CHAPTER 31 — Preparing for Departure


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Two days had passed since Amphy Ampharos woke up in the hospital after the battle against Beelzeby Luxray and the Umbral Requiem; with the intention of fulfilling his beloved’s request, Fearles Zoroark was on a closed-door meeting with Lencia Charmeleon at the top of Zabeli’s tower. Both Pokémon talked while drinking Chikorita leaf tea; Lencia, even having three claws on each paw, managed to delicately pick up the cup, subtly demonstrating her level and social refinement:

— “So, Amphy resigned her Frag-A to the prince of Judicium, I imagine that for her to have done something so reckless, the situation at the Umbral Requiem base must have been truly dangerous.” — Commented the Charmeleon, looking at the liquid in her cup a moment before drinking it; Fearles nodded, confirming the empress’s words.
— “Yes, Amphy asked me to get in touch with the Platinum Wing kingdom and speak with Vandelvor about what happened; it seems Platinum Wing is the next kingdom that will fall victim to the cursed sect.” — Said the Zoroark, looking seriously at the empress; Lencia placed her cup on the saucer serenely, directing her gaze toward the base master.
— “I will send my ally who is in the Platinum Wing kingdom to warn Vandelvor, don’t worry… however, I have a request as well.” — Said the Charmeleon a moment before taking another sip of tea; Fearles made no ceremony, while drinking his tea he only gestured with his claw for the empress to go on.
— “I didn’t come to Zabeli just to see you; you told me you are assisting the new monarch of Judicium, so, I want to meet him.” — Requested Lencia calmly; but, the Charmeleon quickly startled upon realizing her request made the Zoroark choke on his tea.

Fearles took a good look at Lencia as she helped him after the choke; the Charmeleon’s behavior, as well as the large gold necklace on her neck displaying a rare gemstone at its center, already made clear the royal blood of the Flamey; Zoroark would not deny the empress’s request, however, he imagined the worst possible things that could happen from such a meeting, after all, Nero Jolteon behaved like a Berserker compared to the Charmeleon.
At that very moment, in Zabeli’s general hospital, Nero began feeling an itch in his ear and relieved it by scratching with one of his hind paws; the Pokémon was visiting Amphy’s room with Lory Glaceon, who was sitting beside him on a bench, visibly bothered by the Jolteon’s lack of decorum; both he and his adoptive mother were meeting a very special Pokémon for the Glaceon. On top of the Ampharos, very lively and energetic, was the Zorua named Melissa; Melissa was Fearles’s biological daughter whom he always kept very hidden out of fear that an enemy might use her; not even Sakuya and Lory spoke of her for the same concern.
However, with recent events, the Zoroark and Amphy were practically engaged, and the Ampharos needed to meet her new daughter, something that could intimidate many Pokémon, yet the Electric Type Pokémon seemed very excited about caring for another child; she could not stop smiling with joy. Melissa wore a red scarf around her neck, fastened by a blue Gadget designed for quadruped Pokémon or those without hands.
Because the Zorua wouldn’t stay still even on the new mother’s bed, they had already adjusted the scarf more than once. Seeing the way Amphy cared for Melissa made Nero think of his own future; the Pokémon then turned to see his beloved Shiny Glaceon, who was already looking at him lovingly. Both Pokémon exchanged a warm smile:

— “I’m very happy to see that you finally told young Lory how you feel, Nero. Lory, this Jolteon is only big in size; he is still a sneaky Eevee, don’t take your eyes off him.” — Said the Ampharos, stroking the tuft of fur on the young Zorua lying on her chest, The Jolteon scratched his neck, blushing, while his beloved Ice Type laughed, covering her mouth with one of her front paws.
— “Good luck with Melissa too, she’s very energetic; who would’ve thought she liked you so much she fell asleep lying on your belly… Amphy, I’m so happy that you and my brother finally settled things; he doesn’t show Melissa to just anyone.” — Said Lory, seeing her niece sleeping comfortably with a smile.

Nero felt very happy seeing the important Pokémon in his life get along. However, suddenly the Jolteon lowered his head and his ears followed, giving him a view of his golden earring:

— “I didn’t have the chance to explain the gift I gave you, did I? Until now, we only talked about me and Beelzeby. I should give you some explanations about the Maágneto as humans called it, or just Magnet in our language.” — Commented Amphy, looking at the Jolteon, who quickly raised his head and ears.
— “OH… I mean, I think I already understand; this is a sacred item, right? Raikou gave me something similar, but the power of this item is much greater than that of master’s bracelets, and it can even turn into an ancient human artifact, it’s… quite peculiar.” — Affirmed Nero, removing his earring; in the Jolteon’s paw, the earring briefly gleamed and turned into the small magnet.
— “Uhhhh, it seems Raikou really did like you; I’m glad, but what you hold in your paws is much more than a mere sacred item — what you have there is a fragment of a miracle, a piece of Arceus… a Frag-A.” — Corrected the Ampharos, smiling affectionately. The Jolteon, who had been looking at the magnet, squeezed it tightly with his paw and turned his attention to Amphy; Lory was also stunned.
— “WHA-WHAT?!” — Nero yelled.
— “Excuse me?!” — Questioned the Shiny Glaceon.

Amphy lets out a small laugh at the reaction of the two Pokémon. The Ampharos hugs the little Zorua lying on her belly, also checking if she was indeed asleep, for what she was about to say was of extreme secrecy.
The Electric Type Pokémon begins explaining that, unlike sacred items, the Frag-A do not turn the one who uses it into an acolyte, meaning the user would not be affected or forced to be devoted to Arceus. However, to use the item to its full potential, one must either defeat the spirit that inhabits it, defeat its owner, or receive it from the owner who willingly relinquished it; if none of those three conditions are met, the bearer will have their life force drained by the item, their energy will always be weaker than normal, they will be unable to battle, and ultimately will be cursed by the spirit within the item:

— “Did this happen to you? Amphy, were you haunted, or did you battle the former owner of the Magnet?” — Nero asked, both worried and curious, The Ampharos lifts her head, smiling as she admires the ceiling of her hospital room, letting out a soft sigh.
— “I found this Frag-A with my original team, back when I was still a Flaffy and explored the world alongside your father Atila… Atila took a long time to complete the legendary’s challenge, and during that time, we scoured almost every continent. In an underwater human power plant, we found this Frag-A.” — Amphy recounted, and the Jolteon’s eyes sparkled with excitement.
— “I REMEMBER THAT STORY, DAD TOLD ME BEFORE! You fought a version of yourself made of electricity, right? He said he even tried to help, but she trapped you inside a thick dome of electricity.” — Nero recalled, the Shiny Glaceon was silent, stunned by everything she was hearing; had it not been coming from her friends, she would have thought it was all nonsense.
— “Back then, I didn’t know what it was. Today, I know that Flaffy was a manifestation of the spirit that inhabited the magnet, taking my form and using the power plant’s electricity to gain a physical body and challenge me.” — Ampharos explained, the two Pokémon listened in silence as Amphy told the story of how she had earned the Frag-A, while the little Zorua slept comfortably, purring.

According to the Ampharos, she defeated the spirit and earned the right to use the Magnet, which at first appeared to be a worthless object; but, after Atila evolved into an Umbreon and thanks to one particular adventure, they began to understand more about the item’s powers.
Wanting to provide full context, the Electric Type Pokémon spoke about the kingdom of Judicium, stating that it had been founded by a Sylveon, the first Pokémon to survive Arceus’ tower. Such a feat granted her the blessing of the Legendary Pokémon, this blessing was used by the Sylveon to create the sacred kingdom near the island where Xerneas’ Tree of Life stood.
Arceus aided the Fairy Type by giving her people blessings and knowledge, which is why the Sacred Kingdom’s library was the largest across all continents in terms of knowledge about legendaries and items tied to them. Nero felt a shiver run down his spine upon seeing Amphy’s expression change; however, noticing her beloved’s anxiety, Lory gently placed her paw over the Jolteon’s.
The simple gesture from the Shiny Glaceon calmed the Electric Type Pokémon; Ampharos said she had felt the signs of death during her battle against Beelzeby at the base almost as if her former partner, Atila Umbreon, had been standing beside her at that moment. Already suspecting that the sacred kingdom had fallen, Amphy wanted to stop Skulla’s final plan and defeat Giratina to free Beelzeby, so she needed to go to the kingdom Platinum Wing to warn Vandelvor:

— “With my kingdom destroyed, the kingdom Platinum Wing became the only one with sacred ties, since it is close to Arceus’ tower… Does Giratina hate Arceus’ creation so much that he wants to destroy everything he blessed?” — Nero wondered aloud, Lory lowers her head and looks at the Magnet in her beloved’s paw, then calmly closes her eyes.
— “But… something still doesn’t add up…” — The Shiny Glaceon murmured, her head still lowered, Jolteon and Ampharos then looked at the Ice Type, not interrupting her.
— “If Giratina’s target is the kingdoms tied to Arceus, why attack the continent Calipso? Why harm the Flamey empire? Archikos, the continent where Judicium and Byakko, the continent where Platinum Wing are connected to Arceus, but Calipso isn’t, none of us were blessed.” — Lory questioned, still murmuring, lost in thought. But when she noticed all eyes on her, the Shiny Glaceon blushed.
— “Hehehe, no need to be embarrassed, Lory, but Giratina’s plan wasn’t the one Nero assumed. To begin with, the Requiem Umbral never attacked the Flamey empire or its guilds directly… Their target was the Luminous water…” — Amphy replied. The Electric Type Pokémon redirected her attention to Melissa, stroking the little Zorua resting comfortably on her belly.
— “I imagine what is coming, and I’m very afraid. Nero, you already know your father trained with Darkrai to fulfill the same right as you… Darkrai not only turned him into an Umbreon, he wanted him as an acolyte, just like Raikou wanted with you, Nero.” — Ampharos said, her voice carrying a tone of longing. She paused for a moment, and the air seemed to grow even heavier.
— “Darkrai said that several legendaries tried to defeat and take Arceus’ power, even he tried by using Dialga in his favor, but the only one who managed to defeat Arceus wasn’t even a Pokémon.” — Amphy recounted. Lory had never imagined legendaries fought among themselves for power, while Nero wondered what kind of being Darkrai had mentioned.
— “No one is sure what that thing was, or what it used to be. It was some kind of malignant parasitic entity from space. This being infiltrated and infected the Tree of Life, years before the branching of Pokémon and even before Judicium was founded. This creature systematically started attacking Pokémon and later legendaries, stealing their life force and turning them into stone statues to grow stronger.” — Ampharos narrated to the pair of Pokémon, who listened motionless, for it was difficult to believe such a thing existed.
— “With the help of many Pokémon and especially two explorers, the entity that called itself Dark Matter was defeated. However, a fragment of it remained inside one of those explorers… On his deathbed, his partner, a small Eevee, went to the most sacred dungeon of all and sealed him in a secret chamber so that both could pass away in peace…” — Ampharos said, shedding a few tears. She didn’t know if she would ever be able to do something like that, and it moved her. The Shiny Glaceon looked at the Jolteon, seeing him immersed in the story, full of life; the Ice Type teared up, hoping that his happiness would last.
— “Hopeless from her loss, the explorer decided to take on a suicidal mission, delving into the dungeon where she had sealed her partner. Alone, she climbed floor by floor, defeating every powerful Pokémon in her path, believing she would die there as a warrior. However, thinking of her moments with her partner, Laura evolved into Sylveon and became the first to surpass the most sacred mysterious dungeon of all — Arceus’ one hundred–floor tower.” — Amphy said, emotional. She was always amazed by the story of Judicium’s origin and its connection to the end of Dark Matter, the endless cycle of creation and destruction.

The Jolteon widened his eyes in shock, for even as a former prince, he only knew Laura’s title; he never knew the reason she took on such a challenge. To Nero, the first queen had simply been an Eevee who enjoyed exploring. Lory, on the other hand, could not hold back her tears, thinking of all the pain Laura must have endured that day, not only to bear the loss but to face the dungeon:

— “Laura’s partner, Oliver Pikachu, is still sealed in the secret chamber to this day, guarding Dark Matter… After Atila learned of this story, he delved deeper into the past of his ancestor, and by researching in Judicium’s library, he discovered the map to find the secret chamber…” — Amphy narrated. However, at that moment, the already tense Lory abruptly interrupted her.
— “Nero’s father opened the chamber, didn’t he?” — Asked the Shiny Glaceon, squeezing her beloved Jolteon’s paw. The Electric Type Pokémon even let out a small whimper of pain, but trying to soothe his beloved, he began gently stroking her cold paw.
— “Yes, he, Vandelvor and I opened the chamber, and that’s when we felt a terrifying energy — so powerful and heavy that we couldn’t move… That’s when the Magnet activated. With the energy it granted me, I was able to pull my allies out of there and seal the chamber again.” — Ampharos affirmed. Nero and Lory then shifted their attention to the Magnet in the Jolteon’s paw.
— “Seeing that the legend was real, Vandelvor researched more in the library of Platinum Wing. He discovered information about the Void, about the Matter aura, about the petrifications… Everything, including one of the ways to defeat Dark Matter and reverse its influence on others… The Luminous water.” — As soon as Amphy finished telling that part of the story, a deafening silence took over the hospital room.
— “No… You’ve got to be kidding…” — Jolteon said, incredulous. He even let go of the Shiny Glaceon’s paw and stood up. Ampharos only shook her head, indicating it was no joke.
— “That means the Requiem Umbral destroyed the only way we could permanently stop that thing they intend to release… And… By Arceus… Was the location of the secret chamber still in the kingdom of Judicium?!” — Lory asked, trembling without even standing from the bench. Amphy’s eyes grew heavy, as if she were about to cry, and she confirmed with a nod that the map was indeed still there.

Nothing else needed to be said. From the Ampharos’ story, the objective of the Requiem Umbral was obvious; they no longer intended to release Giratina from the Distorted World; their goal was to take revenge on Arceus using Dark Matter to defeat him. And as if that were not bad enough, all their attacks made it painfully clear how advanced their plan already was.
Cutting through the heavy atmosphere in Amphy’s hospital room, everyone began hearing the sound of a bell that grew louder and louder. Suddenly, Sakuya Snow Ninetales burst into the matriarch’s room, crying intensely. Upon seeing the Pokémon, Nero leapt from the bench, standing immediately:

— “He woke up… BEEL WOKE UP!!” — Sakuya shouted while crying and smiling at the same time. The Jolteon couldn’t hold back his tears.

The Pokémon first hugged the Snow Ninetales tightly and then used his Quick Attack to run to his brother. The Shiny Glaceon smiled with joy but had to remain a bit longer in Ampharos’ room, since she wanted to get up to see her son; however, she still wasn’t in any condition to leave her bed.
Upon arriving in Beelzeby’s room, the Jolteon saw that Raijin Heliolisk was also there, holding the Luxray’s large paw:

— “Sakuya, Sakuya is that you? Who’s there? Where am I? I can’t see…” — Said Beelzeby. The Heliolisk couldn’t answer the Luxray’s questions from crying so much, mainly because he is the reason Beelzeby can no longer see.
— “Beel, it’s Nero, I’m here with you. I’m so happy that you’re with us again.” — Nero replied. The Jolteon tried to hold back his tears; in the heat of the moment, using that mirror to tear his brother’s eyes had been the only chance to save him;but seeing Beelzeby with his face bandaged and blind made the Electric Type Pokémon question whether it had been worth it.
— “I… Thank you so much, Nero… I saw everything Giratina did with my body, it was like watching the world from inside a pit I couldn’t climb out of… Thank you for saving me…” — Beelzeby thanked. The bandages over the Luxray’s eyes became soaked, the Electric Type Pokémon happy and grateful to have control over his body again.

Without saying anything, the Jolteon ran to his brother’s bed, hugging him lovingly while trying to avoid pricking him with his quills. Nero still blamed himself for leaving his brother in that state, but it had been necessary — Beelzeby was there with them, alive, grateful, and the Jolteon had faith everything would be alright.
It didn’t take long for Sakuya to return to the room, and a little later Lory arrived as well. The Luxray thanked everyone for not giving up on him after the mess he’d gotten himself into:

— “You don’t need to thank us, Beel, it was all my fault. If I weren’t so weak, Keith wouldn’t have captured you, and you’d be fine.” — Replied the Snow Ninetales, refusing to accept her friend’s gratitude and turning her face away from him. Even though she was crying heavily, Raijin moved closer to Sakuya and gently touched her back.
— “Sakuya, I didn’t blame you even for a single day. Hearing your voice and Raijin’s was what made me wake up happier…” — affirmed the Luxray, smiling. Both the Heliolisk and the Snow Ninetales immediately turned toward him.
— “I was so scared I hadn’t protected you, Sakuya… I thought Keith had killed you or something even worse… Knowing that you’re safe fills me with happiness.” — said Beelzeby, smiling. Sakuya began to hiccup, quickly bursting into tears again.
— “Thank you… Thank you so much… I… I… I’m also so happy that you’re yourself again.” — said the Snow Ninetales, crying with joy. Tears began running down the soaked bandages covering the Luxray’s eyes, and not wanting him to get wet, Raijin gently wiped them with his paw.
— “Raijin… While I was trapped inside myself, I learned that Keith wanted to erase you because you knew about the lenses. There were only two times when I managed to influence Giratina — during the battle against Amphy and Nero, and when I was sent to kill you… Forgive me. Because of me, you were kidnapped and forced to evolve. I was the cause of your life being ruined.” — Beelzeby lamented, taking upon himself all the guilt for the events that haunted the Heliolisk. The Electric Type Pokémon stepped forward trembling and hugged the Luxray.
— “NO, NEVER, NO, NO, NO, YOU SAVED ME SO MANY TIMES, EVEN THEN YOU SAVED ME… YOU BECAME GIRATINA’S PUPPET BECAUSE OF ME, I’LL NEVER FORGIVE MYSELF…” — Raijin screamed, clinging to Beelzeby’s paw. With his other paw, the Luxray gently stroked the Heliolisk’s head.

Everyone had reasons to cry. Even after everything Nero and Lory said to try to calm their friends, there was no one better than Beelzeby himself to lighten their hearts. At that moment, the bond among them tightened, and the guilt would no longer haunt them, there, the time for lamenting had ended. Team Gigabolt would, at last, move forward.
Some time passed; both Ampharos and the Luxray were well enough to no longer stay in the hospital. Amphy went to live with Fearles in his home while Beelzeby shared a room with his Jolteon brother in a humble lodging in Zabeli. It was very difficult for the Luxray at first, his new vision was much weaker than before. He could only see well at night; during the day he had to keep sterilized bandages over his eyes to protect himself from the light, being completely blind because he had lost his natural ability to see through objects.
However, Raijin never gave up on Beelzeby. Every morning, the Heliolisk would visit the brothers at their lodging to perform tests on the Luxray. These interactions led Nero to also begin forming a strong bond with the young Pokémon:

— “BEELZEBY, BEELZEBY!! I DID IT, I THINK I FINALLY DID IT!!” — Raijin shouted as he entered the brothers’ lodging carrying a briefcase. The Heliolisk even startled the Glaceon Shiny, who was lying with the Jolteon on the upper bunk of the lodging; the Ice Type was helping the king with Judicium’s paperwork.
— “Raijin, good morning. I’m glad you came — Even if this doesn’t work, I already thank you for coming to save me from the Eevee couple. Those two think I’ve turned into a Slowpoke and that I can’t feel the sexual tension in the air…” — Mocked Beelzeby, walking slowly toward Raijin while using his ears and claws to guide himself. Both Nero and Lory became extremely red at the comment, one trying to protest and the other hiding her face.

The Luxray smiled softly; even without seeing his companions’ reactions, the Jolteon’s stuttering protest had already left him satisfied with his little accomplishment. The Glaceon Shiny climbed down from the bunk bed and walked toward the two Pokémon:

— “Well, I’m here, I can help Raijin with whatever he has prepared. I still have medical training, after all, Tehehe.” — Lory bragged proudly. Beelzeby agreed with her statement and gave a small smile, noticing Nero’s influence on the young Pokémon who used to be very shy.
— “This will be great. I already have a prototype ready, but I need everything to be dark… Beelzeby, lie down on your bed. Lory, you can start removing the bandages from his eyes, I’m going to close… the curtains…” — Before the Heliolisk could even finish giving his instructions, the Jolteon used Quick Attack to shut every source of natural light and carried a candle in his mouth so they wouldn’t be completely in the dark.

Nero was extremely anxious and hopeful; he knew Raijin had been giving his all in that experiment and was certain that sooner or later it would work, so he didn’t want anything to interfere with the young inventor Pokémon’s progress.
The Luxray lay down on the lower bunk, while the Glaceon Shiny sanitized her paws and set out her medical supplies to be ready in case anything went wrong. Lory began removing the bandages from Beelzeby’s eyes, who was completely relaxed. A sound echoed through the room catching the Jolteon’s attention, it was the sound of the Heliolisk’s briefcase opening. A cold mist seeped out, and from inside Raijin pulled out a kind of mask made with a red lens similar to the ones the Luxray used.
For a brief second, Nero grew suspicious of the item, but soon dismissed his unfounded worry, after all, the Heliolisk had supported and helped them from the very beginning and was already a trustworthy Pokémon. The Jolteon then turned his attention back to the Glaceon Shiny, who was cleaning Beelzeby’s face with cotton made from Whimsicott petals. Lory was impressed by the huge scar on the Luxray’s face; the fact that he could still see even minimally after a cut that had struck both his eyes was nothing short of a miracle. The Glaceon Shiny then looked at the other two Pokémon, nodding to give the green light for the experiment to begin.
Lory and Nero’s calm and careful preparation was instantly thrown aside when Raijin suddenly threw himself onto Beelzeby’s stomach, making the Luxray sit up by instinct and causing the mask to cling to his face. Both the Jolteon and the Glaceon Shiny were so shocked by the Electric Type Pokémon’s impulsive action that they were left speechless, mouths agape. Beelzeby, on the other hand, opened his eyes angrily, about to complain to the Heliolisk:

— “WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’RE… Doing? Did it work?” — Beelzeby asked. The Pokémon could see again through objects, and Raijin was perfectly clear in front of him.
— “Nero, let natural light in please, and Beelzeby, please—this part is crucial—DO NOT TAKE OFF THE MASK, NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, YOUR EYES ARE STILL PHOTOSENSITIVE!!” — Warned the Heliolisk in a mix of concern and excitement. The Jolteon with the golden earring quickly opened every window to let in as much light as possible, a reckless action driven purely by his excitement.

Beelzeby moved his head slowly; because of the mask, it wasn’t possible to tell exactly where the Electric Type Pokémon was looking, it seemed as though he was seeing and admiring a bit of everything:

— “Wow… It worked, IT WORKED, I CAN SEE, I CAN SEE EVERYTHING AGAIN! I’M NOT BLIND ANYMORE! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!” — Luxray celebrated, hugging Raijin, who was sitting on his lap. The Heliolisk happily returned the hug.
The Glaceon Shiny couldn’t hold back her tears of joy and even commented on how much good that invention could do for another’s Pokémon. Nero was also very happy, however, upon seeing the mask’s reflection in the light, the Jolteon immediately bristled:
— “Raijin, is that mask safe? It looks like it’s made from the same material as the lenses… Giratina has no chance of coming back, right?” — Nero asked, ears lowered in worry. His concern made both Lory and Beelzeby stop their celebration.
— “I’m the one who made those lenses. Keith tricked me, saying they were for Beelzeby to see. In the end, they really are serving that purpose… There’s nothing to worry about. It took me a long time to create these lenses exactly because I looked for a similar material that was anti-reflective. As long as it depends on me, Giratina is never coming back!” — Raijin affirmed proudly, puffing out his chest. Smiling, the Luxray patted the Heliolisk’s head, making the Pokémon’s black frill open slightly.
— “I’ll always owe you, Raijin. Thank you so much for giving me back my ability to see and… WOW, NERO, LORY, YOU’RE BOTH ARE TRUBBISH! WHY IS THE LODGING SO DIRTY!?” — Beelzeby shouted upon noticing the amount of documents and dust scattered across the floor. The Glaceon Shiny let out an embarrassed sigh and looked at the Jolteon, who scratched his head carelessly.
— “It’s just that, since you could only see at night, I only cleaned the place in the afternoon… Nothing major.” — Nero replied nonchalantly.

After the heated and lively conversation, Raijin ran other tests with the mask, with Lory at his side helping him. The Jolteon ran off to tell Sakuya the news, and soon all the members of Nero’s big family were at the lodging, witnessing Beelzeby’s recovery.
What would normally take days or weeks to create a special mask was crafted in less than a day thanks to Fearles. The special lenses were tested by several Pokémon under the supervision of the Heliolisk and the Snow Ninetales. Before the sun faded, both Pokémon returned to the lodging. The best engineers and designers of Zabeli designed special glasses for the Luxray using the lenses invented by Raijin—and not only that, because, by Fearles’s order, those glasses also came with the most modern technology in Zabeli, all at the Electric Type Pokémon’s disposal.
That same night, the Zoroark organized a big party on top of Zabeli’s great tower with all the Pokémon members of the base and their protégés; all to announce his wedding with Amphy, but also to celebrate that Beelzeby could see again and could return to action. Everyone was very happy celebrating the good news; Jolteon walked around the hall with a smile on his face, he saw little Melissa talking and playing with Raijin, Sakuya and Lory toasting with Amphy and Fearles, and then he looked at his own reflection in a windowpane.
Nero briefly closed his eyes; the Pokémon then went toward the balcony. Unlike the inside of the tower, outside it was silent and a refreshing, pleasant cold wind was blowing. The Jolteon leaned on the edge of the balcony and began to admire the lights of Zabeli city in silence:

— “So, when are we leaving?” — Asked the Luxray, approaching his brother from behind and leaning on the balcony beside Nero. The king gave a soft smile.
— “As soon as possible, the only thing keeping me here for now is Empress Lencia. We can’t go to the Platinum Wing kingdom without being sure she warned them.” — Stated the Jolteon, pressing his paws firmly against the balcony. Beelzeby sighed and removed his new glasses.
— “Hey!” — Said the Luxray to get Nero’s attention. When the Jolteon turned and saw his brother without the glasses, he was startled at first. Beelzeby then smiled and touched his face on the scar running from left to right.
— “You beat me only because I was being used by a scumbag. Now get ready, I’ve waited a long time for this, and I won’t hesitate…” — Warned the Luxray, putting his glasses back on and moving to the far opposite side of where the Jolteon was. The Pokémon with earrings chuckled lightly and looked at his brother with a mocking expression.
— “Now? Seriously? Beel, you must’ve had too much to drink. You want a battle with me at this hour? We don’t even know if the glasses will hold up…” — Teased Nero. Still, despite his mocking tone, the Jolteon also got into position on the opposite side from where his brother was.
— “Worry about yourself. I trained a lot, and I was even controlled by a Pokémon legendary. We’re not on the same level anymore… I’M GOING TO PUT YOU IN YOUR PLACE!” — Roared Beelzeby, already ready for combat. Nero licked his lips and got into position.
— “BRING IT ON!” — Shouted the Jolteon, extremely excited, his fur bristling.

Conveniently, the balcony where the Pokémon stood was very long, serving well as a battle arena. In the hall, suddenly everyone heard an explosion sound. The Zoroark in a white suit was the first to go see what had happened, followed by his fiancée Ampharos.
Realizing what it was, Fearles immediately calmed everyone. Some returned to celebrating; others, like the Heliolisk and the Snow Ninetales, stayed to witness their friends’ battle. Lory, worried, even asked the Heliolisk and the Zoroark if Beelzeby’s new glasses could be used during a battle. When the Dark Type Pokémon said he didn’t know, the Shiny Glaceon thought about interrupting the battle.
However, Raijin stood in front of the Ice Type and asked her to let their friends fight, since they could use it as a test to determine the new glasses’ durability.
Nero used Thunderbolt on the Luxray, knowing the latter had no immunity to his Electric attacks. However, Beelzeby quickly dug his front paws into the ground, raising his body and especially stretching his tail upward, forming an “i”.
The Luxray then used Iron Tail, turning his body into a kind of lightning rod. The Thunderbolt was directed into the Iron Tail, and Beelzeby directed most of the Electric Type attack through his body and out through his front paws. When Nero stepped on the ground, he felt his electricity passing through his paws. The Jolteon smiled, this trick would have been perfect to electrocute him if he didn’t have immunity thanks to his Volt Absorb ability.
Taking advantage of the charged ground, Nero used Rising Voltage on the Luxray. However, Beelzeby, still anchored to the ground by his front paws, used Crunch, creating Dark Type energy jaws in front of him and using them as support to break free, performing a backward somersault in the air. With quick thinking, the Luxray escaped yet another move from his brother:

— “He was almost crippled literally a few hours ago. Not even I, fully in control of my body, can do that.” — Said Lory, impressed with the abilities and control of the Pokémon wearing glasses. The Snow Ninetales let out a small, haughty laugh at the comment.
— “That’s why you’re a trained nurse with a specialization in rescue. Beelzeby is a Punisher he always imagines his opponents are stronger and in control of the situation. After all, a Punisher has to constantly face a criminal Network that expects to be hunted and is prepared for it.” — Replied Sakuya, sitting in a way that made her puff up her fluffy chest with pride in the type of team she was part of.
The Shiny Glaceon only let out a short sigh; the Ice Type knew the requirements needed to be part of the kind of team the Luxray belonged to. Her surprise came from seeing a Pokémon who had been in such an adverse condition managing to fight as if his injuries and ailments were comparable to a minor scratch; while she, if she so much as hit her paw on the corner of a table, would already be rolling on the floor in pain:
— “Lory, I thought you knew Beelzeby was only completely blind in the morning because of photosensitivity. At night his vision was comparable to that of a normal Pokémon, weaker than a Luxray’s, but still good…” — Explained the Heliolisk in a very complex manner and with an extremely boring tone. But Melissa, who was near him, jumped into his lap and covered his mouth with her paw.
— “Translation, Beel could be an invalid during the day, but not at night, and he most certainly was already fighting and training with Nero at that time. That’s why he must be in such good shape. Am I right?” — Asked the Zorua to the Electric Type Pokémon after simplifying what he said. The Pokémon confirmed with his paw, and Melissa, smiling proudly, removed her paw from his mouth.

All the older Pokémon exchanged glances briefly after Raijin and Melissa’s insightful comments. It was truly impressive and frightening to see how the new generation was so much smarter compared to them.
Beelzeby was more offensive compared to his former actions, which had been more reactive. The Luxray tried using Iron Tail to hit his Jolteon brother; however, the latter moved much faster, managing to strike several precise Quick Attacks across Beelzeby’s body. Even so, everything was going according to the Luxray’s strategy. Using Nero’s confidence against him by pretending to be in a disadvantageous situation, Beelzeby finally spotted a blind spot in the Jolteon’s attacks and managed to catch him with a Crunch.
Moving the energy jaws voraciously, the Luxray dealt great damage to Nero. Despite trying, the Jolteon couldn’t escape his brother’s hungry fangs; with no choice, the Electric Type Pokémon used his Thunderbolt to force Beelzeby to release him. But, the Luxray was just as stubborn as Nero and didn’t let go of the move even while being electrocuted.
The Dark and Electric Type energies were so intense that they began to mix. In the end, the energy reaction caused a massive explosion that separated the brothers abruptly; both rolled across the floor in opposite directions, only stopping thanks to Amphy and Fearles, who caught them.
The Pokémon crowd erupted in excitement at the intense battle they had all witnessed. While many shouted, questioning who the winner was, their friends split up to check on the combatants. That was when, before anyone reached them, Ampharos on one side and Zoroark on the other shouted at the same time, determining that the explosion had incapacitated both Nero and Beelzeby equally, declaring the battle a tie.
Far from there, in the capital of the Calipso continent, in the Flamey castle in the gigantic city of Argules, Lencia Charmeleon was in a Gadget connection with another Pokémon. The Charmeleon then said goodbye, sending the other party a few coordinates. Lencia pulled a rope in her quarters and prepared a humble suitcase. The Charmeleon then heard knocks on the door while grabbing a vial and spraying Aromatisse perfume on her neck. Upon leaving her luxurious chambers, she found herself facing a strong Mega Charizard Y, who was kneeling and waiting patiently for her:

— “Duchess Lencia, you rang the bell and I came immediately at your call. How may I serve you?” — Asked the Mega Charizard Y with his head lowered and eyes closed. The Charmeleon was impressed by the Pokémon’s physique and hesitated to speak, but she soon recomposed herself.
— “Thank you for your attention. You may rise… I need you to take me to Zabeli immediately. Please take my luggage; I’m already heading to the castle’s flight tower.” — Replied Lencia, returning the courtesy she had been shown. With a smile on his face, the Mega Charizard Y picked up the duchess’s suitcase and accompanied her.

The Charmeleon and the Mega Pokémon made their way toward the castle’s flight area, with her always walking ahead of him. However, to Lencia’s surprise, in one of the corridors came her cousin Augusto Skeledirge. The Fire Type Pokémon with a monocle tried to stand upright on his hind legs, supporting himself both against the walls and on his fire familiar, which he had improvised as a sort of cane.
Moved by her cousin’s condition, the Charmeleon asked the Pokémon to continue on and wait for her. The Mega Charizard Y made a small bow of acknowledgment to the order and then carried it out. Once he had disappeared from sight, Lencia looked around to ensure there were no other subjects nearby. Feeling secure, she approached Skeledirge:

— “Augusto, we’ve talked about this. Emperor Koji, just like my duchess title, is only a façade. I’m already in command of the empire. You don’t need to walk on your hind legs following that absurd Argul book. They won’t belittle you anymore.” — Affirmed the Charmeleon gently, extending her claw to her relative. Augusto glared at his cousin and nearly fell to the floor, but his fire familiar flew under him and held him up, giving the Pokémon a chance to lean against the wall.
— “I don’t follow the Argul book out of the Emperor’s will duty and respect for our first grand emperor. Ever since I evolved into this cursed and impure form, I’ve been a disgrace to the Flamey name. The least I can do is walk on my hind legs… but that’s only the beginning.” — Replied Augusto, visibly frustrated. Lencia tried extending her claw to him again, but the Skeledirge turned his face away and continued on his path.
— “I hate myself so much. Argul and Emperor Koji must hate me too. I was born rotten on the outside… but you… you were born perfect. Your whole branch is perfect. You have blue eyes and a strong body. You will be a great Charizard, just like Argul and Koji were… on the outside. On the inside, you are as rotten as I am. Because of you, we lost the empire’s most precious asset our true patriotic spirit.” — Muttered the monocle-wearing Pokémon as he dragged himself along, supporting himself on the palace walls.

Lencia thought about responding to the insult; however, the Charmeleon preferred not to waste her words. After all, her cousin had made it clear how dissatisfied he was with her way of governing. Lencia continued on her path without looking back, convinced she was making the best decisions for everyone’s sake. However, Augusto looked back, wishing he were in his cousin’s place and cursing Arceus and his mother for being born a Fuecoco instead of a Charmander.
A few hours passed; Lencia pondered while sitting on a comfortable sofa in a compact sort of room as she drank Cherubi liqueur from an elegant glass; Charmeleon regretted not having listened to Fearles’ warnings about the Umbral Requiem earlier had she taken everything seriously sooner, the Luminous water sources wouldn’t have become even scarcer.
Lencia then looked at her reflection in the liqueur glass. The Charmeleon sighed in frustration at her own guilt; however, her thoughts were interrupted when the room she was in shook, and the liquid in her glass nearly spilled on her. Curious about the cause of the shaking, the empress placed her glass on a nearby nightstand and then checked by moving toward the window. When she opened it, she saw the majestic, starry night above the continent’s gigantic trees. Seeing the trees from above was wonderful, it was as if they were green clouds. The cold night breeze was relaxing, and with it came the sweet scent of the dew:

— “Pardon, Your Grace, one of the tree branches caught under Your Litter and must have caused you discomfort.” — Apologized the Mega Charizard Y. It turned out that, this whole time, Lencia had been transported to Zabeli by means of a litter made especially for a Charizard to carry from above.
— “There is no need to apologize. If it weren’t for that, I wouldn’t be seeing this wonderful view… If I didn’t have the title I do, when I evolved into a Charizard I would fly whenever I could. Seeing the world from above is so majestic.” — Said the Charmeleon with serenity. The Mega Charizard Y noticed the weight in the duchess’s voice. Due to social castes, he couldn’t interact with her more than necessary, yet even so…
— “Staying on the ground has its advantages too. Our continent is full of beautiful water streams that we can’t see from above because of the dense forest.” — Explained the Mega Charizard Y. Lencia gave a short smile at the comment.
— “Intriguing. Do you know any around here?” — Asked the Charmeleon. The Mega Pokémon responded positively with a grunt.
— “Let’s go there. I would love to see a beautiful place on the ground.” — Ordered Lencia with a smile on her face, surprising the Mega Charizard Y.

The Mega Pokémon asked if that was truly the duchess’s wish, since it was very reckless to land in the forest at that hour of the night. The Charmeleon affirmed that a Flamey like herself feared no such thing and that she trusted her life to the Mega Charizard Y, if she didn’t trust him, he wouldn’t even be carrying her litter.
Happy with the comment and understanding the firmness of Lencia’s order, the Mega Charizard Y deviated from the path, taking the litter to a place he imagined would please the duchess. The place was extremely dark, like almost the entire forest at night. However, the Mega Pokémon used the move Heat Wave, reducing the power of the attack so that it wouldn’t set the forest on fire and would only release a warm breeze. The Heat Wave reacted with some fungi, which began to glow with reddish colors:

— “There, Your Grace, you may now leave your litter. It is perfectly safe.” — Announced the Mega Charizard Y as he opened the litter door. The Charmeleon saw the reddish glow and stepped out of her litter, assisted by the Mega Pokémon who gently held her claw.
— “It’s… perfect…” — Murmured Lencia, amazed and with a trembling voice. The reddish lighting in that place, the crystal-clear water flowing in the stream reflecting the light, the leaves and pollen being carried by the wind.
The Charmeleon walked a little, coming face-to-face with the water stream. She then kneeled down, seeing her reflection in the water. Lencia placed her claw in the water; it was warm due to the Mega Charizard Y’s Heat Wave, giving a pleasant tactile sensation:
— “I… I didn’t even ask… What is your name?” — Asked the Charmeleon as she rose from the ground. The Mega Charizard Y gave a big, awkward smile as he looked at Lencia.
— “My name is not that relevant, Your Grace, but, well, I-I’m called Magnus. My name is Magnus.” — Stammered the Mega Pokémon, flustered. The Charmeleon placed her claw over her mouth to hide her shy smile, and when she removed it, she looked him up and down with a shine in her blue eyes.
— “Magnus, is it? … Humm, it’s a beautiful name… Thank you, Magnus, I promise never to forget your name.” — Replied Lencia in a teasing voice. The Mega Charizard Y turned red, and it was even possible to hear the Pokémon swallow hard.

Hours passed; it was already morning in Zabeli. Nero walked drowsily beside Beelzeby, who smiled happily, looking everywhere. Both were heading toward the tall tower in the city center to finally meet Empress Lencia.
When the duo arrives, they are greeted by Lory, the Shiny Glaceon walks up to the Jolteon worried, she asks if he had understood everything that was previously agreed upon; after all, that meeting was of utmost importance and Master Zoroark had managed to prolong the meeting as much as possible to give Nero enough time to prepare well. After giving a long yawn close to Lory’s face, the Jolteon affirmed he was ready for anything, and at that moment, the king takes a slap to the back of the neck coming from the Luxray:

— “Relax, Lory, I heard your study sessions, I memorized the etiquette, and I’ll be next to Nero the whole time keeping him from doing something stupid.” — Responded Beelzeby sitting in a position in which his chest was puffed out, Nero was already about to complain about taking a hit.
— “PERFECT, I know I can count on you Beel, please, help Nero with whatever is possible!” — Asked the Shiny Glaceon showing an honest smile and with her eyes shining, the Jolteon only laments frustrated and loses the courage to complain due to his beloved’s reaction.

The pair of Pokémon is then guided by Lory to the room where the meeting would take place; upon arriving at the door of the place, Nero’s eyes shine emotionally when he sees Magnus Mega Evolved next to the entrance on watch. The Jolteon was already going to speak to the guard. However, the Luxray grabbed the king by the ear preventing him from advancing toward the Fire type Pokémon; when the Electric Type directed his gaze at the bespectacled Pokémon, he made a negative gesture with one of the fingers of his paw.
The Mega Charizard Y looks at the three Pokémon, the Shiny Glaceon approaches and shows her Gadget which projects a holographic image with a specific symbol; Magnus moves his head affirmatively and opens the door of the room holding it open with his wing, allowing the Pokémon to enter. Lory hugs Nero wishing him good luck, and as soon as she lets go, she exchanges glances with Beelzeby who quickly lowers his head to the Pokémon positively, once both of them enter, Magnus gently closes the door behind them.
Right in front, the Charmeleon empress waited standing for the Jolteon’s arrival next to Fearles, Nero was already going to her to shake her claw with his paw; however, the Luxray places his paw on top of the Jolteon’s head and forces him to bow while he himself bows and courteously speaks to Lencia introducing himself as royal vizier. Smiling, the Charmeleon thanks the gesture of doing the same, and as soon as everyone lifts their heads, Lencia praises Nero for his bravery; after all, it was very rare for a monarch to have a counselor, let alone a royal vizier:

— “In our empire, I was taught from an early age that strength is essential, asking for help is a clear sign of weakness, having someone acting like a pirate’s Chatot at your side gives the impression that you have no confidence in your decisions…” — The Charmeleon lectured as she simultaneously turned her back and walked toward the table, the pompous speech irritated the Jolteon who was about to contradict the empress but was silenced by Beelzeby.
— “A misguided and archaic teaching that, unfortunately, limited my continent for several generations, but today I am here, willing to help and be helped, we are all Pokémon… Please, have a seat.” — Complemented Lencia turning to the duo and showing them the chairs to sit in, Nero was about to sit down, however, the Luxray held him, waited for the Charmeleon and the Zoroark to sit, and then released his brother.
— “Dude, I hate all this stupid etiquette, Hey Lencia, can we just talk already?” — Says the Jolteon casually, the spirit leaves Fearles’ body, Lencia already seated directs her attention to Nero.
— “Pardon?” — Asks the empress delicate, Beelzeby uses the weight of his paw to push his brother’s face violently to the floor, pinning him there.
— “I-it’s nothing Your Imperial Majesty, your majesty, King Nero is still very new to the conventions and treatments, because of this, I ask you, don’t take everything he says too seriously.” — Warns the Luxray quickly attempting to soften the Jolteon’s reckless attitude and justify his own behavior, Lencia looked strangely.
— “Hmm, I understand, I heard that he was educated by a Legendary Pokémon, is that correct?” — Questions the empress, since Nero was unable to respond to the question, Beelzeby himself nods confirming, the empress then smiles cheerfully.
— “Wow, I’m sure he has many stories to tell, we don’t need to be so formal, please, you may release him, I really want to hear what the monarch of the sacred kingdom has to say.” — Requests the Charmeleon once again showing all her delicacy, the Luxray sighs hoping that Lencia won’t regret her request and finally releases his brother.

Gasping from having his airways blocked by the carpet on the floor, the Jolteon thanks the empress for being more merciful than his own brother. Lencia gives a muffled laugh while the Luxray rolls his eyes. With everyone already seated at the table, the Pokémon with the golden earring and the Pokémon with the diamond necklace start monopolizing the conversation with one another.
Even calling himself a royal vizier, Beelzeby still didn’t know the nuances of royal conversations. Thus, the Luxray relaxed, scratching the wooden table with his claw as he let his brother say every kind of nonsense. After all, that was the empress’s request. As the conversation developed, the Zoroark had already noticed Lencia’s interest in Nero’s Frag-A and his adventures. Therefore, Fearles lowered his guard even more, imagining that like Amphy, the Fire Type Pokémon would believe in the potential of the Electric Type Pokémon.:

— “Nero, will you accept to battle me?” — Asks the empress calmly, Beelzeby stops scratching the table looking at the Pokémon surprised by the request, Nero places both paws on the table to support himself and stands on his hind legs excitedly.
— “OF COURSE, I NEVER REFUSE A BATTLE!” — Accepted the Jolteon immediately, however, the Charmeleon extended her claw making a “stop” gesture, when she lowers her claw, her gaze focuses all her attention on Nero’s earring.
— “Let’s make this more fun, I bet the Frag-A I have, against the one you carry on your ear, the winner keeps both.” — Proposes Lencia with an air of confidence, both the Zoroark and the Luxray stand up from the table quickly speaking at the same time, over each other.
— “Your Imperial Majesty, this is a very risky proposal.” — Says Fearles keeping his voice low and worried.
— “NO WAY, THAT FRAG-A IS AN HEIRLOOM FROM OUR MOTHER, NERO WOULD NEVER GIVE IT UP IN A SILLY BET, WITH ANYONE!” — Shouted Beelzeby indignantly.
— “I accept, Your Hotness, but with one condition…” — Answered Nero with a smile on his face, and with the apparent acceptance from the Jolteon, both the Zoroark and the Luxray sat back down, worried and frustrated with the whole situation.
— “What condition?” — Questioned the Charmeleon looking at Nero curiously, Beelzeby and Fearles stared at each other and then looked at Nero, hoping he would refuse to wager the Frag-A.
— “Since I’m going to win anyway, I don’t want your Frag-A that easily, all I want is an alliance and… And hey, I want to be able to call you Lenlen, Lencia sounds like the name of a cranky old Pokémon, sooo, what do you say?” — Counter-proposed the king of Judicium with an air of arrogance, the Luxray slapped his own face with such strength it was a miracle his glasses didn’t break, while Fearles shook his head with disgust; as for the empress of Argules, she burst into laughter at her opponent’s audacity.

The Pokémon headed to a private arena hidden beneath the tower of Zabeli, Lencia and Nero were separated into private rooms with their respective allies, the Charmeleon with Fearles and the Jolteon with Lory and Beelzeby.
Taking advantage of the moment in which he was alone with the empress, since the guardian Mega Charizard Y always stayed on watch at the door, the Zoroark approached Lencia respectfully. She sat deciding in front of a mirror whether she would wear her imperial necklace in the battle. The Pokémon in the white suit then knelt and lowered his head, placing himself beneath the Fire Type Pokémon:

— “Your Imperial Majesty, forgive my insubordination, but I am very curious, why did you make such a proposal to the king of Judicium? The Flamey’s Frag-A is the last valuable treasure of the empire now that the Luminous water reserves have become scarce, was it truly worth risking that?” — Asked Fearles, worried about the Charmeleon’s decision, Lencia then takes an orb out from among her belongings.
— “No, it wasn’t, the proposal was a joke, but when the king of Judicium accepted and gave his counter-proposal, aside from feeling extremely offended, I realized it would be far too risky to leave such an important item in the paws of a Pokémon who behaves like a Berserker.” — Answered the empress, she looks at herself in the orb and then grabs a metal gorget, the Charmeleon puts it on and in an opening in the front she inserts the front piece of her necklace.
— “I understand your judgment, Your Imperial Majesty, but allow me another question. If you win, do you intend to go forward with your plan of taking the Frag-A currently with Nero?” — Questioned the Zoroark maintaining his position, Lencia pauses a moment and then faces him.
— “I still don’t know, I have faith that during the heat of battle the most sensible decision will come to me, but even now, I have no desire to take such an important treasure without proper merit.” — States the empress as she stands and moves to Fearles’ side, she then extends her claw to the base master.

Smiling, the Zoroark rises with the help of the empress and walks beside her as she herself had suggested due to his last gesture. Fearles trusted Lencia’s judgment out of gratitude and duty. However, he had witnessed Nero’s growth and the night before had seen what he was capable of. Even being against the battle, the Pokémon in the white suit very much wanted to see it happen.
Far from there, cutting through the clouds, a massive iron airship entered the airspace of the Calipso Continent. On top of the structure was a sort of command cabin, inside numerous Steel Type Pokémon controlled the airship near a large window that gave them a frontal view. The captain, an Escavalier who steered the helm using his two lance-shaped arms, turned his neck toward a Pokémon seated on a throne atop a pedestal above all the others present:

— “Your Highness, the estimated time to arrive in Zabeli is half an hour if Rayquaza is benevolent.” — Informed the Escavalier captain, the Pokémon, an imposing Empoleon wearing a royal mantle made of several silver chains, stands and stretches his wing.
— “FULL SPEED AHEAD, LET’S TRY TO ARRIVE IN HALF THE TIME!”