SGMijumaru
Competitive Mijumaru
Apologies for the extremely long wait! I'm a judge for the Pokémon Watty Awards over on Wattpad, which means I'm having to dedicate this month to reading a ton of adventure fics so I can rank them and other things. I only finished this chapter because I was in the middle of writing it when the month rolled over, so I had to finish it.
We're on the border of the final arc too, I promise. In fact, that's the very next chapter. For now, we get past the final important stuff. I will attempt to return to normal weekly posting when my judging is over, which will be December 1st at the latest! Apologies for the inconvenience again!
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Episode 26: A painful truth
“So despite everything I told you, you went there anyway,” Shaymin said, shaking her head. She sounded heavily disheartened, depressed even, unable to look at Leos’ party at all.
“Well unlike what you said about me, the Heaven Seal worked. I’m now a Constellar Lord,” Leos replied, arms folded. “I believe you owe us some info and how we get out of here.”
Behind him, Prem, Griselle, and her parents watched with bothered faces. Night had fallen when they all got back to the tents, so they were all gathered inside Shaymin’s spacious tent to keep out of the way of others.
As he told his story to Shaymin and the others, Leos couldn’t get the experience out of his mind. From Mirror’s inexplainable appearance and departure, to his activation of the Heaven Seal, he couldn’t forget how miraculous the whole thing was. As far as he knew, Constellars could only become Constellars when granted the title through their priests, since it was a strict religion and all. But here, a mere magical seal was all it took for him to be granted a title that put him beside Master Lin in terms of rank.
His appearance didn’t even change. Dark energy resembling space had swallowed him and then sunk into him, as if he had absorbed a great power. Yet he looked and felt the same, even ran out of breath in his attempts to sprint back here. It was as if the seal hadn’t worked at all, but it did work, and he was beyond excited to test out its new capabilities.
“Follow me,” Shaymin said, slowly turning to leave. They followed her through an unfamiliar route to the hospital tent where Blossom had been resting, gasping upon entry. The Mime Jr. was awake, snacking on bowl of sliced fruit.
“Blossom, you’re alive!” Leos said, kneeling by her.
“Master Leos,” she replied, breathing a sigh of relief. “Prem and Griselle, too. I’m so glad you’re all okay!”
“You’re glad we’re okay? You’ve been mortally wounded!” Leos cried. “And by throwing us off that airship, too.”
“So you know. I apologise. It was an act of desperation after I saw you all get defeated by Charle’s attack,” she recalled, looking at her feet. “Had I been stronger, I should’ve been able to protect you, even teleported you all to safety. I’ve done a poor job so far.”
“Stop that, now,” Leos replied, shaking his head. “I’ve been stiff so far, but that’s changing. Blossom, when I think about what you’ve done for us so far, even despite the way I treated you… I want to change that. So I’m sorry, Blossom. I’m sorry for getting you so involved in this, and letting you get hurt.”
“I told you before. I’m in this for my own personal reasons. Me getting hurt doing that just means that I wasn’t strong enough. Master, you needn’t concern yourself with my well-being,” she said.
“Well thanks for accepting my apology. I’ll make sure to remember that,” he spat. “And that just means I’ll have to do my part to be stronger. Strong enough for you to not need to get hurt or do much to help me.”
“Master Leos, I’m your retainer. That’s my job!” she said.
“Why do I get the feeling this convo isn’t gonna go anywhere?” Griselle giggled, stepping in between them. “Just say you’re sorry already and get to it!”
“She has a point,” Blossom agreed, standing up. She flinched twice, laying a hand on her bandages. “I-I’ve been incapacitated for days. It is likely that the battle we sought to prevent has already started.”
“And you want to go in that condition? I couldn’t. You’d definitely get killed,” Leos raised his voice.
“Master Leos, if I would die protecting someone who would prevent war, then I couldn’t ask for a more honourable death,” she replied. “And like I said, I’m going regardless. This is for my own gain, at the very least.”
Leos growled and shut his eyes, retracting his words just before they came out. “I really appreciate it, Blossom. But please, for the love of the gods, don’t push yourself.”
“Shall I begin?” Shaymin asked.
“Yes, please. Tell us everything we need to know,” Leos said with a nod. The others gathered around him, some sitting down to listen.
“Etheria… I’m sure you’re aware that Etheria was originally a whole planet, split into two to create Eris and Faernia,” she began, speaking softly. She looked like she was forcing herself to look up at Leos. “The truth is, this is a feral world. Etheria was wracked by conflicts, however petty. Pokémon fought each other all across the planet, tirelessly searching for habitats, food, and mates. Etheria’s Pokémon were primitive for generations, and showed not a single sign of ever advancing further.”
“Sounds like Eris,” Nier groaned. Vincent pinched her.
“Eventually, we gods and goddesses were appointed to different places across the planet in hopes of creating law and order. To make Pokémon intelligent creatures worth keeping alive. However, we were to do so without touching Pokémon themselves – we were to remain legendary, to only ever influence nature,” Shaymin explained. As she spoke, she began to glow, releasing a magical projection of imagery. Everyone gasped as their surroundings transformed into the world she was talking about, a sunny, colourful field of varying plants and woodland. “For example, I brought plants to life. I travelled the lands, allowing nature to flourish where I could. I never met a single mortal. Some saw me, but never got the chance to share a word. Pokémon would discover the miracles of nature I gifted them, learn their importance, and in turn, protect and generate more. Pokémon learnt to grow flowers and trees and more, how to build their habitats out of nature, and the nourishment it could give them. Society was created and began to advance.”
The world around them rapidly transformed right before their eyes, going from the primitive world of fields to a utopia bursting with nature. Villages sprouted up. Rivers were redirected. Large groups of Pokémon, even those differing in species, looked like they were all having fun as they worked together to make buildings, play together, and more.
“There are Swirlix and Shelgon! You’d never see those two playing together!” Nier pointed out.
“It’s incredible,” Leos whispered, unable to help but smile at it all. The smiles on the Pokémon’s faces, their efforts, and the results of their coexistence – it was true peace in the form of a dream. That was what he felt until a dark shadow took over the sky, and a huge crack split the ground in two. The once smiling Pokémon transformed into a disorganized crowd of Pokémon scrambling and fighting each other to escape the chaos, many failing and falling into the fissure splitting the ground.
“But the reality is, the gifts of us legendaries can only be temporary. Just like mortals, gods and goddesses can grow old. When we grow old, our minds and our directions can become warped and twisted. If we are not put in our place, the order of the world can fall out of control,” Shaymin continued, her tone changing to match the imagery. After the fissure split, dragon types were left on one side, whilst fairy types were left on the other. The two sides stared at each other with bloodlust and hatred in their eyes. “The most intelligent Pokémon that had taken the form of leaders within this new world had begun to take sides with their beliefs. Many of these leaders were aware of the primitive world Etheria once was. They believed that order and the world would revert and fall apart without the leadership and blessings of the gods. Hearing that, the gods, the Tapu, took advantage. The Pokémon followed every order their gods gave without protest. In time, the order of the Tapu became a religion. They turned their half of the world into an ark, a split planet that flourished in with the blessings of the gods. Only select Pokémon that the Tapu chose would be allowed on this planet.”
“Faernia,” Prem whispered.
“The other half of the Pokémon felt that the gods were not to be blindly obeyed, that they remained out of reach of the mortals so that they could maintain a sense of freedom. When their gods began to grow old and their intentions changed, these Pokémon fought the gods, killing them so that they could continue to live in coexistence with the nature that they had been gifted,” Shaymin continued, evoking gasps from a few. “When killed, the gods temporarily transform into the very part of nature whence they gifted. They are eventually reborn, where they judge the current world as they see it. If they foresee destruction, they awaken and guide the Pokémon once again, as I am now. If they foresee peace as it should be, then they sleep, remaining out of mortal reach until the forces of nature awaken them.”
“Eris is that second world. So what you’re saying is that the Tapu are guiding Pokémon?” Leos summarised.
“The Tapu are guiding Pokémon, yes, but their guidance has grown beyond what they should be doing. Pokémon have grown so attached to the Tapu that their guidance has turned into religion, the very law of the world. Faernians are spoilt by the gifts of the Tapu, unable to fend for themselves should the nature of their world ever change. The reality is, the Tapu are old now, old and mad. The mad gods and goddesses are destroying their own world by keeping them as separate planets, disjointed from the Second Country, the core of Etheria’s natural planetary energy. They seek nothing but conflict with the Erinians. Faernians won’t see reason,” Shaymin explained. “Likewise, the Pokémon of Eris grew to be driven by conflict and aggression. They grew hardened as they thought that they failed to control nature. Their planet lacked planetary energy and without the gifts of gods and goddesses, died, forcing Pokémon to resort to eating each other, pilfering from one another to survive. In time, they grew to live with their natural disasters, creating an infrastructure that relied on forced mass breeding and slaughter.”
“But then how do we stop this? If both planets are bad, what can we do?” Prem cried.
“Kill the Tapu,” Shaymin answered. “Remember that the gods return to the part of nature that they gift when they die. The Tapu’s bodies would restore nature to both Eris and Faernia, enabling peace to return to both planets.”
Leos had been in deep thought the whole time, slowly coming out. “No. That won’t work.”
“You don’t think so?” Nier asked.
“No, wait. That will work, but it won’t be substantial. On top of that, how do we kill gods? The entirety of Faernian society is built around that religion. We kill the Tapu, we declare war on the whole planet,” he said.
“He’s got a point. Technology, the weather, and the growth of Faernia’s crops – everyone looks to the Tapu for that. We can’t just expect everyone to be fine with killing them,” Vincent said, scratching his chin. “Not even I have any idea of how to do this. On top of that, the Tapu are remarkably powerful.”
“The Heaven Seal. It gave you, and only you, the power to kill the gods,” Shaymin said. Leos’ eyes widened. “You must kill them in one strike using a Zenryoku arte.”
“A Zenryoku arte?” he replied.
“Zenryoku means ‘one’s full power’. It is attained through your bond with another,” she clarified.
“In this case, Prem,” he muttered, glancing at the Pikachu. Prem shyly stepped forward.
“Leos, what’s your star sign? You and your friend will need to draw that sign with your bodies as you give your incantation,” Shaymin instructed. “Your thoughts and feelings will combine, and you will power up to max for the duration of your attack.”
“Oh, I know about this. It’s like this,” Blossom said, perking up. She crossed both arms to make an ‘x’ shape, then unfurled and stretched them straight forward, again crossing them. “Er, then you would move into the position that draws your star sign.”
“Let’s give it a try, then. Prem, with me now, please,” Leos said. He nodded enthusiastically and hopped behind the Oshawott, and the two of them began to move in sync, crossing their arms.
“I call upon the stars to grant me your blessing,” Leos began, slowly unfurling his arms. As Prem copied, light energy burst from them, surrounding them both in auras of fiery energy. They both crouched, spun as they rose, and then flicked their arms up and curled them, drawing the same shape as the Aries star sign.
“Provide me an attack to make ease of this conflict!” Leos finished. The energy around him and Prem spiked, expanding greatly. Pulses of wind came from them both, but then the auras burst harmlessly, disappearing into nothing. Leos and Prem were left dumbfounded in their poses, confused as to what should have happened.
“It failed,” Griselle said, disappointed.
“What was supposed to happen? I suppose we’re not really fighting anything right now, so,” Leos mumbled, turning back to the others.
Shaymin’s eyes were closed and she shook her head, sighing deeply. “As I suspected. You can’t do it yet, even with the Heaven Seal.”
“You mean it actually failed?” Prem cried.
“Zenryoku artes don’t work unless the two Pokémon doing them are totally in sync. They don’t have to be perfect, but the line between their intentions has to be clear enough for them to share energy,” Shaymin explained, glaring at the duo. “One of you has doubts about the other.”
Leos and Prem glanced at each other, and then shook their heads. “That’s preposterous!”
“Preposterous or not, you can’t use the arte. That’s fact. Despite that, will you still attempt to return to Eris?” Shaymin said, glaring at them.
“You saw the energy appear, though. The Heaven Seal worked,” Leos argued.
“I never said the Heaven Seal didn’t work. Your Zenryoku arte didn’t work,” she repeated. Leos gulped and stepped backwards. “I can still send you back to Eris, but until you learn to perform your Zenryoku arte, you have no chance of defeating the Tapu. Will you still go?”
“U-um, sorry for asking but,” Prem squeaked, sticking a hand in between them. “I noticed that attack was similar to the one Charle did on us. He drew his star sign with that Primarina knight he had with him. But was their bond really that strong?”
“It’s a type of arte that only high ranking Constellars can do as well. What’s a knight of Faernia doing knowing a Zenryoku arte?” Blossom added. “In case you’re wondering, I was briefed on them years ago while I was still a Constellar myself. These artes were… very elite, though. They were intended to be used as absolute last resorts. I had never seen one get used until then.”
“I won’t have the answer to that question. You will have to ask this ‘Charle’ Pokémon yourself,” Shaymin replied.
“You know, I’ve been thinking about that since they came here, too,” Nier spoke up, putting her paws on her hips. “The last time I saw Charle was when he showed up at that battle. That one where Princess Diantha fell… do you think Master Lin did something when we left him there?”
“I’d safely gamble on it. I still can’t figure out exactly what that monster’s up to,” Vincent said.
“You two know Master Lin? And Charle?” Leos asked.
“It’s a long story, but yeah, we’ve got history with ‘em,” Nier said.
“I’ve got history with them. You just can’t seem to tell the guy to buzz off,” Vincent corrected.
“Hey I was there too, okay? Don’t count me out just ‘cos you got that fantasy tale with ‘em,” she pouted. “Listen, Leos. If you’re heading back up there, I wanna come with you. I’ve gotta make sure that everything’s alright.”
“M-Mum? And Dad, too?” Griselle cried. “Really? It’s hard enough trying to be in public without you guys around.”
“This is important. Regardless, it has been a long while. It’ll be good to be beside Her Highness again,” Vincent said, patting his daughter’s head. She grumbled at him.
“I’ll go back. Whether or not we can do the Zenryoku arte, we can’t sit around here and do nothing now. We’ll find a way to stop the Tapu, somehow,” Leos answered Shaymin at last, turning back to her.
“I can’t give any predictions about the current state of the planets. I can only transport you to one location on either planet, too. Where would you like to go?” Shaymin replied.
“Eris. That’s where Tapu Bulu was headed.”
“You’ll land in the Terrihstoric Wasteland. Make sure you are prepared for that travel,” she warned.
“Oh- right, yeah! I’ll go get packed and stuff real quick. Gimme a little bit!” Nier squeaked, hopping up and running off.
“Me too, actually! There’s some stuff I can grab from our tent now that I’m back here. Be back in a sec, my prince!” Griselle giggled, skipping away.
“What could you have? You seemed prepared enough when I met you on Faernia,” Leos asked.
“A new armour set. Gotta dress properly if we’re going to a proper war, right?” she said, waving to him playfully.
“That’s a good point, actually,” He muttered to himself, putting his hands on his hips. “I doubt I could wear a convenient armour set, but I could at least get myself a decent shield or something down here.”
“You’ve got your scalchop, and my Reflect and Light Screen moves. That should be enough, right?” Blossom said, giving him a cheeky look. Leos glanced at her and then at his scalchop, groaning in bother.
“Prince Leos,” Vincent spoke up, sounding far more serious than before. “Do you mind if I talk to you for a minute? Dewott to Oshawott.”
Leos didn’t reply, raising a hand to his party that told them he was okay with it. Vincent directed him out and around the tent, where he went in between a thin corridor of treehouses. The night sky made it all difficult to see, so Leos had to walk slowly and feel his way through for most of it. His main concern was accidentally tapping on one of the treehouses in case he bothered any sleeping inhabitants, all until he realised just how far Vincent was taking him. They ended up in a clearing a good few minutes from the tents, surrounded by nothing but twilit fields of short grass.
“Is there something wrong? We’re far out,” Leos said, glancing back. Vincent didn’t look at him for a moment, waving his tail irritably.
“You and my daughter went to the Ruins of Origin. You found the Lock Ball there, didn’t you?” he asked.
Leos’ eyes thinned. “That peculiar piece of tech that can seal Pokémon. That’s what you’re worried about?”
“Return it to the ruins. Now,” he ordered, turning around. His face was stern and intimidating. “The power that this ball has is the greatest sin we have as Pokémon. It isn’t to be handled by anyone.”
“I see. So that answers an obvious question: it can seal any Pokémon without fail, can’t it?” Leos asked. Vincent didn’t reply. “I still want to do a few observations with it in my spare time, if you don’t mind.”
“No! No one is to know of its existence or its power. If there is even the slightest chance that a weapon like this could fall into the wrong hands, I must do everything in my power to prevent that,” Vincent begged, stepping closer.
“You don’t need to worry. Only me and Griselle know about it. I won’t even tell Prem,” he assured.
“Leos, please. I was sealed in that ball for over a thousand years!” Vincent shouted. “Its potential isn’t to be underestimated. Nothing good can come of anyone having knowledge of it. It can’t be destroyed, so it is best left down here, in the ruins where no one goes.”
Leos shut his eyes and looked down, taking in a deep breath. “You know, my Mother and Father complicated a lot of my journey by not explaining everything Shaymin just told me. I could’ve had a goal if I knew what they were working towards, staying away from society the way they are. You could prevent that, as well.”
Vincent breathed out and trembled, shuffling backward a few paces. “I lived in Etheria, a thousand years ago. I was just a fighter in training, practicing to become the guardian of my village. My life was set until the one day where I was supposed to take over.”
Leos folded his arms, listening intently.
“My teacher was… Master Lin. A Samurott with that name, and my surrogate Father. He taught me everything I know about the world and fighting. We set out to have an exam at our village’s shrine, a shrine of the Tapu,” he recalled, beginning to growl. “I haven’t even told Her Highness this part. But he attacked me head on, instead of doing what we planned. I was defeated with ease, and when I came to, I was being operated on.”
“Operated on?” Leos replied, widening his eyes.
“Master Lin tried to turn me into the thing you are. The hero of Etheria. He wanted that power for himself, and I was his pawn in the experiment. But I broke free and fought back, and we both succumbed to the effects of that accursed experiment. I became this hybrid, incapable of using any Pokémon attacks. It’s a miracle I’m even still alive, as is with him. But he sealed me in the Lock Ball as a last resort,” he explained. Leos glanced at the Lock Ball in disbelief. “Think about it. Not only was I sealed perfectly within the ball, but it maintained my form for over a thousand years. Even now, I’m as alive as I was back then.”
“It’s astounding. To seal and maintain a form for that long with no form of decay whatsoever, that’s quite the technology,” Leos remarked. “I don’t blame you for being fearful of its potential, but if Master Lin created this, then there is little stopping him from creating more.”
“Regardless, no other Lock Balls or technology similar has surfaced. When I discovered that Lin was still alive, I dedicated all the time I could to trying to stop him from doing whatever he is planning. But as the head of a religious cult of his own, there was only so far I could get. I can’t attack him without reason,” he replied, holding his hand out. “Just keep the ball here, Leos. It’s for the best of the world.”
“Yes, Master Lin is the head of the Constellars. I doubt he’s held onto the same plan for one thousand years, but that does give me more of a lead. One thing’s for sure, he’s definitely after some kind of sacred power. Between a legendary hero and the high priest of a religion, the two are connected,” Leos rambled, looking away.
“Don’t try to distract me. Return the Lock Ball to the ruins!” Vincent said, raising his voice again. Leos grumbled and shook his head.
“I’m thinking about the task at hand. If I could replicate this technology somehow, we could seal the Tapu. If my Zenryoku arte isn’t working, then that’s a solu-”
“That isn’t a solution. I can’t allow anyone to replicate this kind of technology. It’s too powerful for the world!” Vincent shouted.
“Don’t underestimate me as a prince. I promise you that it won’t leave my possession,” Leos said.
“I see. You’re just like all the other royalty,” Vincent said with a sigh, calming down. “You weren’t going to return it, even with the weight of my story told to you. The only way to make you truly understand is to pry it from your dead body.”
“What?” Leos whispered. He flinched when Vincent stretched his feet apart and revealed a naginata, a long staff with a curved blade on the end. “What do you think you’re doing?”
“You leave me no choice but to kill you. I know this is high treason, but if it is to protect this world from the Lock Ball’s might, then that’s the sin I have to commit,” he replied. “Don’t get the wrong idea. You being prince of both planet’s royalty doesn’t mean anything to me when it comes to this. Besides, you’re in the Second Country, now… you don’t have any political power here. No one does.”
“You’re actually going to attack me? Right after proposing we team up for a common cause?” Leos gasped.
“Do you understand why, hybrid?” Vincent shouted. “I am only protecting you and the world from a big mistake that you’re making. I can’t afford to sit here and watch it happen, not when I’m partially to blame for it!”
Vincent gave a battle cry as he sprinted forward, forcing Leos to act fast. The Oshawott barely managed to form a Razor Shell before he was in front of him, thrusting his naginata with wicked speed and force. He missed the first two attacks and then resorted to wide swings, spinning the weapon around with expert skill.
Leos attempted to retaliate by swinging his weapon in the opposite direction, but wound up getting smacked silly by the force he was up against. He coughed and cried out, concentrating on making sure he was facing forward. The first two strikes span him around even though he blocked them, and his arms felt like they were punching a brick wall. A third strike finally hit Leos directly, causing him to lose his balance and fall on his backside.
“Is that the best you can do? Even with the power of the Heaven Seal?” Vincent shouted, pointing his weapon at Leos’ face.
Leos growled and spat out a Water Gun, catching Vincent by surprise. The attack only brought him enough time to stand up and jump backwards, where he could charge a Water Pulse attack. He threw it with all the force he could, but Vincent slashed it in half, sprinting forwards to engage in close combat again.
“St-stop!” Leos gasped, clashing a Razor Shell against the naginata again. Just like before, every hit knocked him around so hard that his body spun, even though he was blocking each attack. He was eventually kicked to the floor again, where he lost his breath.
“And you want to stop the Tapu. I couldn’t possibly leave the fate of Etheria in the hands of someone so weak!” Vincent said, raising his weapon. Leos flinched when he thrust it one final time, expecting to take a fatal, painful stab. A high-pitched squeal sounded out instead, and Vincent was knocked backwards.
“What?” Leos whispered, daring to open his eyes. Griselle was standing over him with her scalchop out, struggling to pull her lance from her back. She was wearing armour similar to the armour set he first met her in, silver, heavy, and clearly unsuited for her figure. Her lance was strapped to her back, and her paws couldn’t reach it.
“Leos, are you alright?” she squealed, glancing back at him. He couldn’t reply, gawking at her as he got to his feet. “Oh thank the gods I don’t take long to get dressed. Dad, what the heck’re you doing?”
“Griselle,” Vincent breathed out, shaking his head. “Move. This is a duel between us.”
“Forget that! We were just getting ready to fight a war. Why’re you trying to clobber the prince?” she said, finally managing to retrieve her weapon.
“This is between us. A battle of ideals and responsibility,” he replied, resuming a battle pose.
“I won’t let you hurt him. Y-you wanna hurt Leos, you have to go through me, first!” she said, gritting her teeth.
There was a long pause. The father and daughter stared at each other with rage in their eyes, neither redirecting their eyes one bit for an unsettling length of time. Leos shuddered as he watched them, but a wave of relief washed over him when Vincent returned his weapon to its folded state on his back. He stood tall and stepped back. “Tsk. If that’s how this is going to go, then we’ll settle this another time.”
“No, you won’t. I’m not letting you hurt my prince,” Griselle assured.
“Griselle,” Leos whispered.
“Griselle. I’ll talk to you later,” Vincent said, shaking his head. He walked off after that, walking around the two hybrids as if what he had just done to them didn’t leave them on edge. They watched him until he disappeared into the night, loosing their stances when they were certain they were alone.
“Whoa okay, I can’t believe I just did that,” Griselle said with a sigh, stretching her arms. “The heck actually happened? I-I can’t beat Dad in a fight you know, so if he’d actually attacked me, we’d be in trouble, I think?”
“And you challenged him anyway?” Leos said.
“Well yeah, he was attacking you! With his spear thingy and everything. I had to step in!” she cried.
Leos gawked at her again, making a sound. He shook his head and groaned. “He wanted me to return the Lock Ball to the ruins. But I might be able to use it, so I want to hold on to it.”
“That all? How’d he even find out we took it?” she replied, looking back at where Vincent went. “He takes it way more seriously than I thought. Sorry about that.”
“Griselle. Thank you, seriously. That’s twice I owe you for saving me, now. And this time, you did it even though you knew you couldn’t beat your foe,” Leos said, growling. He scrunched up his face. “The things you Pokémon are doing for me, the things you’re about to do… how could I even make up for all this? Just saying ‘thanks’ clearly isn’t enough.”
“I know how you can make it up to me! You don’t even have to think about it,” she sung, skipping around him. She stopped in front of him and put her hands on his cheeks, lifting his face so that they were eye-to-eye. “Kiss me.”
“Wha-what?” he stuttered.
“Yeah. Let’s kiss. That’d make me really happy!”
“Wa-wa-wait, Griselle, I-” he stuttered again, stiffening. “I appreciate it, really, but a kiss is a bit much?”
“Just as a reward for someone who saved you life, twice?” she teased, batting her eyelids. He groaned nervously. “You know how much I really like you, too.”
“Okay, hold on. I had this talk with Prem, too,” he replied, stiffening again. “I don’t mind your affection, really. I’m pretty surprised you like me this much as well, to be honest. And unlike the exploiters in story books, you’ve shown me you do really care about me, you’re not just doing this because I’m royalty. It’s impressive, and it means a lot.”
She blushed and giggled, twiddling her feet and hands. “But I just can’t do that sort of thing. I do have some feelings, but I have to be absolutely sure because of who I am. And I definitely couldn’t kiss with someone I’ve known for as short a time as you.”
“Aww, Leos! It doesn’t have to be a confession or anythin’. Just the chance to make out once would make my year!” she laughed.
“That’s not what a kiss is to me, though. And… ‘making out’ is another level. It’s also not what you said the first time,” he said, folding his arms.
“Okay okay, so maybe I have the hots for ya a little too much for your liking,” she moaned, looking away.
“It’s not that, I honestly don’t mind. I actually like how you’re-” he said, cutting himself off to go into a thought pose. She blushed again, trying not to look at him. “Just think. If I were to kiss or show that much affection to another and it’s not part of a full relationship, that’s what represents me to both planets. I just have to be absolutely certain that that’s what I want before I do it.”
“It’s okay, I get it,” she groaned.
“Sorry about that, Griselle. But thanks for understanding. I can make it up to you another way, so just think of something, okay?” he said, smiling at her. She looked up at him and nodded, keeping a paw on her chin.
“Yeah,” she mouthed, staring at him for a moment. “Hold still a moment, you’ve got something on your face. Let me get it off.”
“Oh?” he replied, rubbing a cheek to try and feel it.
She skipped right up to him, lightly held both cheeks, and then dove forwards to kiss him on the lips, making a ‘mwa’ sound as she savoured the moment by keeping them connected. He was so shocked that he froze completely, left with the goofiest expression when she backed away. She laughed cheekily, blowing him a kiss afterwards.
“That was all I wanted, and that’s all! No one else has to know, ‘kay? I’ll see you back at the tents, my prince!” she laughed, skipping away.
He remained frozen to the spot for a few moments, unable to believe what he’d just felt. It took until a chilly wind made him shiver that he finally closed his mouth and shook himself off, unable to stop himself from blushing. “So that’s why they say your first kiss is the most special.”
We're on the border of the final arc too, I promise. In fact, that's the very next chapter. For now, we get past the final important stuff. I will attempt to return to normal weekly posting when my judging is over, which will be December 1st at the latest! Apologies for the inconvenience again!
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Episode 26: A painful truth
“So despite everything I told you, you went there anyway,” Shaymin said, shaking her head. She sounded heavily disheartened, depressed even, unable to look at Leos’ party at all.
“Well unlike what you said about me, the Heaven Seal worked. I’m now a Constellar Lord,” Leos replied, arms folded. “I believe you owe us some info and how we get out of here.”
Behind him, Prem, Griselle, and her parents watched with bothered faces. Night had fallen when they all got back to the tents, so they were all gathered inside Shaymin’s spacious tent to keep out of the way of others.
As he told his story to Shaymin and the others, Leos couldn’t get the experience out of his mind. From Mirror’s inexplainable appearance and departure, to his activation of the Heaven Seal, he couldn’t forget how miraculous the whole thing was. As far as he knew, Constellars could only become Constellars when granted the title through their priests, since it was a strict religion and all. But here, a mere magical seal was all it took for him to be granted a title that put him beside Master Lin in terms of rank.
His appearance didn’t even change. Dark energy resembling space had swallowed him and then sunk into him, as if he had absorbed a great power. Yet he looked and felt the same, even ran out of breath in his attempts to sprint back here. It was as if the seal hadn’t worked at all, but it did work, and he was beyond excited to test out its new capabilities.
“Follow me,” Shaymin said, slowly turning to leave. They followed her through an unfamiliar route to the hospital tent where Blossom had been resting, gasping upon entry. The Mime Jr. was awake, snacking on bowl of sliced fruit.
“Blossom, you’re alive!” Leos said, kneeling by her.
“Master Leos,” she replied, breathing a sigh of relief. “Prem and Griselle, too. I’m so glad you’re all okay!”
“You’re glad we’re okay? You’ve been mortally wounded!” Leos cried. “And by throwing us off that airship, too.”
“So you know. I apologise. It was an act of desperation after I saw you all get defeated by Charle’s attack,” she recalled, looking at her feet. “Had I been stronger, I should’ve been able to protect you, even teleported you all to safety. I’ve done a poor job so far.”
“Stop that, now,” Leos replied, shaking his head. “I’ve been stiff so far, but that’s changing. Blossom, when I think about what you’ve done for us so far, even despite the way I treated you… I want to change that. So I’m sorry, Blossom. I’m sorry for getting you so involved in this, and letting you get hurt.”
“I told you before. I’m in this for my own personal reasons. Me getting hurt doing that just means that I wasn’t strong enough. Master, you needn’t concern yourself with my well-being,” she said.
“Well thanks for accepting my apology. I’ll make sure to remember that,” he spat. “And that just means I’ll have to do my part to be stronger. Strong enough for you to not need to get hurt or do much to help me.”
“Master Leos, I’m your retainer. That’s my job!” she said.
“Why do I get the feeling this convo isn’t gonna go anywhere?” Griselle giggled, stepping in between them. “Just say you’re sorry already and get to it!”
“She has a point,” Blossom agreed, standing up. She flinched twice, laying a hand on her bandages. “I-I’ve been incapacitated for days. It is likely that the battle we sought to prevent has already started.”
“And you want to go in that condition? I couldn’t. You’d definitely get killed,” Leos raised his voice.
“Master Leos, if I would die protecting someone who would prevent war, then I couldn’t ask for a more honourable death,” she replied. “And like I said, I’m going regardless. This is for my own gain, at the very least.”
Leos growled and shut his eyes, retracting his words just before they came out. “I really appreciate it, Blossom. But please, for the love of the gods, don’t push yourself.”
“Shall I begin?” Shaymin asked.
“Yes, please. Tell us everything we need to know,” Leos said with a nod. The others gathered around him, some sitting down to listen.
“Etheria… I’m sure you’re aware that Etheria was originally a whole planet, split into two to create Eris and Faernia,” she began, speaking softly. She looked like she was forcing herself to look up at Leos. “The truth is, this is a feral world. Etheria was wracked by conflicts, however petty. Pokémon fought each other all across the planet, tirelessly searching for habitats, food, and mates. Etheria’s Pokémon were primitive for generations, and showed not a single sign of ever advancing further.”
“Sounds like Eris,” Nier groaned. Vincent pinched her.
“Eventually, we gods and goddesses were appointed to different places across the planet in hopes of creating law and order. To make Pokémon intelligent creatures worth keeping alive. However, we were to do so without touching Pokémon themselves – we were to remain legendary, to only ever influence nature,” Shaymin explained. As she spoke, she began to glow, releasing a magical projection of imagery. Everyone gasped as their surroundings transformed into the world she was talking about, a sunny, colourful field of varying plants and woodland. “For example, I brought plants to life. I travelled the lands, allowing nature to flourish where I could. I never met a single mortal. Some saw me, but never got the chance to share a word. Pokémon would discover the miracles of nature I gifted them, learn their importance, and in turn, protect and generate more. Pokémon learnt to grow flowers and trees and more, how to build their habitats out of nature, and the nourishment it could give them. Society was created and began to advance.”
The world around them rapidly transformed right before their eyes, going from the primitive world of fields to a utopia bursting with nature. Villages sprouted up. Rivers were redirected. Large groups of Pokémon, even those differing in species, looked like they were all having fun as they worked together to make buildings, play together, and more.
“There are Swirlix and Shelgon! You’d never see those two playing together!” Nier pointed out.
“It’s incredible,” Leos whispered, unable to help but smile at it all. The smiles on the Pokémon’s faces, their efforts, and the results of their coexistence – it was true peace in the form of a dream. That was what he felt until a dark shadow took over the sky, and a huge crack split the ground in two. The once smiling Pokémon transformed into a disorganized crowd of Pokémon scrambling and fighting each other to escape the chaos, many failing and falling into the fissure splitting the ground.
“But the reality is, the gifts of us legendaries can only be temporary. Just like mortals, gods and goddesses can grow old. When we grow old, our minds and our directions can become warped and twisted. If we are not put in our place, the order of the world can fall out of control,” Shaymin continued, her tone changing to match the imagery. After the fissure split, dragon types were left on one side, whilst fairy types were left on the other. The two sides stared at each other with bloodlust and hatred in their eyes. “The most intelligent Pokémon that had taken the form of leaders within this new world had begun to take sides with their beliefs. Many of these leaders were aware of the primitive world Etheria once was. They believed that order and the world would revert and fall apart without the leadership and blessings of the gods. Hearing that, the gods, the Tapu, took advantage. The Pokémon followed every order their gods gave without protest. In time, the order of the Tapu became a religion. They turned their half of the world into an ark, a split planet that flourished in with the blessings of the gods. Only select Pokémon that the Tapu chose would be allowed on this planet.”
“Faernia,” Prem whispered.
“The other half of the Pokémon felt that the gods were not to be blindly obeyed, that they remained out of reach of the mortals so that they could maintain a sense of freedom. When their gods began to grow old and their intentions changed, these Pokémon fought the gods, killing them so that they could continue to live in coexistence with the nature that they had been gifted,” Shaymin continued, evoking gasps from a few. “When killed, the gods temporarily transform into the very part of nature whence they gifted. They are eventually reborn, where they judge the current world as they see it. If they foresee destruction, they awaken and guide the Pokémon once again, as I am now. If they foresee peace as it should be, then they sleep, remaining out of mortal reach until the forces of nature awaken them.”
“Eris is that second world. So what you’re saying is that the Tapu are guiding Pokémon?” Leos summarised.
“The Tapu are guiding Pokémon, yes, but their guidance has grown beyond what they should be doing. Pokémon have grown so attached to the Tapu that their guidance has turned into religion, the very law of the world. Faernians are spoilt by the gifts of the Tapu, unable to fend for themselves should the nature of their world ever change. The reality is, the Tapu are old now, old and mad. The mad gods and goddesses are destroying their own world by keeping them as separate planets, disjointed from the Second Country, the core of Etheria’s natural planetary energy. They seek nothing but conflict with the Erinians. Faernians won’t see reason,” Shaymin explained. “Likewise, the Pokémon of Eris grew to be driven by conflict and aggression. They grew hardened as they thought that they failed to control nature. Their planet lacked planetary energy and without the gifts of gods and goddesses, died, forcing Pokémon to resort to eating each other, pilfering from one another to survive. In time, they grew to live with their natural disasters, creating an infrastructure that relied on forced mass breeding and slaughter.”
“But then how do we stop this? If both planets are bad, what can we do?” Prem cried.
“Kill the Tapu,” Shaymin answered. “Remember that the gods return to the part of nature that they gift when they die. The Tapu’s bodies would restore nature to both Eris and Faernia, enabling peace to return to both planets.”
Leos had been in deep thought the whole time, slowly coming out. “No. That won’t work.”
“You don’t think so?” Nier asked.
“No, wait. That will work, but it won’t be substantial. On top of that, how do we kill gods? The entirety of Faernian society is built around that religion. We kill the Tapu, we declare war on the whole planet,” he said.
“He’s got a point. Technology, the weather, and the growth of Faernia’s crops – everyone looks to the Tapu for that. We can’t just expect everyone to be fine with killing them,” Vincent said, scratching his chin. “Not even I have any idea of how to do this. On top of that, the Tapu are remarkably powerful.”
“The Heaven Seal. It gave you, and only you, the power to kill the gods,” Shaymin said. Leos’ eyes widened. “You must kill them in one strike using a Zenryoku arte.”
“A Zenryoku arte?” he replied.
“Zenryoku means ‘one’s full power’. It is attained through your bond with another,” she clarified.
“In this case, Prem,” he muttered, glancing at the Pikachu. Prem shyly stepped forward.
“Leos, what’s your star sign? You and your friend will need to draw that sign with your bodies as you give your incantation,” Shaymin instructed. “Your thoughts and feelings will combine, and you will power up to max for the duration of your attack.”
“Oh, I know about this. It’s like this,” Blossom said, perking up. She crossed both arms to make an ‘x’ shape, then unfurled and stretched them straight forward, again crossing them. “Er, then you would move into the position that draws your star sign.”
“Let’s give it a try, then. Prem, with me now, please,” Leos said. He nodded enthusiastically and hopped behind the Oshawott, and the two of them began to move in sync, crossing their arms.
“I call upon the stars to grant me your blessing,” Leos began, slowly unfurling his arms. As Prem copied, light energy burst from them, surrounding them both in auras of fiery energy. They both crouched, spun as they rose, and then flicked their arms up and curled them, drawing the same shape as the Aries star sign.
“Provide me an attack to make ease of this conflict!” Leos finished. The energy around him and Prem spiked, expanding greatly. Pulses of wind came from them both, but then the auras burst harmlessly, disappearing into nothing. Leos and Prem were left dumbfounded in their poses, confused as to what should have happened.
“It failed,” Griselle said, disappointed.
“What was supposed to happen? I suppose we’re not really fighting anything right now, so,” Leos mumbled, turning back to the others.
Shaymin’s eyes were closed and she shook her head, sighing deeply. “As I suspected. You can’t do it yet, even with the Heaven Seal.”
“You mean it actually failed?” Prem cried.
“Zenryoku artes don’t work unless the two Pokémon doing them are totally in sync. They don’t have to be perfect, but the line between their intentions has to be clear enough for them to share energy,” Shaymin explained, glaring at the duo. “One of you has doubts about the other.”
Leos and Prem glanced at each other, and then shook their heads. “That’s preposterous!”
“Preposterous or not, you can’t use the arte. That’s fact. Despite that, will you still attempt to return to Eris?” Shaymin said, glaring at them.
“You saw the energy appear, though. The Heaven Seal worked,” Leos argued.
“I never said the Heaven Seal didn’t work. Your Zenryoku arte didn’t work,” she repeated. Leos gulped and stepped backwards. “I can still send you back to Eris, but until you learn to perform your Zenryoku arte, you have no chance of defeating the Tapu. Will you still go?”
“U-um, sorry for asking but,” Prem squeaked, sticking a hand in between them. “I noticed that attack was similar to the one Charle did on us. He drew his star sign with that Primarina knight he had with him. But was their bond really that strong?”
“It’s a type of arte that only high ranking Constellars can do as well. What’s a knight of Faernia doing knowing a Zenryoku arte?” Blossom added. “In case you’re wondering, I was briefed on them years ago while I was still a Constellar myself. These artes were… very elite, though. They were intended to be used as absolute last resorts. I had never seen one get used until then.”
“I won’t have the answer to that question. You will have to ask this ‘Charle’ Pokémon yourself,” Shaymin replied.
“You know, I’ve been thinking about that since they came here, too,” Nier spoke up, putting her paws on her hips. “The last time I saw Charle was when he showed up at that battle. That one where Princess Diantha fell… do you think Master Lin did something when we left him there?”
“I’d safely gamble on it. I still can’t figure out exactly what that monster’s up to,” Vincent said.
“You two know Master Lin? And Charle?” Leos asked.
“It’s a long story, but yeah, we’ve got history with ‘em,” Nier said.
“I’ve got history with them. You just can’t seem to tell the guy to buzz off,” Vincent corrected.
“Hey I was there too, okay? Don’t count me out just ‘cos you got that fantasy tale with ‘em,” she pouted. “Listen, Leos. If you’re heading back up there, I wanna come with you. I’ve gotta make sure that everything’s alright.”
“M-Mum? And Dad, too?” Griselle cried. “Really? It’s hard enough trying to be in public without you guys around.”
“This is important. Regardless, it has been a long while. It’ll be good to be beside Her Highness again,” Vincent said, patting his daughter’s head. She grumbled at him.
“I’ll go back. Whether or not we can do the Zenryoku arte, we can’t sit around here and do nothing now. We’ll find a way to stop the Tapu, somehow,” Leos answered Shaymin at last, turning back to her.
“I can’t give any predictions about the current state of the planets. I can only transport you to one location on either planet, too. Where would you like to go?” Shaymin replied.
“Eris. That’s where Tapu Bulu was headed.”
“You’ll land in the Terrihstoric Wasteland. Make sure you are prepared for that travel,” she warned.
“Oh- right, yeah! I’ll go get packed and stuff real quick. Gimme a little bit!” Nier squeaked, hopping up and running off.
“Me too, actually! There’s some stuff I can grab from our tent now that I’m back here. Be back in a sec, my prince!” Griselle giggled, skipping away.
“What could you have? You seemed prepared enough when I met you on Faernia,” Leos asked.
“A new armour set. Gotta dress properly if we’re going to a proper war, right?” she said, waving to him playfully.
“That’s a good point, actually,” He muttered to himself, putting his hands on his hips. “I doubt I could wear a convenient armour set, but I could at least get myself a decent shield or something down here.”
“You’ve got your scalchop, and my Reflect and Light Screen moves. That should be enough, right?” Blossom said, giving him a cheeky look. Leos glanced at her and then at his scalchop, groaning in bother.
“Prince Leos,” Vincent spoke up, sounding far more serious than before. “Do you mind if I talk to you for a minute? Dewott to Oshawott.”
Leos didn’t reply, raising a hand to his party that told them he was okay with it. Vincent directed him out and around the tent, where he went in between a thin corridor of treehouses. The night sky made it all difficult to see, so Leos had to walk slowly and feel his way through for most of it. His main concern was accidentally tapping on one of the treehouses in case he bothered any sleeping inhabitants, all until he realised just how far Vincent was taking him. They ended up in a clearing a good few minutes from the tents, surrounded by nothing but twilit fields of short grass.
“Is there something wrong? We’re far out,” Leos said, glancing back. Vincent didn’t look at him for a moment, waving his tail irritably.
“You and my daughter went to the Ruins of Origin. You found the Lock Ball there, didn’t you?” he asked.
Leos’ eyes thinned. “That peculiar piece of tech that can seal Pokémon. That’s what you’re worried about?”
“Return it to the ruins. Now,” he ordered, turning around. His face was stern and intimidating. “The power that this ball has is the greatest sin we have as Pokémon. It isn’t to be handled by anyone.”
“I see. So that answers an obvious question: it can seal any Pokémon without fail, can’t it?” Leos asked. Vincent didn’t reply. “I still want to do a few observations with it in my spare time, if you don’t mind.”
“No! No one is to know of its existence or its power. If there is even the slightest chance that a weapon like this could fall into the wrong hands, I must do everything in my power to prevent that,” Vincent begged, stepping closer.
“You don’t need to worry. Only me and Griselle know about it. I won’t even tell Prem,” he assured.
“Leos, please. I was sealed in that ball for over a thousand years!” Vincent shouted. “Its potential isn’t to be underestimated. Nothing good can come of anyone having knowledge of it. It can’t be destroyed, so it is best left down here, in the ruins where no one goes.”
Leos shut his eyes and looked down, taking in a deep breath. “You know, my Mother and Father complicated a lot of my journey by not explaining everything Shaymin just told me. I could’ve had a goal if I knew what they were working towards, staying away from society the way they are. You could prevent that, as well.”
Vincent breathed out and trembled, shuffling backward a few paces. “I lived in Etheria, a thousand years ago. I was just a fighter in training, practicing to become the guardian of my village. My life was set until the one day where I was supposed to take over.”
Leos folded his arms, listening intently.
“My teacher was… Master Lin. A Samurott with that name, and my surrogate Father. He taught me everything I know about the world and fighting. We set out to have an exam at our village’s shrine, a shrine of the Tapu,” he recalled, beginning to growl. “I haven’t even told Her Highness this part. But he attacked me head on, instead of doing what we planned. I was defeated with ease, and when I came to, I was being operated on.”
“Operated on?” Leos replied, widening his eyes.
“Master Lin tried to turn me into the thing you are. The hero of Etheria. He wanted that power for himself, and I was his pawn in the experiment. But I broke free and fought back, and we both succumbed to the effects of that accursed experiment. I became this hybrid, incapable of using any Pokémon attacks. It’s a miracle I’m even still alive, as is with him. But he sealed me in the Lock Ball as a last resort,” he explained. Leos glanced at the Lock Ball in disbelief. “Think about it. Not only was I sealed perfectly within the ball, but it maintained my form for over a thousand years. Even now, I’m as alive as I was back then.”
“It’s astounding. To seal and maintain a form for that long with no form of decay whatsoever, that’s quite the technology,” Leos remarked. “I don’t blame you for being fearful of its potential, but if Master Lin created this, then there is little stopping him from creating more.”
“Regardless, no other Lock Balls or technology similar has surfaced. When I discovered that Lin was still alive, I dedicated all the time I could to trying to stop him from doing whatever he is planning. But as the head of a religious cult of his own, there was only so far I could get. I can’t attack him without reason,” he replied, holding his hand out. “Just keep the ball here, Leos. It’s for the best of the world.”
“Yes, Master Lin is the head of the Constellars. I doubt he’s held onto the same plan for one thousand years, but that does give me more of a lead. One thing’s for sure, he’s definitely after some kind of sacred power. Between a legendary hero and the high priest of a religion, the two are connected,” Leos rambled, looking away.
“Don’t try to distract me. Return the Lock Ball to the ruins!” Vincent said, raising his voice again. Leos grumbled and shook his head.
“I’m thinking about the task at hand. If I could replicate this technology somehow, we could seal the Tapu. If my Zenryoku arte isn’t working, then that’s a solu-”
“That isn’t a solution. I can’t allow anyone to replicate this kind of technology. It’s too powerful for the world!” Vincent shouted.
“Don’t underestimate me as a prince. I promise you that it won’t leave my possession,” Leos said.
“I see. You’re just like all the other royalty,” Vincent said with a sigh, calming down. “You weren’t going to return it, even with the weight of my story told to you. The only way to make you truly understand is to pry it from your dead body.”
“What?” Leos whispered. He flinched when Vincent stretched his feet apart and revealed a naginata, a long staff with a curved blade on the end. “What do you think you’re doing?”
“You leave me no choice but to kill you. I know this is high treason, but if it is to protect this world from the Lock Ball’s might, then that’s the sin I have to commit,” he replied. “Don’t get the wrong idea. You being prince of both planet’s royalty doesn’t mean anything to me when it comes to this. Besides, you’re in the Second Country, now… you don’t have any political power here. No one does.”
“You’re actually going to attack me? Right after proposing we team up for a common cause?” Leos gasped.
“Do you understand why, hybrid?” Vincent shouted. “I am only protecting you and the world from a big mistake that you’re making. I can’t afford to sit here and watch it happen, not when I’m partially to blame for it!”
Vincent gave a battle cry as he sprinted forward, forcing Leos to act fast. The Oshawott barely managed to form a Razor Shell before he was in front of him, thrusting his naginata with wicked speed and force. He missed the first two attacks and then resorted to wide swings, spinning the weapon around with expert skill.
Leos attempted to retaliate by swinging his weapon in the opposite direction, but wound up getting smacked silly by the force he was up against. He coughed and cried out, concentrating on making sure he was facing forward. The first two strikes span him around even though he blocked them, and his arms felt like they were punching a brick wall. A third strike finally hit Leos directly, causing him to lose his balance and fall on his backside.
“Is that the best you can do? Even with the power of the Heaven Seal?” Vincent shouted, pointing his weapon at Leos’ face.
Leos growled and spat out a Water Gun, catching Vincent by surprise. The attack only brought him enough time to stand up and jump backwards, where he could charge a Water Pulse attack. He threw it with all the force he could, but Vincent slashed it in half, sprinting forwards to engage in close combat again.
“St-stop!” Leos gasped, clashing a Razor Shell against the naginata again. Just like before, every hit knocked him around so hard that his body spun, even though he was blocking each attack. He was eventually kicked to the floor again, where he lost his breath.
“And you want to stop the Tapu. I couldn’t possibly leave the fate of Etheria in the hands of someone so weak!” Vincent said, raising his weapon. Leos flinched when he thrust it one final time, expecting to take a fatal, painful stab. A high-pitched squeal sounded out instead, and Vincent was knocked backwards.
“What?” Leos whispered, daring to open his eyes. Griselle was standing over him with her scalchop out, struggling to pull her lance from her back. She was wearing armour similar to the armour set he first met her in, silver, heavy, and clearly unsuited for her figure. Her lance was strapped to her back, and her paws couldn’t reach it.
“Leos, are you alright?” she squealed, glancing back at him. He couldn’t reply, gawking at her as he got to his feet. “Oh thank the gods I don’t take long to get dressed. Dad, what the heck’re you doing?”
“Griselle,” Vincent breathed out, shaking his head. “Move. This is a duel between us.”
“Forget that! We were just getting ready to fight a war. Why’re you trying to clobber the prince?” she said, finally managing to retrieve her weapon.
“This is between us. A battle of ideals and responsibility,” he replied, resuming a battle pose.
“I won’t let you hurt him. Y-you wanna hurt Leos, you have to go through me, first!” she said, gritting her teeth.
There was a long pause. The father and daughter stared at each other with rage in their eyes, neither redirecting their eyes one bit for an unsettling length of time. Leos shuddered as he watched them, but a wave of relief washed over him when Vincent returned his weapon to its folded state on his back. He stood tall and stepped back. “Tsk. If that’s how this is going to go, then we’ll settle this another time.”
“No, you won’t. I’m not letting you hurt my prince,” Griselle assured.
“Griselle,” Leos whispered.
“Griselle. I’ll talk to you later,” Vincent said, shaking his head. He walked off after that, walking around the two hybrids as if what he had just done to them didn’t leave them on edge. They watched him until he disappeared into the night, loosing their stances when they were certain they were alone.
“Whoa okay, I can’t believe I just did that,” Griselle said with a sigh, stretching her arms. “The heck actually happened? I-I can’t beat Dad in a fight you know, so if he’d actually attacked me, we’d be in trouble, I think?”
“And you challenged him anyway?” Leos said.
“Well yeah, he was attacking you! With his spear thingy and everything. I had to step in!” she cried.
Leos gawked at her again, making a sound. He shook his head and groaned. “He wanted me to return the Lock Ball to the ruins. But I might be able to use it, so I want to hold on to it.”
“That all? How’d he even find out we took it?” she replied, looking back at where Vincent went. “He takes it way more seriously than I thought. Sorry about that.”
“Griselle. Thank you, seriously. That’s twice I owe you for saving me, now. And this time, you did it even though you knew you couldn’t beat your foe,” Leos said, growling. He scrunched up his face. “The things you Pokémon are doing for me, the things you’re about to do… how could I even make up for all this? Just saying ‘thanks’ clearly isn’t enough.”
“I know how you can make it up to me! You don’t even have to think about it,” she sung, skipping around him. She stopped in front of him and put her hands on his cheeks, lifting his face so that they were eye-to-eye. “Kiss me.”
“Wha-what?” he stuttered.
“Yeah. Let’s kiss. That’d make me really happy!”
“Wa-wa-wait, Griselle, I-” he stuttered again, stiffening. “I appreciate it, really, but a kiss is a bit much?”
“Just as a reward for someone who saved you life, twice?” she teased, batting her eyelids. He groaned nervously. “You know how much I really like you, too.”
“Okay, hold on. I had this talk with Prem, too,” he replied, stiffening again. “I don’t mind your affection, really. I’m pretty surprised you like me this much as well, to be honest. And unlike the exploiters in story books, you’ve shown me you do really care about me, you’re not just doing this because I’m royalty. It’s impressive, and it means a lot.”
She blushed and giggled, twiddling her feet and hands. “But I just can’t do that sort of thing. I do have some feelings, but I have to be absolutely sure because of who I am. And I definitely couldn’t kiss with someone I’ve known for as short a time as you.”
“Aww, Leos! It doesn’t have to be a confession or anythin’. Just the chance to make out once would make my year!” she laughed.
“That’s not what a kiss is to me, though. And… ‘making out’ is another level. It’s also not what you said the first time,” he said, folding his arms.
“Okay okay, so maybe I have the hots for ya a little too much for your liking,” she moaned, looking away.
“It’s not that, I honestly don’t mind. I actually like how you’re-” he said, cutting himself off to go into a thought pose. She blushed again, trying not to look at him. “Just think. If I were to kiss or show that much affection to another and it’s not part of a full relationship, that’s what represents me to both planets. I just have to be absolutely certain that that’s what I want before I do it.”
“It’s okay, I get it,” she groaned.
“Sorry about that, Griselle. But thanks for understanding. I can make it up to you another way, so just think of something, okay?” he said, smiling at her. She looked up at him and nodded, keeping a paw on her chin.
“Yeah,” she mouthed, staring at him for a moment. “Hold still a moment, you’ve got something on your face. Let me get it off.”
“Oh?” he replied, rubbing a cheek to try and feel it.
She skipped right up to him, lightly held both cheeks, and then dove forwards to kiss him on the lips, making a ‘mwa’ sound as she savoured the moment by keeping them connected. He was so shocked that he froze completely, left with the goofiest expression when she backed away. She laughed cheekily, blowing him a kiss afterwards.
“That was all I wanted, and that’s all! No one else has to know, ‘kay? I’ll see you back at the tents, my prince!” she laughed, skipping away.
He remained frozen to the spot for a few moments, unable to believe what he’d just felt. It took until a chilly wind made him shiver that he finally closed his mouth and shook himself off, unable to stop himself from blushing. “So that’s why they say your first kiss is the most special.”
