"Charizard!" Ash shouted as he saw the dragon go down. Dust and debris were kicked up, blocking the view, but he sensed the dragon's pain. It made him wince in sympathy and worry.
The others looked at the sight with dismay. No one seemed to be satisfied.
Some of them even winced, particularly Gaozu.
Gramps was the only one who didn't seem phased by the dragon falling. The elderly lucario inclined his head towards Ash, as if responding to his grandson's attention. He looked at Ash with an apologetic look. "It is better for Charizard to learn humility when all that will truly be hurt is his pride."
Ash winced. It sounded wise, yet he didn't like what he heard.
Pikachu grabbed onto Ash's shoulder. "I mean, Charizard's been better about working with others lately, but, it's… not like we've really taught him to fight alongside other people. And he's, well, Charizard."
The riolu nodded his head. He should have known this would be a problem, but Charizard was pretty much the only Fire-type they had that was in tip-top shape before the battle. Plus, he knew the lizard was itching for a fight. Ash just thought things wouldn't be that bad.
Ash looked ahead, peering through the maze of bamboo. Charizard didn't move. Was he out? He felt…cold. The riolu just wanted to run over and use his power to heal his friend. Yet, he couldn't, not while the battle was still ongoing. Not if he didn't want to cancel the match.
That was when the riolu felt a heartbeat.
Charizard stirred, the dragon's body convulsing and writhing. He pushed himself off the ground, pain shooting up through him.
"Oh, wow, he's tough!" Gaozu said, cheering as Charizard rose and put his feet down.
Ash clutched his sides, feeling phantasmal bruises and cuts against his own untouched skin. Resolve burned inside him, a desire to prove himself, yet none of that belonged to the riolu.
Gramps turned to look at him, his eyes narrowing. His expression was hard to read, but there was a sense of interest from him.
Even Sensei Tungsten looked at Ash for a split second.
A part of Ash then wondered if he might have used his powers to rouse Charizard back into the fight somehow. He was thinking about how he wanted the dragon to stand up… and that might have been all the dragon needed to rouse himself. Was that considered inference? He didn't even use a move or anything that he knew about. And yet… he could feel the pain Charizard was in.
The two older Pokémon simply said nothing, their eyes returning to the battle that unfolded. The others had seen Charizard get back up, and the fire type was immediately attacked.
Ash's thoughts turned back to his friend, hoping he would make it out fine.
"Charizard…"
The dragon heard someone talking, yet… he didn't know who. The world rang in his ears like his head was in some gigantic bell. Pain wracked his body, though he couldn't explain why. The large lizard pushed himself off the ground, noting the small crater he lifted himself from. A large pile of shattered bamboo laid all around him in a heap. Why was there bamboo there?
Charizard paused, trying to remember where he was. A glimmer of light burned in the background, one that conjured up an explanation. The dragon shifted his body backwards, narrowly dodging the bolt of lightning that could have taken him out of the fight.
In response, the Fire-type took in his breath and singed the bamboo thicket from where the light came. The burning heat tore the metallic bark, causing the plants to wither and deform.
There, in the middle of the charred wreckage, a small hedgehog poked her head out of a burrow, just out of fire breathing range.
"YOU!" Charizard stared down his opponent and roared. He remembered now. "You're the one who knocked me off course! You…. you stubborn rat, you knocked me out of the sky!"
"It wasn't particularly hard. I just had to disable your wing and let gravity do the work!" Togedemaru answered in an annoyingly pleasant tone. "It must have hurt! You're the biggest and heaviest one here."
Square… squared law, was that right? That was something the tutor kept going on and on about yesterday. And just when Charizard thought he wouldn't have anything to do with school today! Engaged, the dragon smashed his fists together. "Enough with the schooling already!" He took a step forward, ready to face his opponent.
To his surprise, the small rodent didn't back down. She instead ran forward.
Charizard almost wondered what that could have meant, but it didn't matter. He drew in his breath and let out yet another Flamethrower to burn his enemy before she got close.
Togedemaru swerved to the side, narrowly avoiding the gout of flame. She curled herself into a ball and went into a roll. Sparks came from the spheroid rodent as she came rolling down at the Fire-type at high speed.
On reflex, Charizard smacked the ball away with his tail. He did manage to deflect Togedemaru, but in the process, an electrical shock ran up the dragon's body. Even worse, the dragon's tail ached, as though he had tried to deflect a boulder! The fire dragon's legs nearly buckled under the damage, yet he still stood.
Togedmaru unrolled, facing Charizard, again, just out of range. "You're tough, I'll give you that!" she sounded, her voice elated.
Charizard gritted his teeth, agitated that this rodent was putting up so much of a fight. Both of them had at least one vulnerability to each other's attacks and while the Fire-type certainly felt like he had a big power advantage, Togedmaru had better agility and was much harder to hit in this environment. A part of him realized that if he was still a Charmander, this fight might have gone very differently.
Or at the very least, if he had Ash to cook up some sort of strategy to win this.
Charizard shook his head. No, he can't rely on Ash to get him out of this trouble. He had to do this himself.
The Fire-type took another step forward.
Togedemaru, once again, charged forward and rolled into a ball. Sparks flew from her body as she blitzed towards Charizard.
Charizard ignited his skin, his body burning in a cloak of flames. "Flare Blitz!" he declared, using the words to help him control the fire inside of him, and charged to meet Togedemaru.
Both Pokemon did not divert course, each intent to meet in the middle. While Charizard was certain that his larger body size would give him the advantage, he was starting to feel the injuries mounting. This would hurt for both of them.
And that was when a loud shriek interrupted Togedemaru. The curled up rodent immediately lost her focus and came crashing into the ground. Charizard, seeing this, seized the opportunity. He charged into Togedemaru and sent the rodent flying.
A fiery comet smashed into a nearby grove of bamboo, causing all of the chutes to topple at once.
Charizard did not know if she was truly out of the count, but he turned to the ones who aided him. Zubat and Cinder came into Charizard's clearing, both worse for wear and covered in dirt and cuts.
"Hey, she was mine!" the dragon complained.
"Hey, I just saved you from being electrocuted!" Zubat hissed back. "So, maybe a little gratitude here!?"
Charizard crossed his arms, none too pleased.
"Maybe, we should focus on the task at hand?" Cinder panted, and the air around her suddenly drained of warmth, as though she sucked it all into herself. "We have company."
Then, right on cue, Lokix and Toedscool walked in on their fallen ally.
The toadstool pulled out a bottle of some sort of liquid and poured it on the fallen Togedemaru. The fluid extinguished the fires on the hedgehog, whilst covering her in a subtle glow. It only took a second, then it looked like Togedemaru was back in the fight.
Meanwhile, Lokix walked over. He looked nearly undamaged, relative to everyone else. "Hm, I see you're tougher than you look, kid."
"I'm not a kid!" Charizard snarled, taking a step forward.
Zubat flew in front of the dragon's face. "Hey, maybe do that later? You're kind of beat up"
Charizard snarled. "I can take him."
"But not all three," Cinder added, her voice calmer than usual. "They are better coordinated than we are. We are likely to lose, unless we change our approach."
The fire dragon narrowed his eyes, not wanting to accept that. He was strong, powerful. He wasn't a weakling. He was… not reliable. Not coordinated. The realization struck him at all once, reminding him of all of his recent failures. He was strong, certainly, but no opponent he faced in Citrine was the kind that fell to his power easily.
Nearly anyone who wasn't scared of him just fought back, and when they did, he… lost.
"Owie…" Togedmaru groaned. "That hurts."
"You'll be fine, just bear with it a bit longer," Toedscool promised. "Don't worry, as your boss, I owe you all a drink when this is over!"
The rodent groaned, while Lokix rolled his eyes at the gesture.
Charizard felt it was a little strange that none of his opponents were attacking right now, but maybe it was because Togedemaru was still recovering? They might have been waiting for her to get back into the fight. Either that or maybe it was because it was basically a Gym Battle? Either way, it meant they had time.
The Fire-type winced internally, but he realized that what he was doing right now wasn't going to cut it anymore. He had always fought alone, or tried to make it so. Ever since he had evolved, he reveled in how strong he had become, and how much power he had. He'd gone as far as to declare nearly every opponent Ash sent him against was so far beneath him, that he would rather nap or ignore the fights. And yet… his journey so far proved to him that his strength wasn't enough. He wasn't enough.
Not alone, at any rate.
Though he didn't like doing it, Charizard did recognize that maybe he wasn't the brightest Pokémon in the battle. But he knew who was. "What do you have in mind?" he whispered.
"...Do you know smokescreen?" Cinder asked.
"Uh, yeah?" Charizard blinked. That was a move he knew how to use, though it didn't come up much. Especially not since he evolved.
"Use it. Then we have to focus on taking out Togedemaru," she continued.
Charizard stared. And not the Toedscool? After they put so much effort into beating him? That made no sense to the dragon. But then, the mushroom had the ability to just dig down... The Fire type grimaced. "Fine…"
"And now we just need a distraction," Cinder added.
As they turned back toward the enemy team, Togedemaru took up position by Lokix's side. Toedscool hid behind a small selection of metallic bamboo, obscuring half his body in the process. The two bodyguards stared at Charizard and his team, waiting for a response.
"Are you done yet? Do you need to use medicine?" Toedscool taunted. "I know you got some!"
"Hm? Maybe!" Zubat responded. "I mean, this is my first time doing one of these, but you know, they didn't allow you to take potions before!"
Charizard looked at his opponents, measuring their alertness. They clearly were expecting his side to do something, so that they might interrupt it at the earliest opportunity. Yet the words Zubat used seemed to take their minds right out of the fight. He took a deep breath and prepared himself.
"Most don't!" Toedscool said, his voice almost like an annoying brag. "But my great uncle takes pride in his work, you know!"
"Your uncle?" Zubat shouted back.
"Yeah, I mean, Uncle Tung takes pride in his alchemy!" Toedscool answered back.
"We shouldn't be talking about this!" Lokix's eyes shifted towards his charge. "It's incredibly unprofessi-"
At that momentary lapse in attention, Charizard made his move. He belched out a plume of smoke, drenching the area in a thick fog until his breath gave out.
"Smokescreen!" someone shouted in a panic. Movement stirred in the dark clouds as combatants darted toward spaces with clearer air.
Charizard stepped forward, taking in another breath and pouring out even more smoke. The Fire-type blanketed the area in an ever increasing haze.
"Quickly!" Cinder shouted, moving by Charizard's side. "Zubat!"
"On it!" Zubat shouted. She let out a pitched barely audible noise, one that was subtle, yet effective.
A shape, a small one, stumbled into view, one barely visible through the smoke, but clearly fumbling, with both sight and sound robbed from it.
Charizard took no chances, and let loose another Flamethrower. The fiery wave bathed his opponent for only a few seconds, but it was enough. As the smoke in that area cleared, Togedmaru was down for the count.
"Yeah! Echolocation for the win!" Zubat shouted, barely visible with the remaining smoke in the area.
Charizard reveled in the moment. That annoying hedgehog was easily the worst opponent in this whole battle for him. And now she was gone!
"But where are the others?" Cinder questioned.
"Uh… I can't hear them?" she answered, uncertainly. "They might be hiding behind obstacles!"
Charizard pursed his lip, not liking that report. His opponents were almost certainly trying to regroup and waiting for the smoke to dissipate. And unfortunately, the Fire-type didn't exactly have the ability to see through his own smoke. He was stuck waiting just as much as they were.
"What do we do now?" he asked.
"Take these potions, before they come back," Cinder answered as she set two glass flasks onto the ground. It was only then that Charizard noticed that she was wearing a small sack on her back. The Fire-type reached over and took one of them into his claws. Meanwhile, Zubat flew down and tried to tip the bottle over to get the liquid into her mouth.
Charizard looked at the strange gleaming liquid in his claws for a second. He didn't know much about medicine, but everyone he knew used it from time to time. Without a second thought, he poured the contents down his gullet… and immediately regretted his decision.
The foul tasting beverage almost made him throw up. It felt like his stomach was churning and bubbling, whilst his heart was almost burning in its own way. Even worse than that was the odd sensation that almost felt like his skin crawled. Charizard looked down and realized that it might not have been entirely inaccurate. Some of the bruises, cuts, and electrical burn marks he had just… melted away. His bones still ached, but many of his injuries had started to fade.
Wow. So, that was what Cinder could do because she was so… schooled?
Before he could think anymore about it, an explosion rattled the area as sprouts and tiny seeds were scattered all around.
Charizard was barely knocked back. Zubat was barely injured by the blast, but the potion she was drinking from was blown up and left as a scattering of glass shards and alchemical fluids. She didn't look like she recovered as much from her medicine.
"Hey! I was drinking that!" Zubat shouted.
Charizard eyed the location where the bat was looking at, expecting a fight. Yet, no one was there. Their opponent must have hid.
The veil of smokescreen Charizard created began to rapidly dissipate, as though a gust of wind was sucking inwards. The Fire-type immediately sensed something was going on, as smoke did not do things like that on its own.
Lokix appeared behind them, the smoke swirling around. He held a cloth woven belt that held a purple stone over its base.
"Hm, I didn't think I'd have to use this, but I think it's the right time!" the grasshopper declared, winds twisting around him in a small cyclone, the smokescreen suctioned upward. He affixed the belt to his midsection, with a small burst of was blinded for a moment, and the dragon covered his eyes with one hand. When he looked again , he saw his opponent had transformed.
Lokix glowed with an almost amethyst light, the white lines on his body turned purple. There was only one thing it could have been.
"A mantle?" Though Charizard had only seen it once before, he remembered distinctly the trick that Corviknight pulled not too long ago. And more than that, he remembered the power that came with that transformation. What happened to Lokix seemed different compared to that. Weaker, perhaps? Regardless, the dragon knew that the battle was not over yet.
"Hm, you're not impressed?" the Bug-type asked as he stepped forward. He seemed a little perplexed.
"I've seen it before." Charizard answered, his eyes shifting towards behind his leg, Cinder behind him.
"Hm, then how about this?" Lokix answered. He leapt forward and spun in the air. When he came out of the roll, he thrust one leg forward and dove, purple flames coating his leg.
Charizard in preparation for the attack. He couldn't tell what it was exactly, but it looked Dragon-type.
Ash stared at the scene as newfound worry set in for his friends. Though he was glad that Charizard, Zubat, and Cinder were able to work together to take out Togedemaru, he felt nervous looking at Lokix's Mantle. The last time someone used one of those against them, it hadn't gone well. The last Mantle bearer they fought nearly capsized their ship!
Gramps seemed to take note of this, and placed a paw over Ash's shoulders. A soothing feeling came over the riolu. "Worry not, grandson. Your companions are strong. They will prevail."
Ash eyed his grandfather.
"Yeah, like, it's Charizard," Pikachu said. "Like, he's still a big fiery dragon!"
That soothed some of Ash's fears, though he still worried. But he wanted to believe, and to trust his friends.
"So, how powerful is Lokix now, Mister?" Gaozu piped up. "Like, aren't Mantles supposed to make you strong?"
The lucario turned an appraising eye towards the pancham. "Not all Mantles are created equal." This is especially the case when the reservoir feeding the Mantle is created by a student and not a master."
Or one of the gods, Ash thought.
"Lokix is talented for a youth, but he has a long way to go." Sensei Tungsten answered. "Plus, it would have been… excessive if we used one of those more valuable treasures to fight you at this point in your journey."
Ash nodded his head. He supposed that made sense and he had a lot more to learn about this.
Lokix leapt into the air and drove a vicious downward kick into Charizard, but the dragon blocked the attack. The dragon held his own and struggled back.
Ash could almost feel the dragon's pain, but Charizard still fought on. The least Ash could offer was his support. "Go, Charizard!" he shouted, waving his hands up in the air. "You've almost got him!
If Charizard hadn't blocked the kick, it would have hit him in the head. Instead, the fire dragon's arms took the brunt of the blow. His arms ached and creaked, but it was better than anything more vital. Charizard grimaced. He was struggling just to stay in the fight at this point.
The dragon attempted to raise a clawed hand in a counter attack, but Lokix launched another kick with his free leg, forcing the dragon to block the attack.
Agitated, Charizard attempted to throw him off, but Lokix switched back to his other leg and pushed again. And again. And again.
The Fire-type could barely keep up, each kick sending him backwards an inch at a time. And Lokix hadn't even touched the ground all this time. He wanted to attack, but he knew that if he broke his guard now, Lokix would hit his head and score a decisive blow; that was unacceptable.
So, he grit his teeth, as he was forced to endure the grasshopper's dragonfire empowered kicks, one after another.
And that was when Zubat struck. The poisonous bat flew from the side and dive bombed Lokix. "THIS IS FOR INTERRUPTING ME!" she shouted as she dove, wings glowing with silver light.
Lokix took the wing attack and tumbled away from Charizard.
Cinder leapt out from the shadows and scattered a wave of stars over the Grasshopper.
Charizard, wanting payback, barreled forward, his feet leaving a thunderclap in his wake. He threw a clawed hand at Lokix's side, cutting pieces of the abdomen so quickly sparks flew. But Lokix didn't even flinch. Charizard followed up with another swipe, only for the grasshopper to leap in the air and spin in place, an armored foot extended. The dragon'shead met a spinning kick, throwing him back several feet. .
Zubat flew in and attempted for another swipe, only to suddenly seize up mid flight. She rapidly lost altitude, as one of her wings froze.
"Stun Spore!" Cinder called out.
Charizard froze and looked around. He saw yellow spores floating in the air, likely the result of a certain Toedscool. The dragon wasn't necessarily afraid of the spores themselves, but he had enough experience to develop a distaste for anything that could paralyze him. On reflex, he leapt backwards, wings extended.
Lokix leapt forward, aiming a Cinder with a dark energy coating his claws.
Charizard cursed inwardly, wishing to take the hit himself, but he was too far away.
Instead, someone else took the fall.
Zubat dove in and intercepted the attack. The spike of darkness cut into her and she fell backwards. She didn't get up.
"Fire Spin!" Charizard didn't have time to think about what he was doing, he needed to buy them time. . He blasted Lokix with a ring of fire, covering the Bug-type and the surrounding area in flame.
He nearly went to dive in, but Cinder stepped in front of him. The small zorua looked fearful and cowered in front of the near rampaging dragon. "Wait!"
"What?" Charizard demanded. They had a clear shot, and now she wanted him to stop?
"He's… too resistant!" she sputtered. "His Mantle, it's greatly increased his resistance to your fire attacks!"
At that, the Lokix charged through the wall of fire, his feet extended in a kick.
"Flamethrower!" Charizard threw a gout of Flamethrower at the bug, but he just closed the difference like it didn't even matter. Like he wasn't a Bug-type anymore.
Lokix shoved a kick at Charizard's side, scoring another blow.
In response, Charizard threw a balled fist in an improvised punch. That stunned Lokix for only a second. The bug prepared to retaliate, raising his claws to prepare for a slash.
Cinder knocked several stars into his eyes, preventing the retaliation, and Charizard took the opening. "Smokescreen!"
Perhaps it was a habit, but Charizard on reflex lobbed a plume of smoke directly onto the bug's face. Lokix stumbled back and deeper into the cloud of dust.
Charizard once again nearly went to chase after him, but Cinder's words called his attention. "There's more spores and poison in the air! We have to get moving before we're compromised!" she pleaded.
Charizard looked around him and noticed that she was right; Toedscool was saturating the area with even more hazards. And as strong as he was, bad experiences made him hesitate. And that was made worse by how Lokix seemed to just… turn Dragon-type or something. That had to be the explanation!
"Come on!" The zorua fled deeper into the forest of bamboo, urging the dragon to follow.
Charizard hesitated. He wanted to push through, to beat up his opponent. Yet, the dragon knew a simple truth: he was not strong enough. He followed.
"How is this supposed to help?" Charizard answered as he ran behind her. He blew away some of the hazardous dust with his wings, but the dragon started to feel a sort of numbness and irritation come at his extremities, especially his wings. No doubt, the exposure was causing an effect.
Cinder made a painful wince. "I…. I have a plan." She didn't sound sure.
Charizard squinted an eye, not really having relied on a real "plan" in some time. "Okay?"
"Just… hold still." Cinder said as she leapt away from the dragons. "This is going to be harder the more you move"
Charizard squinted an eye. How was not moving going to save them now? Wasn't the whole point about having the zorua along that she was a very slippery coward?
"I… I haven't perfected it, but if this works, we'll win," the fox admitted.
The Fire-type looked at her even more skeptically, causing the fox to wither slightly. "You're sure?"
"I mean, it's our only option. We don't have much time," She said.
The dragon grumbled, but he saw no alternative. He was powerful, sure, but Lokix was too fast for him to pin down. If Cinder was that certain, it wouldn't hurt to try once. "Fine, just… make it quick."
Cinder stepped away from the dragon… in the direction from where they had previously come from. The fox took a deep breath and straightened herself, before closing her eyes and sitting on her rear. "This is going to feel strange."
Charizard wondered what she was doing, but all he could do was stand there and let the fox do whatever magic she wanted to try.
He didn't have to wait long though, as he suddenly felt some sort of… energy begin to envelop him. It was hard to explain, but it seemed to go over his body and touch every part of him with a light touch.
Was she empowering him, somehow? No, that wasn't what was happening.
The dragon didn't feel stronger at all. He felt something, but it wasn't like he gained new powers or anything. In fact, he felt like he wasn't quite there, like his body was hollow or something? The Fire-type looked at his claws and saw that his body became see-through, as though he was made of stained glass. A sort of pale mist floated around him. "Am I turning invisibile?" he asked, but it wasn't his voice that came out of his mouth. "Wait, what's going on?" He asked again, hating how shrill his voice sounded.
Charizard was still a dragon, as far he could tell, but his shadow told a different story. It looked like it belonged to a fox. A zorua, to be precise.
Cinder eyed him, an approving sigh. "It's not perfect, but it'll have to do. Just be careful, it'll shatter near instantly."
Charizard wondered what exactly that meant, but before he could get any answers, the fox's hair billowed out in a gaseous plume. Her shape changed and more, becoming far larger. In a blink of an eye, Charizard was looking at… himself.
"Remember, they're going to be after you…" Cinder said, using Charizard's voice. She sounded very tired, exhausted.
The Fire-type blinked, confused and unnerved at what he was seeing, but that last bit of surprise jolted him to awareness of what was going on. "Right, I get it… I think," he said, using Cinder's voice in return.
Lokix burst from the smoke, the bug attempting to make another kick. He was slightly off, but he landed just in front of Charizard and Cinder. "I've got you now. No more hiding!"
"Apparently not." Cinder replied in a gruff tone. She… pounded her fists together in a threatening, if sluggish gesture.
Charizard stepped forward, glaring down the Lokix.
"Oh, you have some spine, after all?" the bug answered back to Charizard, his gaze low to the ground, as if addressing someone who was much shorter than the Fire-type.
Purple fire covered Lokix's feet and he surged forward once again, he leapt into the air and rocketed forwards, legs extended. Cinder did not even attempt to guard Charizard, letting the bug sail past her.
Unfortunately for Lokix, he'd picked the wrong target. The Fire-type grabbed onto the bug with both claws, seizing him with barely any effort as the bug hadn't even realized that he was attacking the wrong mon.
Charizard felt whatever spell Cinder put upon him immediately end, but that didn't matter. Instead, he looked at the bug in his grasp, a feeling of satisfied glee over his face. "Gotcha!"
"WHAT?" Lokix stared up at the dragon that now held his body tight. He tried to squirm, kicking and cutting, but the fire dragon had no patience.
Charizard may not have been able to fly at the moment, but he knew how to use his next move without it. It was just going to be a little different. He pulled Lokix closer to him and immobilized the thrashing bug. And then, the dragon leapt. "Seismic Toss!" he shouted and let gravity do the rest of the work.
Lokix was crushed between Charizard and the earth around him. The bug stopped trashing.
Charizard felt the impact against his ribs, softened only slightly by the bug's body. He pushed himself weakly off the ground, bruised and tired, but able to stand his feet. He stared at his opponent, his guard up. He waited for Lokix to pick himself off the ground and go back to fighting.
Yet, for the longest time, it didn't come.
Eventually, Lokix started to shift and move, as if trying to pick himself up.
Charizard readied himself, drawing in his breath and hardening his muscles.
And… Lokix fell back down.
"I think he's out of the fight," Cinder walked over. "He's still conscious, but probably exhausted."
"...I yield," Lokix said with an exhausted groan. His body returned to normal, no longer bearing that haze of violet power.
The fire dragon's head was still spinning from the self-inflicted recoil of his last reckless attack. There was still someone else left to fight… Toedscool. The actual target. He still had to defeat him.
"I yield!" a voice shouted. Toedscool walked out of whatever sticks of bamboo were still standing.
The dragon blinked, confused.
"...Coward…" Lokix groaned from the crater he was buried in.
"Hey, don't look at me! I lost all my bodyguards!" Toedscoll responded. "Besides, like, what am I supposed to do? That's a Charizard!" He pointed at the dragon.
Lokix mumbled something under his breath.
"With Toedscool's concession, the Challengers have defeated the Dojo!" a voice boomed out, the Sensei, maybe.
Charizard stared. They'd won? He'd won? It almost felt… unreal. Like, this was the unexpected outcome and he was worried something had gone wrong.
And yet, he and Cinder stepped out of the remnants of the bamboo thicket and into the cheers of an appreciative crowd.
Everyone present clapped for him if they could, others shouted for joy. Brock howled in glee, the little pancham shouted and leapt in place, Togepi chirped happily by Misty's side. Even Psyduck, who was normally dazed all the time, seemed to acknowledge his victory.
Cinder collapsed the moment she stepped outside of the bamboo. Meanwhile, Zubat was carried by a guard and placed next to her trainer.
Yet, for some reason, Charizard was the one who disbelieved it. Yet, he had won, that fact was indisputable now.
A number of paws and a vine went against the dragon's side, drawing the Fire-type's attention downwards. His… friends were there, happy to greet him. Bulbasaur nodded in approval, whilst Squirtle raised a single digit in a reflection of a "thumbs up". Pikachu smiled at him, too.
But Ash, his trainer, looked at him with an expression of worry. "Charizard, are you okay?"
"I… I think so," the dragon admitted. He didn't know what he was supposed to feel, but the initial shock had worn off. He had won, he had defeated a Pokémon who was definitely more powerful than he looked. Even if he wasn't alone. And it was his first victory in what felt like forever. "I think it's just been so long since I got into a proper fight and… won."
Ash nodded his head. "Right." He scrunched up his face. "You just… had a bit of a losing streak after all. I'm sure that you'll have plenty more victories in the future!" he reassured the dragon.
Charizard nodded his head, drinking in the warm feelings that just seemed to radiate off the little jackal. Had he… really forgotten what victory actually felt like? Had he really forgotten what it was like for others to be proud of him?
"Indeed." Mister Tajiri, Ash's grandfather, nodded his head. The old lucario stood a bit away, though closer to his grandfather than anyone else. "You are young, but you have plenty of potential. Not many of your lineage could claim to have grown to their final stage as young as you have."
Charizard smiled faintly at the compliment, his sides still hurting. "Yeah, it's pretty impressive, ain't it?"
"Only if you learn to harness it. But, that can come at another time. I believe we have a closing ceremony to attend." The lucario pointed a digit towards the bamboo thicket.
Togedemaru, Lokix, and Toedscool stumbled out of the thicket, their heads bowed and their bodies knelt as they faced the crowd. Sensei Tungsten walked in front of them, commanding everyone's attention.
Charizard and the others turned to meet him, as the dragon sat down on the floor.
"Today, challengers fought against our Dojo and triumphed," the ferrothorn began. "Not through their strength or wit alone, but by working together for a common goal."
Charizard snorted, a little stung at how what was supposedly an easy Dojo had turned out to be quite difficult. At the same time, he understood that if it wasn't for the fact that he swallowed his pride and allowed himself to work with others, they would not have come out on top.
"Bearer, step forward, and present your Looplet," the Sensei ordered.
Ash walked over and raised his left wrist, the one containing the bracelet he carried.
"You are truly fortunate to have many friends willing to fight at your side," the Sensei commended. "Just as well, you are willing to fight on their behalf when the time comes."
Ash nodded.
A slight sting of regret bubbled in the dragon's heart, knowing that Ash had fought for him when he needed it, back when he was so weak that rain could have killed him. And yet he had rarely ever fought the riolu's battles unless pressed into it. That… wasn't fair, was it? How loyal was he really, when he had failed to repay his trainer so completely?
"Remember these words: trust is more valuable than gold, faithfulness more precious than silver, loyalty more coveted the brightest gemstone. With these things, you know who will stand beside you in the darkest hour. And that is why we bestow upon you the Emera of Loyalty." The ferrothorn presented a glittering, green crystal in one of his vines. He pressed it into Ash's hand.
Ash showed it to Charizard, a bright smile on his face. Though he said no words, the dragon felt the pride and joy the jackal pup had in him, how it wasn't just the fight that he was glad about.
Charizard… allowed himself to smile.
Ash slotted the Emera into his Looplet, a slight green glow covering his body before fading away.
Charizard felt his eyes water, though it wasn't raining.
Cinder breathed in the faint, almost sweet smell permeating the air around her. Like a creamy soup bubbling with excitement, spiced with tension, and flavored by bittersweet joy, she savored it.
Maybe it wasn't really quite accurate to describe the emotional state of everyone around her as though it were food, but this was supposed to be a feast. And she was starving.
It was all due to that illusion trick she pulled, the one where she tried to not just disguise herself, but Charizard as well. While zorua were known for pulling all sorts of tricks like that, that specific use of her native abilities was not something she had ever practiced before. It wasn't as though she had… many friends willing to help her practice.
Cinder adjusted her seat as contemplated everything that happened in the past hour. Emperor Gaozu had declared that there should be a feast to celebrate the victory at the Dojo. While he wanted something grander and far out of proportion to the occasion, his mother managed to get the little pancham to accept a smaller feast, one which had all of Cinder's companions and some of the members of the Erinite Dojo present.
They were at the Tajiri household once again, there within the main dining hall and in the rooms adjacent.
It was rare for everyone to be present, even during the mornings, but today was a special occasion. No food was served yet, though everyone mingled together.
Charizard celebrated his victory by getting involved in the kitchen as the source of fire within, boasting pridefully about his skills. Ash was in the kitchen present, though radiating an intense sense of excitement and embarrassment. Goldeen and Onix faced Team Rocket in a high stakes game of mahjong filled with lies and intrigue. Misty, Dexter, and Vulpix worked tirelessly to keep Togepi and her friend, Smolive, entertained. Gaozu himself tried to get involved where he could, abandoning his role as Emperor for a time. Cyclizar and Staryu went drinking out with Lokix, enjoying themselves one drink at a time. Mister Tajiri and Sensei Tungsten simply passed the time by playing. Even Kyuko was there, though she only stayed in the background.
And all of it tasted so wonderful. The sweet bliss of freedom, the cool warmth of joy, the bitter tang of hardwon pain… Cinder drank in the pleasant tasting aroma like she was drinking from a bowl, drawing it into herself. She already started to feel more alive, more active. Within a few more minutes, she could probably get more involved.
Then a shadow fell on the fox from behind her. The zorua turned her head and immediately froze. The Dowager Empress stood over the fox, scrutinizing her with an unreadable tone.
Cinder gulped and felt like her legs had turned to stone. The fox nearly sank beneath the floor, her body shaking with anticipation and dread. Cinder warily eyed the elder Maiju, uncertain of what exactly were her intentions. She lowered her head in submission. "...How may I help you, Empress?" she squeaked.
The Empress paused, seemingly taken aback. "Why are you afraid, child? Have you done something wrong?"
"No?" Cinder hoped she didn't sound guilty.. At least, she didn't think she had committed any crimes. Unless having a mother who was hatched human was a problem. She didn't know much about the Empress, yet the pangoro's presence terrified her in a way that no other Maiju had before.
The pangoro scrutinized her further, shaking her head in disappointment. "I suppose it cannot be helped." She observed the fox more closely. "Hm, wait. You wouldn't happen to be the young Lady Tanzanite, wouldn't you?"
"Uh, yes?" Cinder replied. No one really referred to her with that kind of title, but it was listed on one of the documents that described her position in Citrine society.
"I thought so," the Empress commented. "You looked exactly as your mother did at your age."
"You knew my mother?" Cinder questioned, the fear she had felt washed away by curiosity.
"Not personally, but she and her troupe of performers were some of the greatest actors and musicians in Citrine," the pangoro admitted. "I saw several of their shows, one even before they had both evolved."
Cinder blinked, this being the first time she had ever heard of anything like this. "What?"
"You're surprised?" the Empress frowned in contemplation.
"A little, this is the first I've heard of it," the zorua admitted. Then again, with her father's penchant for infiltrating groups to sow discord, he had to have been a good actor. The skill was innate to her kind, where one had to learn how to manage the observer's expectations to meet specific ends. It wasn't even an uncommon occurrence for a zorua or a zoroark to have a theatrical career - Cinder just couldn't imagine her father on the stage.
"I see," the pangoro raised a finger in contemplation. "Your parents were fine performers, such that my late husband requested their talents to depict the entirety of our lives to commemorate our wedding. The performance was so moving that as part of the payment, your parents were given a previously defunct Dojo and landed titles."
Cinder may not have been an actor or a performer, but she understood the meaning. Her parents had to have been truly talented to merit such a reward. "I see." She then frowned, realizing another thing that was missing in her life ever since her mother's loss. "Father… doesn't do that anymore."
"No, he does not." the Empress shook her head. "But, it can't be helped. Your mother was the one who led the performances, after all. The others in the troupe were all trained to heed instructions and those who survived… couldn't continue. Another reason why the late Emperor's brot-"
Gaozu came barreling through, chased by Togepi and Smovile. The pancham stuck out his tongue in defiance as he declared the two couldn't catch him.
The Empress let out a defeated sigh. "If you excuse me, dear, I have business to attend to."
"It's perfectly fine," Cinder answered promptly. While she wasn't so openly fearful of the pangoro anymore, she was still wary, and had no intention of keeping the Empress closer to her than necessary.
The Empress stood up and went to chase after her wayward son. "Gaozu, remember your lessons!"
Cinder breathed a sigh of relief, glad the older Maiju was now gone.
Despite terrifying her utterly, the Empress did give the fox plenty to think about. Such as the fact that in comparison to Ash's parents, who were of the more combative sort, Cinder's had apparently been performers. It was an odd contrast, since for the longest time she thought trainers were primarily focused on martial pursuits — Misty and Brock basically lived in their own Dojos.
Then, as if on cue, Brock entered the room and walked towards the fox.. He set down the glass container at his feet. "Uh, Cinder, do you have a minute?"
Cinder inclined her head. "As long as it doesn't require a lot of moving. I'm just laying here for the next few hours while I regain my strength."
The lycanroc nodded. "I just want to ask a question."
"Go ahead," Cinder said.
Brock took a deep breath. "I want to see if I'm ready to brew a potion."
Cinder scrutinized the wolf and quickly assessed his capabilities. Brock had gone through most of the Essence manipulation exercises already, enough to probably try pulling out his Essence to put it into a cauldron. He also had a surprising depth of knowledge of applied chemistry, which meant that he did not need to spend dozens of Moons memorizing ingredients. Plus, healing potions were more a category than a specific recipe, some of which were made to be very easy to brew. "I suppose there's no harm, but we will have to do it tomorrow. We'd need to get the ingredients you'll work best with."
Brock squinted. "What do you mean?"
"At your level of skill? It's better for you to use ingredients that'd react better to your Essence. Rocks, salt, milk," Cinder explained. "When you get better practiced, it isn't as big of a problem, but you're going to need to be more skilled before we try something more potent, but less in tune with your own innate elemental affinity."
"Right. Like training wheels on a bike," the lycanroc said with a nod.
"A what?" Cinder had no idea what any of that was, but she was now very curious as to how one trained wheels. Or what bikes were, beyond the fact Ash and Misty occasionally brought them up.
Still, the zorua appreciated that they were that much closer to having another person capable of healing in their group. Ash might have had the power to heal others, but he was both inconsistent with the ability, as well as the person most likely to be hurt in the first place.
Now? Another alchemist meant that she wouldn't need to make the same potions nearly every other day. Plus, she'd heard Rock-types tended to create potions that were better suited to healing broken bones than what she could make.
Her thoughts were cut short when she noticed two shapes approaching through one of the sliding doors.
Master Aspen and Fjord the Merchant Lord slid the screen doors open and walked through.
Cinder stared at the two of them as they made their way, uncertain of their destination. While Master Aspen still had duties tending to the sick in the house, the samurott had little reason to be here.
This sentiment was apparently shared by Mister Tajiri. The lucario rose from his seat and turned towards them, his tone stern and uninviting. "What business do you have here?"
The disturbance had robbed the air of its previous bubbling joy, leaving behind an empty chasm. Everyone present looked towards the newcomers, most frozen in anticipation. Others, like the Empress, turned stone faced. Cinder herself felt like she was holding her breath.
"I have to discuss a number of ongoing business deals with your grandson and his associates," Fjord the samurott answered. He started at the much older Maiju, not backing down. "Are we permitted entry?"
Mister Tajiri stared back, similarly unflinching. "And what kind of business is this?" he said, almost challenging.
"A number of matters, including work on their ship," the samurott replied, not skipping a beat.
The lucario shook his head, not liking the answer. Yet, he seemed exhausted. "Very well. Do not take long."
"We will not," the Dark-type replied.
Master Aspen turned to look at Cinder. "My apprentice, Brock, come with me. We have much to discuss.
Cinder let go of her breath and rose from her cushion. She didn't know what the two were here about, but it had to be important.
Ash was a little upset that he was being dragged to a meeting. He had just managed to figure out how to toss pizza dough into a perfect disk… and have the disk land on top of someone. But as much as he wanted to cook Charizard something nice and fancy, Scholar Aspen and his friend, Fjord, came in rather abruptly. Whatever it was they wanted to talk about, it seemed important.
And that's why Ash and a handful of his closest friends were in a private room. More specifically, it was everyone that was either human at one point or had human parents, with Pikachu and Meowth being the only exceptions. Given who the two adult Pokémon wanted to speak to, there was little doubt that reason the humans were selected was because it was something meant primarily for the humans.
The samurott sealed the door shut. "Allow me to congratulate you on earning a fourth Emera. It is at this point, most team groups would have disbanded or failed at least one Dojo by now."
Ash smiled, preening at the praise. His tail shook with glee. "Yeah, we have a good team!"
"I assume you're not just here to just congratulate us." Misty interrupted.
"Indeed," Mister Fjord nodded. "With the Erinite Thicket's Emera, you have little reason to stay, if you intend to complete the Quest. As soon as your ship is seaworthy, you should leave."
Everyone turned towards Team Rocket. Ash hadn't kept tabs on them ever since he got into the Capital, but they were constantly busy with their projects. Not a day went by where they didn't have to carry hammers or read blueprints.
"Da ship's almost ready," Meowth offered.. "We fixer er up, but we still gotta fit the engine. And da propella. And den dey gotta get the battery installed." He raised a paw and started counting on each digit.
"Ordering the custom parts required spending nearly all of the reward money, but it's mostly put together… Just not on the boat." James sighed.
Jessie's tail swished. "Which means, Twerps, you'll be able to set sail with Captain Jessie at the helm in the next three days!"
James and Meowth gave her a look like they wanted to object, but Ash didn't care much about that.
"Three days?" the riolu blurted out.
"We'll be leaving in three days?" Misty asked. She seemed a little hesitant for some reason.
"Surprisingly, that is less time than I thought we had, though it is sufficient for our purposes." Scholar Aspen commented. The decidueye stepped forward and walked towards the assembled Pokémon. "So, I must ask, humans. You've now had plenty of time to comprehend the revelation given you when we last spoke. What are your thoughts on your being Maiju?"
"It's a lot to take in." Misty winced, a small tension building inside of her, like a small raincloud. "I don't think I believe it fully, but it makes sense."
In contrast, Brock felt oddly serene, as though he were in a calm day. He laughed. "You know, human science has long theorized that humans were descended from Pokémon or from other animals. The best thinkers and scientists the world over have long tried to find a missing link. I don't think they'd accept magically turning Pokémon into humans at face value."
Ash shrugged. He hadn't exactly put alot of thought into it, but it was a neat little factoid to learn. "I mean, it doesn't change much does it? Like, Pokémon and humans being related is kind of cool, but is it really a big deal?"
Misty gave Ash a side eye. "Ash, you… you haven't realized why that's a problem?"
"No?" The riolu frowned. He could tell what he said made Misty upset, but she didn't know why it bothered the buizel.
Misty slapped her forehead. "Ash…"
"What!?" Ash asked. "What's the problem?"
"Ya really don't know, Twerp?" Meowth asked.
"No. Am I supposed to get it?" the riolu fumed. He didn't know what everyone was talking about, yet seemingly everyone except him in the room knew what the problem was.
"I don't either. I mean, what's the big deal anyways?" Pikachu commented.
"Excuse me, but is there a problem?" Scholar Aspen chimed in.
"A little," Brock sighed. "Ash, you're probably going to want to talk to Dexter about this. I know he's got a small law module in that body of his. Ask him about what laws would have to change knowing what we know now. We might not have the time to talk about this right now."
"Uh, okay?" Ash shrugged. If there really was a problem, there was little doubt the living Pokédex could lay it out for him, maybe even help him find a solution.
"Indeed. As fascinating as it is to listen to you children learn and debate, we have little time." Scholar Aspen replied. He turned towards his pupil. "Cinder, has your opinion changed in the least?"
"No, if anything I now want to know more. Why does this separation even exist? How did it begin?" the zorua answered. "Why were humans created if all that resulted was those afflicted being separate from other Maiju."
"All very good questions," Aspen commended with a polite bow. "I cannot provide you with the answers you seek, but if you truly want to know more, the Crucible should be able to provide you the answers."
Jessie and James turned to each, uncomfortable expressions on their faces. "... We haven't exactly thought about it," Jessie answered.
"So many schematics to read and blueprints to make," James agreed.
Though, despite saying that, Ash could definitely tell the two older Rockets were definitely bothered by something.
"I see," Scholar Aspen accepted the answers given. He then raised a wing. "Then, I want to ask, do you seek the Crucible, even now knowing that this is your true shape?"
"I still want to go home," Misty answered, her tone slightly bitter.
Jessie and James nodded their heads in approval.
This time, Brock looked hesitant. "I mean, I want to go home," he answered. Though Ash was certain he felt oddly conflicted about it.
Ash, too, felt a little discontent. Leaving Citrine meant leaving Gramps behind, which meant that in the not so immediate future, the old lucario will be back alone in a near empty house. That wasn't something he wished for him, yet…. His place wasn't here. "I want to see my Mom again," he answered. "I want to go out and explore and see the world."
Scholar Aspen nodded his head in approval, though begrudgingly. He turned towards his partner. "Then, we have our answer."
Fjord let out a discontent sigh. "Indeed." The samurott shook his head. "Listen here, runts. Because what we're going to tell you right now is very important. You didn't pass my test, but let's be frank, you probably would have figured it out eventually."
Ash stared, ready to meet whatever challenge the Water-type had for him.
Others too gave stern looks.
"So, first off, we can't just go to the Crucible right now. It's… going to take a while to get there. I'd need to make preparations. Expensive preparations, I might add." The samurott groaned. "It'll take a Moon and during that time, you're going to need to get two more Emeras. Anything less than that and this plan's a bust."
Ash blinked. That seemed like a strange requirement. "Wait, why do we need Emeras? Aren't they just… Gym Badges?"
"What?" Fjord replied.
"He's comparing them to what we use to certify for tournaments back home, which are just basically fancy medals," Brock answered. "Though, come to think of it, each Emera is a magical stone, isn't it?"
"Indeed," Scholar Aspen agreed. "Each Emera isn't a mere trinket. Each stone is created by the Dojo, when a gemstone of the appropriate type is imbued with some of the Essence of the land they came from."
Ash looked at the Looplet around his wrist, his other paw reached over to inspect it. He didn't feel anything and that made him wonder if he was supposed to.
"I don't know how or why the First Bearer created the Emeras or the Looplets, but what I do know is that the Crucible can only be controlled by them. Six Emeras will grant you the ability to create the spells you desire," the decidueye promised. "Anything less and the Crucible will deny you the power to become human once again."
Suddenly, the bracelet on Ash's wrist felt very heavy. He didn't mind having power, but all of this practically fell into his lap. "It's that important?"
"Yup," the samurott answered.
"Why do you use something like this to certify a tournament?" Misty balked.
"Yeah, this seems a little much, for badges!" Pikachu complained.
"But aren't they supposed to be used to prove one's worthiness before meeting the gods?" Cinder lowered her head. "I mean, that's why the Tournament needs them, isn't it?"
"The tradition of creating Emeras was something that persisted after the First Bearer had left Citrine, he created them and Maiju all over the islands believed that they were the key to achieving enlightenment or to be touched by the divine as the First Bearer went out of his way to create dozens of them and gather them together. When the series of Great Tournaments began, they gradually became synonymous with worthiness and were used to determine those who were ready to ascend," the Scholar answered. He seemed simultaneously disappointed yet intrigued by the situation. "In truth, we don't exactly know why the Crucible responds to the Emeras, only that it does. We don't even know if the First Bearer even knew about the Crucible."
Ash paused, wondering at what he had just learned. Everything else aside, it seemed the plan was looking to be rather simple for the meanwhile. "So, we just have to get six Emeras? And then we'll go to the Crucible?"
"That's right, just two more and you'll have what we need. My recommendation to you is go to any other Dojo and then meet us up in Turquoise Reef at the end of the month" Fjord frowned. "It's the closest settlement to the Crucible that we know about and there's a Dojo there already."
"That sounds easy enough," Pikachu commented.
Ash nodded his head in agreement. No one else seemed to have any reservations or complaints about the current plan.
"Then, our meeting is concluded. We have duties we need to return to," Scholar Aspen commented.
Fjord unlocked the door and began to slide it open. "We'll see you again, hopefully in a less tense situation. And please, don't get into trouble."
As Ash left the room, he began to take in everything that had happened so far. One thing rose above everything else, drawing his attention: He only had a short amount of time to handle his issues before going. And this might have been the last chance to say anything to his grandfather.
He turned to his friends, similar thoughts going through their minds.
For those wondering, yes, I did basically make Lokix into more of a Kamen Rider reference than it already was.
Something to think about. Charizard around the time of the Indigo League had a number of defeats and humiliating situations. Ignoring the fight against League against Ritchie's which he kind of deliberately sabotaged, he had a few defeats in that time. Namely, against Mewtwo's Charizardthree, admittedly this was mindwiped, and how he ended up getting humiliated during the Pikachu's Vacation short since he got stuck in a pipe. In many instances, he actively did nothing, but arguably hadn't proved his strength in any matter.