Disclaimer:
This work is fiction. The work is presented under fair protection where applicable.
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You should not read this work if you are not of legal age where you reside. This work may contain concepts or written actions that some readers may find excessive or disturbing. This may include (but not be limited to) rape, BDSM, or death.
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Chapter 6
The Granite Cave
Nicholas looked up at the roof of the cabin when he heard Peeko let out a trilling call from her perch. Mr. Briney soon joined in with his own voice. “I see it, darling! Dewford ahoy! Land ho!”
Nicholas moved to the other side of the boat to watch the scattered islands flash past. It didn’t take long before he could also see the larger land mass growing in the distance and held on as Mr. Briney began to curve their path towards it. Another few minutes and he could start making out buildings and a port that the boat was angling towards.
Soon he was stepping off the boat as Mr. Briney happily blabbed on with the dock workers. “So-“ Nicholas tried to cut in but the stream of conversation was constant. “Um, Mr. Briney? Hello?”
Mr. Briney finally broke off for a moment. “Yes?”
“When should I get back?”
Mr. Briney laughed and waved a hand dismissively. “Whenever you’d like! I’ll be here. The islands along Hoenn’s south west coast form a beautifully calm waterway that I’m comfortable traversing day or night.”
“Oh.” Nicholas flashed a smile and nodded. “Then I’ll be back once I’ve delivered this letter.”
“Take your time!”
Nicholas waited until he was safely on dry land before reaching for his belt and releasing Elaine and Morgana. The two materialized blinking in the early evening sun and Nicholas gestured at the small town ahead of them. “Sorry that it took a while to let you two out. I went from one method of transportation to another.”
Morgana twirled around a few times in awe. “Where are we, Master? Is this an island?”
“This is Dewford Island,” Nicholas replied. “Hopefully Steven is still around.”
Elaine stirred. “We’re already here?”
“I’m as surprised as you are. The transport pokegirl in Rustboro was the fastest one I’ve ever flown on and Mr. Briney drove his boat nearly as fast.” Nicholas nodded back at the dock where a fuel line had been run to the boat. “If he keeps that kind of speed this whole time we might even make it back to the Battle Frontier tomorrow.”
Elaine’s focus drifted away from him and along the beach. “…tomorrow.”
“Unfortunately I have no idea where to find Steven, so I figure we’d ask around and see if anyone knows where he is. So…” Nicholas scanned the buildings and nodded when he saw the distinctive red roof of a pokecenter. “Let’s try the pokecenter first.”
The nurse on duty was more than happy to give Nicholas all of the information he asked for and the group left a few minutes later with directions to over a dozen cave systems scattered across the island. After a short discussion with Kalmiya he decided to try one of the larger ones, a place called Granite Cave, before poking around the less explored corners of the island.
Granite Cave was also only a short walk along the beach and before long Nicholas saw the jagged cliffs begin to rise from the sand. He even saw a couple of resting hikers and approached them with a grin and a wave. “Hello!” He waved again when he got their attention. “Hi! I’m looking for Granite Cave?”
One of the two jabbed his thumb over his shoulder, further along the rock wall they were resting against. “Main entrance is a few hundred feet that way. Careful though, it’s getting a bit late. The ferals start to wake up when the sun goes down.”
Nicholas chuckled and rubbed his hands together. “My Torchic here has been spoiling for a fight all day.” He glanced at Elaine. “Haven’t you, Elaine.”
Elaine didn’t say anything but her breathing quickened for a moment before she nodded.
“Well still, be careful,” the same man replied. “It gets dark in there and you can easily get lost if you don’t know where you’re going.”
Nicholas nodded before a sudden thought hit and he grinned. “Morgana?” Morgana looked up at him questioningly and he gently rubbed her horns, causing her to shiver a bit from his touch. “I’ve seen you light these up when you focus your energy. Think you can make enough light to help us see?”
Morgana quickly nodded. “I-I will do my best, Master.”
“Awesome.” Nicholas waved once more at the hikers before setting off again along the cliff. Sure enough around a corner and a few hundred feet later he was standing in front of a yawning cave entrance. The low evening sun cast more than enough light inside for him to see that the space inside was large and, as far as he could tell, empty.
“If I was Steven Stone, hunting for rare stones and other oddities, I’d be well off the beaten path,” Nicholas mused to himself. “And if that hiker is to be believed, that means the deepest, darkest caves. Full of feral pokegirls.” He began to chuckle and rested a hand on Elaine’s shoulder. He didn’t miss how her body tensed up when he touched her so he didn’t do anything more than that. “Elaine? I believe you’ve been wanting this for a long, long while.” Now his grip tightened slightly. “Take the lead.”
Morgana drifted forwards slightly. Elaine’s emotions were confused. Fluctuating wildly between… she felt nervousness, excitement, everything in between as the Torchic struggled to choose how she should respond. Eventually her tensed muscles released and she took a deep, trembling breath. “You want me to fight, Master?”
Nicholas nodded and let go of her shoulder. “If I’m remembering our conversation this morning correctly, you expect me to give you what you want. In exchange, you’ll give me what I want.” He turned his attention back to the cave in front of them. “You say you want a tamer who will make you fight. Well, I want a Torchic who will fight for me. Right now I believe our goals are aligned.”
Elaine curled her fingers into fists. It had been so long since she had fought for a human. Did he really want her to? Could this all just be a long, horrible trick before he took everything away from her, just like all the rest?
…Even if it was. He was making it a convincing one. And if she could even have a single chance to battle again, unrestrained, letting her heart sing. She would gladly trade the rest of her life for that one wonderful moment.
Morgana clasped her hands together when she felt Elaine’s emotions stabilize. “Yes, Master,” the Torchic whispered. “Thank you.”
“Let’s do it then.” Nicholas looked back. “Ready, Morgana? We’ll be counting on you to light the way.”
Morgana quickly focused on her horns, drawing in power so the red structures began to glow. “I- I’m ready.”
“Remember, we’re looking for side routes, places off the beaten path,” Nicholas reminded Elaine as she began to move. “Be ready for anything.”
Elaine ignored him. She could feel a rising excitement in her chest and her pace, at first slow and just above a walk, quickly increased until she was jogging towards the first turn, where the sunlight began fading towards darkness. Nicholas and Morgana broke into a run to keep up with her as flames burst across her shoulders, the flickering light they cast sending shadows dancing across the walls as the Torchic broke into an all out sprint. He and and Morgana shared a quick look before Morgana squeezed her hands together, focusing as hard as she could until her horns shone bright, lighting the way as they pursued Elaine deeper into the cave system.
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Nicholas dodged around another cluster of stalagmites as he did his best to keep Elaine’s flames in sight. She’d left the main cave behind almost immediately and now they had been working their way through pitch black tunnels for probably half an hour. Down, up, the tunnels twisted and turned with side paths and cave-ins leading who knows where. But Elaine seemed to have a path she was following. Kalmiya reported that even though they had descended some ways at first, after the first ten minutes or so Elaine had kept their elevation steady, and in fact may have ascended again. They weren’t actually very far under the surface.
“What is she following?” Nicholas had asked. Kalmiya hadn’t had a clue.
Elaine’s eyes flicked from reflection to reflection. There was something in the walls here - her flames highlighted it to her and it was this long vein that she had been following. Truthfully, she did not care where she went. As she ran she had begun hearing noises. Movement in the darkness around them. Her lips curled up in a smile when she saw something move ahead.
Nicholas shouted and covered his eyes when Elaine’s flickering light suddenly blossomed into a roaring flame. In the sudden glare the walls around them shone, illuminating the small rooms dug into the walls - and at least a dozen moving shapes within them.
The disturbed nest sprang to life, angry screams from the wild pokegirls as they struck out at the intruder. Elaine staggered when one, luckier or perhaps smarter than the rest, slammed into her before the others had recovered from the sudden light. But the Zubat was just as blinded by her flames as the rest and the impact was blunt, without fangs or claws to deal any real damage.
Elaine laughed.
The Zubat squealed when she felt Elaine’s talons pierce her skin and was thrown back, her tattered wing flaring uselessly as she crashed back into a pile of her nest mates. Elaine laughed. Nicholas came into view in time to see her embers popping along her exposed skin, the shadows they cast over her face turning her jubilant expression into one that was purely demonic, tainting her laughter into something cruel as she dove into another recovering group. The nest was in chaos. Half blinded Zubat, their eyes in pain and unable to focus on their alternate senses were tossed aside as Elaine struck without any semblance of control. If it got near her, it bled. If it got away, she did not chase. Soon the wild Zubat had learned that the intruder was indiscriminate in her assault and the flow shifted, from scattered confusion and retaliation to a sudden, desperate flight as those Elaine had already injured sought to flee, and those she had not forced themselves away first.
“Elaine,” Nicholas breathed in shock. Morgana clutched tightly to him, her own eyes wide as the wild pokegirls’ fear and panic washed over her in waves. But there were a few that had not scattered, and as Elaine screamed again and dove for a new group something moved behind her.
Nicholas saw the larger form and cursed. “Elaine! Behind-“ he grimaced when Elaine didn’t even pause at his voice. The new form was revealed for a moment in the light, arms and wings identifying the bat pokegirl as being evolved - a Golbat. And Elaine, as he had seen her so many times before, had no interest in anything but what was in front of her. Not even as the Golbat slipped forwards, her mouth opening to reveal glistening fangs.
Morgana gasped when Nicholas grabbed her arm. “Morgana!” She followed his pointing finger, eyes widening when she saw the threat stalking Elaine. “Go!”
The order took control, pushing away the overwhelming emotions she was feeling and helping Morgana focus. For a moment the light from her horns dimmed; then they flashed pure white, staggering the Golbat before she could strike as Morgana focused her will completely on the wild pokegirl. A screech echoed through the cave as the Golbat spun, lashing out in a vain attempt at fighting off whatever was attacking her before her mouth slammed shut, her own fangs drilling into her flesh as she collapsed, blood streaming from her mouth and nose.
And still Elaine didn’t pause, didn’t even flinch from her assault. Morgana released her focus with a gasp, the attack having taxed her limited reserves, and Nicholas’ eyes narrowed as he watched Elaine dive for the few stragglers that remained. Soon it was over. Zubat were strewn across the cavern, the Golbat still unconscious along with them, and as Elaine began to scan for another target she heard a hard voice call her name.
“Elaine.”
Without an enemy to focus on the call got her attention and she glanced back at Nicholas. His face was unreadable. Eyes drilling into hers and her own eyes narrowed. Was this it?
Nicholas took a slow breath as he surveyed the carnage. Eventually he spoke. “You have a lot to learn.”
Elaine blinked. That had not been what she had been expecting to hear. “Excuse me?”
“I said that you have a lot to learn.” Nicholas moved forwards, pausing near the bleeding Golbat and pointing at her for Elaine’s benefit. “Recognize this one?”
Elaine looked over and confusion crossed her face. “I… don’t.”
“That’s because you were so focused, so ignorant of your surroundings, that you would have let her just walk up to you unopposed,” Nicholas snapped. “Even when I tried to warn you you ignored me. If Morgana hadn’t been here to save you, you would be the one on the ground. Not her.”
Elaine’s eyes flashed. “I would have been fine.”
“No. You would have been injured, maybe even killed without Morgana’s intervention.” Nicholas drew himself up and now Elaine could see anger in his expression. “Think, you stupid girl. Why have you never been able to beat me?”
Elaine’s lips curled back, her teeth glinting as she snarled. “I don’t care-“
“Well you’d BETTER fucking START TO!” Nicholas roared. “Every time you have lost to me Elaine you have focused on what you saw as the threat and ignored everything else around you. When we first met I used that to easily capture you in a pokeball. The next allowed me more than enough opportunity to secure you in a compromised position. The straps? When I bound you and so easily had my way with you in Petalburg?” Elaine flinched slightly. “You were so worried about the pokeball that you didn’t see what else I was holding, even though I wasn’t even trying to hide it. You put your own arm into that first one, Elaine. I didn’t even have to move and you were caught.”
Elaine slunk back slightly. “You won’t ever trick me like that again.”
“No?” Nicholas asked quietly. “Until you learn you will be taken advantage of, Elaine. By me, by your opponents, by your enemies. And while I want a Torchic that will fight,” his eyes narrowed, “I want one who is willing to admit her failings much more than that.” He continued before Elaine could come up with a retort. “I have no use for a pokegirl that believes she is invincible when she is so very clearly not.”
Elaine found herself breathing heavily. She was angry, but… it wasn’t towards the human in front of her. His words stung. But try as she might no counter, no argument would come. She was left with anger eating away at her insides and nowhere to project it.
Nicholas watched Elaine wince, pain crossing her face as she glanced away, and he took another few steps forwards. “I don’t want a useless pokegirl, Elaine,” he murmured. “Let me help you learn.”
Nicholas was reaching for Elaine, the Torchic’s face twisting in a pained grimace, when he suddenly felt Morgana shove past him. Surprised he staggered, catching himself in time to watch as Morgana lunged through the remaining space and wrapped her entire body around Elaine. The two dropped to the ground as Elaine, already distracted by her thoughts, was completely unable to manage the sudden weight of a second body clinging to her.
“No,” Morgana gasped quietly. Elaine twitched when Morgana’s hands moved to her face, almost desperately stroking Elaine’s grimacing cheeks. “Let it go. Elaine, let it go!”
Morgana let out a squeak when Elaine’s fist reflexively punched into her gut, but that was as far as it went. The two lay intertwined for a few seconds before Elaine’s entire body tensed and she opened her mouth with a tormented scream. Morgana kept her hold on the Torchic as her body arched, her scream quickly turning into a sobbing cry before she collapsed back to the ground and went limp.
Morgana slowly moved her weight off of Elaine but remained where she was. “Elaine?” she asked softly. “Are you- can you open your eyes?” Very, very slowly Elaine’s eyes opened and Morgana sighed, embracing her tightly while Elaine did nothing but lay there. “It’s okay,” she whispered. “It’s going to be okay.”
“…Get off me,” Elaine tried to growl, but it came out as a croak. Her cheeks were wet from her tears and even though she made a few motions to throw Morgana away they had no power behind them, leaving the Ralts right where she was. “I hate you. I- I hate-“ her eyes squeezed shut again, tears leaking out as her chest heaved with suppressed sobs. “G-Get off.”
Morgana bent down and rested her forehead against Elaine’s as her horns began to glow. Slowly Elaine’s sobs faded and Morgana sighed, speaking so quietly that Nicholas didn’t even know she said a word. “You are not alone anymore.” Elaine’s eyes cracked open to see Morgana’s own tearful expression. “Master wants to help you.”
It was the wrong thing to say. Elaine’s expression almost immediately hardened, her eyes narrowing and hand coming up to press against Morgana’s head. “I said. To get off me.” Morgana grunted when elaine shoved her away, abortively trying to hold on before relenting and letting Elaine shove her to the side and begin getting to her feet.
“I hate you,” Elaine growled, staring down at Morgana with a look of disgust. “A simpering slave for our Master.” Nicholas’ mouth firmed and he brushed himself off when Elaine turned next to look at him. “I’ve told you before. Master. You will never defeat me again.”
Nicholas sighed. For a moment, Elaine had been vulnerable. Now she was right back to her usual self. “Even if I never do, others will,” he replied. “You will learn, Elaine. Whether or not you believe you need to.”
“Tch.” Elaine glanced away.
“Whatever. That’s enough.” Nicholas reached down to help morgana up before turning his attention to the back of Elaine’s head. “The horde fled further down the tunnel. There’s likely an exit up ahead, since I highly doubt those wild pokegirls would intentionally corner themselves deeper in the caves.”
Without saying another word Elaine stepped over the fallen Zubat ahead of her and vanished into the darkness, leaving only Morgana’s soft light to illuminate the area around her and Nicholas.
“Master-“ Morgana started.
“Let it go,” Nicholas interrupted. “Elaine and I are… still working to find our common ground.” He gazed at the tunnel Elaine had disappeared into. “I can talk all I want, but even if I was the most persuasive person in the world it wouldn’t matter. Elaine will never trust me as her Master. She’ll never trust anyone on words alone.” He looked over and offered his hand which Morgana took after a few moments. “I need to prove myself with actions, not words. And we haven’t had nearly enough time together for me to do that.”
Morgana squeezed his hand tightly. “I wish I was stronger, Master. So that I could show her, make her know your love.”
“I’m glad you aren’t if that’s what you intend to do.” Morgana looked at him in confusion as Nicholas pulled her after Elaine. “I don’t force anything on my pokegirls. Even, as you call it, my love. I don’t doubt that if you were stronger, maybe evolved or something, you could force Elaine to understand that I’m not lying to her with my words. It might even be a good thing for her in the end. But it would still be forcing my will on her when she has no interest in it. It would be wrong.”
Morgana’s look of confusion flashed to horror before Nicholas grunted when she wrapped him in a sudden embrace. “Master!” Her face nestled into his side and he felt his shirt growing slightly damp as her tears came. “If she could only hear you, if you could only-“
“Morgana.” Nicholas gently stroked the Ralts’ hair until she pulled back with drier eyes. “I’ve told you. My words will never change anything between Elaine and I. And even if you had the power to change that, I would never want you to use it. That is the kind of tamer – the kind of person that I am. You understand that already. And I know you desperately want Elaine to understand as well. I hope she will, one day. But she will get there in her own way, and at her own pace. Okay?”
Morgana sniffled and wiped her eyes. “Okay, Master.”
“I know it’s going to be hard for you.” Nicholas took her hand again and gave it a comforting squeeze. “Everything that you are feels her pain or whatever she feels and wants to make it go away so that you don’t have to feel it as well. I get that. If it ever gets to be too much, tell me. I can put you in your pokeball or give you a sanctuary to take a rest.”
Morgana took a minute to respond but eventually she raised her eyes to his. “No, Master. It… will be hard.” She squeezed back. “But she is… my new sister. If there is anything I can do to help her, I… I want to be there.”
A smile tugged at Nicholas’ lips. “You can always change your mind, you know.” When Morgana nodded he returned to the tunnel ahead, walking along with her as they followed Elaine into the darkness.
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Moonlight filtered down through the cracks in the rock above them when Nicholas caught up to Elaine again. The Torchic had found a perch on a worn-down stalagmite and was gazing over a large drop-off that had replaced one of the walls of the cave.
She glanced in his direction when she heard his footsteps. “We started down there.”
Nicholas turned and scrutinized the area below. Sure enough he could see a few familiar rock formations. “I think we did. No wonder the Zubat fled in this direction, it was the fastest escape route for something with wings.”
“Path continues.” Elaine jerked a thumb over her shoulder. “Just figured, maybe I should wait and make sure you didn’t jump off the cliff here.” Her eyes flicked to him. “Wouldn’t want to miss that.”
Nicholas shook his head with a bemused smile and walked over to where she was sitting. “Unfortunately I don’t think I’ll be doing that.”
Elaine grunted and turned her attention away from him again.
“Think you can handle staying in the lead?”
Elaine immediately got off of her perch. “Watch me.”
All of a sudden the rough, winding tunnels were gone as Elaine led the way further into the cave system, replaced by arching ceilings and smooth floors. The moonlight behind them lit the way, albeit barely, allowing the group to progress without needing Elaine’s fire or Morgana’s glow.
It wasn’t long before they reached a new split in the path. When Nicholas caught up to Elaine he glanced down the branch she was studying to see the smooth cave floor transition into rough-hewn stone steps and, just before the tunnel curved out of sight, he thought he could see something attached high up on the walls.
“Well that’s interesting,” he said. “I wonder what someone would be making a path to in an island cave.” He crouched down to take a closer look at how the steps were carved. There were barely any hard corners to be seen, with each step seeming to be completely unique in its construction. “Seems either old and worn down or… something, I’m not sure.” He straightened up. “Thinking of heading this direction? I doubt this is the way to a mining operation.”
Elaine shook her head and took the first step anyways. “I want to go this way.”
Nicholas shrugged as he and Morgana followed. “That’s fine. Maybe it will be a good place to hunker down and take a rest.” He stifled a yawn. “It’s getting a bit late.”
When they got further down the tunnel Nicholas was able to see that the object high on the wall was the beginning of a string of heavy wire. Light shone out of seams on its protective sheathe, removing any doubt that this tunnel may have just been a strange natural formation.
Another few bends and the ambient moonlight behind them had disappeared, the tunnel now lit entirely by the glowing wire above them. Elaine began to slow and Nicholas and Morgana slowed with her, Nicholas giving her an inquisitive look that the Torchic didn’t respond to before he also heard what had given her pause.
There were voices up ahead. As they got louder Elaine continued to hesitate, her pace slowing more and more until she was barely walking forwards. Nicholas wasn’t sure exactly why but after a few minutes of matching her crawl he snorted and pushed past her.
The next bend opened into a massive chamber and Nicholas slowly came to a halt as he processed everything inside. A small generator was humming along, all manner of cables spreading from it to climb the walls and provide the light that illuminated the area, while the cave itself… Massive, intricate carvings covered the walls, spreading along every inch of available surface before culminating in an incredible scene across the far wall. Two giant, nude, barely humanoid pokegirls faced each other, one engulfed in tidal waves, the other jagged spikes of rock and stone. They were painstakingly carved – Nicholas could see every single detail across their bodies, moisture beading across the one in the waves, steam rising from the other – but most importantly he could see their facial expressions. Their eyes. These two were locked in a raging battle, and that is what the carving sought to immortalize. The beauty and detail put into their anatomy was clearly out of fear and respect, not any attempt to sexualize these two rampaging figures. Especially with how dozens of tiny human bodies were scattered about the scene like leaves in the wind.
As he gazed at the carvings something seemed familiar. Tidal waves… breaking earth… deafening roars…
“Oh, hello there.” Nicholas blinked, his thoughts interrupted by a voice hailing him. “I thought all of the spelunkers had left for the night.”
Nicholas looked around for the source and settled on a smiling man in a suit standing near the far wall. There were many other figures scattered through the cavern as well but only one or two were giving him any attention at all. “Uh, hey,” he replied. “They have, and they tried to warn me off as well, but I’m looking for someone.”
“And who would that be?”
“Champion Stone.”
The man started laughing. “Now why would someone like that be spelunking on a backwater like this?”
“…because I was told he was?” Nicholas replied lamely. The man was still laughing and he felt a slight burning in his cheeks. “Well I guess you haven’t seen him so…”
“Master,” another voice chided. Nicholas had already taken a few steps backwards before the interruption so when he looked over all he saw was a very large and foreboding form seated on the other side of one of the strings of lights. “Don’t you recognize this man? That is Nicholas Topolski, the self-proclaimed World Champion.”
“Uh-“ Nicholas started before he realized that the man had begun laughing even harder. “Look, I get it, I’ll leave. Sorry for bothering you.”
“Of course I recognize him, Tetsu.” The man’s sudden change from mirth to such a calm tone threw Nicholas completely for a loop, not to mention the name that he had so casually used. “I simply wasn’t expecting our first meeting to be here.”
Nicholas hurried back forwards to get around the light between him and the indistinct figure and, sure enough, when his vision cleared he could see the Metagross watching him. “Tetsu?” He turned back to the man. “Wait. That means you have to be Steven Stone.”
“Does it?” The man teased. “Perhaps I simply have a Metagross of my own named after the Champion’s.”
Nicholas pointed at Tetsu. “We’ve met.”
“Oh, that’s right, you have,” Steven sighed. “Okay, okay. Yes, you’ve found me.”
Elaine punched Nicholas’ shoulder and gave him a smug grin. “And you said this wasn’t the way.”
Nicholas gave the ceiling an annoyed look. “I thought he’d be looking for rare stones, not camping in… whatever this is.”
“You were wrong.”
“Yes, yes, I was wrong,” Nicholas sighed in exasperation. “I’m not always right.” He paused just long enough for Elaine to start puffing up before giving her a sidelong glance. “Nobody ever is.”
“This is true. Nobody is perfect,” Steven replied, uncaring or perhaps simply unaware how his agreement had made Elaine purple. “And usually I would be expanding my collection, but recent events have forced me to put my passions aside temporarily.” He turned to the mural. “Tell me, Nicholas. May I call you that?”
“It’s my name.”
“That is true. Tell me, Nicholas… Do you feel anything in particular when you behold the scene on this wall?” He stared up at the fighting figures. "An ancient, primal world, still forming in some ways and ever changing thanks to two rulers of land and sea. The ancient humans who carved this scene obviously were enraptured by them. You see the detail they put into highlighting their features as pokegirls, as well as their power? It reminds you in some ways of how present day artists toe the line between pornography and art when a subject of their passion is in question.”
Nicholas frowned slightly and moved forwards to join Steven at the wall. “Honestly, I don’t see that at all here.”
Steven turned to him with a raised eyebrow. “No? You can’t deny that both figures’ genitalia are in full display. The one on the right should be completely hidden by the waves surrounding her, and yet the carvers made the decision to break the waves to show her entire body.”
“I see that, but I don’t think it was to sexualize either of them,” Nicholas replied. “Looking at the scene, I feel… fear. If I was a human alive at the time that these pokegirls existed, I would want to do anything I could to avoid drawing their wrath. Who knows? If that one on the right learned that she had only been depicted halfway, and the other fully, maybe she would have decided to drown this cave in retaliation. When I look at how violently the battle is portrayed, and how meticulously the pokegirls themselves are carved, I can’t help but think that the artist here wanted to capture the subjects of his respect, not lust.”
“Interesting.” Nicholas noticed that Steven had turned away from the mural as he talked and was studying him now instead. “You say that as if you were there, thousands of years ago.”
Nicholas didn’t respond. He had been there, or at least he had memories of the scene on the wall in front of him. These figures must have been what had caused the ancient Draconids to petition for Rayquaza’s help in the first place.
“Now you’re being ridiculous, Master,” Tetsu called. “How could Champion Topolski have been alive thousands of years ago?”
“How, indeed?” Steven murmured. After another moment he turned away and gestured around the cavern. “But! The worries of our ancient ancestors are just a curiosity, not our own. After all, I don’t see a pair of behemoths destroying the world as the mural depicts, do you?”
“I wonder what stopped them,” Nicholas asked. Now it was his turn to study Steven when the man stilled.
Steven’s arm slowly dropped back to his side. “That is a question only a select few know the answer to.” He turned back to look at Nicholas. “Regardless. You’ve come looking for me; why? Surely you don’t expect to make good on your threat with those two pokegirls.”
“To take your title as well?” Nicholas chuckled. “I’m not here in Hoenn right now to do that, no. Your dad asked me to deliver a letter to you.”
Steven looked surprised when Nicholas pulled the sealed letter out of his bag. “My dad- er, President Stone asked you to deliver a letter? How did that come to be?” He popped the seal open and slid the letter out as Nicholas began to explain, eyes moving down the page until they slowed and he began to more carefully read the ending. After another minute he folded the paper carefully and slid it back into its envelope. “So. That was stolen by a masked figure in blue.” Nicholas watched Steven nearly lose himself in thought before he remembered that Nicholas was there and looked up. “Was this your only reason for seeking me out, then? To deliver my father’s letter?”
“Kind of, yeah,” Nicholas replied. “Your dad was pretty insistent that we meet before I head back to the Battle Frontier and get back to my vacation.”
“Yes, he explains as much in the letter.” Steven tapped it against his palm. “The thing is, Nicholas, you’re correct. I also believe that this mural was created by someone who revered those ancient, legendary pokegirls. Fortunately for us all they have not been seen in millennia. But there are some today who would see them return. Who would see their chosen ‘goddess’ remake the world.” He waved the letter a bit. “The thief you encountered is more than likely one of those people. Cults have taken root here in Hoenn, one dedicated to the primal legendary of the earth, Groudon, and one to the primal legendary of the sea, Kyogre. They have been a thorn in my side for years now, an assault here, a robbery there. Though recently they have become bolder. They would never have dared to assault Devon’s headquarters until a year or so ago.”
“Cults rising in influence. Sounds like something for a region’s Champion to deal with,” Nicholas chuckled. “So glad that’s not me.”
“I’m sure you are. But these groups, like any cult, truly believe what they do will resurrect their chosen deity. These pokegirls existed, Nicholas. Kyogre and Groudon nearly destroyed the world with their combined power. If they had never been stopped, all life would have gone extinct all those years ago.”
“They’ve been gone this long,” Nicholas replied. “Even if they’re not dead what makes you think these cultists will succeed now when people like them have no doubt been trying since those two legendaries disappeared in the first place?”
“Times change.” Steven turned back to the mural. “The object that thief stole is a new, experimental energy converter. It was meant to power new vehicles, airships, submarines, things to push the bounds of our human understanding of the world. But in the hands of people like that, if they were ever to find where the super ancient pokegirls slumber, they could easily use it instead to jolt them awake. And then our world of today would become the world of thousands of years ago.”
“Again. If they found them,” Nicholas replied. “You’re the Champion of Hoenn, not me. I’m sure you’d know if anyone had ever uncovered the resting place of these legendary pokegirls.” He shook his head. “Why are you even telling me all this? Like I said, you’re the Champion here, not me. I’m just on vacation.”
“Perhaps, but you are also a man with quite the reputation behind him,” Steven replied. “I’ve heard rumors that you’ve faced down legendaries yourself and survived.”
“Rumors.”
Steven sighed, his eyes moving from the mural down to the letter still in his hands. “Fine. Rumors. But rumors don’t start without some grain of truth.”
Nicholas glanced away, feeling as more pairs of eyes around the room had turned to him. “Even if I had done what you claim, that doesn’t mean I would be able to handle what we’re describing here. Two pokegirls that together threatened to destroy the entire world? Please. I’m a single human.”
“…You’re right. You are.” Steven turned back but Nicholas wasn’t looking at him anymore. “So am I. So is every one of us. But thousands of years ago single humans came together and they stopped the greatest threat to their lives that they had ever known. You can’t do it alone. Neither can I. I’m asking for your help to do this together.”
Nicholas let out a nervous cough. “Look, I…” He shook his head with a sigh. “You know so much about me that I’m sure you know about my struggles against Team Rocket.”
“I do.”
“Then you know that I fought them for more than three years.” Nicholas looked back at Steven. “I’m tired, Champion Stone. When I say that I came to Hoenn on vacation I mean it. This was supposed to be the first time my harem and I had a chance to just be together without some threat looming over us.”
“There are always threats.”
“Trust me. I’m well aware of that,” Nicholas replied. “However I’m also not the only one capable of handling those threats. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, this is your region. Not mine. This is your threat to handle.” He glanced at the mural. “With Team Rocket, it was personal. They tried to kill me, they killed pokegirls close to mine, they forced themselves into my life and so I struck back. These cults you describe?” He shook his head. “It’s not personal. I’m sorry, but I’m not the kind of person to risk my neck just because something is wrong. No matter what people may say of me, I’m not that kind of selfless hero.”
Steven nodded slightly. “Honestly, Nicholas, if you were then I’d call you a selfless idiot. I understand why you’re hesitant to get involved, but right now I need the help. Outside help. Because I already haven’t been doing this alone – the gym leaders and Elite Four have been investigating leads during their free time as well. But no matter how solid a lead we think we have, by the time any of us investigate it we’ve found nothing. Empty safehouses. Potential attacks that don’t happen while we’re in the area, then sweep through after we leave. We’re too visible. Either that, or we have sympathizers on the inside.” He shook his head when Nicholas started to speak. “No, I don’t believe any of the leadership themselves are part of the cults. I simply refuse to believe that any of them would wish to destroy the region they’ve sworn to protect.”
“Half of the gym leaders of Kanto were either working with or a part of Team Rocket,” Nicholas replied. “You may not want to believe in the possibility, but it is still a very real one.”
“If it is then all the more reason to seek outside help,” Steven countered. “Don’t you understand that?”
Nicholas winced. “Petition the International Police, then.”
“Come now. Give me some credit,” Steven grumbled. “I already have. They, and I quote, ‘are not interested in rumors of the supernatural’, and ‘would be happy to assist if a tangible threat to the stability of the World Leagues were discovered’.”
Nicholas blinked a few times. “But…” He shook his head in disbelief. “Legendary pokegirls are real. Hell I’m sure there are dozens of them active across the world. Maybe not ones as powerful as Kyogre and Groudon, but still more of a threat than any regular pokegirl would be.”
There was a twinkle in Steven’s eye when he replied. “But I thought you said legendary pokegirls are just a rumor?”
“Er-“ Nicholas thought quickly. “I said that stories of me facing them and winning are a rumor.”
Laughter backed Steven’s next words. “I never said anything about winning before.”
Fine. “Okay. Yes, I have had the misfortune of meeting a few so-called ‘Legendaries’. In fact, I encountered one in Kanto known as Articuno. She froze my entire harem and was in the process of killing me before she had a change of heart and let me go.”
Steven’s smile faded. “I hadn’t heard anything about that one.”
“I’d ask what you thought you’ve heard but I’m sure at least half of it isn’t true and I’m not interested in reliving the rest.” And if by any chance you’ve heard about Mewtwo or Celebi… “So let’s get back to the issue at hand.” Nicholas crossed his arms. “The International Police has no idea what they’re talking about.”
Steven cleared his throat. “I can understand why they won’t intervene. All of the threats they’ve had to worry about before have been things like your fight against Team Rocket – organized crime that seeks to undermine or replace the authority of the league they operate in, not groups seeking to literally destroy the world we live in.”
“Essentially, like they said, they’re not interested in ‘maybe’ or ‘what-if’ scenarios,” Nicholas mused.
“Precisely.”
“But you think these cults pose a real threat.”
“We both agree that at one point in time, Kyogre and Groudon roamed the earth,” Steven said, continuing when Nicholas nodded. “We also agree that it would be very bad if they were to roam it again.”
“Sure.”
“These cults seek to make that happen. Now, just because they want it doesn’t necessarily mean it will happen. I understand that.” Steven grimaced. “However their rise in influence can’t be without reason. They were tiny up until a few years ago. Dying, probably only made up of true fanatics. But now, they’ve been able to start pulling in more regular people. There’s no way they’d be able to do that without something new. Some kind of proof that they’ll be able to achieve their goals.”
“Both of them?”
Steven let out his breath. “Yes. Both of them. And that is what truly scares me. If it was only one of them, the other might see some support to kind of push back, but it would stabilize. Or if they were lying, after a few years their influence would falter again. Neither of those things are happening. Their influence grows by the day and I don’t know why.”
“Do you think they’ve found Kyogre and Groudon?” Nicholas asked.
“That is the absolute worst-case scenario,” Steven replied. “No, I don’t think they’ve found them yet. But I think they believe that they will soon. Why both groups, I can’t say. There’s still so little we know about the ancient legends.” He gestured at the mural. “Maybe they’ve each stumbled across a previously undiscovered record. Maybe one did, and word leaked to the other group soon after. I’m sure there are spies.” He shook his head. “Regardless. I can’t take the chance that they can actually awaken the primal pokegirls.” Steven cracked a smile. “As you’ve said. This is my responsibility.”
Nicholas rubbed his face. Steven’s impassioned plea was starting to get to him. “When I leave this island, I’m returning to my harem. Once our vacation is over, there’s no reason for me to remain in Hoenn.”
“No reason except to challenge me as Champion.”
Nicholas lowered his hands. Steven suddenly looked hopeful. “To do that I would need to do Hoenn’s badge challenge. That’s a long time to be away from my harem again.”
“Yes, you would. You’d need to travel across the region, perhaps witnessing events that I would otherwise miss.” Steven took a half step forwards. “Another set of eyes. That’s all I ask.”
“I’m not interested in any badge challenge right now. Not until I can figure out how to maintain my responsibilities as a tamer while I do it,” Nicholas replied. “My Kanto harem suffered while I roamed Johto. I’m not going to do that to them or any of my newer pokegirls ever again.”
Steven was struggling with what to say next. His brilliant idea was slipping away. “Um. They could stay on the Battle Frontier, and I could arrange transportation so…”
Nicholas held up his hands. “We’ve talked about a lot tonight. It’s getting late.”
Steven visibly deflated when Nicholas turned away and moved towards Morgana and Elaine. “Well… sure. I guess it is.”
“I know we’re not outside, but let’s set up the tent,” Nicholas said as he watched the half dozen or so figures around the cave start to move. “Give everyone some privacy.”
Before long the cave had gone quiet. And eventually, about an hour after Nicholas had disappeared into his tent, Steven broke off his conversation with Tetsu and walked over to the generator. With a quiet click everything went dark.
However restful sleep did not come to Nicholas. Instead, sleep brought the nightmare. The one carved into the rock above his head.
Nicholas grimaced as he opened his eyes and saw the broken hellscape around him. But this time he was not simply a spectator. This time, as a wave rose above him and he raised his arms to protect himself, his body responded. And when the water crashed over him he was left gasping from the cold.
He staggered when the ground under him shook, falling back before catching himself on one of the jagged pillars of stone that broke through the earth around him. The roaring around him was more than just the wind this time. He was probably imagining it, but he thought he could hear two distinct tones forming the ever-present sound.
“Just a dream,” he mumbled to himself. “Just have to wake up.”
He closed his eyes and attempted to tune out the apocalyptic world around him but every time he thought he was drifting off the earth would jump or he’d feel a particularly strong gust of wind push him around. Eventually he gave up and opened his eyes again, glancing out at the boiling sea.
Only, he couldn’t see the sea anymore. Instead his vision was completely blocked by a massive wall of emerald green.
Nicholas scrambled back, his eyes darting up the wall as his brain attempted to process what he was looking at. Every foot or so the wall curved inwards, forming a seam before the next piece curved back out. Pieces covered in shining emerald… scales.
Before he reached the top he knew what would be waiting for him. And sure enough, as his vision cleared the solid green Rayquaza’s upper body came into view. The legendary dragon stared down at him, her unblinking yellow eyes capturing his the moment they met.
Nicholas swallowed in an attempt to wet his suddenly dry throat. “H-Hello.”
Silence. Actual silence, he realized. The roars had gone silent. The wind no longer blew. Even the fluctuating air had gone still in Rayquaza’s presence. And she did not break it, her eyes locked onto his.
“What do you want?” Nicholas barely whispered. Every other time Rayquaza’s arrival had heralded the end of the nightmare. This time he felt like it was just beginning. “Why… Why am I seeing this?”
Slowly a new sound broke the silence and it was not one Nicholas wanted to hear. A low, sibilant hiss drifted down as Rayquaza shifted, her emerald coils tightening as her head began to descend towards him. Nicholas tried to press away from the legendary but the stone pillar had turned into a solid wall against his back and try as he might he had nowhere to go. Still locked in her gaze he saw her pupils dilate, lips sliding back to display a mouth of razor sharp fangs as her hissing grew louder.
“W-What do you- What do you want?” Nicholas desperately cried. “Please!” He threw his arms up when Rayquaza made no move to slow her approach. “TELL ME!”
“So this is what my blood has become.” Nicholas felt hot breath washing over his arms and moved them slightly to see Rayquaza just inches away, her angry hissing now matched by narrowed eyes and a furious expression.
“What-?” Nicholas started to ask before screaming in terror when Rayquaza lunged, her jaws expanding until he could see nothing else. He felt her fangs slice into his chest before, at last, he was swept into the nothingness of sleep.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
POKEDEX UPDATED
Tamer:Nicholas Topolski
Harem:
Elaine, Torchic – Level 14
Morgana, Ralts – Level 12
Non-Com Harem:
Kalmiya, Porygon-Z – Level 5