Chapter 1: Wavering Emotions
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Two royals from different eras and with opposing ideologies,
both at just one step from accomplishing their ultimate goals.
However, when destiny has its say on the matter,
their determination and beliefs are pushed to the very limit.
This is how a warlord and a king met each other.
A crossover story of Pokémon Conquest and Pokémon Black & White,
featuring Nobunaga, Bianca, Cheren and N.
∗∗∗
☯ Rating: Teen
☯ Content Warnings:
• Moderate Violence
Fighting scenes that will involve mauling and sparse amounts of blood will be present in future chapters.
• Mild Swearing
A couple of instances of characters dropping the "Damn!" bomb.
Fighting scenes that will involve mauling and sparse amounts of blood will be present in future chapters.
• Mild Swearing
A couple of instances of characters dropping the "Damn!" bomb.
☯ Table of contents:
- Chapter 1: “Wavering Emotions” (this chapter)
- Chapter 2: “Noblesse Oblige”
- Chapter 3: "A Dragon Out of Den”
- Chapter 4: “Illusions and Links”
- Chapter 5: “Rallying the Allies”
- Chapter 6: “Road to Conquest and Victory”
- Chapter 7: “Truths, Ideals and Ambitions”
- Epilogue
∗∗∗
The Meaning of Ambition
The Meaning of Ambition
“Ambition is not what man does… but what man would do.”
– Robert Browning
Chapter 1: Wavering Emotions
☯ ☯ ☯
☯ ☯ ☯
The moon glowed above the mountains, signaling the start of the dead of the night. Nary a cloud was in the sky, allowing a spectacular view of the cosmos and the infinite flickers that were the stars. A long shadow obfuscated the moon, its yellow marks shining in the darkness and radiating great power and magnificence. Its black body blended perfectly with the night sky, permitting the entity to oversee the ground without being spotted.
No human was around at that late time, allowing the shadow to descend toward the ground without worry. It flew in loops around the main plaza to survey the area, before stopping right in front of the enormous castle. The purple roofs reflected the warm glow of the torches surrounding the palace, making the sharp pinnacles glisten in the darkness. The appearance had the vague reminiscence of a giant maw of a dragon. Even though the shadow wasn’t particularly impressed by the architecture, it still appreciated the love and admiration that humans of that kingdom showed toward its brethren. It was a very flattering feeling.
Turning its back to the castle, the shadow flew through the foliage of Dragnorian mountain maples, raising a soft powdery musk and star-shaped leaves with its strong gusts. Many Duskulls and Zubats began flying erratically when the entity trespassed their territory with impunity, the currents making it harder for them to stay airborne. Not too far from them, a colony of Dratini and Dragonair was resting peacefully by a nearby lake, when the entity glided above the surface of the water. Startled by the intrusion, the dragons immediately hid underwater. They stared curiously at the passing being from below the water veil, slowly emerging as soon as the shadow soared away.
Every single creature in the kingdom recognized the keeper of the skies when they saw it.
☯ Dragnor Castle ☯
Standing atop the highest balcony of Dragnor Castle, a man was staring at the moonlit sky. He had long black hair, tied tightly above his head with a cloth hairband, that matched perfectly with his short mustache and beard. He was wearing a purple and black hitatare, adorned with a set of black shoulder pieces and long gloves. His whole appearance was a symbol of his uppermost nobility and importance, with sharp eyes brimming with all the knowledge and experience obtained on the battlefield.
That man was none other than Lord Oda Nobunaga: Warlord of Dragnor, Master of Dragon-type Pokémon and the strongest Warrior of all the region of Ransei.
Right behind the man, a hulking black beast scrutinized their surroundings with its fierce red eyes, its whole physique giving it the aspect of a living gargoyle and its aura radiating a tremendous electric power — Zekrom. It stretched its sturdy wings outward and yawned, while blue electricity flowed within its generator tail and made it flicker with several azure shimmers. It felt relaxed and at peace, enjoying the fresh breezes and scents coming from distant lands.
Unfortunately, the truce didn’t last long.
“Lord Nobunaga, I’ve brought a message from our patrols.”
Both warlord and dragon turned to the voice: a young man with black hair and white clothes ran into the balcony, holding a rolled scroll in his hands. Besides him rushed a Lucario, his aura sensors rigid and upright. The narrowed stare and flickering aura in his paws was a reflection of his human partner’s turmoil and restlessness. The sight made Zekrom frown, but Nobunaga didn’t seem fazed at all.
“Ha. Ranmaru. Is there any news?” asked Nobunaga.
“…There is, my lord, but I am afraid it isn't good,” responded Ranmaru, sounding nervous and holding the scroll in his hands tightly. “It’s about… Lord Mitsuhide.”
Nobunaga looked at Ranmaru inquisitively, his eyes silently urging the page to tell more. “Hm? What about him?”
Ranmaru stayed silent for some time, fearing how his lord would react at the news. He felt his Lucario placing a paw on his shoulder, sending a reassuring wave through their auric link, which was enough to give him the courage to relay the news. “He… He has been… defeated by the Warlord of Aurora,” he responded all at once, releasing a breath he didn’t know he was holding. “Nixtorm is now under Lord Hiro’s domain. Our kingdom… It’s the only one left.”
Silence fell on the balcony, as Nobunaga narrowed his eyes and assimilated the information. Lord Mitsuhide, the renowned Master of Ice-type Pokémon and the Warlord who had come the closest to defeating Nobunaga… had been defeated? This Lord Hiro was shaping himself to be quite the unstoppable threat, despite his tender age.
“Ha… How interesting.”
Everyone stared at Nobunaga in surprise: the warlord was smiling. No, more than that, he seemed almost elated by the news.
“Even Mitsuhide has fallen under the might of Lord Hiro.” A smug smirk appeared on the warlord’s face, as he started laughing. “Hehehe… Hahahaha!” He crossed his arms, appearing very intrigued. “So, this is it. We are now approaching the final battle.”
“Hm, Lord Nobunaga… Aren’t you worried about that?” asked Ranmaru in astonishment, staring at his lord with wide eyes. His Lucario seemed surprised as well, having sensed a wave of thrill and intrigue radiating from the warlord’s aura.
“No. I had grown tired of waiting for some valid opponent, Ranmaru. Finally there is someone worthy of challenging Nobunaga,” replied Nobunaga, totally confident of his skills and hitching at the idea of fighting someone of his caliber. “Besides, everything is going according to plans. Did you do as I have told?”
Ranmaru nodded. “Yes. Everyone is in place and just waiting for your orders.”
“Very well. Then you are dismissed,” responded the warlord, turning around to look again at the sky. “Nobunaga needs some time to reflect on the incoming battle for Dragnor.”
Ranmaru stayed in place for quite some time, wondering what his lord was pondering about. However, he simply bowed in respect, with Lucario doing the same. “…As you wish, my lord.”
As soon as the page and his Pokémon left, Nobunaga afforded himself to smirk. He could feel his excitement pumping at the prospect of facing the Warlord of Aurora. Finally a true challenge!
“At long last, the day is nearing, Zekrom.”
Zekrom’s pupils darted toward the man, its head shifting slightly while the rest of the body stayed immobile, almost as if made of stone.
“The day in which Ransei will be finally united, and all fights for power will cease. I have been waiting for this moment all these years.” The man held his arms behind his back. “But Nobunaga cannot stop these conflicts alone. Your help will be required to succeed. To take the final step.”
Zekrom released a guttural growl in response, letting the warlord know that he had its support. The dragon could sense it very clearly — a great determination radiated from the man’s spirit, a powerful desire to change things for the better. The wish to give peace to all people and Pokémon, who were weary of all the fights and the darkness that had surrounded them for far too long.
That sheer willpower was all Zekrom needed to place its trust and lend its power to the Warlord of Dragnor. Together, they had the power to revolutionize Ransei. To rekindle hope in their world.
“And to bring all of Ransei under my domain, all that is left to do is defeat Lord Hiro…” Nobunaga narrowed his eyes as his voice suddenly soured. “And… Oichi.”
Zekrom turned completely to the warlord, studying its partner very closely. That grave voice, that tense posture, that storm in his heart… it had seen some humans behaving like that, centuries ago.
…Yes. It was sure of it. That was the same tension that surfaced between those two twin kings that reigned that faraway land many centuries ago. Zekrom could only wonder what kind of thoughts were plaguing the warlord’s mind. By what it could detect through their auric link, those were confusing and rampaging feelings, that were carefully hidden beneath a stoic mask.
Nobunaga shook his head, refusing to let his swirling emotions chip away at his determination. “It does not make a difference, however. If I must fight my own flesh and blood to achieve my goal, then so be it.” He clenched his fists. “I will not let anyone get in my way. Not even my sister.”
Zekrom growled and leaned forward, wordlessly asking the warlord if he was willing to do that. Nobunaga just stared back at Zekrom, his eyes showing not a single ounce of doubt or hesitation — only unbridled resoluteness. He had worked so hard and for so long, he wouldn’t let all his efforts and sacrifices go to waste just because of two rebellious youngsters.
A soft gust blew on the balcony, and Nobunaga and Zekrom both looked upwards. They instantly recognized the yellow marks of the shadow floating idly above them, its colossal body stopping the moonlight and its golden eyes fixated on the warlord. It descended toward the balcony until its head was on the same level as Zekrom’s. The latter regarded the shadow with a welcoming grunt, which was quickly reciprocated.
Nobunaga showed a smug smile. “…Rayquaza. There you are, you sly girl.”
Rayquaza replied with a happy growl, doing a few loops in the air and showing a cheerful gaze. She lowered her head toward Nobunaga, allowing the warlord to place a gloved hand on top of it. They instantly felt their auras pulsate and connect, allowing both warlord and dragon to read their respective spirits and emotions. Rayquaza narrowed her eyes, having detected the unpleasant residues of the thoughts that were swirling the warlord's mind just a minute ago. Meanwhile, Nobunaga sensed serenity coming from the dragon — not a single soul had trespassed his kingdom. And by taking Mitsuhide’s defeat in consideration, the Warlord of Aurora was probably camping somewhere down the mountains of Nixtorm. Hiro’s army wouldn’t have been able to reach and attempt to seize Dragnor until the following day.
Nobunaga lowered his hand and smiled at Rayquaza, appearing pleased. "Very fine job, Rayquaza. You did excellent, as always."
Rayquaza nodded subtly, but she didn’t seem too happy. She glanced briefly at Zekrom, who seemed to have had detected the same unrest in Nobunaga’s spirit, before staring at the warlord suspiciously. Soft hisses came from the depth of her throat and her tail began swaying in erratic patterns — an evident sign of unease.
Nobunaga seemed to have read the dragons’ minds and shook his head. “I am aware of what you two are thinking. Rest assured, however, as I have everything under control.” He walked toward the door of the balcony, the dragons following every step with their stares. “This is what must be done. There is no other way. Soon, Ransei will be under one domain — Nobunaga’s domain.” He turned around, facing the dragons with eyes filled with determination. “We cannot afford to relent now. This is not the time for mercy or second thoughts. It is time for conquest.”
Rayquaza and Zekrom looked at each other, trading worried gazes, before both let out deep resigned grunts. They knew well they wouldn’t have been able to change the warlord’s mind, no matter what. His mind was pretty much made up, and he had a point regarding the situation in Ransei. Things needed to change, even if that meant resorting to drastic measures. So, the least they could do was giving him their full support.
However, Rayquaza felt that she could find a way to cheer her partner up and make him loosen up a bit. She pondered about what to do, before curling her mouth into a smile while her markings started glowing brightly. Smiling wasn’t something that her kin normally did, but she had learned how to do that by observing very closely humans and Pokémon throughout the centuries. Zekrom looked at the other dragon, immediately understanding what she was planning, and took a few steps backward, placing its tail on the border of the balcony.
Nobunaga stared at the electric dragon in puzzlement, and before he knew it, he released a startled grunt when he was pinned to the floor by a great force. Rayquaza released many soft purrs, rubbing her muzzle delicately onto Nobunaga’s chest and giving him affectionate licks with the tip of her tongue. On the sidelines, Zekrom showed an amused smirk and produced something that resembled a heavy snicker, while the warlord found himself defenseless against the serpent’s shower of love.
Knowing that he couldn’t fight off the overly affectionate Rayquaza, Nobunaga just sighed in defeat, more resigned and embarrassed than anything. “Pah. Of all Dragon-type Pokémon I had to have the perfect link with…” he grumbled to himself, struggling hard to maintain his stoic attitude. Even if he didn’t want to admit it openly, he actually enjoyed Rayquaza’s unique antics and personality, and both dragons knew it. If all, the tension and confusing emotions swirling in the warlord’s spirit had greatly diminished thanks to her spontaneous gesture.
But suddenly, a white flash filled the night sky, so intense that it covered the whole kingdom with a faint glow. The event was so startling that Rayquaza immediately shot her hear upwards, her cuddles completely forgotten. She hissed loudly at the light, in part angry because it interrupted their beautiful moment and in part because she was concerned by what was happening. Zekrom turned its head toward the light, releasing a deep growl and its tail shining in alert, while Nobunaga slowly stood back up with confusion in his eyes.
“What is going on?” he wondered, holding a hand in front of his eyes to shield himself from the light. Neither dragon truly answered, aside from releasing some guttural growls.
After not too long, the light dimmed significantly, allowing the warlord to see once again with clarity. He walked toward the border of the balcony, before his eyes widened at what he saw: a massive pillar of light, shooting to the sky with all its mystical splendor and revealing the presence of an ancient elusive building.
Infinite Tower, the mirage tower.
“It cannot be!” shouted Nobunaga in disbelief.
Rayquaza hissed at the distant pillar as her whole body produced several loops in a frenzy, while Zekrom growled and released countless blue sparks from its tail. Everyone knew what the appearance of that tower meant: the legendary Pokémon had returned.
“Rayquaza!” said Nobunaga with an authoritative tone, obtaining the instant attention of the serpent. “Take me to the ancient tower!”
Rayquaza nodded and lowered herself to the floor, allowing Nobunaga to climb on her neck. The warlord secured himself under the lower horns of the dragon while using the upper horns as a handle of sorts. Once he was comfortable on her neck, Rayquaza gained altitude, getting ready to fly away at any given second.
Nobunaga looked at the other dragon, a scowl present on his face. “Zekrom, survey the entire perimeter. Nobody must infiltrate Dragnor in Nobunaga’s absence!”
Zekrom replied with a nod and an affirmative grunt, before spreading its wings and activating the engine in its tail. Both dragons took flight, a blue trail and a black blur directed toward their respective locations.
☯ Infinite Tower ☯
The journey toward Infinite Tower was as fast as it was silent. Rayquaza stared intently at the black building ahead of them, feeling anxious at the prospect of encountering whatever entity was waiting for them there, while Nobunaga was completely lost in his thoughts. The tower was connected to both pleasant and unpleasant memories: It was there where Nobunaga had met and linked with his loyal partner Rayquaza, but it was also there where it had seen the other legendary Pokémon for the first time.
Arceus. The instigator of all the conflicts of the whole of Ransei and the catalyst behind the desires of power and greed corrupting his people.
Nobunaga hoped to be wrong, that the tower reappearing was nothing more than a fluke, a mere coincidence. However, if that wasn’t the case, he was ready to resort to some solution. A permanent solution.
Rayquaza began her descent toward the building, feeling her anxiety skyrocketing. A really powerful aura of unknown origins was radiating from the depths of the tower, a mystical force of such raw power that it was able to unnerve even a millenary Pokémon like her.
Nobunaga detected her turmoil through their link and gave her a couple of rubs on her neck to give her confidence and courage. “Do not hesitate, Rayquaza. There is no alternative.” He glared fiercely at the tower. “We must do this. For the sake of all of Ransei.”
Rayquaza felt somewhat bolstered by Nobunaga’s determination and aura, but she could also detect something… off coming from the warlord. She couldn’t quite pinpoint what it was, but there was no doubt that it was tied to that tower. Still, she did her best to steel herself: surely the warlord knew what he was doing.
The duo reached the top of the tower, and Rayquaza allowed Nobunaga to disembark from her. The warlord started walking around, with the dragon floating closely behind him. They studied the area very cautiously, readying themselves for any possible assault. Among the weirdest phenomena, they noticed how the normally pitch-black obsidian tiles were glowing with a mystical golden light. Nobunaga placed a hand on a wall, immediately feeling a surge of energy flowing through his arm.
Surprised by that, the warlord hastily removed his hand from the wall and looked intently at it, seeing some faint sparks flickering on his glove. He frowned, unsure of what to make off of that phenomenon. “Is this… the work of the legendary Pokémon?”
Rayquaza unleashed a deep growl and thumped her tail on the floor to attract her partner’s attention. The warlord looked at the dragon, seeing how her gaze was fixated on a spot. Upon following her stare, he saw that the center of the tower was still unleashing the beam of light toward the sky. By squinting his eyes, he spotted something hiding inside of it. That was… a golden wheel, with various Unown swirling around the beam.
Nobunaga froze. There was no doubt about it: the legendary Pokémon was right there. He could recognize that unique wheel among thousands.
“So, you are back…” growled Nobunaga, staring at the entity in front of him with palpable fury and resentment. “Why are you back?!”
The entity didn’t reply. Green astral eyes were shining from inside the pillar, their gaze so intense that they could pierce through the warlord’s spirit like a Flamethrower through a Shedinja. A very soft humming sound resonated around the area, but whether that sound came from the Unown or the entity was unknown to both Nobunaga and Rayquaza.
While frustrated by the lack of a response, the gears in the warlord’s mind started spinning rapidly. The legendary Pokémon was there. He could end things in a fell swoop, end what he had left unfinished years ago. His goal was within his reach, and he wouldn’t waste this chance. Not at all.
“Rayquaza! Strike, black as night!”
With a sharp glare, Nobunaga motioned toward the entity with his head. Picking up the command through their auric link and throwing caution out of the window, Rayquaza unleashed a primordial roar, her markings glowing with a blood-red shimmer. She glared at her target and sped forward, propelled by strong currents and aiming at the entity like an invisible cannonball. A breakneck Extreme Speed.
But Rayquaza wasn’t fast enough.
Before the attack could even connect, the glowing entity and the Unown unleashed a massive explosion of light, so powerful that it made the whole tower shake violently. The tremors were of such magnitude that Nobunaga lost his balance, grunting when he found himself sprawling unceremoniously on the floor. Caught off guard, Rayquaza crashed head-first into the white sphere. Her roars of shock steadily faded as the light overwhelmed and engulfed her. She cried out for Nobunaga, desperately urging him to run away, before vanishing into thin air. The light continued undeterred its race toward the downed warlord, growing in intensity and splendor with each second.
Too dignified to scramble and too proud to flee from battle, Nobunaga shielded his face with his arms, shutting his eyes to block the incoming light. He could feel a sudden warm sensation pervading his whole body, which was replaced by an immediate… sense of weariness and tiredness. If he wanted to open his eyes now, he wouldn’t have been able to — for some reason, they had become very heavy. Black and white flashes clouded his vision, while the noises of the shaking tower and the humming creatures grew more and more distant and distorted.
However, amid the cacophony of swirling whiteness and blackness, a dominating voice resonated in his mind, as clear as a bell.
Nobunaga.
I know you have been looking for me all this time. Fear not, you will get the chance to face me in a fair fight very soon.
Your heart is mostly in the right place. I can sense that you greatly care about Ransei and its inhabitants. All your hard work and your conquests have been done for everyone’s sake. And for that, you have my respect and gratitude.
But your spirit… I can detect many turbulent sensations and feelings you are refusing to acknowledge and elaborate on. So many things you still cannot grasp and must first witness and experience with your own eyes. So many important things that you have forgotten during all these years.
Also, is what you are envisioning the ideal world you are seeking? Is your will strong enough to face any truth lying ahead of you? What is your ambition?
Allow me to aid you in the search of the answers you need… by showing you a glimpse of the future.
And with those words, Nobunaga’s world faded to nothingness.
☯ ☯ ☯
Nobunaga grunted and stirred in his sleep, the daze slowly melting away and his senses starting to flow back to him. He tried to open his eyes, but was forced to shut them again when he was blinded by a downpour of intense light. He covered his face with an arm and squinted his eyes. Was he still in the middle of the mysterious attack?
…No, that didn’t seem to be the case. He didn’t feel that strange sensation of lethargy anymore. By judging the comforting warmth on his skin, it was sunlight from above that was pouring all over his face, while a pleasant gust blew gently through his hair.
Nobunaga blinked repeatedly to adjust to the light. It was daytime already? Had he really passed out for so long?
Confused by the lapse of time, Nobunaga sat up and took a glance around. To his horror, not only the entity was nowhere to be seen, but the same applied to the tower. The obsidian floor and walls were gone. In their place, a grassy field and woodland of an unknown location welcomed the warlord, while the happy squeaks of a group of Emolga playing together filled the air.
Where was he?
Suddenly, Nobunaga felt something flat brushing on his chest, before being dragged backward and against some smooth surface. This startled Nobunaga — had some wild Pokémon caught him? However, his shock was instantly replaced by relief when he looked downward: a familiar set of black and red fins was coiled around his torso, which was connected to a very long black tail. Following the tail with his gaze, Nobunaga spotted the sleeping figure of Rayquaza, appearing unscathed. Her whole body was sprawled across the grass, slightly curled up on herself in a peaceful doze. Despite the imposing aspect of the legendary, she looked almost… adorable, in that pose.
Nobunaga attempted to pry the tail off of himself, but the only thing he accomplished was making Rayquaza tighten the coil around his chest and curl up further, with her head brushing against his leg. Nobunaga huffed and shook his head in annoyance. Luckily for him, nobody was around to see him in that condition, especially his subordinates. His reputation would be in shambles if someone witnessed the fearsome Rayquaza cuddling with the ruthless warlord like a Growlithe with its child.
“Rayquaza!” exclaimed Nobunaga, shaking the muzzle of the Pokémon. However, the only response he got was a soft snore on his face, which made him release a frustrated growl. “Will you not wake?”
Seeing that he was pretty much trapped in Rayquaza’s sleepy bind, Nobunaga decided to adopt another strategy. He took a deep calming breath, and once his mind had been cleared completely, he closed his eyes and focused on the auric link he shared with Rayquaza. He could feel his energy resonating with his partner’s power, and with another deep breath, he channeled his energy and sent it to Rayquaza in the form of a dark purple wave. The flame-like aura enveloped Rayquaza completely, who woke up instantly when she felt the surge of power. Growling darkly, she lifted her head and looked frantically around, searching for any nearby threat, and inadvertently tightening her grip on Nobunaga.
With his breath knocked out of him, Nobunaga tried once more to loosen the tail. “Ray… quaza…!” he wheezed, hoping to attract his partner’s attention.
Rayquaza blinked a few times at realizing that there was no threat, before looking down and noticing the struggling warlord. The dragon loosened her grip and yelped happily, glad to see that her partner was safe and sound, and her markings began shimmering with a warm yellow glow. She pulled the man toward herself and lowered her muzzle, giving him a gentle boop on his chest and growling softly to express her glee. Nobunaga just rolled his eyes in response, reluctant to reciprocate the affectionate gesture.
“Rayquaza… we have other concerns at the moment. Not now,” he said assertively, making it clear that it was no time for games.
Rayquaza pouted in disappointment, her tongue hanging down and her markings flickering like a dying light-bulb. However, she respected her partner’s boundaries and wishes and unwrapped her tail off the warlord. She slithered backward and slammed her tail on the grass, summoning a tiny twister to lift herself off the ground. Cuddles would have to wait.
“First things first. This place…” Nobunaga motioned toward the surrounding forest. “Does it look familiar to you?”
Rayquaza peered at the forest, then at the faraway mountains. That place certainly wasn’t the Infinite Tower anymore, nor did it look like Dragnor at all. The trees looked different, the mountains looked different, even the surroundings felt different. Some quick flickers of her tongue confirmed her suspicions: the air was slightly hotter and richer in oxygen, from what she could detect. Also, she spotted several flocks of Braviary flying in the sky, their proud cries reverberating through the ether. Perhaps the duo had been teleported in some area close to Avia? She couldn’t say for certain. The air didn’t quite taste like Avian air, either.
Nobunaga stared at the dragon, frowning upon realizing that his partner was as confused as he was. “So, even you do not know?”
Rayquaza released a soft hiss, while her tail whipped constantly the air. A clear negative answer.
“…I see.” Nobunaga looked up at the sky. “In this case… Rayquaza, reconnaissance.”
Rayquaza nodded, and with a burst of speed, she soared away and into the deep blue. Nobunaga stared as his partner faded in the sky, and while he waited for the dragon to return with some news, he deemed it productive to explore his surroundings. With a quick nod to himself, he marched through the woods.
☯ ??? ☯
It took Rayquaza mere seconds to reach the highest clouds, barely below the upper layer of the troposphere. While for humans it would have been impossible to breathe and withstand the pressure, Rayquaza could handle the rarefied air and radiations coming from space without any issue. However, as soon as she approached the ozone layer, she noticed… something very off about the air. It was incredibly dry and hot, more so that she last remembered. Also, some rare embers of unknown origins danced in the air, giving to the winds a faint orange glow.
This unusual weather puzzled the black dragon, but she didn’t let that thought bother her too much. With a mighty swing of her tail, the dragon dispersed the hot air and embers, clearing the skies in an instant. Satisfied with her tail-work, she looked toward the ground to pinpoint the location. What the dragon saw took her by surprise.
Ransei was no longer there. In its place, there was a region whose name escaped her memory, no matter how much she tried to remember. For humans who lived there, that region was known with one name only: Unova. Rayquaza could very clearly discern the unique shape of the faraway coasts and the giant island-like strip of land in the center, with high and cold mountains surrounding the region.
Now really curious, Rayquaza memorized the location of the settlement where she left Nobunaga — which the dragon identified as 9th Road — and glided through Unovan skies. She descended at almost bird’s-eye altitude to study the landscape more accurately, flying through the darkest thunderclouds to avoid being spotted.
Thanks to her legendary prowess and speed, Rayquaza quickly reached Lacunosa Town. She could see how it was still surrounded by the great wall to keep a certain legendary Pokémon away. But had the whole area grown much colder…? Rayquaza slowed down when she was flying above the Giant Chasm, golden eyes peering through the snow-covered land. But as she didn’t see anything that piqued her interest — aside from an abnormal number of Absol packs, which were more common than usual — she decided to not waste more time than required and carried on with her task. Besides, she never really liked the cold.
Soon enough, she reached Lentimas Town, switching from thunderclouds to volcanic fumes and ashes as her camouflage. She gave a quick look at the desert, not noticing anything out of ordinary, when an unknown assailant with rigid wings rushed in her direction, not giving any sign of steering out of the way. The dragon was forced to dive-bomb hastily, shrieking in shock at the sudden attack. She turned to the fleeing being, hissing angrily. Did a Latios just try to attack her? Or was that a Latias?
Rayquaza chased the assailant for an explanation, mildly miffed by the scare, but halted in surprise upon seeing what it was — Some kind of gigantic metal thing, roughly eight times bigger than she was, expecting streams of air from its wings. That strange… bird… left behind a mixture of white smoke and petroleum, which stunted Rayquaza’s senses momentarily and forced her to take some distance. Just what was that thing?
Not knowing what to make of that encounter and not wanting to deal with a creature far bigger than her, Rayquaza put aside the issue and resumed her mission. She decided to fly a bit higher, in case there were more of those air-making demons.
Much to her relief, White Forest was as verdant as ever, if not even more widespread and beautiful. She descended toward the enormous white tree and relished in the fresh scents, waving a friendly paw at a flock of Pidgey and Starly roosting nearby. They chirped hesitantly at the dragon, afraid of enraging her by mistake, but she released a soft growl to let them know she meant no harm. This seemed to do the trick as the birds relaxed visibly, and once assured that the situation was stable, she turned to leave…
Until her attention was attracted by something not too far from the forest, which prompted her to investigate the new anomaly.
This time, the surprise was in the shape of blinding neon lights, outlining a city with tall towers made of black steel and obscured glass, and filling the place with clouds of stinky smoke. A very sharp contrast with the much cleaner White Forest.
The dragon sped toward the tallest tower, before taking a peek into one of the windows. She saw dozens of humans wearing identical clothes and sitting in front of some kind of… cubic boxes? A blue glow was projected from those cubes, right into the eyes of those humans. Those gazes made them look like they were in some sort of hypnotic trance. Also, their fingers were tapping constantly and rapidly on some flat things with buttons, making countless clicking sounds.
…Were they even humans? They looked like humans, but didn’t behave like humans. They resembled more… machines. Machines in human form. That was really creepy.
Unnerved by that scene, Rayquaza sped away from the tower as fast as she could, not even looking back. By then, several confusing thoughts were swirling inside Rayquaza’s mind, who was trying to piece everything together and make any sense of what was going on. All those changes were so drastic: did humans in Unova change the landscape and progress so much during those few years in Ransei? That was… impressive. Terrifying, but impressive.
But it was when the dragon reached Desert Resort that she got the biggest shock, strong enough to make her stare at the area in horror. The magnificent Resort Castle, one of the homes of her fellow dragon Zekrom and a dear place tied to its fondest memories… was now gone.
How was that possible? Did something happen while she was traveling around the world and helping out Nobunaga with his conquests? But… how? It’s been only a century or two since she last saw the desert. Perhaps even three centuries or four. She had never been good at keeping track of time.
Recovering from the initial stupor, Rayquaza decided to investigate the area at a much closer distance. She needed an answer.
As she descended in a spot devoid of humans and Pokémon, she channeled her power on the currents to control the raging sandstorm. A dust twister surrounded the black dragon, who employed it as a protection from prying eyes. With this little setup, she flew in the direction where she recalled the castle used to be, but sand and a few Maractus were the only visible things that reigned in that place.
Just when she was starting to think the glorious castle was gone forever, she spotted many blue statues on the northern region of the desert — Darmanitan, who used to guard the entrance to the castle in ancient times, according to Zekrom’s stories. Could it mean…?
Rayquaza swooped toward the location of the statues, quickly finding a hole surrounded by stone walls. That was it, the entrance! So the castle had simply been run aground. Probably once humans and Pokémon left the kingdom, for reasons she didn’t know, the sandstorm buried the whole building. Speaking of that sandstorm, upon thinking about it, that too was unusually powerful: it was almost like the weather of the whole region had gone wack. She started wondering if that was the work of some legendary Pokémon — she knew from experience that some of them were very grumpy, or bored, or both.
Curious to see how the castle looked like, she stirred up a massive dust devil and sent it into the entrance. The wind seeped through the many underground holes, blowing away copious amounts of sand and uncovering more and more of the ancient building. Rayquaza looked inquisitively at the castle, thrilled at the idea of seeing her companion’s old home, before blinking in surprise. Did she see… burns and electrical damage on the walls? That was odd, didn’t Zekrom love that kingdom? There were also some signs of something having rammed into the walls and having made big dents. Probably it was the work of some powerful Pokémon, like a Warrior Pokémon from a rival kingdom. Though, there was no way for her to confirm that.
She descended to check out more of the castle and try to uncover it further, when…
“Hey! What’s going on?”
“Agh! Who has thrown sand in my eyes?!”
“Quick! Everyone out of here!”
Humans. Rayquaza didn’t want to face the humans who surely had suffered the effects of her dust devil, and soared upwards to avoid being yelled at. With a swift glance behind, she saw some puzzled people exiting the castle and looking wildly around them. Among the group, a young boy with dark hair rushed out of the building, cleaning up his sand-covered glasses with a handkerchief. Everyone began shaking the sand off of their clothes, but before they could even spot the dragon, she had already disappeared in the sandstorm.
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