Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The world seemed to spiral beneath him.

Stars melted and warped in the distance around them. Everything was swirling into nothingness, the negative space that was located dead-ahead.

A boy in a fluttering jacket stood defiantly on a platform of warped stone in the distorted space. The world swirled around him as he spoke, with his teammates at his back.

A royal stone colossus stood behind them, towering over all that was left of the world.

And the boy shook off the end of all things, laughed, and shouted his battle cry.

That same boy sat at a campfire, his friends and allies exhausted, but merrily gathered together in celebration.

"So, how exactly did we get here, Hilby?" The blond boy, his oldest friend, asked as he leaned his head against the log.

Flames once again sparked up as an Infernape used Ember on the dying flames, and more wood was thrown on the pile.

The boy in the cap, their de facto leader, kicked out his legs and crossed his arms. "Well… I guess I should remember that myself." 

A Mid-Sinnoh Night's Dream - I - Life Starts Now

Hilbert, son of Johanna, was originally from the Sinnoh region, halfway across the world from where he lived for the more recent half of his life. The only reminders he had of his time there were from the occasional mention by his mother and the occasions where Glameow would stop napping and actually walk around.

They'd moved, as you might guess, when he was a little boy around the age of eight. Most of his memories involved Unova's smoggy skyline, tripping on the concrete on his way to trainer school, and the barest hints of actual wilderness outside Nuvema towns borders. Wild pokemon were all but unknown to him, save the occasional Patrat that the instructors drove off.

But even as he didn't know what the forests and grasslands were like, he had the soul of an explorer, always searching for that next step, always looking for another way forward.

Like a drill, you could say.

A young boy, barely the age of ten, stumbled out of the creek. He had a map and compass in his bag, although he hadn't the slightest idea how to read them. Nuvema town far enough behind him, Hilbert began to finally get a glimpse of what the wilderness was actually like.

And don't laugh at his name. It's a family name, y'know? Pay a little respect.

Well, that's what he'd told everyone at school. His cool, badass nickname was so obviously fake that no one actually called him that.

But, back to the topic at hand. He explored the forest, peeking around trees, under rocks, through the canopy- Of course, he didn't have any Pokeballs. Those were for adults. But the spirit of a trainer resided in his mind and body.

Eventually, after scaring off a herd of Deerling, he found a blasted heath. Concrete rubble, still smoking, was strewn about. And, like the stupid little boy he was, he kept looking around.

He wasn't stupid enough to touch the sharp and burning bits, but he turned over some rocks, curious to what he stumbled upon.

Of his efforts, he of course found smaller rocks. But one of those rocks was special, as it turned out. First of all, it was gray, but it was also glowing, and everyone knows you should touch glowing rocks in the wreckage of what was probably some kind of laboratory.

It had arms.

"Oh my gosh! The rock has arms!"

Well put, Hilby.

He dragged the arms out of the rubble, kicked aside some of the smaller bits.

The pile of glowing rocks was round-ish, and had a strange spiral mark on its front. As he looked closer, he saw its legs, and the thing's head looking up at him.

Strangely enough, that was the start of what would become an absolutely beautiful friendship.

Minutes later, shadowy figures appeared in the trees surrounding the wreckage. One of the Triad held a finger to his ear.

"Nothing recoverable, Colress. I sense nothing. We will investigate further, but I suspect we will find no remains."

"Ah. That is unfortunate. Though, I didn't expect much from the project anyway."

Johanna was concerned, in a few words, when her son had arrived back home after dark, bleeding from cuts on his legs and arms, and lugging along a rocky Pokemon that just wouldn't stop hitting him.

They both ended up unconscious. Glameow bit the thing until it stopped moving, and Hilbert collapsed on top of it not long after.

She quickly called Juniper, their local expert, hoping she would be alright with a house call that late in the evening.

The Pokemon was a Golett, easily determined by the professor. Unfortunately, that was about all she could say about it, as going off of that, it looked nothing like anything she'd ever seen.

First off, the color. She'd known that the species would occasionally be silvery gray in color, everyone knew about Shiny variants, but the glow it emitted was nothing like what she'd expected. The crevices of its body pulsed between colors, bright yellow to a sickly green to a blinding white-

And that's nothing to say of its hands, which randomly would transform into drills and back as it slept.

Hilbert had broken his arm carrying him back to the house, but he was happy to see him anyway.

Once it had awakened and noticed it was suddenly healthy, it acted more cautious than outright hostile.

Years passed. Hilbert and Golett grew to be great friends, partners even, as they recovered. Golett had some strange breakage along his body that didn't seem to heal with potions, but it mended by itself with time.

Johanna had gotten tired of the city, apparently, and they decided to move back to Sinnoh.

Hilbert looked out the window of the plane, looking down at the wild region that was growing before his very eyes. A pamphlet lay forgotten in his lap, while Golett sat next to him kicking his legs. They were a bit strange, in more ways than one. His coloration had shifted back to blue as the damage healed, and he could control what color the light shone. Hilbert called him 'he', as it turned out Golett were genderless, but his partner didn't seem to mind either way.

They landed on the coast of Sandgem town. The international flight was thankfully small enough to make water landings.

Which he thought was good, as Sinnoh didn't seem to have any actual airports.

Hoo boy.

Sandgem town was a small trading post when the region was first being settled. It was their pit stop before they could get to Twinleaf, their destination.

Apparently, she wanted to meet up with some old contacts of hers from the 'contest circuit'.

Whatever that meant.

It wasn't snowing, but there was still plenty of white on the ground and the trees. He could see his breath fog up in front of his face. Golett insisted on being carried, though he put that up to laziness rather than the sensitivity he had as a ground type.

It was getting later in the morning, the sun rising higher into the sky.

His mom suddenly waved to a couple and their daughter standing near the town's border. Mom walked up to a couple about her age.

Oh. She's cute.

Hilbert, keep this in mind, is a teenage boy.

A nice-looking girl, about his age, was standing next to the couple. She had a long red coat, a white hat, bag, and a large, puffy scarf. Her hair was long and slate-gray. So, yeah, pretty nice to look at. She noticed him checking her out and walked up.

"Hello. I'm Dawn." She had a soft, yet impactful voice. A little hard to describe.

"Hi, I'm… Black." He decided to use his cool, badass nickname. Totally didn't make it up himself, obviously.

"..." She looked at Hilbert weirdly, her gray eyes screwed up in confusion.

He sighed. "Okay, my name's actually-" He lowered his voice and leaned in.

She's even cuter up close… Is that a blush? Must be the cold.

"Hilbert. Please don't tell anyone."

She giggled. "Aw, but why? That's a cute name."

Covertly so, he dropped down and put down his passenger so Golett could introduce himself like a big kid.

They had the sort of friendship where mild patronization was taken as a joke with only mild threat of injury.

"Oh, what's this little guy?" She dropped down as well, her hands on her knees.

"He's a Golett. Don't think you can find them around here."

His lights flashed white for a moment in confirmation.

"That's a shame… He's pretty cute," she sighed, standing up.

He followed suit, watching Dawn's gaze travel to his mom.

"So... Johanna is your mom?"

"Yeah? I mean, isn't that… obvious?"

Dawn shook her head. "Y'know, Johanna, the contest star?"

"The what?" He was confused by her words.

Is that what she meant by contest circuit?

"She didn't tell you? She was a pretty big deal when I was little. I was really into contests back then." Dawn laughed. "Most of the other girls were too, now that I think about it." Huh.

"Huh," Hilbert eloquently stated.

The adults called them back over not long after. Apparently, Dawn's mom was a rival of his mom way back when, and her dad works for Professor Rowan. Old man studies Pokemon and stuff like that.

Pretty cool, I guess.

They were going to have dinner later tonight after Hilbert and his mom got settled down in Twinleaf. Normally he'd be dreading it, because of how adults can be with that kind of thing, but a cute girl would be there, so in his mind, iit was probably worth it.

The walk to Twinleaf was pretty short; It was a wide-open trail and barely a quarter of a mile. Not much tall grass on the way. Taking the high road instead of the low road, right? It was getting late in the morning, and the air started warming up. Golett toddled along with him and his mom.

Cute little guy, even if he can kick my ass.

The house was pretty nice. Larger than the house back in Unova was. Hilbert got the upstairs room. As he unpacked the bedsheets, he remembered they had designs from an old Pokestar movie. In his words, "Don't call it kiddie stuff, the plot was great."

Not that he would actually say them out loud, of course.

Anyway, unpacking only took a few hours, not much cleaning had to be done beforehand.

Who knew the moving companies taught Machokes how to sweep?

He went downstairs to make a sandwich because it was a little afternoon. His mom had headed out to get some more groceries for dinner. A news report about a red Gyarados was playing on the television. He guessed it was pretty cool. There was a knock at the door.

A blond boy with a striped shirt bounced around outside the window.

Another boy with a red hat stood by next to him. Looked more reserved, or alternatively, boring.

Hilbert opened the door.

"Hey, new kid! My mom just told me we had a new- wait, you look familiar…" A strange memory tugged at his brain. From before he left for Unova. Playing tag with a blond boy in a small town…

"No way, Barry?"

"Hilby?" The boy pumped his fists up and down, laughing. "Man, you came back!"

"Guess so. And don't call me Hilby!"

"Alright, dude. Man, this takes me back!" Barry laughed. "Oh, and this is Lucas! He moved in a little bit after you left."

He turned to the other boy. "Yo. I'm…" He thought about using his cool, badass nickname again. Then again, a cute girl said she liked his real name. "...Hilbert."

"Nice to meet you. My name's Lucas." The boy offered his hand, which Hilbert shook. Barry walked in and started looking around his house.

"Cool." He could at least attempt to be polite.

"Hey, this sandwich is pretty good." Barry bit a chunk out of the sandwich Hilbert left on the counter.

The boy in question facepalmed. "That was my lunch."

"Sorry, dude, worked up an appetite!" Barry shrugged his shoulders.

"You never changed, man, you never changed." Hilbert shook his head.

"I'll pay you back. Let's go get some kebabs!"

He quickly wrote a note for his mom and headed out with the other boys.

The kebab shop was barely two minutes away. Twinleaf really was a small town. Maybe one or two hundred people by the looks of it.

"Man, this place really hasn't changed, has it?"

Barry laughed at Hilbert's question. "No, not really, but that's what gives it the charm, right?" He asked rhetorically.

"I suppose," contributed Lucas.

Hilbert bit into a kebab. Nice belleper berries with curry-spiced potatoes. Not quite bitter, but not too salty.

"So, Hilby, why'd you decide to move back?" Berry- Barry asked before drinking from a can.

"Mom got sick of the cities in Unova. The air is pretty clear around here, now that I'm back." He looked around at the clear grey skies.

"So… You've got to give us some details."

"About… what?"

Barry slapped the table a few times. "Y'know, the city girls! What're they like?" Lucas slightly leaned in, almost imperceptibly.

Hilbert knocked his head back, "Are you serious?" He groaned.

"Yeah dude, of course!" Barry kept being Barry, as in, a hyperactive child.

"Well…" He scratched his head. He paid attention to girls, obviously, like any other guy would, but never really understood them either. "I dunno, really." He shook his head. "I mean, there was a nice blonde girl I was friends with, but she was too bubbly for me. Not my type."

"Aw man… You leave for ten years and you don't even come back with important info? Lame. Did you get any cool pokemon at least?"

"Ah well, I got this one…" He looked behind him to realize that he'd completely forgotten Golett.

He's gonna be pissed.

"Ah. Ah! Okay, I'm sorry! Lay off the shins!" Hilbert ran around the coffee table to keep Golett from punching his legs again.

His power level may not be that high yet, but his arms are still made of stone. Or whatever weird rocks he's made of.

Hilbert jumped on the couch to protect himself, and the midget smacked the cushions. "Okay," He said, rubbing his shins, "This is my partner, he's a Golett. You can't find them on this side of the world, I think."

Barry oohed and awed at the rocky pokemon. "Hey, if you painted him red, he'd look like-"

"I know, the Gurren Lagann. Don't remind me." Damn good show. He didn't get how they got that Pikachu to make spiral power, but still, pretty badass in his opinion. "I didn't think you'd be into that kind of stuff." He felt the comparison was accurate, if annoying, aside from the size difference.

Ironically enough, none of them actually knew that that specific Golett could make drills out of his arms.

"I'm not, Lucas is, though."

"Hey!"

"No problem with it-"

"Hilby? Is that you?" Johanna called from outside the door.

He shot Barry a death glare as he was about to crack a joke. He walked over and helped his mom carry the armloads of groceries through the door.

"Oh, are these the neighbors?"

"Yes ma'am! Thought we should introduce ourselves; Well, more like reintroduce, ha!"

"Oh my, Barry? You've grown so much! I remember when you were just a tiny little squirt…" Johanna set the groceries on the table and walked up to Barry, who laughed.

"It's great to see Hilby back in Twinleaf."

"And how are your parents doing? I haven't seen Michelle and Palmer in ages…"

Parents really can get on your nerves when they do the thing.

You know, the thing.

"...And would you two like to join us for dinner? We're having some old friends over, but I'm sure we'll have more than enough."

That's a way too high guy-girl ratio!

Sure enough, Hilbert was sitting at the kids' table while the adults drank their wi- Vacation juice; Not allowed to talk about alcohol in a kids game. Wait, huh?

The four of them crowded around the coffee table with the news playing on the TV. Not that he was paying attention to that, there was something else of much more importance.

Cute girls.

Or, girl, singular.

Damn that ratio.

He briefly wondered if Lucas had any older sisters.

Barry, of course, was lounging around and tearing into his food.

Golett decided he wanted to sit in between Hilbert and Dawn. So much for 'Partner'. Though, it was kind of funny that he was sitting like the rest of them.

Lucas seemed to be actually watching the news. Lame. That report about the red Gyarados was still playing, seems like someone managed to catch it, the madman. Though... Suppose it could have been a woman.

"...So what have you guys been doing?"

Yeah, a lame conversation starter, but there wasn't much else to do.

"I've been helping Professor Rowan and my father with their research," said Dawn, tapping her chin.

"The Pokemon Professor?" Lucas asked.

"Yes, his work is well-known in Sinnoh. You may not have heard of him, Hilbert."

"It's Black…" He muttered.

Come on, I gotta sound cool! Well, she already knows my real name, not much I can do about that.

"I think I've heard the name once or twice. Y'know, like Elm and… what was it? Sycophant?"

"Sycamore?" Lucas suggested.

"Yeah, that. Unova had a big one, Professor, uh…" The name slipped his mind.

"Juniper? She's really cool, isn't she?"

"Total badass, more like." Well, yeah, pretty cool. He only felt a little bad for forgetting, gotta make up for it. She helped him and Golett out, even if she never brought it up again.

"That's an interesting way to describe her, but I'm inclined to agree." She sipped some canned tea after pouring it into a cup.

Someone rang the doorbell while it was getting dark out. Mom stumbled over to the door, still laughing at something Michelle had said.

A gray-haired man walked in with a briefcase.

"Johanna, greetings. I brought something extra, but that can wait. How is everyone?"

Everyone was pretty good. Lucas seemed awestruck. Nerd.

"Now for introductions. Kids, I'm Professor Rowan."

We know. Speak of the devil, right? Does that idiom apply around here?

"Good evening, professor."

"I'm Lucas, uh, sir."

"Oh, I'm Barry."

Yay, my turn.

"I'm-"

"Your real name, Hilby," his mom laughed from across the room. Women like wine a bit too much, sometimes.

"Ugh, fine. I'm Hilbert, Johanna's son. Nice to meet you, sir."

"Greetings, all. I heard that there were people moving in, so I figured now was as good a time as any to drop by." Hilbert started eyeing the briefcase. "You may have already deduced the purpose of my visit." The professor walked over to their table and sat on a free side, with the four kids facing him. He placed the briefcase on the table, clicking it open, to show an assortment of items.

Three Pokeballs. A little underwhelming, if Hilbert was being completely honest.

"You're giving us Pokemon! Uh, sir." Barry seemed to have an ounce of situational awareness. But only the one ounce. The professor chuckled.

"Indeed, young man."

"But sir, there are only three of them." Dawn was counting up the items with a finger.

"I was told that Hilbert already had a partner. These are for the three of you." He closed the case and stood up. "I'd hate to get this place dirty, so we'll take a look at them outside."

They walked out in the front yard. It wasn't too dark out, they could see fairly well. The professor took out the three Pokeballs.

"The Fire-type, Chimchar-" Golett had followed them outside and walked up to the monkey. He tried to shake hands, but Chimchar refused.

"The Water-type, Piplup." A cute little penguin. It walked up to Golett and slapped his arm with a flipper.

Looked like some kind of secret handshake, heh.

"The Grass-type, Turtwig." A turtle, who walked straight up to Dawn and nudged her leg.

"I've been helping take care of this little gal at the lab." She explained, while rubbing the shell. It- Barked? Snapped happily, maybe?

Lucas seemed focused on the Chimchar. The monkey noticed and stared back, before jumping on his head.

"Ah, get off!"

Barry was no help, as he sat back and laughed. Piplup seemed to be doing the same thing, pointing a flipper and hooting? Do penguins hoot?

"Seems like you all know what you're doing. I'll entrust them to you." The old man was amused. "Come by the lab tomorrow, we may have some additional items to discuss." With that, they returned indoors.

Piplup was tearing into a pile of berries just like Barry. They learn fast.

Lucas's Chimchar was just sitting there and drinking out of a cup, just like him.

Dawn's Turtwig sat on her lap and ate out a bowl. Cute little gal.

The next day, Johanna woke them up. And yes, all of them. Dawn rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and sat up. Barry immediately jumped up and stretched out. Lucas pulled his hat off of his eyes.

She even printed out a picture of them all sleeping on the seats. That's what happens when the adults are up drinking all night. They went home earlier without waking them up, the nerve! And she had the gall to laugh at them for it... Though that might just be another parent thing.

She told Dawn where the bathroom was, while throwing the rest of them toothbrushes. Women and their makeup, something like that. We were quickly kicked out to walk up to Sandgem town. It was a bit chilly, but nothing too terrible. I managed to snag one of my heavier jackets before heading out.

Our new partners followed behind up, though Turtwig seemed to have a preference for being carried. Hilbert wrapped her up in his light jacket and handed her to Dawn. Grass types don't mix well with cold, y'know.

Piplup was riding on Golett's shoulders, pointing at random landmarks they passed with his flippers and chirping happily.

Chimchar just followed Lucas, seemingly imitating his stoic walk.

Hilbert yawned again, because damn, sleeping on a couch with jet lag? Not the best sleep he could have.

Finally, they arrived in Sandgem town. Seemed like there was a bit of hail last night, but he just didn't hear it.

"Ah, good morning. How did you all sleep?"

Ah, shut up, old man.

"Fine, professor. What did you need?"

"I neglected to ask what you may choose to do with your new partners. Of course, you could stay in town, and never see what the rest of Sinnoh, but that's a path chosen by many-"

"Well, why would I do that? If I came all the way here, I may as well see what it has to offer." Yeah, it was rude of him to interrupt.

Sue me.

"Exactly, my boy!" Rowan had a light grin on his aged face. "I'm not a young man like I used to be. I can't climb Mt. Coronet or surf to Canalave city like I used to. I'd hate for my research to be halted, so I have a request."

"Of course, professor, what can we do?" Suck-up. Well, Lucas had a point, they did owe him for the Pokemon.

"I'd like for the four of you to take a Pokedex. While you see what the region has to offer, do this old man a favor, eh?"

"I don't have a problem with it." Might as well, right? Hilbert walked up to the table and grabbed a Pokedex.

Dawn followed soon after. Suppose as the assistant, it was an obligation.

"It'd be an honor, sir." Lucas reverently picked one up too and carefully pocketed it.

"Ah, why not?" Barry got the hint.

"But sir, what about your research here?" Dawn asked the professor. He simply waved her off.

"Don't worry about it. Youth is for adventure! And your father is more than enough help."

"Alright... Thank you for the opportunity, sir."

"Go on now, youngsters. Have a talk with your parents. Though I can't imagine them not being ecstatic."

Johanna handed him a bag full of toiletries as soon as Hilbert walked through the door.

"You're quick to get rid of me," he joked.

"Oh, don't say it like that. Go have your fun. I look forward to seeing you on TV."

"You really think I can do the gym challenge?"

I mean, I didn't go to trainer school or anything specific, but I knew the basics.

"With Golett by your side? You can do anything, sweetie." Blech. She kissed his forehead and ruffled his hair.

Parental love really is something else, huh?

"I'll… I'll do you proud."

No, I wasn't about to cry. I would never cry over something like this. I'm way too cool for that!

She wiped some wetness from his eyes.

"I know you will. Now get going, squirt."

"Yes- Yes ma'am." Hilbert smiled, pulled his hat over his eyes, and shouldered the bag. "I'll see you later."

"Make it soon, yeah? I'd like a nice plaque on the wall.".

He met up with everyone else on the outskirts of Sandem town, right next to the route marker.

"Isn't this really cliche? The group of friends setting out for an adventure?"

"Aw, come on, man? Did you have to put it like that? You've seen too many movies."

"I'm still right."

"Whatever." Barry turned and pointed to the Jubilife skyline. "Onward! To adventure!"

"...You do know that's only like, a few miles away, right?"

He fell over, facepalming. "Details, man! So not important!"

Chapter Text

In a deep cave at the center of Lake Verity, the legend of spirit stirred.

There was a twist of destiny, somewhere. An event out of place, a man out of time. Things were not as they should be.

Mesprit dismissed its concern, and fell back into its deep sleep.

A Mid-Sinnoh Night's Dream - II - Who's Drill Is It, Anyway?

It was early into the afternoon when they finally arrived in Jubilife. Golett beat anything they came across with ease, being immune to Normal-type attacks and resisting the Flying-type. Mudslap and Pound came in handy, suffice to say.

Lucas seemed a bit annoyed at his sweeping tendencies, as Chimchar looked like he was itching for a battle.

Noticing that, they headed off to the Trainer School, because Dawn thought boys were dumb, or something like that.

"Do we seriously have to spend the first day of our adventure in a lecture?" Groaned Barry, letting Piplup swing the door open as he sulked.

"Yes. Even if I'm not taking the gym challenge like you six, I'm making sure you know what you're doing," she replied, disappointed in Barry's lack of enthusiasm.

"For the professor's research?" Asked Hilbert.

"Well, we do owe him for giving us Pokemon…" Lucas said, more to himself than anyone else.

"I already know this stuff!" Barry exclaimed, tugging his hair. They were walking down a corridor to find the actual classroom. The Trainer School in Jubilife was the largest in Sinnoh, on the level of some Unovan universities.

"Oh, do you? What attacks do Fairy-types resist?"

"...Fairy-types?"

The seminar topic was on type advantages. A massive chart was on the blackboard behind the presenter, nineteen columns and nineteen rows. Marks were scattered across, red and blue.

The eight of them slipped in the back while the starters were pulled into their Pokeballs. Golett insisted he sit in as well, like everyone else.

A few minutes in, Barry looked like he could start slamming his head into the desk any moment.

Lucas had pulled out some stationary and was recreating the type chart.

Seeing that, Hilbert resolved to take a nap, and let Lucas catch them up later.

He was jolted when the formally-dressed presenter's Loudred echoed his voice louder than before. "Now, we likely all know of the basic type matchups. Grass beats water, water beats fire, and fire beats grass. However, obviously so, there are fifteen entire types and dozens of matchups you may not know as much about. As such, I ask for volunteers who work with non-indigenous Pokemon to demonstrate these matchups!"

Hilbert felt a sudden dread that he might have to do some work.

"How about… You! Boy with the Golett in the eighth row!"

He sighed and stood up, planting his hands on the desk. "Yeah, alright."

"Please come to the stage."

He walked down, Golett thudding down alongside him. The golem wasn't that heavy, despite being made of rocks. He tended to use his Ghost-typing to lessen the load, unless he was trying to hit Hilbert and make it hurt.

Another trainer walked down, with a strange dog-like Pokemon. His hair looked naturally blond, so Hilbert guessed they were from Galar or Kalos or something.

"Right, thank you. Please introduce your Pokemon and state their typings." The instructor stepped back, giving the four some space.

"I'm Black, and this is my partner, Golett."

Of course I used my cool nickname, you think anyone is going to respect me if I go by 'Hilby'?

"He's a Ground-Ghost type."

Golett flashed his lights in confirmation.

The other trainer introduced themself. "'Ello, I'm Charles, this is my best mate, Yampa- I mean, er, Yamper. Little guy's an Electric-type you see."

Yamper wagged its tail and barked.

"Right, thank you. Charles, please demonstrate an ineffective move."

"Got my pick o' the lot, don't I? Yampa, Nuzzle!" The Electric-type bark and ran up to Golett, charging electricity on its fur and attempting to transfer it to the golem. To which, obviously, it had no effect.

"Thank you. Do you have any super-effective moves at your disposal?"

"Yes'ir, I might. Yampa… Use Bite!"

Golett held out an arm for the Pokemon to bite onto, which it did. It refused to let go though.

"Black, please use a move you believe is super-effective."

Hilbert nodded, and Golett gathered a palm-full of mud in his hands. The golem slapped it onto Yamper, sending the yowling Pokemon skittering back to its trainer.

"That's a smart one you got, mate. Didn't have to say anything." Charles pulled a spray bottle and comb out of his saddlebag and crouched down to his Pokemon.

"Yeah, he's smart like that. His punches hurt like hell though." Hilbert absentmindedly rubbed at his bruised shins.

"Ahem." The presenter brought their attention back to him. "Thank you for the demonstration. Please return to your seats. Now, as you can see, Pokemon can learn moves that don't align with their typings…"

Barry stretched his arms as they walked off the campus. "Ah, man, I'm beat. Did you really have to use your nickname though?"

"You think they would take me seriously if I said my name was Hilbert?"

"...You've got a point, Hilby."

"I said don't call me that!"

"Whatever, lets get some food!"

Piplup appeared out of his ball just to raise a flipper and squawk in agreement.

Okay, listen. I'm not saying that Starmiebucks is a dumb name, but-

They sat at a round table on the patio, eating some pastries. Golett was watching them, and even without a mouth or facial muscles, looked jealous that they could eat such good looking food.

Well, good was subjective. It was a chain restaurant, after all.

There was a loud 'boom', suddenly. Hilbert shot out of his seat, curious. Smoke was rising in the sky not very far from them.

One of the baristas stopped by their table, seeing their concern. "Oh, they're filming the new Mecha-Tyranitar movies a few streets over. I wouldn't worry about it."

"They are?" Barry jumped up, excited, rather than worried... But that's Barry for you. "Let's go check it out!"

The entire street was covered in scrap metal, and the road mouths were blocked by camera equipment and vans. A Tyranitar was fighting a Garchomp, hand to hand- Claw to claw?- in the middle of the street, while Magnezones with cameras attached flew overhead. A sizable crowd was gathered, watching the action. He could hear the buzzing of Porygons and Rotoms in the equipment as they talked with the crew.

"Hey, aren't they supposed to be wearing armor?" Barry asked one of the crew members, who was taking a drink of water.

"Nah, that's too much work. We add that in during post-processing. Porygons are great at handling that kind of thing."

"Aw man…"

"Why are you disappointed? Did you think the armor was real?" Hilbert said, shaking his head. Of course, he'd seen a few of the main series movies, who hadn't? It must've been one of the spin-offs, he thought.

"Yeah, man… I wanted to try it on myself!"

"...You know that those Pokemon are at least twice your height, right?"

"Details, details, who cares?"

"Alright!" Yelled one of the crew members, the director by the look of it. "Start up the machine, Rotom! It's time for the mega evolution scene!"

"...You guys know what you're doing, right?" Last he'd heard, you needed friendship or something to access the next step.

"Of course, it's all proven science… I think. We've got a machine that will make them mega evolve, no trainer required." The crew member started looking less certain.

"There's no chance of them, say, berserking like they did that one time in Kalos, is there?"

There was a bright orange flash as the two Pokemon took on their new forms. Garchomps limbs became sharper, its claws became serrated blades, while Tyranitar looked like an absolute fortress, rocky spikes extending even further from its spine. They roared and started attacking each other with more ferocity, like an animalistic rage.

The crew member finally answered him, shaking off a daze. "No, of course not! We use mind-control braces linked up to Porygons, there's not a chance of that happening!"

A whisper traveled over from the director's chair.

"Sir, the Porygons have been locked out of the control program. They aren't running on our commands anymore."

"Huh? Oh, whatever. I'm sure it'll be fine." The director waved off his Rotom and leaned in to watch the battle.

A wave flew outwards, knocking the Magnezones slightly off balance.

"Yeah, sure… Hey, I'd suggest everyone take a step back." He placed a hand in front of Dawn's chest and motioned for the others to step backwards. Everyone in the crowd seemed hesitant to be there, all of a sudden, and those that weren't had the feeling they would soon be.

Garchomp let out a fierce cry, and hit Tyranitar square in the chest, causing it to turn pavement into gravel as it skidded backwards into the building behind it. The concrete shook, and there was a massive hole left in the building as Tyranitar shot out, eyes glowing red, and started attacking again.

"This is… This isn't in the script?" The director paged through a booklet, checking the stage directions, but didn't seem too concerned besides that.

"Sir, I think we should tell the Magnezone crew to use Thunder Wave…" Said a nervous crew member, walking up to her boss.

"Bah! It's just a little damage, the main studio's paying for it anyway."

Who put this guy in charge?

"Hey, Barry. You can run, right? Go grab an officer Jenny, I think we're about to need them."

"Don't be so paranoid- Actually, I see what you mean." He turned and ran down the street, and instead of heading for the police station, went straight into the Jubilife TV station.

"Idiot…" He mumbled, turning his attention back to the battle.

Garchomp jumped into the air, and swung Tyranitar into the side of the same building as before. Half of the wall came down, three stories worth of concrete and brick crumbling down onto the set.

"Sir, I really think-" The crew's protests were cut off as Tyranitar used Flamethrower, and inadvertently knocked out a Magnezone, who landed at the feet of the director.

"Hm. Well, I'm going to my trailer." The fat director stood up, dusted off his cartigan, and walked off. "Wake me up when clean-up is over."

"Who the… Who the hell put that guy in charge of two, mega-evolved Pokemon! Two dragons, no less!" Hilbert ranted, as everyone started backing away from the barrier. Just in time too, as Tyranitar piledrived Garchomp into the pavement, cracking the ground beneath their feet. Two crew members dragged the KO'ed Magnezone away, and started trying to salvage ground equipment.

"Wait, what are you going to do about them?"

The same crew member looked up from the box he was carrying. "Dunno. I guess some Jenny's will figure it out. We don't have any trained Pokemon who can fight, and the Magnezone that's still filming is occupied."

"You- How many safety regulations does that violate! Mind control, mega evolutions, no trainers on standby-"

"Take it up with the main studio, I'm getting out of here."

"Oh my Arceus, you people are stupid!"

"That isn't a swear in Sinnoh, Hilbert."

"Dawn, that is so, so not the point right now!" Hilbert said, kicking aside a barrier and letting Golett through.

"Wait, what are you doing?"

"What am I doing? I'm doing what these numbskulls won't even try! Golett, STOMPING TANTRUM!"

Golett jumped high into the air, charging his limbs, before crashing back down nearby the two berserkers. The weakened equivalent of an Earthquake shook the ground, attracting the ferocious stares of the two mega Pokemon.

"Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, HEY! I'm going to tell you something important now, so you better dig the wax out of those huge ears of yours and listen!"

His words grabbed the attention of the two Pokemon who looked confusedly between him and Golett; And, unbeknownst to him at the time, a few news persons who'd arrived at the scene.

"The reputation of Team Black echoes far and wide. When they talk about its badass leader - the man of indomitable spirit and masculinity - they're talking about me! The mighty trainer, Black!"

Golett was thrown back by a Dragon Claw, and Hilbert ran over to catch him.

"Golett! Let's see you grit those teeth!"

There was a brilliant flash of white, right before the golem landed in his arms.

Barry, sitting in the lobby of the new station, watched the breaking news, and seeing Hilbert give a certain speech, bursted out laughing, and after getting that out of his system, turned actually serious and clasped his hands.

Johanna, back home in Twinleaf, and after receiving a call from Michelle about a call from Barry, switched on the TV, and promptly shrieked.

Lucas and Chimchar were herding people away from the scene, allowing the Jenny's a safe passage through, when a flash of light caught his vision.

Turtwig was trying to pull Dawn away from the scene, nipping at her socks while the girl was frozen in place.

Golett was red, and shining a brilliant bluish light from his crevices.

"Wow, I didn't know you could do that!" Hilbert exclaimed, as his partner's arms turned into drills. "I was being metaphorical! But y'know, if you can do it…" He smirked.

"Golett!"

"No, he isn't!" Lucas froze, an expression of mild horror on his face. The two mega Pokemon were confused, slightly shaken out of their rage.

"Giga…"

The golems light began glowing brighter, the spiral on its stomach filling with willpower.

"Drill…"

Golett jumped in the air, blue jets forming under its feet, and his arms spinning. Ghostly energy solidified, like the spirit of man and Pokemon given form.

"BREAK!"

The golem surged forward, its entire front taking the form of a massive drill. It slammed into Tyranitar, cracking its plating, forcing it back a few feet, directly into Garchomp.

Both 'Mons were pinned, as the drill flew forward. They were stuck up against a giant machine that crackled with crimson energy.

There was an explosion, then an orange blast of smoke.

When the dust settled out of the air, there was a pile of unconscious Pokemon settled on top of a sputtering machine. Hilbert took one look at it, spotted what looked like a transmitter, and swung his foot into it.

Ow. But, it got the job done. Both psuedo-legendaries reverted to their normal forms in a white flash. He lifted Golett, now blue and yellow as always, before turning back to the crowd.

"Now, tell me, if you can." He inhaled. "WHO THE HELL AUTHORIZED THIS! I mean, seriously! In the middle of a city, no less! Everyone knows that you don't mind-control Pokemon with machines! Just use a Psychic-type for Arceus's sake!"

Still not a swear, but oh well.

"...Are you not concerned about the two mega-evolved Pokemon your partner just knocked out?" Asked Lucas, being closer than anyone else.

Hilbert turned back to them, looking at the dazed sleeping expression they had. "Nah, not really. I believe in the Golett that believes in me that believes in him, so I knew we could do it."

"...Wot?"

"It doesn't make much sense to me either." He walked out of the pile of wreckage, suddenly coming face-to-face with the director, red-faced from running up.

"You! You broke our machine! Do you know how many pounds of flesh the studio's going to take out of me for this?" The large man pointed a sweaty finger in his direction.

Hilbert looked lazily back at him, letting Golett rest on his shoulders. "For what it's worth, I hope you get fired." He left the man sputtering and walked off to find a Pokemon center, barely noticing Dawn and Lucas following up behind him.

A Magnezone floated down from the top of a building it had been hiding behind, and moved next to a crew woman.

"Please tell me you got all of that."

"DUDE! DUDE DUDE DUDE-"

Hilbert tiredly waved to Barry, as the excited blond boy ran out of the TV station, waving his arms in the air. "Hey, cut that out. My throat kinda hurts now."

"Dude! I know I joked about Golett being that thing, but he seriously-"

"Yeah, I know. Surprised me too, I just went along with it." His cross-transceiver started ringing. "Hold on, I gotta-"

"HILBERT!"

"Ah, hey, mom."

"You're not gone for one day- ONE- DAY!"

"What?"

"Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about- Fighting two dragons in the middle of the city-"

"What? How do you-" He saw Barry mime a weather reporter, getting the gist across. "Oh, I was on TV?"

"YES, you were on TV; DAWN!"

"Uh… Yes, ma'am?" Dawn squeezed her faze into frame on the communicator.

"I trusted you to keep my boy out of trouble!"

"Why'd you do that?"

"You seemed like the sensible one."

"Well… To tell you the truth, ma'am, we were trying to get everyone else away from there."

"Oh, you were? So it was all Hilby, is what you're saying."

"..." Dawn gave him some mercy, and didn't answer, shooting him a look of sympathy before his mom rounded back on him.

"You're not hurt, are you?"

"No, mom. Golett is a little exhausted, though."

"I can imagine. Do you need some money for potions? I can send it-"

"It's fine, they have a Pokemon Center around here."

"Well… Alright. But if you do anything like that again, I'm going to drag you back home if I have to!"

"Yes, ma'am. I'll talk to you later." She mercifully let him hang up the call.

He exhaled a sigh of relief, putting his hands on his knees, before looking up. "...What?"

"...Dude, your mom is scary."

Hilbert reclined on a futuristic couch in the Pokemon Center. Evidently that was the theme for most buildings, as the city was one of the biggest in Sinnoh, aside from maybe Veilstone. It seemed like everyone was taking a break, really. He didn't expect it would take too long for Golett to get better, but it felt like forever.

Someone tapped him on the shoulder. He looked up and saw Officer Jenny. They seem to have those everywhere, it was kinda weird.

"How can I help… Officer?" He said, stretching his back.

"If you wouldn't mind, could you come down to the station? We only have a few questions."

"Sure, no problem. Though, my mom might get mad if she hears I got arrested…" He said, his finishing words being spoken more to himself.

Jenny laughed. "I can't imagine a mother in the world who would like to hear that."

"This man says you destroyed the filming equipment for no good reason." Jenny gestured to the director, who was wiping his brow while lawyers crowded around him. "But we have multiple accounts of the Garchomp and Tyranitar going out of control and you stopping them beforehand. Anything for the record?"

"I did what I had to do. I mean, Golett did, but, y'know. The machine was what was making them go crazy like that, it's pretty obvious."

"That's not true!" Yelled the man, before his lawyers shushed him.

"They turned back to normal after I broke it by accident, so I think it was involved."

"By accident, you say?" Jenny asked, while writing something on a legal pad.

"Yeah, I didn't expect it to get so busted up."

"Alright then. Next topic of debate… The two Pokemon that were knocked out in question. Alakazam has told us that they'd like to travel with you."

Hilbert fell out of his seat. "What?"

"We've learned that their conditions are unpleasant, and looking at what happened… I'm inclined to believe them."

The director once again had to be hushed up by his lawyers.

"I… Well, I'd be happy to, if that's what they want. I'm sure the professor would like to take a look at them."

"Are you unable to take care of them?"

"No, see… I'm taking the gym challenge, and as much as I'd love to have two super cool Pokemon… It wouldn't feel earned, y'know? So yeah, send them over to Rowan's lab."

"Hm. Very well. We'll contact you if there's anything further, though looking at the evidence… I don't think you have anything to worry about," she said, smiling, and sent him on his way.

"No prob."

When he got back to the Pokemon Center, Dawn was holding Golett's hand while their couch was being crowded by other trainers. They all looked towards him, to the Golett, and back to him.

"Ah… Could you not bother my partner? He's kinda tired." He said, rubbing his head and standing in the doorway.

He was suddenly surrounded by people.

"How did you do that?"

"What kind of Pokemon is it? Can it evolve?"

"How long have you been training-"

"Hey!" Cried the nurse from behind the counter. "Stop blocking the entrance!"

Everyone muttered apologies before letting Hilbert through to his friends.

"About time you got back, Hilby." Barry bit into a sandwich while Piplup was demolishing a bag of berry chips.

"Couldn't help it," he said, sliding into his seat next to Golett.

Again, before he would blink, the couch opposite them was filled with trainers, intently staring at him.

"Okay, fine." He sighed, walking over to the other group, picking up Golett. He placed the golem on the center table and stood with his fists on his hips. "What do you guys want?"

There was a brief silence, before another explosion of questions.

"Alright, alright. I don't know, he's a Golett, I think he can, he's from Unova, and I arrived in the region yesterday."

There was another silence.

"Okay, fine, don't tell us the truth…" Muttered one of them, as the crowd quickly dissolved.

Hilbert sighed and went back to sit down.

"When did you get so popular?" Teased Dawn.

He pulled his hat over his eyes and crossed his arms. "Don't know, don't care. I'm taking a nap."

"What happened with those two other Pokemon anyway?" Barry asked.

"Oh, Officer Jenny said that they wanted to come with me."

"THEY WHAT?" Yelled Barry and Lucas in surprise.

Simultaneously, Dawn asked, much quieter, "Jenny's can speak to Pokemon?"

Answering the more polite of the three, Hilbert said, "No, but they have an Alakazam down at the station."

"Wait, wait, wait. A Garchomp and a Tyranitar wanted to join you. On the first day of your adventure?" Lucas asked, like his brain was broken.

"I guess."

"So, where are their balls?"

"Ah, see, I said no."

Lucas jumped forward and grabbed him by the collar. "YOU WHAT?"

"Chill out, I sent them to the professor."

"Why would you do that?" He said, still shocked.

"Well… It would be like cheating, wouldn't it? Plus, I don't have the gym badges to train Pokemon that powerful. I can get them back later if they really want me to."

"Agh…" Lucas sunk back into the couch, deflated.

"Let me take my nap, damn it."

When Professor Rowan woke up the next morning, he was surprised to find an email from the JPD in his 'URGENT' inbox. Seeing that they contained transmissions for Pokemon data, he let the uplink deliver them to his lab.

He was shocked into spilling his coffee when two fully evolved pseudo-legendaries with mega-stones appeared in the middle of his lab.

After reading the rest of the information in the email, he felt like he was going to go even further into shock.

The day after, when they were on their way out of Jubilife, Hilbert spotted a strange man in a trench coat moving from alley to alley, watching them.

He turned slightly, and whispered to Golett, "Hey, you know Phantom Force yet?"

Years ago, in a secret lab far into the sparse forests of Unova.

"Skill tutoring is going well, director." Said one of the scientists, watching a tube tied into Golett's eye.

"Good, good."

"Alright, beginning memory transfer- Wait. Wha-" The scientist was thrown across the room and into the wall with a sickening crack, as the golem disappeared from the tank and appeared at the scientist's side. Its eyes were glowing bright purple.

"You idiot! You taught it a teleporting move!" Yelled the director, before being attacked himself, shattering the tank of liquid as he was thrown through the air.

Liquid spread across wires, and as they made contact with a generator, through the blaring sirens, there was a blast, and then nothing more.

Golett looked up at him, blinked, and melted into the pavement.

There was a cry as the strange man was pelted onto the sidewalk.

Hilbert walked up to him and squatted down. "Whatcha doing following a bunch of kids around?"

The man looked embarrassed for a moment, before jumping up and shoving his hand into his pocket.

Before Hilbert could move, the man whipped out a-

International Police identification card.

"Ah. I'm not getting arrested, am I?" Hilbert held up his hands and stepped back. Golett reappeared behind him, holding up his arms in defense.

The man shook his head. "No, nothing like that. I must apologize, but you see, I'm an… Investigator, of sorts."

"Secret agent. Your name wouldn't happen to be Koichi Zenigata, would it?" Hilbert asked. Sure, he was no Lupin, but the comparison could stand. If this guy gained a few pounds of muscle, then sure, that would be a good costume.

"You… Aren't the first to make that assumption. However, I insist you refer to me as Looker."

"As in, 'spy', and not, 'look through people's windows at night'."

"Be polite to the policeman, Hilbert," chided Dawn

"Yeah, sure. Sorry, Looker. What's your deal?"

"I am on the lookout for any strange individuals. Such as yourself?"

"You calling me strange?"

"I saw you on the news recently, and I believed it worthy of my investigation."

"That's… Fair."

"In truth, my main mission is to be on the lookout for any member of Team Galactic."

"Team… Okay, catch me up on this, guys."

They didn't know either.

"It's a criminal organization," Looker explained. "And though their surface methods seem to be legal, my contacts tell me that they engage in unsavory practices, similar to Team Rocket."

"Team… Oh, wait, I actually have heard of them. Didn't they collapse or something?"

"There's very much conflicting information, but that's beside the point. If you have any information, please, feel free to get in contact." Looker grabbed his wrist, and tapped his cross-transceiver to Hilbert's. "I must be going. Farewell." The man ran for a minute, before jumping behind a lamp post and standing stock still.

"...Well, ignoring that… Is everyone ready to head off to Oreburgh?"

They were, and they stepped onto the trail.

"Hey wait, aren't we forgetting something?" Asked Barry, stopping to think for the first time in his life.

"..."

"..."

"Pokeballs?" Suggested Dawn.

"Pokeballs!"

They ran off, probably to spend all of their grant money from Professor Rowan.

The professor in question was sipping coffee while his assistant stroked the Tyranitar's spines. He was tapping out an instant message with one hand, trying to get in contact with Roark. Tyranitar was a Rock-type, after all, and that was the gym leader's field of expertise. Rowan wasn't all too familiar with Pokemon from other regions, but he guessed that Roark would have a clue.

"Where on earth did you get a Tyranitar, professor?"

"One of my assistants had it delivered after an incident in Jubilife."

"You're not talking about the disaster at the film-set, are you?"

"No, I am. He's a young man, taking the gym challenge, actually."

"And… His partner is a Ground-type, if I assume correctly."

"That's what I've been told."

"The same Ground-type that KO'ed two pseudo-legendaries."

"Yes."

Rowan sat back and chuckled at the gym leader's 'typing…' message popped on and off the screen.

"And he doesn't have any other gym badges?"

"None."

"My poor Cranidos…"

Chapter Text

A young man in a miner's jumpsuit sat on his throne and clasped his hands under his nose.

"Bring it on."

A Mid-Sinnoh Night's Dream - III - Pierce the Stone Edge With Your Drill!

After sufficiently stocking up on Pokeballs, potions, and whatever else they might need (Escape Ropes, at Dawn's suggestion), they headed down the trail for Mt. Coronet. They hoped to get through the region-dividing mountain in one day because luckily, the well-worn trail to Oreburgh was also the shortest.
As long as they didn't get lost, of course. Turtwig was at a disadvantage from all the Zubats that were hanging from the ceiling, so she hid in Dawn's bag.

Because of the sheer density of Geodudes, though, Barry decided to get some training in. Piplup, suffice to say, was going to decimate the next gym, if all the leader used were Rock and Ground-types.

Chimchar did well against the common Zubats, practicing Ember. He was more skilled with physical attacks, but he had trouble getting in range. Lucas kept talking about something called 'STAB' whenever he explained his methods.

Hilbert knew that using moves with the same typing was more powerful, but he didn't think it was terribly important.

There was apparently a settlement a while north, Alamos town, something or other, but seeing it didn't have a gym, Dawn was okay with going there afterward.

By the time they actually got out of the cave, Lucas had captured a Zubat, a Geodude, and just barely, an Onix.

Hilbert's thoughts on catching Pokemon were a little different.

"See, I know I should catch a ton of Pokemon, but… It'd be weird, you know? I can't treat all of them the same way I do Golett, so it would be a little unfair of me to make them feel underappreciated."

"Do you actually think that, or is raising them too much work?"

"Yes."

They emerged on an outdoor part of the mountain. It was a bit higher than where they entered, and looking around, they saw they had the same distance to go either way. They settled down to camp for the night.

Lucas was training Chimchar relentlessly, and the Fire-type went along with it, just as excited to get stronger.

Piplup had been doing the same thing, but when he got tired, hopped in Barry's bag and napped for the rest of the journey.

"Are you sure you ought to work him so hard?" Asked Hilbert, concerned. "He keeps getting pelted by rocks, doesn't that hurt?"

"He's trying to learn Mach Punch early," said Lucas, simply. "I told him about what Monferno's can do."

"Ah. So he's doing this on his own?"

"I think I'm the one holding him back, at this point. If he uses Pound enough times, then he'll get strong enough for a Mach Punch. So, he's practicing on Geodudes." As Lucas said that, another of the rocky Pokemon fell unconscious.

They emerged from the light at the end of the tunnel. Oreburgh was a bustling mining town, coal dust settled over the ground like a light snow. After quickly checking in at the Pokemon Center, they went to check out the gym. It was attached to the museum and built out of what looked like polished rocks and steel beams.

There was a sign on the door.

"Can't take challengers right now, checking out a Tyranitar for the professor."

"Are you kidding me?" Barry turned to Hilbert. "This is your fault, you know."

"How is it my fault?"

"You should have just taken the dragons with you."

"And curbstomp every gym without competition?"

"Yes! Well, maybe a little competition."

They split up to ask around, maybe find out when Roark would be back. Barry wandered off northward, having heard that there was a pond, and had really wanted to teach Piplup some new moves. Lucas investigated the museum, while Dawn went looking with Hilbert.

He heard they were allowed to train down in the mine, so the two of them (plus their Pokemon) headed on down for some power-grinding.

There were a lot of Machops. Like, a lot a lot. It was incredibly fortunate that Golett was a Ghost-type, and had his pick of methods to take the waves of Fighting-types down.

It was uncannily like the opening of that one show… The guy in a mustard suit and a cape punching things really hard? Shadow Punch did something a lot like that. One refused to go down, and citing a little encouragement from Dawn, he caught it. He wouldn't consider it his first catch, but… Golett didn't really count. So, Machop came with them.

"Oh, you have a Machop!" A woman ran up to him as he walked past, letting Machop get some fresh air.

Hilbert looked at her weirdly, looked at everyone else in town who had a Machop, which was most of them, then looked back at her.

"...Yes?"

"Wait, um, I have an Abra! Would you like to trade?"

Hilbert considered the question, before turning to his first catch. He kneeled next to the Fighting-type and pointed from him to the woman. The biped shrugged, and walked over to her. The woman handed him a Pokeball and walked off with her new Pokemon beside her, both waving.

After she walked off, Hilbert let it out of its ball.

"For Arceus's sake, let me sleep, woman!- Wait, you're not her. Thank Arceus, did she finally get rid of me?"

"Yes- Wait, you're talking in my head."

"It's a downside of being telepathic. Especially around Hilary, her thoughts are just so loud. How desperate was she?"

"Excuse me?"

"What did she trade me for, a Roselia?"

"Machop, actually."

"A Machop."

"Yep."

"In Oreburgh."

"Mhm."

"Where Machops are the most common Pokemon?"

"Sounds about right."

"Sounds like I did a good job annoying her."

"...What exactly did you do?"

"Like I said, her thoughts are loud. I made her start hearing everyone else's, to maybe get her to take a hint."

"Great. My second Pokemon is a sociopath."

"It's a common theme with psychics, I'd get used to it. Can I go back to sleep?"

Dawn watched the conversation, and not being able to hear the mental interplay, stifled a giggle at Hilbert's responses.

The next day, they met back up at the Pokemon Center. Barry had picked up a fishing rod at some point, while Lucas had caught a few more Pokemon, and said Chimchar was getting faster.

Roark was back at the gym, and greeted them when they entered.

"Hello, challengers. All not competing, please go ahead to the stadium's seating."

Dawn nodded, and climbed some stairs to the upper walkways.

"This gym's challenge is to measure your maneuverability on rocky terrain. Being able to scale Mt. Coronet is a sure sign of a trainer's strength, as well as their Pokemons'. As such, you will be required to do this challenge with at least one competing Pokemon outside of their Pokeball." He gestured to the big pile of rocks and rubble in between them and the far wall of the building. A huge dinosaur-like Pokemon appeared outside of its ball. "Rampardos, please use Stone Edge."

The rocks rumbled and scattered gravel as the terrain shifted, old paths disappearing and new paths opening up.

"I'd ask you to take it one at a time. I believe all of you only have one gym badge?" Roark asked, looking at the three new trainers. "Right. Kid with the Golett, you go last."

"Huh?"

"Do as I say. Blond with the Piplup, go ahead. Everyone else, proceed to the stadium."

Lucas handed him and Dawn some freshwaters as he sat down next to him in the stands. Barry's challenge had started ten minutes ago, and he was slowly getting over the last hurdle. Piplup was precariously standing on his head, balancing and directing him with his flippers.

Hilbert imagined it hurt when Barry fell flat on his face. Not that that would stop the boy, as he jumped straight back up, rubbed his nose, and took up a heroic pose, pointing at the ceiling.

"It's spreading…" Muttered Lucas, glancing at him and Golett.

Roark clapped briefly. "Good job. Not terribly slow, though the spirit of the challenge is to work alongside your Pokemon rather than completely depending on them, and vice verse."

"I tried to tell him that, but his legs are too short!" He whined, throwing the Water-type off his head and towards the arena.

"Alright then, let's get started! Geodude!" The rock-like Rock-type appeared in a bolt of light.

"Piplup, Withdraw!"

A globe of water surged around the penguin's body, before solidifying like a second-skin.

"Boosting your defense? That's a nice try. Stealth Rock, Geodude!"

Geodude spun, spitting rocks into the air, setting floating hazards in the air around them.

Piplup looked between all of the rocks, careful to not walk into them.

"Keep your distance, use Bubble until it falls over!"

The Geodude could dodge, sure, but after the fourth stream of water, he slipped up and took the beam straight to his body, getting sprayed into the wall and falling over unconscious.

"Next Pokemon!"

Piplup was quickly switched out for…

A Starly.

"Damn it, Barry…" Hilbert and Lucas pinched the bridge of their noses simultaneously, though only the former said anything.

"Onix!"

That went as well as you would think it would. Barry recalled the Flying-type from under a pile of rocks.

"Last Pokemon, challenger! This is the deciding round!" There were scattered cheers from the stand. Hilbert was making a show of whooping and also calling him an idiot for bringing a bird to a rock fight.

"Machop!"

"Cranidos!"

The Fighting-type took up a pose, holding out his hands ready to chop, as you may guess.

The smaller dinosaur scratched its claws against the ground.

"Headbutt!" Cranidos charged straight forwards.

"Use Low Kick!"

Now, Barry may not have been the smartest guy, but he must have known something about gravity, as the point of Low Kick was that it did more damage the heavier its target was. Hence, Low Kick did more damage than Karate Chop would have.

It was a strange form though, as the Machop simply jumped aside at the last moment and left his leg sticking out to trip up the dinosaur.

"Now, Karate Chop!"

The combined super-effective attacks were too much for the Rock-type, and it was knocked out with its skull half stuck into the ground.

"Congratulations. Coal badge is yours, pick it up at the counter when you leave." Roark nodded and watched Barry leave. "Kid with the Chimchar, you're up next! Start whenever you're ready."

Lucas had a little less trouble with getting over the obstacles. Chimchar actually climbed over them himself, having opposable thumbs and all, so they made it in little less time.

"You know the drill, if you were paying attention. Geodude!"

"Just checking, do you use the same order of Pokemon for all of your battles?"

"The league has a thing for dramatics, they like it when you use your most powerful Pokemon last."

"Alright then. Geodude!"

From there, it quickly became a battle of endurance. They whittled down each other's health until they were both about to faint.

"Geodude," Lucas said, calmly. "Self-destruct."

"You taught a Geodude how to-"

Roark was cut off by the explosion of rocks.

"That could have gone either way. So, I put it to a draw, to increase my odds."

"...You do realize this means you have to win the next two matches, right?"

"Nope. League rules certify that if it comes to a draw at the end, the win goes to the challenger. For gym battles, at least. Probably doesn't work that way for the conferences-"

"Whatever, kid. Send out your next Pokemon." Roark looked frustrated by the fact he'd probably have to give up a gym badge because of a technicality. "Onix!"

"I noticed that your Cranidos didn't use any Rock-type moves. Now, I'm not willing to bet my badge on that, so I'm not factoring it in-"

"Next- Pokemon!"

"Ah, alright. Geodude."

"You have got to be-"

"Self-destruct."

Another explosion of rocks deafened the arena.

"Okay, there have just got to be some rules about that."

"In your words, next Pokemon."

Hilbert got the distinct feeling that Lucas was enjoying this a little too much.

"Cranidos!"

"Monferno." He sent out Chimchar.

"That's a-"

"Hey, catch." The monkey turned towards its trainer and caught a tiny blue object before popping it in its mouth. The was a white glow, and the body of Fire-type changed into a larger, stronger Pokemon.

"There has got to be-"

"Mach Punch." Lucas had an uncharacteristically devilish smirk on his face.

After lugging his Pokemon out of the far wall, Roark regarded Lucas.

"Okay, by technicality of League rules, you win, but you're missing the spirit of the thing. Grab your badge when you leave, and just… Leave, please. I need to repair this floor." He turned and looked into the stands, scanning it for Hilbert. "Kid with the Golett, you're the last challenger. If you pull anything like this kid did, I'm going to tell Professor Rowan just where he can shove your Tyranitar."

Hilbert stood at the pile of rocks, with Golett by his side. Sure, he could use Abra, but the Psychic-type was too lazy to learn any actual moves. Besides maybe a mind-melting attack, but that would be as bad as a Blast Burn directly to the frontal lobe.

"So… Is your drill going to make an appearance?"

The other three were sitting in the stands, waiting. Lucas had sent his Geodudes off to the professor, as he hadn't intended on using them for anything but exploiting the rules.

A very familiar voice echoed across the gym from the other side of the blockage of earth.

"Listen to me, Golett. If there's a wall in our way, then we smash it down!"

A faint cry from Golett traveled through as well.

"Arceus…" Lucas facepalmed, and started tuning out the speech that was sure to follow.

"If there isn't a path, then we carve one ourselves!"

Another one of Golett's clunking sounds, but somehow the Ghost-type came across as enthusiastic.

"Is this going to become a recurring theme?" Dawn asked rhetorically.

"The magma of our souls burns with a mighty flame!"

Another cry, this time accompanied by the sounds of earth and metal shifting into place.

"I'm going to take cover." Barry and Piplup ducked beneath the wall protecting the stands, just barely peeking over the tops.

"Just who in the hell…"

Roark took a step back, suddenly remembering a similar speech from the news reports.

A massive whirring echoed out, as a plume of dust rose from the opposite side of the room. Rocks could be heard falling and cracking, even as they were hidden from sight. Earth exploded outward, forming a fresh layer of gravel on the battlefield.

As the dust settled, two figures approached. Hilbert walked through the cloud, tucking his hat over his eyes, smirking, while a crimson Golett walked alongside him.

"...DO YOU THINK WE ARE!"

In the stands, a talent scout and his Magnezone eagerly recorded the scene. They were from a certain film company (who was then taking major PR hits because of how terribly they did with their outsourcing), and had just decided that if they could get the rights to make a live-action Gurren Lagann movie with Pokemon, starring this kid's Golett? The profits would just skyrocket, he could see it.

Roark regarded the trainer standing before him as the dust settled.

"You know, just for that, I should disqualify you for missing the point of the challenge, but…"

"But?"

"Well, even I have to admit it was pretty cool." Roark shrugged. "Say, how many Pokemon do you have?"

"One."

"I see two Pokeballs on your belt."

"Abra's asleep and doesn't know any offensive moves."

"I see… Then you won't object if I use only one Pokemon as well?"

"...Sure?"

"And of course, considering how powerful yours is, you wouldn't mind if I used one of my personal Pokemon, would you?"

"Well… I can't really object. As long as I get the badge, I don't mind."

"Alright then. Rampardos!"

A massive, blue, armored dinosaur slammed onto the field in a flash of light.

If Golett needed to wear pants, he would wish they were brown.

"Head Smash!"

"Iron Defense!"

Golett's armor flashed a metallic sheen, just in time for it to get thrown into the pile of rocks behind him, kicking up another cloud of dust.

"You alright?"

A bleep from Golett gave him an affirmative. Or a swear that couldn't be aired on television, take your pick.

"Alright, use Phantom Slam!"

That confused Roark again. "You mean Phantom Force?"

Hilbert grinned. "Nope." And pointed up.

Golett melted outwards from a shadow in the rafters, turned a shiny gray, and dropped straight down, full body, onto Rampardos' ringed skull.

Rolling away from the newly formed dusk cloud, Golett picked himself up from the fall and moved back in front of Hilbert.

"Rampardos!" Yelled Roark. "Kid, did you just make up a new move?"

"See, Golett, somehow, knows Phantom Force and Heavy Slam. Now, I'm pretty sure Rock-types are weak against Steel-type attacks. Teleporting to a high ceiling, falling, and using a Heavy Slam at the same time? That's devastating even without STAB. Or whatever it's called." He stopped talking as the dust finally cleared, and Rampardos stood, only looking slightly fatigued, and revving its legs.

"Earthquake!"

Rampardos somehow jumped into the air and slammed back down, cracking the ground and throwing them all off their feet.

Unbeknownst to either of them, all of this damage to the rocks and earth surrounding it was having a certain effect on the gym's engineering.

Golett was thrown from shifting plates of earth, directly in the Rock-types path.

"Finish it now! Use Pursuit!"

"Dodge it-" Hilbery cried, right before being cut off by another concussive wave of force.

Him and Roark moved their arms down from their eyes, and were awestruck.

Golett had somehow managed to catch Rampardos' skull. With his fist.

It wasn't just any punch though. Energy spheres appeared on the Rock-type's skin, and started flowing through the golem's arm. With every passing moment, Rampardos looked weaker and weaker.

"Dr- Drain Punch? Where the hell did you find this thing, kid?" Roark was amazed, as his Pokemon finally broke off the contact and jumped back. They were both on opposite sides of the arena, backs to the opposing trainers.

Golett looked fatigued, but not nearly as much as the Head Butt Pokemon. Rampardos panted, angrily watching Golett with a burning gaze.

"I really couldn't tell you," Hilbert shrugged, pointing at the gym leader and his partner. "I was like, ten at the time. Now, Golett! Take him down!"

"Go-go-go-go-go-" The golem reared back, his lights receding and pulsating with his chant.

"Quick, Crunch! It's now or never! He can't block both sides of your mouth!"

The Rock-type charged, his maw crackling with dark energy.

Golett placed his fist against his vertical palm, his body and soul glowing a brilliant white, and ended his chant.

I don't need to block you.

In the name of my freedom, my purpose, and he who has given it to me, begone!

Focus Blast!

There was a commotion in Oreburgh's bustling cultural center, as Roark's Rampardos was rocketed through the gym's walls and was sent flying through the open street, knocking over loose wheelbarrows and quickly-evacuated vendor stands. The Rock-type's unconscious body carved a trail ten meters long before finally skidding to a stop.

There was now a hole, ten-feet in diameter, in the wall of the gym. Part of the ceiling had fallen in as well, and the entire side started collapsing into cobblestones and gravely chunks. There was soon more rock dust in the air then many of the children of the city had ever seen before.

Many went over to investigate. While the front of the gym was completely decimated, the other half, featuring the stadium, didn't seem to be faring much better. The ceiling and walls were still standing, and luckily the seating was entirely untouched, but there was a massive pile of rocks inside the stadium proper.

Hilbert pulled Golett out from a small heap of rubble a moment later, shaking the golem's hand and laughing.

Roark was standing at the leader's podium, in total shock.

The scattered audience was in a similar state as well. The talent scout had dropped his audio recorder, while his Magnezone's attached camera dropped with an audible 'clunk'.

Lucas, Barry, and Dawn were staring at the destruction.

Piplup was clearly wondering how to perform a similar feat with a drill made of water, Turtwig was barking happily, and Monferno was imitating Lucas, also trying to get a better look.

"Hey, does that count as a win, Roark?" He held out Golett, who barely managed to hold up his right arm and whir his drill.

A sudden silence boomed.

Before being completely drowned out by a massive cheer.

People shot out of their seats, amazed at the win Hilbert pulled out of his hat, like magic. Gym leader Roark's Battle Frontier-worthy Rampardos, his oldest partner, had been beaten out by a challenger without a single gym badge!

Lucas couldn't help but clap, while Barry had to keep himself from jumping over the edge while whooping in celebration.

Dawn muttered something about 'boys', before standing up and joining in on the applause as well.

"My… Arceus!" Roark rubbed at his head, not even noticing how he knocked off his mining helmet. "Congratulations, Black! You win this Coal Badge!" He pulled a black pin out of his jumpsuit's thigh pocket, and tossed it to Hilbert. "Gardenia doesn't stand a chance! I thought I'd have it okay, but you- Your Golett, he's something else! I'm lucky he's not native to Sinnoh!" He laughed, shocked tears at the corner of his eyes. They weren't sad tears, but all of that dust in the air was making his pupils watery.

"Thanks!" He shook off his jacket, wiping the charcoal away to pin his first badge on his breast pocket. The obsidian-black chunks glittered against the dirty, filtered light.

Because he made such an impression, Roark took them out to dinner while the gym was being repaired.

In his words, "We don't keep all of those Machops around for nothin'."

He was about a decade older than them, and his old man was the gym leader up in Canalave. He didn't elaborate much more than that, as apparently, "Giving this guy any more of an edge would just be a nightmare."

As you might be able to tell, Roark was the only one of them legally allowed to drink al- Vacation Juice, oops.

"I mean, seriously kid, how'd you get him to do all that stuff?" They were sitting at one of the finer restaurants in the mining town, a brick-oven pizza place employing, you guessed it, Machops. Them and their partners were all sat at the table, though Turtwig had to get another chair pulled up to eat from a bowl.

Golett looked from Roark to Hilbert.

"I really don't know. I looked up what moves Golett's can learn a while back, and guessed he could use them. I didn't expect him to be able to use them, really"

Golett punched him in the arm, annoyed and offended.

"Ow! That's gonna be a bruise." He rubbed his arm absentmindedly, before shaking his head.

His cross-transceiver started ringing.

Everyone who knew what was coming felt a certain feeling of dread settling over the table as he let it ring.

"...Shouldn't you get that?" Asked the gym leader, putting down his glass.

"Yeah… I'll be right back." He barely managed to get out the door and answer in time for the call to pick up. Even through the glass, they all heard yelling from the other end.

"Hilbert!"

"Hey, mom."

Her volume dropped, though her fierceness still carried over.

"You didn't even wait a week!"

"Was it really that bad?"

"You wrecked half of that gym! You better apologize, young man, or-"

"It's fine, Roark took us out for dinner. The Machops around here like exercising, they were happy to repair it."

Her tone relaxed. "...I see. How is everyone doing?"

"We all won our challenges. Barry got two wins, Lucas exploited the rules about ties, and I… You know."

"You're darn right I know."

"Yeah, sorry."

"..."

"..."

"...Shouldn't you be telling me you won't do it again?"

"A man never makes a promise he can't keep, goodnight, mom!" He said, quickly hanging up.

She didn't call back, though she was probably opening her own bottle of Vacation Juice back home.

They actually stuck around Oreburgh for a while. Barry could swear Piplup was going to evolve some time soon, but he learned just attacking the same Pokemon in the mines wouldn't actually make him stronger, so gave up, and started training his Starly instead. He'd actually remembered the typing of the next gym, which was grass, and planned to use Starly as his ace. Piplup was unfortunately going to sit out, though he insisted that Peck would do the job.

See, the funny thing was that Abra couldn't communicate the words of other Pokemon, as his psychic powers weren't strong enough yet, but he could get the basic feelings across. It didn't work for Golett though, seeming to be a side-effect of his Ghost-typing.

Roark told them that Alamos town, their planned detour, was only accessible through the massive lake, and the city hadn't given permission for outsiders to set up docks. So, Unless Golett got a lot bigger and knew Surf, they were stuck on the main road.

Dawn was disappointed, but shook it off, looking back to her map of contest hall locations.

Soon enough, they were back on the road. It was the most annoying thing, the ramp that led to Route 207 was only accessible with bikes, something none of them had. It was too steep for them to scale otherwise.

"Don't Abras inherently know Teleport? Can't he just… Y'know, put us up there?" Lucas said, holding out his arms at the top of the hill.

The Psychic-type appeared outside of his ball, his eyes still closed.

"Unless you've been there before, I can't get a clear view of where I'm supposed to be Teleporting. I'm flattered that you would believe in my skills though. Would you like to hear your own thoughts echoed as a reward?"

"Eh… I'll pass, but thanks for the offer."

"Shame."

"Wait, doesn't that mean you can teleport us to Jubilife?"

In the blink of an eye, they appeared a few feet over the sidewalk in the city, and fell onto the ground in a heap.

"Think of the same place next time, you gave me a headache.." Abra telegraphed to them, moving an arm to its temple and shooting back into its ball.

Hilbert swore he could hear the Psychic-type snoring through the Pokeball.

Well, it was a bit hard to hear through all the groaning.

He spotted Looker doing his thing again, this time dashing between street lights and acting like they hid him. He sighed, pointed at Golett, pointed at where Looker was currently hiding, sat back and watched.

"Oof!" The man in the brown trench-coat fell over as Golett hit him with an incredibly weakened Phantom Force.

"What's up, Looker?" He helped the officer up, letting the others watch at a distance.

"Ah. It is good to meet you again. I saw something that peaked my interest on the news, recently-"

"Involving Oreburgh gym?"

"Involving Oreburgh gym."

"Yeah, that was me and Golett. Anything else?"

"Yes, actually. I wished to warn you. My sources tell me that this news has piqued a portion of Team Galactic's interest."

"And those are… The bad guys, right?"

"Yes, I advise you to watch yourself. Farewell." The man did several complicated ninja hand gestures, and instead of disappearing in a puff of smoke or replacing his body with a log, turned on his heel and quickly ran down the street.

"That guy's interesting, huh?" Joked Barry, before dragging their attention back to leaving town.

They got annoyed by some corporate guy on their way out, who asked them in they wanted a cross-transceiver (Also known as the Poketch Mk. 2 in Sinnoh), as a marketing promotion. The brand was just getting its foothold in the rural region, so they were just giving them away.

At least they'd be able to keep in contact, Hilbert thought, shrugging. They all exchanged numbers and headed north.

Where again, there was another interruption.

Professor Rowan was being harassed by some weirdos in futuristic jumpsuits.

"Come on now, professor. It wouldn't do for you to not hand over your research. Who knows what accident may befall you if you don't?" One of the weirdos in the crowd held out his hand and made a grabbing gesture.

The professor spotted them, and waved, ignoring the situation he was in.

"Ah, you four! How are you? Making progress on your registration?"

"Don't ignore us, old fool!"

"Ah, yeah. What's got you up here?" Hilbert, thinking it would be funny, walked up to the group and cheerily shook the old man's hand.

"Who are you supposed to be?"

"Oh, well, you know, this and that. I trust you are well?"

"Never better."

"Fantastic, you see, I was hoping to speak with Roark. One of your… Newer partners needed assistance, and I thought I should give these old bones a trek." Rowan held out a Pokeball, eyes glinting.

Hilbert took the ball, nodding almost imperceptibly. "But who are your friends, professor?" He asked, almost jokingly.

"Oh? These ruffians? Why, I have no clue! They walked up and demanded my research, though I can't imagine why."

"Hey! Are you disrespecting Team Galactic?"

"Oh, you guys are Team Galactic… Yeah, sorry if I don't pee myself in fear," Hilbert shrugged, making sure Golett was still behind him.

"I'll make you eat those words!" The lead grunt's Pokemon exploded out of its ball, a Golbat. Behind him, at least seven other grunts released theirs as well.

"Golbat, use-"

"Phantom Force." Hilbert said, nonchalantly facing down the gaping maw of the bat.

"What are-" The grunt suddenly fell over, as did his assistant, as a few hundred pounds of living rock dropped out of the air, planting them both in the ground.

"Time for a test run. Professor, you ought to step back," he said, ignoring the cries of outrage, and the beginning of some attacks. "Tyranitar."

A massive Rock-type, nearly twice his height, appeared behind him, and let loose a roar that would be befitting of a truly Legendary Pokemon.

Some of the grunts had the intelligent idea to turn tail and run. In his periphery, he saw Looker tackling them to the ground, handcuffing them, and jumping to the next in the blink of an eye.

It seemed like he was actually competent. Not at sneaking, obviously, but still.

There were four grunts left, though they looked hesitant to be there.

"Bury them. Nonlethally, please."

The pseudo-legendary roared in response, before it stomped the ground. A weakened version of Stone Edge rocketed out of the concrete, surrounded the grunts in moments, and hit their Pokemon. Zubats and Golbats do not take Rock-type attacks well, to say the least.

Looker walked up, throwing one of the grunts over his Arcanine, and letting his Greninja carry the other two.

"I'll have the local Jenny's take care of this one." Looker nodded to him. "Thanks for the help."

"Yeah, no problem. Gotta help out the old man, right?" Hilbert said, slapping Rowan on the back.

Ow.

His hand started throbbing. That old man was stronger than he looked.

"I appreciate your assistance. Would you like to take both of your charges at this time?" Rowan held out another Pokeball.

"I'd honestly prefer to take neither. Again, I don't want to be unfair." He reached up to Tyranitar's shoulder, which was more like his collarbone, even on the tips of his toes. "Sorry. Thanks for the help though."

The Rock-type growled in understanding, nodding.

"Can you do me a favor and take care of the Professor for me?"

It growled again, bowing its head.

"Thanks. When I get enough badges, I'll let you guys come along with me, alright? Give it a few months." He patted the massive Pokemon again, smiling.

Still seeming disappointed, it bowed for the last time, before returning to its ball.

Hilbert handed it off to Rowan, before walking off. Dawn, Barry, and Lucas quickly caught up behind, and slowly started getting used to dealing with him.

Chapter Text

The Legend of Nature, the protector of all Flora and Fauna, the Sky Warrior.

Those were the names held by the Pokemon, that was gently laying on a branch of one of the tallest trees in the forests of Sinnoh.

Its ears perked up, almost imperceptibly, as it felt a strange aura on the horizon.

A Mid-Sinnoh Night's Dream - IV - Natural Gift

They got out of the forest days later, tired, hungry, and cold.

Luckily, they stumbled straight into Floaroma town, the village of flowers. A villager spotted them and quickly came up to help.

A homebody type of woman, blue overalls and a pink sweater, holding a flower bouquet in one hand while supporting Dawn with her other.

"This happens too darn much. Travelers thinking that just because it's north of Jubilife, there ain't no issues." The woman murmured, letting them follow behind her to a house.

Starly perched on Turtwig's back, pecking the last of the twigs out of its feather. Her and Chimchar had dealt with most of the bugs they encountered in the forest, before Lucas managed to catch them. Barry wasn't interested in Bug-types, and Hilbert didn't really feel a pull towards any of them, so they left it to their resident try-hard.

"Thanks for the help, we really didn't expect that." Hilbert gratefully took a Fresh Water and gulped half of it down in one swig.

"It's not your fault, there just ain't enough signage 'round those parts." The woman shook her head.

"Are there any inns around here, Mrs. McKonelly? Hotels, I mean." The woman had introduced herself and her husband as, you guessed it, flower farmers.

"Oh, no, Floaroma don't have enough travelers for that sorta thing. You're all welcome to stay here for a few nights."

"Really?" Dawn seemed surprised.

"It's no trouble, really. Our kids aren't around very often, off traveling through Kanto and Johto and such…" She looked briefly sad, but shook it off. "So stay as long as you like! Well, with a purchase of flowers, maybe?"

Hilbert chose not to mention the logistics of trying to sell flowers in a town known for having widely available flowers you could pick just about anywhere.

"Thank you for your kindness." Dawn bowed, quickly smacking Hilbert on the back of his head to take the hint.

He bowed too, as did Lucas and Barry, fearing an angry woman's wrath.

Golett chose to as well, eliciting a chuckle from the kindly middle-aged woman.

"Auntie! Auntie!" A little girl ran up to Mrs. McKonelly the next morning, crying her eyes out, and clutched at the woman's overalls.

"Aw, what is it, sweetheart? Did you get stung by a Combee again?"

"No, Auntie! A lot of mean people came to the windmill!"

"What do you mean, mean people?" She crouched over to wipe the little girl's tears away.

"Some mean people in weird suits went in there and locked the door! I heard Daddy yelling!" She cried.

Hilbert jumped to alert, turning in the direction the girl came from.

Dawn put a hand on his shoulder. "Wait. We should let the police handle this."

"There aren't any police around here. That sounds like Team Galactic, and if they're doing something, I'm going to check it out." He held his cross-transceiver up to his ear after tapping in a number.

"Hilbert? How are you, do you need something?"

"Do you have one of those PC uplinks? One that I can access from my cross-transceiver?"

"I haven't invested in one quite yet, I haven't needed to. Is there an issue?"

"Team Galactic is doing something, and I'd like to have backup."

"Again? So soon?"

"Yes, I'm in Floaroma town."

"Would you mind picking some flowers for me, while you're there? I hear that Gracidea flowers grow rarely-"

"Professor, I'd hate to be rude, but that is NOT the issue right now."

"Well, I'm sorry, but if there isn't a PC box nearby, I can't do much for you."

"Ah! Fine! Abra, Teleport!"

"You have an Ab-" The good professor was cut off as Hilbert fell from the ceiling, Golett landing on top of him, and an Abra slowly floating down on top.

"Well, this is a surprise."

"Pokemon. Need 'em." He held out his hand, gesturing for the balls, from the bottom of the pile.
Rowan sighed and grabbed them out of his desktop PC transmitter, before putting them in Hilbert's outstretched hand.

"Thanks. Abra-" They were gone as fast as they arrived.

Rowan sipped some coffee as one of his assistants burst through the door.

"Sir! I heard a large crash! Did Garchomp go looking for Hilbert again?"

"No, nothing like that. I don't think we'll have issues like that for a while." He took another sip. "Though, please make a note. If those kids end up on the news again, please block any voicemails from Johanna for a few days. I think I almost needed my hearing aids after she finished her last call."

Hilbert landed on Lucas and Barry after being teleported back to where he was standing. They got out of the pileup relatively quickly though, straightening themselves out.

"So, I'm going to lead with these two, and… Well, I didn't actually think too far ahead. If there starts being a major issue, they'll be our last resort."

"Since when is it our responsibility to deal with terrorists?"

"Since I decided it would be a fun way to spend an afternoon. Come on, let's go." They turned and ran off towards the windmills.

"Let us through."

"You're not members of Team Galactic, scram." The man in the jumpsuit guarding the door sneered.

Tyranitar and Garchomp let themselves out, imposing over the both of them from behind Hilbert's back.

"Let us through."

"Uh… Yeah, sure thing…" The grunt quickly dropped the key and ran off.

Hilbert picked it up and wiped some dirt off of its rusty finish.

"...Dude, what would you have done if he didn't drop the key?"

He stopped short of putting the key in the lock. "I probably would've had Golett use Phantom Force to sneak under the door's crack."

"...You're scary, sometimes, man. It's cool, but kinda freaky." Barry couldn't take his eyes off of the massive pseudo-legendaries behind Hilbert.

"Whatever works. There's a little girl scared to death for her father, and you think Golett would let me let that slide?"

"You're more scared of your partner than an evil team?"

"Aren't you?" He clicked open the door.

On the top floor of the Valley Windworks, grunts were pushing around a scientist, while one of Team Galactic's three- No, four commanders crossed her arms and made her demands.

"Listen, Mr. Vastimosa, all you have to do is give us the codes to unlock the power conduits, it's not like we're asking you to sacrifice your life's work or anything."

"That's exactly what you're doing!"

"Details, details, bah. In our new world there will be no need for such things, do you hear me- What was that?"

An ominous roar echoed up the stairs and down the corridor towards them.

"Ah, a Tyranitar?" The newest commander, Charon, adjusted his glasses. "I had no idea one of our new recruits had such a Pokemon." He could tell what species it was by just the cry.

"But why would they be using it-"

A massive plume of dust flew out of the stairwell, nearly a dozen feet out. Luckily, most of their team members were at the opposite side of the building.

A teenage boy walked out of the dust, clearing the air with his cap and shaking his hair out. "I think I overestimated these guys. I think Lucas could've done this on his own."

"...I'm not sure if I should feel insulted by that." A boy in a red cap followed, a slight flame flickering behind him.

"Anyway, I think the Sandstorm was a teeny bit overkill, man." A blond kid walked out as well.

"Who are you?" Shouted Mars, as the dust cleared.

"Who are we? Well, that's obvious, isn't it?" He put his cap back on and readjusted the strap.

"You Probably Don't Know How Things Work Around Here, So Let Me Fill You In."

"Neither do you…" Lucas muttered.

"I Am He Who Fights Monsters. The Trainer That Battles Other Trainers, And The Pokemedic Of The Soul."

Golett stepped in front of him and whirred his drill.

A look of realization crossed the grunts' faces, and the two Commanders had the slightest look of surprise.

"Guess Which One I Am Today-" He tried to ask, before being slapped upside the head by Barry.

"That's enough of that."

"Ugh, fine." He rubbed the back of his head, fixing his hat at the same time. He looked up at the grunts.

"Listen up! We're Team Black, and I'm its badass leader, the mighty trainer, Black! Our reputation echoes far and wide-"

Slap.

"Get on with it."

"Okay, okay." He recovered from the second smack and readjusted his cap again, before standing up straight. "We're going to be kicking your asses today, if you don't mind."

"What the- Are you ill? I'd feel a little guilty for beating up on someone who's mentally deficient." Mars cocked a hand on her hip as she tossed a Pokeball up and down with the other.

Lucas sighed. "No, he's just like that. And it works, somehow. I'd recommend getting out before Golett puts a hole in the wall."

"Commander, that's the guy that collapsed the Oreburgh gym!" Yelled one of the grunts, edging towards one of the windows.

"I know that, dimwit." She looked over his shoulder. "Where's that Tyranitar I heard earlier?"

"He's guarding the first floor."

"I could've sworn I heard a Garchomp as well…" Muttered the old man, tapping the frame of his glasses near his ear.

"Oh, you did." He looked past all of them, out the window behind them. His focus turned to the hostage scientist. "Sorry, sir. If you're not aware, Team Galactic is under investigation by the International Police."

"I can assume so! Is my daughter alright?"

"Yeah, Mrs. McKonelly is taking care of her right now. Anyway, you don't mind a little property damage, do you? I'm sure Interpol will pay for the damages."

"...Do what you must." The scientist huddled low to the ground and covered his ears.

"Right then. Garchomp! False Swipe!"

Too little too late, the grunts turned towards the opposite wall in time for it to be sliced through horizontally, sliding it off onto the ground.

The Dragon-type hung in the hole in the wall, claws pierced through the ceiling, hanging on the roof for grip, and its feet on the newly opened floor. Wind whipped through the room, sending paper scattering. Glass from the sheared-off windows peppered the ground below.

"Wow. What's a kid like you doing with two Pokemon like that?" Mars seemed impressed, barely looking over her shoulder, simply pointing a thumb back at the newly opened balcony.

"I don't know either, it just kinda happened." Hilbert shook his head, posing with his arms crossed. "Listen up. You can either walk away... Or I walk on your face-"

A Hyper Beam from the Commander's Purugly flew over his shoulder.

"Okay then, option two." He ducked, running behind cover. "Garchomp, False Swipe! Knock out these wackjobs! Golett, use Drain Punch on the Purugly! Team Black- RIP AND TEAR!"

"...Until it's done?" Asked Lucas, confused, before he was tugged behind cover by Barry.

Monferno joined in the battle against Purugly, using Mach Punch to keep it off balance long enough for Golett to get in range.

He was a short Pokemon, and he was made of rocks. Not the speediest.

Garchomp was doing its duty well, knocking out Zubats left and right, before using False Swipe on anyone who got too close, not seriously hurting them, but soundly incapacitating them. The pseudo-legendary still couldn't fit in the building, so they had to start clearing the corridor. Piplup was shooting Water Guns at any upright grunts, pushing them towards the hole in the wall, and making them feel a bit more slippery.

The other Commander, Charon, had a strange orange thing covered in electricity dancing on his palms, attempting to use electric moves on Piplup, Monferno, and Starly, who was shooting Gusts in an attempt to aid Piplup.

Eventually, Purugly finally fell into a heap, and Mars was forced to recall her ace.

Charon tutted his words. "Bested by a child…"

"Shut it, old man. We have to go."

"But where? Do not worry, for the genius, Charon, has your answer!" A Ralts appeared in a flash of light, out of its Pokeball.

"No! Golett, Focus Blast!" Hilbert yelled, desperately trying to keep them from doing exactly what he would do in their situation. The golem started glowing and began his chant.

"Go-go-go-go-go-go-go-go-go-go-go-"

In the name of my freedom, my purpose, and he who has given it to me.

In the name of those who are weak, have become weak, and those who would protect them, begone!

"Ralts, Teleport us away from this mess!" In the blink of an eye, the two commanders were gone, and Golett's move hit nothing but the portion of the far wall that was left.

"Damn!" Hilbert swore, kicking up a puddle.

Garchomp looked at him curiously, tilting its head.

He only then realized the state of the room. Sure, ignoring the giant puddle, soaked papers everywhere, and that big hole in the wall…

All of the grunts had been left behind. They were still breathing, clearly, but none of them could gather the energy to move. Per the use of False Swipes.

The previously-hostage scientist shakily stood up and started trying to wring the water out of his lab coat.

Hilbert held his cross-transceiver up to his ear.

"Looker, you're gonna love this."

"You keep this up, Black, you'll have a job in my department in a year." Looker took the last notes he needed and put the Trainer ID back on the KO'ed grunt's person. Officers from a variety of places flew in on Dragonites, Staraptors, Pidgeots… Whatever they could grab, to look like they were doing something. Interpol had a massive passenger helicopter for this kind of thing on standby in Sinnoh, the camo pattern painted over with a Pikachu head on the bottom.

Didn't really lessen the intimidation factor, as it took off a few minutes later, carrying the accomplices away for questioning. The wind nearly whipped his hat off, but Golett was sitting on his shoulders and held it down.

"You can call me Hilbert. Black is my father's… Wait, no. It's my code name, you could say."

"Exactly. As an investigator myself, we must ensure secrecy by using code names only."

"Whatever you say, Zenigata."

"I hear that enough from the wife, I don't need to hear it from a kid too." The officer looked up at the rapidly retreating helicopter. "Good job though. I trust we can rely on Team Black in the future?"

"I'm just some kid taking the gym challenge, heh." He waved at Dawn, who was walking the little girl from earlier back to her father, now changed out of his soaked work clothes.

"You say that, yet you've done this much in a mere month." Looker looked- Er, stared up at him, from where he was sitting on Garchomp's shoulders.

Hilbert held out a finger and thumb, pretending to squish the investigator from his high-up view.

"...You know what, never mind. Have fun when you get to Eterna city." Looker waved him off and walked towards the town's center, folding his arms behind his back.

Waiting a moment, almost preemptively so, he tapped in a number on his communicator.

"Sweetie? What's wrong?" It sounded like his mom was cutting vegetables on the other side of the line.

"Okay, before you get the phone call, I don't think I was on the news this time."

"...What did you do, Hilby?"

"Nothing crazy, it's all fine. But like, if guys from the International Police show up at the house, don't be shocked."

"WHAT DID YOU DO, HIL-"

He ended the call there, laughing. It would probably be fine. Practicing some desensitization couldn't hurt.

Floaroma had an impromptu festival after a few days, and the members of 'Team Black' were the guests of honor. Seeing it would be rude to leave without attending, Hilbert quickly caved into Dawn's demands that they go without much argument.

It was a fragment of Sinnoh's earlier culture, before the Pokemon world was globalized, but there were these fancy dresses, called 'Kimonos'...

Hilbert recalled that in one of his pamphlets on the plane ride, those were worn during the summer months' festivals, but didn't want to spoil the mood.

"...How the hell am I supposed to wear this? It's cold outside, and I'm not going to put on tights for something like this." He looked at the blue cloth that was draped over his body. It matched his usual jacket's dark shades, and he'd been forced to discard the hat.

Mr. McKonelly laughed at his terrible hat-hair, before whipping out a comb.

Lucas and Barry were in a similar situation to him. Lucas's was a lighter sky-blue color, matching his jacket, while Barry's was a honey-like yellow. Similarly to him, Lucas's hair looked plain weird without his beret.

It all paled in comparison to Dawn though, because when she walked out of Mrs. McKonelly's private bathroom, Hilbert swore his heart skipped a beat.

Her cloak was pink, but had deep purple and white highlights, like a royal dress. Her hair was done up with traditional hairpins, which the missus bragged were made of the bones of a Legendary Pokemon.

He didn't believe her, mainly because everyone says that, but also because he was too awestruck.

"...What? Is my hair loose somewhere?" She noticed his expression and put her arms back, trying to feel around her hair.

Mr. McKonelly chose the worst time to add his opinion. "Well, you see, Dawn, teenage boys get really excited when-"

"Hush, dear." His wife quickly clapped a hand over his mouth and dragged him off towards their bedroom.

"..."

"...Anyway!" Hilbert interjected into the following silence, sure his face was beet-red, and refusing to look at anyone's face. "We should go now, right?"

And so they did, their partners trailing alongside them.

There were glowing lanterns flying in the sky, scattering flower petals among them like rain.

The greatest lights came from the town's center, where sounds of merriment echoed far and wide across the valley. The natural glow from the moon and every star in the sky glittered across the dewy grasslands.

Hilbert was frozen in awe, seeing what the night sky really looked like for the first time in years.

Dawn nudged him. "Something wrong, Hilby?"

She was intrigued when he didn't even object to his nickname being said, and just kept looking at the sky.

"Hey… You guys go on ahead, we'll catch up."

Turtwig and Golett nodded, though the latter giving them each an extra-long glance, before rejoining the group. Garchomp and Tyranitar did the same, attempting to quietly follow as well, though the sounds of their footsteps were still quite loud.

Barry shrugged, said something about there being more food for him and Lucas, and tugged the other boy down the path, letting more than an entire party's worth of Pokemon follow them.

Hilbert shook his head, finally coming out of his stupor, but still focusing on the sky. "Huh? Did you say something?"

She smiled, and grabbed his hand, pulling him down a different trail. "There's a place I found when I was playing with Mr. Vastimosa's daughter. I think you'll love the view there, let's go!" She whispered, while excited nonetheless.

Dawn pulled him to the top of a hill in the flower pastures, through the trees lining Floraroma. From outside, it was barely visible, but once you were at the base, you could see the clearing was large enough to comfortably walk circles around. There was a large tree at the top of the hill, filtering the moonlight through twigs and branches.

There was a tiny wooden bench next to the tree, carved with dozens of pairs of initials. It was where they sat down.

Hilbert was still zoned out, watching the moon ever-so-slowly inch its way across the beautiful night sky.

"You don't remember seeing the sky like this before, do you?" She asked him, planting her hands next to her sides on the bench, and stretching out her legs.

"...Unova is a polluted mess," Hilbert said, his head shaking slightly. "I never saw the stars. When the moon was out, it was always layered with fog and smoke. I heard people talk about the 'Pokemon in the Moon', but all I've ever seen is a white blob in the sky."

"What do you think? Now that you're looking at the real thing."

He didn't answer, but a wet trail started working its way down his cheek.

She sighed, the barest hint of a smile crossing her face.

"The first thing I noticed about Sinnoh was the air, how it tasted on my tongue. I have some memories of what it was like growing up here, but they're all faded and weak. I left too early for me to actually let any of that soak in. So, it was a shock when I got here. Jubilife is crowded too, but it's nowhere near as bad as Castelia is back in Unova. I still couldn't see all the stars though..." Hilbert raised a hand, weakly reaching out. "I guess the few I did see, my brain just figured they were planes or satellites. But now, looking at them… I'm just overwhelmed."

"In a good way?" She asked.

He didn't answer immediately, only reaching out further, like he could take hold of the sky itself, and clench it within his fist.

"Yeah. In a good way." He cracked a smile, watching the light bend around his fingers.

Dawn reached up and wrapped her hand around his, slowly pulling it back down to the bench, and letting their grasp rest between them.

They sat like that for a while, letting moonbeams soak into their skin.

"I think… I want to protect that feeling." He said, knocking his head against the tree. "I want other people to feel what I feel, without fear or anger. Human or Pokemon."

"And that's why you do what you do?" She asked, not looking away from the sky.

"I don't know why, but I feel it in… My heart. As corny as that sounds."

"No, I get it. Is that Team Black's mission statement?"

"Ha, sure."

She didn't say anything.

"...Thanks, Dawn." He said, nodding.

They sat in another silence. It was quickly cut off by a childish giggling.

"Ooh, miss Dawn is alone with a boyyyyyyyy, don't you know that's how you get cooties?" A little girl walked up, making silly faces at her.

"Annette, we're having a grown-up conversation. Shoo." Dawn said, laughing.

Hilbert couldn't help laughing himself, at the absurdity of his time so far.

Fighting two dragons, blowing up a gym, fighting thugs, fighting thugs again but with the backing of Interpol, sitting under a tree with a girl…

Anyone would laugh at the idea of having that kind of life. Not in mockery, but… You know?

A guardian of nature stared down at them, from the highest branches of the tree.

Its head was cocked to the side, curious.

Of course, that wasn't the first human Shaymin had ever seen with that sort of worldview, but it was interested nonetheless. Something about the boy seemed… Different. Maybe the scent? Though, the Grass-type had been near travelers from other regions before, and it wasn't just that. Something about his energy, indeterminable, but still there.

Turning back invisible, it decided to keep an eye on the boy in the future.

Dawn tugged him and Annette by their hands, back to the main village, all three of them laughing. Hilbert's happy tears were long forgotten, as, "A man never shows up to a celebration crying! Who the h-"

At which point he was quickly smacked by Dawn. Shouldn't swear around kids, something like that.

Barry and Lucas waved them over, holding pop guns. Monferno was eating some kind of kebab, and the other two starters and Starly were sharing a bowl of berries. Golett was holding one two, though his head barely reached past the top of the stand's table. Tyranitar and Garchomp were trying to make themselves look small, with Abra sleeping, perfectly balanced, on the Dragon-type's head.

It looked like a lot of fun, so they joined in with all of the townsfolk. Floaroma was a small town, about the size of Twinleaf, so they had enough people for a proper festival, even if it was a little sparse.

After messing around, playing some basic carnival games, and eating interesting snacks for a few hours, someone decided to pop open some bottles.

Bottles of what, you may ask? For legal reasons, we can't tell you anything other than it's very fizzy and very sweet.

How Monferno ended up drunk, they'd never know. The fire should have burned the drinks up at the slightest contact, but nope.

They all ended up stumbling back to the house, after the townsfolk insisted they all take a celebratory drink as well. Annette was riding on Dawn's shoulders, but still careful enough to avoid messing up her hair.

"That was fun," Hilbert managed to get out, instead of laughing. He returned his two pseudo-legendaries and opened the front door.

The McKonelly's and the Vastimosa's were sitting at the table, already having some food. Annette hopped off of Dawn's shoulders and ran over to sit next to her mom and dad.

"Did you all enjoy the festival?" Mrs. McKonelly asked.

"I've never seen anything like it… Be sure to send me an invitation next time." Hilbert said, sinking into the couch with a sigh. His teammates did the same, crowding over the most comfortable seat in the house in a pile.

"Would you like something to eat?" She asked, in vain apparently, as she realized they'd all fallen asleep the moment they'd sat down.

The adults in the room gave each other a look, laughing, as Annette ran over and jumped in Dawn's lap. Over the last week, the two girls had become almost like cousins. Soon enough, she was fast asleep as well. It was far past midnight, because when Floaroma town celebrated, they pulled out all the stops.

"Should I get the camera?" Mr. McKonelly asked.

"Oh, yes, definitely," replied the two women.

A few days later, Johanna received a letter from a Pelipper in the mail. Inside was a florally patterned postcard and a picture.

She smiled at the scene of the kids, snoring with their Pokemon resting at their feet, not a care in the world.

She sent a copy along to Michelle and Dawn's parents. Thinking back on it, she hadn't talked with Lucas' family very much.

It was a little depressing to find out why.

Chapter Text

Gardenia rewatched Roark's most recent gym battle. It was multiple weeks old, of course, as the gym was still being repaired.

A Ground-type, huh?

Interesting trainer too.

She could work with that.

A Mid-Sinnoh Night's Dream - V - Green Blur, Speeds By.

The group waved at the families they'd stayed with, promising they'd visit again sometimes.

Eterna Forest was foggy, covered in moss, and seemed like the kind of place you would meet an unfortunate end by a Ghost-type.

It was the weirdest thing, after they walked forward a few meters, a circle of fog would clear around them, like it was being pushed away.

Hilbert chalked it up to render distance as a joke, before moving on.

They ran into a girl named Cheryl, who looked lost, and was traveling with a Chansey.

"Oh, hello!" She quickly walked up to them. "I'm trying to get through the forest, but I don't have any Pokemon that know Defog… And I read it's safer to travel in groups. Would you all mind if I traveled with you? I can keep your Pokemon topped up!" She said nervously.

Hilbert said it alright, seeing no one else had a problem with it, and their party grew further.

All of their Pokemon were traveling in their capsules, because getting split up would be a nightmare in those conditions. Especially Garchomp and Tyranitar, though less because they would get lost, and more because they would terrify anyone they came across.

Cheryl seemed like a nice girl, if a bit timid. Her and Dawn got to talking. She apparently liked using Pokemon with a lot of health, using defensive stalling tactics for battles. She only had a Chansey though, and while Egg Bomb could do a lot, she was scared of losing to Team Galactic if they caught her in an ambush.

Hilbert chose not to ask where exactly Chansey got the eggs, as they just seemed to reappear when he wasn't looking.

"To tell you the truth, I'm actually doing some treasure hunting. I heard there's a massive hive of Combee around, but finding it would probably be impossible in this weather…"

"Huh." He pulled Abra out of his Pokeball for a moment. "Any chance you can use Psychic Echolocation or something?"

"An interesting idea, but no. I can, however, make any of the Pokemon we run into have a mental breakdown. Would you like me to demonstrate?"

"Uh… Thanks for the offer, but please don't."

Cheryl leaned over to Dawn. "...Is he talking to his Pokemon?"

"Abra's a Psychic-type."

"Ah… Yes, I forgot."

"Well, I don't know anyway to help you, unless Golett suddenly knows how to use Defog…"

A clank echoed out of his ball, signaling he didn't.

"Guess not."

"Excuse me, did you say Golett?" The green-haired girl seemed surprised.

"...Yeah?"

"If you don't mind me asking… You wouldn't happen to be the trainer that destroyed Oreburgh gym, would you?"

"Oh. Yeah, that was me." He shrugged. Hilbert figured that would have died down, it was just a bunch of rocks- Well, he turned it into that, but still.

"Wow… Oh, I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to presume, I wasn't trying to do anything, I just needed some help, I didn't recognize you-"

"What? Why are you apologizing?" He stepped over a particularly large root that was sticking out onto the trail. "I'm just some guy." He accidentally kicked the next root, making a shudder pass up the entire tree. Pulling himself off the ground, and wiping off the mud, he looked at the tree.

"Okay, I'm pretty sure that root moved."

That put them all on alert, and they silently watched the tree.

It moved again, shifting one of the smaller roots away from the trail.

"That's just freaky," Barry said, letting Starly out of its Pokeball. A smart move, if it turned out to be some sort of Grass-type.

Two more of the roots tented themselves on the ground.

"Hey, Lucas… Trevanant wouldn't happen to be… Native, in Sinnoh, would they?" Hilbert watched the tree start cracking halfway up and a little further.

"They're not common, not recently, but… Oh, Arceus, you just kicked one, didn't you?" Lucas picked Monferno, and the Fire-type appeared in a flash of light beside him.

"I… I don't think that's the only one!" Cried Cheryl, as five other trees' roots started moving.

"Son of a- Everyone, group up. Abra, use Reflect!"

"Don't they have to be Kadabras to learn that?"

"Not the time for semantics, Lucas!"

Golett appeared outside of his ball, squaring up the defensive formation. The trainers stood in a circle at the middle of the Reflect screen, while their Pokemon stood right behind the barrier.

A root whipped out and cracked against the wall of light, but was quickly scared off by a fast Ember shot by Monferno.

The trees ripped themselves out of the ground, fulling surrounding them. Six fully grown Trevanant looked at them, slowly moving around on their crab-like wooden legs.

"These are Ghost-type, right?"

"And grass, yes." Lucas said, nodding along.

"Golett is at a disadvantage then. If they manage to get him with a ton of Grass Knots, he's done for."

"So? Use one of your pseudo-legendaries." Another root cracked against the barrier, but was driven off by Starly using Peck.

"They're Rock and Ground-type, they're at as much of a disadvantage. These guys are probably half as strong, sure, but all at once? I don't think either could pull it off."

All of the Ghost-types suddenly reared back, raising Wood Hammers out of the earth.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me-"

Hilbert was cut off by a peaceful cry.

A white hedgehog approached from the underbrush, leaves covering its back. The Trevenants froze.

Lucas just about fell over in shock, Cheryl not long after, Dawn following soon behind, and Barry just shrugging and figuring that he should get used to it.

"...Guys?" Hilbert turned away from the Pokemon, looking back at them with a confused look on his face.

"...Dude, that's a Shaymin."

"...A what?"

"I forget you didn't grow up here sometimes," Barry said, shaking his head.

Turtwig was on the ground, bowing towards the strange Pokemon, as well as the Trevanants.

A sweet smell wafted around them, easing their nerves. Abra's constant headache even cleared up slightly, though he refused to wake up.

"Uh… Thanks?"

"I wish not for my charges to hurt one another, young man." The voice was androgenous, neither male nor female, not high nor low pitched. It sounded like the voice in your head, but stronger.

Hilbert looked around for the source of the voice, as Shaymin looked up at him.

"It's me, you child."

"Oh. Well, nothing to be done about it then. How are you doing that?"

"Nature is my domain. As long as I am within it, all it holds is at my command."

"Neat. Well, thanks."

"I have been following you, human. You seem honorable. I am curious, what is this 'Unova' place you speak of?"

"Unova? I haven't talked about it since- Wait, were you spying on me and Dawn during the festival?"

He ignored Lucas's strangled cough of surprise and Barry laughing as always.

"I am quite fond of that tree, it was a matter of coincidence."

"Well, whatever." He shrugged it off. It's not like they were kissing or anything, it wasn't too weird. "You wanted to know about Unova?"

Everyone relaxed, barely even noticing the Reflect screen falling, and the Trevanants peacefully observed.

"I see. It's a far off place, filled with pollution?" Shaymin echoed, speaking to them all telepathically.

"Yep. On the opposite side of the world, nearly."

"I'd like very much to do something about this. It's my duty to protect nature across the world. Though, I haven't left this land called Sinnoh very often."

"So you don't know where it is?"

"That isn't the issue, see-"

"Excuse me, Mister or miss Shaymin?" Cheryl interrupted, meekly. Hilbert and the hedgehog-like Pokemon turned towards her. "I'm a treasure hunter, see, and I was wondering if you would mind letting me take some photos?"

"I… See no problem with this. But allow me to continue."

Cheryl moved around in the background, snapping a few pictures with an old fashioned camera.

"My kind… We are not a common creature, however, many who know of our existence are also aware of the Gracidea flower."

"Gracidea flower? What about it?"

"It allows Shaymin such as myself to transform into a more mobile form, and take to the skies."

Lucas was dutifully taking notes, while Dawn still seemed shocked. Barry was chilling out and sharing some berries with a Phantump that floated up, like it was a picnic.

"So?"

"It is a very rare flower, I myself cannot recall where it can be found. I cannot become airborne for long periods without the use of my Sky Forme."

"...Okay, I think I get it. Do you have any clues for where I can find it?"

"You are offering your assistance?"

"Well, as the badass leader of Team Black, it's my duty to aid those in need, to help the helpless, to-"

"Respect the Mythical Pokemon, Hilby."

"Yeah, yeah, sorry, Dawn. Anyway, you sought me out to help you, right? I can't just turn you away. That's not what a real man does." Hilbert shook his head, a look of determination on his face. "You're going to help Unova, so I'm going to help you. That's simple, right? I don't need a reason besides that."

"...I see. You are as noble as I believed. I can understand why your allies have chosen you." Shaymin nodded.

"So, what do I need to do?"

"First of all…" Shaymin poked its head in his bag and ruffled around.

It pulled out a Premier Ball from back in Jubilife and pushed it towards Hilbert's legs.

Lucas looked like he was about to pass out.

"I believe you can aid me in my journey. You are a traveler. The more places I visit, the more likely it is I may find the Gracidea. And once I find it, I can do my duties to the world."

"Are you asking me-"

"Yes, young man. I ask you to allow me to travel alongside you. I believe I can entrust you with my 'capture'?"

"...Of course, but… Do you really want to be tied down?"

Shaymin shook its head. "I believe you are noble enough to release me, should I require it. Just as well, I believe this will protect me from others attempting to catch me?"

"I think that's how Pokeballs work, yeah… But… One more time, are you sure?"

"Yes."

Hilbert nodded, pushing himself off the ground and grasping the Pokeball.

Barry was already recording it with his cross-transceiver, though at an odd angle. It's not every day you watch someone capture a creature of myths.

"Well then, to quote a trainer we all know and love-" Hilbert turned his hat behind his head, eliciting a groan from Lucas, because of course that's how Hilby would do it.

"Pokeball!" He wound up. "Go!" He lightly threw the white ball at Shaymin's forehead, dissolving the mythical Pokemon in a blast of light.

Wobble.

Wobble.

Wobble.

Click.

Professor Rowan was drinking his afternoon tea and checking the latest Pokedex updates. Whenever one of the four children captured a new Pokemon, it sent him the data automatically.

It was completely fair, then, when he fell out of his chair after receiving a picture of an honest-to-Arceus Shaymin in his inbox.

"Sir, are you alright?" One of the assistants burst through the door, hearing the loud crash.

Rowan was fine, but just pointed at the screen before doubling over again.

His assistant adjusted his glasses, took one look, and fell over as well.

As soon as the data registered, Hilbert let Shaymin back out of the ball.

"Well, that's that. Welcome to the team." He gestured for Golett to walk up to the hedgehog.

The golem held out a hand, eliciting Shaymin to stand on his hind legs and offer his front paw.

That was going to be a picture for the history books, Cheryl thought, only with a little grandiosity.

They managed to make their way out of Eterna Forest, the Trevanants leaving them alone, and the Phantump Barry was talking to actually wanted to go with them as well, letting Barry catch it.

There was an incident with a large nest of Combee (Not the one Cheryl was looking for), but Shaymin calmed them quickly. Dawn caught a female, who seemed to use Honey as a sort of perfume, weirdly enough.

Whatever worked in the contests, he guessed.

Cheryl decided she wanted to stick around for a bit longer, figuring that if Hilbert could catch a Shaymin without so much as a Razor Leaf, she was probably bound to see even more rare Pokemon.

Hilbert chose not to mention the idea of being one-in-a-million, but the girl got along well with Dawn, and he didn't want to get in the way of that.

He spotted a large mansion northward into the forest, but the foliage was too thick for them to get through. Lucas made a note of it and went on their way.

They quickly stopped by the Pokemon center, but smartly decided to hold back on giving them Shaymin, because of the attention it would attract. Plus, the Grass-type hadn't taken any damage in the first place, so he didn't need to. He kept Tyranitar and Garchomp on his reserve belt. See, according to League rules, which he actually bothered to check, without a certain number of gym badges, you weren't supposed to use super-powerful Pokemon that had been traded to you, unless you received them before they became that powerful.

Given that they were able to mega-evolve, it was fair to say they would be benched for the next few gyms.

His smartwatch started ringing. It was ID'd as the professor, so he picked up the call.

"Ah, Hilbert… I hope my data isn't incorrect? Because my PC is telling me you caught a-"

"In a crowded place, professor."

"I see. Stop by when your Abra feels up to it, I'd like to see your… Latest capture, shall we say."

"Yeah, no problem. We're in Eterna now, so I'll get back to you in a while."

"Alright then. Goodbye for now, young man."

"Do you want me to start calling you old-" The professor ended the call on his end, beating Hilbert at his own game.

The professor was sharper than he made himself out to be.

Gardenia's gym was a massive greenhouse, though the back sections were cordoned off, so he suspected they were living quarters.

Of course, there was a challenge before the actual battle, so Dawn and Cheryl went ahead. Cheryl wasn't averse to battle, but she had an aversion to attention, like stage fright. Strange, but at least that kept her from spreading those pictures of Shaymin. For now, at least.

"Alright, welcome to the Eterna gym." She looked at the three boys standing before her. Her eyes zeroed in on Hilbert.

"You're the guy Roark told me about, aren't you?" She looked down at Golett, eyes narrowed.

"You know him?"

"We go out for dinner sometimes." She waved off the topic, before returning to serious mode. "Please try not to destroy the gym. You're going last."

"What, again?" He sulked.

"It wouldn't be fair for the other two if you broke everything before they got their turn."

"I…. Can't exactly fault that logic."

"Good. Now, you and the blond, go sit down with your friends."

As such, Lucas was first up. The challenge involved finding your way through a fogged-up miniature jungle, as it tested the trainer's ability to deal with grass and its related elements. Luckily, the forest gave them more than enough practice, and he emerged out the other side in a blaze. It was controlled of course, but the sprinklers kicked in after him and Monferno got all the way out. The battlefield stayed dry, but spontaneously grew lush grass from the dirt.

"Alright. This will be a series of three one-on-one battles." Gardenia posed at the leader's podium. It seemed to be the only consistency among gyms, with everything else being different. Gardenia's even doubled as an actual greenhouse, growing most of the city's food. Those plants were usually protected though, separate from the challenger's area.

Because Eterna was a crossing point of the forest, Cycling Road, and an entrance to Mt. Coronet (That thing was seriously massive), it was more populated than Oreburgh, and a lot more people hung around for leisure and recreation. Hence, there were nearly a hundred people in the stands that day, even a couple of League battle recorders. Or just talent scouts. Who could really tell, they were fellas with Magnezones and cameras.

Most of them had shown up after somehow being told that 'the guy with the Golett' was challenging the gym.

He was unfortunately well-known. It certainly put on the pressure, he was sure.

The gym leader sent out a Lotad, likely a preemptive way to counter people who brought Fire-types and nothing else.

Lucas finally responded to Gardenia's plea, sending out his first pokemon, Luxio.

"Nice one," Hilbert murmured, his hand automatically making a thumbs up.

"Begin!"

Lotad used Rain Dance, and a machine of some sort whirred, turning the glass windows that were over the battlefield sideways, and letting the rainfall in, while still keeping it off the audience.

Luxio was a fast Electric-type, and used Thunder Fang immediately, not even giving it a chance to dodge.

"Grass Knot!"

The lion-like Pokemon fell over, tumbling instead of biting, though it still nicked the Water-type with the electricity in its mouth.

"Get back and Charge!"

Luxio jumped back, shaking its black mane, and started gathering lightning around its body.

"Bullet Seed!"

"Thundershock!"

Both Pokemon took hits, but Lotad succumbed first, and was recalled by Gardenia.

Next, she sent out an Oddish. Lucas replied with a Wingull. Even after attempting Poison Powder, it was quickly KO'ed by Gusts of wind.

"You're good, kid. Roselia!"

"Monferno. Flame Wheel!"

It went much the same way, with the Fire-type taking little damage while dealing a ton to the opposing Pokemon.

"Good job. I dislike people who use monotype simply to counter the gym's theme, but I can respect your win. Next challenger!"

Barry sent out his Piplup, likely to get the loss out of the way, and Gardenia chose the same order as well.

It was a Water-type against a Water-type with extra resistances.

But also more weaknesses.

"Peck!"

Again, as Lotad is very small, and not very fast, it tried to use Grass Knot again, but Piplup jumped into the air and fired itself at Lotad like a Javelin.
When the first hit didn't knock it out, Piplup reared his head back and repeatedly jammed his beak into the frog-like Pokemon's face.

"I didn't know Piplup could use Drill Peck…" Lucas commented absentmindedly.

Next up was Oddish. Barry sent out Phantump.

"Will-o-Wisp!" The Ghost-type sped around the arena, quickly lighting the Oddish on fire with a Gastly- Er, ghastly- Energy beam.

"Tackle!" The Oddish hopped into the air, but Phantump quickly floated out of range.

"Confuse Ray!"

The second beam hit, making the Grass-type hit itself in confusion as well as feel a constant burn. The dull fire flared up when it tried to jump, and it was knocked out seconds after landing back on the floor.

"Alright, let's do this! Roselia!"

"Starly!"

The gym leader's ace fired off a cloud of Poison Powder, cloaking the arena.

Starly flew into the air, where another cloud was sprayed. Before long, the fumes started to become unavoidable.

"Star-LYYYY!" In a fit of rage, the Flying-type flapped its wings so incredibly fast, it produced a tornado. Luckily, the audience was protected by the glass that had slid down from the ceiling, so they didn't get any fumes in their face.

When the winds subsided, the flapping of wings from Barry's new Staravia greeted them, the poison in the air blown skyward.

"Nice one! Now, use Wing Attack!"

In a flash, the middle-stage Flying-type had swooped down and wing-checked the Roselia, knocking it out in one blow.

"Congratulations. You win as well. Collect your badge when you leave." She waved him off, then sighed. "Now, Hilbert, Black, kid with the Golett, whatever. It's your turn. The glass may be bulletproof, but I don't know if it's 'Giga-Drill-Burekaaaaaa' proof, so try not to do that."

He sent out Golett first, surprising Gardenia.

"You're not using your ace for the last round?"

"..." He didn't answer, because he was hoping to not have to deal with 'a last round'. Remember who his third caught Pokemon was?

"Well, whatever. Lotad, Water Gun."

"Do whatever, Golett! Just kick some ass!"

Lightning started sparking around the body of the golem, and it barely noticed the fierce splash of water, barely budging an inch. The electricity gathered around its fist, and it started walking forwards.

Jolts shot off of the mass, randomly striking at the ground.

Lotad meekly looked up at Golett, right before being Thunder Punched into the opposite wall.

Hilbert couldn't help but wince. "...I think that was a bit overkill, Golett!"

The golem made a clunk of regret, before walking off the field.

Abra and Oddish faced against each other in the arena.

"...If I'm not mistaken, Abra doesn't naturally learn any moves besides Teleport, do they?"

Hilbert tapped his temple, smirking. "Yes, but he can learn using Technical Machines. Abra-"

"Oddish, Light Screen!"

"Fire Punch."

"Wait, wha-" Abra teleported behind Oddish, making the Grass-type freeze up.

"Heh, nothing personal, kid." Abra psychically projected to everyone in the room, before igniting his fist in flames and punching it into the opposite wall.

And then it teleported Oddish again, right in front of its fist.

And then it did it again.

Hilbert quickly withdrew his Abra. "Sorry about him. Do I win that round on account of mercy?"

"Oddish fainted, but I would have given that to you. Did you train that Abra yourself?"

"Mostly, but you know how Psychic-types are."

"My Oddish would know better than anyone…" She sighed, reaching for her belt.

"Hey, wait!"

"Yes, what is it?"

"Since I won two rounds, and this is best-two-out-of-three, can we just end it here?"

"...?"

"My last Pokemon… I'd rather not use them."

"Sorry, but the League requires we record every round of a fight, and makes sure it takes place. Countermeasure to leaders just giving badges away."

"Are you sure?"

"You're strangely hesitant. Is it one you just caught?" She tilted her head, cocking a hand on her hip.

"You could… Say that."

"Well, then I can make it quick and painless. Roselia knows Sleep Powder."

"That's not the… They aren't weak, but…"

Barry was cracking up in the stands, Hilbert could just see it. Everyone was starting to zone out without anything interesting happening.

"It's completely alright to wield me how you choose. I understand the customs of battling, and am willing to participate. I may even find it fun."

"That's not the-" He looked towards the Premier Ball on his belt.

"Is it talking to you right now? Another Psychic-type, then? Maybe an Abra you haven't taught moves to?" Gardenia was thankfully just curious, instead of becoming frustrated.

"It's not a Psychic-type, but it can talk to me, yeah." He felt like that was a safe bit of information.

"Well, the only Pokemon I know like that are Riolu and Lucario. And supposedly Shaymin as well, if they actually exist."

"..."

"So what, you've got a Riolu or something?"

Hilbert sighed, placing a palm on his forehead. He reached for the ball on his belt.

Silence rang out in the gym, as a flowery hedgehog appeared on the field in a blast of light.

Back home, Johanna was watching the footage from the gym challenge in Eterna. The League had coordinators between multiple channels to air live footage from specific gyms, and then normal news for the rest of the time.

She thought Hilbert and his friends were doing very well, and was impressed by his performance so far. She was confused when the audio cut out for a moment, and the two trainers talked in the field for a moment.

Just as she took a sip of her drink, she spit it out, as her son sent out a Shaymin of all things, which wasn't supposed to exist.

"Where- WHERE DID YOU GET THAT!" Gardenia stumbled backwards, pointing a finger at him and Shaymin while shouting.

The people in the stands were going absolutely wild. Lucas was shaking his head, watching everyone's insane reactions, while Barry broke down into a coughing fit from laughing too hard. Cheryl felt an odd sense of pride for being the first person to photograph the myth. It had only been drawn in journals before, and dismissed as fantasy, like Pikablu and Doomsay. Dawn started wondering how Shaymin would look with a crown of flowers instead of just the one.

Hilbert stretched out his arms. "See, it's a very long story."

"Indeed it is, miss Gardenia."

"Your Shaymin just talked in my head!"

"Heh, yeah, they do that."

"Why do you- Where- What-" Her brain seemed broken, and her face was either red because of shock, anger, jealousy, or any combination of the three.

"Shaymin wanted to come with me after saving my ass in Eterna Forest, and I'm just taking the gym challenge, nothing too crazy."

"Nothing too crazy- You have a Shaymin! Those aren't supposed to exist! What do you mean, 'Nothing too crazy.'?"

"It was my choice, if that helps." Shaymin projected, somehow shrugging with its front two legs.

"What- ALRIGHT, FINE! We can talk about this later!" She yelled, reaching to the other side of her belt, that had a lot more Pokeballs. "ROSERADE! Sunny Day!"

The Grass-Poison-type appeared on the field, and used the move, bringing an intense light down from the sky, refracting across the field through the greenhouse glass.

Gardenia ripped off her black headband, revealing a silver circlet, with a strange glowing marble in the middle.

Roserade had a similar stone, only encrusted on a metal blade adorning its mask-like eyes.

"Oh." Hilbert then said something that couldn't be aired on television.

Roserade exploded in a blast of orange light as Gardenia pressed her fingers to the circlet.

Mega-Roserade stood before them. Flowers hung on its ears like piercings, and its mask had grown into a decorated crown of thorns and roses. Each of its hands looked like full multicolor bouquets, with a small venus fly trap at the end, occasionally folding and unfolding to reveal the roses. A cape of leaves was blowing in the lessening wind like a cloak.

Shaymin didn't flinch, even as a glow began charging in one of its arms, aimed straight at them.

"Halt."

Roserade blinked, the Weather Ball pausing its growth.

Shaymin turned to their trainer. "May I have a Cheri berry? It has positive effects in this sort of situation."

He didn't bother thinking of it as a weird request, and reached into his bag. Luckily, that plant species was common enough that he had picked up plenty of it back in Floaroma for the road, and still had some left. He flicked it over to Shaymin, who jumped up and caught it in their mouth.

"Natural Gift." Suddenly, the Pokemon burst into flames.

The Grass-type, unaffected by the fire cloaking it, charged into Roserade, driving it back. It flew away as the flames flickered out, and narrowly avoided being bitten by the fly trap on Roserade's arm.

Across Sinnoh, people watched, on live television, the Mythical Pokemon Shaymin take on Gardenia's ace, which turned out to be capable of Mega-evolving. Those who remembered her rounds at the conference shuddered at the thought of her turning out to be stronger, but that feeling paled in comparison to the total shock of seeing a region-wide myth turn out to be true.

Roark was grateful that it at least wasn't him who had to deal with the Grass-type.

The leader of Team Galactic watched the news on his private projector, as the recommendation of a grunt who ran in yelling about how screwed they were.

Rowan sipped his tea while his assistants were yelling at the TV, in total shock. He'd gotten over it, but was still smirking at the uproar.

The battle continued, back in the greenhouse.

"Roserade! Protect, Rest, Snore!"

The Mega-evolved Pokemon managed to get the shield up in time, but the Worry Seeds shot by Shaymin managed to slip through just before.

The shield was soon shattered, as Shaymin jumped into the air, forming a massive blade made of shining green light, which was then doubled in size by the glaring sunlight, and spun forward like a buzzsaw.

"That's an… Interesting way to use Leaf Blade." Lucas couldn't help but comment.

"Hey, if Shaymin was blue, do you think-"

"We're not going to think in that direction, or we might catch Hilbert."

"Roserade, Pin Missile!"

The Grass-type held out its arm like a… Well, like a firearm, and needles fell beside it in a belt. The fly trap disappeared, quickly replaced by what looked like a miniature Victreebel.

He must have been imagining things.

Needles shot out with a 'rat-tat-tat' sound, burying themselves in the ground as they missed. Shaymin could move fast. It dodged and weaved over the projectiles, running in a spiral towards the center, where its target lay.

Roserade's eyes widened in surprise, and reflexively jumped high into the air.

This was the wrong move, as it turned out.

"I believe that Golett had the right idea. If I may?"

"Do what you gotta do, Shaymin!" He held his fist out in excitement, clenching every muscle he had. "Finish this!"

Shaymin sat back on its hind legs, and formed two, smaller Leaf Blades next to its paws. It threw them forward, and after growing in size, they pushed Roserade into the air further, pinning their legs and arms like a starfish.

Lucas groaned, already knowing what was coming. Barry was too excited to think, as he'd been whooping for the past few minutes, his throat long since gone raw.

Cheryl was taking pictures of Shaymin using its finishing attack, which wasn't even known before Hilbert showed it off. Dawn was cheering as well.

Opera music, nearly inaudible to a normal human, began echoing in the city, sourced from a pulsating Golett, in a stance identical to its trainer's.

A massive Leaf Blade formed, pointing straight up above Shaymin.

And then it started spinning. The bottom widened out, and the top became narrow to a point. A spiral of blossoming flowers worked its way up the cone.

"Come on, Shaymin, let's do this!"

Do The Impossible.

See The Invisible.

The Roserade started its slow descent, a few dozen meters into the sky, able to see all of Eterna city from a single spot.

"WE EMBARK ON THE WINDING SPIRAL ROUTE! THE ROUTES OF MAN AND POKEMON INTERSECT! JOIN WITH YESTERDAY'S STRANGER TO SMASH FATE, AND GRAB TOMORROW'S ROUTE WITH OUR OWN HANDS!
DESTINY COMBINING-"

Row, Row.

Fight The Power.

"Giga…"

Touch The Untouchable.

Break The Unbreakable.

The cone spun on, faux-Gracidea's blooming in a twin-tailed swirl.

"Drill…"

Row, Row.

Fight The Power.

"BREAAAAAAAAAAAK!"

A burning viridian spear of light pierced the heavens of Sinnoh. In the upper Stratosphere, it flew by a startled Rayquza, and further into space.

Falling from the sky was a Roserade, reverting from her Mega form. An Abra appeared, falling on top of her, still sitting, and in a flash of light, they disappeared from the first layer of earth's atmosphere.

The two Pokemon reappeared at the center of the battlefield. Abra put himself back into his Pokeball.

Shaymin smiled at the unconscious Pokemon before them, and fell into their own fatigued sleep.

Utter silence reigned within Eterna city's gym.

"So, uh… Do I get the gym badge now?" Hilbert asked, scratching the back of his head, awkwardly laughing.

Gardenia couldn't even respond, she just nodded weakly, reached into her pocket and threw him the badge like a robot.

"Hey, Dawn, everyone! You guys wanna go get dinner?" He asked, after turning towards their spot in the stands.

Barry was the first one to respond, and did so incredibly out of character by shaking himself out of his daze, and nodding nonchalantly.

"Great. Let's meet up at the Pokemon Center, Shaymin needs some help." He walked over and picked up the snoring leafy hedgehog, holding it to his chest. Abra teleported on top of Golett, who was following him out.

With that, Hilbert left the gym. You could hear a pin drop in a haystack crossing a bridge- Wait, the hell does that even mean? Regardless, the silence, though long-lasting, was still deafening.

"Right, we'll treat your Pokemon right away," said Nurse Joy, taking the tray he'd handed over and placing it on the analysis rack. She looked back at the Pokemon on the counter, confused. "I don't think I've seen anything like this before. It looks familiar, but I can't quite put my finger on it…" She shrugged, and took Shaymin in her arms to a table that Chansey could reach for treatment.

A 'ding' rang from the Pokeball machine and she quickly rushed over.

"Alright, Golett, indigenous to Unova, Abra, common across Japan-" The nurse cut herself off, turning to him with a questioning expression while stammering, "Excuse me, this says Shaymin, and- I'm not quite sure if that's- That's correct-"

"It is." He said, simply. "It is."

Hilbert dialed a number in the cross-transceiver, deciding to get it out of the way. He was sitting in a secluded corner of the Pokemon center, waiting for his teammates to arrive.

"Hey, mom, guess what?"

"..."

"Mom?"

"...I don't even know what to say, Hilby, I- Where on earth did you find an honest-to-Arceus Shaymin? I haven't heard stories about those since I was a little girl, how did you even-" She stopped, like she couldn't think of anything else to say.

"It's not incredibly complicated, but they're sticking around with me for a while."

"...I'm shocked. Speechless, even."

"I can tell."

"I think I'm going to go lay down…"

"You do that. Talk to you later, mom, love you."

Click.

Abra appeared out of his Pokeball, meditating (sleeping) as always, balanced with its tail precariously on the tiny Shaymin who was napping next to Hilbert on the couch. He could see the Psychic energy in the air that was holding Abra up and keeping him from crushing Shaymin. From that, it was clear he was just showing off.

"So, when do I get my own, type-appropriate, drill-based finisher?"

"When I find a TM that can make you do that, or you learn an actual psychic attack." Hilbert said, dismissing the question and sinking into the couch.

Ow.

A plastic disc fell out of the air and smacked him on the forehead. Picking up the dilapidated junk, he looked around it for a label.

(Tm29 - PsyChIc)

The packaging was covered in dirt, and the label had worn away around the corners, making the letters barely readable.

"You didn't steal this, did you?" He held up the disk, waving it around in Abra's face.

"I found it when I was still wild. It's very old, as you can tell. They threw it out when the company stopped making them."

"When was that?"

"2009 or so, I wouldn't worry about that."

"...Alright." He pressed the floppy disk to Abra's forehead, and watched it dissolve into his skin, much like the Fire Punch TM had done. He was lucky to have found one that powerful in time for the gym battle.

"Fantastic. Now I can twist people externally as well as I can internally!"

"...I forgot you were a sociopath." Hilbert groaned, laying back on the couch.

"I prefer the term Psychopath. It fits the aesthetic much more."

People seemed a lot more wary of him, it seemed. Not scared, just hesitant to approach. Little kids constantly ran up and asked to pet Shaymin, because really, it was a soft, tiny, really cute Mythical Pokemon, who wouldn't want to?

Chapter Text

The leader of Team Galactic looked up at the statue in the Eterna city plaza.

Dialga, Palkia… Though it could be either, depending on who looked at the monument, it was inconsequential to him.

He planned to take control of both of them regardless.

A Mid-Sinnoh Night's Dream - VI - What Was That About Throwing Galaxies?

Hilbert went off on his own for a break, feeling like exploring the city for a while.

After hearing about the cool dragon statue, he decided to check it out.

A strange man in a strange suit with blue hair was looking up at it, mumbling. Hilbert felt an itch at the back of his mind. He had a 'G' insignia on his jacket, meaning nothing good.

The man walked past him, ignoring the tense look Hilbert was giving him.

"Wait."

The man stopped.

"Can I help you?"

"You're Team Galactic, aren't you." Hilbert turned slightly looking out of the corner of his eye, pupils focused in.

The man sighed.

"If you're only going to state the obvious, I'll be on my way."

"I said wait."

The man stopped again.

Golett appeared, bursting out of his Pokeball.

"Team Galactic is bad."

"Is it now? From whose viewpoint?" The man laughed cynically.

"Mine. What's your connection with them?"

"Me? I'm the one who will bring about the new world."

"Will you? Then, it looks like I'll have to stop you, if you're the leader."

"Stand down, little boy." The man looked at him, a cool indifference on his face, but an angry look tugging at his mouth. "You have no clue who you're dealing with."

"No. I'm not letting you walk away." Garchomp and Tyranitar burst out as well, drawing the attention of bystanders.

The man held out one Pokeball. "Stand down."

"Or what?"

There was a blast of light.

An enormous bird appeared, its tail feathers flowing in the wind like an ocean's wave. It was twice Hilbert's height, and seemed to crackle with freezing dark energy.

WHAT'S AN ARTICUNO DOING IN SINNOH?

His body was covered by ice in seconds by the proximity, his Pokemon being frozen as well.

"You don't know what you're dealing with, child." The man said, walking off. "Return, Shadow Articuno."

The Legendary Bird disappeared in a bolt of light, leaving him frozen in the plaza.

Hours later, after being thawed out of the icy coating, Hilbert looked up at the Team Galactic building in Eterna city. Looker was standing next to him, hands in his pockets and biting a lollipop stick. Again, kid's game. No smoking, that's how you get a sure-fire M-rating.

"Why are they allowed to operate in the middle of a city?" Hilbert asked, thoroughly confused, and still ticked off.

"See, their surface operation is a simple non-profit organization. They claim their money is sourced from donations, but I think you know how they really fund themselves."

"And you can't do anything about that?"

Looker shooker- Shook his head. "Their newer grunts are the ones who carry out the actual crimes. The most the top leadership can be charged with is aiding and abetting. Bail is pathetically low for that in this region."

"That's… Heavily lame."

"Just as well, they haven't committed any major crimes yet, and although they're designated as terrorists, what they really are is a cell organization of petty thieves."

"How is taking over a windmill and taking hostages not 'major'?"

"The scientist was fine, and your team did most of the damage. Easily reversible crimes are barely worth the League's notice. Just as well, they're too spread out. They could never catch everyone in Team Galactic, so they brought us in instead of dealing with it themselves."

"So, why exactly are you investigating them?"

"Our intel tells of a much more sinister purpose." He bit down on the stick in his mouth, exhaling. "They're a menace, but one that isn't easily found."

"That like, totally sucks."

"Could you at least act like you're not a child when speaking on official business?"

"You're the guy with the lollipop, don't pull that card on me."

"..."

"..."

Spitting the stick out, Looker nodded to himself. "Regardless, I believe you're now able to 'investigate' on your own?"

"What?"

"You're not tied down with red tape. I believe you have access to Cut inside of cities?" Looker said, gesturing the the pathetic shrubs blocking their way to the door.

"Well, yeah."

"The owner of the bicycle shop was reported missing yesterday, so I'll leave you to it." If the investigator had a hat, he would tip it. He walked off, letting his four human teammates walk up to him.

"...So, you're not about to do anything rash, are you? I mean, this is the middle of a city," warned Dawn.

Cracking his knuckles, Hilbert smirked with an angry smile.

"Wait outside, and give me fifteen minutes."

It was actually fairly normal, inside. Business people intermingled with Team Galactic grunts. Both groups seemed oddly wary of him entering their premises.

An office lady walked up to them, clearly nervous, but sent to do so by a superior secretary.

"Ah, hello… Welcome, what is the purpose of your visit?" She said, faking a polite smile.

"Eh, you know, just looking around." He spotted a set of stairs that a lot of the grunts were suddenly taking to the second floor. "I don't think I need help, thank you." He quickly walked after them, leaving the office lady stammering, just trying to do her job.

Almost stealthily so, like a master of sneaking, he walked up the stairs, and through the door at the top.

The lights suddenly flashed off, and the door slammed shut behind him.

"Ah. Did it to myself, looks like."

The lights flickered back on, revealing an open floor, sparsely decorated with storage shelves and unused equipment.

Also, there were a full two dozen grunts, grabbing their Pokeballs and throwing out a variety of 'Mons. Zubats, Croagunks, Stunkys…

Soon enough, he was surrounded in the warehouse-like room, in a semicircle.

"If you're trying to threaten me, it isn't working."

"Oh, but that isn't the purpose." Called a voice he couldn't spot.

At the top of a giant shelf, a woman with purple hair stood, looking down at him across the room. She was dressed in an oddly-modified Galactic jumpsuit, part of her thigh showing through the costume.

Hilbert unfixed his gaze, and replied, "Then what is?"

"To separate you from your team." She merrily replied, with a cruel undertone in her laugh.

In the street, a variety of businessmen, truly plain-clothes Galactic members, surrounded the remaining four members.

"I suggest that you come inside with us." Said their leader, a smartly-dressed man with bat-like blue hair. A Toxicroak and a Bronzong appeared beside him.

"Then I think you miscalculated," Hilbert said, releasing his four-fources-of-nature, Shaymin being completely dwarfed by the pseudo-legendaries next to them, and Golett motioning a knuckle crack.

"Oh? How so?" She asked, releasing her team with a sneer.

"Well… As much as they'd like to deny it…" He lifted the front of his cap, showing his gleaming eyes beneath. "Those guys are just as crazy as I am."

"Monferno, Fire Lance!"

A spear of flames ignited, forming in the Fire-types hands, and grew out a meter.

Cheryl and Chansey moved towards the center of their formation, being their support. Dawn's Turtwg and Combee weren't much help in the situation, but she'd shore up their defense when one of many Zubats slipped in.

Saturn stepped back, shielding himself with an arm.

Monferno held the spear he was holding, and tossed it to Lucas, before making an even bigger one for himself.

"How…"

Lucas looked up defiantly, already sweating from the heat. "Every trainer with a Fire-type and common sense buys dragon tamer gloves."

His hands were covered in gleaming scales, reaching up his forearms and keeping him from melting off his digits with the lightweight blazing weapon in his hands.

"What-"

"Rip and Tear?" Barry asked jokingly, letting Phantump use Trick Room on the area behind Lucas's back, splitting the battle in two.

Lucas nodded. "Until it's done."

"Sandstorm!"

Tyranitar and Garcomp raised their arms simultaneously, scattering sand into the rapidly kicking-up wind.

The first wave to approach were Zubats, shooting Poison Stings.

The Ground-type blocked with one arm, the darts pinging off like it was metal.

Tyranitar followed up with a Stone Edge, pulling rocks out of the concrete floor and shooting them into the Flying-types.

Golett whirred his drill.

"No, not yet."

The golem clanked in disappointment, before using Phantom Force to knock out the Croagunks at the back who were waiting for an opening.

Shaymin stepped back, to avoid being crushed underfoot, but also charging their own Safeguard, healing Garchomp's miniscule poisoning.

Jupiter stood at the top of the floor, glaring at the incompetence of the grunts below her. She didn't think she'd have to do anything, but that boy truly did have the Pokemon their intel had told them about.

Her Skuntank appeared beside her, waiting for orders.

"Giga Impact. Take them out."

The Poison-type reared its head and shot from the shelf, wind being pushed aside in blades.

The storage room that was currently being torn to shreds was actually used to store Pokemon. The cries of kenneled quadrupeds were unheard through the whipping of the sandstorm.

One of these Pokemon, a biped, and a restrained aura user, watched the battle, with dulled eyes. Its eyes drifted over to the newcomer, this trainer, 'Black'.

"Limit-" There was a brilliant flash of light as a blade of flames was swung. "BREAK!"

Bronzong was thrown through a window, eliciting a cry from those in the building, after being slashed by a sword-like flame. Saturn dodged out of the way, falling over, and his Toxicroak jumped in front of him to defend.

Lucas's sword somewhat diminished, but it still had time left for use.

In the background, Phantump was finally knocked out, but not before it managed to hex a Crogunk, knocking it out easily with the burn it already had.

"What are you?"

"Me?" He asked, then pondering, before whipping around and knocking an approaching Zubat across the street. Lucas delved into the cooler side of his mind. "Black would probably say, 'I'm just a kid taking the gym challenge.' But me? I'm Team Galactic's worst nightmare."

Monferno threw aside his lance, knocking a stray Croagunk back.

"Time  for some Acrobatics, Monferno!"

Skuntank burst forward, moving through the air like a bullet towards the Shaymin, left on its own in the center.

Abra, sensing it from the Pokeball, burst out and formed a bastardized Protect shield around the Gratitude Pokemon. The sphere was only a foot in diameter, dozens less that the general shield, and just that much stronger from the focus.

The Giga Impact grinded against the shield, all of Skuntank's velocity and power colliding against the barrier.

Using Psychic, he yanked the shielded Grass-type out from under the massive Skuntank, letting the Poison-type collapse the Protect like a soap bubble.

"Nice one, Abra!" Hilbert turned his attention away, picking up Shaymin and crouching behind Tyranitar to check up on them. "How'd you do that?"

A Fire Blast exploded on Garchmoped front, but he endured and returned Dragon Breath.

"While setting the Protect, instead of fully solidifying the shield, I bent it inwards."

"Awesome. Think you could bend it into a cone?" He asked, covering his ears to protect them from another shockwave.

Abra's eyes twitched, not opening, but the motion signaled his realization.

"A drill, you mean?"

"You bet I do! Tyranitar, Garchomp! Stone Edge! Pin it to the wall!"

Riolu's eyes widened, as it watched the air freeze. It could see the aura flowing between the many Pokemon and their trainer.

Abra held its hands out, motioning them as if bending the molecules that made up the glasses. It seemed to fold somehow, twisting in and becoming visible, like solid air. It wrapped itself in a cone, and the rushing of air blasted throughout the room.

"Creating vacuum… Pressurizing air…"

Golett was shining a brilliant white, with glowing spheres flowing from his eyes and into a spiral heading towards the back of Abra's arm.
Jupiter was pinned between the wall and her Skuntank, yelling and trying to escape to no avail. They were both trapped by the pillars of concrete that had shot up.

Psychic energy began to gather on the edges of the drill, fully solidifying it as Abra kept his focus. His eyes opened slightly, a brilliant magenta shining out. Its gaze turned on the Team Galactic Commander and her Pokemon. His arm shot out, gripping the flat end of the cone. It reached inside of it, sealing again, and it became an extension of his very body.

"You've underestimated the sheer power of Team Black! Who the Hell do you think we are?" HIlbert held out a fist, shouting in triumph. "Don't you know how we roll? If there's a wall, there's a way, because we smash down anything that blocks our path! So if you're going to be something that stands in our way, we've got something that'll pierce a hole in you every time."

The cone began spinning, a dozen Psycho Cuts forming a spiral along its end, curving towards its point.

Saturn's Croagunk was annoyingly persistent, taking on Monferno head to head. Monferno had him on speed, until they fell into Lucas's Trick Room area, still standing. The last of the Zubats had been taken out, and the police arrived at the scene.

It was a slow series of punches, Croagunk would land a hit, Monferno would land a hit.

Saturn had already disappeared from the scene, a Pokeball broken in half where he was a moment. The police were helpless to stop him as he ran through the backstreets to evade capture. The Trick Room effect messed with Pokeball recall, and he was forced to abandon the Pokemon. If the Pokeball was intact, they would be more able to track him down.

"This… This shouldn't be possible!" Riolu had never seen anything like this, not once in all of his time in the Lucario Kingdom. Psychic power was working hand in hand with aura, and along with a Ghost-type, no less!

"And that thing… IS OUR DRILL!"

Monferno and Croagunk collapsed next to each other, panting heavily. Neither could muster the power for a single punch. Monferno held up his fist, just barely, and held it over the Croagunk.

The Poison-type bumped it with its arm, and then they both fainted. An agreement between men. In the figurative sense, of course.

Four stories above them, immediately attracting their notice, the wall exploded outwards. A woman, her Skuntank, a massive translucent-pink drill, and an Abra followed, flying out over the city, almost like it was in zero gravity. The rubble that should have fallen on them simply floated lazily through the air as they sped past.

Soon after, Golett jetted across as well, following up, with Hilbert holding onto his leg with an improvised Escape-Rope-grip in one hand, and cradling Shaymin in the other. Tyranitar jumped down into the street, while Garchomp took off flying after them. A trail blazed in the sky, energy fading away as they followed the speeding drill.

Tyranitar slowly looked around at the other members of the team, who, far from looking shocked, just looked way too tired of Hilbert's antics.

Jupiter (The commander, not the planet, obviously) landed to the west of Cycling Road, thankfully cushioned by her Skuntank.

That's the thing about the Galactic Uniforms. They get more durable the higher the rank. Up to the level of ballistic-fiber and kevlar, multiplied manyfold. The translucent second-skin worn under was just reinforcement. She would have broken some bones, definitely, but the clothes made her about as durable as a Dragon-type.

Somehow though, the drill had pierced a hole in it anyway. It didn't cut her navel, but the clothes were in tatters.

She quickly recalled her Pokemon and staggered off into the forest, checking her belt for something that could use Teleport.

Hilbert arrived a minute later. Golett wasn't as fast as a telekinetic drill, especially with the extra load.

They found Abra, totally knocked out, at the bottom of a three-meter wide crater at the base of the hill.

Hilbert dropped early in concern, landing in the dirt with a jolt that rolled up his ankles. He hobbled over to the Psychic-type and carefully picked him up.

"I think we won't have to worry about her for a while…" He gently said, returning the Pokemon to his capsule. He was about to hitch a ride back to town on Golett when Garchomp descended from the sky and carefully plonked down in front of him.

"...I told you to help out Lucas and the others."

The Dragon-type made a sort of shrugging motion, before lowering his wings, signaling for him to climb on.

He held onto the dorsal fin like his life depended on it as Garchomp sped back to town in a sonic boom. Because you know, it did from that height.

When he got back, slowly descending to the asphalt, Jennys were dealing with the damage alongside Looker.

"So, was that fifteen minutes?" He said, dissolving Garchomp into their ball and dropping to the ground in a crouch.

Lucas looked away from the officer who was talking to Dawn and Cheryl, pulling up his watch. "Eh… Nope, you went over by a few." His hat was gone, having been burned into ashes and scattered when he used Monferno's Flame Lance.

"Aw, man…" He actually stopped to take a look at the wrecked street. Pavement blown like gravel, unconscious Pokemon next to restrained Galactic grunts, Monferno leaning on a Toxicroak that was helping him up… "Wait, what?"

"Ah, funny thing." Lucas turned back towards the two Fighting-types, shrugging and ruffling his hair. "They're 'battle brothers' or something now. What term would you use?"

"No, that fits. Where'd he come from?"

"Oh, the guys who were messing with us, their leader, he ran off and broke the Pokeball so he couldn't be traced."

"Man, so we're out two for two? That sucks."

"But hey, did we win, or did we win?" Lucas held out his open palm, which Hilbert clapped. They grabbed each other's forearms.

There was a shared gleam in their tired eyes, like a manly bond.

"Well, co-leader, does the magma of your soul burn like a mighty flame?" Hilbert asked, fake-serious.

Lucas nodded. "Definitely, as a man's soul does."

"..."

"..."

"There's two of them now…" Dawn groaned, laughing lightly under her breath.

Barry was naturally laughing his ass off. Would he realistically be doing anything else?

Cheryl was taking pictures, as all of both of their Pokemon burst out, framing the scene. A promise between trainers, to kick ass and take names.

"Black, they want to talk to you about the captive Pokemon in the room you battled in." Looker walked up to him, twirling a lollipop in his hands.

"The what?"

As they walked past the lobby, he saw officers talking to the business people, who were swearing they didn't know Team Galactic was doing anything illegal. The grunts who were in the building at the time did the same, claiming that they thought the uniforms were standard issue, and yes, officer, these are my Pokemon, I've had them since I was little, are you saying they aren't my friends?

The big warehouse section of the building was cleared as well. Some of the lights had broken, but the sunlight streaming in from the hole he'd put in the wall lit it up well enough.

There were people taking records of all the kennels, noting them for transport. The Solaceon daycare was usually willing to shelter lost domesticated Pokemon.

A Riolu calmly walked up to him and tugged at his tattered jacket. Sandstorm had taken more out of him than he thought.

"Human," spoke a child-like, boyish voice.

"Oh, another one." He supposed he ought to get used to talking Pokemon. "You can talk? How can I help ya?"

"Black… That Pokemon isn't talking."

"Huh?" He turned to Looker, confused, before refocusing on the Riolu.

"Do you know what aura is?"

"Uh… Nope?"

"What? You were clearly using it, how do you not know?" The Fighting-type was annoyed by his denial.

"What?"

"When you used that… Drill move, I saw it."

"No, that was Abra using Psychic and Protect."

"No! I'm certain of it, I can see aura, and you were using it!"

"I have no clue what you're talking about."

"And you're a liar!"

"Don't call me a liar, pipsqueak!"

"Pipsqueak?" It cried in indignation.

"Yeah!"

"How dare you! I'll have you know, I was under the tutelage of the Great Aura Master, White Claw, of the Lucario Kingdom before I-"

"Looker, what's the Lucario Kingdom?"

"Village of Lucario to the north-east, we only hear about it occasionally by the few aura users that are allowed in it."

"Hey! I'm talking to you!"

Hilbert turned back to the Fighting-type. "What do you need?"

"I want to know how you used aura like that!"

"I have- NO- CLUE- What that is!"

"What?"

"This guy's saying something about aura."

"That's a type of energy some Pokemon can use. It's mostly only been recorded being used by Riolu, Lucario, and some rare human cases."

"Really?"

"Why are you acting like it's a surprise, you clearly know what it is!"

"I clearly don't, pipsqueak."

"Pipsqueak?"

"Yes, pipsqueak! Agh, that doesn't even sound like a word anymore!"

"That's your problem!"

One of the officers walked up, concerned about why he was yelling at a Pokemon. Seeing it was a Riolu, she relaxed, and shook her head. "Mr. Black, our analysis revealed several undomesticated Pokemon, likely snatched out of the wild. You have your pick."

"Huh?"

"Well, you're the one who freed them. It seems fair, doesn't it?" She looked back at her clipboard, then down at the Riolu. "That one's wild."

"Don't call me a 'that', you-"

"Hey, respect police officers." He crouched slightly and flicked the Riolu's forehead.

"Respect me! You're a mere human!" It swatted his hand away and started yelling again.

"How about you respect me!"

"Mr. Looker… Does this happen often?" The officer walked around the impromptu shouting match.

The investigator sighed, shrugging. "It's an occupational hazard. Kid's weird, but he gets some crazy stuff done."

"Stop following me!"

"Not until you learn to respect my station! I'm the student of White Claw, the Great Aura Master of-"

"Your teacher is named after a kind of-" Hilbert's voice suddenly cut out. "A kind of-" Oh, wait. Kid's game.

Wait, what?

"He's got a funny name, that's what I'm saying!"

"You'd dare disrespect my teacher? Why, I oughta-"

"Who's your friend, Hilbert?" Dawn walked up, looking between him and the Riolu. Everyone was looking at him weirdly for yelling at a Pokemon.

"Wild Riolu, if you can't tell by the immaturity."

"Immaturity!"

"Yes!"

"Why are you yelling at it?"

Hilbert stopped for a second, rewinding. "Officer Jenny said he was wild."

"I'm not a boy! How dare you-"

"And because I did a little stuff-"

Barry snorted in the back.

"They gave me a pick of the undomesticated captured Pokemon."

"Undomesticated!"

"Yes!"

"But why are you-"

"Oh, Riolu can talk with people or something."

"...See, that's funny, because I can't hear anything, besides the usual cries."

"Then consider yourself lucky."

"Hey!"

"Go home, pipsqueak!"

"Not until you show me some respect, and how you did that aura thing!"

"I don't know what aura is!"

"I already explained it! It's energy that-"

"I still can't use it! I don't know where you got that idea from!"

"Because you did, I saw it!"

"You saw wrong!"

"I did not! Get out one of your partners, I saw them use it!"

"Fine!"

Golett burst out of his Pokeball, cracking his metaphorical knuckles.

Riolu seemed awestruck for a moment. "-It's flowing off this guy! It's like he's made of the stuff!"

"Well, I don't know what to tell you!"

"Then get another one!"

"I don't have to prove anything to you, you're pissing me off!" He refused to reach into his bag for the next one.

Riolu tugged at it.

He tugged back.

He was soon facing off against the strength of a Fighting-type, which he should know, is a fight you never win.

The bag's zippers parted at the middle, sliding opposite ways from the force, and shaking some of his things loose.

Like say, a Great Ball.

The Pokeball clonked Riolu on the forehead and absorbed her in a blast of light.

Wobble.

Wobble.

Wobble.

Hilbert looked on in horror at the possibility he might have to take care of that pain-in-the-ass.

Click.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOO-"

"How dare you! How dare you! How dare you howdareyouhowdare-"

"Ah, shut up!" He released her as quickly as he could then tried to block her punches aimed directly for his face. "It's not my fault!"

"Yes it is!"

"You shouldn't have tried to rip my bag!"

"You should have done as I said!"

"Agh! I'm tired of arguing with you…" His throat was hurting from all the yelling.

"Me too!"

"...?"

"I said what I said and I stand by that!"

"..."

"..."

"...Alright, we're going, come on." Hilbert shook himself off and zipped his bag back up. The others were already waiting by the door of the building.

"Going where?"

"Well, I'm starving. How long were you in there?"

Her stomach growled at the thought of food.

"Too long, then. Man, I could really go for burgers right now…"

They weren't real burgers of course, it being Eterna city. They're crazy about plants, always bragging about being 'gym-sourced'.

"Hey, Black!" Gardenia ran up to them. "I've been," she panted, out of breath, "Looking for you. I heard about what went down at the Galactic building, nice one."

"Ah, it wasn't just me. Thanks though."

"No problem. But I've been wanting to ask you about Shaymin."

"What about them?"

"I wanna see! Give them here!"

"Wha?"

He was nearly tackled off the seat by the gym leader, who was reaching for the Premier Ball on his belt.

"Come on! Please!"

Shaymin appeared outside of its Pokeball, thoroughly confused.

Gardenia let out a cry of excitement and scooped up the hedgehog. She hugged it to her chest and started rolling around on the floor.

"So cool so cool so cool-"

"Uh… Miss?"

She suddenly jumped up, still cuddling Shaymin. "Alright, super cool! Thanks!" She carefully handed the hedgehog to Hilbert before running off.

"..."

"So uh, that happened."

"Thank you for the clarification, Lucas."

Chapter Text

"Young man, we'd like to sponsor your team with our premier bicycles!"

It was a little funnier in the context of them being painted the colors of their partner Pokemon. Except Hilbert's, his was red with blue trim.

See, all they wanted was to head down Cycling Road, and get to Hearthome within the week.

But no, it turned out the owner of the bike shop actually was held hostage in one of the Galactic building's rooms, so felt a strange gratitude towards them.

That was when the advertisers showed up.

Allegedly, the guys over at GAINAX were pissing themselves in excitement after the news of the form of a certain Pokemon reached them. More blue than Gurren, most of the time, but the sentiment remained.

So they'd worked out a deal with the bike manufacturer, and settled on letting him make a bike befitting Team Black with the appropriate designs and both of their brand names on it.

Bike / GAINAX

Believe In The Me That Believes In You. Just Do It.

...Before the boy had ever actually walked in the door.

They didn't even have to pay for the things, they just gave them up and shoved them out the door.

"So uh, that happened too."

How lost they would be without your guidance, Lucas.

Well, at least he'd lost the lame hat. He looked slightly cooler afterward.

A Mid-Sinnoh Night's Dream - VII - Escape From The City?

The wind whipped through his hair as he sped down Cycling Road, whooping. Barry was doing much the same, and though Lucas was certainly quieter, joined in as well. Combee was buzzing alongside Dawn, doing flight tricks as well, practicing like it was a wind tunnel. Cheryl was in between her and the boys, soaking up the views that sped by.

She'd said she became a treasure hunter because of her grandfather, and that was certainly a factor, but the truth was… She wanted to see the world. Not just its glory and its riches, but its quieter beauty that could only be found through travel.

"Hey, you're getting wind in my face!"

"No one said you had to ride in my bag!" He yelled at the Riolu who was leaning over his helmet, catching the intense breeze.

A mile away, bending the light with their aura like an invisible telescope, a scouting troop of Lucario was searching for the one they'd lost.

Multiple weeks ago, a particularly temperamental Riolu ran away. That was common enough for the student of White Claw, and she usually returned within the day, worse for wear from fighting other wild Pokemon, but alright.

But that day, she'd not returned. At first, they assumed that she was simply staying out late. But then that day grew into two, and as it grew into a full week, concerns and anxiety rose. Search parties had been sent out as fast as they could.

The Lucario Kingdom was more like a monk's temple than a true feudal kingdom. There were no lords or kings, only the trust each held in the wiser and more powerful among them.

Among those, White Claw was very well respected, and thus the disappearance of his disciple was certainly a cause for concern.

So, spotting the Riolu in question riding in a trainer's bag, unfortunately looking like it was secured there, it was completely fair for them to assume the trainer in question was responsible.

They jumped from their high vantage point on a cliff of Mt. Coronet, barely halfway up the mountain, and started skidding down the near-vertical rock face.

Lucas saw a glint in the forest, rapidly approaching where they were heading on Cycling Road.

"Hey, do you guys see that?"

Riolu looked over. "Oh, those are aura users! I can see it!"

"...I still can't understand what you're saying!" He yelled forward, still pedaling.

"What? So more Riolu?" Hilbert said, barely glancing to the side in time for him to see a pack of Lucario jumping into the air towards him.

"Oh. Sh-" He was tackled off of his bike, sending it skittering down the road, as he flew off of Cycling Road.

They all cried out in surprise at the same time.

"Hilbert!"

Throwing their own bikes aside, they ran to look over the edge where Hilbert was nowhere to be seen.

All he could see was the rapidly shrinking road and a lot of black and blue wrapped around his torso. The blow took the air right out of his lungs, and the cutting wind refused to let him take it back. Riolu was barely holding onto the bag while potions and spare Pokeballs were flying out.

"What is this?" Riolu cried, terrified as they flew a dozen meters above the ground.

"Young one! We have been searching for you! We will save you from this vile human!"

"Vile? I resent that!" Hilbert cried himself, his mind zeroing in on the first thing he could actually comprehend.

"...Did this human just understand us, pack leader?" Asked one of the Lucario, his grip as iron-strong as the rest.

"Yes! He can do that! Why did you attack him?" Riolu asked, still trying not to be blown away.

"Because he has kidnapped you!"

"What? No! That was Team Galactic- Can you please put me down safely so we can talk about this?" The trees started to look a little bigger, making his concern only grow.

"Hmph. Very well." In the blink of an eye, they dropped down into the canopy, and there was a massive crash. He wasn't injured, aside from the aching ribs, and found himself slowed in the air, floating. He descended into the five-strong group of Lucario and fell unceremoniously on his ass.

There were massive trees pushed aside, showing their roots. He realized he stood in a five-point crater of dirt, plant-life blown away by the impact. Bug Pokemon scattered to the wind in fear, abandoning nests in instants.

Riolu let go of the bag, dizzily walked over to the grass, and started puking.

"So, uh… How can I help you guys?" Hilbert stood up, rubbing his sore back, accepting he was going to have giant bruises by tomorrow.

"I apologize for our hasty actions. We have been searching for the young one for a lunar cycle. A month, in human terms. When did you first make contact?"

Ignoring the retching Pokemon behind him, he answered, in his extreme humility, "See, I have this thing where I can't stop myself from helping the weak? It's a personality flaw of mine." He scratched the back of his head. "What happened was Team Galactic was doing some things… It's a long story, are you aware of them?"

"No, I can't say any of our outside contacts have mentioned such a group…" The lead Lucario, who had metallic war paint under his eyes, put a paw on its chin in thought.

"They steal Pokemon and hurt people. Not something I'm cool with. So, me, Golett, Abra, and Shaymin went to-"

"Excuse me, Shaymin?"

At the prompting, all of Hilbert's Pokemon burst out of their Pokeballs, even if Abra was still asleep.

"Oh, yeah. Can't forget Garchomp or Tyranitar, of course. They did a ton too." Hilbert shrugged, nonchalantly letting the two pseudo-legendaries into the forest.

Four of the Lucario were suddenly put on guard.

Riolu raised her arms and made a calming motion. "These are friends. Don't get too heated, this human's just too much of an idiot to feel threatened by anything."

"Hey!"

"See? No situational awareness."

"You…" The pack leader opened his eyes and raised his head. "You are clearly some sort of aura user, and if the young one trusts you… I believe the Master should be informed of this. First-hand. I insist you travel with us to the Lucario Kingdom, human."

"...Can I bring my teammates?"

"You will all be regarded with caution, but you may be granted temporary entry. If we find you to have endangered the young one, we dole out justice accordingly."

"I don't really like the sound of-" His words drifted off as five spheres of energy gathered in five furry palms.

The two pseudo-legendaries growled, but Hilbert held up his hand.

"No, this is fine." He recalled everyone except Riolu. He should probably get the control issues of his Pokeballs checked out, they got out way too easily. "We should grab them at Cycling Road."

After nearly half an hour of searching the forests near the bike path, Hilbert was nowhere to be seen and Dawn was at her wit's end.

Suddenly, in a gust of air, five Lucario appeared in the close tree line. Its leader held Hilbert in its arms, the fastest mode of transport, while another held Riolu on its shoulders.

"Hilby!" Dawn's cry alerted the others, who were searching out of sight, and they quickly ran up to the group.

The leader of the pack put him down so he could explain it to them.

"We need to head to the Lucario Kingdom so I don't have to kick any ass unnecessarily."

No one felt the need to explain he had that backwards.

"...How do you keep getting yourself into these things?" Dawn asked, sighing in relief, seeing he was still his normal self.

"Turns out, Riolu's a princess up there or something."

"SHE'S WHAT?"

"I'm not!"

Each member of the pack carried a member of Team Black through the forest. Barry had handed him his compacted bike to put back in his bag, and after redistributing their potions and remaining Pokeballs, they went on their way.

In not even an hour, they'd crossed so much of the forest that Cycling Road was barely a gleam behind them in the distance.

Lucario could run fast and that's a thrice-damned understatement.

The Lucario Kingdom was inside a hidden plateau on Mt. Coronet, in between the western bits of Eterna Forest and the route to Snowpoint city. There was a reason people traveled inside the mountain for that journey, as the terrain was incredibly perilous, reaching near ninety-degree angles at times.

Not that that stopped the pack of Lucario, who ran up it without a second thought.

It was about the size of Twinleaf, scattered houses and a variety of berry bushes. Stone roads were paved between those and the large stone temple that was built into the mountain side. It looked like a sort of monastery, and it turned out to be their destination.

They were put down at the steps, and a guard emerged around the six, including Riolu at the front. The guards wore armor, as metallic as their spikes, like that of a knight's.

"Whoa…" Barry actual seemed speechless for once, taking in the village.

Cheryl intended on taking some pictures if Hilbert managed to get everything cleared up.

Lucas wisely chose against asking if they were still wild and could be caught.

Dawn was looking around as much as the rest of them.

Hilbert simply sighed as they were escorted through a giant hall and into what looked like a council room.

Before they could enter, a guardsman- GuardsPokemon? Told them to leave their bags behind.

"Can I at least take the Pokeballs keyed to my partners?"

The escort and the guard looked at each other before nodding. All of their Pokemon were quickly allowed behind them. The two pseudo-legendaries ducked in the building, fitting, but recognizing that intimidation was not the way to go that deep into unknown territory.

Lucas sent out Monferno and Toxicroak, Barry let out Piplup, Starly, and Phantump, Dawn decided her Turtwig and Combee could use some air, and Chansey walked with Cheryl as always.

You can probably guess what Hilbert sent out, that being everyone else he had.

So yes, it got a lot more crowded very suddenly.

They still managed to fit through the massive archway, the doors swinging open to reveal a council of five, much older looking Lucario.

They seemed to have been in the middle of a heated discussion (The word 'argument' was just so uncouth), before their attention was brought to the convoy.

The one who was sitting at the middle seat of the semicircular table stood up. "These are our visitors? Ah, I see, young one, I am pleased to see your return... When did your aura grow such?"

Riolu looked up, confused, then looked back at Hilbert and Golett, who were behind her, the center of the crowd, and back at the council.

She simply stepped to the side and held a hand pointing at the two partners.

Lucario's eyes widened. "I see. How did you come across such a human?"

"I was kidnapped by a strange group of people, known as Team Galactic by the humans. Recently, I was rescued by these humans in their attack against the team. They are called Team Black. The leader, the boy behind me, has strong aura, as does this Golett, but he refuses to explain how he has it."

"We can see, young one."

"Ah… I apologize, I'd grown accustomed to dealing with humans, Master." Riolu bowed.

"Ease yourself. It's an unfamiliar situation to find oneself in. You, human. The discussion of aura can wait. You say that Pokemon are endangered?"

"Team Galactic hurts a lot of people and Pokemon. So, I gotta stop them."

"You say this, yet you've captured Pokemon, and bent them to your will? I find this hypocritical."

Hilbert shook his head. "They're free to go whenever they want. It's a pretty long story, actually… I saved Golett when I was little, he'd beat me up if I told him to leave, I helped Tyranitar and Garchomp a couple months ago and they chose to follow me, Abra could probably mind-control me into letting him leave, Shaymin could-"

"Excuse me, Shaymin?"

"They're Mythical here too?" He blinked. The grassy hedgehog walked out from behind a variety of legs, looking up at the council.

"That's… Certainly something we don't see everyday."

"I've gotten used to it. They came up to me in the forest. Oh, and Riolu caught herself, so-"

He found multiple spikes at his throat in seconds.

"I just said it wasn't me!"

"He's not lying, there was a struggle, and one of his capture-devices fell on me."

"Very well… I trust you'll destroy this capture device?" The Lucario, presumably White Claw, glared at him, clearly directing a single answer.

He responded by tossing the Great Ball on the floor between them. "I won't stop her from destroying it herself."

"An interesting attitude."

"I'm just saying, I don't think I've called any of them anything other than my partners. There's a reason for that. They're my partners first, and my Pokemon second."

There was a consistent growl among the Pokemon in agreement, Shaymin's translated confirmation as well.

"...I see. Back to the topic. This Team Galactic, they are a danger to both humans and Pokemon?"

"That's what I'm sayin'. And there's a lot of them."

"Very well. Council, shall we put the guards on high alert?"

"Aye!" Said the other members.

"Excuse me?"

"The young one was presumably kidnapped within our area. Therefore, protecting ourselves from this Team Galactic is urgent."

"That makes sense."

"We thank you for the return of the young one, and for your delivered information." White Claw nodded. "Should you wish to return, our doors will be open to you. Now, onto the topic of your aura…"

Hilbert, as well as his Pokemon, had been taken into a training yard, before White Claw and Riolu began the lecture.

Thus began the month-long training from hell.

"We get to stay here for a month? Cool!" Barry was undeterred by having to miss a month of gym battles, more excited by the thought of exploring. As did Cheryl. Lucas was slightly disappointed that he would miss out on some training, but he and Monferno realized possibly getting to spar with actual Lucario was worth the risk. Turtwig thought the rocks there felt nice, whatever that meant, so Dawn was happy with simply preparing for the first contest in Hearthome, their planned next stop.

"Wait, if aura is life-energy, how does Golett have it? He's a Ghost-type." Hilbert questioningly pointed at his partner. He'd changed into a strange training garb, and though it fit loose, it worked for the master's purposes.

Riolu shook her head in sync with White Claw. "Just because someone is 'dead', does not mean they are not alive."

"...You're going to have to explain that one to me."

"It's very strange, I must say. You yourself have some aura, but it seems to flow out of Golett."

"He has energy in his body. No one knows what it is." Hilbert shrugged. "I just figured it was his soul or something."

"That isn't too far off- However, aura is the byproduct of a soul, not the soul itself. I am not familiar with his species, is this known?"

"I've never heard anything about it before, so I think he's just special. It would explain the drill."

"The… Drill?"

"Ah, yeah, you guys are pretty isolated. Let me explain-"

The clothes Lucario had were certainly weird, thought Dawn. They were more cloaks and drapery, then something meant to conceal, shall we say. And they were a lot shorter, though the torso sizes were similar enough between them and the Pokemon species.

Lucas and Barry were expressly forbidden from looking at them regardless, Cheryl was terribly embarrassed.

After they'd meditated a full week, Hilbert started seeing hazy blue outlines of aura when he closed his eyes. It gave him a terrible headache, always seeing something, but he quickly learned to ignore it. They moved on to manipulating the aura.

"Wait, wait, wait. I can use a Fighting-type move?" Hilbert asked, flexing his hands.

"By all means, it should be possible. Those that produce abnormal amounts of aura are generally able to produce an Aura Sphere. I recall a Togekiss I met being able to use it, years ago…"

"I still can't use it yet, so we're going to have to learn it together!"

"Why do I get the feeling that's not a good thing?"

"In truth, the two of you will likely spar together, yes."

"Ah… My bones hurt already…"

Using aura to produce weak shields was interesting. He'd said something about AT-fields, which White Claw didn't understand, but gave him leniency to describe it how he wished.

"It's not like psychokinesis, is it?"

"No, psychic powers are different, as I've explained multiple times."

"Ah, sorry."

"Psychic energy comes from the mind, while aura comes from the soul."

"Yeah, yeah, I know, sorry."

Refinement, refinement, refinement. He started being able to see aura through walls, and not just that of Lucario. Far off, he could see packs of Starly flying overhead, and he could swear he saw Lucas's outline a few times, but they quickly blinked out.

At the other side of the temple, in the more open training yards, Monferno stood off to the side, after tossing Lucas his Fire Lance. It was the weirdest thing, Barry had tried to do the same thing, borrowing Lucas's tamer gloves, but all he got was singed when he tried to replicate the effect.

And so, Lucas was practicing his flaming sword skills against a Lucario using Bone Rush.

"...We're not going to talk about how Lucas basically has a lightsaber and Hilby might as well be a Jedi?"

"No, Barry, we're not. Team Black's insane enough as it is."

They hadn't seen the boy for two weeks, as he'd been training in isolation, but from what the other Lucario had told them, aura sounded a lot like the Force.
No midichlorians though, if you've been wondering.

Hilbert's Aura Sight began filling in soon after, into solid blobs rather than flashing outlines.

He was certainly freaked out when he realized that he could understand Tyranitar speaking during one of his few breaks.

"Whoa! Tyranitar, you're not secretly a Psychic-type, are you?" He turned towards Abra. "You're doing something, aren't you?"

"Not me, boss. Dark-types are immune."

"Then… Shaymin!"

"No, it isn't me either, Hilbert."

"...Golett?"

"No."

"Alright then, who else could-"

He froze, slowly turning back to the golem. "...Say that again."

The Ghost-type looked up at him, confused.

"No?"

"AH!" Hilbert jumped back, falling back off the bench.

Riolu hopped up just to look down at him. "Congrats, you can talk to Pokemon now."

He groaned, "This is going to be a headache, isn't it?"

It turned out the translation was focus-based, so he thankfully wouldn't have to hear it all the time. It was only a one-way filter though, so Riolu's jabs still went through, annoyingly.

He got the basic idea of recognizing signatures, though he only got as far as recognizing the species. Before then, he went off his best guess, but now, with the full silhouettes, it was relatively easy.

Barry was bored. Plain and simple. Hilbert was off doing aura training, and Lucas was becoming a knight of some kind.

So, he went off to go find some wild Pokemon, if he could, and see if they wanted to come with him, following Hilbert's example.

That action quickly snowballed quite the series of events that could not be aired in the proper time slots to make any actual sense, so we'll get back to it later.

Hilbert focused an orb of his aura in the palm of his hand, and aimed it at Riolu, who was in a defensive stance a dozen meters away. The blue light grew into the size of a tennis ball, and he released it.

It weakly floated in her direction. A minute later, she poked it, just barely, at it exploded in a gust of wind.

"I'm… Going to have to work on that. Golett, your turn."

The golem faced down Riolu, in much the same way. He raised a hand, and guessing what he was supposed to be doing, focused his energy into a single point in his rocky outstretched palm.

"No, no drills."

Golett sadly clanked, collapsing the foot-long cone back into a sphere the size of a soccer ball.

It shot off, fast, and when Riolu punched it… It didn't break, and instead started spinning and putting on even more pressure becoming a lot pointier.

She had to dodge away from it as it buried itself in the ground.

"I said no drills!"

Golett shrugged. Well, as much as it could with it's 'anatomy'.

Hilbert emerged from his training exhausted, bruised, and in need of a good cheeseburger.

In other words, he'd be completely fine.

It was at that point that Barry suggested a friendly competition. Hilbert noticed an extra ball on his belt, but contrary to what he expected, it wasn't a Pokemon battle.
After all, after all that training and practice, Hilbert and Lucas fighting with their respective elements would be a hoot, and its not like Chansey wouldn't heal them if they got too hurt, right?

Unfortunately for Hilbert, he was correct, so had to fight Lucas with his bare hands while the other boy used a sword made of fire.

"You're kidding me, right? I barely know how to use aura!"

White Claw ignored his protests and pushed him into the arena, where Lucas was being treated the same.

Sighing, he focused on building up the shield around his clothes, so he wouldn't get too burned. It wouldn't completely protect him from blunt force, but he didn't need it to. Barry was already recording the spar, so there wasn't any chance of him backing out.

Smoke started billowing out of Lucas's Fire Lance. He called it a lance, but since it was completely on fire, there wasn't much of a way to define it. The thing wasn't even solid, it couldn't block anything except more fire and maybe a weak water attack.

He whipped it around, sending the cloud of black smog towards him. In response, Hilbert closed his eyes.

It was mostly black, but he could see Lucas's aura through his eyelids. Some of the light seeped through anyway, but he'd learned to ignore it.

The other boy charged forward, and he could see the boy's arms above his head, even if he couldn't see the fire.

He gathered an Aura Sphere in his left hand, turning sideways, and shot it towards the boy. He could see his own outline, as well as the glowing orb he shot the other way. It moved towards Lucas, but he made a slashing motion, and it easily dissipated.

He could feel the smoke start to burn at his nostrils. If the intention was to incapacitate, it would work soon.

So, naturally, he tried to get rid of the wind, jumping back, and gathering even more aura around his arm.

Just as naturally, it started taking on the shape of a drill. He reached out with his other hand, putting a spin on it while charging it double-time.

Lucas slowly approached, himself barely being able to see from the smoke. He may have thought ahead by bringing a mouth and nose cover, but his eyes were still getting stung.

Wind started whipping around the drill, as curves became more and more obvious, and the point became more defined.

As the smoke whirled away, Lucas could finally see what was happening.

A bluish, then smoky drill was formed around Hilbert's arm, pulsating. Black air moved around inside of it, just begging for release.

And he did. The drill shot off with a bang, kicking his arm back, and knocking him over.

It sped towards Lucas, and even though he tried to block it, the drill simply ignored the fire, absorbed it, and hit him, all in the blink of an eye. It hit him in the shoulder, knocking him down, and the drill continued onwards.

Seeing that he'd lost his weapon, he had no choice but to concede.

"Thank you for training me, White Claw. It was an honor." Hilbert stuck out his hand to shake, for the wizened Lucario. They stood on equal ground as they shook hands, even if Hilbert had to look down.

"I was glad to meet someone who could push the young one. She was growing stagnant in her growth. I thank you for giving her that push."

"No problem, really!" He held out a thumbs-up. "Me and Golett got a lot stronger, so no thanks necessary!"

"As if he wasn't strong enough…" Muttered Lucas.

"You did too, I don't know why you're complaining," Hilbert said looking away for a moment.

They got ready to Teleport back to Eterna, waving, before Hilbert noticed something strange.

"Uh… Riolu, why are you still here?" The Fighting-type was behind him, almost out of his field of vision.

She held out the Great Ball she'd caught herself in.

"Take it."

"You should have destroyed that thing." He blinked.

"I'm coming with you now. If I got a lot stronger in the last month, then if I travel with Golett, that means I'll get even more stronger!"

"More strong, you mean."

"Shut up!"

"Keep it up, and I'll nickname you Asuka."

"Don't you friggin' dare!" Lucas shouted, in a rare loss of composure. They were becoming more common, as he hung around Hilbert.

And so, they blinked away, Riolu still arguing with them, and Hilbert having officially obtained his sixth Pokemon.

Chapter Text

The martial artist stuck her hand through the heavy bag.

Metal sand poured out of it, as it was thrown across the room in tatters.

"Yup. Still got it."

A Mid-Sinnoh Night's Dream - VIII - The Obligatory Makeover Chapter

They bought new clothes in Eterna, after their old ones were still in scraps, and there was no way the girls would keep going around in the Lucario-made clothes. Don't forget, they were too short.

Dawn took the opportunity, with a mad gleam in her eyes, to treat them like Ken dolls as alleged practice for the contests.

Hilbert got a familiar deep blue jacket with a red bandana on its left arm near the shoulder, plain white undershirt, black cargo pants, and black boots that had cleat attachments and were steel-tipped. That was actually a smart idea, considering all of the Pokemon he had that messed with the earth.

Dawn convinced Lucas to splurge a bit on completely fire-proof clothing, though he wasn't too reluctant in the first place. As they wanted their Fire-type representative to look cool, they switched his main color away from the light blue of his jacket. First off, they made him buy a super long orange scarf, to match Monferno's fire. Everyone needs a scarf of ass-kicking, as Hilbert put it.

Except for him, as the bandana on his jacket was badass enough.

Lucas's jacket was black, with orange spiky highlights on the joints, and although it was a bit thick, it rolled it up easily. Gray undershirt, and also black cargo pants and boots, similarly to him, as he'd be dealing with the greatest variety of Pokemon out of all of them. He held onto the dragon-scale gloves too, because they were objectively pretty cool.

Barry also wanted a scarf of ass-kicking, but because that much cool in one team would be unfair, he had to settle for a blue neck-wrap with an integrated metallic rebreather, for when Piplup finally evolved. Scuba-suit underclothes were discussed, but the matter of practicality was brought up and they decided against it. Adjustable dark-blue swim pants, a matching track-jacket, and a striped yellow t-shirt.

Dawn stuck with her normal clothes, as she didn't intend on getting into situations where she needed special equipment.

Cheryl actually managed to sew up her own clothes, having a variety of handy skills like that, and made them look good as new in a few hours. It would confuse people when the girl in green had a Chansey, while Dawn, in pink, had a Turtwig, but no one in the group thought of that.

Abra did, but he laughed it off and didn't mention it.

A woman in black accosted him in the street. Luckily, it had nothing to do with his tendencies to blow shit up, but she noticed the Pokedex on his belt.

"That does take me back…" She said, shaking her head and blonde hair. "Does that mean you're working with the professor down in Sandgem?"

"Yeah, that's right," he responded, nodding.

"What's your name?"

"Ah… Well, I usually go by Black, but my name's Hilbert."

"Hm… Why do I feel like I should know that- Well, no matter! I'll be sure to remember that name." She looked back at the statue in the plaza, of the region's Legendary Pokemon. "I've been studying mythology lately, just out of curiosity. Have you taken a look at the statue?"

"I… Did." He left out the part about getting frozen by some jerk and his Articuno.

"According to myth, that's a statue of an incredibly powerful Pokemon. Who knows? Maybe you'll encounter such a Pokemon while you're traveling with your Pokedex."

"I… Kinda already have," he admitted, sheepishly.

"Hm?"

"Ah… You know Shaymin?"

"Yes, of course. In fact, they were spotted during a gym battle in this very town, it's the other reason I visited-" The woman stopped, looked confused briefly and looked back at him.

"Yeah, that was me, sorry."

"...May I see it?"

The woman waved as she walked off, satisfied with seeing the Mythical Pokemon. She handed him an egg, entrusting him and Shaymin to take care of it.

"Goodbye, and good luck on filling out your Pokedex; Give Professor Rowan my regards!"

He looked at the egg and clicked a Pokeball to it.

Huh. Who knew that worked?

Take two, biking down Cycling Road. They got the bikes switched around at the shop, fixed up, for a minuscule price. The owner really wanted that advertising, even after the group had been missing from the public eye for a month.

After realizing he had a ton of missed messages, he responded quickly to his mom and the professor before they went on their way.

It was a lot more relaxing of a ride, and they got off on the next route the same day and took a pit stop in Oreburgh.

The gym was actually repaired and in fact, looked better than before.

They visited Roark, because why not?

"Hey! What's going on?" He called, as they walked into the gym.

"Nothing much, turns out I can use aura or something," Hilbert responded.

"Really? Shaymin not enough?"

"Just kind of happened, I guess."

Riolu burst out of her ball. He really ought to get his loose Pokeballs checked out.

"Seriously?"

"Are you disrespecting me? I'll have you know-"

"Yeah, she's got an attitude problem too."

"What did you just say? I'll have you know that you're disrespecting-"

"You can talk to Pokemon now?"

"Again, it just kinda happens?"

"I'm talking to you!"

In the next few days, to their immense disappointment, the gym leader in Hearthome was absent. It wasn't for nothing though, as Dawn finally got to perform in a contest.

The four of them sat in the nosebleeds, watching the stage.

Golett, however, was not there, as she asked for the Pokemon (Using Shaymin would just be cheating), and a speaker (which were allowed under the rules, though limited).

And so, he had felt an odd sense of foreboding. Golett knew a lot of moves, after all, and honestly, it's not like the golem ever understood limits in the first place.

Suffice to say, he was extremely concerned the roof was not going to be there for long.

It was very sparkly, for most of the previous rounds. A lot of glitter, some water being used for a rainbow effect, blizzards made of pink leaves, everything you would expect to be used to sweep a crowd off its feet.

But then it was Dawn's turn, and as a member of Team Black, all bets were off.

She appeared, middle of the stage, wearing his jacket.

Checking his bag, he realized that yes, she had borrowed that as well.

"We better not get sued for copyright…" He muttered, clasping his hands beneath his nose and leaning forward to watch the performance.

At which point, she whipped out a frankly massive pair of sharp sunglasses and slid them over her eyes.

Golett appeared, sliding out of the ground like a shadow behind her. They were back to back, but far enough apart they could both be seen at any angle.

"Golett!"

Clank.

Barry was silently laughing, as everyone waited with equally bated breath.

"With the thoughts of a man in my heart, I'll take on any impossible fight! A woman's got her pride! With a maiden's prayers and rage, I'll blast you all away!"

She pointed at the ceiling with one finger, holding her glasses with the other.

"Let's go, Golett!"

The golem started pulsating with blue energy, the stone of its skin already turned a shining red, and its chants began echoing throughout the massive contest hall.

I must say, this is a surprise.

You too, after all?

Well, nothing else to be done about it then.

"Giga…"

The golem held an arm up, for all to see, and started floating into the air, just above Dawn, who backed into the center. He came to a rest on her fingertip, but was clearly still hovering. Its arm shifted, clanking at a drill began growing. It pulsed with the same bluish energy, which Hilbert realised was actually aura.

"Drill…"

It extended into the air, growing outwards, and the glow grew stronger.

"BREAAAAAAAAK!"

Golett shot into the air, whirring along with his drill, and a flurry of lights shot outwards. The first was a pulse of aura that washed over the audience, the next was a blast of ghostly smoke that poured into the air, and the third…

Well, the third was a dust cloud that burst out when he drilled through the ceiling.

Dawn was disappointed by her loss, but didn't let it get her down too much. That kind of thing happened a lot with newcomers, and it was an impressive demonstration, but the move was too offensive in nature.

Same reason Draco Meteor wasn't usually allowed. They got sick of repairing the roofs.

"It was a good try," Hilbert said, as they walked out of the hall. Golett looked down at the floor as they walked, his lights glowing just barely.

"Yeah, guess that'll teach me to go along with your antics," Dawn laughed, trying to keep the tone light. She handed him his jacket back.

"When did you steal my jacket anyway?"

"Golett used Phantom Force to grab it for me."

He looked down at the golem, about to call him a traitor, but saw that he looked sad.

"Hey, you alright?"

"It's my fault Dawn didn't win." He heard. Golett's voice was nearly robotic, but he couldn't determine a gender. It was deeply pitched, but there was no telling, really.

"Oh… Don't worry about that!" Dawn crouched down and put her hand on his head. "It just means I need to improve!"

"I could have held back."

"Well, that's my job, to instruct you. So don't beat yourself up about it!" She laughed, tilting her head.

Golett nodded. More like leaning forward and back, lack of a neck will do that to you, but the sentiment carried over.

Barry chose then to butt in. "...So, if Golett's been in battles and contests, that kind of makes him our mascot, doesn't it?"

"I mean… Yeah. Guess so."

"...Are you sure it's a good idea for us to visit the Pokemon Fan Club? I mean, this is us we're talking about, I don't want to rile people up-"

"All you do is rile people up, man! Come on, it'll be fun!" Barry continued pushing him towards the building, supposedly the region's largest Pokemon fan club. "And as our leader, you'll be our single representative!"

He opened the door, letting Golett walk in.

It was… Decently large. There were a lot of kids, as you would expect, and some parents who looked to be chaperoning. There was a larger table at the center where a teenager was sitting, showing a picture to someone who looked similar to him, probably his sister.

Not really knowing what to do, he walked over there and sat down awkwardly.

"Oh, hello-" The other boy, who was lanky with green hair looked up, glanced at him, glanced at his Golett, and put two and two together. "Oh! Oh OH OH OHOH HO!"

"Ah, hi? I don't really know what kind of stuff to do in a Pokemon fan club…" He rubbed the back of his head, truly out of his element. What his element was, he didn't know either.

"You're Black, aren't you!"

"No, I'm white- No, wait, I mean- Ah, you mean- Yes, that's me. Golett, say hi."

The golem raised its arm, waving while sitting in the chair next to him.

"Can you do the drill thing? Oh, do you have Shaymin with you? Can they do it? I heard that you had an Abra from my friend in Eterna, and they did it too, so can she do it? What about your-"

He was starting to attract attention from the others, and kids started walking up, recognizing the Pokemon. Its trainer, not so much, but that comes with the territory.

Hilbert felt some of the Pokeballs on his belt start vibrating.

"Hey, what about the badass Riolu? How about her? Ever hear about-"

"Sit down like you're civilized." He picked up the Fighting-type under her arms and put her in a seat as well. "I really need to get those weak capture mechanisms checked out…"

"I'm civilized! Who says I'm not civilized, I'll show them how civilized I am when I claw their eyes out! And don't you dare patronize me, I'll-"

He put a palm on his forehead, and looked towards the fan club leader. "I'm sorry about her, she's new."

The boy, far from being collected, jumped up in glee. "You have a Riolu too? That's super cool! And were you talking to it just now?"

"It's really complicated, but yeah."

A wide 'ooh' emanated from the crowd growing around the table.

"Can it do the drill thing?"

"No, she's not strong enough yet-"

"IT? Not strong enough? I ought to-"

"And it's called a Giga Drill Break, come on, man."

"I'll show you a Giga Drill Break, and I'll shove it straight up your-"

"Again, I'm sorry about her."

The other guy blinked. "What's she saying?"

"Multiple things that can't be aired on television."

"Huh... Oh, I'm Cline by the way!" He stood proudly, with his hands on his hips.

"Nice to meet you," Hilbert said, nodding.

"This is so cool- I saw both of your gym battles, seriously cool. You have Shaymin on your team, don't you? I saw that thing she did to Gardenia's Roserade, and I've seen her league matches, that thing's insane."

Shaymin responded by appearing out of their Pokeball onto Golett's lap, that being the safest place for them to sit with all those grabby children.

Multiple 'whoa's echoed through the clubhouse.

"Wow! Those aren't supposed to exist, you know, it was crazy when you pulled it out on live TV."

"I… Guess."

"So, what's the secret?" Cline leaned in. "How do you get your Pokemon to do the drill- Giga Drill Break? Shaymin, I understand, that was a Leaf Blade or something, but Abra? I have no clue how a first-stage Psychic-type could do that."

"You want the truth?"

"Obviously!"

Hilbert shook his head. "I don't know either."

"I've seen it, his partners share their aura before one of them uses it, I saw it with my own-" She suddenly remembered that no one else besides Hilbert could understand her.

"Huh." Hilbert rubbed his chin, doing yet another Gendo pose unconsciously. "Guess I should work on that."

On the road to Solaceon, they decided to do some actual training besides just fighting wild Pokemon.

"Okay, so, we don't want to get too beat up, right? So we're going to practice on moves."

He pointed to Abra. "You need to learn Psychic-type moves, and- Why exactly haven't you evolved yet?"

"...You do know that some Pokemon take years to evolve if not used properly, right?" Dawn said, sitting on a log and petting Turtwig. Combee was off collecting honey or something, just the usual.

"Really? Huh. Well, moving on. Abra, just meditate. Not sleep, meditate."

"Whatever you say, boss." The Psychic-type blinked away, and Hilbert saw his aura glow on top of a tree.

"Okay, Golett."

Clank.

"We need to increase your speed, so try anything you have that will do that."

Clank.

"And… shouldn't I be able to understand you?"

"I believe you're so used to communicating in this way that you don't even try with your aura."

"Ah. Makes sense. Riolu."

"You saying I'm weak? Saying I need training? Huh?"

"What you need is an attitude adjustment, and wasn't the point of you traveling with us to train?"

"..."

"I know you can punch really well, so work on that, but your defense needs some work."

"Hmph."

"Shaymin."

The hedgehog looked up at him, the shortest of the group. "Yes?"

"Work on Buzzleaf Blade."

"Buzzleaf… Blade?"

"That thing you did in Eterna and spun really fast."

"I see. I will work to reduce my dizziness."

He looked over at the two pseudo-legendaries, who were still at attention.

"...There's really nothing I can teach you guys."

"Well then it's good that I'm a woman!"

"...Which one of you was that?"

Tyranitar 'hmphed'.

"Huh. I'll keep that in mind. If you two want to work on making drills or something, go ahead."

Clank.

"Yeah, I guess, you too, Golett. Give them a hand."

Solaceon Town, though creepy on the outskirts, was a country town at heart.

"But are you sure we ought to head there on a bike?" Hilbert asked, narrowly avoiding stubbing the front wheel on a massive pebble.

Lucas called from behind him, "I read online that the best way to navigate is with a bike." He bumped into the air slightly, but maintained his stoicism.

"What's the worst that could happen?" Barry yelled from further back, laughing and peddling ridiculously.

A yellow-furred Pokemon poked its head out of the undergrowth not far ahead. It jumped up, ready to attack, after being startled by the first two cyclists.

Its attention angrily turned onto the third.

As it turned out, Barry was wrong.

"Pika…"

Barry slowed down, not sure of what he was seeing. He saw something in the bushes ahead.

"PIKA…"

"Hey, isn't that a-"

"CHUUUUUUUUU!"

His poor bike…

By the time he rolled to a stop, Piplup was already KO'ed by the electricity, having ridden in his bag.

Phantump managed a Will-O-Wisp by the time Barry pushed himself off the ground, groaning.

"What was that for?"

The Electric-type only growled in response, sending out another Thundershock.

Phantump floated around it, using Hex.

It hit the Pikachu dead on, dizzying it in addition to the burn, but still standing.

Barry beaned it in the head with a Pokeball, absorbing it in a flash of light.

Wobble.

Wobble.

Wobble.

Click.

Phantump was decently powerful after all. Barry planned to send Shinx to the professor when he finished walking to Solaceon.

Dawn and Cheryl skidded to a stop behind him, seeing his wrecked bike.

"Are you alright, Barry?"

"A little frizzy feeling, but I'm good." He weakly held out a thumbs-up. "Caught a Pikachu, so totally worth it."

"Wow, those are pretty rare…" Dawn said, tapping her chin and thinking. "I didn't think they could be caught around here."

Barry just shrugged. "Since when has anything involving us made sense?"

"You make some good points."

Chapter Text

Barry had to finish the ride in Cheryl's bike basket, to only a little teasing from Hilbert, who cared more about him catching a Pikachu. Lucas was, as always, the one who actually scanned it into the Pokedex.

Abra teleported him to Eterna to fix up his bike, it being the second one they'd had to get fixed so far. He'd be back in a few hours.

A Mid-Sinnoh Night's Dream - IX - Star Platinum, Aura Aura!

"So, there's a nursery for Pokemon eggs?"

"Yes, that's right." Cheryl, of all people, seemed to know the most about it. Probably because of Chansey's gimmick, he thought.

"You think I ought to leave this one here?" He carefully removed his unknown egg from its Pokeball. He could see into it with Aura Sight, but he couldn't distinguish anything inside.

"I wouldn't recommend it, the nurseries are usually used by the Day Care for the eggs they find, and they can get mixed up easily…"

"You know a lot about this kinda thing," he remarked, re-examining the egg.

"My grandfather and I lived on a farm, after he retired, so we had to take care of Tauros and Miltank eggs a lot." She said, her tone light as always.

"Huh… Maybe I should leave Garchomp and Tyranitar here, they could use some relaxation. I think they like all the action we get used to because they were movie stars."

"Is that true, really?"

"Ah, yeah, there was this problem during the filming in Jubilife a few months back, that was the first time I really battled with Golett."

He'd not talked with Cheryl very much, her being rather shy and mostly talking to Dawn, and him usually bantering with Barry or bickering with his Pokemon.

"I see, that's interesting."

"Then again… I have a bad feeling Team Galactic is going to keep acting up, so I ought to have them on hand…"

"You know, I wouldn't mind taking care of your egg." She looked down, blushing slightly.

"Really? Thanks, I don't have a clue what to do with it." He sighed, handing her the unhatched Pokemon. "You're doing me a massive favor."

"It's no trouble, really, Chansey loves caring for smaller Pokemon."

"Chan-seyyyy!"

There was less of a motel and more of a townhouse for travelers in Solaceon Town. A massive bed-and-breakfast, if you will.

So, it was quite annoying when they were roused in the middle of the night by yelling.

Hilbert rubbed his eyes and walked towards the window. The light from the daycare was on, the glow spilling out into the front, and people yelling at the woman at the door.

Suddenly, a Pokemon appeared from one of the people, and they demanded she let them in.

Seeing such a clear sign of trouble, Hilbert sighed, sent off a quick message to his teammates, and stepped on the ledge to the window.

Sure, he was three stories up, and they were a quarter mile away, but he wasn't going to let that deter him.

Jumping out the window, he let his aura protect him as he landed, barely feeling the impact in the grass, and started running towards the scene.

It was Team Galactic, because of course it was . The woman was holding up her hands, about to let them through, when he got there.

"Gentlemen."

They looked over at him, and not recognizing him from the darkness, sneered.

"Go home kid, this is an adults' discussion."

"You barely look older than I do." He said, shaking his head. His eyes turned towards the old woman. "Are these guys bothering you?"

"Um… Yes…"

"Shut your trap, lady!"

"So, guess I have to step in." He stretched out his arms, yawning. Sure, he didn't look as cool in his pajamas, but that was a small concession.

"Whatcha gonna do about it, punk? Go home!" The grunts moved towards him, reaching for their belts.

"Shaymin, Sweet Scent."

The hedgehog appeared on the ground, barely visible, and a fog of sugary-air cloaked the grunts.

"What's… That… Doing…"

"Making you slower." He tried to finish talking with the woman. "What were these guys doing?"

"They were demanding to see our egg Nursery… I told them it was private use only, but…"

"Ah, so they were trying to steal Pokemon, again." Hilbert shook his head. "I'd call an Officer Jenny, these guys are Team Galactic, they were probably trying to steal the eggs."

"Ha, idiot…" The leader of the group managed to smirk. "We're not trying to… Steal them, we're the… Distraction."

"What?"

A boom echoed out above the town, and smoke started rising above a far building on the ranch.

"Damn. Abra, Hypnosis. Garchomp!" The Psychic-type appeared, putting the grunts to a quick sleep, while his dragon lowered its head for him to grab on.
He rose into the air, trying to see what had happened through Aura Sight.

A dozen grunts were near the far building, and there were giant clumps of aura, almost like-

"They're stealing the eggs!"

Thank you for pointing out the obvious, Hilby.

Garchomp flew forward, as the grunts began their retreat. As he got closer, he could see an injured Rapidash on the ground, and the grunts getting onto various mounts. One of the less intelligent ones had brought a Gastrodon.

"Idiot! Why did you wake up the Rapidash?"

"How was I supposed to know they would have one?"

"They have Flame Body, you numbskull, of course they would!"

Garchomp swooped down and let Hilbert jump off, simultaneously recalling the Dragon-type. He landed a little away from the group, just outside their field of vision. There was a new moon that night, so there was barely any natural light.

Hilbert let out Golett and Riolu, deciding their small size would be the best choice.

"Hey, guys, don't damage the eggs," he whispered.

"I'm a girl!"

Her shout was heard by the grunts, even if they didn't understand it.

"Damn it! Fine, take 'em down, but protect the eggs!"

Golett immediately used Phantom Force, dissolving to the back of their group, and slamming one on the head, knocking them out with his rocky arms, while floating to catch the sack of eggs at the same time.

The rest didn't notice, as their vision was quickly filled by spheres of aura.

They weren't very powerful spheres, mind you, but they blinded the grunts and knocked them over.

Riolu punched a guy in the stomach, aiming higher than she could have. He shuddered briefly, but quickly turned his attention to the hastily-thrown out Zubat.

Then he punched it out of the air.

Aura really did come in handy.

After incapacitating the grunts and their Pokemon, he left the bags inside of the nursery for the daycare workers to sort out.

Jenny's were already at the front building when he got back in the early morning light, and they barely noticed him trudge past in his pajamas. Abra read his mind and communicated that to the officers before returning himself to his ball. Shaymin was hiding in the underbrush as well, and did the same.

Hilbert really was ready to just sleep for the rest of the day.

They got to Veilstone the next week after.

It was a cheery city, of entertainment, of joy, and of, but not, as you might expect, of debauchery.

Well, officially anyway.

Contrary to the description, the city was made of rocks, like it had been carved out of mountains, giving it a cold feeling.

It was rather strange when put up against all of the flashing lights and advertisements.

Naturally ignoring that and looking for a map, he wanted to go straight to the gym.

It was the closest thing he'd seen to an actual gym in Sinnoh so far. He rolled up his jacket, as the region started warming up for the summer months.

The first things he heard were the sounds of grunting, panting, and loud cries.

As you would expect in a gym. For martial arts. Seriously, what else would it be?

We here at the station may get away with getting a lot of crap past the radar, but whatever you were thinking of isn't an example.

A girl with pinkish-brown hair noticed them walk in, stopped lifting a bar with way too much weight on it (letting it fall to the ground with a massive 'CRACK'), and speed-walked up to them.

"Are you guys challengers?" Her voice was slightly nasally, but then again, she had a bandage on her nose.

"Yeah. Two badges each, just us three." Dawn and Cheryl were behind them, not intending on competing.

"Oh, so I guess Fantina's out doing her thing again? So annoying…" She griped, sighing. "Well, if that's how it is, I'll show you all where the battle ring is, so just this way…"

Is was another boxing ring, but it looked slightly more durable.

"Now, as this is a Fighting-type gym," she explained, "You're going to fight like a Fighting-type. Close quarters is the way to go!"

"What if we didn't have any physically-based Pokemon?"

"Then you ought to get some more variety in your team. Any more stupid questions?" The leader, Maylene, wasn't just the dumb-jock type you would expect.

"You guys go first, I'm getting used to it."

"If you say so, man."

Barry went first, wanting to use his energy.

It was a little different from the other gyms. She would send out a Pokemon that matched the weight class of whoever they sent out, to be fairer all around.

He threw out Staravia, and she slowly but surely responded with a Meditite.

"Aren't you supposed to be using weights?"

"I can gauge height looking at a Pokemon a lot easier than I can their weight. Seriously, have you seen a Waillord?"

"Yeah, like a few thousand pounds."

"They usually don't even scratch one."

"Huh. I stand corrected."

Staravia eyed their opponent, slowly scratching its way around the floor to properly gauge its opponent.

It stayed seated, eyes still closed..

The Flying-type paced around the ring, until it ventured too close to the meditating Pokemon and quickly found itself on its back. It angrily hopped back up, screeching, but the Psychic-type appeared to not have moved an inch.

Maylene sighed, scratching her nose. "He's doing it again… I knew I shouldn't have let him into the library…"

Staravia continued pacing, and as it got in close for a Wing Attack, Meditite lashed out, grabbing its tail feathers with one hand while wrapping both of its legs in the other. He pressed his knee into the bird's wing, grinding it against the floor.

"All right," the Flying-type gasped. "You win."

The Psychic-type's knee thrust painfully downward. "Since when," asked the Meditite, its voice soft and raspy, "Do you have to tell the enemy when he has won?"

Staravia didn't answer, it couldn't, through the grunts of pain.

"I surprised you once, Staravia. Why didn't you destroy me immediately afterward? Just because I looked peaceful? You turned your back on me. Stupid. You have learned nothing. You have never had a trainer."

Hilbert questioningly turned towards Maylene, as Barry ground his teeth, waiting for the Flying-type to get up. "I can understand Pokemon, is he-"

"I think it's his fault the majority of Veilstone hates Orson Scott Card," she sighed.

"Huh. I mean, I don't have a clue who that is, but, huh."

Barry quickly recalled his Flying-type, glad he wouldn't have to deal with that Psychic-type again, and sent out Pikachu.

Maylene sent out a Torchic.

"Those aren't native!"

"So? Is anyone during the conference going to care?"

"It doesn't even have arms!"

"Taekwondo."

Pikachu looked back at his trainer, holding up a tiny thumb.

"Ey, pally, what's da big idea?"

"Use Thundershock!"

Pikachu attempted to gather electricity in his hands, but was kicked back by the Fire-type, who was hopping between claws.

"Ey, I'm chargin' heye!"

He shot off a weak bolt, striking the Torchic, but not before it could jump forward for another strike.

Pikachu pulled out a gun. .44 magnum, pointed straight at Torchic.

Everyone in the gym froze.

"Now, from where you're kneelin', dis may just seem like an eighteen carat run of bad luck. Truth id, da game was rigged from the start."

Pikachu threw the gun away and it disappeared in a cloud of smoke similar to that of a Feint. How it managed that, nobody knew.

Torchic, which likely would have wanted yellow underwear if it were human, didn't even notice.

Pikachu easily walked up to it and punched it in the face, fist crackling with electricity. The Electric-type turned, blowing off its fist, before noticing the looks of everyone's faces.

"Whatcha lookin' at me like dat for?"

"Barry, I'm sorry to say, you're bound to become as crazy as me and Lucas."

"...I didn't understand what your Pikachu said, but I'm inclined to agree."

Thankfully, everyone managed to shake off their shock for Barry's third round, which thankfully, was just Piplup and not a mob boss. Though, calling it 'The Penguin' wouldn't technically be inaccurate.

Maylene sent out a Mankey.

"Where do you get all of these Pokemon? Only Meditite is native here," Dawn asked.

Maylene just shrugged. "I'm a martial artist. We go all over for competition. They've got plenty of techniques up north, though most of the Pokemon are from good ol' Japan."

Piplup realized that flipper slapping wouldn't get it very far against a Pokemon whose fists were quite literally boxing gloves, and so used Withdraw, and backed away.

Mankey followed him with his eyes, before bursting forward, and hitting him with a one-two before jumping back.

Piplup was dazed from the smack on the beak, but stood back up quickly and shot off a hasty Bubble.

It checked Mankey on the side, as the Fighting-type was still a bit bigger than him, but it barely did any damage.

It started a flurry of punches, and in response, all Piplup could do was hold up its fins and use Withdraw. The Penguin leaned into the ropes around the ring, springing it each time it was struck.

The Water-type started glowing.

"Hell yeah!" Barry yelled, as it doubled in size, and stared down at Mankey with vaguely metallic fins.

Bouncing back against the Fighting-type, Prinplup used Metal Claw in a series of rapid slashes, pushing Mankey back into the opposite rope.

"Mankey, use Rope-A-Dope!"

"...That's not a move?" Lucas said.

"Not for Pokemon, but for boxers? It definitely is."

Mankey barely took any damage, letting the force of the swipes dissipate into the ring behind it, while taking surface-level scratches from the attacks themselves.

See, on a normal opponent, this would have worked, draining them off their energy. But see, Prinplup had just evolved, and it was long overdue to deal out an ass-kicking of its own. So, in its bastardization of Metal Claw and Fury Swipes, it actually managed to tear right through the ropes themselves, knocking Mankey unconcious as well as out of the ring.

"Huh. Well, guess you won. Except for the Pikachu, you all fought fair and square. Here's your badge." She tossed him a metal pin before lugging a massive set of ropes onto the ring and started the repairs.

Amazingly, she was ready for Lucas only minutes after.

The boy in question led with Roselia.

Maylene countered with a Grookey.

"Okay, where did you-"

"All kinds of places. Turns out, teaching the kids of a few professors Karate gets you places."

"...Why do I get the feeling that leading a gym is a massive underuse of your talents?"

"Because you'd be completely correct. But, you know, I've traveled enough for one lifetime. Gotta settle down at some point."

"You're not that much older than us."

"You'd be surprised."

"Is this when I'm supposed to stop asking questions?"

"Yes."

Roselia used Poison Powder, slowing down the Grookey and throwing them offbeat. It wasn't using barehanded martial arts, rather, it used the stick it held like a baton.

"Hey, wait. Half of the Pokemon you've used aren't Fighting-type!"

"So? You know how to throw a punch, does that make you a Fighting-type? It's not about the circumstances of birth, or what type you are, or whatever. This is a gym. What matters here is sheer dedication and fortitude!"

…

"Grookey just got KO'ed-"

"Yeah, yeah, I know, next Pokemon."

Monferno was next, as Lucas figured it was best two-out-of-three, he might as well get his second win.

Maylene used a Mienfoo, a Pokemon famous for its one-inch punch in some regions.

Monferno used Mach Punch, repeatedly, but was continually blocked with one hand by the Fighting-type.

He jumped back, landing on the ropes. Jumping up and down-

"Hey, what do they say about monkeys on the bed?" Maylene smirked.

Monferno jumped into the air, and attempted to land and elbow-first Fire Punch on the Mienfoo.

It moved out of the way at the last second, letting him crash into the floor.

"They fall off, and hit their-" She was stunned into silence as Monferno turned the momentum into a Flame Wheel, hitting the ground with a sideways roll and ran straight over Mienfoo.

"Do I win yet?"

"...We have to do a third round, League rules."

"Does it have to be a match between Pokemon?"

Maylene blinked. "I mean… Depends, what's your martial art?"

"Hold that thought. Fire Lance." He said to Monferno, slipping on the gloves. Holding the massive spear made of fire, he turned back to Maylene. "Yes."

"No."

"Aw, what?"

"I've watched TV from all over too, and I know that this ends with my clothes burned off, so, no."

"Fine, fine. Toxicroak."

The last match was quick, and without any wind in Lucas's sails, his Toxicroak was defeated by Maylene's Medicham, who used a simple Psybeam. Still got the gym badge though.

Hilbert finally stepped up to the arena, pulling out his fighters' Pokeballs.

He led with Riolu, who was just itching for a good fight, and he was fairly certain she would throw him in the next lake they visited if he didn't.

"Huh. Where'd you get that?"

"That? I'll have you know, that I-"

"Long story, temperamental girl, I learned to use aura with some monk Lucario."

"Huh."

"Indeed."

"Well, I can't say the same, but I have the next best thing." She sent out a Croagunk.

Riolu squared up to her opponent, eyeing the poison dripping from its fists. She cracked her knuckles.

It attempted a Poison Jab, but Riolu smacked the arm away with an Aura Sphere and punched it hard enough to throw it into the air.

Then Riolu started chanting.

Time seemed to freeze, inside the box. It seemed like a strange version of Trick Room, only it didn't affect Riolu. She pulled her fist back, charging energy through her limbs.

"White Claw technique- Star Platinum! Za Warudo!"

Croagunk could only take the damage like a sponge and slowly float through the air as it took punches from Riolu.

"ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA-"

Hilbert briefly wondered if the 'Collective Unconscious' theory applied to Lucario as well.

"ORA!" The Trick Room fell, and Croagunk flew over the rest of the gym, skidding to a stop near the entrance.

Riolu fell over from taxation, not long after.

"That's… Technically a win, but they'd count that as a draw during a conference. Usually." Maylene ran over to return her Pokemon before coming back.

Chansey and Cheryl were already setting up a cozy spot for Riolu to watch the rest of the match, as barely-functioning as she was. As a consequence of her technique, she was stuck in Trick Room speed, mentally and physically, for a while.

Abra was next, not explicitly for the Psychic-typing either. No, what he wanted was a repeat of Oddish in Eterna gym, but like, less of a war crime.

Maylene sent out a white duck with a leek sword, commonly known as Sirfetch'd.

"Abra, no drills this time, just do your thing."

"No holds?"

"Okay, don't mind-melt."

"Hmph." Abra shook his head and disappeared.

Sirfetch'd, not seeing the Psychic-type in his field of vision, threw his sword behind him, hitting Abra who was about to use Fire Punch.

Abra shook out his hand, then teleported again. The Fighting-type approached, keeping its sword at the ready. Abra used Psychic then teleported again.

"This is going to get annoying, isn't it?" Maylene asked, as Abra refused to be seen, constantly moving out of his sight.

"Yeah. Hey, Abra? Double-time!"

The Psychic-type didn't understand at first, but then used its (in his opinion, incredibly high intelligence) to figure out what he meant.

Sirfetch'd was lulled into the sense that Abra would keep up the teleporting and always stay out of his field of vision.

So, Abra did it again, and as the duck-like Pokemon was turning, teleported just above it, used Psychic, teleported where they just were, and used Fire Punch.

It was an incredibly complicated combination, but it worked, throwing his opponent off balance enough to be KO'ed, and win them the round.

"I gotta say, that's the first time I've seen someone use an Abra like that."

Hilbert managed not to shudder, holding up a mental barrier. "Yeah, I don't think you want one like him either."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"You really, really shouldn't."

Finally, last on the roll call, Golett appeared in the ring, clanking. Only to be shooed back by Hilbert.

"Okay, my martial art doesn't use fire, so can I do this? I only got practice against Lucario and Riolu up in the mountains."

Maylene smiled. "Well, this is a gym, after all. Might as well let you get stronger while you're here."

Hilbert forgot one very important factor. While he sparred with aura users, and used it himself, Maylene did not, and still stood on the same level as many Fighting-types, fully evolved or not.

As such, when he stepped into the arena, he was rocketed out by Maylene's 'Detroit Smash', as she called it, and barely managed to land on his feet, on the complete opposite side of the gym.

"What would that have done if I didn't have a shield up?"

Maylene smirked, rubbing her fist. Hilbert realized those weren't ordinary bandages. They were in fact, Focus Bands and Choice Bands. The martial artist picked a scarf up off the floor, and wrapped it around her neck. That was a Choice Scarf as well.

"Oh-" Hilbert then proceeded to say some things that were definitely not able to be aired on public television. They could come back from commercial break, and he'd still be swearing.

He threw twin aura spheres as she ran up to him, like a Lucario herself.

He was once again hit with what felt like a Rocket Punch, and burst through the doors, landing in a pile of splinters in the street. He wasn't even injured, thanks to the shield, though luckily he'd had the sense to take off his jacket.

"Wow! Not a scratch on ya! You're really something else!"

"I get the feeling that's not a good thing?"

"Nope! Now I can really cut loose!" She charged at him again.

Many residents of Veilstone city, though quite possibly intoxicated, could swear they were seeing the gym leader punt an oddly-colored Lucario through every street in the city. Repeatedly.

"I mean, aren't you taking some damage?" She asked, pausing in her curbstomp for a moment.

He stood up in the middle of an empty street, clutching his aching stomach. "It's probably gonna bruise at this rate, but I haven't heard anything crack-" He suddenly started evacuating the organ in question, all over the street.

Maylene sighed, reaching into her back pocket for a stomach aid. This kind of thing was common for idiots who thought they could challenge her in a fight. Though, Hilbert was doing remarkably better than the rest, on account of the shield. He'd managed exactly one hit so far, barely tearing the seam of her Choice Scarf, but leaving it intact.

He stood up again, wiping his mouth. His vision was starting to go yellow, sure, but that's not too bad. He's got his pride to think about!

And so, he placed his hands in front of his stomach, as if around a ball, and started channeling energy.

That fictional attack was named after a Legendary in Alola, so he knew what to chant.

"Tapu…" Energy started to gather in an orb, and he shifted his stance. His vision was blurry, but he could still make out Maylene standing away from him, tilting her head.

"TAPU…" The energy ball became larger, finally being noticed by the actual martial artist.

"KO-" He abruptly found Maylene directly in front of him, a fist already moving towards his stomach. He blacked out seconds before he realized he could see his house from there.

It was a very powerful punch on its own, but Veilstone was built on a mountain, after all.

He woke up with the gym badge in his pocket, so it clearly wasn't all bad.

Opening his eyes, he saw Chansey. That was all he saw, actually, as she turned out to be his current caretaker, and was standing over him. At the Pokemon's cries, Cheryl rushed in.

They'd managed to drag him back to the hotel, insisting he wasn't too injured, and no, sir, what even is a 'Weekend at Bernie's'?

Lucas had apparently been complaining that he never got to fight the gym leader, but Dawn shut him up by handing him a handkerchief and a lighter. Not because he proved a point, but because he took it as a challenge and got distracted.

"I feel fine, really. It was just a lot of force, so of course I felt queasy. I don't think anything is broken," he said, putting a hand on his shoulder and stretching out his opposite arm in a circle.

It was at that point he realized he was shirtless.

That month of training certainly cut the fat off his torso, to say the least. Cheryl blushed and looked away.

"We… Bought you a new one. Shirt! I mean." She reached to her side and put a change of clothes on the bed, still looking away.

"Oh, thanks. I'm glad I didn't wear the jacket." He chuckled, fluttering out the shirt to get a better look at it. He felt a twinge of pain in his chest, and he froze up. "Agh!"

"Are you alright?" Cheryl rushed to ask, kneeling over him on the bed, looking for surface injuries.

"Well, I just got the shit kicked out of me, but…" He trailed off, face increasingly red.

Cheryl was sitting on top of him, checking the few bandages he was wearing. Skidding on concrete had to do a little damage, come on now. "Uh, Cheryl…"

She looked up, her face only inches away from his. "Hm?"

Hilbert naturally turned his head away, face furiously red, and tried to keep his blood flow even.. "Well- I'm- Uh- You're kinda…"

She tilted her head, questioningly, before looking down, realizing where she was sitting, and clapping her hands over her face, turning bright red.

"Oh no, I wasn't, this is so embarrassing, I'm sorry-"

"Hey, Hilby? You awake yet?" Barry hollered, walking through the door. To which he saw his team leader, shirtless, and in bed, with their (albeit still clothed) healer on top of him, both incredibly red in the face. The blond froze up, then made finger guns at them, receding out the door with a 'click'.

"...I'm going to swear him to secrecy. Can you, uh… You know…"

She quickly tried to get off, but got tripped up by the blankets, only falling onto him again. Blushing even more, if it was possible, she quickly got up, recalled Chansey (who had been watching the scene unfold, not even moving), and ran out of the room covering her face.

Hilbert pulled himself out of bed, wincing, but managing it nonetheless.

At least he was wearing pants.

"They were, I swear," Chansey gossiped. She had a valley-girl accent, if that's possible for Pokemon. Team Black's Pokemon were in their usual not-in-battle-and-our-trainers-aren't-doing-anything meeting. "Cheryl was all over him, I almost couldn't believe it, but I saw it with my own eyes!"

"I find that believable, Hilbert seems to have strange luck with his opposites." Golett responded, pondering.

They weren't allowed to wander around Veilstone in a large crowd, and Abra had convinced Hilbert to take him to the Game Corner, so everyone else was stuck in the hotel rooms. They weren't very big rooms, so Garchomp and Tyranitar were still in their balls with their trainer.

Riolu scoffed. "Yeah, right. That guy's too much of an idiot to appreciate something like that, so it wouldn't happen."

Her, Golett, and Shaymin were left in the room, along with everyone else's Pokemon. Barry's Pikachu was in the corner picking his teeth with a toothpick, weirdly.

"You'd be surprised," Prinplup said, shrugging his flippers.

After the gym battle, when they were taking him to the apartment, they were nearly mugged by some Galactic grunt. Barry and Lucas looked at each other, nodded, and put Hilbert on the floor.

"Good, now give me your Pokemon," the grunt said, holding out a hand with his Golbat perched on his shoulder.

Lucas sighed, and threw Monferno out of his ball.

"Give me the ball, too, nitwit."

Lucas didn't seem to hear him, as he pulled the dragon tamers gloves back on.

"You hear me, punk? I said-"

"Fire Lance."

A massive flame found its way into his hands after a few seconds.

The grunt was quickly on the floor, along with his Pokemon.

"...We probably shouldn't tell Hilbert about the Galactic building they have around here." Barry shuddered. "He'd try to tear it apart if he got a whiff of this."

"That's a smart move." Looker emerged out of the shadows, surprising everyone who was still conscious. His Greninja was stealthily following behind him. "We don't have the go-ahead for a direct attack on their base. Just as well, their lobby is fully guarded, twenty-four-seven, so you wouldn't have a chance. Even with this kid's Pokemon."

"Good to know, good to know. What are you doing here?"

"I was tracking this grunt down for information. There's a reason he needed Pokemon so badly."

Veilstone was suddenly a lot more festive, to their confusion.

"Hey, there shouldn't be any festivals, it's May 5th!" Dawn looked up from her watch. "Are they just celebrating for no reason?"

A certainly 'whelmed' expression crossed Hilbert's face. "...It's a holiday. Cinco De Mayo? Ring a bell?"

"Well, yes, but that's not a Japanese holiday…"

"It looks like these guys will take any excuse to party." Hilbert looked across the street, where a crowd of people was running around in Hawlucha costumes. "I know that's not a part of it. This place looks like Vegas."

"You mean Veghastly?"

"Who grew up in Unova, me or you?"

Barry saw some less-than-conservatively clothed women near the Game Corner, spotted a costume store down the street, and got a gleam in his eye.

"Hey, you know, 'when in Rome..."

So they were stuck waiting outside the changing room.

Apparently, there were these Pokemon called Oricorio, and while you usually found them in Alola, they were quite popular costumes for the festivities, with one of their forms, Baile, having a Spanish dress-like appearance. Color variation was common, but the style remained. Hilbert remembered seeing cheerleaders back in Unova that were fond of the yellow variation of the Pokemon, which used pom poms.

"Oh! Dawn, that hurt..."

"Sorry, I didn't know you were ticklish!"

"Actually, can you do it again? This dress is rather itchy."

The three boys felt the sudden need to tug on their collars. They'd been forced into gray suits, as generally, only the women wore dresses. Hilbert could've sworn that Prinplup was bragging earlier about possibly looking good in a dress, but he didn't hear anything further.

"Alright, we're done." Dawn swung open the curtain.

They were both wearing frilly black dresses that were v-cut on the chest, shrunk around the midriff, covering their upper arms and going down to their ankles. Dawn's was horizontally striped red, while Cheryl, even as she was hiding behind Dawn, was a leafy green.

"Nice," said all three boys, without thinking about it.

"I'll take it," Dawn sighed, before grabbing Hilbert and Cheryl's arms and dragging them off.

"Hey, what's the big idea?"

"Well, since you grew up in Unova, you would know more about these festivities than I would. So, you're showing us around.

"That is so not how that works."

Barry and Lucas looked at three rapidly disappearing teammates, looked at each other, shrugged, and went off on their own to find something to eat.

"Ooh, what's this?"

"I dunno."

"Oh, what's that?"

"I dunno."

"What about that over there?"

"That's a Moltres."

Dawn blinked. "Wait, actually?"

"No!" Hilbert yelled, annoyed. "I have no clue what half this stuff is!"

"Ooh, let me guess, on your honeymoon?" A flamboyant waiter walked past them, handing them glasses of what looked like soda.

Hilbert took one, still glaring at Dawn, while she did the same. Neither registered what he actually asked.

"Well, I don't know, maybe you should learn more about your region before coming to others!" She took a large swig off the drink. It tasted a little off, but she barely noticed. She quickly grabbed another glass.

"Well, it's not like you know yourself!" Hilbert did the same, angrily.

"What's that even supposed to mean?"

The waiter turned to Cheryl, who was sipping her glass meekly. "Friends of yours?"

"You could… Say that. Excuse me, this tastes kind of strange…"

"Oh, sweetie, that's a margarita. Cokeleon sponsors the drinks around here, so we make it with their syrup instead of juice."

Cheryl looked into her glass, then back at the two of her friends that were still arguing. The topic had somehow jumped from regional discussion to Legendary Pokemon.

"I dunno why you even chose Shaymin anyway, you should have gone for one of the Lake Trio."

"Hey! You're the one who told me to respect it!"

"Pssh. Mesprit is way cooler anyway."

"No, Azelf! Willpower always wins, babe, that's how Team Black rolls! Who the hell do you think I am?"

What the hell am I even talking about?

"I'll show you who the hell I think you are!" She grabbed the lapels of his jacket, leaned in close-

And headbutted him. By accident or not, it hurt a lot, and they both ended up on the ground.

"Ow… This is your fault, Hilby!"

"You hit me! How is that my fault?"

"It just is, alright?"

"No!"

Cheryl walked up holding her hands out in a peace-keeping gesture. "You don't have to fight… I think we should head back to the hotel."

"What happens in Veilstone stays in Veilstone," Hilbert said, with a sense of finality. He absentmindedly rubbed the mark on his head as they headed southbound. His bag suddenly felt heavier. Like, a lot heavier, and he fell over backward.

Abra appeared floating above him, just in his field of vision.

"I forgot to take the winnings out of the hotel earlier. Sorry about that boss."

"How long… How long were you gambling, Abra?"

"The less said, the better. Suffice to say, after I cleared out their prize corner, I'm no longer allowed on the premises. But, I did get you a Porygon."

"You what?" Hilbert took his overfilled bag off. A dozen Technical Machines fell out with a smattering of clacks, and various trinkets were stuffed in, including a metronome and a Silk Scarf. "...Where's the Porygon?"

"Right here, sir." Buzzed his watch. He looked down in horror at the tiny Pokemon now inside his cross-transceiver.

"ABRA!"

The Psychic-type in question shut himself in his ball and refused to come out, no matter how hard Hilbert pried.

Chapter Text

A boy whose hair appeared white waved to his family as him and his girlfriend boarded the plane. They were headed somewhere out of the way, and she'd made him promise to not get into any trouble.

That was the idea of a vacation, after all. Getting out of the public eye as a champion could be annoying.

A Mid-Sinnoh Night's Dream - X - The Obligatory Beach Episode

The trip down route 214 was easygoing. It was through the forests, sure, but it was decently accessible, having fences and ramps, so it was more of a hiking trail than anything else.

They wanted to stop by Lake Valour, but the only entrance was completely blocked by news crews, and apparently, they had it blocked off to the public.

Where the media got the permission to do that, he had no clue.

But, regardless, they had to head further south. They couldn't go to Sunnyshore, because they had a power outage or something.

There was a massive collection of villas as they approached the coast.

"People actually vacation here?" He couldn't help but ask.

"Hey, Sinnoh is nice too." Dawn said, probably still irritated by the argument they'd had a few days ago.

"It is summer, after all." Barry shrugged. "A lot of people don't live by the coast. Y'know, unlike you."

"What exactly is that supposed to mean?" Dawn replied, giving him the side-eye.

"Just sayin'."

"You only live an hour away…"

"Details, who needs 'em?"

A girl in black overlooked them further up the mountain, recognizing the team from TV.

She really liked Shaymin, and wanted to see it. So, she tracked them down.

Hilbert's ears were suddenly ringing from a tumultuous rockfall, and the next moment his vision was filled with orange fur.

He fell, unceremoniously, flat on his ass in surprise.

It was an Arcanine, he realized. Its rider was dressed like a doll, with black leggings, long gloves, and a white bow in her equally black hair.

"Hello. I'm... Marley." She said simply, crossing her arms while still on her Pokemon. Her voice was quiet, like she was afraid she might make someone blow over in the wind if she spoke too loud.

"Hi, Marley, I'm dad." He said sarcastically, wiping off his pants.

"...Did Hilbert just make a dad joke?" Barry asked Lucas, leaning over to whisper.

"You think I would know?"

"Ah, yeah, forgot, sorry…" Their attention turned back to the new girl.

She shook her head. "No, you're not 'dad', your name is Black... I know, because I saw it on TV." She pointed a finger at him. "And... I saw your Shaymin. Could I see it?"

Hilbert casually took off his backpack, letting Shaymin run out of it.

"Greetings."

Marley's eyes widened. "I see... It really can talk to people." Her gaze focused back on Hilbert. "I believe you should… Release them. Noble Pokemon like Shaymin need to be free… To perform their duties."

Hilbert shrugged. "I'm helping them out. Looking for the Gracidea flower is tough, especially since they forgot where it was."

Shaymin nodded. "Hilbert is doing me a great favor, and hopefully I am returning that."

"I see… A symbiotic relationship… If that's the case, it seems you are traveling… May I keep watch over Shaymin? I am… Quite fond of their kind."

Hilbert noticed a tiny pin on her bow, almost like a miniature flower.

"Well, if my team doesn't have any issues…"

"You're the leader, it's your call, dude." Barry reminded him.

"Oh. Right." He looked back at her. "Well, as long as you're okay with kicking Team Galactic's ass in the future, it's fine by me."

She inclined her head towards them. "...Thank you for this kindness…"

Hotel Lake Grand was not, as you might expect, closer to the lake than it was the ocean. It was a big resort though, so it was hard to tell.

Resort might be a stretch, even with the sheer amount of villas and swimming pools. It was just because it was Sinnoh, really not your first choice for a summer vacation.

It was going to be expensive to stay there for the next few days, but with all the money Abra earned, they could live with it.

But, as they were so close to the ocean, Barry once again had an ingenious idea.

After all, it was the Ides of May! What could possibly go wrong with just a little swimming?

Later that day, it turned out that quite a lot could go wrong.

Barry was ecstatic he actually got to test out his dark-blue water gear, and Prinplup was just as pumped.

Lucas seemed oddly hesitant of the ocean, as did Monferno, but for completely different reasons. He had on red swim trunks, like a lifeguard's.

"Can- Can you not swim, Lucas?" Hilbert watched him repeatedly dip his toes in and out of the shallow waves. Fitting his nickname, his shorts were the same color.

"I can! I just… Prefer not to, yeah," he said, with blatantly false resolve.

Hilbert looked over at Barry, knowing what they both had to do.

"Well, co-leader, if you have a fear of the ocean, it's our duty to remove it!" Hilbert ran up to him, kicking up blasts of sand, and picked him up before he could blink.

"Hey! Put me down!" Lucas was limbs-up, like an overturned crab, and couldn't roll himself out of Hilbert's grasp.

Monferno looked like he was about to step in, until Hilbert walked into the water.

Well, onto it, would be more accurate.

He didn't actually notice, only running through the waves to find a deep enough place to dump the boy.

"Yo! Hilby, you're uh- You're walking on water, man."

Hilbert's smile quickly turned to a look of confusion, leading to a series of events in which he: Looked down, saw his feet with only a small film of wetness, looked back at the shore that was a dozen meters away, looked back down again, and fell through.

Then Lucas fell on top of him.

Managing to get back to shore and ignore his headache, he was just in time for the girls to arrive, and hoo boy, was he ready to appreciate it.

...We here at the studio would like to issue a formal apology to all watching that do not possess the priorities or eyes of a teenage boy. For better or for worse, we tell it how it is. Or, at least, how our boy Hilby sees it.

Luckily for you though, we don't go far enough down that rabbit hole to use cup sizes as descriptions of a character's personality!

They were all wearing two-pieces of varying colors and with differing accessories.

...What, you wanted more than that? Fine.

Dawn's was white with pink trim (It really was red or white for that girl), and had those floaty frills you see on some swimsuits.

Cheryl's was a lighter green with a longish leaf-green swim skirt.

The new-comer, Marley, was dressed in, you guessed it, black. Her skin was incredibly pale too, and you'll never guess why.

HIlbert shook his head out, sending a bit of salt water everywhere, and then held out a static thumbs up, his face glazing over.

"...I think that means good?"

Hilbert didn't answer, and instead ran to go throw Barry into the water as well. It wouldn't be as funny, sure, but a little goes a long way.

And now, we cut away from our regularly scheduled broadcasts to bring you- Golett! And his amaaaaaazing friends!

The team's Pokemon had their own, much larger towel and umbrella, separated from the five- No, six humans of the group.

While everyone else grilled Growlithe for all of the fun details about his trainer, Golett was trying to decide how he would build his sandcastle.
What he saw was an opportunity. Whenever he'd gone with Hilbert and his friends to the beach in Unova, the sand was just a place for stuff to sit on, always crowded and impossible to move through. You weren't even allowed to dig holes, because Unovans were just that stupid!

In fact, Sand Attack was a banned move there- Sand Attack, for Arceus's sake!

So, when he saw that Sinnoh's beach was much more open, and much less crowded, he took that as a divine mandate to construct his kingdom.

Barry and Hilbert sat down with a couple of (non-alcoholic) Cokeleons and took a breather. Ruthlessly hazing (I mean, improving the stamina of-) Lucas took a lot out of them.

"...Hey, dude, what's Golett doing?"

The golem was currently using Stone Edge repeatedly on a desolated part of the beach, then using his drill to cut bits of the rocks off.

"You know what, I'll get back to you on that." Hilbert took another swig of his drink.

Lucas groaned, buried up to his shoulders in sand, a few meters away. "When are you guys gonna let me out? Monferno? Please?"

Hilbert tossed the Fire-type a drink too, stopping it from pulling out its trainer.

He stared at the can in his hands for a moment, before opening it easily with its opposable thumbs.

Remember, 'Mon' doesn't come from 'monster' for him, it comes from 'monkey'.

They did eventually pull Lucas out.

Before dumping him in the ocean again.

Repeated exposure therapy, something like that. Sink or swim training? Yeah, let's go with that. It was all cool, really, just some friendly horseplay. Prinplup was trying to learn Dive with a few of Lucas's Pokemon, so he wasn't in any actual danger of drowning.

The girls came back from wherever they'd gone, lugging a large Lapras float. Renting an actual Pokemon would have been a bit much for just the day.

And volleyball equipment.

Yup, it's one of those beach episodes, where as part of the alleged 'training arc', they have to practice sports or something. Totally. That was the reason.

Yeah, no, volleyball is just a fun game to play with your friends at the beach.

It was a three-on-three game, in which the boys were explicitly forbidden to mention anything affected by gravity.

We're sure you know what they are, but because of studio censors, we can't actually tell you.

But we can spell it out for you through clever use of dialogue-entrapped innuendo.

"Boy, they sure are playing a tough game." Hilbert was already panting, having dived multiple times to keep a spike from landing. He was expressly forbidden from using his aura to keep it fair, surprising their gothic newcomer, who hadn't heard about his recently developed abilities yet.

"Oh, really? If you think that was tough…" He heard Dawn say, before a ball made an unmistakable slapping noise.

"Oh, Arceus-save-me." He looked up just in time to be hit head-on. The ball drove his nose (and the rest of his head) into the sand in a slight splatter of blood.

"...Bang…" Marley said, laughing quietly to herself.

No one moved, watching the ball roll away.

"...So, who's going to get the first aid kit?"

Meanwhile, in a separate, and also less bloody corner of the beach.

Golett had managed to carve out the basic outline of his stone plateau. It was half-his height, sure, and thirty feet diagonal to diagonal, but that's a small price to pay for art.

Riolu walked up, confused about what he was doing. "You know that's all going to be gone by tomorrow, right?"

Golett clanked. What this means, because Hilbert wasn't around, will not be translated, as it's a part of his body language, and not part of any attempt to actually speak on his part.

Also, there would have been a lot of ranting otherwise.

Barry stood up, spotting a far off clump of dark-gray clouds on the horizon. "Whoa. That doesn't look good."

Kyogre, Legend of the Sea, was beneath the waves, not noticing Rayquaza's unsubtle warnings in the atmosphere. It was too busy trying to find its trainer. Using echolocation, it spotted its trainer's mate, clicked happily, and started speeding ahead.

The girls were sitting on their part of the towel, watching the boys have their water fight. It looked completely unfair that Hilbert could spin water into his Aura Spheres, until Riolu joined it just to hit him back.

It started looking very much like a certain ripple battle from a certain TV show, with the two aura users posing repeatedly at each other.

"Oh? You're approaching me?" Hilbert asked, putting his hands out and standing against the waves. "Instead of running away, you're coming right towards me?"

Riolu growled, taking a careful step towards him. "I can't beat the stuffing out of you without coming closer."

Hilbert blinked. "I think you messed up that line."

"Kid's show."

"What? Not mentioning that's never stopped you before, what are you even-" He was interrupted by a massive wave crashing over him, flipping him over mid-step.

"Whababdhbbibiffaba-" He stood up, neck deep, spitting saltwater out of his mouth. Riolu had hopped over the wave, still balancing.

"You thought you would be able to walk on water, but no! It was I-" Riolu was interrupted by another wave, twice as tall as the last, crashing over them.

Hilbert took a gasp of air, treading water. The storm they'd been cautious of was suddenly overhead, and the sea turned violent. Everyone got out of the water as quick as they could.

"The hell?" He ran over to Golett's sandcastle, ignoring the intricate details, and stepped on it to get a better view.

There was an odd fish in the ocean, not quite the size of a Waillord, but it had some red markings. Above it, Hilbert saw some flashes of green behind the clouds.

"Hey, Dawn?"

"Yeah?" She was looking out at the sea, shielding her eyes with a hand.

"Does Kyogre usually come this far north?"

She looked over at him in disbelief, before jumping on his back to see as well.

Ignoring a pressure on the back of his neck, he carefully grabbed under her knees so she could look better without falling.

The thought of her just standing on the sandcastle next to him didn't occur to either of them; Intentionally or not.

"What the- That's really Kyogre! And- Is that Rayquaza?"

A roar echoed down from the clouds, as there was another flash of green.

"Oh, not again!" Yelled someone down the beach, who looked like he had white hair, running towards the surf. A girl in a red bandana and matching swimsuit ran after him.

"I said no Legendaries! For one trip!"

"I told them to stay, it's not my fault! Why do you think I picked Sinnoh?"

Hilbert looked up to Dawn, who was somehow meeting his eyes, then looked back at the couple wading through the waves.

"...I should probably go check that out. Shaymin, Abra, Golett, you're on deck." He jumped off the sandcastle and let Dawn down, before moving towards the water, quickly cradling Shaymin. Golett floated along behind him, while carrying Abra on his shoulders.

He walked up to the other boy, who'd put on a rebreather and gotten onto a Wailmer.

The white-haired- Actually, was that a hat? At the beach? Seriously? Well, whatever. They blinked at his casually walking through the waves.

"Hello?"

"Yo. I'm Black." He looked back at the giant fish that was swimming towards them. "So, what's Kyogre doing up in Sinnoh?"

The girl holding onto the other boy sighed. "Brendan caught it back in Hoenn a while ago. Whenever we go on trips-"

"I said I was sorry! It was better than just knocking it out!"

"We haven't had a good vacation for years! It just follows us everywhere!"

Hilbert looked awkwardly back to the still-approaching Legendary. "So… That's a Water-type?"

"If you want to try knocking it out, go ahead, but your electric attacks are going to get sucked up by Rayquaza's storm."

"Have you caught it?"

"Er… Yeah…"

"You just couldn't stop, could you? Just had to catch both-"

"I said I was sorry, May!"

"Hmph. I'm not accepting that until you say you love me."

"I've said it a thousand times!"

Hilbert mimed throwing up with his spare hand, before walking closer to the approaching Legendary.

"I was planning on Surfing close enough to return them with Wailmer, are you sure you want to try that?"

Hilbert gave him a sideways glance, smirking. "Who the hell do you think I am? Abra, get ready to Teleport!"

"I don't like the sound of this," Shaymin said, as Hilbert let them float in front of the Legendary, who was… Clicking happily? Its eyes were locked on its 'trainer', much to his (girlfriend's?) chagrin.

"Shaymin! Tell me, what is a drill?"

"It's… A tool? A weapon, in your case,"

"Close, but not quite. Your drill is your willpower! It's your soul, your meaning. So what do you use it for?"

"To achieve my goals?"

"Yes! And what do you use it for when a wall, like, say, a giant Legendary whale, stands in your way?"

"We…" A Leaf Blade sprung out of Shaymin's front right paw. "Smash it down. I see!"

"So, what is your drill?"

The Leaf Blade extended out, taking on more of a cone shape.

"My drill is my soul!"

"That's right! And when there's a wall in your way?"

"Then I have something right here, in my soul, that'll pierce a hole in it every time!" Faux-Gracideas began growing in a spiral around the drill, even against the rapid whipping winds.

"And what is that?"

"That thing… Is my drill!" It began spinning, spitting air and seawater out of its way.

"Giga…" The drill solidified itself in brilliant columns of natural light, a bright sheen of the forests.

"Drill…" It burst forwards, leaving behind nothing but air.

"BREAAAAAAAK!"

And then, it was raining.

Not because of the storm Rayquaza made, oh no, that one had dissipated as soon as Shaymin knocked out Kyogre.

Yeah, sending a whale flying and then letting it crash back down into the water is a recipe for one hell of a splash.

So, it was raining.

He'd managed to catch Shaymin while they were falling out of the air, and Abra used Teleport to get all of them back to shore before they'd get crushed by the Legendary Water-type.

The couple on the Wailmer looked at him, while they returned the Water-type from where it was beached on the sand.

"Huh," said Brendan. "Neat."

Hilbert shrugged, putting the fainted Shaymin back into its Pokeball. "Yeah." He looked back at the ocean, where Rayquaza had swooped down and grabbed Kyogre with its tiny arms and started pulling it back to where it came from. "I don't know why I'm not more freaked out over this, honestly-"

"Pokemon Rangers, at the scene!" A variety of people with red jackets and weird hand radios jumped over the dunes, only to see... Nothing.

"You're a bit late, sorry." Brendan shook his head in tandem with Hilbert, like kindred souls used to ending up in awkward situations.

The leader of the squad, a blond, scratched his head. "...We got a report about Kyogre, but…"

"Yeah, it's dealt with." Brandon waved him off.

May grabbed at his forearm. "Can we get back to our vacation now?"

"Yeah, yeah," he said, turning to Hilbert again, pointing a finger gun at him, "Hey, I like how you do things, see you around, Black!" His (girlfriend?) kept dragging him down the beach.

Hilbert just stood there, blankly, looking between Golett, Abra, and the rapidly retreating Pokemon Rangers.

"Huh."

Barry was looking out at the ocean when he got back. "...Did you really just knock out a Legendary Pokemon?"

Hilbert laid down on the towel, crossed his arms behind his head, and sighed. "I think we ought to get used to it."

The girls were off talking on their own, making their own, girls-only sandcastle, because it was 2009 and that kind of thing was still socially acceptable- Wait, what?

"...Did he just..."

"Yeah," Dawn sighed, "He did."

"...I see… It makes sense that Shaymin would be fond of him, then…" Marley wondered to herself, out loud.

"From what I can tell, that's just something he does," Cheryl added. "He talks himself up, but I don't think he does that for his own benefit."

"...I don't quite understand…"

"I'm sure he has fun doing it, as much as Lucas does with his Fire Lance, but… I'm not sure if that's all. He does it for a reason, clearly."

Dawn nodded. "He told me that he wanted to protect people, stop them from feeling fear. I guess that's how he manages it all."

"...That's very… Noble, yes…"

Hilbert was acting anything but, at the time, as in celebration, he threw Lucas in the water again.

"It's even funnier the second time!"

"...You mean the twentieth?" Lucas sat up, spitting out salt water.

"Wanna make that twenty-first?"

"Oh for Arceus's sake-"

Golett, after getting Abra to use Protect on his sandcastle, finally finished his masterpiece.

A miniaturized scale model of the Ransei region. You know, from like, the board game, Risk? That's what they made it up for, after all.

They made a TV show out of that too, which is how Golett knew what it was, through contact with Hilby, of course.

It even had tiny models of the warlords, and only slightly-inaccurate models of their Pokemon.

Unfortunately, Riolu, seeing a large sandcastle, felt the childish urge to kick it over.

Barry looked up into the now-cloudless (from a dozen Sunny Day's) skies, watching Riolu fly off in a sparkle of light.

"Hilby, Golett just punted your sparring partner."

"Eh?" The boy didn't bother sitting up. "Whatever, she probably deserved it."

Their fun, though only partially relaxed, day at the beach ended, and they all trudged back to the hotel, suitably exhausted.

There was a flier stuck on every door, so they had no choice but to look at it.

Hilbert tore it off its tape and looked at it, his bag slung over his shoulder.

"...Seaside trainer's tournament?"

Barry excitedly poked his head over his shoulder. "Seaside trainer's tournament?"

Lucas held a hand next to his mouth, while pointing at them, and whispered, "...Seaside trainer's tournament."

"Are you going to move or not?" Riolu looked up at them, wiping her head with a towel. "I need to get the salt out of my fur."

He looked down, then at the other two boys. "...Yeah, no, you're going to the girl's room."

Hilbert stared up at the ceiling, trying to remember something.

A realization slowly came to him.

"Abra, Teleport Shaymin into the girl's room."

"Right away, boss."

The Psychic-type tapped the Mythical Pokemon, then blinked away.

A shriek echoed from the room next door.

"Oh, why did I tell him to do that!" Hilbert half-cried, half-laughed.

Abra appeared back in the room, a pair of underwear draped over his head. "Got you a souvenir while I was at it."

"PUT THAT BACK WHERE IT CAME FROM OR SO HELP ME!"

He disappeared again, for a brief second, before quickly returning.

"Would you like me to show you the mental images?"

Hilbert groaned and put up his mental shield, also covering his ears with two pillows, before rolling sideways to sleep.

There really was, as you might guess, a seaside trainer's tournament the next day.

You'll never guess where it was being held.

A decent crowd of trainers were gathered around a lifeguard's chair, which was more like a podium, the way it was being used.

"This isn't a League event, so don't take it too seriously! Draw your name in the bracket in the sand!" Yelled the blonde lifeguard with a megaphone, which he could've sworn he'd seen before.

They put their names in. A single-battle event, one Pokemon each round.

Hilbert got his match-up for the first round. A little girl, which he would feel bad about beating outright, so he used Abra.

She sent out a Honchkrow, smiling. "My cousin said I could borrow her Pokemon while I was visiting!"

Abra looked up at the Dark-type, before using his Scatter Teleport.

"You know, I do owe you for that Game Corner trip. Thunder Punch!"

Abra appeared behind Honchkrow's head, floating.

"Omae wa mou… Shinderu-"

Its eyes widened. "Nani?"

"That's not how Pokemon talk…" Hilbert was legitimately confused, as it was knocked unconscious by a direct hit.

"Aw…"

Next round was against a boy his own age with purple hair, who looked like he didn't know how to have fun.

He sent out an Electivire.

"Dang, you're not messing around, are you?" Hilbert asked, reaching for Golett.

"I'm here to make my Pokemon stronger. This isn't a game."

"Sure, sure, whatever you say," Hilbert shrugged, throwing out the Ground-type.

His opponent, Paula or something, looked like he was trying to analyze Golett.

"Electivire, try Thunder Punch."

The massive Electric-type's attack landed, knocking him back, but not having an effect otherwise.

"That's what I thought. Ground-type. Use Low Kick."

Electivire surged out, and its leg phased right through. Funny how that works.

"Ghost-type too? How annoying." The boy sneered. "Ice Punch, then."

That was when Golett finally exploded into action.

"Stomping Tantrum!"

Sand shot up from under the Electric-type, making them sink into the shore, and interrupting their attack.

"Use Dig!"

It disappeared under the sand, rumbling.

Golett was catapulted into the air by the force of the attack, but managed to keep an eye on it.

"Ice Punch!"

Electivire jumped towards him, fist frosting over.

"Phantom Force, then Mud-Slap!"

Golett disappeared from vision, only to reappear to punch Electvire in the face, mud trailing along its arms in the air.

It landed heavily, rearing back, trying to wipe away the blockage of its eyes.

"Don't let that stop you! Keep using Ice Punch!"

"Mud-Slap!" Golett threw another glob of wet clay into his opponent's eyes.

"A real trainer wouldn't need to use such weak tactics!"

"You're the guy using an Electivire at the beach, seriously man, relax. Now, Stone Edge!"

Golett crashed into the ground, sending heavy rocks at him from beneath the sand. It lifted Electivire's arms against each other, forcing him to spread-eagle. It stumbled for a moment, before its legs were caught by rocks as well, and truly stuck. It still squirmed, but it couldn't move against the attack.

"This feels so cliched," he muttered, before shouting, "Now, Golett! "

The golem started turning red, its glow pulsating blue.

"Giga…"

It steadied one arm, as the drill grew outwards.

"The hell are you-" Paul was taken aback.

"Drill…"

The lifeguard, who'd met Hilbert before in much different clothes, put a finger on her chin. So that was where she should've known him from.

"BREAAAAAAAK!"

Golett shot forward, kicking up a five-meter wave of sand, and broke Electivire out of the Stone Edge, rocketing them both through the beach.

When the wind stopped blowing sand in everyone's face, they found an unconscious Electric-type and a triumphant Golett.

Chapter Text

He lay there, silent.

"This is… Definitely weird."

How'd he get here, again?

A Mid-Sinnoh Night's Dream - XI - Venn Diagram

Nothing else of interest really happened. It wasn't even a tournament, really, so there wasn't some crazy arc-ending fight in the finals. It was just another day at the beach.

After their brief, albeit enjoyable vacation, they headed the rest of the way to Pastoria, the more swampy part of Sinnoh.

It was rural, but large and concentrated regardless.

They all went off to the Great Marsh, which was explicitly not called a Safari Zone, to catch some cool Pokemon.

Lucas was off catching everything in sight, filling in his Pokedex, and probably already on his way back to the start to buy more Safari Balls.

The trees next to the rest of them shivered, and a Tropius walked out, bananas hanging from its neck as usual.

Prinplup saw this, and because of its healthy appreciation of fruit, heavily encouraged Barry to catch it. Well, the Water-type was still in its ball, as was required, but the sentiment carried over

So he did.

A few minutes later, a Shroomish wandered out of the undergrowth with a pipe in its mouth. Considering it didn't have arms, that must have been quite the accomplishment.

Cheryl wanted a Breloom, apparently, so she caught the Grass-type.

They started getting bugged, heh, by a strangely fast Yanma. It wasn't fast enough though, as Marley beaned it in the face with a Pokeball.

About an hour afterward, and wasting a lot of time looking for Pokemon, they spotted a Marill frantically running over the water, being chased by a weirdly joyful Carvanha.

Hilbert sighed and caught Marill, while at the same time, Marley whipped out a ball and captured the other Water-type. That girl was fast when she wanted to be.

They were doing pretty good on catches, until they started noticing trees falling over.

A tiny little mammal was running on two weak legs, being chased by a pair of Drapion. Not being allowed to use his Pokemon, Hilbert did the sensible thing.

Use his aura to jump in between the victim and its chasers, and punched one of the Drapion in the face. His aura exploded outwards in a blast of air, sending it careening backward.

He shielded the tiny Pokemon behind him with his body, while staring out the other Dark-type, who was raising its stinger.

He felt it suddenly impact his shoulder, ripping through his jacket.

So he punched that Drapion too.

He nonchalantly pulled out the stinger, and got Shaymin to heal it.

He finally realized what had been knocking down the trees, as he looked back to see a Kangaskhan stampeding towards him.

"Hey, wait, wait!"

"Give me back my child!"

"They're fine, I took down those Drapion!" He quickly stepped aside, revealing Cheryl who was cradling the tiny Pokemon while it was shivering in fear. She walked up to the Kangaskhan and carefully handed the child to its mother.

Kangaskhan grinned, somehow, and pointed at Cheryl's Pokeball bag. She nodded and caught the Normal-type.

"Why can Kangaskhan share their Pokeball with their children? Isn't that not how it works?"

Lucas said, "It's the DNA signature, most likely; I'm not an expert, of course. The child and mother have similar enough genetics that they can compress and fit all the data inside a single ball."

"Huh. Cool."

The Pastoria gym's arena was a swimming pool with floating discs on it. No challenge, though Crasher Wake recommended they be acclimated to water beforehand.

Barry went first, naturally. In his limitless intelligence, his first Pokemon was Prinplup, up against Wake's Gyarados.

He led with a Withdraw, lessening the damage of Gyarados's Bite. Prinplup stood solitary, letting the pseudo-dragon knock it around the arena. Frustrated by the lack of progress, Gyardos dove into the water beneath Prinplup's disk.

"Now, Bide!"

"Wait- Is Barry doing something smart?" Hilbert's question was drowned out by the disc exploding, Prinplup doubling the damage he'd taken and throwing it back towards Gyarados, spraying water all over the arena. A knocked-out Gyarados floated to the top a few seconds later.

Wake's next Pokemon was a Quagsire, so Barry sent out his recently-caught Tropius.

Quagmire, though powerful, are not known for being 'completely there', as they say, and the Water-type only tilted its head before being blown away by an onslaught of Magical Leaf.

A Floatzel, the last of Wake's Pokemon, was up against Barry's Pikachu.

The Electric-type looked at the arena, turned to the Floatzel and said, "You know, maybe Water-types knockout Pokemon without looking 'em in the eye, but me? I ain't a fink, dig?"

Pikachu pulled out a gun. Again.

"Put that away!" Barry yelled, trying to give some relief to the audience.

"You ain't no fun, boss." The mouse's gun disappeared in a puff of smoke, before throwing a Thundershock Floatzel's way.

It hit, but only just barely, as it managed to dodge at the last second.

"Rock Tomb!"

"Quick Attack!"

The disk Pikachu had been standing on was quickly shattered and sunk by a pile of rocks.

Floatzel stumbled back, after Pikachu jumped on its face, headbutting it, then poking it in the eyes.

"I didn't teach him that!" Barry yelled, as the Water-type stumbled.

"It gets da job done, boss."

"I can't speak Pokemon, I don't know what you're saying!"

Pikachu shrugged, then snapped, sending a final shock towards Floatzel, unceremoniously knocking it out.

"Hey, Barry just swept! Nice one!" Hilbert shouted as he left the arena.

"Thanks! Me and Pikachu are gonna have words about sportsmanship though."

Hilbert blinked, then turned to Lucas. "Is it just me, or is Barry getting smarter?"

"It's a move called Learning. You might have forgotten, since you barely use your brain."

"Oh, that's just uncalled for!"

Lucas was up next, time to see what rules he could exploit this time.

"...When did his Luxio evolve?" Hilbert asked, as Wake's Gyarados fell over, quite literally, shocked.

"Dunno. Probably one of those times he went off training on his own."

A Roserade was his response to a Quagsire.

"Okay, when did he get a Shiny Stone?"

"Probably bought it in Veilstone."

Wake's final Pokemon faced down… Monferno?

"Wait, is he seriously-"

Lucas cut across them, pulling a blue candy out of his pocket. "Hey, Monferno, catch."

The Fire-type did, and started glowing. Seconds later, it was an Infernape.

"Now, Infernape, with your new power- Thunder Punch!"

He won, suffice to say. The evolutionary boost of energy was what let him manage to knock out the Water-type, as he was nearly fainting himself.

Hilbert's fingers itched as he thought about which Pokemon to lead with, before settling on Abra.

The Psychic-type was immediately dwarfed by Gyarados.

"Thunder Punch!"

"Crunch, Gyarados!"

Abra landed a hit, but it barely did any damage to the Water-type, who whipped around, nearly hitting him before he could Teleport.

Abra landed on another disc. It was quickly smashed into uneven quarters by Gyarados's tail.

"Boss, I think we might have a problem."

"Hypnosis!"

The sleep-inducing glow bounced off of Gyarados, and Abra once again had to Teleport.

"I think he's too pissed off."

"Don't swear- Wait, not the point- Trick Room!"

The move actually seemed to work, slowing down Gyarados as if it was floating in syrup. Abra was slower as well, but because he could teleport, well, that's obvious.

Another Thunder Punch landed, and quickly, Gyarados started glowing red.

"That's Outrage! Teleport-"

The Trick Room fell, as the Water-type roared. It rammed into Abra, who had been unable to readjust in time, and he was thrown across the gym.

Hilbert returned him to the Pokeball before he could hit the wall.

Wake gave a hearty laugh. "I've heard about you from Maylene! Don't expect me to go easy on you like I did those other two, you hear?"

Hilbert, slightly miffed that he would have to deal with that, used Shaymin against Quagmire.

Harsh light was brought through the skylight as Shaymin used Sunny Day.

Quagmire tilted his head, before disappearing and avoiding the Solar Beam.

Shaymin was suddenly in the air, looking down at the dopey Quagmire who was holding an outstretched icy fist.

"That things fast! Stay in the air and use Solar Beam!"

Shaymin quickly charged and shot off another one, which was also dodged. Quagmire appeared right below where they were going to land.

"Endure!"

Shaymin curled into a ball, before being rocketed back into the air by another Ice Punch.

"Quagmire might look dopey, but he packs a punch!" Wake laughed.

"Ergh… Bullet Seed!"

The Grass-type shot a stream of seeds, some hitting, but with most missing. Quagmire barely noticed.

"Shaymin, how do you feel about a gambit?"

"I think we're running out of options!" They used Endure again, before being hit back into the air like a volleyball."

"Alright! Use Toxic on yourself! It'll feel terrible, but it won't knock you out!"

Sickly purple bubbles floated through the air, trailing behind Shaymin, as it fell towards Quagmire.

"Facade!"

Shaymin shattered the ice around Quagmire's fist, throwing it flat on its back.

It nearly got up, but Shaymin shot it with a Solar Beam, knocking it out for sure, before falling over themselves after stepping on a chip of ice.

"Tie-breaker round! Get ready, kid!" Floatzel appeared on the scene, as Hilbert chose his ace. Yes, Golett was at a disadvantage, but it was the best choice he had.

"Phantom Force!"

"Aqua Jet!"

Before Golett could fully disappear, Floatzel shot forward, rocketing him through the air in a burst of water. The disc he'd been standing on flipped over from the force.

"Pursuit, Floatzel!"

"Phantom-"

Golett was smacked down by Floatzel, who'd surged upwards off the water.

Hilbert bit his thumb. "Damn. Earthquake!"

Golett didn't appear out of the water, and a few seconds later, the floor shook. Water whipped out of the pool, unbalancing Floatzel. But soon, it receded.

Golett didn't reappear.

Hilbert pulled his hat low over his eyes, as he recalled the Ground-type.

"Sorry, kid. Better luck next-"

Hilbert whispered, "One more..."

"What was that?"

"ONE MORE!" Hilbert yelled, his breath holding up in his throat. He threw off his jacket, letting it fall on the soaked floors behind him.

"One more round! Just one!" Water trailed down his face, and it wasn't from the pool. "I'll win!"

Wake sighed. "I'm sorry, but you're only allowed three Pokemon for this challenge-"

"Then I'll fight myself!" Hilbert threw off his hat, wiping his face and covering his eyes. "I don't care! I'll win right here!"

"Hilby…" Dawn sighed, watching the boy's anger unfold. It wasn't against Wake, or even his Pokemon… It was against himself.

Lucas was studying the scene, his hands clasped under his nose, eyes closed. Barry clenched his fists around his knees. Cheryl was holding her hands together, almost like she was praying. Marley looked as tense as everyone else, even without the obvious signs.

Wake shook his head. "Maylene told me about you. You can use aura? That's a nice trick, but it's not going to get you far."

"I don't give a damn! Let me fight!" Hilbert cried. "Who the hell- Just who the hell do you think I am!"

"You're a kid. You lost. Feel free to rechallenge after you get stronger."

He stood there, shivering, fists clenching and unclenching. Suddenly, he turned on his heel and ran, snagging his jacket and running out the door.

"Hilbert!" They shouted, getting out of their seats and running after him.

Wake watched after them, sighing. He'd seen it enough times before. He felt bad about doing that to a kid, but he'd had to do it before. It was never fun to kill someone's self-confidence like that, especially when they'd gone off without a hitch before his challenge.

The kid was strong, too. He could see it. He couldn't have gotten that far with a bunch of first-stages without power. But you needed more than raw power to be truly strong.
That was his opinion, anyway.

It burned him, it burned him deeply. He thought he could be their best, their ace, but he'd been the only one to lose. He should've done better, trained harder, instead of expecting the same results every time.

So, he ran.

He hadn't lost a match before. Not once. It hurt. It hurt… A lot, actually. Him and Golett were partners, and he couldn't do anything for his partner before or after he was wiped the floor with. He'd been relying on Abra's teleportation to get in close then avoid damage, and never truly trained him.

Shaymin wasn't even his. He had nothing to do with them being strong, they just were, and he didn't factor in. Them winning a match wasn't a surprise, it was a given. They weren't partners, they just decided to fight on his side.

Tyranitar and Garchomp, they made a decision, a very foolish one, and came along with him, when he couldn't even use them. They weren't his, he didn't raise them.

Riolu was ultimately sticking around for the same reason he was, to get stronger, and there wasn't anything besides that.

Aura? Who gives a damn.

None of that strength was his.

There was an explosion inside the Great Marsh as he passed. Smoke was rising from the inside, and a squad of Galactic grunts ran out of the entrance.

Hilbert had turquoise spirals in his pupils.

"Hey! The hell did you just do?" He yelled, and they temporarily paused. He'd chased them past the beach, and they were approaching Lake Valor.

"What do you think, brat? We're saving the world!"

"By blowing up the Safari Zone?"

"I just pushed the button. It's all for the greater-" The grunt was cut off, as he suddenly found he had an inability to speak, via a punch to the diaphragm that was quickly followed by a two-handed smash over the back of his head.

"Pokemon live there, you bastards!" He stepped on the grunt's head, pushing into the marshy dirt, before turning onto the rest of the squad. "Oh, I know you're supposed to battle with Pokemon first, but to be honest? I couldn't care less right now." He charged aura into his right hand, and dashed into a grunt that was reaching for his belt, slamming his fist into the minion's stomach. He shot an Aura Sphere at another, throwing them backward in a blast of light, before turning on his heel and punching the last one in the jaw.

He heaved heavily from the exhaustion. None of them were getting up anytime soon. He supposed he needed to go find another target.

The sound of footsteps traveled behind him. A blonde woman in black approached.

"...This is an interesting scene. Would you mind explaining it to me?" She said, putting a hand on her hip.

Hilbert shook his head, not in denial, but in slight confusion. "Have we met before?"

She seemed only slightly taken aback, raising her eyebrow. "Eterna City? The beach two weeks ago?"

He put a fist on top of his open palm after his realization. "Oh, so that's why you were familiar. Yeah, sorry, I don't think you introduced yourself." Though, he did remember how great she looked in a swimsuit- What do you mean that's not important?

She seemed a bit more surprised by that question. "Hm. My name is Cynthia. Ring any bells?"

Hilbert tapped his temple, thinking. "Uh… Nope, sorry. Nice to meet you though, to get that out of the way. It's a pleasure, regardless of the, um, circumstances." Of which, he was standing in the middle of four knocked-out members of Team Galactic.

"Yes, those circumstances. I know of Team Galactic. And I have received a call about an explosion at the Great Marsh; Truth be told, I was around to visit the lake and see if I could find any clues about the Lake Trio, but… This now is of more import."

"Are you a part of the International Police?"

"I work with them on occasion. Are you?"

Hilbert shook his head. "I'm just some kid that ends up in these situations. Though, it was more voluntary on my part this time."

"Huh… You're an interesting kid, Black, I'll give you that. I'll deal with this mess, you go on… Aren't you missing a few teammates?"

He averted his eyes, feeling shame. "I'm… Taking a break. I need to get stronger before I can go back."

"I see… I assume that means you'll be headed north?"

He shrugged. "Maybe."

"Hm… Well then, I suggest you take this." She handed him a strange blue potion. "There's a barrier of Psyduck on the route north of Solaceon. If you're heading to Snowpoint, you'll need to pass through there. This will fix up their headache."

He took the potion, nodding, and slipped it into his bag. "Thanks, Cynthia. I'll see you later."

"No problem."

She watched him stumble off northward, seeing the tiredness of not just his body, but also his soul.

"Interesting. Certainly interesting."

"Where are you-"

"I'm taking time off. Lucas is in charge. I'm sorry. I need to get strong enough to stand by you all. Goodbye."

"Hilby, wait-"

He clicked off his cross-transceiver and sighed. Even just hearing Dawn's voice hurt him, because he thought he wasn't good enough. He was a cheat in his mind.

"You're pathetic."

He looked back at Riolu, who'd appeared behind him, keeping pace as he walked slowly.

"Yeah, I'm not good enough for them, I know."

"That's not what I meant. You're acting like a child. You lose one time and you think you're weak? White Claw didn't train you for this."

"Well, that just goes to show that I need to get better. If you don't like it," he held out a Great Ball, "Break it, and go do what you want."

She pushed his hand aside.

"You can't get better on your own. You need people around you to make yourself stronger."

"Really? Who taught you that?"

"You."

That stopped him in his tracks.

"Really, do you think everything that happens to you is just luck?"

"It definitely seems like it."

"Let's review. I wasn't there, but let's get this straight. You saved Tyranitar and Garchomp from some nasty people. Why?"

"Because… Well, no, that's not what happened. Golett just stopped them from rampaging."

"But you fought the studio after, didn't you? You wanted them to be safe."

"Wanting something to happen and making it happen are very different things."

"Moving on, Abra. He's a psychopath, sure, but Golett told me he's mellowed."

"Sure, that's what he'd want you to think."

"Justify why Shaymin has joined you."

"I'm not doing anything, they just-"

"Why?"

"Because… They thought I was good."

"Not their words. You're a noble person, even if you've got weird ways of showing it."

"But that's-"

"Are you seriously about to doubt a Legendary Pokemon?"

"..."

"That brings us to why I joined you."

"I still don't know why you did that. You could have gotten stronger on your own."

"I could have, but I didn't. You wanna know why?"

He scoffed.

"You're strong. You might not know, but people generally equate trainers who are partnered with Riolu and Lucario to being good."

"But-"

"Don't try to self-loathe your way out of this one. All of your partners, my friends- They chose you, not the other way around. You keep that offer open, the one that lets them leave whenever they want. Why?"

"Because eventually, like now, I'm not going to be good enough for them."

"Would a weak person do that? Let their strongest Pokemon just walk away?"

"Well, clearly."

"You've started lying to yourself. The answer is 'no', and you know that. You lost. So what? Are you going to let that keep you down? You're afraid of rejection, I can see it. That's what it was. You were convinced your Pokemon would leave you, that your friends would leave you. That's why you constantly acted like the badass leader of Team Black, isn't it?"

"..."

"I should've expected that from you, to be honest. You acted confident, brash, and never let anything get you down. The perfect errant hero in a whole new world."

"Where are you getting this from?"

"It's obvious to anyone who sees you like this."

"Huh. Guess you're right." He weakly laughed. "I really don't know what to say."

"I think you do know." She held up a fist, not touching but pointing at his heart. "Go back to your team. If you don't have the confidence, you'll have mine, and Golett's, and Abra's and everyone else's! If you can't believe in yourself, believe in the US that believes in you!"

They stood there, silently, as Riolu shined a brilliant light, and doubled in height. Her fist was now directly against his chest, and their height gap had lessened. Lucario nodded at him.

"Get going. You've got the rest of your friends waiting for you."

"...Thanks."

She didn't respond, only returning herself to her Pokeball.

HIlbert sighed, and looked back to the way he came.

"Well, there's no point in running anymore."

He stumbled into the Pokemon Center late into the evening, when the moon was high in the sky.

He was promptly glomped by Dawn, followed (in a more restrained manner) by Barry, Cheryl, Lucas, and eventually Marley, in that order. The last addition caused the group hug to end in a dog pile, with Hilbert at the bottom.

"I was worried about you!"

"Where were you, man?"

"Are you feeling better?"

"Don't beat yourself up if you lose like that."

"...It was very scary when we couldn't find you…"

Hilbert gasped for breath, the combined weight of over five-hundred pounds pushing the air out of his lungs. "Can't… Breathe? Sorry…"

After a bit of a scuffle, everyone managed to get off of him.

"You idiot! Running off like that!" Dawn yelled, still wrapped around his chest. He looked up awkwardly at his male teammates. They just shrugged, not helping in the slightest.

"Yeah, my bad. Ri- Lucario helped me out though, I'm feeling better."

"We were pretty worried. Why'd you run off like that?" Barry asked.

"I… I felt like I wasn't good enough. Everyone works so hard, and I've not been keeping up." He nodded resolutely. "But that's not what I'm going to do anymore. I'm going to get stronger."

"Man, it doesn't matter how strong you are." Barry walked up and put a hand on his shoulder, maneuvering over Dawn. "You're our friend, teammate, and leader, no matter what. In order of importance."

Hilbert couldn't help but laugh, diffusing the tension in the room. He patted Dawn on the shoulder, and she slowly but surely let him go, face lit up red.

"Your mother sent this over, through the PC." Dawn held up an odd envelope, still averting her gaze. He took it, and seeing his name addressed, flicked open the seal and pulled out the letter.

'Dear Hilby,'

'I'm glad you and your friends are doing so well. Though, it was a bit worrying to see you getting kicked around in Veilstone… But, I'm sure you're dealing with that just fine.'

'Happy birthday! Remember, sleep in separate rooms, and if you can't manage that, clean underwear and protection. Dawn's a nice girl, so if she offers-'

Hilbert crumpled the paper in his hands, his face as red as the girl in question's jacket.

"Hilby? Are you alright?"

"Yeah! Just, uh- What's the date?"

She blinked. "It's May thirtieth."

'Huh. Guess it is nearly my birthday."

A sudden whoop echoed through the Pokemon Center, quickly shushed by the Joy on night-duty. Barry was ecstatic. "Well then, we should go celebrate! Why are we still around here?"

"Because it's nearly twelve at night?" Lucas said, being the one guy out of the three with enough common sense.

"We should go to one of those inns! You know, the ones with hot springs-"

"Pastoria's in the middle of a marsh, that's not how hot springs work."

"Aw, man… So, how old are you turning, Hilby?"

"Uh… Sixteen."

"What?" Barry fell over in shock. "We're older than you?"

"Are you?"

"Well, Lucas's birthday was back in the mountains, March fifth.-"

"I remember, still sorry we couldn't get the cake."

"Mine was in August, the sixth."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"Oh, my next one is July 29th!"

I'll definitely keep that in mind.

"September 20th," said Cheryl from the back.

"...I was born on…" Marley's voice trailed off inaudibly.

"Good to know, everyone." Hilbert nodded. "Now… Can I heal up my Pokemon? I never really got an opportunity…"

They managed to get back to their rooms at the tiny local inn. Aside from gym challengers, most visitors were already staying at the resort nearby, so everyone got their own rooms.

He was laying on his bed, changed into his (name-fitting) pajamas and staring at the ceiling with his arms behind his head.

And so, when there was a knock at the door, he groggily got up to reply without much thought.

It was Dawn, similarly dressed, but in pink.

"...Evening?" He said, tilting his head.

"...Can I come in?"

"Uh… Sure." He opened the door wider, letting her walk into the small room and sit on the bed.

Then he was hit by a sudden, terrifying bout of self-awareness. Luckily, he had managed a shower, despite how tired he was, so- Wait, what?

Not wanting to look even more awkward, he walked over and sat a body's width away from her.

"So, uh, what did you need?"

She folded her hands in her lap. "I just wanted to know… What happened?"

Hilbert leaned back and kicked his legs. "You mean, after the gym?"

She nodded.

"I was… Angry. Or sad, or disappointed- I'm not really sure- I just… I didn't want you to see me like that," he said, restating what he'd told them earlier. "It's lame, I know, it's not going to happen again."

One of her hands inched its way towards his, barely touching his pinky. "Are you sure? You… You really scared me. We were looking all over, Lucas got soaked when he went looking on the route to Hearthome. Barry was looking in the Marsh before there was that weird explosion, Cheryl was at the Pokemon Center, seeing if you would be there, Arcanine was running around with Marley, and- I couldn't do anything. You didn't come back, Hilby. It scared me. I've never felt that scared before, and I don't know why."

Hilbert had an inkling of an idea, but didn't have the confidence to believe it, so he just awkwardly laughed. "Sorry about that."

There was a beat of silence. The clock on the wall ticked its hour hand, and all three hands passed XII.

"I also wanted to say, officially, happy birthday… Before anyone else," she said, looking away, but not turning her head.

"Thanks. You too." He said. Then he punched himself in the face for messing that up.

She laughed, watching him fall back on the bed. "You're early, but I appreciate the thought."

"Ugh…" He groaned, wiping his face off in embarrassment.

"Don't worry about it, everyone messes up sometimes."

He felt the space next to him sink. Without looking, he could tell Dawn had imitated him.

"...Are we still talking about birthdays?"

She shrugged. "Maybe. You don't need to be strong. It doesn't matter if you are or not. You're you, right, Hilby?"

"Who else would I be?"

"I don't suppose you could be anyone else," she giggled, as that was still a politically correct thing for girls to do in 2009- Wait, huh? She turned on her side, facing him.

He could see her out of the corner of his eye. Internally, he was freaking out, because he was alone with a girl he was kinda maybe crushing on.

So, he didn't do anything, only looking up at the ceiling, blushing, while she was looking intently at his face.

Arceus, I am so glad I don't have acne.

That's not a swear around here, Hilby.

Get out of my head, inner-Dawn. The real you is a lot cuter.

"...I think you're really… Cool, Hilby. I'm very glad I could meet you," she whispered, her breath ghosting across his ear.

"Um- Me too… I mean, I'm glad I got to meet you too," he quickly corrected, turning his head slightly. "I think you're a really nice person, and I'm happy to be friends with you."

A beat passed.

"...Just friends?" She asked, biting her lip.

Hilbert sighed inaudibly. "I… really don't know. I've never, uh, had so many great people around me, who stuck by me. Back in Unova, it was me, Golett, and my mom. I talked to people at school, sure, but… I never really connected with anyone, y'know?"

Dawn nodded. "You did seem like the loner type when I first met you."

He shrugged. "That was how I dealt with it. Make myself the 'cool' kind of loner, instead of the 'weird' kind."

"That makes sense."

"What I'm saying is… I don't really know what I'm feeling. We're friends for sure, but…" He shrugged again. "I don't want anyone to get hurt. So until I'm sure… I don't know."

Dawn sighed, "That… Might be for the best…"

They lay there in silence, their hands barely overlapping.

"It's getting pretty late… Before I go, can you… Close your eyes for a second?"

He blinked- Well, obviously, but then obliged.

He felt the mattress unsink beside him, and a soft, but narrow pressure on his cheek.

When he opened his eyes, the door had clicked shut, and Dawn was gone.

That was where he fell asleep, the slightest smudge of lip gloss on his cheek.

Chapter Text

What makes a person strong?

Is it their energy? The driving force behind their soul?

Is it their mind? The intelligence granted by the thoughtful psyche?

Or is it something else entirely, that transcends these lines of thought, rising into the heavens in a double helix?

A Mid-Sinnoh Night's Dream - XII - WILLPOWER

The first thing Hilbert did when he arose was wake up Shaymin and make an early morning break for the Safari Zone. Sure, he'd miss the inn's breakfast, but the sooner he got to work, the better.

There was a blasted heath in the Great Marsh. Trees were blackened and thrown from their roots a half-mile in all directions. Swampy grass had been reduced to ashes and dust, still kicking up in a lame wind. Magikarp were limply splashing on the ground, their scales covered in soot, if not burned themself. The Pokemon that weren't fortunate enough to be Water-type...

That was only on the outskirts of the blast. The center must have been the typical sphere of destruction, as there was a massive crater, pooling with sickly black water, almost the size of a pond itself. Light reflected off the surface with such intensity he wasn't sure if it was actually water or some twisted mirror.

Shaymin recoiled when they took a step on a burned and brittle stick. The size of the stick, as well as the general shape, made him suspect it was more… Alive, in origin, though he tried to keep his mind from wandering so far into despair.

The two slid down, avoiding the steeper inclines.

Hilbert stood at the edge of the pool, staring into the inky abyss.

And they say that when you gaze into the abyss, the abyss also gazes into you.

A Pokemon of some kind lay in the twisted water, unable to be seen with the naked eye sight. Hilbert wished he wasn't able to blink, as every time he did, his vision was filled with weak flashes of aura, and sometimes, they blinked out. Permanently.

"...I'm sorry," he couldn't help but whisper. "I hope you don't hold what Team Galactic did against the rest of humanity."

The Grass-type Mythical took a step forward.

"Go ahead, Shaymin. Please do whatever you can." Hilbert pulled his hat down over his head, and kept his eyes open. He was tired of seeing lives flash out forever before him.

Shaymin inhaled, slowly gathering its energy.

A paw was placed on the surface of the water.

Rings cascaded outwards, silently rippling across the water. A dark fog floated upwards through the water, and into the air. Like soundwaves, Shaymin's power shuddered across the barren and scorched earth, and black ashes floated into the air, as if lifted by a gentle wind.

They all shuddered, stopping for a moment, before coalescing in front of Shaymin, at first as a loose sphere, but soon become a more cone-like shape.

When it came in contact with Shaymin, there was a brilliant, almost melodious whirring, and another blast.

Bells chimed in the wind, as flower petals fell upon the Great Marsh. The dark pond was wiped clean in a simple pulse, the Pokemon floating beneath becoming visible. Fish became whole, as their bones grew the new flesh on another lifetime, for they say when treated with Gratitude and returned to the water from which they came, many Water-types may be granted new life.

Weeds grew from cracks in the earth, quickly giving way to luscious wavy grass, blooming outwards in a double spiral from the pond.

The bones of murdered Pokemon were turned a brilliant marble, embedded in the dirt, even as the ash melted away.

Water swelled from the spring in the ground, carrying Hilbert upwards on his feet while Shaymin floated upwards alongside him. Magikarp quickly reintegrated into the new lake of the marsh, Water-types springing upwards through the petal-covered surface, singing with joy.

Hilbert removed his cap, gazing upon the nature restored before him. Water glistened nearly as far as he could see, and Pokemon hesitantly approached the water through the tree line. Water-types of all kinds, Carvanha, Barboach, Magikarp, you name it, they happily jumped from the lake, shooting through the air.

He didn't need to translate with aura to understand their meaning.

Shaymin floated next to his head, watching nature reclaim what had been taken from it.

"I think our work here is done," he said, with a pleasant grin. "Your work, I mean."

"Think nothing of it. It is simply my duty." Even as they denied it, he could hear the satisfaction in their voice.

"We should let the Rangers take care of the rest." He turned, the water barely rippling underneath his feet. He picked out his Marill's Pokeball, and released the Water-type.

It squeaked and looked at him in confusion as it fell into the lake.

Hilbert cracked the Pokeball. "Go be with your family. They've been given another chance, and I think… They'll want to spend it with you."

Marill nodded, and dove beneath the light waves.

"You certainly are an interesting human, aren't you?"

He looked back as Shaymin, slyly. "You haven't figured that out?"

They stared at the rising sun for a few moments, contemplating the scene.

"...Come on, let's head back."

The entrance to the Great Marsh was blocked off, though he was standing on the wrong side of the police tape.

A Jenny with (strangely enough) Croagunk earrings was herding back a crowd of reporters, saying the usual lines about confidentiality and all that jazz. Looker was standing off to the side, and when he noticed Hilbert walk into the gateway, he sighed and shook his head, before walking over.

"I'm not surprised in the least that you're here."

Hilbert simply shrugged. "You know how it goes."

By that time, some of the people in the crowd had noticed he was there, and saw the Shaymin perched on his shoulder.

Looker ignored that, handing him a cup of coffee, of which the surrounding officers were taking many. A small squad of Pokemon Rangers were allowed through the tape, walking past the two of them without a second thought, though with some sideways glances towards his Pokemon.

Hilbert took one sip before nearly spitting out his lungs. "Agh! You trying to kill me?"

Looker sighed again. "I forgot you're a child, somehow. So, what were you doing here so early in the morning? Trespassing for fun?"

He handed the cup to Shaymin before answering. "I mean, it's obvious, isn't it? And it wasn't trespassing yet, I just Teleported. How was I supposed to know?"

Looker pinched the bridge of his nose. "Sure, sure. I need to get you one of those agent passes before you get arrested… So, for the record, what were you doing?"

"Shaymin fixed the explosion, or whatever it was." He grabbed the emptied coffee cup and tossed it in the trash can.

"...I believe a lot of the things you do, but you'll have to forgive me for not believing you. That was a dirty bomb, and the blast was a mile wide in some places."

Hilbert did another one-armed shrug. "The truth is out there, Mulder."

"You can't reference more than one medium of entertainment, that's against regulation."

"...Huh?"

Looker shook his head. "Never mind that. I'll get a badge for you the next time we meet. Any relation I can speak to for further details?"

"I'm not sure I'm old enough to work for Interpol, sorry."

"Ah. I'm sure a visitor's badge would suffice, then."

"Oh, hold on now, I still want it, do I get anything cool with it?"
"You have the strangest priorities, kid. Sure, sure."

Hilbert pumped his fist. "Nice!"

It was a bit annoying when the media finally made the connection between the new lake in the Great Marsh (Some already calling it Lake Gratitude) and Hilbert's team, Shaymin in specific.

It made their time training a bit more difficult, as he couldn't get far enough out of the way without being followed, but he eventually figured out that Abra knew Teleport.

Figuring that Golett were known for having Iron Fists, they went to Maylene's gym to get stronger during the day.

It was hellish, to say the least, as she insisted he attempt to learn everything Golett did. Lucario as well, just because she was a Fighting-type. Most of those techniques didn't apply to Abra, so he went off and meditated somewhere. Shaymin was still sleeping off the absorption of the marsh, which had eerily similar effects to intoxication, so Marley was taking care of them.

Garchomp and Tyrantitar had gone off somewhere, and Hilbert at some point caught the word 'date' so didn't inquire further.

"Sir? There are two pseudo-legendaries waiting to be seated." A Kadabra in a butler's getup walked up to the host.

Chef Ramsay had had the brilliant idea to open up another chain of restaurants, with the gimmick of serving Pokemon just as they did people, and so employed multiple Psychic-types.

There were many humanoid Psychic-types, however, Kadabra were the most willing for the job. Mr. Mime tended to creep customers out, Metang was a bit too magnetic sometimes for its own good, and some distastefully got handsy around Gardevoir.

"Well? Seat them, then!"

"Right away, sir."

Garchomp and Tyranitar, his claw holding her arm, were led through the massive archway that was large enough to fit a Waillord (Don't ask), and travelled through the massive dining area. The locale was located in a flatter, more open sect of Eterna Forest, accessible by both humans and Pokemon via the short, yet romantic nature trails.

"I'll have a…" Garchomp struggled to read the menu without stabbing it, but managed. "Persim Alfredo?"

"Of course, sir." Kadabra held up a notepad, psychically writing down the order. "And you, fair madam?"

See, it's the weirdest thing- Pokemon pick up on gender differences easier than most people do- Not out of any sort of prejudice- Far too many species changed genders when necessary for that to be practical, but out of an instinctual sense of vision- Knowing if prey was a nesting mother or not was once the difference between eating well or being pecked for the rest of your life.

"I'll have the Smoked-tail, thanks."

The Kadabra nodded, before leaving their table and reporting to the larger-on-the-inside cooking stall at the open-air pavilion's center.

"Comet Punch is a Normal-type punching attack," lectured Maylene in her usual nasally voice while pacing in front of the three students. "Now, I'm only mentioning this because I value my punching bags well, but Golett is a Ghost-type."

"...Yes?"

"Now, everyone will expect the elemental punches. Fire, Thunder, Ice. Just as much, they'll expect he knows Fighting-type moves. But, they'll forget the power of a Normal-type move, because Ghost-types rarely learn them. This power comes not from high effectiveness, but rather, the lack of ineffectiveness."

"Oh, I think I get it. Covering all the bases."

"Yep. But, the real lesson is using it as a base for your other punches. Comet Punch can hit multiple times, if utilized right."

"...Right…"

"So, imagine if you could apply that to a Mach Punch."

"Oh. Ohhhh. OHHH-"

"Pay attention!" Lucario shouted, because the art of hitting people really hard was sacred to the aura user. She also wanted to replicate White Claw's technique without the Trick Room fatigue.

"So, what are your hobbies, Tyranitar?" Garchomp lifted his bowl of pasta before taking a bite and lowering it back down.

"Hm… Eating rocks, sculpture, battling the enemies of mankind and Pokemon alike…" She somehow shrugged.

"Sculpture? Do tell."

"Do you know how Dizzy Punch works?" Maylene stopped their sparring match, letting him catch a breather.

"Let me guess… It makes the opponent dizzy?"

"Obviously. But do you know how that happens?"

"Uh… no?"

She responded with a right hook into his temple.

Luckily, his aura shield made him about as durable as a Pokemon, so it only threw him twenty feet to the side and it certainly made him dizzy.

"By attacking the vulnerable points of your opponent, you can induce a state of confusion nearly every time, even if you don't hit incredibly hard."

"First off, ow, second, you could have just said that!"

She shook her head. "This is a gym, you learn from experience, not from a lecture."

"...It's a simple process, really. Stone Edge evens itself out, so if I use it repeatedly, I can get a decent block of stone to work with. From there, I just carve out the rocks."

Garchomp, ever the gentleman, nodded. "I see, that's very interesting."

"Well, that's enough from me, tell me more about yourself. I feel like I've been going on and on…"

"It's fine, really. I enjoy long flights on the beach, picking flowers, and farming."

"Farming? Really?"

"Well, when I was a wee Gabite, I used my claws to scythe through the fields when the Scyther weren't feeling up to it. It was a tiny farm run by Pokemon, but it dissolved after that studio caught most of us."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"How do you expect a Ground-type to learn Sky Uppercut? He can levitate, sure, but that seems like a reach."

"Who the hell do you think I am?"

"Yeah, sorry, Golett, should've figured. Couldn't hurt to be prepared, I guess."

Before the end of June, Hilbert and his Pokemon had trained, and trained hard. Maylene, ahem, didn't pull any punches.

...Alright, who wrote this script?!

But the contents of the training aren't important yet, so we'll skip them.

Hilbert moved from one gym to another, his teammates having already entered the stands.

He felt the manly urge to kick in the door to the gym, and so he did- With a bang.

Crasher Wake stood at the opposite end of the building, on his podium, arms crossed and filled with his usual bravado.

"I was expecting you'd be back!"

Hilbert smirked. "Of course I'd come back, just who the hell do you think I am?"

"Ha! You know the drill, then."

He chuckled, grabbing his first Pokeball.

Wake's Gyarados appeared, intimidating him with their ferocity. He managed to ignore it long enough to send out Lucario.

"Let's get started! Agility!"

Lucario blurred, mirages splitting off of her body, before dissolving back into her. Her body was shuddering from the speed boost like a trick of the light.

"A Fighting-type, eh? Gyarados, Bounce!"

The dragon-like Pokemon slapped its tail against the water and shot into the air.

"You know what to do, Lucario!"

She nodded, bending her canine knees before exploding into the air.

"SKYYYYY UPPERCUTTTTAAAAAAAA!"

Gyarados didn't see the punch in the jaw coming, and smacked against the ceiling's skylight, making it shudder, before falling back to the water.

Lucario landed in a defensive stance, back on a disc.

"Payback, Gyarados!"

The Water-type crackled with dark energy, before rushing forward.

Lucario stopped it with her arms, though was still pushed over the water. Using her aura, she stayed on her feet.

"COUNTER!"

She grabbed the Gyarados by its lips, before jumping in the air, flipping it below her, and throwing it back down onto the water.

The water soaked Hilbert instantly, the splash reaching as high as the ceiling. The audience was thankfully protected, though their view was partly obscured.

It was almost like rain, the water dripping from the ceiling.

Wake took that as a good sign. "Hurricane!"

Lucario took the hit, wind whipping through her fur, and pushing her out of the pool, next to Hilbert.

"You alright?"

She wiped her mouth, but managed a thumbs up. "Are you doubting me?"

Hilbert laughed. "I wouldn't dream of it."

She jumped back, standing on the water as all the discs had shattered across the room.

"Laser Focus!"

Aura sharpened around her eyes, giving them a blue piercing glow.

Gyarados attempted to use Hurricane again, but the rain effect had been blown away, and the wind missed completely.

"THUNDER PUNCH!"

Electricity moved almost as fast as Lucario did, leaving a trail behind as she shot forward with an enormous wave behind her, and punching Gyarados between the eyes.

The Water-type shot back, recoiling, and embedded itself in the wall behind Wake.

It flopped out, limply, and created the last splash of the round.

"Good job, Lucario!" He high-fived the Fighting-type, only stinging his hand a little, before she returned to her Pokeball.

"Alright, then, Quagsire!"

The Water-Ground-type appeared, dopey as ever, but he could see past the surface.

"Shaymin, you know what they can do, so be careful!"

The Grass-type appeared. "Alright!"

"Quagsire, Hail!"

"Keep them at a distance! Sunny Day!"

Hailstones briefly clacked against the new discs, before being melted away by blazing sunlight.

"Ergh… Ice Punch!"

Shaymin was thrown into the air, but managed to jump at the last second and avoid most of the damage.

"Double Team!"

Shaymin's body blurred into three copies, landing on different discs. Quagsire punched through one, before stopping in confusion when it simply shimmered.

"Energy Ball!"

Three balls of energy slammed into the Quagsire, the only true attack hitting from behind, where Shaymin's actual body was.

Quagsire was confused, not because of any status condition, but because it couldn't tell where the attack came from.

The shadow clones doubled again and again, as Shaymin started making odd gestures with their paws.

Quagsire was surrounded quickly, and confused by the dozen opponents it now had.

"Try this on for size! BULLET HELL!"

Hundreds of seeds shot across the room, and Quagsire didn't know which to dodge. It was hit dead on by the true attack, hitting its body with a 'Ratata'- Er, 'ratatatat' sound.

It fell over moments later, in a daze.

"Nice one, Shaymin!"

The hedgehog nodded, levitating and running back through the air, perching on his shoulder.

He chose Golett as Floatzel appeared.

"Are you using a Ground-type because you've already won?" Wake shook his head. "That's not the point of-"

He was interrupted by Hilbert laughing.

"No, that's not why. See, Wake, I've realized something. It's not about aura, or psychic energy, or Gratitude…"

He and Golett held up their fists in an identical pose, fingers clenched.

"IT'S ABOUT WILLPOWER!"

Golett crackled with blue lightning, turning a bright red.

"Floatzel, Aqua Jet!"

"Mach Punch!"

Golett slammed his fist into the Water-type, meeting them in the middle and stopping the spray.

He was still splashed, but not as severely.

"Ice Punch!"

"Imprison!"

Psychic chains held back Floatzel's fist, ice refusing to form around it.

"Thunder Punch!"

Floatzel flew back, body, crackling with electricity, but managed to land on their feet, panting.

"Hail!"

Ice began falling, the ceiling sliding open to allow it through. All for nothing, as the stones sizzled and dissolved before reaching Golett.

"The magma of our souls burns with a mighty flame! Do you think a little ice can get us down?"

"Blizzard!"

The icy wind blew through the arena, kicking up bits of snow in Hilbert's face, but he barely noticed. His eyes were bloodshot from his enthusiasm.

"Golett, Earthquake! Let's show 'em a real water attack!"

The gym's floor cracked from sheer pressure, like it was being weighed down by Magnitude. Brilliant white light shone out of the cracks, reaching down into the pool.

The water started whipping around, waves crashing over them to no effect. Steam started pouring off of Golett, a sphere of pure heat escaping from him.

"You see this? This is our power! This is our soul!"

Water whipped around Floatzel, like a Whirlpool.

"This shouldn't be possible!" Wake cried, not in fear, but in excitement and shock. Earthquakes caused tsunamis; He was Japanese, everyone knew that. But such control was shocking, especially from a Ground-type.

"Possible? Ha! Who cares about what's possible or probable or any of that crap! Go beyond the impossible and kick reason to the curb! That's how we roll!"

A wave of energy exploded outwards in all directions, Golett at its source. His body was melting into pure energy, like his sync ratio had reached 400%.

"THAT'S HOW TEAM BLACK ROLLS!"

He doubled, no- Tripled in height!

"JUST WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK WE ARE?"

Energy slowly seeped out of the air, funneling into the glowing mass. It swirled and spiraled, changing into Golett's new form.

Golurk stood, defiant, water whipping around him, and floating above the surface of the pool. His hands were outstretched, as he let loose a guttural battle cry.

His body faded into a red, almost metallic sheen, spiral power pulsing from the sealed crack in his chest.

"GOLURK, YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO!" He pointed forward at the paralyzed Floatzel.

A drill shot outwards from the massive golem's right arm, more than matching him in length.

"GIGA…"

With a heavy clunk, he hefted the drill upwards, shifting slightly to aim it directly at the Water-type wall in his way

"DRILLLLLL…"

The remaining water dissolved into steam, wrapping around the shining drill. Wake had the good sense to get out of the way, before he was drilled through the wall.

A brilliant screech echoed throughout Pastoria, not quite human, but many could swear that it was two voices speaking as one.

"BREAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAK!"

Suffice to say, Pastoria was in need of a lot of repaving. And roofing. And-

Well, you get the point.

Floatzel was thoroughly unconscious, at the very least, still flying through the air, later landing in the Great Marsh.

Hilbert stood on the remaining wall, slightly crouched, shielding his eyes while looking out the hole.

"Oh. Yep. Uhuh. Yeah, sorry about that."

Golurk landed far off with a massive crash. Flying-type scattered into the air, minuscule in his sight.

"...My bad?"

Wake laughed, slapping him on the back. "I was waiting for something like that! I've seen your other matches, I have to say, I'm impressed!"

That was the understatement of the century.

"Ah, yeah." Hilbert absentmindedly rubbed his shoulder, smiling up at the gym leader. "It's a habit."

He heard Golurk clank in the distance. The golem was flying through the air with blue energy jetting behind him, and orange shape on one of his arms.

"Oh, that'll be Floatzel." He looked out again, only hearing Barry's whoops in his periphery.

Golurk landed, carefully laying the Water-type in front of Wake. He turned to Hilbert, saluting, and his color shifting back to normal in a near instant.

"Don't mock me!" Hilbert laughed. "Whatever! Good job! We're gonna kick so much ass now!"

GAINAX employees across Japan were frothing at the mouth watching Golurk's finishing attack on TV, having a special channel just to keep an eye on Hilbert's team. A bike shop owner was glad he managed to invest in Team Black before anyone else.

Roark was Roarking- Ahem, roaring with laughter while pouring him and Gardenia a drink.

The gym-goers in Hearthome looked up from their various exercises to watch the recording of the battle in Pastoria. The leader nodded with pride in her student and punching bag.

Not long after their gym battle, they left Pastoria.

Not via a route, but through the air.

Amazingly, Golurk could actually fly when they retracted their legs.

At mach speeds.

Luckily though, he didn't, so Hilbert could actually ride on his back, loosely holding on with his aura.

Dawn was behind him, holding on for dear life.

Garchomp rose in the cutting winds, Lucas and Marley riding on its back in much the same way. Cheryl was borrowing Lucas's Staraptor, while Barry used his own. It evolved back during the beach trip.

"This is really something, huh?" He yelled, glancing behind him.

Dawn didn't look up, her hair whipping around her as she used him as a shield from the wind. "Yeah, sure, are we there yet?"

He looked back over towards the horizon, seeing Hearthome's outskirts just barely come into view.

"Whaddya mean it's still closed?" Barry yelled, tugging at his hair. Fantina, the gym leader, still wasn't accepting challenges.

Hilbert remembered what that woman, Cynthia, had told him. "You know, maybe we ought to just head up to Snowpoint."

Dawn looked pointedly at him then towards the contest hall.

"Well, after Dawn's contest."

She did pretty good.

Because the network has a limited airtime this week, you'll have to settle for that brief description.

Sorry about that, folks.

Chapter Text

Three birds of legend cried out into darkness, but they were not heard. Their minds and bodies were constantly wracked with pain and tormented by the control mechanisms.

They had their mouths, but truly, could not scream.

A Mid-Sinnoh Night's Dream - XIII - Mid-Sinnoh, the OVA

There were, as he'd been warned, a full troop of Psyduck crowding the path north. He couldn't count into triple-digits on his fingers, but his guess was definitely up there.

He pulled out the odd potion that Cythia had given him, before aiming it at the closest Psychic-type.

Unlike the usual light spray of a normal healing item, the Secret Potion was like a firehose, drenching every one of the Psyduck in a strange purplish liquid that quickly faded into their skin.

They all stopped having headaches at the same time, looked up at each other in slight confusion, before dispersing and running off to the north.

He spotted Lucas catch one out of the corner of his eye, but shrugged it off easily enough.

The mysterious blonde appeared next to him moments later.

"Oh, good, you used the Secret Potion I gave you."

Barry jumped, making a strange 'hyah' sound in surprise, but everyone else wasn't too shocked. Well, except Lucas, but that was more because he was silent, his mouth moving, but no words coming out.

"So, you're heading to Celestic Town, then?"

Hilbert nodded. "Fantina's still away from the gym."

"That woman, always running off to Kalos or something," she sighed, shaking her head. "Well, would you mind doing me a favor?"

"Nah, whaddya need?"

"Could you deliver this Old Charm to my grandmother? She lives in town."

She held out an ancient-looking carved rock on a string, and he took it.

"She has a rather bossy demeanor, I think you'll be able to recognize her." The blonde turned on her heel. "See you later."

"Yeah, totally."

Hilbert turned back to Lucas. "Dude, what's up with you?"

The boy's jaw seemed to click back into place. "That was Cynthia!"

"Oh, you know her?"

"She's the champion of the Pokemon League!"

Hilbert blinked. "Huh."

You have to admit, he had such a way with words.

"You aren't used to that kind of thing yet?"

Lucas sputtered for a moment. "Yeah, but- That's different, okay!"

"You keep telling yourself that."

Hilbert dusted himself off after being covered in grass and splattered with water on the way through the route. They stopped by the Pokemon Center, but their Pokemon didn't need much help besides a clean-up.

An old woman was leaning against a fence outside, sighing and muttering to herself.

"If I had some Pokemon, I'd teach those kids a lesson…"

"Excuse me?" He couldn't help but ask.

"Oh, some punks near the ruins. Said they were going to blow up the cave."

A stone dropped in his stomach.

"I see. What did they look like?"

"Hm, they had some weird get-ups, for sure. Gray, said something about a team?" She shook her head. "I don't watch the news much."

Hilbert glanced back at Lucas, who was already slipping on his dragon-tamer gloves.

Barry groaned. "Ah, crap. Here we go again."

There was a Team Galactic grunt standing watch outside the cave.

"Move."

"Are you challenging the creators of the new world? We're going to create a perfect world for everyone!"

"How are you going to do that?"

"By blowing up this cave!"

Hilbert openly facepalmed, gesturing for the rest of his team to get back.

"Listen, if I beat you in a Pokemon battle, will you go away?"

"Yeah, right! As if a little brat like you could-"

"Garchomp."

The Dragon-type appeared in a blast of light, imposing over the both of them.

"You can send all of yours out at the same time, by the way. Won't make a difference."

After the grunt was sent scampering off, the old woman from earlier walked over.

"Aren't you quite the trainer?" She said, chuckling.

Hilbert just shrugged.

"Well, as the elder of Celestic Town, I'll have to give you my thanks."

"Yeah, no problem. Do you know where I can find a 'bossy woman'? Cynthia asked me to take something to her."

"...The nerve of that girl, is it the Old Charm?"

"Uh, yeah?"

"I should explain, she's my granddaughter. I'll take that charm."

He quickly handed it over.

"...The Old Charm is a piece of ancient history, do you understand? It was originally made in honor of Arceus, the creator of the world."

"I'm not… Particularly religious, sorry."

"Hm? Oh, that's fine. Nowadays, no one puts stock in myths, only believing in their fancy Legendary Pokemon."

"Aha..." He didn't want to look like too much of a smartass, so Shaymin stayed in their Pokeball.

"While you're here, you ought to explore the ruins." She gestured to the entrance with a suddenly-appearing pipe.

Their footsteps echoed from the earthen floor, as they walked through the cave. Inscriptions were carved on the walls in languages of old that he couldn't even begin to comprehend. There was a cave painting, on the far wall. Three chalk-white-tailed figures surrounding a strange red gem.

"Right, what's all this then?" Hilbert said, in a Galarian accent.

Dawn slapped the back of his head.

"Yeah, yeah, respect and stuff…"

"The cave painting's meaning; It seems to be this… Long ago, there were Pokemon powerful enough to be considered deities in their own right. But these three Pokemon were equally powerful, not one stronger than another, ensuring balance- Not just between them, but for the world. It's a legend still told in Celestic Town today."

A distant voice called from the entrance of the cave. "I would like to hear more about that legend, if you will."

They all turned, looking at the man that was shrouded in the outside's light.

"Just who might you be?"

The man stepped forward, revealing his blue hair and grey track-business suit hybrid.

"Hey! You're the asshole with the Articuno!" Hilbert yelled.

Dawn slapped the back of his head without thinking. "Don't swear around an elder."

"Come on, Dawn! He froze me for like, two hours! You were there!"

The man ignored him, still approaching the older woman. "I am Cyrus. I want to create a new world, free of pointless squabbles." He glanced at Hilbert, eyes narrowing for only a moment. "As well as impertinent children."

"I'm not imp- Lucas, what does that mean?"

"He's calling you rude."

"Oh. Then hell yeah, I'm impertinent!"

Cyrus shook his head, with a practiced look of disinterest. "You can clearly see the truth of the world in this child. I am seeking the power to create the new, ideal world. Thus, I will ask you to answer my questions."

The woman puffed on her pipe, eyes closed, but nodding regardless.

"This world, today, can't change because the three Pokemon keep it in balance. Is that what you're saying?"

A puff of smoke temporarily shielded her face. "I wouldn't know. But as far as I can tell, the world is in balance. I am perfectly satisfied with the way the world is. I'm not interested in your questions."

"Hm. Plead ignorance, will you? What a pointless attitude. You fail to comprehend that the world is incomplete. I will change the world."

The man pointed over her shoulder, still a few meters away. "The first step will be to destroy this primitive cave painting of yours-"

"Abra-"

"Got it." The woman disappeared, as well as everyone else in the cavern, blinking away as fast as Abra could Teleport them out.

Hilbert cracked his knuckles. "I think we have some unfinished business to attend to. You're not destroying anything today."

"Ignorant child. If you choose to stand in my way, then very well. The first step will be to destroy you."

Lucas was the first one to recover after being thrown out of the cave, dusting off his pants and helping the rest of them up.

"I have a bad feeling this is going to be a battleground in a few minutes. Miss, please get people away from the town." He turned to Barry, as the old woman started hollering for an evacuation. "Call Looker. Just in case."

Three Legendary birds appeared in front of Cyrus, crackling with dark energy, their pupils fully dilated, and already crying in rage.

Hilbert barely flinched, expecting he would have the other two. Moltres, Zapdos, and Articuno. All much larger than he expected them to be. Taller than Golurk actually, which he realized as his team appeared behind him in a familiar flash of light.

"You know, I said you wouldn't destroy anything, but…" He pointed at the birds, smirking. "Those sure look vulnerable to a Rock Slide!"

"Shadow Moltres, Blast Burn. Do not hit Shadow Articuno."

The Fire-type cried, whether in rage or agreement, and a bluish-white ball appeared in front of its mouth.

"Wait, Blast Burn?" His eyes widened.

For those not in the know (Which was very difficult, considering that it was near-universal knowledge), Blast Burn is the equivalent of dropping a few thousand Electrode in one area, all at once, and having them use Explosion.

"Shield! SHIELD SHIELD SHIELD SHIELD SHIELD-"

A wall of rocks shot up and down, stalactites and stalagmites becoming mere byproducts of the rapidly forming shield.

He still felt the boiling heat splinter across his skin as the wall was turned into magma, with a roar to shatter the eardrums of the heavens.

"Rock Slide before it can recover!" He shouted, though he couldn't hear it, throwing off his singed hat. He'd been holding onto it, but he probably wasn't going to replace it.

Shaymin shot a quick Heal Pulse at him and Lucario, who hadn't taken the heat very well.

Tyranitrar roared in conjunction with Golurk raising his arms, and rocks rose from the magma in a torrent, shooting towards the fiery storm bird.

"Freeze them."

With another cry, this time from Articuno, a blast of Sheer Cold freezing the liquid stone solid. Ice creeped in around them, flowing over the walls of the cave. They were forced into a circle.

"Zap Cannon."

A spear of electricity shot forward in a brilliant flash of searing light, but was to no effect, as Garchomp flew in front of the bolt, letting in ground into him.

"Alright, we've taken enough hits! Let's get them outside!"

A wave of rocks shot forward, into the three Legendary birds.

The remainder of Team Black was scattered at the edge of the clearing, hearing the blasts coming from inside the cave, but wanting to stand clear in case-

The side of the mountain exploded outwards, sending up a plume of dust and pebbles.

In case of that, yeah.

Luckily, all of them had at least one Pokemon that knew Protect, so they were shielded from the rocky rain.

Three birds spiraled into the sky, quickly recovering from the blast, splitting off separately. To the east and west, storm clouds were brewing, while the center of the town was brought down by harsh sunlight.

Lucas nodded to himself, tugging on his gloves before shouting, "I'll take Articuno! Barry, you take Moltres! Hilbert's probably going after Zapdos!"

Lucas's assumption was correct. While his Pokemon team split off, Tyranitar headed off to deal with Moltres, and Abra and Lucario hoping to beat down Articuno, the rest of his team went to deal with the Legendary Electric-type.

Cries of Thunder were called down, but Garchomp protected them from the air, flying between them, acting as a sort of lightning rod.

The air itself crackled like television static, electricity sparking across his skin leaving him with goosebumps.

"Garchomp! Fly upwards, and hit them with all ya got!"

The Dragon-type roared, flying into the Electric-type, hitting it with a blitz of Dragon Claws.

Barry shielded his eyes as he looked up at Moltres, Prinplup doing the same while copying his pose. Pikachu was holding a hand radio of all things, talking into the radio, saying things Hilbert would have translated as 'calling da boyz'. Staravia was on stand-by, Phantump was floating around worriedly, and his Luxray (Who'd evolved nearly immediately after they beat Wake) was pacing around them.

"Any chance I can throw you at that firebird really hard?" He asked Prinplup, who gave a quick shake of their head. "Man… Why don't I ever get the cool fight sequences?"

It was now snowing to the east of Celestic Town, Articuno's presence bringing about a sudden cold front.

Lucas was soaring upwards on Staraptor's back, already holding a Fire Lance and Hilbert's Abra riding on his shoulders.

They narrowly avoided a Blizzard, Staraptor veering left to avoid getting weighed down by frost. Lucas barely maintained his grip as they attempted to get above the Ice-type Legendary.

"...Arcanine, Fire Spin!"

A spiral of flames shot past him, grazing Articuno's wing, causing it to cry in anger and pain.

He looked down, easily making out Marley against the orange of Arcanine's fur and the white of the fallen snow. She made what looked like a thumbs-up, before her Fire-type dodge an Ice Beam.

Cyrus was standing at the top of a nearby cliff, his Crobat easily rescuing him from the first blast and carrying him to a safe distance, before collapsing. They weren't really meant to carry people. He stayed at range, not wanting to risk getting caught in the cross-fire. Recall had a certain range, however, so he had to stick around.

Hilbert hopped onto Golurk's back, grabbing into a quickly-forming handle. His body was weird like that, almost gelatinous at times. Shaymin tightly perched on his shoulder, claws digging into his jacket.

They quickly rose, and began circling Zapdos in tandem with Garchomp.

The Electric-type looked between them before releasing a cry of anger, and blasting off further into the atmosphere.

Hilbert charged his aura shield further, layering it around his head, before shooting skyward with Golurk and Garchomp.

"Uh… Bubblebeam!"

Prinplup shot a fast-moving stream of bubbles, which splashed off of the heat emanating from Moltres.

"Damn it!"

Lucas thrust his blazing sword downwards as he fell towards Articuno. The icy wind whipped at his face while he plunged through the air.

Articuno screeched as he slashed its wing, and swept him away in a gale-force wind.

He fell back through the air as Staraptor was his by a Blizzard.

"No…" His hand reached out as he plummeted through the air, towards his fainted Flying-type.

Before his back could meet the frozen earth below, he was snatched out of the air by an orange and black blur.

"...Be careful…" Marley said, as she pulled him onto the Arcanine, and he recalled Staraptor to their Pokeball.

"Right," Lucas said, nodding. He looked back up at the Ice-type Legendary. "Looks like I'm going to need a new plan."

Hilbert carefully got to his feet, holding onto Golurk's back with nothing but his aura. He tried his best to not look down, as he was twice as high up as the clouds.

"Golurk, how high can you make a Stone Edge reach?"

The machine-like golem hummed. "Not high enough."

"Damn. Well, if we can't make the ground come to it…" He smirked, getting ready to jump, "We'll have to take it to the ground!"

Golurk blasted forward, a jet of light shooting out of its roman skirt. As his rocky arms reached around Zapdos, Hilbert jumped straight up, dodging the Legendary's retaliatory Hyper Beam.

Garchomp swooped below him, letting Hilbert quickly get his grip.

Golurk was taking Hyper Beams and Thunders like the absolute unit he was- Who would've thought a Tackle attack could be so useful? They were rapidly descending through the sky, and his vision was briefly blocked by gray storm clouds.

It cleared up seconds later, only to quickly be blocked again by a massive plume of dust being scattered to the wind by Golrurk's impact.

They swooped down, next to the wide crater. Wind cleared the smog away, revealing a dazed Zapdos and a recovering Golurk.

The golem quickly took his 'saiyan' stance, as they say, and let loose an Earthquake that cracked the earth left untouched by their impact..

Zapdos, now grounded and confused, was unable to avoid the hit, even as a Flying-type. Letting out one last anguished and piercing screech, the Legendary fell unconscious.

"Man! Hey! Moltres! Get down here so I can beat you down!"

Prinplup shook his head as the other Pokemon grew more anxious.

The Fire-type cried, fire falling from the sky.

"It seems to really like the warmth…" Barry looked up, shielding his eyes from the severe sunlight. "You think it's like Charmander? You know, with the tail thing?"
Prinplup blinked. If it could, it would ask where he learned about Charmander. Nevertheless, he nodded.

"Alright, now we're getting somewhere! Rain Dance!"

Lucas and Marley looked up at Articuno, the bird still trying to spread its omen of weather far across Sinnoh.

"...Fire Blast!"

A five-pointed blaze shot from a single deep breath of Arcanine, clipping the Ice-type's wing.

Lucario kept jumping high into the air, her fists blazing, but never reached high enough to make contact.

Abra stopped sleeping for a minute and raised its hand to his mouth. "What if I…"

Him, Lucas, Infernape and Lucario disappeared in a blink of an eye.

Lucas could now tell that they were above Articuno again, and falling fast.

Hilbert watched Zapdos dissolve into the red light of a returning Pokemon, and swirl off to the mountain side.

He looked over at Golurk and Garchomp, before resettling Shaymin on his shoulder.

"Garchomp, you have it worse against Articuno, go help with Moltres. Golurk, sorry bud, but help out Lucas."

The two nodded, before flying off in a plume of dust.

Hilbert shielded his eyes before looking towards the mountain.

"I'm lucky aura makes me run faster, heh."

Luckily for Barry, Moltres was quickly hit by a flying Tackle and taken to the ground by Golurk.

"I knew that he'd finish first, that's not fair!" He cried jokingly, still running towards the small crater that'd just been created.

Dawn and Cheryl just looked at each other, before continuing to help the elderly away from the battle.

Articuno was hit with the combined force of three Fire Punches, and then an enraged Dragon-type using Giga Impact.

Lucas blinked, thoughtlessly latching onto Garchomp and returning his falling Pokemon. Lucario and Abra wordlessly teleported back to the ground.

They landed separately, Articuno skidding through the forest and knocking down trees, while Garchomp swooped down and nearly collapsed, needing to recharge.

"Infernape! Blast Burn!"

The Fire-type gathered an orb of burning white-hot energy, before it quietly popped and sputtered out. It looked back at him, with a dull glare.

"Ah, should've figured that wouldn't work. Well, just use Flare Blitz then."

Infernape cracked its knuckles, before charging into the Articuno in a blast of fire.

Hilbert ran up the mountain, jumping from boulder to boulder in massive strides, like he was floating on air. Over his shoulder, he saw two more jets of light retreat past him, confirming his goal.

"Hey, Cyrus!" He shouted, as he flew over the crest of the plateau, his gaze honing in on the leader of Team Galactic. "I'm gonna kick your ass, got it?"

"Tsk, child. Crobat, Poison Jab."

The Poison-type flew out of nowhere, slashing him with its wing. It made contact, but his aura shield kept him from getting poisoned.

He pulled himself off the ground quickly, kicking out at the bat-like Pokemon, while Shaymin used Psychic.

...There wasn't much it could do to avoid fainting at that point.

Hilbert turned, seeing Cyrus recover it before reaching for a different Pokeball.

He ran forward, only managing to snag part of the leader's belt before his Pokemon used Teleport and the rest of him disappeared.

It looked like he kept the three black Pokeballs in a separate section.

Guess which Pokemon were inside them?

By the time he scaled back down the mountain, the storm clouds had faded to a dull gray, and the villagers of Celestic Town were returning to their homes.

The entrance to the ruins had been caved in, much of the grass burnt, and many, many trees knocked over, but overall? It was a win.

The rest of his team, including the elder, were talking to Looker. Lucas was the first to notice his arrival.

Hilbert held up the belt containing the three Shadow Pokemon, to an almost comical reaction from Lucas.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me!"

Looker turned, and saw the three Pokeballs.

"Those wouldn't happen to contain Legendary Pokemon, would they?"

Hilbert grinned, returning his Pokemon to their balls to let them get some rest. "As it turns out…"

Looker handed him a cup of coffee, despite it being late into the evening. Shaymin appeared just so it could take the cup.

"He called them Shadow Pokemon, you say?" Looker asked, rubbing his chin. "I haven't heard of that case in a while."

"Hm?"

"Across the world in Orre, there was a series of incidents involving Pokemon that had gone mad, attacking their trainers, even. A couple of kids solved that one too, though I hear the people behind it are attempting to recover…"

"Is letting kids fix your problems a theme with you?"

"Don't go there, we had nothing to do with that- Wait, that doesn't make it better."

"Sounds like it."

"Back on topic. There's a Pokemon lab there that has the ability to fix Shadow Pokemon, or so I'm told."

"Great." He handed the belt of Pokeballs to Looker. "You deal with that. Technically speaking, I stole these, and I don't wanna deal with that. If you deal with it, you can say they were confiscated."

"That reminds me, actually," Looker reached into his back pocket and pulled out a stack of badges. Not the gym kind, but the kind you hang on a lanyard. "My superiors have passed the motion to deputize Team Black."

What.

"What."

Well put, Hilby.

"So, it's your problem, not mine. Don't get into too much trouble, or you're off the force."

"...How long have you wanted to say that line?"

Looker shrugged and walked off to speak to the other officers.

Hilbert looked at the belt of Pokeballs and back at his teammates.

"...Road trip?"

"ROAD TRIP!" Barry yelled.

Hilbert shook hands with the elder. "I'm sorry about all the trouble, ma'am."

"Ah, don't be. A little excitement couldn't hurt these old codgers."

"...Aren't you one of those old-"

"What was that?"

"Nothing, I'm glad I could help."

"Hah! I can see why little Cynthia likes you." She slapped him on the back, eyes crinkling as she laughed. "If you're in the area, I'd be happy to have your little troop over for tea."

Chapter Text

In the not-so-far future.

Hilbert was falling from the sky, flower petals were pelting his face, and he was pretty sure that used to be a desert. That skyscraper was starting to look awfully close, too.

Record scratch.

Yep, that's still Hilbert. You may be wondering how he got himself into that situation.

The author is, as well, but it's something yet to come.

A Mid-Sinnoh Night's Dream - XIV - Not Exactly a Road Trip

Abra teleported them all to Sandgem Town, leaving the Pokemon in a daze. Hilbert gave him a few berries, but the Psychic-type needed to rest.

They headed over to Professor Rowan's lab, figuring he'd want to check out the Legendary birds.

"Hey, old man!" Hilbert pushed open the door.

Dawn slapped the back of his head, walking in behind him.

"I mean, uh, greetings, professor."

The other four walked in, as the Professor turned in his seat to face them.

"Ah, hello, everyone."

"Check this out, I don't think they scanned properly." He tossed the belt over, and Rowan effortlessly caught it. Was the 'fragile old man' thing just a facade? Hilbert didn't know what to think about it.

The professor eyed the three dark Pokeballs and clacked them into a scanner one by one. His eyebrows shot to his hairline.

"Hm. I didn't think the birds could be found in Sinnoh." Rowan leaned back, tenting his fingers in front of his collarbone. "I'm sure there's a fascinating story about this?"

Hilbert rubbed the back of his head. "You know what? All things considered, it could have gone worse. They're Shadow Pokemon, apparently."

"...I see. I'll contact Professor Krane."

"...?"

"They are the leading expert in Shadow Pokemon studies. Given the rare and localized nature of Shadow Pokemon, and considering they're not common outside of Orre, he is the only expert as well."

"How do you know so much?"

"He was under my apprenticeship, many years ago."

"Huh."

Rowan shook his head, returning to the present. "Well, what are your plans?"

"I was going to talk to my mom, then get on a plane."

"Road trip!"

Shut up, Barry.

"I see. It's just as well you take these Pokemon on your person, these Pokeballs aren't keyed into any system that I'm aware of," Rowan said, looking back to his PC screen, "This is only showing me biometrics, nothing like trainer IDs or box numbers."

"So you can't just send them over?"

"Unless you'd like to attempt to recapture them in Sinnoh, which I may add, sounds very difficult, what with all the wildlife, it'll have to be done in-person."

"Road trip!"

"Shut up, Barry."

That's what I'm saying!

Hilbert reached up to tap his ears, like they were clogged. "Did you guys just hear something? It seems like some asshole is breaking the fourth wall."

"...Hilbert, what the hell are you talking about?"

Rowan exhaled and shook his head. "If you're still interested, I have received the uplink technology from Galar to link you to the PC," he said, reaching for a half-dozen sensors, "It's an app, and these disks will let you transfer the Pokeballs. Just plug in the link cable and the software will install itself."

"Thanks a ton."

"Hey, mom!"

He was quickly engulfed in a hug from his mother. "Hilby! What are you doing home?" She looked over his shoulder at the two newcomers to their group (to her knowledge). "And who are your new friends?" She leaned back down to him, whispering, "Did Lucas and Barry get girlfriends?"

"Mom!" He was lucky no one else heard her.

"Oh, I'm just playing, dear." She let go of him, thankfully. "Thank you all for being my son's friend, he-"

"You've met half of them!"

"Can't let a woman have her jokes…" Johanna muttered. "Well, what are you all doing here?"

"See, mom, uh…" Hilbert averted his eyes. "Did you hear anything about Celestic Town by chance?"

"You stole three Legendary Pokemon."

"Uh…"

"After someone turned them evil."

"That's not quite it…"

"And now you want to go to Orre. The middle of the desert."

"Kinda?"

Johanna sighed. "Oh well, nothing to be done about it then."

Hilbert abruptly fell out of his seat.

The rest of his teammates, all scattered in stools around the kitchen island, looked down at him.

"Huh?" He asked, shakily getting back on his chair.

"I'm just glad you asked, really. It would be a first."

"I'm not that bad…"

"How many times have you been on the news? Gym battles notwithstanding."

"Ah, you… Have a point."

"Of course I do, I'm your mother." She looked over the other five. "Do all of you have permission?"

"I'll ask my folks soon, don't worry!"

"I'll ask Barry's parents too."

"Professor Rowan has talked to my parents, they're fine with it."

"My grandfather would ask to let him come along, haha!"

"...I live on my own, but I trust in your judgment…"

Johanna nodded along, "Just making sure, just making sure. Why don't you all stay the night? It's getting rather late."

Hilbert spread out their sleeping bags in his barely-used room. The girls were sleeping downstairs, for decency's sake, so it was just him and Lucas, since Barry had run off to get permission.

"Say… You said you'd ask Barry's parents, didn't you?"

Lucas shook his head. "He'll ask for both of us, it's fine."

"...Why would you ask them?"

Lucas blinked.

"Oh. They're my guardians. Not my parents, but, y'know."

"Ah. Sorry for asking."

Lucas shook his head. "Don't be. They adopted me when I was… How old were you when you left?"

"About six, I think. I'm pretty sure the author retconned my age."

"...Alright. I think they found me a little after then."

"That's… Weird."

"Let me think for a minute…"

A Legendary Pokemon, rumored to have the power to move through dimensions, created a portal from one world to the next.

It was through one of these rings that an unconscious child fell through.

Hoopa looked down at the boy, then shrugged.

It did the job, filling the hole in destiny that had been left. Two Celebi appeared from the portal, speaking to it.

Lucas, still dazed, looked up at the tiny figures, unable to make out their forms or their speech.

One Celebi looked from one to another. "See, I didn't know they'd leave! It's not like I can just change their mind."

"Why'd you take my chosen one, then?"

"Because the other one stayed in Twinleaf, in your timeline."

Hoopa, though it could travel between dimensions, didn't quite understand the concept of separate timelines, so just floated around the two, confused.

"Well, he's here now." Celebi looked down, still appearing blurry to the little boy. "I'm sure if there are any major issues, I would've come back to this moment to stop myself by now."

"That could just mean it went horribly wrong."

"Eh, we all live in a Pokemon world, it can't get too terrible."

Hoopa decided not to comment about the innumerable dark dimensions they'd traveled through. The ratio of darkness in the multiverse to light was, as they'd once heard, too damn high.

"Just leave him here, the humans here will probably take care of him."

The two Celebi nodded, one flying off into the sky, and the other returning through the ring they came from.

Hoopa just looked around blankly, back down at the boy, and mentally bookmarked the dimension for later. End of the year… In one decade. That sounded like a reasonable time to return. It flew through the dark ring space, and let it shrink away into nothingness as it left.

Lucas was sitting there, confused, looking around. He couldn't remember anything, and he had no idea what happened.

"...Hello?"

"So, yeah, I woke them up in the middle of the night," Lucas said, shrugging. "I walked towards the first thing I saw- Well, more like into it. Weird way of knocking on the door, I know."

Hilbert snorted. "Sounds like you're the chosen one, waking up in the middle of nowhere like that."

"The guy with aura is telling me that?"

"I bet you have it too, like a real hero, along with being able to understand any Pokemon, catch any Legendary, and beat any- Wait."

"That's you!"

"It is not! I don't- That's just coincidence!"

"Sure, sure."

"Why don't you just try using aura, then?"

"How? You're the one who actually learned."

"Yeah, but you probably just have the super-secret-superpowers that you can hide easily when you shouldn't be able to for dramatic tension-"

"You watch too much TV."

"Ah, shaddup. Hey, what movies should I bring?"

"Huh?"

Hilbert shrugged. "I'm guessing we're going to be spending a lot of time in hotels, might as well bring something good to watch."

Lucas walked over to his desk. "Evangelion, Gurren Lagann, Big Busty-"

"Hey, stop right there!"'

"Oh, I misread that." Lucas held up the last film. "Black Luster Soldier? Isn't that a thing from Duel Monsters?"

"Spin-off movie. Thought you found something else for a second- I mean, uh, yeah, I don't have any other movies."

Dawn, Cheryl, and Marley were sat down in the living room by Johanna.

There was a tense air, as Johanna stared at each of them for a minute.

"So. Who likes who?"

There was a brief wave of dull confusion.

"...Eh?"

"You heard me. I haven't seen you or the boys in five months! I want to hear all the details," she said, taking up the Gendo-pose.

The ensuing conversation was uncomfortable enough that the author is entirely unwilling to describe it. That, or it'll fall under 'men writing women', your choice.

Looker set up a flight for them to take care of the birds ASAP, and it arrived outside Sandgem the next day. It was going to take them to an international airport, and they'd planned on taking a normal flight to be less conspicuous. Not that there were many normal flights headed for Orre, but it was a common enough refuel point.

Luckily, there was never any need for something like a TSA, so they got on easily enough.

They were expected to keep their larger Pokemon in their balls during the flight, though that didn't stop Lucas and Barry from snagging extra seats for their partners. That was allowed, as long as Infernape didn't set anything on fire.

The seats were grouped by fours, with pairs facing each other.

"Not it," Barry said, not wanting to catch cooties.

"Not it," Lucas quickly added.

"Not- Damn, fine." Hilbert sighed, splitting off from the two and their Pokemon and taking a seat with the girls, Dawn choosing to sit beside him.

After the few other passengers got situated, they were off for the races.

Hillbert had nodded off at some point during the flight with Shaymin napping in his lap, and groggily awoke when the outside of the plane was nothing but darkness. All he heard was light snoring and the roar of the engines and the wind.

Looking down, making out his surroundings through the slight lighting given by Infernape's flames, he saw Dawn sprawled across him cuddling Shaymin in her arms. He knocked his head back, shrugging his arms slightly, before drifting back off to sleep.

They stopped halfway, in the early morning, on one of the Alolan islands, Melemele.

"We have a few hours, y'know," Hilbert said, stretching his arms and wincing, "I don't think we can go swimming, but we can probably look around. Wonder if there are any sights to see."

His cross-transceiver buzzed.

"Hey, listen!"

He looked down at the watch, and saw a hexagonal white eye surrounded by pink on its screen.

"Finally! My screen time! Did you guys forget about me?"

"...Oh. Shit, I forgot Abra got you."

"Wiped your memory so you'd stop yelling."

"...We're going to talk about that. Sorry, Porygon."

"It's fine now! So, you wanted to look at the sights?" Porygon flew back inside the screen, revealing an online map of the island they were on. "There's Ten-Carat hill, they say a Legendary Pokemon lives there," It pointed an angular foot at a point to the south, which they could see from the port. "To the north, there's the Melemele Meadow, where many Oricorio gather to dance and practice their routines." He saw Dawn get a glint in her eyes, turning towards the route slightly. "And the main town, where you're currently located, is Hau'oli City."

"Thanks, but why haven't you said anything before?"

"You haven't asked anything you couldn't figure out yourself!"

Lucas went off to the beach anyway, deciding a Water-type wouldn't be the worst addition to his team. He later learned that he caught this weird thing called a Pyuke- Puku- Pyukumuku? Yeah, that. It apparently was easier to catch, showed by it knocking out Infernape, by just rolling a Pokeball its way. Considered a pest on the beaches, it was the local equivalent of a Wobbufet. After pissing it off enough, a few Poison-types showed up to defend it, of which he defeated with Luxray, making a reasonable guess that they were Water-type as well, and respectfully caught two, with one of them being for Barry, because-

Barry heard about the local delicacy, and immediately ran off to the Malasada shop with Prinplup not far behind.

Though Lucas didn't bother catching one for Hilbert, which did piss him off, it was explained that his team was badass enough so Hilbert would stop shaking his co-leader.

Dawn had run off to the Meadow, hoping to catch an Oricorio, dragging Cheryl with her. Marley had tagged along with Lucas in the first place, so he wasn't completely caught out on his own.

Hilbert was just wandering around town, looking at the sights.

A little tan boy with green hair skipped past him. "Gonna be Kahuna, gonna be Kahuna, gonna be Kahuna, believe it!"

Hilbert shrugged when the odd boy left his vision. He had no idea what a Kahuna was, naturally, but assumed it was close enough to a Hokage, even if he'd never watched that show.

When they met back up at the port, Dawn had actually caught an Oricorio, while Lucas caught a variety of local Pokemon, and Barry was full of sugary sweets. He bought plenty extra for them to share on the plane, which was nice.

Soon enough, they were back on the plane, on route to Orre.

The Gateon port was most likely the brightest place in the region, as miles off, Hilbert could see nothing but mountains and sand.

Hilbert held up his cross-transceiver. "Hey, Porygon, can you pull up the route to the lab?"

"What is this, an ad for Nookazon?"

"Shut up, Barry."

"Hm… Well, if you mean the Pokemon HQ Lab, you can access it via scooters and motorbike. It's recommended you use protective gear and face shields."

"Ah. Anywhere we can rent those?"

"Around the corner, you'll find a tour guide service. The price is steep, but because of high crime rates, you can't blame them."

"...How steep, exactly?"

Hilbert's jaw dropped when he heard a six-figure number.

"Yeah… No. Golurk, you're flying us, I'll get Lucario to help with shielding."

The golem and Fighting-type appeared, clanking and nodding respectively.

"Hey, Michael? Would you mind testing this machine for me?" Professor Krane beckoned for his young assistant, a family friend's son.

"Huh? Sure thing, professor." The young red-haired boy walked through the lab's archway.

Krane, a man on the younger side of thirty, was tinkering with a headphone-like machine, with a blue shield over one eye. Leave your assumptions relating to power levels at the door.

"Oh, the Aura Reader again?"

"Yes, I've nearly got it working. You don't mind trying it on, do you?"

"Not at all, professor," said Michael, pulling the band over his head.

"Alright, alright," Krane muttered, turning towards his PC. "Turning on, turning on…"

Michael's vision was mostly normal, and he turned, looking around the room. When he looked south, there was a dark cloud on the horizon. Figuring it was just a storm, he closed the eye under the shield. Then he saw nothing.
"Uh, there's a cloud on the scouter…"

"Hm? I must have missed a weather report." Krane was not an incompetent man, but he was used to his machine failing at that point. He took a sip of coffee, pulling up the corresponding recording from the reader. He quickly spit his coffee out through the holographic screen.

"Oh!" He proceeded to say a line of swears that Michael's mother would find very distasteful if she heard them. "Team Cipher already? I didn't think they'd find out so fast- Michael, get the lab's defensive team."

"Sir, what's happening?"

"Those are Shadow Pokemon, a lot of them."

Unfortunately for everyone involved, Professor Krane was never good at checking his emails.

Golurk had enough space on his back for them, though it was a tight fit. Lucario and Hilbert held them on with aura while shielding them from the sharp winds. They passed over the small forest and through the plains.

They were surprised, obviously, when Golurk was hit with a Psybeam to the face.

He dropped lower from the sky, as a barrage of Psybeams flew past them. They hopped off, slowly descending thanks to Abra, and Hilbert threw out his Dark-type.

In a blue flash of shining metal, Tyranitar was punched across the grassy clearing.

"Is that a Metagross?" Lucas yelled, as Tyranitar roared and slammed into it with Payback.

The Metagross flew back, circling around them, making strange buzzing noises as it passed.

"Team Snagem- Wait, you're a bunch of kids!" A man, probably twice their age, in a lab coat ran into the clearing, holding a Pokeball. "Don't tell me they're recruiting that early!"

"What? No, we're Team Black-"

Dawn smacked the back of his head.

"What he means, sir, is that there's clearly some sort of misunderstanding."

A red-haired boy ran up behind the man, holding a strange headset to his face. "You were right, professor! The reading is coming from the guy with the blue jacket!"

Metagross floated above the ground, making Tyranitar's Earthquake completely ineffective.

"Reading?" Hilbert asked, stumbling.

The flying Metagross was thrown through a tree by a Stomping Tantrum, with loose rocks pelting its shields.

"You have Shadow Pokemon!"

"Uh, yeah, that's why I'm here." Hilbert held up the belt of dark Pokeballs. "Didn't Professor Rowan send you an email?"

The man froze, the upper half of his face turning blue.

"I… Michael, make sure they don't get away!" The professor turned away and pulled a portable PC out of his pocket, along with what looked like a satellite array. He connected it to the screen and started tabbing through it.

Michael, the red-haired boy, turned towards them. "So… How's it going?"

Hilbert shook his hand out, in a 'so-so' gesture. He heard Tyranitar roar. "Hey, we're not doing that right now! Time out!"

The Rock-type sheepishly looked up from where it was holding down Metagross with one hand and about to punch it with the other. The Fire Punch flickered out.

"By the way, since when can Metagross fly?"

Michael shrugged, as Metagross rose and appeared to be dusting itself off. "That's the professor's partner. He got a Metagrossite from a friend in Hoenn a while ago, and he's been holding onto a Keystone."

"Man, I gotta get me one of those," Hilbert sighed.

Krane abruptly stood up, packing away his equipment, and turned back to them while adjusting his glasses. "As it turns out, Rowan did send me an email. The circumstances sound fascinating. Please, join us in the lab."

"...You have three of the Legendary Birds?"

Hilbert patted the belt hanging from his hip. "It's a whole thing. Turns out, they're Shadow Pokemon, it wasn't my fault, I stole them from a crime boss. Do you have a machine that can fix them?"

"I've been working on one. Luckily, the inside is resistant to damage, so it's unlikely they'll cause harm once they're entered."

They walked to another part of the lab, into a control room, facing into a dark grey cylinder.

"Just put their Pokeballs in this sensor," Krane gestured towards a semi-circular input. "It can purify up to six at a time… But considering the circumstances, it may be best to take it slow."

Hilbert scooped one of the capsules into his hand, nodding.

Articuno appeared in the chamber, unconscious. Hilbert had reservations about taking them to a Pokemon Center, all things considered.

"Aligning tempo… Place four Pokemon in the sensors. Tempo depends on the effectiveness of the Pokemon placed. Ground, Water, Fire, Grass."

Hilbert shared a look with his teammates. "That's a funny coincidence. Alright, Golurk, you're up."

After their four starters were placed in, Krane clicked on a few levers.

"Alright… Starting Purification."

Lights began spinning through the chamber, floating between the five Pokemon.

"How long is this going to take?"

"A few hours. Though, I hear that with enough friendship, a relic up in Agate Village will do the same."

Hilbert leaned back and sighed. "I'm gonna go catch a nap. Later."

Indeed, a few hours later, he was called back to the chamber. Articuno was still knocked out, but their other Pokemon were starting to look a bit tired. The dark aura around the Legendary had dissipated.

"I'll take care of the Pokemon. You guys can go to bed." Hilbert waved the rest of them off, placing a new Pokeball in the sensor, and the professor nodded.

"That's true, you all don't have to wait around."

Articuno disappeared into the Great Ball, leaving the four starters alone in the chamber.

"Really? Sweet, give Prinplup some berries for me," Barry said, tossing him the Water-type's Pokeball.

Lucas did the same, carefully handing him Infernape's ball.

"I can stick around, I don't mind," Dawn said, through a yawn.

"Do you want some coffee?" Cheryl asked, tilting her head.

"Coffee?"

"Okay, some for Shaymin too, then."

Krane was suddenly distracted by the Mythical's appearance. "That's a… Well, I did hear about someone catching a Shaymin, should've figured."

"We've had a very strange time so far in Sinnoh, professor. Almost like a dream."

...Uh, roll credits?

Michael jumped over the couch in the living quarters and flicked on the TV. "So, you guys wanna watch anything?"

Marley and Cheryl went to sleep in the guest room, so the three boys stuck in the communal room.

"Hm…" Lucas rubbed his chin in thought. "Say, Michael, have you ever seen Gurren Lagann?"

"Grind what?"

Lucas shook his head, and reached into his bag. "I'm glad Hilbert let me borrow his blu-rays. Alright, Barry, start the popcorn."

Watching the light pulse inside the chamber had a near-hypnotic effect on Hilbert. Zapdos, unconscious, was laying in the center of the chamber. His head rocked forward and backward, tapping the back of the chair he was slouching in. Shaymin was on their nth cup of coffee, despite almost definitely not needing it. Dawn was doing the same as his, sitting sideway in another chair, scrunching up and hanging her legs over the side. The professor was drinking about as much coffee as Shaymin was, taking notes and doing other paperwork.

Sometime after midnight, there was a deep buzz, and Zapdos's aura had cleared up. He groggily got up and took the other Pokemon out of the chamber, using Awakenings and Ethers to keep up their energy. He contemplatively tested the Awakening on himself, but only received a faceful of wet medicine.

After returning them all to the chamber, he placed Moltres inside the sensor, and decided he could probably catch some sleep.

Late into the morning, Hilbert was shaken awake by a loud buzz. Moltres was clear, and it looked like the sleep deprivation had finally hit the three non-Ghost-types. He retrieved all of the Pokemon, and shook Dawn awake, before giving her Turtwig. Walking into the living area, he was the three other boys spread across the sofa, while a movie menu was flashing on the TV.

"Alright, up and at 'em." He threw them their Pokeballs, shocking them awake from getting smacked in the head. "We're healing up then I'm going to talk to the birds with Lucario."

"Yeah, yeah," Barry yawned, rubbing his forehead.

They shuffled outside, into the same clearing they'd been intercepted by Metagross in. Hilbert's team was called out, in case the birds were still under negative effects. Krane had healed them, but he wasn't quite sure.

He threw the Pokeballs out, and in a burst of light, Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres appeared.

Instead of standing regally, they looked rather confused.

"Articuno, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore," Moltres said, snorting fire.

"We're from Johto, you dolt." Why did an Articuno from Johto have a Galarian accent?

"Shut up, both of you. There's a human."

The birds' heads swiveled towards them.

"Uh… Hey? You guys don't feel like Shadow Pokemon anymore, do you?"

Articuno's head bent sideways at a right angle. "Hm… I remember that Lugia was mad about something or other, and then… Those chaps were rather strange, weren't they? I haven't the foggiest where we've been."

In truth, there was an attempt by a certain evil team to capture Lugia, which failed, but they had managed the Legendary Birds. They decided they would make great test subjects, and sold them to the highest bidder. That highest bidder just happened to be Cyrus.

"A man named Cyrus had captured you. We're across the ocean right now, in Orre. We can get you back there, but it's going to take a while."

"Sounds agreeable to me, mate."

Hilbert figured the birds had an accent because they weren't speaking telepathically.

"Since when are you in charge?"

"Shut up, both of you, I'm in charge."

"Oi, like 'ell you are!"

"Um, excuse me…" Cheryl stepped forward, holding her camera. "You wouldn't mind if I took some pictures before we leave, would you?"

"Lass, make you get my bloody good side, eh?"

"That was an offensive use of that accent."

"Bugger off, Moltres."

Zapdos raised its wing, almost as if facepalming. "I can't wait for Lugia to set you fools straight."

"I'm just… Not gonna ask."

After Cheryl took her pictures, the birds understood they'd have to travel in Pokeballs for the rest of the journey, but he got the idea they wouldn't let that last after they got back to Johto. There were multiple of the birds, obviously. Every region allegedly had their own set, though the appearances of Lugia was much less widespread, as they simply took much longer to multiply.

Michael caught them before they could leave. "Hey, before you go, let's have a Pokemon battle!" He held up a Premier Ball. "I'm really good in the simulator, but I haven't tried the real thing, so let's do it!"

"You know, I'm not some fantasy hero. If I went easy on you-"

"You better not!"

"Well, alright then. Abra." Hilbert threw out the Pokeball, and the Psychic-type burst onto the field.

"Eevee!"

The Normal-type mammal yipped, appearing in the grassy clearing.

"Am I allowed to use mind-tricks on that kid?"

"No, Abra, I told you not to give people psychosis."

"Fine, fine, we'll do it your way."

"We need to get you some therapy… Start it with a Reflect!"

Abra held out his arms, forming a slight purple sheen in the air around him.

"Sand Attack won't do anything, his eyes are closed! Use Growl!"

Somehow, Eevee's hiss-like Growl actually came off as intimidating, and a shiver went down Hilbert's and Abra's spine.

The two trainers spoke simultaneously.

"Teleport and use Drain Punch!"

"Use Sand Attack above you and dodge!"

Eevee kicked dust into the air, before jumping to the side. Abra Teleported under the falling sand, only hitting the particles.

"Now, Quick Attack, and start using Tail Whip!"

Eevee slammed into Abra, nudging it, before dashing back, wagging its tail cutely.

Abra froze up for a second. "Are you kidding me? That thing's basically a baby! Why am I fighting that?"

"Why are you still an Abra?"

"Figured sleeping gets more uncomfortable the taller I get."

Their discussion was interrupted by another Quick Attack.

"Get your head in the game!"

"Yeah, yeah. Psychic!"

Eevee froze, rising into the air on psychic waves.

"Endure!"

Abra sent it slamming back down, as if being cracked by a whip.

"Work Up!"

"Tsk. Psychic."

"Shadow Ball!"

Abra's eyes widened, inadvertently filling them with sand. He tried to wipe them, but was thrown back by a critical sphere of deathly energy.

"You've got to be kidding me…"

Eevee fell from the sky, having been thrown by the Psychic, but was left in the air. It was knocked out the second it landed.

"...I think that's a tie, right?" Michael asked, scratching his head and returning Eevee.

"Guess so." Hilbert shrugged. "Nice battle."

"Thanks, I practice a ton."

"You have a cross-transceiver?"

"Uh, yeah?"

"Cool, give me your info, we can hang out if I'm around again."

"Seriously? Alright, sure!"

They were back on the plane soon enough, heading off for the rest of their trip.

So, Hilbert started thinking about Unova. He'd called his mom, asking for details, but she didn't tell him anything he didn't already know. Though… He could've sworn he was forgetting something.

Chapter Text

Johanna decided to call up an old friend of hers, wanting to give Hilbert a surprise at the airport. Her son probably didn't think too much about Unova, or his old friend.

"Hey, Jodie, you wouldn't mind letting Hilda meet Hilbert in Nuvema, would you? He's planning to meet up with his other friends and the professor there. They haven't talked in so long, I bet he forgot about her."

She heard a bit of a scuffle on the other end.

"Jodie?"

"This is Hilda! Hilbert's coming here? I thought you moved to Sinnjoh or something!"

"It's Sinnoh, dear…" Her mom said, her voice barely reaching the communicator.

"Eh, same difference. Which airport?"

"...He's going to land in Mistralton, but he'll head to Nuvema straight away."

"But that's across the region! Ah, I'll get him to pay my subway fare. Later!"

She heard Hilda run off through the phone, likely to pack a travel bag.

"...Hilda's as excitable as ever."

"Don't I know it. What's got Hilbert traveling so far?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you. Do you ever regret that pact to name our kids the same name?"

"It's always been confusing, but no, not for a second."

"That's what I like to hear, girl!"

They forgot themselves, and their age, as they soon started talking like teenaged valley girls.

A Mid-Sinnoh Night's Dream - XV - Crossover Event of the Decade

A strange thought came to Hilbert while Shaymin was napping in his lap on the plane.

"...Why didn't we do this before? Shaymin, did you know what an airplane was when you met us?"

"Hm?" Shaymin looked up, bleary-eyed. "I'd learned of them in passing, but I only saw boats and cars in person."

"We could have gotten to Unova easily. I could have brought you a few months ago."

"Well… That's true, but I've grown in power, I think. I should be able to deal with more difficult issues, like Castelia."

"That makes sense."

They landed around noon in Mistralton, the day after they left from Orre. The air was nearly as smoggy as Nuvema was- Which to be honest, wasn't too terrible, compared to the central cities. The town was mostly an airport terminal with a few travel hotels. There was a gym too, apparently, but he wasn't interested. Maybe on the return trip.

Departing, he wanted to get back to his old second hometown, though he was definitely down for a detour through Castelia. As a port, there was a lot more junk heading through there than Nimbasa.

They rose over the mountains in eastern Unova, in usual flight formation. Dawn's Oricorio, though Flying-type, was obviously not large enough to support the weight of a person, so she rid on Zapdos with him.

Yep. Zapdos. It was a bit strange feeling the static roll across his skin, but it was overwhelmed by the sheer cool factor of riding on a Legendary.

Cheryl and Barry rose behind them, Moltres' flames flaring. A brief cold washed over them as Articuno swept behind them, Lucas and Marley on its back.

"Thanks for this, by the way," Hilbert said, as he lightly clapped Zapdos's neck feathers. "I owe you, one leader to another," he added.

"Hmph. Finally, someone can see it. Those two idiots would end up in Africa with me around."

"Oi, I resent that!"

"Shut up, Articuno."

"You picking a fight, mate? I'll show you-"

"Shut up, both of you! No hurricanes in populated areas, we've been over this."

"I thought hurricanes were Kyogre's thing."
"Articuno starts a cold front, Moltes makes a drought, then the air currents get messed up in the middle. It wouldn't be the first time."

"Sounds like a handful."

"It really is, especially when Lugia is off in Shamouti with their mate and Silver."

"...?"

"That's Lugia's kid."

"I didn't think Legendaries could… Well, I suppose they can't be everywhere at once."

As they approached Castelia's city limits, heading southeast, Hilbert could see the muddied waters, even from the sky.

"Yep, exactly how I remembered. Full of sh-"

"No swearing, Hilbert."

"Damn, the studio must really be stepping it up. Hey, wait, how come I can say-"
"You'd be incomprehensible without half of your vocabulary."

"I'm not that bad."

They were getting closer and closer to the city, within mere miles of the nearest skyscraper, and quickly approaching. He clicked Shaymin's ball, and the Mythical Pokemon appeared on his shoulder.

"Here's the plan, everyone!" He turned up slightly, making sure all three birds heard him. "We're going to go in a spiral, so Shaymin can work their magic, and loop around the central plaza."
Lucas's groan wasn't lost on him, or the wind. "You're certainly dedicated to your theme."

"Yeah, well, no speech this time. I don't think anyone would hear it."

Hilda, while the subway was traveling above ground towards Castelia, saw a commotion gather near the windows. Nudging her way forward, she saw a few birds. Really big birds. Then she realized why everyone else was so tense and surprised..

"Wait a minute… Those aren't supposed to be on this continent!"

"Let's go, Shaymin!"

Shaymin began glowing, green spores forming in a sphere that encompassed them all. As they traveled, it traced a line over the city, in the shape of a helix. Smog dissolved and soaked into the spores, freezing them in mid-air, as clouds were whipped away from the city.

It was definitely an odd sight for the citizens of Castelia. Sure, Thundurus and Tornadus blew through, commonly enough, but the Americas didn't have indigenous Legendary storm birds. The Legendary beasts were rare too, but those could be found in Orre.

Also, the screeching in the air was very, very loud. The gym leader, Burgh, raced outside of his gym to take a look at the spiraling triangle of birds.

There was a grayish-green spiral in the sky, quickly approaching the central plaza.

Hilbert looked down at the plaza with his carrier flapping in place. Shaymin was still glowing, slowly turning white.

So, he grabbed Shaymin, cranked his aura shield up to eleven, and backflipped off of Zapdos.

Half-way down, every sound was sucked away, and the spores in the air sped towards Shaymin.

'Pop'

Smog disappeared in a blast of green light, plastics in the bay were turned into dirt, grass grew through cracks in the street. The sky was the clearest that Castelia had ever seen.

Hilbert hit the ground in a crouch.

Ow.

Rubbing his ankles, he cradled a panting Shaymin in one arm, and looked up.

Zapdos was the first to swoop down into the plaza, quickly followed by a bickering Articuno and Moltres.

Dawn swung her leg off of Zapdos, glaring into his soul. "Hilby, of all the dumbest things you could do; Jumping from twenty stories! I ought to-"

She was cut off by another cry. "Hilby!"

The boy in question was hit by a flying tackle coming from the subway station. Having drained his aura shields from, well, doing exactly what Dawn was mad about, it bowled him over to the ground, Shaymin having wisely jumped off towards the others.

He was fairly certain he recognized the voice, being feminine but lower-pitched than you'd expect, like an inversion of his own. All he could see was a white tank top and a black vest.

"Hmph?" His voice was muffled by whoever's chest was in his face. Their grip was ironclad around the back of his head and neck.

"Hey! How've you been? I haven't seen you in forever!"

"You're gonna snap my neck!" His voice was still muffled, though someone pulled them off of him.

Lucas grabbed his arm, hauling him up with Barry. Dawn was holding the other girl under her shoulders, though her arms were still reaching out to grab him.

"Can I help you- Wait…Do I know you?"

Dawn, slightly confused, loosened her grip enough for Hilda to escape her grasp and attempt another Tackle.

Abra appeared outside of his ball and froze her in mid-air with a pink glow.

"It's been a while! I moved from Nuvema when we were little, remember? Wish we kept in touch!"

Abra looked over to him, head tilted. "...Boss?"

Hilbert was lost in thought for a brief moment. But there was no way it was…

"Hilda?"

"Yup!" She managed to hold up a peace sign, "That's me!"

Before they could properly introduce, or in Hilda's case, reintroduce themselves, they cleared out of the plaza and recalled their Pokemon.

...Hilbert had not realized that he effectively claimed all three of the Legendary birds for himself, and left the city folk wondering what the hell was happening.

In a nearby Pokemon Center, much larger than they were in Sinnoh, the seven (Man, is that number getting high or what?) crowded around a circular couch.

"So," Dawn swished her fingers between Hilbert and Hilda, "You're childhood friends, but from after you moved here, but Hilda moved away a few years later to the other side of the region, and Hilbert forgot?"

"Well, I didn't forget, per say…"

She piped up from beside him, "So, how are Bianca and Cheren doing?"

Hilbert blanked. "Uh… I don't know yet, actually. We were heading to Nuvema, and this was sort of a pit stop."

"About that! When did you get three Legendary birds and a… What was it, shamed?"

"...Shaymin…" The Grass-type barely lifted its head to give a response.

"Right, Shaymin! Is that some kind of Legendary?"

"Well, yeah, more mythical than anything else."

"Woah, like Victini?"

"I guess… But Shaymin's actually real."

"Cool! What about the birds?"

Hilbert's eye twitched. "See, it's a long story… I'll tell you on the way to Nuvema."

"Where did you get a Garchomp?" Hilda asked, having replaced Dawn in her usual spot on Golurk. The other girl had pouted and hopped on Garchomp, and he could've sworn she stuck her tongue out at Hilda.

"Involves me pissing off a movie studio."

"That's sick! So about those birds…"

Hilbert gave his explanation as they flew over the bay, leaving Castelia and heading homebound.

"...And that's how I solved the problem by punching crime in the face."

"Woah. That's like, definitely a lie, but, whoa."

"You believe I caught four Legendaries but not me fighting a crime syndi- Well, I suppose they're equally unlikely… I better not have to explain this to Cheren or Bianca."

"Oh, I miss those guys! Though, I know these three kids, only a little younger than us, Rosa, Nate and Hugh. They're totally cute."

"Didn't know you swung both ways, but that's cool-" He got pelted by a rock. Looking over, he saw Dawn and gave her a shrug. "Just saying, I don't have a problem with it!"

"You shouldn't assume that kind of thing, it's rude!"

"I can barely hear you through the wind!"

Hilda was just laughing at them. "I didn't mean like that, dumbass! I've taken them under my wing, and watching them act like they don't like each other is hilarious.Though, for her age, Rosa's got some knockers. I mean, some serious badonkadonks. I'm talking some massive gahoozerwhatsits-" She took her hands off of Golurk's molded handles to gesticulate towards her chest.

Hilbert facepalmed, also trying to cover his blush. "Don't make me use an Aura Sphere. Also, stop doing that, you'll fall off."

"Wait, Aura Sphere?"

"...Did I not mention that? Yeah, funny thing…"

He got across the broader details of being trained by a mountain of Lucario by the time they landed in Nuvema.

"Hey, I can see the mountains from here, how about that?" Hilbert stood on Golurk's shoulder, shielding his eyes and letting everyone get off of their mounts.

"Just means Shaymin did a helluva job!"

Hilbert shrugged. "As always." After returning Golurk, he dropped to the ground. "Now, let's see if I can still find Bianca's house."

He could not.

Luckily, that didn't stop a black-haired boy with glasses from recognizing them.

"Excuse me, are you Hilbert? You look familiar."

Hilbert turned on his heel, recognizing the boy nearly immediately. "Yeah. How's it going, Cheren?"

"I'm alright. What are you doing in town? Traveling?"

"You could say that. I'm a little lost, do you remember where Bianca's house is? We were going to pick both of you up anyway."

Cheren tapped his glasses. "You should remember that I never forget anything."

"Oh, you've got an ei- eiiiiiiii- Photographic memory, yeah?"

"Something like that. All of you, just follow me."

Hilbert, now leading a party of eight, with Cheren as his backseat driver, contemplated the size of the new number before knocking on the door.

A cheerful blonde girl answered the door, but she saw them, blinked, and tilted her head in confusion.

"...Cheren, who are all of these people?" She turned to the lone face that she recognized.

"Hilbert and his friends are visiting."

"Oh, Hilbert! Everyone, come on in!" She opened the door wider, her bright smile returning to her face.

"I swear, you never remember anything important. It's only been six months."

"Be nice, Cheren! You know my memory's not that great!"

Hilbert sat with a bit of a dumb face while everyone started talking around him. He could see why harems rarely got larger than four. Wait, what?

Lucas and Cheren were hitting it off, in a manner of speaking. They were both as reserved as he remembered. Bianca was trying to tell the rest of them stories about Hilbert when he was little, which Hilda and Cheren backed up when the blonde couldn't remember. Barry was listening closely, clearly intending on teasing Hilbert with it later.
Bianca laughed at something, before turning to him. "What have you all been up to? Cheren won't stop bugging me about studying, so you have to make it up with stories."

Hilbert blinked, recalling everything that had happened in Sinnoh.

"Okay, this is kind of a long story… It started here, actually, with a little shit in the forest, also called Golett…"

He felt Golurk's ball shudder on his belt, in the close equivalent of cussing him out. The tall golem wouldn't fit inside the house and they both knew it.

"Oh, don't deny it, you broke my arms."

"Eh?"

Bianca looked up, thinking. "Yeah, Hilbert wore a cast to Trainer School for… For…"

Cheren took the baton, "A week."

"Oh, yeah!" She laughed it off, and she really couldn't have been expected to remember something that happened years ago. "Anything bad happen over there?"

Hilbert rubbed the back of his head. "Long story, I caught a few Legendary Pokemon, fought some terrorists, and got a few gym badges."

"Wow! How many gym badges?"

A beat passed, time itself confused by Bianca's priorities.

Hilbert tapped his breast pocket, pointing at the four pins.

"Hah, nice!" Hilda punched his arm, laughing. "Man, I wish Juniper didn't have to wait until next year to give us our starters. I've been talking with her by mail, and she insists she can only give out a small amount every other year."

"Really?"

Hilda started pouting, still as energetic as ever. "Yeah, it's totally unfair. Like, I get that they're rare and stuff, but only three every two years? People trade them in more commonly than that!"

"But you need the professor's approval, is that it?"

"That's what my mom says…" Hilda grumbled.

"Ooh, I really can't wait though! I hope I get Oshawott, they're so cute!"

"That makes two blonds with Water-types…" Hilbert said to himself under his breath.

Meanwhile, in Castelia City, people were still shocked by how far they could through the clean air. The water was turned from a brownish-blue to as clear as the north-eastern coast.

The gym leader, Burgh, was confused for sure. Though he appreciated the new shrubbery for his bugs that liked hunting.

"Alright, alright!" Hilda shot up, clapping her hands widely. "Now that we're all acquainted, there's only one thing left to do during the crossover episode."

"What?"

"Don't think too hard about it, boss."

"And that's…?"

"We should go to do karaoke in Accumula Town!"

"This can't end well…"

Somehow, the karaoke bar actually had a room large enough for them, which led to a… Series of events, to be sure.

"I can't sing."

"Come on! You can't back out of your theme now." Barry hit him with a microphone, Lucas already holding the other.

"Listen, I'm from Sinnoh, and people from Sinnoh can't rap, that's basic science."

"Too bad, the song's starting."

Opera music started blaring, and had it been any louder, it would've started hurting their eardrums.

"DO THE IMPOSSIBLE, SEE THE INVISIBLE-"

"Turn that down!"

"Row, row, fight the power!"

"Fine, fine!" Hilbert tugged the microphone towards his mouth, the other two waiting for him to start.

"Touch the untouchable, break the unbreakable-"

"Row, row! Fight the power!"

"Powers to the peeps, power for the dream; Still missing piece scattering, so incomplete."

"We be the most incredible soldiers from underground; See how easy, they all fall down!"

"Digging to the core to see the light, let's get out of here babe, that's the way to survive, ya, top of the head, I'm on the set, do the impossible, don't you wanna bet?"

"Cuz, a lot of things changed, we be waiting in vain, if you wanna get by, no pain no gain-"

"Wow! Fakers wanna test me again? Sorry, my rhyme's gonna snatch your brain, yo."

"I'm still starving for the straight up shit, we gonna make it happen with the crazy rap skill."

"Get ready to rumble, now is the time, uh huh. If you ain't know, now you know; Good luck fellas!"

After an ear-splitting performance, Hilda had only one thing to say, as everyone else was still covering their ears.

"Whoa. You guys suck."

Hilbert completely expected that, only shrugging off a comment that made Barry fall over and groan.

"Man, I thought I sounded great, that's what counts!"

"Get off the stage, losers, it's my turn!" She whipped out a bright purple electric guitar. "I'm so glad I rented this!"

Somehow, despite the screeching, it didn't sound half-bad. She sang something about rising and becoming the legend, whatever that meant, though Hilbert could've sworn he'd heard it before. Lucas recognized it though, and was scandalized when he didn't know and refused to tell him.

Bianca dragged Cheren up for their songs, which were mostly pop songs she liked, and Cheren interrupting with how much he didn't want to sing.

Dawn, Cheryl, and Marley sang a few performance songs, the third girl too soft-spoken to be anything but the chorus. Dawn was probably the best singer out of the lot, considering she'd been practicing at home for contests since she was little.

After everyone had run out of songs they wanted to sing, Hilda stood up with an empty cup, nearly a dozen straws, and a permanent marker.

"Alright, listen up!"

"I have a bad feeling about this…"

The King's Game. A staple of fictional karaoke bars everywhere. Players draw straws to determine the 'King' and the players each round. The king gives orders by numbers.

Generally, this is only played by people, but some let their Pokemon set up their own game, should they want to.

But alas, Hilbert and his entourage had a more engaging game.

"Who's! The! King?"

Bianca held up the red-marked straw. "It's me! Let's see, um… Number five and seven, hold hands until your next order!"

Hilbert and Hilda looked at each other, and before he could move, she had him in an iron grip.

"Who's! The! King?"

They redrew straws. Barry shouted, "It's me! Uh… Two, sit on six's lap!"

Dawn shrugged, and moved slightly to sit on Cheryl.

"Aw man, boring…"

"Who's! The! King?"

Cheryl held up a straw, having drawn it behind Dawn's back.

"Hm… Number seven, do your best imitation of number two."

Marley awkwardly stood up, looking at Cheren who had quietly held up his straw marked '2'.

Lucas tossed her a pair of glasses, which she put on and did her best stoic pose, pushing up the glasses with a nearly audible sheen.

"...Sorry…"

"It could've been worse."

"Who's! The! King?"

Dawn, using her authority and slightly higher vantage point, snuck a look at Hilbert's straw before he could hide it.

There was a pulse of danger in the room, tinged red.

"Two, confess your love to one person in this room!"

"Finally!" He shook himself free of Hilda's grip.

He quickly walked over to Barry, got down on one knee, and pulled a Thunder Stone out of his bag.

"Marry me."

"Hell no."

"Alright, phew. You can keep the stone though."

"Hey, Pikachu, you want this?"

The electric mouse nodded from where the Pokemon were playing in the corner, so Barry slipped it in his bag for later.

Because they were small enough, Abra, Shaymin, Lucario, Prinplup, Phantump, Pikachu, Oricorio, Chansey, Shroomish (What happened to her screen time?), and Carvanha (Who was sitting in a bucket) were inside the karaoke room as well, playing their own version of the game.

Because some of them didn't have hands, it didn't go very well.

"Who's! The! King?"

"...It's me…" Marley stood, wondering what to do. "...Number three, two truths and a lie."

Cheryl tapped her chin as she thought. "Hm… I've never seen a boy naked, I like girls, and I favor Pokemon with high HP."

"Huh. That's pretty normal. Wait, what about when Maylene kicked my ass. Oh. Ohhhhhhh. Well, I get it, girls are pretty cool. No, nevermind, I was wearing pants that one time."

"Oh, did I get it backward?"

"Or not."

"Who's! The! King?"

"Al-RIGHT!" Barry shot out of his seat.

Lucas groaned, "That's not fair, again?"

"Disrespecting the king is treason! Number five, kick Lucas's ass!"

"That's breaking the rules, Barry, you're out."

"Aw man…"

"Who's! The! King?"

"Okay, let's go!" Hilda shouted, waving her straw. "Number eight, tackle six."

Hilbert stood up, holding out his arms. "Hey, hold up-"

He was tackled to the ground by Dawn, luckily not hitting his head.

"Who's! The! King?"

Lucas held up a straw.

"Uh… Number four, steal someone's drink!"

Cheryl snatched Barry's cup and downed it in one gulp.

Cheren leaned over to Hilda, swirling his cup. "These aren't alcoholic, right?"

"What's alcohol?"

"I mean, er, these don't have Vacation Juice in them, do they?"

"Oh, no, of course not! At least, I don't think…"

"Who's! The! King?"

"Finally," Hilbert held up his straw, "Punishment, sinners! Number two, kiss number three!"

Hilda laughed, and seeing Marley sheepishly hold up her straw, jumped on the girl.

There was a noticeable blush on his face. Whether it was from the order or the drinks, no one could tell.

"Who's! The! King?"

Marley managed to hold up her straw, still embarrassed. She stood on the couch before Hilbert had the thought to hide his number.

"...Number seven… Copy the last order!"

"Alright, who's it?" Hilbert stood up, looking around. He saw Dawn grab Cheryl's straw and replace it with her own. "Hey, no switching numbers!"

"I didn't!"

Hilbert took a weak step forward, "You did!"

"Nuh uh!"

"Yeah-" He tripped onto her, his face landing in the crook of her neck.

"...That counts!" Hilda and Barry jumped up, shouting, "Next round!"

"Who's! The! King?"

Hilda waved her straw, "Got it! Number two, pick up number seven, bridal style!"

Cheren looked down at his stick, already resigned to his fate. Lucas hauled him up, spinning him around on the table, his face noticeably red, before he tossed him back on the couch between Hilda and Bianca.

"I see stars…"

"Who's! The! Kin-"

"Hey!" Someone shouted outside the door. "Stop dancing on the table and go home! Or you're paying for it on top of your drinks!" They all looked towards the camera in the upper corner of the room.

"Well, looks like I'm borrowing Hilbert's wallet." Hilda slipped her hand in his bag and checked his money. "Dayum. You guys are rolling in it."

"Being a trainer… Hrk… Makes a lot of money…" Hilbert murmured, half-asleep and slumped against Dawn, who was half-carrying him. Hilby, apparently, can not hold his alcohol.

Getting the more drunk members of their team back to Nuvema was a bit difficult, but they managed. Cheren offered his house for the three boys, and you can figure out how the girls split up. At some point, he thought he saw Cheryl catch an Audino, but his vision was dark enough that he couldn't tell.

The next day, they resolved to never think about the King's Game again, and got ready to head to the airport. They went off to catch some Pokemon, but the author will only deem them to be relevant when it's dramatically required or when it would be funny. After the day of traveling over the region, they'd long since said their goodbyes to the two in Nuvema and were soon going to leave Hilda in Aspertia City, her hometown.

"What, you're leaving already?" Hilda asked.

"Well, this is sort of a vacation, but…" Hilbert shouldered his bag, "There are a lot of problems back in Sinnoh. Plus, I want to get my badges in time for the conference this year. I've got half of the badges, sure, but Wake said it's going to get a lot harder in the second half. It's mid-june already, so I really oughta get to work."

"I thought it was Mid-Sinnoh?"

Roll credits.

"What? Well, yeah, I guess, but... What's important is that we get through this trip quickly enough to not miss too much back home."

"Man… See you around?"

"Maybe in another six months."

They bumped fists, nodding to each other. Hilbert hopped on top of Golurk, the rest of his team waiting for him. "Take care of Unova for me, will ya?"

"Got it," she held her thumbs out to him, "You can count on me!"

Chapter Text

How do you think it feels to be liquidated and have your soul fused with a golem? Well, this isn't a game show, and there's no prize. You'll find out soon enough.

A Mid-Sinnoh Night's Dream - XVI - Not Another One!

"Misaltron doesn't have any outgoing flights for the next month, I'm sorry."

Hilbert inwardly groaned the response the airport receptionist gave him."Right, sorry to bother you…" He walked over to where everyone was waiting. "We're stuck."

"Aw man."

"Indeed. So, any other options?"

"You rang?"

He looked down at his cross-transceiver, seeing Porygon's eye close to the display.

"What've you got for me, Porygon?"

"Well, accessing the GTS, I can easily determine that there are modes of transportation besides flight."

"...Is that all?"

"Of course not! Who the hell do you think I- Ack, ahem, something in my throat. There are many ocean liners on the northeast coasts, would you like me to book a trip?"

"Can you get one with an officer's discount? I mean, we are technically deputized. I think."

"No problem! Click click clack… Alright! In a few days, go to this port near Undella Town, and…"

After they got the instructions, they decided to head straight towards the seaside town in preparation.

It turned out to be more of a resort than anything else, looking remarkably like the route to Pastoria.

Hilbert stood at the end of a grassy trail, looking over the ocean.

"Hope this doesn't turn into another beach episode…"

"Man, what?"

"Nevermind, let's just-"

"Yo, is that my favorite punching bag?" Someone suddenly shouted, and when he turned he was greeted by a kick to the face.

Smartly, his aura shield was still up, but the Hi-Jump Kick's force still carried over.

Spitting sand out of his mouth, he said, "I'm starting to recognize a theme. Maylene? What are you doing in Unova?"

The pink-haired Gym Leader was standing over him, entirely too smug about landing the hit, while wearing her usual black tank top and white shorts.

"Cynthia invites the women in the League here for a retreat every summer," she shrugged. "It's not required for gyms to stay closed, but we are allowed a break during the year if we want. What are you all doing here?"

Dusting himself off, he was glad they'd invested in zip-off cargo pants, as it was really too hot in Unova. Greenhouse effect or something, he didn't know. He was glad that he ditched the jacket too for a bit, because he'd hate to get sand in it and then have to kill Maylene.

"We're on vacation too, just passing through. Technically Interpol business, but y'know."
"Interpol?"

He pulled the badge out of his pocket and flipped it open. "Got my code name and everything."

"Pfft. You're really sticking with Black?"

"It's a family name- I mean, uh, shut up, it's cool!"

Maylene shooed him off and turned to the girls. "You three are welcome to join us. No icky boys."

"Alright, see you guys later." Dawn waved and walked off with the other two following suit.

Hilbert, Barry, and Lucas just stood there, confused.

"...You guys want to go train or something?"

"Hell yeah!"

Hilbert called out Lucario, who promptly punched him in the stomach.

"Where's my screen time, huh? So disrespectful!"

"You have to earn respect. Anyway, while the girls have their fun, we're training."

He let out his other four, Shaymin already perched on his shoulder. Lucas threw out his Infernape, Mareanie, Pyukumuku, and Roselia. Barry let out Prinplup, Phantump, Raichu, and Tropius.

"Lucario, since you're weak to fire, I want you to work with Infernape. That cool with you, Lucas?"

"Fine by me."

"Right. When am I getting my drill finisher?"

"Just use your aura and make it spin. But it's a finisher, got it? Don't lead with it, or you'll get tired out. I bet Infernape could learn if you tried to teach."

As Lucario approached Infernape, charging aura spheres, he turned towards Golurk and Garchomp. "Golurk, I think we need to work on ranged moves. Being able to Shadow Sneak is good, but you need to be able to hit moving targets. Garchomp, that's where you come in. You can take hits well, but you need to work on dodging."

The two nodded, and Garchomp flew off over the water, looping and doing fancy air tricks. Golurk turned to face the waves and raised his arms.
Hilbert turned again, looking at Tyranitar and Abra. "Abra, start trying to use Fighting-type moves. You have a disadvantage against Dark-types, so you need to get better at taking them down. Tyranitar, don't destroy the place."

"Boss, are you-" Abra got punted down the beach by Tyranitar, who was already stomping towards him.

"Okay… Shaymin," he tapped the hedgehog-like Pokemon on his shoulder. "I've noticed your stamina has been getting better. You were still awake after Castelia, which is good news. Work on your endurance. Maybe try swimming?"

"Are you giving me a break?"

"Hey, don't tell anyone I said this, but I kinda owe it to you. You came all this way just to fix some city you've never been to. You deserve the break more than I do."

"...I'll keep Garchomp from drowning when Golurk hits him with a rocket fist."

"Rocket what?" Hilbert turned towards the water, where he saw Golurk's fist glaciate like a comet and shoot towards Garchomp, leaving an empty arm socket. It was quickly replaced with a new fist from inside his body. "...Huh. Does that count as a special attack?"

The three girls saw Cynthia, Gardenia, Maylene, and two other women they didn't recognize. One with a track jacket tied around her waist and black hair, and the other an old woman in a more traditional suit.

"Oh, miss Cynthia…" Dawn waved awkwardly, not quite sure how she was supposed to greet a champion.

"Hm, oh! You're Black's friends. Greetings!" The older blonde waved back, smiling. "What are you all doing here?"

"Hilbert- That's his real name- He had some business in Orre, and decided we all needed a vacation."

"After dealing with Team Galactic? I can see why."

"You know about…?"

"I help out the International Police, they keep me updated. I heard the Legendary Birds were involved."

"Yeah. Anyway, is the League on vacation right now?"

Cynthia gave her a half-nod. "We get a break during the summer. Gyms can stay open, but they aren't required to. My friend, Caitlin, owns a villa, and she lent it to me for a bit."

"That sounds nice. We're stopping by until our boat arrives to take us to Kalos. Misaltron's not got any flights for a week."

"Sounds like Skyla's taking a break…" She sighed. "Never mind that, I'm sure you'll be fine."

Cheryl looked around them. "Excuse me, but… Is Fantina here?"

"Oh, no, she's on a contest tour right now. I believe she'll be in Kalos next week, if my memory serves correctly. She has a habit of taking her time off earlier than us."

Lucas looked at Golurk's barrage of icy rocket fist, then back at Hilbert. "So, he's not just the Gurren Lagann, he's an Arceus-damned Gundam now?"

Looks like he picked up Hilbert's incorrect use of the swear.

"What's a Gundam?"

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, WHAT'S A GUNDAM?"

"He's not, probably. You can get inside Gundams, right? Plus, he's not painted bright red, so it doesn't fit your protagonist theory anyway."

"Not right now, anyway…"

Hilbert laughed, "Seriously, watch this. Hey, Golurk! Open up!"

The golem swiveled its head, almost like it was on a spinner. Its back melted open, blinding them with bright white light, and leaving a conspicuously open hole in its back.

"...You have got to be fu-"

"Sick!" Hilbert ran towards the hatch that folded out of Golurk's back, scrambling up into its back.

"I wouldn't recommend that…" Lucas's concern drifted off as Golurk resealed itself with Hilbert inside.

"Are you serious?" Hilbert floated in a white void, blinding yet soothing at the same time. He couldn't feel his eyes, but he could sense it. "Did I just die?"

"No, sir," echoed a mechanical voice, "You seem to have atomized yourself and melded into my mind."

"So I'm dead."

"I'm sure you can get out."

Hilbert sighed, but found he had no mouth, nor a body to sigh with. The sound still echoed.

"So essentially, you're an Evangelion too, and I just reached a four-hundred percent sync ratio."

"If those are the terms you would like, yes. And now that I'm looking inside your head, I understand what you mean. Interesting."

"How are you looking in my head? You're a Ghost-type."

"You've melded our consciousness for the time being. This should make sense to you."

"I guess. Can you let me in on your senses? I'm kinda floating in the void right now."

The white world melted away, and he felt gravity return. He wasn't in his own body, clearly, as he was about twice as high up as normal. He felt lighter, strangely, despite now being made out of… Not rocks, as clearly it wasn't made of natural materials. Aura-stone? Soul-stone? Soul-stone.

He heard Lucas and Barry shouting behind him, so he turned. They stopped looking up at him. He could see vague outlines of aura floating around them, even with his 'eyes' open.

"Hilby! You in there?"

"Yes- Whoa! That sounds weird…" His voice was distorted by a mechanical tinge, like his voice had replaced Golurk's own.

"That's… Okay, I've heard of Legendaries being caught, I've heard of people taking on evil teams, but… This is new," Lucas said, his voice dropping into a bored monotone, "That's it, nothing makes sense anymore, I'll accept it."

He saw Maylene walk up to them, oblivious to the conversation.

"Yo. You guys training?"

"Uh, we were…"

Maylene looked over and up at Golurk. "You hiding behind there, Hilbert?"

"No, see…" He held his arms in front of him, flexing the rocky fingers slowly. "I may have… Done something weird. Again."

"He climbed inside Golurk."

"He what?"

"Yeah, Lucas said he looked like a Gundam, I said it wasn't because Golurk doesn't have a pilot's seat, then his back opened up, and then I climbed in, and now… I can probably get out."

"You fused yourself with a Pokemon?" Maylene asked, skeptically.

"We're kindred souls."

"Wait, I didn't say… Golurk, was that you?"

"I'm borrowing your voice, sir."

"Fair."

"That's a pretty elaborate act. Let me guess, your Abra is projecting your voice?"

"He's not kidding, man, he turned himself into a Golurk! Funniest shit I've ever seen."

"I'm pretty sure he ate my body, but I should be able to get out. Wait a minute…"

His vision faded to black, then white, then black again, and then felt his body flop onto the sand. He was looking up at Golurk's back, so he could tell he'd been thrown out the back.

"That was an experience."

Clank.

"Indeed, bud, indeed."

It turned out that Dawn had caught a Mantyke, and it was a fairly cute thing. Marley caught a Buizel, which was strange, considering the location, but they figured someone had just released it.

He recalled his larger Pokemon, with only Lucario and Shaymin trailing behind him. Hilbert decided his little adventure into the bright unknown could wait until it would be funny to show them, so didn't mention it. Maylene had brought them over, since she'd stolen half of their party.

"Oh, hey, Gardenia, Cynthia."

"Is Shaymin with you?" The Grass-type leader sat up on her blanket.

Shaymin peeked further over his shoulder, becoming visible. They were snatched by Gardenia, who hugged it and started rolling on her beach towel.

Ignoring the weirdness, he nodded to Cynthia. "How's it going?"

"We're doing fine. How did your business with Interpol go?"

"Fixed it. The birds got to stretch their wings a bit."

"I thought that was you I heard about on the news, I don't know anyone else with a Shaymin." She glanced back at Gardenia, who was still laughing and asphyxiating Shaymin.

They'd live.

"I do have a flair for the dramatic."

"You'd be good in contests."

"Haha. No. Battling is my thing, and I'd piss off a lot of people every time Golurk used his finisher."

She shrugged. "Just a suggestion."

"Hey!"

Hilbert turned to the other girl who had long black hair and the aforementioned tied track jacket around her waist. "Uh…"

"Oh, I'm Candice! I'm the Ice-type Gym Leader, up in Snowpoint!"

He was thrown a bit off balance.

"...Ice-type?"

"I know, I know, I need to work on being more 'cold and brooding', but that's boring! Nothing wrong with liking Ice-types and being nice, right?"

He felt a bit out of his depth. The guy definitely wasn't an expert on how Gym Leaders should act."Um, no, not at all."

"So, do you have Articuno with you?" She leaned forward, smiling.

"Uh…" He looked around, making sure it wasn't too crowded. "I'm sure letting them stretch before we leave couldn't hurt."

He tapped the three balls on his belt, letting the birds appear on the beach.

"This isn't Johto."

"Obviously, nitwit."

"You two stop arguing before I use Zap Cannon!"

Moltres and Articuno wisely stopped squawking at each other.

"Ooh, aren't you pretty," Candice walked up to Articuno and stroked its feathers.

"Oi, mate, what's the big idea?" Articuno asked, not moving but seeming a bit uncomfortable.

"She's an Ice-type Gym Leader. She knows what she's doing. Probably."

"Of course I do! Who the hell do you think I am?"

A beat passed.

"...You, uh…"

"Gardenia showed me your battle with Roark. That's one of your lines, isn't it?" She nodded along as she spoke, running her arms down Articuno's ribbon-like tail feathers.

"...Oh, yeah, I kinda forgot about that. It feels like it's only been a month, but… Man, that was like five months ago. Time flies, I guess."

Barry inched over to Dawn and started hurriedly whispering.

"You know, she looks about our age."

"Yep."

"She quoted Hilbert without making fun of him."

"Do you have a point?"

"She seems pretty new. Bet whoever ran the gym before her could step in if she left."

She shrugged. "If she wants to travel with us, that's Hilbert's choice."

"...You know, I'm not the most observant guy, but I can tell you two have something going on. Plus, if it weren't for Maylene, you'd probably think the League has a rule about the leaders being pretty girls."

Further down the beach, overseeing an impromptu sparring match between her and Hilbert's Lucario, Maylene felt the sudden urge for murder.

"That's rude."

"My point is, shouldn't you be the last person to be okay with that?"

Dawn sighed, smiling slightly.

"Hilbert… He's not looking for that kind of thing right now. I know, trust me. I got over it. I respect him, admire him even, and don't you dare tell him that- And I think I was just a little confused. In a few years, or whenever you guys finish fighting Team Galactic, and he's open for it, I don't know if I'll feel that way about him again."

"Ouch."

"It didn't… Okay, it hurt, but not the way you're thinking. I understood, even if I didn't like it. He cares, obviously, but in the same way he cares about you, or Lucas, or Cheryl, or Marley, or… You know? And I get that. I think I felt the same way. When I really start working at being the Top Coordinator, I'm not sure if I'll have time for it either."

"Huh."

"Articulate as ever, Barry."

"Articu-what?"

"Alright! I have an idea!" Candice stood back from Articuno, reaching for her belt, and grabbed a Pokeball, repeatedly tossing it in one hand, "Let's have a battle! Six-on-six! If you win, I'll give you the Icicle Badge! If I win, I get to train Articuno!"

"Oi, you get to what?"

"Chill- Ha, out, I'm not going to lose."

"Hmph. I object to being used as a gambling crisp!"

"...I'm pretty sure they're still called gambling chips in Galar… Actually, I'm not gonna ask where you got the accent from." Hilbert shook his head, and called Lucario over. "I'm pretty sure the author is padding out this chapter so he can ask something in the author's notes and not upload less than a 3k chapter."

He lost. Hilbert lost.

It was then he contemplated the wisdom of having a team that was two-thirds Pokemon weak to ice.

Her Weavile wiped out Abra in a few swipes. Tyranitar hit the problem really hard. Mamoswine used Earthquake. Lucario hit that problem really hard. Froslass threw a few Shadow Balls and defeated the Fighting-type. Golurk teleported with Phantom Force, and knocked it out. That went pretty well, until the second-to-last Pokemon, Abomasnow, used Solar Beam. It was a very sunny beach, regardless of their ability, Snow Warning. Garchomp already knew what was coming, but it still managed to use Fire Fang before being buried by an Avalanche. Shaymin took on Glaceon like a champ, but couldn't take the… Well, the lack of heat.

"Man… So much for that 5k average..."

"Wow!"

"Yeah, yeah, gloat all you want."

"No, what? You did great! That was the team I used to qualify for Gym Leadership!"

A beat passed.

"...You know that I only have four badges, right?"

"Well, I didn't actually bring my four-badge team, aha…" She rubbed the back of her head, awkwardly laughing. "So, can I come with you?"

If Hilbert had gotten off the sand, he would have fallen on his face. "Wha?"

"Articuno's a Legendary, so you're clearly taking it somewhere. I mean, it's not illegal to use Legendaries in the League, but-"

"-People don't really like that, yeah, I know. I'm just taking the birds to Johto. Why do you want to come?"

"I won, didn't I? I'll teach Articuno some of my icy wisdom on the way!"

"I guess. Yo, Lucas!"

The black-orange-clad boy looked over from where he was talking to Marley about Weavile's speed. "Yeah?"

"You cool with Candice traveling with us?"

"You're the boss."

"Alright, my co-leader's cool with it." He looked up to Candice, offering an open palm. "Welcome to Team Black."

They shook hands.

Chapter Text

Some say that in the fields around the Parfum Palace of Kalos, a terrible battle once took place, staining the grass red. Others say this is not because of the battle itself, but are the traces of a Pokemon lost to history.

Exactly how lost, some cannot say. It may even be lurking today, waiting for its next opponent. Only time will tell. Red Shards can still be found there today, regardless.

A Mid-Sinnoh Night's Dream - XVII - Soul Eater

Seven teenagers, plus some of their Pokemon, relaxed on the side deck of a cruise ship. Hilbert had his legs kicked up and his arms behind his head, wearing only his shorts. Couldn't hurt to get a tan when traveling, right? Barry and Lucas were doing the same, as after some slight teasing towards how pale he was, they convinced the latter to join them. The girls, on the other side of a barrier, were doing something with tanning oil, so they didn't ask, and wouldn't ask after they got back.

Porygon did manage to book them that extra ticket for Candice, though she insisted on paying for it. A small price to pay to travel with Articuno, he guessed.

Abra was holding an ice cream cone taller than he was, wobbling it around with Psychic before taking bites. It was a little disturbing, just imagine taking a bite of soft serve and it feels like jello. Shudders.

Lucario had somehow convinced Tropius to fan her while she took fruits from its neck.

He could've sworn he saw Barry's Raichu talking to a few Pichu, but figured he was imagining it. He wasn't really a mob boss, right?

Shaymin was napping next to him, on its back and wearing shades.

Obviously, his other Pokemon were a bit too big for a cruise deck. It wasn't quite scaled for all Pokemon. Though, he saw a ton of captured Water-types swimming alongside the ship. The most joyful of those Pokemon was a Sharpedo, bouncing over the waves with a crooked grin of a maw. Fitting his partner's personality, Prinplup had obtained a rope and life preserver, Aqua Jetting just behind, tied to the shark Pokemon.

"Yo, Marley? Did Carvanha evolve?" It probably had never been in the open ocean before. He could see some Waillord on the horizon.

"...Maybe…" Her voice wove around the barrier, quiet as always.

Hilbert shrugged, leaning back from the edge of the boat.

The sea air felt good rolling across his skin.

There was a loud crack near the girls.

"Oh, what's that?" Cheryl asked, as cloth shuffled. "Oh!"

"Cheryl? You alright?" He felt it was probably better if he didn't know, but it could've been important.

"It's an egg…"

"Toh?" There was a small, squeaky cry. "Mama!" There a quiet sound of a pounce and cloth tearing.

"Oh… Hey, there… Hilbert, the egg hatched."

"The… Ah, from Cynthia, I forgot. What is it?"

"It's a Togepi, I think."

"Mama!"

"Pfft," Hilbert broke down into snickers. "You know what? It sounds attached, you keep it."

"Really? Don't you want to see it?" Cheryl turned around the barrier, holding Togepi to her chest.

Hilbert turned red, turning around.

She tilted her head, "Hilby?"

"Your… Your, um… Guys, help me out here."

"Dude, I don't wanna die!" Barry was just as red as he was, covering his face with his arms.

Lucas had already rolled onto the floor, shielding his head from the imminent destruction.

Cheryl grew even more confused, looking down at the Togepi in front of her, who was giggling. She quickly realized the problem. Her top had ripped, and was laying on the paneling a few feet behind her.

Yeah, you already know where this is going. Luckily, the boys had gotten out of slapping range, so there was only the typical loud cry, maybe toss in a 'Idiot!' if you're feeling generous.

After a luxurious week on the water, they landed in the port of Coumarine City, only a little over a hundred miles away from Galar. It was a large port city, more of a dispersal point than anything else. Definitely not as smoggy as Castelia was.

"So, Porygon, what's the tourist trap of the week?"

"It depends! Are you interested in seeing Lumiose Tower? Would you like to learn about Mega Evolution? Or maybe research fossils in Ambrette Town?"

"I think Mega-"

"Lumiose City! I wanna go to the cafes!"

"Overruled! Pulling up route directions…"

Hilbert groaned and hoped he'd get a Key Stone eventually.

Candice had fun riding on Articuno, as he could tell from the laughter. The girls split off from them, Dawn not just wanting to see the cafes, but the boutiques as well. Luckily, because of the technology built into their bags, the trope requiring the boys to carry the bags will not come into play. That just left them aimlessly wandering around the city. There would be implications if they did it in pairs, so the three stuck together.

"Do you think Fantina might be around? I want to get that badge as soon as we get back to Sinnoh."

"What are you gonna do if she is? Walk up and chat her up, and say, 'Hey, babe, you wanna have a Gym Battle?' Get real, dude."

"Barry, that might be the funniest thing you've ever said."

"I don't know if that's a compliment or not. Eh, whatever. Yo, I wanna check out the Gogoat rides, let's go."

On the south side of Lumiose, two famous women were enjoying a cup of coffee together.

"So, Diantha, how's your Gym Challenge going?" One asked, her purple hair down by her shoulders and matching her sundress.

The woman dressed in white waved a hand in front of her face, "Oh, so-so. Wulfric is losing his touch, it looks like. I'll qualify for the conference by the end of summer, I'm sure. If they get the gym here in order, that is."

"Oh, aren't you confident? You know, I'm still surprised you're attempting. I figured your acting work would be enough to support you."

"Is this coming from the woman who is a Gym Leader and a coordinator?"

"Touche."

Ridin' on a Gogoat, ridin' on a Gogoat, ridin' on a Gogoat…

The three Gogoat stopped.

Gettin' off a Gogoat, gettin' off-

"Shut up, Barry."

"Man, whatever."

"Hey, you guys!" Dawn waved at them down the road, revealing their new outfits. She, in specific, was wearing a white t-shirt, black vest, pink skirt, and the same white hat as always, if looser on her head.

Cheryl wore something similar to her usual garb, with a shorter skirt and no cloak. Marley never wore much heavy clothing to begin with, and wore the same gothic style as always. Same for Candice, though she never seemed to actually wear that jacket in the first place.

"Really taking inspiration from Hilda…"

"What was that?"

"Nothing bad, you all look good."

"You guys really ought to have bought some nice clothes too."

"You'd trust us to know what looks nice?"

"No, not at all."

Barry's stomach rumbled.

"Perfect timing! So, who wants to get food?"

The seven of them sat down at a cafe to the south. It was there that Candice saw one of her colleagues. Leaning over her chair, she asked, "Is that you, Fantina?"

The purple-haired woman was surprised. "Candice? What are you doing here?"

"Traveling! I get to train with Articuno for a few weeks, cool, right?"

"That battle was totally unfair, but whatever…" Hilbert's complaint went unheard.

"Articuno?"

"Yeah, it's like, the best. Who's your friend?"

"I'm Diantha." She seemed to emit an aura of grace and elegance, despite looking only a few years older than her.

Barry tried to whistle, but was cut off by Dawn slapping the back of his head, spilling a bit of his chocolate milk. Truly, would anyone, in good conscience, give Barry caffeine?

"No, like the actor?" Dawn's eyes widened.

"In addition to Pokemon Trainer, yes," she laughed cheerily in response.

"Oh, I'm so pleased to meet you, my name is Dawn, I'm not a thespian myself, but I love your work, I planned on modeling my Turtwig's Magical Leaf on your Gourgeist's performance in Avatar…"

"You've seen Avatar?" Hilbert asked, and his question was left unanswered.

"Oh, you saw that? Strange, I've never heard anyone talk about it… But thank you for the compliment."

"So, Fantina, when are you coming back to Sinnoh? These guys need a Gym Battle if you don't mind." Candice leaned forward on her chair, pointing a thumb at them over her shoulder.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I suppose that means you have seven badges, then?"

Hilbert shook his head.

"Ah. I might not have made that clear… I leave a bit earlier, not just for my tours, but to make sure I'm not swamped by Bidoof trainers, you understand? Some types have much more potential the stronger they get."

"I... Kinda see what you mean."

"I'm heading back a little into July, so maybe take on another Gym until then," Fantina shrugged, taking a sip of coffee.

"Right, right. Sorry to bother you."

"No, no, it's alright. I should've explained that in the post… This region has some excellent Ghost-types, I must say. I'm quite partial to the Mismagius line myself, but there are plenty of nice ones to be found."

"I think I'll do just that, thank you."

"Sorry to interrupt!" An orange-haired barista held nearly a dozen plates, balanced perfectly on her arms and palms, "Here are your orders, enjoy!"

After their quick meal, Porygon had a tourists' guide pulled up and was going through it.

"You know what, we might as well go sightseeing. What could go wrong?"

"...Parfum Palace is one of the oldest structures in Kalos, and one of its grandest. Beware the grasslands surrounding the route there, for many reviews claim their Pokemon were attacked by a red flash and were subsequently knocked out themselves."

"Sounds like the premise for a found-footage film."

"The travelers are often returned to the side of the route before they awaken, but no one has observed the occurrence in action."

"Sounds like we've got a destination, Hilby, hell yeah!"

"I said BEWARE!"

"Real quick, though, I'm going to buy a few TMs. I hear they have some here that aren't sold outside the continent."

They hadn't even needed to Fly to get to the route, the path there was literally a walk in the park. And a roller skating rink, that too.

They stood at the mouth of a straight enough pathway, with wild and untamed grass flowing freely outside its border.

"Okay, so, if there's a dangerous Pokemon, I'm going to take it down. Any cool Pokemon around here, Porygon?"

"Setting search parameters, 'cool'... While it may not be what you're looking for, Kecleon, the Camouflage Pokemon, can be found… In a manner of speaking, should you catch it undisguised. Watch your step, as Venipede are not afraid to bite, and are Poison-type!"

"Thanks, Porygon. Anyone want to tag along?"

Dawn nodded. "I think Kecleon would be great for contests, if I mixed in some moves."

"Great, you guys go on ahead."

"You sure you didn't plan this beforehand to get some alone time?" Barry's question had Cheryl blushing at the thought, though Dawn was as unresponsive as Hilbert.

"Shut up, Barry."

Hilbert carefully walked through the tall grass, constantly blinking to get a good aura reading. There were constant flashes, but at least he could tell what was rustling the grass.

When he heard grass being cut, he made sure Dawn was behind him, her being considerably more squishy, as Lucario would put it. Palming a Pokeball in his right hand, he took a slight step forward.

He was promptly slammed into the grass by a gray-looking tire. Easily so, still laying on the ground, he caught it, picked it up, and turned it sideways to get a better look.
The Whirlipede blinked at him, its glaring eyes shifting to a more furrowed sort of confusion.

Balancing it with one hand, he reached for the loose Pokeball and tapped it to the gray Bug-type.

"I'm glad these things live in Unova, might not have recognized it otherwise."

"Only you could shrug off a Rollout…"

The Pokeball shuttered with a click. He put it on an extra slot on his overcrowded belt and they continued on their way.

"Kek."

"Hilbert, was that you?"

"What? No."

"Kek."

"Wait a minute…" Hilbert closed his eyes and turned to the source of the sound. Aura was coming from an empty spot trailing behind the two through the leveled grass. "Behind you, quick," he whispered.

Dawn dropped a Pokeball behind her, and a short cry later, the Kecleon was captured by her Pokeball.

"You're going to look fantastic in a dress," Dawn giggled to the capsule.

Hilbert shuddered, his heart truly going out to the Kecleon. If it was a male, he prayed Dawn would have mercy.

"When do you think we'll find the end of this trail?" The two had been traveling through what looked like a hedge maze for nearly half an hour.

"I thought you knew."

Hilbert blinked at her.

"...We're lost, aren't we."

"I'm sure we'll be fine. Hey, Golurk, help us out."

The Ghost-type appeared in a blast of light, giving them a mocking salute.

"What about that warning about that strong Pokemon?"

"Well, we haven't seen it yet, and I'm basically a Pokemon, right? They would have tried by now-"

A blade the color of arterial blood lanced threw the brush, missing their heads by a few feet, but sailing towards Golurk.

It struck Golurk, as long as he was tall, across its chest, longways. It was stuck for a brief moment, long enough for Hilbert to get a good look.

The blade itself was clearly solid and metallic, reflecting sunlight and crimson across Golurk's shadow. The grip was a solid two-ninths of its three-meter length, cold and rocky, like it had been weighed down by obsidian sediment. The hilt curved inwards like an arrowhead, as if eroded down by endless sword locks. The ribbon trailing behind it, as long as the blade, appeared to be just as stained, while ending in a gray hand-like fold. A sheath with a pattern of damascened steel floated in its grip.

It shook itself free of its dent into Golurk's soul-stone, levitating to a safe distance before spinning, as if contemplating angles of attack.

As it turned towards him, he saw an eye on the hilt blink.

"Is that a… Honedge?"

"Impossible! Honedge, at most, only grow to be a meter! A blade of that size is highly improbable!"

As it struck Golurk again, biting into his shoulder, Hilbert shook his head.

"Porygon, since when has possibility or probability ever been a factor?"

"That's the point of probability!"

"Golurk! Use Fire Punch!"

The golem nodded, receiving the go-ahead to properly fight back. It seized the blade on its side, stopping it in mid-air and igniting his fist, before firing it away like a rocket.

In a loud crash and clang, The Irregular Honedge At Kalosian Route Six rose from the cut field of grass, spinning and scraping itself along its sheath, almost as if caressing itself. A terrible screech echoed across the grassland, putting Hilbert off-guard and diminishing Golurk's ranged defense.

Honedge tore through the air, audibly slicing through nothing, in spite of that not being possible.

Golurk never learned to properly guard, and truly, would a boxing stance do much? So, instead of trying to block the hit, he chose the simpler option, and hit the problem really hard.

Honedge turned at the last second, spinning horizontally and clanging off the fist, only giving Golurk a glancing blow. It swung around, now inside of the golem's reach, and flashed vertically, swinging itself down onto his head.

At the last second, Golurk used Iron Defense, turning from blue to a silvery sheen all over his body. He then grabbed Honedge by the hilt, attempting to drive it into the ground.

Honedge, in desperation, threw its hilt down in front of it, and wrapped its ribboned grip around Golurk's arm.

There was a pulse of energy, as the everlasting contest of wills to live continued.

"Honedge are able to drain spiritual energy by wrapping their cloth around anyone who takes hold of it!" Porygon piped up, having traveled into Hilbert's rarely-used Pokedex. "It's not a legal move in League competitions, but in Kalos, many are weary of sending out humanoid Pokemon against it, just in case it makes a mistake!"

Golurk clanked angrily, grabbing the hilt with his other hand, fighting against the other ghost's drain with his own. He swung Honedge over his head, leaving the hilt on the ground and stabbing it a foot away from the hilt into the ground.

Clank.

"Alright, let's do this!" Hilbert snapped an Ultra Ball into his hands, and slung it at the blade, putting his entire weight into the throw.

Instead of activating, the ball crumpled against the hilt, with an ear-splitting metallic clang.

Hilbert looked at his fingers, flexing them briefly. "Huh."

Honedge broke free of the grip, cutting a fine line through the earth and arching toward Golurk's body, still wrapped around his arm.

"Hundreds have been defeated by my will. You shall not be different."

It bit into his side, cutting into the faux-leather straps, before Golurk realized he had leverage, and slammed the sword-like Pokemon against the ground.

"Puny sword."

"Honedge, you think we can talk about this?"

"My purpose is battle. Conversing with fools has no meaning."

"Golurk, hold it down. Both hands."

Clank. The golem took a solid hold of the hilt and the blade, pressing it to the ground with its weight.

Honedge, while sharp, did not weigh all that much. At most, this specimen was fifty pounds, going by size.

"Listen, Honedge. Why do you fight?"

"Battle is my purpose, fool." It spoke lamely, low-pitched and metallically toned, like a child's toy. "It is my duty to defeat the strong." The tail of the ribbon flapped uselessly, still wrapped around Golurk's arm.

"So you're a thrill-seeker?"

"Do not reduce my motivations to selfish ideals. It is my duty to protect. It is why I was forged, and why I am the only one left."

"So, there's someone you're protecting? Something?"

"This field is my battlefield. These Pokemon are under my protection."

"You didn't seem to have a problem with them getting caught."

"There is an obvious difference between merciless domination and choosing to travel."

"Yeah, I get that. You seem pretty strong, Honedge. I can respect that."

"What was your intent in coming to this place?"

"I heard about a wild Pokemon attacking people. Helping others is kinda what I do, so, y'know."

"I do not."

Hilbert shook his head. "Should've figured. Listen, you sound like a noble kinda guy."

"I am female."

"Cool. My point is, you want to protect Pokemon, I want to protect Pokemon. I travel a lot, so I can protect a lot more Pokemon. What's the logical conclusion?"

"I cannot take your word for it."

Yellow aura started seeping out of Golurk's arm, flowing along the ribbon.

"Hey, stop that-"

Zorp.

Hilbert floated in a senseless void.

"Damn it, Golurk!"

"I believe it was the reciprocal drain, sir."

Images were flashing in his mind. A battle, the sky choked with dust. People and Pokemon lay injured across the razed field. Honedge, the only left, surging in power, before flying into the brush. Countless attacks against Pokemon Trainers who were brutalizing the local Pokemon for 'training'.

"What is this?"

"Okay, so, how do I explain this in terms a Pokemon could understand… Golurk has a thing where he can mesh his soul with mine, and I take partial control of his body. I dunno how you got in here, Honedge."

"It may have been an aura transfer. Since she was draining my aura, I drained hers in response."

"That's… Well, calling it odd would be hypocritical of me, but calling it unexpected would be right."

"I'm viewing your memories, both of you. This is very strange. It seems you were telling the truth."

"I didn't really have a reason to lie."

"It matters little, now that I've passed on."

"We're not dead, we can get out. Hey, Golurk-"

Hilbert slid out of Golurk's handless arm socket, hitting the ground with a thump. Honedge's hilt appeared after, but not falling on its own. Shrugging, Hilbert grabbed it with both hands and pulled it from the stone.

"Call me King Arthur, because I- Whoa-" He wasn't prepared for the high center of gravity or the weight, and toppled over. It was a nine-foot-long sword. That's difficult, even with aura.

"Your heart is pure but your maturity is something else."

"Saw that too?" Hilbert laughed. "So, you want to come with us?"

"I can see now… When there is trouble, a knight's duty is to respond. Very well, young man!"

"Hell yeah!" Hilbert shot up, hand flying to a Timer Ball.

Honedge floated into the air, spinning in place.

"Alright, Honedge! I choose you!" He slung it, and the ball activated against its eye.

It didn't shudder once before clicking.

"Hey, guys, look what I caught!" Hilbert was about to show them his badass sword and tire bug before being tackled by a Furfrou.

"I'm sorry, she does that…" An older man padded over, picking up the fluffy Pokemon. "Always running off when I try to do her fur…"

Hilbert watched the man as he walked off, Dawn helping him up.

The other five looked at him expectantly.

"Listen, saying 'what a pain' or 'good grief' isn't on my character sheet, so if that's what you're waiting for, you're not gonna get it."

"Okay, Porygon, can we finally get around to checking out Mega Evo-"

"I heard there are some interesting fossils in Ambrette," Lucas mused, interrupting him.

"Setting route for Ambrette Town!"

Hilbert sighed. Maybe third time would be the charm?

"Fine, fine, let's check out some rocks."

Hilbert stood, slightly confused, looking at the foot-long rocks sticking out of the ground.

"Many Rock Slides occur in the area around Glittering Cave, courtesy of its native Rhyhorn! Luckily, they're just as willing to offer rides to passing trainers. Near here is where the first Rhyhorn Races took place!"

"Okay, we're not getting any further off track. I feel a reference coming on, you guys can get Rhyhorn, I'm good."

He called out Lucario as the other six walked off for assistance. "So, remember that fight I told you about, where they had to walk on needles?"

"The one where the opponent was named after electrical currents?"

"Exactly." He charged his aura shield and spread it around his feet, before hopping onto a spike and balancing on one foot. "You coming? This counts as training, kinda. I bet we can mess around until the others get there."

Most trainers traveling on Route Nine expected to hear Rock Slides and Rhyhorn cries. They didn't expect some idiot to run over the spiky ground, air rippling beneath his feet, throwing Aura Spheres at his Lucario.

Then he punched it in the face, and actually moved it, instead of just breaking his knuckles.

Didn't do an incredible amount of damage, but still.

"Hilby, what the hell are you doing?"

Hilbert and Lucario looked up, in the center of a completely flattened section of the route, covered in rubble.

"...Lucario did it."

"Oh, you did not just-" She threw an Aura Sphere at his head, and he quickly dodged.

"Okay, sorry, yeah, can we just get to the cave?"

Dawn's eye twitched. "You're not going to destroy that too, are you?"

"No, ma'am…"

The cave, as you might guess from the name, was Glittering.

"Visitors often smash rocks to find fossils and other items! This is completely sustainable as well, because the native Rhyhorn bring in so much earth!"

Hilbert cracked his knuckles at the same time as Lucario, and before he could run off into the cave, he was snatched by the collar.

"No, I think everyone else can go. You two are going to cause a cave-in."

"You're not the boss of me!"
She switched the grip from his collar to his ear. Lucario seemed intrigued by the method of causing pain, rather than actually helping him.

"I mean, uh, fine, I guess! Ow…"

Candice leaned over to Cheryl as they walked further into the cave, "Is this normal for them?"

"Hilbert gets a little… Enthusiastic. At some point, Lucas was the one who'd balance him out, but he caught the eccentricity, so I think Dawn's stepped in."

The others picked up a variety of fossils, mostly Lucas, because he wanted to complete the Pokedex as fast as possible.

There really was a wide variety, after they brought the fossils back to town to be revived.

Barry found a Jaw Fossil, which turned into a runty little dinosaur, fittingly called Tyrunt.

Cheryl got Amaura, the Ice-Rock-type. She really ought to work on that Fighting-type weakness. Marley got a badass Aerodactyl, a Flying-Rock-type. He heard it could Mega Evolve too, completely unfair.

Lucas scanned the new Pokemon, even the ones they wouldn't use, into his Pokedex, before they went on his way.

"Okay, can we finally learn about Mega Evolution? I wanna see if there's a Golurkite."

"...I think I'd prefer not to think about him getting even stronger."

"The center of Mega Evolution research is Lumiose City, though Shalour City is known better for its in-depth spiritual expertise."

"Alright, let's go, then!"

The Tower of Mastery was once the tallest structure in the Kalos region, constructed with the strength of a thousand Machamp. Relatively recently, it was beaten out by the Lumiose Tower, but its natural appeal and majesty remained.

Hilbert could get a clear view of the tower from the mouth of the trail leading into town.

"Whoa… I thought I saw that on the way here, but I figured it was a mountain or something."

"Well, we can look at it tomorrow, let's see if there are any hotels."

"Aw, man…"

The next day, rested up from their first day in the region, and finally fixing their windswept (From all the air travel between towns) hair, they visited the tower.

'ONLY THOSE THAT HAVE PROVEN THEMSELVES WORTHY MAY ENTER'

"You have got to be kidding me."

He noticed writing below the faded engraving on the arch, tacked on with a wooden sign.

'Shalour Gym and Roller Skating Club'

'Admission- Only five-hundred Pokedollars!'

"Okay, that's totally Bouffalant sh-"

"Why are they playing Space Jam in a roller skating rink?"

They stood at the entrance of the gym. That side of the floor was carpeted, with desks where they could rent skates, tables, and a snack bar.

The music was loud, blaring, and unapologetically fitting of the Gym Leader's tastes. Given she wasn't as old as them, that made a lot of sense.

The rest of the building was an oval surrounding a decently-sized arena, with an almost invisible glass box around it.

The front desk attendant told them that the Gym Leader, Korrina, would pick out a challenger when one signed up for a battle.

So, it was just a waiting game at that point.

"Alright, alright, alright, folks! Get ready, cuz I, Korrina, have a challenger!" A girl in white sportswear danced around the rink with a microphone. "So, come on up, don't be a stranger!"

Hilbert, barely keeping his balance on roller skates, and swearing he was going to beat up Barry for laughing at him, rolled onto the rink, waving weakly at the scattered whoops.

She rolled up to him, easily coming to a stop, and held the microphone to his face, "Are you gonna introduce yourself, challenger?"

"Uh, I'm… Black, from the Sinnoh region-"

"Use your real name!" Booed Barry
"Shut up, Barry!"

"Sinnoh, you say? Super cool. Are you taking on Kalos's Gym Challenge?" She asked, spinning around him, making him slightly dizzy trying to follow with his eyes.

"Ah, no, I just wanted to check out the Tower of Mastery while I was stopping by," he said, rubbing the back of his head, "I've been traveling on some business…"

"Right, right, old guys gotta get jobs, I get that," she said, nodding, to some hoots in the audience.

"I'm only sixteen, don't- Whatever, shorty, can we battle?"

Her eyebrow twitched at being called short, "Short?"

He remembered a very similar reaction from Lucario, when she was still a Riolu.

"I mean, uh, compared to me. You're probably tall for a ten-year-old."

"You- I'm THIRTEEN!"

"Ah, sorry-"

"Get in the arena!" She skated away towards an entryway on the left side of the area. He did the same, although in a more wobbly manner. "How many badges?"

"Four- Hey, any rules about Legendary Pokemon?"

"Yeah, right, sure, whatever."

"...What?"

"No way you've got any," she laughed at him. Pissing her off may not have been his best decision.

"I've got four Pokeballs on my belt with four more disagreements."

"Let's go, Abra!"

"Pff. Bringing a Pokemon like that? Did you just grab the first Psychic-type you had?"

Abra's eyes flashed red with light. "Boss."

"No maiming."

"Boring."

"Let's get this over with! Pangoro!"

A massive panda-like Pokemon with a leaf in its mouth roared as it appeared.

"Let's see how you do against a Dark-"

"Drain Punch."

Her eyes widened comically.

"Yeah, funny thing-" He was interrupted by Pangoro being sucker punched in the neck, after Abra used Teleport. "Abra likes punching things. Doesn't need much else."

Pangoro roared, spitting the leaf out of its mouth, and attempted to grapple the Psychic-type.

"I love TMs. Power Swap!"

Abra's body surged with energy, as Pangoro suddenly couldn't hold up its own weight.

It was the fall, rather than the following Drain Punch, that knocked out the Dark-type.

Korrina growled, though she would later deny being able to make such a graceless sound, and grabbed her next Pokeball.

"Let's see if you have any more tricks!"

"Abra, come on back." Abra dissolved into light, looking sufficiently smug, and returned to his Pokeball.

"Hawlucha!"

"Golurk!"

The golem appeared, luckily only a third as tall as the ceiling.

"Ground-type, huh? Bad luck, I guess," she said, shrugging her shoulders with fake pity.

"Rip and tear."

Golurk nodded, flashing red.

Hawlucha wasn't intimidated by Golurk, despite being completely dwarfed. It'd faced larger Pokemon, like that one time some idiot brought a Waillord to the match.

"Thunder Punch!"

"Dodge and use Swords Dance!"

Hawlucha jumped into the air, spreading its wings, and flexing its wings. A series of metallic clangs rang out, and Hawlucha soared above Golurk.

"Throat Chop!"

It swooped down, striking at Golurk, despite him not having a throat, and made him take a step back.

Perfect timing for a Shadow Punch.

Korrina swore, "Well, as someone with four badges, you should know that now you have to win every round to win!"

"Since when?"

"Wake didn't tell me… Or was that just implied?"

Golurk walked his way behind Hilbert, ignoring the argument and taking up a passive position.

"Eh, not important. Lucario!"

"Wha?" Korrina yelled, "There's no way someone like you has a Lucario!"

"I just called you short! That's not super bad!"

"Agh! Whatever! My Lucario will stomp yours flat!"

Their Lucario burst onto the field, his already hopping in a fighting stance and Korrina's rising from a kneel.

"Power-up Punch!"

"You've got this!"

Korrina's Lucario closed in fast, but was blocked by twin aura spheres.

Hilbert's Lucario shot forward, kicking the other Fighting-type in the chest and jumping back.

It, which was an obvious 'he', groaned, but shot back up quickly enough.

"Lucario!" Korrina held up a bracelet on her arm, which beforehand he believed was a scrunchie or something, but he could now clearly tell it had an embedded Key Stone.

He exploded in a flash of orange light, the kind he'd only seen twice before, in-person. The tan wrap on his chest lengthened, and a black mask followed behind it. Its limbs looked like they had been dipped in blood, and the furious glare on its face only made his believe it more.

"Time to think things through."

"Lucario, keep a Calm Mind! Don't lose your focus!"

"Got it!"

Korrina shouted, "Let's make this quick! Close Combat!"

He shot forward in a blitz of limbs, almost as if it had been using Extreme Speed.

She dodged, keeping a cool head, and waited out the attack, before using a Close Combat of her own.

It didn't quite knock him out, but he was dazed for a moment. Only that moment, though, as it quickly recovered and waited for orders. The barely-restrained anger in its eyes was clear to everyone watching, especially Hilbert. It barely even looked injured.

"Don't I want my Pokemon to be like that?" A bit of doubt wormed its way into his thoughts.

"Power-up Punch!"

"Use Psychic! Time to put that money where our mouth is!"

The other Lucario uselessly flailed into the air, suspended in the center of the room, nearly at the ceiling.

"Can I finally-"

"Hell yeah, you can!"

Lucario pulsed with energy, blue light whipping off of her in waves. Her excitement was palpable, and you could almost taste the adrenaline in the air.

"What are you-"

"Listen up, Gym Leader. You may have a Key Stone, you may have Mega Evolution, you may have experience, but you know what? To hell with that! I believe in my Pokemon, and my Pokemon believe in the me that believes in them! That's all that really matters in a battle, and everything else comes after! Lucario!"

Aura flared in front of her face, unmistakably in the form of sharp sunglasses. A feral grin fought its way onto her face, and two spheres flickered on her arms.

She held both in front of her, combining them into one.

"Giga…"

The other Lucario screeched in rage, but was not heard, as the air in the room spiraled into the aura sphere. Its shape became conical, and it seemed a Metal Claw scratched a helix into its surface. Every second, it advanced, getting larger and stronger, growing past what it was before.

"Drill…"

Lucario lost its footing in the vacuum it created, floating slightly into the air. The drill grew, twice as wide as Lucario was tall, and four times as long. Golurk was shining a bright white, like the sun itself, the soul-stone turning a colorless platinum. Hilbert shouted into nothing, the determination etched on his face as if carved into stone.

"BREAAAAAAAAK!"

For Gurkinn, the Tower of Mastery was a solitary place to study Mega Evolution. While Sycamore, that green professor in Lumiose, studied the phenomenon with instruments of science, he studied with a spiritual mindset. Meditation was common for him and his Pokemon.

So, he definitely grew more gray hair when after a loud 'crack' rumbled across the town, he saw a Mega Lucario, a massive drill made of aura, and another, normal Lucario driving it upwards.

He grew another few when a young man jumped out of the skating rink's roof, and followed easily, having an aura of his own.

"I'm sure Korrina will whine about this later…" He settled back into his meditation, impressing the few Ace Trainers that studied with him.

His Blaziken, sitting similar to him, hooted something like a snort, blew a flicker of fire from its lips, before doing the same.

Hilbert caught both Lucario, only around, eh, two-hundred feet in the air. At that point, he realized he'd probably broken his ankles and the roof from the jump, given the throbbing in his legs. Abra teleported them all back down, into a small crowd looking up at the hole in the ceiling.

After dropping the two Fighting-types, he barely managed to release Shaymin before falling over.

"Hey, give me some help, will ya? I don't think I'm built for those heights…"
Shaymin hit him with a few Heal Pulses, at which point, he remembered that move wasn't supposed to work on humans, and stored that factoid for later.

"Good as new."

He gave them a thumbs-up as he sat forward, "Thanks for that. So, did I win?"

"How!" Korrina stomped up, as much as she could on skates, "How did you do that without a Mega Stone?"

"Willpower, Lucario having learned from other Lucario, I can use aura too- Yes, don't call me a liar, and… Well, drills are just really cool."

"I can't believe this, this is completely unfair!"

"Sorry, that kinda thing happens."

She grumbled and looked up at the hole in the ceiling, "I don't even know how that broke, it's reinforced…"

"Well, see you guys later, I'm heading to the tower."

"Hey! Get back here!"

Hilbert, not exactly sprinting, but still outpacing the skating Korrina on his tail, ran towards the Tower of Mastery.

"I won, didn't I? I'm going to go get a Key Stone!" He yelled, looking back as he ran. The passerby seemed less surprised and more way-too-used-this-kind-of-thing.

"It doesn't work like that!"

Approaching the walled off gates they weren't allowed to enter before, a brilliant thought entered his mind.

It probably wasn't trespassing if he'd earned the right to enter, right?

So, he leapt over the twenty-foot wall in a single bound, feet barely skimming the rocky tops. Insert joke about a weakness to Kryptonite (here).

Korrina, not paying enough attention to where she was going, likely slammed into the gate, given the loud thump he heard.

Landing in a crouch on the cobblestones, he set off to look for Gurrkin, and looked to the top of the spiraling tower.

He smirked.

"Always glad to meet someone who gets it."

An old man with hair splitting in three directions stood at the top of the tower, looking over the town.

"I was wondering when you'd arrive."

"Have we met?"

"Your arrival has been foretold for-" The man broke down into a wheezing fit. Slow on the uptake, it took Hilbert a few seconds to realize he was actually laughing. "I love doing that, sorry about that, kid."

Hilbert grinned again, "If I was you, I'd do the same thing. Tell me, what are your thoughts on drills?"

Korrina, after shaking off what probably wasn't a concussion, managed to walk up the ramp. How she did that in roller skates, the world may never know. But when she finally did reach the top, she found her grandfather and that annoying challenger sitting at a tea table and talking.

"So, there I was, the middle of the ocean, rain slapping against me and Shaymin's face, staring down a Kyo-"

"What's going on here?" She shouted, impertinently.

Gurkinn and Hilbert looked over to her.

"...Talking?"

"Really, Korrina, you need to be more polite to the challengers. I know you only just stepped in, but-"

"I"m plenty polite! Black is just a menace to society!"

He leaned towards the older man, "I called her short by accident."

"Ah, that'd do it. She's got quite a temper for a young one."

Her eyebrow twitched, and forcefully, she asked, "Since when are you such good friends?"

"I'm always ready to talk to an Aura Guardian. Youngins never seem to be interested in those tales."

Hilbert scratched the back of his head and laughed awkwardly, "I don't know about that, I'm just a traveler."

"Oh ho, a traveler personally trained by a master Lucario?"

"It happens."

Korrina's other eyebrow twitched.

Gurkinn leaned forward, tenting his fingers beneath his nose, "Did they know anything about Mega Evolution? Lucarionite are the most relatively common stone."

"When I get back to Sinnoh, I'll stop by. I think Lucario would like to visit her folks, too."

Gurkinn held a large marble in his fingers, reflecting strange colors in the sunlight.

"From your tales, it sounds like you'll need this."

Hilbert eyed the stone, "...I don't know if I can take that."

"You know what Mega Evolution is, don't you? Why would you deny that power?" He didn't seem disappointed, but curious and amused.

"I mentioned how I met Garchomp and Tyranitar earlier. I don't think I could make them go that far again, it wouldn't be fair of me, not just for a power boost. And, I don't mean to offend, watching Mega Lucario act like that… I'm not sure if I could do that to her. Abra's never going to evolve, and I'm pretty sure none of my other Pokemon have Mega Stones."

"I see… I'm not the scientific type myself, but I understand your concerns. Many who read only from scientific journals and the like think the same thing," Gurkinn said, looking through the Key Stone. "Mega Lucario are said to be consumed by anger when Mega Evolved, and even here, that is true. Really, that's the exception, not the rule. In truth, Lucario are already incredibly willful Pokemon."

"Don't I know it, heh."

Gurkinn paused to laugh with him, "Yes, but Mega Evolution does not create or destroy, it only enhances what is already there. In the heat of battle, can you guess what it enhances?"
"Adrenaline?"

"Not quite. It enhances their willpower, as well as their physical prowess. Of course, its different for each Pokemon, but the effects are the same. What the Pokemon and Trainer desire, Mega Evolution will bring to fruition."

"What if they desire different things?"

"That's the reason Key Stones are only given to good trainers. The aura will attempt to fulfill both wants, and hurt the Pokemon. This is the reason most believe it to hurt Pokemon, because it is their desires that cause it to do so." he put the Key Stone down on the table, seriously looking at Hilbert. "A trainer like you, an Aura Guardian, with so much potential, and trust in your allies… There's no one better to take this."

He reluctantly took the stone, slipping the marble into a secure bag compartment.

"I'm not sure what an Aura Guardian is supposed to be, but I'll do my best."

Korrina watched Hilbert slip down the side of the tower, just for kicks, and turned to Gurkinn.

"Just like that? You'd give a stranger a Key Stone based on nothing but his words?"

He tented his fingers and leaned back in his seat, "Korrina, did I ever tell you what I did when I was your age?"

"You were the Gym Leader, until I was old enough."

He shook his head. "I was like that young man. I traveled the world, and I went to Hoenn. Things were much different back then, but the Pokemon were the same. I had no Riolu or Lucario to train me, and by the time I had met them, I was too old to learn. I've always been able to see aura, and that boy's… It's one of the strangest things I've ever seen. It's not just his life energy, it's his willpower, I watched it flare and sink during our conversation. He has potential, and if he knows that, then it can only increase exponentially."

"How can you be so sure?"

"There was aura leaking out of his Pokeballs, nearly half of them. I haven't seen anything like that since I met Registeel, back in the day. His Pokemon, even if they aren't Legendary… I'm glad he seems to be on the side of good."

Hilbert met the group, them having waited at the gates.

Lucas crossed his arms, "So, how'd it go?"

"Finally got a Key Stone. Anything else you guys wanna do in Kalos?"

On the way to the airport, it started raining. That wasn't much of an issue, they all had raincoats, but Lucas found a weird purple thing that turned out to be a Dragon-type, so he caught it. Barry saw a lonely lion cub and decided to be Litleo's friend.

Hilbert shook his head on the flight. He felt dazed for some reason.

"I feel like we've been here for a week…"

Ignoring the feeling, he dialed up Professor Rowan.

"Hey, old man, do you know how to embed a Key Stone? I have a special request…"

Chapter Text

Johanna watched the news while sitting down for a solitary cup of coffee.

"...And you'll see here, folks, an unseasonal blizzard has begun north of Mt. Coronet," the weatherman pointed at an air pressure map, more specifically at an abnormality south of Snowpoint. "Some Trainers in the area report sightings of Regice, though these are sparse and unconfirmed. High caution advised, as the Rangers are too busy dealing with loose school children to help you when you get lost."

A Mid-Sinnoh Night's Dream - XVIII - That's All She Wrote!

Finally, thank Arceus, they were on their way to Johto, and then to Sinnoh. Rowan said he'd be done with what Hilbert asked for in a week, so they easily had enough time. It was getting close to the end of June, and only getting hotter.

They landed near Goldenrod City, the hub of the region, and went off into the forests, to get away from prying eyes.

Hilbert let out the three Legendary Birds in a clearing, tossing the Pokeballs to their feet and mock-saluting.

"See you guys later. I guess I should say it was an honor?"

"Feeling's mutual, mate. I owe ya one."

"We all do, really," Moltres said, agreeing with Articuno without argument.

"Thanks for the help, humans. Hold onto your machines, they prevent capture, don't they?"

Hilbert nodded, as did Lucas, acting like Zapdos was talking to him.

"Then I'd prefer someone like you hold onto it rather than someone else." Zapdos held up its wing, matching his salute, and the other two birds followed suit.

"Sure thing. And hey, if you ever want me to break 'em, you know where to find me."

"Make sure you call us up for that conference, why don't you?" Articuno chirped.

"He doesn't need an Ice-type."

"Doesn't need a Fire-type either!"

"Shut up, both of you! That's it, if Lugia doesn't sort you out, I'm using Zap Cannon, and that's that!"

The other two birds trilled, sounding remarkably like they were groaning.

Zapdos shook its beak and glanced at him. "Though, the idea sounds entertaining."

"If the situation calls for it, sure. If someone else brings Legendaries, well, that's on them," he waved at them as they nodded and shot off into the sky, shooting through the gathering storm clouds.

There was a brief silence between the seven teenagers.

"...That's the end of that arc, huh?"

Shut up, Barry.

They left soon after. Briefly hearing about sightings of the birds on the news, they passed through the airport terminal and headed back home.

"Man, this took way longer than I expected it to," he mumbled, slumping in his seat. He felt someone lean over his seat, and looked up to find Candice looking down at him, confused.

"Why'd you just let them go? I mean, yeah, you're not supposed to use Legendaries, but you could've used them against Team Galactic."

Hilbert gave her a very low effort shrug. "They've got better stuff to do," he replied simply, eyeing Shaymin, "And we can probably take on Team Galactic without them. If the birds want to live in Johto, that's their choice, and they have such an influence on the weather, it'd be kinda wrong to take them away from there. There's probably more than one Shaymin in Sinnoh, so it's alright for them to come with me, but if there wasn't, I'd probably have to say no."

"Black… You're weird."

"I get that a lot."

At what was probably some sort of Legendary meet-up, the birds flew to an undisclosed location, recognizing a few familiar faces. Ho-oh, as always, was leading the meeting. Lugia stood to the side, a smaller Lugia trying to walk and falling repeatedly. The three beasts were there, and a few others they didn't recognize. One was a Cresselia, they were decently sure.

They landed uniformly near the center of the snowy plateau, in everyone's view.

Ho-oh gathered its wings and nearly tented them in front of its face, defying its anatomy. That was fairly common with Legendaries, making less and less sense as they matured.

"Articuno. Zapdos. Moltres. Fantastic to see you all, where have you been the last few months?"

"Got kidnapped, Lugia probably filled you in."

"They only remembered an attack and the three of you disappeared. Continue."

"Right. This may take a while." Zapdos took a deep breath. "This is a story all about how our lives got flip-turned upside-down…"

It was the middle of the night when they arrived back in Sinnoh, leaving the plane on the coast of Sandgem. They walked back to Twinleaf, jet-lagged to all hell, and went to Hilbert's house. After unlocking and shambling through the front door, he promptly collapsed and passed out before he hit the couch.

Hilbert groggily woke up the next day on the floor under a pile of bodies and pillows, and stared at the ceiling. It seemed like everyone had originally spread out, but inevitably gravitated towards the same spot. Insert joke about 'Black Hole Sue' here, it's surprisingly fitting.

It wasn't a pleasant feeling, considering the weight, but he was made of tougher stuff. Dawn was sideways across his torso, head in the nook between his ribs and the couch, Cheryl was somewhere over there with a stray arm on his shoulder, and he was fairly certain it was Barry whose legs were tangled up with his. He couldn't quite see the other three, but figured they were similarly situated.

"...What am I gonna do now that I'm back?"

He had new Pokemon, and he was pretty sure they'd be heading to Snowpoint for his official battle, or Canalave, even, all things considered, but he was really set on fighting Fantina and felt a little lost. Maybe check up on everyone? Floaroma didn't sound too bad, considering the season. Oh, and he probably ought to check up on the Lucario Kingdom. Hey, he could stop by on his way north.

Canalave did seem to be a lot closer though…

After about an hour of half-dreamt thought, the others stirred awake one at a time, barely moving. Jet lag can take a lot out of you, he guessed. He finally noticed the sticky note taped to his forehead. Feeling like an idiot, he reached up with his unobstructed hand and plucked it off.

'Good morning! Thanks for letting me hang, it was a lot of fun. I'm heading back to Snowpoint, got some business to take care of. Good luck with Byron! Well, I'm guessing he's who you're going for, since Snowpoint's pretty far, Fantina's not back yet, and Sunyshore's still dealing with that blackout. Later! -Candice 3'

He looked at the note, barely flinched, and put it back down on his head before nodding to nothing in particular.

Whoever's running the show must really like keeping the team balanced… What is it about the Pokemon world and the number six?

Johanna looked over her kids while leaning on the kitchen counter and sipping her coffee.

The six of them unanimously decided that heading back to work immediately wouldn't be good for their health, and that they should spend the day relaxing.
Naturally, in their extensive maturity, they built a massive pillow fort in the living room, moving blankets out of storage and into use.

Barry held up a flashlight, only illuminating his face under the low blanketed roof. It was a little after noon by then.

"It's time for… Barry's! Believe it… or don't!"

Hilbert leaned back against the couch, throwing an arm on the cushion. Deciding to humor the boy, he asked, "What have you got for us, Barry?"

A crooked grin snuck onto the blond's face. "I'm glad you asked, Hilby. Our terrifying story begins in the Kanto region, in a dark and dusky town called Lavender. It's a place where people bury their Pokemon when they grow too old, and is said to be haunted by spirits of all kinds."

"There's only Gastly in Kanto, though…"

"Not important, Lucas! Anyway, one day… spooooooky music started playing in the town. At first, it was quiet, and only the Pokemon could hear it, but slowly, day by day, people started hearing it. But only the children, see. They started disappearing from the town. The adults looked as much as they could, but didn't find anything… Until one day…" Barry leaned forward, trying his best to force tension. "The adults found out that they all jumped off the Pokemon Tower!"

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Cool, right?"

"Lame."

Barry demonstrated immense flexibility by falling forward and smacking his face straight into the rug.

"I mean, we've all heard that before, man. Except maybe Cheryl, country bumpkin."

"You're correct, but that's uncalled for," she muttered.

Hilbert continued, "And I know that's based on something that supposedly happened, but like, there's never been any proof. Some idiot will bring it up on the GTS, ask 'Why is no one talking about this?', and then get two-hundred other idiots in the comments calling them an idiot. That's just basic science," he finished, shrugging his free shoulder.

"It's supposed to be scary, not realistic! That's like saying Christmas isn't real because you can't prove the Pokemon pulling his sleigh can fly!"

Hilbert raised his eyebrow, "Since when can you use logic?"

"Lucas doesn't believe in Santa Claus."

Lucas shook his head, pinching his nose, "Barry, it's your parents leaving the boxes under the tree; We saw them do it last year!"

"That's just because Santa was in a hurry and had to leave them somewhere else!"

"How did we get here?" Dawn asked, watching the two throttle each other over the existence of Santa Claus.

"Let them have their fun."

After some chocolate milk and some lame spooky stories, they settled in for the rest of the night, telling the dumbest stories and jokes they could think of, all coming together as a wholesome group bonding experience.

"Ah, greetings!" Rowan swiveled towards them with surprising speed as they entered his labs, "Great to see you all back."

"How's your summer been, old man?" He dodged a smack from Dawn, ducking her arm.

"I've gotten much of my work done, including your project," he replied, reaching for a drawer. He withdrew a crystalline drill on a chain.

Lucas looked at him in horror. "You didn't!"

"I did." Hilbert took the drill, nodding, and reaching for the Key Stone in his bag. He unscrewed the black handle of the drill and slipped the Key Stone in, and replaced the cover. He held it up to the ceiling light, watching it filter through the golden glass and colorful bluish stone. "I've got myself the key to Mega Evolution! It's time to kick some ass!"

Abra had the good grace to Teleport them to Jubilife after their meeting, and they quickly encountered a wild Looker.

"Black," he nodded to Hilbert, "How did your business go?"

Hilbert flashed a thumbs-up, "The birds are all good, back in Johto. They let me hold onto their Pokeballs though."

"Sounds fascinating. We were getting calls about the sighting in Unova, I'm assuming that was you."

"Interpol gets involved with stuff as small as that?"

"No, definitely not. We're too busy to deal with every Trainer that catches a Legendary, considering how many there are. It comes down to people thinking we're only one step up from normal police."

"Must get annoying."

"You wouldn't believe how many calls we've gotten about Skitty in trees."

They stopped by Oreburgh, to see if Roark had any cool rocks for them.

"You mean Mega Stones?"

"No, I mean cool rocks."

When they asked him in the gym, Roark stopped in thought, sitting on his throne.

"I don't know… We find plenty of them in the mines, but they're pretty valuable. Cynthia's got a Garchomp herself, and after she started using Mega Evolution, a lot more people started looking for them."

"I wish Garchomp and Tyranitar still had their stones, the studio took them before the police confiscated them."

Roark shrugged, "What can you do?"

"Buy some new ones, what've you got for me?"

"I've got a Roseradite that Gardenia didn't need, a Kangaskhanite and a few Steelixites. You've got any of those?"

"Damn… Wait, Lucas, you've got a Roserade, right? And Cheryl, you caught a Kangaskhan in the Great Marsh back in May, didn't you?"

They both nodded, and Hilbert turned back to Roark, eyebrow raised.

"...Yeah, go ahead."

"Hell yeah!"

Dawn was the first to hop off Golurk and run over to the McKonelly house in Floaroma Town. It was by her demand that they stop by on the way to the Lucario Kingdom.

A black-haired little girl answered the door, who then shot into Dawn's arms in a flying hug.

"Big sis!"

"Whoa, hey, Annette! How've you been?" She patted the little girl's back, laughing.

"I missed you!"

"Well, I've been traveling like a grown-up…"

"But why'd you have to travel with boys?" She made a face at them over Dawn's shoulder.

"They'd get in a lot of trouble without someone to straighten them out."

"..."

"I said-"

"Don't act like we're going to deny it, you're right."

Annette invited the girls to a tea party, and as confident in their masculinity as they were, the boys still chose to abstain and go do something else.

On a hillside next to a creek, Hilbert laid with his head towards the water and looked at the cloudy sky.

"That one looks like you, Lucario," he said, pointing up at a short humanoid cloud.

The Fighting-type was similarly oriented a few feet away, with the three boys spreading out and letting out their Pokemon for a break. Abra and Shaymin stuck around, sleeping while Golurk stood guard, and Tyranitar went off into the woods with Garchomp for something he was sure he didn't want to know about. Honedge was lying on its side, soaking in the sunlight, and Whirlipede was doing the same with a singular sunglass.

"Does not. It looks like Abra."

"I do still know Psychic."

"Whatever, pipsqueak."

"I care little for height when I can invert yours."

"Lucario, since when do you get to call other people short?"

"Shut up! I'm a few feet taller now!"

"Four isn't much to brag about."

"That's what she said."

"Who said that? Dawn?"

"...My wit is wasted on you idiots."

Lucas was doing something similar, laying on the grass, but without the blood rushing to his head. "Hilbert, isn't it weird to call your Pokemon people? I mean, everyone's friends, but… there is a difference."

Hilbert did an upside-down shrug. "Well, yeah, but the way I see it, every Pokemon is different. You know how we still eat fish?"

"But that's alright, because their bones get returned to the water."

"Exactly, now, I dunno exactly how smart they are, but I imagine they aren't on the same level as land Pokemon. You wouldn't compare a Roserade to a Goldeen, even though Roserade's a plant and Goldeen's a fish."

"I guess not. Most scientists can't tell, because you can train every Pokemon, theoretically. What would happen if you tried talking to a Goldeen?"

"Dunno. It'd probably be like walking into a SpEd class at trainer school."

"Are you allowed to make that analogy? I don't think it's politically correct."

"Eh, it's 2009, we'll be fine until someone on the GTS digs it up in a decade. My point is, every Pokemon is different, and I'll treat them like people until proven otherwise."

There was an odd factory on the outskirts, Fuego Ironworks. Abandoned and filled to the brim with Magnemite. Oddly, Dawn caught one.

"That doesn't really fit your theme," he couldn't help but remark.

"I want a Magnezone," she said, shrugging, "They can do some interesting things in contests."

"Can't fault that logic."

They needed Lucario to give them directions back to the Lucario Kingdom, as it was hidden from prying eyes by… not magic, but something the Lucario did to stay isolated.

Ugh, try saying that five times fast.

"Your left. No, no, your other left. No! You know what? Golurk, let me in there, I'll drive."

Hilbert, about to chime in that it probably wouldn't work, until a hole opened in Golurk's back mid-flight and Lucario dissolved inside. Looking at Dawn and shrugging, he hopped in too, bringing Shaymin with him.

It was as disorienting of an experience as he'd remembered.

"I must say, this is rather crowded," he heard Golurk echo. Shaymin and Lucario were floating around in the void somewhere, though he couldn't quite tell where.

"So that's what this is like," Lucario murmured in their thoughts. "Weird."

"Again, we're not dead," he reminded them, not wanting to explain it again, "Golurk, let Lucario take control."

"Nobody enjoys having a backseat driver…"

After Lucario got used to flying with some assistance from Golurk, and flying over the ninety-degree cliffs, they arrived at the plateau of the Lucario Kingdom.

Lucario was the first to leave, jumping out and over before she could hit the ground, to greet the Lucario. Hilbert slid out of Golurk's arm while he crouched, landing on his knees and replacing Shaymin on his shoulder.

He waved at the few dozen Lucario, who clearly weren't used to visitors from the air. "So," he led, "Would you guys happen to have a stock of weird rocks anywhere?"

Lucario split off from the group for some business she had with the council.

She walked through the massive archway, surprised by how small it seemed since she evolved. The five elders sat at their table as always, watching her approach.

She kneeled, again disoriented by how different it felt.

"I will continue my journey, but I felt that visiting could do little harm, elders." She spoke in a proper manner, very unlike her, because she believed respect was proper when in the presence of superiors.

That would say a lot about her relationships with everyone outside the kingdom.

"Stand, young one."

She did, as White Claw continued speaking.

"I see you have evolved. I take it that you expect to receive your name?"

Her breathing paused. Names were only bestowed after evolution, a rite of passage, and often chosen with the valor of the Lucario in mind.

"I would be honored, master."

"I am no longer your master, young one. When a Lucario begins their journey, the world becomes their master, do you understand?"

She nodded, letting the wisdom soak into her bones.

"What are your greatest accomplishments?"

"Humility is a virtue, elder."

The old Lucario barked out a laugh, quite literally, "That is true, that is true. I will ask this way, what are your feats of battle?"

"I… successfully utilized one of your techniques and took victory for my allies, later evolved after comforting an ally after a humiliating loss, and defeated a Mega-Lucario in single combat."

"What is a Mega-Lucario?" White Claw asked.

"The humans have discovered special stones in the past few years that increase the capabilities of Pokemon through a temporary process called Mega Evolution. In a battle, I defeated one of these Pokemon."

"I see… I believe it would be pertinent to commune with the young humans on this matter. Where are they currently?"

"I believe they are visiting the mines in search of Mega Stones."

Hilbert kneeled down to get a better look at the vault filled with crystalline spheres.

"Alright… Geode Surge, was it? How did the Lucario Kingdom come across so many of these stones?"

The middle-aged Lucario (At least in relative years) tilted their head in thought. "When the Kingdom was first settled, centuries ago, the Old Ones felt an energy within this mountain, which is why they settled here. I've been mining as long as I can remember, and we find one of these stones every month or so. They have odd aura, but the elders describe it as incomplete. I can see it, of course, but I don't know what they're seeing that I don't."

"Interesting… I thought it was just a trick of the light, but I guess Mega Stones would have it too." He picked up a marble and blinked, watching it filter through his eyes anyway. "Porygon, show me a list of discovered Mega Stones."

From there it was a sorting game. There were fewer Key Stones than he expected, and Geode Surge told him they were only found once a year. Most of them were amber, with swirls of red and blue within. Porygon quickly found that they were Lucarionite, and he set them within a box for safe-keeping.

That box was quickly overfilled, as there were more stones than there were Lucario within the Kingdom. His mind was spinning with how cool it would be to storm Team Galactic's base with an army of Lucario, but he quickly acknowledged how unlikely that was.

Oh, you poor fool.

He went through some scattered stones, a few being Key Stones, but most being kinds Porygon couldn't recognize. He figured those stones just weren't common enough to be in any database.

"Okay, Geode Surge, does the Lucario Kingdom have a military of any kind?"

They shook their head, "Not in the way you humans organize. Every Lucario is ready for battle and trained in the basic uses of their abilities, though not all fight regularly."

"That makes sense," he thought.

"I'm thinking that you should distribute these, one to every Lucario. They enable Mega Evolution."

"Mega… Evolution?"

"This could take a while. Okay, so- You know what? I'll talk with the council, I think they'd like to hear about it."

They met somewhere in the middle, his Lucario retrieving him to talk to the council. Everyone else was doing the same as they did on their first visit, Lucas sparring with his Fire Lance while everyone else explored or worked with their Pokemon.

"Elders," he greeted simply, "Or, great masters of the Lucario Kingdom, order of the-"

His Lucario hit him with a light Aura Sphere, knocking him over.

"Just joking!"

"The aura is strong with this one," one of the elders hummed.

"Oh, so this really is a Jedi Temple?"

"Pay some respect!"

"Yeah, yeah, back to the topic; You have a lot of Mega Stones in the kingdom's vault."

"The young one has informed us of the effects of these stones. Are you sure human interaction is necessary?"

Hilbert actually felt embarrassed at the question. "Yeah, see… Probably? I mean, we're the ones researching it, there's a bias there but I'm not sure what the name for it is. I mean, because humans and Pokemon are different on a biological level, it's probably just coincidence that we can and you can't."

"I see. And what is the trigger?"

"As far as I know, trust and-or friendship. I mean, it's usually that, and I don't know if it's emotion or not, but you really can't measure that kind of thing…"

"It's still a mystery, is what you're saying, young one."

"Yeah. Oh, before I leave, I put all of the Lucario Mega Stones in a box for you all to use."

"What use would we have?"

"Call it a… precaution. Just in case."

Hilbert tossed an anklet with an embedded Lucarionite over to his Lucario. "Geode Surge had a spare item holder, so I used it. Happy birthday."

"It's not my birthday…"

"Joking, obviously."

White Claw coughed before their argument could get going. "Regardless, we are thankful for this information. I am glad to see both of my students doing well."

Hilbert felt a deep sense of gratitude tugging in his chest. "You too."

"I think it is time you receive your name." He looked over the two aura users. "Hilbert is an odd name for a Lucario. I believe a change is in order. Besides what you have done for us, what are your greatest feats?"

"I get to be a Lucario? That's hella. Uh… I punched a Zapdos in the face at some point, I think. Might have that wrong. Oh, also a few Drapion. And a few Galactic grunts, but that's nothing crazy… I solve a lot of problems with aura, now that I think about it. Also, I learned how to merge into Golurk. A few others have done it too, but that's more him than me."

"Interesting. Zapdos, you say?"

"I was out of the region for the last few weeks."

"Interesting. Your aura burns like the sun, young man. It's wild and temperamental, and it isn't consistent. It's flared up and dissipated multiple times during this conversation. It isn't only your life force, it's something else."

"Man, I feel so special," he droned sarcastically, acknowledging how Lucas's protagonist theory was growing more accurate.

"You bring the world into orbit around you. You blaze the way and carve your way through the world."

"Pretty in-depth for just energy."

"When you get to my age, you can sense more about a being than what you can see. You force the world to follow your Truth through your belief in your Ideals."

"Your name, young man, shall be…"

The Lucario Kingdom, being in the mountains, was home to a hot spring. You thought Team Black was done with tropey bullshit? Think again!

Luckily, being an order parallel to monks, the baths were separated by gender, and the three boys slowly walked in as to not surprise the Lucario already inside. It was sparsely populated, but only when compared to the massive size of the cave. It could easily fit all of their Pokemon a few times over. Well, the male ones at least, even if the concept of nudity didn't really exist to Pokemon. It was the principle of the thing.

Barry did a cannonball into the water, splashing them, because he was such a mature young man. They had towels on, and luckily Barry snatched his back before it could float away.

"Are we just going to relax for the entire chapter?" Lucas asked, sliding into the water

"I mean, I can't imagine there's going to be any fighting while we're here. And what do you mean 'chapter'?"

"I… don't know, I forgot."

Chapter Text

What if we ruined

It all

And we loved like fools?

And all we have

We lose?

I don't want you to go

But I want you so

So tell me

What we choose.

-"Fools" by Lauren Aquilina.

A Mid-Sinnoh Night's Dream - XIX - Cannonballs On A Sailing Ship

From the plateau, they could barely make out the northern tip of Sinnoh through the clouds. It definitely wasn't the highest point in the region, because the peak of Mt. Coronet reached further into the sky, but they could still get a decent view.

And so, through the mines, they entered a secret tunnel that led into the caves. The snowstorm was starting to pick up outside, and they were forced indoors. Everything that flew was weak to the icy winds.

Infernape's fire was enough to light the dim rocky path as they trudged through. It was humid inside, far below room temperature, and water dripped from the stalactites like rain.

Nothing much of interest happened, though when they passed by a massive underground pond, Dawn got that odd gleam in her eyes.

"We're stopping."

"Why? This is an odd place for a beach episode."

"Shut up, Hilby. I've heard you can find Feebas here, so we're taking a break. And when I say 'find', I mean, it can't be found anywhere else, and it's still rare here."

"Guess we're settling in," he nodded, resigned to set up camp.

They later found that when it got right down to the wire, Dawn had immense patience.

As in, fishing in the same square meter for an hour.

To emphasize that properly, it was going to take a week at that rate, just to get through the entire body of water.

While Hilbert set up the tents, he started talking with Lucario.

"So, what name did the council give you?" He asked, hammering a stake into a loop.

"My name is All Star among u- Lucario."

He broke down into giggles. Very manly giggles.

"What are you laughing at?

"So, who told you the world was gonna roll you?"

"What?"

"Yeah, you aren't the sharpest tool in the shed."

"Are you disrespecting me? You wanna die?"

"Nevermind, you don't get it. How should I refer to you…?"

"Lucario will be fine in most situations, you can call me that whenever we're dealing with other Lucario."

"Got it. I'll keep that in mind, All Star- Pfft."

"Huh? What was that? You wanna get your skull caved in? Huh?"

They sat at the riverbank, watching Dawn return to the water on Marley's Sharpedo, the fourth day she'd done so. Even Lucas was letting his boredom show, with nothing to do in the caves but train and watch the water. They had some board games in their bags, sure, but it wasn't enough to, heh, tide them.

She had one leg over another, tapping her foot against Sharpedo's lower jaw while holding her fishing pole.

"Are you sure you don't want help?"

"No, no, it's fine. With your luck, you'd find a herd of Milotic as soon as you touched the water, and I want to earn my catches."

"I can't tell if that's a diss or not."

"That says more about you than it does about me," she replied lamely, clearly bored out of her mind.

The water rippled, tugging slightly harder than the many Magikarp that came before. Surprised, she nearly dropped her rod, before being pulled off Sharpedo and into the water.

The shark-like Pokemon bit the back of her collar and quickly tugged her back to shore, intuiting that the yelling teenagers on the shore wanted their help.

Cheryl pulled a soaking wet and shivering Dawn out of the water minutes later. She was limply holding onto her rod that had a Feebas at the end of its line.

With cold hands, she shakily caught the Water-type before sneezing.

"That's a… I need a pun for this… Hilby?" She asked, hugging her jacket

"I'd say you couldn't take the heat, but that water sure did."

"Lame as," she sneezed, "Always."

He put the back of his hand on her forehead, brushing away the hair stuck to her skin. "Don't tell me, hypothermia? Shaymin, help me out."

Shaymin used Heal Pulse, to no effect.

"Chansey, please use Soft-Boiled," Cheryl said to her partner who was standing next to her.

The pink Pokemon nodded, and it took an egg in its hands, heating it until it glowed, and placed it in Dawn's frozen grasp.

This also had no effect.

"What the… Porygon, any idea what's going on?"

"Hm… Your friend is showing signs of hypothermia, as you guessed. This is similar to the freezing ailment that can afflict most Pokemon!"

"Yeah, that makes sense… Ah, hell, I haven't bought any of those healing items."

"Just as well, most aren't designed to treat humans! You can find the best treatment for hypothermia in Snowpoint City, as many travelers there are afflicted on their journey."

"Why not Hearthome? Abra."

Nothing.

"Abra?"

Not a peep.

"Damn it, he's actually asleep… How do we take care of her?" It was obvious from Abra's psychopathic tendencies that waking him up would not be a good idea.
"Give warming drinks, avoid rubbing the skin, preserve body heat…"

He rubbed his chin, thinking. He carefully placed a hand on her shoulder, channeling his aura across her body. She began glowing slightly, a faint fuzzy orange coating her skin. Dawn shivered, exhaling a sigh of relief.

"Right, that should work. I'm using my aura to heat up the air around her. How long will this take?"

"Most doctors suggest waiting until the patient's body is back up to normal temperature!"
"...And that will take how long?"

"A few hours."

"Yeah, no, I'm not waiting that long." He slipped one arm under Dawn's knees and moved his other to the opposite shoulder, hefting her up. "It's too cold in here, I'm taking her ahead to Snowpoint."

"Hibert, are you sure that's a good idea?" Lucas asked. "Even with your force powers, getting caught in the snow wouldn't be good."

"I'll manage. And hey, I just taught myself Fire Punch, I'll be fine."

"...You did, didn't you? Son of a-"

He ran with his aura shield surrounding him and Dawn, sure to keep an eye on the heat field he put up. When a Geodude got in his way, he'd swing and kick it into the wall before continuing to the exit.
There was a massive blizzard outside, just as snowy as the news reports predicted.

"Damn."

Regardless, he took a step onto the snow, not letting anything like pressure and gravity keep him down, and walked on top of it. After making sure it was stable, he took off in a sprint.

For any normal person, the route would need to be traversed via rope bridges, given the slippery inclines and mountainous outcroppings.

Hilbert, as you might guess, was not a normal person, and jumped from rock to rock ,leaving small craters in his wake. He did his best not to jostle Dawn, but it was inevitable when he leapt dozens of feet with each step.

The snow was deeper and deeper as he continued, not that he noticed, and soon he was standing level with treetops as he ran. He saw a small house standing out against the mountainside and slowed to look closer. The windows looked tightly shut enough, and there was a note on the door.

'I'm not crazy enough to stay and get stuck here in a blizzard. Door's unlocked, please leave everything you used in a separate bin upon your departure. Firewood is stacked inside, warm yourselves up if you need to. -Hiker Nob.'

Looking around to see if it was a prank, he nudged the door open and rushed inside, slamming the door shut behind him to keep the cool air out.

The lodge was the sort of humid that indicated abandonment. It looked as if it hadn't been visited in days. Used coals lay in a fire pit at the center of the room, and basic amenities were spread through the room. A bed, piles upon piles of blankets, and a table.

Hilbert lightly placed Dawn down close to the pit and set to work. After placing a decent stack of wood on the coals, he snapped his fingers until the faint glow of a blaze appeared, and grabbed an extra log. When it caught fire, he placed it under the other wood and watched smoke begin to rise.

"...Hilby, I'm cold…"

"I know, I know…" Her voice had slowed, almost like she was unable to gather the warmth in her voice. He threw his wet jacket in the corner and grabbed the pile of blankets. He set them next to Dawn, before beginning to take off her clothes.

It wasn't sexy, or fun, or erotic, or whatever you degenerates think it was, he just knew that damp clothing could only hurt her more, and that's what mattered. He did stop at her underwear though, quickly wrapping her in a thick red quilt and moving her closer to the fire.

He sat next to her, keeping a hand on her shoulder and watching the flames flicker while her face slowly turned from bitter pain to a mild discomfort.

Hours passed like that, a peacefulness fading from the windows as snowflakes fell against it in the bitter wind, and day faded away to night. A few liters of water had been boiled and 'cooled' for drinking. She'd been long asleep, but he soon found himself drifting off as well.

He woke up in the middle of the night with Dawn looking over him, as he noticed a distinct freeze on his skin that he didn't before. He also felt sick, which was new.

"Idiot…" She was still wrapped up in blankets, having dragged herself over to him. "You didn't bother drying your own clothes?"

He realized his undershirt and pants were soaked as well, and he'd been sitting too far away from the fire to do any good.

"Oh… Yeah," he turned his head as he pulled his shirt over his head and laid it out to dry. He was about to do the same of his pants, but felt a sudden pang of awareness, and glanced back at Dawn.

"Unless you've been going commando, it's fine. Besides, you saw mine, it's fair."

"I didn't-" he coughed, cutting himself off.
"I can feel the blankets, and I'm not blind, y'know."

"I mean, it's not like I was looking, I was just-"

"You're a teenage boy, don't give me that crap."

"I was more focused on keeping you from freezing to death, sorry!"

There was a brief silence.

"Just… turn around for a minute."

She did, and he grabbed his bag before switching clothes and glowing bright red.

"I don't… I don't have anything dry for you, I'm sorry."

"I'd be concerned if you did."

He actually snorted at that, pulling a blue blanket around himself and giving her the all-clear. Yep, even when completely randomized, they stuck to their color palettes. Go figure.

"You know, we probably need to conserve body heat," she said, wiggling back over to the fire, perpendicular to his legs. They were both swaddled up to their heads in blankets, laying sideways and looking into the fire.

"What kind of books have you been reading?"

"I had a life before we met, you know."

"And?"

"I read the Twilight books."

"Pfft."

"Yeah, I know, they were bad, but I was like, twelve? The guy's a psychopath stalker, but they were good the first time around."

"I feel like someone just needed a lazy 'Take That!' and used the easiest target to hate on teenage girls."

"What the hell are you talking about?"
"Dunno. Anyway, we'll be fine until we run out of firewood. We'll probably outlast this blizzard," he said, glancing at the pile of logs. "The 'only one bed' scenario won't come into play unless we run out."

"I don't know, the floor is getting pretty uncomfortable…"

"Arceus-damn. What? Who wrote this shit? That swear makes no sense!"

Shaymin grew more logs from the stockpile, having the power to do that kind of thing, and the lodge started feeling a lot more cozy from the warmth.

"You're going to get back problems if you sleep on the floor," Dawn told him, while he was still facing away from the bed and towards the fire. He'd moved her blanket burrito because she needed the rest more than he did, "And really, this bed is big enough for both of us."

He nodded, before slowly standing up and wrapping the blankets tighter around himself. He walked over and slid under the massive quilt covering the mattress, facing away from her back. He tapped Dawn's foot with his heel.

"Ah! Your feet are cold…"

He did it again, catching her in a leg lock.

"Are you trying to give me hypothermia again?" She yelled, muffled by blankets.

He laughed at her, stuffing his face into the pillow to keep quiet.

She suddenly tugged the blanket over to her side, leaving him partially exposed to the air.

"Turnabout is fair play," she told him. He could hear the smirk on her face.

In turn, he rubbed his hands together and coated them in cold air before maneuvering through the blankets and pressing them to Dawn's back.

"AH!" She turned, moving to slap him, but only ended up throwing the blankets over both of them.

Hilbert opened his eyes to see Dawn through the dim underside of the blanket.

"My eyes are up here."

"I wasn't-"

"Yeah, right."

They both abruptly noticed that she'd rolled into his outstretched arms and had one hand around his neck.

"So, uh… you come here often?" He joked, dealing with his embarrassment with a crooked grin.

"Shut up…" She muttered, looking away as she pulled herself closer.

"Hey, um, what are you-"

"We need to conserve body heat, remember? That's it. That's the… only reason."

"Ah, right. That's true."

She muttered something about him being an idiot, even as her face was only a few inches away.

Shaymin, sitting on the floor with a bored expression on their face, chose to return themself to their Pokeball instead of sticking around with the embarrassing interplay.

There was a long silence, as they really were trying to get some sleep, and the fire began dying down. Neither of them started to throw on more logs.

The air remained warm, but unknowingly, they slowly moved without to keep themselves warm. Eventually, their arms had wrapped around each other, both none the wiser as their noses nearly touched. As time ticked away, total darkness fell in the lodge.

"Hilby."

"Huh?"

"Are you awake?"

"Clearly."

She kicked him in the shin through the sheets.

"I was already awake!" He hurriedly whispered, hissing.

"Just making sure," she murmured. "Have… have you changed your mind?"

"About…?"

"You know…"

"..."

"...Why can't I just say it. I like you, you idiot!"

He froze.

"I've been thinking about what you said. You're afraid of hurting people you care about, aren't you?"

"I… don't want people to get hurt."

"You can't love people without being vulnerable, Hilby. Not even your friends."

"I can't hurt someone because I don't understand them, Dawn, I can't let that happen."

"You can't ever completely understand someone, and you don't need to, alright? You just do your best."

"...I'm worried. I can't be sure if 'my best' is good enough for you. You deserve better than me, Dawn, you deserve someone that knows what they're doing."

"How can you do everything that you've done and still doubt yourself? This is what you're going to be afraid of?"

"I've never been that confident, you know that. It's a facade, and that's what works. Lucas is our smart guy, I'm the muscle, Barry's the backup, you're the heart, Cheryl's the healer, Marley's the calvary. That's our system, and it works just fine the way it is."

"Are you afraid of change?"

"Honestly? Yeah. Who wouldn't be? Team Galactic's thing is that they want to change things. That's not exactly why I fight them, they're just assholes, but you see the point."

"Oh, come on!" She threw the blanket off of them, sitting up and kneeling over him.
"What?" He sat up, surprised by the girl to his side.

"Don't give me that! You're the badass leader of Team Black, aren't you?"

"Pretty sure."

"Pretty sure? Pretty sure?" She angrily waved her hands around. "You do the impossible, see the invisible, you make every chance one-hundred percent! Agh! You're better than that! You keep people from getting hurt no matter what, right? Then why are you hesitating? You'll save everyone in the end, even if a wall stands in your way, or even a million! Don't hesitate, take your future with your own two hands! Isn't that what you would tell someone else?"

"...Yeah."

"Is that really all you have to say?"

It was, as he hesitantly wrapped his arms around her in a hug.

The other four members of Team Black had decided to go on ahead to Snowpoint, as the next morning brought no more snow from the sky. They were able to get into the air, but couldn't fly very high. The snow was piled higher than the trees in some places, and impalement wasn't a risk they were going to take.

As they passed a lodge, Cheryl stopped them, sensing the Hilbert likely would have stopped there as well. And if he hadn't, well, they could probably still use directions.

Somewhere, in a distant mental landscape, Marley was crying about her lack of screentime.

Nonetheless, as Barry hammered on the door, there was enough silence that it seemed safe to enter.

It was not.

Hilbert was awoken, tangled up in blankets and Dawn's limbs, and jumped at the sudden brightness.

Barry slammed the door again, shielding the rest of the team from the sight.

"...Barry?"

Wiping his nose in hopes of hiding the awestruck look on his face, the blond turned, keeping his back to the door. "Yeah?"

While Barry made up reasons for them not to look inside, Hilbert shook Dawn awake and held a finger to her lips. She nodded and moved to get out of bed. He rushed in the opposite direction, pulling on his pants.

Marley, fulfilling the prophecy, simply asked Arcanine to melt the snow around the windows and peeked inside. "...It's dark, but…"

Hilbert opened the door, interrupting the quiet girl, with Dawn behind him while he noticeably gave Barry a death glare. Both were fully clothed at that point.

"If you say anything, I'll let Abra experiment. On you."

Even if his thoughts didn't travel, his intentions sure did, and Barry stepped back and clamped his jaw shut.

"There's a fire pit inside, we got snowed in. Dawn got better."

"Oh, that's good!" Cheryl grabbed her in a hug, "I was really worried when Chansey couldn't do anything!"

"Yeah…"

"Anyway! We can probably fly the rest of the way to Snowpoint, right?" Hilbert asked, looking at the cloudless sky and trying to keep them from asking any awkward questions. "Blizzard's cleared up."

Lucas nodded, "I've caught the Pokemon I wanted to, that sounds good."

Hilbert and Dawn took up their usual perch on Golurk, noticeably (even to Barry) closer as they approached.

"...There was only one bed inside that house…" Marley said, covering her face.

Barry was uncharacteristically stone-faced, keeping the threat of Abra in mind.

Lucas eyed him suspiciously. "Why are you acting like that? You've been weird all morning, since you disappeared last night."

"Wha? Well, I was… going to the bathroom, yeah! Regice? What's that?"

"..."

"I mean, uh, hahaha! Man, for real? Like, what? It's cool, don't worry about it!"

"...You're incomprehensible."

Snowpoint was a bright, sunny, natural wonderland.

Yeah, right.

Forested and covered in ice, houses red-roofed and vaguely European, it was as close to a snow globe as you could get without a few earthquakes. A temple loomed over the rest of the town, as white as the clouds above.

At least they could walk properly.
They checked in with the local clinic, and Dawn was alright, though she took some medicine just in case, and they began carrying a few thermoses of cocoa just in case. That Hilbert volunteered to carry them wasn't lost on the other four.

They had a secret midnight rendezvous to discuss this new information, after they'd gotten settled at the hotel. Snowpoint was a port, after all, of course it would have one. They'd met up in a small 24-hour cafe, and had identical Gendo poses. Well, not quite, but they held the same sentiment.

"Something is going on with those two. As co-leader, it's my responsibility to discern the actions of the leader for the good of the team."

"You're just curious too, man, don't lie."

"Fine, fine," Lucas took a sip of his steaming drink, "But to ensure the team's wellbeing, we need to make sure everything goes smoothly."

"...Is Hilbert the vampire, or is Dawn? It matters…"

"Neither, Marley, this isn't Twilight or Dracula- Wait, holy shit! Is that why you dress like that?" Barry shot up, nearly spilling his hot chocolate.

"No!" She said, seriously, like it was a matter of life and death.

"My lovaaa, I must take you avayyy!" Barry made a mockery of a vampiric accent. His voice became much higher pitched, eyes sparkling, "Oh, no, we can't! My family would never give us their blessing!" His voice dropped again, "I don't care vat they think, kiss me!" It rose, "Oh…!"

"Stop that!" She cried, clearly embarrassed, and breaking her composure.

"Anyway, if Barry would stop being an idiot, we need to get back on topic."

Cheryl asked, "Which is?"

"Coming up with a couple-name." Ignoring Barry's snickering, he continued, "A code-name, if you will. So we can discuss it around them."
"Black-Dawn?"

"No, Barry, that's too obvious. Don't be an idiot."

"But that's my only personality trait!"

"That's the author's problem, not mine. Cheryl, do you have anything?"

"Dusk? Because a black dawn is like the moon rising."

"Too short, sounds like a protagonist's name. But if we can't come up with anything better, that's good."

"...Do you think they… you know…"

Barry mimicked Dawn's voice, just to say, "Oh, suck my blood, Hilby!"

The blush stood out clearly against her pale face. "No!"

Lucas shook his head. "I don't get how you stay cool in a fight but Barry being stupid is what gets you."

"...Please, make him stop…"

Barry added a bit of bravado and depth to his voice. "Of course, Dawn, my love, I will take what I want!"

"Stop it!"

Chapter Text

Candice sat on her throne, drinking warm tea is a posture some would consider in opposition with what was expected of a Gym Leader.

"What's the best way I can mess with those guys when they get here?"

A stern boy with purple hair entered the gym, glaring at everything as if it was beneath him.

"Gym Leader! I demand a battle!"

She looked over, annoyed.

"You know what? I was having a perfectly good time by myself until you walked in. Fine, fine. I guess I have time for rude people too."

A Mid-Sinnoh Night's Dream - XX - The New Normal

Hilbert noticed the rest of the group walking a slight distance behind him and Dawn as they headed to the gym. "Why are you guys hanging back?"

"Oh, no reason," Lucas shrugged.

"...Alright."

Cheryl whispered to Lucas, "They aren't holding hands."

"I can see that. It's because we're following them," he whispered back, before raising his voice. "Oh, you know what, I think I'll stop by the Pokemon Center again, just in case."

Hilbert looked back at him weirdly. "...We just left."

"Be prepared, Boy Scout motto and all that. Come on, Barry."

Cheryl got the idea, grabbed Marley's arm, and brought her with them, leaving the two to get to the gym on their own.

Of course, they weren't actually going to the Pokemon Center. Rather, they ran behind the nearest corner and started following the pair at a distance, on the watch for anything confirming their theory.

Sure enough, after a tense (from their perspective) few minutes, Hilbert grabbed her hand and flushed slightly pink.

"ALR-" Barry's mouth had multiple hands slapped over it before he could get to yelling. Hilbert looked around, but shrugged it off and continued on his way.

"Why would they hide it?" Cheryl wondered aloud.

"Maybe he's doing that 'No hugging, no kissing' thing some team leaders do on TV. To set the example, I guess."

"He does seem like the type."

"I mean, he's always copying stuff from one show or another."

They caught up to Hilbert and Dawn at the temple's entrance, where they would fight their Gym Battle. Hilbert quickly let go of Dawn's hand, and the others pretended not to notice.

"Did you guys run back here?"

"Uh… yeah!" Barry slapped him on the back and pushed him inside.

The temple was just as icy as the flora outside, reflecting light through countless sheets like they were glass. The floor shined like water, but it was nearly dry to the touch.

"Challengers, hello!" Candice yelled, sliding down a ramp of ice, and coming to a stop in front of them, "Welcome to the Snowpoint Gym! It's also a temple to Regigigas, not that they're ever around!"

Hilbert raised a finger, his expression slipping off into thought. "Before we get started, what's the policy on Earthquakes?"

"I was just about to get to that!" She said cheerily, stampeding on through the interruption. "This temple is really old, like super old! The ice hasn't melted in a thousand years, so good luck trying to break it or dig through it!"

"Okay… but my whole thing is breaking through walls."

"I'm sure it'll be fine! ...But just in case, you're going last!"

"Oh, son of a- Fine, fine, that's fair."

Barry cricked his neck as he walked towards the widest area of the temple. There wasn't dedicated seating for the arena, but they stood close enough to get a look, Abra already setting up a shield for them.

"You might remember, but since you're in the second half of the Gym Challenge, the rules have changed!"

"Uh… I forgot."

"No problem! Instead of the typical three-on-three, it'll be an endurance match. Four-on-four, to the last Pokemon standing."

"Alright! Come on, Prinplup!" Barry jumped around, sending out his partner.

The penguin-like Pokemon appeared, clearly satisfied by the familiar surroundings, and its home-court advantage.

"A Water-type, I see…" Candice tapped her temple, "I expected you to use a Fighting-type or Fire-type, but that doesn't matter! Sneasel!"

The Dark-type was a snappy sort, clearly not averse to fighting dirty, and already assuming the combat stance.

"Prinplup, Withdraw and stay away!"

Prinplup jumped back, skittering slightly on the ice and curling his limbs. It raised its arms in defense before Sneasel could get off a good Slash.

"Keep going, girl! Take 'em down!"

"Girl? Prinplup, Attract!"

The Water-type stopped, a distance away from the Sneasel, before taking up a pose. It pointed one flipper at its opponent, raising the other to its head, almost as if tipping a hat. There was a purple aura around it, and Hilbert swore he could see symbols for 'menacing' floating in the air, along with the hearts speeding towards Sneasel.

Having been more confused by the pose than anything else, it was hit dead-on by the stream, and knocked back. It stood up, seconds later, with pink in its eyes, refusing to attack.

"No! Sneasel, snap out of it!"

"Was… was that a Jojo ref-" Lucas asked, dumbly.

"What kind of story do you think this is? Of course it was," Hilbert laughed.

"Prinplup, Hone Claws until just before it wears off, then use Metal Claw!"

The temple was filled with the sound of metallic screeching as Sneasel wandered around, dazed, and Prinplup sharpened his flippers.

As Sneasel seemed to regain awareness, Prinplup struck, its claw landing like a cannonball, and rocketing Sneasel into the opposite wall. The ice didn't even crack.

"Good one, girl, come on back," Candice, only dampened slightly, recalled her first Pokemon. She recovered her cheer in moments, calling, "Alright! Piloswine, let's make this quick!"

In a loud 'THUMP', Piloswine stomped out onto the ice in a blast of light.

Prinplup eyed it, simultaneously honing its claws for the next fight.

"You've got this! Use Scald on its legs to make it slip in the water!"

Barry watch the steaming jet of water make contact with Piloswines feet, before being immediately cooled by the floor, but not freezing.

"Huh… Let's try making a lot more, then! Keep using Scald, and dodge!"

Prinplup followed the order, skating around the slow but steady Piloswine, covering it and the floor in a thin layer of lukewarm water.

"Piloswine, freeze that penguin!"

"Block it with Scald!"

The Ice Beam met boiling water in mid-air, melting it onto the floor.

Barry shouted, "Alright! Prinplup, make some waves! Use Whirlpool!"

The surface began rippling, rising and falling, before exploding into a vortex around Piloswine, sucking the water inwards and upwards, taking the Ice-type along with it.

With another loud 'THUMP' and a splash of water, Piloswine onto its back, unconscious.

"Another one?! Wow!" Candice, never letting anything get her down, gave him a double thumbs-up. "Super cool! Let's see how you handle a real counter! Abomasnow, yes, we can!"

"...I'm not sure what I can't believe more," Lucas said, dumbfounded. "That Barry came up with a strategy like that, or Candice's Abomasnow ran for office in Unova."

"That joke is old. Wait, no, it's 2009, that's funny. And Barry isn't stupid, he's just stupid."

"..."

"I mean, when it's not important."

"Sure, sure."

Barry smirked over in the arena, as Prinplup stared down the Grass-type.

Candice cried, "Let's get this started with a Magical Leaf!"

Leaves and bits of grass flew out of Abomasnow's coat, righting themselves in mid-air and aiming themselves at Prinplup. They shot off in a storm, tearing past him as he dodged, though a few sliced across his flubbery torso.

Barry winced. "Keep it cool! Use Scald!"

In the stands, Lucas was still confused. "Wouldn't he be better off using Metal Claw?" He scratched his temple like he was missing something.

"I mean, yeah, and I don't know why he would be using Whirlpool again, it would do even less damage."

Even when they didn't know, Barry had a pretty good idea. Water-types, obviously, have pretty good control over water. While some of the more aquatic variety only live in the ocean, hence the typing, others can manipulate water itself. Such Pokemon can use moves such as Whirlpool and Surf, even outside of the oceans.

He was soaked up to his calves, luckily not burned, but was definitely feeling the steam flowing across his skin.

"Prinplup, use Metal Claw on its face!"

Abomasnow punched Prinplup high into the air, knocking the wind out of it.

Pokemon evolution is generally thought to be a result of a particular Pokemon growing strong enough. This is true in most cases, though some observe Pokemon of equal age, but of different evolutionary stages, going toe-to-toe. This is because evolution, simply put, is the desire of a Pokemon to change. To become stronger. To go even further beyond. To advance with each turn, growing past what they were before.

Barry had an impossibly large grin etched on his face, as Prinplup glowed white in the air. Water started whipping around, rising into the air, even more violently than before.

"Finally! You know what, everyone? I think I've had enough!"

The evolving mass was falling, but quickly supported by a jet of water shooting up to hold it in the air.

"I'm tired of being the weakest! I'm over getting left behind! I'm done playing catch-up! I'm sick of it, man! I won't sit back because we're not strong enough, not anymore! I'm done with it! We'll use our strength to take our future!"

Prinplup's size increased, growing upwards and outwards, the edges of a crown growing from its head. It snapped into a deep blue coat, regal and elegant.

"EMPOLEON!"

Water began floating into the air, defying gravity.

Barry laughed. "You know what? It might not be aura, but it's as close as I'm gonna get! Sorry, Hilby, I'm stealing your signature move!"

Liquid froze as it made contact with Empoleon's outstretched flipper, shooting outwards like a fencing pole. Water swirled around it in a Whirlpool, condensing itself into ice.

"GIGA…"

Hilbert, of course, was more excited than anyone else. "Do it, Barry!"

A sphere of water grew behind Empoleon, almost like a jet-pack. Magical Leaves were sputtering against his coat, but there wasn't a visible effect.

"DRILLLLLL…"

Empoleon shot forward, propelled by the Aqua Jet, and advancing with a whipping Whirlpool in the figurative palm of his hand.

Abomasnow didn't stand a chance.

"BREAAAAAAAK!"

And then…

The floor cracked.

And all hell broke loose.

Half-way to the ceiling, Regigigas's body groaned through the air. It left behind a hole in the floor, and an outline of where its body was minutes before.

Candice looked up at it, scratching her head in thought. "You know what? I really should have expected that. And I did, but for Black."

"Hey! You sayin' I can't do cool stuff too? Just who the hell do you think I am?" Barry cried in response.

Hilbert rushed over to Barry, sliding to a stop next to the blond. His, Lucas's, Marley's, and Cheryl's Pokemon were already out, ready for battle or combat.

"First off: Really cool finisher. Might need to work on the timing and pitch, but otherwise really good. Second thing: How the hell are we going to fight that thing?" He looked up at the towering Legendary, and the blinking lights, as wide as his head, on its torso. It was moving slowly, pushing itself up from the icy cavern below.

"Lucky for you, I have a back-up plan!" Barry said, taking up a ridiculous pose, swaying his hip and sharply wiggling his arms.
"You had a plan?"

"It's a figure of speech, man! Give me a minute." With that, Barry turned on his heel and ran out the front door.

"..."

"REGICE! HEY, REGICE! CAN YOU HELP ME OUT?"

Hilbert exhaled a puff of air. "Is that some local prayer I don't know about?"

Lucas shook his head. "No, but Barry's been acting kind of funny. Probably saw an illusion or something."

They heard a faint cry of "Regi-Regi-Ice."

"...No way."

Barry charged back in seconds later, a frozen golem trailing behind him.

"Alright! Regice will freeze him back up in no time!"

"Barry."

"Yeah?"

"Where on earth did you get a Regice?"

"It's a funny story, see, back in March, when we were in the Lucario Kingdom…"

Barry, bored out of his mind, and tired of watching Lucas practice fighting the local Lucario, decided to go explore.

That led to him taking a rather precocious mountain path. Given it was springtime, he should've expected to be more mud than usual.

It was still a surprise when his feet slipped out from under him, and he began skating down the side of the mountain, carried without any input on his end.

When he hit the end of the trail, he expected that to be it, and he was just going to have to hobble back up to camp, but no, he had to break through a weak rock wall and into Regice's hibernation chamber.

"Whoa…" He looked around, standing and smudging the dirt and gravel off his pants. There were odd puddles on the ground in an even odder formation, and on closer inspection, they turned out to be frozen solid. "That's weird…"

"Regi-iceee."

"Whoa!" Barry jumped back, surprised by the groaning cry from the corner. A half-melted golem was against a back wall, trying to stay in the shadows and avoid the light of the opening. "Oh, that's not good… Need some help, man?" He could think about the fact he was meeting a Legendary later.

"Regiiiiii," it echoed in a high pitch.

"Yeah, got it. I think I have some Burn Heals, might help…"
And help it did. While it didn't restore the golem, it stopped the melting where he sprayed with the cooling agent.

"There! You know, Lucas might call me an idiot for not catching you… but that'd be kinda messed up right now. Later!" Barry waved to the recovering Regice as he hurdled over the rocks and out of the cave. A few Rock Slides later from Lucas's spare Geodude, and the wall was completely repaired.

A trudge up the mountain later, Barry was tired, muddy, and in desperate need of a shower.

So, quickly heading off to do that, he actually forgot to tell anyone where he'd been.

"...And then I figured it would be awkward to bring it up so long after it happened, so I just kinda… didn't? And we passed by his cave on the way here, so I guessed he was around."

"...Huh," Hilbert turned back to Regigigas, who was solidly encased in ice, but still in the open air of the temple. "Shouldn't we put that thing back where it came from?"

"Or so help me?"

"Shut up, Lucas. I don't doubt Team Galactic's going to be heading here, considering this is probably being recorded.

"Oh, that's right…" Candice knocked her knuckle against her forehead. "If only there was someone trustworthy to handle it…"

Hilbert put his finger on his nose immediately. "Not it."

"Dude, what?"

"Thanks for volunteering, Barry."

The blond actually recoiled from that. "What? No! I couldn't- I mean, catching Legendaries is your thing, dude."

"Well, you know, don't keep all your eggs in one basket, something or other.

"But- but- but-"

"Catch the damn Pokemon, Barry."

Realizing he wasn't going to win any arguments, Barry sighed and reached into his bag for a few dozen Pokeballs. "Man… This is gonna take forever!"

Regice floated around, nudging Barry in the back.

"Huh? What?"

"I can speak with them once you capture them. I believe the human term is 'kill two Bird-types with one stone'."

"What's a Bird-type? I mean, uh, I don't speak Pokemon. Hilby?"

"...That doesn't even… Whatever, catch both, screw the rules."

"Whatever you say, leader." Barry reached for another, singular Great Ball. Color coordination and all that.

"On account of the gym being unusable for a few days, as well as the Regigigas situation, I have decided to award you your Gym Badges by proxy!" Candice said to them, as soon as she was sure no one was watching.

"...We could hold the battles outside…"

"No, no, you've earned it! After all," she pointed at Barry, "You stopped a Legendary from going rogue, and tamed another." She pointed at Hilbert, "We've already had a battle, and despite your loss then, I have no doubt you would have won today." Instead of predictably pointing at Lucas, her hand dropped back to her side, her other on her hip. "And the rest of you have dealt with Articuno, and that makes you worthy in my book!"

"Huh. Are we just ignoring that Barry caught two Legendaries? Is that not even a little bit weird? Okay. Guess we're heading back to Hearthome then."

"Now, wait just a minute!"

Hilbert turned back to the Gym Leader. "Yeah?"

"I've decided I want something else, since I didn't get to actually train Articuno!"

"What are you- Oh, yeah, Undella Town. Fine, what is it?"

Candice giggled, a dark aura floating off of her. "Well, it's simple!"

He hesitated, but bravely responded, "What?"

"You have to go on a date with me!"

"NO! NOPE NOPE NOPE, SORRY! CAN'T DO THAT, I'M IN A HAPPILY COMMITTED-" His panicked rant was headed off by Candice breaking out into full, from-the-stomach laughter.

"Oh, oh, oh, you should have seen your face! I'm guessing it's Dawn? Though, I can definitely understand if it's Cheryl. Or maybe, maybe, you're going the harem route? Are Barry and Lucas just tomboys?"

Hilbert, inflamed in the face from embarrassment and a decent amount of anger, turned on his iced heel and ran straight out the front doors. "Nope, nope, not doing thisssssss!"

Candice slapped her knee, still giggling. "So, was he just embarrassed, or did I hit the nail on the head?"

Dawn tapped her index fingers together, looking away and glaring at nothing in particular. "Maybe…"

"LET'S GOOO-" Barry had multiple hands clapped over his mouth and was dragged out the door.

Dawn was left alone with Candice for a brief moment, before she turned, huffing in faux-anger, before running after the others.

Candice leaned back, stretching and getting the humor out of her system. "Gotta love those guys…"

Following a local tourist's guide, they decided to check out Snowpoint's Move Tutor.

The squat graying old woman looked up at Infernape, rubbing her chin.

"This one's got it. Potential."

After Barry ran to the Pokemon Center, he brought Empoleon to the old woman.

Again, she looked up at a Pokemon. "This one too."

Dawn placed Turtwig on the woman's hardwood floor, bowing to the tutor.

"Girl, I don't know what you want from me, but there's not much to work with here. I'll do my best, but no refunds."

Hilbert asked her to take a look outside to take a look at Golurk.

She looked up, reasonably so, and thought for a minute.

"I can see aura, if you couldn't tell- Can't use it though, I've tried- What I teach Pokemon only strengthens their current skill set. There's nothing I can do for a Pokemon like that one. It knows all that it can learn; I can tell that at a glance, Aura Guardians."

"...Guardians?"

"Ah. Slip of the tongue. Regardless, give me three Heart Scales and a few hours, and I'll teach them something."

"Man, I can't wait to see Empoleon use Hydro Cannon!"

"Idiot!" The tutor spoke harshly. "Do you really think any human could teach the ultimate elemental techniques? It takes years for Pokemon to master those techniques in the wild! In captivity, yes, a weakened form can be achieved, but a true attack of that caliber is outside of humanity's reach!"

"...Alright, sorry…" Barry stepped back, cowed for the moment.

"Sheeeeeeesh… Bit of an overreaction if you ask me."

"Thank you, ma'am. Please, take your time." Hilbert grabbed Barry's sleeve, tugging it sharply, and their team left the old woman with their starters.

She puffed a pipe, deep in thought.

"Odd bunch of kids."

"How is it still snowing here? It's July."

"Isn't that how Digimon got started? Well, no summer camps here, but still."

"This isn't a TV show, Lucas."

"What about a book?"

"Not that either. Probably. Moving on!" Hilbert felt a sudden urge to bean Lucas in the head with snow, so he did.

It harmlessly slid off of his water-proof jacket, though it earned him a glare.

"You really want to play that game?" Lucas scooped up two handfuls and made a perfect sphere in seconds.

"How'd you make it like that?" Hilbert's question went unanswered, as his face was covered in ice. "Mmthrrrfmmcker!"

"What was that?"

He spit out a mouthful of freezing water. "Nothing I can repeat without censors! Abra!"

The Psychic-type sunk up to its chest in snow, and visibly glared. A mass of fluff rose into the air, shaping itself and shifting like water.

"I will turn this town into an icebox of a cemetery."

"Abra, NO SOCIOPATHY!"

"It's called psychopathy, boss."

"Not the point, bury Lucas!"

"Infernape!" The snow melted out of the air uselessly, Infernape emitting waves of heat. "Ha!"

"That's cheating!" Hilbert got another faceful of snow, from a different direction. He sent a glare at Dawn before returning fire. Oricorio was standing next to her, covered in ice but seeming unfazed. Her pom-poms had been completely replaced by snowballs, and she repeatedly made and gave them to Dawn.

Cheryl called out Kangaskhan so her kid could play with the snow. Chansey was also having some trouble with not having long enough arms.

Marley was laying in Arcanine's fur, watching the carnage unfold, but keeping herself warm with the Fire-types coat.

Snowball fights are a lot of fun with multiple people and some of their Pokemon.. Until Barry and Cheryl cheat and use actual Ice-types, at least.

Chapter Text

A Mid-Sinnoh Night's- Yeah, just kidding, this isn't a normal chapter.

Heyo! It's me, Not-Hilbert! You can tell, because that handsome young man doesn't wear glasses!

Yes, we look exactly the same, but I have red shades, and everyone knows that if your accessories are different, you definitely are NOT the same person.

Funny thing, I punched Jirachi in the face, and they called up their cousin Celebi, who called up their friend Hoopa, and now I'm stuck in a TV studio. If the camera panned away right now, you'd see lights and boom mic's.

This is a sort of way station, you could say. Mail from your side of the screen gets here, and I'm feeling a bit omniscient today, so I'll see what questions I can answer!

Not-Hilbert reached into what looked like a ballot box, labeled

'2016'.

Man, I love screwing with elections. Let's see here… Ah, there's one!

He pulled out a pink envelope, encrusted with plastic heart-shaped gems and doused in glitter glue.

Huh, no sender. Okay, let's see here…

After tearing the letter open, he took one look and rolled his eyes.

No, viewers, this isn't a harem story. Though, and keep this between us, if it were, Lucas and Barry would be included. Not as eunuchs either.

And by the way, do you know how annoying it is to have information beamed into your brain, and taken away on a whim? What was that question anyway?

He tossed the letter and a poorly-drawn crayon sketch of stick figures kissing into a similarly colored bin, appropriately labeled 'CAST INTO THE DEPTHS OF TARTARUS'.

Moving on! Okay, this is fun, 'What's with the obsession with Gurren Lagann'?

Not-Hilbert looked up, seriously.

Now, from what I can tell, or what the guy in the director's chair tells me, the author is kind of a loser. He watched Evangelion, decided to stop liking hospitals (Not that he did much in the first place), and watched Gurren Lagann to soothe his induced bouts of depression. Second thing, he thought Golurk was really cool, and as someone who is definitely Not-Hilbert himself, I'm inclined to agree. I'm pretty sure he stopped caring about writing Mary Sues or whatever and just gave Golett superpowers and a drill. Which, you know, fair, but maybe not the best decision if you want to be taken seriously.

Also, willpower is like, super badass and stuff.

Next thing…

He withdrew a plain-envelope from the box, before leaning back on the plasticky couch.

'Why include the Stat-trainers if they aren't in a harem?'

Not-Hilbert clicked his tongue.

To give Dawn some friends, add diversity to the group, and fan-service, probably. In order of importance, I'm pretty sure. He knocked his head back to focus on something off stage. Does that bastard have enough fans to warrant service?

"Yes! Er, no! Uh, I mean… we'll get back to you on that!"

Thank you, disembodied stage-hand!

"No problem!"

Back to the topic at hand!

...What was that exactly?

Right, next question. 'Why are the protagonists older?'

That's a toss-up. In the original plan, the author intended for the setting to be slightly darker, and have them act like characters in Shinji and Warhammer 40k. That, obviously, changed, and the reasoning switched to 'I thought it would be funny, and that's around the time they could get a driver's license, so they could probably go out on their own at that age'.

They could have been eighteen, but considering the events yet to come, that would make them too old in the Night's Dream Universe. Is that what they're calling it now? Anyway, it's the best age range for them to simultaneously be dumb kids and have most of their freedoms. And it's better than them being ten, right?

Not-Hilbert shuffled around the box some more, after discarding his invisible cue card.

'Is Ash Ketchum a person?'

Solid 'maybe'. He could exist, but in a different form. Maybe he skipped Sinnoh because he didn't have a reason to go there.

If the question was related to your reality, the answer is no, obviously.

"Hey, you need to talk about the rating!"

What rating?

"You know, how Dawn and Hilbert are dating?"

It's rated 'T' and this is Pokemon! What kind of degenerate would write smut about teenagers?

"But they slept together and stuff!"

You're operating under the right definition but the wrong implication! And this is a fanfiction we're talking about, the author is probably in his teens anyway, if not actually a squealing schoolgirl.

"Don't diss me!"

Shut up, disembodied-stage-hand-which-may-or-may-not-be-the-author!

"Eat shit!"

Not-Hilbert waved his hand, and the off-stage voice dissipated.

Back to what we were talking about, next question that no one asked!

'Why do the main characters get to catch Legendaries? Does the world revolve around him? Fucking Mary Sues!'

Totally agreed, the author screwed up with that. But, it's not like the main character in every Pokemon game doesn't catch the box Legendary. And considering all the bullshit in ORAS's post-game, it's not incredibly inaccurate. That universe is based on the games, with lots of influence from the anime and fiction in the real world. Hence, the drills.

Oh, but this one's gonna piss you off. The author has watched a combined total of at most, twenty episodes of the anime, and maybe two movies. But! He has played every main line since Gen 4. Not that he finished every single one, but the sentiment remains.

This was a straw-man on my part, I apologize. The author is sending these in himself, I think, because again, because he's massive loser.

"Fuck you!"

Get some self-confidence, my god! Onwards and onwards, let's see.

'Why introduce so much swearing to the setting?'

They swear a lot in Gurren Lagann, I dunno what to tell you. Most media is shared with your world, with obvious differences. The Power Rangers probably have a few robot fossil Pokemon running around.

The concept of the word 'Fuck' doesn't exist though, which is really, really funny in hindsight.

'What's coming after this story's over?'

Dude, the author doesn't even have a buffer. He's writing this as he goes, but he'll probably finish it in around two months. After that, he'll chill out and work on smaller stories in the same universe. One involving the dreaded self-insert character, another involving a new region, and Hilda girlbossing her way through Unova.

That's all the questions for now, let me check in on how the side-characters are doing.

Johanna, watching television, called up Michelle, Barry's mother.

"Before you call him an start yelling-"

"HE CAUGHT TWO LEGENDARY POKEMON! OH, PALMER'S GOING TO BE SO PROUD, I HOPE HE'S WATCHING HIS LITTLE BOY'S GYM CHALLENGE!"

"-Right, so, that's the trend with Hilbert's troupe. Don't get too worked up!"

There was a sniff on the other side of the line.

"I'm so proud of my boy…"

"He's such a nice boy, I hope he's getting along with all of those girls."

"Girls?"

"...Well, aside from Dawn, there's Cheryl, who's really mature, compared to the rest of them, at least, and Marley, who's very soft-spoken."

"Grandchildren!"

Somewhere across the region, Barry randomly coughed and felt a deep sense of embarrassment and/or dread.

"Don't get ahead of yourself, girl, they're only sixteen!"

"Right, right. So, who likes who? You got that at least, right?"

"What kind of mom would I be if I didn't? It looks like Dawn's likes my little Hilby, though she'd probably have to smack him over the head with a brick for him to get it."

"Is she violent?"

"Oh, sometimes, but only in the flirty way. He doesn't seem to mind much, Golett- Oh, I mean Golurk, gave him a lot of endurance."

"Really? I could've sworn that one Gym Leader kicked him in the face during his battle."

"He got better."

"Girl, do I need to report you for child neglect?"

"He's got an aura or something, whatever that means. He's punched Drapion and other Pokemon in the face, from what Cheryl tells me."

"Oh, is Cheryl interested in him too?"

"No, she's just nice, though boys can be boys and get confused."

"They're not very smart, are they?"

"Lucas seemed to be an intelligent boy when we first arrived, but Hilbert got to him. Now he's smart-mouthed too."

Michelle laughed, "Are they all like that?"

"Dawn keeps Hilbert in order, and I don't know how they act when they're not here."

"When's the wedding?"

Johanna snorted. "They're just sixteen."

"I met Palmer when I was a wee lass."

"You got hit by his Milotic's Ice Beam in the forest, that's hardly a romantic meeting."

"Oh, I remember it like it was yesterday, he built a fire for me and was such a gentleman and he…"

Click.

"Not dealing with that. I need to get more 'juice' from the store anyway."

Professor Rowan was a mature, dignified man, who had not, and would not ever, bang his head into his desk in frustration.

However, with his brow furrowed, looking over the capture data gave him a slight inkling that it would be preferable.

It started with Shaymin. That was an event on its own. Mythical Pokemon were mythical, not supposed to exist. Hilbert catching one set an unfortunate precedent for young trainers that wanted to catch similar Pokemon of their own. One of the newer professors he knew complained about a boy who wouldn't stop talking about catching Mew, which made him chuckle, but also made him feel sympathy for a dream that would inevitably be crushed.

Then, the situation with Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres. Those were common enough for being Legendaries, though it was an annoyance to deal with Krane's lax communication habits. He'd seen it be done before, it would surely happen in other regions before he could retire.

A few other Pokemon here and there, some definitely abnormal. From the notes of another professor, he determined Honedge were not supposed to be that long. It seemed Hilbert's rarely-used Whirlipede was the most normal thing he owned.

Barry broke the pattern by catching a trio master and one of its creations.

Regi were common, not nearly as common as the birds, but still, could be found in numerous regions.

Their masters, however, were much less easy to catch. It generally required three Regi to be caught and brought to a certain location, and it would awaken.

Barry had destroyed that theory, using nothing but a drill made of water and willpower.

Maybe it was the proximity to Hilbert, Rowan sighed as he continued typing his newest thesis, 'The Effects Of Evolution on Pokemon Psyche'.

In the depths of a warehouse, locked behind many doors and hidden entrances, Cyrus sat at his desk, fingers tented under his nose.

The loss of the three Legendary Birds had left him smarting, and had forced him to change plans.

And so, his tactical formulation began. That was always Saturn's suit, preferring logistics to outright battles in most situations.

The bomb test in Pastoria had worked out well enough. It would have to do.

And now, back to our leading ladies and gentlemen!

Hilbert had gone out for drinks that evening with Lucas and Barry. Sodas, obviously, but there was a similar vibe. The sun had set outside, and the rustic bar was illuminated by charcoal flames.

After taking a deep gulp of carbonated water, he slammed his mug down and started thinking, putting a hand under his chin.

"Lads, I believe I am in a pickle. A predicament, even. A situation, if you will."

Lucas leaned forward, his shadow casting itself over the counter and Barry's arms. "What sort of situation?"

"The most complicated sort. The kind that involves women."

Barry knocked his head back, chuckling as lightly as a guy like him could. Which is to say, like full-blown laughter, but that's neither here nor there. "And your first idea was to ask Lucas? I mean, man, I've had plenty o' dumb ideas, but mister stoic over here never got as many girls as I did."

"You never got any, Barry."

"Details, who needs 'em?"

Hilbert coughed, bringing their attention back to the matter of life or death. "So, um, there's this girl…"

"Uhuh."

"And we're kind of a thing, I think…"

"Hm, continue."

"And like, I think I ought to take her on a date sometime soon. Cuz that's what you do, right?"

"Oh, but Hilbert, who is this mysterious girl you're speaking of?" Barry asked, tone clearly dripping with sarcasm.

Sarcasm which Hilbert completely missed, as he instead began whistling and avoiding eye contact. "Y'know… Just someone I know?"

"Someone we know?"

"I dunno."

"Can we get a name?"

"You wouldn't know here."

Barry scooted his chair back just to slap his knee. "Ah, the classic! 'She goes to another school', haven't heard that one since we graduated!"

"It's true!"

"Sure it is, bud," Barry replied, condescending him with joking intent. "So, what's the plan?"

"Uh… That's what I needed help with."

"Damn it, Hilby!"

The bartender actually came over to warn Barry about how much of a public disturbance he was causing. After apologizing on the blond's behalf, they were left alone.

"But seriously, do I just ask her to get lunch with me or something?"

"Something. We don't have a clue either. I mean, we're guys."

"Okay, time to get out the big guns. Porygon, call the professor!"

"...You're insane, I forgot."

As the cross-transceiver rang, Hilbert smirked across the counter. "Yeah, but I'm the fun kind of crazy, not the Psychic-type kind."

Click.

"Hilbert? What are you calling for at this time of night? Is there an emergency?"

"Not yet, see, professor, you seem like a suave type of guy."

"...I'm not sure I understand the question."

"I'm in Snowpoint City, where do I take a girl on a date?"

Click.

Hilbert looked down at his watch, distressed. "He… he hung up on me!"

"Like you wouldn't?"

"Whatever, time to call in the big big guns."

Click.

"Hey, Looker!"

Lucas muttered, "You've got to be kidding me."

"What is it, Black? Is Team Galactic on the move?"

"No, it's much more urgent."

"Oh, then tell me immediately."

"Know any date spots in Snowpoint City?"

"Go to a nice small library, sit on a couch near a fireplace, and get some warm drinks."

Click.

"Huh. I'll have to try that out."

"Are we just going to ignore that you used Interpol to get a date?" Lucas asked, dumbstruck.

"You're just jealous."

He scoffed, "Yeah, right."

They finished their drinks, and after heading back to the inn, realized that buying caffeinated drinks wasn't the best move.

Over the next few days in Snowpoint, they prepared for the journey south, having more snowball fights than anything else, but that's neither here nor there.

Hilbert and Dawn's date, if you could call it that, was average at the very least. Of course, Barry and Cheryl were spying, er, in the area by happenstance, with funky disguises, which Hilbert didn't mention nor notice.

That left Lucas and Marley on their own- who would've guessed- but if anything came of that, it wasn't obvious to anyone else.

And we're back from commercial break!

We've got a few more questions tonight, so let's get through them so I can take a nap.

"You're stuck between realities, you don't take naps!"

I like to try!

"Get back to work!"

Screw you! Fine, whatever. 'How does other media translate into Pokemon?'

I dunno. In most cases, it just replaces your animals with Pokemon, and because the world isn't too cartoony, there is probably a version of Fifty Shades out there. Twilight and an odd version of Yugioh exist at least, along with a lot of other things.

'Why choose the Pokemon Black and White protagonist instead of using Lucas?'

As you may remember, the author really likes Golurk, and people only just started liking Unova again, because bandwagoning is a thing. The story really started before the DPP remakes were announced. The original version, at least. Also, I think Lucas's outfit is horrendous and I couldn't have a guy like that be the Kamina imitator he is today.

Ding ding ding, I just got a notification! The author is planning to upload some non-canon one-shots in the future, but set in the same world! How exciting. The fanfic author writes fanfic, who'd've guessed.

See you in a week folks, though I probably won't exist anymore! This is Not-Hilbert, signing off.

I said, this is Not-Hilbert, signing-

The television cut to black with an audible 'zorp'.

A muffled Finally escaped from the speaker.

The exact reason for Hilby's date being average, instead of good, was the fact someone interrupted it.

"You!"

Hilbert looked away from the book he was reading. Dawn was laying across hi., one arm behind her back and one above her stomach. She was curled up into him, reading an encyclopedia of sorts about contest history. "Can I help you?"

The guy who shouted out of nowhere had purple hair and a permanently furrowed brow. "What kind of trainer are you? Spending your time in libraries and not in the field, that's weak."

"Then why are you here?"

"I needed research materials, though I'm sure you couldn't understand it if you tried…" The boy trailed off as he realized Hilbert stopped paying attention and had started rereading the page he was on. "Hey!"

"Oh, sorry, I zoned out, what were you talking about?" Hilbert asked in the most uninterested voice that he could.

"You're going to become weak if you spend your time on useless entertainment and ditzes, that's common sense."
"I'll have you know, Kazuki Takahashi is a literary genius with multiple awards given to him by a variety of-"

"You picked that manga off the shelf, Hilby," Dawn said, focused more on her studying than whatever he was arguing about.

"It's a good one, that's what matters!"

"Pathetic."

"Who are you again?"

"We battled on the route to Pastoria during May. You must be losing brain cells," said the purple-haired boy with a sneer.

Hilbert blinked. "I think that's a diss. Dawn, was that a diss?"

"Yes, Hilby, that was a diss."

"Oh. Then I challenge you to a battle, whoever-you-are!"

"My name is Paul. You'll remember it as the name of the man who beat you."

Hilbert excused himself from his entanglement, promising he'd be back in half-an-hour, resulting in another sneer from Phil. Or whatever his name was.

Hilbert stood in the middle of a cleared field of snow, his attached cleats crunching the icy ground beneath. Paul stood at the other side, stock-still and grasping a Pokeball.

Through gritted teeth, the other boy said, "I'm waiting."

Hilbert shrugged. "Send out your first Pokemon."
"Aggron, get to work."

The Hoenn-native pseudo-legendary crashed onto the field, kicking aside snow. Its skulls was external, almost like a helmet, with sharp bone-like rock sticking out at jagged angles.

"Send out your Pokemon."

"Nah?"
"What?" Pauly paused. "This isn't a game."

Hilbert looked off into the distance, as if it was a camera, and gave it a dull look.

"I'll fight for them. See, I was in the middle of a date." His eyes flared blue. "And you called Dawn a ditz. I don't think she noticed, but I sure as hell did."

"You're not just weak, but crazy too."

Aggron was hit in the face by a quick Aura Sphere, slung by as soon as Poe finished talking.

"What on…"

"I've trained with Lucario," he said, simply, before punching the still-standing Aggron in the face. Aura flared upon the hit, like a fire had lit around his fist, and the Rock-type actually stumbled backwards.

While Pumice might have had reservations about attacking people, his Aggron was trained to react in a certain way to attacks.

As such, it formed a Rock Smash with its hands and bashed it over Hilbert's head.

The rock broke.

Though, Hilbert definitely got a headache. He jumped back, rubbing his scalp and wincing. "Ow. Might have a bruise there later."

"That's odd," Pollux frowned. Well, more than usual. "The hell are you?"

Hilbert smirked like a devil. "I'm your worst Arceus-damned nightmare."

After the promised half-an-hour, Hilbert returned, his jacket torn, slightly damp, but warmed by his aura. He left behind an utterly defeated trail of Pokemon and a furious trainer. But, he'd been looking forward to getting back to the library.

Zap.

"Ah!" Dawn shrieked, having been rapidly shaken from her focus. He pulled his finger away from her nose, chuckling.

Static electricity was fun. Why else would he fight an Electivire?

Chapter Text

When there's something strange...

In your neighborhood...

A Mid-Sinnoh Night's Dream - XXII - Who You Gonna Call?

They'd retrieved their Pokemon from the Move Tutor weeks before, but after relaxing and seeing what Snowpoint had to offer, Team Black was ready to head back to Hearthome City.

After saying their goodbyes to the cheerful Gym Leader, Barry decided to flex and fly on Regice.

His hands slipped on the back halfway up and he slammed his face into its back, before sliding back down to the ground.

"Ow… How come that works for Hilby?"

"Cuz I'm awesome." When Hilbert hopped on Golurk's shoulder, the stone melted away and formed a handhold. He leaned back to help Dawn up while blowing a raspberry at the blond.

After she got a safe grip, she smacked Hilbert upside the head and started scolding him about maturity. Not that he'd ever listen, (Or get hurt) but someone had to keep him in line.

Regice had a sort of shield against the elements, and so, Hilbert bestowed upon Barry the position of Field Leader ICE.

"What does ICE mean?" Barry asked, confused. Their small fleet looked like it was at the center of a comet, and the wind was barely a passing breeze.

"In Case of Emergency."
"Wouldn't that be in most of our battles then?"

"No, only when there's no one else."

"Aw man…"

"Dude, you know the leadership thing is all jokes, right?"

"It is?"

"We're not like, Team Galactic or anything, there are six of us. We don't really need that kind of thing."

"I, uh, I knew that!"

Lucas shook his head behind them, his Staraptor rapidly flapping its wings to keep up. "Why does Hilbert grow brain cells when he's around Barry?"

Cheryl shrugged on Tropius's back, having borrowed them since Barry didn't need them. "Someone needs to be the smart one, right?"

"From what I can tell, going by standard archetypes, we're actually missing that one."

After landing on the outskirts, and to very much excitement on the boys' parts, the gym was open.

But, Dawn had to compete in a contest before then, explaining, "We'll have to leave early when you destroy the gym out of shame."

"You mean 'if', right?"

"You heard me. Let's go check the schedules."

The contest hall would be open for registration until Saturday, something about a special guest, so they had a few days. First things first though, they went off to find the hotel.

Cheryl walked off to find the Pokemon Fan Club. She slowly pushed open the door, and after a brief few moments of having kids look at her, as if trying to remember if they'd seen her on TV, she was allowed to pass.

"Cline," she greeted the green-haired boy with a light wave.

"Oh, hey, cousin!"

Funny thing, while Cheryl was a treasure hunter, her cousin was similarly fascinated by Pokemon. Though, because he was once or twice removed, he chose to stay at home instead of traveling.

"I have a few exclusive shots I thought you'd like to get your hands on," she explained as she ruffled through her bag, looking for her camera. "Did you hear about what happened in Snowpoint City with Regi-"

"Yeah! That was super cool! Man, I haven't really been following Barry's stats, but his Empoleon is impressive!" Just as luckily, the cross-transceivers had Vs. Recorders built in, and per common courtesy, most trainers uploaded videos of their battles.

"Please don't stalk my teammates…"

"It's not stalking! Those guys are professionals, it's my job to keep track! I know the stats of every challenger from this year- Well, the ones with a lot of Gym Badges, at least. That Paul guy is something else though, have you-"
"I heard Hilbert say something about some guy, though he couldn't remember the name. It started with a 'P', do you think that could be it?"

"Man, I wish I could see that match! But no, no, I haven't seen it online. You need permission from both sides to upload, so that's probably it," he said, fervently shaking his head.

"That sounds about right. Anyway, I do have some new photos to print."

"Super cool, I'll get those developed! You don't mind if I send them to Jubilife TV, right?"

"I don't think that would upset them, it should be fine."

"Fantastic!"

The contest hall was even more packed than Hilbert remembered, though they were luckily able to snag some seats. Barry had bought popcorn from Arceus-knows-where, and was halfway through the bucket before the lights in the auditorium dimmed.

"Hello, welcome all! Before we get started, I'd like to introduce a very special guest!" The show-woman was elegant and wearing a dress with so many ruffles he couldn't actually tell how many layers there were.

"Hailing from the Hoenn region…"

A spotlight lit up with an inaudible 'clang'.

"The Top Coordinator…"

Another two joined it.

"And not to mention very pretty…"

Bright multicolored lasers began dancing across the stage.

"Please wish a happy birthday to, and welcome- May Ple!"

Invisible confetti and clapping filled the auditorium.

"Um… it's Maple, actually," the coordinator said, correcting the host after walking out onto the stage wearing a red dress that fluttered and floated like flames, only partially covered by a white leather jacket. A Blaziken followed behind her, its feathery hair somehow tamed into a nordic braid.

"Oh, gosh, I'm sorry, I thought that was a typo!"

The dim theater was filled with echoes of a smattering of facepalms in the audience.

Hilbert briefly tried to remember why she seemed familiar but shrugged it off.

"Well, moving on! Miss May will be competing in a Contest Battle against our very own Fantina!"

The following applause was in contrast to earlier, deafening, and as it died off, Hilbert asked, "Battle? I thought this was a contest hall."

"That means it's half and half. Looking good while kicking ass, I suppose," Lucas explained.

"Huh. I can get behind that." Hilbert leaned back and crossed his arms.

The Gym Leader, who had fittingly been a ghost the last few times they were in Hearthome, finally made their appearance. Fantina had light skin, similar to a lot of people in Unova. Most of the people that moved from Kalos or Galar had the same tone, though you could never be certain. Purple dress lace with sequins, and she had an aristocratic grace to her; It would later become clear that it was completely by accident, but intentional all the while. There was an odd object in her hair, gleaming in the spotlights like a marble.

"Greetings, everyone! The très fantastique Fantina has made her way back home!"

There was a brief pulse of confused muttering in the crowd.

"Fantina being myself, of course."

The crowd roared with approval. She was something of a regional idol for those not interested in the league, and they were always glad to see her return.

The purple-haired woman turned to the visitor and offered an outstretched hand. They shook, and the host quickly, but not obviously so, vacated the stage.

Fantina gracefully moved to one side of the stage, as her slightly-edgier opponent did the same. The theater held a bated breath as the their Pokemon appeared.

Rather than using a Pokeball, Fantina simply snapped her fingers, and a Dusknoir slipped upwards through the shadows cast by the spotlights.

May's Blaziken jumped from her side, spinning and twisting the air, until it landed in a light puff of flame in front of the Dusknoir.

"Begin!"

"Let us give them a show, madame! Dusknoir, use Dark Pulse!"

Shadows gathered from the edges of the stage, slipping around the Pokemon like black fire, and gathering in front of Dusknoir. With timing that was likely the result of thousands of hours worth of practice, Dusknoir danced in the air, making odd hand gestures, before palming the pulse towards Blaziken with the 'clang' of a church bell.

Back in the stands, Hilbert was puzzled, and so he dialed Dawn for a Lifeline.

"Hey, you're watching the battle, right?"

"Of course I am!" Her side of the line seemed much quieter than his, given his side was crowded by cheers and applause.

Blaziken dodged, jumping over the pulse and splitting its legs as if it were a breakdancer.

"Why would she use a Dark-type move? Blaziken are Fighting-type, right?"

"Well, it's not that simple, Hilby." She paused, as whatever screen she was watching on caught up to his view. "If you lead with your best moves right off the bat, some people see that as rude, like you don't have time for them. I have no doubt a Shadow Ball could have looked the same, but it's not about the exact strength, it's about giving a good show. Though, you're right, beating your opponent is good too."

"Wow, you really know your stuff."

Blaziken used an odd move by stomping on the ground and igniting a spiraling column of fire. It spun like a vortex, though it was thin enough that everyone could still see what was happening inside.

"What move was that?"

"I think that was Fire Pledge!"

"I haven't heard of that one before."

"You know how Hoenn had the first league to allow multi battles?"

"...No?"

"Well, May came up with it for the contest circuit, and showed off how it worked with other moves!"

"You lost me."

"In an interview, she said she came up with the idea of combining moves for contests after she had a double battle with her boyfriend's Sceptile-"

He had trouble hearing Dawn's voice as a closer voice called out to him, "Hey, Black!" A young man with white hair/a really weird beanie, though not younger than him, leaned down from the walkway behind them. "Are you guys talking about me?"

It clicked for Hilbert just where he recognized the coordinator from. "Oh, hey, Brendan, how's it going?"

"It's good, just traveling for a while, making sure May doesn't get into trouble, y'know how it is. Being Champion is boring when Groudon and Kyogre are behaving."

"Right… I can totally relate to that."

"Ugh, I know, it's so boring." He leaned down, sighing, before looking back to the stage and watching Dusknoir summon an army of ghostly hands to reach up from the floor.

"So, how do the Pledge moves work, exactly?"

"Oh, those things? I don't know exactly, May uses them more than I do. When she came up with it, some grunts were trying to rob a contest hall. She told my partner, Sceptile, what to do, and then there was this crazy 'fwoom', and it gave the grunts' Pokemon a burn. And then there was that time Wally teamed up with me, and she teamed up with Wally, and then that other kid with a Grovyle, he was weird…"

"Who's Wally?"

"Oh, he was a cute kid. He's like my little brother, got a Swampert, and he's about your age now, I can give you his num-"

"Hell no."

"Just messing with you. I think he said he'd be coming to Sinnoh this year, actually. Haven't seen him around though."

Their attention turned back to the stage for a brief moment, as Blaziken punched through the column in rapid succession, sending fists made of fire towards Dusknoir.

"Hilby? Are you talking to the Hoenn Champion? Right now?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Is your name seriously Hilby? I kind of feel bad for you." Brendan flinched, almost like he expected to be hit. Not by Hilbert though, probably by his girlfriend.

"...It's Hilbert."

"Sucks for you."

"You wanna fight? We can go right now- I mean, as soon as this is over." He quickly corrected himself, not wanting to miss Dawn's performance.

"Bet."

"Yeah, bet. I can take you."

"Oh yeah? Well I bet on your bet being wrong!"

Click.

"She hung up…. Guess she has to get ready. Women and their makeup, you have permission to laugh now."

"You really don't know how girls work, do you?"

"I'll tell May you said that."

"I'll tell whoever-that-was you said that."

"Mutually assured destruction?"

"Oh, definitely."

The stupidity of men when in groups larger than one truly cannot be underestimated.

Blaziken and Dusknoir were in a dramatic tussle at the center of a spiral that burned black and orange. Shadow Punches met Fire Punches, and neither side seemed to give in.

"Looks like we have to use our ultimate technique, Blaziken!" May shouted, giving her partner a thumbs up.

The Fire-type nodded, and the column of fire closed completely, sealed off from the world.

"Now, Blast Burn!"

There was a massive roar of surprise and shock, as people ran for cover.

Pop.

The flames exploded outwards, but instead of flying into the audience, they sputtered out like leaves falling from the sky, leaving a light impact on the crowd.

That may have actually been lightheadedness from the lack of oxygen. Most of it burned up in the explosion. Hence why both Pokemon were knocked out when the last of the blazes flickered away.

"Hoo. Guess he should have held back more…" May awkwardly laughed, her hand on the back of her head.

"AYE! That's my wife!" Brendan became the loudest person in the theater in seconds with his shout.

The coordinator lit up red, turning towards him and pointing. "Brendan! What are you doing here?"

"You kidding? I wouldn't miss this for the world!"

"And… I'm not your wife, you know!"

Brendan let out a blue cloud-covered Pokemon, grabbing a hold of its neck and flying down to the stage. He slipped a hand in his pocket, before approaching the girl with his hand behind him.

"Oh, I do."

He kneeled in front of her.

"But do you?"

A ring was sitting in a small box, which he held in an outstretched hand.

Hilbert could only say one thing, almost sounding loud in the silent theater.

"What."

Beat.

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAT?!"

May had clapped a hand over her mouth, and was bouncing excitedly.

"Of all the days for him to propose, it had to be the one we were around to see. I hate being the protagonist sometimes. Ouch, my quasi-interdimensional alter-ego just kicked my groin area, I'm going to stop thinking now."

After that whole thing was done with, and Brendan carried out his new fiancee, bridal style (Into the midday sunset, of course), everyone settled down, the actual contests started up. Four coordinators would enter the stage each round, and only one would move onto the next. Given the hype surrounding the day's event, there were many more than usual.

That left Dawn with a faint feeling of confusion.

"...How do I top that?"

She decided to think about drills, and then go from there. And no, that's not an innuendo.

When she arrived on the stage, dressed in a pink dress with as many frills as the contest host, she was less nervous than she'd been before, but she was worried about her routines.

"Alright! The theme for this round is… Cool!"

Dawn let out a sigh of relief as the other contestants let their Pokemon out.

Their moves were interesting. A lot of Fire and Fighting-type attacks, but those generally were pretty cool, even if it was a bit boring.

She chose Oricorio for the round, to spice things up. 'Do what people don't expect for the hell of it, it'd be kind of funny'. That's what Hilbert would probably have said. Not that he knew a thing about contests, but it was the thought that counted.

"Oooooh, what's that Pokemon?"

"Oricorio, use your pink flowers!"

The yellow Flying-type fervently nodded and pulled a living flower from thin air. Whether it was beneath its feathers or not, the world would never know. Sleight of hand could be pretty cool, but that wasn't the intended effect.

In short order, its feathers turned pink, flipping outwards as they replaced the pom-pom style and grew into wide and wavy fans, and soon it had a dress and feather crown of off-white.

After the other rounds had passed, it was time to get started.

"Oricorio, make like an Abra and use Protect!"

The pink Pokemon froze for a second in incomprehension. While Team Black's Pokemon met often, given the ridiculous nature of some of their stories, Oricorio found them hard to believe. And so, while not doubting she could, she looked back at her trainer with feathers furrowed on her crown.

"Yes, I'm serious!"

Oricorio shrugged and began waving her fans, coalescing a sphere, and flexing it inwards with an Aerial Ace. It looked like a bulbous cone, but it was on the way there.

Another round passed, and they reached the point of no return. Dawn was far behind the other contestants on points, and unless she managed something spectacular, she was out.

"Now, split it, but keep it the same size!"

Oricorio's feathers tensed, but it managed to split the cone in four, redirecting them in opposite directions like a compass, floating above her head.

Another round passed. They only had half a minute to get this right.

"Surround them with Air Cutters!"

Oricorio was becoming visibly fatigued, but nodded nevertheless, and the drills began lacing themselves with shuddering air. They were still clear, but seemed to have a faint gray sheen.

There were mere seconds before the round ended.

"No time for dramatic move-calling! NOW!"

The drills whirred and shot off through the theater, wildly tearing through the air and coming into orbit around with Oricorio at the center. There was a wild wind blowing through the audience, tearing up loose food wrappers and empty cans.

Hilbert was already paying attention, what kind of boy… What kind of friend would he be if he wasn't? He jumped up, his jacket whipping around him, and starting clapping as loud as he could.

Barry quickly followed in the hype, and soon, through the weakening chaos, most of the audience was as well, louder than they had for any other coordinator.

And so, Dawn won her first ribbon.

As soon as they were out of the contest hall, Hilbert could only mutter one phrase.

"Gym battle gym battle gym battle-"

It looked like he'd worn himself out in all the excitement.

Dawn stood in front of him, pointing at him then the ground.

"Down, boy!"

Hilbert stopped, and had he a tail, it would have frozen as well.

"Let's go tomorrow, you look like you could doze off any second now."

"Aw man…"

"And you really need to be more patient."

"Zzzzz…"

Dawn pressed her hand to her forehead, sighing in disgust. "How'd he fall asleep standing up…? Barry, catch him before he falls."

"Uh, yes ma'am."

"Gym battle gym battle gym battle-"

"BY ARCEUS, HILBERT, GO TO SLEEP!" Lucas shouted, slamming a pillow over the half-functioning boy's face. He fell back onto the hotel bed, still wearing his normal clothes, and conked out as soon as he hit the mattress.

Barry shook his head, sitting on the edge of his bed. "Man, I get excited for them too, but he's taking it too far."

Lucas looked at him, his face the perfect picture of annoyance. "You think?"

The continental breakfast in a hotel is considered by many to be the key to unlocking human inhibitions. Well, that, or a place in between realities, like a certain TV studio that doesn't exist, and no, you cannot make me go back there!

Ahem, what was I saying?

Hilbert's first words the next morning; In exact quotation.

"Gym battle?"

Dawn nodded, stretching her arms and yawning. "Yes, Hilby. Gym battle."

That actually woke him up from his daze, as he jumped out of his skin, metaphorically of course, and started looking around wildly.

"What? I was in the contest hall a second ago…"

"I didn't think people could get that bored. Seriously, disassociating for a full twelve hours? I'm honestly a little impressed," Lucas remarked, shaking his head begrudgingly. "I guess you ought to step up your game, Dawn. I don't think anyone else could have stayed awake much longer than he did. Well, except for me."

Hilbert set to calming the slate-haired girl immediately, restraining her from bashing Lucas over the head by grabbing her under the shoulders and pulling back.

The other boy simply chuckled and sipped his coffee. He took it black, because he was an adult or something, and that's what mature people do. Totally.

Never underestimate the flanderizing and mind-altering effects of the continental breakfast. Especially when dealing with teenagers, who are addled enough by hormones as-is.

The Hearthome Gym was incredibly similar to the contest hall, though there were much less seats, and the stage was clearly more durable. It was dim, but lit well enough by the purple-flamed torches that lined the walls.

The Gym Leader herself was dancing alone on the stage, along with some of her Pokemon. A graceful Drifblim, an elegant Dusknoir, a spinning Mismagius, and an orbit of odd orange Pokemon surrounded by electricity.

Soft classical music faded away as she slowed, taking notice of the challengers. Their non-competing half had split off to find seats, which were just as crowded as the contest hall.

"Ah, my first challengers. Elfin, isn't that fantastique!"

"That's an odd accent. Must be a Kalosian dialect," said his inner Lucas. He told it to shut up, as he wasn't supposed to be smart enough to recognize that.

"...And my friends from Lumiose, how exciting! Who would like to go first?"

"Lucas, you're up," Hilbert said, before walking off to find the girls. Barry quickly caught on and did the same, leaving the two battlers to prepare themselves.

"How many Gym Badges do you have?"

"We all have five… technically."

"Very well. Let us begin!"

And so, the stage was set. Faint piano music began playing over the speakers, with an impactful edge.

"Pyukumuku!"

"Rotom!"

A purplish blob landed on the stage. It looked around wildly, before noticing the floating Electric-type.

Rotom had a mischievous grin, flickering around while waiting for its orders.

"Ooh, isn't that an Alolan Pokemon?"

"It is. We did a lot of traveling. Now, start with Safeguard!"

Pyukumuku spit out a hazy gas that filled its side of the arena, though it quickly became as visible as air.

"Eerie Impulse, my dear Rotom!"

The Ghost-type's face split into a grin, before a wave of static washed over the stage. Lucas and Pyukumuku shuddered.

He eyed the flickering Rotom, watching its erratic movements.

"We're not going to hit anything moving like that. Use Gastro Acid!"

Pyukumuku shuddered again, but more aggressively. It raised itself on its rear before flopping back down. A shower of purplish liquid coated the Rotom, who recoiled in disgust.

It was surprised when it fell to the ground moments later.

If Lucas was wearing glasses, he would have adjusted them. "You see, Gastro Acid stops special abilities from working!"

"Next you'll be telling us Pot of Greed allows you to draw two cards!" Hilbert shouted.

"Shut up, Hilbert. Now-"

"Rotom, use a Thundershock!"

An arc of lightning sent Pyukumuku flailing.

"Pyu… *Brp*."

In a flash of white organs, a blast of yellow energy covered Rotom, knocking the Electric-type out.

"Lu-cas-Lu-cas-Lu-cas!"

Lucas looked over to the stands, and saw a small crowd of girls cheering for him.

"What the…"

Barry yelled, "That's not fair, I want fangirls!"

Hilbert shook his head. "You're not nearly brooding enough. And definitely not stoic. Also, you don't wear black."

The blond turned to him, offended. "Dark blue is totally close enough!"

"With yellow?"

"He's got red on his jacket!" Barry said, attempting to defend himself.

"It's different. He's got the most edge out of the three of us."

"So what, I gotta dye my hair?"

"Doesn't work like that."

"Man…"

Lucas coughed on the battlefield. "If the peanut gallery has nothing else to say, can we continue?"

"Absolutely! Now, Drifblim, take the stage!"

With a cry, the ghostly blimp flew towards the center of the arena.

"Can't use Infernape…" As if there was a lightbulb flickering above his head, he reached for his newest catch. He released it and patted it on its slimy head. "Alright, go for it, Goomy."

It shyly waddled towards Drifblim, eliciting a squeal from the fangirls, because teenage girls are like that or something, it was 2009, the internet really needed to find a new target by then, yadda yadda.

Fantina had a dimpled frown on her face. "I do hope you're taking this seriously. You should have evolved them by now, non?"

"I subscribe to a… different school of thought. A friend of mine said I should let them take their time. Now, Goomy, start with a Rain Dance, alright?"

"He's so gentle!" Cried one of the fangirls, followed by another squeal.

Barry was gritting his teeth, only Hilbert's iron grip on his arm to keep him from saying anything. "This is gonna be a lot funnier in hindsight, so chill out."

The humidity in the theater rose slightly, though it was denser in the arena. Drops of water began falling out of nearly thin air, and mechanized slots opened into a drain on the sides of the stage.

"Can you use Thunderbolt, little guy?"

"Goo- myyyyy…" It replied, puffing up for a second, before deflating physically and metaphorically.

"Don't worry, we'll figure something out."

Fantina was tired of letting him mess around. "Drifblim, blow Icy Wind upon them!"

Goomy froze up, not from the attack, but from the aggressive intent. Reflexively, it cried out.

And let loose a wave of Dragon Breath.

The purple blast pierced through the broad canvas of snow and surrounded Drifblim. It floated out of the cloud, just as surprised as the two trainers.

"Dragon Breath, then? Alright, good job, Goomy."

"Goo-my-Goo-my-Goo-my- Yeah!" The crowd of fangirls cheered.

Barry muttered, "Where did they even come from? This sucks."

"They can sniff out bad boys like Sharpedo can blood in the water."

Had he been looking in Marley's direction, he would have seen the scandalized look on her face.

"Hit them with another bout!"

Goomy sprayed fog filled with draconic energy, filling up Drifblim's balloon when it flew through the cloud.

An audible, very human-like cough came from the Ghost-type, like it was hocking up its non-existent lungs. It was shuddering, barely managing to levitate in the same cubic meter. "Ack! What's in that stuff, asbestos? Can't breath!"

Hilbert could only be left to ponder the implications.

"Finish it off, Goomy!"

"Hi-yaaa!" With another spit, it knocked Drifblim out of the air and onto the ground, KO'ed, to spread-out cheers from the audience.

"Very good, very good. You proved me wrong about those little dragons. Now, let us commence forth! You have three Pokemon left, and I two, but are you sure that will be enough?"

"If not, I'd be in a lot of trouble."

His fangirls really found that a lot funnier than they should have, but the battle carried on regardless.

"Can you keep going, Goomy?"

The blobby Dragon-type nodded to him, before nervously turning back towards Fantina.

"Dusknoir, the show must go on!"

The armored ghost slammed its gauntlets together, producing the clang of a church bell before charging forward through the dripping air.

"Dragon Breath!"

Dusknoir took the brunt of the fog, but broke through and swung an ice covered fist into Goomy, sending it across the arena with a 'splat'.

"Goomy?"

"...My…" It weakly tried to raise its form, but struggled.

Lucas recalled it to its ball in a short pulse of light. "Get some rest. Now, Infer-"

The wrong Pokeball burst open, revealing a bipedal blue and red frog.

"Toxi-tox," it ribbited, shadow boxing and taunting Dusknoir.

"Toxicroak, no-" Before he could recall it, Dusknoir had already closed in. "I'll have to deal with this, then."

"Guts guts guts guts guts-" Toxicroak jumped from leg to leg, dodging the Ghost-type's punches and trading a few Poison Jabs in return. It slammed a fist into Dusknoir's helmet. "GUTS!"

Truly, the reason Toxicroak hadn't tried to return to Saturn was that he believed Team Galactic was weak after being defeated by Infernape. So, he traveled with them, just to get a good fight.

He met another Shadow Punch with another Poison Jab.

"You are a strong opponent. Very unfortunate that I cannot use my full strength."

"Heh, sucks to be you. Guts!" Toxicroak jumped up, wrapped its fists around Dusknoir's helmet, and spun it forward in mid-air, throwing the Ghost-type into the stage floor, denting the faux-wood.

"Finish it off with Venoshock!"

Dusknoir fainted as soon as the attack hit.

"Magnifique! I am impressed! But how can you handle my last Pokemon?"

"Maybe. Toxicroak, get ready to-"

The Poison-type returned itself to its Pokeball before Lucas could finish speaking, having gotten the fight it wanted.

"No, get back out here."

The Pokeball refused to open.

"Fine, fine. We're both down to one, then?"

"That's right. Mismagius, give this show a perfect finale!"

Spinning like a top, the deep purple ghost appeared above the arena, silently cackling.

"Then… Hey, Hilbert, give me the drill!"

Hilbert shot out of his seat, unclasping the Key Drill from his neck. "You sure?"

"Positive."

Using his aura, Hilbert easily made the throw, though Lucas shook out his hand after catching it. Crystal could be a bit heavy and sharp, after all.

"Alright. Roserade, let's finish this!"

The Grass-type appeared in a blast of light, flourishing its flowers. There was a circlet on its crown. It started glowing in unison with the drill.

There was a blast of orange and blue, and Mega-Roserade revealed itself. Heightened in aggression and attack, it was ready to take on Fantina's last Pokemon.

"Oho? Mega Evolution? Then I suppose I'll have to match your bet; Come, Mismagius!" She reached for a clip in her hair, and Mismagius's necklace began glowing.

Mega-Mismagius had a longer cloak, sharper hat, and floating tendrils in the air surrounding it, glowing a faint pink. The black surrounding its eyes grew, completely shading them from sight, and leaving an infinite darkness beneath its brim. A single faint light of yellow floated inside, barely visible. A metallic staff orbited it, spinning and tracing lines of light in the air around it in a flat double helix.

Hilbert quickly tapped in some search queries on his cross-transceiver.

"Fairy-type…?"

Lucas probably already knew that though, as a faint smirk snuck onto his face.

"I had a feeling you would do that. Roserade, start off with a Leech Seed."
It nodded, the petals surrounding its mask fluttering. The flowers on its arms folded aside, revealing a Victreebel-like limb, and it began strafing and shooting seeds at Mismagius like a machine gun.

Mismagius telekinetically swatted some seeds away with its magical staff, though some impacted its body with a wince. Faint green orbs were already appearing on the surface of its cloth.

"Mismagius, cast Mystical Fire!"

The ghost's staff spun in front of it, sharply coming to a stop and pointing towards Roserade. A white-hot flame exploded from the gem, roaring towards Roserade in a dozen shapes of different spirits; Flaming apparitions of Gastly, Duskull, Misdreavus, and many others.

It dodged, however, only catching a hint of the heat, and ran to the side, beginning a barrage of Poison Stings.

The staff shot towards Roserade, making it stumble in surprise, before it was hit by an unmistakable Aerial Ace.

Roserade jumped back, hurt, but still able to continue. Some of its health was replenished by the Leech Seed, but it wasn't nearly enough.

"Stay back and use Grassy Terrain!"

Roserade jumped out of the staff's range, and as it touched down, grass sprung up from the arena's floor and spread in an outgoing spiral. It soon coated the entire ground, though it stopped at the edges.

"Now, Toxic!"

"Mismagius, split the stream!"

A noxious wave of liquid flew through the air towards Mismagius, though it coated the staff rather than the Pokemon. The staff shuddered, as if it were poisoned.

"Maybe it's a part of… Ah, I know- Use Venom Drench!"

Roserade's limb switched out, the roses swirling then shrinking to reveal a green ball coated into dark thorns, like a Cacnea. It shot out of its arm, popping on the ground before coming to a spot in between. It exploded into a wet cloud of purple, soaking both the staff and Mismagius. With a cry, Mismagius's attempts to move the staff were proving ineffective, as it weakly rose with half the vigor it had before.

"Now, Petal Blizzard!"

Hundreds of petals flew from Roserade's body, growing and detaching from its mask and arms, swirling into a storm in the arena. The storm enclosed on the ghost, ripping and tearing through it and its instrument.

The white petals floated away, dissolving, as Mismagius was revealed, reverted to its normal form on the ground of the arena.

Cheering erupted in the arena as Lucas gave Roserade a solid thumbs-up, which the Pokemon attempted to reciprocate despite not having hands.

Oh well. It's the thought that counts.

Chapter Text

An Abra held up what felt like the sky, a Protect shield, protecting its scared trainer.

"I'll protect you, don't worry."

And as the girl fell asleep, having cried herself unconscious, it let out a sigh of relief.

"How long can I keep this up?"

A Mid-Sinnoh Night's Dream - XXIII - Don't Call It Filler!

Lucas received the Relic Badge in short order to much applause, and not just from his fangirls. It seemed that their resident smart guy was attracting some attention of his own. While challengers in themselves weren't an odd occurrence, only a couple hundred got that far. And if you're assuming Sinnoh was as densely populated as a small town, you'd be right to believe there wasn't anything special about that. However, while not as urban as Kanto, and nowhere near as rural as Johto, there were a fair amount of people with not much else to do besides analyze statistics for challengers and watch TV.

Some call the fourth Gym Battle a wake-up call for young trainers for a reason. The difficulty curves exponentially in the Gym Challenge. Bidoof trainers either get knocked out in their first or second gym, or go on to dominate that year's conference.

Hey, stranger things have happened.

The point is, as someone who's periodically shown up in the news as a member of Team Black (Though few truly recognized him for that) while seeming stoic enough for others to project onto to make up for their own failings, Lucas found that he had unintentionally grown a fanbase.

Barry was wailing like a child (well, same difference) internally because of that; Hilbert could see it in his eyes.

Though, the blond's turn to battle was coming up, so he jumped up and ran off to get ready.