Giant Chasm, Unova Region.
Two trainers wandered through the maze that resided in a large crater, the amount of trees and rock formations making it impossible to climb over as they tried to reach the center.
"Are you sure we're going in the right direction?" one of the trainers said to his companion.
"Yes, my 'reliable' source said that we need to take three more rights after a tree and then we should find a small pond that will summon a powerful Ice type Pokémon!"
"Uh huh, did your reliable source also mention how this place is known to bring disaster to any who enter it?"
"Well yeah everyone knows that. That's why I had you bring your Kadabra to teleport us out if things get frosty."
"Hey! You know I hate puns."
The two continued their trek until they finally came upon a small pond that was enclosed by several trees.
"Alright this looks like the place."
"Okay so.....what happens now?"
"Honestly, I have no idea."
The trainer could only look at his companion in disbelief.
"Wait WHAT!?"
"I said I have no ide-"
"I know what you said! But you seriously brought us all the way out here, we walked for like 30 minutes of our lives and you don't know how to summon that Pokémon!?"
"I kind of just thought it would appear when we got here."
The irritated trainer took a stick and stuck it in the pond only going down halfway.
"Well whatever ice Pokémon is supposed to be here couldn't live in this shallow water, unless we are talking about a regional ice variation of a Stunfisk that is uber powerful and is just trolling us right now. I doubt that this is where it is."
"Welp, I guess we came out here for nothing then."
"Huh, I had to miss a date with my girlfriend for this. I honestly don't see how this could get any worse!"
"Haaahraaan!"
A loud screeching noise went throughout the area as if it was coming from all directions, a flash snow storm blanketed the chasm as if some supernatural force was at work.
Both trainers were immediately huddling together, as even the warm clothes they wore were not enough to half the chill of this wind.
"H-h-hey, what just happened?"
"Don't know, but I think we just found our ice Pokémon."
"What make you say that?"
The trainer simply raised his arm shakingly and pointed in the directions his eyes were facing. The other looked at where he was pointing and saw two yellow glowing eyes coming closer, the shape of the body they were attached to becoming more clear with every step.
"Haaaahraan!"
In that moment, two screams came out of the mouths of the trainers, but no one could hear them.
Spike woke up in the morning as the sun shined on his eyes. His Haxorus still sleeping under his bed.
There was a knock on the door as he sat up. A female voice coming through it.
"Spike, breakfast will be ready in 5 minutes."
The green hair young boy got out of bed as he began his daily routine of putting on his clothes, taking a morning stretch, and brushing his teeth. Finally, he went downstairs to be greeted by the sight of his sister making food.
Ember was girl with long messy blue hair. She wore a blue T-shirt with a brown overall and long pants. Her eyes matched the color of her name and gave of an almost intimidating stare.
"Hope you're hungry, cause I made hash browns and sausages."
Spike almost forced a smile, Ember knew his favorites.
As the siblings ate their food, none of them said a word to each other. Which was something Ember would not have.
"Hey Spino, anyone home?"
Spike nearly flinched at the mention of the dreaded nickname his sister had given him. For some reason, it never sat well with him.
"Yes?"
"Aren't you going tell how what you're doing today?"
"Same thing that I have been doing for the past month, and that you should know by now. Get up, eat, train Hax, read a book and go to sleep."
"Yes, I am aware. I was just wondering if you plan to do anything different today?"
"And why would you assume that?"
"I don't know, maybe it has something to do with what happen to you last month that you seem to be ignoring."
"I am well aware about my recent turning of 12 years old" Spike said sarcastically.
"Yes we're all aware and understand that fact, but what I don't understand is why you won't go on a journey now that you're old enough."
Spike remained silent and continued eating his food.
"Spike. Spike, Spike, Spi- I can keep going."
"There is no need for me to go on a journey."
"..what?"
"I do not need to go on a journey because I have no desire to do so. I am content living here with you, Hax and all my friends in the village."
"Spike, the only friends you have are me, and Iris, and she's currently on her Pokémon journey as well. So actually if you don't count me, you don't have any friends here."
Spike looked up a bit.
"So really you have nothing to do here except eat, train Hax, read a book and go to sleep."
"And is that so wrong?"
"Not inherently, but if you stay where you are right now you will never become something more."
"Why would I want to be something more?"
"Spike, you will never have a good life if you just do that same thing everyday. People go out and explore the world in order to find out who they want to be. How they want to live their lives."
"Yes, I clearly remember you saying those exact same words when you went on your journey, only to come all the way back here."
"Your point?"
"Why travel the region if I'm just gonna come back home."
"I came home because even after all that I still had a brother to take care of. I left you in the care of the village elder not because I wanted to get away from you but to also experience what it's like to go on an adventure, catch Pokémon and battle trainers. Who knows, maybe I'll go journey to a different region after you leave."
"But then who will take care of the house when we're gone?"
"The neighbors can do that....wait is that a yes I hear?"
Spike only gave Ember a look.
"Okay then, don't answer me. I'll just clean this up and you can go train Hax."
Ember took the finished plates, leaving Spike alone with his thoughts.
Brandon held out his hand that contained an oran berry, which was promptly eaten by a Manectric.
"Good boy, Howler."
The large ranch Brandon was currently in was home to the many Pokémon he had caught over the course of his many Pokémon journeys ranging from the big to the small, from the cute ones like Carbink to the dangerous creatures like a Chandelure. Whenever he was away, they would be tended to by the breeder whom he had hired from his father's company.
"Here is the brush you asked for Brandon."
"Ah yes, thank you Fluttershy."
The girl that stood before him had long pink hair and beautiful green eyes. Her voice was sweet and caring just like her mannerisms. Which was why it was no surprise she was chosen to look after the ranch.
"Howler, he is looking good looking isn't he."
"Yeah, he always likes brushing when I'm the one doing it."
"Wish he wouldn't give me trouble when I'm the one doing the brushing" Fluttershy said in an almost grumpy voice.
"Well I can't seem to understand why either, come on boy why don't you like Flutters huh?"
The Pokémon simple gave a neutral growl as his trainer continued brushing him.
"Well I suppose it can't be helped, well at least all the other Pokémon get along with me."
"Wouldn't have picked you if I didn't think you would be good at what you do. Working with Pokemon is like a natural talent for you."
"Yeah, oh by the way Brandon, the egg that belongs to Black Storm and Dark Shine may hatch soon."
"It is!? That great! You wouldn't believe how many times Rupee asked if she could keep the Zoura that comes out. I got her to stop when I said she could name it."
"Oh, well I set up a sensor that will go off when it's about to hatch."
"Ah okay."
Once Brandon finished brushing Howler, he took the time to immerse himself in where he was at. All the Pokemon that ran around here, had at one point been key partners in his journey throughout the many regions of Japan and beyond. From Kanto to Kalos, he had amassed and trained a number of Pokemon that could rival any Pokemon collector. Theoretically all the Pokemon could take on 6 full teams of Pokemon.
He was grateful for the bond that he had with all of them, which was why he believed he had the capability to do what few have.
"You know, it's funny I have caught all these Pokémon, forged meaningful bonds that will last a lifetime, and yet I still haven't caught one of them."
"Ah, still trying to find a Legendary Pokémon aren't you."
"Yup, still thinking of going after a Diancie, or maybe even a Lugia cause those things have been observed breeding more than others."
"Hmmm If I could pick one it would be a Shaymin. I would just hold one close and smell the flowers on its back.."
As both of them became lost in their minds about the thought of having a Legendary Pokemon of their own, a beeping noise came from Fluttershy's Poketch.
"Oh my the egg is about to hatch!" Fluttershy exclaimed.
"Wait now?!"
Both of them rushed to the building where eggs and infant Pokemon were taken care off(Which was dubbed the "Egg Nest" by Brandon and Fluttershy). Once inside they went to the room where the egg was kept and saw the soon to be parents Black Storm and Dark Shine gathered around a glowing egg.
"Oh my," Fluttershy began.
Brandon knelt down and waited as more light shined off from the egg, and a few seconds later the light died. And in its place was a newborn Zuora.
"Aww, no matter how many times I see this, the miracle of birth never loses its luster," Fluttershy gave the parents their space while she went to get something. As Brandon watched as Dark Shine tended to her baby, Fluttershy came back with a formula and a basket of fruit.
Fluttershy demonstrated her innate skill of understanding Pokemon to gain the parents trust to feed the Zuora, and once it had consumed the nourishment it needed it began to try and walk on its own.
"Aww isn't that cute," a voice said.
Brandon had to stop himself from jumping,(mainly because he had been trying to get used to it by now) when he realized who was now among them.
"Rupee, could you at least knock before you come in?"
"I did."
Rolling his eyes Brandon turned to face his sister. "I suppose you have come to make claim on naming the Zoura."
"Was there ever any doubt?" Rupee then went down to the level of the Zoura and looked it in the eye. The Fox Pokemon only tilted its head to the side in response.
"Okay I think I'll name you...Alice!"
Brandon raised an eyebrow, "Alice?"
"Yeah as in Alice in Wonderland."
"But it's a boy," Fluttershy said.
"Wait.. it is?"
"Yes, I checked before you got here."
Wanting to make sure, Rupee promptly help up the baby Zoura and looked under it.
"Oh, well then how about John! No that's to human, how about Trace! Wait that be to ironic."
Sunset stood in the basement of her house, her parents were currently asleep as the meeting with the Kishinami's was over and that they had a big day tomorrow planning for a presentation for the Mages association of Kalos.
"With mom and dad both soundly asleep, I can do this without any interruptions."
Sunset took out a few of the gems that she had bought earlier, setting them around a premade magic circle that she had drawn on a board. Putting her hands together in the form of a triangle, she began to concentrate.
"Okay, gathering the mana from leylines."
Energy began to surround the gem in the form of dust.
"Crystallizing."
Moving her hands and fingers in a specific way, the dust followed their movements, until the crystal began to grow stems from its center.
"Stabilizing growth."
The crystal continued to grow.
"Concentrate."
However, the dust soon started to become erratic.
"Concentrate!"
Sunset tried to control the flow of mana, but to no avail.
"Stop. Enough!"
Moving her hands away the crystal stopped growing and the energy dissipated. Sunset then let out a sigh of relief.
But her assurance was dashed as the crystal bursted into shards, leaving a bit of dust that made Sunset cough.
"Dang it. No good."
Sweeping away the mess, Sunset put another gem in the circle.
"Okay, lets try this again."
6 gems later...
"Uuuuggggghh." Sunset let out a sigh of annoyance as she blew through her seventh gem. "I've practically blew though half of my stock, what am i doing wrong?"
"You used too much mana all at once." A male voice said.
Sunset's eyes shot up as she looked to her left and saw who was standing next to her.
The man was in his late 40s he had hair the shade of a goat's fur and yellow eyes. His face built as a handsome man and one who gave off a level of charisma.
"Father?" Sunset said.
"You need to maintain a calm mind, magic is tied to emotions as much as the mental realm is."
"Hmph, I know that dad. Learned that when I was like 12."
"Indeed but have you yet to truly master that aspect?"
Sunset opened her mouth, but then closed it.
"Sunset, your skills and gifts have taken you a long way in terms of magecraft, but they take you no further if you do not fully come to terms with your mind and emotions."
Sunset's dad put his hand over the shattered mess of rock and with a wave of his hand. The pieces melded themselves back together.
"Patience is the key."
"I have patience.," Sunset said, looking her father in the eye.
"Sunset, tell me again, what was the dream you said you wanted to make real?"
The red and yellow hair girl looked away, but still answered.
"To become the best like no one ever was."
"Indeed, as vague as the dream was, from the day you said it you never stopped doing everything you could to make it real. I didn't stand in your way and neither did your mother."
"And?"
"And, my point is, you never took the time to slow down and contemplate just exactly what you're doing." The man then put his hands over the gem and did the same motions Sunset had done.
"Without a clear mind, a mage cannot perform proper magic."
Sunset watched in small amazement as her father made the gem grow at a better rate than she did.
"But without a clear goal in mind, a person can never truly amount to what they seek to accomplish."
Then when he lifted his hand up, the gem had taken the form of a Pokeball.
"You make it look easy."
"It actually is, you just need the patience to do so."
Sunset only made a scrunchy face.
"Heh, you know, when you were little, I always thought that inner fire of yous would make you a Pokemon trainer."
"I am one, aren't I?"
"In name only, but seeing Larvesta wander the house like a little scamp he is tells me that you don't plan on going on a journey anytime soon.
"Why would I? Being a mage is not something I can learn if I'm wandering the world."
"Actually you can. Mages don't keep to themselves in their towers all their lives, going around the world is not just an experience for trainers, but also mages as well, by learning more about the mysteries of the world can we truly also learn about the secrets of magic. Doesn't that sound like being the best like no one ever was?"
Sunset was once again at a lost for words. Her father had an effect like that on people.
"He probably got mom that way."
"Clean up this mess then go to bed Sunset, and think on the options laid out before you."
Sunset's father then went up the stairs, leaving Sunset alone with her thoughts.
Magearna parried another blow from Keldeo's horn as she stood her ground against his attack. The Colt Pokemon may walk on four legs, but he was just as good with a sword as someone who was biped.
"You have gotten smarter, Magarena. Those moves usually catches my opponents off guard." Keldeo said as brandished his Sacred Sword.
"Cobalion taught me a few tricks on how to defend myself against your movesets. After all, he did train you."
"Yes, did he also mention how I surpassed him and the other swords!"
Diae watched from outside the field as the two connected their blades again, fighting with a fervor that would make them indistinguishable from a Saber.
"Don't know why you didn't bring that fancy new sword you got. I heard it’s special."
Magearna being who she was, found the will to focus on the battle while replying to her friend. "And that Diae is the reason why I did not bring it. Why should something so special be brought if this is just a training match, besides..."
Magearna caught another blow and knocked Keldeo back before in an instant her blade was near his throat.
"That would just be unfair."
Keldeo then shot into the air with water from his hooves, blinding Magearna for a second before she found his sword leaved at her Soul Heart.
"So true," Keldeo said in agreement.
The artificial Pokemon simply let out a sigh and sheathed her blade in the personal pocket dimension that Palkia had made in order to store her stuff.
Diae joined the two as they took a breath from the battle,(although Diae wondered if Magearna even needed to breath) "Man, I probably couldn't have moved that fast even with my diamond sword."
"Of course you wouldn't cause your Mega evolution makes you bigger and heavier," Magearna said.
*Gasp* "Are you calling me fat!?" Diae said, trying to sound offended.
"I don't know, weight can be a strength. I mean look at Terrakion, he takes down walls with his weight."
"Silence peasant," Diae said teasingly.
The three Mythical Pokemon shared a laugh.
"You know, some of the other legends like Tina said how this would was gonna work out. I'd like to hear her smart mouth now."
"You said it Diae, who says we all have be four legged and know Sacred Sword. In my book if can wield a blade, you’re good enough," Keldeo said.
"I can see why some would question this setup, seeing as it has always been a member of the Cobalion, Terrakion and Virizion species. But no one said it had to be that way. After all, they let you in."
"Amen, and while we all have a lot to live up to. I think I can say without a doubt that Keldeo, Diae and Magearna, are the new Swords of Justice are we not."
Later...
Magearna sat down in her room, looking at the sword that was given to her by Azelf. Her mind began to drift to when she receive it.
"So Magearna, I heard you got accepted into the Swords of Justice," Azelf said.
"Yes, even though Keldeo was making the selections, Cobalion gave me his approval, after witnessing my sword skills first."
"Did he, and what did he say?"
"Said, and I quote 'Your skills would probably allow you to stand your ground against a warrior from the Age of Knights.' then mumbled something I couldn't make out."
Azelf's eyes widened a little, "He really said that?"
"Yes, why?"
"Nothing, just wait here."
Magearna looked as Azelf went to a pool of water in her room. Magearna knew this pool to be a portal that connected lake Valor to the Hall of Legends.
Using Psychic, Azelf pulled out a decorative-looking sword with ancient engravings, its hilt was a mix of gold and blue.
Coming back, the Willpower Pokemon held it up to Magearna.
"This holy sword was forged by the Goliaths and given to a human mage who was my human partner long ago, we then decided to give it to a King who wished to save his Kingdom. After the King died, one of his Knights gave it back and it has since been with me, unused and depowered."
"It still has some of the power if wielded within, but its full power has been sealed away. I haven't tried to unlock it, because I didn't feel the need to."
"And, you're giving it to me?"
"Yes, something tells me you may be worthy of rediscovering that power."
Coming out of her daydream, Magearna thought back to what Arceus said. About how legends sometimes took on trainers.
"I have been tasked with restoring the power of this sword, but I don't know where to even start."
Magearna took the sword and placed it back in her pocket dimension. She then went into sleep mode and let her dreams take her away.
Kyurem mostly kept to himself. Not because he was a loner but for different reasons entirely.
At first one would assume the Ice/Dragon type to be a cold unfeeling, merciless soul, when in fact Kyurem was one of the most wise and understanding Legendaries around. As someone who came from the remains of the Unova dragon that split into Reshiram and Zekrom, it was the absence of Truth and Ideals, but at the same time was a medium between the two, a neutral as one would call it.
After he gave those two humans the spook, one of them called out a Kadabra which promptly teleported them away to who knows where.
"They wouldn't be able to catch me anyway, seeing as my Pokeball belongs to another."
The dragon was currently wandering through the cave that was its lair, passing inscriptions and engravings of a language long passed. At the back of said cave, Kyurem came upon a cane with a large symbol at the residents of Unova would recognize as belonging to Team Plasma.
Kyurem regarded the cane with its presence before remembering how the evil machinations of the human known as Ghetsis ended in his own cave.
The Boundary Pokemon simply continued walking as another thought crossed his mind.
"Ironic how an evil was defeated in a place that was meant to guard another great evil."
Kyurem went the that wall that ended the tunnel. His eyes glowed for a second before a section of that wall slid away, revealing a secret tunnel that went even deeper.
As it walked down that dark tunnel more ice began to form on the walls and ceilings, and with each step Kyurem's thoughts continued.
"When that villain took control of my mind and forced me against my will to do his bidding, he told me about how he would use my power to freeze Unova and claim it for himself. It was in that moment that a glimmer of hope formed in me that he probably knew nothing about that great secret that I guard."
The ice soon covered the entire tunnel as Kyurem traveled deeper down.
"Only my fellow legends know why I really chose this cave as my lair, what the humans really saw when an "icy meteor" crashed here."
The temperature became so low that most people would have trouble breathing.
"The humans of Lacunosa Town say that a monster would come at night, then take them away to eat them, but we both know that's not what you did."
The dragon finally came upon a large and spacious room, a large structure rose from that ground that would easily be seen as an palace carved from a glacier.
"The humans think me to be a monster who spirits away people in the night to devour them, and that's fine. They can hate me so long as they never know that something like you is down here, or even feared what you would unleash if someone freed you."
Kyurem walked across the bridge to a doorway that sat at the base of the hill.
"You would feed off of their insecurities and fear, their hatred of you would only make you stronger as you prepared to unleash your devastation upon the Earth."
Within the chamber, he was met with a large ice formation that had encased something inside.
"When we confronted you, the minions that you birthed gave us some trouble but not that much trouble."
Kyurem looked inside as he view what appeared to be a large snowflake with a red center motionless and still, a prisoner of its own element.
"But you were more trouble than any one of us could ask for, Bittercold."