Chapter 602: New Travel Companion!
~Third POV~
[Unova Region, Meanwhile, Route 1]
Far off, partially hidden by a cluster of gnarled trees, a young man with vibrant green hair stood perfectly still, his striking emerald eyes fixed on the scene. N watched Black and Azure, listening intently, not just to their human voices, but to the subtle, almost imperceptible communications flowing between them and their Pokémon.
He had expected to find conflict, coercion, the signs of abuse, and forced servitude, his father, Ghetsis, so often spoke of in relation to Pokémon battles. Instead, he heard cheers, praise, a shared understanding, and even laughter.
He saw the genuine pride in Black's eyes, the deep affection in Azure's every movement as he healed his Pokémon. He heard the triumphant SCREEE! of Braviary, the grateful Axew! and Zweilous!, and the satisfied Munna!
He gazed briefly at the two figures, now packing up their gear, a shared sense of accomplishment binding them. As they started walking, their paths seemingly aligning, talking animatedly, N turned to leave.
His Zoura, a majestic illusionist, materialized beside him, its eyes thoughtful. His Snivy, nimble and curious, looked up at him. Zoura said its voice was a whisper in N's ears, "Zour… (They do not fight because they are forced, N. They fight because they wish to. Because they grow. Because they share a dream.)"
N nodded slowly, his gaze distant, already pondering deeply. He replied, "Yes, Zoura. I heard that as well. But Azure… he is different. His Pokémon speak with such clarity, such an array of voices. And that strange human… Black, he was surprised by it too. He does not force them, yet they listen. They fight with him, not for him."
He briefly looked back. Black and Azure were now small figures in the distance, their silhouettes etched against the horizon as they continued their journey down Route 1, seemingly together.
N murmured to himself, the question barely audible, "What is Azure truly?"
He had sensed something unique about Azure's Pokémon, an ancient wisdom, an almost primordial connection that resonated with the very essence of the land. His Snivy, perched on his shoulder, let out a soft cry, echoing his thoughts, "Snivy! (Especially… what did the other Pokémon around him say?)"
N thought, recalling the subtle, untraceable whispers he'd heard emanating from Azure's vicinity – voices that weren't quite human, and not quite like any Pokémon he'd encountered before. The Uncrowned Champion was an enigma, and N knew, with a certainty that settled deep in his heart, that their paths were destined to cross again when the time came.
/////
[Unova Region, Meanwhile, Route 4 – Desert Resort]
The sun over the Unova Region's Desert Resort was a merciless, blinding orb, turning the vast expanse of sand into a shimmering sea of heat. Here, the wind didn't just blow; it bit, carrying abrasive grains of silt that clogged machinery and stung the eyes.
*Clack-clack-clack*
Deep within the dunes of Route 4, the silence of the wasteland was broken by the rhythmic sounds of pickaxes and the heavy huffing of industrial excavators. Till one of the miners shouted, "Boss! Over here! We hit something!"
A group of rugged miners, their faces caked in dust and sweat, huddled around a shallow pit. They waved frantically toward a man standing atop a nearby dune, shielding his eyes with a gloved hand.
*Shhh-shhh-shh*
The Foreman, a burly man with a thick beard and eyes hardened by years of looking for treasure in the dirt, let out a grunt as he slid down the sandy incline. His heavy boots displaced the sand as he approached.
The Foreman growled, "Better be worth the fuel we're burning…"
He stepped into the center of the circle, looking down at where the men were pointing. Embedded in the ancient, compacted earth was an object. It was roughly spherical, the size of a large boulder, but its surface was unlike any stone the Foreman had ever seen.
It looked dull, like calcified ash, yet it possessed a strange, spiraling texture that suggested it hadn't been formed by volcanic pressure, but by something… organic. The Foreman poked it with the toe of his boot.
*Thud*
It sounded hollow, yet impossibly dense.
The Foreman spat, turning away, "It's just a rock. A piece of old ruins or a fossilized piece of junk. We're looking for gold, evolutionary stones, or artifacts the museums will pay for. This? This is a paperweight. Get back to work!"
One of the younger miners whispered, his hand hovering near the stone, "But Boss… It… it feels weird. Like it's breathing."
The Foreman barked, his voice echoing against the distant, crumbling pillars of the Relic Castle, "I said move it!"
As the Foreman turned to stomp back to his temporary office, a sudden, jarring sensation washed over him. The air around the stone seemed to ripple, the heat haze distorting into a predatory shape…
*THRUM*
He froze. A cold shiver, completely at odds with the hundred-degree weather, raced up his spine. He thought, alarmed, his eyes darting toward the shadows cast by the nearby cliffs, Who's there?!!'
He felt a gaze—heavy, ancient, and judgmental—pinning him to the spot.
He muttered, spinning around, "Who's watching me?"
There was no one there but his workers.
Suddenly—
*VROOOOOM*
A pulse of invisible energy erupted from the stone. It wasn't a sound, but a vibration that resonated in the marrow of his bones.
The Foreman was lifted off his feet as if a giant, unseen hand had shoved him in the chest, "Gah! AHHH!!"
*Thump-thump-thump-thump*
He tumbled backward into the hot sand, gasping for air. His heart hammered a frantic rhythm—as a surge of raw, unadulterated power rippled through his nervous system. It felt like lightning, but white-hot and smelling of ozone and ancient ozone.
One of the miners asked, "Boss! You okay?!"
The Foreman scrambled up, his face pale beneath the grime. He looked at the stone again. For a fleeting second, he could have sworn he saw a spark of blue electricity arc deep within the dull grey shell.
He whispered, his bravado gone, and screamed, "Leave it! Seal the area. We're moving the dig site ten miles East. Now! Inform Gym Leader Clay of the news!"
/////
[Unova Region, Later, Route 1]
Hundreds of miles away, the atmosphere was much more pleasant. Route 1 was a vibrant tapestry of emerald greens and oceanic blues. The air smelled of salt from the nearby coast and the sweet scent of blooming Berries.
*Crunch-crunch-crunch*
Two pairs of sneakers hit the dirt path in a steady rhythm. Azure, with an air of calm that belied his incredible history, walked with a relaxed gait. On his left shoulder sat a Pikachu, its ears twitching at every rustle in the grass.
Perched precariously on its head, a fluffy Eevee adjusted its position, yawning widely. Hidden within the folds of his jacket, a small, pink snout poked out—Mew, disguised as a Pichu, peeking at the world with curious eyes.
Walking beside him was Black. To say the 15-year-old was energetic would be an understatement. He was a human lightning bolt, his eyes wide and burning with a singular, fiery ambition.
Black shouted, pumping a fist into the air in an excited tone, "I still can't believe it! For I Hilbert Black! I beat the Uncrowned Champion! I beat the Azure Sky! Did you see that, Tep? Musha? Brav?"
His Tepig, nicknamed Tep, oinked happily, trotting alongside his master's feet. High above, Brav the Braviary let out a piercing cry as he circled the duo.
Meanwhile, Azure thought, 'Hilbert Black? That's his full name?'
Azure chuckled, the sound light and teasing, stating, "Don't let it go to your head, Black. You won a practice round against my Unova training team. If I'd brought out the big guns, we'd still be back at the starting line waiting for your Pokémon to wake up."
Black laughed, rubbing the back of his head, and boasted proudly, "Hey, a win is a win! Besides, I know who I'm dealing with. I've done my homework. I spent weeks in the library looking up the Hall of Fame records."
Black stopped walking, his expression turning into one of intense focus. He began to count off on his fingers, his voice taking on the tone of a scholar reciting scripture, "I know your core teams, Azure. Kanto: Pikachu, Eevee, that terrifying Gengar, Scizor, Arcanine, and Dragonite. Johto: Tyranitar, Skarmory, Quagsire, Houndoom, Mismagius, and Ampharos. Hoenn: That Alpha Slaking that supposedly shook the earth, Gardevoir, Salamence, Metagross, Sceptile, and Milotic. And recently Sinnoh: Rotom, Togekiss, Kleavor, Infernape, Gallade, and Lucario!"
Black leaned in, his eyes sparkling, and stated, "You're a legend! The shortest-reigning Champion in history because you resigned the title in less than a minute each time! Why would you do that? You could have ruled four regions!"
Azure's shadow suddenly elongated on the path. From the darkness, a pair of glowing red eyes appeared, followed by a mischievous, toothy grin. A raspy, ethereal voice echoed, "Because being a King is boring, darling!"
Black jumped back, tripping over a tree root, "WAAAGH!"
Azure's Gengar rose fully from Azure's shadow, cackling wildly, "Keke-ke! You should see his face! Comedy gold!"
Azure scolded, though he was smiling, "Gengar, play nice."
Azure's Arc Phone buzzed in his pocket before flying out of its own accord. It zapped with blue electricity as a Rotom inhabited the device, "Zzt! Data suggests Black is 400% more hyperactive than the average trainer! Zzt! Also, his facts are 100% accurate! Records indicate Azure Sky is the most 'efficient' Champion in history! Zzt-zzt!"
Azure reached up and scratched Pikachu's chin, answering in a casual tone, "I didn't want to rule, Black. I wanted to see. Titles are just heavy things that keep you in one place. I'm here in Unova to challenge the Elite Four and the Champion Alder, sure, but mostly I'm here because I've never seen a Victory Star or a seasonal Deerling before. I want to push myself."
Azure looked at the younger boy as he asked curiously, "I'm enjoying the company. Traveling with Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum in Sinnoh reminded me that the world is better when you have people to share the jokes with. You want to keep traveling together? At least until Accumula Town?"
Black froze. He blinked once, then twice. Then he finally asked in a tone of disbelief, "Wait… you're serious? Like for real? You, the guy who saved the world from a giant meteor, want to travel with me?"
Azure nodded, shrugging his shoulders, stating, "Unless you're worried I'll steal all your experience points."
Black yelled, his voice echoing off the trees, "No freaking way! TO THE TOP! WE'RE GOING TO THE TOP!"
Suddenly, Black's face went pale. He swayed on his feet, his eyes glazing over, muttering, "The… the Champion… the League… the pride of Nuvema Town… nine years of study… the strategy… the… the…"
Azure watched as a thick cloud of literal thought bubbles began to manifest around Black's head, filled with images of trophies, badges, and stadium lights. Black's brain was overheating from the sheer volume of his own ambition.
Azure called out, "Musha! Help!"
The pink, floral Munna floating behind Black drifted forward. With a soft, rhythmic Chime-me-me, Musha inhaled deeply. The "dream clouds" were sucked into her long snout as if she were a vacuum.
*CHOMP-Gulp-gulp*
Black slumped forward, catching his breath as his mind cleared, answered, "Whew… thanks, Musha. Sorry about that. My dreams… they're a bit much sometimes. If Musha doesn't eat them, my head feels like it's going to explode."
Azure watched the Munna with fascination. He smirked, asking, "9 years, huh? You've been thinking about the Champion title since you were 6?"
Black said, his voice dropping to a rare, serious tone, "Every second of every day. I've spent my whole life in libraries, studying type matchups, historical battles, and terrain advantages. I am going to be the Champion of Unova. I must be."
A voice spoke then, but it didn't come from anyone's mouth. It was a silvery, melodic sound that echoed directly into their minds. The voice teased, 'Such a loud mind for such a small human. Baka!'
A small, dark fox-like Pokémon with a crimson mane shimmered into existence next to Azure. It was Zorua, his eyes twinkling with illusory light, who asked, 'But tell me, Azure, what is your dream? Is it as loud as his?'
Azure smiled, looking out toward the horizon where the rooftops of Accumula Town were just beginning to peek through the trees. Azure mused with a fond grin, "My dream? I want to be a Pokémon Master."
Black tilted his head, his cap slipping slightly, and asked in a confused tone, "Isn't that the same thing? To be a Master, don't you have to beat the Elite Four? Conquer the Battle Frontier? Reach the pinnacle of the Hall of Fame? You've already done that four times over! Doesn't that make you a Master already?"
Azure stopped walking. He turned to face Black, the wind ruffling his hair. Pikachu and Eevee looked up at him, their expressions mirroring his own calm.
Azure said calmly, his voice soft and eyes resolute, "That's the common answer. People think 'Master' is a rank. Like 'General' or 'Doctor.' But to me? Being a Pokémon Master is about the journey itself. It means befriending every Pokémon in the world. It means understanding the feeling behind a Growl or the sorrow in a Faint Attack. It means seeing everything there is to see alongside your partners."
He gestured to the forest around them, adding in a resigned tone, "I know I can't befriend every Pokémon I come across. Some won't like me. Some are too wild. But the effort to understand them? That's what matters. I saw an old show once, back where I came from… about a trainer who never gave up on that ideal. It stuck with me. I want to see the world through their eyes."
Azure reached out and playfully ruffled Black's hair, knocking his hat over his eyes. Azure added knowingly, "You're still 'green,' Black. You're looking at the trophy. I'm looking at the grass we're standing on."
Black adjusted his hat, looking confused, and asked, "But… if you don't have a goal you can touch, how do you know when you've won?"
Azure chuckled and started walking again, replying, "That's the best part. You don't. You just keep getting better."
He threw a question over his shoulder as he moved forward in a casual tone, "Let's say you do it, Black. Let's say today is the day. You beat Alder. You're the Champion. The confetti falls, the cameras are flashing, and you put your Pokéball on the pedestal. What happens the next morning?"
Black paused. His feet felt heavy, anchored to the dirt of Route 1.
Black whispered, "The… next morning?"
He had visualized the battle ten thousand times. He had visualized the victory speech. He had even visualized the suit he would wear to the induction ceremony. But he had never thought about the day after.
Azure's voice drifted back to him, "What's next after that dream, Black? When the goal you've had for nine years is finally finished… what's left of you?"
Black stood silent for a long moment. Tep nuzzled his leg, wondering why they had stopped, "Tepig?"
The hot-blooded trainer looked down at his hands. For the first time in his life, the "dream clouds" didn't immediately fill his head. There was a hollow space there—a quiet, terrifying, yet strangely exciting void.
Black repeated, "What's… next?"
He looked up at Azure's retreating back. The older trainer walked with a certain lightness, as if he weren't carrying the weight of four regions on his shoulders, but rather as if the whole world were a playground he was just passing through.
Black shouted, his voice regaining its fire, though a new spark of curiosity was mixed in, "Hey! Wait for me! I'll figure it out! I'll be the Champion, and I'll figure out what's next! Just you watch!"
Azure didn't turn around, but he raised a hand in a wave. He said knowingly, "I'm counting on it, kid."
Gengar popped his head out of the shadow one last time, sticking his tongue out at Black. She cackled, stating in a mocking tone, "Don't think too hard, brainy-boy! Your head might go 'POP!' Keke-ke!"
Rotom chirped excitedly, "Zzt! Calculating the probability of Black's existential crisis! Zzt! 78% and rising!"
As the sun began to dip lower, casting long, golden shadows across Route 1, the two trainers continued toward Accumula Town. They were a study in contrasts: one chasing a finish line, the other chasing the horizon.
But as the wind picked up, carrying the distant, rhythmic hum of the Unova Region's heart, it was clear that their journeys—and the mysteries sleeping in the Desert Resort—were only just beginning.
Black followed closely, his mind spinning not with strategies for once, but with the image of that 'next morning.' He didn't have the answer yet, but for the first time, he was glad he had someone like Azure to help him find it.
*Tmp-Tmp-Tmp*
The journey continued, and in the tall grass, a wild Purrloin watched them pass, its eyes reflecting the setting sun, sensing that the winds of change were blowing through Unova, carried by a boy who dreamt too much and a man who had seen it all.
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A/N: Hope you like the chapter! And any recommendations for what Pokémon Black should get on his team to be champion?