Walking in the sandy shore of the Muraille Coast of Route 8 could be described as a literal a long walk on the beach. This was due to the route it self being a long stretch of sandy beach that sits under a tall cliff connecting from Cyllage city into Ambrette town.
Their are plans for a construction of a direct path to Ambrette town in the future by digging through a particular cave found near Cyllage city The project was instigated by the need of a safer alternative for travelers since potential hazards like rocky debris often falling from the cliff face either due to Pokémon that lives in the area or natural erosion.
At the moment however the only path from Cyllage to Ambrette town is underneath the vast rock face of the Muraille Coast.
(Its not like I'm complaining though. I much enjoy the beach.)
The upper section of Route 8 is a rocky mountainous terrain it offer a clear and magnificent view to the sandy beach and ocean below but due to the many varying steep ledges and aggressive Rock and Ground type Pokémon that calls the area their home, traversing the path above the shore is ill advised to inexperienced hikers as one mistake would lead to a nasty fall.
Despite the rocky environment, tall grass and colorful flowers grew abundant on the upper part of Route 8 and the tall cliff face overlooking the sea catches the air current creating a strong updraft which makes this whole place a haven for both Water and Flying type trainers.
(It will take a week to reach Ambrette town but it will allow for me to train my team. I feel that this would be a fun week every day is a beach day.)
With the sun dipping toward the horizon, I began setting up camp. It was then I remembered that the rest of the team still don't know about Gabite's prior evolution. I first prepared our lunch before I called out every one out.
Surprise quickly turned to excitement as the team crowded around their newly evolved teammate. Gabite, proud as could be, huffed and puffed out his chest to show off his new stature.
"Okay everyone, settle down and eat your dinner first"
I called the groups attention to get them to notice their food I prepared although I stopped Gabite before he could join the rest.
"Gabite, as a reward for your transition to your second stage I'll give you this."
I rummaged through my bag and pulled out a Dragon Fang necklace. It was the same one I'd tried to give him when he was a Gible but wasn't able to due to his awkward round shape that made it impossible for the necklace to stay on.
'Gab! Gabite!'
Gabite who realized that it was the same type worn by Zweilous happily jumped around in joy as he admired the new accessory. Since he failed to obtain it as a Gible, he considered that it was something like a badge of honor only worn by the strong thus he is over the moon finally getting one himself.
(Well, at least he's happy. I'll make sure everyone gets a double serving of their favorite Poffins later.)
"Now, join the rest Gabite. Eat well everyone, tomorrow will figure out what new moves Gabite learned but after that I plan for us to take the rest of the day off and just enjoy the beach for a change of pace from the intense few weeks we had."
'Gabite!'
'Milotic!'
'Steelix!'
'Zweilous!'
Every one cheered, clearly onboard with the idea. Time passed quickly and early the next morning, I gathered the team to kick off our schedule.
"Gabite, time to show everyone what new moves you have learned after evolving."
'Gabite Gab?'
"Yeah, everything. Steelix, use Stone Edge to give us something to work with."
'Steelix!'
'Thud!'
Steelix generated a large crystalline spire that fell to the ground beside Gabite in a loud thud. Steelix was already used to this process since I usually ask him to create such objects for every one to use as targets during training. It was such a case this time around, while using the large cliff face might be temping but the dangers of causing a landslide with us at the bottom made it strictly off limits.
'Gabite!'
Excited, Gabite squared up against the spire. A draconic silhouette of pure energy flared around his body as he charged headlong into the crystal.
'Boom!'
"Dragon Rush, the same move you used against Hector's Tyrantrum. Its strong but do you have any other move aside from Dragon Rush?"
'Gabite! Gab Gabite'
'Swoosh!'
'Boom!'
After a short nod, a familiar scene appeared reminding me of Zweilous when it was still a Deino. Gabite concentrated Dragon type energy in its gut before hurling it towards the target in a devastating blast.
"Dragon Rage! Congrats on learning it finally Gabite."
Zweilous had been trying to help Gabite learn Dragon Rage for some time now. As a Gible, Gabite had difficulty learning Dragon Rage but even so I had Zweilous continue teaching it to Gible since it was a move that could help it have an easier time in learning Draco meteor.
'Gab, Gabite'
"You have two more? Then don't leave us hanging now, the stage is yours."
'Gabite!'
With a mighty roar Gabite released a surge of energy that whipped around, causing a burst of sand to spread and engulf the area.
"Sandstorm! That's amazing Gabite we could do a lot with that move."
(Now we could blind the opponent before using dig to catch them by surprise.)
'Gab Gabite Gab.'
'Shing!'
As I was formulating the myriad possible uses of Sandstorm, Gabite begun swinging its arm fins in a series of rhythmic movements and after finishing the last stance a slight shimmer rippled across the surface of Gabite's body.
"You learned Swords Dance!"
So far Sandstorm and Swords Dance was the most crucial moves Gabite had learned. As a Gible, Gabite had tried to copy many of the moves of my older Pokémon. He had succeeded in learning a few but struggled with boosting moves like Dragon Dance and weather moves similar to Rain Dance and Hail Storm used by Milotic and Steelix.
The four moves Gabite learned Sand Storm, Swords Dance, Dragon Rage, and Dragon Rush is the culmination of all the effort he had put in while as a Gible.
"Good work, Gabite. Now with that's done, every one is free to go nuts and enjoy the beach!"
'Gabite!'
'Milotic!'
'Steelix!'
'Zweilous!'
Several excited cries was let out before my team had gone running off to do their own thing.
...
I thought that they will take going nuts at the beach as a chance to play under the sun but I forgot that play for Dragon types or my team in general equates to sparring, it was a slight over sight on my part.
It was fine at the start as Gabite begun some few bouts with Milotic and then with Steelix, with him wanting to test out his new moves. Even after Gabite's evolution the two still held back clearly considering their difference in size along with the type advantage.
Zweilous however made a 180 and held nothing back, transitioning from kind older brother to a strict senior, no longer taking it easy on Gabite knowing that it could handle more attacks from it.
'Zweilous!'
'Whoosh'
'Pop'
'Boom!'
'Boom!'
'Boom!'
As the battle intensify, Zweilous continued to put Gabite to the wringer and sent out a rain of full power Draco Meteor which the land shark had to dodge while in the air forcing it to perform a few pin point aerial maneuvers with one mistake ending with him crashing down.
It did not take a genius to realize that Zweilous was doing this to keep the strong older brother image intact, unwilling to experience the shame of having Gabite surpass him that easily.
While the Dragons wreck havoc two great serpents was finally able to get the long needed rest from the continues hard battles they've been through. Milotic and Steelix enjoyed one of their favorite past times which was swimming although it did not take long for boredom to kick in and for the two to start sparring with each other in the open sea.
Sitting on the shore of a sandy beach while admiring the scenic beauty of the sea is something I would consider quite enjoyable if not for two adolescent Dragon types that did not stop battling behind me, causing sand to be thrown my way and the two Kaiju serpents that fought in the sea at my front that sent ripples of waves blasting at my face like a high power sprinkler.
"Yeah ... this is fine."
I said as I took a sip of a cold Lemonade I got from a vending machine back in Cyllage City that I had stored in my bag as such maintained its cool temperature.
"...Fine indeed."
I took another sip while ignoring the damage my team are doing in the surrounding environment.
(I guess this is what amount to a fun day at the beach this days.)
...
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Drasna POV.
(Ryuma Estate, Lumiose City.)
Working as a member of the Regional Elite Four as strict a position may be, is one that perfectly fits my life style. Aside from scheduled matches, I only need to act when the league calls for a meeting or being given a task. As exciting as it sounds most of the day is composed of waiting for that particular call and like most Elite Four member I'm free to pursue my hobbies.
Although, when the call ultimately arrives it requires me to be ready to immediately act. The task may be as simply as being a league representative to some event or as major as joining a military force to be sent out to save the day.
Cases vary from dismantling criminal organizations to stopping rampaging Pokémon somewhere in the region. This means that my team needs to be in tip top shape.
As an Elite four member I'm always striving to improve not only because of said missions but also to be ready to face those vied for my position and against trainers that gained the right to face the Pokémon League Challenge.
Holding the rank of the strongest Elite Four member in the region means I am the final gatekeeper before the Champion which consequently make it so that I rarely get to battle. Since the League Championship only occurs once every two years, challengers are few and far between. Victory Road help to increase the number, but it a test with higher stakes that most trainers would rather avoid.
Basking in the morning sun, I found the day looking remarkably peaceful allowing me to enjoy a cup of tea in the estate garden while admiring the new Poke Ball that Kurt had sent over.
"This is truly one of his best works."
(According to the man himself, only byproducts from Elite Four level Pokémon can be used to craft a Drake Ball. I'd wager that if Blackthorn got wind of this Ball, they would be more than happy to empty their treasury of old Elite Four-level byproducts that have been gathering dust for the chance to obtain a few of these beauties.)
Kurt was gracious enough to send five, which allowed me to share some with my husband and son to play with. Alden already had the Ball I gave him analyzed and the data gathered was reportedly quite insightful to a point that it left his researchers to tinker for hours on end. In their own words the Drake Ball had opened up a well spring of possibilities in terms of Poke Ball engineering.
(I guess Alden still wants to enter the Poke Ball market with his own product.)
'Bzzt'
'Alakazam!'
As I was swimming in my own thoughts, Joseph along with his Alakazam Cofo teleported in the vicinity, garnering my attention.
"What is it, Joseph?"
"Madam, the Kalos Champion Roderick Mortimer is at the gate and requests an audience."
(The Geezer is here?)
"Fetch him and brew a new batch of tea, perhaps the ones from Alden's private stock will suffice. We do need to properly welcome a guest of such stature after all."
"I'll see it done, Madam."
'Bzzt!'
'Bzzt!'
Joseph vanished as Cofo teleported him away, only to rematerialize moments later accompanied by a familiar figure. Even with the well maintained physique, his grayed hair and rugged appearance seemingly stitched together from leather and grit showed the weight of his years, properly exuding a presence befitting his Master rank.
Taking a seat in front of me was Roderick Mortimer, the only person I know to have stared down a group of rampaging Gyarados into submission. The stoic old coot was agreed by many to be one of the strongest trainer in the world for a reason but behind all that raggedness is a man that just want to leave everything behind and retire but was held back by his own sense of duty.
For all its worth, Roderick Mortimer was indeed competent with a spectacular work ethic that is as unyielding as his Tyranitar's hide. The old man in his long years of holding his champion position had held a perfect record on resolving any problem the region sent his way.
It came to a point that the league is so confident about Mortimer's skill that during my early days as an Elite four member I noticed that the missions given to him is pre-recorded as resolved even before he starts undertaking them in order to save time on the paper work.
"Isn't this a surprise, I wonder what disaster has befell the region that would warrant the need for the esteemed champion to stop by our humble home."
I remarked, my voice laced with a playful but sharp curiosity knowing full well that the old man prefer to do his work alone, only seeking aid when he deems the matter to be of outmost importance.
"Hello Drasna, I apologize for intruding but the Poacher Guild's recent escalations have made this unexpected visit a necessity."
"Is it about their attack on the Cyllage museum?"
Mortimer nodded in confirmation but I noticed that he was oddly hesitant in his reply. The news had little to share aside from the museum getting robbed and the after math leaving the place as a pile of ruins. As it was still under investigation the details was still vague.
"They stole a relic called the Charm of Destruction and brought down the Cyllage museum in the process, luckily their was no serious casualties. The League task force together with a few Inter Pol agents has been tracking their location by using the remnants of Psychic signature their Pokémon left in the scene but all they found at this time was an abandoned hideout. From what they could gather the Poacher Guild has left the Region and most likely returned to Johto with the stolen item in hand."
(So that relic was why they were in Kalos but this matter is not enough to make this geezer go out of his way just to give information that could be done through a simple email.)
As if he knew what I was thinking, Mortimer took out a folder hidden in a pocket inside his vest which he then handed over to me. I leaned back, my eyes narrowing at the unmarked document.
(This is?)
"....."
I shot a questioning look at Mortimer, but the old man remained silent, waiting for me to open it. I began reading slowly, carefully analyzing every detail. I began to get a grasp of the situation but halfway through a particular name popped up which made me go over the whole file in a matter of seconds.
(I thought my position was enough to make every noble family and criminal organization know to keep off my son but it seem I overestimated myself ..... no, they must have underestimated me.)
The atmosphere in the garden suddenly grew heavy while Mortimer continued to quietly gauged my reaction. I looked back at the old man, finally understanding the true reason for this unexpected visit.
"From what I could get from this, foreign threats tried to dispatch my son, not once but twice!"
The silent rage in the tone of my voice was clear. It was apparent that I was not amused in the slightest on what the document entailed.
"... That's an over simplification. You know their is more to it than that."
The old man remarked with a knowing glint in his eyes that cut right through my casual deflection.
"Regardless, they crossed a line they should not and for what? A piece of petrified rock. Inform the League that I will take a leave of absence to go to the Johto region. I need to send a message, no border will keep them safe from me."
Upon hearing my plan, the geezer's face visibly grimaced. He leaned back into his chair before letting out a small sigh.
"The league will not allow that to pass Drasna. We can't have one of our Elite four going rogue in another region, besides you will only be lowering their regions self esteem more than it already has. I told you about this matter early so you could have more time to think and rationalize the situation."
Mortimer said firmly making me reconsider my plans while trying to subside my anger.
(His right, me going wild will cause more problem than it could fix.)
"Fine, I'll back off."
"Good. Besides, their is no need for you to step up this time around. Go over the file again and see the name of the owner of the stolen relic along with the name of the girl accompanying your son at the time."
(Girl? Was he .... on date?! And he did not tell me!)
I check the file once more and found the name of the lass the geezer was talking about.
(Anita Monroe? Monroe .... hmm? Don't tell me, the relic owner is ..... Elena!)
Taken aback, I stared at the name listed beside the stolen relic wanting to make sure that I did not mistake it for some one else.
"If you have not pieced it together, the Poacher Guild not only stole one of Elena's prized treasures but also specifically targeted her daughter."
I was momentarily left speechless as it dawned on me that this takes the cake of the level of shear stupidity I've heard all year.
(Did they underestimate Elena because she specializes in normal types? As backward as Johto can be some times, I can't put to mind how they could undermine Elena's prestige. Its no secret that before I took her spot, Elena was the strongest member of Elite four of Kalos at the time. Even ignoring that they must have not known that Granny Mabel is still around. She is literally written in the history books with a footnote that read 'Do not piss off'. Granny Mabel may look calm now but her few outburst in the past caused the geography of Kalos to change to a point it required the league to redraw their maps. I could not imagine what she would have done if something happened to her only great grand child.)
"After hearing about her daughter being safe it did not take long for Elena to get on a plane in route to Johto. As we both know she is not one to back off from a fight."
A smirk pulled on my lip upon hearing about Elena's quick action on the matter.
"I'm surprised the League did not try to stop her or did no one have the guts to talk her out of it?"
"What use will that do? Elena is no longer a instated member of the Elite Four and is free to go where she pleases. Johto has no grounds to hold the Kalos League accountable for her actions."
"I remember that Johto have a famous saying that goes 'Not to poke a Teddiursa'. They must have forgotten the meaning behind it, I'm sure the top brass of the Johto region will be thankful for Elena taking the time to remind them with her own Ursaring in tow."
I mused imagining the havoc the former Elite four member could make in a matter of hours.
"Elena is not the type to go overboard like her grandmother in law besides the Kalos league will also not take this matter lying down and already talked to Indigo league's top brass. Charles Goodman agreed to increase their operations involving the Poacher guild."
Hearing the supposed involvement of the Indigo league did little to get my hopes up knowing full well the political mess that is Indigo.
'Sigh'
(But little help is better than nothing, I suppose.)
"I'm certain that Elena will get something done but as promising as Indigo League helping out should sound, It does not inspire confidence. Didn't they just finish their armed conflict with the Orre region? The fact that two regions needed partner up to form a functioning league after which already shows a lot on how dire their situation has gotten."
"They lost many of their talents on that war but in the end its their hubris that caused the over all decrease of talented trainers after which. The noble families of Kanto and Johto are a fearful bunch. They relentlessly vied for power and afraid of that they are unable to control, actively trying to bring down those that start to shine too bright. Its a known secret that they taken advantage of the conflict to get rid of those they see as an eye sore. The few that manage to escape had no choice but to join the lawless groups to hide. Even now talented members of the lower class of both regions are siding with criminal organizations due to being oppressed by those on the top. Indigo has recently begun cracking down to put a stop to this but they started too late and already lost the trust of the people causing them to fight a battle in two fronts against the Noble families within their ranks and the criminal organizations made up of the people they're trying to protect."
Mortimer went on a tangent about the inner political mess that Indigo currently struggling to fix which just made me think how different each regions noble families and over all regional leagues operate.
"That's why I doubt they will be able to do anything against the Poacher Guild when they're already spread so thin fighting each other. You must have heard what Indigo had decided to do right? They tried covering up everything! The reason for their war and the lives lost due to the corruption of those on top. Imagine trying to rewrite recent history. Its making a mockery of everyone involved."
"....'Sigh'"
Mortimer nodded once more in agreement before giving a pitying sigh.
"The happy go lucky Charles as eccentric as he may be, kept the castle that is Indigo league standing in his own way but with it built upon pillars of salt and pillars of sand, its only a matter of time before it starts crumbling down. They need a strong leader to unite them for things to start to change for the better."
"If only that stuck up Oak, actually step up and did something then I don't think Indigo would have fallen this far."
As I berated the only Master rank to ever come out of Kanto, Mortimer revealed a bittersweet expression upon hearing the familiar name that brought him a sudden surge of nostalgia.
"..... Oak huh, that takes me back. Samuel and Agatha were the only trainers deserving of their Champion rank that rose from the Indigo league. Everyone after them were sadly second-rate duds. Their current Champion is barely passable as a Elite four in our Region and is also getting on the years, it won't be long before he to steps down leaving Indigo without a qualified Champion to replace him. It was a sad day when Samuel decided to retire as a trainer and focus on being a researcher, I doubt another Master rank like him will come about again in Indigo unless they take the time and properly care of the next generation."
"I heard a few talented kids about the same age as my son running around. One is a Psychic from Saffron city while the other is a child of Blackthorn."
"Hopefully they can rise up and fill in the ranks of Indigo in the future when they finally get things sorted out."
Mortimer wishfully said as he looked up in the morning clouds thinking of the day that he to could finally step down and leave all the league related matters behind him like Oak did so many years ago.
"Well speaking of the Blackthorn I remember their elders owing me a favor, helping Elena in getting rid of the Poacher Guild could make us even."
"That's fine, now lets look at the positive end of things. Your boy did Cyllage city a great service. The mayor even wanted to award the kid for his valor but he left the city before anything could be put into action."
"He did, didn't he. Now I wonder what the league would generously award my boy's hard work."
"That would be discussed in this coming meeting but as your his mother we will take into consideration your suggestion."
Mortimer's remark caused an idea to pop up, that sent a sudden irresistible smirk to pull at my lips.
"Well, a little Fletchling told me that the league was able to mine a couple of rare purple gem stones this past year. I wont ask for the league to just give it him but instead allow me to buy two and I will gift one to him myself."
"Two? Where did you even ... Fine, I'll suggest it to the board but you should know that the stone comes with a hefty price so don't expect it to be cheap."
It was the first time in the whole conversation where Mortimer flinched. Caught off guard by the sudden request for the prized rocks that the league kept hidden from the public.
"I know that money is no object .... I'll have Alden write a check."
"....."
The Old man did not stay long after we came to agreement on the subject but I still feel irritated about the matter since in the end it left me with nothing to do.
"I guess being a magnet for trouble runs in the family but I do wonder if I'll cross paths with that young lady."
.....
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Albert Ryuma POV.
(Muraille Coast, Route 8.)
It was high noon when the team has blown off enough steam to actually settle down. Gabite and Zweilous found some shade in the shadow of the cliffside and drifted off to sleep while Milotic and Steelix took to the open sea for a bit of roaming, though I made sure to remind them to be back before dinner.
I started to prepare our meal before the sun set in the horizon. It did not take long for Milotic and Steelix to return while the scent of food drifting through the air was enough to rouse Zweilous and Gabite from their nap. The rest of the evening came to us enjoying the view of the scarlet sky while singing a few song like a makeshift orchestra until stars filled the night sky.
Our day off come and gone as we resumed our trek toward Ambrette Town the very next day and while walking through the shore I spotted several sky trainers gliding down from the cliff side.
This proved to be a good opportunity for Gabite since as the name implied Sky trainer are Flying type specialist which can allow Gabite get the chance to train up its aerial capabilities.
After a few battles the Sky Trainers informed me that there are a lot of trainers using this specific stretch of Route 8 as a training ground so I could expect more challengers going my way for a while. The free time yesterday gave me a chance to conceptualize my teams current situation and with the steady stream of battles that's to come, I started to think of how to make use of the opportunity.
If its aerial prowess their is one move that Gabite could learn to help with it, Aerial Ace. I still recall that the process Ash used to teach it to his Taillow was making it do a bit of aerial maneuver before hitting a target. Having Gabite practice learning it does not sound too bad since the process will help it heighten it mastery in the air. At the moment I would have preferred for Gabite to first get used to its newly learned moves before I start making it learn something new but the abundance of Flying type specialist in the area provided a rare opportunity for Gabite to get a feel for Flying type energy and hopefully while practicing this maneuver it will help quicken the process of learning Aerial ace in the future.
(Well, if a Beartic could learn Aerial Ace in the anime even though its incapable of flight, Gabite should not have that hard of a time.)
"Gabite, try and practice this maneuver when flying and incorporate your new moves like Dragon Rush with it."
Using a small twig I drew the movements needed for learning Aerial Ace in the sand which Gabite look onto in confusion.
'Ga Gabite?'
"Yeah this will help you in your battles. Listen carefully, Think of this stick as if were you ok?"
'Gabite!'
Instead of drawing in the sand again, I used the twig itself as a visual representation to help Gabite better understand what I wanted it to do.
"At the start, rise up high. Then dive down to increase your speed and using that to accelerate your velocity quickly rise up in an arch to hit your target. So you up to try it out?"
'Gabite Ga Gabite!'
'Swoosh!'
Understanding the maneuver Gabite happily jump about before taking to the sky.
"That's it Gabite go high then straight down to a immediate rise but do it in the sea just incase."
'Gabite!'
'Swoosh!'
'Splash!'
Taking my advice Gabite dove down towards the water after it reached the altitude it wanted but due to it not being used to flying at such increased speeds Gabite wasn't able to lift itself back up after the dive and went straight into the sea.
'Gabite Ga'
Gabite sputtered as he surfaced, looking a bit more serious than before, eager to get the maneuver right.
"Yeah, we need to practice it Gabite, can't expect to always get right on the first try. Now Zweilous, your up next."
'Zwei? Zweilous!'
"Yep, your gonna train up something new too."
'Zweilous!'
Zweilous who was getting bored spamming his Bellow in the past weeks was ecstatic to be finally doing some thing different. He is already pretty proficient with Bellow which means its finally time to teach it more coverage moves and what I had in mind is Earth Power.
This was the perfect time for Zweilous to learn a Ground type attacks. With the help of Gabite's Bulldoze, he could get entuned to Ground type Energy which will be almost impossible for it to properly feel after evolving since Hydreigon's ability Levitate prevents it from taking hits from Ground type attacks.
It helps that Zweilous is known to learn very few Ground type moves to begin with, being Earth Power and Stomping Tantrum. This makes it so that even if I don't know the methodology used to teach Earth Power, I could at least try my luck much like when we tried for Flamethrower and ended up with Incinerate.
"You will be learning a new move called Earth power to start you will need to get use to generating and channeling Ground type energy."
'Zweilous?'
Two pair of eyes stared at me in anticipation as if asking how.
"Its simple my two headed friend keep sparring with Gabite and take his Ground type attack head on. It will be a rough time, so I will need to know if your up for it."
'Zweilous!'
"Good then when you spar with Gabite, tank his Bulldoze and try to get a feel of the Ground type energy first."
'Zwei Zweilous'
'...Gabite!'
Confident in its durability Zweilous gave out an excited cry towards Gabite who was still continuing to practice the new maneuver over and over again. Noticing Zweilous call, Gabite returned back to the ground and after a bit of explaining Gabite happily accepted the task.
(Since Zweilous almost always have Gabite as a training partner, it should be familiar with Ground type energy. We could also include Steelix with his Earthquake but it may be a overkill for what were trying to achieve.)
In Milotic's case her Whirlpool was at a acceptable level of mastery with the diameter of the spinning water already reaching 30 meters. The battle with Barbaracle revealed that we need a reliable way to whittle down the opposition.
The best answer was of course the move Toxic but it is out of our reach with the move tutor being all the way in Kanto and would require me to pass some sort of evaluation maybe a test of sorts. As of now the best course is to spam Scald next time in hope of triggering a Burn but it still would fully depend on chance.
(Power wise, Milotic is at the precipice of stepping into the Low Elite four level so at this time it may prove better to focus on her control and efficiency in the use of her moves.)
Steelix was in the same boat as Milotic power wise being in the edge of reaching Elite four rank but as of now both my serpentine Pokémon needed a little bit more push to finally reach the next stage.
In the mean time however I had the two goliaths have a go learning Draconic Bellow as well, to alleviate the monotonous training. Since both could use Sound base moves along with Dragon type moves, It got my hopes up that it might just work out.
...
The following days became a series of back to back battles allowing my team to push themselves further in their training. The multitude of flying type specialist was specifically a boon for Gabite enabling him to put to use the Aerial Ace maneuver but it was made apparent that compared to the flying types Gabite faced, he lacked a certain control that is something I expect to be remedied in time.
In an unexpected turn of events, Zweilous actually learned a new move. It was not Earth Power however or even a Ground type move in that regard, instead he was now capable of using Body Slam.
While battling a swift Pangoro that kept spamming Close Combat, Zweilous got enough of being a punching bag and used Dragon Rush to push the Pangoro away before jumping in the air to crush its opponent under its bulk.
The Body Slam from Zweilous is nothing to sneeze at. Approximately 3.2 meters tall and 4.5 meters long, its weight alone already surpass that of a small Gyarados which it used to flattened that 'Kung-fu Panda' wannabe into a pan cake.
I always trained Zweilous to be more of a Special Attacker but considering its sheer size making it a mix attacker might prove more practical. It works to our advantage that he already have a few good physical moves.
Milotic and Steelix haven't made much headway with Draconic Bellow at this time but while playing with Dragon type energy, Milotic was able to learn Twister.
It was not out of the blue that one thing led to another since Milotic's prior weeks learning Whirlpool must have had an effect in acting as a foundation of sort for it gaining Twister.
There are two ways Milotic was able to manifest the attack. The first was sending a whirling surge of purple energy from her tail while the second was in my opinion for all intents and purposes, way cooler with Milotic manifesting literal tornado's that she yeets to the target.
By the fifth day of our trek to Ambrette Town, the stream of challengers had finally begun to dwindle. It was a natural shift, as we had long since moved past the stretches of coast favored by the Sky Trainers.
As much as I would have like to stay in the area I had to make progress to reach our destination. The subtle sound of the waves repeatedly hitting the sandy beach and the salty breeze that whistled in the air became the calming music that I grew to appreciate. While getting lost in the natural melody, I took notice of a tall figure slowly emerging from the distance.
Even though the silhouette was hazed by the glare of the afternoon light it did not hide his worn patched up clothes and unkept long white hair that draped over a ragged green scarf.
(Wait... isn't that, AZ?)
As I got closer the man also took notice of me and when we were only a few feet away he suddenly stopped. His blank expression turned one of strange curiosity.
"Interesting."
AZ whispered silently but it somehow felt that his word directly weaved itself into my mind.
"Excuse me? Hi?"
I greeted the immortal traveler and in return nodded his head.
"Careful on your way child, strong winds are able to cause rocks from the ledges to come falling down around this parts."
"Is that so? I'll keep it in mind, thank you for the advice."
"It nothing, I've crossed this shores for years and this time I just happen to visit an old friend that recently decided to set its roots here for the moment."
AZ stared a far into the forests above the cliff of Route 8 before walking away to the direction leading to Cyllage City.
"That aside, I'm glad I get to see another familiar face this time around."
Before I could contemplate what he meant in the end, AZ continued on walking, passing me by without saying another word.
(Have we met before? Well considering his thousands of years old, I must have looked like some one he knew in the past. One of my ancestors maybe?)
Crossing path with AZ was a unforeseen encounter, He was a mysterious historical figure spoken through legends. My dear mother as a connoisseur of ancient civilizations use to tell me stories of ancient figures and one involves the man himself but almost no one knows he still walks the earth.
Aside from meeting the legendary hobo that is AZ, little else note worthy happened in my journey through Route 8 and in two days time I was finally able to reached Ambrette town.
....
It took three months after I started my journey but now I finally managed to visit all the coastal towns and cities of the Kalos Region. Ambrette town is located at the edge of a seaside cliff within a narrow coastline. It is the farthest south of any inhabited place in the western side of the Kalos Region, anything further was all wild areas bordering another Region called Paldea while west ward across a vast sea is the Galar Region.
I had a bit of knowledge about the Galar Region from watching the anime but Paldea was a place I knew nothing about and was a complete mystery before being reborn. In my studies in the trainer school geography classes it simply look like a giant donut due to the large hole found in the middle of the region where strange variant Pokémon is said to be found within.
I still don't quite understand what they mean by strange. After all, variants are simply the result of Pokémon adapting to a new ecology over several generations, shifting away from the species norm as such change is to be expected but their must be something else about this variants to be called as strange.
The Paldea region was one of the isolationist regions, they still hold a league but they tend to avoid cross regional matters aside from exchanging technological advancements.
If rumor's are to be believed then Paldea is said to be in the top of the regions to have the most Elite four rank and Champion rank trainers to pop up but Master rank however is a chasm that even they have difficulty acquiring.
Ambrette town being closest to Paldea tend to be a hot spot for smuggling Paldean wears brought by undocumented merchants that sailed across the sea that lined the wild area bordering both regions.
Even being so far from Central Kalos their is no lack of people visiting Ambrette town for this reason and it is only boosted by the Aquarium and Fossil Lab that help drive the tourism in the area.
Not interested in visiting the aquarium nor the fossil lab that isn't yet capable of reviving Pokémon like the facilities in Kanto, I made a Combee line straight for the Pokémon Center since I was eager to finally hold the new Poke balls that Mom had sent.
Arriving at the Pokémon center I first picked up the two Drake Ball from Nurse Joy. The ball was as stated by mom have a higher percent of successfully capturing Dragon and Flying types though the exact metrics of which is still unknown.
(I guess it would be impossible to obtain hundreds of these rare Poke balls to be used in testing out the precise capture rate, so we just gotta take Kurt's word on it since he is a world famous craftsman after all and it would be rude to question his work when we technically got it for free.)
The Drake Ball can be considered as a unexpected gift since Mom had sent the Dragon type byproduct of her team to Kurt a few years back in exchange for two set of all his Apricorn Poke balls that I then got for my birthday.
After a moment of geeking out, admiring the sleek craftsmanship of the new Poke ball, I pulled out my Travel Gizmo to finally check in and let the parents know that I'd made it to Ambrette town.
"Al, good to finally hear from you. Your mother told me you had quite a rough time at Cyllage city of all places."
My father's face appeared on the screen of my phone, his expression a mix of relief and lingering rage.
"Yeah, a little tussle in the museum that's all."
I replied trying to down play the chaos at the time but I knew little I could say will stop my parents from freaking out.
"As small as it seem to you, if thing like that happen make sure to call us. Do you know how worried and livid we were when the league official had to tell your mom about how your little date turned into a terrorist attack. Your lucky she left a day ago to attend a league mandated meeting or she would have stripped you of details by now of how that whole fiasco happened."
While being berated one word stick out to me that made me groan in distaste.
"Date? I was not on a date. I made a friend .... more of an acquaintance really. We traveled together until we reached Cyllage city and sadly she was carrying a pretty troublesome item that caused all sorts of problems."
Trying to stop myself from gaging from just the idea alone as I explained the events that transpired in my point of view.
"No matter ..... just be careful, son. As much as I would like to say you won't need to worry about that terrorist group anymore, it's best to keep your guard up in the future. But rest easy .... Your mother and I are handling it in our own way. We're going to put those people exactly where they belong."
In a quick shift of tone my fathers voice dropped, carrying the kind of quiet authority that could make any one sweat. It doesn't help that he was always dressed like a mafia boss similar Corleone from the godfather movie of my past life.
"..... I see. Well .... thanks, I guess."
I replied, my voice trailing off with a unsettling sense of relief as a slight chill settled in my gut. I knew my parents weren't just writing a letter of complaints to the league to settle this matter. There was a cold, calculated edge to my father's demeanor that reminded me that while they were my parents, they are also high-ranking figures in the region in some way, where 'handling it' usually meant someone was about to have a very bad day. It was comforting, in a terrifying sort of way to know that I would need to worry less about the unsavory group for the time being.
"Now, on the matter of the island. Head to the docks and find an old man named Captain Phillip he is one of the few sailors that knows those waters and skilled enough to take you to the island."
"Then, I'll go meet him."
"Wait theirs more I need to tell you."
Father called out, his expression shifted in weary hesitance.
"What is it?"
"Its about our family's history, about why you need to go to the island. I tried to hide this from you to not put reckless dreams in your head but I understood late that you your mothers son. Listen well ..."
For the next half hour my father spoke of our family's history and traditions. The information about our ancestor a few hundred years ago being immigrants from another continent did not really surprise me considering Ryuma as a family name does not remotely sound one bit Kalosian in anyway. If compared to my former life, Ryuma was more in line with the names found in Johto and Sinnoh with the Japanese sounding names while Kalos is more in line with the French names and culture. I would know with the amount of baguette I had eaten for breakfast back home in Lumiose city.
Near the end father finally shared what came about my uncles and our other missing relatives or the lack their of which caused me to make a dumbfounded expression from the absurdity of it all.
(How the frick do you get your self eaten by a Rayquaza a week in your journey? Don't they usually live in the Ozone layer, primarily eating Minior and Meteorites? Its a known fact that Humans are not included in their diet! How much did he anger the sky deity for it to eat him? The other two also did not last long as they went missing in the island and expected to have also been somethings snack.)
"Now you must have understood why I was so against you being a trainer. However since you have proven your self to be skilled enough to protect yourself. I will no longer bar you from your birth right and allow you to continue on our tradition albeit in a more prepared manner. Make sure to read the document I've sent you a while back it will help you traverse the varying areas of the island."
(Yeah ... from what I know of the place, I too would rather not go to it without the team I have in my disposal as of now. I still can't believe we use to chuck children my age in a far away island without any protection.)
"No worries, I've been reading on it for a couple of weeks now. I'll skim it again later, just in case I missed anything."
I said, forced confidence masking my unease of the place I'm about to go to.
"Good, take care Al."
"I will, thanks dad!"
Finishing the call, I made my way to the dock to look for Captain Phillip who seem to be one who knows how to make land fall into the island.
Situated in the foremost edge of the Ambrette town's beach line, the wooden dock serves its purpose well for the fishing vessels and few passenger ships that pass by needing repairs although incomparable in size to the big ports found in the major coastal cities of Kalos.
I asked around and was eventually directed to a medium size wooden fishing boat. Managing the riggings stood an old man with a peg leg that sent a clunking sound to rung out each time he stepped against the deck.
Instead of a uniform the old man wore a weathered down white coat showing lines of tanned and creased skin from years underneath the sun and wind, while an a faded blue sailor cap adorn the top of his head.
"Hello, are you by any chance be Captain Phillip?"
The man turned to look at me with a rather disinterested expression.
"Aye? I am, if a wee lad is looking for me crusty beard then I reckon you must be another one of the Ryuma's brats."
The captain grunted, his voice as rough as the seas he had sailed.
"I am, I came here for a ferry to ....."
"..... I know, No need to get into the details, laddie. I'm the one who took your uncles to that blasted place. Still can't believe your old man got the guts to send his only son back to the island that took two of his brothers."
"My dad told me about them before coming here. They went missing and was never found. Even so, can you take me to the island?"
Hearing my request the old captain stared with both pity and respect, fully familiar with what lay a head.
"You have spunk. I've already been paid to do so, so no need to repeat your self. How long do you plan to be stayin? A day or two?"
"A week."
Hearing my answer the old man's eyes narrowed before giving a hearty laugh.
"A week!? Hahaha, laddie wants to die young. Listen here most if not all that live in that island have a nasty temper unless your have several Elite Rank Pokémon in your wee pocket, you wont survive a week in that place."
"I have them, Come out Steelix!"
'Steelix!'
I replied calmly, before taking Steelix out of its Poke ball beside the boat. Upon seeing the metallic serpent in the water, Captain Phillip gave a smirk.
'Whistle'
"Well I reckon with this thing at your side I may just have some one to pick up after a week. I'll need a bit to ready the old girl here for that voyage so we weigh anchor at first light. Best make your self ready before then."
As Captain Phillip turn away and started tinkering his boat, I decided to no longer linger and headed back to the Pokemon center. In terms of preparation I was already ready to go as is, considering my abnormally filled supply is stored in a folded space in my bag they will never go bad unless taken out for long periods of time.
When father first mentioned the family trial, I tried various way to gain more info in the subject but since my old man stayed tight lipped, I had scrap for the little information available in our family library that yielded little to no result. Only a year before the start of my journey however I finally got him to cave and share a few tid-bits on the topic.
The few things I learned then is that the island is a haven for several Dragon type species, a place so remote and shrouded in distortions that all radio communication is severed the moment one get close to its shore. For better or worse, it's a ghost on the map, protected by an ancient agreement between my family and the old ruling powers of Kalos, a pact the League continues to honor today.
After settling into my room at the Pokémon Center, I pulled out the folder my father had sent a few weeks prior and spent some time skimming over the documents inside.
On paper, the island is written as a nature preserve owned by our family with its location kept confidential. It helps that the area its situated in is surrounded by several inter locking whirlpools caused by opposing water currents weaving through underwater rocks making navigation of the area more akin to solving a deadly maze which is why it avoided by the ships.
Taking it off the map only goes so far in terms of keeping it on the down low. Many of the Kalos league top brass know of the island and a few intrepid sailors that was courageous enough to brave those waters was able to come about the place by accident.
In the past our family use both money and intimidation for them to keep the island a secret as well as act as ferry men for our family to the place. This however far from being a foolproof solution and some sold the information to those willing to pay which included the likes of hunters and poachers.
Although, record show that most of this unwelcomed guests plans fail even before reaching the island and even by some miracle they succeed in their endeavor it wont be without literally trading an arm and a leg as their targets are not to be trifled with.
The given name of the island is 'Dragon Nest', a little on the know in my opinion. Dragon Nest it self is by no means a small island covering close to five thousand square kilometers, big enough to house several distinct ecosystems.
A hot desert area is located west of the island and in the south is a forested jungle filled with multiple fruit trees bordering a marsh environment that spans to the east.
The whole expanse of the islands northern area is dominated by a vast mountain range that sweeps into the eastern and western shore and at its heart a towering massive peak shrouded in a frigid tundra of ice and snow. At the foot of this mountain lies a large fresh water lake where several rivers flowed out acting as natural borders between the distinct biomes.
With such interlocked environments it became a haven of biodiversity allowing multitude of Pokémon to thrive. It is home to a list of varying species of Pokémon with 50% of the population of which being dragon types.
When the island was first discovered a thousand years ago, only two species of dragon type were found to be native to the island being the Goodra and Garchomp line. The Garchomp line was a conundrum to the people of Kalos as it a species not native to the region, unlike the Goodra line that could have easily swam to the island since the mainland is only a couple hours away by boat, the nearest known habitat of the Garchomp line is however in the other side of the world. This was why no one could identify how a whole colony got in the island in the first place.
It has been confirmed in the past that Garchomp line found in Lumiose Badlands originates from this very island and only migrated in mainland Kalos several hundred years back.
The diversity of the Dragon types slowly increased as the older generations of my family used the island as a retirement home for their Pokémon in hope for them to find a well suitable mate to their liking and even today a Pokémon that once belonged to my grand father is said to be still wandering around the island but the much older generation is no more, only their offspring's persists.
The file my father sent also contains info on the species of Pokemon as well as the pack leaders found in each biome. On the list of dragon types can be found now are the Noivern, Goodra, Kingdra, Garchomp, Salamence , Dragalge, Flygon, and the Applin line. Their was many more in the past but most migrated out of the island or died out due territorial disputes.
(It seems that even the Haxorus, Altaria and Dragapult line used to also have a colony here as well but was included in the list that had disappeared. I guess this is really a survival of the fittest kind of place.)
Well, I'm happy to catch any two of the bunch of the species available that I still don't have in my team but for a little type variety sake Salamence, Noivern, and Dragalge is to be my target or even that of the Applin line is acceptable if I manage to find a good specimen.
(Is this a duality of man moment? When I had little option, I was happy to get anything I can, like when trying to catch a Gible and now given a large buffet I became a bit picky.)
After another hour of reading, I finally forced myself to stop. I needed to get to sleep earlier than usual, as the old captain had made it clear that I need to be bright and early tomorrow.
....