Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon, or any other property in this work that I did not make myself.
Pokémon: Pokédex no Isekai
Chapter Twenty-nine: Shalour's Gate
The Big Beauty was parked in an open lot next to the local Pokémon Center in Shalour City, Kalos. The reborn trainers were having a private meeting in the meeting room on board of the flying ship, checking off Pokémon that they had registered as caught. Among the Pokémon they had caught were Hoopa, Diance, and Volcanion, keeping those mythical Pokémon of lore out of the hands of the Team Heart Empire.
As Dawn was scanning the list of Kalos Pokémon to see if any were missed, there was a knock at the meeting room door. Mina who was closest to the door got up and answered it, revealing it to be Alexis and Omiyo. "Hey Mina," Alexis began, "Some rollerskating girl identifying herself as Korrina is waiting outside on the ground by the drawbridge, waiting to come on board because she wants to check out the ship, and became further interested when Dawn was identified as the captain."
"Oh, Korrina is the local gym leader here in Shalour City," Dawn said as she got up with the other reborn trainers and left the office room, closing the door behind them. They plus Alexis and Omiyo then went to go see what Korrina wanted. They were planning to visit her while they were there in Shalour City, but Korrina coming to see them was also nice, plus a time saver. Eventually the reborn trainers got outside and made their way to the drawbridge.
Standing near the point where the drawbridge touched the ground was Korrina, the Shalour City gym leader. Mitch was standing with her but in front of the drawbridge so she couldn't get on board of The Big Beauty without Dawn's consent. "Hey Mitch, you can let Korrina on board," Dawn called down, "But she'll have to take her roller skates off before coming on board."
"Well it's a good thing I always carry a backup pair of shoes if I ever enter a no-roller skate zone," Korrina said as she proceeded to take off her roller skates and put on a pair of brown leather loafers she pulled out of her bag. Once done, Korrina walked up the drawbridge after Mitch allowed her up as Dawn gave the okay.
Once she was on board of The Big Beauty, Korrina asked, "Why can't I wear my roller skates while on board of your ship, Dawn?"
"I don't want the wheels leaving marks on the deck or floors," Dawn said dryly.
Nodding once in understanding, Korrina said, "Fair enough. Anyway, is there somewhere on board of your ship where we can talk privately?"
Dawn's interest was piqued. "You want to have a private talk with us? Well me as well as Trip, Kenny, and Mina have been meaning to have a talk with you as well, we were actually planning to seek you out before you visited us here and saved us the effort." Dawn then gestured for Korrina to follow her and the other reborn trainers into the inside of The Big Beauty.
The reborn trainers and Korrina actually had the private meeting in Dawn's personal room on board of The Big Beauty. Dawn sat in her papasan chair, the boys stood around, and Mina and Korrina sat on the side of Dawn's bed. "So let's get what you wanted with me out of the way first," Korrina said.
Nodding once, Dawn said, "We came here because there's been an increased spike in Team Heart activity here in Kalos, which cropped up right after Serena left Kalos for Kanto as her aid was called for there by Ash. I have reason to suggest that this was a ploy by Team Heart to make taking Kalos easier for them."
Nodding once, Korrina said, "That's fair and makes sense."
"We're worried that Team Heart may try coming by here in Shalour City in order to get something to lead them to being able to make use of Mega Evolution," Trip said, "Hence why we were planning to seek you out."
"Ah, that's makes sense," Korrina replied, "And don't you worry. Security for Shalour City it pretty tight, there's no way Team Heart is gonna storm on in unless they bring a lot, and I do mean a LOT, of manpower to the table." Gently shaking her head, Korrina went on, "But even IF Team Heart came to Shalour City, I doubt they would value getting a hold of the means to use Mega Evolution as much as they would value why I sought out Dawn upon hearing she's in Shalour City."
Dawn's attention was piqued when Korrina mentioned that she sought her out for a reason more valuable to Team Heart than Mega Evolution. Korrina got her bag on her lap, opened it, took out a book, then got up and walked over to Dawn and handed the book to her. Dawn read the title of the book, although it struck her as odd.
"Shalour's Gate?" Dawn said in a curious and mildly confused tone as she read the title of the book out loud.
Korrina nodded once in the affirmative. "It's an extremely rare book, rare to the point that Kalos only three copies of it. This here is one of the copies that Kalos has, it was entrusted to my Grandpa a long time ago, well before I was born. Kalos's government by no means wants Team Heart to get a hold of a copy of Shalour's Gate, so they're all being entrusted to friendly persons in the other three free lands."
"Go on," Dawn said.
"Champion Serena was actually asked to bring a copy of Shalour's Gate to Professor Oak in the Kanto region," Korrina began, "That copy originally belonged to the family of Grand Duchess Sabine. Another copy of Shalour's Gate, which belonged to the Kalosian royal family, was personally taken by plane to a wealthy but friendly family living in the Alola region. The copy sent to Kanto was seen handed from Serena to Professor Oak by Kanto Champion Ash, and the copy given to the friendly wealthy family in Alola was seen handed to them by Alola Champion Elio."
"It must be a very important book," Mina said.
Korrina nodded in the affirmative. "It makes even copies of Paranoia's Price look like mere pocket change by comparison. You cannot begin to overestimate the importance of the book that I had just entrusted to Dawn, as per the request of the Kalosian government made to me and my Grandpa."
"What makes Shalour's Gate so important?" Kenny asked.
"It details a lot of things about Kalosian history that appears nowhere else," Korrina said, "Not to mention how it goes into detail about secrets of Mega Evolution that not even you guys learned of as of yet. It also mentions the original names of towns and cities here in Kalos, with the original name of Shalour City used as the title of the book."
Dawn looked to the book's cover. "So Shalour City used to be called Shalour's Gate."
Korrina nodded once in the affirmative. "You guys can't be stopped from reading it, but it must be stressed that you have to be careful with it. Also, do NOT share what you learn from this book with ANYONE. Hell, your other crew members aren't allowed to even know that you have this book. Similar warning had been given to the other two parties receiving the other copies, and even those who saw the handing off of the books were made to swear themselves to secrecy."
Dawn gently traced the tips of her right fingers down the cover of the copy of Shalour's Gate that she held. "It's that important, huh?"
"If Grandpa and I had to choose between giving Team Heart the Scroll of Mega Evolution Secrets kept in the Tower of Mastery," Korrina said, "Or giving them that book, we'd sacrifice the scroll every single time and without any hesitation."
Dawn nodded in understanding and made the other reborn trainers promise to not say a damn word about the copy of Shalour's Gate that they just got. Dawn, who was big on filling up her bookshelf, would hold onto the copy of Shalour's Gate that she got from Korrina, but she wasn't going to put it in the bookshelf. She would hide it somewhere where no-one would find it. She was going to have to wait for the other reborn trainers to leave her room before she hid it.
...
Outside on the open air deck of The Big Beauty, the reborn trainers and Korrina enjoyed a lunch with the rest of the flying ship's crew. "Who's the girl in the traditional minstrel outfit for girls?" Korrina asked as she jerked a thumb at Alexis who was sitting off to the side to perform music with her trip of musically inclined Pokémon.
"Oh, that's Alexis," Dawn said, "She actually joined the crew shortly after we got to Kalos. She's the musician of the crew."
"I'd prefer an animated skeleton with a black afro and a cane sword," Kenny said, "But ehh, what can you do? Although I AM working with Alexis to come up with a new song."
"You're working with Alexis to come up with a new song?" Trip asked.
"The perfect song to help rally the forces of good against the Team Heart Empire," Kenny said, "And who better to play a song to rally the troops than a traditional minstrel?"
Dawn arched a wry eyebrow. "So you're planning to psyche people up with Bardic Inspiration."
"Well if it works, it works," Kenny replied. Turning to Korrina, Kenny asked, "So Korrina, what all sort of defenses does Shalour City have to keep Team Heart from getting their grimy little mitts upon the dank power of Mega Evolution?"
"There's actually no Mega Rings or Key Stones in Shalour City right now," Korrina said, "At least not ones already owned. The most that Team Heart could hope to get would be some Mega Stones that are kept over in the Tower of Mastery. There's also the Scroll of Mega Evolution Secrets, but I was told by Grandpa that he already hid it somewhere."
Taking a sip from her drink, Mina said, "I just hope that he hadn't securely hidden it in his anus. That's nature's pocket."
"First off Mina, eww," Korrina said, "Second off, I highly doubt that my Grandpa would hide the Scroll of Mega Evolution Secrets up his butt. Anywho, we ought to go see my Grandpa now, he said he wanted to personally talk to you guys, mainly Dawn, alone. Probably to discuss... well, you know what I'm talking about."
The reborn trainers nodded in understanding. "We can also warn your Grandpa to not let anyone pick his pocket," Mina said.
A short while later, the reborn trainers and Korrina met up with Gurkinn over at the Shalour City gym. "I trust that Korrina has already given to you the copy of Shalour's Gate that has been in my family since well before Korrina was born?" Gurkinn asked.
Dawn nodded once in the affirmative. "Only I know where it's hidden at the moment."
Gurkinn nodded once in agreement. "Good. The fewer who knows where it's hidden, the better," said Gurkinn, "It's more valuable than even the Scroll of Mega Evolution Secrets, which I currently have securely hidden in... a place I'd rather not mention aloud, I don't want to spoil the secret, of course."
As Mina estimated a ninety-one point six percent chance that Gurkinn really DID have the Scroll of Mega Evolution Secrets hidden in his nature's pocket, Dawn asked, "Are you confident that, in the event of an attack on Shalour City by Team Heart, Shalour City can fend them off?"
"I'm confident to the point that there's no need to worry about how several prominent members of the Kalosian nobility, along with a few members of the class that Professor Sycamore graduated Pokémon Professor school with, are visiting Shalour City to tour the Tower of Mastery," Gurkinn said, "Which reminds me. Would you all be interested in going as well?"
Dawn had a rather bad feeling about so many prominent people in the same location all at once while Team Heart was acting up in Kalos. "...Would it be alright if I brought along a few more of my crew mates to the tour?" Dawn asked.
"Well I fail to see why that shouldn't be allowed," Gurkinn replied, "Korrina, why don't you go with Dawn and her friends to keep them company."
Nodding once in understanding, Korrina said, "Got it, Grandpa Gurkinn!" The reborn trainers and Korrina then left the Shalour City gym and went back to where The Big Beauty was parked. There, Dawn gathered the rest of the usual away team while instructing the rest of the crew to keep an eye on the place, also Dawn had to kick another tour group out because they were harshing on Alexis over her notable size.
"Yeah Rhyanna," Dawn said as she left managing tours of the flying ship to Rhyanna and Sho, "I don't want tour takers harshing on anyone in my crew."
Over at the Tower of Mastery, Dawn with the usual away team plus Korrina and Gurkinn walked in, only to see some folks dressed like stuffy nobles stand off to the side as they observed Karly trying to calm down Lor'aye who was holding up Minerva by the front of her shirt again. "Professors!" Gurkinn called out as he ran up to the scene to try to settle things, "There is no need for such harsh and violent actions towards one another!"
"Technically, out of the three of us ladies here," Karly began, a hint of embarrassment in her tone and expression, "Only Minerva there is a Professor. Lor'aye here and I had both flunked out and got jobs as private security for Grand Duchess Sabine's family."
"Which is why I have to ask why Lor'aye is acting up," a male voice familiar to Dawn, Kenny, and Trip called out, making them all turn to see Kaito Fu walk up to the scene. He was dressed in a light tan baggy t-shirt over a similarly baggy somewhat darker tan long sleeved shirt, the ends of the long sleeves hanging loosely about the wrists rather than cling to them, a pair of dark baggy cargo pants held up with a belt, and a pair of boots.
Standing behind Kaito were Maaya, the second born and last remaining daughter of Grand Duchess Sabine. With Maaya was a girl who the reborn trainers recognized as Asami, who in the Team Scorn timeline served Kaito as his Admin's Assistant. Asami wore a beige long sleeved dress with the hem reaching halfway down her shins, a dark red sleeveless tunic over the dress, stockings, and a pair of boots that reached about halfway up her shins, the boots being the same color as the tunic.
Kaito and Asami here clearly got a far better deal as neither of them had ever gone villain. Here in the Team Heart timeline, Kaito and Asami had always been good guys. "Seriously Lor'aye," Kaito went on, "You're scaring the girls behind me by being rough with that lady professor."
"She's... she's not jealous that the lady professor actually became a professor while Lor'aye herself and Karly both flunked out, is she?" Maaya asked, looking concerned.
"This one here thought that it would be all in good fun to insult the Orreian people, their land, their government!" Lor'aye snarled as she shot a glance to Kaito, having the decency to levy said snarling glance solely at Kaito, "I will not stand for her disrespect to the Orreians!"
Minerva, despite being held up again like she was back at Sycamore's party, was keeping calm. "Well never let it be said that you aren't loyal to governor and region," Minerva remarked in a rather casual tone while Lor'aye held her up.
The reborn trainers, with the rest of the away team plus Korrina and Gurkinn, came jogging up to the scene. "Come on, ladies, settle down," Dawn said, "There's no need to cause a scene."
"This one here still needs to apologize for her disrespectful words and tone towards the Orreian people!" Lor'aye said.
"Technically I never singled them out for anything specifically," Minerva pointed out, "They were implied to be part of a collective group I was talking about."
"Lor'aye, set Professor Minerva down," Kaito said in a warning tone.
Scoffing in bitter annoyance, Lor'aye set Minerva down on her feet, although she was as rough with Minerva about it as she could get away with. "Sorry about that," Karly said to Dawn's group, "Grand Duchess Sabine sent me, Lor'aye, and Kaito as security for her last remaining daughter who wanted to tour the Tower of Mastery here. We ran into Minerva by chance, and Lor'aye remembered what Minerva had said at Sycamore's party."
Folding his arms over his chest, Kenny said, "So she has personal opinions about the ongoing conflict between the free lands and the Team Heart Empire that may come across as controversial to some folks. That's still no excuse to get physically rough with her."
"Why... don't we just get on with the tour?" Kaito suggested. Wanting a break from the tension, most everyone agreed, and on the tour went.
...
Later during a break in the tour, the away team met up with Minerva, Karly, and Lor'aye, who were talking to Kaito who had Maaya and Asami behind him. "Yo Lor'aye," Trip called out, "You're setting a bad example for the Grand Duchess's daughter and Kaito's... I wanna say little sister? Adopted kid, maybe? Kaito, what exactly is the nature between how you and the girl with Maaya are related?"
"Oh, I'm actually Master Kaito's slave," Asami replied in a casual tone.
"Hol' up," Kenny said, "You're a slave?! Kaito, you own a slave?!"
"Slavery is actually legal in Kalos to an extent," Kaito explained, "And although I did technically buy Asami from a slave trader, I did so mainly because to get her out of the sub par conditions although I did need someone to help with chores. I also treat her far better than how slaves used in Unova a few centuries in the past were treated. In actual practice, the relationship between me and Asami is more like big brother and little sister than slave owner and slave."
"Asami being around is also good for Lady Maaya," Karly remarked, "There's so few kids in the Kalosian nobility around Lady Maaya's age right now, so she won't have much chance to socialize with peers of comparable age. Asami has really helped with getting Lady Maaya to open up and, well, you know, just be a kid."
"That," an adult female voice spoke up, "And Kaito has the decency to keep his slave from gaining any weight, which is the last thing any girl should ever do." The away team perked up when they heard that woman's voice call out, as did Kaito, the ladies, and the young girls. They all turned to look and saw, to the surprise of the reborn trainers, Lana's mom come walking up to them.
Folding his arms over his chest, Lucas said to Lana's mom, "You ma'am speak as if it's the end of the world for a girl to gain weight."
"That's because it is," Lana's mom said, "Because girls can't get even the slightest bit fat, because that will keep them from getting with boys. A lot of the ladies in Kalosian nobility agree with that idea before I even moved here a few years ago, following me getting divorced from my husband and him getting custody of our daughters Lana, Sarah, and Harper."
The reborn trainers were surprised to see that Lana's parents had gotten divorced in the Team Heart timeline, and that it happened a few years prior to this point. "You... do look like a girl we know named Lana who lives in Alola," Kenny said, "Now that you mention it."
"What are you doing here in Kalos, ma'am?" Barry asked.
Scoffing, Lana's mom said, "Like I said, I moved here a few years ago after my husband and I got a divorce. I got a job working for a noble family, and the mother of said family likes how I help to keep her daughters thin so that boys will find them attractive."
Arching a wry eyebrow, Mina said, "Girls aren't necessarily required to be thin for boys to like them. Hell, you should see the geeky looking wideload who's married to the gym leader for Oreburgh City, Sinnoh."
"There's also the fact that Lumiose City gym leader Clemont is dating a girl who weighs at least one-hundred and ninety kilograms," Kaito pointed out, "And she left with Clermont and his little sister to Alola while Lumiose Tower is being rebuilt. Granted, it's partly to escape from shallow minded folks like you, but still." The reborn trainers were surprised to hear that Clemont, their old friend, is in a romantic relationship. And with a big girl, no less. They wonder how Bonnie, who is Clemont's little sister, would react to that.
Minerva's eyes narrowed a bit. "Yes, I am quite aware of Clemont's girlfriend," Minerva said, "She was a student of mine in the past. She had such potential, it's a shame that she failed to find work after her studying under me was complete. And simply because she just so happened to be large like my former classmate Serena."
"Champion Serena is nowhere near being large," Lana's mom cut in as she spoke to Minerva, "Nor is she the same general age as you."
"She's talking about a different person than Champion Serena, ma'am," Paul pointed out, "And said different person just so happens to also be named Serena."
Nodding once, Karly replied, "Yeah, Lor'aye and I also remember the specific Serena that Minerva is talking about. That Serena as well as Minerva here are the only girls in our class to graduate from Pokémon Professor school. Our classmate Serena was also pretty cute, I had some trouble picking between her and some of the guys."
Lana's mom looked at Karly in surprise. "Umm, wow," Lana's mom remarked, "I wouldn't have guessed that of you."
"You object to Karly being bisexual?" Lor'aye questioned, sounding suspicious and mildly offended, "Among Orreians, questioning one's sexual orientation like that is highly disrespectful. It's one of the vary rare things that I will side with Team Heart on."
Gently shaking her head, Lana's mom clarified, "No, I'm questioning her finding someone who is fat to be appealing."
Looking mildly unamused, Karly said, "Well at least you don't discriminate against people based on their sexuality."
The reborn trainers weren't expecting to see so many people they remember from the Team Scorn timeline popping up like this here in the Team Heart timeline, as well as learning what all that they had learned just now. All they had to do was play things cool, and hopefully they'll be able to handle all of their business here at the Tower of Mastery.
...So of course, it was at THAT EXACT MOMENT that alarm sirens went off, making the nobles inside of the Tower of Mastery panic. Suddenly, a bunch of Team Heart members began to swarm into the Tower of Mastery, with their arrival first spotted by Maaya and Asami. "Girls, you stay with Kaito," Karly instructed, "Lor'aye, Minerva, and I will head down to hold them off! Obviously they're here to try to get to the nobles!"
"Hang on," Minerva said, "Why am I being drafted to fight as if I work for the nobility? I am here of my own accord, and for only myself and my own interests."
"We're being attack by villains, you coward," Lor'aye snarled.
"Do not mistake my objection for cowardice," Minerva corrected, "I will fight to fend off threats as need be. I just don't like being drafted against my will. Besides, it's not like Karly has any authority to make me help, if I do it will be of my own accord."
"Professor Minerva actually has a point," Maaya pointed out, "Besides, we could use help up here, in case any Team Heart members slip on through."
Minerva nodded in agreement. "My Pokémon can be used to set up defenses that will be difficult for the Team Heart members to get through."
Dawn nodded in understanding before turning to look at the rest of the away team. "I'll need Trip, Kenny, Lucas, and Barry to join those rushing down to confront Team Heart," Dawn said, "Meanwhile, Mina and Paul will stay up here to help me defend the nobles up here."
Nodding in understanding, Paul said, "Fair enough." The group then split up to handle their roles, while the heroes who remained up top had the nobles stand back. The sounds of battle soon could be heard coming from down below, and while it sounded like those who rushed down were doing a good job of fending off Team Heart, the fact that a good number of Team Heart members managed to slip on through showed that Team Heart's numbers were legion.
Among the Team Heart members who got through to confront those defending the nobles was a uniquely dressed Team Heart member who Dawn identified as Kenji, who served Captain Zed of the Katana Sector of Team Scorn back in the Team Scorn timeline. Kenji here wore the hat from the male Team Heart grunt outfit, a pink sleeveless vest jacket over a black long sleeved shirt, black pants, pink combat boots, and he had a black Team Heart 'H' on the jacket over the left pectoral.
With Kenji was a female Team Heart grunt, fair skinned and her black hair in a cute chin length style. She wore the standard female Team Heart grunt outfit. "Alright would be heroes, stand aside and let us take the nobles," the female grunt who was with Kenji demanded, "They have a meeting with the higher ups of the Kalos Sector of Team Heart to get to!"
"Wait... oh geez," Kenji said, "That one girl standing near Kaito Fu... that's Dawn Berlitz. I have no doubt you and your adopted brother Trip will be demanding answers out of me over what Zed did to kill Trip's biological mother back in Unova."
Dawn perked up a bit, learning that Trip's origin in becoming part of Clan Berlitz is exactly the same. "...Yeah," Dawn said as she got into position to battle, "Trip would be having words with the man who killed his biological mother."
"Well Zed has long since been booted from Team Heart for his gross negligence and excessive incompetence," Kenji said, "As well as how he constantly violated Team Heart creed. But he escaped holding and went on the run. Team Heart is still trying to track him down to this day."
"And I suppose you're taking Zed's place as a Captain of the Kalos Sector of Team Heart, you foul villain?!" Kaito demanded. Dawn found it weird; back in the Team Scorn timeline, Kaito and Kenji were both members of Team Scorn, thus were allies. But here in the Team Heart timeline, where Kaito was saved from going down the villainous path, he's now a staunch ally against Kenji and the rest of Team Heart.
Nodding once in the affirmative, Kenji said, "That's right. I'm Captain Kenji, Second Captain of the Kalos Sector of Team Heart. The girl with me is Lauren, my Captain's Assistant."
"I'm also his wife," Lauren added.
"This... is the first time I've run into a married couple who were members of Team Heart," Dawn said, a little surprised by the revelation. Sure she had seen Officers and Assistants who were dating each other, but she never found an Officer-Assistant pair who was a married couple. "But be that as it may, you two still have to go down," Dawn swore.
"Hey Monarch Dawn," Kaito began as he stepped forward.
Dawn could tell that Kaito was referring to her title of Monarch of the World Coronation Series. "Dawn is fine on its own," Dawn replied, "Although if you have to use one of my titles when referring to me, I prefer my Sinnoh Champion one."
Nodding once, Kaito said, "Fair enough. Anyway, would you mind it if I teamed up with you to fend off these villains? All three of my Pokémon are fresh and rearing to go."
Again, Dawn found something odd; she was getting help from someone who, in the Team Scorn timeline, was an enemy, but here in the Team Heart timeline he's an ally. "I heard that you're a bit of a hero yourself," Dawn said, "You had better show it."
Smirking in amusement, Kaito replied, "Of course I will." Tossing up a Pokéball to begin the battle, Kaito called out, "Go, Chestnaught!"
"Go, Lincoln!" Dawn said as she tossed up a Pokéball as well. The two Pokémon came out to battle, Kaito's shiny Chestnaught and Dawn's named Latios.
"Go, Poliwrath!" Kenji said as he sent out a Poliwrath.
"Go, Eevee!" Lauren said as she sent out an Eevee, "Use Tackle on Latios!"
"Poliwrath, use Brick Break on Chestnaught!" Kenji ordered.
"Chestnaught, use Seed Bomb on Poliwrath!" Kaito commanded.
"Lincoln, use Aura Sphere on Eevee!" Dawn called out.
The named Latios was the fastest, conjuring and casting an Aura Sphere that blasted into and knocked out Lauren's Eevee. Similarly, Kaito's Chestnaught took out Kenji's Poliwrath in one hit with a super effective and critical hit scoring Seed Bomb. Both Kenji and Lauren were forced to recall their respective fainted Pokémon.
Sending out another Pokémon for battle, Kenji said, "Go, Politoed!"
"Go, Jigglypuff!" Lauren said as she sent out a Jigglypuff, "Use Round on Latios!"
"Politoed, use Scald on Chestnaught!" Kenji ordered.
"Chestnaught, use Seed Bomb on Politoed!" Kaito commanded.
"Lincoln, use Thunderbolt on Jigglypuff!" Dawn called out.
For a second time, Lincoln was the fastest, conjuring and casting a wicked bolt of electricity that flew at and struck Jigglypuff, zapping it until it was knocked out. Similarly, another Seed Bomb from the shiny Chestnaught took out an opposing Pokémon after scoring a critical hit. For a second time, Kenji and Lauren were forced to call back fainted Pokémon.
Sending out his third Pokémon, Kenji said, "Go, Bellibolt!"
"Go, Elgyem!" Lauren said as she sent out her next Pokémon, "Use Psybeam on Latios!"
"Bellibolt, use Parabolic Charge on Chestnaught!" Kenji ordered.
"Chestnaught, use Brick Break on Bellibolt!" Kaito commanded.
"Lincoln, use Dragon Pulse on Elgyem!" Dawn called out.
For a third time, Lincoln was able to move first, charging up and firing a Dragon Pulse that blasted right into Elgyem and knocking it out. Similarly, Chestnaught flew through the Parabolic Charge and struck Bellibolt hard on the head with Brick Break, knocking it out with a critical hit. Kenji and Lauren were forced to call back their fainted Pokémon.
Kenji scowled in bitter annoyance. "Drat," Kenji swore, "We need to get a Kalosian noble in order for our plan to work! But with Lauren and I wiped, we've got no-"
"Captain Kenji!" a random female voice called out, making Kenji and the others turn to see a number of Team Heart grunts forcefully escorting a balding middle aged man who is one of the Kalosian nobles, "We got a noble! What should we do?"
"Two of you keep Dawn and Kaito occupied!" Kenji said as he and Lauren ran to join the grunts, "We're taking the prisoner and getting out of here!"
"Oh no you don't!" Kaito swore but he and Dawn were cut off when some Team Heart grunts got in their way, allowing Kenji and Lauren, although they were defeated in battle, to get away with one of the Kalosian nobles. The sheer number of Team Heart members at the Tower of Mastery made it a guarantee that not only did Kenji and Lauren get away, but they also did so with the Kalosian noble that they had kidnapped.
Dawn will say one thing about Kenji; he's LOADS more competent of a villainous team officer than Zed had ever proven to be.
Although the good guys ultimately repelled the siege on the Tower of Mastery and defeated the bulk of the Team Heart effort, with Minerva even capturing all six of the grunts who were caught at the Tower of Mastery thanks to her team of Galvantula, Ariados, and Spidops, there was a very strong sense of defeat in the air due to how Team Heart was STILL able to successfully kidnap one of the Kalosian nobles who was at the Tower of Mastery.
To make matters worse, blame for the kidnapping of the noble somehow got sacked solely upon Karly, Lor'aye, and surprisingly enough Lana's mom. Dawn and the rest of her away team wasn't sure how those three in particular got the blame, but now many Kalosian nobles were calling for the three of them to be banished from the region, with a few particularly petty and stuck up nobles even calling for the three ladies to be put to death.
Luckily, a few other Kalosian nobles stood up for the three ladies, with a few saying how things were too unexpected and that the ladies acted as best as they could. That didn't stop the petty nobles from being utter asses, though. It was as Dawn and her away team were watching Sabine scold a few lesser Kalosian nobles for harshing on Karly and Lor'aye that they were met up by Minerva, who wore a contemplative look on her face.
"The nobles of Kalos, save for a special few, think of those who aren't of high birth are worth at most as much as dirt," Minerva said, "Makes me glad that I was disowned from the Kalosian noble family that I had been born into."
The away team turned to look at Minerva in surprise. "You were born into a Kalosian noble family but was disowned from it?" Mina asked.
Minerva nodded once in the affirmative. "It was a good few years ago, sometime shortly before my graduation from Pokémon Professor school. I had long since come to realize that I am lesbian, and I had even been wanting to take my classmate Serena as my bride. But I knew that my family would never approve of both my sexuality and the fact I was in love with someone who was plus sized."
"How did your family find out?" Dawn asked.
"I am the first born child my parents had, thus normally I was set to inherit the Pyroar's share of what's worth anything," Minerva said, "My younger sister, the second born child of our parents, was not exactly amused with how I was first in line, nor did she exactly hide such feelings from me. As one could reason out, she wanted to get more than what she was set up to get normally."
Dawn looked rather unamused with where this was going. "Your younger sister somehow found out about you being lesbian and outed you to your parents."
Minerva nodded grimly once in confirmation. "Things weren't as bad as I expected concerning my disownment from the family," Minerva said, "No doubt my parents never found out that the girl I was in love with weighed one-hundred and ninety-two kilograms. Still, my younger sister's outing of me did the job she was intending it to do, I was kicked out of the family and she became first in line to take over the family."
"Is your family a first born daughter gets everything kind of family, or just first born overall gets everything?" Kenny asked.
"First born overall," Minerva replied, "That made us rare amongst the Kalosian nobility, they usually have only first born sons inherit first unless something crops up to nix that." Gently shaking her head, Minerva went on, "But that's besides the point. Kalos is facing grave danger since Team Heart was able to kidnap a Kalosian noble."
"What do you think Team Heart will demand?" Dawn asked.
Shaking her head, Minerva replied, "I am uncertain of what exactly their demands will be. But I can rightly assume that it will not be something a lot of people will like." Dawn agreed with Minerva on that, there's no way that Team Heart's demands in return for the kidnapped Kalosian noble will be something that Kalos at large will like.
END, CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Author's notes;
This chapter sees The Big Beauty visit Shalour City, as Dawn and the others are worried that Team Heart will be after Mega Evolution. Instead, Korrina entrusts an ultra rare book to Dawn, citing how there's only three known copies of it. The heroes then meet up with Gurkinn, who Mina thinks has a special scroll hidden up his butt, and he explains that a tour group of Kalosian nobles are visiting the Tower of Mastery.
Unfortunately, Team Heart strikes at that time, and Dawn teams up with Kaito Fu who is a good guy in the Team Heart timeline to take on Kenji who is still a bad guy and Kenji's Assistant who is also his wife. The bad guys are defeated but they manage to get away with a noble. The heroes are then talked to by Minerva, who opens up about herself a bit while saying that she has no certain idea of what Team Heart will want, but can accurately guess no-one else will like it.
Anyway, the next chapter will open up with a prisoner exchange, but also see the heroes go over to Anistar City. Until then, take care.
Dawn's Pokémon: (on hand) Chi-Chi (female Infernape), Tsukune (Palkia), Leni (female Lucario), Argent (male Arcanine; alpha; Hisuian), Lincoln (male Latios), Entreri (male Sneasler; alpha)
Kenny's Pokémon: (on hand) Black (Giratina), Shallot (male Glaceon), Cell (male Scizor; shiny), Roshi (male Torterra), Zarbon (male Machamp), Kermit (male Politoed)
Trip's Pokémon: (on hand) Deelia (Dialga), Lisa (female Latias), Mr. Popo (male Magmortar), Veda (female Abomasnow), Myde (male Empoleon), Villetta (Miraidon)
Mina's Pokémon: (on hand) Scar (male Eevee; scared over one eye), Gardevoir (male), Lucario (female), Umbreon (male; shiny), Espeon (male; shiny), Jolteon (male; shiny)