A/N: This is an original Pokémon Fan Game, made by Amethyst. if you wish to check it out and play the game download it at Reborn Evolved. Search for it on your web browser if you want to get to the website.

Welcome back everyone. This should hopefully be a bit more consistent for the time being, and we're delving deeper into the Reshiram Route. Enjoy!

Chapter 75- Takas in the Tourmaline

Time: 18:00

Location: Tourmaline Desert

The screech of brakes resounded at the end of train tracks in what was seemingly the middle of a desert. The air was dry, the sky turning a faded orange as the sun was soon to set. The temperature still blistering hot, but hopefully not much longer. A lone train cart stopped at this stop. It waited for a boy to hop out of the car, before reversing back into the direction of a City in the distance.

"Thanks for the ride." A boy with white hair said, to no one. His blue eyes held a nostalgic curiosity about the scenery around him. This was the same desert he rode into Reborn in, this was the same desert that preluded to the Reborn Train crash. The beginning of Percival Wisteria's journey. The wind blew as Percival felt an air of lonesomeness, while he had traveled reborn, he had never been alone. But this time in this desert it seemed like a trail he was facing.

Albeit, he wasn't alone. "I was really hoping you wouldn't show up."

Percival's eyes shifted to where a Palm tree stood, next to the tree was a man with a tan pants grey shirt, a red scarf, and ash-blonde hair. Percival recognized the man having not too long ago in Reborn City's Water Treatment Center. Standing guard as the one before him was a strange enemy, Percival called. "Taka, I didn't quite expect to see you there myself. Is this for business or pleasure?"

"Percival, I…" Taka's amber eyes drifted around the scenery never quite meeting Percival's. Choking on his own words, taka finally responded. "I'm sorry. I—have to stop you here. If I don't… they're gonna say something like, there's no reason for me to stay, right?"

"And is that so bad? You don't particularly agree with the actions of Team Meteor." Percival responded calmly. Taka was an odd enemy, for while being an enemy Percival never hated Taka. If things were different maybe the two could be friends.

"The others are probably already—or she's probably already…" Taka mumbled loudly, "…watching us from somewhere."

"!" Percival gulped at the mention of 'She', looking at the scenery around them, but the person he thought was nowhere to be seen.

"I don't—" Taka looked down as he readied for battle. "Have a choice anymore. As if I ever did."

"Then come on, don't hold back," Percival said, readying his first Pokémon in his hand. From what he knew this was taka's make-or-break moment. While Percival felt bad as the two already knew the outcome of this fight, he had to force Taka to come to terms with this. Meteor may have been Taka's family, but Taka certainly wasn't happy with how Meteor ended, it was hurting him.

The battle was swift and fierce at the same time. A flame thrower from Percival's Delphox, Oracle instantly took out Taka's Klefki. Switching as Taka took out a Gliscor, Phoebe Percival's Milotic froze the Gliscor solid with an Ice beam. With the same results against Taka's Alolan Executor. As Taka took out a Komala to fight Phoebe, Percival switched bringing out Steel, Percival's Metagross. Bringing it down with a single Hammer Arm being able to take it out. Even with a wave of fire boosted by the desert from Taka's Ace Chatot, Steel was still able to shrug it off and knock it out with a Meteor Mash. The hulking blue creature increases its attack further.

Though that only left Taka with a single Pokémon. As he held the Pokeball he muttered aloud. "I know I can't win…" dropping his arm, knowing his lone Minior had no chance against Steel, let alone the rest of Percival's team. "Not against you…" With his defeat, Taka's eyes wandered across the desert, across the horizon. "…not against them." With a deep sigh, Taka looked up at Percival. "So, I guess that's it. This'll probably be the last time you have to deal with me." Taka looked in a direction and started to walk off… muttering an apology.

"Taka wait," Percival called out.

"…But you can," Taka muttered, looking back at Percival with hopeful eyes.

"What?" Percival was perplexed by taka's muttering.

"You've always been standing up to us. And you've always been winning." Taka responded as a matter of fact. "You're gonna keep doing that, aren't you?"

The tone in Taka's voice, made Percival desperately want to say yes. But reality set as Percival recalled Meteor's Leader… "Honestly, I don't know…"
"H-hey now," Taka was taken aback by the honesty of Percival's answer, sensing the anxiety of his answer. "Is that humility or just a joke? You're startin' to sound like me."

"Heh, then maybe we're not so different," Percival smirked slightly.

"Maybe…" Taka responded, looking at Percival in admiration. "Maybe I can be more like you." Before sighing in knowing Taka's situation, "But where does that leave me? When I go back a failure, I won't get another chance and you…"

"Even if it means my defeat, I'll still keep fighting," Percival said with his resolve.

"Can… Can I come with you?" Taka finally said, it was at the back of his throat the whole time. But too scared to ask until now

"…" It was Percival's turn to be taken aback, he didn't expect Taka to ask this. But even still, he knew taka's situation, and even despite it, he felt bad about what happened at the Water Treatment Center. He was especially hesitant because they were enemies, but then he thought of Cal. He had given him a chance, so why shouldn't he give Taka a chance. "Sure."

"Really?" Taka said surprised, fully believing that Percival would turn him away.

"It's not like you have anywhere else to go, is it?" Percival asked. Taka certainly couldn't go back to Team Meteor like this. "Besides, it's always better traveling with someone else."

"All right," Taka nodded with a smile. "Here's the plan: I don't have a single clue. So I'm just gonna follow you for now, okay?"

"Pfft!" Any tension that Percival held, now disappeared as he burst out laughing. "I was surprised when you said "Here's the plan", But what you followed up with was hilarious. I'm sure we'll get along just fine."

"Thanks…" Taka bashfully scratched the back of his head. He didn't mean it to be funny but smiled at how kindly Percival reacted to it. "And uh, I kinda took a bunch of healing items from the base before they sent me here…"

"That's quite useful." Percival noted, "Though we better should be going, we'll be wasting the newly risen moonlight."

"Wait, you wanted to travel during the night?!" Taka exclaimed as he finally realized why it took Percival so long to arrive.

"Yes, don't you know how hot it is out here during the day," Percival responded, looking particularly at Taka's Red scarf.

"Yeah…" Taka sighed.

The morning was just around the corner when the new duo spotted an odd-looking cave to rest during the day. It was very peculiar, as barely any rocks could be spotted around the room, sand seemed to endlessly drip from the ceiling like an hourglass.

"A cavern in the sand, huh…" Taka looked out into the cavern impressed. "I'm not sure how this place doesn't just cave in on itself, but I could say the same about myself."

"Well, in hoping it won't collapse on us, it seems like a good place to rest," Percival responded, it seemed somewhat stable.

"I guess, you're right." Taka nodded along. "Though something does seem familiar though…"

"Familiar?" Percival's ears perked up in hearing about it, "We can do a bit more exploring around here. If you want that is."
"Uh… Sure." Taka agreed. It would still take some time to set up camp so some more exploring wouldn't hurt.

As the two started to explore through the sandy cavern, they had come across a lone Arceus statue, where Taka insisted on finding a hidden button on the statue. While clicking the lone button, didn't do anything. Percival noted that there was another statue on the other side of the room. Though it was too bad as they couldn't get there that easy.

As they travel, taka spoke about what he could recall of this cavern. Though eventually, he mumbled to himself. "I wonder if anyone is going to notice I'm not coming back… If they haven't already, anyway…"

"…" Percival didn't know what to say to that so he simply shrugged, before asking. "Who do you think would notice your missing first?"

"Nero." Taka curtly said. "He's the most perceptive person I know, despite trying his best to not show it… Though I wonder if he feels betrayed…"

"…" Percival stopped hearing Taka's words. Taka, he, he didn't know.

"Percival?" Taka looked back, seeing that Percival had stopped. "Is something wrong?"

"Taka…" Percival hesitated, but he was the only one present who could do this. "Taka, Nero's no longer alive."

Taka's amber eyes widened at the news, his hands shaking slightly. Taka felt terrible, as he placed his hand over his mouth and spoke. "Arceus… I was so hoping he was wrong… I thought when I heard about his sister, he could…" Taka stood there for minutes tears falling from his eyes. Before he stopped looking at Percival. "…It was Lin, wasn't it?"

"…Yes," Percival nodded; Taka had guessed it so correctly. "How did you know?"

"…I was standing right next to Nero when he first saw it… his death." Taka reminisced sadly, remembering the first meeting between Nero, Taka, and Lin. "He fell to the floor in pain, glancing at the new recruit, Lin… Before that moment, I'd thought I'd never see the fear on Nero's face… But right there… Why couldn't you have just run away!" Taka shouted to the emptiness of the room.

"I didn't realize the two of you were close. Or rather you didn't know yet." Percival apologized to Taka.

"Nero would never admit it, but we were good friends… I often thought that he was a cheeky little brother." Taka inwardly smiled. "If it wasn't for his past… I'm sure Nero would accept me as one."

"Pft, you're starting to sound like Luna." Percival made a joke, about the Dark Type Gym Leader who called Nero her brother.

"Right, you would've met her…" Taka seemly knew her as well. Which made sense due to Luna's Biological father.

"You knew her, as well, didn't you?" For such a big world, this region did feel pretty small sometimes.

"She was one of my only friends growing up." Taka explained, "Then she ran away… just like me now, I guess."

"Well, I believe both of you made the right choice," Percival said.

"Yeah… maybe if I made it sooner, things could be different…" Taka sighed, "For you, me, Luna… and I would hope that Nero would still be here as well."

"…" Percival fell silent. Even with what little Percival knew about Nero, he certainly knew that things could have been better. It should be better… "Taka could tell me more about Team Meteor… Not the one now, the one before."

While Taka explained to Percival its original means. How over the years they've seemingly got corrupted, especially since Lin joined Team Meteor. As Taka continued, they found the other statue and managed to go deeper into the cave. Finding a temple of sorts, as they explored, they came to a room filled with many statues, many statues of Garchomps.

As they walked in, Taka looked up at one of the statues. "I remember now. When I was young, my father took me here with him once. It was before he really got involved in starting Team Meteor. We explored these ruins together looking for something…" Taka reminisced with a smile on his face. "To be honest, it's one of the very few positive memories I actually have of him…"

"…" While Taka said that, Percival reflected how he couldn't remember anything positive about his father. Percival's Grandfather, on the other hand, he was a true trainer. One Percival looked up to, one that Percival wanted to be like.

"But I feel uneasy about this room." Taka's face shifted, "I can't remember why, but I feel like we should be careful."

"Of course, it's an old temple who wouldn't expect a few traps." Percival waved it off slightly, but it was good to be careful.

Though the words were cut short a grinding sound echoed through the room.

"Hey, Percival?" Taka felt the blood drain from his body, "I remembered why. Run!"

Grrrrrshhh! Crash!

"No, kidding!" Percival yelled as a stone fin of a Garchomp statue crashed down in front of him.

With now all of the Statues of Garchomp moving about. Taka and Percival had to dodge through flurries of stone Dragon Rushes. Some missing and hitting another statue breaking it.

Rushing through to the end they came out into another Sandy cavern.

"All right, heart attack over?" Taka said, out of breath. Seemingly like nothing following in further. "Yeah? Years shaved off my life? Yeah… Though I don't think they'll follow us out here."

"…Probably… if there's an exit over here." Percival responded realistically. "To forget something like that, you must have been traumatized."

"I can't believe I forgot about that…" Taka groaned as the two regained their breath. "My father told me at the time it was some kind of trial left for us by our family…"

"Family trials huh? It couldn't have been something like I don't know, something that wouldn't potentially kill us?!" Percival shouted in response.

"Yeah, I can't help but think that was absolutely not necessary." Taka agreed, before slumping to the ground.

"Sit tight for a minute, I'm going to explore a bit. Like I said earlier if there isn't a potential exit. We'll have to be fighting through that again." Percival sighed.

"…" Taka groaned in silence, not wanting to experience that heart attack again.

"Though We have a good number of supplies, maybe with our Pokémon we could destroy each of those statues one at a time. Might take a while though." Percival muttered as he walked around this cavern. As he passed through some basins Percival felt one of his Pokémon shake. It was Steel, his Metagross. Taking it from its Pokeball, "Something up Steel?"
"…" The huge metal creature stepped up to a rock in the room and started to chip away at it with its metal claws. IT chipped through until it revealed a glowing rock, glowing a blue similar to Steel, with a golden X embedded across the stone.

"No way…" Percival mumbled as he realized he found a Mega-Stone. A Mega-stone for the Pokémon he currently had out. Then Percival finally chuckled, "I guess fighting through that horde of statues will be easier than expected."