Author's Notes
...Hey.
First up, Happy New Year to you guys! It's been a while, I know.
My internship ended so I'm finally back home... And I immediately got hit with the... virus. As if that wasn't bad enough, that was my first time ever contracting it, so for those days, I felt soooooo weak. Then after my recovery, I'm back at school for my final project before graduating.
So yeah, I've been 'busy'. But I'm back now! That's what matters.
Seeing how you guys have not been messaging me about next chapter is really good for me since it implies trust in me so that's really a nice sign.
Now, onto this chapter!
As you can tell from the title, we are at THAT part. Although, the conclusion is quite different from what you guys know.
There's some goodies in the end, so be sure to read it.
Also...
BEST BOI HAS ARRIVED THIS CHAPTER!
Now then, review time!
starff2432:
The Equivalent Exchange
It impressed me the most in this chapter. I don't think anyone could have imagined something like this. To be able to exchange the effects like this , I would say I am speechless. I had read battles of many pokemon writers infact I I even write pokemon battles for my story but none of them can be compared to the battles that you wrote.
Cross
I didn't thought that he would make an appearance this soon but seeing him in this part I wanna ask that Would the pokemon movieI choose you would be shown in fated. If yes then would it be in Alola or before that.
Ash
I actually liked the way Ash battled with Falkner. All those tactics along with his arrogance was so interesting that it made me read the battle more than 5 times.
Fated is actually one of my favourite story and I would like to thank you for coming up with so many ideas and most importantly thinking of this book and publishing it here
Hey, starff! Thanks for the kind review.
Hearing your thoughts about E.E is really flattering for me. It's something I had wondered before since the anime doesn't work the same way as the games. So seeing E.E being received well is a W for me.
Cross and Trip being similar is funny. As for 'I Choose You', the movie won't happen in Fated since it's considered an alt universe but there are some references and easter eggs from those movies in Fated such as Cross himself from I Choose You and Risa from Power of Us was referenced in Chapter 54. So yeah, no movies, just references and cameos.
Ash 'Gym Menace' Ketchum was really fun to write since it was a battle I could really let loose. Seeing how many of y'all enjoy it really makes me happy... And feel incredibly apologetic cuz Ash on demon time is gonna be a rare occurrence. But don't worry, after the fabled timeskip, you're gonna see some wild shit.
Baistro334:
I honestly think this chapter was Ash at his best. I loved the barely contained battle lust and slight over-excited madness that he had going here.
Thanks for the review, Baistro! And yep. That battle was a glimpse of Fated's version of Ash dominating a battle. As we get further, all that battle lust and madness are gonna get amplified even more. The shit talk is gonna be insane.
f46adpg:
The amount of information you get creative from. I can't even imagine if I want to call you Einstein or what? Ooh btw do you play genshin or something? I know you are pretty much into the fated lore but I find genshin lore complimenting it too. But that's only if you read the lore or atleast watch it from some guys on YouTube since you have to be pretty uhh... thinking kind of person to actually remember all the hints and details. Although it's still very unclear of what the true story is going to be. The archon war and the war against the primordial one does feel like good recommendations for the darkest day and jewel of time like that
Thanks once again, f46adpg, for another fantastic review! Really appreciated.
Truthfully, it's really just the Binding Vows from JJK combined with PLA's move mastery system. I don't really think it's THAT creative, but nevertheless, thanks for the compliments.
As for Genshin... I tend to avoid it due to its... 'fans'. Idk, I'm not a fan, that's all I can say. However, I'm not denying it has a great lore.
But from what people have said, it seems to be a pain in the ass to collect every scraps of lore sprinkled around to make a full picture.
Now I'm not saying Fate's any better... It's just that it has a longer lifespan that people are able to abridge it.
Genshin's still new so its true story is still shrouded in mystery. I agree that the archon and primordial wars are well-done, but I'm not implementing them since it's vastly different from Fate's lore.
So TLDR, I'm not big on Genshin, but the lore is good, just not my cup of tea.
Rajiv A. Rajaram:
Proper annihilation by Ash here and we got to see a trainer finally letting loose. Fantastic battle even though it was at the expense of Falkner being destroyed. Reminds me of how much I miss Ash's Pidgeot as well and how we are missing how good his flying type was. Loved that the chapter and battle was shown from the Kalos team's eyes as well, made it more exciting to see also. Gotta admit Cynthia might be bae in this story too, absolutely love her so far.
Cool review to read, Rajiv. Thanks again.
Annihilation is the perfect word for that battle cuz Ash did not lose a single Pokémon AND he won with Type disadvantage. Falkner stood no chance against a Serena-buffed Ash. As for Pidgeot, Fated did offscreen her (Yes, Pidgeot's a girl here as said in Chapter 8) but it won't be the last time we see her.
Man, could you imagine releasing Pidgeot and never showing it ever again until the last few episodes?
Hahaha... anyways.
Speaking of Flying types, I can tell you're an avid fan of Ash's flying mons, Rajiv.
...Sure is a shame this review's getting answered on this chapter of all things, huh?
Kalos crew viewing Ash's battle was a coincidence since Cynthia wanted to show a real battle, not a simulation. Also, the battlers in that group need to be humbled like Cross and making Ash somewhat of a goal, like for Calem.
Cynthia is bae. Hard agree. God, I wish I could just reveal her epithet now!
Nonono... Gotta wait.
C0rrupted1:
Been meaning to leave anything but kept procrastinating and here we are in the new year...
Yeah, New Year, let's go. Hopefully this year doesn't suck as much.
I like that Cynthia, who's an archeologist, all into learn about the the past, sucks at teaching. Its amusing. I think she's wasn't terrible in the anime when offering advice, but who knows, maybe here she's going to learn to get there
Ash going nuts cause of Serena, par for the course honestly. But... while I expect by the time they meet, things may be curbed and they for sure won't be stupid, but god if he's acting like this because she did something cute, in the chance they sleep together, that journey would probably be half a year of confident Ash. (Also betting her wearing jinbei is going to get the same effect)
Though somewhat on a similar note, know in the anime Pikachu keeps clear/shows no interest, but because of this version all about it, I'm to guess he might have an interest down the line? Only cause turnabout is fair play after all with everyone poking fun at Ash with Serena only right for the oldest of the companions get it back.
And despite all that be funny, it shows his origin. Which it just going to fuel his self-loathing since it's connected to be selfish, because what's more selfish than quote "killing your mother to live". Or that while he tries to be helpful, it all just amount to be selfish despite him not realizing it. Which I mean, being selfish isn't entirely wrong, but he won't see it like that. But thats for his older self to realize.
That also brings in both of his godmother (or least one 'fairy' godmother), in that they seem to be hands off. Like they care for him, Zacian even kept him safe from the Hypno, and then the whole death door at the end of the second movie but they don't seem to try and act like parents/guardian in the traditional sense. Like I don't know if it's because well their Pokemon (or more) and they're way of raising is different (like Pikachu's backstory) or if it's because it has to do with some previous failure in raising someone and they're unsure if they can do it again. Think one of them has a son so eh, maybe. But yeah, hands off typing of parenting if at all.
The battles was awesome. Chikarita was just nuts (and hey, he did have Pidgeotto, neat). Mean, she did the head tilt dodge, that to me is more disrespectful than him winning despite type disadvantage. Literally imagine the Spearman dodge from Goblin Slayer but just Chikorita and it's hilarious.
I honestly forgot about the four move limit cause of the fake moves. But in how they're able to be used/altered, is really neat. Plus that other Pokemon from different regions are being used is great.
Didn't even realize that this version of Tod Snapp's already known and did the New Snap game, or helped whatever.
Thought Cross was the one racist guy from B&W but nah, someone else. Really only way I know the guy, cause I stopped after D&P. Only thing I know of B&W was racist dude and it was Ash's worst performance in the league.
Glad I reread the last bit, cause when Misty said she beat him to shape, literally thought it was like the now Brock equivalent to pulling his ear but idk, slap to the back of the head. But no, just training. Which makes me wonder if she won because it's training or yeah, Ash being cocky (which I'm betting is what's going to cause problems with others later... heartbreaking so).
Like if its the case of important battle IE Red vs Green, Gym battles, fight for his life; Ash will do his damned best, but if it's something casual like, he'll still do best, but it's not as serious. Or again, Misty beat the arrogance out of him and didn't have anything distracting her like Falkner did.
I get the skipping, but still no old man Scyther...sadge. But at least hoping to get some mentions of what messed out on since Morty was somewhat relevant due to the town and him talking about the tower and the legendaries. THough since things are different here, guessing it may not be as relevant to him.
And again the DLC for S&V. Not saying more but was actually pretty good, maybe a couple of things I've issues with but solid. Though it just makes me question the validity of the adults of Paldea more than the other regions cause good lord.
Happy New Year to you too, Corrupted! And there's a lot to explain here.
Cynthia:
Lmao, that's a funny realization. However, Cynthia is a good teacher... when it comes to history and other subjects.
Where she struggles to teach is Battling. Since y'know, she's disgustingly strong as said by Lance. It's like asking a shark to teach a cat how to swim.
But Cynthia sucking at teaching is a pretty funny quirk to write.
Ash x Serena:
The Amour is strong with this one. Let's be real, Fated!Ash is gonna give 200% into anything he does for Serena's cuteness. Jinbei Serena is gonna hit him into the stratosphere.
As for sleeping together in the future... What kind we talking about here? (*insert The Rock side eye meme*) Nah, but for real, they're still kids so I don't feel comfortable thinking about that kind of 'sleeping'.
But if it's the future Fated!Kalos arc's Ash and Serena... *eyeing the M rating*
Pikachu:
Nah, the dude's definitely getting a love interest. Who is it? You've already seen her.
I mean, really? Pika 'The Rizzler' chu from the anime not having an interest? Homeboy pulled Buneary AND Togedemaru with seemingly zero effort.
Dude's got game, trust me.
Ash's Origin:
Oh boy. Now, people who are privy to Fate already know what Ash's Origin is gonna be. And in the context of Fated!Ash's character, it's a paradox.
It is selfish in a way, but you can also see it as selfless as well. It just depends on the perspective. Suicidal Boy's future is gonna be painful, that's for sure.
And yes, it's for his older self to realize that. (wink wink)
Godmothers:
Hands off parenting seems like the most apt way to put it. Now, you guys are aware that Nimue and Zacian are NOT humans. They don't operate under human values so their way of parenting is 'different' from us. Plus, Nimue's more of a grandmother, Lancelot's foster mother as well.
However, Zacian's way of parenting is kinda 'human' in that she doesn't teach Ash much nor guides him. She's the type to let Ash make his mistakes and letting him learn from them since she doesn't want to influence him in any way. She only helps him when he's near death or when he seeks her counsel willingly. And another reason why she doesn't show up often is revealed with this chapter.
Battles:
Chikorita being a girlboss is honestly fun to write. Grass types can be very versatile, after all. And don't sleep on Heracross, Canon!Heracross was putting in work against a freakin' DARKRAI of all things. Shame he had to lose to plot.
Todd Snap:
Hehe, small funny cameo go brrrr.
Racist dude:
Oh nah, it's fine. Cross does strike me as a racist but in truth, he's more of a Paul wannabe. Trip's the one you're looking for.
4 moves:
Lmao, you're not alone. I too forgot about Standard and Unrestricted battles that I had to reread my previous chapters.
Keep in mind, I don't have a notebook that has all of Fated's info, old and new. So everything hinges on my memory. (Maybe I should actually write shit down)
Misty:
Oh yeah, she's stronger than you think. I mean, her Golduck's attack in Sprout Tower was inspired by Choso from JJK.
She's not fodder nor a cheerleader in Fated. Misty's actually potentially the strongest in the group currently. And it makes sense since she's been training far longer than Ash and Brendan, though the two boys are no slouches themselves.
Her beating Ash is both because of Ash's cockiness and that she's just stronger. I've seen many Misty in Amour fics that get shitted on for no reason which rubbed me the wrong way.
HEY, AMOUR WRITERS! MISTY IS THE REASON WHY ASH IS THE WAY HE IS IN KALOS SO SHOW RESPECT FOR HER!
Gotta get that outta the way, sorry. I just really hate how toxic some Amour writers can be with Misty's character. I even read one fic where she tried to steal Greninja from Ash cuz she couldn't have him due to Serena. And I'm like: ? ? ?. My eyes had to be bleached cuz that was NOT Misty.
Misty's getting justice here and a VERY important person in Fated!Ash's life.
Skipping:
I know it sucks, believe me. Old Man Scyther is definitely gonna get mentioned or even shown in action for a bit, don't worry. Again, I really hate that I'm skipping but I gotta reach Hoenn before 2024 ends. I'm incredibly self-aware that my procrastinating ass ain't working correctly.
Morty's definitely getting some love as resident loremaster and setting up some... unpleasant foreshadowings regarding Ghost Types.
DLC:
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention but I have bought my very own Switch Lite and Violet in Japan! Right now, I'm entering Area Zero so I'm probably around 80% done.
Gonna get this right out of the gate to tell you guys that ERI IS BEST GIRL. I don't wanna hear any objections! I can make a case for Nemona or Penny, but Eri is undisputed best girl of Paldea.
She kicked my ass two times in a row! She was so hard to beat that Geeta was easier in comparison. (Seriously, how did that woman even become Champion?)
God, I love her.
Geeta's team isn't bad per say, she just send them out in the wrong order!
As for the newest DLC, I have not seen ANY footage of it as of writing this so anything I hear or read is new to me. Reading your complaints about the adults is getting me worried, Corrupted. Classic Paldean adults.
And that's it, see ya.
17/1/2024: New updated chapter! And Author's Notes at the bottom!
Chapter 74: The Valley of Flames
Some time ago…
"Get up, Ash. Let's have a spar," Misty ordered bluntly as she stretched.
"Hah? Why?" Ash asked cockily.
'This brat…' an anger vein popped on the redhead's forehead.
"I've already beaten a Level 2 Gym challenge without losing a single Pokémon. I'm practically set!" he exclaimed haughtily.
Hearing this, Brendan found himself agreeing with the raven-haired boy.
'Ash isn't wrong. Falkner was pulling moves like [Aerial Ace] right off the bat unlike me. It was like playing on beginner while Ash was on nightmare,' the white-hatted boy thought.
'And still, he won.'
"That so? Then hopefully your bite's as good as your bark," Misty scoffed.
After such a challenge, Ash could never back down as he prepared to make the redhead eat her words.
…
…
…
"Charizard!" Ash called out frantically.
His orange dragon fell to the grass, struggling to get up as steam covered his scales.
"[Water Gun] : Pump Action!" Misty commanded her final attack.
Golduck slid in front of the wounded Charizard and cupped its webbed palm with its other hand. Manifesting [Water Gun] within the palm, the duck burst out several shells of aqua from the pressurized cupped hand.
BAM!
In such close distance and Type effectiveness to boot, Charizard stood no chance as he fainted on the spot, tumbling back into the dirt from the pressure.
"Charizard is unable to battle…" Brendan announced as the referee.
"Misty and Golduck wins."
"Thanks, Golduck," the redhead returned her Pokémon as she ambled her way to the shellshocked boy.
"Listen here, Ash. As a Trainer, I can see no problem with how you battle," she began.
"Seeing how much you've grown since my loss against you is something I enjoy watching."
The raven-haired boy stared at the smiling redhead. Her expression was genuine, one of pride and beaming with happiness.
"But if I were to compare the boy I faced in the Grand League and the 'you' now…"
"I'd say you're weaker than him."
"Huh?!" Ash exasperated before earning a flick on his forehead.
"Let me rephrase. Sure, you've gotten stronger than that time. But battling like that just now, what was it you lack? Try and recall," Misty insisted with a stern look in her cerulean eyes.
The words of the Gym Leader stimulated his mind, finding himself looking back to the Festival of Champions for answers.
And at last… he remembered.
"We're the challengers here."
"Our experiences don't measure up to our opponents."
"So, we've gotta take any chance we can get to win."
"Concentrate on what's ahead."
"But most of all, believe in yourselves!"
'Remember what you're fighting for.'
'Channel that into everything you've got.'
'We're not gonna let anyone stop us!'
"…I was the challenger," he realized.
"That's right. You never let your guard down back then," Misty patted his head gently, eliciting a scratch on his nose.
"You accepted that you were weaker and more inexperienced than everyone else and made a weapon out of it: your Fakes. Ironically, that made you a lot stronger."
Pull.
"So don't ever get so cocky ever again, got it?" the redhead tugged his cheek.
"Ow, ow, fine! I got it!"
.
.
.
"And that's what happened," Misty finished explained with an arm on the peeved boy's raven head.
'Must be tough…' Serena chuckled inwardly.
'Hm?'
The honey blonde caught sight of another boy behind the two: a boy with ruby eyes wearing a white hat.
"Oh, hello! You must be Brendan," Serena greeted cheerily.
"Eh? You know me?" the white-hatted boy fumbled.
"Yep, Red's told me a lot about you."
Ash watched as his newest companion began to converse with the honey blonde, silently smirking as he paralleled the once-shy little girl from before to the confident girl behind the screen.
"What's got you smiling?" Misty asked from his side.
"Seeing Yellow talking like this got me a little proud, that's all."
'I remember the two kids back at summer camp. Yellow couldn't even talk to… Chloe, I think her name was?' Ash mused to himself.
'Then again, that Goh guy was awkward too.'
"Brendan?" Serena quirked a brow at the boy.
The ruby eyes stared wistfully as he gave a wry smile.
"Nothing. You just remind me of someone…"
The redhead caught that line, and her mind immediately went into overdrive.
'I know that line! That's the unnecessary line that kickstarts an entire filler arc of misunderstandings!' she panicked as she glanced at the raven-haired boy next to her.
Ash's expression was neutral, but he was definitely feeling something inside. However, it was not jealousy nor hatred for Brendan.
…It was somehow sympathy.
…
Breaking off, Ash finally introduced his two new captures to the honey blonde.
"Yellow, this is Heracross," Ash grinned.
"Kiek!" the blue beetle shrieked softly as he waved to the girl.
"Hi, Heracross! You looked really cool in the Gym battle!"
"Kiek…" Heracross rubbed the back of his head bashfully.
"And this is—"
"Chik!" Chikorita huffed.
"…Eh?" Ash blinked.
The Grass starter wore a displeased look as she glared at the honey blonde onscreen.
"Hey, don't be like that, Chikorita," Ash tried to soothe.
Only for the sauropod to glue herself onto Ash's shoulder, rubbing her face into the thunderbolt birthmark on his cheek.
"Haha, she's friendly once you get to—"
"Oi."
"…Eh?" Ash blinked for a second time.
The cold tyrant glared back at the sauropod, completely petrifying the humans around. Chikorita was startled momentarily before growling at the girl.
'Da heck's going on?' the raven-haired boy sweated as he held the Grass starter in his hands.
Seeing how Serena was on the other side, and thus, unable to interact with her Trainer, Chikorita began to groom Ash's hands with her tongue, licking it like a cat.
"Those firm hands are mine. Back off," the honey blonde demanded coldly.
'…Wuh?'
From behind, a small hyena raced towards Ash's lap. Leaping into it, Nana slapped the Grass starter away with a growl before settling nicely in the raven-haired boy's lap.
"Nana?!" Ash exclaimed.
"Another homewrecker, I see. You've been playing around a lot, haven't you?"
'What the hell's going on?!' he lamented.
Abysmal luck struck again.
.
.
.
After calming Serena down, the raven-haired boy was left serving his cooked meals for his companions and Pokémon, something he enjoyed since it relaxed him and did not demand much.
However…
"Chik…!" Chikorita growled.
"Grr…!" Nana followed suit.
Ash wore a haggard expression as he had both Pokémon trapping his crossed legs on both sides as he tried his best to eat from his plate.
"…Brendan."
"Don't ask me, dude. I don't wanna get bit."
"…Misty."
"Figure it out yourself, playboy."
'Okay, what? Seriously, what did I do?'
The truth was, both Nana and Chikorita had watched Ash in his battle against Talonflame with Heracross.
Seeing the feral and unhinged expression on his face… it made the boy far more attractive in their eyes.
Chikorita had lived her life as a wild Pokémon and as a member of the Chikorita group that used to challenge Trainers regularly, strength was something she viewed highly. Furthermore, she was surprisingly the daughter of the head of the Chikorita group, though Chikorita never revealed it.
Meanwhile, Nana was a Poochyena, a Dark type Pokémon. As a Dark Type, the main attribute they look for in a partner was surprisingly similar to Chikorita: strength. Additionally, Ash's ferocity was a major factor in Nana's infatuation.
Of course, this was all unknown to the clueless dense boy.
'Haaaaaaaah…' he sighed lengthily inwardly, exhausted as he was unable to decipher why they were sticking so close to him.
Seeing the rivalry between Nana and Chikorita, both Misty and Brendan likened to the same imagery as one another.
'It's like the rich girl vs the tomboy in those school tropes.'
'It's a wealthy himedere against the athletic tsundere.'
.
.
.
Violet City, Johto Region
"So you guys are leaving?" Falkner stood at the gate that connected his city to their next destination: Azalea Town.
"Yeah. Sorry about the whole battle thing, I wasn't thinking straight, Mr Falkner," Ash apologized sheepishly.
"It's fine. I was immature as well. Getting heated over a child's goading was unbecoming of me."
'Azalea… There's where Old Man Kurt is,' Ash recalled his mission, the GS Ball he needed to deliver.
Seeing Ash and his companions, the blue-haired man nodded to himself.
"Before you challenge Bugsy, I have a suggestion," he said suddenly.
"Route 32 is quite a journey but there is a place I recommend. Specifically, for your Charizard."
At this, Ash paid close attention.
"It's called the Charicific Valley. It's a natural reserve that's home to some of the strongest Charizards I've seen," Falkner continued.
"I once entered with Talonflame, but it was too difficult for us to complete. However, it wasn't a waste. Even though we couldn't complete the training, we came out stronger than before."
Hearing that, Ash widened his grin as he thanked Falkner.
And they set off to Falkner's suggested place.
.
.
.
Lumiose City, Kalos Region
A sprightly Calem grinned widely as he stood in front of the main attraction of Kalos' biggest city:
Prism Tower. Also known as the Lumiose City's Gym.
The Prism Tower was the symbol of Lumiose City, the metropolis at the heart of the Kalos region. Now that winter was about to end, the metropolis' beauty was shown in full force.
"Why am I here again? On a weekend, no less," Gary asked, annoyed and cross-armed.
"Mah, mah! Lighten up, Green! Don'tcha wanna see how much Calem's come?" Blue patted his back with a beaming smile.
Due to Ash's match against Falkner, a fire ignited within Calem's heart as he aimed his sights towards the closest Gym he knew. Unfortunately, the entire group was roped into his desire with a grumbling Gary in tow.
"…I guess it could be worthwhile, right?" Alain assured as he placed a hand on Gary's shoulder.
"Fine," the orange-haired boy sighed.
Unknown to the others, Gary had wanted to take Blue out on a date around Lumiose City since it was a prime location for sightseeing and shopping. Thanks to Calem, his plans had been foiled thoroughly.
'I won't go easy on you during next training, Calem,' Gary swore under his breath.
'Hiek! Why's there a chill behind my back?!'
The group consisting of Calem, Gary, Blue, Alain, Shauna, Trevor and Tierno waited close to the city's centre as they awaited the honey blonde's arrival.
"We're here!"
Right on cue, the honey blonde had come, wearing her outdoor clothing of red and black theme as well as a pink hat to top it off.
Accompanying her was a tall blonde woman wearing her black blazer over her frilled white shirt with black pants whilst wearing a pair of circular-rimmed sunglasses.
"Sorry for the delay."
An unexpected third visitor was here as well.
Kimia walked alongside the two as she came wearing an elegant blue winter coat.
"Kimia!" Shauna exclaimed, surprised to see the princess.
As a princess of Azoth, Kimia was regarded as royalty of Kalos and thus, unable to freely do as she pleased since her actions reflected on the crown. However, under the supervision of Cynthia, Kimia was allowed freedom.
"Those are some tacky glasses, Miss Cynthia," Blue pointed at the woman's round sunglasses.
"It's a disguise I learned from Dian-chan," the blonde woman defended herself.
…
The group managed to enter the entrance of the Gym with only a pair of steel doors blocking their path.
{ Multiple challengers detected. Please select one to challenge the Gym. }
{ Once confirmed, the others are to be moved to the spectator seats. }
"It's me! Calem Xavier of Vaniville Town!" the black-haired boy announced.
{ …Trainer confirmed. Provisional License observed. }
{ Guardian consent is required. }
Provisional Trainers had to be under supervision in order to battle Gyms. This was one of the downsides of having a Provisional instead of an Official license.
Just then, both Gary and Blue raised their hands towards the steel doors.
"We'll be the guardians for Calem," they said at once.
{ Gary Oak of Pallet Town, confirmed. }
{ Blue Leaf of Pallet Town, confirmed. }
{ All procedures, green. You may challenge the Lumiose Gym. }
"Wow, sure feels weird hearing our name since we've changed it after the League," Blue chuckled.
"Got that right," Gary agreed.
WHIRRR!
The steel doors whirred its bolted locks open as it pulled away from each other mechanically.
Right before they entered…
BOOOM!
"It exploded again, brother!" a shriek echoed the battlefield.
"Waaah! I should've tested the prototype first!" a boy's shout responded.
The group entered the battlefield, only to find a boy with lemon blonde hair with a little girl with the same hair colour. From this, they inferred that the two were siblings, judging from the girl's shriek.
"Oh! Brother, brother! There's a challenger!" the little girl squeaked excitedly as she noticed the group.
The brother spun to see a bewildered crowd staring at him and his failed pile of smoking junk, prompting him to stand straight awkwardly.
"W-w-welcome to Lum-m-miose G-G-Gym!" he stuttered all over his words.
"Big brother, you're fundilizing your words," his sister said bluntly.
"It's pronounced 'fumbling', Bonnie."
"Umm… Are you perhaps the Gym Leader?" Calem asked to dispel the awkwardness.
"Yep! My big brother's the strongest Gym Leader of Kalos!" Bonnie declared boisterously.
"I can introduce myself, Bonnie! And it's not good to put someone like me on a pedestal!" the boy shushed the little girl.
"See, this is why I have to find a perfect wife for you."
"That last comment was not needed!"
With that, the lemon-haired boy finally introduced himself.
"Umm… Hi. My name's Clemont, the Lumiose Gym Leader."
.
.
.
Route 32, Johto Region
After a few days of travel, the Johto group found themselves trekking a mountainous trail. They were headed towards Azalea Town for the second Badge as well as to meet Kurt, although this was not known to Brendan.
As they trekked, Misty began a conversation while they move.
"Hey, Ash? Isn't this place close to the Charicific Valley?" Misty eyed the map closer.
"Yeah. Mr Falkner recommended this place so a little detour wouldn't hurt, right?" Ash nodded.
Suddenly, a large shadow loomed over the trio, eliciting a glaring Ash with his two shouldered Pokémon to enter battle-ready mode with the boy's hand already gripping the sheathed Carnwennan on his belt.
"Rather hostile for a little boy," a female voice chimed behind him.
Reacting fast, Ash leapt towards Misty and Brendan, who were behind, brandishing his Dagger to protect the two.
Now facing the new person before him, the raven-haired boy's senses were on high alert.
'Who is she?' Ash pondered.
"Hmm… Nice eyes," she complimented.
The revealed person was a green-haired woman wearing a dark red breastplate with a similarly coloured pants.
"You must be the one who defeated Falkner. Ash Ketchum, right?" she asked.
"Er… Yeah, who's asking?" Ash nodded hesitantly as he sheathed back his Dagger.
"Name's Liza. I'm the caretaker of Charicific Valley."
Seeing the surprised look on the trio's face, Liza let out a soft chuckle.
"C'mon, Falkner told me beforehand about you guys."
As she finished her sentence, the green-haired woman whistled loudly into the skies, echoing throughout the entire mountain.
Not long after, a pair of blindingly fast orange blur came landing towards Misty and Brendan.
'Fast! I couldn't see anything even with Mind's Eye!' Ash widened his eyes in shock.
The two blurs were revealed to be Charizards, orange dragons that were several times bigger than Ash's.
"Hop onto them, it's better to fly than walking, right?" Liza said as she summoned her own Charizard.
Poof!
Another Flame Pokémon appeared, this time, it had a pink bowtie wrapped on its head.
"Ride on your Charizard, Faker. We'll get there faster."
Poof!
Dancing flames emerged from the Ball on Ash's waist, materializing Charizard as he roared his entrance. Without hesitation, the raven-haired boy hopped onto his Fire starter and immediately shot upwards, next to Liza and her Charizard.
"Grrr!" the Charizard with a pink bowtie was surprised.
"Wow, you made an amazing first impression to Charla. Not many can do that," Liza praised as she stroked the boy's dragon.
'What's more… I know teenagers and even adults who are terrified of riding their own Charizards but this kid didn't even flinch.'
The raven-haired boy tilted his head in confusion while the green-haired woman appraised him before giving him a warm smile.
"Let's go."
With that, all of them took to the skies.
.
.
.
Lumiose Gym, Kalos Region
"Excuse me, pretty lady!" Bonnie rushed towards the blonde woman wearing sunglasses.
"I want to keep you!"
With a graceful knee to the ground and a courteous hand towards Cynthia, Bonnie requested with a sparkling expression.
"Please take care of my brother, s'il vous plait!"
'? ? ?' was what went through everyone's minds.
"Bonnie!" Clemont hissed at his sister.
"What? You're hopeless since all you care about are your inventions, so let this capable Bonnie find you a wife!" the younger sibling gave a thumbs up.
'What is going on…?' the group deadpanned.
"Enough of that, may I ask which of you will be challenging me?" Clemont asked politely.
"Oh, that'll be me!" Calem raised his hand.
…
The battlefield was set. It was a standard field with no obstruction in sight, meaning a plain terrain.
"This will be a 2v2 Standard Battle between Calem of Vaniville Town and Big Brother!" Bonnie announced as the referee.
"Bonnie, that's too informal…" the lemon-haired boy groaned.
"Let's do this, Chespin!" Calem summoned his starter Pokémon.
"The future is now, Helioptile!" Clemont did the same.
Chespin grunted, raring to go while his opponent, a yellow lizard, assumed position, similarly ready to battle.
'Damn, that's a cool catchphrase,' the black-haired boy thought to himself.
Calem could remember all his friends' catchphrases when summoning their Pokémon. However, it did not occur to him until now regarding his childhood friend's own phrase with his role model.
'Now that I think about it, Serena says 'I choose you' like Ash…'
From the sidelines, the honey blonde scanned the new Pokémon with her encyclopaedia.
[=]
Helioptile, the Generator Pokémon
When spread, the frills on its head act like solar panels, generating the power behind this Pokémon's electric moves. Interruption of that process stresses Helioptile to the point of weakness.
[=]
"Kalos Pokémon sure are unique," Cynthia commented with interest in her platinum eyes.
"Let's start with a [Pin Missile]!" Calem grinned.
"Helioptile, [Electric Terrain] please!" Clemont responded back.
The ground electrified yellow as small shocks emitted periodically while a hail of green needles came crashing onto Helioptile.
'A direct hit!' Calem pumped his fist with glee.
"[Parabolic Charge]!"
Bzzzzt!
A surge of lightning pulsed from the lizard as Chespin yelped loudly, screaming with tears in his eyes.
"[Vine Whip]! Propel yourself above!" Calem made his decision hastily.
Before the electricity could hit Chespin, the hooded hedgehog dug his vines into the golden earth, prompting his body to shoot into the air.
"Amazing!" Clemont praised as he adjusted his glasses.
"Haha! I have a pretty good role model, after all!" the black-haired boy grinned.
"Must be a really strong person!"
As the two kept battling, Bonnie joined the group as she sat with them on the side.
"Wow, that's the first time a challenger dodged [Pawagollick Charge]!" the little girl exclaimed in fascination.
"You mean [Parabolic Charge]," Gary corrected with a smile.
"Ooohhh… What does that mean?"
"It means like a parabola."
Bonnie stared continuously, increasingly confused.
"Erm…" the orange-haired boy was at a loss for explanation.
Thankfully, someone else came to his rescue.
"It's a very pretty U-shaped curve," Serena explained with a smile.
"Oh! That's why it looks like that!" Bonnie lit up at her explanation.
'She's so cuuute!' the honey blonde could not help but pat the little girl's head.
"You're so smart, Bonnie~" the honey blonde cooed.
"Ehehe~" the little girl blushed happily.
Meanwhile, Gary sighed extendedly with Blue comforting him with a mocking pat on the head.
"I was about to bring out the equations and stuff to explain…" he grumbled.
"You already know it doesn't work for kids," Blue snickered.
Shauna was cheering the loudest as Tierno and Trevor joined in. The tanned girl watched in marvel as Calem battled his heart out with a giant smile on his face.
"GO, CAL!"
"Slingshot towards it with [Vine Whip] and [Tackle]!" Calem commanded.
As the battle raged on, the onlookers watched, captivated by Calem's growth while one lone person found herself drifting into her thoughts again.
'Is that how I look like when I cheered for Red?' Serena glanced at Shauna's excitement.
'I wonder how he's doing now?'
.
.
.
Charicific Valley, Johto Region
It was a paradise behind those steel gates.
A utopia for fire-breathing Pokémon for they soared above the skies, unlimited in their freedom. The earth was swarmed by powerful roars as multitudes of Charizards duelled to compare strengths.
"Holy… There's so many…" Brendan gulped.
"No kidding," Misty awed at the sight of a Charizard horde flying above them.
Ash took in the sight with his Pokémon on his shoulders. Pikachu and Froakie exclaiming with excitement as they hopped onto their fellow Flame Pokémon's head, tugging on his horns.
"Pika, pika!" the electric mouse pointed with stars in his eyes.
"Kero! Kekero!" the blue frog hopped with lively expression.
Charizard did not mind the rowdy two on his head, he was used to it. The orange dragon nodded with the two as he beheld the sight of his kind roaming around. But what had his attention captivated was the sheer strength emitting from each Charizard in the valley.
"Like what you see?" Liza smirked beside Ash.
"I'm not falling for such a bait question," the boy said flatly.
"Heh, you're not as dumb as you look."
'That's uncalled for…' Ash groaned.
Tis a compliment, Tonelico. Thou should receive in stride.
'Zacian! You're back,' the boy barely contained his surprise.
Yes, dear. My apologies… I had some… business to attend to.
Before the raven-haired boy could ask what it was, Liza interrupted his thoughts.
"Now then, let's head towards my home."
As they ambled towards a certain cottage built at the side of a cliff with a fountain nearby, Ash could feel gazes of challenge from the surrounding Flame Pokémon as they looked with interest towards Ash's own Fire starter.
"Grrr…" Charizard growled at them.
"Already sizing him up, huh? Your Charizard's a lot better than I thought despite his size," the green-haired woman chuckled.
"What do you mean by that?" the white-hatted boy asked curiously.
Without missing a beat, Liza explained.
"The Charizards here have a keen eye for strength. The fact that they're taking an interest in Ash's Charizard means he's rather strong despite being small."
Hearing Liza's explanation, Ash started to notice the difference between his Pokémon and the others.
"Does a Charizard's size determine its strength?" he asked.
"Now you're getting it. Yep, it's a common correlation in Pokémon that size equal power," Liza nodded before pointing at Pikachu.
"Though, that one's an exception."
"Pika…" the electric mouse blushed.
"Back on topic, the reason why the Valley's Charizards are so strong is because they don't depend on human Trainers to get stronger. Clashing with their own kind in an optimal environment is the key to their training."
The Flame Pokémon lit up at Liza's words as he scanned the area once more before jolting slightly as he took a double take on Charla.
"You noticed? Charla here is both trained by me and the Charizards of this place, placing her at the top," the green-haired woman stated.
Indeed, Charla was far and beyond bigger than Ash's Charizard with an aura of unparalleled strength. She figuratively and literally dwarfed the boy's dragon.
Despite that, Charizard glared back at the female, undeterred nor scared to fight back. That little show of defiance was met with an amused smirk from Charla.
"Aww, your Charizard's got a little thing for Charla," Liza teased.
"…Wait what?" Ash flabbergasted.
"It's obvious," Misty and Brendan chimed in.
Seeing the two orange dragons growling together was confusing the boy as he did not understand the signals. His brows furrowed as he crossed his arms.
"I don't see it."
'Damn, Charizard likes big girls,' Brendan joked to himself.
"RRROOOOOAAAARRRR!"
Without warning, a deafening roar came charging towards Ash and Charizard… in the form of a bigger and bulkier Charizard.
"[Close Combat (Fake)]!" the raven-haired boy panicked.
Despite his shock, Ash's swift command was heard loud and clear as Charizard's fists ignited and electrified respectively.
'Chain attacks?! Plus, it's two different Types too!' the green-haired woman gasped.
BAM! WHAM!
[Fire Punch] was delivered in the form of a swinging punch, dealing little to no damage against the bigger dragon. However, that was not the true intent of the flame-infused fist. Its job was merely to blind it.
[Thunder Punch] transformed into a swift jab into the opposing Charizard's stomach, dragging it back several centimetres with a slight cough.
'Seriously? That was a pretty nice one too…' Ash could only smile nervously as the lightning fist did seemingly zero damage.
Despite their attempts, the challenging Charizard was seen without much damage, charging towards Ash's dragon once more.
"Ash!" Misty took out her capsule before Liza stopped her.
"It's okay. This is a test," the older woman assured.
Vrrrrrrmmmm!
Blazing fire wrapped around the charging Charizard before bursting into flames like a missile towards its target.
'That's a real [Flare Blitz]!' Ash shielded his eyes from the bright flames.
"Charizard, [Flare Blitz (Fake)]!"
[Flamethrower] armoured the Flame Pokémon as he jetted towards the blazing missile without hesitation, both roaring their might as they collided.
BOOOOOOOOOM!
…
The explosion echoed throughout the valley, capturing the attention of many Charizards as more came to witness the duel.
"Um, Liza…? There's a lot of them coming," Brendan spun around to find many fascinated eyes on the cloud of dust.
"Haha, interesting! To think a little runt like that could equal one of our own," Liza laughed to his surprise.
Fwoosh!
To everyone's surprise, mostly the other Charizard and Charla, Ash and his own orange dragon was standing, battered but unwilling to go down.
"You alright, buddy?" the raven-haired boy coughed.
"Grr…" the injured dragon growled his affirmation.
Both of them were gasping for air but slowly sported a nervous grin as they watched their opponent's wings open and strong.
"ROOOOAAARRRR!" the challenging Charizard bellowed.
However, despite its bellows, it was clearly intrigued by Charizard's show of strength, huffing its approval as it grinned as well.
"…Screw it. Let's ball," Ash took position.
Thump!
"Huh?"
Unfortunately for the raven-haired boy, his Charizard took a knee, signalling its tiredness and fatigue.
"Charizard!"
Seeing its opponent kneeling a foot, the opposing Charizard roared again before stomping away.
"Looks like your Charizard's lost the duel," Liza stated.
Ash and Charizard knew it too. They may be newcomers to the Valley but after a quick battle like that, they understood the customs:
Strength was everything in a Charizard's world.
Winning a duel proved your power.
Losing only encouraged you to get stronger.
There was no shame in defeat, only the determination for greater heights.
"Still, to match a [Flame Charge] like that… You got potential," the woman patted the Flame Pokémon gently.
"…Huh? [Flame Charge]?" Ash blinked owlishly.
"Hm? Yeah? That was a [Flame Charge]."
"…"
Pompf.
A dirtied Ash fell on the ground, similarly tired and in disbelief.
'[Flare Blitz (Fake)] was barely able to pull out a draw against a normal [Flame Charge]…?'
The raven-haired boy's confidence was shattered, knowing that he was battling his heart out while unaware that his opponent was holding back.
.
.
.
Lumiose Gym, Kalos Region
"Magnemite is unable to battle! The winner is Calem!" Bonnie declared with a cheer.
"I did it… I did it!" the black-haired boy roared triumphantly.
Glomp!
"You did it, Cal!" Shauna hugged him from behind.
"Thanks, Shauna! Thanks for cheering me on!"
Seeing the wide grin of happiness on Calem's face tugged a smile on Serena's face, glad to see her childhood friends so lively.
Trevor and Tierno had similar reactions but were slightly in the 'Normies should go explode' camp.
Gary, Blue, Alain and Kimia clapped in applause at their fellow Trainer's first Badge.
"Congratulations, Calem," Clemont walked towards the black-haired boy.
From his blue jumpsuit's pocket, the lemon-haired boy awarded Calem with his Badge:
The Voltage Badge.
"Thanks, Clemont! You were really strong!" Calem grinned, still happy about his win.
"Ahaha… Thanks," the Gym Leader rubbed his head sheepishly.
"But I'm not that goo—"
"Humility is nice, but degrading yourself isn't exactly healthy," Cynthia whispered from behind.
The lemon-haired boy jolted and whipped back in shock to find a smiling blonde woman waving at him.
"Wait… You're…!" Clemont took a closer look and gasped.
"Nice to meet you, Lumiose Gym Leader. Name's Cynthia," Cynthia introduced herself.
"T-T-T-The pleasure's m-m-m-mine, Sinnoh C-C-C-Champion!" he stuttered uncontrollably.
"Fufu, I'm not that scary, am I?"
"If you wanna talk about training, then…" Serena mumbled to herself.
Pinch.
"Ow…" the honey blonde giggled cheekily from the blonde woman's gentle pinch on her cheek.
…
After a while, Calem and the Kalos natives except Serena left to celebrate with the former thanking Gary and Blue profusely, much to their embarrassment.
"Continuing, Clemont, was it?" Cynthia resumed.
"Yes, ma'am…" the Gym Leader nodded.
"Why are you hiding your strength?"
That one question caught everyone by surprise… except for Bonnie.
"Woah! You can tell, miss?!" Bonnie exclaimed in child-like delight.
"Better not tell Calem about this," Gary whispered to the rest.
"Agreed," Alain and Kimia nodded.
The Sinnoh Champion continued her unchanging smile as she awaited the lemon-haired boy's answer.
"I… I just want to invent things," Clemont answered finally.
"If I battle with everything I've got, Trainers will gather here more frequently, and I'd have no time for my hobby…" he continued in a shy demeanour.
Those words washed a slight feeling of uneasiness over the young Trainers. The implications that Clemont gave suggested that he was a lot stronger than they thought. Additionally, the Gym Leader did not seem to realize his innate confidence when he said that.
"That's why I've been inventing my magnum opus to take my place!"
Suddenly, Clemont's shy manner was replaced with an enthusiastic streak when explaining his invention.
"The future is now, thanks to science!"
Whirrr!
The backdoors of the Gym whirred open mechanically to reveal a tall automaton with gangly metal limbs walking towards the humans.
"This is my best invention: Clembot!" Clemont revealed with pride.
"Woahhh…" everyone hummed, impressed.
"I'm guessing he's going to replace you as Gym Leader?" Cynthia hazarded a guess.
"Yes! With Clembot's optimization, Lumiose Gym can return to its former glory."
"Former glory?" the chestnut-haired girl repeated quizzically.
"Ah, you see… Diantha had asked me a favour to check up on Lumiose Gym for a while," the blonde woman explained.
"Apparently, the Gym has been losing popularity as of late since Trainers were not being challenged as much as the other Kalos Gyms. Right now, it's dead last on the list."
"…" Clemont's glasses reflected white with his face neutral.
"…I… I APOLOGIZE FOR THE INCONVENIENCE!"
.
.
.
Charicific Valley, Johto Region
The group found themselves in Liza's house. The entrance was big enough that a large Charizard like Charla was able to enter.
"Make yourself at home. I'll prepare some tea," Liza gestured.
Glancing at the clock, Ash got up as well as he followed her to the kitchen.
Seeing the confused look on the woman's face, Ash brought out his Bag with a small smirk on his face.
"You haven't eaten lunch, have ya?"
…
"Mmm! This is amazing!" Liza munched happily on her katsudon.
The raven-haired boy was pleased at the reaction with the addition of his companions and Pokémon's beaming expressions eliciting a warmer smile on his face.
"Say, Faker. How about you be my chef from now on?" the green-haired woman pointed a fork towards the boy.
"Rejected," he deadpanned swiftly.
"C'mon, you get to live with this Onee-san AND train in the most challenging grounds of all of Johto."
"Hm."
"Hey, Ash. You're not serious, are you?" Misty gasped in shock.
"No way… You like older women that much, Ash?" Brendan joined in.
"Oi. How low of an opinion do you two have of me?" the boy retorted.
'Besides, Liza can't possibly compete with Yellow,' he scoffed inwardly.
"I feel like I just got slighted…" the green-haired woman popped a vein at Ash's expression.
"Just your imagination…" the boy maintained a poker face.
Suddenly, Ash's voice died down as he noticed a tapestry hung on the living room:
The cloth visualized a warrior doing battle against a black dragon.
"Oh, that? That's just an old legend based on my name," Liza explained.
"Your name?" the redhead repeated.
"Yeah. I'm not related to that warrior if that's what you're thinking. But my ancestors apparently were around during that time."
The raven-haired boy's bloodred eyes scanned the warrior's weapon:
A two-handed, steel-gray greatsword with a blue jewel embedded in the hilt.
"Who is this?" Ash asked.
"The hero of the Nibelungenlied:
Siegfried."
Hoh?
Ash felt a sense of interest form within his Sword, or more specifically, his godmother.
'Zacian?'
Oh, pay no heed towards me, Tonelico. I was merely surprised to hear a familiar name.
'You know this guy?!'
Aye, merely in songs. However, the dragonslayer's feat caught my ears.
"Dragonslayer?" Ash parroted aloud.
"Wow, you know about the legends as well," Liza amazed, impressed by Ash's blurt.
The raven-haired boy glanced back to the green-haired woman in confusion, though he quickly returned to his neutral expression.
But one person had noticed the peculiar shift.
'Ash…' Misty studied the boy.
"Siegfried, the Dragon-Blooded Knight. The Tenacious Dragon Slayer."
"His notable legend was that of his felling of the evil dragon, Fafnir, with his holy sword."
"Bathing his body in the dragon's blood and drinking it, he gained an invulnerability that made all weapons ineffective against him during his life."
"Uwah. Talk about bad taste," Brendan irked at Liza's abridged tale.
"Haha, I know right? But still, it's a pretty epic story that was passed down from my ancestors," the woman laughed.
"Sieg. That's how my name's pronounced in Kantonian. Needless to say, I knew where my name came from."
.
.
.
Night fell soon as the raven-haired boy was left to his thoughts whilst he laid in his tent, an action he found himself used to doing.
'Fafnir... I wonder if it's one of the True Dragons that Mr Drake spoke of...' Ash pondered.
Silently, he tried to imagine a being stronger than even Drake's Dragonite, only to find himself failing in the process.
"Pika…" the electric mouse hopped onto the boy's chest, worried about his partner's mental state.
"Kero…" the blue frog placed his hands onto Ash's eyes, telling him to go to sleep.
"Grr…" his orange dragon peered into the tent's flaps with a worried look.
"Yeah, yeah, let's sleep," the raven-haired boy conceded as he shut his eyes close.
"Good night, guys."
As the light snores from Froakie and Pikachu filled the tent, Ash turned to the open flaps of his tent. He watched as Charizard curled up right outside, guarding his Trainer with his tail flame illuminating like a nightlight.
'…What should I do?' his fist gripped tight.
'I know the answer. I know what I should do. But…'
'…But I don't want that.'
Finally, he drifted into a deep slumber.
…
…
…
Clattering echoed around me; the distant words caused my brows to crease.
It was a loud environment and yet, it seemed muted as my eyes slowed their open.
As the light brightened, I took in my surroundings like a towel onto water.
"A festival…?" I uttered out.
"Indeed."
I knew that voice. It was a voice that soothed my body.
My ears drank in her voice as I turned back.
I had no idea what kind of face I was making, but I was definitely looking like an idiot as I saw her.
A yukata with floral prints and a shawl over her shoulders.
Snow white hair with braids flowing down along the locks of pristine white.
Finally, an okami mask with a missing jaw, replaced by a black veil that draped over her chin.
"Za…" my voice died down.
"How hath thee been, darling?" she asked.
No wispy voice that carried itself akin to wind. No loudness to be heard.
She was there. Right in front of me.
The one who called herself my godmother.
The one who I had wanted to meet since I held the Sword.
"Zacian…"
Click, clack. Her geta shoes reverbed around me as she walked closer.
The way she carried herself. It was akin to how royalty carried themselves.
"Mm?"
Instantly, as she was right in front of me, I was enveloped in her arms.
Although shocked as I was, I could still pick up the feeling of her trembling fingers as they glided in circles around my back.
"Tis but a few days left, but…"
Automatically, I found myself hugging her back as I pushed myself deeper into her warm embrace.
"Happy New Year, Tonelico."
.
.
.
"Mm! This is a delectable confectionary," the masked woman tasted her candy apple on hand.
"That's a candy apple for ya," Ash grinned beside her.
"I would have thought it would be called 'toffee apples'."
"Ah, Green said they're called that in Galar."
Hearing the region's name, Ash stared curiously at Zacian's soft cough.
The black veil covering her mouth was not as opaque up-close, so the boy was able to discern her skin and lips.
Her deathly pale skin combined with her exquisitely seductive lips of cyan blue. They served to accentuate the snow-haired woman's charm, both beauty and sensuality.
Of course, those went over Ash's head as he was truly curious as to how his guardian looked like. He was, for bad or worse, honest to a fault.
"Hey, Zacia—"
"Nay."
"Oh, come on. I didn't even say anything yet," he pouted.
Answering his complaint was a single finger playfully poking his forehead.
"Tis written on thy face, Tonelico," she giggled.
"Cheh."
Although he was disappointed at his failed endeavour to see Zacian's face, Ash held a sense of warmth as he slowly scooted closer to the woman. Then, as if noticing his arrival, the snow-haired woman held his hand with care, as if she was holding a fragile thing.
"That Siegfried guy, can you tell me more about him?" he requested.
Zacian turned towards him, the latter glimpsing a shadow of a smile behind the veil as she nodded.
"The hero of Nibelungenlied, Siegfried the Dragon-Blooded Knight," she started.
"Although his name is known in that lass's household, there exists another version of the same character."
"Really? So Siegfried isn't actually his name?" he questioned.
"Truth be told, tis possible for two characters to share a coincidental feat of dragon slaying the same Dragon. Even I do not know the answer."
"So there were 2 Fafnirs?" the boy asked again, this time with more curiosity.
"To answer that, allow me to tell thee of a tale. The Völsunga saga."
"In this version, Siegfried was instead a man named Sigurd. He slew Fafnir but instead of bathing in the Dragon's blood, the warrior roasted his heart and ate it, gaining the crystallization of wisdom."
"...Sounds like he got a free pair of glasses if the idea is to look smarter," the raven-haired boy blurted out.
"Fufu, who knows?"
"However, the Völsunga told of Fafnir's origins unlike the Nibelungenlied as he was once a dwarf before a Dragon."
"A dwarf? You mean those little old men?"
"Aye. As the story went, Fafnir was transformed into a Dragon due to his endless greed, an event known as Evil Dragon Phenomenon."
"...Then if turning into that black Dragon is a phenomenon," he breathed out in realization.
Zacian stayed silent, encouraging him to speak his mind.
"Doesn't that mean there could be more than one Fafnir?"
His solid answer earned a headpat from the snow-haired woman.
"Terrific answer, darling. Aye, that seems to be the remedy for the riddle of the Evil Dragon."
"Eh? But doesn't that mean some greedy dude might turn into him?!" he panicked.
Despite how outlandish the nature of what he was saying was, Ash never once distrusted Zacian's words.
Like a sponge, he took her flowing words like a thirst.
"Thou doth not need to worry, Tonelico," she assured.
"The phenomenon hath been dispelled ages ago. It was the turning point where Dragons were merely fictitious beings, only allowing those Ma- Pardon, Pokémon, as thou calleth them, that resembled their likeness as the rooting truth."
'Well that's a relief...' he sighed inwardly.
"Then I guess there really could be a Siegfried and a Sigurd at the same time!" he grinned towards her.
"Indeed," she smiled back.
...
As they sat together in pleasant silence, Zacian absentmindedly rubbed the boy's hand. A pensive expression, hidden behind the mask.
Finally, her lips parted.
"Thou art truly warm, Tonelico," she whispered.
"Sometimes I wonder if I had robbed Delia of our moments…"
"My mom? You knew her?" Ash turned to her in surprise.
"Aye. She sum… Nay, she entrusted me with thee."
Zacian placed a hand onto his raven hair, stroking it with such gentleness that Ash felt a wave of sleepiness wash over him.
"Urk… No, no. Not now…" he struggled a familiar tug.
"Listen well, Tonelico."
"Thou art a kind boy. Kind enough to melt this cold heart of steel."
The wording in the end had Ash's bloodred eyes pop wide open in muted shock.
"However, thy overprotectiveness is denying Charizard an opportunity. Thou hast realized it by now, haven't thee?"
"I… I know… but other than Pikachu… He's been with me since the start," Ash struggled more to fight out the drowsiness.
"I can't just…"
He stopped. He realized what was truly stopping him from Charizard's chance at greatness:
Possessiveness. The denial of Charizard's opportunity for his own selfishness to stay with him.
"Thy answer came naturally, I see," Zacian smiled behind her veil.
"…Yeah. But what if this is the wrong choice?" Ash asked again.
"Please. I have raised thee in secret for all these years and thou hast turned out magnificent," the masked woman scoffed.
"What…?"
"I was always with thee, Tonelico. These watchful eyes of mine hast never once strayed from thee."
The revelation piled on. Ash was losing the battle as his eyelids grew heavier.
"Tis time. Until w—"
Squeeze.
The raven-haired boy's hand tightened onto Zacian's pale hand, not willing to surrender.
"Not… yet. I still… have so much to say…" he narrowed his eyes, determined to stay awake.
"Who you are. What's your connection to my mother. And…"
"I want to see you."
The okami mask's eye holes glowed a bright cyan as the snow-haired woman enveloped him into another but tighter hug.
"Forgive me, Tonelico. I truly am," she whispered into his ears.
"But the time for such hast not arrive."
"However, even when my voice is not present. Even if thou could not feel my presence…"
Her pale hand touched his chest, feeling his heartbeat.
"I am always here."
Those comforting words knocked out the raven-haired boy, effectively closing his eyes.
Sensing his slumber, Zacian took one final look at Ash's sleeping face before removing the veil.
A soft kiss planted onto his forehead. With that, the boy's body disintegrated, returning him back to reality.
Closing her eyes, Zacian recalled her first and last meeting with Delia.
…
"Stay by his side?" the snow-haired woman asked.
"Yep," Delia nodded.
"Of course I will. Thou hast nothing to worry about, Delia."
"Then, can you do me one last favour?"
…
A message from Delia, transcending 11 years.
Carried by the Queen of Avalonians.
"I love you, Ash."
"I love thee, Tonelico."
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Morning came.
Brendan and Misty were helping Liza prepare breakfast with the final latecomer arriving.
"Look who showed… up…" Liza's words faded as she stared.
A freshly awoken Ash with his messy bed hair quirked a brow at her reaction. Shrugging to himself, he headed straight to the bathroom.
Glancing at his companions, he saw that they wore the same shocked expression on their faces as he passed them.
'…It's too early for this,' he ignored it as he stepped into the bathroom.
Before he could wash his face, Ash stared at his reflection.
His appearance was relatively unchanged… except for a lipstick mark of cyan blue on his forehead.
"…Oh."
There were a lot of explaining to do.
.
.
.
"Charizard," Ash summoned his starter.
"Grr!" the orange dragon grunted, ready to battle.
"Nah, not this time."
The Flame Pokémon turned back in confusion before noticing that they were at the entrance of Charicific Valley. Ash smiled back wistfully with Pikachu and Froakie looking at him with saddened expressions.
"Grr?"
"I did some thinking last night, or rather, the whole night…" he started.
"And I think… it's best you stay here."
Charizard's eyes flew open in bewilderment. He could not believe that his Trainer was abandoning—
"I'm not abandoning you nor releasing you."
The boy's bloodred eyes conveyed it clearly.
"This is the best place for you."
"But I was about to take you away from here."
"I was selfish. And I knew that."
"…But a precious person talked me out of it."
"I realized how much of a coward I was for wanting you to stay with me."
"So listen to me, Charizard."
Ash gave the warmest smile he could show to his Fire starter.
"Get stronger. We'll do the same."
"Remember, our paths might split now…"
"But in the end,"
"There's still only one road."
"So let's walk it together again in the future!"
Charizard's eyes glistened at his touching words.
"ROOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRR!"
A tower of flames shot into the sky, symbolizing their promise to reunite again.
"Don't worry, Ash. The Valley and I'll train him up real good," Liza gave a thumbs up.
"Please take care of him," the raven-haired boy bowed to the woman.
Right after his request, Charla and multiple Charizards landed behind Liza, catching everyone except Liza off-guard.
"ROOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!"
The Flame Pokémon. All of them.
Their roars conveyed their promises to make Charizard strong.
"…Haha. Looks like you'll get along just fine," the raven-haired boy patted his dragon's head.
"Grr…"
"It's not a goodbye. It's a 'see you soon', right?"
Finally, with one last heartfelt hug, Charizard separated from the group.
"Are you alright?" Misty asked.
The start of another's journey.
"Yeah. Let's go!" Ash grinned back.
A promise of reunion.
"Pika!" / "Kero!"
Chapter 74: The Valley of Flames
With renewed vigour, the boy continued his journey.
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"Dear me. Projecting Tonelico's thoughtform here is mighty hard to maintain."
Gone was the festive outfit she wore, and her dress of black, white, and cyan blue returned. The mask shed, replaced with a darker veil of onyx black.
The environment shifted once more, back to the evergreen meadow.
"My thanks for shielding my presence," she turned to the cracked skies.
A looming serpent of blackened shadows stared at her with scarlet red orbs. Its wings resembling more like sharpened red-tipped stingers, the nightmarish serpent met Zacian's chilling cyan blue eyes.
"Renegade," she greeted.
"Witch," it greeted back.
"I see your speech has not progressed since all those centuries ago," the one called Renegade conversed.
"That would require a possession on my darling boy," she sighed, not wanting to do that.
"What if he dies again? Will you stay at the sidelines?"
"…Fine, only in such a scenario," Zacian harumphed.
The shadow crackled as if glitching in the skies. Its presence was unwelcome, a miracle it even manifested this far.
"Well, be seeing you soon, Witch," Renegade bid farewell.
"I hope we could meet once more, like that day 3000 years ago."
"As do I, Renegade. Pity that Avalon rejects thy existence," Zacian bowed courteously.
With that, the gigantic serpent vanished, returning the clear skies back to normal.
"Now then… Tonelico must be busy for now," she said to herself.
VhhrrrrmmmmmM!
Suddenly, the snow-haired woman revealed her vicinity, trapped by golden chains with emerald jewels, a familiar pattern of shining cross wheels.
"The seal is mostly undone. That arse of a God; to think it took me this long…"
'A few more years should do…'
Magic circles encircled the woman as she closed her eyes in concentration.
"It won't be long, Tonelico."
"I will see thee soon."
Author's Notes
Welcome to da bottom! This is written post-update so there will be some reviews to be answered down here.
Now then, let's start.
Clemont and Bonnie joins the cast, baby! I had thought of saving them for later but nah. Since Serena's also having her own story in tandem with Ash, she shouldn't be stagnant in meet new people. Although this means the cast in getting bigger, narratively, it makes sense.
Reviews:
Tainan republic:
I wanna say to get this off my chest, I'm hyped as hell for the rest of the story, and holy hell is the world building something else. Like the amount of Norse and Arthurian legends being sewn into the story is executed perfectly and the lore, oh the lore, it's making me feel like matpat when he's cooking up a new theory for a vid, connecting the bits and pieces and following the breadcrumbs, it's just so good. And ash's lucks and him being dense as a black hole will never grow old, especially when it comes to the "list" he has (like how many girls did he even rizz up unknowingly?!). The introduction of clemont and Bonnie is just right and Bonnie trying to play matchmaker is in line for her, and Clemont has some work to do. Charizard staying behind got me feeling things, the little convo between zacian and a certain green hoenn legendary with a name starting with r. "Wink wink, nudge nudge" is a interesting lore drop and I'm excited for the next chapter
Thanks for the review, Tainan. Haven't seen you around so sure hope you'll be here for the full ride. 10 years probably... (sigh)
Norse and Arthurian myths are my favourites (mostly the latter) but a small correction for you is that Nibelungenlied is NOT Norse but Germanic. So in essence, Norse myths are Germanic myths but Germanic myths are not Norse myths. Hope that makes sense.
So, the correct version for Nibelungenlied would technically be Scandinavian myth, a Germanic poem.
Not that you're wrong because it's a VERY obscure distinction. The amount of fact-checking I went through was insane.
As for the 'list': It's a gag that's gonna continue since Ash IS canonically a dabbling rizzler.
Clemont and Bonnie being recieved well is a plus since they are my favourite sibling pair. Not that May and Max were bad, it's just the blonde siblings have more chemistry in their interactions. (Eren freakin' Yeager has more chemistry with Bonnie than Mikasa, imagine that)
Zacian and Mysterious Legendary:
Haha, this is pretty funny. However, you're quite off the mark, Tainan. The Legendary Zacian was talking with in the end is NOT Rayquaza. It's the Renegade.
Not saying who it is, but from previous chapters, it should be obvious.
f46adpg:
I wish that we would have seen the history of nibelung and fafnir more although it's more about Siegfried and his sword here. I get that it's trying to reference the fated lore more so than the Pokemon one but having a dragon being killed in a Pokemon world is a pretty big thing especially with the research of the species and everything but I understand that it's more about avalon and Excalibur than Gram but I'm a lore hunter so I don't think most people would feel that way, still I wish that there were some hints to chew my head around what will be the planning about the next phase of your world building.
One thing I noticed is that sometimes the text is confusing when a group of people are talking at the same place with each other. I don't know if you forget or are unsatisfied with the exact wording of the sentence but with Serena's group or when they're actively interacting with each other some lines get a little confusing because I don't know who exactly said them. This is not a problem but just something to keep in mind next time if you're considering my review as just an opinion .
And yeah the Genshin fans are unhinged taking over Google maps and going around ruining Businesses just for memes and stuff but I really thought that your foreshadowing and world building correlate with the stuff that they're doing with swords and creatures.
Hey, f46adpg! I have read your review and took your criticisms to heart! This updated chapter is mostly dedicated to your review if anything so if there's any sort of additional criticisms you'd like me to write, hit me up! Now, let's get into the juicy parts.
Nibelungenlied and Dragons:
Now, this has been answered in the chapter but I'll clarify it more here for both you and the readers, if you don't mind. Ahem!
Nibelungenlied is actually a poem, not a story. Although the first part talks more about Siegfried, the poem is actually more focused on Kriemhild, his wife (Kaguya) in the second act. So really, what Fate fans know about Siegfried is pretty much an abridged version of the actual Siegfried. As for the sword, its name is actually never revealed here nor is Sigurd's sword (Gram, as you said). Generating hype is the main reason why I drew some attention to Siegfried's sword.
As for Fafnir, I have taken your criticisms of Fafnir's origins and decided to make it clearer for the readers as well.
This all ties back to the True Dragons back in Orange Islands, from what Drake mentioned.
Fafnir is NOT a dragon, but a dwarf who was changed into a dragon. How Fate explained it is: Evil Dragon Phenomenon.
It's an event where someone gets SO greedy that they turn into Fafnir. Not a dragon, but specifically, Fafnir.
With this explanation, Fafnir is able to exist in both Sigurd and Siegfried's version without any sort of contradictions, allowing both to exist in Fated's history. Fafnir is not a dragon's name, but really more of a True Dragon model type with different serial numbers.
Confusing text:
Yeah, this is a 'me' problem, I apologize for that. Before a certain chapter, every line in Fated was spaced. So, when I finally figured out how to use Shift+Enter, it blew my mind. Needless to say, I got kinda overboard with it and I do see how it is confusing to read. I have changed the formatting a little so do tell me if it's still confusing and I'll change it. Really, thanks for the heads up!
Correlation with Fated:
Of course, Siegfried and Sigurd aren't making an appearance in Fated. The Nibelungenlied and Völsunga saga is to imply that Germany exists in Fated's world, but the region is unnamed since... we don't have a German region. (GEN10 GERMANY PLZZZZ, I NEED A POKEMON VERSION OF THE AESIR AND VANIRS!)
While I'll try my best not to reference Poke-Germany much in the future, if it ever comes to it, I'll need a placeholder name. So if you got any ideas, lemme know.
Also, Liza's Japanese name is Sieg from Siegfried. So how can I let this chance go by, right?
So, hopefully this resolves the problems you had, f46adpg. Don't hold back in telling if something's off. I'll be right on it.
With that, see ya!