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Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.
Abraham Lincoln
Darkness. There was only cold, wet darkness all around him.
An immense weight had crushed his body and was pushing him further and further toward the abyss. Even if his remaining willpower screamed to react, to get out of that situation, to save himself… he couldn’t.
His mind ringed, blurry and distorted. His forehead throbbed, a red cloud around it. His body was unresponsive, rigid and torn.
A crushing pain pulsated from his entire being, albeit slowly dulling, and his consciousness threatened to leave him at any given moment.
The exhausted lungs burned, on the verge of collapsing…
And then they did. Air went out, water rushed in. His sight blackened and his mind drifted away.
Yes. He knew it. He was dying.
How… How did he end up in that situation…?
A few days earlier…
“Nyula, finish it with Ice Punch!”
A dark brown blur and claws cloaked in ice. A swift swipe, followed by a sonorous strike. Then, a dull thump amidst creaky brown leaves.
And just like that, everything ended.
The defeated Spear
A teenage boy wearing a straw hat stared in disbelief at the barely conscious Spear, flabbergasted and taken aback by the sheer power of his opponents. His entire team… crushed by a lone, frigid weasel.
On the other side stood another boy, his face marked by a bored and unsatisfied expression, who shook off some leaves stuck into his red hair.
“Tch. How pathetic,” the redhead grumbled to himself, before crossing his arms and staring at his opponent. “So, I won. You know what you gotta do now.”
“…R-right…”
Sighing, the straw hat boy pointed a blue sphere with a net-like pattern toward the Spear, who turned into a blob of bright energy and vanished inside its Net Ball. Then, he rummaged into his pocket and produced a few banknotes, which he handed over to the redhead.
“700 Poké. This is all I can offer,” said the straw hat boy with a barely audible voice, before lowering his hat to hide the face. “…I gotta take my Pokémon to the Pokémon Center. Huh… s-see ya…”
Without looking back, the straw hat boy scuttled away and disappeared through the foliage, leaving the redhead alone with his Nyula.
“…Hmph. Tokiwa Forest
He recalled the shocked stares of all the local Bug Catchers he had faced that day, which Nyula defeated all by himself. They never saw their crushing defeats coming.
“I suppose this is a way to weed out talentless people. Only the strongest and most determined Trainers prosper, after all.”
The redhead studied the surrounding oak trees and shrubs. While for most travelers it would have been a challenge to discern a path from the others (and the perpetual darkness permeating the forest didn’t help), that wasn’t an issue at all for the boy. He knew those woods by heart, having navigated through those dirt paths and viridian trees countless of times as a child.
Two paths merging and heading southwest, close to a patch of damp grass brimming with ever-renewed red mushrooms… yes, the gate for Tokiwa City
“Well, at least we’re about to exit from this forest. Let’s go, Nyula.”
However, the only response he got was silence. He blinked and looked at the spot where his Pokémon stood a few seconds ago — empty. Alarmed by his absence, the redhead peered frantically through the forest.
“Nyula? Nyula!”
Dozens of startled hoos filled the air. Alerted by those cries, the redhead whirled toward the ruckus. What he saw was a flock of dazed Hoho
The redhead observed the fleeing owls who disappeared into the sky, but shifted his attention back to the ground when he heard a chilly whistle besides him.
Nyula had returned, beaming a mischievous grin and holding a black arrow-shaped feather in his clawed forepaws. The weasel raised his treasure with one paw and held it close to the long turquoise feather on his left ear, before lowering it to his forehead and brushing his gem with the dark feather.
The redhead stared at the weasel in disbelief. Then he sighed, unamused. “…Did you really have to wake up those Hoho and steal that feather, Nyula?”
Nyula squealed and twirled around, waving the stolen feather and his turquoise pupils gleaming with pride. The gesture meant that yes; he had to steal it.
“We shouldn’t steal anymore, remember? We’re supposed to be the ‘good guys’ now. It was hard enough to shake off that ‘Silver the Thief and his Nyula’ title, so let’s not fall back to those bad habits again. Alright?”
Nyula pouted and exhaled a frigid cloud from his nostrils in mild annoyance. He stared at the feather for a long time, unwilling to let go of his treasure. However, he quickly tossed it aside, pretending to have grown bored with it.
Silver rolled his eyes and shook his head, before walking away from that location with Nyula in tow. He knew well that Nyula were natural-born thieves, and it was a strenuous task to teach them that stealing was wrong. So, he couldn’t really fault his Pokémon for behaving like that — the weasel was following his instincts, and needed some more time to learn how to keep them in check.
Nyula, who took things from others for their own benefit. Just like Silver took Waninoko from Dr. Utsugi
He frowned, having detected the thinly veiled irony. ‘We aren’t that different in that regard, are we?’
But the redhead shook his head once more, refusing to bring up those memories. He had left that petty and weaker version of himself behind a long time ago, and the professor had forgiven him for stealing the water crocodile. Ordile
The fact stunned the redhead, but he felt genuine joy and gratefulness toward the professor for understanding and allowing him to keep Ordile. He had… grown very attached to his Pokémon — all of them, actually — and didn’t know what he would have done if the professor ordered him to return Ordile or to separate himself from any of his teammates.
After that event, Silver decided to be a true Trainer — no, the best Trainer — and someone who didn’t need to resort to cheap tactics, robberies, and other workarounds to accomplish his goal.
Speaking of goals…
“…One Badge. All it’s left is the Green Earth Badge.” Silver smirked smugly. “The one issued by Green, the second strongest Trainer of all of Kanto.”
Nyula looked at his Trainer with interest. As a battle-hungry Pokémon himself, he was hitching for a genuine challenge. All Trainers faced in the last couple of months had been so weak and predictable. And luckily for him, Silver seemed to have heard his silent request.
“That Green… From what I’ve heard, he’s the grandson of Dr. Ookido
The weasel tilted his head. That other kid…?
“…Red. He’s the one who defeated Green. Another true prodigy, from what I’ve heard. Hailed as some kind of undefeatable Champion and legendary hero. And…”
Silver paused, and his expression darkened. He knew what to say next, but the words were hard for him to utter. He glanced at his partner, who stared at him in confusion, and took a shuddering breath.
“And Hibiki
To say that Nyula was shocked upon hearing the news would be an understatement. So that annoying, perpetual smiler of a kid, who defeated their team over and over with unnerving ease, had beat one of the strongest Trainers in the entire world. Now that was… impressive.
“Just when I thought to have reached his level… this happens.”
Silver clenched his fists until his knuckles cracked. Just thinking about Hibiki’s skills made him question his own achievements as a Trainer. They both started their journeys the same day and at mere hours of difference. And yet, they were at two entirely different levels, with the harsh truth becoming undeniable when they joined forces against Gym Leader Ibuki
Hibiki’s Pokémon were a veritable force of nature, evenly matching Wataru’s dragons. Even the almighty Kairyu
Meanwhile, Silver’s Pokémon? They were just powerful enough to handle Ibuki’s dragons. Despite training non-stop at the den and studying the secrets behind the prowess of Dragon-types — which paid off when Ordile learned Dragon Dance — Silver found frustrating that he didn’t progress as much as he wished. He surely wouldn’t have stood a chance in that battle if he didn’t have Hibiki by his side.
Heck… as much as it pained to admit it, he felt like he had dragged his rival down during that battle, instead.
“…What’s his secret? How did he beat a legendary Trainer, of all things?” He scowled at the dirt path. “Can I even… reach that level?”
Silver blinked when he felt a tug at his pant leg. He looked at Nyula, who flailed his arms and squealed aloud.
When the weasel got his Trainer’s attention, he pointed at Silver’s shirt, right where the redhead kept his badges, and cloaked his claws in frost. Then, he swiped at the air in front of him, scattering snowflakes around and freezing the grass underneath him. He dispelled the energy and stared at his Trainer, hoping that his message came through.
Silver stared blankly at Nyula, trying to decipher what his Pokémon was saying. The sharpness of those frigid claws… the icy power that cloaked the grass in frost… the gathered Badges…
Was Nyula trying to cheer him up? Something about his power and the Badges?
The Badges… the power… oh! Of course! Those collectibles were a tangible proof of their strength and progress as a team, weren’t they? They had gathered all Badges in Johto and were about to finish collecting the Badges of Kanto. That wasn’t something that many Trainers could brag about.
A determined glare replaced Silver’s defeated scowl. “…I think I get what you’re trying to say, Nyula. What am I thinking? We shouldn’t give up! Not when we’ve come so far!” He smirked with renewed confidence. “We’ll trounce Green, and then we’ll go after Red!” Silver’s eyes narrowed and his smirk widened, a burning cockiness radiating from his dark red pupils. “And as soon as we’ve dealt with Red… Hibiki will follow! Next time we face off, we’re going to crush him!”
Nyula whistled happily, clicking his claws and showing a determined grin of his own. Now that was the confident and cocky Trainer he knew and respected!
Yes. They were going to become Champions soon. All they needed was more power, and defeating Green was the first step toward achieving that.
“Tokiwa City… It really feels weird to be back home, after all this time.”
Silver walked at a sedate pacing toward the city and glanced behind. The thick forest was just a mix of orange and viridian shades, and the buzzing of insects made way to the buzzing of urban life. He turned back to the city, his gaze lingering on the bright green roofs and the evergreen trees, and sighed.
“It sure brings back memories…”
Nyula stared into his Trainer’s eyes. They seemed brimming with blissful nostalgia… and painful regret. He whistled a brief cry, then a longer one, then he motioned toward the closest houses.
Silver redirected his attention to Nyula, totally at a loss of what his Pokémon said. The houses… what about them? “Hm? Do you want to know about Tokiwa City?”
Nyula shook his head and pointed a claw toward his Trainer, before motioning again toward the houses.
Silver frowned, still confused. “My… home?”
A whistle and a nod were the weasel’s reply.
“Not yet. We need to go to the Gym and get the last badge.” Silver narrowed his eyes. “Better do that sooner rather than later.”
Now it was Nyula’s turn to be confused. While he was used to his Trainer being expeditious and wanting to conclude matters as soon as possible, he could detect a faint urgency in his voice. The weasel considered inquiring about that, but how could he ask such a question to the redhead? Silver had many qualities, but perceptivity wasn’t one of them.
…Except that it wasn’t completely true. Despite the obvious language barrier between them, Silver could tell that there was something in Nyula’s mind, but he didn’t know how to ask the weasel about his thoughts and how to translate the response.
And not being able to understand his Pokémon was beyond frustrating for the redhead. He was trying hard to get to know his Pokémon better; he really put plenty of effort into that! But despite everything, he still struggled to get what his Pokémon said and meant most of the times.
If only there was an easier way to understand his team…
…
…Whatever, that was an issue for another time. He needed to stay focused. So, without further ado, he resumed his journey. “C’mon, let’s go! The Gym isn’t far from here.”
Silver and Nyula scurried on the paved road leading to the city, passing by a sign placed between two lampposts: “Tokiwa City, the Eternally Green City”.
The redhead raised an eyebrow: a mostly green city with a green gym, controlled by someone named Green who handed out Green Earth Badges… the irony in all of that was palpable.
As soon as they entered the city, something piqued their attention: a maglev train station, swarming with people who entered and exited the imposing white building. Silver stopped underneath the elevated railroad to study it, and noticed some Coil
All of that was a novelty for Silver. He knew about the Yamabuki
“Things have changed a lot in these past three years, huh…” he mused, before tracing the path of cement and steel with his gaze.
The railroad disappeared among the rocky walls of
Silver stared pensively at the faraway mountain. It was there where Hibiki faced Red, from what he heard.
He scowled at the distant peak and hailstorms and turned around, not wanting to look at the panorama any longer.
‘Focus! One step at a time. First Green, then Red, then Hibiki!’
Silver marched toward the path by the side of the station, forcing Nyula to quicken his own steps. The redhead and his Pokémon noted a cafeteria collocated besides the ticket booth. Passing by it, they heard happy chatters of travelers and loud chirps of
Onisuzume]Spearow — common sparrows with red wings.
But above them all sounded the exclamation of a jovial old man, who was complimenting the barmaid for the fantastic coffee with sake. Even though Silver didn’t pay much attention to the rest of the conversation, he could detect a faint tipsy tone in the man’s voice, and the stacked empty cups spoke by themselves.
He raised an eyebrow. ‘Some old man should really lay down on his sake…’ he thought, before redirecting his attention to the road.
After getting through the unusual gathering of people (and making sure Nyula didn’t disappear or try to pickpocket anyone), Silver took a linear and less crowded path, which made him feel more at ease.
Nyula was quick to follow his Trainer, but slowed down momentarily to look at a building on their right. Countless young children gathered around the building, with some of them carrying books under their arms or staging fights with their pet Pokémon — a school, most likely.
“…There it is. The Gym.”
Nyula blinked and stared at his Trainer, then he followed his gaze. Sure enough, he could see the silhouette of the imposing building ahead of them, its copper-colored tiles a stark contrast with the surrounding green roofs. A sign with a stylized half-Poké Ball was placed in the proximities, confirming that what they were seeing was the Gym.
Silver aimed straight to the door, with only a thought in his mind: winning the final badge. His determination was like a raging fire, fueled by his desire to prove himself… but those flames dissipated when he slammed into the automatic door.
“Oww! What—?!”
Silver took a step back and shook his head, earning a concerned cry from Nyula. He dismissed the mild throbbing of his nose and the worried weasel with a swift hand-wave, and took a step forward. Nothing; the door refused to open.
“…the heck? The Gym is closed?”
He checked out the door and found a note: ‘I’m on an important trip and I won’t be available until the next month. Sorry about the inconvenience, Green.’
…Seriously? The Gym Leader was away? And he only left a note behind? Seriously?
Silver growled, infuriated by the news. “You gotta be kidding me! What kind of Gym Leader leaves their Gym as if it was some holiday home?” he grumbled and stared unhappily at the door. “…The previous Gym Leader wouldn’t have done anything like that…”
He froze when he recalled who was the original leader and shook his head.
“Hmph! And of course he had to abandon everything! Only because he was too cowardly to face the fact that a kid defeated him.” He crossed his arms. “How pathetic.”
Silver gave his back to the Gym, and his gaze zeroed on a southern path. “And I can’t even go to Masara Town
A chilly whistle interrupted his rant, and Silver turned to his Pokémon, who was staring at the door and exhaling a frigid breath on the glass. He could easily infer that the situation disappointed Nyula, if the weasel’s narrowed eyes and twitching claws were any proof.
Silver huffed and shook his head again. “Pah. There’s nothing we can do about it. Let’s just go.”
The duo walked away from the Gym at a much slower pacing, the adrenaline and excitement having waned significantly. They were so close, and yet so far. Who knew when they would have gotten the chance to get the last badge? They had to be patient and wait for Green’s return.
However, what could they do in the meantime?
Silver placed his hands in his pockets; a common posture he took whenever he racked his brains. He didn’t like to just sit around and do nothing productive. So, how could he satisfy his battling needs? He had no simple answer to that, aside from… the Battle Tower in Asagi City
After Silver busied himself by crafting the vague semblance of plan, he noticed that he and Nyula had reached a quieter area of the city close to the Gym, shrouded by dark foliage and filled with intense scents. He glanced around for any familiar landmark, until he realized where his wandering had taken him — home.
Silver stared uneasily at the house, his gaze darting on every single detail of that forgotten building: the cracked white paint peeling off of the walls, the dust-covered windows and cobwebs, the wild Koratta
Even the names on the mailbox had faded away. Nobody had lived there in a very long time.
“…Wow. Things have gone in the gutter, huh…” he murmured ruefully, feeling a swift but strong thug at his heart.
He gazed at the door. It was a miracle it was still standing, since the wood had marks of fangs in some places and the hinges were rusty and bent. But those details didn’t matter much to Silver, as everything around him vanished in a thick haze and his mind traveled back in time…
…
The door swung open. A tall man with shoulder-length dark hair exited from the house, getting the attention of a nearby Sidon
While Sidon savored the snack, the man diverted his attention from the rocky creature and smiled warmly at a six-year-old Silver.
That was Father. He was the best! The renowned Gym Leader Sakaki, expert of Ground-types and number one Trainer in Kanto. Very few challengers got the Green Earth Badge from him, and his strength as a Trainer was so well known that the Elite Four themselves asked him if he wanted to become one of them some day. That was a great honor!
The man approached Silver and scooped him up in his arms, much to the excitement of the young boy, before returning to his Sidon. Silver stared in awe at the impressive creature, and his Father recounted his latest challenges and victories. While Silver didn’t remember those retellings, the proud and happy tone in his father’s voice was an indelible memory.
Yes. Silver wished to become a great Trainer someday, just like his father. That was his greatest dream…
A white flash, and the door swung open. An elderly woman with long dark hair and red clothes exited from the house: that was Grandma Johanna! She told something to Father in a foreign language — Galarish, as Silver found out later — and while the seven-year-old boy couldn’t understand most of what they were discussing, her harsh tone and his father’s crestfallen expression were a clear sign it wasn’t anything pleasant.
She walked away from the door and glared at the young boy, making him back off in fright, and left the house in a limousine. As soon as the car disappeared on the horizon, Silver looked again at his father.
His expression… he would never forget it.
Father was looking so disgruntled, enraged, perhaps even hopeless. His hands clenched into fists and his mouth twisted into a snarl. Also, there was a darkness in those eyes that the young boy had never seen before.
Sidon stepped forward to comfort his Trainer, but Father stopped him by raising a hand. The message was unmistakable — he needed some space.
What did Grandma tell behind those four walls to upset him so much? If only Silver knew…
A white flash, and the door swung open. Many men wearing dark clothes and with long whips tied to their grey belts exited from the house and saluted Father with respect. They turned to salute the eight-year-old Silver, who stared blankly at them, and promptly left in some black cross-country vehicles.
Silver looked at his father, Sakaki… no. That wasn’t his name anymore. Now his name was Giovanni, a name meant to strike fear into his opponents’ hearts, but Silver found it very cool.
However, something was bothering Father, who had a perpetual scowl on his face and didn’t smile at him or anyone anymore. All he beamed were fake smirks and scripted words, meant to evoke a confidence and intimidation that weren’t his own. His general appearance had changed, too: he only wore black business suits and kept his hair very short. Not even Sidon’s affectionate gestures could cheer him up anymore.
What happened? Father had never behaved like that before…
A white flash, and the door swung open. Father exited from the door, hiding his face with a fedora and carrying a suitcase. He glanced at the dumbstruck ten-year-old Silver, but said nothing. Instead, he just walked away, much to the dismay of his son who ran after him. And then…
“Where are you going, Father? You… aren’t really leaving, are you?”
And yet, here they were. Father was truly leaving, as he didn’t deem himself worthy of his position anymore. Nonsense!
“You told me… you were the number one in the world!”
Acknowledge one defeat… right. As if Father didn’t lose a few times while he worked as a Gym Leader. What was so different about the latest defeat? Was it…? No. Did the entire Team Rocket business and that Trainer have anything to do with all of this?
“Gathering so many only to be defeated by a mere child!”
Father failed, apparently. Failed at what? He didn’t need others! He had reached great heights all by himself! Why didn’t he recognize that? What was he getting at?
“I don't understand you! You don't make any sense!”
One day you will understand…? Sure, whatever. That’s the answer of someone who doesn’t have answers himself. Silver couldn’t believe that such a great Trainer had become a… whimpering coward! Well, he sure as heck wouldn’t follow his path!
“I will become a stronger man all by myself! All by myself!”
With that, he left Father to satisfy whatever caprice he had. So, the great Giovanni didn’t want to face the bitter truth and swallow his pride and ego? Fine! Silver didn’t need him. He didn’t need anyone!
Then he arrived home. The door was still open and Mother was sitting beside it. She had a letter in her hands, holding back her tears and scowling at that dastardly paper. Her Kusaihana
Silver stared hard at his mother, before kneeling by her side and hugging her. She barely acknowledged the hug, too distraught by her husband’s departure, and Silver felt like someone had stabbed him in the heart.
…Well, they didn’t need that traitorous and weak man in their lives. They would have done everything all by themselves. That was their new path…
A white flash, and the door swung open. The twelve-year-old Silver glared at the man with teal hair that stood by the door. What was his name again…? Was it Apollo? Or perhaps Archer, as his subordinates called him?
Tch. Irrelevant, the boy didn’t even want to bother picking a name.
So, the fool wanted to take Father’s place, in more ways than one… and Mother seemed content with that! She even changed her name from Athena to Ariana, signaling that she had joined the circle of Team Rocket. Also, they were planning to look for Father so they could restore Team Rocket to its former glory? And even to have Silver get into the organization so he could become a leader someday?
…No. No. He wouldn’t have accepted that farce. No.
He didn’t want to have anything to do with Team Rocket, or Father, or whatever! Team Rocket was an organization of weak cowards who turned others into weak cowards, and he refused to get himself roped into all of that!
When nighttime came and everyone was sleeping, he opened the door and gazed around, gripping his belt bag. Once assured that there was nobody, he closed the door slowly to not alert anyone, and took one last look at his house. He sighed, thinking about the memories he was leaving behind. Then, before he had the chance to reconsider his decision, he fled toward Route 22…
A white flash… and the door remained closed, three years later. Silver was back to the present, and only then he noticed Nyula squealing frantically. He looked down to meet his Pokémon’s gaze, seeing the concern and anxiety in his pupils. The weasel pointed a claw at the house, then at the redhead.
“…Yes, Nyula. This is my house,” he sighed. “Or rather, it used to be.”
Nyula tilted his head and looked quizzically at his Trainer, before looking pensively at the house. No wonder Silver didn’t want to come back: it was in such a sorry state. Also, he saw the purple fur of the Koratta scattered on the grass like thin twinkles, alongside some of their… huh…
No. Nyula wasn’t itching to approach that decaying building, that’s for sure.
Silver crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes. “So, you saw my house. Are you satisfied now?”
Nyula merely shrugged. Not exactly what he expected to see, but it was something.
“Good. Then I’d say we can just—”
*breeep breeep*
The noisy ring startled Silver and Nyula… and the wild Koratta, who rapidly disappeared into the house. The redhead looked straight at his belt, right where he kept his Pokégear, and produced the device to check it out. Great was his surprise — even if he didn’t show it — when he opened the notification.
A digitalized mail was waiting for him in his Trainer account, sent by an unknown deliverer just a few minutes ago. That was new: nobody had ever sent anything to him.
“A mail? For me?” he asked to no one, rubbing his chin while his pupils brimmed with curiosity. “Could it be… one of those so-called Mystery Gifts?”
Wanting to check out the mysterious delivery, Silver withdrew his Pokégear and started his trek back toward the centre of the city. Tokiwa Pokémon Center was their new destination, and any excuse was good to get away from his house and his past.
Silver and Nyula walked into the Pokémon Center and saw some people scattered on the first floor; most Trainers crowded the poison control ward of the medical center, waiting for the doctors and nurses to treat and detoxify their Pokémon.
It was undeniable that poison control was an essential service in Tokiwa. The surrounding wild areas were brimming with Beedle
Also, it wasn’t uncommon for the Poké Mart to run out of antidotes and Pecha Berries. Those remedies sold out much faster than hot cakes.
‘Good thing that none of my Pokémon got poisoned… The PCW seems busier than usual,’ pondered Silver, before looking at the nurse standing by the reception. ‘…But I suppose they could still use a check-up, especially Nyula. I wouldn’t want them to become too weary and get themselves hurt unnecessarily…”
After handing out his Pokémon to the nurse, Silver headed straight to the PC. Nobody was using the device, so he scanned his Trainer ID on the magnetic band reader to log into his account. Sure enough, he found a digitalized letter stored at the end of his inventory.
“Hmm… Who could have sent that?” wondered Silver, gazing at the screen.
With his curiosity piqued, he clicked on the icon of the letter, and a machine installed besides the PC turned on and flashed a white beam. The mysterious letter materialized almost instantly in the stream of light, and as soon as the machine halted, Silver opened the envelope to reveal its content: a couple of papers and a dark blue magnetic card with a stylized white Poké Ball, very similar to a regular Trainer ID.
Silver held the piece of plastic at a fair distance from his face to study it under the artificial light. On the top right he read the text ‘Battle Pass’, and by moving his gaze to the center he read the words ‘Trainer Silver Tsubaki’. There were also seven empty circles: was that some customizable card?
He raised an eyebrow, puzzled by that Battle Pass. He had heard a few things about those cards: sought-off by Trainers and collectors alike for their rarity, since they are sent only to a few small elites of Trainers by the founders of battle parks (like the Battle Frontier) or facilities (like the Battle Maison).
That fact only made him more curious, and he studied the two papers. The first sheet was a timetable with various names of regions and cities, while the other was a letter. He began reading it.
Dear Silver Tsubaki,
The head of our island, Master of Masters Mysterial, is pleased to announce the inauguration of the first Pokétopia Championship in the Colosseum of Stargazer City, Pokétopia.
Master Mysterial’s primary goal is to gather the best Trainers in the entire world and have them compete in exciting battles, all of them with their own unique rules and spins, in one of the most prestigious tournaments to date. Local transportation, accommodation and meals are all covered.
If you are interested, show the Battle Pass we have annexed to this letter and your Trainer ID to the ticket booth at the closest port. We have arranged ships that stop by the principal ports — you can find all the details on the timetable — and the pass will act as your ticket to our beautiful island.
We hope to see you in Pokétopia, the dream place of every Trainer!
Regards,
Joe, Sashay and Kruger
The Colosseum Masters and Head Organizers
An invitation for a high-level championship with an official stamp… for him. Now that was something Silver would have never expected.
He took a nearby seat and stared at the papers in his hand, then at the blue card, then again at the papers.
He didn’t know what to think. Receiving that invitation was… almost too convenient, especially considering he had just missed his chance to challenge Green.
…What if it was just a well-crafted prank? Or some random spam?
Doubts gnawed at him, so he pulled the invitation closer to his face and checked the letter inquisitively.
A few rubs on the filigrane told him it was a rough paper of excellent workmanship. It wasn’t cheap ink paper, but something very close to vellum. Not the stuff used for childish pranks, throwaway ads, or free leaflets.
Three signatures, very elegant and fluid. He took out his Pokégear and browsed those names with the News Card: real people, and the incoming championship was an actual event. Also, after a quick comparison with the signatures on the official site, he could tell that the signatures on paper weren’t forged. There was no tremor in the lines, and the pen pressure was even.
A purple stamp in the shape of a wizard’s hat, most likely done with a heat stamp, and with a signature on top of it. Another detail near impossible to falsify.
There was no doubt in Silver’s mind. The invitation and championship were genuine, and his suspicions turned into veiled thrill. They had invited him to such a prestigious tournament. That was almost too good to be true.
“Interesting…” he said pensively, rubbing his chin and rereading the letter. “Pokétopia… I’ve never heard about it. Where is it?”
Silver activated the Map Card on the Pokégear, before studying both the maps of Kanto and Johto. But he found nothing.
“Could it be in another region?”
He picked the timetable and scoured through the various names. Mio
Silver frowned when he read the date and schedule for Kuchiba City. The ship would depart in less than an hour. He wouldn’t have caught it in time. However… Ah, Asagi City
Now that was workable: he could take the maglev train for Kogane City
Still, he had yet to find out about Pokétopia, so he kept reading.
Minamo City
“…Ha. Found it.”
Sure enough, there it was: Pokétopia was in the Orre section, just below Gateon Port. Silver narrowed his eyes.
“Orre…” he muttered, leaning on the seat and pondering about that name. “Hmm… Sounds familiar. Did I hear about it on the news or something?”
Silver crossed his arms and stared at the ceiling. He thought hard about that name until fragments of a buried memory echoed in his mind…
…actions of a young boy… Cipher operatives… trying to take over the entire city… Orre region is endangered again…
He blinked in realization. Yes, he remembered hearing about that crisis. Radio stations all over the world bombarded breaking news after breaking news, with Team Cipher and the stolen Pokémon in Unova on the first page most of the times. Didn’t those accidents happen like… almost a year ago?
Team Cipher… Yes. Yet another infamous criminal organization, just like Team Rocket. A syndicate made of imbeciles who pumped their Pokémon with shadows or whatever to strengthen them. Corrupted Pokémon, just to satisfy those dastards’ selfish purposes.
And yet, Silver was ashamed to admit he had entertained the idea at some point, back when he would have gladly let a sick Denryu die if it proved itself useless in battle. Pokémon were just means to an end — if they broke, they could be replaced. Injecting some shadows into some Pokémon to make them much more powerful was a really enticing idea. Battle performance was all that mattered. Who cared about their feelings?
…
…Silver didn’t care, and the thought made his stomach twist and churn. He didn’t even want to fathom what would have happened if he was in Orre during that crisis and they offered him some of those… shadows. No doubt he would have accepted in a heartbeat, ready to send war machines against innocent Trainers to test their powers. Just to test the sheer power of his team.
‘Gods, I was such an idiot back then…’ he reminded himself, the rare traces of sadness and regret seeping into his mind. ‘A heartless monster…’
A strained sigh, and his eyes closed. Despite the reluctance to accept facts, deep down he was grateful that Wataru had knocked some sense into him. That the Dragon Tamer had showed him the truth and consequences of his actions, and suggested a way to become a better person. He was far from perfect, and it was tough for him to relate with others, but… he was trying. Only the gods knew he didn’t deserve that chance, not after everything he had done…
But before Silver could sink any deeper into his self-pity, the gentle cry of a Lucky
Oh. The check-up was over. Silver nodded in understanding. “Gotcha. Thanks.”
He put card and papers back into their envelope and stored them into his belt bag, before hurrying past the Pokémon and toward the desk to retrieve his team.
There was a train to catch.
The Tokiwa Station wasn’t crowded anymore. There were only fifteen or sixteen people either sitting on the benches or standing. Not exactly surprising, considering that rush hour was over. Employees working at Silph Co. or similar places had surely taken earlier rides.
Silver leaned against a wall, away from the crowd and waiting patiently. He gazed passively at the screen: the earliest train for Kogane would be there in five minutes. Other five minutes… hopefully they passed fast enough.
He took a sip of his Psycho Soda. Sweet, perhaps too sweet. And the lime flavor tasted a bit too artificial for his liking. How could those guards by the gates of Yamabuki City drink that saccharine stuff every day without gaining weight or feeling nauseated by the flavor, he didn’t know.
At least his Pokémon liked it, and by drinking some Psycho Soda they could regain some of their stamina quickly… for some mysterious reason.
“Hmm… I wonder why is that. Could it be because they metabolize sugar much faster than humans or something?” mused Silver, staring at the black bubbles painted on the blue can. Then he frowned: why was he even thinking about that? Was he really that bored?
The redhead shook his head and crushed the empty can. “Pah. Whatever. It could be because of some scientific ‘food turned instantly into energy’ mumbo-jumbo, for all I care,” he muttered, and threw the junk into a nearby trash bin. After slipping his hands into his pockets — the air was cooler than usual, a clear sign of the incoming autumn — he resumed looking at the empty tracks. Other four minutes.
*crooow-ooown*
Silver blinked. What was that cry? Where did it come from? It sounded… close. Very close.
He turned his head left and right, trying to locate the source of that sound. “Huh? What…?”
*rooooown*
Another cry, but something was different. That time, it seemed like it came from within his head.
“W-what’s going on?” demanded Silver, unnerved by that occurrence.
And then, the redhead felt a strange sensation, which was something akin to a strong tug at his mind. He didn’t know how else he could describe that unknown feeling — it was something difficult to grasp.
The entire station became blurred static, but what shocked Silver the most was seeing a translucent scene playing in front of him, tinted by a light green hue.
Visions of people walking in front of him, all of them wearing kimonos and yukatas with leaf and feather patterns. Were they… ghosts?
Silver mentally scoffed. ‘What nonsense! Ghosts don’t exist! Only Ghost-types are real! …Right?’
And yet, he couldn’t deny what he was seeing. Even after rubbing his eyes with a hand, the phantoms were still there. It took all his willpower to not drop his jaws.
‘Okay, seriously, what’s going on?’
The people vanished in pillars of mist, which converged into a ball of viridian fire. Silver stared in shock at the phantom sun shining over the station and shooting tongues of flames that didn’t burn. It began quivering and losing its shape, producing long and flat appendages that looked like… wings on fire?
The ball exploded, and Silver instinctively shut his eyes. But there was no heat or scorches. Just autumn breeze.
The redhead reopened his eyes, and to his astonishment everything was back to normal, as if nothing ever happened.
No more green people, green fire or other green stuff. He could see with clarity the station, the glassy ceiling, the Coil floating around, the train…
…Wait. Train?
「 Tokiwa-eku! Viridian Station! Tokiwa-eku! Viridian Station! 」
Ah! The train! It had arrived, and the last few passengers were already going aboard.
“Drat!”
Silver bolted forward, getting inside the vehicle right before the automatic door closed. He breathed heavily, to recover from both the sudden rush and from… whatever thing happened a while ago.
The redhead glanced outside — no, there weren’t green visions anymore. He blinked in confusion, unable to find an answer to what had just transpired.
“…What the heck just happened? Was it… the work of some Psychic or Ghost Pokémon or something?” he asked to himself, feeling his mind somewhat numb after the experience. But after a few seconds of fruitless questioning, he shook his head and tried to dismiss the event as quick as he could. “Hmph. Whatever… At least it’s over. If it was the work of some random Pokémon and it tries a similar stunt once more, I’ll send Foodin
Somewhat annoyed by that unusual string of events, Silver took an empty seat and sat roughly on it. At least he had gotten on the train, and he was on the way of leaving Kanto behind him once more.
*breeep breeep*
Silver sighed audibly. “What now?”
With a disgruntled groan, the redhead reached out for his Pokégear and turned it on; the display shone with a pale green light. Silver checked the notification and saw the blinking icon of a letter. There was a new message… from Hibiki.
Of course, because the day didn’t stink enough as is.
Silver rolled his eyes and pocketed the device. He wasn’t in the mood of replying to that other boy. The wound at his pride was still too fresh.
A whiz sounded from outside, and Silver gazed at the source: a train inspector, holding a whistle in his right hand while a Pikachu stood by his side. The electric mouse lowered herself on all four and her heart-shaped tail flashed yellow.
Following the signal, multiple Coil surrounded the train. They buzzed noisily and blue static electricity surrounded their bodies. And then, zap and clank! The train started moving, suspended by an electromagnetic force. The train sped up and sped up, zooming on the railroad like a rocket.
When the surroundings became nothing more than blurs of green and brown, Silver leaned comfortably onto his seat and exhaled another deep breath, deciding to put aside all the bad stuff that had happened that day and to focus only on the good stuff that was going to happen, especially the tournament.
It was really happening! Soon, he would reach Kogane, then travel to Asagi to get on the ship for Pokétopia. He was going to take part to the championship… and win, of course! He would show to the world his prowess as a Pokémon Trainer.
“All the other participants should prepare themselves,” he exclaimed, smirking at the reflection on the window, “because I’m gonna win, no matter what!”
Back at the station, the few passengers that got off of the train dispersed quickly. Calm returned and the ticket collector left his post, as that was the end of his shift. When the man left the place to find his replacement, a small hare emerged from behind the counter; his eyes fixed on the empty track, full of curiosity and marvel, while the gems around his neck jingled.
«By the stars! How can humans use the power of Magnet Rise to lift an enormous vehicle of metal like it was nothing?» The figure floated toward the end of the glassy arch, following the suspended railroad and earning a few puzzled looks from a few Coil. «Truly outstanding!»
However, he snapped out of his wonder when he heard a loud buzz. The hare turned toward the source and spotted a small green flatworm crawling amidst the foliage of a pine tree. It glowed with a faint green light before turning invisible.
«Oh, apologies for involuntarily missing your drone, Zygarde. My mind wandered again, kah hah hah! I really can’t help but marvel at humans’ ingenuity,» said the hare, floating toward the not-so-empty branch.
The drone buzzed again and flashed green, earning a nod from the hare.
«Yes. I’m confident about that. He matched the description given to me by my future self — Calyrex from Hereafter,» continued the hare, before closing his eyes. «‘On the day of the start of fall and when the sun is at its highest, go by the station of the city known as Tokiwa City in Kanto, and find the human child with red hair and red eyes. He shall be your temporal eyes and the key of everything.’ This was his last message.»
The drone relayed a buzz and Calyrex gazed at the blank spot.
«Yes. I have linked my mind with that human child to foresee the future. He probably witnessed a few of those events, but I telepathically prodded him to divert his attention elsewhere.» Calyrex frowned. «Unfortunately, my powers are still too weak, so I could only grasp a few fragments of the events to come.»
The drone flashed a reassuring green light, and Calyrex nodded.
«Very well. I shall send my visions, then.»
With that said, Calyrex’s bulb on his head glowed with an intense light and he pointed his paw at the invisible flatworm. A psychic link connected Calyrex and all of Zygarde’s cores, with the mindless drone acting as their intercom.
«I saw… a festival. Celebrations for the incoming fall. And then, a rainbow feather… burning… in a pyre… flames… a ship ablaze… otherworldly creatures going berserk… and water, a rampaging water. Then… a growing darkness… and black. Only black.»
The light in the bulb dimmed, and Calyrex gazed at the flatworm with a blank expression. «…This is all I could gather.»
Silence reigned for a few seconds, before the flatworm quivered and buzzed worriedly. Calyrex lowered his head and rubbed his necklace.
«Yes, indeed. The last vision is a foreboding, I’m afraid. A foreboding of an inauspicious result,» he responded, his voice barely audible.
Tension and slow breathing from Calyrex, uncessant quivering from the drone. The two legendaries assimilated the information in two different ways, with Calyrex looking visibly torn by what his clairvoyance showed him and Zygarde studying the situation.
But then, the flatworm trilled a long hopeful tune and crawled closer to Calyrex. The hare stared at the spot of the invisible drone with widened eyes.
«Hmm, yes. If the balance of fate will be tipped, then our odds would improve. Drastically, I daresay,» answered Calyrex, showing a curious gaze. «Do you have something in mind?»
A series of buzzes, trills and chirps came from the drone in rapid sequence. Calyrex floated backwards in surprise.
«Oh? This is your plan?» he asked, before pondering about Zygarde’s suggestions.
The drone sent an affirmative chirp, and Calyrex gazed intently at the branch in awe. The hare couldn’t stop being impressed by Zygarde’s quick thinking and the fact they always had a solution for any problem. But that made sense, coming from five brains working in unison.
After some careful thinking of his own, Calyrex nodded in agreement. «Yes… It might work finely. But are you sure they will agree to that?»
The drone quivered and chirped a few tweets, its gelatinous core glowing softly.
«Really? This is new to me.» Calyrex tapped his chin thoughtfully. «However, I’m not too surprised. He can read the hearts of humans and has seen the entire world multiple times. He has been searching for so long…» The hare floated closer. «But where are they right now?»
The drone trilled and shook, making Calyrex blink in confusion.
«…On their way to Navel Rock? Why is that?» A series of trills and buzzes was his answer, and the hare nodded. «…I see. This explains quite a few things, actually.» He waved his paw. «But for a swift change of topic, how are things going with your… ally?»
An intense glow illuminated the drone, then it chirped a few times. Even if the message of the flatworm sounded mechanical, the hare could clearly sense the happiness radiating from the cores on another side of the world.
Calyrex smiled. «Ah, it’s good to hear you’re supporting each other and making fine progress. It’s so beautiful and encouraging when we can work so well with humans for the sake of the same cause.»
But then, the drone made a short questioning cry, which made Calyrex frown.
«…My steeds?» The hare lowered his gaze. «Still no trace of them. I scoured lands far and wide, but found nothing. They just… vanished from my tundra, some time after we vanquished those distortions…»
The flatworm stayed silent for a long time. Then it chirped something with a low tone. It sounded concerned about something.
Calyrex’s pupils shrunk in dread. «You… believe there could be a correlation between their disappearance, those visions of events to come, and the Eternal Eclipse?»
Another short affirmative tune, laced with fear, before it chirped another questioning message.
«I’m afraid I can’t see that far into the future. Something is blocking my powers. Even Celebi can’t travel through the flow of time anymore.» Calyrex looked pensively at the sky. «I suppose Dialga could be responsible, but I can’t think of any good reason for her to perform a time lock.» He shook his head and gazed again at the drone. «If my loyal steeds were still with me, perhaps I could find out the cause…»
The drone trilled something short, but reassuring. There was a brief pause, with Calyrex looking stunned by what he had just heard. Then the hare beamed a smile.
«…I appreciate your help in trying to locate them, Zygarde. I can’t be any more grateful than that.» Calyrex blinked when he sensed that the energy of the drone was very low. «But I believe we should let your drone rest. It seems drained after relaying all those messages.»
The drone buzzed one last time, before crawling toward the top of the tree. It began sunbathing, slowly starting to regain some of its strength.
«Likewise, Zygarde, likewise. I wish you good luck with your search, too.»
Calyrex looked at the horizon, unable to shake off the visions seen with his clairvoyance and the last warning sent by his future self. Pitch black darkness, wilted hopes and an unseeable future… what did all of that mean?
«Oh, human child. I hope your heart and soul shall be strong enough for what’s awaiting you…»
Abraham Lincoln
***
Darkness. There was only cold, wet darkness all around him.
An immense weight had crushed his body and was pushing him further and further toward the abyss. Even if his remaining willpower screamed to react, to get out of that situation, to save himself… he couldn’t.
His mind ringed, blurry and distorted. His forehead throbbed, a red cloud around it. His body was unresponsive, rigid and torn.
A crushing pain pulsated from his entire being, albeit slowly dulling, and his consciousness threatened to leave him at any given moment.
The exhausted lungs burned, on the verge of collapsing…
And then they did. Air went out, water rushed in. His sight blackened and his mind drifted away.
Yes. He knew it. He was dying.
How… How did he end up in that situation…?
***
Disc 0:
The Monster… Coach and the Rainbow!
“Flashes of Viridian”
***
Disc 0:
The Monster… Coach and the Rainbow!
“Flashes of Viridian”
***
A few days earlier…
“Nyula, finish it with Ice Punch!”
A dark brown blur and claws cloaked in ice. A swift swipe, followed by a sonorous strike. Then, a dull thump amidst creaky brown leaves.
And just like that, everything ended.
The defeated Spear
Beedrill
— a giant wasp with needles in its arms — buzzed wearily on the floor, its entire body marred by claw marks and covered in icy crystals. Nearby it landed a NyulaSneasel
— a brown weasel with a white gem on his forehead and teal feathered tails — who stood pridefully over his opponent with spread out arms. With a quick flick of his paws, the frigid energy surrounding his claws dissipated, and the weasel whistled a cheerful victory cry.A teenage boy wearing a straw hat stared in disbelief at the barely conscious Spear, flabbergasted and taken aback by the sheer power of his opponents. His entire team… crushed by a lone, frigid weasel.
On the other side stood another boy, his face marked by a bored and unsatisfied expression, who shook off some leaves stuck into his red hair.
“Tch. How pathetic,” the redhead grumbled to himself, before crossing his arms and staring at his opponent. “So, I won. You know what you gotta do now.”
“…R-right…”
Sighing, the straw hat boy pointed a blue sphere with a net-like pattern toward the Spear, who turned into a blob of bright energy and vanished inside its Net Ball. Then, he rummaged into his pocket and produced a few banknotes, which he handed over to the redhead.
“700 Poké. This is all I can offer,” said the straw hat boy with a barely audible voice, before lowering his hat to hide the face. “…I gotta take my Pokémon to the Pokémon Center. Huh… s-see ya…”
Without looking back, the straw hat boy scuttled away and disappeared through the foliage, leaving the redhead alone with his Nyula.
“…Hmph. Tokiwa Forest
Viridian Forest
never changes: always full of weak Bug Catchers training weak bug Pokémon,” scoffed the redhead, shaking his head and pocketing the won money. “I can’t believe there are Trainers who struggle against those kids with those cheap strategies…”He recalled the shocked stares of all the local Bug Catchers he had faced that day, which Nyula defeated all by himself. They never saw their crushing defeats coming.
“I suppose this is a way to weed out talentless people. Only the strongest and most determined Trainers prosper, after all.”
The redhead studied the surrounding oak trees and shrubs. While for most travelers it would have been a challenge to discern a path from the others (and the perpetual darkness permeating the forest didn’t help), that wasn’t an issue at all for the boy. He knew those woods by heart, having navigated through those dirt paths and viridian trees countless of times as a child.
Two paths merging and heading southwest, close to a patch of damp grass brimming with ever-renewed red mushrooms… yes, the gate for Tokiwa City
Viridian City
was nearby.“Well, at least we’re about to exit from this forest. Let’s go, Nyula.”
However, the only response he got was silence. He blinked and looked at the spot where his Pokémon stood a few seconds ago — empty. Alarmed by his absence, the redhead peered frantically through the forest.
“Nyula? Nyula!”
Dozens of startled hoos filled the air. Alerted by those cries, the redhead whirled toward the ruckus. What he saw was a flock of dazed Hoho
Hoothoot
— round owls with red eyes — who burst out of the foliage of some yellowing trees, their feathers scattered in brown clouds. Their flight was clumsy and disorganized, as if something dangerous scared them.The redhead observed the fleeing owls who disappeared into the sky, but shifted his attention back to the ground when he heard a chilly whistle besides him.
Nyula had returned, beaming a mischievous grin and holding a black arrow-shaped feather in his clawed forepaws. The weasel raised his treasure with one paw and held it close to the long turquoise feather on his left ear, before lowering it to his forehead and brushing his gem with the dark feather.
The redhead stared at the weasel in disbelief. Then he sighed, unamused. “…Did you really have to wake up those Hoho and steal that feather, Nyula?”
Nyula squealed and twirled around, waving the stolen feather and his turquoise pupils gleaming with pride. The gesture meant that yes; he had to steal it.
“We shouldn’t steal anymore, remember? We’re supposed to be the ‘good guys’ now. It was hard enough to shake off that ‘Silver the Thief and his Nyula’ title, so let’s not fall back to those bad habits again. Alright?”
Nyula pouted and exhaled a frigid cloud from his nostrils in mild annoyance. He stared at the feather for a long time, unwilling to let go of his treasure. However, he quickly tossed it aside, pretending to have grown bored with it.
Silver rolled his eyes and shook his head, before walking away from that location with Nyula in tow. He knew well that Nyula were natural-born thieves, and it was a strenuous task to teach them that stealing was wrong. So, he couldn’t really fault his Pokémon for behaving like that — the weasel was following his instincts, and needed some more time to learn how to keep them in check.
Nyula, who took things from others for their own benefit. Just like Silver took Waninoko from Dr. Utsugi
Prof. Elm
’s lab…He frowned, having detected the thinly veiled irony. ‘We aren’t that different in that regard, are we?’
But the redhead shook his head once more, refusing to bring up those memories. He had left that petty and weaker version of himself behind a long time ago, and the professor had forgiven him for stealing the water crocodile. Ordile
Feraligatr
really likes you, said that man, and he let Silver keep his Pokémon.The fact stunned the redhead, but he felt genuine joy and gratefulness toward the professor for understanding and allowing him to keep Ordile. He had… grown very attached to his Pokémon — all of them, actually — and didn’t know what he would have done if the professor ordered him to return Ordile or to separate himself from any of his teammates.
After that event, Silver decided to be a true Trainer — no, the best Trainer — and someone who didn’t need to resort to cheap tactics, robberies, and other workarounds to accomplish his goal.
Speaking of goals…
“…One Badge. All it’s left is the Green Earth Badge.” Silver smirked smugly. “The one issued by Green, the second strongest Trainer of all of Kanto.”
Nyula looked at his Trainer with interest. As a battle-hungry Pokémon himself, he was hitching for a genuine challenge. All Trainers faced in the last couple of months had been so weak and predictable. And luckily for him, Silver seemed to have heard his silent request.
“That Green… From what I’ve heard, he’s the grandson of Dr. Ookido
Prof. Oak
, an esteemed researcher known all across the globe,” explained Silver. “A talented and resourceful Trainer, who collected all Badges in Kanto in a little less than a year. Because of this, he became the youngest and fastest Champion of the Kanto region… until that other kid dethroned him, that’s it.”The weasel tilted his head. That other kid…?
“…Red. He’s the one who defeated Green. Another true prodigy, from what I’ve heard. Hailed as some kind of undefeatable Champion and legendary hero. And…”
Silver paused, and his expression darkened. He knew what to say next, but the words were hard for him to utter. He glanced at his partner, who stared at him in confusion, and took a shuddering breath.
“And Hibiki
Ethan
… defeated Red, a mere week ago…”To say that Nyula was shocked upon hearing the news would be an understatement. So that annoying, perpetual smiler of a kid, who defeated their team over and over with unnerving ease, had beat one of the strongest Trainers in the entire world. Now that was… impressive.
“Just when I thought to have reached his level… this happens.”
Silver clenched his fists until his knuckles cracked. Just thinking about Hibiki’s skills made him question his own achievements as a Trainer. They both started their journeys the same day and at mere hours of difference. And yet, they were at two entirely different levels, with the harsh truth becoming undeniable when they joined forces against Gym Leader Ibuki
Clair
and former Champion WataruLance
, by the shrine of the Dragon’s Den.Hibiki’s Pokémon were a veritable force of nature, evenly matching Wataru’s dragons. Even the almighty Kairyu
Dragonite
, that same dragon who cleansed the Team Rocket’s hideout all by himself, could barely withstand the powerful attack that was BakphoonTyphlosion
’s Eruption. The blazing wolverine had become so powerful in so little time… how?Meanwhile, Silver’s Pokémon? They were just powerful enough to handle Ibuki’s dragons. Despite training non-stop at the den and studying the secrets behind the prowess of Dragon-types — which paid off when Ordile learned Dragon Dance — Silver found frustrating that he didn’t progress as much as he wished. He surely wouldn’t have stood a chance in that battle if he didn’t have Hibiki by his side.
Heck… as much as it pained to admit it, he felt like he had dragged his rival down during that battle, instead.
“…What’s his secret? How did he beat a legendary Trainer, of all things?” He scowled at the dirt path. “Can I even… reach that level?”
Silver blinked when he felt a tug at his pant leg. He looked at Nyula, who flailed his arms and squealed aloud.
When the weasel got his Trainer’s attention, he pointed at Silver’s shirt, right where the redhead kept his badges, and cloaked his claws in frost. Then, he swiped at the air in front of him, scattering snowflakes around and freezing the grass underneath him. He dispelled the energy and stared at his Trainer, hoping that his message came through.
Silver stared blankly at Nyula, trying to decipher what his Pokémon was saying. The sharpness of those frigid claws… the icy power that cloaked the grass in frost… the gathered Badges…
Was Nyula trying to cheer him up? Something about his power and the Badges?
The Badges… the power… oh! Of course! Those collectibles were a tangible proof of their strength and progress as a team, weren’t they? They had gathered all Badges in Johto and were about to finish collecting the Badges of Kanto. That wasn’t something that many Trainers could brag about.
A determined glare replaced Silver’s defeated scowl. “…I think I get what you’re trying to say, Nyula. What am I thinking? We shouldn’t give up! Not when we’ve come so far!” He smirked with renewed confidence. “We’ll trounce Green, and then we’ll go after Red!” Silver’s eyes narrowed and his smirk widened, a burning cockiness radiating from his dark red pupils. “And as soon as we’ve dealt with Red… Hibiki will follow! Next time we face off, we’re going to crush him!”
Nyula whistled happily, clicking his claws and showing a determined grin of his own. Now that was the confident and cocky Trainer he knew and respected!
Yes. They were going to become Champions soon. All they needed was more power, and defeating Green was the first step toward achieving that.
***
“Tokiwa City… It really feels weird to be back home, after all this time.”
Silver walked at a sedate pacing toward the city and glanced behind. The thick forest was just a mix of orange and viridian shades, and the buzzing of insects made way to the buzzing of urban life. He turned back to the city, his gaze lingering on the bright green roofs and the evergreen trees, and sighed.
“It sure brings back memories…”
Nyula stared into his Trainer’s eyes. They seemed brimming with blissful nostalgia… and painful regret. He whistled a brief cry, then a longer one, then he motioned toward the closest houses.
Silver redirected his attention to Nyula, totally at a loss of what his Pokémon said. The houses… what about them? “Hm? Do you want to know about Tokiwa City?”
Nyula shook his head and pointed a claw toward his Trainer, before motioning again toward the houses.
Silver frowned, still confused. “My… home?”
A whistle and a nod were the weasel’s reply.
“Not yet. We need to go to the Gym and get the last badge.” Silver narrowed his eyes. “Better do that sooner rather than later.”
Now it was Nyula’s turn to be confused. While he was used to his Trainer being expeditious and wanting to conclude matters as soon as possible, he could detect a faint urgency in his voice. The weasel considered inquiring about that, but how could he ask such a question to the redhead? Silver had many qualities, but perceptivity wasn’t one of them.
…Except that it wasn’t completely true. Despite the obvious language barrier between them, Silver could tell that there was something in Nyula’s mind, but he didn’t know how to ask the weasel about his thoughts and how to translate the response.
And not being able to understand his Pokémon was beyond frustrating for the redhead. He was trying hard to get to know his Pokémon better; he really put plenty of effort into that! But despite everything, he still struggled to get what his Pokémon said and meant most of the times.
If only there was an easier way to understand his team…
…
…Whatever, that was an issue for another time. He needed to stay focused. So, without further ado, he resumed his journey. “C’mon, let’s go! The Gym isn’t far from here.”
Silver and Nyula scurried on the paved road leading to the city, passing by a sign placed between two lampposts: “Tokiwa City, the Eternally Green City”.
The redhead raised an eyebrow: a mostly green city with a green gym, controlled by someone named Green who handed out Green Earth Badges… the irony in all of that was palpable.
As soon as they entered the city, something piqued their attention: a maglev train station, swarming with people who entered and exited the imposing white building. Silver stopped underneath the elevated railroad to study it, and noticed some Coil
Magnemite
— one-eyed creatures with magnets and bolts — flocking besides a series of steel beams and generating a constant flow of blue electricity.All of that was a novelty for Silver. He knew about the Yamabuki
Saffron
Station for Kanto, but didn’t know they had built a station in Tokiwa. When did that happen?“Things have changed a lot in these past three years, huh…” he mused, before tracing the path of cement and steel with his gaze.
The railroad disappeared among the rocky walls of
Mt. Shirogane]Mt. Silver
, the secluded mountain area brimming with powerful and aggressive Pokémon — like the rock-armored draconic BangirasTyranitar
. Only the strongest and most experienced Trainers could trek into that area because of its infamous dangerousness.Silver stared pensively at the faraway mountain. It was there where Hibiki faced Red, from what he heard.
He scowled at the distant peak and hailstorms and turned around, not wanting to look at the panorama any longer.
‘Focus! One step at a time. First Green, then Red, then Hibiki!’
Silver marched toward the path by the side of the station, forcing Nyula to quicken his own steps. The redhead and his Pokémon noted a cafeteria collocated besides the ticket booth. Passing by it, they heard happy chatters of travelers and loud chirps of
Onisuzume]Spearow
But above them all sounded the exclamation of a jovial old man, who was complimenting the barmaid for the fantastic coffee with sake. Even though Silver didn’t pay much attention to the rest of the conversation, he could detect a faint tipsy tone in the man’s voice, and the stacked empty cups spoke by themselves.
He raised an eyebrow. ‘Some old man should really lay down on his sake…’ he thought, before redirecting his attention to the road.
After getting through the unusual gathering of people (and making sure Nyula didn’t disappear or try to pickpocket anyone), Silver took a linear and less crowded path, which made him feel more at ease.
Nyula was quick to follow his Trainer, but slowed down momentarily to look at a building on their right. Countless young children gathered around the building, with some of them carrying books under their arms or staging fights with their pet Pokémon — a school, most likely.
“…There it is. The Gym.”
Nyula blinked and stared at his Trainer, then he followed his gaze. Sure enough, he could see the silhouette of the imposing building ahead of them, its copper-colored tiles a stark contrast with the surrounding green roofs. A sign with a stylized half-Poké Ball was placed in the proximities, confirming that what they were seeing was the Gym.
Silver aimed straight to the door, with only a thought in his mind: winning the final badge. His determination was like a raging fire, fueled by his desire to prove himself… but those flames dissipated when he slammed into the automatic door.
“Oww! What—?!”
Silver took a step back and shook his head, earning a concerned cry from Nyula. He dismissed the mild throbbing of his nose and the worried weasel with a swift hand-wave, and took a step forward. Nothing; the door refused to open.
“…the heck? The Gym is closed?”
He checked out the door and found a note: ‘I’m on an important trip and I won’t be available until the next month. Sorry about the inconvenience, Green.’
…Seriously? The Gym Leader was away? And he only left a note behind? Seriously?
Silver growled, infuriated by the news. “You gotta be kidding me! What kind of Gym Leader leaves their Gym as if it was some holiday home?” he grumbled and stared unhappily at the door. “…The previous Gym Leader wouldn’t have done anything like that…”
He froze when he recalled who was the original leader and shook his head.
“Hmph! And of course he had to abandon everything! Only because he was too cowardly to face the fact that a kid defeated him.” He crossed his arms. “How pathetic.”
Silver gave his back to the Gym, and his gaze zeroed on a southern path. “And I can’t even go to Masara Town
Pallet Town
and ask Dr. Ookido where to find his runaway grandson. Last I’ve heard, he’s way more occupied conducting that stupid talk show in Johto than—”A chilly whistle interrupted his rant, and Silver turned to his Pokémon, who was staring at the door and exhaling a frigid breath on the glass. He could easily infer that the situation disappointed Nyula, if the weasel’s narrowed eyes and twitching claws were any proof.
Silver huffed and shook his head again. “Pah. There’s nothing we can do about it. Let’s just go.”
The duo walked away from the Gym at a much slower pacing, the adrenaline and excitement having waned significantly. They were so close, and yet so far. Who knew when they would have gotten the chance to get the last badge? They had to be patient and wait for Green’s return.
However, what could they do in the meantime?
Silver placed his hands in his pockets; a common posture he took whenever he racked his brains. He didn’t like to just sit around and do nothing productive. So, how could he satisfy his battling needs? He had no simple answer to that, aside from… the Battle Tower in Asagi City
Olivine City
, perhaps?After Silver busied himself by crafting the vague semblance of plan, he noticed that he and Nyula had reached a quieter area of the city close to the Gym, shrouded by dark foliage and filled with intense scents. He glanced around for any familiar landmark, until he realized where his wandering had taken him — home.
Silver stared uneasily at the house, his gaze darting on every single detail of that forgotten building: the cracked white paint peeling off of the walls, the dust-covered windows and cobwebs, the wild Koratta
Rattata
crawling through the drainpipes…Even the names on the mailbox had faded away. Nobody had lived there in a very long time.
“…Wow. Things have gone in the gutter, huh…” he murmured ruefully, feeling a swift but strong thug at his heart.
He gazed at the door. It was a miracle it was still standing, since the wood had marks of fangs in some places and the hinges were rusty and bent. But those details didn’t matter much to Silver, as everything around him vanished in a thick haze and his mind traveled back in time…
…
The door swung open. A tall man with shoulder-length dark hair exited from the house, getting the attention of a nearby Sidon
Rhydon
. The bipedal rhino walked toward him and bent forward, tail thumping on the ground. That action rewarded him with a gentle pat on his head and a crunchy carrot in his jaws.While Sidon savored the snack, the man diverted his attention from the rocky creature and smiled warmly at a six-year-old Silver.
That was Father. He was the best! The renowned Gym Leader Sakaki, expert of Ground-types and number one Trainer in Kanto. Very few challengers got the Green Earth Badge from him, and his strength as a Trainer was so well known that the Elite Four themselves asked him if he wanted to become one of them some day. That was a great honor!
The man approached Silver and scooped him up in his arms, much to the excitement of the young boy, before returning to his Sidon. Silver stared in awe at the impressive creature, and his Father recounted his latest challenges and victories. While Silver didn’t remember those retellings, the proud and happy tone in his father’s voice was an indelible memory.
Yes. Silver wished to become a great Trainer someday, just like his father. That was his greatest dream…
A white flash, and the door swung open. An elderly woman with long dark hair and red clothes exited from the house: that was Grandma Johanna! She told something to Father in a foreign language — Galarish, as Silver found out later — and while the seven-year-old boy couldn’t understand most of what they were discussing, her harsh tone and his father’s crestfallen expression were a clear sign it wasn’t anything pleasant.
She walked away from the door and glared at the young boy, making him back off in fright, and left the house in a limousine. As soon as the car disappeared on the horizon, Silver looked again at his father.
His expression… he would never forget it.
Father was looking so disgruntled, enraged, perhaps even hopeless. His hands clenched into fists and his mouth twisted into a snarl. Also, there was a darkness in those eyes that the young boy had never seen before.
Sidon stepped forward to comfort his Trainer, but Father stopped him by raising a hand. The message was unmistakable — he needed some space.
What did Grandma tell behind those four walls to upset him so much? If only Silver knew…
A white flash, and the door swung open. Many men wearing dark clothes and with long whips tied to their grey belts exited from the house and saluted Father with respect. They turned to salute the eight-year-old Silver, who stared blankly at them, and promptly left in some black cross-country vehicles.
Silver looked at his father, Sakaki… no. That wasn’t his name anymore. Now his name was Giovanni, a name meant to strike fear into his opponents’ hearts, but Silver found it very cool.
However, something was bothering Father, who had a perpetual scowl on his face and didn’t smile at him or anyone anymore. All he beamed were fake smirks and scripted words, meant to evoke a confidence and intimidation that weren’t his own. His general appearance had changed, too: he only wore black business suits and kept his hair very short. Not even Sidon’s affectionate gestures could cheer him up anymore.
What happened? Father had never behaved like that before…
A white flash, and the door swung open. Father exited from the door, hiding his face with a fedora and carrying a suitcase. He glanced at the dumbstruck ten-year-old Silver, but said nothing. Instead, he just walked away, much to the dismay of his son who ran after him. And then…
“Where are you going, Father? You… aren’t really leaving, are you?”
And yet, here they were. Father was truly leaving, as he didn’t deem himself worthy of his position anymore. Nonsense!
“You told me… you were the number one in the world!”
Acknowledge one defeat… right. As if Father didn’t lose a few times while he worked as a Gym Leader. What was so different about the latest defeat? Was it…? No. Did the entire Team Rocket business and that Trainer have anything to do with all of this?
“Gathering so many only to be defeated by a mere child!”
Father failed, apparently. Failed at what? He didn’t need others! He had reached great heights all by himself! Why didn’t he recognize that? What was he getting at?
“I don't understand you! You don't make any sense!”
One day you will understand…? Sure, whatever. That’s the answer of someone who doesn’t have answers himself. Silver couldn’t believe that such a great Trainer had become a… whimpering coward! Well, he sure as heck wouldn’t follow his path!
“I will become a stronger man all by myself! All by myself!”
With that, he left Father to satisfy whatever caprice he had. So, the great Giovanni didn’t want to face the bitter truth and swallow his pride and ego? Fine! Silver didn’t need him. He didn’t need anyone!
Then he arrived home. The door was still open and Mother was sitting beside it. She had a letter in her hands, holding back her tears and scowling at that dastardly paper. Her Kusaihana
Gloom
stood by her side, releasing an aromatic scent from her bulbous petals and orange leaves and looking at her Trainer in concern.Silver stared hard at his mother, before kneeling by her side and hugging her. She barely acknowledged the hug, too distraught by her husband’s departure, and Silver felt like someone had stabbed him in the heart.
…Well, they didn’t need that traitorous and weak man in their lives. They would have done everything all by themselves. That was their new path…
A white flash, and the door swung open. The twelve-year-old Silver glared at the man with teal hair that stood by the door. What was his name again…? Was it Apollo? Or perhaps Archer, as his subordinates called him?
Tch. Irrelevant, the boy didn’t even want to bother picking a name.
So, the fool wanted to take Father’s place, in more ways than one… and Mother seemed content with that! She even changed her name from Athena to Ariana, signaling that she had joined the circle of Team Rocket. Also, they were planning to look for Father so they could restore Team Rocket to its former glory? And even to have Silver get into the organization so he could become a leader someday?
…No. No. He wouldn’t have accepted that farce. No.
He didn’t want to have anything to do with Team Rocket, or Father, or whatever! Team Rocket was an organization of weak cowards who turned others into weak cowards, and he refused to get himself roped into all of that!
When nighttime came and everyone was sleeping, he opened the door and gazed around, gripping his belt bag. Once assured that there was nobody, he closed the door slowly to not alert anyone, and took one last look at his house. He sighed, thinking about the memories he was leaving behind. Then, before he had the chance to reconsider his decision, he fled toward Route 22…
A white flash… and the door remained closed, three years later. Silver was back to the present, and only then he noticed Nyula squealing frantically. He looked down to meet his Pokémon’s gaze, seeing the concern and anxiety in his pupils. The weasel pointed a claw at the house, then at the redhead.
“…Yes, Nyula. This is my house,” he sighed. “Or rather, it used to be.”
Nyula tilted his head and looked quizzically at his Trainer, before looking pensively at the house. No wonder Silver didn’t want to come back: it was in such a sorry state. Also, he saw the purple fur of the Koratta scattered on the grass like thin twinkles, alongside some of their… huh…
No. Nyula wasn’t itching to approach that decaying building, that’s for sure.
Silver crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes. “So, you saw my house. Are you satisfied now?”
Nyula merely shrugged. Not exactly what he expected to see, but it was something.
“Good. Then I’d say we can just—”
*breeep breeep*
The noisy ring startled Silver and Nyula… and the wild Koratta, who rapidly disappeared into the house. The redhead looked straight at his belt, right where he kept his Pokégear, and produced the device to check it out. Great was his surprise — even if he didn’t show it — when he opened the notification.
A digitalized mail was waiting for him in his Trainer account, sent by an unknown deliverer just a few minutes ago. That was new: nobody had ever sent anything to him.
“A mail? For me?” he asked to no one, rubbing his chin while his pupils brimmed with curiosity. “Could it be… one of those so-called Mystery Gifts?”
Wanting to check out the mysterious delivery, Silver withdrew his Pokégear and started his trek back toward the centre of the city. Tokiwa Pokémon Center was their new destination, and any excuse was good to get away from his house and his past.
***
Silver and Nyula walked into the Pokémon Center and saw some people scattered on the first floor; most Trainers crowded the poison control ward of the medical center, waiting for the doctors and nurses to treat and detoxify their Pokémon.
It was undeniable that poison control was an essential service in Tokiwa. The surrounding wild areas were brimming with Beedle
Weedle
, small but dangerous bugs with venomous stingers, and Nidoran, rodent-like creatures covered in toxic spikes. It was astonishingly easy to get pricked by a Poison-type, especially during mating seasons.Also, it wasn’t uncommon for the Poké Mart to run out of antidotes and Pecha Berries. Those remedies sold out much faster than hot cakes.
‘Good thing that none of my Pokémon got poisoned… The PCW seems busier than usual,’ pondered Silver, before looking at the nurse standing by the reception. ‘…But I suppose they could still use a check-up, especially Nyula. I wouldn’t want them to become too weary and get themselves hurt unnecessarily…”
After handing out his Pokémon to the nurse, Silver headed straight to the PC. Nobody was using the device, so he scanned his Trainer ID on the magnetic band reader to log into his account. Sure enough, he found a digitalized letter stored at the end of his inventory.
“Hmm… Who could have sent that?” wondered Silver, gazing at the screen.
With his curiosity piqued, he clicked on the icon of the letter, and a machine installed besides the PC turned on and flashed a white beam. The mysterious letter materialized almost instantly in the stream of light, and as soon as the machine halted, Silver opened the envelope to reveal its content: a couple of papers and a dark blue magnetic card with a stylized white Poké Ball, very similar to a regular Trainer ID.
Silver held the piece of plastic at a fair distance from his face to study it under the artificial light. On the top right he read the text ‘Battle Pass’, and by moving his gaze to the center he read the words ‘Trainer Silver Tsubaki’. There were also seven empty circles: was that some customizable card?
He raised an eyebrow, puzzled by that Battle Pass. He had heard a few things about those cards: sought-off by Trainers and collectors alike for their rarity, since they are sent only to a few small elites of Trainers by the founders of battle parks (like the Battle Frontier) or facilities (like the Battle Maison).
That fact only made him more curious, and he studied the two papers. The first sheet was a timetable with various names of regions and cities, while the other was a letter. He began reading it.
Dear Silver Tsubaki,
The head of our island, Master of Masters Mysterial, is pleased to announce the inauguration of the first Pokétopia Championship in the Colosseum of Stargazer City, Pokétopia.
Master Mysterial’s primary goal is to gather the best Trainers in the entire world and have them compete in exciting battles, all of them with their own unique rules and spins, in one of the most prestigious tournaments to date. Local transportation, accommodation and meals are all covered.
If you are interested, show the Battle Pass we have annexed to this letter and your Trainer ID to the ticket booth at the closest port. We have arranged ships that stop by the principal ports — you can find all the details on the timetable — and the pass will act as your ticket to our beautiful island.
We hope to see you in Pokétopia, the dream place of every Trainer!
Regards,
Joe, Sashay and Kruger
The Colosseum Masters and Head Organizers
An invitation for a high-level championship with an official stamp… for him. Now that was something Silver would have never expected.
He took a nearby seat and stared at the papers in his hand, then at the blue card, then again at the papers.
He didn’t know what to think. Receiving that invitation was… almost too convenient, especially considering he had just missed his chance to challenge Green.
…What if it was just a well-crafted prank? Or some random spam?
Doubts gnawed at him, so he pulled the invitation closer to his face and checked the letter inquisitively.
A few rubs on the filigrane told him it was a rough paper of excellent workmanship. It wasn’t cheap ink paper, but something very close to vellum. Not the stuff used for childish pranks, throwaway ads, or free leaflets.
Three signatures, very elegant and fluid. He took out his Pokégear and browsed those names with the News Card: real people, and the incoming championship was an actual event. Also, after a quick comparison with the signatures on the official site, he could tell that the signatures on paper weren’t forged. There was no tremor in the lines, and the pen pressure was even.
A purple stamp in the shape of a wizard’s hat, most likely done with a heat stamp, and with a signature on top of it. Another detail near impossible to falsify.
There was no doubt in Silver’s mind. The invitation and championship were genuine, and his suspicions turned into veiled thrill. They had invited him to such a prestigious tournament. That was almost too good to be true.
“Interesting…” he said pensively, rubbing his chin and rereading the letter. “Pokétopia… I’ve never heard about it. Where is it?”
Silver activated the Map Card on the Pokégear, before studying both the maps of Kanto and Johto. But he found nothing.
“Could it be in another region?”
He picked the timetable and scoured through the various names. Mio
Canalave
City, Sinnoh. Aqua Resort, Oblivia. Pueltown, Almia. Summerland, Fiore. KuchibaVermilion
City, Kanto.Silver frowned when he read the date and schedule for Kuchiba City. The ship would depart in less than an hour. He wouldn’t have caught it in time. However… Ah, Asagi City
Olivine City
, Johto! The ship would reach that port and depart in two days.Now that was workable: he could take the maglev train for Kogane City
Goldenrod City
, pass through Enju CityEcruteak City
, and then he would be in Asagi City by the next day.Still, he had yet to find out about Pokétopia, so he kept reading.
Minamo City
Lilicove City
, Hoenn. Neos City, Ferrum. Gateon Port, Orre.“…Ha. Found it.”
Sure enough, there it was: Pokétopia was in the Orre section, just below Gateon Port. Silver narrowed his eyes.
“Orre…” he muttered, leaning on the seat and pondering about that name. “Hmm… Sounds familiar. Did I hear about it on the news or something?”
Silver crossed his arms and stared at the ceiling. He thought hard about that name until fragments of a buried memory echoed in his mind…
…actions of a young boy… Cipher operatives… trying to take over the entire city… Orre region is endangered again…
He blinked in realization. Yes, he remembered hearing about that crisis. Radio stations all over the world bombarded breaking news after breaking news, with Team Cipher and the stolen Pokémon in Unova on the first page most of the times. Didn’t those accidents happen like… almost a year ago?
Team Cipher… Yes. Yet another infamous criminal organization, just like Team Rocket. A syndicate made of imbeciles who pumped their Pokémon with shadows or whatever to strengthen them. Corrupted Pokémon, just to satisfy those dastards’ selfish purposes.
And yet, Silver was ashamed to admit he had entertained the idea at some point, back when he would have gladly let a sick Denryu die if it proved itself useless in battle. Pokémon were just means to an end — if they broke, they could be replaced. Injecting some shadows into some Pokémon to make them much more powerful was a really enticing idea. Battle performance was all that mattered. Who cared about their feelings?
…
…Silver didn’t care, and the thought made his stomach twist and churn. He didn’t even want to fathom what would have happened if he was in Orre during that crisis and they offered him some of those… shadows. No doubt he would have accepted in a heartbeat, ready to send war machines against innocent Trainers to test their powers. Just to test the sheer power of his team.
‘Gods, I was such an idiot back then…’ he reminded himself, the rare traces of sadness and regret seeping into his mind. ‘A heartless monster…’
A strained sigh, and his eyes closed. Despite the reluctance to accept facts, deep down he was grateful that Wataru had knocked some sense into him. That the Dragon Tamer had showed him the truth and consequences of his actions, and suggested a way to become a better person. He was far from perfect, and it was tough for him to relate with others, but… he was trying. Only the gods knew he didn’t deserve that chance, not after everything he had done…
But before Silver could sink any deeper into his self-pity, the gentle cry of a Lucky
Chansey
rippled throughout his mind-space. The darkness receded and his eyes snapped open, back to reality. He gazed at the pink egg-shaped Pokémon standing beside the seat; she smiled sweetly at him and pointed toward the reception.Oh. The check-up was over. Silver nodded in understanding. “Gotcha. Thanks.”
He put card and papers back into their envelope and stored them into his belt bag, before hurrying past the Pokémon and toward the desk to retrieve his team.
There was a train to catch.
***
The Tokiwa Station wasn’t crowded anymore. There were only fifteen or sixteen people either sitting on the benches or standing. Not exactly surprising, considering that rush hour was over. Employees working at Silph Co. or similar places had surely taken earlier rides.
Silver leaned against a wall, away from the crowd and waiting patiently. He gazed passively at the screen: the earliest train for Kogane would be there in five minutes. Other five minutes… hopefully they passed fast enough.
He took a sip of his Psycho Soda. Sweet, perhaps too sweet. And the lime flavor tasted a bit too artificial for his liking. How could those guards by the gates of Yamabuki City drink that saccharine stuff every day without gaining weight or feeling nauseated by the flavor, he didn’t know.
At least his Pokémon liked it, and by drinking some Psycho Soda they could regain some of their stamina quickly… for some mysterious reason.
“Hmm… I wonder why is that. Could it be because they metabolize sugar much faster than humans or something?” mused Silver, staring at the black bubbles painted on the blue can. Then he frowned: why was he even thinking about that? Was he really that bored?
The redhead shook his head and crushed the empty can. “Pah. Whatever. It could be because of some scientific ‘food turned instantly into energy’ mumbo-jumbo, for all I care,” he muttered, and threw the junk into a nearby trash bin. After slipping his hands into his pockets — the air was cooler than usual, a clear sign of the incoming autumn — he resumed looking at the empty tracks. Other four minutes.
*crooow-ooown*
Silver blinked. What was that cry? Where did it come from? It sounded… close. Very close.
He turned his head left and right, trying to locate the source of that sound. “Huh? What…?”
*rooooown*
Another cry, but something was different. That time, it seemed like it came from within his head.
“W-what’s going on?” demanded Silver, unnerved by that occurrence.
And then, the redhead felt a strange sensation, which was something akin to a strong tug at his mind. He didn’t know how else he could describe that unknown feeling — it was something difficult to grasp.
The entire station became blurred static, but what shocked Silver the most was seeing a translucent scene playing in front of him, tinted by a light green hue.
Visions of people walking in front of him, all of them wearing kimonos and yukatas with leaf and feather patterns. Were they… ghosts?
Silver mentally scoffed. ‘What nonsense! Ghosts don’t exist! Only Ghost-types are real! …Right?’
And yet, he couldn’t deny what he was seeing. Even after rubbing his eyes with a hand, the phantoms were still there. It took all his willpower to not drop his jaws.
‘Okay, seriously, what’s going on?’
The people vanished in pillars of mist, which converged into a ball of viridian fire. Silver stared in shock at the phantom sun shining over the station and shooting tongues of flames that didn’t burn. It began quivering and losing its shape, producing long and flat appendages that looked like… wings on fire?
The ball exploded, and Silver instinctively shut his eyes. But there was no heat or scorches. Just autumn breeze.
The redhead reopened his eyes, and to his astonishment everything was back to normal, as if nothing ever happened.
No more green people, green fire or other green stuff. He could see with clarity the station, the glassy ceiling, the Coil floating around, the train…
…Wait. Train?
「 Tokiwa-eku! Viridian Station! Tokiwa-eku! Viridian Station! 」
Ah! The train! It had arrived, and the last few passengers were already going aboard.
“Drat!”
Silver bolted forward, getting inside the vehicle right before the automatic door closed. He breathed heavily, to recover from both the sudden rush and from… whatever thing happened a while ago.
The redhead glanced outside — no, there weren’t green visions anymore. He blinked in confusion, unable to find an answer to what had just transpired.
“…What the heck just happened? Was it… the work of some Psychic or Ghost Pokémon or something?” he asked to himself, feeling his mind somewhat numb after the experience. But after a few seconds of fruitless questioning, he shook his head and tried to dismiss the event as quick as he could. “Hmph. Whatever… At least it’s over. If it was the work of some random Pokémon and it tries a similar stunt once more, I’ll send Foodin
Alakazam
after it!”Somewhat annoyed by that unusual string of events, Silver took an empty seat and sat roughly on it. At least he had gotten on the train, and he was on the way of leaving Kanto behind him once more.
*breeep breeep*
Silver sighed audibly. “What now?”
With a disgruntled groan, the redhead reached out for his Pokégear and turned it on; the display shone with a pale green light. Silver checked the notification and saw the blinking icon of a letter. There was a new message… from Hibiki.
Of course, because the day didn’t stink enough as is.
Silver rolled his eyes and pocketed the device. He wasn’t in the mood of replying to that other boy. The wound at his pride was still too fresh.
A whiz sounded from outside, and Silver gazed at the source: a train inspector, holding a whistle in his right hand while a Pikachu stood by his side. The electric mouse lowered herself on all four and her heart-shaped tail flashed yellow.
Following the signal, multiple Coil surrounded the train. They buzzed noisily and blue static electricity surrounded their bodies. And then, zap and clank! The train started moving, suspended by an electromagnetic force. The train sped up and sped up, zooming on the railroad like a rocket.
When the surroundings became nothing more than blurs of green and brown, Silver leaned comfortably onto his seat and exhaled another deep breath, deciding to put aside all the bad stuff that had happened that day and to focus only on the good stuff that was going to happen, especially the tournament.
It was really happening! Soon, he would reach Kogane, then travel to Asagi to get on the ship for Pokétopia. He was going to take part to the championship… and win, of course! He would show to the world his prowess as a Pokémon Trainer.
“All the other participants should prepare themselves,” he exclaimed, smirking at the reflection on the window, “because I’m gonna win, no matter what!”
***
Back at the station, the few passengers that got off of the train dispersed quickly. Calm returned and the ticket collector left his post, as that was the end of his shift. When the man left the place to find his replacement, a small hare emerged from behind the counter; his eyes fixed on the empty track, full of curiosity and marvel, while the gems around his neck jingled.
«By the stars! How can humans use the power of Magnet Rise to lift an enormous vehicle of metal like it was nothing?» The figure floated toward the end of the glassy arch, following the suspended railroad and earning a few puzzled looks from a few Coil. «Truly outstanding!»
However, he snapped out of his wonder when he heard a loud buzz. The hare turned toward the source and spotted a small green flatworm crawling amidst the foliage of a pine tree. It glowed with a faint green light before turning invisible.
«Oh, apologies for involuntarily missing your drone, Zygarde. My mind wandered again, kah hah hah! I really can’t help but marvel at humans’ ingenuity,» said the hare, floating toward the not-so-empty branch.
The drone buzzed again and flashed green, earning a nod from the hare.
«Yes. I’m confident about that. He matched the description given to me by my future self — Calyrex from Hereafter,» continued the hare, before closing his eyes. «‘On the day of the start of fall and when the sun is at its highest, go by the station of the city known as Tokiwa City in Kanto, and find the human child with red hair and red eyes. He shall be your temporal eyes and the key of everything.’ This was his last message.»
The drone relayed a buzz and Calyrex gazed at the blank spot.
«Yes. I have linked my mind with that human child to foresee the future. He probably witnessed a few of those events, but I telepathically prodded him to divert his attention elsewhere.» Calyrex frowned. «Unfortunately, my powers are still too weak, so I could only grasp a few fragments of the events to come.»
The drone flashed a reassuring green light, and Calyrex nodded.
«Very well. I shall send my visions, then.»
With that said, Calyrex’s bulb on his head glowed with an intense light and he pointed his paw at the invisible flatworm. A psychic link connected Calyrex and all of Zygarde’s cores, with the mindless drone acting as their intercom.
«I saw… a festival. Celebrations for the incoming fall. And then, a rainbow feather… burning… in a pyre… flames… a ship ablaze… otherworldly creatures going berserk… and water, a rampaging water. Then… a growing darkness… and black. Only black.»
The light in the bulb dimmed, and Calyrex gazed at the flatworm with a blank expression. «…This is all I could gather.»
Silence reigned for a few seconds, before the flatworm quivered and buzzed worriedly. Calyrex lowered his head and rubbed his necklace.
«Yes, indeed. The last vision is a foreboding, I’m afraid. A foreboding of an inauspicious result,» he responded, his voice barely audible.
Tension and slow breathing from Calyrex, uncessant quivering from the drone. The two legendaries assimilated the information in two different ways, with Calyrex looking visibly torn by what his clairvoyance showed him and Zygarde studying the situation.
But then, the flatworm trilled a long hopeful tune and crawled closer to Calyrex. The hare stared at the spot of the invisible drone with widened eyes.
«Hmm, yes. If the balance of fate will be tipped, then our odds would improve. Drastically, I daresay,» answered Calyrex, showing a curious gaze. «Do you have something in mind?»
A series of buzzes, trills and chirps came from the drone in rapid sequence. Calyrex floated backwards in surprise.
«Oh? This is your plan?» he asked, before pondering about Zygarde’s suggestions.
The drone sent an affirmative chirp, and Calyrex gazed intently at the branch in awe. The hare couldn’t stop being impressed by Zygarde’s quick thinking and the fact they always had a solution for any problem. But that made sense, coming from five brains working in unison.
After some careful thinking of his own, Calyrex nodded in agreement. «Yes… It might work finely. But are you sure they will agree to that?»
The drone quivered and chirped a few tweets, its gelatinous core glowing softly.
«Really? This is new to me.» Calyrex tapped his chin thoughtfully. «However, I’m not too surprised. He can read the hearts of humans and has seen the entire world multiple times. He has been searching for so long…» The hare floated closer. «But where are they right now?»
The drone trilled and shook, making Calyrex blink in confusion.
«…On their way to Navel Rock? Why is that?» A series of trills and buzzes was his answer, and the hare nodded. «…I see. This explains quite a few things, actually.» He waved his paw. «But for a swift change of topic, how are things going with your… ally?»
An intense glow illuminated the drone, then it chirped a few times. Even if the message of the flatworm sounded mechanical, the hare could clearly sense the happiness radiating from the cores on another side of the world.
Calyrex smiled. «Ah, it’s good to hear you’re supporting each other and making fine progress. It’s so beautiful and encouraging when we can work so well with humans for the sake of the same cause.»
But then, the drone made a short questioning cry, which made Calyrex frown.
«…My steeds?» The hare lowered his gaze. «Still no trace of them. I scoured lands far and wide, but found nothing. They just… vanished from my tundra, some time after we vanquished those distortions…»
The flatworm stayed silent for a long time. Then it chirped something with a low tone. It sounded concerned about something.
Calyrex’s pupils shrunk in dread. «You… believe there could be a correlation between their disappearance, those visions of events to come, and the Eternal Eclipse?»
Another short affirmative tune, laced with fear, before it chirped another questioning message.
«I’m afraid I can’t see that far into the future. Something is blocking my powers. Even Celebi can’t travel through the flow of time anymore.» Calyrex looked pensively at the sky. «I suppose Dialga could be responsible, but I can’t think of any good reason for her to perform a time lock.» He shook his head and gazed again at the drone. «If my loyal steeds were still with me, perhaps I could find out the cause…»
The drone trilled something short, but reassuring. There was a brief pause, with Calyrex looking stunned by what he had just heard. Then the hare beamed a smile.
«…I appreciate your help in trying to locate them, Zygarde. I can’t be any more grateful than that.» Calyrex blinked when he sensed that the energy of the drone was very low. «But I believe we should let your drone rest. It seems drained after relaying all those messages.»
The drone buzzed one last time, before crawling toward the top of the tree. It began sunbathing, slowly starting to regain some of its strength.
«Likewise, Zygarde, likewise. I wish you good luck with your search, too.»
Calyrex looked at the horizon, unable to shake off the visions seen with his clairvoyance and the last warning sent by his future self. Pitch black darkness, wilted hopes and an unseeable future… what did all of that mean?
«Oh, human child. I hope your heart and soul shall be strong enough for what’s awaiting you…»