Draco: Okay, let's see how much I regret this.

Pokémon and protagonist © Nintendo. Character designs © Koei. Ransei © somewhere in the middle.

Ultra Kingdom - Rainbow Road: To Walk A Broken Path

"Warriors of Ransei, respond."

It was the morning after Evia's legion had defeated Lusamine; she, Oichi, and Kaguya had elected to sleep together in what had previously been the Cragspur Warlord's Chamber. Kotarō and Darkrai were still keeping watch over the otherworlder, and now that the Warriors had rested - hopefully, all of the Warriors - she felt inclined to contact them and see how they fared. Sure enough, responses started coming in from the other legions while Kaguya was having breakfast.

"This is Masamune. The Yaksha/Avia castle is ours."

"Nobunaga has claimed the Nixtorm/Illusio castle."

"It's Hideyoshi. We've got the Pugilis/Greenleaf castle taken care of."

"Yoshimoto here! We've been playing Pokémari in the Violight/Valora castle."

"Kenshin. We have the Ignis/Fontaine castle. As well as a prisoner and three displaced Pokémon."

"We have a prisoner at the Cragspur/Viperia castle, too," Evia admitted. "Someone from another world - seemingly a different 'other world' from the one the rest of Team Rainbow Rocket comes from."

"That sums up the situation with ours pretty well," Shingen confirmed. "Anyone else?"

Ieyasu was the one who responded. "We do, as well."

"We would have had one," Okuni admitted, "but he escaped."

"...'Escaped' isn't the right word," Ginchiyo insisted, "but we don't have a prisoner. What we do have is a displaced Pokémon."

"We took a prisoner, too," Gracia confirmed. "I was gonna send her home right away, but she insists she wants to talk to the Warlord. Do you want to come to us, or should we bring her to you?"

"Please bring all the prisoners here," Evia insisted. "Our prisoner is currently unconscious and staying that way, for fear of violent retaliation." She tapped at her bracelet. "Driftwalker, respond."

"Yes, Lady Evia?"

"The castles have been claimed, and thereby should be safe for you to investigate," Evia observed. "If you'd like to-"

She was interrupted by a hurried-sounding Nagamasa. "Domina Evia! Sum porta ad hostem; hostes in multitudine videamur!"

Evia started. "Nagamasa?! Dammit, his translator isn't working through the crystals! Does anyone know where he is?"

Oichi turned to her. "He said he was gonna check if he could see Coursebreaker around the big castle!"

"Oh, Mulch, we've got attackers, don't we!"

Evia, Oichi and Wigglytuff shot to their feet, dashing out of the kitchen with a hurried "Wait here!" to Kaguya and Gardevoir. The Eeveelutions were already at the back gate when they arrived, and Evia shouldered the door open. Nagamasa and Type: Full were standing there, and turned to greet the Aurorans as they emerged "We didn't think that one all the way through, did we?"

"No, we did not," Oichi agreed, drawing her rapier and buckler.

A large unit of uniformed Trainers - at least thirty, by Evia's estimate - was making its way down the prismatic road leading from the fusion of the remaining four castles; as they got near and found the Ranseans at the ready, they slowed to a stop.

Evia stepped to the fore, electing not to draw her weapons just yet, though her Eeveelutions surrounded her all the same. "I hope this is another declaration," she said, loud enough for the group to hear, "and not an attacking force. Both Ghetsis and your fellow footsoldiers claimed that Team Rainbow Rocket would adhere to the customs of Ransean warfare, so long as we Warriors did the same."

"Then you'd better pray there's a third party trying to get all of us in trouble," insisted a man at the head of the group. "We caught someone sneaking around our castle. When we found them, they were headed in this direction."

"Did you see enough to identify them?" Evia asked.

"Red hair, and a red mask," called a woman from the back. "Looked like a Pokémon. They were riding a Noivern when they left."

Mask and a Noivern... Evia took a deep breath. "Well, was anyone hurt?"

The man at the lead narrowed his gaze. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"It has a lot to do with whether it was actually a violation of our war customs or not," Evia insisted.

The uniformed Trainers all started. "Huh!?"

Evia smirked. "I learned it the hard way just the same as you did," she admitted. "It's a fool who goes into battle knowing nothing of his enemy, and a reckless fool who does nothing to try and learn. So long as the surveilling Warrior does nothing to harm or otherwise inhibit the combatants - human or Pokémon - then attempting to learn more of those combatants is not an issue. If they're found, of course, they can be considered an attacker, and the defender is free to bring them them to the battlefield... but there's nothing prohibiting an attacking force from consisting of less than six Warriors."

The Trainers all traded glances, all irritable.

"So, I ask again," Evia insisted. "Was anyone hurt?"

"...No," the man at the lead admitted.

Evia clapped her hands together. "Well, then. If you're looking to take the castle back, we'll show six of you to the battlefield and fetch the rest of the Warriors stationed here as combatants. Otherwise, I think we can consider this matter resolved."

There was much grumbling from the uniformed men and women as they turned around and began to advance back towards the larger castle.

Once they were out of earshot, the Auroran Warlord gave a sigh of exasperation. "I hope you at least learned something useful," she groaned, turning around.

Her gaze went to the roof above the gate, prompting the bemasked figure to shrink behind the fixture. "Beloved of Antimatter," she muttered, emerging in full. "You don't let anything get past you, do you?"

"Coursebreaker, I presume?" Evia inquired.

The masked woman descended, landing on a hand, a knee, and a foot. She was dressed in a black ensemble which looked like leather at first, but her movements revealed a metallic gleam save for her gloves; on closer inspection, it seemed less like she was wearing it and more like it was strapped onto her, only being enough to protect rather than restrict. A pair of large, pale cloth folds hung from her waist, one on either side to give the illusion of baggy pants, and each had a large pocket mounted on it; sharp ridges traced her arms, and a pair of prominent pauldrons served as fastens for a pale cape, which seemed to be one piece with the high collar that circled her neck. A mask lay over her face that looked like the visage of hatched Destruction, and sheathed in a ring on her back was a sword entirely of deep black, with a boxlike hilt and a straight but single-edged blade; as she got to her feet, a Noivern soared over from behind the castle, descending next to her.

"Yeah, that's me," she confirmed. "Who told you?"

"Driftwalker did," Oichi replied. "And Nagamasa here tells us that we have you to thank for him and his Warriors defending Aurora Castle before we arrived." She crossed her arms. "And, I suspect, for the presence of the Ultra Wormhole that leads to Aurora Castle, rather than to the one Team Rainbow Rocket is stationed in."

"Thought that was a bit too convenient to be by their design," Evia admitted.

It takes a lot of effort to look guilty in a mask, but Coursebreaker managed to pull it off. "I'm... sorry," she insisted. "I realize I shouldn't have-"

Evia shook her head. "She tells me that you have been victim to this before. We owe you two a lot for trying to minimize the harm done this time." She raised her com-crystal bracelet to her mouth. "Sorry for the scare. Everyone with prisoners, bring them to the Cragspur/Viperia castle. Driftwalker, your friend is here, as well. Maybe come by before you start searching the others."

"You mean Coursebreaker?" Driftwalker sounded relieved. "I'm on my way. Thank you, Lady Evia."

+x+x+x+

Masamune arrived accompanied by two Lugia, one of which was the displaced Pokémon Ginchiyo had mentioned; Yukimura, Charizard, Aya, and Froslass escorted a bound man named Gordor and three Pokémon that Evia recognized as the Thunder Beast, the Volcano Beast, and the Northwind Beast. Gracia arrived with Gothitelle, Solgaleo, Lunala, and a woman by the name of Sada who seemed to be coming peacefully; also arriving peacefully was a man named Turo, escorted by Kai and Darmanitan.

Mitsuki and Salamence also showed up, though mostly to make sure Kaguya was alright; Oichi welcomed the two of them spending some time together before the army continued.

Raikou, Entei, and Suicune were sent back first, and Gordor was pushed into the Ultra Wormhole only after the three legendary Pokémon were already through. Lusamine was still asleep when Kotarō carried her out, and Lunala elected to carry her back personally while the Yakshan departed to rest.

"So," Evia mused, turning to the two Professors, "I'm told you two wanted to talk to me."

"Yes," Sada confirmed, "though I didn't expect we'd both be here."

Evia glanced between them. "Do we need to have separate meetings?"

Turo shook his head. "On the contrary, I think this will benefit from both of us being here." He crossed his arms. "The man in charge of Team RR - he asked the two of us to help with something he was working on. He called it 'Project Nezha'."

"Nezha?" Evia echoed.

"It seems to be some means to enhance a human's combat capabilities," Sada explained. "For our part, we were asked to prepare Pokémon for the enhanced combatants to fight alongside, as well as to use the Terastal phenomenon for his attack on Ransei."

"What do you mean 'prepare'?" Oichi demanded.

Sada crossed her arms. "In our own worlds, each of us created a machine to summon Pokémon classified as 'Paradox Pokémon'. Pokémon from faraway eras - or alternate timelines, we have no way of knowing for sure. I summoned Pokémon from an incomprehensibly ancient prehistory..."

"...while I called forth Pokémon from an unimaginably distant future," Turo continued. "After we recognized a similarity between the Pokémon of his chosen combatants and the Paradox Pokémon we were each familiar with, we were asked to recreate the machine - together, with some certain modifications to function here in Ultra Space - and thereby allow Team RR to call upon both types of Paradox Pokémon, for use by the individuals enhanced by Project Nezha."

Evia narrowed her gaze. "Why are you telling us this?"

"Because your Warriors showed me the error of my ways," Sada insisted. "I will try to right my course in my own world, but I've still left an effect here in Ultra Space. I can't well expect to walk back into the castle and destroy it, but I can inform you of its presence, that you do not leave it to continue."

"That won't be an issue."

Driftwalker's voice from inside the castle drew the quartet's attention; she and Coursebreaker were stepping out, and the darker-clad Warrior turned to the professors. "I found your machine while I was on reconnaissance. Me destroying it was what got me caught."

Turo sighed. "I see. That should at least limit their numbers to those we had overseen, then. We were only pulled from the machine to take our positions when you and yours arrived in Ultra Space, and left strict instructions not to activate it in our absence."

"I saw you leave," Coursebreaker observed. "And there were no signs it had been turned on since you left."

"Glad to hear it," Sada admitted. Then, turning to Evia; "We were also tasked with using the Terastal phenomenon to facilitate his attack on Ransei. If you have not yet devised a means to dispel the Tera Crystals, I could share-"

"We have a means," Evia assured her. "That won't be necessary."

An echoing cry drew the group's attention, and Lunala emerged from the Ultra Wormhole before it closed behind her. "Alright, looks like Mother Beast is back where she belongs," Gracia mused. "You two said you're from separate worlds, right?"

"We are," Turo confirmed, and he and Sada stepped forward, standing apart from each other.

Solgaleo and Lunala beheld the two, and each's third eye illuminated in the starry voids upon their brows. The Sunne and Moone turned away from one another, and with a loud cry from each, two more Ultra Wormholes opened up; the Professors turned to one another and nodded, and then stepped forward and leapt into the Wormholes for themselves.

Once the gates had closed, Gracia sighed. "Alright, you two," she insisted, "rest up. I have a feeling we're gonna need you for the last couple guys, too."

The two Pokémon nodded, and then soared off into the void, and Gracia headed inside.

"Did you learn anything else?" Evia asked, turning to Coursebreaker.

"I did," Coursebreaker confirmed. "Driftwalker mentioned that Team Rainbow Rocket had prisoners? Well, I found them - in the big one."

Driftwalker stepped forward. "Please, Lady Evia, let me come with you," she begged. "I have to get them free. I can't-"

Evia raised her hand. "You can come with," she insisted. "That goes for both of you. But you have to promise that you'll follow my orders."

The two maked warriors glanced at each other and nodded; then they both turned to the Auroran and set their hands over their hearts.

"Yes, Lady Evia!"

+x+x+x+

Kaguya and Mitsuki were sparring in the battlefield when Oichi found them, with Salamence and Gardevoir once again watching over them. Salamence was sporting a Mega Stone that Oichi recognized as Gracia's bedside décor; Mitsuki explained that Lucario had noticed a resonance not dissimilar to his own Mega Stone, and their little mock battle had been to decide who got to bring Ranmaru's Key Stone with them.

A battle that Kaguya had won.

"Looks like this is the last one," Oichi observed. "Which means... the old man will be there." She turned to Kaguya. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"I'm sure," Kaguya insisted. "I know I promised Mama Evia I wouldn't keep going if it hurt, but it doesn't hurt. I want to do this."

Oichi knelt. "And you'll stop if it does?" she asked. "No matter when it happens?"

"I promise, Mama Oichi," Kaguya assured her. "If it's too much, I'll stop. I promise."

Mitsuki stepped forward. "I'm coming, too," she insisted. "Lord Nobunaga gave me the okay; I wanna be with her when you guys go in!"

"Is that so?" Oichi smiled. "Then of course you can come with."

The door to the battlefield opened. "Looks like that's our whole legion decided."

Kaguya turned. "Mama Evia!"

Evia smiled as her daughter dashed up to her. "Driftwalker and Coursebreaker are coming with, as well. The prisoners they're looking for are in the last castle." She crossed her arms. "Nagamasa and Full will stay here to lead the defense. As soon as we confirm we've dealt with the leaders of Team Rainbow Rocket, Gracia will take him back to Aurora Castle so he and his Warriors can head home."

"Excellent," Oichi mused. "She, Masamune, and Kai being here means that we're not spreading our forces too thin on defense, if they decide to counterattack while we're gone."

"Then let's go join those two at the back gate," Evia insisted. "The sooner we can end this, the better."

Draco: Well, that was a bit meatier than I was hoping it would be. I was planning to have the next battle be the tail end of this chapter. Here's the battle info for the new Dragon and relatives.

Noibat
-Range: 4
-Move: Wing Attack
-Ability: Melee | Interference | Sprint

Noivern
-Range: 4
-Move: Hurricane
-Ability: Melee | Interference | Shadow Dash

Hurricane (Flying)
-Range: Single tile two squares ahead (i.e. Thunder)
-Effect: May confuse the target

Yes, Coursebreaker's outfit is based on Lightning's Equilibrium ensemble from Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII. No real motivation behind this one, I just thought it would make a nice complement to Driftwalker's Knight of Etro armour.