for me?"
Tanuki wanted nothing more than to angrily shake his head, but a hurt look on Saito's face caused him to sigh and do as asked, if only to convince the trainer he was wrong. Tanuki closed his eyes and concentrated, remembering all the times that he and Saito had fought together ever since they first met, all their interactions. He also remembered his thought processes when he was in actual battles, how he found some of Saito's strategies to be novel, how he would sometimes spot things he didn't, the frustration at not playing to his strengths at times, how he sometimes just didn't seem to…
Tanuki stopped thinking and looked up at Saito in complete surprise then back at Wikstrom. To his complete and utter horror, he realized something he had long not wanted to admit.
Wikstrom was right.
The Elite Four trainer shook his head and sighed.
"Just as I feared." Seeing both Saito and Tanuki looking at him for guidance, Wikstrom smiled faintly. "Don't be alarmed. The problem is not that large, more just something that was in its early stages. I've seen it before, and so long as you work on it, learn to better understand how important the relationship between trainer and Pokémon truly is, you can and will surpass it. Trainers are not like coaches for a sports team, or even a general commanding his troops. He is a partner, a teacher to his Pokémon to see things about the world and themselves that they would not normally see. At the same time, a Pokémon is more than a subordinate or pet, he is a partner and lifelong friend. Trainers and Pokémon are equal to each other in their relationship. One cannot succeed fully without the other. Do you understand?"
"I…yeah, I do," Saito admitted with a sigh. Out of all the Pokémon he had, he would not have expected to hear that Tanuki didn't fully respect him. Maindo, sure, but not Tanuki. The only thing that made him not feel betrayed was the sheer fact that not even Tanuki realized it.
"Good." Wikstrom then stood up and walked to the door. "Well, I'm afraid that it is late. For a pair of gym challengers such as yourself and Lady Louise, I would say that a good night's sleep is important."
"Yeah, you're right," Saito admitted as he and Tanuki got off the sofa and walked towards the now opened stores. "Wikstrom?"
"Yes?"
"Thank you for the battle…and the advice."
"It is not problem at all, Sir Saito." Wikstrom smiled, and Saito and Tanuki nodded back at him. Together, the two walked back towards their room in silent contemplation, each thinking just how to move past this unexpected hurdle in their relationship. Neither of them had come up with an answer by the time when they met up with Louise in their room.
"Everything okay?" she asked in concern, but Saito shook his head.
"Yeah, we're fine. Just…things to think about. I'll tell you in the morning." Saito softly smiled, and Louise backed off. Nodding her head, she walked into a nearby bathroom and changed into her pajamas, quickly, allowing Saito to do the same. Climbing into their separate beds, they bid each other good night and allowed sleep to overcome them.
Elizabeth gazed out the window and sighed. She had been stuck in the hospital for the past week and, with nothing to do apart from talking to her parents during their frequent visits, she could feel the boredom eating away at her mind. If she had been allowed to see her team, the past week might not have been so bad. However, her parents had barred her from seeing them, saying that the excitement might slow her recovery.
The heiress grit her teeth at the memory. The last time her parents had been this protective of her was nine years ago, and the similarities between then and now just seemed to multiply the more she thought about it.
She hadn't really thought about it back then, but her parents had been uncharacteristically protective of her after her trip to the ruins. Her little nine-year-old self just couldn't feel anything but joy that her parents were spending time with her and comforting her every time she woke up screaming from another nightmare. She had been so happy back then the she tabled her plans of entering the Pokémon League on her tenth birthday, fully believing that her parents had changed from the distant people they were before.
It didn't last, and it was probably never meant to. By her eleventh birthday, her parents had returned to the people they were before. Once again, they were more concerned with their business or their social life than their own daughter. The change was slow enough that Elizabeth hadn't noticed it at the time, but the prior year of closeness gave it a much more insidious effect.
Before she knew it, Elizabeth Colette, only daughter of Wilbur and Janice Colette, had fallen hook, line, and sinker for her parents' empty lifestyle. Funny how being cut off from everything and being drawn into a terrorist attack finally let it sink in.
Elizabeth grit her teeth in barely-restrained rage, her fists clenched so tightly she nearly drew blood. Looking back, she had surrounded herself with worthless friends who cared more about who her parents were than who she actually was. She had started collecting in earnest around that time, reducing her lifelong dream to nothing more than a passionless hobby. Her family's standing had allowed the verdette to get her way almost all the time. In fact, Fennekin–or Brennaraki, she supposed–was the first Pokémon whose owner had the integrity to deny her.
A jolt of pain went through Elizabeth's hand as her nails drew blood. The verdette paused to clear her head, forcing all the anger and self-loathing down into the roiling mass that had been steadily growing since she first woke up in the hospital.
All Elizabeth wanted was to rest. She still had six hours before she was due to be released, whereupon her parents would probably offer to reinstate her allowance if she chose to stay. She would probably even accept, and then make good on her promise to Gengar. Machamp, Zorua, and even Eevee deserved better than someone like her. Someone who would keep them safe, not lead them to their deaths.
Elizabeth's phone began to ring, playing a high-energy saxophone and guitar duet she was certain she hadn't set as her ringtone. She picked it up, and her eyes widened. While she didn't recognize the number, she would have had to be living under a rock to not know that name listed on the caller ID.
"H-hello," she said, hesitantly answering the phone.
"Hello, Miss Colette," the man on the other end of the phone said, "My name is Donatello Versus. I know that you are still in the hospital, so I can call back later if this is a bad time."
"Oh! No, It isn't."
"In that case, I have an offer for you."
[~][~]
Hello, everyone! Here's the latest chapter of Outsiders! Sorry for the delay. Thanksgiving, you know. Kind of lost a week there.
In any case, here is the latest chapter. We got some nice battles in, Louise got some good interactions with Wikstrom, along with some much needed different perspective that she can actually respect, as did Saito.
Onto the Q&A:
Guest: Thank you! I'm glad you are enjoying this story. And yes, this story does not need Ash in order to function. He exists, of course. After all, this takes place in the anime world. But, he will not be a major focus of this story at all.
Drewd00d: Yeah, there really isn't any need to do chapters on stuff we've already covered. By avoiding those, it allows us to get to the more important stuff as well as speed things along. We don't really like filler chapters all that much, unless we can use it to further explore our characters. Every chapter has to have a purpose.
Louise mimicking what she sees on TV is both a very cute character moment for her as well as a good way to show how Earth is changing her. Glad to see that it came off well. At the same time, her being irked by the Battle Chateau serves to show that this is still Louise, and she would not particularly appreciate the appropriation of nobility. Still, her conversation with Wikstrom did allow her to see it in a slightly different light.
Yep, Saito's newest Pokémon is Tengu. Her theme is, as you said, low effort and simply going with the flow. Saito in canon kind of did that in regards to his entire situation. Granted, that was in part because of the runes preventing feelings of homesickness from coming in, but that doesn't apply to this story. Still, Tengu represents the laid-backness and not letting things get to him of Saito's character, and we look forward to further interactions with her.
Engineer4Ever: Yep, Louise and Wikstrom did get along. In fact, that conversation he had with her was important for her character growth.
Sakura Lisel: That will not be happening. I don't like the idea of using fanmade regions or Pokémon in stories, and the same views extend towards the Beta Pokémon. We don't know anything about them, and there are over 600 Pokémon in series. There's more than enough for us to use in our story.
That's it for this week. We hope you all enjoy!
